It’s not likely the subject of any weekly meetings inside your company…but maybe it should be.
It can affect us, our employees, our suppliers and partners and our prospects and customers. One of the few times I’ve heard it used in a positive sense is regarding muscle building. Tony Horton’s P90X(not an aff link) is built on it. But for the rest of it, it’s a liability.
We often discuss a variety of topics that have far less importance. Today, I’m suggesting you break away from traditional business conversations and address an issue that could be hurting you internally and externally.
But I’ve also learned – through years of experience, hard knocks and great mentors – that you can’t short-circuit the process.
Anybody in sales knows the feeling of needing to get that sale, today! We have our own time table. If only the prospects would cooperate with us. Why can’t they see we’re only trying to help them save time?
It could be that we’re making a big mistake by stepping on the gas pedal when we should tap the brakes.
A single email prompted today’s show. It was from an American author whose work I follow. He’s got a CEO who sent out an email whose subject line was: price reduction has now ended.
Here’s what the email said:
Hi Randy,
The XXX XXX XXX program price reduction ended at midnight last night and the program is now available for $1995.
If you wish to purchase the program – risk free – you can find out what’s included by following the link below:
(the url link appears here)
Best wishes,
XXX CEO, XXX XXX XXX
Identify the challenges I faced in today’s show and email me your answers (I give you the email address in the video). I’ll select a random winner and surprise you with something (not sure yet what, but I’ll figure it out).
Perhaps my next show needs to be entitled, “Stupidity In Videocasting – I’m Leading The Way!”
Sure there are legitimate sales problems that need to be fixed, but more often than not I’m finding sales managers (and salespeople) determined to fix problems that don’t exist.
As we wind down another month, sales teams all over the world are in a mad dash to figure out how they can close more deals. Many of them will use one tactic in an effort to do that. It’s a crutch, but many salespeople are fully convinced it’s THE problem that needs to be solved.
Skype, GoToMeeting, Apple FaceTime…there are so many ways for us to virtually connect with prospects!
Face-to-face selling for many organizations has given way to these methods. It’s convenient. It’s inexpensive. Prospects and salespeople both are actively gravitating to these methods to connect.
GoToMeeting is a terrific resource.
Some challenges confront us when we connect virtually. Facial expressions and body language give us cues in face-to-face meetings. In virtual meetings we have to listen for verbal cues. Misunderstanding and miscommunication are quite common even when the technology works as it should.
Recently I’ve encountered sales presentations that broke rules necessary to complete a sale. Our objective should always be to create a happy customer! How can we accomplish that if we can’t provide a degree of happiness during that crucial prospecting phase?
The cell phone - more often than not our weapon of choice.
A few days ago I read this article online at Inc. Author Geoffrey James writes about 10 common mistakes he thinks salespeople commit in face-to-face selling. It’s helpful to use his article as a template for discussing the common mistakes made during virtual selling, too.
Some salespeople lack proper communication training. If we’re going to become masterful at selling, we first need to be superior students of selling. The primary component of masterful selling is masterful communication.
Go back and check out these recent video shows on selling:
I began selling hi-fi gear when I was a teenager in high school. The world was very different in the early 70’s. The Viet Nam war was winding down. Watergate was just around the corner. President Nixon wasn’t the only guy telling lies. Unethical marketers were spectacularly skilled at it.
I chuckle when I hear people talk about “way back in 2004.” 2004 seems like yesterday to an old dog like me.
Bait and switch was a big legal deal in the days of my youth. Maybe it still is, but I just sort of expect it anymore. I could be jaded after all these years. Ya think? 😀
Some retailers regularly practiced unethical marketing. Bait and switch. Fictional “regular” pricing. Fictional “sale” pricing. Advertising low end products they didn’t have in stock. But we’re way past all that now, right? Not on your life. Deception is alive and well – a craft destined to never die!
The Internet is a breeding ground bigger than any before for it. Daily we’re baited with headlines, sales copy, video titles, podcast titles, Tweets and so much more.
Today’s currency practically demands it because every content producer needs attention in order to continue creating content. What’s the point in blogging if nobody reads your blog? Ditto for videos or podcasts. People claim content is King, but it’s a lie. Attention is the King. Content might be the Queen. But sometimes the content is the Jester. And the joke is on us!
Watch today’s show and listen for the number one fear consumers have. As a blog reader, YouTube watcher, podcast listener or general Internet user – I guarantee you’ll be able to relate!
Skype, GoToMeeting, Apple FaceTime…there are so many ways for us to virtually connect with prospects!
