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Media Relations Tips for Landing a Television Placement

egSebastian — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:32:00 +0000

By L. Drew Gerber

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Landing a television interview is an exciting achievement for anyone doing his or her own PR. Many times people believe landing a segment is out of their grasp or they don’t know how to go about getting this type of coverage. But just like scoring any other media coverage, whether radio, print or online, the secret lies in the pitch.

Remember, national or local, TV is always looking for “real people” to illustrate the stories and trends in their reports. But before you pitch you have to be able to answer the questions: Why should the media care? And why should the media care now? Once you get those down you’re ready to reach out to them and here are some keys tips to remember once you do:

Know their needs —TV is constantly looking for good visuals and a story that can be told succinctly in sound bites. They’re also looking for people who are articulate and comfortable on camera for its short, fast-paced segments. Is that you?

Local outlets — Morning and noon news shows of local TV stations are always looking for interesting people, businesses and topics that relate to people’s interest in the universal topics, health, wealth and love with a local tie-in.

National outlets — If you want national media coverage, the first and most important rule is to watch the news to keep abreast of breaking news, and to constantly ask what you can add to the news from your viewpoint or area of expertise.

Read magazines and newspapers — Before you pitch television producers you need to get a pulse on what’s important to them and what they’re interested in. The media serves an audience and you have to serve the media by giving them what their audience wants. So pick up the newspapers and magazines your ideal client reads to get a grasp on what interests them, and then pitch the television outlets your ideal client watches.

Timing is everything — Broadcast producers prefer a day’s notice on breaking news, but are set up to respond within minutes or hours to true breaking news. Be sure to give them four weeks on seasonal or non-breaking news.

Using these tips and remembering to always serve the media’s interests first will be key in landing television placements. And don’t give up! It may take some time and a couple of pitches, but success is sure to come if you stick with it and keep working toward what your goals.

L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a free media connection service for journalists, experts, and publicists. Sign up now for free publicity advice including a free online marketing course. Gerber’s business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or call him at 828-749-3548.

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Checklist for Success – Finding out if running a franchise is right for you

egSebastian — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:50:38 +0000

Success Checklist - Franchising

By L. Drew Gerber

A bear market is the time to buy, whether you are looking for a bargain in stocks, real estate or other investments. Opportunities abound during times of economic uncertainty for those willing to find them. The same is true for those considering starting a franchise business.

The recession is driving more and more people to go into business for themselves, according to news reports. When job security with a long-time employer isn’t so secure any more, starting a business becomes more attractive.

Thousands of employees who have been given pink slips or early retirement are looking for opportunities to become entrepreneurs. Many of them will choose to open a franchise as a way to test the entrepreneurial waters without having to start a business from scratch.

Franchising offers a lot of opportunities and advantages, among them training and support, an established customer base and product name recognition.

But, no matter how great or well-known the product or service is, the franchisee is not guaranteed success. He or she must possess ambition, drive and business savvy, just like any other entrepreneur.

The keys for success lie in several areas: knowing yourself, knowing your business and mentally preparing yourself to succeed. So how do you, the aspiring franchise owner, know if you are cut out to run your own business? Some attributes for building a successful franchise include:

Ambition ? Successful franchise owners are willing to take risks because they have confidence in their product or service’s ability to succeed in the marketplace. Like any successful business owner, they must have a passion and drive for building their business
Independence – Also like other independent business owners, franchisees place a high value on being in control of their own destiny. They like the feeling of accomplishment and independence that comes from building a business and not having to rely on someone else for employment and income.
Planning for success — The person looking at opening a franchise must be willing to invest the time and energy into researching all aspects of their business. This means getting out and talking to other franchisees, researching the target market and checking into training and support services offered by the franchisor.
Sales sense — The most successful and visionary business leaders are known for their intuitive business sense. Walt Disney took a plane ride over a scrubby, marshy section of central Florida and saw a spot where his vision of multiple interconnected theme parks could grow unencumbered. Location, location, location is just as critical for the aspiring franchisee, whether it’s for a restaurant, tax service or fitness center. Just as in any other independent business, you must make it your business to know your customers’ needs, target market and competition.
Listening skills — The ability to listen and really hear the needs, desires and values of customers is a top tool for success for anyone who works in sales. It allows the franchisee to exchange valuable information with the franchisor in order to adjust the product or service for maximum appeal.
Partnership ? To be successful, a franchisee should value working with the franchisor on the shared goal of growing the business. Through training, support and constant feedback, they work together toward the common goals of quality control, customer service and profitability.
Motivation ? Franchisees must be self-motivated. This means having the discipline and drive to do what is necessary to keep the business running smoothly and growing. As with any independent business, this usually involves investing long hours and dedication during the startup and beyond, both in running the business and continued training.
Pride — Successful franchisees must have confidence in the brand they are selling and take pride in their products or services. Upholding high standards set by the franchiser, they build, not only their own business, but the brand as a whole.
Personal considerations — Just like anyone considering whether to start their own business, the aspiring franchisee should determine in advance how their family will adapt to the always demanding world of self-employment.

The person with all of the attributes listed above now faces the added challenge of opening a franchise during a recession. With customers holding on tightly to every dollar, that means finding ways to position your product or service to appeal to value-conscious consumers.

Franchisees starting new businesses can’t wait for the gloomy economic forecasts to abate. Instead, they must look at the recession as another opportunity. This is a challenge as credit remains tight.

No doubt it is a good time to start businesses that don’t require large sums of venture capital, such as the myriad of online business opportunities. But all businesses can use lean times to strengthen themselves, increase efficiency and improve customer service. In doing so, they position themselves for success as the recession eases and consumers begin to spend more freely. The companies that can build customer loyalty during lean times are first in line for growth as the economy recovers.

The key to a successful startup during a downturn is attitude — “recession-proofing your perspective.” Following are some ways to mentally prepare for success in any economy:

Be skeptical of skepticism. Take a fresh look at opportunities out there. Find ways to make your product or service attractive to consumers, not just in spite of, but because of the prevailing economic conditions.
Interrupt old thought patterns. Remember that old adage “you get what you pay for”? Say “no” to negative thoughts, and look for opportunities in unlikely places.
Put other people first. Look to see how you can make a difference for others before you look at how you can make a difference for yourself. You’ll be surprised at how many people return the favor.
Do it yourself. Take a close look at how you spend your time and your money. Evaluate your efforts and ask: “Is there an easier way?”
Be creative. Look at situations from a fresh perspective. In what are arguably our nation’s most trying times, necessity has always been the mother of all invention. These times are no different.
Take action. Many business owners spend way too much time planning and thinking about what they should do at the expense of actually doing it. They try too hard for perfection, and this often results in no action being taken at all. Success depends upon action. Ask yourself “What can I do to bring prosperity to myself and those around me right now?” and then do it.

There are many other considerations to weigh. Do you have the skills for your career as a franchisee? Talk to other franchisees in the same line, as well as those who know you well for candid answers. Make sure the franchisor you are considering offers the training and support you need to succeed.

Of course you also must have a financial plan for getting started and growing your business. New franchisees must also be willing to sell and market their products and services, knocking on doors and cold calling if necessary. They must possess a drive to continually keep themselves informed of the latest trends in their business.

People looking to start franchises during a recession face many challenges. Fortunately, the franchise system is geared for success through the mutually supportive relationship between franchisee and franchisor. The bottom line for both is to be passionate about the brand, committed to its growth and willing to invest the time, energy and money needed for success.

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Creative and Cost-Effective Internet Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

egSebastian — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:25:24 +0000

By L. Drew Gerber

Marketing your small or home-based business should be a fun endeavor, but most importantly it needs to be cost-effective. When you use the Internet as your platform, the possibilities are endless. Increasing your customer base is all about getting the word out. Awareness is key and all you have to do is pick up the megaphone! Here are a few tips you can use:

Free media leads

Free services such as http://www.PitchRate.com can help you get valuable media coverage. This is a great way to find the media and build relationships with them. Experts and small business owners who have signed on with PitchRate have had great results pitching journalists and getting their expertise out to the world. It offers an amazing opportunity to gain free publicity for you or your business. Sign up and you will receive free daily opportunities via email to speak with the media about topics and trends related to your business or expertise.

Article Portals

Free article portals allow you to post expert articles on the Web to promote your business. They offer a great opportunity for you to implement your SEO marketing plan by writing articles with specific keywords that will drive more traffic to your Web site.

Free press release distribution

Free press release distribution sites like http://www.1888pressrelease.com allow you to post press releases on the Web related to your business and its happenings. They offer another great opportunity to implement your SEO marketing plan and build your business’s Internet presence. One of the hardest things about PR is getting the information out there and read by potential customers. Sites like these provide an effective platform to help increase your Web site traffic.

Social Networking

Free social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, offer companies endless possibilities to publicize their products and services. Social networking connects you with potential customers, existing customers and partners to build your business. It allows you to get a feel for what is happening in your market and to provide excellent customer service. Create a fan page for your business on Facebook and offer special promotions just for your fans. Before you know it, the word will be spread throughout the network. Do the same with Twitter.

Video Portals

Post videos to free portals like YouTube and Metacafe to increase your Web site traffic. Many of these portals will allow you to link to your site as well as offer a cool platform to market your business. Have fun and be creative with it. You never know; it may go viral.

What’s most important about these free marketing opportunities is the ability to test the waters. You are investing your time, but it’s a great chance to take some risks, be creative and have fun with your marketing plan. When it’s time to invest your money — if you even have to — you’ll have realistic expectations and a good idea what your target market is interested in.

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Media Training Tips to Deliver a Knockout Interview

egSebastian — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:11:18 +0000

By L. Drew Gerber

Giving a media interview is like going on a first date: It will lay the groundwork for your relationship with the journalist interviewing you and make you attractive for future interviews with other media.

You’ve caught their attention. Now you need to show them you can deliver a professional interview that meets their needs and exceeds their expectations. Do that, and you are on your way to a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship that will pay returns in publicity results for years to come.

The key is to be prepared. Business professionals who deal with the media regularly undergo extensive media training to learn what to say, how to say it and how to make the best impression in broadcast and print interviews.

Professional media trainers give their clients many practical tips to deliver a knockout interview, from posture and speaking recommendations that convey confidence and authority down to specifics on how to dress and groom for the interview. Those are all important. But just as important is remembering the key messages that shape you as a brand the public will remember.

Companies have long known the importance of making a name for their products and services to set themselves apart from their competition. Today’s rapidly shifting economy, combined with our increasingly Web-driven communications, make it essential for individuals to constantly assess, update and promote their personal brands. Your media interview offers the chance to do this and shine.

The easy way to define what makes your expertise special is to practice your “elevator pitch.” This is the one where you are on the elevator with Oprah, Larry King or Glenn Beck and have from the second floor to the 15^th floor to explain why your expertise should be featured on their show.

You would have to make your point in three sentences. What would you want Oprah, Larry or Glenn to know? You would need to get their attention before they exited the elevator. How would you do that? Through snappy sound bites and a perfect pitch, that’s how.

You can imagine, Oprah, Larry or Glenn would say, “Oh, great, I’m being pitched.” Your job is to be so interesting that they follow that thought with “Wait, you just said something that perked up my ears. Now, what did you say?” Then you’re in.

Before you have your first media interview, be clear on what defines you as an expert. Your interests, talents, skills, education, hobbies and perspectives are unique. Your personal brand is where your expertise and your passions meet. Know that first, and you will be able to connect with the media in your interview in a way that’s authoritative, compelling and leaves the media wanting more.

Giving a great media interview is also about promoting yourself in such a way that you do not appear to be promoting yourself. This is all about giving the media what they want, answering their questions and avoiding blatant self-promotion of your book, product or service.

As with the first date when you want to make a great impression, concentrate on what your interviewer needs and useful information you can give their audience. Remember, the interview is your best promotion. Take a backseat to the interview’s promotional power and enjoy the publicity results. Chances are they will identify you by your profession or company, perhaps including your Web address or contact information.

Now that we’ve covered the big principles to make your media interview amazing, let’s discuss some basic tips to assure you are on your game and everything goes smoothly:

1. Don’t let a bad connection ruin it. If the interview is going to be over the phone make sure you use a landline, not your cell. A dropped call or a bad connection can lead to confusion, wasted time, or worse, for you and the person interviewing you. It’s the same reason you don’t talk to your date with you mouth full. Good crisp connections are the key to achieving the publicity results you desire.

2. Dress to impress. If you’re doing television, give some thought into what you’ll be wearing. Ask yourself, “How will I look on set?” You want to stand out, not blend in. Solids are preferred. Bright colors are best. Avoid black and patterns (stripes, plaids, etc.) as they don’t play well with cameras. Wear great jewelry and great shoes (just in case that gets on screen). Also, bring an extra outfit just in case the anchor is wearing the same one, and do your makeup/hair (most studios will have a stylist on the scene, but you should be prepared just in case). An easy way to prepare your best look is to watch Headline News and just model yourself after the anchors you like. It’s even a good idea to dress professionally for a phone interview. You’re likely to be more confident in your professional attire than in your pajamas. Publicity success lies in a person’s confidence.

3. Help them to focus on your expertise. Send in a suggested list of questions for the interviewer to use. (Note: Do not try this before a first, second, or third date.) You’ll be able to answer these questions in a very succinct and clear manner, making great sound bites that can be pulled out and used in print articles, getting more publicity for you. It’s always a good idea to review your online press kit prior to the interview as well. Print media in particular will appreciate any background, supporting studies or research you can provide to back up your expertise.

The best free publicity tip is also the Scouts motto: Be prepared. Lack of preparation is a publicist’s nightmare — yours too. So dress up, know your sound bites ahead of time, and review your online press kit.

Being interviewed by the media is the best free publicity you can get. So do all you can to be the best interviewee (date) the journalist has ever had so that you will be the first person they call when they need a spokesperson in your area of expertise.

Remember, good publicity begets more good publicity. When you come across as a polished professional in your media interviews, journalists will take note and call you for many future dates.

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Six Simple Strategies to Attract Clients

egSebastian — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:18:41 +0000

www.FindBizCards.com

This guest post is brought to you by Liz Cutten. Liz runs and manages FindBizCards, a business credit card site helping business owners get the rewards and credit they deserve.

Without clients, you’re soon going to find out that you’re not going to be in business very long. Whether you clean windows for a living, or maybe you design websites. Whatever it may be, you’re going to find that the following 6 strategies can nail you some great, long lasting clients.

#1 Always carry a business card: Networking is the name of the game when it comes to meeting with new people. Every time you talk with someone, just hand them a business card. It doesn’t matter who they are, or how you’re related, this works wonders! They either throw it away or they keep it around. You never know if a friend or family member needs your services. Remember, word of mouth is always your best advertising!

#2 Social media: The Internet has adapted over the past 5 years and this is another thing that I have seen many people not take advantage of. Facebook, for example is a great way to target people in your niche. Create simple ads in your area and run them. It really isn’t that expensive to run them and you should see some decent results. It’s also a great way to brand your name for future use.

#3 Run an ad in your local paper: I know, who reads the paper anymore? Well, what I’m talking about is running an ad in your local coupon book / paper. I’m sure you get one, but the results are amazing! Recently, I helped a construction company run a full page ad in a local paper. The circulation is probably around 25,000 tops. He had so many responses, that now he has enough work for the next 2 months! You’re probably wondering how much the ad cost? $295!

#4 Buy your leads: Everyone has a price when it comes to acquiring a new client. How much is a customer worth to you? If you’re a handyman for example, you can use a site like www.ServiceMagic.com. Every time someone submits a bid for a property, you can jump in and offer one. You’re going to have to pay to contact them, but the fees are rather low. It’s a great way to have customers come to you.

#5 Freelance your work: As you can see with my pointers, you’re going to find that I love the Internet and it’s for good reasons. Yes, the Internet is a competitive place, but there are a lot of people looking for others to do their jobs. Sites such as Elance.com and more allow you to bid on other people’s projects. Whether you have to transcribe something, or maybe they want a graphic done. No matter what it is, you can find someone looking for your services. The only downfall with these is that you’re going to be competing with a lot of overseas people.

#6 Search engine optimization: The last one on my list works wonders for local searches. If you don’t know how to do it, it really doesn’t take that long to learn it. If you don’t have the time, you can find a service that will do it for you. Once you get ranking in the organic search, this can stay there for ages. The best thing about ranking well is that it’s going to be free after it’s all said and done!

Yes, old media still does work to grab up some clients, but you’re going to find that you will want to learn how to use the Internet. There are so many tools that you can use out there. Work hard and good things shall come!

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Traffic + Conversion = $$$s

egSebastian — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:26:42 +0000

Finally, A Guide To Internet Marketing For Real Business Owners!

By Bob Regnerus

I teach real world business owners how to strategically use the Internet in their business.

Traffic + Conversion = $$$s

Online people, the media, and others like to label you “brick and mortar” businesses, as is you were some kind of dinosaur or immovable object or something. I like to think of you as real world business owners, and are operating real businesses, with real customers you face every day, with real business problems, and real objectives to make a profit every year!

I’m not knocking online businesses, because I own a few. They’re great. It’s why I know so much about the Internet. The fact is, online business owners think people running offline businesses have it easy, offline business owners think online businesses are a breeze because they can go to work in their underwear, if they want. (Hey, did you hear the joke, “what do dot com guys have in common with Victoria Secret models?”)

I’m not here to debate the issue or crack jokes, I’m here to equip you with the tools for success. See, there’s a long line of people that can teach you how to make money on the Internet. You know, make a fortune selling overstock items on EBay?

That’s great, except the people that buy this stuff are on a journey to find the golden goose – the secret to life – the way to make a lot of money in the perfect business. They are chasing a dream, or chasing their tails. It doesn’t matter because that is NOT YOU!

You already have a business. Maybe not the perfect business, but you sincerely want to grow your business, and you know the Internet is a huge way to do that. Congratulations for recognizing that your Internet presence is not an afterthought, and you need to take it serious.

Your website must be an income producing asset for your business. Period. If it ain’t putting new clients in your business, or it ain’t keeping them there, you are in trouble and need to plug the holes in the bucket.

Bottom line – Not a lot of people are teaching real world business owners how to use the Internet effectively. I will. I am going to take my years of Internet Marketing experience to the real world and hand you the keys to make it work for you.

But first, a little math.

T + C = $

Why is this simple formula important to the success of your business on the Internet?

As you can correctly guess, the answer to this formula is dollars, and the two variables on the left the equation DIRECTLY affect how much money you are making in your business using your website.

So let’s end the suspense and get to the point. What two things affect how much money your web site produces for your business?

Let me help by writing out the equation for you:

Traffic + Conversion = $Money$

You make most of the money in your business “offline”, but your web site is the medium that gets them on the phone or in the door.

Traffic = People
Conversion = Action

This makes a lot of sense to you, right? I mean no one has to be an Internet Marketing superstar to understand that if I can get more people to my web site, I’m going to make more money. Conversely, if I can convince more of those visitors to do business with me, I’ve increased my conversion and I make more money.

Therein lies the problem – it’s too simple, too sensible. “Of course I need more traffic, heck – every retailer in America knows that sales increase when foot traffic or eye traffic increases in front of my establishment.” So if that’s the truth, I don’t have to prove it to you. You accept this as fact. More traffic equals more dollars, right?

Wrong! You need to pay closer attention….

I showed you the formula : Traffic + Conversion = $Money$

You can’t ignore conversion. That’s when you get that signed contract, handshake, or ring the cash register. Conversions usually means sales; however, in the context of the internet, conversion means much more. Conversion is simply a visitor taking an action on your web site that you intended them to take.

So conversion can mean sales on your website, but it more likely means you get them to sign up for information, register for an event, click to a special page, call a phone number, downloaded a demo, view a video, listen to a presentation, and the list goes on.

The big formula for Internet success is simple: get more people to your website, and get more of them to take the action you want.

Now, take a look at your website. Do you honestly believe that you are getting the most traffic you can get? Do you think you are doing the BEST job at converting those visitors?

The answer, across the board is most definitely, no!

As I said, very few people are teaching business owners, like yourself, just how to use the Internet to increase your profits. I look forward to equipping you to finally take charge of your website and create an income producing asset in your business!

Here’s to more profits from your site this year!

Bob Regnerus is an expert in generating and converting website visitors into new business. Bob has a solution just for Businesses who want more new clients! Find out more at http://www.TheLeadsKing.com or contact Bob at 1-877-349-2615

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egSebastian — Mon, 10 May 2010 01:50:49 +0000

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7 Deadly Sins of Sales Professionals – Part 2

egSebastian — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:35:30 +0000

7 Deadly Sins of Sales Professionals

Here are the remaining 3 deadly sins of sales professionals. Number 5 being the most abused and feared of most sales professionals. What’s interesting is this is the very tool necessary to close sales.

The Art of Translation. As readers and serious students of sales, deal flow, business and the sales presentation, your focus while reading all articles (with highlighter in hand) is to ask yourself with each sentence, “How can I translate what I’ve just read into my own situation?” I guarantee you can, if you’re adept at the art of translation. Quite honestly, it’s as simple as having the mindset that you’re about to learn something, deciding that you will learn! Let’s begin…

5. Not listening and responding to objections that are given to you

Objections are one of the biggest obstacles for sales professionals to overcome. Here’s how to turn this highly inflated obstacle into the very tool that gets you the deal. First, get the conversation going. Listen to what’s being said. Listen for key words or phrases that indicate what the prospect wants verses needs. People don’t really want what they need; they want what they don’t need. A brain twister you say? Yep! Think about it, do you really go after what you need, like visiting relatives, tending to that pile of paperwork, sending thank you cards, paying your bills, etc. Everyone has things they need to do or get. These are the things we usually put off. Now what about the things you want. Hmm… now we’re getting somewhere, you definitely don’t need that chocolate cake, but you sure do want it and in your present mindset you’re going to get it. You don’t need a new car, the car you have runs perfectly fine, no major problems or expenditures, you’ve had it for what seems like forever, but you sure do want the new car that has four wheel drive, low interest rate/payments. You’ll get it, you deserve it and you want it. What about those new shoes you’ve been eyeing, sexy, sharp. Need? Of course not, you’ve got plenty. Want? You betcha! You get the idea; wants are emotional, pleasing and fun. Sales is an emotional business. Most decisions that are made are made from an emotional point of view, from the heart if you will. So listen to what the prospect wants, set aside the needs. Respond to what the prospect wants. After you’ve gotten the conversation going, listen and retain all that was shared. Now that you understand your prospect as a person, let’s combat the objections. Are you ready? This is absolutely bullet proof. Top secret! Here’s what you need to do. Answer them. Yep! Just answer them. If you believe 100% in your service, you totally understand the prospects buying techniques and wants, then why not? Objections are merely a sign of discomfort, some people are uncomfortable with change or making a commitment that includes signing and handing over money. They want you to convince them, in fact, tell them, “You made the right decision”. Of course they’re going to have questions or concerns, but they don’t come out as an actual question, it’s an objection and it’s not personal. How could it be? This is business! Most of the time they just don’t understand what you’re saying or offering. This is a very big subject and would take a boot camp in itself to do it justice. The biggest tip I can give you for now is to respond to their objections. If they tell you that they’re not interested right now, ask them what they mean by that? Let’s say they feel that the timing isn’t right, ask them why or what would make it right? Bingo, you’ve just struck a potential goldmine just by not giving up and getting more information, plus your prospect feels like you really care about them.

6. Thinking that sales means just getting stuff done, you know the busy work. At the end of the day all that really matters is what did you sell, regardless of what you do in your business? The bottom-line is sales from the support staff to you! If you or your team don’t have a ‘sales mindset’

get them trained and coached on a regular basis in sales it’s critically important to the bottom-line!

When you actually think about it, why would you or any business owner, open your doors for business without ongoing, hardcore, with a boot camp style, sales coaching and training, daily?

This is mostly directed to junior salespeople. New recruits, be careful. I can’t tell you how many times I talk with salespeople and ask them how they’re doing; they say great and I find out that means they have no sales this week or maybe just one or two, but that’s not why they’re excited. They’re excited because they got caught up with all the paper work, desk area is cleaned, car is cleaned, picked out the right headset, passed out all the invoices and called 30 new accounts each day this week alone. Here’s the problem, they have no appointments by phone or in-person. No sales. None. If this sounds like you. If you feel really busy, you’re talking to a lot of great people, but have no sales except what’s come in the mail or what’s been given to you, no follow-up appointments, no real discussions about your products or services and worst yet, if you haven’t had any objections at all, well then you’re a “good conversationalist”. This simply means you’re having trouble going from the introduction to the sales call to asking for the order. You may lack confidence regarding the discussion of your products and services. You may lack knowledge of the actual sales process or what sales is. You need to be retrained, fast. You may even have fear of facing prospects on the phone or in-person. There’s a big difference between a “good conversationalist” and a “top salesperson”. Not too worry! Sales is a learned skill!

7. Not viewing their sales territory (leads) as their business and therefore not managing their sales goals. This is your business. The day you said, I do, is the day you hung out your shingle. You’re selling yourself, the owner, the business. Your business provides products, as well as, services. You and only you control your future. You have a partner (the business you work at) in your business that provides you with a variety of benefits, a desk and all the necessary tools to get your business off the ground and even maintain it. What you do each day, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep dictates the sales you’ll have that day. When your business phone line rings, the way you answer it, how long you’re on the phone, what you say or don’t say, will dictate the sales transaction for that moment. Each relationship you build by repeating your name, making courtesy calls, and spreading good will determine your future. The idea for you as a salesperson is to create a solid business of “very excited” clients that would never even consider giving their money to anyone else. Do this and you can write your own ticket to take the kind of vacations you really want, to buy all you want and save for all you need.

Chris Mullins, The Phone Sales Doctor™, president of www.MullinsMediaGroup.com, is a sales and communication expert with a special love and focus on how to use the telephone to “sell and market you” for all business professionals. Chris personally listens to and critiques telephone sales calls (inbound/outbound), presentations, staff usage of the telephone, etiquette and offers role-playing time with careful examination and analysis of what you’re doing right, what you need to fix and how to fix it to improve your closure ratios, quickly. Chris is also the “Phone Script Doctor” that will review and/or rewrite your support staff and sales team’s scripts, outlines or call guides. For a FREE 3 Month Test drive of “Chris Mullins’ Nuggets® For Sales” print newsletter, email: chris@mullinsmediagroup.com and put “Test Drive” in the Subject Line or call 603-924-1640, , you’ll also get a FREE invitation to attend Chris’ Weekly Off-The-Cuff 30 Minute TeleClinic.

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Improve your sales performance! Take a look at the DiSC(r) Sales Styles assessment tool here: http://egsebastian.com/ed_sales_styles_profile – scroll down to the bottom for a link to a sample profile. Even just taking a look at a sample profile will help you learn about the four different buying styles and their needs…

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7 Deadly Sins of Sales Professionals Part 1

egSebastian — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:11:24 +0000

Before I begin with this [] column I want to share with you a concept that I

Keep Your Promisses

remind all of my clients and newsletter members of every single month, The Art of Translation. As readers and serious students of sales, deal flow, business and the sales presentation, your focus while reading all articles (with highlighter in hand) is to ask yourself with each sentence, “How can I translate what I’ve just read into my own situation?” I guarantee you can, if you’re adept at the art of translation. Quite honestly, it’s as simple as having the mindset that you’re about to learn something, deciding that you will learn! Let’s begin…

Truth be told, the 7 deadly sins you’re about to read are committed by high transaction

Face to Face Sales Professionals, Support Staff, Telemarketers (outbound phone sales), Inbound Phone Sales, Receptionists, Customer Service and your Administrative Assistants!

1. Focusing on the sale and not the client. Example: More motivated by the amount of commission than the client needs. Sure this type of thinking will probably be successful, but not solid, long lasting success. The idea is to maintain your client base, train your clients by building trust, doing what you say you’ll do and producing results. By creating a self-sufficient program, if you will, you’re leaving yourself room to bring in new business. However, if you’re only thinking about the sale and the commission you’re narrow minded. If you’re one of “those” salespeople that get the sale and that’s it, you don’t speak to your client again until its time to sell them something else; you’re wasting your time. Getting the sale is only the start of your relationship with the client.

2. Not putting themselves in their client’s shoes. Example: the timing of the sales call. The trick here is to think like a client. How do you feel in your personal life when you’re on the phone or in person with a business and the salesperson just starts rambling? Talking a mile a minute, like they know exactly what you want. They’re not respecting your time or your space. You say, no I’m just looking and they just keep going, not even a breath of air do they take. Leaches, they’re like leaches! Isn’t that what you say or think? Don’t you get ticked off and leave or hang up? Don’t you share that experience with your friends that you meet that day? How many times does the business you visit or speak to lose your business because they just don’t respect you? You’re no different. If you don’t want to be one of “those” salespeople, the leaches, the one’s that use this very phrase each time they speak with their client… “What do you ‘gut’ for me today?”

3. Not following up. The biggest, most time wasted and money out the door, reputation trashed, error you could EVER make. So, you’ve made tons of calls in-person and over the telephone; you’ve gotten through to the gatekeeper, built rapport and then DROPPED THE BALL! You didn’t keep going. You didn’t follow-up when they said to or when you said you would. You took a somewhat interested prospect and turned them into the competitor’s client Work the leads! Make the call!

4. Not doing what you say you’ll do. Often you say, I’ll take care of that, I can do that, no problem, I’ll take care of it right away. This usually all occurs while you’re dating the prospective client, while you’re trying to close the sale. Then, you get the sale! That’s it, you drop the ball. Whatever the reason for not following up, this is a form of service and you’re doing a disservice to the client, your business as a whole and to yourself. The lesson – don’t say it if you can’t do it. Again, if not doing what say you’ll do, has to do with poor organization, fix it, work on it, try different methods, and seek out a top performer who is extremely organized at office. Watch them, ask for help. Above all, if you mess up, admit it. Charge full steam ahead and apologize, take full responsibility, then fix it, fast!

Chris Mullins, The Phone Sales Doctor™, president of www.MullinsMediaGroup.com, is a sales and communication expert with a special love and focus on how to use the telephone to “sell and market you” for all business professionals. Chris personally listens to and critiques telephone sales calls (inbound/outbound), presentations, staff usage of the telephone, etiquette and offers role-playing time with careful examination and analysis of what you’re doing right, what you need to fix and how to fix it to improve your closure ratios, quickly. Chris is also the “Phone Script Doctor” that will review and/or rewrite your support staff and sales team’s scripts, outlines or call guides. For a FREE 3 Month Test drive of “Chris Mullins’ Nuggets® For Sales” print newsletter, email: chris@mullinsmediagroup.com and put “Test Drive” in the Subject Line or call 603-924-1640, you’ll also get a FREE invitation to attend Chris’ Weekly Off-The-Cuff 30 Minute TeleClinic.

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Solve Your Customer Service Issues Forever

egSebastian — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:57:16 +0000

By Bob Regnerus

Use Your Q&A to Solve Customers' Problems

Brief Description of Article: Even if you can’t eliminate your customer service issues, you can use your website to give your customers the best possible support.

Author Bio: Bob Regnerus, “The Leads King”, is an expert at generating online traffic and converting web visitors into prospects and clients. To learn more about how you can optimize your website for customer service, please visit www.TheLeadsKing.com.

All right, I can’t actually tell you how to solve your customer service issues forever. If I could, reading this article would cost you more than Warren Buffet makes in a year. I can, however, tell you how to make those issues manageable by approaching them in an intelligent, systematic way, and this advice won’t cost you anything at all!

The key to successful customer service, whether on a website or anywhere else, is making it easy for your customers to get the information they need. It’s important to remember that “easy” doesn’t mean what it used to mean. Twenty years ago, being able to speak to a customer service rep on a weekend made things easy. Ten years ago, people were happy with 24-hour information lines. Today, consumers look to the internet for information first– they expect to find a lot of information there, and they expect to find it easily. Customer service is one of the many areas where a website can either help you or hurt you—a good web-based customer service can improve your customers’ experience and keep them coming back, but if your website doesn’t meet your customers’ expectations, you are going to lose them.

Luckily, it’s not too difficult to meet your customers’ expectations. There are a number of options to choose from when it comes to web-based customer service, including FAQ’s, troubleshooters, help desks, and live chats.

I’ll talk briefly about each of those options here, but here’s an important point: no matter which way you chose to provide customer service through your website, your “Help” or “Support” page should be accessible from every other page or section of your site. If you have different “Help” pages for different sections of your site, those different pages should be consistent in appearance, function, and organization.

FAQ Documents: It’s hard to find a website that doesn’t have an “FAQ” (“Frequently Asked Questions”) document, and there’s a good reason for that: FAQs are easy to build, and they’re one of the most effective ways to answer customer questions. If your customers are fairly web-savvy, they’ll expect you to have an FAQ on your site, and hopefully they’ll look for it as soon as they find that they have a question.

If you’re building your FAQ from scratch, you should be able to identify your customers’ most common questions by going through your old email or phone records, or by talking to your customer service team. Some FAQs provide a list of questions at the top of the page, each of which links to an answer below. Others follow a simple Question/Answer/Question/Answer format. However you build yours, try not to overwhelm your audience. If you have more than 20 or 25 items for your FAQ, consider splitting it up into separate documents or pages. Remember to update your FAQ when you notice new questions coming in from your customers.

Troubleshooters: A troubleshooter is basically an interactive FAQ. It asks the user a series of questions, and provides answers based on the user responses. A troubleshooter is an excellent choice if you have a large number of FAQ items, or if your customers’ inquiries tend to be more complex than a one-sentence question. You’ll need to pay extra attention, though, to make sure it works the way it should. A troubleshooter that asks unnecessary questions or leads the user in the wrong direction will do more harm than good.

Helpdesk software: Larger companies may want to consider purchasing some type of “helpdesk” software. A helpdesk is a centralized resource which gives customers a place to start when they have questions. It may include FAQs or troubleshooters, but it will also allow the customer to email your customer service team, and it may also host customer message boards or forums.

Live Chat: If your customer service team spends a lot of time on the phone answering questions, consider setting up a live chat function for them as well. You won’t get all of your customers to use it, but the ones who do will get their answers more quickly and directly. Depending on the chat program you use, your customers may also be able to keep a transcript of the conversation for future reference.

If you’re not using any of these techniques now, it’s time to start thinking about it. An intelligent, organized approach to customer service is the next best thing to having no customer service issues at all.

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