Do you know all the players on your team?
March 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I don’t know how I missed it at the theatre but this weekend I watched Akeelah and The Bee. (I am a HUGE movie buff for those movies that do not win Best Picture of the Year:)) There is a scene where Akeelha’s tutor, Dr. Larabee, tells her he has done all he can do to help her prepare for the bee. She protests insisting that she cannot possibly go on much less win the bee without him. He sends her away with "tools" – 5000 extra words to learn and reminds her that there are many people who can help her. Not only are there many people now but that there always has been….they are there if you look. As she goes back to prepare she realizes that truly there are many people who can help her…….and more importantly, want to help her succeed and that believe that she will. You will have to rent the movie and see what happens…….
But for today, I ask you…….what tools do you have and who do you know that would be glad to help you if you only let them know what you are trying to achieve? Who doesn’t want to help someone who is following their dream, their passion and stretching themselves to succeed in areas where they have not done so before? I want to be on that persons team….dont’ you??!!
Look around….who are two people you can engage as "success team players" this week? Ask today!
Also, when was the last time you kept a list of everything you wanted to do – business and personal?..I used to keep one on the refrigerator for ever….not sure why I stopped after I achieved those things..
Check out www.43things.com ……make your list this week too……set the intention for what you want today, tomorrow, next year…and keep adding to it……then, look around one more time and pay attention to who is right in front of you that would probably LOVE to help you achieve those things and more.
Check out the New Traveler Tips exercise on page 84 of The Field Guide To Sales…..create your list of 250 this week!
GUIDEPOST 10: Be positive and realistic about what could happen between now and the time of the sale.
March 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
This morning I read something from an old book (1986) Right and Wrong Thinking by Kenneth Hagin:
"People that think wrong believe wrong, and when they believe wrong, they act wrong."
How do you operate? The Mrazek "Pollyana" method….anything is possible!….the world is my oyster! or……. from the dark side…. fear and unbelief?
Don’t let your thoughts and words derail your great intentions and expectation and beliefs in yourself….let your thoughts lift you to all that is possible…even if you don’t know exactly how to get there….ask for help!
This week check out page 62 of The Field Guide To Sales and review the section on Your Expectations of Yourself!
See to it this week that only POSITIVE thoughts come out of your mind and your mouth….just try it for ONE week!
Report back and let me know what kind of POSITIVE results you attract in return!
Happy Selling!:)
90% of life is showing up!
March 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment
It never ceases to amaze me to watch how the awesome people I know can get together and magic happens even if they don’t know each other. You guys were amazing to watch and I loved all the new "connections" you made and can’t wait to hear what you do next!!
THANK YOU "Early Birds"! How fun to have you at The Sales Company’s "morning" conference room at Einstein Bagel to sign a nice, new, crisp copy of your copy of The Field Guide To Sales!:) Next time I see those books I want them to be well worn and for you to share your ideas and experiences you have added and written in the margins!
For those of you who showed up "virtually":) THANK YOU for all your great notes and cheers…and ordering your books online……look for your favorite postman to deliver your autographed copy in a couple of days!:)
Thank you for showing up in person and virtually!!!:)….our next event will be for the Night Owls….stay tuned…not sure if it will be a warm milk so you can go to sleep event or a extra caffeine coffee event so you can stay up later….either way it will be at a Starbuck’s near you!:)
Where else do you need to be "showing up" for your business so that more great things can be happening? Can I help by teaching you how to do that? Check out page 80 in the book – That First Step Is A Doozey.
..and let me know where else you think I should SHOW UP to continue to preach the sales gospel according to Debbie!:)
The Fastest Way to Increase Sales
March 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Written by Debbie Mrazek
A small office building could probably be filled with all of the books available on improving sales communication. While it may be a topic that has gotten a lot of press, I can assure you that when it comes to sales professionals, there’s still a lot of room for improvement by the vast majority.
You might think that talking and listening is quite basic and elementary. But let me tell you that it isn’t. If it was, there would be more sales pros hitting those top numbers. Sadly, it isn’t.
To be successful in sales, you, as the professional salesperson must master three major components of communication:
1. Listening to customers, including watching for body language
2. Questioning and listening to find out what they want and what their concerns are
3. Establishing the connection between their needs and your products and services
Number one deals with really getting to know your customer. Are they being ‘polite’ and just listening for no reason? What are they really saying? What is their body language? Are they crossing their arms? Are they leaning in? Are they interacting? Are they not? Communication is what is spoken and also what is unspoken.
Number two is all about the customer. What do they want? What’s going on in their world? What do they really need? When you really listen and ask questions to seek first to understand your customers’ concerns and issues, then, and only then do you get the chance to sell. It’s not about muscling your way through the door and then blurting out your presentation as fast as you can. It’s about building a relationship that will pay you over and over again.
Finally, number three is about building a bridge between the customer and your company (and yourself). It’s about building upon a strong foundation of trust and earned respect. At this point, you aren’t just pitching a product and hoping it will stick, you are tying the needs to your prospective customer to what your company provides or offers. It is also about not pitching something that will not serve the prospect. Often, walking away from a sales opportunity will act like a boomerang to get another opportunity when that prospect refers you to another company that may be a better fit. Never be afraid of walking away from a deal that will not ultimately serve your prospective customer.
Sales communications begin with you, but it is not all about you. Sales communication is about hearing your customer. What is the customer’s biggest concern and fear? How can you help? You are there to begin to understand how that customer may be served by you and your company and to earn that opportunity. If you get this piece right, you will master one of the most important pieces of the sales pro puzzle.
Einstein Bagel Book Signing at Dawn
March 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Debbie Mrazek
REMINDER…Einstein Bagel Book Signing at Dawn!
Please join me for coffee and a bagel at our book signing for The Field Guide to Sales! Copies will be for sale and I will be delighted to autograph them for you!!
If you are one of our "EARLY BIRD gets the worm" friends and colleagues, please come and join us on Thursday, March 6th from 7:00 – 9:30 a.m. at Einstein Bagel in Plano (7000 Independence Parkway), next to Kroger’s!
Look forward to seeing you at dawn! J
Happy Selling!
Debbbie Mrazek
PS – If you can’t be with us at sunrise for bagels and want a book, please order today and I will be glad to autograph it for you or inscribe it to whoever you would like to send it to as a gift! J
Debbie Mrazek
The Sales Company
972-618-1880
How To Use Sales Power To Fuel Funding
March 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Written by Debbie Mrazek
Which came first? The chicken or the egg? When it comes to raising venture capital, it’s hard to tell whether a companies sales lay the golden egg or are the golden egg. On the heels of a dot com slowdown, a tried and true business model is reemerging and offering an effective, proven way to approach investors.
It’s no secret that not so long ago investors, eager to cash in on an exploding Internet e-conomy, happily funded technology companies headed by strong teams offering futuristic wares. Some of those companies came to the table with a viable business plan and others hoped that funding could command their business model. It didn’t take investors long to learn the technology ropes. Now, high-tech companies looking for funds have to wow investors the old fashioned way – with an impressive product offering, savvy professional team, investment-worthy business plan and financial data worthy of securing the dough. Funding in the new millennium is hardly an undertaking for the faint of heart.
Next, enter sales. What if tech companies incorporated their Plan B into their Plan A? Ah, yes, now we are talking. Plan B, of course, is to start selling the product or service – just in case the VC doesn’t come through. Spin that idea around and marry it to Plan A and you have a tech formula for success.
Sales could be your key to the VC vault. Venture capitalists are looking for a revolutionary product or service that can offer them a handsome return on investment. If your company sales prove that your product has a market – we’re talking customers here – and you have the plan to take it successfully to that market, then you are that much closer to securing the funds you desire.
Powering up sales to ignite funding offers more than a safety net. In one instance, a company incorporating a sales plan with the path to funding found that company sales funded the business sufficiently enough that venture investment/funding was no longer needed. The team redirected more energy and effort into sales and increased the company’s return exponentially. If the company moved along the funding path, it could still be waiting for VC instead of running an explosively successful operation today.
So what does it take to put your sales vehicle in motion? You need to start with a plan. As critical as your business plan is to your venture, so too is your sales plan for your sales activities. Time is money and, as an emerging company, you have to maximize both. Unless you successfully have managed the sales process, it’s wise to spend the money and invest in a person or a company that has a track record in your industry for growing companies such as yours. Be sure that the sales pro knows how to work with the resources you have available.
When you meet with prospective sales consultants, be honest about your situation.
- How many people can focus on sales activities?
- What, realistically, is your sales budget and how long can you commit to the plan once it is developed?
- How much time can company leaders devote to tracking, follow up and redirection?
Next map out who, what, when and where.
- Who will develop the sales strategy and plan?
- Who will execute it?
- What is the process?
- What are the goals?
- When will you start? When will you review your results?
- Where will you begin your action plan?
- Where will you find the operating funds to keep the show afloat until you realize tangible results?
Then, put your plan on paper and commit to it. Set your weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual sales goals. Execute and analyze. What’s working? What isn’t? What can you do better – smarter? What was a miss and why? Log all activity into your sales journal and tweak the process until you get it right.
Once you are on the sales track, reach out to mentors or others you know who have successfully grown their companies through increased sales. In sales, the goal is to work smarter, not harder. Tap into your true sales potential and you will be on your way to growing your company and securing funding – through VC or, at a minimum, your own sales power.
iJustine
March 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
What’s 23 years old and read all over? Justine Ezarik, that’s who. Who is Justine Ezarik you may be asking. She’s a dynamic Internet “it” girl who made her debut far and wide with her 300-page iPhone bill. She is also one of the hottest bloggers on the web and her blog – tastyblogsnack.com – is moving her popularity far and wide.
So why do I want you to know Justine? Simple. It’s because blogging is here to stay, I know you’ve got something to say, and finding your unique way to speak to those looking for you is the way (to total marketing dominance)!
The point is that not everyone is a writer. Some of us are talkers. Some of us are performers, and some of us speak in our own combined language of these. Find your way, get your blog and git going. It only takes about 10 minutes a day!
Justine is a great example of one girl who is letting her voice flow and though by all accounts she is a drop-dead-gorgeous example, there are many others out there who aren’t and have lots of people tuning into to see what they have to say, too.
Make your mark – and check in often to see what tips iJustine has to share with you!
Top 7 Ways to Recession Proof Your Business
March 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Written by Debbie Mrazek
Good companies and good products are in demand no matter what the economy is doing. Just because there is a recession, it doesn’t mean that everyone is experiencing the same effect from it.
The key to riding out the recession is to create a plan to address it. Simply planning ahead is one of the best strategies companies can use when experts begin to whisper recession.
Recession-proofing your sales begins with you, and being proactive is one of the best ways to ride high when others are crashing.
Put these seven easy strategies to work for you and you’ll soon find that recession or not your sales are soaring!
1. Lock in client loyalty. Remember, you aren’t the only one facing a possible recession. What can you do to serve your best clients? Call and ask.
2. Dig out lost proposals. You never know if those lost proposals went to another company that may not have been the perfect fit.
3. Make time for Face Time. It’s easy to slip into the habit of staying in the office and doing business by phone and email. Drop by or schedule a time to meet with clients. Listen for opportunities where you can offer a solution for their problems.
4. See a Need and Fill It. In a possible recession, sometimes luxuries are the first to go. However, if there’s a need, there’s usually money to pay for a solution. Can you create products or add-on items that fill a need?
5. Create package options. In hearty economic times, there’s more to go around. When companies face a possible recession, slashing expenses is one of the first things companies do. To stand out from others, create package deals that offer lots of value-add for the buck. This way you will stand out as a good deal.
6. Do more for less. We aren’t talking about giving away the farm. We are talking about doing just slightly more for the same amount. If you would normally tack on fees for an item, throw it in for free. Gifting ignites the law of reciprocity and loyalty follows.
7. Put systems, marketing campaigns, and people in place sooner than later. Businesses that take a proactive approach will feel less blind-sided. Create your plan now and implement it. And whatever you do, don’t cut back on sales and marketing initiatives!
Recessions are part of the economic landscape. They won’t be going away anytime soon. The best thing you can do is plan now instead of later. Determine a plan of action and work that prior to and through the tougher times.
Updated Authority Black Book 2.0
March 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
For those of you who may be new to the blogging world, there are a few great ‘veterans’ who can share a wealth of information. We’ve found that you can become a veteran in short order by actually applying yourself to the blogging world. Still, if you are looking for a crash course, a quick hit to tap into the latest trends and best tips, then look no further than Jack Humphrey’s Authority Black Book 2.0 – all new and revised for 2008.
I heard about Jack when I listened to a recent interview Joe Vitale had with David LeDoux about all things blogging. Jack was the ‘expert’ blogger that helped David’s blog, DidYouSmellThat.com go from new blog to well on its way in about four months. Since that time, I’ve seen Jack in many places on the web, and am eager to recommend his updated Authority Black Book for those of you who want to tap into the power and benefits of social networking.
This report offers great tips about link baiting, developing a social maven strategy and much more. It’s not a 1-2-3 guide for those who are complete novices; however, it is definitely worth more than the price of admission – FR.EE.
Mashable.com is the #1 blog serving the social networking phenomenon. It also is a Technorati Top 100 blog. Mashable ranked the Authority Black Book the #1 FR.EE eBook for Bloggers last year. With more updates, it’s a must have.
Think Your Sales Are the Problem? Think Again
March 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Written by Debbie Mrazek
If you are struggling to increase sales revenue, you may think the answer is just to get more sales. Or maybe the answer is to sell more. However, as a sales consultant and coach, I can tell you that isn’t always the answer.
Sometimes when sales are the focus of declining profits, it’s helpful to work with a sales consultant with business knowledge and understanding. With both sales expertise and business know-how, we can identify when the problem really is sales — and when it isn’t.
Let me share with you a story about a client. Recently, we sat down and looked at his business. It was going well, but not great. It seemed like every time he would turn the sales corner, something would push him back. It didn’t take long to see that it wasn’t his sales efforts that were impeding his success. It was his team’s inability to deliver his company’s services. He had some employees who were very nice people, but who were just not cut out for providing his service. When we fixed that part of his business, we could more readily focus on the business of his sales. His company has grown more than 30 percent in the last year. Needless to say, he’s ecstatic.
So how do you know when you’ve got a legitimate sales problem and when your problem might be somewhere else?
There are some tell-tell signs to look for:
- Actual sales figures are up, but profits aren’t
- Referrals are drying up
- Clients don’t return from one year to the next
- New clients come but they don’t stay
- The amount of sales is decreasing
Any or all of these can indicate that something is amiss somewhere else in the customer delivery system. Like it or not, if you are in sales, you are also in the business of customer service. After all, if your customer doesn’t come back because they aren’t happy with someone else in the company, it’s not that someone else who pays — it’s you who pays.
One way you can keep a pulse on customer satisfaction is to build into your sales system a ‘check up’ with new customers. You might check with the new customer at 30 days and again at 120 days. Don’t let too much time pass between you and your hard-earned customer. It’s you they trust so be sure to cultivate that relationship.
Entrepreneurs who wear both a sales hat and customer service hat will appreciate that there’s more than signing contracts, the signed contract is when the real work begins of keeping that client for life!
