Attract the Right Job Or Clientele:
Are You Preparing to Cross the Divide?
Success comes to those preparing to cross the divide between those in the crowd or becoming a leader. Moving slowly as a tortoise has us often wondering if we will ever arrive, or should we cut our losses today?
What most don’t recognize is that our subconscious thinking commands our actions. The power of positive thinking can be the game changer to cross the divide. Our thoughts affect our self-esteem and influence our attitude toward others.
Our communication begins long before we conduct initial conversations. One example is that of the positive thinkers. They put in the extra effort of research before meeting with their prospective clients, whereas others do not. Similarly, prospects do their research ahead of time. Many are already aware of what we sell and what we represent professionally and personally. By the time we join a meeting, decisions have the meter leaning toward either a ‘No’ or a ‘Yes, let’s do it!’
We build our unique personal brand and gain positive recognition by being true to our principles throughout our lifetime.
My Story
Preparing to cross the divide to stand out as a leader requires we draw a line in the sand. Early in my career, I recognized the need to openly communicate what I will and will not do for securing business. Due to unspoken subtleties, some decisions were more difficult than others.
We all make errors that set us back on our heels. Other times, we collaborate, and our partners will occasionally make an error that affects all of us. How we handle the fix marks whether forgiveness is ahead. The fix alone does not solve the issue. It is the upfront apology within 24 hours of the mishap that marks the difference.
Avoidance, excuses, and blame never produce the results we desire.
Taking responsibility for the occurrence is the first step toward leadership. The next is to become comfortable with negotiation and working out reasonable settlements. On occasion, the solution is as simple as removing a name from a mailing list. On the other end, a prospect may ask for unreasonable monetary credit. As an employee, there were times where I was able to negotiate a satisfactory settlement. On other occasions, reason did not exist, and I chose to walk away.
In the early years of my sales career, the goal was to prove that I can succeed. I refused to allow anyone to stop me. One of the more helpful sales teachings was that of Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP.
Paying strict attention to what we hear firsthand and what a person omits from the conversation is very telling. Instead of brushing over the omission(s), asking questions about will reveal much. Similarly, observation of body language and facial expressions unleashes more clues that we are to address.
Last, the tone of voice provides us further instruction on whether or not to continue the conversation or end the meeting. Above all else, communications are to be friendly on all sides. Some people attempt to use guilt to influence a decision on their behalf. This approach is usually short-lived and does not end well.
For a very long time, I did feel as if I were moving slower than a turtle as I was preparing to cross the divide. But, over time, the effort proves to be well-worthwhile. The more astute I became in observing others, the better my decisions became. Accordingly, the business grew.
Let your passion be your guide through the tough times.
I find that a significant differentiator for those of us who continue is awareness of what initially set us back.
My Cross The Divide Strategy:
- Examine every aspect of the difficulty and how to best proceed in the future
- Revise my goals
- Ensure all goals are synchronous
- Confirm the new plan sparks the drive to attain my future vision
- Create a mental game to compete with me and drive further motivation
Last, review everything in place to ensure all strategies are working harmoniously. Ultimately, what we create is how others will remember us.
We each have to answer the question, are we motivated enough to continue preparing to cross the divide? An excellent way to begin is to read, ‘Infinite Gamification: Motivate your team until the end of time,’ by Toby Beresford. Beresford provides the knowledge for creating your winning system.
Your Story: Cross The Divide
Today is the day (never tomorrow) for preparing to cross the divide. If you are early in your career, consider the subject matterand related topics to move you up. Create a job title or the name of a business and have it always visible.
- Chart out a course of action for the next twelve months.
- Ask for feedback for improvement from those who are familiar with your style of work.
- Use negative commentary as your motivator to launch forward.
As you are planning and preparing to cross the divide, create a mental game for the process. It can be as simple as tallying the number of prospects and clients you call, and the number of affirmative nods for a meeting. Compare daily, weekly, and monthly positive responses. Tweak your approach as you move forward, and similarly monitor the outcome.
Are you ready to cross the divide on social media? Monitor how you communicate on different platforms. Is your profile descriptive, and do your actions mirror what it states? Is your following growing, or does your communication style need improvement?
Make the necessary adjustments and monitor the connection numbers. The key differentiator here is to make connections with people whose messaging you care about, can learn from, and who inspire you. Monitor the results.
Continually revisit why you chose your job or entrepreneurship, whether the passion still holds, and how you can improve your strategies. No matter how slow you or I go, the differentiator is in not giving up, but using motivation and perseverance to cross the divide.
The lyrics to ‘My Way’, by Frank Sinatra, summarize today’s blog theme:
“I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve travelled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the by-way
And more, much more than this I did it my way.”
For More Insights: Visit Elinor’s Amazon Author Page
“Communicate to Attract Interest”
Be A Story-Teller
As the CEO of Smooth Sale, after her near-death experience, Stutz adapted the motto,
“Believe, Become, Empower“
” Nice Girls DO Get the Sale is an International Best-Selling and Evergreen Book – among the classics;
HIRED! Helped many to secure the job they desired.
“Communicate to Attract Interest”
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Sales Tips: Cross The Divide
- Have a serious meeting with your inner voices about the future
- Determine if what you are doing today is in sync with the vision of your future self
- Begin listing the habits and strategies in need of change
- Ask peers for recommendations to get to the next level
- Prioritize classes and coaching for moving forward
- Lift the burden of improvement by gamifying your effort
- Monitor setbacks and improvements
- Continue to revise your plan to cross the divide for quicker advancement
- Build similar-minded connections by communicating to common interests
- Celebrate Success!
