Mark Jewell's Blog: Selling Energy, page 187

Designing the Office That Works Best for Your Team

If you were to update an office for today, I would make the following recommendations for your floor to make it more flexible and efficient: 

Proposal Templates

I’m a firm believer in the one-page proposal, of which there are several different formats. Here is a quick breakdown of what you can use depending on where you are in the sales process and who your reader is.

Overcoming the Killjoy

At some point, all of us have dealt with (or will deal with) a character I call “The Killjoy.”  This person may be found on a board, budgeting committee or similar group of people assembled for negotiations.  Some people call them the “Doubting Thomas;” however, I call this persona “The Killjoy” because they likely don’t believe in energy efficiency or have had a bad experience with it in the past.

3 Tips to Overcome Your Fears

Fear of failure can prevent us from pursuing what we really want in life. It can prevent us from starting our own business, making those cold calls to hot prospects, or asking for referrals even though we know in our hearts that we really deserve them. 

Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

If you run a business or are involved in one, there will always be times when the going gets tough.  If you’re in charge, it can be a weight on your shoulders, and sometimes navigating your problems seems impossible.  What should you prioritize first?  How should you instruct and motivate your employees?  What if you have to resort to layoffs or restructuring your company? 

Weekly Recap, February 24, 2019

Here are our favorite sales-enhancing tips from this week's Selling Energy Blogs...

Making the Most of Your Next Industry Conference

 

Today, many products and services are sold in a single call over the phone.  Other sales are completed with a few finger swipes on a tablet to locate the item and a single click to enter it into a shopping cart and consummate the transaction. However, in more complex selling contexts, if you are looking to uncover ways to grow your company’s business, having face-to-face interactions can be vital, and your industry’s conference can provide the perfect in-person setting. With a little prep and the right attitude, these events can even be enjoyable.  They give you a chance to catch up with peers and clients, network with new prospects, and learn about innovative trends.  Moreover, if you’ve taken the time to apply for and win the right to be a presenter, you could even establish yourself as a subject matter expert, which helps build a foundation of respect upon which you can build new customer relationships. 

Whether you are a small business or a part of a larger organization, attending an industry event can deplete your daily productivity reserve. Thus, being prepared with conference goals and action plans can ensure you have a successful experience. The Muse article, “10 Ways to Make the Most out of a Conference” is a great starting point for doing just that.

Characteristics of an Energy Sales Professional, Part 3

 

Energy Sales Professionals are:

Friendly

You put your customers at ease and never make them feel as if they’re holding you up or wasting your time.
You’re calm, warm, and an excellent listener.
You have a well-developed sense of humor.
“If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Empathetic

You can anticipate your customers’ challenges.
You have an understanding of their market and industry challenges.
You can see why your customers might be hesitant to buy.

Determined

You approach new situations with excitement, rather than fear.
You aren’t afraid to try out new ideas and methods, even if they go against the status quo.
You continue to push your boundaries, even after a successful sale.

Characteristics of an Energy Sales Professional, Part 2

 

Energy Sales Professionals are:

Effective Communicators

You know how to word things in a way that a wide range of people can understand.
You use intonation, facial expressions, and body language in a way the makes people trust, like, and understand you.
When you deliver negative information or “bad news,” you do so in a way that is non-threatening and fully explains the reasoning behind it.
When you speak to a room full of people, you acknowledge every single person in it.

Curious

You want to learn about your industry.
You want to know more about your customers.
You wonder what new ideas and sales techniques could be leveraged to grow your business.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” ~ Albert Einstein

Confident

You set your aims high, even if you don’t always achieve them.
You refuse to sell yourself short; you believe that you deserve success.
You set goals as the person you want to be, not as the person you are.
You believe in your product or service... and in your ability to express its value.

Characteristics of an Energy Sales Professional, Part 1

 

Energy Sales Professionals are:

Focused

You have a clear idea of where you’re going and the goals you want to achieve.
You don’t get distracted by the unimportant stuff.
Most small businesses fail because they have too many opportunities, not too few.
“Talent is nothing without focus and endurance.” ~ Haruki Murakami

Knowledgeable

You know the ins and outs of the product or service you’re selling.
95% of Fortune 500 CEOs and SVPs ranked “industry knowledge” 1st or 2nd on the list of top traits when picking partners.
You don’t, however, use all the “bits, bytes and blinking lights” of product knowledge to guide the sales discussion. 

Perceptive

You notice things that others don’t.
You “read between the lines” to catch the real meaning of someone’s words.
You are extremely detail-oriented… but you can also see the big picture.