The Selling Sherpa

AHEAD OF THE GAME

Yesterday, I contacted a metro newspaper to make arrangements for one of my client’s advertising needs in the coming year.

In the course of the conversation, the advertising rep told me that they didn’t have rates yet for 2008.

Today is October 31. Halloween. The end of the year is only 2 months away. How is it possible to not know what rates will be 60 days from now?

Without next year’s rates, your clients cannot plan their purchases and that might result in them buying nothing from you in 2008.

If you haven’t made those decisions yet, make them now and inform your customers immediately. Give them the chance to buy now before the rate increase.

While you are at it, decide what your rates will be in 2009, so you will be ahead of the game next year.

BIG DIFFERENCE

In researching the difference between remarkable sales professionals and those who are only average, there was no notable difference between those who are younger and those who are older. Ethnicity did not seem to be a factor, and neither did education, upbringing, or culture.

The big difference between those who excelled and those who did not was the ability to keep going back to get a sale.

Basically, persistence is the key to sales excellence.

So, how persistent are you?

How persistent are you willing to become?

BREAKFAST IN AMERICA

I encourage my sales teams to not be fooled by suspects (which is what I call people who are not really prospects) who request the rep buy them lunch to make a sale. Rarely does such a meeting result in anything but a free lunch for the person who had no intention of buying anything.

If you really want to test whether someone is a prospect or suspect, invite them to have breakfast with you. Breakfast in America costs less, is a great way to start the day, and, if the person agrees to meet you then, they are likely interested in your offer.

Save your lunch budget for showing existing customers some appreciation for their loyalty.

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

As you noticed, I tried using an online mail manager for the Sales Tip earlier this week. You’ve probably also observed that I have ceased using their service.

Why? Because many subscribers told me (in no uncertain terms) how they didn’t like being unable to view the entire Sales Tip in the preview pane of their Outlook, Entourage or Mail program.

While it might have made it easier for me to manage, and it certainly provided more statistics, my customers (that is, YOU!) are not served as well as when I send the Sales Tip out the old-fashioned way; i.e., personally from me to you each and every day.

This reinforces what I have always said: your customer will define how they are best served. It you are smart, you will listen to your customer and provide them with exactly what they want in the way they want it.

Or, as Journey sings, “any way you want it, that’s the way you need it.”

I HEARD THE NEWS TODAY, OH BOY

I spent yesterday morning at the Seattle ABC affiliate studio with one of my consulting clients. We were there to tape a 6-minute segment for an upcoming afternoon lifestyle program and I have no doubt that, when the segment airs in a couple of weeks, my client’s register will ring even more than it does already.

What are you doing to be newsworthy? Nothing increases reputation and visibility like being in the news, as long as it is for something positive.

Imagine what it would be like to have a TV or radio station in your market talk about you, your company, and something noteworthy you have accomplished. Then imagine what it would be like for EVERY station in your market to talk about you.

The trick is to do something newsworthy every day, whether or not the camera is there to catch you doing it. Make it your personal policy to be newsworthy at all times, and your register will start ringing more often too.

And, someday, you might end up being in the news as well.

REASSURINGLY EXPENSIVE

Most sales trainers would have you respond to a prospect’s “that’s expensive” remark with something like, “compared to what?” That technique will help you reveal the other options your prospect is considering and allow you the opportunity to compare and contrast for the customer.

It’s not a bad idea, but I have a better one. It’s a technique I used to sell tons of advertising in a niche publication, which was not cheap, and I still use it when associations want me to speak at annual conventions or companies want me to rev up their sales team.

Whenever a prospect mentions how expensive rates are, I looked them straight in the eye and confidently reply, “yes, it is reassuringly expensive, isn’t it?” I confirm they are buying the best because I couldn’t possibly charge that price if what I sold didn’t deliver.

Of course, the product or service must deliver and I am confident what I sell does deliver, time and again.

If you sell a premium product, and you are confident about what it will do for your customer, try this technique and watch how easy it becomes to sell.

CELL PHONE SHORTCUTS

While I know you love the music trivia that changes each day on my voicemail greeting (some colleagues call me every day just to hear it!), you may regularly call other people whose outbound message is not as entertaining.

There are cell phone shortcuts you can use to bypass the greeting and start recording a message now. All you need to know is which carrier is used by the person you are calling.

If you call anyone on AT&T (all iPhones are on AT&T) or T-Mobile, press the “#” button. For Verizon, press the “*” button, and use the “1” when calling anyone on Sprint.

Make a note in your CRM system about which carrier each client uses and you’ll know which shortcut to use.

Also, you may want to include the shortcut in your voicemail greeting so regular callers can bypass your greeting.

BELIEVING IS SEEING

Since we were young, we were programmed to understand that 'seeing is believing'. If you want to be the best in sales, you need to flip that around.

Whatever your goals are, you must believe in your ability to achieve them before you will actually see it happen.

Visualize the end result in your mind, think about how you will feel when you get there, and start making plans for how you will accomplish your goals.

Stay focused on your vision, work diligently towards it, and nothing can stop you from achieving everything you want to.

START AT THE TOP

Do you want to see a rapid rise in your commissions? Do you want to know the quickest way to more profit? Stop quoting the cheapest product or service you have.

Instead, when people ask your price, start at the top. Trust me, if they can’t afford it, they’ll let you know. But what if they can afford it and you don’t offer it?

Starting at the top rung of your price ladder also discourages those who would make a buying decision based solely on price, and shoppers rarely become your most profitable customers.

BE AWARE, NOT AFRAID

When I was managing the top revenue-generating radio station in the market, our competition was always nipping at our heels.

They copied our promotions, replicated some of our programming, and continuously attempted to poach our clients. They tried everything they could think of, honorable or not, to steal our thunder, our listeners, and our advertisers and sponsors

One day, a junior salesperson came into the office absolutely livid about how another radio station finally figured out that a Super Bowl Party is a great way to generate some non-traditional revenue, so they were going to host one as well.

While they did fine with their promotion, ours was still better because we gave away a trip to Hawaii and tickets to the ProBowl while the competition gave away t-shirts.

I reminded him, just as I am reminding you, that you do need to keep track of the competition, but you needn’t fear them. Be aware, not afraid, of everything they do.

Most of all, continue to innovate new best ways to serve your customers. If other companies copy what you do, it makes it very easy for everyone to see who the market leader really is.