Start a Company & Grow Your Business with ARRiiVE Sales Tips & Marketing Ideas

How to Start a Business

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:48:46 PDT

Do you want to learn how to start a business?

Are you currently starting a company? Or, maybe you're launching a product or new service?

Join Scott Andrews, International Author, Speaker, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions, as he shares wisdom learned in starting AspireNow, ARRiiVE, and launching products and companies.

How to Start a Business
Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and
Learn Ways to Build a Successful Company
In this 2 hour Mind Spark SessionTM (online seminar), you will learn secrets to launch your business:

Learn ways entrepreneurs sabotage success...find out what not to do!

Gain insights from masters...grow wisdom to learn how to make it.
Discover the differences between good and GREAT companies...build it right from the start.
Why NOW?...Discover why NOW is a GREAT TIME to START YOUR COMPANY.

Maximize your money...explore ways to stretch capital or bootstrap a business.

And more!

About Scott:
As seen and heard on CBS, ABC, and Seeing Beyond (KEST), Scott Andrews' unique wisdom and ability to inspire people to action is second to none. Scott is a natural performer, but also possesses the power to take complex business and life development challenges and break them down into simple and actionable frameworks you can immediately apply to improve your present situation. Scott is a former Toastmaster and current board member of SLO STC and Cal Poly School of Journalism Internships. He created the first interactive self-help website: "AspireNow Advisor: Instant Self-help on the Web" in 2001. He has successfully launched or been involved in the launch of dozens of products and companies, including Power Text Pro, Wise Dog Animation, StoryAD Network, ElementsLocal, Instantis, numerous coaching companies, Cold to Gold (www.ColdtoGold.com), and he is currently launching the SLO Jazz Festival (www.SLOJazzFest.org). He teaches both business and personal development programs and is often a featured keynote speaker to groups ranging from 20 to 2,000.

"Why waste months of time trying to launch a new product? ARRiiVE Business Solutions can help you get your program launched exponentially faster." -- Michelle Casto, International Speaker & Author of "Get Smart" series of books
"Scott helped my company through a critical growth period. He made a BIG difference!!!" -- Jim Vangelos, CEO, Polymer Logistics

"Scott has a commanding presence...he never fails to wow his audience with new ideas and dynamic ability to inspire people." -- Jessica Haynes, Author of "Get What You Want" and "GPS to Success", Business and Relationship Coach

"Scott is a strategic business leader able to launch unique solutions to grow revenue and drive stability." -- Grant Stellwagen, Owner, Stellwagen Insurance

This informative Mind Spark Session is $47.00 (US) for a limited time only. Participation is limited, so sign up EARLY to reserve your virtual seat in the room.

Click this link to purchase your own ticket to this powerful Mind Spark Session and schedule this call in your Outlook/calendar:

Details: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
See ARRiiVE.com for details or just visit this link to sign-up:

http://www.arriive.com/business_launch_workshop_signup.htm
Once you purchase, I will send you the access pass for the webinar.

You are ALL INVITED! :-)

Thanks!
Scott
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Copyright © 1999-2011 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

The POWER of WORDS

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:00:00 PDT

What's up? I don't know about you, but if you actively
sell a product or solution you surely HAVE to make a
PHONE CALL or send an EMAIL to grow your business? Right?

There is POWER IN WORDS. For proof, watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgi0t2ap-us

If this resonates with you, then perhaps you STRONGLY AGREE
that the words you use and WHAT YOU SAY in an EMAIL WILL
determine whether (or not) your PROSPECT RESPONDS TO YOUR
EMAIL.

My last prospecting cold call meeting started like this:
"Well, Scott, I get quite a few sales emails, as you can
imagine, being a PUBLISHER of a LEADING MAGAZINE. Your
email is the BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN." From that point
forward the meeting went like clockwork with the publisher
saying he is interested in a customized proposal next week.

Can you say CA-CHING?! :-)

If you ever have pressure to HIT QUOTA, you know full well
that you MUST GET THAT KEY APPOINTMENT to GET THE DEAL.

HOW YOU BEGIN often DETERMINES HOW YOU END!

I developed a system I teach in my innovative
Cold to GoldTM Mind Spark SessionTM Workshops that helps
people LEARN HOW TO BEGIN RIGHT.

Gain comfort and confidence making calls and learn how to
draw prospects to your door, without resistance. Best of
all, LEARN HOW TO WRITE AN EMAIL that OPENS DOORS!

The next COLD to GOLD Mind Spark Session workshop starts on
May 17, 2011 from 10:00 AM PST to 11:15AM PST.
Sign up now at http://www.coldtogold.com/ to reserve your seat.

We guarantee the program, too. So, you have everything to
win and nothing to lose. What you gain from Cold to Gold is
like smashing open Fort Knox's vault and leaving you in there
for a few hours without a camera or security guard
watching you. It almost isn't fair. ;-) I kid around, but I think
you get the idea.

Go here to sign up:
http://coldtogold.eventbrite.com/

To your success,
Scott

________________________________________

Copyright © 1999-2011 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

LIKE our Facebook?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:24:23 PDT

We have a new Facebook page for ARRiiVE Business Solutions. We will be sharing success stories, interesting entrepreneurial news, and more over at ARRiiVE's page, so if you dig the blog, but sometimes just want short snippets, make sure to be a FRIEND over there, and also at Twitter, while you're at it:

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/d.scott.andrews#!/pages/ARRiiVE-Business-Solutions/179914025387913

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/arriive
________________________________________

Copyright © 1999-2011 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

Cold to Gold Workshop in April - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:20:30 PDT

Attention: the next Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionTM is scheduled for April 19, 2011, at 10:00AM PST.
Registration for this powerful online workshop will close one hour prior to the start of workshop. Only 25 seats are available for this session, which runs each day from Tuesday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. PST. Sign up while you can still get in!

Cold to Gold is a system of selling to increase prospecting and the ability to PULL prospects to you, created by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.

You'll gain access to the mind shift, techniques, and methods that help you get in the door, form better qualified meetings, and highly successful business relationships. These are the techniques used by Scott to land multimillion deals with IBM, EMC2, Data General, and other sales organizations. For example, Scott wrote Jay Leno a letter and Jay returned Scott's call personally. Scott never met Jay prior to sending the letter. You'll learn the techniques Scott uses to get responses like this. Can your business use a lift?

To sign up for this workshop, please visit http://www.coldtogold.com/
________________________________________

Copyright © 1999-2011 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

Social Networking Fad or Fabulous?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:08:53 PDT

Is Social Networking a Fad or FABULOUS for local businesses?

For my answer, watch this:

"I know our business needs to be doing all that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube stuff, but we're just too busy doing our normal work to do it right." -- Local Business Owner

If your business is not on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, let me guess:

You do not have time for social networking.

Well, if that is you, you pretty much have three choices:

1. Keep doing what you are doing.

You remember that saying about the best definition of insanity, "to keep doing the same thing but expect different results"? Well, that is most likely not our readers, right? We know our readers are "take action" kind of people, most entrepreneurs are! So, most likely, you are asking "what's behind door number two and three?" Okay, so I will share...

2. Do it yourself.

Wait a minute. You just said you are too busy to post to social networks yourself, right? Do you have staff that can do it for you? If you do, that is great for you. If you don't, and you are already too busy, and the idea of sitting in front of a computer saying God only knows what on social networks does not appeal to you, then you probably already know what number three is. However, is you DO decide to go your own route, or have your employees do your social networking, then I advise you to get proper training on HOW to social network. I will be rolling out a new training program through ARRiiVE Business Solutions in the next month that will help you out. So, stay tuned. If you do not do it yourself, and do not have your people do it for you, then you are left with one last option - hire someone else to do it.

3. Outsource it.

Now, personally, I have mixed feelings about outsourcing social networking. Done wrong, it feels about as human as the way the Terminator talked when he first showed up in that bar. Done right, your social network can grow fast! I know, because we've been doing it right for SLO Jazz Festival, where our Festival's page grew from less than 40 to over 400 in just one month without a list to build from. Another reason to outsource your social marketing is that people who perform this service are EXPERTS at social networking and all the aspects of it: copyrighting, ideas to post, what types of tactics to use, why posts get interaction, and ways to expand the network. Think about it. You get hired because you are an expert. Well, so are they.

If you are an expert in your trade, which could be anything from running a local cafe to cutting down trees or painting, you are probably not a guru on Facebook, Twitter, My____, and YouTube. Right?

So, if that's you, you may be interested in the service ARRiiVE Business Solutions created to help meet this need, INTELLIGENT SOCIAL NETWORKING (for business success online).

To learn more, simply visit ARRiiVE's website. We can help. I hope you DO take action on your social networking. Do not just sit there and let your competition beat you online. If you have questions, feel free to call me and I will help out as I can - it may be worth a coaching session or two even if you decide to go your own way and/or train your team.

As you can tell, I feel Social Networks may change, but the smart businesses will be adapting along with the changes and build their company business social network in an INTELLIGENT way. That is why I call this service INTELLIGENT SOCIAL NETWORKING. The Internet landscape changed when Facebook created a way to market that is more powerful than your website. Now people SHARE what they LIKE with other people. In addition, this matters as much as a friend asking "Hey, who do you use to cut your lawn?" -- these questions and referrals are happening constantly on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites.

Do not let social networking pass your business by any more. Especially, if you are in launch mode, your launch plan MUST consider social networking. As usual, we are here to help answer questions, and guide you along the path to greater business, team-building, sales, and marketing success. Contact me at 805-459-6939 with any questions - I am here to help!
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Copyright © 1999-2011 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

How to Find Product Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:31:29 PDT

??? ideas.... easy? hard? POSSIBLE!

Students can discover product ideas: If you are currently a student, you have an opportunity in front of you. For example, take Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook. In 2002, Zuckerberg graduated from High School. Facebook did not exist. Two years later at Harvard, the birth of Facemash led to Facebook, which today has over 500 million users and is valued at over $5 billion dollars. Facebook was a utility, in essence, to create ways to communicate on a global scale. Zuckerberg executed the idea with extreme focus, and this is why Facebook is the success it is today.

Unemployed can discover product ideas: If you are currently unemployed, you have an opportunity in front of you. Matt Morris, author of The Unemployed Millionaire, shares secrets how he went from broke and down and out to a millionaire twenty times over. You can do it, too. Just one product idea can motivate you to stop watching television and start launching your own business. What are you waiting for? Time is your biggest asset, and you have plenty of it right now. Use it wisely!

Employed people can find product ideas: If you are currently employed, you have an opportunity in front of you, too. While you may have less time in front of you to take action, you also probably have more financial resources at your disposal to outsource different tasks to people who can help accelerate the growth of your business. You also can hire a coach to help you stay on track and help you launch your product successfully.

In case you are thinking "How can I do that?" I will share a few ideas to help you get started.

First, here are three ways to come up with product ideas:

1. The "Why don't they...?" question:

"Why don't they have a _____?"

2. The I hate statement:

"I hate ______ (product). I wish these would do _______."

3. The I would LOVE Question:

"If only _____ did _____, I would love it!"

If you ever find yourself asking one of those questions or making one of those statements, you have a product or service idea in front of you. For example, in 2007, I was attending the San Jose Jazz Festival. While listening to the music, I turned to my girlfriend at the time and said, "Why don't we have one of these in our home town?" Thus, the idea for a music festival was born. I investigated, and no jazz festival had ever been held in my home town. I created a team, raised funding, and opened a non-profit corporation. We are now planning our first festival in September 2011! You will notice the idea started with the question phrase "Why don't we...?" Any time you hear or use that phrase, you might just be onto something.

Just last week, I decided I wanted a product for some of the work I do. However, when I tried to buy one at my local store, they had nothing like it. I went online and guess what? It didn't exist there, either. In fact, the existing products I COULD buy I don't even like. Considering this, I consider that product category RIPE for INNOVATION. Have you made such a discovery yourself? If you do, you are onto a product idea.

The product idea started with "I hate _____." I used that phrase to describe the product I currently use. I also used the phrase "I would love this ______ (product) if it looked like ______ (description of product) and was more comfortable. I want something better. Thus, I will create it. (Sorry, I cannot yet name the product as I'm still going through the branding/trademark/patent process to protect my idea.) I used both the "I hate _____" and "I wish my _____ did ______" to come up with this new idea.

Find a hole or niche in the market, then move to exploit it!

Once you have a product idea, you must do several things:

First, hire a patent attorney. Run a trademark search and patent search and see if there is anything like it you need to be concerned about. Consider all the possibilities of innovation with your product, then file the patent and trademarks to protect your idea.

Second, hire a business launch coach (hint, hint). You'd be surprised, but these guys have been there, done that, and know the difference between focus and scatter, hard work and luck, and success and failure. You want someone who can help you find your way through the crazy decisions facing you with focused effort. If you cannot figure that out yourself, then by all means hire a coach.

Third, write a short business plan. You need to work from a plan. Do you know what step comes next? A business plan will lay this out for you and bring clarity to required actions. If you need help with a simple plan, I have several tools I make available to clients when they hire me as coach that will help you get your plan started in HOURS rather than WEEKS. I love helping people save time. But whether you hire out help or write it yourself, get started, figure out what you need, and then get to it. Without a plan, you plan to fail, so write down an action plan.

Fourth, build a team. When you build a team, do not go crazy. Remember, you don't have money to pay anyone yet. Even if you do, why do that? Outsource, hire independent contractors, and use stock for the difference. The first person to bring on board after your business coach is either COO or CFO. You need someone to help run the company and someone to help manage the money. You may also need a marketing firm to help. I tend to find marketing experts who will work as independent contractors, so I would recommend that path, first, before hiring to bring that function in house.

As you can see, it is not rocket science to find product ideas and start your own business. But you must take ACTION. If you sit around and watch everyone else, you never do anything. Watch for when people say the triggers to product ideas, and pay attention if you catch your own voice saying "I wish we had.... ______." It just might be your next BIG IDEA.
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Copyright © 1999-2010 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

No More Call Reluctance

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:06:33 PDT

If you are in sales, you must know the term "call reluctance" as it related to cold calling, right?

What the term means is you are AFRAID or RELUCTANT to make calls, that you KNOW could lead to getting an appointment or making money. But you don't do it. Why?

Well, if you're like most sales people, you HATE COLD CALLING!

Yep, I said it. And that is PRECISELY why I created Cold to Gold Mind Spark Session sales training workshops. You see, the reason why most people HATE COLD CALLING is because they do not have a SYSTEM to help them prospect more effectively and efficiently. Not only that, they also do not usually have a system to DRAW MORE PROSPECTS to your door. Do you have such a system? I do! It makes a WORLD of difference to my business, too.

Now, the system I created for turning cold calls into GOLD CALLS is a 12 step process I teach in Cold to Gold sales training workshops. I also review the mental thought process, the approach, the strategies, how to plan, and the technical ways people just never think of to help you get in the door. You also learn how to sell to the C-level, and other creative strategies.

Well, I can't spill all the beans here, but if you're interested it is likely because you know you NEED training like this. Guess what? I'm hosting my next workshop August 16, 2010. It lasts five days, M-T-W-TH-F and is scheduled from 10:00AM til 11:00AM PST August 16 through the 20. You can sign up here:

Announcing COLD TO GOLD ONLINE workshop August 16, 2010 – August 20, 2010 (held 10:00AM PST – 11:00AM PST each day M – F) is the way to go. Here is the link for the ONLINE August 16 – 20 workshop:

http://fb.eventpal.com/PurchaseTicket.aspx?eid=2087

Once you purchase your ticket, you’ll receive information about the workshop from me within 24 hours. I look forward to seeing you at the registration or online! If you have any questions, or for a group discount, please email me directly. This workshop is sure to sell out, so act quickly while tickets are still available.

Scott – your Trainer
805.459.6939
ARRiiVE.com
ColdtoGold.com

Cold to Gold: Mind Spark Sessions - OVERCOME the FEAR of COLD CALLING and get the POWER to GET IN THE DOOR SUCCESSFULLY.

“Gain the confidence to call and savvy to market -- 30% More Qualified Meetings (Sales Growth) in 30 Days or the Workshop is FREE.”

Look forward to seeing you on the call - stop hating cold calling are start loving GOLD calling. It's a world of difference.
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Copyright © 1999-2010 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

5 Ways to Boost Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:55:11 PDT

People often wonder how I accomplish everything I do. I think it is a combination of how I schedule my day, how I spend free time, and how fast I work. Possibly, it could be how I structure sleep, too, but I think what matters more is that I work when I FEEL my BEST.

In order to help you do more, here are my top FIVE ways to boost your productivity.

5 Ways to Boost Productivity:

I. The first way to boost productivity is to be quick at things you do often.

For an example of things I do often, consider keyboard typing. First of all, I learned how to type in high school. I remember during the summer I asked my mother, a business teacher at Santa Maria High School at the time, "Hey Mom, what class could I take that would be the most important for business in the years to come?"

Mom replied, "Learn typing. Typing will be more and more important with the growth of computers."

I have a pretty wise Mom, huh? Keep in mind, this was in 1982! So, I signed up for typing. Playing saxophone might have helped me become the fastest typist in class (92 WPM) but at any rate, that year of typing still benefits me daily to this day. If you haven't learned how to type, I strongly encourage it. Although, it won't matter nearly as much as pointing in the next 20 years (finger/touch computing will quickly become a standard with the advent of the iPad and touch devices moving into mainstream computing).

II. The second way to boost productivity is to maximize your work hours.

Yes, I type fast. But, I also structure my day different than most people. I work when I am most awake, alert, and productive. That, for me, is between 4AM and 8AM, between 8AM and Noon, between 10AM and 2PM, between 4PM and 8PM, and between 10PM and 2AM. You might say, "wait a minute, Scott. You can't possibly work all those hours EVERY day, can you?" and you may have noticed these time slots overlap. You are correct. My schedule varies. That is because I sleep at odd times. It sparks my creativity. Also, I am a jazz/funk musician, so sometimes I keep odd hours. I balance this with naps.

If you learn to nap, you can work when you're awake and sleep when you're tired. Thomas Edison did it. Many other great innovators do it, too. So, that's what I do. But I also schedule time to work when I know I can be my best. It is critical to balance your energy in such a way so that you operate a peak performance as much as possible.

III. The third way to boost your productivity is to structure your workflow.

When I structure my work, I structure it the following way:

1. Projects - what top three projects can I work on now?
   a. What is required to move this project forward this week?
   b. Who do I need to speak with or meet in the next week re: moving this forward?
   c. What can be delegated/outsourced?
   d. What priorities need to be done right away?
2. Schedule - what events are key to success this week?
3. People - who do I need to call today?
a. Initiate new conversations w/influential people
b. Follow-up conversations w/influential people
c. Other conversations that must take place this week
4. Other tasks, email

IV. Time slice for important projects to boost productivity.

If your organize your week and your day in this way, you will achieve a considerable amount with your projects. I find this schedule works well UNLESS you're trying to promote and sell something or have a critical project that must be completed that week. If you're actively prospecting for business you will need to block out time to only make calls for that effort. I do that for Cold to Gold calls. At some point in the near future, I will outsource all of that activity, too. The same for a mission-critical project that must be completed that week. Block out time without any distraction (no email, phone, meetings, noise) while you complete that task for the mission critical project.

V. Outsource, delegate, and eliminate. Again, ask: "What can I outsource?" Much of what I used to do I no longer do, either by choice or by outsourcing. By eliminating things you actually spend time on directly, you can focus your efforts to the interactions that matter most towards your project objectives. Does this makes sense to you?

Last, ask yourself "Where do I waste time?" If you can eliminate time wasting behavior, you can maximize your day even further.
I find that the more I delegate - whether a work commute, unnecessary meetings, tasks, television, and other unnecesary tasks, the more time I have to be productive at writing a book, speaking (radio shows, in person keynote speaking, and so forth), and meeting people to advance my projects.

Use these FIVE ways to boost productivity and your own work will wisely drive your own ability to succeed because you will boost your productivity, too.
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Copyright © 1999-2010 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

Can Work Ethic Be Coached?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:15:20 PDT

You can coach work ethic by demonstrating it and encouraging people to care in order to achieve progress. The best way to do this is to emulate it yourself, and COACH people who underperform by inspiring them by ROLE MODELS who succeed and have proven sales process in the organization.

Example: A manager I once coached ran a personnel recruiting office where a certain salesperson was underperforming. Recruiters conduct much of their business over the phone. The calls they make and the effort they put out matters. Well, the manager's salesman had a GREAT speaking voice: low, deep, and authoritative. Yet, he was on her "black list" to replace!

I asked the manager, "Why are you going to fire Tony?"

She answered, "Because he comes in late, he takes long lunches, leaves at 5PM regularly, and does not seem to understand our selling process."

I asked, "Who is the best rep at that branch?" She gave me her name.

I then said, "What does she do to set her apart?"

She said, "Rachel schedules the bulk of her new calls DURING the morning, lunch, and afternoon drive time when clients are most likely to pick up their phone directly. She schedules all her follow-up calls during the rest of the day. She takes lunch and breaks at outside times and usually schedules these breaks as meetings with clients. She works late at least twice a week and does her reporting Sunday night."

I asked her "Have you explained to Tony what makes Rachel exemplary?"

She said, "Not exactly."

I replied, "Then, if you fire him, why don't you fire yourself in the process. You hired him, yet you aren't coaching him on what you really want. So, if he fails, you failed him. Because you haven't made it clear to him what a "star performer" does to earn those honors. I would suggest a meeting with Tony, and in that meeting let him know you hired him because you think he has the potential to be a "star performer" on your team. ASK HIM how his numbers would look if he were a manager. Then agree that performance is below par, but have him explain why he thinks that might be. Then share your insights and especially share what Rachel said that makes her a consistent star performer. Suggest that you believe he could experience much higher success by emulating Rachel's tactics. End the meeting by encouraging him and sharing how much you look forward to him rockin' it!"

She did this, exactly. Within two weeks this "slacker" transitioned from the bottom numbers to challenging Rachel for top rep at that branch and never looked back.

Yes, you can teach BOTH work ethic and sales process to turnaround poor performers. As a manager, it is imperative to dig for the process that the best use to succeed, and then share that process with the team. With good coaching, a manager can turn many bottom performers into top performers.

Do you have an example of a turnaround on your team? Or perhaps a struggle you'd like to share? Feel free to comment. (Please, no "link spam" - thank you!)
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Scott Andrews, Author, is CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions and Founder of AspireNow.com. He also is the creator of the innovative "Cold to Gold: How to Overcome Fear and Get In The Door Successfully" sales training program (http://www.coldtogold.com/). This article is published with all rights reserved. If you wish to publish, please contact info [at] ARRiiVE.com.

Copyright © 1999-2010 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

New Sales Training Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:53:07 PDT

Part of growing your business often includes learning new methods how to get in the door and network better.

Join me as I host a class through ARRiiVE Business Solutions, called "Cold to Gold: How to Overcome the Fear of Cold Calling and Get In The Door Successfully" as a "Mind Spark Session" workshop.

Next workshops:
IN PERSON: July 1, 2010 from 1P - 5P in San Luis Obispo, CA, at KCBXnet - for a discounted $397.00 per person (normally $497 pp).

WEBINAR: For those who do not live close to San Luis Obispo, you will want to sign up for the webinar this coming June 15. The webinar is one hour a day and runs from Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 11:00 am each day for four (4) days. You need to sign up by June 13th. There will be another webinar mid-July, too. Webinar format Cold to Gold is just $297 per person.

"Cold to Gold offers a clear and dynamic system to help people 'get in the door' and skyrocket sales success." -- Alan Harris, Former Senior Program Manager Remedy

You do more than learn how to open the door; you learn how to interact with prospects in ways that lead to a sale. Because how you relate to your prospect is as important as the solutions you create or offer your prospect.

Cold to Gold is the only course that breaks down both the mental process and each step of customer attraction, from “push” methods, such as calling or email to “pull” methods such as events, speaking, and networking. This program weaves ARRiiVE Training's proven principles of success into every session for maximum takeaway. In the end, you will learn how to go from “Cold” to “Gold” with your prospects through our unique Mind Spark Session TM workshops.

Who Should AttendSales people - whether they are new hires or have been on the job for a while. Cold to Gold will turn you into a sales leader because it develops you from sales person into confidante.
You Will Be Able To:

Build sales strategy to map your approach to prospects buying method and cycle
Learn better communications skills to connect with decision makers
Drop the fear of cold calling through a warm system of interaction
Learn headlines and copy that creates higher open rates, return calls, and letter opens
Display confidence in yourself and your company and build credibility instantly
Ask the right questions to determine qualified solution opportunities
Gain tools to immediately win commitment to productive meetings
Influence the conversation so that it reaches a mutually beneficial conclusion
Follow up in a way that creates additional sales opportunities

Sign up your team for a Cold to Gold workshop at http://www.coldtogold.com/, or call 805-459-6939 to discuss a group discount.

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Copyright © 1999-2010 by ARRiiVE Business Solutions. All Rights Reserved. SUBSCRIBE. Like it? Share on del.icio.us or Stumble Upon!

Teleseminars Grow Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:23:22 PDT

Using LOVE CALLS to grow your business

Bloggers: in case you've forgotten, not everyone who subscribes to a blog will always read that blog. In fact, up to 30% of the people who read your blog or other type of e-zine or newsletter may only read it once or twice. This is why I feel it is important to offer many different ways to market to your possible prospects.

Salespeople who only use the phone are limiting themselves as some people never return salespeople's phone call messages unless they've met IN PERSON first! So, make your contact in person.

Other people must touch. So, reach out and touch them.

Or, in some cases, people will dial into a teleseminar if they believe you're offering high quality content that will make a difference in their work, life, money, health, etc. I'm one of those people. Why? I'm AUDITORY! I LOVE teleseminars. Why? Because I can work on other things while they're talking, and if they then say something that catches my attention, I stop, pay attention, write down notes, or interject and ask them questions. I'm sure other businesspeople are the same way and listen in on calls with an ear cocked for quality content.

If the topic is really good, which some are, I don't multitask at all. In fact, in those cases, I'll open up Word and type a telescript of the notes as fast as I can while they're talking (with my audio muted, of course). I'm starting to outsource that kind of activity, but still will engage once in a while when the author or speaker is highly credible. I've also used teleseminars to great effect, along with my ARRiiVE: Innovations in Business Radio talk show which helps solidify and produce business relationships that are still beneficial months after the shows were recorded.

Many of you Internet Marketers who read this blog are seeking ways to explode your list to make more money. Well, in that case, let me recommend to you that you might consider ways to discover teleseminar secrets.

I'll be talking more about teleseminars, video seminars, webinars, and things like that in the months' ahead. In the meantime, check out this link about teleseminar secrets that still work. Not just for salespeople, but for bloggers, too.

One tip I'll leave you with: LOVE CALLS. When is the last time you held a call with some valuable information just to show the love to your clients? I just attended a "love call" today, where the marketer offered "Answers to 10 Most Popular Questions" in a teleseminar format. It was good, and he got a chance to plug his new program in the front, in the middle, and at the end of the call.

Insert your own call to action moments into your own teleseminars, and you'll see these telephone sales and marketing tools produce more success, over the long-term, than without them, for sure.

Use LOVE CALLS at least once a year - preferably a couple of times a year, to expand your business and thank those who've already bought from you. There are other secrets to teleseminars, too. Click the link for teleseminar secrets that still work and remind yourself why you ought to host a teleseminar, too.
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How to Start a Business

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:34:57 PDT

Do you want to learn how to start a business?
Are you currently starting a company? Or, maybe you're launching a product or new service?

Join Scott Andrews, International Author, Speaker, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions, as he shares wisdom learned in starting AspireNow, ARRiiVE, and launching products and companies.

How to Start a Business
Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and

Learn Ways to Build a Successful Company

In this NO-COST, 1 hour tele-seminar, you will learn secrets to launch your business:

Learn ways entrepreneurs sabotage success...find out what not to do!
Gain insights from masters...grow wisdom to learn how to make it.
Discover the differences between good and GREAT companies...build it right from the start.
Why NOW?...Discover why NOW is a GREAT TIME to START YOUR COMPANY.
Maximize your money...explore ways to stretch capital or bootstrap a business.
And more!

About Scott:
As seen and heard on CBS, ABC, and Seeing Beyond (KEST), Scott Andrews' unique wisdom and ability to inspire people to action is second to none. Scott is a natural performer, but also possesses the power to take complex business and life development challenges and break them down into simple and actionable frameworks you can immediately apply to improve your present situation. Scott is a former Toastmaster and current board member of SLO STC and Cal Poly School of Journalism Internships. He created the first interactive self-help website: "AspireNow Advisor: Instant Self-help on the Web" in 2001. He has successfully launched or been involved in the launch of dozens of products and companies, including StoryAD Network, ElementsLocal, Instantis, numerous coaching companies, Cold to Gold (www.ColdtoGold.com), and he is currently launching the 1st SLO Jazz Festival (www.SLOJazzFest.org - September 25, 2010). He teaches both business and personal development programs and is often a featured keynote speaker to groups ranging from 20 to 2,000.

"Why waste months of time trying to launch a new product? ARRiiVE Business Solutions can help you get your program launched exponentially faster." -- Michelle Casto, International Speaker & Author of "Get Smart" series of books

"Scott helped my company through a critical growth period. He made a BIG difference!!!" -- Jim Vangelos, CEO, Polymer Logistics

"Scott has a commanding presence...he never fails to wow his audience with new ideas and dynamic ability to inspire people." -- Jessica Haynes, Author of "Get What You Want" and "GPS to Success", Business and Relationship Coach

"Scott is a strategic business leader able to launch unique solutions to grow revenue and drive stability." -- Grant Stellwagen, Owner, Stellwagen Insurance
Schedule this call in your Outlook/calendar now so you can attend this powerful no-cost 1 hour teleseminar:

Just call in at 5:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, April 28, 2010
See ARRiiVE.com for details or just visit this link to sign-up:

http://www.arriive.com/business_launch_teleseminar_signup.htm

I'm sharing this no-cost information today (Wednesday, April 28, 2010) at 5:00 PM PST, and it will be recorded, for anyone who is interested. You all are INVITED! :)

Thanks!
Scott
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Draw Prospects To You

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:28:27 PDT

If you're a subscriber to ARRiiVE: Innovations In Business, you more than likely either run a business or contribute to a business in the capacity of sales, marketing, or management.

As such, your position demands you to build relationships. There is no way around it: you have to send emails, make phone calls, meet people at networking or business mixers, and also might be blogging, tweeting, and need ways to improve your success to maximize your time.

Sound familiar? This is why I created Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionsTM - the whole idea is to provide a short, effective, and efficient workshops where I personally teach you my methods to get in the door with phone, email, mail, and other tactics, and how I draw prospects to me through my blog, radio show, videos, and more. This is EXACTLY the INFORMATION YOU NEED to help you SELL MORE!

I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SIGN UP if you need these skills! If you're running a team, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SIGN UP YOUR TEAM. There is no program in the market place of sales training available today that so quickly and effectively teaches you how to get in the door and build long-lasting successful business relationships in such a powerful and memorable way.

And, for the months of April and May, 2010, I'm offering a special ten for eight discount - in other words, just enter "10for8" in the discount field at ColdtoGold.com (click "Start Now" to order) or CLICK THIS LINK:

http://coldtogold.eventbrite.com/?discount=10for8

It is simple and easy - each class starts on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. PST through 11:00 a.m. PST and runs every day through Friday of the week you start. If you miss a class, each class if recorded. That's four sessions, across four days - so you never even have to leave the field or your office to learn this information!

Again, just use this link and sign up today:
http://www.coldtogold.com/

or for a team of 10, use this link:
http://coldtogold.eventbrite.com/?discount=10for8

Call me at 805.459.6939 with any questions.

Most companies have NOT been training their supposed "sales experts" on cold calling, how to get in the door, and such - they focus on product knowledge. How can your sales team show what you have to offer if they never get the appointment? Don't make that mistake, sign up today:

http://www.coldtogold.com/

For a team of 10, use this link and get a discount:
http://coldtogold.eventbrite.com/?discount=10for8
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Cold Calling Is Not Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:14:15 PDT

One of my competitors often writes about how "Cold Calling is Dead." Oddly, I still receive plenty of phone calls in my business. How about you? Therefore, Cold Calling is NOT dead!

However, I will point out that if you start blindly calling people without a plan, you are likely to run into frustration. In addition, frustration leads to anger, which builds resentment, and creates an unhappy employee. We do not ever want to be unhappy in our job, right? Therefore, you ought to call from a PLAN.

One of the ways I improve my cold calls through a plan is to turn cold calls into WARM CALLS. The best way to do that is to find out information about the person or company you are calling. It is much like using a "prop" when a single man approaches a single girl. One of my friends is a master at this technique of what dating experts call "The Approach". He uses props to open the conversation. For example: "How is the food here? Good? I love that dish! I make a similar recipe... have you tried that, too?" and bingo, he is in a conversation with a pretty brunette about gourmet cooking. It happens most women love a man who can cook, so at the same time he opened one of his own favorite convesations. That creates passion. If you can create conversations where both parties are PASSIONATE about the topic, both will likely walk away stronger friends.

I tried it the following day at a bookstore. I noticed a cute woman thumbing through a book. I stop and asked her "How is the book? Any good?" and we were immediately talking about something SHE was interested in discussing. The book sounded interesting, and I love reading, too, so it was easy to talk about the book with her. The reason this works is because you are aligning yourself iwth your prospect's interests.

The business world is a LITTLE different than dating, but not much. I will tell you why: forming conversations with ANY person always starts with what THEY are interested in discussing. So, you must learn about your prospect's interests in order to RELATE to them. And, more importantly, for them to RELATE to you.

Try this technique the next time you make a cold call to attempt to turn it into a warm call. Do enough research to feel like you know something interesting about the person you call. Look them up at LinkedIn. Look up their company and read their last five press releases, annual report, and product descriptions. Start to identify with them, and you will find that your opportunity to cold call is not dead, but in fact that opportunity is alive and well. Cold calling is never dead if you can relate to your prospect.

Find ways to relate to your prospect and your prospect will likely RELATE back with you.

You'll gain training like this and information of this caliber, and much more, when you sign up for Cold to Gold: Mind Spark SessionTM sales training workshops. These communication workshops help sales executives and others who wish to "get in the door" to learn how to open doors more successfully and build long lasting business relationships. Learn more at ColdtoGold.com.
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Why Salespeople Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:59:59 PDT

There are essentially a number of reasons why salespeople miss their quotas. Do you know what they are?

I've heard managers say "my salespeople aren't making enough calls" and "my salespeople make calls but they don't sell anything - I think they're just making friends with everyone of their prospects" and "my salespeople make calls but don't sell what I want them to sell" and all sorts of other things.

The truth of the matter is that most salespeople miss their quota for one reason:

MOST SALESPEOPLE FAIL TO PLAN.

It might sound silly, but it really is true. Do you know how I know this? Because whenever managers tell their salespeople they need an account review to write a sales territory plan of how they're going to hit their quota they all go into scramble mode! I recall the frantic "Scott, you know how to plan... can you please HELP ME!" phone calls I used to receive when I worked in the High Tech industry selling services. Oddly, I'd usually walk out of my own account review meeting beaming, having received kudos for a great plan, along with the words, "now just execute upon that plan and we'll all be even happier next year" (execution of the sales plan is the #2 reason people fail, coincidentally). And, yes, I'd go hit my numbers year after year after year.

"FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL."

My first boss out of college had a great expression: "Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail." He would often put this up on the slide projector at the start of meetings. It stuck. It's true! The guy knew what he was doing - he turned a $300K sales team into a $1MM+ sales team in ONE YEAR. I think if every manager copied his formula for success they'd have more success. His original formula used with that team was a winner. I'm going to put it into a program for sales managers later in 2010, so stay tuned on that one... anyway, my point is that planning is vital to success.

An often quoted statement is about the 3% of a graduating class at Harvard or Yale who wrote down their goals achieved more than the other 97% combined. I don't know if that story is true or not - it has not been substantiated from what I've seen. However, I did see a study from the Dominican University that there is an increase from 4.28 (unwritten goals) to 7.6 (written goals with progress reports to a friend or mentor). So, writing the goal down, including milestones, and reporting back on progress is a great idea if you want to be twice as good as the "typical" salesperson (who I've already explained is too lazy to write down their plan).

So, make a plan. If you're not sure how to write a territory plan, I've written instructions before on the blog and at AspireNow.com I think I posted an article in the past. You can hire someone to write one for you. But I believe there is value in writing your own plan. You may not work the plan (execute) if you don't write it. Take the time. Make the effort. Write a plan you can use to succeed.

If you want help with your plan, I've written a ton of sales plans and had CEO's and Sr. VP's tell me my plans are the best they've ever seen in their life. I've been hired off a sales plan I wrote for two different jobs. My plans are *that* powerful.

What are the keys to a good plan? Well, you must include the following:

1. Non-disclosure agreement & Executive Overview
2. Mission
3. Objectives
4. Understanding of Ideal Client
5. Definition of Product (what are you selling to them and why)
6. Strategy to achieve objectives
7. Territory - definition of borders, vertical, geographical markets
8. Ways you intend to differentiate and add value to prospects in that territory
9. The math of how you will achieve your quota
10. Milestones to hit to make sure you're on plan
11. Statement of known and unknown factors of risk

Only share #10 milestones with a boss if you intend for the boss to start measuring you on those milestones and you intend to hit them. If you're going to fluff your way through success, don't list that. But frankly, if you're going to succeed, you ought to list things you know you can achieve.

Most sales plans don't include #11 - but good business plans do. Why? Because this covers your butt if you MISS your quota, despite doing everything right, due to something weird happening. For example, if you missed a quota when the economy tanked. Some companies will give up on you if they think you aren't working your plan. But if you can demonstrate you are working your plan and can show prospects that indicate success is around the corner, that may buy you time to keep your job and thrive in the future. It's all about achievement of the numbers to most of these bosses, so you must show progress towards those numbers.

And, regarding achieving, it's all about your quota, in the end, for any boss. So, every boss will examine #6 with a fine toothpick and comb if they're worth their salt. Put the numbers they need to see there. But, for your OWN benefit, take THEIR quota numbers and then figure out how to DOUBLE that goal. Because that is the goal you ought to work for - reason being that if you miss YOUR quota you will still hit THEIR quota.

Besides the plan itself, doubling your quota is the #1 key to ensuring you always hit your quota. It proves that success is largely a MENTAL thing - you must condition your mind to BELIEVE YOU CAN. Take their quota, double it, figure out how to accomplish THAT goal, then work towards THOSE numbers. As long as you're adding value, selling the right number of deals to the right prospects, and focused on that higher number, you will pretty much always blow away your goals. There are other reasons salespeople miss quota I identify and discuss in Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionsTM (my sales workshops). I'm offering these workshops for a limited time prior to selling Cold to Gold online, so don't wait if you're looking to explode your success in 2010 - many of the techniques I'm offering for a limited time and they are not offered anywhere else.

To register a group of 20 or more, send me an email to info@ARRiiVE.com. Otherwise, sign up directly at ColdtoGold.com

Check out additional articles on "Cold Call Tips For Effective Cold Calling"
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Cold to Gold Mind Spark Session

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:34:44 PDT

Attention: the next Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionTM is scheduled for April 6, 2010, at 10:00AM.

Registration for this powerful online workshop will close one hour prior to the start of workshop. Only 25 seats are available for this session, which runs each day from Tuesday through Friday next week, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. So, hurry while you can still get in!

Cold to Gold is a system of selling created by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.

You'll gain access to the mind shift, techniques, and methods that help you get in the door, form better qualified meetings, and highly successful business relationships. These are the techniques used by Scott to land multimillion deals with IBM, EMC2, Data General, and other sales organizations. For example, Scott wrote Jay Leno a letter and Jay returned Scott's call personally. Scott never met Jay prior to sending the letter. You'll learn the techniques Scott uses to get responses like this. Can your business use a lift?

To sign up for this workshop, please visit http://www.coldtogold.com/
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Please note: The disclaimer re: warranty or terms is listed at ColdtoGold.com re: any assumption or statement of earnings you may make from ColdtoGold.
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Stop Thief! Headlines Increase Open Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:00:13 PDT

Have you ever had someone yell "stop thief" on a street you near where you were standing? What do you do? You stop and take a look to see what is going on, right?

Well, good sales copy headlines produce the same result: people stop and open the email. Yet, how many salespeople pay attention to their email headlines? Most do not.

Sales executives often get lazy, too. They simply say what it is...

For example:

"Following up about ____"
"Here's my report for your review"
"Read our white paper on ____"
"Check out our new blabber widget"

Isn't this how most sales emails read that come across your inbox? Do these work for you? Or do you think they're boring? There's a better way. I've been studying email marketing and personally developing email campaigns for about ten years now. The first thing I notice about an email is the headline. Without a good headline, your open rate, or "opens", is low. With a good headline, your open rate increases.

The quality of your list can also dictate your success with open rates, too. However, for now, let us just say you have an average quality list of prospects that both know you and do not know you and you are trying to build a relationship so that over time, they decide to move in deeper and buy your products and services. That is why you have a list, right? How can you influence your success with that list?

Well, if they only read 20% of your emails, the odds of them making it to "buy" go down dramatically. You need your prospects to open your emails. PERIOD. Your headlines matter!

So, think about your headlines. If you are wondering what headlines work, watch what other marketers do - especially Internet Marketers. Study the best: Frank Kern, John Reese, David DeAngelo, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, and John Carlton. Learn from them. In addition, especially, pay attention to what they teach about headlines. I "borrowed" the phrase "Stop Thief" from a headline Frank Kern used a few months ago. And, I'm pretty sure he borrowed it from another great writer. It works, right? You would not be reading this free training right now, if it didn't work for you. Of course, the headline ALSO must apply to your topic, so make sure to use relevant headlines, too.

This is part of what I teach in Cold to Gold. I help you understand the types of headlines that work, and those that do not (and why).

What do you think is better:

"Check out my keynote on 'The Biggest Mistakes Sales Executives Make'"

or "Oops! You just fouled up!"

Hey- maybe I'll use that one! Haha...

When you start to understand your headlines, you will approach your email in a completely new way. A previous manager (a CEO, no less) get mad at me for teaching my team how to write better letters. Frankly, he was crazy! If your team cannot write a good letter, how do you know they can communicate with their email, or follow up properly? Seriously! Improving our communication skills is the number one way to improve our ability to sell. Writing powerful headlines means you know the right words and phrases that convey ideas, trigger people to buy, and excite people to take their sales engine, ignite that engine, and send it zipping down the racetrack!

So, how is your sales engine? Is it zippy? Or, does it feel a quart low on oil? The best way to keep the sales engine firing on all cylinders is to maintain it properly. In the world of selling, that means education. You can read it in a book, or you can get the information from direct from the trainer.

Right now, for a limited time, you have an opportunity to learn more about how to shift thinking, what you say does matter, and more in Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions TM (http://www.coldtogold.com/). Visit the website, or call me and we will talk about how to work with your team to impact higher results.

Until then, enjoy the free training I just gave you and have a great day!

Your friend in selling and life success,

Scott Andrews, CEO
ARRiiVE Business Solutions
http://www.coldtogold.com/

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Killer Training 5 Expert Money Making Systems With Brendon Burchard

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:21:02 PDT

Have you met Brendon Burchard? I met him last week at a seminar. This week, he released some videos that very well might change your life - I'm using his strategies in my own coaching.

Brendon Burchard just opened Experts Academy to the public and people are freaking out:

https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/EA_live/Aspire/

Brendon started from scratch and made $4.6 million in 24 months through books, speeches, seminars and online programs. Now he's showing how he, and his friends like Tony Robbins, Frank Kern, John Gray, Brian Tracy, David Bach, Debbie Ford and others DOMINATE their topics.

In Brendon Burchard's Expert's Academy, you'll learn:

* How he used an innovative (and simple) strategy to write a short how-to ebook and get it downloaded 117,000 times, making him an instant expert (and rich guy).

*How he skipped the speaking circuit advice of starting out at a few hundred bucks per speech and LEAPED to $25,000 per speech with one secret approach to getting booked as a speaker.

*How he pulls in $500,000 plus paydays (that's net) in just one easy to create weekend seminar.

*How he gets coaching clients to pay $25,000 a year without having to work with them one-on-one every month.

*How a weird accident led to millions of dollars online with a ONE-PAGE continuity program. He calls it the "anti-membership" membership program - cool, huh?

I'm not kidding - you'll really learn all of this stuff!

https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/Aspire

Brendon is the go-to guy for authors, speakers, coaches, seminar leaders and online marketers. This amazingly detailed and innovative training will show you why.

This is the path to getting your how-to strategies for success out in to the world (and GETTING PAID for it):

https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/EA_live/Aspire/

Check it out while it's still available. This will sell out like all Brendon's other trainings.
After you watch the videos, please let me know how you like them by commenting below!

Cheers!
Scott

Scott Andrews, CEO
ARRiiVE Business Solutions

ps. The $10,000 bonus he threw in is INSANE. Check out Brendon's Expert's Academy now:
https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/Aspire
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Note: ARRiiVE is an affiliate of Brendon Burchard and makes money when you buy Expert's Academy. Here's my story: I've been telling everyone everywhere about this stuff - I'm excited about it and asked if I could help promote him! This may be late getting to you for this program, but watch all the videos, if you've ever had a dream of ending the 9 to 5 drudgery, Brendon's ideas are Life's Golden Ticket!

Is Cold Calling Frustrating You?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:30:00 PDT

If you're trying to grow your sales revenue success, I'm sure you may be frustrated with cold calling. I can understand why. So many people SOUND like a SALESPERSON. It almost makes you want to hang up on them! For instance, from the last five salespeople who called me regarding "Event Hosting" and "Sales Force Automation" software, FOUR of the FIVE sales people started their call with this question:

"How are you today?"

Seriously. They were that bad! How did they know how I would respond? I could have been having a really bad day! Asking "How are you today" makes you sound like a salesman from the first sentence. That's not something you want to do, is it?

Cold calling is not easy - especially if you don't have a system. Fortunately, you don't have to fret any more, as I've created a system to help you remove the fear of cold calling and get in the door, called Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionsTM.

Introducing:

Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions TM

Rapid Learning Workshops SM

I call my workshops "Mind Spark Sessions" because I've created a rapid learning workshop system that is the closest thing to a "Vulcan Mind Meld" - truly exchanging the my ideas from my head to your head - over four different sessions (modules) that offer the highest impact transfer of learning, interactive workshop, testing, and proof of concept available in education. Mind Spark Sessions go beyond a workshop - they impact your results immediately. The last company I taught Cold to Gold information signed the largest deal in their history just three months later. Now, success like that is cause for celebration.

Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions go beyond sales skill training and enter the domain beyond persuasion by offering each participant or sales representative information that contains the secrets to sales superstar special powers. Yet, almost anyone can learn these secrets to immediately increase sales:

First, I focus on the mental shift that must occur to help you make a successful call. This is also equally critical in sending a cold email, or in showing up at a prospect's door unannounced. It is even critical to your website design, so, Marketing people ought to listen up (or attend), too. What's cool about this mental shift is you start to have fun selling again, too. Shouldn't sales be more fun?

I first taught this mental shift to Tim G. while at DecisionOne fifteen years ago. Tim later went blew away his quota the first year selling, then continued skyrocketing his stellar success with Compaq and then HP!

Second, I teach something that is practically NEVER taught in sales training courses, yet is the SINGLE MOST POWERFUL KEY TO SUCCESS and creates a FLOOD of PROSPECTS in your sales funnel. This key, alone, will open more doors to you, make your website more powerful, help you create better sales emails, letters, phone scripts, and communicate LIKE A SALES GOD with your prospects.

Every time I've taught this concept to a sales team, that sales team starts increasing their success almost overnight. Now, for the first time ever, I'm teaching it in Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions.

Third, I show you personal tactics to not just cold call, but actually GET IN THE DOOR. Learn some of my personal NINJA METHODS I've used to successfully dial into the Senior Executive's office - without them ever giving me their phone number. One of my tactics I teach will reveal the senior executive's phone number over 80% of the time! Do you have that kind of system now? If you're selling in an enterprise environment, especially, you'll gain new abilities that give you the confidence to truly RID the DREADED FEAR of COLD CALLING FOREVER! Well, at the very least, you'll be more confident and a lot less afraid to call ANYONE and know you have a high chance to succeed at building a relationship with that person. You may not win them all, but wouldn't it matter if you could win just a few more? I'm sure you know what it means when you WIN MORE.... you MAKE MORE!

I once wrote a letter to Jay Leno. Yes, the head of NBC's Tonight Show returned my call PERSONALLY. Can you write a letter that does that? You will have the ability to write letters that open doors you would think totally closed to you before learning Cold to Gold. Does it always work? Of course not - nothing does - however, you'd be surprised at HOW MUCH MORE SUCCESS you'll have in both SALES and MANAGEMENT when you learn Cold to GOLD.

In addition, I not only teach push techniques, such as making a phone call, sending an email, or mailing a letter, but also PULL techniques, which create something I'll call "Cat String Theory" - where the cat is the prospect and the string is your system and the CATNIP is in your hand! The whole point of cat string theory is to turn the table where instead of chasing after prospects, the PROSPECT CHASES YOU! It's powerful, it works, and they LOVE you for it. HOW COOL is THAT?! Your prospect becomes a customer as you deliver a solution not as a salesperson, but as YOU BECOME THEIR TRUSTED ADVISOR, expert, or even CONFIDANTE. If you don't know how to do this, then this module in Cold to Gold alone is worth the price of admission, which, by the way, is only $297 US for a Mind Spark Session (online workshop price, plus ticket fee from EventBrite) as of March, 2010. Move quickly - this won't be offered at this price for long.

Last, we put it all together. Each piece of the puzzle is carefully laid out so you can see how to better plan, strategize, target, and then DESIGN A CAMPAIGN that attracts your IDEAL customer to you and repels the prospects who will waste your time. If you're like me, the last thing you want is a prospect who won't buy wasting your time, right? Well, this CHANGES where ONLY PROSPECTS WHO BUY - or at least a lot higher percentage of them - are the people attracted into your money making machine. I'm a huge fan of qualifying prospects so only the best prospects end up in my pipeline or on my forecast. As a result of utilizing Cold to Gold, your pipeline will grow more reliable and the time wasters go "goodbye". Speaking of wasting time, the worst mistake you can make is to learn about a system that can change your life and..... wait.... and wait... or worse yet, do nothing. You're not that person, though, right? I mean, if someone showed you that you had gold in your very own backyard, and how to mine for it, would you be digging a hole right now or would you simply walk by and leave it there? That's what I thought. Go to Cold to Gold and click "Start Now" to begin - right now.

Cold to Gold sessions are started on Tuesdays, and continue each day of the week through Friday. So, not only are Mind Spark Sessions different - but they are simple and easy - you don't even have to leave the "field" or fly anywhere or sit in boring hotel conference rooms to learn this information. You can learn everything from your home office or even the comfort of your home.

Cold to Gold is the system you've been looking for to help your rocket blast off! I'm teaching Mind Spark Sessions personally, and also including a FREE special bonus "Gold Map" to help map out the whole process and in addition I'll include a FREE special KEYNOTE for the first 10 people who sign up right now!

Sound cool? I think it does. There are very few trainers in the industry focusing on this segment - yet improving PROSPECTING SKILLS is the HIGHEST IMPROVEMENT area to IMPROVE YOUR SALES RESULTS. Not only that, but if you learn this system correctly, not only does your FORECAST SIZE INCREASE, but also your forecast becomes MUCH MORE ACCURATE! Putting aside the numbers that sales management wants to see, moving beyond cold calling to Cold to Gold creates a system that simply PUTS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. It's almost like receiving a LICENSE TO PRINT MONEY.

Now, we both know that with the FTC laws I cannot technically guarantee that you'll have as much sales success as I've had or even as other people who give me testimonials. In fact, I'd like to think you might sell more than me; however, I can't really say what will happen - your success is up to you and what you're able to do with it. One thing I can guarantee is that you'll love Cold to Gold and find it useful. If you don't love it and find it useful, simple send me an email within 30 days of your final workshop and I'll send the money back (less any expenses). It is that simple - you don't have anything to lose with a guarantee like that! You don't even have to send anything back. Just tell me, and that's that.

It's like going to a restaurant, ordering calamari, then filet mignon, lobster, and asparagus, enjoying a fine bottle of wine, then topping it off with tiramisu and a 20 year old glass of port for dessert, then walking out and paying nothing! I mean, really, it's that crazy - at least, that's what one of my competitors told me!

Can you guess why I'd offer a guarantee for Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions like that?

You got it - I believe in my program that much - I KNOW THIS WORKS. I know that you will love it and find it highly useful to your success at overcoming the fear of cold calling, getting in the door with prospects you previously did not even know at all, and building long lasting successful business relationships. You will likely even form more friendships and create some fans along the way! It's that powerful.

Cold to Gold isn't perfect nor is it for everybody. I mean, if you're the person who thinks every system of selling ought to dial the phone for you, write the letter for you, or meet your prospect for you, I'm sorry, but Cold to Gold probably isn't for you. Perhaps you're in the wrong profession! Seriously, you will have your part in this. But if you're the person who hears life changing information and puts it into play, then Cold to Gold will be music to your ears. And, it's only getting better, as each Mind Spark Session turns up new information (disguised as feedback) I use to make the content even BETTER.

Suppose your gut is saying to you "you know, Scott might have something here.... this just might help me"...well...LISTEN TO YOUR GUT! It's been right before. It is right now. Let's stop making the foolish mistakes that other salespeople make. Let's stop sounding like a salesperson. Let's stop blowing cold calls and start blowing away quotas! I can help you do it. We can do it together. I'm a big believer in having fun, learning some things that change people's lives for the better, and doing something that makes sales a heck of a lot more fun for everyone. The world needs more salespeople we can trust. Heck - the world needs PEOPLE we can trust, can I get an amen? Hahaha... seriously, with Cold to Gold, you gain the confidence you need to sell from integrity, honesty, and clearly, in a way that empowers you to be your best self, where clients love you, and you make more money. That's why I wrote this program. I truly want to see you succeed to the best of your capability. I love helping people get there.

For those of you reading this who normally come here for management advise, blogging advice, or team-building, well, you form relationships, don't you? Even if you don't buy, you know that I care about you and your success. Thanks for bearing with me as I share Cold to Gold - it's so exciting to me to release this to you. Without my readers I woudn't have my success. Without you, I'm nothing. So, I must say I am so grateful for you. I am so thrilled that you're in my life.

Well, I better get back to work. Talking about Cold Calling, for me, is fun - because it is no longer frustrating to make cold calls.... why? Because I have a process called Cold to Gold that turns a crappy frustration into a fun, exciting, and dynamic system that creates more relationships, friends, fans, and customers. I look forward to seeing you in the next Mind Spark Session. Let's learn this together. Let's have some fun. Let's rock our business success to a new level. Sign up for your own workshop at http://coldtogold.com/ by clicking START NOW.

To your success!

Scott

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My Sales Team Is A Bunch Of Order Takers

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:18:08 PST

Do you need more sales? Are your sales people good at taking orders but failing at making the numbers? Have you ever said "Why won't my salespeople pick up the phone and grow some new accounts for us?"

Or, have you ever caught yourself saying "My Sales Team Is A Bunch Of Order Takers"?!

You're not alone. It is why I created Cold to Gold TM (www.ColdtoGold.com). The truth is that salespeople lack a system for getting in the door. Companies, thinking salespeople need to be trained on how to make a sale, spend tons of money on consultative selling processes and company product knowledge training sessions. Your salespeople could have all the knowledge in the world, but if they lack a system to help them actually get in the door, make a call, send an email, or get the appointment, they never get the meeting in the first place!

After realizing I knew how to get in the door AND how little companies were spending on this valuable service, I developed Cold to Gold specifically to meet this need. Cold to Gold breaks down the problem most companies have with their approach to prospecting. We analyze the error in how salespeople approach the entire prospecting process: from strategy to research, practice, cold calls, emails, letters, phone techniques, and move each Mind Spark Session TM participant from guesswork approaches that fail to surefire methods that win. Some salespeople will DOUBLE their production within just days after learning Cold to Gold.

Mind Spark Sessions are a system of learning I discovered by studying the best teachers and learning systems in the world. It is based on 4-hour workshops. I call them mind spark sessions because of the way the information is taught is the fastest way of getting the information in my brain into your brain short of a "Vulcan Mind Meld"! Mind Spark Sessions are highly effective and efficient - as a salesperson, myself, I *hate* spending time in BORING sales training workshops. But I LOVE learning when the people teaching me GET IT: my time is valuable - give it to me straight, quickly, and in a way that INSPIRES ME. Thus - Mind Spark Sessions. Your team won't even have to leave "the field" of selling to learn!

If I'm singing your song, visit http://www.ColdtoGold.com, and sign up your new hires in a Mind Spark Session (webinar). If they report back they love it, enroll the whole sales team! Try it out - I guarantee you'll get the bang for your buck. Even your salespeople who aren't "order takers" will learn some new ideas that will grow their sales, too.

Cheers! ~ Scott

P.S. - For a limited time, I'm offering corporate sponsorships for Cold to Gold. If this might apply to your firm, drop me a note at info (at) ARRiiVE [dot] com.

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Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:20:09 PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHELL BEACH, CA -- ARRiiVE Business Solutions Launches COLD to GOLD^TM Mind Spark Sessions^TM.

COLD to GOLD Mind Spark Sessions (www.ColdtoGold.com) offer participants the opportunity to learn proven techniques to increase communication skills to stop blowing cold calls and start blowing away quotas. Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions, started offering Cold to Gold through a Keynote two years ago, and after receiving impressive feedback from audiences decided to expand content to include learning techniques to help each person assimilate Cold to Gold concepts through interactive sessions.

Scott realized the importance of Cold to Gold when he polled over 100 companies, asking, “What is your greatest challenge to generating new sales?” Surprisingly, clients overwhelmingly stated their biggest challenge is how to get in the door and build new relationships with the right people. “That’s Cold to Gold’s target: how to get in the door and build long-term successful business relationships.” says Andrews. Through Cold to Gold, Andrews shares the biggest mistakes salespeople make; then counters with how to build sales success. Andrews drills-down into ways to structure your sales territory, how to write scripts and make phone calls, how to write letters, and send emails more effectively. Through Cold to Gold, Andrews shares techniques that helped him build a “Summit Club” record of success blowing away quotas at companies like IBM, DecisionOne, EMC2 and Diamond Resorts.

Andrews calls Mind Spark Sessions “The fastest and most effective method of training available today.” Mind Spark Sessions utilize a learning system Andrews developed through studying the very best trainers in the world and applying their techniques into a simple and effective learning system: rapid story-telling, high impact visuals, permission (or “buy-in” to each concept), then integration through an exercise cementing each concept in mind through a learn by doing approach. (Learn by doing is also popular at nearby California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo). “Mind Spark Sessions are beyond workshops or training; Mind Spark Sessions represent the quickest way to get the information from my head into your head short of a Vulcan ‘mind-meld’,” says Andrews, making a humorous reference to the thought transfer process used by Spock in the popular Star Trek TV series and movies.

Initially, Andrews is offering Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions through online WEBINARS you can schedule now at ColdtoGold.com. He offers corporations the opportunity to SPONSOR Mind Spark Sessions for a limited time, too. Scott is also working on developing Cold to Gold into a series of videos he will promote through an Internet launch later in 2010. Cold to Gold Mind Spark Sessions are available for a limited time at a special rate starting at $297 – a bargain considering the high cost of airline tickets, gas prices, and hotel room fare, according to Andrews. He also cites an increasing need for resources like this after the current economic recession “squeeze” affecting so many companies.

ARRiiVE Business Solutions (www.ARRiiVE.com) is a private company offering innovative services to help business leaders improve sales and marketing success. ARRiiVE, offering business solutions from the Central Coast of California since 2006, originated out of AspireNow.com, a website founded in 2000 by Scott Andrews now globally reaching over 50,000 people each month.

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Keynote Speaking - Sales, Team Building, and Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:26:22 PST

Event Planners: seeking a highly capable and entertaining speaker for your corporate event?

Book Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions, for your Keynote:

Description: Scott is an internationally acclaimed speaker who gives highly entertaining talks that combine common sense, practical knowledge, and a keen sense of humor that keeps audiences involved and entertained. His professional keynotes have ranged from 10 to 3,000 people.

Current Topics:

Cold to Gold: The Power to Get In

David & Goliath: Selling to Large Corporations

Millennium Team Building for Maximum Success

Innovation Rock Stars: From Vision to Reality

Call to book Scott, now:

Dial (805) 459-6939
Send check to ARRiiVE Business Solutions

More details about Scott Andrews, ARRiiVE Keynote Speaking, here.

Also, click here for details about Scott's self-help speaking.

As someone who has been a DJ/MC for weddings, MC for major music festivals, performer in front of crowds up to 5,000 people, Scott is well-suited to help you make your event more successful. He understands what goes on behind the scenes to make the event come off polished AND make an impact speaking.

Best of success to you with your event!
________________________________________

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Move Your Money For A Better Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:49:33 PST

For businesses in America who are frustrated with the economy, I have a simple question:

Are you banking with one of the fourteen banks who were "too big too fail"?

You know which banks I'm talking about... they were responsible for the last great depression and once again, they were responsible for the recent collapse in 2008/2009, too.

Banks who are backed by the families named Morgan, Chase, Goldman-Sachs, etc., along with banks like Bank of America, Citibank, and, Wells Fargo, etc..

Are you going to continue to support the banking policies of these banks? If so, you might as well start wearing an "I love Potter" shirt every New Year to show off your allegiance.

If you're saying, "I love George Bailey" well then do yourself and your community a favor and move your money from the "big fourteen" to a regional, community bank. You money is insured by the FDIC, and you'll probably get better service, as well.

This concept is inspired by a post I read at the Huffington Post:

"The idea is simple: If enough people who have money in one of the big four banks move it into smaller, more local, more traditional community banks, then collectively we, the people, will have taken a big step toward re-rigging the financial system so it becomes again the productive, stable engine for growth it's meant to be. It's neither Left nor Right -- it's populism at its best. Consider it a withdrawal tax on the big banks for the negative service they provide by consistently ignoring the public interest. It's time for Americans to move their money out of these reckless behemoths. And you don't have to worry, there is zero risk: deposit insurance is just as good at small banks -- and unlike the big banks they don't provide the toxic dividend of derivatives trading in a heads-they-win, tails-we-lose fashion."

Can you agree to this principle?

Watch the video and then decide for yourself if this is a good New Year's Resolution regarding your money:

Per Huffington, please "watch Eugene's amazing video, then go to www.moveyourmoney.info to learn more about how easy it is to move your money. And pass the idea on to your friends (help make this video -- and this idea -- go viral!)."

Moving your money from a "big fourteen" bank to a smaller, regional bank can be one way you can contribute to the growth of your local business community and help rebuild our economy the good, old-fashioned, American way.
_______________________________________

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Predictably Irrational Offers Rational Pricing Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:08:47 PST

Would you like choice A or B?

Human beings, when given a choice between: A or B
will choose the better of the two... or will they?

According to the research by Dan Ariely, author of "Predictably Irrational", and an academic, people will actually not always make the right choice if influenced by a number of conditions.

For example, when presented with a slightly flawed "decoy" choice, which Ariely calls -A, the person will choose the choice that does not have the precondition flaw:

So A or B when presented with a slightly flawed "decoy" choice, such as A- or B- when stacked together as A, A-, or B, the person chooses B, because A was presented with a flaw.

Or, when presented with the choice of subscribing to a journal and offered:

Choice #1:
A. Hardcopy subscription $29
B. Online Subscription $59

In choice #1, people typically choose "A" but when presented with:

Choice #2
A. Hardcopy Subscription $29
B. Online Subscription $59
C. Online Subscription + Hardcopy Subscription $59

In the second choice, people choose C considerably more than in the first example. In this case, choice "B" in the second option is obviously flawed, but people will choose C more often because they get something for nothing, in their mind (the hardcopy, in this case).

This is the argument and fascinating case study work shared in the book Predicably Irrational, by Dan Ariely.

The use of a "decoy" in pricing is critical if you wish to drive success of a higher-priced item.

This is also true if you set a precondition of a certain number in the suspect's mind prior to offering a series of numbers, they are more likely to think that number is "acceptable" as a price.

In addition, the use of zero cost items is essential in promoting a lessor quality item. Offer two of them with one free, and you drive sales.

So, in your pricing, are you offer just ONE price? Or, are you offering comparisons. Because, you see, people will buy based upon the COMPARISON guidelines YOU set. In addition, if you state a RANGE of VALUE prior to offering your price, the person buying will be associating value in that value range, and thus be more apt to offer or buy the pricing within a discount from that value.

For example, if you said "an offer like this, at our normal rates, would cost between $10,000 and $12,000" ut for this day only, you can buy at these special rates:

A. Offer A for $5,000
B. Better Offer B for $8,995
C. Both A and B for $9,995

In this instance, we're using three of the theories put forth in Predictably Irrational TOGETHER and thus, driving up both the likelihood that you'll sell the higher priced options B or C and also driving up the likelihood of prospects choosing option C - your highest profit offering. This is using the THEORY of FRAMING EXPECTATIONS with the THEORY of RELATIVE PRICING with the THEORY of DECOY PRICING. Another theory (not mentioned in Predicably Irrational but still a good pricing theory) is the THEORY of LIMITED AVAILABILITY. If people know they can only buy something TODAY, they rush to get it. It is like when K-Mart would run "Blue Light Specials" where the blue lights go on, everyone rushes to buy that item. It creates an "in-store" sensation that increases the odds people visit that store to get good deals. In this instance, it increases the odds they'll buy TODAY.

While some of these pricing strategies are already part of Cold to GoldTM, I'll be adding additional examples of ways to price products in the bonus "Marketing Maven Mashup" guide as we get closer to the online launch of Cold to Gold. Stay tuned...!
________________________________________

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10 Ways to Turn Failure Into Success

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Andrews - ARRiiVE Business Solutions) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:18:34 PST

I once felt like a total failure when losses and lack of capital forced me to close my company doors (temporarily) and get a J-O-B. It was hard to do this - I'd spent hours and hours working on a product I felt could make my company successful. However, I hadn't yet learned the art - or science - of the launch process. As a result, my product launch failed, therefore forcing me to leave re-launch of my company for another day.

My Mother was kind enough to remind me of that early business failure when I told her about my upcoming launch of Cold to GoldTM. But Cold to Gold is different than that early launch failure in several ways. First of all, I'm not launching it until my list and JV program is in place and solidified. Sure, I'll be conducting sales training workshops over the next few months to teach it in person and know how the exercises play out to determine the viability for each of these techniques to be included in the launch videos. After all, it is important to have great product content. And, I'm taking how I failed in the past and using that knowledge to cover my bases in this launch to ensure success. Further, I've studied how other Internet Marketers launch products successfully and utilizing those techniques to launch Cold to Gold. Last, the content in Cold to Gold is unique - you can't get some of these techniques anywhere else - and from early reviews people are telling me this is "kick-butt" information worth more than I'm charging. Not only that, but my last two launches were considerably more successful than that earlier failure. I believe Cold to Gold, on the other hand, will be my most successful launch ever. Why? Because Cold to Gold is my Magnum Opus to selling - the world-class best of class techniques culminated from not just my failures, but also my SUCCESSES.

I know about success: I've gone from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder with five different companies, and in the process learned what separates those who win from those who lose. I also feel that my failures have been turned into learning experiences to win the next time. And that is due to one simple belief:

Failure Isn't As Bad As You Think.

Or, put differently, even the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers might win a Super Bowl again someday. (Sorry Raider fans, I couldn't resist, that was to jab a pal of mine who lives in the Bay Area!)

The reason why failure isn't as bad as you think, seriously, is because you can learn from these failures and use these experiences to craft your next SUCCESS. There are some techniques I've developed to ensure you can turn a failure into a success. I'd like to share them with you in this article. Interested? Here you go:

1st Strategy to Turn Failure Into Success: Learn from it. Failure Is A Great Way To Learn.

In fact, if you're wise, you will learn from your failures, and figure out the things you *missed* the last time... the next time you won't make those mistakes, you will learn from the best, you will model your sculpture of your success...carving away what needs to be removed... shaping...honing it until what remains is the sculpture you most want to convey.

Until maybe you make a sculpture like this one:

After all, that's the sign of success, right? Thumbs up!

I'll never forget Mrs. Hirons, my Freshman English teacher. She would write an "R" on any paper with more than ONE error. She only gave an A for outstanding work. But more than that she would require you to rewrite the paper if you didn't spell right, didn't use proper grammar, and so forth. While I'm not a perfect writer even today, I'm probably a much better writer due to all of the failures I submitted to Mrs. Hirons and the papers I rewrote to get it right and receive an "A" in her class. So, don't get ticked when you get it wrong. Rewrite it. Do it over. That's the joy in life, you can do it again, only the next time with new information gained from the time you got it wrong.

2nd method to turn failure into success: TRY TO FAIL.

How about considering this: TRY TO FAIL! It is one approach that can actually free you of the fear of failure. Imagine if a salesperson actually counted their NO results as much as their YES results. I actually do this in my own call tracking. I track the percentage of success. If I see the percentage go up, then even though I may have heard "no" more often, if I also hear "yes" equally or more often, then I consider that a form of success. What's also cool about trying to fail is you don't have to worry about being perfect; after all, you're not trying to succeed. The funny thing is you just might succeed by accident using this approach.

3rd method to turn failure into success: TRY AGAIN. Don't give up! Learn from your mistake, then try it again with something new. The worst thing that can happen is you fail again, right? The best thing that can happen: you SUCCEED!! Hey- it's possible, believe you can, do it right, and you will!

The 4th method of turning failure into success: REFRAME your DEFINITION of FAILURE and SUCCESS.

Instead of seeing failure as SUCCESS = ME TRY = ME FAIL
Look at it as ME + TRY = FAIL + LEARN & TRY AGAIN (repeat until DO RIGHT) = SUCCESS

Success is now not an either/or proposition; rather, success is a destination accomplished THROUGH failure. In other words, you no longer need to avoid failure, but rather, EMBRACE failure. Just be careful you don't embrace it too much!

Here is an awesome video that reinforces this point:

5th strategy to turn failure into success: Choose winners for friends!

Surround yourself with people who have failed, then went on to succeed, and you'll be more likely to succeed, too. Do you ever notice how successful people often hang out with other successful people? Who are you hanging out with? Are they successful? Are they wannabees? Are they doing what they say they'll do? Hang out with the people who have failed a lot and succeeded more than the average bear and you'll improve your own chances of success. Why? Because our NETWORK is what helps us become SUCCESSFUL. If I was an owner of a football team, the first thing I would do is make sure that my team was loaded with players who'd won a championship in recent years in several key positions. I'd make sure these were the type of players known to step up and take positions of leadership. After all, if you want to win a championship, it helps to have people who've been there, done that.

Try this exercise:

1. Make a list of the ten (10) people who you hang out with the most.
2. Approximate the gross income of these people on this list.
3. Add the income up, and divide it by 10. This is probably what you make.

Am I right? Or am I wrong? Choose your mentors WISELY. Make sure they're playing at the level YOU want to play at and go for those people as your friends and start hanging out with the people playing at the level you want to be playing. To summarize, surround yourself with the most successful people you can.

While I'm at it, might I suggest the 6th strategy to turn failure into success: LEVERAGE YOUR NETWORK! The concept of LEVERAGE is key to building a house. I'll never forget how my Dad used pulley's and ropes to pull each framed wall up into position in our house. He used leverage to make it possible for two men and a few little kids to lift something that people normally could not lift. Leveraging your network makes it possible to do things that otherwise, on your own, you simply could not do. Rather than try to do all things, who do you know who can help? Leverage these key winners to help you win with your project!

Persistence matters.

Consider these people who went down in history as "great successes" but looking deeper, consider their record:

George Washington: Lost 5 out of 8 major battles in Revolutionary War. He won the battle that mattered most: Yorktown. As they say, you can lose a battle, but don't lose the war. After his early losses, he suffered such despair and depression he almost didn't make it. In fact, the entire army was due to leave prior to the crossing of the Delaware. During that crucial week, Washington pleaded with his army to stay for one more month - that the impact of making a difference with their lives counted upon it. Then he learned that the British left a division of their army relatively unguarded at Trenton. After an opportunity to surprise the British at Trenton and later, Princeton, Washington's victory crossing the Delaware River in the hail, sleet, and cold night that Christmas week turned the tide of the war and enabled the American Government (through Benjamin Franklin) to convince the French to weigh in and help the American cause. It was largely due to the presence of French forces, artillery, and the fleet blocking the British escape, that presented Washington with the opportunity to win the war.

Thomas Edison, the great inventor, was fired at the age of 20 from his job at Associated Press for spilling sulfuric acid from a lead battery onto the floor (which subsequently dripped onto his boss's desk). He later went on to invent the phonograph, quadruplex telegraph, and the first commercially practical incandescent light. According to Wikipedia, several other light bulbs were invented prior, but failed to sustain light for very long. It took Edison about 10,000 tries to get the light bulb to be able to sustain light over prolonged periods of time before replacing the bulb. He later formed General Electric, which today is one of the largest companies in the world.

Ulysses S. Grant, a hero on the Northern side in the American Civil War, failed at every business venture he ever pursued (real estate agent, laborer, and engineer) before being the architect of the offensive strategy that eventually wore down and defeated the superb Army of Northern Virginia and command of Robert E. Lee. You'll note that Grant apparently developed skills from each area he failed at prior to his military career. He later used those skills to varying levels of success in his victories and campaigns at Vicksburg, St. Petersburg, and Richmond. Each of these victories included persistence, feats of engineering, and long laborious struggles to accomplish. So, in my opinion, the earlier failures of Grant's years in business later served a positive impact in his ability to lead an army and win a war. It was his success as a general which enabled him to become a future President of the United States.

After early success with the Apple IIE, and the Macintosh, Steve Jobs lost an internal political battle and got forced out of the company he co-founded. He later went on to fail on many levels with the NeXT computer; however, succeeded in developing an operating system that became the heart of Apple's new iMac product line upon merging back with Apple. He also bounced back with a wise investment in the success of Pixar, the animation company he later sold to Disney. I think the failures of Steve Jobs shaped his ability to know a "winner" from a "loser" with technology to the point of also spotting the opportunities with the iPod, iTunes, and the iPhone.

The 7th strategy to turn failure into success: Stand for a JUST CAUSE.

To quote Abraham Lincoln, who himself lost 6 elections and failed in business twice before becoming the 16th President of the United States of America:

“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.”

In my own past, I've failed at one job, only to emerge victorious a year later in the next job. Why? I believed the job was a just cause. I was told by one boss that I couldn't sell my way out of a paper bag, only to have him offer me back that same job at twice the pay after having every account I touched become a client in the three months after he'd fired me. In the next job, I won a jet ski for my sales success, proving I could not only sell my way out of a paper bag - but all the way to the top of the line amongst a more experienced and aggressive group of salespeople.

I've now launched several products and programs, the most recent the SLO Winter Funk Festival, which broke even in year one (despite horribly cold and windy weather) and now, in year two, is attracting a very impressive board and volunteer staff who I believe can help turn this into a huge success this year. The SLO Jazz Festival (www.SLOJazzFest.org) will follow later in 2010. People are interested in these festivals because they are seen as a JUST CAUSE - something the community, at large, needs, to be more culturally hip and enjoyable.

The 8th strategy to turn failure into success: Keep ACTIVE. Faced with failure, the business leaders who WIN stay in motion. They quit the bad job, they separated from investors they conflicted with, they got up off the sidewalk and went back to work. Even in the situation where Washington lost numerous early battles in the Revolutionary War, he stayed in motion and constantly fooled his opponent as to where his army might be located in order to pick a place to fight when he might win. What works in battle works in business, too. Stay in MOTION. Then pick your spots to win carefully. It's true in sports, too! Ever notice how when a quarterback is just about to be sacked, but somehow escapes his tackler. Next thing you know, he's throwing to a wide-open receiver, because the defender thought the play was over! The quarterback and receiver STAYED IN MOTION!

This happened again during Game 4 of the current World Series on November 1, 2009, when the Phillies first kept in motion by coming back in the 7th and 8th innings with a run in each inning to tie the score at 4-4 after being down 4-2 earlier in the game. The Yankees began the 9th inning with two outs still tied 4-4. The next batter, Damon, was down in the count one ball and two strikes. It did not look good for the Yankees, as going into the bottom of the 9th in Philadelphia could result in a loss easily. However, Damon but battled back to get on base after fouling off several pitches. Damon then stole second and when nobody was covering third base he stole third, too! The Yankees kept the play in motion and ended up with three runs to go up 7-4 at the end of the inning. It was Damon's crucial at-bat that won the game, though. Their closer came in and finished off the Phillies one-to-three in the bottom of the ninth to win the game and go ahead 3-1 in the series. Although they lost game 5, the Yankees again kept it in motion by coming back to lose 8-6 after being down 6-1 early in the game. My bet: they'll win the series tonight - probably by keeping the ball in play every way they can and playing heads-up baseball. As my brother says "I like baseball because it is about the only sport without a clock determining when the game is over. You simply HAVE to get the guy out, or you lose." Therefore, baseball is also the ultimate game to watch to see how teams keep it in play, stay in motion, and keep active to stay alive and win games.

The 9th strategy to turn failure into success: GRATITUDE. Celebrate all small victories and even a few failures. It is okay to fail. I'll never forget the manager who SPIFFED (I believe SPIF stood for Special Performance Indicator Fund) a salesperson who tried something different, even though they lost the deal. They wanted to reward taking chances. Express gratitude through rewards, pats on the back, for EFFORT. People who try things and keep trying to improve ought to be rewarded when they DO succeed, too. I always love when a baseball team congratulates a PITCHER (normally not good hitters) for laying down a successful bunt to advance the base runners, even though he got out in the process. That's a prime example of this strategy at work.

The 10th and last strategy to turn failure into success is to either take uncommon chances and/or learn from those taking the chances. The people who are willing to try new things are likely to fail more often. But, they also discover new ways to win! Sometimes, by going for it, they inspire the rest of the team to go for it, too. Those willing to live on the bleeding edge are experiencing that blood for a reason. A friend of mine yesterday told me I ought to wear a shirt that says "been there, done that" because of all of my experiences in life and business. Another strategy is to follow those who live on the bleeding edge, then ask THEM for advice about what to do or not to do. You might limit your failures this way and increase your successes through the wisdom of someone else who has been there, done that.

In what way have you failed? Perhaps you need to redefine the failures of your past and find ways to incorporate what you did right, eliminate what you did wrong, and turn the wisdom from that loss into winning strategies in your future. For those who currently feel like a failure in the middle of this current market recession, let me remind you that many of the world's greatest human beings emerged victorious from periods of loss, downtime, or other catastrophe. I encourage you to do the same. Keep yourself in play, look for an optimum time to launch your strike, then strike with all you have, and you will win.
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