The 3 "V's"

Sales people are professional communicators. Everything we do and say delivers a message, positive or negative, to our customers and prospects. The "3 V's" are the primary components of communication with the people we meet. They are Visual--Verbal and Vocal.

Visual is how we look, how we dress, and how we move. Sales people should think about dressing professionally and how they move. Of particular importance is a good smile

Verbal is the words we use. Our words should be grammatically correct, we should avoid jargon and speak in the language of the customer's business.

Vocal is often overlooked by many communicators. How we say something is almost as important as how we say it. Listen to your customers and match their verbal rhythms. Vary your tone for variety and emphasis. Listen to professional speakers (actors, politicians etc.) to learn how they control their voice.

Since communication is central to a sales career, we should constantly be aware of how we deliver our messages and constantly look for ways to polish our skills

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Keep it simple

I just finished Wray Herbert's "On Second Thought", which discusses heuristics. Heuristics is the psychological term for the shortcuts hard wired into our brains. The momentum heuristic permits us to catch a ball without thinking. Heuristics affects our attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. The "fluency heuristic" is the source of the human tendency to seek out simplicity. In his book Herbert described a study where a group of students were given a recipe for egg rolls. One was written in a simple block print and the other in a decorative oriental script. When asked about how difficult making the recipe would be. the students with the simple print rated the recipe as easy to prepare, the ones given the fancy type version said it would be very hard to make. Keep this in mind when presenting to a customer. Use analogies to simple things that the customer is already familiar with, use simple words, and simple graphics to get your point across. Keep your recommendations simple. Research has proven what sales people have known for a long time--the simpler you make things, the more you will sell.

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

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

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

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

Weekly Quote

Last week was father's day, so I have chosen one of my dad's favorite sayings. My dad was a hard working blue collar guy. He was straightforward and not prone to subtlety. He had to drop out of high school to support his widowed mother during the depression so he didn't have much of an education but he learned a lot from life. He worked as a machinist so here is a bit of mechanical wisdom:

"Be sure brain is fully engaged before mouth is set in motion."

This quote comes to mind every time I am about to speak before I've thought out what I want to say. It has served me well in my business career

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Frank Luntz Part 4

Here are the last three of Frank Luntz's rules for communication.

#8 Visualize--I would describe this as painting word pictures. Describe to the customer exactly what will happen if they accept your program. I like the word "Imagine." "Imagine how pleased new customers will be when they come in with these coupons and see your business for the first time."

#9 Ask A Question--Questions make people think. "This will attract new clients" is not nearly effective as saying "What kind of clients do you think this offer will attract?"

#10 Provide Context & Relevance--When you make a recommendation or ask questions include references to things that are going in their industry or market. "Mr. Customer I know the new shopping center down the block will bring a lot of business into the neighborhood. I have a program that will help you capture some of those new dollars."

Again I recommend Frank Luntz's books for anyone in the communications business.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Frank Luntz Part 3

In a continuation of the series here are Frank Luntz's next 2 rules for communication:

#6 Sound & Texture matter. I am a firm believer in carefully choosing your words. I like to rehearse my presentations until they are just right. I am concerned not only with the meanings of the words but also the rhythm of my sentences. Try to make your points in threes (IE. Lock Stock & Barrel or Hook, Line and Sinker) Items grouped in this manner are easier to remember

#7 Speak Aspirationally When you talk to people about their personal goals and dreams you will have their full attention. Don't talk just about their advertising but how it will help them achieve their objectives.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The 4 C's of Communication

As professional salespeople we are professional communicators. People buy things from us because we communicate the value of our products to them. Here are 4 things to think about when engaging a customer.

The 4 C's

1. Credibility--Everything you say must be believable and verifiable. Customers will know if you are stretching the truth. Lose credibility and you lose the sale
2. Clarity--To make sure your message is easily understood use simple words, short sentences and only try to communicate one or two ideas. Ask for feedback to make sure the customer "Gets It."
3. Consistency--Your body language and your tone should send the same message as your words. Stay on point and don't ramble.
4. Conversation--A sales call is not a lecture. Ask a lot of questions to keep the customer talking. Customers only buy when they are engaged.

The 4 Cs are the hallmarks of an effective communicator and they will make you a better salesperson.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Sounds good to me

As sales people we make our living with our voices. While most sales people think a great deal about the words they use, they give little thought to how they use their voices. Expert sales people vary their vocal speed, the volume of their voices and insert pauses to help communicate their message. I suggest you listen carefully how actors in movies, on TV and especially in commercials/infomercials use their voices. If you speak rapidly and in a relatively high pitch you convey passion and excitement. By lowering your voice and speaking slowly with frequent pauses you sound more authoritative. Listen to your clients verbal patterns and try to match them. Research indicates that this enhances communication and understanding.

The best way to learn to use your voice effectively is to rehearse. I started my sales career as a telephone sales person. Since my voice was my only way to get through to customers, I would practice my presentation and record it. I would play it back and experiment with different words and different deliveries until I was satisfied with the sound. This gave me a real edge over my peers who tried to get by simply be smiling and dialing.

Paying attention to how your voice sounds will make you a better sales person. Learn to control your voice and you will have more control over your income.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling

Thanks Jim Busch