Selling in a Tough Economy - 10 Characteristics of Super Sales Representatives

A useful article by Michael Jefferys, President of Seminars On DVD and The Yes! Network, one of America’s leading seminar training companies.

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When the economy goes into a slump, most salespeople follow. They allow the negativity of the media, other sales reps, friends and family members to affect their performance. Yet, in almost every organization, there are always one or two people who are really making things happen. They don't believe the down economy is negatively affecting their business, and as a result, they act and think quite differently than the masses.

Here are 10 key characteristics of those Super-Representatives:

1. They understand that their thinking affects their results, and therefore refuse to dwell on the down economy, or be negatively influenced by people complaining about how bad things are.
   
   
2. They make time to work on themselves. From books and audio learning, to sales training seminars on video, top sales professionals make time for self-improvement.
   
   
3. They network with everyone, everywhere. Even in a tough economy, people are still doing business, and a referral is always better than cold prospecting. Join a morning networking group, or attend chamber of commerce functions. Anything you can do to raise your visibility will help you in a down economy.
   
   
4. They know what they want. They have clearly defined goals, with deadlines to achieve them. The most organized people actually define their goals in terms of a 5 year plan. Long term perspective creates clarity of focus in life.
   
   
5. They value their time. Rarely will you see a top performer chatting around the water cooler, or wasting time on non-productive activities. Remember, in sales, the only time you're really working is when you are prospecting, presenting, or closing.
   
   
6. They eat for energy. Instead of donuts, they choose oatmeal. Instead of burgers and fries, they choose salads and healthy sandwiches. Instead of eating to the point of feeling stuffed, they take in just enough to feel satisfied.
   
   
7. They welcome change. They know that change creates opportunity, so they are good at anticipating, preparing for, and positioning themselves for change. There's always a small percentage of representatives who do well, no matter what is going on around them.
   
   
8. They treat their body like a Temple. They exercise regularly because they know it makes them feel better, they have more energy for their sales activities, and they are protecting themselves against disease. They don't wait for a doctor to tell them they have to ...
   
   
9. They tap the power of their mind through meditation, visualization, and mental rehearsal. They understand the Law of Attraction, and how their thinking affects their attitudes, interactions, and results.
   
   
10. They commit to being the best! They don't settle for mediocrity or good enough. They continuously strive for greatness, not to impress others, but for their own self-satisfaction in knowing that they are tapping their full potential.
    

If your sales are not where you need or want them to be, review this list daily, and ask yourself, "How can I implement these ideas in my life right now?" If you make the commitment to transforming yourself in any or all of these areas of your life, you are virtually guaranteed to enjoy greater success in your sales career, and in your life.

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Check this out on Seminars On DVD =)
Outselling Your Competition - How to Double Your Sales & Double Your Income

Attempt to Delist E&E Blocked

Read announcement:
JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT - PROPOSED VOLUNTARY DELISTING OF ELEC & ELTEK INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED - THE SGX-ST’S DECISION ON THE DELISTING PROPOSAL & WITHDRAWAL OF EXIT OFFER

If you are too lazy, here's the essence:

SGX-ST rejected E&E delisting application because the terms of the offer are neither fair nor reasonable under current market conditions.

Thanks to the independent financial adviser, DMG & Partner Securities Pte Ltd.

As such, Kingboard Chemical withdraws the exit offer.


Side note 1:
Due to the pending proposal on delisting, interim dividend was not declared although results are good. It will definitely be a good investor relations act if the Board recommends a higher special dividend to compensate the interim dividend missed.

Side note 2:
Stock price of E&E went up to US$1.46 in early August. People could have come to know about the IFA's recommendation to SGX before the announcement. I am not complaining, I think the current price is still good for long term accumulation if dividend payment continues to be generous.

Side note 3:
The attempt by Kingboard Laminates to delist Kingboard Copper Foil did not go through as well. The majority required to vote in favour of the delisting was not obtained.


My personal take on the delisting saga:
As a minority shareholder of E&E, Cheung's attempts to delist Kingboard Copper Foil and E&E reminded me of a Chinese idiom, 趁火打劫 (literally translated: robbing when there's a fire). Even though I am unhappy with the proposal, I applaud Cheung's shrewdness. I am happy that my company is in good hands.

In my opinion, the most critical reasons for the failures is the faster than expected market recovery and the low offer prices. If the market volatility and uncertainty had lasted longer, both proposals might have been approved due to prevailing extreme fear. The deals would have been more desirable, or even irresistable and "market-proof", had the offer terms been more generous (say, somewhere closer to the NAV). By offering a fairer exit price, the deal would come across as more sincere and less of an exploitation which creates grievances among minority shareholders.

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E&E Basic Share Data
Share price as at 21 Aug 2009: US$1.35
12-month price range: US$0.810 - US$1.67
Market cap as at 21 Aug 2009: US$242.4
P/E (historical): 5.7
P/B (as at 30 June 09): 0.7

Financial year-end: 31 Dec
Reuters code: EELT.SP
Bloomberg code: ELEC:SP

Major shareholders (as at 24 March 2009):
Cheung Kwok Wing : 71.71%
Value Partners Limited: 8.98%
Estimated free float : 19.31% (ie. US$46.8m or S$67.3m @S$1.4382/US$)

Baby Step into Internet Marketing - Joining Wealthy Affiliate University

I haven't updated this blog for a month! For the last two months, I have been actively learning about internet marketing. The online market is huge and there are many success stories around every corner. There is no reason why I should not participate.

However, I am not jumping into the bangwagon blindly. As with any investment decision, I spend time doing research and learning about the market, the industry, the options available, proven methods, who are the gurus, etc.

To improve my chances of success, I want to learn from the best players. I want to connect with people who are already doing it successfully so that I can constantly benefit from their experiences. After two months of researching and reviewing, I finally signed up with Wealthy Affiliate University (WA). Essentially, WA is the No. 1 internet online marketing community with highly valued resources available to aspiring, intermediate and expert internet marketers.

Now, my target is to double my current income by 11 Aug 2010. I will be using this blog as a motivation by documenting my progress. If you are already doing internet marketing, feel free to drop me a note so that we can share our knowledge and experience.