Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Preface Acknowledgements WEEK 1 - START NOW DO THE HARDEST THING FIRST TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DO REMAIN POSITIVE WORK FOR TODAY, TOMORROW, AND YOUR FUTURE STICK TO IT WEEK 2 - STAY PUT WEEK 3 - CULTIVATE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET PROCURE TOOLS AND RESOURCES MARKET YOURSELF HIRE EMPLOYEES (ASSISTANTS) BUILD A SALES TEAM WEEK 4 - PROJECT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE SEEK OUT POSITIVE IDEAS BANISH NEGATIVITY AND SELF-DEFEATISM MASTER THE ART OF POSITIVE TALK WEEK 5 - SET GOALS ASSOCIATE WITH FELLOW GOAL SETTERS SET A GOAL SET A DEADLINE BREAK DOWN YOUR GOAL INTO MILESTONES WEEK 6 - DEVISE A PLAN ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN BUSINESS DESCRIPTION MARKET FOCUS SITUATION ANALYSIS VISION STATEMENT REVENUE PROJECTIONS BUDGET START-UP MONEY WEEK 7 - DEVELOP SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES DOCUMENT YOUR JOB IDENTIFY PROCEDURES DELEGATE THE WORK WEEK 8 - HIRE AN ASSISTANT RECRUIT ASSISTANTS SCREEN THE CANDIDATES VISUAL OR VIRTUAL? RETAIN YOUR BEST ASSISTANTS WEEK 9 - PRIORITIZE STEPHEN’S NOT-SO-SECRET SECRET REDISCOVER YOUR A-B-Cs DAY JOB, NIGHT JOB WEEK 10 - KNOW YOUR PRODUCT USE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE . . . IF POSSIBLE RECRUIT REFERRALS WEEK 11 - KNOW YOUR CLIENTS WHO’S REALLY YOUR CLIENT? USE WHAT YOU SELL PARTICIPATE IN CONSUMER COMMUNITIES CONSULT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS LEARN YOUR CUSTOMER’S BUSINESS GATHER FEEDBACK FROM CLIENTS WEEK 12 - RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS BE A SALESPERSON, NOT AN ORDER TAKER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS KEY BECOME A PROBLEM SOLVER WEEK 13 - UNDER-PROMISE, OVER-DELIVER ASK! UNCOVER SOFT EXPECTATIONS FOLLOW UP THINK TOTAL SERVICE WEEK 14 - LEVERAGE THE POWER OF YOUR DISABILITIES IDENTIFY YOUR ABILITIES AND DISABILITIES IDENTIFY THE POSITIVE IN YOUR DISABILITIES WEEK 15 - TURN PROBLEMS INTO OPPORTUNITIES LOOK FOR TROUBLE BECOME A PROBLEM SOLVER LOOK FOR PROBLEMS IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS, TOO WEEK 16 - BRAND YOURSELF: YOU, INC. NAILING DOWN MY BRAND ASSEMBLE A MARKETING PACKET WEEK 17 - ENGAGE IN SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION FOCUS ON SELF-PROMOTION MAKE IT A PRIORITY START ON THE INTERNET DISTRIBUTE REGULAR PRESS RELEASES DRAW FREE PUBLICITY AND POSITIVE PRESS INVEST IN PAID ADVERTISING WEEK 18 - SEE BUSINESS WHERE IT ISN’T IDENTIFY UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED MARKETS TRAIN YOUR MIND TO SPOT OPPORTUNITIES BUILD BUSINESS SYNERGIES WEEK 19 - BRAINSTORM PROBLEM SOLVING WITH YOUR STAFF ASK FOR HELP DON’T GET HUNG UP ON HIERARCHY FOSTER A PROBLEM-SOLVING ATMOSPHERE THINK ENDS, NOT MEANS WEEK 20 - FOCUS ON YOUR CLIENTS’ SUCCESS YOUR SUCCESS IS MY SUCCESS SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS YOUR MISSION STATEMENT WEEK 21 - WRITE NOTES TO YOUR CLIENTS WEEK 22 - LAUNCH YOUR WEEKLY HOUR OF POWER—100 CALLS IN 60 MINUTES HARVESTING PEARLS CALLED REFERRALS NO SELLING! NO INTERRUPTIONS! KEEP A TALLY SHEET WEEK 23 - MASTER THE 10-10-20 TECHNIQUE THE TECHNIQUE ANOTHER WAY TO NETWORK ADJUST THE TECHNIQUE WEEK 24 - HONE YOUR NETWORKING SKILLS WEEK 25 - MARKET YOUR HOME-BASED BUSINESS BARGAIN FOR AN ADVANTAGE NICHE MARKETING SEEK FEEDBACK CONSTANTLY BE CONSISTENT SET ASIDE TIME EVERY WEEK FOR MARKETING WEEK 26 - MASTER A NEW TECHNOLOGY WEEK 27 - EXPLORE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES ON THE INTERNET BUILD YOUR OWN WEB SITE BUILD COMMUNITIES THROUGH BLOGGING DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEB SITES AND BLOGS ADD A SIGNATURE FILE TO YOUR E-MAIL MESSAGES WEEK 28 - REWARD YOURSELF CREATE A REWARD COLLAGE REWARD YOURSELF BEFORE A SALE FINE-TUNE YOUR REWARD SYSTEM WEEK 29 - FIND A BETTER PLACE TO MEET YOUR CLIENTS CHOOSE A PLACE WITH THE RIGHT AMBIENCE SET THE STAGE NAVIGATE AN OFFICE MEETING WEEK 30 - IMPROVE THE WAY YOU ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ASK QUESTIONS THAT REQUIRE SOME EXPLANATION FROM YOUR CLIENT TRY TO ANSWER A QUESTION WITH A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN BREAK DOWN BAD NEWS INTO TERMS THAT ARE EASIER TO ACCEPT WEEK 31 - PERFECT YOUR TELE-SALES SKILLS MAKE A LOT OF CALLS NO SCRIPTS THE “MIRRORING” TECHNIQUE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN YOU CALL WEEK 32 - SHADOW A TOP-PRODUCING SALESPERSON MY SALES MENTORS IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE MENTORS HIRE A SALES COACH WEEK 33 - TEAM UP WITH A PERSONAL PARTNER CHOOSE A PARTNER DEVELOP A PLAN MEET WITH YOUR PARTNER WEEK 34 - HOOK UP WITH A MENTOR MENTORS IN THE FAMILY MENTORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD MENTORS IN YOUR OFFICE WEEK 35 - JOT DOWN IDEAS FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES WEEK 36 - NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS FORGET ABOUT THE MONEY STOP HUNTING, START FARMING GET CONNECTED GATHER CONTACT INFORMATION KEEP IN TOUCH GIVE WEEK 37 - LAUNCH YOUR OWN BLOG BRUSH UP ON BLOG BASICS TEST DRIVE A BLOG FOR FREE CHOOSE A BLOG HOST AND PLATFORM EARN HIGHER SEARCH ENGINE RANKINGS WEEK 38 - TRY AN INTERNET LEAD GENERATION SERVICE ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF LEAD GENERATION SERVICES BE PREPARED WEEK 39 - DATE YOUR LEADS . . . OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL CREATE A SYSTEM BE THE FIRST TO CALL WORK ON YOUR FOLLOW-THROUGH BE PERSISTENT DATE YOUR CLIENTS, TOO WEEK 40 - BUILD TRUST IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES