Entrepreneurship

sales is cool/aaron sansoni

Sales Can Still Be Cool
560 315 Aaron Sansoni

There is a certain perception of sales professionals among the general public that is, unfortunately, widely shared. It’s communicated a hundred different ways in a thousand different words, but what it boils down to is this: selling isn’t cool.

The natural response of many in this particular profession is to find out more. Why is selling uncool? What behaviors can I change to seem less sales-y? Some professionals will even resort to lying about their position. They adopt ambiguous titles and rely on wordy job descriptions to mask their actual role. I try to make it a point to question those professionals about their responsibilities and the reason they are in the position they are in. Why? Because sales CAN be cool…as long as you understand the concept behind what you do.

Every single working human being is helping someone out with something else. It could be money. It could be time. It could be security. It could be anything, really. The important point is that everyone that goes to work on a daily basis is helping someone else in some way, shape, or form. For sales professionals, it is especially crucial that they understand who they are helping and what they are helping them with. A firm comprehension of this information has the potential to change the way you feel about what you do for a living.

Let’s say, for example, that you go to work every day to sell shoes door-to-door. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this job. It is a perfectly respectable position, but the public perception of sales professionals has shamed us into thinking that it isn’t. So, when someone asks what you do for a living, your natural instinct is to say something like “I’m a marketing executive” or “I’m an account manager.”

While not altogether inaccurate, these responses almost always prompt the listener to ask for more information, and you’ll be forced to share the truth anyway. But what happens when you change your response to reflect who you help and how you help them? Then the conversation might look more like this:

Person 1: What do you do for a living?

Shoe Salesman: I provide extremely busy and/or disabled individuals with the opportunity to purchase footwear necessary for them to be successful in their daily lives without ever having to leave their home.

Do you think the individual asking the question is going walk away with a negative impression about what you do? Unlikely. The response above doesn’t seem shady, or greasy, or slick, or dishonest. It sounds cool. The job description didn’t change. The title didn’t change. Your own perception of what it is that you do changed, and that makes all the difference.

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Aaron Sansoni - Fear Header

Changing The Way You Think About Fear
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Fear is universal. Every single person on this planet feels it in some way or another, and it’s not uncommon for fear to be the reason we choose not to succeed. Yes, you read that correctly. We choose not to succeed when we are afraid. We let something as fundamental as fear hold us back from achieving our goals and realizing our dreams. But it doesn’t have to be that way. What if we changed the way we think about fear?

For most of us, fear is an enigma. So much so that some of us don’t even know what our actual fears are…we just know that they terrify us. It is imperative that we make a conscious decision to break through those fears regardless of their nature. We need to break through our fears of failure, success, change, standing out, or being noticed. We have to make the conscious decision to move past them and some of us need to do it more than once.

Fear doesn’t go away. It’s human nature to feel it. So, while we might be able to suppress it, it’s nearly impossible to eliminate altogether. It returns when we least expect it and it’s our job as aspiring entrepreneurs to relearn the fears that cripple us and break through them time and time again. The best way to do that is to start failing.

There are so many would-be business owners out there that are so afraid of failing that they refuse to start trying in the first place. They constantly sit and wait for the perfect, risk-free opportunity to present itself. I’ll tell you what. That’s never going to happen. The only way you are going to break through your fears and succeed at running a business is to fail first. Once you’ve spent some time not succeeding, you’ll know exactly what it takes to reverse the trend. You need to start screwing up!

Being fearless means jumping in when you don’t necessarily know the outcome. Being fearless means getting it wrong a few times so that you know how to get it right. Learn to let your fears motivate you. Understand them and regear them if necessary, then use them to your advantage. Stop letting your fears control your decision-making process. Set out on your mission to start failing. Because it’s only when you control your fears and learn how to fail a few times that you’ll learn how to succeed.

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Aaron Sansoni - Gratitude Header

How Gratitude Can Change Your Business Mindset
560 315 Aaron Sansoni

Let’s take a few minutes to talk about gratitude. We’re all familiar with the concept. Some of us practice it regularly. The question, however, is whether or not we practice it correctly.

If I asked you to create a gratitude list right now, what would be on it? I’d guess your family. Friends. Shelter. Job. But when you’re an entrepreneur you need to take it one step further than that. How many of you are thankful you woke up this morning? How many of you are grateful that you are capable of reading this article? What about the fact that you have an amazing opportunity to change your own situation?

One of the biggest things I am grateful for as an entrepreneur is the chance to pursue opportunities on my own terms. Even if I fail, I will forever be thankful that I failed my way. I didn’t have to lose on someone else’s terms. I’d take that opportunity over the alternative each and every day, so I try to remember that gratitude as I continue to pursue success, because, when you get right down to it, gratitude is all about perspective. As entrepreneurs, it is important to think about gratitude not only in terms of what we have and what we’ve achieved, but also in terms of what we could do.

There’s a common misconception among the general public that to be successful is to be a bad person. Somewhere along the way, making a lot of money became synonymous with being evil. I’m here to tell you that this is an extremely inaccurate generalization. You can make money and be a good person. Take a second to think about those things you are grateful for. Take a few more seconds to think about how you might be able to provide those things to someone else.

Let me demonstrate my point with a personal story. Through my nonprofit group, The Aaron Sansoni Foundation, we were able to donate 50,000 meals to hungry citizens of Australia. 50,000 is no small number. That’s a lot of food and a lot of food requires a lot of money. I am grateful that I chose to pursue and achieve goals that allow me to contribute to such a worthwhile cause. And make no mistake — it was my choice and I made it on my terms, and for that I am thankful.

Looking at your gratitude list has the potential to make you feel a bit more alive. It can change the way you think about your problems or the way you choose to approach life as it comes at you. If you begin each day thinking about all of the things you are grateful for, and all of the things you have the opportunity to be grateful for in the future, would that not impact your decision-making process?

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Aaron Sansoni - Find The Why Behind your goals

Have You Found The Why Behind Your Goals?
560 315 Aaron Sansoni

People come to me all the time and say, “Aaron I need to improve my sales. I need to make more money!”They are certain that they need additional revenue to achieve their goals, but do you know what? Most of them don’t even know what their goals are.

They don’t know their why. In fact, their why is almost always something like “successful businesses bring in a lot of money.” Which is true! But why do they care?

If you are going to succeed in sales, and then by consequence succeed in business, you absolutely need a reason to want to succeed. You need a goal. Actually, you need several goals. If you are going to succeed you need to nail down all of the reasons you don’t want to fail. All of them. And then you need to be certain about them.

Uncertainty in your desire to achieve your own goals can only lead to negative consequences in the future. Any time you face a setback you run the risk of deciding that pushing forward is not worth the effort. You run the risk of turning your setback into a failure. It’s that certainty that is going to propel you forward when things get tough. You don’t just think you’d like to earn more money so you can send your children to a better school. You know that you want to send them to a better school. It’s one of your whys.

So how do you go about defining your whys? It’s actually easier than you think. First, separate your thoughts into two categories: big whys and little whys. Tackle them one at a time. For each category all you need to do is ask yourself the following questions:

  • What do you want?
  • Why are you here?
  • Are you sure?

It’s that simple as long as you are honest and specific in the way you answer the questions. Don’t just say you want to pay off your mortgage. Think about when you want to pay it off. This year? In five years? What happens when you pay it off? Take enough time to clearly define your “whats” and they will lead you to your why.

One final note. It is imperative that you don’t skip that last question. It’s perhaps the toughest of the three to answer but it is the one that will drive your certainty going forward. When you come to me and you say, “Aaron I need to improve my sales. I need to make more money” and I ask you why…it’s this question that enables you to answer me without hesitation. Without uncertainty. It’s the cement behind your why.

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Entrepreneur Traits | Aaron Sansoni

The One Trait Most Entrepreneurs Need…But Lack!
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Ask any entrepreneur to describe themselves, and odds are you will hear a wide variety of answers. Driven. Passionate. Responsible. Adaptable. However you probably won’t hear one really important trait entrepreneurs need.

All of these are excellent descriptive terms, worthy of successful entrepreneurs across all facets of the business world. And yet, something is missing. There is one word you probably won’t hear, but should. A single, key trait that can mean the difference between immense success and imminent failure. That key trait is naivete, and it can often be found in first-stage stories of entrepreneurs everywhere.

One trait entrepreneurs need, but don’t always have

Naivete does not refer to a “lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment,” as Google Dictionary defines it, but merely a tendency to see slightly less than the entire picture.

It is this blatant naivete that helps release entrepreneurs from their real world shackles and chains, giving them the time and ability to dwell a little longer in their own headspace where anything is possible. No obstacle is insurmountable. No detail too minuscule. In a naive mind, each and every aspect of a business venture is, at the very least, achievable, as long as you put in the effort.

“The true entrepreneur (or the true intrapreneur, for that matter) is almost always characterized by an inability to see negatives, a certain blindness to obstacles, a disregard for barriers,” says Forbes Contributor Henry Doss.

Sometimes it means neglecting to ascertain the full scope of sheer work required to accomplish a particular goal. Other times it might mean operating without acknowledging the negative voices. In both cases, naivete suppresses a few small parts of an otherwise overwhelming picture, thus making it seem more attainable.

Naivite on the entrepreneurial journey

It is important to note that naivete does not necessarily require unrealistic expectations or disconcerting amounts of optimism. In fact, many entrepreneurs are acutely aware that their journey will not be easy. Some even experience work-related meltdowns once they fully comprehend the epicness of their inevitable to-do lists. But, it is blissful naivete that coaxes them to persist. It is the reason they can keep on going.

A naive entrepreneur cannot quit for the simple reason that, in their mind, they cannot fail.

Aaron Sansoni, the new breed of selling superstar, is an international speaker, best-selling author and recent nominee for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 & Australian of the Year 2017

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Components of a Strong Personal Brand | Aaron Sansoni

Three Key Components of a Strong Personal Brand
560 315 Aaron Sansoni

Every company wants a strong personal brand. Whether you are working as a solo sales dynamo or as a member of a colossal corporation, chances are that you are already a part of the company brand.

So how do you build on it and make it strong?

Any company can create a brand by choosing a few select colors, a name, and a product or service. That’s all it takes. In order to be considered well-branded, however, requires a bit more commitment and effort.

Strong brands should exhibit exactly three things: authority, expertise, and trust. Each of these three key components relates seamlessly to the others. They are needed to create a brand that consumers know, love and, most importantly, recommend.

Authority

Brand authority is a somewhat ambiguous term. This is because authority encompasses both expertise and trust. In fact, it is impossible to build authority without them. It is a well-balanced combination of the two that encourages consumers to place your brand’s knowledge above that of other brands.

Authority is not something you can create on your own. You must earn it. And you go about doing that by focusing on demonstrating relevant expertise and building consumer trust in your brand.

Expertise

Expertise is perhaps the easier component when building a strong personal brand. That is because it’s the only component you have complete control over.

Positioning yourself as a knowledgeable expert on your product or service shows you have done your due diligence before offering your service.

Studies conducted by Dr. Marshall Fisher of the Wharton School of Business indicate that expert advice is a top driver of sales. If your consumers believe you to be an expert, and if your brand has actively engaged in educating potential clientele about your field of expertise as it pertains to your product or service, then they are likely to trust your recommendations when it comes time to make decisions that affect your bottom dollar.

Trust

Like authority, trust cannot be demanded or bought, but it can be earned. You can build trust in your brand by remaining accessible, consistent, honest, reliable, and valuable. Showing your potential clients helpful, consistent messaging over extended periods of time is a good way to start earning the trust required to build a strong personal brand.

Although each of these three components can be measured on its own it is best to think of them as a cohesive group, as you will need to master all of them to be considered well-branded.

Aaron Sansoni is a best-selling author, international speaker, investor, and recent nominee for Australian of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year.

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Business Mentors | Aaron Sansoni

Two Types of Mentors Every Business Needs
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Have you ever heard the phrase “it’s not who you are, it’s who you know”? You probably know more people than you care to admit, and who you choose to associate with can play a big role in achieving success. There are two types of mentors every business needs to succeed.

Mentors are a crucial part of every personal and professional growth pattern. They serve as sounding boards, educators, and support systems.

“…mentorship makes early stage companies stick around longer (on average, an extra 2 years) and helps make them more successful,” writes Annabel Acton on why you need a mentor. This being the case, it is imperative that you choose your mentor wisely.

If success is your end goal, you should seek mentorship from two types of people: Experts by Results and Experts by Research.

Experts by Results: first type of mentors every business needs

Experts by Results have proven their success in your particular field. They know how to accomplish your goals because they have already done it.

Results-based experts have encountered similar pitfalls, experienced similar hurdles, and emerged (relatively) unscathed. They make extremely qualified mentors for the simple fact that, they’ve walked in your shoes.

If you’re an aspiring CEO, for example, then your go-to results expert should be someone who is or used to be a successful CEO.



Experts by Research: second type of mentors every business needs

Experts by Research are the people that have put extensive amounts of time, money, and effort into studying and understanding situations exactly like yours. They’ve assessed the risks, compiled the best practices, and eliminated the superfluous details in order to come up with the best possible path to your desired destination.

Research experts make good mentors because they have an innate, academic understanding of your current situation and the many viable options you have to move forward.

In real life, they can sometimes be tricky to identify. If we go back to our CEO example, the research expert could either be a trusted advisor or an outside educator.

How Do I Find These Experts?

Sometimes knowing who should be your mentor is the easy part. Finding that person, however, can certainly be more difficult.

There are countless resources out there detailing the various places to find mentors and advisors. Online and in-person networking groups, industry trade shows, and indirect competitors are all good starting places, but they inevitably involve quite a bit of time, and possibly a pitch or two. Luckily, they aren’t your only options.

Friends and Family

Start your mentor search close to home. Did you have an uncle that inspired you to pursue your business dreams? A family friend that dripped success every time he stopped over for supper? If so, reach out to them. Speaking to friends and family is often one of the most beneficial, albeit brutally honest, forms of mentorship you can get.

Check Your Heroes

Occasionally, successful businessmen and women set out to assume mentorship responsibility for those who are starting off in conditions similar to their own. Determine who your business idols are, and then spend some time thoroughly exploring their websites. You might find that they offer educational classes with useful tips and tricks, downloadable books full of their experiences, or even formal mentorship programs with an application process.

Aaron has affected the lives of over 2 million people, in 41 countries from over 100 industries on and offline through his training spanning a decade of mentoring. As a global authority on Activation® he’s authored his best-selling book ‘Think Like’ which explores the millionaire mindset enabling anyone to build an empire of their own.

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Obligation Mindset | Aaron Sansoni, Sales King

You Have To: Why The Obligation Mindset Is Non-Negotiable
560 315 Aaron Sansoni

Obligation is a word riddled with negative connotations. For entrepreneurs and managers, however, it is a word that should be undeniably linked to every aspect of their title. The obligation mindset is a necessity.

There are two types of obligation that should occupy the minds of successful leaders everywhere. The first is the obligation to perform. The second is the obligation to share.

Obligation to perform

This is perhaps the most obvious form of entrepreneurial obligation: the requirement to perform. As an entrepreneur or manager, your team is constantly watching for you to set the bar in terms of expectations.

It is your responsibility to conduct business the way you want to see it conducted across your company. Complete your tasks on time. Communicate efficiently and effectively. Continuously chisel at your task list to illustrate the proper work ethic, drive, and output. There can be no doubt about what you expect of your team if you show them firsthand.

“I feel an overwhelming obligation,” says entrepreneur Rand Fishkin, “to someday, somehow live up to my own standards.”

Obligation to share

The second, perhaps more rare, type of obligation encountered by entrepreneurs and managers is the obligation to share. It is typically categorized by the need to ensure your business ventures survive beyond the term of your capabilities.

How long would your business last if you were not around to help run it? Sharing your expertise is a good way to ensure that your team is well-prepared should you require an extended or permanent absence.

Sometimes the obligation to share can expand into benevolent realms. For example, you might feel obligated to share your secrets for success with others that exhibit similar levels of ambition and passion. This “Life by Design” form of obligation stems from a strong desire to help like-minded individuals meet and exceed their own personal goals, which often results in a rewarding feeling for both you and them.

When the obligation mindset is absent

No one is obligated to adopt the obligation mindset. So what happens if individuals in leadership roles don’t embrace this sometimes unpleasant feeling of responsibility?

Nothing will change at first. In fact, nothing may change at all. Employees may continue to perform the way they always have. Company standards may remain as incomplete as they were when you first began your journey.

Worst of all? No one will be capable of ensuring your company prospers after you are gone. You may be able to achieve short-term success by refusing to share your methods with those around you, but your business goals and level of personal satisfaction will surely suffer in the long-run if you neglect your obligation to teach others what you know.

Aaron Sansoni, the new breed of selling superstar, is an international speaker, best-selling author and recent nominee for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 & Australian of the Year 2017.

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