Our Final Course Connections on September 3rd, 2015 Was a Smashing Success!

Susan Ascher Course Connections Golf Networking Event Our final Course Connections on September 3rd, 2015 was a smashing success and I want to thank all of you who came out to play golf and network with a FANTASTIC group of folks!

According to an article published by The Economist, company owners and executives who don’t play golf earn 17 percent less in pay, on average, than those who do! There is a strong correlation between playing golf to being successful in business. To quote Jack Russell, Senior Vice President of a Major Multi-national Financial Services Conglomerate: “I played golf in college and more than my economics, degree, golf has been a door opener and a deal closer.”

Golf as a Networking Tool

Course Connections was held four times from May through September at Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, New Jersey .This year’s sponsors included Kate Sweeney of Morgan Stanley, Karolina Dehnhard of Budd Larner, PC, Sally Glick (not present) of Sobel and Co, CPA’s, Vince Egan of Benjamin Edwards and Amy Delman of Amy Delman Public Relations. Instruction was headed up by Joe Haggerty, PGA professional and his fellow pros which include Brian Dobbie, Ben Schade and Ross Seaman. What a great TEAM!!!

The Best Part Was the PEOPLE!

Course Connections Group Photo

The best part of these events were the PEOPLE! Think Honorable Retired Judge, Family Law and Matrimonial Attorney, Personal CEO, Wealth Manager, Event Planner, Title Insurance Producer, Publicist, Nurse, Executive Recruiter, Consulting Engineer, College Graduates, Executive Coach/ Business Strategist, Chief Marketing Officer and Partners from National Accounting and Legal Firms! The best part is that the event spans five generations, all connected through the love of golf, people and the desire to make GOLF A NETWORKING TOOL!

With the fall coming and THE GREAT FUN AND CONNECTIONS WE MADE, I decided to carry the event forward as Culinary Connections! Our presenting sponsor Karolina Dehnhard, Esq. and Budd Larner! Is as passionate about food and great networking as I am! We will be breaking bread and drinking fine wine and cocktails, while learning how to make some simple but great dishes from great chefs. The first event is scheduled for Wednesday October 28th at The Renaissance Hotel in Rutherford, New Jersey. SAVE THE DATE!!

If you wish to sponsor, or have a suggestion for a venue or chef, just email me at [email protected] or call me at 973.919.8180.

Sales

From Snake Oil to Solutions: The Evolution of Sales Development Coaching

How Sales Development Coaching Methodologies Have Evolved

sales-development-coaching Sales training has been around since the late 1800s. After the industrial revolution brought new, more efficient ways for factories to build products for the masses, salesmen began to pop up everywhere. It wasn’t long before sales training programs followed. These programs taught salesmen “tricks” like how to stand, how to hand over a pen when closing a deal, and other effective body language skills.

Early Sales Development Coaching

In the early 20th century, sales developed its stereotype. Early trainers such as Tom Hopkins, Arthur Sheldon, and Elmer Wheeler taught the art of salesmanship with coaching seminars and training classes on how to sell when the customer says no, and Wheeler popularized the phrase, “Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle!” in the 1930s. In the same decade, Dale Carnegie published his successful book, “How to Make Friends and Influence People,” which many executives and sales professionals continue to cite to this day.

Sales training in the 19th and 20th centuries went through a number of style fluctuations from decade to decade. The selling method (snake oil selling) in the 1800s was based on misrepresentation and the idea that you can say anything you want about a product, as long as it seals the deal.

Pyramid selling (identifying and targeting decision-makers) began in 1886. From there, trust-based selling, mood or emotion selling, brand selling, and many more techniques started to develop, increasing the complexity associated with the trade. Each distinctive method had its proponents, who capitalized on selling the method to sales professionals across an increasing number of industries.

Technology Enters the Space

As early as the mid-1950s, vinyl records were being released to help salespeople learn the art of the trade. Cassettes and videos soon followed, helping professionals identify methodologies, techniques for closing a deal, and understanding the psychology of the sales interaction. Now, sales professionals have their choice of media for learning more about the industry. Sales organizations and coaches offer classroom experiences, online learning, podcasts, articles and blog posts, and one-on-one coaching. Some focus on a particular aspect of sales, while others offer tips about handling the sales experience.

Over the years, sales training evolved to encompass more than tricks of the trade or one particular sales method. The industry combines a rich history of methodology to blend art and science. Today, sales training improves techniques, skillsets, and sales style development. It focuses on individualized sales styles and constantly fluctuates. Success looks different from person to person. There are as many successful approaches to sales as there are sales development coaching books on the market today. A successful coach has the intuition and sales expertise to unlock the potential of each sales representative that comes in for training.

CLICK HERE to learn more about SALES COACHING

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Sales

3 Ways to Be a Great Sales Manager After the Coaching Is Over

Beyond Sales Development Coaching: How Managers Can Continue to Nurture the Sales Team

sales-team Many sales managers put their sales team through sales development coaching to strengthen their talents. Development coaching builds your sales team’s confidence, motivation, and the ability to achieve set goals. But the process can’t end there. Managers should continue to inspire and teach their sales teams long after the coaching program is over to improve team performance.

Talk with Sales Coaches

Sales managers can learn a lot about team members from coaches. Understanding what makes each member click is the key to driving progress over time. While some sales professionals may seek coaching on their own, others complete a training program on behalf of their companies. In either situation, an open dialogue among management, coaches, and trainees can enhance team performance on the whole. For instance, if a trainee needs encouragement from management, performance may fall after the coaching period if he or she doesn’t receive that positive energy and motivation from a manager.

Avoid Over-Managing

As a manager, the best way you can help your sales team is by playing to each individual’s ability and skills. Avoid making too many hard-and-fast rules that may not work for team members in favor of general guidelines that provide encouragement and support. Sales managers should also strive to be empowering and positive influencers, rather than deprecating power figures. Many sales professionals work best when congratulated for a job well done and constructively guided through difficulties.

A successful sales manager will be just as intuitive as a sales coach is in many ways. Those who can identify and cater to their team’s needs ultimately will build a low-turnover high-performance sales team.

Communicate Often

Communication keeps the whole sales process well oiled. Listen and aim to understand your team, identify and proactively address worrisome behavior patterns, and keep goals and expectations clear. Sales managers often walk a fine line between meeting sales goals and ensuring that team members are performing at their best. Keep pressure at an even level by recognizing achievement and maintaining an open dialogue about the team’s sales goals, key performance indicators, and individual responsibility.

Successful sales managers wear many hats. They may be a psychologist, friend, data and strategy scientist, coach, and educator. Working on each one of these skills can improve the performance of a sales team long after the sales development coaching program is over. Retain talent and drive revenue by focusing on team dynamics and recognizing those who work hard to improve their performance every day.

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Public Speaking

Write the Perfect Elevator Pitch in Five Easy Steps

Capitalize on the Briefest Opportunity: Craft the Ultimate Elevator Speech

elevator-pitch You know those moments. The CEO is standing in the elevator, and your idea is flawless. Nerves undercut these opportunities all the time because few people properly prepare for those 60 seconds.

The perfect elevator pitch ensures that those elevator doors are opening to more than just the fifth floor level. A well-delivered pitch can launch your career—or your business—into the successful place you’ve always dreamed about. But so many people don’t seize the opportunity when it’s in front of them. The key is having your pitch developed long before the moment arrives. When it does, you’ll be prepared and deliver your pitch with confidence.

What Makes a Good Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch can either be a 60-second verbal pitch or a written summary of your business objective. Elevator pitches are harder to craft than you think: they have to be compelling, memorable, and concise, so they leave a lasting impression in a short amount of time. Here’s how to do it.

Step One: Determine Your Goal

What is the end goal of your pitch? Do you want to explain your organization or idea? Do you want to sell a new product? Identify the problem that your audience has and how your idea offers a solution for it.

Step Two: Explain Your Solution

How does your idea or product solve the problem that you identified in step one? You should be excited when writing this part of the pitch. Your organization is creating a real solution for your customers’ problems! If you’re not excited when you’re writing your pitch, your audience won’t be excited listening to it.

Step Three: Explain What Makes You Different

There are plenty of other products and services out there that are in direct competition with your business. The way to make yours memorable is to explain what makes it different. This is called having a “unique selling point,” and it’s what will either turn your audience on or off. Find out what makes your idea the best, and back it up with facts.

Step Four: Close the Deal

Close the deal by making your audience think about your idea. Engage your audience by asking them a question. Make sure it’s an open-ended question that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. The goal is to get them thinking about how your product, service, or business will benefit them.

Step Five: Polish and Practice

Once you’ve prepared your perfect elevator pitch, bring it all together and trim it down. Take out any information that isn’t absolutely vital. Your pitch should be 60 seconds or less with 30 seconds as ideal. Practice your pitch as often as possible and get used to delivering it. Pay attention to your body language and your tone. The goal is to deliver it naturally and with confidence.

CLICK HERE to learn about sales coaching.

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Sales

4 Sales Development Coaching Styles

How Effective Sales Development Coaching Works

sales-blackboard Sales development coaches are talented individuals. They have the ability to both “read” and cater to their trainees. Their customized approach to training improves results because they can discover and capitalize on trainee talent and motivation. There are several styles of coaching for sales development. Whether trainees are on the lower or higher end of the sales-ability spectrum, development coaches know exactly how to encourage growth in their performances.

Sales development coaches use some of these more common approaches to sales development, from the Association for Talent Development:

Tell (provide lots of direction)

Individuals who may not have much natural talent and may require some push and motivation to see results. Coaches can improve sales techniques in these individuals by providing specific directions and using incremental goals to feed motivation. As a coach, observing how these individuals complete tasks is crucial to understanding how they respond to different motivating factors.

Explain

Individuals who benefit most from the explanatory approach tend to have some natural talent but need to understand the reasoning behind their job to remain motivated. They benefit from a dialogue during the training process and need to understand the background of the sales process before they can perform at their best.

Encourage

Naturally talented sales representatives who are somewhat naturally motivated may need only an occasional pep talk to keep performing at a high level. These individuals can get the job done on their own, but really shine when a leader is around to boost confidence.

Empower

Individuals in this style category tend to be company rainmakers. They are self-motivated and have a natural ability for sales. These trainees can go far in their careers with the right guidance. Coaches can help empowerment clients by offering confidence-boosting recognition and helping them learn how to leverage their talent with an ever-expanding sales skillset.

Sales development coaching requires an innate ability to see these different sales types and how an individual’s skillset will fit best into a particular sales culture. The typologies are basic, and a truly talented coach can mix and match qualities from each type to match an individual’s needs.

By teaching an individual from his or her unique learning style and in a way that complements aptitude, a sales development coach can encourage significant improvement in a relatively short time. Ultimately, coaching helps trainees and sales organizations sell more. Sales professionals can work toward a more-fulfilling career path and companies can identify and appropriately place sales representatives in the workplace for a higher rate of return.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Sales and Business Development Coaching

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Career

How Flexibility Will Save Your Career

Reverse Mentorship Is About Relevance, Not Ego

business-people-FB-484x252 Communication among multi-generational employees can be complex. With as many as four generations working together, age differences and work sensibilities are bound to be varied. When you hear the word “mentor” or “coaching,” you may think of them as necessary tools to mobilize the younger generation to engage in the workforce.

However, sometimes older generations need mentoring, too, and it can come from an unlikely place: younger employees. Just as there are a multitude of skills older generations can teach younger ones, there is also some knowledge to be gained from the fresh outlook of millenial employees.

The Young Teaching the Old

This style of career coaching is called “reverse mentoring,” and it was made popular by the chairman and CEO of GE, Jack Welch. It serves as a useful tool to teach older employees a few tricks that they might not be able to pick up as easily on their own. Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company, realizes that employees in their forties and fifties may not have the same perspective on the future as the younger generation. Younger employees bring with them a fresh set of eyes and an expertise with rapidly evolving technology. Consider how reverse mentoring can help even the wiser generation:

They learn information they wouldn’t get from other places. The younger generation knows what’s hip and what’s trendy. They have new ideas and a fresh outlook, and they can teach the generation that came before how to recognize new ways of thinking.

The Millennial Perspective

Millennials are often better at explaining new technology to a generation that didn’t grown up with it. Online classes and tutorial websites are great for learning how to use new technology, but reverse mentoring provides a faster, hands-on approach. Millenials grew up using technology almost as an extension of themselves. If more veteran employees are struggling to use social media or other technology, the younger generation can provide one-on-one training.

Collaboration creates a fresh perspective. The differing viewpoints of each generation work fantastically together in this aspect. Reverse mentors bring creative new endeavors to the table, while traditional values temper creativity with practicality. Together, they can come up with well-balanced ideas to market new products or capture a new audience.

These two groups will feed off of each other’s energy. Just as veteran employees learn new perspectives and creative approaches from a reverse mentor, they millennials are learning tricks from those with years of experience. It’s a symbiotic relationship that strengthens employee engagement, and ultimately, the success of the company.

How to Do It Right

Reverse mentorship will only work if it’s executed properly. Any amount of hesitance or miscommunication on either side could send the whole thing into a downward spiral. The key is to balance two very different energies. While a reverse mentor might teach an employee with seniority how to use social media, the more senior employee may need to teach them how to maintain professionalism while using it. Emphasize the value of collaboration: new ideas, advanced skills.

CLICK HERE to learn about CAREER COACHING

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Career

3 Tips for Communicating Across Four Generations

The Ultimate Workplace Hazard: Communication Breakdown

phone girl The evolution of the workforce has reached a point that has never been seen before: four separate and very different generations of employees working together under one roof. While this can be great for combining traditional wisdom with fresh ideas, it can also lead to some performance disruptions.

Amidst the tech-savvy skills required for new jobs and the rash of changes, younger co-workers find themselves butting heads with older, established co-workers. Before the internet, nepotism was the largest disruptor to the career ladder. Today, technology changes the very nature of offices, job descriptions, and duties. Understandably then, most managers may have a problem with finding ways to get everyone to just get along.

Start with Communication

As with everything in life, communication is the keystone to a thriving living or work environment. In the office, however, the means through which you communicate are just as important, a fact made even more apparent with the differences in generations.

Each generation grew up communicating in different ways. Senior employees grew up with rotary phones, Baby Boomers value face-to-face conversations, and the youngest generation prefers e-mail, text, and social media. Providing your employees with multiple ways of communicating will encourage them to actually want to communicate.

Address the Dress Code

cel-phone Differing generations also tend to disagree on formality within the work place. Baby Boomers, and even some Gen Xers, grew up in a time where suits and ties were required in the work place. A well-pressed suit and a firm handshake signaled a hardworking employee. Nowadays, younger generations have grown up in a casual atmosphere, where physical appearance doesn’t necessarily dictate work ethic.

To older generations, an informal atmosphere and casual dress may seem disrespectful. Get everyone on the same page as to what is acceptable attire in the workplace. If older employees know that casual dress is okay and should not be considered disrespectful, they may be a bit more accepting. Likewise, if younger employees understand where their older mentors are coming from, they’re much less likely to view them as stuffy and out-of-touch.

Understand Work Ethic and Motivation

All generations have different values and different motivations. Generally, senior employees are more work-driven because that’s how they were raised. Baby Boomers tend to work for personal growth and development. Gen Xers often see their careers as a series of challenges to overcome. And the youngest working generation, the millennials, are often categorized as people who simply work to pay the bills.

Digging deeper, the factors that actually motivate different generations to work vary just as much. While some generations are motivated by success and a job well done, others are motivated by flexibility and guidance. Once you understand the differences between work ethic and motivation, you can communicate with your employees based on their individual needs and encourage them to recognize each other’s.

Learn more about career strategies with CAREER COACHING. Click here.

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News

Course Connections Followup

MSPH0762 — Linda Degenhardt, Sales and Catering Manager Concord Hospitality, Charity Ibabnet-Rodriguez, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Susan Ascher, Amy Delman, Amy Delman PR, Azad Neenan, Emma Justice

Thank you again for coming to Course Connections July 16th! We had (yet another) GORGEOUS day and a ton of fun at our networking and cocktail hour! I for one made a great connection with Linda Degenhardt, Sales and Catering Manager for Concord Hospitality. Linda has invited me to lunch and a tour of The Renaissance Hotel in Rutherford, NJ today! Who knows? We may be having an event there one of these days!!!

A special thanks to our sponsors, Kate Sweeney/Morgan Stanley, Karolina Dehnhard/ Budd Larner PC, Sally Glick/Sobel and Co., CPA’s, Vince Egan/ Benjamin Edwards & Co., Amy Delman/Amy Delman Public Relations and Mahvash Saba/Saba Photography. We couldn’t do it without all of you and your continued support to help others learn the value of COURSE CONNECTIONS!!!!

Special mention to our fabulous photographer, Mahvash Saba. All the photos on this page were taken by her. Don’t forget Mahvash for any of your corporate event photography, headshots or just about any photography your friends and families need!

MSPH0715 — Joe Haggerty, MGC PPGA professional and Susan Ascher, Founder The Ascher Group and Course Connections

And thank you to our pro, Joe Haggerty. Not only were we the beneficiaries of his great instruction on the range, but in a surprise move, Joe took us out on the course to play a few holes WITH HIM to learn a bit more about on course strategy! The real deal. Please keep Joe in mind for private instruction. Golf club membership not required!

It’s not too early to sign up for our next Course Connections on Thursday, September 3rd! I look forward to seeing all of you for our final Course Connections!

Thanks again for attending and I’ll see you on the links!

MSPH0721 — Azad Neenan, Analyst, Deutsche Bank

Career

Answering Work-Life Questions Raised by Millennials

Why Millennials Need Career Coaching

career-coaching-blog-post People known as millennials, those born in the late 1980s up to the 2000s, seem to be looking for a greater work-life balance than previous generations. They are motivated by different factors than the generation before, and much different factors than the Boomer generation, who will be entering retirement over the next few years.

Businesses need to keep up with changing career coaching trends. What worked for Baby Boomers will probably not work for millennials. Learning exactly what motivates a millenial and how businesses can cater to those needs will help make the most of their employees’ abilities.

The Work-Life Balance

An even balance between work and life is the top priority of most millenials, studies show. Nearly one third of surveyed millenials say that balancing their personal lives and their work duties has become a challenge over the past five years, and they want that to change. Almost half of all millenials are working more hours than previous generations, leaving very little time for personal responsibilities and family.

Millennials are actively seeking flexibility in where and how they work. In fact, most employees would be willing to take a pay cut if they were allowed to telecommute. This is important for a couple of reasons.

For one, millenials currently outnumber the amount of other generations of employees in the workforce. Additionally, turnover rates with millenials are high: if they’re not happy, they have no qualms about seeking employment elsewhere. Businesses can’t afford to lose money on high turnover rates.

What’s The Issue?

Baby Boomers and Generation X employees still set the standard for the way that companies are run. Many employees in these generations adhere to traditional values: less than half of Baby Boomers have a spouse who works full-time.

The remaining Boomers have spouses that either don’t work at all, or work part-time jobs. This means that someone is always there to take care of personal responsibilities and family duties. It seems that there is a gap in understanding the problems that plague today’s workforce.

How Do We Fix It?

career-coaching-blog-post2 Technology and coaching. More and more employees are able to work from home and are more than willing to do so. One of the top reasons millenials quit jobs is because of a lack of flexibility. Millenials want a flexible work option, but they also desperately want to make a real difference in the workplace.

Career coaching is designed to find what motivates employees and build upon it. Many millenials are not familiar with their soft skill set and don’t know how to identify their strengths. When they’re not given the motivation they need to succeed or can’t identify the skills needed to get there, they look for something else.

At the end of the day, most millenials want a little bit of guidance, a lot of flexibility, and the opportunity to express their strengths. If you can give them that, they will reward you with talent and resourcefulness.

Click here to learn more about Career Coaching.

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Sales

The Art of Sales: Turning Clients into Friends

What Does It Mean to Be a Likable Salesperson?

sales-coaching2 Despite the common perception, extroverted heavy-pushers are not the ideal sales candidates. Confidence sells, but the line between confidence and aggression varies for different people. What clients really crave in a strong salesperson is amiability. They are choosing a contact they can call on evenings and weekends. They are choosing trust.

Trust into Friendship

“Friendship” may sound like a strange word when discussing business needs. Affable salespeople definitely lighten the meeting atmosphere, but the best way to establish real trust is to consistently meet client needs. A salesperson must be both flexible and able to tailor their services to the needs of their client.

The Sales Executive Council published a survey identifying five important aspects to effective sales support:

Offering a fresh perspective. A business relies on their sales reps to provide innovative ways to increase revenue while cutting cost. Their perspective can lower risk or help a company enter new markets.
Flexibility. The ability to change a pricing structure, sales package, or other aspect of the business relationship to better meet client needs.
Creative Thinking. Customers need salespeople who offer alternatives and can change their way of thinking.
The ability to avoid problems. Good salespeople are attuned to all aspects of the supply chain they serve. They know when a raw material hike spells trouble for a line of products and can move quickly to protect their clients from losing money long-term.
Offering education. Clients need to remain informed, and salespeople know where to find the right data, studies, and other information.

Long-Term Coaching

sales-coaching-3 A true salesperson exists to provide support in terms of deals, market knowledge, and product information, while influencing their clients to make positive changes to their business. This ongoing relationship is a skill and like any other skill; it requires practice.

The best way to see a trusting business relationship develop is through experience. Shadowing co-workers is effective, which is why more companies are starting to establish long-term sales mentoring programs.

Sales coaching is another option. It is a uniquely effective service for young professionals, because the relationship the salesperson has with their coach closely mimics the type of bond shared with their clients. Coaching is so important to sales that companies that sell business-to-business (B2B) spend between $4-7 billion on it annually.

Selling with Noble Purpose

The concept of purpose in sales comes from new research surrounding job and client satisfaction and company revenue. Salespeople still live in the shadow of the used car salesman, but as trusting relationships deepen, the salesperson becomes more committed and attuned to their clients. Their job becomes something that is about more than just believing in the products and services they sell – it is about believing in their clients.

Interested in learned to be a better salesperson? CLICK HERE for more sales coaching info.

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