If this is true, you must appreciate that sales revenue is the life line to your bottom line. Without buyers, there are no sales. Without sales, there are no revenues. The world revolves around sales, but more importantly, it now needs to revolve around buyers. Buyers are everywhere. What are you doing to help them buy?

The economy brought on a shift from selling during the boom times to attracting, engaging and empowering the new economy of buyers to buy.

Traditional and consultative sales methods no longer work. The sales cycle is longer than need be and the margins are dropping.

Buyers have been educated by sales people regarding all imaginable sales techniques. Unfortunately, salespeople don’t even realize they have lost control.

Sales people also need to change the way they are selling. The traditional dog-and-pony show, or feature and benefit dump will no longer work.

Clients, in today’s new economy, are looking for salespeople who bring them value. They want sales people who take the time to truly understand a client’s business and needs.

Clients appreciate salespeople who ask pertinent questions and listen intently, at the same time as demonstrating genuine concern for the client instead of themselves. Clients respect salespeople who are in it for the long term relationship and not simply for the money.

To succeed in the new economy of buyers, you need to do the opposite of selling. You need to attract, engage and empower buyers to buy.

“Keep doing what you have always done and you will get what you have always gotten.”

Most strategic planning emphasizes a target to increase sales and to up the bottom line. Sales skill sets must keep pace with the new economy of buyers in this high-tech, global society.

This is probably one reason why sales training is so prevalent on the Internet, at public seminars, and including in-house customized programs.

Another reason is sales training offers Management and individual sales professionals a high return on investment. For example, where else could you invest $1 with a realistic expectation of a $10 or more return in revenue?

If you, as a Corporate Executive, entrepreneur or professional salesperson are considering sales training, ensure it is a “buyer focused” sales training system supporting today‘s new economy of buyers.

Once you understand how buyers buy and how they control the sales process, you will want to change how you conduct your sales. Buyers follow a system, and salespeople must do the same. You must integrate a selling system that attracts, engages, and empowers the buyer to buy, not one that sells to the buyer.

A buyer focused selling system will maximize time and provide measurable results. You will enable buyer attraction, engagement, and qualification. Once the prospect is qualified, you will have the control to empower the buyer to buy, increase the velocity of your selling cycle, increase your margins and revenues, and ultimately, up your bottom line.

It is crucial to your overall success to begin with a strong foundation that will adequately support the productive behaviours within the Selling System.

A brand new positive and proactive attitude will certainly attract more buyers.
Changing your ineffective behaviours or habits into defined daily disciplines and efficient habits will provide you with more focused targeting. The result will be a better return on time invested (R.O.T.I.).

A buyer focused selling system requires organizations to be committed to doing what is “right” and demonstrating the appropriate behaviours on an ongoing basis. This includes tracking and analyzing behaviours to increase call-to-close ratios, or if necessary, turning away business. It also means being ethical and acting with integrity even when it’s easy or tempting not to.

Buyer Focused Sales training in today’s new economy will contribute more to your bottom line than any other activity.

All sales professionals, entrepreneurs or Corporate Executives must remember that sales revenue is the life line to up your bottom line. Without buyers, there are no sales. Without sales, there are no revenues. The world revolves around sales, but more importantly, it now needs to revolve around buyers. Buyers are everywhere. What are you doing to help them buy?

Discipline is defined as a commitment to the most important person in the world – YOU. It means doing what you have to do, even when you don’t want to do it.

Discipline is an effective habit and effective habits lead to effective results. Conversely, ineffective habits produce ineffective results. Firstly, you must discipline yourself to seek awareness and rid yourself of ineffective habits. Then, by utilizing discipline, replace those ineffective habits with useful and productive ones. By doing so, you can achieve anything you want in life.

Discipline, along with a positive attitude, is within your control. Don’t allow those ineffective habits to control you and your future. Instead, discover how daily discipline will eventually alter any negative habits and change your life for the better. Go ahead and make the decision to lead a disciplined life and reap the benefits.

Discipline is 100% within your control. Take the first letter in the word Discipline – D and give it the numerical value 4. Then, take each of the following letters in DISCIPLINE and give each letter its respective numerical value. Add all the letter values and take note that the sum equals 100. If you want to increase your performance by 100%, then, put discipline in the driver’s seat.

Discipline is an effective habit. Discipline is a complete process which includes personal awareness, desire, determination, recognition and reward.

Personal behaviour is a part of discipline. Once a meticulous behaviour is recognized and rewarded, it gets repeated. The process is simple. You determine the necessary behaviour or action required to achieve the goal; do it even when you don’t want to; and finally, recognize and reward that behaviour so it will be repeated.

Allow me to share the discipline in my life.

Years ago, I realized I am most productive in the morning, and classify myself as a “morning person”. I used to get up at 7am every morning. Then I had a thought. Why not get up one hour earlier and dedicated that hour as the most productive time for the most important person in the world – ME? I wondered about the outcome of this simple change.

Over the next month, I got up at 6am and dedicated one hour to Bob. I called it “Bob time” and my objective was to do something for me that will help me achieve my goals. That hour is quite special for me now and also, very satisfying. “Bob time” is both my discipline and an effective habit.

Now, here is the secret to making “Bob time” a discipline and an effective habit. When I used to get up at 7am, I immediately enjoyed a cup of coffee. However, following my decision to begin “Bob time” at 6am, I decided not to have a coffee upon waking, but to wait until “Bob time” ended. My first cup of coffee became my reward for doing what I said I was going to do.

Well, the discipline did not stop there. I believe in physical fitness to maintain good health and well being. Therefore, after my coffee, I venture out for a walk or go skiing, snowshoeing, swimming, etc. for an hour. What do you think my reward is for exercising?

Yes, breakfast! My daily routine begins with a shower, getting dressed and preparing for a keynote, workshop or seminar. Can you imagine how I feel and how I perform for the remainder of the day, based on all I have accomplished before leaving home?

Well, I always feel wonderful and I am truly satisfied with my performance. I permit myself to do something rewarding just for me. I can, in turn, do something special for you.

Statistics stipulate it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Rest assured, that my “Bob time” discipline and subsequent, reward is a definite habit. And that first cup of coffee tastes better than ever before.

Take the time to reflect on your most productive time of day. Once you determine that time, fully utilize one hour of your most productive time and reward yourself upon completion. In no time, you will be disciplined and will achieve the things you thought were impossible in your life.

Remember, attitude and discipline are both within your control. They are the foundation for ongoing self motivation and personal success. Recognize and reward appropriate behaviours and you will enjoy effective habits and valuable disciplines. You are well on your way to where you want to go.

Most people think that money is the biggest motivator of all, but it is not. Everyone loves money and money is the first answer you will get when you even ask the question, why do you go to work. Most people think work and motivation is all about money.

However, money falls into the category of external motivation. External motivators are temporary – they don’t last long. They are never lasting. The worst part about them, is that no matter what amount you give, the more they are going to want the next time round. And if it is not more it will not be motivating, but de-motivating.

The same applies to all external motivators – motivational speakers, gifts, incentives, etc. Once they experience one, they want a better one next time round.

The only true form of motivation is internal motivation. Internal motivation is everlasting.

The top three ranking factors contributing to employee motivation are:
1, Praise and recognition in the workplace.
2. The feeling of being in on things
3. Help on personal problems.

The funny thing about these three factors is that they relate to internal employee motivation, although they come from an external source.

Each of these motivating factors affect people internally. No praise and recognition let’s their self talk tell them they are not doing their job properly. Add criticism to it and you’ve got a de-motivated employee.

Turn that around to sincere recognition and praise, and you will have motivated employees, because you are building their self-esteem and self confidence. That is what people are looking for. Everyone wants to feel better and that is why praise and recognition are ranked as the number 1 motivating factor in the workplace.

Have a meeting and exclude a couple of people. What do you think you are telling them. They are not able to contribute. Maybe you think they can, but you did not invite them. In their minds, they feel they are not worthy of contributing. This kind of behaviour leads to de-motivation.

Everyone in the organization wants to contribute to the success of the organization. Exclude them, and they will feel unworthy, and go against everything you do. Include them to motivate them.

Finally help on personal problems requires only an empathetic ear. Do you have one, or are your quick to give solutions. No body cares how much you know, until they know who much you care. Ask questions and listen. Show you care.

The Bottom Line: Make motivation in the workplace internal for lasting results. Use praise and recognition as a tool, as well as inclusion and listening. Combined they will motivate your employees beyond your expectations.

Click to read more on employee recognition…

Do you want to know what motivates your people, or department?

Do you want to know what motivates you?

Employee motivation surveys are a great tool to get to understand what motivates your employees.

When the results of an employee motivation survey are tabulated and acted upon, you will shortly benefit from an increase in employee performance.

An employee motivation survey includes everyone, and everyone wants to be included in success of their organization.

So, make sure you include everyone.

By the way, an employee motivation survey, conducted with organizations around the world, indicated that the second biggest motivating factor in the workplace is the feeling of being in on things.

Just by putting the survey out to all employees gives them the feeling that they are in on things.

However, if you will not share or implement the results of the survey with those who contributed, you will do more damage than good.

Make sure you are ready to share and implement what you are about to learn first.

Start by creating a list of motivating factors that come to mind, or still better, informally ask some of your employees what would motivate them.

Use their answers to create the list.

You can start the employee motivation survey with as few as 5 choices and leave an area for other. You can even do a test with a department to see what else comes up under other and add it into the mix.

However, I would recommend you also keep it short and simple and under 12 choices.

Then circulate the employee motivation survey to everyone asking them to rank the items listed in order of their preference. 1 for the most important and 10 or whatever for least important.

The employee motivation survey can also be tabulated by department and by different levels within the organization.

This is recommended, so make sure you have space on the employee motivation survey for department, level, years of service, title or whatever would work best for you.

Finally when the results are tabulated, make sure you share it with everyone who contributed and thank them for their contribution. When appropriate behaviour gets recognized or rewarded it gets repeated.

Then, take action and do something to implement at least the top three motivating factors indicated in the results of the employee motivation survey.

The Bottom Line – If you do not know what motivates your employees, you cannot take action. If you ask, through an employee motivation survey, you will learn where you need to take action. Don’t think about it, just do it.

Employees are your most important asset.

To learn more about employee motivation, click here…

Are they working for you?

If so, great and this may not be of benefit to you.

However, if you do not have an employee retention strategy allow me to share a one of basics of employee retention with you.

Employees, as they are people, are the most important asset in every organization.

My belief is that if you take care of your people, they will take care of the bottom line.

In order to retain your bottom line, you need to retain your people.

Whether you agree, or not, you would not have a bottom line without people.

Therefore, before there even is a bottom line you need the people, particularly good people.

Once you find them, train them and get them to a state of high performance, you do not want to loose them. That is why employee retention strategies are so important.

So, how do we retain our best employees, while encouraging others to perform better?

Research has told us that people want to feel appreciated and recognized

Appreciation is like praise and praise and recognition are noted as the number one motivating factor in the workplace. More money comes up only as number five.

It has been said there is a stronger need in the workplace for praise and recognition, then there is for sex and money.

So, why are we not using this as not only a motivating factor, but as an employee retention strategy?

Why is it that people are lacking praise and recognition in the workplace? We have to question that answer, and question the answer to that and go deep.

What I believe is that we cannot give something away that we do not have inside to give away.

What do you do and say to yourself all day – do you praise and recognize yourself or do you criticize yourself. In either case, that is what you will give away.

However, it is usually the later, as praise and recognition is highly lacking in most workplaces.

Most people are more critical of themselves than anyone else. When you are critical of yourself, you will be critical of others. So, start my changing yourself.

Stop being critical and start praising and recognizing the good things that you do. As you do that, you will feel better about yourself, and see the good that you do. Then and only then can you see the good in others and praise and recognize them accordingly.

Do you think that an employee retention strategy like this may benefit you, and your organization?

The Bottom Line – People need to have their contributions recognized and appreciated. If sincere, it builds an employees self esteem, self respect, self confidence and self motivation, resulting in higher performance, satisfaction and hence retention.

This is the strongest employee retention strategy of all, and usually the one that is mostly overlooked.