What's New For This Year?

In my opinion, networking doesn't pay off 'till I sit down and chat with a person that I've met at a networking meeting or event. With that in mind, I am changing my goal this year. From this day forward, I want to walk away with two appointments from each networking event that I attend. And this is not about selling, but finding out what these people do, how they do it and what I might be able to do to help them. Simple.

Another thing that I want to get better at is either entering business card info and comments into my database and then throwing the card away....or throwing the card away immediately. I would say that I am 75% there, but I must admit that there are some business cards sitting on my desk right now.
Bad Girl!

The reason for some of this is that I have tried not to walk into my office at least a couple times per week, just giving myself permission to be Debby! Usually that means reading, but also it could mean yoga or dancing class. (more about that later) When I have really busy days, the paperwork and business cards can mount up, especially when those busy days link together. So, my thought is that I will spend a maximum of 1 hour in my office on a night when it is not a "work night." And the only reason for that time will be to remove those little cards from my desk.

There, you have it. My two resolutions for the year.

Nose to the Grindstone

Part of networking is setting goals for what you want to achieve.

One of the students in my Certified Networker class shared one way that he keeps doing what he needs to do to be successful.

His fiancee is one of his accountability partners. Their commitment to each other is that on Friday night she asks him if he has done what he said that he was going to do for the week. If the answer is yes, they go out for dinner, if not that money they set aside for dinner instead goes to a charity.

He knows that she'll want to go out to eat, and while he doesn't mind giving money to charity, he likes to share time with this wonderful woman in his life.

It is simple and ingenious, because both accountability partners have something to gain in the process.

What systems have you set up to be accountable?

New Sales Manager Tips #2

Yesterday's post gave the first three of nine tips for new sales managers taking over an existing sales team. Three more are listed today. Even though these were written over 13 years ago, they are still good advice.

4. Streamline written sales reports. If upper management or you aren't using the information, eliminate it. Do make sure sales people have what they need to help them plan for the future or review the past. (This was written in the days when most sales people wrote their reports in longhand. With the advent of computers, it is even more tempting to ask sales people for more and more information. That's not bad as long as it is used.)

5. See the goals...and the results. Install a white board to display individual and team successes. Establish small rewards to recognize higher levels of performance. This will also instill a competitive spirit within the team. (Good sales people like to see their name in lights!)

6. Small goals. Encourage team members to write weekly goals and copy to you, so that you may check back regularly to foster accountability on their part. (It also gives you reason to celebrate more often!)

Come on back tomorrow to read the final three.

And keep those sales manager stories coming in.

Wish Me Luck

One of my goals in life is that I want to be paid to present at a national conference.

Well, today I will be halfway there!

Today, I will be giving what is called a Group Round Table at the International BNI Conference in San Diego, California. A Group Round Table is a trial run that is given to a presenter to determine whether the topic or the person is worthy of a larger audience.

These sessions are not recorded as the others are, and since fewer people come, they are more intimate.

But still!

I must admit that I am a little nervous and really I am giving only one third of the presentation.

It's about The Button Jar.

But that's for another time.

I just think it is pretty wonderful that when we put aspirations out to the universe, many times the universe makes room for our wants. And actually I have my friend, Deanna Tucci Schmitt to thank for recommending me.

What would you like to tell the universe?