For my 49th birthday today, I am running a one-day only, crazy, 49% promotion for ALL of the training resources we sell here at Business By Phone. CD’s, DVD’s, books, complete learning resources, and those already with special package pricing.

Check out my brief video message and see all the details!

In this ever-increasingly high tech environment, with emails, texts, instant-messages, Twitters (still not sure exactly what that is) and people punching on and gazing at their cell phones every five minutes, I suggest that the higher TOUCH approach will have even greater impact.

I’m talking about the little things.

Like personal, handwritten notes.

A phone call to thank someone for their business–which I received yesterday from my local Kinko’s at 140^th & Center in Omaha, where I spend a fair amount of money.

Yes, the little things mean a lot. Especially in today’s environment. Allow me to share a touching example.  

Do you know who your newspaper carrier is?

My carrier is pretty important to me. I have two papers per day delivered to my Omaha home. I get the Wall Street Journal in the morning, and Omaha is one of the few cities still with both a morning and evening weekday paper, so I get the main edition in the evening. Because we are gone a week at a time or more per month, I have my papers held so I can catch up upon returning.

So, for the past several years I would call Amy, my morning carrier, at least every few weeks or so to stop and hold the papers when I would be gone. She is always a delight to talk to, and  without fail I always could count on a big bag of papers on my doorstep upon my return.

I have no idea who my evening and weekend carrier is, I just know Amy cheerfully and reliably always handled this for me. Not even sure if that was part of her job, but she took ownership of it and acted like it was.

Included with my bag of papers last week was this photocopied poem from Amy on bright neon green paper:

Nearly six years ago I stared my paper route,
It’s been an experience–that is no doubt!
I have amazing customers, six hundred eight or so,
But I’m sorry to say, it’s time that I go.

I am grateful to each of you, this is true,
Thanks for subscribing and generous tipping, too!
I appreciate the gifts, cards, notes, and phone calls,
You are wonderful people and I will miss you all!

It has been such a pleasure to take care of you,
It’s important you know I love what I do!
The phone calls we had were sure great to get,
How I wish we all could’ve personally met!

I have so many memories, some you just wouldn’t believe,
Like the deer on 163rd Ave. running next to me,
The thieves in your cars and garages I caught,
And every trash day when I was such a great shot!

Climbing up a tree through my car window,
And crawling under cars to fix my bad throws.
Hitting the wall that morning when I slid on black ice,
And totalling Hubby’s car, which wasn’t too nice.  (Ooopps!)

Double-bag or tie, which one shall I do?
I will be very happy when those days are through.
I won’t miss the wind, the rain, snow or the ice,
Those quiet moonlit morning were certainly nice.

I’m very sad to go, but it’s sleep that I need,
My hubby, children and I will be happier indeed!
I will miss you all, more than I can say,
but November 21st will be my last day.

I’m not quite sure who your next carrier will be,
I’ve requested a good one who cares just like me.
Customer Service can help you ’til you get the new name,
but your weekend carrier will still be the same.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives.
I hope I’ve touched yours as much as you’ve touched mine.

Amy

Now, even though we have spoken many times, I have never yet met Amy personally that I can recall. I have seen her arm toss a few papers out a car window in the dark of morning. But here is the handwritten note I had on the bottom of my poem.

Wow, first the thought that a newspaper carrier cares enough to put in the effort and creativity to write and produce a note like that…that is remarkable. And then for me to get that special handwritten note on top of it…well, you can imagine how I feel.

To put it in perspective, I had 500 people at a workshop a couple of weeks ago stand up and clap and whoop after I finished. I’m used to that, and it happens regularly in my business, I love it, will never take it for granted, and will never tire of it.  This was better.

In looking at this, what did I do to deserve this treatment? I can’t think of anything other than being nice, courteous, and complimentary on our many phone calls, and perhaps a modest tip during the holidays.  Which I guess shows that the little things mean a lot both ways as well.

So, how can YOU make a personal impact in the lives of others, especially your customers? Let us know…click on the Comments or Reply link and tell us.

Think low tech, high touch. The little things do mean EVERYTHING.

It’s interesting how people not in sales as a profession view the tools, processes, and techniques we use every day, on the job and off. 

Here’s an article at the Esquire site, "How to Be a Sweet Talker," describing how first he was "sweet-talked," with a negative result. He termed it "underhanded," but not lying. Then the writer figures he should try it himself, and uses persuasive communication skills to get what he wants.

Thanks to Brad Jones, a Platinum Member of my Telesales Success Inner Circle for sending this along.

Finally, the elections are over, and now the candidate of "Change" has the job. He wasn’t my choice–nor was John McCain my original first choice–but  Barack Obama deserves respect, congratulations, and support to attempt to  do what he promised.

As I said before, he is a master at sales. He moved peoples’ emotions like no candidate before him. Although he had never really run anything before, he did execute a masterful campaign.

I disagree with many of his proposals and am a bit fearful of what they could mean for business. But you likely aren’t reading this to get my political opinion, and I will not get into that debate.

What I will do is suggest where the most meaningful change needs to happen if individuals, and we as a country, want to move forward:

More people taking responsibility for personal change.

What really scares me is that so many people are now going to wait for the government to take care of them. Even more so than before. And these will be the people who will still be in their same position–or worse–two, four, or eight years from now.

The real prosperity will come from those of you…us…who change ourselves and MAKE things happen. Just like it always has. The great thing about sales, is that we are in one of the most advantageous positions possible to do that, and to begin right NOW.

But wait, some might say, we are in some very difficult times right now.

Yes, today, November 6, 2008, we are in an environment with a fragile  economy, and some real unknowns taking the reins of our government. But I suggest you look at these variables like most ultra-successful people do:  treat them like the weather.

The economy and government intervention is just like the weather: It exists. We live within it. Some people let it control them and bitch and whine about  it, and blame it for their lack of happiness and success.

Others adapt to it. We know we can’t control it, so we deal with it. We  change personally. We make changes. We control what we can (which is a  lot more than most people think). We refuse to let outside forces or influences drive our bus to happiness, success, and wealth.

I hope you are that person. I challenge you to be that person.

Be like Dana Hauser, a sales rep who had attended one of my Telesales Colleges a few years ago. Dana has increased business every year in the medical sales area, plans on doing so again in 2009, and wrote to me looking for additional ways to accomplish that.

THAT is the desire to change that matters.

So, again, will you wait for, and hope for change?

Or will YOU change?

Will you MAKE change happen?

If so, what will it be?

What will it look like, specifically?

When will you start?
 
On a personal level, I already had plans in place to make 2009 my best year ever, in spite of the economy and regardless of how the election turned out.  This weekend I’m traveling to the Dan Kennedy Info Marketing Summit, an educational seminar I paid over $3000 to attend.

Next week, I travel to meet with my Master Speakers International mastermind group, where we discuss ideas and strategies to make ourselves and our businesses better.

Yes, I’m all for change. The kind I can control, and see immediate results from. I hope you are too.

(Hit the Comments link above and let me know what your plans are to make 2009 your best year ever.)

At a semi-upscale wood-fired grill-type of restaurant, I asked the waitress if they had lemonade. 

She answered,

“We do. It’s fresh-squeezed, but there are no free refills.”

This threw me for a moment. It was one of those Midwest 100+degree days this past summer with steam bath humidity, and I was dying for a refreshing lemonade. Then I heard a negative.

Of course I still ordered it, and frankly would not have cared how much it cost for the first one. But I bet that some people might decide to not order after hearing that negative statement.

Why bring up a negative?

I do hear sales reps do the same thing:

“Yes, we do have left-handed adapter modules. But they do not work with if you install them with the G-ring cables.”

I’ve been watching episodes of the first season of Boston Legal (which I believe is the best-written show on television), and one of the attorneys was at a deposition with her client. She had to stop him for a side-discussion while he was being questioned by the opposition since he was sharing incriminating information that was not in direct response to the question. Similar situation! Share unnecessary information and it can be detrimental.

Focus on the positives!

A sales rep cold-called me the other day and was reading a pitch for website search engine optimization.

Wish I had recorded it.

Aside from numerous other mistakes he made (not knowing anything about me or my company, reading from a script, having a horrible opening, not asking questions…) he repeatedly said,

" … and I feel that …",

" … and I know that you will …"

What’s the most common, predictable listener response
to "I" language?

It’s this: "Who cares what YOU think? You don’t know me, or anything about me."

I can’t say this often enough: The not-so-secret, secret to sales success is determining and understanding what someone wants, and then showing them how they can get it, or giving it to them.

And that means gathering information before the call, and during the call. Then, when it’s time to make your recommendation, you know it’s on target. It has to be, because if you did your job, they told you what they’re interested in.

And when you’re presenting, use a "YOU" language, not "I."

Further, use plenty of personalized and customized examples.

Examples sell. Anyone can make a statement, and most salespeople do. But, when it’s backed up by proof…examples…then it carries credibility. Plus it adds visualization to the sales process by phone.

For example, determine which statement has more impact.

1. "Our service will cut down on processing time."

2. "Our service will cut down on the time you said it takes for you to enter orders, print shipping forms and labels, and get the order out the door faster to meet the requirements you mentioned. Customers in your industry tell me they have doubled the number of orders they’re able to handle in a day."

EXERCISE: take every statement you use to describe the benefits/results you deliver. Brainstorm for the sensory terms and descriptions that bring those results to life. Then find several concrete examples of how others have already experienced those results. Commit them to memory so they’re always a part of your presentations.

I am fed up with, and still amazed by how the mainstream media thrives on presenting news through negative filters.

Yesterday, when the Dow had its second biggest day in HISTORY, an online summary at MSN.com said something to the effect of , "Stocks have massive record gains; get ready for an equally massive drop on fears from jittery investors."

Give me a break! How about some reporting of how something is being done right…how a business or individual is taking control of their own destiny and getting positive results? Here’s one.

Hetta Malone sent this description of her great customer service experience, at Wendy’s.

 

Art:
I totally enjoy your weekly newsletters.  I particularly like the stories of success and lack thereof.  I recently had an experience that may be worthy of your newsletter.

I was racing around making my normal sales calls and did something I rarely do.  I was hungry and decided to pull into a Wendy’s that I knew was in the area, primarily because it was on the right side of the street.  Like many Wendy’s restaurants it was in a line-up with multiple other fast food choices.  Don’t know why I chose Wendy’s, just did.

Also don’t know why I chose to enter the place, when desperate enough for fast food I’d usually just do the drive-through option.  I walked in to a sea of smiling, welcoming faces.  It didn’t stop there . . . I noticed someone sweeping up crumbs, someone else polishing the tables and chairs, the place was spotless.  When it came time to order I was greeted warmly with a gentle try at an up-sell to one of their new products.  My tray came out and was handed to me by a server who genuinely invited me to enjoy my lunch.   Now they really have my attention.   

The experience started bordering on surreal.  I live in an upscale town known for it’s high-end restaurants, there are real lessons to be learned here at Wendy’s.  It gets better . . .

I’m so fascinated by the scene and the activity I decide to take a seat where I can watch the goings-on and the diner reactions.  I start munching on my hamburger and yes, sipping on their new product.  I watch people enter the place with the expected look of the over-extended and leave with decided brighter looks on their faces.  For this brief moment in the day, they are special! 

At that point a young employee approaches me and asks if I’d like a re-fill or anything else.  He also asks if I enjoyed my meal.  I declined anything more saying I had to be on my way at which point he offered to take my tray while wishing me a great afternoon.  When did that last happen to you at a fast food joint?

I walked out shaking my head.  You bet I’ll search that place out when I’m next in that area.  

When times get tough and there are many, many options the smart owners and managers will go back to the old standards that made our country memorable . . . unforgettable service!  What a concept.

Regards,

Hetta Malone

Great job, Wendy’s. Anyone else have some great service examples, on the phone or off? Perhaps service you experienced, or delivered?

Let’s hear some examples of positive situations…examples where people take control of their own destiny and MAKE positive things happens regardless of the market, environment, or naysayers.

A while ago I saw a TV commercial for Ping, the golf club company. The theme of the commercial was how Ping built its fine reputation by always asking, "How?" 

HOW could they make a better putter? 

HOW could they make golf more enjoyable with their equipment?

That’s when I dragged my rear out of the chair, grabbed a pen and started scribbling lots of ways that we as salespeople can use "how" with our prospects and customers.

A few points on these questions:

-I’ve grouped these questions into categories, but you’ll see that many of them are interchangeable.

-They’re not in a particular order, although some could be used as good follow-up questions in response to their answers to a previous question.

-Also keep in mind that you wouldn’t necessarily use just "how" questions exclusively. Mix in the Who, What, Where, and Why questions.

-As you read them, think about how you can use and/or adapt these for your own calls. Better yet, take notes.

-This list is not all-inclusive. Matter of fact, how about YOU sending in one of your favorite "how" questions?

Oh, and remember, the most important thing about questioning is that you LISTEN to their answers, use the information, and react accordingly.  

FACT-GATHERING AND QUALIFYING QUESTIONS
How do you get new business? 

How could you get more? 

How could we help you get more?

How do you plan on achieving your sales goals this year? 

How does the purchasing process work at your business? 

How are decisions like these typically made?

How is money normally budgeted?

How did you make the decision last time?

How could you use our product/service? 

How did you select the previous vendor?

How do you evaluate new vendors?

NEED IDENTIFICATION/DEVELOPMENT AND PAIN-ENHANCING QUESTIONS
How did that work last time? 

How often does that happen? 

How does that affect other departments? 

How are you doing it now? 

How is your situation unique? 

How could it be done better? 

How can we help you do it better? 

How do you see this developing? 

How could it be improved? 

How would you describe your present level of service/satisfaction? 

How are you going to fix the situation? 

How did you handle it last time? 

How does that problem impact other departments? 

How long has it been going on? 

How much does it cost you? 

How much time does it take now?

How is it being handled now? 

How will you handle it?

How did you/your employees/your customers react?

How does that make them feel?

How does that make you feel?

How did that happen?

How will you prevent it from happening again?

How would you define good service? 

How would you describe …? 

How does poor quality affect the final product? 

How much do you think you would save if 

that problem was solved?

How would you use it if you had it?

CLOSING/COMMITMENT QUESTIONS
How can we make this work?

How can we make this happen? 

How about starting out with a trial order? 

How can we get approval? 

How would you like to proceed? 

How soon can we get started? 

How about starting now?

How many do you want to start with? 

How do you see us proceeding? 

How fast will you need this?

How much will you need to start off with?

How can we be the ones that you’ll choose?

How can we be part of the bidding process?

How do you want to pay for this?

How do you want this delivered?

ADDRESSING RESISTANCE AND OBJECTIONS 
How much is "too much"? 

How could we solve that? 

How much resistance do you expect internally?

How can we both make this work?

How much of an issue is that, really?

How do we get around this issue?

How can you/we find the money?

CUSTOMER SERVICE 
How can I help? 

How can I be of service? 

How could we improve? 

How are we doing? 

How can we change? 

How can we do it better? 

How can I fix it so you’re satisfied?

How have we done for you?

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
How can I change? 

How could I increase my sales and production by 30% this quarter?

How am I going to reach my goals?

How should I start?

(After preparing this piece, I went to my two-volume "How to Sell More, In Less Time, With No Rejection, Using Common Sense Telephone Techniques," to see what I had there about questions. I found over 50 PAGES of word-for-word questioning techniques, strategies, and questioning case studies. If you do any type of telephone sales, prospecting, or servicing, and don’t already have these books, I recommend you check them out right now at http://www.businessbyphone.com/HSM.htm. Not only will you find questioning info, but proven ideas you can use right now on ALL parts of your call.) 

Here’s the group of sales pros and managers at the Chicago Telesales College, October 21-22.

 The tips and ideas were flying around so fast and furiously that things became dangerous. So most of us put on safety googles as you see below.

 Actually the glasses were samples of one of the products sold by Orr Safety, and distributed at the program by RubyAnn Stevenson. Best looking safety glasses I’ve ever seen!

We do have space available at the final Telesales College of 2008, December 10-11 in Dallas. For more info, or to register go to http://www.businessbyphone.com/college.htm

Here’s a group shot of some of the enthusiastic attendees at my sales training session in Toronto Sunday morning at the dealer meeting for CIS Office Plus. 

In addition to sharing lots of prospecting and sales tips at the meeting itself, I educated two Australians in the hotel bar the night before on the intricacies of baseball as we watched the playoff game.