Marketing Tip of the Day
Prospecting
You must walk through many doors before finding one person with enough curiosity, let alone enough interest, to talk with you. You can view prospecting from one of two perspectives: An activity filled with frustration and disappointment, or a journey where each unproductive step gets you closer to your ultimate goal and success. The choice is yours. Love it or hate it… just do it.
Jeff Schneider, Sandler Sales Institute
http://www.schneider.sandler.com
Essentials for Networking
Believe that Networking WILL work.
Unless you are truly convinced that your networking efforts will help you succeed, you will waste everyone’s time. Networking requires a positive attitude.
Target the right audience.
Approach individuals who can provide what you seek or who can direct you to those who can. Get involved with members of your own group.
Make a strong first impression.
Always put your best foot forward. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
-Taken from “Networking Magic”
Essentials for Networking
Network with those you emulate.
Shoot for the top. Meeting those who have achieved your goals gives you a blueprint to learn from and follow.
Talk to everyone you meet.
Don’t discount or overlook anyone. Be genuinely friendly. People remember your kindness to them and will go out of their way to reciprocate.
Learn to read people.
Pay close attention and become skilled at sensing people’s needs. Learn to recognize who will give and who will only take. Trust your instincts.
-Taken from “Networking Magic”
Essentials for Networking
Listen.
Pay careful attention to what others say. Listen and observe more than talk. Listening can be an acquired skill, so work on becoming a good listener.
Be willing to help.
Give, give, give. Networking is a two-way street. Offer your help freely and generously.
Be prepared.
Become an expert, and be able to provide insightful answers to questions about your field. (But don’t try to make other members experts of your business. Just pique their interest.)
-Taken from “Networking Magic”
Essentials for Networking
Find common denominators.
Common denominators are the thread that connects network
partners. Without common interests, objectives, and values,
bonds can not be created.
Bring value.
Always have ideas, suggestions, and insights to share. Help the
Other person out first; don’t wait for them to give you a lead or
connection. “Leaders first.” “Givers gain.”
Be honest, courteous, and fair.
Deliver what you promise and when you can, deliver more. Do
not exaggerate or claim to be what you are not.
-Taken from “Networking Magic”
Essentials for Networking
Follow up.
After you first meet someone, keep in touch in a creative way.
Send special notes or postcards. Also ALWAYS follow up with
any leads you receive.
Keep referrers informed.
As you build relationships, keep your network referrers in the
loop. Let them know when you set up a meeting and fill them in
on your progress.
Look at the big picture.
Try to see past the momentary, day-to-day activities that occupy
your life and build toward your overall lifetime objectives.
Sometimes taking nothing today will position you to gain far more
tomorrow.
-Taken from “Networking Magic”
Big NO-NO's OF Networking
Don’t act desperate.
People prefer to associate with successful people. If they think you are desperate, they will avoid you like the plague.
Don’t sell.
Never enter into any networking situation with the intention of selling. Networking is not sales; it’s relationship building.
Don’t monopolize.
Respect the value and short supply of other people’s time. Appreciate that your contacts are also attending to meet people and build relationships.
Big NO-NO's OF Networking
Don’t interrupt.
It’s rude and turns everyone off. It tells people that you think that what you have to say is more important than what they have to say.
Don’t just talk about you.
Besides irritating others, you won’t learn anything by talking only about yourself.
Don’t play it by ear.
Anticipate and be prepared. Have a killer 15-second “elevator speech” prepared to deliver along with the follow-up information that they might request.
Big NO-NO's OF Networking
Don’t misrepresent yourself.
The purpose of networking is to build long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. If you pretend to be what you are not, sooner or later you will be caught.
Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.
See above.
Don’t pry.
Be clear about information you need, but don’t ask questions about areas that seem confidential.
Big NO-NO's OF Networking
Don’t linger with losers and “hangers-on.”
Your time is valuable and if you let them, some people will take as much of it as you allow. They latch onto you, try to take whatever they can get that could help them and are hard to shake.
Don’t overextend.
Select a few prime targets that you think you can realistically reach and put them on you’re A List. Be realistic; concentrate your utmost efforts on a few worthy targets, and place the rest on your B List. (All of your fellow group members SHOULD be on you’re A List. These are the people who will sell you. Your meeting should be the most important appointment for the week.)
Don’t be discouraged.
Most good things take time, patience, and work. When you try to build relationships, you are attempting to become a part of someone’s life and many desirable people won’t let you right in.
Characteristics of a Brilliant Marketing Message
Brief, believable and specific Tells prospects and the public which problems you solve and the benefits your provide Focuses on your prospect's wants and problems Avoids labels and descriptions of processes Is in plain English and avoids business speak Positions you as the expert and problem solver Demonstrates a can-do attitude, focused on what you accomplish for clients Amy Dent Beebe Quixotic Productions www.thewebdiva.biz
A Killer Elevator Speech
You have exactly 3.5 seconds (yes, SECONDS!!! We live in the computer, strike that, we live in the Internet age) to fascinate any person who asks you what you do, so you'd better be ready to spike that ball when it's set up like that for you. You know what I'm talking about: You need an elevator speech. When people ask me what is the single most important thing they can do to market their businesses successfully, I have what looks like a very simple answer: Create a killer elevator speech. Yeah it sounds simple but it is probably the biggest challenge many entrepreneurs face (and that's saying something!) But it can be done (and done well,) and I've got a great free tool that you can use to create your own killer elevator speech. Simply click onto Ronnie's website and click onto tools. Ronnie Noize, the Marketing Coach- www.veronikanoize.com
Prospects Don't Care about You!
Prospects care about getting their needs met. During a sales call, prospects are thinking one thing-What's in it for me? (WIIFM) They really don't care what's in it for you or if you get your needs met. Keep your conversations focused on them-their needs, their goals, their challenges, their reasons for choosing one supplier rather than another, how they would make a buying decision, and how much they would be willing to invest to obtain your product or service. All else-your reasons for them to buy from you, how much you charge, how and when you would like them to make a decision, what you believe to be the unique selling points of your product or service-is irrelevant. Jeff Schneider, Sander Sales Institute http://www.schneider.sandler.com
Sandler Rule: Live to sell, but don't sell to live.
Do you look forward to going out, day after day, looking for new prospects and new opportunities? Or, is selling merely a way to make a living? To reach the highest levels of success, you must have a passion for selling, energized by the “thrill of the hunt” and committed to finding, developing, and closing selling opportunities—large and small.
You must firmly believe there are prospects who need the product or service you sell; be obsessed with finding them and giving them an opportunity to buy. You must be focused on what needs to be done, when it needs to be done…and do it.
You must also have self-discipline, otherwise your passion and commitment can lead to chaos. You must plan your work and then work your plan. - Develop a weekly prospecting plan; schedule time for prospecting activities—and stick to the schedule.
- Work on your prospecting approach; avoid sounding like every other salesperson making a routine cold call. If you do, you’ll be dismissed quickly.
- Don’t overlook previous customers—not only as a source for new business, but also as a valuable source for referrals.
- Work to improve your interviewing and listening skills. Your job on a sales call is to obtain information
Passion, commitment, and planning won’t count for much if you don’t implement your plan. Plan each day’s activities in advance, perhaps at the end of the previous day. You’ll be on the phone or out the door while others in the office are scurrying around for their first cup of coffee. Be passionate about getting your product or service to those who can benefit; be committed to a sales plan; then take action. Passion, commitment, action: it’s the formula for selling success. Jeff Schneider, Sandler Sales Insitute http://www.schneider.sandler.com
Networking Tip of the Day
Networking Tip of the Day: Remember that your first impression is a lasting impression. You only have one chance to make a great first impression!!
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Marketing Tip of the Day
Big NO-NO's OF Networking
Don’t act desperate.
People prefer to associate with successful people. If they think you are desperate, they will avoid you like the plague.
Don’t sell.
Never enter into any networking situation with the intention of selling. Networking is not sales; it’s relationship building.
Don’t monopolize.
Respect the value and short supply of other people’s time. Appreciate that your contacts are also attending to meet people and build relationships.
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