ben settle Archives - The Sales Experiment

January 20, 2015 by Brett Leave a Comment

Why Gratitude is Important in Sales

Gratitude Gives Us an Abundance Mindset

When we are full of gratitude, we are full in general and we believe the world is full.

When we are not thankful and do not see the good gifts around us, we are fearful that what we do have will be taken from us and there are precious few morsels to go around. We’re like rats waiting outside the restaurant back door in hopes for a busted black garbage bag.

But practicing gratitude opens our eyes to possibilities, regardless of the area in life.

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For sales professionals, this is especially true as prospects can smell desperation a mile away. If we are, in the words of Bill Caskey from the Advanced Selling Podcast, “detached from the outcome”, then we have a more open-handed approach to any of our sales relationships.

It is my humble but accurate opinion (apologies to Ben Settle for using his phrase, but when you power listen to a podcast, terminology finds its ways into ones psyche) that learning to walk in gratitude has a direct correlation to being detached from outcomes.

If there are any attachments to outcomes, it’s less about needing the sale from a fearful, panicky mindset and more about feeling strongly about the change you can bring about in your potential client’s organization.

In other words, you might want the sale, but you want it out of a desire to create value more than a desire to grab value from the prospect.

So… Gratitude

What are you thankful for?
What individuals make your life sweeter?
What hobbies do you live for?
How about your spiritual life? Are you thankful for any life change you’ve experienced?
Are you thankful for where you live, who you live with, or your friends?

Consider reviewing James Altucher’s mental discipline of coming up with 10 ideas a day, but do it for the next 10 days, listing out 10 things you’re grateful for each day. Don’t repeat. That would give you 100 things you’re thankful for.

Here’s a short list from my world…

My wife
My kids
The Bible
My job
Long time friends from college and graduate school
My failures
My faith
Writing
My parents
The opportunity to work with nonprofits in my sales position

Now you… What are you grateful for?

This post is part of the free 10 Days to a Better Blog online workshop. You can click here to read more about it.

September 23, 2014 by Brett Leave a Comment

Should I Really Develop a Personal Prosperity Plan?

Every part of me winces at this idea of creating a ‘prosperity plan.’

And that’s exactly why I selected the exercise as today’s action item.

I wince a little less at developing a ‘success plan.’ When we start getting into a more generic ‘life plan’ idea, then I start loosening up some. And if we developed a personal mission and vision, I’m even more comfortable.

The fact is, though, that all of these things are basically the same thing: They are all visions of an ideal future combined with a targeted action plan to get to that ideal future.

The idea of ‘Prosperity’ doesn’t have to be Rolls-Royces and pet tigers on 18 karat gold leashes.

Prosperity can simply be a loving family, supportive friends, plenty of money to support the family, give to a few causes, and discipline enough to develop a lifestyle full of healthy habits.

Today’s Reading:

The Power of Consistency: Prosperity Mindset Training for Sales and Business Professionals by Weldon Long

Today’s Action Item: Create the first draft of a prosperity plan

The prosperity plan consists of identifying a vision for an ideal future, selecting 1-2 habits to support that vision, and then identifying limiting beliefs that hamper walking in those habits.

I’ve done this before. I’ve states my ideal future as if it already were (“I make X dollars and enjoy financial freedom.”). I’ve selected habits (I will make X cold calls a day to clients at X revenue.).

But I’ve not taken the time to identify limiting beliefs.

That was the most powerful parts of this action item. When I started really drilling down to beliefs that limit me in various areas, I started getting a better understanding of why I don’t always get the traction I need. It was like an onion of bad, unproductive thinking getting peeled and peeled and peeled.

One of my limiting beliefs? I’m scared of this idea of prosperity. Do I deserve it? Is it selfish to want it? Am I skilled enough at it? If I work toward it and fail, what does that say about my brain, discipline, etc?

The plan now is to start washing out the swamp of these thoughts with fresh, clear, empowering thinking.

That’s the daily piece of the prosperity plan: To find time for a daily review and visioning of those possibilities and to call out the limiting thoughts as they pop up to tell me those possibilities aren’t, well, possible.

I still cringe a little. It feels self-helpy, but I know that I need to dig in and continue to work through this prosperity planning exercise. It’s not about me as much as it’s about my family.

It’s All About Mindset

My biggest takeaway from reading this book is that my mindset needs to continually be overhauled. Right before I read much of the book yesterday, I said outloud to a friend, “I just don’t have the money-making gene. I got a screw loose in that part of my mind where people figure out how to make cash.”

I’ve told myself that lie a few things. They’ve mapped the human genome. There’s no such gene. Now it’s time to beat into my brain the possibilities as a smart guy in America. They’re virtually endless, and I owe it to my family and to anybody else that I’m fortunate enough to come across to leverage all opportunities that come across my path.

Let’s do this, right? You with me?

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Today’s Other Content

Episodes 30-32 from the Ben Settle Antipreneur Show – Wonderful content as usual. I especially love episode 30 – Email Players Rules, part 2. These rules are not at all ONLY for email copywriters. They apply across the board in business, in my humble opinion. And in some ways, their main benefit is time management. All of the rules help you focus in on the few things that make you most effective.

Until tomorrow….

If you’re unsure what this blog is about, please check out the first post where I explain the Dan Miller Challenge and what I’m committing to for the next 6 months.

September 8, 2014 by Brett 2 Comments

If Teaching Sells, then Find Somewhere to Teach

I’ve always considered myself a teacher. I used to dream of people standing on their desks and saying “O Captain, My Captain” to me when I finally retired after 50 years of pouring into young minds.

But alas, I’m not that kind of teacher. I still love to teach. Perhaps it gets in the way of my sales because I almost am more jazzed when a client or prospect finally understands some strange insurance concept than I do when they sign on the dotted line.

According to John Jantsch, though, in his interview with Michael Stelzner on the Social Media Marketing Podcast, teaching is an effective way to engage potential clients.

Financial planners do it all the time. They will put on those seminars in the side room at the local mid-range restaurant, gathering 20-30 prospective clients to share information about handling money, budgeting, and investing. It must work. At least Pappadeaux and the like are making some cash on the practice.

Since I love teaching. And I make a living selling. Why not harness my teaching and find opportunities to give presentations to my target audience?

Today’s Action: Make a List of Potential ‘Audiences’ and Reach Out to at least One of Them

I’ve given a few talks in the past and am sure I can come up with clear content.

The content is useless without an audience.

So, per John Jantsch’s challenge in the podcast, I shall seek opportunities to teach. Not only will I teach, but I’ll give away the farm. I agree that while some individuals will take my information and go do their own thing, many people just want to be able to trust someone. If I can show what I know, then perhaps I’ll be the trusted guy.

Where I might be able to find audiences:

Community Foundations: There are foundations all over Atlanta. Perhaps they’d want someone to deliver content to the nonprofits they distribute grants to?
Associations: Associations need to provide value to their members. I’d love to be part of their value.
LinkedIn Groups: Local based LinkedIn groups might be a good option.

I was able to come up with a few potential options right off the bat and reached out to one of them. We’ll see how this one goes.

If this works out, I’ll have to bone up on my Powerpoint of Keynote (but don’t worry, I’ve listened to enough Michael Hyatt to know not to use my ‘bullets to kill’… you know, death by Powerpoint and all that.