Everyone has had those embarrassing or funny phone experiences we love to share. Here’s your opportunity to tell the world, and possibly win a new OfficeRunner Wireless Headset System from Sennheiser, provided by Headsets.com. (I have one of these myself and I can tell you that it rocks!)

Here’s how the contest will work.

1. In the Post a Comment section below, describe your funniest or most embarrassing phone experience. (You’ll have plenty of space, but obviously people won’t want to read a novel.) Don’t be shy! We will accept submissions until Sunday, August 8. At that time our panel of judges will pick 5 finalists.

2. On August 9 we will announce the finalists and put up a Voting Page where you will have the opportunity to vote for your favorite. The top TWO vote-getters will win a headset. (Voters will be allowed to vote just once).

Example
Yes, I have had a lot of both embarrassing and hilarious phone moments over the years.  One that comes to mind was in my first year of business. It didn’t happen to me, but I witnessed it. I was in a client’s office and he was on a conference call with a prospect. He had the call on speaker phone. The client was a bit arrogant…OK, kind of a jerk. (In those days I would take on anyone that would pay me). He was mocking the prospect as the prospect spoke, making faces, nodding his head, basically acting like a juvenile. He then hit the "mute" button, and said to me, "These guys are real losers, aren’t they?" Well, he thought he hit the "mute" button. There was a moment of silence, and the prospect said, "Who are you referring to as losers?" My client tried to dance around the issue, to no avail. He didn’t get the business, and I didn’t work with him long either.

Let Others Know!
Pass this on to anyone who might want to share their story, or get a good laugh. The link directly to the contest page is http://bit.ly/dmIGm9

Hard to believe a salesperson could make so many mistakes in a short period of time, using so few words.

But it happened. I’ll explain in detail.

I overheard Steve, my marketing guy, who also answers the phone in my office, talking to the caller:

"Well, that would be Art. I’ll transfer you."

He put the call on hold and said to me, "Some guy wants to talk to someone about Internet marketing. He’s being pretty evasive though. Might want to turn your recorder on for this one."

Sounded like it might be good material for this newsletter. Read the rest

Here are inside sales pros at Dental Health Products Inc. holding their Smart Calling books, right after the workshop last Friday at their national sales meeting in Green Bay. Great group! They sell supplies and equipment to dental offices, and provide a very personalized level of service that differentiates them from the big players. (everyone doesn’t wear green shirts all of the time in Green Bay–it was part of their meeting theme)

If you’d like to discuss the possibility of having your own Smart Calling workshop, or telesales training on the entire call and process, or any part thereof, of even a webinar, contact me, (402)895-9399, or fill out the form at http://www.smart-calling.com/training.html

A few months ago I was introduced to a young, but rapidly-growing group, the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals. I was impressed. They are dedicated exclusively to advancing the profession of Inside Sales.

If you are involved in inside sales, and I’m assuming you are using the phone in some way in sales since you are reading this, I urge you to check them out and join. http://www.AA-ISP.org.

I also attended their second annual Leadership Summit in May. I was invited to be added at the last minute as a speaker, but because I didn’t get involved with the group until right before the conference, I declined, wanting to simply observe and evaluate what was being said by speakers and attendees before I fully committed to getting involved. My report is that, again, I was impressed, and will be promoting the association, as well as speaking at their events in the future.

What I had heard at the conference confirmed much of what I have been writing about and teaching myself, but it did also open my eyes wider in a few areas.

I’ve assembled some thoughts and musings about where I feel inside sales is headed, and points about the environment in which we sell today. Read the rest

It’s always refreshing to be able to stay in one of my home towns and do training workshops. This morning I delivered a Smart Calling workshop to the 100 sales pros at The Knot and The Bump in downtown Omaha at their national sales meeting. What a rockin fun group! We were in a wide room so I needed two photos to get everyone in.

Speaking of training and sales meetings, we’re now booking up for into the Fall, and early 2011. For more info on having your own Smart Calling workshop, or any type of telesales training customized and delivered, go to
http://www.smart-calling.com/training.html

While technology has helped us become smarter in many ways, it also allows people to do dumb things in many ways.

For example, salespeople sending out non-targeted messages, or just plain old ill-conceived emails and voice mails.

Here is an email I actually received.

Read the rest

I regularly get questions about how to use email effectively in sales/telesales. Some reps say they are doing it more these days than calling.

In general, here’s how I typically answer:

I’ve heard all the excuses about prospects being hard to reach, decision makers being busy and not taking sales calls, blah, blah, blah. Upon close examination of what they are saying on their calls, however, I notice many of them don’t have value statements, or their attempts at them really suck. Bottom line, if a sales rep is spending the bulk of his/her time writing and sending introductory emails instead of calling, that is likely "call avoidance."

Here are great times TO send emails:

Read the rest

Yesterday I was in Toronto delivering a Smart Calling workshop at the Sales Managers Meeting 2010 for Basics, an office supply, equipment and furniture buying group, whose members are independent dealers all across Canada. I always enjoy the people in Canada, and we had a great group.

I’m really jazzed about the major sporting events going on this weekend. I’ll be attending the start of the NCAA men’s baseball College World Series here in Omaha, and closely following the U.S. Open golf tournament however and whenever I can.

What’s that…there’s another major sporting event going on? Oh yeah, that World Cup soccer thing.

Calm down, soccer fans worldwide, I’m toying with you. I know that is the biggest sporting event in the world.

However, most guys my age in the U.S, in their 40’s and 50’s, grew up playing baseball, football, and basketball, and many of us also got into watching hockey. Then some of us got into golf–some of us much more than others. 

I am one of the bigger sports geeks you’ll ever meet. I have spent more time attending, watching, reading and talking about all of those sports than I am proud to admit.

However, with soccer–and let’s include tennis and NASCAR–there has been zero appeal for me over the years.

But, I can understand they are tremendously popular sports, and have rabid fans. 

And right now I am really making an attempt to get into the World Cup. I’m reading everything I can about the teams, players, history, how players are developed worldwide, the importance of soccer to other countries and its citizens, those annoying horns we hear during the games, etc. And I watched the end of the US-England game (well, right after I finished playing 18 holes).

I’m not certain I can ever become an avid fan, but I can respect how others are passionate about this and want to understand and feel where they are coming from.

What does this have to do with sales?

Well, everything. Let me put a spin on it.

You have certain thoughts, interests, beliefs, and knowledge about your products and services, why you think your prospects and customers should buy, and what YOU want to do.

But, most importantly, YOU are not your customer. In sales, it does not matter what you want. It needs to be all about them.

When you let your interests and desires get in the way, that creates objections. That is, IF you are even able to get to that point, meaning self-interested salespeople often don’t even get the chance to speak with a prospect, since their "all about me" calls, emails, and voice messages are ignored and deleted.

So here’s one of the simplest principles of sales success: forget about what YOU want. make it all about them. I have a brief audio tip that goes into a bit more detail on this. I invite you to join me and take four minutes to listen in:

I’m often asked what has changed the most about sales in the past 5-10-20 years. Well, of course technology has made many things in our lives easier, but also has made us busier, which does not necessarily mean more productive.

Here’s the deal. When people have too much to do and impossible deadlines, it changes how they make decisions. And, it changes their expectations of you too.

There’s help. My good friend, Jill Konrath, author of the classic Selling to Big Companies, just released her new book, SNAP Selling: Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today’s Frazzled Customers.

You’ll also be able to download some cool new sales tools from Jill, no strings attached. Again, click on www.SnapSelling.com right away.