Jon Carson Consulting - September 2020

Jon Carson Consulting - September 2020

September 2020

TIME TO SEED THE GROUND And Prospect for Clients

that I can’t afford to miss in the fall, though, is seeding the ground or prospecting for clients.

This month, my uncle seeds my great- grandparents’ homestead farmland with hard red winter wheat. There is no guarantee that those seeds will foster golden brown kernels of grain next summer, but come every September — rain, shine, wind, or hail — he seeds the land in hopes of a great crop next summer. I hope you are doing the same with prospecting. It’s difficult to remind ourselves of the words on the Hemingway monument of cottonwoods and trout streams when “normal” now means wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing every day. That being said, we should push ourselves more than ever to think about what we love best about the fall. We may not be able to see it or taste it this time around, but next year, God willing, we will. Let’s also remember that planting prospecting seeds in the fall has to happen too. Reach out to your customers, reach out to your prospects, and remember, some will leave you, some will be added, and some will simply say, “Not now.”

As a kid growing up on a farm, there were some years that our harvest was destroyed by hail; other years, drought ruined it. Take courage, however, knowing that some of the seeds that you plant this fall will grow “thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and one hundredfold.” Don’t forget to seed your field of prospects this September!

“Best of all he loved the fall. The leaves yellow on the cottonwoods, leaves floating on the trout streams and above the hills. The high, blue windless skies ... Now he will be a part of them forever.” –Ernest Hemingway Monument, Sun Valley, Idaho The Hemingway monument (in the photos above) is one of my secret escapes, and usually I try to make the trip to visit the site on the edge of Trail Creek Road each September. This fall, however, is not usual (I’m certain that you’ll likely agree that the entire year has been quite unusual), and my visit will have to be in my mind’s eye. I will truly miss that trek this fall. One thing

Push yourself a little harder this fall, so come springtime, life will be that much better.

-Dave Tester

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OPTIMIZE YOUR SALES TEAM BY ENHANCING THEIR LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

ANALYZE TRAITS Leaders do have defined traits, but no two leaders are alike. Pinpointing the qualities that make each team member an effective leader — and therefore great at their job — can help you identify sales teams or partners that will function harmoniously. (Coincidentally, this process will also show you who should not work together.) The best pairs feed off one another. Maybe you have one salesperson who is the best at explaining the technical aspects of your product, while another is the most empathetic and emotional seller. Together, they’re a winning combination. PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING Learning is an essential part of sales. Salespeople have to understand the demographic, cater to trends, and be the first to admit when a sales tactic is wrong. In addition to learning skills specific to their position, salespeople should also undergo leadership training. Many of these courses and teachings target managers who have employees, but when you encourage your team to apply these concepts to potential clients, they will learn what leadership skills they must nurture within themselves to get more sales. You can also take managerial leadership training and convert it into a program that targets your sales team.

Think about the traits of a leader. You may be thinking of someone who can take charge, isn’t afraid to fail, communicates clearly, has a passion for helping people, and is extroverted.

Now, think of a successful salesperson. Do you see any overlap in characteristics? The answer is likely yes.

Salespeople are natural leaders. They lead consumers to the best product or service, and they effectively push our economy and businesses forward. However, having multiple leaders on one team can create friction. As an entrepreneur or sales manager, you must create a work environment that nurtures your leaders in the sales department without causing issues. Those with an innate sense of leadership still need the right training and work environment to optimize their skills and excel. When you provide these, the confidence of your team increases, their ability to sell effectively is boosted, and your sales numbers improve. It’s a win-win-win for you, your team, and the company.

You can create a plan for cultivating leadership with these two steps.

TESTER-

MONIAL

Are you ready to better yourself and your business? Have Dave secret-shop your front desk today! Call 208-707-9807 or visit GoDaveTester.com for more details.

Anthony Cruz, Marketing Manager Simplicity by Hayden Homes, Redmond, Oregon “The five-star training for Google reviews from you is working, Dave! Thank you for making it easy for our customers to give us five stars.”

“I love Dave’s Zoom meetings. His technology is dead on. The microphone is clear. His voice is clear. The meeting starts on time and ends on time. His slide animation is smooth. And then the content is really useful and helpful. If we could all learn and be that polished, what a team we would be!”

Alan Gold, Regional Sales Manager Allied Business Solutions, Boise, Idaho

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CHANGE CAN BE EASY

The key, Marmon explains, is to identify your company’s culture and cater your plan’s language to suit what will resonate with your employees the most. This will establish a sense of alignment with your business’s vision and direction, which can be one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. You cannot achieve success in a period of change if your team is doubtful and unwilling. With your company united toward your vision, you can begin to enact real change. However, this is only the beginning. Marmon’s book also outlines how to connect with fellow leaders in your company to develop a framework for growth. By creating a stable foundation and inspiring change, you’ll find this time of major transition to be much smoother than you may have anticipated. As a result, your company will come out on top at the end of the COVID-19 era. Marmon’s mantra is inspiring: “With the proper process, change is not hard.” And with her book, “No One’s Listening and It’s Your Fault,” business leaders can see just how simple change can be.

Pam Marmon understands what it means to adapt. After growing up in Bulgaria, Marmon had to modify her way of living when she emigrated to the U.S. Today, she’s a CEO, entrepreneur, wife, and mother who believes that change doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, she’s mastered it. Marmon has even established a company, Marmon Consulting, that helps other companies develop strategies for executing transformation.

In Marmon’s book, “No One’s Listening and It’s Your Fault: Get Your Message Heard During Organizational Transformations,” she outlines her proven methods for effective communication in any company setting, from a major corporation to a family business. Released on March 24, 2020, Marmon’s advice is timely in a period when many business owners are searching for proactive solutions and the next step in finding post-pandemic success. Marmon’s book is the perfect guide for business leaders who recognize the need for tangible change and want to execute it as effectively as possible.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake GG Gretchen’s Kitchen (My mom’s secret recipes)

Take a

BREAK

Ingredients

•

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened

• • • • •

1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• • • • •

1/2 cup oil

1/2 tsp cloves

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 cups zucchini, finely diced or shredded 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour milk (1 1/2 tsp vinegar + milk = 1/2 cup) 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

•

• •

•

4 tbsp cocoa

Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine margarine, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk and blend. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Blend into wet ingredient mixture. Stir in zucchini. 3. Pour into greased 9x13x2-inch pan and sprinkle batter with chocolate pieces and nuts. Bake at 325 F for about 45 minutes.

Corner Post MINISTRY

If you would like to listen to Dave’s spiritual podcast, visit CornerPostMinistry.com.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:4

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Remember to Prospect in the Fall

2 Steps to Cultivate Leadership in Your Sales Team

Tester-monial

How to Enact Effective Change

The Best Educational Tools to Help Students Succeed

STUDENT TECH SUCCESS

Educational Tools to Improve Digital Learning

Kids these days face so many more distractions from academics than their parents did. It’s not as easy to focus on homework when TikTok, YouTube, and all sorts of video games beckon. Instead of trying to prevent screen time, why not allow students to engage with technology that will help promote their learning rather than distract from it? Here are three tools to help students at different age levels get the most from online learning. BEANSTALK While Beanstalk is an online learning tool, the beauty of it is that the classes and videos aim to pull kids “out of the screen to do real-world physical activities.” These include science experiments, building projects, and more. Experienced teachers provide engaging lessons and learning tools, and many of them are free. EDUHAM What better way to learn about the history of our nation than through one of the nation’s most popular musicals? “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda launched this learning platform in 2016 along with the show’s director and in partnership with The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. EduHam is a free digital program for students and their families that provides history lessons on the Founding Era of the United States. It also brings art into the mix — Miranda shows students how to create their own performance pieces based on primary source documents, which they can then share in the app.

The program is geared toward students in sixth through 12th grade, though everyone is welcome to participate.

FIVEABLE For high school students, the most looming challenges include the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) exams that are so important for college. Enter Fiveable, the amazing free resource that houses thousands of livestreams, study guides, trivia games, and other resources for 15 AP subjects. Started by a former teacher, Fiveable is passionate about giving students the resources they’ll need to be successful now and into the future.

With so many resources out there, students can use technology in plenty of ways to help them be successful. Here’s to a fall season full of learning!

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