Ann Barr » Ann Barr : Teaching You How To Outsell Your Competition : Sales Coach

The Secret of Persuasion

Ann Barr — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:50:05 +0000

Whether you are trying to persuade a friend to agree to see the movie you want to see or attempting to talk a prospect into buying your product, this video is well worth your time. Try this secret of persuasion and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results. If you want to persuade other [...]

To Say or Not to Say “I’m Sorry”

Ann Barr — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:37:11 +0000

Last week, Jay – a subscriber in Florida - sent an email to me with an observation about the issue I wrote regarding Linda Hurt’s voice mail message (which I should have referred to as Linda’s voice mail greeting.) Jay has given me permission to share his email and here it is: “A long time ago one of the best sales [...]

A Surprise for Christmas Shoppers in Ontario

Ann Barr — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:39:30 +0000

If you have 4 minutes and 57 seconds, turn on your speakers – watch and listen to this. It is beautiful. Supposedly this happened in the food court in a shopping mall in Ontario. It is entitled “Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus.” So far, the video has received more than 11 million hits [...]

The Best Ad Ever

Ann Barr — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:50:20 +0000

Did you ever read an advertisement that was so compelling you could not stop reading? This ad came to me in the form of an email and it was so creative, I had to share it with you. A few words of caution, though: It is not exactly what it first appears to be. Not [...]

When is it Time to Give Up?

Ann Barr — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:13:15 +0000

If you have ever been in a situation that seemed impossible, you might understand how the families of the Chilean miners felt when they learned about their 33 family members trapped beneath the earth. When the mine caved in, the men were thought to have died in yet another tragic mining accident. The president of [...]

The Best Time for Cold Calling

Ann Barr — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 03:05:45 +0000

Okay, there are people who say “NEVER,” but sometimes cold calling is necessary, so . . . Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey! The answers varied widely – from early in the morning to late in the afternoon. VERY interesting! This was the question: “What, in your opinion – based on your experience [...]

Copy Machines a Security Risk?

Ann Barr — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 19:34:56 +0000

Although Chester Carlson invented Xerography in 1938, it was twenty-one years later that the first office copier was available to the public. But could copiers be a security risk? Nearly every digital copier built since 2002 contains a hard drive that contains as many as 20,000 documents – some with sensitive information such as social [...]

Does Pressure Selling Work?

Ann Barr — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:26:59 +0000

Using old-school wording and sales tactics are one way to sell, but those methods can create pressure and resistance and result in rejection for the sales person. Selling does not have to be an uphill battle. The changing economy is forcing all of us to re-think how we interact, communicate and create new customers and [...]

Cold Calling Your Way to Nowhere?

Ann Barr — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:58:15 +0000

Is there a good alternative to cold calling? Cold calling has become an inseparable part of most businesses. But the fact is – it can be a daunting task for the people who actually do it. Personally you might hate telephone marketing but it can be a very effective way to boost up your sales [...]

The Painful Old Way of Selling

Ann Barr — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:59:56 +0000

If you have been in sales for a number of years – and have faced rejection when making sales calls – you will recognize these 7 painful selling mistakes. This information will be an “Ah-Ha” moment for you. If you love what you do and deeply believe in what you sell, but you are still [...]

Pushy or Persistent?

Ann Barr — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:48:59 +0000

The perception of a “typical sales rep” is – unfortunately – a pushy person. You have probably met a few of those “pushy sales people.” The truth is, buyers avoid pushy sales reps. Think about this: there is a difference between being pushy and being persistent. Is persistence important? Yes, but how much persistence is [...]

How Top Sales Managers Motivate Reps to Sell More

Ann Barr — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:25:37 +0000

This guest post – How Top Sales Managers Get Their Salespeople to Sell More Stuff – by Ralph Burns, makes so much sense, it is refreshing. All Sales Managers should read this – if you want to motivate your sales reps in a positive way. Question: When do you do your best work? When you [...]

Easiest Breakup Ever

Ann Barr — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:07:11 +0000

“Your Easiest Breakup Ever.” Last week I saw this headline in the local newspaper and it almost seemed to jump off the page. It was a small ad in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. The headline immediately captured my attention, curiousity and interest. I wondered what it was all about. Why it is [...]

Don’t Get Deleted

Ann Barr — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 00:26:38 +0000

You call a prospect and end up in voice mail. Should you leave a message or hang up? What do you think? This excellent guest post by Jill Konrath includes a must-see video that describes exactly – word for word – how to leave the right voice mail message and NOT sound like a self-serving [...]

Telemarketing Sales Training Mistakes

Ann Barr — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:43:49 +0000

One of my least favorite words is “telemarketing,” only because the word causes most people to cringe, thinking of those annoying sales calls received during dinner. Unfortunately, 95 percent of typical telemarketing calls are cringe-worthy calls from telesales reps who have not had effective training and who read from a bad script. 9 out of [...]

Your Clients Will Sell For You

Ann Barr — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:13:14 +0000

Are you sending dozens or hundreds or thousands of emails to your customers? That number can be duplicated and multiplied exponentially if your email is funny, controversial or outrageous. It is called Viral Email Marketing. And it happened to a funny email I sent to my opt-in list a few weeks ago. The click-through rate [...]

Do Prospects Lie to You?

Ann Barr — Wed, 26 May 2010 20:47:11 +0000

What? Prospects lie? Well, think about it. Have you ever had a conversation with a prospect who seemed very agreeable, nodded her/his head and appeared to love your presentation? Your prospect may have said: “That sounds good.” Then . . . nothing happened. You never heard from them again. They did not call and [...]

The Loyalty Factor

Ann Barr — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:30:02 +0000

Are they loyal to you personally or loyal to the company? Customer loyalty is one of the “must-haves” for any business. From the executive suite to the sales team to the call center, the drill is often the same: Engage customers enough to make them loyal to our product. But what happens when those employees [...]

Want More Sales? Ask These Questions

Ann Barr — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:53:28 +0000

While writing about the best questions to ask during the sales process, I did some research online and discovered four very good articles. Questions Are Key to Sales Success The question-answer game in sales is vital not only to find, qualify and close deals, but also to offer the best possible solutions to your prospects [...]

7 Buying Signals

Ann Barr — Sun, 16 May 2010 18:54:13 +0000

Sometimes buying signals are so subtle, they may not be recognized until it’s too late. Buying signs can show up within the first few minutes of a conversation; or they may not emerge until the end of the telephone conversation or meeting. In short, they can show up at any time. It’s up to the [...]

Your Wireless is Unfair

Ann Barr — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:45:23 +0000

What? This is the claim in an entertaining TV commercial launched in January. Throughout the ad, the name of the sponsor is never mentioned. It is very funny and somewhat sarcastic. (Somewhat?) If you have not seen this, and would like a laugh, take a minute and watch it on YouTube . This ad is [...]

Why Use Email Marketing?

Ann Barr — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:18:31 +0000

It is undeniable that the most powerful form of marketing online today is email marketing. The reason is simple. Email marketing works! According to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing generated an ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. The expected figure for 2010 is $42.08. As such, [...]

The Power of You

Ann Barr — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:58:12 +0000

Throughout history, international incidents have been created and resolved through the use of specific words. In sales, the right words can win over a new prospect, and the wrong words can alienate a good customer. Recently, in a controlled experiment by a restaurant, servers were asked to use two specific words throughout customers’ meals. Cocktails, [...]

4 Tips When Notifying Customers of a Price Increase

Ann Barr — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:20:24 +0000

Last week I received this question from one of my e-class participants: “I have a customer that I’m selling a specific product to with a very low price. How can I increase the price without an objection? Also, if I happen to increase the price on the invoice, should I tell him or stay silent [...]

6 Tips – The Second Most Important Part of Your Email

Ann Barr — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:29:14 +0000

Which part of a marketing email or direct mail letter do you look at first? Studies show that customers pay attention FIRST to the headline or first sentence of an email or direct- mail letter. The second thing most consumers look for is missing in many email campaigns and letters. But this critical component can [...]

What is the Real Objection?

Ann Barr — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:50:29 +0000

The late financier J.P. Morgan once said: “People have two reasons for everything they do: the reason they give you and the real reason.” When you hear an objection from a prospect – a reason why they won’t buy from you – it is often not the real reason. What is it that stops some [...]

Cheaper HP Ink On the Way?

Ann Barr — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:03:37 +0000

Have you seen the Lexmark “Ink Monster” ads? They are cute and funny. If you haven’t seen the TV commercial, check it out on YouTube. Lexmark created at least two “Ink Monster” television ads and also developed a version of the campaign that runs on the firm’s Web site home page. From http://www.observer.lyra.com: Lexmark’s decision [...]

Beware of Words That Derail Sales Calls

Ann Barr — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:10:40 +0000

Just as a carpenter needs the right tools to do his job effectively, a sales person also needs good tools, and your best tools are words. A telesales person needs to be able to rely on words because the prospect can’t see you smile or shake your hand. After writing a recent article about words, [...]

4 Ways Top Sales Reps Sell

Ann Barr — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:55:44 +0000

When an admirer praised him for Walden, Henry David Thoreau insisted that a greater achievement was within every person’s reach. “To affect the quality of the day,” Thoreau said, “that is the highest of arts.” This quote is from one of my favorite books, What Clients Love, by Harry Beckwith. There is a valuable nugget [...]

How to Uncover the Hidden Hesitation

Ann Barr — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:20:53 +0000

Has this ever happened to you? The prospect needs or wants your product or service. You’ve made a good presentation and s/he seems interested, but for some reason, the prospect hasn’t placed the order. You think s/he wants to place an order, but you sense a hesitation. To check and see if you’re on the [...]

Do You Know a Good Geek?

Ann Barr — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:47:38 +0000

Well, I feel very lucky because I do know a Good Geek. Here is the story: Last year I bought the domain name AnnBarrBlog.com and wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do with it. . . until I found someone who has literally built it from the ground up and turned it into [...]

Those Pesky Voicemail Messages

Ann Barr — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:01:29 +0000

Astonishing. The number of outbound calls that end up in voicemail. Last week, seven different telesales reps from seven different companies told me that more than 80 percent of their outgoing calls wind up in voicemail. 80 percent! That means – with every call we make – we need to be prepared to leave a [...]

Office Depot Overcharging?

Ann Barr — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:18:22 +0000

In the midst of a recession that has hit business and consumer spending especially hard, it may not be so surprising that retailer Office Depot is having a rough go of things: The No. 2 office-supplies chain lost money in each of the past five quarters and is expected to lose $96 million this year. [...]

Six Tips to Motivate Yourself

Ann Barr — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:18:55 +0000

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” - Mark Victor [...]

Is This Truthful Advertising?

Ann Barr — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:56:27 +0000

The television commercials last year were fascinating. You may have seen them – for an all-in-one printer. This sounded like the greatest printer ever made. And the supplies for the printer were advertised as priced lower than any other printer ink. The ad said: “Say goodbye to overpriced ink for good.” I was doubtful but [...]

Are You Losing Marketing Opportunities?

Ann Barr — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:12:15 +0000

If you have ever heard “I didn’t know you sold that” from a customer, your company may be missing valuable marketing opportunities. Somebody else is getting sales you should get. Are all of your customers buying all of the products they could be buying from your company? They may be limited in what they can [...]

We Already Have a Supplier

Ann Barr — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:29:31 +0000

Wouldn’t it be nice if – when you place a cold call – the person answering said: “I am so glad you called. Your product is exactly what I need today.” Unfortunately, that does not usually happen. If it has happened to you, consider yourself very lucky. What sales reps usually hear is: “We already [...]

The Psychology of Persuasion

Ann Barr — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:22:06 +0000

It may surprise you to learn that there is one specific word you can use on the telephone or in direct mail advertising that will cause people to want to buy from you. Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. in his book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials),” talks about an experiment in human behavior with [...]

The Luck Factor

Ann Barr — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:44:49 +0000

Are you a lucky person? Or are you someone to whom misfortune often happens? According to Professor Richard Wiseman in his book The Luck Factor: The Four Essential Principles, you can become luckier through changing your thoughts and behaviour. Professor Wiseman conducted research with 400 volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds. He explored why [...]

How Do You Get the Best Results from Trade Shows?

Ann Barr — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:46:27 +0000

The ITEX Show is the largest imaging industry trade show and is being held this year in Las Vegas. Whether you attend the ITEX Show or any other type of trade show, how can you get the best results? I decided to ask three successful industry professionals for their trade show secrets, and got three [...]

Did a Competitor Undercut You?

Ann Barr — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:26:18 +0000

It happens to the best of sales people, just the way it happened to Jennifer (not her real name.) She made the telephone call, scheduled the appointment and everything seemed to go well. She wrote a thank-you note after the first appointment and then made a follow-up telephone call to the client. The client wanted [...]

The Most Compelling Sales Advertisement

Ann Barr — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:24:12 +0000

How would you like to receive the benefits of the most compelling sales advertisement on earth for absolutely nothing? What is it? It is a very effective marketing method seldom used by sales people. It is the method used by a man who is listed as the most successful salesperson in the world by the [...]

Pirates in Your Office

Ann Barr — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:16:56 +0000

You may not have been taken hostage by pirates on the high seas, but whether you know it or not you or your clients have been contacted by pirates – otherwise known as fraudulent telephone marketers and toner pirates – sales people attempting to sell vastly overpriced or counterfeit products. They will use many different [...]

How to Warm up Cold Calls

Ann Barr — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:00:35 +0000

Cold-calling is probably the most dreaded activity in a sales person’s day. The reason? Nobody likes to be rejected. Fear of cold-calling has ended thousands of sales careers. How can you make cold calling easier and reduce the fear of rejection? There is something you can do that will warm up your cold call. It [...]

The Vanishing Buyer

Ann Barr — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:35:41 +0000

Have you ever been in a situation where you are dealing with one buyer in an account and suddenly that company stops buying from you? You call but can’t get through to the purchaser and you end up leaving voice mail messages but you never get a return call. If that has happened to you, [...]

The Secret to Closing More Sales

Ann Barr — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:49:05 +0000

What characteristics do most successful salespeople share? Researchers for the Behavioral Sciences Research Press studied sales production for more than 25 years. Their work revealed that most successful salespeople share two characteristics. They are very simple. (1.) They contact more prospective buyers than less successful salespeople do. (2.) They ask for the order more often [...]

Get Better Answers with One Specific Word

Ann Barr — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:04:23 +0000

Did you ever finish a telephone conversation with a prospect and wish you had chosen your words more carefully? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. Just as there are positive power words that get attention, there are negative words and phrases that can irritate prospects. Marketing research has found that consumers react [...]

4 Words that Ruin Cold Calls

Ann Barr — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:09:35 +0000

A sales person can have the best preparation and presentation, but four words at the beginning of a cold call can turn off prospects. You have probably heard these four little words when you received a call from a stranger wanting to sell you something. You may have been taught to use these words at [...]

How to Fire the Nightmare Client

Ann Barr — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:06:13 +0000

The customer is always right? Maybe not. If you have ever had an annoying, troublesome, impossible-to-please customer, you are not alone. Has This Happened to You? It was not easy. You worked long and hard to win this large account. At first you were happy with your success. But it turned into a nightmare. You [...]

Your Customers Love Hearing These 4 Words

Ann Barr — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:13:18 +0000

After having lunch on Monday with my aunt Ginny in a local shopping mall, we walked to Dillard’s Department store because she wanted to buy a pair of Clark’s shoes. Ginny wears a size 7 wide, and it is not always easy to find shoes to fit. We walked into the shoe department and after [...]