Last week, my daughter and I had the privilege of being onboard the Girls Getaway Cruise with Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and twenty-four hundred other like-minded women.
As a long-time Oprah fan and admirer, it was one of the most exciting moments of my life. During the cruise, I attended a special presentation, A Conversation with Oprah, where Oprah shared highlights of her life story. There were so many nuggets of wisdom, it was hard to keep up, but here are four lessons that especially stood out for me.
1. “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.” Here’s one of my previous limiting beliefs. I used to believe that I couldn’t sell to major corporations, that I wasn’t up to it, and they wouldn’t buy from a small distributor like me. When I challenged that belief and decided to go for it, my sales doubled, my confidence skyrocketed and it was the start of my very successful promotional products business. Be willing to challenge old beliefs that no longer work for you and you can dramatically improve your business and your life!
2. “Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.” This is as important in business as it is in life. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Take a look at the people in your life, they are a bigger influence than you may realize. They’ll affect your way of life, your self-image, and the important decisions you make. Look for mentors, coaches, and people who can elevate and challenge you. Personally, I find having friends and mentors that challenge me to go higher have enhanced my life. I also surround myself with motivating books and listen to inspiring podcasts. What about you?
3. “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those that never mount the high wire.” There’s no such thing as an overnight success, and those who become successful will tell you that they have had many failures along the way. Oprah shared a few of hers with us. And if you’re anything like I am, you’ve had your share of failures too. I’ve lost big sales that I thought were a sure thing, I’ve botched presentations, and I’ve berated myself for saying the wrong thing, but I’ve learned to analyze what went wrong and to take a look at how I could do better next time.
4. “Every single person you will ever meet shares the same common desire. They want to know: Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?” Early on in my promo sales career, I used to think it was important to talk about the benefits of working with my company first, but as I became a more seasoned sales professional, I learned that the most important thing you can do is to listen to your prospect or client first. Understand their needs, desires, and challenges before you present a solution. That’s the ticket to more and better relationships!
I hope these lessons have inspired you as much as they have inspired me. How can you relate them to your business and your life? What lessons have you learned that inspired you?
Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach, is a promotional products business expert, coach, and speaker. Combining her skills and years of experience in promotional sales, she helps her clients sell more at higher margins to better clients. Get a free special report: 10 Proven Ways to Thrive in Promotional Products Sales… in Any Economy at www.promobizcoach.com. Contact her at Rosalie@promobizcoach.com.