Sales Strategies Featured on Salesopedia
November 24th, 2008 adminFind my recent article on selling strategies featured on Salesopedia.
Self Sabotage or Self Mastery - The Inside Track
November 21st, 2008 admin5 Sales Tips for Year End Success
November 13th, 2008 adminSeek methods to become more competitive and which offer differentiation. Review these tools to help you overcome your hurdles to sell more effectively.
Customer Service
Eighty percent of most organizations believe they deliver exemplary customer service. Ironically, less then twenty percent do. According to research by consultancy Bain and Company, only eight percent of companies really deliver on customer service. In fact, U.S. corporations lose half their customers every five years. Loyal customers become adjuncts to the marketing department. Make certain your business invests in programs that promote customer loyalty.
Competitive Intelligence
Customers no longer desire focus on product; they want to understand results. Most important, results are only part of the equation and clients seek value from a trusted partner. Understandably, associations build over time, clients desire trust and respect, and such tools are gained by understanding client issues. The only method to augment this issue is the creation of a client-competitive intelligence program. Use investigative tools that promote the client’s organizational comprehension, industry knowledge, and even competitive trends and pressures. A sincere understanding of client issues assists in promoting a strong relationship.
Morale
Many organizations hire for behavior and not skill. Selling is a skill and some of it is not teachable. Selling professionals must be gregarious, curious, and aggressive. Selling professionals must have passion for the product, the industry, and the customer. Morale or lack of is a huge obstacle with customer relationships, if conviction and energy are void.
Relationship
The only differentiation from competitive forces is the relationships with clients. In addition to using some of the tools above, it is imperative to remain in contact with clients consistently. Connect with all of your clients (large and small) at least once per month or per quarter. Your avoidance only provides an opportunity for your competitor to have a similar discussion.
Closing
Remember this: always be closing! Ask questions, make presumptions, engage with clients; however, always seek to ask the question. When they get to the closing stage many professionals become bashful. If you want business you must ask for it. If you do not, your competition will.
The hardest part of change is change. If you seek new methods to assist your selling success, you must change. If you seek better or different results, you must change. Moreover, if you want new methods to aid your success, use some of these methods, create some change, and become more effective.
© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.
How to Alleviate Stress at Work
November 11th, 2008 adminThe recent economic issues wreak perils on employees and families. Stress levels are high. Many people worry about retirement accounts, mortgage payments and employment status. Add to this the upcoming holiday season and stress is rising. However, there are things you can do to calm stress:
1. Ignore the small stuff. There is only so much that you can control and you cannot control everything. Only worry about things that matter. Automobile issues are for mechanics; the rising price of produce will not stop because you complain; and rude people will always exist, so ignore the pressure to respond. Let the little things – and they are little things – roll off your back like rainwater off a rose.
2. Learn self-mastery. Frustration arouses us because we have not mastered a sense of self. It is imperative to look in the mirror and recognize our accomplishments. We must rationalize our success. Stress stems from a focus away from self onto others. Learn to become a master of the mirror and see what lurks within.
3. Stop limiting your beliefs. “Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and getting the same result.” To seek new methods you must change your limiting beliefs. For example: if you believe you are poor, you are; if you believe you make less then others, you do; and if you believe you are treated unfairly at work, you are. Limit beliefs focused on the negative. Stop the insanity, look in the mirror, gain acuity in thought and realize all you have to offer. Begin focusing on positive issues and positive results will happen. What do you think Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Frank Lloyd Wright said to limiting beliefs? All you can become already exists!
Stress is the audacious component of heart and liver disease, diabetes, obesity, etc. Extend your life, your passions and your relationships by learning to downplay stress and expand your capabilities.
2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.
The Importance of Dressing for Success
November 11th, 2008 admin
Dress codes in the United States historically morph from decade to decade. The majority of thought suggests that business professionals must dress professionally, Male dress code denotes a suit, perhaps with tie and for ladies perhaps a dress, business suit, skirt or other business apparel. However, if one meanders down Broadway in Manhattan, Market Street in St. Louis or the Miracle Mile in Chicago, over the last 10 years business patterns changed.
In the last 10 to 15 years, an emergence of business casual attire has adopted from the East Coast to the West. It is common for professionals to wear jeans, T –Shirts and sneakers or boots to the office. While I enjoy fashion trends, one worth terminating is business casual.
Casual dress inspires casual conversations and behavior. In the 10 to 15 years, it has become noticeable for productivity to decrease at work. There exists a potpourri of information on productivity in the workplace and many point to dress code. Casual dress simply promotes apathetic behavior.
Second, numerous business professionals engage with client’s daily. Clients desire to conduct business with those they trust and exemplify expertise. If there were a need to visit a cardiologist or an investment banker, what might be your feelings if they greeted you in blue jeans and a polo shirt? Would you prefer someone that dresses the part?
A diminishing trend seems to exist. In the last two to three years, I am noticing more men and women wearing business suits. Airports that once greeted polo shirt and khaki passengers are filling with grey and blue pinstripes, leather soles, and pumps. If you want to look the part, you must be the part. Invest in your business, in your profession and in your closet. Resist the population and settle for professionalism. Seek out clothing that embodies your professional image; purchase a nice briefcase, pad folio, and pen. In addition, watch accessories that dampen your appearance such as watches, rings, and bracelets. Dress for success and watch your image flourish.
© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.
Sales Skills Creativity - Aligning the stars of Sales and Marketing
November 10th, 2008 adminJoin Drew Stevens PhD as he is interviewed by Linda Popky of L2M Associates to discuss how to increase sales in a difficult economy.We discuss a wealth of issues and how to overcome them by breaking the silos to get sales and marketing to co-exist.
Here is a brief description of our discussion:
Conceptually sales and marketing departments have different philosophies and different cultures. Marketing continually blames sales if revenue falters and sales blames marketing for poor development. A classic case is a firm that spent almost $300,000 on a trade booth. Marketing helped to create a stellar eye-opening booth but not one sale was attributed to the show. The most imperative culture issue is that marketing believes that selling professionals are too focused on meeting customer budget not needs and sales believes that marketing is out of touch with client issues.While the two groups are working towards a similar goal, client acquisition, both follow opposing paths to achieve the same result. In order to refrain from conflicts and to achieve efficiency in the process, culture must change. Selling culture is achieved from sales closure; marketing culture is attuned to programs. Based on recent research with several clients, aligning the culture reduces conflict and speeds efforts. Further recent 2007 surveys illustrate that average quota attainment is below 60%; forecast accuracy hovers at 50/50 requiring a better method to achieve selling efficiency and who better to help than the marketing department.
In order to help augment culture, influence is required. Sales and marketing behaviors are influenced by both beliefs and attitudes. Once behaviors change, departments enact interdepartmentally, sharing responsibilities and becoming more strategic with accounts and more importantly eliminating the fences that divide.
Listen to this fabulous eye opening session and gain new insight.
Other Media: Download
About Drew Stevens
Drew Stevens helps individuals dramatically accelerate business growth. Drew has built four profitable and growing businesses during three economic downturns. Drew’s coaching and mentoring you with a return on investment never to look back!
About Linda Popky
Linda Popky is the founder and president of L2M Associates, Inc., a strategic marketing company that helps organizations dramatically improve their bottom line by more effectively leveraging their investments in marketing programs, processes, and people. She can be reached at http://www.l2massociates.com/
How to Accelerate Through Year End
November 7th, 2008 adminThe largest singular issue with selling in a difficult economy is change. There is change in buying power, change in budgets, even change in decision criteria. However, what is not changed, are goals, annual commitments and a desire to excel.
I am willing to bet that you believe that the economy is holding you back from quota. I am willing to believe that stress is increasing. How bad do you think the economy really is? Do you believe the economy is why you cannot sell anything? Well, here is some interesting information for you.
• Halloween spending this year is $6 Billion.
• Christmas spending on the Internet will increase by 22%
• According to a recent CNN report, Americans save only 1% of their income.
• Review your interstates and local roads; notice all the new automobiles.
• American football stadiums are still selling to capacity crowds.
• Fast food and restaurant capacity has decreased only marginally; people still go out to eat!
• Beer and liquor products are holding up well.
• Seven of every ten firms are holding an annual holiday party!
So, if the economy is down, why is there so much spending? While I do not suggest you ignore the issues, however, media outlets seeking viewers contrive much of the news. Selling professionals need ignore these unnecessary distractions and simply sell. Stop getting distracted and stop listening to the negative. You must find methods that provide the inside track and get your sales into 5th gear.
The following are items you influence to take you from worst to first!
Do not – watch the news and ponder the negative. Rather discover trends that enable you to assist clients. Look at trends that buck recessionary trends. This time of year, there are budgets that still require spending.
Do not – hover around negative people. They only make you negative. Rather discover new associations that build your business. Find networking clubs and associations seeking positive volunteers.
Do not – listen to rumor. Rather only, act on information that proves to be factual. Review statistics and seek honest information sources.
Do not- waste time with unnecessary meetings. Rather, understand objectives and agendas before you attend. Your precious time needs to be spent selling.
Do not – waste time. With extra time yielded by canceled appointments, discover methods to improve your craft. Attend a class or read a book that provides professional improvement.
Do not – sweat the small stuff. You will gain some additional canceled engagements and letters of intent. Do not focus on the negative hold onto relationships for future growth and opportunities.
Do not – treat non-paying and terminating clients badly. Research proves that 40% of every selling situation is based on customer service. The world is flat and the world is small, your present non-pay might become a future long-term prospective client.
Do not – look for the gloom but the gold. The New Year, the new President brings change. Change provides new opportunity. Change provides light in what appears dark.
The current economic issue will eventually become coffee table conversation. Change provides renewal and growth. Within the next several years, growth returns and these issues are past experiences. To maintain perspective and gain the inside track you need to operate in 5th gear. While your competitors downshift to first gear congruent with economic trends, now is the time to press down on the pedal and accelerate past the competition. Begin doing things the others don’t.
2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.
Success Tips for Selling Professionals and Business Owners
November 6th, 2008 adminAfter weeks of trying, Sean finally got the company president on the phone. He tried breaking the ice with some small talk and asked some basic questions to warm up his potential client. “Listen,” said Ms. President. “I don’t have time to give you information that you can find out in 2 seconds on our Web site. We need people who make us time and money, not waste it.”
Planning & Preparation
Successful salespeople are always prepared. They understand the client, the industry, the company and the specific pain the client is dealing with. Prepared sales professionals go into every sales call stocked with background information, ready to ask intriguing questions and give meaningful examples that shine a light on the solutions to the customer’s problems.
Put simply, sales professionals are problem solvers, much like a physician trying to understand the reason for an illness sales professionals know how to ask the correct and pointed questions to understand the issue and move immediately to problem identification and resolution. And if a sales professional gets stumped for an answer they know where to go to get it. It is not too often that sales professionals at least prepared ones will know how to get an answer and where to get it from.
Planning is one of the most important parts of sales preparation. Selling without planning is much like going on a blind date. You do know that the person is male or female, they want to meet you and communicate with you yet that is all. One cannot be a problem solver if you do not understand to whom you are speaking and how you can understand the issue.
Specifically there are three resources that you can use that cost no if little money to better understand client issues and how you can aid them. They include the annual report, news and company and industry information. For most companies, this information can be found online.
Susan sat down at the conference with the market development team of a Fortune 500 company. After receiving the invitation to meet, she’d spent weeks researching the company, their competition and their corporate culture. She came prepared with an approach that dovetailed her research into her company’s products. She also came prepared to take the lead on the meeting. The meeting began with introductions and then the director said, “Well, Susan. Here’s what were looking for, why don’t you take it from here…”
Purpose & Passion
You must have an intention for each and every conversation, call, proposal and action you take. Not to say that all is calculated but you must have a reason for why you are doing what you are doing.
Purpose helps you to answer three vital and dynamic questions:
• Who is the client?
• What do they need?
• Why me?
Your ability to reply to and have good content to these answers will assist you with understanding what you bring to the table and how you can assist the client to derive pleasure from the current pain. Your purpose gives you direction as if the compass and helps you to drive to the shortest destination in the least amount of time.
Successful sales professionals love challenges, are exceptional about adversity and love the product or service that they represent. They are never shy, they are never non-conversant and you can sense their spirit and their passion when they speak. In fact, I heard a South Aftrican word the other day, enbutu, meaning from the spirit. Successful sales professionals have an aura of spirit, of love, of passion, of commitment in everything and anything that they do. The more you can create enbutu in your sales presentations and your sales day the more energetic and more representative you can be for your client.
Your passion will also help you with persistence. The successful salesperson is someone that is willing to go the distance when fatigued or stumped so that they create value, vision and viability for the prospective client that yearns for a resolution.
2008. Drew J. Stevens All rights reserved.
5th Gear Sales Tips in a First Gear Economy
November 6th, 2008 adminDo not believe the rumors. Selling is not difficult now. People are attending sporting events, they are eating out, and they are buying beer! Now is not the time to avoid pressure but to increase it for your competition. While others fold, you must build. Listen to Drew Stevens Coach you through the malestrom and get you into competitive grear! This podcast promises to get you to Make it Happen!
Selling Skills Update – PRACTICE Selling Like an Athlete
November 6th, 2008 admin
Athletes practice, students practice, musicians practice, business professionals should practice, sales professionals must practice. If you tire of working so hard and not achieving, perhaps now is the time to treat your profession like an athlete does. Selling today, and historically, is the only lifelong employable profession. The best example: no lights function, no telephones ring, no money is deposited without a sale. Start thinking like an athlete so that you have the inside track on your profession. Here is a new seven-step formula to create your success.
P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E ™ - A Seven-Step Formula for Business Success
Planning – The most vital process for any successful professional. Planning is about information gathering and research. Professionals must plan each call; they must be prepared to offer information. In addition, professionals must identify with researched information to resolve the client’s pains.
Rapport – Building rapport is one of the largest hurdles for any business professional. You have to get to know people—yes, strangers. This will challenge you daily. However, you must always be smiling and discovering new ways to influence people to resolve their issues.
Attention – Buyers today are much more distracted by e-mail, voice mail, snail mail, the Internet, remote controls, cell phones, etc. Professionals must rise above these distractions to build relationships. Differentiation is your key to maintaining attention.
Conviction – Professionals typically carry an arsenal of information for sales calls. However, each call must be customized with the tools and techniques that the buyer will “hear.” Items such as testimonials, statistical studies, charts, graphs, and schematics are just some of the items you will need.
Time Management – It is imperative to work with efficiency. Good organization and time management skills ensure your productivity and profitability.
Interest – If you want someone to buy something from you it is necessary that you interest him or her. This means using tools and fact-finding techniques to determine if there is alignment between you and the prospect. In addition, interest requires the use of benefits to obtain the sale. Remember the rule: prospects buy benefits.
Close – Never forget to ask what you want to obtain. Closing is one of the most vital steps in the business process. If you do not close, you do not make any money. To remember when to close, use the ABC rule. Always be closing!
Evaluation and Education – The issue, however, is to be enthusiastic about your product or service. You want to love what you do and you want to love what you sell. You interest or lack of it will show itself during every presentation. In addition, your enthusiasm must reign even though you will get much rejection in the sales game. Finally, enlightenment comes with each call. Learn something with every call/presentation. Business professionals must be adept at lifelong learning!
Although PRACTICE™ is a new method and seems to follow a chronological path, it need not be. You can begin your quest of knowledge in any particular area. Nevertheless, begin today—the race for a new client begins at the conclusion of this article.
© 2008. Drew J. Stevens. All rights reserved.
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