Sales Tips I Learned from My Cat by Wendy Weiss

I love my cat. Her name is Ms. Kitty. She was named after Mr. Cat, who died 11 years ago, and after Amanda Blake of "Gun Smoke" fame. Ms. Kitty and I just celebrated our birthdays. She's 11. I'm... well, I celebrated a birthday, too. 

Those of you who are cat lovers are nodding your heads and smiling. The rest of you probably think I've totally lost it. But before you tune out completely, let me share some of the fabulous sales tips that I have learned from Ms. Kitty and from all the cats in my life.

<<Be clear in knowing your goal>>

Ms. Kitty always knows what she wants. Whether it's  more food or to be petted or not to be petted, she knows what she wants and when she wants it. She spends much time pondering her wants. All that time spent sleeping on the coach is not what it appears. She's really planning her next move.

<<Ask for what you want>>

Once Ms. Kitty has determined her goal, she asks for it. Clearly and concisely. "Meow." She lets me know in no uncertain terms what she wants. And if I'm not clever enough to understand the first time, she is patient with me until I do. 

<<Ask again>>

If at first you don't succeed. Ms. Kitty asks, and asks and asks. She won't go away. She won't stop saying, "Meow." She wants what she wants when she wants it, and she lets nothing stand in her way.

<<Ask a lot of people>>

Ms. Kitty has learned over time that I don't always immediately accede to her demands. That's okay. She just asks someone else. And then someone else. Eventually, some human being says "yes."

<<Be persistent>>

Ms. Kitty never judges herself. She doesn't worry about being "too pushy" or "too aggressive." She doesn't worry that her prospect might be "too busy" or "already have a cat." She believes in herself, she knows what she wants, and she keeps asking until she gets it.

<<Don't take "no" for an answer>>

Ms. Kitty is clever and creative. She keeps asking. She asks many people. She reworks her pitch and starts over. She does not hear "no." She realizes that sometimes humans are slow and she just has to keep after us till we "get it." It's a process.

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Proposals: Following Up by Wendy Weiss

Readers frequently write and ask: How does one follow up on a proposal when each time you call, you only get voice mail?

Excellent question! Try this:

Always have your calendar or Palm Pilot with you and easily available. When a prospect asks for a proposal, part of your conversation must be about how and when you will deliver that proposal. Once you have established the time frame for delivery, take out your calendar and say, "Let's pencil in a time for me to come by with the proposal, and we'll be able to talk about it." 

Keeping in mind the parameters and time frame that you just discussed, offer some choices: "Is early next week good for you, or is later in the week better?" This way, you are having a conversation about when you will meet to discuss the proposal, not if you will meet to discuss the proposal—an important distinction! I also like the word "pencil"—it implies that the time can be erased or changed, so the prospect does not feel trapped.

This is a strategy that you can use to advantage at any point through out your sales cycle. If, during a meeting with a prospect, it becomes apparent that you will need to meet again, set it up there and then. If your prospect says, "Call me next week, and we'll set something up…," you say (taking out your calendar), "Let's pencil something in, and I'll make sure to call you to confirm." Then, give your prospect some choices: "Is next Thursday or Friday good, or would the following week be better?" If you can set the meeting in this manner, all you need to do is confirm it. It is a much more efficient use of your time. This approach eliminates the endless phone calls, messages or telephone tag that you might otherwise need to follow up with a prospect.

Here's another use of this technique: If you meet someone at a networking meeting who asks you to call, saying that they'd like to have an extended business conversation—take out your calendar. Say, "Do you have your calendar handy? Let's pencil in a meeting, and I'll make sure to call to confirm. Is next week good, or would the week after be better?"

Using this approach, you could halve the number of follow-up phone calls you might need to make.

Going back to the initial scenario we discussed, following up on a proposal: It is always a better idea to present your proposal face-to-face. This way, you can answer questions, articulate benefits, evaluate your prospect's response and negotiate, if need be. You have far more control in this

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Teaching Customer Service Reps The Art of Listening by Adrian Miller

Effective listening is perhaps the most valuable skill you can teach your Customer Service team. It is the linchpin in a needs-based, consultative service strategy that determines and delivers what the customer needs and wants.

Simply put, listening enables reps to draw customers into an interactive conversation in which they can ask perceptive questions, probe for reactions, and respond to those reactions appropriately.

But most people aren't natural listeners, let alone trained in the art of listening. That's probable because real listening involves letting go of ego---temporarily subjugating one's own agenda in the interest of understanding another's message. The fact is, however, that most of us either don't hear the message at all, or hear it but misinterpret its meaning.

Listening can be especially, and understandably, difficult for Customer Service Reps because they are under pressure to handle a volume of calls, and therefore are concentrating on what they have to say next instead of paying close attention to what the customer is actually communicating. Nevertheless, there are techniques you can teach reps to use that will demonstrate real interest in the customer--an excellent way to establish rapport and a powerful form of communication.

Tips and Tactics

Listening involves several steps: hearing what is said; interpreting what it really means; and responding in a positive way that shows that the message has been understood and is considered important. There is virtually no better way to create a favorable impression than by showing others that you are interested in and value their opinions. Moreover, it is sometimes the only way you can elicit attitudes and discover needs--information that is crucial to satisfying the customer.

Here are some simple tactics for effective listening:
? Tune out distractions and focus on each call as if it were the most important of the day
? Concentrate on what the customer is saying rather than thinking about what YOU want to say
? Don't interrupt; a customer's willingness to talk, within a reasonable time period, represents a golden opportunity to find out the problem / situation
? Don't jump to conclusions
? Become attuned to tone of voice and inflection; these can be as telling as the words themselves
? Occasionally repeat what the customer has said--it shows attention and comprehension
? Ask for clarification if a statement or objection is vague
? Create rapport by smiling (even in telephone sales a smile can be HEARD through the phone!)
? Take notes to be sure you remember the customer's key points
? Be familiar with common questions and problems and practice responding in a natural, conversational manner
? Control your emotions and be courteous, no matter how rude the customer might be
? Continually evaluate whether you are asking the right questions to uncover and solve the problem

Other Management Tools

Managers who provide reps with good training and thorough preparation on how to provide excellent customer care will give reps the confidence to be extemporaneous--to listen and respond--without losing sight of the ultimate goal; to satisfy the customer you. Teaching by example is, of course, a great way to make a point. Managers who listen to employee needs and encourage listening in staff meetings and informal group situations will help reinforce the value of this important skill. 

Finally, keep in mind as you train your reps in the art of listening that the process requires not only strict attention to what is being said, but its nuances and innuendoes. The exceptional listener is one who has learned how to use intuition to sift through the verbiage, find the salient nuggets, and turn them to advantage.

What goes around comes around. Respect rights of others, especially your parents. Your children will learn from your good example and if you are lucky, they will not throw out your precious "junk" behind your back when you are old.