Posts Tagged ‘Selling’

Motivated to the Max or Mired in Muck?

Monday, March 1st, 2010

 

Have you ever enjoyed an experience like this:  You meet with someone and two hours fly by and you can’t believe the meeting is over!  You still have so much to learn from them that you just don’t want it to end!

What if every meeting or presentation you were a part of ended like that? Would your second connection with these people be easier or harder to schedule?  Easier is the answer of course!

So the question is: After working with you, do prospects leave so energized, so pumped up, so laden with valuable information, tips, strategies, resources and inspiration that they can hardly wait to meet with you again? 

If your goal is not to surprise, delight, engage, energize and really connect with people you are doing business with, you might want to fine tune your strategy.

 Today I met with a most amazing professional. Tony Jeary may not be a household name to you, but he is the executive coach of choice to the world’s top CEO’s and high achievers for over 20 years.  His clients include presidents of companies like Wal-Mart, Firestone, Shell, and even the United States Senate!  You can’t leave his presence without being so excited about possibilities that you need and want more…

And that is exactly what most sales people and leaders should aspire to….guiding those we serve to a place that shows our prospects and customers  how to achieve their own best scenarios to  attain their personal and professional success.

Whether you are selling houses, tires, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals, your product or service must include specific components that ignite and inspire those we serve by providing solutions to their problems. Here are a few key activities to include in order to fine- tune your personal and professional interactions:

1) Be and sound ENERGETIC!  If you aren’t truly excited about what you do and how you do it, you will rarely communicate the value to another person.  Without contradicting your personal style, allow your enthusiasm and passion for what you offer be transparent so your prospects can engage with you and participate in working with them to provide solutions to their needs.

2) Invest in PREPARATION!  Want to really impress someone? How about having prepared a full spectrum of information about them and possible solutions to help their business available so they can see that you made an investment in them?  Too many sales people spend the bulk of their time perfecting their presentation, trying to “sell” their product or service instead of investing the time to get information about the prospect’s needs when preparing for the meeting.

3) Be a true EXPERT!  How deeply do you study your own product or service and that of the competition? Can you draw from accurate information and statistics to help determine the best solution for your prospect or customer?  People will ALWAYS pay for expertise.  Become an expert by investing even 30 minutes a day every day on a competency and you will develop solid expertise in your given niche.

4) Learn PRESENTATION skills.  All the information on the planet won’t help you if you haven’t learned the most engaging and powerful ways to communicate.  People connect logically and emotionally.  Logic will help them see the value, but emotions provide the actions to buy or not buy.  Study up on Behavioral styles and generational communication dynamics to connect with all four communication styles and age groups.  Invest in presentation skill coaching if this is an area for serious improvement.  It is guaranteed to pay off! (For a free report on the 12 biggest mistakes most sales people make, visit www.Fripp.com)

5) Be AUTHENTIC with your word. Nothing is more devastating than someone who shows up, makes all kinds of promises and doesn’t deliver. If you are not a systems person, set up checks and balances to keep you focused and on target with action steps and deliveries on what you promised.  There is no second chance when you compromise your integrity. It is a highly underestimated and powerful action that doesn’t cost in dollars, but in attention to executing what you have promised. 

 Focus on these simple steps and you are sure to be the provider of choice and create raving fans and repeat business.

Terri Murphy, Author of 5 books, her latest with Donald Trump. She is a Speaker & Consultant can be reached by email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com or for more information visit www.TerriMurphy.com

Terri Murphy, Pres, Terri Murphy.com
CIO, USLearning.com-Featured author with Donald Trump-”The BEST Real Estate Advice I Ever Received”
901-767-0000
www.TerriMurphy.com  -  www.WomensWisdomNetwork.com

Social Network:
www.Linkedin.com/in/TerriMurphyCommunications
www.Twitter.com/TerriMurphy
www.Facebook.com/TerriMurphy

Don Hutson speaks on: “Turning Your Stress Into Strength In Challenging Times”

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

 

iLearningGlobal is pleased to announce Don Hutson as the featured faculty speaker
on this week’s Millionaire Mentor Session.

Please join us on
Saturday, February 6th
9am  PST

Hear Don Hutson speak on:
“Turning Your Stress Into Strength In Challenging Times” 

Dial In Details: 
Dial In:
646/519/5830

Access code:
7244

Don Hutson’s career in speaking, management and sales have brought him many honors.
He successfully worked his way through the University of Memphis, graduating with a degree in Sales.

After becoming the #1 salesperson in a national training organization, he established his own
training firm and shortly thereafter was in demand as a professional speaker. 

 Today Don’s client list includes over two-thirds of the Fortune 500 Companies, and he is
featured in over 100 training films. He is Chairman & CEO of U.S. Learning and makes some
75 speaking appearances per year.  Perhaps you have seen him on national television where
he is regularly featured on both PBS and TSTN.

Don is the author of nine books including the New York Times bestseller,
The One Minute Entrepreneur which he co-authored with Ken Blanchard.
Don is a member of the prestigious Speakers Roundtable. He was elected by his
peers to the presidency of the National Speakers Association, and has received
its coveted “Cavett Award,” as member of the year. He has also been
inducted into NSA’s Speakers Hall of Fame. 

Visit Don Hutson’s website at http://www.DonHutson.com

We look forward to having you on the call!

Details:
When: Saturday, February 6th, 9am PST
Dial in: 646/519/5830
Access code: 7244

66 Ways to Connect with Prospects

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

If you think it’s been a tough year, bad market and find yourself thinking from a scarcity point of view, you might find yourself believing that there is little you can do to get more business…Think again!

Before you go with “scarcity thinking”, expert Harvey MacKay gives us 66 creative and meaningful ways to connect with even the most elusive prospects.

MacKay is the bestselling author of “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”. He says, “Anyone can get the order if he’s willing to stretch the truth far enough. Whether you tell the truth or not, you don’t come out a winner just by getting the first big order. The mark of the pro is to get the RE-Order!”  That said, ask yourself these questions:

What am I willing to do to connect with a prospective client? (Or do I quit after a few attempts?)

Am I just trying to get another sale, or are their ways I can make an investment in a long term relationship?

In order to differentiate my service offering, by adding more value for this prospect by doing business with me?

A great lesson from MacKay’s book is found in Lesson #3 – He says, “Knowing something about your customer is just as important as knowing everything about you or your product”.

 MacKay was so passionate about wanting to know all he could about his customers; he is famous for developing his MacKay “66” question profile for each of his sales people to fill out on their customers. He is adamant that when we know more about our customer, we enjoy a huge advantage when they know we care about them, their needs and ultimately then we have earned the right to work with them.

All too often we fail the first step many high paid coaches, consultants and top performers knows and teaches:  Do a deep and thorough needs analysis of what THEY want, and not what you HAVE.  But first you have to get the appointment and be willing to accept the challenge of winning their business.

Asking questions and then clarifying the answers is one of the most powerful ways to establish confidence and begin building a bridge of trust between you and your prospect.  They want to know that you know not only what they want, but most importantly, why they want it. It is only when you act as their sales leader that you can help them determine what the appropriate solutions to their needs will actually be.  

Many times we approach our buyers and sellers with a barrage of self-serving information about our experience, tout top testimonials and are convinced that WE are the answer to their needs, when in fact, that may not be the case at all!  Regardless of your outstanding sales volume, negotiating acumen and years of experience, if they need a sales person who can speak Vietnamese, you may not be their best choice! 

The battle cry for successful sales that will never go out of style – RELATIONSHIP selling is the key to more sales. Ask well thought out questions, be a skilled active listener, and craft solutions with your prospects for best results.  You may not subscribe to doing a MacKay “66”, but knowing all the facts, motivations, limitations and best solutions for your customer will pave the way to create raving fans and endless referrals.

Bio: Terri Murphy is a speaker, communication consultant, and author of 5 books, including her latest with Donald Trump. She is the founder and Pres. of WomensWisdomNetwork.com and serves as CIO of U. S. Learning in Memphis.  email: Terri@TerriMurphy.com – for more information on the MacKay “66” visit http://www.harveymackay.com/tools/index.cfm


Lets Connect At:

www.LinkedIn.com/in/TerriMurphyCommunications
www.Facebook.com/TerriMurphy
www.Twitter.com/TerriMurphy