October 4, 2013

How to sell with a sales framework [don’t use this if you’re happy losing sales]

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Sales, Selling | No Comments

How to sell vs. how to lose clients

Ok, so not only do you not know how to sell, but you don't feel good about selling either. There's a surprise!

Let me guess. It feels icky, sleazy and every single time you attempt to “sell” you're reminded of that pushy, manipulative car salesperson you once met in your nightmares! Euw!

And there's no way in hell you want to be like that. Being a salesperson is not something you've ever aspired to be. You're a creative or a techie [wink, wink].

Well I've got news for you sister (or brother)….I've yet to meet a top performing sales person who's ever aspired to be in sales. Yes, seriously. Most of them (me included) just fell into it somehow.

Here's the thing too. No one is born a sales person. No one! Sales is a learnt skill. There's an art to it, or if you want to get formulaic – a framework and methodology. All the pros use one, although you'd never be able to tell. Furthermore, when they sell to you, you'd never really realize you're being sold to. You see, sales is just a conversation. That's what I was taught many years ago and it's what I teach my students in my sales program, The Daily Wins, and when I coach.

So if you're struggling to find a way to sell that feels authentic and integral, whether on the phone, Skype or in person, don't despair. I've got a sales framework you can use to teach you how to sell. AND [insert nominated swear word] me, it works! 😉 You don't sell over 7-figures/ year, year-on-year, in services using something that doesn't!

The ‘how-to-sell' sales framework

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me your how to sell to prospect stories. Do you use a framework or methodology? What's working for you? Share your stories and experience here and if you've got a question, just pop it down here.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

P.S.

Finally, if you know someone who'd LOVE the insight from this post, please send them a link. You’ll find solo entrepreneurs, consultants and yes, even sales and marketing managers who manage people who'll be interested to hear about this.

Read more
Find me on Google+

P.P. S.

If you want to learn more about how to sell, then my brand new sales program, The Daily Wins is launching this month, 18th October. Get on the list if you want in on the action.

September 26, 2013

How to sell more [revealing the secret no one tells you about]

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Sales, Selling | No Comments

How to sell more and high fives!

Last week I wrote about how to sell more by leveraging off your internal team and/ suppliers – how to sell more: the sales pitch everyone misses. High five if you've implemented that already. This week I've got another group for you to leverage off and once again you won't have to incentivize them or pay them commission. Gosh it sounds like I'm about to make the sales team redundant, but that's not the case!

Before I tell you more, I’ve got two questions for you.

Here’s the first. If you could make one simple tweak to your company that would give you an immediate sales increase would you do it?

Of course you would! Who doesn’t want to make more sales?

Ok, next question. When a buyer is on your website what do they want? This answer is really going to surprise you.

They want to discount you. They’re looking for reasons not to buy from you. They’re making a short-list of suppliers, whether that’s at a conscious or subconscious level. They’re looking for signs that will put them off from buying from you.

And no one teaches you this! I go into all these buying behaviour patterns in my sales program which is coming soon.

So how do you stop them leaving your website without contacting you? Well, there are many ways, but in this post I’m only going to concentrate on just one of them.

Do it the sizzle and steak way (story time)

Imagine you’re in a restaurant. You’ve never been there before and you’re wondering whether it’s any good. You’re looking for some reassurance, so you ask the waiter some questions. To your surprise he responds with a question. He asks you, “If you were eating here tonight what would you pick from the menu?” He hands you the menu. You see the steak and answer, “I’d pick the steak.” He continues the conversation by telling you how wonderful their steak is, how it’s sourced, and how it really sizzles. You’re interested but still not convinced. He then says, “Look, let me show you.” He then calls over a waiter who's about to deliver a sizzling steak to a customer. You can see it now for yourself and it really does look good. He then introduces you to several regular customers who tell you at first hand their experience of the restaurant. By now you’re convinced so you ask for a table and the transaction is made.

The moral of the story is this:

[box]”If you want to sell more don’t just talk about the sizzle, show the whole steak” – Jane Frankland TWEET THIS[/box]

When a buyer lands on your website, you’re obviously not there, so you can’t help influence their buying decision. You can’t allay their fears or convince them that you're the right supplier. So, that means you’ve got to go the extra mile.

And, that's where testimonials come in. They back up what you say or as Robert B. Cialdini (noted psychologist) calls social proof. You see testimonials hold strong persuasive powers as they touch on both fact-based and emotion-based motivators that drive people to buy things. They reaffirm that your claims are credible and that your services are the real deal. They validate the feelings that a prospective buyer has for you too, and when done right, the message that typically comes across is authentic, sincere and extremely convincing.

5 tips to make sure your testimonials sell for you

Watch the video, or skip if you prefer to read the text below.

Tip #1. Get result-orientated testimonials. These are the most effective of all. When you help your clients or customers achieve something then you must show the value. Show numbers, currency, amounts and percentages. This will get your prospects attention and dramatically increase their response. Here’s are 2 examples: A) “The Daily Wins program is a great sales training program.” B) “Thanks to the powerful strategies I learnt on The Daily Wins sales program I made $15,000 in 2 days. I’ll easily quadruple my revenues this year. Thank you.” Which one do you think is more compelling and converts more sales?

Tip #2. Include full information on the client or customer who’s giving your testimonial. The more information you provide, the more believable the testimonials are.

Tip #3. Use photos, written responses, screen shots of emails or social media messages that you’ve been sent. Remember that saying, ‘a picture paints a thousand words?’ Well it’s true. We think in pictures so we retain information better if it’s presented this way. So paint the picture – literally.

Tip #4. Use audio and video to add even more credibility.

Tip #5. Story tell. This really steps social proof up a gear. You can do this through video or via case studies, success stories or interviews.

The 3 B rule for getting testimonials

If you’ve trouble getting testimonials don’t get mad. Instead, adopt the 3 B rule – bug, then brag, then bribe!

Make a list of clients who’ve got great results. Ask if they can write up a testimonial. 99% of the time they’ll be delighted to do this. Unfortunately though, they’ll probably forget or be so busy that they won’t have time to do it and as a result you’ll not receive it. If this happens simply offer to write the testimonial for them and then send it to them for approval.

Sometimes as a last resort you’ll have to make this exciting to them. One way to do this is by offering an ethical bribe. For example you could run a contest and offer a free prize or discount to whoever writes the best testimonial for you.

If you’re just starting out and don’t have any success stories, approach leaders in your industry and ask them for endorsements. Send them an example of your work and remember to include a WIIFM (a what’s in it for me) statement or plea in your email.

Finally as an ideal, have a mixture of testimonials – some from industry leaders and some regular Joes. Prospects buy from those who they can either relate to or aspire to being.

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me your how to sell more stories. Do you use testimonials and case studies to increase your sales. What's working for you? Share your stories and experience here and if you've got a question, just pop it down here.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

P.S.

Read more
Find me on Google+

September 15, 2013

The sales pitch everyone misses [it makes you look dumb if you’re doing it]

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, New business, Sales, Selling | No Comments

Make the easiest sales pitch of your life

Yes, this is the sales pitch everyone misses. FAIL!

And, to make matters worse it is one prospect that’s probably your easiest sales to close. The prospect will become one of your most loyal clients and they’ll be in the relationship for the long haul. They’ll even sell for you too without you having to ask or incentivize them. And, no, it's not your mum!

Bet you’re desperate to find out who they are, aren’t you?

Ok. I’ll put you out of your misery as I can't bear to see you make this mistake. Your easiest sales pitch you're ever going to make is to your internal prospect i.e. those who work alongside you, but who aren’t involved in active business development or selling.

Think about it. Other than you, who can define the features, benefits and values of your product or service?

They may not have “sales” in their title or be paid commission, but this group should definitely be encouraged to promote your business, recognize opportunities and position the organization for growth.

And that’s why I teach all my students, who come through my sales program to view this group of prospects as ambassadors for their company. These people are your stealth sellers. They’ve the power to be an extension of your sales team and deserve the opportunity to buy into the company’s future and success.

Equally, their actions, attitudes, comments, or lack thereof have the potential to threaten a sale or lose a client.

So keep them happy, keep them motivated and train them up!

Story time

I remember the first event my business ever did. It was 2002 and my third child had just been born. She was actually 5 months old. The event was at one of the largest shows in Europe for our industry sector. Anyway, as we wanted and needed to make an impact we had the whole company actively selling. They all knew our vision and our mission as we’d (or more accurately I’d) indoctrinated them at their induction. I wanted to get their buy in from the get-go. They knew exactly how to approach prospects as I’d given them training before. They were hyped about it too and did so well. The team united and as a result the clients we brought on board from that event stayed with us for over a decade. The revenue generated accounted for millions. The team’s efforts and commitment to what we were trying to achieve were exemplary. They pulled together and made me proud.

And this is how it should work for you – even if you're a team of one! By selling yourself and your product or service to your internal client or team or even to your suppliers you’ll:

Increase your revenue more quickly
Increase your repeat business
Generate more leads or referrals
Leverage time and resources

Think about it. Who does the following?

Carries out the promise of the sale i.e. the deliverables?
Answers general inquiries?
Creates the product or completes the service?
Checks on the order status?
Handles complaints?
Delivers the products?
Explains the features?
Handles the billing questions?
Markets or packages the goods?
Collects the invoices?
Follows up on the procedures?

Throughout each day your consultants, and those staff in accounts, admin, human resources, operations, production, logistics and marketing all have countless interactions with your clients and prospects. Regardless of whether you own your business, run the department or sell a particular product line, you have the power to impact your own revenue growth by selling your value to the internal client.

Examine your current operating culture and assess the following:

Do all your employees know your vision and mission?
Do all your employees know exactly what you’re offering?
Are all your employees actively engaged in selling and promoting the product?
Have you defined what the organizational philosophy is that drives the employee/customer interaction?
Have you communicated that to everyone too?
Have you created an environment in which each and every connection brings value to your clients?
Do all your employees know what the value proposition is?
Do all your employees know why your market needs what you’re selling?
What benefits are received from your offering (savings, efficiencies etc)?
What makes your offering special and differentiates it from the rest?
Do all your employees know what opportunities look like?
Do you know what they do when they recognize opportunities?
Do all employees have the training and tools to convey your offerings (features, benefits and value)?

Figure out how you can impact each and every person in your organization. Do this at an individual and department level. Make the effort to include all staff as having a stake in the sales results and business success really helps to increase sales. If you’re a solo entrepreneur, and a team of one, think about your suppliers – those you outsource to. Treat them as an extension to your team. Get them buzzing about what you do.

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me your stories. Have you ever tried to do a sales pitch to your internal team or even to one of your suppliers? If you've done or still do it, do you offer any rewards or incentives? Share your stories and experience here.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

P.S.

Read more
Find me on Google+

September 7, 2013

If you’re converting 8:10 of your prospects don’t read this

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Sales | No Comments

Speed prospecting

Speed prospecting is much like speed dating. It's fast, it's effective and as time is a prized commodity it's worth a look at. So tell me, are you practising it?

Ok let me explain. Let's establish this one thing – we're living in a digital era and when it comes to selling, you'd have to be a dumb wit if you weren't interested in social media to enable your sales. Am I right or am I right?! Anyway, this is where speed prospecting through social media comes into its own.

I call this social selling and I can't fluff this topic up any longer – sorry to offend!

So ask yourself are you ready to lead, follow or get left behind?

If it's the first, stay tuned. You know my rule – I only work with smart winners!

From my research and analysis of thousands of prospecting calls, I’ve found that the three biggest factors that super-charge your chances of getting into a busy prospect’s office are the:

Prospect's profile (who to call)
Triggers events (when to call)
Relationships (how to use your relationships to get in by referral)

Now I'm not sure about you but if I could take only one of these factors to a desert island I'd take relationships. BTW I'd have my laptop, phone and an Internet connection on the desert island, along with my man servant! 😉

Why? Well the answer is obvious (forget the man servant for a mo). When it comes to selling, relationships are the biggest factor of all. They equate to social capital and nothing beats this AND the fact that someone wants to help you. You can do the most bang up job of positioning your company and profiling your market down to the exact companies and individuals that should want to buy your product or service, but if those prospects don’t know you, or know someone who knows you, or can vouch for you, they don’t trust you. And when they don’t trust you you're in a pickle! The relationship will take months and years to nurture and so will your sales. Bummer!

So what's the solution? Easy – it's time to leverage off your connections. And, the good news is that in the digital era this is a synch!

[box]Studies show that the average conversion rate on a website shoots from 7% up to 71% when you're recommended via a social network. TWEET THIS[/box]

The first thing you can do is to prioritize and categorize your prospects in a different way. Instead of doing a pure profiling and target market exercise that includes what size companies (employees and turnover), what sectors, what locations etc. you need to refine things.

You need to review your prospect list with a much broader definition of target companies and then go straight to an overlay of your social graph – aka who do you know and who do they know. You can use many social tools like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest to do this and use all of the insight gained from them to develop further rapport when you're speaking to them.

You then need to make your prioritized prospect companies only the ones you can get into via referral or with some kind of common link.

Whilst it may seem awkward and somewhat ill-defined at first this is the fastest way to build your sales pipeline, convert your prospects into long-term clients and ultimately sell.

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me your story. Are you using social media to prioritize your prospect list and to sell? If so, please share your stories and experience here and let us know what's working and what's not.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

P.S.

Finally, if you know someone who'd LOVE the insight from this post, please send them a link. You’ll find solo entrepreneurs, consultants and yes, even sales and marketing managers and directors from 8-figure corporations who'll be interested to hear about this.

Read more
Find me on Google+

July 4, 2013

What’s the first rule of sales? [my brother mustn’t answer this]

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Sales | No Comments

Know me, like me, trust me…

Bless me father for I have sinned. I'm English and I'm using the American spelling for colour (color) throughout this post!

Ok, now that I've got that off my chest and before I even get into color personality types (or colour personality types if you're in the UK), I'm going to have to start with the basics: when it comes to sales and selling, people buy from people.

So I'm going to put it bluntly here. I know you wouldn't expect anything less of me.

If people don't like you when they meet you, you're not going to sell Jack diddly squat! FACT!

That's why your job, as a salesperson or someone who's heading up a sale, is to get your prospects to like you, and to keep on liking you! When they like you they feel safe. When you're seen as “friend” as oppose to “enemy” you're trusted, and when you're trusted they're more likely to buy.

You see we all buy from people we trust, and we keep on buying from those we keep on trusting. We buy from credible people and we make reference to those we find trustworthy. We also hang out with people who engage us and see them as leaders. They make us feel good.

And, this is key. For the first rule of sales is… people buy feelings not things.

Every step your prospects take along the sales path – every interaction they experience – gives them feelings and that is how you or your product, service or brand is judged. Make no mistake about this. Every single one of your buyers keeps a mental check-list of positive and negative feelings, and adjusts the scores as he or she goes.

Unfortunately we're not actually conscious of doing this. We're just wired that way. It's how our reptilian brains work.

So, how do you know whether to trust anyone as a credible leader or not?

Well I teach this in my coaching programmes but as you're being a good sport I'll tell you the answer now. It all boils down to how you communicate.

Story time

Example 1. Years ago, when I owned my IT company and we sold products, I used to have to deal with many suppliers. As an experienced buyer I soon realised that not only could I make a great profit in a sale, but I could also make double the profit if I bought well before. Now I vividly remember one meeting that I organised with a supplier. I happened to bring a member of my team into this and yes, you guessed it – he was male. The irony of this meeting was that the supplier decided to direct it (the sale) to my colleague. Big, rookie mistake. He didn't communicate with me – let alone in my language, and I was the buyer! Needless to say, he didn't make me feel great so he didn't get any more business from me or my company. That cost him millions.

Example 2. Recently I attended an event. A programme was being sold and a considerable investment was at stake. I was interested in the ROI. When I asked for this information, the answer I was given was that taking the course made you “feel good.” Now that's all well and good, but unfortunately I couldn't give a damn if it made you feel good. I was only interested in the tangible value it delivered to my bottom line. Once again the supplier hadn't communicated effectively so I walked away not buying.

Example 3. I was at another event a few months ago. Unfortunately I happened to sit next to a woman who decided she was going to snort back her snot (instead of blow her nose) throughout the whole presentation. I was naturally quite repulsed and couldn't wait to get away from her at the end of it. However, she approached me and asked for a meeting. She was interested in what I was selling. Now my initial thoughts were: was it a nervous twitch she had, had her mother not brought her up to blow her nose when she had a cold, and how the heck could I do business with someone like this? So I weighed it all up, made my excuses and walked away from the opportunity.

Always remember that sales is a two-way engagement. When you own your company you have the choice as to whether you work with someone or not.

Communicate according to color personality types

If you want the sale, you have to be able to communicate with your prospect in a language that resonates with them. How you interact determines whether you'll convert them into clients and customers.

You need them to understand what you're saying – to hear AND to listen. The only way you can do this is by speaking to them in a language that they understand. You need to speak “their language.” When you speak their language you can be more influential; you can build rapport more quickly, which in turn builds the trust.

And, yes you guessed it… when you build trust, the sales follow as a matter of course.

Whilst language is a highly complex matter as there are many forms of communication – verbal and non verbal, I'm only going to give you a guide on the words, sounds and body gestures that your prospect may use in order for you to be able to craft your sales message [communication] in a way that will be received and understood.

So, here are some tips to help you quickly identify your prospect's personality types. I've grouped them into color personality types as it's easier to remember.

Four color personality types

There are four color personality types and whilst we all have components of them, generally one dominant personality shows through.

Yellows – they make up 35% of the population and one of the best words to describe them is nurturing. ‘Yellows' are always looking out for others; they like to help. They're open, indirect in conversation, very sensitive and aren't particularly concerned about money. Instead they prefer relationships and teamwork. Often they don't have time for themselves as they give it to everyone else. They usually talk about how they like to help others and for them it's all about the cause. They're earthy and mellow; softly spoken, relaxed and casually dressed. Things that will turn them off are money, partying and material possessions. When you're interacting with a yellow be aware that these are color personality types that don't want to be sold to. They make decisions based on emotion, and very slowly. So, when you talk to a ‘yellow' color personality type talk about how you can help others (save money, spend time with their family) and make sure to lower the volume. Yellows don't like sudden change either so they often need assurance from another party. The good news is that once you've won them over they're loyal to the person they buy from and the brand.

Green – they too make up 35% of the population. ‘Green' color personality types are similar to the ‘yellow.' They too don't like to be sold to. They're self contained and indirect in conversation. They're quietly spoken, reserved and often pessimistic. They're conservative, formal and use minimal body gestures and facial expressions. They're the analysts; the data miners. They want all the facts and all the questions answered. They want to feel secure. They're risk averse and when it comes to making a decision they take their time and want to make informed decisions. When you're selling to a ‘green' color personality type stay away from emotional information – they just want the facts. Invite them to take a look.

Blue – they make up 15% of the population. They're easy to recognise as they stick out. ‘Blue' color personality types are flamboyant, gregarious, fun-loving, fast-paced and sociable. They're often the life and soul of the party, tell a good story and are enthusiastic. They smile and laugh a lot. This color personality type is a group that's loved by all. As they like to attract attention and are born entertainers, when you're interacting with a ‘blue' color personality type you may need to raise the volume. Motivate them by talking about recognition and incentives. They're risk takers so they don't want or need to see all the detail. They like succinct and they'll act more on feeling rather than logic. This is good news for you in terms of the sale as they'll make decisions fast.

Reds – make up 15% of the population. They're independent, dominant and risk takers. They're goal orientated, focused on results and fast thinkers. They're usually easy to spot as they wear power colours and designer clothes. They walk fast, talk fast and don't do chit chat. They're not interested in talking about their families; instead they're money motivated and focused on ROI. ‘Red' color personality types are driven by success and control. They're energetic, action taking, high powered performers. When you're interacting with them talk about the challenge of the success and get straight to the point. This is a color personality type with limited time or patience. Note too, that you can't close them. They'll make up their own minds.

So talk the language they understand.

Now I want to hear from you…

What methods do you use when it comes to selling in person or over the phone? Do you use a method such as color personality types to help you establish how to speak to your prospects? And, have you ever walked away from a sale? Share your stories and tell me all about it in the comments below.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

Read more
Find me on Google+

June 27, 2013

Don’t lose out! Seven core habits to create wealth in business

By JaneFrankland | Established business, Mindset, New business | No Comments

How to create wealth longterm

Last week I wrote about how to create wealth, attract money and be a money magnet. I referenced money affirmations and mindset mainly. This week's post is more practical. It's more strategic too. I'm getting specific and as a result you'll be getting the 7 core habits I've been using forever-and-a-day to grow large, profitable businesses, including my own!

You lucky, lucky things! 😉

My 7-core habit create wealth formula

Habit #1. Learn about money and success from wealthy people. Yes it's really quite simple. Go and make friends with the bling-bling crowd. Hang out with them. Watch how they operate. Listen to the way they deal with things.

If you've not read Rich Dad Poor Dad give it a skim. It illustrates the point I'm making well. You see, the truth of the matter is this – most of us learn about money from our parents. No one teaches us about money and success in school and it's a big failing in my opinion.

So, consider who you've been taking money advice from. Is it from your friends and family who've struggled to make ends meet, or is it from successful mentors who've proven they know how to make and maintain money and wealth?

Now I've hung out with a lot of wealthy people over the years and I can tell you this – wealthy people regularly take advice from people who've more money than they have. They employ the smartest accountants who make their money work for them i.e. they make it go further. They also continue learning about money and about investing all the time.

So take time to learn from those who know. Let their knowledge rub off on you.

Habit #2. Take good care of your money and become a good money manager. I used to dread logging into my bank account online or going to the ATM and requesting a balance. I used to have to psych myself up each time. No joke! It's ridiculous I know, but it's true. However, it dawned on me slowly. How could I hope to get more money if I couldn't deal with these basics? So if this is resonating with you, do as I did: start to treat your money like it's of real value. Doh! And, the easiest way to do this is to imagine it is!

Watch your bank account too. Look at the interest you're being charged and manage your cashflow daily. You need to have your eye on your P&L (profit and loss) and review it regularly. Management accounting is about as sexy as selling. Sorry. It's a pretty dry subject but it's so important.

So, you need to know exactly how much money you've got coming in (both for your business and for your personal accounts) and how much money is going out. You don't need to be a whizz at maths to do this either. You can do this with a simple spreadsheet but if you've got accounting software then that's even better. Look at your cashflow, sales order book and invoicing DAILY. It will focus your mind! Cash is always king.

Story time…

I learnt the “cash is king' lesson the hard way when my first 7-figure business nearly failed. Picture the scene. I'd just had my third child (the other two were 10 years and 19 months) and the business was set to storm the year. My business partner and I had adopted an even more intense ‘all or nothing' growth attitude. We'd decided at the start of the year to stop playing it safe and to take some measured risks so we could grow. For example, risk #1 was investing in one of our industry's largest shows as an exhibitor. Risk #2 was taking on a very expensive consultant in preparation for a contract that we'd just been given a verbal order on. Risk #3 was signing off on larger office premises. Now we had a strong order book at the time, but when several of our clients went into receivership out of the blue, owing us money, it nearly wiped out our business. Having a strong order book was about as useful as a chocolate fire guard. The bank wasn't able to extend any credit or able to increase our overdraft. Unless we could find a way to pay our suppliers, we were out of business too. However, we fought hard to hang on to the business, and thankfully we managed to turn it around. The lesson was learnt!

Video break

Ok back to the habits….

I'm going to bring up debts whilst we're on the subject of money management. Make sure to pay your debts on time but also use debt to grow your business. What do I mean when I say this? Well, as an entrepreneur you're going to have to use debt occasionally to grow your business. I call this ‘good debt' as it leads to you making more money. It's an investment. It delivers a return (ROI) and it generates cash! Examples of good debt include investing in a course, some coaching, equipment and so on. It may be through a credit card, a lease or hire purchase. Bad debt on the other hand is when you put things on credit cards and it doesn't generate you any money. I'd use a company car as an example.

One of the best books I've read on money management and how to create wealth is The Richest Man in Babylon.The book dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon. It teaches you through the characters in the parables who learn simple lessons in financial wisdom. Interestingly, it was first produced as a series of separate informational pamphlets and was distributed by banks and insurance companies.^.It's a classic and an enjoyable quick read.

Habit #3. Look for opportunities and avoid being comfortable at all times. As an entrepreneur you've got to do things that others won't do. You've got to think, be, and act differently. And if you're after success you need to see opportunities where other people just see risk. I'm going to use companies that started in recessions as examples – Disney, IBM, Apple, Microsoft, General Motors, General Electric, Burger King, FedEx, Revlon, CNN, and in the UK, our very own M&S!

Habit #4. Play to win and make sure you're playing to win BIG. Decide now. How much money do you want to make? This is the time when you really can pluck a number from the air. However, once you've done this you need to plan for it and test it out. This means you've got to work out intelligently and strategically how you're going to achieve it. NEVER settle for an ambiguous amount without doing this. Otherwise that would be plain dumb!

Habit #5. Get used to being uncomfortable and decide if you're playing to win or loose. Avoid thinking and using the word ‘comfortable' at all times. Being comfortable will keep you stuck in survival mode. In order to get out of your current money zone you've got to get out of your comfort zone. Your business is only ever going to grow as much as you do and you're only growing when you're uncomfortable. Ironically when you're used to discomfort you're going to end up with wealth and success that makes you very comfortable.

[box]”Small thinking and small actions lead to small bank accounts. Big thinking and big actions lead to big money” – Jane Frankland TWEET THIS[/box]

Habit #6. Learn to love receiving. This can be so hard for many of you I know. It was for me, until fairly recently. I cured it by becoming aware of it and learning to respond in a different manner. For example, whenever someone used to say that they liked my outfit I'd be quite embarrassed and say something like, “oh this? I've had it ages.” Now, I just smile and thank them. It's a win-win for both of us. When you don't accept a gift you're actually denying someone else the joy of giving. So if you're guilty of doing this, work on it as soon as you can.

Getting this sorted can go a long way to sorting out those “I'm not charging enough” or “Am I worth it” money issues I blogged about the other week. It enables you to feel comfortable charging appropriately for your products and services. Make sure to always charge well for your services and don't apologise for your rates or success. Get paid on time or ahead of time. Become good at asking for and receiving payment because you're worth it.

Habit #7. Enjoy giving.This is often referred to as ‘playing it forward' and I love it. There is nothing more satisfying than being able to do it and it's one of the reasons so many entrepreneurs are in business. You want to give to the charities and causes you believe in as you've a social conscience. So donate or give a percentage to charity and remember to leave a tip after a meal or for the maid if you've stayed at a hotel.

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me which of these tips will you use? What tips do you use to create wealth and manage your money. Please share them here.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

Read more
Find me on Google+

June 13, 2013

Are you doing everything yourself? [Don’t read this if it’s yes]

By JaneFrankland | Established business, Lifestyle, New business | One Comment

Stop! You're under attack!

Today's post is all about outsourcing and developing systems and processes for your business. But, before I get into that I HAVE to ask you this. Who's the biggest threat to your business? Who's going to steal it all away from you? Well chances are it's no online hacker, that's for sure. I hope you're ready for the answer…

It's actually you!

I know this may be resonating with you. You're very busy, right?

So was I when I first started my business. You see when you start a business it's usually when you've just left a job. You're on your own and having to do everything yourself. Or, at least that's what you think you should be doing – even things that you probably know you stink at!

Yes the truth hurts sometimes but you know where I'm coming from.

Let's get specific here. I'm going to bring up one of my pet favourites. And yes, it's websites. This is the one thing I see entrepreneurs (new and old) do all the blinking time – they design and build their own websites. Now, I'm absolutely fine with this if money is genuinely an issue but for most of you it's not! The last one I worked with actually had a $5m business and it was pants (their website attempt that is)!

So things like building your own website, compiling your brochures, doing your accounting, processing your orders, personally responding to your prospects and clients emails and social media messages, organising the deliveries, writing blogs and copy, and may be even the sales are things you CAN and SHOULD outsource!

I'm being serious.

I can see you now – running around like the proverbial headless chicken! I did this too. And I can tell you what will happen if you continue with this.

The reason you started your business – for the love of your work – will slowly disappear . You'll get drowned in a flood of administrative trivia and one morning you'll wake up and you'll feel burnt out. You'll want to hide away from the world, under the douvet – all day. And, you'll have lost all the creative energy you had when you first started your business.

And, then it will hit you. You'll realise that you'll never be able to make the kind of money that you wanted to by doing these types of tasks and working in this way.

How do I know? Because I've been there too. I've done it and got the T-Shirt sistaaaa!!!

Now, even if you like doing some of these tasks you'll never make it.

Picture this. When I started my first 7-figure business there were two of us. It was easy. We were extremely focused and held each other accountable. We got an office as soon as we could. Now, this actually was a very smart thing to do as it made us get super disciplined right from the very start. I even remember turning up to work dressed in a suit just so I could get in the mood for being a professional and working as one. Nowadays it makes no difference to me. I can work as a professional even dressed in my PJs! Yes, I do that regularly! 😉

So my advice to you is this: decide what to outsource as soon as you can.

How to know what to outsource

Get a piece of paper or do it online and write 3 columns.

Make a list of things you don't like doing. Chris Ducker calls these tasks the “vomit in your mouth rather than do tasks.” Amusing! I know where he's coming from! Anyway, these typically are the things you procrastinate over.

Make a list of things you like doing but are not good at.

Make a list of things you can't do yourself. Yes you really can't do everything yourself! I hate to break it to you but many people out there are just far more talented than you.

[box]”Great leaders recognise their strengths and weaknesses early on and delegate them to others who are far more capable” – Jane Frankland TWEET THIS[/box]

As soon as you have this you should now be clear on what you can outsource. Make a list and if you're still not sure of the things you feel you shouldn't be doing just ask yourself this question: how can you be spending your time better? What one thing would make a big difference to your working day?

Once you've done this you can post a job description for help. This usually manifests itself as a VA.

Virtual Assistants (VAs)

VAs are a life saver. No joke!

They are freelancers – usually women. They're independent and usually work on an “as needed” basis from their own homes or offices. This is brilliant as it saves you the costs and headache of hiring a regular full-time or even part-time assistant. This is how I got started and how I coach my students to take their businesses to the next level.

One of the first things I say to someone I'm coaching is what have your outsourced? The response I get back is usually I'll do it when I get some money in.

STOP!

You have to sort this out now! The advice I'm about to give you is so powerful. You don't need to break the bank but you need to get started. You can grow your business to 6 or even 7-figures without employees, but only if you use VAs and outsource. You have to learn to love delegating and become good at it. Otherwise you'll hold yourself back (biggest threat remember)! This is the time to move out of your own way; to feel the fear and to do it anyway. Start small but build big. The key is to get into the habit of this – even if it's only 5 hours a month. Get support or coaching with this if you need to BUT do it!

Hire a VA and do it per task or role. Set out the expectations and outline in detail what the job involves. There are lots of different VAs to chose from, so be specific – mobile app developers, SEO, marketing etc. As a minimum get a General VA (GVA) so someone who can deal wit your emails and booking meetings/appointments.

What could you delegate to a VA?

If you're not sure what to delegate to a VA, just keep a log of what you do on a daily and weekly basis. I recommend doing this for at least 7-days. I blogged about it last week – outsourcing: increase productivity vs. life gets in the way and other excuses. Once you've done this sit down and review it. Decide which activities are ones only you have to do and which ones you can delegate. For example, many of my clients use a VA as they find that they're spending a lot of time scheduling appointments. Obviously this is something that can be done by a VA. Consulting and coaching with the client is something completely different and something that only they can do.

Here are some of the first tasks that I first delegated to a VA:

Website/membership site
Sales Pages
Transcriptions for videos
Writing comments on blogs
SEO
Filtering my emails and responding to customer emails
Scheduling business interviews and meetings
PR

Now I want to hear from you…

Tell me how you've got on outsourcing – all the good and bad stories. I also want to know what activities you're not delegating and what it is that holds you back from doing so.

Thanks for participating!

With love and gratitude – as always,

Read more
Find me on Google+

June 5, 2013

Increase productivity vs life gets in the way & other excuses

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, New business | 2 Comments

Want to get something done?

Most people know the saying “Want to get something done? Then ask a busy person.” It's true though isn't it. They can always find a way. So today it's all about finding ways to increase productivity and I'm gonna warn you now. Brace yourself. I'm taking no prisoners in this post.

If I had a dollar or pound for every time I heard this “life gets in the way” BS excuse I'd be one rich lady. It's not that I'm being unsympathetic. I do genuinely understand how tricky it is to build your business around other commitments, but find me one woman who's not busy! Seriously, whether or not you've got a business or a family, these days we're all busy – BUSY out of our minds! CRAZY BUSY! However, when it comes to being busy we all compete on a level playing field. You see we all have 24 hours in our day.

So no excuses. No BS cause some people just get stuff done….irrespective of whatever is going on. And I say, hats off to them! [Hence the hat in the picture!]

So, why do some people get more stuff done in their day and others don't? How do you gain control of your time before it drives you crazy? And whilst we're at it, how many of you really know how to take those 24 hours in your day and turn them into money?

Why do I ask? Well that's what entrepreneurship is really all about. It's about taking time and turning it into money. Right?

Don't answer that! It's a rhetorical question silly!

Now as women you might think we're well suited for this simple task as we're well known for possessing that “special gift” called multi-tasking. It's something we excel at. However, that's just simply another myth. Multi-tasking doesn't work! There I've said it! Actually I wrote about it a while ago upon my discovery – The real truth about women and multi-tasking and how to increase productivity. Now multi-tasking is a great concept, but the human brain simply cannot cope – not even a woman's brain! You see, if you try to divide your attention among a number of tasks your concentration suffers and your performance and productivity are shot.

So, when you know your To Do List is turning into a Wish List, your family hasn't seen you for months, you've given up on sleep, you're looking like s**t, you're trying to cram in too many things, you know you have to take action.

And here's how I can help you increase productivity. I've been there, done it and worn the blinking T-Shirt! I figured it out so I could get a load of stuff done. How else would I have been able to build a multi-million dollar business in two years whilst raising three kids? Uum?!

So keep up at the back, let's get going…

Video break [ignore if you prefer reading]

3 tips for getting more done in your day

The only way to increase productivity and get more productive when you're short on time is by systematizing. I know processes and systems don't exactly sound sexy or creative but they work. Having a system or process enables you to get your stuff done. Punto! And, getting your stuff done means you get to enter your genius zone, to be creative which will make you feel amazing! Oh and by the way, it'll make you money too! So keep up at the back, let's get going…

#1. Batch, chunk and time

Batching or chunking is an extremely efficient way to get things done. It's all about looking at a certain task and batching it into one span of time. For example, when I coach my students I always recommend they do this with their blogs, auto-responders, videos and many of their social media activities. I ask them to allocate a span of time each week to tackle each activity. For blogging and video blogging I tend to recommend getting a month's worth of content produced. This enables them to get in full flow; blogging become easier and therefore quicker to do. RESULT!

Another thing I get them to do relates to their inbound communications i.e. their messages via email, Facebook, Skype, text or the phone. If you're receiving these throughout your day via sound notifications you're in trouble. A distraction such as this equals taking your eye off the ball. It eats into your day. It slows you down. So set a time to check your messages. I usually do this three times a day – morning, noon and night. Attack all of your messages in one batch too. Keep everything switched off until then.

Apply the same principle to your meetings and even to your errands. Having a system like this works so well if you have kids. I often joke that at times it feels like I'm mobilizing an army!

If you add a timer to your batching you'll be even more productive. There's something psychological about using a timer in a schedule. You'll be amazed at how much more work you'll get done. I use one to manage my email. The tool I use is called The Email Game. Have a go, it's kind of fun!

#2. Become time sensitive

Pay attention to what you're doing and how long the tasks you're doing are taking. You can then estimate better when it comes to planning. The easiest way to do this is by keeping a record of it all. I recommend you do this for about 7 days.

#3. Use procrastination to your advantage

Procrastination can actually be a good thing. Now I bet you didn't expect me to say that now did you? Well the reason I say this is because it's going to help you see how you work best. Look at these reasons for why you might be procrastinating on a project or task and see if anything resonates:

You don't enjoy the task. If this is the case liberate yourself. You have a choice as to whether to enjoy something or not. I hope you're smiling now! I'll use me as an example for this story. Admin. Urrgh. I hate it. It drives me crazy. Whilst I can do it, it's my least favourite task. So what do I do? First of all I use the DDA rule. If I don't like doing something I either delete it, delegate it, or automate it. Thank you Ali Brown for teaching me this. In this case I allocate it to my General VA. And, if you want to grow your business I'd advise you do the same. Outsource anything that's not a core skill ASAP. I discussed this the other week when I blogged about what your time is worth and mastering time management.

You may not enjoy a part of the task. If you're putting off a project because there's one part you don't enjoy you may be putting off the whole thing. Now there are two ways to handle this. 1) You can either outsource this aspect (delegate it) or 2) you can automate it. Before doing either of those things though, check the problem. I'll give you another story to illustrate this point. I was working with a client recently who had a problem with their social media (or so they thought). Their challenge was: “we know what we should be doing, but we're just not doing it.” I bet this sounds familiar. Now as it turned the problem they had related to developing a strategy and subsequent system for their social media. Once we worked out a strategy and a system, which we then turned into a habit, the problem disappeared.

You don't know how to handle the task. For example I was working with someone who wasn't taking action on a writing a sales proposal. As it turned out, her problem related to not knowing what to charge. So, I had her do some competitive research which fixed this.

You can't find the time. Time is just a statement of priority so you have to schedule time to do this, get rid of other tasks to make way for this, re-prioritize your tasks or outsource some of the other tasks.

You feel stuck. You may just need some momentum to get going so give yourself permission to start on one aspect of the project. You'll find that this usually creates momentum. I tend to do this with my blogging. I don't start with the headline as I usually find this the hardest part. Instead I just start with the message or the areas that flow.

You don't really want to do what you thought you wanted to do. You may have the wrong strategy. Think about your objective. Is this something you really want to do? Is this something you really need to do? If you're not sure leave it for a while. Meditate on it or just let it sit until you get clarification.