Monday, February 28, 2011

Great Sellers are Great Buyers As Well

If you've done exceptional work to convince a client that you are in his service and that his success is both your goal and your responsibility, you've gone a long way toward ensuring the success of this partnership. There are two more critical pieces to the mosaic that must be undertaken and monitored.

The first of course, is the implementation...the follow-through. Anything less delivered than as promised makes working with you a mistake, and makes you a liability. Needless to say, makes you NOT a great seller. The work really starts when the customer says "yes."

A Great Buyer holds your feet to the fire on your promise, your end of the deal. He metrics the progress against the promise, is involved in strategies and plans that require re-working because of unforseen but inevitable potholes. He paces and races with you from start to the finish line. A Great Buyer is a great partner.

A Great Seller must also "demand" the best from his client. He must monitor and metric the degree of effort that the Buyer expends to maximize the benefits, to the buyer, of the partnership. The Buyer's responsibility is more than to write the check when the invoice is delivered, just as the Seller's responsibility goes way beyond getting a signature on the contract.

"Mr. Jones, we need to...how can we?...what if we?...weren't you going to?...I thought we agreed that you would...etc." Wow, the Seller sounds just like a buyer. Only the great ones.

In an effective partnership, once the deal is made, Buyer and Seller are "in it together" and each hold each other's feet to the fire.

Great Selling!

Any Questions?

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
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Monday, February 21, 2011

When Negotiating: Great Sellers Talk Value

He asks, "how much is it?"

Undergraduate sales trainers call this a "hot button" and say "it's time to close."

Great Post-Graduate Sellers know that the "sale" hasn't gotten to the "I must have it" stage yet and there's more work to do before it's time for the pricing conversation. "How much is it" is a knowing or unknowing expression on the part of the buyer which implies, "if this stuff is cheap enough, maybe I'll go for it."

The reality is, the presentation has gotten the buyer to "it's a nice doo dad, but I have seven already. If it's cheap, ok."

So you say, "let's make sure we've nailed down the proposition. The idea I've put together to jump start/grow/expand/make more profitable/get more customers for...your business, starts with the notion...makes sense right?"

If he responds, "right"...you follow with, "and then I and my support team will make sure that the implementation is perfect by ensuring...you get that right?"

If he is still enthusiastic in his responses, you offer "well I'm happy to tell you that the project is reasonably priced for both of us at________."

Then he says, "Great," right? Nah. He coughs and says, "that's way too much/unaffordable...how about _______?"

And you respond, "Mr. Jones the value you will receive as a result of this targeted plan and the effort that will be expended to grow your business is very fairly priced for both of us. That will make it a successful partnership."

Smile, shut up, and wait for his "Let's go."

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
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Teamwork

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Don't Guess, Ask!

There are two basic reasons in our business (and probably personal) lives that we don't ask others what's on their minds. First and foremost is that we likely don't want to hear the answer. We'd prefer to fantasize that the worst case scenario we fear, won't come to pass if we just stay passive/ignorant and don't push the issue.

The second reason is that we think, even though there's no evidence to support it, that we know what's on the other person's mind. In this case presuming to know that, we can strategize how best to make it work out our way. (Heck, you are way ahead of the game if you really know what's on your mind, much less mine--or a prospect's).

How's this for an idea? The next time you are unclear about the client's needs, reaction to your proposal, alternatives, view of the quality or pricing of your proposed service or product...ASK HIM!

The downside is that he might tell you the truth. Then you'd be in a position to write up the order, thank him for his time and consideration with no order and move on to the next client, address his concerns by explaining your proposal further, adjusting your proposal to better meet his needs in a way that's still acceptable to you...Or you could continue addressing whatever your fantasies are about his state of mind and likely as not, blow the opportunity. What's the downside to asking again?

Great sellers ask for as well as tell the truth!


Great Selling!

(Happy to answer your questions)

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
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Teamwork

Friday, February 4, 2011

Great Decision Makers Listen; To You and Their Influencers

Sales 101 reminds you to make sure that you are dealing with the decision maker to effect a partnership (start thinking and using the word "partnership" instead of "sale," so that you start behaving like a partner instead of a dime a dozen salesman).

I'm hoping that you are reading this because you are determined to "ace" Sales 201. This course requires you to understand that an effective decision maker will not only listen carefully to a "worth listening to" salesman, but also to those working for him that will be affected by his decision.

So for example, the 101 graduate gets himself a Venti Latte after a good job pitching a new marketing program to a CEO decision maker. "Hey, why not a Latte, and expense it at that, I got to the CEO"?

The CEO, in fact, was impressed. Enough so to send the proposal down to the CMO who unfortunately was not in the meeting (CMO? What CMO?), and who happened to have had a latte, and a raspberry scone, just the day before with our "undergraduate's" competitor who was pitching a similar program, that in this CMO's opinion, expressed intelligently and subsequenstly to the CEO, was the preferred solution.

And the CEO? "Hey, of the two guys telling me what to do here, only one of them has my complete trust (that's why he works for me) and after all, marketing is his area of responsibility. Good leadership requires me to take his sensibly expressed advice."

Here's the lesson folks. You must have the decision maker and his influencers in the loop to make it happen. How will you know who the influencers are?

"Mr. Jones. Thanks for the appointment. I know how busy you must be. Who else might have a stake in our discussion that I might invite with your permission?"

A good decision maker won't be offended by your question. He'll be impressed.

(With thanks to "S" for reminding me)

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
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Teamwork


Hey--why not share this with your Friends and Twitter followers--Thanks

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Give 'Em a Deal, or Give 'Em an Idea?

Early this week, a colleague ( an atypically good manager) was complaining that this blustery winter was wreaking havoc with his advertising supported business. The retailers that he relies on to purchase advertising, are finding their stores empty of customers and so they are tightening their belts, and cutting their ad spend.

"Well you've at identified your problem, now what?," I asked.

"I'm going to offer a great pricing package for an immediate long term commitment," was his response. His strategy to get customers who won't advertise because their customers won't shop for non-essentials during a tough snow fall, was to lower his prices. Here's the message that strategy sends to his advertisers: "My business is way off because your business is way off. So I'm going to cut my price to you so my business will get better."

Now if I'm a retailer approached with this proposal, I'm thinking, "Let's see, I'm getting killed because no one is coming in, but I can get less killed per ad if I take advantage of this seller's problem. "Hey, thanks but no thanks."

Make today the first day of the rest of your business life by telling yourself that every client you ever contact will immediately "get it" that it is him, first, last and always that you serve. Not you and not your boss. Him.

Snow? Everyone is holed up in their homes and no one is going out to buy a new suit, car, washing machine? What's the strategy to get them out and over to my haberdashery, dealership or appliance center?

"Mr. Jones, Automotive News, which no doubt you read, reports that 17% of Americans intend to get a new car this year. Clearly weather like we are experiencing today, will not bring them out to execute that intention.

But, what if you made an extraordinary offer good this snow week only and offered to pick folk up at their homes and drive them back--first come, first served (in your weather prepared vehicle) so they could see the new Altima? And what if while in your showroom they could register to win...etc. etc."

" Mr. Jones you will have an enormous share of voice, because every other dealer has cut his ad spending. Second, those responding to the offer will be Intenders and so you will have a more than fair shot at selling them. And finally, your share of sales to Intenders will improve in what otherwise would have been a nothing week."

What happened here? A conversation about the client's interest took place. He probably listened, and your stock with him went way up.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelesly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
SERVE, DON'T SELL
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Teamwork