by Joe Vitale, Recorded Books, 2007. Book on CD
During every waking moment we are in a trance of some kind. Whether we are thinking about how to accomplish a project, what’s for lunch or where to purchase that needed item, we are all in a trance while we consider the options available to us. A trance is the mind set that we are exhibiting at a specific point in time. It defines where our attention is focused and what outcomes we think we need.
Buying Trances teaches sales professionals (and the rest of us as well) how to discover the current trance of their customers and how to break into it or match it so you can then get your message in front of them. The best way to approach a person you need to talk to is to acknowledge and/or mirror the trance they are currently in and then to show how our product or idea can benefit them. The trick is to focus on what your product can do for them and not using techniques that focus on us and our needs. The customer doesn’t care whether you make your goals or not, but they are very interested in whether this product is the best fit for their specific needs.
Using a mix of marketing and hypnotic methods we can get people into a buying trance where they eagerly want to purchase the product or service that will address their needs. Using these techniques we can have more follow through from our customers and increase our sales. It becomes a win-win situation for all concerned.
by Stephen Young, McGraw-Hill, 2007.
We all know that communication with others involves more than just the words spoken. Sometimes the non-verbal communication is the overwhelming communication and is totally opposite to the words that we speak. The inflection, tone, facial features and body language can make or break what our words are saying. Micromessaging explores the microinequities and microadvantages we communicate in all situations. Microinequities are when we unconsciously or consciously communicate negative feedback to those around us. Microadvantages are when we give positive feedback to them. These messages may not be totally clear or understood but they do effect how we view ourselves and our capabilities.
If a leader or manager is using the wrong micromessages they can communicate to their employees that they are not capable of handling assignments given to them. If we expect people to excel they will, however if we expect them to fail they will live up to that expectation as well. “Micromessages are the keys that unlock-or shut down-potential.”
Micromessages happen between two people but they are often observed by others, sometimes in small groups and sometimes in larger groups. The receiver of the micromessages, whether positive or negative, can be forever impacted by the subtle communications.
Stephen Young shares 10 microadvantages we can cultivate to help those who work with us to develop to their highest potential. These microadvantages are how we choose to communicate and include:
1. actively solicit opinions
2. connect on a personal level
3. constantly ask questions
4. attribute/credit ideas
5. monitor your facial expressions
6. actively listen to all
7. draw in participation
8. monitor personal greetings
9. respond constructively to disagreements
10. limit interruptions.
Young tells of his experiences in helping many different companies develop microadvantages as a way of business and the positive outcomes of these practices. Young places the main points in gray boxes which can be used to refresh or reinforce the concepts learned.
Jeffrey Brown, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2007.
We compete every time we interact with others. Some people are stronger competitors than others. The Competitive Edge gives us seven vital principles we can use to compete and still remain true to our values and retain our integrity. Competition does not necessarily have only a winner and a loser, we can all win.
The seven principles are:
1. Know the Rules of the Game
2. Recognize the Right Decision and Make It
3. Define Goals that Reflect Your Values
4. Rethink Winning
5. Know the Psychological Pitfalls of Competition
6. Make Friends with Failure
7. Use Time to Your Advantage.
Using many sports and religious analogies Jeffrey Brown explains each principle and how we can learn to apply it to our greatest benefit. He uses stories to show how each principle works and ends each chapter with what he calls a postgame review that bullets the highlights of the chapter. For instance the postgame for Know the Psychological Pitfalls of Competition contains the following bullets:
Remember that failing doesn’t mean you’re a complete failure
Ponder the qualities of failure and how they confirm you are a worthy competitor
Block out negative thoughts
Rebound so you can be better prepared to perform again among others.
Using the postgame review sections you can refresh your understanding of the chapter and find the sections you wish to work on for yourself.
Jeffrey Brown shows us how to maintain and build our character and integrity in all of the interactions we have. The Competitive Edge shows you how to win while always remaining in a positive light and acting as a positive role model.
by James Kilts with John Manfredi and Robert Lorber, Crown Business, 2007.
Whether you are trying to learn new management approaches or find a method to use for your new business we can all learn from Doing What Matters. James Kilts uses mainly Nabisco and Gillette as his examples but he uses other companies as well if they are the stellar performers in this area. Doing what matters will focus you on the areas to address in your business that will give the greatest returns while maintaining your integrity.
Doing What Matters is divided into three sections:
Fundamentals - Attitudes and People
Leadership
the Future
Using the turnarounds at Nabisco and Gillette Kilts shares why he feels this way of doing business is the right way for him and the gains made by the two companies who both came back from a market share loss.
People are the basis for all companies and Kilts shows how you can set expectations from day one on what employees and shareholders can expect. If goals were not met in the past but the employees were rewarded for their efforts they now know that goals must be reachable and met in order to secure even greater rewards. Kilts believes in not promising lofty goals, but exceeding expectations. Employees can succeed on their own, but with the right leadership they will not only succeed, but you will be able to develop succession plans using the employees in your own company that have developed into fantastic and credible leaders.
Setting a path for your company cannot be for the short term it must be for the future and for the long term. If you lose your integrity you will have a much larger problem to overcome than a loss of market share. Build on the brands you have and the research and development aspects of your company to continue to build your market share and your reputation.
