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Sales Tips and TrainingKim Duke (11)    Kim Duke  The Sales Diva 2 Cool Ways Einstein Makes You MoneyPosted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 (145 days 4 hours ago.) Viewed 20 times. I have a confession to make. A little secret that most people don't know about me is that I'm an amateur science geek. Yep. Over the years I've developed a fascination with black holes, quarks, the string theory, quantum physics...the works! (I can hear you laughing - you're thinking "One too many Star Trek episodes hey Diva??") The mountain of books by my bed includes everything from Stephen Hawking to the wonderful book called "The Elegant Universe". My 11 year old cutie pie niece saw a magnet of Einstein on my fridge and asked me: "Auntie - what did Einstein invent?" I replied: "The theory of relativity" Blank stare. Then I said "Hmmm - he invented a new way of looking at time. Time is different for everyone." Blank stare. Then I cheated and told her how Einstein described it: "When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute - and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity." I saw the light bulb go on over my niece's head. She replied with big eyes "Auntie -It's like the difference between doing homework and playing Rock Band!! Home work seems to take forever and Rock Band flies by!" You got it cupcake! (and looks like I'm not the only science geek in the family) 2 Cool Ways Einstein Applies To Your Customers? The first cool way? Over the years - I've spoken extensively about how thank you cards are under-used by most entrepreneurs and sales people. Inevitably someone will ask me "OK Kim, I'm guilty!! There's someone I should have sent a thank you card to...but it's been 3 months! I feel terrible. Is it too late?" This is why you have to love Einstein. The answer is "It's never too late to send a thank you card!' Why? Because for you and your guilty conscience - 3 months feels like a long time. You've had that monkey on your back for awhile. For your customer? They're worried about their own stuff, so it doesn't seem like such a long time since they've heard from you. SEND THE CARD. The second cool way? Advertising. I used this all the time with my national television advertising clients. In fact it was a method for me to show customers how to keep their budget and marketing plan but to ALSO be able to reach a new and larger audience. How did I do it? Alternating weeks and days. The reader/listener/viewer doesn't need your message blasted at them every day - or even every week. Time flies for those people. So you can drop some of your advertising dollars spent in TV/radio and print etc and use an alternating week or day rotation instead. You still have consistency. You still have exposure. And you've spent half the money. See - Einstein and I aren't so crazy NOW are we? I Double Diva Dare You To Apply Relativity To Your Biz This Week. So there. Love from your bossy Sales Diva, Kim Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report "The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make" at http://www.salesdivas.com 
Permalink Comments (0) Uh-Oh..Are The Vultures Circling Over You?Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 (145 days 4 hours ago.) Viewed 2 times. Something has happened in the past week that I can honestly say I haven't seen or heard of (at this magnitude) in years. Almost every woman I've spoken to at conferences, networking events, teleclasses and more has the SAME issue. They attract a prospective customer. They meet or connect with a prospective customer. The prospective customer tries to get as much free info as possible. They never hear from the prospective customer again OR this customer tries to GRIND them down. Has this happened to you? (And of course, you've followed up with this prospective customer but your gut is telling you that UH-OH feeling.) Oh ladies. You need to listen to me right now. This is dangerous, dangerous stuff. What's happening? The Vultures Smell Your Desperation I can guarantee something. If you're worrying about money and sales right now in any way, shape or form then you start to smell funny. The average person can't smell you but customers can. They smell desperation! And some of them are going to try to take advantage of that. You might even be willing to drop your guard/boundaries right now and begin accepting business from people and companies that you normally would never touch with a 10-ft pole. Or else you feel that you're handing out so much free advice and goodies and getting NOTHING in return? But you can't seem to stop yourself as you're worried that you'll lose business. My word of advice? Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. Of course I want you to investigate new client categories you may not have focused on before. That's not what I'm talking about here. DO NOT accept business from the.... Whiners Grinders Non-Payers Desperate Angry Negative Ninnies POOF! Did you just feel that??? I sprayed you with my special, invisible Sales Diva Anti-Vulture Spray It should help you to ward off all of the above. You know in your gut who the best clients for you. So smarten up and don't take what looks like the easy way. Because the whiners, the complainers, the grinders, the non-payers, the desperate, the angry and the negative ninnies will MAKE YOU PAY much, much more than what it's worth. And they'll make you pay for a long time while they peck you to death. Instead you could have been working with people you'd really love to work with. Don't settle. Get creative instead. So there. Love from your bossy Sales Diva, Kim Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report "The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make" at http://www.salesdivas.com
Permalink Comments (0) Are You Tapping Into the Power of Plan B?Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 (145 days 4 hours ago.) Viewed 10 times. The weather can be very strange here in Canada. I live in Western Canada and we've had a longgggg winter. Many people have been complaining of "Cabin Fever" - they are tired of being indoors and equally tired of boots, coats, hats and gloves. This is why everyone has been smiling; (even wearing shorts!) for the past week. Yesterday the sun was shining, the snow was melted completely and my little black dog and I went for a long spring walk. Today? We've woken up to 2 feet of snow. The weather can be weird here in Canada (no wonder I'm one of Al Gore's international volunteer presenters on Climate Change!) And to top it all off? My internet satellite wasn't working and we had power outages. I kid you not - every email I started to write went POOF as soon the power went off. Not so fabulous for a woman who makes her living on the internet. Your Sales Diva was starting to get a little grouchy. I realized I had to move to Plan B. And FAST! So I switched gears and focused on what I COULD do vs what I COULDN'T. And so far today, I've written 3 articles, this ezine, worked on my new book, connected by phone with some potential new customers, outlined an entire NEW membership site I'll be launching later this year (it is going to be INCREDIBLE) and decided upon some international speaking engagements I've been considering. The internet will be up sooner than later and I'll be ready for it. (And I won't have pulled all my hair out.) What Are You Stuck On Right Now? Do you feel like you're... Banging your head against a brick wall? Spinning your wheels and getting nowhere? Confused but not sure which way to turn? Frustrated and bummed out? Missing something but don't know what? Overwhelmed? Then Lady - It's Time To Move To PLAN B! It's time for some radical thinking. I want you to decide to release what you've been frustrated about. Look - thinking about it 24-7 hasn't made the situation better and I would bet you keep rehashing the same old way/idea of correcting the problem. It's not working is it? What are you going to do? You're going to connect by phone with 5 people who are in business and who you trust. I don't care if it is on the phone or in person. (NO EMAIL) I want you to ask for their advice on the issue that is driving you nuts. Keep your mind open. Take notes. And you'll see how quickly other fabulous options will be given to you. I think Plan B actually means BETTER because we're forced to be creative in unusual ways. (and of course you can return the favor to these 5 fabulous people that helped you out) Hmmm. Just checked. No internet yet. What am I going to do? My Plan B is to keep writing and then go for a long walk with my cute little black dog in the snowflakes. So there. Love from your bossy Sales Diva, Kim Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report "The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make" at http://www.salesdivas.com
Permalink Comments (0) Are You "Making Out" With Your Sales Mirror?Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2009 (145 days 4 hours ago.) Viewed 7 times. I'm a city girl who also happens to love living in the country. One of the major benefits for a nature loving, tree-hugger-wearing-stilettos kind of chick like me is that I get to witness the thousands of birds arriving in the spring. One of my favorites is the robin. A few weeks ago as I was writing an article for a national magazine, I happened to look out my front office window. A flutter of activity caught my eye. One of our vehicles was parked in the front of the house and a robin had landed on the passenger mirror. Now here is where the fun begins! The robin would sit on top of the mirror...peek over the side, puff up its feathers, hop in front of the mirror and do a little love dance and then pop back on top of the mirror. And it did it over, and over again. Yes - Rocket Robin was making out with himself. He thought he'd found the love of his life. And he did this for 3 days in a row. To hear the rest of the story and to see what happened to our fine-feathered friend - you'll have to keep reading! Are You Making Out With Your Sales Mirror? I may not be a scientist however I can guarantee one thing. Rocket Robin wasn't going to woo the love of his life, build a nest for 2, have a couple of kids and head south for the winter by making out with a truck mirror. He kept doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Where Is That Showing Up For You? Spring is a wonderful time for a REFRESH. And I would bet you have a few little habits that are driving you nuts except you can't seem to stop yourself from doing them. Examples? Ohhhhhh ... * checking your email 10,000 x a day vs selling and marketing * doing one annual tradeshow that you never follow-up on the leads * hanging out at the same, no-name networking functions * using your boring sales and marketing materials from 5 years ago * and so on, so on, so on, so on, so on, so on, so on...... Remember - if you want DIFFERENT RESULTS then you're going to have to break free from your "sales mirror" and stir things up! Otherwise, you'll be just like my little Rocket Robin friend...the one who adored looking at his own reflection but who wasn't getting any action. Does that sound like you? So what DID happen to my mirror-humping buddy? After 3 days of watching in disbelief I couldn't stand it any longer. We actually had to put the vehicles in the garage each morning to stop the crazy little bugger. He hasn't been around lately...although I did see a robin flirting with one of the garden balls....some birds never learn. Make sure you're not one of them. So there. Love from your bossy Sales Diva, Kim Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report "The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make" at http://www.salesdivas.com
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