A simple tool to increase sales to existing customers and prospects

This is a great tool I use with my sales consulting and training:

This short but powerful video introduces a fantastic tool for assisting traditional businesses in getting more sales and more profits from existing clients and prospects. The form used can be downloaded here:  Product and service matrix for increased sales growth

The Psychology Of Sales Call Reluctance: By George Dudley and Shannon Goodson

Here is my very first sales training video book review. I hope you enjoy it. For the traditionalists the typed word review follows after:

The authors do a great job of setting the tone of the book with real life examples of sales people who have experienced massive increases in performance by controlling their ability to prospect by overcoming sales call reluctance  either face to face or on the telephone.

They also make a great point of extending the scope of the book to get the reader to consider self promotion, or rather the lack of it as a type of call reluctance. In today’s business climate, they argue, it is the self promoters that will get the recognition and reward in sales and any other profession.

Self Promoters share three main common behaviours:

Continue reading ‘The Psychology Of Sales Call Reluctance: By George Dudley and Shannon Goodson’

Are You Making Plans to Sell Your Way Through The Recession? Part 1

Sales in a recession – selling in a recession – surviving a recession There is no hiding it. We are in the middle of a tough time for the UK economy. Consumers and Businesses are cutting back due to the credit crunch and uncertainty within the UK Economy. One of the ways that we help businesses with our sales consulting and training is to show them ways to structure their sales process so that they can not only survive the recession but flourish through it. I was reminded of a simple way to make more sales and develop a long term relationship with prospective clients via an email I received a few days ago from Virgin Wines. They have me on an email list from a few months ago when I purchased a one off set of wine as a present. I declined the subsequent offer of joining their wine club and I have to say I am glad I did as the follow up emails I have received from them are great examples of relationship marketing. The email I received a few days ago was: Dear Peter I am not a sensitive person by nature, but I have to say that I am feeling a little hurt. We’ve invited you into our Club, but you’ve clearly decided not to. So, as a one-off attempt at sheer bribery, I’m offering you your first, trial Club case HALF PRICE at just £47.88 (that’s a ridiculously low £3.99 a bottle!). Plus, two FREE gifts, worth £30. That’s an overall saving of nearly £80. Sound good? Then click here to claim your HALF PRICE case and FREE GIFTS. But you’re probably not ready to join yet.. You’re probably thinking… I can buy the wines anywhere. Well you can’t actually. The boutique wines we reserve for our Club Members never appear in the supermarket. And they are always offered to members at a lower price than non-members get them for. It’s just like one of those ghastly book clubs. Er…sorry, not correct on this one either. Quite simply, you have no obligation to take any wine you don’t want. You don’t even have to pay us for any wines that don’t blow your socks right off. I’m not the joining type. If we explained that the reason we have a Club in the first place is because 40,000 people can buy better than 1, perhaps you’d change your mind? If you join us, 40,001 people will buy better than 40,000. Or maybe you’ve just not got around to it.. Which is fine. People who buy wine by the case tend to be busy. So what would be a good reason? Here’s one good reason to test us out right now. We’re keen to recruit new Members. So, for one last time I’m offering you your first, trial Club case HALF PRICE at just £47..88 Take our HALF PRICE case NOW, and you’ll receive a complimentary pair of beautiful Dartington Wine Glasses, completely FREE. Plus, a FREE professional lever corkscrew, worth £20. Still not sure? What is the worst thing that can happen? If you don’t like the wines, I promise to refund you instantly, without any fuss whatsoever. If you agree that these wines are a big step better than you can get in the supermarket, you can look forward to a lifetime of feeling superior to non-members. So why don’t you join us now and find out what it’s all about for yourself? Not next week, but right now. Cheers Rowan Gormley Founder, Virgin Wines www.virginwines.com/reasons1 0870 050 0305 PS – Don’t forget, you’ve got nothing to lose. If you’re not 100% happy with our wines, our service or anything at all, we’ll give you your money back. Because this is such a darn good deal, only one case may be bought per household. When you buy one of our ’3 Reasons’ cases you are agreeing to become a member of our Discovery Club. No other promotional vouchers or offers may be used in conjunction with this offer. Full terms & conditions, including full details of our Discovery Club, are available at www.virginwines.com Drinking is only fun when you don’t over do it. Can you see why this is a superb piece of relationship marketing?

1. The fact that I received it means that Virgin Wine are head and shoulders over the 3 or 4 competitors I also checked out a few months ago.
2. It is clear they have systemised sales process that tracks every prospective customer and that they regularly have ‘touch points’ to re-activate me as a customer.
3. The tone of the email is superb. It is written in a friendly, one-to-one manner that speaks directly to me.
4. I was made an offer that I could not get on their web site – it is an incentive to take action.
5. As a human being I naturally have questions and objections floating around my head as I am reading the email. The writer of the email (because I don’t actually think Rowan would be emailing me) understands buyer psychology superbly and has answered many of the common sales objections upfront. With extremely persuasive points too.
6. Just to cap it off there is a full money back guarantee — a no quibbles refund. How could I lose?

I would say that it is an absolute certainty that I will buy from them again. Maybe not today but sometime soon. It is almost a shame to do so as I will no longer receive their follow up offers and emails. I would bet they have a few years worth already planned into their system. This is not the best customer reactivation letter I have been on the receiving end of. About 22 Years ago I was in one of those book clubs that Rowan mentioned in his email. I did buy a few books every year and was in the main happy with them as a company. Along came the internet and everything changed. When Amazon became my favorite shop I no longer needed the book club. Did they give up on me? No!! A few times a year, I still get mailings from them offering me ‘spectacular’, ‘limited time offers’ for books and DVD’s. That’s persistence considering I haven’t bought from them in 20 years. What can you learn from this if you want to sell your way out of a recession?

1. Begin sending out customer activation letters and emails to everyone who has enquired within the last year and has not bought.
2. Make them an offer they just cannot refuse.
3. Answer any niggling doubts they might still have before they become major obstacles.
4. If you are in a business where it is viable make sure you include cost/profit justification of your services.
5. Plan for the future and begin to make this a routine part of your sales system so that you never lose contact with your prospective customers.

Continue reading ‘Are You Making Plans to Sell Your Way Through The Recession? Part 1′

Do You Make These Mistakes With Your ‘Words That Sell’?

Sales Letters, Sales Copy and Words That Sell

A resource that I keep near my desk to help me find just the right words for my sales letters and emails is ‘Words That Sell’ - By Richard Bayan.

One of the areas that I think we all make the most mistakes is what Richard calls ‘”Puffspeak”. That is – inflated words and phrases that have made their way into our every day language without real need.

Check to see if you use these in your sales letters and copywriting:

Puffspeak and The Translation
At this point in time = Now
conceptualize = think
cost-effective = profitable or money saving
counterproductive = futile
effectuate = bring about
ramifications = consequences
state-of-the-art = latest
transpired = happened

When we train companies in words that sell and business writing we encounter these and many more, far worse culprits.

Continue reading ‘Do You Make These Mistakes With Your ‘Words That Sell’?’

Why You Do Not Want To Be The Cheapest Supplier In The Marketplace

My wife,  was looking recently for a new gate for our house and had decided on the exact style that she wanted. Jo had seen a set of gates that she liked on a house and had taken some photos so that we could get quotes.

Jo went about scouring the local suppliers and the Internet and came across three blacksmiths/gate manufacturers who seemed to be capable of making the gates. We exchanged a few emails with our potential suppliers as well as pictures of how we wanted the gates to look.

Supplier 1: They came back with a price of around £1,200

Supplier 2: They came back with a price of £650

Supplier 3: Called us on the phone, arranged to come and visit the house to find out what exactly we needed and then quoted £300.

Continue reading ‘Why You Do Not Want To Be The Cheapest Supplier In The Marketplace’