Dear Friends,
When did it happen?
Have you ever thought to yourself, "I need to get a life?"
There is so much to do and so little time to do it. Our business lives have become so predominant. Everything today is business or at least it seems to be.
Politics is business.
Religion is business.
Education is business.
Sports is business.
Medicine is business.
Business is business.
Business seems to permeate our lives in virtually every aspect. There is just so much to get done. There's an economy to our attention. What do you give your attention to?
What we pay attention to gets done. But what is it that we pay attention to? We often have so many priorities that in reality we have none.
We are impacted by 5 Mega Realities according to Jeff Davidson author of "Get a Life." We all just want to do more and these 5 Mega Realities are simultaneously making us feel as if we have less time to do it in.
As a result we easily get side-tracked or lose focus, or worse yet, feel like a victim completely out of control.
How did things get so hectic? Here's why according to Davidson.
1. Population explosion
2. Expanding information and required knowledge
3. Mass media/electronic addiction
4. Paper volume
5. Over-abundance of choices
I want to focus on the last one, fir now. The over-abundance of choices.
I'm asked over and over, "Why is it that salespeople don't spend a lot of time on their referral business education and development?"
As salespeople we seem to be doing things. Going on to the next thing pressed for time. Making sales quotas.
Going, going, going, doing, doing, doing.
We find our desks piled high with papers. Continually racing the clock. Deluged with projects or tasks. Living your life in a mini van constantly in motion. Possibly "over scheduled" which can extend to our children as well.
"The challenges we face personally are inextricably linked to the challenges faced by our entire culture" says Davidson.
Society has sped up. We seem to be in a hurry. The impact on our lives is real, especially in business.
Some salespeople are so busy doing things that they don't have time to evaluate, educate and execute a plan that will prepare them to have an effective referral based business.
And what happens next is that we lose our life!
As one Realtor put it, "I've been in the real estate business for 10 years and as I look at where I was and where I am now I still don't know where my next sale is coming from. I take all the leads I can get. I'm often afraid if I don't take this prospect call I'll lose the sale even it if means
I have to change some family plans. My life isn't my own."
That is an honest assessment that needs a specific relief.
Business wasn't meant to rob people of their lives. It was meant to add value, meaning and the financial security to live life and prepare for retirement.
OK, enough philosophy! What's the real problem?
The answer is clear, NO PLAN. When you have a written out Referral Marketing Plan, as we train in our seminars, you begin to prioritize your business life. You build your business based on referrals. You begin to take charge of your business.
Just think about it. You've got an important decision to make. Do you have a plan? Here's the big question.
Do you have a systematic program of some kind to generate referrals?
Systematic is defined as steps that you constantly apply to generate business referrals.
YES or NO?
Less than 10% of those I've asked say YES to this question.
Read it again..."constantly apply."
Make this a turning point in your life.
The most predominant reason small businesses fail is the lack of a well thought out and written business plan.
Most of us wouldn't dream of taking a vacation without an itinerary. Even a road trip cross country requires preparation and planning. Unless you're on Spring Break.
Yet we will work at a career for years without a written plan. I don't mean goals, I mean a plan. The Referral Marketing Plan is our systematic program of steps you constantly apply to generate business referrals.
No two plans are the same. Everyone has their own way and their own steps but each has a plan.
Why do all plans work?
Instant information is often too much information. Most of of us rely upon someone we know, like or trust for recommendations and referrals. This is part of our culture.
It is how our new Relationship Communities work. It is this Mega Reality that actually leverages our referral business.
Think of it is this way. You could go online to obtain a list of Pediatricians within 15 miles of your home. Within minutes you could find over 25 doctors and search through their education, specialties, training and residency.
There is such an overabundance of choices what do you do?
Call someone on the list? Maybe.
I think you're likely to call someone you know and trust who has children and ask for a recommendation.
When you set up a Referral Marketing Plan you are leveraging one of the 5 Mega Realities to your advantage. It is not only the rate of change it is the nature of change.
You cannot change the rate or it's nature in society today but you can make it work for you.
Ask yourself this question...
What activities, if I performed superbly well, would greatly increase my referral business?
These become your priorities and the building blocks of your referral business. Remember, you cannot manage time, you can only manage your activities in the time we are given.
Your activities become your priorities.
Write down your answers and begin your plan.
When did it happen?
Have you ever thought to yourself, "I need to get a life?"
There is so much to do and so little time to do it. Our business lives have become so predominant. Everything today is business or at least it seems to be.
Politics is business.
Religion is business.
Education is business.
Sports is business.
Medicine is business.
Business is business.
Business seems to permeate our lives in virtually every aspect. There is just so much to get done. There's an economy to our attention. What do you give your attention to?
What we pay attention to gets done. But what is it that we pay attention to? We often have so many priorities that in reality we have none.
We are impacted by 5 Mega Realities according to Jeff Davidson author of "Get a Life." We all just want to do more and these 5 Mega Realities are simultaneously making us feel as if we have less time to do it in.
As a result we easily get side-tracked or lose focus, or worse yet, feel like a victim completely out of control.
How did things get so hectic? Here's why according to Davidson.
1. Population explosion
2. Expanding information and required knowledge
3. Mass media/electronic addiction
4. Paper volume
5. Over-abundance of choices
I want to focus on the last one, fir now. The over-abundance of choices.
I'm asked over and over, "Why is it that salespeople don't spend a lot of time on their referral business education and development?"
As salespeople we seem to be doing things. Going on to the next thing pressed for time. Making sales quotas.
Going, going, going, doing, doing, doing.
We find our desks piled high with papers. Continually racing the clock. Deluged with projects or tasks. Living your life in a mini van constantly in motion. Possibly "over scheduled" which can extend to our children as well.
"The challenges we face personally are inextricably linked to the challenges faced by our entire culture" says Davidson.
Society has sped up. We seem to be in a hurry. The impact on our lives is real, especially in business.
Some salespeople are so busy doing things that they don't have time to evaluate, educate and execute a plan that will prepare them to have an effective referral based business.
And what happens next is that we lose our life!
As one Realtor put it, "I've been in the real estate business for 10 years and as I look at where I was and where I am now I still don't know where my next sale is coming from. I take all the leads I can get. I'm often afraid if I don't take this prospect call I'll lose the sale even it if means
I have to change some family plans. My life isn't my own."
That is an honest assessment that needs a specific relief.
Business wasn't meant to rob people of their lives. It was meant to add value, meaning and the financial security to live life and prepare for retirement.
OK, enough philosophy! What's the real problem?
The answer is clear, NO PLAN. When you have a written out Referral Marketing Plan, as we train in our seminars, you begin to prioritize your business life. You build your business based on referrals. You begin to take charge of your business.
Just think about it. You've got an important decision to make. Do you have a plan? Here's the big question.
Do you have a systematic program of some kind to generate referrals?
Systematic is defined as steps that you constantly apply to generate business referrals.
YES or NO?
Less than 10% of those I've asked say YES to this question.
Read it again..."constantly apply."
Make this a turning point in your life.
The most predominant reason small businesses fail is the lack of a well thought out and written business plan.
Most of us wouldn't dream of taking a vacation without an itinerary. Even a road trip cross country requires preparation and planning. Unless you're on Spring Break.
Yet we will work at a career for years without a written plan. I don't mean goals, I mean a plan. The Referral Marketing Plan is our systematic program of steps you constantly apply to generate business referrals.
No two plans are the same. Everyone has their own way and their own steps but each has a plan.
Why do all plans work?
Instant information is often too much information. Most of of us rely upon someone we know, like or trust for recommendations and referrals. This is part of our culture.
It is how our new Relationship Communities work. It is this Mega Reality that actually leverages our referral business.
Think of it is this way. You could go online to obtain a list of Pediatricians within 15 miles of your home. Within minutes you could find over 25 doctors and search through their education, specialties, training and residency.
There is such an overabundance of choices what do you do?
Call someone on the list? Maybe.
I think you're likely to call someone you know and trust who has children and ask for a recommendation.
When you set up a Referral Marketing Plan you are leveraging one of the 5 Mega Realities to your advantage. It is not only the rate of change it is the nature of change.
You cannot change the rate or it's nature in society today but you can make it work for you.
Ask yourself this question...
What activities, if I performed superbly well, would greatly increase my referral business?
These become your priorities and the building blocks of your referral business. Remember, you cannot manage time, you can only manage your activities in the time we are given.
Your activities become your priorities.
Write down your answers and begin your plan.
Thanks for spending 3 Minutes with me...
The best is yet to be.
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047
One of the fastest ways to build a successful 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.
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Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training
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