Of course we know each other. We run in the same circle...

So many times, I've been asked if I know someone. "Do you know so and so? He's in sales, too!" Okay, no, I haven't met that guy. Or gal. "Oh, but I thought you all knew each other." Well, that got me thinking. I realized that we all sort of do know each other. Salespeople, that is...

Maybe we have a certain look that helps us identify each other. For instance, I went to our biggest competitor to compare how our store stacked up against theirs. To see if my department, in particular, compared with theirs. Theirs didn't even come close to ours, but there was one thing that stood out. The level of customer service I was given by the girls that worked there. They were really nice to me, and it was like they recognized me from somewhere. One of the girls said, "Oh, you must be new. Where are they putting you?" She was nice and friendly, as were the other girls. This was at Macy's, by the way. And I said, "Oh, no. I'm just shopping." And I told them where I worked. But it was funny to see that they recognized me. They just knew.

If there's anyone who can understand what we do, it would be another one of us. That's just a given. If there's anyone who understands what makes me tick professionally, it would probably be another salesperson or manager. There may be other people in the world who get it. Partially. They may understand our motivation behind what we do, but it may not be their calling. They may understand business, but don't find it interesting. It's not their calling, so they don't really know us. They won't understand. When I talk to other sales and business people who truly love their jobs, I feel like we know each other. We get it. There's nothing we enjoy more than talking about metrics over coffees, analyzing where the numbers have jumped and fallen, and in coming up with strategies for future success. We find joy in discussing things like business acumen, sales processes, functions, features, and getting clients to feel that passion for what we're selling.

It's like being a tourist in a foreign country, and running into a person who speaks your native language. You just have to stand and talk to them, because you know they understand you. And that's why we need to stick together. Because we have the passion that those outside of the sales world don't have. We get it. And without saying a word, we feel a part of something. Like an extended family. And I know you get it. After all, we run in the same circle!



Thanks for stopping by...CC

Article Sharing Sunday (e-mail marketing tips)

Shared from Article Dashboard...
http://tiny.cc/y946cw

Navigating the dead zone...

I decided to do an experiment, simply out of curiosity. I thought that it might be interesting to see how sending notes to clients who hadn't been in for a while could change business. Would it really make a difference? So, I tracked thirty targeted client's purchases for a quarter. I just happened to send reminder cards to these clients, after their accounts had been dormant. I didn't call them. I just sent each person a card, to remind them we wanted to see them again. It was interesting to see what happened. Keep in mind that these customer's accounts were inactive, and at all zeroes for over a year. Out of the thirty, eight customers came in and made purchases. Here are the results:

Customer #1 made a purchase in my department: $236
Customer #2 made a purchase in my department: $132
Customer #3 made a purchase in my department: $105
Customer #4 made a purchase in my department: $084
Customer #5 made a purchase in my department: $070
Customer #6 made a purchase in my department: $052
Customer #7 made a purchase in my department: $042
Customer #8 made a purchase in my department: $025
 Total dollars purchased in my department were....$746

But that's not all. Those customers made purchases in other departments, and a couple came back multiple times, making purchases throughout the store. Here are the rest of their purchases for the quarter...

Customer #1: $0000
Customer #2: $1511.00
Customer #3: $0203.04
Customer #4: $0201.11
Customer #5: $0020.85
Customer #6: $0252.25
Customer #7: $0000
Customer #8: $0478.64

Quarterly sales results for these eight customers altogether: $3412.89. (Keep in mind these numbers translate much higher for B2B.)

The results are very clear. They had no activity on their accounts for over a year, but after sending cards, they came in and made multiple purchases. Simply because someone let them know they were missed. I let them know that myself, and my team wanted to see them again. I told them about our store promotions in my department, as well as other departments. And they came back. It made me think of what could be possible, after making such a minimal effort, and getting those kind of results. What if I did more? What would happen? What if we all did more to invest in relationships with our clients?



Fact: It is seven times more expensive to gain a new client, than to work to keep your existing clients happy.



What does this mean for our businesses?

When I have associates ask me if it's worth it to send thank yous, reminders, and call customers, I just laugh inside. Of course it's worth it! The results are conclusive every time. Not only in dollars, but in customer relationships. Relationships that are going to carry your company during hard times. Lifetime customer satisfaction is more than worth that little bit of effort you put in.                                                              


Is there really such a thing as "dead"?

Just like our relationships with our friends and family are ongoing, so are our relationships with our clients. In our relationships, our careers, and anything we do, consistency is the key to seeing results. If you consistently make an effort to keep clients happy, those relationships will never die. You'll keep them alive, and full of vitality. That person will look forward to the times when they will see you, because they know you care about them. The only way the relationship could die is if you neglect it.


Love them, and they will love you

In the end, I realized something. Reaching out to a person is always better than not making an effort. Clients appreciate even the smallest gestures. So reach. And keep reaching. Even if it's been a while. You just might find that they'll reach back, and you'll gain repeat business.


"A flower fades, and drops to the ground. Its seeds scatter over the dry earth. After the rain, new life springs forth from that which has died."



Thanks for stopping by...CC

Article Sharing Sunday...

Why did your customers really buy from you?
Eggs, bacon, and customer buying motives..
http://tiny.cc/4patcw

Some of the greatest career moves...

Aren't planned at all. They evolve naturally over time.You might think you've got it all planned out, and you know what will happen. The truth is that you don't know what will happen, and neither do I. But I've learned to embrace it. To accept that I am not really in control of my destiny. That it's already planned out for me by someone who knows way better than I do.

Some of the greatest career moves started off as accidental job choices. Taking a position in sales to get me through a gap in employment led to the greatest business opportunity I've had so far. And I didn't plan it. It's helped me discover my interests, and taught me about real world business. Going down that road has led to other side streets, where I could use talents that I have that are connected to my interest in business. And I didn't plan that, either. Writing about sales was something I didn't start off saying I would do. I wanted to be a fiction writer. It turns out, though, that my best writing has been the work I've done in sharing my own experiences with others.

So, what about you? Are you embracing your unique path? Where do you think it will lead you next?


Thanks for stopping by...CC

Compassionate detachment...

Appreciating beauty from a distance
(An article I thought you might enjoy)
http://tiny.cc/rlqubw

What I know about cold calling...

I have to admit, on my list of favorite things, cold calling would not be at the top. I am by no means a cold calling queen or guru. However, I make business calls all the time. I am also in charge of cold calling clients to invite them back or tell them about our promotions. Some of these clients are people I have never spoken to, or who haven't been in for quite a while. In other words, they have gone cold. So, I decided to write a post to help those who have a hard time with it, because I've been there. And I've found that it gets much easier with practice, and by following a few simple guidelines...

Tip #1
Preparation

In order to be successful at any type of presentation, you have to prepare. And cold calling is a type of presentation. Just look at it that way. You're doing an introduction at an attempt to establish future business. Prospects don't have time to talk to someone who doesn't have anything to say. They want you to get to the point of what you are looking to achieve for their business. And yes, this puts pressure on you. However, it's part of the process. You're building a relationship with someone who doesn't know you yet, and you have to know what you're talking about, and show that you genuinely want to help them.

Tip#2
Keep it brief

People are busy, and their lives are stressful. They'll usually have a limited amount of time to talk to you. Around five minutes, tops, unless they indicate otherwise. So fit your introduction and key points into your call in that amount of time. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what their needs are, or details of their business operations. And ask from a point of understanding and genuine caring. Be patient and kind. If the prospect wants to keep talking to you, they will. And that's usually a good sign.

Tip #3
Keep it simple and friendly

Unless you're in a board meeting, or talking to a prospect with a business degree, you want to keep your conversation in the simplest terms possible. Explain what you're offering them on a level that anyone who might be listening can understand. Prospects/clients have a tendency not to admit when they don't understand something, so if you go over their head, you could lose them before you start. As I said before, be patient and kind. Be energetic and passionate about what you're offering them. And expect a positive outcome.


Tip #4
Create value

Creating value is all about researching what your particular prospect/client's needs are. In this "getting to know you" stage, think of it as a perfect opportunity to ask questions that indicate your willingness to help your prospect. You need to make your call all about them, and what is best for them. And genuinely care about providing them with the best value for their dollar. Providing helpful tips to your prospect can only build trust and respect, and make them want to do business with you. In other words, genuinely act in a way that is helpful to them. In other words, don't be annoying. Every call you make should add value to their lives, and their business. If you don't think your call could possibly add value, then wait until another time when you have something better to offer them.

Tip #5
Make the call

This seems to be the toughest part for a lot of people. We dread things that we don't practice doing out of fear. Fear of what that person might say to us, or how they might react. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, that fear is irrational. Yes, there are people who will not want to hear from you. It's happened to me, and it's happened to all of us. But you shouldn't let that stop you from making the next call. Maybe someone was rude when you called them. I've had a client get so upset that I sent her a thank you card, that she complained to my company! If you can believe that. There will always be people who don't appreciate your sincere gestures to reach out to them, which is their loss. Just move on to the next one, and make sure to send Christmas cards to the rude ones. Just kidding.

Thanks for stopping by...CC

"Instead of beating yourself up when you make a mistake, find out what you can learn from it." CC

Dan Waldschmidt's 125 miles for hope...

Please share this video, and let's help Dan to go over his goal of $10,000.

          

Being your own leader...

Leading your own life is as simple as it sounds...
YOU take the lead of YOUR life
Not let someone else lead you to a path you weren't meant to travel
Not let someone else decide your future
You become the leader of yourself
Your own voice of reason
Your own adviser

Not those that say they know better than you
Just because they say it doesn't make it true
You know what's best for you
Because it's your life
Take the lead of yourself

It only takes one time...

To achieve what someone else said you could not do
To get back up and try again
To try, and finally succeed
To make a difference
To leave a great impression
To try something you didn't think you ever would
To make a difference in another person's life
To pick yourself up, and try another way that works
To climb to your destiny
To make it all the way to the top of the mountain


Thanks for stopping by...CC

Who is your real bread and butter?

                                             

I'm talking about the icing on the cake, the sprinkles on the sundae, or the sprig of parsley on your dinner plate. Know what I mean? Okay, it's a metaphor for something else. The customers that make smaller purchases. Oh, Okay:D!

Have you ever stopped to consider how valuable these customers really are? It's important, because these are customers whose importance we sometimes overlook. We sometimes hold more value for the customers we think will provide us with bigger sales, and pay more attention to them. They're the ice cream part of the sundae, metaphorically speaking. But have you ever stopped to think that maybe they are your customers because of those that provided the sprinkles?

Here's an example of an actual customer of mine. Her name is Charlene. Charlene regularly shops with me, and doesn't really spend that much money with me. Usually around $20 each time for a couple of items that are her favored brands. She comes in about twice a month, and we'll chat for a little while. We've established a great relationship, exchanging hair tips, she tells me how to make fabulous recipes, etc. In other words, we're girlfriends.

I didn't expect this to happen, but I'm grateful for at least several of these relationships with my clients that have somehow crossed over into friendship. At least on some level. So here's another area Charlene has been valuable in helping build new business. She brings in her friends. She has another friend, Becky, who has just become a client of mine, and we've also established a great relationship. Becky also knows a lot of people, who I'm sure know more people. These are all possible referrals to be gained from knowing one key person.

Get where I'm going with all of this? What started off as a $20 purchase, has turned into regular visits, and referrals. That could amount to tens of thousands of dollars to my company's and my own benefit. Not to mention Charlene's, and Charlene's friends. Everybody wins. And the reason why this has happened is because I appreciated Charlene's business. And her friendship. I valued her as a person, and that's why she brought her friend in to see me. Because she trusted me. At the same time, I appreciate my clients who come in regularly, and simply because they want to see me. What an honor! And I think they also know how valuable they always are to me.

Thanks for stopping by...CC