Closing Techniques

Make the Competition Irrelevant
Is there an easy way to make the competition irrelevant? In an age with so much access to information, bombarded by advertisements and commercials, is it possible to keep the attention of your potential customers? What is the secret to help customers make an easy decision to buy? There is a secret formula that works for e-commerce, retail, bids and proposals. It is a simple formula that has worked since the days of bartering beads, beans and burrows. Create Differentiation Create differentiation within your own products or services. If you have an assortment of products or services to offer, you may have identified your differentiation already. Common examples of differentiation for products may be based on size, speed, color, components, combinations or accessories. Common examples of differentiation for services include speed, performance, quality, responsiveness, availability, ease or integration. If you are in the unique position of having only one product or service to offer potential customers then you should consider accessories, partners or other options to create a variety of levels from the perspective of your future customers. If all else fails, you can offer different levels of shipping speed or delivery. Focus on the Moment of Truth Focus on the moment of truth, the place or position that your products or services will be offered to the customer. In a retail environment this may be the end-cap, a wall display, shelf space or a counter display. On the Internet this may be an on-line store, e-bay or your personal web site. It may be in a catalog or a brochure. It could even be part of an email communication. Occasionally the moment of truth may be in the form of a bid or proposal after several months of discussions with a potential client. The moment of truth is the moment that the customer has a an option to make a purchase decision, to buy your products, invest in your services or hire you. This is the moment that you need to put your good, better and best foot forward. Good, Better and Best Give your customer three options. Show them something good, show them something better and show them your best. It is a simple formula that takes a little care and creativity in crafting your message. The three offers should be based on the foundation of a consistent theme, the single most important underlying reason to invest in your products or services. The 'good' product or service should be the lowest cost option but still demonstrate your inherent value and differentiation from the competition. You should be able to clearly define your value, the features, advantages and benefits of what you have to offer. This is the customer minimum investment to buy, and it should be a good one. Step up to better. Using the foundation established with your 'good' offer, add something more for a slightly higher price. The customer value should be easily distinguished and highlighted as more significant than the slightly increased price. Make a clear comparison to the "good" product or service. This should be a preferred alternative for the potential customer. The option should be slightly more expensive, but worth it. Some examples may include, "with additional 1GB memory", "includes six months of Satellite Radio", "bundle package includes download of 50 songs", "50% faster than the original", and similar comparisons. Show them your best. The third option should be the best that you have to offer, the cream of the crop. This is the most expensive option and will only be selected by the most exclusive of customers. It should also have something in common with the original "good" option and the "better" option, but the third and final option should be recognizable the best you have to offer. The price may be significantly higher than the other two options, and that is fine. Demonstrating a significant leap to a higher price point for the top of the line option will help to differentiate the cost value of the other two options. Do not expect large volume of sales on the best offer. Rather, use this to demonstrate competitive advantage and differentiation with the "wow" factor. Even if you have hundreds of customized solutions or products, select and present three options, good, better and best. In the decision process, human beings can easily compare and contrast three options. The mind can juggle three prices and three sets of features for a quick and easy decision process. Once you add a fourth element, the customer needs to start a deeper level of analytical comparison. If you have too many options then the customer will need to spend more time to consider the alternatives, and while they are weighing your multiple options they may start to consider the competition as well. Limit your presentation to three options. If the customer makes a specific request for an alternative, then provide the alternative that the customer has requested, but avoid introducing too many new variables unless asked. The more factors in a decision, the longer the process and the more likely to turn your "Moment of Truth" into a Lapse into Confusion. The Value Proposition For each option that you present to the potential customer, provide a value proposition. Your value proposition should be something that can be conveyed in three to five bullet points, three to five sentences, or spoken in thirty seconds or less. You should be precise and succinct. Present the value proposition from the customer point of view. For example, rather than say "we ship in three to five days", you could say "the product will typically arrive at your door in three to five days". Rather than say "we have the fastest process", you could say "our process is fast, so you get results faster". A value proposition typically contains the essential elements of Feature, Advantage, Benefit, Image and Offer. This is a reference to a specific important feature of your offer, the advantage as compared to the competition, and the benefit to the customer. The Image refers to a photograph or diagram. The Image is an important element of your value proposition, as people will generally remember an image more readily than words. Images convey feeling, and typically depict a lifestyle example of the customer enjoying the benefits of the feature's advantage. The Offer is a call to action. Give your customer an offer to buy, and let them know specifically how to conduct the purchase. Examples of the order call to action are "buy now", "limited time discount" or a number to call to place the order by phone. An example of the value proposition with the essential elements is "Call now to order the self-cleaning home brew coffee maker and start enjoying fresh, hot coffee with the extra convenience of no fuss, no muss and no clean-up. Order on-line to receive your free sample of assorted coffees, available while supplies last." All we need to complete this enticing offer is an image of hands gently caressing an aromatic steaming cup of coffee, cradled over a saucer. Plan, Do, Measure and Adjust Carefully plan your three offers and the value proposition for each. Once you introduce your three offers, measure the success rate of each option by the corresponding sales attach rate. Typically the "good" offer should be about 25% of your sales, and the "best" offer is normally only 15% of your sales. Some customers will want the lowest cost option, and some will want to be exclusive and purchase the best option regardless of price. The middle of the road "better" offer is customarily the lion share at 60% of your total sales. Most customers are willing to pay a little more for quality, speed or convenience associated with the "better" offer if presented properly, even if they do not want to pay the high price of the "best" option. The "better" alternative gives customers a chance to do a little better than "good", but still feel that they saved money as compared to the outrageously priced "best" option. If you do not experience the desired result in mix of sales then it may be necessary to adjust your plan or your value propositions. In any case, as long as the customers continue to make a selection between your options, the competition is irrelevant. Your customers can get what they want, and they will remain your customers. ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "No computer network with pretty graphics can ever replace the salespeople that make our society work." - Clifford Stoll, Silicon Snake Oil, 1995 "You can only cure retail but you can prevent wholesale." - Brock Chisholm "Give your customer three options that they can compare without memorization. Make it quick, make it easy, and add value. - Just like that." - John Mehrmann ______________________________________________________ About the Author: John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Are You Marketing or Selling?
Once upon a time there was a deaf salesman named Aesop. He tried to sell his wares to the blind brothers Grimm, but no matter how much he elaborated on the features of his wares, the brothers Grimm could not see the benefits. The brothers tried to explain to Aesop that they could not see the features that he described so eloquently, and that they would like to hold the wares so they could appreciate them from their own perspectives. Unfortunately, Aesop was busy talking and could not hear their requests, so the parties separated in mutual frustration and disappointment. How could the grim results of this fable be avoided? There are two schools of sales, these are Fishing with a Big Net and the Fly Fisherman. Fishing with a Big Net requires an investment in marketing, continually disseminating your message about features and hoping that you will catch some consumers. Imagine dropping a big net of the side of your boat and hoping that when you pull it up that you will have some small fish inside it. If you drop a small net, you might catch a few fish. If you want an abundance of fish then you need to invest in a bigger net and be prepared to cast it repeatedly in different waters. On the other hand, if you are a Fly Fisherman, you take pride in preparing very specific and customized lures in the right waters to catch the big fish. It requires patience and precision to cast your line in the right place and gradually pull the big fish to shore. There is an art to the cast, and also to the give and take that it takes to reel in the reward. Being a fly fisherman requires patience and skill. If you have direct contact with potential clients or customers, then stop selling and start listening. There is a fundamental flaw in the perception of sales that any person or organization can be sold at any time. This fundamental flaw presumes that people are trophies to be won, and does not recognize the human element of relationships that is so important to being an effective sales professional. If you would like to increase your effectiveness in sales, know what you have to offer and listen to what the customer has to tell you. The customer has needs, budget, schedules and personal goals. If the items that you have to offer can fit into the customer plans, then you can work together to integrate your solution with their needs. Otherwise, you are trying to sell a hairbrush to a bald man, and the features don't really matter. If your focus is the intent to convey your message, your features and your benefits, then you have just limited the potential for your success. Most customers don't really care very much about what you have to offer to everyone else, they are really interested in understanding if what you have to offer can meet their personal requirements. This presumes that you have taken the time to listen and understand what their requirements are! If the customer asks about you or your product and indicates interest, then tell them. Sometimes this is an intent for the customer to determine if they can trust you, and sometimes it is an interest in your product. Listen to the customer so you can tell the difference and respond accordingly. If the customer is hesitant, take time to build trust. It is more important to be trusted than to close a sale. Trust creates an opportunity for a future relationship and potential for more sales opportunities. Without trust, you may or may not be successful with the one time sale. if the customer wants to talk then listen. Encourage the customer to engage in conversation. Take time to learn what is important to them, what they value, their goals, their budget and their schedule. Sometimes the sales event is near at hand, and sometimes it is something that will come in time. Be patient and prepared to move at the pace of your client or customer and your pipeline will always be full. If the customer pauses in conversation then wait for them. A pause in conversation is an opportunity for internal reflection and introspection. Far too often professional sales people feel compelled to fill a gap in conversation with a sudden burst of feature descriptions. It is far better to nurture the silence and allow the customer time to contemplate the conversation. This means that the message is being digested and thoughtfully considered, this is a good thing. Even if your customers are blind to the features of your wares, you can be a successful sales professional if you listen to your customers. You are asking your customers to make some sort of purchase, to trust you with an investment of their hard earned money. Big or small, one time sale or renewing contract, you are asking for their trust and confidence in you. What better way to build trust than to give the gift of your interest in that person? What better way to demonstrate your interest than to listen to what they have to say? ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "We've all heard the criticism "he talks too much". When was the last time you heard someone criticized for listening too much?" - Norm Augustine, Chairman, Lockheed Martin "Listen carefully for personal values expressed within the spoken words and you will discover the intent as well as the meaning." - John Mehrmann, Executive Blueprints Inc "Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery." - Dr. Joyce Brothers ______________________________________________________ About the Author: John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital. www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com provides resource materials for trainers, sample Case Studies, educational articles and references to local affiliates for consulting and executive coaching. http://www.InstituteforAdvancedLeadership.com provides self-paced tutorials for personal development and tools for trainers. Presentation materials, reference guides and exercises are available for continuous development.

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Conference Calling Can Save Your Sales Organization Time and Money
Conference calling can save you money. There is no doubt that in the sales business, every second counts. Whether it be training, sales meetings, or other needs, pulling your employees away from the sales opportunities even for these important tasks, cuts down on the time they can be making you money. If you take the first step and try using conference calling, you may just find yourself saving money and making money. Let's point out some of the features and benefits of using conference calling here: Consider the costs of training individuals. You need to fly them to your location. You need to invest the money in teachers, a place to teach them, and the products used. Then, you still need to pay for their lodgings and maybe even their food. This is costly. Even if it is a simple one day training, you still have invested quite a bit of money. Now, what if you could get all of the training in that you need through a conference call? You still provide the training experience to your potential new sales team, but allow them to remain at their current location. With conference calling, you save money by not having to move people around while still delivering a one on one training experience. Secondly, you keep your employees were they need to be- on the sales floor. You don't have to invest in much time away from the business at all. You do the training through the conference call and they are right back to work after the call. Not much time is wasted then, and profits can immediately improve. You can hold many people on the call at the same time. There is the potential for many people to get on it and therefore, you can address a large group of people or only a few. Consider using conference calling for your sales meetings as well. Again, you provide the information that is needed to reach your sales team while keeping them on the floor, working those sales. It just makes sense to use conference calling to save yourself travel time and money as well. Plus, you can have associates across the state, country, or even the world plug in to the call. All of their input can be provided, then to all other associates. As you can see, there are many reasons to use conference calling in the world of sales. Let us face the facts that time is money. You save both when you incorporate this system into your training, sales meetings, and staff meetings. Your employees can take what they have learned and apply it only minutes later when they get back to work. This effective means of communication is also quite affordably priced. When you factor in the amount of money you are saving from travel expenses, it gets even better! Conference calling is a simple system that can potentially save you quite a bit of money! See how it can benefit you, right now!

Tom Parker has put together a website to help people who want to have a conference call and made it affordable for everyone! http://www.affordableconferencing.com is your place for reliable, affordable, reservationless teleconference lines for easy hosting. Go and check out the rates and get your conference started today! http://www.affordableconferencing.com

What is Consultative Selling?
Consultative selling sales training courses are becoming increasingly popular. Even other sales training classes and sales coaching classes are offering consultative selling as a part of the curriculum. So, what is consultative selling? As any of these sales training courses will tell you consultative selling is a type of selling in which the selling is based on customer needs rather. It is a non-manipulative process. The focus here is not on product. Instead a client’s need is clearly defined and the client’s needs and objectives are addressed jointly. So, what is the difference between traditional selling and consultative selling? As any sales coaching manual or sales training manual will tell you in simple words, traditional selling is based on the need to sell an already existing product whereas in consultative selling the emphasis is on meeting the needs of a customer by developing a solution to those needs. This solution can be a product or a service or a combination of both. In traditional selling the sales person has to explain the features of the existing product or service and convince the customer that they need these features. In effect traditional selling is manipulative whereas consultative selling is the opposite. The sales person has to wait till the end of the presentation to know whether a person is going to buy his product or not in traditional selling. In consultative selling this problem is not there. You go for any sales training courses or sales coaching classes you will here these words “Customer is king”. This is true for consultative selling as well. The difference is that you first get to know your customer before you develop a product. This is especially important if your company is offering financial services. Knowing the client will also help you in assessing the financial well being of the company. To do this you should be able to ask the correct questions and to listen to the person at the opposite end. For instance if you are offering financial solutions some of the questions could be • How many years have you been investing? • What types of investments have you purchased before (for example, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and variable or fixed annuities)? Do not ask open ended questions initially rather ask questions that are useful for information gathering. Later you can ask more open ended questions. At this stage you are not expected to offer an opinion and it is best you don’t. This is only the preliminary stage. Many sales training courses try to make consultative selling sound as though it is a panacea to all evils. It is not a magic potion that is going to make your company profit rise in laps and bounds. There will be a difference but it will take time. A good sales training course will tell you this. It will also tell you that however hard you have worked to satisfy the customer by designing a solution that is suitable to the clients need; the client is going to have some objections to the plan. It is a part of the game. Clients may feel that the investment that they are required to make is not commensurate with the solution that they will be getting. They might have some preconceived notions about certain type of products. They might be hesitant about committing to a program. How can you deal with them? The best way to deal with this is to restate them. This will make the clients explain why they have the objections. Once the objections are clear you can address them. Sometimes, as the client explains his/her objection he/she might realize that the objections are not valid ones and they might just withdraw them. The most important part is the actual implementation of a solution. This is the time when the customer starts getting doubts as he/she starts getting unsolicited advice from well wishers. So, it is imperative to ensure that you are to see to it that the process doesn’t get derailed. If you get a chance to attend a sales training course or sales coaching course that offers consultative selling, don’t hesitate, just go ahead and make maximum use of it. Remember to make hay while the sun shines.

Sean McPheat provides <a href="http://www.mtdsalestraining.com/sales_coaching.html" target="_blank">sales coaching</a>, <a href="http://www.mtdsalestraining.com/inhouse.htm" target="_blank">sales training courses</a> and sales consulting to a number of businesses around the globe. He is the owner of MTD Sales Training and designs and delivers <a href="http://www.mtdsalestraining.com" target="_blank">sales training</a>, programmes and consultancy assignments across the UK, Europe, US .

Are You Marketing or Selling?
Once upon a time there was a deaf salesman named Aesop. He tried to sell his wares to the blind brothers Grimm, but no matter how much he elaborated on the features of his wares, the brothers Grimm could not see the benefits. The brothers tried to explain to Aesop that they could not see the features that he described so eloquently, and that they would like to hold the wares so they could appreciate them from their own perspectives. Unfortunately, Aesop was busy talking and could not hear their requests, so the parties separated in mutual frustration and disappointment. How could the grim results of this fable be avoided? There are two schools of sales, these are Fishing with a Big Net and the Fly Fisherman. Fishing with a Big Net requires an investment in marketing, continually disseminating your message about features and hoping that you will catch some consumers. Imagine dropping a big net of the side of your boat and hoping that when you pull it up that you will have some small fish inside it. If you drop a small net, you might catch a few fish. If you want an abundance of fish then you need to invest in a bigger net and be prepared to cast it repeatedly in different waters. On the other hand, if you are a Fly Fisherman, you take pride in preparing very specific and customized lures in the right waters to catch the big fish. It requires patience and precision to cast your line in the right place and gradually pull the big fish to shore. There is an art to the cast, and also to the give and take that it takes to reel in the reward. Being a fly fisherman requires patience and skill. If you have direct contact with potential clients or customers, then stop selling and start listening. There is a fundamental flaw in the perception of sales that any person or organization can be sold at any time. This fundamental flaw presumes that people are trophies to be won, and does not recognize the human element of relationships that is so important to being an effective sales professional. If you would like to increase your effectiveness in sales, know what you have to offer and listen to what the customer has to tell you. The customer has needs, budget, schedules and personal goals. If the items that you have to offer can fit into the customer plans, then you can work together to integrate your solution with their needs. Otherwise, you are trying to sell a hairbrush to a bald man, and the features don't really matter. If your focus is the intent to convey your message, your features and your benefits, then you have just limited the potential for your success. Most customers don't really care very much about what you have to offer to everyone else, they are really interested in understanding if what you have to offer can meet their personal requirements. This presumes that you have taken the time to listen and understand what their requirements are! If the customer asks about you or your product and indicates interest, then tell them. Sometimes this is an intent for the customer to determine if they can trust you, and sometimes it is an interest in your product. Listen to the customer so you can tell the difference and respond accordingly. If the customer is hesitant, take time to build trust. It is more important to be trusted than to close a sale. Trust creates an opportunity for a future relationship and potential for more sales opportunities. Without trust, you may or may not be successful with the one time sale. if the customer wants to talk then listen. Encourage the customer to engage in conversation. Take time to learn what is important to them, what they value, their goals, their budget and their schedule. Sometimes the sales event is near at hand, and sometimes it is something that will come in time. Be patient and prepared to move at the pace of your client or customer and your pipeline will always be full. If the customer pauses in conversation then wait for them. A pause in conversation is an opportunity for internal reflection and introspection. Far too often professional sales people feel compelled to fill a gap in conversation with a sudden burst of feature descriptions. It is far better to nurture the silence and allow the customer time to contemplate the conversation. This means that the message is being digested and thoughtfully considered, this is a good thing. Even if your customers are blind to the features of your wares, you can be a successful sales professional if you listen to your customers. You are asking your customers to make some sort of purchase, to trust you with an investment of their hard earned money. Big or small, one time sale or renewing contract, you are asking for their trust and confidence in you. What better way to build trust than to give the gift of your interest in that person? What better way to demonstrate your interest than to listen to what they have to say? ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "We've all heard the criticism "he talks too much". When was the last time you heard someone criticized for listening too much?" - Norm Augustine, Chairman, Lockheed Martin "Listen carefully for personal values expressed within the spoken words and you will discover the intent as well as the meaning." - John Mehrmann, Executive Blueprints Inc "Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery." - Dr. Joyce Brothers ______________________________________________________ About the Author: John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital. www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com provides resource materials for trainers, sample Case Studies, educational articles and references to local affiliates for consulting and executive coaching. http://www.InstituteforAdvancedLeadership.com provides self-paced tutorials for personal development and tools for trainers. Presentation materials, reference guides and exercises are available for continuous development.

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

The Word "But"
You may not think so but in a sale every word you use is crucial. One word that you should be careful with in a sale is “but”. When you say the word “but” you are saying: on the contrary. For example, “This product is easy to use “but” have you worked with anything like it before?” When you say “but” it indicates what you just said before was false. You never want to have your customer second guess you, right? You know in a sale you want the client to trust you 100% of the time. Of course there are different forms of the word “but”, but when you use it in between two sentences that is where you make your mistake. When you do so it sounds like you are second guessing yourself. In all sales you make, you want to come across very confidante and secure about what you are telling your client. If they think you aren’t sure about your own product, then why should they be? You want your customer to be as confidant about the product as you are. This way you two are on the same level. If you find yourself using the word “but” a lot you may want to try just making two different sentences like: You want to order this as soon as possible so you can start helping yourself out. The product will be sent in the next month. Instead of: You want to order this as soon as possible so you can start helping yourself out but the product will be sent in the next month. Doesn’t eliminating the word “but” make you sound more confidant? This is a very simple change to make that will increase your sales. Your customer will be just as confidant in the product as you are. Go Get’Em!

Richard Cannon, The TeleSales Recruiter started selling candy in school when he was 8 years old. He’s been selling ever since. In his 30’s he was looking for a sales job he could do from home that was in line with his purpose. He looked and looked and couldn’t find the right one. He swore some day he would make it easier for people to find great sales jobs they can do from home. He built a crew of work from home people, but couldn’t help everyone because they were not all passionate about what he was selling. So now, he assist’s salespeople in figuring out what their purpose is. Then he finds them an opportunity that is in line with that purpose. Now they make more money selling something they love. For more information, visit Cannon’s site at http://www.telesalesrecruiter.com

Rod Stinson's Free Teleseminar Is Showing Thousands How To Make $500 A Day
Less than three short months ago, a new 1Step System was born with a very real potential for generating a great deal of income in a short time. Co -founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have brought this opportunity to people all over the world. Many are joining now because the company is still in its infancy, which from a marketing standpoint is surely the best time to get on board.

What makes this business opportunity so attractive is that it is so easy. It is appropriately called the 1 Step System. It stands to reason, the more an individual puts in to their business, the more he or she will get out of it, however, your early efforts in the beginning stages can easily provide at least some income while you lay back and observe.

Everyone knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch, however, I haven't seen another business opportunity where start-up costs can so easily be recouped in such a short time and profit starts rolling in. From those who have no experience, to the most seasoned marketer, its a great opportunity to see a steady cash flow in a relatively short time. It's also a great way to earn extra income at home. Those with years of Internet marketing experience are calling it a brilliant concept designed for building wealth for anyone who is savvy enough to see its earning potential.

Our experience has revealed that to many entrepreneurs out to earn extra money from home, have fallen victim to deceptive and greedy get rich quick scams that guarantee your success. This business sets itself far apart from those, and what is so refreshing about the 1 Step System is there is no selling, no phone calls, no explaining, no answering questions and no closing. Most of the work is done for you. It's a fact, co-founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have taken the 'Net by storm. It's nice knowing that with this business, anyone, regardless of their experience or background, has the same chance for financial independence.

For more information visit:
http://www.1stepsystem-premier.com
and, for your FREE EBOOK detailing the fastest and easiest way to the top of the search engines, visit:
http://www.ride-to-the-top.com

PJ Riley has given away many a FREE E-BOOK detailing the simplicity of making your way to the top of the search engines. See http://www.ride-to-the-top.com He has been reporting on new business opportunities for many years. He's not afraid to speak what's on his mind. He will be the first to tell you if it's a golden opportunity, but has had numerous occasion to report a scam in the making.

Sales Through Storytelling: Story Tell, Story Sell!
An old French proverb tells us "Nothing succeeds like success!" And in sales nothing succeeds quite like success stories. Are you sharing yours? Why not? The secret is in how you share your successes.

Learn to tell thirty-second "success stories." During sales calls a quick-hitting story can make or reinforce a point in memorable fashion. Success stories may be told in response to a question, to serve as a testimonial, or even as an aside. Did you know you had a storied past?

Stories work for several reasons: they're more memorable than numbers, names and dates; and listeners enjoy the drama: a problem followed by a solution, a mystery solved with a twist, or a creative workaround to a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Also, your listener can find him or herself in the story. A good story will resonate with prospects.

"We're wired for stories, individually and collectively. Since the time of Odysseus we've been told stories. Since we were little kids we've been read and told stories. This is how we’ve been conditioned to learn; our morals and our values are taught through stories." So says Gay Ducey, past president of the National Storytelling Association.

Look at your sales history and pick out an accomplishment. Now tell the story behind the accomplishment. It states that you helped a past client increased sales 60%. But tell how you did it; Cite a "before vs. after" description. What was the secret? Stories that reveal secrets captivate.

The Three S's of Success Stories

Success stories offer a setting, a situation and a solution. Remember, you're the hero of your stories. Your decisions, actions and insights made the difference.

Here is an example:

"We recently received a call from a merchant unhappy with their current vendor. They were paying high fees, receiving poor service and experiencing frequent security breaches. In short order we were able to launch a wireless processing system that was more secure, more reliable and even less expensive. Through customization we were able to address their foreign and domestic needs, a strength of ours."

Not only does this success story demonstrate an independent sales organization's ability to solve problems, it showcases an understanding of business, markets and methods.

Stories can demonstrate your professionalism, customer service, researching ability, creativity, problem-solving inclination or other strengths.

Consider this story for a job-seeker:

Here is an example of how one candidate summarized his most recent employment for a competitor

"In my last job I was hired to manage a production department at war with the editorial department. I walked into an environment full of distrust and resentment, built up over years of animosities and recriminations. Through my implementation of cross training between departments, initiation of mutual social outings such as picnics and scheduling of project post-mortems we were able, after 6 months, to convert resentment into understanding and competition into cooperation. As each department began to understand how the other one worked we were jointly able to improve the workflow and consequently shorten time to market with publications. Even quality improved as we better understood how best to work together. That showed me the importance of internal communication and how hard it can be, though not impossible, to change an existing culture."

Not only does this success story demonstrate the candidate's ability to solve problems, but it shows interviewers the candidate's understanding of interoffice politics and the human side of operations.

Stories can demonstrate your detail orientation, dedication, leadership, independence, researching ability, creativity, serice or problem-solving inclination. Remember that employers want well rounded hires so make sure they see evidence of your varied skill set. Here are a few examples:

• Your conversion of old equipment into new uses shows you can think outside the box and are resourceful.

• The non-monetary ways you recognized your staff shows your creativity, abilities as a leader as you demonstrate your understanding of how to motivate others.

• The weekly internal E-letter you created for employees not only boosted morale, it gave evidence of your strong communication skills.

• The canned food drive you initiated at your last job not only showed your commitment to your community, it also raised visibility for the company and improved their public relations.

• By forming a lunchtime jogging club you helped bring employees from different departments together while improving the health, and mental health, of employees who participated. Your leadership and team building skills were further evidenced when your runners club formed a Centipede in the recent Bay to Breakers race.

• Your multilingual skills helped aright a project suffering from miscommunication between subsidiaries from overseas. Not only could you translate phrases and idioms of speech, your insight into cultural differences bridged a gap and corrected a wayward project. More than showcasing your knowledge of languages, you demonstrated the ability to liaison between different groups, negotiate and turn an important project around.

Here are a few examples:

• Your analysis of existing processing statements and identification of cost savings

• Your experience with a variety of systems and payment methods: credit, debit, phone and gift cards, etc.

• Your skill in designing billing systems that cross borders and time zones and convert currencies"

Best yet, this Story Tell, Story Sell method works for sales, management, consultants, meeting planners, solopreneurs and even politicians. I know, I've coached them!

Review your past work history and identify the stories within each accomplishment. Now tell them to others. Don’t forget the moral to your story: the point the story tells about you (and your firm), your skills and credits. And remember, yours is a never-ending story!



As a self-employed speaker, trainer and consultant on communication and customer service topics, Craig Harrison is simultaneously a decision maker, gatekeeper and caller on a daily basis. Craig is standing by to take your calls and e-mails: (510) 547-0664, or via Excellence@craigspeaks.com. Visit his website at http://www.ExpressionsOfExcellence.com.

Have You Seen This ???
I stumbled upon a very interesting website recently. I've been spending some
time going through it and personally,I feel it's a very useful site... I even
learnt a couple of new things! Just thought it might be useful for you too.

There's also some cool movie-style animation on the website for you to watch.

You don’t want to miss this.

Check it out, it's at http://www.preenroller.com/pramod

Cheers:
Pramod kumar shah
http://www.preenroller.com/pramod

I am associated with a company called SkyQuetCom. You can visit our website: http://www.skyquestcom.com/pramod

Empathizing With Your Customer
When your customer has a question or concern you have to let them know you care; empathize with them. Tell them “I understand”, or “I can see how you might feel that way”. Have you ever had a salesperson tell you that you were wrong? I was on the market for a recliner. My wife and I wanted something really nice so we went to a higher end store to purchase. I sat in a chair and the sales clerk said, “How do you like that one?” I told him, “I don’t think it’s all that comfortable.” He came back at me and said, “You’re not sitting in it right?” Immediately I put my guard up and was opposed to any advice he continued to give me. Of course we did not end up buying from that store. Don’t be confrontational with your customers. Your customer will immediately lose interest in you. Rater than throwing a rebuttal towards me the sales clerk should have taken what I said into consideration. He could have said, “I understand how you would feel that way, I found by sitting in it this way it seems to be more comfortable. Try it and see what you think.” By doing this and not arguing I probably would have found a way to sit in the chair comfortably and bought it. When you emphasize with someone their guard comes down. They then realize that you are not just out to get the sale but to make them happy. When you immediately hit somebody with a rebuttal they set up a guard against you. Next time you get a concern from a customer make sure you emphasize with them and take what they say into consideration. Go Get ‘Em!

Richard Cannon, The TeleSales Recruiter started selling candy in school when he was 8 years old. He’s been selling ever since. In his 30’s he was looking for a sales job he could do from home that was in line with his purpose. He looked and looked and couldn’t find the right one. He swore some day he would make it easier for people to find great sales jobs they can do from home. He built a crew of work from home people, but couldn’t help everyone because they were not all passionate about what he was selling. So now, he assist’s salespeople in figuring out what their purpose is. Then he finds them an opportunity that is in line with that purpose. Now they make more money selling something they love. For more information, visit Cannon’s site at http://www.telesalesrecruiter.com