5 Production Killers to Avoid

If your production is not at the level you would like, it’s easy to look for excuses. And there probably is some validity to the reasons your production isn’t soaring. But the danger of accepting these “reasons” is that you will often stop pushing yourself to overcome them. They simply become a fact of life that you allow to hold yourself back.

If you have allowed yourself to give in to some common sales excuses, you may need to fine tune your thinking. Below are five common production killing excuses and some tips on how to move past them:

• I just started in the business. True, getting started as a producer is not easy. But if you’re not fired up about your job at the beginning, then it’s probably not going to get any easier. If you’re new to the business, now is the time to focus on a business plan that will work for you. Create a business plan and establish reasonable goals. Working toward those goals will keep you out of the trap of thinking you’re too new to succeed.

• No one has shown me what to do. If you’re feeling like you don’t know what to do, the solution is simple: get more training. Some Field Marketing Organizations (FMOs), such as Asset Marketing Systems (AMS), offer a full slate of training programs for all levels of producers.

• Everything needs to be perfect. The quest for perfection can be a huge time killer. Fussing over the small details of perfecting your seminar presentation or the minutiae of running your office can erode your productivity. One way to fix an obsession with perfectionism is to set a schedule. Allot yourself a certain amount of time to work on each task and then stick to that schedule. You may not achieve perfection, but you will accomplish tasks and get back to business.

• I’m still looking for my niche. Realize that you can’t really define your niche until you’ve been out in the marketplace for some time figuring out what you like and what you do well. Over time, these things will become apparent, so don’t worry about it. If you feel you are niche-less, then you should consider everyone as your niche. And if you find that there are certain audiences you don’t work well with, then guess what—you have just started defining your niche.

• I hate looking for new business. If your heart’s not into looking for new business, this one can be tough to overcome. Fortunately, you do have some tools available to help you. Most FMOs offer lead generation systems that can help bring new business to you. You can also try looking to your current clients for add-on business or referrals. This approach takes some of the discomfort out of the process by allowing you to look for new business while dealing with people you already know well.

Learn from the Best Throughout your professional life, there have probably been a few men and women you have looked to for knowledge, inspiration and guidance. As you progress through your career and gain insight and experience, it becomes harder to find people to look up to. That is why some FMOs, including AMS, offer mentoring services. It has always been AMS’ belief that producers learn the most valuable lessons from other successful producers. With the AMS Mentoring Program, producers are able to spend a couple of days in the office of one of our Top Producers watching them work, absorbing their sales process and asking questions about how to apply techniques to their own practices. Everyone can benefit from a little mentoring from time to time. Need an FMO? If you’re interested in learning more about working with Asset Marketing Systems and how we can support you as your FMO, visit our web site or just reply to this e-mail, and we’ll get in touch.