So when many people are undercutting each other left and right in order to “get the clients,” I’m challenging us ALL to actually approach business in an authentic, ethical way… and also in a way to have fun and make money in the process too! After all, if you can make more money with a business model that WORKS, wouldn’t you rather do that than undercut your competition, only to make cents in the dollar? Who wants to work just as hard for less money? (Not me!)

1. Your Unpaid Sales Force of (Non-Competitive)  Vendors

Where do most of your clients go to ask who to hire, who’s reputable, who does the best job and who do you like to work with? OTHER complimentary businesses to yours! So, why not enlist them to help you by sending you leads and making you more money today?

Meet in person with vendors who you’d not only love to work with, but also vendors who would love to help you AND work with YOU! Simply ask for their referrals. Don’t beg. Don’t seem desperate. Just politely ask and also do the same for them. For example in the wedding industry, venues are the best place to begin, then (not necessarily in this order) planners, caterers, photographers, videographers, musicians, entertainment companies, florists, transportation companies, travel agents, stationers, bridal boutiques, hair stylists, makeup artists, and every other person you can think of who works with brides. Everyone!

2. Your Paid Sales Force of Affiliates

What’s the best thank you gift for most people? Money! So, why not offer that as a commission for any sales sent your way? It’s the easiest, fastest and most effective way to get sales right now, right away! So, do it. I would suggest offering anywhere between 10%-25% of commission to your paid sales force to get returns now and fast!

3. Raving Clients

Who’s your best mouthpiece for you and your business to get the word out to brides everywhere (besides your mother)? Your past and present clients! Send them a letter asking for referrals and letting them know that you love to work with clients just like them. Educate them on how to send you clients and how you’ll thank them for it (a bottle of wine, a night out for dinner, money, or whatever fits their personality).

4. Warm & Fuzzy Letter

A warm and fuzzy letter is the best way to educate anyone and everyone you know on how to send you referrals. It’s a direct mail strategy where you update everyone you know with what you need, when you need it and how to get it to you. And the beauty is that it works…fast! Keep it personal, personalized, and be yourself. The more you that you pour into your letter, the better! People will love it!

5. Networking

In this day and age, the beauty of networking is that you can network with people in person AND online. Your reach is virtually endless. And, that’s beautiful, amazing and exciting! In person is always best because people can get to know you better face-to-face, and the bond is built faster. But, social media networking also provides invaluable resources to reach out and spread your message. And that’s awesome for business!

Your Assignment:

Be a leader in your community. Instead of burning bridges, build stronger bonds than ever before, which will create relationships that last and relationships that sell. Use all 5 ways to build relationships to see results within a matter of weeks in your business. You’ll love what you see!

Adapted from Source: brideattraction.com

5 Powerful Ways to Build Your Sales Force is a post from: OE Design Blog

Customer service is all about helping people to buy or use the services we offer. We are solving people’s problems!

We can spend so much money on marketing to attract customers, yet ignore those right on our doorstep!

Our current enquirers – those who call, visit the website or store as well as those who use our products or services regularly are our “hot” customers. Don’t spend money on attracting more until you can look after these people well – give them a reason to come back again and again or recommend you to their friends.

I want to cover some basic keys that are often ignored when helping customers to buy –

Vision:

What does vision have to do with customer service? – If your ‘vision’ is just a statement on the wall that everyone ignores, then nothing!

Have a vision your staff can believe in

A vision they can be passionate about and live out when helping people. People respond positively when they hear real conviction – the staff believe in your product, they know all about it and are confident to advise, even suggest other worthwhile purchases.

Keep the vision alive

Don’t forget to remind the team, keep training and encouraging them with how it is progressing.

Develop A ‘Yes Face’:

Customers are quick to pick up on negative ‘vibes’. Most people tend to gravitate that way – it’s why the media is full of bad news – bad news sells! However bad news doesn’t build your sales – if you show a negative or disinterested ‘face’ to your customers and staff it will turn them off buying anything.

What you listen to, watch and read will affect your attitude

Think for a minute – when the alarm goes off in the morning for many of us the first thing we listen to is death, destruction and the bad economy! No wonder we are miserable at the breakfast table, it’s no surprise we are cranky when we get to work with staff and customers! What we listen to comes out in the ‘face’ we present.

Learn to listen to things that will build you up, positive messages and practical advice – develop a ‘yes’ face.

A ‘Yes’ face wants to help and attracts people

Yes – I can do that!             Yes – I can help!

Challenge yourself to see how many customers and staff you can get to smile today!

Don’t we all want to buy from the people who cheer us up? – purchase is as much about relationship as it is product or price. If I feel good about the person I speak to, I’m much more likely to come back again or share my experience with others.

Start Solving Someone’s Problems Today – Help Them Buy

“If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a new horse” - Henry Ford

With customer service, we need to think outside the square – lead change – be the change. Good customer service is going beyond what would normally be accepted.

A sign out the front of a door saying ‘We provide great customer service’ is not going to cut it today, in fact it could backfire on you because people’s expectation is that they will be serviced when they go in to look or buy.

To stand out and be memorable start thinking of innovative ways to go the extra mile with customer service in your business.

Some more areas that will affect customer service.

Passion:

If you or your staff are just there to get by and pay bills by earning a few dollars until the weekend, then you will reflect that attitude at work. We’ve all worked with people who count down the hours till knock-off time, they’re not ‘there’ to help people, they totally miss sales opportunities, don’t want to do anything extra and affect everyone else’s attitude as well. The COO of the Ritz Carlton hotel group says he is staggered by age 27, how many people have effectively retired. They hate their job and have no passion for what they do.

Hire On Attitude, Train On Skills

Look for people that are passionate, because when they have enthusiasm, they provide outstanding customer service and have a great “Yes” face as they deal with people.

Build Your Team:

Ray Croc who founded McDonalds, said “None of us is as good as all of us.”

When you operate together as a united team, you can build a strong business and provide outstanding customer service.

Look at how each area of your business performs – eg. If you have a really good sales team, but delivery, or follow-up service doesn’t measure up, you will lose repeat sales. If your product is great, displays good and delivery prompt but the receptionist is slow to answer, doesn’t ring back and has no enthusiasm, you’re going nowhere!

• Get the right people into the right places
• Include everyone in team progress meetings
• Keep lifting up the vision – bring the team on the journey
• Look for ways to recognise and reward great customer service

Keep Learning:

We learn till the day we die. If you are not learning, you are not growing.

Learn how to become outstanding – not only will you be sought out as providing good customer service, but you’ll be more valuable as an employee – both the business and your job will bring greater $ returns.

Get hold of good training material on customer service, CDs or books, talk to others who do it well – learn what works for them. In the US 3% of people have a library card and 6% believe that Elvis is still alive. So you can see the priority isn’t learning! Don’t you be one of those statistics.

Be innovative, every business is different and there will be ways you can give customers outstanding, even unique service that no one else offers.

Make Your Business, (your department or job role) Memorable In The Way You Help Customers Buy.

This article was written by Peter Irvine – who is the Co-Founder of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, author of “Win In Business”, business consultant and speaker.

Customer Service Or Helping People Purchase is a post from: OE Design Blog

Take aways are one tool to use that will help you to convert more of your visitors into enquiries, phone calls, and ultimately sales.

But what is a Take Away?

Take aways are simply something a potential client can “take away” with them after visiting your website.

It should definitely be something tangible, something of value, and something they can easily print or download directly from your website.

It can be as simple as:

• An ebook (Eg: http://www.weddinghouse.com.au/for-the-bride)
• A summary of your services – like an information pack
• A price or product list
• A helpful worksheet full of tips and advice
• A coupon or other special offers

It DOES NOT have to be elaborate. The idea is that they have something with your company name and address on it – and the last five competitor’s sites they just visited gave them nothing.

A customer who has your take away is already interacting with your company, and if they used it in conjunction with your online enquiry form, you’re on your way to booking your next meeting or making your next sale!

Source: Chris Jaegar from www.vertigointernetmarketing.com

‘Take Aways’ Improve Conversion & Can Generate More Quality Leads! is a post from: OE Design Blog

So let me share it with you.

He declared that the number one sales tip was this: ‘Get the other person talking about themselves and you’ll make a friend, and ultimately a client.’

I have personally found that to be true. I never go in to a sales meeting ‘to sell’. I go in there to make a friend, find a need – and I do that by using the art of questioning. My purpose is clear, and that is, that I am more knowledgeable about their business at the end of the meeting than I was at the start of the meeting.

Here’s another trick that a business coach shared with me – to make sure that you are using the number one sales tip.

If you and your client are both drinking cups of coffee or water, make it your goal to have their cup full by the time the meeting is over. That will measure as to who did the most talking throughout the meeting. Your masterful questioning should lead to a client being the one who dominated the conversation – and the one with the full cup.

So use the number one sales tip to your advantage and to the benefit of your customers – it’s not rocket science – and watch your sales go through the roof.

The Number One Sales Tip is a post from: OE Design Blog

The customer started describing his situation and after a few moments he paused – briefly. It was an opportune time for the sales person to make a comment or talk about her product and service. However, she remained silent, sensing that the customer had more to say. Her intuition proved correct – a few seconds later he continued talking about his needs, and when he had finished discussing his point he paused. The sales person refrained from speaking and her customer began talking again.

During this last monologue the sales person learned the exact information that she needed to close the sale without resorting to discounting. If she had spoken during those moments of silence, she may still have closed the sale but not as effectively.

I remember watching my wife use silence as a customer several years ago in a retail store. She had brought a few items to the cash desk and when the sales associate rang them in my wife noticed a discrepancy in price. When she questioned this difference, the employee mentioned that the items in question were not available for the price my wife had thought. Instead of complaining or arguing my wife chose to remain silent. The sales associate immediately began talking to fill up the “dead air” space, and before long, had talked herself into giving my wife the discount she had hoped for.

The next time you meet with a client or customer – either face-to-face or over the telephone – bite your tongue. Resist the temptation to talk immediately after they have spoken. Instead, pause for a few moments. Because most people are uncomfortable with silence they will automatically say something. This is a very effective recruiting technique (called the pregnant pause) and it can be used in the sales process as well.

Here are a few other situations when biting your tongue will benefit you:

1. After you ask a question. I’ve seen more sales people answer their own questions instead of holding back and allowing their customer to talk. Let a customer tell you what’s on their mind and encourage them to give you more information. This is extremely easy to do when you refrain from talking after asking someone a question.

2. Anytime you ask for the sale. When you ask a person to make a financial commitment (aka a buying decision) you need to give them time to think about their decision and to respond. Too many sales people talk themselves out of a sale by continuing to speak afterwards. I recall one sales person telling me he would give me time to make a decision even though I had told him I wanted his product.

3. When you are not sure what to say next. From time to time, I have found myself unsure of what I should say after a comment made a prospect or customer. In these situations, an effective approach is to remain silent. It takes patience and a lot of control. However, in most cases, the other person will fill up that dead air space and give you information you would not have learned otherwise.

4. When people express disappointment. In situations of conflict our natural tendency is to explain why something went wrong or to immediately offer a solution. However, allowing people the opportunity to vent gives you the chance to offer the best possible solution. Many years ago I had a disgruntled employee and I gave her time to express her opinions. After several minutes of heated words and angry dialogue, I discovered that all she really wanted from me was the opportunity to vent her frustration. In another situation, my customer actually told me what he wanted done which was less than I had originally planned to offer.

I remember reading the following advice from an author some years ago – spend one day every few months being as quiet as possible and responding only when it adds value to that particular conversation. This will be incredibly difficult for the majority of people but imagine how much you will hear and learn that day.

Most people who sell a product or service mistakenly think that they must do most of the talking. However, my experience has taught me that some of the best sales people are also the quietest. And it’s because they actually hear what their customer or prospect has to say. They learn what’s important to that person. They find out the motivating factors behind the purchase. They allow the other person to dominate the conversation. And let’s face it, the majority of people will always talk when given the opportunity.

© 2005 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

About The Author:
Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine.For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com or contact him at 905-633-7750. Kelley is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – How to welcome your customers and increase your sales.”

Bite Your Tongue is a post from: OE Design Blog