Thank You Notes

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to read about thank you notes in The Last Lecture!

I am a strong proponent of handwritten thank you notes. They show respect and thoughtfulness. When you take the time to put pen to paper you are telling the recipient that they matter. And who wouldn't want to feel they have value?

Unfortunately, with the advent of email, handwritten notes have become almost extinct. It is a lost art. You would do yourself a favor by taking it on as a business practice.

I write handwritten notes to people I meet at networking events. These notes are always appreciated.

Those people who know me well know that I always encourage my clients to write notes, on notecards; to handwrite the address and put a real stamp on the envelope.

Yes, it matters.

Guest Post

Please visit the site below to read a really great post by my friend Joel. He and his father are really on to something!

http://www.thefranchisekingblog.com/2009/06/5-things-my-dad-taught-me-about-business-and-life.html

A Great Biz Read

I've just finished reading 'The Last Lecture' by Randy Pausch. You may not think it's a business book - but you'd be wrong. There are many business lessons, as well as life lessons in this book. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing some of those business lessons with you.

For starters, try this on - no job is beneath you. Randy's father told him the same thing my father told me - work hard and become the best at whatever you do, even if it's digging ditches.

No job is beneath you because you can learn from anything. The lessons you learn in the mailroom will serve you well as you move up the chain. If you try to shortcut the system and jump right into management you will find your job much harder. This is because you can't relate to the people who are working for you.

If you don't have an understanding of what they are going through you won't be able to work effectively with them to problem solve and improve the workflow.

So, be thankful for the roles you play - no matter what they are - and do them well. You will be a better leader because of them.

Guest Author Steven Rosen

Here's a great article about sales managers as effective coaches by one of my favorite guys.

Coaching Mistakes to Avoid

Want to drive sales performance? Transforming your sales managers from good to great coaches can have a dramatic impact on sales. In fact, sales coaching is the management No. 1 activity that drives sales performance. The only problem is that managers have not been taught how to effectively coach. Coaching is a skill that takes time to perfect and unless effectively coached or trained managers make all types of mistakes.

As the head of sales or as a frontline sales manager you can greatly enhance the performance of your sales team if you can develop great coaches.

Over the next week I will explore daily coaching mistakes to avoid on your way to becoming a great sales coach.

Coaching Mistake #1 – “Telling vs. Asking Coaching”

As a sales manager you probably were a top sales rep. You may still see yourself as a problem-solver, like “If I solve this rep’s issue then she/he can make the sale.” As a result of your action orientation you are likely to tell the salesperson how to solve the issue. “Telling” does not create self-managing salespeople. In fact, there are numerous downsides to the tell-first approach.

First, you are not empowering your sales reps, who may perceive you as being a micro manager. Second, you are also creating a dependency on you to be their problem-solver. This creates endless emails, phone calls and resulting in needy reps. And third, you are not developing them. One of the critical areas for development is the ability to be a self manager.

Be aware of when you are in “tell” mode and remind yourself, when you have fallen into a bad habit.

Decide First

Before you delve too far into social media sites, decide what your goal is. What do you wish to accomplish by having a presence on those sites?

The answer will help you format your plan and approach.

Some people want to establish themselves as experts. Others wish to find prospective clients. And still others want to share information and connect with as many people as possible who share the same interests.

Whatever your goal know it so you can create a plan that will help you reach that goal.

Social Networking in Person

Last night I attended a LinkedIn networking event at the Rockbottom Brewery.

And what a great event it was! There were probably 400 people there meeting and sharing information, cards, leads, and news. I met some really great people.

And, this is one of the best things about social networking - when you make it personal. Social networking is great fo discovering who is out there and what is going on. I think it works even better when you take it the next step and meet people in person.

You find people you have something in common with, you see old contacts, good friends, and have the chance to start new relationships.

Of course, how you follow up the next day has a lot to do with how successful the event will actually be. It doesn't end when you leave the building. Actually, that's really when it just begins.

So, as you navigate the virtual world make sure you bring it in to your personal world where you can.

Nominated!

I just found out that my article 'Have You Qualified' has been nominated for article of the week at Top 10 Sales Articles - see it here

http://ping.fm/LFL2g