http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830iInside Strategic RelationsTue, 13 Sep 2011 23:14:17 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/DfCfo/t/Earning_with_a_difference.htm One of my personal goals is to give away one-hundred thousand dollars for a handful of charities I support over the next three years. At least 10% of my company gross earnings and 10% of my personal income goes to this missing. My heart goes out to charities that help children, improve self sustainability, and support entrepreneurial activities. Following my good steward belief I've talked about in some of my programs, I even look over financial statements just as I do my investment portfolio. One such charity is Heifer International whose mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty. They provide livestock and training with a agreement to pass along animal offspring within the community of benefit. Here's a little from their website about what they are doing ... Celso Calderón Pineda from Honduras loves to help care for the cow his family received from Heifer. His mother, especially grateful for Heifer donors says, "Our diet has improved. Before, we could only buy a quart of milk every 15 or 18 days. Now Celso milks the cow, and we get one gallon every day." Now this letter isn't necessary about you giving to this charity, while it would be appreciated. It's about a insider secret that makes strategic relations work for everyone involved. Celso's mother describes a situation you may be facing in your own financial life. You may not need a cow, but what is it in your life that is of limited supply? Something you pay for right now, rather than pays you in a sustainable way. By learning how to care for a milk cow, Celso's family gets what they could not previously afford. This milk provides necessary nutrition, even a source of income when their surplus is sold to within their community. It's value creation, being a producer rather than a consumer that is the secret of this growth. What's your milk cow? I firmly believe it's understanding how strategic relations improves your sales, gets better results from your marketing, and helps you build a sustainable business. I challenge you to participate in charities to which you believe -- both through direct action and your financial contributions. Learn more about Heifer International at http://www.heifer.org/ You and I can't sit around waiting for the governments to fix these messes. Individuals can make a difference especially in their own lives when they have the right tools. Get involved, make loads of money, and put it to good use. Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. If you're working on any sustainable energy projects including bio-diesel, bio-gas, solar, composting, and the opportunities go on. I'll waive my initial consultation fee and give you a $397 credit (will still contribute forward waived fee for consultation.) Discounted rates are available for qualified nonprofits doing something worth talking about in these areas. Send me details about your organization at the postal address below, or reply by e-mail. Only a small percentage of my time goes towards these projects, so first come first served. Justin Hitt helps technical services business create and keep profitable customers in a sustainable way. His methods grow personal long term profits starting from where you are, taking you to where you want to be. Write with your questions. It's easy to pass along this newsletter, just forward to associates and encourage them to join us. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:14:17 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/MOjvI/t/Best_time_for_objections.htm When is the best time to handle sales objections? This is a question I'm asked often. In the practice of strategic relations, objectives are handled all the time. Especially before a sales engagement. Here's my advice to Harriet on handling objections that connects during pre-sales engagements. Read more at ... http://askjustinhitt.com/archives/2010/07/when_to_handle_objections.html Any time along your customer interaction points is a good time to handle objections. Don't just wait till they come up in a sales presentation. How are you handling objections? What's your biggest frustration or concern about that handling of objections? Always interested in your feedback. Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: Justin Hitt helps B2B selling professionals, marketers, and entrepreneurs create life long profitable customers. Specializing in business development and supply logistics for growing technical services firms. Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:48:17 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/5wPD2/t/Highest_paid_profession.htm This really got my curiosity, yet after I read it I knew every bit was true. Earning from $5,000 to $25,000 per month is comment, with little or no cash required. Some even get started in this profession, not knowing what it may hold for them. A real inspiration for those who have the opportunity to be a part of this career. What is it? Even Ross Perot, Sam Walton, and Bill Gates were all involved in this highest paid profession. Follow this link to find out more ... http://paydotcom.net/r/46600/hittpubl/26864435/ Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. If you're brave enough to join me in this profession, I'll be in your service to help you personally profit from it. You'll see how it even finances itself, immediately download all the details at ... http://paydotcom.net/r/46600/hittpubl/26864435/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:35:23 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/P6Nf/t/Cold_canvassing_by_email.htm If I don't get ten of these requests a day from sales people who have gone to the contact form on my website, then I check to see if my e-mail is still working. If you want to reach decision makers in the digital age, this is one of the least effective ways of prospecting that can be made better. Selling anything from computer integration to petroleum services I've made big money cold call prospecting, even canvasing industrial parks. In some of my programs I even touch on those experiences, but done wrong this is a big fat waste of time. Just because it's electronic, doesn't mean it's different. The same rules apply as far as leaving voice mail message, just as discussed with Mike Damphousse in our "Supercharging B2B Lead Generation and Appointment Setting" (Audio) available at Sales Problems Solved, ... http://www.salesproblemssolved.com/Supercharging-B2B-Lead-Generation-And-Appointment-Setting Believe it or not. Opening the door with company "Contact Us" pages can connect you decision makers in small to mid-sized firms. But for maximum results in minimum time it needs to be done the right way. Here are some trade tested insights to help get you started ... http://iunctura.com/columns/2010/03/cold_canvassing_by_email.html Sincerely, Justin Hitt Publisher / Consultant P. s. If you're not already a member of Applying Strategic Relations, better join right now. Get VIP access to interviews, consultations, exclusive content, even tools that help you sell more effectively. This program is guaranteed to put money in your pocket. Learn more by visiting ... http://ApplyingStrategicRelations.com/ Justin Hitt helps selling professionals in b2b technical services firms implement unusual yet effective marketing strategies that increase sales and profits. Justin is the publisher of Inside Strategic Relations, and owner of Hitt Publishing Direct. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:30:14 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/BXWz2/t/Eyes_open_for_opportunity.htm Over the 4th of July weekend I had the opportunity to visit Toronto and noticed something interesting. It didn't click until I was driving along an overpass in Richmond VA last weekend. What was this strange observation? With land prices at a premium in commercial districts just about any place you go -- Toronto had plants on their roof, while Richmond had none. Besides the insulation value, with everyone talking about green here is an untapped opportunity. Why aren't roofing contractors designing systems to convert tops of buildings into green space? If you want more sales in your business, you've got to do something different. It could as easily be a roofing and waterproofing company partnering with a landscaper -- for green roof tops. Perhaps shrubbery on the fifth floor doesn't get you excited, what about water reclamation, or solar energy? The key is connecting what you do with what other want to buy. Why would a building owner pay a premium for this kind of unique solution? * Helps customers be green without changing how they do business, provide them a market advantage with real estate they already own. * Imaging lowering your costs while helping the environment, turn ugly roof space into a garden of eden for your business. * Reduce building operation costs, energy bills, and protect their property investment. Puts money in their pocket while increasing property values. * Demonstrate their commitment to the new green economy, provides resources from otherwise dead space. Improves their public image. Tell you what. If you have a synergistic relationship to deliver a "green" service that I can get excited about, I'll partner with you. My company will deliver b2b lead generation, appointment setting materials, even help design the marketing campaign. Because I like these types of projects, you'll get favorable rates under a limited partnership agreement because I want a share of this growing industry. Or, you can hire my companies services straight out at regular rates. If you think I'm crazy, then you've just lost a million dollars. That's because there are several companies already making money where you have not ... for example http://www.greengridroofs.com/ ... and they are even making three fatal business website mistakes that I hope they don't make in their other marketing. Who can profit from this idea? The architectural firm who designs roofing, materials suppliers, your customers, landscaping designers, water reclamation/irrigation, and even solar energy contractors. And this is just one example. The exciting thing is, there is plenty of room in this market when you are using strategic relations methods. The proof is in the number of naked building tops across our nations cities. What are you doing to leverage business relationships using strategic relations methods? Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. You might as well print this message out and pass it around the office. Members can get more on the value of partner relations visiting http://iunctura.com/columns/2003/10/improve_the_val.html -- Your questions are always welcome, just reply to this message. Justin Hitt turns resources you already have into profits for your business and those smart enough to take small actions. Justin is the publisher of Inside Strategic Relations, the only publication that shows technical services businesses how to create and keep profitable customers, join us at http://www.InsideStrategicRelations.com/ Tue, 16 Aug 2011 07:25:19 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/OumjE/t/More_working_less_talking.htm That's what my wife said to me while I was emptying the dish washer, "More working, less talking." And, that sage advice for every selling professional. Too often selling professionals can talk up a storm about the sale that got away, or why they didn't close a piece of business. They can talk technique, closing phrases, and methods. Yet, when it comes right down to it, they don't do much to move forward sales results. It's something I'm discovering in my own selling -- you don't need to be talking with other sales people, or even with prospects. If you want results in sales, you need to be working with buyer to help them solve specific problems. Are you full of hot air talking, or working to create measurable results in your selling? Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant Questions? 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. What kind of results do you want in your business-to-business sales? Write in with your questions, concerns, challenges, and even success stories. I'd really like to hear from you. Justin Hitt helps business-to-business selling professionals create and keep profitable customers using tested methods that turn business relationships into profits guaranteed. He's the publisher of Inside Strategic Relations newsletter. Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:57:09 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/W0C7/t/Winners_take_responsibility.htm Have you noticed how some of the people you rely on don't seem to take responsibility for anything? They skirt responsibility, and get very little done. As Earl Nightingale says in his program "The Strangest Secret", in paraphrase, "If you have not practical example of success, then just do the opposite of what everyone else is doing." If you want to be a serious leader in your field, then when someone around you drops an opportunity like a hot potato -- you put on your oven-mits and pick it right up. This is the quickest and easiest way to profit quickly. In day-to-day efforts, it means playing your part to the fullest. If you've ever had someone give you a task that wasn't yours to take -- do what's necessary to put it with the right people. * When a prospect wants a call back, don't just call them back. Send them a note by mail after the call to than them for their time. * If someone asks for information, ask the questions upfront so you can deliver to them answers. * Beat your quota each week rather than waiting till the end of the month to crunch. Exceed all expectations. * Don't just know your job, but be able to direct resources to get your customer what they need. You benefit when you know what happens before your task and after. It helps you know where you stand for advancement and to support your customer for beneficial results. And, become familiar with other processes around your company -- so a misdirected customer can easily get to the right person, rather than the frustrating "Not my job" response. When you take responsibility, even small easily managed responsibilities, you become the "go to" person to get things done. It's about being above average in what you do -- not so you'll be recognized, but so your life is easier. Of course, when you take cowboy up on responsibility, rather than shirk it -- you position yourself for moving faster towards what you want. Combine this with strong skills in delegation, leadership, and project management for unbeatable results that can't be touched. Sincerely, Justin Hitt 24 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. Btw, this newsletter is for extra ordinary individuals who want to create and keep more profitable customers -- if you have questions about challenges in your daily sales or marketing life, drop me a note by replying to this message or call the hotline at +1 (757) 282-7779. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Justin Hitt helps business-to-business technical services selling professionals and marketers turn business relationships into profits guaranteed. If you have a success story from using these materials or would like to share your comments -- you could be a part of an upcoming book or training resource. Thanks for being a part of this newsletter, be sure to pass it along and invite other qualified individuals to join. Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:21:09 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/1tQG7/t/Creating_wealth_in_business.htm If you're running a business, not just as a selling professional, but an entrepreneur ... then you understand the stake you have in profitable business gain. One secret of building wealth in business is positioning your firm for sustainable growth in any economy. Today, there are businesses that are growing (both in my stock portfolio and in your community.) The strategy is to put yourself in a toll gate position. That means your firm gets paid for every customer, including other transactions that support your core services. For some businesses this could mean building a subscriber base with low cost service, lower your cost base, then increase prices while selling access to your buyers. You may not think you have a subscription type service, but this could be a commodity, consumable, or recurring event. The key is positioning your firm now for future earnings. Just like a selling professional or marketer connects with specific buying groups before they need sales -- you can leverage existing connections with customers to build sustainable growth. I've talked about specific methods for implementing this concept, yet so many are still not aware. When you position your company in this way, customers start coming to you. If this is something you want covered in future issues, just drop me a note with your questions. Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: Justin Hitt helps business-to-business technical services create an keep profitable customers. If you're ready to put your business in a position for profits, call my office at +1 (757) 282-7779 to schedule an appointment, or write with your questions. Tue, 28 Dec 2010 08:12:10 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/25fW7/t/Four_ways_to_profit.htm The secret of my success for making my clients money is understanding the four key ways to profit in business. Know these secrets and double your own production by increasing your value for clients. While these aren't the only ways to increase business profits, they represent those most often hidden from plain view. In a typical engagement, these elements guide action and focus implementation. Too many want to talk about these things, however, profits only come from the application of knowledge. Here are the four often hidden ways to increase profits: * Cost avoidance, * Reducing risks, * New opportunity, * Repeat success, Sounds simple enough. However, you and I know if it really was that easy then everyone would be doing it. Most often, hidden opportunities for profit pass by you every day because of these myths. 1. "We've always done it this way." If you keep doing what you've done, you'll always get what you've got. If you want to increase profits, small changes can often lead to big results. 2. "Our business is different." Fundamentally a successful business is a positive sustainable cash flow, everything else is the problems you solve for clients. This is more an ego excuse than anything else. 3. "Our customers are more sophisticated." Often the best solutions are the most simple ones, it doesn't take Madison Avenue to sell on Main Street. The smarter bird gets the worm. 4. "We don't have the budget." If you don't have the budget today, what are you doing about it to have a budget tomorrow. Incrementally increase your marketing budget according to target revenues if you want growth. 5. "Tried it before, it didn't work." If everyone quit the first time they tried because it didn't work, there would be fewer and fewer people in every generation. The key is turning your approach, target focus built on principles. 6. "Just don't understand the concept." Look, I'm not completely sure how my heart works, but it doesn't stop me from being thankful for it working every day on my behalf. These profit strategies done right work for you continuously. 7. "Boss won't let me do it." Then I'm talking with the wrong person, after all, sounds like the boss hired you for your descression as long as you're no smarter than he. If permission is necessary, ask for it, otherwise don't assume. Right now, in your business, in your sales life, all around you there are profit opportunities ready for the taking. Very little homework is required if you know where to look, and the four ways to profit is where you start. Sincerely, Justin Hitt Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Questions: P. s. Want to beat the $2 to $10 million dollar mark for your business? Profits pay for growth, I can show you how to turn business relationships into profits guaranteed. Reply to this message to ask about an initial consultation, now is the time. Justin Hitt helps growing technical services firms increase sales volume by turning business relationships into profits guaranteed. Learn more, visit http://JustinHitt.com/ Tue, 21 Dec 2010 08:05:30 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/iun-ck1-d0830i/1lvK7/t/Time_to_clean_up.htm You probably have that place in your house or office that needs a little work. For me it's my office, it's a mess. I'm tired of my wife calling it a cage or messy closet because the home office is not the smallest room in the house. Frankly, it's time to do something about it. I'm going to start listening to her. Have you ever wondered why you weren't making the sales you should in business? Why customers aren't beating down your door to buy what you offer? It could be clutter in your environment. Going through the piles in my office, I've discovered the following: * Project notes from consulting assignments. * Unfinished articles and reports, * Audio interviews and training materials. * Magazines, books, and materials I've been reading. One good thing about the digital age is that most of these materials would go out of sight, out of mind. I could easily scan them into a computer, never to be found again. But I'm noticing a trend, since my computer already has months of newsletters, articles, and projects partially finished. It may sound like I'm highly inefficient, but the truth is ... Many of these materials are one-off for clients, meaning I've been paid to produce them. Others were materials created for subscribers, that belong in a larger book or report project. And other stuff, left behind from busy projects. ... that means many of these materials are paid for, and my time was covered in their creation. My office is being consumed by office supplies, books, and materials that distract me from my daily sales efforts. Like materials created for clients, all these items also have relevant value for the ongoing efforts of my business. Unfortunately, while most of my day is spent serving clients, the clutter gets in the way of marketing and selling (the two most important parts of my day.) Clutter gets in the way of your selling several ways: * It nags you (or causes others to nag you about things perceived to be left undone.) * Adds time to the finding of things which takes time away from the doing of things. * Takes up valuable thought, physical space, and limits your ability to spread out. One thought was to get a desktop scanner, another was to hire an assistant to clean up my office, however, many of these things are actually useful. I made a list one day of all the possible solutions, and it's around here somewhere. The only solution I've considered more valuable than all the rest is ... Single Minded Focus! Are you distracted from your selling time? I very often am. From my desk I see stacks of postcards I want send, cases of letterhead, newsletter articles, and more. One day while cleaning up I found $215 worth of un-cashed checks ... from 2008. What focus does is helps you zero in on a specific activity with a specific purpose. So I made a simple list that I keep very close to me in the office. It's the key things I'd like to accomplish labeled in order of importance. This isn't the first list I've made. However, this list is different because I'm only going to do one thing on that list at a time and I've setup a specific time to do it. What's the most important thing you need to be doing each day? As a sales person, that most important thing is prospecting qualified buyers so that you'll always have enough appointments. If you're a marketing professional, it's running campaigns that keep profit per sales ratios strong. What is it for you? Now I'm not saying your office needs to be neat, just clean enough to server your specific business objectives. Periodically when I get shoveling I find diagrams, project plans, and more that duplicate each other word for word. That means I've duplicated effort, lost time and opportunity. Think about the amount of time I'd save categorizing these materials in the beginning as I've done with my training materials. While this is something that had a clear benefit when I had staff, I periodically miss the value using it with myself. In my old office I had an administrative assistant who organized different areas of the office for specific business activities. There was a marketing area, accounting area, and one for project work. Work would come out in a specific area, be addressed, then returned. Like a "library," rather than a "pull it yourself junk yard." Brian Tracy called this "single handling", guess this implementation is blended a little with Benjamin Franklin's "a place for everything." The human brain really can't do more than one thing at a time, it just context switches between specific tasks. Focus has helped me get specific tasks accomplished each week and connect those actions with clear monetary results. It's also helped me serve members and customers faster. My office is still a mess, but improving each week -- and strangely enough, so has my income. If you want more sales, to create and keep profitable customers, then look at your environment. Start with top priorities, focusing on specific tasks as specific times, and drive home the results you deserve. Block out time for these selling activities and address them with single focus -- it's a powerful way to sell more now. Sincerely, Justin Strategic Relations Consultant 24/7 Phone Fax Hotline: P. s. One system I've used over the years for getting more buyers calling you for appointments is "Getting Qualified Buyers to Call You" -- it's a three-step approach that finds you more free time while increasing your belly-to-belly interactions with pre-qualified buyers. You can pre-order the latest electronic edition for details, drop me an e-mail (don't want to hold up this newsletter because this program isn't yet in my catalog.) P. p. s. Stump me. What's the biggest obstacle you face in business-to-business sales? What's the most difficult challenge you'd like to have answer? Reply to this message or leave a message at my office, let's put money in your pocket with the insights this newsletter provides. Justin Hitt helps business-to-business selling professionals and marketers of technical services solutions increase their personal profits. For bottom-line growth in any economy, get actively involved in the Inside Strategic Relations newsletter at http://www.InsideStrategicRelations.com/ Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:36:09 -0500