It’s Time to Share YOUR Story

I’m leading a teleseries to an amazing group of entrepreneurs and coaches who are learning how to powerfully speak to groups. One of the topics that have made the biggest impact is teaching them how to share their personal story with the audience.

And, as I thought about this topic, I realized that sharing your personal story is not only for when you speak to groups, 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, prospects and clients 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!

© 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.

It’s Time to Take a No-Excuses Approach!

Do you find yourself wanting to try new things in your business but then you start coming up with the excuses for not taking the steps to make it happen?
Consider that whatever excuses you have determine the quality of your life.
Excuses can be deadly. They keep us from doing all the things we want to do. They keep us from growing. They keep us from fully experiencing fulfillment and success.
Why do people hold on to their excuses and are so reluctant to learn new ideas that will bring them more money? How often do you say to yourself…

• I want to do this when I have the money. If you’re not looking for new ideas to grow your business, you’ll never have the money.
• As soon as more money comes in, then I’ll make the investment. The sooner you start learning new ways to grow your business, and implement those new ideas, the sooner you’ll have the money.
• I’ll do it next time. Waiting to do it later is only going to delay you from having what you want now.
• I don’t have the time, I’m too busy. If your business isn’t where you want it to be, it’s time to look at where you’re putting your time. If you were to learn one valuable strategy that could increase your income, wouldn’t you say that was worth your time?
• This is something I want but can’t make the investment now. Well, if it isn’t now, when do you think you’ll be ready? Next month? Next year? Someday? There is no “someday.” Ask yourself why you keep putting things off. What’s at the source of this excuse?
• If this was free, then I would do it. How often have you signed up for something free and not taken the program or completed it. There’s no skin in the game. When you invest in yourself, you’re going to get your money’s worth because you have more at stake.

Often what is at the source of our excuses and resistance to taking action is “fear.” Fear of failing, fear of rejection, fear of not being good enough. Your fear may be related to a past event and protecting you from it happening again. The problem is the fear that is trying to protect you, is also keeping you from living a life filled with joy, fulfillment, and success.

So what does it take to move through the fear? It starts with acknowledging the fear and understanding that it doesn’t have to own you. It’s knowing you have a say in how you’re life is going to go. There’s a common saying, “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” Yes, you can feel fear and still take the action to move forward. It may feel scary at first, but one thing is certain. You have all the courage you need from within to transform your business and your life.

Success and growth doesn’t occur when we’re stuck in our excuses. It happens when you’re willing to give up making excuses, willing to let go and take the leap.

I invite you to take a deep breath, trust in your ability to achieve what you want, and go after the things you want! Isn’t it time to take a “No Excuses” approach to your business and your life?

© 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.

Is Your Authenticity Shining Through?

Imagine you’re sitting across from the prospect, you’ve just presented your services and you’re unsure what to do next. You end up leaving the meeting not knowing what the next steps are. Sadly, you realize you spent more time during the meeting in your head wondering what to say than learning what’s important to the prospect. You leave discouraged and believe you don’t have what it takes to sell. If this has ever happened to you, you’re not alone.

Many people believe there’s a certain way they have to sell if they’re going to be successful. They’re stopped before they even get started because they believe they’re lacking a special style.

The truth is, we’ve been selling ourselves since we were very young. When you were in school and making new friends, you were selling yourself. When you were looking for a job, you were selling yourself. What helped you make new friends and get that job was your authentic style. It’s the same in business. What helps you close sales are the innate qualities you already have.

None of us was born to sell. Successful people learn sales skills and techniques that help close the sale. Most importantly, successful people work at creating the relationship with the client right from the start by being authentic.

The key to authentic selling is to sell from your heart. When you sell from your heart, you’re not following a canned script. Nor are you trying to copy anyone else’s style. You’re being genuinely interested in the other person by asking the right questions and listening keenly to what’s being said.

Have you ever noticed how much more you enjoy a conversation when you feel heard and listened to? Well, that’s what you’re doing when you’re authentically selling. You’re allowing the prospect to do most of the talking. When you follow these steps you’re creating a long-lasting relationship that leads to getting the business. You’re showing you want to learn as much as you can about him or her to see how you can help.

Most people buy based on the K-L-T Factor. They first want to get to know you, they need to like you, and then trust you. Once you establish the K-L-T Factor with prospects, they’re ready to listen to what you have to say. The business relationship begins when you relax and allow your authenticity to shine through.

I remember early in my career how inauthentic I was with people. I was more concerned about how I was doing than learning about the prospect. I covered up my insecurities well. To everyone I looked as if I had everything handled. The truth is, I didn’t—far from it.

The turning point came when I became seriously ill. My life came to a screeching halt. It was then I slowed down and took an honest look at myself. For the first time in my life, I let my guard down and became real. Instead of listening to myself, I started listening to others. Rather than pushing and forcing things to happen, I began to listen to people with a genuine interest in them.

I let go of being pushy and aggressive. And within a short time I noticed a lot more business started coming to me easily. The sense of urgency and intensity I used to display disappeared and I started having fun.

Start to look for yourself to see where in your life or your business you’re pushing too hard and trying to force things to happen. Write down the areas where you've been inauthentic and covering it up. How is this impacting your life and your business? What are you committed to changing? Once you begin to make these changes and apply them in your business and life, you’ll feel more confident and relaxed because you’re being authentic.

All you need is to be genuine. Clients will be attracted to you when you become more interested then interesting. You’re allowing your authenticity to shine through!

© 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.

Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Have you ever noticed the flood of thoughts you have as soon as you wake up? You start thinking about all the things that need to be done that day, how you’re ever going to do it all, will you bring in any new clients today and on and on and on. You’re having all these thoughts and they’re not always rooting for you to win.

Studies have shown we have thousands of thoughts per minute. And all these thoughts are created by one source and that source is YOU. Now, if we’re the source of our thoughts, why aren’t we consistently feeding ourselves powerful thoughts?

Since we were young, we’ve been told by our parents, teachers, and others what we can and cannot do. We are told what we are good at and what we are not. We are told what to expect and what to believe. Because we are just starting out in life, we are dependent on others and believe what they say to be true.

Some typical thoughts we’ve heard from others and start to take on as the truth are:

• I’m just not good at this!


• Things are just not working out right for me!


• Today just isn’t my day!


• Why bother, it’s not going to work anyway!


• Nobody wants to pay me what I’m worth!


• This is impossible!


• If only I had more money!

I could go on and on. I think you get the picture. If any of these thoughts sound familiar to you, you’re not alone. Most of us have had these thoughts or similar ones. It starts to look like nothing is going our way and it’s out of our control. And over time, these limiting thoughts start to impact the way you view life.

How do you shift your thinking? A first step in shifting your thinking begins with taking responsibility for your life.
Although we may say, “Yes, I’m already taking responsibility,” the truth is we don’t always want to be held accountable for being responsible. When things aren’t going the way you want them to go, it’s much easier to blame others and circumstances. Then find evidence and agreement to support not taking responsibility. For example, “It’s not my fault clients aren’t calling me back—just look at the economy.” But, when you blame others, you’re giving up your power and nothing changes.
When you take responsibility for your life, you give up any reasons, excuses, or justifications not to do something. You no longer believe those negative thoughts. You’re saying the buck stops with you. You’re taking charge of your own life. Now, that’s the beginning of taking back your power.

As Joe Vitale writes in his book The Attractor Factor:

“You are totally responsible for your experiences in life. That doesn’t mean you caused them. But on some level you attracted them. You are responsible for them. That’s not good or bad. Simply use the experiences to learn about yourself. Get clear and choose what you prefer to experience.”

The message came through loud and clear for me when I had breast cancer. I was working in an unfulfilling and stressful job when I was diagnosed. I was miserable yet afraid to leave. I had thoughts like, “Who would hire me? I’m not that good. They’ll find out I’m a fraud.” I didn’t want to take responsibility and make the changes. Once I got the impact this had on my life, I was clear that if anything was going to change, it was up to me.
I began to consciously change my thinking and speaking. It started with making a declaration to myself. I declared, “I am good enough and will find a fulfilling career.” The more I repeated this statement; the old thoughts began to disappear. I began to believe it would happen…and it did! Within 8 months I left my unfulfilling job, started a new career, and from there went on to start my own business. When I took responsibility for my life, my entire world transformed.

There’s really no escaping being “responsible.” What it really comes down to is no one can do it for you but you. If any changes are going to happen it’s because you choose to make those changes.

There’s a short powerful quote that says it all, “If it is to be, it is up to me!” And remember…it's up to YOU!

ASSIGNMENT:

Where in your life are you avoiding taking responsibility or blaming others? (Look in areas where you feel powerless in your business or your life.)

• What are the thoughts you’re saying to yourself that keep you stuck?


• How is this impacting your business or your life?


• Where are you willing to take responsibility starting now?


• What is a new thought to create that will get you into action?


• What are the specific action steps you will take this week?

© 2009. 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.

Grab the Prospect’s Attention in 60 Seconds

As a sales professional or business owner, you’re always selling yourself or your product. Whether you’re attending a networking event or trade show, you only have a few seconds to introduce yourself and grab the prospect’s attention. Do you remember how you introduced yourself to a prospect at the last networking event you attended? The prospect probably asked you, “What do you do?” You probably said something like this:

• I am a graphic designer and I design marketing materials.
• I am an account executive and I sell advertising space in magazines.

Now, these are typical responses that describe what you do. There’s nothing unique about these statements that sets you apart from the competition. If you want your prospects to sit up and listen, create a message that grabs their attention in the first 60 seconds. Creating a compelling sales message that addresses your prospects’ needs is both an opportunity to promote your services and a way to separate yourself from the rest. It will make the prospect want to know more about you.

Your selling statement must be vivid, specific, and easy to remember. Your main objective for your sales message is to get the prospect to say, “Wow, you’re exactly what I need! Can I have your card?” Better still, it will make them say, “I want to work with you! When can we talk?”

As you create your compelling sales message, consider two strong motivators that drive people to buy or take action. The motivators are “Pain” and “Gain.”

The first motivator is “Pain.” Pain is another way of avoiding or fixing a problem, concern, or predicament. When creating your compelling sales message, focus first on the pain you can alleviate because it appeals to the stronger of the two motivators.

Examples:

“I work with business owners who find it challenging to design their marketing materials.”

“I sell ad space to people who want to sell their product, but are afraid of putting their advertising dollars in the wrong publication.”

The use of verbs such as “challenged, frustrated, concerned, worried, stopped, and afraid” in the sales message addresses the prospect’s pain. The prospect wants to be relieved of pain as quickly as possible.

The second motivator is “Gain.” People are motivated to buy or take action in order to improve a situation. Saving money, making money, saving time, becoming more efficient, improving service are just a few examples.

Examples:

“I help business owners create marketing materials that stand out in the marketplace, attracting new clients with ease.”

“I help people make advertising decisions that save them money and bring them many sales.”

Expressing in positive words the ways you help people and the results they gain from working with you will motivate potential clients to find out more about your service.

ASSIGNMENT:

Using the motivators “Pain” and “Gain,” create a powerful and compelling sales message. Practice saying it until you have memorized it. Then start saying it at your next networking event or trade show. Keep in mind, your sales message will change over time and will need to be tailored slightly to your audience.

© 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.

Yes, You Can Manifest What You Really Want!

As I think about the incredible workshop I just led, I realize that I manifested this! I had wanted to lead my very own workshop for several years. I wrote a vision of what the workshop would look like and read it daily. When I walked on stage on the first day at the beautiful hotel where the workshop was held and looked out at the amazing people in the audience, this was exactly what I had envisioned.

Several years ago I had no idea what it was to manifest. I didn’t understand that by focusing on what you want, you could attract the things you want into your life. I always thought you had to work hard to make things happen. Or maybe if I was lucky, something good would happen for me. It didn’t seem possible that if I focused on what I want, it could easily come to me.

Manifesting starts with being aligned with “who you really are.” As Jerry and Esther Hicks write in their book Money and the Law of Attraction, “When you are a vibrational match to ‘who you are,’ the Law of Attraction brings to you, surrounds you with, lines up for you, a steady stream of powerful, joyful opportunities and openings that just leads you toward an ever-evolving, always unfolding, joyful life experience.”

What I’ve learned is when you are manifesting, you are attracting to you what it is you want because you know exactly what you want, you are asking for it, believing it is on its way to you, visualizing as if it is already in your life, and being open to receiving it. The magic of manifesting is that it can easily come to you. Here are 5 steps to help you manifest all the things you desire.

1. Be clear about what you desire
   You need to be very clear about what you desire. You can’t be fuzzy or indecisive. See yourself enjoying what it is you want and experiencing how good it feels. When you do this, you are making what you desire real.
   
   
2. Focus on the “What”
   Focus on the “What” not the “How” or the “When.” You don’t have to figure out how or when it’s coming to you. All you need to do is decide what it is you want. Focus on the “what” and the rest will follow.
   
   When I decided to do the workshop, I gave up having to know how it would turn out. I turned myself over to believing it would turn out. This was pretty difficult for me to do at first because it meant I had to give up my control. But when I let go, all the steps fell into place.
   
   
3. Expect the best to come to you
   Remind yourself that you deserve the best. This is important because it changes your thinking from a low expectation to a high expectation. It helps to expect that everything is going to work out for the best. We need to have trust and faith.
   
   
4. Let go of the fear
   Don’t back off from what you want because you’re afraid it might not come. The more afraid we are of the past repeating itself and what the future has in store, the more we believe we cannot have what we desire.
   
   
5. Open your mind to all possibilities
   When we let go of controlling people and situations, and thinking we can force the outcome to happen, possibilities come to us through unexpected channels. Give up holding on so things will turn out a certain way. Instead let it come to you freely and naturally.
   

© 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.

5 Easy Steps to Overcoming the REAL Objection

As you move through the sales process, the prospect begins to weigh the pros and cons of doing business with you. You’ve presented your product or service and it’s now time for them to make a buying decision. If the prospect decides to do business with you, they’re not only making a financial investment but they’re also saying they trust you’ll deliver what you said you would. At this stage in the meeting, they’re likely to ask questions and raise concerns. These questions and concerns are also known as objections.

Objections are a sign that the customer is interested, not the reverse. Very often they are opportunities to get nearer to closing the sale. Yet many business owners don’t see it this way. They’re uncertain how to respond to the objection, so they come across unsure or end up giving away too much. Sadly, due to lack of preparation, they end up losing the business.

When an objection is raised, it’s not necessarily a stop sign. The prospect may just be saying he or she has not been convinced yet and they want more information before making a buying decision. By making sure you know what the real objection is, you can then determine how to overcome it and prepare your response.

The most common objections used are:

• “I’m happy with my current vendor.”
• “I want to think about it.”
• “I never make quick decisions.”
• “Call me in several months.”
• “Your price is too high.”

These common objections listed above may sound familiar but often are a disguise for the truth. Many times the prospect will not tell you the true objection, for fear of hurting your feelings. When a prospect uses one of the objections listed above, what he or she really means is:

• “I don’t have the money.”
• “I think I can get a better deal elsewhere.”
• “I want to shop around.”
• “I don’t think I need your product.”
• “I have something else in mind.”
• “I don’t like, trust or have confidence in your product.”
• “I’m not impressed with your presentation.”
• “I think your price is too high.”

Here are 5 steps to uncover and overcome the REAL objections:

1. Listen carefully to the objection.
   Do you feel it is a valid objection or perhaps might be covering up the real objection? Try to find out by using this phrase: “Do you really mean…?” or “Usually when a client tells me that, my experience has shown me they may have a concern about the price. Is that true for you?”
   
   
2. Get the prospect to commit to the objection.
   Reword the objection as a question. Example: “In other words, if price weren’t an issue, would you be interested in working with me?” This gets the prospect to answer you directly and commit to the objection, so that you can begin to overcome it.
   
   
3. Determine whether it is the only stumbling block.
   Ask the prospect if the reason they’ve given is the only reason they’re not doing business with you. Example: “If I could resolve this issue, are there any other issues standing in the way of our doing business?”
   
   
4. Answer the objection to resolve the issue and get agreement.
   Use everything you have in your sales toolbox to answer the prospect’s objection. Show different cost options, prove benefits, present comparison charts, show testimonials, product knowledge, and believe in yourself.
   
   
5. Ask a closing question that confirms the sale.
   Make a non-pressuring statement that leads to the close. Example: “If I could…, would you be ready to go forward?” Or “If I check with my office and it’s a go, I’m assuming we have a deal. Is that right?” Using “if” when responding to an objection is a magical word. It takes the pressure off the prospect because you’re not asking them to commit.
   

ASSIGNMENT:

• Make a list of the most common objections you hear.
  
  
• Using the 5 steps, next to each objection write the step you plan to use to uncover and overcome the objection.
  
  
• Find a buddy, and practice saying your response to each objection. The more you practice, the more you’ll come across as confident and prepared to the prospect.
  

© 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.