“The one advantage of playing with fire…is that no one ever gets singed. It is the people who don’t know how to play with it who get burned up.”
-Oscar Wilde

Did you watch the Super Bowl this year? Well of course you did! Well, at least you had it on the tube, right? In fact, you might have been having too much fun to watch the actual game but when those commercials came on you immediately became glued to the set, right? And why is it that viewers are more interested in those commercials than on any normal viewing day? It’s because most of them get a reaction out of you and usually that reaction is a laugh or a smile. In fact, 86% of commercials played during the Super Bowl contain some sort of humor or fun message. Why, you ask? It’s because FUN WORKS! The sponsors realize that if they can get those muscles around your face to move in a positive way, there is a chance you will make a move for your wallet in a way that’s positive for them.

So what about you? Do you have a Super Bowl commercial mentality? If not, it’s time to step it up. While you might not control the advertising budget at your company, you DO control the amount of fun and laughter you bring to your customers and prospects. So this week, think of something creative you can to do light up your sales territory. Become a commercial on every call. And while your competition is busy being “professional” (aka boring), your risky creativity will take the customer mentally away from work, and off to a happy place that makes them want to spend their money with you. And don’t be surprised if your competition is burned up by your results.

Winners are only judged in loser’s circles.
-Brian Sullivan

Recently, as I prepared to speak at a company seminar, I looked around the room as salespeople walked in to find their seat at one of the 25 round tables. I wondered how these salespeople would choose which seat was best for them. Just a few minutes before my speech, I asked the sales manager to identify who in the room were the A, B and C players based on attitude and performance. Sure enough, they seemed to be huddled in groups throughout the room…finding comfort in like-minded performers.

As expected, throughout the day the table full of As and Bs participated in the learning more actively than the Cs. The Cs (when not enthusiastically sharing their tired story about how hung over they were from the night before) were sitting in the back, and at times rolling their eyes while the As offered their own advice and sales experience.

So what about you? Are you and A, B or C? And regardless of what you are right now, what do you want to be? If you want to be a C, it’s easy. You just have to believe you know all you need to know, what has worked in the past will continue to work, and that your sales peers who are constantly honing their knowledge and skill are nothing more than corporate butt-kissers.

And if you want to an A, then stop hanging around Cs. They are poisoning you. Grab a salad and shimmy up to a top performer or leader at your next sales meeting. Then grill them with questions about what you can do to mimic their success. And while your buddies from of the back of the room judge your motive, give them a wink, knowing that you will be delivering their performance review someday.

How do you feel? Are you ready? Of course you are. Because in 2010 you are going to change the world! And I promise it’s not going to be difficult. In fact, it’s going to be easier than you ever imagined. And the good news is that you have total control over how much positive impact you make. If you want this to be your most famous year ever, you absolutely can have it. But it means you have may have to “clean house.” That house is your mind. You need to get rid of any grudges, anger, jealousy, apathy or fear that existed in your business or personal life just two days ago. Why? Because it’s holding you back. If I thought being negative, angry or grumpy would help you sell more, lead more, organize more, or change the world more I would say, “Go for it!” But it doesn’t work.  It only makes people more negative angry and grumpy towards you and you can’t influence them if they think you are a jackass.

So today, make a deal with yourself. While others are making excuses, gossiping about a co-worker, cutting corners or frowning in frustration, be the one finding solutions, recognizing the good in others, finishing the job and smiling in celebration. Then be prepared for the positive results that this year will bring. Because these small changes in you are about to make BIG changes in everybody around you.

“It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.”
-Steve Jobs
Co-founder and CEO of Apple

My three-year old daughter only recently discovered her Daddy’s iPhone. As she picked it up, she began pressing every button. As her finger accidentally slid across the screen, she noticed she could make things move. And if she pressed that button on the bottom, music came on. The more noises and movements the phone made, the more curious she became. After loading it up with a few Toddler games, she became hooked. Three weeks later, Maggie can now do more on that thing than her Daddy and is a regular shopper in the Application Store.  She keeps looking for the phone to do more, and with curiosity as her fuel she keeps making new discoveries.

So what about you? Are you as curious as you were when you were a child?  If you said yes, then it means you are NOT satisfied with what you already know. It means you feel challenged, not burdened when a new technology enters your life (either willingly or unwillingly). It means you don’t look for answers to be given to you but are thrilled when it is your job to find the solution. It means you don’t see the world for what it is, but instead for what it should be. So STAY CURIOUS, and you will realize there is no END to the potential that your “beginner’s mind” brings to your sales region, company, industry and world.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
-Albert Einstein

According to a fella named Merriam Webster, the definition of miracle is “an amazing or wonderful occurrence.” So based on this definition, are you a “Miracle Worker?” Do you create amazing or wonderful occurrences for the people you touch every day? Do you leave every customer happier, every business associate more enthused, every family member more loved? Would these people say their day was more amazing and wonderful because you were in it?

One thing is for sure…none of us will be judged by the number of sales we make or deals we close. But we WILL be judged by the number of miracles we create in the lives of our family, friends, business associates, customers and strangers. So this week, let’s get to work spreading amazement. And by making a habit of miracle making, you will find that it really doesn’t take a “miracle” for you to be the type of person, at work and at home, that you always knew you could be. And THAT person is a TOP Performer in everything they do.

Act Your Wage.
-Dave Ramsey

While driving down the road yesterday I saw a billboard with the above quote. After thinking about it for a minute I realized how much I disagreed.  Because Top Performers don’t act their wage, they act what they WANT their wage to be.  So what wage are you looking for? What new job promotion do you long for? What new network do you wish to belong to? Once you answer those questions, observe the behavior, etiquette and work ethic of those in the position you admire. Then act like you belong.  Will you have to “fake it ‘till you make it” for a little bit? Maybe, but Top Performers find a way to balance their own authenticity with the requirements necessary to grow professionally.

So this week, STOP acting your wage, and START acting like the leader you always knew you were.

There are two ways to be successful. Know a ton of people, and make sure more than a few of those people are well respected and influential. First, make it a habit to know the leaders and influencers in your organization. If you are a company employee and find yourself at a corporate convention where your leaders will also be, find a way to develop a conversation with as many as possible. This means you should NOT spend every free minute and eat every meeting meal with your group of business buddy associates who you already feel most comfortable with. And while they are calling out “Brown Nose!” as you shuffle past them to the leaders table, just give them a wink, knowing that your circle of influence is only 20 minutes from growing larger.

Next, remember not all “movers and shakers” reside in the Executive Suite. In fact, the most influential people often lack the fancy business card title but own the “street credibility” necessary to get things done. Don’t overlook them. In fact, go out of your way to help THEM increase their network and watch how the favor someday gets repaid.

Your next influence tip is to hone your speaking skills and USE THEM outside your company. Why? Because people in leadership positions often have to deliver both formal and informal “speeches.” And the ones who get to the top most quickly are often those can deliver a “talk” with poise and confidence.

And this is a skill that, when owned, is perhaps your single biggest weapon to increase your professional perception.  So find an area of expertise that you feel you know well. Then develop a 20-30 presentation on that topic. Practice it, rehearse it, and drill it until you impress even yourself. Then find a place to use. This could be a company meeting, an industry event, a Chamber of Commerce meeting, Rotary Club, or any number of organizations looking for an expert.

Lastly, spread the word on the web. Sign up for a Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter account, and as you keep learning, keep the world informed about who and what you know. And as you find new ways to share valuable information with others, you will find that you have become an irreplaceable asset in THEIR rise to the top. And when you become irreplaceable, you become unbeatable in business.

To listen to Brian’s radio interview on “how to increase your circle of networking influence” with Sheryl Nicholson, author of two Chicken Soup for the Soul books, go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm. Brian is author of the book, 20 Days to the Top-How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company’s Top Sales Performer in 20 Days or Less. To learn more, go to www.preciseselling.com.

Amazing what kid’s know about life and business, isn’t it? Just yesterday, as I walked in my kitchen I noticed a multi-colored, laminated list hanging on the refrigerator. This is what it said:

This season I pledge to:

•    Fast from revenge and feast on forgiving people
•    Fast from bragging and feast on having good sportsmanship
•    Fast from complaining and feast on being thankful
•    Fast from fighting and feast on compromising
•    Fast from being lazy and feast on getting active
•    Fast from lying and feast on telling the truth
•    Fast from judging people and feast on looking for good in others
•    Fast from excluding and feast on letting everyone play
•    Fast from selfishness and feast on giving to others
•    Fast from not following directions and feast on listening

The above was a list developed by the kids in my son Jake’s 4th grade class. Each child was to develop their own Fast and Feast list and this was his. As I read the list I was amazed at how simple yet profound it was.  I liked it so much, I developed one for myself and encourage you to try the same. So this week, grab some crayons, a fancy piece of construction paper (okay, a pad and pen will do) and take 10 minutes to write down the things you need to FAST from and FEAST on. Then keep them in front of you for 20 days. By doing so you can create habits that will have you FEASTING on more positive relationships, more productivity, and I bet a lot more sales.

This week, Brian interviewed author Ed Tate on his weekly radio show. Ed shares tips on how you can become a master networker and FEAST on more relationships than ever.   Go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm to listen to the interview. To find out more about Brian’s sales and leadership programs, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
Mark Twain

Think of the five people (outside your family) who you spend the most time with. Are they successful, happy, positive, caring and selfless? If you want to be successful, happy, positive, caring and selfless, the formula is simple. Make sure those five people who you spend most of your time with share those same qualities. And here is the tough news. If those people don’t possess the positive qualities you wish for in yourself, it may be time to replace them with people who do. And while that is often a difficult task, it’s important to realize the negative thoughts and words that you are exposed to DO have a direct correlation on your ability to succeed. In short, their thoughts and words are poison to your mind and force it to be something that it doesn’t want to be.

Author of the book “Winning-How Winners Think, What Champions Do” Edie Raether told me this week that people’s incomes are usually the average of the top five people they spend time with. So if you are in sales, seek out the top performers in your company and build a closer relationship. If you are a leader in your company, first coach the negative employee, but be prepared to remove them from your team (tough love). If you are unhappy in your current position because of a belittling boss, offset the negative vibe with enough positive influencers. Then make a plan to move on to a more positive career.

The good news is, YOU have control over the influence you are exposed to.  And as you make the tough choices of who your influencers will be, be aware that the benefits of replacing the bad with the good far outweigh the pain associated with distancing yourself from those that hinder your ambitions. And by surrounding yourself with “greatness,” there is a 100% chance that you too will find the greatness you seek.

To learn how your mind can create greatness, go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm to hear Brian interview Edie Raether, author of the book “Winning.”  As president of PRECISE Selling, Brian Sullivan helps improve sales, customer service, negotiations, leadership, and presentation skills through seminars and Internet training programs. He also hosts “Entrepreneurial Moments,” a radio show on business and personal development. For more on his speaking, consulting or book, visit: www.PreciseSelling.com or email: bsullivan@preciseselling.com.

“Honesty is not the best policy,
it’s the ONLY policy.”

Howard Putnam
Former CEO of Southwest Airlines

Blagojevich, Madoff, Enron, ugh! What is happening? When did the word LEADER become synonymous with dishonest? Well friends, it’s time for the rest of us to take over. Because the lesson learned from all of this is that while deception, half-truths, and manipulation may get some to the top, the chances of staying there without a foundation of integrity aren’t very good.

So let’s make it our objective in 2009 to be the types of leaders that USE honesty to get to the top, regardless of how difficult being honest can often be. In fact, research done by the Tom Peters group shows us the most important elements followers look for in leaders are as follows:

·      88% say HONESTY

·      75% say VISION

·      68% say INSPIRING

·      63% say COMPETENT

Now here’s the prep. There will be some time over the next 48 hours when you will have a choice to make. And at that moment you will be given the choice to deliver your message with 100% honesty or something less. And once you choose honesty, you have set in motion your greatest asset to becoming a top performing salesperson, manager, CEO, friend, spouse or parent. And I can honestly say, I can’t wait to see how many lives you positively influence in 2009.

Listen to Brian discuss honesty and FUN with former Southwest Airlines CEO Howard Putnam on his weekly radio show by visiting http://www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm. President of Kansas City-based PRECISE Selling, Brian delivers seminars and internet training programs on sales, customer service, leadership and presentation skills to companies of all sizes. To find out more, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com. To learn more about Howard Putnam’s outstanding leadership programs, visit him at www.howardputnam.com