“It’s no accident our business is growing this year. Monica, you remind people of the innermost essence of success…the heart. It is the “Art of the Hart” you professionally displayed in our training sessions that continue to motivate us to achieve our goals,” LT
If you don’t see the skill building solution you need, please ask us!

Consultative Relationship Building (Selling) Skills

Do you want new clients/customers; increase sales revenue; achieve your revenue goals?

Lead client/customer - focused interactive sales conversations which lead to long-term mutually beneficial relationships. Apply effective and relevant collaborative authentic techniques throughout the sales process to build and maintain rapport and move it forward to a close.

  • Find out how to move from transactional/motivational selling to practical, real world selling of an advisor, coach, and educator who builds trusting, long-term, and loyal relationships
  • Ask effective questions to clearly understand and uncover needs and the need-behind-the-need (image, finances, performance/productivity) to save time and money
  • Offer only the most relevant product/service solutions to address the client/customer needs
  • Resolve client/customer concerns and misunderstandings
  • Learn how to authentically create client/customer commitments to “close the sale”
  • Overcome objections such as: “ I have to think about it” or “You’re too much money” to increase your closing ratio and bottom line
  • Learn how to sell Benefits NOT Features
  • Create dynamite Product/Service Profiles; match the most relevant benefits and features to the need and the need-behind-the-need
  • Differentiate your brand presence, image, and awareness from the competition
  • Increase your market share; increase $$ revenue

Branding

“A personal brand is the anchor, foundation, and competitive edge of your marketing efforts. It gives you a unique identity that enables you to differentiate yourself from others in your field, to increase sales and professional visibility. It is the image that you project to your clients, prospects, and peers that allow them to identify who you are and the exceptional value you bring to their businesses.”
“Personal branding crystallizes your unique personal and professional qualities into an expression of business value that can be quickly and easily communicated to the marketplace. It enables you to cut through the marketing clutter and truly stand out in the crowd.” Clare Price, CEO, CFP Media Group  

You’re branded, branded, branded, branded…

“To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called YOU.” The good news — and it is largely good news — is that everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand, worthy of remark.
Fast Company www.fastcompany Tom Peters author

Answer these questions about your brand!

  • So what makes you different?
  • What’s the pitch for YOU? “Don’t sell the steak; sell the sizzle (benefits and value).”
  • What’s the real power of YOU?
  • What’s loyalty to YOU?
  • What’s the future of YOU?


Discover who you are so your personal authentic brand and core values connect with your product/service solutions 

  • Create a brand presence, image, promise, and value that tells your authentic story, so clients want your product/service solutions  
  • Connect your personal authentic brand  to your visual image, logo, and website presence 
  • Drop your veneer and show up as the authentic/genuine you to build and enhance long-term client relationships 
  • Laser focus to reach your vertical and target niche’ markets to save time and money 
  • Purchase a personal-brand insurance policy: Consistent customer/client experience  + customer/client loyalty = new customers/clients + Retention + Referrals = Increased Revenue 

Business and Marketing Plans

For over twenty-five years I’ve been asked the same question, “Do I really need a business/ marketing plan. Is writing a business/marketing plan really the best use of my time?” YES

Here are some reasons why: (from “About Money”)

  • If you’re applying for a loan, grant, pitching your idea to investors, or asking for support from a business partner, you must have a business/marketing plan.
  • A plan eliminates the gray area because you have to research and write down in black and white so you can make those tough decisions to maximize your investment.
  • It’s a reality check to see if your business is flawed or a good idea.
  • Through the process of writing a plan, you may discover new ideas, different approaches, and fresh perspectives. This plan is a flexible, growing, and dynamic tool that can help you come up with new solutions for some of your toughest business challenges.
  • Your plan is a tool to help outline action items, next steps, and future activities; you are creating a living, breathing document that tells you where you are and where you want to be and directions on how to get there.

Marketing Plan

Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings (products/services) that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (www.ama.org  American Marketing Association)

  • Conduct market research to identify high-value prospective clients that represent your most ideal demographic/psychographic vertical and target niche’ market (s)
  • Get laser focused on how to reach your vertical/horizontal and target niche’ market (s) with marketing strategy that includes: viral and social networking marketing techniques (Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Meet up, etc.), publicity, advertising, direct mail, consultative relationship building selling, networking/prospecting, etc.
  • Achieve measurable results 
  • Find your “Circle of Influence” strategy to generate new clients from “Weak Ties and Strong Ties” 
  • Differentiate your company from the competition 

Networking and Prospecting Skills

Networking is an effective low-cost marketing method for developing sales opportunities and contacts based on referrals and introductions - either face-to-face at meetings and gatherings, or by other contact methods such as phone, email, and social and business networking websites. (www.businessballs.com)

Prospecting is the search for customers and buyers applying an effective prospecting program that reaches out to qualified prospects and moves them through the sales cycle from cold to warm to hot. (www.entrepreneur.com) 

It’s authentically leveraging your personal and business connections to create meaningful relationships to benefit each other. Seek first to be a “connector” and give more than is expected, then you will have established a solid real foundation to easily and effortlessly create a flow of customers and referrals.
Networking is much more than the “90 Second” networking event of showing up and shaking hands and giving and grabbing a bunch of business cards. It takes time to slowly build and earn the trust and confidence of others, to move from just taking to authentically “giving” that will result in prosperity and good for all.

  • Learn the difference between networking and prospecting
  • Pre-qualify any networking event before attending,  to make sure highly qualified leads will be there
  • Create a lasting first impression
  • Develop your personal “30-60” Second authentic message; separate yourself from the competition
  • Learn networking skills to authentically build new relationships at any event
  • Learn “don’t sell” at a networking event; leave your new contact wanting more
  • Maximize your efforts at every networking event
  • Take control and feel confident to network everywhere you go
  • Design a customized prospecting marketing plan for laser-focused results
  • Understand and apply the high-value/qualified lead generating B2B/B2C/B2G process
  • Learn effective messaging/scripting to gain permission to follow-up after a networking event; pre qualify a prospect; schedule an appointment; sell your products and services

Messaging, Scripting, and Copywriting Communication

  • “Learn what to say; why to say it; how to say it; when to say it; where to say it”
  • Create customized messaging/scripting/copywriting to effectively communicate your personal brand that will complement your personality, authentic self, and core values 
  • Identify your strengths and create messaging to enhance your unique personal brand
  • Develop customized messaging for presentations, networking, prospecting, customer surveys, focus groups, website copy, etc. 
  • Practice being yourself in any customer/client situation to maximize results 
  • Say what you mean by showing up as your authentic self 
  • Create unique messages that come from your internal, heart-driven brand presence 
  • Get faster results and measurable outcomes with your personal messaging to increase your $$ bottom line 

Communication Skills

55% of communication is body language, 38% is the tone of voice, and 7% is the actual words spoken. 
Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one person/place to another, whether this be vocally (using voice), written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines, websites or emails), visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) or non-verbally (using body language, gestures and the tone and pitch of voice). 

The most successful organizations understand that if they are to be successful in today's business world, good communication skills are crucial to get your point across clearly and concisely to the listener. The first big impact that communication skills can have on a company are on the employees. If the employees feel that they can easily communicate with management, the communication inspires them to become more loyal and hard working. The company can become a better place to work with a better production level. Communication skills also take a great role in selling. People thus realize how and which client they should deal with, this in turn increases the business for the company

  • Learn foundational skills to create ease, understanding, and trust
  • Show empathy, respect, and value through communication
  • Save time, effort, and money for your company
  • Minimize and decrease misunderstandings with your employees and customers
  • Inspire your employees to become more empowered and loyal
  • Demonstrate a varied vocabulary and tailor your language to your audience, listen effectively, present your ideas appropriately, write clearly and concisely and work well in a group

Listening Skills

We spend 45% of our time listening!
Learn to be fully present when someone is speaking. It’s the conscious effort to hear not only the words, observe the body language, and understand the complete message that is being sent. You cannot allow yourself to become distracted, bored, or lose focus on what the person is saying.

  • Learn “active listening” - fully concentrating on what is being said to yo
  • Use all your senses and remain neutral and nonjudgmental
  • Enhance your listening skills; send the message that you respect and value the other person who is speaking
  • Become a better listener; improve your productivity; your ability to influence and negotiate; avoid conflict and misunderstanding
  • Learn how to authentically paraphrase/reframe every conversation to enhance client trust and confidence in you

Emotional Intelligence Skills

IQ contributes to only about 20 percent to the factors that determine success — leaving 80 percent to other forces.  These forces make up what is called emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and the feelings of others, for motivating others, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. www.psychology.about
Some researchers and experts suggest emotional intelligence might even be more important than IQ.

Five Critical Components for Emotional Intelligence:

  • Self-awareness
  • Self-regulation
  • Social Skills
  • Empathy
  • Motivation
  • Fine tune your Emotional Intelligence to move your customer/client forward to action 
  • Recognize and understand your own emotions and be aware of the effect of your own actions, moods, and emotions have on your customers/clients
  • Appropriately manage and express your emotions at the right time and place
  • Learn how to be thoughtful, kind and empathic about how you influence others
  • Take responsibility for your own behavior and actions
  • Become a champion; manage conflict and diffuse tense or difficult situations
  • Learn how to understand customer/client feelings
  • Effectively implement information in your daily interactions and communications
  • Know how to respond with the right words and actions in any situation
  • Understand the power dynamics that influence social and business relationships

Customer/Client Care Skills

Customer/client service/care can make or break your business. If people find your employees are rude or don’t know what they’re talking about they’ll go elsewhere. You don’t want that, so it’s important to train them on good customer service and then monitor it so they continue to do a good job with it. When customer service is high, customer satisfaction will be even higher and that’s perfect for business. What kind of experience do customers really expect? And how often do unhappy customers share their stories with the world? Especially through social media!

  • Learn to become a unique customer service leader; differentiate your company from the competition
  • Create consistent “customer defining moments” to build brand awareness, identity, loyalty and customer retention
  • Deliver the “WOW” customer experience to minimize/eliminate the competition 
  • Align your mission, vision, and core values to create a consistent customer experience
  • Teach your employees (internal customers) how to authentically create consistent and memorable “customer defining moments”
  • Sculpt a customer care culture that drives customer loyalty and an endless flow of referrals

Sales and Leadership Coaching Skills

  • Partner with a sales coach to learn the practical, real world skills of effective sales presentations, proposals, networking, prospecting, focus groups, interviewing, consultative relationship building selling, etc.
  • Learn coaching skills that will empower your sales team to take responsibility
  • Create sales incentives that move sales people to action
  • Design sales goals and objectives that support sales revenue
  • Understand and apply your leadership style to affect and empower your team
  • Learn sales management and leadership coaching skills; motivate and empower your sales team to be their very best
  • Build confidence and trust with your team so they respect and value your leadership style
  • Demonstrate, practice, and role play new skills to confidently coach your sales team
  • Achieve measurable outcomes

Tradeshow/Conference Design and Strategic Planning Skills

  • Pre-qualify tradeshow/conference opportunities before making a $$ investment
  • Determine if your ideal demographic/psychographic client will be attending
  • Create a marketing plan to set goals and objectives
  • Align your marketing goals and sales strategy for results
  • Establish sales goals for each sales person
  • Identify your objective (s): leads & sales, prospecting, brand awareness
  • Train your sales person to create “client defining moments”
  • Conduct booth training to maximize your results
  • Represent your brand value and promise to leave a lasting impression
  • Create a professional display booth to captivate your visitors
  • Maximize your investment; create authentic vendor relationships
  • Generate high-value leads
  • Learn and implement event etiquette

Facilitation Skills

  • Learn facilitation skills to enable, help, coach, and guide group members to achieve their best results, while producing a commitment to follow-through and continuous learning
  • Increase proficiency in basic group process tools and techniques
  • Gain increased confidence in handling challenging people and situations
  • Learn how to drive results through skillful facilitation of team decision-making, problem-solving meetings, retreats, and workshops
  • Begin meetings with the G.R.P.I. (Goals, Roles, Process, Interpersonal)
  • Create an atmosphere of self-discovery, self-confidence, and self-respect
  • Facilitate sales teams, leaders, retreats, and strategic planning for results
  • Guide participants to feel valued, respected, heard, and empowered
  • Enhance the environment so each participant feels safe to contribute their best creative ideas and solutions
  • Promote best practices and generate measurable outcomes

Training Curriculum Design and Development Solutions

  • Learn how to diagnose if a training solution is really needed
  • Apply internal consulting skills
  • Evaluate and conduct a needs-analysis to identify the best training solution
  • Learn how to manage a training function and budget
  • Implement a consultative approach
  • Build a partnership with management and leaders to get buy-in
  • Focus on and apply the most creative, updated, and effective adult learning techniques
  • Transfer learning based on Kilpatrick’s  model of learning
  • Get JIT (Just-in-time) learning to increase employee enhancement, understanding, engagement, and implementation of new skills and learning
  • Learn practical, real world skills to effectively and easily improve internal and external customer relationships
  • Design training solutions to enhance customer defining moments; increase client loyalty

Business Etiquette Skills

Master the art of making introductions to easily connect with others. Introductions set the tone for interpersonal interactions. Besides the obvious elements of name, title, and affiliation, an introduction conveys a level of respect and reflects how the person making the introduction views the other person's status.

  • Learn how to make a “Lasting First Impression”
  • Feel confident to connect at any event
  • Present with impact your “30-60” Second Commercial
  • Show up authentically; build rapport
  • Greet people and maintain trust and respect
  • Learn how to be invited into a group
  • Get in and out of a conversation with respect and grace
  • Learn how to offer your business card and shake hands
  • Embrace the right attitude
  • Claim success for yourself
  • Gain permission to follow-up after an event

Dining Skills (Table Manners)

Impressing people with table manners is nothing new. Sitting across the table from people gives you a good look at their ability to behave in public, how well they respect others, and what you might expect from them in the future.

  • Influence your meeting with professional dining skills
  • Feel confident in any dining situation
  • Make a professional impression with your dining skills
  • Learn how to navigate your place setting, glasses and utensils with politeness
  • Avoid embarrassment: Learn how to eat with grace
  • Get a “A” for dining etiquette
  • Don’t lose a client deal because of your dining etiquette
  • Learn to manage food and drink at any event
  • Don’t let your client give you a “D” for dining
  • Position yourself as a “PRO”

Business Dress

The difference between first and last may just be divided between those who dressed for success and those who never gave personal appearance and self confidence a second thought

  • Dress for success for personal marketability to push the envelope and impress
  • Create a personal complete package with hair, skin, image, and clothes
  • Send a message of confidence, strength, ability, and commitment
  • Put forth the best "YOU” and stake your claim to business success
  • Learn how to dress for any occasion (Board of Directors’ presentation, interview, keynote, etc.)
  • Make or break the deal with your business dress
  • Do more than dress professionally; dress for success
  • Leave a “Lasting First Impression”
  • Improve your productivity and success with your appearance and the way you dress
  • Dress for success to show drive, determination, and professionalism
  • Gain self-confidence and self-esteem