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Issue #35 ~ December 8, 2009 Printer friendly PDF file
The 12 Tips of “Salesmas” - Part 1
Quick Tips to Boost Sales in 2010
It’s almost the end of the year and soon we’ll be making our list of resolutions for the New Year. What? You’re too busy to make your list this year? Well, you’re in luck! My early Christmas present to you is a list of 12 things you can do to makeover your sales and networking efforts for 2010. And this is the gift that keeps on giving - 6 tips this week and the other 6 next week.
Some of these may only take a few minutes, and others may require you to invest - not spend, but invest - a bit of time, but all of them create value to your business, your brand and your sales. (singing) “On the first day of Salesmas, six tips from Selling U…”
#1 Create a memorable voice-mail message. Whenever you call a business and get their voice-mail, most every voice-mail greeting follows the same standard (boring) template that goes something like this: “Hello, you’ve reached ABC Company. We cannot come to the phone as we are either helping a customer or on the other line. Please leave your name, phone number and a brief message and we will call you back.” BEEP
Yawwwwn! Ever catch yourself in a fog during the greeting and then wonder if the beep happened yet? Instead, grab their attention somewhere and somehow. Have fun with it! For example, if you get my voice-mail, I ask for your credit card number and expiration date and tell you that I’ll return your call when I get back from Home Depot. You’d be surprised and the laughs and comments I get with the messages that are left! They have fun leaving the message and best yet, it was a memorable experience.
Another good one is a customer I have that has a very quick and to the point greeting. He gives his name and tells you to leave your name and number and he will call you back in five minutes! Not “as soon as I can.” Five minutes! And he does, no fail, every time! Very memorable!
#2 Develop a 30 to 60-second commercial. One challenge business owners and sales reps have is being able to quickly and effectively convey precisely what they do. A good commercial tells what you do, the benefits of your product or service, why people should buy from you and have a little teaser that generates a follow-up question.
You never know when you might bump into someone that could be a potential customer - or better yet, your next BIG customer. Having a prepared commercial conveys confidence, professionalism and attention to detail. You only have one chance to make a great first impression. Do not drop the ball by fumbling your words. Be prepared and score a sale!
#3 Send out at least five hand-written cards per week. When was the last time you received a hand-written note from someone you did business with. (I’ll stop typing for a few minutes while you think…..Need more time?.....) Remember when Mom always made you write out thank you cards for your birthday presents (That wasn’t just my Mom, was it!?) Those silly cards show sincere gratitude and appreciation for their gift - or business!
In this age of e-mail - and (gulp) e-newsletters - the hand-written note has gone the way of the 8-track tape. If you want to stand out, rather than send a quick, cold e-mail thank you, break out a pen and paper and go old school on your customers!
#4 Create a unique memory hook. Do you have a short, 3-5 word phrase that people know you by? These are called memory hooks and they can be a very valuable and powerful tool for brand and name recognition. Some that you may know include: Good to the last drop. Got Milk? Wrangler: Real. Comfortable. Jeans.
A short, clever, memorable catch phase can be used anywhere you market or brand your business. Websites, business cards, flyers, brochures, estimates, invoices - basically anywhere your business name is printed, your hook should be right there by or underneath it. Take a few minutes to brainstorm a few ideas. If you need a little help, ask your customers for one word that best describes you, your business or the service you provide. Their answers will provide insight and ideas for that ear-grabbing phrase.
#5 Join your local Chamber of Commerce. If you’ve never been a member of a Chamber, there are typically many networking opportunities they provide that you can take advantage of. Some people think the only benefit of a Chamber is discounted health insurance, but they go way beyond group rates and member-to-member discounts.
Like anything else in life, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Successful networking means active participation at networking events and a Chamber of Commerce is a great vehicle for doing just that. A couple examples of networking opportunities they provide are after-work mixers, seminars and business expos. Excellent opportunities for great return on your financial and sweat investments.
#6 Join a leads group. When you join your Chamber, ask them if they have a leads or referral group that you can plug into. There are also non-Chamber affiliated groups you can join like BNI (Business Networking International). These are great groups to be involved with as you will have 20-30 other businesses that are looking out for referrals for you - on a weekly basis!
Unlike an after-work mixer or other networking events that typically have a casual or social atmosphere (which can be productive), these leads groups have a structured agenda to each meeting with a definite purpose of educating the group on your product or service with a focus on generating and passing referrals to each other.
There is the first half of your Salesmas present. They are just ideas right now. Will they “fit” everyone? Maybe, but they’re at least worth trying on. They may not be comfortable at first, but in time, when you break them in, they could be the best things you got under the tree!
Now Go Get ‘Em!!
Quick Tips to Boost Sales in 2010
It’s almost the end of the year and soon we’ll be making our list of resolutions for the New Year. What? You’re too busy to make your list this year? Well, you’re in luck! My early Christmas present to you is a list of 12 things you can do to makeover your sales and networking efforts for 2010. And this is the gift that keeps on giving - 6 tips this week and the other 6 next week.
Some of these may only take a few minutes, and others may require you to invest - not spend, but invest - a bit of time, but all of them create value to your business, your brand and your sales. (singing) “On the first day of Salesmas, six tips from Selling U…”
#1 Create a memorable voice-mail message. Whenever you call a business and get their voice-mail, most every voice-mail greeting follows the same standard (boring) template that goes something like this: “Hello, you’ve reached ABC Company. We cannot come to the phone as we are either helping a customer or on the other line. Please leave your name, phone number and a brief message and we will call you back.” BEEP
Yawwwwn! Ever catch yourself in a fog during the greeting and then wonder if the beep happened yet? Instead, grab their attention somewhere and somehow. Have fun with it! For example, if you get my voice-mail, I ask for your credit card number and expiration date and tell you that I’ll return your call when I get back from Home Depot. You’d be surprised and the laughs and comments I get with the messages that are left! They have fun leaving the message and best yet, it was a memorable experience.
Another good one is a customer I have that has a very quick and to the point greeting. He gives his name and tells you to leave your name and number and he will call you back in five minutes! Not “as soon as I can.” Five minutes! And he does, no fail, every time! Very memorable!
#2 Develop a 30 to 60-second commercial. One challenge business owners and sales reps have is being able to quickly and effectively convey precisely what they do. A good commercial tells what you do, the benefits of your product or service, why people should buy from you and have a little teaser that generates a follow-up question.
You never know when you might bump into someone that could be a potential customer - or better yet, your next BIG customer. Having a prepared commercial conveys confidence, professionalism and attention to detail. You only have one chance to make a great first impression. Do not drop the ball by fumbling your words. Be prepared and score a sale!
#3 Send out at least five hand-written cards per week. When was the last time you received a hand-written note from someone you did business with. (I’ll stop typing for a few minutes while you think…..Need more time?.....) Remember when Mom always made you write out thank you cards for your birthday presents (That wasn’t just my Mom, was it!?) Those silly cards show sincere gratitude and appreciation for their gift - or business!
In this age of e-mail - and (gulp) e-newsletters - the hand-written note has gone the way of the 8-track tape. If you want to stand out, rather than send a quick, cold e-mail thank you, break out a pen and paper and go old school on your customers!
#4 Create a unique memory hook. Do you have a short, 3-5 word phrase that people know you by? These are called memory hooks and they can be a very valuable and powerful tool for brand and name recognition. Some that you may know include: Good to the last drop. Got Milk? Wrangler: Real. Comfortable. Jeans.
A short, clever, memorable catch phase can be used anywhere you market or brand your business. Websites, business cards, flyers, brochures, estimates, invoices - basically anywhere your business name is printed, your hook should be right there by or underneath it. Take a few minutes to brainstorm a few ideas. If you need a little help, ask your customers for one word that best describes you, your business or the service you provide. Their answers will provide insight and ideas for that ear-grabbing phrase.
#5 Join your local Chamber of Commerce. If you’ve never been a member of a Chamber, there are typically many networking opportunities they provide that you can take advantage of. Some people think the only benefit of a Chamber is discounted health insurance, but they go way beyond group rates and member-to-member discounts.
Like anything else in life, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Successful networking means active participation at networking events and a Chamber of Commerce is a great vehicle for doing just that. A couple examples of networking opportunities they provide are after-work mixers, seminars and business expos. Excellent opportunities for great return on your financial and sweat investments.
#6 Join a leads group. When you join your Chamber, ask them if they have a leads or referral group that you can plug into. There are also non-Chamber affiliated groups you can join like BNI (Business Networking International). These are great groups to be involved with as you will have 20-30 other businesses that are looking out for referrals for you - on a weekly basis!
Unlike an after-work mixer or other networking events that typically have a casual or social atmosphere (which can be productive), these leads groups have a structured agenda to each meeting with a definite purpose of educating the group on your product or service with a focus on generating and passing referrals to each other.
There is the first half of your Salesmas present. They are just ideas right now. Will they “fit” everyone? Maybe, but they’re at least worth trying on. They may not be comfortable at first, but in time, when you break them in, they could be the best things you got under the tree!
Now Go Get ‘Em!!