Reach Your 2008 Sales Goals in the Last 100 Days

This is an unusual year that I don't have my sales goals met! Could it have been those 2 months of being caregiver for my husband during his open heart quintuple bypass surgery and subsequent heart attack? Add to that 2 more months of caregiving for my mother, who had 80 years old had open heart aeortic valve replacement? I've felt like my car's fuel tank on a long trip - full, empty, full and empty again in terms of energy and focus.

My strategy now it to plan out each and every week with a Fill Up, Firm Up and Follow up approach. I plan to offer this as a report to you in the next day or two.

In the meantime I found some no and low cost sales related top tips:

• Top 100 Tips for Lead Management and Sales Success;
• How To Reach Your Year End Goals Even If You Haven't Started On Them;
• and as a dog lover, Top Dog Sales Secrets.
  

Sign up for my ezine with dozens of free reports and you'll get the Year End Fill Up, Firm Up, Followup, End of Year Sales Plan.

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey.

Read more!

Sales career for introverts?

Chris Berry has an encouraging blog post for introverts considering a sales career,

Should Introverts Consider A Career In Sales.

If you are considering whether to go B2B or B2C, he makes some observations from his personal experience, and as an introvert.

Personally I think as innovative as introverts are we can plan around the downsides of retail sales: time to recharge between customers, purposefully planning our quiet times before and after hours, just a couple of ideas. I love that here is another introvert saying, Go for a sales career!

What do you think? I am interested!

What do you say? You know what I would say!

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Two Qualities for Top Sales Strategies

What would you guess to be at least two qualities to create more relationships and more opportunities?

OK; what would just one quality be?

Well, in Crain's Manchester Business being a good listener is one of them. He too claims that as introverts, or those with more introversion, there's a distinct advantage for this to be more natural.

Whether you are in sales or a small business owner, listening is a people skill to develop.

What do you think? Is he right? Is this yet another skill we tend to let limit our abilities?

What do you say? You know what I would say!

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Top Salespeople recognize a suspect versus a prospect

Suspects is a word I have not heard used in selling for years. It actually still serves to help salespeople.

Do You Make These Mistakes In Sales, illustrates that a suspect and prospect are as different as Rolex is to Timex. They both keep time; the Rolex is going to keep going longer isn’t it?

What do you think? Do you make these mistakes?

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Selling as an introvert - with attitude!

I'm not one who has much interest in celebrities but this article by Mark Edward Lewis, a young Hollywood director, has so much in-your-face about networking it is a must read!

What do you think about his article, How introverts can win at networking events.

I've actually offered getting a drink or something for people for my own energy reprieve but he has a different twist!

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Introvert Salespeople Have the Better Sales Funnel

My premise why introverts naturally sell better has always been because we tend to not want to self-disclose, instead have others disclose themselves.

When salespeople stay focused on the customer, instead of themselves, they naturally attract the best prospects instead of repelling people.

The premise of the BuyCycle Sales Funnel™ by Mark Sellers, puts it all together.

Mark says, "The BuyCycle Funnel™ uses the customer’s buying process to define the funnel stages. This is the most direct path to learning the customer’s buying process for each sale – which is the key to effective selling."

Hmm. Stay customer focused. Sounds familiar.

It's an old idea now repackaging a traditionally flawed system - the sales funnel.

Take a look. What do you think?

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Introvert Salespeople and Sales Acceleration: Think Ferrari

The profession of salesperson, I truly believe, is an overlooked area of enjoyable work that introverts have an unfair advantage. There is still confusion around introversion and that keeps my mission strong.

I have tossed this post over and over in my mind for at least a week. It bothered me. Some may think I am boasting. Then, I thought of one of my best friends comments to me about this limiting belief: stories of personal success support my mission. And here we are.

In this little corner of the world where we are connecting, I want you so much to know that introverts can be successful salespeople. Customers crave some of the traits we bring to the selling and buying relationship. We can be successful in business playing by our rules.

Last week I connected with a terrific new friend, more on that in another post here. We connected with our car interest. He's a BMW man; Marty and I both love our 1933 Packard and F430. Now really, who would not love this gorgeous car? Oh there might be someone I suppose. It makes sense there might be people who don't give a hoot about cars.

Yes; that's me there behind the wheel.

My email exchange was humurous. "Introverts and Ferrari's are an oxymoron," my new friend quipped. He actually made one of my points before I did. For me it's not about the looks the car attracts for an introvert. Goodness it is a magnet for that. It's not this at all for me. I don't really care a hill of beans for the looks we get with it. I'll be driving it for other reasons.

My husband, all out extrovert, loves the looks he gets in my F430. But he really loves more than that! He and are are together on some of this: I love putting the pedal to the floor, feeling the car take a turn, wishing I could crank it up to 100 mph like it can do so easily, dream about our plans for next year and trailering it to a race track now being built in Virginia to just let it ride, and the quietness inside; it is so much power and somehow, quiet. Amazing.

Introvert right? Somehow quiet but powerful. Quiet means quiet.

And guess what? In my want to support my suspicions about why a car like a Ferrari for us, there is anecdotal evidence. You'll love finding out how a Ferrari can accelerate your sales.

And, we, introverts are quite the revered in the Ferrari racing circle. Jean Dodt, who my husband knew the name immediately on my finding, Jean went from Ferrari team boss to president of Ferrari and admires a group of Scandanavian Ferrari drivers who are, yes, introvert for the most part.

My friends. We can accelerate our sales. So, rev your engines, the real inside you.

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Selling With Sales Momentum the Way Top Performers Do

As I am working on my continuing podcast messages, and thinking about building sales momentum, here's an idea that you WANT to read about.

It's about the best time to make sales calls. And has nothing to do with the day of the week.

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Top salespeople take consistent actions

My schedule is still not completely my own since my husband's bypass surgery just three and a half weeks ago.

I do have podcasts planned.

There are several more articles on my to-do list.

Right now while I am still enjoying being with Marty recovering from his quadruple bypass surgery, I've got a regular chauffer duty.

However, I am getting caught up on some emails and audios. The Intentional Prosperity System Blog commented on how to change your life quickly, with an everyday focus on what you want being a must. The content is quite relevant to top salespeople actions.

Since I regularly exercise, I totally related to this metaphor. The idea works particularly well for the sales reluctant who want to be top sales performers:

For example, if you change around ("Don’t do the same thing in the same place everyday.") your prospecting and follow-up activities, then soon enough you are in a productivity routine ("Turn your consistency into a game you’re playing and winning.") and getting more sales results!


Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Is your sales follow-up imposing on your prospects?

Because the online survey revealed that 80% of salespeople, independent professionals and small business owners who sell say they either find their follow-up a hit or miss process, or, feel like they bother people, here's something the sales reluctance coach would say: What is that all about?

Let's say you get a golden referral to your most perfect client.

You have the first meeting and the conversation goes seamlessly. Your prospect says they are interested, they think your product or service will do what they need and they want time to think it over.

You leave with knowing your follow-up is critical.

Darn!

You forgot to ask, "When would be a good time to talk next?"

You regret that and then you don't follow-up. You feel like you are bothering this - most perfect client.

There's some kind of belief you might have about follow-up that keeps you from following up. It's something to explore.

First, your prospect wants you to get back with them. Have you considered a nice handwritten, "thank you for meeting with me," kind of note?

Second, were you listening for more than buying signs? Were you listening to build your relationship by staying in touch with a phone call or email about something of interest?

Sales follow-up is not an imposition when your product or service does what your prospect wants or needs. You have an obligation to follow-up.

Patricia Weber
The Sales Reluctance Coach
What is the area of sales of your greatest reluctance?
Take this survey. Read more!

Do you know about the Small Business Advocate community?

Every Sunday I get a copy of Jim Blasingame's newsletter telling about recognized small business experts who he is interviewing on his radio show.

He IS the Small Business Advocate:

Listen to my recent interview with Jim Blasingame (on the Small Business Advocate show).

Patricia Weber
The Sales Reluctance Coach
What is the area of sales of your greatest reluctance?
Take this survey. Read more!

Selling Yourself Your Way Gets the Best Sales Results

If you have been on any of my teleclasses, you know I'm a big proponent that there is no one method, no one right process and no one and only way to sell.

Salespeople's best bet is to be sure how they sell fits them and their customer.

Take a look at this article which purports a "CDC process to selling: collect, discard and create."

Patricia Weber
The Sales Reluctance Coach
What is the area of sales of your greatest reluctance?
Take this survey. Read more!

2008 Sales Reluctance Survey Findings Revealed

The five categories in the sales reluctance survey I mentioned focused on: 1) networking events, 2) losing a sale, 3) delivering a proposal or presentation, 4) follow-up and 5) sales slumps.

Here's one of the problems uncovered about networking:

Do you go to networking events without meeting the right, and enough people, like 31.4% of people I’ve surveyed say they do.

But take one step back.

Before you can put effective networking conversations in place, your beliefs about the sales process have to support you in that same direction. It's techniques that allow you to make the value connection without feeling so self-conscious so that then the relationship will develop naturally from there.

Here's a networking strategy to loosen that straight jacket of sales reluctance:

Networking is one marketing strategy that finds you leads and connections. But how often do you go to a network event and have your energy sizzle out for you before you get what you intended to? I bet you've even experienced times when you wanted to turn around before you even arrived! The attitudes, behaviors and emotional methods that work need to be within your comfort zone so that you become energized about going to your next networking event. Really.

My Special Tip For Your Next Event.

First, here's one of my favorite techniques when you do go to a networking event.

Most sales training or even sales coaches might tell you to go to an event and meet as many people as possible. Talk with and get business cards from everyone you can. Then follow up with everyone to find out about your next step.

Whew, I'm exhausted just saying that as an idea.

Here's a little peek at what I know that you can do that you likely aren't already. Or else why would you be so held in the grips of sales reluctance?

So here's a strategy for the sales reluctant:

• Plan to go to an event.
• Decide in advance how many people or even who you want to meet.
• You might even want to ask a friend at the event to introduce you to just those people.
• Get only these people's business cards.
• Ask people to write their birthday on the back of their card – month and day only!
• If other people ask you for your card, give them only if you decide you intuitively know there is some worthwhile connection.
• Then, within two days, systematize your follow up with people and invite them to your next step to connect after the event. Also, use your system to send them a birthday card when it rolls around.

I'm headed to a local networking event this evening and I'll be both doing this myself and thinking that you might be out doing the same.

Listen.

Everyone loves to know you remember their birthday. Here's a great tip I stumbled on to make your telephone do JUST that for you!

Is this networking for the "right people", people you want to meet strategy more doable? Is it within your reach?

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

Pat Weber, America's Sales Reluctance Coach
Specializing for Introverts and Shy
http://www.prostrategies.com
Shy? Introvert? Reluctant about any part of the sales process?
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http://www.remembergreetingcards.com/easyfollowup test drive an account.

PS You can still take the sales reluctance survey! Read more!