Following are Seven Tips to Build Confidence and Win Sales from the article that I wanted to share:

1. Develop a strong, positive self-image by seeing yourself as an expert in the field. See yourself as the bearer of good news. Be confident and realize that you have information that is valuable to your customer.
2. Visualize Success. Like an Olympic athlete, it is important to visualize success. Practice closing your eyes and and feeling successful and positive.
3. Use the prospect’s name. Everyone likes to hear their name. Use it in your conversations.
4. Realize that your good ideas can help the prospect. People are open to ideas and often are interested in how they can benefit from them.
5. Build a database of testimonials. Today more than ever, it matters what people are saying. Use your customers testimonials.
6. Mention Benefits. Always mention how your product, or service will benefit your customer.
7. Feed your mind with positive thoughts. As Zig Ziglar states, “Be selective about the things you choose to read, look at, and listen too to guard against negative thinking.”

Thanks for reading!

Barb

7 Sales Training Tips of Sales Success

1. Get Serious. Make a decision to be at the top of your field. Nothing can hold you back except yourself.
2. Identify your limiting skill to sales success. Once you identify your weakest skill, make a plan to become excellent at it. Work on it every day.
3. Get around the right people. Surround yourself with positive, up-beat, successful people. Move away from the negative, complaining people in your life.
4. Take care of your physical health. To excel in sales, you need high levels of energy. Eat right, exercise, get your rest, and enjoy yourself, etc.
5. Visualize yourself as one of the top people in your field. Imagine yourself as positive, confident, and in control. Continue to educate yourself in the sales field by reading, etc.
6. Practice positive self-talk always. Don’t be hard on yourself. Instead feed your thoughts with positivity.
7. Take positive action toward your goals, every day. Be proactive and get in front of people.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Following are 3 things to keep your business thriving from the article that I wanted to share:

1. The Right People—This is crucial. Success is all about the people. Be diligent in your search and don’t settle for just anyone.
2. The Right Training—Make sure your sales personnel are properly trained and then empower them.
3. The Right Tools—Make sure your sales personnel have what they need to make a sale, whether it is sales literature, cell phones, software, etc.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

The event was held at Majestic Oaks Golf Course in Ham Lake, MN.

Following are some pictures I wanted to share:

Look for these photos, and others on the PGC Facebook page.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

The other day, I received a “Big Idea” email on the concept of “Stickability,” taken from the Magic of  Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz.

Here’s the quote:

“Just enough sense to stick with something—a chore, task, project, until it’s completed pays off much better than idle intelelligence, even if idle intelligence be of genius caliber.” According to Schwartz,  “stickability” is 95 percent ability.” Wow—now that’s a concept.

I can think of many examples where that would be true. Here are just a few examples:

• Sales—Persistence, persistence, persistence. Make the calls and stick to it, and you’ll make sales! The more you tell the more you sell!
• Business In a Down Economy—Go back to the basics and stick to it, and your business will grow and again through persistence, and determination.
• Diet—Strive to eat right, and exercise and stick to it. If you fall off a day, so what. Get back on your plan and stick to it and the results will come.
• Etc.

I don’t know about you, but I think we could all use a good dose of stickability in our lives!

Thanks for reading!

Barb

St. Cecilia and Opalescence granite (2 of our most popular selling colors) are back in our Group A pricing structure.

St. Cecilia

Opalescence

Check out our Promotions page to view all 12 of our Group A colors, or stop by our showroom to view our slabs. We are happy to help with all of your countertop needs.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

I recently read, “ABN: Always Be Networking,” an article found in the March/April 2010 issue of Selling Power magazine, that I found interesting. According to the article, “informal networking can happen almost any time, anywhere, and savvy business professionals should put themselves in position to meet influential individuals whenever possible.”

Following are 10 Ways to maximize networking efforts I wanted to share from the article:

1. Practice the art of the speedy turnaround. After meeting someone, it is a good practice to follow up with them (24 hours is ideal) with an e-mail, or hand written note, expressing how you enjoyed you conversation, etc.
2. Open the lines of communication. Keep new contacts informed about your activities, promotions, sales, etc.
3. Prop yourself up. Establish yourself as a person of integrity, and a professional. Share your accomplishments, and those of your company.
4. Become a networking catalyst. Create opportunities for contacts to get together, whether on-line or otherwise.
5. Be yourself. People are more likely to be drawn to you for who you are than someone you might pretend to be. Let your personality shine through.
6. Stay attuned. Let people talk about themselves. Get to know them.
7. Getting to know you Focus on the person, not just a potential customer. Relationships are huge when it comes to sales.
8. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak. Ask questions to learn more about a person.
9. What’s a next step? Exchange business cards, and possibily set up a lunch meeting, etc.
10. Stay upbeat. Always smile and let your positivity show. Positive breeds positive!

Thanks for reading!

Barb

That’s huge! That’s why many companies are stringent about hiring qualified individuals, and are willing to pay more for those that can perform. Many companies also carefully groom their sales staff and offer extensive training for them.

“Everything you do is either increasing your perceived value, or detracting from it.” Following are 10 Ways To Increase Your “Perceived Value” rating from the article I wanted to share:

1. Be well dressed. It is important to dress neat, and clean. Remember, perception is everything.
2. Invest in expensive or good quality accessories. Again, perception! (e.g. a nice pen, briefcase, watch, etc.)
3. Have a neat, wll-groomed appearance. Customers will appreciate your attention to detail.
4. Practice impeccable manners, politeness, and courtesy. Alwasys try to put your best self forward.
5. Never knock the competition. You decrease your own value by doing so.
6. Be on time and deliver everything you promise. You are building your reputation.
7. Never argue with customers. They may not always be right, but they are always the customer.
8. Look for opportunities to so something extra. Small gestures can go a long way and can be very meaningful.
9. Plan and prepare each appointment in advance. Organization is key and always promotes a professional image.
10. Write thank you notes to each new customer, or prospect. It doesn’t cost anything to say thank you and people appreciate it.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

1. Make sure you listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent. Try and use open ended questions that will keep prospects talking to you.
2. While it is important to open new accounts, keep in mind that the close should be the beginning of a long-term selling relationship, not just a one time commission sale.
3. Be persistent, and let your prospect know that their business is important, and that you’re ready to serve them now, or later.
4. It is important to present product features selectively, based on each individual customers needs.
5. Don’t just talk discounts. Real sales professionals talk about value and emphasize how the quality and durability of their product will benefit the customer.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Following is the list:

1. ProActive Sales Management
2. The Optimal Salesperson
3. Coaching Sales People Into Champions
4. The Market Has Changed Have You?
5. The Funnel Principle
6. Playing Bigger Than You Are
7. B2B Street Fighting
8. Becoming The Vendor Of Choice
9. Listen To The Dinosaur
10. http://www.sellingtozebras.com/

Thanks for reading!

Barb