Why Cold Calling Is Dead

Writen by Frank Rumbauskas

Our world of selling is closed off from other areas of business that continue to adopt and embrace new, efficient ideas. I was reminded of this recently while re- reading Seth Godin's "Permission Marketing." Here's a book that was intended for business owners and marketing executives, yet it provides a much-needed dose of common sense that would be of great benefit to sales organizations, especially sales managers, who continue to cling to very old, and, in their minds, very right, ideas. Unfortunately, our brave new world has made these old ideas very wrong.

Seth Godin talks about Interruption Marketing versus Permission Marketing. Interruption Marketing is traditional advertising that interrupts your day in an attempt to get your attention and sell you something. In other words, it is the marketing equivalent of Cold Calling. Permission Marketing is systematically getting prospects to give you permission to present to them. In other words, it is marketing's equivalent of what I teach salespeople to do. In the book, Seth uses the metaphor of someone trying to get married to describe the flaw in Interruption Marketing, or Cold Calling. The bachelor goes into a singles bar and asks every woman in the place to marry him. When they all say no, he blames his clothes, buys a new suit, and tries again at another bar, only to fail again and again, just like a cold caller.

Are you getting the point he tries to make in that story? Think about it. A salesperson spends weeks cold calling with dismal results. The salesperson goes to the sales manager for advice on what to do differently to start getting results. A conversation ensues about what the salesperson is doing. A lot of old ideas begin to surface. Ideas such as "Initial Benefit Statement," "Elevator Speech," and other concepts that once upon a time were the right answers, but have since become very wrong answers. Working on these things is the equivalent of the man in the story blaming his failure on the suit, changing into a new suit, then going to a different singles bar to do it all over again.

With the business world in its present state, I really don't see how salespeople can afford to keep fooling away their time on old ideas that were once right but are now fatally wrong. It is this very feature of capitalism that is causing salespeople, managers and organizations to fail in record numbers. Capitalism is essentially "creative destruction." In other words, capitalism is a perpetual cycle of destroying old, less-efficient businesses and ideas and replacing them with new, more efficient ones. People and companies are clinging to old, obsolete ideas and are being dragged down to failure by them. Yet they still won't let go. I think the reason they can't let go is simply because it wasn't all that long ago that they really did have the right answers. It reminds me of a story I once heard about Albert Einstein when he was a professor. One of his student assistants who was preparing for an incoming class said, "Professor Einstein, what test are we giving them?" To which Einstein replied, "The same test we gave them last week." Bewildered, the student assistant replied, "But Professor Einstein, we already gave that test." Einstein simply said, "Yes, but the answers are different this week."

The bottom line is that the answers are different. The rules have changed. Time is running out for those who do not adapt to the new rules. As Napoleon Hill put it so well, "Whenever a nation, a business institution, or an individual ceases to change and settles into a rut of routine habits, some mysterious power enters and smashes the setup, breaks up the old habits, and lays the foundation for new and better habits."

If you're not achieving the sales success you desire, perhaps it is time for you to lay the foundation for new and better habits.

Frank Rumbauskas is the author of Cold Calling Is A Waste Of Time: Sales Success In The Information Age. He is the founder of FJR Advisors, LLC, which publishes training materials that educate salespeople on how to generate business without cold calling. For more information, please visit http://www.nevercoldcall.com

Why People Dont Buy

Writen by Tim Connor

People buy for their individual and personal reasons, not for the reasons the salesperson's (or the organization's) marketing department think they should. You cannot turn a poor prospect into a customer with a great product or persuasive sales appeal. The key to increasing sales is to identify why people buy and what will cause them not to buy.

People don't buy for any number of the following reasons:

1. They can't afford what they want.
2. They don't really know what they want.
3. They have had a poor history with salespeople or organizations in general.
4. They don't want it.
5. They don't need it.
6. They have not been convinced that the value equals the price.
7. They are concerned with what others will think of their purchase.
8. They don't trust the salesperson.
9. They don't trust the organization.
10. They don't like it.
11. The timing isn't right.
12. They are indecisive buyers.
13. They don't trust the salesperson (repeated intentionally).

When a prospect doesn't buy, I suggest that you do everything possible to determine what prevented the purchase – especially if this was a well-qualified prospect. This can be done with an after-sales call visit, telephone call, letter, or fax. Once you learn why many of your prospects are not buying, then, and only then, can you disarm these resistance areas during the sales process.

Most poor salespeople give more information than they get. They TALK TOO MUCH. You learn nothing while you are talking. You can learn a great deal if you can get the prospect talking and keep them talking. After every failed sales attempt, make it a regular practice to ask the prospect, "What was it about our product or service that prevented you from making a favorable decision?"

You will learn a great deal which can have a positive impact on future sales results if you will consistently determine why people don't buy from you and/or your organization.

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 http://www.timconnor.com.

Sales Ten Ways To Gain Business Relationships

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

The Power of ten simply means that anything you do should be done in tens. It may seem quite simple but if you think about how many follow-up calls you should do in any day plus the number of new calls to be made and the number of new appointments per week, you are already on your way to success in sales. By repeating a task ten times, your results will skyrocket.

Here are some excellent ways to use the power of ten to start gaining more business and forming closer business relationships.

1. Join organizations where your potential customers attend


2. Learn to network and work a room to your advantage (see our chapter on events)


3. Follow-up with everyone whose card you have gathered at an event


4. When joining a leads group, make an appointment with everyone in the group to discover what they do, how you can help them find business and also what they can do for you in the way of leads.


5. Keep in touch with people on a monthly basis through mailers (postcards or email)


6. Call ten people a day to touch base and ask for referrals


7. Send a quarterly "Letter from the Heart"


8. Use your inner circle to send non business related information to your customers


9. Do ten activities a week which includes customer meetings


10. Be truthful and work with integrity at all times, this is worth more than all the business you can gain and lose without it

Try these ten ways to jump start your sales and you will start gaining more business. The hardest part is getting started but once you begin, you will enjoy knowing you have a process in place that really works.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. is a speaker, author (over 170 books, articles, and publications), and consultant. She has provided marketing, sales, business development and training expertise for companies such as Peet's Coffee & Tea, Varian Medical Systems, Accenture, Avaya, Cisco Systems to name a few. Dr. Daoust has also done extensive work with small businesses in developing their marketing, training, and operational plans. You may contact Dr. Daoust at http://BizMechanix.com You may also view her latest publications at http://BlueprintBooks.com Dr. Daoust also writes for the National Networker http://theNationalNetworker.com

Are You A Winner Or Whiner

Writen by Doug Smart

I've found that winners say "I choose to." Whiners, on the other hand, say "I have to."

Let me explain. On a plane, I mentioned to the executive next to me that I'm a professional development consultant and speaker. She smiled, gave me a knowing nod, and before the wheels were up revealed her "pain." She launched into telling me about her demanding and exhausting work responsibilities. She said things such as, "I have to leave home at 6:30 every morning to beat the traffic." "I have to go to Germany next month on business." "I have to attend a daily mini-meeting with the VP of Marketing." She prefaced all of her duties with "I have to."

I shook my head. "No wonder you feel over-stressed!" I exclaimed. "Your motor's running full speed but your parking break is on!" I recommended she release the brake. "You are a closeted whiner," I said. "Viewing your work as a series of burdens is holding you back. Empower yourself by changing your perspective. Quit using the victim phrase 'I have to." Replace it with 'I choose to,' 'I get to,' or by just stating the facts."

"For example, saying 'I choose to leave at 6:30 to avoid the traffic' means you are making a quality choice about making your commute easier. Saying 'I get to go to Germany' affirms your company's appreciation of your special skills -- plus you are fortunate to get to go on an adventure most people will never experience. Stating 'I meet daily with the VP of Marketing' clarifies your duties and signifies you are a key person whose observations and opinions are so valued the VP gives up part of her day to hear what you have to say. Making these phrase changes subconsciously signals you're in control of where your time and energy go. That makes you a winner not a whiner." She thought a moment, smiled broadly and said, "I feel the difference already. I'm going to quit saying 'I have to'."

To keep yourself in the winner's circle, it's smart to ditch the whiner phrase, "I have to," unless you want to signal the listener you're being forced to do something against your will. Victims say "I have to." Winners are smart to say "I choose to."

Doug Smart is the co-author of the book, "Sell Smarter." He is a sales consultant, professional speaker, and host of the daily motivational radio show, "Smarter by the Minute." For more information, email Doug@GrowYourSales.org. Copyright 2005 by Doug Smart

How To Sell A Car Wash

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many car wash is skim money from the till each week and it is widely known in the industry. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service has a special booklet for and rolled agents which explains the types of things that car wash is due to cheat on their taxes.

Many car wash owners when they try to find a business broker to sell their business discovered that the business broker is rather upset with them since they are keeping two sets of books. Tax returns work very well for selling a car wash because they show the Schedule C.

However, if the schedule C. does not match the amount of cash flow that the business generates then the car wash owner is often called a liar by the potential buyer. This is when it gets tricky, as the car wash owner has to reveal a second set of books and admit to the buyer that he has been cheat on his taxes, skimming money and lying to his accountants. The buyer of the car wash has to decide if he trusts the car wash owner. After all, what else is he cheating on? Is he cheating customers? Is he cheating on his wife? Does the car wash owner have any integrity all?

Having been in the car wash industry for about 27 years and now retired I would say that most car wash owners have zero integrity. Although there are quite a few that are very good upstanding gentleman in the community. Now then, when the car wash owner is trying to sell his business he has to sell his business to someone else that does not care that he is and lying and cheating, but is more concerned with the cash flow of the business.

This means the car wash owner must find someone equally yoked with low integrity to sell to. If you own a car wash and you are such a scoundrel perhaps this article may help you sell your business since you have been cheating all your life. I never did have much respect for the competitors and my industry, as I think they are all crooks. But this is just my personal opinion after 27 years in the industry and reviewing over 3800 car washes so what do I know?

Lance Winslow

Gatekeepers

Writen by Sharon Drew Morgen

When I ask salespeople to define what a gatekeeper is, I generally hear: "Someone who keeps out people who will waste the boss's time."

But gates are two-sided - they open as well as close: a gatekeeper's job is actually to make sure the boss gets to spend his/her time efficiently.

I've probably gotten approximately $500,000 in business as a result of the word or deed of gatekeepers.

How have I done this? By remembering a few simple rules:

1. whoever answers the phone is my client;

2. in order for a gatekeeper to open OR close the gate, she has to decide which category to put me in - in, or out.

3. it's the job of the gatekeeper to make sure her boss gets to speak with people who can help him/her do a better job.

My own secretary has a very unique habit of putting messages on the bottom of my In Basket when they are from folks she doesn't like – and she keeps moving these back to the bottom as I go through the pile. But I've come to trust her judgment (once I got over the initial discovery of her deception. Of course, I look there daily now, and just don't tell her.)

"WHY are these HERE?" I asked the first time I noticed a rather large grouping of pink message slips at the bottom of the pile. "I was WAITING FOR THIS CALL."

"He was rude to me, and I didn't trust him."

I address my follow up calls with her feedback in mind; she has saved me time, money, and effort through her gut responses. And she's never been wrong.

Here are two stories of how I got business from gatekeepers. Note that I was using Buying Facilitation with each of them, and taught them how to decide to choose me.

TWO CASE STUDIES

Case Study #1

I got the name of the Vice-President Southwest Region of DEC (Remember DEC? It's been subsumed by Compaq/HP.) Dave Heil was allegedly a dynamic, innovative thinker, and was located in Albuquerque, NM when I lived in Taos. His secretary Judy answered the phone.

Judy: Dave Heil's office.

SDM: Hi. My name is Sharon Drew Morgen, and this is a sales call. I know you're busy so I'm wondering if this is a good time to speak.

Judy: it's never a good time. Thanks for asking. How can I help you?

SDM: I'm wondering how you folks are adding new sales methods to any current sales training you're doing.

Judy: Can you get here next Wednesday at 8:10? Dave is on vacation til Wednesday, and his first meeting is scheduled for 8:30. He always gets in at 8:00, and I bet he'd like to spend 20 minutes with you before he starts his day. SDM: You're having him meet with me the day he comes back from vacation??

Judy: Yes. I speak with a lot of people trying to get through to Dave; you're the first one who respected me, and who trusted my involvement. I also know that Dave is always on the lookout for innovative material, and if your opening question was a representation of what you're doing, and I suspect it is, Dave will be interested in meeting with you. Can you come?

Of course I went. At precisely 8:10, Dave walked in with a dark tan. "Well, you must be a very smart person that I need to meet. Not many people get through Judy. So, who are you and why do I need you?"

I got the job; Dave Heil is still my friend and colleague 13 years – and several job moves - later.

Case Study #2

I was given the name of a small manufacturing company (company has since been subsumed by a much larger company) and told that they were seeking new sales training. I called in and spoke with the receptionist, Susan.

Susan: Hello. This is Company X. Who would you like to be connected with? SDM: I'm not sure, but maybe you can help me. Are you sure this is a good time?

Susan: I've got the time. What do you need?

SDM: My name is Sharon Drew Morgen, and this is actually a sales call. I've developed an innovative and ethical sales methodology, and am not sure if your company either seeks innovation, or has a desire to bring in new material. Can you tell me how your company chooses to bring in new sales material?

Susan: If you send me a packet with your stuff in it, and call me back in a week, I'll make sure it gets to the proper person.

I sent her a packet on Wednesday. On Friday, Susan called me back.

Susan: I put your material on the desk of our sales director. Two hours later he was fired, and he cleaned out his office. He either threw your stuff away or took it with him. Can you please send me another packet and I'll get it to the new person?

I sent her the packet immediately. The following Tuesday I got a call.

Joe: Hello, Sharon Drew. You don't know me, but the receptionist gave me a packet of information, and I promised her that not only would I call you, but I'd report back to her on what we decided. Since this is my first day, you must be a very important person. Who are you?

I began doing work with this company about 2 months later.

WORKING WITH, NOT THROUGH

For some reason you have been taught to view the person answering the telephone as a deterrent to getting where you want to get. But this person is your guide. And, since she decides whether you 'get through' or not, she's in control of the conversation. No matter how smart you are or how good your product is, no matter how much your prospect needs you or how much money you can make or save them, if the gatekeeper doesn't put you through, you're toast.

Whole books and programs have been devoted to 'getting through' the gatekeeper. But this person is a human being, with a job. And she is happy to help you. I've heard of sales people using an authoritative voice to show her they're important (um, they're in control, remember? Doesn't matter how important you are to you – she's the one who determines if you're important or not); or sounding familiar and suave, as if they are friends with the boss already (and, you don't think she knows who the boss knows?); or using the name of a reference as if it were the boss's best friend (the boss rarely knows the reference well, or the reference would have already called the boss on your behalf and the secretary would be awaiting your call).

These are all ploys to 'get through'. Why not teach the gatekeeper how to choose to help you? Here are a few stories of what gatekeepers have done to help me over the years [Note: all of the following responses have been to my calling on a cold call, with no reference and no prior contact]:

1. go into the men's room (literally) to get their boss to hurry up so he would speak with me and not keep me waiting;

2. tell me when the prospect would be available, with a clear calendar;

3. give me a specific time and date, and put my incoming call on the calendar so when I'd call in the boss would be awaiting my call (and, when the boss's calendar shifted even called me back to give me another time commitment);

4. told me the correct person to speak with so I wouldn't waste my time on the person I thought I needed ("Oh, you don't want to talk to HIM. He'll turn it over to her anyway, so you might as well start with her.");

5. told me to hang up and call back during morning hours when the guy would be, um, more able to have a cogent conversation rather than after his lunch break (This guy must have been REALLY productive in the mornings!);

6. given me lists of names to call in addition to the name I had, with an offer to get more names if I weren't successful with the ones I had.

ATTITUDE

A supervisor I was coaching from a large software company called to ask for one of the Project Managers. He used a very snooty, condescending voice.

Gatekeeper: Hi. How can I help?

Seller: Give me Stephanie please.

Gatekeeper: Stephanie is on holiday for two weeks. I'll take your name and have her call you back.

I asked this man to call the number again and this time I took the call. I believed there was something more than a vacation happening here.

Gatekeeper: Hi. How can I help?

SDM: Hi there. My name is Sharon Drew Morgen and I'm with XYZ company and…..

Gatekeeper: you're from XYZ company? Do you have any idea how long we've been trying to reach you? We've put in over a dozen calls to have you fix a problem here, and no one has called us back. I'm the Systems Analyst; let me get the Project Manager.

Stephanie: Hello. This is Stephanie. I hear you're finally calling me back, but it's too late. We've taken you off of our preferred supplier's list.

We fixed the problem (groveling works!), but my client realized that his attitude was quite annoying to the person on the other end no matter who answered the phone. He had assumed – hearing a woman's voice – that the person who answered was the 'gatekeeper' and he had to show her who was boss. The Systems Analyst wasn't going to be treated that way by anyone. How many other times had prospects been 'on vacation' or at a 'meeting' because the gatekeeper was being verbally abused by a seller's attitude? If you act as if everyone who answers the call is your client – and everyone is your client! – you'll have an easier time getting to speak with the right person sooner.

Sharon Drew Morgen is the author of NYTimes Best seller Selling with Integrity. She speaks, teaches and consults globally around her new sales model, Buying Facilitation.

She can be reached at:

512-457-0246
Morgen Facilitations, Inc.
Austin, TX

http://www.newsalesparadigm.com
http://www.sharondrewmorgen.com

Have You Successfully Anchored Your Sales Associations You Could Be Losing Millions

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Anchoring is a technique that captures the feelings, memories, and emotions of certain events, places, or things. The psychology behind the technique lies in the use of elements from a previous situation or circumstance to replay the emotions and feelings of that experience. An anchor can be anything that brings up a thought or feeling and reminds you of something you have previously experienced. It will usually reproduce the exact emotion or feeling you experienced at the time. Remember the experiment of Pavlov's dog? It's the same idea: You use a certain stimulus to create an association that will bring about a particular response.

An anchor can be produced either externally or internally. Anchors don't have to be conditioned over a period of several years to be established. They can be learned in a single event. The more powerful the experience, the stronger the anchor will be. Phobias are an excellent example: Most phobias are established after one single, intense experience. Here we'll talk about three different sets of anchors: smells, music, and symbols. There are other elements (sights and taste) that can be used as anchors, but these three anchors stimuli are the most powerful stimuli in evoking memories in our minds.

Our sense of smell is so powerful that it can quickly trigger associations with memories and emotions. Our olfactory system is a primitive sense that is wired directly to the center of our brain. By four to six weeks, infants can tell the difference between their own mother's scent and that of a stranger. Almost everyone has experienced situations in which a smell evoked a nostalgic (or not so nostalgic) memory. Think of the smells that take you back to your childhood. For some it is the smell of fresh baked bread, of freshly cut grass, or of the neighborhood swimming pool, etc. You can go back fifty years in a matter of seconds with the sense of smell.

Fragrances, aromas, and odors trigger memories, feelings, and attitudes in our minds. Smell can enhance or reinforce desired responses as well as positive and negative moods. There are multiple examples of this. Supermarkets with bakeries fill the air with the warm aroma of breads and coffee. Some children's stores send baby powder through the air ducts. When you walk through the mall, the food merchants will make sure you smell their cookies, cinnamon rolls, and Chinese food. Real estate agents are famous for having homeowners bake bread before they have interested buyers tour the house. Large amusement parks will pipe in certain scents at certain times of the day to trigger responses and get immediate reaction. The use of smell in these instances is an attempt to link the seller's products and services with a positive attitude, thereby inducing the shopper to buy. In the same way, you can link positive smells with your message to create a positive attitude in your prospects.

There have been numerous studies conducted on the bearing scent and fragrance have on association. A 1983 study conducted among undergraduate students found that female students wearing perfume were rated as more attractive by male students. Scents were even found to improve scores on job evaluations in a study published by the Journal of Applied Psychology. Of course, offensive odors can also be used (and actually have been used) to evoke a negative response. This tactic was once used while campaign committees were rating and appraising political slogans. Not surprisingly, ratings for the slogans went down.

We live in an especially symbolic world. Symbols bypass our thoughts and our logic and they affect our perceptions and behaviors. Take gold, for example. As one of the world's most precious metals, gold is very symbolic of wealth and success. Countless stories are told of the search for gold. But, if you stop and think about it, there are other precious metals that are harder to find and far more precious. Gold, however, just holds a certain symbolism; it denotes success and wealth.

Symbols can also help us understand and feel a message without actually having to undergo the experience. For example, a skull and crossbones on poison says it all--we don't have to ingest the poison to know of the fatal experience. The simple symbol of a red stop sign triggers an automatic response. For many, the sight of a police car on the highway will also trigger the automatic braking response.

Think of these symbols as you read the list and pay attention to the feelings, memories, attitudes, and experiences they trigger in your mind:

Crucifix -- Star of David
Statue of Liberty -- World Trade Center
American flag -- Swastika
Military uniform -- Olympics
Wedding dress -- Christmas tree

When you are trying to mold attitude as a persuader, it is useful to know how symbols shape the attitudes of your audience. Make careful study and research of the symbols you want to use before you employ them. If used well, they will influence your audience's feelings and behavior to your benefit. Marketing and advertising executives use symbols in a very sophisticated way to manipulate consumers. For example, did you know that the average child recognizes McDonald's' arches before he or she is even twenty months old? There are symbols of freedom, symbols of success, and symbols of poverty. Find and use the symbols you need to create the proper association with your prospect.

Music is much like smells in that our brains link music with attitudes and experiences from our past. Music is closely tied to our emotions. Think of the theme music from Rocky and then think of Jaws; the two movie themes evoke different emotions, don't they? Local gyms pipe upbeat music outside to get passersby to associate it with high energy and good times inside. In one case, a local convenience store had problems with teenagers loitering outside. The store wanted the teenagers business, but didn't want the drugs and fights that seemed to go with it. They decided to play a Frank Sinatra song outside the store and soon found that the teenagers voluntarily stopped loitering. You may still remember that particular song played during the dance with your high school flame. Music has a powerful pull on us and triggers instant memories.

Because music is so powerful, persuaders need to carefully select the music they're going to use. Advertisers often use a popular song or a catchy jingle. Notice the next time you watch television how many songs you recognize from all the commercials--you will be surprised. Every time the ad is played, the tune reinforces the product's appeal. Music is universal because it has the power to evoke the emotions shared by all of humanity. We know music can soothe the savage beast by creating instant energy and excitement.

Application Questions

What anchors are you going to use with your audience or prospect? Will these anchors invoke the right experience with your prospects and customers?

What smells, scents, and fragrances can you use to trigger the right anchors and emotions during your persuasive presentation?

What music or sounds can you use to trigger the right anchors and emotions during your persuasive presentation?

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 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!

Warming Up To Cold Calls

Writen by Sue And Chuck DeFiore

Will you do just about anything, including sending out hundreds of letters, to avoid making cold calls to your potential customers/prospects? If so, you're not alone. Millions like you have started their own businesses, only to find that the thought of making calls to potential customers/prospects leaves them paralyzed with anxiety. Believe me I was one of them. For those of you who know us and have read "Who Makes It Happen", remember what I used to go through before I would get on the telephone to cold call.

However, as an business owner/entrepreneur, the telephone is one of the single most important tools at your command. The key to getting over your hesitation is to stop thinking about your call as a sales pitch, and instead begin practicing "consultative selling." This means uncovering and filling needs in a friendly, supportive way. For those in lease purchase this is very conducive. We are helping buyers and sellers.

So for those of you in other types of businesses, before you ever pick up the telephone to contact a potential customer/prospect, ask yourself, "What does my potential customer/prospect need from me, and what does my company have to offer that will help this potential customer/prospect get what he wants?" Then set a goal for your call that will move the potential customer/prospect closer to a buying decision, such as gaining an appointment or preparing a price quote.

According to business owners/entrepreneurs in all types of businesses, one of the biggest reasons they hesitate to prospect by telephone is they're unsure of what they should say at the outset. A short, three-part opener, including an introduction of yourself and your company and an opening benefit is the best way to start.

When introducing your company, be sure you can describe what you do in just a short phrase: "This is Susan DeFiore, of DeFiore Enterprises. We are lease purchase consultants." Now mention the benefit: "We can move your home in 30 days or less with the lease purchase advantage." By stating your benefit clearly in your opener, you give the person a good reason to listen further.

Effective telephone contact is made up of two components: Asking good questions and listening carefully to the answers. Ask questions to qualify prospects and overcome objections. Again, for those of us in lease purchasing, we use our telephone script to obtain all the information we need.

There are two types of questions: closed-ended and open-ended. Closed-ended questions are fact-finders. They can be answered with a fact, a "yes" or a "no". An example of a closed-ended question is: "Would Lease Purchasing work for you?"

Open-ended questions are used to draw someone into a conversation. They reveal the emotion behind the facts. "What do you like best about your home?" is an example of an open-ended question.

So plan in advance the types of questions you'll ask prospects. Do this even before you get on the telephone. If you can, practice on friends or family. Get their input. Then be sure to record your information in a "call report" for future use. Your call report should include the prospect's contact data, answers to important questions and details on the steps you plan to take.

If you find out your potential customer/prospect is already using one of your competitors, rather than hanging up or ending the conversation realize that this indicates to you this individual is a qualified potential customer/prospect. They are already using this type of service. At this point you need to point out to the potential customer/prospect the benefits of working with you, and how you  will make the switch worthwhile.

Let's say the seller is with a Realtor. Suppose you could still have your home listed, while we find a tenant/buyer for your home.

After your potential customer/prospect has answered your questions, it's time to close. You've asked good questions, listened carefully and provided benefit-oriented information. Now ask for what you want. In lease purchasing, "When can we set up a meeting so we can start the lease purchase process?"

If you can't meet your original goal, state what you will do, such as send the prospect more information and keep in touch. Then be sure to follow through. If the individual doesn't want to do a lease purchase, send out your follow up information.

Relax and follow these steps. With a little bit of practice, you'll find the telephone to be a powerful ally in building your new business.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

Lead Generation Programs

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

When you have a business, you want it to be as successful as possible. That often means doing thing such as cold-calling and sending mass e-mails. Unfortunately, both these methods aren't looked upon favorably by the recipient unless you can find what are known as 'quality leads.' Lead generation programs are designed to help you find quality leads to help you gain new customers.

Your first step in finding lead generation programs is to do your research. Factors to consider when looking for options include your price range, your industry, and how many leads you need overall. To find the information you need to make a decision, you can use the Internet to do the bulk of your research. Read product reviews on different consumer review sites and ask questions in business forums and news groups. You can also ask business owners at marketing events. After you find a few lead generation programs that look good, you can research them a little more thoroughly to help you make a decision.

Once you purchase the lead generation programs that are best for your needs, you are ready to start using them to gain potential customers. This may take a lot of research, and you may need to hire an expert for help. You don't want people to perceive you as annoying. You are just an honest person trying to make an honest living. Lead generation programs, if used correctly, should help you generate a lot of business.

Lead generation programs are designed to deliver quality lists of names with contact information so you can use them to grow your business. Some people consider unsolicited e-mails and calls to be annoying, but if you do it correctly, you can break through and win enough business to help you succeed.

Lead Generation provides detailed information on Lead Generation, Sales Lead Generation, Mortgage Lead Generation, MLM Lead Generation and more. Lead Generation is affiliated with Insurance Leads.

The Success Process

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

We put on weight over the years, but then we want to lose it overnight. We spend years getting deeper and deeper into debt, but we want to become financially independent overnight. We decide we want to run that marathon-when it's only a month a way. We want to ace that exam, but we only allow ourselves an hour to cram all the material. We start thinking about retirement when it looms only five years out on the horizon. There are many examples of things we want to attain in the shortest amount of time possible and with the least effort possible, but it rarely happens that way. Success is a process and not a quick fix. Progress comes in steps and the foundation first has to be laid.

We want to make this a natural process. What do I mean by that, especially since new skills and new habits will initially feel unnatural? When you write a term paper, you research what the experts have said about the subject, you organize your data, you determine what is best going to support your thesis, and then through that process, you arrive at your own conclusion. As you observe, study and apply the skills and strategies used by successful people, you will learn to sift and sort, essentially "cutting and pasting" together your own roadmap that will lead you to the top.

You are unique, your perception of success is unique and what you want to accomplish on your way to achieving that success is unique. You are destined for greatness. Your mission in life is to find and tap into that greatness. That's why you need to customize a success plan according to your needs, talents, drive, personality, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. You can't live "exponentially" by following someone else's predetermined formula. Whose definition of success are you pursuing? Someone else's roadmap might help you make progress in some areas and you may achieve some degree of success along the way, but the greatest successes and happiness will always escape you if you are throwing your heart and soul into fulfilling someone else's definition of success.

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! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life. 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!

Winning Ideas For Trade Show Display Success

Writen by Dick Wheeler

According to a survey by market research firm Exhibit Surveys Inc., trade shows are critical to marketing-oriented companies. Trade shows attract decision-makers, influence purchasing decisions, provide a point of contact for new customers, and make a lasting impression.

Think of your trade show display as the grand launch of your most valued new product or business service. Give customer prospects your best look and greet them with your most competent sales staff.

Here are the tips on how to succeed at your next trade show:

Pick the Right Shows – Select the trade shows that your targeted market prospects and competitors attend. Check out trade show directories on the Web. Get statistics for show attendance and a profile of attendees. Talk to former exhibitors about their trade show experience at the shows you select.

Plan Ahead –Determine the space size and dimensions of your trade show booth. Reserve a good location early for your booth by studying the floor plan. Avoid dead-end aisles, freight doors, poorly lit corners, obtrusive columns. Attendees usually turn right when they first enter the trade show exhibit hall and they look up so be sure to make your booth visible with dramatic overhead signage. Once you nail down your trade show booth number on the show management map, be aware of any booth rules and regulations that apply such as height limitations and any obstructions on show floor before planning your booth design.

Allow enough time to select, design and build a trade show display and take advantage of early show services discounts. You will be able to avoid costly rush charges and you are better able to insure against glitches. Identify the date of the trade show and also the move in date for your trade show display.

Set Objectives For Lead Development – Set trade show exhibit goals to reinforce your overall marketing objectives. Make sure the goals are reasonable and attainable, share them with your trade show exhibit team and set up systems to measure your results and validate your objectives.

Accurately qualify and measure your Return On Investment. There are software packages that allow you to identify a half dozen weighted multiple choice questions in advance that will determine how viable a client prospect is. You need to identify buyers, filter out those who are not qualified, and measure results. Rank your prospects as " A" (highly qualified), " B" (somewhat qualified), or "C" (poorly qualified) prospect. Have your sales force follow up on "A" leads immediately. Measure the results of these leads in stages from the number and dollar amount of proposals made to monies received from actual sales.

Build a Dramatic Display – Before deciding on what type of trade show booth you need, determine your space size requirements and determine the number of trade shows you will be exhibiting in the next 12 months. This information will help you decide whether to buy vs. rent. If you buy, there are three categories of trade show booths: custom, custom modular, and portable. Check out advantages and disadvantages of each. Light weight materials are less expensive to operate than the traditional all- wood displays. Use tension fabrics, woods, colored metal, layered graphics that use fewer shipping containers, have a current design trend look, and save on operating costs. Older traditional trade show exhibit booths can be obsolete because they are expensive to handle due to heavy weight, require larger size and number of crates to ship, and they are not consistent with current design trends.

Build Traffic by Being Creative– Start with a dramatic, attention-getting hanging sign. Upon entering the trade show exhibit hall the first thing attendees do is look up –Your overhead sign should have a unique design, shape and movement to it. Gobo lights traveling across a tension fabric can provide changing color and mesmerizing interest. New technologies bring high drama to your booth such as 3D video/laser image displays suspended above, your own interactive Website on large screen, robotics, holographics, waterscreen projections. Take advantage of your trade show exhibit supplier's expertise on graphics, portability and cost management.

Recruit the Right Booth Staff – Although the sales function of your firm is usually fundamental to trade show exhibit booth staffing, you'll want to make sure that you have representatives who match up well with the positions of those who visit your booth. If engineers visit your booth engage them with your engineer personnel. Also, make sure your staff knows how to engage, identify and qualify attendees as important leads, and dismiss those who are not key business prospects.

Send Pre-Show Notices to Attendees – Trade show exhibit surveys report that three quarters of show attendees make out their schedule for exhibit visits and seminar attendance in advance. Set up meetings with clients, prospects, and press ahead of time. Contact them months ahead through direct mail, email and personal phone calls. Give them your trade show booth number and location and have an incentive at your booth that will be of value to them. Link your incentive to a direct prospect benefit and make it redeemable only by visiting your trade show exhibit. One example is to cut a numbered gift certificate in two and send half of it in advance and have the remaining half available only at your booth.

Understand Show Services – You will need to have supplemental assistance from show services at the trade show exhibit hall. These are representatives and union laborers who provide a range of support services which include installation and dismantling, carpeting, furniture, lighting, phones, drayage and security. If you are aware of the nuances of these services and plan in advance you can save money while avoiding numerous pitfalls.

Control Costs – Consider weight when buying a trade show display. You save substantially on trade show exhibits using lightweight materials that reduce the size and number of shipping crates.

Follow Up Immediately –The hard work doesn't end when the show closes – this is when you have to diligently follow up on all those sales leads. It's best to respond to your top level " A" prospects immediately after the show. After the "A" prospects are all contacted, go on to the "B" level prospects. Be sure to have a well-planned strategy to close sales with these prospects. Tradeshow industry research shows that sales leads from a tradeshow are closed in half the time and at almost half the cost as leads from other sources.

Dick Wheeler, is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics ,and management services company. Go to http://www.proexhibits.com

10 Extreme Ways To Rocket Launch Your Profits

Writen by Rojo Sunsen

1. Advertise your web site with banner ads that are animated and include a call to action. You must grab people's attention and make them to click.

2. Use pop up windows or advertisements on your web site. They grab your visitors attention because they jump right out at them.

3. Buy internet business books, ebooks, private site memberships, etc. Study and learn all the new web site promotional ideas you can.

4. Analyze all your promotional efforts.Concentrate on the ones that work and drop the ones that don't work. Don't waste your valuable time.

5. Get the most from each one of your visitors. Ask them to subscribe to your e-zine, participate on your message board, bookmark your site, etc.

6. Use text links if your banner ads are not pulling traffic. People don't ignore text links as much as they do banner ads.

7. Trade content with other ezine publishers or web sites. This is a powerful and effective way to place your links on other targeted web sites.

8. Keep your product available to your customers at all times. If you have to backorder it, they may end up canceling their order.

9. Use content on your web site so people can skim through it easily. Most people have little time so try using lists, short tips, short articles,etc

10 Add a message board or chat room to your web site. If people enjoy it, they will revisit your web site to participate regularly.

About the author: Rojo Sunsen is a specialized bounty hunter who prefers to work quietly/confidentially for the benefit of her clients.

Sales Of Information

Writen by Tyler Benson

Since the times of first state formation, the policy of the state has changed greatly. Powerful slave trading states slowly changed into feudal kind of governing, than absolute power of the king or emperor came. After the Contra reformation of the Great Awakening the idea of social equality and partnership appeared. That was actually the echo of early democracy in ancient Greece and Rome. Then step by step states changed their governmental system into what they have now. What we see nowadays is a greatly developed system of international affairs and unities and it seems that there is no need to move forward now. But ways are constantly changing and we may not notice it, just taking it for granted.

After the Age of Great Inventions and Industrial revolution nothing seemed impossible for a searching man. We went deep underground to take out the greatest treasures of Earth like coal and oil, learned how to get gold and silver out of other metals. We went up to the sky and discovered space and still wonder what is in there that we yet don't know. We built huge machines to travel safely around the globe and created different others things to make our lives easier. All the businesses that we have are quite profitable and bring good income to their holder. But what is the most expensive and income bringing business nowadays? Neither technology nor industry and culture. The greatest income into the treasury of the state brings sales of information. With the development of technology we invented internet and other information technologies that are the key to success in information sales. It is indeed a great business. At colleges and high schools students write lots of business essays to describe the importance of this market in the economics of the state. The subjects of sales are the numerous inventions that take place all over the world. Sales of intellectual property also take place. For example, it is easy to order a custom research paper on-line. Economically developed countries take advantage of the poverty of the others and use their incapability to realize a good project, investing a fortune in it. If it is successful, the fortune returns to the owner twice as big as it was before. If it's not, well, these were not the least resources that were used. Such countries are the US, Canada, Japan, China and these are only the top figures of the information markets. Same principles are used by Germany, England, Scandinavian countries. They fight for the possibility to get information in their hands and realize it.

Information gives a new current in the world economics. It is very hard to assess the volume of it and no wonder, nobody can really figure out all the possibilities if they are only in the project line. Now the hope of the world lies in hands of inventors, scientists and creators that make the sales possible. Now we can observe the whole system created over sales. If this system continues developing, so will the new ways of incoming investments in this branch of economics. Information technologies are highly valued and will be valued even higher when the possibilities of the poor countries increase.

Tyler Benson is a senior writer of BestEssays.com - Research Papers writing service. He has 17 years of experience as the professor at several universities. Tyler Benson has been providing competent assistance to students in writing business essays at during all his remarkable teaching experience. His example of a proper custom research paper can be found in several guides on how to write.

The Power Of Shutting My Trap For A Change

Writen by Scott T. Love

I made a common mistake that most junior sales people make. I didn't shut my trap once I gave him the proposal. I was so nervous that the only thing that quelled my anxiety was the sound of my own voice that kept droning on and on and on like an annoying empty gong. It was almost as if the silence begged to be broken by my voice and I couldn't help myself. "And look how much we can save you on that 800 line," I said. No answer. Long pause. "And the calling cards, too. It's all there. Look at that, sir. See? See? That's big savings." No answer. Long pause. "Look at that. And the extra lines get the discount also. That's even more savings, sir." Long pause. Long pause. Long pause. More nervousness. "Did I tell you that our company was founded in . . ."

All of a sudden this quiet man finally said something, and it's something that I'll never forget. "Boy," he said in a thick mountaineer drawl, interrupting me right smack in the middle of my enthusiastic babbling. "I done bought from ya ten minutes 'go. But ya just tawked yersef outta it. You kin go now."

He bought from me ten minutes ago. I talked myself out of it. I could go now. But . . . it's not . . . fair, I thought to myself. No, it wasn't fair, but it was a great lesson on the power of silence. Sometimes silence can be a powerful force, powerful enough to close the deal for you. Powerful enough to even tear it apart after it already closed.

When you are on your next sales call, pay attention to how silence is used in the meeting:

1) After you present your formal proposal to your client, let them look at it. Let them be the ones to say something first. There is an old rule of thumb in the world of selling and negotiating that says whoever talks first loses. Let them bring up the questions and issues after you present it to them. If they don't say anything, then just let them mull it over. They'll ask you questions when they are ready. Don't appear too anxious to be the first one to speak.

2) Use silence to convey a point. When you are talking to someone and want to emphasize a key point, pause right before it. Say it like this: "Bob, this is why I think you need to consider our product. (pause, pause, pause). It's because of…" The longer pause gets their attention.

3) When you are asked a question, you don't need give the first answer that pops in your head. Give them the right answer. And if you need more time to answer their question, say, "That's a good question, Bob. Let me think about that for a second." More than anything, you will be considered a true professional that is giving serious thought to solving their problems.

4) Anytime you are in a negotiation, when someone makes an offer to you, pause before you give a response. It makes you seem more cautious and less eager. When it comes to making a concession, remember that the way you offer the concession is just as important as the concession you make. Pause before you concede as if you are reluctant to give something up. This shows the other party that you value your product or service and it increases the likelihood of you negotiating a better deal.

During your next meeting with a prospect, pay attention to how this tool of silence can be used, and how effective it is in your ability to influence others. And, if anything, at least it'll keep you from babbling your way out of a closed sale.

Copyright (c) 2006 Scott Love Scott Love equips sales people and managers with tools that double their performance. To have him speak at your next meeting or convention, contact him at 828-225-7700. Visit his website for free tools and resources, http://www.scottlove.com

Secret Strengths

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Everybody loves secrets. We all love to be in the know. When you share something personal or private with another person, you create an instant bond and sense of obligation and trust with them. By offering inside knowledge, you've created a sense of intimacy and made your listener feel important.

For example, imagine saying in the middle of a negotiation, "Off the record, I think you should know…." or, "I shouldn't be telling you this, but…." These statements show that you are confiding in your listener. Your listener will feel a need, and often even the desire, to reciprocate the information or to share something personal about himself in return. He will begin to open up and share useful information with you.

Judges especially have to deal with their jurors being influenced by "secret information." Attorneys often strategically introduce information that the jury really isn't supposed to evaluate. When this happens, the judge can either declare a mistrial or tell the jury to ignore the information. In most cases, the jury is told to ignore the information, but the perpetual dilemma is that doing so heightens the information's validity in the minds of the jury members. In an exhaustive study on this issue by the University of Chicago Law School, a jury was to decide the amount of damages in an injury lawsuit. When the professor made it known that the defendant had been insured against the loss, the damages went up 13 percent. When the judge told the jury they had to ignore the new information, the amount went up 40 percent.

Be extra careful not to plead and beg for your prospects to open up. Let them know you truly care and have a desire to know out of genuine concern, not curiosity. Pleading quickly becomes a red flag that shows your prospects you just want to know the juicy details rather than having any real desire to help them. As with the other laws of persuasion, be sincere by showing you really care and truly have their best interest at heart.

This is a very simple law to implement. All you need to do is create a need or obligation in the mind of the other person. Think to yourself what can you do, give, or say that would create that indebtedness in the mind of your prospect.

As you think of the perfect persuasive situation, include one or more of the following items to help you create a greater sense of obligation: a service of some sort, information or concessions, secrets, favors, gestures, compliments, smiles, gifts, invitations, attention, or your time. Any one, or a combination of several, of these will create a need to reciprocate in your prospect--as long as your act is perceived as altruistic. If, however, your pre-giving is read as manipulating, bribing, or "tricking," it will understandably not be met with much compliance.

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.

Take caution with this strategy. The use of obligation will backfire if your prospect sees your actions as a bribe to comply. Feeling tricked, your prospect will not be pressured to comply or reciprocate. "When pre-giving is perceived as a bribe or a pressure tactic, it actually decreases compliance." The obligation you create must be perceived as an unselfish act.

Before a negotiation, it is wise to offer some sort of gift. Note, however, that offering the gift before and not during the negotiation is of prime importance, or your token will come across as bribery. Your gift will almost always be accepted, even if only out of social custom and courtesy. Whether your recipient likes or wants your gift or not, the psychological need to reciprocate will take root, increasing the likelihood that your request will be met affirmatively. Of course, even when giving the gift before you make your request, be sure your motives come across as a sincere effort to help the recipient rather than yourself.

The Law of Obligation can backfire on you or become a matter of ethics if it's used for the wrong reasons. Manipulation is the flip side of obligation. If you use obligation to manipulate, I guarantee that you will lose your ability to persuade. People will catch on to your tactics, quickly declining any gifts you might offer or even refusing to be around you. Your gifts will be perceived as set-ups. People will instinctively know that it's only a matter of time before you come back around asking for that favor to be reciprocated.

Understand that there is a great difference between obligation and coercion. To become a Master Persuader you must first master yourself. It is essential that you have a foundation on which to build.

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. 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!

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!

An Quotideal Selling Situationquot

Writen by Virden Thornton

The largest sale that I ever closed was negotiated over hot dogs and a soft drink at a refreshment stand, just off the exhibit floor, at a Superintendent of School Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I met an educator who was interested in the summer study abroad programs that I was selling at the show. He saw my nametag for the Foreign Study League and wanted to learn more about my products. His school district filled two and a half jet airplanes with over 400 students (at more than $1,000 each) who enrolled in my firm's summer study programs in Europe. Exhibiting and selling at tradeshows, if handled properly, is the most cost-effective selling tool in which a business or professional organization can invest.

By attracting prospects, clients or customers to a single location, a tradeshow exhibit is an "ideal selling situation," because you can sell at your booth, meet prospects at vendor sponsored cocktail parties or even promote your products or services during the down times when the show attendees are supposed to be in meetings--like the school superintendent that cut a convention session to learn more about my high school summer study abroad programs. In a day or two at a tradeshow, you can meet more decision-makers than you can contact over many weeks of cold calling and/or in-person meetings. And, participants who visit your exhibit are for the most part pre-qualified, with an interest in or a need for what you are selling, giving you access to decision-makers in a non-threatening and fun environment.

Research shows that tradeshow participants rarely see the meetings and exhibits as a selling event, so there is less resistance to your product or service promotions. Also, Tradeshow Weekly magazine reports that: 86% of a tradeshow's attendees make or influence buying decisions for their business or professional organization. The magazine's researchers have also found that over 80% of the decision-makers attending a show were not even contacted by an exhibitor's representative prior to a given event. Yet, 75% of the attendees left an exhibit area having made a commitment (i.e. agreeing to taking the next step or setting an appointment) or actually concluding a purchase. As these statistics illustrate, often it's the little things you do prior to the show or with your exhibit that can make the difference in your level of success. To make the most of a tradeshow opportunity, you might want to call in an expert to help you orchestrate the many small details that can make the show a profitable event. Just go to http://www.thesellingedge.com/tradeshows.htm to learn more about the expertise and programs available to businesses and professional organizations that want to generate the most business from a tradeshow event.

Obtain Free The $elling Edge®, Inc. Sales Myths E-Training Program At: http://www.mcssl.com/app/contact.asp?id=32989&afid=&formid=&preview=

VIRDEN THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge®, Inc. a firm specializing in sales, customer relations, tradeshows and management training and development. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Deloitte & Touché, Bank One, Jefferson Wells, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success and the best selling Building & Closing the Sale, Fifty-Minute series books and Close That Sale, a video/audio tape series published by Thompson Learning. He has also authored a Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching & team development, telemarketing, and personal productivity training guides. Check them out at:http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/Book1.htm.

Virden teaches for the Center For Professional Development, Texas Tech University at Lubbock, Texas and in the School Of Entrepreneurship, J. Willard And Alice S. Marriott School Of Management at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. You can contact Virden at: Virden@TheSellingEdge.com. or learn more about him at: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com .

25 Sales Fundamentals For Success

Writen by Tim Connor

1. Your attitudes are the significant contributors to your sales success or failure.

2. Make a sale, you will make a living. Sell a relationship and you can make a fortune.

3. People buy when they are ready to buy not when you need to sell.

4. When you sell price you rent the business. When you sell value you own it.

5. Your prospect will tell you what you need to tell them to sell them.

6. There is a time to sell and a time to prospect. Don't confuse them.

7. Selling is not a transaction but an opportunity to develop successful lasting relationships

8. People buy from people they trust.

9. If people want to do business together they won't let the details get in the way. If people don't want to do business together any detail will get in the way.

10. Time is your most important asset in selling. Use it wisely.

11. You don't turn poor prospects into customers with good products, sales presentations or closing techniques.

12. Promise a lot and deliver more.

13. Don't advertise in advance your willingness to make concessions.

14. If you want to sell more every year, get better every year.

15. Sell value and don't defend price.

16. Don't make commitments you can't honor or control.

17. Accurate sales records are not a luxury but a necessity.

18. Know your products and services better than anyone.

19. Prospect the entire organization not just your contact.

20. The close of the sale begins when the prospect agrees to see you.

21. Never give up control of the sales process.

22. People buy emotionally and justify their decisions logically.

23. Never project your buying prejudices into the sales process.

24. Negotiating begins after selling is over.

25. Fail often so you can succeed sooner.

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

What Gets Buyers To Yes

Writen by Jonathan Farrington

When we agree to an idea or proposal, it's because there's something in it for us. It's hard to influence people who can't see what's in it for them. Sounds one-sided, but it is true. Call it self-interest, selfishness or whatever. It is only human nature to ask, 'What am I getting from this?'

People will say yes to your ideas if they meet their needs or match their view of life in the following areas:

• Principles and values

• Beliefs and opinions

• Needs and wants

So Give People What They Want & Need

People agree to ideas and suggestions that match their needs or views of life. Underpinning all our lives are certain principles and values that we hold to be true. These become guidance for how we conduct our lives. They influence and mould our behaviour. They can differ greatly from person to person and successful influencers always take principles and values into account.

But how?

• Notice what principles and values drive other people

• Ask questions and invite comment and reaction

• Check with those who know them well

Some examples of principles:

'Integrity and fairness are an integral part of business dealings.'

'I think that older people deserve courtesy and consideration.'

'Moral behaviour is part of the fabric of daily life.'

It would be unproductive to spend time attempting to dislodge these deep-seated principles. Instead, harness them to add leverage to your suggestions

Beliefs & Opinions

Beliefs and opinions can be transient or short-term. Remember when you used to believe in Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy, giants and witches? Proof can easily dislodge a belief. So too can time.

An early step on the road to influencing others may include having to change lingering beliefs or convictions before you can proceed further.

'I think that BubbleClean washing machines break down more often than the Tumblingsystem range.'

'I think that all politicians are corrupt.'

'I never make decisions on the 13th.'

Each of these beliefs can be dealt with by logical questioning or providing proof or data.

Needs & Necessities

These are fundamental requirements – they have to be met if you are to influence others. Typical needs include: reliability, security, achieving a deadline, meeting a budget, keeping up to date.

'Because of increasing competition, it is essential that we maintain an image and at the same time keep up to date.'

'My team members are under great pressure, so it important to maintain their morale.'

'The system must not only be reliable but secure, as well.'

Having uncovered needs, you may have to mould or reshape your ideas to dovetail with the requirements of others. Often, people have a hierarchy of needs, so it may be important to discover and use this:

'Which is most important to you – reliability or security?'

Wants & Wishes

Wants and wishes are not essentials, just a wish list: 'Wouldn't it be lovely … if only'. But their fulfilment can be the cherry on your influencing trifle, placed on top with a flourish, after the other person has agreed to your proposal.

Depends What's On Offer

Question: How will your suggestions benefit the other person?

The person or people you are influencing will interpret the benefits of your suggestions in different ways. Some will be interested in the features – the fine details, the nitty gritty of ideas. Others will say 'How will I benefit?' Others will seek out the advantages of proposals – how the benefits are different.

Features, Benefits & Advantages

No doubt you are familiar with the differences between features, benefits and advantages, but it is worth re-iterating.

Features

These are built-in aspects of your idea or suggestion – timing, costs, resources etc. They will remain locked up in your idea whether the other person agrees or not.

Benefits

These are far more important than the features of your proposal. They translate boring old features into exciting statements which show clearly how others will gain.

'This new hardware is made in Germany (feature) which means that we will save time and money on spare parts (benefit).'

Advantages

These are comparative benefits e.g. – increased revenue, greater savings, and faster turn-around.

In Summary: The Benefit Balance Sheet

Most people do not agree whole-heartedly to an idea. There is usually something that niggles, however well you've addressed their concerns.

In the end, when we finally say yes to a proposal, it is because the benefits outweigh any disadvantages.

As you plan and prepare your influencing case, list all the benefits and advantages of your suggestions. Use them to tip the balance in favour of yes.

Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

Jonathan Farrington is the Managing Partner of The jfa Group To find out more about the author or to subscribe to his newsletter for dedicated sales professionals, visit:www.jonathanfarrington.com

Grow Your Business By Increasing The Value Of Each Sale 29 Ideas To Spur Your Brain

Writen by Keith Longmire

There are 3 ways to grow any business:

- Get more customers

- Get more from each sale

- Sell to each customer more frequently.

That's it - everything else boils down to some variation of these 3 activities.

Most owners and most managers want to grow their business. Most of them concentrate exclusively on getting more new customers.

Odd really.

There is lots of marketing research that is pretty consistent in pointing out that it costs somewhere between six and twelve times as much to get a new customer as it does to sell to an existing customer.

And once you have a customer it is generally pretty straightforward to get them to spend more each time they buy from you.

What's that?

Your business is different. There's no way to get customers to spend more.

Maybe so.

But I don't think so.

Here are 29 ideas for you to stick in your brainstorming pot, stir for a while, and then see what comes out at the other end.

Price

1. Raise Your Prices

2. Sell Value, Not Price

Sales techniques

3. Up Sell

4. Down-Sell

5. Cross Sell

Add value

6. Back-End Sale

7. Extended Warranties

8. Service Contracts

9. Consult For Your Own Product

Make the sale easy

10. Terms And Financing

11. Set Up An Account

12. Try Before You Buy

13. Work With Pre-Payments

Give more

14. Develop an exclusive product or service

15. Expand Your Product Range

16. First Time Buyer Incentives

17. Concentrate On High Quality Prospects

18. Use Package Deals

19. Sell Bulk

20. Incentive Builders For Big Purchases

21. Offer Greater Variety

Sales force

22. Sales commission structures

23. Set Solid Sales Goals

24. NLP Techniques

25. Sales Scripts

26. Keep In Touch With Customers

Educate your customers

27. Demonstrations

28. Educate your customers - make sure they know your full product range

29. Audio And Visual Demonstrations

Still don't think you can get more from each transaction with your customers?

Contact us.

We like a challenge.

Keith Longmire is the owner of JKL Business Growth Solutions. JKL specialises in bringing main stream business improvement and marketing solutions into the reach of smaller businesses. The Business Growth Solutions web site is designed as a source of information for all matters to do with Small Business Development

Measure And Review Your Sales Incentive Program

Writen by Ken MacKenzie

The methods you adopt for measuring your incentive programs should satisfy two requirements.

Firstly, the program must be legal and permissible under existing regulations of each State, in which the programs are being operated.

Secondly, your method of measurement must be acceptable to the incentive scheme participants, and be seen by them to be reasonable, appropriate and obtainable.

The appropriateness of the terms and conditions is the key element in the whole planning of the program. Even if they are totally within the legal requirements, you will waste a great deal of time and money unless you review your whole package of activities and rewards through the eyes of the participants. The need for participant co-operation and enthusiasm must also include your desire to award the prizes in the most appealing form. This includes recognising any tax implications under tax law.

Assigning responsibilities:

Your planning will reach a stage where you have identified your objectives, who is going to participate and how you are going to make it all happen. Delegating activities and assigning responsibilities is as important in managing an incentive program as it is in any other management activity.

This scheduling is even more important when engaging the services of outside agencies such as Ken MacKenzie Communications, who may be helping with such things as the production of printed material, trade release functions, travel arrangements and purchase of prizes.

Even when you have allocated tasks and deadlines, you will need to find sufficient time to brief clearly each member of your team. Your cost estimates are often only as accurate as your briefings to suppliers, and if your financial planning is not sound at the outset, costs will run away from you. The use of outside suppliers will depend on the in-house facilities and whether these internal facilities can meet the standard of creativity and production essential to your program.

The quality of the printed material which you release will be the participants' first object of appraisal. It is false economy to use in-house printing or design services that are not equal to those available from printers or promotional agencies.

Regular Review:

Once you have chosen your team, assigned responsibilities and time and cost deadlines, you must constantly monitor the program and make adjustments as the need arises. During both your planning period and the reviews after the event, you will need to compare the costs of the incentive program with the benefits to be returned to you. Although incentive schemes based on clearly defined statistical criteria are much easier to plan, you must still be sure that your past event measurements are realistically accurate. You should review all components of your program and note the comments from your planning team's own experiences, the views of any agencies you used during the campaign and, most importantly, your participants.

Ken MacKenzie's web site "The Marketing Update" is at: http://www.themarketingupdate.com. He has had some 30 years experience in small business marketing and public relations and, prior to establishing Ken MacKenzie Communications in 1993, he was a Senior Consultant for over five years with International Public Relations Pty Ltd. He has also consulted to the United States Foreign Commercial Service, based in Sydney Australia. As a Consultant, Ken has managed many accounts including Monier Roofing Limited, NUS International Pty Ltd, MasterFoods of Australia, the Jakarta Promotion Board, the Australian Made Campaign, Boral Roofing, Boral Bricks, Boral Plasterboard, Frontline Business Services and Sydney Point of Sale. In his consulting to the United States Department of Commerce in Sydney, Ken served as Principal Advisor to the United States Trade Centre Director on major U.S. trade event planning and implementation of numerous U.S. Government sponsored trade shows covering many different industry groups.

Are You Finished Before You Start

Writen by Clayton Shold

A colleague and I were in conversation recently when he shared a very profound statement, "You can be finished before you start."

We were talking about the power of one's mind, more specifically about ones sales mindset. Eugene was relaying an exchange he had many years ago when he was a pharmaceutical sales rep. He was comparing notes with another rep that was having difficulty getting in to see physicians to promote their company's product. He wanted to know why Eugene was having so much success, and he was not.

Turns out, this other sales rep found it extremely difficult to turn the doorknob to enter the doctor's office. He had such high self-doubt, Eugene explained, that he had lost the sale before he even initiated the call. This is when Eugene summed things up by commenting, "You are finished before you start!"

This simple statement may apply to those suffering with weak sales results. Appreciate sales is not for everyone. Being in the sales profession requires intelligence, personality, perseverance and a strong believe in ones self and belief in ones customer.

When you think about it, your objective is to help your prospect make an informed purchasing decision (or not) based on the knowledge you bring to the table. Most successful sales people are advocates for their prospects, doing what is in the client's best interest. This typically evolves into a meaningful relationship based on mutual trust and understanding. Those that rise to the top in the sales profession also tend to have a high belief in self.

How is your belief in self? Do you experience self-doubt to the point you have trouble dialling that cold call, or making that initial visit to your prospect's office?

This is more common in sales than we think, not just for those new to the business, it can affect experienced sales people who have fallen into the infamous "rut". How we think and how we see our self causes this "affliction".

How we see ourselves in our minds eye determines our belief in self. The subconscious mind is incredibly powerful. Research by psychologists Dr. Henry Murray, Dr. David McClelland, and Dr. Clayton Lafferty has determined our actions are a result of what we think.

The challenge is to recognize when one is not thinking positively about their capabilities and then develop strategies to counteract this thought process. Here are some tips you can use:

1. Remind yourself of your previous successes
2. Focus on your current strengths and future potential
3. Visualize yourself being successful several times a day
4. Record a positive belief statement you can repeat 5 times a day
5. Set and achieve realistic goals (start small), then stretch them
6. Celebrate successes along the way

In the classic book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, he makes the case it is scientifically impossible to conceive an idea in your mind, to believe you can do it, and then not be able to. The fact we can conceive something in our mind and believe we can do it, means we can.

Don't be finished before you start. Your sales mindset needs to be the "hidden partner" that allows you to not only succeed in sales, but to thrive.

Clayton Shold shares his experience at SalesDialogue Systems Inc. a company committed to assisting sales professionals better understand how their internal conversations affects sales success. Learn more at http://www.salesdialogue.com

Mortgage Lead Companies

Writen by Kristy Annely

Mortgage lead companies are responsible for generating mortgage leads and providing them to mortgage selling companies. Leads are nothing but queries from people who wish to obtain mortgages. Mortgage selling companies are always on the lookout for good leads from mortgage lead companies.

Mortgage lead companies have different means of operation. They may operate either through telemarketing (call centers) or through websites. Leads that they provide may be exclusive or non-exclusive. Exclusive leads are those meant for only a single company, while non-exclusive leads may be repeatedly sold to a number of companies. Of course, the former cost more. Leads must also be fresh, i.e., they must be newly introduced into the market of mortgages.

Telemarketing mortgage lead companies have a success ratio of 8 to 10%, which means for every 100 leads they provide, 8 to 10 have a chance of closing successfully. Call centers rely on personally calling people from a particular list, which they may have obtained from a cell phone company. When they find a person interested in acquiring a mortgage, they record their contact details and information on credit history, mortgage requirements, etc. These are then forwarded to the mortgage company, who follow up on the case.

Mortgage lead companies working out of call centers charge anywhere between $35 to $65 per lead sold, irrespective of whether it closes or not. If working on an hourly basis, then they may charge $25 per hour. Outsourced business to Asian call centers may cost much less. Mortgage companies are contracted with call centers throughout the world and they get leads once a week, typically on Mondays. There may be an average of 25 leads per week. Some call centers also provide a hot-transfer service, in which the call of a potential mortgage buyer is directly forwarded to an official in the mortgage company.

Websites working in the mortgage-lead generation business are also tremendously busy portals. These have their own mortgage calculators, which pre-qualify mortgage queries. According to this, people are made to fill online application forms, which are then sold to mortgage companies. Mortgage lead generation websites are contracted with particular mortgage companies, just like call centers.

Lead generation websites may charge on a monthly or annual basis. The charges depend on the nature of the website. However, there is widespread skepticism among mortgage companies regarding lead generation websites. A large number of them are sham websites and provide fabricated lists.

Mortgage lead companies are the backbone of the mortgage selling business. Every mortgage company is affiliated with several lead generation companies so that its staff can be free to do documentation work on the mortgages and not take the trouble of marketing.

Mortgage Company provides detailed information on Mortgage Companies, Top Mortgage Companies, Bad Credit Mortgage Companies, Mortgage Lead Companies and more. Mortgage Company is affiliated with Home Mortgage Lenders.

Are You Practicing On Your Best Prospects

Writen by Tim Connor

How much time do you spend practicing and developing your skills? Do you practice a new technique on a prospect or on a fellow salesperson or your supervisor first? Do you not practice at all, but just show up?

Show me any athlete in any sport who achieves success, fame or even makes a decent living, and I will show you someone who spends more time practicing than in the performance of his/her sport. Here are a few examples.

- Most Olympic athletes spend in excess of 3000 hours preparing for a 2, 3 or 10 minute race. -Most good golfers hit hundreds of golf balls every day to refine their swing, balance and performance. -Take baseball, basketball or football – teams practice 3-5 days a week (every week) for several hours for just a 2-3 hour game. I could go on, but I am confident you see my point. Are other careers different? No. Doctors, contractors, teachers, counselors spend time in research, discovery and experimentation. They don't wait until they get into the operating room or in front of the classroom. Yours truly spends a minimum of 2-3 hours for every hour in front of an audience.

Show me someone in any discipline who just shows up, and I will show you someone who is average at best, never makes a difference, and seldom achieves greatness.

How about salespeople? What can they practice before a sales call? A telephone call?

-New questions to ask prospects.
-New ways to ask those questions.
-How to cover the benefits of a product/service feature.
-How to create a sense of urgency.
-How to professionally terminate a presentation on a poor prospect.
-How to increase a sale by 'upselling'.
-How to close the sale.
-How to answer a prospect's objection.
-How to better answer a prospect's questions.

I'll leave you with a question. Are you just showing up for games, or are you spending routine time and effort practicing for your next call?

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.

One Good Turn Amplified

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

The adage "one good turn deserves another" seems to be a part of social conditioning in every culture. And, even beyond that, the maxim serves as an ethical code that does not necessarily need to be taught but nevertheless is understood. When someone smiles or gives a compliment, we tend to return the smile or compliment. Even when these gestures are unsolicited, we feel a sense of urgency to repay the person who has created the mental or psychological debt. In some cases, our need to repay this debt is so overwhelming that we end up dramatically exceeding the original favor.

People often conscientiously trigger feelings of indebtedness and obligation in others by carrying out an uninvited favor. Even if we don't want or ask for the gift, invitation, or compliment, we still feel the need to return the favor when we receive it. Merely being indebted, even in the slightest sense of the word, can create enough psychological discomfort (and sometimes even public embarrassment) that we go to extraordinary lengths to remove the burdensome obligation we feel. This is when we often disproportionately reward the original giver.

When my family moved to a new area, we gave a small Christmas gift to all our neighbors. I don't think the gifts cost more than five dollars each. We were new on the block and wanted to get to know our neighbors. About thirty minutes after hand-delivering the gifts to our new neighbors, the doorbell rang. There stood one of the neighbors with a large box of truffles in one hand--this box had to have been holding at least fifty dollars worth of chocolates. She said, "Welcome to the neighborhood, and Happy Holidays," and with that she was off and on her way. She couldn't cope with the sudden debt she felt toward my family so, to rid herself of her feelings of obligation, she gave back ten times more than she'd originally received. This is why many people buy extra holiday presents to have on hand just in case someone delivers a gift they did not count on.

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! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life. If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to 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!