Yawn….Seems like everybody has something to say about starting a new decade…a new year. There are plenty of prolific writings about the excitement of starting anew….

It IS all about new beginnings – but it really comes down to the same thing; If you want change, you must want it bad enough that the pain NOT to change is more painful than making the change itself.

The question to ponder is ….

Am I becoming the person I wanted to be, living the kind of life I had dreamed?  With so many people in this country on anti-depressants, my guess is that the “unhappiness” we feel is not from having too much or too little of anything, but rather a disconnect in not having what we had dreamed about having, being and doing.

If we really can change and do believe we really can, then why is it so many of us fail at these fervent but weak resolutions? 

What separates the winners from the losers are the ACTION-able steps to change the direction of your life and the belief that you can change the outcome, and it begins with the power of compounding positive or negative steps to our goals.

Health: We all know we need to be more proactive about our health – that said, if you are younger in age, you don’t feel the same pressure to focus on a healthier lifestyle as those of us who are farther down the runway of life. Losing a couple of pounds a month can a good goal, but facing 20-30 pounds at one time may seem unattainable.  If you want to be healthier you’ve got to start MOVING.   Walking is a cheap and simple way to get in better shape. Bottom line: start a new walking program with a friend or bunch of friends. Too cold? Find a mall – Too warm? Find a mall

Finances:  Saving money? – Now there’s a challenge! Spend an extra dollar a week and you are out $50+…Save a dollar, well, you get the picture.  How much time have you invested in actually seeing where your money goes every day? You might be seriously surprised to find many ways you can re-direct your spending and ultimately your income.  Look at the many entrepreneurial business opportunities available with little start up needed in both money and time to build your income.

Self Improvement: So you want to be better read? Get a library card and schedule a couple of hours a week reading away from home so you meet your goal. Perhaps you want to improve your language skills.  Check out low cost or free programs in the local schools and universities and begin the path to becoming and doing what you visualized for your life

Social: Want more friends? Make some new ones. Learn how to be a better friend to others and you’ll become a better attracter of the kind of friends you’d like to have

Get a Coach: Can’t stay focused? Getting a coach can improve the odds of your getting where you want to go.  Coach Anne Bachrach has no problem kicking your butt into action to keep you on target to get what you said you wanted. (http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/) 

Excuses: We all are faced with crazy schedules, interruptions, no money, no time, no energy, etc. But as our good friend Giovanni Livera, speaker, trainer and master magician says “No Change? No Change!” (http://www.giovanniexperiences.com/)  You can’t expect a change if there is no change in your behavior! There really are no excuses, but rather that we get lost due to our lack of focus, our lack of planning and the discipline needed to delay immediate gratification. 

What if….you could really change your lifestyle, cash flow, energy level, improve your health, be a better husband, wife, son, daughter, or friend?   We live in a land of unlimited opportunity! So dream a little dream and then let nothing get in the way of your having your best life now.

Terri Murphy

Terri Murphy, President of  Terri Murphy Communications
CIO, USLearning.com-
Featured author with Donald Trump-”The BEST Real Estate Advice I Ever Received”
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If you think it’s been a tough year, bad market and find yourself thinking from a scarcity point of view, you might find yourself believing that there is little you can do to get more business…Think again!

Before you go with “scarcity thinking”, expert Harvey MacKay gives us 66 creative and meaningful ways to connect with even the most elusive prospects.

MacKay is the bestselling author of “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”. He says, “Anyone can get the order if he’s willing to stretch the truth far enough. Whether you tell the truth or not, you don’t come out a winner just by getting the first big order. The mark of the pro is to get the RE-Order!”  That said, ask yourself these questions:

What am I willing to do to connect with a prospective client? (Or do I quit after a few attempts?)

Am I just trying to get another sale, or are their ways I can make an investment in a long term relationship?

In order to differentiate my service offering, by adding more value for this prospect by doing business with me?

A great lesson from MacKay’s book is found in Lesson #3 – He says, “Knowing something about your customer is just as important as knowing everything about you or your product”.

 MacKay was so passionate about wanting to know all he could about his customers; he is famous for developing his MacKay “66” question profile for each of his sales people to fill out on their customers. He is adamant that when we know more about our customer, we enjoy a huge advantage when they know we care about them, their needs and ultimately then we have earned the right to work with them.

All too often we fail the first step many high paid coaches, consultants and top performers knows and teaches:  Do a deep and thorough needs analysis of what THEY want, and not what you HAVE.  But first you have to get the appointment and be willing to accept the challenge of winning their business.

Asking questions and then clarifying the answers is one of the most powerful ways to establish confidence and begin building a bridge of trust between you and your prospect.  They want to know that you know not only what they want, but most importantly, why they want it. It is only when you act as their sales leader that you can help them determine what the appropriate solutions to their needs will actually be.  

Many times we approach our buyers and sellers with a barrage of self-serving information about our experience, tout top testimonials and are convinced that WE are the answer to their needs, when in fact, that may not be the case at all!  Regardless of your outstanding sales volume, negotiating acumen and years of experience, if they need a sales person who can speak Vietnamese, you may not be their best choice! 

The battle cry for successful sales that will never go out of style – RELATIONSHIP selling is the key to more sales. Ask well thought out questions, be a skilled active listener, and craft solutions with your prospects for best results.  You may not subscribe to doing a MacKay “66”, but knowing all the facts, motivations, limitations and best solutions for your customer will pave the way to create raving fans and endless referrals.

Bio: Terri Murphy is a 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.  email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com – for more information on the MacKay “66” visit http://www.harveymackay.com/tools/index.cfm

Lets Connect At:

www.LinkedIn.com/in/TerriMurphyCommunications
www.Facebook.com/TerriMurphy
www.Twitter.com/TerriMurphy

Special Greetings,

Click on the link to see some of the most incredible winter snow scenes

 ever,  accompanied by some powerful axioms.

Don and I send our love.  Happy holidays to each of you.

God Bless,
Terri Murphy and Don Hutson

Click this link:

45 Lessons In Life

Viki  King’s  Christmas  MP3

How to Give Without Shopping This Christmas

Click The Link Below And Listen To Viki King:

V King MP3

-www.VikiKing.com

Terri Murphy

At every level of a service,  care and concern rank as top elements for what our customers express when they describe extraordinary service. And in ,most  cases, every one of us prefers to have our needs not only met, but anticipated, which ultimately makes the outcome more impressive, and inevitably more powerful.

At a time in our calendar year when it is customary to “give” to others, it is apparent that when we authentically have interest in creating a joyful event for others, that the real gift is GIVING…which makes the “doing” part (service) the key.

Caring about a customer’s needs, or when you are genuinely concerned about the outcome of their using your products, can make quite an immediate difference in our success and ultimately our reputation. In today’s world of instant global commentary and reviews, it is incumbent upon us to be aware of how the consequences of that commentary, good or bad, from our customer’s perspective will affect our business going forward.

We’ve often heard how it is the “thought” that counts, and in many cases, that “thought” means so much more than any one thing.  The “thing” becomes the physical reminder that someone “thought” enough to give us some THING to show some level of care.

But at a time when we think about giving, let’s think a bit more about WHAT and HOW we give; Gifts of time, attention, follow up, and concern can be more powerful and lasting than an expensive gift or a holiday basket brimming with goodies.

People never forget the “time” that they were helped, assisted, guided, lead, referred to or connected with someone through someone that helped them get their needs met.  Think about being stranded on a cold snowy highway with a flat tire, and a caring passerby helped you out…priceless!

At the core of all good service is caring; caring that another person or company got what they expected and more.  In business, this always helps convert what might have been a simple sales transaction into making a connection that ultimately becomes a friend…and that friend refers you to their friends, and you know how that referral can grow.

Yet so many of us neglect the details – the extra call, the follow up on a simple detail that if missed could have dire consequences on the timeliness of a business or personal transaction.   At a time of the year when giving is heralded as better than receiving…let’s re-think how we give of ourselves, our expertise, our attention, our ability to observe and capture opportunities to be a better service provider, not just to get more sales, but to be the provider of great experiences for those we work for and those we love.

Caring is a gift that is never too big or too small and is guaranteed to always fit. It is a gift that everyone wants, and if you are lucky, is the one gift you hope is returned and re-gifted often!

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.  email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com

Terri Murphy has been honored by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) as one of the 12 national experts to head a new initiative to improve the functional processes of Realtors® across the country thru outside the box projects to engage and better serve consumers.  The announcement was made by Dale Stinton, NAR’s Chief Executive Officer.

 In August 2009, NAR instituted the Game Changers Challenge, whereby NAR challenged its 1,500 Local REALTOR® Boards, State Association of REALTORS ® and Institutes, Societies and Councils. REALTORS® were charged with creating benefits and programs to assist its membership during current economic conditions. REALTORS® encouraged state and local associations to take new perspectives of day-to-day work, focus on the value of finding new ideas and formulate them to answer the challenge. These game changing ideas must have an impact on the association, a new product, program, process or service that improves the REALTOR® organization.   Terri is joined by 11 other national leaders including former chief economist, John Tuccillo, John Featherstone,(RISMedia)  Steve Murray (Real Trends), Nancy Wilson Smith (Former NAR V.P) and Jeremy Conaway, (Recon Intelligence)
 
These submissions are expected to help revolutionize service and communication throughout the industry.

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