The Distinctive Coaching Blog has Moved…

Yes, that’s correct. Due to a site reconstruction, we’ve moved.

For more informative, riveting, fascinating, thrilling articles, posts and general know-how on achieving your ideal business, sales, marketing, networking, social networking, productivity, motivation and all things that go into YOUR successful business, please see:

http://www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/Blog-posts

We’ll be waiting there for you . . .

Biz Coach Jason

Why your Facebook account will be disabled

http://contactdubai.com/tips/why-your-facebook-account-will-be-disabled

Great summary!

I was once, too, temporarily suspended for unknown reasons, and for an unspecified period of time. But I was definitely told not to do “it” again, or else! lol

I couldn’t find in the terms of service what I had violated, and to this day have no idea what happened.

Thanks for sharing these tips. They are more specific and give an idea of what to watch out for and avoid in terms of being Facebook terminated.

All the best,
Jason

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Master the Interview – Prepare with these Interview Questions

With so many people looking for work right now, the art of the job interview is as important as ever.  And this is true for both the job candidate as well as the hiring manager. 

Competition for jobs is so fierce, and hiring the wrong person can waste time, money, energy, productivity, and cause a lot of stress for everyone involved.

This article is written for the hiring manager, to help them make a great staff decision, but it is also helpful to the job candidate as they prepare for the interview.

When I coach my small business clients that are growing their business and hiring new employees, I give them the standard questions to ask, such as “Tell me about yourself”, “What are you three best skills”, “What is your biggest weakness”, “Where do you see yourself in three/five years”, “Why do you think this would be a great job for you”, etc. 

We also work together to create questions that asses skill sets that they want their new hire to have a mastery of.  These questions typically start with “Tell me about a time when…” and end depending on appropriate skill or characteristic that is being assessed.

For example:

“Tell me about a time when/describe a time when…”
- “… you had a disagreement with your manager, but you just knew that you were right.”
This can asses many things: conflict resolution skills and styles, relationship building & maintenance skills, communication abilities, etc.

- “… you were working with a difficult or irate customer.”
Obviously, this looks at their customer service tendencies, philosophies and behaviors.

- “…as you approached an important deadline, you saw that you weren’t going to make it.”
This can show how they prioritize and set action plans and goals, in addition to how they handle unexpected and possibly stressful situations.

- “…you had to give a poor review or rating to an underachieving employee that you were managing.”
This might give a glimpse to their leadership and mentoring abilities and styles.

Some follow up questions to their initial answers might include:

- How did you handle that?
- What was your biggest concern at the time?
- Do you feel the situation was resolved?
- Looking back, do you think you would have done anything differently?

These are great questions from the hiring manager’s perspective, and they can be difficult for the job candidate to prepare for.

I suggest an interviewee take a look at the job description and make a list of probable skills that the interviewer may want to measure appropriate for the position. Prepare examples from your experience that demonstrate positive outcomes. Sometimes there is no “right answer” – the interviewer just wants to asses your thought and communication style to see if it is a fit with theirs or with the department or company culture.

And lastly, both sides need to be very truthful when answering interview questions. If you concentrate too hard on selling yourself or your company during the intweview, you’ll probably accomplish just that. But when the new hire begins working, you might find it’s a very poor fit and will probably not have a happy ending for either side.

I hope these ideas help both job candidates and hiring managers alike.

To your succes,
Jason

Where is Jason speaking next?
Take a look at www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/events.htm to find out or have him speak at your event!

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach & Professional Speaker

Helping entrepreneurs, small biz owners, and sales professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less. 
Vision, Strategy, Sales, Success.

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Six quick sales tips you can use today…

Want to sell more? Get the buzz words, catch phrases & industry jargon out of your head. Talk to people in their own, everyday terms so they can relate both intellectually and emotionally.

While working on sales strategies with two different clients yesterday and today, both said to me, “Wow.. I need to unlearn what my company taught me. No wonder I’m not getting many appointments set.”

I’ve also heard this before from past clients. These can’t be coincidences.

These two particular companies are well known and respected ones – one of the oldest and best-known in the financial services and one very respected network marketing company.  Both teach their sales staff very specific strategies and scripts filled with phrases that boast of the company’s successes, accolades, and awards but do very little to engage the prospect’s dreams, wants and desires.  They don’t connect the dots from what the company offers to what’s in the prospect’s mind and heart.

So how do you connect those dots? Here are six quick tips…

- Ask questions. Don’t assume you know your prospect’s pain and pleasure points. Even if you guess correctly, they need to be in their own words, not yours. 
- Make an active sales experience for your prospect, not passive.
- Create a sales conversation instead of a presentation.
- Help your prospect get clear on what they want, how it will positively impact them and the costs for not acting.
- Use check-in questions and assess the fit as you go.
- Leave the decision-making power with your prospect. Don’t try to be sly or force a sale on them. If you’ve done a good job at helping them connect the dots, the decision is up to them. 

It doesn’t matter how good your product or service is if you can’t help your prospect make an emotional and intellectual connection to take ownership of their decision.

What are you thoughts and experiences?

 

Where is Jason speaking next?
Take a look at www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/events.htm to find out or have him speak at your event!

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach & Speaker

Helping entrepreneurs, small biz owners, and sales professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your F-R.E-E “Business Success E-Series”!

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook Profile: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason
Facebook Business Group: http://groups.to/IdealBusinessCommunity

Networking & The Holidays – Are you ready??

Well… Here come the holidays, and in full force.

I don’t know about you, but my schedule is BUSY… jam-packed, full to the brim. There are networking events, association and club meetings, family gatherings, friends’ parties, Meetup’s, Facebook events, Evites… Oh my head!

This can be a very interesting time of the year for many businesses (and tough for some).  So much to do and so little time, lots of running around from this meeting to that event, back to work, downtown to run errands, to the mall for presents, back to that other event that I almost forgot about…

And if you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner or sales professional, your sales might slow down as people gear up for the holidays, unless you sell reindeer feed, like my uncle in Alaska.

All this can drain your energy, cause stress and send some of us straight to “Bah, Humbug!” land.  (Didn’t know that was a real place, did you?)

But, is that the kind of presence you want to have when you meet someone new at one of these many parties, networking events and meetings?  Are you going to let out a cry for mercy as someone new approaches you at the eggnog bowl and tries to “pitch you” their services while grabbing a mini pizza roll?

I know the feeling.  I’ve woken up late in the night and cried out for help and a break from all the holiday overload.  But then I discovered the “rules” of classy, stylish and easy networking . . . and how to rule all these holiday events instead of having them rule me.
(Yep.. you knew this was going somewhere!)

Well, here are “10 Holiday Networking Tips” that I want to share with you that I’ve found helpful.  They are especially useful during the holiday season to make connections that count, and they will help you keep your energy, sanity and holiday cheer. (And see below for even more direct assistance with this fun topic!)

1.) Make a good first impression
It counts OH SO MUCH!

2.) Be polite, respectful & honest
This is how you want to be treated, right?

3.) Maintain a “giving” mindset
Just like the holidays, successful networking is all about giving. It should be easy to remember this time of year, but it’s an important mindset to have all year round.

4.) Ask for their contact info
So you’ll be able to get in touch with them if you are interested in talking further.

5.) Don’t “sell” without permission
If you’re turned off by someone launches into a 5-minute sales presentation about their awesome pens that write underwater, in the dark and without gravity, don’t assume others are dying to hear about your slick wheel bearings, even if you KNOW that’s exactly what they need.  This is a very important step – maybe the most important of all. You do want to tell people what you do, but in a classy, stylish way that gets their attention…    (See below for more about this one)

6.) Avoid opening with “So, what do you do?”
It can kill rapport building before it begins and can condemn the interaction to being nothing more than boring, robotic and mindless chatter without exchanging the truly important information. If you open your conversations this way, you can miss an important opportunity to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

7.) Don’t rely on them to contact you
Just because they said they were thrilled to have met you and learned about your slick wheel bearings, doesn’t mean they will really call you.  They may have intended to at the time, but life happens and no one is perfect. So get their info so you can ensure the follow up.

8.) Always carry pen, paper & business cards
You never know when a great opportunity might present itself. Yes, even while you’re fighting for that last “Cosmic Raymond” action figure.

9.) Do not get out of a conversation by dumping them on someone else
Making another person suffer is no way to get a good reputation during the holidays. Kindly excuse yourself, tell them you need another drink, see someone you need to speak with, or even that you have to “go” really bad! And don’t get caught lying as that will kill all of your credibility really fast.

10.) Enjoy yourself!
Relax and have fun!  When you’re smiling and enjoying yourself, you are more likable to others, and this can lead to a lot of business. Be kind, considerate and magnetic!

SO… I hope these “10 Holiday Networking Tips” help you as you network your way through all the parties this season. 

If you would like learn EXACTLY how to use these to transform your networking and social events into a Business Boosting Bonanza   - especially how to get great leads quickly without “selling” (number 5 above), being manipulative or dishonest, please sign up for next week’s

* * * FREE TELECLASS : http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com

“Network Your Way through the Holidays – With style, class and ease!”

This is going to be a very exciting session. This is one of my favorite topics, and I promise to show you how to use networking properly to send you business skyrocketing!

And there will be some INCREDIBLE FREE BONUSES given to attendees that you won’t want to miss. These will help you get ready for a blockbuster 2009, even in this challenging economy!

http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com

Lastly… If you’re in Chicago, check out the “FUN with REP” networking event on Dec 9 to put these techniques into practice. This is going to be a really fun networking and social event. A great way to gear up for the holidays!

In the meantime, I want to wish a very happy holiday season to you, your family, your business, and most of all your networking spirit!

All the best,
Jason

P.S. Speaking of networking and creating a blockbuster 2009, check out the Facebook business group that will help you do both: Achieve Your Ideal Business Community.
And don’t forget to register for “Network Your Way through the Holidays” http://NetworkingTheHolidays.eventbrite.com to get the Free audio recording of the class as well as the Special Free Bonuses!

Jason E. Rosado
Business Coach

Helping self-directed and self-managed professionals achieve your ideal business in 12 months or less.
Want to get started?  Sign up for your FREE “Business Success E-Series”!

773.829.1276
Jason@DistinctiveCoaching.com

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

I Can See Clearly Now: Business Clarity from Coaching

Listen in to the 10/30/08 show. In this spirited conversation, I was interviewed by Jackie Rogers of The Kitchen Table Entrepreneur about gaining clarity, vision and growth in your business through coaching: http://snipurl.com/BizCoachJasonVoiceAm

Topics: The importance of gaining vision and clarity for success; How to build a networking, marketing and sales mindset; How to grow your business using coaching; What to look for in a great coach; The core areas that coaching can help your business; and much more . . .

We had a very lively discussion. I hope you enjoy it!

All the best,
Jason

P.S. My blog can now be accessed and viewed on Facebook!  See http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blogpage.php?blogid=69071 

Website: http://www.AchieveYourIdealBusiness.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BizCoachJason
Facebook: http://profile.to/BizCoachJason

Avoid Getting and Giving Headaches…

Networking can be great for sales…
Networking can be great for career advancement…
Networking can be great for job transition…

Networking can give you a headache
if it’s not done well…

I read a post today in an online
professional discussion forum about a
networking event that the poster
attended.  He said that there were a lot
of small business owners there, and he
was constantly “getting pitched and
pitched hard” as he met people.

I can definitely relate.  I go to many
networking events. And I have
encountered many sales people, small
business owners and other “experts”
that love telling people what they need
and what they should be doing about
– well, everything!

When I read the post, though, a part
of me wanted to apologize on behalf of
those small biz owners and sales folks. 
You see…

I am also one of the small business
owners, and a lot of my livelihood
depends on networking.

But I don’t “pitch” my services to people
I meet at networking events. I found out
a long time ago that is counter-productive.

When asked, I follow a system to tell
them what I do and who I help, and
then I listen to see if they want to talk
further about it. If not, we move on to
other topics.

I think there is no faster way to kill a
relationship before it’s begun than to
pitch to someone who may not be
interested, or to assume that someone
“needs” your product or service and
then act prematurely on that assumption.

And this is important because…

Successful networking is all about
relationship building.  Not sales.

Let me put it another way:

The best way to get sales results
from networking is to not sell.

Before you decide I’m just plain goofy,
let me explain.

As I said, I do a lot of networking, and
my business and sales depend on it.
And I think I understand sales pretty well, 
having provided large group sales training
sessions and one-on-one sales coaching
for large well known companies as well as
smaller, less known businesses.

I have taken what I’ve learned from my
various business experiences as well as
material I’ve studied and trainings I’ve
attended, and combined them to develop
workshops for others that also depend
on successful networking and sales
strategies.

Below is a snippet of some of the
“Networking Do’s and Don’ts” that I’ve
shared at those events, which have
proven to go a long way to helping
achieve long-term growth:

Do:
- Be polite, respectful & honest.
- Maintain a “helpful” mindset at all times.
- Think about what you can do to help
the other person, not what they can
do for you.
- Ask a lot of questions.
- Enjoy learning about others.

Don’t:
- Don’t “sell” without permission.
- Don’t open with “What do you do?”
because it limits rapport-building.
- No matter how great your conversation
was, don’t rely on them to contact you.
Take the initiative to follow up.

I hope you find this information useful,
especially when you’re at your next
networking event.

All the best,
Jason

P.S. If you would like to learn more about
how to put these and other proven
networking skills into action, please join
me for a fr.ee teleclass

called
“Networking Necessities” this week:

http://necessities.eventbrite.com

Participants will have a chance to win
a complementary pass to my
“Supercharge Your Sales & Networking”
workshop on April 19. It will cover how
you can get the most out of sales and
networking, and how you can maximize
your bottom line results by following
an easy system to integrate the best
of both in an incredibly effective and
helpful way.

 

 

Q: What Works Better: Advertising or Networking?

A:  For me it’s been a mixture. Networking and meeting people is the first step, and a necessary one.

I have learned so much about networking over the past few years, both from my failures and my successes. I was able to find out what I did flat-out wrong, what I was good at, and what are the “right” things to do that I now love networking because I get so much out of it personally and professionally.

I even took the lessons I have learned from networking and sales and created a workshop that combines the best practices of both for business owners and sales professionals. It teaches not only how to overcome shyness and lack of direction to create a guaranteed success plan, but also how to make your networking and sales work together synergistically to building really strong relationships and leverage those to bring you the sales you want.

So first, you need to build relationships online, offline, at networking events and through other connections. Get to know them – what they want and how you can support them. Then market to them in a very giving way. Treat the people in your network and in your contact database just the same as you would your friends and family.

Become a trusted advisor to them. Provide help and support without expecting anything in return. And know when and how to market to them only when it’s a win-win outcome for both of you.

I hope this answer helps other people out there that are in the same place that I was. And for anyone that would like to learn more, please feel free to contact me.

All the best,
Jason Rosado
www.DistinctiveCoaching.com

P.S. Here is more info on the networking and sales workshop: http://www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/Supercharge.html  

And a Free teleclass preview: http://necessities.eventbrite.com

LinkedIn: The Debate Continues…

Are you a LION? Are you uncertain if you
should be concentrating on getting
connections of quantity or quality for your
best business results?

I just received ANOTHER invitation that used
a canned text. And I can almost recite it verbatim.
It was the third or fourth time this person with
500+ connections has invited me to join his
LinkedIn network.

I joined LinkedIn in early 2006, and I have enjoyed
the use of this business networking site for
multiple purposes – finding old colleagues,
strengthening relationships with quality people
that I have recently met, getting ideas and helping
others through the “Questions & Answers” feature.

But, I have become more and more selective
about which invitations I accept.

I feel quality is better than quantity. I almost
cringe when I receive an invitation in which the
default text hasn’t been changed at all. If you
really think we should be connected to help
each other grow our networks, why not type in
something that let’s me know:

• Who are you?
• How do we know each other, or how did you
come across my profile?
• Why do you think that you and I specifically
would make good networking partners?
• How can I help you?
• What’s in it for me, other than having another
connection that I can’t confidently refer people to?

The basic tenet of relationship building (think
sales skills) is normally absent from the volume
of invitations. Focus on the other person, not
yourself. No one wants to be friends with
someone that’s all “me, me, me…” You don’t
need to write a book, but write something to
make it personal. Refer to something unique in
my profile that lets me know this isn’t a canned
invitation.

“I know the value of having a ridiculously large
network, so let’s connect” doesn’t sound like
someone with whom I can pick up the phone,
or email to, and get together with for lunch,
get support or ideas from, or give a
recommendation to.

If you add people at random and have no intention
of getting to know them, you are not building a
network, you are building the Whitepages. I threw
my last published phone directory out years ago,
and I don’t need another one.

But I do accept invitations from sincere, caring
professionals that REALLY want to help each
other and can show me why they, and why I
should, value this special, potential connection.

After all, that’s why I am a big believer in the
power of networking and helping each other.
Have a fantastic Friday, and a Happy Easter
to those of you that celebrate!

All the best,
Jason

P.S. Chicago, 4/19/08 – We will be delving into
this and other networking topics to help you
supercharge your networking and sales!
Please see http://www.DistinctiveCoaching.com/Supercharge.html

Three short sales tips

I wanted to share these three sales tips from an answer I posted on LinkedIn:

1. Don’t just “sell a product or service” but become a trusted advisor that provides solutions and can be relied on to help when needed.

2. Listen 80% of the time to the prospect or customer to determine their stated needs and the underlying needs, and talk 20% of the time to ask questions and clarify the answers.

3. Once someone has made a decision to buy, stop selling!  I see this too often: when a customer decides to make the purchase, but for a different reason than the one the sales person is trying to convey, they can be talked out of buying.  As a sales person, if someone decides to buy, no matter what the reason, stop selling and close the deal.  The customer is making the best decision for themselves and knows more about their situation and needs than you do.

Hope these help!
Jason