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

Most small businesses don't have an up-to-date or complete business plan.  Most Sales people have no plan at all.  As a professional manager, you certainly should have a plan.  To see the acumen and dedication of your sales people, you must require an individual business plan from each. 

One page will suffice.  It should be simple enough in order to be quickly reviewed every day and easy enough to remember.

• Purpose:  On a daily basis, what is their purpose as representative and ambassador of your company.
• Limits:  Most sales people fail to limit their audience to a niche.  When in doubt, go micro-niche.  The more demographic limits used to describe a target market, the more powerful the message and the easier it will be for you to find them and them to find you.
• Activities:  On a daily, weekly and monthly basis, what are the 3 to 6 Key Performance Indicators that enable you to track their performance at a glance. 
• Numbers:  What is their target income goal.  How does that translate into commission, number of sales, number of proposals, number of meetings and number of contacts?  

More importantly, how are they going to spend their money?  What and where are they going to invest?  How much are they going to save?  What bonuses or lifestyle change do they want to use their income for?  Taxes? 

Their personal number is more important than any number on the company books.  This is the real reason for their motivation.  Only when you understand what motivates your sales team, can you plan to inspire them.

What is your P.L.A.N.?

Photo Credit:  the_background

Ask yourself these questions:

• How do you hire a sales force to fit your culture?
• What are the top 10 questions to identify a top producing sales rep?
• Have you identified the characteristics, skills or values of which your entire force is guided?

Here's an exercise to help you develop a values driven sales culture.  Amazingly it takes only a few minutes to start.

1. From the list below, create a short list of values which resonate success in your environment.  Use the list as a guide; add to the list if necessary.
2. Narrow your selection to no more than 10
3. Next to each value, write a few sentences describing what the value means to you and your team
4. Important:  List the daily or weekly behaviors which quantify the success of the value
5. Post the values for everyone to see
6. Meet weekly as a group and share reports on how your new successes reflect the team values

Involve each of your sales people and allow them to contribute to the list.  This has amazing team building value!

Abundance, Communication, Consistency, Creativity, Discipline, Effectiveness, Gratitude, Honesty, Humility, Imagination, Impact, Integrity, Leadership, Learning, Mastery, Passion, Persistence, Philanthropy, Structure, Systemization, Trust, Accountability, Advancement and promotion, Appreciation, Awareness, Celebrity, Challenging problems, Compassion, Contribution, Cooperation, Curiosity, Decisiveness, Dependability, Determination, Diligence, Discovery, Dreaming, Empathy, Encouragement, Enjoyment, Excellence, Exploration, Focus, Personal development, Personal Growth, Persuasiveness, Problem Solving, Prosperity, Sincerity, Spirituality, Succeed; A will to-, Truth, Vision, Willingness, Acceptance, Accessibility, Accomplishment, Accuracy, Achievement, Acknowledgment, Activeness, Adaptability, Adoration, Adroitness, Adventure, Affection, Affluence, Aggressiveness, Agility, Alertness, All for one & one for all, Altruism, Ambition, Amusement, Anticipation, Approachability, Articulacy, Arts, Assertiveness, Assurance, Attentiveness, Attractiveness, Audacity, Authority, Availability, Awe, Balance, Beauty, being around people who are open and honest, Being the best, Belonging, Benevolence, Bliss, Boldness, Bravery, Brilliance, Buoyancy, Calmness, Camaraderie, Candor, Capability, Care, Carefulness, Caring, Certainty, Challenge, Change, Charity, Charm, Chastity, Cheerfulness, Clarity, Cleanliness, Clear-mindedness, Cleverness, Close relationships, Closeness, Collaboration, Comfort, Commitment, Community, Competence, Competition, Completion, Composure, Concentration, Concern for others, Confidence, Conformity, Congruency, Connection, Consciousness, Content over form, Contentment, Continuity, Continuous improvement, Control, Conviction, Conviviality, Coolness, Coordination, Cordiality, Correctness, Country, Courage, Courtesy, Craftiness, Credibility, Cunning, Customer satisfaction, Daring, Decorum, Deference, Delight, Delight of being, Democracy, Depth, Desire, Devotion, Devoutness, Dexterity, Dignity, Direction, Directness, Discretion, Diversity, Dominance, Drive, Duty, Dynamism, Eagerness, Ease of Use, Ecological awareness, Economic security, Economy, Ecstasy, Education, Efficiency, Elation, Elegance, Endurance, Energy, Entertainment, Enthusiasm, Equality, Ethical practice, Excitement, Exhilaration, Expectancy, Expediency, Experience, Expertise, Expressiveness, Extravagance, Extroversion, Exuberance, Fairness, Faith, Fame, Family, Family feeling, Fascination, Fashion, Fast living, Fearlessness, Ferocity, Fidelity, Fierceness, Financial gain, Financial independence, Firmness, Fitness, Flair, Flexibility, Flow, Fluency, Fortitude, Frankness, Freedom, Friendliness, Friendship, Frugality, Fun, Gallantry, Generosity, Gentility, Giving, Global view, Good will, Goodness, Grace, Gregariousness, Growth, Guidance, Happiness, Hard work, Harmony, Having a family, Health, Heart, Helpfulness, Helping other people, Helping society, Heroism, Holiness, Honor, Hopefulness, Hospitality, Humor, Hygiene, Impartiality, Independence, Industry, Influencing others, Ingenuity, Inner harmony, Inner peace, Innovation, Inquisitiveness, Insightfulness, Inspiration, Intellectual status, Intelligence, Intensity, Intimacy, Intrepidness, Introversion, Intuition, Intuitiveness, Inventiveness, Investing, Involvement, Joy, Judiciousness, Justice, Keenness, Kindness, Knowledge, Liberation, Liberty, Liveliness, Location, Logic, Longevity, Love, love of (patriotism), Loyalty, Majesty, Making a difference, Market position, Maturity, Maximum utilization (of time and resources), Meaning, Meaningful work, Meekness, Mellowness, Merit, Meticulousness, Mindfulness, Modesty, Money, Motivation, Mysteriousness, Nature, Neatness, Nerve, Non-violence, Obedience, Open-mindedness, Openness, Optimism, Order, orderliness, Organization, Originality, Outlandishness, Outrageousness, Peace, Perceptiveness, Perfection, Perfection (e.g. of details), Perkiness, Perseverance, Physical challenge, Piety, Playfulness, Pleasantness, Pleasure, Poise, Polish, Popularity, Positive attitude, Potency, Power, Practicality, Pragmatism, Precision, Preparedness, Presence, Preservation, Privacy, Pro-activity, Professionalism, Progress, Prudence, Public service, Punctuality, Purity, Quality of what I take part in, Quality of work, Quality relationships, quietude, Realism, Reason, Reasonableness, Recognition, Recreation, Refinement, Reflection, Regularity , Relaxation, Reliability, Religion, Religiousness, Reputation, Resilience, Resolution, Resolve, Resourcefulness, Respect, Respect for others, Responsibility, Responsiveness, Rest, Restraint, Results-oriented, Reverence, Richness, Rigor, Romance, Rule of Law, Sacredness, Sacrifice, Safety, Sagacity, Saintliness, Sanguine, Satisfaction, Satisfying others, Security, Self-control, Self-givingness, Self-reliance, Self-respect, Selflessness, Sensitivity, Sensuality, Serenity, Service, Sexuality, Sharing, Shrewdness, Significance, Silence, Silliness, Simplicity, Skill, Skillfulness, Solidarity, Solitude, Sophistication, Soundness, Speed, Spirit, Spirit in life (using), Spontaneity, Spunk, Stability, Standardization, Status, Stealth, Stillness, Strength, Success, Supervising others, Support, Supremacy, Surprise, Sympathy, Synergy, Teamwork, Temperance, Thankfulness, Thoroughness, Thoughtfulness, Thrift, Tidiness, Time freedom, Timeliness, Tolerance, Tradition, Traditionalism, Tranquility, Transcendence, Trustworthiness, Understanding, Unflappability, Uniqueness, Unity, Usefulness, Utility, Valor, Variety, Victory, Vigor, Virtue, Vitality, Vivacity, Warmth, Watchfulness, Wealth, Willfulness, Willingness, Winning, Wisdom, Wittiness, Wonder, Work under pressure, Work with others, Working alone, Youthfulness, Zeal

What would you add to the list?

Jason Womack of Your Best Just Got Better asks the question, "When are YOU at your best?"

I am at my best when I:

1. Start my day immediately drinking a liter of water

2. Start my day launching into prayer of thanks and gratitude

3. Show up early for my appointments

4. Spend at least 15 minutes organizing or cleaning up some part of my
   environment whether it be home, office or car or other place like
   the neighborhood or public space

5. Learn something new through listening or reading and journal about it — inspired, creating and innovating

When are YOU at your best?