What do you do?

If I ask you what you do, will I regret it?  Can you tell me in a concise, direct and clear way?  And by concise I mean 30 seconds.

3 Principles That Lead To An Effective Initial Contact 

1)  Clearly understand how important a 1st impression is to this process.

2)  Create a strong and effective 30 second introduction of you and your product.

3)  You must have an expert knowledge of your product and how it benefits your customers.

When you think about what you do, what service you provide or product you sell, what excites you?  

Make a list of the things that excite your customers about the products and services you offer.  What are the major benefits to your customers? Don't think about this in term of features, but what are the benefits of those features.  How do these products and services improve and change lives?

With The Webb Group, an insurance firm, we provide insurance protection of all types to families and businesses.  If my answer to your question about what I do is that, you will do the gagging move with the finger down your throat.  But, if I say "we work with families and businesses to improve their quality of life by providing security and peace of mind using an intuitive and thoughtful process".  That is less than 30 seconds but brings some curiosity because everyone wants security and peace of mind and would love to do that in a instinctive and thoughtful way.  

You can do this and you must if you really want to improve your initial contact and make it as effective as possible.

Expect to Win!

Strategy before action?

Are you a why? or how? person ... ?  Are you an analytical, strategist or a take action, deal maker?  

If an organization is full of the former, the analytical, strategy person they are in danger of becoming paralyzed with development and getting ready to take action.  However, if an organization is heavy with deal makers that tend to take action prior to giving those actions any thought they are in danger of making mistakes that will cost money in the long run.  

As a strong take action, deal maker type of guy, I know how important it is to slow down and think and plan regularly.  It is easy for me to take an idea to implementation and action in a heartbeat.  Anyone that stands in the way really annoys me.  This approach has proven to be very successful for me over th the last 30+ years. However, I have found that bouncing ideas and new plans off of someone who is more deliberate and analytical has proven time and time again to be a very beneficial strategy.  That tells me that if I would make a commitment to have someone with those strong attributes on my team and learning to incorporate their strengths into my formula instead of being annoyed by their perceived resistance then I could move success and winning to a new level.

I have a suspicion that many of you deal with this same dilemna.  My team needs a "why guy" as much as we need the "lets get 'er done guy"!  The strengths of the analytical individual to help devise the strategy will streamline and create a more efficient process that will lead to more opportunity for the deal makers.  Efficiency in the distribution process always makes more money!

Expect to Win! 

How many chances at a first impression do you get?

3 Principles That Lead To An Effective Initial Contact

 

1)  Clearly understand how important a 1st impression is to this process.

2)  Create a strong and effective 30 second introduction of you and your product.

3)  You must have an expert knowledge of your product and how it benefits your customers.

I have been told that a visual first impression takes less than 3 seconds.  That really is a scary thought.  In that 3 second period of time people form an indelible impression of us.  What is unfair is that they don't even know us.  It sounds very shallow doesn't it?  However, it is reality in the profession of selling. You must address the following 5 keys in order to make the best first impression possible:

• Appearance
• Body Language
• Facial Expressions
• Tone of Voice
• What is said

Our appearance is vital to making a great first impression.  This includes your clothing, your hair, makeup for women, and shaven or groomed for men.  Let me just ask you; if you saw someone who looked exactly like you, dressed like you dress, everything just like you do when you are doing business and approaching people, what would your honest first impression be?  Compare that snapshot of you with a person who is very successful doing what you do.  If you are honest about these two questions, and the answer is yes,  "I compare the same or better", then you are probably doing well.  If the honest answer is "I wouldn't respect or want to do business with someone who looks like that" and "that snapshot doesn't look anything like that very successful person I know", then you should make some very serious changes right now!

You body language signals confidence or the lack thereof.  I didn't say arrogance but confidence.  Hands in your pockets or slumped stance signify I don't know and I don't care.  However, a strong walk, straight shoulders and ready hands makes a statement of professionalism.  

The key to facial expressions is to realize that people want to do business with someone who enjoys what they do and life in general.  If you are not smiling when you are trying to make a great first impression then you are wasting your time.  Intentionally, put a smile on your face.  The smile should be the first thing that you put on everyday when you get ready to do business. 

When you speak do you sound confident and competent?  I didn't ask about what you said, but how you sound.  Does your tone of voice lead someone to believe your are decisive and sure of what you are saying or does it bring the notion that you are meek and lack conviction?  I am not looking for loud here, but distinct and clear tone.  When you hear someone speak who knows what they are talking about, that is how your tone must be.  You have got to practice this and it is good to do that with someone so they can hear you.  Also, it is very effective to use a voice recorder so that you can listen back to yourself both practicing and in real time, so that you can consciously change your tone if you need to.

A first impression most always includes words, but very few.  In most cases, it includes a "hello" or "welcome".  Most importantly it must be polite and if known you must use their name.  A polite tone with "Hello Mr Doe, it a pleasure to meet you" is a few words but very impactful.  The key is to be business friendly with a polite greeting.  

It is very hard to overcome a bad first impression.  Your attention to the 5 keys above will prevent you from making a bad first impression.  Put your focus onto how you look, both with how your dress and how you carry yourself.  Do you habitually smile or least have a very pleasant expression on your face?  Intentionally work on your tone of voice and what you say when greeting a new prospect.  This takes commitment and dedication to do well all the time.  

If you think about it anything you do well takes commitment and dedication, if you do anything as an after thought you usually fail.  Take the first impression seriously and you will succeed.

Expect to Win!

--Jim

How are you doing with people?

A Sales Professional has to know that their success or failure depends upon their ability to deal with lots of people.  Refer back to the following blog posts as we address applying our ability to deal with lots of people.

9/12/14  Secret Formula for Sales Success Part I

9/23/14  People Skills

Our attempts to contact a prospect and our ultimately being able to contact the prospect and get that appointment for a presentation, is based upon our knowledge of these 3 principles:

1)  Clearly understand how important a 1st impression is to this process.

2)  Create a strong and effective 30 second introduction of you and your product.

3)  You must have an expert knowledge of your product and how it benefits your customers.

I will address these 3 Principles That Lead To An Effective Initial Contact with a prospect, in the next 3 blog posts.

As we contact people that we may have never met before, we need to consider how that attempt will be made.  In person, by telephone or email.  If it is in person, do you portray confidence and competence?  What about on the telephone?  The same two qualities are important.   If the attempt to contact is by email, it should be clean, uncluttered, direct and also portray confidence and competence.  

Do you have a written strategy and word track for this initial contact?  If not, why not and if you do is it effective?  We will begin with tomorrow's post about principle #1.

Expect to Win!

--Jim

Building a Referral Business - Step 3

How do you build a referral business? 

(1) You start with knowing your product at a very high level. 

(2) You must understand exactly how, with specificity, it benefits a customer. 

(3) Then you must provide a tremendously high level of customer service.  

If you have ever known or worked with a salesperson who earns the majority of his income from referrals then you know what kind of business and life a referral business affords.  If you have been a witness to this type of business then I am sure that your goal has been to achieve it as well.  As I have posted about in the last week, a referral business is attainable but only with planning and work.  

This post will deal with step 3 of the 3 steps to Building a Referral Business.

When you earn a customer you make many promises and assurances, both implied and stated.  You must know all of those promises and assurances.  You must know them so that you can follow through on each and every one.  

You shouldn't EVER over promise and then under deliver.   

When we talk about customer service, we normally discuss how someone is greeted and then how they are assisted with what they need.  Customer service is that and much much more.

  If you want to build a referral business you must strive to provide Platinum Certified - Gold Plated Customer Service. 

You have to be there for your customer both for what you have promised and also for whatever they need.  You need to become their "Go To Guy/Gal" in your business and for any and all other needs they have.  You do that by earning their confidence in Steps 1 and 2, but you continue to build on it as you prove over and over again that you can be counted on.  This leads them to telling 2 or 3 people and then 2 or 3 more and then they tell 2 or 3 people and you can see how your hard work and dedication to customer service will payoff in multitudes.  

I believe that you can and will improve your income immediately if you adapt the commitment to provide the very best service that you can.

Saying that you will do something the "very best you can" is a mouthful and quite an undertaking.  Most people don't know what the best they can is.  It takes a lot of effort and a very positive attitude.  It takes a caring for your customer beyond your paycheck.  It takes pride in what you do and you must be serious about honoring your commitments to others.  

Do you want to become more efficient with your prospecting?  Do you want your business to start working for you?  Become a true professional in every sense of the word and embrace these 3 steps and you will see your business go absolutely crazy!

Expect to Win!

--Jim

Building a Referral Business - Step 2

How do you build a referral business? 

(1) You start with knowing your product at a very high level. 

(2) You must understand exactly how, with specificity, it benefits a customer. 

(3) Then you must provide a tremendously high level of customer service.  

Last week I introduced the 3 step process to building a referral business.  A referral business is what allows you to become as efficient as possilbe when it comes to the quality of prospect you primarily work with.  I also posted about step one last week.  Step 2 addresses how you present your product knowledge to your customer.

Becoming an expert on your product is the goal.  However, if you recite your knowledge to the customer you really haven't accomplished anything.  Does the feature of your product benefit your propect by improving their quality of life, give them peace of mind, make using it more convenient, save them money?  Do you get the idea?  If a salesperson is selling a car that has cruise control and they tell them that it has cruise and the controls are on the steering wheel.  That shows their product knowledge.  But, when he or she tells them that this feature makes driving more comfortable because it sets the speed and they don't have to keep pressure on the gas pedal for miles and miles and it makes the vehicle operation less costly because it keeps the speed consistent.  The salesperson shows their knowledge not only of the product but also exactly how it benefits the customer.  This step takes study of the product specifications but also the benefits of each and every feature.  Also, to truly embrace this means that you must talk to other salespeople about their experiences with the product and how it benefits their customers.  Then you need to aks questions of your customers about their experience with the product.  To truly become a professional in this area, you have got to continue this process.  You must be relentless in your pursuit of understanding exactly how your product benefits a customer.  If present the benefits to a customer after you have studied and researched the benefits, then their experience will be just as you told them.  Then they will tell everyone how much of a professional you are.

If you commit to Steps 1 and 2 of this process your will be in the top 5% of all salespeople.  You must remember, that these steps never end.  You must consistently, continually and relentlessly practice them in order to be effective in building a referral business. 

Expect to Win!

--Jim

Always have your mind open to new prospects

I am really looking forward to this College Football Saturday.  There are many great games on the schedule today.  I will be spending time with friends and their friends today as we enjoy the games and all that goes with them.  I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the great weather that we in Texas will enjoy today.

I just want to remind you to keep your ears open for opportunities to help others.  Someone may ask what you do ... do you have a less than 60 second answer to that?  Someone may voice some concern or pain about a situation that you and your business can assist with.  You may not address it right now, but you need to have a plan to make note of the details so that you can address it with them, later in the day or Monday.  They will be impressed that you remember the details and cared enough to get in touch with them.

Have a great day today and keep your prospecting radar on!!!

Expect to Win!

--Jim

3 Steps to Become An Expert

How do you build a referral business? 

(1) You start with knowing your product at a very high level. 

(2) You must understand exactly how, with specificity, it benefits a customer. 

(3) Then you must provide a tremendously high level of customer service.  

I want to address the 1st step in the process of building a referral business in this blog post.  Product knowledge has always been important to a sales professional.  However, it is more important to day than ever.  We are in the information age and anyone can access almost any information on a subject in a click of a mouse.  You must assume that every prospect will know your product better than you do.  If you understand this fact from day one then you will put in the effort to make sure it doesn't happen.

When it comes to knowing your product, use this  3 Step Approach to Become An Expert.

1)  Identify ALL of the resources available from your company about your product.  These resources can be company information, 3rd party and can be online or in print.  It  doesn't matter, you need to make sure you know of ALL the information available to you.  You also need to know what is available to your prospects.  This step allows you to always know where to access any information on your product.  

2)  When you begin you need to start with a total immersion and read and study ALL resources you have about your product.  From that point on you need to set aside a minimum of 1/2 hour per day to review these resources and all new information.  This 1/2 hour should be scheduled and the most effective time is prior to the business day officially beginning.  You should plan this so that your are continually moving through ALL of the resources available on your product.  Don't ever let anyone know your product better than you.  

3)  Identify your competitors and especially the most competitive and the ones that you will come against the most often.  Find out what information is available from them that your prospect can access.  Get a true picture of what they have to offer and study the details of their product offerings.  Know how they compare to your product.  Always remember that the one thing they don't have is you.  What you are doing is making sure that you are a professional and that your competence is head and shoulders above any representative of any competitor.

These 3 steps to address product knowledge take strategic, consistent effort.  You have to be serious and passionate about your career as a professional salesperson to commit to these 3 steps.  If you choose not to commit then you will be like 95% of salespeople and you will work for a commission and focus on the quantity of your prospects and not be getting better and you will burn out.  If you do commit to these 3 steps you will be a PRO and your income will be 5-10 times that of that other 95%.  You will become invaluable to your customers.  They will be asking you who else to do business with in other areas of their lives.

This addresses the first step in buidling a referral business.  Nothing in your business can improve your quality of life more than improving your quality of prospect.

Expect to Win!

--Jim

Acquire this attitude and gain success!

I love Zig!!