It is the routine that begets vigorous discipline. Here are some daily routines that populate mine:

Make your bed
Pray / Meditate / Read Inspiring Material
Write / Journal
Excercise
Organize
Clean
Plan / Schedule
Read / Study
Eat
Sleep
Relax
Socialize / Laugh / Appreciate
Talk with Coach / Accountability Partner(s)
Be grateful and express your appreciation generously

Which Daily Routines are scheduled on your calendar?

• Planning for the day and the week allows for one to be more intentional and waste less time on less important tasks and thereby get more done and feel more effective.
• In order to move an idea on a list into existence, the task needs to be prioritized and scheduled.
• In order to routinely count on a calendar to enable you to keep your promises, you must schedule time to schedule.

I have a commitment each week to have next week’s schedule worked out and planned by Friday at 4:00.  What about you?

Tomorrow, I’ll detail how I build my calendar starting with daily routines.

A bunch of details in my life haven’t changed:  I’m looking for a full-time income engagement (some people call this a job), again, re-launching a creative entrepreneurial effort, again, still have a book (or 15) in me, still committed (recommitted) to finishing a 4-year undergrad degree and currently engaged in performance and/or leadership training as a coach/trainer/participant.  And now I’m re-committing to the deliberate practice of writing for the preparation of my first book.

Inspired by my friend, Beth Jannery, as she shared during a meeting about the business and marketing needs of burgeoning writers, I have committed to writing daily for the next 90 days on the importance of and impact of daily routines that provide structure for the Creative Solopreneur.

The posts found here for the next 90 days will be about the daily, weekly,  monthly, quarterly and annual routines that are necessary for the Creative Solopreneur to be successful in their career and to make the consistent and predictable income and profit they need to support their lives.

Tomorrow?  Something about the importance of scheduling and doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it.

In order to expect to be trusted, being trusting is essential.  Give first and you’re likely to get.  In fact, we all know someone who, without precident, is not trusting.  It’s hard not to doubt that person’s intentions.  It makes you wonder what they’re afraid of and believe if they’re likely to do unto you as they believe you will do to them.

How does this relate to trusting your prospect?

I’m not suggesting you trust that they will call you back necessarily; although you can allow them to do so as long as they agree on how you’re allowed to follow-up if they get to busy and forget — always have a gracious, proactive back-up plan.

On a higher plain, trusting there’s a deal in place without a contract yet may be in order.  Don’t spend the money yet, but that’s not the point — we’re talking about fortifying the relationship by being trusting.

How do you extend trust to your prospects and clients?

Cornerstone #1.

There are at least 10 components to establishing and nurturing trust.  The following posts will dwell on what must take place in order to build the vital foundation to support trust.

The first block in the foundation of trust is:

• Always tell the truth
• And make sure you’re understood clearly.

That’s it.

Photo Credit:  John J

1. Trust
2. Character
3. Self-discipline
4. Commitment
5. Affirming Attitude
6. Vision
7. Values
8. Willingness to change Behaviors
9. Motivation
10. Tenacity

Recognize the opposing forces which may show up in your Advisor Alliance Team as various symptoms:

1. Mistrust
2. Lack of character
3. Inertia
4. Lack of Commitment
5. Cynicism
6. Lack of focus
7. Egocentricity
8. Resistance to change
9. Impatience
10. Aversion to conflict

We will discuss each of these foundations and their oppositions how they are expressed, taught and practiced and how to recognize when there is a breakdown.  Stay tuned.

Taking the link advice of Jason Womack's post on Wordle, here's Alliance Science blog as of the end of 2008.  Create your own based on your values.

5 ways to leverage your way into selling your products or services:

• Customers and Prospects — Create raving fans.  This is the strongest selling partner available — a walking, talking billboard for your business.
• Strategic Partners — If you're not qualifying and introducing other strategic selling partners or Advisor Alliance Partners to your customers and prospects on a consistent and routine basis and vice-versa, you're not taking advantage of the remarkable leverage available to you just for the asking and giving.
• Vendors — Someone doing business with you should be more than willing to help you gain clients.  Make it prid pro quo and all the more powerful for them. 
• Competitors — Not all competitors are equal.  Undoubtedly there are times that the other can better serve the prospect.  Keep your competitors close and refer appropriate business.
• Detractors — What better way to win the loyalty of a prospect or customer than to WOW them into fan-hood.  Make sure you capture the testimony of your convert.

What other things do you do to leverage your clients and prospects into more appointments?

Photo Credit:  Allegr0

Now that your Sales People have

Mark Sanborn, author of “The Encore Effect,” formulates Remarkable Performance as Passion plus Discipline plus Action.  Without all three, your three-legged stool won’t stand upright and will toss your results to the ground. 

• Passion is what you feel when you answer completely the question, “what do I want to do for the rest of my life?” It is the fuel that drives performance.
• Discipline is consistent and persistent effort.  How much time do you spend at what you’re most passionate about?  How many times do you practice?
• Action performed correctly equals the solution or right outcome.  Action, not to be confused by activity which is just effort, achieves the desired outcome.

So, how does this apply to the sales P.L.A.N.?  Ask your Sales Professionals these questions: 

• Are you passionate about your Purpose?
• What do you love about your job in achieving your ideal Purpose?
• Are you specific about your target market and ideal prospect?
• Do you consistently and persistently call on your ideal prospect?
• Are you focused on the right activity to produce actionable results?
• Do you call on enough prospects and meet with enough clients?  Do you follow-through on every prospect, hot or cold, and present to those only with enough need?

The plan combined with performance results in consistent, winning results.  Consistent results build a business and a career.  What are you building?

Photo Credit:  Tim Samoff

In a recent post, Two ways to deal with "no", Seth Godin describes extremes of how to react when you don't win your prospect's business.

1. Point out their mistake, challenge their judgment or their process or castigate their decision
2. Thank them for their time, compliment them on their choice, share with them what you've learned in the process and assure them you appreciate the relationship and are available to help them with anything they need

Then, he asks two questions which are really four and are really questions asked no matter the outcome.  Phrased slightly differently, do you ask yourself the following questions?

1. What do you to be invited back no matter the outcome?
2. What do you do to be considered as the backup solution in the case that you're not chosen?
3. How do you, no matter the outcome, increase word of mouth?
4. What do you do that will improve how your organization feels about itself?

How do you turn the engagement of winning business into more business?

When is "no" better than "yes?"

At times, not being the first to be awarded the business is to your strategic advantage:

• When the risk of failing is hiring than succeeding
• When the road to negotion looks long and complex; there's still hope in coming in after early negotiations with your competitor fail

when do you like to not win the business?

Photo Credit:  Stefan Elf