Yesterday I went to my “BDB Meeting”– (Boys Doing Business.) Although we all travel extensively, this “Mastermind Group” meets weekly over coffee for 2 -3 hours to share ideas about how to grow our businesses. Each member brings unique talents and perspectives to the group, and a strong bond exists between us. As a professional speaker and sales trainer, I constantly look for new ways to market and sell my services. All of us in BDB work in the professional speaking business, although our areas of expertise differ greatly. One member of our group is named John Crudele.

John works includes speaking to youth and corporate clients as a motivational speaker and brings twenty five years of experience to the table. Over four thousand audiences…two MILLION people have had the privilege to hear John share powerful messages of pain, hope and the ability to effect change in one’s life and business. While John makes an impact as a corporate speaker, his career started primarily speaking to youth, and he remains passionate about helping young people.

Yesterday he shared two of the thousands of letters he has received over the years from kids that were hurting and found hope in his messages. Of course, he did not disclose the names of these young adults, but you could tell that this was the fuel that drives John…his passion, purpose, and core meaning for his business.

No matter what you sell, you must be passionate about your offering to maximize your potential and reach your goals. Regardless of your product or service your prospects and clients sense your passion and commitment to them and the problems you help them solve. All of us want to sell “the best” but often the best becomes defined by the quality of service that we offer and our concern for always keeping the customers’ needs first. If we sell on purpose, our clients love to provide us with referred leads as well.

Do you take and show the pride in your company, your products, and your services? Share how you have won sales as a result of your commitment to excellence and your passion for serving your customers and clients. How do you demonstrate your passion? Do you really sell “on purpose?”

Thanks for sharing, John. No wonder you are in such demand.

Good selling!

Technorati Tags: professional speaker, sales trainer, professional speaking business, John Crudele, motivational speaker, corporate speaker, goals, sell on purpose, referred leads

Last night my wife and I went the Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Chanhassen, Minnesota to see a play called “Male Intellect: An Oxymoron.” This one-man comedy starred a friend named Stevie Ray. Stevie is a very successful businessman. Executive Director of “Stevie Ray’s Improv Company,” columnist for the “Minneapolis Business Journal,” author, nationally known speaker and corporate trainer; this is a busy guy! Stevie is also in demand as an MC, having hosted the Miss Minnesota Pageant, and a long list of other civic and charitable events. In addition to being an outrageously funny, talented artist and businessman, Stevie is a wonderfully giving person.

Do NOT miss the fact that he is a businessman. As a sales trainer and speaker, he did something at the close of last night’s show that reminded me why he has been so successful in so many businesses…he asked for referrals!

After he took his bow, they brought the lights back up and Stevie stepped back on the stage. He thanked his audience for coming (another great sales principle; say “thank you” to your customers!) This play is a bit of a departure for “The Chan” and Stevie joked that he loved the great crowds the play has drawn, as it is depressing to do a live show to two or three people! Then he asked us, if we liked the show, to tell a few of our friends about it. “Send them an email” he suggested lightheartedly, all the while doing so with his ever-present wit and energy.

Great salespeople don’t just make sales; they grow their businesses by developing and broadening their “circle of friends” and creatively asking for the customer referral. So, you get your wish, Stevie. I am sending this to some of my closest friends in sales. Whether or not you have the good fortune to see this really fun production, Stevie gives you a gift – a reminder to ask for the referral! (By the way, if you like this Blog, pass the link along to your friends in sales and sales management. I love referrals, too!)

Good selling!

Technorati Tags: Minneapolis Business Journal, speaker, sales trainer, speaker, customer referral, sales, sales management

What a week! Seven speaking engagements in five cities in Washington, California, and Texas, with five flights provided for an exciting but tiring trip. When my wife picked me up at the airport last night, the last thing I wanted to do was dine out. However, she had had a long week as well. She was prepared to have a quiet dinner at home, but I surprised her by suggesting we go out for dinner.

Jensen’s Café in Burnsville, MN is a wonderful breakfast and lunch restaurant, open from 7 AM to 2:30 PM. The Jensen’s are third generation restaurateurs, with another store called Jensen’s Supper Club in Eagan, MN. On my flight home I read in a magazine that they were diversifying their business by using the Jensen’s Café location to launch Jensen’s Wine & Dine, which uses the same facilities and opens at 4:30 PM. They have an entirely different crew that comes in to provide a warm, upscale, but reasonably priced dining experience with fine wines, an excellent menu, and an entirely different feel than you would find if you showed up earlier in the day for breakfast or lunch.

What does this have to do with sales? Jensen’s is growing their business using four principles of successful diversification. To be successful we must focus on what we do best, but when we become successful, we can diversify our business, and add exponential growth to our bottom line. To diversify your sales business you can use the same strategies, which are:

1. Stay in your area of experience and expertise
2. If possible, use existing business assets and resources
3. Provide better service to and more profitability from existing customer relationships, and/or…
4. Use diversification to expand your customer base

Don’t forget to focus on the profitability of expanding your offerings; it has to make sense from a business perspective. Once you have established yourself and become a solid presence in your marketplace, offering additional products and services allows you to increase your profitability and take advantage of scale. Take a look at what you can offer that will build on and strengthen your existing business. Build a plan to grow…and execute your sales plan!

Bon appetite… and good selling!

Technorati Tags: speaking engagements, sales business, customer relationships, sales plan

Many firms use surveys as a way to gauge different aspects of their business. It makes sense for salespeople to survey customers as well, even if their company already has a survey process. The first objective of corporate surveying is to improve the company. Smart firms know that helping their salespeople will ultimately help the company, but there may be some information that YOU want to know that isn’t being covered in the corporate survey.

Here are some examples of questions that will help you grow your business:

• “Do you feel I listened to YOU to determine the solution to best fit your needs?” Sometimes we spend too much time talking, and not enough time listening. Jaime Calva, a master salesman with TSC, a company in the corporate retirement plan business, says, “Telling isn’t selling!” Jaime has been selling for over 50 years! Enough said.
• “If a family member, friend, or business associate asked you about [Your Services] and wanted to know who you used, would you mention my name to them?” If they say “Yes,” call them and thank them, and then tell them to whom you wish to be referred!
• “May I use your comments with people / companies that I call upon?” Testimonials sell! And how beneficial will it be to be able to tell prospects that a large number of your clients…and use the number…are willing to refer you!
• “What could I do to serve you better?” Sometimes you will get answers that might surprise you; in fact you might find out problems you didn’t know you had!

Another reason to survey your clients is to find out their hobbies and interests. If you find out you have a large number of clients that have the similar interests, you can send them articles or information on those topics. This becomes an additional way to develop deeper relationships with your clients and prospects. It shows that you CARE about their business and about THEM.

To get the maximum feedback from as many clients as possible, build in an incentive if they complete the survey. For example, give away a gift certificate or a choice from several types of gift cards. Consider offering discounts on a particular type of product or service from your company; you can do that at cost! Also, this is a great way to allow customers to sample new items, or experience a new service that could lead to future sales.

This may sound a little cumbersome. To make customer surveys easy, take a look at a company called SurveyMonkey. This firm offers internet-based survey tools at a nominal cost. A basic subscription is FREE, and a professional subscription is about $20/month, and includes up to 1000 responses per month. SurveyMonkey is easy to set up and effective.

A little effort in developing a meaningful survey will tell you a great deal about the people that are your business…your customers! This knowledge will help you grow your business and provide better customer service, and your customers will tell you how to do it.

Good selling!

Technorati Tags: salespeople, customer service

Today was busy. I had two meetings, and a luncheon. In addition, I had to prepare a speech for a meeting in California next week. And there was the ever present list of phone calls to make. Two calls were priority. One call was to work out the details of a very large strategic planning contract and the second concerned a speech to a bankers’ association. In addition, I needed to go pick up a new suit from my clothier, Bill’s Toggery in Shakopee, Minnesota.

During the drive to Bill’s, a third generation business, I was on my cell phone non-stop. As I pulled into the parking lot, I was in the middle of one call. I sat in front of the store for 15 – 20 minutes in a detailed discussion, scribbling notes as I listened. I saw somebody walk out of the store, and it was Keith Galles. Keith has almost 45 years experience in the men’s clothing business. His service is always first class. Keith knows me; he knows a do a tremendous amount of business on the phone, and looking out the window of the store, he could tell I was engaged!

I was talking away, and he walked up with a suit bag, raised his finger to his lips to signal me that no conversation was necessary. He smiled, hung the bag up in my car, and mouthed the words, “Good luck!” With that he walked back into the store. He KNEW I was busy; I am ALWAYS busy. That small act of knowing his customer and giving that little bit of extra service to help me on my way are the types of things that keep me coming back.

Keith is a pro. He can SELL. And he always takes care of his customers. Do you give your clients that kind of exceptional service? Do you pay attention to the little things, and follow through on your good intentions? Little things make a difference if you are in the service business…and who isn’t?

Good selling!

Technorati Tags: strategic planning, exceptional service

With a haircut like mine, you go to the barber fairly often. I go to Preserve Barbers in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Deb has been my barber for about eight years.

Last week I was getting a haircut (a GREAT haircut, I might add) and Deb was telling me about a recent example of sales excellence she witnessed in her shop. Preserve Barbers is in a small, upscale mall. An “Energy Consultant” (AKA light bulb salesman) named Bill Johannes from H & H Industries in Elmwood, IL services the lighting needs of the stores in the mall, and came by with a replacement bulb. He insisted on installing it, and in the process, a small crack showed up in the Plexiglas fixture. Deb said it wasn’t noticeable; no problem. Bill INSISTED on replacing it, and went to Home Depot. When he returned, it was the wrong size! After another trip, he discovered that it was a nonstandard fixture. What to do?

What Bill did was take it home that night, and cut it to fit. The next day he returned and replaced it…no charge. Deb told him it wasn’t necessary to go to all of that trouble, but Bill said he couldn’t sleep knowing he had cracked her light fixture.

I visited H & H’s website, and read, “We’re a third generation family-owned company, directly involved in the manufacture and supply of quality lighting products for your business. With over 250 individuals dedicated to meeting your highest expectations with the highest quality, most cost-efficient, products available on the market today. We’re the ONE supplier of solutions you’ve been looking for.” I wasn’t surprised. In addition, their website noted they were the winner of an “Illinois Small Business Award.”

I suggest that you ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I really believe that the customer is the reason for my professional existence?
2. When faced with a service challenge, will I do whatever it takes to solve the customer’s problem?
3. In doing so, will I feel I have earned the right to referrals for exceptional service?
4. What can I do to provide three of my best customers with more than they paid for?
5. Who are those customers, and will I call them TODAY?

You see, referrals are the reward for excellent service. Most salespeople run from customer problems; they are totally focused on the next sale, not service. By building your business based on exceptional service and referrals, you are guaranteed to survive in the worst of times, and thrive when times are good. Congratulations, Bill. You are a true Sales Superstar! I’ll call you if I need light-bulbs…and I’m sure I will receive excellent service.

Good selling!

Technorati Tags: sales excellence, referrals

Today I read a great article on making an effective sales call using the phone. I read a post on Mike Gerholdt’s blog, “Great Sales and Marketing Ideas,” and it was beautiful in it’s simplicity. As a salesperson and sales trainer, i promise you it is effective as well. The article is called “Getting What You Want.” If you or a member of your team need to gather information over the phone from prospects and clients, read this one today. It is a gem!
http://greatsalesandmarketingideas.blogspot.com/2007/02/getting-what-you-want.html