February 2008
Art of NetworkingBe sure to set your printer to "landscape" mode before printing.
Art of Networking
"Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship. Relationships are key to the way we network in BNI. Stephen Covey is a personal friend of mine and a supporter of BNI. I highly recommend The Speed of Trust to every BNI member." — Dr. Ivan Misner
To Trust or Not to Trust
 |
When you're dealing with trust, it seems there are two extremes. On one end of the spectrum, people don't trust enough. They're suspicious. They hold things close to the vest. Often, the only people they really trust are themselves.
On the other end, people are too trusting. They're totally gullible. They believe anyone, trust everyone. They have a simplistic, naive view of the world, and they don't even really think (except superficially) about the need to protect their interests.
Extending trust can bring great results. It also creates the possibility of significant risk. The decision to trust or not to trust is always an issue of managing risk and return. So how do you hit the "sweet spot"? How do you extend trust in a way that maximizes the dividends and minimizes the risk?
Life is filled with risk. However, as noted historian and law professor Stephen Carter has observed: "Civility has two parts: generosity when it is costly, and trust, even when there is risk." The objective, then, is not to avoid risk. In the first place, you can't; and in the second place, you wouldn't want to because risk taking is an essential part of life and leadership. Instead, the objective is to manage risk wisely—to extend trust in a way that will avoid the "taxes" and create the greatest "dividends" over time.
Learning how to extend what I call "Smart Trust" is a function of two factors—your propensity to trust and your analysis. "Propensity to trust" is primarily a matter of the heart. It's the tendency, inclination, or predisposition to believe that people are worthy of trust and a desire to extend it to them freely. "Analysis" is primarily a matter of the mind. It's the ability to analyze, evaluate, theorize, consider implications and possibilities, and come up with logical decisions and solutions.
As you think about these two factors—"propensity to trust" and "analysis"—how would you rate yourself on each? Do you typically tend to trust people easily—or do you tend to be suspicious and hold things close? Do you tend to analyze, theorize, and ponder over things—or do you give problems your cursory attention and then move on?
While extending trust to other people always brings with it some risk, the often greater risk that's frequently ignored is what happens when managers don't extend trust to others. These managers usually incur much larger taxes than they think—including bureaucracy, politics, disengagement, and turnover—and they often lose the dividends that flow from extending trust, such as innovation, collaboration, partnering and loyalty. Sadly, their suspicion sometimes even helps produce the very behaviors they fear, which further validates their suspicion.
By treating people as if they can't be trusted, they help to create a collusive, downward cycle of distrust. And this is one reason why—in this "flat world" global economy—not trusting people is often the greatest risk of all.
With regard to "propensity to trust," I once knew a business owner who was so suspicious that his employees might be stealing from him, that he would literally interrogate them almost daily. He would even do occasional spot "frisk checks" when they left the office. This man was convinced that people were trying to steal from him. In reality, no one was, but his suspicious actions drove away his most talented people who wouldn't tolerate working in such a distrustful environment or for such a suspicious boss.
With regard to "analysis," it's helpful to consider three vital variables, which you can do by asking these questions:
1. What is the opportunity (the situation or task at hand)?
2. What is the risk involved? (Possible outcomes? Likelihood of outcomes? Importance of outcomes?)
3. What is the credibility (character and competence) of the people involved?
Smart Trust doesn't mean that you extend trust to everyone. Based on the circumstances, your judgment may be to not extend trust or to extend only a limited measure of trust. In extending trust, the general guideline is to extend trust conditionally to those who are earning it and abundantly to those who have already done so. Keep in mind that even when you extend trust abundantly, there should still always be clear expectations and accountability because those are principles that actually enhance trust.
I affirm that in our "flat world" economy, the ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust is the key professional and personal competency of our time. And the ability to exercise Smart Trust is a vital part of that competency. It will enable you to create a powerful balance and synergy between analysis and the propensity to trust, which, in turn, will produce the judgment that enables you to effectively leverage yourself and to inspire the talent, creativity, synergy, and highest contribution of others.
 |
 |
Really: The Referral Process Is Not Difficult to Measure!
Most everyone who has ever tried to keep a truly accurate count of how many "cold calls" led to actual cash-in-your-pocket sales knows that this is not an easy task.
The good news: It is actually quite easy to measure success from referrals! We know this because we've designed a networking scorecard for tracking referrals and the business that results from them. You might want to develop a similar one for your own use.
On this card you record the nature and source of each referral, how you followed up on it, how you handled it, how you conducted your networking activities (i.e., Did you provide your referral source or contact an article of interest? A thank-you note? A phone call? Lunch? Business?) as well as the end result of these activities. It's not that hard to analyze what you did and how successful you were in getting business from your referrals!
The referral process is about committing to a series of actions designed to create a result (not only for you, but for the other people involved) and then measuring it and improving the system. As long as you track your activities, it's not that hard to measure the results.
The Tipping Point
There's a concept we use that's related to the "tipping point" idea for referrals. What's the difference between 211 and 212? At first glance, you might think, Not much. But there is actually a huge difference: At 211, you just have some hot water … but at 212, you have boiling water.
What can you do with 211-degree water other than make bad coffee and warm up a hot dog? Not too much else. But with 212-degree water, you can make great coffee, sterilize dishes, and start the Industrial Revolution!
Can you feel the difference between 211-degree and 212-degree water by sticking your finger in them? Probably not. But one degree makes a world of difference.
A lot of networkers spend a lot of time "warming up" their referral sources, but since they can't tell the difference between someone who is and is not quite ready to refer, they waste time and energy on the wrong person. This is why it is extremely important to have a system in place for measuring actions and their results.
How do you know when you've done enough to get a referral from a potential source? When you track the results, in many instances you will be able to tell what specific action of yours "tipped the scales" from a potential sale or client to real results. Maybe it was your last thank-you note that made a solid referral source out of your contact. Or maybe it was that tip on a special deal she could get from a new vendor.
You can't measure feelings per se, but you can discover what made the difference between zero and success. Armed with this knowledge, you can replicate your success at other times and in other settings. In networking, of course, people are different and situations change, but if you track the results under different conditions, you'll begin to see patterns that will show you how to handle your network.
No Tracking System, No Control
If you choose not to track your results, or perhaps do not track them consistently, you're essentially giving up control of your referral networking—which is okay if what you're interested in is shrugging off your own responsibility and finding other people to blame for your failures.
If you can't connect success or failure to your own activities, it's easy to say, "This would have worked if my referral source had prepared the prospect!" Or "The reason I failed is that nobody told me what I needed to know!" In reality, your failure to adequately train your referral partners and gather the information you needed to know is directly tied to your failure to set up a way to measure results.
Good referral networking is a lot like luck. As most people realize over time (some sooner than others), "good luck" happens to those who have worked hard to prepare for it. If something happens "by chance," such as a good referral, go back and track it. There was probably some series of events (over which you either did or could have had control) that brought you the "good luck."
Even though we admit that, every now and then, for reasons you can't document, you'll get some business out of the blue—even a blind squirrel can find a nut sometimes—it's hard to write a business plan around that. ("I've got this great business, doing millions of dollars. How do I do it? I don't know. Want to do business with me?") Don't be blind to your referral marketing; make sure to plan this part of your business.
The networking scorecard mentioned in this article is part of the Certified Networker Program offered by The Referral Institute. For more information, visit www.referralinstitute.com. For more information on "the tipping point" and the difference one degree can make, read Malcom Gladwell's book, The Tipping Point.
Called the father of modern networking by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. His latest "New York Times" best selling book, Masters of Sales, can be viewed at www.MastersBooks.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached at misner@bni.com.
BNI in the News
BNI's 2nd Annual International Networking Week™ Video Released in January 2008
UPLAND, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—International Networking Week™, designed to raise the profile of networking and celebrate the key role that it plays in the success of businesses worldwide, is approaching quickly. Being the 2nd Annual International Networking Week, many people may have questions about what exactly this week of events is and why it has come into existence.
A video has now been released in which BNI's Founder & Chairman, Dr. Ivan Misner, gives a message highlighting the importance of International Networking Week™ and emphasizing the reasons for its development. The information contained within Misner's message not only answers a bounty of questions surrounding International Networking Week™, it also provides very useful background and advice about the practice of business networking in general.
Click here to read the article.
Networking Key to Growing a New Business
Janine Schroeder worked in the legal field for both law firms and corporations for more than 15 years. When she was offered a buyout by Ford Motor Co. last year, she jumped at the chance. It was a way to help fund a startup business she had already been thinking about.
"I just didn't know how to find customers," Schroeder said.
With the help of business networking resources, she learned. As founder and president of Equilibria L.L.C., a Mt. Clemens-based research and information services firm, Schroeder has built her business largely on referrals through a number of groups such as BNI.
Click here to read the article.
BNI-Misner Charitable Foundation Joins Forces with Red Cross to Help Fire Victims
The BNI-Misner Foundation, a non-profit program created by BNI (the world's largest professional business networking organization) in 1998 to support charitable causes, has made the first of many upcoming contributions to the Red Cross. These donations will go toward California wildfire relief efforts.
During the BNI International Directors' Conference in November of 2007, Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chairman of BNI, presented a check for $15,000 to the San Diego Red Cross on behalf of the BNI-Misner Foundation. The Foundation's wildfire fund is set to make several more donations to the Red Cross for various other areas of California that were hit hard by the devastating fires of last fall.
Click here to read the article.
Business Networks Gain from Givers
On a recent Thursday morning, 16 people gathered for breakfast at Minerva's in Rapid City. They drank coffee, chatted and traded tips on possible business prospects.
They represented a variety of ages and occupations—including an attorney, an optometrist, a hair salon owner, a financial planner, a decorator, a print shop operator, a car salesman, a dentist, an insurance agent and a chiropractor.
But this group was more than an ordinary coffee klatch. It's the weekly meeting of the Black Hills chapter of Business Network International.
Click here to read the article.
International Networking Week™ Video Released in January 2008
International Networking Week™, designed to raise the profile of networking and celebrate the key role that it plays in the success of businesses worldwide, is approaching quickly. Since it's only the second annual International Networking Week™, many people may have questions about this week of events and why it has come into existence.
A new video is now available online to explain everything about this celebratory networking week.
Click here to read the article.
 |
Remember to Invite: Keep Your Message Clear and Active
During a BNI chapter meeting, the educational coordinator, Mary, made a convincing presentation about the importance of inviting new members so the chapter would grow. Paul, a new member, noticed that the wording she used actually weakened her message.
She closed her presentation with these thoughts:
• "Make sure you don't forget to invite visitors."
• "Don't forget the upcoming BNI extravaganza membership drive."
• "We can't fail if we keep inviting."
• "Make sure you don't miss the chance to qualify for the grand prize."
Paul recalled the communication skills program "Remember the Ice … and Other Paradigm Shifts" he recently came across. It taught him how to accomplish more goals by articulating his thoughts in a clear, precise manner.
Remembering the Beginnings of "Remembering the Ice"
Bob recalls, "Remember the Ice" is a simple concept that became clear to me one day (July 1991) while visiting a convenience store in Phoenix, AZ. Above the cash registers, the manager, Rick, had hung a couple of signs that read, "Don't Forget the Ice!"
Rick's intention was to encourage his patrons to buy more ice during the hot desert summer. One day I made a purchase and asked Rick how his ice sales were going. Less than desirable, he admitted.
"Rick, do you have a couple of pieces of paper and a magic marker?" I inquired. He gave me the items, and I quickly made two new signs for him. The new signs stated: "Remember the Ice!"
When I returned to the store a few weeks later, Rick told me sales were great.
I smiled and explained what I had done: "If I say, 'Don't think of the color blue,' what color will you think of?" Rick said, "Blue, of course."
I smiled and said, "Of course."
"Now if I say, 'Don't forget the ice!', what will you forget?"
"Hmmmm, the ice," he admitted.
Clear Up the Confusion
Looking back at Mary's words from earlier, here is the confusion they created:
"Make sure you don't forget to invite visitors."
Registers as:
"Make sure you forget to invite visitors."
"Don't forget the upcoming BNI extravaganza membership drive."
Registers as:
"Do forget the upcoming BNI extravaganza membership drive."
"We can't fail if we keep inviting."
Registers as:
"We can fail if we keep inviting."
"Make sure you don't miss the chance to qualify for the grand prize."
Registers as:
"Make sure you do miss the chance to qualify for the grand prize."
Look at the confusion that is created by using the words don't and can't. Why choose to weaken your message when it is just as easy, and so much more powerful, to make your point clearly?
"Remember the Ice" is a comprehensive program that teaches you about the power of word choice. It will help you pay attention to the words you use to articulate your message and to focus on eliminating one (k)not at a time.
When you eradicate these faulty words from your vocabulary—not, don't, can't, won't, wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't—your message will be stronger, more precise, and help you attract more of what you want. Reframe your thoughts and retrain your brain to use empowering words, like can, do, will, and yes. The results will astound you.
Passive to Active
Back at the BNI meeting, Paul talked to Mary about rephrasing her statements to the members. He suggested the following strong reminders:
• Remember to invite visitors to every meeting. They are the lifeblood of the group.
• Remember the upcoming BNI membership drive extravaganza. You may qualify to win the grand prize trip for two to New Orleans.
• Stay focused on inviting guests every week and we will succeed.
• Sponsor a new member and make sure you qualify for the grand prize.
Now these once passive expressions have become imperative calls to action.
You, too, can learn to articulate a clearer message with your fellow members, prospective visitors, existing clients and co-workers—anyone who is important to the growth of your BNI chapter. It will help you develop your power teams and expand your sphere of influence.
"Remember the Ice" is an essential tool for accomplishing more goals because it teaches you to articulate your thoughts and convey your message in a clear, precise manner. You will eliminate confusion and gain confidence in your message, and ultimately attract more of what you want.
Bob Nicoll has a passion for linguistics and empowering word choices. Since completing his Bachelors Degree in Psychology in 1972 and Masters in Counseling in 1974, he has focused his energies on studying the power of word choice: The Psychophysiology of Words.
He has been involved with BNI since 1989 when he was assisting Norm Dominguez as an Ambassador in the Phoenix, AZ market. He is now the Assistant Director of BNI Alaska and working with Executive Director Kelly Fisher in growing that region.
Bob is making a special offer to all BNI members. You can order your copy of "Remember the Ice … and Other Paradigm Shifts" and save $5.00 off the regular price of $50.00. The program consists of two 50-minute CDs, a 40-minute DVD and a 20-page workbook. You also receive a blue "Remember the Ice" wristband to wear as a reminder to focus on your word choice as you articulate your thoughts. (The program is priced at $49.00 and the wristband is $1.00)
In addition, Bob will be donating $5.00 of each purchase to the BNI-Misner Foundation.
You will be prompted to enter the two-word philosophy of BNI to identify yourself as a BNI member making you eligible for the discount. Thank you for your interest in "Remember the Ice … and Other Paradigm Shifts," and thank you for supporting the BNI-Misner Foundation.
Comments about Remember the Ice:
"Deliberate Diction: As my high school students would say, Bob Nicoll rocks. As a teacher of writing and communication, I think Bob's message regarding the importance of word choice resonates with clarity, purpose, and vision and shows how language can create positive energy in one's life."
~ Sharon Winzeler - Raleigh, NC ~
"His charisma and energy inspires people. Whether describing something he feels passionate about; speaking at a business function or talking about his weekend, he helps people take action and moves them towards accomplishing their goals. His ability to shift the energy of the room, to gently nudge people past the current paradigm they typically align with, is a passion, and a gift."
~ Megan Gruhl, Organic Writer ~
My BNI Story
 |
With each new year, our business leadership team takes time to reflect on practices that were and weren't successful from the previous year. I am proud to say when it comes to our marketing, being an ACTIVE participant of BNI is by far the most successful tool we utilize.
During 2007, my company, Burnside Body Shop, received over $80,000 worth of new business from BNI referrals. We are a prime example of "You get what you give." I was part of the core group, which started our chapter about three years ago. I have served on the chapter leadership team, visited other chapters, taken part in every BNI special event that I could, and have received a number of Notable Networker Awards for the referrals I have given. I am now an area director and enjoy facilitating the growth of other chapters. And, our office manager is a member of another Modesto chapter.
Our business recognizes the true value of BNI and what it offers to its members. The only thing you have to do as a BNI member is to embrace the motto "Givers Gain" and soon it will be returned to you, too!
Submitted by Stephanie Burnside, Burnside Body Shop, BNI Modesto Nooners Chapter
 |
"The more people you get on board, the more everyone makes," says Jeff Goldsberry, owner of Let It Shine, a lighting business in Bloomington, Indiana. After joining BNI in the last week of September 2007, he generated 17 referrals in October for other members of his Central Indiana chapter, Hoosier Success.
He's also found that referrals from his fellow members have made a real difference in his business: "My sales have increased by $800 a week, all from BNI referrals. That's over $9300 in new business in 11 weeks."
Goldsberry started his business of color correcting lighting and energy solutions in June of 2001. He and his wife are the only employees.
Since he began his business, Goldsberry has always made it a habit to help others. Duke Energy, the region's power company, recently informed him that he gives out more rebate applications than anyone else in South-Central Indiana.
What's his motivation? Goldsberry states, "It's like what BNI Founder Ivan Misner says: Givers Gain. It's so easy; it's just conversational—you're just helping people."
Submitted by Jill Bode, "The Central Indiana PR Chick"
 |
I am a proud member of the first BNI chapter in Bangalore, India: Awesome Chapter.
My respect for BNI increased after I watched many of the special presentations offered online. The content of that day was rich; I have never felt this good after a day-long conference.
Thanks to people like Niraj Shah and Niri Patel and all the fantastic people behind BNI—budding entrepreneurs like me have a great medium to leverage. Thank you once again for your amazing vision and for helping us grow, not by little steps but by giant leaps.
Submitted by Sandeep Nanu, CBEYOND, The Newsletter Specialists
 |
BNI is awesome. It has given credence to my age-old belief in word-of-mouth referrals. Business is about trust and credibility—the same side of the coin. Reliability and familiarity are the other side. People tend to work with familiar and trusted people. I feel privileged to lead the Awesome Chapter—BNI's first chapter in Bangalore, India. It has changed my way of working completely. Instead of focusing on my own business needs, I'm learning and helping another 30 businesses! My business, Fraser Techno Circuits Limited, is beginning to reap the benefits. I am receiving referrals and inquiries from sectors I have never worked with.
Submitted by Narendra Damani, BNI Awesome Chapter
Benefitting from the Networking Secrets CD
I recently listened to the BNI Networking Secrets CDs. From my experience as a BNI director and member in Western Pennsylvania, I have learned that a new member's maximum success depends on getting education on how to work the BNI system. Member Success Program (MSP) is an excellent program. Sometimes, however, because of schedule conflicts and a lack of a sense of urgency, members wait 30 to 60 days to attend. I've heard many new members say that it would have been highly beneficial to attend the training sooner and wished they had done so.
The BNI Networking Secrets CDs is a phenomenal addition to our education toolkit. Dr. Ivan Misner gives the basics of the BNI system and explains not only the nuts and bolts, but the "whys" behind the system. If a new member leaves their first meeting after induction and listens to the CDs right away, they will jump start their membership even before they attend MSP. It's incredible to hear the material we deliver in MSP directly from the founder of BNI. He has an unparalled ability to communicate the philosophy and spirit of the organization and how to make it work for you.
I also recommend it for seasoned members. Successful members attend MSP on a regular basis for refreshers and also attend Advanced Training sessions.
I highly recommend the BNI Networking Secrets CD set.
Linda Schumacher, Assistant Director, BNI of Western Pennsylvania
Breaking News
 |
February 4 – 8, 2008
International Networking Week™ is an initiative BNI started in 2007. In 2008, International Networking Week™ will feature a number of networking events across the world.
The goal of the week is to celebrate the key role networking plays in the development and success of businesses across the world.
Simultaneous events will be held globally to celebrate International Networking Week™.
Visit http://www.internationalnetworkingweek.com to learn more and visit YouTube to watch an 8-minute video about BNI's International Networking Week™ initiative.
BNI Breaks 5,000 Chapters!
What a great way to finish 2007: passing the 100,000-member and 5,000-chapter mark in the same year!
As dawn settled in Western Europe on December 6th, 2007, BNI's 4,998th chapter chartered in Portugal—the BNI Collippo Chapter in Leiria, Portugal—joined the global team. Many thanks to Directors Cecilia Reis, Victor Goncalves and National Director Hélder Falcão in Portugal.
A few hours later, the 4,999th chapter chartered in the East Anglia Region of the United Kingdom. It is the Innovation BNI Norwich Chapter. Congrats to Area Director Tim Gale and Executive Director James Cruickshank on this accomplishment.
Drum roll!! In Sacramento, CA, USA, eight hours later, the 5,000th chapter chartered. It is the BNI Rock Stars Chapter. We congratulate Director Everett Worthington and Executive Directors Eva and John Lisle.
End of year count: 5,010 chapters, 103,607 members and an average of 20.7 members per chapter.
The pace has been set for 2008!
Submitted by Norm Dominguez, CEO, BNI
 |
Best selling author Marci Shimoff is a good friend of BNI's. She recently wrote a book we recommend called Happy for No Reason.
While money doesn't buy happiness, studies show that happiness buys money!
In Happy for No Reason, you'll learn seven steps to quickly raise your level of happiness. Sales people, from networking personnel to direct marketers, can greatly increase their success by following Marci's direction on setting their "happiness set-point."
Marci Shimoff's six bestselling titles have been met with stunning success, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide in 33 languages. They have been on the New York Times bestseller list for 108 weeks. Her new book, Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out, can be ordered by clicking here.
Save the Date
Brian Tracy will be presenting at the BNI International Directors Conference in Long Beach, California. This special event will be held on Friday, November 16, 2008, and is open to both directors and members. Since seating will be limited, registration will be required. Look for more information and registration materials to be sent out in the spring.
 |
Participating and organizing business networks is part of Paul and Sarah Edwards' seventeenth book: Middle Class Lifeboat: Careers and Lifestyles for Navigating a Changing Economy.
Ivan Misner says, "Middle Class Lifeboat is the essential handbook on how to consistently thrive in the face of a fluctuating and uncertain economy."
The 576-page book explains more than 50 emerging and tried-and-true careers, dos and don'ts for pursuing nine exciting lifestyles, from the radical to the basic, and imaginative options to reduce basic expenses by using cashless ways to extend your income.
Middle Class Lifeboat can be previewed and purchased from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
 |
Having a book in print gives you a certain amount of credibility and visibility, but for gaining the national spotlight and the opportunity to talk about your products or services—nothing beats a bestselling book. So how can your book achieve bestseller status? Watch this new video in which Dr. Misner explains how he became a bestselling author with Promote A Book.
To watch the video now, please visit: http://www.Promoteabook.com.
BNI in XING
XING makes your professional network an active part of your life. Far more than a directory of business contacts, XING enables its members to discover professional people, opportunities and privileges through its unique discovery capability and advanced contact management tools.
With the successful IPO of XING as the first Web 2.0 company to go public, XING AG has had a long-term impact on the social networking trend amongst professionals. By focusing on the target group "business people worldwide," the company is able to offer tailored features, thereby making networking and contact management simpler. Besides Headquarters in Hamburg, XING AG also has offices in Barcelona (eConozco, Neurona) and Beijing.
XING. Powering Relationships.
With XING you can:
• Find decision makers and experts fast.
• Open doors to thousands of companies.
• See your contacts' contacts.
• Market yourself in a professional context.
• Open up new sales channels.
• Find old student friends and former colleagues.
• Let other people find you.
• Manage and expand your network.
XING is committed to powering relationships based on trust for all professional people. Based on the theory that "no two people are more than six degrees apart," XING enables members to grow their trusted network by making their contacts' contacts visible to them.
As an active and productive community, XING constantly strives to create real value for the world's professionals, as an everyday online and live resource - across all countries, languages and industries. XING crosses barriers - for a sustainable world.
I am responsible in XING for the PortugalBiz, a Business Club dedicated to expand Portugal throughout the World. On behalf of BNI, I created a BNI Club in every language available, making it possible for BNI worldwide users to join the group and network, while using their own language and settings.
I encourage you to visit www.xing.com and get started making contacts worldwide.
Submitted by Hélder Falcão
Words of Wisdom From Brian Tracy
BNI Members get 25% off BTU course fees. For more information, please click, call or e-mail: www.briantracyu.com/bnimembers; (866) 505-8345, Extension 21; bni@briantracyu.com
 |
You have heard the old saying, "The more you do of what you are doing, the more you will get of what you've got."
Your goal should be to make 2008 your most productive and highest paid year so far, until 2009. To achieve this goal, you will have to do something different from what you are doing today.
There are only four ways that you can change your business and your life. Here they are:
1. You can do more of certain things. What are the things that you should do more of? Obviously you should do more of the things that are working the very best for you already.
You should use more of the marketing and sales methods that are getting you face to face with the best customers, the ones that buy the most readily and who most appreciate the special features and benefits of your products and services.
It is amazing how many sales people lose track of their most effective selling methods, including networking on a regular basis with other sales professionals in your area, and do something new, different, and unproven. Then they are surprised when their sales drop and their income declines. Sometimes, the very best thing you can do is to get back to doing what is already working the very best for you.
2. You can do less of other things. Many people fall into a comfort zone of doing things that are not working particularly well. But because they are comfortable doing them, they continue doing them.
You only have so many hours each day. If you spend your time doing things of low value, that time is no longer available to you to do things of higher value. You must be continually thinking about the value of your time, every minute of every day. You should do less and less of those things that are giving you few results, so that you have more time to do more of those things that are giving you better results.
3. You can start something brand new. In a time of turbulence and rapid change, with customers, markets, prices, demand, and competition changing every day, you must continually be open to starting something you have never done before.
Jack Welch once said, "Our greatest competitive advantage is our ability to learn and apply new ideas before our competition."
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to commit yourself to being an aggressive, continuous, life-long student of the profession of selling. It is amazing how many people come up to me at my seminars and tell me that one method or technique that they learned at a previous seminar, or from a training program of mine, had changed their selling careers. They had doubled and tripled their incomes; they had gone from rags to riches. They had started their own businesses and become millionaires. And it was all because of a single, simple idea that they had learned through continuous study. You should do the same.
4. You can stop certain things altogether. Use the zero-based thinking question everyday and apply it to every sales and business activity. "Is there anything in my life that, knowing what I now know, I would not start up again today?"
Look over all of your business activities and be willing to eliminate any activity that you would not start up again given your current state of knowledge and experience.
Many people are lemmings. They will continue running in the same direction, doing the same things, getting fewer and fewer results, until they go over the financial cliff.
Top people are always open to the possibility and the need of doing something completely different. They are willing to stop doing whatever no longer works. They don't get stuck in a "comfort zone." They are willing to take the risks and the potential failure that go with embarking on any new course of action.
This is going to be a wonderful year for people who make it a wonderful year. Throughout your day you should continually ask the question, "Is there anything in my life that I should do more of, less of, start, or stop?"
These questions will help keep you on track and become one of the highest paid people in your industry.
About Brian Tracy:
Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.
Brian Tracy has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 4,000,000 people in 4,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 46 other countries worldwide. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year.
Brian has studied, researched, written and spoken for 30 years in the fields of sales, entrepreneurship, economics, history, business, philosophy and psychology. He is a top-selling author of 42 books that have been translated into 35 languages and which are sold in 52 countries.