Yesterday I sat with an aspiring young professional who wanted to know the formula for breaking into a great job. I asked him what he thought of his current one. He said it was okay but that he didn’t see a ton of opportunity to grow. I then asked what he was doing to show his manager and co-workers that he was capable of growth. He couldn’t answer. I followed up by asking him to give me three reasons his manager should give him more responsibility and, after drooling on himself, he mumbled three things that were merely part of his job. In short, he was doing nothing special but was expecting special career results.

Perhaps it’s the new world of entitlement we are living in that is leaving many to believe that being average is enough to produce exceptional opportunity. Wrong! If I thought looking for excuses, being negative, and looking for somebody to blame was the path to wealth and happiness I’d say…go for it! But truth is…it doesn’t work. Are some people given more opportunities than others unfairly? Maybe. But who cares! Because for every one person who found success or got promoted for the wrong reasons, there are 20 others who busted their hump, took a risk and did things to convince everybody around them that they were an irreplaceable asset.

So this week, take 15 minutes in your office, grab a pen and paper (or an iPad), and write down five things you do in your profession that make you special. And if your list includes the same things that all your co-workers would write then it’s not SPECIAL. Which means you aren’t worthy of any additional opportunities. And the same things goes for many companies who also believe they too should expect extraordinary results without doing anything extraordinary.

In short, NOBODY controls your destiny but you. Because nobody has that power over you. And if they do, it’s only because you gave it to them. From this point forward in 2012 you will expect nothing from anybody and instead give everything to everybody. Your reward will be life and a career that gets you noticed, gets you opportunity and gets you to the TOP!

This week, Brian Sullivan, CSP interviewed Eric Chester, author of the new book, Reviving Work Ethic. If you’re looking for hard hitting truth about what it takes to get to the top, listen to this high-energy interview by going to www.preciseselling.com/podcast

Yesterday morning, my 12-year-old son Jake needed to use my computer to print out a school report. Of course, he waited until five minutes before his ride to school to do what should have been done the night before. After scrambling to get the printer to work, he finally got his printout and crazily ran out the door. Like most parents, I was not happy that he waited until the last minute. This was NOT acceptable. I thought, “When he gets home from school, that boy better prepare for a little time-management seminar…delivered by his Dad.”

As I began packing up the computer to take into my office, I began reading what Jake had written. In the report he had to identify his role model. For a Dad, this is like Judgment Day! Because our greatest fear is our boy picking anybody other than us. As I read more I discovered…YES…I made the cut! I’m not sure he ever planned on showing it to me but as I read it, I was reminded how no success at work can make up for failure at home. I was also reminded how difficult it is to really know if we are doing our most important job (parent, spouse, friend) as well as we should.

So for this week’s exercise ask yourself this one question, “If I found something written by a loved one describing me, what would it say.” The good news is that we can control the narrative that would be written…by doing everything we can to be even better at home than we are at work. And yes, we will screw up. In my case…way too often. But by reminding ourselves that the stories that will be written about us in the future are being assembled today. So make this week’s chapter of that book one you would wish others would write, and one you would love to read.

Sales Coach and Business Consultant Brian Sullivan, CSP is the 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. For more resources to help you get to the top go to www.preciseselling.com.

Last week we talked about the importance of planning now so that 2012 becomes your most famous year. We discussed the importance of asking yourself, “What specifically do I need to keep doing, stop doing and begin doing in 2012 to get me to my ultimate goal.” So this week, let’s talk more about that ultimate goal.

This week I spent time asking others what their ultimate goal was for 2012 and few had clarity in their answer. As a result, there was little clarity in what steps needed to be taken to make this year their best.

If you have ever read or watched the movie The Secret or ever read Napoleon Hill’s Book “Think and Grow Rich” you are familiar with the concept of controlling one’s own thoughts in order to achieve success, as well as the energy that thoughts have and their ability to attract other thoughts.

In short, the premise is that positive thoughts will attract positive results. If you believe the premise, then this means the more positive thoughts you create, the better the results.

While the science is not proven, there is little doubt that most of us are attracted to a certain energy that others put off. When we say, “That person has something about her,” we are feeling that law of attraction. Which means there is a very real vibration or energy the body is projecting.
So can you control that energy? The good news is YES. And it starts by first believing that your thoughts affect what the body projects. While I admit to some this may sound a bit “New Age,” why fight it?

So this week, first think about what you want for you and your family this year. What is your ultimate goal?

Then understand that those goals will be more achievable if you consistently think positively. Make it a habit.

Be aware when are being negative and know that it’s not helping you. Will that positive energy go flying off into the universe and come back in the form of a fat paycheck? I don’t know.

But what I do know is those positive thoughts will produce an energy that makes others want to trust you, know you and learn from you more than ever. It’s that type of attraction that creates great business leaders, entrepreneurs, salespeople, and leaders. And it’s that type of attraction that is about to make 2012 your most famous year.

Watch this youtube video about Bob Proctor and The Secret.

Okay, I had to go and ruin it didn’t I. Can’t I just get off your back and let you enjoy the revelry of the recently departed Holiday Season before dropping the “reminder bomb” of the “life altering” resolutions that you just made. But good news! It’s only January. Which means you have eleven plus months to really get things going. I mean, you still have tons of time to blow out of work early while walking passed door after door of possible clients. Or perhaps burn up an hour or so doing meaningless paperwork after one halfway decent tele-sales call. Sure, don’t sweat it. And oh, it’s time to start researching that 2012 spring break trip. Never mind those Facebook updates you need to get on top of. And did you see what Kim Kardashian was up to today on Twitter?!!! Your change can wait a while, can’t it? Whew!

Well, I hate to do this to you. Hell, I like some good procrastination like most, but I just can’t let you do it. You are in this thing with the rest of us. We are all going into 2012 together…as a bunch of crazy Sales Weapons. Why? Because things aren’t as easy as they once were. All right, I said it. This economy stinks, customers seem harder to find, and margins aren’t what they once were. But guess what? A lame economy, tough customers and eroding margins only affect average and below average salespeople. And YOU don’t have to be average. That is a choice no economy or customer can take away from you.

So why make 2012 the year you worked harder, became smarter and did more than ever to increase your skills? Because the feeling of accomplishment that comes from being THE top sales performer in your company or industry is tough to beat. Think of the perks that come with being better than everybody at the world’s greatest profession. While I will promise not to sound like a late night infomercial promising lavish yachts, fast cars, and beautiful people falling at your feet, I will promise you this. You will feel like a champion. You will gain the respect of your managers and company leaders, and perhaps more importantly, your customers.

While I fully realize the thrill of a large commission check may be good enough for you, for most, the driving motivation is recognition and respect. So ask yourself a question right now. When was the last time you were publicly recognized by your company, manager or industry? I’m talking about an award, a voicemail passed on about something extraordinary you did, or a posting of a customer testimonial on the company website about your amazing service. When was the last time somebody made you feel respected by asking your advice about how to sell at a high level, how to overcome that common objection, how to get to the top! If you said six months, one year, or never, then things are about to change. In 2012 you WILL be noticed. You WILL be respected. And you WILL be a top performer. It’s time to become famous in your company and industry. But how?

Step 1: Grab a pen and pad, an iPad, or a computer right now.

Step 2: Think clearly about what your success will look like at the end of this year. Then answer the below questions:

• How will you ultimately measure your success?
  _______________________________________________________________
• Who will be positively affected if 2012 is your best year?
  _______________________________________________________________
• Who will help you get there?
  _______________________________________________________________
• What did you do in 2011 that you should keep doing?
  _______________________________________________________________
• What did you do in 2011 that you should stop doing?
  _______________________________________________________________
• What do you need to begin doing in 2012 that you haven’t done yet?
  _______________________________________________________________

Step 3) Let’s talk activity and make it specific.

I will make $______________ this year.
I will close ________ sales a week.
I will have _________ sales presentations/meetings a day.
I will make _______ prospecting calls a day.
I will plan _________ hours/minutes each week to plan.
I will be rank #_________ in my company in sales.

Now take that sheet and tape it to your forehead! Take a deep break and let those commitments sink into your brain. And when you are done peeling the tape off your face, make one more commitment. Promise yourself that you will look at that sheet (electronic version works good, too) each Monday morning and Friday afternoon. The more you look at those objectives, the more quickly you will become a top performer. You see, by keeping the finish line in front of you at all times, you will know exactly where to run. The target will be stationary, and a stationary target is much easier to hit than one that is moving.

And notice the second to last line of the PRECISE Objectives. You need to plan to plan. This means that you need to pick a set time each week to map out your month. And during that planning time, DO NOT pick up voicemails, emails or tweet! Plan your high value activities at least two weeks out.

So here’s my prediction for 2012. If you are committed to mastering sales, consistently focus on your objectives, and schedule time each week to plan, you will get the recognition and respect that we talked about earlier. Your peers will want to be like you, your CEO will want to know your secrets, and your customers will want to fix you up with their closest relative (assuming your single). And next holiday season, as you review 2012, you will be thankful for the commitments to excellence you made one year ago.

And lastly, never forget:

“No amount of success at work can compensate for failure at home.” -Patrick Morley

See you at the TOP!

Sales Coach and Business Consultant Brian Sullivan, CSP is the 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. Sign up for his free weekly motivation and sales tip by going to www.preciseselling.com. Fun stuff that will keep you focused on getting to the top!

-Charles Dickens

The Christmas weekend is here and I am gearing up for my annual life lesson from actor Jimmy Stewart in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In the movie, George Bailey (aka Jimmy Stewart)  spends his entire life doing selfless things for others. From saving his younger brother from drowning, to giving away all his cash to save the family business, George created a blessed life for many…including himself. But George, like all of us, ran into some trouble that made him doubt all the good decisions he made in his life. He let the bad overshadow the good. In the movie, he had the chance to see what life would be like without him, and it was that “viewing” that made him realize how special he was.

Take a minute right now and close your eyes and think of three amazing things you did in ’11. Then think of how many people you touched while doing those things. Then think of how many people they touched. Once you fully understand the power you have to change the world you can then understand how much positive impact you have on your company, sales territory, customers and everybody you meet. You, my friend, are a blessing.

On behalf of the Sullivan kids (and Mom and Dad), we want to thank you for tuning in each week for the PRECISE Selling weekly tips. God bless you and your family this Holiday Season!

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.  He also hosts the radio talk show Entrepreneurial Moments, a show dedicated to personal and business development. To find out more, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com.

Are you tired of leaving voicemails for prospects that don’t get returned? Well it’s official. You’re human! In fact, studies show that prospects only return between 5-10% of all voicemails left. So the first question may be, “Should I even leave a voicemail?” And the answer is, “Yes!” But your objective is to get that number up over 25%.

Let’s talk about why you should leave a voice mail. First, there are only three ways to be successful in sales.

1.    Make a ton of calls and leave a ton of voicemails
2.    Make sure your voicemail is a good one.
3.    Leave a ton of voicemails AND make them good ones.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Option 3 is the best way to go. So let’s break it down.

1) Effort  and Activity- If you make more calls than your competition, and as a result, leave more voicemails, you will increase your chances of getting called back. (How’s that for deep thought?) Perhaps NHL legend Wayne Gretzky said it best when he said:  You will miss 100% of the shots you never take.

Even if your voicemail is less than spectacular, you still have almost a one in ten chance of getting it returned. So keep making calls!

2) Make ‘Em Good- Think about a recent voicemail message you left. If you were on the receiving end of it, would YOU return the call? Below are some tips that will make the prospect want to return your call.

• Do your research- Face it, a cold call doesn’t have to be cold. It’s only cold if you don’t do your homework. Do a quick Google search on the business. Also, head over to LinkedIn and do a search to see if you can find the prospect’s profile. They often will tell you everything you need to say to create the needed curiosity to draw them in. (Don’t believe me, go to LinkedIn right now and search for a prospect!)
• Don’t be a stiff!- What’s worse than getting a voicemail from a salesperson who sounds like they would rather be bathing in a tub of scissors than making this call. Sound like you are happy to be reaching out…because you truly believe you have something that can help them. The prospect can hear and feel the vibe you put off. Also, don’t sound like a corporate brochure. If you wouldn’t talk that way at a cocktail party, don’t talk that way on the phone. People buy from people they like, not corporate stiffs.
• Name and Number- Immediately give them your name and number.
  • “Hello Sue, my name is Brian Sullivan. My direct number is 913-530-8894.
• Credibility- Tell them who you are and what your company does.
  • “I am with Acme and we specialize in ________________ (Make this a BIG BENEFIT that you have done for other companies like theirs.)
• Reference Research-If they know that you actually cared enough to possibly understand their needs, they just might care what comes next.
  • “In researching your facility prior to calling you today I learned _____________.
• Make it Personal- This is where you state what may be in it for them only IF they call you back.
  • In working with another company like yours (if you have a well-known name, use it here), we were able to (state huge value) _____________.
• Curiosity Builder- The most important emotion you need to create in any voicemail is curiosity.
  • I have some ideas that I’d like to share with you regarding how you can possibly  _______________.
• The Gift- If you have nothing they want or need, they won’t be calling you back. So offer something of value.
  • I also have a marketing analysis that’s been useful in departments like yours from (credible source, regulatory agency, etc) that you might find useful for your department. (Give some examples) It’s helped some folks save a ton of money…hours…etc.
• The Close- Your ultimate objective is to get them to call you back. So ask for it.
  • “While I can’t promise the same results we got with (another facility), I promise it will be worth your time. I can make myself available tomorrow morning between 9:00-11:00 or Wednesday afternoon between 1:30 and 3:00. (Notice how leaving specific times makes you seem busy. And I know you are!) In the meantime if you would like to learn more about us, stop by www.yourcompany.com. Let me know if either time works by calling me back at 913-530-8894. Or you can drop me an email at bsullivan@preciseselling.com. Thanks a ton, Sue!

Is there a guarantee that this voicemail will be returned? Nope! But the above structure, combined with your dynamic personality, will help open more doors than the average salesperson. And knowing it’s still a numbers game, you will find that leaving lots of great voicemails can still be one of your most effective tools to getting to the top and staying there. (Quick note…this structure works if they actually pick up the other end of the phone too!)

Sales Coach and Business Consultant Brian Sullivan, CSP is the 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. Sign up for his free weekly motivation and sales tip by going to www.preciseselling.com. Fun stuff that will keep you focused on getting to the top!

Do you have people with whom you can share intimate details with no repercussions other than a greater gift of self-awareness? Well according to former Medtronic CEO and author of the book, True North Groups, A Powerful Path to Personal and Leadership Development, you need to.  A True North Group is a group of between 6-8 trusted life and business advisors who you can turn to on a consistent basis to help you become better at work and at home.  Whether it is a life-threatening illness, divorce, or career change, your group can give you a perspective from many angles…angles that are easy to miss.

So if you believe there is room for improvement in your life, setting up your own True North Group just might be the answer. To do so, here are some tips from the book to get you started:

• Forming- Choose 6-8 individuals you trust
• Norming- Create habits, practices and rules characterizing your group’s behavior. Confidentiality is crucial in your group.
• Storming- As your group grows closer, passionate discussion may lead to storms. Open communication will insure you can weather them.
• Performing- Openly sharing and deep listening insure that all members find value in the experience.
• Reforming- Don’t be afraid to evolve to keep the group fresh. This will ensure longevity.

Ultimately, the greatest benefit of a True North Group is the opportunity to get feedback that will make you a better friend, father, mother, business owner or work colleague. As former secretary of education John Gardner said, “Life is an error-making and an error-correcting process.” Having your own trusted group will help you find your errors and correct them, as well as give you new ideas to make you a top performer at work and at home.

For some more great tips on forming your own group, listen to Brian Sullivan,CSP interview best selling author Bill George on his weekly radio show by going to http://www.preciseselling.com/on-radio. And for even more tips, stop by Amazon and pick up a copy of the life-changing book, True North Groups,  A Powerful Path to Personal and Leadership Development.

Think about how you will feel at the end of this workday and head into a great Thanksgiving weekend. Something is happening to you right now that feels different, doesn’t it? That feeling is “thankfulness.” When we feel it and express it to others, everything changes. So selfishly, it’s my turn to get the positive vibes going with a bit of thanks.

• I am thankful for your desire to always improve.
• I am thankful for what you teach me.
• I am thankful for your trust.
• I am thankful for your friendship.
• I am thankful for letting me into your life once a week.

And thank you for allowing me to express it. Like most, I don’t do it enough. Have a wonderful time with your #1 customers, the friends and family that are thankful to have you in their lives.

What do I mean?  Well, I was presented with a product that I really enjoy
(Christmas Music), but the timing was all off. I loved what the radio station
was offering but was not quite ready to “buy” into it just yet. The point is that there is a certain ebb and flow to people’s emotions. And to be successful in sales, you need to be in tune with your prospects emotions at all times. If you go for the close too early, before they are ready, you risk them “changing the channel” and going to your competitor.

So how will you know when your prospect is emotionally ready to jump in? Ask them up front, before you start playing your music (presenting your solution) about the timing of the potential buying decisions. In other words, if they don’t have money in the budget until 2012, singing your tune too loudly now could cause them to hit the mute button in January. And don’t forget to ask who at the facility needs to hear your music. Too many times we deliver our songs to people who have no buying authority. Don’t assume you know.

So what do you do between now and the time they are ready to hear your music? Ask them questions that create curiosity in your solution. So when the time is right, they will be dying to hear your new song. For example, if somebody asked me today, “Have you heard about the new exclusive Nat King Cole Christmas song remake that will be released on the day after Thanksgiving?” BAM! You got me. Because while I might not be ready now, your curiosity building question has me hanging on the edge of my dial, waiting for Jack Frost to start nipping at my nose.

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.  He also hosts the radio talk show Entrepreneurial Moments, a show dedicated to personal and business development. To find out more, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com.