Rise and Shine

In today's uncertain times, I constantly hear people gripe about how "business is slow, nobody's buying" and "everybody's cutting back." I also have a lot of people ask, "What can I do to ignite my sales and move my business in a positive direction." The answer I give them is simply this "People are still buying; they're just not buying from you. If you want to start selling again you have got to Rise and Shine."

For too long, many salespeople and business owners have been on the proverbial "gravy train." Supply was less than demand and people got away from effective business basics. Salespeople forgot to sell and business owners forgot the meaning of customer service and flat out hustle. Besides, why should anyone hustle when business is lined up?

When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to learn the meaning of hard work. My parents raised me and my three sisters in the country and we had plenty of chores. We had a farm with animals and gardens and yes, my Dad believed that everyone should do their fair share. He also made sure we took pride in our work and finished every chore to the best of our abilities.

I remember many mornings when dad would yell down the hall, "Rise and Shine!" When we heard him yelling, we knew we had work to do and we better get up and get after it. These are great memories because once we did our work we got to do all the fun stuff. We also felt good because he taught us to do our job well.

My father also taught us the following saying that you may have heard: "Good better best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best." I'm thankful for these lessons for they have served me well and contributed greatly to my success.

How does this relate to your business? Very simple. There's still plenty of business out there. However, the game definitely changed in 2008. The person that's going to get the business in 2009 is the one who rises up earlier, stays a little later, and shines brighter than their competition.

If you want to succeed in today's environment you must get better in all facets of your business. That's it, period. It's time for sales people to start selling again. This means "Sharpening your saw and improving your knowledge, skills, and abilities."

So, how can you get started? Here's 7-steps that will give you momentum.

1. Get back to the basics –What are the basic fundamentals that brought you to the game? What are the basic products, services, knowledge, skills and actions that always get results no matter what? Your business has basic fundamentals that you can count on to work. Get back to them first. This will give you confidence in what you're doing and start the ball rolling.
2. Get rid of the clutter – Take a day to get the clutter out of your life. Clean out your car, clear out your briefcase, organize your office, files, etc. This will help your attitude and make you feel better instantly. Clutter can also come in the form of negative people that muddy up your thinking. Quit associating with the doomsayers and naysayers who say it can't be done.
3. Feed your mind – Listen to at least 15 minutes of positive uplifting audio programs each day. Read at least 15 minutes of an inspiring book every evening. Review your plan for the next day before you go to sleep at night. You will amaze yourself at what these actions will do for your attitude, creativity, productivity, and results.
4. Dress for success – You should always look your best. Make sure your hair is trimmed neatly, you wear clean clothes that are pressed, and you step out in the world wearing shiny shoes. It is proven that if you dress up you will feel better and your performance will improve.
5. Bring energy and focus – Most people spend the majority of their time focusing on energy draining tasks. Everyday you should wake up with a plan of action. This plan should include exercise and eating right. This will energize you. Use the energy to develop a laser like focus. Set a target and spend most of your time accomplishing the most important tasks; the ones that move you closer to your goals.
6. Listen mostly – Spend most of your time listening not talking. You do this by asking questions and then listening. Listen to what your customers tell you. Listen to what your potential prospects say to you. Listen to feedback from your staff. Stay in tune with company and market changes.
7. Play the numbers now – Success is a numbers game. Input always eventually equals output. Do a little more everyday than your competition. Make the extra calls, send more notes, and hone your skills. It will make a difference.

These seven steps will give you a good start; however, consistency is the key. It's what you do everyday that makes the biggest difference.

Every morning when you Rise and Shine, you need to remind yourself that greatness is within you. You have all the talent, creativity, and ability to claim victory in every area of your life. You simply need to get clear about exactly what you want and work hard enough and smart enough to make it happen.

When the opportunity clock sounds, simply rise up out of bed, put your shoulders back and look in the mirror and say, "I've come too far to give up now. Today is a new day. I'm going to improve my skills, keep a positive attitude and rise up above today's challenges. I'm going to work a little harder, play a lot smarter and shine much brighter than my competition. This year (2009) is my time and no one or nothing can stop me now."

If you rise up every day with a positive expectancy for the future, combined with hard work and consistency, you will see your confidence grow, your income soar and 2009 will be your time to shine.

Remember this, the sun is always shining somewhere. Sometimes, you just have to get above the storm clouds to see it.

To Your Success