If you have access to a postal mailing list for potential clients, I suggest sending them a simple, one-page letter of introduction then following up with a phone call. [Even better, if you can network with someone else who already does business with the people you're trying to approach, get their permission to send the letter under their name.] If you have access to email lists, consider using those addresses in a similar manner.

The letter needs to be personalized with the recipient’s name. Don’t send letters with a salutation of ”Dear Friend” or “To Whom It May Concern”. Here’s a sample letter derived from my book, Sales Prospecting for Dummies. (more…)

Sales professionals handle challenges promptly. This includes returning calls as quickly as possible, researching the details of what caused the challenge and finding creative ideas for resolving them.

No one wants to face an angry client. Yet delaying a response to their challenge will only create more challenges down the road. Dont’ feel that you have to have a solution before you contact them.

Think about how you feel when you’re unhappy about something. Isn’t it better when someone just gets back to you quickly to either gather the details or just to listen to you vent? Once calmness and clarity reign, solutions can be sought and provided.

The better you are at resolving the inevitable challenges associated with being in sales, the more your business will grow–by referral. You can bet John and Sally will tell everyone they know about their challenge. Don’t you think it’s wise to give them a happy ending to the story (wth you being the hero)?

Even if you are unable to resolve their challenge fully or immediately, stay in touch with unhappy clients until they’re satisfied or ready to move forward–continuing to do business  with you.

Listen to more simple selling solutions in “How to Master the Art of Selling Anything.”

This information is copyrighted by Tom Hopkins International, Inc. for reprint permission, contact Judy Slack (judys@tomhopkins.com).

As a sales professional, you encounter more people in different companies in a single month than the average employee at a single company does in a year. Think about what Company A is doing to survive the current market challenge and consider if it’s something Company B might also benefit from. Of course, never share information between competing companies, but when appropriate, be a walking reference guide for all of your clients. Not only will they thank you verbally for the input, they’ll thank you with their continued business.

If you’re not investing all of your time servicing your largest accounts because they’ve cut back, invest more time with your smaller accounts. They may appreciate the added attention and you might find new avenues to sales through increased business with them or from referrals they hadn’t given you before (when you weren’t giving them your highest level of service.)

This information is copyrighted by Tom Hopkins International, Inc. for reprint permission, contact Judy Slack (judys@tomhopkins.com).

In sales, “getting new business” is also called “prospecting.” Unfortunately, using that term tends to turn off average salespeople who are afraid of doing it. If you know how to prospect properly, you’ll never fear doing it.

The best place to start prospecting is with people who have already paid money for products and services similar to yours. If you’re selling exercise equipment, begin with people who jog, belong to health clubs, or join local sports teams. Why? Because you will know they’re already health conscious. The convenience of being able to exercise at home may be just what they’re looking for. (more…)

The average business loses 15% of their clients on an annual basis. It’s safe to assume that some clients move away or sadly, pass away. If you sell to businesses, some of them may close. But, many simply stop coming. That’s because you haven’t established relationships with those clients. The clients feel no loyalty…no obligation to return.

With the cost of gaining new business five times that of keeping current clients, it’s wise to do all you can to keep those people coming back for more.

Even if your product has a long life span and people shouldn’t need to replace it for a long time, you still want to work on keeping those clients loyal to you. The reason: They’ll tell their friends, relatives and even strangers about what a great experience they had with you. They’ll be your biggest fans and provide free advertising for you with their testimonials and referrals. (more…)

(more…)

Think for a moment about what the greatest enemy is to the process of helping people come to a decision that’s truly good for them and getting an agreement for them to own your product or service. What is it that jumps in and brings presentations that were previously sailing smoothly along to a screeching halt? You may think it’s the competition or maybe the financial aspects of your proposal. Perhaps you think it’s the prospective client’s inability to make a decision.   Well, if you think any of those things, you are right. But, with selling being what it is — a bottom line business — let’s dig deeper and find the bottom line of what lies between you and your ‘future client’ coming to an agreement.   If you look at all the enemies you and your associates can come up with, you’ll find they have a common denominator. That common denominator is a thing called FEAR. (more…)

Shelley Kaehr, Ph.D.

by Shelley Kaehr, Ph.D.

Today, I wanted to THANK YOU for something you’ve been teaching for years – the power of the Thank You note.  You always said we should write notes – by hand – and send them out to people.

So here’s what I want to talk about – hand written notes vs. sending a line of thanks on e-mail.  I think this concept is ambiguous in today’s marketplace because so much of our communication is now delivered in electronic format.  Internet based communications have a lot of pros – they’re Green, aka easy on our environment, etc., but yet, electronic media still feels a bit impersonal, don’t you think?

I still send hand written thank you notes to customers and clients, and am continually astonished by their reactions.  I guess they’re surprised I still know how to put pen to paper and lick a stamp!  Many recipients act as if I am the only soul alive who ever sent them a card, or worse, they haven’t received one since the 1980’s, and treat it as some bit of cherished nostalgia.  It’s a sad statement, really.  I believe people should expect more from service professionals.

For that reason, I cannot overemphasize the value of the handwritten thank you note. I believe it’s more important than ever, because so few people do it anymore.

Sales pros who take time to stand out in today’s crowded marketplace are sure to see that effort impact their bottom line.  Thank You notes are the easiest way I know to be seen.

Shelley Kaehr, Ph.D. is a world renowned life coach and author of over thirty books including Sales 101: Simple Solutions for Sales Success, which Tom calls, “Proof that good things come in small packages.” Visit Shelley online at www.shelleykaehr.com