40 Years of Fusion Experience
As we reflect on our 40 years in business, we want to express our gratitude for the opportunity to serve you over the years. We would love to hear how your Fusion experience impacted your life, whether it was last week or 40 years ago. It’s your turn to share your story!
Missing Touches Make a Difference
We start our day worrying about the call we need to make, the task we need to do. We seldom start our day asking “whose life will I touch to make a difference?” Perhaps we should. Many years ago, during Redefining the Phone Call® training I was listening in on a call by a young […]
A Winning Sales Process
We think everyone should “win” in the sales process – for the long-term. On your next sales call: • Be an “active listener” to uncover your client’s concerns. • Decide if your product/service is right for this client and position it accordingly. • Serve them as a trusted advisor. • Lather, rinse, repeat. This is […]
What’s NOT Being Said
A young woman came to me for counsel. She talked briefly and then sat silently in the chair. I said nothing but watched the reactions she displayed. Slowly she made eye contact with me. “You understand, don’t you?” I nodded. She began to talk more. The lesson here is… Listen for what’s NOT being said… […]
The Wisdom of Fusion
1. Sales Riddle: “I can’t work with you until I know that you know what I know.” We think it’s more important to “get” your customers’ issues, marketplace and challenges first rather than trying to push a product, service or feature. “Pull or Counselor” Selling is all about allowing customers to disclose needs (perhaps fears) […]
Plan Wrap-up, Bridge to Managing Your Sales Practice and Building Relationships
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “You’ve got to keep stretching your skills and abilities to meet tomorrow’s requirements!” —Jennifer R. StJohn In the Sales & Counselor Selling series we’ve covered the basics of the Probe, Present, Plan® process. Your Counselor SellingSM journey started with Probing — getting to the core of what your prospect […]
Don’t Look at the Scoreboard
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Play your game and your plan. Don’t look at the scoreboard.” – Coach John Wooden Head Coach, UCLA Men’s Basketball
Then What?
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting!” — Henry David Thoreau American Philosopher, Author of Walden “Then what happens?” It’s enough to drive […]
Presenting Wrap-up, Bridge to Planning
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “It’s all about the audience. What they know — or don’t. What they need. What they think they want. What they are willing to hear. That’s where it starts and ends. You are only in the room as a means to an end — for them!” – Jennifer R. […]
Self – Important
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “The ‘I’ does not see itself. Among the Great Teachings, there is a surprising consensus that ‘self,’ is that which looks… the witness. So, not the ‘Self-Image,’ not the false construct of Ego, not the Voice in the Head Keeping Score, but that quiet, insistent presence. It doesn’t speak, […]
Probing Wrap-Up, Bridge to Presenting
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “The challenge isn’t knowing what to say, or sell, but to ‘withstand the silence’ that comes when you ask a thoughtful question.” – Jennifer R. StJohn Speaker, Consultant, Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – 2018) During the past months we discussed the Probing process which starts […]
“Attention must be paid.” *
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series *Title Excerpted from “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller American Playwright (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) “Pay Attention!” You hear it from Childhood. “Look at me when I talk to you!” The phrases don’t do the concept justice. Attention is a little bit like money. It […]
Engaged Receptivity
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “So, I’m sitting in this little room in the old 493 Union Hall, and I’m just playing away, and there’s this old guy standing there. He’s listening to me, probably as long as he could take it, and he said, ‘Hey kid, do you know what’s the most important […]
Be Still
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Being still, and not doing anything are two very different things.” – Mr. Han – played by Jackie Chan The Karate Kid, 2010
Shut Up and Sell
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” — Naguib Mahfouz Egyptian Author & Nobel Laureate (1911-2006)
The Whole of It!
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “So, when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” —Jiddu Krishnamurti As Counselor Salespeople, we often fall victim to “holding our […]
Interchange
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “We know how important it is to listen!” — Ad campaign for Sperry Corporation “Everybody is talking at me. I don’t hear a word they’re saying…” — Theme song to “Midnight Cowboy” Lyrics by Harry Nilsson American Singer-Songwriter (1941 – 1994) Ignites – an information service to the financial […]
Listen Your Way To A Sale
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Companies don’t do business; people do.” – C. Andrew Lehman American Sales Professional (1962 – ) Ever feel like a sales person was only thinking of their commission and not about how they could serve you? He/She probably talked non-stop about this month’s hot product and you were so […]
Structured Listening
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Listen! Or your tongue will make you deaf.” — Cherokee Proverb It’s a random world! It seems there’s a flood of randomness in the universe just now, with things, feeds, channels, e-mails, tweets, Instagrams, messages, texts, documents and calls coming at you from all sides on all subjects. And […]
Withstanding the Silence
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “The challenge isn’t knowing what to say, or sell, but to “withstand the silence” that comes when you ask a thoughtful question.” – Jennifer R. StJohn Speaker, Consultant, Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – 2018) The Problem: Passive Listening It’s the way we do it without […]
Able to Listen
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series Editor’s note: This week, we begin our discussion of the Probing process… which starts with listening. When you’re able to listen and understand, both you and your client reap greater benefits. Our hope is that by using this process, you will become more powerful in your practice and deliver […]
What is Counselor SellingSM ?
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Listen. Serve. Repeat.” —Jennifer StJohn Editor’s Note: If you’re not a salesperson you may be wondering if the ‘Sales & Counselor Selling Series’ applies to you. We suggest Yes! As the series unfolds, consider ways you can apply the concepts to how you conduct your business meetings, your discussions […]
Ask Permission!
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series “Personally, I’m always ready to learn, although I’m not always ready to be taught.” —Sir Winston Churchill Before you probe, before you present, before you plan… “Excuse me. Is it OK with you if I mess around in your brain for a spell?” “Would it be alright for me to […]
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series
“Counselor Selling is all about allowing customers to disclose needs and building a relationship to meet those needs. It’s the ultimate ‘Fusion’ of service with selling.” — Jennifer StJohn Welcome to the Sales & Counselor Selling Series. The Fusion Group will be sharing key Cornerstones that address vital elements of sales and business success. […]
“It’s Not About You; It’s About Them!”
– Jennifer R. StJohn, Speaker, Consultant, Businesswoman Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – 2018) So much discourse these days is about what people think; and what they think we should be thinking. Seemingly everyone with access to a microphone wastes no time in getting right to it. Telling us how things ought to be – […]
“Fear is Not Solved by Facts!”
– J. R. StJohn Speaker, Consultant, Businesswoman Founder of The Fusion Group In this environment, where the news constantly brings word of another confusing or polarizing development, it’s not surprising that audiences can many times be characterized as “frozen by fear and indecision.”
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series
Wrap-Up and Next Steps “Counselor Selling is all about allowing customers to disclose needs and building a relationship to meet those needs. It’s the ultimate ‘Fusion’ of service with selling.” — Jennifer StJohn Over this past year, we shared key concepts that address vital elements of sales and business success. The series was broken down into […]
The Wisdom of Fusion
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series 1. Sales Riddle: “I can’t work with you until I know that you know what I know.” We think it’s more important to “get” your customers’ issues, marketplace and challenges first rather than trying to push a product, service or feature. “Pull or Counselor” Selling is all about allowing […]
Plan Wrap-up, Bridge to Managing Your Sales Practice and Building Relationships
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “You’ve got to keep stretching your skills and abilities to meet tomorrow’s requirements!” —Jennifer R. StJohn In the Sales & Counselor Selling series we’ve covered basics of the Probe, Present, Plan® process. Your Counselor SellingSM journey started with Probing — getting to the core of what your prospect or […]
Afraid to Ask?
Ask for the “No!” The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Thirty years, and still people are afraid to ask for the order!” —Jennifer R. StJohn
Don’t Look at the Scoreboard
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Play your game and your plan. Don’t look at the scoreboard.” – Coach John Wooden Head Coach, UCLA Men’s Basketball (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010)
Then What?
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting!” — Henry David Thoreau American Philosopher, Author of Walden “Then what happens?” It’s enough to drive […]
Presenting Wrap-up, Bridge to Planning
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “It’s all about the audience. What they know — or don’t. What they need. What they think they want. What they are willing to hear. That’s where it starts and ends. You are only in the room as a means to an end — for them!” – Jennifer R. […]
Red or Black?
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series A British Officer manned an individual post in Africa. A fellow officer came to join him from London. They meet for dinner, the guest in his road khakis and the officer in dinner jacket and starched white shirt.
Think & Do!
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “I can see that there’s a lot going on here, General, but does it make any sense?” – Dr. Stephen Falken “War Games” What happened? Is this the ultimate outcome of the 60’s rebellion? Following the rules — well that’s a little old fashioned… More like discarding them entirely! Much […]
Small Thing? Big Thing!
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Sometimes a small thing can become a big thing…” – J. R. St.John Deep in the throes of a series of finals presentations, we — on the receiving side — had a complex matrix of decision items to consider and we were tuned up pretty seriously, looking for the […]
Too much starch?
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “To be free, you must have power. And to gain power, you must have structure.” — James Brown (1933 – 2006) The Godfather of Soul and The Hardest Workin’ Man in Show Business
Creating Empty & Full
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “You must empty a box before you can fill it.” —Irish Proverb Creating Emptiness: The Counselor’s Art
Self-Important
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “The ‘I’ does not see itself. Among the Great Teachings, there is a surprising consensus that ‘self,’ is that which looks… the witness. So, not the ‘Self-Image,’ not the false construct of Ego, not the Voice in the Head keeping Score, but that quiet, insistent presence. It doesn’t speak, […]
One Discipline
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Once you start thinking this way, it’s really hard to switch it off.” — Fusion Participant What if there was a discipline, simple really, that would direct our communication practice? It has three parts; 1. Establish an Objective 2. Analyze the Audience 3. Organize your Remarks Call it a […]
Probing Wrap-Up, Bridge to Presenting
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “The challenge isn’t knowing what to say, or sell, but to “withstand the silence” that comes when you ask a thoughtful question.” – Jennifer R. StJohn Speaker, Consultant, Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – 2018) During the past months we discussed the Probing process… which starts […]
Tabula Rasa
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series Tabula Rasa (Latin: “scraped tablet” or “clean slate”) Tabula Rasa is a Latin phrase often translated as “blank slate” in English and originates from the Roman “Tabula:” a smooth piece of slate covered with bees wax; used for notes — which was blanked by heating the wax and then […]
Engaged Receptivity
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “So, I’m sitting in this little room in the old 493 Union Hall, and I’m just playing away, and there’s this old guy standing there. He’s listening to me, probably as long as he could take it, and he said, ‘Hey kid, do you know what’s the most important […]
“Attention must be paid.” *
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series *Title Excerpted from “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller American Playwright (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) “Pay Attention!” You hear it from Childhood. “Look at me when I talk to you!” The phrases don’t do the concept justice. Attention is a little bit like money. It […]
Be Still
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Being still, and not doing anything are two very different things.” – Mr. Han – played by Jackie Chan The Karate Kid, 2010 “I never learned a damn thing while I was talking!” – J.E. Morrow American Social Commentator (1920-1996) “The native state of a rational mind is a […]
Shut Up and Sell
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” —Naguib Mahfouz Egyptian Author & Nobel Laureate 1911-2006 It’s a battle, or maybe just a disagreement among friends. But there are those who just have to get […]
The Whole of It!
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “So, when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” —Jiddu Krishnamurti
Interchange
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “We know how important it is to listen!” — Ad campaign for Sperry Corporation “Everybody is talking at me. I don’t hear a word they’re saying…” — Theme song to “Midnight Cowboy” Lyrics by Harry Nilsson American Singer-Songwriter (1941 – 1994) Ignites – an information service to the financial industry […]
Listen Your Way to a SaleSM
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Companies don’t do business; people do.” – C. Andrew Lehman American Sales Professional (1962 – ) Ever feel like a sales person was only thinking of their commission and not about how they could serve you? He probably talked non-stop about this month’s hot product and you were so […]
Structured Listening
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Listen! Or your tongue will make you deaf.” — Cherokee Proverb It’s a random world! It seems there’s a flood of randomness in the universe just now, with things, feeds, channels, e-mails, tweets, Instagrams, messages, texts, documents and calls coming at you from all sides on all subjects. And […]
Withstanding the Silence
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “The challenge isn’t knowing what to say, or sell, but to “withstand the silence” that comes when you ask a thoughtful question.” – Jennifer R. StJohn Speaker, Consultant, Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – 2018) The Problem: Passive Listening It’s the way we do it without thinking […]
Able to Listen
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series Editor’s note: During the following months we’ll cover all aspects of Counselor Selling℠. This week, we begin our discussion with the Probing process… which starts with listening. When you’re able to listen and understand, both you and your client reap greater benefits. Our hope is that by using this […]
What is Counselor SellingSM?
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Listen. Serve. Repeat.” —Jennifer StJohn Editor’s Note: If you’re not a salesperson you may be wondering if the ‘Sales & Counselor Selling Series’ applies to you. We suggest Yes! As the series unfolds, consider ways you can apply the concepts to how you conduct your business meetings, your […]
Ask Permission!
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “Personally, I’m always ready to learn, although I’m not always ready to be taught.” —Sir Winston Churchill Before you probe, before you present, before you plan… “Excuse me. Is it OK with you if I mess around in your brain for a spell?” “Would it be alright for me to […]
Creating Empty & Full
The Sales & Counselor Selling Series “You must empty a box before you can fill it.” —Irish Proverb Creating Emptiness: The Counselor’s Art It’s not about having something to say, but about having something to accomplish. You looked over that investment with great care, visited the firm, interviewed the management, sampled the product, evaluated […]
The Sales & Counselor SellingSM Series
“Counselor Selling is all about allowing customers to disclose needs and building a relationship to meet those needs. It’s the ultimate ‘Fusion’ of service with selling.” — Jennifer StJohn Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group Welcome to the Sales & Counselor Selling Series. During this year, The Fusion Group will be sharing key Cornerstones […]
Walking Your Talk
The “Back to Basics” Series “The neck bone connected to the back bone, The back bone connected to the thigh bone, The thigh bone connected to the knee bone, The knee bone connected to the leg bone, The leg bone connected to the foot bone Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk a-roun’!” Excerpted from “Dem […]
Engaged Receptivity
“So I’m sitting in this little room in the old 493 Union Hall, and I’m just playing away, and there’s this old guy standing there. He’s listening to me, probably as long as he could take it, and he said, ‘Hey kid, do you know what’s the most important thing about playing music?’ ” “And […]
Shut Up and Sell
“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” — Naguib Mahfouz Egyptian Author & Nobel Laureate 1911-2006 It’s a battle, or maybe just a disagreement among friends. But there are those who just have to get the prospect to shut […]
Withstanding the Silence
“The challenge isn’t knowing what to say, or sell; but to “withstand the silence” that comes when you ask a thoughtful question.” – J. R. St. John Speaker, Consultant, Executive Counselor Founder of The Fusion Group (1952 – ) The Problem: Passive Listening It’s the way we do it without thinking — or training…Reading […]
In Praise of “Counselor Servant Sellers”
“One of the little joys of being a human being, is the occasional opportunity to enjoy “being human” together – to bask in the warmth of an affectionate smile, to appreciate an inside joke, to be caressed, to be served coffee by someone you know cares whether it’s gone cold…” – J.R. St. John Executive […]
Listen Your Way To A Sale
“Companies don’t do business; people do.” – C. Andrew Lehman American Sales Professional (1962 – ) Ever feel like a sales person was only thinking of their commission and not about how they could serve you? He probably talked non-stop about this month’s hot product and you were so worn down that you said “Yes!” […]
