I recently helped an advisor eliminate the dreaded task of cold prospecting not just for possible prospects but for the right prospects!

So let me give you an example of what we actually did for an advisor.

As you know, managing a sales organization is one of the toughest jobs there is…and XYZ Advisor has a sales staff of several hundred salespeople and representatives across the nation.  They’re all different ages, different backgrounds, and with all different skill sets.

One key challenge was that 20% were doing 80% of sales, and the company needed a way to get 100% of them to meet their goals and objectives.  First and foremost, that meant we had to generate face time with prospects.

We created an easy-to-follow process that produced near-100% response and a 72% appointment rate!

Moreover, the sales manager’s job became easier because the manager was no longer pestering people to make calls and secure appointments with decision makers, and the whole team started enjoying the process and, as a result, getting more sales.

XYZ Advisor also was able to recruit more salespeople, because the word spread that you don’t have to prospect at XYZ Advisor – you just have to know how to sell.

And here are the steps we followed in our methodology.

All any good advisor wants is a full pipeline of the right people to sell to – and I have to believe that you might enjoy the same.

Can you imagine how easy it would be to talk to people who receive this in the mail before you even call?

How could this kind of program benefit you?

Nye Ohrberg

1 888-778-7135

Specializing in finding the right people for financial advisors to sell to!

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going gets tough, the tough get going.”

However, I think it’s really appropriate

for today’s marketplace.

I don’t believe

many people would disagree with the

fact that it is a tough marketplace that

we are selling in today.

 I also don’t think

anyone, at least in their right mind, would

call this economy a seller’s market.

I recently wrote about

whether selling was an art or a science. My

conclusion, after over 10 years of hiring,

training and developing sales people, is

that selling is, without question, a science.

The art of selling, I believe, lies in one’s

ability to execute the science of selling.

In the article, I quoted the founder of a

well-known company who stated,

“Selling is a fun game when you’re

doing it well.

It’s the pits when you’re

not.” Selling really is fun when you’re

doing it well.

Unfortunately, most

salespeople don’t do it very well.

I define a sales professional as

someone who “has a commitment to a

calling, has the training, education and

expertise that an amateur does not.”

When

the going gets tough, the amateurs drop

out. The professionals not only survive

but many times excel in a down economy.

The following is an excerpt from

an email I received a few weeks ago:

“The local promotional business market here in Los Angeles has contracted just as it has nationwide.

Personally I am seeing a rather large

influx of program sales and my

personal January production is up 85 percent over

2010.

There are many reasons for this

including the fact that many non career

solution driven distributors are dropping out of the business

selling, especially in a booming

economy, almost anyone can get a sales

job and experience a degree of success.

However, when the boom ends, as it

inevitably does, these individuals are the first

to move on.

When the going gets tough, the

professional works harder and smarter, is

more imaginative and creative and finds

new, innovative ways to develop business.

Let’s again review our definition of a

sales professional.

How many salespeople

do you know who have a commitment

to a calling and pursue education and

training consistent with the old adage that

school is never out for the professional?

In Malcolm Gladwell’s new book “Outliers”

(this is the same author that gave us “The

Tipping Point” and “Blink”), he suggests

that the difference between a professional and

a talented amateur is 10,000 hours of practice.

Even though Gladwell did not use

selling as an example, I think his

reference is just as applicable to selling

as it is to law, computers, music or any

other field of learning.

However, I do

take exception to the general cliché that

practice makes perfect, because if you’re

practicing doing something wrong, all you’re

doing is getting better at getting worse.

Many times I have asked the question,

“What do you think would happen if a

salesperson would just spend 10 percent

of the amount of time learning selling as

they would have to put in to become a

doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, or any

other professional?”

Unfortunately, most

salespeople choose to only learn enough to

get by, whatever “getting by” means to them.

The HR Chally Group, in a sales

benchmarking study, identified

what customers want from sellers.

Interviews with more than 1,000 corporate

customers established three major needs

that customers expected vendors and sellers

to address — even though customers were

not confident that sellers could fill them.

– Customers want to narrow their

own focus to the few things they do best

and outsource the rest without the added

overhead cost of supervising their suppliers.

– Customers want sellers to know their

business well enough to create products

and services they wouldn’t have been

able to design or create themselves.

s o  t h e r e  i s  m o r e  p i e  f o r

everyone.

– Customers want proof, hard evidence that

their supplier has added value in excess of

price.

T h e C h a l l y  R e p o r t  st a t e s  t h a t ,

“Customers expect salespeople to transform

themselves into professionals who are left at

identifying and satisfying their new buying

needs.

Having conducted extensive research

in customer purchasing behaviors we are

able to enumerate new buying needs.

This

list of expectations essentially defines the

role of the new sales professional of the

21st century.”

“In the customer’s own words, needs

included: Be personally accountable for our

desired results; understand our business; be

on our side; design the right applications;

be easily accessible; solve our problems;

and be creative in responding to our needs.

Buyers expect professional salespeople to be

innovators who bring them fresh ideas to

solve their problems.

Creativity is a major

source of value in today’s salesperson.”

The skills, techniques and philosophies

of professional selling will give you a

sustainable advantage over your

competition. You will sell more, earn more

and have more fun in the process.

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Strategy and Execution: Decision-makers at 200 small to medium size businesses were targeted by mail to receive promotional products packaged in brochures. In each piece, product and copy were related, e.g., a money clip with copy pointed out “…after 100 years, we’ve got things rolling at a pretty good clip.” Or, “We’d like to show you the light” about commercial loans with an enclosed pen light.

Results: By as early as one third of the way into the six-month program, “we have achieved 40% of our goal of direct business inquiries,” said the advertiser’s vp of planning and development.

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Strategy and Execution: The St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times has been an afternoon newspaper for over 120 years. Converting the paper to an a.m. edition could potentially have caused quite a jolt to daily readers and advertisers, not to mention a reorganization of the workday for newspaper employees. Weekly Q&A sessions for employees were energized by the presentation of employee appreciation gifts such as ceramic latte mugs, plastic traveler mugs, embroidered baseball caps and t-shirts. Two weeks before the conversion, the newspaper hosted a VIP reception for city dignitaries, vendors, advertisers and government officials to unveil the new logo for the paper. Finally, during conversion week, the paper hosted a series of PR events such as “Buzz Breakfasts”, the delivery of breakfast and the new morning newspaper to every city official and morning drive-time disc jockey.  The Breakfast Buzz bags included imprinted travel mugs, t-shirts, embroidered baseball caps, yo-yos, ceramic latte mugs, static cling window signs and free coffee with newspaper purchase. The comprehensive program also used radio, TV, and billboard advertising to further emphasize the message.

Results: The success of the St. Cloud Times’ conversion to a morning paper was reflected in an impressive year-over-year increase of 2.1% for single-copy sales. In the newspaper industry, this represents a significant increase

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Strategy and Execution: This seven month mailing promotion identified problems and offered a specialty solution for 2,500 business accounts who are currently using competing trucking services. The first month, there was a toy horn in a box with the copy,”In the next six months we are going to making a lot of noise.” The second month featured a folding reading Transportation problems are closing in on you… let ATS open them up” and included a letter opener. Each of the following months used the common copy “If transportation problems…” And a corresponding specialty item with name imprinted. For problems that “Have you biting your nails”the mailer included a fingernail file. Problems that”Have you in a swear” provided an encapsulated truck-shaped sponge and the invitation”Let ATS dry them up.” Problems which give headaches needed a packet of aspirin, and problems which”have you all fogged up” allowed the company to”Clear their view” with a lens cleaning towlette. In the last month,”Now that you know the solution to your transportation problems… Give ATS a call, we’ll stick to our word,”featured a magnet bearing the advertiser’s 800-telephone-number.

Results: It was reported the promotions generated 53 customer responses for addition trucking loads which resulted in increased revenue of approximately $1 million

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Strategies to improve your ROI when exhibiting

Unless you have a ton of money to throw away at trade shows, you better read this before you do your next event.

And when it comes to getting the most out of trade shows, Susan Friedmann is one of the best. Known throughout the industry as the “Trade Show Coach” she has plenty of shortcuts, secrets and simple strategies to help you make the most out of your time spent on the trade show floor. And a little preparation up-front goes a long way once you hit the show floor.

She has plenty of terrific advice I know you’ll find valuable so be sure to take a moment to check it out and feel free to share it with your team.

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” says Friedmann. It’s cliché, but it’s a phrase that should become your booth staff’s mantra. She says a trade show is like a non-stop series of beginnings. Every moment, from the second the doors open until they blink the lights signaling the end of the day, is a moment where you could be meeting customers for the very first time.

Key Secret #1: People have to ‘buy’ YOU before they can buy FROM you
If all goes well, your crucial first moments can launch a mutually profitable relationship that will last for years. Conversely, if the impression you create is less than positive, you’ve probably just kissed a lifetime of business goodbye.

“The first step is establishing a rapport with your client, and once that positive foundation has been laid, the hard work of negotiating a deal and closing a sale becomes so much easier. But you have to realize that the actual product or service you’re trying to sell doesn’t really matter. When you’re at a trade show, what you’re selling is YOU.”

Inexpensive Strategies to Ensure Customer Loyalty

Susan Friedmann understands and extensively promotes the value of customer loyalty. Friedmann, who bills herself as “the trade show coach” and who consults for exhibitors and organizers shares these simple, inexpensive strategies for making your customers feel valued by you.

1. Send them articles that may be of interest, along with a hand-written note that says “thinking of you.” If they are quoted in an article, or their company is mentioned (in a positive way), send them a note of congratulations.

2. Come up with a list of 25 customers who could buy more from you because they are splitting their loyalties. Set up a Google alert to notify you when one of these targeted customers is mentioned on the Internet. Then send them a note and the link.

3. Offer special customer bonuses, such as free downloads of white papers and special reports, which your people could write in-house. Put together a buyer’s guide or a checklist. These can be amazingly popular and useful.

4. When you are on the trade show floor, have a special giveaway or demonstration just for existing customers. Alternatively, take them to a special meeting room for privacy while you talk.

Key Secret #2: People won’t come in if your body language says, “Go away!”
Body language plays a huge role in creating first impressions.

Show attendees are constantly watching you. If your body language says, “I don’t really want to be at this show,” or if you look like you’re just going through the motions, they’ll pick up on that and go elsewhere, she says.

Get off your $#!… Standing back in the corner of your exhibit with your arms folded tells show goers, “Stay away! I’m on guard.”

Sitting down, flipping through a magazine, or chatting with your colleagues says, “I’ve got better things to do than talk to you.” Get up! Introduce yourself. Drop the world’s best pick-up line (see p. 13), keep quiet and listen!

And the most successful line you can use at a trade show is …

This may sound simple — and it may even sound overused — but these 5 words work like magic!

Here they are:

“Tell me about your company.”

It really is the greatest pick-up line in the world. It works so well because it’s an open-ended question that gets your prospects talking and begins a dialogue. Try it and see how more people communicate with you.

Key Secret #3: Focus on the attendee for maximum results.
Welcome them into your booth. This doesn’t mean you do all the talking. Listening is more important. “Shift the focus from your own sales spiel to actually listening to the customer and you’ll find your results immediately improve,” she says. “ Ask attendees questions, and listen to their answers. Give them your full attention. Hear what they’re saying and offer appropriate responses.

“The fact that you’re focused on the attendee, wholly engaged with them, and committed, however briefly, to solving their problems, is one of the easiest, most effective ways to create a positive first impression. It sets a good precedent, establishing how you will do business with this client further down the road. You’re laying the foundation for that positive, profitable relationship.”

Always taking you from where you are to where you want to go,

Nye O

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Hi Everyone

We have reached a defining moment where companies will be rewarded handsomely if they partner with their sales teams to leverage the current appetite for change.

But this new maxim begs two big questions that necessarily should dominate your strategic thinking and strategic focus:  

What to do?

How to do it effectively?

A cohesive sales strategy that the entire team can rally around – and one that produces perceptible, profitable, repeatable results – is the key to sales success in this evolving new economy

Yet again…

What kind of strategy?

How to do build it and implement it?

Well…

·   What if you could increase sales force effectiveness to the point that your team was getting an 80% to 90% call-back rate from voicemails alone?

·   What if your sales team could not only get passed the gatekeepers but bypass them entirely, reaching key decision makers as much as 92% of the time?

·   What if your salespeople could establish credibility early – or even immediately – in the sales process in the minds of prospective customers?

·   What if your sales team could escalate their points of contact to more strategic levels within the account, dealing directly with decision makers who have the budget, authority, and strategic vision to pull the trigger on a purchase?

·   What if your sales representatives could effectively position your solution against the offerings of your competitors, recognize and overcome potential obstacles, and handle objections almost before they are raised?

·   What if you could communicate, emphasize, and support a genuine value proposition to stimulate a sense of urgency that would motivate prospects to wrap up business now, not later?

·   What if your salespeople could get more opportunities to present and close to qualified, interested prospects?

·   What if all these things could happen at the same time?!?

They can…

Let me show you how I just did it for the commercial janitorial sector and figured out all the challenges… Then solved them 1 by .1.

Challenge 1:  Create a voice mail that made the decision maker curious enough to want to call janitorial sales person back.

Result: Done we get any janitorial company a call back on voice mail at 83%. Much better than 0 right?

Challenge 2: They were tired of hearing their sales people saying: Hi My name is john I was wondering If i could offer you a free estimate on your janitoral service and save you money? No thanks we are happy with our current cleaning company! Blah Blah…

Result: What if your sales team could not only get passed the gatekeepers but bypass them entirely, reaching key decision makers as much as 92% of the time?

Imagine using an e-mail first that doesn’t try to sell anything but simple raised thier curriosity in you! Before someone becomes curious nothing can happen…

E-mail that states a special gift is on its way be on the look out it should be arriving in the mail soon?

Then a direct mail box arrives a few days later- Take a look

Result:Imagine getting 100% of your messages opened by decsion makers then 100% read then 100% remembered WOW and now imagine your sales team calling and saying is …. their whats this in reguards to? Tell him that its the guy who mailed him the white glove in the trash can last week!  WOW now at almost 92% you get to talk to decision makers live…calling new accounts and number 1 getting to talk to the actual person who makes the decision!  

Did you know that janitoral companies who are using this program right now are experiencing atleast 7-10 new $1000-$50,000 a month commercial janitoral cleaning accounts and its all done for them…. They are getting and ROI of like 1000% and conversions are anywhere from 26-62% response… Even better we fixed the next problem which was once they get the appointment we thought they could handle it from their but after working with alot of them we found out different so we created the next step which was once the go on intial walk through.  

We created an urgency to move forward rather than just offering a cheaper price… So we created a walk through process that everyone gets 82% response at moving client forward with out having to lower the price!

If interested in what that was call me!

Nye 

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• How do you get a key executive’s attention? (and get them, to, you know, DO something)
• How can you “break the ice” with specific groups? (get past that admin and build a profitable relationship)
• How do you shorten sales cycles with targeted clients? (get them to buy… before your salespeople quit!)

Frustrated with cold calling, post cards or flat mailers?

Imagine we create a package that gets 100% opened 100% read 100% Remembered and your sales people 20% + Close rates!

What would happen if you got one of these in the mail right now?

Would you Get it from mail room 100%?

Would YOU open it?

Would YOU read It?

YES, YES and YES again…

Imagine your UPS guy hand deliver this to you! Full Size…

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