S&MM SoundOff

Selling is Easy...Buying is hard

By Daniel W. Jacobs (www.Danielwjacobs.com)

People want to own, often they don't like to buy.  An important part of your job is to smooth the edges of the buying process and make it as painless as possible.

Remember the door-to-door salesman?  The second you opened the door; they would begin fast-talking while sliding their product case just inside the door before you could close it on them.  Those days are happily gone forever, as that style won't open any doors in today's marketplace.

People have become seasoned buyers, they're had lots of practice saying no, and they're good at it!  The ways can be blunt or rude or camouflaged by social niceties, but they're still saying the same thing.  No!

Buying has become a pain to them, a necessary evil they have to put up with to get what they want.  Is it any surprise that Internet sales are growing exponentially?  People don't like to deal with unfriendly salespeople if they don't have to.  However, this could be the “open sesame” to the sales career that you're looking for.

What can you do to make the process easy on the customer - so that buying is fun?

One thing to remember is that you do the selling and the customer does the buying.  It always works that way.  It doesn't matter if you think they should buy what you're offering.  They do the buying . . . or not.

People must get to know you, to like you and to trust you before they will become your customer.

People respond to honesty, interest in them and friendly helpfulness. These qualities are a benefit to them and their instincts tell them when it's real and when it's not.  You can't fake it.  They'll smell it a mile away and bring out their handy-dandy little “no” machine.  Even if they seem to be agreeing with you socially, they're just being polite.  Mentally, they've already made the decision not to buy, and now they're just looking for the door out.

Never talk just to fill up the space. Never tell them you like something when you don't feel that way.  And never feign admiration or interest.  If you're not interested in their answer - don't ask the question. 

Only ask a question or find a point of agreement on things you're really interested in. This maintains a sense of reality.  People are interesting if you look hard enough.  They're also interested in people that are interested in them . . . if that interest is sincere and genuine.

Any difficulty you're having in getting people to open the door and let you in comes from you.  They're only responding to what they perceive intuitively in your manner, your interest, and your sincerity or the lack of it.

All this adds up to the fact that you create your own success, not the customer or the client.  It all starts with you.  If you're not interested in talking to people that day, you might as well stay home. 

Mean what you say and say what you mean.  And if you don't mean it, don't say it.  Honesty, sincerity and helpful interest will open the door to making selling easy.

But sometimes a simple old saying says it best.

They don't care how much you know - until they know how much you care.

The Growing Concern of Short-Timers Disease

By John Gallagher, CAS: promotional consultant & distributor

According to a survey conducted by The Conference Board: www.conference-board.org,
* Less than 39% workers under 25 are satisfied with their employment situation
* Less than 45% of worker between 45-54 are satisfied
* Of the 55-64 age workforce, almost half are satisfied
* Overall less than 41 percent of householders claim to be satisfied with their current job.

Given these statistics, it’s no wonder that HR and personnel directors feel as though they are glorified doormen. Many of the employees have their antenna up scouting for the next business opportunity. I call this “short-timers disease”.

A local fast food retailer advertised to new hires that if they stayed at least 90 days, the survivors would receive a $500.00 bonus. Maybe if some of them put in as much time and effort at work as they did looking for the opportunity, they might actually aspire to greater heights at their current place of employment. Why is it that the grass just seems to have a different hue of green elsewhere? Maybe employers should just hand out jade-colored glasses. The obvious drawbacks due to the amount of quality work time lost from a lethargic work staff compound the work load and retard the time frames to achieve goals and work completion.

So how does an employer cut down on this "short-timers" mindset?
* Bonus and pay structures should be re-evaluated
* Proper training seminars should be conducted
* Workloads need to be assessed
* Recognition and appreciation of jobs well done should be rewarded and publically announced

One of the best ways to keep your finger on the pulse of the employees’ concerns is to have an advisory board that includes staff workers to have a voice and assist in creating and implementing attractive motivational benefits. Consider implementing a company incentive program. Most importantly, keep the lines of communication open between management and staff and please take off those jade shades.

Vegetarianism is Underrated

By Jeremy Cohen, Managing Editor, Sales & Marketing Management

The next time you happen to be poking around  www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com, check out a great article by Ford Kanzler entitled "Is Press Release Addiction Killing Your Marketing Efforts?" Kanzler touches on a bad habit many marketers seem to have—namely, spamming media types (yours truly included) with press releases, the majority of which never seem to have much interest or relevance to the recipient.

Marketing professionals may assume this practice constitutes good public relations, but in reality, all they’re accomplishing is ticking off a whole bunch of reporters and editors. And if they think any of the aforementioned media folks are going to be bending over backwards to give them press after having their inboxes darkened for the millionth time, they’re sadly mistaken.

But I think this lesson needs to be extended to marketers who don’t restrict themselves to the digital realm—the folks who cram my physical mailbox full of press kits, books and other items of (un)interest on a daily basis. As with e-mailed releases, you do occasionally stumble upon something useful and applicable … but far more often, you find yourself wondering if the sender spent a few hours beforehand Googling “magazines” or something equally generic.

The impetus for this post?

I’m currently looking at a DVD someone sent us—addressed to the Editor-In-Chief of Sales & Marketing Management magazine—for potential review.

A DVD of a horror movie. About cannibals in Texas.

How Do You Handle Defeat?

As I watched the Olympics this past week, I was appalled by the behaviour one athlete portrayed after losing her event. Her words, tone of voice, and body language were extremely negative and her comments to an interviewer were far less than professional. Her bitterness was profoundly evident and this behaviour dispelled any sympathy I had initially felt for her loss.

I often encounter salespeople who show similar behaviour. A competitor sneaks in and steals an account. A customer decides to buy an inferior product. Competitors become more predatory in their pricing. A deal falls through after several months of effort and perhaps a great deal of expense. The list could go on.

Situations like this are a fact of life and business. How you respond makes a difference. If you allow yourself to become bitter, future situations will only compound your resentment and you will gradually find yourself struggling to meet your goals. However, if you evaluate the situation and determine what, if anything, you could have done differently to improve your results, your behaviour will be much more positive.

No one likes to lose a sale, especially a large one. However, displaying bitterness will negatively affect your future efforts.

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.

Gender Bender: Size Does Matter When Selling to Women

By Kelly McCormick

Yes, it's true. When selling to women, size really does matter. The practice of resizing, repackaging and/or marketing goods to women that were originally designed for men could backfire. Women no longer tolerate having to buy items that pretend to meet their needs. And they're voicing those objections with their wallets.

If the prospect of losing sales isn't bad enough, offering commodities that don'™t address real gender differences can also cost you your sales force. In crowded markets it can be tough enough to stay competitive. If you add to that the burden of trying to "sell" a woman on goods that over-promise and under-deliver, why, even the most seasoned sales professional may call it quits. It’s time for things to change.

You just read the opening of my recent online column for the Manage Smarter Web site. Read the full article to find out what's going on in the women's market and the changes that need to be made. Go to http://www.managesmarter.com/msg/content_display/sales/e3ie1d250229aff043a8e49553a1e7643e5. © 2008 Kelly McCormick, All rights reserved.

About Kelly McCormick
Kelly McCormick, from OutSell Yourself, is a sales expert.  She writes an online monthly column on women and sales for Sales & Marketing Management. Get Kelly's OutSell Yourself™ tips and information on her "Sell to Women" and "Sell to All Buyers" sessions and keynote talks at www.OutSellYourself.com. Kelly's book, OutSell Yourself: How to Sell Without Selling, is soon to be released.  Kelly can be contacted by calling 800-889-9637 (PST).

Time to Stop and Smell the Roses: Taking Care of Business Upstairs

By Jeremy Cohen

Let's face it: For all of the financial rewards and personal satisfaction it (hopefully) brings, sales management is hardly a low-stress profession. Indeed, in my very first post for S&MM SoundOff, I emphasized the necessity of adopting a comprehensive exercise regimen for anyone hoping to avoid a trip to the cardiology center.

But true physical fitness encompasses more than just hoisting free weights and logging miles on the treadmill; taking care of what’s upstairs is every bit as crucial. In fact, if one gives credence to a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, mental health demands just as much priority as diet and the gym.    

“The brain, experts say, needs breaks,” writes AJC reporter Helena Oliviero, “whether it’s through meditation, yoga, a massage, a pedicure or simply sitting in a park or taking some deep breaths with your morning brew.” Oliviero quotes workplace coach Tevis Gale, who puts things even more succintly: “Keeping that balance between work and life is what keeps us sane … Yet, we forget to take the time to check our mental status and give it importance.”

I know, I know … telling your typical type A sales manager he needs to stop and smell the roses is about as effective as trying to sell him a Yugo. So let’s try a different tact: Being highly disciplined and organized is what helped get you to the top of the professional mountain, right? Well, try putting those traits to work for your health. Schedule a BlackBerry- and laptop-free hour every day, at the same time, and stick with it. Schedule 30 minutes to take a walk outside or meditate in your office, and stick with it. Stick to these appointments as religiously as you would to any meeting.

Trust me, the world won’t fall apart during these mini-absences … but sooner or later you will, if you don’t take care of yourself.    

Awaiting the 2008 Survey of Buying Power?

With much anticipation, our editors are still fielding calls every day from interested sales professionals regarding our upcoming 2008 Survey of Buying Power--and we couldn't be more excited for its' return.

If you haven't already done so, make sure to read S&MM's cover story from this past July/August issue, "Sneak Peak: 2008 Survey of Buying Power," and be sure to visit www.surveyofbuyingpower.com and register to be notified once the Survey officially launches at the end of August 2008.

Are you a fan of the Survey? Have you used past editions to help you fuel your sales? If so, share your success stories here...We'd love to hear from you!

Learn from the Olympics

Anyone who watched the opening ceremonies for the Olympics this past weekend could not help but be amazed by the event. From the costumes, to use of technology, the extravagant fireworks, and the sheer number of people involved, it captured the attention of everyone watching. The choreography alone was worthy of a gold medal with more than 2000 people performing in several of the segments.

Here are three lessons sales professionals can learn from this show.

Think big. The opening ceremonies epitomized the concept of thinking big. Most sales people do not dream big because they are afraid of failing. However, working on big goals expands your thinking and creates new opportunities.

Creativity. Too many sales people use the same tired approaches even when they do not get the intended results. Get creative and change your strategy from time-to-time, and if necessary, brainstorm with coworkers or colleagues to generate new ideas to capture more business.

Practise. Rehearsals for the opening event took more than one year. Many sales people fail to realize that mastering a new sales concept also takes practise. When you implement a new technique or strategy, make sure you invest the appropriate amount of time practicing that idea.

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.

Bringing Science to Sales

By Mike McCue, Editor-in-Chief, Sales and Marketing Managment

I recently made a road trip from Cleveland to Chicago to sit in on part of a strategic planning meeting for The University Sales Education Foundation. The USEF is a nonprofit organization created by the Dayton, Ohio-based HR Chally Group, an industry leader in sales force testing and development.

The goal of USEF is to establish and support effective university sales programs, as well as to manage funds raised for colleges and universities with verified sales education curriculums.

I have written before about the improvements that the profession of sales has made in recent years, from a public relations standpoint. The awkwardness that comes from “hard selling” is largely a thing of the past, with today’s top-performing salespeople serving as industry experts and advisors to their customers. And that’s a beautiful thing. Modern methodologies and technological developments have increased the development of selling as a measurable science--rather than a nebulous art form--and USEF is the kind of organization that can keep that momentum rolling.

Today’s salespeople are better educated than ever before (...another trend you’ll see in coming years). A handful of pioneering universities already have formal sales programs in place, and an internal survey of S&MM readers showed that 59% of respondents planned on one day moving into a non-sales position in the C-suite. The survey size was small, but that’s a hefty percentage, and those who have eyes on the corner office need to know more than closing, selling and forecasting. They need to perfect their selling skills, but they also to learn the language of finance, and formal university programs are giving them those skills.

Regardless of what career path future salespeople decide to take, they'll be better prepared to meet the challenges thanks to efforts like USEF. Howard Stevens, founder and CEO of HR Chally, points out that if salespeople can’t speak the language of finance, they’re going to have a difficult time serving as the trusted business advisors their clients need.

One of the key findings Chally has found over its years of research is that world-class salespeople consider themselves a kind of outsourced manager for a given segment of their customers’ businesses. To do that, they will need to rely on a broader base of business knowledge than can be gleaned from sales experience alone.

“Very few salespeople today can read and interpret a P&L,” Stevens says. “There are a lot more reasons than that to get a real education … but I think it’s an excellent starting point.” 

These programs deserve all of the support we can give them. Never forget that rising water lifts all of the boats, including your own!