Monday, October 11, 2010

In 1492...

Today is Columbus Day. Can you take this historic day and use it to craft a clever pitch for today's cold calls? I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Good Selling!!

Friday, October 8, 2010

KeFactors Fridays: What signals are you sending?

Organizations spend tens of thousands of hours and dollars developing eloquent customer care messages—and then overlook simple details, often in plain sight.

One of my clients went to visit a new vendor at their offices. She knew it was a small business (but of long history); since they handled high-volume mailing operations, she didn’t expect a plush setting. And, like many businesses, they proudly stated on website and collaterals that for over 50 years, customers came first.

But let’s review what she experienced.


Upon entering, she smiled slightly to see the lobby sign that welcomed her by name. Nice touch—and one she’d seen other vendors use.

The receptionist, however, stared blankly back at her when she gave her name, and the name of her appointment. (“He’s still out to lunch, but I’ll leave him a voicemail to let him know you’re here.”) ….My client sat down in the lobby and returned calls on her cell. A group of employees came back from lunch and lingered in the lobby, laughing and joking loudly—no one greeted her, asked if she needed help, nor seemed to observe that she was trying to talk on the phone.

She decided to freshen up in the restroom, which was a little unsettling—an overfilled wastebasket, trash on the floor, empty soap dispenser, and a damp, skimpy roll of toilet paper. She mentioned it to the receptionist, whose response was an indulgent smile — “Oh” — but not much else.

Her appointment showed up, only a little late, and they had a pleasant meeting.

Upon leaving, she stepped into the parking lot just in time to see an employee empty a full ashtray of cigarette butts from his car onto the pavement. He gave her a wink and she left.

A week later, when she and her boss sat down with me to review vendor proposals, her appraisal ran like this: “Yes, they do have a long history in the business and their price isn’t bad, but….” Fortunately, her boss trusted her gut instincts and let her process her thoughts. “I’m not sure their service attitude is companywide. They seemed to think that repeating the customer care motto was evidence enough, but I’m not so sure. Don’t ask me how I came to that, it’s just something I picked up on while I was there.”

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Who's Qualifying Who?

Some prospects want what you sell. Others want to learn about what you sell. The challenge for sales professionals is to decide as quickly as possible which buyers represent real opportunities. Separating posers from purchasers requires thoughtful analysis based on what you see and hear in sales calls.

Questions are the foundation of the sales process. You ask them to qualify buyers, to discover if
prospects want your offering and if they’re willing to pay your price.

You qualify buyers, and they qualify you.
They want to know:

• Do I like this salesperson enough to give them my money?

• Can I trust them to tell me everything I need?

• Did they leave any critical information out?

• If information was left out, did it happen on purpose?

• Do I really need this?

• What other options do I have?

• Is this price fair?
• Is there enough value to justify the expense?
• Does the salesperson have the expertise I need?

• What could go wrong?

• If I buy from this company, will my boss think I made a good decision?
• Are there any hidden charges or fees?

• Will the salesperson and the company be easy to do business with?

• Does the salesperson understand me when we communicate?
• Does the salesperson like me enough to watch my back?

• Will the salesperson follow my instructions?

• Do they care if I'm satisfied, or do they just want a sale?


In over 25 years of selling, no prospect ever came out and asked, "Linda, can I trust you?" But,
I knew the question hovered in their mind along with a half dozen others. When important questions went unanswered, the sale never took place.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

"Sell More Profitably" Webcast

Have you signed up for the next webcast in the Relationship Building Strategies training series? This third session is entitled "Sell More Profitably."

Detailed information is below, and don't forget once you sign up you will receive the recorded presentation after the session plus a PDF of the PowerPoint used during the webcast.



Date: This Friday, October 8th
Time: 1:30 to 2:00 PM EST
Cost: $35

Click here for more information and to sign up.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

101 Cold Call Tips

Have you heard that my new book, "101 Cold Call Tips" has been released and is available for purchase? This book will help you take your cold-calling skills to the next level. It features 14 tips to stop procrastination, 15 tips on rapport-building, 30 tips on how to be more efficient and effective, 12 tips on creating relevant messages and 30 tips to be a more powerful communicator.

PLUS BONUS SECTION ON GETTING PAST VOICE MAIL!
Click here to order your copy for only $9.95!

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Emotionless Company


People can be loyal but companies never are. Loyalty is an emotion. It’s faithfulness, an allegiance where consistent, steadfast support is offered by the loyal parties. No organization feels emotion and many are corporate entities organized for one purpose—to make a profit.

All organizations seek dependable partners to help them succeed in their pursuit
to achieve goals and meet objectives. Individual employees within organizations are permitted to be loyal to vendors as long as the organization is successful.

When targets are missed, loyalty is questioned and buyers must
defend their choices with logical reasons for loyalty like:
• Expertise

• Equipment

• Turn-around times
• Dependability


What about your customers? Are they loyal?


Are you the first person they call when they have an opportunity? Do they allow you to quote
on every job that fits your shop? Do they give you information and guidance on pricing so you have a real shot at getting the job? Perhaps they’re doing all of that, but it’s still important to recognize buyer loyalty is not carved in stone.

Friday, October 1, 2010

KeFactors Fridays: What I Learned Teaching My Kid to Drive


Nothing—but nothing—will test a parent’s nerves more than riding shotgun with an eager young driver who has yet to feel their own mortality, and sees the family car as the means to escape the confines of the life you have created for them.

It is possible, however, to derive leadership lessons even as your life is flashing
before your middle-aged eyes.

• Screaming doesn’t help. Most intelligent people learn from their mistakes—when
they’re permitted to make them. Should you tolerate a repetition of careless mistakes? No, absolutely not; but workplace experiments made in good faith will serve two purposes—one is to manifest process problems, and the other is to create enough pain that errors never get repeated. So screaming at your employees for genuine efforts and making the mistakes natural to that is…irrelevant.

Give support. Even white-knuckled nervous support is better than nothing. As a
leader, you don’t need to man the wheel, and you’re within your rights to say, “This approach makes me a little nervous, but if you think this will work, then let me know what you need to make it happen.” Your employees are looking to you for guidance and perspective. Anything truly ill-advised deserves your wisdom: “This, my friends and colleagues, is not a ditch we’d want to die in.” But once you promise support, you’re “in the car” with them. To the end of the road.

Leave micromanagement to the amateurs. Most micromanagers believe they’re just
being conscientious bosses. Not so. Sooner or later, everyone has to get their own feel for the turn of the wheel, and to navigate in ways that make sense to them. Micromanaging your employees to the last degree not only makes them feel rattled and disempowered, but broadcasts that you don’t understand your own job well enough to maintain a bigger- picture perspective.