March 11, 2015 by ETTWomen

Sucess In A dress “Sales Tip #7”

I have the privilege of training new associates in my financial sales business. Obviously, because I’ve been in sales for a long time, I have tips I like to share with my new associates that have worked for me over the years.

But duplicating myself is key in the particular business I am in. Therefore, I share with my new associates tried and true sales tips on a weekly and monthly basis. I do this over and over again because they’ve served as the foundation of me being successful in sales.

The other day I had a conversation with several new associates and one of them asked me to give them one sales tip I could share that has helped me the most. I would like to share it with all of you now here:

What you say to your client is not the key to a successful meeting. Of course what you say is important, but the most important part of your sales presentation (I hate the word pitch) is what they heard and how they process the information you shared with them.

You could think you were smooth, you were clear and that they are the luckiest people on the planet for getting to hear you, and then, the unthinkable happens: They want to think about it!

So what happened? You of course think over and over about what you said, what they said, how you answered the question/s they had and you spend the rest of the night replaying the whole scenario in your mind!

Instead of needless stress and worry, what I have found to be the most helpful is listening to yourself as if you were the customer. Simple right? And how do you do that? Tape your presentation, even better… record yourself on video. Then, ask yourself a few questions as you are listening. Did what you say make you excited to learn more? If you were the potential client, would you have understood clearly what you presented? Would you buy from you based on how you sounded, looked, and explained your product?

Sometimes the answer is no and that’s o.k. Don’t beat yourself up about it but practice. Keep practicing until you can answer yes to those questions; inspect and analyze what you expect!

Contact me Lmb0516@live.com or tweet me @lynettebarb

Also, please ‘like’ us on FB.com/ETTWomen

March 4, 2015 by ETTWomen

“Success In a dress” Sales Tip #6

Have you ever heard the expression “Use your God-given talents.” Did you ever really think about that when it was being said to someone or to you? I have actually said to my daughter when we are arguing, “You should be a lawyer someday. God gave you some talent to argue and debate!”

Well, I believe as women almost every one of us can capitalize in sales by using our God given talents -which I believe are empathy & compassion!

When a man sells, they tend to explain things logically: They discuss why they need it, how much it cost and why it’s the best product or service out there. They are then ready to get to the point and lead to the close.

Believe me, I have been on many training appointments over the years training men, and no matter how many times I would say to open with the question, it usually didn’t happen on it’s own. I basically had to throw it in and interrupt every time.

Are they bad salesmen? Not at all! They just aren’t thinking about “feelings.” It isn’t generally in their genetic makeup. Women show empathy and concern by asking a lot of questions that lead to an emotional decision as to why they need that product or service -and this can be done just by using our God given talent! We are natural born sales people! That’s right: You, me and every woman reading this… if you want to be!

The absolute best tip I can give you this week is to use your God given talents and exercise them. Ask questions that lead to emotional decisions such as, “How does the thought of owning that product make you feel?”; “How would you feel if we established a plan that actually will allow you to retire at 62 instead of 65?”; “What would you do differently if you had that product?”; “Where would you travel if you retire when you are that much younger?”

Help your client feel and visualize owning your product or service.

The reason people are in the positions they are in today is because they get wrapped up in the daily grind and forget their child-like enthusiasm. You have to help them feel that again and show them why your product or service can help lead them to that goal -whatever their goal may be.

Any woman who taps into this gift, the gift we were born with, will be a successful natural sales woman!

Contact me Lmb0516@live.com or tweet me @lynettebarb

Also, please ‘like’ us on FB.com/ETTWomen

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February 25, 2014 by ETTWomen

ETTM Think Tank with Marcy Cortez of LAI Financial Group, LLC

After working in corporate accounting for more than 25 years, Marcy Cortez decided it was time to devote her knowledge and talents to her own business. Marcy is a certified Quickbooks specialist with extensive Accounting, Management and Human Resources experience. LAI Financial Group LLC grew out of her need to share her financial and business savvy with the public. A local entrepreneurial business owner can relate to your needs and requirements as a fellow member of the community.
Marcy will be speaking about the advantages of outsourcing services, specifically financial services for the small business entrepreneur and the role outsourcing plays in helping the entrepreneur to reduce their overhead, increase profits and improve cash flow.

Join ETTM & Marcy on March 7th. Please RSVP HERE.

in business / coaching / community / entrepreneurship / money-habits / networking / new-jersey / personal-development / small-business / support 0 comments

May 6, 2013 by ETTWomen

The Big Question: Should I have a Business Plan?

I’d like to discuss a question that over the years, people have frequently asked me, most recently at our ETTM meeting last week. The question: Do I need Business plan? What is a business plan? Does everyone need a business plan? What is a business plan?

Well, I find the people that are asking are usually eager to get their business moving, or take it to the next level. They are interested in success and are committed to their business. This is good news, the problem is they don’t know how, right? We have all been there…don’t you agree? But in order for me to answer those questions short of being a mind reader, I would need their help!

First of all, I do agree we all need a business plan. You need to ask yourself a few questions in order to get started. My interpretation of a business plan is not sitting down and putting together complicated spreadsheets or hard to understand financial projections! So, you need to identify, what exactly is it that I do? What makes me different and what is my niche? Then you can sit down with someone if you need help, a paper and pen and just get started!

Here’s an example:

I’m in finance. What I do is help people create their financial GPS.

What makes me different? I pride myself on educating my clients on the basic and fundamental concepts of “how money works”.

Whats my niche, my specialty? Educating and working with women.

How do I do that? Women and financial wisdom workshops.

Get the drift?

A business plan takes some time and thought and of course some motivation but it can and it needs to get done!

Do you have a business plan? Have you started one and feel stuck?

ETTM has got your back 🙂 Our workshop for creating a business plan is coming soon.

Please join the conversation for more information HERE.

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May 3, 2013 by Vanessa Coppes

The # 1 Marketing Tactic

I recently read a survey where out of 44 marketing tactic options to choose from, Search Engine Optimization won. Facebook and LinkedIn came in second, blogging third, and email marketing fourth.

What’s even more interesting, video marketing came in seventh despite the fact that YouTube is the third largest search platform – after second-place Google and first-place Facebook.

Here are a few ideas you can take away from these results:

1. It makes total sense that SEO is the most important tactic in attracting visitors to your website.

Any time someone gets online and looks for something, what they’re doing is searching. Making Search Engine Optimization key – to everything!

Leaders in business have noticed this and are planning to devote major attention, energy and yes, money into improving theirs.

You should be doing the same thing.

If you don’t know much about SEO and can’t afford to hire an expert, learn as much as you can on your own – there are lots of things you can do to improve SEO without having to become a super tecchie expert in the field.
2. Facebook, blogging, and email campaigns are simply a given in business. Make sure you have a strategy in place to engage in all three regularly. If you’re not a great writer, designer, or copy writer, consider outsourcing, or at least get an expert to evaluate what you’re doing, give you some training if needed, and guide you on how to best use your time in these activities.
3. Jump on the opportunity that business leaders are still lagging in their plans to use video. This is awesome news for you! Take advantage of their relative inactivity, and get your content out where your competition is not as active as it should be.

Invest in an inexpensive camera, create vlogs out of your existing blogs, and put those videos up on your website and on YouTube. You’ll be a step ahead of many of your competitors and your SEO will improve dramatically.

What are you doing to improve your SEO? Do you have any questions? I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment below.

in blogging / business / coaching / entrepreneurship / small-business / Uncategorized 0 comments

April 23, 2013 by Vanessa Coppes

REAL RELATIONSHIPS AND APPRECIATION FOR VALUE

Although numbers are important to show growth or stature, should the focus of a business be on the quantity or the quality of their customers?

The quality and AWESOME service a business strives to offer should be their presentation letter and establishing REAL relationships should be their goal.

So, when receiving a message like this one, we continue to focus on making your experience with us, valuable:

“WOW! I did it – a whole week of blogging completed and I actually am enjoying it. Who would have thought that this technically challenged woman would be able to accomplish such a thing.

I just wanted to share a few thoughts:

Blogging is not as hard as it seemed if you talk about what you know. Thank you Vanessa Coppes and Entrepreneurial Think Tank for Moms, LLC for helping me to see that.
Be yourself!
People actually read what I write. I know this sounds crazy because why else would you blog, right? I didn’t think I had anything to say – SURPRISE! I love sharing about things that mean something to me. Who knows somewhere along the way, it might actually help someone else that is struggling.
Along with this goes the fact that if people read it, you may be asked to step out of the realm of cyber space and actually share in person about what you have written about in your blog. Welcome to “stepping out of your comfort zone”!
Lastly, the easiest way for me to keep up with the blogging (since Vanessa said do it for 30 days – EVERY DAY) is to make a list of things as I think of them. Then in the morning I can look at the list if I can’t think of anything to write about, and I have a list of topics or ideas to get me going.

I will share more of my life’s journey – the good, the bad and the not so pretty – as time goes on. ” HOPE WISSEL

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April 4, 2013 by ETTWomen

Do you have Squirrel syndrome?

Just like our dogs are, we an be easily distracted by squirrels. We refer to those properly as distractions.

Most successful business women have A type personalities. That is great news because we are go getters, always on the move and we can take on a lot of tasks.

The bad news is we are easily distracted by things that happen around us in our business, at home, and with our families.

Did you ever find yourself sitting with a colleague and the most pressing topic you were on when you began your conversation, was 4 topics ago?… and the discussion you started, was still not resolved? Then yes… you are afflicted with squirrel syndrome!

Now that we identified your affliction what do you do?

When you sit down and list your goals at the beginning of the month, and then the end of the month rolls around… are you often not accomplishing them? Do you miss them by a landslide or nose? I bet if you thought about it, it would be in direct proportion with the things you let distract you.

So now that we have a diagnosis, and we know what it is causing, what is the antidote?

Simple: it’s change.

Sounds easy enough right? Actually, no…change is not easy and it does not come easily to many of us. But, if you become aware that your distractions are in direct proportion to the goals you miss, wouldn’t you want to change?

All it takes to change is to refuel the passion you have for what you do. Become aware of wanting to accomplish your goals; your commitment and practice will help this change be a natural part of your daily routine. And then your success will be in direct proportion to the amount of energy you put into your comittment to change!

Our deepest desire is to succeed isnt it? Then change will be worth it!

Do you suffer from Squirrel syndrome? What do you do to treat it? Please let me know in the comment section below!

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April 4, 2013 by Vanessa Coppes

Life…Simplified?

We have all been there…a 60 hour work week, a jam packed schedule, busy, busy, busy…

We are working, parenting, living our lives…and needing {wanting} just a few more hours in the day to get everything done.

Reality check: It is impossible to do it all on your own (but I’m sure you already knew that).

So how can you simplify your life? {Ahem…no magic tricks here}

Solution: Shakima Martinez: Lifestyle Management Services.

She created this business for people like us, because she was like us.

We have action-packed lives and mile long to do list. But we value our free time and believe that an extra set of hands, can go a long way.

I have several businesses, 2 kids, a husband and a home to take care of.

Her commitment to supporting me in my everyday whirlwind has given me the ability to focus on the things that really need my attention. Asking for help has dramatically improved my well being: my stress levels are down, I’ve increased my productivity and freed up time to do more of the things I enjoy therefore… I’ve simplified my life.

Hand over your tasks – go off and enjoy your day. It’s that easy!

Life, simplified? Now that’s possible!

Meet Shakima and learn more about her services at our Family Wellness & Beauty Day.

Join us HERE!

in business / health / life / personal-development / small-business / support / wellness 0 comments

March 26, 2013 by ETTWomen

Facing Your Fears

Today, I thought it was important for me to share some thoughts with you on facing your fears and crossing over into “The Uncomfortable Zone”.

I thought timimg was appropriate because I can personally testify to the fact that if you are willing to go there, you will not only live through it, you will actually succeed because of it!

Most of us don’t venture out to the uncomfortable zone, why? Because we are afraid. Also because we are too comfortable were we are! But be careful, comfortable is also synonymous to adequate, content, complacent,easy!!!

Right there, when you are trying to grow your business and become successful comfort should be a red flag!

If it was easy and comfortable to become successful wouldnt everyone then be successful?

So, through reading books, going to hundreds of seminars and workshops on self improvement and growth I have learned you must get uncomfortable in order to become comfortable. Make sense?

Example: Did you know people are more afraid of public speaking then dying?

When I first heard that over a dozen years ago…I related to it because… I was! I would get accelerated palpitations, would turn beet red, talk 100 miles a minute and… if I was REALLY freaked out, I’d hyperventilate! With time, those reactions still haven’t gone away, but with practice and forcing myself to speak in public, it has gotten a lot easier. If I didnt work on that fear, I wouldn’t be where I am in my business now since more than 50% of my business comes from educational workshops on finance!

There are endless benefits to facing what you are afraid of and just going for it! Not only does it help you grow as a person, but you will expand your business and broaden your vision.

Pick one thing that is keeping you from getting to the next level, practice and slowly do it over and over until you are ready to move onto the next thin. Before you know it, you’re at the next level!

If not now, when? Do not let your fears get in the way of your own success!!

Lynette Barbieri

in business / coaching / life / mentorship / new-jersey / personal-development / support / support groups / think-tank / wellness / women 0 comments

November 27, 2012 by ETTWomen

Let’s Have an Honest ‘Talk’: Business or Hobby?

How was your Thanksgiving?

I hope it was a great! Our meeting last Friday was great too. We concluded reflecting on understanding if we were running businesses or REALLY expensive hobbies?

I know, quite the topic don’t you think?

I know that it’s a hectic time of the year. As entrepreneurs, being pulled in so many directions in business and in our personal lives, we manage to find ways to get it all done, or do we?

I am going to be honest, it took me a while to really understand the importance of delegating ‘work’ -more like time consuming tasks- in my own business. I always thought I was working ON my business (doing all these other unproductive things) when really what I was doing was working IN my business. My passion was turning into dreadful work, and I hated it.

Then the ‘AHA’ came. Something really powerful happens in your business and in your life when you are able to make that shift. You see, you start focusing on the activities that really have to be done by you and therefore really create you income. I mention this because I know that having the money or not to invest in your businees and/or yourself, always comes up in the conversations we have at our office.

We spend a lot of time worrying about ‘spending’ money rahter than ‘investing’ money and are very quick to gauge how things are going by looking at quarterly statements. Quite frankly, it’s all dollar signs.

Flip that mindset.

You are an asset. Think about that for a minute. If you work for someone else, you are an asset to that company. If you’re married, you are an asset to your spouse. If you have children you are an incredible asset to them. You’re an asset to the community you live in, to your neighbors, and to those you interact with on a daily basis.

Take a moment to really think about this. How do you look to others? How valuable are you to those around you? Do you stand out as an important asset, or do you get lost in the crowd? These are difficult questions to answer, and the answers may not always be obvious.

Investing in your professional life will impact aspects of your personal life. Investing in yourself will allow you and your business to flourish.

Here at ETTM, Lynette and I genuinely want to support you and your businesses. We’ve gotten tremendous exposure for the group, organized events in our community to help you showcase your businesses locally, we’ve lined up experts that will help us all to continue to grow personally and professionally and again, going back to my initial statement –are you running a business or hobby?– and in order to continue to grow our group, we need your support too.

In business and life, I’ve been scared, overwhelmed, exhausted…but I can guarantee that you will not regret making investmenting in yourself.

We hope you have a great rest of the week and look very forward to seeing you next week!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Vanessa Coppes
Co-Founder, ETTM
The Entrepreneurial Think Tank for Moms connects like minded women to network, build relationships, learn from and support each other. We learn from each other, as we share experiences and ideas on time management, balancing life and business, self improvement, and more.

in business / small-business / think-tank 0 comments

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