I know many of us wake up feeling the fourth quarter weighing down on chests, sales are down and frustration is up.  So what are we going to do to get that last 20% of our budget in before year end?  I can tell you what the superstars are going to do, build relationships.  I’m not talking about handing out more cards or showing up at networking events to stand in a corner hoping someone is magnetically drawn to your product/service.  I mean it’s time to use your competitive advantage and make people start to buy you!  Customers can be as finicky as they want and when they have all the choices in the world and whatever price they can dream up, good ole human nature still takes a big part in their decision process.  So use the human inclination to deal with people they like and trust to your advantage. 

Many of you folks have been so used to slinging proposals until one stuck that you may be great at creating bids/proposals but your people skills have gone to crap.  I know that if you put enough garbage through the strainer something will pop out worth keeping but who wants to sell like that?  It’s a tough row to hoe if you are looking at numbers to be your savior.  If being a great salesman were all about the math well then we’d already have sold everyone who needed selling, with the arithmetic capabilities today.  So why do they still need us?  I’ll tell you why, people still buy from people!  After you have had every Tom, Dick and Harry sling you their pitch it’s always nice to meet a genuine polite individual that truly seems like they can fog a mirror.  Folks your prospects are getting beat to death with calls by sales hacks and overdone, disconnected and impersonal marketing methods being used by drowning companies who have forgotten what creates revenue.  People partnering with people is what creates revenue.  So shine up your personality, study up on a few current events so you can be the black sheep of the flock by acting like a human being who doesn’t have a budget stick crammed up their rear end. 

Find out what your prospect enjoys, how old his son is and where he/she likes to have lunch.  Marketing yourself is all about impressions and positive ones at that.  Don’t act like there is a gun to your head and be relaxed with your customers, they are just as nervous as you are today.  Take a few cues from the local barber and listen to their stories, trials and tribulations because selling yourself is much more easily accomplished when you are a pal and not another “damn” salesman.  You have to be genuine though in your endeavor so don’t try and fake the funk because customers can smell it.  Tap into that side of yourself that still has a pulse and remembers what Christmas morning is like, find joy in the people around you, and become infectiously positive in negative times.   If a key client has been under the weather for a few days drop off a can of soup, look outside the box for ways to affect the hearts and minds of the people you depend on to make your living.  A can of chicken noodle soup with a business card at least shows first that you noticed and two that you cared.  Just like your high school friends, customers will fight for you if they think their buddy needs a hand.  Take a few minutes to get to know your current customers and prospects a little better, the more of a stranger you make your competition the tougher it will be for him/her to get their foot in your client’s door.

There are still some of us sales professionals out there that don’t fully appreciate the value of email and text messaging.  In today’s market you have to “touch” your customers and prospects as often as possible.  One way to do that is via email or text.

Many of your customers today are so busy trying to do the job of two people that they rarely have time for a phone conversation.  While number one I prefer face to face, number two phone conversation and three electronic communication sometimes you can’t have your first pick.  If you have a customer you know actively uses email or text then make sure you take advantage of this.  I feel email is the more impersonal way to touch base but it also doesn’t clutter the mind or frustrate a client as phone can do at the wrong time.  Text in my book is a tad more personal and you need to make sure your customer is inclined to allow you to text them.  The benefit of both means is that you aren’t bugging a contact and they can respond when they have time.  It’s much easier for a busy general manager to shoot you a quick reply while they are simultaneously replying to three other people than to pick up the phone and devote their energy to an actual call. 

You can get by emailing someone a lot more than you calling them as well, especially when it comes to prospects.  Another benefit to email is that there are a lot fewer gate keepers screening their bosses mail than phone calls.  I have found the people are much more likely to give their email address over their direct/mobile number as well.

So mix it up a bit and don’t forget to make that occasional visit or phone call, there is no substitute for face to face.  In the meantime burn up their email and if they don’t mind send a regular text.  Letting your client feel like they are in control of when they get back to you never hurts either. 

So if you are scared of texting ask your twelve year old I’m sure they are practically an expert.

Now I know many of you speak to countless prospects and customers on a daily basis but how many of you really hear what they are saying.  I also understand that listening to Mr. John Joe’s story about his terrible gout in 1963 just gets better after the tenth telling but don’t go glassy eyed and order a 12 inch versus a 15 inch widget.  Many of us get in too big a hurry to get out the door or off the phone and assume that we have created the right “fit”.  That’s fine and all if you sell one product and in one variety.  If you sell a complicated service or product details can be the death of a deal.

The bottom line to any sales career is that you, no matter how high and mighty you may think you are, ultimately you are at the service of your customer.  People pay additional for your unique ability to select and inform them about the product that is right for them.  Ultimately we are the servant of he or she who has the dough.  So take some pride in the job and if you find yourself getting bored after just a few questions of what color it comes in then find another career path.  Great sales people go to great lengths to understand their customer and in turn to get all the details of the deal squared away on the front end.  Customers remember the way they are handled and decide largely to do business with a person organization based on their buying experience.  How many times have you left a restaurant and thought the food was OK, but the service was great.  Sadly its usually the opposite and more folks will not return to eat a potentially great meal because their server was rude or forgot to leave off the mayo.  You may be wearing $200 shoes but really you are waiting tables. The better the job you do the better the commission/tip typically is. 

If all of us sales studs and studdettes would crank down our ego a bit, not too much because a portion is necessary, and treat each customer like they were our last, better sales would happen.  Part of what is wrong with our economy is exactly this, people forget how to sell.  First of all we think marketing is ancient secret hidden in some Indiana Jones style temple and uninterpretable by most.  Folks marketing is just telling your story in a way that reaches the masses, and the more interesting your story the more people want to hear it.  The other bane of our economic existence is the fact that we don’t remember how to get people to do business with us more than once.  Ill go into detail in this in another post but these are things that affected by attention to detail and our customer.

Just remember folks that if you your customer tells you about their colon issues, then there is a great chance you can make a sale.

Its easy to get on the “poor me” band wagon in today’s market where commission checks aren’t as healthy as they once were.  The problem with joining the sad sack crowd is that they are spending more time wining than squeezing every prospect they can for the dollars that are available.  So I guess we are going to have to work a little, boo hoo.  The reality is that so many people are on the misery train that those of us that have the sense to capitalize have tons of opportunity in front of us.  Keeping a positive attitude in tough times helps us have the clear head necessary to notice weaknesses in our competition and chinks int he armor of our targets.  Sure price may seem like the a barrier since many of our competitors are slashing prices just to make a deal stick, but don’t let that take away from your competitive advantage.  Knowing your product and now showing up at a customers door looking desperate will still win at the end of the day and if you get a no, find out why. 

As much as you may think price is still not why people buy.  Customers do business with confident, savvy organizations whose products fit their needs, the only obstacle is pairing your product with the right buyer.  Just let the the “Nos” run of your back like water off a duck and go after the next prospect.  If you start feeling the rejection blues, find some fresh ground to hunt on and lean on your peers/mentors for some perspective.  One of the most important things you can remember is that misery loves company so be careful of who you surround yourself with or the folks who are drowning can pull you down with them.  So stick with strong swimmers, seeing others succeed can give you the kick in pants we need to jolt us out of a rut.

Folks if you think that your personality and how you interact with customers and prospects doesn’t effect your closing rate, then maybe you need to take a different career path.  Today’s market is just going to get more competitive and price is not what is going to make sales.  Customer’s realize they are in a buyer’s market so they can afford to be critical of every step in your presentation, so being dry and boring are life threatening in regards to your sales career.  You must enjoy dealing with people and it has to show otherwise the customer will find someone who does.  Prospects want partners these days and if they have their choice they will partner with someone they enjoy interacting with.  You must engage the customer, tell good jokes and appear genuine all the time.  It doesn’t hurt to let the customer feel like they are in control either.  When it’s all  said and done, people buy from people.  I would much prefer to spend what I felt was a fair rate to work with a vendor who pals up to me and seems interested in my business.  With less money sitting on the table today, people are going to spend it with the most interesting and capable person they can.   So make sure your personality is energetic, respectful and encourages trust.  Just remember in this business, butt hole = unemployed.

So is it better to blast your market with bids or mercilessly track your target until you have the perfect oppotunity to strike?  Well the answer is both can work if you know yourself.   A sniper takes fewer shots but may have a higher rate of success but a sniper doesn’t have the firepower when a crushing, massive assault is required to break though the opposition.  The macine gunner may have brute force but often has to expend much more ammunition to generate hits.  The key is understanding your own strengths and minimizing weakness.  The reality is that we all have a style and a personality.  Some of this can be augmented with training and discipline but if we play into our comfort zone many times we are more effective.  Now comfort and complacent are two entirely different zones.  If you are a one shot one kill sales pro then work on refining this talent and make sure your organizational needs can accompdate and be successful with this tactic.  If you’re a brute force machine gunner then know that you are going to have to work harder and expend more ammo for the desired result.  The key is knowing which category you fall into and working with the grain but avoiding beating your head against the wall when the task requires you to step out of your comfort zone.  If you have ever seen Quigley Down Under, at the end he comments that just because he didn’t frequently use a pistol didn’t mean be couldn’t.  Don’t lay down your sniper rifle because times are tough, but at the same time pop off a few rounds on the the machine gun so you don’t forget to turn off the safety.

How many of you sales professionals stop when they see a “No Soliciting” sign, if you do then go get an admin job.  In my opinion I am a professional who has stopped by to enrich my customer’s business or personal life by counseling them on the benefits of a product or service they may not already own.  That sign may apply to girl scouts and the like but it has no meaning to me or anyone else selling professional products.  Besides if you were just a solicitor they wouldn’t be paying you the big bucks.  Your potential client could reap huge benefits from your product and if you don’t at least ask for the business well someone else is bound to get it.  Don’t let this little two word sign stop you at the door or you could have short career in this business.  Be bold and until you year “No” from someone that matters then drive on hero.

The media can be a very cost effective means of telling your story if you go about it the right way.  If you don’t know how to write a press release then shame on you.  I think every sales, marketing and business professional should know to properly write a press release in order to take advantage of the local and international need for news.  A well written release that is based on relevant, clear information can get you on the five o’clock news in a flash or a guest column in the local newspaper.  The key is selling the information on the release and not making it obvious that you are trying to make a pitch.  Maybe you write a column or a release based on a common issue that is resolved by the use of your product or service, then you as a subject matter expert can usually attach the name of your organization.  The key is going by the rules and writing the release in the standard format that you can pick up from the web.  Most editors are glad to receive input and will usually work with you as long your information is  of a consultative or informative nature.  The only cost is your time and a few phone calls/emails.  So don’t let your competitors get all of the free press.

I feel that the importance of your website and what it says to potential clients is huge.  Many folks still prescribe to the idea that a yellow page listing is going to corner the market for you, wrong.  My only advice as far as the yellow pages goes to make sure you have a bold print ad in each category that corresponds to your business and any more is a waste.

Today most folks get their information from the web.  The Internet is just like any  other endeavor, in that you get out what you put in.  If you have an early 90′s pixelated site then the folks that call you are probably looking for a deal.  On the other hand if you are going to take the time to do a professional product presentation in front of your customers then you should have a proper brand presentation on the web.  Invest a little money and have a professional design your sight as just another method to tell your organization’s story.  Make sure the developer embodies the culture of the organization and brand otherwise it can confuse the message.  Once you have that in order make sure to update your information in a regular basis, nothing is worse than a great site with a lot of dated or irrelevant information.  Think of it this way, you wouldn’t spend twelve bucks to dry clean a shirt and a pair of slacks just to wear a pair of muddy shoes with them, that single item can derail the whole appearance.  Forgetting to pay attention to your web presence can be the detail that costs you business and puts that single marinara stain on an otherwise perfectly white shirt.

I know that many folks out there enjoy the ease of selling over the phone or online depending on what you sell and the volume you are after but it doesn’t compare to being physically in front of the customer.  We have become such a disconnected people with the advent of so many impersonal means of contact.  That being said it is also much easier to give and accept a “No” through non confrontational means of selling.  Think about when you have to dole out real dollars versus swiping your debit card, there is a tangible pain when those green pieces of paper leave your hands but that plastic card doesn’t hurt so much.  The same is true with a customer, when you are sitting across the room from them they usually think a little more about why they are saying no and you are right there to overcome the objection.  I think emails are fine for standard contacts but you want every chance possible to be there in person when a decision is being made or any serious discussion that could influence the outcome.  So don’t give your prospects the easy way out, make them dread saying no to your face and you might get more yes’s.