Where Are They Hiding?

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #23

As business professionals we spend our lives advertising, promoting, marketing and selling to our target market. And hopefully we’ve invested the time and energy into determining exactly who our target market is, or we’re wasting our efforts.

Now that we know who they are, where are they hiding? In a boom market, it’s fairly easy to find our prospects. Many of them come to us on their own, or in response to advertising. We go out, walk around at networking events and, like a magnet, they come to us. Our biggest issue is finding a way to close them.

But in today’s more challenging market, it seems as though our prospects are hiding from us. Like turning your head quickly and catching a glimpse of a little prospect’s head peeking out from behind a closing door. You can almost hear the little prospect saying (quietly), “No, no, don’t talk to me! Don’t make me want to buy something!” Aww, poor little prospect.

They can be more challenging these days, so we need to find another way to get in front of them. Because let’s face it, when you’re great at what you do, you will make the sale if you can just get in front of your customer. We have to be creative about where we network. Don’t ignore the tried and true methods of networking groups, chambers of commerce, Rotary, etc., but now is the time to include other options.

Where does your target market hang out in their free time? What are their hobbies and interests? If they are parents, they are often at the PTA. If they are golfers, they are in the clubhouse. If they are women “of a certain age” they are possibly seeing the doctor who “refreshes” their looks. (I said be creative!)

The bottom line is that you need to be looking for your leads in all the places you go, not simply the ones designed for business. And don’t make it hard on yourself. Use the activities you enjoy to find your prospects. Find other professionals with the same target market and similar interests and create ways to package services or products to offer your buyers. You’ll find that the more often you’re seen and heard, the more often you’ll be thought of when the product or service you offer is required.

I’m finding that our Business Success Mastermind Teams are especially powerful for developing this kind of thinking. By combining professionals in different fields, we are more likely to create out-of-the-box ideas and cross-promotions. The energy and focus that comes out of each mastermind session is propelling everyone to more profits. I strongly recommend masterminding to grow you and your business.

Start your year with inspiration and motivation! Call me at Secure Your Success, Inc., 831-241-1545, or visit the website at www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com.

ANOTHER TEAM HAS LAUNCHED!

Business Success Mastermind Teams
For business professionals who want to make money now.

Our center of attention is on sales and marketing as your mastermind team receives focused leadership support and solutions to achieve your goals, make money and stay motivated. In addition to working with Audrey on your calls, mastermind group members receive discounts on one-on-one coaching. Twice a month hourly sessions are held by phone and recorded for playback – by your team only. Masterminding with a leader keeps your calls on target and profitable.

E-mail Audrey@SecureYourSucccessInc.com or call 831-241-1545 to set up your free consultation call for placement on your winning team.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

To your sales success,

Audrey

Audrey Pierson
Secure Your Success, Inc.
831-241-1545
www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com

Make more money faster.

Educating Your Customers

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #22

I had two speaking engagements this week and I have to tell you, I love ‘em! I realize many of you are getting chills right now. Those of you who crawled under the bed need to come back out! I have a great time doing these talks and I think a big part of it is because I really love helping business professionals recognize opportunities to make more money.

Regardless of how much we know about our own businesses, as well as marketing, advertising and promotion, we can always learn more. I attend every presentation I can on sales and marketing because I always either learn something new, am reminded of something I want to try or simply become inspired and motivated once again. I believe education should never end. When we stop learning, we stop growing.

I also think that if we believe we know-it-all, that attitude comes across to our prospects and defeats our sales efforts. We may be regarded as pompous, arrogant or even rude. Obviously this is not the goal.

Education is critical in the beginning of the sales process because we need our prospects to truly understand what we offer, how we can be of help to them and what the benefits are of working with us.

Then, we also need to continually educate our existing customers regarding our product, our services and our offers or risk losing them to the competition. Why is this necessary?

Over time, as you develop and expand your business, you will modify or even completely change your offers, your services and your attitudes about all number of things. (Most likely starting with, “What was I thinking when I started this business?!?”) You need to keep your prospects and your clients up on these changes so that when it is time for them to buy (or buy again), they will do so from you. As much as we might wish it, or even expect it, it does not just happen automatically. Stay in touch with your customers and always be willing to provide information to them, even if you think they already know.

If you want to be perceived as the expert in your field – and, trust me, that IS what you want – make sure you find ways to continually educate your prospects and your existing customers about the benefits of your services so you never miss a sales opportunity.

For more profit building ideas and opportunities to make money faster, call me at Secure Your Success, Inc., 831-241-1545, or visit the website at www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com.

MAKE MORE MONEY IN 2009

Business Success Mastermind Teams
For business professionals who want to catapult their income.

Use your mastermind team to achieve your goals, make more money and stay motivated through focused leadership, support and solutions. In addition to working with me on your calls, mastermind group members receive discounts on one-on-one consulting. Twice a month hourly sessions are held by phone and recorded for playback – by your team only. Your calls are on target and profitable.

E-mail Audrey@SecureYourSucccessInc.com or call 831-241-1545 to set up your free consultation call for placement on your winning team.

I look forward to talking with you soon!

To your sales success,

Audrey

Audrey Pierson
Secure Your Success, Inc.
831-241-1545
audrey@SecureYourSuccessInc.com
www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com

Make more money faster!

Your Sales Personality (Part One?)

Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #21

Your Sales Personality (Part One?)

I was shopping recently . . . well, it’s the holidays, who isn’t shopping? Anyway, I was reminded again how seemingly little things can make a huge difference, not only in making a sale, but also keeping a customer for the long term. I’ve been thinking about some of the things that really bother me when I’m shopping in stores and I’ve noticed how these annoyances also apply when talking to anyone about doing business – in a store or not.

I titled this Strategy (Part One?) because I know I won’t have space to list everything I find lacking in sales today. I’m going to start with the first thing that irritates me when I walk in the door and continue from there.

Annoyance #1

Lack of courtesy and politeness. I can’t believe it, but these two critical traits are so often missing when I enter a store that I have to name them first. We’re often not greeted when we enter a store. We’re ignored, or given short, curt answers to our questions. Ask where something is located and we’re answered with an arm pointing in a vague direction. Yeesh! What happened to common courtesy? Don’t tell me I’m old. First, I already know that, but second, this is a failure on many levels. The individual’s upbringing certainly, but also training or education in how to be a sales professional. Too often business owners believe that any “body” is better than no “body” on the sales floor. Not true.

Not to belabor the subject, but how anyone imagines that disregarding good manners can result in a sale, let alone repeat sales, is beyond me. Perhaps they believe there will always be new customers to take my place, but I can assure you that once mistreated, I rarely go back. Would you?

How does this apply to our own sales personalities?

I know you’re all professionals, but I’m going to give us all a good reminder anyway. Always treat your potential customer as you would a guest in your home. Specifically, like you would treat the “good company”. This means that you, your office, your briefcase, your desk, your car, yourself all look like you care what your customer thinks of you. How you present yourself is part of your first impression.

Open your conversations with courteous comments, including a warm hello and a thank you for their inviting or allowing you to speak with them. Find something to compliment (if you have to practice this skill, do it). Make your customer feel welcome and they will welcome you with their attention.

I know you’re all polite when speaking with customers and prospects. I challenge you to also really listen to your tone of voice, your breathing patterns (don’t sigh when they say something not-so-bright), and the way you speak to others who work with them. How you treat others demonstrates how you will treat your prospect once they become your customer.

Essentially, take the lessons we learned at home and bring them to work each day. That is, play nicely with others, make friends and don’t hit your brother. (Maybe that last one was just my mom.) Be your very best self, on your best behavior and you won’t have to worry about making a good impression. You can concentrate on getting the Yes!

I have more annoyances to share with you in the future. In the meantime, send me some of your own and I’ll share them with the rest of the class.

Call me at Secure Your Success, Inc., 831-241-1545, or visit the website at www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com for more profit building ideas and opportunities to make money faster.

NEW TEAMS ARE FORMING NOW!

Business Success Mastermind Teams
For business professionals who want to catapult their income.

Your mastermind team receives focused leadership support and solutions to achieve your goals, make more money and stay motivated. In addition to working with Audrey on your calls, mastermind group members receive discounts on one-on-one consulting with Audrey. Twice a month hourly sessions are held by phone and recorded for playback – by your own team only. Masterminding with a leader keeps your calls on target and profitable.

E-mail Audrey@SecureYourSucccessInc.com or call 831-241-1545 to set up your free consultation call for placement on your winning team.

To your sales success,

Audrey

Audrey Pierson
Secure Your Success, Inc.
831-241-1545
audrey@SecureYourSuccessInc.com

Make more money faster!