Business Management - Marketing/Sales

Like it or not, we are all in the service business, and solving problems is one of the ways that we can strengthen, solidify and build our loyal customer base. Involving the client in the solution, making them feel heard and important is a vital process. Don’t lose a customer because you were too busy upholding policy or standing your ground to remember why you are in business in the first place. No customers, no business.

As we all know in marketing, we have mere seconds to grab the buyer’s attention and interest. Rising to the top of the pile of glossy magazine-style catalogs that 99 percent of retailers send, the Anthropologie catalog always catches my immediate attention. Yes, it’s gorgeously designed. But more importantly, it’s printed on uncoated paper...well, the cover is. And this is what I mean by cheating.

What’s making the news are things like 3-D printing, and yes, even 4-D printing, which was recently demonstrated by those smart people just down the road a bit, at MIT. They spoke about 4-D printing at a TED conference in California. (Don’t ask me to explain it; I’m still stuck at 3D.)

As hard as it is to land in order, your toughest sale might still be ahead of you. Salespeople often find themselves to be up against an equally challenging internal sale to the Estimator, Production Manager or the Bindery Department.

There is a secret to getting your price. You can avoid price objections. In this week's Short Attention Span Webinar, Bill and Kelly will give you the keys to the kingdom and let you in on the secret.

Last week, Fire Enterprises (FEI) marketing maven Marka told savvy salesperson Zoot how enclosing public relations pieces in direct mailers can help persuade prospects to buy from them. This week, Marka shows Zoot how including low-cost marketing pieces in invoices can lead to more business from existing customers. Remember, fire = print.

So, you ask—why the 17-second challenge? What does that mean? Glad you asked. First, I am tired of the term “elevator speech,” and second 17 seconds is about all the time you have to communicate something to another person before they lose interest.

Spanish magazine Revista Cruce, is gorgeous from the first of its 44 pages to the last. The variety of papers used in the magazine work together seamlessly—conveying the personality of the publication, enhancing the stories and bringing out the best in photographs.

Today’s idea is borrowed from a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, Mary Schmich, a Pulitzer Prize winner and beloved Chicago institution (for those of us who still read newspapers). This past week she wrote about some of her favorite books, movies, and other pop culture items du jour. I immediately glommed on to this topic and figured I could relay some of my favorite sales material and inspirations for all of you.

You are the sum of your parts. Your selling style is the sum of your words and is on display in your speaking style. The customer hears every emotion you are having. They take clues from the tone of your voice, the pace of the conversation, and the confidence (or lack thereof) that you demonstrate through your words.