(Part six of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. ) If you missed the last installment, you can read part six here.

Have you ever been at a party with a “close talker”?

No matter how many times you back away, they seem to get closer and closer, invading your personal space. This is an example of a rapport breaker – not respecting someone’s personal space.

Instead, you want to be a rapport builder; make others feel comfortable being in your presence and encourage an atmosphere where people want to talk with you more and are so engaged with you that they lose track of time.

In addition to using the right words when communicating with others, it’s important to use the right words the correct way.

A person’s body language, rate of speech, and tone of voice will also give you clues to what type of Language Pattern your client or prospect prefers.

The easiest way to gain rapport with someone you’ve just met is to model his/her behavior in a natural way. Try to mirror his/her hand movements, eye contact, and rate of speech.

Keep in mind that this does not mean copying their movements exactly. Rather, it’s a respectful way of honoring a person’s communication style of interacting with others.

Case Study:
Theodore was in Best Buy, trying to figure out whether he should buy the current X-box gaming system, or if he should wait until November when X-box 360 is released.

The salesperson had successfully gained rapport with Teddy. But even after showing him the differences between the two products, this young gaming enthusiast was reluctant to choose one over the other.

Teddy has a DIGITAL Language Pattern, and should be treated uniquely, and respectfully, allowing him to process and think about his decision. If the sales professional tries to rush Teddy into making a rash decision, he may simply walk out, or he’ll come back and ask for a refund for his hasty purchase.

The need for Teddy to justify this purchase in his mind (or on paper) is a simple process that will help him feel more comfortable with his buying decision - regardless of the product he chooses.

When you notice your prospect saying things like, “I need to understand and process this decision.” You’ll want to walk them step-by-step through a system or comparison chart of pros and cons in order to help them make the best decision.

TAKE ACTION!

The better you are at identifying the approach a person prefers, the more you can assure yourself of long-term success by adapting your words and style to the way he/she most readily receives information.

If you are interested in learning the key words and phrases commonly used by people in each of the four Language Patterns, send an e-mail to news.support@RPMsuccess.com and ask for the “Words that Trigger Buying” Action Sheet.

Utilize the action steps contained in this seven-part series combined with the right words and tools for communication, and you’ll begin to develop more meaningful connections with people 20-30% faster than before.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part six of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. ) If you missed the last installment, you can read part five here.

Have you ever felt like you were talking to a brick wall when communicating with someone you know?

Whether you are showing someone a strategy, or delivering an elaborate power-point presentation, if you think you’ve presented your case perfectly, yet you are being met with a blank stare, you just might be communicating the wrong way.

Case Study:

Katrina is a sales representative for a large insurance firm in Texas. She came highly recommended and graduated at the top of her class. Yet her supervisor, Susan, doesn’t understand why Katrina’s sales aren’t as high as her peers.

Susan decides to send Katrina home with a stack of books, all about closing tactics. However, since Katrina has always been primarily an Auditory learner, she does best when she hears a strategy taught to her, rather than reading it in a book.

If Susan gave her an audio book or DVD on sales, Katrina would have been able to tune in better, and been in harmony with her supervisor’s goals to get better results.

To discover if your team member or prospect has an Auditory Language Pattern, you can pose the feedback question, “Do you hear what I’m saying?” or “Does that sound good?”

If her response sounds something like, “Yes. That rings true!” you’ll know you’ve tuned in to her preferred style, and are coming through loud and clear.

TAKE ACTION!

The better you are at identifying the Language Pattern a person prefers, the more you can assure yourself of long-term success by adapting the way you phrase your words to the way he/she most readily receives information.

Communicating effectively is about opening the doorway to positive relationships. Adapting your style is not about being “phony.” It is merely about accommodating another person’s preference in order to allow the conversation to continue.

As your relationship progresses, the other person will get to know you better. People will accept others who are different from themselves – as long as they trust the other person in the relationship.

On the other hand, if you turn someone off within the first few minutes of your introduction, you will have lost him/her forever; all because of an underlying mistrust that developed within seconds of communicating “out of style.”

One teacher from Kaimuki Middle School contacted me, very excited about this seven-part series on language patterns, remarking, “This has huge implications for teachers!”

She’s absolutely right! Whether you’re a teacher, a resident advisor at Hawaii Pacific University, or you’re a business owner, when you speak to people according to their preferred learning style, they’ll hear what you’re saying without tuning out.

This is the secret of getting your point across quickly - and influencing those around you – for everyone’s benefit.

In part seven of this series of business coaching articles, we’ll show you how to look beyond words for the secrets of how to influence and close more sales.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part five of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. ) If you missed the last installment, you can read part four here.

Too many people have adopted a false belief that treating everyone the same is a good thing. Unfortunately, that mindset is one of the most ineffective methods for communication; especially if you need to get your point across – fast!

While it may seem fair to treat everyone the same, in reality, it does more harm than good.

Think about it. Look at your right-hand index finger. Does anyone else have the same fingerprint as you? If we’re each as unique as our fingerprints, doesn’t it also make sense that we each have a unique style of how we prefer to communicate and learn?

Despite how politically correct it sounds to focus on how alike we are, if you don’t spend the same or more time thinking about all the ways we’re different from one another, you’ll sell yourself short. You’ll never communicate as clearly and effectively as you could unless you actively learn how other people prefer to communicate and learn.

Like an ostrich hiding his head in the sand, the sales person who rejects the fact that we’re all different, will stubbornly stick to a one-size-fit-all approach. And when he does pull his head out of the sand, he’ll be left scratching his head, wondering why his sales are the lowest on the team.

How to Start Adapting Your Communication Style:

Keeping in mind that there are four language/learning patterns that people have (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic and Digital), let’s grab hold of an understanding as to how the Kinesthetic-style person prefers to be communicated with.

When you are talking to someone who has a high Kinesthetic Language Pattern, you’ll notice he/she uses words that pertain to touching things or interacting with their environment.

When selling to people with a Kinesthetic Language Pattern, give them something to do. Perhaps you hand them your product. If you’re selling over the phone, you could ask them to go to your Web site, and visit certain pages together or ask them to complete something and turn it in. Anything they can “try before they buy” will appeal to high Kinesthetics.

Here are a few phrases that click with people who have a preferred Kinesthetic Language Pattern:

I’m just calling to touch base with you to check how you’re using the cleaning products in your home.

Toss the idea around and see how it feels.

Can you grasp how that might work?

Does that click with you?

Coach’s Corner:

When coaching Internet marketers, I coach them to include something interactive on their Web site for their kinesthetic visitors. Examples may include a questionnaire or survey, or an interactive poll or forum where they can connect with others who use the product or service being sold.

Whether it’s selling in your store, online, or in your client’s office, keep in mind that kinesthetic people need to interact with your product or service to feel comfortable.

In part six of this series of business coaching articles, we’ll show you how to listen to your prospects for clues on how to influence them and close more sales.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part four of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. ) If you missed the last installment, you can read part three here.

FACT: People buy from people they like. And, people like people who are like themselves. It’s as simple as that.

Target Training International, based out of Scottsdale, Arizona performed a study that proved this basic premise. And, if people truly understood the implications of this fact, the entire sales process would undergo a dramatic 180-degree turnaround. We’ve seen this over and over again with our business coaching clients.

Think about your own experiences. How many times have you found yourself buying something from a store, walking out with a smile, and thinking how nice the sales person was? Think about why this was a good shopping experience.

Using the right words is critical to whether the doorway to communication gets opened, or closed. But it doesn’t stop there. Studies have been conducted that reveal how “words” constitute a mere 7% of the communication process.

This tells us that we must also pay close attention to matching the voice cues, body language, and rate/tone of speech of the people with whom we communicate. With this information, we have the knowledge as to how we must adapt our communication style in order to build rapport.

Adapting to your clients’ preferred ways of communicating will open doors quicker than any other sales strategy (commonly referred to as “matching and mirroring”).

In workshops where we coach business owners on stealth sales strategies, we see time and time again how the exact same words will carry very different meanings when the tone of voice or body language is altered.

Emphasis on using certain words over others has been proven to dramatically influence behavior in small and large crowds. Just imagine how persuasive you can be using the right words in the right way when meeting with a prospective client one-on-one.

Adam Bayless, president of Global Asset Consulting, based in Los Angeles, positioned building rapport as one of “the most important skills that a professional salesperson should constantly improve upon above all others.”

This not only helps the sales professional – but it also makes the entire sales experience an enjoyable one for the client. The client leaves feeling satisfied, and assured that his/her needs were met.

Bayless describes this as the new ideal for sales professionals who are serious about helping their clients get what they want. “By understanding and communicating with your prospects at a deeper level, you are able to create solutions your client needs, as they’ll feel more at ease discussing their real motivation for buying your product or service.

And when this is done correctly, you’ll never have to close another prospect.” Smiling, Adam continues, “Your prospects will literally be asking you for your products and services, then raving about you to all their friends. And that’s enjoyable for everyone!”

In part five of this series of business coaching articles, we’ll expand upon the strategies to use to close more sales.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part three of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. ) If you missed it, you can catch part two here.

It’s critical that you choose appropriate words in all of your business relationships, especially sales . Much like with persoanl relationships — the wrong words can can torpedo the relationship before it even gets out of port. The right words will inspire and motivate people to gain trust in you and eventually do business with you. And that means more sales in your small business or professional practice

Case Study:

Joe, a sales person, is talking with Nick. But Joe’s having a difficult time trying to describe the service he offers.

His business coach observes that when Joe tries to determine if he’s getting his point across, he uses the phrase, “Does that click with you?” (This is a phrase that attracts those with a KINESTHETIC Language Pattern, like bells and whistles.)

Since Nick has a VISUAL Language Pattern (as described in part two of this series), his face scrunches up as he replies, “No, I’m not quite sure that I see where you’re going with this.” Nick doesn’t get what Joe is saying because he’s not realting to the words Joe is using.

If you’re talking to someone who has a high Visual Language Pattern, you’ll notice they use words that pertain to “seeing things.”

Once Joe implemented the phrase his business coach advised him to use, he noticed a dramatic change in Nick’s body posture and facial expressions. Under the guidance of his business coach, Joe clarified his question, changing it to, “Can you picture how this works, Nick?”

Here’s the other phrases that Joe’s business coach helped him develop when he’s speaking with a person who listens and learns using a Visual Language Pattern:

• Imagine using this product in your home!
• Do you see yourself using this service?
• Can you see what I’m saying?
• Watch how this image moves.

Once Joe began using words and questions that appeal to the way Nick’s brain works, his sale with Nick closed masterfully. Just by altering the words he used in his presentations, Joe’s sales for the month increased by 33%! Not bad, huh?

I’m sure the gig is up by now and you’ve realized that I am Joe’s business coach, so I can say with certainty that Joe’s sales increased because he began appealing to the Visual Learners who walked in to his shop, people who happened to make up a disproportionate percentage of his customers.

Business Coaching Corner:

Powerful communicators are people who create the best environment for others while stepping out of their own comfort zone. This is the first step to inspire others toward action.

To alleviate some of the challenges you may face as you step out of your own comfort zone, imagine that you are learning another language and visiting another country. Picture the differences in the culture you see around you, listen to the speech patterns, and take note of the mannerisms used by the people around you.

This is the same process you must take with someone who has a different communication style than yours.

In part four of this series of business coaching articles on small business sales, we’ll highlight the most important aspect of the sales process. We’ll show you three aspects of communication that the majority of people are completely unaware of, and how you can get the edge over your competitors by knowing how to apply them.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part two of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business.)

In part one of this series we looked at some hi-impact communication secrets that can help boost sales in your small business. Today we’re going take those communication secrets one step further, starting with a case study.

Case Study:

Susan needs your product/service, now! But she’s not going to come right out and give you that piece of information.

As a professional sales person, you need to unravel the mystery of who is (and who is not) ready to buy what you have to sell – before they shop around and buy from your competitor.

The faster you uncover what your clients’ real needs are, and communicate how your product or service can satisfy them, the faster you’ll be able to capture your fair share of the market.

• Have you ever wished you had the ability to read a prospect’s mind?
• If you knew what Susan was thinking and feeling while she was shopping in your store, how would your behavior change based on this intelligence?

We’re about to unveil a secret way for you to make a good first impression with every person you meet from this day forward.

• If Susan spoke a different language than you, would you continue speaking in your preferred, familiar language?
• Or would you attempt to communicate to her using the language she knows and is comfortable with?

There are four main ways that determine how a person best receives and processes information, and communicates with others.

Just like a different language, each of us has a “preferred” way of communicating. We call this a Language Pattern.

Below is a general guide to let you know what each type of person is looking for when he/she is communicating with you.

4 Language Patterns

Grab four index cards and write each of the following Language Patterns on separate cards.

VISUAL - This person wants to see what it is you are talking about, whether in actual physical form or through a well-constructed analogy that allows him/her to “virtually” picture things.

AUDITORY - This person will listen intently to hear what it is you are trying to convey to him/her.

KINESTHETIC - This person prefers to utilize a “hands-on” approach to learning or to grab hold of something tangible in order to understand concepts or how something works.

DIGITAL - This person responds best when there is a “step-by-step system” where he/she can analyze the process before making a decision to move forward with any new knowledge.

NOW… TAKE ACTION!

How would you alter your regular sales presentation based on each of the four Language Patterns?

Begin identifying each of your prospects’ preferred Language Patterns throughout the upcoming week.

Once you uncover each preferred Language Pattern, you’ll be able to alter your own sales presentation and communication style based on how each prospect prefers you to communicate with him/her.

In part three of this series of business coaching articles, we’ll share a case study for you so you can learn how to use the right words at the right time with the right person. We’ll begin to reveal the different types of preferred words to use for each of these four Language Patterns.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

(Part one of a seven-part business coaching series on sales strategies that work for small business. )

Have you ever noticed how you just “click” with some people almost instantly, while other people seem to be a bit more challenging to get to know?

On a recent speaking tour, my partner and I found ourselves clicking with one particular sales consultant to the point where we wound up in the lobby of the Sheraton talking story for more than four hours.

A bewildered guy stumbled out of the hotel bar and couldn’t help but express his astonishment that we were sitting out there all that time without caffeine or alcohol until two in the morning, yet we seemed to be having a blast.

This natural connection progressed into a successful, enjoyable business relationship – all without either party having to engage in traditional sales approaches. Too many sales professionals have been trained to engage in ineffective “closing” strategies that aren’t nearly as effective in creating long-lasting relationships as knowing how to build rapport, naturally.

Here’s the good news about overcoming ineffective sales training:

The better you become at discovering other people’s preferred communication styles, the more effective you will be in communicating with all types of people.

As important as it is to know what type of communication YOU prefer, it is equally important to understand and adapt to the communication preferences of OTHERS.

By adapting your communication style, you’ll successfully get your message across. You’ll also leave the impression that you’re someone who is enjoyable to do business with. And isn’t that what we all want — to enjoy our business relationships and have fun while we work? The root of sales success Each of us has a unique combination of communication styles which form our own behavioral fingerprint. When you fully understand what motivates you to do the things you do, you will be able to modify your own behavior when necessary.

Anytime I coach a business professional who is struggling to get her point across, whether with her coworkers or team, I’ll encourage her to take personal responsibility. It is a basic human tendency to "place blame" or think that the "other person" should adapt to us.

A true leader and master communicator will take ownership of any challenge and discover ways to negotiate through conflict or misunderstanding in order to work together more effectively.

Each of us has a “preferred” way of communicating. The quicker you discover what your prospect or client’s style is, the quicker you’ll be able to find solutions to their most pressing challenges, and give them what they’re looking for.

There are a number of factors that contribute to a person’s overall behavioral style including an individual’s propensity toward one communication style over another.

In part two of this series of business coaching articles, we’ll get you started with four tips that will quickly show you how to discover what type of person you are communicating with, and what is his/her preferred communication style.

Deborah Micek is known as the “Business Communication Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™.

Official Life Coach for the Dream Makeover Hawaii TV show aired on NBC, internationally published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Deborah is a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Last Thursday’s FREE business blogging TeleClass hosted by the Business Owner’s Journal and powered by the Business Owners Coaching Club was a BIG hit. On Friday September 23rd we shared part 1 of the audio business coaching session in a business podcast.

Now today we have part 2.

Whether you’re new to business blogging or you’re blogging for your business with little results — this two-part business coaching podcast specifically for small business owners and professionals will reveal the core secrets to the successful integration of business blogging, business podcasts, and RSS into your overall marketing strategy.

With what you’ll learn in this two-part podcast you’ll have a huge jump-start on your competitors. And you’ll have a decided advantage over the vast majority of business bloggers struggling to get it right on their own.

Don’t miss out!

Listen to part 2 of Boosting Business With Business Blogs on your MP3 player or desktop via the MP3 enclosure (a true business podcast.)

Or if you’re new to business blogging and business podcasting — listen online using the easy to operate buttons below.

Are you a business owner or a professional who would like to have everything at your disposal to start reaping the rewards of effective business blogging in a matter of weeks - instead of stumbling through hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in needless trial-and-error?

Then no matter what your experience level of business blogging — Marketing With Business Blogs is the competitive advantage you need. Check out the limited special that’s now being offered.

Just click on the manual below…

Enjoy!

John-Paul Micek is known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™. He’s a published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Yesterday’s FREE business blogging TeleClass hosted by the Business Owner’s Journal and powered by the Business Owners Coaching Club was a hit. Whether you’re new to business blogging or you’re blogging for your business with little results — this two-part business coaching podcast specifically for small business owners and professionals will reveal the core secrets to the successful integration of business blogging, business podcasts, and RSS into your overall marketing strategy.

With what you’ll learn in this two-part podcast you’ll have a huge jump-start on your competitors. And you’ll have a decided advantage over the vast majority of business bloggers struggling to get it right on their own.

Don’t miss out!

Listen to part 1 of Boosting Business With Business Blogs on your MP3 player or desktop via the MP3 enclosure (a true business podcast.)

Or if you’re new to business blogging and business podcasting — listen online using the easy to operate buttons below.

Are you a business owner or a professional who would like to have everything at your disposal to start reaping the rewards of effective business blogging in a matter of weeks - instead of stumbling through hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in needless trial-and-error?

Then no matter what your experience level of business blogging — Marketing With Business Blogs is the competitive advantage you need. Check out the limited special that’s now being offered.

Just click on the manual below…

Enjoy!

John-Paul Micek is known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™. He’s a published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Have you started using business blogs, podcasts, and RSS to boost your business growth yet? Everyone is talking about blogging, but very few business owners are taking advantage of it the way it should be utilized for maximum profits.

Maybe you’re still sitting on the sidelines, leery to take the first step because you’re not sure what business blogging can do to enhance your marketing. Or maybe you jumped right in and started blogging for your business, but you haven’t seen any results yet.

Well, Deborah and I have some good news for you.

I can tell you from our own experience, and the results dozens of our clients have gotten — there’s no denying the positive impact that business blogging can have in boosting your traffic and winning more clients.

For example, by using business blogs, we took BusinessOwnersCoachingClub.com from sub-100 ranking in Google to consistent top 10 rankings in just 45-days for our top five keywords! And that’s just one small part of the benefits that come from business blogging.

But (and this is a BIG but)… if your business blogging is not done correctly, you’re going to end up with nothing to show after months of hard work except a lot of wasted time. And if you rely on the books, ebooks, or courses on “blogging basics” available out there — you’re not going to be much better off.

The bottom line is, a ten year old can set up a blog in less than 15-minutes. It’s not the “technical” side of blogging that makes the difference between success and failure. It’s the mindset you start out with and the strategies you build on that will determine how effective your business blogging, podcasting, and use of RSS is in attracting prospects and gaining new clients.

So Here’s The Good News

In this Thursday’s upcoming 70-minute live Teleclass we’ll lift the veil of confusion and cut through all the hype to reveal the often mis-understood power of business blogging, podcasts, and RSS.

Click this link for details & limited FREE registration: Business Blogging TeleClass

With what you’ll learn in this 70-minute live call you’ll have a huge jump-start on your competitors. And you’ll have a decided advantage over the vast majority of business bloggers struggling to get it right on their own.

Don’t miss out! To register and grab one of the 87 seats remaining, just go to: Business Blogging TeleClass

John-Paul Micek is known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club™. He’s a published author and weekly columnist for the business section of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and a managing partner with the international small business coaching company RPM Success Group Inc.®

The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc.® and licensed under a Creative Commons License.