If you have been selling more than a few years I suspect that you have read, or heard someone say, that you should be sending handwritten thank-you cards or notes to people on a regular basis. This practise seems to be going the way of the dodo bird and very few sales people take the time to incorporate it into their daily or weekly routine.
Here are 16 circumstances or situations when it makes sense to send a handwritten note or thank-you card.
1. After you meet someone at a networking event.
2. After you meet with a new prospect.
3. When a prospect (or customer) accepts your proposal.
4. After a prospect rejects your proposal, product, service or offering.
5. When a colleague or other internal employee does you a favor or helps you.
6. After a customer receives their order or after your solution/service has been implemented.
7. Anytime someone sends you a referral.
8. When an employee does something extra for a customer.
9. When a supplier goes above and beyond the call of duty.
10. On any special occasion such as a client’s anniversary—personal or business.
11. When an employee in a customer’s company helps you.
12. When an employee in a suppliers helps you with a problem.
13. When someone gives you a great idea to improve your business or your sales.
14. When you see someone do an outstanding job or put forth extra effort to accomplish something.
15. When a customer tells you about a mistake or problem in your business.
16. When someone you know is mentioned in a newspaper, magazine, television, radio or other form of media.
Some people struggle with what to say in their thank-you card or note. It doesn’t have to be complicated. And you don’t have to write a long letter. Short, simple, and to the point, will do the trick.
There is no immediate pay-off. You are not going to close a big deal just because you sent your prospect a handwritten note. However, with some persistence and consistent effort, your efforts will pay dividends.
What do you think? Are there other circumstances or situations when it’s appropriate to send a handwritten thank-you card or note?
About a year ago, I made the decision to become an open networker on LinkedIn after a fellow sales trainer and sales keynote speaker told me that it helped him connect with dozens of decision makers.
I registered for a service that added my name and LinkedIn profile to a database and within hours dozens of people were reaching out to connect.
Woo hoo!
A few months later I had added more than 1000 people to my contact list. Flash forward 10 months and my list of connections has grown to more than 3000 people.
Sounds great, right?
Uh, not so much…
What seemed like a good idea at the time has turned into a complete fiasco.
Since then I have been inundated with messages from people trying to sell me their “stuff” and every single email (with the odd exception) has been spam. What surprises me is the self-righteous attitude people exhibit when I politely request that they stop sending me these messages. Plus, dozens of people are now asking me to connect them with another person in my contact list. Unfortunately, I don’t feel comfortable connecting those people because I don’t really know either of them.
As a result, I am now in the process of deleting people who I don’t actually know from my contact list unless they sent me a personal note to connect (usually from a LinkedIn group, Twitter, my newsletter, etc).
I have long believed that active networking generates new sales leads and can help sales people increase their sales. However, I have quickly—well, obviously not that quickly—realized that there is a difference between real networking and social networking.
Don’t get me wrong.
There is merit in social networking. Lots of it.
In fact, I have some great friends as a result of my social networking efforts. However, these friendships were developed over time; they didn’t happen overnight. And, none of these friends asked for something without first getting to know me—and vice versa.
Social media is being touted as a powerful vehicle to generate new sales leads and opportunities. However, like anything else, you do need to exercise caution before you plunge it. Don’t expect it to cure your sales problems.
Most people, including sales people, fall into habits and specific routines.
Routines give us structure, keep us on track and allow us to maintain some semblance of order in an otherwise chaotic world.
However, routines also prevent us from achieving our full sales potential.
Far too often, sales people use the same approach they always use, even though it isn’t always effective. This is a habit and one that can be tough to kick.
Sales people who work with the same accounts often call on these accounts the same day and even the same time every week.
Some sales reps use the same telephone script with every call (think of telemarketers). I know and understand the importance of consistency but sometimes you need to change your lines…especially when the customer doesn’t respond as expected.
It’s not uncommon for sales people to check their email first thing in the morning (I’m definitely guilty of that!) and get caught up in responding to non-urgent messages or requests instead of focusing on the important tasks of the day.
People often attend the same networking events even though they don’t generate new business opportunities.
Responding to any and every RFP that crosses your desk is also a habit for many people.
Chasing low value sales opportunities is also a habit that many sales people fall prey to and this prevents them from achieving their full sales potential.
One of the reasons sales people are reluctant to change their routines is because it is uncomfortable.
Let’s face it…it is seldom easy to change your approach. It requires effort, energy and focus. And when you first attempt to apply a new concept, you seldom get the result you desire.
However, when you change a habit and modify a routine and stick with it long enough, you will achieve new results and consistently increase your sales.
Is your sales team stuck in routines or habits? If so, they might benefit from one of my sales training programs. Contact me if you’re interested.
There are many highs and frequent lows. Constant pressure to reach sales targets, customer and prospects that are more demanding, and changes in the marketplace all make sales a tough career.
If you are serious about maintaining a long-term career in sales, here are 14 things you should never stop doing. If by chance, you haven’t started doing some of these, I suggest that you do start…the sooner, the better.
1. Prospect.
If you do nothing else but prospect for new business every day the chances are you will always be busy and seldom, if ever, experience peaks and valleys in your sales.
2. Improve your skill.
Professionals in many industries require regular upgrading up skills. Selling is no different. The marketplace has changed and what worked five years ago is no longer relevant. Make the time and invest in regular self-improvement programs (workshops, conferences, books, audio programs, etc).
3. Listen more than you talk.
People who listen more, learn more. The more you learn the more effectively you can position your solution or offering. Enough said.
4. Establish clear call objectives.
Whether it’s a face-to-face meeting or telephone call, you need to have a clear objective of what you want to accomplish. Closing the sale is NOT an objective.
5. Create plans (yearly, quarterly, monthly and weekly).
I know very few sales people who actually create a business plan for the entire year. What sales do you want to achieve? How will you reach those targets? What daily, weekly and monthly activities do you need to execute to achieve your goals?
6. Study your products.
How much time do you spend studying and learning your products? Do you know the key differences between similar products? Do you know how each product will actually benefit a customer?
7. Network.
Effective sales networking means attending the events that your key prospects attend, not the events you enjoy going to. A friend of mine deals with high-ranking executives so he attends high-profile fundraising dinners. The cost of entry can be expensive but the return can be excellent.
8. Ask awesome questions.
I’ve mentioned this…more than once! But the ability to ask great questions, tough probing questions…penetrating questions, is one of the most effective ways to increase your sales.
9. Deliver great presentations.
Don’t confuse this with the ability to stand up in front of several hundred people and deliver a keynote presentation. The key to delivering a great sales presentation is ensuring that it addresses your prospect’s key issues and that it focuses on their needs and objectives, not your agenda.
10. Adapt your approach.
Do you ever consider the personality style of the other person when planning your sales presentation? Do you know if your prospect prefers correspondence via email, texting, face-to-face or telephone? Is your prospect a 35,000 foot view person or do they like to know every detail? Adapt your approach accordingly and you will increase your sales.
11. Set high goals.
People with the highest goals tend to achieve more. Are your goals challenging and motivating? Do you even set your own goals or do you simply take what’s given to you by your boss?
12. Be persistent.
Four or five years ago it would take an average of seven calls to connect with a new prospect. Now it’s a safe bet to say that it can take as many as twelve or more, just to make that first contact. You need to be diligent and persistence.
13. Forge relationships.
Developing and maintaining great relationships with prospects, customers, friends and other people in your network is one activity that will ALWAYS pay off.
14. Show respect.
I have seen, firsthand, how poorly some sales people treat gatekeepers and receptionists and it always disappoints me because I am a firm believer in treating people with respect and dignity. Yes, that person may only be the receptionist in your eyes but they often hold the key to the Presidential Suite. Treat them accordingly.
What do you think? Are there other things that sales people need to keep doing that aren’t on this list?
Does your team need some brushing up on these activities? Maybe I can help. Contact me and we can discuss the best way to achieve this.
Ever have those days when, despite your best intention, it didn’t seem like you made any progress?
Want to know one of the most effective ways to improve your productivity and get more done every day? Interested in learning a sure-fire way to make more sales?
Okay, here it is…
Start with the most important tasks first.
Simple, huh?
Well, it is in theory.
Unfortunately, most people tend to do the more enjoyable tasks first. From responding to emails, making calls to the customers they like dealing with, or writing a proposal.
However, these are often low-yield activities. You may think they are important but the reality is that they are easy-to-do tasks.
Cold calling, prospecting, and attending networking events usually have a higher impact on our results. But, these activities are seldom fun or enjoyable.
They require effort and considerable mental energy.
Let’s face it, dialing for dollars is not an enjoyable task for most people, especially in today’s business environment. But, when executed properly and with the right focus, it generates new leads and sales opportunities.
It’s easy to get distracted from doing important and tough tasks. Emails from customers, problems that need your attention, and returning “urgent” calls from low-value accounts. These all take your attention away from difficult activities and you justify it by saying, “I NEED to take care of this.”
Here’s my suggestion for the upcoming week.
Block time in your calendar to take care of your MOST important sales tasks first. The activities that will help you increase your sales. Tasks that are critical to your long-term success. Do those first.
Shut off your Blackberry. Don’t open your email. And don’t do anything until those tasks are done.
Start this morning! I guarantee that you will get more done this week.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help to you or your company.
