Ok, I suckered on this thing – I registered my cell phone on the do-not-call list due to an email I received. Well, apparently you do not have to do that. From SalesHQ.com: Despite Re-Circulating E-mail, It is Still Not Necessary to Register Cell Phone Numbers. As the number of phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry surpassed 125 million, the Federal Trade Commission today reiterated that despite the claims made in e-mails circulating on the Internet, consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers at any time in the near future. In addition, according to the agency, it is… Read More
Continue ReadingSloppy Speech
Is there anything more annoying than listening to someone use non-words in their speech? Well, there probably is, but this speech habit is a real pet peeve of mine. Saleshq.com provides a great article that calls out different sloppy speech habits. The article focuses on interview etiquette, but these patterns are applicable to all sales situations. One of the suggestions: 3. Grammatical Errors: The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as “ain’t” “she don’t,” “me and my friend” and “so I goes to him” aren’t appropriate. Be sure you speak in complete sentences and that tenses agree. The interview is not the… Read More
Continue ReadingLame Buzzwords
JustSell.com has a fantastic list of lame buzzwords to avoid when selling (or speaking in general as far as I am concerned). Here is the setup straight from the article: A buzzword is “an important-sounding usually technical word or phrase often of little meaning used chiefly to impress laymen.” –Merriam-Webster Think about it… do statements full of buzzwords communicate anything specific to your prospects and customers? Do you like hearing buzzwords? Amen. And now for just a partial list of the buzzwords: benchmark best in class best practices change agent core competency cross-functional dynamic empower growth initiative interface metrics optimize paradigm shift partner proactive streamline synergy user-friendly Metrics? Now… Read More
Continue ReadingProspecting Via Email
Salespeopel are always looking for better ways to find new prospects. You don’t have to look far to find articles giving advice about this subject. Some common examples: trying to make phone calls and undoubtedly leaving voice mails are futile, call at different times of the day or develop an email marketing campaign to push traffic to your website. Eyes on Sales has a very good article that gives tips on how to use email for prospecting. However, it doesn’t just write off making calls, as some do, but reinforces the fact that a salesperson needs to use both. Here is a quote from the article by author Craig James: What should we not do… Read More
Continue ReadingUmmm, Verbal Tics
I am back after a refreshing break so now it is time for the home stretch of 2008. I have to start with something light from JustSell.com – sales words: uh, verbal tics can be annoying, so… The article is a provides a great insight into a common problem (my editing): Verbal tics are words and phrases we use habitually, and sometimes, unconsciously. They’re the clutter in our speech that makes us sound less attentive, prepared, and intelligent than we want to sound. JustSell’s top 7 most aggravating verbal tics… uh um like you know I mean so (especially when used at the end of an unfinished sentence) well We… Read More
Continue ReadingBuilding Rapport
Saleshq.com provides a simple list of suggestions for building rapport and connecting with others at networking events. I’m not certain the list is all that remarkable, but I was struck by a couple of tips: 5. Show interest in your conversational partner by actively listening and giving verbal feedback. Maintain eye contact. Never glance around the room while they are talking to you. 6. Listen more than you talk. Clearly you have to talk to build rapport, but the actual bonding occurs when your mouth is closed. I especially enjoyed the suggestion to “never” look around the room when someone is speaking to you. I have a friend who does… Read More
Continue ReadingSimple Sales Skill – Attentiveness
Justsell.com offers up a reminder about a critical sales skill that is often overlooked – attentiveness. This skill is less frequent in salespeople who lack empathetic abilities or are overly task-oriented. I have seen this first-hand on a number of occasions. What happens is the salesperson tends to something else during a discussion. Typically, the actions seems fairly innocuous – a cell phone alarm, looking through some notes, checking a text message, even adjusting the height of an office chair. All of these tasks seem inconspicuous, but they are an immediate tell that you are not fully attentive to the speaker. The better approach is to ignore the task if… Read More
Continue ReadingIM Efficiency
How about this from the Herman Trend Alert – Use IM to Reduce Interruption (sorry, no link). Most people believe using “instant messaging” (IM) software to chat at work leads to an increase in disruption. In fact, a study published recently by researchers at Ohio State University and University of California, Irvine found that workers who used IM on the job reported fewer interruptions than their colleagues who did not. The research showed that IM is often used as a substitute for other, more disruptive forms of communication such as the telephone, email, and face-to-face conversations and thus it actually leads to an increase in productivity. Dr. R. Kelly Garrett… Read More
Continue ReadingPersuasive Tips
Persuasion is a key ability of any successful salespeople. Think of the worst car salesperson or door-to-door salesperson you have encountered and you will know why this ability is so critical to success. CNNMoney.com’s article – How persuasive are you? – interviews an individual who runs the Persuasion Institute who brought up this fine point: Let’s take, for instance, how we handle objections, whether from a customer or some other audience, such as a boss we’re asking for a raise. Early on in life, we learn to perceive objections as opposition, so we get defensive. An unskilled persuader, often without realizing it, will show tension, uneasiness, or irritation when someone… Read More
Continue ReadingGood Selling Is Subtle
Have you noticed that the best salespeople are usually subtle? They have a way of moving through a discussion that is conversational in tone, but focused in purpose. Some are so good at it that you don’t even notice if you are involved in the discussion. ManageSmarter.com offers up an article with a direct analogy of sales questioning – comparing it to dating. What I appreciate is the author’s description of how salespeople are trained to ask leading questions. This is not a subtle approach as you will see from his example in the article. The primary issue here is that you lose rapport quickly when you go down this… Read More
Continue Reading