networking – Change is Inevitable, Growth is Optional

Feeding Your Mind

A few months ago, I was in the airport and, as I always do, I people watch. Sometimes I simply watch and sometimes I engage in conversation. This particular day, our flight was delayed, and I was talking with a woman about where we were both going and was it business or pleasure. She was going to visit family and I was heading out to speak at a conference. In our conversation we talked about learning and growing in our positions and how as a coach I have at least one coach at all times. She looked at me as if I said something so bizarre, she didn’t understand it. She told me that she didn’t believe in coaching. Her boss did and had a coach, but not her. When I asked why, she told me that if you have a coach, you are expected to do more, learn more and know more and she was just fine where she was. I think I was the one with the look of disbelief because I truly believe that you must feed your mind with the right nutrition.

Every day we feed our bodies. We don’t always give it the right nutrition, but do we ever really consider that when we feed our bodies, we are also feeding our minds? Let’s start with our buddy the TV. Some use it as their source for world happenings, some use it for mindless ways to relax and some use it as baby-sitters, so they can get things done. The problem is that many people see what they watch as reality and compare themselves to who they are watching. Some disappear into another dimension. Many feel the news is negative and that is like eating fast food, lots of quantity but not as much quality in nutrition. Is your mind getting the proper nutrition from any of that?

Today many people listen to podcasts. There are many ways to learn and grow from those that share information that is current and relevant. Yes, you can still choose the mindless and the unrealistic, but more and more people are turning their TVs off and turning on podcasts. You have your choice of gender, generation, entrepreneurial, personal development and growing and learning. Is your mind getting the proper nutrition from that?

Knowledge is something you can never lose. When you invest in yourself you are investing into your future. You are never too old to learn. If you stop learning your brain starts dying. And if your brain is not kept alive and stimulated, life can become very boring and dull, and that is definitely not the proper nutrition you should feed your mind with.

Research has shown that the capacity of the average person’s brain vastly outweighs what they use it for. And yet, it never occurs to us to invest in a little training every now and then!

For 400 years, scientists believed that we were stuck with the brain we were born with. Luckily for us, that theory has gone out the window. Neuroplasticity is an amazing new theory that has proven one very incredible fact: Our brains can change.

This means that if you’re not highly intelligent in one area – that’s okay! You have the option to literally change that area of your brain through a little training.

An easy way to think about it is: Your brain is a muscle – you need to exercise it regularly! You need to invest a little time every now and then.

So, what can you do?

1. Be Curious-Instead of taking everything at face value, get into the habit of questioning everything. While most disclaimers would be placed right here that it is or isn’t safe to do this at home, be careful how many questions you ask. I am often met with “Another question?” If you don’t ask, you don’t know. Think of how you would or could improve upon everyday things. By being curious and questioning everything, you force your brain to innovate and create new ideas.

2. Exercise Regularly-It’s been proven that exercise helps to increase brain function. This means that every time you exercise you are creating new brain cells! Get off the couch and get moving! Your brain will thank you for it.

3. Do Something New– When you experience something “new,” you stimulate your brain. Don’t get stuck in a rut doing the same old things; the only way to change the structure of your brain is to try new things. What have you been wanting to try? …now is the time to do it and feed your brain.

4. Train Your Memory-Discipline yourself to memorize phone numbers and other important numbers. Do you ever listen to someone rattle off their license or credit card number and wonder how they remembered that? I still know my phone number from 1960. Your memory is also a muscle that needs training, and modern technology has made us lazy! Try doing the old math without a calculator as well. You’re in for a treat.

5. Think Positive-Stress and anxiety kills existing brain neurons and also stops new neurons from being created. Research has shown that positive thinking, especially in the future tense, speeds up the creation of cells and dramatically reduces stress and anxiety. Turn around some of your thoughts and turn the negative ones into positive ones. Your brain isn’t the only place you will see the results.

6. Eat Healthy-Our diets have a HUGE impact on brain function. Our brains consume over 20 percent of all nutrients and oxygen that we consume. So, remember to feed your brain with the good stuff! While we all like foods that are not the best for us, don’t forget the fresh fruits and vegetables with a little chocolate or wine on the side.

7. Read A Book-Reading relieves tension and stress because it’s a form of escapism. Research has also shown that using your imagination is a great way to train your brain, because you force your mind to picture what you are imagining. Reading is a great way to trigger your imagination and fuel your creative genius. What are you reading right now?

8 Get Enough Sleep-Sleep is like a mini detox for the brain. This is when your body regenerates cells and removes all the toxins that have built up during the day. Get to bed between the hours of 9 pm and midnight to benefit from the most effective hours of sleep. I’m so excited to report that I am asleep by 9:12 so I’m right there with feeding my brain every night.

Remember, you are the books you read, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the people you spend time with, the conversations you engage in. Choose wisely what you feed your mind.

Happy Selling!

Judy www.sellinginaskirt.com

Stop Being The Best-Kept Secret

It’s so funny when you think about how you show up in your business. We talk about being authentic and generous and courageous and passionate. But what does that look like? How do people get to participate in what you have to share? More importantly are you showing up at all or are you hoping that people will find you simply because you’re fabulous? Are you ready to stop being the best-kept secret in business?

Whether you are showing off what you have, dreaming of being a house-hold name or day-dreaming the “what-if or when I have” game, being the best-kept secret in business is not the best business strategy to have. Sometimes you are waiting for the knight in shining armor aka the person that gives you a contract to do business with them or you are simply playing small and not bringing out your full potential persona. Either way…you’re playing a game of doom and gloom. The truth is more people are afraid of success than they are of failure, so they play small or not at all.

The reality is that it’s all about becoming known in the markets you serve and building a reputation that helps to start the buying and selling process with prospective clients. If you do it right you will not only build awareness, it will also help you to reach out to people you don’t know and who don’t know you.

The bottom line is this: If someone doesn’t know you exist, how can they ever do business with you? Here are some important guidelines that will help you in your quest to go from unknown to known:

1. Be persistent. Studies have shown it takes anywhere from 8-15 touches for your marketing message to sink in. So be patient… and stay with it!

2. Be consistent. Consider the look, feel and tone of your messaging, particularly when you use multiple channels. Make sure the viewer knows that all those messages came from the same business.

3. Show not just who you are but what you are. Make sure your messages also include why someone would want to do business with you and what sets you apart. In other words, what makes you unique?

Take an integrated approach. Your marketing tactics should all work together. Put your social media icons in your e-mail. Put your website URL on your ads. Make sure your LinkedIn profile address is on your business cards. And so on.

Awareness-building is 2-step process. Step 1 is getting to the top-of-mind position in the psyche of your prospective buyers. Step 2 is staying there over time. So, make sure your awareness-building plan covers both.

Marketing yourself is not always the easiest thing to do but it is a necessity. Let’s flash forward just a little bit to the point where you are starting to build a following and your product or service is showing positive results. Where can you find those walking ambassadors who will shout your name out every chance they get? Here are a few ideas:

1. Build trust- Word of mouth recognition for a job well done, a product or service, is built on the reputation of trust, which takes time, effort and even a few failures along the way. When someone asks how you build your business, let them know its word of mouth. It’s also important to let them know that when something doesn’t go as smoothly as you would like, acknowledge it and learn from it and let them know you appreciate their feedback.

2. Do a great job- Deliver service that’s so exceptionally good it gets everyone talking. Avoid spreading yourself too thin by trying to be all things to all people. Instead, focus on what you do best and exceed expectations. A strong, personal referral from someone that knows your value and conveys trust in your ability is far better than anything else.

3. Ask for testimonials- If a client gives you great feedback, ask them if you can use their endorsement to let others know about their experience. A one or two sentence statement in their words, can be helpful on your website, brochure, social media channels or other marketing pieces. If you can get that in a video, even better. I have mine in a folder and when I have those days that aren’t going the way I planned, I take them out and watch, listen and read…great reminder of why I do what I do.

4. Give back- Get your business involved with the community. Create visibility for your company that lets others know you are working to make your community a better place. That can be an important way to distinguish yourself from competitors.

5. Build relationships- Don’t forget a customer once the job is over. Continue the relationship with them so the next time they need what you offer, they will think of you. The heavy lifting comes after the contract is signed, the money is paid, and the job is underway. This is the time that service is at an all-time high. This is also where relationships are solidified.

6. And finally…Say thank you- When you get a new customer, ask how they heard of you. If it’s a referral from an existing client, be sure to thank that person for recommending you. Send a note via regular mail. Let them know how important their referrals are to your business, and that you are happy they have had a good experience with your company. So many people forget this important piece. Those that remember, stand out and start to become a little less of that best-kept secret.

Your name is your brand—and you’re anything but generic.

Remember, start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Happy Selling!

Judy Hoberman www.sellinginaskirt.com

Words Matter

Whether you are in elementary school, in business or in your real-life setting, you need to be aware of the words you use because words can be powerful and that is what we will talk about today…how words matter.

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”

Words do matter in every situation. If you are what you eat, then are you what you say as well? Let’s think about our children and if you don’t have children, think about yourself as a child. If you are told how incredibly amazing and intelligent you are, you would feel great and after a while you would start to believe it. Now let’s flip the switch. Imagine being told you are stupid and will never amount to anything because you are a loser. Flash forward a short while later and where might this scenario take this child? Even think about something so harmless as you’re too little to do that or you aren’t tall old enough or even you are not ready to learn that. Every single word that we hear can tear us down or build us up. So which camp will you choose to be a part of?

It’s the combination of the words, how we use them and how our minds wrap themselves around them. Whether you say things out loud or have them running through your head, we can make the choice whether to take the positive or negative path. Our words do matter.

Let’s see some ways to use words in a powerful and positive way.

1. Practice Compliments-This is something I do every single day. I give someone that I don’t know a compliment. You will never know what you have done for that person that day in that moment. Don’t give the compliment and wait for one in return. You might get one or you might not. The point is giving one will make you both feel great.

2. Practice positive affirmations-I know this sounds weird to do but remember, you are the one that is listening to that self-chatter. Instead of thinking this dress makes me look fat, how about thinking how great this color is on you or how confident this makes you feel. Instead of thinking you are not smart enough to do the presentation, change it to that you are going to share some incredible information with your colleagues that can help them with their jobs. It’s a change in your mindset and a rewind of the tapes in your head. If you can’t come up with anything positive immediately, make a list of positive quotes and put them all around you and practice saying them out loud. You’ll get the hang of it…and your mind will be waiting to hear them.

3. Think before you speak-We all come into situations that can change our attitudes in a blink. Before you say something and react to that, think, breathe and decide how you can respond without being so reactive. Don’t think for one minute I am saying to ignore what is said. I’m saying to think carefully about what the message is you want to convey and do it professionally and intelligently. This is where learning new words can come in handy.

4. If you have done something that is wrong, learn to apologize. Own your mistake and understand how your words may have made a negative impact on someone or something. Don’t say you are sorry for the weather or something you have no control over. That is a different conversation for later. Apologizing when you mean it is very powerful and again…words matter.

5. Remember what you are grateful for. We all have so many things to be thankful for…and not only in November, our Thanksgiving month. I’ve noticed that people have forgotten how to say thank you. Two tiny little words that when said, can mean the world to someone else. Change your mindset, change your world. How about doing that for someone else?

As Dave Hedges said, “The words you speak are powerful. They can mend a broken heart and help repair a shattered mind. They can also destroy a person’s confidence and make people feel worthless. Choose your words carefully.”

Remember, words are free. It’s how you use them that might cost you.

Happy Selling!

Judy Hoberman www.sellinginaskirt.com

Seeking Help Is Empowering!

Asking for help means you aren’t smart enough to do something yourself. Asking for help means that you are weak. Asking for help means you are in the wrong position in business. Have you heard any of those statements before? They seem to follow us generation after generation and decade after decade. It’s time to put a new spin on an old tape… seeking help is empowering.

Whether you are an entrepreneur or starting a new position or recently got promoted, you find there is one thing that rings true…it can be lonely. When you’re in sales, and we all are, it goes one step further because unless you are in front of someone, your emotions go from being on to being…alone. I can remember a full day of appointments and I would be in my car rocking out to some great music and then I was “on” for the first appointment. Back into my car and while the music was still playing, I was listening and humming a bit. Into my next appointment and back “on” …back in my car and…well you get it. You try and fill the empty moments with music or news but in reality, you feel lonely…and it doesn’t matter if you have sold or not, it’s still a lonely profession. Having no one to bounce ideas off in that new role…equally as lonely.

Now imagine you have someone you can reach out to and ask for help or ideas to get you to the next level. Wouldn’t that be great? But…if you did do that, would that person feel like you weren’t sure about what you were doing or that you couldn’t make decisions yourself? Weren’t you told to “fake it till you make it?” Would people think less of you if you showed that you might need their expertise or experience? See how that creeps back into your brain? Asking for help and support is such an easy thing, until it’s not.

What are some reasons why you should ask for help?

1. Wouldn’t it be great if simply by asking for help you are creating brand awareness? When you let others know what you are doing, they are getting to know you and what you do. If you have a great reputation and what you are doing brings value to others, it would only make sense that they would think of you when someone needs what you have to offer. If you don’t ask, the answer is always “NO” …

2. That was good for your brand. Now, what about building your network. By reaching out to others and getting to know them and letting them get to know you, your network is also growing. No matter where you are in your career, you need a solid network.

3. What about growing your business? When you ask for help and check your ego at the door, people will help you. Those that don’t, you have that magic word NEXT. Those that do become part of your network, are strategic partners to help grow your business and can become that confidante that you need to feel comfortable enough to share your thoughts with. Win-win-win…

Those are some basic reasons why you should ask for help. But when is a good time or the right time to ask for help? I’m sure the first thing you thought of is when you are in trouble. You’re not making money or have no clients or when everything seems to be going wrong. While those are good times to ask…you also need the courage to do that. You can also ask for help when things are going great and you want to get to the next level. It doesn’t always need to be during the gloom and doom you might be experiencing. Here are some other times when asking for help makes sense:

~When you are just starting out ~When you are entering into a new market ~When you want to grow your audience ~When you are looking for a strategic partner ~When you want a promotion

The bottom line is you can always ask for help. It may take a few times to feel comfortable, but always remember that one of the habits of successful people is that they do ask for help. There are some great reasons to ask for help. Sooner or later everyone will need to ask for it and then be open to receiving it as well.

1. At some point you will have to do it. It doesn’t matter if you have all the money in the world or have zero, there will come a time when you will have to ask someone for their help. If you aren’t good at it, start small and practice.

2. You won’t be the only one that benefits from the request. When you share your expertise with someone else, how does that make you feel? Pretty good when you see their reaction and hear their gratitude. It will be the same for you and the person you help. I always say that when you become a mentor, you learn just as much if not more than your mentee. This is no different.

3. Have you heard the phrase, “walking in their shoes”…If you’ve asked for help and received it and now you have been asked to give help, you will know what it felt like for that person to ask you and how difficult that might have been…who is the winner now?

4. If you never ask for help, do people think you have it going on…even if you don’t? Most of us will struggle now and then and people expect us to be human. You can’t always be perfect and that is too difficult and boring anyway. Here’s an example…when I was taking my insurance exam, there were no classes to take and we didn’t have a computer to do anything online. My children asked if I needed help and of course I declined after thanking them for the offer. I failed the test by 1 point and my daughter’s comment was “Thank goodness you’re human” …need I say more?

5. When you ask and offer help it creates connections and relationships. When you need something, these are already in place with people ready to support you. Don’t wait until you are struggling to ask for help. Don’t celebrate your successes being lonely. Asking for help gives you a reason to be a part of groups, colleagues and friends. It can be very lonely as an entrepreneur or being in a new position…I think I started with that statement.

Remember…“There is no lack of knowledge out there…just a short of asking for help!”

Happy Selling!

Judy Hoberman www.sellinginaskirt.com

Your Most Powerful Tool Is Your Mind…

If you are old enough to remember floppy disks, syntax errors, bits and bytes and Dos, you will also remember thinking and wondering why you didn’t get every piece of information that you needed pouring out at your request. Unfortunately, we were reminded that what you put in, is what you get out. That is not any different with your mind. Your mind can be your best friend or your biggest critic. It depends on what you feed it every day. When you wake up in the morning do you think about everything you didn’t finish the day before or do you start the day feeling like you are excited about getting the day started?

Your brain is a pretty powerful tool that you have in your own, private toolbox. Whenever you think of something, whether it’s something you’ve done many times or something you are trying for the first time, your brain has a new path created for that particular thought. The more you repeat the thought, the stronger that path is, and your brain is helping to create the best path to make this thought repeatable and easy to remember. Sometimes those thoughts will be incredibly beneficial and other times…not so much. The not so much time can be that the new thought you are having is too difficult or too time consuming or just plain uncomfortable…even though the picture you have is exactly where you want to head. That’s called stepping outside of your comfort zone.

When you decide you want to make a change in your life (whether it be a physical change or a change in the way you think about something), there is a period of time that this is bound to feel uncomfortable because you are now needing to construct new neural pathways that support the desired change. Your brain doesn’t like this. It wants to take the path it already knows…also known as your comfort zone. But here’s the truth about that…once you step out, more than once, that will soon become your comfort zone so don’t fear the unknown…it will only be the unknown once.

Your mind is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal to create your life exactly how you want it to be. Some of us dream in vivid color, some of us write and others talk about it…our lives and what we want it to look like. When you describe it “as if” it was the present, it feels as if it is happening right now.

Some people think that dreaming big means you think too highly of yourself—that big dreams signal you are arrogant or perhaps directionless. But in truth, having big dreams means you are determined to live on purpose, are nurturing a vision, and are taking steps to make it happen.

Imagine how different your life would be if you actively pursued even a few of the dreams you had when you were little. Life was simpler than, and dreaming was something we all did and were not afraid to share. As we grow up, some of us abandon our dreams while others stop dreaming altogether.

It all comes back to your mindset. Allowing yourself to be inspired and encouraged by your dreams can prompt you to set goals and establish an implementable plan of action. If you believe you can accomplish those big dreams, why not go after them? Why settle for the small ones instead?

I can’t imagine a world without dreamers. Without them, we would not have the things we take for granted like cars, phones, lights, airplanes, computers, and the ability to connect globally.

Let’s think about how we can use our most powerful tool to create the life we want.

1. Fear should not be an ingredient in dreaming big. We had no problem as little girls dreaming huge dreams because nothing stopped us. As women in business, what is stopping us now? Set your goals and set your sites. Little girls with big dreams can become women with vision.

2. With your big dreams in front of you, make sure you identify the steps to get there. I always tell my clients to come up with a number (in terms of dollars, clients, applications, or whatever applies to them) they want to secure by a certain date. Then I tell them to work backward and break that number down into tiny little pieces to chart the steps to reach their goal. A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes a dream come true … and the cycle continues.

3. Track your progress. If you do not track your progress, how will you know when you have arrived? Make sure your starting point, goals, and milestones are clearly defined. No matter how often we hear, “Success is a journey, not a destination,” I had to learn this the hard way. As a solopreneur, I thought, “Why do I need to do this? It is just me. I know what I want, so I will just go for it. Well that turned out to be one of the costliest mistakes I’ve made in business. You don’t have to use an expensive program to track your progress. You could simply use a spreadsheet or piece of paper, but don’t forego this important step. I ultimately rectified the problem two long, hard years after launching my business.

4. Do not do it alone, and do not allow energy vampires suck you dry or feed you negativity. Surround yourself with people who believe in and support you. In addition to a coach or mentor, develop of network of colleagues who can be your accountability partners, just as you can be theirs. People can inspire you or drain you. Choose wisely.

5. Be open to failing. It is part of the process. When you dream big, you will have some hiccups. Brush off your bruised knees, pick yourself up, and continue on the path. The bigger the dream, the more steps you may need to take. Think of the forward and backward steps more of a cha-cha than obstacles. When you realize that failing does not make you a failure, you free yourself to try many different things.

Believe in yourself and dream big. As you consider the path to take, do not forget about the rest of your life, especially your family. Work hard, take action, and keep pushing through when things get tough. Focus on the things that only you can do and outsource the rest. Learn to say no, and most of all, dig in and stay committed.

Remember as Tony Gaskins said, “If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.”

Happy Selling!

Judy Hoberman http://www.sellinginaskirt.com

How High Are Your Standards?

I always have interesting conversations and incredible people watching episodes when I’m at the airport. I listen and observe, I engage and I observe some more. At one airport, I was waiting for a flight and we were delayed so many times that it was almost a game to see when the app and the actual board in front of us would match as to the newest departure time. There was a woman standing next to me. She was well-dressed and was friendly enough. We were sharing some travel stories and then we got to “what do you do?” I told her I was an Executive Coach, a speaker, trainer, radio show host and author. She asked who I worked with and I gave her that information. I of course turned the conversation to her and asked what she did. She worked for a large organization and had been there for many years… “After all, why should I leave? I get paid, don’t have to do too much and I get to do some traveling.” The conversation went on for a bit and she mentioned that she had never had a coach but her boss swears by them. Of course I needed to probe a little more and she told me, without any hesitation, she had never and would NEVER hire a coach because she would be expected to work more and harder and that is not what she wants to do. It started me thinking about standards and how as entrepreneurs we need to set the bar higher than we can even imagine. People will choose to work with you if what you are offering them is the best quality or service to solve their problem.

The truth is most people don’t like high standards because they create a lot of work – especially the kind of work that nobody likes in the first place. In the real world, getting from good to great requires extraordinary efforts and high standards. It demands more time than you want, more energy than you have, and more cooperation than any normal person can be expected to contribute.

That’s IF you want high standards. If you are willing to settle for “good,” things can be much easier – and you can be much nicer. How about if we talk about standards…for instance what are they anyway?

Your standards define how you act, which, in turn, builds trust in your brand. They can be guidelines that describe your quality, your performance, your style or your systems. Standards must align with your mission, business objectives, and leadership, and be implemented consistently.

What about our own personal standards? Are they written on a wall for all to see? Not necessarily, but think about this; personal standards are what separates the highest achievers from everyone else. Personal standards are nothing more than a set of behaviors. These behaviors are built upon expectations you have of yourself in a variety of situations. Your personal standards are reflected in how you treat yourself, and also in how you treat other people. They are also reflected in how you expect to be treated by other people. When you have high standards you expect to be treated with the highest of regard. However, when your standards are low it suggests that you are lacking in the self-esteem department. Remember though, no matter who your customer is, you shouldn’t change your standards to meet theirs.

Your personal standards are also reflected in the promises you keep, the way you show up, and are reflected in the quality of your work, values and communication. In fact, everything you do and say gives others an indication of the personal standards you live by. As women, we might have to work a little harder and set the bar a little higher to be treated on an equal playing field, and that’s ok. It’s just a little extra stretch…and we’re used to that.

Luckily, if you turn to entrepreneurship as a way to fulfil your potentials and meet your standards as well, there are so many valuable resources to learn from. No longer do we need to learn everything through trial and error! And that feeling that you’re not alone in your striving, that helps. Just recently I’ve interviewed Stefan Pretty, an interesting Scottish entrepreneur who created Subbly, a management software for subscription businesses. But what really inspired me is the way he shows a step-by-step approach (that’s what I love about it…plus it’s easy to follow) on how to start a subscription box, making that start line (which is often the most difficult one) as straightforward as possible. And once you actually start something, it becomes easier to continue evolving and also, raise the standards when you realize that goals were more achievable then you thought!

Speaking of which…Do you have goals that you would like to achieve? Have you ever considered that in order to achieve these goals that you must first raise your personal standards in certain aspects of your life? Setting low standards will only take you so far along your journey towards your goal. With low standards you will simply not put enough work, time, energy or resources into this goal. You will not be able to give this goal what it requires, and therefore you will end up not getting the results you truly want.

When you set high standards you immediately raise your expectations of what’s possible. You suddenly expect more from yourself, more from your actions, and more from others. And with a higher set of expectations you are willing to do more to get the results you’re after, and your performance level shoots straight up.

As Tony Robbins said, “Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards.”

Don’t be like my airport buddy thinking that having a coach means others will expect more from you and that is a negative thing…after all, what is wrong with that?

Determining Your Niche

Why is it that when someone asks who your target market is, the response many times is “everyone”? How can that be true? Is what you offer really good for the immediate world?

The more you are able to describe and pinpoint your niche, the more profitable it will be. Others will understand who they can refer to you and you will be able to craft a message directly at that group. Women generally have a more difficult time with this than men…why you ask? We don’t like to leave anyone out!

That’s so nice…

However, if you want to be more productive, sit down and define, describe and determine who your tribe really is.

Listen to my interview with Diane Helbig to hear more about “Determining Your Niche” by clicking here.

Happy Selling!

What Is It About Networking Anyway?

Everyone you talk to tells you the way to build your business has to do a lot with networking. Some people say you need to meet hundreds of people, others say it’s just those around you that are important. No matter what school of thought you subscribe to, networking can be and should be a component of your marketing plan.

Why you ask?

Consider these factors:

• Anyone can do it.

• No formal training is necessary…maybe just some guidelines.

• People do business with people they know and trust.

• It can be extremely affordable.

• You can serve as a resource to help others succeed.

Let’s go one step further….

if you know me you’ll know my next sentence will be that men and women do just about everything differently…and networking is no different. In simplest terms, men will generally collect business cards and compare their “pile” with their co-workers to see who had a better result? Women, well you guessed it, we are looking to build relationships and would rather meet a smaller number of people that we can really connect with than a hundred business cards that are one-dimensional.

One thing you do have to remember is that one of the goals of networking is to make a lasting impression with someone that you met at a networking event. Networking is less about meeting new people than having them remember you after the fact.

How do you get them to remember you?

Here are three simple questions to make a lasting impression:

1. Where do you normally network?

2. What do you like best about what you do?

3. What got you started in that direction

Always remember….Be interested, not interesting…..

Read more about Networking in my new book Famous Isn’t Enough!

Cover Girl

Someone asked me a question that I’m going to ask you. If you could be on the cover of any magazine, what would it be? I thought about different magazines and then started to divide them into categories. If I were younger maybe a Fitness magazine. If my family all lived under one roof, maybe a Family magazine. If I had a hobby or sport that I excelled in, maybe it would be the cover of that particular sport. And if I was an amazing chef…well you get the idea.

So what is it that I love to do and that I’m good at? I love to speak to groups and I absolutely love to coach and train people in sales. When I see the light bulb go on and they are smiling and shaking their head as they “get it” that is where I excel.

But, being on the cover of a magazine? Here’s my story. I responded to a query online about the success of women in male-dominated industries and had a wonderful phone interview. I had plenty to say as this was right up my alley. I was told that as soon as my interview had been edited, I would be sent a link so we could promote it. Well I did get the link, but much to my surprise, I was the Cover Girl of Exceptional People Magazine!

I was so excited and flattered.

That was last year so for those of you that haven’t seen it, click on the image below to see the full magazine and let me know what you

think. For those of you that have already seen it, click on the link and let me know what you think 🙂

So let’s go back to the original question….if you could be on the cover of any magazine, what would

it be?

Can’t wait to hear your ideas! Happy Selling!

Soaring Further: Radio Interview

Back in May I was Interviewed by Elizabeth Mccormick. Her radio show Soaring Further is designed to be a “Daily dose of inspiration” and I couldn’t agree more!

To see the full interview, click here to listen! To read more about Elizabeth, see below!

Elizabeth McCormick has travelled the country as an inspirational speaker, relating the challenges faced as a female BlackHawk Helicopter pilot and Warrant Officer for the United States Army to everyday obstacles that can be overcome. Elizabeth is also a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Trainer and Speaker.

Elizabeth has experienced double-digit growth in sales, sponsoring and team development for m

ore than 6 years. Elizabeth taught follow up and exhibiting systems with the Direct Selling Womens’ Alliance training program “Mentored by the Masters” for 2011.Elizabeth has facilitated training at 9 National Conventions including three times as a main stage arena speaker.