BEGIN WITH LISTENING

Most people are great talkers but terrible listeners, if you are not sure if you fall in this category, check who is starring back at you in the mirror.  Yet listening skills identify the real problems that are to be addressed. 
 
One of the the greatest gifts you can give another person is your attention.  All of us want people to listen to what WE have to say.  Yet, rather than listening, many of us can't wait to jump in and solve the other person's problems.  While the other person is talking, have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I wish you'd hurry up and stop talking so I can tell you what to do."
 
Hmmm?
 
Whether a prospect decides to hire your services often depends on whether he or she feels you understand and care about them.  This usually comes down to whether you've taken time to listen to their pain, understand what and how they feel about their dialemma, and focus on the problem he wants to solve.
 
If you practice what you have learned in marketing, you probably will probably recommend similar solutions to many prospects.  Yet, while your solutions may include many of the same elements or methods, each prospect thinks and believes their problem is unique.
 
While you are thinking, "This problem is just like all the others I've seen this week," your prospect is thinking, "I'll bet you have never heard of or faced a problem like mine."

I have had the good fortune to read articles and books by Cavett Robert.  Cavett is a retired trial attorney and founder of the National Speakers' Association.  He is man of uncommon depth and well worth studying
 
Cavett would sit opposite his prospect, look into their eyes, focused his total attention on them, and calmly say your name followed by, "Tell me about yourself."
 
Most people will start a conversation introducing themselves giving their prospect a brief overview and their sales pitch. 
 
However, five minutes later, taking only time to breathe, most are still talking 90 miles per hour.  People love to talk about themselves and often it is difficult to stop them

What's wrong with this picture? 

Consider this you came to listen and learn and learn about your prospects, yet the only person talking is you!  So practice a quick unabridged autobiography about yourself, and then turn from a talker into a listener by saying "Enough about me now tell me about yourself".
 
When business people tell me they occasionally feel awkward when meeting with a prospect, I suggest they begin their prospect interview with Cavett's four magic words.

"Tell me about yourself" puts your prospect at ease and gets them to open up.  Also, it takes the focus off you and allows you to sit back to listen for their chunks of gold.
 
True, your prospect came to your office to learn what you can do for him.  But your prospect also came to your office with the hope that you would listen to him explain his problem.  Your odds of winning a new client increase dramatically when you give your prospect the opportunity to say what's on his mind and explain things from his point of view.
 
Remember God gave us two ears and one mouth.  We do our best when we use them in that proportion.

Let's consider the traditional "Static" advertising vs the instantly changeable Web 2.0 method

Marketing where your Customers are looking…

The Small Business Internet Market Workshop

Traditional Advertising is dying a slow death

Its time to look at getting a better return on you marketing dollars by putting you advertising out where your customers are looking for you…

Online and on their Smart phones

Just having a website isn't enough anymore – You want to become a Respected and Trusted Authority in your Field… And a Yellow Page Ad just is not going to cut it for you.

For more information and to find out where you should be – Head over to:

http://neighborhoodmarketingtips.com/

Acknowledge and Appreciate Yourself TODAY!

By Ian Howard

Inspired by Jack Canfield "Success Principles" and Frank Kern

With 2009 coming to a close, it's time to think back over the past 12 months to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for everything you've achieved or accomplished throughout the past year.

Are you able to recall your successes as well as your failures?

A human beings we often under-appreciate the little things we accomplish every day. And yet recall in detail all the times we failed or made mistakes. That's because the brain remembers events more easily when they're accompanied by strong emotions, and we fabricate a story around the event to protect ourselves in the future.

Take a moment to reflect, you might recall, losing some weight, completing a 5k or 10k walk for charity, winning an award, or getting a new job or promotion?

Make sure you include in your successes, how your relationship with your partner or spouse has grown, or you completed one amicably, quality time spent with your kids, got your list of 'Things to Do' complete, got acknowledged at work, or paid off a credit card? Allow your mind to recall everything.

Acknowledge yourself and then request that someone else acknowledges you! Ask them what they would like to be acknowledged for also.

Build your self-esteem by recalling ALL the ways you have succeeded and your brain will be filled with images of you making your achievements happen again and again. Accept the mistakes and failures as they happened, but that does not make you a failure and you won't take risks nest time an opportunity to succeed come along.

The more you acknowledge your past successes, the more confident you become in taking on and successfully accomplishing new ones.

Take some time to write your 2009 achievements down.

Once the thought process starts, jot them down and start seeing as successful person you are who can continue to achieve great things. 
The challenge is for you to list 10, then 50 or more of your 2009 successes.

Start when you with your recollections of your 2009 New Years resolutions and think of all your achievements since then. Don't just pick the big things, write down all the things you have taken for granted. Thinks like, learning to ride a bike, making a speech, getting your first or new job, starting your own business, or leading a successful project.

Surround yourself with Great people and reminders of your successes.

Research shows us that what you see in your environment and the people you mix with has a psychological impact on your moods, your attitudes, and your behavior. The environment you choose has a great deal of influence over you. And believe it or not: You have almost total control over your choice of environment.

Surround yourself with pictures, articles, trophies, awards and other symbols of your years achievements. Make a special place – a special shelf, wall or section of your home or office that you frequent every day and fill it with your success symbols.

This will have a powerful effect on your subconscious mind and will subtly remind you that you are someone who is a success in life!

Make sure your children successes are also proudly displayed with your success symbols as well.

People like to be around those who have a healthy self-esteem and who are achieving their goals. Commit to acknowledging your achievements and your brain will begin to tell you the truth… that anything is possible and you can do ANYTHING!

Taking just 30 minutes to complete this activity then take another 30 minutes to watch this video by Frank Kern 

As Frank suggests separate what works and what doesn't.  Don't waste anymore of your precious time on what doesn't what, concentrate on what does or will work for you.

Then start to set out your clear cut goals for what you are entitled to achieve in 2010.  This simple exercise will become your positive springboard into 2010 for even more successes.

Complete resource for exponentially building and growing any Business

Here Samsung cleverly use two and four legged teams to promote their brand

Start Making FAT Commissions

Today With Your Very

Own Instant Affiliate Website Free

From Mike Filsaime

Promoting His Proven Best Selling Products All From
One Place – Sweet Admin Panel Controls Entire Site!