Why is it that so many people have an aversion to selling?
Well, studies have shown that for so many of us with fragile egos, rejection can be devastating when the customer doesn’t buy.

But what does “No” really mean? There are a number of interpretations that when understood can suddenly lift your spirits, provide you with a second chance and put it all into perspective.

Personally, I often use “No” as a test for the salesperson’s character and real intentions. Are they interested in me as a loyal, life-long customer, will they follow up or are they just looking to get the sale and move on?

Before you make your next sales call consider these important
Top Ten Ways to Interpret the Word “No”
Note: They seldom come out and actually tell you why. It’s your job as a salesperson to recognize why… through careful listening and keen observation and then react!

1. I’m not interested!
You didn’t do your homework! Research & referrals ensure that you are knocking on the right door, talking to the right people and this is essential prior to every sales call.
*But for those of you who have done your homework, “No” can simply mean:

2. I’m too busy to look into it carefully at this time
So you ask when there might be a better time to meet. And it may be 6 months from now!

3. I don’t have the money in my budget
Budgets can be juggled if they see the value & the return on investment. Focus on advantages and benefits. Your other option is that budgets are determined annually. Ask if you can be considered for next year’s budget.

4. I don’t understand what you are offering me
Especially with technology, it may take some time to educate the customer. Exercise patience & persistence if “the Fit” is right.

5. It’s too expensive
Not usually! They just don’t see the value. Don’t lower your price, increase how you communicate value thru advantages and benefits.

6. I’m not really the decision maker
They don’t always come out and tell you this but you should always ask if others should be included in your meeting or presentation.

7. I have bigger priorities
You may need to come back another time or… focus on the advantages and benefits that will make you a priority.

8. My brother-in-law sells the same type of product
Fortunately for you, circumstances do change. I always ask if they mind if I stop by again (in the new year…)

9. I am satisfied with my current situation
Always honour that comment but keep them on your “call list”. Don’t pressure them but feed them information occasionally and then stop by again (in the new year…)

10. I’m not (yet) confident with you, your company or your brand
Before you can sell a product or service you must first sell yourself. When you know that “the Fit” is right, be patient, provide testimonials, provide additional information and invest in building a relationship - before they actually buy!

Selling should always represent a long term relationship, not just getting a sale! Understanding the Value of a Customer over time, based on how often they come and how much they typically spend is a great way to justify your investment of time and effort when you’ve done your homework and “the Fit” is right for both parties. Hang in there!

For more on improving your sales performance, check out my articles: “Putting a Price Tag on your 2 Cents” and “Sell the Benefits” both found here on my website… Larry

Attract More Customers thru Advertising, Promotion & Publicity

Too many business owners that I meet use a one dimensional approach to marketing themselves and communicating with customers. They advertise when they’re slow to get busy and use a price driven message as the incentive. As a result, I have decided to devote the next three Monday posts to examine essential marketing components that work together to successfully promote & position your business.

Today I will define Communication Resources, next Monday the importance of having a Marketing Strategy and on August 11 how to most Effectively Deal with the “Ad Reps” who come knocking and pressure you into buying their product.

A three dimensional approach to marketing your business and communicating with customers will combine Advertising, Promotion and Publicity and it’s the diversity that makes it so effective! Let’s begin by identifying the unique role of each.

Advertising:
It is the non-personal, static act of communication generally delivered through a paid venue to a targeted market of either Existing Customers or Potential Customers (Prospects) to create interest, instill credibility & generate activity to your door, phone, email address or website.
• Some common examples are: Business Cards, Brochures, Signage (both storefront and vehicle), Ads (in newspaper, magazines, internet, radio television, etc.) flyers, direct mail, etc.

Promotion:
Venues that provide interpersonal contact between you and your customers or prospects to create multiple levels of interest, awareness and participation which involve, demonstrate, educate and build relationships.
Successful marketers schedule Promotions both on and away from their location.
• Some examples are: Participation in Trade Shows, Conferences & Festivals, Retail Displays, Networking, Seminars, Speeches, Strategic Alliances, Personal Selling, etc.

Publicity:
Non-paid for, news-worthy information published through the editorial or news department of a media that is often initiated through a Media Release. Identify business activities & community involvement that will generate a positive, favourable impression of your business and your values to build your Publicity Strategy around throughout the year.

Publicity positions you within the marketplace and positively impacts the public’s perception of your business venture largely due to the influence of the unbiased, professional news sources delivering the message.
• Media Releases are generally sent to Newspapers, Magazines, Newsletters, Radio & Television Stations as well as respected ‘news’ Websites that reach your target audience.

Successful marketers will utilize all three of these valuable resources to communicate on a variety of levels as essential elements in their Marketing Strategy.

Instead of simply running more ads to boost your sales or find more customers, carefully examine each of these important options. For more ideas, check out my articles: “Use Diversity to Overcome Seasonality” and “Trendwatching” both found here on my website… Larry

#12. “Know When to Say Nothing”

The best, most successful sales people are always the best listeners. Skillful questioning followed by careful listening is more effective & impressive than continuous talking.

If I am on a sales call and I do all the talking where is the focus? That’s right, on me. And what am I learning about my prospect? That’s right, nothing!

Listening reflects your confidence and it makes a strong statement that you care about what they think and have to say. When you implement this strategy correctly it defines the relationship.

Let the customer talk and they will eventually reveal everything you need to address to get their business. Sure, the silence can feel awkward and it’s tempting to fill the void with talk, but silence has the same effect on the customer and in the long run, positioning the customer to do the talking best benefits you both.

So do your homework, prepare your questions in advance and get ready to listen!

Stop by again next Friday your weekly Business Builder. And for more on this particular topic, check out my article: “Speaking of Public Speaking” found here on my website… Larry

I work with a number of clients who struggle making cold calls. You know; that process of identifying and contacting potential customers or prospects, without a lead or referral. These clients know their product inside and out but when it comes to knocking on new doors they tend to freeze up and procrastinate.

Far too often, we assume a reactionary position in finding new customers. We convince ourselves that our advertising alone will get the job done or that enough prospects will hear about us through word of mouth and come calling. Because these methods place the initiative on the prospect, it often takes time – more time than we are willing to wait when we are anxious to grow our business.

There are various ways to get around the cold calling problem. You can provide incentives for referrals, you can hire a sales person but there is another way and your first reaction may be negative but… using a Call Centre (or telemarketing company) might be the most cost effective answer for you!

I know, they have a bad reputation but under the right circumstances they can be very effective. You don’t position them to sell your product or service. Their assignment is to make calls within your target market and simply identify prospects who have expressed an interest and would like more information.

Their job is to supply you with a data base (or list) of warm to hot prospects and your job is to simply follow up. In the right situation you only pay for the number of referrals you receive, not the number of calls that they make. The source of the calls can come from them or it can come from you. It’s all negotiable!

Shop around. When you find a Call Centre that you think you can work with, ask for references and then make those calls! Ask questions about results, the costs involved, customer feedback and whether they will use them again.

Beating the bushes and finding new customers can be the difference between your success and failure. Crunch the numbers and determine the return on investment that you will need to make this exercise worthwhile.

You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge but if you recognize that a fear of or resistance to cold calling is holding you back, give this post some consideration and I can even recommend who to call.

For more ideas on growing your business and increasing your customer base, check out my articles: “Do We Have a Deal?” and “Success, With a Little Help from My Friends” both found here on my website… Larry

The other day I found myself looking up a previous post as a reference for a client that I am working with. Rather than do a “Search”, I simply began to scroll through my different Blog Categories and the memories came flooding back.

I was actually looking for “The On-Going Conversation” from way back in June 2007 that came about after a sales training session that I delivered to a group who had received little previous instruction on the fine art of networking. They were having trouble following up after an initial encounter and then staying in touch. A simple adjustment in their technique, as outlined in that post changed everything.

I write my posts in response to the challenges and circumstances that my clients face and “You’ve Got Two Minutes… Maybe” which came about because of the communication style of one particular client who would unfortunately go on & on endlessly about any particular topic. He is a brilliant technician and a splendid individual but people were avoiding him like the plague because a simple “Hello” would turn into a one-sided 30 minute ramble and let’s face it in business, time is money! He desperately needed to be told, instructed and then monitored to break the pattern so my post became a part of the healing process.

Like so many things in life, if it is your intention to be successful, it’s important to consistently maintain your focus and pace. As I continued my stroll down Blog Street, I came across a piece called “It’s Time to Sharpen your Pencil”. At the time of that writing I was working with two different clients who had reached a point where they needed to revitalize their approach and re-focus on some of the best practices that had originally made them stand out. Not an uncommon challenge for all of us from time to time.

I constantly stress the importance of “Uniqueness” in every aspect of business to set you apart from the competition and to give people a reason to “choose you!” On May 14 of this year I wrote: “The Seven Thank-You’s” a client-driven exercise to ensure that the quality of your Customer Retention Strategy matches the quality of the products and services that you deliver.

Feedback throughout the year has been flattering but it also validates the effort & confirms the reach of blogging. Megan Fitzpatrick of Hachette Audio in New York City has provided a wonderful resource of Business Publications for me to review and share with you (Books) while readers like Jonathan Stanley of AudioConexus, a Markham Ontario based marketing company accepted my invitation to expand on the changing world of Outdoor Advertising and GPS technology (Guest Blog).

All of us, as business owners intensely focus on moving forward day by day but I would suggest the importance of stepping back every so often to review your performance and assess why you do what you do. If you have a minute, I would love to hear the story behind your favourite post.

For more on improving your business and your performance, check out my articles: “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee” and “Choose to Choose the High Road” both found here on my website… Larry

#11. “Stand Tall & Accept Responsibility”

True leaders don’t place blame – they take ownership of problems, deal with them and move on! They acknowledge their mistakes, learn their lessons, look for new opportunities and make sure they don’t happen again.

When you let emotion cloud your view of the issues at hand, you can’t move forward. But once you put emotion aside and find yourself thinking logically the healing will begin and solutions will appear.

If you’re looking for excuses, there are plenty out there. The economy, the weather, the competition, your suppliers, your employees, your health, your advertising, interruptions, breakdowns… the longer your list, the greater your chance of failure!

When you own your decisions and stand behind your work, you gain both respect and loyalty.

Stop by again next Friday your weekly Business Builder. And for more on this particular topic, check out my article: “Contracting & Freelancing” found here on my website… Larry

I have had many incredible conversations with my award-winning web designers, Andrew and Paul Young from Skybound Software.
In fact, the process of developing each of my two websites ranks among the most insightful and relevant exercises of my 35 year career.

One particular conversation that I had with Andrew dramatically changed on how I position and market myself. We were discussing content for my website and Andrew suggested including one particular marketing technique that I had developed. He felt it would be valuable to my readers and effectively set me apart from my competition.

My immediate response was that I didn’t want to “put it out there” in the public domain recognizing that it was some of my best work. I wanted to save it for my clients, feeling that by giving it away on my site, I would lose out on its earning potential.

But it was Andrew’s response that changed everything! He asked, “If you aren’t putting your best material on your website, then won’t that make your website (and blog) just average?”

I felt a bit embarrassed but I realized that he was right. My website and blog must constantly represent the best that I have to offer to create a buzz, to attract attention and to instill credibility in a very competitive industry.

From that moment on my strategy changed… and a funny thing happened. As I post my best stuff, I suddenly find myself replacing it with even more exciting material and this is where this incredible defining moment began.

What has surprised me the most is how deep the well actually is. I never gave myself enough credit. Each and every post reflects the work I do as a Business Coach and I find that the more I give away, the better and easier it gets!

The lesson learned, generously share your best stuff and watch how you intuitively respond to replace it.

For more on improving your creativity, communication and positioning, check out my articles: “The Challenge of Doing the Right Thing” and “Attitude is Everything” both found here on my website… Larry

All of my life, the difference between winning and losing has been quite clear. The advantages and rewards all weigh heavily in favour of finishing first. The problem is that being #1 gets all of the attention & accolades yet it is limited to a select few.

I’d like to dedicate this post to everyone else!

So “Cheers!” to all of us who have dedicated ourselves to excellence, prepared endlessly, given our best, pushed ourselves to the limit only to finish (in some cases) 1/100th of a second behind the winner in a photo finish.

This post is not about settling for second best or condoning an adequate performance, it’s about recognizing what you can walk away with, it’s about continuous growth and how finishing second can position you to come back stronger and be a better winner.

So here are Five Exciting Advantages to Finishing Second:

1. You don’t become complacent.
Think immediately about what you will do differently next time promoting continuous improvement.
2. It keeps you hungry.
The closer you get, the harder you try. (I admire a “hungry” entrepreneur!)
3. The incredible lessons learned.
While the winner focuses on the cameras, the media, accolades… you’re focusing on the next race.
4. It builds character.
Finishing second is a humbling experience that will make you a better winner one day.
5. There’s far less pressure!
While everyone looks to knock off #1, you can quietly go unnoticed and improve your position.

Last November my Blog captured first place in the eNiagara Web Awards for Best Blog Website. I can’t help but wonder how I would have reacted differently had I placed second.

For more ideas on your performance and continuous growth, check out my articles: “Five Great Ways to Think Bigger than the Next Guy” and “It’s Time for a Performance Assessment” both found here on my website… Larry

#10, “Look on the Bright Side!”

Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed by “negatives”. Your success or failure are not determined by circumstances alone. Success is largely the result of how you choose to handle the cards that you are dealt, the circumstances that come your way… that’s right, your Attitude! And attitude is indeed a choice.

Learn to identify the positive aspects of the challenges that you face. I say, if you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t growing!

There is a saying that “every cloud has a silver lining” meaning that if you position yourself to examine your mistakes with an open mind you will discover valuable lessons learned to help you avoid repeating the same costly errors.

Stop by again next Friday your weekly Business Builder. And for more on this particular topic, check out my article: “It’s a Business!” found here on my website… Larry

I coached hockey for 8 years and I found that so many of the skills that I utilized at work I brought to the rink. Having said that, many of the techniques that I implemented at the rink, found their way into the day to day operation of my business.

I find there are incredible parallels between operating a successful business and running a winning sports team and the one particular skill that I want to focus on today in this post is the effective delivery of instructions.

Picture this… Its 6:00 am on a Tuesday, I’ve been up since 4:30 and the team is in the dressing room suiting up for a practice. Like assigning any business task or project, if our time on the ice is going to be well spent and productive, I need to be able to clearly outline my instructions and expectations. So I start in the dressing room where I can gather their attention more easily than once they hit the ice and become moving targets!

I begin by explaining what I want to see happen when we get out on the ice knowing that for a small percentage of the players an audible explanation will be all they need. They are my audible learners - they learn by listening and they often respond by saying “I hear ya, coach”.
*Remember, the audible learner doesn’t have to be looking at you to effectively hear you.

Then I turn to the white board and use my coloured markers to illustrate how each of the drills will be executed. As I look around the room I see an additional bunch of heads nod, understanding that they are my visual learners. It’s not uncommon for a visual learner to communicate their understanding by responding “I see what you’re saying coach”.

But I’m not done. When I get them out on the ice, I have them all drop to one knee and I strategically select one of my audible or visual learners to demonstrate. As that single player carefully skates the drill, I once again see more heads nod acknowledging that they too “get it”.

The final step in my attempt to ensure a worthwhile & productive practice is to have the team skate through the drill once for the tactile learners on the team who need to experience it themselves to truly “get it”. This is where I address any last minute adjustments that need to be made before I turn them loose.

I monitor the team closely as they repeat the drills, giving individual pointers and advice on an as-needed basis. My final responsibility as a coach is to recognize when more instruction is needed because the last thing that I want is for my players to practice bad habits.

Think about it. If they are not doing it correctly and I allow them to repeat it over and over again, what happens? They get real good at doing it wrong and their bad habits reach a point where you can’t correct them. The result? We lose both on the ice & off! And its no different with a business.

I see far too many businesses struggle, not because they don’t have the talent or potential but because of poor coaching, poor communication and a lack of follow-up. Let’s end the bad habits today!

For more ideas on improving workplace productivity, efficiency and communication, check out my articles: “Develop a Winning Formula for your Competitive Advantage” and “Finding a Way to Win” both found here on my website… Larry