Today I was reading my daughter’s school newsletter. In the middle of a paragraph I came across three initials. I stopped reading and wondered for a moment “what on earth are they talking about?” I did quickly realise that it was in fact the initials of the proper school name. Trouble is I have never sent the school referred to my these initials before. Not a big deal and I was able to move on, but I made me think, how often do I use acronyms or terms that are not immediately obvious to my readers? Well I hope you would tell me, but I’m sure some have slipped through.
Be sensitive…
…to how you make people feel. How does it make a person feel when unfamiliar jargon is used? I guess somewhere between stupid and annoyed. With this morning’s school initials I definitely erred on the side of feeling very foolish.
I think you would agree that to say or write something that would make a client or customer feel either silly or angry would not be good. So the solution is to explain your AFJ, oh sorry I mean “Acronym For Jargon” (and yes, I did make that up), before you use it.
Acronyms save time…
…but only if they are understood. Lets take the example of a very important concept is sales and marketing, your unique selling proposition (or point). This is the one thing that sets you apart from your competitors. All businesses should determine their uniqueness and play this up in order to win ahead of their competitors. Most of you will be familiar with this idea, but what if you were not.
Rule #1…Acronyms Afterwards
I recommend using the full expression first, and then put the acronym in brackets afterwards. Many people do this the other way around but I don’t agree and here’s why.
If I said “you should determine your USP (unique selling proposition)…” the brackets imply that the explanation is for those so out of touch they need the expression explained. In other words you are actually excluding those for whom this expression is new or unfamiliar. By putting the words the other way around, “you should determine your “unique selling proposition” (USP)….” It suggests that from now on I am going to use the shorthand of the acronym in order to save time and space, it does not assume you do or do not know what it means.
Rule #2…Rule of Jargon
In my rule book for good sales practices, I always say “don’t use jargon unless the customer has used it first”.
The same is true here though if you really want to introduce jargon. Explain yourself first.
Some people I work with are not familiar with the word prospect. When working with someone who is perhaps a therapist or healer for example they may well not be at all familiar with such concepts in sales and marketing. So I tend to say it this way…”so approach someone who might be interested in using your services, or prospect, I recommend…”. There is no harm in using a full set of words, even with someone who will be used to the expression, but it really helps if you don’t know if they know…etc..
How do you know…
…if you are using jargon? After all these are probably expressions so familiar to your that it is difficult to know, understand or even believe, that they are not everyday words and phrases.
First of all, you will catch most of the industry specific or technical language if you just think it through. In the first pass of your copy or script you will spot most examples. A slight adjustment to wording or word order will overcome this very quickly.
The second way of course is to then have someone you believe to be outside your speciality to read through your text or listen to what you say. If in doubt ask a teenager as they may not be well versed in business and are often not shy to show you up…J
Is this being condescending?
By sticking to the practice of using normal language first and then the acronym or jargon if you want to, you do avoid sounding condescending.
Of course we can all think of examples when the acronym is likely to be more familiar than the full expression. I think of GDP and APR, financial expressions that I either recognise or understand, sometimes without even being able to think of the exact words they represent. (APR stands for Annual Punitive Rate doesn’t it?) It can be a fine line, but as always, the acid test is to ask your customers, clients or ‘prospects’. Feedback on how you are doing is always invaluable.
]]>So why is “sales” such a dirty word with so many solopreneurs? In this article, I will unravel some of the myths about sales and discuss how you are, should be and can be the most effective sales effort for your business.
In talking to solo business owners, particularly professional services providers, many would say that they don’t like to sell and even that their business does not lend itself to selling. “No I don’t sell, but I do marketing.” What is the difference between sales and marketing?
There are many definitions bandied around, but a definition I use is that marketing as “putting it up on the shelf” and selling is “helping a customer take it home”. So one way or another, in order for you business to survive and prosper, someone has to part with money for your product or services.
I consider the moment that a client, customer or patient decides to part with money, is the sale. This may come voluntarily as a natural extension of some marketing effort, but the trigger within that marketing that caused that thought was the ‘sale’.
As marketers will typically agree, good marketing has to have a call to action, well perhaps that is the sale. But do you really want to rely on someone possibly reacting to your call to action in the way you want, at a time that they decide or would you prefer to exercise some control on your stream of revenue?
So what are the common myths about selling that make it potentially unpalatable?
Myth #1 You have to talk louder or longer than the other person.
Easy, no you don’t. Just like a good conversationalist listens more than talks, a good salesperson listens and absorbs what is being said. They continually put the other person first. This includes hearing out the prospect’s point of view and needs. You can’t do this if you are talking all the time. And a soft spoken person will typically be more endearing than a loud-mouth.
Myth #2 Say whatever is necessary to make the sale.
On the contrary, integrity is the mark of a real sales person. Never do anything to compromise the trust the buyer must have in order to become a customer. Knowing what you know about your solution and the prospect’s situation as you have uncovered it, if you would not buy, don’t ask for the order. It will pay off in the long run.
Myth #3 Have snappy answers if they say no.
In sales training, clever-clever retorts to common objections are often discussed, but they should never be used. They are to lighten the mood in the selling environment, that can all too often get dark if prospects are saying no. There are certainly key phrases and questions to ask when faced with a no or partial no, and humour, well placed can be appreciated. But sarcasm or sharp responses will not make you progress.
Myth #4 You must always be closing.
I guess this depends on your definition of closing. If you think it is about asking for the order or trying to set the prospect up to fall in to a closing trap, absolutely not. People are generally too savvy for clever techniques. However, if by closing we mean constantly moving the conversation towards a satisfactory conclusion, then yes. Even if the most satisfactory conclusion today is no, it may turn to a yes another time. Again, remember we never do anything to compromise the trust.
Myth #5 Never take no for an answer.
I go back to my point about “would you buy in these circumstances?” If the answer is no, then no sale, don’t even ask. However, if the answer is that you genuinely believe the prospect would be better off by buying, but perhaps they don’t see the full picture yet, then it is right and proper as a professional and in your advisory capacity, to persevere until the picture is clear. The key word here is perseverance not persistence.
Above all, to make a sale, to bring in new business, to produce revenue for your business, your prospect must know, like and trust you. So that gives you a clue as to how you need to behave to be a great salesperson. And the cost of buying your product or service must be less than the cost (or pain) of not having it, which tells you what you need to know about the process you must follow.
Ignore the myths, be who you are and people will buy what you believe in.
]]>We are just recovering from a very early and very heavy attack of snow. Inconvenient, dangerous, disruptive we can all appreciate how this weather phenomenon has adversely affected large parts of the UK.
But who loves it? Little people! Children dream of snow and long for its onset in winter. They play until their hands are blue and they can’t feel their feet.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the stuck lorry drivers and stranded motorists, the commuters at the bus stop or train platform, the delivery guys and every adult left cursing the snow, could see it in the same light.
Imagine if motorists, stuck for hours in their vehicles on the M68, were to get out every hour or so and have a snowball fight, laugh and frolic in the snow until they couldn’t feel their toes but their hearts were warm again. Tell stories to one another and enjoy each other’s company.
Or even without the snow, you are at the wheel stuck in a traffic jam. Instead of cursing and cutting up every other driver when an opportunity presents itself, why not play as children would. Smile at the driver in the car next to you. Open the window and shout “wot r ya gonna do?” with a grin.
Where does it all start to go wrong? Sometime in our lives, around the time we are supposed to start going out to work. As children and young adults leave school and higher education to springboard into the rest of the world, the shutters start to come down. “Take things more seriously.” “Now is not the time to play and joke, this is the real world.” We are told. By whom? Well, society whoever society is. Parents, teachers and anybody trying to help the youngster to get started in their working life.
But employers subscribe to the same wet blanket. How do you suppose the average interviewing manager would view a candidate appearing in front of them wearing a red, clown-nose.
Everywhere we look there are signs saying “you can’t”…smoke, go faster than, walk here, litter, park here. Now these are perfectly reasonable things to ask people not to do, but where are the signs saying “you can”. You can be anything you want, you can achieve heights you thought you could only dream about, you can brighten the world, you can play at life and enjoy whatever career or life style you choose.
On the other side of the coin, later in life many adults will be exposed to the self-help gurus in one form or another. “You can do and be anything you want to be.” They will tell us. But where are they for the school or college leaver? Another simple answer here, there is no money in preaching encouragement to a school leaver. After all, the unemployment line beckons, or the student debt hangs heavy over the head of the graduate. “Life is tough, get over it.”
We are here to change this. I don’t care how it comes about or whether there is a fortune to be made (or likely not), but I want every child to hold on to their dreams and love of life.
More inspired, more invigorated, more self-belief, more humour, more enjoyment, more hope will make life less tough, and give rise to more opportunity. I know, “you make your own luck”. Or substitute “opportunities” for “luck”. But a helping hand can’t hurt. We are here to help.
I, along with good friends Theresa and Graham, are launching the “Grasshopper Foundation” in the New Year.
If you would like to see more youth being productive, more entrepreneurs, more happy people, more opportunities being found, join us. Tell us…
We want to hear from you terry@axxentor.com.
]]>Let’s examine the 5 key differences and what is needed to complete the business cycle.
I have nothing against marketing or those who spend their lives marketing. Some of my best friends are marketers. So what is the difference and where should we apply our energy?
There are many disciplines under the banner of marketing. Here are some:
- Market research, to determine your ideal prospects, what they want and where they can be found.
- PR & Brand marketing, building familiarity and trust between you and your prospects.
- Marketing communications involving graphic representation and the written word amongst other things.
- Social media and online marketing, taking advantage of the power of the internet to reach audiences.
- Direct marketing, which puts promotional messages in the hands or in front of your chosen market.
None of these will produce revenue. Arguably, the last two can produce business but only if appropriate sales techniques are included.
Difference #1
Marketing is therefore determining what customers want and attracting them to you or your business. This is good, without this you would be casting your fishing line into unknown waters. Slim pickings unless you are extremely lucky.
Selling is persuading or enabling those prospects that make themselves known to you to buy a product or service by helping them get what they want. It is an art that takes time and effort to learn how to do it effortlessly.
Difference #2
Marketing can achieve the “know, like and trust” necessary to sell your products or services.
But marketing is essentially passive in nature. It may cause a stirring of emotions, but it is the sale that evokes the action. So in a good marketing piece there has to be a strong call to action, this is the sale.
The final action necessary from the prospect is to part with money. This is called selling.
If the call to action is weak, it is likely you will have a lot more work to do, face to face or through some other direct communications or business development.
Difference #3
Brand building is what creates long term value in a business. Coca-cola, BMW and Apple all spend millions on building their brands and it pays off. A huge proportion of their capital value is in their brand. But this doesn’t pay the rent in the early years.
Making one sale will pay more bills than being known in the high-street…today. But if you want to make more sales in the future, make sure the person who buys today knows who they bought from and remembers your name (favourably).
Difference # 4
The internet is a wonderful opportunity to reach far and wide for people willing and able to buy what we sell. Internet marketing is obviously big business and a fabulous skill to have. Social media is very much the current trend for online marketing. But what happens next?
Online marketing is designed to draw people in. In to what? A page that will move the reader to take action. This is typically and commonly known as a ‘sales’ page (or sales letter).
Without marketing, selling would be a whole lot tougher and more hit and miss than it already is. Without marketing, we might not even have people to talk to. But without selling we simply do not have a business.
Difference # 5
Those of you who know me and my work, will know my definition. “Marketing is putting it up on the shelf, selling is helping someone take it home.” I suppose sales and marketing go together like a horse and cart. You need to sell the wares on your cart, but you can reach more people if you have a horse to pull you around. But the horse on its own, with no wares is just a fun ride.
And for those of you who think from this article that I have a down on marketing, a quote. "Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you're doing, but nobody else does." Stuart H. Britt
]]>“If you thought that was bad, you should hear me at a network meeting.”
We all do it, from time to time we use jargon that goes over the head of our audience or simply confuses them. It is at best, unproductive and at worst annoying. How do we stop?
In writing copy for websites, I have been advised by people I trust to use language that could be understood by a 6 year old. I have to make do with a 10 year old, my daughter Michelle. If in doubt I run a paragraph by her and see if there are words or even concepts with which she struggles.
But it is not about being condescending or treating people as idiots, its simply about making what you say:
At a recent network meeting, participants were invited to practice their elevator pitch. Someone from the IT world said something about doing things in a “data rich environment”. The rest of what he said was unmemorable, but this phrase made my brain hurt, but it sounded fattening.
If you are responsible for the information gathered in a business and providing ways of analyzing and interpreting the information to senior management, you will likely use this phrase regularly. But it is simply rude (J) to express yourself in these terms to lay people.
What does this demonstrate? “Know your audience” perhaps or just keep it simple.
Memorable: there is a fine line between a catchy, memorable phrase and cheesy. A memorable phrase such as “Just do it” or “Helpful banking” is fine as a tagline, but doesn’t come across well in an elevator pitch. So when you think “memorable” perhaps it is more about the content. A memorable message is all that is needed, keeping the catchy lines for marketing (at best).
What is memorable? Well a phrase that resonates directly with your audience or prospect is going to be more memorable than one that causes them to stop and try to work out the implication. Spell it out.
This brings me on to a pet-peeve of mine. Whether spoken or written, initials and acronyms. If you are not 100% convinced your audience will understand immediately, please say the whole phrase first, then add the initials, not the other way around.
Which do you think sounds better? “Just adopt the principle, Keep It Simple, Sweetheart (or KISS).” Or “Just adopt the principle, KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetheart).” The first way says exactly what you mean and then offers a quick way to remember it, the second talks to people in the know and then explains it for those dummies who don’t recognise the acronym. How would you prefer to come across to your audience?
Easy to understand: does not mean treating your audience like children. Simple language is always going to be better than complex, for the majority. If you can, test your audience for their level of understanding. Of course there are times when your subject matter is ideally suited for people with a deep knowledge and are therefore used to expressions and jargon. My rule of jargon in selling is “never use jargon unless your client has used it first.”
Public speaking is a great environment to test your language. When standing up front, watch for the nods or glazed expressions. As a stand up comic (occasionally) I often test my audience with a joke to see what boundaries I need to set. You will probably have experienced this. As I heard Jimmy Carr say the other day after a risqué joke “you can laugh or you can “ooooh” but you can’t do both.”
Repeatable: Again, elevator pitches are a great way to demonstrate what is meant here. How many elevator pitches have you heard that you could repeat straight back? Why would that be important?
Well imagine I have just met you. You talk to me in a memorable, easy to understand and repeatable way. An hour later I meet someone else and they could be in the market for what you do. How easy is it for me to tell them about you? Would you like me to do that or would you like me to make it up as I go along...from memory?
Repeat after me...”Terry Murphy is a great guy and loves to help.” See? Easy really.
Enjoy what you do and use language that keeps frowns and glazed expressions off your prospects’ faces. They’ll love you for it.
]]>Do you have a partner? When was the last time you said you loved them? If not so recently, do you remember when you used to say it often? Well this is not a relationship site and with luck you often reassure your partner but you probably know what I mean. I just want to draw some parallels.
Perhaps, when with someone for a long time, some people get a bit complacent. I’m sure you have heard the cry “you take me for granted.” Hopefully, not from your partner!! When we think about it we all know how important it is to rekindle the fire and all those good things.
In business, the same is true.
#1 When a customer says “yes” to you, they are laying a heavy burden on your shoulders. They are saying “I trust you, don’t let me down.” It’s a bit like dating and getting married. And if you treat them right, the marriage will last. If you don’t, all you have is a one-night-stand.
For some readers, no doubt a one-night-stand is the goal, but in business it is far more effective to get married and polygamy is acceptable.
So never forget that unwritten commitment you made to your customer when they first bought from you. It is the link to your future success. Looking after customers is of course paramount. But its more than just good service and pleasant smiles.
Consistency is the key. Your original sale promised a certain delivery. Associated with this was a set of values. Was this by design? Did you pre-determine your company values and does everything you do abide by them? If not, take time to examine what promise is being perceived by your customers. It will give you the ammunition you need to keep them happy and keep them coming back.
There is a second situation in business when one should remember what was said. This is during the sale itself.
#2 When you ask a sales question, avoid diving straight into a pitch when you get the answer. Sales people who have learnt the first art of asking good questions often fall in to this trap.
“How can I help?” Prospect “I’m looking to buy a new car” “Well you’ve come to the right place, we sell cars here. What sort of car?” Prospect “A sports car.” “Oh, good we have a range of sports cars. What colour?” “I was thinking of red.” “Yes, we have a red sports car.” What a tedious conversation, too much talking from the salesman and it doesn’t sound sincere. A crude but simple example.
Instead of grabbing each morsel of information and responding, store up the information for use later. For now, keep asking and probing.
We know it is important to ask questions and listen carefully to the answers. By asking well considered questions we can learn everything we need to know in order to make a sale. But the timing of using the answers is also critical.
Back to the parallel with relationships. If you are passing a book shop with your partner and they say, “oh, that’s the book my friend was telling me about, I would love to read it.” Do you run straight in and buy it? Which do you think would get the best reaction, to do exactly that, buy it on the spot? Or would it be more appreciated if you remember that and buy it for an upcoming occasion, birthday, anniversary or Christmas. Unless there is a time element involved, such as the information in the book needs to be known now, the latter will get the best response, won’t it?
In the sales situation, when it comes to presenting your solution, imagine how you will woo your prospect if you weave in to your presentation the things they mentioned earlier. “…and over here we have the most popular sports model, in red…which I believe you mentioned was your favourite colour for a car.”
So there are 3 basics to good selling highlighted here. Ask, listen and remember. Many relationships could no doubt benefit from these tips. There is one caveat though in a relationship…if what was said was negative, don’t remember it and don’t weave it in to the conversation. That doesn’t seem to go down so well.
]]>Can you sell your product or service without mentioning a single feature?
I used to work with a software company. I recall the Chief Technical Officer telling me about a new, innovative way the software could achieve some obscure manipulation of data. He was so excited and I don’t blame him, he didn’t have a life outside “computer code”. Sad.
But he was an executive of the company and he was explaining it to the rest of the exec team. He looked anxiously towards me for validation. I wasn’t in a very geeky place that day and my response was “So what?” I could have been a little more tactful, but it gave rise to a nickname I carried throughout my time with that company and it stood me in good stead with the rest of the executive as they understood where ‘Mr So What’ was coming from.
Just because we could now index data quicker than anyone else, it didn’t mean a thing to the customer…unless. Unless what? Unless the big advantage of buying our software was speed.
People don’t buy Ferraris to drive at 175 mph
People who buy Ferraris in the UK or the USA (different in Germany with the autobahns) don’t buy them so that they can drive at 175 mph, but some buy them because they can ‘say’ they can. I think I should develop a car with 72 valves. 68 of them could be dummies that don’t actually do anything, but my customers could still boast 72 valve engines. My point? It isn’t what the valves do, it is what they do in the eyes of the potential buyer. The buyer may have an understanding that 16 valves produces more power or more economy than 4 valves and that might ‘do it’ for them. It may be that they like how it sounds (the engine or just the phrase), and that does it for them.
This is not rocket science, most of us know this and understand it inherently, so why do we still hear so many people talking about aspects of their product or service that simply does not resonate with the particular customer?
I think the answer lies in a) if I developed the product, I am probably proud of how it all came together and b) it makes me sound like an authority and we all like to buy from an authority. But does it help to do this? In most cases no or not as much as we might think.
Simple solution
So the solution? Keep on track by only talking about the product in terms of what the customer wants (or think want). How do you know if you are sticking to the track?
Well, apart from glazed over eyes, perhaps your customer is more polite than that, the only way is to make sure you have found out what really interests them and what they believe they want but asking them.
One of the biggest hurdles to remote selling whether by ad, letter, email, or online, is making sure your words speak to the audience, not you yourself. Marketers and advertising people know this, but for small business owners who do not have a great deal of marketing or sales experience, it is much more of a challenge.
Talk to one person at a time
I recommend, when writing copy for a site or email campaign, you should write as if you are talking to a particular individual. Spend time developing this invisible friend in your mind, model them on a real customer, someone you found ideal to work with. Consider all aspects of that person, socio-economic and psycho-demographic. Who they are, age, gender etc.. as well as their interests, occupation and as much detail as you would know about a really good friend. And then address your campaign to them specifically.
When they read it, they will recognise you are talking to them, but so will all others in and close to that target.
If you have more than one specific market, you may of course have to write the same piece more than once, one time to each ‘person’.
Ahhh, so it is OK to have an invisible friend again, just like when you were a kid!?!
]]>If we follow all the advice written and spoken about how we should offer our elevator pitches, we could all start to sound rather similar. Let’s look for a change at what not to do. The place one hears the most examples of elevator pitches is at networking meetings or other business meetings where people are invited to introduce themselves. That is where I have most fun wit this topic. Who has inspired you recently with their introduction?
#1 Don’t open with your role. “I am a coach / landscape gardener / accountant….” As the listener, I may have now switched off as I think I know what coaches (landscape gardeners etc.) do and I don’t want one today.
Why give your listener the ammunition to jump to conclusions, lead them to the conclusions you want them to reach.
#2 Don’t say you do for others what you clearly do not do for yourself. We all know the cobbler’s shoes are likely to have holes in them, but when introducing himself, the cobbler should wear the pair with no holes.
Recently, at a networking event, someone introduced themselves as “I am Simon, I help people find their inner energy.” But he said it whilst remaining seated, in a flat monotone and looked as inspired as a dying gnat. Sure he may have been nervous, it was quite a large meeting, but jumping to his feet might have overcome that.
#3 Don’t just say what you do, but give them an insight into how & why you do it. What you do is probably done by a gazillion people out there. How you do it, the results you have had and why you are doing it are unique to you.
The “why” is significant as the motivation behind what you do is one of the ‘chemistry’ factors on making a business connection.
#4 Don’t assume people know anything about you. A number of times recently, at meetings, I have heard people say things like “I’m Susan, you all know what I do.”
Two weeks ago, whilst circulating at a function, I asked a young lady what she did. (sub text “Please try out your elevator pitch on me”). She told me she was the sales manager for a sports ground. Interesting, what was she doing here, what did she sell? Sports events? No, on investigation, it turns out she sells the function venue attached to the sports ground. The meeting was attended by a number of people who might have found that interesting and might have wanted to hold functions, but she had assumed that I would know they had a meeting and seminar rooms.
#5 Avoid being vague, esoteric or cheesy. This don’t arises from the new wave of “I change people’s lives for the better…” coming from a computer repair person. Or “I make people’s wildest dreams come true…” from a brush salesman.
I know, current thinking (as mentioned in ‘3’ above) is to talk about the benefits, but let’s keep it real. A wonder brush doesn’t change my life, it may change my cleaning habits, save me time, money or energy. Those should be enough benefit for £4.99.
#6 Don’t say the company name. What, you don’t like that I offer 6 when the title says 5…it’s “get one free” day and an even number in a title doesn’t work so well, the psychologists tell me.
If you are a solo business owner, why say your company name, aren’t you the key? If your company name is particularly significant, clever or informative, then sure, as a sign off “…..my name is … and my company is “Get Sales Tips Today”. Otherwise it is just more information for your listener to forget. It’s probably on your business card anyway.
Pet Peeve The extension of this don’t is a personal favourite, the elongated introduction given by some people when answering the phone. “Good morning, this is Outrageous Insurance Limited part of the Rip-off Group of Companies, my name is Wanna Understandme, how can I help you?” “Well you could start by not wasting my phone bill with the corporate structure and I will really only want to know your name if you are the one who gets involved with this call.”
Final tip. A great piece of advice I heard the other day was, before attending a meeting, think about tweaking your elevator pitch to personalise if for the audience. Making it fresh and relevant comes across really well.
]]>I once worked in an open plan, sales operation. 30+ sales people, desks and phones and little else. The manager, Richard, sat in the corner. No partitions, no walls. It was an amazing environment on many levels. We were expected to make calls. That was how we operated.
Tedious work
At least 3 hours of calls in the morning, perhaps 3 hours in the afternoon. The only reason not to make calls was to take time out to see clients, also in the open plan office.
Actually, although the clients were talking about quite confidential topics, on the whole they loved it. The buzz was amazing and with so many people on the phones, there was enough ambient noise that when huddled up to a desk, it felt quite private.
Keep going
Make a call, when it was over, without replacing the handset in the cradle, cut the line and dial again. (Hey, who remembers dials?) From time to time, the tedium cut in and the momentum lagged. I would put my phone back on its cradle and think, perhaps shuffle some paper, just finding the next number to ring of course.
Give up
Then I would glance up and over towards Richard. He would be standing, phone to ear, himself leading by example. But out of the corner of his eye he would spot me looking. Without missing a beat or breaking his conversation, with his free hand he would mime picking up a phone and putting it to his free ear. My queue to get back on the phone.
Whenever anyone looked up from what they were doing, it seemed Richard was watching and would make the same gesture…”pick up the phone”.
After a while, every time I took a breath, relaxed and stopped, I would simply imagine Richard’s gesture and start on the next call.
Why work so hard?
Well we were all commission only sales people. If we worked we earned, if we worked hard we earned a lot, if we worked hard and effectively, we earned an awful lot. But the incentive to keep going was Richard. I would feel guilty if he gave me “the sign”. I felt I was letting him down. I was letting myself, my family and my bank manager down, but it was Richard’s gesture that drove me on.
What drives you?
What gets you to go the extra mile, be more effective, more productive?
What gets you doing the things you know you must?
How do you deal with the tasks you hate?
Is it your boss (well that’s you)? Your family, do you keep a picture of the children in front of you, perhaps with a picture of a university alongside? Are you driven by debt or ambition? The desire for fame or fortune?
A little help here please
It has been proven that even the most apparently driven people still find strength to excel from outside. From someone else. Who is it for you?
The conclusion here is that finding someone who will hold you accountable, but without sentiment so perhaps not your partner, can be one of the most productive relationships for your business.
The concept of an accountability partner is not new, it is not unknown. It is talked about and encouraged in almost all advice to business owners. But do you actually have one? Is it proving effective? Have you found the need in the past to change accountability partners to become even more effective?
Some time ago, my accountability partner cried off our routine weekly time-slot. I felt alone, abandoned and useless. I wondered aimlessly for hours like a lost dog, tail between my legs…well I exaggerate, but it was very noticeable how much I relied on that shot in the arm.
Find an accountability partner
Perhaps more than one, perhaps form a Mastermind Group (more on that another time). Be one for someone else as well as it doesn’t always have to be reciprocal.
But make sure if you are someone else’s accountability partner, you are totally reliable and are there for them. What goes around…
And if you need to make a change, have the courage to make the change if it is the right thing to do. After all, you didn’t take vows together, did you?
]]>Remembering that if we absolutely believe, knowing what we know about the customer’s situation and our solution, that the customer should buy, it is our duty to make sure they do.
A few years ago I went to the doctor. I had slept awkwardly I think and my shoulder was hurting, a lot. I couldn’t relax my arm or rest it anywhere.
So I went in to see an orthopedic specialist. I think he knew what was wrong pretty quickly and he knew the solution was a steroid injection right into the joint. It is a very unpleasant procedure, for a coward like me.
So what did he do? He didn’t offer me the treatment immediately. He started to rotate my arm under the pretence of diagnosing the condition. It hurt. He prodded it and poked it. It hurt more. He stretched it and pulled at the joint until it felt it was ripping apart. After a while, his attention was almost more than I could bear, the pain was so great.
He then said, “you need an injection into the joint.” Between gasps I screamed, “give it to me now”.
No objection, I just bought the solution.
There are two common ways to overcome the ‘price’ objection. One is to make the product so appealing that the prospect cannot see being without it, but in today’s economy, that can be a long time in coming. The other is to make the pain of not having the product too great to bear, whereby no price is too high.
Sometimes we have to poke and prod a bit to make a sale.
How do we make the pain big enough to warrant the sale?
The problem. If we start on the basis that our product or service is of course solving a problem, we should first establish the extent of the problem. It is a diagnosis and the method is questioning. What is the problem, how big is it of itself? How long has it existed and is it getting bigger?
The impact. Now we want to know what impact this problem is having on the life or business of our customer? What are the other areas that are affected by the problem? Remember we are of course purely focusing on the problem, but we have to keep in mind our solution and guide the conversation accordingly. Often it is only as we examine the impact that the problem starts to take on proportions inviting an immediate cure.
The implications. And if we don’t cure the problem, then what will happen? The problem itself might not get bigger, but some of the resulting implications may grow. Here we may be building in a time element and potential urgency to the requirement.
To make this work, we do need to have a really clear understanding of our prospect and of our product or service. We must take time to think of the likely impact and implications of the problems we solve so that our diagnosis can be thorough.
The ‘Buying Balance’ at work in all sales says that the size (or pain) of the problem should exceed the size (or pain) of the cost. Get your prospect crying with pain and your solution will be that much more palatable. We sometimes have to be cruel to be kind.
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