Category Archives: Uncategorized

Is what you write worth reading?

How you communicate says something about YOU

Write it right. Say it right.   Careless misuse of grammar, spelling mistakes all give out a message about you.  Maybe it implies you cannot spell, maybe it says you were in too much of a hurry to give due care to a written proposal.

Maybe it says you are not the right person to do business with…

Beware. Be Aware. On the web, in the mail. once written and posted it’s out there.  Immediately.  Out there and out of your control.There are techniques to ease stress and help you present better.

Make sure what you write is what you mean to say.  Ensure your message gets through, using language and content that is appropriate to the medium and audience.   What you’re communicating has to be of interest, of value.  Succinct, short and sweet, valid and valuable.  Expectaons are high and to build real customer loyalty, every business, regardless of size, needs to give more than their customers expect, better still when the customer least expects it.

Get to the Point quickly and effectively with our Kickstart Smarter Skills Workshops  to deliver a higher level of customer service and  see performance improve.

Click here to contact me to find out more.

 

A not so simple question…

If you had no constraints, what is the one thing that if you achieved it would make the most positive impact on your life?

What do you really want

When Steve Jobs addressed students in 2005 at their graduatation ceromony, he said he asked himself every day if he was happy with what he was to be doing that day. If the answer was no for quite a few days, then he knew he had to change things. He told graduates to live every day as if it were to be your last.  Do what makes you happy. 

So now you’ve identified what you really want, list up to 10 things that you need to do to achieve this with put the most important 3 at the top.

Now go for it and do something on that list every day. If you don’t, then you’ll see you’re just interested…. not committed….. to achieving your real goals. 

janie-saysFACT: People with written goals achieve far more.

Research shows that goal setters tend to achieve more than those who do not.   Once we have a clear goal, a purpose, doing something we love,  we achieve far more and are far happier in our lives.

bubble2Make the most of your day!

 

 

 

So you think you don’t Sell?

Most of us don’t like to see ourselves as sales people, yet we all sell, all of the time, we just don’t realise it.  So here are a few PSST’s (that’s Professional Self Smarter Tips) as a quck reminder of what’s important for us all to remember….. and not just the person responsible for closing that sale….

Attitude Matters EVERYONE  is an ambassador for their company. For business leaders, creating the right environment for people to work in is only part of the brief, creating the right ‘culture’ and embodiment of this through the attitude conveyed is what keeps a company top of the list and one that people are proud to be part of. 

Professional Self Smarter Tip

Professional Self Smarter Tip

 

How We Make People Feel Matters… 

remember People tend to do business with people they like.  The most important reason someone does business with you, is because of YOU.  Then you have to give them a good reason, what’s in it for THEM.  The sales process is NOT about YOU. So check it out. Have you got what they WANT, if you have then the rest is down to you.  Why choose YOU?  Think about it, what sets you apart, what can you do that makes their buying and post sales experience better than anyone else can provide.  Build that loyalty, over-deliver and you’ll deserve their business.  Fall short and someone else will fill that gap…. Fast.

 

FACT:  You are only as good as the service you give your customers.Delivering a good service is only part of the unspoken Rule of Engagement. Ask yourself each time, whatever your role, how can I do this even better. Master the art of improvement and take control over the outcome.

FACT:  You Need to Reflect after your Sales Pitch .If you’ve done your pitch and they’re not willing to commit, there’s every likelihood, you’ve not convinced them you’re the right choice. Perhaps there is some fear or risk attached to your customer making that commitment. Some people don’t like to say no or perhaps, the person you’ve just presented to is NOT the decision maker.

Price, lack of trust or confidence, unsuitability of what you’re offering are all possible reasons for not buying from you.  All possible reasons that you could, if you had been listening or asking the right questions, have known before the end of your presentation. The real questions after an unsuccessful pitch are…….. Did I establish any level of rapport? Did I know what this customer is expecting out of my pitch? Did I ask enough to establish what their motive for buying and degree of urgency to buy before pitching? Did I make a real value proposal in light of this knowledge? If someone wants to think about your proposition, it’s usually because they want a better price, are not the decision maker, or think they can get a better deal elsewhere. IF you find yourself in this position and they want more time to ‘think about it’, ask how long do they think they need and agree a date to revisit. Ask too, what else can you do to help them decide. Assuming your product is what they want, remember, You need to be liked and trusted to secure the sale.

FACT:  The sale is only the beginning of the Relationship

Make the most of your day,  Janie

taking time out

Taking Time Out

 Sometimes you just have to stop.

taking time out

taking time out

Take stock and make the most of the moment.  Walk around with your eyes closed, mind on everything else but what you’re doing at that moment and opportunities that make life all the more special  pass  by.  On this particular day when my fellow swimming pal Darren took this great photo (great because in reality I didn’t look anywhere near this good).  Having coffee out in small independent cafes I feel is a social responsibility in that we have to support local businesses, particularly in smaller villages where every coffee is as important for the cafe owner as it is for those in need of a good caffeine hit.   I hadn’t wanted to get out of my warm bed, walk in the cool, damp morning air over the hill, down the 262 steps to the coast road, down twice as many again to the sea, which was some minus 5 degrees at this time of the year.  But I did. Now  I wouldn’t call what I do swimming, rather a dip and believe me, nothing gives as much clarity as seconds, minutes sometimes  in the Irish Sea in the early hours.  Better than therapy.  Better still, to see the sun rise.dolphins break up out of the water. Share precious minutes with friends . And then yes, over a cup of coffee in the village, bounce around some ideas for a collection of ‘Portraits’.  I am proud to be one of those women to be featured, no doubt of a certain age!