Brandon L. Clay's Blog, page 25

Do You Really Care?

Yesterday's Sales Crumb made it clear...in its essence, sales is sharing. We share time, energy, and resources hoping for an good outcome. No guarantees, only a possibility. We increase that possibility based on our approach...how we share.
Sales is also caring. You have to care about your clients. You have to care that they get what they trulyneed/desire. You have to care about them more than you care about the outcome and how it impacts you.
Remember: The Mission before the Commission!
So it goes back to the quote I have heard 1,000 times (only a slight exaggeration!) and I am sure you have as well. Whether your old school sales training or your grand-parents...
"No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care"
Theodore Roosevelt
Darn cliché is still right...putting yesterday's Sales Crumbs and today's together -
How you share shows how you care!
Remember my sisters and the candy story from yesterday? At the most generous times they would hand me the bag of candy and say "Reach in and take what you like".
Stunning!
That type of sharing demonstrates the generosity of the giver but also requires the right intention of the receiver. It shows the giver cares about the needs/desires of the receiver and is willing to "let it all hang out". That process requires trust - that process creates a relationship!
In sales, what is the ultimate approach to sharing and caring?
Let them take what they want/need/desire - it is a process of uncovering, discovering the clients preferred delivery style, and guiding them to "take what they need" from the bag of your solutions and products.  All the while using your Authentic Sales Voice and genuinely caring.
Chemistry and rapport can startthat process, but only when you share and care can you close the deal.
Do you really care?
Then show them!Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

How You Share Shows How You Care!

How do you share?
HOW you share is as important (or even more important) as IF you share.
As kids, when one of us was fortunate enough to have candy (and it was always my sisters!), it revealed a lot about the sharing technique. See if you recognize any of these scenarios;
Take what I give you - "The red ones are my favorites, but I am not too fond of the yellow ones...but I'll eat them. Here, take these." This is the type of sharing where what you want is not a consideration. That means black licorice! Who eats that anyway?
Ever had a sales person just throw something on the counter and sneer, "This is all we have left...you want it or not?"
You're lucky I'm giving you any - It is no longer someone celebrating with you over a joyous event (yes, I danced when I got candy!) it is them tolerating you - making you feel guilty/unworthy.
Ever walk into a high end department store and the sales person ignores you and then makes you feel guilty/unworthy for being there because they think you can't afford it?
I am only sharing because momma made me! When someone has to be compelled to share or are sharing begrudgingly, it shuts down the "serving" component...lack of service.
Ever had a sales person doing another task, and the store manager gives them the "eye" to come help you. They huff and then walk over to ask, "Do you need any help or are you just looking?"
How do you react if the sharing part of the sales process is less than ideal?
As a rebellious, proud brother of two sisters, depending on how they were sharing my reaction would have been,
"If that is the way you are giving...I ain't taking!"
Though I might want it, or in the case of candy - need it - I would turn it down. Sales are lost in much the same way!
Tomorrow, we look at the right wayto share...      Until then, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

Play It Again, Sam!

As the Richard Carlson's title Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (I bet you can finish the title!) suggests, we have to roll with the punches...in sales and in life. It is a seemingly small point (pun intended!), but with BIG ramifications. People should not be able to ascertain how you are really feeling every minute of every day - by judging your face, your walk or your demeanor. This is not meant to suggest we should be living a lie or wearing a social mask - but if we all looked sour when things went wrong and only happy when things went perfect the world would be a "salty place"!Every event in our lives is a teachable moment. We have to be focused on extracting the lesson and improving when necessary. How do you treat a bad experience and learn from it?Go Hollywood! When looking in the rear view mirror of your not so positive experiences, play back an "alternate ending" and see yourself successful. In your imagination you can turn the poor performance into one for the ages!When you "Play it again, Sam" there are several things to remember.Remember: Your mission! To put yourself in the best position to close sales, you have to be mindful of what the client wants. Think of your own desires, and problems. What would you want if you were in their shoes? We all want answers, but upon examination, you will understand we all have a specific way we want the answers presented and implemented. Remember: Your buying ear is the key to your selling voice.Along with the science of the product, you have to inject and nuance your "authentic sales voice" - all the while uncovering/discovering what the client wants and how they want it delivered.Daunting? Not really.  Realize that while the product is "static" (unchangeable and fixed); you and the prospect/client are in dynamic exchange. Remember: I'm only human. It stands to reason that your ability to connect to people, empathize with their needs/problems/desires, and provide an answer consistent with their preferences are the overriding factors in sales success. The parts that allow for that success are what make up the human experience and is the essence of sales...and life.Sound complicated?Are you married...trying to get married?  Trying not to strangle a co-worker? (smile!)Trust me...you are doing this all day, every day, in virtually every human interaction.Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

Take 22 - Lights, Camera, Action!

A sales call can feel just like the opening of a Broadway play with anonymous critics in the audience. Their review can make or break the future attendance - the box office receipts - the revenue. When it is time for the curtain to be pulled back, take nothing for granted. Be on time (15 minutes early - even if you wait outside). Know where you are going. Getting lost in this day of Yahoo Maps reflects poor planning and may be indicative to your prospective client of how you will be with their transaction. Give careful attention to your appearance. Exude the confidence and success that corresponds to your industry, client expectations, and your personality. Above all - never let them see you sweat! Yes, every interaction is important, but not life or death! It will be hard to "do you" if you are frazzled, harried and hurried.Under the pressure of time and clients limited attention spans, avoid the urge to "spray" your pitch in the opening like the perfume person at the department store.   If you are late, if the clients are distracted, or something else has caused you to lose control, offer another meeting rather than give them the quick pitch.Pitches can result in rejection...not objections (remember the difference?).What if things just don't go well?In a live performance (sales), you don't get to yell "cut" and do it again. You have to keep moving regardless of mistakes. You can't worry about poorly delivered lines or miscues. Don't worry about what others think about your temporary failure. The added pressure of those expectation only constricts your ability "to be". Learn from what happens in good performances and bad ones. Strange thing about sales - some bad performances result in a standing ovation (closes) and other Oscar-worthy ones get booed (no close).Don't turn a teachable moment into a "gripe fest". Don't create a series of "here's what's wrong with them" excuses.You have to learn to evaluate your performance and nothing else.Your performance is all you can control. The other people in the play have to be trusted to do their part or you have to react accordingly when they don't. That can only come from experience - the hallmark of the best professionals in any field.Made a mistake...had a bad sales call...you know what to do...Take 23...Lights, Camera...Action!Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

I've Got "To Be"...Me!

In a sales transaction, there is really only one thing you have control over...you!The product is largely out of your hands. The price, the features, the quality and other core attributes. However, you do control how you present it! Your clients are certainly out of your control - their moods, their ability to understand the value and buy. However, you do control how you present to them! James Allen in his book The Eight Pillars of Prosperity lists the following as dominant characteristics of success; Energy, Economy, Integrity, System, Sympathy, Sincerity, and Impartiality, and Self-Reliance. Note: Only Economy and System are process driven elements that are "out of your control". All the others are individual elements of your personality and character - things you have absolute control over!According to Allen, the things that matter most are the unseen yet constantly demonstrated elements of our character...which has great bearing on our reputation. In sales, reputation is everything! What if you are not fully confident in your ability to sell your product? Then exhibit the elements of character that Allen outlines, authentically. You can't fake the funk! Your opportunities will soar in spite of your lack of skill with the product. You will get that skill over time but exhibit excellence all the time!What if you are not always in the mood to "turn it on" for clients?Yes, we all have a tendency to be extreme poles of ourselves - depending on mood and circumstances. We see this in little children, exhibiting behaviors of generosity one moment and then stinginess the next. This fickleness in human nature proves that high moral character is an established trait and is under our control. As with any skill under development, it will take will power to control contrary thoughts (thus actions) but over time will go from "second nature to first nature".Then you are in a state of "being". That is the key to excellence - every client, every opportunity, every time - not to try, not to force, but simply... "to be!" When you get Brandon L Clay, you get the best I have to offer...each time...because I've Got "To Be"...Me!  Yes, I make this look easy! What do we get when we get you?You should spend most of your time working on you...developing you, and becoming the best you possible. That alone will increase your sales effectiveness!Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

If You Got It...Give It!

Do you get a case of "the nerves" right before you meet a new client or start a sales meeting?To be nervous about an upcoming meeting is okay. Even the great ones feel a little uneasy about the next performance, but it becomes counter-productive when you start projecting "why" a sales call won't work out. "They won't be qualified, they won't have any money, or they live on the other side of the tracks." These are all statements to create a self-fulfilling prophecy that will result in poor effort and a lost sale. To be nervous may actually generate a strong performance, but pre-judging (yes, prejudice!) will make you give a half-hearted one. You have to give your best each and every time you have an opportunity to serve. I started public speaking as a profession back in the early 90's and had a weekly radio show on a local station. I was trying to figure out how to grow my audience and decided to do a financial workshop. I spent additional money on advertising, radio spots, and booked a room in a nice hotel...instructing them to put in 500 chairs. I was holding two sessions and expected both to be packed!Well, as you may have guessed they were far from packed. I looked out over the first session and the second and combined, I had about 35 people in attendance.What did I do?I fought off the momentary feeling of disappointment and I delivered a rousing 3 hour performance (twice) based on the best of my abilities at that stage of my life...I gave Excellence - the only standard.Those 35 people's lives were changed and it actually turned into several "spin-off" opportunities that gave me greater exposure... and more importantly, a lesson in excellence. Have you ever had a client who couldn't buy be so taken by your enthusiasm, chemistry and authenticity that they referred you to others who could buy?You have to make a commitment to do EVERYTHING with the highest level of EXCELLENCE - EVERYTIME!The first quality of excellence is that it only seeks Exposure and Expression...regardless of the circumstances. If you got it...give it! 1,001, 101...or simply 1 - when your audience shows up... show out! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

The "Flu" Can Be Highly Contagious!

Everyone can influence somebody. A good testimony can sell a bad product...remember Suzanne Somers and the Thigh Master?Peer pressure can make a child stick his tongue on a cold flag pole... remember The Christmas Story?A happy client can give all their family, friends and colleagues a case of the "you flu"! In the world of sales, there is nothing as sweet as a referral. It signifies the highest level of client satisfaction with the process and the product, but more importantly...the person - you! Don't discount these three things coming together to produce the Holy Grail of Sales - referrals. Have you ever had a client give a referral the company's 1-800 number and not to you directly? They enjoyed the product but probably didn't consider you (the person) influential in the process. "OUCH!" (That is the sound of you losing money!)For some reason, sales people are reluctant to ask for referrals. At some level, they are not certain they actually influenced the process or the product. That really means the product sold itself...making you an order taker...a clerk...right? "OUCH!" (That is the sound of you losing dignity!)The key to getting referrals is setting the stage for them. From a previous Sales Crumb, if there is a need/desire, chemistry, and you are being authentic then everything is present to provide an avenue for you to give your clients the "you flu".You have to make the product "come to life", you have to make the process enjoyable, and you have to influence them today...and tomorrow. When they think of you, they should want to give the "you flu" to everyone that needs what you did for them. "OUCH!" (That one is the sound of them getting their "you flu" shot!) Get them vaccinated and ready to tell the world who you are, what you do, and how well you do it...The "You Flu" is contagious!!!Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

 
 

Who Gives You "The Flu"?

We are all influenced by images on television and the popular figures in sports, politics and entertainment. Influence can be positive or negative. "I am not a role model." Made famous by Hall of Fame basketball player and analyst Charles Barkley in a Nike commercial. Nothing could be further from the truth....he is a role model. Some of his influence is good and some not so good, but as long as people are watching, Charles has influence.Who is influencing you?It can be those who are in direct proximity - the naysayers at the water cooler or the top producer who is breaking company records.Another definition of influence is "to have an effect on the development of". Who are your role models? More importantly, why? We should follow people who set the right examples in the specific areas where we want to improve, but should realize that external trimmings may not be the best measurement of who to emulate. We have seen people who have ascended to great heights but have "hidden vices" (we all do!). We throw the "baby" of their gifts, talents and effectiveness out with the "bath water" of their weakness or indiscretion.Three key points in being influenced by a role model;#1 - Separate the life of the person from the process they use to generate success. Tiger Woods is my golf hero...but golf only. I can't hit the clubs the way Tiger does, but I can practice, focus, adjust my grip.  Ok, I admit to wearing Nike - but I don't expect a shirt with a Swoosh will help my swing - get it? His fall from grace didn't change him from being my golf hero...because he was never my marriage role model (my dad is!). Tiger is human...#2 - Focus on the attributes that provide an avenue to the results you want. The clothes they wear, the car they drive are secondary characteristics that only provide marketing opportunities and are not a real marker to their success. #3 - Have several role models that give you a full dimensional view of your ideal life - Mentally, Spiritually, Socially, Physically, and Financially. One person couldn't possibly represent all the excellence you want to express in your life - choose a series of people to emulate....not just one. I ask again...who gives you "the flu"? Who are your role models?Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

It's "Flu" Season!

Sales interactions can be summed up in one word - Influence . The thesaurus shows other words that reflect influence : Impact, Encourage, Guide, Inspire, Effect, Sway.When you demonstrate your products to a prospective client you are trying to Impact, Encourage, Guide, Inspire, Effect, Sway their buying decision. You want to influence them.If influence is an important factor in closing a sale, then the obvious question - What creates and atmosphere where influence can do its magic? A few things have to be present;A need/desire - Think of your role models. Usually they have something you want to have...a need. Or it is someone who is doing something you want to do...a desire. You believe if you do what they do you will get what they have.  They become an influence on your life...a role model. Rapport - also known as chemistry - We connect with people who sympathize and empathize with our current situation and condition. If the person can actually help us, we provide intimate details. Because they understand us, and they can help us, we open up...and the door to influence opens up too!Being authentic - Being "fake" shuts down the buying atmosphere faster than anything you can imagine. People who need/desire something are vulnerable - they don't want to fall prey to some "snarky salesperson". Even the most antagonistic salesperson who is being "authentic" can influence a sale...because they are being true to their character. If a need/desire is present and rapport is established, then the selling personality (you) and buying personalities (them) don't have to be the same....but they do have to be authentic! Especially you!This is your season to influence more people...to give them the "you flu" - ok, a bad play on words, but to your clients and the potential referrals, you should be contagious!More on influence tomorrow...Until then, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

Don't Stop...In The Name Of The Law!

Ok, Brandon...I have done twice as much activity as I did last month but still got the same results...what gives?In sales...and life, you can have to be active and effective to be productive. All the hard work (activity) that is not effective will not yield results. What if you are falling below The Law of Averages?If you fall consistently out of the Law of Averages then you will need to Evaluate your activities.What are you doing? Review you outreach activities, how you present your product and how you handle rejections/objections.Measure the results. Where are you "missing it". Are you good at closing once you actually get to present your product, but your prospecting "averages" aren't very good. A 70% close rate is great...but only seeing 5 people a month isn't. Once you know what you activities you are doing and how it's going, you will need to Evolve your approach until you develop a natural and sustainable approach. Coaching and mentoring is vital at this stage so you don't "lock in" to bad habits which lead to burning out. The Effort Phase should be a short, but intense period of your development. Admittedly, it can't be sustained over time. It can be used cyclically and seasonally to take advantage of peak times for your industry. As you get better you will begin to enter into the Skill Phase. Here's the process to getting there:Do...review...and re-do...If it isn't working...do it differently. If it is working... do more of it! The intensity of increased exertion from the Effort Phase will give you more exposure, experience and thus excellence in the "art" of selling. It will help you develop your unique "sales voice" that will become first nature and generate more success. This is where skill begins to increase your close rates, repeat business and referrals so that you don't have to work so hard securing clients. The Skill Phase is something to look forward to and work toward - why?The Skill Phase employs the Law of Small Numbers. In the Effort Phase 100 dials turning into 10 appointments and 5 sales is predictable. In the Skills Phase, you will take 3 clients, generate 10 referrals and close 7 sales...that's magical! Which phase would you rather be in? I thought so! Then don't stop...in the name of the law!!! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!