Interview with Jill Konrath, author of Snap Selling

Jill Konrath, author of Snap Selling

1) Let's begin talking about your book. In a short sentence, Jill, who should read Snap Selling? 

Salespeople, entrepreneurs, consultants who sell to into the business marketplace.

2) What's the book's biggest lesson?  

Fresh sales approaches are needed to be successful in today's business environment. Traditional selling skills are no longer sufficient for selling to crazy-busy people. 

3) Besides yours, what other sales books would you recommend? 

These are just a few I would recommend. But I honestly like a whole bunch.

- Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play, Mahan Khalsa

- Dirty Little Secrets, Sharon Drew Morgen

- Winning the Professional Services Sale, Mike McLaughlin

- Metaphorically Selling, Anne Miller

- Selling Change, Brett Clay

4) What's the first thing someone should do after reading and putting down your book?

Go to my www.snapselling.com website, download the Buyer's Matrix and work on completing it. (Editor's note: you have to sign up first).

Understanding this info about your buyer is essential to capturing their attention and winning the business.

www.snapselling.com

About you:

5) What was your toughest sale ever? 

The one where I won the business, but lost it. After a grueling process competing for a telcom's sales training business, I was told that they loved me, loved my program and felt it was far superior to the others -- but they were going with the competitor anyways. 

Their reason? I was a small company and if I got hit by a Mack truck their whole sales training investment was at risk.

6) Most memorable sale? 

The one I walked away from. It was the end of the year. I was one sale short of qualifying for President's Club. The prospect was all set to buy, but didn't want to spend the money to get the appropriate system for their needs. 

So I declined to work with them, knowing that I was kissing the trip to London goodbye. Painful, but it was the right thing to do. Miraculously, another company called at the 12th hour and bought a system from me - so I ended up going on the trip. 

About your consulting:

7) What is the biggest mistake you see as a sales consultant? 

Failure to prepare. Too many salespeople/organizations are hooked on activity. They keep repeating the same mistakes over and over.

8) What are you working on right now that makes you feel energized? What's your next big project?

Right now, I'm doing a lot of speaking/training at annual sales meetings and conferences. I love being a wake-up call to salespeople, showing them fresh strategies that actually work with today's crazy-busy prospects. 

One of my next big projects is to create a train-the-trainer program so more people can be trained on these strategies.

9) What is the best testimonial/comment you have ever received? 

Virtually every day I get emails from people who tell me that my suggestions are having a huge impact on their success. I love them!

But I think the best testimonials come from my colleagues. I am deeply honored when other sales experts, trainers and consultants tell me that their copies of my books are underlined, dog-eared and filled with Post-It notes. 

That's when I realize I'm having an impact on their entire sales profession.

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To know more about Jill Konrath and Snap Selling, visit www.snapselling.com . 

You can also buy the book on Amazon here: SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Customers .

Interview with John Sligh, from GoSellGo (www.gosellgo.com)

About GoSellGo:

1) In a short sentence, who should visit GoSellGo?

GoSellGo.com is dedicated to salespeople everywhere interested in improving and learning more about sales.

2) On the other hand, who shouldn't?

Everyone is engaged in some form of selling and potentially has an interest in the website.  However, the content is geared toward salespeople from the perspective of a salesman.  Doctors and lawyers may not find the content well suited to their needs.  As long as the content is interesting to you by all means visit early and often.

3) What have you learned after all your experience with GoSellGo? What is the biggest lesson?

There are a lot of websites dedicated to the field of selling.  I'm approaching it from the perspective of someone who is in the trenches selling for a living.  Every time I research to write an article for the website I learn something new.  The biggest lesson from my experience with GoSellGo is that learning and improving is an ongoing process.  You never have all the answers and I learn from others every day.

4) What sales books do you like and recommend?

GoSellGo has a book store with hundreds of books on sales, entrepreneurship and self-improvement.  Three books that I've read recently and would recommend are:

• The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen
• Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer
• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

    

About you:

5) How did you get started in sales?

When I interviewed for my first job as a busboy I had to sell the manager on hiring me.  When he said yes "you're hired" and closed the sale my selling career began.  Since then I've sold everything from vinyl floor covering to grandfather clocks and now furniture as a manufacturer's representative. 

6) What was your toughest sales ever? 

Selling a furniture chain with 12 stores.  It took three years to get in with one of my product lines and was well worth the effort.

7) Most memorable sale? Was it because of the money, the adrenaline, the recognition, the power?

Asking my wife to marry me and having her say yes.  Looking back after 29 years of marriage I'd have to say that was the most memorable and meaningful sale.

About your knowledge:

8) What is the biggest mistake you see as a sales expert?

The biggest mistake is for salespeople to stop learning.  There are so many helpful resources, including your website, to help salespeople improve that it's a mistake not to take advantage of all the books, audio programs and blogs about sales and self-improvement.

9) What are you working on right now that makes you feel energized? What's your next big project?

GoSellGo.com is an ongoing project and one that keeps me energized.  I'm always trying to improve the site and offer content that is helpful to salespeople everywhere from my own perspective. Eventually I'd like to have other people contribute content to the site.

10) What is the best testimonial/comment you (or your site) have ever received? Or the one that touched you the most?

One of the best compliments was to have you ask me to be interviewed for your website SalesGiantsBlog.  All of us that are in the sales blog business are in this thing together.  The more we can help each other the better off we'll all be.  Thanks for the opportunity.  It's been an honor. (Editor's note: Thanks! :-)

The Dangerous Customer

by Shep Hyken, CSP

What is a dangerous customer?  It is not necessarily a customer that is threatening you with a knife or a gun.  (That is not just a dangerous customer, but a dangerous person.)  What we are discussing in this article is the customer that puts you into the “danger zone” of lost business.  We aren’t talking about customers who have a complaint about you and choose to tell everyone they know.  We are talking about that potentially very dangerous type of customer, a “satisfied” customer.

But wait!  How can we be in danger of losing a satisfied customer?

Recently, two professors, Anthony J. Zahorak and Roland T. Rust, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee conducted a study on customer satisfaction.  What they found was that approximately 25% to 40% of satisfied customers do not come back to the places of business where they have been satisfied.

Wait a minute!  Why would a satisfied customer not come back?  The answer is very simple.  Because, they were simply satisfied.  Everything was satisfactory, nothing great, just okay.  For example, you may have gone out to dinner at a restaurant.  The next day a friend asks you about your meal and you tell them it was okay.  Nothing special, simply average.  Another way of putting this… satisfactory.  Will you go back?  With all of the choices of places to dine and spend your hard earned dollars, probably not.  No, unless you are a glutton for punishment, you will most likely look for the restaurant that gives you a great meal,  great service and exceeds your expectations.

The types of businesses that the Vanderbilt professors looked at were typical front line, consumer oriented businesses such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, retail stores, etc.  It is obvious that not all businesses fall into one of these categories, but the principle still holds true.  Anybody or any company that has any type of competition needs to understand that having satisfied customers creates vulnerability.   Not only do you have to exceed a customer’s expectations, but you also need to constantly be improving on what already may be great.

What worked yesterday does not work today.  If you are doing something better than your competition you can bet that they will be doing the same thing very soon.

The hotel industry is a good example of this.  Many years ago the typical hotel customer didn’t have the expectations or make the demands for great service that they do today.  All the customer wanted was a clean room with a television set and a hot shower.  Then one day a serious competition for hotel customers began.  Rate wars began.  Less expensive rooms may have been was one way to compete, but not necessarily the best.  There had to be more.

One day a sharp hotel owner decided that amenities could create a competitive edge.  It worked!  It started out to be simple; thicker towels, fancier soaps, etc.  Then the competition, the hotel “across the street,” figures out what was going on, and not to be outdone, copied. The next wave of amenities were sparked, such as better candy on the pillows and a newspaper in the morning - and not just one paper - but perhaps a choice of different newspapers.  At what point did it stop?  Eventually, everybody was offering the same thing.  It was at that point that the biggest difference between one hotel and another had to do with the people that worked there.  The hotel employees became the ultimate “amenity.”

If what you sell is great, but your service is mediocre, then the best you can expect is limited success and eventually total failure as competition comes along and takes care of the customers by giving better service.  But put a great product in the hands of people willing to go beyond typical levels of customer service and you get beyond being simply satisfactory.

Today’s customers expect more than satisfactory experiences with the people and organizations they do business with.  Every company has their version of a “hotel’s amenities.”  Just about every business claims to give good or great customer service.  Good service has become the norm.  An organization has to go beyond satisfactory  or just acceptable levels of service.  Terms used to describe this higher level of service have been knock your socks off service, delighting the customer, and many more.  Get your customers out of the danger zone.  Go beyond simply satisfying your customers and you will create many MOMENTS OF MAGIC!


Shep Hyken is the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations.  As a professional speaker and best-selling author, Shep helps companies develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees.  For more information on Shep's speaking presentations, including his customer service speaking programs books, tapes and more please contact (314) 692-2200. Email:shep@hyken.com  Web: www.hyken.com

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Twitter: @shephyken

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=835698227

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shephyken

Amazon:The Cult of the Customer: Create an Amazing Customer Experience That Turns Satisfied Customers Into Customer Evangelists

Speaker: http://www.hyken.com/Shep_Hyken_Speaking_Topics.html / www.hyken.com

Success Strategies of Top Salespeople – Goals and Plans

 BY JOHN AT GOSELLGO

What success strategies do top salespeople use when it comes to goal setting and planning?  How can you implement the same techniques of top achievers to increase your sales?  It’s simple, follow these six basic rules for setting goals and making plans and watch your sales soar.

Set Goals Based on What’s Important in Your Life

Don’t let life just happen.  Ask yourself, what are my life dreams?  Then set goals to make them a reality.  Goals provide focus and direction to ensure you’ll live a life based on what’s important to you.

Set Exciting Goals that Create Passion

Imagine how difficult it would be to be passionate about a goal such as “increase sales by 10 percent”.  Is this goal exciting to you?  Probably not, so let’s try rewriting the goal.  First, think about what inspires you and incorporate it into your goal setting process.  If spending time with your wife is important and you like to travel here’s an example of how you might rewrite the goal: “Increase sales by 10 percent to earn a bonus of $5,000 which will enable me to take a dream trip to Australia with my wife by March 1st”.  Now that’s exciting!

Set Aside Time for Goal Setting and Planning

Set aside time each day to review your goals and write down tasks to help you achieve them.  Early in the morning is an excellent time, when it’s quiet before work day distractions.  Devote time to reading positive, uplifting messages including; books on sales skills, positive thinking and other material geared toward self-improvement.  Then review your goals and write down what needs to be accomplished for the day.  Do this every morning to start your day with the right attitude and moving in the right direction.

Set Specific Goals with a Deadline

Be accountable for your objectives and set specific dates when they’ll be reached.  For larger goals, break them down into smaller tasks with target dates leading up to your end goal.  For example, a daily goal of making five sales calls, or 20 phone calls, may be less overwhelming than selling $1 million.

Review Your Goals When Planning

Keep your list of goals close by and refer to them often.  Top salespeople incorporate tasks into their daily plans that help them reach their objectives.

Prioritize Your Tasks

To be effective in selling, focus on activities with a high return on investment to get a clear idea of what needs to be done on a daily basis.

During you planning session, write down all the tasks you’d like to accomplish.  Next, review each task and decide which is the most important.  Repeat the process and list your six or seven most important tasks in order of their importance.  Work on your highest priority tasks first  and do it on a consistent basis.

Conclusion

Try following these six rules of goal setting and planning.  Set aside time each day to think about how you want to live your life and go to work setting your goals.  Figure out a plan and work it.  When you do, you’ll soon find yourself in the top echelon of salespeople everywhere.

John Sligh is a Salesman and Founder of GoSellGo.com - a blog about everything related to selling for salespeople everywhere.  For free tips on sales, self-improvement and motivation visit John today at http://GoSellGo.com

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Twitter: @GoSellGo

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsligh

Site: www.gosellgo.com

3 Quick Tips on Direct Sales Success!

by Marianne Pestana

I often have people ask me; What is the key to your success? What makes you the "Golden Girl" that you can establish so many new clients? How do you do it?  I have to smile when asked, because it wasn't always that way.

Arriving as a sales star was more of a journey than an overnight flight. There are many tricks of the trade that I have developed and mastered from the time I first got into sales to now.  Those 'tricks' have stuck with me always making my business skyrocket regardless of what is happening to the economy or anything else!

These Three Quick Tips on the mindset of a successful direct sales hunter will change your outlook and your business. You will now see who your clients are in a whole new light.

1)  Everyone that comes into your awareness is a potential client
2)  Care enough about your family and friends to talk to them about what it is that you do
3)  Ask for referrals from everyone

Simple right? I call and talk to everyone and I mean everyone! From the gas station owner where I filled up my car at to the company on the wrapper of the health bar I picked up for lunch, I call them all! There is no room in sales to be meek!

I also have made it a point to speak to my friends and family because I know that the products I have could make such a positive impact in their lives.  They are all grateful for the opportunity to discuss such important matters!

Referrals are something that I am constantly requesting from everyone and anyone.  I used to ask, with the mindset that I was embarrassed and bothering people, I never got one referral.  I then changed my game plan and through a couple of different approaches came up with the winning one!

Success just doesn't happen, you have to prepare for the road ahead and be passionate about where your going!  You might just surprise yourself (and everyone else!) of what you're capable of creating and contributing with this new mindset.

To YOUR Continued Success!

Marianne Pestana

http://sellingforsuccess.blogspot.com/


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Twitter: @Selling4Success


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1537163639


Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariannepestana


Website: http://sellingforsuccess.blogspot.com/

Creating Fresh Sales Opportunities

By Jill Konrath, Author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies

There's nothing I like better than engaging prospects when they're NOT thinking of making any changes from the status quo. 

This may seem counterintuitive or perhaps even like sales heresy if you've spent your career chasing prospects who are already in the buying mode. After all, they already have money in the budget for your product/service and are actively looking for new options. 

So why would I recommend chasing "non-lookers" versus the tempting low-hanging fruit? Lots of reasons:

• The incumbent is sleeping.
  
  Since dislodging the status quo is always your biggest sales challenge, you want to slip in under the existing provider's radar screen.
  
  By bringing in new perspectives that help prospects better achieve their objectives, you gain a foothold in an otherwise impenetrable account. The incumbent's failure to do so creates a credibility gap for them and opens the door for you.

• Your competitors aren't around.
  
  If you do things right, you can prove your capabilities, demonstrate your expertise, and establish a strong relationship long before any competitors enter the scene. They'll be playing catchup from the start. And, in most cases, they'll find it extremely difficult to close the gap.

• You set the playing field.
  
  By bringing new ideas, insights, and information to your prospect, you help determine the criteria against which future "go-ahead" decisions will be judged. This gives you a chance to best position the strengths of your product, service, or solution.

• Sales cycles get condensed.
  
  When you leverage your expertise to help customers sort through everything that has to be considered to make a change, their decision-making process go faster.

• Customers often love you.  
  
  Okay, I don't mean literally. But if you've ever had someone show you a better way, then made it simple to implement it, you know what I mean. That's how I feel when I visit the Apple Genius Bar, where tech gurus show me how to solve seemingly insoluble problems on my computer.

As you can see, there are many good reasons to get engaged with prospective customers earlier rather than later. Plus, you won't find yourself constantly fighting pricing battles. 

So start thinking about pursuing business with those non-lookers today. But don't talk about your products or services. Your prospects are only concerned about their objectives or eliminating the barriers that stand in the way of achieving them. 

Keep your focus on that and the possibilities are endless!

Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into new accounts, speed up sales cycles and land big contracts. She's a frequent speaker at sales conferences. 

For more fresh sales strategies that work with crazy-busy prospects AND to get four bonus sales-accelerating tools, visit  www.snapselling.com.

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Twitter: @jillkonrath


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jillkonrath


Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jillkonrath


Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zuWEwQfd2c


Speaker: http://jillkonrath.com/speaking/


Amazon: SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Customers

If You Wish To Become An Effective Sales Leader – And We Really Do Need More Effective Sales Leaders …..

by Jonathan Farrington (http://www.thejfblogit.co.uk)

No one has all the skills of sales management or sales leadership (and there is a difference!) to the same degree, any more than they have the personality traits to the same degree. However, it is much easier to learn or acquire skills than it is to develop new personality traits.

There are five basic skills, and the degree to which any individual cultivates those skills, may well determine the degree of their success.

Co-operation:

No one ever got very far completely by their own efforts. It has been said that none of us have ever accomplished anything without the help, or the results of the work of someone else. No one walks alone through life. Enlisting the help of the right people and at the right time is what we call the ability to enlist co-operation.

A genuine leader will understand that co-operation is a two-way thing and that in order to enjoy the co-operation of others; they must in turn be prepared to give co-operation in a like measure. They avoid unnecessary friction with associates in every possible way. They recognize that each person, whether superior or subordinate, has certain responsibilities and makes certain contributions to the group, which are a part of success. They realize that they are all important – and they treat them as such.

The leader must invite suggestions from others and give each suggestion careful and courteous consideration. They see that the originator receives full credit. He/she knows that asking another’s opinion is the sincerest form of praise. They understand that when associates have a part in the formulation of any plan or program or in arriving at a decision which affects them, they will work all the harder to make that plan, or program, or decision, turn out right.

Organizing and Planning:

An effective leader must be an organizer. They must have the ability to see and grasp the whole picture, separate it into its component parts, determine what has to be done and in what sequence.

A true leader knows in advance that all is not going to be smooth sailing. They make advance preparations and plans to meet needed changes and disappointments as they arise. They know that there will always be some conditions arising which will necessitate an alteration or modification of plans so they do not allow themselves to become flustered by such things when they do come up.

Standards of Conduct and Performance:

No measure can be made without some basis from which to start and some sort of yardstick. One of the leader’s greatest opportunities to lead others to high levels of performance is in the standards they set themselves and how well their personal performance squares with them. They must lead by example as well as by inspiration. A person who sets high standards of performance and conduct for themselves and sets an example of enthusiastic performance will be much more able to inspire others to outstanding performance. This means work and a strict adherence to the code of ethics and the rules of conduct required by your associates.

Decisions:

A good leader does not avoid decisions. A procrastinating attitude toward decision-making has ruined more than one otherwise promising career. A good leader makes decisions whenever needed and at the time they are required. They weigh up the implications of their decisions after having carefully examined a number of alternative solutions.

Developing Your People:

Most effective leaders try to make shrewd judgements of character. This does not mean that they are – or pretend to be – “psychologists”. However, just because an individual seems to be a “nice guy” or, on the other hand, seems personally obnoxious to the leader, they do not allow their personal likes and dislikes, or their emotions, to interfere with sound judgement.
Every able leader teaches their associates to learn and to grow. Their proudest moment is when one of their people achieves success!

Do not be afraid of people who may appear to be more competent than you. You must replace yourself before you can move on, so develop your replacement to allow for your own progress.

Finally, What Is A Leader?

The boss knows how things should be done
– But the leader shows how

The boss leans on his authority
– But the leader counts on good will

The boss drives their staff
– But the leader coaches them from the front

The boss always says “I”
– But the leader talks in terms of “We”

The boss tends to shout “Go!”
– But the leader says “Let’s go!”

 

Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author, consultant, and sales strategist, who has guided hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels.

He is the CEO of Top Sales Associates, Chairman of The jf Corporation and the creator of Top Sales World. Jonathan is based in London and Paris.


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Twitter: @jonofarrington

Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfarrington

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=915SBJvdh9s

Speaker: http://www.jonathanfarrington.com/

Klout: 10

Prospecting Letters Still Open Doors

By Kendra Lee, President, KLA Group

I am often asked about the effectiveness of letters as a prospecting strategy in today’s electronic world. You see email, cold calling, and webinar tips, but rarely hear about letters. Direct mail has fallen off considerably. Anything suspected to be a sales approach gets tossed in the name of productivity savings. It’s harder than ever to ensure your letter reaches the intended recipient. Even when you pay the extra money to send it via Express Mail it’s frequently an assistant who opens your letter and determines if the boss will read it. As a result, many sellers have given up on letters. And yet, you are frequently presented with golden opportunities to use them to make an impression and get in the door with top executives.

Recently Sarah, a seller I work with, discovered that a number of her target prospects were named to the Top Places to Work list for her metropolitan area.

Lists of companies being recognized like Sarah’s prospect are published every day. Announcements of noteworthy changes are broadcast. When a company is adding staff, launching new products or relocating, they want everyone to know it. All present a great opportunity to drop a potential prospect a note and launch your gain access campaign.

Sarah recognized the unique chance the Top Places to Work award offered her. While she wanted to use it as an entree to introduce herself and her services, she wasn’t sure how. She knew it couldn’t be a typical sales letter. It had to be more personal than that.

When you take the time to write a personalized letter, you’ll be surprised by the response. The company president will not only take your call, he may even reach out to you to thank you for acknowledging his company’s accomplishments. Once he does, you can segue into setting an appointment to get to know him and share ideas you have for his business.

It all begins with a letter an executive appreciates and remembers.

It sounds easy to write, but when you sit down to do it you suddenly have writer’s block. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Personalize it. Yes, I’m going to say it. Hand write the letter. Use a 4” x 6” note card and pen your congratulations. You aren’t sending a lead generation email to 120 people from your micro-segment. The group you’re writing is probably fewer than 10 people, so you can take the time to write it out. If your writing is illegible, print. If you don’t have note cards to use, hand write it on your letterhead. Finally, if you must type it, consider hand writing “Congratulations, Tom!” at the top to add a tone of informality. Your letter has to feel as if it was written especially for your contact to be memorable.

2. Keep it simple. Sarah wrote:

Dear Tom,

Congratulations on your outstanding success! I saw your award as one of the Top

 Places to Work. What an honor! You’ve built a business of high caliber. I look 

forward to congratulating you personally at an upcoming Chamber event! 

Sincerely,

Sarah James

Company Name

You want to take care with what you write because an assistant may be the first 

person to read it. She needs to feel that it’s a letter your contact will want to read 

personally. Where there is no assistant, the brief handwritten note will grab the 

executive’s attention and draw him in.

In many cases your prospect may even want to share it with other staff members!

3. Follow-up. Two weeks after sending your note, call to congratulate the prospect in person. Mention that you’d enjoy the opportunity to get together. Suggest that you meet for coffee or connect at the next association event he’s likely to attend. Chances are he’ll remember your letter, take your call, and agree to meet.

Don’t give up on letters just yet. Tweak your approach to distinguish yourself and start building a relationship with the top executives in your prospect list by recognizing their accomplishments. They will appreciate you noticing and want to get to know you.

Kendra Lee is a top IT Seller, Prospect Attraction Expert and author of the award winning book “Selling Against the Goal” and president of KLA Group. Specializing in the IT industry, KLA Group works with companies to break in and exceed revenue objectives in the Small and Midmarket Business (SMB) segment. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, read her latest articles, or to subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1.303.773.1285.


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Twitter: @KendraLeeKLA


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Denver-CO/KLA-Group/344889362477


Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kendralee


Amazon:  Selling Against the Goal: How Corporate Sales Professionals Generate the Leads They Need





Speaker: http://www.klagroup.com/news/speaking.cfm