Mid-Week Motivation "Get out of the safe zone and get in the faith zone-" Joel Osteen

As we look at the final 60 days of the year we need to ask ourselves, Where are you living today? Every New Year we all set resolutions and goals for the year. It’s time to revisit those goals one more time.

If you are on track to meet your goals congratulations!!!! You are on your way towards achievement and a successful year. Not to say the rest of are not, because there is still time.

All things are possible when we challenge ourselves and work towards our capability, not just enough to get by. I posted this quote from Joel Osteen because this is often why we stay stuck in the same situation. Fear holds us hostage and causes us to remain complacent. How can we leverage this quote to overcome fear?

The answer is find something you believe in. If you want a degree because you believe it will make you more money, go for it. Want to start a business to have more control, do it. Or simply do more of something to produce a result, for example a sales rep might make 20 more contacts a day. The point is when we allow our belief system to occupy our mind we began to have faith. Faith causes us to overcome huge obstacles and remain optimistic. Faith is what religion is based on and it has the ability to change lives.  

So lets take a page from our spiritual lives and have faith so we can finish this year as close to our goals as possible…what you believe, you can achieve!

3 Reasons your small business should be on Facebook

Social media is huge and only getting bigger. Facebook itself grows by 300,000 everyday. That number is 2.1 million in a week! Amazing. I have began working with small business to enhance their online presence. Here is few reason you should consider using Facebook as well.

Your customers are on Facebook. And if they aren't part of the 500 million active users they soon will be. Facebook is largest and fast growing of the social media sites. If you want to keep it simple, it makes sense to use the most popular and largest site, right? I say focus on Facebook and grow form there if you choose.

Facebook allows you communicate with your customers. You can ask questions, create discussions and polls or simply keep your customers updated on your business. Well you should never just promote your Facebook page with your products and services, you certainly can let them know about special offers or a sale.


Facebook is free. Let me say that again, Facebook is free. When was the last time you ran an ad that updated your clients with a promotion and it didn't cost you anything? You setup your Facebook, develop your relationships with customers, create buzz with promotions sent to people who are interested in your business and meet new contacts EVERYDAY for FREE! If your not on Facebook yet please began working on your page today...if you want to grow your business that is.


***Questions regarding setting up your profile? Free 15 min Phone consultation being offered to small business owners. Simply contact me via email or vlopezev@gmail.com or the office 505.750.4033 and of course by Facebook, simply click on the badge to the right.***

Victors Problem Thought Process

Victors Problem Thought Process

This is a personal post today. Well not usually what I write about, I felt the need today.

I am one of the most positive people I know. When a problem arises I quickly think how can I solve this? Help with this? What can I do?

Over the years me and my wife have shared our ups and downs, we still continue through them today. Have you ever woke up without a job? Lost a relationship close to you? Or just made a really bad decision? I have experienced them all myself. And it has been a positive attitude that’s keeps me coming back for more.

I have a thought process I run through my mind everytime. I mediate and deliberate.

First I define the problem. Here is a great example, is the problem the sticker shock from the electric company or the fact I left lights 24/7? Or is it that I need to make more money now because costs are creeping up? The goal here is to define the problem not the emotions at that moment.

Second I allow myself time to be upset. I usually allow about 15 minutes. Really Victor? Only that much time? Yes. If you need more time take it, just try to stay away from the one hour mark.

Third I look for a solution to focus on. Is the solution that you need to make more money or that you need a certain amount of money? Is the answer that you need to spend more time with a certain someone? How much? What kind of time? The point is this, I look for my way out. I set the goal and I work towards it. I have many goals I am working towards now. But removing my thoughts  from the problem and focusing my energy on the solution has at so many times, kept me from falling apart.

Fourth I refuse to let the past define me. A mistake is the past and there is nothing you can do to change it. You can learn and grow from it, but you can’t change it. Here is the biggest key of all: I work towards the goals not to avoid the mistake of the past, but to position myself for the future. Don’t ever live your life afraid of making a mistake.

So there you have it. I hope this helps someone over come some problem.  On a side note. I have begun to use the wisdom of the bible to make my choices now and things seem to be working better, I’m just saying.

If you know someone who has a mountain to climb, please share this with them.

Customer Service is not just a cost.

This statement "Customer Service is not just a cost," seems ridiculous but how do you serve your customers??? I have heard many people talk about the cost of customer service, it's a cost of time, time away from looking for new money to bring in. Time is so precious, but let's look at this from a different perspective.

Your next sale is more likely to come from your current customer. This is a popular saying in sales, if it is so popular, why don't more people live by it? I'm so tired of hearing of companies forgetting this. It is so upsetting to see companies do all they can to reduce cost of their servicing budget instead of embracing it or managing it better.

So how can we use this cost of customer service to better serve the company? I'm glad you asked! You develop websites, you receive a call from the business about some issue that seems almost to easy to answer. It is clear from this conversation the owner is confused and could use some help; Do you answer the question and move on to your days next item? Do you answer the question and refer them to the manual you supplied? Or do you set an appointment up to go visit him and show how to get the most out of our services?

The sad truth is most will the first and less will do the second. Those who do the third are what I call the network builders. These people will set the appointment for an hour. Go to their place and show them how to use their services. They ask them questions and provide information only an expert would have. All along learning about the business's needs and company. They leave with a happy customer. 

But these people do more...they upsell, cross-sell and move in to warm market through referrals. People will be willing to give you time to hear how your other services or products  may help since they now know you care about them. Or they will be willing to open up their address book when you say, "Who are some you favorite business partners, suppliers, customers who may benefit from the same service you have?"

You go for one hour and lose that hour looking for new business, but you leave with a new possible sale and 5 referrals...wow and that only COST you one hour?

Mid-Week Motivation “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle...” Napoleon Hill

Sometimes the world is falling it seems there is no way to stop it. We wake up thinking about the problem, we go to bed thinking about the problem. The problem begans to consume us.

It amazes me at the power we hold to control situations. I used to often think my problems we’re too big or simply meant to be; but I have found this not to be true. In the quote, “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle...” Napolean Hill brings it more in to perspective. Nothing great can be achieved without solving problem. And always the bigger problem the bigger the reward.

Now how does this help? Well it means this, Mr. Hill uses the word continuous . So we all know the solution right? Sure you do you just might not like it. I know I don’t a lot of the time. But if we keep fighting for every inch and knowing that our effort will be too much for this problem, we will win.

You go to school and can’t make ends meet, soon if you finish you will have a degree and be presented with more opportunities. You feel empty inside? Search your soul for whats missing, side note a great place to start is the book The Purpose Driven Life. Your a single parent and need help? I salute you. Set a goal that helps your family achieve the result you want, for example, find a position that makes a ton of money and dosen’t require much time. Don’t think they exist? I know at least a dozen people who could tell you different. Again we just have to work towards it. Email me for ideas.

The point is this: You will overcome anything with continuous effort and struggle and here is the bonus…You will grow from it. People will ask you how you overcame? Where did you find your strength? And you will say to them, find your solution, no matter how ambitious it sounds, and keep working towards it. Nothing beats persistence…NOTHING!
 

How to get customers in your business today using CRM.

We have began to look at how your small business can use CRM. As you may recall the CRM is a great way to manage existing contacts. I gave a few items on how to use CRM to grow your business. Now we grow on one specific item. We start with this example:

You have an auto shop that does auto repair. You place a sticker on the windshield as reminder for your customer to come back when it's time for an oil change about every three months. Works great, your customer see's it every day.

Now you have that sticker serving as a retention piece and promoter; but how do you get them back sooner? What other needs do they have that you could serve that the customer might not realize? Enter our wonderful CRM.

Instead of paying money to send reminders via mail of promotions we take full advantage of our CRM software. While the customer is serviced at your store you collect thier information for your database...with integrity and protect it with all you got.  

Now you send emails maybe weekly or monthly. You still run the proven promotions like, "Free tire rotation and Inspection" or  "Get your vehicle ready for winter." But now your sending the promotion in real time and you add a call to action. "For your appointment and no waiting call 505..." You can also send promotions about new services you offer or different services.

 And how much does it cost to send email? How quick does an email arrive instead of snail mail? Win and win...baby thats a win!!!

CRM in all it's glory just got business in your door, reminded your clients your in business and costed nothing for printing and mailing!

Please contact me if you have any other ideas about how you can use CRM and share if you found helpful.

Mid-Week Motivation-“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” -Robert H Schuller

What popped in to your head as you read that headline? We all have our excuses from time to time. Maybe we use excuses to not admit the real reason we don't move on our goals.

Fear is often the reason we can't move forward. Could it be that you can achieve everything you ever wanted if you went off a leap of faith? What if you started to believe and know you were actually capable of meeting that HUGE goal?

The point of this quote is this, you can achieve anything you ever wanted to...you just have to have faith. Why not go into business for yourself, your a scared you won't make any money? Why not go for that promotion, your afraid you don't have the right piece of paper telling you your qualified?

Lets go one step deeper. What would your life look like if you went out and went for that goal 110% without the fear of failure? Now what would it look like if you didn't? I hope these question get you thinking on what the cost of meeting your goals really is. It seems that when we approach any endeavour with the proper mindset the fear becomes a detail. One more bump in the road to overcome, but not nearly big enough to stop you.

Today take that small step towards you goal by writing down what really prevents you from hitting that goal. Than list all the ways to overcome and approach with "No Fail" mindset! Seeing the path of victory and not the obstacle can surely get you started!!!

Please share on facebook or retweet if you found helpful.

How You can Use Customer Relationship Manager

Customer Relationship Manager maybe one of the sharpest tools you have in the shed. CRM is database software that helps manage client's information. It has many useful purposes in today’s technology driven market.

CRM can be used in your business in many different areas. The first one that most people use it for is contacts. Contact management is huge. Most people spend a career shaking hands and making partners. They lose their phone and have no back up done. Cell phones have cause us all not to commit numbers to memory.

Many sales professionals use some sort of CRM to help them grow their customer base, so should the small business owner. As we meet possible clients we need to know where we are with them in the sales process. CRM allows you to enter the contact, track all your meetings with them, and set follow thorough’s, don’t believe in the term follow-up. On top of that you can set important dates like a birthday or anniversary to help develop that relationship.

You can also use CRM to help run special promotions. You have an existing database of contacts and ready to run. You simply create your document, select your mailing list you created in the software and send.

Next we will began looking at how you can use CRM to market your business.