Ideas and Eyeballs

News you can use

2011-08-17T06:27:00.001-07:00

A great way to open a meaningful conversation with a client or prospect is to reference something from the news. You can use a national story "How do you think the change in the health care law will affect your business?" or more local stories "How will the highway construction impact your store traffic?" These "current events" questions are consultative and get the customer thinking. Most people feel complimented when you ask for their opinion which opens them up and gets them talking, This also get the customer thinking about the future and what he/she needs to do to take advantage or protect themselves from the issue discussed in the news.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Myers-Briggs The Friend Type

2011-08-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we talked about 4 Myers-Briggs personality types (I learned these as Actor-Doer-Thinker Friend though there are many names for the 4 types). Each of these types have things that identify them and set them apart from the others. Their speech patterns, dress, gestures and even their work spaces distinguish each type. Each requires a certain type of handing if you want to sell them on advertising with you. In my next few blogs I will cover the specific techniques for working with each f the 4 personality types. Here are the basic techniques you will want to use to identify and work with them.

Observe them closely, watch how they move and what gestures they use, how are they dressed?

Listen to what they say and to their speech patterns. Do the speak loudly or softly, quickly or slowly and what do they like to talk about?

Look at their workspace, it is neat or cluttered, strictly business like or personalized, and what is on display?

These clues will help you recognize the customer's type. You can then adapt your personal style to suit theirs by:

Mirroring their speech patterns

Speaking about the typical concerns of their type

Remember that most people's personalities are an amalgam of several types. By playing to their dominant type style you greatly increase your chances of welling them a program. Over the next few blogs I will discuss the 4 types and what you need to do to work with them.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-07-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

"You are today where your thoughts ave brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." James Allen

This quote is taken from the inspirational, motivational classic "As a man thinketh." In spite of the archaic language in the title and the fact that this book is more than a century old (It has never been out of print) it offers a lot to us living in the second decade of the 21st century. Scientists and psychologists studying human behavior and brain physiology have found that Allen's philosophies are supported by their research. We should get in the habit of listening to what we say and thinking about what we are thinking. This is known as "meta-cognition". This practice is important because it is so easy to slip into negative thought patterns that can cripple your efforts. We can not control what goes on in the outside world but we can control what goes on inside our heads.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

What type of sales person are you?

2011-07-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

Of all the trainings I've taken in my long sales career, one stands out above all the others. During my tenure at the Yellow Pages I participated in a seminar on applying Myers-Briggs personality typing to sales. Myers-Briggs was developed many years ago to help match service men to the military specialties that best suited their personalities. It breaks down people into 4 basic types. Few of us are purely one type or another and we are usually an amalgam of one or two of these classifications. Myers-Briggs is a powerful tool to use in building relationships with your prospects quickly. There are a number of good books on this subject (Type Talk at Work is a good choice) and some sales training companies offers courses on this. I have used this system for well over 25 years and it is one of the reasons for my success as a sales person. Customer typing is well worth the effort to learn. While this blog is not a good way to teach personality typing I will review the basic types in my next few posts.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-07-22T05:55:00.001-07:00

As a lover of quotations I am always on the look out for old books of quotes. I picked up a little book called "All of are looking for success" for 50 cents and found this quote:

The most honest self-made man was the one we heard say "I got to the top the hard way--fighting my own laziness and ignorance every step of the way."--James Thom

This quote really made me think. There is a temptation to think of highly successful people as different from the rest of us, as almost super human. The truth is that achievers are just like us and that they face the same temptations that vex everyone else.. They differ from us in the discipline to overcome them and push on.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Current Events Question

2011-07-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

A good sales person always keeps their "ear close to the ground" and stays up to date on what's going on in their territory. If a new business is opening up or a new highway is going to be built they know about it. They also stay current on the national business and economic news. They know how to use this information to engage customers and get them thinking. Often prospects won't advertise simply because of a natural resistance to change. Talking about change reminds them that they can not stand still while the world around them moves on. I like to talk about the pertinent "news" item and then ask "How do you think this will effect your business?" You can also say "What changes will this force you to make?" or "How do you plan to take advantage of this?" These questions get the customer thinking about the future and creates an opening for you to propose a new program.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-07-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" may be the book that has had the single biggest impact on how I live my life. The quote above is habit number 5 and an important lesson for sales people in particular. In observing calls I see far too many reps who jump into their "pitch" without even a basic understanding of the prospects business or their personality. This almost always ends in failure. Reps who start by asking questions and talking to the customer about their situation have a much higher rate of success. By seeking to understand others first, we can get our point across in terms they can clearly understand when it is our turn to speak. This understanding makes it possible for us to propose solutions to real problems rather than "pitching" answers to the problems we imagine they may have.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim B

Picking the competions pockets

2011-07-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

These days, advertising budgets are tighter than ever. Sometimes it is impossible to get a customer to invest one cent more into marketing their business. If they are advertising with a competitor, all may not be lost. Look at their current program and think about ways to cut back the advertiser's program without making a major impact on their representation. Think about going to a smaller ad or cutting out editions in secondary areas. Another possibility is using a reverse to get attention without using color. You may even want to design and spec an ad for the competitor's product. The money they save can be reinvested with you. This is a much easier approach to take rather than trying to get them to drop the competitor and move 100% of their budget to you. Prospects are reluctant to do this because of the natural fear of loss. The plan above allows them to "have their cake and eat it too." You can open the call with something like "Mr./Ms. Customer, if you give me a few minutes of your time I can show you a way to expand your reach without increasing your advertising budget by one red cent."

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Holding their attention with your body language

2011-07-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

Many reps tell me that they have trouble holding the attention of their prospects and customers. Observing them in the field I can see why. Many reps lean on the customer's counter or slouch back and give their presentation. To hold people's attention it is important to use good assertive body language. Stand up straight, use your hand gestures to support what you are saying and make eye contact. Taking a more relaxed posture tells the customer that what you have to say is of no importance. When presenting you need to use every fiber of your being to engage the customer and hold their attention.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Selling gets easier after they say no!

2011-07-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

No sanes sales person (and there are actually a few of them around) likes to hear a customer say "NO!" No good sales person ever accepts "NO" as a final answer. believe it or not, sometimes a call gets easier when you've been rejected. The trick is to acknowledge the rejection and accept it at face value. Saying something like "Thank you for letting me know how you feel about this without wasting my time." Once you've accepted their "NO" the pressure is off. You have defused the situation and you can ask a few questions about their business. This conversation may lead to a sale. When a customer says "NO," they expect an argument. If you surprise them by taking what they say at face value you can continue, if you contest the rejection, you will only harden their position. Remember they say "No" because they don't see the value in what you are offering. By keeping the discussion alive, you have a chance to educate them.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-07-08T05:45:00.000-07:00

"I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes." Sara Teasdale

The words from American poet Sara Teasdale carry great meaning for me. I try to keep them in mind as I travel through my life. It is very easy to be so consumed by the things that we've lost that we lose sight of the opportunities which lie before us. It is a fact of life that we will lose sales and we will lose customers, but if we remain open we will find new customers to replace them. No one's life is perfect. The thing that separates the winners from the losers is their reaction to life's setbacks.

Have a great weekend.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

What's behind that objection?

2011-07-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

Someone once asked me "How do you know when a prospect is lying?" The answer "Their lips move!" While this might not be completely accurate, customers seldom give you the real reason they won't buy an ad. They may say they don't need it or that they don't have the money but this may not be what they're really thinking. In my experience Here are the questions customer ask themselves when they hesitate to buy something from you:

What's in it for me? Where's the value?

Why should I buy from this guy? Is he/she here to help me or just to sell me something?

What's the big difference? What do they offer that I'm not getting from what I do now?

How will spending this extra money help me?

Answer these unspoken questions and you are sure to get the sale.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Back to School opportunities

2011-07-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Now that the 4th of July is past, can the back to school season be far behind. Obviously this is an opportunity for retailers who sell kid's shoes, clothes, school supplies etc. but don't limit your thinking there. The ringing of the 1st school bell in the fall marks a change in the seasons and in many peoples lives. This is a good time to promote ways for parents to use the time while the kids are in school. You can run ads for gyms, classes, craft stores etc. Home centers can promote supplies for the D-I-Y projects Mom and Dad have been putting off. Anything that involves a transition in consumer's lives makes them receptive to new products and services. Think creative and share ideas with your clients to take advantage of this change in their customer's lives.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-07-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a quote appropriate to the holiday:

"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom."
Albert Einstein

Have a great Independence Day.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Back to school idea

2011-06-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have an ad in my file that offers a timely idea for physicians and dentists. The 4th of July marks the unofficial mid point of summer. Parents will soon be thinking about getting their children ready for the new school year. In addition to new shoes, lunchboxes and backpacks, they will be looking to get their kid's physically ready for school. While the kids are off for the summer it is a good time to schedule any necessary medical appointments. The ad in my file features a cute picture of a smiling little girl with an armful of books next to the headline:

"Her 1st exam of the school year should be with us!"

The ad then offers a dental examination special. This is a great way for professionals to grow their practices and attract new patients.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

"Note"able Organitional skills

2011-06-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

One of the most powerful tools in your sales arsenal is a simple pad and pen. Good note taking skills keep you organized and moving in the right direction. The #1 complaint buyers have about sales people is "they don't follow-up or follow through on what they say." I don't believe most sales people are intentionally lying when they make a commitment, I think they are just disorganized. They just forget to do the things they promised to do. Good note taking can eliminate this problem. Some people may be able to do this on their Blackberry or I-Pad but I think a yellow legal pad is still the most effective way to capture the information you need to fulfill your commitments. Here are a couple of thoughts on this subject:

Keep your notes in one place. Keep everything together on one pad or notebook. Place the customer's name and the date of the meeting at the top of the entry. This will allow you to quickly review your day.

Leave the left margin blank. When you make a commitment or the client says something you need to follow up on, place a star in that margin. Doing this makes finding the key items from your day quick and easy.

Circle all critical dates. This will help you to schedule follow -up appointments and actions.

Use your notes to recap your conversation at the end of the call. This will avoid wasted time and often triggers the client's memory so that you learn something else about the situation.

Send a follow up e-mail restating your commitments and reminding the customer of theirs.

Taking good notes is not a waste of your time, in fact it saves time. Good notes prevent expensive and time consuming mistakes that come from misunderstandings or forgetting a crucial date. Good notes make living up to your commitments easy and set you apart from the average salesperson.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

The I/You rule

2011-06-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

To keep customers engaged it is important to talk about their favorite subject--themselves! When you talk about yourself you lose them. To prevent this from happening apply the "I/You rule". When speaking, make no more than one "I" statement for every three "You" statements. Of course this should be extended to statements about your company versus statements about their company. For example instead of saying "I'd like to show you something." say "Here is something you'll be interested in." In place of "My paper reaches every home in the area." say "John Smith Plumbing could every home in your service area." If you make a conscious effort to make the "I/You" rule a part of your sales presentations, it will soon become a habit. Using this rule in all your conversations, not only helps your sales grow but can help you build positive relationships in all aspects of your life.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-06-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

"You will never 'find' time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." Charles Bruxton

Have you ever wondered why some people get so much more done than others. As Mr. Bruxton says above, productive people make time to get things done. How do you make time? What raw material do you need to make time? Time is made by stripping away all the waste from your schedule. Time is made by recyling the time normally devoted to unimportant activites and using it for activites which help you to close sales. Be a time maker.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Seminar Marketing

2011-06-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

As an alternative to cold calling, some companies are using seminars to attract new customers. Here's how it works--You secure a room and send out invitations to an educational seminar on a subject of interest to business owners. These sessions should also be promoted in your paper. You can draw on the expertise of your employees and do sessions on marketing, design or accounting. You can do research and do seminars on local demographics or the regional economy. Many outside speakers can be used for this at a minimal cost. Content is the key to making this work. Your seminar should be truly educational and not a sales pitch. You should not use these sessions to promote your products. The purpose of the seminar is to make contacts. As the "host" of the session you get to meet and greet local business people in a non-threatening environment. This would make these people more inclined to grant an appointment. This also positions you as a respected expert and a trusted source of information.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Qualifying prospects

2011-06-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

The best sales people are all excellent time managers. They focus their attention on the things that will produce them the best results. This includes qualifying prospects, choosing to call on the businesses most likely to buy and ad. How do you decide who to call on? Here is an acronym that defines the qualifying process.

DELMAR

D-Decision makers, can you reach the person who is authorized to place advertising.

E-Established, is the business able to handle additional business

L-Locally focused, is their service area a good match for my publications coverage.

M-Marketing budget, do they invest in marketing and promotions.

A-Afford the advertising, can they pay for the programs you recommend

R-Rapport, are they open to listening to your presentation and considering a relationship.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Happy Half New Year

2011-06-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

There are less than two full weeks left in the 1st half of 2011. Now is an excellent time to take stock of your progress and to talk to your customers about doing the same. Sit down and review your numbers and your goals, look for areas of potential improvement. If you don't have written goals this is a good time to establish them.

Talk to your customers about their plans and goals for the 3rd and 4th quarters. If they are not on target thus far, now is the time to make course corrections. If they cut back on their advertising in the new year, ask them about changes in their traffic. Perhaps it is time to reconsider this decision. Ask them how they feel about your performance and if they have any suggestions regarding what you can do better. This type of review will save you a lot of grief later. Ignoring a problem is like ignoring a small wound, treat if right away and it disappears, ignore it and it festers and gives you a great deal of pain. A proactive approach is the best way to achieve your goals.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

2011-06-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

"Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself."
Abraham Joshua Heschel

This is a quote to print out and post above your desk and/or keep a copy in your day timer. Read it every time you are tempted to take the easy route. Use it to keep your nose to the proverbial grindstone. The difference between success and failure in any endeavor is the ability to discipline yourself to do the right thing rather than the easy thing. Not only will you get more done, but you will extract greater pleasure from your accomplishments. Knowing that you took the high road rather than surrendering to your temptations sweetens everything that you do.

Have a great week.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

What does a good sales call look like?

2011-06-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

What does a good call look like? Many people think the only way to identify a good call is a call that ends in a sale. The problem is that today, the "one call close" is very rare. In a tight economy customers usually need to be sold and reassured over a period of time. I believe a good call is a call where there has been an exchange of information, a call where you learn something new about the customer and the customer learns something new about your products. This also applies to calls on regular advertisers. Rather than just picking up their copy, you should try to find out something about their plans, goals and feelings toward your product. This is important because the customer's situation is in constant flux and it is vital to stay abreast of how they view you and your products. It is also important to share success stories and remind customers about your benefits. The old proverb "Knowledge is Power" applies doubly to sales people. You should view every call as an opportunity to collect and share information with your customers and prospects.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Lessons from that Admiral

2011-06-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

David Letterman had an unusual guest this week--Admiral Mike Mullen. Mullen who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was a refreshing change from the usual vapid conversation Letterman has with self absorbed movie stars and TV personalities. The admiral told the story of his life and his career. He did poorly at Annapolis, graduating in the bottom third of his class. During his senior year he earn 115 demerits in his 1st month (150 per year leads to immediate expulsion) As a 26 year old captain in command of his first ship, he hit a harbor buoy leading to a court of inquiry and placing his career under a shadow for more than a decade. In spite of his early mistakes and these setbacks he remained dedicated to his military career. Admiral Mullen's rise to become America's top ranking military officer proves the old saying "failure is never final." His life demonstrates that no matter what we have done in the past, we can reach our goals if we keep our sights firmly set on the future.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Book recommendation

2011-06-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

I just finished "Unthinking--The Surprising Forces Behind What We Buy" by Harry Beckwith. I found this to be an excellent book for those of us in sales and marketing. Beckwith touches on many psychological and cultural factors that affect the way we see the world and make buying decisions. He makes this information approachable to the layman by using real world case studies. This book can help the sales person understand the psychology of buying and how design affects the response to an ad. I strongly recommend Beckwith's book.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim B.