One of the things I did early last summer is find a great photographer to shoot my new product, the Joyful Business Guide (a creative business plan and system for women entrepreneurs). The company I found is very easy to use and talented. I was really surprised at how affordable they were. Read the rest of this post »

In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of being the odd step-cousin. You know the one. No one knows quite what to do with him. Especially at family gatherings when everyone tries hard to avoid sitting with him. (After all, who knows WHAT he’ll start talking about.)

Much of that reputation comes from radio being tough to track. On one hand, radio does work. Businesses do notice an increase in sales when they add radio to the mix. However, radio doesn’t test well. In surveys and other tracking methods, radio tends to be the one with the dismal scores.

A good friend of mine, who’s also a marketing consultant but before that she sold radio for many years, has a theory about that. She says Read the rest of this post »

A lot of people associate selling with being a “used car salesman” and don’t want others to think of them that way. The last thing you want is for people to think you are a pushy, aggressive “salesperson”, so to stop people thinking of you that way you simply avoid and resist selling, right? Not a good idea, if you want clients!

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With respect to each of your “perspective fears”, it is your perspective (or viewpoint) that is giving you these fears. Change your viewpoint, change your perspective, and you will reduce or even eliminate your fear. To overcome your “perspective fears”, the process is to simply change your perspective to one that empowers you rather than one that makes you fearful and holds you back.

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Are you having sales conversations from your head? If you are, chances are that you are struggling with selling your services. Get out of your head and speak from your heart and watch how much easier your sales flow.

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Step One – Work out the value of what you offer.

Get really clear on the value you offer your clients and the results you deliver. The clearer you get the more passionate you will become and your confidence will naturally soar. People will notice your confidence, your passion and your authentic desire to help them and there will be no feeling – or presence – of manipulation in the conversation.

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Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions. In case you didn’t get this, ask questions! Asking questions is one of the most powerful keys to successful selling. It really is. So, why should you ask questions?

Ask questions to find out if you can help/serve your potential client. By asking questions, you’ll be able to find out if your solution will help them at this point in time. It may be the right time and then again it may not. You’ll know by asking questions.

Ask questions to qualify. By asking questions you will find out if the person has a problem you can solve and if it is big enough for them to want to solve it now. If the answer is “no” to both questions then there will be no point in progressing with the sales conversation.  Read the rest of this post »

Customer buys product. A sale is offered a week later. Said customer asks for a reduced price on the already-bought product — essentially, a partial refund (even though they are delighted with the product).

Because we are caring people, we are torn. On the one hand, you sympathize with the customer; you may also not want to alienate them as a future customer. On the other hand, dammit, that product is worth what was paid and a sale is a sale because it is only offered for a defined, limited time.

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A lot of people associate selling with being a “used car salesman” and don’t want others to think of them that way. The last thing you want is for people to think you are a pushy, aggressive “salesperson”, so to stop people thinking of you that way you simply avoid and resist selling, right? Not a good idea, if you want clients!

It’s definitely true that there are a lot of stereotyped salespeople out there. It is true that some can be pushy, manipulative aggressive, etc. What is also true is that there are a lot of open, honest, authentic salespeople too. These are the truly successful salespeople, and their track records prove it.

Acknowledge that you are not a stereotypical salesperson. Acknowledge that you are an open, honest, authentic person. Know that you if you are open, honest and “yourself” when selling, you will be more successful. Be yourself and you will start to feel a lot more relaxed and less stressed about selling.

Step One – Work out the value of what you offer.

Get really clear on the value you offer your clients and the results you deliver. The clearer you get the more passionate you will become and your confidence will naturally soar. People will notice your confidence, your passion and your authentic desire to help them and there will be no feeling – or presence – of manipulation in the conversation.

Step Two – Have a conversation with the intent of gaining a client versus making a sale.

The difference is subtle but the long term ramifications on your business are enormous. Come from a place where you view the first sale as just the beginning of a long term relationship where they are now your client. I am sure you have had the experience with the “hit and run” salesman. They made the sale, got your money, which is all that they wanted and you never see them again. You were left feeling manipulated.
Step Three – Ask questions with the intent to understand if you can help the person get what they want.

If you ask questions with this intent the person you are talking to will feel relaxed and will open up to you. Contrast this with people who zoom through asking you questions and you know they are not really interested in your answers. You feel that all they want to do is quickly get to the point of telling you what is good for you – their solution. Again, you feel the presence of manipulation. So it’s easy enough to change – just change your intent.

By following these three steps you will find it easy to avoid being manipulative or being perceived as manipulative in your sales conversations. Try out these three steps and not only will you be more relaxed but you will attract more people who will want to be your client.