by Lisa Jimenez, M. Ed.
I'm so mad at myself!" she said as we began our coaching call. "I made a goal to get ten new clients last week and I only got three," she lamented.
The frustration in her voice was something I used to experience, as well, until I came to a profound realization: Focusing on your results is dangerous.
I used to keep charts all over my office to fill in the names of the people who signed up for my coaching program and retreats. Even after hours of marketing efforts, I would feel defeated if I wasn't able to fill in all of those spaces at the end of the week.
My definition of success was only based on results.
I was placing all my focus and energy on something I had very little control over. Think about it; you really can't make your prospect buy your product or say yes to your opportunity.
So why give so much power to an element that you cannot control? What you can do is show your prospect enough intriguing information, in a passionate way, on a consistent basis, that will touch, move, and inspire them to make their own choice. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!
So let's talk about how you can shift your mindset, release the control over the results, and focus on your efforts.
First, decide how many people you are willing to share your product or opportunity with. Again, the only part of the sales process you have control over is your efforts and the quantity of prospecting attempts you will make.
What is that number for you?
Powerfully choose how many people you are willing to prospect and be fiercely committed to it.
Next, realize that the other aspect of selling you have control over is the number of no's you are willing to take without giving up; or better said, how many no's you're willing to take and still stay motivated, excited, and inspired.
The most effective way to do this is to embrace the Law of Average (L.O.A). Think of it scientifically. How many prospects do you need to share your opportunity with to get a yes? In other words . . . how many no's do you have to receive to get a yes?
For most salespeople that number is 10. When I realized this truth, I got freed up of the frustrations that come from 'getting a no.' Getting a no is just a part of selling. The more yes's you get and the bigger you want to grow your business, the more no's you've got to be willing to receive!
When I was in network marketing, I did an interesting experiment that helped me focus on my efforts and stay motivated. First, I knew that, on average, I made $500 on each sale. Then I divided that amount by 10, the number of no's I had to received in order to get a yes (L.O.A.). That meant I made $50 every time I got a no! I actually taped a $50 bill to my phone and every time I got a no, I'd hang up the phone and say, "Thanks for the fifty bucks!"
Free yourself up from trying so hard to convince, persuade, and control your prospects. Let go of the results. Put your energy and power into your efforts and you will be an incredible force. Your prospect will sense your unique and confident posture and will want what you have.
Think of how powerful you will be when you release what you don't have control over and fervently grasp what you do. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!
What this really takes is a shift in your mindset. Evaluate the goals you've set and discern if they depend on your efforts or results. Instead of setting the goal of five new business associates, set the goal to put 50 new prospects in your recruiting pipeline. Instead of setting a goal of selling 100 widgets, set your goal to put your widget in front of 10,000 new prospects.
The incredible success I have experienced since I shifted attention to efforts instead of results has been nothing short of amazing! And it will be the same for you . . .
The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts! And your efforts are all you need to get the incredible results you desire.
The frustration in her voice was something I used to experience, as well, until I came to a profound realization: Focusing on your results is dangerous.
I used to keep charts all over my office to fill in the names of the people who signed up for my coaching program and retreats. Even after hours of marketing efforts, I would feel defeated if I wasn't able to fill in all of those spaces at the end of the week.
My definition of success was only based on results.
I was placing all my focus and energy on something I had very little control over. Think about it; you really can't make your prospect buy your product or say yes to your opportunity.
So why give so much power to an element that you cannot control? What you can do is show your prospect enough intriguing information, in a passionate way, on a consistent basis, that will touch, move, and inspire them to make their own choice. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!
So let's talk about how you can shift your mindset, release the control over the results, and focus on your efforts.
First, decide how many people you are willing to share your product or opportunity with. Again, the only part of the sales process you have control over is your efforts and the quantity of prospecting attempts you will make.
What is that number for you?
Powerfully choose how many people you are willing to prospect and be fiercely committed to it.
Next, realize that the other aspect of selling you have control over is the number of no's you are willing to take without giving up; or better said, how many no's you're willing to take and still stay motivated, excited, and inspired.
The most effective way to do this is to embrace the Law of Average (L.O.A). Think of it scientifically. How many prospects do you need to share your opportunity with to get a yes? In other words . . . how many no's do you have to receive to get a yes?
For most salespeople that number is 10. When I realized this truth, I got freed up of the frustrations that come from 'getting a no.' Getting a no is just a part of selling. The more yes's you get and the bigger you want to grow your business, the more no's you've got to be willing to receive!
When I was in network marketing, I did an interesting experiment that helped me focus on my efforts and stay motivated. First, I knew that, on average, I made $500 on each sale. Then I divided that amount by 10, the number of no's I had to received in order to get a yes (L.O.A.). That meant I made $50 every time I got a no! I actually taped a $50 bill to my phone and every time I got a no, I'd hang up the phone and say, "Thanks for the fifty bucks!"
Free yourself up from trying so hard to convince, persuade, and control your prospects. Let go of the results. Put your energy and power into your efforts and you will be an incredible force. Your prospect will sense your unique and confident posture and will want what you have.
Think of how powerful you will be when you release what you don't have control over and fervently grasp what you do. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!
What this really takes is a shift in your mindset. Evaluate the goals you've set and discern if they depend on your efforts or results. Instead of setting the goal of five new business associates, set the goal to put 50 new prospects in your recruiting pipeline. Instead of setting a goal of selling 100 widgets, set your goal to put your widget in front of 10,000 new prospects.
The incredible success I have experienced since I shifted attention to efforts instead of results has been nothing short of amazing! And it will be the same for you . . .
The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts! And your efforts are all you need to get the incredible results you desire.
