Secrets You Need To Know About Selling
My blog friend Seth Godin has done it again. Another GREAT piece about selling and marketing.
This time he give marketing a view of selling that they won’t want to read, because it makes them aware of what we salespeople face every day. To become aware, is to become responsible. Now that they know, they’ll sleep less when they’re faced with problems that can impact the sales force.
Here’s some more thoughts, since quoting a post and linking to it without adding to the conversation is bad form :
1) Sales people catch the flak for every flaw in the company. Receptionist has a bad day, call our salesman. Customer Service tell you something less than helpful, call your salesman.
2) I take EVERY sale to heart. I live with it, I sleep with it, I eat dinner with it, I shower with it, it’s there when I play golf. They don’t go away, so please don’t change anything without telling me, or better yet, ASK me about it first.
3) I love selling. I love making people happy, alleviating their fears and solving their problems. There’s nothing better than having someone come to you, after they have asked every other person in their sphere and then simply solving their problem. So please don’t ask me to sell something that could have been made better for a lousy .05 cents.
4) I keep score using sales dollars. That’s all I have to track. That and profit made off those sales. Don’t try to change my stats. I’m too far and too many millions in for change.
5) I don’t know what made me their go-to guy. I do so many different things for my clients that I have no idea if it was sponsoring their son’s T-ball team, the tickets to the football game, the round of golf at Valhalla or what. But it’s workin’ and we’re making money, so don’t ask me to change it. Ever.
Do us all a favor and add to this conversation here in the comments or on your own blog, but don’t let it die as of yet.
How To Tell Prospects From Suspects
I read about a Swiss optician with a great sense of humor. He told of a letter he had received back in the days of the wild west, mining towns, saloons and horses with saddles, instead of pedigrees and opulent barns.
The letter came from a saloon keeper with a problem. His letter was along these lines :
” Dear Sir,
I have heard that you sell distinguishing specs. I need some that will help my bartenders distinguish my money from theirs, as they are having trouble with that now. Send three pair. Enclosed is $10. “
I have had trouble early in my sales career in the distinguishing of prospects from suspects. And I have often wished, when entering a new market, that I had a pair of magic distinguishing specs to help me seperate prospects from suspects.
Think of how productive you would be if you never had to waste time on suspects, but were able to concentrate on prospects. Talking with only those who can afford your product, who need your product and who could buy your product would be far superior to wasting time on those who can’t buy, won’t buy, can’t afford and don’t need what you sell.
There are no magic distinguishing specs, but you can improve your prospect judgement. Take time to set up a system of checks and balances to eliminate the time wasters that don’t need your product, but still lead you on in the process of selling and buying.
After every wasted sales call, write down what it was that drew that person to accepting your offer of a sales call or what it was that attracted them needlessly to your product. Eliminate that from your advertising and marketing and you’ll eliminate those types of calls.
I personally never allow a salesperson to call on me if they have no shot of selling me their product or service. I respect their time and mine more that that.
Show-N-tell time…..What can you add to the process of distinguishing prospects from suspects ?
Those Who Show Me The Link Love
I noticed a post kinda like this over at Darren’s house, so I thought I’d look into my stats for the month.
Those who have sent me the most visitors for the month of June, thru the 24th, are as follows :
4) Copyblogger
5) Life Hack
6) Pearsonified
7) Bitacle
10) Bud Bilanich
I want to send a big Thank You ! to ALL who’ve sent me link love, visitors, comments and advice.
I’ll keep trying to get better and ask you to stick with me as I do.
What Customers Want In A Salesperson
After more than 30 years of selling, an old salesman friend gets ready to retire.
First question I asked him is what he thought his secret of success was. He said, ” I always gave the customer what they wanted. ” Pretty simple… I like simple, you know.
” Not only in product and price, but in their salesman’s qualities. ”
What do you mean by that ?
He said, ” All things being equal, price, delivery date, quality, etc., the customer will go with the salesman that they like the most. ” More, fairly simple human nature kinda stuff.
I asked him to tell me what you think are the qualities that customers want in their salesperson.
Here’s a rambling account of what he said :
First thing they want is a smile. I’ve heard horror stories of salesmen who come in and lay a line about sickness, divorce, financial difficulties, etc. on the customer and then I came in later with a smile and took home the purchase order. Never complain about ANYTHING in their office. Nothing.
They also look for a salesperson with a big dose of tolerance. I just did a post about tolerance, so check that out.
They also want you to be confident. They need an ” Uh, I’ve never been asked that. Does our product even do that ? ” like they need a third ear on their head.
Sympathy and tact also come up big. You know that things happen, especially with paperwork and big business, so allow for the inevitable and handle it with tact.
Unselfishness comes in handy and often gets you more than you bargained for in return.
I’ve had a customer ask me to not get upset and allow him to give an order I wanted to a competitior. ” They’ve got to eat, too. “, was my reply and 2 weeks later I got an order that was 3 times the size as the one I’d hoped for. Take your losses like a big boy and start working for the next order.
Never boast or brag about your sales ability in front of a customer. You just make him think he’s getting a sales job put on him.
That’s a great start and more than enough to make you a King Daddy or Queen Mama salesperson. Can you add to this conversation with what you like from a salesperson who calls on you ?
More Link Leaks In The Business Blogging Arena
It’s been a while since I dropped some link leaks on the blogosphere and I’ve added a few arrows to my quiver of late, so I might as well share ‘em with you.
Link Leak has a great post that I agree with whole heartedly. I’m not the greatest salesman of all time and I have a few flaws, but I get by with being only good at some facets of selling because I’m great at a few others. Click thru for a great read.
And while you’re there, they also have some great info about how to make your industry less boring.
Another Link Leak is about what to do if you need to market yourself or your product, but don’t really like marketing or selling. Does the word ‘facilitator’ work for you ?
And the newest arrow in my quiver ( or feed in my reader if that hurts your brain ) is this Link Leak. He’s got a new book out and I’m thinking of buying it if he doesn’t send me a review copy. Hint, hint…
This particular post is all about B2B sites and their failure to convert sales.
He also has a post about the new rules for reaching buyers directly with PR.
Click thru and check these out and let me know which one’s deserve a place on the best Blog Roll in the blogosphere…..mine !
Photo above courtesy of Graffiti.
The Rule of Tolerance With Regard To Sales
Besides having an abundance of friends, it will also help you to be tolerant. Life is a compromise, and to accept it as it is adds to your own peace of mind and enjoyment. People are entitled to their opinion. Tolerance is respecting that opinion without believing or sharing it.
Respect for another’s point of view will always enlarge your own. As Voltaire said, ” I do not agree with a word you say but I shall defend to the death your right to say it. ”
Tolerance is getting rid of prejudice and hatred. It’s trying to establish the true relationship between situations on an impersonal basis. It’s a good quality to practice and it pays big dividends.
Tolerance will also help you get rid of your vanity. The world was here when you came along. It will be here when you’re gone. You cannot change it. You cannot reform it. In fact, you can’t change anything but your attitude towards it.
Adjust yourself to the world as you find it. Start each day of selling with a spirit of sportsmanship and competition. Train yourself to enjoy it and things will come your way.
Aside from using tolerance as a means to develop your charm, it will pay you to exercise your sense of humor. Train yourself to laugh. Don’t take things or people too seriously and by no means, yourself. You ain’t all that. I’m twice as good as you, at least, and even I ain’t all that.
Laugh at life’s irritations and they lose their ” bite “. If the prospect is uncivil, give it no thought. ” No big ting, brudda “, as they say in the islands… Hawaiian, that is.
Don’t even consider it. Laugh it off. After all, it’s not a man’s action that trouble you, it is the thought and consideration that you give him. Give ‘em no weight and they’re easier to pack.
Maintain your sense of humor. This keeps you relaxed, and this means peace of mind and efficiency.
PS - The poster above and a lot of other great artwork can be found here.
Simple Seven Day Plan To Attract More Friends
Want to sell more ? You need friends.
Want more links to your blog ? You need friends.
Want a better job ? You need friends.
Want to feel satisfied with your life ? You need friends.
I know of a guy who’s barely over 40 and heads a successful organization. Talented, fun, smart, etc., started with nothing.
His real genius seems to be in acquiring friends….everywhere. It’s not an accident that he can pick up a phone and call people in multiple states and get a favor. He counts his friends by the hundreds, not tens.
Not all of these friends are what you and I would classify as important. There are friends in high places and there are friends in low places. There are good friends, loyal friends, pretty friends, ugly friends, friends that wear suits, friends that wear jeans, friends that wear whatever they can afford, friends that wear silk, etc.
He recently outlined his system for someone and I’m going to outline it for you …right here, right now.
Pay attention, try it for one week, one month, whatever you feel like, but please come back and let me know how it worked for you.
Day One - Write a letter, email or note to someone you haven’t written in a long time. No phone calls, that’s later. It’s gotta be handwritten.
Day Two - Smile more. Be conscious of the expression on your face for the whole day. If this doesn’t work immediately in getting someone to speak to you or smile back, you need to take a smiling class, ’cause you apparently aren’t very good at it.
Day Three - Say something really kind about someone you know. Want to accelerate the process ? Say something nice about 5 or 10 people.
Day Four - Call up someone you’ve just met and would like to know better. Invite them to lunch and go to their favorite restaurant.
Day Five - Find someone who is lonesome or neglected. Invite them to go somewhere with you. Yes, this one’s tough, but it’s worth it.
Day Six - Encourage someone to talk about himself/herself. Draw out something they’ve never told you about. Pay attention to them as they talk.
Day Seven - Talk to a stranger during the day. Stop walking. Really listen when you ask how they’re doing. Answer with a smile.
If you like the results after one week….Lather, Rinse and Repeat !
Use Their Words Against Them
One more sales tip and I can go pack for my trip. Man ! Do I hate giving these away or what !
Okay, here goes. A long time ago, in a place far from here, I learned this sales tip by reading a book on human nature or behavior or some other gross subject.
When you meet someone for the first time, memorize a few of their phrases and the next time you speak with them, find a way to work them into the conversation.
Simple, huh ? Works like a charm.
When I meet a new customer, I always get them to tell me how they got to this point in their life and what did they do to get here. When I get back to my car, or sometimes on a napkin, I write down what they said and read it several times to memorize it.
Every time you talk to them, look for a golden nugget to cash in the next time you meet.
Nothing makes people feel important like showing them that their words were important enough for you to remember.
The more self-important they feel, the better it works on them.
This will help you get the most out of your business or personal life.
You now owe me one. I’ll be asking for that favor, er… link, soon !
Sales Tip - Getting Their Attention
I don’t usually give away many of my sales secrets….I’m saving them all for the book I’m going to write…. someday.
But I’m rushed to write a couple of posts before I spend a couple of days out of town and I can’t think of anything better than to teach you one of my little tricks for getting the attention of a customer who I can’t get to focus on what I’m saying.
I sometimes have to spend time with guys who are hard at work on a construction site. I need to get some quantities for the brick or block they need, maybe it’s the color or brand of mortar or maybe it’s the next project I need info about.
Lots of times they aren’t interested in taking time to talk to me, even though it will cause problems later if I don’t get the right material in the pipeline for them, they still won’t take 5 minutes and get it over with.
When I’m having trouble focusing their attention, I pull out a wad-o-cash and wave it in their line of sight. If it’s a $20 or $50, it works better than a single dollar bill and a $100 bill works REALLY well !
I wave it in front of their face and ask ‘em if they have enough of these to last forever or do they need to make some more ? Then I remind ‘em that if I don’t get some info, neither one of us will be making any.
Never has it failed to get them to be still long enough for me to get what I need from them.
Next time you’re having trouble getting someone’s attention…wave a little green in their line of sight. I’ll bet you one of those large one’s it’ll work !
Louisville Geek Dinner
Just in case any of you read this and live nearby, I’ll be attending the Louisville Geek Dinner on Thursday June 8th, 2006.
I know my friend Chris Pearson will be there and we hope to see you too.
