by Mike Brunel | Feb 14, 2023 | Leadership, Strategy
£25 and a Dream
Down under the under, a term I used to tell my American clients to describe where New Zealand was to Australia.
This time of year is a chance to reflect on the year thus far.
It’s a chance to reflect on what makes this part of the world special.
And why I think that we Kiwis are a clever bunch of people regarding innovation and following our dreams. (Even if I say so myself)
Every year down under the under, most of us get to take a few weeks away to enjoy our summer. I get to go to a family beach house I have been going to for 20 odd years.
Most of my partner’s family have been going to this part of the world much longer, probably three generations.
The beach is a five-minute walk; it’s a daily ritual with two children and Maude, the dog.
Part of the summer holidays is reading; I usually find fiction an easy read about not much.
Kind of takes your minds off things if you can sprinkle that with the odd nonfiction; it gives you some balance.
Those that have read some of my thoughts on goal setting know that I am not big on doing these in the New Year… I tend to set them at different times of the year, so they overlap.
I was looking through some of my posts from years ago, and I came across this one, £25 and a Dream.
I always look at and add some more thoughts to the story around this time of year.
It’s essential, I think, in this day and age when our young folk think that they are the only pioneers of entrepreneurship, that we did have trailblazers paving the way, with as much passion and determination dating back a year or two.
Over the last two years, Covid has taken away our young ones yearning for travel; this story is a good reminder to dust off the travel bug and explore again.
To the post, one of the books I read on my summer holiday a few years back was: “Only Two Seats Left”, the story about Contiki.
Its author and Contiki founder, John Anderson, blends his autobiography and tales of travel into a great read its New Zealand’s great untold business stories.
A story about a company that started on just £25 pounds and became a worldwide travel company.
For those that do not know about Contiki, it’s a travel company for the 18-35-year-olds.
You can explore Europe and other parts of the world with other young people your age. Many friendships are formed that have lasted years. He says that he thinks the company is responsible for over 5000 marriages.
It impacted so many young people, and these are told in this great read.
There are also some great lessons we could all take note of if we are in sales,
I will explore a few with you with a few revamped posts and lessons I learned from John’s book.
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
- Here are 4 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.1. Want to become a Sales Mindset Blueprint Member? You get access to an exclusive coaching session with me and full access to my sales programme every month. Get the deets here.
- Try the new ‘7 Days to Sales Success’ framework. Make more sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by increasing sales.
- Join our private Facebook group – The Sales Mindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up to date sales ideas. Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here
- Work with me one-on-one. If you’re a small or large business owner or in professional services, you might have a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute brainstorming call with me by clicking here.
Good Selling
Mike Brunel
by Mike Brunel | Dec 12, 2022 | Leadership
This secret or tip has worked almost every time I try it.
Imagine this is your first call to your client; you have just inherited a client list from your sales manager; you know the one…
“It’s gold coated and will bring you thousands and thousands of dollars.” Or so the sales manager thinks.
When you make your first appointment with a new client, say to them just before you get off the phone, “I’m looking forward to meeting you; how many staff do you have because I have a surprise for you.”
Pick up morning tea
On the way to the call, pop into your local bakery and “pick up morning tea”.
When you get to the appointment, leave everything in the car except your business card, walk in and present your surprise… It will work, I can guarantee it…why… it breaks the ice; the client sees no briefcase, no salesman talk, they relax,
Some of the staff are won over straight away, and you get to learn more about your client more relaxedly. If your client says no thanks, then they are not worth having.
Have a great week, and have fun selling your stuff.
Mike
Good selling
![](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Mike-2-lighter-150x150.jpg)
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
Here are 3 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.
1. Try the new 7 Days to Sales Success Framework.
Make More Sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by increasing sales.
2. Join our Private Facebook Group – The Salesmindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas.
Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here.
3. Work with me One-on-One.
If you’re a small or large business owner or in professional services, you might have a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute Brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
by Mike Brunel | Oct 10, 2022 | Leadership
![](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/mike-top-down-manifesto.jpg)
This week I want to share a story about a father and son and the importance of having an open mind.*
The Newspaper story
A man is busy working at home when his young 5-year-old child comes into his study, and with the enthusiasm that children have in abundance, he asks his Dad if they can go to the park.
In the middle of his work, the dad tries to resist his son’s requests, but the child persists, and with frustration, the Dad looks around him, lifts a newspaper, and opens it up to a double-page picture of a map of the world.
A Map with a secret
He then pulls out the map, tears it up into handfuls of small pieces and gives them to his son.
He then says, “after you put together this map of the world, then we will go to the park.” his son took the pieces of the newspaper in both hands and scurried eagerly over to the other side of the room, starting on his task without delay. The Dad knew that his son had no idea what a map of the world looked like, and he returned to his work thinking it would take him ages.
Five minutes later, his son ran across to his Dad, “I finished he said, can we go to the park now.”
It was Easy
The Dad thought his son was making it up, but on the floor was the finished makeshift world map jigsaw.
“How did you finish this so quickly?” he asked his son
“It was easy, Daddy, ” said the boy as he turned over the jigsaw pieces one at a time, and on the other side of the world map was a man’s photograph.
“You see, the whole world falls into place when you put the man back together.”
*The story’s moral is how you look at things.
You see what you want to see; sometimes, you have to open up (Growth Mindset).
I have to challenge myself daily to start thinking differently about this sales profession.
Have a great time selling your stuff.
*Chicken Soup for the Soul- Jack Canfield- Mark Victor Hansen
Mike
PS. Why not open your mind and take the 7 Day challenge?
![](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Changing-sales-mindset-1.jpg)
by Mike Brunel | Aug 15, 2022 | Leadership, Sales
![Quote from Mikebrunel.com](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Take-the-sales-mindset-challenge.png)
What makes great salespeople great? The common misconceptions about salespeople can be tough to overcome because they are ingrained in our culture. It helps to see what successful salespeople look like. Most great salespeople aren’t all that slick on the surface, but they are great at discovering and solving problems. What makes them different?
I think there are 12 traits that make a successful salesperson here, which are 4 from my book.
Beliefs, Traits, and Habits of the Best Salespeople:
Desire. The desire to be successful is the number one feature of excellent salespeople. Folks with a strong drive to succeed have built upon a history of success.
They may have been good at sports or bringing up a family.
They know what it means to care deeply about the goal and go for it.
Desire leads them to discover everything they can about their product and competitors’ products. Their knowledge is one of their strongest assets.
Motivated salespeople will compete against themselves, not others. They strive to beat their last target, cultivate additional clients, and achieve business.
2. Self Belief. Effective business people have a very strong self-belief. When they experience rejection, they understand that it is situational. A single loss does little or damages their core self-esteem.
Instead of getting down on themselves, people with high self-esteem draw on all their knowledge and past mistakes to correct their course and move on.
A salesperson can achieve strong self-belief by developing a passion for their product or service. If you can turn your passion for your business into a core belief, you can sell your product to anyone. That is a sales mindset guarantee.
3. Persistence. Persistent folks do not give up easily, if ever. They see problems not as dead ends but as surmountable obstacles. How many rejections can you weather?
Numbers coming out of the Dartnell Corp. in the United States show that a sale in today’s market often goes through only after the tenth “No.” You read that right. The tenth “No.” We are up against a tough economic environment, and unless we are persistent and believe in what we sell, we will give up after about the third time someone tells us “No.”
Learn when to back off and not overplay the persistence card, but do not ever roll over and give up. In this brave new world where the power is increasingly in the hands of the buyer, we must create marketing and sales strategies to overcome our reluctance to try one more time.
4. Purpose. Many great salespeople find greater purpose in their work than simply completing the job. They might want to help their clients, fellow workers, and teammates build a great business environment to work in, or they may find value in training others by passing on their knowledge to employees.
Motivations can be as basic as feeding the family, affording that extra vacation, or getting the kids through college.
To folks invested in these outcomes, money and success are by-products of their efforts.
This is an important distinction, for finding meaning in your work will keep you balanced in your business. Work cannot be your sole purpose.
We hear many stories about business people burning out by dedicating themselves solely to their businesses, day in and day out. In the long run, this approach provides diminishing returns. Remember why you are working so hard.
Take The Sales Mindset Challenge here and discover how you rate your sales mindset. You might be surprised. It’s a simple list of questions that rate your beliefs and traits. Have fun.
Good Selling.
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
- Here are 4 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.1. Want to become a Sales Mindset Blueprint Member? You get access to an exclusive coaching session with me and full access to my sales programme every month. Get the deets here.
- Try the new ‘7 Days to Sales Success’ framework. Make more sales in 7 days—the framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework uses a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
- Join our private Facebook group – The Sales Mindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas. Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here
- Could you work with me one-on-one? If you’re a small or large business owner or in professional services, you might have a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Please jump on a FREE 15-minute brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
![7 Day Challenge- Changing your Sales Mindset Mike Brunel](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/email-header-mikebrunel-1.png)
by Mike Brunel | Mar 28, 2022 | Leadership, Strategy
£25 and a Dream
Down under the under, a term I used to tell my American clients to describe where New Zealand was in relation to Australia has had one of the best summers for several years.
It’s a chance to reflect as well on what makes this part of the world a special place.
And why I think that us Kiwis are a clever bunch of people when it comes to innovation and following our dreams.
Every year down under the under most of us get to take a few weeks away to enjoy our summer. I get to go to a family beach house I have been going to for 20 odd years.
Most of my partner’s family have been going to this part of the world much longer, probably three generations.
The beach is a five-minute walk, it’s a daily ritual with two children and of course Bruno the dog.
Part of summer holidays is reading, usually for me fiction an easy read about not much.
Kind of takes your minds off things if you can sprinkle that with the odd nonfiction it gives you some balance.
Those that have read some of my thoughts on goal setting know that I am not big on doing these in the New Year… I tend to set them at different times of the year so they overlap.
I was looking through some of my posts from years gone by and I came across this one, £25 and a Dream.
It’s important I think in this day and age when our young folk think that they are the only pioneers of entrepreneurship, that we did have trailblazers paving the way, with as much passion and determination dating back a year or two.
To the post, one of the books I read on my summer holiday was: “Only Two Seats Left” the story about Contiki.
Its author and Contiki founder John Anderson blends his autobiography, and tales of travel into a great read its Australasia’s great untold business stories.
A story about a company that started on just £25 pounds and became a worldwide travel company.
For those that do not know about Contiki, it’s a travel company for the 18-35-year-olds.
You get to explore Europe and other parts of the world with other young people your age. Many friendships are formed that have lasted years. He says that he thinks the company is responsible for over 5000 marriages.
It had such an impact on so many young people and these are told in this great read.
There are also some great lessons we could all take note of if we are in sales,
I am going to explore a few with you with a couple of revamped posts and lessons I learned from John’s book.
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
- Here are 4 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.1. Want to become a Sales Mindset Blueprint Member. Every month you get access to an exclusive coaching session with me as well as full access to my sales programme. Get the deets here.
- Try the new ‘7 Days to Sales Success’ framework.Make more sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to get started in making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
- Join our private Facebook group – The Sales Mindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up to date sales ideas.Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here
- Work with me one-on-one.If you’re a business owner, small or large or in the professional services you might just be a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
Good Selling
Mike Brunel
by Mike Brunel | Jan 24, 2022 | Leadership
This secret or tip has worked pretty much every time I have tried it.
Imagine this is your first call to your client, you have just inherited a client list from your sales manager, you know the one…
“Its gold coated and will bring you in thousands and thousands of dollars.” Or so the sales manager thinks.
When you make your first appointment with a new client, say to them just before you get off the phone “I’m looking forward to meeting you, how many staff do you have because I have a surprise for you”
Pick up morning tea
On the way to the call, pop into your local bakery and “pick up morning tea”.
When you get to the appointment, leave everything in the car except your business card, walk on in and present your surprise… It will work I can guarantee it…why… it breaks the ice, the client sees no briefcase, no salesman talk, they relax,
Some of the staff are won over straight away, and you get to find out more about your client in a more relaxed manner. If your client says no thanks then they are not worth having.
Have a great week and have fun selling your stuff.
Mike
Good selling
![](https://www.mikebrunel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Mike-2-lighter-150x150.jpg)
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
Here are 3 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether you businesses is big or small.
1. Try the new 7 Days to Sales Success Framework.
Make More Sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to get started in making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7 day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
2. Join our Private Facebook Group – The Salesmindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up to date sales ideas.
Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here.
3. Work with me One-on-One.
If you’re a business owner, small or large or in the professional services you might just be a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15 minute Brainstorm call with me by clicking here.