AfterWin.com

As you might expect I spend a lot of time working with sales professionals helping them to breakthrough their personal barriers. In doing so it always amazes me that the same “reasons” for under-performance arise again and again. Salespeople look me in the eye and voice these “reasons” as if they’re real and as if I’ve not heard them before!

In this article I am going to share with you the top 10 excuses used by sales losers so that you can audit the “reasons” that you use when you’re not getting the results that you would like. In my experience nearly all salespeople use some or all of these excuses at some point in their sales career. Auditing your usage of them will pay massive dividends in motivation, focus and results in the short, medium and long-term.

My challenge to you as your read these excuses is to do two things…

* Firstly, honestly appraise whether you do use any of these excuses. Consider how often, when and at what cost…

* Secondly, hold yourself to a higher standard and vow never to accept them ever again.

Top 10 Excuses Used By Sales Losers…

1. Poor market conditions / economy. Most salespeople use this as a reason for not performing at some point or other in their careers. I have worked with whole companies who spout this “reason” almost as a mantra! I’m not arguing that some markets aren’t more buoyant than others, however there is always opportunity for those who work hard. In many “poor markets” many of your competitors may hold this excuse and therefore have almost given up. This leaves the door open for you to work smarter and secure the clients that are in the marketplace.

2. Expensive / uncompetitive products. I worked with a company who took a new product to market. After the initial trial runs, much of the feedback from the clients stated that they thought that the product was too expensive. Much of the sales teams concluded therefore that the product was uncompetitive. One sales individual however made enormous sales so I sought him out and spoke with him. He told me that the other salespeople in the business were selling on price not value and had failed to identify how the product was worth the money to clients! Expensive and uncompetitive are subjective words… in what context are you using them?

3. Lack of training or education. Lack of training or education is one of the most widely used excuses in business today. For some reason many individuals feel that they would be more successful if only… Conversely speaking, sales superstars take responsibility for their own success. I believe that for the most part, individuals already have all of the skills that they require to be successful. If there are genuine areas in which training would be useful then identify what training and development you need and organise it yourself.

4. Poor management and support. I have never worked in a business where somebody didn’t criticise the management and support. Let’s face it, if you want to push the blame outside of yourself you’ll always find a way to do it! Sales losers seem to find someone to blame and a way to lose wherever they work. Sales superstars accept reality for what it is and find a way to excel wherever they work. Which are you?

5. Wrong territory or geographic region. Territories, geographic regions, vertical sectors… in many of the teams that I work with these are extremely hotly debated topics. I’m not arguing that one territory is the same as another however it is incredibly rare that I meet a salesperson that has ALL of the business in their territory. What I tend to find is that whatever territory you give to salespeople… plodders plod and superstars perform. Could it be possible that there is no such thing as a mediocre territory only a mediocre sales person?

6. Saturated sector or niche. Much like some of the other excuses this is a matter of context. Certainly some sectors are more mature than others; however once a sector reaches a certain level of maturity then all sorts of new opportunities arise (e.g. Clients fail to get the service or solution that they require and look around for new business partners). There’s even some advantages… at least your clients know that they need a solution, they don’t need to be educated to that. You just need to persuade them of the benefits of you and your solution.

7. Weak client base. Many salespeople complain about the nature of their clients… number, size, spend etc. When I was first in sales I worked opposite a girl who had multiple accounts. One of these spent twice as much on the same solutions as my largest client. To add to my problems they also weren’t that fussy about the quality of their solutions and my client was incredibly fussy! For about three weeks it ate into me. I moaned to anyone who would listen and things were bleak. Then one day one of the office superstars pulled me aside, “Gavin, you can’t fight with the way it is. What you can do is work harder, smarter and faster. Prove that you can win business anywhere and opportunities will open up to you. Stop believing that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence…”. That year saw me break all records for that business.

8. Upbringing and education. Some people still believe that their upbringing and education effect their outcomes in life. There’s even loads of academic argument about it. I don’t care! What I know is that if you accept that argument and you didn’t have a great education or upbringing then you are emasculated!!! Look! There are loads of examples of people who have broken out of awful backgrounds and have achieved amazing successes. Whether you’re a PHD from Harvard or a comprehensive drop out we all have the same opportunity to sell. After a sales presentation the words, “I’m sorry that wasn’t so good but I’m a Harvard grad you know” aren’t going to help!!!! The profession of selling is a great leveller.

9. Poor office conditions, team members, database! What do you do when things go wrong in the office? Are you bothered by other team members? The wrong temperature? The technicalities of the database? One individual I worked with delivered a 3 page report on the database to his managers the month before I arrived and then had the gall to winder why his sales figures were no good!! Stop trying to control external events and control what you can… your sales activities.

10. Lack of reward or recognition. Genuinely, if you’re not getting the reward and it’s a problem… move on. Otherwise get on! Lack of reward or recognition is not a reason. It’s an excuse. Too many salespeople complain about this area. If you need rewards and recognition get inventive and find ways of rewarding and recognising yourself.

For the last 10 years, Gavin Ingham has been helping sales people to explode their sales performance by turning self-doubt, fear and lack of motivation into self-belief, confidence and action. With his inspirational approach to sales performance and motivation Gavin combines commercial experience, personal excellence and communications technologies in delivering personal and business sales success.

Visit http://www.gaviningham.net now to join Gavin’s free monthly newsletter packed full of sales secrets, strategies and tactics. Join now and get Gavin’s ground-breaking 9-part objection handling course absolutely free.

Keys treadmills have managed to build an impressive product range in the short time that they have been available on the market. They boast some impressive features however the remarkable thing about keys treadmills is the excellent warranties that they have to offer.

For a treadmill in the mid price range, keys treadmills are the only brand to offer this level of service with their warranties, and few other products can compete.

The other excellent point that keys treadmills have over their competitors is their huge product range, which guarantees that all of the different customers needs will be met.

In total keys treadmills produce seven different series, with each series consisting of up to six different treadmills within that range. Each series is targeted at a different market and each of the keys treadmills series stand alone as a brand of individuality. This is an amazing amount of selection from one manufacturer, and keys treadmills certainly have the top marks for an encompassing product range that will be able to offer something for every type of customer.

Keys treadmills have received positive reviews and are seen as offering quality treadmills to individuals as well as businesses. They can boast of some great features with some models offering a heart rate interactive system which will monitor your pulse and adjust the incline in accordance to maintain your targeted heart rate. There are other workout programs within the keys treadmill range, and each machine comes with its own individual benefits and features.

Before making any decision about the keys treadmills series, make sure you look at all of the products available.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com. He provides more treadmill reviews, treadmill ratings and treadmill buying information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Unless you hold a mirror to your face each time you speak with someone, you really have no way of identifying what messages and signals the listener is receiving. This, by the way, applies not just to face-to-face sales calls, it applies to telephone conversations too. You see our voice tells just as many things about us as our face.

The world and the people population of it, is a mixed group so we really have no way of knowing if what we say is getting understood. This is especially true if we cannot see the listener. Our voice manner, tone and modulation send subtle messages about where our mind and thoughts are when we speak. Our prospect or customer, whether they are aware of it or not, is making judgments and assessments about us every time we engage in dialogue with them. Subtle messages received by them can be potent allies in our quest for effective communication.

The question before us should be ‘what do I want prospects and customers to see about me?’ This requires introspection, the right brain soft skill of observing and analyzing oneself.

If in a face to face call we know attention is being paid to our body movement, hand and facial gestures just as much as the content and insight we are delivering. Moreover customers and prospects pick up other clues that signal many things about us too. Signals such as our thoughtfulness, thoroughness, trustfulness, honesty and empathy are caught and processed by them. These are just as significant in messaging as the spoken word. We know the same enthusiasm used in a group presentation will probably not have the same effect as in a one-on-one session. In fact such enthusiasm may put our prospect or customer ill at ease or even frighten them.

Here’s the point. Be aware of what we want the world to see us as. When people hear our name or see us again what is the mental image we want them to have of us. Caring about the image we leave with others, mentally rehearsing how we will handle various situations and paying attention to what image we want to leave behind will help our effectiveness over time. We’ll find we can communicate more with fewer words and time spent in the communication continuum.

Don McNamara is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and is President of Heritage Associates, Inc. http://www.heritage-associates.net

Heritage Associates is a full service sales management consulting, training and coaching company. Don also speaks and writes on the art and science of superior sales management and top sales performance. He is the author of “Visionary Sales Leadership.”

With over 30 years sales experience from the field level to executive sales management, in his career he has been an individual contributor, corporate sales training manager, regional manager, national sales manager and vice president of sales. Don is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants, where he serves as Professional Development Chair for the southern California chapter, and the National Speakers Association.

For a free e-newsletter contact Don McNamara at djmcn@heritage-associates.net or by phone (949) 230-4363.

Copyright 2006 Monique Hawkins

Obtaining optimal health is a goal for many people. No one wants to develop disease and sickness. The good news is, one of the ways to develop optimal health is by avoiding purchasing food that is loaded with chemical, has no nutritional value, or is energetically altered. Let’s discover the top fourteen foods to avoid.

1. Avoid purchasing anything with words you can’t pronounce. This is very easy. If you have difficulty figuring out what a word is and have a hard time pronouncing it, don’t buy it. Most likely it is a harmful chemical.

2. Monosodium Glutamate. Never buy anything with this chemical in it. MSG is a toxin that is dangerous, causes weight gain, increases appetite, and causes all kinds of health problems.

3. Stay Away from Aspartame. This is a toxin that makes people gain weight, causes hunger, and leads to medical problems such as PMS and migraines.

4. Avoid High Fructose Cory Syrup. This is a chemical that causes people to become addicted and makes them fat.

5. No Hydrogenated Oil or Partially Hydrogenated Oil. Never buy foods with these ingredients since they are trans fats. Trans fats are deadly, causes heart disease, cause weight gain, and once more, other medical problems.

6. Avoid Sugar. Sugar that is processed turns out as refined white powder. All the natural sugarcane is taken out. Sugar has lots of chemicals that are used in the growing of sugarcane. It should be avoided at all costs.

7. Don’t Be Fooled By “Natural” and “Artificial Flavor”. These words, most of the time, mean that the food is loaded with chemicals and grown with pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides. The bottom line-eating organic food is best.

8. Be Wary of Spices. Spices do sound very healthy, but many of them really are not. Companies use hundreds of chemicals, put it in food products, but only label the product as a spice. In reality, people are getting more that salt, pepper, oregano, and the like in their foods. Most of the time, lots of man-made chemicals are made as well.

9. Avoid Artificial Color. If anything has dye in it, stay away. A dye is really a chemical poison.

10. Avoid Palm Oil: This is a very unhealthy oil that is cheap to manufacture, but causes physical problems. So, stay away from it.

11. Dextrose, Sucrose, and Fructose. There are chemically made sweeteners. There are not good for the body at all. So, it’s best to avoid them.

12. Avoid Sucrulose and Splenda. This is a man-made sweetener that most people have heard of. In spite of the hype, it is unnatural, artificial, and man-made. The problems it can cause are increases in appetite, depression, allergies, etc., all depending on the person’s genetic makeup. It is best to avoid these products.

13. No Enriched Bleached White Flour. This flour has no fiber. It has no nutritional value, and is highly refined. Eat organic wheat flour or other organic flours such as rye, millet, etc.

14. Avoid Soy Protein Isolate. This is usually found in protein shakes and in protein or food bars. Soy protein isolate’s refining process often includes hexane, which a petroleum solvent like gasoline. The best thing to do is to avoid at all costs.

So, there you have it. The top 14 foods to avoid in order to be in the best health as possible. Pay attention to those labels and be on your way to outstanding health.

Monique Hawkins is the owner of Monique?s Music Box. Located at www.My-Music-Box.com is a music box gift store specializing in products such as inlaid music boxes, wooden keepsake boxes, ballerina music boxes for ballerina rooms décor, and musical jewelry boxes. The company also provides interesting information for music lovers of all ages. Monique also is an associate with USANA Health Sciences. One of her passions is encouraging and supporting others in their endeavors to obtain optimal health and wellness. Visit www.usana.com/en/products/us/essentials/what_essentials.shtml/
www.usana.com/en/products/us/sense/index.shtml/

The idea is to catch their ATTENTION.

You might have the best product or service in the universe but if no one reads your ad, no one will ever know about it.

How many emails do you receive daily?

And, how many of those emails do you delete automatically because the headline did nothing to peak your interest?

The headline must be short, no more than 6 to 8 words. Less, in this case, would be more.

The very best headline I have ever seen in an email message was just 3 short words long. It captured my attention and enticed me to click on the link to visit a web site.

Can you guess what those words might have been?

Your headline must be in the Subject area of your email message and it is recommended that you make use of one or more action words to help capture your reader’s imagination.

If you would like a FREE list of about 50 Action Words: mailto:action_words@emailexchange.org

We are all busy online and we do not have time to do more than give our email a quick scan of the headlines to see if there is anything of interest that we want to read.

Plain-Jane headlines will NOT give you the results you seek.

When you drive down the street, what type of business catches your eye?

Perhaps it is the one with colorful balloons, or a waving gorilla or flashy clown. How about the car wash and gas station that had girls in bikinis? Would that get your attention?

That type of gimmick has little to do with the business but they do attract attention.

And either you get noticed or you will fail.

Your business must communicate effectively. Your advertising should be in simple and easy to read and understand sentences, using short words with a headline that is ATTRACTIVE.

The headline of your ad is the KEY element.

And, although it should be attractive or attention-getting, you should never compromise your integrity with misleading ad copy.

When you consider all the different media types attempting to capture our attention each day, it is understandable why only a few ads will get noticed and still fewer will actually sell a product or service.

A wild and crazy headline might make all the difference you need.

When your computer starts slowing down, it can indicate the presence of spyware that is quietly working in the background. Although most spyware programs are not generally destructive in nature, there are a lot that can harm your computer in the long run. Spyware tracks your surfing patterns and accesses other sensitive information stored in your computer, and sends them to some other computers on the net. Spyware are designed to search through your hard drive and send information to its creator, such as the software you have installed, your e-mail list, the Web sites you visit, login passwords, and credit card numbers. Cyber criminals can misuse these vital pieces of private information, which is why it is important to remove spyware from computers.

Spyware can make a computer too slow and unstable for normal functioning. A good spyware removal program can detect what slows down your computer and repair the problem. Spyware usually infects you computer from Web sites that you visit. It enters your computer through holes in your security system. Most spyware removers are designed to detect and kill common programs. Some spyware programs are designed to be intelligent enough to hoodwink spyware removers and reinstall themselves in the computer system. Some spyware programs even change their locations when detected. A good spyware removal tool, however, is able to detect the changing location of the spyware and update accordingly. An ideal spyware remover should be able to continuously monitor the network and detect the entry of spyware.

Spyware removal programs rescue your computer system by tracking down the spyware and completely removing it. Most of these special software programs are capable of blocking future spyware from entering your computer. Many good spyware remover programs are available online. Numerous software security companies offer spyware removal programs for free.

Is Meditation Too Much Time And Trouble?

If you haven’t meditated before, you might think it’s too much trouble to learn. If you do meditate, you know it can be difficult to find the time to do it consistently. So is there really a meditation you can learn right now that can be done in 45 seconds? There is.

Three Deep Breaths

Try this: breath through your mouth, and notice how your chest expands; then breath through your nose and you’ll notice how your abdomen goes out more. You see, breathing through the nose causes the diaphram to pull the air to the bottom of your lungs. This delivers a good dose of oxygen into your bloodstream, and into your brain. It also tends to relax you.

This is why meditators breath through their noses. It’s healthier, and it is the basis of this forty-five-second meditation. You simply close your eyes, let go of your thoughts (to the extent possible), and take three slow, deep breaths through your nose, paying attention to your breathing.

The Rest Of The Story

Now, this won’t get you into a deep meditative state, especially if you’ve never meditated before. Is this a reason not to do it? Not at all. You’ll get what you get out of it, and that almost certainly includes a clearer mind and a reduction in stress.

Make it a ritual. For example, each time you get into your car, quietly do your three deep breaths. Having a regular “trigger” like this to remind you will keep you from procrastinating so often that you eventually forget to meditate altogether (isn’t this typical when we don’t make a habit out of the things we want to do?).

Want it to be a deeper experience? There’s nothing wrong with just enjoying the relaxation created by three deep breaths, but you can go further, if you wish. Longer meditation will help, of course, but that isn’t the only way.

If, when you have more time, you learn mindfulness, how to relax more fully, or better ways to let go of distractions in your mind, you can more effectively use that forty-five-seconds. You may even be able to get to that “alpha” state (brain wave frequecy of 8 to 12 hertz) during your short meditation.

Don’t worry if some say this isn’t “real” meditation. We walk before we run, and not everything has to be difficult to be of value. Why not do a forty-five-second meditation right now?

Steve Gillman has meditated and studied meditation for over twenty years. You can visit his website, and subscribe to The Meditation Newsletter at: http://www.TheMeditationSite.com/newsletter.html

When you are just starting out playing cricket it’s not always straightforward to tell what you should get. If you go into a sportswear equipment high street retail shop & ask them what you need, you will most likely finish up coming out with a great deal of kit. Hence, it is reasonable to work out what you will want previous to you going shopping. That way you are considerably more likely to find what you demand, instead of what the shop manager believes you need.

Below, is more or less an exhaustive cricket equipment list, you don’t need all the items on this list, as numerous clubs will provide you kit in particular at youth level: Visit Sportswear-Equipment.com today for great cricket equipment sales.

Cricket whites, cricket bats, balls, helmets, gloves, batting (wicket keeping) inner gloves, wicket keeping gloves, batting pads, wicket keeping pads, box, chest pad, arm guard, inner thigh pad, cricket boots (bowling boots; batting boots), box (groin guard), stumps and bails.

For most of the sports games you play you will require to have your own set of whites. Cricket whites consist of white cricket trousers and a cricket shirt. Ensure that you get hold of an excellent pair of cricket trousers & also a nice white cricket shirt & jumper as it can easily turn cold if you are standing out on the field for a prolonged period of time especially if you are going to play in England (the start and end of the cricket season are the coldest).

If you can not hire equipment from your club the other most critical items of equipment are a cricket bat and box. A good quality cricket bat is vital if you intend to score plenty of runs & is a very personal piece of cricket equipment, therefore spend a great deal of time selecting your bat, if possible you would be recommended to go to a sports shop & pick one up before you buy in order for you to know how it feels to play with. As soon as you know what you want you can often procure bats online cheaper). You need a good box to guard your groin from the ball, as getting hit down below’ is very painful, so investing in a good box before you start is a must – you can’t bat without one.

“Virtual Real Estate Investing” is a relatively new concept. Everything from using the internet as an avenue to make more money in real estate to online games such as SecondLife seem to be included in the popular definition of this term.

To find out the real story, I had a conversation with Bryan Ellis, widely considered to be one of the originators of the concept of Virtual Real Estate Investing.

Ellis says he adopted the term “virtual real estate investing” sometime before Y2K after he realized that making money online is conceptually very similar to making money with physical real estate.

One example of the parallels between virtual and physical real estate Bryan Ellis cites is the similarity between the monetization of domain names versus physical property. He points out that control of a domain name or even a specific web page is much like controlling a real estate property ” those assets can be monetized in similar ways: By selling them for a profit, by leasing them, by offering advertising, etc.

The similarities really are obvious. After all, if you own a valuable piece of real estate, it’s “valuable” because other people are interested in that specific piece of property. Similarly, ownership of a desirable domain name is valuable for the same reasons. In either case, you could sell or lease the asset and turn it into cash.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing., Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

Q: Should I build and maintain my business Web site myself or pay someone else to do the work for me?
– Wesley L.

A: When you say, pay someone else to do the work for you, Wesley, I am going to assume that you are talking about hiring a professional Web site designer to do the work and not your next-door neighbor’s teenage son. If my assumption is correct, then read on. If not, go ahead and surf on over to Dilbert.com. You will get no good out of the advice I’m about to give, so you might as well consult Dilbert for your hot business tips.

Should you build and maintain your business Web site yourself or pay someone to do it for you? Let me answer your question with a couple of my own. Number one: is building and maintaining Web sites the key focus of your business? Number two: could your time be better spent doing more important things like, oh I don’t know, say running your business? If your answers were no and yes, respectively, then you have no business building and maintain a Web site.

Remember this: every minute you spend on tasks that are not related to the key focus of your business is time spent to the detriment of your business. In other words, every minute you spend focusing on tasks that do not contribute to the growth of your business and thereby increase your bottom line is time wasted.

If you want to be a web designer, be a web designer. However, if the key focus of your business is building widgets, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that your time would be better spent building widgets, not Web sites.

Case in point: I once had a very wealthy dentist ask if I could teach him how to maintain his Web site so he wouldn’t have to pay me to do it. Now my teeth had helped put this guy’s kids through college, but that didn’t seem to matter. At that moment he was more concerned about having to pay for changes to his Web site than my personal oral hygiene. Sure, I said, I’ll be glad to teach you how to update your Web site, just as soon as you teach me how to clean my own teeth so I don’t have to pay you to do it. He got the point. And he charged me enough for the cleaning to keep his site updated for months. Smart man.

Many business owners think they can’t afford a professionally designed Web site and that simply is not true. While the old adage, “you get what you pay for” is never more true than when applied to Web site design, having a professional web designer do the work for you is money well spent. A well-designed Web site can bring you a many-fold return on your investment. You can’t say that about too many other collaterals. While it is best to leave Web site design and maintenance to the experts, it is up to you (or someone considered a subject matter expert within our company) to provide the designer with the content (text and photographs) that best conveys your company’s message to your customers. A Web site, no matter how well designed, is meaningless if it lacks the content required to interest customers in the products you sell or services you provide.

Here’s are a few questions that, once answered, will help ensure that your Web site’s message is as appealing as its design. Go over these points with the designer before the design process begins as the answers will help determine the direction your Web site’s design should take.

What Is The Purpose Of Your Web Site? Most business Web sites have two purposes: (1) to educate the consumer and, (2) to sell them products or services. If you sell shoes, for example, the purpose of your Web site is to educate potential customers on the quality and durability of your shoes and as a result, to sell them shoes. If you paint houses the purpose of your Web site is to educate home owners on why your services are superior to other painters and sell them on hiring you to paint their house. By defining the purpose of your Web site you will give the designer the information required to create a Web site that best conveys that purpose to your target audience.

Who Is My Target Audience? Your target audience consists of those folks you want to attract to your Web site: potential and current customers, future and current employees, possible investors, etc. Anyone who might be interested in your company and its products or services is a member of your target audience. Correctly identifying your target audience is vital since your Web site should be designed specifically to appeal to your target audience.

Put yourself in their shoes (or in front of their computers). Imagine your Web site through their eyes. If you were visiting a Web site such as yours what would you expect to find and what would you be disappointed not to find? Identify your target audience, then have your Web site designed to fulfill their needs and surpass their xpectations.

What Content Should My Web Site Feature? Your Web site content should be driven by the nature of your business. If you’re a real estate agent, your site should feature photographs of homes you have for sale and information on buying and selling a home. If you own an auto body shop, your site might feature before and after photographs of cars that you have repaired. Remember to determine the purpose of your site, then develop the content to serve that purpose.

What’s My Competition Doing? The last question you should ask is one of the most important: What is your competition doing on the Web? Do a Google search for similar businesses and click around their Web sites. How are their Web sites designed? What message are they trying to convey? Are they doing a good job of conveying that message and as a result, selling products? What do you like about their Web sites? What don’t you like? Make note of the things you like and the things you hate, then share your findings with your site designer.

Remember, you’re not stealing trade secrets here.

You’re just borrowing ideas.

Here’s to your success.

Tim Knox

Small Business Q&A is written by veteran entrepreneur and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. Tim serves as the president and CEO of three successful technology companies and is the founder of DropshipWholesale.net, an online organization dedicated to the success of online and eBay entrepreneurs.

Related Links: http://www.prosperityandprofits.com
http://www.smallbusinessqa.com
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net