February 2012

Single most important selling tip...

The more you care about your customer's success, the easier it is to be a success. But that isn't the single most important thing. It's making sure they know that you care about them before, during and after you make the sale. Apathy after the sale is the main reason happy customers switch suppliers. They're not unhappy with your service or product; they just don't feel important anymore. Ask yourself: What can you do to show existing happy customers how much you care about their success?

PS: Don't ever offer a special for "new customers" only.

January 2012

Create an emotional bond so your message is understood and remembered

Imagine that you're sponsoring a client event. You have 5 minutes to address the group. What will you say? Will you list all the new options you're offering? Will you tell them about the awards you just received? If you answered yes, rethink your strategy. Instead of boring them with information they can find on your website, use your 5 minutes to emotionally engage them. Help them to picture their success using your new offerings by telling a story. Briefly explain the problem that existed for your customers and how, now, it's been solved by your handy dandy offerings. But don't blabber facts or figures. Talk about one situation or one customer and the success, happiness, profits they achieved. Don't waste your precious 5 minutes. Create an emotional bond with your product so your message is understood and remembered.

December 2011

Is it appropriate to send holiday greetings by email?

The question used to be "Is it appropriate to send holiday greetings by email?" The answer is: Yes, if you can figure out how to do it well. Here are 3 quick tips:

#1. It's about them. Send an email pdf and then take the time to transmit a personal message. The goal is to help recipients feel good about themselves and your relationship — not to get your entire data base done in one click.

#2. Skip the business. Whatever you do, don't be tempted to ask for future business in your holiday greeting. It's in poor taste to pretend you're sending a thank you or holiday note when, in fact, you're creating a promotional piece. This isn't the time for mugs with your logo on tee shirts with your company name (unless they also work for the same company!). Don't confuse a holiday greeting with a marketing piece. (This is especially important if you're sending a gift. Send it without your name emblazoned on it — anywhere. Feature them — not you!)

#3. Be smart. You're likely to offend someone regardless of what you call the holiday season. "Happy Holidays" seems to be the least annoying to most so it's my recommendation. Be cautious of including religious quotes in your email notes, too. Keeping church (temple and mosque) separate from business is smart business, even in a holiday message. Of course, you can say and do what you want with your personal friends, but just as you're clever enough to monitor what you post to your FaceBook page, think before sending that religious messaging. Yes, you have the right, but if your point is to show gratefulness to them, refrain.

Want more ideas to start the new year with the competitive advantage? Call us +1-480-575-9711 or email to see check SpeakerSue's availability for your next meeting.

November 2011

4 Must-know Tips to Write a Great Subject Line

You're writing an email trying to acquire or reactivate business and your response rate from your emails is frightfully low. The 2 most common reasons why:
Your subject is too "sales-y"
Your subject line doesn't clearly represent the purpose of the email

To overcome both challenges, do this:
1. Determine what you want to accomplish from the email (Don't say: To close the business because it isn't going to happen in this email!) The purpose of most prospecting emails is either to motivate them to take your follow-up call or persuade them to call or email you back.

2. Be truthful in your subject line. Try writing:
Action request: Phone call Tuesday morning
Action request: Conversation about your 2012 Annual Meeting

3. As an alternative to #2, use your subject line to provide a summary of email they are about to read, such as:
Introduction of a new meeting venue for your holiday party
Bring new energy to your next meeting
Exciting hotels drive attendance at annual events

4. Look at the messages you receive from vendors — that you actually open and those you don't. Deconstruct them to see what was compelling about the subject line and what turned you off. Then do or don't do.

Want more specifics? Schedule SpeakerSue to present a personalized workshop or webinar to your group. Want information today? Order Power Sales Writing: Second Edition. Feel confident you're messaging is driving business and not driving buyers away!

October 2011

One Tip to Always Sound Smart

Here is the one conversational tip you can use at home, at work and at any point in your life. It's the absolute key to sounding smart and professional. Ready? Say something that helps the other person feel smart. And if you can't be authentic about that, then find a way to turn the conversation around so that the other person is talking and you're listening. (You just may find something genuinely enlightening about them!) The best way to sound smart is to help the other person feel smart around you.

September 2011

9 Reasons Your Customers Choose You

Regardless of how logical your buyer seems, the research proven reality is that we buy with emotions. When the features are the same, we can only go on price or emotion (though we like deluding ourselves into thinking we're much more logical than that). If even judges make life and death decisions based on emotion, why wouldn't the woman in procurement or the intermediary be any different? When all things are equal, we choose the person, product or experience that makes us:
1. Feel Safe
2. Seem Smart
3. Feel Secure
4. Save time
5. Make money
6. Save money
7. Look good
8. Be relaxed or
9. Have fun.

Help your reader understand how good he can feel or what a pleasurable experience she will have. The more evocative you are, the easier it is for your buyer to differentiate your offering.

How else can you help your customers choose you? Paint emotional pictures. Stay focused on benefits to the reader in every email you write and each presentation you give. Use Twitter, FB and LinkedIn to provide helpful resources to help buyers succeed. Instead of just talking about "partnering" with your customer, actually do it.

Ready for customized sales training? Help your team control the next step and the sale. Call us at +1.480.575.9711 or email Kathleen@SpeakerSue.com to learn more about how you can join the thousands of other professionals who are engaging buyers and driving revenue by applying SpeakerSue's Power Sales Writing and prospecting strategies.

August 2011

Is the clock running out?

Have you noticed that when you can't have something, you usually want it more? You (okay, me, I) fixate, obsess and eventually give in. When we can't get or do what we want, we pay more attention to it. When we think it's scarce or in limited supply, its value increases and we want it even more. And particularly on this side of the pond, we think we're entitled to have what we want so when we're told we can't have it, yup, we want it even more.

And the point? Create scarcity in your sales messages. Add intrigue and sales appeal by reminding them (in different words) to: Act while supplies last. Help your customer understand that there is limited time or availability, and that the offer won't be repeated (or may not be available). Take a page from Groupon and help your reader want to commit. Politely and positively, remind them to act before the clock runs out.

July 2011

Are you a virtual bridge for your customers?

There has never been a better time to be in sales! Your customers and prospects no longer need you and that is exciting news!

They don't need you to sell them on features because most likely they have a good idea of who you are and what you offer (or they're googling and learning as you talk). What they do need you for — and why it is so great to be in sales today — is for your understanding, your compassion, your caring for their success. By being the virtual bridge between the information they can find and filtering what that information can do for them, you make it easy for customers to buy from you. All it takes to be a virtual bridge is focusing more on their success than on your sale.

For more information and a workshop crafted specifically for your group, please contact Kathleen at 480-575-9711 or email me directly at Sue@SpeakerSue.com.

Happy 4th of July!

June 2011

Prospecting Process = Making Your Numbers!

Quick: List the steps in your prospecting process.
No process means you're depending on your charisma to carry the call through. You may be charming and a process will still help. Consider these steps and an example follows:

• Introduce yourself (Be brief!)
• Provide a touchpoint
• Show curiosity
• Evoke emotion
• Ask question
• Show gratitude
• Earn the right to advance
• Ask questions
• Have normal conversation
• Ask for next step.

Hi Lily, This is Sue Coore with High Impact Presentations and your name was given to me because you plan meetings. I was wondering if you might be looking for a speaker with energy and passion to help your attendees communicate more purposefully and profitably. Would helping your group communicate more persuasively and professionally add ROI to your meeting?

Follow this pattern and you'll find it easy to make those cold calls and make your numbers. Be yourself. Be authentic. And whatever you do, remember the goal of your call isn't to make a sale but to make a friend.

Want more? Email SpeakerSue today to schedule a customized training program specifically for your organization. Your team will leave ready to prospect and present themselves in a relevant, transparent and authentic manner. They'll readily pick up the phone to make those calls!