Against Closed Eyes In Marketing

This type of marketing resembles a consignment shop. Your web site features merchandise and for this, you receive a commission from every transaction. There’s less work, fewer overheads, it works twenty-four hours a day, and it is simple to master.

To begin with, you must decide what merchandise or area you’d like to work in. To get this out of the way, find out solutions to issues a specific customer profile is expecting, and then find out a way to address those issues. A simple way of doing this easily is looking for unique long tail keywords; there are fewer searchers for these in general, however they will convert far more into sales. If you need to look for these important words or phrases, use applications like Micro Niche Finder. Data gathered by Micro Niche Finder or other applications and services compiles a list of related words and phrases allowing you to get top listing on internet searches. Further data is supplied from Micro Niche Finder, for instance the number of searches each word or phrase gets, precisely how many different websites who exploit them, and details on the competition as well. Last but not least, the data returned can help in loacting the best domain, help you in putting together your site, and even discover the best sales opportunities.

Constructing a web site is next; but there are still important things to do. You will want to fine-tune your web site to improve your ranking on the search engines. Here SEO Elite information become helpful. Your rivals’ web sites are examined by the software package which then offers suggestions on how to better search engine rankings. With software like SEO Elite, information supplied by the program indicates where you should look for appropriate links, the most profitable keywords, and details on where to submit articles. Succinctly, Seo Elite information is similar to the advice that a specialist in search engine optimization may provide.

When you determine your niche market segment, design your advertising, and your website has been put together, all you need to do is get your site up in the search results. Profits will roll in regularly and you will question why you didn’t try affiliate marketing earlier!

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I was looking at some promotional literature and web sites
the other day and it was interesting to note the number of
times the words - “We” and “Our” was used in this material.

Lots of statements such as: “We are a leading supplier of__”
“Our products do__” “We research__” “We have 50 years
experience__” Very rarely did I read anything that stated
what these businesses did for the customer. They were all
features rich and benefits poor.

It’s not enough to tell the world how clever you are and
expect them to work out how they might be able to use your
product or service. You’ve got to tell potential customers
how your products or your skills and expertise bring
benefits to them. Benefits such as - saving time - saving
money or making their life easier. There needs to a lot more
use of the word “you” or “your.”

Use statements such as - “You will save x amount of money
due to the research we do__” or “Your business will reduce
downtime by y amount due to what we do__” or “You will feel
confident in our service due to our 50 years experience__”
Of course it goes without saying that you need evidence to
back up these statements.

Think about yourself as a customer and how impressed you are
with statements such as - “We provide a quality service” or
“Our company has been in business since 1832″ or “We work
closely with our customers”

So have a look at your promotional leaflets or your website
and check if the wording is “customer” focussed or “you”
focused.

Discover how you can generate more business without having
to cold call!
Alan Fairweather is the author of “How to get More Sales
without Selling” This book is packed with practical things
that you can do to - get customers to come to you.
Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

http://www.alanfairweather.com

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Customers and prospects can come up with an incredible number of excuses for not buying:

“Your price is to high. How do you expect me to be competitive with my customers if I pay you a premium?”

“Let me think it over. I’ll get back to you.”

“We’re pretty happy with our current supplier. If they ever drop the ball, though, you’ll be the first person I call.”

I’d like to do business with you, you’re a nice guy. But your company wouldn’t set up an account for me when I went into business. I swore back then that I’d stick with whoever would give me credit.”

Sound familiar? Any salesperson who has been the selling game for any length of time can add dozens of reasons to this list. The question is, which reasons are excuses and which ones are real?

As any well-trained and truly professional salesperson knows, what customers and prospects say is not necessarily a true reflection of what they are really thinking. When a customer tells you that your price is high, what he may really be thinking is, “I need to buy some time so I can shop these prices to your competitor. I might be able to get an even better deal.”

When a customer tells you that he needs time to think it over, he may be really thinking, “I don’t want to offend this guy, I need for him to keep calling on me so he can keep me abreast of what’s going on in the market.”

Journeymen salespeople, those whose concept of selling is working up a quote will be forever unrailed by these kinds of comments and statements. Professionals on the other hand, have learned how to call the customer’s hand without being offensive.

For many years, I have used a highly effective technique when I receive information and I’m not sure I’m getting the truth or I suspect that what the client is saying is just a cover for something else.

I asks the following question: “In addition to that (whatever the client told him), is there anything else that is preventing us from doing business together?”

The rational for this question is:

1. I am not challenging their opinion, view or statement.

2. I am accepting whatever they are saying (not necessarily agreeing with them, but accepting their words, at least for the time being).

3. I am positioning myself for determining whatever else is going on beneath the surface that might stand in my way.

You’ll also note that in addition to just asking a question, this technique puts a trial close at the end of the question.

The technique subtly says to the customer, “Tell me every objection you can think of that will prevent us from doing business together.”

Salespeople using this technique may still have to deal with all of these issues or questions to close the sale, but at least they know that if they can do so effectively, they have a sale and won’t face a whole new list of issues after they deal with the issues the customer or prospect reveals.

Bill Lee is author of Gross Margin: 26 Factors Affecting Your Bottom Line ($29.95) and 30 Ways Managers Shoot Themselves in the Foot ($21.95) + $6 S&H for the first book and $1 for each additional book. To order, see Shopping Cart at http://www.BillLeeOnLine.com

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“Leadership rests not only on outstanding ability. It also rests on commitment, loyalty and pride. It rests on followers who are ready to accept guidance. Leadership is the ability to direct people and - more important - to have those people accept the direction.” Vince Lombardi

THE OBSERVATION…

There has never been a better time to be in the field of sales or customer service. In this world of “high-tech”, there is an insurmountable need for “hands on” communication skills. Consumers need to feel appreciated, valued and understood. The information age has provided all of the convenient ways to conduct business, but there is no substitute for that good old-fashioned human touch. Consultants need to be professional and proficient in every area of communication. Consumers need to feel appreciated, valued and understood, and they will pay to get it!

THE BENEFIT…

Statistics show that 45% of how your company is perceived is based on how the listener perceives the presenter. With customer satisfaction being paramount in business today, technology has no answer…therefore it is up to a consultant to provide the necessary service to make a positive experience, creating loyal, referring, and returning customers. The more your customer feels that you are open and sensitive to their needs and concerns, the more open they will be to your influencing them in a positive way. That will lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction, a more loyal customer base that returns to buy from you, and more referrals to build relationships with.

THE CHALLENGE…

Think about it; 65% of all people stop doing business with a company due to one poor interaction with one person. This is regardless of how long they have done business together! To make a positive impact on your business, you must first recognize the need. Then you can compliment some of your hard skills training with soft skills, such as questioning, listening and communication skills. Long-term commitment towards this training is necessary, not optional. The need has never been greater than now, to have qualified, well-trained professionals representing your company. Equip your staff with these skills and then watch those customer satisfaction percentages go through the roof!

Michael Niles is president of Focus Training Systems, a Seattle based training and development firm. He can be reached at 206-229-3119, michael6941@hotmail.com, or http://www.focussalestraining.com.

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Using a sales letter is a great way to get the attention of
people that might not otherwise hear about you. Sales letters
can be used as copy for web sites, sent to other businesses that
might have a use for your product or service, or even just
distributed to individuals.

The hardest part about getting a great sales letter, though, is
coming up with fast selling words to sell yourself without
sounding too pushy. One way to get your creative juices flowing
is to simply pick a word and run with it.

All you need to do is let go and see where your thoughts take
you. It doesn’t really matter where you start; all that matters
is that you did!

Put your pen on paper and start writing anything that comes to
mind. Don’t let your critical voice take over. You’re not
allowed to change anything, just write the first thing you think
of.

Think of a blind date. It will probably be awkward, but you will
find SOMETHING to talk about. Writing is exactly the same.

Once you get started, the words start to help you. The page will
create its own rules telling you to know what to write next.

Although good writing begins with a single word, there is a
little more to a sales letter than just letting words leak
across a page. In the past few years, many writers have found
that there are certain types of openings in direct mail that are
more effective than others. These work just as well for email
letters and for web sites.

Here are some of these ideas to keep in mind when you are trying
to structure your opening.

1) State the offer. This is so simple many people never think of
it. Put the offer right at the top of your page in a headline or
bold type. The offer includes the product that is for sale, its
price, the terms of the sale, and the guarantee.

2) Announce it! If you have something new, start your letter
with this important information. Nothing gets attention and
builds excitement like the word NEW. I always put it in all
capitals to give it added excitement.

3) Flatter the reader. There is nothing a customer likes more
than to feel as though they are set apart from “the crowd”.
Describe the type of person who would probably be one of your
best customers. Tell why the way they feel, work, think, or play
is important and deserves attention. Use the word “YOU” as often
as you can.

4) Use a provocative quote. Quote a famous person or a customer.
The quote should arouse curiosity. It should make the reader
want to find out more about your product.

After you have your opening, good copy will usually follow suit.
Just remember to use catchy phrases and not over hype the
product. If something seems too good to be true, most people
will probably disregard the offer. Ending with a PS is a nice
touch, but remember that many people read the PS before they
read the actual letter.

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You’ve has a tough day, maybe even a tough month. I walk up to you and utter these words, “You are responsible for your results.”

What do you think about that?

When you hear me say that you’re totally responsible for the results you produce in your business—you might jump to a conclusion. You may even think that I’m suggesting that you should take the blame for your results.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

By taking responsibility for your results and your outcomes— you grant yourself great power.

If you acknowledge that you’re truly responsible for the way your projects end —good or bad— you give yourself great power. You can use this newly discovered power to make your projects end up another, possibly more desirable way.

Before I go on, let’s agree on a few things.

The first agreement: The results you produce are determined by your choices and your actions.

Second agreement: A lot of people look upon failure as a bad thing.

What if there was an optional way, a more productive way to view a failure?

I believe that failure isn’t really as much about failing as you might believe.

I’d like you to think of failure as a success. You don’t fail.

You are successful at reaching an outcome 100% of the time.

Here’s a question that will help shift way from the more traditional mindset.

Is the result you produced the result you had intended to produce, or was the result unplanned?

I want you to start looking at failure in a new light. I want you to start thinking of failure in a different way. I want you to think of failure as a process that generates unplanned results.

Using that definition you can begin to view your results as a stepping stone to greater success.

This shift in thinking will provide you with the chance to change the choices and/or the actions that are producing your unplanned results without making yourself feel like you’ve been doing something wrong.

Here is a story I use to illustrate the point.

The genius inventor, Thomas Edison, had performed more than thousand, unsuccessful experiments while on his mission to create the electric light bulb.

Edison was asked, “How were you able to continue with your experiments after encountering so many failures?”

Edison replied, “I did not look at the unsuccessful attempts as failures, but rather as a thousand ways not to make a light bulb.”

He took responsibility for each outcome, made adjustments and continued on to success.

For most people, the ability to take responsibility for unplanned outcomes and adjust accordingly calls for a new “skill set”. You have to develop and exercise the “skill muscle” called responsibility.

Focus on developing your “skill muscles”.

One way to develop these “skill muscles” is to pattern your results oriented behaviors after the model for Effective Communication.

Effective communicators know their outcome and state it in the positive. In other words they focus on what they want versus what they don’t want.

Effective communicators have the awareness to know whether they are moving away from or towards that desired outcome.

Effective communicators have a flexibility of choice and action that allows them to make a course correction, especially if what they were doing was producing unplanned results.

As your “skill muscles” grow stronger your ability to achieve your desired outcomes more easily and more often will emerge. Your ability to communicate effectively with yourself and with others will grow proportionately.

Be ready and willing to ask yourself, “For what parts of the project am I willing to take responsibility?”

In addition, I suggest that you stop taking things as seriously as you have been.

That is not meant to imply that what you’re up to is not serious. It’s just that life is serious enough without making it more so.

Remember that life is an adventure over which you have little control.

You make choices, you take action and you play the game the best you can.

This is an enlightened way to success. Being enlightened is the best mindset to have when you play the game.

So— keep in mind that the greatest pathway to enlightenment is to— Lighten up.

Here’s the Success Tip— Play the game, take responsibility and lighten up.

“Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” -G.K.Chesterson

Copyright 2006 Ike Krieger

About The Author Ike Krieger is a business mentor, author and speaker. Ike can help you get more clients, more referrals and more sales, and do it with dignity. His Question-Based Marketing and Sales System will help you turn your contacts into contracts, more easily and more often. Subscribe to Ike’s newsletter at http://www.BusinessSuccessBuilder.com.

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Scalp pimples or scalp acne are not always the same as garden-variety skin pimples. The scalp is, of course, skin, but scalp pimples usually involve the hair follicles, which get inflamed. The disorder can vary in nature and comes under various scientific names, but basically they all result in small, itchy pustules that are usually first noticed while combing or brushing of hair. Such pimples get infected in no time at all and become a major problem.

The cause of scalp pimples is not clear. In certain cases, micro-organisms such as yeast, mites and the dreaded staph bacterium that often thrive in the uniquely suitable host environment of the scalp can lead to scalp pimples. In such cases, treatment with topical antibiotics such as clindamycin or erythromycin solutions or oral tetracycline may be necessary. In more severe infestations, even steroids may be needed. In milder cases, simple but unrelenting scalp hygiene can resolve the problem.

The milder forms of scalp pimples are a nuisance but nothing to worry about. The affected area may respond to the application of a salicylic acid solution or other over-the-counter pimple preparations. There is, however, one drawback: the extreme dehydrating and stripping action of compounds like benzoyl peroxide can have very adverse and permanent effects on the actual hair. At the very least, an unsightly bleaching may take place; at worst one may lose hair. For this reason, the application of pimple-control treatment solutions should be strictly limited to the affected areas.

Routine scalp hygiene should be improved if scalp pimples become evident. A good hypoallergenic shampoo calibrated for oily skin types will definitely be of benefit, since it will limit the occurrence of sebum. Local pimple-control applications will be of maximum efficacy after thorough shampooing.

Pimples provides detailed information on Pimples, How To Get Rid Of Pimples, Home Remedy For Pimples, Scalp Pimples and more. Pimples is affiliated with Adult Acne Causes.

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“A leader is best when people barely know that they exist, Not so good when people obey and acclaim them, Worse when they despise them.

When a leader fails to honour people, People fail to honour them.

But, of a good leader who talks little and listens well, When their work is done and goals are fulfilled, People will all say, we did it ourselves”

Loa - Tzy.

I believe that most employees at their core are very similar. Regardless of race, gender, age or religion, most have certain things in common. If we are to be a successful manager, it is imperative that we understand the human elements that allow us as managers to stay “on top of our game”. That is, understanding how people want to be treated by their manager. Here is a list of things that I believe all employees have in common when it comes to how they want to be treated.

1. Employees want to be valued.

Over fifty percent of all working Canadians that leave their jobs do so because they feel that they are not valued. Have you ever been told that you provide little or no value to the organization, been humiliated for making the wrong decision or been told that you are a liability to the company. If so, then you understand how important it is to be valued. Valuing people because they are human beings and the foundation of our company is reason enough to be ethical in our approach with people.

2. Employees want to be treated with respect.

Author Arnold Glasow said, ” The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude”. Many employees desire the respect of the people they work for. Respect is oxygen for the soul and when managers give it freely, it creates a positive work environment. Respecting employees gives them the freedom to perform at a high level and the incentive to work with excellence.

3. Employees want to be trusted.

My dad once told me that to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. Although we as managers cannot control if employees trust us, we can control our actions toward them and we can give them our trust. While it is true that we can be taken advantage of, it is also true that trust creates the foundation of a strong relationship with our people because it allows for open communication, maintains confidences and focuses on shared goals.

4. Employees want to be appreciated.

Employees want to be appreciated for the skill and effort that they bring to the work place. Letting employees know that they matter builds their self confidence and self esteem to the point that they make decisions and take action because, they know it is right and needs to be done. As a manager, let people know that you appreciate their efforts. Publicly thank them at every opportunity and give them the credit that they deserve. As one of my mentors Warren Brent Carroll once told me, “people need to walk in the sunshine and not in the shadows”.

5. Employees want to be understood. A great inventor by the name of Charles Kettering once said, “there is a great difference between knowing and understanding. You can know a lot about something and not really understand it. The same is true about people.” As managers we can be quick to find fault with employees who don’t conform to our thought process or patterns that we know work. Sometimes our employees act differently because they have not had the advantages that we have had. As managers we ought to consider extending ourselves to them on their level and showing flexibility in our thought process. Our employees are creatures of emotions, just like us.

Author and co-author of several professional articles, Nick Pollice’s expertise is in Sales Management Courses, Sales Seminars and Operations Management.

http://www.cmctraining.org

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The question: “When should a growing company slow down its sales function and focus solely on delivery?”

The answer: “Never!”

When fast growth is the focus of your company, the only constant is that you will always, and I mean always, need more sales. It doesn’t matter how full the sales pipeline looks, you need more sales. It doesn’t matter that you have no idea how you’re going to deliver the order you just took, you need more sales. And it doesn’t matter that you’re booked for the next year, you need more sales.

To understand why you must keep selling in the face of certain income, I will introduce you to “Murphy’s Law” of Sales which states that “whatever business can be lost, will be lost!” Customers will change their mind, cancel orders, and in some cases just go out of business altogether.

There are numerous snags that can stop your sale before it hits accounts receivable and unfortunately most are beyond your control. The good news is you can protect yourself against this uncertainty by filling the sales pipeline at all times, no matter how good things get.

Enlarge the Pipeline

A great way to protect your sales future is to increase the expectations of your sales pipeline. If you think you need to put $1 million in the pipeline try moving that number to $2 million. I’m not suggesting that another million dollars worth of sales are going to magically appear just because you updated your Excel spreadsheet. Instead I’m suggesting that you raise the bar on your projections so that you can absorb the inevitability of losing sales along the way. It’s far better to be over prepared.

Spread the responsibility

Because small companies typically cannot afford to hire several salespeople they often rely upon the founder or another single person to do the job for the entire company. The problem with this approach is that there is too much reliance on one person to feed the entire organization. Sometimes people run into a cold streak, get distracted, or just aren’t the right fit at the right time. Any one of these factors can cripple your sales pipeline.

Instead of relying on an individual to bear the company’s entire sales load, spread the responsibility across all members of the organization. A great way to do this is by giving other people in the company an opportunity to participate in the sale process as well. Allow others to help prepare presentations, give them responsibility for “up-selling” existing customers and ask them to use their professional networks to identify new opportunities.

When you’re hot, stay hot

Another mistake growing companies tend to make is celebrating their victories and resting in the spoils of sales. You’ve just won that huge account and now you don’t have to sell for six months while you rake in the dough, right? Wrong! The worst thing a company can do when it’s hot is to stop selling.

The confidence and positive energy behind a big win is a force you cannot possibly replicate with bonuses, company meetings or sales team pep rallies. Harness the positive momentum from big sales to make more phone calls, setup more meetings, and close more deals. It’s much easier to call that next client after you’ve made a big sale than when you’re on month three of a cold streak.

Keep your sales team in sales, not delivery

Now your winning sales team is landing customers left and right and it’s time to start delivering on the promises they made over those expensive dinners. Since the customer naturally expects the sales team to be along for the delivery, your top salesman should be along for the ride, right? Wrong again.

The sales team is there to sell, not deliver. And any time that they spend servicing your existing customers is time they aren’t spending finding the next customers. As soon as the shoe salesman becomes the cobbler he’s doing the wrong job. Get your sales team right back into the field as quickly as possible and let the people in your organization responsible for delivery service your customers.

Watch the Horizon

It’s easy to get distracted today with a big win and all the obligations that come with delivery. All of a sudden you need to worry about staffing, office space, equipment and of course satisfying that customer you just spent all your time wooing.

While you don’t want to miss delivery, you simply can’t afford to lose sight of the next sale on the horizon, which means it’s time to pick up the phone, schedule a meeting, and close that next sale. The only thing more important than your last sale is your next sale!

- Wil

Wil Schroter is a serial entrepreneur, author, and public speaker. Wil has been recognized as U.S. Small Business Person of the Year, twice as the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (1999 & 2004), and is a member of the Business First Top 40 under forty. Connect directly with Wil at wschroter@yahoo.com. Visit http://www.goBIGnetwork.com.

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