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Atricle Dump - The 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do
As a cleaning company we get called in to carry out builders cleans on new builds and refurbishments. Time and time again what we see is that the designer has had something built, laid or put in place solely on the grounds that it looks good with no regard as to how it will stand up to use or the practicalities of trying to keep it clean and looking good. They produce their design, see it through to the finish and then walk away. Only later does it become apparent that it is completely impractical from a cleaning point of view but they do not seem to learn from their mistakes because the same ones keep being repeated.Let us take some classic examples. Car showrooms are a prime example. Car dealers require a nice environment to show of their brand new cars. So what do you need? A large rectangular space in which to fit the cars. Large windows so that the cars can be viewed easily by passers by. Clean freshly painted walls with some nice pictures placed strategically. A potted plant or two. Modern desks for the sales people. Some colourful stands advertising the products interspersed between the cars. All pretty standard and nothing exceptional to allow the designer to soar into the realms of artistry.One thing however is missing from this list and that is the flooring. Now it is here that the designer has something to get their teeth into. What do they come up with? Bright, shiny, white or cream floors in ceramic tiles. This is really good, because the light coloured shiny floors set the cars off really well because the majority of them are in relatively dark colours. So in the building or refurbishment programme this is the type of flooring detailed and once laid and cleaned it looks marvellous. Then they start to bring the cars in and the customers walk in and then the trouble s
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same
Together with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, everyone is talking about the huge opportunities opening up in China. As the Chinese government is liberalizing the economy, industries such as tourism, manufacturing and service are investing their revenue especially for the upcoming Olympic Games.China expects a huge pre-Olympic investment boom and feels very optimistic towards the Beijing's Olympic economy. MNCs in the market sectors such as telecommunications, banking and real estate are planning to hop onto the bandwagon and take the chance to market their brand globally as the driving forces of the China market are prevailing. Ambitious companies from all over the world want a piece of the growing market benefits.Both domestic and foreign brands are trying to get hold of the chance to showcase their brand value. For local brands, the Olympics would help them to expose the brand internationally as foreigners would be entering China for the Olympics in 2008. Foreign investors are also trying to enter into the China market as the Chinese government is liberalizing the economy.However, entrance to China market does have its flipped side. Like a two sided coin, the China market is attractive due to their large consumer demand and growth prospect but China is not an easy market. As China has its unique business style and a rich heritage culture, many foreign investors are finding it hard to make it work in China.Foreign-invested companies bring a myriad of benefits to China, namely investment, expertise, management techniques and jobs of all levels. However, Chinese companies fear foreign investors' competitive advantages and are moving fast to solidify their own market share. Domestic companies have grown in confidence and enhanced their products quality. With better p
Maybe this list will serve as a helpful reminder. Maybe it won't. But at least you're curious to learn what these blunders are or why would you keep reading this?
In any case here's my list of the 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do:
1. Relying on one relationship to protect your account. Why in theworld would you put all your eggs in one basket? Excuse me - with one person. It doesn't make any sense and the bigger the account is the more vulnerable you become. There are five reasons why you should develop more than one relationship in all your accounts, especially the major ones:
First retirement - people do retire. Second is death - yep some people actually die at their desk. Sure it's not common, but it does happen. Third is resignation - people do leave for better opportunities and that happens more than you might imagine. Fourth is termination - some people actually get fired. Finally - and sure this is a long shot -some people win the Lottery.
Action-step. Build and cultivate a network within every major account you have. The biggest Rolodex usually WINS! This is a rock-solid sales tip.
2. Putting your fate with mid-level managers instead of starting with the top gun. The worst thing you can do is to follow your instincts on this one. Your instincts tell you to start at the easiest point of entry in any organization. Why - because it's easy! Once you gain access at this point your instincts continue to give you bad advice. Soon you'll be thinking you can't go over the head of the person you currently have the relationship with.
Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker.
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same
You can spend a fortune on having someone come and tell you how to deliver customer service, or you can do much more, for much, much less. There are three easy steps.It's just that having a tub-thumping guru on hand to do some extraordinary things (though mainly irrelevant - give them a dollar each and tell them the 'buck stops with you' - is an example), is more visible to stockholders, if quite pointless.So bosses seem to be doing something special, when actually what is needed is a simple approach.As Robert Tannehill, an expert on customer service training, comments on what 'gurus' do, as follows:-"These fringy things that some motivational trainers have companies spend money on makes my blood boil. If these people do crazy things to give them the guru touch, they can get companies to spend thousands. Dancing even - huh?You see, management actions ensure that bad service to customers is almost always - I'd give it 99% - not the fault of their sharp end operatives.Here's why...1. They recruit the wrong peopleSo their most important business activity is screwed because they've got unfriendly people at their most vulnerable point.SolutionRigorously recruit 'people' people for your customer facing ambassadors. They have to be comfortable developing relationships that feel great and encourage real friendliness, customer and employee.2. They fail to set the right conditionsWhich will enable their people to work best.SolutionManagers must make sure that they listen carefully to the issues getting in the way of their best people performing well - and fix them fast. This includes training them appropriately, which is usually mentoring on the job, by key employees who h
First retirement - people do retire. Second is death - yep some people actually die at their desk. Sure it's not common, but it does happen. Third is resignation - people do leave for better opportunities and that happens more than you might imagine. Fourth is termination - some people actually get fired. Finally - and sure this is a long shot -some people win the Lottery.
Action-step. Build and cultivate a network within every major account you have. The biggest Rolodex usually WINS! This is a rock-solid sales tip.
2. Putting your fate with mid-level managers instead of starting with the top gun. The worst thing you can do is to follow your instincts on this one. Your instincts tell you to start at the easiest point of entry in any organization. Why - because it's easy! Once you gain access at this point your instincts continue to give you bad advice. Soon you'll be thinking you can't go over the head of the person you currently have the relationship with.
Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker.
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same
Most people today have the opportunity to work from home if they choose, however, like skydiving, working from home is not for everyone.One person’s pleasure is another person’s poison.If you do want to work from home, do you want online or offline, product or service, health related, information related, affiliate business? Etc,etc,etc. The list goes on and on. Find something that is of interest to you, this is very important, you must be passionate about your business, know your business inside and out, study and research about your products, services and opportunity, plus it’s good fun.We are taught to do well in life, but not too well, because to be really successful you need to take risks and you don't want to do that, do you?We are conditioned from an early age, do well at school, get a good job, marry, have children and not to rock the boat!All the successful people around have definitely rocked the boat at some stage, they have done things where people have said, ‘What are they doing, are they mad?’ These people are in the minority, they want more, they need challenges, so they take risks, sometimes they win and sometimes they loose, but whatever happens they just keep on going, trying new things, investing in what seems like hopeless opportunities, but what makes this minority of people different is their will to SUCCEED.Everybody can see these people succeed and fail, so everybody says, ‘Well I won’t be trying that it’s to risky’The beauty of working from home opportunities is that you CAN try them out and risk very little. Some opportunities have trial periods so the risk is zero.But be careful, you cannot eat a piece of chocolate by just smelling it!People try to work from home, but they don’t really try, they sort of g
Action-step. Build and cultivate a network within every major account you have. The biggest Rolodex usually WINS! This is a rock-solid sales tip.
2. Putting your fate with mid-level managers instead of starting with the top gun. The worst thing you can do is to follow your instincts on this one. Your instincts tell you to start at the easiest point of entry in any organization. Why - because it's easy! Once you gain access at this point your instincts continue to give you bad advice. Soon you'll be thinking you can't go over the head of the person you currently have the relationship with.
Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker.
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same
No this is not a statement from a fringe group who are avoiding the frayed nerves and expense associated with Christmas Shopping, cooking, boisterous children and upset tummies. Christmas is a time where a million and one things must happen and be in place (more or less) by the time presents are unwrapped on Christmas day.To be honest most of us manage it. We enjoy (or tolerate) the influx of friends and family and for once we seem capable of multi tasking i.e. having a drink, fixing the tree, carving the turkey. Using Christmas as a metaphor, why can’t we do all these things in the workplace? Why can’t we encourage diversity, set objectives, plan and execute strategies?A subtle clue might be in where the focus lies. As individuals, who do we focus on at work, who do we focus on at home (especially at Christmas)? Now think about where the most dramatic results are achieved!So far we have considered taking Christmas to work, but what if it were to be the other way around? Here are just a few of the issues that might surface: Tall object with pine needles – removed for health and safety reasons Three Wise Men – disbanded because of contravention of equal opportunities policy Baby in a stable – social services involved, baby now in care, animal rights protesters angry because of displaced donkeys Larger house needed – health and safety dictate that there is not enough floor space per human/animal/present Christmas dinner cancelled – no proper workstation assessment carried out on dining table and various rickety items of furniture that we use No presents – Santa has not been on a manual handling course The list could be endless. There is a serious point to be made though. Yes we do need some f
Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker.
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same
If you’re a small press author, trying to get your book into brick and mortar stores can be one of the hardest tasks to accomplish. If you’re a POD author, chances are close to impossible unless you deal with independent local bookstores which usually are more flexible and open to helping local authors. But as a rule, big chain stores won’t stock a POD book, mainly because of lack of returnability and the poor (and mostly unfair) reputation of print on demand books.But, as I said, small independent bookstores are more open and flexible and more willing to take a small risk with a an unknown author. Though it is true that most people (about 52%) shop books at big chain stores, here your book will be lost amidst thousands. In a small bookstore, however, you competition will be less because there are not as many books on the shelves. Of course, most people go shopping for their books at the big chain stores, thus their popularity.If you want to market your book to bookstores, the first thing you need to do is to locate them. You also need to decide which type to contact. You may want to contact bookstores by genre or geographical are. If you live in Los Angeles and your book is a mystery, for instance, you may want to contact all mystery bookstores in your city first before moving to other geographical areas.To locate bookstores you may check:*Yellow Pages Directory in your city. *Yellow Pages Directory on the Internet. *The ABA Bookstore Directory: www.bookweb.org *The American Booktrade Directory (you may check this at the library).Another easy way to locate bookstores, but which costs money, is to rent a mailing list. For $40, you may obtain a mailing list of the top 700 independent bookstores at www.bookmarket.com.Once you ha
Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.
3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same mindless introduction. Imagine walking into an account and telling your prospect/customer that you are the new sales REP for your company. For a moment let's switch gears.
Imagine boarding an airplane scheduled to fly from Chicago to San Francisco. Imagine also hearing the pilot welcome everybody on board and announcing that he is new at flying the 757 you are seated on. Also imagine your dentist refers you to a specialist for your very first root canal. And imagine that the specialist lets you know he's a recent Dental School graduate and you're his first patient. Now, how does that make you feel? That's how everyone feels when they're working with somebody who announces they are "NEW."
Action-step. If you're new to sales or are an experienced sales REP just getting started with a NEW company give some thought how you will introduce yourself. Just don't say that you're "NEW."
4. Doing price-driven quotes instead of value-structured proposals. If you're in sales you're likely to get requests on a daily basis for product quotes. Somebody wants you to quote on a particular product or a particular service. So, like someone following the Pied Piper you do exactly what they ask, namely you send them a quotation. Then you go ballistic when you lose the deal because you did not have the lowest price.
Look Bubba - when you send somebody your quote all you are really doing is sending them a price to look at. If you don't like that approach get out of the quotation business. Do sales proposals. Load them with value. Make your sales proposal scream value and always include a benefits page. Your benefits page should be positioned ahead of your pricing page.
Action-step. If you don't know anything about sales proposals I strongly suggest you do a search on Google.com and Amazon.com using the keywords "sales proposals." This is too important to be flying by the seat-of-your-ants!
5. Making sales calls like a tourist. Anytime you show up on a prospect's/customer's doorstep witho
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