Overcoming Obstacles Leads to Success
At C4 Connections, we are always looking for sources of inspiration and examples that keep us motivated to generate success. Many of us face circumstances and obstacles in our daily living, but I doubt many of us have had to face challenges of the magnitude faced by Louis Zamperini. During his life, Zamperini:
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Was an immigrant, who could not speak English
Was poor
Was bullied, fought back, and faced a troubled youth
Enlisted in the Army during WWII
Crashed a plane in the ocean, was stranded 47 days, and survived (the longest survival at sea on record)
Declared missing at sea and killed in action until the war ended
Was a Japanese POW for 3 1/2 years
Was brutally beaten and tortured for the entire time of his detainment
Suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder following the war
Could not keep a job
Was an alcoholic
Was suicidal and abusive to his wife
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Here is Zamperini accomplished in spite of the hurdles mentioned above:
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He won a California state track title and received a scholarship to USC
Qualified for the 1936 Olympics
Attended the Olympics and shook Hitler’s hand
Traveled to Japan to forgive those who tortured him
Started a camp for troubled youth
Received numerous awards and lifetime achievement awards
Appeared on Jay Leno in June of 2012 at the age of 95 years old
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In Laura Hillenbrand’s book “Unbroken,” Louie’s improbable life and story plays out. While he faced overwhelming, life threatening and life changing events he never gave up hope. While his circumstances certainly molded his life, they did not define who he was or what he wanted to accomplish.
Can you say the same about yourself? Do you let your circumstances, both past and present, define today’s outcome? Don’t. Today is a new day. It holds its own outcome. While your circumstances don’t disappear, if you let them define who you are or could potentially become…then they will. This can seriously put your potential for success at risk.
Here are the attributes that Louis’ credits with his overwhelming desire to overcome his obstacles in life:
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A deep desire and curiosity to experience life
A great sense of humor
A love of people and a desire to help others
An ability to self-motivate
Always taking responsibility
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Maybe we can’t all be as successful as Louis…but we can sure use him as an example and try.
Door-to-Door Sales Jobs – Are they a Path to Success?
Anyone who has ever gone door-to-door to sell products can tell you that the work is challenging. It takes self-motivation, the ability to withstand rejection and a whole of lot of door knocking. Door-to-door sales is simply not a job for everyone. Over the years at C4 Connections, we’ve employed thousands of sales reps – some good, some bad and some just amazing. Many many times we get asked, “Is a door-to-door sales job a good path to future success or advancement?” We believe the answer is absolutely, “Yes!” But that noted, it also includes a follow up, “it depends.”
So why the dual answer? Well, we know for a fact that door-to-door selling can lead to bigger and better things down the road. All of our top executives each began their career in door-to-door sales. Also, one of the top executives in our parent company also got his start in door-to-door. The, “It depends,” comment points back to where we started this blog post. Those who succeed in door-to-door are the ones who give it all they have, who have the commitment to stick with the difficult process of learning the ropes during those especially difficult early days. Far too many would-be sales reps throw in the towel after one or two tough days. Door-to-door sales is a numbers game. You have to stick with it, and you have to push yourself and strive for success. We firmly believe that sales is 1% selling skill and 99% hard work. If you can succeed in door-to-door, you absolutely have what it takes to succeed in other areas of the business world. So what are you waiting for? If you want to give it a shot, contact us today.
Continue Reading »Perseverance is the Key to Success
Failure occurs when we quit or stop trying. Perseverance is the key to success. After thousands of efforts to make the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison said, “I haven’t failed, I’ve identified 10,000 ways that it doesn’t work.” Mario Lemieux, Helen Keller, Abraham Lincoln, Marie Curie and an endless list of other great achievers found that success inevitably arrives for everyone who perseveres.
Acquiring a desired job or promotion, or succeeding at business may present difficulties. But this is part of the learning process. Ultimately, people who persevere become successful. They learn from mistakes. Do you persevere? Or, after meeting rejection or difficulties, do you quit?
Tips for Persevering
Clarify your goal - Base it on your mission/passion, needs and abilities. Know why you want your goal and how you and others will benefit. State your goal in the present. Write desired outcomes, what you want to accomplish. Be detailed, specific, and positive.
Intend to achieve you goal. Outline goal, strategies and timeline. Know resources that can help you attain your goal, such as people, associations and the Internet. Break the goal into small steps, working backward form your desired outcome and achievement date.
Develop support systems. Meet regularly with positive, encouraging people who support your goals and celebrate your achievements. Select other sources of positive reinforcement such as books or tapes with uplifting themes.
Choose productive attitudes and behaviors. Don’t dwell in the past, worry about what might happen or view your-self as a victim.
Maintain optimism. Reinforce the positive in yourself and others. Expect good things. Watch self-talk. Replace negative thoughts or statements with positive ones. Keep a diary of each day’s good experiences.
Focus on what you can do. Acknowledge your accomplishments. Judge your accomplishments against personal standards of self-improvements.
Have the courage of your convictions. Don’t change for others or compare yourself with others.
Develop the will to risk. Don’t fear mistakes. Ask: ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ Decide whether you could live with the worst or take steps to reduce the chance of it happening.
Research your goal to reduce negative outcomes. For example, interview successful people who have achieved similar goals. Learn from their mistakes. Live in the present.
Don’t worry about what might happen. View mistakes as opportunities to grow.
Let go of attachments. The more attached you are to something, the greater the fear of losing it.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Care for you mind, body, emotions and spirit. Schedule quiet times to think and reassess. Practice stress relievers such as deep breathing, exercise, meditation. Get sufficient sleep, eat healthy. Take time for fun and friends.
Practice imagery. Imagine yourself living your goal today. Hold your desired outcome firmly in your mind. See, smell, touch and hear aspects of your goal. Each morning upon rising, review your goal. Repeat the process at night.
Persist. Focus on goals daily. With every “no” of defeat you’re closer to a “yes” of success. If you learn from set-backs and stay on course, success will follow. Every day, at regular intervals, ask yourself whether your activities are helping you attain your goal.
Believe you’ll attain your goal. Persevere. When your mind, emotions and activities focus on your goal, you can achieve the extraordinary.
Signs of a Successful Sales Person
1) Knows their product
2) Loves their product
3) In early
4) Stays late
5) Manages their decision making using The Square Approach, each of the following being a leg of the square:
· Faith
· Family
· Fitness
· Finance
6) Selling by inspiration and not out of desperation.
Continue Reading »Some Thoughts on Meeting Your Full Potential
In a recent poll, success.com subscribers were asked, “How do you need to improve in order to live your potential? The figures below show how people responded noting, “ I need to…?”
44%- Believe I can achieve my dreams.
18% – Not let financial setbacks stop me in my tracks.
16% – Take the first step toward my big goal.
12% – Make my health a priority.
11% – Devote more time to the people who matter to me most.
After reading this, I was struck by a several things:
- The power of doubt. The number one answer was that people believe that the lack of belief will keep them from achieving what they want. How true. If you don’t believe it can be done…it won’t get accomplished. This proves once again that our biggest stumbling block is us. If you just show up, you will fail. Stop pretending to be a leader and lead.
- I thought setting goals would have made the list. It didn’t. Have you set any? What are they? Does anybody besides yourself know what they are? Are they measureable and achievable? What are you doing today, right now to achieve them? What is your plan? If you can’t answer these questions quickly, you are not even giving yourself a chance. Take a minute, figure it out and sit down with someone who can hold you accountable. Share them with your, manager, director, VP. If they don’t know what they are, how can they help you?
- Making more or investing more didn’t figure into the calculation. I often hear young people talk about having kids and waiting until they can afford them. I have six. You can never afford them. If you are waiting on a big pay day or some other financial windfall to create another, you are stuck at the starting gate. Most of the wealth in this country wasn’t inherited, it was created. If you sell more, you make more. Save it. Spend it wisely. You get out of the gate by taking the first step. Sometimes, you don’t know where the path leads, but take the step. Talk to one more person, pass out one more business card, buy somebody lunch.
The Power of Perception – Take the Time to Appreciate What’s Truly Important
No words of motivation today, but this story seemed valuable enough to share.
THE SITUATION
In Washington DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the DC Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
.
.
Think About It!
Avoiding the “IT” that Keeps Us from Our Goals
We all have IT. It grabs us by throat and paralyzes the body. It stands in the way to what we REALLY WANT.
It prevents us from achieving success in life. It doesn’t allow us to become the better version of us. What is this…
The FEAR. – False Evidence Appearing Real
We were born with only 2 fears – the fear of falling and loud noises. All other Fears are learned behaviors.
Stuff we don’t even allow ourselves to consciously think about. So we put it somewhere in the back of our minds.
We cover it up with smiles and “thanks – I’m-greats”. We mask it with hundreds of excuses why we haven’t yet achieved what we dream about every night. But it’s still here.
WITH US……… WITH YOU……. WITHIN………
Think of your most precious dream, of your most cherished goal you want to achieve. For a minute put all outside excuses aside. Think what’s stopping you WITHIN from living the life you want.
What’s your most terrifying fear?
What’s your deepest frustration?
In order to accomplish your goal you need to SMASH IT. You have to face it and destroy it with the determination of a Hulk. And there are just two steps that will allow you to do that.
Step 1: Acknowledge your fear
If you want to achieve success you need to face your fears first.
Think of a goal you want to achieve. Think of the fears associated with it.
Describe what you’re afraid of. What worries you? What’s you biggest fear?
What’s the worst that could happen?
Step 2: List the action steps!
List all the action steps you can take to beat it.
Maybe you need to do some research on the subject? Maybe you need to talk to someone who has already accomplished what you’re trying to.
(HINT: That’s ALWAYS a good idea. Find some role models and ask them how they did it.)
How they did it? Were they afraid? How they overcame their stumbling blocks?
This could be your biggest breakthrough. This single step could take you to the next level in no time.
Continue Reading »10 Powerful Tips For Making Direct Sales!
Direct selling is a profession that dates back as early as the late 1800’s when companies like Avon built empires through the use of direct sales to consumers.
Today, direct selling remains one of the most powerful sales channels for a whole host of industries.
I’ve spent years in the direct sales business and have made thousands of sales to customers at the door. Below are 10 tips I’ve garnered from my years of experience that will help anyone selling directly to the customer, regardless of their experience. These tips are in no particular order of importance, but if I were you, I would start with numbers eight, nine and ten. Then start over from number one, just so you can get eight, nine and ten…one more time!!
1.) Present a smooth and natural body language. You must come across as having a purpose for striking up a conversation with a potential client. The customer has to know upfront that you are comfortable with why you are standing before them. Use body language to reinforce the responses you are looking for. Pointing, waving of the hand, breaking eye contact at the right moments are all keys to smooth and natural body language.
2.) Stand with a slight angle to the customer. This gives them a feeling of comfort and non-aggressiveness. “You don’t want to be right in the customer’s face.”
3.) Act official and look busy. Remember, your time is valuable as well. You are at this customer’s home or business to provide good customer service. The impression that your time is as valuable as the customer’s gives the customer comfort that you are there in an official capacity, and they need to listen attentively to what you have to say.
4.) Speak with a flat, relaxed voice and SMILE!! The smile will set the tone, and people naturally respond favorably to a smile. Ensure that tone of your voice is not too excitable or aggressive, but rather matter of fact. Work to give the customer a feeling of comfort so they will listen to your message.
5.) Know your pitch, own your pitch. The customer has to immediately believe you know what you are talking about. You have 30 seconds to break down a barrier, build a rapport and ask for a desired response. You have to be trusted immediately.
6.) Overcome objections and use proper rebuttals. When faced with an objection, agree by relating sincerely to break down resistance. Turn the objection around using a logical response or counter argument (you may want to practice these and think through your answers to common rejections in advance). Recap the program, product or company you are pitching. Then close with the assumption that you’ve overcome the objection, and you are ready to complete the transaction.
7.) Name dropping. Use friends, relatives, and neighbor’s names to give customer comfort that they are not alone and “everyone is doing it.” Do as the Jones’ do!!
8.) Listen.
9.) Listen.
10.) Listen. There’s one simple rule that the best sales people follow. Listen to what the customer is telling you. Let me be more blunt. SHUT UP AND LISTEN!! The customer is directing you to exactly what you should say or do next. If you shut up and listen to what they are telling you, you will know exactly what to do next. Many salespeople blur right over customer buying signs because “they’ve got something important to say”. So they miss the most important signs. The buying signs. Shut up, listen and always be closing.
Continue Reading »The Perfect Summer Job!
It’s about time to begin the annual rite of summer. No, not baseball, although I’m certainly ready for that to begin. (Go Cardinals!)
I’m talking about college kids looking for summer jobs to help get some spending money for the upcoming school year.
There’s waitress/waiter jobs. Fast food jobs…gross. Retail…cooped up inside all day long. Most are minimum wage.
But what if I told you that you could join us at NFuse Direct and earn way, way over minimum wage (like $400 to $800 or more per week), work outside on beautiful sunshine filled days, be part of a fun exciting atmosphere with chances to win iPads and other incentives, etc. I asked one of our college students why he was working with us instead of waiting tables. His answer was simple. My hours are more flexible. He went on to say he had a lot of things going on in the summer and work always got in the way.
Working at NFuse, he added, was great because if he needed some flexibility with his schedule, it was no problem. Not to mention in the marketing, sales, PR fields, this job gave him excellent experience to put on a resume. Of course, we think the guys got a real future with us, so we aren’t going to be so eager to let him slip away!!
So think about what you want to do this summer, then fill out an application with us and make great money while working on that summer tan!!
Continue Reading »
Undercover Boss!
Last week, my Director of Sales, our client and I set out on a four city tour of our Ohio markets. One of those days was highlighted by something I have rarely had time to do for several years…go to the field. So I donned my ID badge and materials just as each of our reps do every single day and set out to meet and talk with potential new customers. What a great experience!! Like I said, it had been several years since I had been on the streets talking to customers. The first customer I spoke with…well lets just say it wasn’t the smoothest pitch I’ve ever made. In fact, I caught myself doing something we teach our reps to avoid doing….walk away without asking for the sale. As I left that first door and went to the next, the juices started flowing and I rehearsed the close before I got to the second door. By the time I was finished with the second door and closed the sale, ALL THE JUICES WERE FLOWING and I remembered what it was that I loved about this business. I LOVE TALKING TO PEOPLE. Yes, it is the people you meet each day and the co-workers I worked with each day that made this job, more than any other, a job that was fun, exciting and filled with something new every single day. It was doing what I do best….building relationships, talking to people and providing them with a service that I believe deeply in.
Our business isn’t for the faint at heart. It is something that is an absolute RUSH! If you aren’t excited about working in our business after your first day in the field, you’ll never survive!! Those who love it, will always love it. Those who hate it, will never want to do it again. It isn’t a job for everyone. But for those who feel the RUSH, there’s no substitute. You’re hooked. It’s the rush of working with people and the rush of making LOTS and LOTS of money. You can earn more money than nearly 90% of the US population has the potential to earn at our manager level, but also far, far better than any minimum wage job even for our entry level reps.
Join us and let us create a little excitement in your life. We call it JUICE!! Join Us In Creating Excitiement! Apply for one of our positions today and let us fast-track you to a manager level where earning $100,000 plus is not just a “pie in the sky goal” but an expectation!!
Continue Reading »