The Selling Sherpa

WEREWOLVES OF LONDON

It’s hard to believe its been almost 5 years since Warren Zevon passed away.  He was one of the most important songwriters to emerge in the 70s and I miss his sardonic humor.

One of his most famous songs, “Werewolves of London”, mentions a Chinese restaurant called Lee Ho Fook.  During my most recent visit to Britain, I took a side trip to London's Chinatown (which is actually South of Soho) to see if I could find it.

I had walked about halfway down Gerard Street when I looked to the right and there it was!

Being talking about in a song, a book, a movie, or even your local newspaper, can be a tremendous boost to your sales.  The trick is doing something memorable enough to rate the mention.  

There are two ways to do this.

One way is to create an outrageous event, promotion, or stunt that puts you temporarily in the spotlight and, while you are there, maximize the exposure for all its worth.  The upside: one well-engineered event can set you up for life.  The downside: it can be expensive, it can backfire, and there’s no way to ensure the coverage you get is the coverage you want.

Another way is to consistently overwhelm your customers with the best service they have ever experienced.  Wow them on a daily basis and they will start telling everyone they know about you.  The upside: a tremendously loyal or even fanatical customer base is established that virtually ensures your long-term success.  The downside: umm....there really isn’t one, except that you have to do the work.

Are you willing to be the best every day?  What would it take to be the best in your business?

JET AIRLINER

A friend flew into town today on a big jet airliner, and he had quite the tale to tell.

Extra charges for extra bags, extra charges for overweight bags, extra charges for late check-in, extra charges for drinks, extra charges for headphones...seems like there wasn’t a single thing included with his flight except his seatbelt, lousy customer service, and snippy attitude.

The more we talked, the more I realized the airlines have really botched up their marketing by creating this “everything costs extra” environment.  Travelers are being reminded at every transaction that they no longer get what they paid for.

Back when I sold advertising in a niche publication, one of the smartest things we did was create the opportunity to buy ads where color and a position guarantee was included rather than being an extra charge.

Did we charge more for those ads?  Yep!  Were they easier to sell?  You betcha!  Did we have complaints?  Not a single one.

I think if airlines simply raised the overall rate and then included all the extras at ‘no charge’, they would have a better perception from the people flying today, and that would reduce the combative atmosphere that is experienced on both sides of the counter.

What the airlines are doing today is an example of what not to do in your business.  Get rid of the nickel and dime stuff.  Make everything all-inclusive and charge what you need to make your margin.

You’ll feel better about what you sell, your customers will feel better about getting such a great deal, and I bet you’ll sell more than ever as long as you are targeting the right prospects.

NAME GAME

If the sweetest sound a person can hear is their own name, you can bet calling someone by a name other than their own is a sour note.

I’ve done it.  You may have done it, too.  And, depending on the person, the reaction may not have been disastrous; but, if you repeatedly call a prospect by a name other than their own, you will likely lose the sale.  

If you are going to be in the sales game, you’ve got to play the name game and play it well.  Get the name right and make sure you spell it correctly in all correspondence and databases.  You can even put a pronunciation reminder in your CRM system.

After all, if you can’t get that detail right, your prospect may think you incapable of showing attention to the details of doing business with them.

CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE, EUGENE

Yesterday, I was preparing steaks for dinner and tenderizing them the way I usually do with a fork.  Except, this time I used a brand new turning fork instead of the usual dinner fork, and I had on my new glasses.

So, let’s recap: a very sharp fork that is longer than I am used to, with glasses that changed my depth perception....doesn’t take a scientist to figure out where this is headed, does it?  Yep, I put the fork right through my index finger.  And I mean all the way through.

My new glasses are great, but they did change things.  The change is an improvement to be sure, but it is still a change.  And the new turning fork is a precise thing of beauty that certainly is sharp and efficient.

But my unfamiliarity with both of them led to unwanted results because I had not practiced with either of them, or with the combination of the two.

The point, and I do have one (that’s not intended as a pun, although it does work) is when you are given new and improved tools to work with, you should practice with them until you are confident in your ability to use them properly without causing injury.  That applies to ideas, techniques and strategies you learn from books, colleagues, seminars....even from these tips.

It might be the sharpest sales tool you’ve ever seen, but until you know how to use it well, be careful with that axe, Eugene.

ROCK STAR

Yesterday, I noticed this sign in the door of what will certainly be an interesting store:

As it turns out, a new sandwich shop is building in the space and they are looking for employees now.  I really admire the enthusiasm and attitude this message promises, and I hope they deliver on it.

What about you?  When you are looking for new customers, what kind of message do you use?  Is there any enthusiasm?  How about positive attitude?

It always saddens me when I see a small business running advertising, or sending direct mail, or ordering salespeople to go forth with messages that are plain-jane, middle-of-the-road, safe, and uninspired.

If you want to attract a sell out crowd of raving fans, market and sell like a rock star!  

And it all starts with a compelling message that rocks!

REACH OUT AND TOUCH

Last night I was browsing at a specialty retailer of crafting materials when I heard a woman ask about something on display.

The store manager (owner?) told her a little about the piece and described how it was made.  Responding with some excitement in her voice, the shopper asked if they conduct classes to teach the technique.  She was told they might put together a class in December.

That’s where the conversation stopped...and the opportunity was missed.

What she should have done is ask for the shopper’s information so they can contact her about the class when they are ready to teach it, as well as keeping her informed of other specials or events.

Be sure to collect contact information on all of your customers and prospects so you can reach out and touch them with messages that makes it compelling for them to purchase from you

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

Most of the time, all a prospect really wants to know is whether other people are buying what you sell, are they buying it from you, and are they happy with their purchase.

When prospects know that many people have purchased what you sell and are enjoying the benefits of it, their objections disappear and they will often convince themselves to buy from you.

So, tell it like it is.  Share testimonials, names, and success stories with every presentation and you’ll see an increase in your sales.

MAGIC MAN

Last birthday, my honey got me front row tickets and arranged for me to meet these two guys after the show.

If you’ve ever seen Penn & Teller, you know how great their show is.  (And how TALL Penn Jillette really is!)

Part of what makes their show great is the way they unfold (almost) every illusion for the audience.  They’ll do the trick, then tell you how they did it, show you how they did it as they are doing it again, then tell you what they just showed you.

That’s a great lesson for selling, especially if what you actually do is not obvious to a casual observer.

Show or describe exactly what you will do for the customer, then do it, and don’t forget to recap what you have done for the customer.  Make sure they are aware of how much time, energy, talent, and expertise you brought to their project so they can appreciate the investment they’ve made with you.

Look, all business is show business.  And you can let them think you are a magic man if you want.  

But its probably best in the long run if your customers know exactly what you did for them and how you did it, so they can easily comprehend the real value of doing business with you.

WE WILL ROCK YOU

Do you really want to boost sales through the roof?

Become a carrier of the enthusiasm disease.  Infect everyone at your company with a high energy “can-do” attitude.  Fill your every thought, word, and deed with positive influence and optimism.

The goal is to create a team of people that all reinforce the same message to your valued customers, desired prospects, and close colleagues; and that message is, “we will rock you!”

When everyone in your market knows that you consistently rock your customers, it will become very easy to attract even more business.

WRAP IT UP

Whenever you go into a meeting with a prospect, pull out your contract, order form, or other paperwork and fill it out as you ask questions.

If your prospect reacts by telling you they are not ready to buy yet, reassure them you are only making notes for your own use...and recognize that you have some work to do yet to make the sale.

But a prospect that doesn’t stop you from using a contract has already decided they are going to buy.  When that happens, move quickly and confidently to wrap it up and get a signature.