Author: Garth Beyer

Maybe, just maybe if you were to travel to another country and shut off all electronics, then you can really be off.

But even then, it’s a smallll world.

(Even when I was in Cambodia at an off-the-beaten path bar, the bartender happened to be someone from Madison, WI.)

Whether we want to or not, we always have to be on.

In the hyper-connected world we live in, the expression of “what you do when no one is watching” doesn’t apply, because someone always is – one way or another.

This fact, of course, isn’t one to be frustrated with or something worth trying to fight.

We can use it as a reminder to be accountable, caring and more thoughtful.

Stay Positive & Appreciative That There’s No Switch

Photo credit

You have a message that needs sharing, no doubt. People who need convincing. Stories to tell. A product or service to talk about and vocalize what’s on the sell sheet.

As easy as it is to start with what you have to say, it’s far more beneficial to start with getting the other person or people feeling comfortable.

To set aside our agenda and open our ears, to get conversation going, to help others feel comfortable. – Not to make it easier to sell to them (though it does that), but to make it an experience that is worth them talking to others about.

No one has ever said “Damn, he came at me with his pitch and it was stupendous. You have to reach out to him and hear it for yourself!”

An aside: Anytime you’re doing a virtual gathering, the faster you can get to everyone interacting and feeling comfortable, the better the experience will be. If an agenda is necessary, label the first act of business as “chit chat.” Even that simple signal let’s those attending know that they can put down their guard and be present.

Stay Positive & Comforting

Photo credit

When you don’t get sign ups, it doesn’t do well to get disappointed or frustrated or sad.

Well, maybe it feels good to feel the emotions, but only (only!) if one thing follows: a change of action.

When something doesn’t work, it’s not just a learning; it’s an obligation to find out what didn’t work and to fix it.

And heaven forbid, don’t think timing had anything to do with it. That’s a cop out of doing work to make it something worth attending, buying, sharing, signing up for etc.,

Stay Positive & Better Next Time

Photo credit

Prompts. Statements. Mantras.

Riffs. Orders. Proverbs.

They can all evoke emotion and action and momentum, no doubt.

But there’s nothing like a question

A question can get your team in sync.

A question can shine a light on the actual issue or work worth doing.

A question can be the token of entry to building brand loyalty.

There’s nothing quite like a question, is there?

Stay Positive & Have You Asked Anything Today?

Photo credit

“What’s your favorite beer?” can do wonders in selling beer from your cooler. More so than riffing from your latest product sell sheet.

“When did you last have a really solid sleep?” is an emotionally evocative question that makes it easier to connect with someone you’re working to sell a mattress to.

Basic questions get you basic answers.

Better questions pull on memories and associates to evoke emotion.

That’s the mark of a true salesperson, one who cares enough.

Stay Positive & Ask Better Questions

Photo credit

When we search for fit, we often get sidetracked by the present.

Does the peg fit into the square hole?

That might work for manufacturing components, but not when it comes to people.

“Can this person do this job?” isn’t a worthy question to ask when looking for fit.

A better question: “What experiences has this person had in getting to this point?”

The experiences shape the dreams a person has and the culture they’ve developed.

If you get a person with the right dreams and cultural background that fit the dreams and culture of your business, then you have the real fit you’ve been looking for.

Stay Positive & Find The Fit

Photo credit

Spark plugs don’t have to be perfect to get an engine rolling.

They can be a little dated. They can be a little rusty. They can be a little used.

Even as a set, they might still function with one or two spark plugs that are kaput.

Same goes for ideas, really.

Stay Positive & Keep Sharing Your Ideas

Photo credit