eg
entrepreneurs’ tales, tools & tips
FREE
GIFTS inside
experience growth. Jan/Feb 2017. Issue 10 £PRICEless value
8
Our Top
Personal
Growth Books
Totally
Missguided Nitin Passi Fast & Furious Fashion Wellbeing
#reruns
Here’s a great way to reframe the new year
Personal Development
3 Things to STOP
Do these & you’ll START to thrive
Business
8 Essentials for Start-ups
The key things to get you started
loads more GROWTH resources & FREE Gifts inside
Are you equipped for
your journey?
Get the experience
growth
roadmap
Download your
FREE copy with
Colin Tomlin, Publisher, eg Magazine & Author, the GROWhow experience
Welcome to
H
appy New Year to you!
Yup, here we are at the cusp of another year! A year full of possibilities. A year not necessarily to start new things but to do a #rerun. A what? A #rerun. Read the piece on page 49 and hopefully it will make sense ;)
old fashion authority, we are featuring Nitin Passi, the young, trailblazing fast fashion entrepreneur who’s story inspires Nitin’s 7 Lessons for Entrepreneurs.
eg
Colette and welcome Sam Hurley. In addition to browsing eg Magazine online, you can read it, listen to it & watch it too in our membership site. In addition, you can read, listen & watch a Book Summary of each of the books we feature.
We bring you 8 more of our chosen personal growth books complete with links to our new Book Summary Program & Amazon, so you can purchase it right away as So, let’s kick off 2017 with a a paperback or a kindle great expectation that you As you would expect, download. will experience growth we have a whole load of faster & expect to go further! entrepreneurs’ tales, tools Joining our regular and tips for you to experience contributors ( Lilach, Alex, BiG Love & Blessings, growth this year and Susan, Cheryl and Ru), beyond. providing great content with tangible takeaway value, we Thanks to Leah, our 15 year welcome back Sunil, Janet & & the eg Team
Regular Contributors Lilach Bullock, Social Media Expert
A business owner, social media consultant, internet mentor and genuine digital guru, Lilach is consulted by journalists and regularly quoted in newspapers, business publications and marketing magazines (including Forbes, Wired, The Telegraph, Prima magazine, The Sunday Times, Social Media Today & BBC Radio 5 Live). Listed in Forbes as one of the top 20 women social media power influencers, she is one of the most dynamic personalities in social media. She actively leverages ethical online marketing. In this issue Lilach shares ‘What you need to know in 2017.’
Alex Gordon, Speaking Coach
Alex is an accountant by training with years of experience within the City of London and running an accounting solutions practice. His real passion, though, is helping people to discover or rekindle their dreams. He regularly speaks to Audiences asking a poignant question, ‘What is your dream?’ He recently published his book of the same name and travels the UK preaching a message of redefining, refocusing and repackaging talents to bring solutions to your community, customers and clients. He lives in London with his wife Sharon and 3 children. In this issue Alex asks ‘What is your Defining Moment?’
Susan Maddison, Founder of The SHIFT System
Susan is a certified Master Practitioner of NLP which means she specialise in reprogramming your unconscious mind. She’s a trained speaker & TV presenter and have interviewed influential entrepreneurs & celebrities including Richard Branson, and Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock. With 18 years experience in IT & coaching, she specialises in coaching high performing ambitious individuals in the Corporate/IT world, aged 25-40. She helps shift what is holding people back and teach them how to be architect of their life. In this issue Susan explores ‘3 Things to STOP!’
Cheryl Nankoo, Executive Coach
Cheryl is an experienced Sales Consultant and Executive Coach with over 17 years business experience. As a Certified NLP Master Practitioner, she has coached and mentored people from all walks of life including senior executives, board members, elite athletes and even other coaches. In 2014 she qualified as an mBIT (multiple brain integration techniques) coach which looks at how we use our three brains (head, heart and gut) to make decisions. In this issue Cheryl shares her ‘30 Days of Gratitude’ & ‘7 Tips to
Making Healthy Food Choices’
Ru Wikmann, Fitness Model & Personal Trainer
Ru is a model, personal trainer & body transformation coach based in a private health club in Central London. Unlike most fitness professionals, he knows what it is like to be seriously unfit and as a result knows how important the right mental approach is, in order to take action, overcome adversity, and succeed at reaching goas you previously thought were unattainable. Ru has an enviable track record and is known as the sculptor for a reason. When not in the gym or transforming bodies, he can be found strutting his stuff on the catwalk. In this issue Ru helps you to know ‘7 Ways Strength Training Can
Change your Life.’
Guest Contributors Sunil Bali, Executive Coach, Speaker, Writer
Sunil has been responsible for hiring over 50,000 people and has worked with some great entrepreneurs , professionals and leaders , as a former Head of Talent for two of Europe’s largest companies , Vodafone Group & Santander, and having run a £50 M business himself. He is on a mission to help create authentic, sustainable and rewarding business relationships. To this end he helps entrepreneurs and professionals to generate stronger relationships, results & revenues by showing them how to increase the level of trust people have in them and their business. In this issue he shares ‘Warren Buffet’s
advice for 2017’
Janet Efere, Sales Trainer
Janet is based in Enfield, north London and trains small businesses and entrepreneurs how to sell more. She has recently reached the final of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management’s national awards (BESMA 2016) in the category of Sales Trainer of the Year and, in November 2015 won ‘Start up Business of the Year’ at the Enterprise Enfield Business Awards. In this issue Janet guides us to ‘Sell with Why’
Colette Machado, Publisher & Editor
Colette is the publisher and editor of Sales Mastery, a monthly digital magazine aimed at sales professionals and business owners worldwide featuring articles written by sales experts to help them improve their selling skills. She also provides PR and copywriting services to small business owners to help them get publicity in the media and connect with their target audience through the power of words on their website, social media platforms or other marketing material. In this issue Colette shows us ‘The Art of Social Selling’
Sam Hurley, Digital Marketer
Sam Hurley is a lateral-thinking digital marketer holding 5+ years’ selfexpedited experience in both agency and client-side settings before launching his own digital consultancy venture: OPTIM-EYEZ. He has achieved success for SMEs, national to international blue chip organisations while being ranked as the world’s #1 digital influencer by Webinale. In this issue he provides us with ‘7 Key Learnings For Aspiring
Entrepreneurs’
FREE
GIFTS inside
Publishing & Advertising Director Colin Tomlin colin@egmagazineuk.com Resource Development Director Judy Lynch-Tomlin judy@egmagazineuk.com Partnerships Director Cheryl Nankoo cheryl@egmagazineuk.com Project Management & Design Creative Wells Design design@egmagazineuk.com Advertising advertising@egmagazineuk.com 0785 34 33 700 Photography Google Images Dreamstime Fotolia Eryn Grace Kirkcaldy Pexels.com Publisher Creative Wells Norwich NR8 6HA Terms & Conditions All materials are strictly copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No part of this online publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the expressed permission of Creative Wells Enterprises. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage of any material, solicited or unsolicited. The views expressed in this publication may are not those of the publisher or those of the advertiser. No cash alternative will be offered for Competitions and the publishers decision is final. Previous issues & Resources www.egmagazineuk.com
Subscribe
FREE to get previous issues for
eg
entrepreneur’s tales, tools & tips
I hope
You
are
CRAZY...
“ ...because the
People
who are
crazy enough to think they can
!
WORLD are the ones who do Steve Jobs
“
CHANGE the
Contents
GROWhow Stuff
Business
Cover Story: Nitin Passi A little over 7 years ago a Our Top 8 Personal Growth fashion entrepreneur had an idea. Books In this issue we explore how his Read them and be inspired and Missguided idea is taking over motivated to experience growth online retail. this year. Sign up for our weekly eg Book SummaryProgram @ 8 Essentials for Start-ups members.colintomlin.com In this the year you’re going to step out and make that idea a reality? Here are 8 Essentials that you need to know. in partnership with
Personal Wellbeing
7 ways Strength Training can Change your Life
You’ve made your New Year’s Goals. Now how can you make it happen with Strength Training.
7 tips on Making Healthy Food Choices
What if we saw this year as a #rerun of the last one? How could this simply shift make this your best year yet?
The Art of Social Selling
We hear a lot about Social Selling. So, what exactly is it and how can we use it to drive sales into our Organizations?
What is your Defining Moment?
The Surprisingly Effective Sales Question We all have that moment. That moment of decision and clarity we ...you are probably not asking. look back on as a turning point towards destiny. What’s yours?
7 Key Learnings for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
We are often reminded that we are Find out what one entrepreneur what we eat. So how do we ensure experienced as his key Learnings and how you can apply it too. that the food we eat is healthy?
#reruns
Sales & Marketing
Warren Buffet’s Advice for 2017
We find out what it is and how it makes a big difference.
Social Media Masterclass
What you need to know in 2017.
Social Media is ever evolving. With the insight of our resident When the Sage of Omaha speaks, expert, we find out what to be we listen. So, what wisdom does he mindful of this year and how to make the most of it. have for us this year?
Personal Development 30 Days of Gratitude
We explore this simple yet consistent practice of gratitude and 6 ways it makes us feel. 3 Things to STOP Discover the 3 things that you need to STOP if you are ever to START living the life you have the potential to live and excel in. A Tale of Golf Balls, Pebbles, Sand And Beer Find out how a simple story told by a Philosophy Professor has the power to reframe your priorities and make you see the BiG picture.
Connect with us
Let’s go on a journey
Discover. Define. Deliver. your BiG id
y to...
deas.
Happy new YOU
WEEKLY Book Summaries. 3 Formats (pdf, audio, video) All for the weekly cost of a cup of coffee. And you get eg Magazine for FREE.
FIND OUT MORE > Join Now. Cancel Anytime.
our top
8
Personal
Growth
Books
rship e n t r a p in
with
#1
or
‘
So that morning in 1962, I told myself, Let everyone call your idea crazy...just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where ‘there’ is. Whatever comes, Just don’t stop.
experience growth magazine
’
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Phil Knight
In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan.
and gutsy, he begins with his crossroads moment when at 24 he decided to start his own business.
He details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream - along with his Selling the shoes from early triumphs. Above all, he recalls how his the boot of his car, Knight made $8000 in first band of partners and employees soon his first year. Today, Nike's annual sales top became a tight-knit band of brothers. $30 billion. Together, harnessing In an age of start-ups, the transcendent power of a shared mission, Nike is the ne plus and a deep belief in the ultra of all start-ups, spirit of sport, they and the swoosh has become a revolutionary, built a brand that changed everything. globe-spanning icon, one of the most A memoir rich with ubiquitous and recognisable symbols in insight, humour and hard-won wisdom, this the world today. But book is also studded Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has with lessons - about building something always remained a from scratch, mystery. Now, for the overcoming adversity, first time, he tells his and ultimately leaving story. your mark on the world. Candid, humble, wry
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
‘
This book is designed to coach you through a project from conception to finished product, seeing it from the point of view of Resistance.
’
Benedict Carey How We Learn is a book that shakes up everything we thought we knew about how the brain absorbs and retains information.
manual…' Mary Roach, bestselling author of Stiff.
'This book is a revelation. I feel as if I've owned a brain for 54 years and only now discovered the operating experience growth magazine
'Whether you struggle to remember a client's name, aspire to learn a new language, or are a student battling to prepare for the next test, this book is a must. I know of no other source that pulls together so much of what we know about the science of memory, and couples it with practical, practicable advice.' Daniel T. Willingham,
#2
Filled with powerful, and often thrillingly counter-intuitive wisdom, stories and practical tips, it gets to the very heart of the learning process; and gives us the keys to reach our very fullest potential in every walk of life.
or
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
#3
‘
Taken together, the twelve levers make your life easier and more fruitful. By using these levers, you strengthen your character and your influence with other people.
’
or
Stephen R Covey Stephen R. Covey believed there were only two ways to live life: a life of primary greatness or a life of secondary greatness.
rewards of secondary greatness - money, popularity and the self-absorbed, pleasure-ridden life that some people consider 'success'.
Sacrifice, Service, Responsibility, Loyalty, Reciprocity, Diversity, Learning and Renewal.
For the first time, Covey defines each of these 12 Through his books and qualities and how they speaking, he taught that In his posthumous can be leveraged and the intrinsic rewards of work, Covey lays out the enacted in your daily life primary greatness 12 levers of success that to lead you to success integrity, responsibility will lead to a life of and happiness. and contribution - far primary greatness: outweighed the extrinsic Integrity, Contribution,
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
John Maxwell John Maxwell’s leadership philosophy is simple: ‘Everything rises and falls on leadership.’ As a result, he’s made it my life’s passion to develop leaders at all levels. This is the theme that has permeated his over 70 books and speak to millions of people who value what it takes to become a great leader . This book explores this question: ‘Gather successful people from all walks of lifewhat would they have in common?’ The way they think! Now you can think as they do and revolutionize your work and life! experience growth magazine
This easy read, a John Maxwell signature and A Wall Street Journal bestseller, How Successful People Think is the perfect
spired to change your thinking and change your life.
compact read for today's fast-paced world. America's leadership expert John C. Maxwell will teach you how to be more creative and when to question popular thinking. You'll learn how to capture the big picture while focusing your thinking. You'll find out how to tap into your creative potential, develop shared ideas, and derive lessons from the past to better understand the future. Explore these eleven keys to more effective thinking, you'll clearly see the path to personal success. You will finish this book in-
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Get the experience
growth
roadmap
Download your
FREE copy
Are you equipped for
your journey?
‘
Sonja Lyubomirsky Focusing on life’s biggest, messiest moments, Sonja Lyubomirsky provides readers with the clear-eyed vision they need to build the healthiest, most satisfying life.
any negative and limits our potential for personal growth.
A corrective course on happiness and a call to regard life s twists and turns with a more open mind, The Myths of Lyubomirsky argues that Happiness shares we have been given false practical lessons that promises myths that prove we are more assure us that lifelong adaptable than we think happiness will be we are. attained once we hit the culturally confirmed It empowers readers to markers of adult success. look beyond their first response, sharing This black-and-white scientific evidence that vision of happiness works often it is our mindset to discourage us from not our circumstances recognizing the upside of that matters most."
#4
or
ultimately, we each can identify the steps to take to forge our way to a fulfilling life and help ourselves reach and exceed our happiness potentials.
...
experience growth magazine
’’
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
#5
or
Jocelyn K Glei The average person checks email 77 times a day, sends and receives more than 122 email messages a day and spends nearly a third of their working week managing a constant influx of email. Even when we're away from work, checking email is the most popular activity we engage in on our mobile devices. Email is a powerful and essential tool, but it has become a near-constant source of frustration, anxiety and experience growth magazine
distraction from our work.
your natural creative rhythms.
In this insightful and Through her actionable, intensely practical book, thoughtful advice, Glei Jocelyn K. Glei explains will help you to: why email is so over Stop letting email whelming and dictate your mood, addictive, and lays out your focus and your strategies for limiting to-do list the energy you spend on Process your inbox it. efficiently Compose messages These include setting that get people to take meaningful work goals, action clarifying to yourself Establish boundaries which people and that allow you to messages truly matter engage in more and creating a daily meaningful work. routine that aligns with Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Alden Mills
Improvise to overcome; Seek However the past has expert advice; shaped you, your future and Team up. is yours to shape, and if you want to shape it for Mills uses the success, you'll find no power of a parable better coach to get you and his own there than Alden Mills. experiences as a Navy SEAL and Alden's strategy is seasoned embodied in an action- entrepreneur based acronym called to teach his UPERSIST: proven Understand the why; Plan in three dimensions; Exercise to execute; Recognize your reason to believe; Survey your habits;
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
framework for success. Woven through Be Unstoppable is the parable of a young skipper from a seaside town called Uptoyou. While working in the local fleet with other skippers, the young
skipper meets a remarkable Captain who teaches him the Master and Commander Code. This chance meeting forever changes the young skipper's direction in life, and sets him on a course for living his dreams.
#6
or
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Dr John C Maxwell If you’ve never read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, you’ve been missing out on one of the best-selling leadership books of all time. If you have read the original version, then you’ll love this new expanded and updated one.
Every Law of Leadership Why would Dr. Maxwell has been sharpened and make changes to his updated. best-selling book?
“A book is a conversation between the author and reader,” says Maxwell. “It’s been Two new Laws of Lead- ten years since I ership are introduced wrote The 21 Laws of New evaluation tool will Leadership. I’ve grown reveal your leadership a lot since then. I’ve Internationally strengths—and taught these laws in recognized leadership weaknesses. dozens of countries expert, speaker, and around the world. This author John C. Maxwell New application new edition gives me the has taken this millionexercises in every opportunity to share seller and made it even chapter will help you what I’ve learned.” better: grow.
experience growth magazine
Seventeen new leadership stories are Included.
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
#7
or
‘
It’s been ten years since I wrote The 21 Laws of Leadership. This new edition gives me the opportunity to share what I’ve learned.
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
’
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Start your
engines
#FREE
eg
From all of us @
Happy New Year! experience
growth.
33gadgets 1
2
Swiping Pixel C is a fast tablet with a high-resolution display, 100% designed by Google. It’s aluminium construction provides for less weight and more style. Enjoy films, videos and more on one of the brightest and responsive tablet screens available with one of the longest battery lives (10 hours). At 7mm, Pixel C is not just portable but powerful too. experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
The Pixel C’s keyboard is des alongside it’s companion key in an instant between swipin adjusts to different angles, so comfortably wherever you wa The screen angles between 10 you can work or play comfort Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
The ubiquitous search engine giant that took the software world by storm with it’s ever present Google suite of apps has now built a suite of hardware
products with it’s new phones, tablets, virtual reality and streaming products. Here we look at 3 of it’s new products. Pixel C
Tablet, Pixel C Keyboard (which turns the tablet into a laptop) and the new much lauded Pixel Phone.
3
Typing
signed from the ground up yboard, so you can switch ng and typing. The screen o you can type or watch ant. 00 and 135 degrees and tably anywhere. experience growth magazine
Connecting Google’s Pixel Phone is it’s first standalone phone and it has really set the precedent for what a pure Android smartphone can be. It comes in 2 sizes (5 or 5.5 inch screen), 2 colours (silver and black), 2 memory options (32GB & 128GB)and has a 12.3 MP camera. With Google Assistant and unlimited storage for your photos, it is certainly a contender. Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
eCame
.
. eConquered. eSaw
Subscribe to find out how
experience
growth.
7
ways
Strength Training for
can change your by Ru
Lazy LIFE
Wikmann
Fitness Model & Body Transformation Coach
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Personal Wellbeing
Y
ou could get married. Have a baby. Move across the world. Start a business. All of these are life-changing events that make you a different person. But did you know your life can change significantly just by taking up the habit of strength training? That’s right, if you’re willing to commit to it, your life will change significantly in many ways. Here are some of them.
experience growth magazine
Change #1:
Change #2:
This one’s obvious for anyone who has ever stepped inside a gym. When you add strength training to your routine, your body shapes up quickly.
Want to reduce your worry factor significantly? Then start lifting weights.
Tone up
Working with me, you can determine an appropriate strengthtraining regimen that will give your body the look you desire. When you look better, you feel better and are more confident. But lifting weights isn’t just about looking good…
Subscribe to eg
Lower your Health Risks
When you do, you’ll find your body has better defence against the common cold and other everyday sicknesses. But that’s not all. By lifting weights and staying healthy, you’ll be better able to sidestep countless diseases that plague so many, from diabetes and cancer to heart disease and stroke.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Change #3:
Go for Longer Ever just want to crash and burn after a hard day at work? Wish you had the stamina to play footie with your kids on the weekends? Lifting weights will you help improve your stamina so you can do just that. Once you’ve lifted weights for a while, your muscles grow stronger and you learn how to power through even when you’re feeling a bit worn out. Going longer, however, isn’t reserved for the athletic field. Change #4:
Improve your Sex Life
blood flow throughout your body. On top of that, you will feel better about your body and that improves it even more :) Change #5:
You Can Focus Meetings aren’t the most exciting events in the world. They can drone on for hours, and your involvement does little to help those you’re meeting with find solutions. Until you start lifting weights. Suddenly, your brain is getting the blood flow necessary for optimal function and your brain generates new connections. Once your most important muscle is conditioned, you’re ready to be alert and thoughtful.
Lifting weights won't transform you into some sort of nymphomaniac, but it will do lots of good things for your body that in turn translates to good things for your sexual abilities. One way strength training does this is by improving
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Change #6:
Change #7:
Life is not easy. And when it comes at you full force, the stress can be too much. When this happens, you may find yourself spiralling into a bout of sadness. Lift weights regularly, however, and you’ll experience something the prescriptionproducing world doesn’t want you to know. Lifting weights gives your body what it needs to fend off depression. And you don’t need a doctor’s appointment for a weight-lifting session.
It is good to plan and know what you’re doing with your life. However, if you spend all your life worried about what you’re going to do with yourself when you retire in 25 years, you’re missing out on something very important: the here and now.
You’ll Smile You Live in More the Now
When you lift weights, you’re forced to focus on the task at hand. Otherwise, you’ll never get that final rep in. By incorporating strength training, your life is changed for the better, because you finally learn to live in the moment, a skill that translates to increased life satisfaction. Sounds good to you? Give me a shout today to get started on a fitness routine and nutrition plan that’s custom tailored to your needs.
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Success.
Stories.
experience
growth.
7 Tips for Making Healthy
Food
Choices
For Busy People on the Go by Cheryl
Nankoo
Executive Coach
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
P
eople often tell me that they find it hard to eat healthy food when they’re working long hours, away from home and have limited food choices. Well, here are 7 of my tips on how to make healthier food choices when you have a busy work schedule.
experience growth magazine
Tip #1
Tip #2
Spend some time at the weekend preparing food in advance, so it’s easy to prepare lunches and snacks to take to work.
Work dinners and lunches don’t mean you have to eat badly. Ask the restaurant to prepare your food as you want it. Don’t be shy to ask to swap creamy dressings for olive oil. If you feel compelled to have a dessert, ask for fresh berries or fresh fruit. Don’t feel pressured to drink lots of alcohol, order a glass of wine and sip it.
Pack Your Own Food for Work
Make sure you pack enough so you can eat light and eat often throughout the day, so you don’t go hungry. Take snacks for the morning and afternoon as well as lunch.
Subscribe to eg
Choose Wisely When Eating Out
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
‘
Make sure you pack enough so you can eat light and eat often throughout the day, so you don’t go hungry Tip #3
Choose the Right Snacks
When on the road and travelling avoid the temptation of newsagents and service stations by taking lots of your own snacks such as raw nuts, fruit, trail mix, dark chocolate, water etc.
dressings that often have the most calories in them.
Tip #5
Special Requests when Flying
If you have to use a service station then choose nuts or fruit and avoid sugary snacks.
Long haul business (or pleasure) flights are not an excuse to eat rubbish. I often ask for gluten free meals which tend to be healthier. Other healthier options are seafood, diabetic and low fat meals .
Tip #4
Tip #6
Make Fast Food Clean
The reality is sometimes you’re only faced with fast food chains. Opt for grilled meats, ask for extra salad and avoid dressings – it’s the
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Don’t Starve
Make time to eat! Book eating time into your diary if you have to, it’s important not to go hungry. Your body needs nutrients for it to
Subscribe to eg
function properly. You wouldn’t expect your car to work without fuel, would you? If you allow yourself to feel starving at the end of the day, you are more likely to make bad food choices.
’
Tip #7
No Excuses “Not enough time” “Too busy” “No options” These are all excuses. Stop making them. You always have a choice about what you eat. Take 100% responsibility for your own health and nutrition.
experience growth magazine
by Colin
Tomlin
Publisher, Educator, Author, Speaker experience growth & Cre8 Futures
#reruns …/relentless …/resourceful …/relational
I came to a startling realization. This new year will be a #rerun.
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
L
ike most people I spent the Christmas and New Year break watching too much TV, eating too much food and generally not doing too much. I really downed tools and there was a point at which I had to be encouraged to get out of my pyjamas and dressing gown, after spending about too much time in them! One of the things that we really got into was watching reruns of classic British film and TV comedy. You simply can’t beat Only Fools & Horses and Morecambe & Wise. Yes, we had access to huge amounts of new films and TV shows on Netflix & Amazon Prime, but we gravitated to the ‘oldies but goodies.’ Once the holidays finished, however, and I was forced to get off Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
my back and get back on my feet and venture through the front door, I started to think about the year that lay ahead.
improvement.
Through the haze of ‘New Year, New You’ messages, I came to a startling realization.
The deciding factor was simply being fuelled by my passion and how it could create new possibilities.
This new year will be a #rerun. Here are three reasons that convinced me that if I focused on them, 2017 was going to be an even better year than 2016.
#relentless by sensing RENEWED PASSION
I realized that the new year wasn't so much about a ‘new me’ but about pausing, looking back and looking forward to a ‘better me.’ I had done some things well but others left much room for Subscribe to eg
The things I did well, I was insistent, persistent and consistent.
#resourceful by seeing a NEW
PERSPECTIVE
At the start of 2016, we’d made some decisions without having all the required resources at our disposal. A step of faith in every sense. One of the projects we wanted to make happen was a new school. We reckoned that we needed a 6 figure sum to start our new school. As the year went on, it became clear that we weren't going to raise the funds in time for experience growth magazine
#relational by serving with NEW
our September opening, so we decided to take our feet off the pedal. However, as the new school year approached, we had a new sense of urgency, sensing that if we waited another year we would miss a great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Norfolk’s young people. We started to see and explore different ways of making Cre8 Futures happen. The end result? We launched our new school in a different way, in a much shorter timescale and for a much lower set up cost.
PEOPLE
One game changer for us last year in launching the new school was a great relationship based on shared vision, mission and values.
After spending time getting to know our new friend, we decided to collaborate. With a background and enormous skills and experience in construction as well as a passion for education, we made a formidable team.
By seeing things in a new way, we were more resourceful & created a new perspective
By seeing things in a new way, we became more resourceful and made it happen quicker & cheaper.
experience growth magazine
The school venture had been on the cards for some time. However, it took a chance meeting where we realized that we shared more than just synergy. Subscribe to eg
John Maxwell was so right ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’ As you venture into a new year, make sure you practice these three things. Give it a go. Be #relentless, #resourceful & #relational. It makes all the difference.
So, instead of starting something new be part of your very own #rerun. It’ll be the best thing you watch this year!
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Cover Story
Totally
Missguided
Nitin Passi Fast & Furious Fashion by Colin
Tomlin
Publisher, Author & Educator experience growth
A
s the proud father of a 15 year old girl who has become very fashion conscious, I was introduced to this brand with almost evangelical zeal. She is normally of of a laid back disposition, so when she started shrieking and was almost unintelligible about her wanting the outfit for a friend’s upcoming party from Missguided, I decided to take notice. I was even trusting (read as daft in Dad speak) enough to give her my card to make
experience growth magazine
the purchase. When her items arrived the next day, I decided to take notice. As my curiosity grew, I found out that they have an army of dedicated followers, a massive social media presence and, more importantly, they deliver. Fast! This was my first introduction to fast fashion Nitin Passi style! Why hadn’t I heard of them? Well, I wasn't a woman and I wasn't aged between 16 and 35.
Subscribe to eg
So, who is behind Missguided and what is this branded, UK-based fast fashion retailer all about?
Right from the Start
The year was 2009 and a young Nitin had been working the family business since leaving university. Mr Passi Snr runs fashion concern that designs, merchandizes, and wholesales women's apparel to a global audience. It was here that the
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
‘This was my first introduction to fast fashion’
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
young Passi developed his passion for fashion. Upon his return to the UK and with a £5000 loan from his father, Nitin dipped his toes into the fashion retail market. The recession was beginning to bite and
customers were focused on value. With this in mind he set up Missguided as an online retailer focused on high value and fast delivery. Six months later and with many trips to suppliers,
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
web designers, the post office and wherever else he needed to go as sole employee, the new entity made sales of over £100,000 and he realized that he was onto something. He decided to go all in with his new venture
Fast & Furious Acceleration
The next 5 years saw explosive growth in the operation with the brand being recognized by many as one to watch. The company’s 5th
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
birthday saw revenues of over £80 million and a collaboration with former Pussycat Doll and X-Factor Judge Nicole Scherzinger being recruited as brand Ambassador. With a growing online presence and new
online operations in the USA, Spain, Germany, France, Poland, Australia and New Zealand, Nitin sees massive potential in taking Missguided global.
Top Speed
So, what does the
Subscribe to eg
future hold for Missguided? In Nitin’s mind, Missguided has only just got started. Nitin’s ambition is to take the brand to a global audience with revenues of £1 billion.
In his words, ‘The vision is to be a truly global brand.’ If the first 7 years is anything to go by, the company will certainly accelerate in this direction, showing the world the Missguided way!
experience growth magazine
7 Nitin’s Lessons
for entrepreneurs
1. be CUSTOMER CENTRIC
Missguided works hard to be the kind of business that knows what their customers are thinking. A huge social media presence and web engine makes this possible.
experience growth magazine
2. be AGILE
3. be VALUE FO
In line with customer centric focus, Missguided values AGILITY which means that they can respond to any new trends. So, if an item is selling well then their supply chain’s responsive.
Subscribe to eg
One of the th struck me wh my daughter’ just how affo items were in high profile n brand. Missg about afforda
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
7. be a BiG THINKER
Nitin’s early experiences in The USA & The Far East as well as his schooling in Europe has created a global outlook. Combined with internet savvy, he is certainly thinking big for the future.
6. be AMBITIOUS
Missguided’s founder is not short of ambition. His commercial goal is to make the brand global. With turnover in the low 8 figures, he is keen to turn Missguided into a £1 billion pound company.
OCUSED
hings that hen I bought ’s outfit was ordable the n view of the nature of the guided is all able fashion.
4. be COLLABORATIVE
Missguided has started selling through ASOS, the global fashion online retailer. It’s also partnered with Selfridges in the UK & Nordstrom in the US. Collaboration is a key strategy for the company.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
5. be a TEAM PLAYER
In the first 6 months, Nitin did practically everything from picking up from the warehouse to packing and delivering packages to the post office. These days teamwork makes the dream work.
experience growth magazine
8
essentials
for your
Start-ups by Colin
Tomlin
Publisher, Educator, Author, Speaker experience growth, Cre8 Futures
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
S
o here we are in 2017.
Didn’t the last year go quickly. It just seems like the year started a few months ago and now it’s gone.
articulate from the outset with their desires and what problem is. references and what might be ‘hot right now’ might be ‘not right now’ very soon after. Essential #2
T is for Tell a Story
Having clearly defined the problem that your start-up is solving, it’s time to tell a story that captures the target audience’s imagination In fact, it’s the same desire that’s been lurking about the problem and, at the back of your mind importantly, your solution. for the last few years. However, while 2016 is gone, the desire to start that new venture is still there.
So what are the 8 essentials that you need to start up that business or organization you’ve been talking about.
That is the job of your brand. It builds perception and articulates the promise of your product or service.
Essential #1
S is for Solve Essential #3 a Problem A is for Ask the Every great start-up organization or business Questions is built on a purpose. A cause. A justification. A reason.
In essence, there is a problem that it seeks to solve. You need to be really clear and be able to experience growth magazine
So, make sure that the fundamentals of your business isn’t built on a fad or something transient. iTunes may well
have seemed like a fad, but it was built on the premise of changing the distribution and consumption of music.
Essential #4
R is for Recruit Evangelist
You will already have some clear ideas about your start-up business or organization. However, never stop learning about As every network the evolving needs of marketing your target audience. enthusiast knows, it takes an almost Customers change along evangelistic Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
No matter how brilliant your idea and no matter how brilliant your product, branding, marketing or your market intelligence, if you do not build a platform to sell, you have no business! fervour to
spread the word about a new venture and build a new customer base and a new community. Marketing and advertising campaigns are great but nothing hits the spot like an evangelist with nothing to gain from enthusing about the features and benefits of your product. The thing is, most people love to make their voices Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
heard, therefore, it won’t take a lot of persuasion to talk about the product experience.
most importantly, the copy (wording) and the call to action. There are many components, and sometimes, a seemingly insignificant change delivers massive results in the call to action.
Just remember, though, this road is a two way street, so make sure you are able to respond honestly and openly Testing ensures that you when it doesn't go to are getting the best plan. results by tweaking little components. Try it!
Essential #5
T is for Test, Test, Test
When we launched experience growth online, with eg Magazine as our flagship offering, one of the things we were advised to do was to test frequently. Test the images, the fonts, the colours and Subscribe to eg
Essential #6
U is for Understand the Market Have you worked out WHO are you targeting?
This question is critical! Why? The answer is simple…
experience growth magazine
Essential #8 S is for Sell, Sell & Sell
If you don't know who your target customers are, then you cannot communicate effectively with them nor serve them appropriately.
No matter how brilliant your idea and no matter how brilliant your product, branding, marketing or your market intelligence, if you do not build a platform to sell, you have no business!
The very words you use (copy), is all about talking directly to your target audience’s fears, aspirations, dreams and desires. If you get the person profile wrong then you are literally speaking a foreign language.
All your activities must ultimately be underpinned by a sales platform as this is where the ‘solution exchange’ happens.
‘Sore wa hanasu yōna monodesu nihongo kara eigo e kotoba rīdā’ See what I mean?
(Look for the translation at the end of this article.)
Essential #7 partnerships are like a P is for rope where the 3 strands together in unison Progress work to create something stronger because through much each strand or party is in the same Partnership going direction and shares a
Partnerships can be contentious especially if closeness brought about each party has a different by common values. vision or different values. Your first and most essential partnership is However, the best your team! experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Your target audience will swap their money for your packaged solution to their problem. Unfortunately, this is where many start-ups fail! So, what about your Start-up this year? Are you up for it? How can we help? *Translation ‘It's like speaking Japanese to our English language readers’
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Leading.
Change. (In a totally different way)
experience
growth.
B
L E
Become a
Lifestyle Entrepreneur (It’s a much easier way of getting to the top)
Real.
Life.. Adventure
(In a totally different way)
experience
growth.
What is your
defining Moment by Alex
?
Gordon
Speaking Coach & Creator of the ‘Master your Message’ Speaking System
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
?
We often live in the shadow of who we really want to become, second guessing ourselves as to whether or not the timing is right.
Y
ou have something to say, you have a message, and you give it your best shot, not everyone likes it. What do you do? We often live in the shadow of who we really want to become, second guessing ourselves as to whether or not the timing is right. Because we are too frightened of unmasking that person, so we find a rational and logical excuse: the timing is
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
wrong, tomorrow, next week, when I get promoted, when I feel like it, when I have the finances. The biggest one is ‘I'm not feeling it right now’, a load of BS, just plain excuses. How many excuses have you made? But there are moments when we look through a window and we get a glimpse of what is possible. That big picture suddenly emerges from nowhere. I sat at many
Subscribe to eg
desks doing a variety of jobs for twenty five years hoping that something would come along that would give me fulfilment and make money. I did not hate my job but I did not like it either. I enjoyed the people I worked with and I loved the money that paid for my lifestyle. The daily interaction was amazing, the encouragement was beyond belief. One day my boss said to me, ‘You remind me of Anthony Robbins’. I was always giving mini seminars and
experience growth magazine
mini talks at work, around the coffee machine or at someone's desk. I guess that was a turning point. A seed was sown in my head. Some years later, I saw an advert looking for volunteers for Robbin’s signature event Unleash the Power Within in London. I signed up because it would be a great way to see how this conference machinery worked. That Friday we checked in over 1,000 ordinary people, men, women, young and old, all looking for something more to their lives. It was an awesome experience because the excitement and anticipation started at the desk as they booked in for the event.
you for all the hard breakthrough of your work. The energy was future self. Tell me awesome, the about it... electricity flowing through the room was Don’t run from it ecstatic. Tony comes in Embrace it at top form and starts Do it
But there are moments when we look through a window and we get a glimpse of what is possible.
At the close of the day the volunteers were invited into the conference as a thank
experience growth magazine
speaking. At that moment, something hits me, ‘This is exactly what I do when I speak in church, same atmosphere, same connection. I can do this. This is it.’
Commit to one action.
There is another version of you waiting to be unmasked and as my friend Yvette said, ‘Alex, you are too polished’. You want everything to be just perfect just right so You discover that that it feels right. So I moment but years have stepped into the later you struggle to zone of just being and step into it because you doing. I stopped my cannot learn it at brain worrying about college or university, whether it's good or you learn by being and bad. doing. Have you seen that window, the What about you? Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
by Sam
Hurley
Digital Marketer
Keys 7 Aspiring for
Entrepreneurs
‘
... it’s most likely one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
’
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
T
hinking of quitting your job to chase your dreams of entrepreneurship? It’s often a quandary for many professionals of all ages. Weighing up the pros and cons of self-employment or entrepreneurship seems an endless process and letting go of that ‘guaranteed’ salary is a tough decision.
experience growth magazine
In fact, it’s most likely one of the biggest decisions you will ever make! Just a few weeks ago after recently turning 28, I made that very decision to launch my own digital marketing consultancy. Now I want to help others beat the rat race. The time has to be right for you and you must be more than 80%
Subscribe to eg
confident it will work. Why not less than 80%?
You need self belief but also a fine balance between this and pragmatic perception. Why not 100%? Well, that is not pragmatic. It’s pretty unrealistic. If you are 100% sure of success, this life will 100% not suit you. With such a mindset, you are not suitably prepared for Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
‘
This is nothing less than perilous when venturing into life as an entrepreneur.
rejection, setbacks and failure. This is nothing less than perilous when venturing into life as an entrepreneur. Here’s my top 7 most important learning derived from my entrepreneurial journey so far:
second thought because I had plenty of it. Now, those days are long gone and I savour every spare second I manage to find! Believe me when I say you must make the most of your time.
In the past, I never really gave time a
Before starting out, plan well ahead and try to get everything in place before actually making the leap. You will be glad you took these steps later on. Ensure you own a slick,
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
#1. Time & Money are Precious
’
content-filled website which is exhaustively tested, user-friendly and optimised. My website still isn’t live but I invested extensive time into generating leads through my social media channels. That said, I still wish I had a website built and ready to go right now… Get your house in order before you leave employment - structure your communication channels and collateral. experience growth magazine
Think about your business phone number, diverts, voicemail, email signature, business cards, document templates and trademarks. The list really is endless! Now, about the money... I highly recommend you allow for at least a 1.5 year gap without earning a penny – and that’s considering double the amount of expenses you have initially projected. It may sound a lot...but there are so many unexpected costs that pop up. The 1.5+ year savings allowance is your cushion...if I hadn’t secured this as a fall back, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking ‘the big leap’. It really allows you to think freely, take further calculated risks and spend on the little extras to make your business flourish – instead of worrying about the bills of basic personal needs like food and rent.
experience growth magazine
#2. Relationships are Critical
I cannot emphasise this enough. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, those who can bring you on and invest time in you as mentors. These people are the gatekeepers to another world. A world of success and relationships you could never imagine becoming reality...until it happens.
Don't try to be the brightest spark in the room if you're not. Learn from those who hold greater knowledge to enhance your own abilities.
#4. Don't get Blinded by The Dream
It is damn hard work to
If you build relationships instead of hardselling your product or service, you won’t ever need a salesman! I have always been a 'people' person which has undoubtedly been a key factor in my success. I love to learn and engage. I'm never afraid to ask questions either…
#3. Always ask questions
“A person's intelligence can be measured by the questions they ask, not by the statements they make.” Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
‘make it’. We’re often drip-fed glamorous stories of entrepreneur lifestyles by the media, filled to the brim with white sandy beaches, fast cars and flash houses. Do you think these people got to where they are by chance?
95% of the time, no they didn’t. Unless you inherited millions, be prepared to graft. If the thought of working extremely hard for many years makes you shudder (as your social life diminishes before your eyes), this life really isn't for you!
#5. Love What You Do
Are you hungry for a quick buck? If you have dollar signs in your eyeballs but don't have a passion for your
‘
Balance capacity, opportunity and zeal.
#6. Prepare for pitfalls
Life as an entrepreneur isn't always peachy. Yes, you can become very successful but for every entrepreneur's success you can pretty much guarantee at least 1, 2 or 20 failures before they hit the jackpot! I know people who have set up countless businesses – only 10% of those setups
When bad times approach roll with it. Quitting or flitting is not the answer. business, is it worth it? Are you really going to provide the best service for your customers? It's not ideal to base your business on LED light bulbs because there's some money to be made; if your real passion is modifying cars! Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
’
becoming profitable for longer durations. Unless you are crazily spontaneous and can’t bear the thought of sitting still on one business idea - when bad times approach, roll with it. Quitting or flitting is not the
experience growth magazine
answer. Stay strong and believe in yourself. You will get through and you will turn things around if you really want to. Perseverance is a necessary trait. There are some days you just want to shut yourself away and bang your head on the wall. The next day could turn out to be the best day
ever, so much so; you run around outside shouting, “YES!!!!” That’s just the life of an entrepreneur.
#7. Spend time with loved ones
For the first 12 months you may well be (and this is excusable). But keep this up into year 2 onward and you'll not only unsettle those around you but exhaust yourself to the point where you simply can't be productive.
If you have children, this will be immensely more difficult.
Make time for your
I’ve recently joined a gym and spa with my partner which is great for keeping fit. It also allows us space to talk about non-work related stuff, have a laugh and ‘just chill’ (absolutely
loved ones and stick to it.
essential on this journey!)
At the same time, make sure they are prepared for what you are about to endure. You will not have the hours to simultaneously devote all your attention to both passions – there has to be a compromise at some stage.
Even when the work is piling up, I still make the effort to go. Find something similar and dedicate yourself for a healthy balance of work and 'chill'. It's necessary for a productive mindset.
Busy 24/7?
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Work. (In a totally different way)
experience
growth.
Buffet’s advice
Declaration
for 2017 by Sunil
Bali
Executive Coach, Speaker & Writer
W
orth over
$75Billion and considered to be one of the world’s most successful investors, Warren Buffet was asked what his advice is for being successful in 2017. His answer was to say
experience growth magazine
that Xmas cards should not just be for Xmas but should be for the whole year. You see, Buffet writes a letter or a handwritten note most days which typically includes a line of gratitude, or a few words of praise. Buffet says that whether its business or pleasure,
Subscribe to eg
ultimately everything is personal. And it’s the businesses and People who endear themselves to others, that are the ones which will endure. Mike Flint, Buffet’s personal airline pilot, says that Buffet loves deep conversations and is more
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Bali’s Banter
interested in hearing about your childhood, what makes you mad, what makes you laugh and what makes you cry than talking all things investment. As Buffet says, "Trust grows not from reason, but from the heart. How people feel has more binding power than how they think. Besides, life is so much fun when you’re trusted and worthy of trust." So don’t just communicate, connect.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
As they are waiting at the Pearly Gates, John and David strike up a conversation. "How did you die?" John asks. "I froze to death," replies David. "That’s awful," says John, "How about you, how did you die?" asks David. "I had a heart attack," says John. "You see, I knew my wife was cheating on me, so one day I showed up at home unexpectedly. I ran up to the bedroom and found her alone, reading. I rushed down to the basement, but no one was hiding there. I then ran up to the second floor, but found no one there either. So I went as fast as I could to the attic, and just as I got there, I had a massive heart attack and died." Upon hearing this David shakes his head and says, "That’s such a shame. If you had stopped to look in the freezer, we’d both be alive now."
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
The Art of
Social Selling by Colette
Machado
Publisher & Editor of Sales Mastery, a monthly digital magazine aimed at sales professionals and business owners
T
here is lots of talk about social selling but what exactly is it?
Why Social Selling?
Social selling is the method of establishing and developing relationships as part of
experience growth magazine
the sales process. Today this often takes place via social media networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, but can take place either online or offline. But why should you be using these various platforms? What Subscribe to eg
opportunities are they providing for sales professionals? One of the great things about social media is that buyers are far more open about their intentions than in the pre-social age. They can comment on forums, ask their followers on Twitter and update Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Sales & Marketing their status on LinkedIn. Of course, to gain opportunities this way, you will need to already be listening to your prospects.
Key Performance Indicators & Metrics
Social selling is all about discovering people who may eventually be interested in what you’re selling – then making yourself useful to them. As Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said, “People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people.” Social media can benefit businesses in a range of ways, not just in marketing and communications. It has been discovered that the most effective way to measure the impact and value of social media is
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
to create metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators) that align with your key business goals, whatever they may be. You are probably already using different metrics to measure the value of new product development or customer retention. The same should apply to social media. Your metrics should be determined by what you want to achieve through social media. A fundamental part of the sales process is getting to know your prospects and establishing relationships and developing them over time. With repeat customers being the best customers a sales professional can have, you will be happy to hear that social media can help you accomplish this quickly and easily.
Know your Prospects Well
Every good salesperson researches their prospects before meeting them for the experience growth magazine
first time. It is about understanding and empathy. Getting to know your prospect, establishing relationships and maintaining relationships are the keys to successful social selling. It works well when the seller knows how to fully engage their customer in the selling process. When researching a prospect, what should you look for: • Who are the key individuals within the organization • Who the salesperson knows • What’s happening on social media • What those same customers are looking for from the business • What their prospect’s customers are complaining about
Many companies are able to interact with their customers using twitter, can respond to customer complaints more quickly and in fact it is in their best interest to do so.
Good rapport
No company wants their reputation damaged or tarnished by customers saying how poor the service they received was. A company can then respond to such a complaint almost immediately and will often offer that unhappy customer a discount off a further purchase or another offer.
If you know your prospects well, you are halfway there. Rapport can be built far more quickly with social media than with other methods of marketing. This is because social media is instant. experience growth magazine
A strong, professional and reputable brand shows you are an active participant in your industry. It leads to more inquiries from prospects and ultimately more clients. A good salesperson knows that connecting with a customer and building a good rapport is essential for success and as a result a good salesperson not only focuses on selling a product but also on developing a good relationship with the client. Social selling is here to stay and companies, small, medium and large, are embracing it with vigour. Sales professionals need to do exactly the same and when they do, the ROI will be more than worth it.
To see more sales-related articles, subscribe to Sales Mastery magazine by downloading the free app
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
The surprisingly
effective
Sales question you’re probably not asking
by Janet
Efere
Sales Trainer | Transformer of Sales Teams Finalist ISMM Sales Trainer the Year 2016
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
S
ome things you learn through training. Some things you learn through actual real life experience. The question I am about to share with you is an example of the latter.
started using it because I wanted to make sure Well it might seem a bit that prospective counter-intuitive, but the delegates were signing question is simply this. up for the right course. There is lots of When you get an enquiry competition in the training world, as well as from someone about a whole raft of different working with your courses offered at company, ask them: As a sales rookie, I different levels with went on loads of training “Why are you varying objectives and courses which undoubt- interested in working for a wide variety of edly helped me go on to with us?” people. have a successful sales career. So, I began asking this However, it is question to true that you make sure that don't really organisations start to learn and individuals the best lessons signed up to the until you are correct interacting programme that with real life best met their customers in needs. all their glorious variety! Here are 8 ...or, a slight variation of reasons why Although I have since this is important: this is when they ask come across training about using a particular which suggests using service (or indeed Reason #1 this question, it is one I buying a product): Clients often think they stumbled upon by know what they want accident and, realising “Why are you but, after gentle probing how powerful it was, I sometimes reveal that still try to incorporate it interested in [insert actually something else into as many discussions name of product or is driving them. If I can service]?” with customers as find out what, I can offer possible. See? very simple isn't it? the best possible solution So, why is this such a So what is this good question? Well, I question?
Well it might seem a bit counter-intuitive but the question is simply this...
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Reason #2
Business is really not just about taking the money. It can be hard sometimes to question someone who is on the verge of buying, but you have to think long term. Good advice now may yield better results in the future than just the cost of one lost sale. You should be thinking in terms of a lifetime of customer loyalty and you won't achieve that if you don't give the best advice you can.
Reason #3
If I get an enrolment and a client comes on the wrong course, they won't get the maximum results from it, may end up being bored or detached because the content is not relevant and, of course, will leave not having achieved their objectives.
Reason #4
This has a knock-on effect within the rest of the class because it changes the group dynamic negatively.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
Reason #5
An unhappy delegate will go away without that all-important 'Wow' factor, which is so vital. Their feedback won't be as good and they won't give referrals as willingly, because the course didn't meet their needs.
Reason #6
Because the overall group wasn't as engaged, overall feedback is less than good with similar results to point 3.
Reason #7
Over time, my brand gets eroded and that is bad for business.
Reason #8
The dissatisfied client goes away and has to spend even more money going somewhere else of an alternative solution. I will admit it's not always plain sailing. I have had customers visibly surprised when I ask them about why they want to go ahead; after all, in their minds,
experience growth magazine
it felt a bit like I was hesitating to work with them. However, when I explain that I just want to find out what their objectives are, to make sure the course is right for them, then without fail, they understand what I am up to.
Pause for a moment and think about that. They actually tell you why they want to use you!
everybody's time and tell them so, ideally with a recommendation of an alternative supplier.
How fantastic is that? As a salesperson, that has got to be the Holy Grail of
I not only love the simplicity of this line of questioning, I love the powerful and immediate way it engages with the customer and you get to understand what really motivates them.
Which brings me onto another reason why this line of
So much in selling is
questioning can be so powerful. By asking why a customer wants to use you (or your service), what will you get? Oh you get something wonderful!
selling surely!
You get a list of reasons why they want to buy from you.
It is a super-effective way of making sure you align completely with what customers want. Or indeed, if you can't help them, you can now save
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
understanding customers' needs and to do this effectively, you need to ask powerful and probing questions. So in my book, this is one of the best. I would urge you to try this question and please let me know how you get on and what results you experience. Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
social media marketing What you need to know in 2017
by Lilach
Bullock
Social Media Expert
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 9. Jul/Aug 2016
2
016 has been a busy, busy year in social media marketing, and if there’s one lesson we can learn from that, is that the next year is going to be even more competitive and more difficult to stand out in the crowd. I want to share my top tips for social media marketing in 2017 that you need to know, the top trends and how you can jump on them, so that you have a successful social media strategy in 2017. Social media marketing is going to be a cut throat industry in 2017, here’s how you can stay ahead.
Recently, other major social networks have joined in as well. Instagram Live is
#2.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has been growing a lot in the past couple of years; in large part probably because social media is helping people achieve this status. While years ago, if a business coming to users all over the wanted to leverage someone’s influence, they world and Twitter have recently rolled out a feature needed a huge budget and a big star to help them that allows you to ‘Go Live’ without having to also get the promote their products, now periscope app, directly from even small businesses can within the iOS and Android leverage the power of a social
#1.
Twitter apps. This all shows that live video streaming is going to be big Video & Live in 2017, and luckily, it offers Streaming marketers and businesses a One of the biggest new way to connect with developments in Social their audiences and drive media last year has been live more engagement for their video streaming. Periscope, social profiles. Snapchat, Facebook Live, have all seen quite a bit of 2017 will be the year of success in 2016. video, so start creating a plan
experience growth magazine
now for how you can make the most of this very popular content format this year.
Subscribe to eg
media influencer. While you obviously won’t be getting the same results as if you had Brad Pitt promoting your product, social media influencers have a pull over their audiences that will help you get more engagement, more traffic and even more sales and conversions. And
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
although it can be time consuming to connect with influencers and build a mutually beneficial relationship with them, it is very much worth it, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing even more influencer marketing in 2017.
#3.
than for saving time.
People are inundated with content from all sides on It will also be exciting to see social media and the internet any new developments in in general, so if businesses augmented reality in 2017. want to get their own content noticed, they need to After Pokemon Go’s massive create better targeted success, it shows that there content. is a huge market for augmented reality - it’s up to Omni-channel marketing is businesses to find new ways also growing a lot, meaning of using this popular concept businesses need to find ways in the coming year. of integrating their social media with their other channels in a seamless way.
Virtual Reality & Artificial #4. Intelligence PersonalVirtual reality has been brought to the mainstream ization in 2016., as many affordable headsets have been made available. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses this year, as they will be the pioneers of this
new medium. Artificial intelligence has also evolved a lot in the past year and it will be interesting to see how it will be used in the coming year. Businesses will likely start investing in more intelligent ways of automating their marketing and social media, in order to get better results, rather Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Customer’s expectations are changing at a very rapid pace. And one of these expectations is for a more integrated, seamless and
personalized experience online. Businesses and marketers in 2017. will ned to tryu and create these personalized Experiences for their Customers, in order to build up loyalty and better relationships.
Subscribe to eg
People are very likely to switch between channels when interacting with a business, and they will expect as seamless experience while doing so. Those with bricks and mortar shops need to invest
in ways of integrating their social media into their physical shops in inventive ways. This helps create a better experience for the customer (and one that they’re slowly coming to expect as the norm) and it also helps businesses promoting online and on social media.
experience growth magazine
Mobile device usage is in constant growth and, in fact, mobile traffic has even surpassed that of desktop in 2016 for retail websites, which shows a huge shift in consumer online trends.
your visitors will simply close the window and move on to the next update.
So, if you’re not already optimizing your content for mobile, 2017 is definitely a good year to start or else you This means that marketers might be left behind. It and businesses have to make might seem like obvious adsure that their websites, as vice for many of you - but the well as any content shared truth is, there is still quite a on social media (particularly lot of cases where pwople images and other visual aren't optimizing their content) is properly content for mobile devices. optimized for mobile. Whatever you shareon soConclusion cial media needs to not only look good on mobile and be 2017 will be a cut throat year for businesses that are using easy to read, but it also needs to load fast or many of social media to promote
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
themselves. It will be difficult to stand out and get the results needed for social media, but with a bit of planning and outside the box thinking, it can be done. What do you think will be the biggest trends in social media for 2017? What social networks will be the most popular this year? Click to leave me a comment below to let me know what you think and please share :)
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
He escaped Will you
?
.
3o Days of
Gratitude! & 6 Ways it Makes You Feel by Cheryl
Nankoo
Executive Coach
G
ratitude may be one of the most overlooked resources that we all have access to every day. Practicing gratitude doesn’t cost any money and it certainly doesn’t take much time, but the benefits are enormous. I have been practicing
experience growth magazine
gratitude for almost 5 years now, where for 2 to 3 minutes each morning my first thoughts are to be grateful for a new day and to remind myself of things that I am grateful for.
anyone has attended one of my workshops or coaching sessions, you’ll know that gratitude is often one of the first topics I cover because it brings heaps of benefits and it is so easy to do.
I also maintain a gratitude list on my phone which I update from time to time. If
So, this 30 day gratitude exercise is to share the experience with you and to inspire
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Personal Development you to practice gratitude as well. The effects of intensifying my gratitude practice over the last 30 days was so profound that I want to share with you how it made me feel. Here are 6 of the effects that practicing gratitude recently had on me:
When we have problems we tend to focus on the problem, we talk about it to our friends, our colleagues and even strangers we meet and then the problem just seems to get bigger. However, by changing the way we look at a problem and focusing more on gratitude it really does help ease the situation.
Effect #1:
Effect #2:
Last year has been very challenging as I moved apartments and one thing kept on going wrong after another. I travel a lot for work and it’s been exhausting. The added pressure with my apartment issues was causing me some stress. However, I found myself just feeling grateful for my challenges because they were actually very fortunate challenges to have!
By being grateful for problems and challenges it also opened my mind to the opportunities that they bring.
You’ll Feel You Can Overcome Challenges
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
You’ll Feel Everything Happens for a Reason
For example, I had a phone call from my estate agent who told me that while I was away it appeared that another agent had still be showing my new apartment (which I had moved into) to prospective tenants. Rather than being
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
annoyed that this had happened I was quickly grateful that I had been made aware of the situation and saw it as a sign to change the locks! Similarly, I had a legal issue with my apartment that the landlord needed to take responsibility for. This reminded me that I am also a landlord and I had my own legal responsibilities to also look after as well.
with gratitude for all that was around me. It clearly demonstrates that the more you think of something, the more you attract it into your life. Effect #4:
You’ll Feel Increased Happiness
By focusing my attention to what’s good in the world, I just feel a So, when something greater sense of happihappens that you’re not ness. It doesn’t mean happy with, be grateful that I deny when things that it has happened are wrong, I just spend and ask yourself, “What more time lesson is this problem acknowledging all the going to teach me?” positive things around me. Mindful gratitude helps us to be in the Effect #3: now, to appreciate the You’ll Feel present moment in life and also enables us to The Law of make more of those Attraction lovely moments for othThe more I practice ers as well. As gratitude the more I gratitude grows it gives find things to be rise to joy. grateful for. There was just an abundance of things. I remember at Effect #5: one point just walking You’ll Feel on the beach at sunset and saying “Thank you, Less Lonely thank you, thank you” I found myself being very grateful for people out loud, I was filled
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
around me including colleagues, clients, friends, family and strangers. By being mindful of positive traits and behaviours in others, it made me feel more supported, and that made me want to be even more supportive to others in return. It made me feel safer and less isolated, The day that I posted gratitude for my brother, my heart was filled with so much love just by really noticing his kindness towards me which has always been there, but perhaps not acknowledged as much. Gratitude strengthens relationships that we have with everyone. Effect #6:
You’ll Feel Increased Awareness
Mindfulness and gratitude are very much linked. Practicing gratitude can also be a form of meditation. In moments of silence, I sit and feel gratitude and remember the
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
people, animals, plants, insects, creatures of the sky and sea, air and water, fire and earth, all whose joyful energy blesses my life every day. This has given me greater attentiveness and made me feel more alert and aware of the beauty of life. We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have – rather than complain about all the things you think you deserve. Developing a gratitude practice is one of the easiest ways to improve your satisfaction with life. Give it a go and notice how it makes you feel more energetic, happy, optimistic, alert and determined. Why not practice this and share the experience with me in 2017 SHARE the Gratitude Experience with us on
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
3STOP
things to ...if you want a smashing
2017
by Susan
Maddison
Founder of The SHIFT system Boost your confidence. Flip your mindset. Be architect of your life.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Subscribe to eg
experience growth magazine
I
’m a coach. Call me crazy but I love to see people genuinely happy and succeeding. I love to transform mindsets so I thought I’d share the top 3 concerns my clients have when they come to me, and what you can do to overcome them. It's easier said than done, unlearning lifetime ways of being always is, but if you want it enough you will commit to learning a new way to think, and with practice comes mastery!
#1 Being Negative & Negative Self-talk
It happens. You know it's not fun to be around. You know it doesn't feel good. You know it doesn't serve you. I know I don't need to explain why being negative and being around negative
experience growth magazine
influences & negative people is bad for you. If you no longer want to entertain negativity in your life here are a few points to ponder:
you are responsible for your thoughts you are what you repeatedly do what you allow will continue be willing to see things differently silence your inner critic - remember you get what you focus on nothing changes if nothing changes
Your language creates your reality. Be aware of your thoughts, notice your language. The thoughts & words you choose are so important. Negative self-talk is particularly damaging and will definitely be keeping you stuck. You know what I’m talking about…. "you're useless, a burden", "you'll never be good enough" , "nobody will ever want you", "fatty",
Subscribe to eg
"failure", "stupid", "fraud", "you can't do ...", "just accept life won't get better", "you're average at best", "if people knew the real you they wouldn't want to know you". If you wouldn't say what you're thinking to a kid - what makes it ok to say it to yourself?! STOP IT. NOW! Here's an acronym to help your transition to more loving positive language... Is what you’re saying to yourself (or others): True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind? If not, don’t say or think it. Simples.
#2 Self-doubt
Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. The only failure is not trying! If it doesn’t happen or work out as planned;
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
ask yourself why, take the positive learning, dust yourself off & try again – or chuck it in the f*ck it bucket and move on! Or perhaps it is the effect of others opinions & words. Seriously, it does not matter what they think. What matters is what you think of yourself. What you believe matters. What you believe to be real is real – and we do tell ourselves a lot of stories! The trick is to stop feeding your fears and learn to tell a better feeling, more supportive story. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” If you're comparing yourself to others, remember that what you see on social media tends to be the fabulous highlights & successes of a person’s life.
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
Everyone has ups & downs. Everyone has a story. Everyone struggles. Everyone experiences negative
been through. Think of all the good times you've had. Think of all that you have achieved. I’m guessing you should be
emotions. Everyone has negative thoughts. Everybody has breakdowns & freakouts. Everybody hurts. Nobody has everything under control. We're human after all. Bless your mess… Take a look at your life & where you are right now. Think of all the bad times you've
Subscribe to eg
giving yourself a huge pat on the back. You're more capable & stronger than you think you are.
experience growth magazine
#3 Worrying
The dictionary defines worrying as “causing anxiety or distress about actual or potential problems”. I like to define worrying as spending time thinking about a future you do not want! Absolute craziness. It’s a total waste of your time & energy – and makes you feel bad. It doesn’t change anything and keeps you busy doing nothing. If you’re worrying about another person
or what someone else is doing. I invite you to worry about why you’re worried about that person or what they’re doing. Instead of future-tripping, overthinking, or only thinking what could go wrong – think of what could go right. Rather than using your imagination to conjure up every worst scenario possible - why not use your imagination to conjure up
what you want & what you would love to happen? I call it practical daydreaming.
Over to you...
We are all guilty of all of the above. It’s up to you how you much time & energy you choose to put towards them. If you suffer from all of the above and don’t know how to make them stop - I can help!
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
A tale of
golf balls, pebbles, sand, & beer.
T
here is a popular story about an important life lesson that a philosophy professor once taught his students. As the professor entered the class he cleared his desk and placed on top of it a few items. One of the items was an empty jar. He proceeded to fill up the jar with golf balls until he could fit no more. He looked at the classroom and asked his students if they agree that the jar is full.
The teacher then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar with the golf balls. The pebbles filled all of the openings in between the golf balls. He asked the students if the jar was full. Once again, they agreed. Now the teacher picked up a bag of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled in all of the empty space left
between the golf balls and the pebbles. He asked the class again if the jar was full. The students agreed it was technically full. Finally, the teacher pulled out two beers from under his desk and poured both of them into the jar filling the empty space between the sand. Now the students began to laugh,
Every student agreed that the jar was indeed full.
experience growth magazine
Subscribe to eg
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
wondering how far this was going.
remained, your life would still be full.”
“I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life,” he started.
“The pebbles represent the other things in life that matter, such as your job, house and car.”
“The golf balls represent the important things. Your family, children, health, friends, and passions. If everything else was lost and only they
Issue 10. Jan/Feb 2017
“The sand; that is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand in first, there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all of your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are most important. Pay attention to the important things in your
Subscribe to eg
life. Enjoy time with family. Go to dinner with your spouse. Play games with your kids. There will always be time to clean the house or take yourself shopping. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. The rest is just sand. You are dismissed.” Before the students left, one shouted out. "You never mentioned what the beer represents!" The professor smiled and said, "Well I'm glad you asked. The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room to have a beer with a friend."
experience growth magazine
This year LESS really is MORE
LESS MORE TALKING PLANNING SODA JUNK FOOD COMPLAINING WORRYING DOUBTING LAZING AROUND FROWNING INSECURITY WEAKNESS IGNORANCE HATE INGRATITUDE
LISTENING DOING TEA SALADS ENCOURAGING HOPING BELIEVING WORKING OUT SMILING TRUST CONFIDENCE UNDERSTANDING LOVE GRATITUDE