CAREER DEVELOPMENT, GOALS, SUCCESS UNIVERSITY

 

Everyone has an image to take care of. Whether you like it or not, people will often scrutinize your looks. If you want to create your image, decide now! You can stand by and improve your own image or be a shadow of someone else. Many people shy away because they are so conscious of their appearance. Here are just five simple steps on how to enhance your image and to build the must have self confidence.

1. Feel good about yourself. Positive thinking is a good enhancer of personality. Nothing compares to an aura of self contentment and serenity. Shyness is developed by negative thoughts that others are far better than you. Stop that nonsense and start appreciating yourself. Look at the mirror every morning and say to yourself "You are a beautiful creation of God!"

2. Positive image starts in you. A good character is admirable and gives you credibility. Live harmoniously and be at peace with everyone. How can you project a positive image if your real life doesn’t say so? You can really feel shameful if you have criminal records. The real idea of an enhanced image is brought about by living decently.

3. Appearance. Good looking and fashionable people are the ones who get more attention from the audience. Being shy can also be a product of not so being confident on how you look in front of people. To enhance your image, you may want to consider these points relative to your appearance:

• Clean body that comes with clothes. Be sure that you are clean from head to toe. Hygiene and proper grooming are important aspects in image enhancement. Putting on that clean apparel from top to bottom can give you an edge in any occasions. Making sure that your body and what you’re wearing are neat will help you feel secure about yourself and your appearance.

• Proper color coordination. Be careful on what you wear as this can be a mirror of your personality. Combination of colors should be perfect. Neck ties should be matched with your inner shirt; belts and shoes should have the same color.

• Put on the right make up. Woman should always be conscious about her make up. Any color will do for fair skinned while light shades of purple and pink goes with dark skinned women. Choosing the right lipstick should also be a priority.

• Clean cut hair. You wouldn’t want to look like a rock star over a corporate meeting. Make sure that your hair is well trimmed and that it doesn’t cover your face.

4. Gaining a positive image will also be incorporated in your movements and ease in front of a crowd. You should develop eye contact and facial expressions appropriate to certain circumstances. Smiling is one sure way of gaining some people’s trust. This can also involve the proper actuations in a social gathering. Etiquette is necessary to develop your presence in any events.

5. Seek the help of a professional image enhancer. There are also certain books which will help you with the information on how to develop your image and do away with shyness. You can invest on these things to make sure that you are properly guided.

Enhancing your image is one good way of overcoming your shyness. It can boost your self confidence knowing that you appear respectable and neat in front of anyone. Positive image can spell success thus it should always be cultivated.

 

- Leon Edward

 

Leon Edward helps people improve in Career Development, Goal Setting, Leadership, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles  at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

Leon Edward also helps people improve  IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking , time management and reducing stress.
Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.com

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Subconscious Programming | Home Based Business Ideas |  Focus on the Family Blog

Posted by Leon Edward at 04:27 AM | Permalink

In business, the primary goal is to succeed. Competition is fierce in both online and offline businesses. Using four basic principals can increase your sales by up to 300% or more.

The first principal is pretty easy. Call your customer by his or her name. By doing this, your customer feels that they are more than just a sale. It is a way of personalizing your service. Customers tend to give more of their attention when you use their name.

Principle # 1 - Call your customer by his name.

People feel more comfortable when you call them by their names. If your target customer is a complete stranger, ask him politely about his name. Pronounce his name correctly and mention it throughout your conversation. This way you can get his or her attention and make him or her listen.

Principle # 2 - Make your customer feel the need.

Demonstrating your product to a target market is the best way to introduce it to the market. Many people will be curious if you set up a stand and show them how the actual product works.

It is important that your demonstration is clear and concise. Nobody wants to walk away thinking that your product is too complicated to use.

When you are offering a new product, you have to make the consumer feel that it is something that they cannot live without. It is important that you do not use the word selling in your sales pitch. Using the word offering instead. Consumers respond better when they do not feel like you are pushing a product at them.

Principle # 3 - Make it seem that you are helping the customer, not selling something to him.

When customers feel that you are helping them they will respond better by paying more attention to the details of the product.

It is important that you do not tell the customer that one particular product is the one that they are looking for; explain to them why it is the best one for them and how it can benefit their situation.
The more details that you offer will result in higher sales.

Principle # 4 - Never take no for an answer

This principal can be tricky. You do not want to take no for an answer, however, you do not want to be perceived as an overbearing salesperson who just wants to make a sale.

It is important to finish your sales pitch, however it is equally important to listen to what the customer is saying to you.

Explain the pros and cons of what the customer is telling you and how your product will benefit them and save them money at the same time.

In todays day and age, consumers want convenience, but they also do not want to spend their life savings getting it.

Nobody is born with perfect sales skills. It is a talent that is developed over many years and through a lot of trial and error. You will not be able to make every sale, however, using these four principals will assist you in raising your level of sales.

Posted by Leon Edward at 08:16 PM | Permalink

In business, the primary goal is to succeed. Competition is fierce in both online and offline businesses. Using four basic principals can increase your sales by up to 300% or more.

The first principal is pretty easy. Call your customer by his or her name. By doing this, your customer feels that they are more than just a sale. It is a way of personalizing your service. Customers tend to give more of their attention when you use their name.

Principle # 1 - Call your customer by his name.

People feel more comfortable when you call them by their names. If your target customer is a complete stranger, ask him politely about his name. Pronounce his name correctly and mention it throughout your conversation. This way you can get his or her attention and make him or her listen.

Principle # 2 - Make your customer feel the need.

Demonstrating your product to a target market is the best way to introduce it to the market. Many people will be curious if you set up a stand and show them how the actual product works.

It is important that your demonstration is clear and concise. Nobody wants to walk away thinking that your product is too complicated to use.

When you are offering a new product, you have to make the consumer feel that it is something that they cannot live without. It is important that you do not use the word selling in your sales pitch. Using the word offering instead. Consumers respond better when they do not feel like you are pushing a product at them.

Principle # 3 - Make it seem that you are helping the customer, not selling something to him.

When customers feel that you are helping them they will respond better by paying more attention to the details of the product.

It is important that you do not tell the customer that one particular product is the one that they are looking for; explain to them why it is the best one for them and how it can benefit their situation.
The more details that you offer will result in higher sales.

Principle # 4 - Never take no for an answer

This principal can be tricky. You do not want to take no for an answer, however, you do not want to be perceived as an overbearing salesperson who just wants to make a sale.

It is important to finish your sales pitch, however it is equally important to listen to what the customer is saying to you.

Explain the pros and cons of what the customer is telling you and how your product will benefit them and save them money at the same time.

In todays day and age, consumers want convenience, but they also do not want to spend their life savings getting it.

Nobody is born with perfect sales skills. It is a talent that is developed over many years and through a lot of trial and error. You will not be able to make every sale, however, using these four principals will assist you in raising your level of sales.

Posted by Leon Edward at 08:16 PM | Permalink

Being a salesperson is a tough job. You have to meet with different kinds of people. You have to talk to them, tell them about yourself and your product.

Then, there is the stereotype about salespersons: that you are glib, smooth-talking individuals who care about nothing except their own commissions. People think of you as pesky and persistent hound dogs.

In striving to be a topnotch salesperson, the first thing you need to do is to break this bias by striving to put forth a win-win situation.

Here are some strategies in becoming the best salesperson that you can be:

1. Look good

This does not mean that you have to undergo a cosmetic procedure to rearrange your face. Doing so might even be harmful since people are intimidated by individuals that are just TOO beautiful.

Find clothes that fit you. Loose clothes give the impression of being unkempt. Think about it: How would you convince a prospective buyer to talk to you if you look shabby and disheveled?

Wear a watch. The watch will tell a person that you are someone who value time.

2. Smile

People always tend to warm up to friendly looking people. A smile makes you look approachable and friendly.

But then, beware! Too bright a smile will make it looked forced and unnatural. A good trick is to think of something nice that happened to you before approaching any customer. This will bring about a soft smile that the customer would likely reciprocate.

Remember that people notice a forced smile right away. This makes them edgy and defensive.

3. Know your product

The greatest error any salesperson can make is not to be familiar with his product. How can you persuade someone to buy them if you cannot elaborate on its features?

People will ask questions about the product. The key here is that you have to be able to answer them with confidence and sureness. Try out the product yourself and be more effective in telling people about the benefits of your product.

You also need to know the advantages and disadvantages of your product. For example, if your company is selling different types of whitening creams, tell the buyer what is the difference between these products and why one is better than the other.

4. Read Up

Aside from knowing your product, you need to know your competitor’s product. You need to be able to emphasize how your product works better than the others available in the market.

You also need to know the trends. Learn the needs and wants of specific groups. Be acquainted with the features that they desire so that you could use this in promoting your product.

5. Find joy in challenges

Have you ever played chess? Do you remember that triumphant feeling after you outsmarted your opponent with a well-thought strategy? Well, you can apply the same thing with selling.

There will come a time when you will come across that stubborn and unmovable obstacle. The problematic customer is one who shoots down every proposal, every sales offer. He is one that asks countless questions yet refuses to buy in the end.

You should not look at the situation in anger or despair. This would just make you bitter and will affect your sales talk. Try to look at the situation as if you are in front of a chessboard. You need to plan and set up a strategy.

6. Be punctual

If you have a meeting with a customer, don’t EVER be late. Tardiness will tell your customer two things: 1. That you’re not the kind of salesman they want to associated with and 2. You are not interested in making a sale.

Always wear a watch and be aware of time. Keep in mind that these people are making time for you in spite of their busy schedules and be grateful for that fact.

Arrive at the meeting place 10-minutes early. This will give you time to compose yourself and run through your mental list. This would also give you time to look around and observe your surroundings, as these might give clues about the kind of people you are about to meet.

7. Ask them what they want

You get to the heart of the problem by asking them what they desire. You cannot force a product to a person if he does not actually want or need it.

After they give you a rundown of what they want, answer with the list of products that meet these requirements. A customer will be the more interested if he has options to choose from or alternatives.

8. Be persuasive, not persistent

Yes, persuasion is the key point in sales. However, persuasion is not the same as persistence. If you keep calling them, or showing up at their work place uninvited, saying the same things over and over, people are going to hate you.

Try different tactics every time you talk to them. Lay out the advantages the sale will have for them and for you. This will make it a win-win situation that they will most probably find hard to resist.

9. Make friends and keep them

Okay, so you made a sale and a big one at that. Be grateful. This doesn’t mean the relationship with your customers ends. It would actually be ideal if you were able to keep a friendly association with them. This will ensure you future sales and deeper relationships.

10. Handle criticism well

You also need to learn how to take criticism. Sometimes, when people are angry or edgy, they tend to say things they do not mean. The key here is not to take everything personally.

If a buyer is stubbornly refusing to talk to you, do not immediately jump to the conclusion that he hates you. He might have ill feelings towards the company as a whole and not to you as a person.

Also, do not think of criticism as something that will drag you down. It should actually motivate you to work harder.

Being a topnotch salesperson will not just happen overnight. It takes practice, patience, and strength. Keep going and keep trying and you will become the best that you can be.

Posted by Leon Edward at 06:45 PM | Permalink

It takes practice to sell successfully over the phone – and you need a stellar sales pitch to capture customers. Have you or your sales reps ever experienced phone choke? It's a pernicious malady that strikes most sales reps at one time or another. You know the symptoms: a quivering voice, a dry mouth, shaky hands, and a brain that goes utterly blank while you're on the phone with a prospect.

To inoculate your sales force against phone choke, crafting a sales script may be the prescription. Scripts can put reps at ease and help them make it through a full menu of your service's features and benefits with a willing prospect. Here are eight methods to help you create a killer sales script for your company.

- Don't be too rigid.

A natural script may sound like an oxymoron, but a well-sculpted script can flow organically. The reason a canned script sounds too stiff is because the salesperson delivering it didn't write it. One way to beat wooden script delivery is to let your reps customize their own scripts so they come across in their unique voices. Provide a template, and plan to review and approve each rep's version before it goes into circulation.

- Get to the point.

You have less than the time of TV spot to establish a connection. According to sales book author George Ludwig, from the moment the buyer picks up the phone, you have 20 seconds to reduce tension and create interest. The sales rep's number one aim should be to rapidly create curiosity to start rapport building and lessen anxiety.

- Be a movie star.

When you watch a good actor in a movie, you don't think of him reading lines. A talented actor nails his part, the words sound natural, and there's no evidence of a scripted performance.

- Learn it, live it, love it.

Reps must know the script cold to prevent fumbling from point to point. Reps should practice reading the script aloud, rather than just to themselves, until it sounds like their own style of speaking.

- Don't ask stupid questions.

Research prospects in advance to avoid posing irrelevant questions. Asking a question that doesn't fit a prospect shows a lack of preparation and eradicates credibility.

- Skip trite language.

Don't launch a conversation with the threadbare, "How are you doing today?" The phrase is clichéd, and everyone hears it as a signal for a sales call. Try something like, "Can you spare a minute?" instead.

- Look for business beyond the call.

Closing is not the only goal of a sales call. Sometimes, moving the relationship along a step so you can be closer to closing on the next call is a better approach than trying to close right away.

- Hush up.

Don't be in such a rush to deliver your message that the prospect cannot get a word in. Though you're working from a script, a sales call is a dialogue, not a monologue. Use call outlines, which are interactive and give prospects the floor often. The more you learn about a prospect's needs, the more you unearth sales opportunities.

Posted by Leon Edward at 09:40 PM | Permalink

Let's get down to the technicalities of selling and negotiating successfully. There are, basically, five steps you can take: 1) the pre-approach, 2) the approach itself, 3) the presentation, 4) defeating objections, and 5) closing the deal. Selling requires a lot of talk – a lot of negotiation. Thus, you must know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. If you skip or scrimp on any of these steps, you could find yourself groping in the dark.

Pre-approach

 

When a salesman goes out to look for sales prospects, or people who would be more likely to buy his product or service, he is already in the pre-approach stage. This means he is preparing in advance by letting his potential customers know what he is selling and that the items on his roster are things they would be interested in.

 

 

The effective salesperson knows that hanging out at the back of the store and making small talk with his co-workers will not do him any good. He knows that getting out and placing himself at the front lines is what will lead to a sale.

 

 

Approach

 

When the salesman already sets a meeting and comes in contact with the prospect, this is the approach stage. During this phase, he seeks to gain all the information he needs about the client and confirm what he has already researched beforehand. He does so by keeping congenial relations with the customer, keeping in mind that this might not just be a one-time deal and that a customer's satisfaction means referrals.

 

 

The effective salesman does not try to sell using sympathy. Do not say, "I need you to buy these because I have to reach a certain quota today." Sell according to what the buyer needs; highlight the aspects of the product or service that would be of use to him. If the client does not seem to be convinced that he needs it, negotiate.

 

 

Presentation

 

When you present the merits of a certain product or service, it is also your cue to start negotiating. Do not make a hard sell, though, because most customers do not enjoy the thought of being sold to or being persuaded to purchase something. As said in the previous step, highlight the features that you believe would be of use to him, so he would be compelled to stop for a while and listen to what you have to offer. Be prepared with all the details you need and anticipate the questions he might ask about the product.

 

 

This is where studying appearances and body language come in. To be effective in sales, not only do you have to talk well, you also have to know how to read people's body language and appearance. Of course, just because a person dresses poorly doesn't mean he cannot be interested in your product. Studying physical attributes should go hand in hand with communication. Do not judge a book by its cover.

 

 

Beat Objections

 

Objections during your presentation are inevitable. Though they can be very distracting; do not let them throw you off course. What you can do is agree with your client first, recognizing the good points of his statement, then follow up with a 'but'. Say something like, "I'm glad you brought that up…" If he points out a negative feature in your product, acknowledge it but counterbalance it immediately with a feature that would outweigh the negative point. This is how effective negotiation is done. You don't simply give in. You try to work around the bad by showering him with lots of good.

 

 

Closing the Deal

 

If you have reached this stage, you're near the finish line. You've gotten the prospects attention and gotten him to agree with you; now all you have to do is seal the agreement. At this point, the prospect's resistance is at its lowest level and anytime now he could make a decision – all he needs is a little push.

 

 

It's time to take the initiative and ask the person to buy, but not outwardly. Do so by offering other minor choices related to the product, like which color he likes, what model, etc., or ask when he'd like the goods to be delivered. Get a pen into the client's hand immediately so that he won't have time to change his mind and simply sign away.

 

 

Posted by Leon Edward at 05:13 PM | Permalink