Dialing for dollars

There's always a debate I hear about "dialing for dollars." Do prospects answer the phone or is cold calling so old school it has lost it's way in the iSociety in which we live? If you are a good Second Grade Seller you may be torn. On one hand you may truly be calling with a tool that could make a prospect earn more money or make their life easier, or both. On the other hand, you may feel as if you're disturbing the prospect's day with a call. Never fear. If you have prepared and make it about the prospect it will be a breath of fresh air for them.

But if you are practicing bad second grader habits, the call will be all about you and what you want from the prospect. 99% of the time this is the case. Perhaps that is why it's tough to get through to prospects on the phone. They are sick of getting the "me first" calls from 99% of sales people out there.

That makes your job even tougher. One bad apple (or 99 out of 100) spoils the bunch, so why would you be any different than all the legions of salespeople who put themselves before the prospect or client? Yep it's going to be harder to reach people by phone, but since when is sales not hard?

Instead of calling, many salespeople are turning to social networks to make cold calls. But folks, it's the same pitch in a different medium. Salesperson need first, prospect second. As long as the phone rings, it should be in your arsenal, but when you get someone on the phone, make sure you have done enough homework to make it all about them, the problems you can solve and how easy it will be. And not about you, what you want and the unsaid fact that rent is due! This goes for Linkedin or any other communication for that matter. What do you think?

Truth Hurts, but You Sell This Way!

What’s the difference between a seven-year-old selling toys door-to-door and professional salespeople? Not much. Both practice bad second grade habits too much and don’t implement the good lessons they learned.
Need proof? No problem, it’s all spelled out in examples sent by professional salespeople from across the country in a myriad of industries. Email pitches, phone calls, sales letters, direct mails--look at some that you have received or better yet that you have written.
Fact is, we are all caught in the “i-society”, the “me first” individual need centric society for which we live. If you are in sales, you should start looking at “I” as a four-letter word. A filthy habit. The thief who steals your plasma screen TV, sports car, kid’s college fund, or that sweet ass pair of Manolo Blahniks. “I” is the main reason you are selling like a second grader and “I” is a powerful, relentless advisory.
The first step to breaking a habit is to recognize it and admit it.

Capital Grille seals the deal with selflessness

Today The Capital Grille called me on my cell phone. Did I have a reservation? No, but I did go there last year around this time for my anneversary and they were smart enough to remember. It wasn't the manager who called but a very affiable hostess. The reason for her call? To invite me back to Capital Grille to celebrate our anneversary again.

What made this a super cool cold call was that she never said "I want you to" or "We want you back" Unlike 99% of salespeople out there her needs--what she wanted--were never on display, instead she made it all about me--made me feel good--made me want to come back by using just a few killer questions. "Did you come last year?" Yes. "Did you have a wonderful evening?" Yes. "Have you booked a place for this year?" No. "Would you consider giving us the honor of having you back?" Yes.

Then she made it worth my while by telling me champaign and dessert was on them, just give her a call and make the reservation. WOW! Something just for me without any mind numbing crap about her? Kick ass.

It didn't hurt at all that she had a snappy English accent, but as someone who gets cold called all the time, what stuck me was how genuine she was and how she really seemed to want to serve me and my needs. Selflessness sells and she sells like a second grader.