Business Catalyst Seminars - 3 Keys to Effecive Sales

Breakfast and Learn

Sometimes the best way to reignite your team is to get them out of the office and change their environment.  But changing their environment alone is simply not enough.  Your people need a regular infusion of proven business training to stimulate creativity, learn new skills and transform their thinking.  For this reason, we've created the Business Catalyst Breakfast and Learn. 
What and Why?  Business Catalyst Breakfast and Learn is a 2-hour innovative learning environment designed to advance your business by helping your team grow.  Studies consistently demonstrate the direct link between professional development and improved business performance.  Why?  It's rather simple.  When you grow your people, you grow your business.
Why Now?  How Will We Benefit?  Now is the time to grow your business.  Your competition is surely investing in their people.  Your team will benefit by experiencing greater synergy.  Your customers will enthusiastically notice the difference.  New ideas for growth will discover the right platform to emerge.  And painful obstacles will find a practical solution.   

What Topics Are Available?  Below is a sample list.  Please contact us directly for additional topics.

Fearless Public Speaking	Achieving Work-Life Balance	Overcoming Customer Obstacles
Keys to Effective Closing	Growing Your Network	Leading Great Meetings
Creating Winning Presentations	Managing Relational Conflicts	Customer Strategy Development
The Integrated Sales Approach	Building an  Online Business	Leading, Growing and  Influencing People

What is My Investment?  Your investment is priceless!  It depends on the size of your team and what environment you approve for the breakfast.  Please contact us directly for a free quote, 786-554-0312, Info@BusinessCatalyst.org 

Why Pursue More Business Connections in South Florida?

Connecting is for closers.  Whether you live in Dade, Broward, Palm Beach or some other South Florida county, the fact still remains, those who connect with new customers on a regular basis close more sales. If you don’t choose to connect with potential clients, you eventually choose to disconnect your sales performance.  But what do we mean when we use the word “connecting” as it relates to increasing sales performance?  In our context, connecting means to establish relevant communication with new customers. It means to be in direct contact with those whom you do not know on a regular basis.

Closing involves getting out of your comfort zone and being intentional about expanding your influence by growing your customer base.  When you deliberately and regularly connect with new customers, your opportunity for success can only lead in one direction, upwards.  If you don’t connect with new customers, you chose to disconnect from increasing your sales performance and influence within the business community. 

               Connecting means to establish relevant communication with new customers.

The word “relevant” is very important within this phrase.  Your communication strategy to connect with new customers must be exceptionally relevant.  If you’re trying to connect with new customers by sending out hundreds of faxes to a warehouse district in Hialeah, leaving flyers on windshields throughout the Coconut Grove, or standing on the corner of a busy intersection in Sunrise and waving a large banner, you’re in trouble.  That may work if you’re a local restaurant with daily lunch specials, but it won’t work with the customer you need to reach to make your business plan.  We need to reevaluate our approach and we need to do it quickly.

Customers are moving in a new direction and we need to make sure our pace and our methods keep up with where they’re headed and the tools they use to get there.  Customers have erected new platforms for conducting business, namely global platforms.

These global platforms are where they hire staff, look for business partners and interact with colleagues and vendors.  Over the next few blogs, we will analyze three platforms for effectively connecting with new customers: Contacts, Local Organizations and Technology.  Although each of these does not necessarily represent a global platform, their local relevance is worth noting for the purposes of our study. 

               Your communication strategy to connect must be exceptionally relevant.

You need to establish a different kind of direct contact when it comes to growing your business.  You need to explore a variety of environments where new customers can be found.  An environment where business to business exchange is promoted and encouraged is very important for direct contact to flourish.  To do this; however, you need to start by changing your present environment. 

                Effective networking environments produce effective sales results.

Why is this so important?  Why so much emphasis on new environments?  Simply put, effective networking environments produce strong sales results.  Since you need to spend your time within environments that stimulate new business opportunities, does it not make good sense to find some of the most effective environments for you to invest your time in? 

Whether you chose to connect with business professionals in the Doral, Miami Beach, Aventura, Miramar, Deerfield Beach or Pembroke Pines, make sure the environment and your approach is relevant to your customer.  Start finding more customers in South Florida by sharpening your approach.  Don't just sit back and expect business to come knocking at your door.  Go out and start expanding your contacts.  If you don't, your competition will be more than happy to do so. 

Good selling!

Marcel Sanchez
President
www.MotivationalSpeakingandTrainingSolutions.com
Marcel@MotivationalSpeakingSolutions.com
Marcel@SalesCatalyst.org   

The Qualities of a Good Sales Coach

                                         
                                        What are the Qualities of a Good Sales Coach?

Love, a Good Conversation and Hope. These three qualities remind me of my late friend, Selvin Dallas, who passed away on October 12, 2008. Selvin loved people. He enjoyed being in a crowd. It was obvious to everyone around him how much he truly cared about their well being, especially when it came to helping people grow their business, sell more effectively and maximize time spent with customers. Selvin genuinely and generously invested his time in others. He was never in a hurry when it came to sharing an encouraging word with someone in need. Selvin understood the importance of investing in others when it came to delivering effective and comprehensive sales training.

Selvin loved to talk. He valued a good conversation. Selvin understood the importance of connecting with new customers and finding customers through participating in a variety of social events. Selvin often filled the air with his hearty laughter. He was a master encourager. Selvin loved to develop new sales professionals and encourage them to push harder and stay the course. He demanded they close more sales and reached deep within the heart of their customer’s business to better understand their unique needs. He was relentless in his pursuit of strengthening and motivating others. I truly miss my dear friend. Selvin’s legacy reminds us to be relentless in our pursuit of strengthening and motivating others, even when it’s neither convenient nor popular to do so.

Selvin was not only a good friend, but highly skilled in finding customers and securing new business. He looked for customers in places where most of us would not even bother to spend our time or effort. Selvin was great at maximizing his contacts. When we worked side-by-side for a season, I remember watching my good friend in action. Often times we visited accounts together to leverage one another’s strengths. When it comes to improving your sales, there’s nothing like watching a more experienced professional in action.

Never underestimate the power of a good mentor. Moreover, never underestimate the power of personally getting involved in developing those around you. What good is it to be the best at what you do and never invest what you’ve learned into the life of a younger, less experienced professional? You were created to invest in others. Intentionally infuse in others what they need to succeed. When you don’t, others notice and it hurts your business. When you do, others notice and it strengthens your business.

Selvin was not afraid to ask his customers for new referrals nor was he timid in his demands for their business. He explored multiple opportunities to engage with new customers and genuinely cared about the success of their business. He was constantly involved in networking events, trade shows, community projects and sporting events to help increase his database of new contacts and potential business opportunities. He reminds us of a very important exhortation, “You have to want to sell, plan to sell and integrate your sales approach within the heart and mind of your customer’s business.”

Selvin spent considerable time with his customers and learned great insights as to where they were headed and why they were headed in a particular direction? He was able to give his customers an opportunity to dream about their potential as an organization while integrating his business solution within the core of their strategy. Remember the qualities of my good friend Selvin Dallas. You will need to practice these very same qualities to connect with new customers, stand out from your competitors and close more sales. As a sales leader, your ability to capture and integrate these same qualities into your existing sales methodology will help build your team and take them to the next level in their professional development.

Business Catalyst Networking is Helping Professionals Grow their Business in SW Broward!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Business Catalyst Networking is Helping Professionals Grow their Business in SW Broward!

South West Broward, Florida, - February 27, 2010 - Get ready to connect with local professionals, discover innovative business tools and find opportunities to expand and grow your business. On Friday, March 5, 2010 from 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM, Motivational Speaking and Training Solutions will host the Business Catalyst Networking Breakfast at Romeu’s Cuban Restaurant in the heart of SW Ranches (6800 Dykes Road, SW Ranches, FL. 33331). The restaurant is located one block west of I-75 on Sheridan and Dykes Road.

Successful business owners and sales executives understand the value of effective networking opportunities. Now more than ever, business professionals need to sharpen their skills and “think outside the box” to win new business. The Business Catalyst Networking Breakfast was created to help stimulate new business relationships and growth opportunities. Global Business Calendar, Latin Business Club of America, University of Phoenix, Broward Chamber of Commerce, Doral Airport and West Chamber of Commerce and others will serve as event sponsors and supporting organizations. The theme for these events, “Connect, Discover and Grow” will provide business professionals with a balanced approach to expanding their business.

Connect: Business Catalyst Networking is designed to significantly expand professional connections. This involves helping business professionals align themselves with the right people. By meeting experienced and influential business professionals, new doors of opportunity will be opened.

Discover: In addition to establishing strong connections, participants will learn new ways to grow and manage their business. They will have an opportunity to hear from top experts in their field, understand innovative business trends and apply proven business principles for success.

Grow: Business Catalyst Networking Events will help advance business relationships by increasing customer contacts. These strategic contacts will help build profitable relationships and provide a platform for business professionals to grow their business by serving others and leveraging their influence.

The investment is $20.00 prepaid online or $25.00 at the door. Participants are encouraged to register early since space is limited for this event: www.MotivationalSpeakingandTrainingSolutions.com. Motivational Speaking and Training Solutions is an international training organization dedicated to creating environments for effective professional development.

CONTACT: Marcel Sanchez
Motivational Speaking and Training Solutions, Inc.
Ph: 786-554-0312
17701 NW 57th Ave Miami, Florida 33055
Info@MotivationalSpeakingandTrainingSolutions.com
Website URL: www.MotivationalSpeakingandTrainingSolutions.com
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Our Sales Catalyst Book Will Be Published Very Soon!

I can't wait to start helping business professionals and emerging entrepreneurs in Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Kendall, Weston, Doral and other key cities throughout South Florida increase their sales.  Afterwards, we will promote this book through Amazon.com several Christian bookstores and a variety of business events both nationally and internationally.  This is exciting!  Here is a small excerpt from the Sales Catalyst book:

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business professional?  Recently, have you been asking yourself, “How can I grow my business and reach more customers?”  Are you trying to increase sales and expand your influence within the business community?  Is your team frustrated with finding and closing new business opportunities?  Do you manage a group sales professionals who have lost their motivation to go out and do something “out of the box” to convert more sales?  Do you have a desire to organize your sales methodology in a way that reflects the strategic direction of your customer’s business?  If you answered, “Yes” to at least one of these questions, hope is not lost, you’ve just found it.  Sales Catalyst was written specifically to help you connect with new customers in a highly relevant way by developing an integrated approach to sales methodology.

Sales Catalyst was written to help you stand out from your competitors, connect with new customers and close more sales.  This book was written for men and women who need to sharpen their professional skills to close more sales.  Sales Catalyst is ideal for entrepreneurs, sales executives, business owners and professionals who are ready to take their sales performance to the next level. Sales Catalyst was written for those who are relentless in their pursuit of developing their skills with the goal of elevating their performance to a higher level. This book will help you:

• Find New Customers Today
• Maximizing Contacts, Technology and Local Organizations to Increase Sales
• Build a Foundation for Synchronized Growth with Your Customer
• Establish a Customer Focused Approach by Aligning With Vision and Strategy
• Position Yourself to Win
• Strategically Place Your Business Solution for Long-Term Success
• Leverage Obstacles and Cultivate Customer Needs
• Explore and Quantify Customer Obstacles and Needs
• Capture the Heart of Your Customer
• Demonstrate How Your Solution Can Strategically Advance Their Business
• Leverage Key Negotiation Principles to Maximize Profits
• Develop a Template to Consistently Deliver Strong Sales Performance
• Develop a Solid Implementation Plan to Maximize Opportunities
• Overcome Closing Obstacles
• Conquer Closing Obstacles and Sell at a Higher Price
• Seal the Deal
• Effectively Lead Your Customer to Make a Commitment

We are planning an official Press Release once the book becomes available in the second quarter of this year.

The Presence Principle

How do you stand out as a business professional when all of your competitors are fighting just as hard to capture new business and increase market share?  One of the principles we teach at our Sales Catalyst Workshop is The Presence Principle.  Your presence within a customer’s business is powerful, very powerful.  This applies to the time you spend with your customer in person and the time you spend at your customer’s place of business.  Sometimes we neglect the power of our presence when we conclude our meetings with prospective customers.  This principle is surprisingly easy to understand and implement at your next sales call.  The Presence Principle states, “As your presence increases, so do your sales.” 

In other words, your presence within a prospective account is directly proportional to your ability to close the sale.  As you increase the amount of time you spend with your customer, they naturally feel more comfortable and begin to share concerns and opportunities.  These windows of opportunity only reveal themselves as the relationship grows to the next level.  So how do we do this?  How can I increase my sales performance and close more sales?  Let’s take a closer look at three key applications.

 

First, get out of the office!  For the most part, significant sales opportunities are closed in person.  Make no mistake about it; you have to get in front of your customer.  Unless the customer is saturated with your presence, your strategy has a greater chance of falling by the wayside.  Make it a habit to perform follow up work and other customer related activities at the customer’s place of business.  Don’t be shy, let them see you work.  Plan to spend at least seventy five percent of your time in front of prospective clients. 

Second, arrive early.  A good practice is to arrive one hour before every appointment.  Get to know the receptionist and ask them to help you identify key players within the organization as they walk by.  You may ask, “But why so early?”  Good question.  One word summarizes the answer—opportunity.  Many times you will meet key decision makers in the lobby or throughout other common areas.  These are the same people who are difficult to make contact with over the phone.  Introducing yourself to others as they walk by is a bold, but powerful practice.  Generally speaking, if you have an appointment, you’re not perceived as just another sales person.  Maximize your appointment by connecting with as many people as possible.  You may be pleasantly surprised with the results. 

Third, stay late.  Don’t sprint out the door to beat traffic.  Who else do you need to meet to advance the sale?  Take advantage of the time and let others see you.  Don’t be a pest, but be intentional about getting in front of those who are most influential to advancing the sale in the right direction.  Manage your information skillfully and position your solution within the mind and heart of each contact.

Sharpen Your Focus

 

As business professionals, why do we sometimes pursue more work than we can handle?  Why is it that we feel the need to be involved in so many activities when it is impossible for us to be directly involved in everything?  We know the danger of living life out of balance, but why do we yield to the temptation to overextend ourselves?  Do we fear that others won’t do things exactly as we would or is it simply the fear of “letting go” too soon.  The saying is true, “less is more.”  To increase productivity, you have to delegate responsibility.  You may ask, “So if I want to grow my business without overextending myself in the process, what do I need to do?”  There’s only one word for you to consider— FOCUS.

 

Future

Sharpening your focus involves having a clear vision for the future.  If you find yourself trapped and unable to look ahead, stop and dedicate time away from the office to reevaluate your priorities.  Make time to clarify the preferred destination of your business.  Fuzzy destinations don’t serve as a motivating factor for those around you.  Paint a clear picture of where you want your business to land and determine what needs to happen to arrive at your destination.     

 

Opportunity

Generally speaking, people are motivated by new opportunities.  Believe it or not, your star performer may already be a member of your organization.  Are you providing opportunities to find these team members?  Are you creating an environment for your people to grow?  If not, you may be bringing the growth of your organization to an unexpected stop.  Give your people opportunities to grow and accept new levels of responsibility.

 

Coach

Don’t just provide your people with a new opportunity; give them the right tools to be a success.  Make training a personal matter.  Model, teach, observe and coach.  Give your people the necessary authority and resources to get the job done well.  Remember, you’re directly responsible for those who serve under your leadership.  Your involvement in managerial activities will be dramatically reduced and the focus of your attention must shift to the most critical elements of your business and the most complex problems.   

 

Unify

As you decide to share the load of responsibility with your people, make sure they’re all headed in the same direction.  You must lead your people to work as one cohesive organization.  Create new values that speak to the importance of teamwork, cross-functional support and service excellence.  By unifying your new managers and supervisors, your ability to plan for growth and do what you love increases significantly. 

 

Share 

The more you share the greater your ability to sharpen your focus.  Hiding procedures and important information about your business from those under your leadership is not wise.  Your ability to sharpen your focus on what is truly significant will decrease.  Share everything you’ve learned with those who support your vision.  Don’t consider this radical transparency a threat.  Think of it as the key that unlocks the door to maximize your potential for growth.