Catalyst QUE

Excel… a tool to keep track of your clients… ARE YOU MAD!!

Why would you risk this? Why is it a risk? Here are a couple of possibilities:

One computer one place, what happens if its stolen, damaged, hard drive crashes or a herd of Elephants tramples it? You’re screwed (You will have a few more issues if Elephants are in your office, but you get the idea).

If the hard drive get corrupted or computer breaks for any reason, your information is lost and once again you’re screwed!

Data kept in different places by different staff causes inconsistent information, causing delays and possible budget overruns, and again you’re screwed!

Using Excel also limits the ability for you to integrate with other systems, easily keep and maintain client notes, share information and mine the information. I.E. its for numbers so lets keep it that way!

Hope your getting the idea now. Its really simple to fix these issues.

Use a CRM tool or in the very least a Google or Zoho spreadsheet as they store your data on the web in multiple server though out the world “on the cloud”.

Not only that they are free or low cost. So there is no reason not to use them!

Here are a few to help you on your way:

Javerlen CRM

Sugar CRM

CatalystQUE

Zoho

Google Apps

The best thing about all of these tools is you can really start to keep info on your clients and start to market and sell to them more efficiently, forecast your sales and help grow your business.

This is one of the simplest things I do for my clients through Catalyst90 that is an easy win and helps provide them with a view to the future.

Oddly enough it is one of the most common issues I come across when helping companies develop their sales process, systems and methodologies.

For more feel free to drop me a line.

Tom Reidy

Catalyst90

tom@catalyst90.com

A bad sales experience is always the most memorable, however people love to be sold to. In fact if you’re sold to well you will happily spend more money and more likely tell your friends about the experience.

I pose a question to you: Can you remember your last bad sales experience? You know the one were the sales person did an absolutely horrible job… pretty easy; I could list a dozen in the last week alone.

Now the next question… can you remember the last great sales experience you had? Yes the one that you were so surprised and delighted with the experience… much harder? Even I struggle and I’m on the constant lookout for them!

So how do you make it memorable? This comes back to some of the basics, listen, and look, understand and solve issues. Going above and beyond is more important now than it ever has been!

Businesses to business sales – Bring the coffee and muffins! A simple ice-breaker, conversation starter and this approach will make it memorable for your clients as you have gone out of your way to make them happy prior to them committing anything to you!

Regardless of the sales you’re in, consumer or business remembering that the underling function in sales is to serve, as sales is all about customer service. In serving it is always important to listen, but remember also that serving is also about enabling those you serve to do great things and achieve their goals.

Also to clarify being a servant in sales is not to be submissive, but to be assistive – assist your clients, working as part of the team for the over all goals. The customer is always right and should always be served in an appropriate manor. However with a customer always being right it is important that you assist in educating them in making decisions or finding alternative or better solutions.

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.

Keep calm – never be too pushy or keen for the deal, people love to be sold to but not forced into a sale.

A great sales experience for both parties is one that ends with both people being delighted by the outcome. No deal should be too good to walk away from.  This is key to keeping calm as the sale you are working on now won’t be the last, so keep calm and never push the sale to close.

I had the uncomfortable experience once of witnessing the undoing of my sales manager a few companies back. He was so keen to get the deal he lost his nerve, visibly displaying his desperation and frustration that the client “didn’t get it” and with too many closed questions he pushed the client  into a corner. So far to the point where the potential client snapped – slammed their hands on the desk and asked him to leave. Not the best approach for repeat business or building a solid reputation. (Note this technique has its place, excellent if you’re in dodgy car sales, don’t care for repeat business or you’re simply an arse.)  

So to keep calm, stay in control.  It’s important to keep in your mind that this is not the last sale and be ready to walk away if it’s not right for both you and the customer, even if its just prior to signature on a contract. Staying calm will also make it easier to think on your feet and spot opportunities in a conversation.

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.

Make sure you and your staff present yourselves in a manor that is a reflection of the business, product and service. And keep it consistent!

As with marketing, the look and presentation is everything – why not the same in sales?

Of course it’s the same in sales. The presentation of the team has to be consistent, clean and tidy.

So many times I have been into a variety of retail stores and restaurants where the presentation of the staff is less than desirable which was also reflected in the service that was provided.

Why? Think of how you feel when your looking your best – you feel great and your energy lifts.  This may sound shallow but it is well documented that self confidence and how people view their appearance go hand in hand.

Depending on the industry a uniform is fantastic, as long as it is well kept and presented. If there’s no official uniform then its great to dress in a style that complements your industry or business.  Dress to match your clients or the industry you are in, most importantly always remain clean and tidy.

Dressing to match your client and or industry is an important approach.  Over dress and a client can feel intimidated, under dress and the value of your service will drop. So match them as best you can.

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.

I was having a chat with a friend the other day, they asked me in my view what was the single most important area a company could improve to increase their profit?

The answer to this was a simple one – improve your customer service!

Surprise and delight your clients with exceptional customer service and they will continue to buy and be sold too. Everyone loves a great sales experience! One that is truly pleasant and not over powering will create solid repeat business, but most importantly your clients will refer you to others and business will grow.

So what makes for great customer service?

That’s also simple … its in the name: 

Customer – that’s your client 
Service – is what you are there to provide!

When you are in sales you are there to serve your customer.

So keep the experience positive, keep the energy high and make sure your sales staff know their product, know how to listen and how to have a conversation. Most of all make sure they love their job!

Ensure that you are using language that resonates with your potential clients.

Are you using the right words to excite them, or to show that you can fix their issues? Often slightly changing how you describe a product or service can completely change how people view the service.

Keep it professional. There’s no need to swear and curse – as my father always says people that use foul language in business discussions have no grasp on articulation and delivery of a message. Funny thing my Dad is bang on!

Using well-constructed language that reflects you and your company’s goals is critical for the elevator pitch to the discussions with clients and prospects. Language is just as important as marketing or branding. On the same topic of language, in the game of sales one of the greatest tools is the language of positives. This is simply speaking in positives so the message is always encouraging and exciting.

An easy example of this is: “that’s no problem to do” can be rephrased to “Yes we can absolutely help to achieve this for you”, same wording but avoiding using the double negative of NO and PROBLEM. Simple changes like this can have a huge impact on your results – and the motivation of your staff!

A further example using language in sales is to simply use last weeks tip (listening) to their issues then adjusting your language and how you describe your product or service to include the key “trigger” words and the sales process will be much smother.

I had great success with this when I was working for Calcium – the way the sales team was told to sell the product was on the merits of its marketing ability – these were fantastic solutions to problems most people did not know they had. After asking a number of prospects what issues they had with email, then changing the language I used to describe the same services, clients instantly understood how the tool could help them and sales took off!

“Sales is not the art of making people buy, but the art of conversation”
– Tom Reidy Catalyst90

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.

Listen to your potential clients.  Just as in any conversation it pays to listen, as often it’s in the subtle comments that your potential clients make where the key to unlocking the sale can be found. In order to sell you need to know when it’s important to shut up and listen! 

I used to work with a sales person who had a habit of talking to fill the gaps in a conversation and had the view that he must drive the client to purchase.  He once asked me why it is I would always beat him in sales – my answer was simple, I listen to the client and act  like more of a Sheppard than a captain. 

What does this actually mean acting like a Sheppard? The client should always follow a process of being sold to, but they should have the freedom to explore and talk about their issues. In this you are able to guide them in the direction of how your products or services resolves their issues. 

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.

Talk – don’t sell, have a conversation that is interactive with your audience. Clients should become friends so treat them like one.

The quote from the Godfather, “It ain’t personal… its just business”, could not be further from the truth. Having a conversation with a potential client is the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship – so the business of exceptional sales is personal.

No doubt you are thinking, how can clients be friends when I have a web based business and no face time with people, they are just users?

Treating them as friends is still just as important but the language is different.  The interactions they have with your technology becomes the conversation.  Is the software something you’d have your friends use?  Will it cause them any issues?  If it does how are these issues solved?

Deal with these as you would for a friend and you will have a long and prosperous relationship with them.

For more tips – check out The Conversation of Selling.