There is the “fear of failure” and “failure” itself. The purpose of this article is to change your perspective on both, as this may be one of the things that is holding you back from the sales success you deserve.

Your “fear of failure” may stop you from talking to potential clients. Fear is nature’s way of protecting you and it is very normal, the only challenge is that it sometimes manifests when not required. So when you’re about to talk to a potential client and you feel this fear, acknowledge it, thank it, and say that its services are not required at this time! The next step is to move your focus from “fear of failure” to how you can help your potential client. Move your focus from yourself to your potential client.

A negative view of “failure” will not only stop you from talking to potential clients but it will severely influence the outcome of the conversation.

Imagine that you are about to talk to a potential client and you have the perspective that failure is a bad thing. What sort of impact does that have on you and how you come across? Are you hesitant? Unenthusiastic? Uncomfortable? Would this be attractive to a potential client?

Just suppose that instead you have the perspective that “failure” is just feedback and a natural part of the sales process. How do you think you will then come across? Relaxed? Confident? Natural? You may say, “easier said than done” to have this perspective. I say read on.

Thomas Edison failed over 3,000 times to develop the light bulb. Think about scientists. They are the failure masters; they never get it right the first time. Did you know that Colonel Saunders went through nine years of failure to perfect his secret blend of herbs and spices that is still used by KFC today? JK Rowling, turned down by several publishers, never let “failure”stop her. There are now over 103 million Harry Potter books in print.

Look around your house at all the appliances and gadgets you have. Look at your house, your car, and the kind of transport you use. Look at everything you come into contact with and use on a daily basis and think about the number of people who “failed” over and over so you could have all these things. I hope this is changing your perspective on failure.

Instead of thinking of “failure”, think of just an “outcome”. There is no such thing as failure, just feedback. Look at the outcome and feedback and ask yourself what you can learn from it. Find the lesson, learn from it and then move on to the next sales conversation. Instead of seeing unsuccessful outcomes as the enemy, see them as your friend guiding you to success.

Your services can really make a difference in people’s lives. Don’t you think you have an obligation to risk “failure” and have as many sales conversations with as many people as possible?

I challenge you to make this year the year of putting yourself “out there” and having as many sales conversations with potential clients as possible so you can help as many people as possible. Will you accept my challenge?

(c) Tessa Stowe, Sales Conversation, 2006. You are welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end).

Tessa Stowe helps Coaches and Consultants stop struggling to sell, and instead attract clients like magic! Her FREE e-course tells you how: “Attract More Clients Naturally: 10 Simple Strategies That Work … Even If You Hate Selling!” Sign up now at http://www.attractmoreclientsnaturally.com

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“Be not afraid of growing slowly,
Be afraid of only standing still.”

- Chinese Proverb

I just love the ancient philosophers! Who would ever guess that the wise words mentioned above also apply a thousand years later to YOUR BUSINESS?

Hey life is strange. One minute we are a babbling brook, brimming with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. This usually happens at the beginning - when you first open your business or first become a salesperson.

Then gradually, if you aren’t careful - you become complacent and stick with what you have always done. And slowly, sneakily, the leaves, dirt and “crud” as my mother would say - turn you and your sales into a stagnant pool of ICK. You turn from a babbling brook into a smelly, slimy, flat, dull pond that a customer definitely doesn’t want to experience.

Not exactly a pretty picture is it? But we have all seen it! In your childhood did you ever kill a goldfish because you forgot to change the water? I thought so.

So How Do You Go From Being Pond-Algae To A Rippling River?

1. You Need To Inject Some Oxygen.

There is only one reason water goes flat. The oxygen has been used up. Have a good look at what you have been doing lately. Which products or services need some OOMPH? Which customers would add some life back to your sales? But why would they buy from you? Do a customer survey and ask your customers what they would like to see from your company. They will help add some oxygen and ideas to your goldfish tank!

2. You Have To Clean Out The Debris.

Yes - all the gunk that clogs up a pond also happens to show up in your business. What has to go? Well -a product/service that doesn’t offer any value to your customers should see the door as quickly as possible. Also - any customers that no longer fit your target audience should also be gently released. And last but not least - any out-dated and negative attitudes on your part need to get filtered out ASAP! Challenge yourself - what new projects, ideas, marketing strategies have you stretchhhhhhhhhhhhed yourself with lately?

3. You Need Daily Momentum.

This is the secret. You can’t get stagnant if you are constantly moving - even slowly. Each day, ask yourself this question: “What did I do today to move my business forward?” Momentum is created by daily intention. Your customers need to have you “fresh” in their mind. In the advertising world - this is called “Top of Mind Awareness.” If you aren’t connecting with your customers in a new and refreshing way - you slowly start growing algae. Ugh. Step outside of your business and ask for fresh ideas if you want to keep pond scum away!

4. Let In Some Light!

Hey remember that the other reason ponds get smelly is they don’t receive enough sunlight. We all can slide into “Busy Mode” within our businesses and forget that the things that excited and enthused our customers at the beginning have become boring or without value. As selling is really about relationships - make sure you book time each week to survey a customer, evaluate a product/service component and also what has been sitting on the back burner far too long. Let something or someone different see the light of day!

So jump in - the water is warm! This is the time for taking some calculated risks, being open to opportunities and attracting customers that will increase your sales and satisfaction. Your business will always benefit if you stir things up proactively! (and you will also smell a heck of a lot better to your customer).

Copyright© 2006

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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So many companies sign up third party resellers and distributors and system integrators and OEMs without giving proper rigorous attention to the process that’s required in order to define the selection criteria, find adequate channel partners, and actually go through a process of due diligence in order to screen them, select them, and bring them onboard. A well developed channel selection process, a reseller selection process, looks a lot like a very rigorous process for hiring and acquiring members of your senior management team or your key employees in sales and marketing. It starts by defining very clearly which markets you’re after, which segments you want to reach, what types of customers you’re trying to acquire, and then doing research and analysis to determine which companies are actually calling on and supplying goods and services to those customers day in and day out in your focused market.

Once you’ve defined those customers and those market segments that you’re after, then looking at the different types of reseller organizations that are available for you to get your product to those customers becomes the next task. This step involves making sure that you understand exactly what sales and support structures required for your product in order to deliver it as a solution to the end customer. Some companies use manufacturer’s reps that are just basically commissioned agents. Other companies use value added resellers, others used stocking distributors, and yet others use system integrators that actually build their products into complete turn key systems for their customers. So you’re going to want to make sure that you do some analysis to figure out which kinds of reseller channels you need in order to most adequately provide your product to your customers in a solution that they’re willing to buy, and then make a decision about that type of channel structure. Many companies use multiple types of resellers to reach different types of customers as well.

The next step in a channel selection process is acquiring potential candidates. This can be done by going to trade associations and looking at trade association directories for resellers, of which there are many, to actually get lists of potential resellers. Or it also can come from looking at who your competition is using or complementary products companies are using in order to get their products to market. But it certainly includes defining a list of potential candidates. You’ll never want to select a reseller without having multiple options to compare against, just like you’d never hire a key sales person without having multiple options to compare against. So, acquiring lists, getting names, also getting referrals from your best customers is an excellent way to identify potential resellers. Who are they buying from? Who do they like to buy from? Who do they view as the most professional reseller vendors in your market? Those are easy questions to ask of some of your best customers and prospects to define who it is that you should be working with as your channel partner.

The next step is, of course, contacting those companies and using either referrals or through a direct mail process which is very easy to set up and do. Then, you establish the actual channel partner selection criteria that you’re going to use in order to make sure that you understand what it is that you’re looking for. After developing that selection criteria, you’re going to want to develop a questionnaire or an interviewing guide, if you will, and process and steps to gather the information that you need from those channel partners in order to match that information against a selection criteria that you’ve established. Then, of course, from there, after you’ve gone through the due diligence process, gathered their performance history, understood their sales organization, looked at how much they’re selling for each of their principal vendors and understood who their customers are and why they win against their competition, you’re going to want to go into the process of actually negotiating an agreement.

About Cube Management

Cube Management delivers sales acceleration services to emerging growth and mid-market companies. The experts at Cube Management work across the entire spectrum of marketing, sales and business development to provide customized solutions (whether recruiting, interim management or consulting) that drive revenue and profit growth. Cube Management combines Strategy, Process & People to produce winning results. Download the Cube Management Inside Sales Guide and the Cube Management Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Guide.

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Let’s talk about how many companies use third party distribution channels to leverage their overall organizational resources to increase sales. In today’s day and age, a lot of companies are using third party channels for reselling and supporting their products. Those channels include OEMs, system integrators, value added resellers, manufactures reps, agents, and distributors, among others. And they are used both domestically as well as internationally to push product out through multiple channels to their target markets. Yet many companies view this channel activity as being something that’s free and easy to attain and don’t necessarily focus the right resources on really developing and managing the right channels that would optimize their sales performance.

We see a lot of companies that set up and sign up third party resellers for their products, but gain very, very little actual sales performance from them. The reason for this is really twofold. First of all, without a very rigorous selection process, signing up a third party channel doesn’t necessarily lead you to success, just like hiring a poor sales person doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to sell more. Number two, once signed up, many companies make the mistake of thinking third party channels will sustain themselves on their own, with very little support.

So, we’re going to talk a little bit about channel selection, and channel management to optimize sales performance in the next two discussions. The key here, though, is to remember that third party channels can be a very powerful sales tool and a very powerful mechanism for getting your products to market faster and at lower fixed costs, that going through direct sales channels and have the potential to extend you into markets that you could not otherwise reach on your own, by virtue of the specialization and the location of different resellers in your target markets. So gaining market coverage through third party channels is a very compelling argument. The issue is, making sure that you’re not just setting up channels that are full of empty promises and not actually capable of delivering sales for your company.

About Cube Management

Cube Management delivers sales acceleration services to emerging growth and mid-market companies. The experts at Cube Management work across the entire spectrum of marketing, sales and business development to provide customized solutions (whether recruiting, interim management or consulting) that drive revenue and profit growth. Cube Management combines Strategy, Process & People to produce winning results. Download the Cube Management Inside Sales Guide and the Cube Management Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Guide.

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Whether you work for yourself or for a conglomerate, selling is tough. Partly because you’re not just selling you’re being of service to your customers in ways no one else can be; and partly because you have to persuade your lead that their best interest is your true intention.

Built into this process is rejection, and lots of it. When it comes to insurance, people want to know you’re on their side. But they also want to get the best deal they can. This means that you have to find the WIN-WIN for both of you. It is your responsibility to find the WIN-WIN because there are lots of other salespeople out there that will if you don’t.

Still, that elusive WIN-WIN can play havoc with your confidence level, and because of this, you must have an arsenal of strategies to stay motivated and inspired while pursuing your objectives. Here are some ways to WIN-WIN. Some will work better than others. Find your keys to success and with them you can open the doors to opportunity.

1. Throughout the day, routinely tell yourself how powerful you are. Obstacles and distractions will arise. Their tendency is to knock you off balance. Remember, you are greater than anything that may confront you.

At times it might seem as though Powerless is your middle name. Remind yourself during these times of what it took to get you here. After all, you’re the one that did it. No one else. You are the creator of your greatness. Be proud of it!

2. Your customers want you to win too. Be fair with them and they will be fair to you. They are entrusting you with something very dear to them… their lives. When they believe you are on their side, they will not only tell you, they’ll tell every one else they know. Make them the focus of the sale and when they’re happy, you will be also.

3. Aim for the back of the head and settle for the nose. This means expect the best possible results. Anticipate dominating the competition. Most sales people expect to hear no.

They would actually be surprised if someone said they want to buy something, anything from them! It’s simple: set your expectations for success so high that even if you fail, you’ll have achieved more than most others out there trying. Accept less than you aim for but not less than you expect.

4. Want to make it happen? Want to get your message across? Praise others and watch them flock to your side. By acknowledging others, even for the most insignificant details, you not only use words of encouragement that inspire you, but you learn to focus on the positive.

In addition, you move the focus from you to them and they become confident. Their new esteem will be something you contributed to. This will further inspire you and press you to do even better work with the next person you meet.

5. Clearly define your goals. Vague goals are no goals at all. Be specific. Where do you want to go and when will you be there? What do you want to achieve?

How emphatic are you about the outcome? When do you want it? If you don’t have answers to these questions, then your objectives aren’t clear in your mind. Where will you be when it’s complete? You must have concrete impressions of what your mission is.

Here’s a strategy that is sure to work!

-Keep your goals written down on 3″ X 5″ index cardsand keep them near you in plain sight. If your goal is to become a top-10performer in MDRT, then describe how you will go about doing so. What strategies will you utilize to make these objectives a reality? The more you can refer to them, the more second nature their success becomes.

-Identify with each goal. Breathe it in, feel its texture. Smell its
fragrance. Taste its realness. The more “real” you make it in your mind,
the more vividly it exists in your mind, the more it manifests itself around you.

6. LAUGH! ‘ll put it plainly. If you’re not laughing, you’re wasting your life! Laughter has been irrefutably proven to not only improve the quality of life, but to extend it as well.

By utilizing every muscle in the face, and increasing blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain and other vital organs, laughter secretes endorphins from the hippocampus region of the brain that make you happy, create higher states of thinking, and enable you to succeed. They’ve also been clearly linked to an increase in life expectancy.

When you laugh, you create laughter for others to share, you invite others to laugh along with you, and you find new ways to solve old problems. So for crying out loud, why aren’t you laughing?

7. Plan to relax. You plan your stresses, your breakdowns, your confrontations, your meals, heck… you even plan your bathroom breaks. Plan to relax.

The number one cause of stress related absenteeism and loss of productivity in business worldwide, as published in a March 2000 report by the US Labor Dept., is STRESS. The same goes for the highest cause of heart attack, depression, mental illness, obesity,and general poor health. Plan for time in your day when you will focus on yourself and on enjoyment.

The secret is, it only takes a couple of minutes a day to relax. If you plan for three minutes in the morning, four minutes in the midday, and three minutes before you end the day, you’ve squeezed in ten minutes a day of focused relaxation. WOW! Imagine that. You’re working, and you’re relaxing. But how do you find ten minutes to relax in the middle of all you do?

Close your eyes. It’s that simple! Closed eyes, deep breathing, allowing the stress to flow out of your body, allows you to return to a state of harmony and can mean the difference between being the golf ball and being the iron.

8. Because rejection and self-doubt are such built-in components of doing business today, it is critical that you surround yourself with positive, elated, creative, inspired individuals! Just like an anchor can pull you down and keep you from advancing, negative influences, (NOT PEOPLE) can dull your advantage. They cause you to question the daring feats you take to be successful. They minimize your hope and limit your potential. They’re bad news for your Good News Way of Life.

Positive people, those that want to see you succeed, the people you run to tell when great things happen, are the most important company to keep. They may not be influential or rich. They may not be the prettiest or most in-demand people you know. But when they make you feel good and cause you to be better than you are otherwise, their contribution to your success is immeasurable!

The more light you let into a room, the more life will grow in it. In the same regard, the more darkness to which you subject the room, the less opportunity for vibrancy. Incredible, collaborative, inspired surroundings cause us to be the best we can possibly be.

9. Because we often work by ourselves, we might get distracted by the things which matter least and as a result lose focus on the most important tasks in front of us. When this occurs, remind yourself of the magnificence awaiting you. The best way to combat distraction I have found is simple… MAKE LISTS!

Write it down. Make sure that anything and everything you have to address or acheive is in front of your eyes. The more you can look at what’s in front of you, the more accessible it becomes in the life you lead.

10. And perhaps most importantly, have faith in yourself. You are a creative, powerful, success-oriented leader! Your words and actions carry further than you can possibly imagine. Your influence reaches miles beyond your scope of vision. So remember, just because you can’t see your results immediately doesn’t mean they’re not being seen and felt by others.Have faith that your results will manifest in the way you envision them. Have faith in the fact your legacy will outlast your efforts.

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