To help you reach your sales goals
Archive for August, 2009
10 easy steps to find a CEO using Social Media: “Peel (back) the onion”
Aug 19th
10 easy steps to find a CEO using Social Media: “Peel (back) the onion”
Step 1: Go to prospects website and register for any newsletter to get up to date information.
Step 2: On their website search for any Social Media; Twitter, LinkedIn and join their accounts.
Step 3: Go to LinkedIn and do a Company search.
Step 4: Search by name and see how you are connected with them. XYZ CEO and how you’re connected to XYZ CEO?
Step 5: Reach out to your direct connection and get introduced through a connection, to XYZ CEO. When viewing his profile; look for common interests; groups, schools, books they are reading etc…
Step 6: Go to Twitter.com and run a Company search. (None) If listed Follow. Look at who the Company is following and develop/search for common interests so you are prepared to converse. Look at their tweets and continue your research process.
Step 7: On Twitter.com search for XYZ CEO. (None) If listed Follow. Look at who the person is following and develop/search for common interests so you are prepared to converse. Look at their tweets and get a feel for what the person is thinking.
Step 8: On Twitter.com search for Groups that XYZ CEO was a member. Look at their tweets and learn more about what they are doing to develop common interest. (Join the ones that you are interested in or think might be important to your prospect)
Step 9: If they like your Twitter account, they will follow you back. (Auto-Follower) (Tweet-Later)
Step 10: If they follow you back you will have the ability to send them a direct message. Send a personalized note, not a sales pitch to your prospect.
Now you have a direct connection to your prospect.
Update your status often on new information, quotes etc…..
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Its in the details, thats where it counts!
Aug 14th
I recently went to get my car washed at Delta Sonic. They always seem to be taking it to the next level in service and sales.
I was amazed to see now when they hand wipe your car off, they use an air compressor to blow air into your side mirrors to get all the water out behind the mirrors.
The water behind the mirrors would always come out after you pulled away, this always did always bother me. The water would drip and run all over the car even after they wiped it and leave water marks behind.
Now no water marks on the side of the car and to the customer it is viewed as they are paying attention to the details….
They solved a problem and increased customer excellence!
Do you look for ways to make a difference and add value and go above and beyond? If so tell me.
Listening
Aug 9th
I was recently in Vancouver, spectacular city. As you know the 2010 Olympics will be there and the city is booming with excitement.
I was on my way home and had to buy a last minute souvenir and of course I forgot to buy it outside the airport. So I knew I was going to pay a reasonable price, NOT! I found my item that I wanted to purchase and the kind lady was cashing me out, she spoke broken English, but I was patient. She asked me where am I going and how did I get here? I was confused about the question from a cashier after all I had already gone through customs. I said on my way to Rochester and then she asked me again, how did you get here? I still was confused and her English was hard to understand. I smiled and I said could you repeat your question? She slowed down and said how did I get here?
I said Taxi. She goes that is the right answer! And she got all happy to give me a free gift valued at $16.00. I said thank you!! that is very kind of you. I said I would like to purchase this as well. She was surprised that I would still purchase my original item because I just won her gift, we created a win/win.
I guess the lesson I received from the experience is so many times people get defensive right off the bat in communication. They raise their voice at each other when there is a language barrier and practice no listening skills. If you slow things down and smile the world would be a better place.
Practice active listening the next time you bump into a person that does not speak the same way as you; and you might end up getting a free gift as well.
10 Ways to Make Networking Work
Aug 8th
10 Ways to Make Networking Work
Make no mistake. Networking is a great way to meet a lot of business professionals at one time. Networking events allow people to put a face and personality to your business. But like everything, there is a right way and a wrong way.
If your networking persona is amiss you risk wasting your time and worse, wasting someone else’s. Follow these 10 guidelines to maximize and polish your networking efforts.
- Be prepared. Bring a lot of business cards and stash them where you can easily retrieve them.
- Arrive 5 minutes early. It will give you some time to relax.
- Have a goal. Do you want 2, 3, or 5 new contacts? Remember, a contact is not simply introducing yourself, talking about your business, then forking over a business card.
- Rehearse your elevator speech beforehand.
- Make the effort to go over to and say hello to new people, they are nervous as well.
- Listen to people and their conversations and encourage synergy.
- Take notes on the back of their business card, what you talked about etc…
- Collect cards. Keep cards from those you think can assist your business and those you can help (pass along a referral, a book, etc.) People remember good deeds.
- Have a plan with the contacts you made. At a minimum follow-up with an email or phone call and remind them how much you enjoyed speaking with them. Or, offer to meet for coffee, take it to the next level to learn more about them.
- Have fun with it, be happy and ask great questions.
How about you? What’s your favorite thing about networking events? What about your least?
Failing to Plan or Planning to Fail
Aug 8th
Failing to Plan or Planning to Fail
As you walk into the room to meet a hot prospect I’m pretty sure you aren’t planning for failure. But if you failed to plan then that’s exactly what you’ve set yourself up to accomplish. The irony is the fact that the only thing separating you from success is about 20 minutes.
Take 20 minutes to do your homework. Your efforts will make a strong first impression, increase your credibility, and improve your chance of earning their trust…and business. Here are 10 steps to 20 minutes of successful planning:
- Send out an email confirming the time, location and agenda.
- Google your potential client’s personal name and business.
- Ask colleagues or associates if they’ve heard of XYZ. Use this information to personalize your familiarity with your prospect’s company. “My colleague Sarah mentioned reading a favorable review on your product. I want to pass along the compliment.”
- Mention the client’s website at your first appointment. “I took some time to check out your Web site. I could really relate to your commitment on providing ___________ to your customers.”
- Search LinkedIn to see if they are already connected to you in some fashion. “Were you aware we share some people in the same network?”
- Mention other existing clients in your prospect’s specialization to build confidence. “I find my manufacturing clients face similar sets of issues.”
- Prepare your questions before your meeting and anticipate possible objections. “In the beginning some of my clients are concerned about time commitments. Then they realize the efficiency I bring to their systems.”
- Confirm appointment 24-48 hours in advance; leave a voice mail after hours.
- Gather your information folder or other leave-behind marketing materials.
- Take careful notes during your meeting for follow-up. Including a thank you letter that recaps the details of your meeting. (Okay, technically not an action for preparation but it’s too important to exclude from this list).
All of the above can be done in about 20 minutes and will make all the difference in the world.
Do you have anything you can add to this list? We welcome your comments.
