Mentors Forum

Emma asked

"My husband and I started a business 18mths ago. We had great ideas and everything has gone quite well but the current recession makes thing hard and we are not growing custom as we want and need. It's hard to find business when there is no money around."

Answer     You know, all the focus on the recession has an element of self-fulfillment. We tend to get what we focus on so if we focus on money being hard to find and customers being difficult to get then we will find it hard to see the customers and their money. Remember two things - you see what you are looking for so if you are looking for good customers and their money you will see lots of possibilities and you can follow up on these, whereas if you see a shortage of customers and money you will see that scarcity and have little to follow up on. Second, ask yourself "Unless we have somehow burnt or ripped it up, where has all the money gone?" All the money that has ever been created is still there somewhere. There is no less money than there ever was, just that it is not where we are used to finding it perhaps. If you know there is still just as much money around then you can spend time finding it rather than giving up and thnking there is less money than there used to be! Think outside the square.

Tony asked

“You present a proposal to a business owner, how do you get them to say yes rather than fobbing you off?”

 Answer  it is important to really listen to the business owner. First make sure that you get them at a time when they are least likely to be distracted. I suggest that you call their secretary (if they have one) and find out whether they come in early or stay late and then ring them just a bit before or a bit after working hours to catch them when they have some quiet time. It is also a good idea to make an appointment for the phone call and be really sure that you do call right on the time you said you would.  

The next thing is to be sure that you really listen to them. Strange though it sounds, it is a good idea to have the phone to your right ear when you are listening as your right ear communicates to the more analytical left side of the brain!

Finally you need to encourage them (with one word or just encouraging sounds) to fully explain what the blocks or issues are that prevent them from making a decision or saying “yes”. Suspend your own ideas and try not to think about how you are going to answer until they have fully explained.

Now your objective is to propose ways that you might help them with these issues or challenges so that they can say yes to the proposal.

Finally, remember, until they actually say “no” they are still thinking so you need to persist and keep making contact. Be in control and always finish a contact with them, or whoever makes their appointments, by stating when you will call again - and then make sure you DO call exactly at that time.  If they eventually say “No” then at least you can move on to another prospective client.

Hope this helps a bit and you find some ideas you maybe have not had in the past.

Mandy asked

"Do you also help with assertiveness?"

Answer  yes definitely we work with people on assertiveness. Being challenged in being assertive is related to self confidence and to communication skills so when we work on assertiveness we often get added benefits in other areas of our life too.

Remember, contrary to popular belief, life wasn’t meant to be hard!

Colin asked

"I have heaps of goals and ideas but I never seem to achieve anything. I thought that stating goals in measurable way was supposed to help you achieve your plans - why doesn't this work for me?"

Answer Setting measurable goals is only part of the answer. There are a couple of other factors that may be important for you to consider. First - have you set time lines for those goals? Are they not only measurable but do you also have a definate time by which you wish to achieve them? If you leave the time open then there is no sense of urgency and you can easily just let time roll on without really making a concerted effort to turn those goals into reality. But it seems to me Colin, that your issue is more likely to be having too many goals at once. You see we are really only able to focus on and put energy into a certain number of things at one time. It is more efficient and effective to have one or two goals that you are really putting all your time and energy into and once you have achieved these (or at least got them well under way) then you can set up another one or two. Good luck - at least you know how to set goals and have things you want to achieve. A lot of people get stuck just working that out!

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