The Selling Sherpa

Sales Tip of the Day: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

When presenting your product, service, or treatment to a prospect, it is a good idea to talk about the past, the present and the future.

The past is represented by stories from the customers you’ve already served who are thrilled, found in testimonials, letters, and thank you notes.

The present includes the clients you are working with right now and the results they can verify today when prospects call them to verify satisfaction with their purchase.

And the future?  This is were you describe in detail the benefits they will enjoy when they become your customers.

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.   

Sales Tip of the Day: ONE

Recently, I was brought in by a firm to spend a morning brainstorming with their marketing team.  We covered a lot of territory in a couple of hours and by the time our session was over, they were fairly buzzing with excitement over some of the ideas and concepts I shared.

During our session, I gave them some strategies for how to maximize the marketing impact of their business cards.  Then I asked for business cards from everyone present.

Guess how many of the six participants had business cards with them?  One.

You’ve heard this from me before, and it bears repeating.  If you are in business, you must have business cards with you at all times, because you never know when an opportunity will present itself.

Just one business card could be the key to achieving your wildest dreams.  Don’t be caught without them!

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.   

Sales Tip of the Day: STILL THE ONE

I met Alan Schwartz when he was managing one of Hyatt Regency’s fine dining restaurants.  

Alan is a certified sommelier, a consummate host, and a real showman.  Whenever I had dinner there, I watched Alan work the room in a way I have never seen before or since.  He has an uncanny ability to give each patron precisely the correct amount of attention without being bothersome.  

Alan was never boring, phony, rude, or curt.  Everybody loved Alan because he genuinely loved every one of his patrons.

Not one to just do “business as usual”, Alan constantly created special occasions and events that would give loyal fans a reason to come spend another evening with him at his venue.

One of Alan’s finest creations was a monthly dining event featuring a 5-course dinner specifically created to pair with a flight of featured wines.  Those events always sold out despite being the priciest ticket in town.

Alan is still the one restaurateur that I measure all other dining experiences against, even though I have not seen him in over a decade.

Do you want to be as memorable as Alan is?  

Find new, fun and exciting ways to engage your customers.  Give them appropriate doses of attention without being a pest.  And, most of all, love every one of your customers.

[Today, Alan is owner/operator of a wine bistro in Colorado and I encourage you to visit him if you are ever in the area.]

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.   

Sales Tip of the Day: THE VOICE

Not long ago, I was having breakfast with a colleague and we were commiserating about times we ignored our instincts and made decisions based solely on objective data, such as resumes, reports, etc.  We agreed that, almost without exception, we typically ended up regretting decisions made contrary to our instincts.

Has that ever happened to you?  Have you ever gotten a bad feeling about a prospect?  Have you ever ignored that feeling and regretted it later?

Start paying attention to the voice within that tries to warn you when something is not quite right.  Usually, if you listen to your inner consultant, you will make a better decision about which prospects are worth pursuing and which will lead you to more problems than profit.

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.

Sales Tip of the Day: TIME OF THE SEASON

It’s the time of the season!

Surely the economists will be bombarding us with their analysis of how this year’s spending compares to previous years.  One thing I don’t need them to tell me is much higher the stress level is.

With holiday shopping in full effect, customers are fighting for parking spaces, becoming frustrated with long lines, battling over limited merchandise, and generally rushing around to get things done.

If you are in retail, your mission is to remain calm, cheerful and helpful.  Recognize that even small things are going to trigger short fuses, and seek to disarm explosions before they happen.

If sell to retailers, your mission is to help them find efficient ways to serve their customers and honor their employees, which is always a delicate balance.

And when you are a customer, as you are bound to be at some point in the next weeks, your mission is to treat everyone who is doing their best to serve you, in frequently less than perfect circumstances, with the respect and humor you would share with your best friend.

After all, you never know if your next prospect is the person helping you now, or the one behind you in line watching how you treat others.

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.   

Sales Tip of the Day: CARS

Not long ago, I glimpsed a portion of one of the forensic dramas that deals with resolving crimes from years gone by.

This particular episode revolved around a cadre of automobile salespeople who were simultaneously being impacted by the economy and the major changes in the quality of workmanship in the cars being built during that time.

One of the “old timers” berating a hotshot for pushing bad deals and financing schemes.  He admonished the young man and told him, “you don’t sell a customer one car; you sell him a dozen cars over a lifetime.”

He was correct then, and it is still the way to do business today.

Don’t sacrifice a lifetime of business from one customer by making one bad sale to him today, no matter how desperate you might be.

That doesn’t just apply to cars.  It is also true for whatever product, service or treatment you sell.

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.

Sales Tip of the Day: LITTLE ROBBERS

One of the most important assets you have is time.

Problem is, you can’t save it, bank it, or use it later.  Instead, you have to spend it every day and there is only so much to go around.

If you’ve calculated what your time is worth, you know that every little thing that distracts you from your sales tasks is literally stealing money out of your wallet.

Who are these little robbers?  The office gossip squad.  Online shopping (most internet commerce occurs Monday through Friday between 9AM and 5PM).  Well-meaning, but poorly focused “networking opportunities”.  Off-loaders (people who could do their own work but ask you for help and let you take it over completely).  And a million other seemingly innocent things that divert you from the task at hand...making a sale!

Take charge of your time and you will take control of your commission destiny.

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.

Sales Tip of the Day: BIRTHDAY

Why do most businesses think a birthday is the best time to run an extortion?

I cannot count how many restaurants have sent me a coupon good for a free dinner, entrée, dessert, or whatever, but it is only good with the purchase of an additional item of equal or greater value.

In other words, “here’s a gift but you have to pay for it.”  Really?

So far, I’ve only encountered one dining establishment that is smart enough to realize they can be cool about the birthday gift, and probably still make a sale:  Duke’s Chowder House in Seattle.

When customers sign up for their regular emails, they are sent a free dinner on their birthday.  No additional purchase required.  A patron could dine by themselves, drink only water, skip the dessert, and they wouldn’t spend a dime.

Duke’s marketing team knows that virtually nobody celebrates a birthday by themselves, so there is no reason to put conditions on the gift.  It is given without expectation, and I am certain they generate an additional sale with almost every free dinner redeemed.

Do you give your customers a birthday gift?  Is it truly a gift?  Could you be as cool as Duke’s Chowder House?

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.

Sales Tip of the Day: EARLY IN THE MORNING

During the seven years I was hosting a #1 rated morning radio show, I started the day early with show prep, documentation, and all the other “busy” work that needs to be done.

On most days, my working hours were over by Noon.  Not bad, eh?

Salespeople who wanted to reach me found it difficult to get in touch because none of them were working as early as I was.

When I started selling, I always remembered this fact and I made a point of calling on decision-makers at least one hour before normal working hours.  And more often than not, the person I was calling for would answer the phone.

If you are having trouble getting through to important prospects, try calling early in the morning.

Chances are good you will be the only salesperson working at that time of day, and that makes you memorable too!

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.

 

Sales Tip of the Day: SECOND HAND NEWS

Yesterday I received an email from Vosges, my favorite chocolatier in the world.  They alerted me (and everyone on their mailing list) about their inclusion their inclusion in a segment on the Today Show.

The segment featured their exotic bar made with bacon (yes, that’s right, bacon in chocolate and it is delicious!), and the email also included a link for ordering it.

By bringing attention to the television segment, they build excitement about the brand and maximize the value from the media attention.  I know I tuned in to watch, and I’ll bet thousands of people will flock to their website to order.

Another of my colleagues has a cake studio that recently won a "Best of Western Washington" recognition for their wedding cakes   You can bet her customers already know about the accolade.  

If you know in advance that you or your company is going to be receiving some attention in the media, make sure you leverage it for all it is worth.  

Create a promotion that celebrates your success while giving new customers a reason to give you a try, and old customers a new reason to come see you again.

Don’t let your good fortune be second hand news.  Make sure you tell your prospects and customers where they can see you on television, or in which publications they can find your story. 

© 2009 YOU ROCK!™ Communications

THE REQUEST LINE IS OPEN! - IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A SALES OR  MARKETING TOPIC, OR HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM YOU WANT HELP WITH, SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH FULL DETAILS AND I MAY GIVE YOU SOME ANSWERS IN AN UPCOMING SALES TIP.