The Rise of the "Latte" and "Black Coffee" Sales Authors

One thing that I am really concerned about these days is some of the latest sales authors I've seen out there on the net. These authors may write some great material, but come from a position of being out of touch with their audience. They seem to be older or have the slicked back Wall Street hair look, and just present an overall image of someone who has not been in sales for a long time.

I've coined a new term here for these authors - the "Latte" Sales Authors. I'm reminded of someone sipping on a Starbucks's cup looking at his latest art piece. Somebody that turns his head when his hands get dirty or despises having to deal with anyone considered "entry" level (unless a five or six figure contract is attached). Someone who generally looks down on other people, especially the ones who get up every morning to go to work (by the way, these are the people who make America the greatest country in the world!).

It really burns me up at times that the minority of salespeople (the ones that seek out additional education) are handing their money over to these people who are out of touch with the 21st century sales world. Salespeople who seek out continuing education at their own expense have worked really hard for the money that is being wasted. Salespeople simply deserve better than what they are getting, especially at book stores.

On the plus side, the rise of sales authors (both young and old) in blogs gives everyone in the sales community hope. For these straight-shooting authors, I have also coined a new term - the "Black Coffee" Sales Authors. These are the authors that stay in touch with the selling community and have a very engaging personality. This by no means is limited to young or start-up sales authors, as I would include Jeffrey Gitomer (for example) in this group.

I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone who drinks a latte now and then, as you can be a latte drinker and still be a "Black Coffee" Sales Author. Black coffee simply comes to represent someone who pulls no punches, and throws the ball right down the middle of the plate. Whatever you do, think twice about handing your money over to a "Latte" author when a "Black Coffee" author is readily available.

Increase Sales by Staying on the Grid

In light of the current credit crisis and general nervousness about the economy, business owners can't help be concerned about their companies' future. Of course, there are always businesses that do well in do well in down markets, and I know my bankruptcy attorney friends are busier than ever. But most entrepreneurs I speak with have their eyes fixed on the latest economic indicator reports.

And while business may slow for some of us, if you are creative, a down economy creates opportunities for entrepreneurial businesses. For example, down economies create price sensitivity. Prospective clients who have been loyal to their existing service providers may reconsider working with an entrepreneurial company or small firm that has better rates.

It was exactly this type of economy that propelled me into my own law practice six years ago and, like in the last down market, I have recently seen opportunities open up to me that weren't available a year ago.

According to sales expert, Adrian Miller, keeping your name at the top of your new and existing contacts' minds is the best way to make sure you don't miss out on any of these new opportunities. According to Miller, "marketing is all about staying on the grid."

Most rainmakers, and especially professionals, are guilty of making a new contact, either through a networking event, golf or lunch, and then have no follow up system in place to stay in touch. And while it's great that you are "out there" having meetings, without a follow up strategy in place, your return on the time, effort and possibly expense you invested in taking that meeting is limited. The people you meet with may not know of (or need themselves) the services you provide at the time that you meet them. You want to make sure that you stay at the top of their mind so when the need arises, you're the person who wins the referral.

For her own business, Miller says that for her to keep a pipeline of prospective clients large enough to generate the revenues she aspires to achieve, she needs to make a minimum of 50 touches a day, which includes people she meets networking, at speaking events, and communications with clients and prospects.

But according to Adrian, your point of contact should never be a "hey, just touching base" email or call. Miller says that these types of correspondence are self serving, add no value to your clients and you become the annoying guy or gal whose email and calls get ignored. Says Miller, "you win business because you equate to an improvement to a situation the prospective client is dealing with." "To do this your communications must offer value to your prospect or referral source."

Adrian had 8 easy tips to stay in front of your prospects with value-add communications:

1. Be a Connector. You can be valuable to your contacts and business prospects by connecting them to people who can help solve their problems or increase their business. These can be introductions between clients, prospects, vendors and referral sources. Adrian suggests making a commitment to connecting five people a day. Miller uses her subway commutation time to make these connections via her PDA. If you are known for making connections that lead to new business or other opportunities, then you can be sure your emails will get opened.

2. Send an Article. A touch point can be as simple as cutting out or photocopying an article that may be of interest to one or more of your contacts. Adrian says she walks around with a stack of her business envelopes and if she's in a waiting room, she'll take an article out of a magazine and send it to a client or prospect that's of interest.

3. Send a Link. If you've just spoken to a client and found out he or she is going on a vacation to a special destination, or that they have a particular interest, Miller suggests using Google to find an article or something of interest to your contact and sending the link to the article in your follow up message.

4. Newsletters. Not much to say here, most everyone knows the drill. The key is to make the commitment to getting the newsletter out consistently. Miller suggests hiring a freelance writer to write the copy for your newsletter. You can have a sit-down with a freelance writer, give them five bullet points about an article idea, which they will then turn into a 1,500 word article in less than a week. Do this for three topics once per quarter and you have your newsletter copy for a year. I have colleagues who have successfully used Elance (www.elance.com) to find affordable copy writers.

5. Take Them to Lunch. Don't just plan a lunch with one person, schedule a lunch for two or three people (plus you) who have synergies. Same concept as being a connector, except you are sharing a meal together. Miller sets her lunches up a few weeks in advance, and if you're lucky enough to be invited, you don't miss it. This is something you can train your assistant do for you. All you need to do is provide your assistant with names, and she can schedule dates a few weeks in advance. A good time saving tip is to pick steady venues located in different strategic areas.

6. Invite Them to an Event. Like the lunches, invite two or three people who will have synergies. Miller suggests that this is a good opportunity to be creative and connect with your clients on a personal level. Adrian is a member of MoMA and gets invites to exhibit openings. She regularly invites her clients and referrers. Recently, one of my clients invited me and a colleague to go to the pre-opening event at the New York International Car Show. It was an awesome experience that we are still talking about. Also, Miller suggests not being afraid to take your prospects and clients to places where your competition is. According to Miller, your clients will meet your competition anyway; many clients will actually be impressed that you're not afraid of your competition.

7. Get Digital. Yes, websites are important and unless you've been living in a cave, you know this. But web marketing has gone to a new level, and Miller suggests building your online profile through professional social networking sites like Linked-In or Corporate Facebook. I know many professionals who are using these sites to effectively find staff, investors and clients.

8. Keep Clients Happy. Miller suggests that your clients are your biggest (and least expensive) sales force and, in fact, promoted her elder law attorney and IP attorney at our seminar without us even realizing it. Do whatever you can to keep your clients in your fan club.

In Party Plan Selling - How Not to Be Pushy

I was in the market for a new couch and saw one I really liked. The saleswoman came over and told me all the reasons I wanted THIS couch. She went on to tell me why I needed the matching chair. I didn't want the matching chair. I wanted the couch.

She told me how shabby my room would look if I didn't get the end tables, coffee table, and matching lamps. I didn't want them. I wanted the couch.

She assured me I'd be the envy of the neighborhood. All I want is the couch, Lady!

She told me to think about the beautiful new room I'd have and payments would be only -------

I walked out of the store. Instead of selling me the couch I wanted, her pushy style of selling drove me out of the store. Are you getting the drift here?

She wasn't listening to me. She wasn't filling my needs. She was telling me what she wanted me to buy instead of listening to what I wanted and could afford. She had dollar signs in her eyes.

So often I hear consultants say, "But I don't want to appear pushy." So how do we avoid being pushy and still increase our sales, bookings, and recruits? By asking questions and respecting the answers.

At a show I did, a woman purchased a $100 stock item that complemented an expensive set. I pointed out to her that she could get the set by booking a show. She didn't want to have a show and stated, "I don't do these sort of things." So I asked if she thought she'd be purchasing more of these items in the future. She told me if she liked the item she was buying as much as she thought she would, she probably would be calling me. I made sure she had my catalog, business card, and the special flier about those items.

A few weeks later I called to see how she liked her purchase. She loved it. A few weeks after that some of the stock items went on sale. I called and let her know. She ordered those and thanked me for letting her know about the sale. Again I did a customer care call when she got the products and she assured me she'd be calling me to order the rest of the stock items.

A few months later she did call and ordered the rest. She's now purchased well over $300 in products from me. A few weeks later I called again to see if her new items were doing what she wanted and if she had any questions. During that call she said she absolutely loved everything and really wanted the set. She asked if the set ever went on sale. I told her no - because that was the truth - and reminded her that she could get the set for half price if she had a few friends in. "Well, let's do it then!" she replied.

How did that happen? Simple. I listened to her. I respected her "no." I did customer care calls. I let her know when items she liked and wanted went on sale. I wasn't pushing. I was filling her needs. Do you see the difference?

Oh, by the way, I went to a different store and saw the most awesome couch and matching chair. The salesman was so nice and even gave me a discount if I bought both pieces. They look great in my living room. I'm thinking seriously about going back for the lamps I saw there ......

Regain Control of the Sale

Do you ever feel like you're losing control of the conversation with a potential customer that keeps going off on tangents? You quickly realize that you better regain control of the conversation quickly... or you are going to lose the sale! You might find yourself in this situation when you have a potential customer that bombards you with questions, stories, and off the wall scenarios. At first, you think "Wow" this person is extremely interested! Thirty minutes later you realize... wait a minute... we are nowhere close to getting this deal. Here is a technique that you can master and never face the above scenario again!

I call it the Statement, Benefit, Probe technique.

Statement - This is simply your next statement in the course of a conversation, or your response to the latest question. (transition quickly to apply the "benefit" step)

Benefit - You build upon your "statement" with a reason why your product has worked well before... or reasons why other clients have enjoyed the product. (Make it quick... two to three sentences... and immediately follow with the "probe")

Probe - Ask a question where the client is prompted to verbalize their own reasons for how your product is going to help them achieve their goal.

BAM... Just like that... you are back in control!

Putting it into practice:

Now... Let's pick a scenario. How about something like... You are working with a client who is interested in your employee training and development programs. The conversation is running off track, and it's time to regain control of the conversation. Choose your direction based on a "high value interest point" for that specific client. In this case, you know you can build value around the concept of talent management. The client says, "We're looking for ways to help our employees build a career path. How can you help us do that?"

Statement

"One of the best things about our program is that we can help you work with each manager to develop a specific development plan for each employee."

Benefit

"The thing managers appreciate most is that it helps them better understand each employee's motivation, goals, and aspirations. Not only is the employee inspired with a new plan to impact their future, but they develop a strong working relationship with their manager!"

Probe

"If we come in and help you develop that type of culture... How do you think you could use this program to help your employees build a career path?" (Stay quiet, listen, and let the client sell themselves!)

This technique might not come easy at first. You've got to be quick on your feet and make sure the client doesn't feel like you are cutting them off. With practice, it works like a charm!

What techniques do you use to keep your conversations moving in the right direction?

Why Are Some Salespeople More Successful Than Others?

Over the years I've observed not only my own sales behavior but that of hundreds of salespeople who worked for my clients and I can tell you that the line between super sales success and mediocrity is a very thin one.

Let me explain.

There are several vital factors that will determine your success they include but are not limited to;

-your self-esteem

-your work ethic

-your attitudes during both good and bad times

-the condition of the economy

-your competitors

-your life outlook

-your attitudes about time

-your belief and confidence in your products and services

-your willingness to continue to learn and grow

Each of these will have varying impact on your overall success. None, in my opinion are more or less important than any of the others because they are all linked together. For example;
If you have low self-esteem you will tend to feel you have little value and will therefore tend to waste more time. If your life outlook is positive and optimistic in general your response to a challenging economy will to get more creative and work smarter. If your work ethic lacks passion your belief and confidence in your products and serves won't really matter.

So what is the difference between sales super-stars and everyone else?

Sales super-stars understand the connections between each of the elements of the sales process and their sales career and they work on each of them and all of them all of the time. The salespeople who consistently perform below expectations, never hit their sales targets or seem to excel always have reasons other than themselves - it's the price... it's the lack of corporate support... It's the competition lowering prices... It's the weather... It's Monday... It's Summer... Get it? Salespeople who never break records always have a reason.

How to Become a Better Sales Person

All of us have done sales at one point in our lives. If you have to go on a job interview, it means you have to sell yourself to get the job since there are so many competitors. You have to market your skills, have experience, know how to negotiate salary and be likable. You have to prove to your prospective employer that you are the person for the job and so you have to have a certain kind of confidence and belief in yourself. You have to be grounded, mature and eager to learn.

It is the same attitude that is associated with a person who is actually in sales. If you are in the field of sales and want to become a better salesman or saleswoman, you have to first learn from those who have had more experience than you have had over the years. A good sales person must know the product or services of the company so that they can provide adequate and correct information to the client. Knowing the product or services may, in some cases, mean using it yourself because once you have a personal experience with something; you can recommend it honestly to others. This is why in the network marketing industry, sales representatives are asked to have their own monthly volume of the same products they are promoting so that their sales pitch can be more convincing and real.

Be confident about your skills and your ability to sell. You don't want your customer or client to see any sign of insecurity because they will see that as not believing in the company and its products or services. This is not a good representation of the company. Learn as much as you can about the company, their vision and their mission statement. Let that be a part of your vision. If you cannot identify with the company's vision or accept it, you might as well not be there.

Keep sharpening your skill set. Take classes, workshop or training that will help you to be a better sales person. Buy books, CDs or DVDs that are geared towards better salesmanship. A good author on that subject is Zig Ziglar. You also want to have your own goals of where you want to be as a salesperson in five years, ten years or twenty years. You will then use those goals as a buffer to propel you in the right direction and to make you better year after year.

Believe in yourself and in your abilities. If you don't believe you can do it, no one else will do it for you. You have to encourage yourself and stay motivated. Be around positive people that will help you to see things in a new light. Never be too hard on yourself. If you make a sale, go out and treat yourself to a movie, dinner or something momentous. Accept any moment of failure because it is through your failures that you will learn to become a better sales person. It will give you enough tenacity to do better the next time around.