Fast Track Selling

If you need sales skills and methods to grow your business then you must join Fast Track Sales Clubs. The unique blended learning provides immediate access to innovative and time tested techniques from Top Sales Expert and Business Growth Specialist, Drew Stevens.

No business grows without acquiring new customers. In fact, nothing happens to your business without a sale. Utilities do not function, employees do not get paid and you do not receive compensation without a sale!

To grow business, acquire and retain clients and gain financial prosperity requires a single focus and most important accountability. Coaches assist elite individuals uncover underutilized strengths and hide weaknesses. Coaching helps provide a single focus and work towards the tip of the arrow rather than just the target.

In addition, in a time pressured world and multi generational environment modalities of learning change. Professionals desire assistance wherever, however and whenever they need it. Using the power of technology coaching is available throughout the day!

Finally, Athletes practice, attorneys practice, students practice and musicians practice. Business professionals must practice! . Too many individuals attempt things once and quit. Whether a diet, gym membership or other life altering experience, individuals try one time and leave without moving forward. The key to self-mastery is continuing. You must practice everyday. Just like you body is an investment, so is your mind!

Join our Fast Track Selling Club and watch your business dramatically accelerate!

For additional information click here…

Posted in Business Communication, Communication Training, Customer Relationship, Customer Relationship Management, Customer Service Training, Drew Stevens, Drew Stevens PhD, Management, Positive Selling, Public Speaker, Public Speaking Skills, Sales Management Training, Sales Training, Sales marketing, Selling in a Bad Economy, Strategic Selling, Tips and Techniques, Training, account management, brand recognition, branding, business building, business development, business selling, cold calling, customer service, customer service consulting, customer service ideas, customer service seminars, customer service skills, effectiveness, efficiency, great customer service, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, life balance, make money, marketing, marketing help, marketing techniques, marketing tips, marketing tools, productivity, productivity techniques, sales coaching, sales effectiveness, sales help, sales manager training, sales selling, sales skills, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales success, sales techniques, sales trends, self development, self doubt, self help, self mastery, selling, selling effectiveness, selling skills, selling skills sales seminars, selling strategies, selling strategy, selling techniques, selling tips, small business, small business success, small business techniques, tips on marketings | No Comments »

Drew Stevens on Salesopedia

Dr. Drew Stevens puts forth some contrarian opinions in this interview that points the finger at not company, not the sales manager but the sales rep. His research suggests there are at least 11 areas where reps are culpable. He details four of these areas in this podcast. Drew goes on to offer specific suggestions on how sales people can reset their internal GPS. Are you employing your CEO personality? If not, take a listen.

Click here to listen to the Podcast

Posted in Drew Stevens, Drew Stevens PhD, Sales Management Training, Sales Training, Sales marketing, Strategic Selling, Success, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, marketing, sales and marketing, sales coaching, sales effectiveness, sales help, sales manager training, sales selling, sales skills, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales success, sales techniques, sales trends, self development, self help, self mastery, selling effectiveness, selling skills, selling skills sales seminars, selling strategies, selling strategy, selling techniques, selling tips, small business success, small business techniques | 1 Comment »

Marketing Success Tip for Non Profits

A rumor exists suggesting that non profit marketing is different from the private sector. The rumor is simply that. Non profits especially in today’s economic and competitive volatility must inject marketing principles into their daily practice. Marketing is vital to the success of the entire foundation.

In this episode, Drew Stevens discusses the importance of positioning, the aliteration of the marketing mix and the importance of both people and processes to your marketing plans. Drew is certain you will gain the inside track from these principles to assist your effectiveness.

Posted in Business Communication, Drew Stevens, Drew Stevens PhD, Fundraising, Marketing Mix for Non Profits, Marketing Non Profit Organizations, Non Profit Marketing, Non Profit Marketing Tips, Non Profit Selling, Non Profit Tips, Non Profits, Positive Selling, Sales marketing, brand recognition, business building, business development, effectiveness, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, marketing, marketing help, relationship managment, sales and marketing, sales help, sales skills, sales techniques, selling, selling effectiveness, selling skills | No Comments »

How to increase your selling techniques for Generation Y

For many selling professionals and sales managers selling effectively has become a cumbersome task. The proliferation of the electronic media and instant availability of products and services allows more power into the hands of clients. However, there is one area where the selling professional can achieve more effectiveness by trends and social issues. One of the largest yet daunting areas of research today relates to the Millennials or aptly called Generation Y

To achieve greater selling effectiveness, professionals must realize that we operate in a multi-cultural, multi-gendered and multi-generational workforce. For purposes of this article, our focus relates to generational issues. Many selling professionals, consultants and employers have not taken into consideration that four generations exist in the workforce. There exists four generations:

• Veterans = 20 Million/ages 65 and above
• Baby Boomer = 65 Million /ages 47 – 60
• Generation X = 50 Million /ages 38 - 45
• Generation Y = 78 Million /21 – 40

The manner which each purchases is based on behavior and values. To achieve selling excellence it is imperative to quickly comprehend the value differentiation of each.

Veterans
Veterans have important buying power and been doing so for well over 50 years. These groups because of many socially historical issues usurp brand value. This group tends to remain very loyal to products, services, and do not like change. More importantly, their age creates a need for physical relationship and they find instant communication frustrating.

Boomers
The 78 million Americans who were 50 or older approximately 5 years ago controlled $28 trillion, or 67% of the country’s wealth. This group has tremendous buying power. However, this group ages by the moment as many Boomers worry about retirement and savings. This group resists spending during economic uncertainty since they pay with cash not credit. To achieve sales excellence it is imperative for selling professionals to create a bond with Boomers.

Generation X
Generation X makes up about 17% of the U.S. population and range in age from 38 to approximately 45 years of age. This generation is very open to technology yet is also well educated. If they need information they know where to get it so selling professionals need to illustrate differentiation. Generation X wants issues resolved expediently and deplore lengthy “sales pitches” in favor of solutions. Coincidentally, the dearth of email has Generation X desirous of personal interaction and paper correspondence. Selling effectiveness is uncompromised using more traditional marketing means.

Generation Y or Millennials
The largest and clearly the most influential group of purchasers since the Baby Boomers, Generation Y is on the minds of many selling and marketing professionals. With 78 million potential buyers, it is impossible to avoid this large group. They are influential, have the money to spend and there are many of them. Generation Y are very well educated. As a group, they believe in real time connection with the Internet a Must medium. Generation Y is all about instant connectivity and most importantly instant gratification.

Our research in this area finds these influential areas pivotal for effectively selling to Generation Y.

Cool. Online and print medium require change. Generation Y desires importance and self-actualization. They buy the now and the hottest item on the market. Those that follow this trend will thrive. Avatars such as Apple are very proactive in this area. Sales of iPods and iPhones flourish. Generation Y desires to be part of the experience. Selling to them requires a value proposition focused on current trends and social issues.

Brand. Generation Y differs from all prior generations. They are not brand loyal. Due to the increased connectivity, Generation Y follows social trends. Millennials have acute attention spans as they await the next trend. A recent Wall Street Journal article illustrates how Six Flags is aligning with Disney (movies and television shows) simply to capture the attention of the Millennials. Do not build a brand for them; rather, build a brand with them. Apple, Southwest, FedEx, Facebook, Google all build products with advice from this influential group.

Content. Content is king. This is true for Millennials. The proliferation of Internet technology allows Generation Y instant access to information. Sellers must provide uniqueness with content not found through regular Internet channels. Further, since content travels at the speed of light selling effectiveness can increase with viral marketing.

Language. Generation Y uses different lexicon. Whereas the other generations use complete articulate sentences, Millennials speak in a language encrypted with message similar to the DaVinci code. Sellers must speak and connect to Millennials in their language.

Risk. The increase of viral marketing and information enable Millennials to take more risks then preceding generations. In fact, due mostly to youth, Millennials are riskier, they have less to lose. Sellers and marketers must challenge Millennials. Buyers represent three purchase groups’ a) early adopters, b) followers c) not a chance. Generation Y devour risk by adopting the “cool” trends. Sellers must understand the trends to advise the consumer to be a recognized leader.

The need to dissect generations is vital to selling effectiveness. Today’s sales professional requires the research skills of the finest detectives, uncovering every clue and unearthing every angle. Additionally, selling effectiveness requires spontaneous information leveraged by the lexicon of the contrary party. It is impracticable to estimate if each issue resonates with a Millennial. Sellers intuitively realize that trends continue to change. The only way to get ahead is to be a leader. Clearly as the Millennials mature there is another entourage. Selling effectiveness requires intuition, content, and resolve.

© 2008. Drew Stevens Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.

Posted in Drew Stevens, Drew Stevens PhD, Positive Selling, Sales Training, Sales marketing, branding, business building, business development, business selling, effectiveness, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, marketing, marketing help, sales and marketing, sales coaching, sales effectiveness, sales skills, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales success, sales techniques, sales trends, self development, selling, selling effectiveness, selling skills, selling skills sales seminars, selling strategies, selling strategy, selling techniques, selling tips, small business | No Comments »

Sales Effectiveness Principle - Know the Customer

I was reviewing Internet posts the other day and came up an interesting post by Bob Sullivan. Too Little Customer Knowledge discusses the imperative nature of knowing your client. I agree with Bob wholeheartedly. Sales Managers and their selling professionals are so involved with a myriad of issues that they fail to understand the issues and compelling customer needs.

The issues discussed stem from a recent CMO Council research study that depicts:

- 6.8% have excellent customer knowledge
- 40.4% have fair customer knowledge
- 45.6% have poor customer knowledge
- 7.2% was split between good and not sure customer knowledge

I have been emphasizing these issues for years in my workshops, seminars and consulting work. It is imperative that selling and marketing professionals understand the client, the industry and the competition. I find it embarrassing that selling professionals today have little knowledge about those they want to sell to. Clients desire conducting business with those that can aid the organization by providing value. Stop the rote sales and marketing product pitches and read about the client and the issues they face.

Some techniques include:

-Read the Annual Report. This includes of wealth of knowledge related to your clients vision and future.

-Read The Wall Street Journal. Frankly it is embarrassing that managers do not encourage new staff to read this daily financial periodical. To understand money and trends you need to read about it.

-Subscribe to a news service. We are in a knowledge economy and everywhere we turn we are surrounded by numerous media outlets. Subscribe to one of the business and financial services you will be glad you did.

-Network. To understand the know you have to be in it. Attend networking groups and ask questions.

I still remember a lesson from my former track and field coach. One day during summer intersession he sent me a note that stated, “Are you sitting on your past?” While they brought a smile then, what I did not realize is these words became the antithesis of my business success and now should be that for your business success.

If you want to be more effective in your selling skills and you desire more business, then my question to you is, “Are you sitting on your past?” Make a new future, change the rules and know your customer.

©2008 Drew Stevens Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Posted in Drew Stevens, Drew Stevens PhD, Employee Performance, Sales Training, Sales marketing, account management, business building, business development, business selling, efficiency, inquiry managment, lead generation, lead inquiry, marketing, sales and marketing, sales coaching, sales help, sales selling, sales skills, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales success, sales techniques, sales trends | No Comments »

PUMP UP Your Sales Skills - Lesson 3

There are four primary steps in the selling process for fitness professionals.

1. Prepare to Present
2. Uncover the needs1.
3. Manage Rapport and Objections
4. Provide Closure

Here is a just a brief synopsis of each.
1. Unless your are asking provocative questions and your illustrate concern for the prospect they will go elsewhere. Uncovering needs means asking the difficult questions to understand their needs.
2. It is vital for our to keep you prospects attention so they are interested. If prospects are interested in your offer and they “hear” the benefits they are more apt to listen and invest the time with your offer.
3. The prospect might be interested and you might have their attention but your inability to build a relationship impacts moving forward. To that end, prospects object to your offer. You must understand how to move forward to create further interest so they trust you!
4. The most fascinating yet most daunting part of any sale is closure. Procrastination and indecision are a part of like. Moreover, many professionals are afraid to ask for the business. The best way to make money and get more members is to ask

Keep the PUMP full

Cold calling, direct mail and other traditional selling methods do little to build relationships- they simply anger and frustrate. When was the last time you took a call in the evening after a lengthy day from a cold calling maven? And when was the last time you spoke with a million dollar insurance agent that cold calls?

Today’s professional requires techniques that help to accentuate and differentiate from others. Further clients require methods so that there is less work to gather business. Successful professionals keep a full pipeline of activity to help build their nest egg. Here are some examples.

Networking
Review your local paper for functions that interest you and attend as a guest, but go. If do not attend your competitors are. Others cannot know your business with just a shingle hanging in the breeze.

Referrals
The best way to seek referrals is when you are first engaged with the client and they are at that emotional high.

Follows up on referrals
A rule of thumb is twenty-four hours from receipt to contact. Ensure you mention the person that referred you and mention their enthusiasm for working with you.

Speaking
One of the best methods to introduce your expertise is to tell others about what you do. Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, and Chambers of Commerce are constantly in need of experts.

Writing Articles
There are more newspapers in circulation today than ever before. There are a multitude of newsletters, web sites, regional business magazines, and local newspapers starving for decent material.

Booklets
Typically focused on one topic, these small content-rich pieces feature your advice on health, fitness and exercise technique. Booklets can be used as handouts for potential clients or as products to be sold at special events.

The key to business building and success is doing things others don’t. One needs to discover methods to rise above the din and become visible. With global competition increasing and a shift in industries requiring selling professionals there exists the need to become outstanding. Refrain from tired non-functioning sales methods that don’t work and take time. Reduce your labor, work smarter and watch your sales grow.

c2008. Drew Stevens Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Posted in Sales Management Training, Sales Training, Strategic Selling, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, sales and marketing, sales coaching, sales help, sales selling, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales trends, self development, selling, selling skills, selling skills sales seminars, selling strategies, selling strategy, selling techniques, selling tips, small business | No Comments »

How to Convince a Prospect Podcast

 

 How to Convince a Prospect Podcast: Play Now | Download

Posted in Drew Stevens PhD, Expertise, Tips and Techniques, Training, business building, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, sales help, sales selling, sales skills, sales strategist, sales strategy, sales success, sales techniques, self development, self help, selling, selling skills, selling skills sales seminars, selling strategies, selling strategy, selling techniques, selling tips | No Comments »

Top Sales Experts e-book

FREE E-Book for Our Subscribers

Be one of those fortunate selling professionals and sales managers to obtain top quality selling advice for FREE. Drew Stevens nominated one of the Top Sales Experts in the world and his colleagues are offering a once in a lifetime chance to obtain over 180 pages of professional selling advice for absolutely nothing. No strings, no offers, no fee. Simply follow the link to the download page and obtain your FREE Sales Advisory e-book here. This is a once in a lifetime chance and will not last long!

Click here to obtain your FREE Top Sales Experts e-Book

Posted in Sales Training, Sales marketing, account management, business building, business development, business selling, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, relationship managment, sales and marketing, sales coaching, sales manager training, sales selling, sales skills, sales strategy, sales techniques, selling, selling skills, selling techniques, selling tips | No Comments »

Optimizing Sales Leads - How to Generate a Higher Lead Return

A growing concern for many sales and marketing managers is optimization of sales leads. Each year selling professional’s get a plethora of business development leads unfortunately unearthing less than 47 percent. Worse, over 50% remain dormant. Managers postulate but to no avail. The numbers barely move. In recent research for this article, several clients utilize the Internet for sales leads with less than 5 percent reaching closure. To develop and optimize a productive lead generation program sales and marketing leaders must formulate a B2B strategic plan. The following information is meant initiate dialogue.

Content is King. Since the dawn of the Internet information has proliferated our society. Present clients obtain more information about your organization then you realize. Press releases, news stories, earnings even advertisements all provide analysis of the organization. When a lead finally does reach a selling professional, research illustrates that 87% of selling professionals reiterate known content.

Solution – Sales and marketing must formulate strategic client questions that provide client value. Rather than rehash features and claims, new leads are taken through an analysis to better understand needs. An exemplar might provide competitive product samples or packaging. Competitive firms can then provide alternative means and find gaps.

Mom always liked you best. Clients today inform all representatives of a lack of time and a lack of interest. In fact, according to CSO Insights the quality of leads is positively impacting the conversion rate of leads to first calls. Marketing and sales must collaborate on lead completion strategies. These are plans that assist in collecting a myriad of data for lead movement through the pipeline. Marketing instructors always discuss the “ …phics when discussing the 4 P’s and so must sales.

To help lead movement organizational strategies must be developed to understand demographics, geographic, psychographic and behavioral issues. This tool assists sales representatives with a better initial call to comprehend issues. Similar to an archeologist trying to unearth the past, a selling professional has more data to motivate the lead to a next step.

Solution – Provide sales representatives with enough data to move the lead through the management system. Have marketing work with sales to establish the type of content required for your organization. Additionally, clients today require multiple “touch points”. Produce value for prospective leads with white papers, analysis, industry trends, market data reports, EPA analysis etc. When available gain an email address or physical address to send updates to prospects. Constant contact with leads will help convert them into future sales.
Technology for technology sake. People today are overwhelmed with technology. Just recently I attended a Blue Man Group concert and the following information was displayed.
GENERAL EMAIL STATISTICS
• In 2001nearly 12 billion email messages will be sent every day Jupiter Communications
• The average number of email messages per day is 32, up 84% per year.
• There are now as many as 170M corporate electronic mailboxes in use, growing 32% per year, with 440M mailboxes in total.
SPAM STATISTICS
• In 1999, the average consumer received 40 pieces of spam. By 2005, Jupiter estimates, the total is likely to soar to 2000. The Standard
• America Online estimates that spam already accounts for more than 30 percent of email to its members – as many as 24 million messages a day. The Standard
• 7% of ISP churn was directly attributed to spam. Gartner Group

People are simply too tired of electronic commerce. Even though it is faster and least expensive, it is still intrusive.

Solution – Work with marketing to develop a paper and a paperless campaign. Direct mail is on the rise. B2B lead generation techniques need to follow this trend. Conversion rates must increase and the alternative is to remain in contact with leads in a plethora of ways that capture attention. Personalize pieces for maximum benefit. Sales and marketing might develop a cover letter that discusses previous conversations and outlines plans for future action.

Analysis not Paralysis. One client recently indicated that over 87% of their leads came through the Internet. However, when seeking additional information, we uncovered less than 10 percent of leads closed. There are a number of reasons for this from questions, to demographic data to the foppishness of sales disinterest in the lead. Some representatives have issues discerning what is a good lead and what isn’t.

Solution – What is needed is not more leads. Sales and marketing need to work together to discern what constitutes a qualified lead as well how to execute the lead to the next step. Each B2B process is different; ensure success by truly understanding how your organizational process works from beginning to end. Do not over analyze try different scenarios to you identify what works well.

No Pain, No Gain. Face it selling professionals can get quite frivolous with leads and inquiries in the system. Blame is easily thrown to marketing for poor execution and comprehension. Yet this is a team effort. One does not blame the running back for poor running if the line does not block nor should selling professionals. Inquiry management is a team effort.

Solution – Provide incentives for both sales and marketing professionals. Additionally, performance reviews for selling professionals must include quality of inquiry management information. Exemplars provide full disclosure of prospective clients not simply name and address. Key individuals consistently provide information used by marketing critically analyzed and used to optimize the lead equation.

Present B2B’s use services such as Six Sigma, Balanced Scorecard and a cadre of services to develop, qualify and optimize the business. For many years a division existed between the worlds of sales and marketing invoking territorial behavior. In a shifting global economy, a competitive industrial environment and the knowledge explosion, it does take a village. Too many choices create confusion and lethargy amongst prospects. Rather than count the leads, we need to move them. New methods need be employed to remove the morass that clogs the pipeline.

Good Selling.

©2008 Drew Stevens Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.

Original sales article published here.

Posted in Drew Stevens, cold calling, inquiry managment, lead generation, lead inquiry, lead management, sales skills, selling skills sales seminars | No Comments »