S&MM SoundOff

CRE’s Incentive for Incentive Buyers

SMM, along with our sister publication Incentive magazine, is a media partner of CorporateRewardsXchange.com. Otherwise known as CRE, this a cooperative effort of leading brands and incentive fulfillment companies to help organizations improve the efficiency, service, and economies of scale of their motivation and engagement programs. Incentive fulfillment companies that are members of the cooperative include Certif-A-Gift, Harco, Lapine, Partners for Incentives, Rewards Direct by Maritz, Rymax Marketing Services, and Quality Incentive Company.

CRE’s Universal Points Platform and Corporate Gifts Store enable incentive companies and end users to buy leading brand merchandise from their authorized fulfillment companies. A real-time inventory management system allows traditional points-based incentive/gift programs to ship rewards with a day or two of redemption—rather than weeks, as is currently the case with traditional drop-ship scenarios.

Access to CRE is available on a membership basis, much like that of leading shopping clubs, except that companies will have to qualify as incentive, reward, or corporate gift buyers. Members have the opportunity to take advantage of one-stop shopping with significant corporate discounts for merchandise, travel, and gift cards. To join, sign up here.

Apologies for the gratuitous plug…

…but I wanted to help get the word out about Virtual Incentive World, which is taking place as I type. Brought to you by SMM’s sister publication, Incentive magazine, this virtual trade show provides top-level incentive buyers and sales and marketing executives with the knowledge they need to evaluate a wide array of products, services, destinations, properties, and solutions.

Meet virtually with different companies, ask questions, and get the answers you need to make informed decisions. It’s all happening right now, so don’t delay. Click here to register.

Crawl, Walk, Run

When you decide to learn a new sport or language or engage in a new hobby you inevitably go through a learning curve. Depending on the complexity of what you are learning, this curve can be quite steep. The techniques may feel foreign and it takes practise to begin feeling comfortable applying them.

 

The same concept holds true when you learn a new sales technique. It takes time to master that skill and to become comfortable and confident using it. I was reminded of this last week as I embarked on a face-to-face cold calling campaign.

 

I had rehearsed my lines and invested time practising with a colleague. However, my first two calls were brutal. I returned to my car afterwards feeling embarrassed, frustrated and dejected. However, as the day progressed, so did my ability to execute. The more calls I made, the more comfortable I became. The conversations flowed more naturally and I was more effective.

 

Long-term success means learning new techniques and strategies. However, equally important is giving yourself permission to initially stumble as you apply the concept. Keep practising. Persevere. Remember, you have to crawl before you walk and you need to walk before you can run.

 

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.

Don't Rush the Call

A few days ago I finally made contact with a new prospect and we started discussing his situation. Most preliminary calls like this take between 15-30 minutes and I usually start our conversation by asking, “Is this still a good time to talk?”

 

However, I didn’t do that in this particular situation and six minutes into the call my prospect said, “I have to get to a meeting. Send me some information and we’ll talk later.” As a result, I did not have the time to more deeply pursue my prospect’s problem. I got caught in the time trap and ended up rushing my call.

 

It is essential that you resist the temptation to push through a call because your prospect is pressed for time. A better alternative is to reschedule your call to ensure that you have the time you need to do a thorough job.

 

This is more challenging than it seems. It requires focus and discipline and the courage to say to a prospect, “I want to make sure that I fully understand your situation before putting together information. When would be a good time to schedule a 20 minute call?”

 

This concept will separate you from your competition and help you earn your prospect’s trust and respect.

 

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca

 

Just Do It

Many people in sales know what they should do. However, they analyze the details to death and this “paralysis by analysis” causes them to hesitate and second-guess themselves. Many people hesitate to pick up the telephone and call a prospect who appears to be sitting on the fence because they don’t know exactly what to say. They may resist cold calling because they fear the rejection. They may not change their approach because it feels uncomfortable.

 

These are natural responses. However, these concerns prevent them from achieving their full potential. The key is to take action.

 

Analyzing a situation to death and thinking about every possible outcome will only prevent you from moving forward. Every delay you take gives your competitor the opportunity to take business from you.

 

Let’s face it. No one is perfect. No sales conversation is going to go exactly as you expect regardless of how much you spend planning it. Perfection is something you can strive for but you cannot expect to achieve it. The most successful people in sales plan their approach and their strategy. But the one thing that separates them from the pack is their willingness to take action.

 

Write down what actions you need to take to improve your sales. Then, follow the advice of Nike, and just do it.

 

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or at Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca

“Yeah, I Know That”

 Veteran sales people often ask me for ideas on advanced sales training and I am usually at a loss for words (difficult to believe, I know!). Certainly, there are new technologies and platforms and the tidal wave of social networks opportunities have changed the sales world and given sellers new ways to prospect, connect, and sell. However, even though today’s business world is more competitive and buyers are more sophisticated than ever, the fundamental rules of selling still apply.

 

When someone talks about the importance of asking prospects high-quality questions or that you need to differentiate yourself from your competition or that it is essential to focus your sales presentation on your prospect’s situation, it’s easy to say, “Yeah, I know that.” The challenge is to question how effectively you implement that concept or strategy into your approach or routine.

 

This may sound easy but too many people look for a silver bullet cure. Instead of looking for that next quick-fix answer that will solve your problems focus on applying the fundamentals. If you catch yourself saying, “I already know that” ask if you consistently apply that idea. Chances are you could improve.

 

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.

How to Lose a Prospect's Attention in 5 Seconds or Less

When you make contact with a new prospect via the telephone you have an extremely short window of time to connect with them. If you fail to achieve this they will quickly tune you out. Here are five things you can do to lose their attention in the first five seconds of the conversation:

 

1.       Start a telephone conversation with, “Hi, how are you?”

2.       Open your conversation by introducing yourself, your company and what you do.

3.       Give them an overview of your products and services.

4.       Explain how your product or service will benefit them.

5.       Tell them what other companies you have worked with.

 

The instant your prospect senses that you are trying to sell them something that they don’t need or want they will tune you out and look for a way to disengage or disconnect from the call.

 

Here is how you can change that:

 

State a specific problem they are likely facing (based on your experience or research). For example, “Mr. Big, if you’re like other companies in ABC industry, I suspect that you are (fill in the blank). If so, call me at 800-555-1212 and I might be able to suggest a solution. By the way, it’s Kelley calling and once again my number is 800-555-1212.”

 

Keep it brief. Keep it focused. Keep it about them. And you will keep their attention.

 

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.

How to Keep Motivated

Many people in sales find it challenging to stay motivated. Here are four ideas consider.

Do something different. Most sales people I know do the same things every week. They make their quota of calls. They use the same tactics and techniques to generate business. Or they rely on orders from their existing customers to reach their targets. However, it is critical to do something different if you want to get better results. What can you do differently that will help you increase your sales? 

Join a mastermind group. A mastermind group can help you see what other like-minded people are doing which can stimulate your thinking and create new opportunities. The key is to associate with people who do similar work in different and non-competing industries.

Network. Effective networking is more than collecting business cards at a function. It’s about making contacts with people that you can help you and who can help you. In some cases, it is simply meeting with someone who experiences similar challenges and brainstorming ideas with them.

Make time for yourself. Working sixty hour weeks is the fastest way to lose your motivation. Everyone needs a break and an outlet for stress. Exercising, playing a recreational sport, or engaging in a hobby is a great way to recharge your batteries and revitalize your self-motivation.

What can you do to recharge yourself and capture your motivation?

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals reach their sales quotas and targets in any economy. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or by email.