It's A Matter of Trust

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.” – Edward R. Murrow, American Broadcast Journalist

This week I’ve been following my friend Gary Lemke’s series on Trust. Gary’s daily posts on his CRM Advocate site are insightful and thought provoking. Indeed, it got me to thinking about how trust plays into the sales process.

At Possibilities Unlimited, we coach people that when they approach a new prospect, the prospect will have three consecutive, intuitive questions:

1. What do you want from me?
2. What’s in it for me?
3. Can I trust it?

That third hurdle, the trust question, is often the deal breaker in the buying decision. So how do salespeople garner trust from prospects with whom they’ve never done business? The key is credibility. If the salesperson isn’t credible, the prospect will not trust enough in the sales proposition to buy.

There are many ways to build your credibility with potential clients. As a salesperson, you should be taking advantage of as many of these ideas as you can:

1. Speak at association or industry meetings.
2. Take leadership positions in networking or industry groups.
3. Publish a blog that showcases your knowledge of your industry.
4. Create monthly white papers that establish you as an expert.
5. Offer webinars to educate your client base on new trends and information.
6. Send a weekly or monthly “Just thought you should know” newsletter that keeps clients up to date on current information.
7. Post success stories or client testimonials on your website or in your sales literature.
8. Build relationships over time and ask for referrals.

In other words…strut your stuff! Don’t be afraid to show up in the marketplace as an expert. People want to buy from people they think are smart and people they can trust. You shouldn’t come off as a know-it-all, but you should look for ways to share your knowledge with your network. Building credibility takes time, so start this week on a plan for increasing your visibility to your client base.

As Gary points out, clients want you to have their best interests at heart, not your own. When you establish yourself as a trusted expert, the game quickly becomes a win-win for all parties involved. If you need ideas on how to boost your credibility, give us a call. We’ll help you find the tools that best suit your industry and experience and guide you on how to use them to win the game.

Are you ready to win?

The Business Bucket List

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do…Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain, American Author

As I was watching the Packers play the Vikings this evening, I was thinking that it would be great to someday see a game in Lambeau Field. And that seeing a game at Lambeau should be on my bucket list. Just then, Chris Collinsworth, the commentator, said “If you’ve never seen a game in Lambeau Field, you should put that on your bucket list.”

A spooky coincidence just in time for Halloween? Perhaps, but it got me thinking that I should also have a bucket list for my business. Those things that would be really great to accomplish, but that fall just outside of “business as usual.”

At Possibilities Unlimited, we coach clients to divide their tasks into three categories, things you’re doing, things you’re not doing, and things you’re never doing. We tell people to schedule the things they are doing into their calendars and get real about the things they are not doing. I guess the bucket list would fall somewhere in that category. So how do we get some of the bucket list items back on to the front burner? We schedule them in time. I’m never going to get to Lambeau Field if I don’t schedule time to go to a game, buy the tickets and show up. It’s the same with your business.

Here’s a few ideas for a business bucket list:

1. Open a branch office.
2. Hire an assistant.
3. Scan old files and clean out file cabinets.
4. Create a business continuity plan.
5. Get a certification in your field.
6. Launch a new product line.
7. Launch a new website.
8. Re-brand your company.
9. Attend an industry conference.
10. Take a vacation.

Take a half hour this week to create your business bucket list. Be sure to brainstorm. There are no bad ideas. Schedule time in your calendar each week to review your bucket list. Pick one task and start chipping away at it. Remember, the only way any bucket list will become a reality is if you find time in your calendar to realize your dreams.

What’s on your business bucket list? Share your ideas with us! We’d love to know what you’re thinking, and your vision for winning the game of business.

Are you ready to win?

Square Off Against Your Sales Slump

“Adversity causes some men to break, and others to break records.” - Source Unknown

It’s that time of year when all good salespeople need to hit their stride and make those year-end numbers. For many people, this time of year is challenging from a sales perspective. Maybe your numbers are not as good as last year’s, or maybe you are not on target to meet your sales intentions for this year. Perhaps you have exhausted every possible lead and nothing is closing. It can be a tough time of year to keep hitting the pavement and selling when you’re not seeing the results.

So how can a salesperson combat the dreaded slump and stay in the game for the rest of the year? If your sales are down, take some time to strategize about what you need to keep doing, what you need to change, and how you can motivate yourself to fight the good fight. Here are some basics for recharging those batteries:

1. Don’t panic. You have sold before and you will sell again. A slump is just the system’s way of letting you know it’s time for some new strategy. Don’t let the circumstances throw you into a self defeating frame of mind. Because that’s just what they are – circumstances.

2. Review the Steps of Selling. Create a checklist and make sure you are being thorough in your research, approach, presentation, and handling of customer concerns. It’s easy to let things slide with existing clients. Be sure to provide excellent customer service and lots of attention to show that you don’t take any account for granted.

3. Make a new game for yourself. Maybe you’re just burned out on the whole thought of getting out there every day. Your company probably has stated incentives for your performance, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sweeten the pot for yourself. A new set of golf clubs for making your numbers? That designer handbag you’ve had your eye on for landing that prize account? Make your own game and play hard.

4. Update your game plan. Are you keeping up with your social networking? Can you offer a free webinar or training session that will get you in front of your prospects? Have you tried new sources for lead generation? Do something new to mix up your game and keep things interesting.

5. Schedule sales in your calendar. We can never say this often enough. If you don’t have sales scheduled in your calendar every day, you will simply not have the results you desire. Schedule time for sales and show up! Your calendar is a measure of your future results. Keep sales in the calendar and stay in action.

There’s no magic formula for getting out of a slump. The main objective is to stay positive and stay in action. Your business coach can support you by holding you accountable to your sales intentions and providing perspective to your set of circumstances. If you need some help getting out of a slump, give us a call. We’d be happy to give you strategies for winning the game.

Are you ready to win?

Sell-Through - A Big Win-Win

“When you build bridges, you can keep crossing them.” – Rick Pitino, American College Basketball Coach

We’re always working on ideas and techniques to enhance the sales process. Lately, we’ve been talking a lot in our sales training programs about “sell-through.” “Sell-through” is the process of showing your potential customer how they can sell your product to customers of their own.

Obviously, this concept is suited for businesses that are wholesaling product to a retail market. It really helps to train your prospect on how to sell your product to their customers. Demonstrating how your product will bring them more business will get their interest, and, in many cases, their loyalty. When you sell-through, you are really targeting how your product will benefit the end consumer.

There are several ways you can illuminate how your product will resonate with consumers. You want to educate your prospect, and build the relationship as a partnership to reach the target market. Show your prospect how they can best market the product, how they can stay up to date on industry trends, provide reporting on what’s hot and what’s not, and provide access to technology that will help sell to the end buyer. Here’s some specific suggestions:

1. Host monthly webinars that highlight important industry information – new products, new releases, new regulations, anything that might impact your prospect’s business. Invite both prospects and clients to participate.
2. Send a monthly e-newsletter that updates prospects on new offerings and ideas for displays or marketing.
3. Share specific reports or surveys with your prospect that speak to their target market – what they are buying, what they aren’t. Do some of the research for your prospect, and then highlight which of your products fit the bill.
4. Be sure to distinguish which of your products can’t be found elsewhere. Your prospects will want to offer unique items to attract more customers.
5. Be an open book. Make sure your prospect or client sees you as the best source of industry knowledge and as someone who can get them answers when they have questions.

There are hundreds of ways you can support your prospects and clients in their efforts to sell to the retail market. Building relationships that are based on win-win ideas will get you more clients for the long term, and solidify your reputation as vendor worth working with.

Are you ready to win?