Quote of the week

I'd like to wish you all a happy, productive and profitable 2011. Here is a quote from poet Ranier Marie Rilke to ponder as you ring out the old and ring in the new:

"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been"


Let's make this the best year ever!

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Sales Resolutions #5

Here is the 5th and final sales resolution for 2011: Always think WIIFT. This stands for What's In It For Them. Whenever you interact with a customer you should always speak in terms of the value you deliver to them. Customers could care less about your publication, what they want to know is how you can help them accomplish their goals. Everything that you say, do or send to the customer should explain what you can do for them. Instead of talking about your circulation (10,000 copies) talk about the customers you bring to their business (10,000 people who want to buy your merchandise. When you give a price remind them what they are paying for, "just pennies per home delivered." In 2011 vow to communicate value every time you talk or write to a customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Sales Resolution #4

My 4th sales resolution is Use a presentation binder. A presentation binder (or pitch book) is an organized collection of sales materials. This should include any maps of your circulation, research statistics, testimonials etc. It is also a good idea to include samples of your products. Using these printed materials on a sales call lends power to your presentation. Many people are visual learners and using a presentation binder will make more of an impression than words alone. This also serves as a memory aid for the sales person and helps them to remember to present the full product line. Testimonials in print are much more believable than hearing the story from the sales person. Taking the effort to put together a sales binder will pay off in increased sales.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sales Resolutions #3

My third sales resolution is: Take time to plan. We work in a fast paced business, we are always on the go. We are driven by deadlines and by our "to do" lists. Paradoxically one of the best ways to get more done is to stop doing occasionally and use the time to think. Schedule some time each week to plan your activities and reassess your goals. This will allow your to work smarter and be more productive. This allows you to be proactive rather than react to events. Taking the time to plan your presentations will greatly enhance your chances of closing a sale. When you shoot from the hip you are much more likely to miss. When things heat up and you are hyper busy, the temptation to skip planning increases. but this is a false economy. The best way to save time is to plan your time.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sales Resolution #2

Here is my second suggested resolution for advertising sales people: Track your numbers. Sales people should keep careful records of their activities. As a sales person, I tracked my calls, my presentations, my closes, my sales and my sales revenue. This information kept me honest. The number of calls told me if I was slacking off. The number of presentations told me if I was using a good call opening and engaging the customer, the closes told me if I was keeping the customer interested with my presentation. The number of sales was a measure of everything I was doing. I used the revenue number to determine my earnings but also to calculate my average sales. the average sales revenue was a good way to know if I was "leaving money on the table." I always kept better records than my boss required. This data prevented me telling myself I was working hard when I began to cut corners. It is also a great way to tie your activities to your sales results. I always knew how many calls I needed to make to generate the income I needed to make. If you do this on an ongoing basis as you go through your day it requires very little time and produces great results.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling.

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Here is a quote in the spirit of the holidays:

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill

The holidays that close the year fill most people with joy. This is not because we get lovely presents and get to eat wonderful meals, actually it is just the opposite. The source of our joy is giving to others and the sharing of ourselves. Psychologists have called this phenomenon the "hedonic paradox." The true happiness comes from focusing on others rather than on ourselves. This is a lesson for those of us in business. The best way to be successful is to focus on making our customer's successful.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sales Resolution #1

Here is the first in a series of resolutions for advertising sales people. This is a rather simple one--keep your mouth shut!. Sales people should resolve to listen far more than they speak on a sales call. Instead of making statements, they should ask more questions. Customers seldom lose interest or get bored when they are talking. In addition to keeping the customer engaged, when the customer is talking is talking you may learn something you can use to sell the client. Sales people are often tempted to keep talking about their products and themselves because they are more comfortable doing so. Talking about the customer's business may lead into unknown areas but this will enable you to sell programs that solve their problems.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Are you in the 8%

Research indicates that 92% of New Year's resolutions are broken, most are forgotten before Groundhog Day. What is the difference between the 8% that people keep and the 92% that fall by the wayside? Psychologists believe the difference lies in the thought that goes into the decision to make a change. Most people just blurt out something like "I'm going to lose 100 pounds this year" or "I am going to double my sales." Resolution "survivors" are well considered. A person making a solid resolution can answer these questions: "Why do I want to make this change?", "What steps do I need to take and in what order?" and "When will this be completed?" Lasting resolutions are usually written down and shared with others. By determining the specific changes you wish to make in your behavior and formulating a plan to make them significantly increases your chances of success. Typically the next few weeks tend to be slow. Use this time to plan your resolutions for 2011. Your best year ever starts with good goals.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Goodbye 2010

My wife and I were in the car this evening and talking about some of the things we had done in the past year. We both agreed that it seems like years since we attended the AFCP conference in Tucson last spring. This year went by very quickly and I am sure 2011 will be no different. This is why this is a good time to think about the changes we want to make in the coming 12 months. I suggest you start by looking at where you have been. Look at your records for 2010, your sales numbers, your account lists, anything you have that tracks your progress. Flip through your 2010 calendar and look at your appointments. Once you have done this sit down and think about the year, your victories and your problems. If you wrote down goals at the beginning of the year, review the list and note which ones were completed and where you fell short. Do this with a detached attitude, resist the temptation to beat yourself up. Regret is a waste of energy, you can not change the past but you can learn from it. Taking the time to ponder the lessons of the previous year is the first step to a great new year. Schedule a time to do this, and make it a priority. Time management expert Alan Lakein said that planning is "bringing the future into the present" to fix it. Reviewing the past and planning for the future allows you to take control of your destiny. This week I will discuss some ideas to make 2011 the best year ever.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here is a quote from an unlikely source--Pablo Picasso. In addition to being a great artist, Pablo Picasso was an expert marketer and business man. He was not a starving artist living in a drafty garret, but rather a very successful entrepreneur. His greatest creation was "Picasso." He established a brand and created a steady demand for his work. He kept changing and never let his brand get stale. Picasso was a hard worker and constantly on the go. Here is some advice from Picasso the businessman:

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." Pablo Picasso

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Make bad weather work for you

Winter can be a tough time for businesses. When the weather is cold and snowy shoppers may be reluctant to go out and shop. One way to entice them is to offer a bad weather incentive to shoppers. Offering a discount on any day with more that an inch of snow or offering a percentage off based on the temperature (10 below means ten percent off). If nothing else this kind of ad creates a "buzz" and starts people talking about the business.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

The Happiness Advantage

I'd like to share a book recommendation. I am just finishing Shawn Achor's "The Happiness Advantage." This well researched book details the tangible effects of maintaining a positive attitude. This book reveals 7 techniques for being happy and the impact that being a "glass half full" type of individual has on your career. This book also gives some excellent tools for improving your personal productivity and time management. The author, a Harvard professor and writer has crafted a book that describes much of the current research on the subjects but which is easily understood by the average reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone in sales.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Happy Valentines Day

Though Santa has yet to arrive as advertising sales people we should be thinking about cupid. Now is the time to start asking customers about their Valentine's Day advertising plans. Retailers are now flush with cash and in a good frame of mind. Jewelers, restaurants, florists and other concerns that do business during both holidays should be sold on both dates. This puts you ahead of the competition and secures your February revenue. In our business, the early bird gets the ad.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Lessons from Groupon

Over the weekend I listened to an interview with Andrew Mason, the founder of Groupon. He had some very nasty things to say about print advertising. We are squarely in Groupon's sights and he is coming after our business. He is very proud of the results his "model" is producing for small local businesses. He credits their proactive method of sending offers to customers for generating large responses. Later in the interview he talked about the importance of his people. His people are trained to convince advertisers to offer deep discounts to Groupon members. I believe these highly motivating offers are the key to Groupon's success and that if businesses made the same offer in print that the response would be even greater. The take away here is that we need to push clients to make compelling offers in their ads.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning." Thomas A Edison

In the past two weeks I have helped three of our reps secure commitments for over $150,000 in advertising for 2011. In one case we took the business from broadcast TV, another from Valasis and in two of these cases we overcame the bjections of their ad agencies. In all three of these cases the appointments lasted more than twice as long as the customer had originally allotted, not because we ran long, but because the customer wanted more information. How were we able to engage the customers and persuade them to buy from us? Comprehensive planning. In each case we prepared research on the market, on their industry and business and prepared a detailed plan for them including spec ads. In addition to putting together a marketing plan we planned how we would present our information to them. The take away lesson is that in today's market, we need to use every tool to land business. Money is tight and the competition is very tough. In better times planning many be a luxury but in a recessionary time it is a necessity.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Dr. Drucker's Fab Five

Dr. Peter Drucker was in many ways responsible for American industry's fabulous productivity in the middle of the 20th century. For almost seven decades he was the preeminent business thinker in the world. Here are the 5 practices he identified that set high performers apart from the crowd:

1. Effective people know where their time goes. They take a systematic approach to time management.
2. They focus on contributing to the success of their organization. They spend their time on activities that will make a difference.
3. Top performers know their personal strengths and concentrate their efforts on activities that require them to exercise them.
4. Effective people concentrate on their priorities. They realize that time is a finite resource and don't dissipate their energies on low value activities
5. Top performers make decisions thoughtfully. They consider probable scenarios and think them through beforehand. By considering possible situations they can make good decisions on the fly. They look and life like a chess board and are always thinking several moves ahead.

I highly recommend Dr. Drucker's books particularly The Effective Executive. They are timeless classics for anyone in business.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Take advantage of resolution season

On New Years just about everyone makes resolutions. A good question to ask your prospects at this time of year is "What are your New Year's resolutions for the business?" This is a good way to start a discussion about their goals and how advertising can help them realize them. You should prepare some ideas and perhaps some layouts to demonstrate your interest in their business. You want to be sure that you are a big part of their business plans for 2011. Any time you talk about their goals and the future of their business you exchange your sales person's clothes for the much more attractive garments of a consultant.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Now a wordfrom our sponsor

Voice-mail is a fact of life for sales people. Many potential customers commonly use voice mail to screen their calls. If you want to talk to them, you must convince them to call you back. You should prepare a message to leave when you can't reach a "real person." Think of this as your personal "commercial." If you want prospects to return your call, you must give them a reason to do so. Your message should offer a customer benefit. Write out and rehearse your message using a friendly upbeat tempo. Your goal is to sound like someone the prospect would want to talk to.

Also, don't neglect your own voice-mail message. Listen to it and make sure you don't sound like a zombie when people call while you are out.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Be a straight "A" communicator

Here is a formula for effectively communicating with unhappy prospects and customers. To defuse a tense situation employ the "Four A's".

1. Acknowledge--Let the customer know that you have heard their concerns. This satisfies the basic human need to be respected and lets them know they do not have to escalate their behavior to get your attention
2. Appreciate--Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention and let them know you value their business. Most important let them know you appreciate them on a human level.
3. Affirm--You should let the person know you can see their point of view. That you are taking their proposed solutions seriously.
4. Assure--Commit to resolving the customer's problem. Take personal responsibility for remedying the situation and give the customer your personal contact information. Let the customer know precisely what you intend to do and give them a timeline for completing your plan.

This is good advice for handling customer service problems and sales objections.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of time and money some scientists spend to research common sense subjects. Scientists using FMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) devices have proven that emotions are contagious. When a person sees someone who is happy the sections of their brain which produce happiness are activated. This is why salespeople have known the importance of staying positive for a long time. Here is a quote that expresses this effect quite eloquently:

"If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one of your own because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give." Rabbi Samson Hirsch

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Getting them off the fence

Sometimes customers just don't want to make a decision. They see the logic of your presentation but are afraid they may be making a mistake. Here are several techniques you can use to "get them off the fence."

• Make reinforcing statements-boil the value you offer into one short clear statement. For example: "Your ad will reach over X thousand homes for only $X, just pennies per home.
• Use the assumptive close-The assumptive close takes the decision making out of their hands.
• Choice close-"Do you want to start the program this week or next week." This simplifies the decision making process
• Use tie downs-As you go through your presentation make statements like "I think this is a great value, wouldn't you agree." This predisposes the prospect to say yes.
• Social proof-This is a fancy word for testimonials. Showing that others have used your product allays the buyer's fears

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Open the door

I was working with a group of reps yesterday and we started our meeting by sharing success stories. One of the reps spoke about a pizza shop who disliked the Pennysaver and would not advertise. He kept talking to the account and found that he was hand delivering flyers to a local business park. My rep had the art department professionally redo his home made flyer and presented it to him. The rep sold him on a small print only order of these flyers. After doing this several times he was able to get the account to insert them in our publications. By closing the small sale the rep was able to demonstrate his dedication to customer service and begin building a relationship that led to bigger and better things. The take away lesson is to focus on selling a new account something. It is much easier to close the bigger deal when you've broken the ice.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Christmas isn't just for retailers

Many of our customers are service businesses but this doesn't mean they can't promote their business during the holidays. Studies have shown that since the recession consumers are looking for more practical gift giving ideas. This opens an opportunity for service businesses to sell gift certificates or gift cards. Selling gift certificates offer a number of benefits. This can help cash flow in a slow period of the year and regular customers buying certificates to give to friends and relatives may introduce new customers to the business. Also remember that many gift certificates are never redeemed allowing the business owner to keep the purchase price. If a business doesn't have gift certificates, blank forms can be purchased at any office supply store.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

December Bah Humbug

I enjoy the holidays as much as anyone but in December I am a real Scrooge. As a sales manager I drove my sales people to keep making calls and as a rep I cracked the whip on myself. There is a strong temptation to blow off December, kick back and party a little but you can not afford to lose this month. The calls you make in December lays the ground work for your January sales. Your January sales set the pace for the balance of the year. If you let December slip away you may have to play catch up for the rest of the year. Another advantage of busting your butt in December is that your competition probably won't, this gives you a jump on them. Remember that December is 1/12 of your working year unless you're willing to give up 1/12 of your income, keep your nose to grindstone until the new year arrives.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

The value of thank you

In my experience the the ethical and courteous thing to do is generally also the best business decision. Our parents taught us to always say please and thank you. Here's an interesting piece from Fast Company magazine on the profitability of listening to your mom.

"A ten year study by leadership experts Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton of 200,000 managers and employees showed that saying "Thank you" correlates with bigger profits. This isn't surprising , because giving thanks is a great motivational tool; who doesn't like to be thanked?"

Make sure that you (sincerely) thank people for even the smallest kindnesses and services. It will help your bottom line and make your workdays much more pleasant.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B

My very favorite business book

I am a very disciplined reader. I try to spend at least half an hour per day reading business books or other materials. This means that in the course of my career (Almost 4 decades) I have read literally thousands of books on selling and business. Some of these were terrible, some had a few interesting points and many were quite good. Of everything I've read, one book stands out above all the rest--Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." I make a point of rereading this book every year and each time I learn something new. Covey's habits have not only made me a better sales person and manager but a better person in general. It is a book that shows a deep understanding of the human psyche and how we relate to one another. This book has been one of the top selling buiness books for over twenty years. I am in the habit of picking up copies of the "Seven Habits" at the used book store for my younger reps and I shared it with my children when they were in high school. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Verbal economy

This morning I was listening to an interview with the novelist Salman Rushdie who spoke of his time working in advertising. When asked what he learned during his advertising career to which he responded "Advertising taught me the value of every word." As an advertising copywriter he learned to get is his point across in a concise direct manner. This is a good lesson and one that has relevance to advertising salespeople as well as copywriters. When we are with a customer we have a finite amount of time. Their time and especially their attention span is very limited. Every minute you fill with meaningless "chit chat" is deducted from the time you have to present the value of your product. Obviously you have to observe the normal conversational niceties, but most clients are busy and appreciate a sales person who gets right to the meat of the interview. Having a goal and planning before a sales call will help keep you on point and focused. A focused a salesperson is more likely to keep the customer engaged. Doing this will save both you and the customer time.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks--Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Of course, I am very fond of the turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but I truly embrace the spirit of the day. I am acutely aware of all the kindnesses, large and small, that have blessed my life. Each day I make a concerted effort to thank the people who help me along my path. "Thank you" are two words that can never be overused. I thank you all for reading my blog and for all the support the people in our industry have given me. Here is a quote that I feel expresses the true spirit of the holiday.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

William Arthur Ward.

Have a great holiday.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Great Question

Here is a question that I like to ask to uncover a customer's USP (Unique Selling Proposition). If you ask a prospect what sets them apart from their competition you often get a shrug of the shoulders and a "I don't know." I use this format to set up the question and create a visual for the client: "Mr./Ms. Customer, imagine that I am the worst comparison shopper in the world. Before I will buy your product I bring you and all of you competitors into a room and set you all around a table. One at a time, I ask each of you "Why should I buy from you instead of one of these other guys?" What would you tell me?" Asking the question in this way usually generates a good response from the customer. I often find that what they tell me makes a great headline for their ad.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Overcoming "the budget" objection

We often hear "We'd like to advertise but its not in the budget." Sometimes this is true but more often this is a "nice no," a way to get rid of a sales person without having to argue. If the budget is gone they think you have nowhere to go. I like to counter this with questions. I ask the customer when they set their budget and how they determine how much to spend. I also ask how it is allocated. You may find that they don't really have a defined budget process and they just don't want to spend on your product. If they really have a budget, can they reallocate funds to cover your program by cutting back somewhere else. In the worst case scenario you learn when they set the budget so you can get in on the next cycle. By asking good questions you will uncover the real objection and force the customer to really consider your paper.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim
Busch

DWYPYWD

The title of this blog may appear to be written in some odd old forgotten language but it holds the secret to long term business success. DWYPYWD is an acronym for "Do What You Promised You Would Do!" This is the essence of customer service and it is at the core of integrity. In this post Enron, post bank crisis era, surveys have found that less than 10% of Americans associate the words "business" and "trust." Advertising people are held in even lower regard. In order to get clients to trust us we have to be 110% honest and accurate.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Gobble up pizza accounts

Thanksgiving is all about the turkey, but the days before and after are big days for pizza. The day before the holiday is busy because people are preparing for the next day's feast. The day after is the same because people are busy shopping and suffering from "Turkey Fatigue." Talk to your pizza and other fast food accounts about running specials around these days. I had a client run an ad last year with a headline reading "Tired of Leftovers?" This is also a good time for these accounts to sell gift certificates or to distribute coupon books for the rest of the season.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost"--Zig Ziglar

I grew up as a sales person reading and listening to Zig Ziglar's advice. Though few young sales people today even know Zig's name but I think he still has a lot to offer. I read this quote many years ago and it lead me to start analyzing my calls, successful and unsuccessful, immediately after they take place. This post mortem helped me to learn from my mistakes and improve my skills.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Be a recording star

Selling is a performance art. Like all good performers, sales people benefit from rehearsal. Practicing your presentation polishes your sales skills and builds your confidence. I also like to rehearse my answers to objections and my closing statements. The more you think about and practice what you are going to say on a sales call, the less you have to think about it on a call. This frees your mind to listen to the customer and respond to what they are saying. I like to record myself and then critique my approach. This helps to identify weak spots in your sales presentation and allow you to fine tune your skills. This takes time but experience has shown that this will greatly improve your closing ratio.



Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!



Thanks Jim Busch

Twenty-somethings and print

We often hear that young adults have abandoned print for the Internet and mobile apps. A survey announced in the November 1, 2010 edition of Advertising Age shows how wrong this assumption really is. The article titled "Coupon Clipping Stages a Comeback" talks about how coupon redemption has surged since the recession. It quotes a National Newspaper Network study that found that 91% of consumers aged 25 to 34 use newspaper coupons. If these young consumers buy a newspaper for the coupons you can be sure that they will read a free and or community paper. It looks like print advertising will be around for a long time.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Let the customer set the pace

Psychologists and linguists have found that humans retain more information when speaking with people who match their conversational rhythm. As sales people we should listen carefully to the pace of our customer's speech and try to match it. If you are talking to a quick talking New Yorker speed up and when talking to a person with a Texas drawl, slow down. You do not have to mimic the person but simply train yourself to adopt their verbal pace. This will help you get your message across because conversational rhythms are closely related to the speed with which we process information in our minds. A collateral benefit of doing this is that it forces you to listen very closely to the client.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"People mistakenly assume that their thinking is done by their head; it is actually done by heart which first dictates the conclusion, then commands the head to provide the reasoning that will defend it." Anthony De Mello

Many times I've heard reps say "I gave the prospect all the facts and he still didn't buy an ad." This never surprised me because I knew that customers don't base decisions on facts, they buy with their "gut." People will never buy if you don't engage their emotions. Always keep this in mind when talking to a customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Three ways of looking at an ad

Before talking to a customer you should consider your recommendation from three different angles. Obviously you should think like a sales person using your knowledge of your products and marketing to craft a good program. You should look at it from the customer's perspective. How will this help the business? How will it impact the bottom line? Doing this will help you explain the program as a sound business decision. Finally you should think like a reader. Will the program attract the consumer's attention? Would the offer or information in the ad motivate a shopper to patronize the customer's business. Thinking this way will help you to paint a clear picture of who the ad will attract for the business. Putting yourself in the shoes of your customer and the customer's customer will add credibility and power to your presentations.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Keep the focus on value

Today I was in the field with a rep calling on a hearing aid dealer. The advertiser was complaining because my paper did not cover all of his area. In questioning the client I learned that we covered about 85% of his market. Like many people he was focused on what was missing rather than what he had. I reminded the customer that we could reach thousands of readers in his service area for just pennies per home delivered. I reminded him that the area we reached was well worth the investment required. I used a series of questions to help the customer see the value he was receiving from us. I could not change the situation or change our circulation so I concentrated my efforts on helping the customer see the situation in a different light.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Americans are loving coupons

Coupon usage was in decline for almost a decade until the recession hit. Coupon redemption has steadily increased for the last 2 years. The second annual Benchmark Survey of Coupon Behavior found that 62% of online shoppers frequently look for coupons before making a purchase and 12% never make a purchase without looking for a coupon. Families are more likely to use coupons with 73% of moms joining the ranks of coupon shoppers. Much of the recent research on coupons has been focused on online shoppers but I believe the research holds true for retailers. Online or offline; shoppers are looking for a deal these days. Free and community papers are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this trend. Smart shoppers have always known our publications are the best source for great deals. The recession has turned almost everyone into smart shoppers.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Happy Thanksgiving

It is hard to believe that November is upon us already. For many years I've prepared a Thanksgiving letter for my reps to send their advertisers. This letter thanks them for their business and for making the rep and our company a success. The reps customize them, sign them and then send them out so that they arrive during Thanksgiving week. These letters make a big impact on our customers. They expect to receive cards during the Christmas season but this catches them by surprise. Also they get lots of card but usually we are the only company that remembers to thank them. My reps receive many calls from their clients expressing their appreciation for this gesture. This is an outstanding way to set yourself apart from the competition.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Leo Burnett was one of the great minds of the advertising industry. He was famous for his "Leo's", short quotations that held great wisdom about advertising. Here is one of his best:

Advertising is the ability to sense, interpret...to put the very heart throbs of a business into type, paper and ink."

I have always told my customers that "Your advertising is you in print." A good ad should reflect the customer's business. An ad should tell the customer's story. It should accurately communicate the style and look of the customer's enterprise. When a customer tries to save a few pennies by cramming their copy into a tiny ad, readers will get an impression of a cluttered, cramped store front. Customers spend a lot of money to make their place of business attractive to potential shoppers. They should not scrimp on their other location--their ad in the paper.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Why are you here?

Do your prospects and clients know why you are calling on them? More importantly do you? Are you just going through the motions, doing your job and seeing the people or do you have a clear purpose for every call? Reps who have a clear objective in mind before every call will be much more successful than those who do not. Ask yourself is "If this call is successful, what will happen." You should have a specific goal for every call. "Make a sale" is not specific, "Present our holiday tab" is. Sometimes your goal will simply be "identify the decision maker" or "uncover prospects advertising goals for the next quarter." Sales is a systematic process to move a customer along a continuum to the point where they accept your point of view and buy your product. Your goal should always be to take them to the next step in this process. If you can not state a specific objective for each call, this process will take much longer.

Keep Smiling Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Foundation Questions

I have always believed that questions are the key component of any sales call. You should always plan your questions prior to the call. Progress from broad to more specific questions. Unlike many trainers, I like to ask a few close ended questions (Questions that can be answered with 1 word) at the beginning of the call. Asking these questions loosens up the customer and starts the conversation rolling. The longer you talk to the customer the more you tear down the natural wall that exists between a sales person and a prospect. These questions lay a foundation that you can use to build a solid relationship with the client. Don't waste any questions, make sure each question you ask uncovers information you can use to close a sale.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

This trick is a treat

Sales is all about establishing relationships with your prospects and advertisers. You want to make a memorable and positive impression on the customer, You can use the upcoming Halloween holiday to score some points. For just a few dollars you can buy some bags of miniature "treat size" candy bars and some small plastic jack-o-lanterns or printed treat bags. You can make up some special "goodie" bags for your customers and drop them off as you make your rounds. It is unlikely that your competitors will do this and your customers will be pleasantly surprised by this gesture. This small investment will make a big impression on your clients. Never forget that the customer is buying you as much as they are buying your product.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Power Phrases for Sales People

Here are a couple of phrases to use on a sales call to give your message impact. I have used versions of these for years to good effect:

1. "If it were me"--This tells the customer that you identify with him and that you are interested in his/her welfare
2. "My customers tell me that"--Customers inherently distrust a sales person (They know why we're there!) Putting your words in someone else's mouth gives you added credibility.
3. "We don't want this to happen to you"--Fear is a strong motivator, relate a story about a business damaged by a poor advertising decision and then use this.
4. "This would be like"-- Nothing promotes understanding like the use of a good analogy. They are particularly powerful if you can relate your recommendation to the customer's business: "Mr. Customer not advertising would be like not replacing your merchandise, you need to replenish your stock and you need to replenish your customer base."

These phrases work on a customer's emotions and help them to see the value you offer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Leo Burnett was one of the most creative advertising men of all time. He was the master of the pithy statement that contained great wisdom. Here is Burnett's twenty word description of advertising:

Advertising says to people, "Here's what we've got. Here's what it will do for you. Here's how to get it."

Think about this simple statement each time you build an ad. Most ads I see have parts 1 & 3 but forget to tell the reader "Here's what it will do for you." Make sure your ads offer a benefit to your readers. Benefits are the thing that makes the ad work.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The six rules of enthusiasm

When I first went into sales I would go to the library and check out everything I could find on sales. I would copy or write down points that I wanted to remember. Recently I found something I had photocopied long ago from a sales book. I am not sure where this is from (There is a reference to Edward R. Murrow on the page so I think it dates back to the 1950's) but it makes just as much sense as it did many decades ago.

The first way to rise above the crowd is to do the ordinary thing with extraordinary enthusiasm. The six rules for feeding and developing enthusiasm are:

1. Choose to sell something you can be enthusiastic about.
2. Keep on learning all you can about it.
3. Take pride in it.
4. When enthusiasm lags, work harder.
5. Work and talk enthusiastically
6. Exposure yourself to enthusiastic people

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Great way to show off your work

I recently bought some "Magnetic" photo albums. These are the ones with the pages covered with a clear plastic sheet that can be lifted and replaced as needed. I am using these to display the front page stickers my company is now selling. They could be used to display any type of print ad just as easily. Few things are as effective in the sales process as showing prospects ads from other local businesses. These albums are a very professional way to show off your work. By packing the pages with lots of ads you foster the impression that your publication is very successful and that many businesses advertise with you. This helps prospects overcome their fears about advertising. This books are inexpensive and easy to update.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Get them moving

When customers get hung up on a problem or a mistake in an ad the sales process comes to a halt. Going over and over a problem is counter-productive and actually makes the problem worst. The best way to handle this is to acknowledge the problem and then ask the client "Moving forward, how can we remedy this situation." The phrase "moving forward" takes the focus off the problem and places on it finding a solution. This can get the sales process back in gear again and moves you toward a close.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

What happens in Vegas, doesn't have to stay in Vegas

I'm back from the SACP/PNAWAN conference in Las Vegas and so is this blog. I enjoy attending conferences and find them a great place to learn more about our business. The people who attend these events are some of the best in our industry and are committed to improving their skills. Ostensibly, I attend theses conferences to teach but often I think I benefit more than my students. A sales rep from Utah gave me a great idea. Her paper doesn't have a web site which puts her at a competitive disadvantage relevant to the local daily paper. She helped the customer set up a Facebook page for her advertisers and then e-mails a copy of their ad to them to load on the page. She puts the customers page address into each ad along with the Facebook logo. This gives the account an Internet presence and leaves the rep in control of the business. A great idea, particularly for reps working for smaller papers.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Facts or feelings

What is more important on a sales call, facts or feelings. I firmly believe feelings far outweigh facts in a buying decision. This explains why you can make an extremely logical case for advertising with you and a customer will say no. If a customer feels your program is a good idea they will buy regardless of the facts. If they don't feel your program is a good idea, a mountain of facts will never convince them to buy. You must engage the customer emotionally before they can be sold. I suggest you read any of Daniel Goleman's books on emotional intelligence.

Please note: This blog may be a bit irregular for the next few days as I will be traveling to Las Vegas to do training.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The end of an era

I just read that Verizon (A regional telephone company) will no longer deliver a white page directory to residential addresses. They admitted that few people are using them any more and that most people prefer to use the web to find numbers. There is a surprising amount of money invested in bold listings in the white pages. Most advertisers don't even know this is part of their directory program. I would not be surprised if the yellow page reps fail to advise their customers to remove this listing in spite of the fact that the white pages will only be going to businesses. This move also brings the value of their yellow page program into question. You might want to open up a discussion with your customers about their directory program. This is a great way to free up some revenue for your paper,

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Some truths are hard to take. This quote expresses one of these tough facts:

"The real fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them, and sometimes it's an ad."--Howard Luck Gossage

Just putting an ad in our paper is not enough. We need to work with our advertisers to create ads that are compelling and the grab the reader's interest. We need to convince our customers that they need to make offers that offer great value to consumers. We need to be true advertising consultants not just sales people.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The test of a great ad

Customer's are famous for placing their name at the top of an ad in huge type. They then like to fill the every remaining square millimeter of the ad with 6 point copy. The end result is a grey blot on the page. Customers will argue at they can read everything in the ad. This is true when you are focusing on the ad in the paper or on a print out. This does not replicate the experience of your readers. They are flipping through your paper or reading through the line ads. To attract their attention the ad must shout out what it is promoting. A way to simulate this is to hold the page up and walk 8 or 10 feet away. Can you easily recognize what the ad is selling? Does the art or the headline tell what it is about? Holding the ad at a distance simulates the experience of the reader hurrying through the paper or just glancing at the ads. If you can't immediately identify the subject of the ad at a distance the typical reader will miss it as well. Try this with your customers. (It is a good idea to have some examples of good ads picked out so you can demonstrate the difference)

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The guarantee objection

Sometimes prospects will ask "can you guarantee that my ads will work?" This can be a tough question to answer. It is actually an objection masquerading as a question, implying that they will not advertise unless they can be 100% certain of getting results.

I like to use this approach: "Mr./Ms. Customer, if anyone in the advertising industry promises you specific results, they are lying to you. There are just too many variables to precisely predict how a program will pull. I can tell you that we have many satisfied advertisers, many in your industry, who count on my publication to bring customers in. I think the best proof I can offer is the many customers I work with who have advertised with us for many years. They are smart, experienced business people just like you and wouldn't continue to advertise if they didn't see results.

This response addresses the real issue, they want to be reassured that they are making a good decision. By using the phrase "smart, experienced business people" helps the customer identify themselves with the people who advertise.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Let your fingers do the walking

The Yellow Pages are not what they used to be. The easy access to information on the web has hit the directory industry hard. That said, the Yellow Pages still contains a lot of information on the business community. I suggest that you carry a copy of the local directory in your car. When you call on a prospect a glance at their ad (if they have one) will tell you what they do and other information such as when they opened ("since 1975"). The phone book will also give you an idea of their competition. This information can help you to formulate good questions to start the sales conversation. The phone book is an easy to use data base and only takes a few seconds to consult prior to a call.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling

Thanks Jim Busch

How much is an ad?

I have been on calls with inexperienced reps when, once they introduced themselves, the prospect asked "How much is an ad?" These new reps interpreted this as a buying signal and offered a price quote. At the beginning of a call this question is not a buying signal, it is a trap. If the rep would have answered "You can get a full page for a nickel!" the prospect would answer "too much!" Customers know that this a quick way to end a call that leaves the rep no where to go. The correct answer to this question is "I don't know." You can go on to explain that "I have a price list, but I wouldn't know what type of ad you need, or if you need an ad at all. Let me ask a few questions about your business and I will be able to give you a quote." Now the prospect is painted into a corner, since they ostensibly expressed interest they must answer your questions. Quoting a price before you've uncovered a need is a quick way to lose a sale.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"If everything seems under control, your not going fast enough."Mario Andretti

When I started in business, I would pick up my messages at the end of the day and return the calls the next morning. Today if you don't respond with in an hour or so it is likely that they will have contacted a competitor. To be successful today, a sales person must possess a highly developed sense of urgency. We can not risk procrastination, because in today's fast paced business world, taking your time is the fastest way to lose a customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Don't ask for an "appointment."

I am a big believe in setting appointments with prospects and advertisers but I never ask for one. Instead of asking for an "appointment", ask the customer for a "meeting." This seems like an inconsequential matter but research shows that buyers are more likely to respond positively to this phrasing. Appointments, whether they are with your doctor, lawyer or accountant, usually are unpleasant and expensive. They are also usually one way affairs with the professional in total control. This causes many people to have a negative connotation when they hear "appointment." Meetings on the other hand imply an exchange of ideas and information. This is a more accurate description of what we do and much more welcoming to the prospect. In sales details matter and anything that increases your chances of closing a sale, no matter how small, is worth doing.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

What's bugging your readers?

Watch the morning news and you're sure to see a story about the "bedbug invasion." The media coverage of the return of bedbugs is making the public paranoid about these little critters. When consumers get paranoid they naturally reach for their wallets. Make sure you call on your exterminator customers. One of my guys has seen his business increase because he is promoting "free bedbug inspections." Even if they don't find bedbugs, when they do the inspection they are able to propose and sell other services. He told me he found several people who had termites and he was able to eliminate them before they did noticeable damage.

Some retailers also are cashing in on this scare. "Bedbug proof" mattress covers and other products sell at a premium. We have an opportunity to make some sales by helping our customers take advantage of this problem. By paying attention to the news and asking "How can I use this?", we create opportunities for ourselves and our customers.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

True But Useless

I am currently reading Chip and Dan Heath's "Switch." This is an excellent book on executing and motivating change. In their book they refer to the danger of focusing on things that are "TBU" True But Useless. TBU includes complaining about situations you can't change (i.e. complaining about the state of the national economy), it is true that the economy is a challenge but talking about it is useless. Talking about the economy will not make things better, planning to sell through this challenge will. You also want to avoid wasting time on a call talking about things that are TBU. An example of this would be explaining how ads are sent to the printer, this may interest you, but this information is useless to the prospect. They just want to know that their ad will appear in the paper and that it will be correct. You have limited time in front of a customer so you want to spend it talking about things that improve your chance of making a sale.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Show and Sell

A picture is worth a 1000 words is a well worn cliche'. Cliche's become cliche's because they make so much sense that they get repeated over and over. I was with a rep earlier this week servicing a customer's ad in a coupon product. The customer asked about doing free standing inserts. Without skipping a beat the rep reached into his portfolio and pulled out a price list and a sample insert. He quoted a price and handing the sample to the customer he said "the price I quoted is for one just like this." This really helped the customer know what he was getting. She looked at the nice glossy flyer, felt the paper and then said "OKAY." If the rep didn't have a sample at his fingertips he would have spent a long time describing it and the customer would have had, at best, a vague idea of what an insert looks like. Because he was prepared, he landed the sale. As soon as we got back to his car he opened the trunk and replaced the insert in his portfolio, ready to make the next sale. Like another cliche's says--"Luck is where preparation meets opportunity." He was ready when an opportunity popped up.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

This week's bit of wisdom needs no explanation. It makes it's point simply and directly.



"There is a creed that every salesperson who suceeds lives up to. Its simple and brief--and it works.

Here it is:

Believe first in what you sell.

Believe your prospect will profit by it.

Believe in the firm in back of you."

George J. Barnes



If any of these three are missing it is time to change your attitude or change your job.



Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!



Thanks Jim Busch

Avoid the "A" word

At the beginning of a call I avoid using the "A" word--Advertising! Many business owners consider advertising to be an expense and many people pitch some very bad products as "advertising" Rather than ask for the person who is "handles your advertising," I prefer to ask for the person who "is responsible for getting the word out about your company" or "for telling your story to the public." These phrases have a better connotation and are customer focused.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Go to church

Our job is to help people connect. We connect businesses with potential customers. We can also connect churches with potential members. Some large churches are very aggressive in recruiting new people to join their congregations. Don't drive past these potential advertisers. Many of these organizations have a person who is in charge of evangelism and often have a budget allotted for this purpose. They often appreciate the call because our publications are a cost effective way to grow their church.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The Value of Promptness

Today I was visiting a prospect with one of my company's young sales reps. The customer was considering a proposal for a large number of flyers to be distributed over a 60 day period. The prospect said that our primary competitor had offered him a price significantly lower than ours in order to keep the business. The customer also told her that he had decided to give us the business, He told my rep that though he was tempted by the lower price he put a higher value on service. He said that our rep returned his calls promptly even calling after 5. He said that he felt more confident that if any issues cropped up that our rep would take care of them. Her promptness in responding to the customer won her a large order and a new customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Its better to be dumb than a crooked

I made a call on an account to resolve a customer service issue for one of our inside sales people. The rep had failed to follow a procedure that lead to the customer's ad failing to appear in several editions of our publication. The customer was quite upset. After explaining the situation he calmed down considerably. The customer thought that the rep had intentionally deceived him, and was relieved to learn that it been a simple mistake. This is why it is always better to tell the truth when you make a mistake. Customers can forgive a mistake but a breach of trust is permanent. When dealing with a customer honesty is always the best policy. Lying to save face is a bad idea.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

I love Harvey MacKay's books. Harvey is a great business man and a entertaining writer. He is a master of putting a powerful, actionable idea into just a few words. I often quote Harvey in my training classes. Here is an example of Harvey MacKay's wisdom:

"Most people avoid risks their whole life by assuming the other guy is going to say no"

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Lincoln's Technique

Before he became president Abraham Lincoln was a very successful attorney. He would sit quietly and listen to his opponent's arguments. Lincoln would then rise and would concede to most of the the other attorney's arguments one by one. After covering most of the points, he would argue the final point. He would tell the jury that this was the one point they should ponder. He would tell them that if was the major issue in the case. He almost always won the day for his client. He understood that people are only able to entertain one or two ideas at a time. Because he argued only one point while his opponent made many points, the jury remembered Lincoln's argument and forgot the other lawyer's. The lesson for sales people is the value of streamlining and simplifying our presentations. It is better to make one key point than try to impress the client with multiple benefits.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Stuff that turkey

Regular readers of this blog know that I am a big believer in proactively contacting prospects long before an event. Now is the time to start talking to prospects about Thanksgiving. In the past this meant contacting grocers but the market has greatly expanded in the past few years. The number of people who dine out on Thanksgiving or who have their dinner catered has grown in the last decade. With most women working outside the home they do not have the time or the desire to make a big meal. By talking to prospects early you will help them plan their promotions and preempt your competition. We are approximately 2 1/2 months out from Turkey Day but you will want to start promoting these events several weeks before the holiday. Starting now gives you a jump start on this revenue opportunity. Don't forget to reach out to appliance dealers, beer distributors and party stores as well.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling.

Thanks Jim Busch

"Everybody knows me"

One of the toughest objections to handle is "everybody knows me so I don't need to advertise." You usually hear this from businesses that have been in their market for a long time. They may have been in the same location for 50 years but their prospects haven't been. For years I worked for the yellow pages in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is one of the most stable markets in the US, but every week we received an updated white pages. In the course of a year every single page of the residential directory changed by about 20%. Even if a business does everything right they are going to lose customers. Customers die, move or their needs change. To remain solvent a business has to "keep their pipeline full" and attract a steady stream of new clients. Talk to your prospects about changes in their customer base and about the changes in their market. Remind them that old people move out and new people move in all the time. If they want to make sure that indeed everyone will know them--they need to advertise consistently.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Here's a quote that I believe we can all agree upon:

"We find that advertising works the way that grass grows. You can never see it, but every week you have to mow it."--Andy Tarshis

This is a fun thing to share with your customer when they want to "Run an ad every now and then."

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Selling Shopping Centers

Many malls and large strip centers do group advertising. Some centers assess each merchant an advertising fee based on the square footage of their store. This money is used to pay for advertising which promotes the center and the merchants. To tap into this budget you need to identify who places the advertising. Some large centers actually have a marketing manager, some centers are handled by the general manager and many have a committee of store owners. You need to visit the stores and ask who handles the marketing for the center. If the advertising is handled by a group, try to attend their meeting. Often one merchant is the unofficial "leader of the pack" and has a strong influence over the group. Try to identify and sell this merchant and the others will fall into line.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling.

Thanks Jim Busch

Make your message stand-out

Ideally you always want to talk directly to a decision maker but sometimes you need to leave them a note or leave some information. It is important to make your message stand-out. Customers get a lot of sales people calling on them and a lot of them leave info. I like to carry a supply of clear plastic sheet protectors. I put the information in the sheet protector and clip my card to it. A sheet protector makes your materials stand out from the rest of the papers on their desk. People put important documents in sheet protectors to protect them, they will lend an appearance of value to your materials.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here's one from the queen of good advice, "Dear Abby."

"A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it's an undo-it-yourself project"--Abigail Van Buren

Along with being sound advice this offers a lesson in phrasing a concept. Playing on the common phrase "Do-it-yourself" makes this statement memorable. Simple yet interesting language is the best way to make your ideas stick.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sell on every call

I was in the field with a rep who was responding to a phone in lead. The customer, a new florist shop, had called in to place "a grand opening ad." The rep went in sure of a sale so he decided to coast. After introducing himself he launched in to a discussion of what type of an ad they wanted and what they wanted to say. He bypassed the discovery phase of the call and asked no questions about their business. I believe this is bad practice as the call did not teach him anything about the customer's goals or plans. He also did nothing to build his relationship with the customer. He was functioning as an order taker rather than as a consultant. A good salesperson sells on every call. A good sales call leave the sales person and the prospect with a better understanding of what the other has to offer and builds their relationship. A "Kiss Me" lead is tempting but can lead to a quick sale instead of a long term business relationship.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

What do they expect to pay

One of the managers I work with recently traveled from Pittsburgh to Boston on the "Mega Bus." The Mega Bus is a low price inter city transit company that advertises prices as low as $1. My friend's wife waited too long to get his ticket so he had to pay the exorbitant price of $3 for the trip to New England. What I found interesting was that his wife was upset at having to pay $2 more than she expected. Two dollars is hardly worth complaining about but she had expected to pay only $1. This is why you should avoid giving a customer a price too early in the call or start with a small ad. You will never be able to get the customer to raise the price once they have a "set point" price in mind even if you can prove the value of your product is worth the expenditure. Hold off offering a price until you have identified the customer's needs and established the value of your product.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Consistant varety

Today I saw a piece on CBS Sunday morning about the team of artists would design the "Google Doodles." These are the creative treatments of the Google logo that they feature on their home page. This is a good illustration of what I call "consistent variety." We tell our customers about the benefits of consistency but the downside is that the ad can get boring. Like the billboards we pass everyday, after the first time or two they fade into the landscape. I like to use a standardized format for an ad using a logo and the same basic layout. This makes the ad easily recognizable to the regular reader. The key is to change our the offer to keep the ad fresh. Using this combination helps the reader to find the ad quickly and makes them to want to find it by offering them something new. If it is good enough for Google, it is good enough for your advertisers.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

Quote of the week

"Discipline is remembering what you want" David Campbell

This quote is deceptively simple. It is about how we achieve our goals, one action at a time. Lots of people go to great pains to set goals but then file them away and never act on making them become reality. We must constantly remind ourselves of our goals and take myriad small steps toward them every hour of every day. As Mr. Campbell says we must discipline ourselves to keep our goals in sight.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Trivia Questions What business is the most profitable?

Here is a question. What small business is the most profitable? The answers--Dentists. Typically a dental practice brings in over a half million dollars per year and has a profit margin of 17 or 18%. While setting up a practice is an expensive undertaking, in the long run this is a very lucrative field. More and more dentists are promoting cosmetic services such as tooth whitening and enamels. Make sure you don't overlook dentists when working you're territory. Newer practices are particularly good prospects as they are building their patient base and sill paying for their overhead. Other good targets are pediatric dentists, cosmetic practices and orthodontists since they constantly need to replace the patients they have completed.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Happy Halloween

Halloween is just two months away. Halloween used to be a children's holiday but the grown-ups have taken it away for themselves. Halloween is the #2 adult party event just after New Years Eve (Taking the #2 spot away from St.Patrick's Day). Now is the time to get in front of party and costume store owners. You should also contact the bars and clubs in your area to talk about their plans for the holiday. Don't forget to talk to municipalities about community events, parades, costume contests etc. If you start working these accounts now, you'll beat the competition to the punch and get a head start on this lucrative business.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Start with a story

One of the best ways to break the ice and start a call is to use a testimonial story. This allows you to start with a benefit supported by a success story. I often start a call by saying "We work with a number of businesses just like yours and they've been getting great results. Can I ask you a few questions to see if we might be able to do the same for you." You can also use something like "I'd like to show you some examples of what's been working for them." Using a third party story at the beginning of a call is a great way to engage the customer in conversation.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sell Step by Step

Sales is a process. By managing the process you can increase your chances of success. Throughout my sales career I have used the following steps to sell advertisers

1. Call opening (Engage the prospect)
2. Probing (Uncover needs)
3. Paraphrase (Restate customers problem)
4. Solution (Sell the customer in principle)
5. Close (Ask for the order)
6. Handle Objections (Can occur at any point)

I will discuss these steps in detail in future blogs.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Well I am back from my vacation in Central Pennsylvania with my wife and my grandson. While in the Lancaster area we stopped at a Mennonite farm stand to buy some peaches. This week's quote comes from a sign I saw in the farm stand:

Today's Special

So is tomorrow!

This sign brought a lot of smiles to the faces of the tourist/shoppers browsing the fruits and veggies. It expresses an outstanding way to see the world.. Everyday is special when we adopt the right attitude. If doesn't matter if you are a Mennonite farmer or an advertising sales rep, it is up to us to live special lives, one day at a time.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Don't forget R & R

Our business is addictive, sometimes we get so wrapped up in deadlines and hitting our numbers that we forget to take a break. Stephen Covey talks about the P/PC balance. P stand for production and PC stands for Production Capability. If we stay focused on productivity, staying constantly on the go, we put our selves at risk for the negative effects of stress and burnout. Every now and again we need to step away, and take a break. We need to do something completely different. The change of pace wipes our minds clean and gives us a new perspective on our jobs as well as our lives. This restores our PC, our productive capability. To this end I will not be blogging for the next few days. I will be taking my grandson away for a few days and I plan to forget all about work.

Keep Smiling Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B

Weekly Quote

"It is very clever to hide one's cleverness"--Francois Le Rochefoucauld

As sales people sometimes it makes sense to play dumb. If you come on to a customer as the expert that knows everything about their business you may cause them to clam up. The best way to get prospects talking is to ask them about their business. Even if you've worked a hundred similar businesses each customer is unique. It is better to listen to their ideas than to try to impose your ideas on them, Often playing dumb is the smartest thing you can do.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Wee

Small retailers need our help

There was an interesting article in today's USA Today (August 11, 2010) about the effect of the recession on small retailers. The article states that the economic contraction has hurt small local retailer much harder than their big box competitors. It also talked about small retailers inability to locate in the best shopping areas. Check this article online. It offers some good conversation starters and highlights the importance of advertising. Our papers permit small retailers to be "Big Frogs In A Little Pond" and by attracting people to their locations we can help them offset their less favorable locations. In short we level the playing field for the little guys.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Variety is the spice of sales

Routines are a good thing. They are comfortable and help you to be effiecient. Breaking your routine is also a good thing. If you take a different route when driving through your territory you may see a business opportunity that you would otherwise overlook. If you start earlier or work later than usual you may meet some prospects that aren't around during your normal business hours. If you mix up the questions you ask on a call and use different approaches you may get different results. As they same the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Changing a few things in your regular routine may generate some new business. Variety is truly the spice of selling.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

What's important to the reader?

I was helping a rep work out the copy for a customer's ad. The customer felt that the headline should tell readers "Family owned since 1949." The customer was very proud of the longevity of his business but is this a good lead for the ad? Do readers really care how long a business has existed? Will they look at the headline and think "So What!" or even worse think "They're probably out of date." An ad should speak to the reader and tell them how our customer's business can help them. Our job is to create the best ad for our clients. Sometimes we need to confront our customers and challenge their assumptions. Remind them that we are the advertising experts and that we know what we're talking about. They can still tell people they've been in business for 60 years, but they need to tell customers why they are better than the competition if they want to survive for another 60.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Are you a part of the business community

Since we cover the entire metro market, my company belongs to dozens of different Chambers of Commerce and similar local business groups. Some of our reps never attend, other religiously go to the meeting, eat the bad chicken and leave. Our best reps actively participate in these groups. They join committees and give some of their time to the organization. If properly used these memberships can can lead to some serious sales and referrals. If you are not participating, your membership dues are money down the drain. Sales is about relationships and working with people on Chamber projects is a great way to build relationships. Typically the people who get involved in these projects are the most successful, best connected persons in the community. Even if these people come from industrial firms that are unlikely to advertise a word from them will open many doors that may be closed to you. The key is to actively take part, showing up is not enough.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"Optimists do not wait for improvements, they achieve it."

Paul Von Keppler

I like this quote because it is about "making it happen." Being an optimist is a lot more than believing that things will turn out right. Optimists roll up their sleeves and work toward making things right. Pessimistic people think that optimists are clueless, that they are in denial, that they are out of touch with reality. In truth optimists are true realists, they see the obstacles in their path but work hard to remove them or to find an alternative route around them.

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Thanks Jim B.

"Vivid" Description

I am currently reading Dan Arieley's "The Upside of Irrationality". I have read some of his other books and I always find his information interesting and useful. In his new book he touches on two things which make messages memorable. Number one is the message should be personal, it should discuss a recognizable individual. We remember people, The second point is that the more vivid the description, the more memorable the message. Specific detail makes the story believable and burns the story into the listeners brain. So the best way to get a point across is to tell a detailed story about an individual.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim B.

The rolling classroom

As sales people we spend a great deal of our time in the car. You can put this time to productive use by listening to audio books in the car. Sales training legend Zig Ziglar termed this "Automobile University" I can listen to 1 1/2 to 2 books per week during my travels. About half of these books are sales/business related and the other half are histories or biographies (which also offer lessons for sales people. This means that I listen to 50 or more business books in a year. The old proverb knowledge is power is especially true in sales and this has helped me to become a better sales person and a better manager. I get most of the books I listen to at my local library though their are online book rental companies. As Benjamin Franklin said "An investment in knowledge, pays the best interest."

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Thanks Jim Busch

Sellabrate National Coupon Month

September is national coupon month. With the change in the season and the back to school rush coupon redemption peaks at this time of year. This is a great time to run coupon sections or promotions. Remind your customers that most people who redeem coupons actually spend more than customers who don't. This is a great time for advertisers to ramp up their revenue.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling.

Thanks Jim Busch

What are you talking about?

There are 3 things that are generally discussed on a sales call, your publication, your customer's business and the customer's customers. Most sales people spend most of their time talking about their publication which I believe is a serious mistake. If you want to keep the client engaged, you need to talk about what interests them--their business and their customers. These subjects also should be of supreme interest to you, because we are there to help their business by attracting more customers. The more you know about these things the more likely you are to make a sale. Most reps spend most of their time talking about their publication because this is what they are most familiar with. You should only talk about your product in relation to how it can help the customer. The only thing the customer want to know about your paper is how it can help their business and solve their problems. Pay attention to what you talk about on a sales call and keep the focus on the customer.

Keep smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

"Life consists of what a person is thinking of all day"

Thinking about what you're thinking is called "meta cognition" Throughout our waking lives, an endless progression of thoughts streams through our minds. These thoughts shape our lives and our characters. What do you think about? Are your thoughts positive or negative? Instead of letting random thoughts come into your head, take active control of your mind. Monitor your self talk. Don't beat your self up, don't make self-fulfilling prophecies? If you allow yourself to think about failure, you will fail. If you think about winning, you will make that come true as well.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Positioning Research

One of my job responsibilities is to help reps pull research for their proposals and presentations. I serve as a liaison between the marketing department and sales. There is a lot of research available from Paper Chain, the CVC audits and just off the web. Most reps use data very poorly. They rattle off the numbers and expect the customer to "Get It". Numbers are meaningless to most people and many people distrust statistics. The key to using data is to position it properly and to put a face on the numbers. After relating the numbers to the customer use a story to illustrate your point. For example if you talk about the fact that a high percentage of your readers are two earner families you could back it up with a statement like: "Mr. Customer, you're a busy person, so you know what its like, your may not have time to read the newspaper every day but our publication is a quick weekly read with lots of way to save money. You can see why busy families, the kind of people who need your services, like our paper, don;t you." This puts a face on the circulation statistics and also tell him how it relates directly to his business. This is much more effective than the raw statistics.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Top Ten List

Each night David Letterman does a humorous "Top Ten List". I recommend that you maintain a top ten list of your own. Your top ten should be the top ten accounts that you would like to sell. The accounts on your list should present you with the best opportunity to drive your revenue and build your territory. Every territory offers many account to sell and it is easy to lose focus. With only 10 accounts on the list you can give them the "full court press" and fully plan them. You can research the account, prepare spec art and spend the time necessary to land the business. Once you sell an account you can move them off the list and replace them with another prospect. Once you decide a prospect can not be sold they should be replaced. A top ten list permits you to focus your best efforts on your best prospects.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Ask, then speak

When a customer states their viewpoint on something, make it a rule to ask a clarifying question before giving them your own ideas. For example if they say, "I don't feel print advertising is right for my business." Instead of telling them that print works get more information. Ask "Why do you feel print is right for your industry?" Their answer will give you insight into their thinking. Perhaps they feel print is too expensive, you can focus on value. If they question readership you can use testimonials or audits. In addition to giving you more information to work with, asking a question rather than simply reacting to their statement, keeps the call consultative and conversational. Asking questions if less confrontational.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"We may convince others by our arguments, but we can only persuade them by their own." Joseph Joubert

What is the difference between "convincing" and "persuading" others? I believe if you convince them they see the strength of your argument but will not make changes. They are acknowledging that you may be right, but that this fact on little impact on their thinking. When you persuade someone you have changed their thinking and they will take action. The best way to accomplish this is by asking good questions that lead the customer to discover what you want them to know on their own.Your goal is to help them discover their own argument for advertising with you.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Book recommendation

I would like to recommend a book to you all. This is a simple book that consists of small techniques to enhance your communication. It is "How to talk to anyone" by Leil Lowndes. I particularly like the emphasis on inter gender communication. This a book about the little things that make a big difference not only in our business interactions but in our personal lives as well. A lot of the book is just common sense but it is a good reminder to think about how we communicate with others.

Keep Smiling, Keep! Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Hunting for new business

Through much of the country the fall is hunting season. Particularly in rural areas this is a big event. This generates a lot of revenue for a wide range of businesses from sporting goods stores to auto dealers to butcher shops. Now is the time to contact these businesses and to design any special promotions built around hunting. I have seen papers do special sections during deer season featuring pictures of hunters with their trophy bucks. You can sell the spaces or sell advertising around the photos.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sully's take on life

I am reading "Highest Duty" which is the autobiography of Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the hero who saved the passengers of flight 1549 by landing it in the Hudson River. In his book he says one should be a "long term optimist and a short term pessimist." Sully that you should believe in the future but you need to pay attention to the details in order to make it happen. This philosophy was what lead Sully to be so well prepared when an emergency occurred. This is good practice in any business.

On another note, if you have any suggestions or ideas for this blog I would love to hear them along with any suggestions to make it better. You can reach me at ideasandeyeballs@gmail.com

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Thanks Jim Busch

Don't commit the #1 sales sin

The leading complain that businesses have with the sales people is lack of follow-up. Reps make promises and fail to keep them. Most of the time this is due to poor organization. Establish a system to track your commitments. When you promise to a customer immediately record it in your day-timer. For longer term commitments set up a tickler file to remind you what needs done and when it needs to be done. When following up with a contact remind them of the previous meeting. Tell them something like "When we met on the 15th of last month you asked me to get back to you today. I've put together the information you requested." By reminding them that you lived up to your end of the bargain, makes them feel a commitment to you.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here is a lesson from baseball pitcher Greg Maddux:

"What has benefited me the most is learning I can't control what happens outside of my pitching."

The only thing we can control is our own activities and behaviors. Wasting our mental energies on things beyond our control scatters our attention and limits our ability to perform. Keep your focus where it will do the most good and everything else will take care of itself.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

A very tough job

Recently I've been working with our newspaper's circulation sales force. These folks spend their afternoons and evenings knocking on home owners doors and asking them to buy a subscription. This is a very basic sales job and brutally tough. This people literally get doors slammed in their faces and they get cussed out on a regular basis. Most people last less than a week, but others have been out doing this for years. Observing these sales people highlights the importance of mental toughness in our business. The best sales people can "take a lick'in and keep on ticking!" What sets the sales personality apart form the average person is our ability to maintain our motivation and drive when nothing is going right. We need to constantly reinforce our self esteem to weather the abuse we're bound to receive. Everyday you should read something positive and motivational. You should also remind yourself of your success and of your good qualities. The next time you want to throw in the towel, think about going door to door selling subscriptions. Some how your job will look a little bit easier.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

A pictures worth a thousand sales

In school they called them visual aids, in sales they're called presentation binders or sales collateral. No matter what you call them they can help you make more sales. Most people are visual learners yet most sales people try to persuade them using words rather than pictures. Research has found that if you use a verbal argument in conjunction with a visual presentation tool the prospect is much more likely to make a purchase. If your company provides sales collateral use it, if not make your own. You should make specific sales aids for your territory, even for specific customers. Computers have made producing graphics quick and easy. You have no reason not to use this powerful tool of persuasion on every call.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Secret of SUCCES

The title of this blog is not a typo, its an acronym for a powerful sales tool. It stands for: Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible Emotional Stories. This is taken from "Made to Stick" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. This is a technique for making an impression on a customer. Simple (easy to understand) Unexpected (A twist forces people to pay attention) Concrete (Use examples or details to make the idea real) Credible (Make the idea believable, use testimonials) Emotional (Get the customer engaged with the story) Stories (Stories make ideas memorable). This is a good technique and "Made to Stick" is a great book.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Ordering in food

A lot of our advertisers come from the restaurant industry, especially from the fast food industry. We run a lot of ads for pizza shops and other restaurants that deliver. Here is a study that should be interesting to these customers and by association to you. This survey conducted by Technomic Inc. asked consumers when they order in food.

Here is what they found:
Monday 4%
Tuesday 6%
Wednesday 13%
Thursday 10%
Friday 36%
Saturday 24%
Sunday 7%

This is useful information when helping customers create offers. For example a Sunday through Tuesday coupon could greatly increase a customer's cash flow. This is also a good starting point for a conversation. You can share this with a customer and ask them how it squares with their own experiences. Anytime you can share research with a client, you position yourself as both knowledgeable and professional.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

This week's quote offers an important bit of wisdom for sales people. In fact, this is good advice for anyone.

"The more you say, the less people remember." Francois Fenelon

Salespeople have a reputation for being great talkers. The truth is that the best sales people actually let the prospect do most of the talking. Good sales people are good listeners. If you pay attention to the customer, only speaking to ask investigative questions and to offer a solution when you have uncovered a problem you will be successful. You should only talk about your product when you are offering it as a solution to a clearly defined problem. Blathering on and on about your product outside of this context will have no effect on the buyer other than boring them.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Unsuccess Story

After a training class today one of my reps pulled me aside and told me a story. This past weekend he was shopping with his family when a man approached him and asked if the rep remembered him. He was the former owner of a local hardware store. The rep had worked with him and put together a plan to fight against a new Lowes that opened in his market. The customer decided not to go with the plan to save money. A year later he was out of business. The man wanted to thank the rep for trying to help him and to admit he had been wrong. He told my rep that he had a new found respect for sales people and for advertising.

Obviously it is in our best interest to be assertive and to push people to advertise. It is also in their best interest. The hardware store owner tried to save money and lost his business. Yes we are trying to earn a commission but we are also trying to help people succeed.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The Budget Objection

William Feather said "A budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it." If people truly believe something will benefit them the budget gets tossed out the window. Customer's often give you the budget objection just to end the call quickly. "Our budget is already committed" or "We've spent our budget" makes most sales people head for the door. They think "No budget= No sale. The truth is that most of our prospects don't have a formal budget and those that do can usually reallocate some of their budget if they believe your program is worthwhile. Like any objection the best way to address budget objections is to start asking questions. I usually ask about their budget setting process, how they set it, when do they plan etc. This gets the discussion going and lets you know how real the objection is. Opening the exchange of ideas and information is the 1st step to making the sale.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

"How am I doing?"

"How am I doing?" was a question Mayor Ed Koch constantly asked the New Yorkers he met on the street. This is also a question you should contantly ask your customers. A study conducted by Bain & Co. found that while 80% of the sales people they interviewed believed that they delivered excellent customer service only 8% of their customer's felt that they did. More than half of the businesses rated the service they received as marginal and one third said they were actively seeking competitive bids. The lesson here is that customer's often won't tell you when they are unhappy with you. This is why you need to constantly and honestly look for seek feedback from your advertisers. This is the only way to fix a problem before it becomes a crisis.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch