Myth header
Think about this -    
 
There are many myths and misperceptions about sales - let's call them Myth-Perceptions. This edition deals with Sales Myth #8: the idea that good, professional salespeople can hurt us. Actually, it's the unprofessional ones that hurt us most.     
 
Now, to this edition's myth -
 
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"I don't believe in Pegasus, Unicorns or commodities - I've never seen any of them."  - Chuck Reaves
Myth #8
Good Salespeople Can Hurt Us
 
Myth: Good Salespeople Can Hurt Us
 
Truth: It's actually the weaker, less professional salespeople who can hurt us and our profession. The good ones only make us stronger.
     
"We bought one of those ONCE!"
 
My seat mate opened her Daytimer and her business card indicated that she was a Meeting Planner.  Meeting Planners are a target market for professional speakers. I would have a captive prospect for the duration of the flight!
 
As we introduced ourselves I told her I was a professional speakers and she replied, "We hired one of those - once."
 
People who do a lousy job ruin things for the rest of us. It's where the stereotypical image of salespeople originates - the loud-mouthed, insincere huckster.
 
Whenever one of our competitors goes out and does a great job, at least two things happen:
 
  1. The perception of our industry, products and services is enhanced
  2. The bar is raised to help us grow to the next level.

Great sales trainers are not my competitors.

 And, to prove this point, I'm Turning the rest of this issue of Sales Myth-Perceptions over to two of my favorite sales trainers.
 
Jeff Blackman, CSP, CPAE, JD is the author of the column right below this one. Jeff was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame last month in New York. It was a grand night, black tie affair - our wives looked gorgeous!  We remembered to brush our teeth.
 
It was my privilege to introduce him as the newest member of this group. And it's my treat to offer you some of his ideas. If you want more, go to www.JeffBlackman.com
 
Then, in the right-hand column, you will find a link to an MP3 file of a presentation by the great Fred Herman. This one is a classic. Fred was an early pioneer in sales training and this recording was taken from a 78 RPM record. I cleaned up the audio as well as I could so you could enjoy this classic. As you listen you will be reminded that great sales truths do not change. It's more evidence that, as I teach, sales is the world's oldest profession.
 

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Relationship Power Results!
    
From Jeff Blackman, CSP, CPAE, J.D.
Author of "The Results Report" and numerous books and articles on sales.  

  
RESULTS! That's the name of the game for you and your business. And if you're like me, you don't like to wait for results. Thankfully, your wait is over. You can now improve, enhance, upgrade or jump-start your business - immediately!
 

If you're like most businesspeople, you simply don't have the time or luxury to learn all the crucial essentials of business development:
 
  • sales
  • marketing
  • negotiations
  • customer service
  • competing in a changing marketplace, etc.

Plus, you can no longer solve today's business problems with yesterday's solutions! 

 
That's why, (here, as well as in other on-line articles)...I'll reveal proven, positive and profit-producing strategies in the key areas of business development-strategies to outdistance your competition and reach new levels of unprecedented success.
 
Relationship power!
 
Every businessperson I meet waxes rhapsodic about the importance of "relationships."

They tell me how their business is a "relationship business" and their success is "built on relationships."
 
Are they right? Of course they're right. But there's a difference between right and results.

When others talk about "relationships...they refer to whom they know. Their network. Their circle of influence. Their clique. Their internal club. But that's not enough! To truly maximize relationships, two key elements of "relationship power" must exist:
  • your little r and
  • your BIG R

Your "little r" refers to traditional relationship-building. It's your:  

  • likability
  • trust
  • humanity
  • sincerity
  • courtesy
  • personality
  • chemistry

The "little r" focuses on your ability to get along. It's your inherent nature to be warm, caring and compassionate. You're empathetic to your customers, clients and prospects. In Yiddish, the word for "little r" is mensch. And a mensch is simply, a good person!

People like to do business with people they like. However, "little r" alone is not enough. You also need to optimize your "Big R!"

"Big R" focuses on your ability to deliver results! Never forget, people are interested in who you are ("little r"); and what you can do for them ("Big R"). One without the other, only assures short-term success.

"Big R" is your ability to be a growth specialist. You, your products, services, company and team have the expertise to help prospects, customers and clients attain a more favorable future by:
  • maximizing gain
  • reducing loss
  • increasing earnings
  • slashing costs
  • creating enjoyment
  • assuring satisfaction
  • providing security
  • developing pride
  • enhancing performance
  • producing results

Why is the attrition rate so high in professions that require business-development skills? Because once you sell your friends and neighbors, who only bought because they wanted to be a "nice person" and honor their "little r" commitment, you have no real marketable "Big R" skills to the rest of the world.

Remember, your "little r's" and "Big R's" cannot be mutually exclusive. People invest in who you are and what you can do for them.

Profit points:
  1. Maximize your "little r" relationship power: fax/send a prospect/client an article that's of value to their professional or personal interests.
  2. Optimize your "Big R" relationship power: take a continuing education course, listen to an audio-tape program, read a new business book, etc.
  3. Invite a prospect/client to breakfast or lunch.
  4. Use e-mail as a simple and effective strategy to stay-in-touch. (Do an Internet search on a client's/prospect's business or hobby...and send them that information.)
  5. Take action! When all is said and done...more should not be said than done!

� Blackman & Associates, Inc.
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Jeff Blackman, J.D., CSP, CPAE is an international speaker, author, success coach, broadcast personality and lawyer. His extensive work with clients in the areas of sales, marketing, negotiations, customer service, leadership and adapting to change...has earned him the title of "business-growth specialist." His books, audio and video business-growth tools include; RESULT$, Peak Your Profits, Carpe A.M. * Carpe P.M. - Seize Your Destiny!, How to Set and Really Achieve Your Goals, Profitable Customer Service and Opportunity $elling. To learn more about how Jeff can help you...maximize results, please contact Sheryl Kantor at [email protected], 847.998.0688, fax: 847.998.0675, Blackman & Associates, Inc., 2130 Warwick Lane, Glenview, IL 60026. Contact Jeff at [email protected].
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Use the information in this Sales MythPerception newsletter to stimulate discussion at your next sales meeting. More ideas are available on my web site: Chuck Reaves
 
Vistage Chairs: forward this to your Members and use it to help them help their salespeople. Members with better top and bottom lines make better members!
 
Teach Others!

Chuck Reaves, CSP, CPAE
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Thirty minutes of high energy, high humor from a master sales trainer:
 
Fred Herman
Fred herman
Click on the picture above to hear Fred's "signature speech".
 
cas low res
Chuck Reaves, CSP, CPAE
 
 
1.800.MR. REAVES
(800.677.3283)
 
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It's Here!

   The
Nanosecond Salesperson
For us, a minute is just too long
Nano front
 
It's easy to read and it will bring you up to speed quickly on the changes that are happening in sales, including:
  • Real Sales Automation (RSA)
  • Kaizen for Sales
  • Chief Sales Officer (CSO)

In the genre of the "One Minute" books - only faster! - this allegorical account of the activities in a sales office will sound familiar to you. The outcomes of some of those encounters will not be so familiar.

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FREE! Online Training Resource

Go to the book's website
 and download a Leader's Guide and Sales Handouts. Use each chapter in the book as a training module - there are more than a dozen of them.
 
Pick up one for yourself and some for your customers - it will help you teach them how to sell more effectively.
 
Just click on the book...
 
Easy-to-carry paperback or get-it-now download
 
(Special edition copies are available for you to give to your customers with your logo on the front cover - ask me for details)