Sales Talk

Choose the Right R Word

It is your choice to make your "R" word Recession or Resiliency.

This is a time to get busy- not make excuses. You cannot afford to lose an existing customer and you cannot afford to be complacent. This is a time to become aggressive and diligently make your sales and follow up calls.

A recent article about the recession from Ben Stein really helps put things in the right perspective. To see it in entirety, Google it, or email me for the link.

Per Ben's article "There have been 10 recessions in the last 63 years. The average length of these downturns has been about 10 months. The average decline in economic activity from peak to trough was about 2.5 percent. No decline has been worse than about 3.7 percent.

"In the past 25 years, there have only been 2 recessions, which is an extremely good record. The two recessions -- in the early 1990s and the 2000-2001 correction -- have been extremely brief. The really severe recessions of the postwar era have been engineered by the Fed to fight inflation -- in the early 1970s and early '80s."

We must also remember (again quoting the article) "Even in a recession, more than 90 percent of workers who want to work will be employed. Even in a recession, most businesses will make a profit. Even in a recession in this era, more than 10 million men and women will need cars and trucks. Many millions will need new homes. Tens of millions will need retirement investment products and life insurance. In the United States, even in a recession, there are plenty of people with money to spend."

This is something to remember before we start making excuses.

I lived through a similar experience when selling in Pittsburgh for a major manufacturer of office furniture when the steel industry left that city. There was gas rationing. Imagine being an over the road sales rep and only being able to buy fuel every other day. Which was not necessarily the days you needed it to sell and make a commission.

Pittsburgh was the 3rd largest corporate headquarter city in the US. When steel left, so did a lot of those corporate headquarters. As a sales rep, it was a great client base to sell to. Then they were gone. Those that remained were laying off staff and had a surplus of office furniture selling on the used market. They weren't buying new. It was and remains a life changing event for me.

I remember going to a local chamber networking event. As the crowd thinned, I was talking to a group of my competitors. One in particular was loudly saying he's going to continue doing what he's done all his life. Steel and all those corporate headquarters 'would be back'. He's still waiting.

I left that function determined not to be like that man. On my drive home, my thoughts were "somebody's buying here-who?" I made a mental list of who would benefit from such a mess. The next day I started calling on a new group of prospects. I did not have a drop in my income.

Be resilient and creative. You can't be the person your boss sees as dispensable. Avoid the whiners and doomsayers. You are here to do a job, so do it. Keep that on the top of your mind. You need to make it happen. You need to prospect. You must follow up religiously.

Be committed to doing more than survive-- you will thrive. Pay attention to the details and stay in a selling frame of mind. You will come through these uncertain times and leave the gloomy sales results for your competitors.

More than half of 2008 is over. Are you on track? Will you regard this as times of woe or an opportunity to learn and grow? Because that is exactly what is in front of you. I came through worse and am better for it. So will you.

look around your store

Beware the best intentions that can turn off a customer.

I was working with some clients in Southern Colorado. I needed to make some copies for the next day. I went into one of those big box office supply companies and started to make some copies. I looked down and saw a sign "15 minute time limit".

I only had a few copies to make and the limit didn't apply to me. I am sure the manager was well intentioned. He wanted to make the copier available to many people. I imagine this has been a problem or there wouldn't be a sign. During that afternoon, there were only a few people in the store-- and no one near the copier. This store is like all others that track sales per square foot-- a copier uses about 6 SF and is sitting idle. But the store sends out a subtle negative message that is more damaging. It says if I intend to make a lot of copies, I should leave and go somewhere else. The sign doesn't say, "If you have a lot of copies we'd be happy to help you at the copy center." It says "leave" or "you can't do that". So, if I had a lot of copies, I should to go somewhere else. While in the other store, I'd realize that I need a cable, report cover or other item. And I'd be frustrated that I had to drive somewhere else in a town I am not familiar with.

My local store (same chain) in Longmont has a different method. When they see me waiting, they are proactive, come over and ask to make the copies for me. If I have a large project, I will ask them to do it for me and come back at the agreed upon time.

It is the service in my hometown store that made me happy to see the familiar sign and turn in the parking lot.

Think of the signs you put on your door. Some of them scream "Do Not Buy". These can include "don't touch", "no change", or "no soliciting". Any sign with a "no" is a barrier to the relationship you are trying to build. There are other ways to make these points. Treat customers as you would like to be treated.

What is the goal?

Is your image portraying you correctly??

Don't miss an opportunity

I have shared stories of how people sell, and most of them are examples of how NOT to sell.

I don’t give the names of the companies, but this was such a pleasant experience I will.

I was in Boulder Co and wanted to bring a cookie tray to my mid afternoon appointment. These “cookie breaks” are very popular and appreciated.

I walked past a chain I have never been in before. The sign at the door said something about their “signature cookies”. I walked in and the menu wasn’t immediately apparent to me. The only thing I saw was a catering menu, so I picked that up.

A woman who worked there walked across the room to talk to me, “Let me tell you about our menu”. She told me about their catering services – which they deliver. She asked me what brought me in the store. I told her what I was looking for and she quickly reviewed options and prices. She told me the options, not just direct me to a section of the menu. Then she walked me to the counter and explained to the cashier what I wanted. Another exceptionally friendly person didn’t just mix a box of cookies, but told me their key ingredients and which were favorites. I asked for a receipt, which I quickly forgot—a THIRD friendly, over the top employee ran out to the street and caught me at the light.

What do these gestures mean for Paradise Bakery & Café? I do at least one box lunch presentation a month and quite a few cookie breaks. I easily spend over $100 a month on this. That simple experience will bring in about $1200 a year to their stores.

When I was going to my car my regional manager called on a unrelated issue. After dealing with that, I mentioned “you know how hard it is to find a good caterer for our lunch and learns”? He followed up with a broadcast phone message about “Carol’s new resource”.

Easily the employees could have done what I described the major hotel chains did in a previous post—just handed me a menu and stared at me for holding up the line. Kudos for the Boulder store manager. It clearly wasn’t one superstar, but a team effort.

Everyone is a Client

Everyone is a potential client.  I got in coaching because I was asked, but I have plenty of field time and my experiences come from that—experience.  When I have a client with a "no soliciting" sign on their door-- that is the first thing I tell them to take down.  We are all in sales, and you can't be out looking for business, soliciting yourself, with a sign like that on the door—and complaining how rude people are when YOU call.  When I turn down a door to door solicitor I say, “no thank you, and good luck to you”.  Because I do my share of door banging and may not want what he’s selling, but I have empathy.  I don’t get paid the kind of money I do because its easy.  And this guy may be on the other side of the desk someday, with me trying to market to him.  Its easier to be kind—there is no glory to be had putting down the little guy. 

Professional sales is about relationships.  Like the merchant who won't give change for the meter, or directions at a gas station-- that merchant is only in for the sale.  You are nothing more than a walking dollar bill to that person.  That person does not care about you and expect that attitude if you have a problem with your dry cleaning.  A peeve of mine is a sign on a restaurant saying “restrooms for clients only”—well I may not be a potential client at that second, but I bet sometime today I’ll be looking to eat.  Why are you giving them your dollars?

I also sell product, as a self employed, independent manufacturer’s rep.  I recently had a woman rant about a contractor’s shoddy workmanship.  It was ridiculous the condition he left her home.  Her refrigerator wouldn’t even fit in the allowed space.  I told her to get him back in here!  But she said she didn’t want a contractor back in her home, and was angry at me for not having empathy for her sob story.  All of a sudden it was my problem.  And she laid into me, the woman was a loon.  Its probably not the contractors fault if she was this irrational to him.  Some people are content to complain and get more satisfaction being a victim than taking action. 

When you accept situations like rudeness, shoddy workmanship, you keep those companies in business.  It doesn’t matter to me, shoddy workmanship and redo’s are great for me—I get to sell them twice.  But then I see good, honest contractors struggling for the biz, and the slick Willies just creating problem after problem.  Some so bad I’ve refused to let them carry my product.  Vote with your dollars.  Keep the “good guys” in business vs going for lowest price.  That isn’t how you make your business work.  Or at least I hope so, selling just on price isn’t selling, but a loser’s game.  You whine when a client buys on price alone and didn’t see your “value”.  So don’t buy yourself what you are trying to persuade others to do.  Walk your talk.  When a product fails – even if it’s the clients fault, you can save that relationship with empathy.  Sales is about relationships. 

Everyone is a potential client and we should treat each other that way.  The person you just gave the finger to while road raging might be your next client.  Its one of my favorite stories.  I was in a clients office and another salesperson walked in.  The owner took a minute to chat and his wife walked in.  She started jumping down the guys throat.  He had given her a ration of road rage just a few blocks away, screaming, gestures, cutting her off—he gave her a liberal dose.  She was so upset she was in tears.  Even more ironic, I saw it as I was driving to the client, taken back by this rage, she had every reason to be upset.  The owner simply walked the guy out of the store.  No drama, no explanations and no opportunity for an apology.  Then he sat back down to finish his deal with me. 

Don't miss an opportunity-- follow up

Here is a follow up to my last blog entry regarding missed opportunities. 

My best friend’s birthday is coming up Saturday.  Of course I want to make it special.  Driving from my last call Friday I saw a restaurant I had never seen before.  I spoke to my friend about it, asked if he’d been there or heard anything about it.  Nope. 

So while we were returning from our Sat workout, I suggested we stop in and check it out.  It was open, and the hostess asked if we were there to eat lunch.  I told her no, we were just in to see a menu and wanted to see the place hoping to visit next Sat for dinner. 

She said, “let me give you a quick tour”, and she did, telling us what Sat night is like, live music, dancing, a formal dining area, etc etc.  She gave us a mini menu. 

And then the assumptive close, “what time would you like me to put your reservation?”. 

I am a big fan of the assumptive close, few people say no to it.  And neither did I.  We’re set for 8. 

Later I questioned my friend, “are you sure you wouldn’t rather….?”  “No”, he said, “we made a decision let’s stick with it.”  However if she hadn’t closed the reservation at that moment, we might have continued to weigh our options.   

Compare this scenario to last week’s blog entry.  While I am sure that next Sat will cost me about $200 at this restaurant alone (plus cab ride, gift, etc), it’s a special occasion event that won’t be repeated soon.  Certainly not as often as the hotel I will be leaving for Wednesday.  But she treated me as if I were that 100K client and I felt she genuinely cared about our special occasion. 

Don't miss an opportunity

 

I was working last week in New Mexico.  The weather is just beautiful and though I have a hotel that I’ve been staying at forever, I decided I might want to make a change. So, in between meetings, if I saw something interesting I dropped in to a couple hotels. I told them I am in town for a week every 4 to 6 weeks—approx 8x a year.  I usually stay at a hotel near the airport but was thinking of changing. 

What does a traveler like me mean to this hotel?  I have been coming to this city, and spending 4 nights a week there for almost 10 years.  Doing the math, I spend about $3500 a year in hotels in that one city.  I usually entertain a client and prefer a hotel with an attached restaurant.  Rarely a night is less than $100 so double that number.  And, I often meet another manager there, he stays where I recommend.  That is another 10 nights a year, or $1K.  But when he entertains, it’s a bigger to do, and the tab is often $3- 500.  That’s an additional $5000.  I’m worth to a hotel about $13000 a year, or $130,000 for the past 10.  And I don’t see any reason I won’t be staying at hotels for business travel for the next 10. 

How would you treat someone who is potentially a $130K client?  Or do you look at that as a one time purchase for what it is at that moment?  Do you hear yourself saying,  “oh well, let it go, get the next one”.  Or write them off as a "looky loo" (sales speak)

This is how they did—in every situation they just told me the rooms are $x a night.  Some of the more aggressive ones handed me a brochure.  Of course, right next to the brochure is the card of the general manager and/or sales manager.  Wonder if their job includes sales and marketing. 

Wouldn’t they have made a more impressive impression by asking if I had time to speak to the manager or sales manager? If they asked for my card so that person could follow up or send me email info?  Offering to show me a room, or rattle off the key selling points of the facility?  Treated me as a relationship selling opportunity vs just there to process a registration?   Wouldn’t they have really scored if they talked to me about all my lodging needs, saying the magic words of a schlepper paying her own expenses “let’s make a deal”. 

A very close friend of mine owned a major hotel (franchise), and he’d give the desk authority to barter.  “You can’t sell last nights rooms” were his true words of wisdom.  A restaurant can take a flop entrée and turn it into tomorrow’s soup of the day.  A grocer takes an overbought item and makes a deli salad.  But when a hotel loses a room sale (or a client of mine of a chain of extended care facilities) that revenue is gone forever.  Their business is more perishable than groceries—and the people at the desk appear to have no sense of that, or any urgency to close a deal.  In fact, every person I spoke to was not trained to handle the query, they looked at me with surprise and had no immediate answer.  This is a simple training issue. 

A very high end hotel in Aspen Co I love, understands that.  I like to stay there Sunday nights to work Monday.  Everyone is leaving from their weekend holiday and they are slow, and I always ask for a “deal” for a business traveler.  This hotel lists a AAA rate of up to $1500 night.  I always call them first, looking for their occasional special rate.  Is cutting their price to me worth it?  In my last stay I spent $250 for a few appetizers and bottle of wine for 3.  They have created such good will by giving me that occasional rate; I can’t go to Aspen without bringing someone in for just a cocktail.  Yet I offer the same sentence to most major chains/franchises and the people at the front desk, repeat mindlessly—“the rate is $xxx”.  I push for a deal, I know it’s a day they are dead slow, they repeat, —“the rate is $xxx”.

You may not view your business as perishable, but when an opportunity is lost, it may be lost forever.  Don’t be shy about handing out a card to a stranger in the check out line, walking over and extending a hand to someone “just browsing”, or minimize any contact you make.  Treat every opportunity with a sense of urgency; and hustle, that contact just might be worth $130K to you. 

To follow that up-- let me tell you how its done. I was in a small town in S Colorado. I didn't plan on spending the night, but a client asked me to stay over and finish the deal we were working on. I rarely stay in this town and saw a restaurant that I wanted to try. I was not entertaining and it was within walking distance of 3 hotels. I went in one, and asked the rate. She told me, "Before I tell you the rate, let me tell you our amenities. That is where I stayed. If she just rattled off a rate I might have taken it, or shopped the guy next door. It takes that little to close a deal.

Cold Calls

I subscribe to many ezines and today came one from the Huthwaite group—the creator of the Spin selling method (http://www.huthwaite.com).  This gave me a fact that ran true. 

88% of companies expect their people to prospect for new business. 

Only 3% of all salespeople believe that it’s a productive exercise. 

I can’t imagine a job interview without this expectation.  The candidate probably had a great success story to show they were on board!  Would an employer hire otherwise?  That is why companies fail to meet their goals.  Why companies fail.  Why sales people get burned out and leave their jobs. 

They live their life in dread! 

There are plenty of books talking about fulfillment.  I did a quick search and found titles as “Making Life Count”, “Take this Job and Love It”, “Pursuit of Passionate Purpose”.  All could be great reads.  We design inspiring purposes, half to convince ourselves.  We can’t just sell cosmetics—we are “making people beautiful”.  And we are.  That isn’t my point. 

Claiming lack of fulfillment can be a never ending journey and excuse to camouflage the real reason which is execution.  Basic training textbooks state that people resist learning/changing because they don’t feel they can do it—so they do something else.  Expectancy has the most influence on our behavior and self doubt is a nasty gremlin.  We don’t waste our time doing things we can’t believe we can do.  Goal settings and good daily actions will link you to demonstrating that the right outcomes are consistently achieved.  And you must be clear of their connection to building that sales funnel.  You aren’t fulfilled because you aren’t solving problems, making it happen.  You won’t be productive feeling the anxiety of procrastination. 

Stress comes from inertia. Its sister is dread. 

When you are working to your potential you are doing the right things.  You can be very busy, but in sales—it’s all about the revenue.  It’s the only reason we are here.  We are here to work, and for that we expect to be paid well for it.  We can’t settle for just getting by.  Sooner or later your employer won’t.  If you’re an owner, you may have to shut the doors.  While ranting a litany of excuses about other people, the economy, the factory, labor or the product. 

Management does not skid free here.  Attitude of the employee is often directly linked to the organization.  Negative employee attitudes can indicate the salesperson questions the wisdom, sincerity or leadership of the organization. Punishment rarely motivates.  It doesn’t motivate people to do things, only not to do things.  The punisher is something to be avoided. 

Sometimes an undesired behavior is rewarding—such as the joy of (temporarily) avoiding the negative.  It’s rarely motivating to return with punishment more severe than the behaviors reinforcing properties.    If an employee leaves or is someone you must terminate—a manager should access their role.  Your goal is to have successful employees. 

Trust me, if you don’t believe in your product and your company you should either get connected or leave.  Peel the onion deeper than just saying “it doesn’t feel right”.  Have an internal dialog about whether your complaints are reasons vs excuses. 

Good. planned, simple daily actions close the what is/should be gap.  You know you should set aside the time to prospect, to follow up, to do networking.  What holds you back?

I suggest to my clients to do the things they “dread” the most first in the day.  People resist this immediately.  They don’t want to face the music and do the unpleasant.  Why?  Well just the definition of the word is dreadful. 

Dread: 
1 : to fear greatly 2 : to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face
intransitive senses : to be apprehensive or fearful

If you do not do these things first, you will be rehashing them over and over in your mind and hold you back from meaningful work.  Maybe you’ll justify one reason after another to put off that call until tomorrow.  I hear many reasons for procrastination.  I rarely meet a person after making those calls who doesn’t wonder what the fuss was about. 

Few doubt that being with a potential buyer is one of their best uses of time.  The discussion becomes over which is the best way to find a potential buyer?  If you can get all your prospects streaming in the door, then you are probably not interested in this article.  For the rest of us, there is real work to be done. 

If you aren’t comfortable with the skill set, get the training you need—whether in sales or product knowledge.  But let me warn you.  The main reason coaching and training does not work is because of resistance to change and not putting the action into plan.  Coaching especially will fail because you will have no place to hide. 

In the meantime, here is a list of the top reasons not to cold call.

Everyone is heading for vacation.

Its early, I’ll disturb the prospects coffee.

Its early, the prospect is returning “real” emails. 

Its too late in the day.

Its too close to lunch. 

They have a sign up prohibiting it.

I don’t have an appointment.

He/she doesn’t know me, my product. 

It snowed and everyone is stressed about the traffic. 

Its spring and everyone has spring fever.

Its summer and everyone is heading for vacation.

There is a big game tomorrow and everyone is taking a long weekend. 

Their big trade show is coming up and everyone is focused on that. 

They won’t return my call.

They probably like their current supplier. 

I’ll just get voice mail. 

Does it really matter?

I need to research something a bit more.

I need to ask tech services before I call.

I think another person is working on this call.

I think they just purchased new.

Homework:  Add to the list, email me your best.  Then copy the compiled list and mail to your competitors—while you go out and make some calls!. 

Success!! Carol

www.automaticsalesperson.com