May 2024

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5/28/2024

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"The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it."

Laurence Sterne

The above mentioned quote suggests that both the pursuit of knowledge and the pursuit of wealth are driven by an insatiable desire and appetite that grows stronger the more one acquires it.

In other words, gaining knowledge or riches only fuels a greater hunger for more.

This analogy suggests that the drive for improvement and acquisition is a self-perpetuating cycle, where each new piece of knowledge or wealth leads to a deeper craving for further accumulation.

The best of the best, the well-disciplined sales professionals - I believe, it's part of their job to routinely evaluate themselves, and solicit feedback on themselves, as they hold themselves radically accountable in how they apply all of this.

Sales is competitive. It's not for the weak at heart. The highs are high, and the lows are low.

There's a massive difference between a sales rep and a sales professional when it comes to their thirst for growth.

Some may say the difference lies in their competitive inner drive.

This begs the question... What are you doing to continually get better?

Sales professionals:

• They constantly work on their mindset, heart set and skillset.
• They are locked in on their goals.
• They have relentless determination.
• They have uncompromising discipline.
• They have a huge desire to outperform their best and others’ best.

“Feedback is a gift. Ideas are the currency of our next success. Let people see you value both feedback and ideas.”

Jim Trinka and Les Wallace

When you hear the word feedback, how does this make you feel? Be honest. Many of us cringe.

When you become are aware of your reaction to feedback and work on making a habit of incorporating constructive feedback to improve, it soon becomes easier to handle.

Proactively seeking out feedback is a key indication of a continuous learning mindset.

Just as currency facilitates transactions and stimulates economic growth, ideas drive development and your future success.

Are you creating an environment for yourself where continuous learning and innovation are placed on a pedestal?

What separates sales professionals from sales reps?

It's their passion, insatiable and thirst-quenching appetite for feedback, learning and how they put all of this into action.

Allow Proverbs 15:14 to sink in for a moment:

"A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash."

STAY THIRSTY FOR CLIENT KNOWLEDGE

If you fail or struggle to continually find out what your clients think about you and your service experience, you'll never be able to give them the best experience they rightfully deserve.

It's their opinions about the experience they have with you that becomes helpful to use so you can adjust your support to fit their needs more accurately.

Insincere and canned survey emails soliciting feedback doesn't cut it. And lord knows you know what I mean because many of you are sending them out right now.

To truly serve your clients is to listen to them.

Sales professionals intently listen to their clients' voices through consistent and constant feedback. They treat their clients like royalty, providing everything to match their wants, needs and desires.

I ask you:

• How do you know if what you're doing is working?
• How do you know if your clients are happy with their experiences or with you?
• What do they like and dislike?
• How well are you keeping up with what's going on inside their company?

Sales professionals quench their thirst with client feedback.

Feedback is the breakfast of sales champions. They quench their sales thirst with meaningful and heartfelt feedback.

The best thing you can do is to go to your clients and get feedback.

"When you give your buyers feedback, you are giving them a gift. In turn, they'll understand what works and what doesn't work in your interactions. When you seek and respond to feedback from your buyers, you differentiate yourself, set an example, and make it easier for them to hear your suggestions."

Deb Calvert

You must be willing to look for honest, candid and sometime uncomfortable feedback from your clients.

Sales professionals know this makes them better. To get great feedback, one must become vulnerable and shall I say, surrender.

QUENCH YOUR SALES THIRST WITH A CUP OF COURAGE

"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor."

Aristotle

To succeed in sales, you need to be innovative, creative, and open to change. All these areas need courage.

Furthermore, this involves continuously pushing the boundaries, taking calculated risks, and embracing the unknown.

Overcoming challenges or set backs, gaining new clients and even selling more to current clients, requires that you dig deep.

Reflect on the following Theodore Roosevelt quote,

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because this is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

How can you take your sales career to the next level?

Simple, courageously asking for feedback will set you free.

It's the feedback you get from a cross section of your clients that will provide the avenues to grow relationships, grow yourself and grow your referrals.

Here's a suggestion, place your clients into three buckets. Sort your clients by...

• You love them and they love you.
• Challenging.
• Middle of the road clients, ones you just don't hear much from.

The best place to start gathering feedback is from those clients who have been placed in the "middle of the road" bucket.

Why? You may not see them on a consistent basis, and you may tell yourself, all is well but in actuality they may become vulnerable to a hostile takeover. It's this feedback that becomes golden to your sales growth.

You must be willing to quench your sales thirst with feedback. Your clients are the best source of help. You must be willing to ask.

Allow this verse from James 4:2 to sink in for a moment:

"You have not, because you ask not."

STAY RELATIONALLY THIRSTY

The opportunities for growth inside your client base are ginormous.

I'm quite confident that you've established some kind of a relationship, but the question becomes, how credible is the relationship?

The consummate sales professional digs in and asks...

• What can I be doing differently?
• What can I be doing to improve or enhance the experience I provide to you?
• What can I be doing to help you do better business?

I'm asking you to rock the boat on this one because a comfortable mindset with your clients is a terrible thing to waste.

Success breeds complacency and mediocrity.

Think of all your competitors circling your clients just waiting for the right moment to reel them into their establishments of paradise.

YOU MUST STAY THIRSTY

The client comfort zone as well as your own is a terrible place to be in. You will be amazed what you learn outside this zone.

When you and your clients take risks and face challenges together, it only can strengthen your relationship.

These shared experiences and overcoming difficulties build trust and a deeper connection, fostering a more collaborative and productive partnership.

Imagine for a moment that your smack dab in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

You've been wandering aimlessly for hours, you're tired and thirsty. Suddenly you come across a watering hole or is it a mirage, a figment of your imagination.

Investing in your client relationships shouldn't be a mirage.

I encourage you to fill up your pipeline with client feedback and stay thirsty my friends.

James Muir is the founder and CEO of Best Practice International, known for his expertise in sales with a 30-year career that spans from individual contributor to executive VP. As the bestselling author of "The Perfect Close," he focuses on simplifying complex sales processes. Muir has a significant background in healthcare, having worked with major names in technology and healthcare, such as HCA, Tenet, Catholic Healthcare, Banner, Dell, and IBM. Beyond his professional life, Muir is passionate, enthusiastic, and enjoys incorporating fun into his work. He is also a dedicated lifelong student of sales, an accomplished guitarist, an organic chemistry enthusiast, and a fitness buff. Residing in the mountains of Salt Lake City with his wife and two sons, Muir embodies a well-rounded and vibrant personality.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling From the Heart podcast, we welcome sales expert and author James Muir. We dive deep into the challenges of dealing with stalled sales and discuss actionable strategies from James' new book, "Unsticking Deals." Listeners will gain insights into diagnosing the root causes of stuck deals and learn practical methods to keep their sales pipelines moving. Whether you're a sales professional struggling with deal closures or a leader seeking to optimize your team's performance, this episode is packed with valuable advice to help you navigate the complexities of today's sales environment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sincerity and Integrity in Sales Environments: Throughout the discussion, the importance of sincerity and integrity in navigating modern sales environments is emphasized. By prioritizing these values, sales professionals can build trust and credibility with clients, ultimately driving long-term success.

Alignment with Client Priorities: The conversation stresses the significance of aligning sales propositions with client priorities. By understanding and addressing client needs, sales professionals can build stronger relationships and drive successful outcomes.

Reengaging with Silent Clients: Muir outlines innovative messaging strategies for reengaging with silent clients. By leveraging these strategies, sales professionals can reignite communication and rekindle interest from clients who have gone silent.

The 'Muchness, Soonness, and Sureness' Framework: Muir introduces the 'muchness, soonness, and sureness' framework for comparing sales options. This framework helps sales professionals prioritize and align sales propositions with client priorities effectively.

QUOTES

“If your intention is just to help them, then you can go into every single encounter, just enjoying yourself, having a great experience.”

“We have to bring intentionality to the forefront, and if we can bring that good thing start to happen.”

“It's about transforming the way you sell by being authentic, real, and trustworthy in every interaction.”

"Trust has always been everything in sales, but boy, it's hard to get trust. It's hard to build it. It's hard to keep it.”

“You can compare them based on sureness... Even if you're not the top priority... you can still position your solution as becoming a no-brainer”

Learn more about James Muir:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/puremuir/

Learn more about Darrell and Larry:

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevi...

Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/

Get the New Book That Will Help You Sell More... Without Destroying Your Relationships and Reputation

https://sellinginaposttrustworld.com/...

Please visit Barnes & Nobles to order your copy of the rerelease of the Selling from the Heart book.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sell...

SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL!

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Embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is more than just a tech trend—it’s a strategic move that’s revolutionizing cost structures and resource allocation in businesses. As technologies advance, AI and automation demonstrate their potential to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and allow customization in novel ways.

Saving Time Through Process Streamlining

AI and automation can reap substantial time savings by streamlining repetitive manual processes. Consider service calls – AI-powered chatbots handle basic customer queries without human agents, allowing them to focus on complex issues. Similarly, back-office tasks like PO processing and OCR of paper payments that once sucked up valuable worker hours are now automated.

A 2020 PwC study found over 50% of large global enterprises reported significant time savings through back-office automation. These automated document workflows cut processing times from weeks to hours for many companies. One insurance provider reduced claim processing by digitizing paperwork from 12 days to just three.

Freed from tedious administrative busywork, employees have time for high-impact strategic duties. Automating such rote tasks boosts productivity across organizations—one marketing agency automated contract generation, paring the process from days to under an hour. Employees refocused on new business pitches and saw proposal win rates surge by 25%. Offloading grunt work through streamlined digital processes unleashes massive productivity gains and labor cost reductions.

Enhancing Efficiency Through Intelligent Automation

AI and automation enhance efficiency by performing tasks with superhuman capabilities. Advanced machine learning algorithms can rapidly analyze vast amounts of customer data, identifying patterns and trends that would be impossible for humans to detect. This augmented intelligence boosts marketing, customer service, and product development functions.

For example, algorithms can scan terabytes of customer purchase histories within seconds, uncovering purchasing habits and preferences. Marketers can leverage these insights to develop hyper-targeted campaigns. According to IBM, a single algorithm uncovered $300 million in additional annual revenue for one retailer.

Robotic process automation (RPA) provides another avenue for dramatic efficiency gains. RPAs emulate human actions to complete repetitive rules-based tasks around the clock. A survey by UI Path found RPA adoption cutting operation costs by over 30% on average in early adopting companies: Bots process invoices, data entry, and forms at superhuman speeds with perfect accuracy. One insurance company accelerated claims processing from weeks to days using RPA, improving the customer experience.

Allowing Flexible Process Customization

AI and automation also bring the advantage of adapting processes on the fly. With intelligent systems in place, workflows, and business logic can be tweaked easily through configuration instead of code. This allows non-technical staff to easily incorporate new rules, exceptions, and scenarios based on changing needs.

Consider how AI chatbots or RPA bots can be taught new responses, linked to different systems, or optimized to address atypical cases—all without reprogramming. The flexibility makes processes future-proof and continuously improving. As Robotic Process Automation Netherlands found, over 75% of responding enterprises report reductions in IT maintenance costs after deploying automation platforms for this reason[3].

Aligning AI with Business Strategy is Key

Appropriately directing AI initiatives requires aligning them with organizational goals and strategy. Leaders must thoughtfully determine how AI can augment competitive positioning and value propositions. Without this human element providing guidance, even the most advanced systems will lack focus.

The first step is assessing where AI can generate the most impact. A manufacturing firm aiming to cut costs and boost output might prioritize automating capital-intensive production processes. On the other hand, a consulting business focused on innovation could leverage AI for advanced data analytics and improving client-facing solutions. Performing a strategic review of core strengths and weaknesses helps identify optimal initial targets.

Equally important is establishing governance around AI projects. Clear ownership and oversight ensure technologies continually serve strategic objectives as they evolve. Periodic reviews check alignment and allow pivoting investments where needed. AI must flexibly support reshaping business models over time. Otherwise, there is a risk benefits fail to materialize or automation undermines human aspects critical for success. Strategic direction is what unlocks AI’s full potential value.

Measuring Impact and Continued Optimization

To truly maximize ROI, it is important that companies establish clear metrics for tracking AI and automation impact over time. Key performance indicators could include labor hours saved per project, reduced error rates, customer satisfaction gains, or increased revenue from improved processes. Benchmarking baseline performance allows quantifying improvements and refining strategies based on data.

Leading organizations also view AI implementation as an ongoing optimization process rather than a one-time project. As technologies and use cases advance, so too must the alignment of these systems with evolving core capabilities and operational needs. A flexible, metrics-driven approach keeps automation working hardest for the business on a continuous basis.

When embedded thoughtfully into strategic planning and enabled by the human element, AI and automation fundamentally have immense potential to alter cost structures for forward-thinking companies fundamentally. Proper execution can deliver time savings, efficiency boosts, and process flexibility that few other innovations rival. At the same time, the journey requires investment and discipline; the payoffs of streamlining mundane tasks through intelligent systems open new growth opportunities.

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