Category Archives: Irreverence

Saying it straight – takes courage

Sometimes, it is time to be quiet!

We seem to be jacked up on being productive. Sometimes, it is time to be quiet

As if being productive makes us valuable. Or even helps us achieve our dreams.

Sometimes, it is time to be quiet.

Take a walk with your dog, read a book, snuggle with your child. Watch a football game. Nap.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Take care of YOU. You will KNOW when it is time to get up and go after your to-do list. You will!

In the meantime, look around, be quiet. BE YOU!

Love it All UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

 

 

Time management is a waste of Time

Time Management is a waste of TIMEIf you are an ultra-organized person, you should move on and read something else! (I still love you, just don’t want to waste your Time *smile*)

For the rest of us, who just KNOW that if we could manage our time better, we could be the wild success that we know we are…

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOU

There are a couple of KEY problems with the idea of TIME MANAGEMENT.

First, time is not even real. Every physicist can tell you that. Even Einstein acknowledged that time is relative.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Think about it this way:

When you are spending the last night with your lover before they leave for two weeks, time flies!

When you are sitting in a Traffic Class, time slows to a crawl.

You cannot manage time…. you have no access to managing TIME! Time does what it does. You have nothing to do about it.

Argue with me….I’m open!

Here is what my good friend Anna Belyaev taught me:

You cannot manage time, but YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR ENERGY!

What!?!

Yep!

We all have different energy cycles.

Some of us are morning people.

Some of us are night owls.

Some of us are hyper.

Some of us are sick, with limited pools of energy.

YET, we can ALL do what we set out to do!

We must first know what we are committed to and then we must KNOW OURSELVES.

But, first …. the story that changed my life.

I knew a woman who was WILDLY successful. She made more money than anyone I had ever met.

What was interesting about her is that she only worked between 10 pm and 4 am. It surprised me! How could she do that?

She KNEW herself and she KNEW what she was up to and she WAS NOT going to fail. HA!

So what does this mean for you?

Not sure, but I can tell you what it means for me.

I KNOW that I am a night owl. So, I do not schedule meetings or workouts or other stuff until later in the morning. I do “wake up” stuff in the morning, like Yoga and walking my dogs.

I KNOW that I am ON MY GAME between 11 am and 5 pm. So, I schedule my meetings during this time.

I KNOW that I hit a wall between 5 pm and 7 pm. So, I schedule my exercise at this time.

I KNOW that I am WILDLY effective from 7 pm to 11 pm, so I do my most important work at this time.

I KNOW that I reflect and relax from 11 pm to midnight, so I do that.


Ben Franklin said “Early to bed and early to rise, etc.” Consider that worked for HIM!

Find out what WORKS FOR YOU!

Don’t fight it. Sometimes your energy is high – do the important work then. Sometimes your energy is low – take a nap – refresh.

If you are always fighting yourself, you will never find your SELF!

Trust your cycles. (I trust your cycles!)

Love it ALL UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

 

From an Irreverent Mixologist

From the Traveling Elixir Fixer, a brilliant quote: From an Irreverent Bar Tender

“I don’t care what you believe, just behave yourself!”

(via And yes, you should become her fan! https://www.facebook.com/TravelingElixirFixer)

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Love ’em ALL UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Let’s revisit this “Know, Like & Trust” thing, shall we?

I hear ALL THE TIME…”People do business with people they Know, Like & Trust” from sales trainers and sales experts.Common Sense

Here’s what I wanna know…

WHY IS THIS A REVELATION?

People go to prom with people they know, like & trust.
People travel great distances at great expense to visit people they know, like & trust.
People like to give gifts to people they know, like & trust.
Let’s face it, people like to hang out with DOGS they know, like & trust.

It’s pretty common sense, isn’t it?

SO I CHALLENGE YOU…

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

If it is some kind of revelation to you that people do business with people they know, like & trust, WHERE ELSE are you not bringing common sense to your sales?

Things like:

People do business with people who deliver excellent service
People do business with people who have a sterling reputation
People do business with people they hold on a pedastal
People do business with people who do what they say they are going to do
People do business with people who have similar values
People do business with people who ….. I mean, we could keep going here, couldn’t we?

BUT THE BIGGER QUESTION IS: 

If learning that “People do Business with People they Know, Like & Trust” is a revelation to you, then what is going on with your sales? 

Do you not believe in what you sell?
Do you not believe that your customer needs what you sell?
Are your goals different from that of your customer?
Are you trying to meet quotas instead of make a difference with people?

And here is my favorite…

~DO YOU THINK DOING BUSINESS IS DIFFERENT THAN DOING LIFE? ~

This week, I want you to bring common sense to your business. (Sorry, this will require actual THINKING)

FIRST:
Are you doing the work that you know you should do to connect with the people who need what you sell?

If yes (and be honest with yourself about that one),

THEN:
Who are the people that “should” be doing business with you?
Why?
Do they know about you?
Do they agree that they need something that you offer?

Reach out to THEM. Be clear, simple, concise. Offer them something yummy!

Go be a great human being. Period. THEN, see what shows up!

Love ’em UP! (And the rest will follow)

The Irreverent Sales Girl

For those of you who bring LOVE to your sales!

Sales is one of the toughest gigs on the planet. For those of you who bring LOVE to your sales!

What it takes to be really great is LOVE!

Love for your company
Love for your product
Love for your customers
Love for your prospects
Love for your family
Love for your financial well-being
Love for the game

But Loving all these things leaves you WIDE OPEN for heartbreak! 

So, today, for all of you courageous beings who go about their sales with LOVE, I give you this wonderful reminder.

“The heart was made to be broken.” Oscar Wilde

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

It is part of the design of a heart. It is made to be broken and it has the tools to heal. I salute you for your willingness to use your heart to its fullest!

Your success is ensured when you remain willing to put it all on the line, every time!

And, if you ever forget and get really discouraged…come back and see me. We’ll get you fixed up in NO TIME!

Love it ALL UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl – Ready to GET STARTED!

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl - Ready to GET STARTED! I got this question today from someone just finishing their insurance exams – ready to rock the world! While *some* of it applies to Insurance, specifically, most of it is spot on for ANYONE who wants to be a great salesperson in any industry.

Thanks for the questions! Keep ’em coming! I will make YOU famous, next!

“Dear Irreverent Sales Girl,

I am just finishing up my insurance exams and I am READY TO GET GOING! Just wanted to learn what you know about selling insurance and getting going quickly!

– Ready to GET STARTED!”

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Dear Ready to GET STARTED!

Congratulations on finishing your exams!

Here are my thoughts on being successful in the Insurance Industry (and most others, too, BTW!)

First: Seek to understand
Second: Recreate what your customer told you so you make sure you have it right
Then: Ask permission to share your ideas.

WARNING: Insurance is powerful. You can certainly help people with it, but you can also seriously HURT people.

If you learn your products all-the-way-through and sell them to people who TRULY benefit, you will be blessed.

(HINT: You will be taught a lot of ways to sell the wrong products for people’s needs. Be careful of this. FIRST look to see where the product is a BAD answer and find the place where the model breaks down – THEN determine if it does work. This requires using your brain, which I imagine you have, since you asked the question!)

I also know that the going can be VERY tough at the beginning.

Network well with estate planning attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors. Show THEM that you know how to use products in their clients’ best interests. Nurture these relationships and refer people to them as often as you can. Look for opportunities to refer people to them. Eventually, ask them what it would take for them to refer to you.

As you build your clientele, focus on designing systems to keep in touch with your clients often. Over-communicate. Check in to make sure that their insurance portfolio is serving their current (and changing) needs. Even if you simply send a mailing once a month with one of your favorite inspirational quotes or pictures, you will be touching their lives with your personal signature brand.

FUN FACT:  82% of insurance salespeople with the top companies quit.

It takes something amazing to be one of the top 18% (earning on average $65,000/year) and something EXTRAORDINARY to be the top 5%, which is where the real wealth happens.

FINALLY, (and it should probably be first). Always be on time. Always send a hand-written thank you note. No one can beat you if you keep this at the heart and soul of what you do.

Insurance can be a beautiful career, because clients who stay with you will pay their premiums over-and-over and your influence and resources will grow. Take care to build a solid foundation and the rest will take care of itself over time.

AVOID ROOKIE MISTAKE NUMBER FIVE…Never spend your commissions until your client is outside of their right-to-rescind period (30 days?). If they rescind, you owe the money back!

Love it UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

NOW FROM OUR READERS:

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What to do when you get kicked “down” the chain

What to do when you get kicked down the chainToday I had a meeting lined up with the head of the department who buys what I sell.

20 minutes before our meeting, she sent an email saying that she can’t make the meeting, but her employee (who she said is COMPLETLY involved with their programs) would be there instead.

Know how I responded?

I emailed back (cc: all)  “PERFECT! I am delighted to meet with Samantha…she is just the right person to take a look.”

(HINT: Always leave people knowing that everything is NO PROBLEM and JUST RIGHT – even though you may feel disappointed).

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Actually, NOW, I had a HUGE advantage

I was talking with the person who USES my competitor’s product on a day-to-day basis. SHE is more familiar with the PAIN than anyone else in the company. I can develop this person to be a real fly-in-the-ointment of her managers if she wants to switch to our products.

BUT, Beware!

I didn’t assume a single thing about the sale. I started from scratch.

First, I laid out for Samantha why her manager had wanted to meet with me and why her manager had put it on the calendar.

THEN, I turned the focus completely to her. I asked Samantha what HER expectation of the meeting was. I asked her what, if anything, she knew about my company. I asked her what she did and what her role was (don’t pretend that your search on LinkedIn or her title tells you a single bit – ask THEM.)

And of course, the MAGIC questions:

“What would be the best use of YOUR time on this call? What do YOU want to see?”

The world opened up!

Samantha told me EVERYTHING she was dealing with as the end-user of our competitor’s product and EXACTLY what she wanted from our time. It was delicious. And, she felt important. Because she is.

The meeting went EXCEPTIONALLY well. Because Samantha felt like it was a big deal that I’d gotten kicked down the chain, she gave me everything I wanted to know about her company’s pain points.

She left the call EXCITED and wanting to hear more.

Now, what I’ll do…

I will now call Samantha’s boss and tell her how great is was that she put me in touch with the perfect resource. I will summarize our call and WE ARE FURTHER ALONG than we would have been, otherwise.

Never forget the power of RECIPROCATION

Samantha’s boss turned the tables on me. And I was GREAT with her. And, I was GREAT with her trusted-employee. Now, she owes ME graciousness. It works like a charm.

Believe me, I am 10 times more likely to close this deal than I was when I woke up this morning.

I NOW  have an internal advocate, a decision-maker who “owes” me and more information about what they are REALLY dealing with than I would have EVER gotten in the meeting I thought we were going to have.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Your job is to always be great with everyone and everything. The rest will sort itself out!

Pretty easy, right?

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl – What is the most rewarding aspect of the sales profession?

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl - What is the most rewarding aspect of the sales profession? I got this question today from a dear and generous Jesse:

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl:

“What is the most rewarding aspect of the sales profession for you, Irreverent Sales Girl?”

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Dear Jesse,

I laughed out loud for quite some time when I read your question. I will make this an article on my blog.

The most rewarding aspect? Just one?

First, you should know that I hate sales! (hee hee) It’s got a bad rap. Imagine the cocktail party…”What do you do?” …”I am a salesperson”…Watch them shift uncomfortably, look for the door, and get the *Blank* out of there!

Yet, it is MUCH more honest than “I am an Entrepreneur”, which sounds good, but makes me want to throw up on people.

So, more than one answer:

1)      Sales requires ALL of you. Every aspect. You can never all-the-way win – so you never stop growing. Terribly uncomfortable. Terribly rewarding.

2)      Unlimited income potential.

3)      Autonomy.

4)      I like being accountable for my company’s success, without having to run a company.

5)      When it works, I connect with amazing people.

6)      I am only as good as my last sale. The re-set button happens as soon as the deal is closed. GAME ON!

7)      Finding out how good and how terrible I am – all at the same time.

8)      Finding out how selfish and how generous I am – all at the same time.

9)      It is always a new day.

10)   It feeds my mental illness – I MUST BE THE BEST – UGH!

 

What about you? What  is the most rewarding aspect of the sales profession for you, Jesse?  (Comments welcome – not ONLY from Jesse!)

Love it ALL UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

People are either amazing or they suck!

And mostly it depends on how I THINK about them! People are either amazing or they suck

When I take a call from someone who is a pain. They become a pain.

When I take a call from someone who is great — and they are working through concerns that are important to them. They become great people who are dealing with real concerns.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

When I take a call from someone I love. They become someone I love even more.

Can you get the common denominator?

How I THINK about someone is who they become. Period.

Look for yourself. Where are you pre-assigning how a person is based on how YOU THINK about them? Can you CHANGE the way you think about them? (HINT: The answer is either “Yes” or “It’s worth a shot”)

This is not a woo-woo conversation. This is your bottom line. This is your profitability.

If you THINK people are great, they will become great for you, and MUCH more likely to do business with you.

Love the way you THINK UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

You will NEVER change, but…

you can grow!

Loved this article from Jen Kim at Psychology Today: http://m.psychologytoday.com/blog/valley-girl-brain/201307/why-we-are-the-way-we-are

It reminds me. I struggle all the time with things that I’m s’posed to be. Don’t YOU? And it just gets in my way. When I let myself just swing out and be me…the world pays attention! Pretense is dropped. Connections are made. (And I close hella more deals!)

What happens when you STOP TRYING TO CHANGE and you just allow yourself to grow instead? You will never change, but...

What would happen to your sales if you just took yourself as you are and delighted your customers?

What would happen to your family if you just swung out and be’d (yes, be’d is now a word) yourself?

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Imagine the Ferrari that is driving down the street wishing it could just be that solid family car, the Volvo. Ridiculous, right? (Example stolen from The Landmark Forum). While the Volvo is wishing it could be the sexy, sleek, and sought-after ride that the Ferrrari is! HI-larious!

As Marie Forleo says, “Keep going for your dreams because the world needs the gift that ONLY YOU HAVE!” (www.marieforleo.com)

Love yourself UP!  (And the world will, too!)

The Irreverent Sales Girl