Saturday, January 31, 2009

Are You Really Listening

Writen by Dan Hudock

Being a good listener requires more than just keeping quiet while the other person is talking. Do you hear everything that is being said? Do you understand it completely?

Here are some tips on how to become a more effective listener:

FOCUS in on the basic message. Try to pinpoint the main ideas the person is expressing. Ask yourself what the speaker is trying to say. If you're not sure, ask. "Bill, I believe what I heard is–Am I on track?"

UNDERSTAND what is being said.

Keep asking yourself if you understand what is being said. If you don't, ask for clarification – and keep asking until you are sure you fully understand. "Bill, I'm not sure I understand how this relates to that, can you help me out?" What you don't understand, you can't recall. Additionally, if you don't understand what is being said, your mind is more likely to wander and your listening effectiveness diminishes.

Don't get DISTRACTED.

Don't let trivial things like the speaker's appearance or random noises divert your attention from what he or she is saying. Listen to the speaker's whole sentence. Listen not only for content, but context. Anytime you catch yourself being distracted by something that draws your attention away from the speaker's words, make a conscious effort to focus back on the words.

Listen with your "GUT."

The speaker's tone and body language will impart meaning. These subtle clues are quickly picked up by the unconscious mind and leave us with a particular feeling about the speaker. When you are left with a "feeling" about someone after a conversation – that they are sincere, they are hiding something, they can't be trusted, etc. – it is a sign that your unconscious mind has put two and two together and come up with an evaluation.

Become PERSONALLY absorbed in what is being said. You can't listen effectively if you are only "going through the motions." Every subject has some interesting angle, some impact on you or something you can learn. In order to uncover those elements, you must first abandon your prejudiced or preconceived ideas. If you enter into a conversation with the notion that the other person has nothing of interest or importance to say, you will miss what is important.

Get INVOLVED.

To keep your active attention on what is being said, and offer comments. If the situation permits, offer your own perspective on what is being said. Ask a question or relate a relevant story that reinforces what the person is saying, or represents a different point of view. Ask yourself how what the person is saying relates to other situations or experiences.

In summary, LISTEN PROACTIVELY

There is more to listening than just passively hearing the words someone is speaking.

Source: The President's Club Report, March-April 1999, ©1999, Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dan Hudock is an owner of the Sandler Sales Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. He can be reached at (724) 940-2388 or dan@sandler.com. His web site is: http://www.dan.sandler.com

How To Get Your Foot In The Door

Writen by Bill Lee

One of the best known lessons from the Bible is found in Luke 6:31. This Bible verse is also known as the Golden Rule. It says, "Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You."

Few can argue with the merits of the Golden Rule, if for no other reason, because we all like to be treated like we like to be treated. If everyone were to follow the Golden Rule, the world would certainly be a better place.

But if you were to be talking specifically about the profession of sales, there is actually a better Rule, one that's called the Platinum Rule. This Rule calls for salespeople to "…Do Unto Others as THEY Would Have You Do Unto THEM." The Platinum Rule is quite a bit different from the Golden Rule because it focuses on what others want from us rather than what we might want from others.

To practice the Platinum Rule® effectively, it's necessary to get inside the head of the customer or the prospect. We need to know a lot about the person we're trying to persuade. We need to know a lot about the way the individual thinks if we are to be successful at getting inside his head and treat him the way he wants to be treated. Just any behavior won't get the job done.

Here's an example that illustrates the difference between these two rules:

If smokers did unto others the way they would have others do unto them, smokers would smoke in a non smoker's office. But if smokers treat non smokers the way THEY want to be treated, smokers would refrain from smoking in the non smoker's presence.

This is a great lesson for successful selling!

The Platinum Rule® also calls for us to talk to others (in this case customers or prospects) about the kinds of things others want to talk about. So to be effective at getting our foot in the door, we must do enough homework to figure out the kinds of things the customer or prospect likes to talk about.

Here's my recommendation: Prepare a dossier on each customer and each prospect. Keep notes on their hobbies, interests, sports teams followed, club affiliations, vacation preferences, pet peeves, etc. There is hardly any better way to get your foot in the door of someone you don't already have a relationship with than to find out where their passion lies and show a sincere interest in that passion.

My daughter, Shannon, is one of the best salespeople I know. She has soared through the ranks in business, starting out as a sales representative and advancing to managing a third of the nation for her company.

In her second job in sales, she was promoted to sales manager for Nextel in Charlotte, NC. I was working in my office on a Saturday afternoon when she telephoned me. She telephones me often, but this day was different, I could hear a loud roaring noise in the background. When I asked her where she was calling from, she told me that she was calling from the Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte.

"What are you doing there? I asked. I didn't know you liked NASCAR."

"I had no choice," she told me. "All my customers here seem to enjoy talking about is racing, so if I'm going to fit in, if I'm going to be able to talk to them about the things they enjoy talking about, I figured I had better learn something about racing. So here I am watching drivers drive around in circles at very high rates of speed."

I told you my daughter is smart about selling. She figured out rather quickly that she would be at a disadvantage if she could not communicate with her customers and prospects on their level; that is, if she couldn't talk to them about the kinds of things THEY liked to talk about.

How much do you know about your customers and prospects? What new could you do -- something you've never done in the past -- to demonstrate to your customers and prospects that you're genuinely interested in some of the same things they're interested in?

What new could you learn – something you don't currently know how to do -- to enable you to communicate with your customers and prospects in areas that are important to THEM?

Remember the Platinum Rule® and Do Unto Others the Way THEY Would Have You Do Unto THEM.

Bill Lee is author of Gross Margin: 26 Factors Affecting Your Bottom Line and 30 Ways Managers Shoot Themselves in the Foot. http://www.BillLeeOnLine.com

Friday, January 30, 2009

Pricing Information Products

Writen by Cathy Stucker

Pricing your products and services involves much more art than science. There are so many variables to pricing that there can't be a magic formula telling you exactly how much to charge in every given situation. However, you can rely on some guidelines to help you set your prices.

One rule of thumb to keep in mind when pricing information products is that you should charge at least 8 to 10 times your cost of production. If a book costs you $1.50 to produce, can you price it at least $11.95? Better yet, can you charge $14.95 or more?

Use that rule of thumb as a minimum. It is important to remember that you are not selling paper, CDs or other materials--you are selling the information contained in your book, report, ebook, audio program, etc. What is the information worth to your customers, and how much will they be willing to pay for it? An item may cost you $15 to produce, yet be worth every penny of $495.

What are your competitors charging for similar products? You can charge more if your product has a higher perceived value, but not if your products are seen as the same as something available at a lower price.

Consider your marketing costs. Will you have to give discounts of 25%, 40%, 60% or more to affiliates, retailers or distributors? Make sure you can do so and still be profitable. If you plan to sell books through direct mail or two-step classified ads, your marketing cost may be $10 - $20 for each book you sell. Obviously, you won't be profitable selling a book for $11.95 this way.

You also have to consider the value of your time in creating and marketing the materials. If you have invested 500 hours in creating something, make sure your pricing leaves room to recover payment for your time. How many items do you expect to sell? If you think you can sell 500, then every dollar you build into the price for your time pays you $1 an hour. If you can sell 5,000, then $1 per book pays you $10 an hour.

Set your prices high enough to recover your costs, get paid for your time, and to reflect the value of the information.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the IdeaLady, Cathy Stucker helps authors, entrepreneurs and professionals attract customers and make themselves famous. To learn more about information marketing and get free marketing tips, visit Cathy at http://www.IdeaLady.com/

Increasing Sales Means Being Mindful Of Your Sales Objectives

Writen by Lance Winslow

If you wish to increase sales in your company you must be mindful of your sales objectives and determine what your sales goals will be for any particular periods that you are trying to sell more products or services in. Simply wishing that your company has more sales is not going to do it. How do you develop sales objectives and sales goals?

Well it is simple really. You need to determine what profit margin you wish to maintain and the amount of profit you wish to make and what your cost structure is and therefore figure out how many units you need to sell in order to meet that goal. Sales goals are a vital part of any company's objectives. You must also understand that your sales department is also a cost and therefore what you increase your sales department to get to more sales you will also temporarily increase your costs.

Sure it sounds like a lot of variables and the bigger your company is the more variables there will be. Nevertheless if you truly wish to increase your sales then you must be mindful of your sales objectives and determine the resources needed to get you there. Simply writing down figures on a piece of paper is wishful thinking without objective strategies and commitment to the process. Please consider this in 2006.

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

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Famous Fertilizer Salesmen

Writen by Lance Winslow

There are many famous salesmen in the world and most of the greatest salesmen make a lot of money. In fact they make a much more money than the average citizen by a factor of three. Every industry has famous salespeople and it; including the fertilizer industry. It is hard to imagine why people get a bad rap who are salesmen? And then again you need to look no further and Scott Peterson the famous fertilizer sales person in Central Valley California who killed his wife and then dumped her in the San Francisco Bay.

Perhaps this particular salesperson does give all salespeople a bad name. Not only did he cheat on his wife with that good-looking blonde gal, but then he killed his wife and went to go golf in San Diego and perhaps go to Mexico to escape in case her body was found.

What makes people think they can get away with such things in our modern era with all the forensic evidence available? Apparently this fertilizer salesman was so guilty he never took the stand. But I assume like the trial lawyers, who are selling to the jury to get guilty criminals off, he might have done much better if he had taken the stand. Unfortunately his lawyers thought they were better salesmen than Scott Peterson, who seemed to have everyone fooled, including his family, wife, cute blonde and half the media on TV. Please consider this in 2006.

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

Three Big Ol Tips For Better Sales Letters

Writen by Matthew Cobb

Growing up in the South, I used the phrase "big ol'" a lot. Big ol' truck. Big ol' house. Big ol' party. The phrase was one we used when the word "big" just wasn't descriptive enough.

I think the following suggestions qualify as Big Ol' Tips. Look around the Web and you'll find plenty of good sales letter writing tips. But "big" just doesn't do these justice.

Here are three big ol' tips for better sales letters.

Big Ol' Tip #1)

Be redundant. Then, say the same thing over again.

Just because you state your most powerful benefit in the headline doesn't mean you shouldn't say it over again. If you are writing a long sales letter (especially one made for quick scanning), you should repeat the main benefits to make sure you get your point across. After all, many readers need to read the same thing several times before they catch on.

Big Ol' Tip #2)

Focus on the guarantee. I promise you won't regret it.

Your readers are reading for one very simple reason: they're looking for a reason to buy. Give them the best reason possible. One good reason for buying is the assurance that customers will be protected against making a bad decision. If they're interested in your product, and making a purchase has no negative consequences, then you've got a sale. A guarantee removes negative consequences.

Big Ol' Tip #3)

Conceal the price. How? I'll tell you in a minute.

Don't state the price up-front. Reveal the price only after the customer calls a number, sends in a reply card, makes contact by e-mail, or reads (or scans) all the way to the end of your sales letter. By not revealing the price immediately, you have a chance to demonstrate to readers the value of what's behind the price before they have a chance to set their mind against it. (Note: If low price is your product's primary selling point, this tip might not apply. Test and see.)

These tips will improve your sales letter by making it more readable, more persuasive, and less intimidating to your audience. Use them in a well written piece and you'll see a big ol' increase in your response rates.

About The Author

Matthew Cobb is a freelance copywriter in the Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX, area. For information, visit his professional site at http://copy.cobbwriting.com or call 817.966.RITE (7483). This article may be reproduced, as long as the the resource box is included and notification is provided to the author.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Modular Display Systems Give Retailers Diverse Store Layout Options

Writen by Christopher Weis

Most retail stores in a particular brand category look the same. They use the same shelving layout, the same colors and the same materials. But every now and then there's a store that does it completely different- one that demands attention from a distance because it is so unique. These are the stores that no others can imitate, no matter how hard they try. One way to achieve that desirable uniqueness is by changing the way you display your products, with modular display systems. Modular display systems provide an abstract, elegant and unique means for showing off your products to potential customers.

Modular display systems are especially effective in brand categories that are typically displayed in an industry accepted, time-honored way. The challenge for retailers is to look beyond the way it has always been, to the way it could be.

One example of a niche industry that could benefit from a modular display system is shoe sales. For years, shoe stores have done it the same way. The boxes are all line up on shelves, and the display shoe sits atop the shelf, right at eye level. But that shows you nothing unique or special about the shoe. With a modular display system, you could attach the shoes to the lifestyle they're associated with. You could display basketballs with athletic shoes, or purses and jewelry with women's dress shoes.

It helps if retailers show customers the product in a different way than they're used seeing to. Seeing it differently in a different way enables them to think about it differently too. And that increases the chances that they will actually try on and buy from you. Suddenly your product is more desirable than the competitor's, even though they're identical.

Modular display systems can work for every type of retailer from jewelers to auto tire dealers. It just requires the creativity to look at your product differently and decide how to position it to catch the eyes of customers. Once you have identified a strategy, take advantage of it and set yourself apart from the tired homogeny of the competition.

Nu-Era and nu-era.com are services of The Nu-Era Group, LLC -the industry leader in store fixtures, supplies, and fulfillment. Nu-Era has been providing its customers with competitively priced quality products with customer-oriented service since 1949. Nu-Era has an entire section of nu-era.com dedicated to Abstracta modular display systems. For more information, visit them online at http://www.nu-era.com.

Getting Your Foot In The Door Literally Two Loan Officer Marketing Tactics

Writen by Joe Pahl

Sometimes it's all a matter of being different, and truly standing apart from the crowd.

As loan officers, we tend to get the same advice from our managers, we read the same books and listen to the same audio programs.

We want to find new business, but we are all being told to find new business from the same sources (so the effectiveness of any marketing that we do is diminished to some respect).

I love watching salespeople take bold actions when it comes to marketing and prospecting for new business.

I knew of one loan officer who ordered 100 pumpkins a few weeks before Halloween. He had made an arrangement with a local supermarket to use a portion of their parking lot to give out the pumpkins.

He placed an ad in the paper, put a few flyers in nearby grocery stores, diners and laudromats, and was lucky enough to have the local newspaper cover the story the morning he gave out the pumpkins.

It was a huge success!

The turn out was overwhelming. He ran out of pumpkins with two hours of starting, but he met 100 people and couples that day, and he walked away with 8 good leads for immediate business.

Was it hard work? Sure it was, but it all paid off many times over. And the reason why it paid off was because the average loan officer just wouldn't have done it.

Another young and ambitious loan officer really pushed the envelope.

He had just started out and was looking for a way to break the ice when meeting new real estate agents. So this is what he did:

He went to the local discount shoe store, and purchased 5 pairs of plain black shoes (they were about $5 a pair).

He printed small labels to put on the shoelaces that read:

Hi. My name is John Smith and I am trying to "get my foot in the door." I will be back to your office next Tuesday morning to meet with you.

He then went to a real estate office that he was going to focus on this month, and place one shoe in each of the mailboxes of the agents.

Was this a little much? Possibly. And I wish I could have seen the real estate agents' faces when they pulled their shoes out of their mailboxes.

But the young loan officer did break the ice and he did get a very productive referral source from that office. And even till this day, whenever someone from that real estate office seems, they say "Hey, you're the guy with the shoes."

So think creatively with your marketing efforts. Stand apart from the average loan officer. Be different and be remembered.

Joe Pahl is a marketing consultant and co-creator of the Loan Maker Gold System for Loan Officers (http://www.LoanMakerGold.com). To receive his free eCourse "7 Strategies Loan Officers Can Take to Guarantee an Awesome 2006" please sent blank email to loanmakergold-ecourse@getresponse.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

How A Strong Learning Curve Can Translate Into Sales

Writen by Liane Bate

Let's face it. When you get into internet marketing, there is a ton of information you have to process and learn in order to be successful at what you do. It can be overwhelming at the best of times, and your motivation to continue learning has to come from somewhere. Maybe you love learning, and you should, but sometimes it feels like an arduous task to sift through all the information before us to find what is truly important to focus our attention on, and then to remember it all! The thing to remember is that learning can make a huge difference to our bottom line. When you commit yourself to continuous learning, you keep on top of the ever-changing internet marketing game, and staying on top of it can mean more sales for you in the end.

How can learning generate more sales for us? Particularly in the internet world, the only constant is change. If you don't keep yourself mentally fit by learning what's new out there, you will soon fall behind your competitors. The best ways I have found to keep in good learning condition are to visit discussion forums on business and internet marketing where you can find loads of useful tips, insider secrets, and techniques you can use to build your web pages or generate more traffic. I think I would be lost without this incredible resource and would not know half of what I know if it wasn't for the wealth of knowledge I have attained from the forums. They have helped keep me abreast of what the leaders and the average Joes in internet marketing are up to and what I should be doing to keep my business strong. Other ways of learning include reading books, e-books, taking e-courses online, going to a class, reading web pages, reading newsletters and ezines, attending seminars, or watching and listening to audio and video feeds. Learning is a selling strategy, and practicing what you learn every day can literally skyrocket your sales.

When we learn something new we are investing in ourselves, in our careers, and in our future. If we make the investment on a regular basis, we can turn ourselves into sales professionals. When you think about learning in this way, you can equate learning to dollars in your pocket. One way that I have stayed motivated to continue learning something new every day is that I know if I don't, I won't be able to come up with the original articles I have written. If you're up on your internet marketing training, you will know that writing articles is one of the best ways to generate one-way back links pointing to your site, and to generate traffic to your home page and blog. The more links, traffic, and quality content that you have on your site, the better your chances are for making sale after sale. When you learn new things, you not only become an expert, but you now have the ability to teach others what you have learned. A good salesperson will teach their customers how they can benefit from your products and services. The more confident you are at this, the more trust your customers will have for you. Since being in business is all about your relationship with your customers and potential customers, constant learning and teaching can turn you into a sales success story.

Learning is a lot of work, but when you learn to work smarter, not harder, you will find yourself ahead of the pack. You can determine what is important to learn by asking yourself if what you are learning right now is going to help you make a sale, and focus your time and energy on learning those things. Is what you are learning going to help turn a prospect into a customer? Is it going to increase your sales volume and profits? By choosing to focus on what will help you rather than focusing on insignificant tasks, you will be making an effective use of your time, and will learn all the right things to boost your sales.

As you can see, if you find a way of learning that works for you, take positive action to invest in yourself every day, find out what motivates you to be a continuous learner, become a teacher to help build your relationships with customers, and use your time and what you learn wisely, you will become a sales professional in no time flat!

Liane Bate owns a Plugin Profit Site web business, is a member of Success University, and the IAHBE. Visit: http://www.HonestMoneyMaking.com

The Customer Is Always Right Phooey

Writen by Tim Connor

For years I have heard the comment that 'the customer is always right'. Baloney! There have been many times that I as a customer have operated under false assumptions, bad advice, unrealistic expectations, rumors and hearsay. I'll bet if you think about it, that you too have not always been right as a customer.

I am not suggesting you get into a tug of war with a customer about who is right or who is wrong. If you treat a customer as if they are wrong regardless of whether they are or not, you may win the argument but you can kiss any more business with them goodbye.

So what is a salesperson to do when the customer is operating out of a set of beliefs, values or expectations that they feel they are right when in truth they are really wrong? (I don't want to get into a discussion about what is right or wrong. I have covered this concept several times during the past few years in my tips and many of my books.) What I want to make clear is that regardless of whether the customer is right or wrong you have some options.

1. You can argue with them and no matter who wins you will lose their business.
2. You can get your ego in the way and end up being right, but what's the point?
3. You can point out where the customer is mis-informed but still treat them with respect and professionalism.
4. You can cave in and let them be right even when they are not. (Over the long term this is not a wise approach.)
5. You can turn the problem over to someone else to take the heat.
6. You can get a manager or supervisor involved (what we call higher authority in negotiation) and let them handle the issue.

It is vital to remember that life is perceptual. That everyone sees things differently. You and the customer can be looking at the same color and they see light blue and you see dark blue. How can this be true? It just is. There are hundreds of shades of blue. Do you want to lose business because you insist that the customer agree with you and your interpretation of a color? We are only talking here about color, imagine if it were something more complicated.

Customers all bring a great deal to the buying table. They bring their; experience, expectations, likes, dislikes, memories, knowledge, desires and on and on. When there is disagreement or conflict it is usually due to the salesperson and the customer looking at the same issue, feature, situation etc. through a different set of eyes.

It's your turn.

- What do you typically do when a customer is wrong?
- What is your strategy or your technique(s) for disarming any potential conflict?
- Is what you are doing working?

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.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Top Consultant Advises Billing For Your Services More Creatively

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

A few years ago, one of my competitors, a consultant located in Ohio, would have his prospects call me to compare his prices to mine.

At that time, he knew I charged more than twice the fee he quoted: "$1,200 per day."

Although I was always concerned about not winning business, I never put two and two together and connected my disappearing prospects to this guy's manipulations, until he disclosed his strategy to me, in a moment of boastng and rare transparency.

Here's the kicker.

Ninety-plus percent of the time I billed for was on-site. So, if I had a client in Cleveland, I wouldn't break out a separate fee for traveling time or for preparation time. If I quoted $2,500 a day, plus out of pocket expenses then that was exactly what the client paid.

My competitor, however, charged this way. He'd bill for three days at $1,200. One day was on-site and two days were off-site.

But, by his own admission, he really didn't expend two days of effort when he was at his office; perhaps only an hour or two.

So, his actual rates were higher than mine, though he appeared to be cheaper by more than half!

What an interesting sleight of hand, don't you agree?

His strategy demonstrates a few crucial things for the coach, consultant or services provider:

(1) You can and perhaps must bill for off-site time as well as on-site.

(2) You will face price competition so it always pays to appear reasonable in your fee setting.

(3) You may want to consider engaging in a form of "value billing."

The last point warrants elaboration.

Many lawyers bill for the value of their output instead of for the clock time it consumes.

For instance, a letter might take ten minutes to compose and to print, but a lawyer will typically charge an hour or more for this service.

Let's say he bills at $300 per hour. He simply can't afford to charge only $50 for the letter, because he needs a return on his investment in education, office overhead, and he even has to pay for malpractice insurance in the event he sends the wrong letter out on your behalf!

So, the billable time units are at variance with the actual time units expended, but this is fairly well known.

My counterpart in Ohio did the same by customizing a workbook for Client #2 that he developed under subsidy from Client #1.

All he'd do is change the cover page and a few references in the manuscript. Yet if he only charged for the time he spent spent in customizing. he'd dramatically under-sell the value of the product.

Ideally, we would charge and be paid exactly what we're worth based on what we contribute. But that seldom happens.

To assure we come closer, we need to be creative, especially when it comes to expressing and billing for time "on the clock."

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 600 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or management meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

How To Sell Your Products Without Competition

Writen by Rena Klingenberg

Selling your products at shows can be difficult when you have a lot of competition. Although some show organizers are careful to have a good mix of vendors, it's not uncommon for other shows to have 20% or more of the booths filled with vendors in the same niche - which is a buyer's market and a seller's disappointing show.

Before signing up for any show, ask the promoter how many other vendors in your niche will have booths. And if possible, find out what kinds of these items will be represented at the show. Even if you have to dig a little for this information, it's worthwhile to find out in advance whether the show is likely to be profitable for you.

For example, my medium is jewelry, which is usually the most competitive field at any show. And because of the overcrowding in this niche, many jewelry artists price the jewelry in their booth so low that it's hard for them (or any of the other jewelers at that show) to make any sales at a worthwhile profit. No one benefits from that kind of venue.

But I've found out how I can easily get my fair share of the jewelry market by finding less competitive shows for selling my work. Here are some suggestions for shows where you can find eager buyers for your products and likely no other competing vendors:

Local Expos and Events

Many organized events in your area involve wholesale or retail vendors selling their products in booths. These events are usually well promoted and attended, and may be unlikely to have other vendors in your niche. Examples of this type of event include a women's career expo, a home improvement show, a health fair, a business expo, and virtually any trade show.

Other unusual events that can be great prospects for selling your products without competition include historic re-enactments, car club shows, gun and knife shows, garden shows, spring or fall fashion shows, motorcycle rallies (motorcyclists are among the best and biggest-spending jewelry customers you'll find!), and music competitions (like a battle of the bands or a bluegrass festival).

Club or other organization meetings are also a possibility if your product is interesting - you will likely be welcomed to give a talk about your goods and then sell them afterward. Examples of organizations include a Rotary club chapter, a garden club, an alumni association, or a local newcomers' club.

To find out about events like these well in advance, or to locate clubs or groups that would welcome an interesting product presentation and show, call your local tourism commission and chamber of commerce. Ask for their recommendations, and most importantly, request to be put on their mailing lists of upcoming events. When you receive the listings, carefully consider each event for its potential as a show for selling your goods without competition.

Your Own Shows

With a little more work, you can organize your own shows where you can be certain you'll be the only vendor in your niche. Examples of these are home parties, open studio sales at your studio or home, and fundraiser shows where you donate a portion of the proceeds to a designated charity. You can also cooperate with other vendors to set up bigger shows, and profit from each other's customer lists.

You might do very well at an event with a ready-made huge crowd, such as a high school football game. Secure permission ahead of time to set up a booth presenting your product, and donate a percentage of sales to the school.

The key to success when doing your own shows is to be sure the event is well publicized if it's open to the public, or that you personally phone and remind each invitee if it's a private sale or party. The higher the attendance, the higher your sales.

So you see there's no need to sell your products in overly competitive venues. Instead, consider your targeted customers and think creatively about opportunities to present your products to them.

About The Author

Rena Klingenberg is a jewelry artist with expertise in displaying and marketing products creatively on a small budget. She publishes two websites, http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com and http://www.trade-show-booth-display.com, to assist other entrepreneurs in marketing their work successfully.

Getting Into Your Buyers Shoes

Writen by Charlie Lang

The story

A few weeks ago, I met Chris at a networking event. We chatted about what his company was doing and what my business was all about. He quickly realized that his company's online solutions could be beneficial for us and said, "Charlie, we should really meet soon so that I can show you our solutions that can lead you to more business." We had fairly good rapport and my company was then currently considering improvements to our online approach, so I was willing to respond to his suggestion.

A few days later, Chris called me and we set a meeting. During the meeting, he showed me a brochure with all his company's solutions and kept asking whether this or that solution would be of interest to me.

We finally nailed down one area of immediate interest and three areas for future consideration out of the list of around 10 solutions. Then I asked a few technical questions that Chris could only partially answer, so he suggested that I meet one of their software engineers for further clarifications. This was fine with me, especially because the engineer provided me with more satisfactory answers.

Before I left, Chris promised to send me a quote for the more immediate requirement, including some of the options that were briefly mentioned by the engineer. I received the proposal a couple of days later, and after a few more days, Chris called me to check if I received the quote and if everything was clear.

Let's see which aspects of Chris's approach are in line with the "Stop Selling!" approach, and then I'll discuss what a person with the "Stop Selling!" mindset would have done differently:

In line with the "Stop Selling!" approach

The responsiveness and reliability that Chris displayed was perfectly fine and gave me, his potential buyer, the feeling that his is a credible, trustworthy company.

Even if Chris did not have full technical competence, it was not an issue for me as a buyer - I appreciated his efforts in having the engineer answer my questions. Furthermore, the situation assured me that in future dealings, he wouldn't suggest solutions unsuited to my expectations, and that he would understand my expectations in the first place.

The way I was received at his office was very welcoming and certainly immediately improved the already existing good rapport - an important basis for building trust.

What I would have done differently

It actually started at the networking event. As a potential buyer, I found it way too premature for Chris to claim that his company's solutions will lead my company to more business. If he would have shared that his company's solutions helped other companies similar to mine, it would have been much more attractive and believable to me.

Also, instead of saying "can show you our solutions", I would have preferred if he said something like "I would like to discuss with you what you are doing today and what your potential is for more online business in the future." This way, he would have focused on my interests (potentially more business) as opposed to his (their solutions that he wanted to sell).

During our meeting, Chris immediately presented his company brochure with his company's products to see whether any of them would interest me. I would have preferred if he asked about my business first and what kind of online solutions we already had in place. He could have helped me discover which aspects of my current solutions work for me and which aspects create difficulties. Also, we could have developed a vision for my online business for the next couple of years and then together work out a plan on how to get there. His company's products could have been tools to make this plan a reality, and if they turned out unsuitable or insufficient, I would have been grateful for his suggestions on who else could help complement their solutions. As a next step, we could have discussed how to create the cash flow from the online business to pay for the necessary - perhaps high-cost - tools. Eventually, it could have even ended up in a strategic partnership with his company.

Chris was not able to deepen the trust to a level that would have made this kind of exploration possible. To me as a buyer, it was quite obvious that his main interest was to sell any of their products even though he didn't do it in a pushy way. Instead, we stayed at the product level and in situations such as this, customers end up either buying a small solution, which will lead to some improvements, or buying nothing at all.

Conclusion: If you are focused on selling your product rather than on the best possible outcome for your potential buyer, you might miss out on great opportunities and will become a mere product consultant. Instead, if you coach your buyer through his best buying decision, you will not only create first-class relationships but will also expand the potential for doing business with your prospective buyers.

Charlie works with executives who are already successful and want to stay at the leading edge. They are often challenged by issues like: - How to improve staff retention, especially how to keep top performers - How to achieve a corporate success culture that guarantees longterm success - How to create new levels of excellence through high employee engagement - How to transform the business results through a different approach towards sales

Charlie, an executive coach & trainer who is known for his innovative approaches towards leadership, change processes and sales, assists his clients in mastering these challenges. They achieve outstanding results through Charlie's unique application of latest findings in research combined with his own experience in international management and leadership.

Charlie is the author of numerous articles and of the book The Groupness Factor. He delivers speeches and keynotes on sales, leadership and coaching.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Retail Selling Strategies

Writen by Donny Lowy

Retailers face an intense competitive environment. With the growing availability of retail space there are more stores joining the marketplace. At the same time there is also a great deal of money to be made at the retail level.

Consumers have more disposable income to spend, and have become accustomed to experience shopping as a form of recreation.

Here are some strong selling strategies that can be used by retailers to produce more sales.

Retail Selling Strategy #1

Display the original retail price, or manufacturers suggested retail price, next to your price. Make the two prices very clear so that shoppers will realize what a great bargain they are receiving.

Retail Selling Strategy #2

Offer free promotional items. If you want to increase your retail sales you should strongly consider using promotional items. Promotional items should have a high perceived value, such as a free DVD or CD. Give them away with every purchase over a certain amount. You can offer a higher priced value giveaway for larger purchases.

A clever retail idea is to figure out what your average retail sale is, then offer a give away for sales higher than that average. This strategy should increase your average sale since people will want the giveaway.

Retail Selling Strategy #3

Offer a loss leader. A loss leader is a product which you sell to bring attention to your store. If customers are used to paying $1 for a pair of socks, but you sell them for .05 each, you will have customers lining up to buy them from you.

You will be losing money on the socks, but think of how many other items your customers will buy once they are in your store.

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

Friday, January 23, 2009

Is Cold Calling Dead

Writen by Frank Rumbauskas

Is cold calling dead? And if laws are being passed to put it to rest once and for all, how do we generate business from now on?

Opinions on the subject vary greatly depending on the background of the individual. For example, most of the old-timers are vigilant in preaching their belief that the only possible way to succeed in the world of selling is to make no less than fifty calls each and every day. On the other hand, younger salespeople tend to become frustrated with this rather quickly and begin looking for more innovative ways to generate business.

I was just reminded of how ingrained this cold calling belief is. I spoke with a friend who left a sales position with a major merchant processing bank only a few weeks after starting. The reason? He was required to make a minimum of 400 cold calls each and every week and to document his activity with business cards. He is highly experienced and knows how to generate business without knocking on 400 doors per week and decided to discuss the strategies that have worked for him in the past with his managers. Their response? This is how we've done it for forty years and we're not about to change.

That response, in my opinion, is the reason we're seeing record business bankruptcies today. The world and our economy have changed and are breaking into bold, unchartered territory. But the management of most business organizations insists on doing things the old way, even though the old way produces less and less results as time goes on.

The concept of "Permission Marketing" is slowly but surely gaining popularity as the old idea of "Interruption Marketing" becomes less efficient and more wasteful. There are several reasons why cold calling in particular has become less effective as we move further into the Information Age. It destroys your status as a business equal. It forces you to spend time with unqualified prospects while the qualified ones are buying from your competition. It annoys people and is increasingly considered to be rude and disrespectful. Moreover, it may now be illegal (and in several states it's been illegal for quite some time). But, most importantly, it destroys sales peoples attitudes.

Where is the good news in all of this? Well, the great news is that if you begin using new, innovative, "Information Age" methods for prospecting, you'll be miles ahead of your competitors who are wasting their time annoying people with cold calls. In this age of the Internet and vast communication networks, why on earth would anyone knock on doors or make cold phone calls to look for business?

Think of the power at your fingertips: there are literally dozens of ways to use the Web and e-mail to let the idea of Permission Marketing do its magic. Allow customers to raise their hands and let you know they're interested. Begin finding, implementing and reaping the benefits of this bold, new Information Age we are in. Your competitors will be the ones standing in bankruptcy court and explaining their "do-not-call" violations to the government while you are happily taking orders.

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

Being A Better Salesman

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

I'm writing with over 35 years selling experience. I've been in advertising all my life and began with my own advertising agency. Later, I joined the Bell System Yellow Pages and did private consulting. Today, I'm retired and run a home-based business along with my wife called, 'The Nurse's Choice,' a health information and doctor referral website. I'm still technically a salesman, but I didn't set out to be one. I began as a designer and eventually, art director for a small East coast agency. When I was hired by the Yellow Pages, I had almost no sales experience. But I had always taken care of my clients and discovered it was virtually no different. Now I took care of the customer.

That's not to say that the customer is always right: far from it. But it was my job, albeit, my responsibility, to tell them when they were mistaken and put them back on the proper path. I was the advertising expert and they expected me to help them make the right decisions that would benefit them or their business, Along the way, I learned how to be the best salesman possible and made many friends in the process. These ideas will work for any salesman whether you're selling cars, homes, or anything of value. Now I'll pass on these tips in no particular order.

(1) Be honest. It sounds easy, but sales people sometimes have to sell products that they don't believe in or aren't needed by certain clients. In those cases, I would present the item and let the customer decide. Which leads me to number two.

(2) Don't be high pressure. A good salesman doesn't need to be. Just do the job and allow the product to sell itself while expounding on the features and benefits.

(3) Smile and be friendly. You're there to do them a favor and help them or their business. Let them feel that through your words, actions, and attitude.

(4) Recommend what they need. There is no use bypassing what they asked for simply to meet some quota. They'll pick up on you ulterior motives soon enough.

(5) Along with the previous, ask what they need. Allow them to explain what they are seeking and why. Learn about their situation.

(6) Answer all their questions. It's your primary job. Pass on your knowledge so they may feel secure with you and your understanding of the product or service.

(7) Give them options. There are probably several decisions and choices to make. Explain the pros and cons of each and sit back, allowing them time to digest the presentations.

(8) Shut up. Let them do the talking. Many new sales people will eventually talk themselves right out of a sale. Know the value of silence.

(9) Ask for the sale. When the time is right, pull out the contract. Sense when it's time to have them make a commitment. Don't be afraid to do so.

(10) Overcome their objections. That's when the sale actually takes place.

(11) Thank them for their business or time, even if they don't buy right away. They may still come back and be your customer. Don't burn any bridges.

(12) Follow up. Call them and reminder them you are available to answer any addition questions. Thank them again.

It's an easy road to follow but many sales people forget these basic rules. Be smart and you'll make plenty of money, good clients, and good friends along the way.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages." Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Sales Lessons From The Grocery Aisle

Writen by Kim Duke

"The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf are three billion to one. " - Erma Bombeck

There are many things we all have in common and one of them is that we have ALL gone grocery shopping (definitely not one of my favorite tasks!)

Erma Bombeck was right.

When have you ever walked into the grocery store and bought...one banana? You may have had the best of intentions but as you were walking briskly to the till ...SOMETHING ELSE caught your eye. All of a sudden you remembered you needed Kleenex, pasta, 2 lemons, Diet Coke, yogurt and the most recent edition of O magazine.

Soon your little red basket is bulging, weighs about 15 pounds and your arm feels like it is going to fall off.

I KNOW this has happened to you!

Well - you have just been involved in the Grocery Store Sales Experience and there are 3 lessons to be learned for your business!

1. Your Customer Needs To Be Reminded Of What You Have

Just as you sometimes forget to take a list to the grocery store - your customer forgets what YOU have to offer. They can be so caught up in the "day to day busy-ness" that you are quickly forgotten. You need to stay in front of them ..and OFTEN!

•Are you "seeding" your customers with ideas through the mail? •Asking them if their situation has changed? •Providing them with useful info (like this e-zine) on a consistent basis?

2. Your Customer Will Buy Other Products/Services If You Have Them

A grocery store doesn't offer just one banana.

You are going to find it tough if you have only one product or service to sell. Why? Your customer may not want, need or can't afford that particular item or service. They need some options! The key is that the options are relevant to them and also fit under the "theme" of what you do.

How can your customer "sample" what you provide? (There are some great tips about this in my book Tickled pink: The Secrets of Attracting Delightful Customers!)

Remember - one of the fastest ways to grow your business is to have additional products and services that your customer can purchase. Once they love you - they will want to buy many things from you - what are you currently offering them?

3. Package Products/Services Together For Maximum Impact

You've seen it. A grocery display with a huge pile of strawberries - and right beside it...you guessed it...whipped cream, shortcake, chocolate sauce - all combined in one "handy" area. You may initially have only been thinking about strawberries...but now you are drooling over the strawberry shortcake you will eat while watching CSI!

These 3 rules will help you to DRAMATICALLY increase the average cost per sale - without adding a ton of work, energy and effort on your part! More money - more fun - hey - it is the Diva Way!

Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report "The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make" at http://www.salesdivas.com

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

How To Maintain Credit Card Terminals

Writen by Jeremy Maddock

Buying credit card processing terminals for a retail business can be a substantial investment, costing several thousand dollars or more in many cases. When you invest this much money in this rather essential equipment, it is quite natural to want to properly maintain the equipment and extend its useful life for as long as possible.

One of the best ways to prevent your credit card terminals from breaking down prematurely is to clean them periodically.

The presence of dust, crumbs, and paper lint can cause built-in printers and stripe readers to become clogged making card reading devices difficult or impossible to use properly. A simple $2 investment in a can of compressed air, however, can help you quickly and easily clean your terminals, helping them last for up to five years without missing a beat.

When you buy new equipment of any kind for your business it is essential that you stay in the habit of maintaining it, and remind your employees to do the same.

Another, perhaps less obvious way to ensure the longevity of your card reading equipment is to buy a terminals that use integrated flash memory to store the software that runs them. Flash memory makes it easy to download and install system updates, preventing software advances and security vulnerabilities from rendering your devices obsolete.

About the Author: Jeremy Maddock is a successful web-based freelancer, who writes articles about business financial products and other corporate products.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Critical Factor In Consistent Sales Success

Writen by Virden Thornton

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing."

- Abraham Lincoln -

I have recognized for years that I could teach and then drill selling skills into a promising sales representative and could help my client to create a climate for self-motivation and yet some representatives with extremely high potential for success still would fail at the selling process. To combat this unpredictable failure, I often have counseled clients to hire two representatives to end up with one good one or three to get two. Even though I believed that a new sales person would do well as long as he had been given the right selling and prospecting tools and the motivation to spur him into action, often I saw perfectly capable employees leave the selling profession, simply because of a missing ingredient. I couldn't quite put my finger on the elusive success component, but I did feel it had something to do with an individual's achievement drive. That's why I initially created our Getting An Edge workshop and self-administered reinforcement series (see http://thesellingedge.com/manual2.htm). After watching good people fail, I sensed that there was a missing factor in our sales training. Now research by Dr. Kevin Celuch, professor of Marketing at Illinois State University, has not only identified and clarified the critical ingredient to sales success, but he has made some vital suggestions on how to instill this factor into individual sales representatives.

Dr. Celuch's has analyzed* 166 previous studies that had been completed on selling success. In his research he found that even with all of the vital selling skills in place and a motivational climate within a given company, a sales representative or service professional will often fail due to what Celuch refers to as "a vital mediating factor" between a sales person's selling skills and motivation. This mediating factor, is a sales person's own self-esteem. Celuch's study shows an extremely low correlation between sales success on one hand and a sales representative's aptitude, sales techniques, organizational skill and motivation factors on the other. Across a long list of diverse selling activities and abilities, the real indicator of selling success found in the Celuch study was a sales professional's perceived self-efficacy. A "belief in oneself" was Dr. Celuch's explanation for a salesperson's behavior and performance levels. He found that self-belief was the critical intermediary between a sales representative's knowledge and the professional's behavior.

It is interesting that a gut feeling that I have had about sales success for the past 17 years has finally been proven by research. Achievement drive, the self-esteem that drives achievement, is critical to your company's overall selling success. Those of you that use testing before hiring new sales associates should make certain that this critical factor is assessed by your tests and weighted heavily as you make decisions regarding those that you hire. For those sales representatives already in place, you need to assess your programs for helping the employees crucial to the overall success of your organization to maintain and consistently improve their feelings of self-worth. The manual listed in the first paragraph can help anyone to alter negative feelings and attain a personal belief levels that will produce consistent sales success.

* Source: Kevin Celuch, Illinois Stale University. Based on "Perceived Self-Efficacy and Salesperson Performance," presented to Pi Sigma Epsilon research fraternity convention.

VIRDEN THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge®, Inc. an Ohio consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training, personal coaching, advisory services and publishing. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Service Linen Supply, Bank One, Jefferson Wells International, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of the "best selling" Building & Closing the Sale, Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success and Close That Sale, a video/audio tape series published by Crisp Publications a division of Thompson Learning. He has also authored a client acclaimed Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching, telemarketing, and personal productivity manuals. To obtain a substantial discount on two of Virden's latest books, 101 Sales Myths or Organizing For Sales Success, go to: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/

Monday, January 19, 2009

Direct Mail Post Cards Saving Time While Making Money

Writen by Lanard Perry

Direct mail post cards are one of the fastest and most economical ways to reach your customers. And, because there's no envelope to open your messages are seen as soon as your post cards are taken out of the mailboxes. Consequently, you have the ability to instantly establish a connection, or kill a deal, so your message must be attractively packaged.

In keeping with that there are important elements of direct mail campaigns that you must include in order to get the most out of your marketing efforts. For example:

1) Keep it simple. Keep copy simple, direct, short and to the point. Also, use words that motivate.

2) Create bold headlines. Grab the reader's attention and make them at least think about your advertisement.

3) Ask questions. Asking questions is also an attention getter, as the readers of your mailings are likely to pause and think of an answer.

4) Solve their problems. Remember that real estate sales people are in the problem solving business. Your prospects have real estate related problems, and your aim is to have solutions to them.

5) Call to action. Always include a call to action; the prospect must be motivated to respond. Be clear and direct about what it is you want them to do.

6) Choose appealing colors and fonts. Your choice and use of colors, font sizes, white space, etc influences the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, as does your ability to tailor your marketing messages to your targeted audience.

Marketing mailers, flyers, brochures and post cards are more affordable and accessible than ever, as they can now be easily published from your computer. Or, you can still go the conventional route of purchasing your marketing materials from a third party vendor.

And because they're so affordable small businesses and individuals can wager year round marketing campaigns.

There's no shortage of statistics about the importance of consistent advertising, but the bottom line is that repetition builds recognition. So, when you start a mailing campaign commit to it for the long haul, as it can take 3- 7 mailings before the recipients connect the mailings with you and your services, at which time you'll be more than half way there.

So, the main goal of direct mail marketing campaigns is to get your name before as many people as you can, as often as you can, so that when buyers and sellers in your community need an agent they'll think of you.

The more marketing pieces you put into prospects hands the sooner you develop warm and hot leads, prospects ready to do business with you. And the more frequently you do it the more leads you develop for sustaining your career.

Full gloss direct mail post cards can evoke powerful visual images with short, compelling marketing and sales messages – your messages! And with a direct mail marketing campaign you can deliver your sales messages quickly, often and save money doing it.

So, begin a direct mailing campaign when you're ready to

• generate more leads with less time and effort

• create a steady stream of responsive prospects, and

• brand yourself as the agent/business of choice

Direct mail is a cost effective solution for every budget, and when combined with face to face, website interaction and other marketing strategies is so effective that it can set the tone for and sustain a real estate agent's career.

Repeated mailings of a single, strong direct mail piece is a very effective strategy for Realtors on limited budgets, and consistently produces one of the highest rates of return on a small to mid-size size marketing budget… and did I mention you'll save time while doing it?

Keeping customers informed of your real estate marketing efforts and successes should be your top priority, and simple, eye-catching post cards can be the solution!

Lanard Perry is the webmaster of "Real-Estate-Marketing-Talk", a real estate marketing site for real estate agents, buyers, sellers and investors. Discover more direct mail marketing ideas at http://www.real-estate-marketing-talk.com/direct-mail-post-cards.html

Sunday, January 18, 2009

New Company In The Area And The Good Ole Boy Midwestern Sales Objection

Writen by Lance Winslow

If you are a new company in a small market or you are the new company in an industry often your prospects will decide not to buy from you because you are too new. You have no reputation and they are not sure about your ability to deliver what you say you will in the way of your company offerings.

They say things like; We will wait and see if you are still around next year, then we can talk. Interesting because if everyone says this you will not be around next year will you? I mean you need sales to grow your business and enough synergy and customers to keep it going.

If you tell the prospects this they will often say well who is doing business with you now? This is a dangerous thing to discuss in a smaller town or small city, because everyone knows everyone else and the word will get back to your competition within a day or two, sometimes as soon as you leave, they will be on the phone to them. It happens all the time.

Worse your competition who gave lousy service will be on the phone pleading to have the account back and you could lose the new account before you start? It happens, believe me. So, to properly handle this objection, pretend you are from Missouri and "Show Them" by giving them free service, free demo or something of this nature.

It will help get the ball rolling and stop that "Good Ole Boy" Midwestern Objection in its tracks. And it just does not happen in the Midwest, small towns in the Deep South and even West Coast or North East will have similar objection tactics. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Saturday, January 17, 2009

11 Rules For Selling To A Skeptic

Writen by William R. Patterson

Let's face it: the greatest accomplishment for a member of the sales community is closing a deal with a skeptic. Many who are proficient at this art agree that it is far more gratifying to convince someone who initially felt your product was not necessary that it indeed is, than to complete what the industry terms an "easy sell." Lucky for us all, plenty of doubters buy products and services everyday. Let us examine eleven of the fundamental techniques used by those who succeed in persuading the worst of cynics.

1. Know your product/service
Know it inside and out, backwards and forwards. You should know its strengths, weaknesses, and any proprietary features. Also understand the factors that influence its supply and demand. All of these will strengthen your presentation and help the skeptic make a more informed purchasing decision. There should be nothing that anyone can tell you about what you solicit. You will definitely be asked questions, so be prepared to demonstrate all aspects of your product/service in response.

2. Know your prospect
Along with knowing your product comes knowing your prospect. Strive to know all you can about your target demographic and potential clients. Make sure you deal with the decision maker. You should know their purchasing habits, what motivation determines their choice, and how long a buying decision takes. You must understand how your product fits into their overall purchasing strategy. When you know the buying habits of your prospect, you can use it to develop a longer-term sales plan—that means repeat business. Put yourself in the most favorable position to get a "yes" by focusing on what most concerns your prospect.

3. Believe in your own words
You will never be effective selling something you do not believe in, particularly to someone who is already skeptical. Your lack of enthusiasm will be an obvious as you attempt to convince your potential buyer. When you emanate passion and confidence, you break down the wall of doubt the cynic has built. To not be a pillar of strength during your presentation is a sure-fire ticket to an abrupt "no." If you are lucky enough to sell a product you do not believe in, you still lose because you risk killing referral business and losing the trust of your customer.

4. Be transparent
Too often, we give strong pitches with lots of hype and little information. We will say, "If you want these benefits, buy my product." This is done with the hope that a prospect's curiosity about your bold claims will be enough to convince them to purchase. The idea that if you divulge too much information, you could dissuade your prospect is a far too common falsehood. Be prepared to give as much information as needed to convince the potential buyer to make a purchase. Transparency builds trust. Things people do not understand will always be greeted with "no." The more information available when making a purchasing decision, the more likely they are to say "yes." Another benefit of being transparent is the more resources you divulge free of charge, the more likely you are to generate interest in your product/service.

5. Gain trust by associating yourself with things they respect
By offering endorsements and testimonials, especially from well-known sources that your target market respects, you strike the chord of "trust." Many a skeptic has purchased based on the recommendations of individuals they respect. Secure associations along these lines and look to align yourself with trusted agencies through strategic partnerships. Major endorsements mean less resistance and lots of sales.

6. Offer a free trial, incentive, bargain, or guarantee
The structure of your offer can play a key role in building trust and enticing your prospect to buy. There are many variations of each, but incentives and guarantees are great ways to gain your potential buyer's confidence. Guarantees and free trails allow the skeptic to try the product/service before determining if your offer is a good fit. Incentives and discounts are also valuable tactics as they make the cynic feel they are getting a value. People always love the feeling of getting something for free and buying when it is a low/no-risk transaction. By guaranteeing the quality of your product/service, you disarm the skeptic and encourage them to buy. You also communicate an important message that you are confident in what you sell.

7. Compare and differentiate yourself from your competitors
Know the nature of your business. Is it commodity based, where the low price bidder wins? Is the strength of your brand a factor? Is there something unique about your offer? You must understand your competitors and their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have both the knowledge of your competitors and an understanding of the skeptic's needs, you can choose the most effective marketing angle. We offer such phrases as:

  • "The lowest cost"…you play to the desire for value
  • "The official"…you validate for authenticity
  • "The best"…you show superiority
  • "The only"…you offer exclusivity

If possible, demonstrate the differences that make your product/service unique or superior.

8. Sell the relationship, not the product
Contrary to popular belief, the best salespeople not only close deals, they foster relationships. Relationships are more valuable to both you and the prospect than a one-time transaction. For the salesperson, relationships bring repeat business and the ability to cross-market your offerings; increased referrals because you gain access to the prospect's network base, and the ability to charge a premium because of the higher perceived value of your relationship. For the skeptic, relationships help build trust. These bonds let them know they will not be abandoned after the transaction is finished. Ultimately, they are buying a relationship with you and your firm, not the product/service, so approach selling that way.

9. Focus on benefits offered and value delivered
Self-interest is the skeptic's primary concern, so focus on how your product/service solves their problem, fulfills their need, or satisfies their desire. If your prospect is solely bottom-line focused, your presentation should be centered on how your product or service will make or save them money. If your product satisfies a desire, focus on how it fills an emotional void. Emotional selling differs from bottom-line selling because it focuses on feelings rather than metrics. Remember to focus on the benefits that concern your potential buyer; anything else will make a skeptic lose interest and you lose the sale.

10. Isolate their objection
In life and business, two of the greatest challenges are making intelligent decisions and properly following through on them. One of your fundamental goals as a salesperson is to help people make informed decisions. To do so, ask two types of questions: those to better understand your potential buyer and his/her needs, and questions designed to lead your prospect to buy. A series of well-placed questions will allow you to isolate any objections. You should brainstorm every possible reason a skeptic will not buy from you and comprise an effective solution or rebuttal for each. Any other question should be crafted in a way that allows for only one reasonable answer, and that answer should compel your prospect to agree with you.

11. Don't seem desperate!
Your emotional state will be apparent to a skeptic. Never appear as though you "need" a sale. Everyone avoids a hard-pressed individual. Often we are conditioned to give to and buy from those who do not need our money. It is the same principle that makes us more likely give a rich man fifty-cents to make phone call because he has no change, than to a homeless man in need who makes the same request. Therefore, it is imperative that you operate from a mindset of abundance. Understand there is always a bigger sale out there, so you need not be pressed for this one. Your confidence will put the cynic at ease and make them more likely to buy from you.

Once internalized, these 11 points will mesh into an effective sales strategy. You will begin to think of them not as individual points to be mastered, but one comprehensive selling technique. They are designed to compliment each other and give you a thorough footing for selling to those who are naturally doubtful about you and your service. Master them and win!

Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, and D. Marques Patton are co-authors of the acclaimed business and personal finance National Bestseller, The Baron Son: Vade Mecum 7. Vicky Davis is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Indulgence Jewelry Corp. William Patterson is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Warcoffer Capital Group, LLC. D. Marques Patton is Co-founder and President of The Warcoffer Capital group, LLC. To receive their breakthrough book and over $3,631 in FREE bonus gifts, visit: http://www.baronseries.com

Friday, January 16, 2009

Goal Setting Traits That Will Close Clients

Writen by Tom Perkins

I talk to business owners every day. A common question I am asked is how to get clients.

The number one mistake that I see these professionals making constantly is that they do passive marketing instead of action-oriented marketing, with no clear developed plan for securing clients.

Passive marketing is really expecting business to come to you. We do it all the time. We expect our friends, family and colleagues to refer people to us. We put our business cards or flyers everywhere we can think of. And we sit back and expect tons of business to come in and scratch our heads when it doesn't.

Action-oriented marketing is goal-based. I believe that one should have clear, measurable and attainable goals in order to consistently grow their company. It's like chipping away a foundation. Taking a lesson from network marketing, this method is called "repetition." You do this by performing similar tasks daily, weekly and monthly. In the long run, this will bring you clients. Some of these actions can be calling, emailing, writing articles, public speaking, talking to someone that is within three feet of you, and asking for referrals, to name a few.

The next step is to clearly define your goal. Establish a number of contacts that you believe that you can realistically attain, and then go out and make contact. An example is I plan to talk to 20 people this week. I will get five warm leads and of those five I will get one new client this week.

Or, this month, I will contact 10 groups with a goal in mind to be able to speak in front of them. Of the 10 groups I contact, I will get five warm leads and one group will invite me to speak in front of them.

Additionally, I may introduce myself to a new person each day face-to-face, explaining to them who my ideal client is and if they aren't, I will ask them if they know anyone who fits that description. So as each week progresses, keep track of how many people you talk to and put that person into your pipeline. Finally, you need to follow up with your pipeline contacts.

Another example is forming strategic partnerships. I will contact 10 perspective partners per month, getting 5 warm leads and closing 2. The partnerships could be in the form of endorsement letters, articles in a newsletter, linking websites, etc. All of these goals should be put on a spreadsheet and charted day-by-day.

The reason that you need to repeat things over and over and over again is that because it takes a number of contacts to get a client interested in you. You have to work your pipeline by never giving up on a prospect until they tell you to buzz off. Take a look at these stats:

According to the National Sales Executive Association, the average sale is closed according to the following number of contacts:

· 2% on 1st contact
· 3% on 2nd contact
· 5% on 3rd contact
· 10% on 4th contact
· 80% on 5th-12th contact

This means that people have to see, hear or read about you numerous times before they decide to use your services. The contacts can be via phone, email, in person, articles, public speaking, a referral from somebody, and/or an endorsement. The number one thing to remember is… DON'T STOP!

So keep up the sales and marketing!

Tom Perkins is a business solutions coach and certified personal trainer who leads fitness professionals to profitability.

Send an email to thecoach1-140208@autocontactor.com to receive the Essential Business Success Checklist. Or visit his website at http://www.fitnessindustrysolutions.com.

Three Steps To A Better Harvest

Writen by Scott T. Love

How much of the potential business that exists with your clients are you getting? Is it 50%? 75%? Maybe 90%? Of all the needs that your clients have, how much are you getting? If you're like most firms, it's probably less than fifty percent. What that means is companies are indeed buyers of services similar to the ones that you offer…it's just that they're working with other firms and not you.

Here's an irrefutable fact of marketing: it's easier to sell a product or a service to a hand that is open and has already bought from you than from one that is closed.

Many companies tout that they have high percentages of repeat business, and they seem to say it in a proud way that sort of tells the world "Yeah. We know we're good. That's why eighty percent of our clients keep coming back to us." Forget about how many clients are repeat clients. That's a given. All of them should be repeat clients if you're doing your job right. Your repeat customer rate should be no less than 100 percent.

This is what you should be focusing on and using as the benchmark for success: pursue all of the business from every client who has worked with you in the past. There's your land of opportunity. Right under your nose. You know they're already a user of services. They already know you and hopefully like you. There's your challenge, champ. Now go harvest it and close some deals.

Consider these three action steps for you to implement today. Yes, today. I challenge you to complete this simple, easy, and high-impacting exercise before you go to bed tonight. Your time commitment will be less than seven minutes.

Write in your journal the answer to the following three questions:

1. What steps could I take to get more business from my existing clients?

2. What steps could I take to become more memorable with my existing clients, so that when they have a need, they think of me first?

3. What steps could I take to get all the business from my existing clients?

Your subconscious mind already knows the answers to these questions. By asking high-yield questions like these, you'll come up with your own unique marketing and action plan to bring in more business, bring in all the business, from every single client who ever has and ever will hire you.

Reap your harvest. You've already planted the seeds. You deserve to win. Time to bring in the fruit of your labor.

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

Thursday, January 15, 2009

What Is Selling Exactly

Writen by Bill Lee

Dear Bill:

A couple of years ago, I heard you speak at a Western Building Material Association meeting in Washington State. In that program you made the statement that most salespeople in our industry spend too much time performing tasks and too little time engaged in the act of selling.

This statement confuses me. My manager's idea of selling and yours are miles apart. He has instructed us to make at least one prospect call each day and do our best to get the prospect to allow us to quote on an upcoming job. Of course, nine times out of ten, quoting an upcoming job includes having to do a take-off. And performing both of these "tasks"  quoting and doing takeoffs  don't qualify as "selling" if I understood you correctly.

My manager's theory is that the fastest way to get prospects' attention is to quote them some pretty hot numbers. While we don't always get an order as a result, if our prospects see our quotes consistently coming in under the market, they will pretty soon be motivated to give us a fair shot at their business.

What's wrong with this theory?

A struggling salesperson from the Great Northwest

Dear Struggling Salesperson,

The last thing I want to do is get you in trouble with your manager. However, except under extenuating circumstances, I do disagree with the approach he is advocating. And here's why:

The odds of salespeople -- no matter how good they are -- getting an order from a prospect on the first call are not good. My argument is that few builders are going to give salespeople an order on their first sales call even if they do a terrific takeoff and come in with a lower price than their current supplier has been quoting. Instead, most builders will first give their current supplier an opportunity to meet the price. In fact, I'll bet you that most your own loyal customers give you "last look" when one of your competitors fires a low-ball price at them in an attempt to take business away from you.

Pricing is like water, it seeks its own level. You fire low-ball prices at my customers and in retaliation I fire them back at your customers. This is a lose/lose scenario if I ever saw one. I personally believe that one of the reasons that our industry's gross margins are under so much pressure is because of prospecting tactics like the ones your manager advocates.

As the old saying goes, a well-groomed gorilla could quote low-ball prices. Quoting involves little if any "selling."

While doing takeoffs is a task that does require technical expertise, doing takeoffs is extremely time consuming and is no closer to selling than quoting. Just about any salesperson working for any of your competitors can do both, so neither task represents a great deal of added value. You must be spending anywhere from three to four hours a day just doing takeoffs for your prospects, not counting for your regular customers.

One of greatest truths in the selling profession is this, "All things being equal, builders prefer to buy from salespeople they know, like and respect." And here is another great truth about selling: "All things not being equal, builders still prefer to buy from salespeople whom they know, like and respect."

So your job as a salesperson is to build relationships with your prospects that are better and more valued than the relationships your competitors have previously built. Building relationships takes time. You don't build relationships over night. You don't "buy" relationships with low-ball prices. About the best a low-ball price will buy you is an order; it will rarely buy you a customer.

Selling is a profession. Salespeople who have learned how to build relationships and gain the trust and confidence of their customers and prospects will always be successful and are highly sought after. They also earn incomes that rank at the top of the industry.

My guess is that your manager learned the tactics he is teaching you from someone he worked for in the past and has perhaps not been exposed to a lot of professional sales training. After all, it is possible for a salesperson or sales manager to be successful strictly because they possess a high degree of technical expertise. But when you combine technical expertise and professional selling skills, you have an almost unbeatable combination.

If your manager would like to discuss this issue, please invite him to give me a call or send me an e-mail message.

Bill Lee is author of Gross Margin: 26 Factors Affecting Your Bottom Line ($29.95) and 30 Ways Managers Shoot Themselves in the Foot ($21.95). Both books are $6 S&H for the first book and $1 S&H for each additional book. Bill also offers Master Selling Skills DVDs and CDs on his Web site. See Shopping Cart at http://www.BillLeeOnLine.com

The Blinking Salesperson

Writen by Steve Martinez

This article isn't about what you think! When I refer to the blinking salesperson, I am referring to a salesperson that blinks at the first perceived inquiry on price. It happened to me the other day while I was buying some new eyeglasses. I had lost my prescription glasses and needed a replacement. In my situation, a replacement was needed because things were a little blurry using an old pair of eyeglasses. After picking out a pair of frames and the eye exam, it was now time to visit with the salesperson.

We were seated across from each other. The salesperson then began going over the cost and told me what the investment was. I casually mentioned how expensive I thought they were. I took some time at the desk and just waited for a pregnant minute as I thought about lunch. Yes, lunch. I also made a long humming sound, raised my eyebrows and took some deep breaths. I was really thinking about was where to go for lunch after picking out glasses.

The salesperson apparently couldn't stand the situation and blinked by lowering my price an additional 20 percent. I then took a few more deep breaths and added some more uncomfortable time by just sitting there. I leaned back in my chair and looked up at the ceiling for a few moments. When I looked back at the salesperson, she blinked again and took another 20 percent off the charge for the eye exam.

The interesting thing is that all this happened while I was thinking about what I was going to have for lunch. I was perfectly content with the initial price given me. I just took some time at the counter thinking about whether it would be a sub sandwich or a hamburger. In this case, a few moans and looking at the ceiling provided savings enough for a free lunch. Maybe, if I had moaned more, I could have saved enough for dinner.

Value Added Selling The eyeglass salesperson could have taken me down a different path but elected to reduce my price. Remember, I had only mentioned that I thought the price was high. It was almost two years since I bought my last pair and I didn't have any idea what I paid last time. The salesperson would have been better off to explain the value of the investment, which included spring back frames. She could have mentioned the cost included anti-glare coating and that it also includes a 30-day guarantee. She could have mentioned anything that gave me reason to see the value of the investment I was making in quality eyewear.

Questioning Price Usually, when someone is questioning price it is just a question. Nothing more and nothing less, it is just a question. The important thing is not to blink in a quick response. You may need to remind the person about the values of doing business with you. It might be an opportunity to add value by suggesting additional benefits. It is a good idea to reinforce the quality of the service or product you will provide. It might be an opportunity to mention the time frame of delivery.

An example might be - As I recall, you need this product in the hands of your customers by the 20th. By authorizing this now, we can ensure your order piece will be delivered on time. Professional salespeople use these price questions to reinforce the quality and service of their organization. It is not a time to wiggle and choke. We must listen to the question and then treat it as a question that simply states, "I'm not sure I fully understand the value of your product or service. Can you explain to me what you're doing to command this price?" As a rule, once you explain the value of your service and product, the question is satisfied. The moral of the story is - it's fine to moan and groan, it might just earn you a free lunch.

Steve Martinez implements sales management strategies with a focus on automating sales for printing organizations. Selling Magic teaches businesses how to automate and customizing ACT or Outlook with the best practices of sales management while integrating email marketing and technology for greater profits. http://www.sellingmagic.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Fill In The Gaps With International Trade

Writen by Scott Green

Owning your own business is difficult at times. Competition is greater because you have less "man power", less products, and often times less money going into the business than what is coming out. At times, your product may not be selling well in your area, or may eventually become obsolete all together. If the success of your product depends on things such as say, the weather, then you may be slow for several months out of the year and this could cause financial difficulty.

Think about expanding your business through international trade. The idea of going International may sound only possible for the "big dogs". It may seem difficult, stressful, or even pricey. Not true. There are people all over the world in need of what you have to sell and reaching out to them is sometimes as easy as a phone call or the push of a few buttons on your lap top. Following are several hints to successfully expanding your business worldwide.

First, you may want to look at importing and exporting. Though importing, you could provide a greater variety to the product you're selling with similar products from other countries. The buying or manufacturing of products from other countries may also be cheaper than production where you are. Also, the products that you import would be unique therefore your customers would be coming to only you for them. The are many advantages of exporting. The use or need for your product could become obsolete in your country after a few years especially if you are selling computer or data products; but it could be a new, hot commodity in another country.

Say your country is experiences a consumer drought, but in other countries their economy is booming! You want your product to be where the money is. As I stated before, if your product is weather or season dependant, exporting could benefit you during those several months out of the year when your product is not needed.

Consider adding mail order services to your present business. You can increase your selling power by using this method of selling which is favorable to international trade. The internet is a prosperous way that businesses are getting the news of their products worldwide. Use websites, online stores, and affiliate marketing strategies to obtain foreign business. The internet is not going anywhere anytime soon. And more and more people are jumping on to the whole idea of being able to shop at home. Get your product online so that it can be seen by people everywhere there is an outlet and electricity!!!

Becoming a licensing agent has its international trading benefits as well. You can earn royalties if you arrange for foreign corporations to manufacture and sell products from domestic companies. Most business owners have no idea the amount of money that they can make simply finding foreign buyers for domestic companies. On the flip side, you can earn fees from foreign companies for finding domestic corporations who are willing to buy their products.

As a single source supplier, Electro Tape Specialties ability to furnish a wide range of pressure sensitive tape products has enhanced the company's value to distributors. In addition to everything Electro Tape Specialties has to offer, the company now introduces a new website that promises a more attractive look and easier navigations. When corporations search for cable ties, duct tapes, packaging tapes, or stucco tapes, viewers will now find descriptions, features, and physical properties; everything a consumer needs to find what is best for their company.

http://www.electrotape.com

Mr. Green is a Article Distributor for Industrial Tape Distributor. Electrotape Specialities Inc. globaly supplies Grade A tape products.

Is Following Up A Waste Of Time

Writen by Tim Connor

Follow-up in today's world can be a waste of time and energy or it can guarantee a closed sale. Sound like a paradox? Read on.

I can tell you that on some occasions when I followed up the sales process – prospecting, presentation, overcome sales objections and ask for the business – I have closed the sale. I can also tell you that when I have done everything right during the sales process and followed up – no sale. Why the difference?

- Is it the quality of the prospect?

- Is the timing for the prospect not right?

- Is it the timing or quality of your follow-up?

- Is it just pure luck?

- Is it the competition?

- Is it in the stars?

There are dozens of questions that we could ask ourselves in hindsight. Some might shed some light on why sales were not closed and others might just be our justification or excuses. Effective follow-up can make the difference. It can help move a sale toward the close and follow-up does improve your professional image. But it must be timely and of value to the prospect not just a simple – thanks for your time.

Here are a few things to consider when following up on a prospect.

1. The sooner the better. The retention of information after 24 hours decreases very rapidly. After a few days – forget it. Wait a week and you might as well have not started with this prospect in the first place.

2. Follow-up should be personal. A hand written note along with any other documents gives what you do a personal touch.

3. Follow-up should be benefit-oriented. Your follow-up should state, summarize or mention a benefit to the prospect and not just list a feature or capability.

4. Follow-up should be in writing. Calls and emails are nice as a follow-up but putting something in the mail sends a message that your prospect is worth more of your time than a quick email.

5. Follow-up should ask an important elevator question. Tying a key benefit to the prospect with an elevator question will trigger their thinking.

6. Follow-up is not – did you get the information I sent. This should one be self-explanatory if it isn't please register for my Fundamentals of Sales seminar in Charlotte in June. See my website for details.

7. Follow-up should encourage further dialog. The purpose of follow-up is not to give the prospect something to read or do. It is to help you continue a positive dialog with them.

8. Follow-up should create a sense of urgency. If you are sure how to do this - see number 6six above.

9. Follow-up should demonstrate that you are listening to the prospect. By including in your follow-up something the prospect said, asked or did tells them you were listening and not just going through the motions of another sales 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 http://www.timconnor.com