Free Sales Tips

Mind Set for The Long Haul

2010-03-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sales people have the reputation of over inflated ego, zealous confidence and unwarranted bravado. When the average person hears the words ‘Sale Person’ they imagine someone loud, aggressive who is rudely determined to take their money. Getting from this preconceive notion to an empathic sale is no small task.

Reputations are most often what they are for good reason. As a person who works with a team of sales people, I can tell you that we are prone to develop rather large egos, and wear them proudly in front of others. Why?

Our egos are often a self defense system to help us deal with the continuous rejection and failure of our jobs. Even the best sales person is likely to hear “NO” more then they hear yes, and the ‘NOs’ are always louder. So we can compensate by focusing loudly and often obsessively on how good we are, taunting others with the success we have had and conversing in ‘one-upmanship’ conversations. This becomes our façade’, our outer shell to our colleagues and clients.

The mind-set of the true professional sales person isn’t about flaunting ego, it is about setting goals, working hard, and appreciating others. Developing a strong inner self dynamic that reinforces our self esteem and builds our character from the inside out is critical if we want to survive in sales for the long haul. While an outer ego will work for a while, eventually we will find ourselves running on empty, dissatisfied and quitting – if not sales entirely, our current job.

There are a few things that we can do to build our mind-set from the inside out.
1. Learn -Commit to learning every day. To combat an ego of know-it-all-ism, spend time regularly learning more about sales. There is always something new to learn, and exciting people to teach us. Learning helps keep us humble. Allow yourself to say, “I didn’t know that.”
2. Educate -Help someone else. Surely there is someone in your team, company or industry that needs your help. Make some time to have coffee regularly with someone new to sales and help them learn how you have had some success.
3. Exercise – there is nothing like being physical to remind us of our limitations and motivate us to improve. Regular exercise, even just a brisk walk for 30 minutes four times a week, will do wonders for your inner mind-set. Exercise reduces stress, creates health and feeds the brain.
4. Read – The power of reading is becoming a lost art. I suggest actually reading from a book. Take your mind and energy away form electronics, phones, schedules, and emails and sit with one of those old fashion paper and cover things called a book and read. You will be amazed at the affect it will have on you.
5. Nothing – when is the last time you spent time doing nothing. I’m not suggesting becoming a sloth, but 15-20 minutes of time to relax, unwind and let you mind and body let go is a powerful tool. Put a note pad next to you so if some ideas jumps in and demands your attention you can jot it down and tend to it later, then relax.

Our mind-set is simply what we set our mind to do. If we set our mind and goals to become a balanced, mature person who is successful in sales, we can remove and leave behind that protective shell of boisterous ego.

What Do You Do?

2010-01-25T16:02:00.001-05:00

It seems like a rather harmless and benign question. We hear it so often that we don’t really give it much thought. Someone strikes up a conversation with you and asks, “So, what do you do?”

This apparent mundane inquiry should is heard by the sales professional as a call to action. With such an open invitation, you can begin to develop a relationship that will be either future business or a referral for new business.

Do a quick search on “60 second introductions” or “My elevator speech” and you will find rich resources and clues to why you should have several creative and intentional response to the “What do you do” question.

One source can be found over at the Powerful Presentations website.

Craig Harrison has some good counsel on how to compose your self-introduction including a number of free tools you can download to assist you in the process.

Bottom Line – DO IT! Those casual conversations are yours to turn into opportunities. During an economic time when we are all working harder to reach our sales goals, this is one way you can work smarter. Be prepared and be different.

Here is a draft of one of mine from a few years back (some names have been changed to protect the innocent)!

I’m Kim Williams with “Acme” Improvements. We free homeowners from the worry and effort of repairing and improving their home. Through seasoned project managers who oversee every job and designated, trade-specific workers, we save time and money for home owners allowing them to focus on living in their home rather than struggling with it. For over 16 years, we have been a one-stop provider of proven solutions for all non-crisis home maintenance needs- from the shingles to the foundation. We ask for no deposits and guarantee our work so there is no financial risk. Our customers have peace of mind about their home improvements and repairs because we are committed to completing our projects on time and are licensed, bonded and insured. At Acme we seek a lifetime relationship with each of our home owners and are committed to serving their home repair needs again and again!

You or your friends can get freedom from home repairs. Do we sound like the right fit for you?

Set aside some time to work on your What I Do introduction.

FIVE TOP DON’TS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

2009-12-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

Social Media Marketing – using tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Digg – is a hot topic in the worlds of both Internet Marketing and Traditional Marketing. If you are considering stepping into the world of Social Media, here are five common and deadly mistakes to avoid.

1. Don't rush. Take time to learn about Social Media and how it works. Before you rush to set up that LinkedIn profile, take time to write, edit and plan your content. Understand the difference between Company and Personal profiles and don’t mix the two. Know the advantages of choosing an appropriate Twitter ID, before you just select the first thing available and start building followers. Having something well structured and crafted in your Social Media profiles will win the long race over something fast – just to get started.

With sites like Digg or Stumbleupon, take some time to become involved in the community and learn the ins and outs of the different categories. Nothing will kill your great article faster than submitting it in the wrong category – just because you think it’s a “Technology” article instead of “Science” doesn’t make it so. Learn the norms and get a feel for the community before jumping in.

2. Don’t forget your overall marketing strategy. Social Media should work with, not outside, of traditional marketing. What are your goals? How are you taking your brand to market? Blasting out a poorly strategized campaign that doesn’t compliment your brand image is a surefire way to confuse and disorient your audience. Craft your desired message, make sure it’s aligned with your overall objectives, and THEN start engaging.

3. Don’t PUSH. Virtually all forms of Social Media are about being popular and seen as welcoming to others. While traditional marketing might scream “buy me,” Social Media needs to be invitational and position you as an advocate for your potential clients. Remember, your audience has spent time and effort building up their online network and image. A pushy, “sales-y” intrusion into their social community is the equivalent of hitting up your dinner party guests for an investment in your ergonomic toilet seat venture. Don’t push – respond.

4. Don’t go it alone. Social Media Marketing is a fairly new way of going to market with your product or service. Be certain to consult with others about what they are doing successfully and reach out to professionals for advice and direction. There are scores of “social media gurus” flooding Twitter right now, simply because it’s a low cost medium and fairly easy to build a large network of followers and throw out some buzz words. Turning this into measureable and meaningful business results is something else entirely.

Be wary of anyone who tells you that you can’t handle your Social Media Campaign. It may be a little daunting at first, but once properly conceived and set-up, most Social Media requires only measured attention.

5. Don’t do everything. Social Media and Social Sharing tools are as numerous as the days are long, and trying to incorporate every possible Social tool into your marketing will leave you diluted and make it difficult to measure results. Once you decide on your goals, select the Social platforms that will help you accomplish those goals best.

Social Media Marketing isn’t a fad. These internet based tools are transforming the way companies position themselves on the internet. Get started. Be deliberate, strategic and measured, but get going.

Socratic Questioning

2009-09-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

Socratic Questioning is an old and complex system of seeking to learn more about thoughts, issues and thinking by continually asking questions.

In selling situations, questioning serves a variety of purposes – gathering critical information, uncovering a clients purchase points, and establishing credibility to the particular product or service you are offering.

What are the questions you need to ask today? Here are some examples of possible questioning approaches.

In your understanding, why are we meeting today?
What do you hope that I can offer to you?
Have you had others meet with you about this?
Do you have concerns I need to know?
What would be the ‘best case’ solution for you?

These are general questions, of course and you will want to tailor them to your specific situation and service. Take a few minutes and write three questions you can ask today.

Crafting Your Introduction

2009-08-18T14:33:00.001-04:00

Need an elevator speech to descibe your business? Terri Sjodin offers energetic and practical advice. Watch and learn!

Start Here!

A Buy-Product of Your Product

2009-07-26T10:54:00.000-04:00

Any professional sales person will tell you that they can best sell a product or service that they believe in. We rightly spend time researching our industry and determining the competitive advantages that we have, and detailing the important facts and benefits that we have to offer. Yet, often when the real pressure to prove the value of our product or service hits, we stumble.

So, here’s a quick tip to dramatically increase your ability to promote any product or service you represent: Be a product of the product. Once you are a customer of your own product, it is much more natural and credible to recommend it.

Buy some of what you are selling and you will sell more of it. Done.

Sensational Words

2009-07-12T02:18:00.000-04:00

Do you ever see with your ears? Of course you do, not literally of course, but words that we hear often create pictures in our minds. We know the power of words. A single word can often make or break a sale. Just ask someone who is a little undecided to ‘sign’ your ‘binding’ ‘contract’ and see what happens.

Sensational words are words that vividly describe an aspect of our product or service. They are words that build images in the mind of the hearer and make real the final affects of their choice. Your copier doesn’t just make clear copies, it makes brilliant copies. That new car won’t just look good in your driveway, it will look luxurious. Your service won’t just help your client respond faster, it will expedite their success.

Build some sensational words into your presentation, but don’t over do it. One or two carefully placed sensational words will make your presentation stellar, while too many will make it a glitzy, gaudy, gregarious, giant, goosy, gunk – and who knows what that is, much less wants it?

It Isn't What We Know.

2009-07-01T20:48:00.000-04:00

I recently was asked by another sales person to offer some coaching on his approach to sales. As I often do, I began by asking a number of questions to gain knowledge of this person’s abilities. At every turn, his response was the same, “I know that, but….” I finally addressed what I believed was his biggest growth opportunity: he was focused on what he knew, what he understood about selling, and not on what he was, in fact, doing.

It isn’t about what we know, it is about what we do – how we perform based on our knowledge.

For those of us who have been students of sales for some time, we know much about selling. We have heard countless ideas, approaches and philosophies about sales. We have tried a number of various techniques. The challenge is to broadly and consistently get the abilities and knowledge that we have into play each and every time we are in a selling situation (which is most of the time).

Take a few minutes today and review your sales knowledge base. Make a list of your top ten sales skills and then review your past few sales interactions and score yourself on the actual performance of those skills. How did you do?

After all, it is about what we do with what we know, isn’t it?

Asking For It

2009-06-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

You have finished your presentation, packed your samples, aides and folders away and are leaving without the business you came for. What went wrong? You refrain from being rude, and professionally, politely exit all the while wondering why your client didn't jump on your offer.

You replay the entire event in your mind as you drive toward the office, and just can’t figure out what you did wrong. Your personal appearance was on target. You greeted everyone present and made a point to remember names and build rapport. You delivered a flawless presentation packed with data, sensational words and humor. They laughed and still, no business.

Then it hits you. The number one reason people don’t buy our product or service is that they were never asked. You forgot to ask for the business.

One of the most successful retail sales people I have ever seen had a strange habit of simply asking customers the same question each and every time they looked at or even paused by a piece of furniture; “Is this the one you want to take home today?” He had a way of delivering this question that made people smile and often by the third or fourth time, they were asking each other the same question. I witnessed families laughing and joking together about how “this was the one.”

Today, remember to ask for the business. Begin a practice of telling your clients in advance that you will ask for their business. Remind them during your presentation that the time for deciding is coming and then find ways to ask, not once but multiple times. Either way you get business or not and you asked for it.

Do It Yourself!

2009-06-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

I saw some helpful in-sourcing ideas over at Kathie Nelson's blog. So, I send you there. More Free Sales Tips soon...

-Kim

Socrates The Salesman?

2009-06-01T21:10:00.000-04:00

Socratic Questioning is an old and complex system of seeking to learn more about thoughts, issues and thinking by continually asking questions. A great book on the subject is Kevin Daley's "Socratic Selling."

What are the questions you need to ask today? Here are some examples of possible questioning approaches.

In your understanding, why are we meeting today?
What do you hope that I can offer to you?
Have you had others meet with you about this?
Do you have concerns I need to know?
What would be the ‘best case’ solution for you?

These are general questions, of course and you will want to tailor them to your specific situation and service. Take a few minutes and write three questions you can ask today.

Sensational Words

2009-05-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

Networking Tips - PIECE!

2009-05-14T20:31:00.000-04:00

If you have been around sales for any time, you have heard various presentations on the selling process, or the steps in the sales process. In one form or fashion these steps usually include:

1. Prospecting/Lead Generation

2. Qualification

3. Initial Engagement (1^st Impressions)

4. Presentation or Engagement skills

5. Dealing with Objections

6. Closing Strategies

7. Referral Generation

The process or cycle begins again with generating new leads from referrals.

I would like to spend this post on one aspect of Lead Generation: Networking. For the purpose of this post we will define Networking in terms of attending events or meetings that are specifically designed for Business Networking (i.e. Chamber events, Networking group socials, Trade Shows, etc.)

Networking is best handled as brief social interactions that involve the exchange of information in such a way that we can turn conversations into prospects. I like to think of several steps in an effective networking exchange: Personal presentation, Inviting conversation, Empathetic listening, Card exchange and Enticing introductions. I recommend the acronym P.I.E.C.E for remembering this process.

Personal presentation – One of the most basic components of networking is to remove the outward and visible obstacles to your success. Old sayings stay around because they are often true and such is the case for saying “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” Take care to groom and dress appropriately for the event. I have found it very useful to consult with a clothing retailer to learn about current styles and fashions. Traditional hair styles change gradually and the advice of a good barber or stylist can be worth much more than the price of a hair style. Beyond these sources, speak with a close family member or friend and let them help you identify any grooming or habits that you have that might make a less than favorable impression. Use little or no perfume or cologne. You might enjoy the scent, but there are as many disliked aromas as there are people – so any fragrance will offend someone. I certainly don’t want a haircut, suit or perfume getting in the way of helping someone to benefit from owning products and services they need!

Inviting conversation – Most 'networkers' make the mistake of thinking they need to tell people all about themselves and their product or service. Break the pattern and ask someone what they do and how you can help them. In addition, develop a short list of probing questions that will invite your future client to talk more about themselves and their business. Become well versed at asking questions. Remember, this part is all about how you can help them. NOTE: leave your cell phone behind, or at a minimum place it on vibrate. Nothing truncates a good networking conversation like an interrupting ring tone.

Empathic listening - There is one significant key to meaningful and productive conversation – listening. Be the sales representative that breaks the persona of being a chatty sales person. Listen to others, repeat their comments back to them, and let them know you are paying attention. Most importantly realize that your success will come by helping others. You need to know who they are and what they need in order to help. Remember the words of Zig Ziglar, “If you help enough people get what they want, you will have all and more of what you need.”

Card Exchange – Your most tangible networking tool is your business card. Clearly your card should present you clearly, but most importantly you must get and give cards to access relevant information. You need a reminder of who you met and they need to take you (your card at least) home with them. Get their card and make short notes about your conversation on the card. NOTE: some business cards today are filled with text, or made of products that don’t allow for notes, so you might want to have a small note pad handy.

Enticing introductions – At some point in the conversation, you will get asked about yourself. If they don’t ask about you, dig further into who they are. There is natural law of reciprocity in conversation so be ready for it when they ask about you, your product or service. Every sales person should have an enticing introduction ready to present at anytime. Sometimes called the “Elevator Speech,” these introductions have a variety of components including, but not limited to: 1. your name and the name of your company, 2. a brief list of the two or three most significant facts about your product or service, 3. a reference to one or two of the benefits your clients receive and 4. a wrap-up sentence with your company’s name and a tag phrase summary. You can get more detailed instructions on how to craft such an introduction by searching resources online (see side bar links). The point here is to give the future client a whiff of what you can do for them and leave them wanting more. When you are asked for more detail, politely request that you contact them at less rushed time and visit more with them. With permission to contact them later, you have been successful and can move on to the next future client and offer them a PIECE!

Happy Networking!

Remembering to Say Thank You

2009-05-13T00:40:00.000-04:00

Much is being said currently about these “slow” economic times and the added difficulty that sales people are experiencing as they work to close sales. As always, our minds turn to creating new streams of revenue and working hard to get results.

A word of caution and reminder is due here. Remember to say “Thank You” to your current client base. There are a number of solid reasons to spend some time and money on your existing clients now.

1. Nothing stings as bad as having one of your strong and faithful accounts go to another provider because they “just wanted my business more than you did.” The competition is out there shaking bushes and knocking down doors with a vengeance and the doors that they may be opening could be your clients. Don’t let your good clients forget how much you value them and their business.
2. Solid clients are often the source of new revenue. Those companies and people who have invested in your serves are probably among the strongest and smartest customers. They are no doubt dealing with the affects of the economy, as well. Solid companies are looking to make new and creative responses to the current situation and your services or products should be a part of that. Let them know you value their success and will work with them to create new revenue sources for them or make their process more profitable.
3. Your existing client base may need assurance that you and the company you represent are stable and ready to meet their needs. Calm their fears and assure them that you are in this together.

Today, make a list of the top 20% of your client base. Schedule time this week to touch base with them, preferably face-to-face to address any issues and inquire about any needs for the coming months. Remember to use a hand written thank you card and possibly a small gift to get their attention. You know your clients so you will know how to personalize something. Don’t let the persistence of someone looking for new customers rob you of your hard won and otherwise faithful client base. Say “Thank You” today!

Sales Management 2.0 Guest Pod Cast

2009-05-08T08:31:00.000-04:00

Please click over to Sales Management 2.0 and enjoy hearing my guest presentation on Relationship Sales.

"Over a decade ago, Kim discovered a passion for the art of selling. According to Kim, sales is really nothing short of a way of communicating and relating successfully to others. He discusses three key aspects of relationship building: clear communication, personal integrity and having a servant mindset." -Sales Management 2.0

Are You Feeling It?

2009-05-03T03:01:00.000-04:00

If I know a current slang phrase, it probably isn’t current anymore. In the heat of several discussions with friends, I have heard the phrase uttered, “I’m just not feeling it.” To capture one’s agreement on a deep level, it is apparently important that I am “feeling” it, you or something.

When it comes to sales, it is important that people are experiencing the emotional significance of doing business with you. They need to feel it. It has been said before that people buy emotionally and justify rationally. Your clients need to have an experience of what you offer that is more than the statistics of price or volume. Every good presentation builds not only with information, but with information in such a way that the client has the opportunity to build excitement. Carefully choosing words that allow the benefits (colors, newness, easy of use, increased speed) of your product or service to be experienced is a tool of the seasoned sales person. They need to ‘feel’ it.

Do you feel it? More important than the planning we might do to include sensational words to incite emotion and feeling in our presentations is the attitude with which we experience our work. If I am not excited about my company, solution, product or service then how can I expect someone else to feel excitement? Are you feeling it?

Today do a belief and conviction check-up. Revisit why you chose to do this job. Play back the days that brought you into this position, or industry. Are you still a believer in what you are doing? Is the solution or upgrade you are offering something that you really believe is best? You must feel it - the significance of your profession and service - in order to sell it.

When Nothing You Do Works

2009-04-23T13:20:00.000-04:00

You have tried everything. Your mind is empty of ideas and techniques. You have tried every approach, all the gimmicks, and brilliant skills that you have in your tool bag, and you still can’t get the response you are wanting from this client. You are ready to give-up, move on, that famous sales acronym comes to mind – F.I.D.O. “Forget It and Drive On”

Before you toss this one to the curb, you might want to do something wild and adventuresome.

Ask for help.

Too often we are so focused on doing what we have to do that we just don’t think to ask for help. Replay the situation to someone else and let them offer some observations. Sometimes the greatest ideas are simple to find if you are on the outside of the situation. When nothing is working, ask for help. Then do something else REALLY adventuresome.

Listen with an open mind.

Be willing to hear everything your counsel is saying. It may be that you have overlooked something simple, even embarrassingly simple. You may need to try something drastically new. Something very uncomfortable for you may be suggested. Be open minded enough to hear suggestions and consider new actions.

When nothing you do works, you can learn from others and do what they do - THAT WORKS!

Minding Your 'Ps' - Persistance and Passion

2009-04-17T11:37:00.000-04:00

For long term success in anything, we need both persistence and passion working for us.

Passion is the fuel that drives us forward and it is derived from dreams, values and principles that are at the core of our being. Passion is about the things we desire, that which we love. Passion is a powerful motivator and really the only motivator that has long term staying power.

Persistence is about choices and action. It is the day-to-day work of getting things done. If passion is the goal, persistence is the path that leads us there. Persistence is doing what works over and over again, and then doing it again. Persistence channels the flames of passion and makes them work in a focused and productive fashion.

Passion without persistence results in powerful and often messy explosions one after another. Persistence without passion will give us mundane and meaningless activity that is very neat and orderly, but of little consequence.

Sales people, like all people, tend to have certain natural abilities toward either passion or persistence. The key is to discover which we do more naturally and then balance that with some learning and effort to actualize the other. Are you more persistent or passionate by nature? Do you need to develop more skills of discipline and order, or are you in need of some desire and motivation?

Keeping Selling Time Selling Time

2009-04-06T17:13:00.000-04:00

I work with a wonderful group of sales people. Most of their time is spent selling and doing selling related tasks. These are versatile people with excellent communication skills. It is amazing how quickly they can be rendered powerless by a customer service complaint or any non-sales issue.

Selling is, in part, a people pleasing activity. We want to successfully engage others and getting them to like us, trust us and want to listen to us is a powerful tool to sales success. The mind set of most successful sales people is to offer products or services that are pleasing to the client. Most sales personnel are good at this process because they, in fact, want to be liked.

Customer service and complaints are often about conflict resolution. Conflict resolution, while drawing from some of the same skills used in selling, isn’t about being liked – it is about clear communication, negotiating and drawing boundaries.

Ideally, sales people should be left to sell and there should be someone else to handle the customer complaints and conflicts. However, in the real world, many of us in the sales profession are called upon to handle at least some of the customer service issues. For our own sanity, we can follow these tips:

Schedule a designated block of time to handle any customer service issues together. Grouping similar tasks together is not only a good time management technique, but we can pick up the negotiator hat and wear it a while. Once we are ready to move back into our selling tasks, we can be aware of the shift and move forward strongly to sell, leaving the negotiator behind.
Enlist help. If possible, let someone else gather some of the initial information from the client. This will allow them to defuse some, and become more amicable to resolution when we call.
Handle customer service issues quickly. The longer a client has to wait to have a complaint addressed, the more difficult they will likely be.
Have a plan. If we have a clear plan, a written list of your options for negotiating a given situation, it makes the process easier and usually faster.
Listen. Step one in dealing with ANY customer service issues is to listen. No matter how much we may already know about the situation and no matter how clear we may be about possible options, we need to give the client the professional courtesy of listening to their story.

Most importantly, remember to shift roles quickly and keep selling. Don’t get distracted and spend too much time or emotion on a non-selling task. The more time spent devoted to sales related tasks, the better sales person we will be. We are a sales person, keep selling.

May I Ask You a Question?

2009-04-02T00:43:00.000-04:00

Don’t tell, ask. You know your job. You have spent countless hours researching your industry and have a complete understanding of how the products and services that you offer are best used to help your clients. You know what they need usually before they do. It makes sense that the temptation to tell them what you can do for them is natural and strong. Don’t do it.

One of our natural human tendencies is to distrust what others tell us we should do, especially if the person telling us stands to profit from our actions. So, how do we get the solution onto the table? We ask questions, lots of questions.

Instead of telling someone that they need this because it will make their process more efficient, we ask them “Are you looking for something that will reduce production time and save costs?” There is less chance of success when we tell them the product that they need, than when we ask them to choose from several options.

Develop a habit of asking questions when you find yourself wanting to tell your clients what to do.

Don't Try Anything New!

2009-03-25T17:51:00.000-04:00

Don’t try anything new!

“Think outside the box,” “Ideate new solutions,” “Color outside the lines,” “Try something different,” – we hear these and countless other calls to change our approach to selling or modify our presentation. I say, “Don’t try anything new!”

That's right. Well, honestly it is 50% right. Too often we seek new and entertaining ideas and techniques to add to our skill set before we spend anytime evaluating what we are doing. This quick to change attitude comes with at least three potential pitfalls.

One risk here is that we change something that is already working. Figuratively speaking we might throw out the baby with the bath water. Before we add a new technique or element, we need to make sure we are not eliminating what we are currently doing with the time or space in our presentation. If asking three or four specific questions is getting us good results, why should we change those? Newer is not always better.

We can also get too lengthy with our approach to our client. One small addition today doesn’t change much in terms of presentation quantity, but over time five or six additions can make your tidy presentation into a laborious discourse. More is not always better, either.

Finally, rather than asking what I should do new in an effort to improve, we might be better served to ask, “What have I stopped doing that I should be doing?” It is a common failure of sales people to inadvertently drop a key element of our skill set. Sometimes the change we need is to remember the change we already made that has proven successful.

So, if you are feeling the need for something new to spice up your game, first take some time to make sure the game you have and the game you know is being played with all of the skills you have already mastered.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sale

2009-03-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

Don’t loose it! Sure the personal success and financial reward of selling is a big part of why we do this every day, but if we ever loose the fun in the art of selling, we are doomed. How much fun is this, anyway?

You get to meet a diverse and intriguing, often down right hilarious, assortment of people. You have massive freedom to learn and experiment with techniques and approaches. You can fail more than you succeed and still be a winner! You can help your clients.

What we do is fun. If you aren’t having fun, there is a pretty certain expectation that your clients aren’t enjoying your presentation either. Lighten up.

Try this. Today, make a commitment to ask someone to tell you a joke or share with you a funny story. Let them teach you something fun. Share a laugh and enjoy the selling experience. Fun makes fantastic selling. Spell sale – FUN.

Listening Beyond the Words

2009-03-16T21:25:00.000-04:00

We all know that we need to listen to what our clients are saying. They know their own needs, even if they don’t know the best solution from our services. We know to ask questions and listen, listen, listen.

The superior sales person listens beyond these words, however. We listen for clues as to what the personality of the client tells us. Are they detail oriented? Do they use a lot of ‘feeling’ or imaging creating words? Are they too eager to relinquish control or are they very controlling? The personality of the client speaks volumes as to how we will need to proceed.

Ask yourself today, “Am I listening beyond the words to the personality of my potential client?”

Pause Power

2009-03-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

Wait for it. Wait. Feel it. Now speak.

So often we get caught up in the energy and enthusiasm of our presentation and react with quick and vigorous response to any simple question or objection. This eagerness or ‘ever-ready’ kind of response can often (and mostly likely will) set a potential client back on their heels.

Part of the art of presenting is to vary our pace, allow the client to see us thinking and considering their questions, needs and objections. Developing sensitivity to slower and steadier responses is a skill we need.

Plan to take a pause or two today. Pace your interactions and let your clients know you are interacting with them and not just reacting.

Sales as Education

2009-02-22T20:56:00.000-05:00

Do you know the definition of an expert? An expert is a person with an opinion who is more than 50 miles from home. You are a specialist in your field.

Part of a good presentation is education whereby you help the client learn enough about your product or service to empower them to say ‘yes.’

One of the basic elements of education is repetition. A good presentation allows for repetition by using an introduction, presentation and recap. In short, tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Then, tell them what you have told them.

Today, take the time to share your knowledge in a systematic and repetitive manner.

How Do You Like the Game?

2008-08-23T23:06:00.000-04:00

We plan, prepare and present everyday in order to get clients involved with our products and services. Our goal is often to convince and sway their thoughts and emotions respectively in order to over come objections and delays. We do a lot of work for them.

I have heard it said that selling isn't a sport for clients to watch, but an event in which they should participate. How are you inviting your future clients to be involved in your presentation? Here are some ideas that might work for you depending on your industry:

1. Let them help you place handouts or samples products where you need them.
2. Provide samples that they can touch, hold, see even smell.
3. Use visuals aides for something unexpected.
4. Remember sounds – find a way to let them 'hear' your service.
5. Use DVDs and online videos. "You Tube" is a great source of helpful, free and often fun videos that might relate to your presentation points.
6. Consider a ‘taste’ experience. I once agreed to a consult with a sales person because she kept leaving cookies at the office with a business card. The flavors and sensations quickly became associated with her company and the office staff insisted I hear her presentation.

So, the question we started with, “how do you like the game,” is a good question to remind us who is on our team. Put the future-client on your team and they will demand that you win.

Listening

2008-08-10T16:52:00.000-04:00

Of the myriad of techniques, closes and communication skills all needed to make a sales person successful, nothing is more simple and more essential that the act of listening. Nor is anything any more difficult.

The key to success in any selling situation is to know what your client needs and the best route to their needs is through their knowledge and ideas. Your solution, no matter how common, needs to be based on the requests and spoken needs of the client. By asking questions about their current situation, past experiences, desired changes, and dissatisfaction, we can open the door to knowing the critical needs and expectations of every client. This is basic sales.

However, if we are too focused on the questions we might ask, preplanned responses and presentations, we might just fail to use the one most critical tool in our sales bag: our ears and minds. We must listen to the client. We must not only hear their words, but listen to the emotion, or lack of emotion around the topics. As we tune in to this exchange, we gain the valuable information we need to truly understand what we have to offer to this person, group or company.

The old adage is true enough, "We were given one mouth and two ears." So listen twice as much as you talk.

Free Sales Tips

Mind Set for The Long Haul

What Do You Do?

FIVE TOP DON’TS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Top Three Social Media Strategy Questions

Socratic Questioning

Crafting Your Introduction

A Buy-Product of Your Product

Sensational Words

It Isn't What We Know.

Asking For It

Do It Yourself!

Socrates The Salesman?

Sensational Words

Networking Tips - PIECE!

Remembering to Say Thank You

Sales Management 2.0 Guest Pod Cast

Are You Feeling It?

When Nothing You Do Works

Minding Your 'Ps' - Persistance and Passion

Keeping Selling Time Selling Time

May I Ask You a Question?

Don't Try Anything New!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sale

Listening Beyond the Words

Pause Power

Sales as Education

How Do You Like the Game?

Listening