Idea Sellers Idea Sellers Everybody Sells... either their ideas or products. Learn how to become much more effective and productive. My purpose is to empower all salespeople.
Articles:
1, 2
Articles
Unleash Your Selling Creativity
2007-10-12 20:38:00 Where does creativity fit in to the sales process? First of all, understand that the sales process will continue in the traditional sense without any new creative efforts or designs. Creativity however, enables a salesperson to stretch a bit, enlightening us with new possibilities. Creativity sparks ingenuity, perhaps opening our eyes to new customers previously invisible to us. You do not have to be a creative, right-brained genius to benefit from this approach. Everybody has creative ideas; simply let yours flow. Years ago I had a bright idea. I wrote a compelling sales letter and decided to mail it to a hundred prospects which I had identified through an industrial directory. First, I called each company to identify the proper contacts and then proceeded to launch my strategic initiative. As with all marketing efforts, I had already learned that the more focused the approach, the better my results would be. I decided that my letter would focus upon the core question "Do... More About: Selling
Salespeople Under Construction
2007-10-09 13:33:00 Yesterday morning, the Today Show featured Rob Thomas and his band, Matchbox 20. The interview with Rob revealed an intelligent, driven and exacting musician with a clear vision and marketing focus, skills normally not associated with average musicians. Of course, theirs is no average band, having enjoyed phenomenal success over the last decade and likely to experience even greater fortune in the future. Matchbox 20 is in tune with its audience. Their members are a tightly-integrated unit, proudly focused and driven to deliver the best musical experience possible. They enjoy a fan-base comprised of millions of loyal fans and they know it. They exist to produce music to satisfy the cravings of their customers in a crowded, ever-evolving marketplace. In 2004, something happened that required their attention. Feeling a bit stale, the band members needed to express their individual creative energy and all temporarily went their separate ways to satisfy those needs. Thomas discussed... More About: Construction , Under Construction
Customer Service Selling Power®
2007-10-07 05:03:00 Customer service. What is it, really? Although you will find a variety of definitions for it, descriptions of it and recommendations for it, many people fail to understand it. Customer service is so much more than a title, a department or a topic of discussion, it is truly an attitude, a part of our very belief system. Customer service must become a component of our being if it is to mean anything. It's so easy to take good customer service for granted. Once we find it, we naturally gravitate towards the source and bathe in it's glow. We tend to hang around where it is offered. It makes us feel good. Being somewhat rare, it makes us feel appreciated and valued. A year ago, a small, hometown-style pharmacy opened near my family doctor. It is not anything like the mega-chains or supermarket pharmacies. The pharmacist soon became a friend. He was easy to talk to and took the time to offer wonderful, heartfelt service. I watched him and his assistant on many occasions be ver... More About: Selling , Customer Service , Service , Customer
The Selling Value of Your Personal Brand
2007-10-04 13:41:00 As salespeople, the brand image that our customers usually associate with us is our employer's brand. If we are self employed, it is our personal brand. Do not be mistaken though, our customers always know us by our personal brand, at least to some extent. In this case our personal brand is equal to our reputation. For a celebrity, a movie star for instance, their brand is usually synonymous with their name. Consider this: Is it Dwayne Johnson or The Rock? A few years ago, you would never see The Rock's birth name used in any media format. I remember an interview on the Tonight Show where Jay Leno addressed him as Mr. Rock. This gentleman would refer to himself in the third person, calling himself The Rock. Who was going to argue the point? Despite his character portrayal and his efforts to stay in character, one could easily see the talent, stage presence, confidence, articulate voice, obvious intelligence and handsome features of this big man. Several starring movie roles l... More About: Personal , Selling , Brand
Would You Buy From This Salesperson?
2007-10-02 15:36:00 Preconceptions exist within all of us. In fact, we will size-up a person that we meet within fifteen seconds. We will review their physical characteristics, voice, stature, level of confidence, capability, knowledge, IQ and many other traits and make pending decisions based upon our conclusions. Some of these evaluations are at a conscious level, however most are at a subconscious level, quietly influencing our subsequent behaviors. First impressions are that powerful. We usually have just one opportunity to establish ourselves with a new contact. In business, that perceived impression must be exactly what we intend it to be or we may not ever get in the door to sell anything. This knowledge must influence our behaviors, wardrobe, personal hygiene, confidence level, vocal performance and every facet that contributes to our initial impression. Our first impression, as revealed to others, actually begins within ourselves. People tend to see us as we see ourselves. Let me repeat; ...
Sales Is Not About Playing It Safe
2007-09-30 20:46:00 Safety is a huge segment of the automation field in manufacturing. There is a constant evolution of standards and technology to ensure the safety of individuals in the manufacturing environment. What's more, safety products have to be at least double-redundant and even contain features to minimize the effects of individual stupidity. Safety is a growing field and everybody is paying close attention. Nobody wants injured workers and hefty fines resulting in costly downtime or lengthy litigation. Employers have multiple motivations for investing in safety. As technologies such as high speed communications, robotics, and machine vision grow in dominance on the manufacturing floor, increased throughput, greater efficiency, fewer humans and less injury often result. Safety control systems are being installed everywhere. While such considerations, averting a recipe for injury, are critical in this environment, playing it safe in the sales and marketing arena is usually a strategy pay... More About: Sales , Safe
Is it Ozzie or Ozzy That You Are Selling?
2007-08-13 15:18:00 In the late 1950's, the hit family television show was Ozzie and Harriet. In 2007, it's The Osbournes, featuring Ozzy and Sharon! What's the difference, you ask? Today, hardly anyone would notice the Ozzie and Harriet Show. In the 50's, The Osbournes would have incited riotous behavior and force network cancellation. How times have changed! Have sales and marketing changed too? Go back and view some of the old vintage commercials and print ads from that era and compare them with the sleek efforts of today. Visually, there is hardly a comparison, but what about the underlying message? At the very core of marketing and sales, the "song remains the same," but the complexity and delivery are incredibly distant. All that in just fifty years! Could you imagine a 1957 televised commercial involving feminine products, male enhancement or condoms? Everything is now on the table. Yes, the sales conversation has changed drastically, but the basic message has not. Down through ... More About: Selling
Differentiate Your Selling Efforts
2007-08-10 16:27:00 Australian entrepreneur, Darren Rouse of ProBlogger has produced a short video focusing upon differentiating your blog from others. Darren is a prolific figure in the blogosphere, with tremendous traffic associated with his blogging efforts. Although he is speaking about blogs, one can easily associate his advice with other efforts, especially selling. His presentation focused on five basics: 1. Appearance 2. Voice 3. Pictures, Video 4. Brand 5. Content Is your image attractive to your customers and are you making a stellar first impression? Are you dressing in a professional manner, appropriate for your industry? Are your marketing and sales materials modern, professionally designed and produced? What are your prospects seeing? What is your message? Is it clearly articulated? Is it focused to a point that those who hear it are crystal clear about what is your unique product or service offering? Is your marketing voice being heard abo... More About: Selling , Diff
Selling Entrepreneurial Security and Growth
2007-08-07 14:31:00 Regis Philbin told a story of his continuing relationship over a period of years with a New York City cop, Thomas Caruso. While on his beat, Caruso would frequently accompany Philbin as he walked to a gym several blocks away, sharing warm conversation. Philbin, of course, would tell countless stories of Notre Dame from his experiences and Curoso, thoroughly enjoying them, would get caught up in the experiences. Philbin, shocked to discover that Caruso had never been to the Indiana campus, arranged for a trip for the two of them which they thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, so much so that they did it again and remain friends to this day! Philbin described seeing his friend every so often and just yesterday enjoyed lunch together. Regis was again shocked to discover that Caruso, now retired from the force, was president of Noble Security Company. What a security company it is! Regis was totally surprised to discover just how successful this cop/entrepreneur had become. Kelly was quick t... More About: Selling , Growth , Grow , Rene
It's Easy. We Do All of the Selling For You.
2007-08-05 16:24:00 "It's easy. We do all the selling for you." Does that empty promise sound familiar? Our airwaves and business opportunity periodicals are full of them. Take a pill and lose 20 pounds! Buy these wrist bands and triple your strength. Pay this fee, we do all the work. Buy this car and feel younger. Wear this perfume and drive the men crazy. How about the message behind these Axe and Link cologne commercials! Things are not always what they seem to be. What appears to be "too good to be true" often and usually is. Consider the wisdom of the following story: There once was a King who commissioned a study to be done, the purpose of which was to gather the great wisdom of the universe. He sent scholars to the four corners of the earth to discover its wonders and report back to him. A year later, his emissaries returned and spent 6 months preparing their data for presentation to the King. They loaded their assessment on to 4 wagons, attached the several teams... More About: Selling , Easy
Learning an Exponential Entrepreneurial Mindset
2007-08-01 15:23:00 Leverage is defined as the action of a lever or the mechanical advantage gained by it in a specific situation. According to Kevin Eikenberry, "When we use a lever, we use specific, correct actions to create great results. That is what we all want to do with our time - find the activities that will create greater results - personal, professional, business, financial, or others in our lives. Considering the returns (leverage) you will get on this investment, it will be time well spent." Leveraging our assets, especially our time, must become an exponential process rather than the familiar linear method of exchanging our time for income. We must learn to think differently, adopting a new paradigm. Leverage is truly the key to wealth-building. Leverage is what gives the successful entrepreneur his competitive edge in the marketplace. A couple of good examples of high income, but still “caught in a linear model trap” are many doctors and lawyers. They lack leverage. Their ... More About: Learning , Mindset , Rene , Earning
What is the Value of Your Selling Time?
2007-07-30 13:56:00 Time, is our most precious resource. How are we to make the most effective use of each twenty-four hour span? Most people give little thought to the actual value of their time, possibly not even during conventional working hours. Entrepreneurs know better. We cannot afford to haphazardly approach the workday. We must have a plan and execute it to the best of our ability, leveraging time to our greatest benefit. Dave Navarro at Jonathan Phillips' Freelance Folder proposes a thought-provoking method of accurately valuing our time. "Your time is worth exactly this much: Cash Money / Hours Worked = Your Rockin’ $DPH (Dollars Per Hour) Now, in the last 30 days, how much did you earn? Stop reading, and think about this seriously. Don’t read any further until you do. How much cash crossed your hands (or how many orders came in) in the last month? Stop and think about it. Now that you have that number firmly in mind, it’s time to get brutally honest. How many hours did yo... More About: Selling , Time
What is Your Excuse for Learning Ignorance?
2007-07-29 16:46:00 What's your excuse for not learning, for not staying current in your industry, for not expanding your mind to new possibilities? For what reason have you stopped reading and educating yourself? Do you feel that your education concluded at high school? At college? Lifelong learning must become the educational attitude of the current day and your future. We must adopt a philosophy of continuously learning new skills if we want to simply keep up, let alone get ahead. Consider Kansas resident Nola Ochs. At 95 years of age, she is the oldest graduating college student on record according to The Guiness Book of World Records. "I don't dwell on my age. It might limit what I can do. As long as I have my mind and health, it's just a number" exclaims Ochs. She is now considering a career change and would like to join a cruise line as a story-teller! What are your limitations concerning learning? Unless there is a physical problem in your brain, there actually are no limitatio... More About: Learning , Ignorance , Excuse , Earning
Gene Simmons Markets and Sells KISS
2007-07-27 13:40:00 Kiss, the band, both spectacle and legend, has successfully established and maintained their position in rock music history over a 35 year presence. The driving force behind the successful business of Kiss is Gene Simmons , celebrated bassist, singer and song-writer. He is the shrewd marketing and sales mastermind responsible for most of their amazing statistics. Simmons says "Let's face it, just because I stick out my tongue a lot and spit fire doesn't mean I have any qualifications to advise anyone on relationship, money or career issues. I don't. Yet I've lived with a beautiful woman for twenty years with never a cross word between us, in a relationship based on honesty and full disclosure. I've amassed a fortune--and "expert business people" work for me. And for three decades I've been in KISS--a band that has scaled the heights and broken every possible record, from album sales to touring to merchandising and licensing. What I have and have always ha... More About: Kiss , Markets , Gene Simmons
Selling Success with the Slight-Edge Formula
2007-07-25 13:38:00 The Slight-Edge Formula , an adaptation of an idea first promoted by Jeff Olson, is a process by which we consciously plan to improve in a given area of our life in an incremental amount on a regular basis. Although it is not rocket science or terribly difficult, it does require discipline, determination and the earnest desire to improve upon our existing skills and performance. I have written about this concept before and likely will again because it is important. In fact, I believe that it may be the single greatest tool in your sales and personal development arsenal! Consider this analogy: At a temperature of 211°F, water will be quite hot. With it, you can make coffee, cook spaghetti noodles, warm a cold bath and other sundry tasks. Increasing the temperature of the water by just 1° however, and you create boiling water and steam! You create potential power, energy capable of powering electrical generators, locomotives and a variety of industrial processes. Yes, that 1°adder... More About: Selling , Success
Todd And's Power 150 Connects With Advertising Age
2007-07-24 02:35:00 Todd Andrlik has just announced the merging/sale of his popular and informative Todd And blog with powerful and influential Advertising Age media publications. His Power 150 marketing blog ranking system has developed into the marketing staple of the industry, garnering tremendous growth in readership over the last year. According to Andrlik, "As an individual who is passionate about marketing, I have taken the Power 150 as far as possible. It far exceeded my expectations, but also far exceeded my abilities, time, and personal resources. Today, the Power 150’s multimetric algorithm ranks almost 350 marketing blogs - 150 plus honorable mentions. Several hundred hours have already gone into creating, establishing and maintaining the Power 150, and this is an opportunity for Ad Age to take it to the next level. Bottom line, the marketing world - including the marketing blogosphere - will benefit tremendously from the Ad Age + Power 150 partnership." Congratulations... More About: Vert
Selling Your Lasting Impression
2007-07-23 14:42:00 Ladain Owens is a unique entrepreneur. Since he was a boy, he has been working in constuction. This path later led him to partner with one of our area's most prolific custom home builders. Upon his partner's death, Ladain took over the helm, subsequently opening a separate company to do custom remodeling, and continues to grow both businesses successfully today. His stellar reputation for quality and fairness has earned him repeat business with a number of clients, including myself. He is always busy and considers himself enormously blessed. Today, I count Ladain among my friends. He is a wonderful man, husband, father, boss and businesman. In an industry where there is a high incidence of employee no-shows and sub-contractor turnover, Ladain has managed to keep an impressive number of loyal, highly-qualified sub-contractors and laborers working with him for many years. How does he accomplish this when his peers cannot? The simple answer is respect and caring. His associates wan... More About: Selling , Impress , Impression
Selling Your First Impression
2007-07-20 13:38:00 Approximately this time last summer, I scheduled a meeting with an executive whom I had not previously met. In fact, we didn't even speak to set the appointment, I did that with his administrative assistant. One year ago. I arrived early for the meeting to become familiar with the surroundings and had the opportunity to meet some of Mr. Smith's staff, particularly Holly, his administrative assistant. As you might suspect, she is also his gatekeeper and a good person to know, particularly if you want to deal with Mr. Smith. We conversed a bit and I learned about her job, that she had been there for three years, she had been a local resident all her life, she had two young children, her dog was a cocker spaniel, and her husband worked for a local insurance company. She was quite kind and very interesting. When it was time to see Mr. Smith, she escorted me in and provided a warm introduction. It was a great start to the successful meeting. He would go on to introduce me to the key c... More About: Selling , Impress , Impression
Congress and the Sales Conversation
2007-07-18 17:21:00 As I jockeyed the talk radio stations and perused the news stories this morning, I noticed that our wonderful national leaders were meeting in an extended overnight session last night, debating the Iraq war policy. In what appears to be little more than a Democrat inspired promotional stunt, the Senate talked, debated and as usual, accomplished little, if nothing at all. Talk has to mean something. Conversation s must be inspired. Participants must be motivated. In true conversation, each party must put aside personal vendettas, self-interest and pre-conceived notions if there is to be true communication and a worthwhile end result. It is rather obvious that this seldom happens in the political arena. Perhaps Congress should adopt an Age of Conversation mentality, involving all media and individuals with something to contribute. We have a lot to say! As with politics, successful business transactions require successful communications. Sales people and entrepreneurs need to be payin...
Idea Sellers Celebrates 100th Article!
2007-07-16 16:47:00 Thank you so much for your interest in my work and our conversations over these last several months of growth here at Idea Sellers . It's hard to believe that 100 articles have now been published here! My intent is to continue writing useful and stimulating sales, marketing and personal development articles for entrepreneurs and salespeople alike. I am also looking forward to the publication of my next book, Superior Selling Skills Mastery, which should be available by the end of summer. Many of you have purchased my first book, Learning For Profit, which deals with learning simple and profitable accelerated learning techniques. Thank you. The blogging community in general has been very inspirational to me, as I have had the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with so many talented and wonderful people. Sales and marketing are the most gratifying and exciting areas to work in. It's where the "rubber meets the road" in the world of business. I am so privileged to have... More About: Article , Rates , Brat
Secrets of Multi-Tasking Success
2007-07-16 13:59:00 Let's face it, we all multi-task. There have been numerous articles written on the validity of this effort and the net work result attained, however, multi-tasking will not ever go away. There are advocates on both sides of the argument. The truth is; we are simply too busy, sometimes in contrast to our own well-being and goodness. We often tend to multi-task because we feel pressured by the clock and others around us; others who may be dependent upon the successful completion of our task before they can move on to their next project. Are you as productive at a given task, while you are attempting to accomplish another? Not Likely. I personally believe that it is far better and generally more productive to focus on one activity at a time, lending your full attention to it and completing it before moving on to the next task. The operative word is focus. Author David Allen speaks of "stress being related to the number of "open loops" which your brain is trying to tra... More About: Success , Multi , Secrets , Task
Marketing and Sales Must Meld
2007-07-14 22:51:00 Although it may appear at times as though marketing and sales are at odds with each other, the two business functions actually share synergy, possible even a symbiotic type of relationship. One's energy feeds the other. One thing is for certain, both are important and neither can survive without the other. Becky Carroll at Customers Rock says "The goal is to understand the customer so deeply that everyone wins: sales+marketing and the customer. Only then will a relationship have any chance of taking hold and growing to meet the needs of both company and customer." Trouble often erupts between sales and marketing people in the absence of good communication channels. Sharing strategy and tactics within any organization is often vital, and is no less so in the supposed customer-centered gap between sales and marketing functions. Many times, it is a matter of egos getting in the way. Marketing feels that it is all about them and salespeople feel the same way. The truth... More About: Sales , Must
Successful Selling Is Not Confrontational
2007-07-12 15:31:00 One of my favorite mentors, Zig Ziglar, tells a wonderful tale of a small boy who was being harassed by three much larger bullies. One day, the bullies confronted him with the clear intention of beating him up. The smaller boy confidently took a couple of steps back, and with a small stick, drew a line in the dirt directly in front of him. Once again, while backing up a few steps, he made searing eye contact with the largest of the bullies and said "Now, you just step across that line!" Looking at each other in amazement, then laughing, the biggest brute did as instructed. The smaller boy confidently grinned and said, "Good. Now we're on the same side!" Professional selling is much the same way. It does not matter whether there is a tangible product or service involved, or a revolutionary new idea designed to get our associates to adopt a new paradigm. Sales is not at all a contest of us versus them. A winning sales presentation is not ever given with a goal of... More About: Selling , Confrontation
Cold Calling Sales Magic
2007-07-10 14:55:00 In the world of sales, few tasks turn the stomach of the entrepreneur as much as the thought of cold calling. It is often perceived as the the most difficult, most feared activity in their day. Why is that? For men, does it conjure up awkward memories of teenage years, asking for a date? For women, might it be the now-fading societal rule that women do not make the first move or initial call? For whatever reasons that I will leave for psychologists to explain, we are often uncomfortable with making that first move, that cold call. We often tend to make almost any excuse for not picking up the phone. We will busy ourselves with any task at hand, justifying to ourselves that we are simply too busy to call now and will do so later. Procrastination is not in the dictionary of the winner. The successful entrepreneur takes action, even when it is uncomfortable. As Mark Twain once said, "Do that which you fear and the death of fear is certain." A more modern vernacular is &quo... More About: Magic , Sales , Cold , Calling , Cold calling
Sales, Marketing and Conversations
2007-07-09 00:05:00 Everybody is talking! It seems like that phrase has been around for some time. It is so true, more so today than ever before. Everybody is indeed talking. Our society and technology have made it easy, effective and inexpensive. We talk on the land phone, cell phone, conference call, voice mail, email, letters, notes, signs, radio, television, the web, direct mail, blogs and seemingly countless other means. We talk directly, indirectly and covertly, behind someone's back. Our communication is both positive and negative, and operates at a wide variety of volume levels from the sublime to the skywriter. It seems that everyone has something to say. Sales people, marketers and companies are listening too! We are all paying attention. In a day where the viral action of a mere blog post can reach more people than almost any other form of media, we are more aware than ever that there is real conversation going on at every level imaginable. Consider the RSS phenomenon. I have RSS feeds ke... More About: Marketing , Conversation
Talent Alone is Not Enough. You Must Sell.
2007-07-06 15:47:00 Do you know what your strengths are? Where do your talents lie? Do you have a secret dream that you have never shared but are haunted by daily for expression? Many of us do. You may have a dream of taking your stellar idea to market, but have never pursued it. Why not? Often, the reasons are ignorance and fear. Ignorance can be overcome with education. You may lack the knowledge of the necessary legal and financial steps required, but you can learn how to source this expertise. Your idea may involve products or service processing that will require skills that you lack. Those things can be located and activated. Ignorance is usually dismissed quickly. Fear however, is the biggie. It may be fear of failure or even the fear of success. Both are common. Our entrepreneurial spirit must entail courage. Remember that fear is often simply the acrostic False Evidence Appearing Real. If we review our FEAR, we may often see that their is no real justification for it. Challenge your fear. Ma... More About: Sell , Talent , Must , Lone , Alone
Champions Never Quit, Never Surrender
More articles from this author:2007-07-05 17:41:00 What makes a champion? An unrelenting attitude, belief in yourself, focus and determination? A champion is a strong competitor who never quits, never surrenders. A true champion would rather fall down while striving and exerting maximum effort, than to sit down because she is tired. I remember maintaining a wide horse-stance in karate class for what seemed like hours while our instructor often repeated that it was acceptable to collapse to the ground, but forbidden to stand up to find relief. Quit ting is never an option for winners. Remember the words of Tim Allen's Captain Nesmith character in Galaxy Quest, "Never quit. Never surrender." At Wimbledon, we witnessed a true champion in action: According to the Associated Press, "Hobbled and hurting and essentially playing on one leg, Serena Williams managed to gut out a three-set victory." At one point, Williams fell to the ground, experiencing a crippling leg cramp. "I thought about not finishing, but very ... More About: Champions , Ender , Surrender , Champion 1, 2 |
 |
|
 |
