Killer Sales Disease Strikes by Jill Konrath

I had a big meeting with a prospective client at 8:30. I was ecstatic because it had taken me forever to get this meeting set up. My initial contact had been months before, but my persistence finally paid off.

Now, with the way things were going, it would take a miracle to get there on time. I turned on the radio and tuned into the station that gave the most frequent traffic updates. If there were more traffic problems ahead, I needed to know right away so I could switch to an alternate route.

They were just starting to give the latest congestion alert when suddenly the announcer broke in.

"Ladies and gentlemen. We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming this morning to bring you some breaking news from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia."

I didn't need to hear any health alerts. I needed to know where the traffic problems were. I quickly switched to another station. And another. And then another.

It looked like I didn't have a choice. They were all talking about the same thing. I decided I'd better pay attention. Here's what they're saying ....

* * *

"This disease, Featurus Vomititus, has now reached epidemic proportions and appears to be out of control," said the reporter. "In my conversations with specialists here at the CDC, here's what I've learned:

Nearly 90% of the sales population has been afflicted with this highly contagious disease.
Anyone who sells their services to earn a living (like professional services providers, business owner and consultants) can come down with a serious case within minutes of making a sales call.

The most visible symptom of Featurus Vomititus is a forceful spewing from the mouth of product or service descriptors. Those who have the disease seem totally unable to stop themselves from doing this, despite the negative consequences on their sales efforts.

This volatile behavior is triggered by the presence of a catalytic agent, more commonly described as a prospective customer.

Other symptoms include a leaning forward, over-the-desk posture which appears "aggressive" to people talking to the afflicted.

Those sellers suffering from Featurus Vomititus report an overwhelming and compulsive desire to show marketing collateral to their prospects.

Finally, all these symptoms are grossly magnified if the company they work for carries the dominant Nu-Productum Rapturous gene. This genetic condition creates a state of organizational euphoria and delirium brought on by the introduction of a long-awaited new product or service."Interestingly enough, most of those who suffer from this debilitating disease are totally unaware that they have it. For some strange reason, Featurus Vomititus is able to convince the brain that this behavior is totally normal for people who sell.

"Prospective customers seem to have an uncanny ability to immediately detect if a salesperson is a carrier. Most can even detect its presence over phone lines, which protects them from scheduling meetings where they'll be subject to the verbal barrage.

"In the off chance that a disease carrier slips through their gatekeeping, prospective customers arm themselves with a whole slew of objections that seem to work well to ward off the attack.

"That's the latest word here in Atlanta. For treatment tips, we'll now be hearing from a world-renowned sales strategist out of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Take it away, Jill!"

* * *

"Over the years I've been in sales, I've worked with numerous people who have suffered from severe cases of Featurus Vomititus," said Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and SNAP Selling.

"In virtually every patient I've seen, this disease has had a profoundly negative impact on their sales success and income level. Nothing kills sales opportunities faster than the product spewing that's the classic symptom of this disease - and I mean nothing!

"While there's no known cure, sufferers have learned ways to cope with it and ultimately prosper. However, they must be ever vigilant to the re-emergence of symptoms."

Konrath continued, "The leaning forward behavior is generally the first indicator of an upcoming relapse. I coach all sellers to be aware when this urge hits them because it usually means that a product dump is not far behind.

"In our training programs, we teach sellers how to quickly recover by saying something like, 'Sorry. Sometimes I get so excited about our XYZ product. But what's most important is what's going on in your business. Let's get back to that.

"Sellers need to rewire their brains too. They need to realize that no one really wants to buy their product or service. To customers, their offering is simply a tool to help them achieve their goals and objectives.

"To be successful in sales today, sellers need to think about helping customers improve their business," Konrath added. "They need to bring them ideas and insights, not a laundry list of features.

"They need to be able to talk about business issues and value propositions, not the intimate details of their service processes or product capabilities. And they need to ask insightful, powerful questions to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise, as well as their commitment to help their customers."

Konrath concluded, "Relapses of Featurus Vomititus are nearly 100% preventable with awareness and pre-call preparation. And the disease does not have to be a sales killer. I've seen sellers experience miraculous recoveries within a short period of time."

***

Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies, is a frequent speaker at sales conferences. For more fresh sales strategies that work with today's crazy-busy prospects AND to get four sales-accelerating tools, visit www.snapselling.com.

SalesGiants interviews Wim Wilmsen, author of the 3 Minute Method

Wim Wilmsen
3 Minute Method

1) Wim, let's begin by talking about your e-book, 3 Minute Method. What's the idea behind the book? Why did you write it?

I wrote the Three Minute Method because I think there is something fundamentally wrong with how most sales people approach phone calls. They have been taught to ask questions and start a  conversation with their prospects, but today's super busy prospects often don't have the time or will to do this even in a face-to-face meeting, let alone over the phone.

What my (free) e-book teaches you is how to set appointments with your prospects over the phone in only 3 minutes. The basic idea is that you don't build up to a climax and ask for the appointment at the end of the conversation, but that you ask for it right away, only 30 seconds in the conversation.

I've been teaching this method for years and can proudly say that it has an average success rate of about 30%, regardless of the industry clients are in. That's a lot higher than what most sales people experience today.

Editor's note: 

You can download Wim Wilmsen's free e-book 3 Minute Method at his website, http://www.salessells.com/

2) In a short sentence, who should read your book? What kind of advice should they be looking for?

The Three Minute Method is for sales people who want to spend their time on the phone in the best way possible: more appointments with less effort.

3) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will readers NOT find in your book?

The goal of the Three Minute Method is to generate interest and set appointments with prospects. If you want to actually sell your products or services over the phone, this is not for you.

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

Test the method for a week and be amazed at the effectiveness.

About your preferences:

5) Besides your own website (http://www.salessells.com/) what other sales websites would you recommend?

Some of my favorite blogs:

http://yoursalesplaybook.com/ by Paul Castain
http://thesalesblog.com/ by Anthony Iannarino
http://www.salesdujour.com by Gary S. Hart
http://newsalescoach.com/ by Mike Weinberg
http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/ by David Brock
http://www.asalesguy.com/ by Jim Keenan
http://www.ianbrodie.com/ by Ian Brodie
http://www.alenmajer.com/ by Alen Majer
http://www.bnet.com/blog/salesmachine by Geoffrey James

6) What are your preferred sales/business books?

Wow, too many really. I try to read at least two books a month. Some authors that come to mind:

Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jeffrey Gitomer, Jill Konrath (you can read Jill's interview to SalesGiants blog here: http://salesgiantsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-with-jill-konrath-author-of.html), Zig Ziglar, Neil Rackham, Tom Hopkins, Keith Rosen, Brian Tracy, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill.

About you:

7) How did you get started in sales?

My first job was as a retail store manager (eyewear), after which I ventured into a career in B2B sales. First as an account manager (IT, web development, CRM), then as a key account manager (online marketing/advertising). Over the past few years I have made the transition to sales management and sales coaching.

8) Most memorable sale?

Sold a complete intranet solution to one of the biggest banks in Europe. The combination of the strong competition and complex subject matter made it a big challenge.

9) Most disastrous sale (or funny situation)?

Due to a communication failure I managed to sell an existing customer a product he had already been using for years (internet marketing software), because I thought I was meeting with a new prospect.

About your work as a sales expert:

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

Not asking for the sale. Great that you are a trusted advisor to your customers, but your job is to make sales. It's called consultative SELLING for a reason.

11) What is the best sales advice you have ever received?

Don't just focus on the latest hype (e.g. social media), focus on what works for you and your customers.

12) What advice would you give to someone just starting out in sales?

Not only brand your company, also brand yourself. Position yourself as an expert in your field, both in the online and offline world.

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

I'm working on a brand new sales training program that I'm hoping to launch at the end of this year or beginning of next year.

14) Contact information:

Website: http://www.salessells.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sales-Sells/124272270980486
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wimwilmsen
Twitter: @SalesSells
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/salessells/
E-mail: wim@salessells.com

Thanks for the interview, Wim!

SalesGiants interviews Dan McDade, author of The Truth About Leads

Dan McDade
PointClear

1) Dan, let's begin by talking about your book, The Truth About Leads. What's the idea behind the book? Why did you write it?

Mark Twain has often been quoted as saying: "Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it." I think that is true with marketing and sales alignment: everyone talks about it but nobody does anything about it. I wrote the book because I simply could not stand back and watch so much money being wasted by so many companies.

2) In a short sentence, who should read your book? What kind of advice should they be looking for?

Senior executives who want to increase revenue while decreasing expenses will find this book packed with ideas about how to do that.

3) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will readers NOT find in your book?

It is not a sales training book or a marketing plan guide. If you are thin skinned you should stay away from this book because it is written to compel change and I take no prisoners.

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

Establish metrics for what SiriusDecisions calls the Demand Waterfall: MQL to SAL to SQL to Closed Business (Marketing Qualified Leads to Sales Accepted Leads to Sales Qualified Leads…)


About your preferences:

5) Besides your own website ( http://www.pointclear.com), what other sales websites would you recommend?

- www.siriusdecisions.com;

- www.focus.com; 

- www.contentfactor.com .

6) What are your preferred sales/business books?

I like Unselling” by Peter Bourke and The New Solution Selling by Keith Eades.

         

About you:

7) How did you get started in sales?

I started in retail and then spent about ten years in the direct mail marketing business. I was a consultant with a services company in the early 90’s and that lead to selling becoming a bigger part of my job.

8) Most memorable sale?

Closing a $1 million deal with a software company on June 30, 2002.

9) Most disastrous sale (or funny situation)?

The company that closed for $1 million was sold to Microsoft on July 7th and our relationship changed dramatically. We still have Microsoft as a client and we still work with the woman who signed the $1,000,000 deal!


About your work as a sales expert:

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

Being dogmatic about anything… Someone I used to work for said “don’t tell people to do something, make them want to do it and they will find ten ways to do it that you never thought of”. I think that is great advice and whenever I close my mind I regret it.

11) What is the best sales advice you have ever received?

“Go sell to someone who wants to buy.” I got hung up over a good situation here I could have really helped. Problem is, they were never going to buy and I was wasting cycles. Great advice that I still use on myself and others!

12) What advice would you give to someone just starting out in sales?

Talk to senior sales reps. Ask for help. Keep an open mind. Don’t fear rejection.

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

I am actually working on a novel and I am excited about that. The next big project, work wise, is creating a consulting solution around the processes in the book “The Truth About Leads”.

***

Dan McDade founded PointClear in 1997 with the mission to be the first and best company providing prospect development services to business-to-business companies with complex sales processes. He has been instrumental in developing the innovative strategies that drive revenue for PointClear clients nationwide.

In addition to serving as president / CEO of PointClear, Dan is the author of The Truth About Leads, an insightful book that sheds light on the little-known secrets that help focus B2B lead-generation efforts, align sales and marketing organizations and drive revenue. The book was published in early 2011.

The Sales Lead Management Association named Dan one of the 50 most influential people in sales lead management in 2009. Dan is also the author of ViewPoint | The Truth About Lead Generation, a blog exploring issues related to B2B sales, marketing and lead generation.

Top 10 Traits of Highly Successful People by Philip Humbert

Dr. Philip E Humbert
Personal Success Coach

We have all read about people who are successful briefly. They win a gold medal, make a fortune, or star in one great movie and then disappear.…These examples do not inspire me!

My focus and fascination is with people who seem to do well in many areas of life, and do it over and over through a lifetime. In entertainment, I think of Paul Newman and Bill Cosby. In business, I think of Ben and Jerry (the ice cream moguls)…As a Naval Officer, husband, businessman, politician and now as a mediator and philanthropist on the world stage, Jimmy Carter has had a remarkable life. We all know examples of people who go from one success to another.

These are the people who inspire me! I've studied them, and I've noticed they have the following traits in common:

1) They work hard! Yes, they play hard, too! They get up early, they rarely complain, they expect performance from others, but they expect extraordinary performance from themselves. Repeated, high-level success starts with a recognition that hard work pays off.

2) They are incredibly curious and eager to learn. They study, ask questions and read—constantly! An interesting point, however: While most of them did well in school, the difference is that they apply or take advantage of what they learn. Repeated success is not about memorizing facts, it's about being able to take information and create, build, or apply it in new and important ways. Successful people want to learn everything about everything!

3) They network. They know lots of people, and they know lots of different kinds of people. They listen to friends, neighbors, co- workers and bartenders. They don't have to be "the life of the party," in fact many are quiet, even shy, but they value people and they value relationships. Successful people have a Rolodex full of people who value their friendship and return their calls.

4) They work on themselves and never quit! While the "over-night wonders" become arrogant and quickly disappear, really successful people work on their personality, their leadership skills, management skills, and every other detail of life. When a relationship or business deal goes sour, they assume they can learn from it and they expect to do better next time. Successful people don't tolerate flaws; they fix them!

5) They are extraordinarily creative. They go around asking, "Why not?" They see new combinations, new possibilities, new opportunities and challenges where others see problems or limitations. They wake up in the middle of the night yelling, "I've got it!" They ask for advice, try things out, consult experts and amateurs, always looking for a better, faster, cheaper solution. Successful people create stuff!

6) They are self-reliant and take responsibility. Incredibly successful people don't worry about blame, and they don't waste time complaining. They make decisions and move on.…Extremely successful people take the initiative and accept the responsibilities of success.

7) They are usually relaxed and keep their perspective. Even in times of stress or turmoil, highly successful people keep their balance, they know the value of timing, humor, and patience. They rarely panic or make decisions on impulse. Unusually successful people breath easily, ask the right questions, and make sound decisions, even in a crisis.

8) Extremely successful people live in the present moment. They know that "Now" is the only time they can control. They have a "gift" for looking people in the eye, listening to what is being said, enjoying a meal or fine wine, music or playing with a child. They never seem rushed, and they get a lot done! They take full advantage of each day. Successful people don't waste time, they use it!

9) They "look over the horizon" to see the future. They observe trends, notice changes, see shifts, and hear the nuances that others miss. A basketball player wearing Nikes is trivial, the neighbor kid wearing them is interesting, your own teenager demanding them is an investment opportunity! Extremely successful people live in the present, with one eye on the future!

10) Repeatedly successful people respond instantly! When an investment isn't working out, they sell. When they see an opportunity, they make the call. If an important relationship is cooling down, they take time to renew it. When technology or a new competitor or a change in the economic situation requires an adjustment, they are the first and quickest to respond.

These traits work together in combination, giving repeatedly successful people a huge advantage. Because they are insatiable learners, they can respond wisely to change. Because their personal relationships are strong, they have good advisors, and a reserve of goodwill when things go bad. And finally, none of these traits are genetic! They can be learned! They are free and they are skills you can use. Start now!

***

Dr. Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach
http://www.philiphumbert.com

SalesGiants interviews Phil Jones

Phil Jones
Helping Your Business Achieve New Heights

Phil has accomplished more than most in his fast-moving life. His vast experience in a variety of sectors has resulted in him being recognised as an authority of sales psychology and negotiation, for increasing corporate turnover and profitability, and business development.

With a track record of developing opportunities for organisations at all levels, Phil is acknowledged for his strategic intellect and has been instrumental in turning around underperforming businesses by developing new opportunities. In this interview he shares with our readers how he got started and some recommendations to improve your results.

About your work

1) How did you get started in this area?

I have worked in sales all my working life. Keen to generate revenue from an early age at 13 I developed a local car washing round and very quickly learnt the power of asking. Simply knocking on doors in my neighborhood and politely asking homeowners if they would be interested in having their vehicles cleaned bought me huge success. This then took me to corporate life were I have worked in and managed sales teams for major UK retailers like DFS and Debenhams before seeking further experience in getting involved in the commercial world of professional football and held senior management positions in 2 large football clubs. Having a passion for doing things my way I then get involved with a property business and built a sales process and team that very quickly made us a major player in our field. Throughout these experiences I developed an incredible array of knowledge and skill and when combined with my passion for helping people decided I would make the remainder of my life work focused on educating the business community.


2) What kind of customers do you usually work with and how do you help them exactly? 

My work is typically in the area of salesmanship and I help business owners and sales professionals to find more customers, who shop more often and spend more when they shop. To do this our work ranges from developing a unique sales process that teaches non sales people to achieve incredible results through following simple tried and tested processes. We teach these lessons in workshops and seminars and have a team of coaches that work with people to re-enforce our lessons and ensure people achieve their potential. Through coaching we offer support, motivation, direction and inspiration to follow through on the countless great ideas that businesses have and turn them into actions and more importantly, Results.


3) In a short sentence, what companies should be interested in your services? 

Companies that are looking for their prospects to say “Yes” more often.


4) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will companies NOT find in your work (for example, what kind of problems/situations are you not best qualified for or do you prefer to refer to other consultants)? 

Our work is based on exactly what to say and exactly what to do. We are practitioners and not theorists so if businesses are looking for scientific evaluation then stay away. If you are looking for results, we have the answers.


5) How are you different from your competitors? 

Our main difference is that we are current. Because we practice what we preach our lessons are taught on experience that worked yesterday and will work tomorrow. We are not experienced trainers but real people with real lessons. We specialize on the area of sales because recognize that selling skills are essential in life and business and any business that fails to find new customers will eventually die. Unlike many others we do not let ego get in the way. Our clients are our stars and we choose to let their results massage their egos and not ours.


References

6) Besides your own, what other websites in the small business/development area would you recommend? 

 To be fair the best website is www.youtube.com but independently check out www.gitomer.com and then www.mashable.com for cool techie stuff

7) How about your preferred meetings/training/business books? 

How to win friends and influence people – Dale Carnegie. Oh and of course my own Accelerator publication (http://www.philmjones.com/accelerator).


About business meetings

8) Most disastrous meeting (or funny situation)? 

 One that stands towards the front of my mind was a meeting I was chairing not so long ago with a large audience. The highlight to the meeting was a great guest speaker called Richard Wilkins and he was due to speak mid-way through the meeting. Throughout the agenda, awards and a number of other key events I was continually building up our speaker and letting them know he was coming and a little about the story he had to share with us. The trouble was, I kept calling him Jeff which is highly embarrassing when I then had to deliver his introduction.

9) What is the biggest mistake you see in unproductive meetings?

The biggest mistake is always lack of preparation. So many people attend meetings and rely on experience and individual brilliance to see them through. They turn up with no agenda, no goals and little knowledge of their audience and then get mixed results. For me it is vital that prior to every meeting you consider 3 simple areas .

· Who are you speaking with? – Find out common interests, goals and ambitions, consider competitors and length of time people have been in the business. This information is readily available just by looking and asking. However be certain that if you don’t look then you won’t find and if you don’t ask then you won’t get!

· What is your goal? – Start with the end in mind. Designing your desired outcome for each meeting gives you direction and a road map. Even better is planning different levels of success as opposed to just success or failure.

· How do you present yourself? – People judge books by their covers and you are in complete control of yours. Consider dress, hairstyle, vehicle and all business stationary if you want to give off the very best first impression.

10) Why do you think so many business meetings or training sessions are boring and what do you think can be done to improve this?

I think many are boring because it is already pre-decided what the audience need to hear. Whether a scripted sales presentation, being talked at by a facilitator or death by powerpoint they all assume that they have already addressed the needs of the audience and do not engage. The key is to deliver 2 way meetings that engage with the audience and as such you should be able to plan structure and desired outcome but have the required skill level to adapt to your audience.

11) How do you usually start the meetings that you lead? 

I will often start meetings by agreeing objectives. I talked earlier about starting with the end in mind and in both a sales presentation or training seminar I will always start with the objectives of the audience. It is crucial for me that I deliver value and by understanding what an audience is expecting and wants to take away I can ensure that I deliver value every time.

12) Any special offer for our readers?

Grab a free audio programme worth £19 by visiting http://philmjones.com


Contact information: 

Website : http://philmjones.com

Facebook: facebook.com/RNHInternational

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/philmjones

Twitter: @philmjonesuk

Youtube:phillipmjones1

E-mail: phil@philmjones.com

3 steps to take when your reputation is attacked online, by Barbara Weltman

Barbara Weltman

Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are the Wild West when it comes to expressing opinions about customer service and other business experiences. But freedom of expression on social media outlets and other public forums does not extend to defamation (an injury to your reputation). Can or should you sue? These 3 steps will help you decide what type of action, if any, to take.

Steps to take

Step one. First determine whether anything actionable has occurred. Online statements can be:

• Opinions that do not constitute defamation.
• Physical threats that rise to the level of criminal activity.
• Defamatory statements (that meet all three criteria below).

The first type of statement is protected free speech; the second is a matter for the police. Only the third type of statement -- a defamatory statement -- may be actionable, meaning you can bring a lawsuit to recover damages.

Defamation is a false statement of fact that results in an economic injury. There are several elements to defamation, all of which must be present in order to amount to something actionable:

• A publication addressing someone other than the person being defamed. Online statements constitute a publication.
• The statement of fact must be false. Truth, no matter how unpleasant, is a complete defense to any defamation action.
• The statement must be understood as one tending to harm the reputation of the person it concerns. If the person is a public figure, there must be actual malice in making the statement.

In one case, a person whose professional reputation was irreparably damaged was able to win an $11.3 million recovery.

Step two. Determine whether a defamatory statement is worth taking legal action. If the defamatory statement is merely embarrassing but does not seriously impact your pocketbook, it may not make business sense to pursue the matter; just let things just die down. Consider:

• Time -- Any legal action involves a great deal of time and emotion on your part.
• Cost -- Legal fees for representation can be high. Attorneys do not take these cases on contingency where the sought-after recovery is something other than money (taking down defamatory statements, providing equal time and exposure to correct public misperceptions, etc.), and you must bear the cost of legal action throughout the term of the case. Do a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether the cost of litigation is worthwhile compared to the damage you've suffered and the likelihood of success in winning the case.

Step three. Make a decision. After consulting with a knowledgeable attorney and assessing the time and expense it will entail to pursue legal action, decide whether to go forward or drop the matter. 

Special considerations:

• Anonymous writers. It's possible, but more difficult, to pursue legal action when the defamatory statement has been made by an unknown person. There's a good article about this at Law.com.

• Retractions. If you decide to proceed, you may be required under state law to request a retraction before you go on. The retraction usually must appear as conspicuously as the original defamatory statement. If there's a retraction, it reduces the possible monetary recovery and may help you decide to drop the matter at last.

Monitor your online reputation

How do you know if you're being maligned? It's good business practice to use various tools to track what's being said about you and your company in articles, blogs, and various social media sites. Tools to help:

• Echomail
• Echosonar
• Google Alert
• PR Newswire's Media Monitoring
• ReputationDefender
• Socialmetrix Echo

***

Barbara Weltman, Publisher of Big Ideas for Small Business®
www.BarbaraWeltman.com
info@BarbaraWeltman.com
Twitter: BarbaraWeltman

Cold Calling Perfection: Are You Hearing This? by Kendra Lee, President, KLA Group

Kendra Lee,
President, KLA Group

In email prospecting strategies, one of the first things I advise is that you send yourself a draft before hitting the final send. That way, you get a sense of what it's like for your prospects to receive your emails. You can quickly see where you need to make adjustments to grab your prospect’s attention and get a reply.

This same checkup strategy works well for your cold calls, too.

Many of your best and worst phone habits are the ones you probably aren’t even aware of until you hear them. They’re the same habits that may be keeping you from closing more first appointments.

So, how do you assess your cold call effectiveness? Record them.

It used to be that only the largest companies had access to telephone recording equipment. These days, however, numerous recording options exist. Recording functionality may already be built into your company phone system. If not, at the very least, you can use one of the free conference calling options that record calls.

Depending on where you live, there could be legal issues that require you to notify your prospect that you're recording the call, so do confirm that first. And if recording cold calls makes you uneasy or isn’t possible, ask a peer to listen in while you make calls instead.

Here’s a quick checklist of 10 things you should listen for in your cold call reviews.

1) Are you opening the call with a compelling value proposition? The better you get at grabbing a prospect's attention during the first few moments of a cold call, the easier time you'll have of advancing the sale.

2) Are you talking about products, or business needs? Prospects care most about solutions to their problems, so be sure to frame your call in those terms.

3) Do you sound like an expert? It's important to be authoritative if you want prospects to trust you with their time, much less their investment.

4) Are the suggestions you make, or situations you talk about, accurate? For your discussion to have any weight, it has to focus on a need the prospect considers to be valid and important.

5) How are your listening skills? No cold call should be a one-way conversation. Ask questions that engage your prospects and learn to listen closely to the feedback you're receiving from prospects.

6) How does your telephone voice sound? Is your voice clear and relaxed, or full of "um's" and "ah's?" Cultivating a strong, clear phone voice is important for making prospects comfortable with you.

7) How skilled are you at dealing with objections? Cold calling is full of objections. Practice dealing with them over the phone and your appointment closing ratio will improve drastically.

8) Are you building enough interest before you ask for an appointment? Asking for an appointment too early is a common sales mistake. Make sure the prospect is interested enough in what you're talking about before you propose the next step.

9) Do you look for referrals if your contact turns out not to be the decision maker? Sometimes our research lets us down, but finding the wrong contact doesn't have to halt the sales opportunity. Ask for a referral to the correct decision maker and reference your initial call as an introduction.

10) Is the voicemail you leave one that you would return? If you're going to make cold calls, you're going to leave voicemails. Learning to leave the prospect with a compelling message – and clearly spoken return phone number – are great ways to make your telephone prospecting more effective.

If you can refine your cold calling, you’ll get past gatekeepers more effectively, leave more compelling messages, gather more relevant information, and close more first appointments.

And who doesn’t want to do all those things?

***

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 +1 303.741.6636.

The Year I Lost My Brain - And How I Got It Back, by Jill Konrath

Jill Konrath
Snap Selling

It started exactly 12 months ago, right after SNAP Selling came out. At first I didn't recognized the symptoms, but in retrospect, they were there.

I was crazy-busy, running from one "must do" activity to the next. My inbox overflowed. I was constantly online, answering emails, tweeting, blogging, whatever.

Time evaporated before my eyes. At the end of the day, my endless To Do list was even longer. I'd accomplished virtually nothing, yet I'd worked the entire day.

Awash in this swirl of scattered activities, my primary goal was to stay afloat.

On my daily walks, I listened to podcasts and interviews. In the evenings, I plopped in front of the TV, surrounded by my computer, iPhone and iPad. Never disconnected, constantly consuming an endless supply of media.

Then I got hooked on a few computer games. These mindless diversions, my guilty little pleasures, filled up what was left of my free time. Hah! Did I say free time? There was none.

Clearly, this was no way to live. It was an existence, not a life. But things were really much worse.

I was actually losing my mind.

Please don't think I'm crazy. The truth is, if what I described sounds even remotely similar to your life, you're losing your mind too.

It's actually a function of our constant online flitting. There's a ton of research now showing that the internet is actually changing our brain. In short, we're losing our ability to:

• Concentrate: The more we're online, the more scatterbrained we become. We scan, but don't think - and certainly not deeply. And, we're forgetful. Yet we crave more stimuli and keep clicking away.

• Create: When we're caught in this morass, we can't come up with new ideas and rich insights. With our brains are on overload, they're stuck at a low-level of processing.

I felt all of this. I was spinning in place, going nowhere in a constantly distracted state. I even tried to be more productive, but that didn't work either.

Then I finally got away from it all - to a place where I couldn't be reached by phone and had minimal internet access. At first, I was twitchy. Really twitchy. (Going through withdrawal is tough.)

Amazingly, within two days my brain started coming back.

Creative thoughts popped into my mind. Fun ideas emerged. Fresh perspectives surfaced. I wrote everything down so I wouldn't forget - and also to free up my brain to do more important things.

And, since I like how I'm feeling a whole lot more now than I did before, here's the commitment I made to myself:

• I will limit my internet time to 3 hours per day. I refuse to let the internet destroy my creativity and problem-solving capacity.

• I will be unreachable for at least one hour daily. To do my job effectively, I need to think. I can't think when I don't protect my time.

• I will always have one fun project I'm working on. That's what keeps me alive.

• I will stay focused on the activity I'm on. This may be the hardest of all since I'm so used to allowing distractions. I can't tell you how many urges I fought off while writing this article.

Maybe you haven't lost your mind yet. If that's the case, make sure you protect it at all costs.

But if you're at all like me, your brain has already been severely impacted. I urge you to consider reclaiming it. The truth is, it's the key to your personal and professional success.
***
Jill Konrath is an internationally-recognized speaker & bestselling author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies. She helps sellers land new accounts and speed up sales cycles. To get four free sales-accelerating tools, visit  www.snapselling.com.