This is submitted by my good friend,  Nancy Holguin.    You can read her story here:

THE CLIPBOARD:

So, how many sports are your kids in?  Soccer, softball, football, etc….    It seems all we did while our kids were growing up, was drive them to endless practices; volunteering as coaches, team mom, snack duty.  You name it we did it!

What usually indicated who was “in charge” of the team, was determined by who was carrying the CLIPBOARD!  The Clipboard was that magical piece of equipment that made everything seem official and real!  It was an extension of the
coach’s hopes, dreams and goals for the team and carried the hopes & dreams of  each  player too!   Were they on the “A”  team, on the top of the list or lost somewhere near the bottom?   It seemed like everyone wanted to be on the top of that clipboard.

When we started our Arbonne career, it was natural to take notes from the lessons we’d learned, after all those years of schlepping our kids around from one sport to another.

One of the most effective sports tools we infused into our business was in fact the CLIPBOARD!

We utilize that charmed Clipboard in many ways, but especially for booking our group presentations and one-on-one appointments.

The clipboard carries that magical feel of being official and since everyone wants to be on the top of the list, we’ve keep our calendars full and even have a “wait list” from time to time. 
I bet there’s a Clipboard out there, just waiting to work its magic on your clients!   So get moving to your nearest Office Supply Store, get your CLIPBOARD and get your GAME ON!!!

Blessings,

Al & Nancy Holguin

Check out the amazing tools and products on Nancy’s website  www.iWish.MyArbonne.com  

Here’s some other Sports Lessons you can use to Drive More Sales:

1.  Clipboard.   Never hit the Field without it!   As per Nancy Holguin, Regional Vice President with Arbonne International,   “A Clipboard helps me keep my calendar full.  It keeps me focused, and it helps people to see the intensity and purpose in which I can help them get what THEY want!”

2.  Passion.   Ever watch an Athlete walk on the court or field?   They are FIRED UP!  They are jumping, hi-5-ing, smiling, waving… taking in the cheers of the crowd.  Like an athlete you need to start every call or visit and be prepared to PLAY HARD and WIN!   Make a few “Key Plays”, and you’ll turn clients into raving fans.   Ralph Waldo Emerson said  “Nothing great was ever achieved without Enthusiasm!”  

3.  Get Back up.  I fell off my horses many times.  I showed competitively for about 16 years, and have broken bones & other “scars” to show for it.   My dad always said:  You gotta get up to get better!

A friend recently sent me this video.   We WILL fall.  We CAN rise!

Brad says:  Take the NO!   

Just like baseball, you won’t get a hit every time.   Don’t let NO defeat you – get ready to Swing again!   Baseball Hall of Famers have a 0.350 batting average (they miss 65% of the time!)

Do you have the mindset to hear “NO” 65% of the time?   You must have tenacity and courage – there’s plenty of great opportunities out there waiting for you to take a swing.

Kerry says:   REBOUND!  

In basketball, you’ve gotta be ready to rebound.  That ball can bounce in almost any direction.  Are you: ready? flexible? aggressive?  Do you have the skill to take control of the ball (or sales call) and generate the best opportunities for both you & your client?

When you hit the 3-pointer, what happens next?   Does everyone on your team (including you) know exactly what needs to happen after a client says “YES!”    

If you can’t answer that question confidently, perhaps your sales system needs a new Playbook.   The team at 3:17 Consulting Services can draft up a new Game Plan.   Athletes have played a sport all their lives and understand the importance of turning to a coach to decide on the next step.

For immediate help developing your Game-Winning Strategy & Skills,  call us at:  512-222-7317.

We’re 3:17 Consulting Services.  We’re here to help you EXCEED your sales goals.

What lessons have you learned from sports and applied to your sales or business?   Weigh in on the conversation on our Facebook page - and help motivate others too!

Barbaro was an undefeated champion.  He was destined for great things.   With little effort he crushed the competitors at the Kentucky Derby,  but took a fatal step at the Preakness.  Here’s some things to learn from this amazing animal, and the team who stood by his side.

Most of the statements below are from the book  Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America's Heart (click to get your copy today)

#3:  Look for Opportunity.

No one knew Barbaro would be a Kentucky Derby Winner, until he accomplished it with such grace.   His first training team, John & Jill Stephens, said Barbaro “learned faster than anyone else and he always looked for more“.     What opportunity are you looking for that would challenge and prepare you for your Next Big Win?   I heard once that when “Opportunity” knocks… it doesn’t go away, it just finds someone else who will answer.

#4:  Instill Confidence.

Trainer Michael Matz always knew Barbaro was destined for something grand.    ”I’m better when I don’t talk about him, when I just go and try to look for another one but I know there isn’t going to be another one, maybe ever, as good as he was. ” ( page 167)    The Stephens said “he did everything the right way” (page 21).   Jockey Edgar Prado said  he had never been so confident for such a big race in his life.  This horse made him feel invincible. (page 85)

Do your clients, management, supporters know that YOU are the best there is?   Will you always do “the right thing.”  Does your solution/service make them “Invincible” or significantly better?   Or are they out looking for another one?

No matter what business you’re in, instilling confidence is perhaps one of the biggest reasons that people will do business with you, and send you referrals too.  If you’re not confident in your self, product, industry, team  -  who will be?

#5:  Be STRONG.

“Even the best horses go through phases that they seem really dull… he’s been a very, very tough horse in terms of his attitude.”

EVERY Business Leader and Sales Professional goes through “phases”.  Close some big deals, dry spells, roller coasters, feast or famine.   There’s many “phrases” we use, but keeping your Mental Toughness will make a difference between a “dry spell” and a burn out.  There’s no reason why you can’t turn every “bump in the road” into a learning experience that will make you that much better.   Be STRONG!

#6:  Have  a  great team.   

 “The public fell in love with Barbaro.  They had good taste.  Horses come in all shapes, sizes, attitudes, and personalities.  It just so happens that Barbaro possessed the talent to reach stardom and the fortitude to overcome disaster while surrounded by a talented and dedicated group of caretakers who never gave up.  People love a hero – whether he beats death or dies trying.  Barbaro died trying.”   Sean Clancy

Rise up; this matter is in your hands.  We will support you, so take courage and do it.   Ezra 10:4  

If you need more help instilling confidence or being mentally strong through any of your business challenges, call the coaching team at 3:17 Consulting Services.   Most CEOs will tell you they are a success because of their team.  We have helped over 18,000 business professionals to sharpen their sales skills and stick to their business plan.   YOU are destined for great things!

The way Jockey Edgar Prado puts it,  ”I knew he was going to win for sure.  If somebody beats this horse today, he’s a super horse, out of this planet…   All I had to do was smooch and (Barbaro) grabbed the bit and wanted to go.  I said  ’Oh, OK, just hold on; we’ve got three-eighths to go, don’t worry about it.’   In the Derby?   That was  exciting.”

Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby, and all Prado did was smooch.   Author Sean Clancy writes:   “Prado couldn’t believe he never had to hit the horse, still couldn’t believe the gap he saw as he looked under his right arm and saw nothing but fading colors…  As Barbaro lowered his landing gear and eased to a walk, Prado looked up at the sky and saluted his mother.“

A few weeks later, Barbaro took a fatal step in the Preakness, and survived a grueling 8 months of surgeries and rehab before being turned out to his pasture for one last time on January 29, 2007.

Business lessons from Barbaro

The following points come from Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America’s Heart, from Sean Clancy.

The first of a 2-part series, of ways that a horse can inspire you to be a better business leader.

#1:   Be Vigorous in your Pursuits.

The whips.  The jockeys maintaining low weight.  The illegals who are typically hired hands around the ranch.   Horse racing has many “controversial issues”.   But, as a youngster I groomed a few awesome horses and got to watch them run miraculously fast around a dirt track.   Their speed.  Prowess.   Vigor for life unmatched by most other animals.

What’s a race horse doing early Monday Morning?  Running.  Stretching. Growing Stronger with each stride.   Rather than grown at your alarm clock remind yourself:

• What NEW things have happened in my business?
• What new clients need to know, so that they too can benefit from my product/service?
• How can I make my business stronger, help more clients, and get what I want in return? (my version of Proverbs 11:25)

#2:  Strong Mental Attitude.

From the time he was born through his final hour, Barbaro was a “Nice Horse”.    Even at the hospital Dr. Dean Richardson said  ”He… is a very good patient.  His mental attitude is great.  He’s a very active, inquisitive, bright type of horse” (page 166) “It’s pretty easy to fall in love with a horse like him.  He’s got a lot of charisma, he’s a great horse…”  (page 177).

Before & After

After surgery, Barbaro practically jogged back to his stall (page 161).   How would you react and treat others if your leg was broken in 23 places?  If you had bones fused, and a locking plate and 27 screws in place?

Trainer Michael Matz said “He never showed us signs that it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle. He didn’t want to die.”  (page 7)    Barbaro’s owner, Gretchen Jackson, said  ”it’s increased my awe for him since his injury.  He has just carried that look throughout, that ‘I can deal‘.”  (page 176).

Can you “deal” with challenges that are happening in your business?  A tough boss.  A non-paying client.  A shortage of cash flow.  Another “rejection”.   Things may be tough but choose NOT to let them become life-threatening to your business or mental attitude.

I’ll share more business lessons from Barbaro soon.  In the meantime,

Need help keeping your head down, and running your race?  Need “blinders”, so you can see the difference between “Opportunity Ahead” and “Shiny Distraction”?   3:17 Consulting Services can help you EXCEED your goals by focusing on what’s BEST for YOUR business!

kerry@317consulting.com

It sounds strange to hear “Take an Hour out of your day, and you will multiply your results”.    But, it works!

The Formula:

• 30-minutes of Exercise.    Cardio + weight-based training.
• 20-minutes of Reading.   (NOT Twilight & Harry Potter), but Business Books that BOOST your Business!
• 10-minutes of Prayer.    Face it:  we NEED all the help we can get; and, God WANTS us to connect with Him!

Here’s a little  ”proof”:

30-minutes of exercise:

 It’s “interesting”  that most workout DVDs are 30-minutes or less.  Jillian Michaels can kick your butt and have you sweating in just 30 minutes.   Even most half-marathon training programs, propose you run about 30-minutes a day, with the longer runs just on Saturday.

WHY??   According to one researcher,  ”Exercise exerts its effects on the brain through several mechanisms, including neurogenesis, mood enhancement, and endorphin release… and it’s one of the few ways to create new neurons. “

Read this:   How to Invest 30 Minutes and Gain 4 Hours for Your Business Every Day

20-minutes of Reading:

There’s thousands of business books written each year.  Pick one.  Start reading.   If you commit to reading 20 minutes a day, you will find ways to increase your current business line, develop new skills, enhance your communication skills, improve your relationships (at home & at work), get different perspectives, better understand clients, and so much more!  Jim Rohn was once appalled:  only 3% of the population has a Library Card.   He said (and I paraphrase):  ”if you want to be in the top 3% earners, you need to do what that 3% does:  READ!!”

Don’t have Time (or patience) to read the whole book?  Book Summary Services help.  Kinda like Cliff’s notes, you get the highlights, but you’ll miss the stories of HOW to get there!

Did you know:  Reading can eliminate stress... “better and faster than other methods to calm frazzled nerves such as listening to music, going for a walk or settling down with a cup of tea…”

• One idea:  Read 10-minute Toughness ”your personal coach for boosting brainpower and achieving a competitive edge in whatever game you play”
• PLUS:  Read a Proverb a Day (Apps for your iPhone & Android).

10-minutes Prayer

 Some people spend hours in Prayer every day.   If this is NOT a part of your daily regimen, start with the 10-minutes.   Have Breakfast with God.   From George Washington to Barack Obama, Presidents have typically been men of prayer.  Business Leaders  incorporate prayer to help them lead & find balance.   Jesus prayed OFTEN…  I definitely need to do it more often!  For the non-religious, consider Napoleon Hill’s  ”Think and Grow Rich“.

Find someone to help you be consistent with this 30-20-10 program.  You may find you’re soon getting better results in every area of your life!     If you do not have a trustworthy comrade to hold you “VICTORIOUS” in these 3 Pivotal Parts of your business, contact Kerry@317consulting.com and we’ll customize a Sales Coaching Program just for you!

At 3:17 Consulting,

Our Goal is to help you EXCEED yours!

 OK… I picked this book up at the Library for a couple of reasons.

1.  I’m a “Personal Development Junkie”.  I confess.  I’d rather read Personal Development than any other kind of book, and I’ve read about 10 books so far this year.

2.  I like learning new things, hearing new ideas.   My mind works like an umbrella on a rainy day: works best when opened!

3.  I like the number 7.   Some people call it “God’s Number”.   God doesn’t just have ONE number… He gets them all!   1 Chronicles 29:11  says “everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”

4.   Brad was getting 3 books, so I needed a 3rd.

5.   It’s from the Library.   Don’t like it, return it.

6.   I liked his initials (MM), since I’m (MM = Martin-Moore)

7.  I want to become a Millionaire. The subtitle is  ”The Fast-Track Plan to Becoming a Millionaire”.

OK, so that’s WHY I got the book.  Pathetic?  Maybe.  But hey, I got the book, and read it.  It fits my criteria for “quality reading material”, and it has to do with my goal to become financially independent (again).

What I got out of it blew me away.   While I “assumed” this was just some “get-rich hype book” (aka: powerfully inspiring work of art), I soon found myself writing notes about ideas I need to immediately implement in my business and my life.

I’d actually move this book in my library to “BUSINESS BUILDER RESOURCES”.   Here’s why (some direct quotes):

page 58:  No other business skill – not management, not accounting, not production or cost controls or customer service – matters more than the ability to generate sales and profits.  If you think otherwise, you are kidding yourself…

Page 84:  implement the “chicken entrepreneurship” (don’t quit your day job until you know your brilliant new business idea will work out).

Page 85:  Ask everyone you know for leads.   Too often, capable people are reluctant to reach out.  Pride, shame, and fear sometimes prevent us from doing the smart thing:  letting our friends and colleagues know that we need help… asking for help – if done honestly and without applying pressure to the other person – is like giving a gift.  Wealthy and successful people are usually happy to support others who are just starting out, because it gives them the sense that they are paying back the universe for their own good fortune.   And, Michael tells you WHAT to say when you do ask for help!

Page 104:  Know how to Sell!  Cold calls are essential to any sales business… rejection doesn’t bother me for more than a second – and then I’m onto the next call… Protect your business interests… Don’t Be Afraid to Fail! The secret is to try things… You have to fail in order to succeed… Without passion and integrity, the business won’t have what it needs to work, and I won’t have what I need inside me to succeed.

Page 107:  Don’t let anyone stop you… Have passion for your work.  It will fuel your drive and creativity… Work hard, play hard, and relax whenever you can to recharge.

Throughout:   Create a Second Stream of Income  (Third, Fourth, Fifth are GREAT TOO!)

That’s just a few of the great things I got from this incredible “Master-piece” from “Mr. Master-son”.   I’ve just joined his ezine  (http://www.earlytorise.com)  and hope you’ll join me in learning more.

Click here to get your copy and get started on your Seven Years to Seven Figures Journey!