Sales advice, recommendations and interesting, useful and fun news from the world of selling!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What to Do During a Sales Dry Spell
The dry spell...we all go through them, but they can be sales killers - they drain your energy and your spirit. Take this advice from sales trainer Kim Duke and get out of that dry spell as quick as you can!
Years ago I had a goofy boss who looked and acted like Yosemite Sam. Yosemite Sam did however, have a great piece of advice for me when I was going through a nasty sales SLUMP.
Honestly it was a dry spell that was so dry I had sand in my mouth. I wasn't closing any deals and it felt like I was losing contracts far more than I was getting them.
He looked at me with his one eyebrow and said...
"Go out and sell something small. It will build your confidence."
I'm sure I rolled my eyes but I went out and sold something ridiculously small. (I kid you not - I think I sold a non-profit agency some commercials that totaled $300.) It was easy. Why? Because I thought it was small and therefore I didn't feel pressure.
But I had BROKEN THE DRY SPELL.
And I went on to sell something a little bigger. And then a little bigger than that. And before you know it - I was back in the game!
Are You Stuck In A Sand-Dune?
Maybe you're having a sales slump right now and quite frankly, you're feeling a little depressed about it. You're probably faking it to your customers and everyone else but deep down you feel DREADFUL. You're freaking out in fact.
It's easy to fix. Get out there and sell something small.
Contact one of your old customers who loves you and fill an order. Offer a Blow-Out offer they can't resist and let them know it only happens once per year and it's because they're such great clients.
You'll break the sales DRY SPELL, it will increase your confidence and you'll be off and running and selling BIG DEALS again. Trust me. It works!
Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
A Goofy Christmas Mistake You CAN'T Make With Customers
Are you gearing up for Christmas gift giving? Planning what to get your top clients to show how much you appreciate them? Hold it right there - you might want to hold that gift until January! Check out this advice from sales trainer Kim Duke to see why.
"I love the decor, the songs, the cheesy Christmas specials (my favorite is the Charlie Brown Christmas), my mom's shortbread, visiting with friends and family and having mulled wine after cross-country skiing," says Duke.
"This fa-la-la-la-la atmosphere can lull you into making one of the GOOFIEST mistakes I see people making with their customers."
What Is The Goofy Christmas Mistake?
Sending Christmas cards and presents to your clients.
You know what I'm talking about here.
The dreaded fruit basket. The frightening fruit cake. The dried-out gingerbread house. The Costco cheese platter.
All mixed in with 12 million Christmas cards that are strung out on a string across your client's office. Or worse - some lame e-card that says Seasons Greetings.
If you're doing this – you are breaking the GOLDEN SALES DIVA RULE: Thou shall not BLEND IN WITH THE MASSES.
Listen - I know you love your customers. However, giving them something at Christmas when they are swamped with a bunch of Christmas goodies - does not make you stand out.
So what should you do? Send something in January.
Why? Well – the fun is over and the bills start to pour in. The credit cards are full, it is cold outside and your client is starting to feel a little grouchy.
Here's where YOU come in.
You're going to send something FUN in the mail to them – a cool gadget, a magazine subscription for their favorite hobby, a ticket to the opera – whatever would float their boat. Or you'll take them for lunch and give them the scarf you found for their Paris trip. Make it personal.
And you're only going to send it to the TOP 10% of your clients, the clients who are responsible for keeping you in business with their referrals and purchases. (The ones you'd have a panic attack over if they went to your competition)
Your client will love you for it. You will stand out in the crowd. And you've created an opportunity for starting the year off on a positive note. Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
The English language is a tricky thing. Small words can take on big meaning, and words you think mean nothing can make or break a sale. Sales trainer Kim Duke wants to throw open the doors on one of those small words that carry big meaning - and most people use without realizing - "just".
How the Word JUST Kills Your Credibility
"I love my sister," says Duke. "She's my only sibling. She's important, she's fabulous, she's smart, loving and she's always got my back. But there's something she says that drives me nuts."
She'll leave a message on my voice mail saying "Hey Kim - it's just your sister calling."
"JUST my sister, the only person on the planet who knows all my secrets, what I looked like in my Grade 5 photo and who understands what I'm thinking with only a look???" Some Examples of Nasty "Justs" That Are Showing Up With You:
On the phone... "Oh hi Client X, I'm calling to just touch base to see if you've reviewed my proposal?"
In email... "It was wonderful meeting you on Tuesday. I wanted to just see if you've had a chance to try our product yet?"
In person... "If you could just squeeze me in - I'll only take 10 minutes of your time." People use JUST as a way to relieve pressure, guilt and pushiness.
However, it makes you look and sound unsure, needy, and desperate. It doesn't display confidence in you or your product/service at all. Think of how these phrases sound instead:
"Hey Kim - it's your sister calling." "Hi Bob - I saw sparks flying over your office so I knew you'd read my proposal." "I've been thinking about your business and I've come up with a brilliant idea."
"Trust me - you're going to catch yourself saying the word JUST a lot, however, do your best to save it for when it makes sense. And with customers it never does."
Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
Are you forgetting your Bread and Butter Customers?
Sales Diva Kim Duke's grandmother was a young woman growing up during The Great Depression. She used to tell Kim, "You always need to have bread and butter money." Kim has been selling successful for over 20 years, on a nearly 100% commission basis by applying her grandmother's advice: she always takes care of her "bread and butter" customers.
So who are your "bread and butter" customers? They are the steady, consistent customers who buy from you regularly --Refer you on a consistent basis --Typically give you small to medium sized orders (which often turn bigger) --Pay within 30-45 days
Have you forgotten about your bread and butter customers?
"The bread and butter customers are typically the first ones to be forgotten and taken for granted during lush economic times," says Duke. "When the ball drops and your big, fat clients fall over and wither away into raisins you are left with nothing but bills and a dead database of previous customers you haven't connected with in a long time."
"If you've been smart, your bread and butter customers will still be there," says Duke. "You haven't forgotten about them while you were also attracting larger business. The bread and butter customers are still spending money with you every month - they are referring other customers to you and your cash flow is looking quite fine. But, if you're struggling with sales right now - it's because you haven't been treating your bread and butter customers properly."
How do you get your bread and butter back on the table?
Kim says:
1. Make A List. Pull a report of all the customers who've purchased from you in the past 3 years. 2. Look at the Top 30% of those customers and get on the phone and meet them if possible for lunch or coffee. Or have a phone meeting instead. 3. Ask Them What They Need Help With. What their challenges are. Who you can connect them with. 4. Follow-up. Send the thank you cards, get the proposal together, ship the product - do what it takes to regain their trust. 5. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEM. Bread and Butter customers need to be kept informed - so get your newsletter or ezine together, blog, Twitter, use direct mail - don't fall off the table again. (You probably won't get another chance)
Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
It may be the beginning of a new year, but that doesn't mean things magically changed when the clock struck midnight on December 31st. If you were in a slump before the New Year, it's likely you're still in it. If you're stuck, and can't figure out how to turn it around, you're in luck. Sales trainer Kim Duke has been there, and she knows what to do to get you un-stuck and selling again.
"Years ago I had a sales manager who said something to me when I was going through a tough stretch of selling. I couldn't close a deal if my life depended on it. He said, "Kim - if you can't make the BIG PASS then PUNT instead."
"So what does that mean? If you're getting down in the dumps because you're not closing any deals, signing those contracts or selling boxes of product as much as you want or need...then it's time to break the downward cycle!"
"You need to PUNT (which in football is a short forward kick of the ball). It's not pretty. It's not fancy. It's not huge - but it gives you a taste of success again," says Duke.
"My manager was right. I came up with a small promotion package and took it to a bunch of smaller clients and BINGO they went for it and it broke the dry spell of hard luck. Even more importantly it created confidence in me again."
"So get out there and sell something small to a bunch of people," says Duke. "Or sell a small order to a smaller, reliable client you love! You'll break the cycle of despair and panic you're feeling and start selling!"
Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
Out of the millions of words in the English language, there are two little words that cause salespeople a huge amount of stress. These two words can instantly make you break into a sweat and forget everything you know - they are: How much?
"Those two little words have the power to turn business owners and salespeople everywhere into babbling idiots," says sales trainer and author Kim Duke. And according to Duke, the words "how much" make you nervous if you're:
--Unsure about your product or service --Needing the money now --Not confident in your pricing
"Remember price is a component to the buying process however; it isn't in the Top 3 reasons why someone chooses you, (unless you're Wal-Mart)," explains Duke.
"Customers buy from you if they like, trust, and respect you, your company and your product. The relationship, the credibility, the value, the uniqueness of what you have to offer is more powerful than a cheap price. When your customer asks "How Much?" - they're curious about the value in comparison to price. They're curious if it fits their budget. They're just curious!"
What they're not asking (although you hear this in your imagination) is:
"I want to know how much you cost so I can offer you a lowball price and hope that you take it as maybe you're desperate and if you don't dramatically drop your price then I will take my business elsewhere and I will never, ever, ever consider buying from you again and I'll tell everyone I know not to buy from you too. So there."
"The words "how much?" cause so many salespeople to drop their prices ridiculously (when they don't need to) which of course causes a ripple effect of you accepting business from people who will never appreciate what you offer," says Duke.
"Remember - the only time you discount is when you receive something else in return for the amount you discounted. For example - they commit to a higher package, higher volume, referrals or something else equally fabulous." So the next time someone asks you "How Much?" - respond with my two favorite little words:
"It Depends."
"Give them a range of pricing starting with the highest and then going to the lowest," continues Duke. For example, "We offer services ranging from $5,000 to $100". Or mention your price and then shut up. And for goodness sake, make sure you ask them what they're looking for instead of dumping a ton of info on them!"
Kim Duke is an unconventional, sassy and savvy sales expert who shows women small biz owners and entrepreneurs sizzling sales tips on how to increase sales in a fun, easy, stress-free way! Learn more and sign up for her free e-zine at www.salesdivas.com
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About Me
Name: Editor: Kelly McLean
Location: Carlsbad, CA, United States
SalesDog.com, the internet's number one sales success destination for more than seven years, works with America's leading sales experts to bring practical selling tips and strategies to salespeople, sales managers, business owners and entrepreneurs. Over 30,000 sales professionals rely on its free weekly newsletter to keep them abreast of cutting-edge developments impacting their profession.
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