Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Preface
Acknowledgements
WEEK 1 - START NOW
DO THE HARDEST THING FIRST
TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DO
REMAIN POSITIVE
WORK FOR TODAY, TOMORROW, AND YOUR FUTURE
STICK TO IT
WEEK 2 - STAY PUT
WEEK 3 - CULTIVATE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET
PROCURE TOOLS AND RESOURCES
MARKET YOURSELF
HIRE EMPLOYEES (ASSISTANTS)
BUILD A SALES TEAM
WEEK 4 - PROJECT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE
SEEK OUT POSITIVE IDEAS
BANISH NEGATIVITY AND SELF-DEFEATISM
MASTER THE ART OF POSITIVE TALK
WEEK 5 - SET GOALS
ASSOCIATE WITH FELLOW GOAL SETTERS
SET A GOAL
SET A DEADLINE
BREAK DOWN YOUR GOAL INTO MILESTONES
WEEK 6 - DEVISE A PLAN
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
MARKET FOCUS
SITUATION ANALYSIS
VISION STATEMENT
REVENUE PROJECTIONS
BUDGET
START-UP MONEY
WEEK 7 - DEVELOP SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES
DOCUMENT YOUR JOB
IDENTIFY PROCEDURES
DELEGATE THE WORK
WEEK 8 - HIRE AN ASSISTANT
RECRUIT ASSISTANTS
SCREEN THE CANDIDATES
VISUAL OR VIRTUAL?
RETAIN YOUR BEST ASSISTANTS
WEEK 9 - PRIORITIZE
STEPHEN’S NOT-SO-SECRET SECRET
REDISCOVER YOUR A-B-Cs
DAY JOB, NIGHT JOB
WEEK 10 - KNOW YOUR PRODUCT
USE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE . . . IF POSSIBLE
RECRUIT REFERRALS
WEEK 11 - KNOW YOUR CLIENTS
WHO’S REALLY YOUR CLIENT?
USE WHAT YOU SELL
PARTICIPATE IN CONSUMER COMMUNITIES
CONSULT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS
LEARN YOUR CUSTOMER’S BUSINESS
GATHER FEEDBACK FROM CLIENTS
WEEK 12 - RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS
BE A SALESPERSON, NOT AN ORDER TAKER
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS KEY
BECOME A PROBLEM SOLVER
WEEK 13 - UNDER-PROMISE, OVER-DELIVER
ASK!
UNCOVER SOFT EXPECTATIONS
FOLLOW UP
THINK TOTAL SERVICE
WEEK 14 - LEVERAGE THE POWER OF YOUR DISABILITIES
IDENTIFY YOUR ABILITIES AND DISABILITIES
IDENTIFY THE POSITIVE IN YOUR DISABILITIES
WEEK 15 - TURN PROBLEMS INTO OPPORTUNITIES
LOOK FOR TROUBLE
BECOME A PROBLEM SOLVER
LOOK FOR PROBLEMS IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS, TOO
WEEK 16 - BRAND YOURSELF: YOU, INC.
NAILING DOWN MY BRAND
ASSEMBLE A MARKETING PACKET
WEEK 17 - ENGAGE IN SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION
FOCUS ON SELF-PROMOTION
MAKE IT A PRIORITY
START ON THE INTERNET
DISTRIBUTE REGULAR PRESS RELEASES
DRAW FREE PUBLICITY AND POSITIVE PRESS
INVEST IN PAID ADVERTISING
WEEK 18 - SEE BUSINESS WHERE IT ISN’T
IDENTIFY UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED MARKETS
TRAIN YOUR MIND TO SPOT OPPORTUNITIES
BUILD BUSINESS SYNERGIES
WEEK 19 - BRAINSTORM PROBLEM SOLVING WITH YOUR STAFF
ASK FOR HELP
DON’T GET HUNG UP ON HIERARCHY
FOSTER A PROBLEM-SOLVING ATMOSPHERE
THINK ENDS, NOT MEANS
WEEK 20 - FOCUS ON YOUR CLIENTS’ SUCCESS
YOUR SUCCESS IS MY SUCCESS
SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS
YOUR MISSION STATEMENT
WEEK 21 - WRITE NOTES TO YOUR CLIENTS
WEEK 22 - LAUNCH YOUR WEEKLY HOUR OF POWER—100 CALLS IN 60 MINUTES
HARVESTING PEARLS CALLED REFERRALS
NO SELLING!
NO INTERRUPTIONS!
KEEP A TALLY SHEET
WEEK 23 - MASTER THE 10-10-20 TECHNIQUE
THE TECHNIQUE
ANOTHER WAY TO NETWORK
ADJUST THE TECHNIQUE
WEEK 24 - HONE YOUR NETWORKING SKILLS
WEEK 25 - MARKET YOUR HOME-BASED BUSINESS
BARGAIN FOR AN ADVANTAGE
NICHE MARKETING
SEEK FEEDBACK CONSTANTLY
BE CONSISTENT
SET ASIDE TIME EVERY WEEK FOR MARKETING
WEEK 26 - MASTER A NEW TECHNOLOGY
WEEK 27 - EXPLORE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES ON THE INTERNET
BUILD YOUR OWN WEB SITE
BUILD COMMUNITIES THROUGH BLOGGING
DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEB SITES AND BLOGS
ADD A SIGNATURE FILE TO YOUR E-MAIL MESSAGES
WEEK 28 - REWARD YOURSELF
CREATE A REWARD COLLAGE
REWARD YOURSELF BEFORE A SALE
FINE-TUNE YOUR REWARD SYSTEM
WEEK 29 - FIND A BETTER PLACE TO MEET YOUR CLIENTS
CHOOSE A PLACE WITH THE RIGHT AMBIENCE
SET THE STAGE
NAVIGATE AN OFFICE MEETING
WEEK 30 - IMPROVE THE WAY YOU ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS
ASK QUESTIONS THAT REQUIRE SOME EXPLANATION FROM YOUR CLIENT
TRY TO ANSWER A QUESTION WITH A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN
BREAK DOWN BAD NEWS INTO TERMS THAT ARE EASIER TO ACCEPT
WEEK 31 - PERFECT YOUR TELE-SALES SKILLS
MAKE A LOT OF CALLS
NO SCRIPTS
THE “MIRRORING” TECHNIQUE
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN YOU CALL
WEEK 32 - SHADOW A TOP-PRODUCING SALESPERSON
MY SALES MENTORS
IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE MENTORS
HIRE A SALES COACH
WEEK 33 - TEAM UP WITH A PERSONAL PARTNER
CHOOSE A PARTNER
DEVELOP A PLAN
MEET WITH YOUR PARTNER
WEEK 34 - HOOK UP WITH A MENTOR
MENTORS IN THE FAMILY
MENTORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
MENTORS IN YOUR OFFICE
WEEK 35 - JOT DOWN IDEAS FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES
WEEK 36 - NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS
FORGET ABOUT THE MONEY
STOP HUNTING, START FARMING
GET CONNECTED
GATHER CONTACT INFORMATION
KEEP IN TOUCH
GIVE
WEEK 37 - LAUNCH YOUR OWN BLOG
BRUSH UP ON BLOG BASICS
TEST DRIVE A BLOG FOR FREE
CHOOSE A BLOG HOST AND PLATFORM
EARN HIGHER SEARCH ENGINE RANKINGS
WEEK 38 - TRY AN INTERNET LEAD GENERATION SERVICE
ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF LEAD GENERATION SERVICES
BE PREPARED
WEEK 39 - DATE YOUR LEADS . . . OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL
CREATE A SYSTEM
BE THE FIRST TO CALL
WORK ON YOUR FOLLOW-THROUGH
BE PERSISTENT
DATE YOUR CLIENTS, TOO
WEEK 40 - BUILD TRUST IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES
WHAT CONSTITUTES SOCIAL MEDIA?
TAP THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
WEEK 41 - FIRE YOUR WORST CLIENTS
WHEN YOU CAN’T DELIVER
WHEN THE CUSTOMER IS TOO NEGATIVE
WHEN THE DEAL DOESN’T FIT YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
WEEK 42 - ATTEND A CONVENTION OR SEMINAR
I LEARNED THE HARD WAY
MY FIRST CONVENTION
ATTEND SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
NETWORK
WEEK 43 - HOST A SEMINAR OR WORKSHOP
IDENTIFY A NEED IN THE MARKETPLACE
CREATE YOUR WORKSHOP OR SEMINAR
PROMOTE YOUR WORKSHOP OR SEMINAR
WEEK 44 - MASTER THE PLATINUM RULE
WEEK 45 - EXPAND INTO MULTICULTURAL MARKETS
TEST YOUR CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCY
FOLLOW YOUR CUSTOMER’S LEAD
TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
WEEK 46 - AVOID OR RECOVER FROM A SALES SLUMP
AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS
SET A START DATE
BE COMMITTED
MAKE MARKETING A REGULAR ACTIVITY
KEEP RECORDS
TALK TO YOUR MANAGER ABOUT YOUR SALES DECLINE
LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES
GET YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS INVOLVED
LEARN TO COPE
WEEK 47 - BUILD YOUR OWN SALES TEAM
WHAT IS A SALES TEAM?
REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF THE TEAM-BASED APPROACH
ARE YOU TEAM-READY?
TAKE A LESSON FROM YOUR DENTIST
WEEK 48 - SHARPEN YOUR TEAM MANAGEMENT SKILLS
WEEK 49 - CLOSE A SALE THE RIGHT WAY: SIX FOLLOW-UP STEPS
1. SAVE IT!
2. WHEN YOU LOSE A SALE, FIND OUT WHY
3. STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM
4. THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME
5. ASK FOR A REFERRAL
6. MOVE ON
WEEK 50 - BECOME A LIFELONG LEARNER
WEEK 51 - JUST DO IT!
PLAN
DELEGATE
USE TECHNOLOGY TO LEVERAGE YOUR EFFORTS
KNOW WHEN TO TAKE A BREAK
WEEK 52 - FINAL THOUGHTS
About the Authors
Index