Do you ever feel stuck and you can’t seem to move yourself into action that gets you results in your business?
Well, today I am excited to share some awesome tips from Emerge coach, AJ Varney. She is an expert at moving people into action by simplifying their process and giving them the words they need. In the last few weeks alone, she has helped 3 clients get unstuck using the “5x5x5 model”. Here are some of the highlights from our conversation, and be sure to click the link below to watch the entire interview.
Tasha: AJ’s coaching superpower is that she pulls out the best version of people, and she is a role-model for hard work. She is an expert at moving people into action by simplifying their process and giving them the words to move into action. Just in the last few weeks she has helped 3 clients get unstuck using the “5x5x5 model”.
AJ: 5x5x5 model
We were looking to make things fun. We can all busy ourselves and find things to take up time, but when it comes to making an impact with people it means you have to get on the phone and having a true connection with someone while also having fun.
For some reason the number 5 has really stuck with this model. It is
-5 days a week (if you are working your business full-time, you are working 5 days a week. It can also be 5 hours per week even if you’re not working full-time)
-5 phone calls per hour
-5 referrals asks per day
The other piece is that if you feel like you are having trouble taking action, we do a 5-second countdown. The second one of my clients feels stuck, they have to implement the 5-second rule and they have 5 seconds to countdown and pick up the phone to make the call.
T: That is so good. We have to move ourselves into action, otherwise we’ll procrastinate forever.
So if I were your client right now, I would ask you, “Who do I call to make those 5 calls?”
AJ: There is a cycle of the hottest to the furthest down the priority list for you to call. It is important to have a list or a system in place of the most important people you need to call. The most recently contacted and the people who have expressed interest are the people you would want to call first.
I have noticed that those are the people that are in the back of people’s minds. We want to get them out of your mind and onto a piece of paper, in a spreadsheet, or into a CRM ready to call. Those are the people I would go to first.
If you were to say to me, “I have no one to call,” I would say, “Go to your customers.”
But, generally, the people that you know you need to follow up with, if you felt some hesitation around calling them, they need to be called first. Sometimes it there are those “White Whales” people are hesitating to call, those people need to be called. Get ‘em off the list! Usually people get the most impact when they call those people first.
From there, people who have had appointments already, rescheduled appointments, etc.
T: You mentioned a CRM. For those who don’t know a CRM is a Customer Relationship Management system that is a database of your customers that will give you reminders to call people back on a certain day, and you can keep notes on your calls. Many of CRM’s have apps for your phone that you can use instead of your Notes app.
This eliminates the problem I found myself in while I was in San Diego this past weekend of writing down a “reminder” to call someone on a piece of paper that I now cannot find. Using a CRM’s app, you can add a task with a due date on the spot instead of writing it on your hand, or a receipt, or napkin and losing it or washing your hands without remembering.
If you have any other questions about that, you an email me (tasha@emergesalestraining.com) and we’ll put you in touch with one of our partners who can help you with that.
AJ: Google calendar and HubSpot I have found helpful, but even just having a spreadsheet is helpful to have all of your contacts in one place so that you don’t forget that person.
The whole purpose is to eliminate that hesitation further so that you get to taking action and create urgency.
T: So let’s say I had a one-on-one, and my customer needed to talk to their husband so they had to schedule a time to follow up. What would you have me say when I followed up?
AJ: So I will run through two scenarios:
- I will have you end that conversation so that you are prepped for a follow up
- Calling and following up out of the blue
So in scenario 1, end the conversation and ask them as many questions as you can so you can fully understand where they’re at and how to best help them. Then saying something like, “Ok, let’s set up the next time to talk so that you have a chance to talk to Brian (your spouse) about this product or that kit. Then we can talk about what the next best step is going to be for you. In that call, we are going to go over any questions what you and Brian talked about, any questions that have come up, and figure out what the next best steps are for you to get what you need. Does that sound good to you?”
Then, of course, they are going to say that sounds great, and you set up that follow up call right then and there, which will help with the transition so it is not as awkward to follow up. However, if you didn’t set up a follow up like this, it is ok, but if you did, you’ll have an agenda of what to say right away and say something like, “Hey, so it’s great to talk to you again. I know you and Charlie talked about what our conversation was, so I wanted to go over what you two talked about, any questions you may have, what you two are thinking about, and then I can help you take your next best steps. How does that sound to you?”
T: Can I share what I wrote down that I thought were so amazing that you just said? 🙂
AJ: Well…yes, of course!
T: I think a lot of people, myself included, would call and just say, “Let’s set up a time to see if you’re going to buy.” The distinction here is you coach clients to ask, “What’s the next best step for you?” That would make me feel very safe, compared to calling and saying, “Ok let’s talk in a week and get your order set up,” if the call doesn’t go exactly right I might dodge that call or feel less comfortable.
AJ: I often set up my clients to have a relationship with that person whether it is a no-sale or sale at that follow up call.
T: So we have 5 days a week, or 5 hours a week, 5 phone calls, and 5 asks for referrals. So what is some verbiage you can share to help me with asking for referrals?
AJ: Referral asks all come from passion. Let’s say the follow up call is a no-sale:
“That’s totally understandable. I really enjoyed working with you. I’m hoping we can set up a time to look at some options for you later down the road. Does that sound like something that is doable?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, awesome. So I hope you found what you learned with me at our meeting. Did you find it helpful for you?”
“Yes.”
“Awesome. Well, something that I am super passionate about helping bring this knowledge of this product to other people and help them live better lives. Is there anybody that you know that would benefit from having a conversation with me like we did. I’ll offer them my services, and if it is something they are interested in, great. If not, no problem. Nothing on you.
Do you know someone who would also benefit from having a conversation like we did?”
T: Awesome.
AJ: As you have a subject that you are super passionate about, you can develop that to be more powerful and even incentivize. But what I gave you wasn’t incentivized, it was just straight from the heart, I want to help people like I helped Tasha even though it was a no sale.
T: If you’re hearing that and you’re wondering how AJ knew those words, this is something we teach in one of our core programs, Your Direct Sales (and Recruiting) Foundation. There is a whole module dedicated to asking for referrals without being an annoying dork. A lot of what AJ just shared is part of a structure in that course so that you can personalize it, so it is authentic to you, as opposed as to feeling like you are taking someone else’s vision.
I love it. I think that is all I have on the 5x5x5x5-I think there are four 5’s, AJ.
AJ: Yeah, 5x5x5 and 5 seconds to get yourself into the 5x5x5 🙂 :).
T: I think we need a fifth 5 so that we can call it 5 to the fifth power. Can we think of what the 5th one would be? How about 5 M&Ms?!
AJ: I was going to go 5 recruiting conversations, but I think people are going to like 5 M&Ms better!
T: What would happen if we trained people sales skills the same way we train our toddlers how to use the toilet? What would happen to people’s business?
If you’re listening or watching this, leave a comment what you think the 5th 5 should be. Or email AJ at AJ@emergesalestraining.com
AJ specializes in coaching people making between $2-6000 range, she specializes in communication skills and getting you into action. You can reach out to AJ directly about one-on-one coaching, or small private group coaching at AJ@emergesalestraining.com.
Thanks for checking out today’s post. If you are ready to take the next step to fast track your business, text “coachplease” (one word) to 44222. One of our really nice sales and leadership coaches will reach out to you to chat about how to move your business forward.