Ready to Create 2011 to be Your Best Sales Year Ever?

As we move into 2011, now is the time to decide what you want your business to look like. Look at what you have in your business now. If you don’t like what you see, you can change it. If you want to achieve bigger goals, you can do it. It starts by stepping outside your business, looking at how you’ve been doing business, and then creating a new vision of what you want your business to be. You can accomplish much more when you have a clear and concise sales plan.

Let me share a story about my client, Ann. She’s the owner of a growing tile business. Ann came to me because she wasn’t closing enough sales—she was overwhelmed with the details of running a business. Instead of running her business, she felt as though her business was running her. Her lack of focus and direction was hindering her productivity and slowing down her sales growth.

Ann had big dreams for growing her business. She wanted to design a brochure, build a website, and sign on more clients. However, all the details that arise for solopreneurs can often push our dreams into the realm of “maybe someday.” So early in the coaching relationship, Ann and I created a detailed plan of everything that she wanted to accomplish.

We started with Ann creating a clear vision of what she wanted her business to look like. I had her answer these questions, “What is it I really want to do? Am I doing the work I really love or am I doing what others expect of me?” In order to create her vision, she needed to put her business owner hat on, step back, and see the whole picture. It’s not uncommon to get caught up in the “doing” of our business and lose sight of seeing a bigger picture, including all of our dreams and goals.

She then listed and clarified all her goals and indicated next to each goal the date to reach the goal. We then defined action steps for each goal, with a due date next to each action step. We looked at all of the steps and we listed, by priority, which steps she needed to tackle first. Creating due dates for her goals and action steps, gave Ann a clear and specific plan by when they would be accomplished.

Immediately, Ann felt energized and excited. Finally, she was focused and had gained clarity. She was able to envision each of the steps on the way to each of her goals. With her new plan in place, Ann completed her brochure, implemented her new website, and actively began pursuing new clients. She felt a sense of accomplishment seeing all the projects she’d been working on for several years finally being completed. Ann is now running her business with confidence, guided by a clear vision of what she needs to do going forward. By anchoring herself and grounding herself, she became the image of success she’d dreamed of.

I’m sure many of you can relate to Ann’s story. You’re strong in certain areas, but in other areas you’re totally overwhelmed with all the things involved in running a business. When you create a clear, specific plan and stick to it, you cease to be overwhelmed and make tremendous strides towards realizing your vision.

The wonderful thing about having a plan is gaining a sense of control over the direction of your business and life. With a plan, you steer your business in the direction you want it to go. You are no longer caught up in the details of the day-to-day work.

Here are 9 simple steps to create your own comprehensive plan towards achieving your sales success:

1. Create your vision: Take a good look at your business. Maybe it’s time to change your vision. Are you doing what you really want to do? What is it you want to accomplish? What is it you provide? When you begin to answer these questions, you’re creating a clear vision of what you want to accomplish.
2. See the whole picture: Much too often, we are caught up in the every day details of our business rather than seeing the whole picture. Make the time to step back from the “doing” and see the whole picture of what you want to achieve.
3. Clarify your goals: Goals are the pathway to getting to where you want to take your business. Make a list of all the goals you want to accomplish and ensure they relate to your business.
4. Clear and specific goals: As you write your goals, are they as clear and specific as possible? This means projecting sales revenue numbers, percentages, number of new clients, etc.
5. Action steps: To fulfill each of your goals, there must be an action step connected to the goal. The action step is the “doing” part of your plan. Without taking action, the goal is just a good idea.
6. Due dates: To ensure you reach your goal sooner than later, list a due date to reach your goal and do the same for each action step. This eliminates procrastination because you’re committing to a deadline to reach your goal.
7. Prioritize: Take a good look at each goal and list the goals that matter most first. Prioritize the top 3 goals as “A” goals. This means you want to achieve these goals in the next 90 days.
8. Just do it: Now that you’ve created a plan, it’s time to work your plan. Do what you said you would do, when you said you would do it. As Nike says, “Just do it!” 97% of people write goals and never take action. If you want this to be your best year ever, be in the 3% who take action and reach their goals!
9. Persevere: Do not allow anything to get in the way of fulfilling your plan and reaching your goals. No matter what life throws at you, keep your eye on your plan and persevere.

Now is a good time to begin to create your sales plan. Follow the 9 steps and begin to design your plan. With a comprehensive sales plan in place, you’re ready to hit the ground running in 2011!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Are You Ready to Shift Your Sales Beliefs?

A belief is an assumed truth. Thus, everything is a belief—including this statement. We create beliefs to anchor our understanding of the world around us and thus, once we have formed a belief, we will tend to persevere with that belief.

Your belief system, like your computer, doesn’t judge or even question what you think. It accepts your thoughts as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. When you think thoughts of failure, you’re bound to feel discouraged and hopeless. And, when you continuously worry, anxiety and fear take over causing stress and keeping you from moving forward.

We did not come into the world with any limiting beliefs or fears. When we were born, we were completely unafraid, fully expressed, and spontaneous. But as we grew up, our parents and people around us began teaching us their beliefs. They began saying things like, “Be careful!” Stop!” “Get away from there!” “No! You can’t do that!” And, the more you heard these thoughts over time, you accepted them as the truth.

I can remember, as the youngest of 5 brothers and sisters having dinner on Sundays with my family. I was a very expressive little girl with a lot to say. Many times when I would try to speak, my oldest brother would say “Keep quiet, nobody is interested in what you have to say.” To him I was his annoying little sister. But to me, he was my big brother, so whatever he said was the truth. I believed that nobody was really interested in what I had to say, so I stopped speaking up. I believed that what I said didn’t matter.

Dr. Shad Helmstetter, author of What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, writes in his book how we’ve been conditioned by repetitive, negative programming through family, friends, and articles we’ve read. He says the brain is like a “programming machine.” The mind takes what you put into it and after listening to it over and over again, believes the thoughts are real.

It all starts with our programming! It is our programming that sets up our beliefs, and the chain reaction begins. The sequence is as follows: What we believe determines our attitudes, affects our feelings, impacts our behavior, and determines our success or failure. That’s how the brain works.

When it comes to selling, you may have a belief that to successfully sell you have to be like the “slick” or “pushy” stereotype used car salesman, and you know that is not your style. You avoid learning how to sell because you believe you have to act differently and be a certain way with the client. You start saying to yourself and others “I’m not good at selling” or “I’m not the pushy type”. Your belief about selling keeps you from getting out there and selling your product.

No one was born a natural salesperson. You can successfully sell by creating a new set of beliefs and positive self-talk. First, identify what your beliefs are, when did you first start hearing these beliefs and ask yourself if they are really true? You’ll see that these beliefs were passed to you by someone else and you heard them so often, you assumed they were true.

A good way to create positive self-talk is through affirmations. An affirmation is a positive statement that represents your desired outcome. Interestingly, your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between a real experience and a vividly imagined experience.

There’s a story about Jim Carrey, the well-known comedian and actor. When he was a struggling young comedian, late at night he would drive into the hills overlooking Hollywood and yell at the top of his lungs “I will earn ten million dollars a year by 1995!” When 1995 finally arrived, Jim was the star of the movie “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” for which he was paid twenty million dollars!”

As you come to the end of the year, make a list of your negative beliefs about selling (and other areas of your life). Next to each belief, write a positive affirmation that you can practice daily just as Jim Carrey did that brought him millions. We all have the power within us to change the way we think. Just by changing and practicing your beliefs, you’ll be on your way to taking a quantum leap in your business and life in 2009!

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you're stuck in your business or frustrated you're not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business. Click here to learn more.

© 2008. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Rochelle Togo-Figa, Professional Sales Coach, is prohibited.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

Up Your Sales with a Simple Strategy

Do you have a sales strategy plan for growing your business and bringing in more sales?

The dictionary’s definition of a “strategy” is a plan of action intended to accomplish a specific goal; a method of making, doing, or accomplishing something.

Your sales strategy plan is a very clear statement of what your business has to do for you to achieve your sales goals. The wonderful thing about having a plan is it gives you a sense of control over the direction of change in your life.

Now, the type of plan I’m talking about is a plan for growing your sales and clients. If you’re serious about doubling your sales and bringing in tons more clients, you have to know how you’re going to do it.

The key is to plan, envision, and articulate what you want, and write it down. If you don’t put it into existence, you don’t own it.

Sadly, most people spend little or no time working on their sales strategy plan. Without a clear plan of what it is you want to accomplish and how you’re going to accomplish it, chances are you won’t reach all your goals.

I recently spoke to a business owner who was struggling closing sales. When I asked her how she sold her services, she said by calling people she knew. She thought if she just reached more people, she’d get more appointments, and make more money.

I asked her what else she’s doing to market her business? She said, “I’m planning to network; however, things keep getting in the way. And, I hope to create my website shortly.” She was vague and unclear about what steps to take, and easily getting sidetracked by other tasks without a clear plan to follow.

Let me share with you the process I followed to create a sales strategy plan for my client, Judy, and the results that followed:

The Situation
Judy is the owner of a tile and stone company. She dreamt of producing a website and creating a brochure; however, without clear steps to follow, she easily became distracted by the daily details of her business. Her dream looked like it was going to remain a dream.

Judy came to me because she lacked focus and direction. Without clarity and a clear sense of how to increase her sales, she was confused and overwhelmed with the responsibility of owning a business. She clearly was not running her business; her business was running her.

The Process
Early on, I had Judy create 3 specific and vivid goals she wanted to achieve in the first 3 months. With each goal she listed the action steps to take and a due date for each step. We divided the goals into business, sales, and marketing categories.

Before Judy got into action, I had her make a list of all the barriers she had that were keeping her from reaching her goals. She saw she had some fears that were keeping her stuck. These same fears were also stopping her in other areas of her life as well. I helped Judy understand these fears were not real and what needed to be done was to take action. The more she moved forward, the less fearful she felt. Judy began to feel freed up and energized about her business!

The Results
Judy now had a clear vision of what she wanted her business to look like. With her renewed energy, she continued to be more productive and in action, and the results happened almost immediately. Her dreams became real. She produced a beautiful brochure to give to her customers, created a website that professionally showcased her company, and designed a new logo. With the new company image, sales increased by 60%! Judy is now running her business; her business is no longer running her.

A clear and concise sales strategy plan provided Judy with a step-by-step process that gave her clarity and direction. She quickly started closing more sales, signing on more clients, and making more money.

With her own sales strategy plan, she mapped a clear pathway to reaching all her dreams and goals. 

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Are You Creating Your Own Team?

I spoke to an entrepreneur today who was stressed out with all the things she needed to do in her business. It was clear by the sound of her voice that she needed help. Doing everything on her own was wearing her down and putting her into overwhelm. She’s a brilliant talented woman who wasn’t focusing on what she does best.

For most of us, it’s our passion that inspires us to go into business. We go into business with the strong desire to help people and make a difference in the world. But as we get more and more into our business, suddenly we realize there are many different hats we have to wear.

Although you realize bringing in business is a priority, all the things you have to do daily take you away from doing what you do best. Before long, you’re spending more time on the day-to-day tasks than on what will bring you in the most money.

You start off each day with a plan in place but early on you get side tracked by an unexpected situation. By the end of the day you realize you haven’t accomplished very much. You’re never going to grow your business trying to do many different things in your business. In addition, you have to focus more on doing tasks that you don’t enjoy doing.

I recently read a quote a friend of my posted on Facebook that sums it up. “A person’s most valuable currency is what comes naturally—if something isn’t easy, then don’t do it. You can’t override your feelings or ignore your core desires and expect to create something sustainable. When you let go of the activities that aren’t second nature, it opens up your creativity.” How true that is!

I can remember when I first started my business, I felt overwhelmed with all the tasks that needed to be done. I thought I was suppose to be super woman. I was doing work I didn’t like doing and it took longer to do because I wasn’t an expert. It didn’t leave me much time to do the work I loved.

As soon as I hired my first team member, I became more relaxed and more time opened up. I gave up the notion that I had to do it all. My creativity juices were brought back to life. I now reach out to my team of experts who help me in the areas I need help. I don’t always need them but I know they’re there when I do.

I invite you to do the same. Start by making a list of all your tasks. Next to each task, write your initial if it’s something you love to do or write an “x” if it can be delegated. Begin to create a team that you can reach out to help you who are experts. You’ll quickly see the difference it makes for you in your business.

Remember, you went into business because you’re good at what you do. Now it’s time to be doing what you do best.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

It’s Time to Raise your Financial Self-Worth

I was recently on a call with a client who shared with me how she received all theses leads at an event she attended. I expected her to be excited with such a strong response. It was obvious by the number of leads she received that people needed her services. Yet, she was feeling frustrated and depressed. And, when I asked her why, she said, “Even if I get the business, I’m still not covering all my expenses.”

I felt so sad to hear this because she’s great at what she does and should be paid generously for her expertise. We went a little deeper and uncovered she was afraid to charge more because she had a low-worth mentality. She had worked many years as an employee. Although she was now a business owner, she was still thinking like an employee.

What she experienced is not uncommon for many people who leave the corporate arena to start their own businesses. It’s easy to sell a large ticket item when you work for someone else. But when it comes to stating your fee, you find yourself tongue tied and stumbling over what to say. Although you have a passion and desire to help your clients, and hope to be financially rewarded for doing that, your limiting belief about your self-worth determines how much to charge.

Here are some statements that show it’s time to raise your financial self-worth:

• You know in your heart you’re not charging enough.
• You’re afraid if you increase your fees you’ll lose the clients you have.
• People are telling you that you should be charging more.
• You don’t believe you deserve to charge more.
• You’re afraid to go after bigger clients.
• You’re not excited when you bring in a new client.
• You resent the time you give to some of your clients.
• You’re giving extra time to clients and feeling depleted.

If any of the above statements sound familiar and you want to turn them around, here are some ways to help you gain the confidence to raise your fees:

• Make a list of the results clients get from working with you. As you write this list, you’ll gain more confidence seeing the value you bring to your clients.
• Ask several current clients why they chose to work with you. You’ll be surprised and delighted by the reasons your clients hired you.
• Visualize clients happily paying you what you’re worth. The more clearly you can see clients paying you what you’re worth, the more real it becomes.
• Write down all the reasons you deserve to increase your fees. After you’ve written this list, read it over and over so you begin to see that you deserve to be paid what you’re worth.
• Ask your satisfied clients for testimonials and then read them periodically. This will increase your confidence when you read how much you’ve helped them.
• For each negative thought you have about raising your fees, change that thought to a powerful and positive thought. Instead of saying “If I raise my fees, my clients will leave, say, “I’m worthy of these fees and provide a valuable service to my clients.”
• Next practice saying your new fees over and over until the words come out as easily as saying your name.

Remember many of the people you’re dealing with are business owners just like you. They see their own costs going up and expect your fees to increase too.

Remember the client I mentioned earlier. After working with her to shift her beliefs and thoughts about increasing her fees, I received a call from her. She was so excited she could hardly speak. She said, “I just met with a new client, presented my new fees and she hired me! And, it was so EASY!” Everything shifted for her once she raised her self-worth.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

It's Time to Blow Your Horn

I recently met with my client, Jenny, who left her corporate job to start her own business two years ago. Her business has quickly grown, she had built up a clientele of loyal customers and she was ready to go after bigger accounts. Yet, there was something in the way that was keeping her from pursuing the bigger accounts.

Jenny had worked for someone else for many years. She was comfortable promoting their product and staying in the background. But now as a business owner, the product she’s promoting is herself. She was having difficulty creating a compelling marketing message and letting people know about her.

When I asked her what was holding her back, she said she doesn’t think she can compete with the big competitors. And, when we went a little deeper, we uncovered the real fear and that was she didn’t think she was good enough. Now, is this the truth? Absolutely not! She made this thought up and deep down she believes it.

For many entrepreneurs, we have difficulty blowing our own horn. What holds us back can be our limiting thoughts. We’re not always aware of these thoughts, but you know they’re there because they can show up in our behaviors.

Here’s how you know you’re holding yourself back:

• You make excuses for not doing what you said you would do.
• You blame circumstances or other people for your situation.
• You find yourself distracted and sidetracked by other tasks.
• You feel overwhelmed by everything there is to do.
• You compare yourself to others.

If you want to take your business to the next level, you have to be willing to step out from behind the curtain and stand confidently and proudly center stage. It’s time to blow your horn, let everyone know how great you are, what you have to offer, and how they can help you.

It means “acting as if” you’re already that person. The more you act as if you are, over time you will become that person. It’s like being an actor. The actor takes on a role. She’s “pretending” to be that person; however, to the audience she “is” that person.

I did that when I created my new website. I wanted a new website that projected an image of professionalism yet softness. I took the leap and made the changes. At first it was scary. I wondered how people would respond. There was no reason to be scared, the response to the website has been so positive since I’ve launched it. In the first week, I’ve attracted two huge business opportunities. I’m so happy I made the leap!

Here’s 5 easy steps to help you blow your horn!

• Make a list of your accomplishments. When you do this exercise, you’ll begin to see how much you’ve accomplished. Far more than you ever thought!
• Make a list of the benefits people receive from working with you. This will help you become clear on what you provide for your clients.
• Interview clients. Ask them what they like best about working with you, what is unique about you, and why they hired you.
• Gather testimonials from your clients. Read those testimonials over and over, so you’re present to the results you’ve produced for your clients. These are your raving fans!
• Take action now! What’s one step you’ve been wanting to do in your business and been putting off that you’re willing to take on today?

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Your Thoughts are Key to Closing More Sales!

The power of shifting the way we think is a principle that has been taught for decades by many well-known spiritual leaders. And, if you walk into any book store, you’ll see bookshelves lined with books about positive thinking. People are hungry to be free from negative thinking and want to be excited by what’s possible, yet learning how to apply this principle to their lives still eludes many.

In the course of the day we’re receiving thousands and thousands of thoughts. Many of the thoughts we have keep us playing small in life and from going after the things we want. It may seem as if we have no control over the thousands of thoughts that come into our mind. But, the truth is, we do have a say in what we think.

Consider that as human beings we are always in an ongoing conversation with ourselves. Notice the conversation you’re having with yourself when you’re sitting across from a client. As you get present to your own internal voice, you will see you are a person driven by that ongoing conversation. You’re driven by a little voice in your head that never shuts up. That voice in your head tells you who you are and what you can and can't do.

The voice never disappears; however, it doesn’t have to stop you. The voice that tells you, “you can’t do this” or “I’m not good at this stuff,” is made up by you. You’ve had those thoughts for so long, you actually believe they’re real. These repetitive thoughts become your negative beliefs. Here are some negative beliefs that may sound familiar to you.

I’m not good enough. I don’t have what it takes. Something is wrong with me. I’ll never succeed. I don’t like to sell. What if I fail?

I don’t know enough. Who will want what I offer? I’m a failure. I’m too disorganized. I’m not worth it. I can’t do this.

Are these negative beliefs real or did you make them up? How have they stopped you from taking action in the past and today?

Ask yourself, “What are the thoughts I’m creating right now?” Are you thinking about new ways to bring in business or are you thinking of reasons why you’re not bringing in enough business? Are you thinking of all the ways you help your clients or are you thinking you’re never going to be as successful as other entrepreneurs?

Studies have shown the mind is like a programming machine. And, whatever thought the mind hears over and over again believes it to be true. If that’s the case, why not change the negative belief to a positive belief? We can turn any negative thought we have into positive and powerful thoughts.

Here are some examples of how easily you can change some negative beliefs.

“They’ll think my fees are too high.” Your fear about charging higher fees has more to do with your own self worth than what people think. If you know in your heart you bring value to your clients, you’re worth it. To help you see your worth, make a list of everything you provide and all the benefits your clients get from working with you. Then read the list over so you can see the value you bring. If you believe you’re worth it, they will to!

“It’s hard for me to ask for referrals.” Often a thought like this will have an underlying belief such as “people don’t want to help me,” “people aren’t happy with my services,” or “I’m afraid I’ll appear too pushy.” How do you know they don’t want to help you, aren’t happy with your service, or will think you’re too pushy? We tend to get a rejection or two and conclude that people will not help us. Before you ask for the referral, say to yourself, “I did a good job for my client! They want to help me. I’m going to ask for a referral without being attached to a result.”

“Public speaking scares me to death.” Will you die if you speak in public? Is that really true? I haven’t seen it happen once, yet. What’s the really worst thing that could happen? Your presentation might bore some people. Could you handle that? With a little practice, don’t you think you’d improve? Of course you could. To ease your fear of speaking, you can build up your confidence by giving small presentations at your local library or your local community center.

Now, the more you say these thoughts to yourself and to others, they become real. Negative thoughts like “It’s hard for me to ask for referrals.” “I’m not good at managing my time.” “Public speaking scares me.” Every limiting thought becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s true because you say it’s true. And, if you don’t question your thoughts, they will continue to control your destiny. You can change those thoughts.

The thoughts you have are the key to achieving everything you want in your life and business. You have within yourself the ability to change your thoughts and by doing that, you can achieve everything you need to bring in sales beyond your wildest dreams! When you start shifting your thinking, you’ll easily start attracting new clients and bringing in new business.

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you're stuck in your business or frustrated you're not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business. Click here to learn more.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Give Yourself a Break…Cuz You’re the Boss!

I’m the first to say that it’s important to invest in yourself to grow your business. As a solo business owner, I’m always interested in learning new ways to grow my business and help my clients. I know that by learning the latest products and cutting edge information, I have more to offer my clients.

However, recently I noticed I was spending more time outside my office attending workshops than working on my business. I would return from a workshop filled with new ideas. I’d create another long “to do” list to add to my previous “to do” list, not sure when I’d get to all of it. There seemed so much to do and so little time to do it. I realized it was time to put the brakes on, slow down, and take a step back.

I was so busy doing, doing, doing, I wasn’t making the time to absorb and implement everything I’ve learned. Nor was I taking the time “to stop to smell the roses.” Sound familiar to you? You find yourself with all these great ideas, yet pulled in so many different directions that it begins to feel overwhelming.

One of the advantages of being a business owner is that you get to design your business the way you want it. So it’s time to give yourself a break, cuz you’re the boss! Here’s 5 ways to get started.

1. Ask yourself, “Which of these tasks is going to move me closer to my goals?”
   
   You’ve got a number of projects you’re trying to finish. You can’t possibly do everything you need to do. Some things are just not going to get done.
   
   Then make a list of all the things you have to do. Prioritize all the items, listing the most important on top down to the least important at the bottom.
   
   Now you can start working on the most important realizing you probably won’t get to the bottom. And, that’s okay because they can’t be very important or they would have been listed at the top.
2. Take a deep breath, stop what you’re doing and step away.
   
   There are times when work can seem so overwhelming. You feel like everything is coming at you at once. You’re not sure what pile to start on first.
   
   Even if it’s only for a few minutes, step away from your desk, and do something different. When you return, you’ll feel calmer and more focused.
3. Make your weekends your own private time to take care of yourself.
   
   Often on Sunday afternoons, I’ll go up to my office, open up my computer and start working. I’ll tell myself I’m doing this so I can be ahead of my workload except there’s always the next thing to do.
   
   This past Sunday, I did things differently. I decided I was not going to work. Instead, I sat out on my terrace and immersed myself in a great fiction book I’ve been dying to read. What a great feeling to read something totally unrelated to work, and I can’t wait to read the next chapter!
4. Block out time on your calendar to nurture your mind and soul.
   
   For me it’s working out at the gym 3 times a week. For you, it could be taking a walk, jogging in the neighborhood, practicing yoga, journaling your thoughts each morning, meditating daily, or reading a good juicy book.
   
   Even if it’s only for a few minutes, give yourself “special time.” You’ll find yourself more relaxed and focused when you return to your office.
5. As you start to plan next year’s business and personal goals, make sure to block off vacation time and write those dates in your calendar now.
   
   Your vacation time with your family is a priority, and sometimes we forget that. Rob and I have already decided where and when we’re taking next year’s vacation. And, we plan on taking more vacations too.

As a solo entrepreneur, you have to consciously make the time to enjoy life and smell the roses. If you don’t do that for yourself, no one else is going to! And, doing that has to be a priority.

By taking my own advice, something pretty amazing happened! I got 2 new sales without being at my computer. Also, the phone started ringing with people interested in working with me. Of course, I had all my systems in place that made this all the more easy.

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you’re stuck in your business or frustrated you’re not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business. Click here to learn more.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

5 Steps to Attracting More Sales Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we all have dreams of closing sales beyond our wildest dreams, signing up lots of clients, and making more money than we ever thought possible. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen as quickly as we’d like it to.

Many entrepreneurs and business owners come to me frustrated with their lack of sales, hoping to learn specific sales skills to turn around their businesses. They hope by learning new selling techniques, their sales will quickly grow and their businesses will flourish.

Some of my clients quickly apply the sales skills I teach, reaching extraordinary levels of success, while other clients reach minimal sales success. Why was this happening for some and not for the others? Both groups had the same level of experience, yet the level of success was significantly different.

At first, I was puzzled, frustrated, and saddened I could not make a difference for all my clients. Over time, it became clear I could share all my sales knowledge and show my clients everything I knew about sales; however, it was up to them to make it happen. I realized it took more than just learning the right sales skills; it took shifting the mindset.

A crucial key to unlocking unlimited abundance in business and life starts with shifting our inner mindset. Unfortunately, many people work really hard getting minimal sales results because of their mindset. On one hand, they want to break through their barriers. On the other hand, they allow their emotions to keep them from making the changes necessary to expand their businesses.

You can learn all the skills, techniques, and strategies; however, without a positive inner mindset, your financial success is limited. If you want to create an abundance of sales and clients coming to you, it starts with shifting your mindset.

When you shift your inner mindset, you make the decision to rewrite the way you think. By changing the way you think, you’re changing the direction of your life. You’re now becoming the author of your life. Then you’ll begin to attract everything you want with ease.

As a coach and mentor, I am always learning from my clients. I saw in my own business how I would reach a certain level of success and then stop. I knew deep in my heart I could achieve much more, yet I was afraid of taking the leap. So I started studying with the experts, taking personal growth workshops, and reading more self-growth books than I can keep count.

As I made these internal changes to my thinking, something magical began to happen. I began to appreciate what I have, started “being” in my business rather than “doing,” and let go of the worry. I’m now taking bigger steps in my business and following my purpose.  New opportunities are coming my way and it’s because I’m letting go of the fear.

From the journey I’ve taken and I’m happily still on, I saw there was a process I followed that opened me up to receiving abundance in my business. I’ve taken what I’ve learned and created 5 key steps to follow that will change how you are being in your business and help you easily attract an abundance of everything you want.

1. Shifting the Mindset. You must first believe you can. As soon as you have a doubt, fear, or worry, those feelings take away from believing. Your thoughts, emotions, and actions must be congruent with your belief so that the universe can give you what you want. Your thoughts and feelings create your reality.
2. The Power of Choice. You get to choose the direction you want your life to go. Through the power of choice, you decide how you want to create your life to be. What occurs in your life is not by accident. It’s a result of the choices you’ve made. Are you choosing to live your life powerfully or are you blaming others? Are you choosing to take responsibility for the growth of your business or are you blaming circumstances?
3. 100% Responsible. Responsibility starts with being accountable for every aspect of your life. When you can recognize, acknowledge, and own that you are responsible for your life, you experience a new level of freedom, power and ease in your life. When you’re being responsible, you’re no longer at the affect of any circumstances that come your way. There’s no complaining or blaming others. You know that the buck stops with you.
4. Moving Beyond What’s Stopping You. What have you been putting up with, tolerating, or trying to change? Whatever you put up with drains your energy and keeps you stuck in the same place. Do you make excuses for not going forward in your business? What’s the excuse really covering up? It’s probably an underlying fear that you’re holding onto. When you make the decision to move past where you’re stopped, all tolerations, excuses and fears will lose their power over you.
5. Letting Go of the Past. Are you letting past experiences keep you from moving forward? Some of our past experiences keep us from appreciating what we have in the present because we believe it will happen again. These experiences affect how we communicate, relate to others, grow our business, and even stop us from going after all the things we really want. By letting go of the past, you’re free to attract anything you want in your life and your business. You now have a blank slate from which to create anything and everything!

I believe by applying these steps to your business, you’ll begin to experience a shift in how you sell and interact with clients. You’re now becoming a master of the inner game of sales. I invite you to follow these steps to opening your mind to unlimited sales success. (I’m so certain that this is the pathway to creating your sales success that I’m currently creating a revolutionary new sales program that will change your mindset about selling forever…more details to come!)

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Are You Tired of Being Out Priced by the Competition?

Are you losing business to the competition because they’re coming in at a lower price? Are your competitors telling the prospect they have the same exact product as you but for less money? This can be very frustrating when you know your product is superior yet the prospect is buying from them and not you.

If you’re nodding your head yes to these questions, then you’re not alone. Being “out priced” is happening more often now as people are being cautious about their spending. Yet, if you go into your local shopping mall or supermarket, you’ll see crowds of people buying. They still need services and are willing to pay for a quality product.

Today’s consumers have become more educated about buying with all the information available to them. They now have more knowledge about products than many of the people selling to them. You can no longer simply communicate information about your product and expect you have the sale.

Although you truly know in your heart your product is the best, there’s a lot more competition out there. You have to be willing to go the extra mile. You have to show them upfront the value they’re getting.

This means meeting face-to-face with the prospect to uncover their pain, identify the solution, show them how you’ll implement the solution, and how you and your product stand out from the competition.

Here are 4 steps to show the value the prospect receives from buying your product:

1. Uncover the pain: At your first meeting with prospects, help them to define a problem they may not fully understand or know they have by asking questions. Questions like “What’s your biggest challenge? What’s not working as well as you’d like it to? If you could wave a magic wand, what would you like to see happen differently in your business?”
2. Identify the solution: Help prospects identify a solution they didn’t know was available to them. Based on what they’ve shared with you, let them know the solution you have that will resolve their problem.
3. Present the solution process: Present and explain how you will implement the solution for them. Walk them through the all the steps, so they understand how the process works. Remind them of all the benefits they will experience after the problem is gone.
4. Differentiate yourself from the competition: Explain what makes you unique in the service you provide. Let them know what you do for them that sets you apart from your competition. This is where how and what you say really matters the most. Be willing to freely and powerfully say what makes you stand out from the others. People want to work with people who are confident and make them feel safe with and they can trust. You will win over the prospect when you speak authentically from your heart!

Yes, in some cases, low pricing will win out no matter what. Do not dwell on those situations…just move on. There are many people out there who want and need your product and are willing to pay for it.

If you liked what you've read and want help in applying these steps to your business, I invite you to take your first step by signing up for a Breakthrough Strategy Session with me. If you're stuck in your business or frustrated you're not bringing in more sales, please stop suffering and call me. There is a solution! I will walk you through a step-by-step process that will give you clarity about the direction of your business, create a 180-degree turn around in your thinking about sales, and move you forward quickly. I will personally give you my one-on-one breakthrough strategies that fit you and your business.
Click here to learn more.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Break Out of Your Comfort Zone and Break Through in Your Business!

Do you have some great ideas to grow your business, but when it comes time to taking action, you suddenly come up with all the reasons and excuses not to do it? Do you find yourself lit up with a new idea that you can’t wait to implement? But, then your fears come up and you decide you’re not quite ready yet to go forward.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone. I’ve experienced the same thing. Most recently at Ali Brown’s workshop I had some big “aha” moments. I wrote down many new ideas, but when I got back to my office, I began to find excuses to put off taking the plunge and breaking out of my comfort zone. I had thoughts like “what if it doesn’t work, this is too expensive, I don’t have the time.” These are familiar thoughts I’ve had before that have kept me stuck.

What I notice about Ali and other successful entrepreneurs is when they have an idea, they don’t sit on it for months or even years, they get into action and quickly implement it. They have no idea if it’s going to be a success or failure but have the courage to try it out anyway. They have their share of failures, yet they don’t let that stop them.

The one thing most successful entrepreneurs have in common is that when they come up with a good idea, they don’t analyze it to death or wait until it’s perfect, they just do it!

I walked away from the workshop with several great ideas, but a couple of the most valuable “a-ha” moments I had was to “stop waiting until it’s perfect, just do it now!” I also know if I’m left to my own thoughts, I’ll come up with lots of reasons not to do things. So I set up a support structure and will be joining a Mastermind Group that will hold me accountable to doing what I said I would do.

Here’s what I learned about breaking out of my comfort zone:

1. When you create something bigger in your business, it’s not unusual to think of all the reasons it won’t work.
2. When those reasons come up not to do it, and those reasons will come up, do it anyway.
3. Successful entrepreneurs quickly implement ideas.
4. Create an accountability support structure to keep you in action.
5. Don't wait for it to be perfect…just do it now!

If you’re ready to break out of your comfort zone and take your business to the next level, here’s 8 easy steps to help you build your best year ever.

1. Write down one BIG idea you know you should be working on now. You know it’s the one if you get excited and nervous at the same time.
2. By fulfilling that idea, write down what will it give you in your life? As you write the details, be as specific and vivid as you can because the more you can see yourself doing it, the more real it becomes for you.
3. Write all the thoughts you’re having that could keep you from implementing your idea. Then take that piece of paper, rip it into tiny pieces and throw it away! You’re now free to pursue that BIG idea!
4. Write down the due date you will implement your idea.
5. Write down the action steps that will help you implement your idea.
6. Find a colleague or a friend to be your buddy and hold you accountable to implementing your idea?
7. Work with a coach, or find a group of like-minded entrepreneurs or colleagues and form your own mastermind group. Together you can guide, support and hold each other accountable to implementing the idea.
8. Now, get your butt into gear and take action, or it's just another good idea!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

When You Open Your Heart, the Clients Will Come

In a teleseries I led one of the topics that made the biggest impact for the group was how to powerfully share their personal story with their audience.

As I thought about this topic, I realized sharing your personal story is not only for when you speak to an audience, it has the same powerful impact when you're meeting with a prospect or a client. When you're willing to open up your heart and reveal who you really are to people, they feel instantly connected to you.

We all have a personal story to tell about our journey through life. Many of us had to deal with challenges at different times in our lives. Your personal story has made you who you are today. The people who inspire me the most are the ones who freely share their personal story of struggle and victory with us.

Oprah Winfrey has openly shared about the struggles and abuse she overcame growing up to become one of the most powerful women in the world. We listen to her story and what she’s accomplished, and we’re inspired to follow our dreams.

Sometimes we cover up our story because we want others to think we have it all handled. But most of us have had to overcome something along the way. In fact, the challenges we’ve had to deal with make us the person we are today.

When you’re willing to share the struggles and challenges you’ve faced, people are quickly drawn to you because you’re being authentic. They can easily relate to you because they see you’ve had similar challenges.

One of the most powerful assets you can use to attract more clients is sharing your personal story. When you share your personal story about how you overcame your challenges, you provide them with inspiration that THEY can do it too!

The easiest and fastest way to draw people to you is when you authentically share yourself. Start your talk by sharing a personal story of how you became who you are today. When you share something personal about yourself, they feel more connected to you. You’re showing them you’re no different than they are. They can relate to you more quickly through your story and that’s going to draw them to you.

Show your vulnerability by speaking about your struggles, how you overcame your challenges, and the life lessons you learned. We’ve all had to deal with personal and professional challenges in the course of our lives. When we hear true stories of courage and victory, we’re inspired and believe we can go after the things we want too.

They listen to your story and what you’ve overcome, and say to themselves “If she or he did that, so can I!” I’ve had many people come up to me after I’ve shared my personal story of overcoming breast cancer and how it changed my life, and tell me how it’s inspired them.

Tell your story vividly and specifically. As you tell your story, speak in the present tense. Share your story as if it’s happening right now in the present moment. Convey excitement and enthusiasm using gestures, facial expressions, and inflection as you describe your story. What leaves the strongest impression is how you look and sound. People will walk away remembering what they’ve seen and heard.

I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with the audience. She was down to earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared how she grew up in a poor Chicago neighborhood, worked as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. She shared her personal story with such authenticity. She had everyone sitting on the edge of the seats listening to every word she said. And, after she spoke, there was a long line of people waiting to buy her products.

I invite you to start writing your personal story now, and start sharing it with others.

Remember it is...Your Story!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Let’s Beat Out the Competition Once and For All

Have you ever lost the sale because the prospect decided to go with your competitor? In the world of business, there will always be other businesses competing with you for your customers.

Is there a way to decrease losing business to the competitor and increase the chances of them choosing you? Absolutely! It starts with knowing, understanding, researching, and learning from your competitors.

Here are 8 steps to help you learn more about your competitors:

1. Identify who your top competitors are.
2. What services they offer.
3. What services they do not offer.
4. How much they charge.
5. Who they target their marketing to.
6. How they find clients.
7. How they position themselves in the marketplace.
8. What their strengths and weaknesses are.

Invest some time in studying and learning from your top competitors, especially the successful ones. After completing Steps 1-8, you can now identify, create, and offer new ways to present your product that your competitor isn’t doing.

This includes offering services they're not offering, creatively packaging your fees and services, providing benefits they don’t, finding ways to better market your services, and positioning your services against their strengths and weaknesses.

Let me say a little bit more about “strengths and weaknesses.” An effective way to learn about your competition in depth, and position yourself against them, is to do what is called a ‘SWOT” analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

There are many ways to uncover information about your competition for their SWOT analysis. Here are a just a few:

• Search the company website. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn about them.
• Walk into their place of business, or have a friend walk in, and be a potential customer. Observe how they help you and ask questions.
• Ask them to send you their marketing or media kit.
• Sign up for their newsletter or ezine.
• Use Internet search engines to find out information (google.com).
• Look in local newspapers or trade magazines.
• Interview their past clients.
• Use a business website (hoovers.com) to learn about the financial state of the company.

You’ve now done your research and have enough information about the competitor to create their SWOT analysis.

Every company and person has strengths and weaknesses, including you. It’s just as important to know your strengths and weaknesses as it is to know your competitors. You’re in a better position to sell against the competition if you have a clear picture of how you compare to them.

The next step is to create your S.W.O.T analysis for your business. Now take both S.W.O.T. analyses and compare them, survey the similarities and differences, and think of new ways to market your business. For example, you may have noticed they offer lower prices. Look for creative ways to repackage your pricing. You could offer a payment plan, lower your prices by removing a service, or offer a special discount for a limited time.

With all the knowledge you’ve gathered, you now have all the confidence you need to powerfully differentiate yourself and win over the business.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Create a S.W.O.T. analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) for a competitor and do the same for yourself.
• List 3-5 ways you could market your services that would take full advantage of your competitor’s weaknesses.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Stop Sabotaging Yourself and Get Into Action!

Whenever we step into something new or take on something we’ve never done before, it’s not uncommon to experience fear. It could be the fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of success. The fear can manifest itself in different ways that we’re not always aware of. Some signs of hidden fear are: Procrastination, distraction, excuses, feeling stuck, feeling overwhelm, negative beliefs, worried, and anxious.

Let me share a story of a client and how she dealt with her fear. Maybe you’ll see yourself in this story.

Christina came to me because she had started a new business, and was not taking the steps to get it off the ground. She’s extremely talented and had huge success in her corporate position. She had enough of the corporate world and was eager to start her own business. She had no problem creating new ideas for her boss and presenting to vendors, but when it came to promoting herself and her business to others, suddenly she was stuck.

Christina had made a list of people to contact. These were people she knew and could possibly help her. When I asked her why she wasn’t following up with these people, her response was, “Well, they told me they would call me and since they never returned my calls, I assumed they’re not interested.” I asked her, “Did they tell you they’re not interested?” She responded “No, I just assumed they weren’t interested since they didn’t call back.”

In reality, she didn’t know why they weren’t calling her back. She had made up a story and was stopped because she believed her story was true. Christina was transferring her own thoughts, beliefs and perceptions onto these people. And, the more she listened to her own thoughts, the more she believed they were true.

I suggested to Christina there might be others reasons they’re not calling her back. They could be either busy or away.

She realized these excuses and reasons for not calling these people were also covering up her fear of rejection. What if they don’t want to help me? What if they’re not interested? As long as she believed these thoughts to be true, nothing would change and her business would suffer.

Once she distinguished her fear of failing was a self-imposed negative belief and not the truth, she began to feel freed up. The fear no longer had to keep her stopped. She knew she had created these self-limiting thoughts and they were not true. We took the negative thoughts and reframed them into positive thoughts. And every time the fear would come up, Christina would shift her thinking to a powerful, positive thought. This took practice but over time it became a new habit and easy to do. We then created a step-by-step plan and she got into action. What followed was amazing!

Christine was re-energized and ready to go forward. She contacted all the people on her list, completed her website, and started sending out letters introducing her services. The positive responses she received from people she had reached out to helped her to feel more confident and gave her more clarity on the direction of her business. And, the best news is two companies she had contacted have expressed interest in hiring her. These results happened when Christina identified the fear that had been holding her back, realized she had created the negative thoughts and changed her thoughts, created an action plan, and then got into action.

Your Assignment:

• When you feel stopped, step away from your office and spend quiet time with yourself.
• Write down all the thoughts you’re having at this time.
• Then ask yourself, “Did I make up these thoughts?”
• Write down the answer next to each thought. You’ll see that many of these thoughts are made up by you.
• Write down the steps you can take NOW to get you into action.
• Visualize yourself being in action and how it feels.
• Write down the date you will take action and the outcome you want to achieve. (Example: I will call Jim on Monday and he will be happy to hear from me, or he'll have someone to refer me to.)

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

The Sales are in the Follow-Up

One of the most effective ways in getting more business is following up with the prospect. Sadly, 80% of sales opportunities are missed because people do not follow up consistently. Studies have shown that most prospects, who do not buy short-term, usually make a purchase within 12 months. When they make the purchase, it's going to be with the person who stays in touch with them on a consistent basis. Prospects do business with people they know, trust, and who understand their needs.

Some of the reasons salespeople don't follow up are:

• There is no organized system in place.
• They're afraid they'll appear too pushy.
• They're afraid they'll be rejected.
• They don't know what to say.
• They call once or twice, and move on to the next thing.

Here's the good news—although for some of you it may seem like bad news! It takes 7-10 follow-ups to close the sale. Yes, that's the truth. So if you're routinely giving up after 2-3 tries, you're giving up way too soon. They may not be ready to buy from you now, but if you remain fresh in their minds you'll be the one they'll buy from when they are ready.

Here are 6 easy and simple ways for turning follow-up into sales:

1. Create Follow-Up Systems
   Select a follow-up system for tracking your accounts that works for you. There are several systems that help you track your accounts efficiently and effectively.

• A personal computer. There are contact management programs designed for organizing and tracking your accounts. ACT, Goldmine and Outlook have contact management programs.
• A notebook. Use a single sheet in your notebook for each client and enter the dates of your calls along with notes. Keep your top 10-20 hot prospects in the front of your notebook, alphabetized by client name.
• The old-fashion tickler system. Set up your folders numerically by dates starting with 1-31. Use a single sheet for each new prospect, and write down the name, phone numbers, address, email address, and any pertinent notes about the account. Then file it in your tickler file system by date of your next contact with them.
• A business card file. Although the space is limited, you can write tiny notes on the card. The card file can be used before information is entered on computer.

2. Follow-Up Sales Tools
   It's pretty standard to use the telephone and e-mail for those 7-10 follow-ups with a prospect. Begin to embrace other ways of staying visible to the prospect over a period of time.
   
   Some other tools that work are sending letters, faxes, brochures and literature. Be creative and use testimonial letters from satisfied clients, invite them to a seminar or to lunch, send them a small item with your company name printed on it, or if appropriate, give tickets to a sports event, the theater or a seminar.
3. Touch Base Email
   It may take 7-10 touches to close the business, so don’t give up. Writing a “soft” touch base email is a non-pressure way of letting prospects know you’re thinking of them.
   
   Email the prospect you are thinking of them. Remind them they did express interest in your product or service. Let them now you’d be happy to meet and specify a time you’re available to talk. Let them know if they’re not ready that it’s perfectly fine with you, and you’re there for them when they are.
4. Personalize Your Follow Up
   There are numerous ways to personalize your follow-up contact with the prospect. You can write a hand-written note thanking them for the meeting, or inviting them to meet for coffee or lunch. A hand-written note is a personal touch the prospect will appreciate in a world that’s becoming more and more electronic.
5. Develop the Habit of Persistence
   The key ingredient to effective follow-up is persistence. Persistence with the right attitude leads to more business. With persistence, obstacles and problems can't stop you and most importantly, other people can't stop you.
   
   Your ability to follow up will determine your success in sales.
6. Don't Get Stopped by NO
   You have to be willing to do what it takes to move past the seventh "no" or "I'm not ready yet" to get the sale. A "no" is nothing personal. The prospect is saying "no" to the product, not to you. Think about the fact that when you really want something important to you, nothing stands in the way. Why not bring those same qualities to your business? How many "No's" are you willing to take before you give up the sale?

ASSIGNMENT:

• Make a list of prospects you’ve met with, who expressed interest but did not buy from you. They may have told you they weren’t ready or maybe didn’t even tell you why.
• Select one of the follow-up systems to track your prospects. Then set up a schedule of dates when you'll be following up with them and enter those dates in your system.
• Select any of the sales tools listed and decide when you'll use these tools.
• Send “soft touch base” emails to these prospects. Make sure the email you write is friendly, brief and non-pressuring.
• Write a personal hand-written note to several prospects letting them know you enjoyed meeting them and invite them to meet for coffee or tea.
• Be organized, creative, and persistent and don't get stopped by "No." Remember it takes 7-10 follow-ups to close the sale!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

6 Simple Ways to Make Your Clients Feel Special and Have Them Wanting More

I recently spoke to an entrepreneur who told me she had signed up for a program and soon after she signed up she received a phone call from one of the people leading the program to thank her for signing up. She was so impressed they took the time to call and personally thank her.

Now she’s feeling confident she made the right decision and excited to get started. She’s going to get a lot more value from the program because she’s feeling taken care of. And, if she continues to have the same positive experience throughout the program, she’ll purchase another program or product from them. They now have a long-term client. All of these wonderful results from one short phone call thanking her for signing up for their program.

How does exceptional customer service affect a business? You gain a long-term client who will buy more, a happy client will tell other people (just as she told me), and those people may become clients too.

So what are you doing differently to take care of your clients? During these times, people are spending but they’re more cautious about where they’re putting their money. There’s a lot of competition out there. If you want to retain your clients and have them buying more, you have to stand out from the crowd by doing things differently.

Here are 6 simple ways to make your clients feel special and have them buying more:

1. Pick up the phone, call your clients, and thank them for their business. This personal touch is easy to do and shows you genuinely appreciate their business.
2. If you’re having an event, invite them to come “free,” or if you’re attending an event that you think they might be interested in attending, invite them to come as your guest.
3. Send them a token of appreciation, for no reason, other than that you appreciate having them as a client. You could send a book, something yummy, or some small gift.
4. Call them during the year to see how they’re doing and how you can help them. Calling for no other reason than to let them know you’re thinking about them will set you apart from many of your competitors.
5. Invite your clients to a “Client Appreciation” luncheon or tea. Choose a restaurant or café and invite your favorite clients. You're going the extra mile and they'll appreciate you for doing this.
6. Send them a short note, letting them know you value and appreciate their business. It doesn’t take much to write a short note of appreciation and the rewards you’ll get back from your clients are priceless.

I received a magnet with a beautiful quote engraved on it from a colleague. I was so touched that she took the time to send this to me. This small gift made my day. It wasn’t expensive or extravagant, yet it was the perfect gift.

I’m sure you can come up with other extra special ways to make your clients feel special. But are you making the time to do it? The point is that by going the extra mile, you’re creating clients who will feel taken care of. They, in turn, will tell other people who will tell other people. Just as I’m telling you. Before you know it, your clients will be buying more from you and you’ll be attracting new clients too. These simple steps can keep your clients forever and attract even more.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Rather Be Pushed From An Airplane Than Speak?

One of the fastest ways to attract clients is to become known as the expert by speaking to groups. Yet, most people would rather be pushed from an airplane than get up in front of a group and speak. No one was ever born a natural speaker. When you watch dynamic speakers, it may seem as if they deliver their speech effortlessly. The ease with which they deliver their speech is the result of many hours of preparing and rehearsing.

I love speaking to groups, sharing my sales and marketing strategies to help them grow their businesses. Believe me; it wasn’t always this way for me. It wasn’t too long ago that the thought of getting up in front of a group paralyzed me. I laid awake many nights worried about how I’d come across. What would they think of me? What if they’re not interested in what I have to say? What if I forget what to say? After years of practice, preparation, and training, my confidence increased and I became an effective speaker.

Let’s take a look at the world of speaking and what the benefits are to you.

• When you become a speaker, you immediately elevate yourself in the eyes of the audience. They see you as the expert and this establishes instant credibility.
• You’re reaching more than one person and that increases the chances of more people interested in your service or product.
• Your confidence increases. As your speaking improves, the most powerful benefit is the improvement in your general confidence and self-image.
• Research shows that in selling, a speech demonstrating your services is 50% more effective than the most glowing testimonial. You’re showing the audience first hand how you think and work.
• When you’re speaking, the audience has come to you rather than you having to find them.

What makes a great speaker?

I saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with us. She was down-to-earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared her own personal story of growing up in Chicago, working as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. Although she has achieved great success and fame, she had her ups and downs just like you and me. Because she shared authentically from her heart, she had us all sitting on the edge of our seats listening to every word she said.

Here’s 10 valuable tips to draw the audience to you from the beginning to end of your talk.

1. Know who’s in your audience before you speak. Call the event or program planner to find out the profile of the people attending.
2. Arrive early before you speak and walk around introducing yourself to some of the people. This helps to relax you and get you related to them.
3. If you’re speaking for a half-hour to an hour, your talk should cover only 3-4 points. The audience can only retain a limited amount of information in a short period of time.
4. Let the audience know at the beginning what you’ll be talking about and how long you’ll be speaking.
5. Speak to only one person at a time for about 4-5 seconds. Don’t look over their heads. Speak to them. This helps to reduce nervousness, increase confidence, and connect with the audience.
6. Create a compelling memorable story. People are interested in “you.” By sharing a memorable story, you’re connecting with the audience at a more personal level. They now will feel more related to you and what you have to say.
7. Engage the audience throughout your presentation and make it interactive. Check in with them by asking questions. It’s much more fun when you include them.
8. Throughout your talk, share other stories about people who you helped and the results. People love to hear real-life stories of triumph and success.
9. End your talk with a “call to action.” What do you want as an outcome for your talk? Do you want the audience to take an action step? Do you want them to buy your product or service?
10. Capture your audience. If you want to keep in touch with them, offer to send them notes from your talk or give a gift if they give you their business cards.

Here’s a story from a person who took my tips and the results he achieved.

“I was preparing to enter the ‘final exam’ interview step with a new company—the position was for US Sales Director—and I had to give a presentation on how I would construct their sales organization. I had to sell two things: my ideas and ME. I took Rochelle’s ideas to heart and revised my presentation. The presentation went very well and they made me an offer when I was done! Two major points my audience commented on were the opening story and that I asked them questions throughout the presentation. The other candidate didn't engage the audience, he just talked straight through. Guess what? The first task the President has given me is to work with the Market Development VP and create a presentation to launch the product to physicians. Rochelle's stuff works!”

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

What’s Your Authentic Selling Style?

When we think about selling, for some of us the image of the stereotype pushy salesperson comes to mind. The first thought we have is someone is trying to get me to buy something. None of us likes to be sold. We become distrustful and will quickly say, “I’m not interested.” Do you have to be like the pushy used car salesman to be successful in Sales? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

We all have different selling styles.

Have you ever watched someone speak and find yourself listening to every word they say? You don’t know the person, yet there’s something about them that draws you to them. It happens because they’re being genuine and real. They’re being themselves.

Before I identified my authentic sales style, I wondered what other successful salespeople were doing that I wasn’t? I was working really hard and producing average results while they seemed to be bringing in the sales effortlessly.

Then, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had no choice but to slow down and let go of trying so hard. When I slowed down, I became connected to my true self. The more natural, spontaneous, authentic, and from the heart I was with people, the more I began to notice things starting to come to me with ease.

It was almost magical. I became genuinely interested in people and started listening to what they said. I created a relationship with them based on trust and they responded to this. I began to attract more clients and close more sales. I had found my authentic selling style!

Being successful in sales doesn’t come from being slick or pushy, or copying someone else’s selling style. That never works because people can sense you’re not yourself. The key is to let go of trying to be what you’re not and trust yourself.

As you begin to trust yourself and let go, you’ll feel more confident, relaxed, and have fun! You’ll see how attractive this is to the people you meet.

A client came to me because she felt she had lost her focus in her business. She wasn’t closing as many sales as she had the year before and wasn't feeling confident. Unsure of what steps to take, I had her narrow down her focus to three goals, clarify who her ideal client was, and identify her authentic selling style. As she began applying these steps, she felt less overwhelmed, had clarity on who she wanted to work with, and increased confidence selling her services. This came across in her interactions with prospects, and in less than a month she closed 2 big sales.

Sales success begins with being yourself. It really is as simple as that. The prospect will come to you because they’re attracted to your authenticity. When you’re being real, your honesty and trust shines through, and people are drawn to you.

Let’s define what selling really is. Once you begin to uncover your own authentic selling style, you’ll start closing more business faster and with ease. Here are 9 ways to get you started:

1. Selling is no longer being the slick, aggressive, and pushy salesperson.
2. Selling is being more interested in the prospect than in what you have to say.
3. Selling is creating a trusting and honest relationship with the prospect.
4. Selling is being a keen listener and listening for what’s most important to the prospect.
5. Selling is thinking of ways of helping the prospect.
6. Selling is going the extra mile and doing the unexpected for the prospect.
7. Selling is showing you genuinely want to help them get to where they want to go.
8. Selling is making yourself easily accessible to your clients either by phone or email.
9. Selling is trusting who you are and being yourself. Remember, you are unique and special just as you are, so let that shine through!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.