Tag

Engagement
Desperation Calling!
04
Dec

Are you Wearing Your Desperation?

December 4, 2022, ,
Last week, I had two instances where sales reps contacted me to try to sell me a product. In both cases, each rep was certain I needed their subscription software. Both of their general sales rational were that other businesses found their product helpful and the features were great and I should sign up today....
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Did you send that lame just checking in email
06
Nov

Please never send this lame, empty email –

November 6, 2022, , , ,
I’ll admit, I’ve done it before. In my sales career, I’ve been frustrated and tried to get a buyer to respond with something compelling but in my haste, I’ve sent the – “Just Checking In” email. Have you received one of those? Or sent one? Hi Bill, How’s everything going? I’m just checking in to...
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Don’t Let That “Sour Grapes” SalesPerson Wreak Havoc On Your Organization
27
Mar

Don’t Let That “Sour Grapes” Sales Person Wreak Havoc On Your Organization

March 27, 2022, , , ,
“Disparaging what one cannot obtain, as in The losers’ scorn for the award is pure Sour Grapes.” This expression alludes to the Greek writer Aesop’s famous fable about a fox that cannot reach some grapes on a high vine and announces that they are sour. By nature, sellers are competitive. The best salespeople are naturally...
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Avoid the Summer Sales Meltdown
17
Jul

Avoid a Summer Sales Meltdown: 5 Cool Sales Moves

July 17, 2016, ,
“Everyone’s on vacation”, “It’s too hot to get out and see a bunch of people”, “No one is making decisions right now” . . . Recognize these statements? They’re the little lies we tell ourselves because during these Dog Days of summer, we’re hot, we’re tired, and either trying to catch up from being on...
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08
May

3 Keys to Successful Selling for Non Sales People (Part 3)

May 8, 2016, , ,
I realized we’ve struck a nerve with this series, “Selling for Non-Sales People” when I mention we’ve rolled out this intensive and coaching program, the response is to grab my arm and say “YES! I NEED THIS” with giant eyes and emphatic jerking on my arm. The response in the first weeks has blown me...
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Are your eyes on the competition or your customers? What you SHOULD obsess about in your business.
29
Feb

Are your Eyes on the Competition or Customers? What you SHOULD be Obsessed with in your Business.

February 29, 2016, ,
How do you “handle” the competition? Meaning, do your competitors factor into your offers, your customers, your sales and marketing strategy? How much weight should you give to their consideration? And, What exactly should know about your competition and how do those insights affect YOUR plans? Unless you’re operating in a total vacuum, you should...
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Are you making the best first impressions? You need talk tracks
14
Feb

Are you killing credibility and wasting first impressions?

February 14, 2016, , ,
A while back, we participated in a great business expo hosted by the local chamber. At The Selling Agency booth, we asked people to “Give us their best pitch” about their business. And . . . we offered to record it for them and email them the sound bites. There was a specific point to asking...
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Every sales person I talk to asks me the same thing, “How do I get buyers to listen to me? I can’t seem to get their attention, a call back or response.” My response is a question back to them . . . “What are you doing differently than the other 37 sales reps knocking on their door or blowing up their inbox every single day?” Chances are, you’re not getting responses or movement from your buyers if you’re stuck in the “sea of sameness” as are most sellers. Same approach, same emails, same phone calls, same networking events, same presentations . . . same, same, same . . . equals, Ignore, Ignore, Ignore. If you’re having difficulty producing leads or moving business forward, it could be because you’re working at the wrong end of the buyer journey, trying to influence their decision to buy you by interrupting or disrupting them after they’ve already done their research and formed their decision making criteria. As sellers, we tend to look everywhere or at everyone as a potential prospect however, not everyone needs you. Of those that do, buyers fall in to two categories: those looking for solutions or those looking for NEW solutions. This means as a seller, you have an uphill battle to either overthrow the status quo or upseat the incumbent vendor/provider. Your buyer will live with the status quo as long as possible and if they are thinking of making a change or investing in something new, they are starting their research and road to buying LONG before you know it. So, how do you overcome these obstacles and battle the status quo? You’ve got to stand out from the crowd by being BETTER than the crowd. Getting attention and response from time deprived buyers in a sea of competition requires Leveling Up your sales game by investing in your personal professional development. This isn’t about Marketing handing off more leads or creating better brochures or slick emails – this is about you amplifying your personal brand and projecting your professional value to buyers that DO need you. Your Keys to Standing Out From The Crowd: Authenticity – be you. When you come across first and foremost as “Jim” or “Sarah” instead of a fabricated professional sales persona, your genuine self is easier to relate to and helps build the foundation for trust. We all have an internal BS meter and can detect when someone isn’t being genuine or has an agenda. Be you, not a robotic sales version of you. Confidence – be confident. Be confident that you have value and that you CAN help your buyers. Confidence is attractive and paired with your authentic self, you have CHARISMA which is like creating your own gravitational pull. Buyers need professionals that sound, act and demonstrate confidence in their product and ability to provide answers and solutions. If you sound unsure and can’t demonstrate your belief in what you have to sell, it shows up in your voice, your body and all your communication. Your confidence helps your buyers feel more confident in you. Expertise – gain it. Read, read, read . . . learn, learn, learn and have your pulse on what’s happening in your industry, your customers’ industry and your market. Most sellers have done due diligence to know their own product and probably what their competitors offer, but how much do they know about their industry. Or how in depth are they versed in the industry and competitive drivers of their customers’ industry or how their customers compete in their markets? Demonstrating expertise that is deeper than your competitors is an excellent way to stand apart and put you in a category of one. Having this profound level of knowledge changes the conversation from only what you offer to what really MATTERS to your customers. Knowing you offer insights and context to their circumstances is a trust trigger that can get you calls back or responses from those busy buyers. Voice – use yours. In a sea of the same, a fresh, authentic and confident voice cuts through the crowd clearly. Most of your contemporaries are still grinding away at the sales with the same techniques and generic messages. Your voice has more value if you’re using it, not as the company mouthpiece, but to share what YOU know and why YOU believe. Plant your flag on your expertise and knowledge and wave it for everyone to see. Use key platforms to share your voice so your buyers understand who you are and why they should work with you. We’re not just talking about having a LinkedIn profile and I’m certainly not talking about promoting your product on social media channels. Using your voice is about bringing insights and opinions to your buyers’ journey so they can make the best decisions possible. Engage – your network. This is where you truly stand out from the crowd. Pull together your authentic personality and confident voice and start engaging in conversations with your buyers BEFORE they do all their research. You have the opportunity here to influence your buyers’ journey, instead of trying to reach them at the far end of their journey when they have already made most of their decision. Find where your buyers learn. Be where your buyers are engaged. Connect with them there and contribute to their professional network. Share your insights and opinions. Offer up resources and endorsements for those you work and collaborate with. Buyers are looking for connected and engaged resources to help them make their purchasing decisions. Having engaged with your buyer in their network before you call them makes for a warm conversation versus a cold call. If you could ask your customers or future buyers, they’d tell you that they’re pulling their hair out from having too many decisions to make, not enough time and they’re under ever increasing pressure to get more done on a daily basis with fewer resources. If you could step in to their shoes you’d understand why most of them are performing their own research on their own time frame and shutting out any seller that isn’t finding a way to add more value to their time or give them time back. Sharpen your skills and level up your sales game to be BETTER than your competition and better serve your customers. Until next time, stop hoping, start SELLING! PS – Here is an insightful “Letter from your customer” penned by sales guru, Jill Konrath. She nails what your customer is thinking! PPS – If you are struggling with how to get attention, have your calls answered or your emails read . . . you need a different strategy. Learn how to tap in to your best assets to be BETTER than the average seller who is still plugging away with the same tired tricks and tactics. Start your new year with new tools and the keys to Selling Yourself and standing out from the crowd. Stellar Sellars Workshop: January 8th, 9am – 12 noon
14
Dec

Are Buyers Ignoring You?

December 14, 2015, ,
Most every sales person I talk to asks me the same thing, “How do I get buyers to listen to me? I can’t seem to get their attention, a call back or response.” My response is a question back to them . . . “What are you doing differently than the other 37 sales reps...
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sales sherpa
23
Apr

Be The Small Business Sales “Sherpa” – their knowledgeable, experienced guide – leading them to success.

April 23, 2015, , , , , ,
Selling to the small or mid sized business owner? That’s about as easy as pinning Jell-O to a wall, right? Business owners have 4,329 priorities in front of YOU, so how does a Sales Pro sell to the Small and Mid Sized Business? With the sheer volume of opportunities—Small and Mid Sized business owners {SMB}—represent...
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11
Jan

“Price” is not your biggest sales obstacle. Hint: tick tock

January 11, 2015, , , ,
Sellers have traditionally focused on buyers’ price and budget as their biggest obstacles. Guess what, your first {and sometimes biggest} hurdle is Time. On any given day, the average person makes thousand of decisions – both consciously and in “auto-pilot” mode. We make over 200 decisions every day just about FOOD! {Pancakes, French Toast, or...
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