Persistence Pays Off

In my opinion, being persistent is the quality that separates the good from the great salesperson. To jazz up the sales of your business, be persistent.

Did you know that 80% of salespeople quit trying after hearing the first, "No?"

Tom Reilly, author of Value Added Selling, clarifies the difference between pushy and persistent. He says, “If you press for an order after I say ‘No’ because you need to sell something today, you’re pushy!” But, “If you press for a commitment when I say ‘No’ because I really need your solution, you're persistent.” It has everything to do with your motivation. Are you pressing for the customer’s benefit or for your benefit?

I'm glad that the builder I blogged about last month was persistent. Although from what I said about him appearing desperate you may think I'm contradicting myself! But we just closed on the house this week!

Don't Appear Desperate

My husband and I almost bought a new house last month. It was a brand new home that the builder was anxious to sell. The builder appeared desperate to unload the home by calling every day (sometimes multiple times in one day), quickly dropping his price and then suggesting we circumvent both of our realtors. After 1 week of this my husband and I got spooked about the deal and withdrew our offer.

You may be negotiating a great deal with a perceived "qualified buyer." Just because the buyer's decision time frame isn't fast enough for you doesn't mean they won't buy. But you can kill the deal by appearing desperate. Avoid the urge to harass a potential buyer or beg. The following constitutes begging:

1. Calling the buyer frequently to check on their decision.
2. Dropping your price without taking something away from the deal.
3. Calling a buyer's cell phone and not leaving a voicemail (caller ID - duh!).
4. Putting fabricated pressure on the buyer: "Can you let me know by 1:00?" or "We are close to selling out." or "This deal is only good until 5:00 today." If you make something up - your buyer will find out.
5. Becoming agitated with your buyer or questioning him. Confrontation kills most deals.

So it looks like we will be staying in our current house for a while longer.

Relationships are the Key to Jazzing Up Your Sales

Last week I attended my friend Greg’s 60th birthday party. Greg is a successful business owner and investor who recently beat lung cancer. During the toasts at the party many people mentioned how they had known Greg for the last 15 or 20 years and how wonderful their friendships have been. Many of Greg's closest friends were people he does business with and who do business with him.

This reminded me of the best way to jazz up the sales of your business: relationships. It's cliche' but true - "people do business with people" and "people buy from people they like."

Here are some quick tips for how to build relationships with your customers:

1. Find out about them. Ask questions like,
   "Do you have big plans for the holidays?"
   "Do you have a lot of family in town?"
   "Seen the new Star Wars movie yet?"
   "How old are your kids?"
   Learning about your client gives you conversation starters for your meetings with them.
   
   
2. Socialize outside of work. If you find out you and your customer have a similar interest like hunting or fishing, plan a trip together. If your spouses have never met, invite your client and spouse out to dinner.
   


3. Use the mail. If socializing outside of work feels too much like schmoozing to you there are other avenues for building relationships. Read an article in the newspaper that made you think of your client? Cut it out and mail it to him with a quick handwritten note.
   


4. Give event tickets. A good way to socialize with your customer is to invite him to a sporting event. If this makes you uncomfortable consider giving your clients tickets to a local baseball or basketball game. You might say, "Hi Jim, I have 4 tickets to the Mavericks game tomorrow night and wanted to know if you'd like to have them?"
   


5. Stay in touch. Send your clients birthday cards or Happy 4th of July cards to stay in touch throughout the year. Email or call them occasionally to check in. Keep the emails or phone calls short and sweet. Be creative in thinking up "excuses" to contact your customers.
   
   
6. Know their business. You don't have to be an expert, but make it a point to understand a little about your customer's business. For example, if you own a cleaning company, make it a point to understand the cycles of your customer's business to know when will be the best and most convenient times for your cleaning crews to work - after hours, after the Friday night rush, before or after a big event, etc.

How to Write a Proposal that Sells

A time consuming part of running a small business is providing proposals to potential clients. Even a quick bid takes time. It can be frustrating when you have several proposals pending and no one is buying.

Here are some tips for jazzing up the success rate of your proposals:

• Do the homework. Talk or visit in person with prospective clients to find out what they need. Ask questions and let the client do the talking. For example, if you are a lawn care company, you might ask:
  
  What are your biggest concerns about your lawn?
  Do you have any problem areas? Weeds, dead grass, etc.
  What service are you using now?
  
  
• Customize, even if just a little. You may have a standard proposal or quote form that you use - but whenever possible tailor the proposal to highlight the specific needs of your client. Use the same language and words of your client. In the lawn care example, if the client talks about the "north side of the yard" or the "area behind the air conditioner" - refer to it that way in your proposal.
  
  
• Only provide a proposal when necessary. Writing a proposal takes time. If you see the client isn't a good fit for your service don't take time writing a proposal. Don't send out arbitrary proposals in hopes of getting business either. If you have met with a prospect and do not have a verbal agreement prior to your proposal submission - then your proposal probably won't be acccepted.
  
  
• Give options. People like choices with different prices - specifically a high, medium and low price option. This changes the dynamic. Instead of saying "yes" or "no" to your proposal the customer concentrates on "which option do I want?"
  
  
• Sell a little. Some call this showing value.
  
  For example, using my lawn care example again, instead of saying this:
  "Mow and weed side yard behind air conditioner."
  Say this:
  "In order to prevent unwanted ant beds and the potential of clogging the
  air conditioner vent, we will mow and weed the side yard behind the air
  conditioner. "
  
  
• Don't quote a price too soon. What if you went to the doctor and said, "What's wrong with me and how much does it cost?" The doctor would spend time asking you questions, learning your history and examining you before making a diagnosis and giving you a bill. Try not to quote prices off the top of your head before learning what the client needs.
  
  By the same token, if someone calls you and ONLY wants to know your price it could be a waste of time quoting them - unless you know your prices are the lowest. My accountant won't quote prices over the phone at all. She tells prospects she will be glad to discuss pricing after they meet with her. This weeds the "bargain shoppers" and helps her determine how she can best work with the prospect - which improves her proposal success rate.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Jazz Up Your Sales Using a Thanksgiving Card

One way to jazz up the sales of your business as the year winds down is to send a holiday card. To make sure your message really stands out send a Thanksgiving card instead of a Christmas card for the following reasons:

1. Your card will stand out because it's first. People receive an average of 21-42 Christmas cards but can you remember the last Thanksgiving card you received? You will beat the holiday card inundation and your card won't get thrown in the pile with all the other Christmas cards.
   
   
2. Consider sending a card with a Thanksgiving recipe or holiday decorating ideas. This will provide useful information that recipients will be inclined to save. Be creative about tying the message in with your business ~ it's okay to have a little fun with it. You might sign the card, "From us turkeys at XYZ Company." Here's a website with some clever Thanksgiving card ideas.
   
   
3. Make it personal. As difficult as it is to sign your name or write a short note in every card make an effort to do so. A preprinted name inside a preprinted envelope doesn't make anyone feel special and is less memorable. As a minimum - sign your own name.
   
   
4. E-cards are great if you have a good email list and especially if you market through an electronic newsletter.
   
   
5. Thanksgiving is a time for being thankful and showing gratitude. It just makes sense to acknowledge clients at this time of year.
   
   
6. Remember the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest retail shopping day of the year. Can you tie in a reminder about this shopping day and offer an "early bird" (no pun intended!) special?
   
   
7. If you want to send a gift consider a Thanksgiving pie. My real estate agent sends out a notification every year to her clients to pick up a Thanksgiving pie at her office 2 days before Thanksgiving. All I have to do is call her office and tell her "apple" or "pecan." What a great marketing idea! I feel special... she reminds me of her business... and it forces me to physically (and willingly) go to her office where she can make face-to-face contact. I love it! And guess who I think about when people ask me about a real estate agent referral?

The Cable Company Makes Everyone Look Good

I don't like rants - but after the hellacious experience we had with Direct TV last week I have to rant a little. We've all had the experience of waiting on the "cable guy" to arrive between 8: 00 AM and 5:00 PM. (I don't know of many other businesses that can get away with this arrival time window.) After having a appointment scheduled for over a month the cable guy didn't arrive last Tuesday like he was supposed to. We had everything ready, the furniture pulled away from the wall, wires hanging down everywhere and then nothing to show for it. 6 phone calls later and Direct TV tells me they can reschedule 10 days later. The short story is I blew a gasket and they made it out the next morning.

But guess what this bad experience did? It made the furniture delivery experience I had the following week a delight ~ even though 2 pieces were damaged and the furniture company had to redeliver it 2 days later. Here's where the difference was:

The furniture company called and gave me 1 hour notice and showed up in exactly 1 hour, they delivered the furniture in a professional manner and left. After noticing damaged pieces I called the store (The Dump) and within 30 minutes they had rescheduled the new pieces to be delivered 2 days later. Two days later I had the same 1-hour advance phone call and they arrived in exactly 1 hour. Yes, it stunk that I had to have the furniture redelivered - but the store did exactly what they said when they said they would do it.

This brings to light a critical point in jazzing up the sales of your business.... Just do what you say you are going to do! And if you are not able to do so, tell your customer ASAP. Sure they may get upset ~ but customers will get more upset if they feel they've been lied to. Full disclosure of a failure to execute on a promise is your best bet for long term sales growth.

Create a Win-Win-Win with Cause Marketing

Most of us remember what we were doing when we found out about the horrific events that unfolded on September 11, 2001. I think we all became a little more human that day as it became acceptable for people of all ranks to show grief and concern for people that we didn't even know.

Since September 11 corporate America has taken strides toward protecting the greater good. For example, just after the tsunami in Asia my company matched donations employees made to the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. Yes, companies are concerned with making a profit but now we are thinking about the environment, people in need and causes bigger than ourselves. This brings to light a new way to jazz up the sales of your business called Cause Marketing.

Cause marketing enables you to boost your sales and give back to your community at the same time. By aligning your business with a nonprofit cause you can enjoy additional PR and exposure from contributing to the cause, your customers feel good about buying from you because of your generosity and you experience personal gratification.

Here are a few tips for getting started with a Cause Marketing Strategy:

1. Pick a strategic cause that aligns with your business. A pet grooming service might align themselves with the SPCA. A new health food store might align themselves with the American Diabetes Association. It needs to be a win-win for both groups. What causes are your customers interested in supporting? One example I've heard is about a cleaning service offering to dry clean donated coats and blankets for free and donating them to the homeless during the winter months. Wouldn't you feel good about doing business with them?
   
   


2. Decide up front what you want to accomplish. Do you want media exposure? Increased sales? Better name recognition? Because you will be partnering with a nonprofit organization it will be important for you to know what you want from the relationship. Keep it a business relationship - get contracts signed, work out the logistics of using the nonprofit's name and logo and how often your name and logo will appear on their publications, finalize how the partnership will be promoted on your websites, determine how many articles the nonprofit will publish in their newsletters about you, etc.
   
   


3. Blab. Don't be shy about asking for acknowledgment from your strategic partnership. You should be proud of the relationship and glad to tell everyone about it. Remember, this is marketing!
   
   


4. Know how to measure your success. Set metrics to determine if your partnership is paying off. There is a degree of intangibility that will occur because you can't measure how many customers you retain from this campaign - in other words, it's hard to measure the "feel good" factor your current customers will experience by doing business with you. But, the primary goal is to jazz up your sales. Be open with your nonprofit partner about your goals and progress.

Cause marketing creates a Win-Win-Win.

You WIN by jazzing up your sales (and plus it feels good to help others)!
The community or nonprofit agency WINS because it receives your support.
Your customers WIN because they feel good about supporting a good citizen of society.

Make it Easy!

A few weeks ago I was reminded that to jazz up the sales of your business, one has to make it easy to do business with you. You have to make buying from your company a breeze.

It all started at an artisan's gallery in Plano, Texas where I found a wall hanging that would be perfect for my entry way wall in my house. The only problem was I wasn't sure if the dimensions would work for my wall and Plano was a 1-hour drive from my house. The manager of the gallery gave me a choice:

1. I could buy it that day and save 20% or
   


2. I could leave a credit card number and take it home for 24 hours to see if it worked in my house but could NOT have the 20% discount. (The 20% represented about $80 - which is substantial to me.)

That choice was just too hard to make! So I left the store without buying it. Didn't the gallery manager know that it would be best for me to take the wall hanging with me? She should have never let me leave the store without it. Once I got home I measured my wall and the wall hanging would have fit perfectly - but I was not up for another 1 hour drive back to Plano (2 hours round trip).

By giving me a choice the art gallery manager did not make this an easy purchase. Instead I fretted over it for a few days. And have since found another wall hanging for my entry way wall.

Here are some tips for making it easy for your customers to do business with you:

• Return all phone calls the same day. Even if you have to tell someone you don't have their information or product yet - call them back the same day to let them know you received their message and tell them how you will proceed in helping them.


• Answer your phone! Especially if you have a service business! If a potential client needs a service and gets voicemail, they will hang up and call someone else. Most new customers will not leave a voicemail.


• Make it easy to get information about your company. Print your phone number, address and website on packaging, invoices, receipts, magnets, notepads, etc.
  
• Empower your front line. Any one in your organization that has customer contact should have responsibility for helping your customers. Create an atmosphere where all employees are empowered. Even if the person who answers the phone cannot solve a customer's specific problem, he/she is responsible for making sure the proper person from your organization contacts that customer.


• Don't give clients choices that could result in a loss for them. With my wall hanging scenario I could have lost $80 if I chose to have the option of returning it within 24 hours.
  
• Be consistent. Many times a customer will have special requirements - like invoice dates, shipping schedules, etc. It is very tempting to want to work a "special deal" with a potentially large client - and there are times when this is appropriate. However, whenever possible, have consistency with how you do business. If a client needs an invoice by the 15th of the month and you invoice everyone on the 20th - resist the urge to have a special invoice date for the one client. This can set you up for failure later on.

Details! Shmeetails! Time to Focus on the Details!

"Don't sweat the small stuff!" I tend to believe this is a true statement when it comes to getting along with other people... but NOT when it comes to jazzing up your sales. The details are what separates you from your competitors.

Take the gift I just bought and then returned for my husband's birthday (this birthday ends with a "0"). It was a very nice watch. The jeweler called it a "time piece." Guess that's what expensive watches are called! The salesperson did a great job in helping me select the perfect "time piece" and then proceeded to the back of the store where she gift-wrapped it for me to take home to my husband.

I was excited to give it to my husband until he opened it, saw that the box was torn, the watch manual did not go with the watch inside the box and there was sticky residue from the price tag left on the inside of the watch band. Details! My husband thought the watch was second hand! If only the salesperson had tended to the details... by providing a box that wasn't damaged, providing the correct owner's information and cleaning off the sticker residue.


Here are some details that will help jazz up the sales of your business:

• Send handwritten thank you notes thanking people for their business or for the referral they provided.
  
• Think of something creative that will make your customer smile. If you provide bookkeeping services you might slide a post-it note into your client's books that says, "Great month! Keep up the good work!" If you provide a lawn service you might trim a few overgrown bushes for free. We just went to Disney Land and the hotel wash clothes were folded in the shape of different Disney characters.
  
• Proofread everything. People will notice typos and bad grammar. Don't give them a reason to doubt your capabilities.
  
• Know that you cannot always measure the results. Customers may not notice details - but they will notice the LACK OF details. For example, I recently bought a brand new car. When the tags came in I went to the dealership for them to put the license plate on my car. Instead of putting 4 screws in the plate - they saved 45 seconds by only affixing the plate with 2 screws. And it rattled all the way home! As soon as I got home I had to put the 2 additional screws in the plate. DETAILS! This was my final exposure to the dealership - and it wasn't good. Even though I love the car - guess what I will remember about the dealership?!
  
• When a customer calls with a complaint then handle it NOW. Nothing hurts your sales more than an angry customer having even more time to stew over his dissatisfaction. Once you've handled your customer's problem - tell him! Call him back and let him know what you did to resolve the issue. Don't wait for him to find out later that you took care of the issue.

By the way, after I returned my husband's watch I went to another jewelry store and bought the same one! This time the salesperson focused on all of the details!

Don't Listen to Your Customers!

I love an article in the July 2007 issue of Inc. magazine by David Freedman called "Ask, and You Shall be Misled." The premise of the article is that customers can tell you a lot but sometimes they don't know what they're talking about.

Part of jazzing up the sales of your business is listening to customers and responding to their needs. So it's not easy to take customer feedback with a grain of salt. But consider that customer feedback may not always be representative of the population who buys from you. For example, if Microsoft listened to all of the "cranky message posters who dominate online chatter, it might have killed Windows."

The article points out that one danger of focusing on what customers ARE asking for is that you might lose sight of coming up with brilliant ideas that customers AREN'T asking for. Apple's customers weren't asking for a hand-held music player when Apple came out with the iPod.

So (and this is a tad tongue-in-cheek)... here are 4 tips for when NOT to listen to your customers:

1. The "squeaky wheel" isn't representative of your customer base.
   Herb Kelleher, retired CEO of Southwest Airlines, was known for sending a letter back to a complaining customer stating, "Good luck in finding a new airline carrier." If a complaining customer is just being a pain in the &*!#, then it's okay to lose him. Responding to a squeaky wheel who has no merit takes you away from serving your good customers.
   


2. Part of a customer's complaint relates to the natural progression or necessity of your product or service.
   For example, if your run an ice rink and a customer complains about it being too cold in the arena. Duh! This is like when your child complains of having homework - you aren't doing him any favors by excusing him from it.
   


3. Behavior doesn't reflect what your customer says.
   I have had the same hair stylist for 10 years and she used to always cut my hair on Saturdays. A few years ago, in response to her personal work/life situation, she cut out all of her weekend appointments and was initially worried she would lose business based on what her clients told her. Guess what? She didn't lose any - and her business is busier than ever - AND she has cut out all evening appointments as well.
   


4. The customer is actually (gasp!) wrong.
   In order to jazz up your sales the natural thing to do is try and accommodate your customers needs - and do what they ask you to do. But, sometimes what they want isn't possible and it is so tempting to over promise just a little to get the sale or diffuse a difficult situation. In this situation - go with the honest approach. Talk straight with your customer - they will respect you and your business even more!
   
   

Book Review: Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

I just read the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. I loved it because as a small business owner you want your service and ideas to be "sticky" - that is, you want your product or service to be the one people remember.

By using their own principles, the Heaths outline their SUCCESs acronym (even though they admit it's a little corny) for how to make ideas stick. Here's how to use the SUCCESs principles to jazz up the sales of your small business:

S Simplicity

Find the core of your business by pulling out the most important idea or benefit you provide. Southwest Airlines is used as an example where former CEO Herb Kelleher informed his staff, "We are THE low-fare airline. Once you understand that fact, you can make any decision about this company's future as well as I can." When asked if he thought passengers flying from Houston to Las Vegas should be offered an entree he responded with, "Will adding (the entree) makes us THE low fare airline from Houston to Las Vegas? Because if it doesn't then we aren't serving any #^&>? chicken salad."

Don't become a victim of the "Curse of Knowledge." Remember, not everyone knows what you know and you are not "dumbing down" your product by making it appear simple or explaining it in simple terms.

U Unexpected

Surprise gets your attention and interest keeps your attention. The fastest way to get some one's attention is to break a pattern. Doesn't some of the most juicy gossip come from hearing about someone doing something completely out of character or unexpected? Keep your ideas interesting but not gimmicky.

C Concrete

Here the Heath's use Aesop's fable of the Fox and the Grapes. You might remember it: after the fox tries repeatedly to jump up to eat some grapes from a vine without success he says, "I'm sure they are sour." This is a story that has survived over 2,500 years because it reflects a truth about human nature. It illustrates a concrete and memorable example of the theme: "Don't be such a jerk when you fail."

The best teachers I have had used stories about real life to teach their subjects. To jazz up the sales of your business use concrete examples of how a client of yours will benefit. Stay away from statistics or impressive industry jargon. And within your business set specific goals with measurable targets and use them to keep you accountable to your business plan.

C Credible

What makes people believe ideas? Or believe our service or product is going to do what we say it will do? Naturally sticky ideas will persuade people to believe incredible things.

Vivid details will boost your credibility. An example is used of a jury's opinion in the custody hearing of the 7 year old son of Mrs. Johnson. In one presentation, Mrs. Johnson "sees to it that her child brushes his teeth before bedtime." Another argument said that "Mrs. Johnson's son uses a Star Wars toothbrush that looks like Darth Vader." Jurors felt more favorable towards Mrs. Johnson when presented with the vivid details of using the "Darth Vader toothbrush."

So instead of saying, "50% of people prefer our football helmets," say, "6 of the 12 people on the football team prefer our football helmets." Stay away from a barrage of statistics about how great your service or product is and provide a few extra vivid details of the benefits.

E Emotional

"If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will." Mother Teresa

Here the Heaths present facts of a research study where people were asked to donate to an African charity. The first group received a letter quoting statistics about foot shortages, severe rainfall and the number of people starving. The second group received a letter that told the story of a single young girl named Rokia, how she was facing starvation and what she would receive from your donation. Guess which letter generated twice as many donations? Yep, the one that told the story of a single young girl.

When selling your product remember to appeal to people's self interest. Don't sell "the world's greatest seed." Instead, sell "the world's greenest lawn."

A discussion of Maslow's Hierachy of needs is used to show that not only do you want to appeal to who your customers are right now... but also to the people that they want to be. What motivates your customers? Keep in mind that your customers are not always thinking, "What's in it for me?" They will be thinking, "What's in it for the customers I serve" or "How will this service help me become the person I want to be."

S Stories

Stories stimulate and inspire. Take the example of Jared who lost over 100 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches for lunch and dinner every day for 3 months. Use testimonials to demonstrate the success of your product or service. And use people's real names, real circumstances, and photos.

How to Sell to Someone Who Doesn't Want to Be Sold To!

Isn't this just about everybody?

Most people don't like to be "sold." They like to feel their decision to buy is based on objective information that they gathered. Many buyers will even refuse to interact with you and aren't forthcoming about their needs and wants. As a small business owner the enthusiasm you have for your product or service may not be shared by others. And your enthusiasm about your business can make you appear PUSHY!

So here are some tips for jazzing up your sales to buyers who "don't want to hear the pitch:"

• When talking about your product/service only introduce one topic at a time. Be prepared to go into deep detail about a topic - and no bull#$%! - stick with straight facts.
  


• Don't interrupt your customer when he is talking. People will feel better about buying if they feel understood.
  


• Don't interpret silence as agreement. But don't ask, "So, what are you thinking?" Instead say, "Is there some more information I can provide to you?"
  


• Don't be too peppy or cute! Get to the point, know your stuff and take your customer seriously. Some people don't like small talk.
  


• Follow through with your promises. Sometimes people don't want to be sold because they don't trust you (yet) and feel skeptical of your claims. You cannot expect someone to trust you because you say, "Trust me...." or "To be honest with you...."
  
  Instead, if you say, "I'll call you tomorrow with the information," - then call - no exceptions. Even if you have to say, "I don't have the information yet but I promise to call you by Friday with the information."
  


• When possible, provide information to your customer in advance. This will help him begin to research his purchase on his own and feel more secure with his final decision.
  


• Respect people's time. If you show up to a prospects office and he looks busy - ask when would be a better time to call or come by - and then leave.

Making a Sale is about Quantity not Quality

Did you know that a person will need to be reminded of your business 7 to 9 times before they decide to buy? Ways to remind people of your business are: mailings, emails, advertising in print media, seeing you in person at a business event or on TV. When marketing your small business it's easy to get caught up in designing the best promotional piece ever and then doing one huge mailing.

But focus on quantity as much as the quality of your marketing. Don't do just one huge mailing and hope for the best! Here are 4 tips to jazz up the quantity of your marketing:

1. Commit to at least 4-7 mailings to your customers and prospects each year. People may not take the time to actually read the mailing but the piece of mail itself will remind them of you. To maximize the probability of your mailing being read you should hand write the envelope and keep the promotional material to one page. Or, to minimize your costs consider a postcard mailing with cheaper postage.
   
   
2. Don't underestimate the power of advertising in the newspaper and local magazines. Just because you don't receive a bunch of new clients after these publications go out doesn't mean your ad isn't doing some good. Many magazines have a minimum number of ads that you must purchase in their publication because of this notion. You cannot quantify the "feel good" effect ads have on your existing clients. Your existing clients will see your ad and think, "I know her," and maybe refer you to a friend because you are at the top of their mind.
   
   
3. Use email blasts and electronic newsletters. This is by far the least expensive form of marketing. My favorite guru on this subject is Alexandria Brown, also know as the eZine Queen. There are several web-based programs that enable you to send out 2500 emails for about $30 a month. Electronic newsletters are a great way to share useful (and free) information with your clients, which they appreciate. You don't have to try and sell something in every email. As a matter of fact, I don't recommend trying sell something in every email. Remember you just want a buyer to see you 7-9 times. Just make sure that the email addresses have been given to you voluntarily.
   
   
4. Network everywhere. Become a walking billboard for your business. You can really do this without being obnoxious! Get involved in organizations that give you a chance to network. By getting involved I mean signing up for a committee and being a responsible member of the group! Don't expect business to fall into your lap just because you became a member of the local Chamber - you really have to get involved and be a contributor. This will get you and your business noticed. Tell your doctor about your business, tell the person at the dry cleaners, tell your waiter, tell the person cutting your hair, etc.

5 Tips for Jazzing Up Your Service Sales

Selling a service is especially challenging because a service cannot be seen or touched, only experienced. Bringing tangibility to the service you are selling is the first step in getting the biz. Here are 5 tips to jazzing up your service sales:

1. Develop tangible aids to increase confidence in your service. This includes testimonials from clients and visuals of your service. If you have a lawn maintenance company, provide before and after photos in your marketing materials. If you have a metal refinishing business, provide refinished metal samples that people can hold.
   
   
2. Educate your customer. I worked for an elevator company for 12 years and sold elevator service agreements. It's hard to quantify what "elevator service" is and so I educated customers by getting them physically involved in how the elevator operated. This included how the controls worked by walking the customer into the elevator equipment room, the purpose of all the keyswitches inside the elevator cab, how to use the firefighters' safety operation, etc. It is up to you to get your customer excited and educated about the product for which you are providing service.
   
   
3. Understand customers perceive more risk from service companies. Customers have more anxiety about purchasing consulting services than furniture, for example. To relieve this anxiety don't be vague about your services - spell out what you do in explicit detail. And use visual examples when possible.
   
   
4. Sell the difference. Know what qualities make your service different from your competitors and focus on the benefits of these qualities. But don't slam your competitor. Simply focus on the positive aspects of your service that others do not provide.
   
   
5. You may measure success different than your customer. When providing a service it's not just the final outcome that determines a customer's subjective opinion of satisfaction. When I sold elevator service, many times the customers with the fewest elevator problems were more likely to cancel. While customers that experienced ongoing elevator issues were my biggest fans. If the customer perceives that you are doing everything you can (and more) he will sing your praises to others.
   

Create a Happy Customer And Then Some.....

As a business owner, we live to satisfy our customers. It's a symbiotic relationship! While it's good to have happy customers, it's great to have customers who are happy and then some....

Here are 6 tips for creating a customer who is happy and then some:

1. When you can't help your customer with what he needs.... Tell him someone who can. Go so far as to give them a name, phone number, address and directions.


2. See a magazine or newspaper article about your client's industry? Cut it out and mail it to them with a sticky note from you. Better yet, if you see your client quoted (in a positive way) in print, cut it out and mail it to him.


3. Provide a discount or something for free even when your customer is happy. Many times we provide pricing concessions or free stuff to our customers when they are mad. Usually the concession is a way of making "good" on something that went "wrong." Create loyalty with your clients by mailing them a free car wash certificate, a coupon to be redeemed at your business or a $10 gift card to Starbucks.


4. Follow up after the work is done. Car manufacturers do this religiously. A few days after they repair your car they call you to ask about your experience. Even doctor's offices call a few days after your visit to see how you are feeling. Often we feel our job is done for the customer once work is complete and the check has cleared. Increase the chances of good word of mouth about your business by checking in with your client a few days or weeks after the job is done. Follow up in person or via the phone - not by mail or email. The human touch will have the biggest impact.


5. Say what you are going to do and do what you say - NO EXCEPTIONS. If you say, "I'll see you at 7:00," - then be there! If you see you will be even 5 minutes late call your customer and tell them. If you say, "The job will be complete by Friday," - it better be done on Friday! If customers know you are good for your word they will be your biggest fan and, even better, they will feel confident in referring you to others.


6. It's okay to sandbag. This is the cousin of the saying, "under promise and over deliver." Think how happy you would be with your plumber if he fixed your problem a day early. Think how good you would make your client look if he saved his company 10% more than anticipated. And think how jazzed you would be if the coupon you took to the store was doubled in value when you went to check out!

Life Cycle of a Salesperson

I've always thought that if I was truly doing my job as a salesperson that customers would continue to buy my company's product or service even whenever I was not available - if I was on vacation, had left the company or was promoted. This may sound contradictory since I have stressed how important relationships are with customers.

But hear me out... if you truly do your job as a salesperson by selling the benefits and value of your product then your customer will want to buy your product from anyone who is selling it. This concept has led me to develop the life cycle of a sales rep.

Baby Sales Rep

This person is just out of training and trying to learn his product and how to communicate how great it is. All he does is eat, sleep and poop. He goes through the motions of selling the product but is still learning how to respond to the world out there - and how to handle customer objections. He is learning that crying to get your way doesn't encourage prospective customers to buy.

Toddler Sales Rep

This guy is off and running and has no fear. He's anxious to get his feet wet and lets his mouth overload his capabilities. At this stage a sales person is trying anything to get the sale and hasn't learned to under promise and over deliver. He hasn't learned to look at the big picture as far as what is best for his company or organization - his just wants to make the sale at all costs and doesn't consider consequences of promises he makes.

Teenage Sales Rep
This salesperson is pretty seasoned in selling his product. He is focused on developing his own style and he is maturing in his role. Everything still seems to revolve around the salesperson and his own world. He is more concerned with selling himself than his product or company. His approach is more "buy from me because you like me - and I'll take care of you." And, because it is a fact that we buy from people we like the teenage sales rep will experience success.

This salesperson can move over to a competing company and convince the customer to buy from him at the new company. What this salesperson doesn't have is the support to maintain the customer when catastrophe hits. That is, when the product fails then the customer will realize that the teenage rep can't take care of him.

Adult Sales Rep
This salesperson realizes that to maintain long term customers that the salesperson, the product and the company all have to be part of the package. Yes, it is important to have a good relationship with your customers. But it is also important to continually educate them on the benefits your product and service provide. It is important to educate customers on the integrity and quality with which your company operates. Your customers should be so "sold" on your product that if your were promoted and moved to another country they would continue to buy from the company.

Here are some ways to create customers that are really "sold" on your product:

• Tell your customer about the quality control that your factory uses to minimize defects


• Introduce your client to different layers of your company such as a technician, senior manager, engineer, etc.


• Tell the customer about awards or achievements that your company experiences


• Mail your customer a copy of an article written about your product or company


• Whenever they are happy with you as a sales rep don't forget to use this an an opportunity to brag on the company, too. For example, you might say, "The reason I was able to get you the replacement part so soon is because we have a 24 hour call facility to handle spare parts."

Timing is Key - Don't Shoot All of Your Bullets at Once!

In real estate it's "location, location, location!" In sales it's "timing, timing, timing!"

While working with a client this week I was reminded of the importance of timing in the sales process. People won't buy until the timing for them is right. Make sure you are there when the timing is right for them OR make sure that you are the one they think of when they are ready to buy. One way to insure you are top of mind for your customer is to not shoot all your bullets at once!

By this I mean to carefully dole out information to your customer on a gradual basis. This can be handled during a 20 minute meeting or over the course of several months or even years. Here are few examples of how to work timing in your favor:

• Hold Back Information. During a short customer meeting have open ended questions planned in advance to help uncover what is important to your customer. These need to be sincere and then listen to what your customer says. (As sales people we sometimes have a hard time listening because we are trying to think of what to say next!). Start with a dialog and gradually reveal information about what you are selling throughout the conversation! Don't tell them everything you know in the first 5 minutes.


• Make "Creative" Excuses. The work I did this week was for a professional speaker. Since I know this can be a fairly long sales process I began by mailing the customer information about the speaker. I held back some of the speaker's marketing materials to save for the future so I would have an "excuse" to contact the customer again.
  
  Instead of my first follow up phone calling going like this:
  "Hi, this is Zan. Have you decided to hire my speaker?"
  
  It went like this,
  "Hi, this is Zan. I just wanted to make sure you received the information.
  By the way, did I tell you about this speaker's recent article in People
  magazine? Why don't I mail you a copy of the article?"
  
  By doing this I've still created the opportunity to ask the customer if they want to hire my speaker - but I have positioned the phone call as a request to make sure the customer has the information they need and then be able to offer more value to them. In addition, I've created another excuse to call again and say, "Hi, this is Zan. Just wanted to make sure you had received a copy of the People article?"

Tips for Proper Business Communication

This week I was reminded of the cardinal rule of business communication:

Never put anything in writing that you wouldn't want printed on the front page of your local newspaper!

My experience this week was so nasty that I've developed a new cardinal rule of business communication: Never put anything in writing that you wouldn't want your minister to read in front of the church congregation!

While working with one of my clients to help her jazz up her sales we encountered a potential customer that was definitely not interested! He was so "not interested" that he took the time to reply with a scorching email that insulted her personally, her staff and her business and went on to state that he was going to use this experience in his consulting business on how NOT to do business. I'm sure his negative remarks helped him blow off some serious steam but the fact is that he was incorrect in his accusations. And his credibility has been diminished by his lack of professionalism. And my client is very well connected within her industry.

In light of this experience, here are my tips for proper business communication:

• Business communication takes many forms. It includes letters, emails, advertising and print media, fax cover sheets, business signs, business cards, invoices and receipts, and contract documents.



• We all know there are conversations we have with clients in person or over the phone that include information we will not (and should not) put in writing. An example of this is information about your competitors, personal information about anyone (especially someone's health or medical condition) and information about your business that you don't want to be public knowledge. Assume anything you put in writing could end up in your competitor's hands!



• Always use proper punctuation, spelling and grammar. Be careful not to take a "too casual" tone with email. This is the current business communication and it needs to be professional. Make sure your emails include a greeting like "Dear Jane" or "Hi Jane," and end with a salutation that includes your name, title, company name, phone number, email address and website address. Always use spell check!



• Stay away from business slang words and never use profanity.



• If you have a beef and want to put it in writing stay away from personal assaults, exaggeration and slanderous language. Keep the correspondence formal by stating actual facts and using objective words that do not have an accusatory tone.



• Keep it short and simple. If possible, keep letters to one page. Use short paragraphs and get to the point quickly. Using bullets to make your points helps your reader stay on track and the spacing on the document is pleasing to the eyes.

7 Buying Signals That Say, "Stop Talking!"

As I worked with one of my clients this week on booking appointments for her consulting services I was reminded that the "gift of gab" can be a curse.

As a small business owner we are so passionate about what we do that we forget that our customers really don't need ALL OF THE INFORMATION that we have. All a potential customer needs is just enough information to make his buying decision. Any information given to a customer after he decides to buy from you then begins to give him reasons to change his mind.

I'm not implying that one should be deceptive by withholding information from potential clients. What I am implying is that giving a potential customer ideas to doubt his decision to buy from you does not put the odds in your favor. In light of this discussion, here are 7 buying signals from potential customers that indicate it is time to stop talking about the product or service you provide and to zip it!

1. They reach for their wallet to pay you.


2. They pull out a pen so they can sign your contract or agreement.


3. They ask when you can begin work or when the product can be delivered.


4. You ask them for their business and they say, "Yes."


5. You give them information about when you can begin work or deliver the product and they say, "Sounds good."


6. They tell you they have talked to other companies but like yours the most.


7. You have told them all about your product or service and they ask for the price. (Unless the customer is buying solely on price, this is a buying signal).

These tips may sound funny and intuitive but take it from me - even the best of the best in sales let the gift of gab spoil the sale. Sometimes it is just nervous energy that keeps the conversation going. Remember, it is okay to keep the conversation going after the customer has made his buying decision just as long as the topic of the conversation is not about the details of what your client just bought or signed up for!

Handling the Price Objection

Handling a price objection is easier when you are an employee of a company whose prices are fixed and not negotiable. But when you have your own business, especially a service business, and a customer challenges your price it can be difficult to overcome. As a small business owner a price objection may make you doubt the actual value of your services.

Depending on how established your business is or how much you NEED new business you may be tempted to make unnecessary price concessions to customers. This creates 2 problems: 1) you lose confidence in your value as a business, 2) your client now feels that your pricing is negotiable.

If you focus entirely on price to sell your product or service then so will your customers. Here are some ways to take to focus off of your price:

• Don't bring it up! If your customer does not mention price DO NOT BRING IT UP. Assume that the price is agreeable and proceed with the sale.



• Know your value. Determine at lease 3 specific things that your product or service provides that your competitors do not provide.
  
  Some ways to differentiate your value are: your length of time in business, extended hours of operation, education level of your employees, safety features of your product(s), the screening process for hiring your employees, the quality control measures you have in place, documentation you provide, etc. Don't mention your competitors by name unless your customer brings it up. Know how and why you do things better and be able to explain this to your customer.



• Provide return on investment. Understand how paying more for your product or service can save your customer time, energy and money in the long run. Can documentation your service provides help reduce your customers liability exposure? Is your product more efficient and therefore requires less time and energy to use? Is your product more durable and will last longer? Do your quality control measures provide additional piece of mind to your customer so he doesn't feel the need to double check the job you've done?



• Some people just want a deal. For some customers the price objection is just part of their negotiating technique. In order for these customers to feel good about their purchase they have to perceive that you have made some concession for them. So instead of making a concession on price make them a deal on delivery time, volume discounts, contract duration or terms, payment options, etc.



• Don't be afraid to walk away. There will be instances when it is best to turn away a potential customer because you are not willing to lower your price. In order for you to maintain price integrity in your business you must be willing to let some customers slip away.