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/.