Create For Cash

How to Sell Over the Phone

I made a call to a company today to find out about their legal services. The guy on the phone used the word “like” every few seconds. This made him sound unprofessional, and made me uncomfortable having him handle any legal issues. I would feel equally uncomfortable with a doctor who talked that way, but it really goes for anyone in a business position.

This got me thinking about how people can make slight changes in their voice and etiquette that will help them sell more over the phone.

Eliminate the word “like” – We all like to be liked on Facebook, but like, the word is like, totally overused. Nothing screams being unprofessional more than overusing that word. Like anything (used correctly here), you can break yourself of the “like” habit. The next time you start to say the word, pause briefly and continue. The more you practice not using it, the easier it will get. Practice not using it at all and you will eventually become more articulate. [Read more…] about How to Sell Over the Phone

In Sales, No Means Maybe

I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve actually grown to love cold calling. I like that it’s active, not passive. And it’s infinitely fascinating to deal with human nature on such a personal level that you’ll never be able to get from an email. That’s not to say that everyone is nice or that everyone says yes. In fact, most people say maybe. And even when they say no, many are still saying maybe. At least that’s what I’ve learned in the past couple of weeks.

I sell everything from products to services and talk to a wide variety of people. Meeting planners, small business owners, mom bloggers, promotional products distributors, retailers, wholesalers, etc. I talk to people from all over the world in countries I never even knew existed.

If I contact someone and they flat out say no to me, I cross most of them off my list. So imagine my surprise this week when I was contacted by two companies that said no before. I had to go back and check my records just to make sure. Yep, great big X across the page. (yes, I still write things out by hand) It wasn’t a casual no, but more of a “hell, no” Not interested, no way, no how. These were calls that were completely out of the blue. This time it was a bending over backwards to please kind of call. Okay, I’m stumped. Pleased, but stumped. [Read more…] about In Sales, No Means Maybe

Are You Really Listening to Your Customers?

When you travel you get the best chance to observe good customer service firsthand. A hotel is your home away from home, and you have many places to choose from. It’s the customer service that makes the difference between a great experience or a lousy one. So, on my recent trip to NY I got to see some of both.

Listening to your customers

I got to the hotel quite late and was just ready to get to sleep. I quickly found out that the heat had two settings, boiling hot or freezing cold. There was a draft so bad it blew the curtains. And the heating system was so noisy I couldn’t even hear the TV. When I checked in, the only thing I asked for was a quiet room with temperature control. I didn’t care if it was the size of a closet with no frills.

An employee came up to see if he could fix the heat and said he would have to call the maintenance guy in the morning. Really? So, I would have to freeze all night? They offered me a free breakfast and a foot rub to make up for it. Okay, so they didn’t offer a foot rub, but a free breakfast wouldn’t save me from hyperthermia and lack of sleep. They finally moved me to a bigger room which was slightly better, but still very noisy. The whole time I was there I felt like I was talking to a brick wall. No warmth or friendliness. And they definitely weren’t listening. I couldn’t help thinking that the place could have been run better by robots. [Read more…] about Are You Really Listening to Your Customers?

Are You Romancing Your Joint Venture Partners?

Valentine’s Day had me thinking about relationships of all kinds. Not just significant other, but friends, family, and business relationships. Which brings me to this question “Are you romancing your joint venture partners?” A joint venture is one of the best things you can do to increase your business. It’s a synergy between two or more entities where you share costs, risks, and rewards. It’s a way to acquire skills, new customers, and new markets quickly.

But, just like your relationships with significant others, you need to romance your joint venture partners. Always think about what you have to offer and how you can help the other person. A joint venture arrangement has to be a win-win for all parties involved for it to work. Partner with people who have as much to offer as you do and then make it worthwhile for them to want to work with you.

A good place to start is with people you already know. And if you don’t know them, follow them and get to know them. You don’t want to get into a partnership with someone who expects you to do all of the work and doesn’t offer anything in return. Just like in your personal life, that gets old quick. Do your homework and learn how the other person operates. I watch people to see how quickly they expand their business and whether they are going to stick with it or not. I like to know that the other person is going to work just as hard as I do. [Read more…] about Are You Romancing Your Joint Venture Partners?

How to Be a Real Fan

I just got a nice letter from a fan of a movie I did with Dan Haggarty years ago. The movie was called “Elves“. It was a campy horror movie that was a B movie cult classic. I still occasionally get letters from people who have seen and appreciated the movie. It’s probably not for everybody, but if you like that kind of film, check it out.

The letter was detailed and not a carbon copy of a letter that’s sent to hundreds of people in a mass mailing. This got me thinking about how we connect on a personal level. Everyone wants to be appreciated and called by name. We want to know that someone took the time to learn something about us, whether it’s reading our blog or website, or in this case, watching my movie. In other words, be a real fan.

When I used to work in film casting it was always surprising to me when actors came in to audition and didn’t know anything at all about our company or any of the movies we made. One of them was an Academy Award winning film, but rarely did any actor mention it. I wouldn’t have cared if they liked it or not, but at least having some knowledge about what the company did would have been helpful.

So, who are you a fan of? Think beyond just the A list celebrities. I’m sure they already get tons of mail. Think about the people that you really admire who aren’t on the list. I’m sure, like me, they would appreciate getting a letter that shows that they know and enjoy your work. Be authentic and just speak from your heart. You never know if that person will think of you for a job or pass your information on to someone who could help you.

Read this about a special fan letter to an author.

Also, think about people who aren’t in the spotlight. Or maybe they are up and coming. Someone who does make it to the top will most likely remember that you “knew them when”. And even if they don’t, at least their autograph will be valuable.