The Net’s Most Wanteds

In my book, How To Sell Like A Natural Born Salesperson, I tell a story about what happened to my dear dad, late in life.

He was a career salesperson, who dabbled in producing TV and radio. In his middle 60’s he accepted a sales job that should have been a breeze for him, but for some reason, he just couldn’t seem to “crack the nut,” as he put it, and earn his first sale.

This was excruciating, inasmuch as he was always the top rep and moneymaker wherever he worked.

I talked with him during this time, and occasionally we got together for dinner.

And to his credit, he never got down on himself. In fact, he told me: “Gary, it only takes one!”

I had heard this line before, when he was standing in the bleachers, as I was at bat. “It only takes one!” he would shout as an encouragement.

Of course, he was right.

You just need to put a good swing on a good pitch, and the rest will take care of itself.

Dad came through.

As it turned out, Elvis Presley’s manager, the famous Colonel Parker, gave him a huge order, the prestige of which carried dad on to one success after the next.

It just took one “king” to re-anoint another king, and peace came to the realm, once more.

Let this be an inspiration to you, when things aren’t going well. It just takes one success to turn everything around!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

Do you have any idea what your customers have experienced from using the products they have purchased from you? Most of the vendors I work with make a sale and move on. They often don’t bother investing much time improving the products they sell to their customers, much less develop ways to help them better understand how to use them. A very small minority of vendors have continued to send me unsolicited free bonus ‘how to use it’ follow-up emails and publications long after I made my purchase from them. And whenever I receive something like this, it almost always compels me to take another look at the product I purchased – because anything that helps me understand more ways to use what I already own is pretty useful to me.

What this also does is cause me to appreciate that vendor even more for thinking about me. They not only added value to their product, but they helped me see how to use their tool to solve even more of my business problems. It just doesn’t get much better than that.

Does this sound like something you’d consider doing? What if you don’t have your own product? No problem – just create a way to improve someone else’s product, and then sell it or give it away when someone purchased the product you are promoting. It’s a sure way to generate more sales for an affiliate product.

One way you can jump on this is to contact your existing customers and ask a simple question along the lines of: “What results are you getting from using XYZ product, and how can I help you make this product work even better for you?”

Vendors who do send “How To Use My Product” updates to their customers are generally helping their customers experience incredible results. Why? Think about it – how much more value would you be adding to your product if you continued to send your customers updates with more examples and tips about how to actually use your (or someone else’s) product or service more completely, effectively, efficiently, profitably, etc.? Oh yeah – let’s not forget about how eager everyone is to read about cases studies of how others are using a product successfully and profitably.

When you do this, you’re helping your customer actually visualize new ways to use the product you sold them in ways they might never have considered before.

Let me ask you this: How many ebooks do you have sitting on your shelf or on your hard drive that you’ve never even read? And how many people have ever sent you ideas to help you use those products? What would you think of someone who DID do that for you? Are you getting the idea here?

The reason many marketing products never get read or used is because no one helps people understand how to use the information profitably on an ongoing basis. Your product ‘updates’ help to reduce or eliminate these issues, and also provides your customers with an unexpected bonus. Not only that, but, when you show someone how to really use a product you sell, you instill trust because you demonstrate that you truly understand the value of the product. You shift from being perceived as just a product promoter to being a true problem solver. Your customers will suddenly come to realize that you really are worth having around – and their loyalty towards you increases tremendously.

Doing this for your customers keeps any product you sell from turning into a dust collecting trophy on their shelf or taking up extra space on their hard drive. If you make a product truly useful, someone will think twice before deleting it. If you show someone a variety of profitable ways they can actually use the products you sell them, what are they going to think about you? Here are a few things that come to mind:

a) you really rock
b) making a purchase from you was a good investment
c) making future purchases from you will be just as good
d) I want to stay in touch with this person

How would you like to have your customers thinking these thoughts about you? You can make it happen. Start today by choosing a product and start thinking of more useful ways your prospects and customers can use it. Then, write a report or create a video showing them How To use that product more profitably.

© 2005 by Kevin Wirth – allrights reserved worldwide.

Kevin Wirth is the owner of KEVS-KORNER ezine, a free online newsletter offering articles, tips, resources, and insight on over 170 different marketing tactics. He is bringing together a growing community where you can work with others to create and market products online. To discover more about how you can grow your online business with marketing tactics and get a free gift just for visiting, please head on over to http://www.kevs-korner.com.

Documenting and exploring the communications you have with your customers can reveal opportunities for selling and educating them that may not have been apparent previously. It is important to understand the terms that are being used here because they are critical to deriving more sales from each interaction. This will become clearer when we explore the three key elements — influencers, mediums, and expectations.

Customer interaction points represent any communications you have with your customer at any point in the relationship. These points represent a system of selling and educational opportunities. When we talk about exploiting customer interaction points, we are specifically looking at employing the greatest possible advantage for both the customer and your organization – always seek increasing service and providing win-win situations.

Each customer interaction point gives your organization valuable information that helps tailor your services for the customer while teaching them about ways to receive additional benefit. If you do not utilize this opportunity in every communication, you could be missing useful knowledge and future sales. The three key elements mentioned in the first paragraph will make this statement clearer.

The three elements we are referring to are influencers, mediums, and expectations. You must determine what influences your customer to become involved in the interaction. Describe the categories of communications mediums in which your customer interacts with you. Then face the most important part of serving any customer, their specific expectations — learn about their wants, needs, and the benefits desired.

At first, this can be a difficult process, but just start by jotting down a simple flow chart with short notes highlighting the three key elements. Once you have a general idea of where you communicate with your customer, seek to deliver more of what the customer expects and look at ways you can help them to solve their problems.

This forward, but generally beneficial approach will increase your sales while providing the customer those things they need.

Copyright © 2002 Justin Hitt, All right reserved.

A now retired but well-respected sales trainer once said the three most important things to ensure a successful sale are: close,close, close.

There are numerous closing techniques with great names such as the Half Nelson, the Full Nelson, Puppy Dog Close and the Last Ditch Close. While it helps to have a catalogue of techniques to use in different situations knowing three basic methods will get you started.
1) The direct close: ‘Fine, let’s complete the paperwork’, or ‘Let’s do the cheque now’.
2) The alternative close: ‘Do you prefer to pay by cheque or cash?’, ‘Do you want red or green?’, ‘Do you want twelve or thirteen?’
3) The major/minor close: ‘Will you be requiring ten extra handbooks to go with your course, or 12?’, ‘Do you want metallic paint on the car?’ , ‘Would you like a set of shoe trees to go with your shoes?’.

There is a golden rule to closing: once you have asked any form of closing question to conclude your business, SHUT UP. Many sellers can’t bear what they perceive as the pressure of the silence and start talking again, even though the only person suffering the pressure is the seller.

However, some prospects just can’t or won’t make a decision with one of the fundamental closes. Some will procrastinate. Others hope the decision will be made by somebody else. Others actually fear making buying decisions.

If this happens, it is likely you are talking to the wrong person and have been wasting your time with a slick presentation. A simple question when setting the appointment is ‘Would there be anybody else, who might be involved in making the decision to purchase?’ . This gently ensures that the prospect is your MAN – the one with the Money, Authority and Need.

It all comes down to attitude and determination to ask for the business. Persist and find out how best to show the prospect that your product is perfect for them. If they see you as a consultant you have a much better chance than if they perceive you as a peddler.

Don’t make the mistake of leaving a brochure at the end of the presentation in place of closing the prospect. Usually the only person that benefits from this on a regular basis is your printer! Leaving brochures only leads to procrastination on both sides. Distributing sales literature is all activity but no achievement.

It is vital to be realistic about some prospects. There are time wasters, and there are some wallies! Don’t waste your time selling to them but always leave with a polite parting and leave the door open for future contact.

Andy Szebeni is direct of sales training and telemarketing company A&P at http://www.a-and-p.com. He helps sales people to win more business and attract more clients via A&P seminars, workshops and training sessions.

In a survey of 10,000 sales executives conducted for Sales & Marketing Management magazine by Simmons Market Research, participants maintained, seven to one, that top sales representatives are “made,” not born. Many of them went on to suggest that one of the most important skills to be learned by a sales professional is the ability to match products and services to customers’ needs. Asked to define “greatness” in a salesperson, one respondent said, “Foremost, it’s understanding the needs of each customer and, after recognizing each customer’s need, matching it with the appropriate selling approach.” According to these experts, understanding the needs of your customer is one of the keys to sales success and professional greatness.

As a sales trainer and coach (see http://www.TheSellingedge.com/personalCoaching) I know novice salespeople in the selling industry have difficulty discovering a customer’s needs primarily because they tend to focus on their company’s products or services rather than on what’s important to the customer. Taking time to discover your client, customer or prospect’s specific needs requires that you ask the right questions and then you listen to what is said.

Asking the right kinds of questions is a skill you can develop through practice. In fact, asking questions is the sign of a true professional. Without good questioning skills, lawyers would have difficulty defending their clients, doctors could not properly diagnose diseases, scientists would rarely make new discoveries, professors could not effectively teach, detectives could not solve crimes, and salespeople could not effectively serve their customers. Without the ability to question, mankind’s progress would come to a halt!

As you work with your customers, practice asking them open-ended questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response. These kinds of questions get your, client, customer or prospect talking and sharing information. Open-ended questions begin with words like “WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, HOW and, TELL ME. . .” When you get your prospec talking, listen to his words and the messages behind the words. You may discover additional services or products they need that you can provide.

VIRDEN THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge®, Inc. an Ohio consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training, personal coaching, advisory services and publishing. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Service Linen Supply, Bank One, Jefferson Wells International, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of the “best selling” Building & Closing the Sale, Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success and Close That Sale, a video/audio tape series published by Crisp Publications a division of Thompson Learning. He has also authored a client acclaimed Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching, telemarketing, and personal productivity manuals. To obtain a substantial discount on two of Virden’s latest books, 101 Sales Myths or Organizing For Sales Success, go to: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/

1. Email (opt in)

If you’re not sending your own personal email newsletter you’re missing a huge opportunity. I don’t care if you’re an employee of a Fortune 500 company or a self-employed consultant. You MUST develop you own email newsletter.

An eZine will allow you to build your relationship, credibility and trust with the people that subscribe. Provide them useful, unique and pertinent information and watch your sales skyrocket.

2. Pay-per-Click (PPC)

Pay-per-click or PPC ads are a very effective and cost efficient way to drive prospects to your website. Whether it be a one-page sales letter or a “squeeze page” for them to sign up for your ezine, PPCs are an easy way for you to build awareness.

By using PPCs you can achieve laser like focus on your target market by using specific keywords. Then run ads for only those keywords. The benefit is when the prospect clicks on that ad they are not going to a general site with all kinds of garbage on it they are landing on your specific, targeted site. Niche marketing at its best.

3. Customer Referrals

This is old school. But if you’re not asking every single person you come into contact with, “Do you know of someone who may benefit from my services/product/whatever?” Then you don’t know what sales is all about. Sorry but you don’t.

Sure, most of the time we won’t get a referral. But all it takes is one to make it all worthwhile. Imagine if you made one more sale a month. What would that do to your income? Well, that’s easy to attain no matter what industry you’re in. If you just ask for referrals.

4. Ask Co-workers

Have you ever thought of asking a co-worker for a business referral? Most people don’t. It’s amazing. They think that since their co-worker works their they would have already talked to everyone they know about their company.

However, over 90% of non-sales employees have top quality prospects sitting in their brain. You just need to ask them for the information.

5. Ask friends, family and neighbors

Same here. Most people do not want to mix business with their personal life. Get over it! Your friends, family and neighbors have a keg of referrals. They’re just waiting to be tapped.

6. Joint Ventures

Who do you know in your industry that is not a competitor but that calls on the same customers and/or companies as you? Great! Call them right now and ask them how you can build a mutually beneficial relationship together.

Remember, they’re going to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Be prepared with a deal they can’t pass up.

7. Flyer Distribution

It doesn’t matter if you sell to consumers or businesses. Design a compelling one-page flyer and hire a company or a high school kid to deliver them to your target area. This is a great way to get quality leads for very cheap. Try it. I promise you’ll be surprised and impressed.

8. Postcards

This is one of my favorite, low cost ways to drive traffic to my websites. The key is to use a simple, targeted message on your postcard. No fancy graphics or fonts. Simplicity is key here.

You can increase your response rate by up to 200% by using the simplicity formula. The message should be in paragraph form and only 2-4 sentences. If you can personalize it that’s even better.

9. Cold calling

Ah yes. Good old fashioned cold calling. You may not want to hear it or like doing it but you can’t argue with results. When you do it right of course.

You need an effective plan, technique and outline to make it work best. No cheesy scripts with canned responses. You need to sound genuine, caring and be focused 100% on the prospect. If you can change your mindset into one that you are simply talking to a good friend you will experience tremendous results.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Drew Laughlin helps salespeople who struggle to exceed sales goals and quotas on a consistent basis with his “How to Triple Your Sales in 30 Days” training system. Read sales success stories at his website http://www.GetCustomersFast.com.

Drew Laughlin helps salespeople who struggle to exceed sales goals and quotas on a consistent basis with his “How to Triple Your Sales in 30 Days” training system. Discover more at http://www.getcustomersfast.com.

Ah, we live in a world of emails and the Internet, and isn’t it easier than having real-time conversations with people?

It may seem easier, but when it comes to recruiting, especially for call center positions, it’s absolutely essential to screen candidates by phone.

Why?

We need to hear their voices, because what we hear is what we get. We’re not hiring resumes; we’re hiring communicators.

Specifically, telephone screening accomplishes these crucial things:

(1) We can scope out the basic pleasantness or unpleasantness of their voices. If you can’t stand hearing that candidate’s voice, your customers will probably have the same reaction.

(2) We can challenge them by asking questions about their capabilities, experience, and other job related factors. If they hesitate or freeze up, guess what they’re going to do when customers are on the line.

(3) If they have sold before, by phone, we can ask them to role-play their last script with us. This will enable us to hear if that sort of selling style is compatible with ours, and whether they were scripted, at all. If they say they just improvised, you have a chance to tell them they’ll be using a script at your company. Can they handle that?

(4) You can discuss the pay plan, and you should do so. Whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent, it is a crucial factor. If they won’t or can’t work for the dollars you’re providing, or under a commission plan, screen them out, now.

(5) Any anomalies in their resumes can be covered and clarified right away, without wasting time with an interview.

The ONLY factor is whether they’re good on the phone, if it is a phone job.

Therefore, can you believe how stupid it is for recruiters to staff call centers by insisting there be “No phone calls, please!”

Well, that’s what you get when you delegate a phone task to a non-phone person!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Let’s face it, selling is a communications business.

How well you express your ideas and thoughts to prospects and customers is what ultimately determines success or failure in selling.

If you are, or have been fortunate enough to be a member of a public speaking group, you have learned one of the most vital elements of speaking is to use simple, crisp yet descriptive words that convey your meaning. You also know that your sentence structure, in fact the whole body of your speech should have a beginning, middle and an ending. Equally important is connecting with your audience at their level and to use common phrases and words with which they can relate.

Making a presentation to a prospect or customer is very similar to giving a superb speech. And just in case you have not figured it out yet, everyone in the business of sales will be called on at some point to give a presentation. And just like a superb speech you must connect with your audience, have a plan (beginning, middle and ending) and transfer meaning from you to them in a coherent and cohesive manner.

What separates good presentations from great ones is the ability to use everyday words to express your ideas no matter whether they are simple or complex ones. Using unfamiliar, uncommon or rarely used words almost always results in a confused prospect. Here’s why.

You may believe you are showing knowledge of your product or service by using sophisticated and elegant words, but the truth of the matter is that the prospect may get stuck on that word and fail to follow (hear) the rest of your presentation. Using words that demonstrate your cleverness and command of the language may enhance your ego while at the same time bewilder your prospect.

Here is a classic example. Recently I attended a weeklong seminar for the purpose of building my own business. Laced throughout the material were abbreviations and acronyms that were well known and understood by the seminar leaders, yet every time one was spoken, the entire attendee group had to stop, align their mind to the acronym and compute its meaning before they were capable of actually hearing what the rest of the message following the acronym was about.

After each session each one of us left grimacing and shaking our head because of the needless confusion this caused. Whenever I got stuck on one of these acronyms not only did I go through the same mental gymnastics as the others, I came to realize a significant gem came right on the heels of the acronym. So naturally those gems were escaping me (and others I’m sure). In every case when this happened I had to ask others ‘what’d he say?’

That’s the point precisely. Whenever we use complicated words, phrases, language and acronyms known to us, we actually slow down or altogether halt the experience of having our audience, prospect and customer understand our meaning. And transferring our ideas and thoughts is what it’s all about – certainly what determines our ultimate success or failure in selling.

So the next time you are tempted to jazz up your presentations, or as some describe it, put a little life in it, remember the following just like a good speaker:

•Connect with your audience

•Create a beginning, middle and ending

•Use simple, easy to understand words that require minimal audience interpretation

•and most importantly of all ax the acronyms.

Don McNamara CMC is a Certified Management Consultant, Founder and President of Heritage Associates, Inc. http://www.heritage-associates.net

Heritage Associates is a full service sales and sales management consulting, training and coaching company. We specialize in custom sales and sales management training programs designed and tailored specifically for individual clients.

For a free newsletter contact Don McNamara at djmcn@heritage-associates.net or by phone (949) 230-4363.

Leadership, like class, is hard to define, but easy to spot.

Someone once defined management as “the effective coordination of the efforts of the individuals in a group to accomplish that stated objectives of the organization.” Managers get results by establishing goals and working with and through people to achieve those goals.

As a manager, your success depends on your ability to:

• Find and attract career-oriented men and women who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to do the job, who are motivated to work, and who will cooperate with you and each other, and;

• Develop and manage these people to meet specific performance standards.

Management is a process because it involves a series of skills. But management is as much attitude as it is skills. Managers should be helpful supporters, working to build trust and confidence, and seeking to improve performance by recognizing that individuals have different needs, motivations and aspirations.

That means, the more of a leader you are, the better manager you will be.

Happily, most leaders are made, not born. They are cultivated, shaped and strengthened by education, training and real-world experience. Understanding leadership AND management is a good way of becoming more proficient at both.

What is leadership? What does it take to be a leader? Here’s a short course:

• Leadership means having a mission and inspiring others to be committed to it. The mission is everything; leaders approach it with enthusiasm.

• Leaders are agents of change; they make decisions based on a vision of the future, not just on established directions.
• Leaders take risks to make things happen that would not otherwise happen.

• Leaders need a combination of competence, integrity, credibility and authority. They’re seen as being involved in a lot of things and able to answer a lot of questions.

Leadership is a collaborative, not individual, process. It’s the ability to get people to do what you want them to because they want to do it!

• Leaders help people do their best.

• Leaders depend on themselves and act on their own authority, but they recognize the importance of others.

• Leaders ask questions and know how to listen.

• Leaders let others talk; they don’t talk about themselves.

Leadership begins when people disagree.

• Leaders recognize that performance and progress are forged on the anvil of constructive conflict.

• Leaders are willing to be unloved! In the words of Admiral John S. McCain (the late father of the Senator): “People may not love you for being strong when you have to be, but they will respect you for it and learn to behave themselves when you do.” Try it; it works!

Qualities of an Effective Leader

• Leaders are purposeful; they have a clear view of their objectives and avoid digressions into irrelevancy.

• Leaders know their stuff; they have a thorough grasp of their subjects, when possible, backed up with hands-on experience.

• Leaders are prepared. No matter how well you know what you’re talking about, choose appropriate ways of getting your message across. Avoid shortcuts.

• Leaders are enthusiastic, but season their enthusiasm with intelligence and appropriate humor.

• Leaders understand the use of drama. Dull is boring, so cultivate a sense of staging, especially when addressing a group.

• Leaders are confident and easy-going. Regardless of their management style, they speak clearly, projecting their voices and looking people in the eye. Distinct speech is a sign of distinct ideas; self-assurance catches on.

• Leaders maintain a positive attitude. They never speak ill of their organizations or of individuals under their management. The glass is always half full, never half empty.

• Leaders demonstrate the contagion of example. It’s not enough to talk the talk; leaders must walk the walk.

• Leaders support their subordinates, giving them the widest possible authority and discretion, while keeping responsibility centralized with themselves.

• Leaders live the U.S. Army’s motto: Adapt, Improvise and Overcome.

Leadership Makes Businesses Work

If management ability keeps systems operating efficiently, leadership identifies management needs and seeks systems to address them. If management skills are required to administer existing programs and systems, it takes leadership to create a vision of success, and get people excited about attaining it.

In short, leadershipprovided by agency heads, sales managers and other members of the management teammakes businesses work. It enables them develop to the limits of their potential, then helps them break those limits.

Wnat More? Send comments and questions to w.willard3@knology.net

Sources:

Management Online – A “Do-While-Learning” Program, The Diversified Group

The Marine Officer’s Guide, Naval Institute Press

Bill Willard has been writing high-impact marketing and sales training primarily for the financial services industry for 30 years. Through interactive, Web-based “Do-While-Learning” programs, enewsletters and straight-talking articles, Bill helps SBOs and independent professionals get the job done: profitably improving performance, helping grow your business, skipping expensive mistakes, making the journey to small-business success faster, smoother, easier. And fun!

Sales training professionals need to make sure that their sales force stays on topic when doing cold calling or when in the sales process in personal meetings. All too often we see salespeople stray from the subject of the products or services they are selling.

It is good to developer relationship with the prospect, but if you keep talking on all kinds of issues then you’re liable to disagree on something and you’ll kill the sale because you started talking about religion or politics. Sales training professionals need to make sure that the salespeople stay on topic and remember why you’re calling in the first place; to offer their goods or services to the prospect or potential client.

Sales managers and sales training professionals need to make sure that the salespeople understand that they should not waste time and should move the sales process along forward for the betterment of their commission base, the prospect and the company profits. Salespeople are in business to make sales not to shoot the breeze.

It therefore make sense that the salesperson should be taught by the sales trainer and monitored by the sales manager to make sure that they stay focused and do not deviate into full-on off topic conversations. This only wastes the time of the prospect and the salesperson. Please consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/