30: Chemistry. A great meeting needs chemistry between the players. A presentation needs chemistry between you and the audience. You and your future business partner need a certain chemistry. Chemistry is the soft stuff, the intangible that turns 'pretty good' into 'brilliant'. A great gig into an awesome one. An OK pasta place into an excellent one. Think about the molecules you are generating : open, abundant, encouraging and receptive? Or hostile, cynical, closed? It's not a cologne nor after-shave; it's a choice. Chemistry.
The Story So Far:
1: Decide. Decide to be so. To be kick-ass, stadium-rocking good at what you do. Be it fishing, presenting, parenting or fixing cars. Decide. You'll never look back.
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3: The Number 1 Issue in Their Life. When you finish that telephone call, when you leave that meeting, your prospect is immediately NOT thinking about you (well, 98% of the time anyway). It's not that they don't want to buy your solution, its just well, there are few other things happening at the moment. The thing about selling is not just meeting or creating a need BUT making it the number 1 need in their life at the moment. And how do you do that? By asking questions which ensure they both realise the benefits of proceeding but also the consequences of not acting. E.g. 'and just out of interest what will your competition be doing if you don't improve your on-line ordering methodologies?'The Number 1 Issue in Their Life.
The Story So Far:
1: Everybody Sells. In the Old World of Work, there was a sales force. There were reps. And everybody could blame them when sales figures were down. It's no longer acceptable. In the New World of Work: we all sell. Why? (1) because we all see opportunities (2) we are all part of the chain of decisions with which a customer interacts. That's the commercial angle. But there's a pragmatic angle, too: if you know how to sell, you can sell your ideas and you can sell yourself. And above all you'll be a lot more essential to an organisation than the person who doesn't add value to their role by knowing how to sell. Everybody Sells.
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29: Scale. Get good at scale. When do you need to be a big picture visionary? Thinking ahead, dreaming and plotting: hot-air balloon view. And when do you need to come down to Earth, change the scale and think detail, detail and yet more detail. One aspect of 'being brilliant' is about choosing the right sense of scale at the right time. Scale.
The Story So Far:
1: Decide. Decide to be so. To be kick-ass, stadium-rocking good at what you do. Be it fishing, presenting, parenting or fixing cars. Decide. You'll never look back.
2: Do it better
. For no other reason than you can. Answer the phone more promptly and with an even friendlier manner. Craft an even better report. Give them even more value in your training module. Make an even more perfect doppio espresso. Whatever. Do it better, simply because you can. You will get noticed.
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It's all about spot the bulls*it.
Coach: So, what's stopping you?
Client: Lack of time.
Coach: How much time do you need?
Client: Not much.
Coach: So how much? To get a first pass start-up plan within two weeks, say?
Client: About 30 minutes per evening.
Coach: And how much TV do you watch?
Client: Oh-don't start that. I have a stressful day. I need to relax. That approach is about as helpful as saying I can save money by changing my venti to a short latte. Where's the fun in that?
Coach: Sure. So how much TV do you watch?
Client: I pay you to help. Not to remind me how lazy I am.
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