Always Be Early

I refuse to wait around on someone that is late. Always be early! Pause there for a second, because I know that you're saying, “John, always be early? That’s a strategy? What do you mean? I know I should be early.” The keywords in that statement are I KNOW. I want you to make a mental note right now and take a look at the last ten sales presentations that you did. Were you early, were you late, or did you walk in at the same time as your prospect?
I can almost guarantee you that the times you were early, your closing ratio had a higher percentage. Why? When you walk into the sales arena and you're there first, the potential customer sits down and it's your territory. You own it, because you were there first. You have also had the opportunity to calm your nerves and build your confidence before the person arrives.
You're going to meet someone at a neutral location. Let's say you meet them at a local restaurant to sit down with them and share your business, product, etc. You get there first so they are entering your arena. It's just a mental mindset. Now, think about it this way. The prospect is sitting there waiting for you. I bet you can almost feel your stomach turning flips as you imagine walking up to the table knowing that they have been waiting on you.
When you are late, the person that has been waiting on you has already likely made up his mind about what you are about to offer him and the answer is simply no thanks. After all, if you can’t be on time for an appointment that was scheduled last week, then how on Earth will this person be able to depend on you if they invest in your product? If you are late, then you might as well just reschedule or call off the appointment all together. It’s over! I don’t care if you disagree with me, it’s the truth and you know it.
My original mentor that mentored me over 18 years ago had earned over $30 million dollars at that point in his life. When he introduced someone to his business in direct sales, if they were one minute late, he wouldn't show them the business. He would say, “Respect my time. I was here at 1:30. You showed up 1:31. Reschedule.”
You’re probably saying, “John, I can't do that!” Yes you can. Make a decision. I did. I refuse to let anyone waste a second of my time.
When I was building my business and conducted hotel presentations for business overviews, I started promptly at 7:35pm. The doors were actually locked at that time, and no one else was allowed to enter the presentation. One thing that aggravates me and upsets me to no end is when someone schedules a presentation that is supposed to start at 7:30pm and twenty minutes later they're still waiting for that one person to show up.
Respect the people who are there on time and get started on time. Don’t worry about those people that are late for a business or product that you're sharing. Instead, focus on the people who are on time. They want to hear your presentation, need it and are serious about investing in it. NEVER start a business presentation late. Always be there early and start on time. The key is to always be there before your potential client.
Show respect for your client's schedule. My mentor said, “Look, if this person doesn't respect me enough to be here on time for the presentation that we set up, then I'm not going to show it. He must reschedule.” People know I'm like that too. I’m known for always being on time for my appointments or always early. All of my coaching clients know. They don't even have to look at the phone when I call them. If I'm scheduled to call you at 2:00pm on Friday, then you can bet your last dollar that between 1:58pm and 2:00pm, that phone will jingle and John Di Lemme will be there to mentor you and coach you. I am always a few minutes early.
Here’s another inside tip for you. In a restaurant setting, always drink water. Why? Coffee and soda give you bad breath. Remember, you are being judged on every aspect of your presentation. I also suggest that you never drink alcohol at a sales presentation. It’s unprofessional in my opinion. Drink water and that will be one less thing to worry about.
If you don’t agree with this, that’s fine. Just continue to lose sales. I’m giving you tips about the subconscious mind of your potential client. If you show up late drinking a cup of coffee, sweating, running behind schedule, looking like a slob, why should anyone buy from you? Think about that. Show up early. Dress professionally. Drink a glass of water. Be relaxed and then go for it. Get laser-focused and open up a brand new relationship.

get yourself motivated

Dress for Success

You know as well as I do that you feel better when you take a physical shower. Think about it. When you come home from the gym or work, there’s nothing like taking a nice hot shower. For me, it’s cutting the lawn. I have a pool in my backyard, and when the landscapers from our home owner’s association come into my backyard, they blow grass into the pool. I am a maniac about my pool. I simply couldn’t take it anymore so I posted a sign in Spanish that said “Stop. Do Not Cut the Grass!”

Now, I cut my own lawn, and there’s never any grass in the pool. My friend, Bob, assists me with the lawn and when I’m finished I am sweaty. My wife, Christie, says that I smell like a little stinky kid that just came off the playground and pretty much demands that I take a shower right away. The refreshing shower washes away all the dirt, grim and most of all the smell from the hard work.

On the other hand, when you see me speak live, I am always dressed sharp. People say, “John, you are always dressed to the ultimate. You are always one of the sharpest looking speakers or presenters”. Absolutely! I believe in dressing for success. I completely disagree when people say, “Well, you don’t need to dress like that to be successful”. Everybody has a right to their own opinion, but I believe a major strategy for success is to dress the role. Can you imagine if I just came in from cutting the yard in my old shorts, tank top and hat smelling all gross and went straight to a seminar to speak? That’s just simply absurd, right? Yet, many so-called sales experts enter the sales arena looking almost as bad.

Clean up your act. Men, go out and invest in some sharp ties. Buy some shirts with cufflinks. At the recommendation of one of my billionaire friends, I now get my nails manicured. Notice, I said BILLIONAIRE. If it works for him, then it will work for me too! Whether you believe it or not, people notice. The first impression is the most important impression. I usually let my wife handle the women’s issues with dressing for success but let me talk to the ladies for just a second. I will put this gently…You don’t have to bare all of your assets to make a sale. I didn’t say it. I’m just reiterating what my wife says, and I agree with her. Whether you are a man or a woman, make sure that you dress appropriately when you are in the sales arena. It will definitely have an effect on your sales presentation.

I disagree with a coach, who teaches success principles, and they look slothful. They don’t look cleaned up. They’re half asleep when they are talking to you, their clothes are wrinkled, and they are not dressed as a champion. It disgusts me when I see someone like that on stage trying to coach other people on success. Look at someone like Donald Trump. Donald Trump has a great wardrobe. You may not like what he says, but you can’t dispute the fact that he is always dressed to the nines. Don’t try to make the excuse that you can’t afford his clothes. It’s not expensive to look professional.

When you walk into a presentation, the first thing people notice is how you look. They notice if your hair is a mess or if you are not clean-shaven as a man, or if you are wearing a suit that is too short or if you just threw on some jeans instead of dress slacks. Being dressed professionally not only influences your potential business partner, but it also gives you more confidence. When you clean up, you feel better. If you don’t believe that, then don’t take a shower for two weeks and see how you feel. With that said, why would you walk into a business event where you can market your product or services and you do not look like a champion? You don’t look like who you know you want to be.

Make a decision today. Implement this strategy. For realtors or anyone that uses their automobiles to transport clients, make sure that your car isn’t a pigpen. If a potential buyer gets in your car and there’s garbage in the floorboards and it smells like three day old McDonald’s food, I doubt that they will want to book another appointment with you. They simply can’t get past your trashy car long enough to think about buying a house. I’m not saying that you have to drive a Mercedes, but your automobile does have to be clean so that your client is comfortable when they get in. I believe in cleanliness. I believe in excellence. I believe you should act and believe who you are.

Personal responsibility is the key. If someone is lazy and slothful, then they probably dress like a slob. If you consider yourself a business professional, then simply dress the role.

www.firedupmotivation.com