Networking and Sales
September 29, 2009 at 1:32 pm | Posted in Business Development, Networking, Sales Tips | Leave a commentTags: Networking, RSS, Sales Tips, Sales2.0
Your network used to be the people you knew, the people who referred you, the people you had some degree of trust with. Then there was the rest of the world – your customers, your prospects and the people who will or would buy from you. These are the people you “followed up” with.
Communicating with the people you know = networking
Communicating with the people you don’t know = selling
This is old school thinking.
If there is one thing that most sellers are genuinely poor at – it is following up. Most follow up opening statements go something like this:
“Hi, it’s Carson from Direct Contact calling – it’s been a few months since we last spoke so I thought I would give you a call today.”
This kind of follow up has absolutely no value for the buyer. It is simply asking/stating that “It has been at least 3 months since you bought something or last said no to me – are you ready to buy something now?” All this kind of salesy talk does is reinforce stigmas and frustrate buyers.
In the paradigm of Sales2.0, this kind of separation no longer exists. Effective sellers do not follow up with but network with their prospects and customers. Who exactly is in your network today? Everybody is. Your customers, your prospects, your friends, your contacts… etc… Sellers are connecting with business people daily – surely there are referral opportunities between prospects and customers in your pipeline right now.
So how do you do that exactly?
Give people something they value – information.
There are a couple of very easy ways to do this. RSS feeds are a great example.If you don’t know what an RSS feed is – click here – and then come back to this post.
Using RSS (or Google Alerts) to collect information to share with your market is an effective way of staying in touch and providing value at the same time. Include the article link in an email with a brief statement such as:
“I came across this and thought of you today – hope things are going well. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you and keep in touch.”
Pretty simple. To the point, No selling allowed.
Stop following up and start networking.
Why Math is Like Sales (And Why it’s Not)
June 24, 2009 at 11:34 am | Posted in Sales Methodologies, Sales Tips | 2 CommentsTags: Closing, Sales, sales process, Sales Tips
Sales is a numbers game – how many times have you heard that?
Managing sales by numbers is part of it, but these metrics are more applicable to early sales process functions like business development activities.
X number of calls – Y number of appointments – Z number of meetings
It makes a lot of sense to track these ratios as they will indicate strengths, gaps and required efforts to keep a sales funnel on track. Later sales process management by numbers is focused on average sale value, closing ratio and funnel management.
Here is where I am going with this… Sellers have a direct impact on their numbers early in the sales process, and their ability to control and affect the sale decreases as it moves along… Sellers have direct control over their own production, but buyers have control over the dollars (by and large). Too many sellers try to take back that control far too late in the process – at the close.
The Math Analogy
Closing is simply like the “=” in sales. It is a function – a result. Mathematics does not happen at the point of “=”, it is a process that results in a value and the same goes for sales. In order to achieve the correct value in math, the process needs to be completed by following the rules and doing them in the right order. The calculations are similar to qualifying in sales – I have said many times that in order to be a better closer, you need to be a better qualifier – either way – if you rush through the calculations or the qualifications, you will get a result, but likely not the correct one. Sellers who focus too much attention on the “=” are missing the point of sales as it has already happened; the “work” of sales is complete, closing is simply the result of a competent sales process.
This math process analogy can help sellers envision what closing is all about. Math is like sales in a vacuum – a repeatable process. In the real world, sellers are using psychology, presentation skills and benefiting from good timing.
Information is Free
May 20, 2009 at 12:12 pm | Posted in Blogging, Business Tips, Facebook, Linkedin, Networking, Sales Tips, Social Media, Twitter | 6 CommentsTags: Facebook, Linkedin, Sales Training, Social Media, Twitter
Beware of sales resources that charge for information on social media.
Tools like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook are free and hardly new. There is a great deal of information about their use and value for sellers available on the Internet. Charging hundreds of dollars for seminars and using terms like…
“By this time next year, the gold rush to social media marketing will be near complete.”
… are misleading and false.
In addition, announcements like this one (eNewsletter focused on sales and social media) use sales techniques that are just plain cheesy and a turn off for many buyers. It just rubs me the wrong way and reinforces the sales stigma that I try to combat in my own training.
My Method
I freely share information to sellers, marketers or interested persons on what social media tools can do for them through this blog. My way is to share information that people may value and continue to follow. I appreciate this and their ideas/comments. Sometimes, those conversations turn into opportunities or projects – things that I do charge for, but only when it is for my direct services – not for information that is free to all.
Charging for such info flies in the face of what social media marketing is all about.
The Core of Direct Contact: Sales Direction
May 4, 2009 at 10:32 am | Posted in Blogging, Business Tips, Facebook, Linkedin, Marketing, Sales Methodologies, Sales Tips, Social Media, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 4 CommentsTags: Business, Sales Training, Social Media, Sports Marketing
Some poeple know me as a sales trainer.
Some know me as a social media consultant.
Some think of me as a sports marketer.
I blog about Facebook, Twiter, Linkedin, sports marketing, selling skills, sales theory… a range of different topics – that have one common point at the core. Sales.
My perspective always comes back to the $. These are tools to help find, establish, listen to and reinforce customers/clients and keep the dollars following. Is this cold? No – this is business. And (most) businesses are about generating revenue and profit – it is that simple.
As it has been just over a year since I started this blog, I felt it was important to talk about my focus – why I write what I do. I have appreciated all the comments and emails that I received and I look forward to many more.
Thank you for being a reader – thank you for your interest. Now, what are we going to do next?
3 Levels for Sales and Social Networking
March 23, 2009 at 9:41 pm | Posted in Blogging, Branding, Entrepreneurs, Facebook, Networking, Personal Brand, Sales Tips, Social Media | 10 CommentsTags: Facebook, Linkedin, Networking, Personal Brand, Sales, Social Media, Twitter
There are 3 stages that sellers need to go through in order to use the tools of social networks to their fullest. It doesn’t matter if you are starting out, or are already on the path – social media networks are vital in sales today:
- Begin with a Profile
- Leverage your Presence
- Work as a Hub
Begin with a Profile
There are countless people who build a profile and then let it sit… this passive approach won’t work. Just like your phone doesn’t ring, you won’t get much out of building a profile and leaving it alone. A few thoughts on profile building:
- Use a good picture - pics are standard now, and not having one reads as absence – especially in sales.
- Be in the Right Networks - Consider your use of Linkedin (no brainer), Facebook, Twitter… you need to be where your market already is. Do some searching around to find your spot(s).
- Be Active – Update, post, use, build and change your profile; make yourself visible and interesting (and professional).
- Keep it 1st Person – Avoid the 3rd person narrative of “Carson is a dedicated…”, Use ‘I’ and ‘my’.
Leverage Your Presence
Now that you have a profile, you need to actively build out your network. As I have said before, with Sales2.0, there is no prospecting – it is simply networking:
- Search for and connect with all your customers on social media platforms
- Search for and connect with your top prospects
- Business Development: Seek new contacts by profile searching for your ideal contact, reach out with a simple message – not a pitch
- Join appropriate groups to expand your network and connect with target industry professionals
- Use RSS feeds to share information with your network
Work as a Hub
Once you have been actively operating on social media platforms, the next level is to operate as a hub or central node of your network. What it means to be a “hub” depends on your business and your role as a seller within it.
- For a sales force rep- operating as a hub is more of a central network node – someone who is well connected, someone with information to share and is considered a source or a conduit.
- For a business owner or solo entrepreneur – working as a hub means to build a core – like a blog, or a group or a specific network, a virtual place or destination for people when they are online to access what you know and share what they have.
These are the 3 main concepts behind sales and social networking – which level are you currently operating from?
Marketing = Applied Art, Selling = Fine Art
March 7, 2009 at 1:31 pm | Posted in Branding, Business Tips, Entrepreneurs, Sales Tips | 4 CommentsTags: Brand, Entrepreneurs, Marketing, Sales
It’s always different working with entrepreneurs vs. sales people.
Teaching at Microskills
I recently taught a class here in Toronto focused on social media at MicroSkills. For a lot of “new” entrepreneurs, selling is the last thing they want to do. Many of them see sales as a necessary evil – as if it is only a matter of time until the market finds out about them and the phone begins to ring. They have the vision, but are not prepared to put in the time to find customers/clients (and the skills to pull it off). They focus their skills gap on the brand… i.e. “if only the brand were stronger…” vs. “I’d like to be better at selling.”
On the other hand, sales people often miss/overlook the vision of the business – both their own and their prospect’s businesses. They have the skills and can pound out calls and presentations, but have trouble with the big picture.
Now – these are generalizations, and there are some great sellers with vision and some entrepreneurs who can work it on the streets. Ultimately, I think it is rare for individuals to be strong in both areas. Success doesn’t come easy.
Bottom line = $. The efforts of any business – your own or selling within someone’s business needs to result in sales. Sales continues to be stigmatized while functioning as the life blood of any organization. I see both entrepreneurs and sellers alike continue to wish that their brand could help them sell, or better yet, sell for them.
Selling is a fine art – marketing is an applied art.
The Dangers of Sales Success
February 26, 2009 at 2:56 pm | Posted in Leadership, Sales Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Sales
One of the dangers that many sellers come across is that when they get to a place of success, they start to slow down. They don’t have the drive to meet their quota, beat their competition or strive among their peers to be the best.
And if you get to the top, someone is constantly trying to knock you off the pedestal – it’s tough being #1…
So how can you avoid this? Here’s a few ideas:
- Don’t let off the gas – the second you think you are safe is the second you are in trouble.
- When you close a sale, make a cold call (or 10) – Ride the wave of excitement/confidence and allow those feelings to resonate with some new business development.
- Ask your customers for referrals – keep the momentum moving by networking with your new customers – and be sure to give some referrals to these new contacts as well.
- Never look back - find some time to enjoy your success, but remember how you got there, I bet it wasn’t easy…
Just remember what’s like at the top of the pile, it can be a great place to be. But, now your colleagues and peers are looking to beat you – just as you were recently with the former top performer.
Keep at it and good luck.
Voicemail Marketing
February 9, 2009 at 10:09 pm | Posted in Business Development, Sales Tips, Voicemail | 4 CommentsTags: Busine, Sales Tips, Voicemail
Sellers are continually frustrated by voicemail.
It’s one of the main reasons why sales people dislike cold calling. Call – voicemail – hang up… Call – voicemail – hang up…
Cold calling is essentially marketing – and sellers should embrace VM as a marketing tool. We readily accept direct mail as a viable marketing strategy and the results of which are very comparable to cold calling – around a 1% or 2% response rate. So why should VM be any different? VM Marketing has many advantages over direct mail:
- It’s very inexpensive
- It’s results are easily measurable
- You can launch a campaign any time, any day
- The returns immediate/short term
Build a VM Marketing Strategy in 3 Steps
- Create Attention – Craft a brief message, 10-15 seconds. Make sure to leave a strong value prop that addresses a specific target market and need (EG: “Small businesses in a recession need…”)
- Set Expectations – Plan VM Marketing for a determined amount of time, perhaps 1 hour. Expect to leave a VM on every call, but be ready for a live person to pick up too…
- Measure and Adapt – If you do not receive a call back, adjust your message… Reconsider your target market… Try another value prop. Track your call backs.
Today, voicemail is the real gatekeeper. It has to be – especially in the current economy, there often just aren’t resources available for businesses to answer phones and keep sellers away. But with voicemail, sellers need to consider that every voicemail presents an opportunity to deliver a message; it is a marketing opportunity. A seller can spend hours cold calling with nothing to show for it – but if the seller takes advantage of the opportunity to view VM as a marketing opportunity, there is the possibility for engagement.
So don’t call it cold calling – this is VM Marketing. Launch a campaign, measure it and adjust it. Try it again. Change it again. Stick with what works. VM is not going away anytime soon, so it’s time to stop complaining about it and leveraging it for what it can do for you.
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Carson McKee
Owner, Direct Contact -
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