Lessons from a Remodel, Part I

We tore out the carpet on Leap Year Day! We are now into the 5th month of remodeling and the results are to love!

But it didn't start with the physical labor of tearing out carpeting, removing a wall, or ripping tile from a shower stall.

It began with a dream!

We had a dream of bringing the best out in our home of 20 years. We'd raised two daughters, numerous cats and a bigger-than-life gregarious golden retriever inside these four walls. Evidence of wear and tear was everywhere.

I suggested moving. My husband adamantly responded, "NO!" He did not want to say 'good bye' to our magnificent views of Puget Sound, Mount Baker, and the Everett waterfront. He loved the greenbelt behind our home. He enjoyed his media room that he had labored over. He was firmly entrenched in this house!

The only way to win--REMODEL! Arggggghhhhh!

But we needed to go way beyond simply replacing tired carpet and scratched up molding. We had discovered some serious flaws in our home's design. We identified that the wall between the living room and family kitchen area created a barrier when entertaining. We discovered floors at different levels did not produce an easy flow for guests. We remembered parties where 30 people were clustered shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen and no one would venture into the living room! I remembered standing at the stove top recessed in the back of the kitchen with my back to the view, the company, the family, and the ever hungry, bottomless-pit, "I-think-I'll-help-myself-to-what's-on-the-table" dog.

Our home was ripe for change.

But tearing out walls, removing pantries that created barriers to conversation, and reconciling floor levels is not done quickly or without a lot of dreaming, imagining, thinking, discussing, and visioneering.

Since what we wanted to achieve was a larger space for community--hence a Great Room--we needed a lot of help envisioning how this would look. We invested months in preplanning, rethinking, trying to imagine what we could do and how it would look.

We borrowed remodeling and decorating books from the library. We purchased magazines like Home and Kitchen and Bath Remodeling. We bought books. We scanned hundreds and hundreds of pictures to see what looked like it would work in our home.

But none of these pictures matched our dreams or looked like our home!

How did we bridge the gap from what we had to what we wanted?

Does your new consultant ever feel this way? She has an idea of what she wants to achieve with her business, but the gap between reality and her dream seems like an unconquerable chasm! She can't even imagine where to begin. She can't really picture the results she wants to achieve.

Plus, she has to deal with all the fears of making a mistake, being a failure, looking stupid in front of her friends, wasting time and money, and totally blowing it.

Not only is she second-guessing whether she can be profitable or not--but she doesn't really have a clear picture of what she hopes to achieve with her new business! Somewhere there is a hazy response--"I want to stay home with my children." Or "I want to put away money for retirement." Or "I want to be able to purchase a home for our family." Or "I want to pay off credit cards." But none of it really seems real. How does she do this?

Stay tuned for Part II--Lessons from a Remodel!

Friendship Building in Direct Sales

How do you work with a consultant? My upline, Cindy Kamrin, taught years ago when we began Noevir, "You have about one week to train a new consultant, then just be their friend."

I still remember that wise counsel. This week as I sat and had tea with a consultant who has been with me for twenty years, I reflected on that wisdom. She doesn't need any advice from me on how to work this business that she is really just launching after being a product user for all these years.

What she really needs is my friendship. It's as simple as that. Be her friend!

When you begin to look at your business partner as a friend--rather than someone you must train to become successful--then I believe your business really kicks into high gear.

Seek friendship and you will build an outstanding business.

Next week my husband and I are joining a new Vietnamese consultant and her husband at a Pho restaurant. We are building friendship--trust--caring--relationship. Out of that relationship will come a burning desire for building a profitable business.

People don't care how much you know--they want to know how much you care!

Objections: Your Key to Success

Have you ever presented your product or service only to be met by absolute disinterest?

Perhaps your prospect was so disengaged that she didn’t even bother to give you an objection to over come. She just wandered away mentally, emotionally, or physically from the sales presentation. At that point, honey, there is nothing to do but pack your bags and move on to greener pastures!

Without objections, it is like trying to find a handle to pick up Jello! There are no handles! Move onto the potato salad!

Reframing how you look at objections will enhance your sales success. Instead of cringing when you are dished out an objection—you should be shouting “Hallelujah!” You now have something to work with! Your prospect wants your product!

An objection tells you a lot of things—first of all, your prospect is interested enough to raise an objection! What she is saying to you is, “I’m almost sold. I just want to see what happens when I give you an objection. How will you handle it? Do you deserve my sale?

If you graciously respond with a well thought out answer that is personalized for her situation, she will respect you all the more. You will have given her the confidence that you know your product and you are a worthy sales representative.

If you become defensive, make up answers, are less than genuine, she will reconsider her interest in the product, but most assuredly she will determine that she would rather give her dollars to someone else.

More importantly, the objection lets you know your prospect needs reassurance that she is making the right decision. When she raises objections, she may be asking for help to justify in her own mind (or to her husband or friends) she made the right decision.

No one wants to be ripped off. An objection is her way of asking for help so that she knows emotionally and mentally that this is best decision for her.

So next time you are faced with an objection! Celebrate! She is on your side! She just needs a little nudge to help her with her buying decision.

Smile! And don't wait too long to reach for you receipt book!