Tag Archives: Sales

“Be Nice to Everyone”

Today is my youngest daughter’s, as she put it, “Last First-Day of School”. She is a Senior in college and will finish her undergrad in May.

As I have done for nearly 25 years on the first day of school with all three of our kids, I told her to have fun, study hard and learn lots! I then asked her, “What’s the family rule?” and she replied, “Be nice to everyone”. That’s my girl!

After reflecting on this, it reminded me of how we as media reps and managers approach what we do in the world of sales. This isn’t just a good rule of thumb for raising kids, (we’ve been blessed, and it’s worked out very well for our family, as it did for the teams I managed) but it’s also a GREAT practice to follow for sales and management.

If you are in sales, or you are managing people, are you Having Fun, Training Hard, and Learning Lots? And, most importantly, are you Nice to Everyone?  It’s a good recipe for success!

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Fink and Wayne Ens
605-310-2062

P.S. If you would ever like to visit about how we consult and help train sales teams to generate more revenue and become better marketing professionals, click here and we can arrange a time. We guarantee it will be a “Nice” conversation!

Offense or Defense?

While watching World Cup Soccer recently, and at the same time thinking about work, some thoughts occurred to me. What’s more important in sales, offense or defense?

We all understand offense, right? You go out there and score, get the sale and celebrate! It goes without saying that to make money you must make sales! Soccer, as in sales, is very strategic, the better the planning the easier it is to score.  But occasionally, they take random shots. I suggest that you be more strategic in your approach, but every so often it’s OK to take that random shot. If you’re keeping track, a “No” is one step closer to a “Yes”.

So where does defense come into play? Defense in sales is what keeps your client a client for a long, long time.  It’s the service work after the sale, the little extras that go above and beyond what other reps are willing to do.

Like offense, defense takes practice, but it isn’t always as much fun.  In soccer, as in most sports, offense gets all the recognition. Offense is fun and rewarding. Defense is work, but as many great coaches have preached, “Defense Wins Championships”!

Let me ask you a question.  Do you think your client would prefer you be better at offense or defense?

This week, if you’re not already, I encourage you to add “defense” to your practice schedule!

If you would like some help with offense or defense, let us know. We would love the opportunity to visit about how we can train and brand your stations and account executives as professional marketing consultants and help grow your revenue with our proven sales and training programs.

The “Gift” of Gab

       Every once in a while, I meet a salesperson who proudly proclaims, “I’ve got the gift of gab.” In sales, that “gift” is more aptly described as “the curse of chatter”.

        Successful sales professionals know that sales is really more about listening than it is about talking.

        Those with the curse more often engage in product or feature-speak than they do in providing customer-focused solutions or opportunities.

        Customers don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care….and caring is demonstrated by listening.

        Listening is by far the most important and difficult skill a sales professional can learn and practice. The salespeople who annoy and alienate prospects the most are those who claim to be good listeners but follow every customer objection with a “yah, but….”

        There is no room for the word “but” in a good listener’s vocabulary.

To be a professional listener you need to:

1.) Earn the right to ask questions by learning something about the prospect’s business before you make a call.

2.) Prepare with open-ended questions that encourage the prospect to express their views and feelings.

3.) Demonstrate you are listening by taking notes. (Always ask permission to take notes. “Your input is important to me; do you mind if I take a few notes?”)

4.) Paraphrase and summarize what you hear. Don’t start a debate.

5.) Use the language and needs you hear the customer express when you make your presentation.

6.) Make certain that every benefit you present relates to a need you heard the prospect express.

       There is a lot more money to be made being interested than there is in being interesting. So why not shut up and make some money!

The Difference Between Success and Failure

Very often, the only difference between a very successful salesperson and an unsuccessful salesperson is their ability to handle rejection.
The way you handle rejection is largely about selling yourself on the value you deliver. Here are some ‘mind game’ strategies you might consider;

1.)  Develop the attitude that when a customer says ‘no’ they’re the loser, not you. Assuming you have put together a proposal in your prospect’s best interest, and purchasing your proposal will increase their sales, they’re the loser, not you. Pity the advertiser, not yourself, especially if their competitor ends up buying your idea.

2.)  Remember, you had nothing when you made the presentation, so you don’t lose anything when your prospect says ‘no’. You lived without that sale before and can live without that sale when your proposal is turned down. (That attitude also takes the pressure off you and helps you make a more relaxed and engaging presentation)

3.)  To a degree, selling is simply a matter of math; more presentations equal more sales. Calculate your closing ratio, then get excited about each ‘no’ as it’s one step closer to a yes, based upon your closing ratio. For example, if your record indicates you’ve closed one in ten, you can get pretty excited on your ninth rejection in the knowledge that in all probability your next presentation will be a hit.

4.) Take responsibility for ‘no.’ No busy decision maker has agreed to sit still for a full presentation if they have no interest in what you are offering. Therefore, retrace your steps to determine where you did not meet or beat their expectations and use what you discover to arrange another presentation. The best Sales People, learn from their mistakes.

5.) Structure your presentations so your prospect is not saying ‘no’ to you or to your stations. Structure it so the ‘no’ is only for that particular presentation or idea, thereby leaving the door open for another opportunity.

6.) Change your mission and definition of success. You have no absolute control over whether your prospect says yes or no. You do have complete control over the thought, strategy, and quality that goes into your presentation. Knowing you’ve made each presentation the best that it can be makes you feel like every presentation is a success, regardless of the outcome.

Are you looking for ways to capture more appointments and to make more customer-focused presentations? Consider our local TOMA (Top-of-Mind Awareness) surveys and SoundADvice radio e-marketing system. These proven programs will help you and/or your sales team capture more appointments and more sales.
Click here to arrange a free online demo of these amazing revenue-generating systems.

Are You Too Busy?

Here is what I have noticed working with hundreds of sales managers and thousands of salespeople in more than 100 markets over the years; there is a marked difference between being busy and being productive.

On the “busy” scale, I feel your pain. Computers that were supposed to make our lives easier generate so much valuable data that it’s hard to keep up. You have more reports to fill out, and less resources to pursue sales, and more competition every year.  I get it.

But here’s what I’ve noticed. Markets where managers or salespeople apologize for not implementing our revenue development systems to their full potential, always blame it on being too busy or having too much on their plates.

But the sales teams that pick up the ball and run with it always seem to find the time to do so…even if they are working for the same company as the “too busy” folks.

Part of the problem seems to be in losing sight of our goals. Paying attention to the merely urgent every day instead of what we know needs to be done to reach our goals is a recipe for disaster.

Roy Williams often poses the question, “Have you allowed the merely urgent to replace the truly important?”

So, before you start putting out fires or solving the merely urgent, accomplish one productive task each morning that focuses on your long-term goal. Doing so will turn a busy day into a productive one. The irony is that “busy” usually means you’re putting out fires, while “productive” often results in preventing those fires.