I first met Lynn when she was a speaker for an annual Women TIES Retreat. Her outfit, her attitude, and her information all struck a chord with me; I knew this was a fun woman with something valuable to offer – sales info that could help me be a better entrepreneur.
I was so impressed with her presentation that I never even thought to offer her MY services… I just wanted to learn more from her! So, I was caught completely off-guard when she called me 6+ months later to ask if I’d be interested in working on her website. She had remembered my genuine interest in her business and decided to reconnect with me because she wanted a fresh, fun website… without stress!
Lynn not only educates group sales forces, she offers one-on-one trainings, as well as maintaining a successful sales blog and Internet radio program. She is also recently published a “communication trilogy”: Softening Statements, It’s All About The Pauses, and Ask Questions To Listen.
Fred can occasionally be heard nodding his head in agreement during one of Lynn’s “Sales Coaching Over Coffee” Radio Shows!
When she’s not doing the sales thing, Lynn enjoys spending time with her husband, Russ, and their small menagerie of pets… and waiting for the next snowfall!
Lynn is going to be presenting on two different sales topics at Women TIES events in both Syracuse and Albany NY this month – sign up by clicking on the city name. Consider subscribing to her newsletter or RSS feed to learn more about how you can up your sales!
About UpYourTelesales
- How did the idea for your business come about?
It was a combination of epic failure, passion, & belief.
Of course if you want to hear me tell you about it you can check out the video diary I did about it.
Epic Failure – because I did everything a good corporate girl should do until they made me a regional sales director & I hated that job… that I worked so hard to get – so I had to resign.
Passion – I’m passionate about working with those 80% of salespeople who are forgotten because they do a “good job”; while the top 10% demand attention and HR demands you give it to the bottom 10%. The middle 80% are your future FANTASTIC performers. Maybe it is new skills that they need – that’s training. Maybe it is the inside stuff – that’s coaching.
Belief – ignoring them is not helping your organization. Relying on newly hired salespeople to fill in for the ever growing goals we have in sales, is not the best way. It stands to reason that if it is easier to grow your business with an existing customer than find a new one – it is also easier to grow the sales of an existing salesperson than hire and ramp up a new one.
- How do you generate new ideas?
Ideas are never my problem, my problem is making sure the idea du jour fits into the strategic vision I have for my business. But you asked about ideas so here are the places I find them:
1. Read, read, and read some more
2. Look for business lesions in life and life lessons in business
3. Hang out with really smart people
4. Have a coach who asks me the questions I’m afraid to ask myself
- How do you make sure new ideas fit into your strategic vision?
For me this is much more difficult. I love to live inside the tactical – hands on – day to day workings of sales. Thinking strategically is something I have to MAKE myself do. Here is how I do it:
1. Work with a coach who asks me strategic questions
2. Have my strategic objectives written down and make sure to ask myself “how does _____ fit into helping me reach my goals?”
3. Make sure I don’t forget to figure out HOW and IF that new idea fits into my priority list.
- What is unique about your business?
The short answer is ME. I take traditional sales concepts, ideas, and philosophies then translate them into usable inside sales tactics that work in a world where:
1. Reaching people has become the biggest challenge.
2. Capturing a busy person’s attention when they have an overly full agenda is almost impossible.
3.You have multiple 3 to 7 minute conversations NOT a 30 to 60 minute meeting with a prospect or customer.
- If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
It took me a long time to stop looking at how other people choose to create and run their businesses and DECIDE how I wanted mine to look.
For me, the critical starting out idea is: It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision.
You can keep doing what you’re doing today and weave in that new business idea to your existing career and life. Eventually you may (or may not) decide to ditch your “day job” – let that decision be your own not a reflection of what someone else thinks is the right way to do it.
About Lynn Hidy
- What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?
Actually I have a continuous soundtrack playing in my head, lots of songs and genres of music make the list; it could be anything from I Wanna Be A Lifeguard by Blotto to the Imperial Theme from Starwars. Music sets the mood and gets me going – I do find that when I’m working I need to have something playing that isn’t on the mental soundtrack list or I mentally stop what I’m doing and sing along in my head. In case you’re curious… yes I did go to YouTube and play both the songs I mentioned in the middle of writing this.
- What story does your family always tell about you?
“My Mom says it’s good for me to st-wug-gle” Apparently my Grandma Hidy attempted to help me put on my coat when I was very little. I wiggled away from her, put my hands on my hips, and said my Mom says it’s good for me to struggle. We still say that whenever we need help but don’t want it!
- What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
Years ago when we were living in an apartment on Ulster Street in the Tipperary Hill neighborhood of Syracuse my husband came upstairs in the middle of cutting the lawn to give me the one rose that was blooming in our back yard.
Fast Five – the fun stuff!
- What are your two beverages of choice: mixed drinks, wine, beer, lemonade, soda, coffee, tea or water?
I’m fueled by black coffee & dark beer!
- What’s your favorite season?
Hands down – winter!
- If you were to create a piece of art, what would the subject be?
Actually it would be abstract & funky.
- What movie, no matter how many times you’ve seen it, do you have to watch when it’s on?
Big Trouble in Little China
- What is your favorite food?
Ice cream without any hesitation.