Top 3 ways to improve communications.

In college, I once overheard a gestalt psych major say something along the lines of: “Everything in the universe is a wave length or particle in constant communication with every other wavelength or particle, and by extension, a continuum of consciousness, ad infinitum”.

Whether or not this existential observation has it’s substance in verifiable science – I do not know.  But what I do know is that effective communication is the most important life skill we can learn—yet one we don’t typically put enough effort into. Whether you want to have better conversations at work or in life… here are some essential tips for learning to communicate more effectively.

1. Ask The Right Question… twice

To get the right answer you must ask the right question.  Moreover, you must ask it in the right way.  We’ve all veered into distraction when someone else was talking or perhaps we misheard the other person.   So, asking the precise question we would like the answer to will help us to engage more fully and get the precise answer we are looking for. 

Acknowledge the person’s response to your question will help control the flow of the conversation.  Saying something like, “oh how interesting”, or “that’s great – thank you”, as soon as the other person answers your question will mark the tempo of the conversation and give you pause to paraphrase their answer back to them.

Asking questions and then repeating the other person’s last few words shows you’re interested in what they say, keeps you on your toes, and helps clarify points that could be misunderstood. 

Although it may feel like you are parroting the person or asking the same question twice, remember to paraphrase the other person’s answer and repeat it back to them (e.g., “So If I understood correctly, you believe that all life contains consciousness and memory?”).

It also helps for social dialogue and banter, and to fill in awkward silences. Instead of trying to stir up conversation on mundane topics like the weather, ask the other person questions (e.g., “Got any plans for the winter?” or “What are you reading right now?”) and engage in their answers. It’s more important to be interested than to be interesting, as you will find.

2.  Keep It Conversational

The key thing in keeping a dialogue going is to demonstrate a sincere interest in the other person and what the other person is saying.  This, of course relies on such body-language as, leaning into the discussion, and keeping eye contact and smiling.

Also, keeping the conversation relaxed and conversational will help the other person relax, enjoy the conversation more and will thus extend the duration and overall value of the discussion. 

Stories and story-telling can be very powerful. Stories will activate our brains, make presentations fun, make us more persuasive, and can even help us master interviews. Master becoming a phenomenal storyteller simply using the word “and” rather than “but” or “however” more to structure your narrative.

In business I like to say telling is selling – and in personal life story telling is a great way to illustrate self-disclosure to make you more human to the other person and to unite you through a stronger bond of shared reality.

3.  Flip The Script

Would you believe that my earlier comments on asking the right questions to get the right answers and keeping the discussion conversational through relaxed story telling can be accomplished through scripting?

Despite how mechanical and un-human it may sound – it is really quite helpful, even if only to get the conversation going through ice-breakers or to keep it going through transitional bridges.

Social dialogue and banter, often referred to as “small talk”, is really not as small as people make it out to be.  Some even consider social dialogue and banter to be an art, of sorts, and not many people have mastered it.  We fear the awkward silences with people we hardly know, and the sweaty hands, forehead and upper lip which follow. 

For this reason, it helps to have a good intro plan, and some light scripting established.   I have noticed that there is a pattern of common topics which tend to enter into social dialogue and banter.  For instance topics of occupation, family, recreation, dreams and aspirations seem to come up frequently. 

For this reason, fashioning some questions that run along these lines might help you come up with topics to discuss, and you can also turn “small talk” into full blown conversations by sharing information that could help you find a common ground with the other person.

No matter whether you are interviewing a prospective client for a future project, working you way up to asking that special someone out for a date, or asking you child about their grades in this past semester, clear, concise, constructive communication is always going to prove to be your key to success.

James Chamberlain is a sales and business development professional who helps Tampa Bay businesses grow through dynamic strategic initiatives and campaigns and increase of new business revenue.   James is responsible for building relationships with businesses throughout Florida and the US. Contact James at: 727.240.0890 jchamberlain@frankcrum.com or http://www.twitter.com/JDC352.

Top 3 ways to succeed in business and in life!

I have contributed to the success of major corporations, and run my own successful companies in the field of commercial and residential finance, software and new technologies, and employer solutions.  I have successfully lead departments comprised of hundreds of team members.   I have learned over the years that, success in business depends on the very same principles as does success in life.

In fact, business can be metaphorically likened to the microcosmic model of which life is the macrocosmic, outer manifestation.  In other words, business is like a highly focused small scale unit of which life is a vast and open ended reflection on a much larger scale.

Here are the three top ways to succeed in business and in life.  I have found that if you do nothing else but these three things, you will exponentially increase the effectiveness and overall enjoyment of your business growth and your growth and development in your personal life.

1. Set Goals

If you think back upon the many achievements in your life, even as recently as the most current win, you will recall that it was the culmination of much and many efforts all directed by a single unifying goal or objective which you were able to hold firmly in mind.

This is the nature of the mind that once you impress, strongly and clearly enough, a prime objective or key goal, the universe seems to open opportunities and resources which will make it possible for you to apprehend and actualize that goal.

I believe that the RAS (reticular activating system) is the reason for this seemingly metaphysical response pattern wherein, you establish a goal firmly in mind, and then opportunity after opportunity seems to present themselves so that you can with rapidity and efficiency take all steps necessary to attain that very goal.

So, in short, set goals for yourself.  Set large goals that may at firm seem unattainable, and then set smaller, stepping stone goals live pavers which will lead you toward the larger more important goals.  Be sure to make the goals S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time specific). 

1. Activities Toward Attainment

As mentioned earlier in this writing, once you have set your goal[s], you must now take the steps toward attainment of the goal[s]. 

 When I was a kid, a friend from church said he was questioning his faith in God.  When I asked him why, he reported that, whenever he would pray, God would never answer him.  Upon closer examination, I noticed that I had the exact opposite experience.  Basically, what it came down to was the fact that when I prayed for something – like a new bike – I would then take the appropriate steps to gain the goal I had prayed for.  I prayed for a bike, and then stumbled across a paper route for the local newspaper.  Because the route required a bicycle, the manager bought me the bike of my dreams and deducted the cost out of the route he had me running for him.  This was my first experience with goals and life and the understanding that, just as “God helps those who help themselves”, our goals are best attained through our efforts and actualizing them through exertion of well planned efforts.

Select a goal, and then reverse engineer what you must do every month, every week, ever day and even every hour of every day to attain that goal.  Then, you will find it very helpful to pad that plan of action so that, if due to circumstances beyond your control, you should fall short, you will still hit your desired mark. 

1. Test and Measure

How can you know if your goal is big enough?  How can you tell if the goals you are setting are getting accomplished in the first place?  And if they are getting accomplished, are they happening at an efficient pace?  This speaks to the need to test and measure all along the way.

 As I hinted at, earlier in this writing, your goals should be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Specific).  This is because; you cannot improve what you cannot measure. 

 When you set a goal, and keep it specific, you focus your mind and provide it with the clarity necessary to succeed.  When you keep it measurable (charting timelines, accurate levels of activity versus attainment, return on investment, etc.), whether in business or in life, you can correctly track success and what leads to success, and you can avoid pitfalls. 

 When you select goals that are achievable, or a better way of saying it might be, when you take a realistic and achievable approach to your goals and goal setting, you amplify your enthusiasm by experiencing a greater number of wins.

 Realistic refers to being honest with yourself about what you are setting out to accomplish and why.  After all, if you are working toward something which your hyper-conscious mind knows is in your best interest, and is in alignment with your ethical and moral standards, you place yourself in greater harmony with your goals and their attainment, and in this you have already secured your success.

 Time specific refers to a way of keeping yourself honest with yourself.  If you set the goal to increase production by 30% by May 15th, then you can more easily track your success, than if you were to set the goal of merely increasing profits based on more efficient production.  If you set the goal of losing 30 pounds by June 12th, you stand a greater chance of hitting that goal than leaving it open ended with something like a plan to lose weight “this summer”.  The mind responds to positive, constructive commands, and the world around you will conform to what the mind holds strong as a goal.

The best suggestion I could think to offer anyone seeking to put my recommendation to the test would be to first begin keeping a journal.  Write down everything in that journal: First: Top 10 Goals in order of priority.  Next time you wake up, first steps in the morning, time and contents of breakfast, plan for day ahead, work day, time and contents of lunch, time leaving work, time and contents of dinner, account of the day and strategy to tomorrow.

 Start blending into your journal entries thoughts and ideas about how to attain your top 10 goals, and activities to get from A. to Z. and a timeframe to do so.

 Definitely include critical things which must get done every day, I call them the most important things (usually 5 in number), and then I cross them off as I accomplish them throughout the day.

 Remember to include your wins, and to update your goals according to your attainment of them.  And also, remember to include celebration of your wins and time for family and friends.

 90 days of this sort of goal setting, time management, and self assessment, will create a more confident, happier you – and will accelerate the enjoyment you get out of the greater accomplishments you beginning to enjoy in your work and personal life.

 I guarantee it.

James Chamberlain is a sales and business development professional who helps Tampa Bay businesses grow through dynamic strategic initiatives and campaigns  and increase of new business revenue.   James is responsible for building relationships with businesses throughout Florida and the US. Contact James at: 727.316.5997 james.chamberlain@consultant.com or http://www.twitter.com/JDC352

Top 10 Ways To Increase Profits!

I have, and continue to learn so much from Brian Tracy. Back in 2000-2005 I was using his closing techniques with HUGE success. Now I am digging into his New Psychology of Achievement which is as relevant today as ever, in terms of helping people succeed by getting their mindset in order.

About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined.

According to Brian Tracy, a general rule in your financial success in business is that you cannot increase profits directly, only indirectly.  You cannot just say that you are going to increase profits of your business without some specific strategy.

For most of us, the only thing that we can do to increase profits is to improve the variables that ultimately determine our level of profitability. According to Brian Tracy when we improve these 10 variables about our business we will increase profits and affect our bottom line.

1) LEAD GENERATION

How we attract interested prospects to our business.  If five out of ten prospects who come into our place of business end up buying from us and we can increase the number of people coming in from ten to 15, we can make more money and increase profits by 50 percent.

2) LEAD CONVERSION

How we convert leads into paying customers.  It’s the measure of the effectiveness of our sales efforts. If we can increase our conversion rate from one out of ten to two out of ten, we can double our sales and increase profits.

Stepping up our ability to sell and convert interested prospects into paying customers is one of the most important things we can do.   There is no replacement for ongoing sales training, both for ourselves and for every single person who speaks to our customers, either live or on the phone.

Consider every key result in our sales process and seek ways to improve a little bit in each area.  A small improvement in each key area can lead to an enormous improvement in overall sales results.

3) NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS

The number of individual sales that we make to each customer that we acquire.  By increasing the frequency of purchase by ten percent, we increase our sales and increase profits by the same percentage. At FrankCrum Inc., I have discovered that a simple PEO prospect, after becoming a client and member of the PEO, may also be served by our carrier and agency through General Liability, Auto Insurance, Employee Health Benefits – heck, we can even provide someone with “pet-insurance” if they have a need.  Additionally, we can bring them staffing options which may arise, once FrankCrum helps things start changing and growing at their company.  

4) SIZE OF TRANSACTION

The size of the sale and the profit that we earn from each transaction.   We should be continually looking for ways to up-sell each customer so that he or she meets more of their needs through our products and services.

5) PROFIT MARGIN PER SALE

Profit margin is the gross profit that we make from the sale of each product or service.  By continually seeking ways to raise the price or to lower the cost of the product or service without decreasing the quality, we can increase profits per sale.

Every dollar we raise a price, if we hold costs constant, flows straight to the bottom line as profit. Every dollar we reduce expenses, if we hold sales and revenues constant, also goes straight to the bottom line as net profit.

6) COST OF CUSTOMER ACQUISITION

The amount that we have to pay to acquire each paying customer.  We should be continually seeking creative ways to improve our advertising and promotion so that it costs us less to buy each customer. This can impact and increase profits of our business dramatically.

7) INCREASING CUSTOMER REFERRALS

The customers who comes to us as the result of referrals from our satisfied customers.  Developing one or more proven referral systems for our business can have an inordinate impact on our sales and our business will make more money.

8) ELIMINATE COSTLY SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES

Many companies get into a routine or rhythm of offering expensive services to their customers that they could easily discontinue with no loss of customer satisfaction.

Look at the little services that we offer to our customers. Is there anything that we could reduce or discontinue altogether?

9) REDUCE BREAK-EVEN POINT

This is the number of items that we must sell each month to break-even or start making a profit.

 We use this break-even point to evaluate the potential effectiveness of any advertising or any other expense that we incur to increase sales. Every expense to increase profits must be seen as an investment with an expected rate of return that is greater than the cost.

10) RAISE PRICES

In many situations, we can raise our prices by 5 or 10 percent without experiencing any market resistance. Because our products and services are of superior quality and our people are friendly and helpful, a small increase in our overall prices will not drive our customers away.

TAKE ACTION!

I hope you enjoyed these Top 10 Ways to Increase Profits by Brian Tracy.  When we practice continuous improvement in all of these areas in your business we will make more money, increase profit in our business and help contribute to our future financial success!

James Chamberlain is a sales and business development professional who helps Tampa Bay businesses grow through dynamic strategic initiatives and campaigns  and increase of new business revenue.   James is responsible for building relationships with businesses throughout Florida and the US. Contact James at: 727.316.5997 james.chamberlain@consultant.com or http://www.twitter.com/JDC352

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