I've been framed.

I just read about a study where college students where given lists of words to read. One group was given a list of words linked to rudeness (insult, offend etc.) and the second group read a list of "polite" words (Complement, Thanks etc.). The subjects were then asked to walk down a hall where one of the researchers "accidentally" bumped into them. The people who read the rude words responded rudely and the members of the second group responded courteously. Psychologists call this "priming" and it has a big impact on sales. We should prime our customers with "value" words to make them more inclined to buy. On the flip side we should be careful that we are not "primed" by the negative thoughts and objections we hear over and over. Being aware of "priming" is a key to being successful in sales. Keep Smiling, Keep Selling! Thanks Jim Busch

Don't let your experience get in the way

A few days ago I was asked to help a rep prepare for a call. The rep asked me to prepare some research and I pulled the numbers she wanted. In reviewing the prospect's information I uncovered some additional research which I felt could be potentially useful on the call. When I presented my work to the rep she took the numbers she wanted and immediately discarded the rest of the material. She told me that "She knew the customer and he wouldn't be interested," when I suggested that we should let the customer decide, she added "I've been doing this for ten years, I know what customer's want!" I believe this is a very dangerous thing to say. One of the most important tools a sales person can possess is an open mind. Once we believe we know what a customer wants, we stop listening to them. Use your experience as a tool, don't let it become a barrier. No two sales calls ever go the same way, we need to keep an open mind and stay flexible. On every call we are a "rookie" to that client. Keep your mind open if you want to close sales.

Keep Smiling Keep Selling

Thanks Jim Busch

Mom was right!

When your mother said "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all.", she was absolutely right. Research psychologists have recently identified a phenomenon which they called "Spontaneous Trait Transference." This is described as "In the mind of the listener, communicators are associated with the traits they describe in others." Simply stated, if you say your competitor is dishonest, you will be seen as dishonest. If you say your competitor is hard working, you will be seen as hardworking. This may seem a bit irrational, but it is supported by a lot of careful research. After years in sales and as an observer of human nature, I am only surprised when humans act rationally. The lesson to take away is that sales people must focus on consistently using positive language, to avoid using negative descriptions. Sales people should concentrate on the value offered by their products, not on the faults of opposing products. Mom also said "You are what you eat." for salespeople "We are what we say."

Keep smiling, keep selling!

Thanks Jim Busch