judy hoberman – Change is Inevitable, Growth is Optional

Working Remotely…Are You Prepared?

Other than 2 years of my career, I have always been an entrepreneur working from home. Yes, I’ve gone to an office, facilitated training in an office, recruited in an office and had team meetings in an office…but the majority of my time, was working from home. I don’t remember if anyone gave me a manual of what to expect, but I did notice pros and cons of working from home. In today’s environment, many people have had no time to prepare or even think about getting ready for change. You were in an office one day and the next, you’re remote.

I was thinking about how this new way of working will affect so many people and wanted to share some thoughts of my experiences with the hope that it may make this new journey easier and perhaps even have some fun with it.

Mark your territory. This is easy if you have an empty room or spare bedroom. In many cases, you will need to adopt some space and call it your own. When we started in the insurance world, so many grabbed the kitchen or dining room table and decided this was their new office. Kind of reminds me of those that declare their table at the coffee shop as their own. I was once asked to move from a certain table in a certain coffee shop because this man said it was “his” …I didn’t see a nameplate but I knew it made him comfortable, so I moved to another table.

If you are in a place that others will be using, you will need to make sure that your “office” can be moved to another area during family and mealtimes. If you are in an industry where there is any confidential and personal information, make sure that is not out in the open for anyone to see. My kids were always part of my business. While I did have an office in my home, Saturday nights you would find the three of us sitting on my bed doing direct mail pieces together. They knew that they were a part of my business and were proud to see the results.

Do Not Disturb-Again, not always the easiest to accomplish. If your family, spouse or roommate is home while you are working, remind them that you are doing just that…working. It’s not the time to chat or have conversations about solving the problems of the world. You wouldn’t do that if you were in an office, so why now? We had an agent who was a single dad with small children. Many of you will remember that as soon as you picked up the phone, real phones not smart phones, it was an invitation to start an argument, have a burning question or just need your undivided attention at that moment. There is nothing more “professional” than being on the phone with a client when your children picked up the phone in another room yelling “Daddy, daddy, daddy.” While some clients understood…others did not. This agent came up with a brilliant idea. He had a ball cap. When it was on, he was working. When it was off, he was daddy. Other than an emergency (in the insurance world that meant blood or bones), his little ones were quiet and whispered to each other. It was a simple and effective way to work.

Give Me A Break-Do you take breaks when you are in the office? Then why not at home? Many times, it’s hard to get started and then, it’s hard to stop. When you work from home, you either become the King or Queen workaholic or the Guru or Maven of taking breaks. Think of something in the middle. When you are working, you should be working, not getting prepared to possibly start at some later point in the last hour of the day. Ok so that’s a bit of an exaggeration but you need to prepare yourself to work and to stop. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the Pomodoro Technique. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. It is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Work 25 minutes and then take a break for 5 minutes. You must work in those 25 minutes and walk away from it for 5 minutes. Imagine how productive you can be.

Can You Just…-While you are working from home, if there is anyone else that lives with you, you will certainly hear something like “While you are home, can you just start dinner, do the laundry, call the repair person, run to the store etc.” Remember, you are working, so your mindset needs to be that you are working. It’s always nice to lend a helping hand…after you’re done working. If there are no humans living with you, unless you’re on your 5-minute break or having lunch, your furry friend will need to stay put and not learn a new frisbee trick.

Let’s Do Lunch-Even though you are not in an office, you need to take a lunch break. Yes, this is the time to do those non-working tasks. It’s also the time to walk away from your work, have something nutritious, delicious and yummy to break up the day. Once in awhile you might have a virtual working lunch, but really try to claim this time for yourself.

While working from home will take a little getting used to, also be aware that it can feel a bit lonely. Rest assured there are many others feeling the same way. With technology, you can have a meeting with your office mates, “see” your clients and create educational sessions to share your brilliance.

Things change quicker than you can imagine. If you don’t change, you will be left behind. Old ways won’t open new doors. Change is inevitable…Growth is optional. Will you shine or will you let your light dim?

If you need a pep talk, an ear to listen or an accountability chat, reach out. I’m here to listen, support and encourage.

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?

Getting Your Message Out

When you start a new business, one of the first things you do is to create a product or service that is ideal for your target market. You set the price, you have the features and benefits and you are ready to rock and roll. Until you realize that you don’t know how to let your target market know that you have the solution that they need. It’s like having to ends pulling in opposite directions…you have what they need and they need what you have…so what’s next?

When I first started my company in 2009, I did not know one person in Dallas, other than the people that worked in the company I just resigned from…not necessarily the best people to share my message with. I had to figure out how I could let people know what I was doing, why I was doing it and with whom I wanted to share it with. So of course we always go back to basics and that is identifying your target market. Ok that’s done…now what? I could call everyone I knew and let them know but… I just finished saying I didn’t know anyone in Dallas and thought I should start with a model close to home first. My first option was to network and meet people…and I did…lots of people of course I networked anywhere and everywhere and 90% of the people I met were not my ideal target…but I did meet people and they did know people so that was working somewhat.

I also hired a business coach and of course, since I knew better, I didn’t really listen to all her brilliant suggestions…until she called me out and asked why didn’t I just roll down my windows in my car and throw money out of them since that’s what I was basically doing with my coaching sessions. She would suggest, I would resist. She would suggest, I would ignore. It was a wonderful cha cha…and that did continue for a bit until I was not seeing anyone want to do anything with me or my business and couldn’t understand why. So I asked my coach and she laughed and said ok now are you ready to listen?

She told me I needed to do two things to share my message in a wider circle but not stop doing the things I was already doing. You have to build wide not high to spread your name. So along with all the things I was actively doing in Dallas like networking and doing 1:1 connections, writing articles etc. I also decided to add speaking to my activities. Of course I wasn’t going to be able to demand big speaker fees since no one knew me, I had to keep my eyes on the goal…getting my name out. I started speaking at every Chamber, Rotary, Women’s organizations and any place that would have me. Each time I spoke, I not only met people but I also perfected my talk so that it was more focused, relevant and valuable to the audience.

The other thing my coach told me to do, was to write a book…that was NEVER on my radar and again our dance continued until I finally cried “Uncle” and promised to give it a shot. It took me about 6 months to write the book and the first printing of 750 books was delivered to me at a conference where I was the keynote speaker on a stage of almost all men, to a group of almost 4,000. The books sold out and I had people ordering them online and it was awesome.

Now, when you ask people about Judy Hoberman, many know me. When you ask about Selling In A Skirt…most know my company and my message. A lot of time and hard work was needed…of course had I listened sooner, who knows how much time might have been cut out of the equation.

So what are some ways to get your business and your name known? Well, for starters I would try to get myself entrenched locally…again, use it as a template and see what works or doesn’t instead of jumping on a plane only to realize, you should have tried it locally first. Here are a few suggestions…

It’s all about relationships. Whether it’s with business owners, CEOs, Presidents of companies or other entrepreneurs…build the relationship before you need it. I realize you need it now, but not with everyone at the same time. While you’re at it, start developing relationships with local reporters. Do you know how valuable you can be to a reporter? You are a new business, or an existing one. You are in the community and you might have some valuable insight into a story they are working on. Or perhaps you can bring a story to them. Trust me, reporters look for people that have a story that is interesting or intriguing and….most importantly show up. Once you do, and they know they can count on you…you become a favorite. I am on a radio show in Oregon every month as a business contributor. Why? Because we talk about things that are interesting to HIS audience.
How about local newspapers or magazines? Why not be a contributor there? Any idea what happens when you are published? You are now the expert in your space and you can become a regular contributor. Once you get one article published, you can use that as a resource for others.
Ever thought about winning an award or being on a local list? You know the newspapers and magazines I just mentioned? They run contests, awards and produce lists of the best of the best…if you don’t have anyone to nominate your business, do it yourself. Remember, the goal is to get your name out there so find an award or list that reflects your area of expertise. I was recently named Mentor of the Year from The Women of Visionary Influence here in Dallas. I was nominated without me even knowing about it and was truly honored.
Network with intention. Yes, you can go to every event and meet lots of people and yes those people know people but…it might be a better move to network with your target audience or your strategic partners. I would rather have 5 qualified networking events a month than one a day that is truly non-productive. Can I just say, been there, done that and bought the T-shirt…many times over?
Relationships are not just with people that you are hoping will share your name and brand. They should also be with your clients. Think about what a happy client will do. They will give you referrals and testimonials. They will keep coming back and bringing their friends. They will want everyone to have the same incredible experience with your company as they did. This does not happen the first time you do something great and they buy something from you. That is the beginning. The follow-up is the most important part of the sale. Many times clients will be excited to be at the ground-floor with a new business. You get to let them in on what’s coming next and when they know you are trying to build your company, depending on the experience they have had with you, they will either help you or go running into the hills. Let them know that you are there for the long-haul and nurture those relationships.

Remember, the customer’s perspective is your reality.

What Would You Do-Over?

I was thinking about some of the things that have happened in my life, both the amazing and the not so much fun times. I started daydreaming about the woulda, coulda, shoulda ways the outcome might have been different and realized that things happen just as they are supposed to and that everything we do has a lesson attached to it…but what if we got a second chance to change things? What if we were able to take some of the adversities we go through and turn them around and what if we had a Do-Over?

When we think about fairy tales, everyone lives happily ever after…but even fairy tales have adversity…the poison apple, the lost shoe, being locked in the tower…. That is something that every one of us has to go through at some point in our lives. Will it create us to feel broken or damaged? Will it make us feel stuck? Will it define who we are? What if we decided that we are going to overcome this situation and perhaps look at it from a different perspective? Is it possible to step outside of your situation and think about the advice you would give to that person going through it? Of course, we are our own worst critics and as a coach, I can see clearly what’s going on in someone else’s life…but the truth is that I’m just too close to what’s going on in mine to step outside of it. And sometimes, you can’t even put into words what is happening in your life. Ever feel like that?

When I was working in my corporate position, I knew I wasn’t in the right situation. I loved part of what I did but what I didn’t love definitely outweighed the positive. I knew there were changes that needed to be made but wasn’t sure what, how, when it would or could happen. When I decided to think about me for just a few hours, I listened to someone, who later became my business coach, speak to a group of women. Her message was “Get Radical” and although I am a child of the bra burning, pants-suit wearing feminist’s era, getting radical and being radical was not on my bucket list. However, it was as though she spoke directly to me in this crowd of women and I knew that I could get out of my situation and start over…again. I had started over for other reasons in my life, but this was going to be a doozy. Let’s just say, I’m like a cat and land on my feet, but this time felt different. The first thing I had to do was emotionally detach myself from my situation. Sounds easy right? Well here are some ways to do just that:

~Accept what is going on-the more you fight, the more you lose. Why stay in a situation that will eventually cause you more suffering, whether it is emotionally, financially or physically. What the key is in the situation is not getting rid of it, it’s how you react to it. Remember life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it.

~Try and look at this as a positive thing-As much as we don’t want to admit it, going through adversity can actually be a good thing. As I said, every situation you go through should give you some lessons to take you forward. If everything was easy breezy, don’t you think life would be just a little boring? I know we wish for boring some times, but the challenges we face bring us to understanding just how great it is to get beyond the challenges.

~Keep your purpose alive-If you lose your purpose and passion, adversity wins. Remember why you started doing what you are doing. Remember who and what brought you to the dance and remember that the outcome is bigger than the present situation you are going through.

And finally

~Remember your personal board of directors-make sure that the people that are around you, can guide you away from the adversity you are going through. You cannot and should not try to do things by yourself. When you choose staying in bed with your blankets over your head rather than facing the situation head on, you are destined to go enter that downward spiral.

Let’s admit that life has its ups and downs and as we all know and have been taught, that what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger . Sometimes the challenges we go through seem to last much longer than we had hoped for but that shouldn’t mean we give up and accept defeat. It just means that there could be a second chance heading our way that gives us an opportunity to begin again. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean that you get to have a complete do-over and rectify your mistakes. But it does mean you have the chance to look at ways to make different choices and try it again. Taking that second chance may just give you back some of the confidence you lost or see things in a different light or maybe even defy all odds. Sometimes life gives you a second chance because maybe the first time you weren’t ready.

When I go back through my life and think about all the different challenges I faced, it’s a wonder I am still standing and smiling. As a single mom for 19 years, I had the challenge of supporting my children emotionally and financially. I did not have the luxury of not succeeding. It was my job to create an environment where they were loved, nurtured and had the ability to succeed. My motivation were my children. In fact, people laugh when I tell them that on my desk, where I made my calls to schedule my insurance appointments, were pictures of my children and their tuition bills…nothing more motivating than that.

I also had one hand tied behind my back because I added to my own situation when I was the only woman in my company and I was a commission based salesperson. You see, I chose my career. I chose to do what I did and how I did it. I chose to make things happen. We all make choices and whether or not some of our adversities are because of choices we had made or not, again, it’s how we are prepared for battle. I relied on believing in myself, my family, my friends and my faith that I would get over that enormous challenge and be successful…whatever my definition is. As Zig Ziglar said, “Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful”. A little background music can add to that as well J

Making Your Sales Relationship Into A Selling Relationship

Building relationships requires time, effort and patience. It requires a strategy unique to each situation and prospect. It doesn’t mean developing a shrewd approach to ingratiate yourself with your prospects. If your approach is not heartfelt, it won’t work because people can see through a phony attitude. Successful companies and salespeople are service oriented with one goal in mind…getting the best and most for their money.

I’m sure most everyone is familiar with Southwest Airlines. Their focus is on building relationships and customer service and oh, by the way, they also fly airplanes!

Many salespeople go right into promoting their product or service as soon as they get the prospects attention instead of focusing on the relationship.

Most successful salespeople are relationship focused rather than sale focused. This is important before, during and after the sale.

Some things to remember:

Listen more than you talk. This is the key to building relationships. Jeffrey Gitomer said this so eloquently~ “You will never listen yourself out of a customer.”
Stop talking and ask questions-Asking questions begins the relationship, listening cements it
Be generous with your time even before you make a sale. Treat them “as if” give them valuable information, give them referrals to their business and send a handwritten thank you…even without a sale
Use tools to stay in touch- detailed notes you can refer to i.e. new baby, wedding, new home. You would be surprised how you stand out of the crowd just by asking how their vacation was or how the wedding was or in one case for me, remembering that the reason the original appointment was rescheduled was because a new floor was being put down
Touch people without selling them i.e. congrats on an award, google alert or even a great article that reminded you of them. It’s not always about selling to them.
Be consistent, persistent and professional. You want to be remembered for the right reasons

Selling is about building relationships. This cannot be said enough.

Did you know that it costs 5x more to get a new customer than to keep an existing customer? Translation=there is value in long term relationships-they turn into repeat buyers and become your walking ambassadors. Businesses don’t do business; people do business. Don’t miss out on the opportunities to develop relationships with a prospect because you are too focused on your sales pitch…Research confirms that companies and individuals who work hard at building and maintaining strong business relationships consistently outperform those who do not.

Remember always to Be Interested and not Interesting…

Ten Useful Tips For The First-Time Business Owner

Owning A Business Is Extremely Exciting; It Is Also Hard Work And It Is Easy To Make Mistakes!

You will not avoid every mistake of a first-time business owner, but with the right guidance you can make good decisions and avoid the problems that may cause some business owners to give up. Hang in there; it does get better!

Here are ten useful tips for first-time business owners to help you stay on track:

Focus. It is easy to get sidetracked, so stay on task. It may help to have weekly or even daily meetings with others to bring you back to center.
Do What You Know and Know What You Do. You got into business because you enjoy doing something, most likely. If this is the case, stick with what you know and like. Just because someone comes up with a “great idea” for a business does not mean it is right for you.
Say It Fast or Don’t Say It At All. There is an old adage that says that if you cannot say something in under one minute it will take you ten. Be prepared to pitch your business in under a minute at any time. You never know when opportunity may arise!
Know What You Know, What You Don’t Know and Where to Find The Answers. You do not have the answer to every problem. Be sure to surround yourself with those who have these answers and lean on them when necessary.
You Are a Start-up, So Act Like It! It is easy to get carried away with spending, but it is important that you do not. Be sure to act as if you are a “starving artist” when you start a business.
Learn From Your Mistakes. You are going to make mistakes, so treat them as learning opportunities.
No One Will Give You Money. Grooming investors comes later. Right now, you need to prove that your business is viable.
Take Care of Yourself. Eat, sleep and exercise. You cannot function if you are not healthy.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words. Demonstrate by your actions that you are a person of integrity.
Know When To Quit. Stop before you are forced to quit. If your idea does not work, try something different!

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It’s The Little Things That Count

Here’s the scenario….you are in a restaurant way out of town. You have no connections or relationships there yet you are treated as if you have been going there forever…

The Colonel and I decided to get out of town for the weekend. We headed northwest to a little town in Oklahoma….ok some of you are already rolling your eyes thinking of me in Oklahoma….but, it was a cute and quaint town and resort.

The first night for dinner, we went into the resort restaurant and wanted a glass of wine. Well, the choices were limited and I’m not a wine connoisseur so when we were told that most weren’t available, I went to the bar with Kitty, our waitress. She was very apologetic that there wasn’t enough of one kind for the two of us. I told her we would have different wines and no worries. I went back to the table and told the colonel and he too was fine. Kitty did find us enough of one kind, not our first or second choice, and thanked us for being patient. She did ask us what kind we would have wanted if available from the choices at the bar and we told her.

We had dinner, the food was good and we drank our glass of wine and left.

The second night, we went back to the restaurant and had our same table, and guess what? Kitty was waiting for us with a bottle of wine and glasses, and it was the kind we said we would have wanted. She didn’t know us or even sure we would show up, but she was ready…just in case.

We were flattered and told her how amazing she was. She has a huge smile and thanked us…she thanked us rather than thinking we should be thanking her. We did over and over again and she came and checked on us numerous times and I know not only did she make our night, we made hers.

Being in Oklahoma was special because I was there with the colonel but also because it’s the little things that change your life….and I think she felt it as well.

It’s All About Relationships

This past year, I have been featured on Fox Business News radio so many times and of course, I have my favorite stations and hosts. When I get my list of stations at 5am, I always look to see if I’ve been on their stations before and if we have a relationship built or if it’s a new station and it’s time to begin a new relationship.

You can always tell when I’ve been on a station multiple times because there is that ease and comfort and maybe even some bantering back and forth. Many times the host will say something that he/she remembered about our last encounter….it’s all about relationships.

As many of you know, my second book, “Famous Isn’t Enough, Earning Your Fortune As An Entrepreneur”, is ready to be launched and I’m super excited about sharing some lessons learned, and trust me there are LOTS to share. I contacted one of my favorite hosts because I wanted to send her a copy.

She and I have built a wonderful relationship over the past year and I value her opinion and friendship. Guess what? She asked if I would be on her show to talk about my new book? So please give a listen to my friend and fav, Mary Jones on The Talk of Connecticut as she dives into my book!

It’s all about relationships!

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!

When the Corporate World is on Holiday

Looking back on Labor Day weekend it seemed like Corporate America completely shut down. Every email I sent out or call I made even days leading up to labor day were met with the same message:

…I will be back in the office on September 3rd…

I guess the “we need it yesterday” sense of urgency goes right out the window when the slightest hint of a three (or more) day weekend creeps up on the calendar. I was asked to submit some information and I did within a few moments of the call and I received the auto message above. I might have misunderstood that what I needed to submit was important or perhaps asking to submit information now meant now on Tuesday?

In any event if brought back some memories of being in the Corporate space and maybe this is why many choose to work in the Corporate arena…Is that your choice?

Hmmm still not for me. I’m an entrepreneur, I don’t mind working around a holiday and even on it if I choose to do that. I love what I do and wouldn’t swap out a regular pay-check and time off for giving up what I am so passionate about.

It’s all about choices.

You make them, you keep them, you live by them.