Inside BS Show

I have never been a big fan of planning for retirement. I'd rather build a business I love and look forward to doing that every day until I'm physically unable to do that any longer. This is the reason I set up my business with a work-from-home model. It has always been my goal to build my business around my lifestyle.A few years ago, a big company found me after watching some of my videos and hired me to train their people. This lead to additional work building university programs for companies who wanted to internalize my relationship-based sales curriculum. As I rode this wave of success, my business transitioned from a 100% work-from-home model to one that became a 50% work from home and 50% travel - resulting in 123 nights on the road in 2019 and over 100,000 air miles. The revenue was good and the travel was to places I liked so I took the opportunity to develop additional business at the travel destinations. Since I was careful to travel only during time when I had no family commitments and since my wife handles my business schedule, I hardly noticed the variance from my original mission to work from home. The perks of travel miles and status were enjoyed by everyone in the Lorenzo Klan as we'd often make my summer work assignments into family outings. A pandemic has a way of refocusing you.Suddenly, in March, I "woke up" to realize my business model wasn't the one I initially planed back in 2008. Revenue - down. Fear - up.Now a couple of months into the COVID-19 business reality, I see a substantial opportunity in front of me. This is an opportunity for you as well.It's one we should both embrace, because if we don't, our businesses won't survive.Here are five ways to become more resilient and use that resilience to get through this current crisis and into each crisis that follows:One: Find a purpose that is bigger than yourself or your businessIn my case this is to help people build businesses that enable their lifestyles and to show them this doesn't mean making less money. Obviously, we don't need to be physically in front of people to grow our revenue. COVID-19 has taught us that. So there is nothing holding me back from bulding my business however I'd like. This was probably true pre-pandemic but I just didn't see it.This means you can get past the obstacles in your business. You may not see a way through them (or around them) in the present, but it is there. Keep looking. Two: Emotionally Distance Yourself From The FailureMany times we dwell on what we could have done differently. How we could have prevented this situation from occurring or how we could have done some things to make it less bad. That's not productive right now. Don't live in the past.Do you after-action review and learn from what happened and then put it behind you.Many sports coaches use the technique of taking a video of a bad performance by their athletes, digging a hole and burying the video in the ground. This is a symbolic gesture that helps the athleet move on. You can do something similar. Write down what happened to you in as much detail as possible. Then take that sheet of paper and (safely) burn it or bury it. Any return toward the negative thoughts you have will only prevent you from moving forward. Reject them. Three: Mentally Teleport Yourself Into The FutureWe don't have a time machine but our minds can't tell time. Close your eyes and project yourself into the future. Five years from now how will this situation look? How will you feel? How will you be spending your time? This situation, even a pandemic, will look like only a brief moment in time and you'll be able to learn much about yourself and your ability.Four: Find the Silver Linking and Reflect Upon It OftenTransforming my business - in fact helping get it to what I always wanted it to be - is the silver lining of the pandemic. I keep that in the forefront of my mind as I go about my day-to-day business activities. If you're trying to bounce back from a set back, think about how this will change you and your business for the better. Once you have that in your mind, keep it there. Five: Play the Game Like You Have Nothing To LoseIf you've hit rock bottom or even if you haven't but you are really down, think about how it could get worse. From a business perspective, you need to play as if you have nothing to lose. This means leaning in to what you fear. It means going head long at the issues and confronting them.Creditors calling you? Answer the phone or call them back. If you've got nothing to ofter them, explain that to them. Set a date and time to follow-up on your terms.Customers cancelling? Proactively call all your clients and demonstrate so much value that can't cancel.Phone not ringing? Make lots of calls and stimulate discussion. The key: Don't wait for anything to get better. Make things happen.Overcoming difficulties in business and in life is critical to success. Resilience is not only important but necessary.

Back in the days when I had dozens of employees, I would ask lots of open-ended questions during the interview process. One of my favorite questions was: “Tell me about a time when you had to make a big change in your life.”One time, during an interview with a man named “Michael” I asked this question and his answer not only landed him the customer service job for which he was applying, it also reinforced something I learned years ago about human behavior. Michael started his answer cautiously:“Well, when I was in my twenties, my sister passed away suddenly. Both my parents died when I was a child and my grandmother raised us. My sister’s passing left me all alone in the world. Trying to fill the need for belonging, I fell in with a bad crowd and began drinking a lot. It got to the point where I had to have a drink first thing in the morning just to steady my nerves and then I drank throughout the day just to get by. Every day was the same. I’d wake up and have a drink. Then I'd go to a local market and buy some food for the day, and more booze, and I’d sit at home and drink until I passed out while watching TV. One of the things I became good at was disguising the fact that this was my routine. I drank vodka so there was hardly any odor. I always shaved and showered before going out to the market and liquor store. And I became smart about how I spoke so people couldn’t tell I was impaired (at least early in the morning).I had to walk through a small park in order to get to the market. One day, walking through the park I saw a man sitting on a bench, under a small gazebo. He looked up at me and smiled. I nodded and smiled back. As time passed, I started noticing him more often. He was there every day, just sitting and staring into the distance. His glance always caught mine and we began exchanging greetings.I guess it was about three or four weeks after I first noticed him, our greeting exchange turned into a conversation. The next day, the man invited me to sit next to him. Having no particular place to go, and nothing to do, I welcomed the opportunity.My conversations with this man were often long. Sometimes lasting an hour or more. This was time that I spent completely distracted from my mission – which was essentially to drink myself to death.As the length of our daily conversations grew, so did the clarity I had in my life. One day after talking for hours, the man invited me to join him on a walk. This trip ended as we parted company at the entrance to the basement of a church. The man said he had to attend a meeting there. As I turned to walk away, my friend of now about four months, invited me to join him.That was my first alcoholics anonymous meeting. It was five years and fifteen days ago. These days I run a couple of different meeting groups. I’ve been a sponsor for a few different people. And each morning I sit in that park. On that same bench. I sit there in case someone wanders through and needs someone to talk to. Those daily conversations saved my life.”Michael, in his articulate answer to this interview question, crystalized something for me. Something powerful. As a professional – someone who provides advisory services to businesses and individuals – your role is to have conversations. And sometimes these conversations alone are of so much value to your clients, they will pay you simply to have the ability to stay connected.What does this mean for you? What does it mean for your ability to build and develop a business? It means everything.Clients come to me wondering why their business is broken. They wonder why, with all their credentials and with all their success over the years, they haven’t been able to build a business that is sustainable in good times and in bad. Well, here’s the truth: You’ve been focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on building a book of business, you should have been focusing on building and collecting relationships. This means you focus on dozens of individual conversations.That’s what this podcast and this article is all about. Each day I come into your world and invite you to have a conversation with me. Sometimes I spend our time together teaching you something. Sometimes I entertain you. Sometimes I do both. And you should be doing the same thing with your clients. Here’s how:Monthly Letters to Clients, Evangelists and ProspectsEach month, sit down and write a letter to your audience. Share some new information with them. Give them some guidance. Tell them a story or two.Weekly Email Set up a weekly version of the letter to your clients. This is closer to a conversation than an informational broadcast. You can engage your audience and invite them to connect back with you. Daily Podcast and/or VideoIf you really want intimacy with your audience, you’ll communicate with them each day. This is your chance to help the most people. Educate, inform and entertain them but most importantly, connect with them on a personal level. Share stories that are spec

Relationships are the key to long term success in business and in professional services. Today's show, which is day ten, in ten days of success, outlines the five ways you can put relationships first in your business.First: Start with an external orientation. You have to put the needs of the client at the forefront of everything you do. Every conversation with the client should focus on what they want, what they need, and how you can help them - even if that help is outside of the scope of your normal duties.Second: Measure lifetime value of client relationships. Stop thinking about individual transactions. Think about the value of the relationship over the course of a lifetime. Your client, the person, will be with you forever if you think about helping them over and over again during your career. They may move from job-to-job but they will stay with you if you think about the totally of that relationship and not individual transactions.Third: Think of the value exchange. Sometimes it is goods and services for money. Sometimes the value is simply an answer to a question. But each time you interact with a client, they have to come away feeling like they received great value from you. Fourth: Provide support beyond the typical relationship. No matter what your product or service, you are responsible for the growth of your client's business. This is important for the survival of the business as well as the growth of your relationship. You must buy from your client. You must pass referrals to your client. You must introduce your client to people who can connect them with additional opportunity.Fifth: Be easy to work with. Don't make people jump through hoops to work with you. Answer your phone. Return calls. Reply to email. Give people straight answers. Treat everyone like they are your best friend or your most treasured relative. If you enjoyed this show and want additional help and support growing your business, check out my special invitation to join my Inner Circle Community. This is a group of people who meet each week to exchange knowledge and help each other succeed. You can see all the options and my special invitation to you - as a loyal reader - right here:https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/

Words can help and words can heal. There are some things we don't say that we should. In fact, there are many phrases you almost never hear. Here are five of those phrases and reasons why we should use them more often."You were right."This phrase is almost never spoken in business. Most business leaders have an overwhelming need to be right. When they aren't, they never admit it. So it is not surprising that when people are right, nobody gives them credit.This matters because if you want to grow a relationship with someone, you need to suspend the need to be right all the time. If a person makes a mistake in a statement or when working with you, and the mistake has no consequences, just let it go. "I don't know." People are afraid to say this because they fear they will look stupid. What usually happens is you make up an answer when you don't really know. Then you not only look stupid, you look dishonest.Say "I don't know, but I will find out," and you'll look smart and resourceful."I'm sorry."This is one that you'll never hear from a tough guy. Politicians, business leaders, and your parents will never, ever say "I'm sorry," because they think it makes them look weak.The truth is that failing to apologize is what makes you look weak. Strong, confident people admit when they are wrong. People who value relationships admit when they are wrong. We are all human. We all make mistakes. Admit your mistake, apologize, and get past it. "Thank You."I'm not sure when we stopped expressing gratitude. As kids, our parents taught us to be grateful for everything from someone passing the salt, to someone giving us a check for a holiday. But once we became an adult, we immediately stopped this behavior. Always find a way to express gratitude to people who provide a product or service or to people who simply express kindness. "I like you."Everyone in the world is under recognized. People are so caught up in their own lives, they never take time to tell others how they feel. Reach out to a friend today and let him know you like him. You'll make his day and you'll feel good about yourself in the process. Your words can help you stand out from the crowd. Use these today and you'll see what a difference they can make. Join us and Discover New Ways to Grow Your BusinessIn response to the events surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic, I have created a new community of professionals. I’m calling it the “Inner Circle.” The purpose of this group is to deliver great business growth information, provide support and camaraderie, and have a group of trusted sources, across the country, to refer business to and receive business from. The group is in its infancy, (started in March) but we’ve already seen some fantastic results. One of our members passed a transactional matter to another member that resulted in an $18,000 fixed fee. Two other members have passed referrals that resulted in significant retainers. This is not a referral service or a leads group. This is a community of attorneys, CPAs, architects, engineers and other professional service providers from multiple states and jurisdictions. We hold virtual education sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a virtual happy hour on Fridays. None of the meetings are mandatory. All of the education sessions are recorded, and members have access to them 24/7. Since this opportunity is brand new, the investment is small. You can invest $147 per month or $1,047 per year. The annual investment is a savings of $717. This is the perfect opportunity for you to meet new people and continue your professional development. I’m certain there will be significant opportunity for you. I’ve set up a special invitation page for a handful of people – like you – to review and enroll. You can find the info here: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ Last month I enrolled an attorney from Mexico, and he connected a litigator in New York with a case that will most likely help him get through the crisis this summer. I am thrilled that I can provide this kind of value. Please let me know if you’ll join us. If not, maybe you can connect me with some folks you trust, and I can interview them for membership… Also let me know if I can be of any assistance during these difficult times.

There are many ways to learn and grow each day and there are many benefits to learning. Today we discuss some of the ways to increase your knowledge and we also discuss the benefits of learning each day. This is Season 2 Show 30 Episode 152.Today marks the end of my second month locked in my house due to the coronavirus and COVID-19. I've been out for exercise and to deliver birthday greetings to a few friends (via drive-by in a car) but I have not entered a building other than my home since March 12, 2020. While this time locked away with my family has been stressful and challenging, it has been highly beneficial in many ways. Not the least of these opportunities has been a challenge I've given to myself to learn and grow while locked away from the world. This challenge has resulted in the reinvention of many different aspects of my business and life. This growth and, more importantly, this dedication to DAILY growth is a competitive advantage for me and my business. I cover these growth opportunities in today's show and we discuss how you can use them as a competitive advantage in your business.There are many places we can learn new things each day. We can discover new things at work or related to business. Places to look include: The economy. Your industry. Your business. Your job.You can discover new things at home. Each day you should look to find out something new about:Your country. Your state. Your countyYour city. Your neighborhood. Hobbies. Family. Friends. Sports. Now if you need reasons to strive to learn something new every day, here are six:Learning gets you high. It's a scientific fact that when your curiosity is aroused, dopamine is released and that gives you a feeling of wellbeing. Learning helps you start conversations. The more you know, the more you can discuss with others. This is good for business it can help you start conversations and deepen relationships.Learning helps you make more money. As you discover new things you begin implementing them in your business. This leads to additional revenue. Learning sets a good example for others. If you want your employees to grow, you need to lead the way. Learning helps you make friends. The people who teach you things can also become friends. The people with whom you learn, will also become friends. Seminars, classes and business learning sessions are terrific growth opportunities. Learning helps you build self-esteem. The more you know, the better you feel. Knowledge is power and power makes us feel good about ourselves. Here's the bottomline: Each day provides you with almost limitless opportunities to learn and grow. If you let one day pass you by without learning something new, you are missing out on tremendous value.

This is day seven of the ten days of success and today we discuss asking for help. Years ago, when I first started my business, I was new to direct response marketing techniques. I was sitting around waiting for the phone to ring and I almost went broke. Why?Because I was too proud to ask for help.When I was a young business leader, I worked for Marriott. I used to make sales calls and it was easy to get decision-makers on the phone. At one point, I received an interesting invitation. It was from a company that ran training seminars on sales and marketing. Here I was, just a "kid," only twenty-something years old, but I thought I knew everything so I threw the letter away.Many years later, I started my own business. After much trial and error, I realized that if I had attended that sales and marketing seminar, I would have shortened my learning curve by almost a decade. My background had been in working with big businesses and I was used to reaching out to senior executives in Fortune 500 executives and having them accept invitations for meetings. They took the meetings because of the brand name company I represented. They didn't know me or care about me. Well, when I started my own consulting business, I thought it would be easy. I thought I could just pick up a phone and get a meeting with anyone I wanted. I called the biggest companies in town and couldn't get through to any decision-makers.Then I read about direct-response marketing. It sounded great. So I started writing letters and mailing them to random executives. And I waited. And I waited. But the phone never rang. After a while it became painfully obvious I didn't know what I was doing. My phone was quiet and my bank account was running low. But as a twenty-something kid, I was too embarrassed to admit I needed help learning this skill. Acquiring that knowledge though years of making mistakes - taking two steps forward and one step back, was painful, expensive and difficult. How can you tell if you need help with something but are too embarrassed to ask? Answer these questions:Has someone (anyone) done what you are trying to do?Have other people achieved the goals you are attempting to attain?Is there a formula or a recipe to the success you are looking to achieve?Are other people in your role/industry/business/ successful?If the answer to any of those questions is "YES" then you can and should ask for help.Who can help you?I receive this question all the time. People say to me: "Dave, I don't know anyone who is willing and able to help me."That's silly. Look around. People are offering you assistance all the time. This message is an offer of assistance. Here's what happens: We get so close to our work and we are so wrapped up in our own lives, that we cannot see the opportunities that are right in front of us. So here is your five step solution for finding assistance:Step One: Find the person who has the success you'd like to achieve.Step Two: Don't envy them. Call them. Ask them if you can shadow them for a day or a week. Step Three: Take notes. Write down what they do. Get inside their head. Uncover how they think. Step Four: Model their behavior and thinking.Step Five: Repeat over and over again.If this sounds too complicated, just call me. This is what I do for my clients each day. I find the people in their industry who are successful and distill that process down and help them replicate it.Working with me is a giant shortcut. Don't be too embarrassed to ask for help.Call (786) 436-1986.

Today we talk about common sense and how it can be your superpower. These days we should expect people to lie to us. You read that correctly. People Lie to us every day. But when you apply common sense, you can see through those lies. We show you how on today's show. On this show I share five ways to make common sense your superpower:One: Ask for evidence to support any claim that is made about a product or service before you invest in it (emotionally or financially). Two: Talk to people who have worked with the company or the person in the past - ask for references. Ask the people who are used as references for other people to who you can speak.Three: Ask to meet with people who have stopped working with this person/company. You want to speak with people who are no longer customers.Four: Ask the company representative what will happen if you do a Google search or a background check on them and their company. If they disclose negative information, don't hold it against them (unless it is illegal or immoral). Then do a Google search or a background check and see what shows up.Five: Offer a to pay a performance bonus if the speed or the results are better than you expect. Also ask for a discount, in advance, if they don't meet the deadlines or get the results.We cover all of these on today's show, Be sure and listen and subscribe.

This is an interview with Phil Gerbyshak, a podcasting, social media and social selling expert. Dave Lorenzo and Phil discuss how you can (and should use podcasting and social media) as a tool to grow your business or professional practice.Phil Gerbyshak Is a speaker, sales expert, corporate sales trainer and small business coach. Phil trains his clients on the power of connection, leveraging the reach of social media, combined with the deeply personal work of nurturing 1:1 relationships, growing profitable long-term clients, transforming businesses and boosting revenue. Whether your goal is getting more leads, setting more qualified appointments, earning referrals, or closing more business, Phil will show you how to use LinkedIn, video, content marketing, and even the telephone to accomplish your goals.Phil has interviewed Tom Peters, Sally Helgesen, Seth Godin, Tim Sanders, Carol Roth, Bob Burg and a host of other great people.Phil is an active member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and has spoken at many of the regional chapter meetings on social selling and the power of connecting the right way on social media.Phil has been featured on the cover of Speaker Magazine, and also frequently contributes articles.When he’s not traveling, Phil does a weekly show on social media called #SocialChatter on Facebook Live. It’s unscripted, unedited, real and raw.Phil is a technology geek who is always trying the latest and greatest tools, so you don’t have to. He’s kicked the tires for you and can recommend the right tool for your needs and budget, whether it’s scheduling social media posts, livestreaming, transcribing, video editing, etc.Phil has been recognized as the Best of BeLive (livestreaming platform) by Ross Brand and Rachel Moore.Contact Phil:4532 W Kennedy BlvdPMB 344Tampa FL [email protected]: 414-640-7445Listening Guide to the Inside B.S. Interview with Phil Gerbyshak03:11 How Phil got started interviewing authors and experts04:21 How does Phil get such great guests for his show?05:18 Who is the one person Phil hasn’t interviewed that he wishes he could?06:00 How to make it “easy” for someone to be a guest on your show07:38 How to convince big name guests to do your show when you’re just starting a podcast11:07 Podcast show production tips13:33 What type of interview and production schedule is the best? 14:05 When does Phil do live video shows?14:45 How people consume the interviews on different platforms15:30 Why Phil chooses to do his interviews live on all social platforms16:00 The reason Phil doesn’t particularly care for LinkedIn live17:35 Phil’s “go to” social media platform18:28 Why Phil is so successful using LinkedIn for business19:05 Adding two cents times twenty-five (LinkedIn Success formula)20:29 How to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to connect and grow your business22:14 Should we be connecting with everyone on LinkedIn?30:27 What was Phil’s goal when starting his podcast?31:04 “First Serve Who We Can Then We Get To Serve Who We Want To Serve”31:35 How Phil got Seth Godin as a podcast guest33:46 The importance of your personality fitting the media35:40 Topics Phil speaks about from the stage 37:24 The value of gratitude in life and in business

You know the situation. You've just finished a speech, or published a paper, or delivered a performance on stage. You're satisfied because your weeks (or months) of hard work completed, you wipe the sweat from your brow and receive congratulations from friends and family. Then, out of nowhere, a colleague approaches and offers to give you some "feedback."What follows is a critique of the exact points you thought were the strongest aspects of your performance. As you thank this person for their feedback, you're secretly deflated. In spite of all the praise from people, all you can remember is the unsolicited criticism.Here's another scenario:As an entrepreneur, you study the market for your services. You have a planning session with your mentor and you've decided on a strategy. You prepare and begin to execute your plan. You're happy with how it is going. At that point, your uncle Joe calls and tells you you're doing it all wrong. He has other ideas. Uncle Joe hasn't worked in your business, in fact, he is a dentist and you are an attorney. Yet his guidance weighs heavily on you. All those good feelings you had about your strategy are now gone. Both of these scenarios happen everyday. I know. I hear the stories from my clients.Unsolicited advice is a killer. But it doesn't have to be.You Must Ignore Unsolicited Advice.Here are five reasons why:It's About EGO: Theirs: Unsolicited advice is not for the benefit of the receiver. It is for the benefit of the person giving the advice. It makes them feel better about themselves. Sometimes It's About POWER: Several psychological studies have shown that unsolicited advice is used as a way for the sender to demonstrate their power over the receiver. This is not only a weak way to "one up" someone, it's also damaging to the person receiving it.Advice Must Come from Someone You Respect: If you didn't ask this person for guidance, you must dismiss it. If you didn't respect this person enough to reach out to them, forget about it. The Advice Sender Is Jealous: People who are jealous will often go out of their way to bring down the object of their envy. If someone is your rival and they give you advice, that you didn't ask for, it's because they want what you have.You Strengthen Your Self Confidence by Rejecting Bad Advice: Let's face it, most unsolicited advice is garbage. When you reject it, you reenforce your independence. That should make you feel good.Here's the bottom line: Unsolicited advice is only for the benefit of the sender. It must be ignored and aggressively rejected.

The most precious thing in your possession is your time. You must guard it from the people who want to come and steal it from you. In this show we share three ways you can protect your time and stay sane.The three ways to guard your time are:1. Budget Time Like You Budget Money2. Create a "got a minute" list3. Stop multitaskingThis show is brief and powerful. Don't miss it.YOU ARE NOT ALONEIf you'd like to stay connected to Dave Lorenzo and a group of professionals who will support you, help you grow and connect you with ideal clients, join Dave Lorenzo's Inner Circle Community. During the Covid-19 crisis, Dave is offering his subscribers the opportunity to join as VIP members for a reduced rate of $147 per month or $1,047 per year. This investment is easily recouped thorough the acquisition of one new client. To apply for membership visit: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ or call 888.444.5150

One thing holds good people back more than anything else. It is guilt. People who don't have the success you enjoy will try to make you feel guilty. You must ignore that. Season 2 Show 24 episode 146.In this episode of the show we discuss how to ignore the people who throw guilt at you and how to combat those threats of guilt.Everyone feels guilty about something.If you want to be successful, you'll ignore people who make you feel guilty for things you should be doing on a day-to-day basis.

Always get paid up front. That's one of keys to business success. On today's show we discuss why you should get paid before you do the work and we discuss how to get paid in advance. Join us for Season 2 Show 23 Episode 145.There are four reasons why you should always get paid in advance. They are:One: Getting paid in advance insures good cash flow.Two: Getting paid before the work is done shifts the risk from you to the other party. Three: Getting paid up front enhances your client's perception of value.Four: Your client will be more likely to be compliant - meaning they will do what you need them to do.We go into detail on each of these reasons on the show today. We also cover:How to Structure Your Payment AgreementStructure One: Full payment up front as part of your basic business terms.Structure Two: Full payment up fronting exchange for a discount.Structure Three: Less preferable: Half payment up front and half in 30 days.Structure Four: Never differ payment until project completion. Instead recieve a bonus at completion. All of this is covered in today's show.YOU ARE NOT ALONEIf you'd like to stay connected to Dave Lorenzo and a group of professionals who will support you, help you grow and connect you with ideal clients, join Dave Lorenzo's Inner Circle Community. During the Covid-19 crisis, Dave is offering his subscribers the opportunity to join as VIP members for a reduced rate of $147 per month or $1,047 per year. This investment is easily recouped thorough the acquisition of one new client. To apply for membership visit: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ or call 888.444.5150

During the next two weeks, we are focusing on the ten habits critical for business success. Today's habit is decisiveness.Successful people make accurate decisions quickly.Here are the five factors of decisiveness:One: Gather all relevant Information As quickly as possible. Be intellectually curious. Ask good questions. Look at past trends. See who has done what you want to do, where they succeeded, and where they failed. Quickly reverse engineer any failures. Two: Outline, in writing, your findings. The way you write is the way you think. Write down all your thoughts related to this decision. Organize them in a way that allows you to evaluate the consequences of your choice. Ask yourself: What is my ultimate goal? Which scenario is most likely to help me achieve my ultimate goal? What are the risks associated with following this path? Three: Look at alternatives. Select the scenario with the best reward for the most acceptable amount of risk. Review and rank all contingencies. Is there something you haven't anticipated? If your first option fails, will you be able to pivot? At which points can you pivot, and which options would you select at each point?Four: Run a Red Team. Find someone or a group of people to test your plan. Let them shoot it full of holes. Pick the most competent people you can find. They must be brutal. Five: Move forward with speed. Execute your plan as quickly as possible. The faster you act, the quicker you can adjust if something goes wrong. Some of the best things that will ever happen to you in life will be adjustments you make to plans you thought were outstanding. A word about emotion in your decision process: Emotions will always play a role in a decision you make. You cannot eliminate it. The best you can do is recognize the role emotions play, identify all relevant facts, and accept how you feel. When you run your "red team," you will be tempted to defend some of your emotions. Don't. Decide if you can live with the consequences your feelings cause you to fail. YOU ARE NOT ALONEIf you'd like to stay connected to Dave Lorenzo and a group of professionals who will support you, help you grow and connect you with ideal clients, join Dave Lorenzo's Inner Circle Community. During the Covid-19 crisis, Dave is offering his subscribers the opportunity to join as VIP members for a reduced rate of $147 per month or $1,047 per year. This investment is easily recouped thorough the acquisition of one new client. To apply for membership visit: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ or call 888.444.5150

An artist can’t possibly teach us anything about entrepreneurship, right? Wrong. Today’s Do This Sell More show is a clinic for entrepreneurs. It is especially valuable for people who sell professional services. Today I interview Beca Castel – A Miami-Base Artist who specializes in murals. In this interview you will discover:How to create a unique value propositionWhy niche marketing is critical to commanding a fee premiumHow to differentiate yourself from everyone else who does what you doWhy systems matter in any business, but especially in professional servicesAnd much, much more About Beca CastelBeca Castel is a professional artist that specializes in custom paintings and murals for homes, businesses & commercial properties in South Florida. She is an alumnus of theprestigious New World School of the Arts. Her artwork has been showcased at Art Basel Miami in venues such as: SCOPE Miami, The Red Dot Art Fair and Art Fusion Galleries. You can also find her pieces in various Luxury Hotels in South Beach such as The Edition Hotel and The SLS Hotel South Beach.Here is her contact information:Beca Castel www.BecaCastel.comPhone: (305) 987-9121Facebook: @BecaCastelInstagram: @Beca_Castel Here is Your Guide to Dave Lorenzo’s Interview with Beca Castel 2:20 Examples of Beca’s art projects3:11 How Beca got her start as an artist5:00 Beca becomes interested in Entrepreneurship and makes an education decision6:30 How she came to realize that custom art was a better business model9:28 Why selecting this niche has helped Beca sell more art and command a fee premium10:17 How Beca selected custom murals as her differentiating factor11:55 Internet marketing helps artists cut out the middleman and make more money13:50 How an artist can learn to qualify their clients (this will work for your business too)19:46 Behind the scenes: How to help the client buy (vs. selling them)21:55 How to qualify a lead and determine what to charge for your work24:40 The design process makes or breaks the art and the business arrangement27:30 Step-by-Step process for doing a mural32:00 How Beca uses social media to market her work33:15 Managing productivity can be a challenge when an artist is busy35:10 The Qualifying process of an artist’s clients36:46 Client urgency has an impact on the price of the work46:18 The Story of Beca’s most famous project to date YOU ARE NOT ALONEIf you'd like to stay connected to Dave Lorenzo and a group of professionals who will support you, help you grow and connect you with ideal clients, join Dave Lorenzo's Inner Circle Community. During the Covid-19 crisis, Dave is offering his subscribers the opportunity to join as VIP members for a reduced rate of $147 per month or $1,047 per year. This investment is easily recouped thorough the acquisition of one new client. To apply for membership visit: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ or call 888.444.5150

In just a few weeks the world has changed. Things are not going back to the way they were in January 2020. You have a chance to grow and build your business for the way things are now and will be in the future or you can remain stuck in the past and get left behind. We address this issue in today’s show. You must make a choice. You can either be a fax machine or you can be email. Fax machines are history. Nobody needs them. Email is essential. The point of this analogy: You can be a valuable part of the future or you can remain stuck in the past. Here’s how you become an essential part of the future: DELIVER VALUE There are three ways to do this in a challenging economy. One: Help people make money Two: Help people save money. Three: Mitigate or eliminate risk. This is your challenge right now. Figure out how you can do one or more of these things in a way that differentiates you from everyone else. That’s the subject of today’s show. YOU ARE NOT ALONEIf you'd like to stay connected to Dave Lorenzo and a group of professionals who will support you, help you grow and connect you with ideal clients, join Dave Lorenzo's Inner Circle Community. During the Covid-19 crisis, Dave is offering his subscribers the opportunity to join as VIP members for a reduced rate of $147 per month or $1,047 per year. This investment is easily recouped thorough the acquisition of one new client. To apply for membership visit: https://davelorenzo.com/inner-circle-special-invitation/ or call 888.444.5150

Our last show detailed how to get referrals from clients. This show is about how you can get referrals from people who have never done business with you. Why is this important? It's important because people who know you, like you and trust you, will make up eighty percent of your referral partners. The remaining 20% just discovered you and they want to share you with the world. Today's show covers:Evangelist identification: How you can find people who know you, like you and trust you, but have never done business with you. Identifying the natural synergy between your businesses. This is critical for leveraging your opportunity to connect with these potential referral sources. Taking advantage of common client relationships you share and maximizing opportunities to work together to grow those relationships.Finding common ground between you and your evangelist and using it to attract those clients that you have uncommon. Identifying your shared values and using them as a framework for building a synergistic relationship.This is an episode you don't want to miss because it can be the difference between attracting a great deal of "BONUS" business and totally missing out on it.

There is a four-step process to attracting more referrals into your business. This process works with both clients and evangelists. If you use it you'll notice a big difference in both the quality and quantity of your referrals.Step One: Do Your ResearchWho do your clients and evangelists know that could be a good prospect for your business? You need to get inside their contacts file and find out. The easy way is to listen while they are talking. Most people will reveal who they know while they have general conversations.In addition, you can explore tehir LinkedIn contact info and look for memberships in groups or organizations and check those websites.Step Two: Provide Value to Your EvangelistBefore you ask for a referral, you need to deliver value. The best for of this value is through referring someone to the them. Tat's right. Give a referral before you ever ask for one. Step Three: Use Gratitude ScriptAfter you pass a referral, you can ask the client to help you. The best time to do this is when they are thanking you for passing the referral to them. I give you the specific script to do this in this episode.Step Four: Ask to Meet a Specific PersonHere is the information you include in your request.Name of the personTitleCompanyIndustryWhy You Want to Meet ThemIn today's show I share the script and the reasons why each element is critical. Don't leave any of them out.Be sure to listen to this episode. This step-by-step process will help you attract more referrals and make more money.

Today's show is designed to help you attract better clients right now.You have the right and the ability to decide who you work wit. That's right, you choose your clients.Step One: Identify Suspects - Target People Like Your BestThe first thing you must do is target people who are just like your best clients.How?Ask your best clients :What groups or organizations they belong to.What websites they visit to keep up with the industry trends.What trade journals or what industry-specific magazines they read.Once you find the answers to these questions, you can target the people involved.Success leaves clues so rather than just going after anyone, why not go after people who are just like your best clients?The people you connect with here will be considered "Suspects."A suspect is someone you suspect will be a great client if you do business with them.Step Two: Convert Suspects to ProspectsOnce you have identified groups of suspects you need to see who has interest in working with you. The way to determine that interest is to use an engagement device called a Honeypot.A honeypot is an offer of a free tool that will be helpful to your prospect. I often use reports or videos as this honeypot. In an article or webinar, I offer the free report to the audience in exchange for tehir email address. When the person gives me their email address, I know they are interested in my service - or at least in the information I am presenting.This request, converts the person from a suspect to a prospect.Step Three: Qualify as a ClientThe third step in this process is to qualify the person as a client.As we discussed at the outset, not everyone can work with you. People who work with you have three qualities:They have a problem you can solve.They have the ability to make a decision on hiring youThey have the money to invest in your services.If the prospect has all three of these things, they are qualified to work with you.At that point you can make an offer.Our show today goes into detail about all three aspects of this conversion process.Join us as we take you inside business strategy and share the secrets of attracting better clients. Listen by following the link.

Five Qualities Necessary for Recession Survival and Growth During this day and age of uncertainty I am constantly being asked to boil success down to a handful of qualities. Everybody wants the five “secrets” to success. While I am hard pressed to limit the qualities of successful entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals to just five things, I can give you five qualities that are common among all successful people.Incidentally, these five qualities were not developed by me. They were developed by a researcher named Napoleon Hill as a result of a 20-year study he conducted on successful business leaders. Hill developed 16 laws of success as a result of this study. All of Hill’s laws can be applied to professionals but there are five in particular that separate the winning professionals from the others.Here are the five qualities from Napoleon Hill’s work that I believe to be most responsible for success:Quality 1: Successful Business Leaders have a Burning Desire to Serve Their Clients: This means you must really want to make a difference for your clients and you believe in your ability to do so. That passion and desire is easily spotted in successful people. It is a quality that attracts others – clients and referring attorneys – to you like a magnet.It can be difficult to stay motivated under the current conditions. If you watch the news, it can flat out depress you. So, stop watching the news. Keep focusing on the value you provide and why it is important to your best clients. What is your value? How does it make a difference for your clients? Is that value still the same? What additional value can you provide?Be loud and proud about that! Quality 2: Successful Business Leaders Make Use of Specialized Knowledge:You have specialized knowledge of your product or service. But people who grow during a recession also have the specialized knowledge of how to communicate their value, how to build and how to run a business. They have specialized knowledge on building systems that set their business up for success. They have specialized knowledge in business strategy and they know how to deploy their resources toward an area of need in the market. Specialized knowledge goes well beyond the day-to-day aspects of selling. It extends to the knowledge necessary to deepen relationships over days, weeks, months and years.This is the perfect time to acquire additional specialized knowledge. You don’t have a commute right now. You don’t have the common office disruptions. Use this time to acquire additional specialized knowledge. Quality 3: Successful Entrepreneurs and Professionals are Decisive:This is a quality that stands out in a business leader. They assimilate information and then they make a decision. You have to make correct decisions and you have to do it in a way that projects confidence in yourself and in the people around you.Let’s face it; if you have the will, you can recover from almost any mistake you make in life. However, you may never be able to recapture an opportunity that presents itself if you don’t make a decision. Great opportunities – golden opportunities – only come along so often – and you need to be decisive to take advantage of them. Napoleon Hill found that decisiveness was a key quality in successful people, and I agree whole heartedly.Decide right now to invest in your future. Decide to invest in your growth. Make the decision to be aggressive in your acquisition of new business even though others around you are negative. Quality 4: Successful Business Leaders and Professionals Set Goals:Successful people are goal oriented. This means they have actually taken the time to think about where they want to be in five years, ten years and twenty years. This may seem too long term given the circumstances.If you want to achieve significant success you need to first define what success is. That means setting goals. Here is an exercise you can do to help you get trough the current situation and associated recession: Pick out five things you would like to accomplish between now and the end of the year.Write these five things down on a sheet of paper.Fold the paper up and put it in your pocket.Review this sheet of paper every time you eat a meal.You will be amazed at the results.When you write your goals down your subconscious mind automatically goes to work to try to help you achieve them. You will find yourself drawn to activities that will bring you closer to your goals.Once you become comfortable with this process, conduct a similar exercise, setting goals for the next five years. Even under difficult conditions, you brain will adjust, and you will act to make those goals happen. Don’t trust me. See for yourself. Do it now. Quality 5: Successful Entrepreneurs and Professionals Tap into the Collective Intelligence of OthersThis is critically important. You need to have a group of people you can trust to give you honest feedback on your ideas and performance. You must have a group of like-m

Hospitality Industry Entrepreneur Shares Secrets: Inside Business Success Interview: Doug BaarmanDoug Baarman Interview Show Notes Each week we bring you interviews with some of the most successful people in business. We do this to share their insider business secrets and take you inside business strategy. This week we are going inside the Hotel, Hospitality and Convention business. Our discussion this week is with Doug Baarman. Doug Baarman is Senior Vice President / Team Director with Conference Direct. He has 25+ years of sales, marketing and meeting planning experience within the hospitality industry. He has worked on both sides of the industry giving him an insider’s perspective with experience from some of the largest hotel companies – Marriott International and Gaylord Hotels and from the buyer’s side – National Trade Productions. Here’s how you can contact Doug: Doug Baarman, CDSSenior Vice President/Team Director6 Sotweed CourtPotomac, MD 20854Office: (301) 605-7011E-Fax: (240) 238-9898Mobile: (240) [email protected] https://hospitalitylifestyles.comhttp://doug-baarman.go-conferencedirect.com Here is your guide to this wide-ranging interview: 3:00 What does Conference Direct do? What is Doug’s Role?5:35 How Doug works with clients (companies planning events) while partnering with hotels.6:28 Doug describes the business model used to compensate him and his team.7:54 How does Doug organize his sales team? How to they set up “territories?”9:52 How does Doug recruit new people?13:07 How did Doug become an entrepreneur?14:40 The Stages of a Crisis and How Businesses Get Through Them18:50 What are the biggest concerns for hotels and convention centers?26:40 Face-To-Face meetings will become a competitive advantage.30:20 What does the future look like for conventions – short term and long term?35:03 What does the future look like for Las Vegas?38:16 Where should people go for information on the current state of business travel?41:30 What hospitality companies are handling this well?44:45 Doug sees great opportunity for people who want to book meetings in a year or two. Here’s how to take advantage. 48:40 Dave and Doug make predictions.

Ten Business Growth Habits: Quarantine EditionHere are 10 business growth habits you can implement immediately - regardless of your situation. These activities require a small investment of time and money and offer a huge return. Don't miss this episode of The Do This Sell More Show. Click the link to listen. Call A Client: Make a telephone call and connect with a client to thank him/her for working with you. Ask how he/she is doing. See how you can help, add value, or be of service.Write a Note: Handwritten notes are important and valuable. They show gratitude but they also are great business development.Interview an Influencer: Connect with someone in the community or industry and interview him or her for your podcast or video show. If you don't have one, start one.Shoot a Video: You have a phone. Shoot a video on it. Shoot a "How to" video or a video testimonial for a product/person/service.Post an Article: You write the way you think. Write an article today demonstrating your thinking on a subject of importance to you or your business.Promote a Friend: Introduce one of your friends to your audience. Help him/her become successful. This will come back to you ten-fold.Research a New Perspective Client: Do your research. Find a way to add value. Find the right person to speak with. Commit to relentlessly pursuing this person and company and making them a client.Exercise: Get up and get moving. Sitting is the new smoking. It will kill you.Make a Gratitude or Accomplishment List and review it every night before you go to sleep.Invest in Personal Development: Listen to the Do This Sell More Show each day. Connect with me for coaching (786) 436-1986

The formula for successful marketing material is: educate, entertain, and inform.Here are the definitions of each:EducateShare information in an organized way so it can be productively applied. The knowledge has practical application in the future. EntertainGive people enjoyment as a result of consuming your marketing material. InformShare information with people to keep them up-to-date.The difference between educating and informing is: Educating is delivering instruction about the practical application of knowledge to achieve the desired outcome.Informing is conveying information to a group or individual.The key is to have all three of these elements work together toward the common goal. We give you the formula for doing this on today's show. Be sure to click the link and listen.

You should never get into a fight with:1). Clients2). Prospects3). Trolls on Social mediaI like to be provocative. I tell stories that evoke emotion. Sometimes people agree with me, and sometimes they don't. I'm politically active. I am a fiscally conservative, socially progressive capitalist, and I can advocate for my positions while respecting your opinion. I enjoy debate, and I want to win you over to my way of thinking because I think it will be useful for you.Notice the last part.I want the best for you, and that's why I try to convince you to see my point of view.I don't think you are stupid for having different beliefs than I hold. If I don't win you over to my point of view, I still want to be your friend.That's what makes me great at sales.I can respect you and your point of view without agreeing with it.Here's something you MUST understand: Everyone thinks they are right.That's an important point.For a person to abandon one belief and adopt another, they need to make that change themselves. That means they need to FEEL something different and then support that feeling with LOGIC.All you can do is present evidence - emotional and factual - and allow them to accept it, internalize it and make it their own.This is why arguments don't work.Bludgeoning someone with information and insults results in retrenchment, defensiveness, and resentment of you as the messenger. Social media has exacerbated this situation.Each day I see people posting things they know will inflame others. At least once each week, someone comes into one of my social media accounts and insults me. In today's show, I tell a story of how someone threatened my family and me because of a political opinion I presented.While I past the point of caring about unsolicited feedback years ago, I don't like threats, and I especially despise people who pass judgment without having a personal conversation. When you get into an online "argument," you display one side of your personality with zero context, and you open yourself up to being judged by people who might do business with you. Don't give them that opportunity.Here's the bottom line:Be opinionated. Share your opinion. But do it in person or in a direct telephone conversation. Don't start trouble online. It harms your brand. A third party - someone who doesn't know you - may judge you based upon that one interaction and without having the full context. And nothing positive will come from it.Listen to today's show and share your thoughts with me. If you don't agree, try to win me over.

We are currently facing challenging times. Our personal safety is threatened by something we can't see or hear. The only way to fight back against it is to cloister ourselves away in our homes.The situation becomes even more challenging because it continues to exact a financial toll. Many businesses cannot operate for safety reasons. Gathering people in groups is not wise as it risks the health of everyone involved. This means all service businesses are closed. Most Product distribution businesses are delivering but cannot operate in a familiar retail format. Companies that can provide services from a remote location - like law firms, accounting, and engineering firms and consulting firms are stuck because their clients are conserving cash - unsure of when their clients will come roaring back.By every measure, this situation looks bleak, but that's only on the surface.If you dig deeper, you see opportunity.Suspend your disbelief at that statement - for a moment - and follow along with me.The entire world is in the same situation, possibly for the first time. Everyone is fighting the same virus. Everyone is facing the same economic challenge. That playing field is level.Some of us may have more access to aid (in the form of financial resources - loans, government assistance, etc.) than others, but we all have access to the same opportunity. The only tool you need to take advantage of the situation and aggressively begin to rebuild your business is your attitude. That's it. If you focus and relentlessly offer enough value to enough people, you'll get through this tough time and come out the other side with a business that is stronger than it was before.That's the key.To use this crisis, use this terrible situation to rebuild your business in a form that will make it more durable and more resilient. It won't be what it was in February 2020. It can't be. That world is gone. Everything has changed. Success now belongs to the companies that are nimble and can grow and evolve to serve others in these unsettled times.Here are the five things you can do to give your business a fresh start:One: Understand your clients' needs: Practical and EmotionalWhat does your client (ideal in the aggregate) need to continue to operate, survive, or grow? If it is a physical product, figure out how you can provide it, procure it, or finance it. If it is a skill, figure out how you can teach it to him, be a source for it, or recruit it for him.Emotional needs require more nuance. You need to read your client and help him understand that he needs you for that support. You need to quantify that value. Most people will sacrifice their mental health in tough times. Convince the client he shouldn't. Why? Because that puts everything at risk. Two: Communicate Your Value Proposition FrequentlyNow that you understand the needs of your ideal clients, you need to communicate with the people who look like those clients. As many of them as you can. En mass. Broadcast your message with laser-like precision to that audience as often as possible. "I can help you. Let me help you."Three: HoneypotMake a free offer of something of value to your prospective client. This could be a report that outlines how the client can achieve a goal. It can be a program or course designed to educate the client's team on new skills. It can be a service designed to get the client up and running in a new area. The offer of this free service makes the possibility of your solution real.Four: Be Easy To Work WithExplain how you'd like to help the client in return for financial compensation. Show a return on investment. Offer payment plans and installment agreements. Listen. Be a friend as well as a service provider. Do business profitably on the client's terms.Five: Continuously InnovateYour first attempt at this may not be successful. You may not select the correct product or service. It may take a while for the client to recognize the value, or the client may hold on to his finances tightly because he is financially insecure. Keep listening. Keep looking for the right product/service to help your clients. Keep making offers. Eventually, you will find the right opportunity.This formula worked for me after September 11, 2001. It worked during the financial crisis of 2008, 2009, 2010.We don't know what the future has in store for us with this crisis, but we do know that people need help, and they will invest in you if they believe you can help them.The key is to focus on value delivery and pursue it relentlessly. Don't give up. Early on, most of your days will be filled with people saying, "NO." But just one "YES" will help keep the lights on in your office or your home.Eventually, you'll have days when you string a few "Yeses" together, and you'll begin to believe you are on the right track.For now, you need to have a positive attitude. You need to trust in this process, and when you do, you know you'll be building a client-centric business that will survive anything.If y

If you want to know what it’s like to be an entrepreneur in a face-to-face business during a pandemic where you are under quarantine, this interview is important for you.If you want to know how to start a business, in the face of great uncertainty, this interview is critical for you.If you want to discover the secrets of dressing for success, this interview is a requirement for you.If you want to have a good time listening to two friends talk about working with their wives and having fun while they deliver value, you’ll love this interview. In his “Inside B.S.” Interview Series Dave Lorenzo Interviews people who educate, entertain and fascinate his audience. Today Dave interviews Chris Cartisano, the Owner of Christopher Allen Custom Clothing. During this interview Dave and Chris discuss entrepreneurship, working in a high-touch profession during a time when nobody wants to meet with you in person, and of course, HOW TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS AND PROFIT.Contact Chris Cartisano:Phone: 631-549-1105Cell: 631-335-1210 ChrisPhone: 631-335-1211 TheresaEmail: [email protected]://christopherallenclothiers.comHere’s your guide to this wide-ranging interview:5:55 – The current coronavirus situation on Long Island, NY April 15, 20207:10 – When will people go back to work in an office?13:21 – How will business change as a result of coronavirus?16:08 – How Chris developed his value proposition for his business (and why Dave loves it).18:33 – Chris’ relationship-based sales philosophy.24:23 – You’re not Steve Jobs. You need to wear good clothes. Here’s why.30:40 – Why Dave likes to wear suits when he meets new people.32:15 – Your clothes can are a competitive advantage. Chris explains why.34:56 – How do you select a sport coat or suit jacket to make sure it fits?37:17 – How should your pants fit? The answer will surprise you.38:25 – Belt or suspenders? Yeah, Dave really asked that question.40:53 – What’s in (style-wise)? It doesn’t matter as long as you are comfortable.42:00 – How do you measure someone to make sure pants fit? It depends…44:32 – How to select a type of shirt collar (there are dozens of different types).50:10 – All about accessories: Pocket Squares, Cufflinks, Ties57:15 – How Chris became a haberdasher.100:49 – Why Chris became an entrepreneur and how he started his business.1:04:24 – Chris talks about how he works with his wife and why their partnership works well.1:07:22 – How Chris sells to his natural network (like at school functions and at family events).1:16:24 – Personal Branding: Are you Adam Sandler or Jerry Seinfeld?1:20:32 – How to connect with Chris Cartisano

As you prepare to enter into a negotiation you need to understand which type of strategy you will employ.In a transactional meditation, all options will be on the table. In most cases, you will not see the negotiator again and this person will do anything to get what he or she wants. This includes lying, exaggerating, bluffing and all kinds of dirty tactics. You must be prepared for that.In a relationship negotiation, you will need to work with your counterpart after the negotiation is over. This means you cannot lie. You cannot use dirty tricks. You must bargain in good faith. It's important to note this is not a matter of morality. It is real life. People are going to be unscrupulous in transactional negotiation. Your awareness of this is critical.

There is a school of thought that says you should always help the other side win in a negotiation. They call this win/win negotiating. That strategy sucks. The first rule of any negotiation is to define what “winning” looks like. In business, winning is exchanging value for value – usually a product, a service or an experience for money. Often your counterpart in a negotiation will think you have flexibility in your pricing. In reality you don’t because you have made a profit margin commitment to your stakeholders. So in many business negotiations winning is closing a deal at a certain profit. Instead of compromise, exchange value. If the client wants a lower price, you have three options: Reframe: Increase value and go higher than the original price. This will shock your counterpart because he expected something different. Reduce value: You can meet the persons’ desired investment if you deliver less than they want. Everything has a value. If they want the total solution the need to make the total investment. Walk away and scrap the deal. Sometimes you can walk away and replace the value you would have received from another source. This might mean having an alternate supplier. It might mean finding another customer. It definitely means adjusting your mindset to never need any single deal at any particular time. Nobody likes to lose out on a deal. Nobody likes to leave money on the table. But if someone is not willing to work with you on your terms, you have to be ready willing and able to walk away.

The Five C’s of Negotiation MindsetConcern for the Other Guy: Understand his position, always allow him to maintain his dignity. This isn't win/win. This is understanding and allowing your counterpart to make a deal and retain his dignity. Confidence in Your Position and Your Ability to Deliver Value: You've got to feel good about your value and you've got to be able to articulate that value. Consistency in Your Messaging: You must maintain your message throughout the negotiation. Any wavering and you'll blow it. Competence: Know Your Negotiating System and Your Skills: You must have mastery of the negotiation process. That requires having a system and perfecting your skills. Comfort Under Pressure: If you can make a deal in your underwear you can do anything. You must be able to handle any pressure in any deal at any time.

Everyone thinks they are good at negotiation. The truth is, if you have a system, negotiate often, set your strategy in advance and do your research, you will be successful. Negotiation is both art and science. During the next week, we are going to be highlighting several different negotiation skills and negotiation strategy. My goal in doing these shows is to help you with negotiation in business but also to help you with working out common issues in everyday life. Today we are addressing first offer strategy. There are only three things that can happen with a first offer in any negotiation. Let the other side make the first offerMake an extreme first offerFirst, Best, Final In this show on negotiation skills in business communication, we explore each of those three strategies. Let the Other Side Make the First Offer This is ideal. It helps set a frame for the extreme end of the negotiation. You’ll often see anxious people make a first offer. Occasionally, experienced negotiators will throw out an extreme number to get things started. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If you can, getting the other side to make the first offer will help you gain leverage. Make an Extreme First Offer If you have to make an offer, make it extreme. The goal is to shock the other side and set a frame that is so one-sided any concession in the future is perceived as major. This also has a psychological impact. It conditions your counterpart to look for a highly slanted approach in your negotiation techniques. First, Best, Final This is included in making offers as a strategy in negotiation, but it is not really an offer. You simply tell them to take it or leave it. You may want to negotiate other points but you’re not going to bargain on the price. When it comes to negotiation skills in business, first offer strategy is critical. Be sure to review these negotiation tips and tricks before your next negotiation session.

You are better than you’ve ever been. You are more powerful today than you were yesterday and you’ll be even more powerful tomorrow. What are the keys to maintaining your confidence, clarity of purpose and capability in these difficult times? We are going to share those strategies with you today on this episode of The Do This Sell More show. Dan Sullivan, Founder of Strategic Coach says the keys are confidence, clarity, and capability. Let’s look at each of them an how you can maintain them. Capability: Business development. Well, you’re listening to this show your watching on YouTube so that’s a great start. You can follow-up to our conversation here by checking out my Innercircle Community. Go to https://DaveLorenzo.com/Innercircle The idea is to use this time to grow your skills in a number of areas – not just your craft but your business development – your sales skills. Clarity: You have to have clarity of purpose. No matter what you are doing these days, we all should have a clarity of purpose to help others – to share our skills, knowledge, and experience with others. Letting people know about your skills, knowledge, and experience in sales and marketing. That’s your main purpose. That’s what you need to focus on. Confidence: This is my biggest concern. In times like these, you can easily lose confidence. The world around you is in disarray and you don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring so it’s easy to make this situation about you. People and businesses are holding on to their cash so they are not investing in your services so it is easy to believe you stink. You don’t stink. You’re just as good as you were yesterday – in fact, you may even be better than you were yesterday. Here are five things you can do to maintain your confidence: 1. Write down five positive statements about you and your services. Five things you help people accomplish. Five positive outcomes. Review those first thing in the morning and before you go to bed at night.2. Keep a succes journal. Write down things that went right today. Review past days each night.3. Testimonials: Give to people. Ask people to reciprocate. Review them.4. Keep giving, Do a great job. Celebrate the good job you have done.5. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Treat yourself to something special each day as a reward. Dan Sullivan was right. These are the foundational elements that are things you should focus on each day. Do this exercise as often as possible and remember: You’re better than you think you are.

Marketing Success Formula: Ask This To Build Successful Marketing CampaignsThere is one question that can help you separate successful marketing methods from unsuccessful marketing methods. Ask This To Build Successful Marketing Campaigns: What evidence do you have this will be successful?Success in marketing is just like success in everything else in life. You need to look for evidence that something will work before you invest your time and money in it. Evidence is necessary before you buy into anything in business.

Business Communication Skills Training: One Thing You Must Do Now To Improve SalesIf you've been searching for how to improve your business communication skills you've come to the right place. On this episode of the Do This Sell More Show we discuss the TONE of your business communication. Most communication skills training doesn't address TONE. This is because they don't understand its value in persuasive communication. On today's show we discuss:-- Why everything your English writing teacher taught you is wrong-- How to write to an audience of clients, prospects, suspects, and evangelists-- How to speak to that audience -- Why writing and speaking are similar in persuasive business communication-- What changes you can and should make today to adjust to this communication styleHere's the bottom line on business communication strategy: TOne is everything when it comes to developing relationships - and that's the goal of all business communication: Establish and deepen a relationship.If you'd like direct guidance from me, join my private community. IT's called the Inner Circle and you have access to me and a group of smart business owners who share best practices. This community makes you smarter and helps you take home more money.Check it out here: https://davelorenzo.com/innercircle/

This video outlines one of the best sales techniques: Frequency of communication builds trust. Communication is critical when it comes to building and growing your business. How should you communicate during times of uncertainty? Should you educate? Should you entertain? Should you sell?We are talking about all of that on today’s episode of The Do this Sell More Show.Welcome to the show where we take you inside. That’s right-you're going to get the INSIDE BS directly from us on everything business, everything sales and everything in life.The DO THIS SELL MORE show has always been about giving your great information to help you grow. But in season two we are zeroing in on how successful business leaders grow their business. You’ll notice we’ve added the “Inside BS” tagline to the show.Why?• We are delivering your insider business secrets.• We are giving you a great insider business strategy.• But most importantly, we are cutting through all the BULL Sh#t and giving you what you need to grow – rapidly.Today’s show is all about the TIMING of your marketing communication when it comes to communication.In order to make sure you get this right, we need first need to be certain you know WHO is in your audience. Ask yourself these questions first:Who is your client listening to you? Who is watching you? Who is connecting with you?Next, ask yourself:How can I help them? How can I provide value to them?Then think about:Can I deliver this value each day? Can I find something valuable to talk about with them daily?Why do I want you to think about daily? Well, let’s look at the most important relationships in your life. Would they get stronger or weaker if you talked to them more frequently?Connecting with people with valuable information on a regular basis is critical to your success.Tomorrow we are going to be talking about the tone of your communication.To join Dave Lorenzo's exclusive Inner Circle Community, visit:https://davelorenzo.com/innercircle/

This episode is your wake-up call. In this show we discuss the things happening in the world and why you need to make adjustments right now to get in front of them. Let’s face it, you’re sitting home now wondering when things will return to normal. They won’t. Things have changed – some for the next year or two – some forever. People are not going to want you to come over to their office. People are not going to get together in meetings or to watch your product presentation. ...at least not in the next few months… So what are you supposed to do? Here’s what: Talk to your clients. Find out what they want. Understand what they need. Then help them reconcile those two things. Take a leadership role and help your clients reinvent the way they do their business. When you do, you’ll discover a whole new opportunity for yourself and your business. This process is not going to be easy. It’s not going to be quick. But you and I will go through it together. I’m here to help you. Join me tomorrow as we continue on this journey together.

On this show I share the story of how I closed a million-dollar deal in just 60 days. It was 90% hard work and research and 10% luck.Join me as I reveal - for the first time - how you can shorten your high-ticket sales cycle.

This is the show where I give you a great description of the "cold caller" the "order taker" and the trusted advisor. Which one do you want to be?This show will help you figure it out.If you want to become a high-ticket sales superstar, call me: 888.444.5150

Are you struggling to keep your customer pipeline full? On this show, I talk about the sales activities you should be focusing on if you want to attract ideal clients and bring in big money. All too often, salespeople count on cold calls and lead lists to stuff their sales funnels – with names that go nowhere. Stop wasting your time and energy pursuing meaningless stabs in the dark. Instead, leverage your relationships to meet real prospects, establish yourself as an expert, and get referrals. THESE are worthwhile sales activities: - Ask your current clients about the groups they belong to, then join those groups. Offer to speak at functions where you’ll establish industry credibility.- Similarly, find out what websites they visit and what trade publications they read. Post and publish articles in those places.- Determine what conventions your best clients attend and go to them. The networking you’ll do at just one trade show will fill your customer pipeline for a month.- Figure out who else sells to your customers and do joint ventures with those people. Piggyback off of other people’s relationships to make your own deals.Now, you may be thinking, “I need to be out there selling.” I’m here to tell you, these activities ARE selling. Making connections, getting referrals, demonstrating industry know-how, and teaming up with trusted providers – it’s how to keep your customer pipeline brimming with quality prospects.Commit to these sales activities every month. Speak, publish, network, and partner up. Then make sure you follow up. Your pipeline will stay full and sales will follow!

Did you know that you can ask for more money? You can. That is, as long as you focus on improving customer perception of quality regarding your product or service.If your customers perceive high value, they’ll be willing to pay more, meaning you can raise your prices and they won’t resist.This is one of the simplest ways to make more money because you’re essentially not doing any extra work and yet, by increasing your prices you’re able to earn more for each sale.So, let’s look at a few ways that you can improve customer perception of quality so that you can ask for more money.The first thing to do is to start calling yourself a consultant rather than a salesperson. This means looking the part as well. Dress appropriately for your industry.Second, change the circle of people that you spend time with. Make sure that these are people who can make you better.You should also limit access to yourself. Prospects should be vetted thoroughly so that you seem exclusive.Then, overwhelm your clients with value. No matter what they’re paying, if they FEEL like their getting great value, it’ll seem worth it to them.Once you do these things you can then raise your prices. However, when you do raise your prices, make sure you raise them to the high end of the market. You should only be working with 70% of people who come to you because 30% can’t afford you.You CAN ask for more money without fearing customer resistance. But first, you have to change the customer perception of quality. Make them think that your product or service DEMANDS a high price. Then when you start charging more, rather than cause resistance, it’ll match the value they perceive.

At the time of this recording, my family and I have been in our homes for over a month, partially afraid to leave and partially cloistered away due to the recommendation of public health officials because of a new virus, with the same DNA as the common cold but far more deadly. This show is a compilation of thoughts I've collected during the first (of what may be several) months of self-imposed quarantine. These thoughts are in no particular order of importance. I've made an excellent choice of spouse. During the last four weeks, I've discovered how much LIKING the person you LOVE is even more important than physical attraction. If my wife weren't my best friend, I'd have swallowed a bottle of Drain-O three weeks ago. My business has been irreversibly changed only partially to the circumstances surrounding viral contagion. In the past four weeks, I've become more efficient and more effective, and I've discovered and re-discovered personal talent and delivery methods. Rapid personal evolution in the face of adversity is the key to survival, growth, and, eventually, long-term success. If you deny what is happening, you not only screw those around you, you screw yourself. Face reality and take your lumps early and often. Then move forward. Desperate people pitch products and services during times of crisis. Smart leaders connect, listen, evaluate, and offer assistance - both within their area of expertise and through their network of connections. This is rarely initially profitable, but it has immeasurable value in the form of goodwill over the long run. My best clients have been with me since the financial crisis of 2009/2010. My best friends have been with me since the crisis of September 11, 2001.History will judge harshly those who lack courage in these difficult times. Feckless politicians who look to others for answers rather than doing the right thing will be universally reviled. Similarly, those who lie will be uncovered just as those who swim naked are exposed when the tide recedes. No one is required to run for office, but those who do must accept the scrutiny that accompanies power.There is no such thing as fairness in politics, economics, or romance. A crisis brings this into stark relief.Those who gouge for financial and emotional gain will be subject to the harshest form of the karma and will live life looking over their shoulder in perpetuity. Some of the people you counted on in these difficult times will let you down. Some of the people you underestimated will save your life during these difficult times.The people who were closest to you on March 12, 2020, are the only people you'll be able to hug for quite a while. You'll need a hug at some point. Figure out how to love the one your with. In other words, go out of your way to not be an asshole. Life is short. Don't waste a single minute.

Although there are a variety of sales methods in existence, they often feel unnatural.Think about cold calling. Cold calling is difficult for both parties involved. It’s inconvenient for both you and the customer.Relationship selling allows you to have a client focus. When you create positive relationships, both you and your customers win.Here are five ways to become a relationship builder:First, lead with value. Deliver value by solving a problem or making an introduction for your potential client. This shows them right away that you have something to offer.Get permission to communicate with them frequently. After you’ve demonstrated value in some way, ask your potential client if they’d like to receive updates. This is a low-pressure way for them to stay in touch with you.Be interesting. This is a simple yet effective way to be a relationship builder. Just as you enjoy being around interesting friends, your customer will want to spend time with you if you can be magnetic.Share client success stories. Sharing stories helps clients understand the value that you provide. When you talk about previous clients you’ve helped, it gets people thinking about the value you can provide.Lastly, continue to offer value. Check in with your clients every couple of months and ask them if they’re having any problems. If you can help them, you can strengthen your relationship.Having a client focus allows you to develop a relationship built on solving problems, rather than on selling. This will take away a lot of the pain that comes from traditional sales methods, and will ensure that you develop a lasting partnership.

What sets one sales guru apart from the next? How do you find someone to look up to? In this video, I talk about how to choose a mentor whose wisdom and experience can help you succeed.Selling is an integral part of any business, so it’s smart to learn sales techniques and become the best salesperson you can be. A quick online search yields dozens of sales coaches with many different approaches.I’ve been asked, “What makes you different from any other sales guru?” I became a sales expert by working in the trenches. I learned to sell in each of my roles as an employee, business leader, and business owner.Here’s how to choose a mentor and get better at selling:1. Find someone who has accomplished what you aim to do. If you want to be an entrepreneur, seek out a successful startup owner who’s willing to share what they’ve learned.2. Find someone with a style that’s similar to yours. What’s your preferred sales method? Does your mentor’s tactics align with what you’re comfortable doing?3. When you find a salesperson you want to emulate, immerse yourself in their content and take in all the advice and information you can use.How can you tell if a sales guru is the real deal? Knowing how to choose a mentor takes learning how to be perceptive and selective. Don’t be fooled by first impressions or appearances.If a salesperson impresses you, dig deeper. How did they earn their money? Did they grow their business little by little through hard work and determination, or did success fall into their lap?Chances are, you’ll learn more from someone who had to scratch and claw their way to the top.

In this show, I explain why being able to forge relationships with clients is an essential skill in the B2B selling process. Think you can’t do it? Well, it’s possible IF you build great relationships.To show how this can be achieved, I describe a moment in my own career when I was expected to shorten the sales cycle to just 60 days. I had just started working for a company that developed selection tools for high-ticket clients. My boss was in a bind because his brother-in-law had just left the company and had taken one of their biggest accounts with him. My boss came to me because he wanted his client back. I was new to the B2B selling process, but I knew that if I wanted a chance at getting the client back, I would have to talk to the right people. I compiled a list of possible decision-makers within the target business and I contacted them one by one. Then I set up a training seminar and invited several of them to attend. Eventually, I was able to develop a rapport with one of those people, who, with my help, was put in a position where she could hire our company.Now, this process was not easy. It takes a LOT of time and energy to forge relationships with prospective clients. In my case, I talked to numerous people within the target company and I even helped develop presentations for the woman who eventually hired us. However, the extra mile that I went paid off. By shortening a normally months-long B2B selling process to only 60 days, I was able to save my company a lot of money. If you can forge relationships based on trust and mutual understanding, you too can quickly close a high-ticket sale.

What do you do when a customer clearly thinks your price is way too high? As you’ll see in the video, the key to soothing a client’s worries about price comes down to creating customer perceived value – that is, showing them that you are essential to solving whatever problem they are experiencing.Every customer has a problem. That’s why they come to you -- to look for a solution. The more you can get the customer to think about their problem and the more you can amplify its significance in their minds, the more customer perceived value you will create.This is the key to overcoming customer fears. You do it not by twisting their arm, and certainly never by lowering your price. You allay their fears by getting them to understand the role that you and your product or service can play in solving their problem. It’s never the case that your price is way too high. If you can solve the problem at hand, the price will become irrelevant because it will save them money in the long run.So, how do you get the customer to focus on the problem? How do you create customer perceived value? You can start by asking them how long they’ve been having their problem and by showing them how much money they can save by solving it. If you can do this, customers won’t be able to say, “Your price is way to high,” because they will know that the solution is worth every penny.

Here’s the quickest way to get referrals and sell to new clients: Leverage relationships you’ve built with the people in your personal network – the family, friends, and acquaintances who know, like, and trust you. Relationship based sales are efficient and effective for winning long-term clients who’ll be a boon to your business.We each have a natural network of about 250 people. Think of all the people on your email contacts list. Your extended family, former coworkers, buddies from college, and everyone else on that list are your ticket to meeting new potential clients.In this video, I talk about how to leverage relationships you’ve already established in order to create new sales relationships. When the people in your personal network introduce you to the folks in their own networks, BOOM – you’ve got new sales leads. Devote some time and attention to your current relationships. Use any relationship management system to keep track of contact names, email addresses, and correspondence. Send out personalized emails and follow up with phone calls. Keep in touch WEEKLY.When you reconnect with people, ask how you might help them with their endeavors, and share how things are going for you. You want everyone – even Grandma – to understand what you do and what separates you from your competition. It’s important to make your relationships symbiotic. As you leverage relationships to benefit your sales, also look for ways to deliver value to your network. Introduce the people in your personal network to one another, if it helps with their goals or problems. If you’re overlooking your natural network, you’re leaving money on the table. Reach out to the people you know – it’s the fastest, easiest way to get golden referrals and make lucrative sales!

This show is all about how to select a sales coach.There are lots of people out there who look ultra successful (private jets, $200,000 cars) but the only success they've had comes from taking money from you.If you are interested in sales coaching or if you're looking for a sales coach or sales mentor, I share some tip on selecting him/her.First: Look for someone who has done what you want to do?Second: Look for the free sales training from this person and than try some of it. If the it works, then consider investing.Third: Ask for references. Call the people who have worked with the sales mentor and see what they think.Fourth: Invest in a small program or event before spending big money.Five: Make sure your personality and the sales trainer's personality are a fit.Sales mentoring and coaching is valuable and you can really benefit but you have to find the right person.Don't go for the boss in the bently. You don't need a guru. Try a little from everyone and follow my tips to get the right fit in a sales coach.

Looking for a high net worth client to boost your sales? In this show, I talk about how to connect with that ideal potential client. Affluent customers are out there and ready to buy. The trick is to find them and build rapport with them, so you can ultimately add them to your client list.Selling is all about getting in front of your potential clients, building relationships, and closing deals from there. To create affinity with wealthy sales prospects, you need to take an interest in things that matter to them.Think it’s improbable that you’ll connect with a high net worth client? What do you have in common with rich people, anyway? Here’s my suggestion: join their circles. Go where rich people go and do what they do.Whatever your current habits, hobbies, and interests, expand them to include what wealthy people typically do. Play golf, go horseback riding, or learn about fine wine. You don’t necessarily have to participate – just read up or take classes on hobbies your affluent customers enjoy.Get involved with community organizations that wealthy people support, like Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. Put your kids in clubs and on sports teams with their kids. Buy season subscriptions to ballet, opera, or symphony performances. Believe in the mission of a local charity? Join their efforts!Strategically refining your downtime pursuits puts you in front of your next high net worth client. You make a connection and build a shared affinity by demonstrating an interest in what your ideal client loves.But as you network, be careful not to overtly sell. First, give value and expect nothing in return. Doing business with affluent customers will come in time and will naturally become the norm.

Ready to hit it out of the park when you make your next sales pitch to prospective C level clients? In this show, I talk about solution selling, how to connect with CEOs, and how to pitch B2B deals to both public and private companies.Nobody appreciates solutions more than C-suite executives. CEOs will either respond to you directly, or they’ll refer you to the right person within their company. With their endorsement, you’ll pitch from a stronger position.Everyone assumes it’s difficult to break through to C level clients in big, publicly traded companies. But that’s not the case. Why? Because all the issues of public companies are made public! Read your prospective company’s quarterly 10-K, and you’ll find financial information, snags they’ve encountered, and plans for the future. Also, stock analysts regularly report on publicly traded companies so that investors know whether to buy or sell. Dig into those reports and identify issues to address. Once you know what problems your prospective client faces, do some solution selling. Bombard the CEO with letters, emails, and calls outlining how you can help or people you can introduce her/him to. Don’t talk about selling, talk about helping. Send testimonials and examples of problems you’ve solved. To pitch solutions to a private company, look for press reports indicating what’s happening in the company. Use LinkedIn to connect with the CEO. Finally, network with bankers who can introduce you to the C level leaders of local private businesses. Here's the bottom line: Start at the top. Connect with C level clients and pitch to their problems. Solution selling is all about doing your research, delivering value, and building lasting relationships with business decision makers.

These discovery questions for sales are designed to help you build healthy relationships with your clients.Who is your ideal client? Before you start selling to a prospect, you need to develop trust and value. With this first question, your goal is to figure out how you can help the prospect by helping them find their own clients.Who can I introduce you to who would change everything for you? Similar to the first question, this is another way of creating value for your prospect before you even start talking about selling. If you can introduce them to someone who can help them, they’ll be more likely to spend money with you.If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?If a prospect’s answer to this question is to connect with a certain person, do what you can to introduce them. If they need something else, figure out if you can help them.Why is this important to you personally? This question is really a follow-up to the previous two. Why is this person important? Or, why do you want to change that one thing? Part of a consultative sales approach is attaching emotional value to a problem, which adds trust to your relationship.Would you like some help with that? This is where you close the deal. Hopefully, at this point you’ve used a consultative sales approach to build rapport. Now, you can focus on solving his or her problem. However, it’s important to ask the four preceding questions first. Discovery questions for sales are meant to bring you and the prospect closer so that selling feels as natural as possible.

In this show we discuss how to set your strategy for 2020. This includes running your business like a CEO. That means working "on" your business instead of "in" your business.There are five areas of focus for a business owner. They are:AdministrationAccountingOperationsSales & MarketingBusiness StrategyYou should be spending most of your time focused on just two of those areas. we discuss why and how you make that happen. I also share with you my five favorite sales & marketing strategies for 2020.

In this show I share my number 1 content creation secret.If you've ever wondered how I manage to create a podcast and video each day, article each week, a book each year and still run my business, this is the show for you.In this show I divulge my top content creation secret and it's been right in front of you all along.The secret is to write something each day.In today's Do This Sell more Show you will discover some new ideas for topics for you content and you'll also discover how to make sure you never get writers (idea) block.I will even share with you my thoughts on how you can keep the ideas flowing by writing about seemingly mundane things.If you want to become a content generating machine, this is the show for you.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices