Published December 9, 2011 | 
Work on keeping people in your pipeline of contacts and prospects EVERY DAY: Salespeople tend to go in spurts and forget that when someone is ready to buy or subsequently does buy, they need to be replaced with either a prospect who is getting ready or who is ready to make a decision. Do not waste your time and effort on those who are disinterested in your product or presently satisfied. Keep them in a satisfied file or category and check with them every three to six months, or as your company’s buying cycle dictates. On the other hand, do not spend extra time with leads who are satisfied with your competition. Instead replace those that buy by always prospecting for the dissatisfied or getting ready prospects. If you are a salesperson you already know this. However, here is the problem. You may know you should, but you may not consistently work on your pipeline EVERYDAY.
One of the habits I have lived by all of these years in sales and in business contacts is JUST ONE MORE! Before you head home for the day, before you close the doors of the business, before you decide that your day is over, remember, “Just one more.” One more phone call, one more visit, one more contact, one more call back, and one more thank you note, has literally made me thousands and thousands of dollars throughout the years. When you get in the habit of “just one more”, you don’t quit, you don’t give up, you don’t let discouragement take over. You constantly are striving to find that person, persons or company that will be dissatisfied or getting ready.
Work on “expanding your mind” EVERY DAY. Don’t get in a rut. Keep reading relevant books, listening to business or sales CD’s, talking with other professionals and learning new techniques and ways of doing things. Keep aggressive in your thinking. Throw the box away and don’t think about “how we used to do it”. Learn something new every day that you can apply to your business and/or life. It is too easy to become stagnant and soon your business will become stagnant.
Connect with someone new EVERY DAY. “Connections” or “networking” is critical in today’s business. Expand the people you know and connect with them by learning more about them and serving them. In turn, you will find referrals and business coming your way. My partner and I were able to take a company nationwide in less than two years, which is simply unheard of, because of our ability and desire to “network.” You must have a “connections” state of mind, and must make a conscious effort to network consistently.
Never be satisfied. When it comes to keeping that pipe line full, when it comes to aggressively working your business, do not become satisfied. You need to have a “leader’s mindset,” and not one that is satisfied with being part of the pack. Stay informed, keep connecting, keep learning, keep filling up that pipe line. If you go on vacation, work doubly hard before and after. When the storms of life come, and they will, determine to ride them out. When people say that business is doomed, prove them wrong.
Your business does need building today! It will not grow by itself. You must do something, say something, act on something so that it will continue to grow strong. Do something to build your business every day. Be consistent. You will not regret that decision.
