Debra Kasowski

Are You All Tied Up with Other People’s Agendas?

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The results you get in your business are a direct result of your productivity and your focus. Are you wishing you were not pulled so many directions? Do you wish you had more time doing what you love? Would you like to have more “me time” ? Would you like to make more money in your business? You can!

Take a look at your to- do list and what are “Other People’s Agenda” items, or OPA, (sorry – not the thrilling of excitement you may hear at a Greek restaurant).  These items can be very time consuming and even drain some of your energy because you are not working on what you really want to complete for you. Enough is enough – it is time to take charge of your time and energy in a whole new way by setting some boundaries by valuing your time.

I have implemented strategies in my business that I know can really help you too. You can become more productive and focused and start seeing better results in your business. Some of these tips may seem simple but when used consistently have great impact by increasing your productivity.

5 Ways to Increase Your Productivity Today:

  1. Email – Set aside specific times of day in which your check your email. If you check your email first thing in the morning, you are setting yourself up for a lengthy to do list of all the other things people need or want you to do. Remember you are in control – this is your business and your life. Do not check your email until you have had some physical activity, a good breakfast, and planned your day based on your priorities. For heaven’s sakes, turn off the email notifications, they are like bright shiny objects that distract you from what you are working on.
  2. Telephone Calls – Keep an eye on the time you spend talking on the phone, you can easily get off on a side track conversation. Save non-profit generating phone calls for after business hours or allot them into your calendar in advance. When you are working and focused on a certain project, let your phone go to voicemail and check it when you take a break.
  3. Meetings – Decide whether or not you need to meet someone in person for a meeting or is the meeting that you can discuss over the phone. A fifteen to twenty minute  phone call can save a lot of time in travel and meeting time.
  4. On the Drive University – Do you have trouble finding time to learn and grow to further develop your business strategies? Listen to audio program in your vehicle so that you can learn and develop new ideas to implement into your business. A stale mind will produce the same results. Innovation and creativity are required for sustainability and growth in your business.
  5. Track Your Time. Track your time for 30 minute increments for one week. You will be able to see where you are spending your time. Hopefully, it will be on revenue generating activities. A business without revenue is just a hobby.

BONUS TIP – Start your day with at least 30-60 minutes of physical activity. Not only is it good for your health, but you will get those creative juices flowing and pump up your energy for the day.

The time is now for you to focus and plan your day for you. At first you may even find this challenging as you will suddenly have much more time on your hands than you may know what to do with. Time you never thought you had. Use use your time wisely. Start thinking bigger about how much more you can accomplish and the results you can get when you have this extra time. Don’t get tied up with OPA!

Take charge of what is most pressing for you. Imagine yourself being more productive, enjoying greater happiness, and achieving bigger results. What are your priorities right now?

 

Great Sales Book Review: Are You Giving to Get or Getting to Give?

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Great books are not just made, they are born from knowledge and experience. Bob Burg and John David Mann, have done a fabulous job of creating value and closing the sale in their 2 amazing books:

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Ideaand Go-Givers Sell More . According to Burg and Mann, there are Five Laws of Stratospheric Success: Value, Compensation, Influence,  Authenticity, and Receptivity. For those of you who are wondering what stratospheric means, “stratospheric” means extremely high! Success beyond your wildest dreams! Would you like to learn how? 

Many lessons and concepts are shared through parable and real life examples with great content and food for thought. Making a difference in today’s world is all about creating value and these authors definitely resonated with me. If you want to experience stratospheric success, these 2 books are must read!

My greatest takeaways and how they apply to you are:

1. Create Value. If you focus on creating value for your prospects and customers, they will be your raving fans and tell others about you. Your focus needs to be, “How can I best serve?” or “How can I help you?” and doing so in such a fashion that you are not expecting anything in return but know that someday and someone will do the same for you.

2.  Meet People Where They are AT. People may find your product or service expensive. Show empathy and compassion by meeting them where they are at. Everyone does not define value in the same way. Avoid listing of all the features, they are important to you and not necessarily important to your customer. Start thinking of how your product or service aligns with what your customer values and believes in. Paraphase what they just said or objected to, “So you think this ___________ product (or service) is too expensive? Gain an understanding of where they are at and what value they would expect from paying the price of a product or service similar to yours. People want to know what is in it for them and that they will get value from doing business with you.

3.  No Pressure Sales. Basically, if they want to buy your product or service they will. Let your customer and prospect decide. Learn what your customer is looking for and why. You may even refer them to a competitor who specializes in what they are looking for. Who is best to serve your customer? They will remember how you helped them and tell others about you. Give them the option to walk away from the sale. Pressure only makes you look desperate for the sale! Maybe your product or service is not what is best for them. That’s okay – there is someone who is waiting for you to share it with them. 

4. Say Less, Communicate More. You may have heard the saying, “God gave you 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.”  Listen to your customer and hear what their needs are. Often, we can be waiting for the pause in conversation to share our story and what we think would be a benefit to them without truly listening and hearing what is being said. You will learn many of your customers dreams and desires if you only listen.

5. Allow Yourself to Give and Receive Freely. I had someone drop a line on my Facebook page to say that Bob describes a situation of breathing out continuously. Imagine – breathing out continuously – at some point you will need to take a breathe. There is a flow to giving and receiving just like there is to breathing in and out. When someone gives to you or you give to someone else, allow yourself to both give and receive, acknowledge and appreciate the other person for the gift. A gift can be a compliment, a smile, a suggestions, or a material item. Be open to receiving because you are also getting!

There are so many more valuable sales nuggets in these books. These nuggets of information are not only good for sales but apply to all relationships in general. If you follow the Laws of Stratospheric Success, not only will you skyrocket your business but you will live Rich from the Inside Out!!

 

Become the Leader of the Life You Are Truly Meant to Live

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The journey of your life begins with choosing to become a leader of your own life. A leader who embraces their values and makes decisions that aligned with those very same values. There is more to life than going through the motions. Create a life that matters by being the leader you know you are meant to be.

Here are my 3 tips for being a leader in your own life:

Start taking responsibility for your life.When I say responsibility, I mean OWN your life. Ditch the excuses, complaints, and blaming others for why you feel hard done by. You can make decisions and choices based on what you control. You can either do something about it or do nothing – either way you have made a choice. For every excuse, complaint, or blaming statement, take note of what it is you can do to change the way it makes you feel. Can you ask for clarification, help, or even express your concerns or feelings to a person who you feel has wronged you? Remember people can only give what they know to be true based on where they are on their own life’s journey.

“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.”  ~Author Unknown

Build people up. We often see the strengths of others better than they see their strengths in themselves. Let people know their strengths when you see them. Think of ways you can help them develop their strengths or hone their skills even more. Perhaps you have come across a great book or article they need to read – share it with them. The more you help others the more they will want to help and champion you.

Do the things that great leaders do– stretch out and grow their comfort zones. Challenge yourself daily to do your very best each day. Set daily goals and reflect on your achievement at the end of the day. Many people will take the road that was well traveled but those who wish to grow and become better with try new things, learn from the mistakes, and persist even when the going gets tough. Each action taken creates a momentum to bigger and greater things.

Your success depends on consistent action. Each action creates a spark of momentum. Momentum is unstoppable unless you quit. Quitting is one of the greatest failures when you are pursuing something you truly want. Keep taking action and choose to LEAD and live rich from the inside out!

Creating Wealth with Kathleen Mailer

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Creating Wealth with Kathleen Mailer (www.kathleenmailer.com)- Publisher of Today’s Business Woman Magazine

3 Ways to Create Wealth

You need to have three different things in your income. You need to create:

  1. Immediate Income: You can give someone a product and they give you $20 back.
  2. Intermediate Income: Money you know is coming in every month for the next 12-18  months no matter what, whether you are working or not.
  3. Legacy Income: Something that continues to grow and grow for passing it on for generation to generation.