Archive for features

Overcome Your Fear Of Sales And Selling

Posted by Phyllis on Monday, June 6th, 2011 in Mindset, Sales Tips | Comments (2)

Fear stops you just when you need to take that next step.
The one that is going to make a difference in your business and your bank account.

For most of us, the fear comes from two very real places.

The fear of rejection – that someone will confirm that our work, our stuff isn’t good enough.
Secondly, the fear that we’ll offend or be seen as pushy, self-promoting and greedy.

But what if you shifted your lens ever so slightly?

Can you for a moment, embrace the possibility that what you fear isn’t really sales or selling at all?
I’m not saying your fear isn’t real.
I’m not telling you to just get over it (as if that ever works) or ignore it and do it anyway.
What I’m asking is for you to be willing to look at the issue with a new perspective.

I decided to check with a few experts on the subject.

I asked them to define sales and selling.
Here is what they had to say.

Seth Godin

“The salesperson’s job: Help people overcome their fear so they can commit to something they’ll end up glad they invested in.” Taken from his post titled: Selling vs. Inviting
Seth Godin has written thirteen books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller.

Carol Roth

“Sales has evolved: it used to mean trying to convince someone that they needed your product or service.  Nowadays sales (or at least effective sales) is about listening to customers or potential customers and educating them on how you can meet their needs and pain points.”
New York Times best selling author of The Entrepreneur Equation. Carol Roth has worked with hundreds of companies on all aspects of business and financial strategy.

Tom Hopkins

“Professionally using a person’s desire to own the benefits of your product, then blending your sincere desire to serve them in order to help that person make a decision that’s truly good for them.”
Since 1976, Tom Hopkins International has been dedicated to providing the finest sales training strategies and techniques to individuals and companies alike.

Pamela Slim

“Sales is delivering a solution you are passionate about to a customer who finds it the perfect resolution to her problem.”
Pamela Slim is a seasoned coach and writer who helps frustrated employees in corporate jobs break out and start their own business.

Bob Burg

“I’ve heard a number of definitions of sales, and many are excellent. So, while mine is far from the only definition, it would be: Sales: “Helping someone to own what they want, need or desire.”
Co-author of the national bestseller, The Go-Giver, Bob shares information on topics vital to the success of today’s business person.

Steve Kloyda

“If you had the cure for cancer, how many cancer patients would you approach each day and ask to purchase your cure? As many as you could! Sales is real simple. Identify a problem and provide a solution. A professional sales person helps a prospect or customer make a decision that is good for them and always leaves that person better than they found them.”
Founder of The Prospecting Expert, Steve helps his clients attract more prospects, retain more clients, and drive more sales.

James Clear

“You can’t make anyone take a certain action, but you can make it much easier. That’s what sales and “selling” is all about. In my experience, there are two pieces to the sales puzzle. First, you need to make it known that you’re selling something. Interestingly, the first part is the one that drives most people away because it makes them feel “awkward” or “scammy” to push a product or service. But the reason the feel that way is because they don’t understand the second part of sales, which is the psychological piece. You need to understand the psychology of buying a product in order to sell it. You need to get to know your customer, get inside their head, discover their problems, needs, and desires. If you do that, then you’ll realize all of the ways you can help you customer by selling to them and you’ll help them realize the benefits as well. That means more sales for you and more benefit for the customers — all while sleeping soundly at night.”
James runs the Passive Panda website making it easier for you to earn more money every day.

The common thread?

Selling isn’t something you do TO someone, it’s something you do FOR them!

Each definition mentions the customers best interest.
Selling includes things like listening, serving, solving.
Shifting to that perspective opens the possibility of helping not pushing; conversations instead of convincing, being a welcome resource.

Here’s my definition.

“Making an offer and giving someone the chance to say yes!”

Now, it’s your turn. How can embracing a new definition of sales help you? Leave your comments below.

Sales Questions And Solutions

Posted by Phyllis on Wednesday, May 11th, 2011 in 5 Steps To a Compelling Marketing Message, Sales Tips | Comments (0)

Time To Answer Your Questions

I promised to to do a video response – and here it is.  My editor (and best husband ever) was out of town today and I decided to post this as is – just me chatting with you about a sales question.

 

More questions?  I’m happy to answer yours.

Post them here in the comments or email them!

Watching QVC Can Make You A Great Sales Person – Really!

Posted by Phyllis on Friday, May 7th, 2010 in Sales Rx | Comments (1)

I did a sales training event this week with Darrah Courter. We had a great time and I met some great new people.  A point in my presentation was all about the need to talk about your business in terms of benefits to your customer/clients/prospects.   Nothing new about that.  We all nod our heads when we hear it.  Doing it well not as common. We are all so used to talking in terms of what and how but what we really need to share is the why.

Enter QVC.

I love Mike Rowe don’t you? The clip is random mind association about cherubs – and guess what? I’m sure it worked (to some extent) because he’s associating cherubs with angels, hymns, church, children… you get the idea. Well, Mike has moved on to better gigs but there’s a point here – I promise.

How well do you explain your benefits? If you’re like most you can talk forever about what you do, you can give me supporting info to establish credibility (education, certifications) and you can especially tell me HOW you do what you do. Great, you’re qualified. I was already hoping that was the case.

Tell me why I should care. Why does it matter to me? How will buying from or hiring you make your clients happy? How can you make them feel good about themselves?

Today’s Rx: Watch QVC

These people are masters at making people want to buy. Pull out a credit card and call or go online right now and spend. How do they do it? By talking benefits. Developing a narrative and a story that people relate to. Buying a mop is now all about being the best mom, taking care of your kids and keeping the H1N1 out of my home thank you very much.  That collection of flameless candles is a gift that says I’m a good daughter or friend and I care about the people in my life.

Now, I’m not advocating the sometims spammy, pushiness sometimes associated with this medium.  What I do think is helpful is learning how to tell a story about the great benefits people can expect.  Things like saving money, feeling confident, reducing stress, having more time/freedom/money, losing weight, being beautiful.  That’s why people want to spend their money.

Your next Rx: Write down why people want what you have! What’s your narrative? If they can make a mop sound appealing (and they do) you can too!

Let me know what you come up with. I’m here to help if you get stuck along the way!

#1 Sales Mistake (We all make) and Rx To Make It Better

Posted by Phyllis on Monday, April 12th, 2010 in Sales Rx | Comments (0)

This post was originally going to be called 5 Sales Mistakes You Can Stop Making Right Now and the 2 Things You Can Start Doing Instead.   It was getting really long so I decided to break it up into 5 seperate posts.  These topics come up all the time when I’m working with clients. 

Mistake Number 1 – It’s Not About You

 Well meaning but misguided sales people think that selling is about their product or service or company.  It’s not now and it never was.  It’s about the customer.  Always.

No one really cares how long you’ve been in business or the company mission statement.  People are not interested in your degrees or certifications either.  The only thing they want to know is what you can do for them.  It’s so important,I’m going to say it again. 

What can you do for your customers? 
How can you help? 
What problem does your product or service solve? 
What issue can you improve? 
How can you save them money, time or other resources? 

All of your sales conversations (or emails, letters, messages) should be centered around these topics.  Yes, explaining how your products or services work may be important, but ONLY if you can link it to why your client should care.

 Tell me why I should do business with you – based on how I will benefit. 
Here are a few examples: 

Our surround sound systems come with gold plated cables.   Well, that’s nice but it is a feature – an attribute of the product.  The benefit is enjoying crystal clear sound – movie theatre quality at home.  

Our life coaches are certified and have over 7 years of experience.  We follow a 5 step system with metrics for evaluation.   The benefit is a guaranteed way to insure results and an easy to use process.  Years of experience is helpful but only if you can tie it to why it matters to the client.  

We only use the finest ingredients and no preservatives.  Again, this is a feature.  The benefit (why you should care) is healthful food that tastes great. 

Rx:  Write down the 4 or 5 major benefits of your product or service, then convert them into benefit statements. 
This is hard for lots of people.  We are so used to talking about features (the what, the how) and it’s more important to make sure the WHY is clear. 

The primary reason anyone buys anything is because it makes them feel better.  How does your product or service get to that point?  I’d love to hear the benefits you come up with for your business.