Can Customers Truly Be Our Friends

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

I was smack in the middle of delivering a breathtaking seminar in Texas, when this older gentleman interrupted.

"Excuse me," he said. "All I know is that I refuse to sell anybody an insurance policy until they're my friend, first!"

(I said a silent prayer for him—May he have many, many friends!)

He went on to explain that he feels he has to have a personal relationship with somebody before he can feel comfortable replacing his Stetson with his salesman's hat.

I found it an odd encumbrance to saddle oneself with. Quickly scanning my customer base, I thought I'd have very little business if I took on that burden.

Customers are hard enough to find, but friends? Well, that's just asking a whole heck of a lot. If you have a handful of true friends in a lifetime, I think you're ahead of the game.

So, what's all this we hear about relationship selling? Are its promoters simply urging us to think and to act as this gentleman did? Is this an efficient or desirable way of going about our business? Can our customers truly be our friends?

I doubt it. Moreover, I think we delude ourselves and waste our time if we buy into this concept. Here's the logic:

(1) Friendship is a voluntary association between people. You can stop being friends as fast as you can say, "Can you lend me a hundred bucks?" Seriously, when you have a customer or a client, you must live with each other, so to speak, until your contractual obligation is fulfilled. A business relationship is one that a court of law will enforce if one party decides to breach it. Try telling a judge that your friend is giving you the cold shoulder, and see what relief he offers you.

(2) Friendship isn't about power. Both people in a friendship have equal power to leave it or to enhance it. Buyers and sellers don't have the same bargaining power. Usually, one needs the other at least a little more, as in supply and demand.

(3) The object of friendship isn't economy or profit or productivity. It's a lot of other things, intangibles, such as harmony, trust, identification with each other, laughter, tears and a shared history.

(4) The "whole" of a friendship is much greater than the sum of its parts. With a friend, you can occasionally say the wrong thing, be stupid, yell and emote. Try that with the person who's calling about his cable subscription or phone bill.

(5) If you lose your job, you're sick, or you suffer a personal loss, who is it that cheers you up, or comes over and cooks a meal for you?

There is a highway sign in Texas that always makes me smile. It says, "Drive Friendly."

Now that's something you can do in the presence of strangers and customers—you can be friendly, and it's a great idea.

But a sign saying, "Make Friends," could just take us down the wrong road, altogether.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman © 2005

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. A frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide, Gary's programs are offered by UCLA Extension and by numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. Gary is headquartered in Glendale, California. He can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

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Credit Repair Services

Writen by Jay Conners

If you are in the business of credit repair services, You may have at one time considered purchasing credit repair leads.

The benefit of purchasing credit repair leads, is that the customer is committed to having their credit repaired by a professional such as yourself.

These customers are not playing games or surfing the net looking for information and merely contemplating the idea of credit repair, they are very serious about it, and they are waiting on a phone call.

Wether or not you are an established credit repair business or a start up, credit repair leads are a good option when considering lead sources.

So where is the best place to get credit repair leads?

The obvious answer would be to find a credit repair lead company, but that isn't always as easy as it sounds.

Yes, it is easy to find the lead company via the internet, but finding a good one with reasonable pricing is where the challenge lies.

For starters, find a lead company that obtains their leads through web sites they own and operate themselves.

Steer clear of the companies that buy their leads from other companies and recycle them. You never know how many times that selling company has sold the lead.

Try to find a company that not only sells their own leads, but sells them at a reasonable price, exclusively, and in real time if possible.

Make an attempt to contact someone in their customer service department. Ask them as many questions you feel to be appropriate. If you are not satisfied with the answers to your questions, or the quality of the service you receive, than move onto the next company.

The quality of the service you receive is usually an indication of the quality of the lead you receive, so proceed with caution.

Jay Conners is the owner of two mortgage related lead sites where he obtains leads from people looking for credit repair. Please visit his sites at http://www.callprospect.com/credit_repair_leads.html And http://www.callprospect.com

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Easy Ways To Crank Up The Sales Volume

Writen by Allyn Cutts

1. Supersize It!

Okay, okay... the real marketing term here us upsell it, but the word association takes me to McDonalds. You've been there... you pull up to the window, place your order and they always say... "Would you like to supersize that?"

What bugs me is that I instinctively say, "Yes!" After all, for a few cents more I'm getting nearly twice the amount of fries and beverage. We won't discuss the fact that a person with normal size kidneys couldn't possible drink the supersized drink before it goes flat... and that if I were to eat all of the supersized fries I'd be perfect advertisment for an acne medicine company... but hey, I got a good deal!

When your customers have their wallet out and are reaching for their money, they are ripe for shelling out just a few more bucks to sweeten the deal. In fact, about 50 percent will say yes without a second thought. It's the perfect time to offer an upgrade or an extra warranty.

2. After The Sale Offers.

Have you noticed that novel sequels seem to go like hotcakes? Once the author has caught the audiences attention with the first book, they can't wait to get their hands on the follow up.

The same idea carries over with your customers. A customer who is happy with the product and service you provided the first time, is much more open for a second experience.

The backend product you offer doesn't even have to be your own. Affiliate marketers are rolling in proceeds on ebooks that cover material associated with their products. It's an easy and painless process to market this way... the affiliate handles all the sales, while you collect the commission.

3. Reward Referrals

Customer surveys that ask 3 basic questions: What did you like best about the product?, How can we improve the value of the product?, and Who do you know that would benefit from the product?

In a nutshell, you are letting the customer know that his needs and opinions are important to you, and that you want to help someone else fulfill their needs too. You'll gain valuable insight into customer satsifaction, provide material for valuable testimonials, and get tips on potential customers.

Upselling, backend selling and referral selling work together to increase the number of sales you net, without increasing advertizing budgets. Try it... you'll be surprised at how easy it is to increase your marketing effectiveness within your current customer audience.

Copyright 2006 Cutts Group, llc

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Who is Allyn Cutts, and why should you care?

Allyn has spent over 24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic, providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results.

You can learn more about Allyn Cutts at http://www.AllynCutts.com and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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Do You Have A Lost Sales Strategy Or Do You Just Let Them Go Without A Fight

Writen by Tim Connor

Lost business does not necessarily mean lost forever. Many salespeople unfortunately neglect this lucrative source of new business. I say new because, if you learn to treat these past customers as brand new prospects, you may just regain their business. There are a number of reasons why customers leave you. Some of them are:

1. They were wooed away by a competitor offering better prices, service or some outlandish promises.

2. Management in the organization has changed, and they are not aware of the strengths of your services

or products. This information was most likely not passed on to them by their predecessor.

3. You or your organization failed to deliver as promised.

4. You or your organization let trust and/or respect erode in the relationship.

5. There is some hidden agenda reason – they have a relative in the business, have lost buying authority,

are leaving their organization for another position.

6. There were serious breakdowns in communication, expectations or perceptions between your

organization and your client.

There are others, but these are some of the ones you may be able to do something about.

What can you do to regain this business?

· First you must learn the REAL reason why the customer left in the first place. This might require a little

digging or detective work on your part.

· You have to be willing to begin again with a clean slate, leaving your old baggage behind.

· It is important to remember that you need to work as hard to keep the business as you did to get it.

· You must re-assess where you went wrong. Was it a pricing issue, a service issue, a quality issue, a

distribution issue, arrogance, ignorance, lack of interest in keeping the business, or some other major or

minor mistake by you, another department or another member of your management team?

· You must have a 'keep in touch' strategy with previous customers whether routine telephone calls,

emails, letters or some other way of letting them you are still interested in their business.

· Don't make assumptions that once the business is lost it is lost forever.

Tim Connor, CSP is an internationally renowned sales, relationship, management and leadership speaker, trainer and best selling author. Since 1981 he has given over 3500 presentations in 21 countries on a variety of sales, management and relationship topics. He is the best selling author of over 60 books including; He can be reached at tim@timconnor.com, 704-895-1230 or visit his website at http://www.timconnor.com

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When The Prospect Does Not Want Your Product

Writen by Larry Klein

In most cases the correct thing to do is give up. What, you gasp, "but my mentor told me that persistence is everything and to get six no's before I give up and to…" This type of persistence is needed by poor advisors with lousy marketing plans chasing poor prospects. Wealthy successful advisors do not chase prospects.

Why doesn't the prospect want your product? Odds are, they were unqualified from the beginning. Did they express initial interest? In other words, did they under their own power come to a seminar, respond to a direct mail offer, or call from an ad, television or radio commercial? If they did not make the first move and "raise their hand" indicating interest, then why are you bothering them in the first place? Wealthy producers only talk to people who have expressed interest.

Why doesn't the prospect want your product? Because it's not suitable for them. You ascertain this in the first five minutes of conversation, usually on the phone before you meet them. Wealthy producers always qualify people on the phone as to interest and suitability before meeting. The wealthy producer's time is so valuable, he does not have time to meet with unsuitable prospects. When a wealthy producer ascertains that the prospect is unsuitable for his product, he thanks the prospect for their time and withdraws because he can use that time to meet with a prospect that is suitable.

Why doesn't the prospect want your product? Because you have poor sales skills. I don't mean you are not good at explaining your product's features and benefits. I don't mean that you are not good at convincing people and pushing them to action. I mean you are not good at asking questions. Selling, when done by a master, is about asking questions. In fact, a master can sell their product to anyone by doing very little speaking and simply asking appropriate questions. Selling, when mastered, is the asking of appropriate questions so that the prospect sees the correct solution for himself. If you spend most prospect meetings doing the talking, that's not selling, that's talking at the prospect.

Why doesn't your prospect want your product? Because you are focused on your agenda, not their agenda. They sense immediately that your goal is to sell your stuff, not to help them. Sure, you tell yourself that if they buy your stuff, that's helping them. That may be, but you have taken this for granted for so long, you forget that some people may not benefit by your stuff. But you keep pushing away and the prospect is turned off by the sales person.

Why doesn't your prospect want your product? Because they have no reason to trust you. They already have distrust in the financial services industry due to major brokerage houses selling stocks with no future, insurance companies churning policies, mutual fund companies giving preference to large customers and CEOs of major corporations confusing the shareholders money with their own. Since you are part of the financial services industry, they don't trust you either. Have you done anything to show that you're a professional and not another huckster wanting to get into their pocket? Have you

- Set up a website with information about you, your background, your licensing and unbiased information about insurance and investments
- Gotten credentials that prove your expertise in your field
- Educated yourself in your competitor's products and the entire product category so that you are able to help the prospect with pros and cons rather than just pushing your product?

Professional sales people hear a lot of "yes'," Here's why
- They only talk to prospect who have expressed interest
- They qualify the prospect as suitable in a few minutes
- They realize that people don't trust the industry so they have obtained credentials, set up a website, developed a nice brochure to prove their credibility and stability
- They are focused on the prospect's agenda and not the sale of their stuff

Larry Klein CPA/PFS, CFP®, Certified Retirement Financial Advisor™, Harvard MBA helps advisors get wealthy by being great advisors. He is co-creator of the Advanced IRA Rollover and Distribution Training and creator of the Certified Retirement Financial Advisor designation and training. Over 14,000 financial professionals use his marketing and lead systems and attend his educational programs to obtain more and better clients, serve them better, increase sales of financial products and services, increase commissions and fees, and earn more while working less. His programs are in use by brokers and planners at most major securities firms, many NASD firms, and by hundreds of independent insurance agents and captive agents with large, well-known insurance companies. Details on his winning marketing systems and his complete book on Marketing Financial Services to Seniors are available at http://www.nfcom.com.

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Customer Service Tips That Generate Referrals

Writen by Hartley Pinn

How do you define good customer service? Does that simply mean the satisfactory marketing and sale of a product or service to a customer or does it mean something else? Is providing good customer service, good enough?

In these days of below average customer service, you may think providing good service will set you apart from the pack. Well, I am here to tell you that nothing less than exemplary service will help you succeed. By incorporating the "wow" factor into every successful sale, you will achieve greater profits and better customer satisfaction.

To achieve the "wow" factor, you must be honest, knowledgeable, friendly, professional and deliver on your promises. Do not over promise, but do not under promise either.

In addition, you must be able to provide a high level of service to everyone who comes in contact with your business. If you do, you'll also get more referrals from your satisfied clients.

"Wow" everyone who comes into contact with you and your business. You want people to be blown away by the extraordinary level of service you deliver to your clients. Demonstrate your exceptional level of customer service by showing your generosity through gift giving. Your goal should be to deliver such a high level of service that your clients can't wait to tell their family members, friends and co-workers about your company.

Everyone who comes into contact with your business is a potential client or referrer. Reward those who refer people to you by offering them a gift. Send gifts to all business associates in order to gain favor. This is a great way to build relationships with the people you rely on to do business. Look for a reason to send these people a thank you card along with a gift.

So, what types of gifts should you send? I'll leave that up to your imagination, but here are some ideas to help you get started:

Movie passes
Starbucks cards
Flowers, houseplants
A ticket for a free car wash
Gift candles
Favorite recipes
Gourmet chocolates or gourmet popcorn

Successful sales people always make sure their faithful referrers are regularly and consistently rewarded. Set aside the best rewards for your top referrers. This may include:

Dinner for two at a fancy restaurant
Tickets to the opera or to a rock concert
A gift card
High end fruit or gift basket
Potted plant or flower arrangement
A personally inscribed pen

Yes, when it comes to gift giving the sky is the limit. The more personal the gift, the more likely it will be remembered and it will serve as a thoughtful reminder to your best referrers the next time someone is in need of your exemplary services.

For more referral generating customer service tips, visit our article directory: http://Mortgage-Training.Mortgage-Leads-Generator.com

Please feel free to reprint this article as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Hartley Pinn has recently created the Mortgage Leads Generator Training Course to teach people how to make over $50,000 a month working part-time (10 to 15 hrs per week) as a mortgage loan officer.

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Five Characteristics Of Outstanding Salespeople

Writen by Andrea Twombly

A high quality sales representative is a unique individual, just as unique as you and your jewelry line, so while the final decision a jewelry designer will make in choosing a sales representative will ultimately be, "How does he or she fit in with my company and what I am trying to accomplish?", there are some qualities that are the essence of excellence in salesmanship regardless of whether or not there is a personality match.

1. Confidence - Is the person self-assured and truly knowledgeable? When they don't know an answer, how do they handle it? A willingness to admit they don't know but will learn and get back to you is a sign of a confident salesperson. Do they make eye contact when speaking with you? Handshakes can tell a lot about a person: Remember if you don't receive a good handshake, then you probably won't get a "fair shake". A willingness to accept feedback, especially the negative, without feeling beaten up or rejected, is another important characteristic to consider.

2. Persistence - Persistence in selling is that balanced practice of following up without being a pest. If you made an agreement to a future conversation, did that person contact you as agreed? If you were not available, did they try again in a reasonable length of time? If you called them and they were not immediately available, did you receive a return call promptly? Did you receive a follow-up call or letter after your meeting? On the other hand, did they call too often?

3. Enthusiasm - Ask your potential sales representative about their favorite city, sport, food, anything really. Then watch their face and eyes as they reply, and listen to the tone of their voice. Ask them about the other jewelry and accessory lines they carry or about their customer base. Listen and look for a similar tone. It is spirited and lively conversation, or do you think of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh stories as they speak?

4. Communication skills - Communication is 90% listening, and while a sales representative may possess a large vocabulary and excellent command of the language, which are certainly important to have, the question is, how well do they listen? It is the salesman's ability to listen to your customers' needs and desires and the the ability to convey them to you clearly that will grow your business. If they are good, active listeners, and maybe even note-takers, you can be assured that customers will be coming to you for their jewelry needs on a regular basis.

5. Loyalty - The hardest characteristic to assess, many times loyalty can be observed only in retrospect, and circumstances sometimes allow only difficult choices. That aside, there are ways to peek into a salesperson's sense of loyalty. How many years has he or she been associated with other companies? How did they treat their jewelry sample lines? The more years a person carries a line, the more likely it is that there were up swings and down swings in their business. When you call the referenced companies, it may be worth asking about the representative's attitude and activities during the lean times. their response will be very instructive.

As the potential representative about their childhood friends. Perhaps they prefer certain brands or stores and are willing to pay a bit extra for the sale of being a loyal customer. Do they in fact have a long-standing relationship with their customers, or are they love'em and leave'em type where they get one order and never go back? Ask how they plan to differentiate your line from the other lines they carry. Ask about their parents or grandparents and listen carefully to the replies. With carefully chosen questions, the aspects of a person's sense of loyal and honesty will present themselves.

Keep in mind that any sales representative worth their salt will be looking for these attributes in you and your attitude towards your jewelry, so remember during your interviews to show confidence in yourself follow up as you would like to be contacted, don't be afraid to show excitement and enthusiasm over what you have to offer, listen well to the answers you receive, and remember to appreciate your long time friends and business associates who carried you through your start up and lean times.

Andrea Twombly - Vice-President of Guyot Brothers Company, Inc., a fourth generation manufacturer of decorative brass stampings for the costume jewelry and related arts trades.

http://www.guyotbrothers.com

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Perfecting The Art Of Mirror And Matching In The Sales Cycle

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

John Grinder and Richard Bandler developed the concept of "mirror and matching." The idea is to align your movements and body image with your prospect's demeanor. The goal is to mirror or reflect their actions, not to imitate them. If people think you are imitating them, they may feel like you're mocking them and they may become offended. They will see you as phony and no longer trust you. Instead of directly imitating, just mirror or match the overall tone and demeanor of your prospect. You can safely mirror things such as language, posture, gestures, and mood.

When you mirror your prospects, you build rapport with them. Because of your similar demeanors, your prospects will feel a connection with you. Remember, people are inclined to follow and obey those they perceive as similar to themselves. If they shift in their posture, you should eventually do so, too. If they cross their legs, you should cross your legs as well. If they smile, you smile too. When you do this, your prospects will subconsciously feel that you have much more in common with them than is actually the case.

We often unconsciously mirror others, without even realizing it. It is just a natural thing that we do. Have you ever noticed at social gatherings how people tend to match each other in their body language and their attitudes? For example, when two people greet each other, they typically tend to use the same posture and behave with the same demeanor. When you are a Master Persuader, you will make skillful and conscientious use of mirroring.

Mirroring Language

You will be amazed at the effectiveness of using vocabulary or "lingo" similar to that of your prospect. Pick up on and use some of the words or phrases that your prospect uses. You may also find it helpful to mirror his rate of speech. If he speaks in a slower and more relaxed tone, you can do the same. Nevertheless, be sure to keep the enthusiasm high. If he speaks quickly, feel free to do the same.

Matching Breathing

See if you can adopt the same breathing pattern as your prospect. In doing so, it is helpful to observe the rise and fall of your prospect's chest or shoulders for cues. Of course, use your peripheral vision to do this so you are always maintaining eye contact. Synchronized breathing between you and your prospect is such a subtle thing, yet people really pick up on it.

Matching Voice

This is different from matching language. It refers to the actual tone or inflection of your prospect's voice. Be very careful, however, that you do not come across as mimicking. The "mirrored" voice you use should never be so different or foreign from your own that you arouse suspicion. Just minor and subtle adjustments in tone are all that are necessary to get the desired results.

Mirroring Moods

When you reflect your prospect's mood, you give validation to what he is saying and feeling. We often verbally mirror another's mood by restating what he or she just said: "So, what I hear you saying is…" or "I think I would feel that way too, if I also experienced…." Be sure when you mirror your prospect's mood that your tone is very sincere. Your persuasive power increases when you sincerely acknowledge your prospect's comments, concerns, and feelings.

Matching Energy Level

Some people always seem to be relaxed and mellow. Others seem to be constantly active or vivacious. Seek to mirror your prospect's energy level. This will be another subtle way you are in sync with your prospect.

As you study persuasion, you must realize that connecting with your audience is critical. Many persuaders don't know how to maintain that rapport throughout the entire persuasive situation. You see people in sales break the ice, find similarities, build rapport for the first five minutes, and then launch into their presentation. All of a sudden, they get serious and change their demeanor. What is the prospect going to think? The person he has been talking to for the past five minutes has now changed. Which one is the real person? The two were getting along, having fun, and all of a sudden, without warning, the salesperson becomes serious and dives into a sales pitch. This breaks rapport and seems incongruent to the prospect. You both know why you are there and what the ultimate goal will be, so continue to build on that rapport.

Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. Beware of the common mistakes presenters and persuaders commit that cause them to lose the deal. Get your free report 10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands and explode your income today.

Certainly, there are occasions when you may not want to mirror someone else. For example, a lawyer will often seek to create anxiety or uneasiness in a witness. To accomplish this, the lawyer needs to avoid mirroring. While the witness is slumped back in the seat looking at the ground, the lawyer may hover or stand rigidly and look intensely at the witness's face. Have you ever experienced the awkwardness of glancing at your watch when you're in the middle of a conversation with someone and they notice? "Breaking the mirror" breaks the synchronization that makes everyone feel calm and comfortable. If you need to break the mirror, simply stop mirroring and sit, speak, or gesture differently from the person you're dealing with.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade.

About the Author:

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available!

Kurt teaches over a hundred techniques to give you the ability to effectively work with every customer that walks in your door. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others. Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income.

If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

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How To Prospect Top Dogs And Put Your Sales Through The Roof

Writen by Leslie Buterin

In light of the downward move of our economy, most of the sales organizations in this country are scared spitless. I hate living in fear. Bet you don't like it much either. What if you could earn lots more, in considerably less time, and feel mightily successful when your competitors are so scared they're spazzing out (haven't used that phrase since high school) chasing their tails in circles, whimpering, "If buyers aren't buying we aren't going to have a business."

Top Dogs Want Your Calls

Believe It! Wouldn't your ears perk up and your tail wag with anticipation at the thought of spending your selling time in front of nothing but qualified prospects, with unlimited check writing privileges, and the ability to say, "Yes" to your solutions and services? Could you sit up and shake hands with prospects that remove obstacles for your implementation, significantly reduce frustrations, and sign off on multi-million dollar contracts with you?

Yes, even in a slow economy! These things can and do happen with Top Dog Selling Strategists. These top-dollar sales professionals thrive, regardless of economic conditions. They understand that a down economy gives them the Lead Dog's edge, a hunger for bigger contracts, better contracts, and faster contracts. With laser-like focus, they mercilessly scrutinize, prioritize and chew to shreds their least profitable sales practices and identify ways to leverage their time for more dollars.

What do they do to keep business strong? Make the change to Top Dog selling. They faithfully call on the presidents' offices of their existing clients and of prospect companies. Understanding there is no other single business decision like this change in selling strategy that will increase sales revenues geometrically.

A recent publication reported that firms are hiring additional sales staff to generate revenues. Most likely those companies justify their investment in salaries for more sales people by thinking these positions pay for themselves in terms of revenues generated. That's one approach. How 'bout trying this, support your existing sales force with increasingly productive sales strategies. Leverage their profitability by transitioning to a top-down sales strategy. Make sure that a call below the office of the president no longer counts as a sales-call. Reward them as they schedule appointments with Top Dogs.

Sadly, sales professionals continue to use the bottom-up sales methods they were taught in the beginning of their careers, even though these habits bring in less than top dollar results. They steadfastly hold onto the familiar, in spite of reason. At this point, the commitment to a less profitable strategy is for some a desperate retreat to the safe and comfortable. For others, pure ignorance. If you are currently doing business with levels below the office of the president of your client companies, make a profitable change. Get in front of the president.

Top Dog Is Better Than "C" Level

Many an inexperienced pup will protest this idea and insist on being more inclusive ... saying with their nose up in the air, "My prospects are the people in charge of hiring, the CIO or some other 'C' level person." Listen up pups, Big Sales Dogs don't even bother to sniff at that kind of reasoning. Here's why. When you call Top Dogs first, you have everything to gain, nothing to lose.

First of all, you may get in to see the Top Dog and where else would you rather be than in front of the-buck-stops-here person with more decision-making authority (ability to say "Yes" to you) than any other person in the company?

Secondly, if a call to the president results in a referral to a "C-level" person, such as the CIO, your positioning is stronger than it would have been without that call. What started out as a cold call has quickly turned to a warm introduction from the President of the CIO's very own company. As you call the CIO you can honestly say, "Your president's office said you were the one to handle this call." A far more powerful opening line than, "Hello, my name is J. Doe with ABC Company." Don't you agree?

Change Your Prospecting "Hit" Ratio

Business to business numbers since the early 1950's have been 2 out of 10-meaning a sales pro who calls 10 prospects will get 2 appointments. It's a numbers game. When you add Top Dog selling strategies to the mix you see a staggering change. Top Dog Selling Strategists get as many as 8 out of 10, that's 8 appointments out of calls to 10 Top Dogs. That's a skills game. These skilled sales pros consistently prospect Top Dogs, presidents of companies; they learn how to control and direct the 90-seconds of telephone time they have with the Top Dog or his assistant. And they use benefit statements, open-ended, close-ended, and alternative of choice questions to their strategic advantage.

"'What?' A handful of you say as you recoil in horror. You want me to go over the heads of the people I'm working with now to meet with the president?" I understand the Naysayers are fearful of offending the lower-level people with whom they are currently doing business by going over their heads. No one is suggesting for you to sabotage your current low-level relationship. However, I am telling you straight up that the path to a level of selling that you never dared dream of is available to those who leave the comfort of the familiar for the potential of Top Dog selling.

Top Dog sales professionals learn to rule fear so it doesn't have a chance to rule them to a less productive end. Fear serves you well when it tells you that more information is needed before moving forward. And most sales pros, when given the words to say, will calm their fears enough to go over the heads of their existing low-level relationships and meet with Top Dogs, on their turf, where the big bucks are. Just tell your lower-level contacts that your new business directive calls for meeting with Top Dogs. And that you'll tell their president how pleasurable and profitable your working relationship has been. From The Top Dog's Viewpoint - What's specifically and strategically not said is as important as what is said.

Take note, there is nothing in this scenario that asks permission from the lower-level person to speak to the Top Dog.

-Your job is to control the conversation. Politely, but firmly, convey the decision of your new selling strategy.

- Tell the president about your successful relationship with the lower-levels.

- Your praise of a former contact identifies you as a partnership player as opposed to an outsider who will climb over anyone to get to the top.

- The Top Dog will understand the business implications of your words, that is, your services have already proven to be profitable to his/her company.

- Less time is required for implementation of your services, as the people are familiar with your systems.

- Past success on a small scale suggests your services are a risk worth taking for success on a larger scale.

Look at your time and talents through the experienced eyes of the Big Sales Dogs who have gone before you. Apply their wisdom to your business, move to the head of the pack and enjoy frolicking with the Top Dogs as your sales go through the woof!

Forward this article to friends—they'll thank you for it!

Copyright 2006 Top Dog Consulting

For your FREE mini-course "Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents" visit http://www.ColdCallingExecutives.com! Or call the office of Your Sales Coach for Extreme Profitability, author, speaker, Leslie Buterin (like butterin' bread) at (316) 260-3800 9-3 CST (that's Kansas City/Chicago Time)

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How To Lose The Sale Quickly Amp Easily

Writen by Kelley Robertson

Here are five sure-fire ways to guarantee you will not get the sale;

Focus on yourself. I recall meeting several salespeople from a variety of vendors regarding an initiative I was working on for a client. EVERY single person began their presentation by telling me about their company rather than learning about my needs and wants. I ended up being subjected to information that had little or no relevance to my situation, which meant that 20-30 minutes of my time was wasted in each interview. I understand the importance of providing some background information on your company at the beginning of your presentation but keep it brief. I personally don't care how much your company is worth, how long you have been in business, or what projects you have recently completed. I want you to focus on my needs first. Demonstrate that you care about my particular situation or show that you are interested in learning more about my business needs and I will reward you with my full attention.

Don't listen to me. When I worked in the corporate world I gave countless salespeople information pertaining to my business requirements only to have them draft a proposal that did not take these needs into consideration. Don't waste your prospect's time asking questions if you are not going to listen to his responses. The best salespeople ask probing questions, take written notes, and clarify their understanding of the prospect's needs at the conclusion of each meeting. This enables them to create a proposal that addresses the client's specific concerns, issues and situation.

Make elaborate claims about your product/service. I once had a salesperson claim that his product was completely unique from anything on the market. When I questioned what he meant, I discovered this "unique feature" was something that several other companies offered as well. This salesperson immediately lost any credibility he may have established and failed to close the sale. Do your research and learn what your competitors offer. Know how to position yourself differently without exaggerating or overstating your product or service.

Talk too much. It continues to amaze me how many people think that telling is selling. I have window shopped in a variety of stores and excellent salespeople understand the importance of silence and have learned to become comfortable with it. Unfortunately, too many people talk far too much. I recall listening to a salesperson ramble on at great length about a product I was genuinely interested in purchasing. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a word in edgewise to tell him I wanted to buy it. In fact, when I told I wanted it, he tried talking me out of the sale by stating, "If you want some time to think about it, there's no rush." While I appreciated his low-pressure approach I couldn't help but wonder how many sales he had lost in the past.

Do not respect my time. Today's business executives are extremely busy. In fact, I recently read that most decision-makers have just one hour of unscheduled time during a given week. When you are granted an appointment or are talking to someone over the telephone, respect their time constraints. Get to the point quickly and keep your presentation concise and brief.

You may think these are pretty basic mistakes and you may believe you don't make them. I suggest that you think otherwise. The majority of people who sell a product or service fall prey to these mistakes on a regular basis. Here is a final example;

When I was the manager of training for a large retail organization I was contacted by many sales trainers. One in particular, spoke at great length about the features of his program and how valuable it was because participants would learn how to effectively qualify customers. He told me that this workshop would teach people how to ask the right questions and listen to the answers. In turn, I would see a noticeable increase in sales. While I agreed with his concepts, I seriously doubted his ability to deliver. Why? He did not apply the concepts of his own workshop. In fact, he spent most of the allotted time talking rather than learning about my needs! If he didn't practice what he preached, how could I be sure he would deliver?

Pay more attention to your prospect's needs and respect their time. Avoid these common mistakes and increase your sales.

Copyright 2004, Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. For information on his programs, visit his website at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a weekly e-zine available at his website.

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Are You A Victim Of Sales Cycles

Writen by Tim Connor

Many products and services have different sales cycles – from the first prospect meeting to the close of the sale. Some cycles can be several months to a few years. Some can be just a few days.

Many salespeople believe that they are not in control of the sales cycle. They put the buying control into the hands of the prospect. Of course, you cannot sell something to someone before they are ready, but you can discover the sense of urgency or attempt to create it.

Keep in mind that people buy when they are ready to buy, not when you need to sell.

This week, let's focus on these arbitrary sales cycles. First of all, remember that you do not change the prospect's buying needs, timetable, readiness or urgency – you discover it or them. If your prospect has just signed a three year contract with a competitor, guess what? This is not a prospect for you until the time when he begins to consider renewing or changing suppliers.

Most sales cycles are not etched in stone. They are a function of your ability to get to the real issues, needs, pain, problems, etc. If you fail to identify these accurately, you will most likely never develop the interest or desire necessary to cause a buying decision. However, if your questioning skills can quickly cut to the chase of the prospect's primary emotional buying motive, and you have a viable solution for them, you can most likely move the sales process along quicker rather than slower.

Don't get yourself into the paradigm that your sales cycle always has to be 8 weeks, or 6 months, or 7 days, or whatever. Those of you who believe that your normal buying cycle is, let's say, 6 months – I'll bet that you have closed sales in less time than that and more. The point is that the cycle is not a pre-determined period of time. It is a function of your ability to identify critical prospect issues and then show the prospect how you can satisfy in a way that can be accepted.

This is also true of budgets. Budgets are generally not developed without flexibility. If the prospect has a pressing need or challenge that your product or service solves, trust me, they will find the money. A game I love to play when I hear budget as an issue is: 'Let's find the money. It has to be somewhere!'

Resist the tendency to fall into the budget trap – when the prospect says there is a need but doesn't have the money. DA… If the money can't be found, the need is probably not very serious. So find another prospect. NEXT.

Tim Connor, CSP is an internationally renowned sales, management and leadership speaker, trainer and best selling author. Since 1981 he has given over 3500 presentations in 21 countries on a variety of sales, management, leadership and relationship topics. He is the best selling author of over 60 books including; Soft Sell, That's Life, Peace Of Mind, 91 Challenges Managers Face Today and Your First Year In Sales. He can be reached at tim@timconnor.com, 704-895-1230 or visit his website at www.timconnor.com.

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Selling Rail Road Ties At The Local Nursery

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many people have considered putting railroad ties in their yard to help separate the grass area from the garden or to prevent erosion or aid in walk way constructions. They work good for all that indeed. However it is hard to visualize this in advance and therefore all the potential customer sees is the square ugly logs that they know to be railroad planks.

Your job a sales man is to help the customer visualize these real road planks in their yard surrounding a garden or set into the grass as steps or what ever it is that they might do with them. In fact you can begin to ask the customer questions about their yard and the space and where they envision these railroad ties going and talk with them about this until you simply ask them how many of these rail road ties are you going to have to load onto your pick-up truck to do that job then? That is how you sell railroad ties to homeowners.

But how do you sell landscape designers on the use of these for their customers? After all you need to sell rail road ties and lots of them to make any money, so you have to develop a relationship with the landscapers and they will also be interested in price points and quantity discounts and therefore it is necessary to get into their designs and see what they see to help in the sales process. So, consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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Handling Objections Successfully

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Be prepared to field questions that the audience will ask and want to know. Brainstorm ahead of time for possible questions, scenarios, and answers. There will always be someone who asks the tough questions. If you are the expert, you are expected to know the answers. Obviously, if you don't know the answer, you should not make one up. If the question is way out of line, you can say you don't know the answer. But what do you do when your audience expects you to know the answer and you don't? How do you save yourself from losing credibility?

One way is to throw the question back to the audience and ask for the audience's help or opinions. Another strategy is asking to have the question repeated. This gives you more time to think of a response. Restate the question and ask if that is correct. This also helps you make sure you understand the question. You can request that the person asking the question consult with you later: "Get with me at the break so we can talk about that." It is better to tell one person you don't know than admitting it to the whole audience. Alternatively, you can ask the person posing the question whether they have any of their own insights into the subject.

When you get people involved in the process, you will get some objections. The way you handle objections will correlate with how mentally involved people become with your message. The better you become at handling objections, the more persuasive you will become.

When you become a Master Persuader, you will learn to love objections. You will come to understand that when people voice their objections, it actually indicates interest and shows that they are paying attention to what you are saying. The key to persuasion is anticipating all objections before you hear them. Fielding questions and handling objections can make or break you as a persuader. Such skills will help you in every aspect of your life. Here are some tips on how to handle objections:

1. The first thing is to find out if the objection is something you can solve. Suppose you are negotiating a large office furniture order and the objection comes up about not being able to afford your furniture. You then find out your prospect just declared bankruptcy. Obviously there is nothing you can do or say that will resolve such an objection.

2. Let your prospect state his objection: Hear him out completely, without interruption. Wait until he is finished before you say anything. Hold your response until the other person is receptive to what you are about to say. This is the first time your prospect has voiced his objection; he will not listen until he has said what is on his mind.

3. Always ask your prospect to restate or repeat his key points. Every time he replays his objection it becomes clearer in both your minds. Letting him speak, particularly if he is upset, drains emotion from his objection. Allowing him to voice his concerns also gives you time to think about a response and helps you determine his intent in bringing up the objection in the first place.

4. Always compliment your prospect on her objection. As a Master Persuader, you can appreciate a good objection; it dictates the direction in which you should take your presentation. You don't have to prove you are right 100 percent of the time. Skillful persuaders will always find some point of agreement. It's important to recognize the apprehension or objections people have instead of ignoring them.

5. Stay calm. Scientific tests have proven that calmly stated facts are more effective in getting people to change their minds than are threats and force.

6. Don't be arrogant or condescending. Show empathy with your prospect's objection. Let him know others have felt this way. Talk in the third person; use a disinterested party to prove your point. This is why we often use testimonials--to let someone else do the persuading for us.

7. Give the person room to save face. People will often change their minds and agree with you later. Unless your prospect has made a strong stand, leave the door open for her to later agree with you and save face at the same time. It could be that she did not have all the facts, that she misunderstood, or that you didn't explain everything correctly.

Quick Note: If you are dealing with a stubborn person who absolutely will not change his mind about anything, don't panic. There are reasons why this person is closed-minded and always saying "no" to everything. He might not have a clear idea about what you are proposing, he may have been hurt in the past, he is afraid of being judged, or he may feel his ideas are not appreciated. Don't take it personally; it will happen from time to time.

For additional information on Handling Objections, go to Magnetic Persuasion and kick start your success!

Conclusion Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade.

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available!

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available!

If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

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5 Sales Followup Tips That Work

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

What do you need to know about follow-up?

Following-up with connections, marketing campaigns, networking, or phone calls is more a matter of discipline and time management, Ninety-nine out of one hundred people I know really do not know how to follow-up. Most of the lack is due to not knowing what to say or thinking they are begging for the business. In reality, you go to events and do marketing campaigns to get business and you need to follow-up. You cannot wait until someone else does it, you may wait forever. Even when you have a marketing campaign on the go, you still need to follow-up with people that have responded. The key here is that you do business with people not organizations. You must be in touch with the person that will be a conduit into the purchasing process for their organization. It really does not matter what level you enter into a company, what does matter is that you enter into it.

People in all positions within a company will be able to help you get to know the right person for decision making. So don't think you do not need to follow-up based on what the title is on the card. CEOs may run a company, but others work in it and they make the requests for services and products they need to do their job more effectively.

Here are some tips that may help you to follow-up:

• When networking at an event, only collect cards and contact information from people whom you want to do business. Email them that evening or early the next morning indicating you would like to set up a meeting (phone or face-to-face) to find out more about their company. (Never mention the word sell on this first encounter).

• When attending a leads group and you receive a referral, ask if you can be introduced by a three way call to break the ice. This way you get a great introduction from a third party. The third party introduction gives you more credibility than if you introduced yourself. The three way call is also a way of knowing whether this is a true lead or just a card someone picked up.

• When sending out letters of introduction, make sure you only send a maximum of five per day so it is easy for you to follow-up. Wait a minimum of five but no longer than ten days to follow-up. The follow-up can take the form of a phone call if you have so indicated in the letter or it may be an email. I would recommend a phone call to eliminate all the non-prospects from your list. The call can be as simple as "……did you receive my letter and the insertion (a small token of some kind)? I would like to take only 3 minutes of your time to set an appointment with you if you think what I have to offer may work for your company." This is a good starting point for setting meetings.

• When being referred by another client, ask if you can use their name in the conversation. Make sure you can or the referral may not work out the same way, it will be too much of a cold call

The most important part is calendarizing your follow-up calls. Put the calls in your schedule along with the names and numbers of those you are calling. Force yourself to complete the task each day. Connecting with one or two people each day will give you 365 to 730 people in a calendar year. Surely, you will be able to get some business out of that many calls.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprints for Success - Networking: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprints for Success Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2006. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com.

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Mortgage Life Insurance Leads

Writen by Peter Emerson

Mortgage life insurance leads can be a nice profit center for any insurance agent. It is often used as a method by which individuals or groups of people can secure their health to get full financial assistance in the future to buy health insurance without paying the full value upfront. The mortgage life insurance leads are generated mainly through major search engines like Google, Yahoo or MSN. By finding mortgage life insurance leads on such search engines, one can raise the most motivated prospects possible.

Mortgage life insurance leads, however, are a very lucrative profit generator for any insurance agent. These kinds of leads are conditioned to be sold to the clients through various ways (one of the ways is on the net, as mentioned).

The second way to generate leads is through the process of direct mail. A few years ago the usual process to sell leads was to send thousands and thousands of direct mail solicitations for mortgage life insurance, and this process was common for all the leading companies offering such leads. But the process of direct mail incurred printing and mailing costs. With the advent of the World Wide Web, the main focus for generating life insurance leads has shifted to the Internet. However, an independent agent can still use the service of direct mail for the purpose of mortgage life insurance lead generation.

But there are a number of ways online lead generation is better. Sophisticated online account management systems and other software make it easy for clients to track the ideal lead that he or she needs. But be it through direct mail or email, constant persuasion is an important marketing tool.

Mortgage Life Insurance provides detailed information on Mortgage Life Insurance, Mortgage Life Insurance Leads, Mortgage Life Insurance Quotes, Mortgage Life Insurance Rates and more. Mortgage Life Insurance is affiliated with Mortgage Insurance Leads.

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How To Write Testimonials That Sell Cds Like Magic

Writen by Marc Gunn

"Which is your best CD?"

Ever get that question? My band has five CDs that we sell at shows, and I get that question all the time. People rely on the suggestions of others to determine what they are going to buy. They trust the opinions of others to help them make decisions. So having great testimonials to sell your CDs is essential.

The trouble is most fans email you something like this: "You rock! -Joe." They don't explain how your music affected them or why they came to that conclusion, and you don't bother to ask.

But if you want great testimonials, you have to ask for them. You can't be passive and wait for those one in a thousand great testimonials to come in. Instead, educate your fans.

That's one of the secrets to the success of the Brobdingnagian Bards. We have a lot of fans who are passionate about our music. Steven Hahn is so gung-ho about our music that he called a television station to tell them about a gig we had. And a camera crew showed up!

That kind of enthusiasm is contagious. But it's also been taught. You see, we educate our fans on how to help us.

That's also what you have to do when gathering testimonials. Educate your fans how to write them. Guide them step-by-step. Ask questions that will get you your desired response. They know they love your music. Now you have to get that into a format that will help you sell more CDs.

To write a testimonial, you need to know what makes a killer testimonial?

1. Great testimonials focus on benefits.

How did your music affect them? Have them tell a story about the drive home as they were headbanging in the car when a cop pulled up next to them on a motorcycle and gave them a disapproving glance.

2. Great testimonials are visual.

Could you see that cop in the statement above? That's the type of short story that will make your fans feel like they're back at the club nervously shaking your hand when they meet you.

3. Great testimonials evoke a feeling.

They should touch an emotion inside, whether it's joy, sadness, anger, tranquility, energy, excitement, nervousness, or whatever. That feeling should come across in the testimonial to connect with other fans.

4. Great testimonials create a positive atmosphere.

Not only will you sell more CDs, but your fans will also get a better feeling about your band. You want something that will connect to people, adding energy, excitement and goodwill to all around you.

Here are a few guidelines for creating testimonials that will make people take notice.

1. Keep it short. Cut the quote down to three sentences that really shine. You want it to grab them quickly, not something that is difficult to read.

2. Be specific. Fans can go on and on that "you rock" or "you're awesome," but those phrases don't personalize it. Instead, have them describe what is awesome about you or your CD. "The way you sang, 'The Bridge' on your CD 'Soul of a Harper' gave me goosebumps."

3. Keep it positive. If a quote is written with a negative connotation like, "I can't believe how cool you are!" Ask them if you can rewrite it in a more positive manner, like "I love how cool you are!" It will energize your site all the more.

4. Include a name. The most-powerful quotes include your fan's name, city and state (sometimes job or career can also been effective). Get permission to use as much information about the person as they are willing to give.

5. Clarify the situation. Get the five W's from your fan: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Weave that info into the testimonial. It will add personality to the testimonial and let the reader know there's a person behind it.

Of course, if fans don't really want to share more than "you rock," accept it happily. Sometimes even something that simple can be effective. If you're fans are writing from the heart, that enthusiasm will bubble over to their friends and your word-of-mouth will continue to spread.

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com

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How Can You Tell In Advance What Will Sell On The Internet Or By Direct Mail

Writen by Leslie Sprankling

Over the last 50 years I must have seen thousands of ads, mostly 2 line classified ads in opportunity magazines, trying to sell the latest in a long line of "How to Make a Fortune in Mail Order" books or systems. Most have these have been the same ol', same ol', regurgitated 4 page claptrap priced from $5 to $20. Occasionally there has been a full blown course or manual for $97 to $197. Since the advent of the internet, these kind of publications have been transitioned to "How to Make a Fortune on the Internet", but still the same ol' regurgitated claptrap.

Are any worth buying? Perhaps a few, but the $19.95 type will only make money for the shysters selling them, not the suckers buying. There are one or two about that do teach the science (or art) of Direct Mail and perhaps one or two more that effectively teach how to make money on the Internet. But these systems are usually priced well above $100.00.

Some contain a few nuggets of gold, others, the more expensive ones, teach the technical aspects and some techniques, but I haven't seen any yet that are complete. Let's face it, Direct Marketing (by Direct Mail and Mail Order) is a complex business requiring many skills and to teach it properly would require a full-time University course or a set of manuals the size of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. In practise, it is largely learned by experience and listening to others in the business.

Incidentally, what is the difference between Direct Mail and Mail Order? Very little. They both come under the umbrella of Direct Response Marketing. Direct Mail marketing is commonly initiated by sending out a mailing piece to thousands of people; they respond by mail, phone, internet, or in person. Mail Order can be advertised in the press or other media, including mail, but the response is usually by mail (hence mail order). So today, with all the media available, including the internet, the more descriptive term is Direct Response Marketing (DRM).

DRM is a business whereby the marketing message is delivered by advertising through one or more of the media, including mail, and orders or responses are sought by telephone, mail, email, internet or personal visit. Delivery is effected by post, courier, download (in the case of electronic products) and any other available means.

The overriding intention of DRM is to attract positive attention to the ad or mailing piece, cultivate a positive interest in the offer, provide information on how to order and pay for the product, and make an urgent call to take action. In other words, to promote a direct response.

One of the most common traps for young players in Direct Marketing is to produce or secure a product, then look for someone to sell it to.

Hey! I made that mistake too. I wrote this super book on the value of vegetable and fruit juices in health, with lots of recipes to treat many common ailments. It was a great book and I printed up a lot ready to sell. It would be a best seller, I was sure.

Not so! People ought to be vitally interested in their health, and should be willing to pay a measly 20 bucks for a book that would help them get healthy, right?

Wrong! People, lots of people that is, don't buy that sort of book. I still have few copies at home, but most made it to the garbage disposal on my last move.

So, how can you tell what people will buy?

The answer is simple! Check out what people are buying now. To be reasonably sure you won't be left with a garage full of widgets, you must identify what people want, and are currently buying. And sell more of the same or similar.

If 5,000 people a day are buying dog collars, chance are you can sell dog collars; or name tags to attach to dog collars. Chances are that people will buy other dog related products too.

If 50,000 people a month are buying books on how to succeed in an internet business, chances are they'll buy a similar product from you.

The answer in short to the question what will people buy in DRM (including the internet) is this: "What they are already buying."

If you go into the supermarket and walk down the aisles you'll likely see a whole aisle devoted to dog food and dog products. Another whole aisle will be devoted to cat food and cat products. People love their pets. So you know that products related to pets are usually good sellers.

Keep going and you'll come to another aisle devoted to babies. Yes people have babies every day, some say there are 120,000 babies born in America every month. So baby related products will be a sure winner.

Every month a similar number of people die, get married, get divorced. Can you see a market there?

Do you want to make it easy on yourself and find an almost endless source of markets for all kinds of products?

Then get yourself a copy of the SRDS, the world's largest list of lists of people in all kinds of categories buying all kinds of things.

© 2005, Leslie H Sprankling. All Rights Reserved. Leslie H Sprankling is a Business and Marketing Consultant with 30+ years in business and the author of several books. Leslie is the author of "The Amazing Roadmap to Success in Direct Marketing" which is available now at his website http://www.better-n-chocolate.com/drm.htm. There you will find many other business and personal software programs & business publications to help you develop and grow your business that are not available anywhere else on the internet. Also, you can get many free business articles like this one, for your own use or for publication and distribution.

NOTE: This article may be freely used, published or distributed in ezines, newsletters or websites providing the articles remain unchanged in any way and this resource box is included intact. For more information or inquiries please contact Leslie at mityoaks@bigpond.com.

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Wholesale Trends How Ebay Sellers Can Profit From Them

Writen by Donny Lowy

Wholesale trends are one of the most important pieces of news that eBay sellers should be monitoring. Wholesale trends are the changes in demand for products being sold in the marketplace.

These trends also include the introduction and demand for new wholesale products into the marketplace.

eBay sellers of all types need to monitor these changing wholesale trends. By seeing what is becoming popular and what is losing in popularity, eBay sellers will be able to know what products they should be buying and selling.

Here are three great methods for monitoring wholesale trends. Remember that you want to be able to anticipate product demand before your fellow eBay sellers do. This is especially important if you want to be selling on eBay popular products before other eBay sellers start catching on.

Wholesale Trend Monitoring Tip #1

Movies. When a new movie is released you can expect a great deal of marketing to be involved. By the time the movie hits the screens you can expect thousands of enthusiastic fans to be familiar with the movie. You can expect that products related to the movie will be strong sellers on eBay.

Wholesale Trend Monitoring Tip #2

Magazines. Popular culture magazines are the first ones to showcase a new product hitting the marketplace. Often they will cover the development of a product that they predict will be very popular. And sometimes the magazines themselves create demand for a product by publishing a glowing review of the product.

Wholesale Trend Monitoring Tip #3

Top online searches. There are many free web based services that will show you what the current top searches are. You can use these services to determine what it is that people are searching for. If you see a surge in the number of searches for a certain actor, then you should start selling related merchandise on eBay.

Donny Lowy runs http://www.closeoutexplosion.com an online wholesale and closeout business that supplies eBay sellers, retailers, and flea market vendors.

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7 Pitfalls Of Using Email To Sell

Writen by Ari Galper

* Are you sending e-mails to prospects instead of calling them?

* Is e-mail your selling medium of choice because it lets you avoid the rejection that you dread when you make real cold calls?

* Do you wait and wait for return e-mails from prospects that will give you the green light to move the sales process forward?

Sad but true, these days most people who sell for a living spend 80% of their time trying to communicate with prospects via e-mail instead of actually picking up the phone and speaking with them. Are you one of those people? If so, you aren't alone...but do you understand why you've turned to e-mail instead of personal contact? I think there are 2 core reasons that underlie this unfortunate trend:

* Fear of rejection. The sheer negative force of anticipating rejection makes people turn to e-mail to generate new prospect relationships because it hurts less to not get a reply than to hear that verbal "no."

* Getting blocked by gatekeepers andvoicemail. When salespeople don't know how to break through the barriers of gatekeepers and voicemail, they start thinking, "Forget it -- it's not worth the aggravation, and it takes too much energy. I'll just e-mail instead."

However, when you try to use e-mail to offer your product or service to someone who doesn't know you, you can't possibly establish the natural dialogue between two people that allows the trust level to reach the level necessary for a healthy, long-term relationship.

We all know how much everyone hates e-mail spam, but even so, many salespeople are still sending introductory e-mails to decisionmakers. They feel that, because they're from a credible organization, they won't be associated with the negative image of a spam solicitor.

However, these introductory e-mails typically contain the traditional three-part sales pitch -- the introduction, a mini-presentation about the products and services being offered, and a call to action -- and this traditional selling approach instantly tells the recipient of the e-mail that your only goal is to sell your product or service so you can attain your goals, andnot theirs.

If you're still using email to sell, watch out for these 7 pitfalls:

1. Avoidsales pitches. If you feel you must use e-mail to start a new relationship, make your message about issues and problems that you believe your prospects are having, but d on't say anything to indicate that you're assuming that both of you are a match.

2. Stop thinking that e-mail is the best way to get to decisionmakers. Traditional selling has become so ineffective that salespeople have run out of options for creating conversation, both over the phone and in person. However, it's best to view e-mail as a backup option only, not as a way to create new relationships. Try to use it primarily for sending information and documents after you've developeda relationship with a prospect.

3. Remove your company name from the subject line. Whenever you put your company and solution first, you create the impression that you can't wait to give a presentation about your product and services. Your subject line shouldbe a humble reference to issues that you may be able to help prospects solve.

4. Stop conditioning your prospects to hide behinde-mail. When you e-mail prospects, it's easy for them to avoid you by not responding. Also, they get used to never picking up the phone and having a conversation with you -- and they may want to avoid you because they're afraid that, if they show interest in what you have to offer, you'll try to close them. This creates sales pressure -- the root of all selling woes. This avoidance becomes a vicious circle. If you learn to create pressure-free conversations, you'll find that you'll start getting phone calls from prospects who aren't afraidto call you.

5. Avoid using e-mail as a crutch for handling sticky sales situations. Are prospects not calling you back? Many salespeople who call me for coaching ask how they can get themselves out of sticky situations with prospects -- but the e-mails they've sent have already triggered those prospects to retreat. It's tricky to come up with the correct softening language in an e-mail that will re-open a conversation with a prospect who has decided to close off communication --direct, person-to-person phone calls or meetings are much easier andmore human.

6. Avoid using "I" and"we." When you start an introductory e-mail with "I" or "we," you immediately give the impression that you care only about selling your solution, rather than being open to a conversation that may or may not lead to a mutually beneficial match between what you have to offer andthe issues your prospect may be trying to solve. If you can change your sales language to a natural conversation, your prospect will be less likely to stereotype your message as a spam solicitation.

Finally...

7. If you can, stop using e-mail selling altogether. There is a way to renew your confidence and eliminate your reluctance to picking up the phone and have pleasant conversations with potential prospects. Learn a completely new way of working with gatekeepers that will get you past voicemail and to your decisionmakers without the rejection and frustration that are inevitable with traditional selling approaches.

For all these reasons, you should think of e-mail as your last resort. If you can learn to pick up the phone without fear, start a trusting conversation with a gatekeeper, learn how to go beyond voice mail and find your decisionmakers, you'll join the thousands of people who have made the breakthrough to the most natural and efficient way of generating sales opportunities.

With a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and over a decade of experience creating breakthrough sales strategies for global companies such as UPS and QUALCOMM, Ari Galper discovered the missing link that people who sell have been seeking for years.

His profound discovery of shifting one's mindset to a place of complete integrity, based on new words and phrases grounded in sincerity, has earned him distinction as the world's leading authority on how to build trust in the world of selling.

Leading companies such as Gateway, Clear Channel Communications, Brother International and Fidelity National Mortgage have called on Ari to keep them on the leading edge of sales performance. Visit http://www.unlockthegame.com to get his free sales training lessons.

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Didnt Make That Sale Try Laughing

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

One of my relatives quite famously said:

"Anyone who loses a sale and then laughs, is an idiot!"

That same relative headed off to have a few heart attacks, had to change his lifestyle dramatically, and has been seen crawling along in slow-mo, ever since.

He was never, genuinely able to laugh, not in a big way.

He'd respond dully to something humorous with the words, "Yeah, that's pretty funny," but there was no release in that, emotionally. Pent up inside was all of this tension, the residue of many disappointments that he never purged along the way.

There have been lots of philosophers and scientists who have tried to isolate that one thing that seems to make human beings special, if not unique.

Some, like anthropologist Robert Ardrey, insist it is our "opposable thumbs" that have made us uniquely capable of putting hammers to nails, and building civilizations.

Others claim it is our ability to speak as we do, sharing abstract ideas.

But a useful view is that the fundamental thing that makes us human is our ability to lose, and then to laugh.

You don't see gorilla males, who have just bashed each other for the attention of a female, going off by themselves, after coming in second place, doing Woody Allen style comedy about their loss.

Maybe, they should!

Go to comedy clubs, listen to Chris Rock or Jon Stewart, or to whoever breaks you up.

Or, better yet, develop the ability to see what's funny about any disappointment, and then appreciate it.

It will put you in the right mood to make your next conquest, in selling, or otherwise.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

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The Myth About Price

Writen by Kelley Robertson

In today's competitive business environment, it often seems that the most important aspect of someone's buying decision is price. People constantly ask for lower prices, compare our prices with the competition, and badger us to give them a better deal. Regardless of what you sell, you probably face price objections on a regular basis.

I will never dispute that price is a factor in every sale. However, it is seldom the primary factor. If price was the only reason people bought goods and services, high-end boutiques and companies that sell premium products would not exist.

That means we need to learn how to resist the temptation to offer too much of a discount, too quickly. Here are a few ideas that can help.

Do your research. If you cold call on companies then conduct some preliminary research BEFORE you call them. Find out as much about that company as possible. Thoroughly browse their website, ask for a copy of their annual report, and talk to other people in the company if possible. Figure out what problems they are facing and determine exactly how your product or service can help them solve those problems. The more information you have about your prospective customer, the more relevant you can make your sales presentation to their specific situation.

Adapt your presentation. Most sales people try to tell their prospect everything about their product or service during a sales conversation. Instead of taking this shot-gun approach, adapt your presentation so that it addresses the specific issues your prospect or customer faces. Remember to focus on the benefits of your product/service, not the features. Too many sales people ramble on about the features of their products and services. But people don't buy features they buy a solution to their problem. Position yourself as an expert and demonstrate to people how your product or service will help them solve their particular problem.

Establish the value of your product/service before you discuss price. The sooner price is brought up in the sales interaction, the more of a focal point it will become and the more difficult it will be to demonstrate your value. When price is presented too early in the conversation, everything that is said afterwards comes across as trying to justify that price. I encounter this regularly in my business because one of the first questions most companies ask me is, "How much do you charge for a presentation?" I have learned to redirect this question until I have fully assessed their situation and presented a relevant solution. If someone insists on an immediate price – and it does happen from time to time – I never get the sale. You need to increase the value of your product or service in your customer's mind before you actually discuss the dollars associated with it. This does not mean telling your customer everything about your product though. It means taking the time to thoroughly assess their situation and position your offering in a manner that shows them how they will benefit.

Show tangible results. This is particularly important when you deal with C-level decision makers. High level executives seldom care about the details – instead they want a macro view of the solution. I fell into this trap when I was contracted to deliver a train-the-trainer session for a client. The VP dropped by the meeting room and after a few pleasantries I began telling him the details of what his trainers were going to learn. But he wasn't interested in this. All he wanted to know was whether or not we had prepared a detailed outline so his internal trainers could deliver the program consistently across the country. It would have been more effective for me to have said, "Mr. VP, when this workshop is completed your trainers will be able to teach your sales team exactly how to improve their sales. When you combine it with the follow-up program, it means that you will see an increase in your sales." Whenever possible, translate the benefits of your product/service into actual dollars. This approach is extremely effective in reducing price resistance. For example, if a company will save thousands of dollars in operating costs after implementing your solution then a purchase price of several hundred dollars seems worthwhile.

It amazes me how often sales people will automatically drop their price at the first sign of price resistance. However, most consumers, and certainly all corporate buyers, have learned that pushing back will save them money. What's even more interesting is that many sales people offer a discount BEFORE they are even asked. Not only does this affect your profitability, it also teaches your customer that you have price flexibility and conditions them to ask for further price concessions, now and in the future.

© 2006 Kelley Robertson, all rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, and employee motivation. He is also the author of "Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers." For information on his programs, visit his website at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com Receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine available at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com You can also contact Kelley at 905-633-7750 or email him at Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com

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Sales Words To Use Amp To Avoid

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

I come from a long line of communicators, salespeople, entrepreneurs, and even one telegraph operator.

All of them took language very seriously, and if you look at how they did in their careers, it worked out pretty well for them.

With this legacy in mind, please pardon me if I also show sensitivity to the impact of language. It's in my genes!

I suppose, if you want to be a word-nerd, it doesn't hurt having a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication, at USC. (Occasionally, it can even get you some football tickets!)

Anyway, I've had such great responses to my articles about wimpy versus winning sales language that I thought I'd treat you to more examples of sales words to use and to avoid.

Typically, it is good sense to avoid using these weak-at-the-knees, trembling, weasel words and phrases:

I'd like to…

Perhaps…

Possibly…

Maybe…

Do you have a minute to talk?

I'm not interrupting anything, am I?

Substitute the following positive terms and combinations:

What we'll do is…

What we do…

What we're doing…

I'm sure you'll find…

Definitely…

Certainly…

This will just take a second…

I'm a strong believer in the "Try it, you'll like it!" approach to selling, and so I encourage you to put these improved words to use, every day, in your presentations.

And then tell me how you do, okay?

Dr. Gary S. Goodman © 2006

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. A frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide, Gary's programs are offered by UCLA Extension and by numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. Gary is headquartered in Glendale, California. He can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

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The Role Of Authority In Power Part Two Of Two

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Some people perceive someone to be powerful because of his/her physical characteristics. For example, being tall can emit authority to another, even before you've spoken to that person. If you look back through history, presidential elections in the United States have been won by the taller candidate twenty out of twenty-three elections since 1900. Recognize that many of the things we possess serve as status symbols.

Authority by Public Opinion

Authority by public opinion is when a person has power or authority not directly because of their experience or expertise, but simply because they are held in high esteem by the public or by public outcry. An example of this is how scholarly or academic journals are more likely to publish articles of people who are fairly established and somewhat renowned within their respective field as compared to one who is virtually unknown. A really interesting study involved taking previously published articles written by prestigious and reputable authors and resubmitting them to those same journals without any alterations except replacing the authors with "unknown names." Out of twelve resubmitted articles, nine of them went through the review process undetected, and eight of those were rejected! This was in spite of the fact that each had been published previously when all that was different were the names.

Another similar experiment was conducted when a writer typed out Jerzy Kosinski's novel, Steps, word-for-word and sent the manuscript to twenty-eight literary agencies and publishing houses. Ten years earlier, the book had sold a half million copies and had won the National Book Award. Now, appearing to have been authored by a lesser-known writer, the manuscript was deemed "inadequate" by all twenty-eight organizations – including Random House, the novel's original publisher!

Here is another great example of Authority by Public Opinion. An error in Intel's Pentium chip was detected in 1994. News spread quickly about the flaw, and public outcry burgeoned even more when Intel tried to downplay the issue. It wasn't long before Intel was flooded with e-mails and phone calls requesting a no-questions-asked return policy on the microprocessor. In the heat of the whole mess, complaints peaked at 25,000 in one single day! In spite of the huge public response, Intel refused to offer the requested return policy. Not surprisingly, the press got ahold of the story, and Intel's stock dropped dramatically. Finally, Intel was forced to adopt a new return policy. What was the result of putting off public opinion for as long as they had? A mere $475 million write-off. In just a matter of weeks, public opinion had influenced the value of the entire company. Ignoring public opinion proved a very costly mistake.

Authority by External Characteristics

Some people perceive someone to be powerful because of his/her physical characteristics. For example, being tall can emit authority to another, even before you've spoken to that person. If you look back through history, presidential elections in the United States have been won by the taller candidate twenty out of twenty-three elections since 1900. Another example of how height scores points is in the battle for affection. Research suggests that women are significantly more responsive to a man's published personal ad when he describes himself as tall. A final example of how physical characteristics portray authority is exhibited in our response to someone who has a deeper speaking voice. We subconsciously respond to deeper voices as more commanding and authoritative.

Recognize that many of the things we possess serve as status symbols. Not only this, but the more we have, the more "rich and powerful" we may be perceived. One study conducted in the San Francisco Bay area showed that people driving expensive cars received better treatment from other drivers than those driving more modestly priced cars. For example, researchers found that motorists waited significantly longer before honking at a new, luxury car lingering at a green traffic light than at an older, economy model doing the same thing. What's more, nearly all the motorists honked their horns impatiently more than one time at the cheaper car. In the case of the luxury car, fifty percent waited respectfully, never honking at all.

Another external item of authority is exuded by our surroundings. In one study, the appearance of a professor's office changed the way a student perceived the professor. The students were told to meet a professor in his office. When they arrived, they found the professor was not yet there. They were asked to wait for five minutes in his office. Some students waited in a clean and organized office, while the other students waited in a dirty and disorganized office. After the five minutes had passed, they were told the professor could not make the appointment. Later in the study, the students were asked to rate the professor based on his lecture. Researchers found the visit to the office had dramatic influence on the students' overall perception of the professor. The students who visited the disorganized office rated the professor as less authoritative, less open, less trustworthy, and less friendly. Bottom line: Appearance affects your authority.

Coercive Power – Weapons of Force

Coercive Power is the ability an individual has to control or force someone to comply. Such power includes intimidation, manipulation, scare tactics, threats, deceitfulness, and lies. This could be in the form of mafia protection fees, constant threat of being fired, blackmail, physical force, economic dependence, or emotional control. Why do people use coercive power? Why is coerciveness the power we see the most? Coercive power is the easiest power to learn and use. Many people have seen great examples of coercive power in their lives. For some, it may be the only type of power they know. It doesn't take much talent or skill to threaten, pressure, or scare someone into submission. When people can't get compliance with their skills, most will resort to coercion. They hit desperation and frustration with either the inability to use the higher forms of persuasion or because of a lack of knowledge of a better way.

Coercive Power is seductive and you usually get instant results by employing it. Coercive Power is based on bringing others down instead of lifting them up to a higher level of thinking. Instead of climbing the highest mountain, coercive power players will climb the smallest one and blow up all the others so they are the only one on top. Such power also requires the least amount of planning and time; there is no need to convince someone with words when you get immediate results with force or coercion. As the great mobster Al Capone said, "You can get more with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone!"

This type of power causes unwanted long-term consequences. Coercive Power is based on fear, and fear only lasts while the threat is present. When this threat disappears, so does the power. This type of power does not require that belief or an inclination for true influence be created in order to work. I have seen coercion kill creativity, numb the human spirit, and create resentment and rebellion. Coercion will always eventually backfire.

Conclusion Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. It is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade.

Go to http://www.prewealth.com/iq and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale! Take your test now at http://www.prewealth.com/iq

Kurt Mortensen teaches over a hundred techniques to give you the ability to effectively work with every customer that walks in your door. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others. Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. Go to http://www.prewealth.com/iq and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis.

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