Ridiculously simple way to boost your brain power

What if I told you there is a super easy way to boost you brain power, improve your memory and increase your creativity?

Have you ever watched little kids trying to remember something?

That's right, they squeeze their eyes shut! It turns out they are onto something brilliant.   When you are trying to come up with an idea or remember something just by closing your eyes greatly improves your abilities to be like a kid....brilliant!

The other day at the gym I saw a guy I hadn't seen in several years and for the life of me I couldn't remember his name.  I racked my brain telling myself ...I know this guy why the heck can't I remember his name.  Damn he saw me, this is going to be embarrassing. Then I remembered to close my eyes and try to recall his name.  Bingo!  In seconds I remembered his name and his life story.  (improved memory)

As most people who like to write know it is so damn easy to get stuck in the muck of your of uninspiring writing.   I'm always looking for ways to spice up my writing and leave out the boring parts.

As my son once said to me, 'Dad you have small bursts of brilliance in a sea of mediocrity'.  Yikes!   So one day I decided to test drive this idea of closing my eyes to come up with ideas.   It took a couple of minutes of pondering when I got the idea to record every good metaphor I read or heard.   I've got tons of them now.

Here are some examples...

A beer in my hand is worth two in your fridge.

To some people giving a speech is like petting a porcupine.

He is like the guy who uses broccoli as a pizza topping.  His need to do what is right, sucks the fun right out of life! (my creation)

Then with my eyes closed this brilliant idea hit me.   Maybe I could turn my collection into a book?   Then anyone who needs or wants to write without boring their readers to beers, could use it as a reference to spice up their writing abilities. (increased creativity)

The more I use this ridiculously simple technique, the more the ideas flow like moonshine at a hillbilly convention.

Why it works...
Research has shown that vision uses up 30% of your brain power. So it follows that when you close your eyes, you free up  more room for memory or creativity.  Amazingly this works better than even drugs! (and it's free)

I double dog dare you to try this because the more you do it the better it works.   And it's so easy, it's like playing tennis with the net down.

P.S.   If you know anyone who is having memory problems please share this idea.   And if you want to make me happier than a seagull with a french fry, leave a comment and share, thanks!

The secret to being a sales superstar

The secret to being a sales superstar is to not sell

"Relationship building is the new selling because trying to close a sale before you gain trust is like proposing on the first date"

Today no one wants to sell and no one wants to be sold!   So don't do that.   We have such a strong resistance to being sold anything that as soon as we feel we are being sold we head for the hills.   And yet product and services need to sold, so what is the answer?

First, we need to get past a clients resistance.   The quickest and most enjoyable way (for both of us) is to build a good relationship.   Because....

"All things being equal we chose to do business with those we like and all things being unequal we still chose to do business with those we like"



I am not advocating that you do more schmoozing.   I am advising that you build a mutually beneficial relationship with your clients.   The relationship has to be seen by both parties as a win/win. 

Of course an inferior product or service will not get you any lasting business.  However, assuming your product or service is competitive with the others on the market then the difference is the level of trust you have built up and that takes relationship building.  This means....

1.  Getting to know who they are

2.  Finding out what their wants and desires are

3.  Making them feel understood, appreciated and liked.  (because we can't help but like those that like us)

The purpose of relationship building is to remove any resistance your client has so that you can tell your story and show how you can solve their problems or create an opportunity.

"Closing the sale tactics become a thing of the past.    Instead we should be working towards an agreement that is mutually beneficial"

Assuming you've commenced doing business with a client and you've delivered on your promises, then remember this and please read it over very carefully....

What if making sales is this easy?

In order become a powerfully persuasive person you need to understand how to get past the resistance. 

Resistance is our defensive mechanism to shield us from being sold a product or service.   Everyone likes to buy that shiny new car or home but no one likes to be sold. Being sold is to feel pressure  and our resistance rises as soon as we detect that is what someone is trying to do to us.

Can we slip by their resistance?

What if....

Imagine that you were asking someone out on a date.   Typically you might say something like....Would you like to go for dinner and a movie on Friday night?

The person being asked has to make a snap decision.   The pressure and stress builds as the recipient of the request ponders all of the reasons to say yes or no.   And if the answer is no, the door has just slammed shut on you and a wall of resistance  is building.

Each no you get builds more of that wall of resistance.   So if you keep asking and keep hearing no, you are getting further away from a successful response.

At the moment of rejection you will both want to retreat and try forget the experience.

What if, instead you tried this......What if we were to to go for dinner and a movie on Friday night, how would you feel about that?

Remember, you only asked what if?   You didn't really ask her out.   So there is little or no pressure because you were just asking her thoughts on a speculative request.   So if her answer is 'no I don't think that would work because I have other plans' nothing is lost you can carry on as usual.

However, if she says she would like that, then yahoo...you have a date.

Now  imagine using this in a business transaction? The realtor says to his clients, 'what if we could get you possession of this beautiful place in 30 days?' How would you feel about calling this home?

Or the auto salesperson says, 'what if we could get your  financing approved within the hour?  How would you feel about driving it home today?'

P.S.  you can replace 'what if' with 'imagine' if that works better for you!

Because...

Research has proven that when you make a request and follow up with a 'because' it becomes more persuasive.  Although the research didn't explain why 'because' works so well, I speculate it is because it is complimentary to the other person.   When someone takes the time to explain why they are making a request it causes us to feel appreciated.    When someone makes a request without an explanation it can feel more like an order.    And who likes to be told what to do?

So in my example above he might say something like this....What if we could get your financing approval this afternoon because we are offering really low rates right now.   How would you feel about driving it home today?'
Imagine trying out this technique the next time you are asking someone to do business with you because it really works!  How would you feel about that?

Bonus #1

It is really important to use their name at the front of your request.   Using their first name makes it more personal and friendly.   It seems simple and it is but it brings results because it lowers resistance.

Bonus #2

The real power in persuasion is to string several techniques together as I just did by using....their first name, what if, because and how would you feel.   I call this my String theory of Persuasion.   

As I write more articles on persuasion I will continue to string together multiple techniques because that's when it is most powerfully persuasive.   And because...by being able to say I developed a String Theory  makes me sound brighter than I actually am.....haha

Hmm.....what if you were to take this beautifully simple technique for a test drive because you will be amazed at the results you will get.   How would you feel about that?

Simple rule to sell more and be more likeable

 

"To listen more is to quit trying to sell and just help them buy"

 

 

Only when the other person perceives that they are sincerely being listened to will they really hear what you are saying.  The feeling that we are not being listened to builds resistance and annoys the heck out of us.

 

We are all guilty of not waiting for the other person to finish so that we can have our say.   Instead of listening most people are thinking about what they are going to say next.   The number one killer of sales opportunities is when a salesman  talks too much.  The easy solution is....

 

The 60% Rule

 

Make sure the other person gets to at least speak  60% of the time.  Simple!  And if you let the other person speak 70 to 80% of the time guess what happens....

 

*  You start to build rapport

*  They like you more

*  They think you are smarter

*  They feel appreciated and understood

*  Their resistance to you and your suggestions melts    away like ice cream on hot pavement

*  Only when you really listen to them will they will really listen to you

 

Isn`t that beautiful and all you have to do is stop talking!

 

Listen to learn

A good listener is like a doctor. The doctor  knows he or she can't suggest a solution until they understand the problems.  They ask questions and take note of the answers.   They are on a mission to understand how best to help their client (or patient).

 

It is easier to persuade if you know where the other person is coming from.   Ask questions, lots of open ended questions.   This gets you the information you need to persuade. The sales person who talks too much is trying too hard to sell and not letting his customer having the wonderful experience of buying.  Because...

"No one likes to be sold but they do love to buy"

 

The first objective of persuasion is to find ways to lower resistance to you, your ideas and requests.   Here is the easiest way to get someone to lower their shields..

The power pause
So simple and yet so powerful.   All you have to do is wait 2 seconds before you talk.   That's the length of one deep breath.  Do you like to be interrupted? And neither does your client. It shows respect.when you let someone finish what the are saying.  So let them finish take a 2 second pause and they will be receptive to what you have to say.

Nod when they are speaking

I'm not talking about nodding like a bobble head doll. Just a few mini nods every once in a while along with something like..'.ah ha or ok' will encourage them to open up and feel respected.  

"Talk less and listen more makes selling and persuading less of a chore"

Bonus.....before any important meeting or sales pitch I make up a list of questions that can help me uncover the clients wants and desires.   This not only gets me the information I need, it keeps me on track and keeps me from talking too much.