What Are You About?

Years ago, businesses began when someone brought a product to a viable market and essentially put an "Open" sign on their front door. While the basic premise is still the same, the world has gotten much larger. "Market day" is every day, all day; passersby are identified by hits and clicks, and your display window has evolved into a Facebook page, website, and Twitter profile. Your audience is as large as your searchability is optimized.

In yesteryears, people bought and sold with you because you were part of their village, tribe, or area. They knew you, your friends, your parents, probably your grandparents, and your lifetime reputation. You were well-established. In today's world, people still buy on reputation. In fact, it is just as important to have a history of well-written blog posts than it is to have an "Open" sign on the front door of your shop. Positioning yourself so Google can find you keeps your place in the line-up of vendors in a global marketplace; ensuring your profile is complete and up-to-date aids people in taking steps to research you and your business. The more people can legitimize who you are and what you do, the better off you will be.

What have you done to make sure people know who you are and what you are about? Is anyone talking about you in their social media circles? Is your business easy to find on the internet? When was the last time you filled an order from halfway around the world?

Not a Talker; Not a Listener ... A Processor

All the great sales tools and knowledge out there won't do you any good unless you speak the language of your audience.

You can be the slickest talker in the world and you won't get anywhere with someone that thinks salespeople are walking gimmicks. You can be the best listener in the world and you won't get anywhere with someone who has trouble expressing what they really want. What you need to be is a great processor. You need to know how to ask great questions, read body language, and hear the unspoken communication; then you need to internalize it, interpret it, and translate your message into something that will hum on their emotional and intellectual level. That's what makes a great salesperson; that's how to professionally help people buy. Not a talker; not a listener ... a processor.

Twelve Days of Business Coaching

On the first day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
A dream and a way to live free.

On the second day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the third day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the fourth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the fifth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the sixth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the seventh day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the eighth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Eight teamwork builders
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the ninth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Nine network growers
Eight teamwork builders
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the tenth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Ten lead creators
Nine network growers
Eight teamwork builders
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the eleventh day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Eleven target markets
Ten lead creators
Nine network growers
Eight teamwork builders
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

On the twelfth day of coaching, Coach David gave to me:
Twelve production boosters
Eleven target markets
Ten lead creators
Nine network growers
Eight teamwork builders
Seven finance ratios
Six steps to progress
Five Ways to Grow
Four profit goals
Three sales tips
Two bold call scripts
A dream and a way to live free.

Turning Prospects Into Customers

At ActionCOACH we believe in people. We believe in interacting with people, understanding where they are at, and offering them the best possible solutions to the problems they are trying to solve. We recognize that not everyone is the same, but everyone does have needs. For this reason, when we are handling prospects, we do our best to understand what those needs are and how ActionCOACH can help. To give you some idea of what I'm talking about, let me quote and paraphrase a few ideas from an excellent book on this topic:

"I suppose if we made an effort we could list a hundred different kinds of prospects: slow thinkers, fast thinkers, wrong thinkers and nonthinkers; big spenders, conservative penny pinchers, criticals, bargain hunters, timid, assertive, impulsive, needler, argumentative; non-listener, stone face, harassed executive, etc.

Then there are the old, the young, and the middle-aged; the male and female; the black and white and everything between. Regardless of the prospect, everyone wants to be right, to be understood, to be appreciated. All have physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. our objective is to meet those needs so these prospects will be our customers ..."

Making a sale is not a process of convincing someone that you are right. It's an opportunity to meet, interact with, listen, and understand effectively another human being's position and what you can do to solve a problem they are faced with. The key things to remember, as Zig Ziglar points out, is that everyone wants to be right and everyone wants to be understood. Getting the prospect involved in the problem-solving process is essential; as you interact, remember that objections are excellent questions and you are always delighted that they have brought them up. The quicker you can establish the needs and personality of your prospect, the quicker you can effectively interact with them. Let's elaborate a little on Ziglar's ideas by briefly looking at personality scenarios from his book and his recommendations of how we can help them realize that we have something valuable to offer them:

Gary Gullible - Just be confident. Gentle, but confident. Be open and straightforward, and he will like you.
Sidney Skeptical - Let them raise their objections, ask them to repeat them for clarification, and address these questions with honest interest and concern.
Hostile Helen - Get this prospect talking and let them express their feelings or past experiences that have shaped their current position. Honestly appreciate who they are and where they are coming from.
Indecisive Ivan - Be empathetic, reassuring, and absolutely convinced that your product is the best thing for him. Be firm.
Betty Bargain Hunter - Be certain they understand that everyone is treated the same by your company, and then seal the deal by doing something to assure them that they got the best possible offer. They need to feel like a winner, so help them realize that they are one.
Oliver Obnoxious - In a firm but positive way, give them attention; also challenge them with facts that uphold your product's effectiveness. Don't forget to appeal to their pride - it's important to them to feel that they belong to an elite crowd.
Heloise Hurry-up - Be brief and businesslike. Close the sale, handle details, and be sure you follow up so they get exactly what they want. Their time is the first thing on their priority list.
Jolly Jimmy - Be casual and be a friend. Offer encouragement and advice for action, as a friend.
Nora Know-it-all - Let them impress you, but be aware of how long it might take.
Bobby Big Shot - Make him feel important, and that you are an overachiever yourself.
Impulsive Irene - Conviction and firmness at the peak of the impulse will close this sale. It won't take long, one way or the other.
Agreeable Al - When someone agrees with everything and nods continuously, it's time to stop and find out why they've already made a decision not to buy. Either they'll give you an objection that you can work with, or they'll realize you have more to offer than they thought.

Ziglar has offered us a few glimpses into the complicated world of effectively understanding and relating to people around us. What it boils down to is the ability to understand someone in their own language and speak it back to them. There's no doubt that you have a solution to their problem - turn the mirror to appropriately reflect that and let them see for themselves. We could all use a little more understanding.

'Tis the Season

So this is Christmas.

It's the time of year when the flyer pile in the mailbox is enough to jam it open and spill onto your front porch. Advertising is highly competitive as charities and not-for-profit organizations kick in campaigns against commercial enterprises; everyone is vying for your extra dollar during the season when they know there is a greater chance that you will be spending money on more then just essentials.

From a business perspective, this is undoubtedly the season of spending. An optimal time to encourage people to explore the path of generosity (and indulge themselves while they are at it). A thousand signs, posters, Twitter messages, emails, flyers, radio and television commercials, and any other conceivable means are devised to attract your attention. Some businesses thrive solely on holiday spending to make up for losses incurred in other seasons of the year.

So how do you come out on top in this rapid firefly of advertising and competition? How do you keep your business on top in the milieu and confusion and onset of crowds of people that are openly looking for the best deal? How will your business handle these conditions and survive the current economic climate; better yet, how will your business boost its profitability and dominate its market in the new year? It's a buyer's market - why will consumers come to your door, and keep coming back in the future?

At ActionCOACH, we offer business owners the knowledge, tools, and skills they need to succeed. We offer the support, clarity, and third-party perspective that gives you the competitive edge. A franchise built on real-world experience, testing and measuring, continual adaptation to meet the changing needs of businesses around the world, ActionCOACH has the ability and means to increase your profit margins and drive your business to new heights of success. We have a proven system of expertise that works. It's business owners like you that joined with ActionCOACH and took their company to the top. You can, too! Make this season the beginning of a new era - and look forward with hope in a fantastic future for you, your family, and your company. This will be the best Christmas yet ...

A great opportunity for growth

Considering my last post, I thought about skipping over this particular experience.  But let's face it - it opens up a whole new world of inquiry!

I was out shopping for some miscellaneous articles of furniture and finally found what I was looking for in an unexpected location. When I went to the counter to pay for the pieces I selected, I had a saleswoman that was very friendly and talkative. However, it became apparent very quickly that the computer system wasn't cooperating. She begged for my patience and understanding as her computer processed her clicks at a snail's pace. After waiting another length of time, I suggested that perhaps there might be another method to make the sale - perhaps a paper form where she could simply copy my information and process the actual sale later. She said she didn't think there was an alternative method. Another woman came from behind her and pulled out a form for her to fill out. She was surprised, slowly took up a pen, and sat staring at the form as if it was an alien scroll. She started filling in the most straightforward information; before she could finish asking me for my first name, my wife interrupted and took the pen, simply saying it would be quicker if she just let her fill in the blanks. The saleswoman easily relented and actually seemed grateful, and my wife had the form complete in seconds. The saleswoman then hunted about for product number and miscellaneous details. This whole experience was starting to seem a bit surreal. At this moment, the saleswoman casually looked up from filling in price numbers and asked, "What is the rate of sales tax these days?" I stared at her, unable to register if she was joking or not. I couldn't believe my ears. I think I managed to respond and we left as quickly as we could.

I am still ... flabbergasted. Are there really businesses out there whose salespeople are asking customers for basic information? Stop and think about it right now. If you don't know what your business is doing at this end, find out. Test and measure. Access feedback. Does your sales force need training? Get them trained. Get them confident. Get them knowledgeable. That will get your product moving. Don't hamstring yourself by a force that doesn't know what they are doing. Give them the answers and they will get you the bottom line.

A sale as slick as satin ... and just that comfortable.

Brad Sugars "says a salesperson should be one of the highest paid people in every company, sales is the engine room of your business ... nothing happens until a sale is made ... get focussed on sales and the rest will take care of itself ... time to make a sale ..."

This goes perfectly with an experience I had a couple of weeks ago.  If salespeople were the engine of the business I encountered, then that place is a steam train that nothing can stop.

I was browsing real estate sites for properties located in another country.  I saw some truly beautiful estates, and was pleased with the thorough information and photos that were provided by the website.  But nothing prepared me for the phone call I got that afternoon.

"Mr. David Green?"  I thought I was in for another survey, another sales pitch, another telemarketer.  Instead, I was introduced to the realtor owning the website I had used to look at properties.  He was the epitomy of courtesy and genuine interest as he explained that he was aware of the real estate that I had been searching and would be happy to answer any of my questions.  We talked for a while, and I realized in short order that he knew in meticulous detail exactly which features I had spent the most time examining.  He elaborated on the value of the properties I had looked at by expounding on demographics, conveniences, and the general layout and feel of the surrounding communities.  He had even spoken to the neighbours, and had complete contact information in case I wanted to talk with them personally.  I was impressed.  We talked a little longer, and he explained that he had also contacted and arranged for appointments should I want to visit the various schools that would be available as options for my children, as he had gathered from my browsing habits that family was important to me.  At this point, I have to admit, I would have liked to shake his hand.  A more intuitive, adept and genuinely courteous salesperson I have not met in a long, long time.  Hats off to this man, gentlemen!  He had an effective means of watching and tracking interest in his product, he was well-versed in all the aspects that might interest his consumers, he delivered his information in a smooth, concise, and perceptive manner, and finished it with an impressive plan of action that made the sale as slick as satin and just as comfortable!  This man swims with the sharks of the sales world ... and probably leads a pack.