The Invitational Close

The Invitational Close
By: Brian Tracy

The Invitational Close is simple, low-key, classy and powerful. You use it at the end of a sales conversation to conclude the transaction. It is preceded by a Trial Close such as: "Mr. Prospect, do you have any questions or concerns that I haven't covered up to now?" Or, "Mr. Prospect, does this make sense to you, so far?"

Probe for Lingering Objections
You ask these questions to be doubly sure that the prospect has no final objections lurking in the back of his mind that would block the closing of the sales process. You then invite the customer to make a buying decision by saying, "If you like what I've shown you, why don't you give it a try?"

Invite the Customer to Buy
Inviting the customer to buy is very powerful. This is a gentle way of nudging the customer into taking action. "Why don't you give it a try?" If you are selling services, you can ask, "Why don't you give us a try?" If you want to be more bold and direct, you can simply ask, "Why don't you take it?"


Change Your Wording
One of my seminar graduates doubled his sales by changing his words in the endgame of selling. After his sales presentation he would ask the prospect if he had any additional questions or concerns. If the prospect said "no," he would then ask, "Well, if you like it, why don't you take it?"

He was amazed to find that many prospects could not think of a good reason not to go ahead with his offering immediately. Both his closing ratio and his income soared.

Action Exercises
Here is something you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

The next time you complete your sales presentation, simply issue an invitation to the customer to make a decision. "Why don't you give it a try?"

You may be surprised at your success.

How To Save Time And Boost Your Sales

How To Save Time And Boost Your Sales

by Jim Klein

In last weeks "Sales Advisor" we began to explore the qualifying process or as I call it "Finding the Problems". I shared with you the two motivating factors behind every buying decision and the three different types of prospects.

I also showed you how to begin to find their problem by asking open ended probing questions.

In today's lesson, I will take you deeper in to the qualifying process...

You want to continue to ask open ended questions, however, now you want to probe deeper inside to find the logical and emotional reasons why they want what you are offering.

I have also seen this form of questioning put in a different way, when you're selling to businesses; you want to uncover the business and the personal pain. I will cover both interpretations so you will learn more about this phase of the qualifying process.

Let's talk about the business and personal pain example first:

Let's suppose you are selling copiers, and you ask the prospect why they're interested in a new copier. They proceed to tell you how the current copier breaks down quite frequently. That answer only scratches the surface of the problem.

So next, you might ask them how long this has been a problem, or what else have they tried to solve the problem. Or even better yet, what has been the cost to their business in time or money lost?

They tell you how their staff is falling behind in work, or they were unable to get a report to a client on time. That's the business pain, or logical reason. Don't stop there, because if you dig a little deeper, you're apt to find something more.

Perhaps they were late getting to their son's baseball game, missed it all together, or the boss is upset with them for not getting the report done on time. That's the personal or emotional pain, and that's the reason they will purchase the new copier.

They will usually purchase it for the personal or emotional reason, and then justify it with the business or logical reason. I'm sure you can see why uncovering both reason gives you such power when it comes time to present your product or service as the solution to
ease their pain.

Here is another example. Say you're selling houses and you ask the buyer what's important to them in buying a home. Let's say the answer is 'getting a real nice home at a fair price'. Okay, that's logic, now we need to find the emotional reason.

So, your next question is, "What would getting a really nice home at a fair price give you?" And they say, "It will give me a feeling of security, knowing I have a great place of comfort to raise my family." That's emotional!

Once you know the personal or emotional reasons for wanting something, you can then see if your product or service will satisfy their needs or solve their problem.

Here are a few examples of leading questions:

"How has this problem affected your company?"
"How has it affected you personally?"
"What are the consequences if the problem continues?"
"How are your customers affected?"

You should continue to ask leading questions, and dig as deep as you can to uncover as many emotional reasons for the prospect to want to change their current situation. You are helping the prospect see how much not making this purchase is costing them, and in many different ways.

You want to get them to the point where they are practically begging you to give them a solution. Once they're at that point, the transition to the presentation of your product or service will come naturally.

Another point to remember, when you ask your questions, and while the prospect is giving you their answer, listen and pay attention to their verbal and nonverbal language. In other words, listen to what they say, how they say it, their facial expressions, and their
body language as well. Everything you see and hear will give you clues as to where to direct your questions, and whether you are leading your prospect in the right direction.

If you are unable to uncover a personal or emotional need for the prospect to make a change, then its best at that point to break off the meeting, thank them for their time and move on to the next prospect.

Too many sales people will continue without finding a motivation for the prospect to purchase, and then wonder why they can't close the sale.

Once you've asked enough questions, and you've determined your prospect has a need and a want for your product or service, move on to the next two important steps in the qualifying process...

The 7 Success Accelerators

The 7 Success Accelerators
By Dr. Lee Colan, Ph.D.

If you watched The Speed of Success 3-minute movie already, you know that Simplify is the first of the 7 Success Accelerators.

Consider this: In 1800, an average American had 300 products to choose from. Today, there are more than 1 million complex products on the shelves. Just try buying a simple toothbrush!

Since the human brain can process information 4,000 times faster than the average computer, we can cut through the clutter to separate the vital few from the trivial many. This still does not guarantee us men success when we are asked, “Honey, please pick up a can of soup on the way home.” As our eyes get dizzy and minds get numb looking at the "library of congress" of soup cans, we yearn for simpler times!

The 80/20 Principle helps explain the power of simplicity. This principle is pervasive in our world:

* 80% of traffic jams occur on 20% of roads.
* 80% of beer is consumed by 20% of drinkers.
* 80% of classroom participation comes from 20% of students.
* 20% of your clothes will be worn 80% of the time (what is it with that one?).

Focus on the 20% - the “vital few” - at home and work. The key to keeping things simple is knowing when to say “No” to the “trivial many.” The best selling handbook, Sticking to It: The Art of Adherence, offers more tips on this topic, but I will stop and keep it simple for now.

In today’s information-rich, time-poor world, we must keep it simple to get…
greater speed,
less stress
more of what’s important to us!

To accelerate your success today, watch The Speed of Success, to learn about the other six accelerators (and turn up your PC volume).

I hope you get inspired…. FAST!

Lee Colan is the owner of The L Group. The L Group excels at helping companies tackle today’s business challenges. With clear thinking and simple solutions, The L Group helps organizations and leaders succeed at every turn. To find out more go to www.theLGroup.com.

Quotes of the Week

------------------------------------------------------------

*** Quotes of the Week ***

------------------------------------------------------------

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear, and the blind can read. - Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American Writer and Humorist

Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking. - Bernard M. Baruch, 1870-1965, American Financier and Statesman

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. - John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963, 35th President of the United States

Your Belief Becomes Your Reality

Your Belief Becomes Your Reality
By: Brian Tracy

The Determinant of Your Success
Perhaps the most powerful single factor in your financial success is your beliefs about yourself and money. We call this the Law of Belief. It says simply this: Whatever you believe, with feeling, becomes your reality. Whatever you intensely believe becomes your reality. That we have a tendency to block out any information coming in to us that is inconsistent with our reality.

What Successful People Believe
What we've discovered is that successful people absolutely believe that they have the ability to succeed. And they will not entertain, think about, or talk about the possibilities that they'll fail. They do not even consider the possibility of failure.

Positive Thinking Versus Positive Knowing
You always act in a matter consistent with your beliefs. The most important belief system you can build is a prosperity consciousness where you absolutely believe that you are going achieve your financial goals. We call this positive knowing versus positive thinking. Positive thinking can sometimes be wishing or hoping. But positive knowing is when you absolutely know that no matter what, you will be successful.

The Foundation of Willpower
Another principle related to your beliefs is willpower. We know that willpower is essential to any success. Willpower is based on confidence. It's based on conviction. It's based on faith. It's based on your belief in your ability to triumph over all obstacles. And you can develop willpower by persistence, by working on your goals, by reading the biographies of successful people, by listening to audio programs, by reading books about people who've achieved success. The more information you take into your mind consistent with success, the more likely it is that you will develop the willpower to push you through the obstacles and difficulties you will experience.

Beat the Odds on Success
Remember that success is rare. Only one person in one hundred becomes wealthy in the course of a lifetime. Only five percent achieve financial independence. That means that the odds against you are 19-to-1. The only way that you're going to achieve your financial goals is if you get really serious. To succeed, you must get serious. You must get busy. You must get active. You must get going. Remember, everything counts.

Resolve to Achieve Greatly
Self-mastery, self-control, self-discipline are essential for anyone who wants to achieve greatly. And control over your thoughts is the hardest exercise in self-mastery that you will ever engage in. See if you can talk and think about only what you desire and not talk or think about anything that you don't want for 24 hours. Then you'll see what you're really made of. It's a hard thing to do but with practice, you can reach the point where you are thinking about your goals and desires most of the time. Then, your whole life will change for the better.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to build a belief system consistent with the financial success you desire:

First, continually repeat to yourself the words, pictures and thoughts consistent with your dreams and goals. Whatever you repeat often enough, over and over, becomes a new belief.

Second, set a goal for yourself to think and talk only about the things that you want for the next 24 hours. This will be one of the hardest things you ever do. But if you can keep your mind on what you want and off of what you don't want for 24 hours, you can begin to change your entire future.

35岁以前把下面十件事做好 作者:邹邹

35岁以前把下面十件事做好 作者:邹邹

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

　　35岁是青春的后期，35岁以后是收获的季节，如果你没有资格说这句话，你将会憎恨自己。所以在35岁以前，在烂漫蓬勃的青春年华里，你最好把下面十件事做好：

　　

　　第一，学会本行业所需要的一切知识并有所发展。已故零件大王布鲁丹在他35岁时，已经成为零件行业的领袖，并且组建了年收入达千万美元的海湾与西部工业公司。每个人在年轻时都可能有过彻夜不眠、刻苦攻读，这在20岁甚或30岁都没有问题，但到了35岁，就不应该再为学习基本技能而大伤脑筋了。35岁之前是一个人从事原始积累的阶段，35岁之后就应该勃发了。

　　

　　第二，养成个人风格。在35岁以前，找出你所喜欢的，不论是衣着或是爱好，哪怕是与众不同的小习惯也好。20岁、30岁时你可以不断尝试、不断改变，但是到了35岁，你便要明确地建立个人风格。一位男士或女士在事业中途改变自己的形象，就会让人觉得很不可靠。你喜欢穿西装吗？好！就把西装当作你的商标吧！办公桌上摆些鲜花会令你工作更有效率吗？那就每天都摆些鲜花吧！

　　

　　第三，在感情生活方面平和安定。在攀登事业的高峰时，如果私人生活不愉快，陷入感情危机，对你会产生很大的干扰，甚至会逐渐令你对别的事物失去兴趣。那些在35岁之前私人生活已经平和安定的人，一般都比生活动荡不安的人有更大的机会获得成功。因此，如果你想结束一段没有结果的恋情，或者你想和女友结婚，那就赶快行动吧，免得把问题拖到生命的第35个春秋。在35岁以后，你应该专注地看着你对事业的投资开始获利。

　　

　　第四，明白自己的短处。承认有些事情你的确做不好，或者不愿做。如果你讨厌数字而喜欢创作，那就不要因为待遇高或顺从别人的期望而强迫自己做数字工作。在35岁之前，一定要投入你所喜爱、所擅长的那种工作。否则，35岁之后必然会有一段郁郁不乐的日子。而且，真正的成功可能因为活力的消退而丧失。

　　

　　第五，知道自己的长处。你应该知道自己擅长什么，并且清楚你所喜欢做而又做得比别人好的事情。不管你目前担任什么样的角色，知道自己的长处对成功都很重要。

　　

　　第六，储备辞职另谋生路的钱。在这个多变的职业世界里，你也许不会永远在一个地方工作，或者永远在一个位置上淋漓尽致地发挥自己，当你感到无法施展时，你很可能会想到辞职，或者开辟第二职业，如果你事先储蓄了足够的钱，你便有了一个安全的后盾。

　　

　　第七，建立人际关系网。如果到了35岁你仍未建立起牢固的人际关系网，那你就有麻烦了。这个人际关系网包括你的朋友、亲人，最低限度包括所有可以互相帮助的人。这些人有的是你的同事，有的受过你的恩惠，有的你倾听过他们的问题，有的你和他有着相同的爱好。人际关系网不是一朝一夕就能建立起来的，它需要几年甚至十几年的培养。一个人在事业上、生活上的成功其实如同一个政党的成功，你要有许多人散布在适当的地方，你可以依赖他们，他们也可以依赖你。

　　

　　第八，学会授权他人。许多人不肯或不能这样做，因此始终被钉在从属的职位上。授权他人是成功的一半，一个事无巨细，不能将工作授权别人的人，注定会遇到极大的障碍。到了35岁，你最好已成为这方面的专家。换言之，你懂得挑选合适的人并信任他们。

　　

　　第九，学会在什么时候三缄其口。因说话不小心而自毁前程的人，比因为任何其他原因丧失成功的人都多。要学会保持沉默而且看起来机智--别人自然以为你知道的比实际还多。别讲别人的闲话，别谈论你自己的大计，守口如瓶所赢得的声誉，远比讲人闲话所带来的东西更加珍贵。你在事业上越成功，这一点就越重要。

　　

　　第十，对人要忠诚。如果你到了35岁仍未能建立起坚如磐石的忠诚信誉，这一缺点将会困扰你一生。不忠诚的恶名必然会使你在事业上到处不受欢迎。你不能靠暗箭伤人爬到事业的顶峰，而要靠在早期树立起来的真诚刚直和不可动摇的声誉。35岁以前，忠诚只是投资；35岁以后，你会作为一个可以信赖的人收到忠诚的回报。

Taking Time for Yourself in a Relationship by John Gray

Taking Time for Yourself in a Relationship by John Gray

We have all heard this advice before. No matter how wonderful togetherness feels in a relationship, it is still crucial for partners to take time for themselves. There is simply no way that a man or a woman can fulfill all of their partner's needs; it's just impossible to do. Too often people will give up a favorite hobby, sport or pastime in the beginning of a relationship in order to devote more time and energy to making the relationship work. But, what happens down the road when one or both partners realize that they are terribly out of balance and not taking time for themselves? Relationship stress, miscommunication, or worse: resentment and emotional pain can result.

It is healthy to have different interests. In fact, giving up our own interests and the little things that we do to nurture ourselves when a relationship starts will eventually lead to resentment down the road.

It's important for both partners to value quality relaxation time. There is absolutely no need to feel guilty about spending time alone. Independence is good for both men and women, no matter how close they may be in the relationship. Typically, when one partner actively takes some alone time, their partner is encouraged to do the same.

How our differences compliment each other:
Just as men and women have different needs in a relationship, they also have different reasons for needing time to themselves. Too much togetherness usually results in partners expecting too much from each other. Women may tend to smother their mates, while men may seem cold and uncaring. It is healthy for each partner to take time out to explore his or her individual interests.

What Men Need:
Men need to periodically pull away. Remember that men are like rubber bands. It is his natural cycle to get close, pull away, and get close again. It is important for men to fulfill their need for independence. Men automatically alternate between needing intimacy and autonomy. Give a man his space and he will be a better, more attentive, partner. When a man gets too close and doesn't pull away, he often experiences increased moodiness, irritability, passivity, and defensiveness.

Also, when a man is in his cave, he wants to be left alone. He is working out his problems and frustrations by either doing something alone, like reading the paper or watching TV, or doing something active with his male friends.

Most men are happy when their mates do something fun for themselves at these times. It means that she is not sitting around waiting for him to come out of the cave. He will come out ready to talk and be intimate again, and she will have curbed her frustrations by being good to herself and having some fun.

What Women Need:
It is good for a woman's self esteem to take care of herself. She can get wrapped up in taking care of her family and forget how much she needs to nurture herself. Particularly when a man is off in his cave, she can enjoy the time alone to go shopping, work in her garden, go to a class at the gym, or simply languish in the simple pleasure of soaking in a hot bath with a glass of wine.

It is especially important for a woman to cultivate relationships with other women. Women need to talk about what's happening in their lives. On Venus, this is an important part of relationship building. Since this is not the case on Mars, it is wonderful for a woman to get together with her girlfriends so that they can talk about, and listen to, each other's problems, without judgment or offering unsolicited advice.

Couples can even plan these separate times apart. For instance, Tuesday could be his poker night with the boys, and Thursday her night for dinner and a movie with her girlfriends. Both partners will not only appreciate the time to do the things that make them feel good, but will come back feeling renewed and excited to be in such a healthy, well-balanced relationship.

-- John Gray

The Miracle of Personal Development by Jim Rohn

The Miracle of Personal Development by Jim Rohn

One day Mr. Shoaff said, "Jim, if you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job."

Since that time I've been working on my own personal development. And I must admit that this has been the most challenging assignment of all. This business of personal development lasts a lifetime.

You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, "What am I getting?" Instead, you should ask, "What am I becoming?" Getting and becoming are like Siamese twins: What you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are today.

I've also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle.

If someone hands you a million dollars, you'd better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, "If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before."

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development

So here's the great axiom of life:

--To Have More Than You've Got, Become More Than You Are--

This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is:

--Unless You Change How You Are, You'll Always Have What You've Got--

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

“幸福”的九个步骤

“幸福”的九个步骤

作者:邹邹

心理学家对“主观幸福”的研究提出了新的发现：幸福不分性别，不依赖于年龄。按照美国心理学家哈里?克塞克的说法,幸福意味着生活在一种“沉醉”状态中，他提出感受幸福的九个步骤。　 1. 换一种心情看生活。把孩子的微笑当成珠宝，在帮助朋友中得到满足感。 　　 2. 与好书里的人物共欢乐。 　　 　　控制你的时间。一天写300页书是很难的事，然而一天写两页书则是很容易办到。这样坚持150天你就可以写成一本书。这个原则可以应用于任何工作。 3. 增强积极情绪积累。积极的情绪催人奋进。幸福的人做的每一件事都是努力消除消极情绪的过程。　 4. 优待身边的人。要学会很好地对待朋友配偶。能够一下数出5个好朋友的名字，有60%的人比不能数出任何名字的人更感到幸福。 5. 面带幸福感。实践表明，面带幸福感的人会感到更幸福。经常欢笑能在大脑中引发幸福感。 6. 不要无所事事。不要把自己困在电视机前。要沉浸于能用你的技能做的事情中。 7. 多参加室外活动是对付压力和焦虑的良方妙药。 8. 好好休息。幸福的人精力充沛，但他们绝对留出一定的时间睡眠和享受孤独。 9. 有信仰的人更幸福。

佛心慧语

佛心慧语

作者:zz邹邹

一个人，不能了解生命，生命对他来说是一种惩罚。 改变别人，不如先改变自己。 拥有财富的人，不如拥有智慧的人。 常常原谅自己的人，往往得不到上苍的原谅。 常常责备自己的人，往往能得到他人的谅解。 人很奇怪，不了解自己，却又每天想去干涉别人，弄得痛苦不堪。 人之所以痛苦，在於追求错误的东西。 有人的地方，就会有是非，把它看作很正常，你就不会难过，因为是──人嘛！ 犯错是平凡的，原谅才能超凡。 任凭你有多大的快乐，无常总是来到。 制心一处，无事不办。 伤人之语，如水覆地，难以挽回。 大家都知道，生气是一种无知，又无济于事，可是又奈何不了它。正因为少“悟”，放不下得失之故。 金钱化妆你的外表，佛法啓悟你的内在。 五官刺激，不是真正的享受，“内在安详”，才是下手之处。 自尊太强，优越感太重的人，将不堪一击，少许逆境，足以使他彻夜难眠。 嫉妒别人，仇视异已，就等於把生命交给别人。 诽谤他人就像含血喷人，先污染了自己的嘴巴。 轻信道听途说，就像一只傻狗，别人随便扔了一块石头就急忙跑去捡。 不能把握现在，就无法获得永恒。 人心不好，环保、治安，自然不好。 遇到困难时不害怕，心中无事，是名真修。 时间总会过去的。 算命不如认命。 恨别人，痛苦的却是自己。 律已要严，待人要宽。 不要浪费你的生命，在你知道一定会后悔的地方。 怀着一颗感恩的心，忘记别人的缺点吧！ 征服世界，并不伟大，一个人能征服自己，才是世界上最伟大的人。 平凡之人追求不平凡，智者则甘於平凡，却享受平凡。 能忍之人，事事称心；善瞋之人，时时地狱。 与其说你赚钱，不如说你被钱所赚，因为钱赚走了你的青春、时间、体力，和生命。 有志气的人发一次愿，终身坚持。没志气的人天天发愿，浮而不实。 稻穗成熟，头自然低下。 事能知足心常惬，人到无求品自高。 有才而性缓定属大才，有智而气和斯为大智。 有德不在年高，无智空长百岁。 彻底的认识你自己，你就会认识佛。 因小果大，莫以恶小而为之，莫以善小而不为。 真正的布施，是把烦恼、忧虑、分别、执着，通通放下。 若无“是非”挂心头，便是人间好时节。 扫地扫地扫心地，心地不扫空扫地。 透视一切变化的结果都是“空”，就不会罣碍任何事物。 佛性是每个人的心，所以自己就是主宰。 各有因缘莫羡人。 肯低头的人，永远不会撞到矮门。 不让古人是谓有志，不让今人是谓无量。 生命是妄想的产物。 吾爱吾师，吾尤爱真理。 不要相信权威，权威有时也会错误。 为而不有，善而不居。 烦恼比岁月更易催人颜老。 常常使别人过快乐日子的人，自己也必定很快乐。 诽谤他人就像含血喷人，先污染了自己的嘴巴。 想编织未来的美梦，现在正是时候。 千人千般苦，苦苦不相同。 向人低头，不曾矮小过。 作福莫如惜福，悔过莫如寡过。 量大福大。 遇顺境处之淡然，遇逆境处之泰然。 风平浪静，训练不出良好的水手。 填得饱你的肚子，却填不满人心贪念。 面对现实，逆境也会变为顺境，总有机会转机。逃避现实，虽暂时偷安，但没有翻身余地。 甩掉你的假面具，你就能享受到自然的喜悦。 凡夫转境不转心，圣人转心不转境。 过去，已成过去，它只是记忆的残影。 智者知幻即离，愚者以幻为真。 一念放下，万般自在。 君子成人之美，不成人之恶。 黄金无种子，惟生於勤俭之家。 世界上的每一个人都在追求快乐，但却没有人真正了解什么是快乐。 知因果即知进退，知佛法即得“开心果”。 菩萨以正觉为习惯，众生却以烦恼为习惯。 家里的垃圾知清倒，内心的垃圾（贪、瞋、痴）不知“倒”。 学佛的孩子不变坏，学佛的老人不痴呆，学佛的少年不永不败。 智者善植因果。 圣人可以掌握时空，而凡夫却被时空所限制。 真正的看破是提起，积极地为大众服务。 诚恳可以感动人，谦虚可以说服人。 老实是很平淡的字眼，但是要想成就，就非它不行。 犯了过错，造了罪业，别人知不知道并不重要，最重要的是自己知道。 善于保护自己的，永远谦虚谈话。 好、坏，都会随时间消失，没有例外。上苍对时间的安排，绝对平等。 临事须替别人想，论人先将自己想。 “禅”，就是要在心中留点空间，好作回旋。 失去了鸭子，你会急忙找回来，失去了良心，却不见有人着急。 心志要苦，意趣要乐，气度要宏，言动要谨。 言多必失，尽量少给自己这种机会。 赞叹别人，要在大庭广众；责备人，必须在私下。 有智慧的人，从周围取乐，没有智慧的人，希望别人给予快乐。 贪心，你的嘴脸，就是贫穷相。 色心不除，生死不了。 有生必有死，人应惧生，不应惧死。无生即无死，究竟解脱。 忍人所不能忍，行人所不能行名“大雄”，故名“大雄宝殿”。即佛也。 作事不怕不成，只怕无恒。 佛是觉悟的众生，众生是在迷的佛。 一个人如果不被恶习所染，幸福近矣！ 笛卡儿：“我思故我在”，佛法：“我观故自在”。 人必须在自我中觉醒，才能破除我执。 凡有追求，必定有烦恼。 学佛就是要你，认识自己，找到永恒的生命。 要做好你个人的卫生，尤其“心理卫生”最为重要。 得失心不放下，想要不痛苦，都不可能。 世界上有一种生意是永远亏本，那就是发脾气。 有了智慧，自然能了解真理，能了解真理，生活自然快乐。 鱼生活在水中，所以我们见不着他的泪。 真正的神通，是把烦恼弄通。 是非的原则是将心比心，设身处地的为他人想一想。 健康，是真正的财富，不要糟蹋它。 佛是教育家，不是政治家。他慈悲的教导众生，从不控制众生。 是非天天有，不听自然无。 愚人求境不求心，智者求心不求境。 为人正直，则与道相应。 见一切人皆菩萨，唯我一人是凡夫，则心自息怒。 德修而谤来。 缘由愿来，愿力强，善缘自然具足。 责人，先责已於人，是名君子。 能觉他人之诈，不形於言，受人之辱，无动於色，道成近矣！ 境来不拒，境去不留，一切随缘，能得自在，放下即得解脱。 静坐常思已过，闲谈莫论人非。 一个常常看别人缺点的人，本身就?a name=1>还缓茫蛭挥惺奔浼焯肿约骸?br /> 有智慧的人，永远不见他人过失。 聪明难，糊涂更难。 说话不要有攻击性，不要有杀伤力，不夸已能，不扬人恶，自然化敌为友。 心能平等，我们就能处於一个和谐的世界。 把自己的欲望降到最低点，把自己的理性升华到最高点，就是圣人。 对自己的享受消极，对大众的福利积极，就是行菩萨道。 两个人吵架，甲对乙说你很主观，乙对甲说你并不客观，主客二观，无所标准，是非永远存在。 凡爱说人不是者，往镜前一站，镜中出现一个丑陋的影子，才知正是自己尊容。 知足之人，虽卧地上犹为安乐；不知足者，虽处天堂亦不称意。 山不转路转，境不转心转。 世间一切，为我所用，非我所有。 觉悟真理的人，即拥有真正的生命。 体会到生命无常的人，便不会再放荡和贪逸，所以说对於生命无常的觉醒是智慧的开端。 施比受更有福。 彻悟本性的人，纵然全世界的人都不了解他，他依然不觉得寂寞。 起烦恼时，要回光返照──退步原来是向前。 所谓的“放下”即是把什么事都化为没有的力量。 凡事能站在别人的角度为别人着想，便是慈悲。 适当的欲望，是人类所必须的，但超过了范围，痛苦、罪恶，便如影随形。 人的价值，在於奉献与牺牲。 当你心中有美时，从你眼中看到的世界将会不同。 知足者虽贫而富，不知足者虽富而贫。 多数人在缘生缘灭中，搞不清楚自己的去来。 凡事要随缘，不要攀缘。 佛陀从不勉强别人，做不喜做的事情，他只告诉众生，何者善？何者恶？生命还是要自己掌握。 学佛不是对死亡的一种寄托，而是当下就活得自在和超越。 错误必生烦恼，罪恶终归毁灭。 佛法是什么？佛法既现实又超越，既超越又现实。 给人希望，不要给人绝望。 舍（放下）尽一切（包括烦恼），当下自在。 海阔纵鱼跃，天高任鸟飞。 能容纳异己的存在，才能成就自己的伟大。 人常想病日，则尘念自息。人常想死日，则道念自生。 无法去除内心的烦恼，纵然遍游世界，也得不到快乐。 法律是事后追诉，但伤害已成事实，因果是事先防范，能杜渐防微。 善恶之间，总在一念。一念错，全盘皆输。 感谢上苍，我所拥有的，感谢上苍，我所没有的。 勇於接受别人的批评，正好可以调整自己的缺点。 行善不求回报，无缘（条件）大慈，同体大悲是圣者之行。 上德不德，下德执德。 人之所以平凡，在于无法超越自己。 忍辱多福。 名字有什么相干？我们叫做玫瑰的，叫任何别的名字，仍然一样芬芳。 吵闹处，须冷静。冷落处，须热情。 古今庸人，败於“惰”字。古今才人，败於“傲”字。 事无难易，惟心坚忍可成矣！所谓金刚非坚，愿力唯坚。 人命呼吸间，宜当力除偷安、懒惰。 真正的苦行是修平等心。 不要因为小小的争执，远离了你至亲好友。不要因为小小的怨恨，忘记了别人的大恩。 人好刚我以柔胜之，人好术我以诚感之。 盛喜勿许人物，盛怒勿答人书。 有真才者必不矜才，有实学者必不夸学。 动於欲，欲迷则昏。任乎气，气偏则戾。 无事时戒一偷字，有事时，戒一乱字。 声名谤之媒也，欢乐悲之渐也。 善用威者不轻怒，善用恩者不妄施。 言多必失，说话要精简。 若心有定，说你好，说你坏，都一样。 举世尽从忙里过，谁人肯向死前休。 什么是空？难舍能舍，看得破，放得下即是空，空是自在安详义。 这个身体，只是借我们暂住而已，如房屋，无常一到，就要搬家，切勿执着。 有时候，我们要冷静问自己，我们在追求什么？我们活着为了什么？ 大贫亦是大富，一无所有、了无牵挂，宁静谈泊、恬然自得。 花开、花谢，生死、死生，人的真实生命在哪里？ 正人行邪法，邪法亦正；邪人行正法，正法亦邪。 未曾生我谁是我，生我之时我是谁？ 长大成人方是我，合眼朦胧又是谁？ 有一位皇帝，登上城墙说：“这么多人，国必强胜”，高僧说：“我只见到两个人，一个贪名，一个图利”。 逆来顺受，顺来忍受。 要自觉、自悟，佛在心中。 执着近於迷惑。 行、住、坐卧，皆是道场，因为道在心中，非在外面。 学问以勤习为入门

The Foundation of Leadership

The Foundation of Leadership
By: Brian Tracy

The most important quality of leadership, the one quality for which you want to be known, is extraordinary performance, with the goal of achieving extraordinary results. These results then serve as an inspiration to others to perform at equally exceptional levels. People ascribe leadership to those men and women who they feel can most enable them to achieve important goals or objectives.

Why People Respect You
We develop great perceptions of those men and women we can count on to help us achieve what is important to us. Men and women who make great sales, or who establish admirable sales records, develop influence in the minds and hearts of their coworkers and superiors. They are spoken about in the most positive way.

The Halo Effect
Men and women who are responsible for companies or departments that achieve high levels of profitability also develop charisma. They develop what is called the "halo effect." They are perceived by others to be extraordinary men and women who are capable of great things. Their shortcomings are often overlooked, while their strong points are overemphasized. They become charismatic.

The Source of Charisma
Charisma actually comes from working on yourself. It comes from liking and accepting yourself unconditionally as you do and say the specific things that develop within you a powerful, charismatic personality.

Be Determined and Purposeful
When you set clear goals and become determined and purposeful, backing those goals with unshakable self-confidence, you develop charisma. When you are enthusiastic and excited about what you are doing, when you are totally committed to achieving something worthwhile, you radiate charisma. When you take the time to study and become an expert at what you do, and then prepare thoroughly for any opportunity to use your knowledge, skill or experience, the perception that others have of you goes straight up.

Accept Complete Responsibility
When you take complete responsibility and accept ownership, without making excuses or blaming others, you experience a sense of control that leads to the personal power that is the foundation of charisma. When you look like a winner in every respect, when you have the kind of external image that others admire, you build your charisma. When you develop your character by setting high standards and then disciplining yourself to live consistent with the highest principles you know, you become the kind of person who is admired and respected everywhere. You become the kind of person who radiates charisma to others.

Focus on Results
Finally, when you concentrate your energies on achieving the results that you have been hired to accomplish, the results that others expect of you, you develop the reputation for performance and achievement that inevitably leads to the perception of charisma.

You can develop the kind of charisma that opens doors for you by going to work on yourself, consistently and persistently, and becoming the kind of person everyone can admire and look up to. That's what charisma is all about.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, ask yourself every day, "What is the one thing that I and only I can do, that if done well, will make a real difference to my company?" Whatever your answer, go to work on that.

Second, decide upon the most important results you can get for your company and make sure that you and everyone else is working on those results every hour of every day.

Neutralizing Your Two Major Fears

Neutralizing Your Two Major Fears
By: Brian Tracy

The Greatest Obstacle to Success
The fear of failure is the single greatest obstacle to success in adult life. Taken to its extreme, we become totally pre-occupied with not making a mistake, with seeking approval for security above all other considerations. The experience of the fear of failure is in the words of "I can't", "I can't." We feel it in the front of the body, starting at the solar plexus and moving up to the rapid beating of the heart, rapid breathing and a tight throat. We also experience this fear in the bladder and in the irresistible need to run to the bathroom.

The Fear of Rejection Holds You Back
The second major fear that interferes with performance and inhibits expression, is the fear of rejection. We learn this when our parents make their love conditional upon our behavior. If we do what pleases them, they give us love and approval. If we do something they don't like, they withdraw their love and approval-which we interpret as rejection.

The Roots of Type A Behavior
As adults, people raised with conditional love become preoccupied with the opinions of others. Many men develop Type A behavior which is characterized by hostility, suspicion and an obsession with performance to some undetermined high standard. This is expressed in the attitude of "I have to, I have to," and is associated with the feeling that "I have to work harder and accomplish more in order to please the boss" who has become a surrogate parent.

The Most Common Trap
More than 99 percent of adults experience both these fears of failure and rejection. They are caught in the trap of feeling, "I can't, but "I have to," "I have to," but "I can't."

The Key to Peak Performance
The antidote to these fears is the development of courage, character and self-esteem. The opposite of fear is actually love, self-love and self-respect. Acting with courage in a fearful situation is simply a technique that boosts our regard for ourselves to such a degree that our fears subside and lose their ability to effect our behavior and our decisions.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to increase your self-esteem and self-confidence and overcome your fears.

First, realize and accept that you can do anything you put your mind to. Repeat the words, "I can do it! I can do it!" whenever you feel afraid for any reason.

Second, continually think of yourself as a valuable and important person and remember that temporary failure is the way you learn how to succeed.

用动机来销售

用动机来销售

作者：张秀满

销售的法则是动机

各行各业都有它独特的生意经，无论是怎样的销售方法，一定都有它的成败风险，一个销售人员，起初设定销售理念正确与否，深深影响往后销售的走向，第一步怎样踏出，第二步紧接着就会跟上，牵一发而动全身，受到影响的将是整个销售旅程。

心态决定一切

与客户没有距离，要销售不是问题、商战需要谋略、市场离不开智慧、因为，市场从来就是在我们的生活中。

心态决定一切，心态始于心灵又终于心灵，一个拥有积极心态的人，也是一个对销售成功有强烈渴望或需要的人。事实证明，只有让自己相信，才能让别人相信，在销售过程中，如果没有在客户面前掌握一种积极的心态，你就会成为一个木头人，而积极的心态，能够创造执着、热情。在销售这个领域，失败与成功者间唯一的差别就是心态不同。

要有强烈的销售意识

欲望必须搭配行动才能完成，如果只是光坐着说，而不站起来销售，这样想靠销售赚大钱，绝对是痴人说梦。早年的「人生哲学第一课」，成了努力学习，善于思考的好习惯，不自觉的开发了自己销售的潜能。

如果说「我不要穷，我要赚钱」是我做直销的意念，经历了五年时间，我又产生了第二则意念，是「我要学会销售，将一生不败」这次的思想冲动比第一次明确多了。

那时，我已建立了一个直销组织的基础架构，可是我不满足，我又产生了更积极的成功销售心态，我要创建自己的销售王国，在过程中开发自身处世的潜能，成功了，开发增强了销售信心，因而每天都养成「销售」的冲动。

环境思想奠基

由于直销文化的熏陶，直销教育的培养，更摆脱和一般人狭益思想和短浅目光，审时度势，习惯的销售，不断的练习与升华，面对在直销的现实与竞争，发出了「我不要贫穷，我要赚钱，我要销售」的呼声，这种不甘贫穷、的强烈销售动机、形成了坚忍的斗志，使我养成每天必须销售、成交一件才可回家的心态，也是使我排除人生道路的一切难题，走向销售的原因。

经验的累积

这些年，做直销、发展组织、办聚会的过程中，累积了不少经验，几年来所形成的经验，也使我具备敢于独立销售的心态本领。在销售的时候，只要有足够的爱心与关怀，就可以成为全世界最有影响力的人，任何负面的情绪在与爱接触后，就如冰雪遇上阳光，很容易就消融。

目标使销售成功

顶尖的销售是脑海里有目标，而其它人则只有愿望，销售之前订立目标，是销售成功的方法之一，因为有了目标就有动力，有了动力就会促使自己对销售成功的渴望，销售高手需要成功的业绩，那是力的泉源，最好每天都有销售业绩，如果销售员自己感觉「不能成交」这种念头就会从心里感觉而传达给买方，使对方说出「改天再说吧！」而予以拒绝，目标是销售员的行动指标。

动机是销售成功的秘密

作为销售人员，必须与销售融为一体，时时刻刻都在想着如何进行销售，从不放过任何一个机会，一个好的销售人员，不但是一个好的调查员，还必须是一个优秀的新闻记者，对客户要了如指掌，每一新旧客户，对我而言，都要已经摸清客户底细，犹如10年的好友，有些人老是囔囔着要赚大钱，但是几年过去，还是没有赚到什么钱，还是不断的哀号，我要变成有钱人，面对这种状况，我必须告诉大家，动机、欲望是必须搭配行动才能完成，如果只是坐着说，而不是站起来做，这样想成为销售高手，绝对是痴人说梦。

用幽默发展你的客户

用幽默发展你的客户

运用幽默技巧可以消除与顾客之间的紧张感，使整个交际过程轻松愉快，充满人情味，使产品推广走向成功。

　　幽默是成功交谈中的点睛之笔

　　幽默是什么？思想家寻求它的答案，花了无数个世纪，结果，像解剖青蛙一样，到最后什么也没剩下。幽默没有明确的定义，也没有公认的定义。人们通常喜欢说，幽默是一种特性，一种引发喜悦、以愉快的方式娱人的特性，它带来欢乐，使人从痛苦的经历和情绪当中挣脱出来。幽默的形式多种多样，有滑稽的，有荒谬的，有出人意外的，有戏谑、讽刺、诙谐、反讽挖苦的。

　　1．幽默的力量

　　有人这样说：“没有幽默感的语言是一篇公文，没有幽默感的人是一尊雕像，没有幽默感的家庭是一家旅店，而没有幽默感的社会是不可想像的。”生活或社交场合，我们都喜欢幽默，其中蕴含着无穷的力量。

　　(1)幽默体现着说话者的自信、能力、气质和心境

　　幽默的人，首先是一位热爱生活的人，他有智慧、有能力，并且很有气质和教养，对自身充满了无限的信心。恩格斯说：“幽默是具有智慧、教养和道德上优越感的表现。”

　　钢琴演奏家波奇，有一次在美国密歇根州的福林特城演奏，发现全场听众不到五成，他自然很失望，但他走向舞台的脚灯，对听众说：“福林特这个城市一定很富有。我看到你们每个人都买了两三个座位的票。”这时半满的屋子中，充满了笑声，人们也更喜欢他了，因为他展示了他特有的气质。

　　有一次，美国多家大企业的行政经理，参加了一项幽默意见调查。结果显示：“97%的经理相信，幽默在商业界具有很重要的价值。”克雷夫特企业总裁毕尔斯认为：“幽默感是衡量一个经理是否具有活泼、弹性心智的重要标志。有幽默感的人通常不会把自己看得太重要，而且比较有能力决策。”

　　(2)幽默可以缓解冲突

　　人际交往中，磕磕碰碰在所难免，遇到许多棘手的问题或尴尬的场面，恰当地运用幽默，能产生神奇的效果。

　　公共汽车上，一位女乘客不停地烦扰司机，车子每行一小段，就要司机提醒她要在哪里下车。司机一直很耐心的听，直到她大叫：“但是我怎么知道我要下车的地方到了没有？”司机却幽默地说：“你只要看我脸上笑开了，就知道。”

　　还有一个故事，小镇上一家酒馆经理脾气暴躁，听不得半句坏话。一次，一个过路人在此喝酒，刚喝一口，就忍不住叫起来：“酒好酸。”经理听后大怒，吩咐伙计操起棍子打人。这时又进来一位顾客，问：“经理为什么打人？”经理说：“我卖的酒远近闻名，这人偏说我的酒是酸的，你说他该不该打？”这个人说：“让我尝尝。”刚尝一口，那人眼睛眉毛都挤在一起，脱口说道：“你还是把他放了，打我两棍子吧。”大家哄堂大笑，一句诙谐的话语平息了一场纠纷。

　　(3)幽默可以拥有成功的社交

　　在现代人际交往中，幽默感越来越重要，甚至被誉为没有国籍的亲善大使。无论你从事什么职业，幽默都能使你顺利地渡过困难的处境，在社交场合建立起和谐的人际关系，让你成为一个能克服障碍、乐观的、能得到别人喜欢和信任的人。

　　2．幽默的技巧

　　我们都喜欢幽默的人，但并不是每个人都会使用幽默。相反，许多人认为幽默是上帝赋予的先天禀赋，后天无法获得。其实，幽默是可以习得的，请掌握下面的艺术和技巧：

　　(1)心中充满快乐和趣味思想

　　对生活丧失了信心的人不可能再运用幽默的资源，整天垂头丧气的人也无法体会幽默的妙用。因此，能够幽默的人首先应该充满对生活的期望和热爱，自信地对己对人，他应该快乐起来，即使身处逆境。

开发客户的十大传世技巧

开发客户的十大传世技巧

成功销售的能力，与你的客户质量直接相关。因此，销售最关键的一步就是准确找到需要你产品或服务的人。然而，并不是每个企业都能清楚地告诉它的销售人员，如何开发客户，找到需要自己产品和服务的人。

　　

以下 10 条“营销圣训”是进行成功销售和开发客户的法则。实践证明它们是行之有效的。

　　一、每天安排一小时。

　　销售，就象任何其它事情一样，需要纪律的约束。销售总是可以被推迟的，你总在等待一个环境更有利的日子。其实，销售的时机永远都不会有最为合适的时候。

　　二、尽可能多地打电话。

　　在寻找客户之前，永远不要忘记花时间准确地定义你的目标市场。如此一来，在电话中与之交流的，就会是市场中最有可能成为你客户的人。如果你仅给最有可能成为客户的人打电话，那么你联系到了最有可能大量购买你产品或服务的准客房户。在这一小时中尽可能多打电话。由于每一个电话都是高质量的，多打总比小打好。

　　三、电话要简短。

　　打电话做销售拜访的目标是获得一个约会。你不可能在电话上销售一种复杂的产品或服务，而且你当然也不希望在电话中讨价还价。

　　电话做销售应该持续大约 3 分钟，而且应该专注于介绍你自已，你的产品，大概了解一下对方的需求，以便你给出一个很好的理由让对方愿意花费宝贵的时间和你交谈。最重要的别忘了约定与对方见面。

　　四、在打电话前准备一个名单。

　　如果不事先准备名单的话，你的大部分销售时间将不得不用来寻找所需要的名字。你会一直忙个不停，总是感觉工作很努力，却没有打上几个电话。因此，在手头上要随时准备个可以供一个月使用的人员名单。

　　五、专注工作。

　　在销售时间里不要接电话或者接待客人。充分利用营销经验曲线。正象任何重复性工作一样，在相邻的时间片段里重复该项工作的次数越多，就会变得越优秀。

　　推销也不例外。你的第二个电话会比第一个好，第三个会比第二个好，依次类推。在体育运动里，我们称其为“渐入最佳状态”。你将会发现，你的销售技巧实际不随着销售时间的增加而不断改进。

　　六、如果利用传统的销售时段并不奏效的话，就要避开电话高峰时间进行销售。

　　通常来说，人们拨打销售电话的时间是在早上 9 点到下午 5 点之间。所以，你每天也可以在这个时段腾出一小时来作推销。

　　如果这种传统销售时段对你不奏效，就应将销售时间改到非电话高峰时间，或在非高峰时间增加销售时间。你最好安排在上午 8:00-9:00，中午 12:00-13:00 和 17:00-18:30 之间销售。

　　七、变换致电时间。

　　我们都有一种习惯性行为，你的客户也一样。很可能你们在每周一的 10 点钟都要参加会议，如果你不能够在这个时间接通他们，从中就要汲取教训，在该日其它的时间或改在别的日子给他电话。你会得到出乎预料的成果。

　　八、客户的资料必须整整有条。使用电脑化系统。

　　你所选择的客户管理系统应该能够很好地记录你企业所需要跟进的客户，不管是三年之后才跟进，还是明天就要跟进。

　　九、开始之前先要预见结果。

　　这条建议在寻找客户和业务开拓方面非常有效。你的目标是要获得会面的机会，因此你在电话中的措辞就应该围绕这个目标而设计。

　　十、不要停歇。

　　毅力是销售成功的重要因素之一。大多数的销售都是在第5次电话谈话之后才进行成交的。然而，大多数销售人员则在第一次电话后就停下来了。

Proven Techniques Help You Close More Sales

Proven Techniques Help You Close More Sales

By Jim Klein

In last weeks "Sales Advisor" we began to explore the qualifying process or as I call it "Finding the Problems". I shared with you the two motivating factors behind every buying decision and the three different types of prospects.

I also showed you how to begin to find their problem by asking open ended probing questions.

In today's lesson, I will take you deeper in to the qualifying process...

You want to continue to ask open ended questions, however, now you want to probe deeper inside to find the logical and emotional reasons why they want what you are offering.

I have also seen this form of questioning put in a different way, when you're selling to businesses; you want to uncover the business and the personal pain. I will cover both interpretations so you will learn more about this phase of the qualifying process.

Let's talk about the business and personal pain example first:

Let's suppose you are selling copiers, and you ask the prospect why they're interested in a new copier. They proceed to tell you how the current copier breaks down quite frequently. That answer only scratches the surface of the problem.

So next, you might ask them how long this has been a problem, or what else have they tried to solve the problem. Or even better yet, what has been the cost to their business in time or money lost?

They tell you how their staff is falling behind in work, or they were unable to get a report to a client on time. That's the business pain, or logical reason. Don't stop there, because if you dig a little deeper, you're apt to find something more.

Perhaps they were late getting to their son's baseball game, missed it all together, or the boss is upset with them for not getting the report done on time. That's the personal or emotional pain, and that's the reason they will purchase the new copier.

They will usually purchase it for the personal or emotional reason, and then justify it with the business or logical reason. I'm sure you can see why uncovering both reason gives you such power when it comes time to present your product or service as the solution to
Ease their pain.

Here is another example. Say you're selling houses and you ask the buyer what's important to them in buying a home. Let's say the answer is 'getting a real nice home at a fair price'. Okay, that's logic, now we need to find the emotional reason.

So, your next question is, "What would getting a really nice home at a fair price give you?" And they say, "It will give me a feeling of security, knowing I have a great place of comfort to raise my family." That's emotional!

Once you know the personal or emotional reasons for wanting something, you can then see if your product or service will satisfy their needs or solve their problem.

Here are a few examples of leading questions:

"How has this problem affected your company?"
"How has it affected you personally?"
"What are the consequences if the problem continues?"
"How are your customers affected?"

You should continue to ask leading questions, and dig as deep as you can to uncover as many emotional reasons for the prospect to want to change their current situation. You are helping the prospect see how much not making this purchase is costing them, and in many different ways.

You want to get them to the point where they are practically begging you to give them a solution. Once they're at that point, the transition to the presentation of your product or service will come naturally.

Another point to remember, when you ask your questions, and while the prospect is giving you their answer, listen and pay attention to their verbal and nonverbal language. In other words, listen to what they say, how they say it, their facial expressions, and their
Body language as well. Everything you see and hear will give you clues as to where to direct your questions, and whether you are leading your prospect in the right direction.

If you are unable to uncover a personal or emotional need for the prospect to make a change, then its best at that point to break off the meeting, thank them for their time and move on to the next prospect.

Too many sales people will continue without finding a motivation for the prospect to purchase, and then wonder why they can't close the sale.

Once you've asked enough questions, and you've determined your prospect has a need and a want for your product or service, move on to the next two important steps in the qualifying process...

The Sales Professional: Three Principles To Selling- By Philip A. Gerber

---------------------------------------------------------------
** Article: The Sales Professional: Three Principles To Selling- By Philip A. Gerber **
----------------------------------------------------------------

When you start think about the sales process, there are three basic principles you must learn and adopt before you will become successful. The first is to be organized. You need to have information on all your clients with all their information. Your schedule for that day should be tied to a map rather than the hottest prospect. You need to make as many calls as you can and the only way you can is through organization. Like I always told my salespeople, “work smart, not hard”.

The second is to be prepared. You need to know your customer, not whether he is a Longhorn fan or an Aggies supporter (although it couldn’t hurt), but whether he is the final decision maker, that he can actually use your product or perhaps they just had a big layoff so making a purchase is not a high priority. You can waste a lot of time on both sides as well as future sales opportunities by not being prepared. Also, double check that you have all your sales information with you such as brochures, supporting documentation and your business card. You will not believe how many sales calls I have made with salespeople who forgot that they gave out their last card. It is embarrassing and unprofessional.

The third is to assume the sale. Sounds simple, but too many people go into a sales meeting hoping and praying that they can make the sale. Not only do you feel the pressure, but you come across as if you were begging for the sale. I remember one salesman telling a potential customer that he was behind on his quota, so if the prospect bought his product, his boss wouldn’t get on his case. The prospect threw him because he was not going to make a decision on whether the salesperson needed the sale. Think of it this way, if you believe your product is a perfect match for this customer, so will he. If you don’t, then why should the prospect.

So before you take the prospect's time, get into the game by getting organized, prepare for the meeting and then assume the sale.

Now that you are ready mentally and physically for the call, you need to know more about the 5 basic steps in the sales process. In future articles, I will cover them in more depth. The 5 steps are:

1. The opening statement or why am I taking up your time.
2. Ask questions. The more you know, the more you close.
3. Present benefits, not features
4. Overcome the objections. What do you mean, no?
5. Close the sale. And isn’t that what it’s all about.


About the Author:

With over 40 years in sales and marketing as well as owning over a dozen companies, Phil Gerber has developed a significant portfolio. He has utilized the principles developed through his experience to make his sales teams the most successful in their respected industry. He has literally “been there and done that”.

10 Killer Ways to Multiply Your Sales - Jessica VanderHaar

--------------------------------------------------------------
** Article: 10 Killer Ways to Multiply Your Sales - Jessica VanderHaar **
----------------------------------------------------------------

Business Owners are always trying to come up with ways to boost their sales. Here are some ideas to help you do just that.

1. Up sell
Use your order page to your advantage. When a customer places an order, use this as an opportunity to tell them about some related products that you have for sale. If interested, they can add any of the extra products to their original order.

2. When you complete your initial sale, you should always follow-up with your new customer. Following up with a "thank you" email is a great way to generate additional sales as you can include an advertisement for other products that you sell. You could follow-up with the customer every few months with new promotions / products that they may be interested in.

3. Coupons
You have completed your sale. You are shipping out the product purchased. Before you send out the product, take a moment to include a coupon for other related products that you sell. The customer is more apt to utilize your services again as you have already built trust with the quality product you have delivered and you have offered them a discount on a later purchase.

4. Catalog
Send your customers a catalog of add-on products for the original product they purchased. This could include upgrades, special services, attachments, etc. If they enjoy your product they will buy the extra add-ons.

5. Offer a Referral Program
Referral programs are becoming increasingly popular. The exact details of the referral program can be tailor-made for your purposes. Basically, this works by telling your customer that they can receive a rebate on the purchase price of their order by referring customers to your website. For every completed sale made from a referral, the original customer will receive a rebate off their original purchase price.

6. Affiliate Program Offers
Turn your customers into your own Internet Marketers. When you sell a product, give your customers the option of joining an affiliate program so that they can make commissions selling your products.

7. Sell the reprint/reproduction rights to your products. You could include an ad on or with the product for other products that you sell. You could make sales for the reproduction rights and sales on the back end product.

8. Cross Promotion
Cross promote your product with other businesses’ products in a package deal. Include your ad and/or flyer for other products that you sell and have other businesses selling for you.

9. Sell Gift Certificates
Selling gift certificates is a great way to boost sales. You make an initial sale of the gift certificate and when the recipient redeems the gift certificate they may also buy other items form your website.

10. Provide Freebies
Send your customers free products with their product package. The freebies should have your ad printed on them. The type of freebies you want to provide can be customized to fit your specialized service. Ideas include bumper stickers, pens, t-shirts, etc.

Whatever your business, utilizing some, if not all of the options provided is a sure-fire way to boost your sales and keep your customers coming back to you time and time again.


About the Author:
Jessica VanderHaar offers advise and resources on working from home at http://www.affiliatehomepro.com/

Inspirational Quotes for the Sales Professionals

----------------------------------------------------------------
*** Inspirational Quotes for the Sales Professionals ***
----------------------------------------------------------------

Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
-Mark Twain

Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
-Thomas Edison

Money doesn't make you happy. I now have $50 million, but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger

"All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy."

-- Wayne Dyer, Teacher

The Power of Determination By John M. Rowley

The Power of Determination
By John M. Rowley

”We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” --Jesse Owens

As a boy, I started reading stories that would ignite my spirit and spur me on. Later in life I would turn to my Zig Ziglar tapes and CD’s to do the same for me in my career. One of these stories from my childhood stands out in my mind some 35 years later as an example of what we can achieve if we don’t give up.

A little six year old boy had the job of heating his tiny country schoolhouse with his older brother. They came in early so the building was warm when everyone arrived. One February morning in 1916, the stove exploded, killing the older brother and leaving the little boy with incredible burns brutalizing the lower half of his body.

From his hospital bed the painfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor telling his mother that her son would surely die - which was for the best because the poor little boy would surely be a cripple. But this boy wasn’t quitting! He made up his mind then and there that he would survive.

Every day his mother would massage his little lifeless legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet the determination that he would walk was as strong as ever. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. Instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair, pulled himself across the grass and raised himself up on the picket fence. He then proceeded to drag himself along the fence, determined that he would walk again. He did this every day until he wore a path along the fence.

Through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk with assistance, then to walk by himself - and then - to run. He began to walk to school and then to run to school.

And run he did. This little boy that was told he would never walk again, made the track team in college and then one day in Madison Square Garden, this young man who was not expected to survive, who would absolutely never walk, who could never ever dream of running - this determined young man, Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest mile!

Is this story about you? Somehow the odds have been stacked against you and you have more to overcome than you ever thought? Well, take a lesson from Glenn Cunningham, massage your obstacles and then stand up and get going! If you can’t walk…then run! Set your mind to something and put all your energy into it and the world will not deny you! In fact, the world will somehow help!

John M. Rowley is the pioneer in combining peak performance principles with physical and spiritual disciplines for complete and lasting success. He is the author of Climb Your Ladder of Success: Without Running Out of Gas. For more information about John, visit his website at www.johnmrowley.com.

Prepare for Better Days Ahead By David Reed

Prepare for Better Days Ahead
By David Reed

What do we do now? With the “slow down” in the economy that some are predicting, unfortunately, many of you may find yourselves in one of three positions:

1. Gone and looking. You were “selected” to be part of a downsizing program at your employer and find yourself looking for your next opportunity.

2. Holding on. You work for a company that has seen a decline in orders or business, yet your organization is fortunate enough to be able to hold on to the employees.

3. Hold down the fort. The company you work for forecasted a reduction in revenue and implemented a staff reduction program. You are one of the employees left to continue getting the job done and you have more work to do than can be done in a day.

If you are in the third category, there was a word for you in the recent article “Preparing for a Recession” in the March 25, 2008, issue of this newsletter. If you are in the first two groups, this article is for you.

Many of us have been blessed to be working in industries that have enjoyed a long run of steady business. You may even have been quoted as saying: “Boy! I am ready for a break. When is it going to slow down around here?” Even though no one would like as significant of a slowdown as some people are predicting, we all enjoy those momentary periods to catch our breath.

No one feels that an economic recession or slow period will last forever. We all realize that it is part of a normal cycle of business. In most industries, when customers stop spending money, their needs or demands for services don’t go away, they are just delayed in placing the order or starting the project. Eventually, the sun will come out and the accountants open the purse strings and the orders start to flow.

So what can we be doing during this slow period to prepare for this coming age of new opportunities and increased business? If you are in the “Gone and Looking” category you should be doing two things in equal proportion:

1. Looking for work. Unless you are independently wealthy, we all will eventually need another paycheck. Start immediately working your network and looking for employers that are still hiring new talent. Resist that temptation to say: “I’m going to take some time off and then get started on the job hunt.” The hiring process can take months for some companies to work you through their pipeline.

Don’t be afraid to look in new directions. This may be God’s way of pushing you out of your nest and into a direction that is brighter than you could have imagined.

2. Improving your skills. With the electronic age, there are opportunities around every corner to obtain training and broaden your set of skills. For example, the Ziglar Vault is a very cost effective way to harness the knowledge of many others and build your value to a future employer. Spend at least half of your day reading a book or magazine, completing online training, or some other method of making you a more marketable and qualified candidate in the job market.


If you are in the “Holding On” group, take this opportunity to do the following:

1. Cross train. Just because you are fortunate to be working for a company that has the financial backing to ride out a decline in revenue, you are not guaranteed that in the future you will never have to be part of a cutback and pick up tasks previously performed by your co-workers.

If you are in a leadership position, the more you can cross train your workforce and reduce the holes in your corporate knowledge base, the better prepared you will be if you lose a key employee. Look for those areas where you have a single point of knowledge and assign someone else to shadow them and document what they do on a daily and monthly basis.

2. Train your staff. Unfortunately, it never seems that there is a good time to invest the time and financial resources to provide the needed training for your staff. A slow period of business is the perfect time to conduct the training classes you have been putting off because everyone was too busy to be away from their daily jobs.

You should view this period in the business cycle just as a sports team does the off season. They use the time when they are not competing to refresh and build skills. Rarely will you see a high performing professional athlete just sitting around during this time. They are in the gym or working out in their particular sport to help them prepare for that opening day. Once the season begins, it is difficult to do some of the re-tooling and sharpening of skills.

Are you doing everything you can to be ready for that “opening day” when the customers start calling and your products are again in high demand? Use this time wisely!

David Reed is the Founder of Customer Centered Consulting Group, which works with organizations of all sizes to improve their effectiveness through enhanced customer service, strong leadership, and simplified processes.

Problems vs. Opportunities By Zig Ziglar

Problems vs. Opportunities
By Zig Ziglar

Be grateful for your problems. We all frequently deal with people who complain about the trials and tribulations of their daily lives. Life seems to be one big problem for them. I would like to take a common-sense, realistic approach and address this mind-set. If there were no "problems" on your job, then your employer would hire a much less capable person than you to do the routine things that don't require much thought. In the business world, those who are able to solve complex problems are the ones who have the most value to the employer.

Many times the problems or challenges we face force us to grow and become more capable. The runner who trains for the mile run in the Olympics by running downhill will have no chance of winning the medal. The runner who trains by running uphill is far more likely to develop the speed, mental toughness and endurance which it takes to win the medal.

The best thing that ever happened to boxer Gene Tunney was that he broke both of his hands in the ring. His manager felt that he could never again punch hard enough to be the heavyweight champion. Instead, Tunney decided that he would become a scientific boxer and win the title as a boxer, not a slugger. Boxing historians will tell you that he developed into one of the best boxers who ever fought. They also will tell you that as a puncher, he would not have had a chance against Jack Dempsey, who was considered by many to be the hardest hitter in heavyweight history. Tunney would never have been champion had he not had the problem of his broken hands. Message: The next time you encounter a difficult climb, obstacle, "problem," you should smile and say, "Here's my chance to grow." Develop that kind of an attitude and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!


Zig Ziglar is a motivator and teacher. He is the author of 26 books and loved by millions of people world wide for his practical wisdom and his gift of hope.

Money and Manifesting - By Dyan Garris

---------------------------------------------------
*** Book Excerpt: Money and Manifesting - By Dyan Garris ***
---------------------------------------------------

The very first thing to understand about money is that we do not "make" money. We create and open pathways to the flow of the energy of money. Money is energy. In and of itself it has no power. The power it has is our perception that it has power, and this is what fuels the energy of money. These perceptions stem from illusion, perspectives, and deep seated belief systems.

If we understand these concepts as a basis, then we can begin to understand that we need to learn to open pathways of energy flow. Part of that process is learning how energy works, how we can utilize that energy, and subsequently learn to manifest.

What makes this book different is that you will learn how to actually transform energy and learn how to integrate energy and align the mind, body, and spirit so that the things you are manifesting can actually occur. This is called synchronicity.

The magic of synchronicity can't happen if your will isn't aligned with universal will because we cannot manifest from a place of ego, which is the place of wants, needs, and desires. This is the place where the mind decides what it wants irrespective of what the spirit came to do.

And synchronicity can't happen if you don't integrate and implement the learning. Reading about how to manifest is one thing. Thinking positive thoughts is another thing. But actually implementing and clearing a pathway for the energy to travel on, and then integrating, is quite another matter.

The energy of money resides in the root chakra. In order to manifest anything, we need to understand the chakra system, why it's a factor, and learn how to balance and clear our chakras and chakra system. You will learn how to do that here as well. It is not difficult. But it is integral to the process of manifesting anything.

And we will be breaking down the illusion of money as it relates to self-worth. Money as we know it is basically pieces of paper. Those that have learned to equate their intrinsic value and ultimate "success" with money should seriously consider when they became pieces of paper.

These illusions and perspectives have to do with learned patterns and belief systems; and here you will learn about these things, where they originated from, and what to do about them too.

We will go beyond positive thinking and "you are what you attract" and "you are what you think about." While those things are certainly true, just knowing about those or engaging in positive thinking doesn't take you to the next steps.

Positive thinking and affirmations do not necessarily lead you to learning how to actually create money flow in your life. You have to integrate the positive thoughts into your belief system as truth. They have to take true form in the chakra system and replace the old patterns. This is what we can then build a foundation on, and subsequently an amazing new house.

You will learn how to integrate the energy of mind, body, and spirit and thus be able to attract and create anything you choose, not just money.

I wrote the book the way I did for a reason. That is so that while you're reading it you're engaging left brain, right brain, and the different chakras as well. The book itself is an exercise in integration. And the characters each have blocks to manifesting. In one way or another, they are each in their own way of getting what they want.

Everything is a reflection; and if you can see yourself reflected here even in one small aspect, you will then have the keys to unlocking the doors to manifesting. All it takes is the knowledge of how to connect the dots, the ability to turn the key in the lock, and the willingness to step through the doors.

Synchronicity is what happens when the mind, body, and spirit are working together as a team.

Manifesting is bringing all layers of the etheric body, mind, physical body, and spirit together in synchronicity.

Value and worth are perceptions.

*****
Go here to learn more about "Money and Manifesting": http://www.moneyandmanifesting.com

The list price of this book is $14.99. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go here.

Getting Started Mentally in Business By Donna Davis

Getting Started Mentally in Business

By Donna Davis

Starting a home business is exciting and yet fears can pop up when starting anything new. Once you've made the decision to take control of your future, ask yourself these questions to mentally prepare to play the game to win.

1. What do you want to accomplish?

Do you want to earn a little extra money or a six-figure income? And by when? As the saying goes, you need to know where you're going if you're ever going to get there.

2. Do you have your goals written out?

I know we hear this all the time, but there is something very powerful about writing out our goals and having this on paper. It keeps us focused and on track.

3. Who is your target market?

"Everyone" is not a target market. Even if most people could use your product or service, narrowing who you want to reach allows you to be more effective in your advertising messages and actions.

4. How are you going to reach your market?

Through article writing, through ezine advertising, promoting through local groups or events, offline advertising? There are dozens of ways to market your business and many will take testing to determine the best avenue for you, but have a plan on how you want to get started. Then revise as you go.

5. What is your advertising budget?

If you're starting out on a shoestring, just know that it will take more word-of-mouth or creative ways to get your product or service in front of people. And if you have some funds for advertising, plan out how and where you can get the best value for your dollar.

6. How much time can you commit to your business each week?

Most of us have busy lives and it's important to block out specific times to work on our business if it's going to thrive. Remember, to be successful, you can work a home business part-time, but you can't work it in your spare time. Spare time never happens.

7. What are the most important activities that you can do to generate revenue? Focus on what will get you customers, other distributors or people on your mailing list. Don't get side-tracked with excessive organizing or revising your plan for the 20^th time. Determine what will get you results and go for it!

8. Do you have a mentor?

If you're already lost on some of these steps, partner with someone in your business that is experienced and already successful. Don't be afraid to ask for help and then follow what has proven to be successful.

9. What are you most afraid of?

Acknowledge your fears. Talk to your mentor about them. If you need more information to feel more professional, get that info, but don't get stuck in the "student" mode. Learn the basics and then jump in. The unknown can be scary and not everyone is going to be your next customer or distributor, but the best way to conquer any fear is to walk right through it.

10. Do you expect to win?

That may seem like a strange question, but are you really expecting success or are you just "hoping" to make it? Building a home business will help you grow personally in innumerable ways, if you're determined to succeed. If you're coachable and willing to work on yourself, you're embarking on a wonderful journey.

Taking a little time to answer these questions will start the creation of your initial plan. Then work with your mentor and have fun! Learn and modify as you go. Consistent, daily actions (whether big or small) will result in a strong, viable business for yourself and your loved ones.

In closing, here's a quote from Dr. Robert Anthony. "Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait. The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don't count." Create results!