It has become stale at this point to discuss goals and achieving goals. Everyone knows what it takes to set and achieve goals, and there is no shortage of acronyms (e.g. GOALPOST) to help managers remember that goals are time bound, measurable, significant, etc. This begs the question of why - if everyone knows how to set and keep goals - so many businesses fail to achieve their objectives. Goal setting is sort of like New Year's resolutions: easy to make, hard to achieve.

A business coach and advisor can help ensure that you and your leadership team set appropriately aggressive goals and achieve them. There are six steps to the process:

First, set the right goals, based on a strategic plan that sets the most important priorities for the business to succeed and be dominant in its marketplace. Goals follow from a solid, elegant strategy for success.

Second, launch a plan to achieve the goals. It is not enough to set goals in a vacuum and expect them to somehow be reached. The business needs to develop a clear plan of action, resource needs, roles and responsibilities, organizational structure, and commitment in order to put substance on how goals will be met. The goals need to be broken down into manageable chunks of time and tasks, with specific people responsible. For instance, if a business wants to generate 200 more leads per month, then it needs a plan of action to generate those leads, and that plan of action should break down further into specific action steps by specific people every single day.

Third, create a dashboard of metrics to track goals over time and make mid-course corrections. Every executive should have a dashboard to track where progress is acceptable and where intervention is required.

Fourth, hold specific people accountable for achievement of the goals. Develop a recruitment and retention system to have the right people in the right places in the organization - people that the leadership team trusts to get the job done. The business should constantly recruit for talent, and have a process to develop, reward, and retain top performers in the context of business goals.

Fifth, have a process to track progress and make any necessary corrections.

Finally, know how to have conversations for accountability. It is up to the leadership team to hold everyone in the business accountable for results. The conversations required to hold people accountable vary depending on the situation and performance. Sometimes the manager needs to be directive, sometimes he or she needs to coach, and sometimes he or she needs to provide training and support. There are also explicit conversations required to set (or reset) expectations, acknowledge results, and provide incentives for performance.

Again and again we find managers who wonder why their people aren't accountable for results. In our experience, the issue resides with the manager, not the people. You get what you tolerate in business. If you aren't setting and tracking the right goals and putting in place processes and conversations to manage by goals, you shouldn't point the finger for poor performance at anyone but yourself! The leadership team should agree to meet regularly to track and discuss progress - and bring in other personnel as needed.

Fundamental Principles for Overcoming Worry

1. Live in “day tight compartments.”
2. How to face trouble:

a. Ask yourself, “What is the worst that can possibly happen?”
b. Prepare to accept the worst.
c. Try to improve on the worst.

3. Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health.

Basic Techniques in Analyzing Worry

1. Get all the facts.
2. Weigh all the facts — then come to a decision.
3. Once a decision is reached, act!
4. Write out and answer the following questions:

a. What is the problem?
b. What are the causes of the problem?
c. What are the possible solutions?
d. What is the best possible solution?

Break the Worry Habit Before It Breaks You

1. Keep busy.
2. Don’t fuss about trifles.
3. Use the law of averages to outlaw your worries.
4. Cooperate with the inevitable.
5. Decide just how much anxiety a thing may be worth and refuse to give it more.
6. Don’t worry about the past.

Cultivate a Mental Attitude that will Bring You Peace and Happiness

1. Fill your mind with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope.
2. Never try to get even with your enemies.
3. Expect ingratitude.
4. Count your blessings — not your troubles.
5. Do not imitate others.
6. Try to profit from your losses.
7. Create happiness for others.

The Perfect Way to Conquer Worry

1. Pray.

Prevent Fatigue and Worry and Keep Your Energy and Spirits High

1. Rest before you get tired.
2. Learn to relax at your work.
3. Protect your health and appearance by relaxing at home.
4. Apply these four good working habits:

a) Clear your desk of all papers except those relating to the immediate problem at hand.
b) Do things in the order of their importance.
c) When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have the facts necessary to make a decision.
d) Learn to organize, deputize and supervise.

5. Put enthusiasm into your work.
6. Don’t worry about insomnia. 

Become a Friendlier Person

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
4. Become genuinely interested in other people.
5. Smile.
6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
9. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Win People to Your Way of Thinking

10. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
11. Show respect for the other person’s opinion. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
12. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
13. Begin in a friendly way.
14. Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
15. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
16. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
17. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
18. Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
19. Appeal to the nobler motives.
20. Dramatize your ideas.
21. Throw down a challenge.

Be a Leader

22. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
23. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.
24. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
25. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
26. Let the other person save face.
27. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”
28. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
29. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
30. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

Step 1: Select Publish to Blog

Step 2: Select Community Server as Blog Provider

Step 3: Enter the URL path to the megablog.ashx file as show in above picture. Also, enter the credentials that you use to login to your blog account:

Step 4: Click picture options, Choose "My own server" and enter the information as displayed in prevouis picture. Change yourname to your real login name on the Blogs server.

Step 5: A new window will appear where you can enter your content to post to your blog.

Congratulations, you are now blogging in Microsoft Words 2007.

 Review your daily tasks and group them into the following quadrants:

If you spent more time in quadrant 2, wouldn't you be able to produce some true, long-term results for your sales organization?

You need to commit to establishing priorities and enhancing productivity. Specify activities you will stop doing to increase your productivity and actions you will take to gain better results. Have a clear vision of your expected results.

How to Prioritize

1. Prepare a to-do list.
2. Include quadrant 2 activities.
3. Arrange the list in order of importance to you, both personally and professionally. Take into consideration how certain items on your list might affect others (for example, someone might need something from you in order to do his or her job. If so, you can't neglect that responsibility).
4. Develop deadlines for each item. Create deadlines for quadrant 2 activities.
5. Examine the consequences for failing to accomplish a certain task by the deadline.
6. Identify the rewards of completing the task on time.

When customers procrastinate their purchase decisions, even after you have successfully resolved all objections, use a Value Summary to restate the value of your solution, create a sense of urgency, and overcome delayed decisions.

Building a Value Summary

Remind yourself of what your buyers want (primary interest) and why they want it (dominant buying motive), then do these three things:

1. Remind your buyers that they are currently missing out on the benefit your solution can provide and get their agreement. Describe how your solution appeals to their dominant buying motive.
2. Remind your buyers that your solution will satisfy that need.
3. Paint a "word picture" of your buyers using your solution, enjoying it, and benefiting from it.

Guidelines for Value Summaries

• Be clear and concise
• Describe in the present tense
• Link your solution directly to the buyer's dominant buying motive
• Be believable and realistic
• Show examples of the buyer benefiting from your solution
• Appeal to the buyer's senses - sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell

Asking for Commitment

After you have presented your Value Summary, be ready to ask for a commitment - the "close." Consider the following methods:

Direction Question:

Often the best way to gain a buyer's commitment is to ask for it. Ask a direct question that calls for a decision.

"Are you ready to go ahead with this decision?"

Alternate Choice Method:

Ask the buyer to select one of two options.

"Would you like the K80 with the standard stock, or would you prefer to choose from our specialty line?"

Minor Point Method:

Ask the buyer to make a minor decision that indicates that the larger buying decision has already been made.

"In whose name should this title be drawn?"

Next Step Method:

Assume that the buyer has already committed and look ahead to the next step.

"When would you like for me to schedule the installation?"

Opportunity Method:

Present the buyer with a brief window of opportunity when options are available. This can be an effective method to use with a buyer who is ready to buy, but who is procrastinating the final decision.

"You know that our prices increase on September 1st. I know that you'd want to take advantage of these lower prices now, right?"

Weighing Method:

If the buyer still has second thoughts about making the purchase, show him or her how the return on investment outweighs the cost.

"Let's do what many people do when making a major decision. Let's weigh the ideas causing you to hesitate and the value you'll realize from going ahead."

This True/False test will help clarify some common myths and misperceptions about cold calling. We've based the "correct" responses on research found in books written specifically on cold calling and on our own experience as a global sales training provider.

Keep in mind that some of these questions could have different correct responses in special cases. So be sure to answer from a general sales perspective rather than from the perspective of a unique selling situation.

1. The only goal for any business-to-business cold call should be to schedule an appointment.

TRUE: Salespeople often make the mistake of selling their solutions when cold calling. This is a deadly error. Sell only one thing at a time. If the person is willing to talk now, focus on getting the appointment.

2. Cold calling will generally generate results that are just as good as referrals.

FALSE: Referrals tend to have higher closing ratios for appointments.

3. It is not a high priority to qualify prospects when cold calling. The key is to set up as many appointments as possible.

FALSE: Save time for you and your prospects by ensuring you have qualified leads before taking the time to make and attend an appointment with a prospect.

4. You should leave a message for the buyer when you get voicemail instead of the actual person.

TRUE: Never miss an opportunity to leave a positive impression about you and your company. Also, remember that many people use caller ID. They may be wondering why you called and then failed to leave a message.

5. Most salespeople stop cold calling a prospect after four tries.

TRUE: Unfortunately, most salespeople give up after only four tries.

6. After you've made a certain number of cold calls, it becomes less important to keep records of your results.

FALSE: Most salespeople hate paperwork and keeping records, but it is the only way to find out what is working. And just because something works (or doesn't) this year, that doesn't mean it won't change next year...or next week.

7. Always make friends with the gatekeeper.

FALSE: Good relationships with gatekeepers can be a salesperson's best asset. These individuals can give you a positive look into the customer's organization. So you should always be friendly with the gatekeeper, but you don't need to necessarily befriend the gatekeeper. These individuals may feel that your interest is an intrusion and suspect that you are trying to manipulate them, or they just may never have contact with any decision-makers in the company. Be cautious about feeling that you are making great progress when you could be wasting your time and theirs.

8. If a prospect doesn't want to talk to you, it's probably personal.

FALSE: You have no idea what is going on in a person's world when you cold call. Remember not to take anything personally.

9. Less information is better when leaving a voicemail.

TRUE: Thirty seconds is about as long as you can hold someone's attention with a voice mail.

10. Experienced salespeople are past prospecting and develop all their business from current clients and referrals.

FALSE: Over time, we all lose customers because they go out of business, relocate, change their business, and for a host of other reasons. Experienced salespeople plan for this loss of clientele and continue to look for new prospects.

11. Experienced professionals use scripts when prospecting on the phone.

TRUE: Scripts help us make sure we are using the words with the maximum impact on prospects. Professionals practice them enough so that they don't sound like scripts.

12. Cold calling doesn't have to be a constant activity. Once your business gets going, you should be able to eliminate it.

FALSE: The majority of your business should eventually come from existing clients and referrals, but if you stop cold calling, you are missing potentially valuable business opportunities.

 Networking events can seem very intimidating, but they can be a resource that will help propel your career to new heights. It is always important to go into a networking event with enthusiasm and a set goal in mind. Use these ideas to help make your next networking experience a successful one.

1. Network online - According to recent research by The Institute For Corporate Productivity, 64% of business professionals network online. In today's Web 2.0 environment, you cannot afford to ignore this networking opportunity and potential leads you could generate via social networking sites.
2. Start with LinkedIn.com, the leading business networking - Membership is free, and you can pro-actively search for and connect with customers and prospects. Also, Linkedin.com users can post questions to the "Answers" section on the site. Make an effort to answer questions relevant to your area of expertise. Not only will you add value to your connections, but you will also get additional exposure and attract prospective customers who will seek you out!
3. Arrive early - Treat the event like an important appointment. By arriving early, you get comfortable in a more intimate setting with the other early arrivals. It can be intimidating to walk into a room filled with people, so go early and let the room fill up around you.
4. Show confidence - Speak confidently, decisively, and with authority. If you are confident in your conversations and support your ideas with evidence, people will take notice and respect that you know what you are talking about and that you mean business.
5. Circulate - Don't just talk to the people that you know. Get out there and go network!
6. Meet with VIPs or speakers - If there are VIPs or speakers at the event, prepare ahead of time. Do some research on the individual(s) so that you are informed when you talk with them. Compliment them on their speech or talk to them about how the topic of their speech or their field relates to what you do.
7. Stay late - When you stay late, the smaller crowd also gives you the opportunity to circulate in a more intimate setting. It also provides you with an opportunity to connect with the event's coordinator. Thank him or her for hosting the event. The event coordinator can give you some additional insight about who attended the event and who might be at the next event. It's never too early to prepare for the next event.
8. Have a robust profile on the networking site - Put in as much relevant information as you can that demonstrates the value you bring to your customers. Put in all the keywords you think prospective customers may use to search for a service provider in your field. Remember, on a social networking site, you want to make it easy for people to find you!
   

 Hello Everyone:

I came across this story and it had such an impact on me that I felt it was something worth sharing.

Please take this moment to read the story below; the message it contains is powerful.

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
 
SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question? '
 
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
 
SON: ' Daddy, how much do you make an hour? '
 
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing? the man said angrily.
 
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
 
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
 
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
 
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'
 
The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
 
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
 
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
 
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think:
 
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
 
'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.
 
'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.
 
'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier ' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'
 
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
 
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
 
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
 
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.
 
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do, ' the little boy replied.
 
'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you. '
 
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of who re working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.