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Société » Les messages - Page 3810
arrow right Five Keys to Make Your Cold Calls Sizzle

Do you clam up on the telephone? An advertising rep called the other day to sell some ad space in a local news magazine. After I said, "Hello," there was nothing but monotone dialog until I interrupted him a minute later. It sounded like he was reading a script... but he wasn't (I asked).When you make calls trying to sell your products or services to your prospects, don't forget to be yourself. Here are five simple tips that will help. Smile -- it can be heard in your voice. Stand up -- it helps you breathe. Look In The Mirror -- it will help if you can see what your face is doing. You'll convey your message better. Listen -- remember it's about your prospect, not about you. Be Personable -- act like you're talking to the person face-to-face. It makes the process easier. Denise O'Berry helps small business owners take action to grow their business. To find out more, visit http://www.deniseoberry.com

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Your Ad -- Who Cares?

Junk mail. We all get it. And it goes straight to the trash can. How do you make sure your marketing piece doesn't end up in the round file?Give it the 'who cares' test. You have approximately five seconds to get your prospect's attention. Make those five seconds count! Start with a grab 'em headline. Follow with a transitional sub headline. Make the body count. Give them a reason to call -- now. Your prospects don't care about your company. They care about themselves and how you can fix their problem, make them more comfortable, save them time or money, or relieve their stress.What are your marketing pieces doing for your company?Denise O'Berry helps small business owners take action to grow their business. To find out more, visit http://www.deniseoberry.com

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right 9 Ways to Keep Clients Coming Back For More

A lot of effort is put into getting new clients. We all know our client base will change. Previous clients can move to a new area, sell their business, close down, or change their priorities. So finding new business is always important - but so is keeping your previous clients. Here are nine ways to keep previous clients coming back for more! 1) Provide exceptional service. Sounds obvious, but is very hard to do consistently. If clients believe they can't do better elsewhere, they won't succumb to the temptation of trying another provider. 2) Maintain your database. This can be as simple or complex as you like. Just make sure it meets the needs of your business. You must have suitable contact details, and preferably some measure of sales value. For example, I use email extensively with my clients, so having current email addresses is paramount. But I have clients who must use regular postal mail to communicate with their clients, as their clients do not widely use email. So postal address details are critical in their situation. 3) Use direct mail. This is your pipeline to future sales. Create regular opportunities to communicate directly with your previous clients, especially if your service has a long sales cycle. Keep in touch between purchase decisions. 4) Make special offers. Find ways to encourage previous clients to buy from you. Examples may be: package offers; time sensitive deals; introducing new services; pre-releasing information or products to current clients before the general public. 5) Run special events. Offer a free (or low cost) seminar to your clients on current issues. Invite complementary businesses, local business people, or celebrities to present new ideas. Use breakfast meetings, lunchtime executive briefings, or evening functions. The key here is to add value for your clients, outside of their usual dealings with you. 6) Write a note. Get a pen and write a personal message. This could be triggered by seasonal activities, birthdays, business events, or personal circumstances. Let your clients know you are still thinking of them. 7) Ring them up. Where possible get on the phone to previous clients and have a chat. Make it brief but meaningful. Keep posted on their current projects and priorities. Seek out ways you can help. 8) Promote your business. Demonstrate the value you can provide. If you have recently written a useful report, or presented a topic at a conference, or issued a press release, or conducted some research, or completed an interesting project, tell your clients about it. Don't keep your hard work a secret. 9) Send reminders. Many businesses have the opportunity to offer ongoing services for previous clients. Send a reminder about servicing, maintenance, periodic reviews, or changes to relevant regulatory requirements. (c) 2004 Stuart AylingStuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart's popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.com.au

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right The Art Of Cold Calling

I know, don't groan. You have to do them if you want to get properties and make money. Believe me, I used to hate cold calling. For those of you that have read our book, "Who Makes It Happen: Back On The Road To Success With Creative Real Estate", remember it used to take me an hour to get on the phone and then after 30 minutes I was ready to hang up. I've learned over time to not think of telephoning as cold calling, but how I can help a seller or buyer. I realize if I make so many calls, I will get so many responses, and I don't take a no personally. It's their loss. Let them continue to pay to run their ads and six months from now when I call out of a paper or web list and they are still there, maybe then they will listen. There are too many people I can help. I refuse to worry about the ones that won't listen. So, the first step is to get in the frame of mind that you are offering help. Next, let the seller do the talking. You listen. How do I do that, you say? Well, when I call on a home and someone answers (as opposed to leaving my message), I ask is the home still available? Great, my name is Susan, who am I speaking with? George, tell me about your home? This gets the seller talking. I just guide him/her with how many square feet, garage, etc. For those that have purchased our manual, this form is in the Seller section. You want to get as much information as possible. What they don't tell you ask. The last question I ask is, George, it sounds like a beautiful home, why are you selling? Then let him/her talk. This question tells you how motivated he/she is. Is he/she moving into a new home, relocating or just putting out feelers. Next I ask the pricing information, how much are they asking for the house? How did they arrive at that price? Comps? Have they had any offers? If no offers, ask them why they think they haven't had any offers? Next I ask about financing information. What are the payments? Any second mortgages? Are their payments current? Any CC&R's? What they paid for the home? Many times when I ask,

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Forgive All Ebay Sins!

Over the years, I have been amazed at the "blinding" greed and reckless approach to commerce that some business owners have employed. Lying to customers, selling inferior merchandise, and not offering refunds, left a firestorm of irate customers in their wake. Without fail, all of this

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Do Your Words Betray You?

What do the words that you use say about you? What is your basic message? Do your words support that basic message? As a business owner, entrepreneur or sales professional, part of your message must be of confidence and authority. You always want your prospect or your customer to see you as an expert in your field, as someone who is credible and someone who is knowledgeable. Sometimes, the words we use or the way we use them get in the way. Have you ever started a conversation with a prospect or customer with the phrase "I'm just calling?"? That little word "just" is an apology. It says that your call is not important and that what you have to say is not important. Delete it from your vocabulary immediately! Simply tell your prospects and customers why you are calling. That is enough. "I believe that?." "I think that?." "I know?." Who would you rather listen to? Someone who believes or thinks she knows something-or someone who just knows it? The phrases "I believe" and "I think" detract from your message. They detract from your power. "Once we have completed? we will hopefully achieve?" Hopefully? No one pays you to "hopefully" do something. They pay you to do actually do it! Tell your prospects or customers what they will achieve or should expect to achieve. To make your words sound powerful, pitch your voice to a lower level than your usual speaking voice. In our society, a lower-pitched voice is perceived as more authoritative. Also, make sure that the inflection goes down at the end of every sentence. When nervous, everyone tends to make even statements into questions with an upward inflection. This will make you sound nervous and unsure. Be careful also, as you are doing this, not to drop off or throw the last words of your sentence away. That would sound like you are giving up. It may take some time and practice before you are fully comfortable eliminating the words "just," "I believe," "I think" and "hopefully" from your vocabulary. It will also take some time and practice to get the lowered vocal pitch and downward inflections at the end of sentences. But it will be time well spent when you see the difference in the way your customers and prospects respond. Even if you do feel nervous, using these particular word and vocal tips will make you sound confident and self-assured. Eventually, you will even begin to feel that way! © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Doomed Before You Dial?

Several weeks ago, I conducted a "Mastering the Cold Call" seminar for the Printing Industries of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. At the end of the seminar, a participant came up to me and said, "Thank you! I learned so much! I learned 'Don't Take No for an Answer.'" Another participant standing to his side exclaimed, "No! What I learned is, 'Don't Make No Your Answer!'" How often do you do that-especially on an introductory call? How often do you project your fears and insecurities onto the prospect you are calling and decide that you are doomed before you dial? The definition of a cold call or an introductory call is that you are calling a stranger. This stranger could be having a good day-or a bad day. This stranger could be warm and friendly or brusque and dismissive. There is no way of determining this ahead of time. Beware of doing a mind read of your stranger/prospect and basing your subsequent actions on what you think your prospect is thinking. "I don't like calls on Monday morning"-therefore, no one likes calls on Monday mornings. This leaves out all the people who actually like calls on Monday mornings because that's when they plan their calendars for the week. "I know my prospect is avoiding me." How do you know this? How could your prospect be avoiding you? Your prospect doesn't even know you. We all have choices. You can choose to believe that your prospect does not want to speak with you, is busy and not interested, or you can choose to believe that your prospect will enjoy hearing from you and will be open to what you have to say. The first belief is self-limiting and does not serve you. The second belief leaves you free to pursue new business. The emotional "baggage" that you bring to introductory calling influences your attitude, which you then project in your conversation. Your prospect can hear if you feel unsure, afraid or uncomfortable, in the same way that you can pick up on those uneasy feelings when speaking with someone. On some level, you help create the attitude of the person to whom you are speaking. If your expectation is that your call will be unwelcome, this will make you anxious and tentative. Your prospect will pick up on that, and it will be likely to make her less receptive to you. Put another way, there are the facts and there are the stories we tell ourselves about the facts. The facts are: You need to make some introductory calls. You will pick up the telephone and make a call. You will either reach your prospect or not. If you reach your prospect, you'll say what you have to say. Your prospect will say what she has to say. And that's it. Those are the facts. The story: I'm interrupting my prospect. My prospect does not want to hear from me. My prospect already has a vendor. My prospect is avoiding me. My prospect hates me? And on and on? It is time to change your story. I invite you to use my introductory calling story until you create a better one of your own. My story: I will reach my prospect, who will be delighted to hear from me. We will have a good conversation. I will get what I ask for. Wishing you all introductory calling success! © 2004 Wendy Weiss Wendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Eighty Percent of Success is Showing Up

The above quote, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." is from Woody Allen. It was particularly appropriate this past weekend. I went to take a dance class. My favorite teacher was back in town for a short time. I was thrilled and ready to dance! This teacher is incredibly talented, an excellent dancer, good choreographer and her class is high energy and fun! I had often wondered why she was not more successful as a teacher or why she never got into a decent dance company. I rearranged my entire schedule to be there. So did a number of her students. One cut short her holiday weekend with her parents to get on a plane and fly back in time for the class. Another rearranged her work schedule, going in to work at 4:00 a.m. in order to be done in time for the afternoon class. The class never happened. My favorite teacher called in "sick" at the last minute. When she taught regularly in New York City this teacher had a habit of canceling classes at the last minute. She'd been gone for six months and was scheduled to teach only four classes over the holidays. So far she's only made it to the first class. She called in sick for the second. Was she sick? Perhaps and who cares? I'll never again rearrange my day to take her class. I know several other dancers who also will never again rearrange their days for her and even more dancers who will simply never take her class again! Now I understand why this teacher never got very far in the dance world. I was raised on the old show business adage, "The show must go on." It has served me well. As a young dancer it was drilled into my head that the audience didn't care how I felt. They were there to see me dance. They'd paid a lot of money to see me dance and it was my responsibility to be at my best, no matter how I felt. While that "nobody cares how you feel" message may not be the best message for a child, in business and in sales it's the truth. Your prospects and customers want what they want when they want it. It is your job to deliver. If you do not, they will find another source. The first rule of prospecting and selling: Show up. Most sales are made between the 7th and 12th contact with a prospect. Most sales people stop at about three to four contacts. All you have to do to sell more is show up a few more times! Want to build trust and rapport? Show up. Keep showing up. Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. No excuses. Prospects and customers like and trust people who do what they say they're going to do, when they say they're going to do it! Want to close the sale? Show up and ask for the order. If you do not get the order that time, show up and ask again. It doesn't matter how smart you are. It doesn't matter how talented you are. It doesn't matter how great your product is. If you don't show up, nothing else counts. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Qualifying Your Prospect

How do you respond when an absolute stranger calls, at work or at home, and begins to ask questions? "Are you the person who??" "What is your marketing strategy?" "Do you own or rent?" Even, "How are you today?" Are you annoyed and put off by these questions? Do you respond, "I already have a vendor," "I'm not interested," "Send a brochure" or "What are you selling?" (These days my response is to tell these callers to order Cold Calling College!) This question-asking strategy does not work. It does not work to qualify your prospect, and it does not work to set your prospect at ease. If anything, this strategy puts you at a disadvantage and makes your prospect not want to speak with you! Here is a better approach: Allow your prospect to "self-qualify"-allow them to tell you that they are the decision-maker. This is how: Position yourself as the expert. Give your prospect a reason to want to speak with you, and set yourself up as the person with the credentials who has the right to ask questions. Use your script. Introduce yourself, your company and your product or service. Tell your prospect something about the above in such as way as to "stand out from the crowd." Talk about your experience in the industry or your company's credentials. Explain what you do in a way that is different from everyone else in the entire world who is doing something similar. Talk about your business and the unique benefits you offer. You can use phrases like "we specialize in?" or "our reputation is?" or "we are known for?" You can also name-drop credentials to help this "expert positioning." Mention clients or customers in similar businesses as your prospect. This does two things: it lets your prospect know that you are familiar with their industry, and it also makes prospects feel safer if they have not heard of you before. If someone has referred you, mention her name. Once you set yourself up as the expert, then you are in a position to ask some of your predetermined qualifying questions. Ask them. This way, you are likely to get answers! In the ensuing conversation, the prospect will more than likely tell you that he or she is the decision-maker. If they do not, you can ask, "How is this decision made?" "Who else is involved in this decision?" "How has this decision been made in the past?" "What is your decision-making process?" If you approach qualifying your prospect in this manner, you are setting up a relationship of equals. You are someone with expert credentials, someone with whom your prospect would want to talk. Your prospect will respond in kind. It is a far easier and far more effective way of qualifying prospects. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Building Relationships

A conversation: The Salesperson: "I don't cold call-I want to build relationships." Wendy: "Huh?" Recently I've had a number of conversations with sales professionals and entrepreneurs who tell me they do not cold call because they want to build relationships with prospects. I'm confused. Who says the two are mutually exclusive? Every relationship whether business or personal begins somewhere. Everyone whom you currently know, your significant other, your colleagues at work, your friends, or your neighbors were unknown to you at one time. Then, somehow, you met and over time formed a relationship. It takes time. In sales there are many ways to contact and reach out to new prospects. There's direct mail, networking, referrals, trade shows, the internet, public speaking and writing articles. And yes, there is calling prospects on the telephone. These are all ways to introduce yourself, your company and your product or service to potential customers. The telephone introduction is incredibly direct, easy, efficient and inexpensive. First you target your market and then you introduce yourself to the decision-maker. That's one of the reasons I prefer the term "introductory calling" to "cold calling." The call is an introduction. It is not a sale or a relationship. However you initially meet a prospect, after that introduction, you still must take all of the necessary steps to build a relationship. With every prospect that you encounter, however you first encounter them, at some point you will have to pick up the telephone and call them. If at that point you do not represent yourself effectively and articulately, you will not move to the next step. This means that even if you are calling a prospect who did not originate with a phone call, you will need to do all of the same preparation that you would do if that prospect were a total stranger and you were calling for the first time! You would still have to determine how you want to represent yourself, what points you want to make and what is the goal of your conversation. Every sale has a cycle with four steps. The cycle could be longer or shorter depending on the product or service, the market and/or your skill level, but you must go through every step of your sales cycle. Most sales cycles go something like this: The first step is always the introduction. This could be a phone call, it could be a letter or an e-mail, but somehow the prospect must become aware of you. Usually the next step is a meeting (or sometimes a series of meetings) or an extended conversation (or a series of conversations.) You personally introduce yourself and whatever you are selling to your prospect and you learn more about the prospect company. From there, if all goes well, you move to the proposal step. This proposal can be verbal and as simple as explaining your services and fees or it could be a more complex written proposal. The last step of this particular cycle is the close, when your prospect accepts your proposal. This process could happen in a day-or it could take a year, but however long it takes you will never skip any of the steps. The mistake most people make is in not understanding the steps of the sales cycle and that you must pass through each step to get to the next. The introductory call does not lead directly to the close. What that introductory call does is easily and quickly get you directly in front of your prospect to begin your sales cycle. You will still have to put in all of the work to show your prospect how you can help. And you will still have to put in all of the work to build a relationship with that prospect. Many people do a lot of time-consuming, expensive things to first meet prospects so that they can later follow up with a phone call. My suggestion: Simply call. It saves time and it saves money. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Take the Contract with You

I learned something very interesting this week. Thankfully, what I learned was really at no one's expense. What I learned is that when you are on a sales call and you believe there is a possibility (even a remote one) that you may close, always take your contract or letter of agreement with you! This does not apply if your contracts are so complex that it takes a team of attorneys to sort through it. If, however, your contract or letter of agreement is one or two pages long? take it with you. The above rule is something I've known for a long time. I have to admit I haven't always followed it. Many times I've met with prospects and sometimes, being lazy and having forgotten to bring along the letter of agreement, I would tell them that I would email or snail mail or fax the agreement later. Invariably it would take a long time to come back with a signature. Two weeks ago I had a meeting with the President of a Speakers Bureau. He was eager to represent me and I am always looking for new opportunity. This Bureau has good credentials and they represent good speakers. I liked Mike, the President of the company, with whom I would be working. It's an absolute win-win, no-risk opportunity for me. Speakers Bureaus only get paid when they book speaking engagements. No engagements-no fee. Had Mike had his letter of agreement with him I would have read it and, if there were no issues, signed it on the spot. He did not, however, have the agreement with him, but he promised to email it to me later on. A few days later he did. I printed it out. I put it in a folder. That was three weeks ago. It's not that I don't want to work with Mike-I do. I simply have not yet had a chance to read over the letter of agreement. I'm busy. I'll get to it eventually. I do want to do it-it's simply not my most pressing concern. This made me think. How much time have I wasted by waiting to send my letter of agreement? How much time have I wasted waiting for those signed letters of agreement? How much time have you wasted? We should never forget that while waiting? the prospect's situation could change along with the opportunity! When you are in front of your prospect, you are the most pressing concern-at that moment in time. You cannot sustain that position over time, because other things come along to grab your prospect's attention. Get the contract signed while you are there, in front of your prospect, the prospect's most immediate, pressing concern. If you find that you must send the contract at a later date, because the contract is complex, or must be reviewed or it must be written or rewritten, set up a time to meet again with that prospect. This might feel like more work; it's actually insurance. Always have your calendar or palm pilot with you and easily available. When you agree to send your letter of agreement, part of your conversation must be about how and when you will deliver it. Once you have established the time frame for delivery, take out your calendar and say, "Let's pencil in a time for me to come by with it and we'll have a chance to talk as well." Keeping in mind the parameters and time frame that you just discussed offer some choices, "Is early next week good for your or is later in the week better?" This way you are having a conversation about when you will meet not if you will meet! I also like the word "pencil". It implies that the time can be erased or changed, so the prospect does not feel trapped. Control the sales process from start to finish. Don't do a terrific job of selling yourself, selling your company, selling your product or service only to have to wait by the mailbox tapping your toes and checking your watch. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Talking To A Prospect As If To A Friend

While working with a new coaching client, I asked to hear her sound bite. Everyone needs a good sound bite. A sound bite, sometimes also called an "elevator speech," is a 10- to 15-second commercial on what your company does, offers or stands for. Use it when you meet someone new in business, use it at networking meetings, and use it on the telephone as part of your introductory calling script. Here is the sound bite from my client:Client: We offer complete marketing solutions.Wendy: (With eyes glazing over?) Huh? The idea behind the sound bite or elevator speech is to communicate clearly, easily and effectively what you do and why someone else should be interested in what you do. I asked my client, if a friend asked her to explain what she does, would the answer be "complete marketing solutions"? Probably not. And there's your litmus test. If a phrase would make a friend think you'd suddenly lost your mind, don't use it in a conversation with a prospect! Most likely, it sounds artificial and probably doesn't actually mean anything. That same phrase may be fine in writing, for your brochure or web site, but it is not as effective in spoken language, because written language and spoken language are different. These differences come into play when you are writing an introductory calling script. Write your script down the way that you speak. If your script is in written language, you will sound phony. Real people do not speak with capital letters at the start of sentences and periods at the end. People actually speak more in phrases or fragments, with pauses and the occasional "ah" or "um..." Write your introductory calling script with no punctuation and no capitalization. If there is a point that you particularly wish to emphasize, underline or highlight it. It is imperative that you sound real, so you may want to try talking into a tape recorder, then playing it back and writing down what you've said. Try to stay "jargon-free." Every industry has its own jargon, but you must know and use jargon appropriately. If your prospect does not understand your industry jargon, then she will not understand you when you use it! Instead, become conversant with your prospect's industry jargon-then, she will see you as an expert who understands her industry and her issues and concerns. When you are writing your script, keep in mind a particular individual to whom you will be speaking. Picture this person as a friend, as someone who is open and receptive to what you have to say. Speak to that person as you would to a friend, and not in formal business language taken from your company brochure. I have seen perfectly reasonable, articulate human beings become stiff, formal and uncomfortable while trying to speak in a manner they believe to be "businesslike." They use unwieldy phrases like "complete marketing solutions," because someone told them it sounds more professional. It doesn't. If no one understands what you are talking about, no one will buy your product or service. Be yourself, and speak as you would to a friend. Remember your litmus test: Do not include anything in your introductory calling script that would make a friend raise an eyebrow. The very definition of an introductory call is that you are talking to a stranger. You are telling your story to someone who knows nothing about you, your company and your product or service. You must be clear. For the ultimate test, before you get on the telephone, try role-playing your script with an eight- or nine-year-old. If that kid does not understand what you are talking about-no one else will either. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Your Voice is Your Instrument

On an introductory call, your voice is your instrument. During a face-to-face meeting, you have visual cues and body language available to add layers of meaning. On the telephone, you have only your voice and the words that you use. The way that you use your voice can make or break your conversation. Imagine that you are telling a bedtime story to a child. You would not drone on in a bored tone about the "Big, Bad Wolf." No! You would put fear and passion into your voice to have that story come alive for that child. On an introductory call, you are telling your story to your prospect. Think about it in the same manner-what you would like that prospect to hear, feel and see. The emphasis on any particular word can totally change the meaning of a sentence. Let's take the phrase, "She is not a thief." If you emphasize the "She"-the sentence means that she is not a thief, but someone else is. If you emphasize "not"-the sentence is a defense. If you emphasize "thief"-the sentence implies that she is something else that you have just not named. Think about the emphasis that you wish to make-and use your voice accordingly! Look at each sentence in your sales pitch and determine what you are trying to convey and what is the best way to do so. Try out different line deliveries, until you are satisfied with the result. Use a tape recorder to listen to how you sound. Do you sound like someone with whom you would like to have a conversation? Listen for warmth and passion in your voice. Do you sound interesting? Convincing? Confident? Is your speech clear, professional and pleasant? Or do you sound angry, tired, tentative or bored? Is your speaking voice nasal, a monotone or singsong? Do you speak too fast or too slow? Do you mumble? Remember as you listen to the tape that you hear yourself differently than do others. By listening to your taped voice, you will hear yourself as others hear you. Once you have determined what you wish to convey to your prospect, practice your script until it flows easily. You do not want to sound like you are reading a script. Call your friends and pitch them. Perhaps you can work with a colleague who is also making introductory calls. This way, when you have your prospect on the telephone, you will be prepared and voice the message that you wish to voice. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Another Warm Lead

Saturday morning, I sat in my pajamas, sipping strong, black coffee and petting Ms. Kitty Cat. The telephone rang. Usually on a Saturday morning, I screen my calls, but this morning, expecting a friend, I picked up. The caller was not my expected friend. She was a financial advisor from American Express. She asked if I had received the mailing I'd requested. Wendy: I didn't request a mailing. Caller: Did you receive a mailing? Wendy: I don't know. Caller: It was from American Express, outlining our financial products. Wendy: I get a lot of mail. Caller: So, you're not interested? Wendy: You should look at a program called Cold Calling College. Caller: This is a "warm call." We said our good-byes as I choked back hysterical laughter. "Warm Call" ? "Cold Call" ? However else you might care to categorize it, this was a Failed Call! I was a qualified prospect. I was not necessarily uninterested. What went wrong? This caller wanted me, the prospect, to do all of the work. She assumed that because the call was (in her mind only!) a "warm call," I was interested in the products, knowledgeable about the products and ready to move to the next step. Nothing could have been further from the truth! She made no effort to entice or interest me-instead, we had a conversation about whether or not I had received sales literature! And then, moving from unbelievable to mind-boggling, this caller assumed rejection! (A standard closing technique is to "assume the sale" and proceed accordingly.) She had it backwards. Because I was not particularly interested in sales literature, she assumed without any questions or attempts to discover what my interests, wants or needs might be that I was saying "no." This (non)sales process was also unwieldy. Evidently, someone else had originally called me-I don't remember-and sent out some sales literature-I don't remember. What a waste of time and resources! I guess American Express can afford it. You and I cannot! So, here's the Master Plan for introductory calls: 1. Determine the goal of your phone call.2. Set yourself up as an expert.3. Articulate customer-centered benefits.4. Ask for what you want (see #1 above-Determine the goal).5. Use sales literature as a backup only. Do not use it as an introduction (see story above). © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

arrow right Why Are We All So Afraid?

What can strike terror into the heart of even the most successful sales professional or entrepreneur? Cold Calling. What can crush self-confidence, destroy self-esteem and leave even the most seasoned sales professional quivering with humiliation and defeat? Cold Calling. But why? Every culture has its myths and stereotypes, and one of ours is the stereotype of the manipulative, unscrupulous salesman. The term "sales" conjures images of untrustworthiness and deviousness. We have the stereotypes of the "traveling salesman," the "used car salesman" and, of course, the "telemarketer." These terms do not literally describe what the person is selling; they take on a larger meaning. For example, our cultural translation of "used car salesman" is not simply someone who is selling used cars, but instead means someone who is unethical, uncaring and will pressure you into a sale that is not necessarily in your best interest. "Telemarketer" has come to mean not just someone who sells over the telephone, but someone who interrupts your dinner, doesn't listen and tries to pressure you into meaningless, valueless purchases. It can also mean someone who is running a scam over the telephone, usually preying on the elderly. This is not the reality of individual telemarketers or used car salesmen. It is the stereotype. And these stereotypes do a huge disservice to most salespeople. Far too often, salespeople buy into these stereotypes, these images of untrustworthiness, placing themselves, in their own minds, on a lower level than their prospects. If you buy into these negative images, you are at a disadvantage before you even pick up the telephone to call your prospect. It is imperative to change the way that you think about this process. Examine your intent: · Is your product or service meaningful?· Does it provide a benefit?· Do you believe in the value and benefit of what you are selling?· Are you doing the best that you know how to insure that your customers get what they need? If your answers to the above questions are that you have a meaningful product or service, it provides value, you believe in your product or service, you are doing your very best to insure that your customers get what they need-if those are your answers, why then, you don't fit the stereotype. Stop acting as if you do! Stop apologizing. Stop feeling uncomfortable. Proceed with pride and integrity. But there are some additional reasons that people fear cold calling. When you are face-to-face with someone, you have all of the visual cues to help you through the sales process. How does the person look? How is she dressed? What are her facial expressions? Does she make eye content? Is she smiling? Is she frowning? We instantly and intuitively assess these cues, and they help us determine what is happening in our communication. On the telephone, you have none of those cues. That's what makes it so scary. It's as though you are suddenly blind, and you cannot tell what is going on. It is important to train yourself to listen very deeply when you are on the telephone-you must hear those cues that you would normally see. And remember-your prospect has no visual cues either! That is why it is imperative to use your voice expressively and have a clear message. © 2004 Wendy WeissWendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. She is the author of Cold Calling for Women and the recently released Cold Calling College. Get her free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Bandu2 - Herit.gif  Catégorie: Société   »   0 Lectures   »   Date: 02/01/2012 05:46   »   Par: Mouhamadou-bamb ...

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