Dear Friends,
Congratulations! You are the Owner/Manager of a 250 person part-time sales force.
Wouldn't that be nice?
That would solve all of your problems. You could buy the new home, get the fancy car, pay for your children's college tuition, take a vacation to Paris for a couple of weeks, even buy
that home you were looking at on the beach.
All of this and more is yours if only it were true.
It is true! It's all a matter of perception.
Last week I shared with you the basics of the 1st Mind Shift:
Customer Perception as the first commonalty in thinking of those who have an effective and successful referral business.
Those who have a successful referral business think differently.
This week we will talk about the 2nd MindShift:
Entrepreneurial Perception.
There are three roles within any business.
1. Entrepreneurial/Owner
2. Manager
3. Sales
Where do you see yourself?
As a salesperson how many people are on your team?
Do you work alone?
You might be thinking "no one is going to sell for me, I have to do it all by myself."
Of course there are others in your company that support you either as manager, or owner, or support staff, but "no one is going to create a sale for me but me. It is up to me." If it is going to be done it's up to me."
Sound quietly familiar? That's not the only role you play. Here, look at it this way.
At home you may be the CEO, COO, CFO, and the chief cook and bottle washer. You may schedule the family vacations, the family budget, the family finances, and still find the time to help the kids with their homework and cook dinner.
The point is, we act in many roles within our personal lives and within our business lives as well. If you are a salesperson, you will find yourself in the "salesperson" role in the company hierarchy.
That's not your only role in YOUR business.
Here Is How It Works.
Those who have an effective referral business see themselves as the Owner/Manager of a huge part-time sales force and see others in the sales role. They see themselves as the Entrepreneurs and Managers.
Let me ask it this way.
How many people know you, know what you do, like you, trust you, and might say to someone they know if the opportunity arose, "If you're going to...buy a house, need an attorney, use a home inspector, get a mortgage, buy insurance, invest in the stock market, etc. call Bob Smith he's my nephew, friend, Realtor, Lender, Attorney, etc?
How many people know of you in any of the relationships you live in, or what I call, "neighborhoods?"
These are some of your "neighborhoods" today: family (nuclear/ extended, friends, neighbors, customers, clients, professionals and support staff, alumni, classmates, colleagues, associates, former managers, supervisors, instructors, co-workers, business groups, sports/recreation, children's friends, social organizations, church members, mentors, people you have helped, people who have helped you, people you do business with, wedding guest list, everyone in your family address book, people you do business with, people you give your business to...and the list goes on.
These are the new "neighborhoods" we live in. It's not territorial like it was in the old days.
People know you through the many roles and relationships you play in your life. When my aunt says to her neighbor "Go see my nephew Jeffrey, he'll help you" she is acting like a salesperson
for me.
Yes, she's my aunt but in those brief 11 seconds she is ADVOCATING for me to her neighbor. The word ADVOCATE is defined as "to speak publicly for."
Isn't that the same definition as a salesperson? My aunt doesn't know she is selling for me, but she is. It's a "blind" group. I don't have to sell my aunt, I just keep her informed as to what I do and how I help others.
That's the point.
The 2nd MindShift, shared by those who have an effective referral business, is all about seeing those in their lives as "part-time salespeople."
Keep everyone you know, and who knows you, informed as to what you do and how you help others and you ignite the potential opportunities that might otherwise not exist.
Imagine if everyone who you knew referred one person each year to you. How would business be? Unbelievable?
The subtle and impactful shift of thinking of yourself as the Owner/Entrepreneur of a huge part-time sales force comprised of everyone who knows you, knows what you do, how you help others, likes you, trusts you, is by itself the most significant MindShift you can embrace.
You do not have to look far. It is right under your feet. You already own it.
I believe this quote best defines many salespeople who look to some new advertising to attract new customers to their business...
"Standing on a whale, fishing for minnows."
It is a matter of perception.
MindShift #2. Say It out loud...
I am the Owner/Manager of a (your number) part-time sales force and I'm trying to start acting like the great Owner/Manager I can be.
Congratulations! You are the Owner/Manager of a 250 person part-time sales force.
Now go be the great owner you know you can be.
Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.
If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com
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