Here's my final instalment of Sales – A Wake Up Call series. In the previous instalment, I talked about avoiding "Black Dot" days and making sure you have a reliable, trackable sales system.
Here are my final tips for the sales folks out there:
10. Call at least two current customers each and every day.
- I have always contact all my customers at least once every three
months. Whether I am doing active business with them or not. A note, an
email a phone call (the best) just to say hi. - The best thing is to sort by industry and in your reading, find two
or three items per sector that you can start off the conversation with:“Hey
Sally! How’s tricks? Great – Listen, I read that Blogtastic.com just
purchased www.Ihavenoclue,.com? Does that impact you? What did you
think about that?" (Oh and then let em talk.) You have two ears and one
mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak!
11. As above, have a communication process for contacting all of
your prospects – a note, an email, a letter … have something.
- Do it so your customers are contacted at least twice a year. Better
still get them something of value. No, not logo’s golf balls! A report,
some research, an interesting find. - You have to keep in front of folks. Squeaky wheel and all that. It is important to stay in touch. Out of sight – out of mind.
12. Further to the above – Get your best customers some "New
Customers". Introduce them to someone they want to do business with.
- One solid strategy I have always found: find out who your
customer’s best customer could be. Set up a lunch or dinner with that
“potential customer” and invite your "current" customer. Talk about
fertile ground. I like to be a fly on the wall and not manipulate the
meeting. - Better still, for my personal preference, I use a golf game. Golf
is a “contact sport”. In all my years I have NEVER come off a golf
course with a group like this without a solid appointment, a sale or at
the very least, a plan to move forward on something we – the three of
us – had just discussed.
13. Eliminate all “Black Dot” days.
14. Sell yourself, then your company and then the product/service.
- Further to the “Black Dot Day”- if you are in a pissy mood – forget it. Get over it!
- If you get up and the cat threw up in your shoes, had HUGE argument
at home as you are leaving, you spilled coffee on yourself in the car
to work, and the parking spot you normally have is being occupied and
you forgot your power cord for your laptop at home – AND that happens
to be the the best part of your morning – get over it. Those are the
“Black Dot” issues of the day. - Selling is tough and it is not for the weak. The weak focus on the Black Dots!
- The white space is:
- You are working! Read: you have a gig. Full stop.
- You are alive.
- People really dig you (Or they would have fired your ass months ago!)
- And your customers don’t want to hear about your problems!
- When you speak to anyone and they ask… "Hey, Slick? How’s business?"
harder than ever in fact! These times are amazing for really getting
out there and helping folks. It is fantastic. Bubba, just the other day
I discovered this amazing new thing – say, how’s your week looking …
say, Wednesday I can get over to see ya? Or maybe Thursday morning at
10?"
15. Don't lie.
- This is the biggest rule for all sales folks. Do not lie. And I mean, to yourself, your boss or your family.
- If times are getting tougher – ask for help. If you are feeling
more and more pressure – ask for help. If you are feeling boxed in –
ask for help. Get it? ASK FOR HELP!!! - Help comes in the following forms:
- Understanding.
- More/better/improved resources (Lists, leads and contacts.)
- Better presentation materials (brochures, ads, sales letters, PPT decks and product offerings)
- Training
Summary
I want to end with a lovely sales story that was told to be over 30 years ago.
A
young sales guy was down in the dumps – sitting at his desk on a Friday
afternoon. The old, wise, sales manager sees him and calls him into his
office to find out what’s what.
The young guy tells him he has
had a bad week … a couple of deals fell through – no one is
returning calls and it just ain’t happening. Totally defeated.
The
sales manager say – “No problem, happens to us all. Why don’t you call
it a day – go have some fun and a great weekend and get back in the
saddle Monday all bright eyed, refreshed and bushy-tailed!”
The old guy continued …” But, do me a favor – read this!”
The sales manager reaches into his deak drawer and pulls out a well-worn Reader’s Digest.
He says to the young sales guy “Read this over the weekend. It has the secret to sales in it.”
The
young guy went home and had a pretty good weekend blowing off steam.
Sunday morning he picked up the Readers Digest and thumbed though it –
all the usual stuff. "Humour in Uniform," "My Favorite Person – Aunt
Minnie" etc etc.
He saw a page, turned at the corner under
Quotable Quotes … “NB” was written in the margin and highlighter all
over the place. On that page was a footnote – it said "5% of the
Canadian population is mentally ill.”
Monday morning and the young fella bounces into the office – clean shirt, pressed suit – lookin like a million bucks!!!
The sales manager calls him into the office and asks if he had a good weekend and did he, in fact, read the book.
The proud your man proudly states “I did! Yes indeed. And I learned that "5% of the Canadian Population is mentally ill!”
The
old guy smiled and said, “There! You have now learned the secret to
selling. GO OUT THERE AND CALL 100 PEOPLE! 5 WILL FREAKING BUY
ANYTHING!!!
Folks, the moral to this is that sales in a numbers game. Want ta win the game? Win by the NUMBERS!!!!
Good hunting to all!
Photo credit: Coffee break by bitzcelt