Road Map To Sales Blog

Better Beliefs are easy and helpful.

2010-06-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

I've been working on changing up my Belief Systems lately. Like I used to "believe" that if I took time to excercise that I would be taking away too much time from work and family and other things. Now I have decided to "believe" that going to the gym will bring me more good fortune at work. What you believe - you r...ecieve - so I'm switching up some of my beliefs so that it benefits me.

We all have silly things that we believe anyway, so why not have them be helpful beliefs.

Your going to get hit - GET UP! Always keep getting up....

2010-03-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

Youtube Video...... Rocky talks to his son.

"What are you doing?"

2010-03-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

The economy may still be down, and some people's moods may still be down, but the fact is, there are still a lot of people/businesses out there that are successful and growing. So what's their secret? What are they doing differently? Well, if you're wondering that, why don't you just ask?

I recently went to a networking event and when I hear that someone is doing well, I just ask them, "What are you doing?" I find some are networking more or some are advertising more. Whatever it is, find out what others are doing and see if you can apply it to what you do. Are you involved with the social media sites? ie. Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. I have heard many people benefiting and getting new clients from these types of sites. What other things could you be doing? Ask around. You'll be surprised how people are willing to talk about it and help out.

So let me ask you... What are YOU doing? Let us know.

"You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." - Zig Ziglar

What Can You Do When Customers Don’t Want To Spend Money?

2010-02-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

Money is tight right now with just about everyone it seems. So, what can you do to prevent a decline in your sales?

It all comes back to the fact that people like to buy from people they know and trust. Go back your customers and get to know them again. Engage them and show your customers/prospects ways they can benefit from using your products or services. Or better yet, demonstrate ways you can save them money in the long run.

Maybe it's a good time to re-think your selling habits?
Have you tried anything different in the last few months that has really made a impact on your sales?
Let us know what is working for you right now. If it is working for you, it might just work for someone else.

Don't find a job - find work

2010-01-28T19:40:00.000-08:00

My In-Laws live in Montana. They moved there from San Diego, CA about 15 years ago. Actually it's been "about 15 years now" since I've know them.

They needed a new start - and it worked. But of course it was an adjustment.

So my Father In Law goes out day after day and starts looking for a job. He was - is - an accomplished tile setter. But he just couldn't find a job. So my Mother in Law told him:

"Well then don't find a job. Find WORK."

Now 15 or however many years later they have created a life for themselves - and for a large handful of thier employees - in thier own tile and marble business.

Here's what I think. If you have a job - find work too. I'm not saying to quit your job. The job is paying the bills for now. But start somewhere and try to diversify your income sources. I've heard it referred to as MSI - multiple sources of income.

Our little web site roadmaptosales.com made just over $10 from advertising this past week. It's a start. Keep your eyes peeled for great MSI opportunities for you.

Got this next little jewl from Tony Robbins again.

"The man who loves his job never works a day in his life." Confucius

Jason and Tim

P.S. - please check out our free Sales Activity Tracking website and pass it along to anyone you think might find it helpful.

www.roadmaptosales.com

Education is so cheap!

2010-01-24T17:57:00.001-08:00

I was at a lunch over the weekend and I wound up having a conversation with a kind gentleman. Now I can't recall how this conversation started or how it evolved, but he gave me a great quote. He said:

"If you think that education is expensive - try ignorance."

After that I scrambled for a cocktail napkin to write that down so I would remember to write it here.

Your growth as a sales professional and as a human being in general requires constant education. And while it is important to consistently increase your knowledge about your particular product or service, I think it is much more important to always be learning what makes you tick. You have to put time and effort and sometimes even money into figuring out how to FEEL outstanding. How to BELIEVE that you WILL succeed. How to KNOW that you are entitled to have anything that you want. From that frame of mind - everything else will fall into place.

As salespeople we fight uncertainty and objections. We fight doubt and fear. Any little thing can screw up our heads. It's going to happen. So the best thing that we can do is get ourselves back our track as soon as possible.

If you are looking for the best place to start - you should read - or re-read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. Anything that has ever been created in the self-improvement industry started with this book.

Check it out here:

Happy Selling!!!

Jason and Tim
www.roadmaptosales.com

The difference Between a Winner and a Loser

2010-01-18T17:11:00.000-08:00

This is a Tony Robbins video I wanted to share that picks up from last weeks post. If you're having trouble right now, you might not be as far off as you think... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcXYB-4kOl4

What kind of adjustments do you need to make? Let's discuss...

The fastest way out of any problem.

2010-01-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

I was listening to another interview Tony Robbins was conducting the other day and I heard him say - almost under his breath, and I'm paraphrasing here, "the fastest way out of your own problems is to help someone else with their problems." I believe that's true.

We all feel down sometimes. And if your like me, you feel stressed even more. My most frequent stress comes from - THE 30 DAY MONSTER - my month. The amount of time I have - we all have - to generate the income I desire to live the life I want for me and my family. Some days THE 30 DAY MONSTER is a heavy weight on my shoulders man.

So the easiest and fastest way for anyone to change their mindset and get their minds off of what they perceive to be a problem is to HELP SOMEONE - or even something. Make a difference. Make the world a better place in some way.

Helping will do a few things to get your mind into a positive state. One is it will make you subconsciously feel as if you are coming from a place of HAVING and not lack. Also it will help to remind you of all the things you should be grateful for. And finally - the karma can't hurt.

Just one more thought about the people in Haiti. The people in that country had lives that are so hard I can't even imagine it - and that was before the earth quake. Me - I got to hold and sing to my 2 year old tonight and kiss him and put him to bed. I got to watch the football team that I root for loose while sitting on a pretty nice couch. They were born into their lives of poverty and I was born into mine - ONLY - by the grace of God.

www.roadmaptosales.com

Jason and Tim

Massive Self Help Confusion.

2010-01-09T02:36:00.000-08:00

So every so often I learn things about self improvement or self growth or whatever that makes perfect sense - but at the same time it seems to contradict something else - that also makes perfect sense. This happened to me recently.

The first advice was from Tony Robbins - I feed my head and emotions with Tony Robbins stuff constantly. It was about giving up. How you should never ever ever give up on your dream or something you want to accomplish. The idea is that most people who do give up - do so just before they were about to reach success. There are countless examples of people who had a vision and pushed and pushed and did whatever it took to reach their goal. But they went through adversity and obstacles that would have made the vast majority of people just give up. SO - success is always just around the corner from where people stop trying. All you have to do to be successful is just NEVER STOP trying.

The second advice - which also made sense was - to fail quickly. The idea is that if you are trying to accomplish something, be honest with yourself about how likely success is. If it doesn't seem likely to work out - move on to something else right away. Even if you don't know what opportunities or options are coming next. Close one door and another one will open. Even if you don't know when or where or how - it will. I believe this too.

And then to top it all off I heard some advice about how there are no mistakes. Everything you experience is exactly what you are supposed to be experiencing. The path is perfect and every failure carries with it a seed of success.

So what's right??? Well I think that all depends on if you love what you are doing. Do you have a PASSION for what you are trying to accomplish??? Do you have a vision for ultimate success??? Can you feel it in your soul???

If yes - then never stop. No matter what. Ever. And you will be successful - guaranteed.

If no - shut the door right now. Don't even think about it - just shut it. Even if you don't know your passion yet - it may be waiting for you beyond the NEXT door. You deserve to love what you are doing. So stop now.

And on top of all of that - no matter what you decide - the path IS perfect, there are no mistakes no matter what you decide - and success and perfect happiness is on it's way.

Jason and Tim

www.roadmaptosales.com

If you want change......

2009-12-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a speech from recently deceased Jim Rohn. He was a mentor to Tony Robbins. He said:

"If you will change..... Everything will change for you."

Remember to work on yourself. Take some time to improve you. Working on YOU and growing YOU will increase your sales success and success in every area of your life far more than just working harder - pressing and pushing harder.

Work on you and everything becomes easier......

Happy Selling!!!

Jason and Tim

www.roadmaptosales.com

Old Blog - New Home

2009-12-15T14:34:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our new home on Blogger.com.

Our last known location was www.salesmastermind.wordpress.com

Thanks......

Jason and Tim

How to overcome FEAR! - Of failure or success!!!

2009-12-15T14:21:00.001-08:00

Stop focusing – even subconsciously – on yourself! How the hell do you do that? Focus on others. See if you can help someone else. Give someone – anyone an unsolicited compliment. Hold open a door. Smile at someone genuinely until they have to smile back at you.

Here is a quote from the Dalai Lama –

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”

There is a road

2009-12-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

I was having a bad day today. I’m one of those people who is typically up – happy – grateful. Just about always. But not today. Today for some reason I felt tired and overwhelmed and shitty.

So because I’m one of those people who is always up – I guess it’s pretty easy to tell if I’m not.

One of the guys at my work and I wound up talking about my lousy mood but we both agreed that no matter what – I just have to keep going and never ever ever stop trying and moving forward.

He said this to me. “So many times in my life I have come to the edge of a cliff – and it looked as if there was no more hope – but I always knew that there had to be a way – and I looked up – and there was a road.”……

So now I’m home to my support system and I also wound up getting a voice mail from just the right person.

There is a road.

Be a PROUD Salesperson

2009-12-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

“Sell a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man how to fish, you ruin a wonderful business opportunity.”

Karl Marx

Be proud of what you do. Know that you truly CARE about what is in the best interest of your client or customer – because you can be sure that too many others just don’t.

Anyone would be and should be thrilled to buy from someone like you.

And remember the all people LOVE to buy – but they HATE to be sold…….

Jason

www.roadmaptosales.com

I know I’m BEING successful because…

2009-11-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

I was listening to an interview with a Dean Jackson – a real estate sales coach and entrepreneur. He suggested that everyone have a list of all of the things that thier life would look like if they actually ACHIEVED the level of success they want. I think that the idea is that if we don’t define what success means to each of us individually, then we will always be chasing it and we will always feel as if we are not successful enough.

So I would like to compile a huge list of things.

Please feel free to add to it with your own thoughts to give ideas to the other reader – s.

” I know I am BEING successful because…..”
1. My passive income surpasses the expenses of my lifestyle.
2. I ENJOY time with my family every day. (not just be with them – but really be there and enjoy the time I am spending with them – not thinking about other things.)
3. I spend time exercising every day.

What else?????

www.roadmaptosales.com

Why There is No Time Like the Present to Make a Fortune

2009-11-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

This article was written by Noel Peebles and I found it on a great website – Ezine.com

I really enjoyed it and I truly believe this.

Jason – www.roadmaptosales.com

We are living in “The Greatest Entrepreneurial Boom In History.” We are surrounded by opportunities, but most people do not recognize them. For example, there are far more opportunities in direct marketing and internet marketing today, especially for the small home-based entrepreneur, than I have ever known there to be in the past.

I will be so bold as to say – In 20 years from now people will look back and wish that they could have started a business, invested money, bought shares or property during the early years of the new century, when there were so many new opportunities.

Those really were “The Good Old Days”, and the exciting reality is… we are living in them. HERE! NOW!

People in the future will look back and envy what was truly, “The Golden Age Of Opportunity.” How fortunate we are to be HERE! NOW!

We have more choice of the things we buy, the food we eat, our lifestyles and our relationships. We have a longer life expectancy, thanks to breakthroughs in health care. Most of us are living in a land of equal opportunities with the freedom to express our opinions and do almost anything we want. We have the technology to travel and communicate with anyone, anywhere.

These days there are a greater variety of job options than ever before. New doors are constantly being opened with the dynamic growth in the service, information and technology sectors of this new global economy. There are so many new opportunities and new career options.

These are fast evolving times and we are experiencing the greatest technological boom since the invention of the motorcar, electricity and the telephone. We are all being affected in some way and not everyone likes it.

Lay-offs in big business have become a way of life. Companies are constantly undergoing restructuring of resources with mergers, takeovers, relocations and downsizing being the norm. Why is this happening?

With the development of technology, changes have generally become easier, quicker, and less costly than ever before.

These changing times bring opportunity especially for small business entrepreneurs. New opportunities for niche marketing, opportunities to work from your residence, opportunities to capitalize on the aging ‘baby boomer’ market, and opportunities to sell to a global market using the internet.

It is all happening HERE NOW in our lifetime!

I’m back – and I’ve brought a ROAD MAP TO SALES SUCCESS!

2009-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

I haven’t written a blog post in a while. But you can expect them more regularly now. So here’s the great news. My good friend and business partner Tim and I created a web site designed to help all sales people create a sales plan that will lead them to the success that they desire.

I’ve been using this system for over 14 years now and it has allowed me to be a top salesperson in every office that I’ve been in.

It started out just on paper, and then become a consistantly more complex set of spread sheets that I designed. Now Tim and I give you:

www.roadmaptosales.com

Please check out the site and let us know what you think. We’re very proud of the work that we’ve done and more than anything, we hope that this system will be helpful to all of the salespeople who decide to use it.

The economy sucks right now. No doubt about it. It sucks.

This system will keep you focused as well as accountable to yourself.

WE make this economy go. No one has any job if we’re not out there selling.

You know those people: “Jim in Accounting” or “Bill in Operations” – both of whom hung up on me when I cold called them today – jerks – they don’t have their jobs if you aren’t doing yours.

Be proud and let’s be successful!

Once again:

www.roadmaptosales.com

I’M BACK!!!!!

The Only Business Plan You Need...

2009-11-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

CARE.

“I do not have superior intelligence or faultless looks. I do not captivate a room or run a mile under six minutes. I only succeeded because I was still working after everyone else went to sleep.”

Greg Evans
Novelist

www.roadmaptosales.com

Think less and sell more? I hope so!

2009-11-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

The past couple of conversations I’ve had with my Coach the topic of meditation has come up. Deep down I know that meditation would make for a happier existence, but I just haven’t done it.

I guess I just thought it needed to be some sort of ritual. Like I needed to be on a mat with some inscence burning and some cd of chanting playing. Well I was wrong. My coach suggested that I just stop every day and chill. Just stop. The deal is that all of the massive amount of thoughts banging around in my mind are all about the future or the past. So the idea is to just stop and fucus on my breathing. Stop and see if I can feel my heart beat. He even suggested that I get up early enough every once in a while and watch a sunrise and thank myself for taking the time. When I’m doing any of those things – I am NOT thinking about the future or the past. So I’ve been meditating and it’s been great.

Here’s the analogy I thought of. My mind is like a snow globe after it’s all shook up. All the flakes are my thoughts about too many truly pointless things. Meditation lets the flakes fall and it gives me time to just be.

www.roadmaptosales.com

Another way to look at Optimism vs. Pessimism

2009-11-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

My friend and soon to be co-worker Scott told me about a fantastic Bill Cosby story. It was about a philosophy class that Bill took in college where the very intellectual class was discussing the idea of weather the “glass was half-full or half-empty.” A full class was spent with this one discussion and it was set to continue during the next class because it was sooooo very important and they were soooo very intellegent.

Well Bill wouldn’t have to wait until the next class to find the answer to the question. The answer came when the smart young college man was caught having to discuss the question with his grandmother. The answer was actually really easy.

“Is the glass half full, or half empty?
It depends on whether you’re pouring, or drinking.”

Fantastic.

So are you ADDING value or TAKING value? Are you contributing or just criticising everything from the sidelines? Are you – pouring or drinking?

www.roadmaptosales.com

Jason

The Most Important Thing You Need To Know About Successful Selling

2009-10-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

The most important thing you need to know about being successful at ANYTHING for that matter. I learned this from Tony Robbins. Here it is.

Success at anything is 80% psychology and 20% mechanics.

What does it mean? It means that it’s important to work hard and be extremely knowledgable about your product. And it means that it’s important to go out on alot of appointments or make alot of cold calls. You know – “it’s a numbers game.” And it’s important to learn all of the little TRICKS that have made others in your field successful before you. All of that is just about worthless if you are not feeling right between the ears.

By far the most important thing that you need to work on, and that you should always be working on in order to be successful – is YOU.

Go to a Tony Robbins seminar (it will change your life.) Read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Buy and listen to self improvement CDs during your commute.

Are you feeling freakin outstanding? If you can get to the point where the answer is yes – and everything looks like a blessing and you feel like anything is possible…… You will be successful.

Check out our free website for sales people. www.roadmaptosales.com

What is Success???

2009-10-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

The definition of success according to Napoleon Hill is “The progressive realization of a worthy (goal) ideal.” So success in not a destination in any way. It’s the path. Consistantly and constantly moving toward what YOU value. Once you get there, in order to be successful, you’ve got to get a new goal.

I thought about this today after my weekly mastermind group meeting. One of my group members, Curtis Lewsey is the perfect example of Napoleon Hill’s definition. He’s young, recently married, caring and extremely determined. Not only is he a senior executive with the company SendOutCards but he also recently cowrote the book “Appreciation Marketing.”

Curtis has already achieved so much and there is no doubt that he will go on to achieve amazing things. But according to the definition above, there is no one who is more successful than Curtis is – right – now.

I love helping people to achieve the success they want. That’s why I put my sales activity tracking system on the web. If you know of any sales people who could use the best sales activity organization system, please pass this along.

www.roadmaptosales.com

Multi-tasking makes you stupid

2009-10-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

More and more lately I have been hearing a new way of thinking about multitasking. It doesn’t work well.

It used to be that being multitask oriented was thought to be an attribute, but it turns out that doing only one thing at a time is ultimately far more productive.

Check emails regularly, but not constantly.
Check voicemails regularly, but not constantly.

It’s hard to do, but there is a “countdown timer” that you can download from Yahoo that I find helpful.

http://widgets.yahoo.com/widgets/generic-countdown-timer

If your going to make cold calls for a half an hour, put the time into the timer and don’t let yourself get interrupted until the timer dings.

Our web site works great. If you are in sales, I promise that if you use it it will improve your numbers. And PLEASE forward the url to everyone you know in any type of sales.

www.roadmaptosales.com

Jason

A new quote that has ended a small sales slump for me

2009-07-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Any time I hear a quote or think of something that I want to keep top of mind – I put in into a nice format in Power Point and print it out and tape it over my desk.

So in the interview Tony Robbins did with Eban Pagan that I mentioned before, Eban was talking about his feelings about success and he said this:

“It’s ultimately about what you contribute to other peoples lives.”

I took down about 10 other quotes and just put that one up. Since then I have concentrated on making a small positive impact on other peoples lives. That’s been my goal. No matter what they want or who they are. I have tried to make their lives just a little better for having interacted with me.

Since then, my phone has been ringing more and the Universe is bringing more opportunities to me.

Jason

A Mastermind Group

2009-07-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard of a Mastermind Group. I have been in a Mastermind Group since the beginning of 2008 and my life has expanded so much since I started. I have attached another blog post from Eban Pagan. I saw an interview that Tony Robbins did with Eban and it was brilliant. He does an excellent job of explaining a Mastemind Group in this post from his own blog:

http://ebenpagan.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/master-your-mastermind/

A Great Quote to Remember – Particularly Right NOW

2009-07-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading the Paulo Coelho book “The Fifth Mountain.” This is the author of “The Alchemist” which I think that EVERYONE SHOULD READ. Remember that. “The Alchemist.”

So the quote from this current book is:

“A child can always teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.”

What can you take from that?

Jason

“Some will, some won’t, so what?!”

2009-07-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

This past Monday I had a really challenging appointment day. Met with 2 different people that I know I could have been very helpful too. They just flat out didn’t let me help them. And really I don’t know why.

So I talked to my Coach about it because I was letting it get to me. I was pissed and frustrated.

First off he told me that because I was focusing the negativity of the situation, it was just perpetuating more negative things.

Next he said – “some will, some won’t – so what?” I really like that.

If someone say’s no to you – when you know that you could be helping them – so what. Next!

The Most Important Things

2009-07-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

Hi.

I have not done a blog post for a while and this video will show you why. This is my second child – Evan. Born one week ago tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPcGBwYnW5w&feature=player_embedded

The Strangest Secret

2009-06-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hi.

I mentioned this CD in a previous blog post. In my humble opinion, this CD is a MUST in every sales persons car. Actually, every person who wants success in ANYTHING should have this CD and listen to it at least occasionally.

This is the only self improvement CD – record – to go gold. Ever.

It was recorded back in 1956 and this is where the self improvement industry got it’s entire start.

Just click this link and you can buy it yourself from Amazon. You should.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TF37NI?tag=salemastblog-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B000TF37NI&adid=09157ACNFA8GNVGVZE7F&

An Interview with Andy – Some Tips to Improve Sales and Stay Positive

2009-06-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hi.

What can I say about Andy. He’s the type of person that you love to be around because you easily can tell that he loves to help other people do well. That’s why he’s been so successful.

He’s just about the perfect salesman. Genuine, knowledgeable, hardworking and trust-worthy.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkTkG7WKNXw&feature=player_embedded

Try some tunes to keep you in a PEAK STATE

2009-06-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hi. I recently created this I-Mix on I-Tunes that anyone can purchase. I have this exact CD in my car and I use it to keep positive and motivated.

I hope you like it. You may need to cut and paste the link.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=320684498

Blog Interview – Improve your sales – with Jerry

2009-06-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of things about my friend and mentor Jerry.

I have learned so much from him about keeping things in perspective, particularly when I was just starting out as a Financial Representative.

But more than anything else, I will always model Jerry when it comes to balancing work with being an outstanding family man.

Meet Jerry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqLiCQY0Vbs&feature=player_embedded

A quote to help improve your sales

2009-06-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

This is a quote from Hamlet. Now, I may have read the Cliff Notes for Hamlet in High School. I don’t remember. But I did learn this line at some point and it stuck with me.

“for there is nothing either good or
bad, but thinking makes it so.”

We may THINK that we are having a hard time selling in this economy, but maybe we are comparing ourselves to the wrong things or people. Think about how may people in this world are worse off than you are right now and compare yourself to them.

Think about how many people have no job whatsoever and they are not in a sales position where they can actually earn their keep with their company.

Everything is relative. Have some perspective and compare yourself to the majority of people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. Then you can feel what you should feel. Grateful for all that you have and are.

Choose right now to NEVER ever give up and you can NEVER ever be a failure.

Jason

My first Blog Video Interview – Improve your Sales

2009-06-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I hope you enjoy this very first interview with my friend Tim. The quote that comes to mind when I listen to what Tim has to say is:

“Doubt may take you out of action, but ACTIVITY takes you out of doubt.”

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1XSxdEleMg

A Great Quote to Remember

2009-06-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

In times of change the learners will inherit the earth, while the knowers will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. – Eric Hoffer

Learning is a never ending journey and things change faster now than at any point in history. Learners will have a huge advantage.

Jason

Definition of Success

2009-06-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

I have a self improvement, self learning CD that I keep in my car at all times and listen to about once a month. If you are going to have just ONE CD in your car that you can use over and over to make sure your head is in the right place, it would be “The Strangest Secret” by Earl Nightingale. There are so many different self improvement CDs that you can have today, but “The Strangest Secret” is where the self help industry really started.

Anyway, Mr. Nightengale defines success as – “The progressive realization of a worthy goal.”

THAT's success. It’s a state of mind. It’s a feeling. It’s something that only YOU can decide what it is for YOU. And, it never ever stops.

You can’t have a certain amount of money, and feel successful. You can’t live in a certain house, get a certain promotion, a certain ANYTHING, and then poof, all of a sudden you are successful. It’s bigger than that. You have to be on a constant and consistent journey toward something truly WORTHY. And moving forward on that path is where you will feel successful. Be successful.

Don’t sell to make money. Sell to help people. Sell to create a wonderful life to enjoy with you and your family and loved ones.

Happy Selling.

Jason

FIRE your prospects…Improve your sales right away.

2009-06-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all.

I’ve been thinking about how my sales always seem to improve right away when I fire – or just get rid of – some prospects. There are some prospects that we all get who are NEVER going to do business with us, but we keep on trying anyway. Some people just don’t say “NO.” But they’re never going to say yes either.

Well there is a universal law that comes to mind. The law is that Nature Abhores a Vacuum. Meaning that nature hates a plane empty space. For example:

If you clean off your desk – how long does it take for things to pile back up on to it? If you dig a hole in your yard – how long will it take for grass or weeds to grow in that hole?

So I guess what I’m saying is, first of all, it’s empowering to just get rid of those pain in the ass prospects that just keep dragging on and on, but also, that if you want to get NEW prospects, you have to make room for them.

Happy selling.

Jason

Join your local Chamber of Commerce

2009-05-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have been very active in my town’s Chamber of Commerce since I started as an Investment Counselor over 6 years ago.

It’s hard for me to wrap my head around all of the clients that I have gotten from being in the Chamber. The people I have met directly and been referred to by fellow Chamber members has been awesome.

The easiest thing to do, and the most fun too, is go to the regularly scheduled “Business After Hours” events. They are networking events held at different businesses.

It’s not like “speed dating.” Don’t expect to show up at an event and walk out with a bunch of new potential customers. It doesn’t work that way. Your supposed to develop relationships. Let people know that you are there and what you do. And mostly, think about how you can HELP out someone else. If everyone is thinking about helping their fellow chamber members, everyone will benefit.

If you happen to live or work in Fairfield Connecticut, my Chamber is awesome.

www.fairfieldctchamber.com

Jason

The VISUALIZATION Test

2009-05-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

I started on the path of making a conscience effort to improve myself in November 2006 when a friend of mine Dr. Glenn introduced me to the Law of Attraction through the DVD of “The Secret.” Since then it has sort of become my hobby to consistently grow and become the person that I want to be.

www.thesecret.tv

I have learned that there is more to success than just the Law of Attraction, but it is still the best place to start that I have found and I go back to “The Secret” all the time when I feel myself falling into a funk. I highly suggest watching it.

The first part of the Law I already wrote about in my blog post on April 16th called Goals and Motivation. Go back and read it. I just did. You HAVE to know what you want to HAVE, DO and BE in this LIFE!!!! Know what you want instead of just what you don’t want because you WILL attract what you are thinking and feeling about.

NEXT – take 10 minutes every day visualizing yourself ALREADY HAVING the things that you put down on your list. You are thinking about those things and feeling the feelings of already having them. Your sales will improve as the Law of Attraction works for you.

I stop in my car before appointments or just whenever I have an extra 10 minutes and do just that. I visualize.

It will be the most important and worthwhile 10 minutes of your day. Every day.

Jason

Goals and Motivation

2009-05-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

On April 6th, I wrote a blog post entitled “Write Down Your Sales Goal.” According to my blog stats it has been the most viewed post that I have written so far, which is great. Today I have been thinking about goals again and I would like to expand on this idea even more.

Not only is it wonderful to have your “sales goal” written down, it is imperative. However writing down your sales goal is just the beginning of the process. In order to drive yourself to ACCOMPLISH your sales goal, you need to have motivation. You need to have an emotional connection to your goal. So let’s get some motivation, and we’ll do that by tying your sales goal to your LIFE GOALS.

Most people, practically everyone I believe, has never taken the time to think about and actually write down exactly what they want their life to look like. What do you want to have? Where do you want to go? And, most importantly, who do you want to be? Most people, if you ask them what they want, can only tell you what they don’t want. “I don’t want to be broke anymore.” So they are thinking about the wrong things. Thinking about what you really and truly want and writing it down is an uncomfortable exercise, but I have a short cut.

Go out and buy yourself one lottery ticket. Then make a list of all of the things that you would be, do and have if you actually won!!!! On that list you will find your goals for your life.

If you’re like me, you may find after you look at your list, that achieving that life feels impossible. That YOU are not entitled. We’ll after a few years of soul searching, I know that I am entitled to my goals. I am absolutely capable of achieving my goals. How do I know?

Because I know that God would not allow me to want the things that I do, if it wasn’t possible. Therefore I know that God wants me to have the things that I want too!!!

So you’re not going to win the lottery, but you ABSOLUTELY CAN achieve your Sales Goals. And when you accomplish your sales goals, you are on the path to having your Life Goals.

I promise you that if you want it, you can have it.

Jason

Staying Positive

2009-05-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

It seems like lately, it’s getting progressively more difficult to stay up and positive. Of course this lousy economy seems to be making everything harder. Now if you are a salesperson you need to get the job done no matter what. So as a salesperson we all know that people want to do business with people they like, and staying positive and emotionally strong makes it much more likely that you’ll be successful.

Here are a couple of suggestions. Resist the urge at all costs to complain. No whining – and do your best to stay away from people who do. If you think about it, and I have, the biggest complainers are always at the bottom of the sales-board. Now the whiners will tell you that they are at the bottom because of all of the terrible things that they have to complain about. I’m telling you that they are at the bottom because they complain. That negativity comes across to clients and customers.

We are in an extremely lucky position as salespeople right now because we make our companies money, while in other JOBS, people cost their companies money. I would always rather be in the drivers seat when it comes to my career security.

The second suggestion I learned recently at an amazing Tony Robbins seminar. TR refers to it as being in a “peak state.” It has to do with how your physiology, or physical state affects your emotions – AND VICE-VERSA. When you are doubtful, upset, unsure, angry and just plain fearful, TR points out that your chest and shoulders slump. So try this right now. Take your fingers on either hand and touch the upper middle of your chest. Then from that point stick your chest out about a half an inch and then up about a half an inch. No one will notice, and yet everyone will notice. I’ve actually TRIED thinking about negative things when I’m in a peak state, and I can’t do it.

Opportunities for success are everywhere, even in this economy.

Jason

Write down your sales goal.

2009-05-10T17:48:00.001-07:00

One of the most important things that a salesperson can do is have their sales goal written down. How much $ do you want to make this year? How about this quarter? Maybe you think about it in terms of Gross Commissions. We just started the second quarter of 2009 so it’s a great time to start.

Before you go on any road trip you need to have a destination. The written goal is your destination. Far too many sales people just hope that they are going to do “well.” Or they just hope that if they work hard enough that they will do “well.” They meander along. That’s nice for a Sunday drive – but lousy for your future and success….

First of all – how about doing GREAT instead of just “well?” Second – you need to have a specific destination for yourself.

My idea for this blog is to have a place where any salesperson can take and give information on strategies they use to reach their own goals. But first – you have to know what your goal is.

I like to use 3X5″ index cards. I keep one in my shirt pocket every day. Any time I’m waiting somewhere, I pull it out and just look at it. Knowing where you plan to go is a great first step.

Make your drive time feed your mind time

2009-05-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone in sales either commutes to work and/or drives to meet with clients and prospects. All that time in the car. Stuck in traffic. Just stuck there. The news on the radio always seems to be a downer – and as a salesperson you need to stay up and positive.

So here’s a suggestion. Always have a worthwhile book on CD to listen to in the car so you can grow. There are hundreds of great books that you can get on CD so it may seem overwhelming so I’ll give you a place to start. My friend Curtis suggested it to me. It’s a book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. It’s great information about how if you do little things consistently and constantly it adds up in a major way. Here’s an example I just figured out. If you listen to a Self Improvement book on CD in your car for 15 minutes a day – Monday through Friday only – for one year it adds up to 65 HOURS of time that you will be feeding your mind with strong, growth based information.

I’ll make other suggestions of things that I am reading or listening to as we go. However, the right books WILL show up when you need them. One at a time.

Please respond to these blog posts with your own suggestions.

Jason

Physically and mentally strong.

2009-05-10T17:36:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from a new co-worker of mine. He is an energetic and enthusiastic new Investment Counselor in my office.

He brought a dumb bell (20lb weight) into the office. He just sits or stands at his desk and lifts the weight with one hand so he can dial the phone with the other.

It’s really important right now to make sure that we are staying physically fit. If you hit the gym or do any type of working out – you’re going to stress less. You’ll be more positive. If your positive, you WILL attract positive circumstances into your career and life. And it’s not just about thinking positive. Using the Law of Attraction, you HAVE TO FEEL positive. Staying physically active will help you do just that.

This entire recession that we are in is based on fear. It happened because people began to feel afraid. So what happened? We now have plenty of things to be afraid of in our daily lives.

Rise above the fear. Focus on the positive and FEEL positive and you will have positive.

“They can only change your address.”

2009-05-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Take a look at a great comment from my friend Jerry (Ciro). When you go to the blog, it’s a response on the About Jason page.

Jerry is one of my mentors, and I will never forget when he said to me that the wonderful thing about being in sales, if you are good at it and you are a good person, is that a company can NEVER take away your career, “all they can do is change your address.” I love that thought.

So many people have lost their jobs and have no idea what to do. They have to wait for a new company to GIVE them a job. All we as salespeople need to do is KEEP GOING. Keep selling. Keep making money for our business. Don’t give up……

Jason

DO use your own product

2009-05-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

I heard about this from a Zig Ziglar tape and I completely believe that it’s true. Of course this can’t work for everyone. If you are in pharmaceutical sales and you don’t need the drug you are selling – oh well.

But if you sell Oreck vaccums and you have a Hoover at home – your in trouble.

I USE the investments that I suggest to other and I believe it helps. Because if you believe in what you are selling you use it for sure. AND if you believe in your product that comes across to your clients or prospects.

Finally, if you don’t trully believe in your product, admit it to yourself and go sell something you do believe in so you can have more success.

Jason

Nothing Works AND Everything Works

2009-05-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

That’s a bit of advice from a seasoned co-worker of mine and I have always kept it in mind. There is no magic bullet when it comes to sales.

Sure there are things that work more than others, but you never know where your next client is going to come from.

Of course referrals are the best, but you can’t just sit back and wait for all of the sales that you need to come to you. You need to cold call, go out and knock on doors, and most certainly you need to network. Get involved with your local Chamber of Commerce and perhaps join a Leads Group.

Nothing works and EVERYTHING works.

Jason

Successful People GIVE

2009-04-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

This was something I figured out a few years ago. At the time I was thinking about joining my local Kiwanis Club, which is a philanthropic and social organization. It’s a wonderful bunch of people who get together regularly to learn about and think about and find ways to meet the needs of those less fortunate than we are. Other clubs are Rotary and the Lyons Club and I’m sure there are many others. Even if it is not through an organized club there are thousands of ways that you can GIVE.

So at the time a few years ago I had been thinking that I would wait to join Kiwanis UNTIL I became more successful at my career as an Investment Counselor. I had been putting it off for months. That was when I read something about how SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE THE MOST GIVING PEOPLE. So it occurred to me that I had the order of things wrong.

By giving you actually become more successful in your career. What goes around comes around. Sound familiar?

Now let me just point out that if you give and then immediately look around to see if your career is improving – you are not giving. That is bartering. Give to give. Give from the heart. That is when God and the Universe will make YOUR wishes come true.

Jason

How to find the pain?

2009-04-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Ask. How about that?

There are so many different theories about how to “find the pain” of a prospect, so you know how and WHAT to sell them. Different ideas on how to ferret out the pain.

The idea is that you are looking for the low hanging fruit.

Try this. “If I can be of service to you today, what would I be able to do?” I always do.

Let your prospect TELL YOU what they want. Let them TELL YOU what they think they need.

Jason

Reluctant Salesperson

2009-03-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

My first bit of advice. It’s so simple but so powerful. It will be the most important thing that every salesperson should remember.

ALWAYS do what is in your client’s or prospect’s best interest!!! That’s it. And I’ll explain why.

Most salespeople are hesitant salespeople. If you’re like me – you are totally uncomfortable with the whole “closing” process. There are all sorts of different gimmicky ideas about how to get people to buy from you. “Do you see the sense this makes?” – Stuff like that.

But if you always suggest to your client of prospect what is in their best interest, you NEVER have that internal dilemma. Ask yourself what you would do if you were in their shoes. That’s it.

It’s very powerful. Think about it. Picture yourself walking up to a meeting with a prospect and with each step you are thinking to yourself “I need to close this sale today!!!” over and over. How awful. And what if you don’t?? Then you feel like you’ve failed.

First of all, people can tell if you are being genuine. People DESPERATELY want to work with people they can TRUST!!!! That comes across when it’s true so I think that if you are being genuine you are MUCH more likely to make the sale. Also, if you don’t make the sale – because sometimes you won’t – wouldn’t it be nice to walk away and instead of thinking about how you screwed up the sale – your actually thinking that the prospect screwed up the purchase?????

That’s it for now.

First Try

2009-03-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hello. I’m Jason

A mastermind group is supposed to be a small group of professionals who get together regularly to help each other with ideas on how to best reach their goals.

Well what I would like to TRY and accomplish with this blog is to create a type of mastermind but in this case have it be for any salesperson – and there are a lot of us out there – to GIVE and TAKE best sales ideas and practices from other sales people.

What are you currently doing to keep you motivated? To keep you pipe-line full? To turn prospects into clients?

Jason