Managing Emails by making a checklist

 

Email is the most difficult thing to manage in our day.  It makes it doubly difficult if we're on the road selling.  Responding to an email doesn't "kill" it, despite what we often think.  For a real salesperson, the response to the email is only the beginning.  Remember, the person you're responding to has as much, or more, on his plate than you do.

What is the answer to email madness?  Checklists.

You must assume your email response will not be looked at by the customer.  All sent emails that are looking for a response back should go onto your checklist.

A non-response from a potential customer should not be followed up by another email.  It should be followed up by a call.  Don't let a potential order die because the customer didn't reply to your email.  Assume it got caught up in the system.  Call him!

Every day, go through your emails and pull out those that need follow up and write them down in a checklist and check them off as you do them.  Making checklists requires focus and focus creates orders.

Try it.

Product Knowledge: Finale

One of the products that I sell is a very complex product.  It involves management of the compressed air distribution in a manufacturing plant.  The name of the product is ConservAir.  I don't believe you can really sell a product that you don't understand, so I spent hours trying to understand this product.  What does it do?  How is it made? What makes it better than other similar products?  

And then, most importantly, how do I make a complex product understandable to the customer.  If you don't understand something, you can't explain it.  It's that simple.  

Can you make your explanation simple enough for your spouse, your kids, your parents?  That's the real test of product knowledge.

To explain how ConservAir manages compresses air, I used an analogy, comparing the distribution of air to water:

Imagine a large 2" water hose gushing large amounts of water.  Now imagine that you want to water a tree in one part of your yard, some flowers in another part, and you want to power wash your house.  So you divide the flow up.  And when you want to stop watering the tree, you turn the valve off and the system automatically regulates the flow to the flowers and power washer.  It can do this very quickly because of the flow is divided.  Each part of the system requiring water can be regulated quickly because the flow is divided up and you're not dealing with the full flow through a 2" water hose.  That's what ConservAir does for air flow in a manufacturing plant.

You can tell your customer that you're saving him money, but if you can't tell him how you'll never get the order.

For true product knowledge, you must be able to explain your product in understandable terms to anyone.

The "Closer"

What does it take to be a good closer?  I can count on one hand the incredible closers I've experienced in 41 years.  What did they do that was different from what the rest of us do?

1.  Confidence: Good closers have absolute confidence that they provide the best solution to the customer.  And they convey that confidence.  (Click here to go back and revisit the body language post.)  I say best "solution", not necessarily the best product.  Two people may be selling the same product, but the Closer shows the customer that the complete solution comes only from him.  That is: confidence in yourself, confidence in your product, and, most importantly, confidence in your solution.  This may extend to delivery, installation and aftermarket service as all part of the solution.  The customer has to be convinced that you're with him all the way: order, shipment, installation, service, warranty.  That's what the Closer convinces the buyer that he's the best at the total solution.

2.  Follow up.  Big decisions are not made immediately.  A good Closer follows up and tries to determine what the objections to a decision may be by getting into the head of the buyer--and then provides answers to these objections.  The sales process for the good closer is not over after the presentation.

3.  Persistence.  Good closers are not worrying about "bothering" the buyer.  They must be sensitive to the buyer's request ("don't call me until next week"), but they never neglect the follow up.  He said "next week", you better call next week.  

Closers NEVER stop closing until the purchase order is signed.

Making Lists II

 

A recent article in the New Yorker magazine by Atul Gawande, a surgeon/philosopher (who recently wrote "Being Mortal", a book I highly recommend), discussed the necessity of check lists in certain, if not all professions.  The most obvious profession that uses check lists is airline pilots.  There are so many details for a pilot to be aware of that a check list is the only way to be certain that you've done everything.  The consequences of missing something are quite severe.
The other profession in need of check lists, but who has not yet adopted it universally, is the medical profession.  (Did I leave the sponge in, or take it out?)   Those hospitals that have adopted check lists have had infections reduced more than 80%!
So why not use check lists in sales?  Or in the service business?
A check list could be a list of your 10 most important customers--a list you look at every day, asking yourself if you've done everything you can to get and keep their business.
A check list could be of list of the most important features of your product--did you discuss each of these features with the customer?
Do not depend on memory.  Do not depend on habit.  Depending on your memory can kill airline passengers; kill patients;  and kill sales.  Make a check list and check off the box as you complete the item.  Whatever your profession.

Checking your Smartphone: Not Smart

The accounting firm, Deloitte, recently studied smartphone usage.  There are 185 million smartphones used in the U.S. They found that the overall average times a person checked his phone during the day was 46.  I suspect, however, that a salesperson checks his phone about 100 times a day.
The absolute worst thing a salesperson can do in the presence of a customer is to check his cell phone during a sales call or presentation.  Even if you're not the primary presenter, you should never consult your phone unless it is directly related to a question asked by the customer, after asking for permission.
Turn your cellphone off; leave it in the car; do NOT consult your cellphone in the presence of a customer.  This is the epitome of disrespect.

Making a List and Checking it Twice -- even three or four times!

There is one tried and true way to reduce stress: lists.  At the end of the work day, make a list of what you want to accomplish tomorrow.  Review the list throughout the day.  Psychologists have proven that lists reduce stress.  The danger with lists of things to do is that they become too long.  The list should be what absolutely has to get done that day.  Five items is great; ten items is the maximum.

When a salesperson is making a call on a customer, the effective salesperson makes a list of the customer's needs.  The salesperson listens before talking.  Asks questions, and makes a list.  What does he need to do to get this customer's business?  Always listening; always asking questions; always making notes to turn into a todo list.

What is a salesperson NEVER doing in the presence of a customer?  Looking at his cellphone.  If there is a mortal sin of sales, it is that.  Pay absolute attention to the customer and his needs; make a list of what you need to do to capture this customer's business; and then DO IT.  Just do it.

Getting Inside Your Customer's Head--Continued

The reason I titled this blog "The Fine Art of Selling" is because selling is an art.  Understanding the complex motivations of customers is not an easy task.  You have to be very sensitive to what the customer wants and by "customer", I mean everyone involved in the purchase decision.  You may be talking about your product with one person, but there may be many involved in the decision process.  A good salesperson needs to find out how the decision is being made.

A Salesperson makes money by selling stuff.  A good salesperson spends time understanding his customer and the decision making process.  A bad salesperson just tries to sell stuff, and if he meets resistance, quits and walks away.

I had a situation recently where a customer called me and asked for a quote on a particular item--and gave me the model number.  I could have quoted him and gone on my way.  But this is not my style and not what made me successful.  I asked questions, and more questions; and my questions lead to other questions and I found out the situation was NOT what I thought it was.  Just quoting him, and maybe getting the order and making $25 commission, is what a bad salesperson does.  Asking questions and turning one possible order into a situation where you now own the customer because you took the time to understand what he really wanted will turn him into a huge customer and many hundreds of dollars in commission.

Spend the time to get into your customer's head.  Own your customer.

Getting inside your customer's head

Understanding the customer's "motivation to purchase" is key to making the sale.  In a manufacturing facility, the purchasing agent is motivated completely differently than the plant manager and both are motivated differently than the owner.  A woman with 4 kids is motivated differently than a grandmother.
This may seem obvious--but it's most often not considered by the salesperson in his presentation.
If you're bringing a new product to a purchasing agent, you need to understand that his bosses are evaluating him based on quality, price and on-time delivery.  You need to be bringing a better, or equal, quality product at a preferable better, or at least equal, price, or he won't be interested.  If you're bringing a significantly more expensive product to the table, you had better understand that your presentation needs to focus on why your product will reduce his problems and make it worthwhile to spend more money.  Everyone's motivation hinges on not having problems with your product.  And everyone's motivation hinges on making their bosses and their customers happy.
We visited a customer recently and found that a particular product he was purchasing was giving him headaches: missed deliveries primarily.  When a supplier misses a promised delivery, everything down the chain suffers and who gets blamed?  The purchasing agent of course.
And how did we find out his motivations to purchase (or change suppliers)?  Asking questions--trying to get into his head.
Ask questions.  Get into your customer's head.  Understand his/her motivation.  Then make your pitch and tailor your pitch to these motivations.

Customer's most prized possession: his name

Remembering a customer's name may be one of the most important assets a salesperson may cultivate.  What is the secret? 
First, you have to care about the person you are meeting.  What it means to me when someone forgets my name, within minutes after being introduced, is that he doesn't care.  Remembering a name is caring about the person you're being introduced to.
"But I have a bad memory for names."  Bad bad excuse.  The trick to remembering a name is to use it often in the first five minutes of being introduced. 
"Ed, nice to meet you.  Ed, what is it that you do?  Who is it that you're here to see, Ed?"
Over and over, repeat the name in every sentence.   And make an association with the name and person.  Hair color; interesting characteristics, etc.
And, if you missed the name at the introduction, immediately say that "I'm sorry.  I missed your name.  I wasn't paying attention."  It's easier to do this right away, then an hour later.
And, when you call on someone who should probably know your name--DON'T ASSUME THEY DO.  Say your name again.  "Hey, Sal.  It's Ed.  Good to see you again."  Don't put your customer in the awkward position that they have to admit they don't remember you.

But I digress....Body Language

If there is anyone reading this who thinks that body language is NOT critical to the selling process, will never be successful.  It is that simple.  Body language can make or break the sale.
Harvard psychologist, Amy Cuddy, has written a new book called "Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges".  The message is very simple:  Stand tall, like a super hero, hands on your hips, chest out, chin high, for two minutes before your meeting, and you will present yourself as powerful and knowledgeable."
I know this to be true.  I made a sales call recently to a body shop.  The owner was not there and his manager wife greeted me.  Despite being short, she stood tall and gave me a strong handshake.  This was a woman in charge.
You cannot make a sale if you're hunched over and sad-faced when you greet a customer.  
I attended a rock concert recently.  One of the acts was The Band Perry.  The band has four members: the sister, who is the lead singer, one older brother, one younger brother, and a backup violinist/keyboardist.  Just based on body language, I ranked the lead singer as number 1, the backup violinist/keyboardist as number 2, the younger brother as 3, and the older brother as number 4.  The older brother's body language was: "I don't belong here; I'm not as talented as my sister and brother and they are just letting me be here--to satisfy the family.".  
The lesson from Amy Cuddy is to spend two minutes, in private, before any meeting, standing like a super hero: hands on your hips, chin high, focused.  Then, go to your meeting smiling, strong handshake and confident.  This will get you the sale.

Using Evernote to be a better salesperson

All day long, if we're doing our jobs, we interact with customers.  
Let's say you keep a paper notebook.  With Evernote, you can take a picture of the notebook, or parts of the notebook, and save it with a reminder.
You can actually use Evernote as your notebook with your smartphone.
The hugest (OK, I like the word) feature is the ability to search through handwritten notes.  So if you take a picture of your handwritten notes and send them to Evernote, you can then search through the notes for keywords.
Evernote is very very powerful and can make you a better salesperson, guaranteed.
Tomorrow starts a discussion of Transactional versus Relational Sales. 

Remembering Everything: Evernote

The most important thing about taking care of your customers is remembering what they need and what you promised them.

There are a lot of note taking apps: Microsoft OneNote, Springpad, Simplenote, etc.

The one that I use, and have used for years, is Evernote. They have three levels of subscription: Evernote Basic, Evernote Plus, and Evernote Premium. Basic is free. Plus is about $25 per year and premium is about $45 per year.

The basic package allows you to synchronize notes across devices. If you enter a note on your desktop, you can access it on your tablet or smartphone.

Plus adds the feature of 1 gig of storage and the ability to forward emails to your Evernote account.

Premium has features too numerous to mention. Just go www.evernote.com to compare.

I'm going to go into detail on how I use Evernote over the course of this week.

The most important use of Evernote for me is the ability to forward emails that need to be followed up on to Evernote. When you forward the email, you send it to a unique email address that Evernote assigns to you. Then you can use special coding in the subject line to alert you when you need to be reminded. For example, in the subject line, after the subject text, you can add something like "!tomorrow @Todo". (No quotation marks.) The code "@Todo" puts the email into a folder that you have created--the Todo folder. You can name your folders anything you want.

The next day, Evernote will sent a reminder to your email that this particular email needs to have something done about it. This is especially good when the reminder is for next week, next month or next year. You can specify a date by using the coding "!2016/01/15" which means you'll get a reminder on January 15, 2016. (Note YYYY/MM/DD) (Again, no exclamation marks.)

The email forwarding feature is available only with Plus or Premium, but is essential if you do a lot of emailing. It is the feature that makes Evernote unique.

Tomorrow I will discuss using Evernote, top to bottom.

Searching for Customers III: Manta

There is a website called Manta (www.manta.com).

When you go to the Manta website, you will be greeted with a Small Business promotion.

I use Manta to find out more information about a company that I find on Thomasnet or Google.

When you go onto manta.com, you will see the field: "Find Companies, Products, Services". You can enter the name of a company you are researching, or you can enter a product you are looking for, or a service.

Next you enter a geographical area you want to search. You can name a specific city or state; or you can enter a qualifier like "Near Boston"; or "Near 01069". You can be as general or specific as you want.

If the company you are looking for has entered information about their company, you may find the name of the owner, the address and telephone number. This is great information for prospecting.

The problem with Google or Thomasnet is that you don't usually get a contact. With Manta, you almost always get the name of the owner and, if the company has been diligent, gives a lot more information--like number of employees and their sales volume.

These three tools will make you a great prospector.

Next, tools to help you remember.

Searching for Customers II: Google

There is, literally, a world of information that can be found by the Google search engine. The problem is to unleash the information without overwhelming you. Thomasnet does a much better job of allowing you to control the information, but if you utilize Google properly, you can find anything.

Why Google rather than other search engines like Bing or Yahoo? The information returned from a Google search is much more accurate and you have much more control of the results than with any other search engine. So let's look at how we put a saddle and harness on the Google stallion.

When you type "google.com" into your browser, you get a page with a Google search field (along with, occasionally, a seasonal or historical specific Google animations).

Type the thing you want to search for. And here is where we all underestimate Google. Think of the question you want to ask--the full question, like "Who services air compressors in Vermont"

Google will respond with millions of results.

IMPORTANT: Click on "Search Tools" tab at the top of the window. Click on the "Any Time" tab and you'll have a choice of time frames for the search results, including customizing the time frame. I usually pick "Past Year". If you don't you'll get results that may be decades old about companies that have long since gone out of business.

Next to this tab is a tab called "All Results". Click on that and you have the option to have the search performed with the words you chose "verbatim" (exactly as written) or not. Choosing "All Results" will get you results about "air" or "compressors" as well as "air compressors".

Other tabs include "Web" which gives you all results with websites.

"Shopping" will give you sites that sell air compressors online.

"Images" will give you pictures of air compressors.

"News" will give you news about air compressors. If you couple that with limiting the time frame to "past month", you will get news about air compressors from the past month.

Under the tab "More", you can get videos on air compressors, books on air compressors and apps involving air compressors--like calculators.

I suspect that very few people realize what's available from a Google search.

Use the tabs to limit your searches to exactly what you're looking for.

Searching for Customers

Finding potential customers is the most difficult trick in the book of selling. If you're an automobile salesperson or a salesperson in a department store, customers come to you. If you're a "road salesperson" with a territory, you have to find your customer.

I am going to discuss three prospecting methods that I use:

1. Thomasnet.com

2. Google.

3. Manta

Today we will discuss thomasnet.com:

First, point your browser to www.thomasnet.com.

Click on the tab "Supplier Discovery"

Number 1 requires you to choose from a drop down menu. Keep the default "Product/Service Category"

Now comes the trick. You need to choose the category of product that you're looking for customers in and the geographical location they're in.

Let's say we're selling air compressors. Type "air compressors" in Box 2 "Search For".

Below Box 2 you'll see a list of all possible air compressor categories. Pick one that applies to the type of customer you're looking for.

Box 3 asks you to select "Company Type". There's another drop down menu. Pick one, like "Service Company".

Now you will want to specify the geographical location that you're looking to prospect in. Select a zip code and the radius in miles from that zip code.

There are three other drop down menus that allow you to get more specific, but if you're prospecting, you want to be as generic as possible.

This is an incredible tool.

Tomorrow we will discuss Google. And it's not as obvious as you may think.