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Carolina Business Coach Monthly Newsletter	www.CarolinaBusinessCoach.com Harvey@CarolinaBusinessCoach.com

"It is never too late to become what you might have been" - George Eliot	Harvey J. Smith Business Coach

April/May 2005	Vol. 2, No. 9

"My interest is in the future, as I'm going to be spending the rest of my life there." - Charles Kettering

The Top 10 Personal Benefits and Outcomes of Personal Development

1. Nobody is coming to my rescue I'm solely responsible for my personal and career life. I'm also free to choose who will share parts of life with me.

2. Leadership of others starts with self-knowledge and self-leadership. How can I be expected to know and lead others if I don't know myself?

3. Negative self-talk develops negative habit patterns. Learn to recognize negative self-talk and eliminate it, along with negative criticism of other people in work and home environments.

4. Knowledge of personal and career values is the first fundamental step towards developing sound work/life goals. Effective decision-making at work and home is likewise based upon these same values.

5. Written down goals are the guideposts of life.Work/life goals are only wishes if not in writing and time-dated.

6. Every success in life comes with a price tag. Be prepared to willingly pay whatever price is necessary to achieve your goals. Be aware of being in a comfort zone, for you are only growing when you take the first step outside that zone.

7. Nobody does it alone. Be a 'giver' first and then be willing to ask for help. We all need the help of others in order to achieve success. Encourage and assist others to achieve what they want before achieving what you want. The people you help may just help you in return.

8. Continually appreciate the people who help you. Frequently saying 'thank you' applies equally at work and at home.

9. Communication skills start with me. If I'm to effectively communicate with others at work and home, I must first learn to communicate in a positive, effective manner with myself. When with others I should demonstrate genuine empathy and listening skill, seeking first to understand, before being understood.

10. Continually add value to yourself. Never stop learning new skills that can help you achieve your goals.Life long learning is a reality

--reprinted.from coach Nigel Williams

My experience has shown me that the people who are exceptionally good in business aren't so because of what they know, but because of their insatiable need to know more. Michael Gerber

What is your "likeability" factor as a seller?

It's a fact: people buy from people they like.

That being the case, imagine if you could figure out how to 'get liked' by clients! And when you think about it, don't we all find ourselves selling everyday? Whether it's a product or opinion, we all use persuasion to get what we want.

To be most successful at making your sale, the first step is to understand your own selling style. Do you sell the same way to everyone? Are you chatty and use emotional persuasion to make your point? Or do you measure your thoughts carefully and use facts and figures to validate your information?

Both of these approaches work IF YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE CLIENT LIKES TO BE SOLD. If you don't understand your client's style, it could be disastrous.

ONE SELLING STYLE DOES NOT FIT ALL I often tell my clients, the Golden Rule shouldn't be "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" but "do unto others as they would like to be done unto" Substitute the word 'sell' and you have a formula for being more effective in sales.

The secret to strong relationships in sales is learning to:

1. Become aware your clients' behavioral styles

2. Learn to adapt your behavior to mirror the style of your client so that they will like you/feel a bond, and be more inclined to do business with you.

I am not suggesting that you be disingenuous. To be successful in selling you need to listen for your client's "pain" and in order to hear their "pain" you need to get them to communicate with you. Have you ever been in a situation where someone tried to oversell and you simply glazed over? That's because they were not dealing with you with a behavioral style that made you want to be present. Had that person taken the time or been aware of how to best approach you, you would have paid more attention.

How do I identify behavioral styles? I work with a powerful learning assessment called DISC to identify your behavioral style. Once my clients have a better understanding of their own style, I teach them how to identify other behavioral styles and communicate accordingly.

Simply put, there are four basic behavioral types. The four basic behavioral types are D (dominant), I (Influencer), S (Supporter) ,and C (Compliant). DISC assessment profiles can be eye opening as some clients don't realize that their natural behavioral style may actually be a turn-off to someone else.

For example, there is one behavioral type that is very touchy-feeling and warm. And another behavioral style that recoils when others get too friendly too quickly. Imagine one of these behavioral types trying to sell the other--you can see how body language alone can harm the potential of the relationship. Real life experience: Sheri is a successful Financial Executive, she is an 'I 'in the language of DISC, 'friendly, outgoing, effusive'. When we meet, we usually exchange a politically correct hug instead of a handshake. Sheri's Administrative Executive Wendy is a 'C', analytical, systematic, by the book; when I greet Wendy, I stand with distance between us, and always shake hands.

DISC shows us how we can adapt our styles to create more harmonious interactions with any behavioral type.

"My DISC Assessment was 99% accurate; I will have all my employees take it." - Aaron Ross, Nature's Blueprint, Charleston , SC

I use DISC assessments to help me understand my clients. Aaron Ross, The client above decided it would improve his interoffice dynamics. Once you have the knowledge of behavioral types, it's hard NOT to use it in every area of your life.

With the DISC Assessment you can:

Improve your communication skills with everyone in your environment
Build productive teams
Train a powerful sales force
Understand how to approach obstacles and challenges
Refine your approach for maximum success
Find out what motivates you/others
Ease frustration and conflict
Discover unrealized talents

For more information on Business Coaching and Behavior Assessments contact Harvey Smith.

Harvey offers a free introductory Coaching Session. If you know a person or a company who may be interested in joining our mailing list or if may benefit from coaching services, please phone or send an e-mail to: Harvey at 704-604-1655 or e-mail: Harvey@carolinabusinesscoach.com or visit our site at www.carolinabusinesscoach.com

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