I HAVE MOVED!!!

For my lasted posts, please go to:

WWW.SAQQARAGROUP.CO.UK

Thank you

Gary

Beating the Recession

Recession = Run Out Of Ideas

If you’ve chosen to be part of the so called recession then you won’t like this and so, one of the following will apply!

1. You’ll be offended, do nothing and carry on subscribing to the doom and gloom. (Enjoy the recession!)

2. This will ignite the desire to adapt, acquire the knowledge and prosper where your competitors can’t. (Let’s hope the recession lasts)

What is a recession?

Is it not just another way of expressing lean times, hardship and scarcity? But if this is true then what is the difference between a recession and what we might call a drought, a famine, war or an epidemic?

To me all these words describe pretty much exactly the same thing but in a different context and as we know, the context is everything.

So what happens when we look to nature or human behaviour in each of these contexts? Who survives? Who perishes and what behaviours are prevalent?

Let’s go back to the genius that was Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. A phase that most people have heard is; the survival of the fittest or selfish genes? What does this mean and how does it relate to an economic recession?

The similarities are not only there for all to see but when looked at in this context can often be viewed as a little scary.

When food and water are at a premium, where animals and humans are at risk of being wiped out, a strange but truly amazing set of behaviours come to the forefront. These behaviours are ones of adaptation, education and sheer cunning. Just have a look around at the vast array of animal species that have evolved to take advantage of the futile resources available to them. The Giraffe and its long neck to get the few leaves, the Chimpanzees that have created and perfected rudimentary tools for cracking nuts and the many birds that have over time developed becks to take advantage of their environment.

In a human context we only have to look and wonder with amazement at the ingenuity of people in Africa, Antarctic and of the World War 2. Each of these groups adapted and changed accordingly to the environmental changes that were or are being forced upon them and all credit to them because each of us should, and could learn from their examples. They each discovered ways of doing things, getting around adversity and prospering when you and i would fail in a week...probably.

When times are tough you as a business really only have two options:

1. Put you head in the sand, cross your fingers and hope that everything will be alright and carry on doing exactly what you’ve always done.

2. Look at the opportunities you have got and adapt to make sure it is you that gain them because lets face it, if you’re not thinking like this then your competitors will be!!!

So I’ll ask you a question… With the so called recession upon us, what are YOU doing to ensure your hunter/gatherers or sales team are armed to claim the limited prises?

For most companies the only honest answer to give is nothing or at best they’ve given the sales team a rocket up the proverbial and sent them on their way. Yep, that ought to do it!

If you are a manager, team leader, trainer or business owner and do not know about the wealth of decision making, sub-conscious behaviour, persuasion or the psychology of buying research but are still writing copy for a leaflet drops, marketing campaigns, corporate brochures or worse still training your sales teams then I have no sympathy for you.

The world is such a different place compared with over 30 years ago when traditional sales techniques were developed and promoted. Technology, economic conditions, environmental concerns and access to information are un-recognisable to 3 decades ago but sales techniques have remained all but the same. Yes I agree that they have been wrapped in new fashionable phases like, solution selling, S.P.I.N selling etc etc but where is the understanding of what compels humans to make a decision, what neurological triggers need to be pushed and how to present persuasive messages and stories?

Exactly…Same old techniques wrapped in fashionable clothes! (Don’t even get me started on NLP!!!)

To me these new advances are what ensures the success of a business when it is imperative that every opportunity has to be taken. To send a salesperson out or to pick up the phone to call a prospect in exactly the same way as you did a year ago should be a criminal offence. You know business is much harder now than 12 months ago; you’ve had numerous meetings regarding cash flow, cutting marketing budgets, relying on your customer base and even potential redundancies.

Here are the No BS reasons why the head in the sand approach will NOT work:
1. Companies are not actively buying anything right now
2. There are less ‘selling’ opportunities
3. More companies are now vying for those same opportunities
4. Your sales/marketing teams are no better equipped now compared to 12 months ago except now they’re out of practice!
5. Telling them to ‘Get on the Phones’ is only annoying your prospects!
6. Prospects need seducing rather than being sold to when times are hard and their preciously guarded money is being considered
7. Objection Overcoming and CLOSING are NOT seduction strategies!!!

DO YOU APPRECIATE BEING CLOSED???...Ah but your prospects Do right?

This absolutely drives me mad!!!

Now, going to back to the survival of the fittest concept. It can be seen over and over again that it is those species, groups of people and businesses that adapt to the conditions around them, acquire knowledge and from that knowledge develop better strategy skills are the ones that survive and prosper.

But hey… you can read this and get back to doing what you were doing and carry on whining about the recession you’ve chosen to be a part of if you like or you can source those people who have the skills and knowledge that you and your competitors don’t currently have and make every opportunity Yours and prosper.

I will make you grow...Guarenteed!

However if you don't like my No BS approach then feel free to contact geniuses like Dr.Kevin Hogan or Dave Lakhani who, because like me, are extremely passionate about growing your business will give you the exact same No BS strategies.

Over to you! It's your choice, your decisions!

Gary May – ‘Business Acceleration BluPrint’

Persuasion Strategies for Sales from the Persuasion BluPrint

Power of Words Part 2

Exceeding….LY good words

Interestingly this is one of the least known Persuasion techniques both in copy and in person. To start a sentence with a word ending in ‘LY’ effectively guarantees NO objection to what comes after it.

· ‘Surprisingly little is known of this strategy’
· ‘Obviously you’ll want to know how to use it?’
· ‘Naturally you’ll be wondering who teaches this?’

Do you think that the big ad agencies might now of this influence strategy?

Exceedingly Good Cakes?

Probably the Best Lager in the World?

Look out for it, use it, profit from it.

Enjoy

Gary

Persuasion Strategies for Sales

The Power of Words

Save vs Maximise

Consider which statement will result in the largest accumulation of wealth?

· ‘We will show you how to ‘save’ your hard earned money for the future’
· ‘We will show you how to ‘maximise’ your hard earned money for the future’

The replacement of the negative, cutting back, doing without word of ‘save’ with the positive, growing and future word ‘maximise’ will dramatically change how prospects view and feel about your product, service or idea.

Such a simple change that will have massive returns!!!

Gary

The 'Sales' Clinic

Morning All,

Where do you go if you want cutting edge material FAST?

What if you are doing a presentation and need some expert advice but the appointment is tomorrow?

What if you have had to walk away from an order you KNOW you could have got but don't know why?

For most, like me it was always a problem to find the information i wanted at a time when I needed it. My employer didn't always have the time or the knowledge to help and I know what it is like when we feel embarrassed in asking them why we didn't get the deal!

So, open for business is:

The 'Sales' Clinic

I have created a group on Facebook which is wholly designed for you to ask me anything you like about Sales, Influence and Persuasion.

To join click here:

I look forward to seeing you there.

Gary

Are You Ready ???

Hi People,

It's been a while hasn't it!

Well I am back, I am refreshed, I have lots of cool new ideas and finally I am on a mission!!!

What can you expect now i have my new lease of life?

A unrelenting barrage of new material, cool ideas, products, services and personal appearances.

Thank you to all of my 'Well Wishers' and supporters over the past 4 months and it goes without saying that without you guys I may not have had the belief and desire to change the world like i now want to!

Big Thank you and now it's YOUR turn to sit back and enjoy the ride cause it is going to be fun and exciting!!!!!

(I am sat here writing this with music so loud, I'm dancing in my chair, singing along and now i know the time is right!!)

.....I'M BACK!

Gary

Gary Speaks At Kevin Hogan's Influence & Persuasion Boot Camp 2008

Saturday 2nd March 2008 saw me taking the stage to present new and previously unreleased material in front of the audience at Kevin Hogan's Influence Boot Camp 2008.

With previous days speakers being world leaders in their field I had a very tough task ahead.

On day one the audience was blessed with the knowledge of Mark Victor Hanson author of the 'Chicken Soup' series of which he has sold 144 million copies!

Day two saw one of the globes finest persuasion talents and authorities in the form of Dave Lakhani author of 'Persuasion-the art of getting what you want' along side the hugely successful Elsom Aldridge.

Day three and four had branding and marketing guru Ben Mack author of 'Think Two Products Ahead' take the stage with Dave Lakhani and Kevin Hogan.

The whole event was hosted and prepared by Kevin Hogan who literally did not stop in giving his audience material that had everyone wanting more and more.

Day five was my opportunity to take the stage where world leaders had once stood and show them what i had.

To say it went ok would be cool but I'd like to think what i gave and the material i released rock to show! I am so proud of myself that i wanted to share some testimonies with you all.

Hope you don't mind

Til next time

Gary