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| A Note from the Editor |
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Venus and Mars Sales Calls. Chances
are the people you encounter in your work life are not
really from Venus or Mars. All of them are actually from
Earth, no matter how other-worldly they may sometimes
seem. Being natives of the same planet, however, doesn't
necessarily mean they speak your language -- especially
in sales situations. Will Turner is here with some quick
tips to help you sell to the opposite sex.
We're Talking Old School. Real old school! Here's
a simple marketing item that is definitely not for everyone.
Your own personalized million dollar bills can be an effective
way to attract new business. If you sell a personal service
or retail to a local market, this item has possibilities
as a business card, mail insert or county fair hand-out.
They are high quality with the look and feel of real money.
SalesDog brought some to a local trade show and was surprised
how quickly they disappeared. See at www.Photobucks.com.
Have a great 4th of July weekend! See ya next week. |
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| All the best, |
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Tina LoSasso
Managing Editor, SalesDog.com |
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Does the Opposite Sex Drive You Crazy?
by Will Turner
Whether you believe that women are from Venus and men are from Mars
(or someplace else in the solar system), there's no doubt that gender
differences have a real impact on interpersonal communications. Men
and women exhibit different conversational styles; both styles are
equally valid. In the selling world, salespeople need to understand
and adapt to these differences, in order to communicate more effectively.
According to Deborah Tannen, author of Talking From 9 to 5: How
Women's and Men's Conversational Styles Affect Who Gets Heard,
men use communication to maintain independence, while women use communication
to maintain intimacy. Men often speak to establish status or hierarchy
within a group, while women speak to connect, express feelings, and
build rapport. Tannen labels these styles as "report-talk"
for men and "rapport-talk" for women.
What does this mean in a sales relationship? Simply put, if you are
dealing with someone of the opposite sex, you may have different communication
styles. To be more effective, adapt your conversational style, or
become more open to the style of the other person, making sure that
your style fits the setting. As always, listen carefully and clarify.
Never assume that you understand, or are understood, without appropriate
probing.
Adjusting your approach
If you're a female salesperson calling on a male prospect, focus your
talk on goal-oriented activities, tangible accomplishments, or problem
solving. Observe and listen rather than processing out loud, and be
succinct and bottom-line focused. Be careful not to offer help before
it is asked for, as doing so may indicate a lack of trust in his ability.
Above all, never force a man to talk if he is not ready.
If you are a male salesperson calling on a female prospect, ask what
you can do to help, as she will interpret this as a show of support.
Understand that women may process out loud as a way of including others
and building relationships. Listen patiently to the stories of your
prospect, even when you are anxious to get to the bottom line. Never
short-circuit the opportunity to get to know your prospect.
As with any communication exchange, if you focus on listening, and
follow the other person's signals, you will do fine.
This advice was excerpted from a chapter in the bestselling book
Top
Dog Sales Secrets. Will Turner is President of Dancing Elephants
Achievement Group, a sales training and consulting company. He and
his partner, Laura Posey, created the Sales Magnetism program and
co-authored Six Secrets of Sales Magnets which discusses how
to be among the top 5 percent of all salespeople without using standard
sales procedures. For more information, visit www.DancingElephants.net.
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