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Chapter 1

Willy Loman, Rest in Peace!

"People invest in your ability, to deliver to them...
a more favorable future!"

Jeff Blackman

1. Willy Doesn’t Live Here Anymore!

Arthur Miller's play, "Death of a Salesman," shares a slice of life that is rich and poignant. It's a story filled with emotion and pathos. Its richness lies in the fact that it freezes for all times the image of Willy Loman.

Willy is a classic peddler. He's a traveling man with only a shoeshine, a smile and a friend in every town. He's forever optimistic in front of family, friends and associates—certain that big sales will be landed, new territories conquered and greater commissions earned.

And once these are accomplished, he'll be a great man. A great man in the eyes of his proud family, admiring peers and thankful customers.

Unfortunately, Willy Loman is also a tragic character. His psychic and physical energies are focused on creating the wrong goals, performing the wrong activities and achieving the wrong results.

Willy Loman's life is filled with anxiety and frustration. He is jealous of others' success...and confused as to why it isn't him basking in the business glory. Willy Loman wrongly assumes that success in business can only be realized by who you know—not what you know, and by who you cheat—not who you serve.

Stop this business treadmill...I want to get off

However, Willy is right about one thing, that "business" is extremely competitive. The demands are great. The pressures high. Businesspeople throughout the world often confide in me, saying, "My job has never been tougher," "The marketplace is changing," or "I feel like I'm on a treadmill and there's no off button."

Have you ever felt the same way? I thought so!

On a daily basis you must be prepared. Prepared to confront the challenges of meeting deadlines, completing paperwork, prospecting, selling, serving, marketing, negotiating and even dealing with rejection.

Is the list of challenges endless? Perhaps. But, guess what? So are the opportunities.

Opportunities to penetrate new accounts, serve more customers and make more money.

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Jeff Blackman, J.D., CSP is an international speaker, author, success coach, broadcast personality and lawyer. His extensive work with clients in the areas of sales, marketing, negotiations, customer service, leadership and adapting to change—has earned him the title of "business-growth specialist." His books, audio and video business-growth tools include; RESULT$, Peak Your Profits, Carpe A.M. * Carpe P.M. - Seize Your Destiny!, How to Set and Really Achieve Your Goals, Profitable Customer Service and Opportunity $elling. To learn more about how Jeff can help you—maximize results, please contact Sheryl Kantor at sheryl@jeffblackman.com, 847.998.0688, fax: 847.998.0675, Blackman & Associates, Inc., 2130 Warwick Lane, Glenview, IL 60026. Contact Jeff at jeff@jeffblackman.com, www.jeffblackman.com.

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Chapter 1

Willy Loman, Rest in Peace!

"People invest in your ability, to deliver to them...
a more favorable future!"

Jeff Blackman

2. The Future is Bright!

Business, has somehow lost the simplicity that Arthur Miller conveys in his play, "Death of a Salesman." The simplicity of Willy Loman’s perception—that a lead, a sales call and a slap-on-the-back lands new business. Today, a businessperson can no longer simply show up, work their territory and depend upon their friends to give them an order.

Running a business, prospecting, selling or serving customers or clients, marketing and negotiating have evolved into an art as well as a science. It's a new world of business. A world that Willy Loman would never recognize.

To be a successful business professional, new skills are required. Customers are more demanding and less forgiving. Professionalism, quality and value are the norm and the expectation, not the exception.

Today's business pro must be a focused, strategic thinker with an unwavering commitment to serving others. Today's buyer or decision maker doesn't simply want a product or a service, but instead—expects a partner. A consultant. A strategic advisor. Somebody or something that helps grow their business or improve their lifestyle. For each decision maker, you must be a professional or personal growth specialist. This, is the foundation for your success.

As a winning-business pro, you must listen well, trust your gut instincts, act decisively, and have a thirst for new knowledge.

Slick manipulators won't survive in today’s competitive marketplace. Today's business professional must know how to build relationships, gain rapport with prospects, draw out their wants and needs, handle their objections and get favorable decisions.

It's with that in mind, that I created the Peak Your Profits business-growth system. This system is a logical, organized and methodical approach to dramatic-business growth and profitability.

It's simple, but practical and results oriented. It is designed for two purposes: 1) to help you market better, sell better and serve your customers or clients better; and 2) to help you make more money!

The name of the game is—results

Whether you're just beginning your business career, you're on your way up, or you're already on top and want to stay there, Peak Your Profits was created to be both a philosophical and strategic powerhouse for your on-going business strength, development and profitability.

What does Peak Your Profits do for you?

It helps you reach new and unprecedented levels of success:

• To market and penetrate new accounts or industries.

• To sell and serve more than you ever thought possible.

• To negotiate like a pro.

• To seize more opportunities.

• To realize new freedom and flexibility that comes with enhanced financial success.

And, you'll have a profound—almost unfair—advantage over your competition.

Now in order for all these great things to happen, you play the crucial role. My role is really pretty simple. I'm the messenger. But you, put the message into motion.

Our focus is more on action than knowledge. Our focus is more on implementation than ideas. Our focus is more on execution than technique. I strongly suggest, unequivocally urge and repeatedly recommend that you concentrate on not just what you'll learn, discover and soon know, but instead on what you'll do with your new knowledge. Whether you're reading in your home, your office or while on an airplane, let me suggest that you read,

reread and review these pages repeatedly. Underline. Highlight. Jot notes in the margin. Dog-ear the page corners.

Why? Because repetition leads to recognition. Recognition leads to reinforcement. Reinforcement leads to your understanding or internalization. Internalization leads to action. And all these things added together, leads you to...peak your profits.

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Chapter 2

Change: Capsize or Capitalize!

"There is nothing strange or mystical about creativity and change. Nothing superhuman. It is simply your willingness to take a step beyond."

Jeff Blackman
6. The Power and Plight of Change.

By effectively dealing with change, you turn reluctance into resilience, despair into desire and trepidation into triumph!

However, dealing with that change may not come easy. Why? Because the pressures of change are both internal and external. Internal, as you wrestle with your self and your new you and environment. External, as you combat the predictors of doom and gloom, the naysayers and the critics.

The stark reality of this struggle was really driven home when I read the following framed quote on a wall behind a client's desk:

It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes.

The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new.

Their support is lukewarm partly from fear of adversaries, who have the existing laws on their side, and partly because people are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

Without change...

Now, it's easy for me to encourage you to change, but first let's explore what might happen if you don't change and you stay as you are.

First, you must acknowledge that without confronting change you're likely to limit growth. And without growth, you're likely to diminish opportunity. And without growth and opportunity:

• Your profits decline.

• You lose market share.

• You lose quality products and it gets tougher to obtain or create new ones.

• You lose enthusiasm, suppliers, your best people and customers or clients.

As Isay Stemp once said, "There is no such thing as merely surviving or maintaining the status quo in business. As in the organic world, there is only growth and decay, and growth...is the business of business.

The following "fast facts" really drive home the glory of growth versus the devastation of decay:

• Intel is always working simultaneously on two sets of new products—the next product and the one that will replace it.

• During the boom days of the minicomputer, Digital Equipment’s CEO

Ken Olson predicted the PC would be a bust in business. He attacked

the workstation as a "snake oil" concept. In 1992, DEC posted a

loss of $2.8 billion. Olson was canned!

• In 1994, Fortune magazine named Rubbermaid as America’s most

admired company. Perhaps, it’s because each year, Rubbermaid

introduces 365 new products.

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Chapter 3

Victory on the VINe!

Building Relationships and Value.

"Always deliver more in perceived value,
than you take in actual cash value."

Jeff Blackman

16. The Discount Dilemma or OUCH Impact!

Remember, value can be created in countless ways. Later, we'll talk about your values checklist and how it relates to the negotiation process. However, there is a big difference between value, psychic debt and discounting simply to make the sale. I am not telling you not to negotiate, but I think it's essential that you truly understand the impact of a price reduction on your long-term business relationship, career and bottom line.

Let's imagine that your non-sale product or service regularly sells for $100 and the cost of sales is $75. Therefore, your gross margin is $25. Now, what happens if you cut your price? Let's say you trim your price by only 10 percent. Therefore, your new price is $90. Your cost of sales though, is still the same $75. And $90 minus $75 equals a new gross margin of $15. You might be thinking, "That's not a big deal, I only gave up 10 percent to secure the deal." But with a 10 percent price reduction, how much new business must you bring in, to regain the lost margin?

Believe it or not, to regain the lost margin, you'll have to get additional business of almost 67 percent! OUCH! And if you cut your price by 15 percent, you must get additional business of 150 percent! OUCH! OUCH!

When I ask workshop participants, "Why would you want to discount? What might the advantages or disadvantages be?" Here’s how they respond:

Advantages of discounting

• gains new accounts

• generates long-term business volume

• provides credit guarantees or prompt payments

• increases market share

• offers higher exposure to a new business/market

• secures long-term commitments

• gets "foot-in-the-door"

• creates positive "exposure" with a high-profile account

• increases utilization during a slow time

• keeps business that may have been lost

• takes business away from competition

Disadvantages of discounting

• reduces profits

• creates negative impact/perception on existing business

• lowers company’s value to prospective customers

• makes it hard to raise prices later

• starts a bidding war

• erodes margins

• may sacrifice availability

• may sacrifice reliability

• lowers revenues

• lowers commissions

• may cause loss of trust

• creates "low-baller" perception

• conveys an image of an inferior product/service

• causes equipment shortages

• creates management hassles

• reduces company image to level of competition

• makes salespeople lazy

• jeopardizes quality

• turns products and services into a commodity

• sets a scary precedent for future business

Remember, a price reduction may cause you to work harder, not smarter. Plus—price wars can be demoralizing, exhausting and unprofitable!

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Chapter 4

Your Unique Selling Proposition.

"The imagination is the very eye of faith!"

Henry Ward Beecher • American Clergyman (1813 to 1887)

25. Hoist a Cold One to Results!

Claude Hopkins was one of the greatest advertising copywriters of all time. In the early 1900s, his words and ideas transformed products and services with weak sales histories into cash cows. Why? Because Hopkins knew how to capitalize upon the powerful, yet often overlooked, obvious or commonplace aspects of a product or service.

Here's how Hopkins' used the power of a unique selling proposition and preemptive advantage with one of his advertising clients, Schlitz:

Schlitz was a major midwestern brewery, frustratingly entrenched in fifth place among beer manufacturers. Part of the problem was that Schlitz, like all the brewers at that time, was exclaiming that its beer was "pure." While this was true, the word "pure" meant nothing to beer drinkers because every manufacturer made the same claim.

Hopkins knew he could only create a vast distinction for Schlitz if he could discover something unique, out-of-the ordinary, or even commonplace about Schlitz—but something the beer drinking world didn't yet know!

Research Plus Creativity Equals Results

Hopkins began to ask questions. Lots of them. He snooped around. He was like a detective in search of the missing clue. Hopkins’ research uncovered that, at least in the early 1900s, brewers all pretty much made beer the same way. That's why they could all proudly boast that their product was "pure." However, what they didn't tell you, was how their beer became "pure."

Hopkins jumped on that oversight. And he turned it, into a powerful, profitable and preemptive advantage. Hopkins began telling the beer-drinking world about:

• How Schlitz was brewed through great filters, filled with white-wood pulp. • How the pumps and pipes were cleaned twice daily to avoid contamination. • How elaborate machinery cleaned every bottle four times.

• How the Schlitz artesian wells were dug 4,000 feet deep into the earth’s surface to discover pure water.

• How the beer was aged in vats for six months.

• How the unique flavor of Schlitz was developed from a mother yeast cell that was the result of 1,200 experiments.

While other brewers continued to yell that their beer was pure, Hopkins simply told beer drinkers in exacting detail, how Schlitz became pure.

Within two months, Schlitz ascended from fifth place to within dollars of first place. All because Hopkins knew how to describe the common, in an uncommon way. And, most important, he did it first!

Remember, what you currently perceive about your business as being ho-hum or ordinary might present a preemptive advantage that the world will marvel at, respond to and invest in. The key is that you take advantage of the advantage, first, before your competitors.

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Chapter 5

Your Life and E.T.H.I.C.S.:

A Banquet of Consequences!

"Each time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure."

Joseph Sugarman • Entrepreneur

30. A Life. A Lie. A Legacy.

How would you respond, to this question: "Are you willing to lie?" Yes? No? It depends on the circumstances?

How might you answer, if the one asking the question is a current or prospective client or customer? And if you do lie, it is in this individual’s best interests. In the fall of 1986, I was confronted with this question. I call it a question versus a dilemma, because for me, lying is not an alternative.

When my client, a vice president of a nationally known corporation posed this question, I looked at him with surprise, as did the two other vice presidents with us. I paused and asked, "Al, when you say lie, what do you mean?"

He explained, that if I interviewed his salespeople to find out what was really on their minds, what was troubling them and what were their honest feelings about the executive team, I'd be in a better position to help management."

I agreed. However, Al continued, "Jeff, they'll really open up to you if you tell them the information is just for your ears, and you won't share their feelings with us!"

I told him that the trust already developed between his people and me would be more than tarnished, it would be destroyed! Forever! The other two vice presidents sat silently, but nodded their heads in agreement. I further explained, that if we're all to work together, it must be with the same underlying foundation of integrity intact. This commitment to integrity is so crucial to your success as a business professional, I've chosen to address it very early in Peak Your Profits.

Integrity: A non-negotiable

Integrity is based upon truth. Oscar Wilde said, "Truth is never pure, and rarely simple." Truth indeed may not be simple, but the complexities of deceit and situational ethics are monumental. Remember, the greatest advantage of truth, is that it doesn't require a good memory!

I was thankful that once my position was known—the apologetic vice president withdrew his suggestion. He realized that lying, even when euphemistically defined as "creative research" was not a good idea. The other vice presidents agreed.

After leaving my client's office, I began to reflect upon this experience. Ethics and honesty have always been and always will be the basic tenet by which I live and work. But I don’t offer this "true confession" in order to portray myself as a "paragon of principle" or "touter of truth," but rather to emphasize the importance of truth, especially in a business relationship.

Several years ago, I received a call from a prospective client, Stephen. He said, "Jeff, you come highly recommended and I’d like you to work with my sales team." I said, "Great! But first—tell me more about your sales people and what you want to accomplish?" He did. And then I asked, "When is your meeting?" When he told me the date, I said, "That’s unfortunate, I already have a previous commitment. But let me be a resource...and recommend a friend of mine who is another talented professional speaker—Frank Bucaro." Stephen asked, "What does Frank speak on?" I said, "Business ethics." To which Stephen responded, "Jeff, I have no use for him—I told you, these are salespeople!"

At that moment, I made the decision that I’d never pursue a future relationship with Stephen and his company. Philosophically, he and I were operating from a different integrity or values base. If my prospects, clients or customers opt to perform by another standard, that's their decision. However, I'm not willing to be a "co-conspirator!"

Upon further analysis of my meeting with Al and the other two vice presidents, I realized that there was something else in jeopardy when Al suggested I lie—and that was my future relationship with this client. All our previous communications had been open and honest. There was a wonderful give and take. I wasn't perceived as some "smooth talkin' sales guy" or conniving consultant, but instead as a professional who helped them solve their problems, improve their future and get results.

Earlier, I had conducted an extremely successful business-growth program for another division of this client’s company. At that workshop, one of the group vice presidents rose and declared, "Jeff not only shares these techniques and principles with you today, but he also practices and lives by them himself. That's been apparent in our previous dealings with him." I nodded a simple thank-you, but knew that he had given me the greatest compliment I had ever been paid in business.

Knowing, that's how he and his company felt about me and my work, how could I "blow-it" with a casual agreement to lie?

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Chapter 6
Your Business-Growth System.

Seize the Opportunity!

"Selling has its real fascination in its ability to communicate, persuade and move others to action...and that is an art!"

Jeff Blackman

35. Results! The Name of the Game.

Now, that the philosophy of Peak Your Profits—from both an ethical and value perspective—has been established, let's take a closer look at how the specific steps in the system are used in the business-development process.

Remember, Peak Your Profits is a logical, chronological, methodical and profit-producing approach to business growth. It has helped other business professionals dramatically and quickly increase their revenues, earnings and commissions by 30 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent or more in less than eight weeks. Why? Because it's an organized, step-by-step, system for success.

To help you achieve new levels of success, let's take a look at the six steps of Opportunity (O • P • R • T • N • TY), that are part of the Peak Your Profits system:

1. Open. Your initial contact with your customer.

2. Probe. You ask open-ended need-development questions, to determine what problem must be solved, need fulfilled or

dream realized.

3. Reveal. You present the ideas, products and services that best meet those pre-determined needs discovered in the probe.

4. Translate. You translate features into benefits—not what your product or service is, but what it does for your prospect, customer or client.

5. Negotiate. You overcome objections and solve problems, but always in a win-win, value-driven, integrity based and

nonmanipulative environment.

6. The Yes. You get your prospects, clients or customers to say yes.

The Yes is traditionally referred to as the close. But to me, this never made any sense. Why? Because it's not true! Something that's closed is over, done, finished, completed, terminated! And in business development, the close is really just the beginning. Now, you have to do all the things you promised to do...like provide quality, on-time delivery, efficiency and dependability.

Close is a word of conclusion, not commencement. Therefore, I'll only share with you proven and profit-producing strategies that help you secure the yes so that you can always keep the door open—for your next opportunity.

Peak Your Profits optimizes your opportunity and likelihood...to get results! Results that help others, while also putting more dollars in your pocket.

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Chapter 7

Probe and Prosper!

"Curiosity is one of the most certain and permanent characteristics of a vigorous intellect!"

Samuel Johnson • English Lexicographer, Critic and Conversationalist (1709 to 1784)

40. He Said. She Said.

Webster's dictionary defines "probe" as, "to examine, to inquire thoroughly, to investigate." Your ability to do just that, may be one of your most important and profit-producing, business-growth tools!

All too often, businesspeople assume that their success is dependent upon their ability to master their pitch, spiel or presentation. It's not! Of course, that's a major part of the business-development process, but in the long run, your investigative or probing skills help you rise to new levels of success and profitability.

The Probe stage enables you to discover what problems your customer, client or prospect has to solve, what needs they'd like to fill and what dreams they'd like to realize. This strategy gives you tremendous insight into customer preferences, sense of commitment, budget, expectations and objectives. Failure to properly assess these things, causes most businesspeople to flounder. And they wonder why. Their assumptions are; "Gee, I must be a poor closer! I guess I need more product knowledge." Or, "I knew that customer wasn’t serious anyway!"

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Chapter 7

Probe and Prosper!

"Curiosity is one of the most certain and permanent characteristics of a vigorous intellect!"

Samuel Johnson • English Lexicographer, Critic and Conversationalist (1709 to 1784)

41. Good-bye to Gab!

"What a smooth talker!" "She's got the gift of gab!" Or, "He's a born salesman!" How many times have you heard remarks such as these? Lots? Of course. But to the best of my knowledge, businesspeople are never born! I have several friends who are obstetricians and they assure me, they have never hoisted a newborn high into the air and proudly announced to the parents, "Congratulations, you've just given birth...to a salesperson! An entrepreneur! No, no...it’s a business executive!"

Successful businesspeople aren't born. They're nurtured, developed and trained. At least the top achievers are! Top achievers may have the ability to "gab or talk," but their real skill is their ability to probe or question. Questions help establish rapport, uncover concerns, reveal problems and peak profits. Questions are a natural way, to get others to talk, so that you can listen...and learn.

As a radio and TV talk-show host, the real success of my interviews depends not upon my speaking ability, but instead my questioning ability. Questions give me the opportunity to explore a guest's feelings, attitudes and opinions. Exactly like your business interview.

Are your decision makers motivated?

Questions allow you to discover whether a customer has a motivated or unmotivated need. A customer with a motivated need has a problem to solve. An unmotivated need, no matter how eloquent your presentation or beautiful your product, is unlikely to lead to The Yes. Why? Because the customer has no "pain" to diminish, problem to solve or dream to realize.

Several years ago, I was conducting a three-day business-growth workshop in Toledo, Ohio. Immediately following the conclusion of the first day's program, I changed into my jogging clothes and hit the pavement. At the half-mile point, it began to pour! Despite this unwelcome and unexpected drenching, I continued to run, eventually seeking protection in a nearby shopping mall.

Upon entering the mall, I was greeted by a cheery representative of a major retail chain department store. She immediately inquired, "Sir, how'd you like to fill out an application for our charge card?" I assured her that I didn't need more "plastic money!"

She then acknowledged my tired, cold and damp condition and asked, "Just for applying, you receive at no obligation...(she then reached beneath the counter, removed and held up an umbrella)...you'd find this umbrella helpful wouldn't you?" I said, "Where do I sign?!" I had a motivated need!

Motivated needs are easily discovered through observation, a natural curiosity and especially, the question and answer process.

As a business professional, you should never sell, tell, reveal or demonstrate your product or service, until you discover and understand your prospect’s motivated needs.

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Chapter 8

Reveal for Results!

"The best way to succeed in life, is to act on the advice we give to others!"
55. Push. Pull. Play—and Profit.

I'm convinced that involvement is a principal reason for the success of Sharper Image, the nationwide chain of stores that offers adult electronic toys and gadgets. Sharper Image promotes participation. You are encouraged to ride the exer-bike, lay down on the massage table, jump on the pogo-stick or crank up the CD. I know this because I've done all of them at their stores across the United States. Aside from having a great time pushing, pressing and playing, I participated in and witnessed a simple, but most effective business-development technique—involvement!

Remember, an involved customer is more likely to buy or invest. And, the more customer senses you can activate, the greater the likelihood that you satisfy a need, solve a problem, or help some one realize a dream or goal.

Land Rover has taken involvement to a new level. They have transformed the typical car "test ride" into an automotive adventure. At dealerships throughout the United States, Land Rover is erecting multimillion-dollar boutiques known as Land Rover Centres. Sales people are dressed in khaki safari attire and they accompany a prospective owner of a Land Rover Discovery, ($38,000) onto an off-road course built in a dealership’s parking lot—that includes steep inclines and rocky hills. Customers love it!

Involvement is a simple and savvy sales strategy. Unfortunately, it's often ignored. For example, once I was in a suburban Baltimore guitar store, where each guitar displayed a sign warning, "Please do not handle. If you wish to buy me, call a salesperson."

Unfortunately, this owner didn't understand the psyche of his customer—the musician who wants to make music! Oh sure, I know the owner is trying to deter the "masses from making musical mayhem," but there were so many other ways the message could have been conveyed!

What if the sign on the guitar said: "Together we'll make beautiful music - Please call a salesperson so you can start to enjoy me!" Or, "I’ll make you a star! Please call a salesperson so I can hear your musical talent!" Or, "My strings are lonely, please call a salesperson and bring them to life!"

Confucius says...

Confucius must have been a pretty good businessman. He once said, "If you tell me I will forget, If you show me, I will remember, If you involve me, I will understand!" So the next time your customer or prospect wants to touch, see, sniff, taste or hear...let 'em! These statistics reveal the full story and value of involvement:

People remember: • 20 percent of what they hear

• 30 percent of what they see

• 50 percent of what they see and hear

• 80 percent of what they see, hear and do

One financial planner I know uses a strategy that makes his presentations or reveals especially memorable and profitable. Why? Because Rick has mastered the art of involvement. Rick's clients are wealthy, high-net worth individuals, sophisticated decision makers. However, Rick is the first to admit that his approach is not sophisticated. If anything, it's simplistic. It’s also very effective. Here's what Rick does: He takes out a plush felt bag filled with pennies. He gently hands the bag to his clients and tells them that the bag represents their "financial future." He then encourages them to pour the pennies onto the conference table. Somewhat skeptically, they do.

Rick then tells his clients (let’s call them Harry and Pam) that each penny represents $10,000 and belongs to them—it's their money. Rick suggests that they push, pull and slide the pennies across the table to form different piles. Each pile or category represents the couple’s goals. One pile could be a retirement fund. Another could be set aside for their children’s education. While another represents a major purchase down the road or significant contributions to various charities.

Rick says that Harry and Pam quickly forget that they're playing with pennies. Instead, they strategically plan and calculate their financial future. Obviously, Rick's clients are involved!

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Chapter 9

Translate and Triumph!

"You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give!"

64. Toot Your Horn!

Another effective way to translate value to a prospect is through the use of testimonial endorsements. Your clients are probably willing to say lots of nice things about you, your company and your products or services. But perhaps, you haven't asked them.

Many businesspeople have said to me they are uncomfortable asking a customer or client for a testimonial endorsement. Their customers are busy. And the last thing they want to do is impose or appear to be too self-serving. They are scared that such a request could jeopardize the business relationship they've already worked so hard to develop.

Years of experience have shown me, these are not real concerns. When you are truly willing to serve your customers, then they are more than willing to help you. Remember, when value, integrity and nonmanipulation are high, resistance is low. My files are filled with hundreds of letters from satisfied clients. The delight, satisfaction and thanks they convey is expressed in terms, I could never even begin to duplicate.

Aside from written testimonials, clients have also given on-camera testimonials on my video-preview tape. However, it's important to stress that the only way I can secure such favorable comments, is by first doing my job: not to only meet my clients’ expectations, but to exceed them.

Whether your clients begin to say incredible things about you in print, on video or even audio, your real challenge is in using these words of praise to your advantage. Here's how: You can use this strategy either during the Reveal, Translate or Probe steps. The next time a prospect asks, "Why should we use you? What makes you so special?" or "What will you do for us, that others can't?" here's my suggestion: Don't answer. That's right, don't answer, at least not from your perspective.

If you begin to tell a prospect what makes you so special, from whose viewpoint are you answering? Yours! And it might be said that you're somewhat biased, even if what you're saying is true! Therefore, shift into what I call the third-party testimonial strategy. Say something like, "That's a very good questions and a fair one for you to ask. It's also a tough one for me to answer, because I guess I'm somewhat biased. Instead, let me share with you what three other companies in your industry said about our recent work." Here, you can either show them the letters or offer to read or fax them the letters.

Testimonials offer tremendous power and credibility. They are especially valuable if your prospect happens to know the person who wrote the letter. I actually had one decision maker exclaim, "Ernie said that about you? He doesn't like anybody...you must really be good!" This fellow quickly went from being a suspect to a prospect to a client!

You can also use to your benefit, the "live testimonial." Recently, I had a prospect who was still wavering about his decision to work with me. I said to him, "Bob, I know this is an important decision and I want to make sure that you’re comfortable with it. Therefore, since I know that you and Mark are friendly, why don’t you call him. Mark and I just spoke yesterday and he shared with me some phenomenal news about his success, since we began working together."

Bob called Mark. Mark raved about me and his results. Bob became a client!

The third-party testimonial strategy helps you toot your own horn—but with some assistance. While you hold the horn, your testimonial endorsers play the notes.

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Chapter 10

Negotiation Know How!

"To get to the Promised Land, you must negotiate through the wilderness."

69. To Get Rich, Use the Twitch!

Let's eavesdrop on a conversation between a customer and a salesperson:

The salesperson says: "And it's only $10,000!"

Charlie says: "I'll give you $6,500!"

The salesperson says: "Sold!"

How does Charlie react? Happy? Excited? Impressed with his negotiating savvy? Hardly!

Instead, Charlie is probably muttering, "What a dummy! Did I get ripped off? Something must be wrong! I'm buying a lemon! I knew I couldn't trust this place—it must be stolen merchandise! I could of bought the thing for six grand, maybe even less!"

Charlie feels devastated because his first offer was accepted too willingly. Now, what if Charlie and the salesperson negotiated, made value concessions to one another and the final investment was $8,000? As strange as it seems, Charlie is likely to leave more satisfied than if he had spent only the $6,500.

Here is the crucial point to remember: Business development is a reflection of perceived value not actual value. Once again, you should always deliver more in perceived value than you take in actual cash value!

It’s twitch time.

Now, let me share with you a strategy that has helped clients get rich, it's called the twitch. The twitch is an exclamation, look of surprise or physical movement that conveys your disbelief with the other person's initial offer. Meaning, you don't jump at or immediately accept the offer.

Here's a recent twitch example: I was strolling the streets at a sidewalk sale when I discovered audio-tape cassette cabinets for only $18, about half of what I normally pay. I would have willingly paid $18, since this was a considerable savings, but I knew this was a great opportunity to twitch.

I asked the salesperson (even though I saw the sign indicating "Prices as Marked"), "How much are the cabinets?" He said, "$18." I then exclaimed with disbelief in my voice, "$18?!" His response: "Okay, $15!" Now what did my exclamation mean? Who knows? But he believed it meant that I thought $18 was too much, so he lowered the price to make the sale.

Here's a warning though: Be prepared for the customer who might twitch you! Don’t give in to your instinct—to give in! Instead, stop and recognize the twitch and begin questioning the twitcher about his twitch. You might say;

- "When you said that or looked surprised—what were you thinking?"

- "Why do you feel that way?"

- "What's important to you?"

- "In order to get that...what do you want to do without?"

- "Well that might be possible, but what would you be willing to sacrifice?"

- "You've already negotiated an incredible deal on those points...now this one's really not that important to you, is it?"

Never lose sight of the fact, that for the twitch to be effective, it must not be presented in an obnoxious or condescending way. Its purpose is to quickly and accurately convey the message to your prospect or customer that his suggestion or offer is not possible, but let's see what other alternatives might be. Your ultimate goal is agreement, not antagonism!

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Chapter 11

Thumbs Up. Approval. The Yes!

"Every person is the architect of their own fortune."

Appius Claudius • Roman General and Governor of Cilicia • (53 B.C.)

77. Confess, You Love The Yes.

It's the most powerful and sought-after word in business development. Your ability to get prospects, customers and clients to say it, has a significant impact upon your future and theirs. Hearing it has numerous benefits. What it means to you is—more satisfied customers, improved self-esteem, enhanced confidence and...an increased bank-account. No matter how it's said— "We've got the green light." "Let's move forward." "Make it happen." "Let's do it." Or as a new client of mine recently exclaimed, "It's a go!"—your objective as a peak profiteer is to get your prospects to say The Yes!

In my travels around the world, businesspeople complain to me that "closing" is their greatest downfall. They assure me that their inability to "close" is the major contributor to their frustration, anxiety and poor performance. They plead, "Teach us how to close." And I wonder why. Because to me, a "close" makes no sense. "Close" is a word of completion, conclusion or termination. But as you well know, once your prospect says The Yes, your sale or relationship is just beginning. It is far from "closed." Therefore, I won’t teach you how to close. But I will share with you proven and profit-producing strategies to help you repeatedly secure The Yes.

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Chapter 11

Thumbs Up. Approval. The Yes!

"Every person is the architect of their own fortune."

Appius Claudius • Roman General and Governor of Cilicia • (53 B.C.)

79. Have a Game Plan.

Your objective in The Yes stage is twofold: first, to have your customers say yes and then for them to acknowledge and appreciate the value of their wise investment decision. It is not the time to beat them into submission! To wear them out! To have them yell "uncle"!

To effectively secure The Yes, you should have a gameplan. Have you ever seen a professional football player carrying his playbook? It's easy to understand why he often tips the scales well in excess of 200 pounds, he needs that much muscle just to carry a playbook that weighs about the same! But the playbook is more than a series of X’s and O’s. It's actually a "strategic plan" that sets forth not only a team's specific actions, but also their anticipated responses to the other team's actions.

In essence, it's a lot like the business strategy of getting others to commit to action by saying The Yes . Just like a well-trained athlete, you, too, must be disciplined with not only your actions but also be prepared for -- the actions of others.

However, like the playing field, the business arena also has specific rules. Here are eight guidelines that should be followed, to maximize your likelihood of hearing The Yes:

1. All decision-makers should be present.

2. Anticipate objections and be prepared with appropriate,

persuasive and profitable answers.

3. Remember, customers never invest in what something is, but

instead, the invest in what it will do for them.

4. The purpose of The Yes stage is to not only put more dollars in your pocket, but to first help some body else attain a more favorable future.

5. Never lose sight of the fact that you're dealing with another human

being who makes decisions logically and emotionally.

6. A "yes" only occurs when you have a decision-maker with a motivated need.

Therefore, be sure to focus on this particular buyer's motivation(s).

7. Realize that "no" often means "not yet."

8. Anticipate a "yes." Positive expectations bring positive results.

As you may recall, during the Reveal stage (see Chapter 8), you began asking a series of trial questions. This same crucial strategy should also be used, here in The Yes stage. Once again, trial questions elicit opinions, feelings, responses, attitudes or gut reactions to your product or service and its features and benefits. Trial questions should be simple and open-ended. For example;

• How do you feel about...

• What do you think of...

• What's your reaction to...

• In which ways will this help you...

• Your opinion toward this would be...

At this point in the business development process, trial questions allow your buyers to offer both logical and emotional reasons or explanations as to why they want to own, use, enjoy and benefit from your products or services. Every time decision-makers give you positive responses, that’s your signal to move closer to The Yes and an eventual sale.

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Chapter 12

Customer Commitment

"Service is the difference between a good company
and a great company."

85. Valuable Lessons!

According to the International Customer Service Association:

Corporate America recognizes that it costs nearly five times as much to get new customers as it does to keep existing ones. Thus, more resources are being committed to all aspects of customer service: salaries, training, human resources and equipment. Senior management is finding service more integral to their competitive advantage and to their bottom-line profits.

This constant commitment to service has nothing to do with phony smiles, clever phrases and hanging banners with slogans. It means the ability to compete and compete profitably in the 90s and into the 21st century. It requires a passion. A missionary zeal. A relentless pursuit to satisfy your customers.

Few companies possess this collective commitment. However, one company that has made customer service its fierce battle cry is a client of mine, Federal Express.

FedEx is a young company. On April 17, 1973, its first night of operation, FedEx shipped only eight packages. Seven were trial runs. In 1983, it was the first corporation in U.S. corporate history to hit the $1 billion mark in annual revenues within its first decade of operation. Today, FedEx has more than 145,000 employees in 211 countries, who make sure that when "the most important package is yours" and "it absolutely, positively has to get there"...it does! And they do it, over 3.6 million times a day!

When Federal Express won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1990, Chairman and CEO Fred Smith didn't say the Baldrige was testament to his company's expertise, an apt award for years of dedication or even a prize that was well deserved. Instead, he said, "I just hope we don't take this damn thing too seriously!"

What a great quote! In essence, what Smith said is, "Okay, the statue is nice, but it sure doesn't matter to our customers that we won some award if their packages arrive late or on the wrong day!" Smith knows that he and FedEx can't allow the past to block their vision and customer commitment for the future.

Although FedEx now has annual revenues in excess of $16 billion dollars, its quest for service excellence has not peaked. It has just begun. I know firsthand.

As part of my preparation and research for programs I conducted with FedEx senior managers, I observed, read about and heard about this service passion. These folks eat, live and breathe service. Believe me, it ain't hype. They mean it! The American Management Association's Management Briefing, "Blueprints for Service Quality, The FedEx Approach" states:

"There are no "secrets" at Federal Express. The company's impressive growth and its distinguished service quality achievements have little to do with "magic" formulas. Their foundation lies in sound managerial theories and practices—the staples of management literature and of the wisdom espoused by quality "gurus" for years, even decades."

What sets Federal Express apart is this:

1. "A consistent, clearly stated service quality goal—100 percent customer satisfaction, enunciated frequently and pursued doggedly in innumerable ways, large and small.

2. A mathematical measure of absolute service failures as a catalyst to promote continuous quality improvement.

3. Employees who feel empowered through open communication, training opportunities, quality improvement tools, and excellent leadership. They thus gain the freedom to take risks and innovate in the pursuit of quality and service for both internal and external customers.

4. Finally, and most fundamental, FedEx has a people-first environment that acknowledges employee satisfaction as the primary corporate objective, and nurtures a culture from which customer satisfaction and profits spring."

Regarding this last point, Fred Smith explains the Fed Ex corporate philosophy this way, "When people are placed first, they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow." Smith summarizes this philosophy with his theory of PSP or People-Service-Profit. If you take care of your people and service your customer, then you will profit. Federal Express has always had this unwavering commitment to service, whether it was that first night when they shipped eight packages or last night when they delivered almost 4 million.

When I asked Fed Ex employees what service means to them, here are some of the responses I received:

• 100 percent customer satisfaction. Period.

• Providing timely and accurate responses or solutions that properly meet the customers' needs and doing so with a friendly and positive attitude.

• Keeping promises.

• Prompt, educated and friendly service.

• Being readily available and efficiently prepared to handle problems, questions or suggestions. To maintain a relationship in a proactive way.

• Helping our customers attain their goals.

• Doing whatever it takes to give customers the perception that they are receiving more value than the investment they are placing in the partnership.

• Customer service means being an equal partner with our customers, making their problems our own.

• A willingness to go the extra mile...on your own!

And as a client recently said to me, "Remember, in the extra mile, there's no traffic jam!"

Enterprise: ahead of the traffic

Another client that’s also way ahead of the traffic, is Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Sr. Vice President, Wayne Kaufmann told me, "Our business is simple. It’s elementary. You just have to do everything right all the time." Apparently, Enterprise is doing lots of things right!

Kaufmann joined Enterprise in 1963, six years after the company was founded by Jack Taylor. In 1963, Enterprise’s fleet size was 27 cars. From those humble beginnings, they now have emerged as the industry leader.

As part of my initial work with Enterprise and their management team in the fall of 1995, I learned that Enterprise:

• Had surpassed Hertz as the largest car rental company in the United States,

(based upon fleet size and number of rental locations).

• Had in excess of 2,500 branches. (Now 3,650.)

• Had a fleet of more than 260,000 cars. (Now 389,000.)

• Had over 20,000 employees. (Now 30,000.)

• Had a growth rate of 20 to 25 percent per year.

• Had annual revenues over $2.5 billion dollars. (Now, $4.18 billion dollars!)

• Had an unwavering commitment to customer service.

Enterprise has even created the Enterprise Service Quality index or ESQi. It is a measurement tool that reflects their employees’ service behavior, as judged and rated by Enterprise customers. And ESQi is just as important as other statistical information for utilization rates, transaction times or new accounts.

Andy Taylor, Enterprise’s President and CEO told me, "ESQi is, of course, only one element of our success, but it’s an essential one. I refuse to give my competition my service advantage." He went on to share this philosophy: "Our business really isn’t about cars, it’s about giving our customers’ freedom, flexibility and independence."

Taylor told me in 1995, that his philosophy would help Enterprise reach or exceed its goal—doubling annual revenues to $5 billion dollars by the year 2000. According to Taylor, the key to this goal’s realization is staying on track. He said, "Jeff, If you get off track, you’ll be buried! To stay on track, keep your customers happy, keep your people happy and then you’ll make money!" (As you can tell, Enterprise is happily making money...and on track to $5 billion!)

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Chapter 13

A Profit Potpourri

"The secret of business is to know something
that nobody else knows."

Aristotle Onassis

96. What’s Your P/E Ratio?

Do you own stock? If so, your objective is likely to be to buy low and sell high. You desire positive results and a return on your investment. Your decision to buy shares in a company could have even been influenced by the company’s P/E or price/earnings ratio. Just like a stock can increase in value, you too can increase in value. Therefore, it’s important that you also focus on your P/E ratio.

The P is your

Performance

Productivity

Pride

Persistence

Passion

The E is your:

Energy

Excitement

Enthusiasm

Effectiveness

Execution

A publicly traded company produces an annual report that always features an opening statement, "To our shareholders." Your "shareholders" are your prospects, customers and clients. Therefore, your opening statement "To Our Customers" might go something like this:

"By nearly all measures, I have attained the qualities of a stellar performer—

market leadership, superior customer satisfaction, a solid clientele, plus loyal and profitable relationships. I am now leveraging those strengths to realize my remaining goal: sustained and enviable growth, service and results."

On a daily basis, do whatever it takes to enhance your P/E ratio and increase the "value" you bring to your marketplace, company and customers.

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