The Salesby5 Blog

Every time you interact with your customer, whether you realize it or not, you are telling a story.  Oftentimes, it’s the details that tell customers about you and potentially sell or unsell.  The other day, I visited a national franchise sandwich shop.  The local owners had decided that they would only accept $20 bills or smaller, the restrooms were only for customers and they specifically spelled out the cost for guacamole and other toppings.  What did all this tell me?  The owners were interested in penny pinching over providing me a great experience.

On the other hand, this past weekend, I visited a local movie theater.  After washing my hands, I used the automatic paper towel dispenser and received a long sheet to dry my hands.  Next time you use an automatic paper towel dispenser, notice the length of the paper towel.  It’s adjustable.

What story are you telling your customers with the little things you do?  Beware; the devil is in the details.

photo by nickgraywfu

Yesterday we wrote about writing a good email.  Unfortunately, we have all been guilty of writing a less than perfect email.  Emails can have tone or no tone and it isn’t hard to tell if it is rude, whether intentional or not. What we know for sure is these e-bombs (rude messages) can un-sell people working for you, with you or those who were willing to help you. We have chosen not to accept the unacceptable, because when you do, you have made it acceptable!

photo by Thomas Hawk

Have you ever received an email that looked something like this:

Here’s the proof you requested. Please review and let me know your choice.

-Jack

Did that type of email leave you feeling sold on the person that wrote the email or the company where that person worked?  Maybe you have been guilty of sending an email like this, I know I have.  Consider writing your emails with an extra touch of kindness and courtesy.  Here’s one way of rewriting the above email that is a bit more agreeable.

——

Good morning XYZ,

I hope you are having a great day.  I have attached the proof for your review.  Would you kindly have a look at your convenience and let me know your preference, please?   Thank you for your time and have a wonderful afternoon.

Best,

Jack

Notice the greeting, small and warm pleasantry in the intro, kind tone and a nice ending.  If you write your emails too short and to the point, they can come across cold and at worst, angry.  If you are ever unsure about the tone of your email, read it with an angry tone and see how it sounds, then revise if necessary.  Remember, each time you touch your prospect, vendor or client, you have the opportunity to sell or un-sell.

photo by Somewhat Frank

Today at 5pm, there will be a rehearsal dinner for the wedding of our CIO (Chief inspiration officer) and Co-Author of the SalesBy5 blog, Nan Palmero. He earned his title long ago, long before I met him. His friends will also attest to his incredible ability to help, lead, and inspire. When I met him, he was looking for a new career with 2 requirements; he did not want to be in sales and he did not want to be in accounting. Today, he writes for Blackberrycool.com, Salesby5, his own blog, and is a contributory writer for some of north Americas top growth gurus. Nan sells everyday! He sells our customers on the best technology to help communicate better with customers and employees and he sells our team on working smarter and not harder. There are actually too many things that he sells to mention in this blog. This man is special to us and many others. My point: Sometimes you may think you do not want to do something that is actually a real strength of yours. Pay close attention to what activity you feel strongest doing, and to those that make you feel drained. Nan uses his strengths to help our team and our customers win better and faster than their competition!

Nan, Thank you for being in our lives and congratulations on your new life with Ashley!

I (Erik) am in West Texas with a client about to do a giant re-brand launch. Yesterday, my attitude, courtesy of some stress, was unselling.  I had no idea until late in the day!

A selling attitude is not easy! Having a consistently great attitude is a habit and they take time to start, and to stop. Like you, I have great intentions, but sometimes I make mistakes.  Today is a new day, so I pick myself up and try again.  Are you willing to do the same?

photo by nettsu

Recently, under duress from my friends, I decided to set up a personal blog for my ramblings and thoughts.  I purchased the domain and set up a tumblr.com site.  After a bit of research, I found that tumblr.com had some shortcomings.  I tweeted my frustration in having to find a new platform (I am no web development guy).  Shortly, I received a direct message from @coffeedaze telling me that he’d like to set up a Wordpress blog for me with various plugins and SEO for FREE.  He told me that he had read my blog post on BlackBerry Cool and that he liked to help good bloggers with a platform to write.  I took him up on his offer and I am sold on him.  He took a genuine interest in my blog and me, without wanting anything in return.  The experience in dealing with him on set up questions or changes has been nothing but amazing - as good as if I were paying him!  Rob sold me due to his attitude of kindness and has since shown me what he can do and how he works.  Now, I have another person that I am able to recommend.  Thanks Rob, the experience in dealing with you was remarkable!

Today, MSNBC told how the world is worried due to the US Stock Market downturn. Stocks have been “on sale” for months now and the “sales” are getting better for buyers each day.  Companies should be offering a meaningful benefit in cost reduction, time reduction or labor reduction, so that it makes sense to buy their product or service. I got a call from a local insurance agent today that actually impressed me. He asked if we had a company health policy. He proceeded to quickly “ASK” me if I would be interested in hearing about a policy that would reduce our expenditures by 40%.  So, what he did was quickly (10 seconds) give me a benefit with numerical precision so that I could understand what it may have meant to me.

Now, some will attempt to take you to lunch, take you hunting, fishing or to a game before qualifying you as a prospect. The point: When times are more conservative or when people are losing mental money in the stock market, they are more conservative, and selling them is harder unless you work smarter. Now is the time to get your overt benefit clear and across in 10 seconds.

This downturn will separate the good from the great! Where are you?

Jenny McCarthy is teaching (selling) the need for support of autism and the need for “greening our vaccines.”  She feels her son had toxins in his vaccine that caused his autism.  Her bold fight to remove the toxins from his body has resulted in him being fine today.  She and boyfriend Jim Carrey now fight to teach (sell) others to avoid these toxins.  The point: There are people selling something every day, some worthy and others worthless.  What are you selling?  And are you selling it or un-selling it?

image from jimcarreyonline.com

Years ago an author wrote about marketing being artillery, sales being infantry and it taking both to win!

Today: You need weapons of mass persuasion, but they need not be the old fashioned “tri-fold brochure” or the “pamphlet.”  These marketing elements can be less about mailing and more about getting people to talk. Perhaps giving them a reason to talk about you or your company can be artillery and when you add masses of people focused in the same direction with this message, you have gained your infantry. I love this analogy because it solves a common problem we see; too many companies and organizations think that it is about the “sales manager/person” versus the team.  People sell people or people un-sell people.  At work or during leisurely activities, we sell or we un-sell.  Add many people doing either and you have an infantry.  Is your infantry selling or un-selling?

photo by circulating

Last week I took a vacation for three days and rented an RV. On Monday night, I slipped and fell about 8-9 feet off a ladder on the RV. It was dark and the ladder was sandy and wet with humidity. My head hit hard and I had a minor concussion. I finally got my senses back in the last 48 hours. In the meantime, my team noticed my need for their support, without me saying so. They kicked in all areas even though one was out on vacation, one was out closing on a new house and another sick. Everyone kicked it up and yet unmentioned, they all came together and did an incredible job.

Great leadership is defined on how the team works in a leader’s absence. That is how you grade a good or great sales manager or leader in general. My team knew, without saying a word, I was not on my game and took care of me and after the fact let me know that I was back!

When you are not on your game, tell your team. If you do not have a team but have a group, call us, we can help! Meanwhile, by telling your team when you’re off, they can get you ready for tomorrow and leave you alone today!

Photo by MadMup