I have to say that I was pretty shocked today In an email promoting our upcoming Powerhouse Event, I made reference to Obama’s visit to Ottawa. As a professional speaker, I admire his abilities as an orator regardless of his or my political beliefs. Well, after I sent it but I was shocked to received a number of visceral email responses. I was attacked personally, Canada was attacked and I cannot repeat most of the comments made about Obama himself. I’m a big girl and can handle it. I feel that Obama’s skills as a communicator are undeniable, regardless of your political views. Like him or Lump him, I suggest we learn from his success.

I think there is a very important lesson in this. As sales and business professionals, we need to have an open mind and learn from those around us – even if they are in different businesses (or different political parties). I had a similar reaction from a few members of the Engage community when we announced Sydney Biddle Barrows as a speaker at the Powerhouse Sales Event. Yes, she did develop many of her strategies while working in an unusual business that many would consider unsavory. But many of those strategies are directly applicable to all of our businesses and ignoring them means forfeiting opportunities to grow revenues and giving the competition an advantage. There is a reason why the Harvard Business School included Sydney’s book in it’s curriculum and Forbes named it to it’s top-ten list…So you disagree with her previous line of work. That no reason to discount the facts of her success.

Learning from the successes of others, even if they are different or you don’t agree with them, is critical to reaching your potential. As old boss of Chris’s used to say: you can be right or your can be dead right. As I like to say, I’d rather be rich than right.

Open your mind and learn from those that make you the most uncomfortable. Its these lessons that make us the most successful.

Colleen

The other day I received the following blog post from Leadership Guru Cheryl Cran

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My Prediction 5 Years Ago Has Come True!

I hate to say I told you so……but when I first told an audience 5 years ago that in the future Baby Boomers( I call them Zoomers- a boomer who refuses to age) would not be retiring at 65 I would receive groans, rolled eyes and disbelief.

Well……current research says that 43% of zoomers surveyed will NOT be retiring as planned.

I was basing my proclamation on the fact that the values of Gen Y and Gen X were shifting the workplace environment and that Boomers knowledge would be needed and financially they would need to continue to work.

Well here we are—- in a new economy that has transformed the balance of financial security for all of us. For those boomers who had their retirement in stocks or mutual funds that money has disappeared.  The result is a radical shift in what the future looks like and many zoomers are making major decisions right now to stay in the workforce or to create new sources of income.

Here’s a new prediction- the challenges of having three generations in the workforce are here to stay for at least a few more decades! We will no longer be focusing on the differences between the generations rather companies will be focusing on innovation and creativity by harnessing the unique thought patterns  and ideas of each generation.

Fast forward to 2012 and we will be experiencing a new world that is based on connection between all generations, value of contribution to the entire globe and profit for all contributors.

The opportunity for all of us right now is to embrace the changes, acknoweldge how we may be personally blocking progress and to take positive control of the future.

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Smart observation Cheryl!  It’s funny because I just received an email from a client that I know would put some of my colleagues over the edge! He is with a Fortune 100 company…and I found it fine! 

“Travlin 2day but will b in tch w u tues or wed of nxt week. Thank u and we wll tlk soon.”

 He is an “Xer”. I am an “Xer”. How do you think his Baby boom clients/partners/employees would respond? Would they understand? I think success will come to those who learn to speak each others language, be open to different working styles, and embrace the diversity in the generations rather than complain about it.

 Sell more -  In any economy to any generation!

Colleen

Hello Experts!

 The gloves are off and its time to see what is more profitable – from your perspective. Email prospecting or telephone prospecting? My good friend Nancy Bleeke sent this note around to a few Female Sales Experts and I thought you would love to weigh in on the topic….

“You know how sometimes you get information that causes you to pause and think “Whoa, am I out of touch with a business practice that works?”  I received a note today that I thought was great fodder for your expertise…and I will quote your responses in the blog post I am doing on this.  If you have a previous blog post or article addressing this, please send the link.

 A colleague sent me the following message about asking for an appointment via email with someone you have never made contact with

 The email she received!”

 Hi A,

I’m following-up on the email I sent you a couple of weeks ago. I’m checking to see if you’ve given consideration to Sales Training Consultants and Callbox working together on setting business appointments for your sales team. If you’d like to talk more about this, just let me know when I should give you a call.

For more about our work with the Business Services industry, click here.

You can also make a direct online inquiry about our services.

Sincerely,

B

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“Don’t ya just love this kind of marketing!!  Are her fingers broken?  Do people really do this through email and have success? What do you think?  Does this approach work?  Two emails to set an appointment?  Are we being old fashioned?  What advice would you give to this woman and company?” – Nancy Bleeke

 Response #1 from Kendra Lee:

 Yes, email prospecting does work. I write, speak, coach and train on how to do it all the time and get people who tell me what great success they’ve had. However, the approach this person used is inappropriate for a number of reasons. Here are just 3 strikes against her: 

1. She probably never sent the first email she referenced and the recipient will know that
2. There’s nothing that would interest the recipient because it’s all about the seller – no value proposition, triggering event, ROI
3. It’s all about clicking to go their site, nothing about talking and learning about the recipient’s needs which a good seller knows is key to selling anything

Kendra Lee KLG Group

Response #2 from Tonya

We provide this type of prospecting service for our clients -and I can tell you, if there is a lack of personal engagement (especially in B2B sales) like this is a perfect example of, your results and ROI will be disappointing at best.  Pick up the phone and show you care

 Tonya Signa, Signature Marketing Services

Response#3 from Molly Cox

As a buyer my first thoughts would be .why isn’t she calling me?   Does she have a man voice?   Does she talk though a voice box? Okay, seriously tho’, if people can do this more power to them. There is an art to writing a compelling e-mail that would make someone want to go to the next level. I’ll be interested to know if soon we’ll be texting people for sales. Guess I’m an old “build the relationship” kinda gal.

 Molly Cox

Your responses?I would love to hear what you think! Are you for email prospecting or against it? Do you have proof it works or doesn’t work? Now is your chance to wade in on this topic.

Cheers Colleen

Sales Dog 2009 Sales Outlook Survey

You will be interested in the results of SalesDog.com “2009 Sales Outlook Survey.”

There were some surprising findings. It’s not often that 98% of any group of salespeople can agree on anything, but they did on one question in this survey.

Read the Survey Results