THE SECRETS TO WEALTH

Recently, I attended a meeting with people whose
net worth ranged from "comfortable" to approaching a
billion dollars. All of them have achieved significant
financial wealth, and all of them have done it on their
own. There was no inherited money in this group. I asked
them what they did to accumulate money, and for advice to
pass along in my readers. Here are the results:
1.  Save 10% of everything you make, no matter what. The
percentage they recommended varied, but they were
unanimous: Live within your means and save money every
month.
2.  Invest for the long haul. They pointed to Warren Buffet
and noted that he buys and holds a stock for 20 years or
longer. Invest in things you understand, and hold on!
3.  Avoid debt. They talked about raising capital for their
businesses (borrowing from investors), but insisted that
personal debt be avoided. One woman said, "consumer debt is
devastating. If you want to achieve financial wealth, kill
your credit cards." Another added, "no car or boat or
anything else is worth the cost (financial and emotional)
of borrowing money."
4.  Crunch the numbers. They talked about doing their
financial statements "every month, no matter what." Another
added, "Only the numbers tell you how you’re really doing;
you’ve got to watch them like a hawk and use the
information every day."
5.  Have a plan. They expect their investments to grow
steadily over the years (not over-night), and they plan
accordingly. They emphasized setting 20, 30, even 50-year
financial goals.
6.  Know that money is one way of keeping score, but it’s
not the game itself. Money comes from doing something other
people value and will pay for. They emphasized that "it’s
fun to have nice things" but noted that the money was
secondary to doing "interesting things."
All of them had stories of starting out with school loans,
small children, a "stuffy little apartment," working for
minimum wage or eating "lots of macaroni and cheese," and
yet knowing that they could "achieve some measure of
success." Now, they’ve done it, and so can you. We can
learn from the experts!

HOW MUCH DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR PARTNER?

The majority of the couples that want to improve their relationship identify that communication is an issue for them. They share how they can’t see eye-to-eye, convey their feelings and perspective, or understand each other. They report they end up fighting every time they try to address something not being able to resolve disagreements or being delayed in making decisions because they can’t get on the same page with their partner.
The lack of communication means struggling day in and day out in their relationship. Some partners choose to go it alone when making decisions or addressing needs to avoid disagreements and disappointment. Partners that avoid conflict end up having a very distant and lonely relationship. On the other hand, partners that are not avoidant are at risk of escalating disagreements that threaten their emotional, and even their physical, safety or the relationship itself. Either way, this lack of skill is detrimental to their well-being, their relationship and their quality of life.
The goal of good communication is to show your partner you “get them” so you can connect, get on the same page and smoothly go about running your life. This includes three key elements:
Reflection - Show your partner you hear what they are saying by repeating what you hear without interpreting the meaning, reading between the lines, assigning motivation, or adding your own perspective or information to it.
Validation - Show your partner you understand their perspective and how their experience makes sense giving who they are.
Empathy - Show your partner you understand their feelings, their emotional state around their perspective.
Note, that within the relationship one partner tends to be the distancer (aka, the underfunctioner) and the other the pursuer (aka, the overfunctioner) even though the relationship itself picked up a pattern or theme (avoidant or conflictual). Regardless of the relationship theme, it is important that each partner stretches their own style to reduce the polarization that maintains the status quo. Identify your style below and implement the approach described to address what you contribute to the patterns that are keeping you stuck.
Distancer (passive) – Take a Risk. Make a commitment to mindfully share your thoughts, preferences, and wishes. Express yourself in a non-threatening or challenging way. Share your internal world (remember, your partner does not need to know everything, but do open up!). Share developments, actions and decisions made in the recent past. Share dreams, goals, and plans. Share from a place of sharing and having a voice, not from a place of rebelling or punishing…
Pursuer (aggressive) – Take it Easy. Make a commitment to give it a rest and to give your partner a break. Learn when to stop before things go to far. Invite your partner into discussions instead of blindsiding them. Prepare yourself for your chat so you are grounded and patient, less reactive. Learn to wait until you’ve calmed down to address things that bother you, or to resume a discussion that went array. Address your needs by speaking about yourself, not about your partner, and not to control, manipulate or convince…
Therefore to crack the communication and connection impasse immediately, approach your partner by Taking a Risk or Taking it Easy depending on your identified needed stretch, and by responding to them using the Three Key Communication Elements. Be magnificent this way! When you stick to these parameters miraculous things happen in your relationship. Implement this without reservation. Make a full commitment to making this your default setting in your relating. Take a no excuses approach to making this your new way of being in your relationship. When you are magnificent, your relationship is magnificent!
Happy Getting Each Other!

DOES THE MARKET NEED YOU?

About ten years ago, a friend of mine built one of the best
photography studios in our area. They had the best
equipment and back office I have ever seen, along with
talented photographers. They did at least one cover for a
national magazine and business looked great. And yet within
a few years they closed their doors. Why?
Digital photography. As my friend said, "We had the best
typewriter factory in town." They were doing amazing work,
and yet the market left them in the dust. Given their
investment and their business model, they couldn't adjust
so they folded their tent and quit.
This week I talked with a talented and passionate medical
professional who's working harder than ever, and making
less and less. Changes in the realities of medicine are
forcing her to change careers and how she sells her skills.
Over the years of business development and trainings,

I've been startled at how many fail to ask the
question: Will the market buy what I'm selling?
Obviously marketing, service and pricing play a huge role
in the success of any business. Talent and passion are
vital. Efficient systems and top quality are a must, but
before any of that, there is the fundamental question, Who
will buy what I’m selling?
Are there enough potential customers out there? Can you
reach them? Can they afford to buy? Will they pay enough to
cover your costs of doing business and generate a profit?
Many business leaders focus on what I call, "arranging the
deck chairs on the Titanic." They focus on the internal
workings of their business, while ignoring the macro-
economic forces around them. Will the market buy what
you're selling? That’s an essential question and it must be
faced realistically.
Successful entrepreneurs monitor both the internal
operations of their business, and the external environment
around them.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

There are two essential questions that every responsible
adult must answer. The first is, "What do I want for my
life?" And the second is, "How will I get it?"
Failure to decide what you want and how you'll get it leads
to a life of restless frustration. Sometimes, it's a sense
of having "missed the boat" or "not knowing." For others,
it can be a painful sense that "this is not the life I
imagined for myself." Some people struggle with depression
because they've never figured out what they want or an
effective strategy for getting it.
My hope is that this describes very few of my readers,
because you are people of action! But it is good to
remember the basics. We all become distracted, confused or
"lose ourselves" (an awful thing!) in the busy-ness of
daily life.
So, What do you want? And, what is your plan for getting
it? These questions, and your thoughtful answers, have
never been more urgent. Or more personal.
Let's begin with a brief excursion down Memory Lane, way
back to America in the 1950's and early 60's. We had
problems, but it was a Golden Age. The economy was booming.
The GI Bill gave more people access to education, housing,
and affluence than ever before. Everybody had a car, a
television, and many had air conditioning for the first
time. General Motors encouraged us to "See the USA in your
Chevrolet." In the 1950's, everyone "Liked Ike." In the
1960's, John Glenn was our hero. And everyone had an
opinion about the Beatles.
Millions of Americans defined their lives by the television
shows we watched. "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Father Knows
Best," the antics of Beaver Cleaver, the impossible heroics
of Lassie and the slapstick of Lucy were shared experiences
that told us who we were as a nation, and as individuals.
Obviously, I'm generalizing and ignoring problems that lay
just below the surface, problems that led to upheaval a few
years later. But I hope you get my point.
Millions of Americans knew what they wanted by looking at
"Life" magazine or the "Saturday Evening Post," with its
Normal Rockwell covers. And the way to get what you wanted
was to get an education, get a job, work hard and not rock
the boat. Easy as that!
But in 2014, that world is long gone. Millennials have no
idea what I'm talking about, while many people of color and
those with a slightly different point of view spent that
"Golden Age" as outsiders looking in.
Today, in a sense, we are all outsiders. True, we have
more opportunities and wider choices, but we must also
define ourselves by ourselves and for ourselves. The old
assumptions and unifying values are gone forever.
So, What do you want for your life? What are your values
and priorities? What will you spend the next few years of
your life working to obtain, learn, or experience? As a
unique individual with a myriad of options, where are you
going in life?
And, how will you get there?
I'm interested in the goals and methods of my readers.

In the 1950's, climbing the ladder of
affluence was a virtually universal goal. Once, continuous
Personal Development through books, audio programs and
seminars was a shared, life-long aspiration of millions.
Marriage, kids, a career and a home in the suburbs was the
universal "American Dream."
In 2014, these things remain part of the vision for many
people. But the definition of "success" and the
opportunities to live our life any way we desire are more
varied and individualistic.
So, I'm asking you to share your goals and your strategies
with me. Whether it's a brief, one-sentence email, or a
longer statement of intentions, I'd like to know.
What do you want for the next 5 years? What are your
aspirations and imaginations? What are your goals and
dreams for the life you want a few years from now? What will
bring you joy and abundance, fulfillment and success? I'd
love to hear from you!
And second, tell me about your plans and methods, your
strategies or techniques for staying focused, making
progress and reaching your goals. I want to know "how"
you plan to "get there."

impactyou@gmail.com

DEVELOP YOUR CAPACITY

You cannot manage other people until you can
manage yourself and you cannot organize an
organization until you organize your own life.

Let me share a few tips on how you can develop
more capacity as your vision begins to materialize.

You need to take in heavy things that will
stretch your mind. Some information may at
first look strange to you until you read or listen
the second and third time. However, you must
read books that are written by world class
organizational leaders. Develop your capacity to
manage and lead because it is very important.

Be a finisher. Be someone who has a reputation
for finishing anything you start. Be a result oriented
person.

Perform at a high level of excellence. If you will
be a skillful person, you have to set high standards
for yourself. Be someone who does not accept mediocrity.
Do not settle for less. Be someone who wants to get the
best all times.

I assumed before that the most important factor in
pastoring was being able to preach and teach. Well,
that is the most important factor but unfortunately
that is not the only important factor. There are other
critical factors.

I discovered that I was weak in management and
leadership and I began to develop myself in those
areas. I still have a long way to go.

I see you succeeding in all areas of your life. I see
your vision coming to pass.

A LIST WORTHY OF YOU

Most people have been told to organize their day and work
with a "to do" list. We've been told to list our
priorities, write them down, organize them, and check each
one off as it's completed. Unfortunately, my experience is
that very few of us either do that, or find it satisfying.
There is a better way.
I recommend creating a list of your top values, the things
that remain constant over time, and then designing each day
around those personal priorities and  life-choices.
Most people can quickly name the handful of people,
relationships, and projects that are most important to
them. These might include their career, their families,
their health or something as concrete as buying a new home.
The specifics are different for each of us, but most people
can identify their personal list.
The problem is that most of us never actually write it
down!  My suggestion is to write down your handful of top
priorities and keep the list where you can see it, and read
it, each and every day. Review it each morning. Smile as
you picture each item in your mind.
Then, design your day and your "to do" list around those
lasting priorities. Sure, some days will be spent on
trivial errands or whatever, but most days, most of the
time, focus on activities that reflect your "life list."  
Over time, your list will evolve as your priorities change,
but if you have the right items on your list, and the
wording is "perfect," reminding yourself of your top
priorities and your true passions every single morning will
make a huge difference. I think you'll like the results.

THE POWERFUL MAGIC OF SMALL STEPS

One of the great tragedies is to have a dream but take no
action to make it come true. To die with your dreams still
inside you, waiting for another time, another day, or a
"big break" is among the greatest of failures. Do not wait! 
Literally everything you see and every tool you use, even
the chair you're sitting on, began as nothing but thought.
Someone had an idea for a chair. Henry Ford had an idea
that cars could be in every garage. Your computer began as
an idea and a series of huge, crude devices in the 1940's.
The actual computer you are looking at right now began as
someone's idea that they could manufacture and sell
computers better, faster and cheaper than anyone else.
Everything starts with an idea. It always has, and always
will.
Many people have observed that "ideas are things." Thoughts
and words have the power to move us, to change us, and to
become living, breathing, tangible things! In a sense, our
world is made up of nothing but thoughts and words!
But there is a gap between an idea and its fulfilment.   
Most "things" are actually still-born and never come to
fruition because we fail to span the space between
potential and reality. That gap can only be bridged with
daily action.
How many times have you thought of an invention or process
that could be worth a fortune, done nothing about it, and
then found that a similar product for sale a few months
later? We've all had that experience. Someone got rich off
"your" idea and the difference is that they took specific,
concrete, focused ACTION. Their product is in the store
making them money, and your idea is still…a dream.
Here are some essentials to make your dreams come true:
1.  Plan your days. Every evening, plan the following day.
First thing in the morning, plot your strategy. Leaders
have always done this! This is not new! But only about 4%
of the population does it. Write down your priorities and
choose your daily actions.
2.  Keep a list of big things. On your desk, or on your
bathroom mirror, keep a list of your most important
projects, goals and commitments. Keep it where you see it,
and read it, every day. Keep it current. What we think
about, gets done.
3.  Keep a list of small things. Keep a list of 5-minute
tasks, phone calls or notes that you can do any place, any
time. When waiting for an appointment, make that call. When
you have a minute, send a note or read a few pages. Always
know "what's next" and take action, every single day.
4.  Take magnificent care of yourself! Healthy, happy,
energetic people get the most done. It takes time and
energy to achieve greatness. If you "don't have time", or
are "too tired" or too distracted or too anything, you will
not achieve your dreams. Take care of yourself.
We've all heard the phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day."
But it did get built. Brick by brick, one day at a time,
with determination and persistence. And 2,000 years later,
we still marvel at what they accomplished!
It is rare to achieve great things over-night because in
general, human beings do not do "big" things. We do little
things. We get up, we go to work. We hug our loved ones, we
make phone calls. We balance the checkbook and fix dinner.
We do little things! Highly successful people simply do the
right little things, at the right time, in the right way,
and they do lots of them.
If you would achieve great things, do little things and
pile them one on top of another, until you reach the stars. 
Start today.

YOUR 3 TOUGHEST COMPETITORS IN EVERY SALE

 

 

Customers have more choices than ever before in what they buy, how they buy and from whom they buy. Most salespeople worry about selling against their direct counterpart or a competing company.

 

That’s not always your biggest competition.

 

Let’s take a look at it from the customer’s perspective. In their eyes, the top choice for solving the challenge at hand may not be between you and a rival vendor.   In every sale, customers will consider at least one of these options:

 

1.   The customer decides to solve the challenge internally. This is also the “I can do it myself, cheaper” solution. After seeking bids and evaluating various vendors, the customer does a cost-benefit analysis on outsourcing and decides they can do it as well

– or well enough – internally, usually for less money.

 

2.   The customer decides not to buy at all. This “do nothing” option is ever present – and sometimes the toughest competition to overcome.  It can be based on  various factors, including:

 

a.   The customer may have perceived a real need for change but shifts in internal or external circumstances cause them to pause or cancel the entire initiative.

 

b.   The customer may have been “kicking tires” all along, which means they never really intended to buy an outside solution, but felt compelled to research possible products or services as a way of confirming their own concept.

 

3.   The customer defunds the initiative.  Basically, the challenge your solution addressed falls down, or off, the priority list.

 

What you can do

 

Factor these competitors into your strategy from the start. As you meet with customers and begin to discuss the issues they are trying to address, consider whether the customer could resolve the situation one of these ways.

 

You can ask your Coach on the opportunity if the customer is considering these options. If they are, you may consider changing the conversation with the customer by:

     Directly asking the customer about these options

     Highlighting specific strengths your solution offers vs. the above options

     Evaluating the cost/benefits of continuing to pursue this opportunity

     Looking for other types of opportunities to pursue

 

 

Frontline salespeople and sales managers who emphasize Getting closer to your customer find ways to address these frequently overlooked, and often unaddressed, options. This widens the playing field and gives a deeper understanding of the customer’s circumstances and improves the probability of success.

YOU MUST SET GOALS IN THESE 4 CATEGORIES

Over the course of your lifetime you may have a thousand different goals. Think about it. How many goals have you made for yourself in the past year?

All of these goals will fall into one of four basic categories. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.

The Key to Happiness

The first category is your desire for happy relationships. You want to love and be loved by others. You want to have a happy, harmonious home life. You want to get along well with the people around you, and you want to earn the respect of the people you respect. Your involvement in social and community affairs results from your desire to have happy interactions with others and to make a contribution to the society you live in.

Enjoy Your Work

The second category is your desire for interesting and challenging work. You want to make a good living, of course, but more than that, you want to really enjoy your occupation or profession. The very best times of your life are when you are completely absorbed in your work.

Become Financially Independent

The third category is your desire for financial independence. You want to be free from worries about money. You want to have enough money in the bank so that you can make decisions without counting your pennies. You want to achieve a certain financial state so that you can retire in comfort and never have to be concerned about whether or not you have enough money to support your lifestyle. Financial independence frees you from poverty and a need to depend upon others for your livelihood. If you save and invest regularly throughout your working life, you will eventually reach the point where you will never have to work again.

Enjoy Excellent Health

The fourth and final category is your desire for good health, to be free of pain and illness and to have a continuous flow of energy and feelings of well-being. In fact, your health is so central to your life that you take it for granted until something happens to disrupt it.

Peace of Mind is the Key

Peace of mind is essential for every one of these. The greater your peace of mind, the more relaxed and positive you are, the less stress you suffer, the better is your overall health.

The more peace of mind you have, the better are your relationships, the more optimistic, friendly and confident you are with everyone in your life. When you feel good about yourself on the inside, you do your work better and take more pride in it. You are a better boss and coworker. And the greater your overall peace of mind, the more likely you are to earn a good living, save regularly for the future and ultimately achieve financial independence.

Control Your Attention

Life is very much a study of attention. Whatever you dwell upon and think about grows and expands in your life. The more you pay attention to your relationships, the quality and quantity of your work, your finances and your health, the better they will become and the happier you will be.

Action Exercises

Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, take time on a regular basis to think about what would make you really happy in each of the four areas.

Second, set specific, measurable goals for improvement in your relationships, your health, your work and your finances and write them down.

Third, resolve to do something every day to increase the quality of some area of your life - and then keep your resolution.

MANAGE THINGS, LEAD PEOPLE

There's an saying that you can manage things, but you must
lead people, and it is absolutely critical for leaders to
profoundly "get" that distinction.
In some companies, they have never used the title of
"Manager" because they felt it was essential for every member
of the organization and members of the Board,
down to the newest hire, to know they were hired and paid
to be leaders. If you want to build your business, there is
no alternative.
Many years ago I worked in bank and I want to emphasize

that I worked for and with great people.

But the system encouraged us to be "worker bees" and 

the managers were primarily paper-
shufflers. They were trained to manage the budget, manage
the staff and manage the clients. They were good at those
things, but they were not LEADERS, and both morale and
productivity suffered.
Achievement comes from leaders. Leadership sets the
direction and the pace. Leaders model appropriate
attitudes, behaviors, and values. Great leaders never have
to refer to the company policy manual or explain the
mission statement because from a new employee's first day
they see, taste, smell and "get" what the company is all
about.
Ford Motor Company used to have a slogan that "Quality was
job one", and it's a great slogan, but there's an even
better slogan when it comes to selecting, promoting and
rewarding people in executive and decision-making roles:
Leadership is Job One!
To grow your business, select, train, support and empower
leaders. They'll take you places!

THE CUSTOMER YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE

 

 

For most organizations and sales professionals, the “80/20 Rule” holds

true. The majority of their revenues come from a small percentage of

customers. Ensuring the continued loyalty of these accounts is a priority

and requires collaboration across the entire organization.

Reading the Warning Signs

Most experts place the cost of acquiring a new customer between 4 and

10X the cost of maintaining an existing one. For many organizations,

it’s not so much the cost of replacing the business that keeps executives

up at night as it is the sudden and lasting drop in revenues. In complex

business-to-business selling, sales cycles can easily last several months.

Not all companies can withstand the financial strain of losing a strategic

customer.

Even if the account isn’t seen as “strategic” to the organization, it might

be critical to an individual salesperson. When a customer suddenly defects, it can take months to recoup the loss – time the sales

professional may not have in today’s competitive sales environments.

But do these customers really leave without giving off signals? Joe Galvin, Miller Heiman’s Chief Research Officer, doesn’t think so.

“Maintaining and growing strategic accounts requires reading the warning signs. However, these signs can be easy to miss if the sales

professional lacks visibility into what’s happening at all levels of the organization.”

Now We’re Talking

There are often numerous touchpoints within strategic accounts. Executives, product and industry specialists, customer support,

consulting, accounting personnel: The strategic account is going to have at least one relationship within almost every department.

Each of these contacts has the potential to spot red flags and opportunities that the sales professional focused on the C-suite is likely

to miss.