This Month…

IS BEING SUCCESSFUL CONTAGIOUS?

I’ve had plenty of emails concerning the newsletter and I’ve been preaching how you can use it as a tool for more sales.

BUT, I realize there are company rules you must abide by so remember these words of wisdom…

THERE IS A WAY

Don’t give up and say you can’t do it, you most certainly can do it…even if you’ve got to let the boss review the newsletter before it goes out.

THERE IS A WAY

I play the guitar. I used to get annoyed when follow guitar players would ask me about the technique used.

Well, no one noticed except my fellow expertly trained guitar players, and as you can imagine, it bothered me a little.

But, it didn’t slow me down.

I began telling new guitar players interested in learning to play to remember my technique isn’t considered “proper”.

You see, I found “a way” of playing.

The same applies to you. There is an industry way of doing things. That industry way is considered the “proper” way of doing everything from A to Z.

This industry norm is endorsed by the “gurus” and repeated by the Monkeys all the way down the food chain.

I say the same thing to those folks who tell me I’m not doing it the “proper” way.

You have a choice to make. You can go thru life doing things the industry “proper” way producing the same mediocre results everyone else is getting….or you can find “a way” of doing things that produces results above the rest.

It’s really YOU and YOUr mindset.

So, to the emailer who said it can’t be done I say it can be done.

THERE IS A WAY

To everyone else I say to start learning “a way” of doing things.

Go through every page of this website, re-read, re-listen, and execute the strategies I recommend NOW.

Massive Action NOW will net you results far above the rest of the mediocre pack.

Remember, the Monkey see, Monkey do is a sure fire way to mediocre results.

Get out of your comfort zone and don’t worry about what everyone else thinks.  They’re jealous.  And believe me the more successful you become the more jealous everyone becomes.

They’ll see what you’re doing but refuse to go outside the industry norms because they don’t believe…

THERE IS A WAY

Before you send me an email whining are you spending 5 minutes on your goals and 1 hour a day improving you?

We learn through repetition.

So get moving and start learning because….

THERE IS A WAY

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S. For Pete’s sake if you aren’t investing in your SELF what the heck’s the problem?  Jeez!  Get moving and start doing something for your SELF.  If you don’t NO ONE will do it for you.   Invest in YOU.

Check out MY LATEST OFFERINGS or get the WHOLE ENCHILADA package of everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink.

There’s a few copies left if you are a subscriber. If you aren’t subscribing opt-in on the top right of this page and I’ll send you the WHOLE ENCHILADA link in the “welcome” email.

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Part Two

2.  Goals cannot be contrary to your other goals.

            If your goal is to own a home that you’ve described to a “T” on your piece of paper and the total dollar amount of the home equals $500,000 and you can only truly picture yourself in an $100,000 home it’ll never happen.

            Though, I personally believe anyone can double their income and sales in one year if your income is $20,000 and you want to make $100,000 you might not believe it can be done.

            You must feel it, believe it, see yourself achieving what it is you want.  Not only must you describe your goals you must be congruent in your goals.  Your goals cannot be contradictory.

3.  Secret number 3 is to develop your goals in one of six areas of your life:

1. Personal (family, home, friends)
2. Spiritual (ethical & or religious)
3. Community (social & cultural)
4. Career (financial, business)
5. Health (physical, weight, working out, eating)
6. Mental (educational, personal growth, business growth)

4.  Always write your goals in the POSITIVE not the NEGATIVE.

            Make your goals what you want not what you don’t want.  Part of the reason for describing goals in a detailed, descriptive way is to help us imagine having what we want.

            Your subconscious mind cannot determine right from wrong, your subconscious doesn’t lie.

The more positive your description of your goals the more positive results you will achieve

            Never approach your goals from what you don’t want, or don’t want to happen.  Always approach your goals from what you do want and what you want to happen.

5.  Write your goal out like you were reading a novel.

            When you read a novel the author has to describe what is happening in a way that you begin to visualize it in your mind.  The more descriptive the more you visualize it the more you believe it will happen.

            If your goal is a home don’t describe it as so many square feet with so many bedrooms and so many bathrooms.

            Close your eyes and visualize exactly the way those bedrooms look, the floor, the walls, how it is decorated, and your subconscious mind will be able to visualize it.

            Soon you’ll be able to feel the home, smell it, and hear the sounds of your new home.

6.  Write down your goals

            I have a saying that you should always ask for the WORLD and if you don’t get the world take an island.  You absolutely must write down your goals. 

            The more descriptive you make your goals the better.  Let your mind figure out the details of how you will achieve your goals.  Focus on the end thing you want and don’t worry about the details.  Your subconscious will figure it out.

            Just visualize it.  How do you visualize your goals?  Visualize your goals by describing your goals in a way that paints a picture of what it is you want.

            Make the picture as vivid as possible.  That’s why its important to write down your goals.  Describe it like a novel. 

Your Goals are Done, Now What?

            Never share your goals.  You’ll find that, with the exception of your closest friends, relatives, or spouse, most folks will drag you down.  They’ll be real negative about your goals.

            It is a heck of a lot easier to be a negative then a positive.  Share your problems with the negative folks and keep your goals to yourself.

            Review your goals in the morning and just before you retire in the evening.  Go to bed with a positive reading of your “wants” (goals).

            Follow the process I’ve outlined everyday and you will be on your way to achieving unlimited success in every aspect of your life.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Head over to the catalog page to begin to invest in your SELF today.  Click here

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            There once was a Memorial Pre-Need Sales Counselor who had managed to secure 4 appointments for presentations in one day and none of the prospects owned cemetery property or a pre-need funeral and all seemed interested in meeting with him.

            Our Pre-Need Memorial Sales Counselor’s name is Ralph.  Ralph felt like he was on a roll.  He had several more appointments for the coming week.

There’s a problem

            Ralph knew he should probably take a look at his presentation but he decided against it because he figured he’d wing-it.

            Ralph did not want to appear push-ie and he figured if he had a conversation with his prospects he could go-with-the-flow and get the sale.

Here’s the analogy:

            The car is packed, you know where you’re going, and you’re ready to go.  You’re taking a trip from __________ to Phoenix Arizona.

            It’s your first cross-country trip and you’re really excited.  The scenery will be lovely and you’re going to enjoy every minute of it.

            A few hours into the trip you need to check the map because you’ve reached your first decision and cannot remember the highway number you’re taking.

            You panic for several moments as you realize you left your map on the kitchen table next to a stack of bills you were going to mail out before you left the house.

            But, you say to your self, the heck with it because I know where I’m going and I don’t need, NO STINKIN’ MAP!

For many of us

            The way we determine our goals is through a Hap hazard, wing-it approach.

            Eventually you determine your hopelessly lost and wondering why you didn’t achieve your goals.

7 Secret Steps to Achieving Your Goals

1.  Is your goal something you really want, or does it just sound good?

            Years ago (when determining my goals) I used to write down how much money I wanted to make.  From that point I’d break it down into average dollars I make from each sale and divide that number to figure how many sales I would need to achieve my goal.

            To make matters worse I spent so little time actually thinking about my goals that the piece of paper I wrote them on went into my desk and was forgotten about.

            Once or twice a year I’d see the goals sheet when I cleaned out my desk.  Occasionally, I’d even glance at the goal sheet just before I buried it in my desk.

How to figure out what you want

            Turn your goal setting into wants, not dreams.  Spend a little extra time and shift your paradigm on setting goals.  For example, instead of figuring out how much money you want to make figure out what it is you want.  Maybe it’s a new car you want? 

            Take out a fresh sheet of paper and describe the perfect car, from the color, to the look, to the smell on the inside. 

To the feel of the…

leather seat, to the speed, comfort, and design, and sound of your car

            The more detailed you make it, the more you’ll be able to visualize yourself owning, operating, and enjoying your new vehicle. 

            Take the same concept of what you want and apply it to a new goal by detailing it, specifically describing your goal on paper.  Once done, read your description of your goal once in the morning and once in the evening.

Tomorrow, part two.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Get over to the catalog page and invest in your SELF.  No one can tak away your education or experience.  Click here

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            You will be able to DO the things that no one can do.  I stole this basic saying from Dave Ramsey (paraphrased:  If you’ll do what no one else will do you’ll be able to do what no one else can do).  Dave’s premise is about finance.  He believes that if you save money now and live debt free you’ll be able to do what most won’t be able to do later on.  He also believes that if you spend now you’ll have nothing later (see my book: 50 Ways to Get Rich and Stay Rich Selling – shove it money).

            Earlier we talked about how a colleague of mine used a list every day.  He had 5 items on his list that he did know matter what, know matter how long it took him, and no matter the interruptions of his day.

            When I first started this business I was told to prospect every day for two hours.  If I prospected 2 hours everyday I’d always have people to meet.  Obviously, I can make an easy analogy here and tell you that you will always have people to meet with if you prospect two hours a day.

            I could, but I won’t.  I have a real aversion to working hard.  I’d much rather work smart.  In my book:  50 Ways to Get Rich and Stay Rich Selling, I talk about working smarter.

            When I first got into this business my attitude was to “out work” everyone and lead the office in sales.  Prospecting a couple hours a day, door knocking, and cold-calling were my main forms of generating new business.

            I figured I could overcome any weaknesses I had in selling by working harder.  It took me a long time to change my attitude about working harder, but I did and haven’t regretted it at all. 

How to Do the Things No ONE Else Will Do to Make Loads of Sales

            The whole purpose of MINING YOUR NATURAL MARKET is to work smarter not harder.  One way to work smarter is to have “bird dogs” work for you.  A bird dog is a “FEEDER”.  A feeder is someone that sends you referrals (leads).  By asking your natural market for referrals you are doing what no one else seems willing to do.

            If you want to make a sale a day and your closing rate is 30% then you need to make 3 presentations a day to secure that sale.  I can guarantee you that if you do what you need to do to make those 3 presentations a day you will be doing what no one else is willing to do.

Here are some tips for doing the things no one else will do

• Work smart
• Present and Prospect at the same time
• Know your job description (50 Ways to get Rich & Stay Rich Selling)
• Make sure your licensed to sell both cemetery and pre-need funerals (some states won’t allow dual licenses)

            We’ve covered the “work smart” and “Present and Prospect at the same time”.  If you are not dual licensed get dual licensed now.  If you can’t be duel licensed than do a JV (joint venture with a funeral home/cemetery) to exchange leads.  You’re leaving money on the table by not offering both pre-need cemetery and pre-need funeral.  Having said that, I realize that some of you cannot be dual licensed depending on the state you work in.  Network with people in the business.  Create relationships and leverage those relationships into win/win situations.

            Know your job description.  Your primary task should be selling pre-need.  If someone walked up to you and asked what you do what would you say?  In my book:  50 Ways to Get Rich and Stay Rich Selling, I talk about your job description.

            What is your job?

            What is your position?

            What do you tell friends and family that you do for a living?

            What do you tell your Prospects?

            What do you think your job is?

My Job Description:

            “My job is to help a husband and wife, together, make the decisions today, that would have to be made tomorrow, if a death occurred, and record those decisions.”

            The more comfortable you are in what you do for a living the more comfortable your Prospects will be.  The easier you can describe what you do for a living the more at ease and comfortable your Prospect will be.

Which brings up a side note

            The more relaxed, confident, comfortable, you are the more likely your Prospect will accept you as a Cemetery/Pre-Need Funeral Professional.  The better you understand your products/services, the better you can help your Prospect understand.  What does all this stuff mean? 

Let’s summarize

            Prospecting is critical in this business.   Prospect and Presenting is a beautiful thing and will allow you to work smarter not harder.

            Develop a sound-byte job description.  Use my job description if you’d like, I picked it up from a previous Sales Manager.

            If you can license for both pre-need cemetery and funeral do it and you’ll add a lot more sales. 

            I started this by saying if you’ll do what know one else will do you can do what no one else can do.  Do the above and you’ll be doing what nobody else is doing and you’ll ultimately be able to do what nobody else can do.

Until next time, all the best as you work SMART not hard!

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  I’ve got a special package of EVERYTHING I’ve got in a special package.  Click here for details.

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If you’ve been keeping up with this site for any amount of time you’re aware that I believe you can double your sales in half the time.

You can not only double your sales in half the time but you don’t have to work any harder just smarter.

If there are sellers of pre-arrangements making six-figures a year why not YOU?

Common, before you quit listening let me finish my thought.

If there are sellers of pre-need making plus one hundred thousand a year why can’t you?

And, if you made considerably less than a hundred thousand dollars last year you need to keep reading this post.

Or, you’re close to 6-figures a year and just can’t quite hit the magic number?

Think about this for a moment.

What does a seller of pre-arrangements need to do different to make 6-figures?  Well, for one thing, quit doing the time wasting things that don’t put you closer to a sale.  You might want to make a change.

The Definition of Insanity…is to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Dave’s rule of thumb:

If it isn’t working, try something else.

But, instead of a radical change make it a small and simple change.

Here are a few strategies to get you to the $100,000.00 mark.

First; spend 5 minutes a day on your goals (if you don’t know where you’re heading any road will get you there).

FOCUS!

Second; spend an hour a day improving yourself (NO one can take your knowledge or experience)

Third; do something every day that gets you closer to a sale.  This is by far the easiest thing to do that most mediocre sales people won’t do.  Let me repeat that.  Whether it is making an appointment, making a presentation, making that phone call, mailing a letter, knocking on a door, hunting for a referral, you name it.  Just one thing every day that gets you closer or a sale.

Fourth; mine your natural market.  Leverage your spheres of influence to generate referrals

Fifth; capture an additional niche market

Sixth; add one more prospecting strategy

Seventh; organize your schedule (time block, build a list of tasks, ignore your email, skip the gossip) and focus

Eighth; go through previous posts on this site (ther are numerous specific strategies to help you)

Nineth; one of the most difficult things to change is your belief system.  If you believe you can’t do it you probably won’t do it.  This maybe the most difficult thing to change but you’ve got to do it.  I’ll be posting more on mindset and “persuasion” in the coming days. 

I guess the bottom line is to ABL (always be learning) and believe in your SELF because you can do it.  I can tell you that I believe you can do it all day long BUT DO YOU BELIEVE IT?

Happy Selling!

David…

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Its interesting how the average Pre-Need Seller can put together a fantastic month once a year but cannot put together a string of excellent performances month after month.

Why is this?

I think the answer is synergy.  The dictionary defines synergy as the working of two (or more) things together to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual parts.

Another way of saying it is to use the team concept.

This is similar to a football team.  The running back or wide receiver or quarterback get all the accolades but without the front line blocking they’d be on the ground.  For the Seller of Pre-Arrangements it is important to understand that it isn’t one thing you do but the culmination of several things.

The foundation is your core.  Do you have three distinctive forms of prospecting?  Do you rely on company leads?  Are you working the grounds, mailing mail, door-knocking, researching the files to name just a few?

Synergy is combining more than one prospecting technique.  I like three distinct prospecting methods and markets because like a three legged stool if you take away a leg the stool falls over.  For the seller of pre-arrangements it is important to gather some steam (or synergy).

If your prospecting is built on three legs you’ll always succeed because your foundation of three methods of prospecting keep the stool from falling down.  The worst thing you can do is stop because it is so hard to get back in the swing of things.

Once you’ve established momentum you keep the successful going by continuing to prospect even after writing lots of business.

Once you’ve got some synergy good things will happen.  It will seem like luck but luck is nothing more than being prepared when the opportunity arises.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Synergy and the Pre-Need seller go hand-in-hand

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