I believe we’ve entered a moment in time where we must step back and ask ourselves: what matters most? For many, we’ll continue to work hard and, perhaps, even harder, but the ability to work from home for those who can opens up new possibilities for what Michael Dell recently called “Life/Work Balance”. Those of us having to re-enter offices will be more intentional, more grateful for serendipitous meetings at the watercooler and planning lunch with a colleague.
As we take off our physical masks, it’s important that we remove our psychological masks, too.
As David Brooks writes: “Productivity is a mask. I’m too busy to see you. Essentialism is a mask. I can make all sorts of assumptions about you based on what racial or ethnic group you are in. Self-doubt is a mask. I don’t show you myself because I’m afraid you won’t like me. Distrust is a mask. I wall myself in because I’m suspicious you’ll hurt me.”
This week, I encourage you to ask yourselves the following questions:
- Why do I do what I do? Am I making an impact that matters to me and my customers? What is that impact?
- How can I rank what I love and then make sure my schedule matches my rankings? (I just booked a yoga retreat for next fall during sales kick off season).
- Who do I want to spend my time with?
- How can I better connect with those people in my life whom I truly care about and spend less time with those who I merely tolerate?
- Who can I reach out to who needs a helping hand, a donation, or perhaps just a warm heart and dedicated time to be heard?
Yes, we’ve struggled. Many of us have gone months without embracing our loved ones, while still others have painfully lost loved ones. Hopefully, we’ve emerged from the pandemic more alive, more aware, and more unmasked.
As someone once said, death is not the greatest loss. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we’re still alive.
And now…please enjoy my top videos from the last 30 days.
This Lie About Salespeople is Costing You Thousands
If you look at the high value item today, it’s all about: “Be a thought leader!” “Be an influencer!” “Put out important content!” “Do a TED Talk!” “Do this!”
It seems like everybody, to be famous, is supposed to have this giant virtual microphone.
But, what if the emphasis was on listening?
I’ve used this quote before and I’ll use it again, if you really want to make an impact, “you need to be interested, not interesting.”
5 Ways Top 1% Salespeople Build Trust (in under 2 minutes)
For years as salespeople and sales leaders, we hear all of these clichés, but no one ever really unpacks it to really ask how do I build trust? How do I do a discovery?
Listen in to my top 5 tips on building trust with anyone.
86% of Salespeople Agree on This
We are in a new world and a new normal…
The assumptions that we had about the old world no longer apply.
So, while on one hand, we’re taught not to make assumptions about the client that’s in front of you…
You also don’t want to make assumptions that the new world is the same as the old world.
As a seller we need to upskill, adapt, pivot, and evolve.
We need to master all of the different ways of communicating in this hybrid world, whether it’s face to face, whether it’s virtually, whether it’s video and certainly when it comes to writing.
What are you doing to advance your communication today?
This Advice From a Mentor Changed My Life
My mentor, 30 years ago, told me:
“Find out what’s important to the customer.”
It might seem obvious today, but he taught me to dig deep and then keep going.
He always said “nobody’s bored when they’re talking, they’re bored when we are talking.”
Remember to focus and really listen to your prospect or customer.
If you want to impress somebody, find out what’s important to THEM.
Do your research.
How to Close a Difficult Customer 30 Seconds
Today, you’re far better off talking to fewer people and going deeper than this “cast a wide net” mentality that salespeople have, or what’s worse the mentality that you’re going to impress them by how great YOU are and how much YOU know.
“Oh, I’m going to impress them!”
“I’m going to tell them all about me!”
Remember, nobody cares about you…
They care about THEM.
