The genesis of this post is from an article* written by Michael Port that I have kept around for awhile. After attending Affiliate Summit West, and exploring the sales process as a consumer, merchant, and affiliate, I felt the points were worthwhile to share with my audience.

Michael Port is one of many proponents to changing the way we sell. Traditional sales tactics are not very good, whether in an auto dealership lot, store aisle, or online. Customers detest them, although canned sales techniques are still taught in classes by corporate trainers and you can see new trainees trying them on customers. The good news is this gives you an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the other affiliate marketers attempting to sell to that customer. This will also help you if you represent Avon, MaryKay, ACN,  work in inside sales at an established firm, or work as an independent financial advisor.

People want to express their values. They do so with the products and services they buy.  Do they spend money on continuing education, wealth management, and health clubs, or bar tabs and fast food? If you look at their spending, you will see fingerprints of their values.

How do you find this information?

Before the answer is revealed, remember that people don’t buy from you because you want them to, or the landing page you just sent them to, or even something clever you mentioned in a conversation or an email blast.

• You need to be willing to learn, adapt, and listen to your customers

• When you do this, you will never have to use a canned marketing campaign from the merchant

• You can then connect with the values that your customers want to express

So, your selling methods will need to incorporate some of the following traits:

• Become a masterful permission marketer – this allows you to defuse their defense mechanism to sales pitches

• Listen while your customers tell you what they want – Create higher level pages that funnel the prospect to the conversion page. If they are interested, they will keep reading the next page. This interest level, and the pages they follow, will provide you information about their values and needs

• Only make relevant sales offers proportionate to the trust you have earned. Don’t make the “pitch of the day”

• Use the velvet rope policy. Do not assume you are meant to work with everyone

When you keep your focus, maintain your integrity, you will never be put into the same category as smooth talking fly by night operations ready to take advantage of people just to take home a commission. This also allows you to build a personal brand. Branding is very important in affiliate marketing. Brands are built upon reputation and a reputation of integrity selling is more valuable than gold.

*This blog post was based on a recent article in Entrepreneur Magazine, August 2009, written by Michael Port.

Popularity: 26% [?]

With the advent of the New Year, many people take the time to set goals for areas in their life. Initially goal setting can seem overwhelming. However, progress can be made by breaking down goals into small, bite-size chunks in different areas. So how does one get started? First, let’s identify the 10 critical goal areas in a person’s life:

1. Personal goals: these help you focus on goals that are related to yourself. They involve improving your self-image, enhancing your creativity, and intellectual abilities. Ask yourself these questions: what self-limiting thoughts or fears will I overcome? What actions or future beliefs about myself while I change or improve? What dreams, hopes and visions in my life have I been saying no to for years due to fear or insecurity?

2. Health goals: this specific area will help you develop targets related to your diet, fitness, addictions, and physical appearance. What would you like to weigh? What would you like your body to look like and feel like at age 70? Other physical activities such as walking that can be done every day? What will I learn about cooking and the type of food consumption I need in my daily live?

3. Recreational goals: these help you focus on and develop goals related to adding new dimension and diversity to your lifestyle. Ask yourself these questions will lead you on your next vacation? Where will you go?

4. Family goals: in this area are related to beginning strengthening, clarifying, and enhancing your relationship with your partner, children siblings, and parents. In what ways can you be less selfish with your relationships with your partner? Will I do give up compromised in order to improve my relationships with my family and relationship would like to have my children? When will I begin?

5. Friendship goals These will help you develop goals related to deepening and balancing relationships with old and new friendships. Ask yourself these questions: what can I do to keep in better contact with old friends? Are there other people that I should spend less time with in the future? When will I begin?

6. Community goals: these are related to your social responsibilities to local and global communities. Ask yourself these questions: what terrible public service organization will I become involved with a volunteer? What lasting contribution I make mankind before I die? And when will I begin?

7. Career goals: these are related to your rotation paid or unpaid. While the term career too often implies pay professional activity per goals can also specifically be related to a parent who stays home to care for and possibly educate their children. Ask yourself these questions: what specifically can I do to be considered the best of my profession question mark what specific things can I do, change, or eliminate become better organized customer who will I have is a career mentor? What additional educational I attain in order to advance my career? When will I begin?

8. Financial goals: these are related to your material wealth and satisfaction in the present time in future. Much money will you earn this year, in five years, in 10 years? How much money will I save and invest us your question how much life insurance do I have to protect my family in the event of my death when will I begin?

9. Household goals: these are related to the maintenance and enhancement of what may well be your largest material investment. Ask yourself these questions what will my deal house look home look and feel like? What new furniture or appliance would I like to have.

10. Spiritual goals: Finally an important area is spiritual goals is the foundation upon which you build peace of mind and heart. Ask yourself these questions: what can I do each day to ensure spiritual growth and development faith? How I conduct myself everyday in order to be at peace with myself? How can I improve my families involved in a place of worship? What spiritual materials will I study and gain a deeper understanding of my faith? When will I begin?

You may have noticed that there was always a question about when will I begin the goal is to create time outbound targeting this exercise can be noticed smart goals. S.M.A.R.T Goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound. Setting goals and needs in these ten areas will provide you clarity of how you want to live your life, regardless of how many years you have left to live. There is no reason to waste another day. Developing your life goals will give you a vision of yourself achieving. This vision can create the encouragement necessary to achieve. Make sure you realistically analyze your current reality, identify any obstacles you are facing, estimate the investment and sacrifice you must make, gather the needed information, create an action plan, set reasonable deadlines, and celebrate small milestones in your pursuit. Most importantly, don’t forget to reward yourself when the goals are met.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Popularity: 24% [?]