This is a reprise of one of our most popular episodes! We trust you will enjoy it ... 

4 Keys To Bouncing Back From Adversity 

What is the #1 core skill all top sales people possess? What separates them from the average and below average? Their ability to bounce back from adversity, setbacks and disappointment!

20+ years of benchmarking, assessment and comparative analysis work confirms over and over that top sales professionals posses 5 key elements that make them more successful, at an internal core level, than their peers. Of those 5 core competencies the #1 core skill is that of resilience!

In this podcast we are going to cover 4 ways we can all grow in our ability to handle the inevitable adversity that is a part of selling! How well we master this core skill is going to have "absolutely everything" to do with how successful we are going to be. The faster we bounce back when things go wrong the faster we are back in the game and growing our business again!

The 4 Things We Cover In This Podcast Are:

• Identify if we have an abundance mentality or scarcity mentality and how that affects our thinking
• Be intentional about hanging out with positive, successful people who are where we want to be in our careers and life!
• Get a mentor or a coach that can shorten our learning curves and guide us through the tough spots!
• Remember GIGO! Garbage In = Garbage Out! Be careful that we are inundating our minds with good stuff that can help us deal more effectively with tough times!

Again ... how well we develop this core skill will have everything to do with how successful we are going to be in our careers! Now is a good time to start working on it!

Our first "Listener Question of the Week" is a really good one! "I have a customer that I regularly bail out of tough situations but he never reciprocates with any special treatment or orders to reward my hard work. How do I help him understand that this isn't fair?"

Our Quote of the Week is a great one from Thomas Jefferson!

Hope you enjoy the podcast!

This is a reprise of one of our most popular episodes! We trust you will enjoy it ... 

Walking Away From Bad Business ... 

"You're Not A Pro Until You Do!"

 Welcome – this is another podcast on the mindset top sales pro's have. Last week we talked about dealing with "NO" and the feedback was awesome so keep it coming!  

 Just this past week, I said NO to what would have been bad business for me, my company, and the client.  It involved a rather large car dealership in my area needing help with sales training.  I set up a meeting with them to let them tell me their needs and for me to tell them what I had to offer them based on those needs. 

My approach to their needs would have been to benchmark their top performers, identify others that could quickly get to that caliber, and then work with the others to get them to that level.  They had another vendor option that was less expensive that would have delivered a large number of unqualified sales people to the floor, and would not have increased their business. 

The dealership tried what I would call "old school car sales tactics" with me to get my price lower by pointing out that I spend a lot of time on the road and wouldn't it be wonderful to stay local around my family and take a local job.  Hmmm, had to tell him I had 2 problems with that, one being I know what my value is and second did he really think I could teach his guys in an effective manner if I lowered my value like that.  It was obvious to him - I had a point. 

Bottom line, I said NO to the business because it wasn't a good fit for either of us and the outcome would not have been what I pride myself in delivering.

 Remember our conversations about the 6 levels of relationship we discussed in Podcast #022 - Level 3 vendor or Level 4 supplier, Level 5 partner and Level 6 adviser.  One of the differences between 3&4 vs. 5&6 is the ability to see bad business and walk away!

 A good definition of bad business … For whatever reason it is not good for the customer, your company, or your business.  For example:

Bad for the customer?

• -Wrong product – doesn't solve their problem and exceed their expectations
• -Can't deliver – consistently, timely
• -Undermines your position as partner/adviser

Bad for the company?

• -Poor margin
• -Taxes manufacturing or delivery capabilities
• -Isn't in alignment with company goals
• -Not an ideal client

Bad for you?

• -Not in the ideal client profile or avatar
• -Might adversely effect your ability to take care of other clients
• -Not a good ROI for your time and energy

If you are …

At the top – walk away from bad business so you have more capacity to stay at the top or even grow!

Stuck in the middle – this type of mindset change is what it is going to take to get to the top!

Just starting out – build it right from the start!!!!!

 Sales Tool Of Week – Master Sales Interviews! I am going to open them up for free the rest of February!

Quote of the Week – "Once you know where you're going, every decision is easy because it is either taking you where you want to go or not! If you don't know where you are going then every decision is tough because you don't know if it is adding to or taking away from your success!" Tony Robbins

This is a reprise of one of our most popular episodes. We trust you will enjoy it ... 

The 4 Mindsets & Attitudes ALL Top Sales People Have In Common!

 Welcome to In The Sales Arena (ITSA) #026.  I have always been fascinated by top performers – Athletes, Sales reps, Leaders, etc.  This fascination led to our benchmarking process we discussed back in #023. In the process of benchmarking top sales performers we have learned a lot about what they all have in common!

So, with all of that in mind, I wanted to share with you 4 Mindsets/Attitudes all top sales people have in common:

So, I wanted to share with you 4 Mindsets/Attitudes all top sales people share:

Attitude #1 – if better is possible, then good is not enough!  Another way of putting it is "good is the enemy of great". 

• -Who sits in the front row? The best!
• -Who is always measuring and doing gap analysis? The Best!
• -Who devours our content? The best!
• -Who hires coaches? The best!

Attitude #2 – they are always very strategic about what they do and where they invest their time!

• -I am at Point A, I need to get to Point B
• -What strategies & tactics do I need to get there?
• -What resources do I need to make it happen?
• -They are the ultimate Conscious Competent and constantly pursue mastery!

Attitude #3 – they have an abundance mentality, they see the opportunity in everything!

• -They are bold – not afraid
• -The are trusting – not paranoid
• -They do what is right for the customer knowing it pays off
• -They see limitless possibilities not constant problems!
• -They see the good, the bad and the ugly – yet they choose to focus on the good!

Attitude #4 – they understand service to others is the key to success!

-Zig Ziglar said … "You can have anything you want if you just help enough other people get what they want!"

-Our version of that is – "If you care about your customer more than you care about your wallet, your wallet will take care of itself!" 

Check these 4 attitudes and rate yourself.  See where you stand, where you need to be, and what you have and need to get there.

Sales Tool Of the Week (STOW) – Podcasts by Pat Flynn, Michael Stelzner, Michael Hyatt, Jay Baer, Chris Ducker, Iternet Business Mastery, Duct Tape Marketing, Ray Edwards, John Lee Dumas Entrepreneur On Fire! 

Quote of the Week - "You can have anything you want if you just help enough other people get what they want!" Zig Ziglar

Have a great week!

Jim Jacobus

This is a reprise of one of our most popular episodes. We trust you will enjoy it ... 

Dealing With "NO"!!! 

Welcome – we have wrapped up our series on what it will take to be a sales master in 2015. Today we are going to take a step back from the strategic and tactical and discuss an important mindset! How do we handle the word NO!!! It will dictate how far we can go in our sales careers!!!

To deal with "no" effectively there is an important continuum to understand … beliefs, thoughts, actions, habits, character and legacy! To change how "no" effects you we have to look at what you believe and think! We have to see it in a new light! First we have to understand that this is something every sales rep goes through to some degree.

Too often we conjure up the most negative connotations of "no" …

·      Not now, not ever

·      I hate your company!

·      I hate your product/service!

·      I hate you!

·      You are incapable, stupid, ugly, an idiot!

·      You are unworthy of anyone ever buying a product from so you are going to be broke, hungry and destitute as a sales person!

We have to be adept at calling up some other, more positive, ways of looking at it like:

·      Something they tell even the best sales pros!!!

·      Not right now

·      A negotiating technique

·      An opportunity to reflect

·      You haven't helped me see the value!

·      Thank you for the $500 bill!!!

So, What do we  do?

Learn, learn and learn some more – that builds skills and confidence!

Know your numbers – thanks for the ???

Find some people to listen to or read who are positive!

Find a mentor or a coach to walk with you through it!

Find someone you can mentor or coach!!!

Don't quit!!!!!!!

One day you will find yourself --- SWSWSW Who's Next!

Sales Tool Of the Week – Brian Tracy – The Psychology of Achievement

Quote of the Week – If you aren't getting rejected on a daily basis then your goals aren't ambitious enough"! Chris Dixon

This is a reprise of one of our most popular In the Sales Arena episodes. We trust you will enjoy it ...

"Gladiators Only" ITSA #023

Who We Need To "Be" To Get To the Top!

Welcome – We are wrapping up our 4 part series on what it takes to be a sales master. So far, we have covered The Sales Process, Value Based Selling, and Intentionally Building Level 5 & 6 Relationships.  In this podcast, we are going to talk about who we need to "BE" to get to the top!

We will explore the "be"+ "do" = "have" equation.  How have we determined who we need to "BE"?  This ITSA session will give you all the details!  

Today you will learn all about The Big Five - Resiliency, Personal Accountability, Self Management, Continuous Learning, and Interpersonal Skills.  Get these 5 right, and everything else will take care of itself!

Sales Tool of the Week - Outlook Calendar … keep track of your busy schedule, professionally and personally, make sure you don't double book, particularly pay attention to send meeting notices!!! Look like a pro!

Quote of the Week - What lies ahead of us and lies behind us are tiny, tiny matters compared to what lies inside of us!

Hope you enjoy this podcast ...

Jim Jacobus 

Hey, Gang! 

Welcome to a reprise of one of our most popular shows from the past! I trust you will enjoy this timeless content ... 

Our topic today is "4 Things We Can All Learn  from a Learning Experience."  By learning experience, I'm referring to a convention, conference, or training program. 

I just returned from the National Speakers' Association Conference in Washington, DC: Influence 2015.  I've been in the professional speaking business for 23 years, and this was my 15th convention.  Is it time wasted?  Absolutely not! 

There are nuggets to take away from each of these gatherings and ways that they make me better at what I do.  Next weekend I'll be in Fort Worth for the Podcast Movement 15 conference, and I'll be looking to learn more!

Here are some things we can learn from these experiences:

• It's good to be around "the best of the best."  Being influenced by these top people from various fields gives inspiration and affirmation to what we do.
• There is ALWAYS something new to learn.  I'm even learning how to use new technology to engage more listeners!
• Take advantage of every opportunity to teach what you've learned.  No matter your age, you have an audience that can learn from your experiences, so don't be shy!
• There are important connections to be made with the other people there.  Your life can be greatly enriched by these connections.

I hope you are inspired to attend conferences and training when possible, and learn, learn, learn!

Listener Question of the Week:  What's the one thing we can do, that we might not have thought of, or might not have come to our mind, that can make us more successful in sales?

Quote of the MONTH:  "People who think they are, are."---Betty Flanagan

If you haven't already you can connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to get even more content to help you build the sales career, and life you want!

Connect with us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/inthesalesarena

And on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JimJacobus

Have a great week gang

Jim Jacobus www.jjacobus.com

Welcome! Today we are in the fourth week of our Four-Part Series of questions to use individually and collectively, personally and professionally, to make 2016 the BEST YEAR EVER! 

Let's review the Four Questions:

1. What is working in our lives/business, and how can we do more of it?

*By "work," I mean giving you a great ROI for the amount of time you spend. Remember, to know WHAT is working, you have to know WHY it's working.

1. What is NOT working, and how do we get rid of it or make it work?

*This is the most powerful and most valuable question to consider.

1. What do we want to do that's NEW?

*There are many options both personally and professionally for doing NEW things!

1. What am I going to do in 2016 that's BIG?

*This podcast and our Your Marriage Matters podcast were a product of this question from several years ago. Your BIG things can include long term plans for the future, but usually not more than 1-2 items. Dream BIG! Think of GAMECHANGING CONCEPTS!

You can get away for a weekend with your sales team or with your business partner to consider these Four Questions. As we do, you can use them with your family also. They are invaluable in helping you assess the present and plan big for the future! Do something significant this week! Thanks for listening!

Listener Question of the Week: Hey Jim, what is the ONE thing you are going to be working on in 2016?

Welcome gang!  We are in the 3rd part of the 4 part series of 4 questions you should ask yourself to make 2016 your best year yet.

So far we have asked ourselves:

What's working and how do I do more of it?

What's not working and how do I get rid of it, or make it work?

Today's question is question number 3:

What do I want to do this year that is new?

"In times of change, Learners will inherit the earth.  While the learned will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that does not exist."

Professionally:

Take a training class, be a better presenter, develop a new product, work in a new market.  In other words what do I want to do in my business that will make it better.

Personally:

Take a cooking class or learning new hobbies, or even become more proficient at a skill you already have.

I personally want to become a more skilled marksman.  I want to take a self-defense class, and become better at using the guns that I own.

What are you going to do this year to become a vibrant, growing human being?

It makes us more vibrant.

It makes us more interesting to other people.

It keeps your grey matter pliable.

One of my coaching clients is changing the performance metrics from Lag KPI's to Lead KPI's.  This way, they can measure performance as it is happening, rather than just after the fact.

Next week we will be discussing question number 4 to close out this series.

Listener Question of the Week - "Hey Jim, it's that time of the year and our company is asking for our projections for next year.  All of my colleagues are padding their numbers so they can have a good year next year.  What do you think about doing that and what should I do?"

Quote of the Week: "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."  Muhammad Ali

Welcome! Today is Part 2 in a series that will run through mid-December. We are discussing the Four Questions to ask ourselves personally and professionally to prepare ourselves for a successful 2016. 

Last week's question was: What is working right now and how do we do more of it?

Today's question is my favorite one, and it has provided more value to me than any other: What is not working, and how do I get rid of it (or make it work)?

• What does it mean for something NOT to be working? It may have value, but you may not be getting a great ROI from it. 
• Jim shares three examples from his own life to illustrate the action steps that follow this question:

• Selling a guitar that he just could not find the time to play as he initially intended
• Selling some personal possessions and property to fulfill a mutual commitment to become debt-free
• Using Team Podcast for post-production work on both In the Sales Arena and Your Marriage Matters podcasts
• You can even have this conversation and ask this question at different points during the year whenever you feel overwhelmed and maxed out. 

I hope you'll use this question, along with the others, to your benefit in your personal and professional life. The questions will help you make assessments and needed adjustments to maximize productivity and value in your life!

Listener Question of the Week: Hey, Jim! I just got back from a deer-hunting trip with one of my best customers who invited me to go with him and some other vendors. The message was sent that I could go on a lot more of these trips if I could give them a better price. What do you think about that?

Quote of the Week: "Nobody is going to buy from you because you have a quota to meet."—from Bob Burg, author of The Go Giver

Welcome! As we look toward the end of the year, we will be going through a series of questions over the next few weeks. These questions have been pivotal in our family to help plan for beginning a new year.

These questions can be answered personally, professionally, and collectively—in a family or as part of a company. Each question should be addressed in each category.

Question #1: What is working RIGHT NOW, and how do I do more of that?

This question helps me think about things that are going well, like securing new clients, managing existing clients, selling a specific product, executing the process, value-based selling, or being intentional about growing. You have to know WHY it works.

Remember, as we've discussed before, there are three kinds of salespeople:

• UI—the unconscious incompetent
• UC—the unconscious competent
• CC—the conscious competent

The goal is to be in the third group, to be good at what you do, and know why you are good at what you do.

Your homework assignment? Ask yourself the question and assess it personally, professionally, and collectively.  I hope it will yield great results for you as you look to end 2015 and begin 2016 in just a few short weeks.

Listener Question of the Week: We want to move to a new CRM right after the first of the year. What are your recommendations?

Quote of the Week: The best way to sell something? Don't sell anything. Earn the awareness, respect, and trust of those who might buy. ----Rand Fishkin