Have you noticed that business today is facing a bit of a challenge?   With costs of doing business changing every day, today’s businesses are overwhelmed, overloaded and stressed to find new ways to save money, time and streamline efficiencies. If you are struggling to figure out what to do and are looking to pump up your  sales, here are a few key activities that can help you begin to take action:

• Start with an attitude shift! Studies prove that whatever you focus on becomes your reality and positive thinkers usually get positive results. Abrupt change opens the door to seek more creative solutions, so focus on how to enthusiastically embrace new innovative approaches to what appears to be obstacles.  Begin with identifying the possible positive outcomes which will spur creativity.  Every change reveals new opportunities that would ordinarily be lost in the mundane and routine!

• Investigate your Options:  More millionaires are born in a challenged economy than in a robust one.  When markets get tough, the tough go back to basics, get creative and become intensely focused in every aspect of how their business functions to discover new ways to deliver their products and services.  When sales stall, we’ve got a window of opportunity to re-design, re-work and re-ignite new processes in our service, delivery and fulfillment that would not have ordinarily been discovered.  When things are down like they are today, it is a great time to turn up the heat and initiate new relationships and seek new solutions.

• Use new tools! Get in the game and learn about and invest in the latest tools and programs that help you be the expert your customers and clients expect!  Look at adding a blog to your online presence and use Twitter, Facebook and Youtube as channels to attract, engage and convert strangers into friends and friends into customers and clients.

• Embrace Adaptability!  Studies prove that flexibility is the vital key to thriving and surviving.  It is critical that when we reinvent service and communication processes that we focus on engaging the 4 d ifferent generations who make up today’s consumers.  GenX is rapidly advancing and dominates the buying public. Their core preferences and values differ greatly from Boomers and Civics. Responding and resonating with their preferred mediums for information and service open the doors to compete and win.

• Marketing Message Makeovers:  Forget the self-aggrandizing message touting years of experience and impressive sales numbers. Today’s generation is not interested in an experienced provider, so much as enjoying a good buying experience.  Learn to utilize words and tools that speak to your target audience so that you can guarantee a more successful return on your marketing investment. 

Use new tools to engage GenX and Y using social media channels like Facebook, YouTube and TWITTER.  Incorporate more TEXT messaging in your cadre of communication tools.  Start posting tips and information 24/7 posts on social networks that link back to your blog site to provide interaction and participation.

• Get a Web Makeover:  Successful web sites have migrated from being an informational to interactional destination. Add tools that integrate a social platform that allows you to interact or “speak “with the consumer.  Incorporating social interactive tools like blogs, video and podcasts provides the medium for participation that promotes creating more of a “community” online and ultimately drives more traffic and adds “stickiness” to your web visits and pumps up search engine optimization.
• Just posting quotes and quips won’t create a brand of value.  When using social media channels, develop a strategy that incorporates a social convergence that creates a consistent brand and value to your resources and information

• Learn to sell Value! – In today’s competitive environment, learning what is valuable to the end user is the key to repeat and continued business, which is ever changing.  We need to seek new ways to deliver our services and products more efficiently that excites and delights our customers and clients.  When the value of our products and services is combined with strong relationships, high integrity and authentic care, price becomes a lesser issue.  Focus on delivering high quality services and your customers will insist on working with you.

Change is inevitable and how we handle the challenge makes for winning or losing.  Don’t try and tackle everything at one time, as making micro changes will be easier and less intimidating. But whatever you do…stop whining, take action and start winning!

Bio: Terri Murphy,  speaker, and communication consultant, and e-Strategist.  She is the author of 5 books, including one with Donald Trump. She is the Pres. of MurphyOnRealEstate as CIO of U. S. Learning in Memphis.  email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com

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Dr. Tony Alessandra

www.Alessandra.com

www.PlatinumRule.com

Prosperity Series Memphis Featured Sales Expert

Today was the opening day of our local Farmers Market. I got there fairly early and was delighted to see the early morning hustle and bustle of local entrepreneurs eager to profile their fresh veggies, breads, flowers, honey and other goodies.

Familiar faces were there walking through the booths with coffee in hand. There was energy around the movement as this real “community” lives.

During the winter months, the only way we were connected was by email or a simple blog. What was most interesting was the way we connected after communicating electronically since October of last year.

One of my favorite booths is owned and operated by an adorable Laotian family.  The little ladies there simply sparkle with joy as they arrange their fresh vegetables on display.  The most powerful connection is in using few words.  They know how to say “hello” and okay” with ease.  But if you really want to get a strong connection, try saying “thank you” in THEIR language.  It is the most joyful reaction I’ve ever seen!

As I walked toward their booth after months of not seeing them, I waived and they nodded… and then I said “thank you” back to them in their Laotian language…causing them to  begin waiving wildly and smile widely!  They were visibly delighted…all because of one little word…with a special “twist”…having it THEIR way.

How many ways can you say thank you today to your clients, customers, friends and family? 

Tom Peters said “Never underestimate the power of the tiniest personal touch”, and as usual, he is so right.  The power of human connection continues to be the magic that bridges relationships and often is the key to successful entrepreneurships…no matter what you are selling!

Bio: Terri Murphy is an author, speaker, e-communication consultant, and author of 5 books, including her latest with Donald Trump. She is the founder and Pres. of WomensWisdomNetwork.com and serves as CIO of U. S. Learning in Memphis and one of NAR’s GAME CHANGER 2010 Coaches. visit www.TerriMurphy.com or email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com

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What an amazing evening!  Below are photos from the event…

Nido Qubein & Don Hutson

 Networking

 Marguirete Piazza and Nido Qubein

 Marguirete Piazza and Shirley Condon

  Networking

What can you do differently than you have been doing?  Are you relying on the same old things, systems, and habits…. or even more concerning, doing the same things your competitors are doing?

Today’s savvy consumer knows what they want, and are not willing to pay for services that do not meet their need. The largest buying segment of housing is GenX, and they are especially good at finding another professional who is willing to do it “their way” and fast!

So, how about tune up for your presentation program?  Whether you are presenting to a buyer or seller, creativity, expertise and delivery will boost or beat your chances.

Here are 3 key tips on how to fine tune your connection:

1) Speed of Response:   How fast are you responding to your lead requests?  If you don’t have systems in place to respond in a nano-second, your prospects are moving on to the next agent who does have a method to  respond  in real time with targeted information …and that is what it takes to make a first WOW impression!

2) When you are meeting face to face, have you revamped how you personally “go to market”?  Are you “market” presentable? Are you fully focused on your client? Have you anticipated their every need?

Before your meeting, are you equipped with a with deep needs analysis pre-written questionnaire that demonstrates you are prepared, interested and focused to authentically discover and fulfill their real objectives? 

Unfortunately, this is an area where many of us have slacked off. Having left a fast and furious marketplace, we didn’t have the luxury of time or the need to build trust bridges with our prospects. 

A slower market is loaded with multiple opportunities to engage, connect and earn the right to provide our services to those in need and a great time to demonstrate strong differentiation from our competitors.  As an example, if you are still running a paper CMA from your local MLS and showing up with a worn out one size fits all presentation, you might need to start looking for another job! 

NAR reports that in 2009 that 34% of the properties sold were purchased by GenX. Translated that means they are driven by their own core values and preferences.  Those preferences include real time response, deep expertise and real accountability.   Think about investing some time in a marketing makeover and don’t wait another minute to re-design how you go to market while you still can! NAR’s Learning Library offers some free and almost free online webinars to help you do just that.  Check them out at: (http://budurl.com/MurphyMktgMakeover)

 3) Get rid of the old tools and get good with the NEW ones!   You are right to be confused, frustrated and downright stubborn about trying to figure out what’s in what’s out/what’s hot and what is not, but that is no excuse. 

You might be able to connect with prospects, but keeping all the updates consistent and valuable takes help from techno tools.  Set aside some time or ask the experts what tools are recommended to help you service 24/7 without working all those hours.  

Learn how virtual tours like OBEO.com will do the reporting on activity to the seller automagically for you and engage an interested prospect with interactivity on the tour. 

Your time is your money, so employing automated, customized drip systems that offer opt-in/opt-out options integrated with your IDX information is the only way to provide real time information as it is listed to prospective buyers or sellers considering to market their home. 

NAR reports that approximately 98.9% of prospects search for properties on the Internet BEFORE engaging an agent. Surprisingly only 60% of agents even have a website!  Do the basics, but do them right. Get a full web marketing website that does the work for you. Check out  http://www.realprosystems.com/  and get the whole enchilada:  Podcasts, blogs, drip systems, automated campaigns, back end training and the list goes on.  You can’t afford to be the jack of all trades, so figure out what systems can best support your goals and go for the gold. 

We’ve heard if you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always gotten…and that’s just not true anymore!  We know we can no longer do what we’ve always done to even stay even with what we’ve generated in the past!   If you are truly serious about making money by leveraging your time and expertise, get with the program.   Very few customers or clients say I don’t want to work with that professional because they are too good at what they do, too eager to help me get exactly what I want and too much of an expert at their craft….just ask them!

Bio: Terri Murphy, Communication specialist is an author, speaker, communication consultant, and author of 5 books, including her latest with Donald Trump. She is the founder and Pres. of WomensWisdomNetwork.com and serves as CIO of U. S. Learning in Memphis and one of NAR’s GAME CHANGER 2010 Coaches. Email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com – And for more webinar resources visit: http://budurl.com/NARFREEWebinars

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Have you ever enjoyed an experience like this:  You meet with someone and two hours fly by and you can’t believe the meeting is over!  You still have so much to learn from them that you just don’t want it to end!

What if every meeting or presentation you were a part of ended like that? Would your second connection with these people be easier or harder to schedule?  Easier is the answer of course!

So the question is: After working with you, do prospects leave so energized, so pumped up, so laden with valuable information, tips, strategies, resources and inspiration that they can hardly wait to meet with you again? 

If your goal is not to surprise, delight, engage, energize and really connect with people you are doing business with, you might want to fine tune your strategy.

 Today I met with a most amazing professional. Tony Jeary may not be a household name to you, but he is the executive coach of choice to the world’s top CEO’s and high achievers for over 20 years.  His clients include presidents of companies like Wal-Mart, Firestone, Shell, and even the United States Senate!  You can’t leave his presence without being so excited about possibilities that you need and want more…

And that is exactly what most sales people and leaders should aspire to….guiding those we serve to a place that shows our prospects and customers  how to achieve their own best scenarios to  attain their personal and professional success.

Whether you are selling houses, tires, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals, your product or service must include specific components that ignite and inspire those we serve by providing solutions to their problems. Here are a few key activities to include in order to fine- tune your personal and professional interactions:

1) Be and sound ENERGETIC!  If you aren’t truly excited about what you do and how you do it, you will rarely communicate the value to another person.  Without contradicting your personal style, allow your enthusiasm and passion for what you offer be transparent so your prospects can engage with you and participate in working with them to provide solutions to their needs.

2) Invest in PREPARATION!  Want to really impress someone? How about having prepared a full spectrum of information about them and possible solutions to help their business available so they can see that you made an investment in them?  Too many sales people spend the bulk of their time perfecting their presentation, trying to “sell” their product or service instead of investing the time to get information about the prospect’s needs when preparing for the meeting.

3) Be a true EXPERT!  How deeply do you study your own product or service and that of the competition? Can you draw from accurate information and statistics to help determine the best solution for your prospect or customer?  People will ALWAYS pay for expertise.  Become an expert by investing even 30 minutes a day every day on a competency and you will develop solid expertise in your given niche.

4) Learn PRESENTATION skills.  All the information on the planet won’t help you if you haven’t learned the most engaging and powerful ways to communicate.  People connect logically and emotionally.  Logic will help them see the value, but emotions provide the actions to buy or not buy.  Study up on Behavioral styles and generational communication dynamics to connect with all four communication styles and age groups.  Invest in presentation skill coaching if this is an area for serious improvement.  It is guaranteed to pay off! (For a free report on the 12 biggest mistakes most sales people make, visit www.Fripp.com)

5) Be AUTHENTIC with your word. Nothing is more devastating than someone who shows up, makes all kinds of promises and doesn’t deliver. If you are not a systems person, set up checks and balances to keep you focused and on target with action steps and deliveries on what you promised.  There is no second chance when you compromise your integrity. It is a highly underestimated and powerful action that doesn’t cost in dollars, but in attention to executing what you have promised. 

 Focus on these simple steps and you are sure to be the provider of choice and create raving fans and repeat business.

Terri Murphy, Author of 5 books, her latest with Donald Trump. She is a Speaker & Consultant can be reached by email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com or for more information visit www.TerriMurphy.com

Terri Murphy, Pres, Terri Murphy.com
CIO, USLearning.com-Featured author with Donald Trump-”The BEST Real Estate Advice I Ever Received”
901-767-0000
www.TerriMurphy.com  -  www.WomensWisdomNetwork.com

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