Stop Talking Already!
This is a guest post by Laura Caton from The Cornerstone Group Inc. www.thecornerstonegroupinc.com
To listen well is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation. ~Chinese proverb.
On May 21, more than 200 people attended the Sales 2.0 Conference hosted by Selling Power Magazine in Boston; unfortunately I was not one of them. However, a good friend of mine did attend and she came back from this meeting, brimming with enthusiasm. As we sat enjoying a delicious glass of chardonnay Saturday night, she explained her renewed gusto for selling–she was reborn. We talked about social networking and how this was the new way to generate leads. We both bemoaned the lead time for closing a sale and how businesses appear to be paralyzed by spending, any spending!
One of the more interesting observations that apparently came out of this conference for her was from Gerhard Gschwandtner, Founder and CEO of Personal Selling Power Inc. In his opening speech, “7 Key Trends in Selling,” he talks about ditching the pitch. (btw, Bonnie offers a program called Ditch the Pitch). She said, “You know, it’s more about having a conversation. It’s more important than ever before to talk with prospects, as opposed to at them.” Wow, I didn’t know this was a news flash. I was even more surprised to hear my friend, who I also saw at the hunter/sales person personified, say this straight faced—as if this was news to her! Quite frankly, I was more interested in drinking my wine and talking recipes from this month’s Food and Wine.
Curious as to what else happened at this conference, I went on the Sales 2.0’s web site for more information. I stumbled upon this, Barry Trailer, a Partner at CSO Insights, was quoted as saying, “The number one mistake I see in the area of “customer engagement” is that the Sales Reps think they should be doing all the talking”. Okay, maybe doing the stop, listen and listen is a news flash!
As a wholesaler for a large mutual fund company in the early 80’s, the sales approach was the same; product, product, product. Every quarter was devoted to hawking a particular sector. Jam it down their throats whether it fit our audience’s business model or not. It was a matter of shelf space for prospectuses at the Merrill Lynch office and points earned for fantastic due diligence trips. Just pitch the fund du jour and move to the next office. It was an unfulfilling sales position to say the least and I felt, dare I say, whorish at times.
Taking a more customer focused/consultative sales approach to selling is all about listening, and then asking strategic and investigative questions (so you do get to talk!). It applies to every sales appointment, phone conversation, and meeting you have with a potential buyer. Nancy Martini, CEO of PI Worldwide, states, “In a selling situation, the real world is divided into two “worlds” – yours and the prospects/clients. Often, sales professionals only focus on the “world” they are familiar with, their own.” The key is you can’t ask strategic questions if you don’t start by listening to the client or prospects’ needs.
Listening provides you with the information you want to work effectively in the prospect’s world. Good listening means you can link your value proposition to the client’s specific needs. It also means you can have a meaningful, shared conversation, as Mr. Gschwandtner suggests.
Most of us love to talk and listening is pretty hard. Many of us in sales love to share and socially connect with a person; which means talking.
So here’s a question, how well do you listen? Listening does not mean nodding your head in agreement and waiting to say what you want (this is my big listening challenge). It truly means putting your agenda aside. Make a point to practice good listening skills. Good listening is a commanding skill, which can set you apart from other out there. Ditch the pitch, sit back and never stop listening.
With extensive expertise in organizational & leadership development, the Cornerstone Group helps clients to build more productive organizations by better leveraging their most important asset, people.
Their unique approach to assessing people, finding their core strengths, and leveraging those strengths in current and future roles helps their clients to hire smarter, manage more effectively, and develop stronger leaders. Their unique process of assessment, training, consulting and ongoing support allows them to partner with their clients and create a road map for organizational success. www.thecornerstonegroupinc.com
Why Can’t We Just Get Along? Women Bullying Other Women
Don’t we have enough obstacles in the workplace without having to deal with other women sabotaging our efforts? Why can’t women just get along and support each other in their efforts to advance their careers?
The New York Times this week ran an article, “Backlash: Women Bullying Women at Work”, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/business/10women.html that presented statistics to support the fact that 40% of all workplace bullies are women and that women bully other women 70% of the time!
Bullying is categorized as behavior that can include spreading rumors to derail someone’s career, withholding important promotional information, pushing and shoving (yes, do you believe this one?), bad mouthing others, passive aggressive behavior and more.
So why does this type of sabotaging behavior occur in the workplace?
There are several theories:
- Women need to adopt aggressive behavior to get ahead and once they are in a leadership position they still maintain this behavior.
- Women see other women as potential threats and competitors.
- There is not much opportunity for advancement and so women are more competitive.
- Women are being stereotyped as “bullies” but this is not necessarily the case.
- Women are insecure in their leadership positions and feel the necessity to sabotage other women to maintain their position of power.
Here is a wonderful quote from the article,
As we get into the corporate world, we’re taught or we’re led to believe that we don’t get ahead because of men. But, we really don’t get ahead because of ourselves. Instead of building each other up and showcasing each other, we’re constantly tearing each other down.
Do you see evidence of women bullying other women in your workplace?
Have you experienced another woman sabotaging your efforts at work?
I would love to hear from you. Please send your comments!
Create Visibility to Market Your Personal Brand
Visibility is the key component to any successful marketing campaign. There is no limit to the ways that you can market yourself. Visibility is contagious and once you get started it takes off. The biggest challenge is to get started.
Be aware that everything you do and everything you don’t do or choose not to do is all part of your personal brand. It all communicates your value and character. The way you answer your phone is part of your brand message. Your voice message, the way you respond to emails are all part of your brand so it’s important to be conscious of the way you are communicating to people.
Here are some tips on how to create visibility for yourself to enhance your profile at work:
- Sign up for a special project or committee that has visibility within your company which will introduce you to new colleagues and showcase your skills or teach you new skills.
- Become a SME (subject matter expert). Teach at a community college or an adult education course.
- Start a blog on the subject. Create buzz about you and your brand.
- Write a contributing article/column for your local newspaper or alumni magazine. You will have a track record of your work.
- Sign up to speak at a conference. Volunteer for a panel discussion.
- Be strategic about social media networking sites. Choose the sites that best suit your needs to promote your brand and carefully craft your promotional message and profile online.
- Nurture your network. The best way to market your brand is word of mouth marketing. Find conscious ways to communicate your message to your contacts. What they say about your contributes to the value of your brand.
Marketing your brand requires you to act selfishly to promote yourself and to grow yourself. This is a win-win situation for you and your company. Everything you do to promote your personal brand and grow professionally is gravy for them. When you are learning, growing, building relationships,and delivering great results, it’s good for you and good for the company where you work.
Want to be an Internet Radio Show host? Check out Coach Deb Bailey’s teleclass next Wednesday April 22nd.
“Boost Your Marketing and Visibility with Internet Radio”
Learn the strategies for hosting your own internet radio show for maximum visibility and revenue
Hosted by Coach Deb Bailey, host of “Women Entrepreneurs-The Secrets of Success” internet radio show
Where: on the phone
Date: Wed. April 22
Time: 08:00 PM to 09:00 PM eastern
Cost: $10
Sign up: http://www.dbaileycoach.com/teleclass_radioshow.html
Teleclass will include:
- Where to promote your shows and how to get on iTunes
- How to find high-profile guests
- What platforms to use to host your show
- How to make your show come across as a “professional” broadcast
- What business models will generate revenue from your show
The Secret of New Marketing
I have always maintained that the best way to market is by word of mouth. Communicating with your network is the most powerful and important marketing vehicle you’ve got. I was so pleased to read Seth Godin’s blog this week,http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/04/first-ten-.html because he validated this marketing approach and labeled it, the secret of new marketing.
In his blog, Seth states:
Find ten people. Ten people who trust you/respect you/need you/listen to you.
Those ten people need what you have to sell, or want it. And if they love it, you win. If they love it, they’ll each find you ten more people (or a hundred or a thousand or, perhaps, just three). Repeat.
If they don’t love it, you need a new product. Start over.
Your idea spreads. Your business grows. Not as fast as you want, but faster than you could ever imagine.
This approach is so effective because you are communicating your message to people who know you and respect you. It is common knowledge that we buy products and services with brands that we trust. Your network contacts already trust you and believe in you and are more than willing to spread the word about your business and your brand.
Initially, it is not necessary to get your message out to the anonymous masses. There is a common belief that to jump start your business it is important to reach as many people as possible with expensive press releases and formal product launches. Seth calls this approach backwards. You spend a lot of money in the beginning and then it falls off when you should be doing the exact opposite. Save your marketing dollars until your business starts to grow and thrive.
Consciously nurture your network and be clear on your promotional message. What your network contacts say about you contributes to the value and reputational power of your brand.
April Teleclass on Self Promotion starts April 7th!
There is still time to register. 3 one hour sessions run consecutive Tuesday evenings 7-8pm EDT
Learn how to overcome your limiting beliefs around selling yourself and your business.
Create your own authentic and effective message to promote yourself.
Workbook included. $99 for 3 sessions!
register online: http://womenssuccesscoaching.com/services/group-coaching
Here are some testimonials:
“Thanks Bonnie! It was a great session and I found it very helpful. I am charged up and ready to go.”
“To anyone who hasn’t taken this workshop, I highly recommend it!! It’s excellent information.”
“Bonnie’s insight and approach regarding sales was transformational for me.”
Narrow Your Niche to Attract More Clients
We are all taught in Marketing 101 the importance of defining a niche and clarifying who we consider to be our target audience. I think we all understand this concept intellectually. It makes sense. When people have a clear understanding of what services and products you offer and who will benefit from those products and services, they can easily refer business. Yes, the concept completely makes sense.
Now, we are starting our own business. We have these wonderful products and/or services to bring to market. We don’t want to miss out on any opportunity to make a sale. So what do we do? Do we go back to Marketing 101 and choose a well-defined niche? Very often, we don’t. We ignore the marketing pundits and cast a really wide net in hopes of being wildly successful right out of the starting gate. We don’t want to turn down any opportunity that may come our way. The problem is that promoting ourselves without a specific target audience and niche can often backfire. We try to attract everyone, but we end up not attracting the clients we want and we limit our success because we haven’t defined our message so that others can refer business.
The hesitancy to narrow our niche is often fear based. We are fearful that if we limit ourselves we won’t be successful and that when we first start a business we need to take any clients/customers that we can. This approach can also be true, however, of more experienced entrepreneurs who are still holding on and patiently waiting for their businesses to grow.
The first step to attracting clients is to define your target audience. Who is your ideal client? Gender, age, income, educational background, occupation, geography, hobbies and interests, special needs are all important factors.
Once you clarify the target audience, you need to create a message to promote yourself and your business that will attract this type of customer/client. Your message should be very specific about what you provide for that target audience and how they will benefit. There should be an emotional component for them to latch on to. Make your message personal and tell your story and your own connection to this product or service.
I have assisted many clients through this process and the results are usually quite remarkable. Once you get over the fear of narrowing your niche and you send a clear message to your network, your business will literally take off. All of a sudden, the light bulb goes on and people get it. They will know someone who needs your services or product and they will refer business.
Your promotional message can be used in any form of media. Now you have the content for any successful promotion whether it’s face to face meetings, radio, print ads, web site, or brochures.
Narrow your niche and you WILL attract more clients.
April Teleclass: Self-Promotion for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
Learn what limiting beliefs hold you back from successfully promoting yourself and your business.
Create your own unique compelling message that will help you stand out in a crowd.
This stimulating interactive group class will help any business owner feel comfortable and confident promoting themselves. Workbook included.
NOW ONLY $99 for 3 one hour sessions!
Tuesday evenings, 7-8pm EST. April 7, April 14, April 21
Brand New! Starting in April. Weekly Success Group!
The Friday Breakfast Brag Club (T.G.I.F.)
Thank Goodness I‘m Fabulous!
End your week on a high note. Call in every Friday morning 8-8:30 am EDT and share your successes for the week in a safe and supportive environment. Practice a little bragging.
What went right this week? What does that say about you?
Celebrate YOU every week. What fun!
$29.99 per month. 3 month commitment. Space limited.
Click here for more information on both Group Classes. www.womenssuccesscoaching.com/services/group-coaching
How to Stay Marketable in a Down Economy
How do you stay marketable in a down economy? Promote your personal brand.
When it comes to selling yourself, you should follow the same guidelines that you use when selling any product or service. Take an objective point of view, do an assessment of the product (you), create an effective pitch, and develop a sales plan.
1. Know Your Product.
Do an assessment of yourself and get to know yourself as the “product”.
What are your strengths?
List 3-5 personality pluses and how these traits have helped you in your current and past positions.
List 3-5 recent accomplishments. What do these accomplishments say about you?
2. What is your sales pitch for your product?
Create your own personal pitch.
Answer these questions:
What is my story? my history?
What differentiates me? What special qualities do I have and why are they marketable?
How have these qualities helped me be successful in the past?
What are my features and benefits?
i.e. I am tenacious and what that means to my employer is that they can count on me to stay focused and complete my assigned projects.
3. Create Your Sales Plan
What is your career goal for the next 6-12 months?
Create action items to help you reach your goal.
Identify people you need to be in front of consistently. How will you accomplish that? Set timeframes and identify resources needed if any.
What organizations should you join/attend? What committee should you volunteer for?
What special projects should you take on?
4. Go out there and sell yourself.
Always be prepared 24/7 to talk about your accomplishments.
Consistently work your sales plan and stay in front of your “web of influence”, your important contacts.
Stay visible. Stay positive. Stay focused.
Approach selling yourself and your own personal brand with the enthusiasm and confidence your “product” deserves. You are the best possible “product”. Go out there and let everyone know what you’ve got!
Want to practice your positive self-talk?
NEW Group staring in April
Friday morning Breakfast Brag Club (TGIF)
Thank Goodness I’m Fabulous!!!
8-8:30 am EDT every Friday morning
check it out: http://womenssuccesscoaching.com/services/group-coaching/
Network, Network, Network Now!
I think by now we have all accepted the fact that our economy is in crisis and there is not an immediate panacea to catapult us back to financial stability. Every day we hear of more businesses going bankrupt and laying off employees.
Perhaps you are lucky enough to be employed or own your own business. Even if you are currently unemployed, now is the time to get out there and network! If you are vigilant at networking, you can continue to build your business, keep your job, and land a new position.
What to do if you own a business? Network!
- Regularly stay in touch with your customers to ensure that they are pleased with your services.
- Consistently expand your referral network. Set appointments every week. Target specific numbers of new contacts per week.
- Look for new opportunities to showcase your business through your network. Write articles, blog, guest blog, go to networking meetings. Keep visible on your social media sites.
- Fine tune your pitch. Make sure that your message is compelling and memorable.
- Look for partner opportunities with complimentary businesses in your network. Tap your referral network for ideas.
- Entice new customers with special promotions. Brainstorm with your contacts. Collaborate.
What to do if you are employed? Network!
- Make sure you stay visible at work. Now is not the time to hide in the shadows.
- Regularly meet with your boss to discuss your progress and set new goals.
- Expand your referral network inside and outside the company. Keep in contact with your network contacts on a consistent basis.
- Use social media sites to network. Join industry related groups on sites such as LinkedIn to increase your network and visibility.
- Develop an action plan. Who is in your web of influence at work? Who do you need to stay in front of? What actions are necessary?
- Keep track of your accomplishments on a daily/weekly basis. Be prepared to speak about your successes.
- Prepare your personal pitch. Be ready 24/7 to talk about what you do with your internal and external contacts. Don’t miss out on a opportunity to promote yourself because you are not prepared.
What to do if you are looking for a job? Definitely network!
- Write out a list of your accomplishments. Review the list and write down what these successes say about you.
- Write 3-5 personality pluses and how they helped you in your past positions.
- Make contact with everyone in your network. Include family, friends, former colleagues, professional contacts (doctor, lawyer, chiropractor, dentist, accountant, etc.) and let them know what type of work you are seeking.
- Update your personal message to include your accomplishments. Your message should be upbeat and positive.
- Work the social media sites and industry related groups.
- Do your online searches daily and see the types of positions out there.
- Be clear what you want. Set your intentions in that direction. Let everyone know what type of position you are seeking.
- Prepare for each job interview. Research the company. Investigate to see if your network contacts have relationships in the company to help your efforts.
The challenge whether you are employed, unemployed, or a business owner is to stay focused on work and keep a positive attitude. Set your intentions on new opportunities through your network contacts. Your diligence in networking activities will lay the groundwork for your continued success.
New April Teleclass!
Self-Promotion for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
3 one hour sessions, Tuesday evenings 7-8pm EST, starting April 7th. $125
For more information: http://womenssuccesscoaching.com/services/group-coaching
Channel the Saran Wrap
http://womenssuccesscoaching.com/contact-us/
