Think Big
Think Bigger – Dream Massive
Your brain loves to think and solve problems, your heart loves to imagine and dream of future possibilities.
Exercise your mind, body and soul daily by imagining your “best case scenario” future life.
- Where do you live?
- Who are you with?
- What are you doing?
- And most importantly…HOW DO YOU FEEL?
When we were kids we exercised the “Think Big” muscle every day. We could watch a TV show and think, “I will travel there one day. I’ll definitely be an international spy. I want to fly a plane and a helicopter and go into outer space. I want to fight villains… Be an International business person…”
The key to success is to not just maintain a positive outlook but to stretch your imagination. Think bigger about yourself and what you can accomplish. We are all much more resilient than we think. There are limits for sure but those limits are never as debilitating as the ones we put on ourselves by our own small thinking.
Don’t allow your small situation to dictate where you’ll be in ten years. Start getting excited about your future TODAY! Start now, think big and motivate those around you to be bigger and accomplish more than they could ever imagine.
One shot, make it fun and give it everything you’ve got!
Dominic Kotarski – Author of “The Making – A Complete Sales Guide” and Founder of Sales Success Academy
International Consultant | Author | Coach | Trainer | Speaker
Dominic writes, speaks, inspires, motivates and teaches on the most important aspects of your business including Sales, Coaching, Team building, People Management and BusinessDevelopment
*The photo at the top of this blog was taken from a helicopter trip I took over my current beautiful home city Vancouver Canada.
Getting Out There
It’s very easy to get into the habit of “just running our business” and without realizing it, our cutting-edge company could begin to get stale. It’s easy to see how this happens. We only have so much time to commit to our companies, ourselves, our families and our friends. We can quickly get caught up in our basic routines and these routines will ultimately define us. Before we know it, our daily habits will quickly zap us of our curiosity and creativity and our passionate flame just might dwindle to a flicker.
The best way to relieve ourselves and our businesses of this inevitable trap might be to make a concerted effort to get out of our city, our country and possibly our continent. When you take the leap, be sure to take your business cards and connection-mindset with you and plan on making some real, long-lasting connections. The people you will meet along your journey could be life-altering for both you and your business.
When you travel, go out of your way to try to make new acquaintances and figure out a way to make these new connections last. You will be surprised how many of your connections you could possibly connect them to that might ultimately be helpful to them and their businesses. Make an effort to travel to places that are outside your normal comfort zones. Go to places and scout for new markets for your products or services. Look to make inroads that could forge a new future for you and your colleagues.
Seek to share your knowledge with those that you meet and look to create new connections that could last a lifetime.
Case in point, I was just recently on a trip to Dubai with a mission to connect a Canadian company Dry Shine with some possible new buyers. Once in Dubai, we ended up taking an impromptu trip to Bahrain in order to meet a very influential investor. As it turns out this impromptu meeting turned out to be “THE ONE!” And assuming all goes well, this trip could end up being the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship for all parties concerned.
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- Meeting in Bahrain
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- Frederique demonstrating Dry shine
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- The “Dry Shine” Sparkle
My business network, Global Direct International, is about connecting companies with buyers and outsourced sales teams from around the world.
What became serendipitous about this trip was when I posted some pictures on my social media about my trip and my former colleague just stumbled upon my post and immediately sent me a message to ask if I could come to visit him in Kampala?
He wanted me to see his new business and perhaps run a meeting for his 100 staff. As luck would have it, I still had a couple of days before my return flight so I jumped at the chance to go see my good buddy and check out his new company.
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- Danny & Dom Face off
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- Kampla Pad
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- Dom Kotarski’s presentation
The two days I spent in Uganda were wonderful. We had a chance to catch up on each other’s lives and businesses and made plans to collaborate on some new projects. In addition, we both started introducing one another to our updated networks which have obviously grown and expanded since we worked together in the UK over 15 years ago.
Even though my flight back was a bit crazy as I ended up covering four continents; I went from Africa to the Middle East and then to Europe and back to North America in 31 hours including layovers. It was a great trip because I’m returning home and back to my business with a fresh perspective, new contacts, new business opportunities, and new ideas.
Most importantly, I was able to re-connect with some awesome business colleagues from the past and establish new business ideas for a more prosperous future for us all.
Dominic Kotarski is the author of international best-seller “The Making”. He writes, speaks, inspires, motivates and teaches on the most important aspects of your business including Sales, Coaching, Team-Building, People Management and Business Development. Get weekly access to his blog & training videos FREE by subscribing HERE! and when you sign up you will get Instant Access to his Sales Skills Training Video.
The Ultimate Checklist for Sales Leaders
The Ultimate Quick Checklist for all Sales Leaders:
- When leading and training people always maintain your course of action – “No Matter What!”
- In Sales, The “Law of averages” works even and up until the last call of the day. Believe in it and let it work magic for you.
- The sales process works. You must stick with the system and trust in the successful outcome.
- You’re always being watched by your colleagues and customers, keep on a brave face and show your confidence and charisma while working. This will increase your chances of success by an immeasurable factor.
- There is always a buyer. Persevere and you are guaranteed to find them.
- 80% of salespeople fail to become superstars because they don’t develop a proper sales process /conversation with a clearly defined close or request for an order.
- Money is the by-product of belief, confidence, perseverance, passion and enthusiasm. Make sure you keep developing these qualities in your professional life. They will serve you well.
Sometimes it’s motivating to keep a list of your work absolutes that will get you back on track and keep you there. These are a few of mine and an excerpt from my sales memoir “The Making” that have always served me well.
Please share some of yours so this blog post can serve as a tool for all hard working/results oriented Sales professionals who are investing time and effort in their development.
Importance of Follow Through
“If 85% of Success is showing up then 15% is for following through!”
Early on in sports if you don’t learn to follow through then your skills and your results will suffer dramatically. In business and in life it’s the same. If you’re not succeeding at the level you want then take a look at your follow through. Have you finished that project? Have you followed up on that last meeting?
All success starts with the completion of a process. You must learn to finish what you started. Finish your latest project before taking on a new one. Complete it as intelligently and as energetically as you began.
You see, most people won’t do that. They never finish what they start. They never put as much care in the end process as the preparation in the beginning. That’s why the “air is so thin at the top.”
As I mentioned, in sports if you don’t learn to follow through then your skill will be limited and your results will mostly be based on luck. You won’t be selected to move up to the “Big Leagues” and your career will come to an abrupt or gradual end.
In business, you won’t have a new and improved product to ship or a next level service to offer so the orders will gradually or abruptly stop and business will slide or fall off a cliff. In relationships if there’s no follow through then the ultimate togetherness and special bond will drift and the heart will crave renewal and go searching elsewhere for it.
All is not lost, help is at hand because follow through is a matter of discipline and discipline is a personal choice. It’s a mental shift and excitement about the possibilities of something new. Often all it takes is a little helping hand to create a new breakthrough, a little encouragement or a slight push.
When we were children we used to get this encouragement from our parents, teachers and coaches. Now that we’re older we can garner this from our partners, colleagues, friends, mentors and business coaches.
Ultimately, we must take responsibility for all our successes or lack thereof.
Often, all we need to push us through the finish line is a kindly push past our quitting point.
Thoughts on re-motivation:
- Take a breather then decide to carry on with a renewed vigour.
- A good nights sleep works wonders.
- A quick call to a good friend or family member.
- Play with your children.
- Take a detour during your normal day (visit a museum instead of Starbucks)
- A mid day nap. (if it works for Richard Branson, why not you?)
- Take a nice walk.
The bottom line is this. All your projects that remain unfinished are draining your energy both mental and physical so either finish them or scrap them altogether so you can free up your good energy for something new and maybe even more exciting.
“Unfinished business is none of your business”
Dominic John Kotarski DJK
Dominic Kotarski is the author of “The Making – A Complete Sales Guide” and founder of Sales Success Academy. He writes, speaks, inspires, motivates and teaches on the most important aspects of your business including Sales, Coaching, Team building, People Management and Business Development. Get weekly access to his blog & training videos FREE by subscribing HERE!
5 Essential Steps to a Sale
an excerpt from “The Making” by Dominic Kotarski
Every successful business uses systems in order to keep their business functioning properly. I was taught an amazing system early on in my sales career. It served as a failsafe tool when I was struggling and in doubt of making my next sale.
I eventually learned that on my learning days (no such thing as a “BAD” day in sales) when my performance wasn’t up to scratch; it was in fact, me who failed and not the system. I was losing my attitude, making excuses or contemplating about skipping my territory. We had a saying proudly displayed on our office walls that stated; “The system never fails, people fail to work the system.” If I could just stay focused long enough and push myself to stay on track then I knew the law of averages would eventually kick in and so too would my sales.
I want to include an excerpt from my recently published book, “The Making” and share the system that allowed me to make over 1.2 million in sales in my first 18 months in business.(For extra information my team and I were selling $5.00 items to the general public via B2B method)
5 Essential Steps to a Sale
1) Engage (Introduction) – Go in with high energy and make eye contact, have a big smile and stay with the introduction until you’ve got engagement with your customer.
2) Explore (Qualification) – Make sure you qualify the customer before you present your product or service. Don’t waste your time or theirs. Ask insightful questions. Can they make buying decisions or influence the process? Do they have available funds to make a purchase? Do they have a need or slight desire for your product or service?
3) Envision (Presentation) – Present your product or service and be sure to stress the deal while offering all the great benefits and features.
4) Enlist/Enroll (Confirmation) – It occurred to me that if you do the first three steps correctly then the close really wasn’t a huge step at all but more of a confirmation to carry on with an order or to confirm the next steps to be taken.
5) Encore (Maximization) – This was all about maximizing the order. Are there other products that could be useful for them? Do they know anyone else that might be interested? Referrals.
Business Lesson 21
Having a great sales process is only part of a successful sales business; equally as important are the working habits, and guidelines to keep you and your team on track.
Ten Absolute Guidelines for Success
Dominic’s effective and fun work habits:
1) Attendance (Show up) – You must have daily discipline.
2) Attitude (Positive Outlook) – The right attitude is necessary to achieve continual success in any endeavor.
3) Action (Work your strategy) – Be pro-active and prepare what tools and resources you need before you start working. The great thing about taking action is that it’s 100% in your control. Keep working so the Law of Averages works for you.
4) Ability (Keep improving your skillset) – Mental tactics, emotional awareness, sales skills, communication skills, technical skills as well as your ability to influence others.
5) Absorb (Sponge it) – Absorb the positives and use them to build on. Absorb the negatives and deflect like a fighter. Maintain your motivation by keeping your thoughts and actions focused towards your goals.
6) Accommodate – Your goals, your customers’ wishes and your teams’ dreams. Don’t forget your family and friends need you too: Maintain balance.
7) Apply – Keep listening, learning and applying your new knowledge; keep focused on applying your business strategies, follow the logical steps and tactics necessary to succeed.
8) Accountability – Take full responsibility for your results, both good and bad. Your power lies within you.
9) Accumulate,Amalgamate and Advocate – Consistently expand and utilize your network – keep making and maintaining business and personal contacts so you can not only stay in business but grow your business. Help others to hit their goals and you will reach yours.
10) Accelerate – Keep focused on moving forward. Teach what you’ve learned – if you share your new knowledge then you’ll be able to keep it and build on it. If you pay it forward it will live on and come back to you in many lucrative ways.
Follow this system and make sure you’re team does the same and you will be guaranteed to share in the success you create.
Happy Sales,
Dominic Kotarski author of “The Making | A Down-to-Earth Sales Guide” and Founder of Sales Success Academy
Dominic Kotarski – International Consultant – Author – Coach – Trainer – Speaker
Dominic writes, speaks, inspires, motivates and teaches on the most important aspects of your business including Sales, Coaching, Team building, People Management and Business Development. Get weekly access to his blog & training videos FREE by subscribing at http://www.salessuccessacademy.com
