BEST:
A really good sales (and marketing) system and approach is one that helps people to make life-changing decisions and take action, even if they don’t buy.

LEAST:
Honestly, nothing comes to mind. When I sell, as well as when I teach my clients how to sell, it’s all about getting to what’s best for the prospect. Again so even if they don’t buy, I look at it as a ‘Win’ for both sides. And taking that approach and giving that value does lead to many more closes and happy clients.

But, I don’t want to short-change the question, so I guess if I had to pick one thing as a “least,” it would be the once-in-a-while when I can’t help someone to make a decision one way or the other. I find that generally these people are usually not the sort of people I want to work with anyway.

Sorry… I guess I turned that back into a positive again. LOL

I’m sure there are things I don’t like, but this was just off the top of my head in reponse to an online post.

-> What are your thoughts on the “Best and Least Liked Aspects of Sales”?

You can learn to do workshops, teleclasses and keynotes much more easily than you might realize.

“But public speaking scares me to death!”

Even those of you that get terrified at the thought of speaking in front of others can become great and really enjoy this by taking a few very easy steps:

• Speak about topics that you know very well
• Speak about what you are truly passionate about
• Speak to people that you really enjoy helping and working with
• To start, speak in an environment that makes you most comfortable - and you can create, mold and shape that environment in several ways
• Practice, practice, practice

Not only is speaking great advertising for you both pre-, post- and during the event, but it also helps generate cash flow from speaking fees and sales you make because of it.

Ok.. so now I have a topic and an offer to speak, but what if no one shows up?

A lesson I learned a while ago (the hard way) is that it’s  important to help promote the event, so it’s a win-win for you and the event organizer.

One of the first times I was asked to speak, I felt great, and I was very honored. But I didn’t feel humble at all.

I thought, “Finally, here is something I am going to get paid for, and I don’t have to lift a finger to market it myself.”

I was getting paid to just show up, deliver content and value during the event, and be on my merry way. People would love it, I would make sales, and the event organizer was absolutely on the same page.

Well, that turned out to be very shortsighted of me.

For one thing, the event organizer did a terrible job with marketing, and the event was sparsely attended. Although the presentation went well, I made less money and had less opportunity to market and make sales at the event.

I learned my lesson.

If you market an event that you are speaking at, you will likely get more attendees. And those attendees that you bring will already be fans of yours, and perhaps current or former clients. They will be able to testify on your behalf, and they will also become even more familiar with you and your expertise, thereby becoming closer to being a client of yours, if they weren’t already.

It’s much easier to market and sell to people that have familiarity with you than those that don’t.

And it’s much more fun and ethically fulfilling as well.

Also, by bringing guests to someone else’s event, the event organizer will love you. They will become a bigger fan of yours. Even just seeing the effort that you put forth in trying to get guests will make a big impact with them.  And they see that your event was one of their best attended, they will recommend you for other speaking engagements.

Lastly, you can control the quality and quantity of the marketing by being active in the process. Not all meeting and event organizers are great marketers, as I learned. And no one knows your strengths and selling points as well as you do.

By providing your own marketing copy to the organizer - material that you know has a great chance to bring in a crowd – you are providing more value to your attendees by letting them get to know you pre-event as well as what to expect during and even perhaps after the event. You are also reducing the amount of work the organizer has to do and strengthening that relationship. And all this is happening while you are multiplying your exposure by promoting the event yourself as well.

I’ve used these techniques to help my own clients, and to increase my value, my revenue and my client base from speaking, and I’d be happy to help you as well.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more about event speaking and marketing, and how doing these things can really help you to explode your business!

To your success,
Jason

Where is BizCoachJason Rosado speaking next? Check the Events page here, or have him speak at your event!

You see, one of my former bosses – a small business owner himself – used to say “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

So one day he was ecstatic when we were given a “cease and desist” order by Paramount Pictures for trademark infringement, with all the fixings, including a threat for a law-suit.

When he opened that letter, he was literally jumping for joy in his office and yelled for me to come in and hear the great news he had to share.

He showed me the letter from Paramount’s lawyers, and he had a smile ear-to-ear. He was downright gitty. I on the other hand, at the tender age of 23 and as the managing partner of the target business in question, had dropped my jaw on the floor and paralyzed with fear, felt like a deer in headlights.

Then he told me to lighten up and said this was one of the best things to happen.

We called the local newspapers and played up this “David vs. Goliath” story. The papers sent reporters and photographers to get an interview and pictures.

The publicity didn’t turn the business completely around, but we enjoyed a slight bump in revenue during the process and had a good laugh, too. The legal order really turned into a non-issue. We negotiated, and each side made concessions. It was settled easily with almost no cost to us.

But, getting back to today’s sports section and how news affects public relations and marketing…

Ron Artest, a former Chicago Bulls player who was a tough defender but labeled a problem child by many was traded away from the team in 2002. He is still in the league, playing for the Lakers. Yesterday in an interview with Sporting News, he told many colorful stories about his acts, misdeeds and philosophies that shed light on his current beliefs about himself and his attitudes about being a NBA player.

The whole interview brought questions into my head about “What is good PR and what is bad PR?”

But one quote in particular made my head spin.

How did Artest deal with losing on a consistent basis in the Bulls games during those tough, many-loss seasons of rebuilding after the championship years?

Said Artest, “I used to drink Hennessy at halftime.”

Wait…  What?

Yes. Artest said that he used to go to the liquor store down the street from the United Center and buy Hennessy, which he would keep in his locker and swig down during halftime of games during those dark Bulls years.

He spoke about the infamous brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004, in which he and his Pacer teammates and Pistons players got into a fight that ended up in the stands. He also spoke about other things he’s done on his many teams.

But that quote about drinking during halftime really stuck out to me. As soon as I heard it, I thought, “Wow.. I bet the NBA is really happy with this PR!” And it made me think about my old boss and his philosophy on publicity.

Assuming it’s true, and there is no such thing as bad publicity, I really want to know:

Aside from Sporting News, who is the big PR winner from this interview?

A. Ron Artest
B. The Bulls
C. The Lakers
D. The NBA
E. Hennessey Cognac
F. Too close to call

Does this invitation sound familiar?

“Hi Jason,

I’d like to get together for lunch or a cup of coffee. I had some thoughts that I wanted to share with you. If you have time in the next week let me know. Thanks talk with you soon.”

Sometimes I get quite a few invitations to meet for lunch or coffee in any given week. The invitations are usually from people I have met at a networking event or they were in the audience of a presentation I gave. Often they cite “networking” as the reason for the meeting. Sometimes they state a vague reason such as “to share ideas,” or don’t offer any reason at all.

I especially love those – no reason given at all.  I’m glad that people think I have really great ideas for nice restaurants and coffee shops. And I must be the best company and offer the most interesting conversation, because all these people want to sit, chat and sip coffee with me. I’m glad I have unlimited time. That helps a lot, too.

But here’s the real situation.

I’m a busy guy running my business, serving my clients and trying to provide help to the public in general when I can – through articles like this one, offering free teleclasses, free networking events and providing workshops, speaking engagements and other various events. I have a wife, and my family is in the area. I go to networking events, meet people at social events (I love to play volleyball), work with organizations that are dear to my heart, go out to eat, go for an occasional movie, and did I mention serving my clients? I really do take a lot of time to make sure they are a top priority and receive lots of attention.

Anyway, after many years of networking, I know that an offer to meet one-on-one for a ”networking” lunch or coffee is often code for ”let’s meet so I can spend 45 minutes telling you exactly what I do, how I do it, and why people want to buy from me. Then you, Jason, can give me the names, phone numbers and email addresses of people that you know that I should call and sell to.” Or plainly, “I think you should hire me, so let’s meet and I can tell you why. But I’m not going to give you an inkling now, because you might catch on and foil this little brilliant plan of mine.” (Insert evil, fiendish laugh here.)

Now, why wouldn’t I just jump at the chance for something like this? I mean, this does sound like a lot of fun, after all! I haven’t got else much going on; I’m waiting by the phone to get these invitations, and I am really looking forward to these “secretive” visits.

Ok… So am I really that unfriendly, mean-spirited and unwilling to assist people that meet me and want help? Am I trying to tell everyone who reads this never to ask me to meet for lunch?

No, I’m not. Of course not.

I highly believe in helping others. I also believe in trying to uncover and leverage mutually beneficial relationships, objectives and strategies. And I want for my networking partners to also have this as a priority.

After all…

Two people are better than one.

A group is more than the sum of its parts.

Teamwork rules!

But I am busy, as I mentioned before. I have professional, personal and self-care obligations. Yep – volleyball and getting to the pool fall in there! And I do like to know that a meeting isn’t solely for the purpose of me having the honor to provide free coaching, consulting or prospecting or getting pitched to when I haven’t been asked for that privilege, which based on past experience is my assumption if there is only a vague reason given. 

I’m sure you have felt the same way.

Here’s the deal, fellow networkers:

If you are going to ask someone for a meeting, please let the other person know WHY you want to meet. And be honest.

If it’s because you are just starting out and you would like to find prospects, tell me that. I’ll appreciate it, and I’ll be able to better serve you by having time to come up with some ideas prior to sitting down. I’ll also, honestly, be able to prioritize the meeting and make it work better in my schedule. (I’m so selfish!)

If it’s because you are looking for “free” coaching or consulting, let me know that too. I don’t mind helping people, especially after they have been to one of my seminars and have already become a bit familiar with my philosophies and strategies, or are even thinking of hiring me.

And if it’s because you want me to speak at your function, event or organization, tell me that too. I can properly prepare and make the best and most efficient use of our time together to make sure we both get a lot of value from our meeting.

Do we see a pattern here?

Yes! Tell me WHY you want to meet with me, WHAT you hope to gain from it, and importantly – WHY I WOULD WANT to meet with you. 

And if the reason is for free ideas, coaching, consulting, or prospecting, think ahead of time how this meeting can be valuable for the me as well – what can you bring of value to the meeting? - and please state that clearly and simply.

Ok, I know what you might be thinking:

“But if I tell you honestly, directly and exactly what’s on my mind, I would lose my ‘tactical advantage,’ and even worse, you might say ‘no.’”

True. The other person might not see the meeting as valuable and perhaps might not even accept.

But that’s OK! They probably wouldn’t have been a good networking, referral or mentor partner for you anyway. And now you have saved lots of time and effort, and can find someone else to ask.

Do you really want to drive an hour, or ask them to drive to you, sit down with them, annoy them with a long-winded pitch or plea for help, and because you were subversive, you end up with no help, ruin a potentially good relationship and harm your reputation?

And by not being straightforward from the beginning, you are placing the other person in the awkward position of trying to be polite but maybe not wanting to give you full attention, because they don’t know or are worried about your agenda and goals for the meeting. So they put off answering, and can eventually end up unintentionally ignoring you all together.

I’ve been there. And I don’t like that feeling at all.

Lastly, after hearing what you want to accomplish from the meeting, I might be able to offer a better or more attractive option. Many such meetings can easily be done over the phone, or I might be able to invite you to a group that is meeting for the very same reason. And get this – you can MULTIPLY YOUR RESULTS that you would have gotten from meeting with me alone!

But hey, that’s only for those people that really want to increase their results and decrease their time, money and energy in getting them. 

So here are the easy two steps to get more sales, prospecting and networking meetings:

1.) Tell the other person “What’s in it for them!”

You’ll be more focused, willing and able to bring even more great value to your new business relationship. And they will be more motivated and likely to accept your invitation!

2.) Be upfront and honest about your agenda and motives.

If you are upfront and honest about your meeting goals, you will get more appointments, foster better relationships, create more good will and synergy with others, and improve your sales, reputation and “brand.” Then there’s no stopping you!

Now, anyone up for coffee? Or how about some NETWORKING VOLLEYBALL?

Great summary!

I was once, too, temporarily suspended for unknown reasons, and for an unspecified period of time. But I was definitely told not to do “it” again, or else! lol

I couldn’t find in the terms of service what I had violated, and to this day have no idea what happened.

Thanks for sharing these tips. They are more specific and give an idea of what to watch out for and avoid in terms of being Facebook terminated.

All the best,
Jason

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Competition for jobs is so fierce, and hiring the wrong person can waste time, money, energy, productivity, and cause a lot of stress for everyone involved.

This article is written for the hiring manager, to help them make a great staff decision, but it is also helpful to the job candidate as they prepare for the interview.

When I coach my small business clients that are growing their business and hiring new employees, I give them the standard questions to ask, such as “Tell me about yourself”, “What are you three best skills”, “What is your biggest weakness”, “Where do you see yourself in three/five years”, “Why do you think this would be a great job for you”, etc. 

We also work together to create questions that asses skill sets that they want their new hire to have a mastery of.  These questions typically start with “Tell me about a time when…” and end depending on appropriate skill or characteristic that is being assessed.

For example:

“Tell me about a time when/describe a time when…”
- “… you had a disagreement with your manager, but you just knew that you were right.”
This can asses many things: conflict resolution skills and styles, relationship building & maintenance skills, communication abilities, etc.

- “… you were working with a difficult or irate customer.”
Obviously, this looks at their customer service tendencies, philosophies and behaviors.

- “…as you approached an important deadline, you saw that you weren’t going to make it.”
This can show how they prioritize and set action plans and goals, in addition to how they handle unexpected and possibly stressful situations.

- “…you had to give a poor review or rating to an underachieving employee that you were managing.”
This might give a glimpse to their leadership and mentoring abilities and styles.

Some follow up questions to their initial answers might include:

- How did you handle that?
- What was your biggest concern at the time?
- Do you feel the situation was resolved?
- Looking back, do you think you would have done anything differently?

These are great questions from the hiring manager’s perspective, and they can be difficult for the job candidate to prepare for.

I suggest an interviewee take a look at the job description and make a list of probable skills that the interviewer may want to measure appropriate for the position. Prepare examples from your experience that demonstrate positive outcomes. Sometimes there is no “right answer” – the interviewer just wants to asses your thought and communication style to see if it is a fit with theirs or with the department or company culture.

And lastly, both sides need to be very truthful when answering interview questions. If you concentrate too hard on selling yourself or your company during the intweview, you’ll probably accomplish just that. But when the new hire begins working, you might find it’s a very poor fit and will probably not have a happy ending for either side.

I hope these ideas help both job candidates and hiring managers alike.

To your succes,
Jason

Where is Jason speaking next?
Take a look at www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/events/ to find out or have him speak at your event!

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach & Professional Speaker

Helping entrepreneurs, small biz owners, and sales professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less. 
Vision, Strategy, Sales, Success.

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

I don’t know about you, but my schedule is BUSY… jam-packed, full to the brim. There are networking events, association and club meetings, family gatherings, friends’ parties, Meetup’s, Facebook events, Evites… Oh my head!

This can be a very interesting time of the year for many businesses (and tough for some).  So much to do and so little time, lots of running around from this meeting to that event, back to work, downtown to run errands, to the mall for presents, back to that other event that I almost forgot about…

And if you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner or sales professional, your sales might slow down as people gear up for the holidays, unless you sell reindeer feed, like my uncle in Alaska.

All this can drain your energy, cause stress and send some of us straight to “Bah, Humbug!” land.  (Didn’t know that was a real place, did you?)

But, is that the kind of presence you want to have when you meet someone new at one of these many parties, networking events and meetings?  Are you going to let out a cry for mercy as someone new approaches you at the eggnog bowl and tries to “pitch you” their services while grabbing a mini pizza roll?

I know the feeling.  I’ve woken up late in the night and cried out for help and a break from all the holiday overload.  But then I discovered the “rules” of classy, stylish and easy networking . . . and how to rule all these holiday events instead of having them rule me.
(Yep.. you knew this was going somewhere!)

Well, here are “10 Holiday Networking Tips” that I want to share with you that I’ve found helpful.  They are especially useful during the holiday season to make connections that count, and they will help you keep your energy, sanity and holiday cheer. (And see below for even more direct assistance with this fun topic!)

1.) Make a good first impression
It counts OH SO MUCH!

2.) Be polite, respectful & honest
This is how you want to be treated, right?

3.) Maintain a “giving” mindset
Just like the holidays, successful networking is all about giving. It should be easy to remember this time of year, but it’s an important mindset to have all year round.

4.) Ask for their contact info
So you’ll be able to get in touch with them if you are interested in talking further.

5.) Don’t “sell” without permission
If you’re turned off by someone launches into a 5-minute sales presentation about their awesome pens that write underwater, in the dark and without gravity, don’t assume others are dying to hear about your slick wheel bearings, even if you KNOW that’s exactly what they need.  This is a very important step – maybe the most important of all. You do want to tell people what you do, but in a classy, stylish way that gets their attention…    (See below for more about this one)

6.) Avoid opening with “So, what do you do?”
It can kill rapport building before it begins and can condemn the interaction to being nothing more than boring, robotic and mindless chatter without exchanging the truly important information. If you open your conversations this way, you can miss an important opportunity to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

7.) Don’t rely on them to contact you
Just because they said they were thrilled to have met you and learned about your slick wheel bearings, doesn’t mean they will really call you.  They may have intended to at the time, but life happens and no one is perfect. So get their info so you can ensure the follow up.

8.) Always carry pen, paper & business cards
You never know when a great opportunity might present itself. Yes, even while you’re fighting for that last “Cosmic Raymond” action figure.

9.) Do not get out of a conversation by dumping them on someone else
Making another person suffer is no way to get a good reputation during the holidays. Kindly excuse yourself, tell them you need another drink, see someone you need to speak with, or even that you have to “go” really bad! And don’t get caught lying as that will kill all of your credibility really fast.

10.) Enjoy yourself!
Relax and have fun!  When you’re smiling and enjoying yourself, you are more likable to others, and this can lead to a lot of business. Be kind, considerate and magnetic!

SO… I hope these “10 Holiday Networking Tips” help you as you network your way through all the parties this season. 

If you would like learn EXACTLY how to use these to transform your networking and social events into a Business Boosting Bonanza   - especially how to get great leads quickly without “selling” (number 5 above), being manipulative or dishonest, please sign up for next week’s

* * * FREE TELECLASS : http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com

“Network Your Way through the Holidays – With style, class and ease!”

This is going to be a very exciting session. This is one of my favorite topics, and I promise to show you how to use networking properly to send you business skyrocketing!

And there will be some INCREDIBLE FREE BONUSES given to attendees that you won’t want to miss. These will help you get ready for a blockbuster 2009, even in this challenging economy!

http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com

Lastly… If you’re in Chicago, check out the “FUN with REP” networking event on Dec 9 to put these techniques into practice. This is going to be a really fun networking and social event. A great way to gear up for the holidays!

In the meantime, I want to wish a very happy holiday season to you, your family, your business, and most of all your networking spirit!

All the best,
Jason

P.S. Speaking of networking and creating a blockbuster 2009, check out the Facebook business group that will help you do both: Achieve Your Ideal Business Community.
And don’t forget to register for “Network Your Way through the Holidays” http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com to get the Free audio recording of the class as well as the Special Free Bonuses!

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping self-directed and self-managed professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series”!

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

Topics: The importance of gaining vision and clarity for success; How to build a networking, marketing and sales mindset; How to grow your business using coaching; What to look for in a great coach; The core areas that coaching can help your business; and much more . . .

We had a very lively discussion. I hope you enjoy it!

All the best,
Jason

P.S. My blog can now be accessed and viewed on Facebook!  See http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blogpage.php?blogid=69071 

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

Networking can give you a headache
if it’s not done well…

I read a post today in an online
professional discussion forum about a
networking event that the poster
attended.  He said that there were a lot
of small business owners there, and he
was constantly “getting pitched and
pitched hard” as he met people.

I can definitely relate.  I go to many
networking events. And I have
encountered many sales people, small
business owners and other “experts”
that love telling people what they need
and what they should be doing about
– well, everything!

When I read the post, though, a part
of me wanted to apologize on behalf of
those small biz owners and sales folks. 
You see…

I am also one of the small business
owners, and a lot of my livelihood
depends on networking.

But I don’t “pitch” my services to people
I meet at networking events. I found out
a long time ago that is counter-productive.

When asked, I follow a system to tell
them what I do and who I help, and
then I listen to see if they want to talk
further about it. If not, we move on to
other topics.

I think there is no faster way to kill a
relationship before it’s begun than to
pitch to someone who may not be
interested, or to assume that someone
“needs” your product or service and
then act prematurely on that assumption.

And this is important because…

Successful networking is all about
relationship building.  Not sales.

Let me put it another way:

The best way to get sales results
from networking is to not sell.

Before you decide I’m just plain goofy,
let me explain.

As I said, I do a lot of networking, and
my business and sales depend on it.
And I think I understand sales pretty well, 
having provided large group sales training
sessions and one-on-one sales coaching
for large well known companies as well as
smaller, less known businesses.

I have taken what I’ve learned from my
various business experiences as well as
material I’ve studied and trainings I’ve
attended, and combined them to develop
workshops for others that also depend
on successful networking and sales
strategies.

Below is a snippet of some of the
“Networking Do’s and Don’ts” that I’ve
shared at those events, which have
proven to go a long way to helping
achieve long-term growth:

Do:
- Be polite, respectful & honest.
- Maintain a “helpful” mindset at all times.
- Think about what you can do to help
the other person, not what they can
do for you.
- Ask a lot of questions.
- Enjoy learning about others.

Don’t:
- Don’t “sell” without permission.
- Don’t open with “What do you do?”
because it limits rapport-building.
- No matter how great your conversation
was, don’t rely on them to contact you.
Take the initiative to follow up.

I hope you find this information useful,
especially when you’re at your next
networking event.

All the best,
Jason

P.S. If you would like to learn more about
how to put these and other proven
networking skills into action, please join
me for a fr.ee teleclass

called
“Networking Necessities” this week:

http://necessities.eventbrite.com

Participants will have a chance to win
a complementary pass to my
“Supercharge Your Sales & Networking”
workshop on April 19. It will cover how
you can get the most out of sales and
networking, and how you can maximize
your bottom line results by following
an easy system to integrate the best
of both in an incredibly effective and
helpful way.

I have learned so much about networking over the past few years, both from my failures and my successes. I was able to find out what I did flat-out wrong, what I was good at, and what are the “right” things to do that I now love networking because I get so much out of it personally and professionally.

I even took the lessons I have learned from networking and sales and created a workshop that combines the best practices of both for business owners and sales professionals. It teaches not only how to overcome shyness and lack of direction to create a guaranteed success plan, but also how to make your networking and sales work together synergistically to building really strong relationships and leverage those to bring you the sales you want.

So first, you need to build relationships online, offline, at networking events and through other connections. Get to know them – what they want and how you can support them. Then market to them in a very giving way. Treat the people in your network and in your contact database just the same as you would your friends and family.

Become a trusted advisor to them. Provide help and support without expecting anything in return. And know when and how to market to them only when it’s a win-win outcome for both of you.

I hope this answer helps other people out there that are in the same place that I was. And for anyone that would like to learn more, please feel free to contact me.

All the best,
Jason Rosado
www.DistinctiveCoaching.com

P.S. Here is more info on the networking and sales workshop: http://www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/Supercharge.html  

And a Free teleclass preview: http://necessities.eventbrite.com