The Proven Step By Step Formula For Telephone Sales Success.
If you need more sales in your business, there is no getting away from the uncomfortable truth that you may need to come out from behind the computer or phone screen and get on that phone! Cold calling, yes, but definitely not as we know it. Amanda Francis and her team at Alchemis have been helping other businesses to make more sales for over 15 years – and they are damned good at it. Amanda gave away all of her secrets, telling us exactly what her team say and do, what they research before they pick the phone up and the exact steps you need to take to get yourself to the critical end point when the sale is made and the cash register rings. Connect with Amanda Francis here
The Chimp Paradox
Thanks to Sally Reeve, weight loss expert, for recommending this book. If you’ve ever set a goal, made a decision to get it done and then 1 week later it’s all going wrong – you’ve eaten the tonne of cake, several bags of crisps and all the rest of it – then the Chimp Paradox will help you understand why you’re sabotaging yourself. And it’s not just for losing weight. Our brains kick in to ‘help’ us fail when we are trying to get all sorts of things done. It’s really annoying, and it makes us feel bad. You can get the book online here by clicking through on the image…
The Business Of Weight Loss With Sally Reeve
Tune in for great weight loss tips from Sally, along with a book recommendation to help you get your head in gear. Plus we chat around the ups and downs of targeting a niche in this crowded market. Plus the usual business ‘tool of the week’ and social media tip or idea to help you grow your business. Oh, and a few laughs along the way! Connect with Sally here
Sally Reeve
Sally Reeve Sally Reeve has 12 years experience in the weight loss arena and has developed a range of programmes to support and offer positive encouragement for all clients. There is a focus on a new you, and a new lifestyle and so this really is a tailored solution. Sally’s business has been going from strength to strength and a new branch opened in 2015 at Innovation House, Discovery Park, Sandwich to meet the demand of a growing client base. Sally and her team are avid supporters of the National Obesity Forum (www.nationalobesityforum.org.uk), holding events to promote National Obesity Awareness Week and campaigning for changes in the way obesity treatment is funded. Locally, they are in contact with several town football teams, providing help with their charity work with school children, to supply healthy eating and exercise programmes which are both educational and fun. on Facebook on Twitter Listen To Sally’s Show Website
A Lesson In Growing Your Business
Denise Barnes was a guest on the show in November, and she was such fun and a real inspiration and I’m so pleased she agreed to write an article for us. I asked Denise to write about business growth, and here’s what she sent in…. Let me first give some background of my business. I set up from scratch an estate agency in the village where I lived. There was only one other estate agent and I’d just resigned from being its manager! I’d grown a struggling corporate office to a highly profitable one in the space of two years. What marvelous training! So I figured I could do equally well on my own. It was 1988 and the housing market was booming. People were actually queuing up in the morning before I could put my key in the door, occasionally even fighting over a house – ‘I viewed it first’ – as though they were in the January sales. Not too difficult to expand in those sorts of circumstances, I hear you say. Except a few months later, at the beginning of 1989, the whole housing market collapsed, along with retailers, financial institutions – in fact, it affected almost everyone. We were at the beginning of a recession, which was to last four years. But towards the end of year four there was a glimmer of light and I felt now would be the time to open a second office. I found the ideal premises in a country village a few miles away. On opening day people said, ‘You’re either mad or you know something we don’t.’ But during a recession or any quiet period, it’s an ideal time to expand. Rents are lower, labour is cheaper for any work needing to be done on the building, graphic artists and printers and many other companies are all vying for work at knock-down prices – it can be the perfect time to grow your business, if you have the nerve. The main thing is not to fall into the borrowing trap. Yes, if you own your own business, sometimes the only way to flourish is to borrow. But spend wisely. Pay back the loan as soon as you can. Then when it comes to the next thing you want to introduce or develop, your bank manager will already know how you operate and hopefully support you. During the 17 years I had my business I increased from one to eight offices by the time I came to sell. With each expansion I asked these questions: Was the office in the right position for my clients? Were there plenty of chimney pots for us to survive? What was the competition? Were the premises in good condition? Were there any onerous restrictions on the lease? How were the lenders doing? (If people were having difficulty getting mortgages they wouldn’t be buying houses.) Did I know anyone I could put in or promote as Manager? You must ask yourself all the relevant questions for your own business. And you must PLAN. If you have a good idea on how to expand, book in some time with your accountant and get him or her to prepare a business plan, taking into account the additional expenses such as increased rent, extra staff, more phone lines etc. Discuss the plan with your bank manager. If they’re comfortable with your figures you’ll likely get help if things are initially slower than anticipated. And if things go badly wrong, do come clean – they may well have a solution. Take professional advice. I once told my accountant I wanted to sell French property. I’d only been trading nine months and already I was looking for exciting opportunities. He warned me against it…I’d lose money…the English would not be buying French property for much longer…prices would go up…I should concentrate on building up my new business, etc. But I was stubborn – and he was 100% right. My foray quickly fizzled out and not only did I lose money, I wasted time going to France to view the properties. And when I was away I worried about the danger of taking my eye off the ball. So not every expansion is lucrative. Not everything works. But sometimes you just have to give it a go. If you’re determined, then have the courage of your convictions. Convictions that should lead you into a good, profitable and interesting business which will take you right up to retirement, when you can sell and sit on the beach all day painting your toe nails! Note: Some of the ways I grew my business are mentioned in my book: Seller Beware: How Not To Sell Your Business. Connect with Denise here
Building Resilience And Dealing With Change
Things don’t always go as we want. Sometimes things are just not as we expect and we have to deal with it. That’s what happened to Katherine Horn who battled breast cancer and set up a business providing wigs to people like her. Listen to her story founding Panache Wigs and hear some fab tips and ideas from the Resilience Champion Zaheen Nanji. Read more about Katherine and Panache Wigs.
Katherine Horn
Katherine Horn Hello, my name is Katherine Horn. I set up Panache Wigs after losing my own hair 2 years ago because of breast cancer and chemotherapy. I am a fully mobile wig specialist offering free home consultation visits within Kent and East Sussex from my home base of Ashford. In the comfort of your own home where friends and family can be present to assist you with choosing a wig from my selection of over 1000 different styles/colours of real hair and synthetic high quality wigs. During my visit I also offer free emotional support to anyone experiencing hair loss be it through cancer treatments, alopecia, thinning hair or any other condition causing hair loss and also provide you with a wig care guide and kit. Panache Wigs will make you look and feel gorgeous again…. because you are. x on Facebook on Twitter Website Listen To Katherine’s Show
Tamsin Fox Davies
Tamsin is the Marketing Director for Constant Contact in the UK. You can find her on Linkedin
Mark Jennings
Mark Jennings is known as The Google Guy – he can help you with anything geeky around Google, from Google Analytics, Google Adwords, Google My Business – and even just setting up your Gmail or Google Apps. Find him at Stormchasers, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn Feed Shark
The Declutter Divas
The Declutter Divas The Declutter Divas are the stars of Channel 4 programme The Hoarder Next Door. Whilst they are specialised in helping people who have serious hoarding issues, their day to day business supports businesses and families to control their clutter and become more productive. on Facebook on Twitter Listen To The Declutter Diva’s Show Website
How NOT To Sell Your Business
Well this episode probably had almost everything in it. For one thing, if you get bowled over by the gorgeous sales agent for your business, and take your eye off the relevant ball, then you end up with the sort of crummy job that costs you thousands and thousands. You’ll be pleased to know, I certainly was, that it is possible to come back from a total cock up and end up back on top again. It was great fun recording this episode and thanks so much to Denise for being a great sport and really sharing it all – and of course to Laura Burton Lawrence for keeping it all on track. Read Denise’s Profile and Connect
Denise Barnes
Denise Barnes Denise Barnes has travelled the world, unpacking her suitcase in a score of countries and working at more jobs than she cares to remember. Mentionable events include selling lipstick in a Denver department store to top English model of the day, Jean Shrimpton; typing on a French keyboard for the UN Narcotics Director in Geneva; chauffeuring a lonely Swiss multi-millionaire lawyer in Zurich; being the first fashion model in Atlanta to dance to pop music; working as a PA to a film producer and delivering a film script to Richard Harris in Rome and not recognizing him (he was not amused); and cooking in a vegetarian sanatorium in Bavaria, which gave rise to her first hilarious memoir. Back home in England, Denise reluctantly began her training as an estate agent – and loved it! Juggling the running of her chain of eight offices in Kent with taking an Honours Degree with Open University, Denise had difficulty finding the time to pursue her life- long passion for writing. To give herself the freedom to write she sold her business after 17 years, but unfortunately to the wrong buyers, namely a couple of tricksters, which resulted in a second, more serious, memoir. Buying back the business and after six years selling it once again, she is now able to resume her love of fiction writing, under the pen-name, Fenella Forster. on Facebook on Twitter Listen To Denise’s Show Website
Let’s Get That Energy Sapping Clutter Cleared
Listen in to The Declutter Divas as we discuss the impact clutter can have on your business and performance. Plus we find out how to get it cleared as quickly and easily as possible! Read The Declutter Divas Profile and Connect
A Free CRM Tool That’s Fully Loaded!
My experience with CRM’s (Customer Relationship Managers) is that they take ages to learn, even longer to get your data up into them, and when you’ve finally got it all done, you find out there is one critical flaw that means it won’t work for you. There is also generally a wheeze when they are free – you can only upload 200 contacts before you have to pay, or only one person can use it. With Hubspot CRM that isn’t the case – of course there are extra things to buy – they are a business after all, but those things are improvements for you to add in as your business grows, not limitations to being able to use the tool as a fully featured CRM. And it’s simple use, even when you’re customising the fields to suit you. Now before you go hoiking everything you’ve got over onto this, please go and have a look, load up a couple of records and see how it works for you. If you have any ideas you think will help other business people or, have any other tools you can recommend please pop something into the comments below. n
Top Tips From Hazel Addley Change Specialist
As usual this weeks tip is so simple. I asked Hazel what she knows now that she wished she had known when she started out…. ‘It’s ok to be me’ Hazel that it’s okay to just be herself, that she didn’t need to look particularly posh or glamorous and that people would want to work with her. She was comparing herself to coaches who were dolled up – and now she understands that she doesn’t have to be like that – just be herself.
Books For Making Change
Our guest Hazel Addley, a coach who specialises in change has recommended two books for us. The first is Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. This book has been around for a while and many of us have read it – and so it’s tempting to dismiss it maybe as a bit of old hat. But it’s endured and I think is worthy of at least a second go round to bring out some of the finer points. The book, as you might have guessed from the title, is about dealing with the fear, acknowledging it and working through it to make the change. The second book is The Artists Way by Julia Cameron which takes you through a journey of making that change to be an artist in business. Both are available on Amazon, and other online or offline bookstores – if you hunt on Amazon you will probably find Feel The Fear for only the price of the postage!
A Key Person Of Influence – Daniel Priestley
This week’s book recommendation comes from our guest Rebecca Robertson. She describes it as a turning point for her business. The sub-title of the book is The Five-Step Method to become one of the most highly valued and highly paid people in your industry – so basically it’s about you as the person sitting at the centre of your industry as the expert. There are so many business books around, and many of them say much the same thing. What I like about this book is it feeds directly into how people today are expecting to do business – with a person. A while ago, corporates had the edge and those of us who were operating as individuals were struggling to keep up. Today, it’s the other way round – corporates are struggling to be seen as individuals – I think I’d rather be at the emerging side moving forwards – don’t you. This book introduces the concept properly, and shows you how to do it. Amazon.co.uk Widgets
Run Your Business Online For About £1 A Day!
If you’ve just started out in business and you’re at that no-money stage, or you are still sorting out who you are and what you’re doing, so one way or the other you may not feel ready for websites and all that. Well the reason I love Constant Contact is that you can run (well almost) your business using Contact Contact. Let me explain what I mean with this and how I explain it when I’m working with young startups and low cost businesses. Constant Contact lets you send out beautiful newsletters, to very targeted groups of people. This could be your customers, prospects, collaborators and whoever you need to communicate with. It could be different groups of customers, or just one customer , through to all of those people you meet at a craft fair, pamper event, pamper party or networking meeting. You can also set up and take money for event bookings. But if we forget about Events and Newsletters and just talk about the technology – this is all driven by software which is easy to use but also lets you do other things – for instance… 1. Create a sales page for a particular product, set up a pay now button and sell it direct to your customers, into Facebook Groups, email it out, really whatever you want – it’s a sales page. 2. If you don’t have a website, or don’t have a website where you can create web pages, then you can use this technology to set up a web page around a particular product, service or just to give out information. 3. Perhaps you can teach what you know. How about setting up a system where you can get paid for a training programme and then deliver your ‘lessons’ on drip feed through to your paying customers. And you can take the money, deliver your lessons, workbooks, inspiration and motivation – all whilst you sleep – this is the set it p and leave it running, passive income. If this sounds like a Membership System – then you’re right it is – but without the big ticket development for creating a full blown membership website. Of course you can also use it for what’s it’s intended – to collect your contacts into your pipeline, communicate with them, sell, create beautiful emails, coupons and events. It’s difficult to know where to start with how Constant Contact will help your business, but first let me give you an overview of what it does. In it’s simplest terms, it lets you send branded, pretty newsletters to your prospects, customers and collaborators. Similar tools to help you compare are Aweber and Mailchimp. Whilst there are all sorts of features where Constant Contact differs from these, for me, and my clients the key feature is the telephone support. You can pick the phone up and a real live person will go into your account with you and take you step by step through what you need to do. That could be anything from setting up contact lists, to how to put a different colour in your newsletters. And they will spend hours doing that if necessary. With close to 1 million users, that is a real feat of achievement! Let me highlight a few points I think are the most important… It’s designed with small businesses in mind The newsletters are 100% customisable You can sell directly from your newsletter – it even links to your Paypal account so you don’t have to fiddle around in PayPal with buttons and code – you just add the price of your product and any post and packing and Constant Contact just creates a sales button for you! You can post your newsletter out to people as a link in your email – or, and this is where I just love it – you can post it into Facebook Groups. If you don’t have a website where you can create sales pages – THIS is your sales page! You can integrate your newsletter sign up with Facebook really easily. When you meet someone who would like to go onto your newsletter mailing list – you can easily add them yourselves (that’s not as easy as you might think with other service providers). There are so many more benefits that it would be just boring to waffle on. If you want a demonstration then you only have to yell. Call our office on 01634 823343 or the mobile 07557 953980
The Organized Mind
The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload by Daniel Levitin Now, I’ve got nothing against coaches and NLP practitioners (I am one for goodness sake) but I’m also an academic with a hard science background and what I like about this book and this bloke is that he’s a neuroscience. What he’s talking about is science, which he then uses to explain how our brains work – all of the chemical and neuroscience stuff – and how we can use that information to increase our productivity. There’s no delving deeper for limiting beliefs, no confidence issues to overcome, it’s just plain science which you can either implement or not. This book is a must for anyone who is desperately trying to do too much at once, but who doesn’t want to reduce the number of projects they are working on. It also explains why those of us who were super duper productive 20 or so years ago, may be struggling now. It isn’t necessarily old age creeping in, or the menopause, it’s just that in today’s world we are dealing with so many interruptions and different ways of receiving information and our brains are simply not wired that way. We may have taken multi-tasking a bit too far! If you want to buy the book directly from Amazon – here’s a link and of course if you do then The Women in Business Radio Show will get about 2p – it all helps!
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