Lessons learned from speaking to 900 entreprenuers at the Glazer/Kennedy Info Summit...

Posted on November 13, 2008 by Ari Galper

 I'll be brief, since the pilot on the Qantas flight that I'm on right now announced we are taking off to Sydney in about 10 minutes.

  It's been a pretty crazy two weeks in the US.

  First attending my sister's wedding in San Diego and seeing her get married to a really great guy.

  Secondly, spending the last 8 days in St. Louis preparing and presenting to 900 entreprenuers at the Glazer/Kennedy Info Summit.

  I launched my new ChatWise "Human Touch" Online Sales Conversion System  and the crowd went nuts for it.

  (You'll be hearing more about it soon).

  My staff who came to support me said they had never seen so many people run back to the room to order a program.

  I was humbled by the amazing response to my story and my online sales conversion system.

  Now that I'm coming down from the high from the last few days, I've had some time to reflect on some of the key reasons why so many of the attendees resonated with my message and ordered ChatWise.

  In the hallways throughout the event, I was able to get a lot of feedback about my talk.

  If you in anyway speak to small or large groups of people, I hope what I'm about to share with you will make a difference in how deeply you connect with your audience.

Lessons learned:

1. Tell your story with authenticity

  So many times I see speakers work really hard to put on a "show".

  You can feel they're working hard to be "perfect" so they can mask who they really are.

  Funny thing, I discovered being on stage, the more real and down-to-earth I was, the more the audience felt they got to know me.

  I shared my "Lessons From Toby" book story about my son Toby and it created a bridge between everyone in the room.

  (More about "Toby's Book" here)  http://www.TobysBook.com

 As a few of the attendees said to me, "If we had a chance to spend more time together, I'm sure we'd be friends."

 2. Share valuable information that the audience can take away and use, even if they don't buy your product

  A lot of speakers put a lot of pressure on themselves hoping that everyone in the room will buy what they have.

  That's what I call "hopeium", the "drug" that we inject into ourselves to set unrealistic expectations.

  In an audience, there are always going to be people ready to take action and others who aren't.

  That's ok.

  Both groups deserve to be respected and taken care of.

  That's why I always spend time sharing new concepts and ideas they can implement right away, whether they decide to order my solution or not.

  Not everyone's a fit, respect that.

  3. Don't try to use techniques that make the audience feel you are manipulating them

  You've probably heard  speakers who begin their talks with opening questions to the audience that make you wonder why they even asked them in the first place.

  You know what I mean?

  Let's say you go to a sales conference to improve your sales skills and the first thing the speaker says is: "How many of you are here to learn new sales skills to make more money!?"

  Duuuuh, isn't that obvious?

  You wonder if the speaker forgot which conference he was at.

  Degrading the audience by using questioning techniques that are designed to trigger blatantly obvious answers, only lowers your credibility.

  Your audience will follow you and stay with you if you talk to them with the same respect as if you were a guest in their home.

  4. Let them know you have something to offer early on

  One thing I always do is let the audience know, early on, that some of them will want to take home what I have to offer and some won't, and that's perfectly ok with me.

  When I say that, there's a collective sigh of relief in the audience, almost as if they're saying "Jeeez, how refreshing, someone who tells it like it is."

  The audience wants to connect with you, that's why they are there.

  They have no problem investing in solutions as long as they feel they're not being strong-armed into making a decision.

  Ease off on "techniques" and lay out your proposition in a way that proves your case.

  5. Speak for the pleasure of meeting and connecting with new people

  Even though a lot of people ordered ChatWise, my biggest pleasure was all the new people that I met.

  You see, my ultimate reward is connecting with people.

  It makes me feel centered and creates a ring of people around me who care.

  And the more I share my stories and ideas about how to profit from our new economy, both over-the -phone and on the Internet, the more I recognize that when it's all said and done, authentic trust with  prospects, clients and customers is what brings us closer to our goals.

  Thanks for reading and being open to my thoughts.

  Your comments are welcome below.

  To your success,

  Ari Galper

  P.S. By the way, the week of Dec. 2nd, I'll be speaking twice in London -- once on Unlock The Game www.SuccessTrackUK.com/arigalper and the other on ChatWise (I'm Mr. "X', but don't tell anyone :) www.BusinessBreakthroughDay.com

   

    

   P.P.S. Not a member of our Unlock The Game Inner Circle? 
   Join us here 

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A Conversation with Sales Legend Brian Tracy...

Posted on November 5, 2008 by Ari Galper

  I'm sitting here in my hotel in St. Louis, putting the final touches on my presentation to be delivered to over 900 entreprenuers at the Glazer/Kennedy Info Summit this Friday.

  I've asked my assistant to block all my inbound calls this week so I can really stay present and focus on what I want to teach the many folks who have come around the world to attend this event.

 But when the personal assistant of legendary sales expert Brian Tracy called to schedule a time for Brian and I to have a conversation about the current state of the sales industry, I of course carved out an hour to speak with him.

  Brian's original "Psychology of Selling" program sat in the front seat of my car for many years when I went to door to door in college offering a coupon program for oil changes and tune ups.

  If you've heard Brian's materials, you'll know that he is a genuine low-key sales master that everyone I know admires and respects.

  He's been in sales for over 30 years, and has spoken to over 250,000 salespeople in countries all over the world.

  I had a list of questions ready that he elegantly answered.

  Would you like to listen to our conversation?

  Here it is:

      

    

   P.S. Not a member of our Unlock The Game Inner Circle? 
   Join us here 

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Observations about seeing opportunities ...

Posted on October 28, 2008 by Ari Galper

 I’ve just finished off a fantastic wedding weekend here in San Diego.

  It wasn’t mine, but my sister Eydie’s wedding.

  After many years of being in the singles scene, she finally found her soul mate, Mark.

  My toast at the dinner reception was called “The Perfect Handoff”, which was my way of saying that I can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she will now have a loving husband who will be there for her through life’s ups and downs.

  I feel a sense of peace knowing she is now in good hands for the rest of her life.

  Yesterday, after the festivities ended, I walked across the street from my hotel in downtown San Diego to get a bite to eat.

  As I headed towards Horton Plaza, a large shopping mall in the center of downtown, I couldn’t help but notice the large number of people who were homeless on the streets and asking for money.
 
  I grew up here in San Diego, so there were always homeless people in the downtown area, but yesterday I was shocked at how many I saw.

  The interesting thing was that as I observed some of them, I could see and hear they were quite articulate and confident in the way they approached people who walked pass them.

  Then I was thinking to myself “Gosh, as articulate as some of them were, with a little resourcefulness, they probably could quickly create a better life for themselves.”

  I started to look up and down the street thinking about what resources there were within a 5-block radius of where I was standing that could be used to create a consistent stream of income.

 To my left was a T-Mobile store.

 For less than $50 you can get a prepaid cell phone to make and take phone calls.

 Down the road and two streets over was a public library that has Internet access for free.

 And in the Horton Plaza mall, there were some stores selling new shirts and pants for $10 to $30.

 With these combined resources, a person could be well dressed, get an email address, access leads to call from the Internet and a complete communication system through a pre-paid cell phone.

  On a larger scale, with all that’s happening in the economy, I started to think about what is going to separate those who reach new heights of success and to those who end up in a place they never intended to be.

 Two words: Resilience and Resourcefulness.

 I’ve put together 5 strategies for how you can re-calibrate your mindset to succeed in this new economy:
 
1. Be open to reinventing yourself

    So many people feel “stuck” only because they aren’t able to see themselves in a different place. I have a relative who has been in the same industry his whole working life, was recently laid off and refuses to reinvent himself to become marketable for a different industry that is growing super fast. Even with my continued suggestions to help reinvent himself, his comfort zone continues to remain in the same space that he’s always been.

   You’ll need to be completely open to observing new opportunities around you. Stepping out of your comfort zone is EXACTLY what is required to take you to a place were you can succeed with confidence.

2. Hang around with people who think differently

    You’ve probably heard of the term “Group Think”, were people make similar decisions based on the people they spend time with.

    First thing to ask yourself: “Are the people I spend time with innovators and challengers to the status quo?” If not, and all they do is react to the economic news broadcast by the media, then it’s time for you to align yourself with a group of people who take full responsibility for their own success.

3. Sales ability is one of the most important “must-have” skills in any economy

   If you can sell effectively, no matter what industry or profession you’re in, you’ll always have what you need. Selling is a fundamental skill that will always be required in ANY economic conditions. Someone is always looking to solve a problem, and if they can’t solve it themselves, they’ll pay someone who has the solution.

  Your ability to find that person and create enough trust to prove that you care about helping them, is what will set you apart from everyone else.

4. Stay present

  It’s so easy to be spending our day thinking about what might happen. You know what I mean, the “what if” thoughts that enter your mind that haven’t happened. It’s fruitless to be thinking about anything else but the present moment you are in.

  Ironically, if you’re thinking about “what if” thoughts throughout the day, your subconscious will bring you those things you are thinking about.

  Every couple of hours, set an alarm on your calendar that says “Where am I now?”. Then look around you, notice things that you see in front of you.

  That interruption will help you stay present.

  Interrupting your negative thought patterns is one of the most powerful secrets used by highly successful people.

5. You are your most valuable asset

   Don’t stop expanding your knowledge base and skills. The last thing you want to be doing at times like these, is nothing.

  Ask yourself: “What skills can I sharpen?”, “Who around me is doing interesting and profitable things that I can learn from”, “What’s one or two new things I can learn in the next 30 days that will make me sharper than I am now?”

 If you look at the most successful people who continue to thrive, the one common trait they all have is the belief that they have FULL responsibility for their success.

 We live in a time with access to amazing technology and a plethora of successful role models.

 Start by tapping into your natural abilities and take action towards resilience and resourcefulness.

 To your success,

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A Revealing Interview...Selling In The New Economy

Posted on October 21, 2008 by Ari Galper

  As the economy continues to take dramatic swings over the past couple of weeks, I thought it would be important to share with you an interview I recently had. 

  My interviewer was marketing expert Adam Urbanski.

  It’s the last interview I’ll be doing for a while since I’m packing up to leave for my twice-a-year trip back to the US.

  I’m leaving this weekend for San Diego for my sister’s wedding, then off to St. Louis the week after to speak on stage at Dan Kennedy’s annual Info Summit.

  The Info Summit is the largest gathering of information experts in the world.

   I’ve been asked to share with the 1,000 attendees how they can create more sales on their websites by creating the “human touch” using my ChatWise system.
 
  This interview you’re about to listen to is one of the most revealing interviews I’ve ever had.

  I shared the inner workings behind what makes the Unlock The Game sales system so effective in our new economy.

  I held nothing back.

  I directly challenged the biggest sales myths I could think of:

  ** Selling is a number game (no it’s not, listen to how I debunk that myth)

  ** The sale is lost at the “close” (nope, it’s lost at “hello”)

  ** Always be focusing on making the sale (only if you want to experience rejection, try focusing on the truth)

  ** Overcome objections (talk about adding “fuel to the fire”, try defusing objections instead)

  ** Accept rejection as a normal part of selling (yeah right, rejection is triggered, remove the triggers and never experience rejection again)

  I also went deep into my philosophy and Mindset of creating trust with potential clients and how that is the single most important secret to riding out the ups and downs in our economy.

  Grab a pen and paper, the notes you take from this interview should serve you well.
 
  Here you go:

      

    

   P.S. Not a member of our Unlock The Game Inner Circle? 
   Join us here 

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Ari For President?

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Ari Galper

  With all the jockeying going on between Obama and McCain over the last few weeks, I figured it’s time to shake things up with a new presidential candidate.

  And since there’s still a few weeks to go before the election, why not make a case to the American people and the world, that a new candidate with values of trust and authenticity can make a difference.

  One thing we don’t see much of in politics is communication without hidden agendas.

  Just like in traditional selling, if you’re only focused on your needs (ie. “closing the sale”), then you’ve lost the opportunity for your prospect to really trust that you care about them.

   So, what the heck, I’m going to make a run for the presidency to see if the values in Unlock The Game resonate with the voters.

   Would you vote for me? Watch this video and decide for yourself...enjoy :)

   Click Here to View Video  

   (Feel free to post your comments below)

   To your success,

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Recession-Proof Selling

Posted on September 23, 2008 by Ari Galper

  You have to be living under a rock not to be aware
of the dramatic financial news from the last few days.

 These are topsy and turvy times.

 But, economic cycles like this are not new.

 Neither is one of the best-kept secrets of how to succeed during times like these.

 Of the biographies of hundreds of business people who’ve succeeded during the past economic highs and lows....there’s one common theme that all of them focused on that was the secret to their fortunes:

** developing and sustaining long term relationships. **

 If you’ve been consistently building trust with your prospects and customers over the long term, you’ll be the first they decide to spend money with when they’re ready to buy.

 If you’ve only been focused on “getting the sale”, you’ll be the last on their list.

  You see, authentic trusting relationships with your prospects and clients is the “glue” that keeps you on the forefront of their minds.

  But, if you’ve been selling using only old-school methods taught by the traditional sales gurus, you’re going to find yourself wondering why sales opportunities have dried up around you.

   Here are seven key strategies to get you thinking in the right direction:

1) Stop the sales pitch -- and start a conversation.

When you call someone, avoid making a mini-presentation about yourself, your company, and what you have to offer. Start with an opening conversational phrase that focuses on a specific problem that your product or service solves. If you don't know what this is, ask your current customers why they purchased your solution.

2) Your central goal is always to discover whether you and your potential client are a good fit.

Let go of trying to "close the sale" or "get the appointment"-- and you'll discover that you don't have to take responsibility for moving the sales process forward. If you simply focus your conversation on problems that you can help potential clients solve, and if you don't jump the gun by trying to move the sales process forward, you'll find that potential clients will actually bring you into their buying process.

3) When you lose a sale, it's usually right at the beginning of the sales process.

If you believe that you lose sales because you make a mistake at the end of the process, take a look back at how you began the relationship. Did you start with a presentation? Did you use traditional sales language like, "We have a solution that I believe you really need" or "Others in your industry have bought our solution, so you should consider it as well"?

When you use traditional sales language, potential clients can't help but label you with the negative stereotype of "salesperson." This makes it almost impossible for them to relate to you from a position of trust. And if trust isn't established at the outset, honest communication about the problems they're trying to solve, and how you might be able to help them, becomes impossible too.

4) Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection should never happen.

Rejection happens for only one reason: Something you said, as subtle as it might have been, triggered a defensive reaction from your potential client. Yes, something you said. To eliminate rejection, simply shift your mindset so that you give up the hidden agenda of hoping to make a sale. Instead, everything you say and do should stem from the basic mindset that you are there to help potential clients. This makes you able to ask, "Would you be open to talking about issues you might be having affecting your business?"

5) Never chase a potential client--you'll only trigger more sales pressure.

"Chasing" potential clients has always been considered normal and necessary, but it's rooted in the macho selling image that, "If you don't keep chasing, it means you're giving up -- and that means you're a failure." This is dead wrong! Instead of chasing potential clients, tell them that you would like to avoid anything that resembles the old cat-and-mouse chasing game by scheduling a time for your next chat.

6) When a potential client offers objections, uncover the truth behind them.

Most traditional sales programs spend a lot of time focusing on "overcoming objections." These tactics only put more sales pressure on potential clients and also fail to explore or understand the truth behind what the potential client is saying. When you hear, "We don't have the budget," "Send me information," or "Call me in a few months," do you think you're hearing the truth, or do you suspect that these are polite evasions designed to end the conversation?

Rather than trying to counter objections, you can uncover the truth by replying, "That's not a problem" -- no matter what clients are "objecting" to -- and then using gentle, dignified language that invites them to reveal the truth about their situation.

7) Never defend yourself or what you have to offer -- it only creates more sales pressure.

When a potential client says, "Why should I choose you over your competition?," your first, instinctive reaction is probably to start defending your product or service because you want to convince them to buy. But what do you think goes through your potential client's mind at that point?

Something like, "This 'salesperson' is trying to sell me on why what they have to offer is better, but I hate feeling as if I'm being sold." Rather than defending yourself, try suggesting that you aren't going to try to convince them of anything because that would only create sales pressure. Instead, ask them about the key problems that they are trying to solve, and then explore how your product or service might solve those problems --without ever trying to persuade.

If these 7 tips feel right to you and they match your values and how you feel the sales world should be, then join our Inner Circle and meet amazing people who are enjoying success even in difficult times like these.

   To your success,

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Aikido and The New Way of Selling

Posted on August 20, 2008 by Ari Galper

  Yesterday, I took my son Toby and Nathan (recent photo below) to their weekly Aikido class.

   If you’re not familiar with Aikido, it’s a non-aggressive martial art whose purpose is to diffuse conflict.

   It’s quite powerful, because the philosophy it teaches has major implications for the way we live our lives.

   How you handle conflict can make the difference between feeling like a victim and feeling like a winner.

   In fact, I’ve based my Unlock The Game sales approach on the philosophy behind Aikido.

   If you’re a member of our Inner Circle, you’ll know that the “techniques” I teach for selling over-the-phone are designed to diffuse conflict or pressure on the phone.

   Not having a philosophy and the tactical skills to diffuse sales pressure is like walking into a boxing ring where you’ve got gloves and the other guy doesn’t.

   Being the recipient of those punches isn’t going to be pleasant.

   Yet that’s how most people who have been trained in the old traditional way of selling are feeling these days – like a punching bag.

   They feel like their about to be beat up every time they pick up the phone.

   They feel almost helpless, and that’s why they overcompensate by being overly confident, aggressive and pushy.

   Good-hearted people without a way of protecting themselves; good-hearted people who, instead of running from fear, can create genuine trust with their potential clients and feel good about it.

    I have Toby and Nathan learning Aikido because I want them to have a method of overcoming their challenges in life without it taking a toll on themselves or someone else.

   They’ll be able to move mountains while others are still trying to climb up the first rock.

    I don’t want you to have to experience the rejection and pain that old-style selling says you have to endure.

    Take a look at this video clip, it’s a news report about the power of Aikido. If it resonates with you, you are welcome to join our close-knit Inner Circle group who have crossed over the fence.

    To your success,

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