Sales Coach Debi

Russ Boreham of Chartered IT asked on Linked In:    Short and Precise Voicemails, Do They Work?:

The tried and tested method of leaving voicemails:

*Make sure they are under 30 seconds in length
*Be precise, state your name and why you are calling
*Give clear details of how to return your call
*Don’t give away too much information, entice the person to call you back.

But does this work? Why do the majority of messages fall by the wayside and go unreturned?

Does anyone have a better way of getting their calls returned on a regular basis?

There were many good answers – my answer is:

If you leave a voice mail: be brief, to the point and specific. And be certain the benefit to the person you are calling is stated in the first sentence. It must be a compelling WIIFM (what’s in it for me). In the end-repeat your phone number slowly and clearly twice.

” Russ, we met at XXX and as I am working with (recognizable name/same industry) on addressing the same concerns you are faced with in your industry, I wanted to to invite you to a joint meeting to see if we can help. Call me at ……………” again the number is…. Try it and track you stats. Then let me know how it works for you.

Happy Selling!

I found books with tag lines that read “Cold calling is dead” or “Master the art of cold calling” And naturally if you want them to tell you how to gain new business “without cold calling” or if you want them to tell you what the techniques are that will help you “master cold calling”, you’ll just have to buy the book.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about having reference material. But you might want to read it here for free – first.

During my direct selling days, I conducted seminars and invited C-levels from existing and potential target clients to attend. This was not a sales presentation.  Instead it was an opportunity for my target and existing clients to obtain new information that was pertinent and important in their industry.

It was also presented as an opportunity for them to meet and collaborate with other C-levels in their industry.  I always scheduled these free informational seminars on a Friday’s at 1:00 or 2:00 PM which gave my workaholic contacts an early – out of the office – on a Friday afternoon.

There is a little preparation involved and depending on what you are selling, there is also a way to have your partners/vendors pay for the facility and refreshments at your event. (Free details provided upon request)

To set this up you simple need to target your audience– selectively and carefully. Industry specific is the easiest route. Then you learn about the challenges in that industry and obtain the resources that can speak to those challenges. Remember – this isn’t about your products or services. It’s about an information exchange, helping your clients and target audience so that they will gain important insights. At the very same time these clients will also see you as someone that is resourceful, helpful and cares about their industry.

The first two or three industry challenges must be answered without bias to your products.  In general – these are the things your speakers/experts can provide credible advice on.  Two out of three challenges might very well be addressed by a solution you can provide, but your experts remain neutral. (There are a number of companies that provide these services/products, etc).  Your speakers may be instructed to engage the audience via open ended questions.  (further qualifying any immediate business needs.)

If you targeted well, the people in the room are qualified targets and / or great references or referrals that will keep your funnel full which of course can equate to ” No More Cold Calling”.

If you’d like more detail on how to pull this together:   make a comment, share a success, send me an email or just ask right here.

I hope to create a place to help sales teams succeed in a new world and economy. If you or someone you know is in sales, (admitting it is the first step) have them join us to contribute and learn.

Become part of a forum to help others in the profession of sales.

Today our continued sales success is largely dependent upon an openness to embrace both historic techniques and newer ways of achieving sales success in a rapidly changing world.

On this blog we hope to:

• Share tried and true sales techniques and insights along with up-to-date techniques and discoveries in the world of social media
• Help Managers effectively encourage and reinforce positive attitude for positive outcome (after all, especially in sales, attitude is everything)
• Actively update a forum so sales teams can ask for and obtain free advice from me and many knowledgeable sales professionals that visit the site.
• Provide a place for sales people to share their sales ideas and successes
• Enable those in the ADD sales team environment with QUICK useful tips

Perhaps together we can help others shape their sales strategies to achieve success in the challenging and rewarding career of Sales.  I look forward to your questions, ideas and success stories.

Sales Coach Debi

A management consultant answered a question on Linked-In about what not to wear to work simply because she’d had a recent opportunity to coach someone on the subject.  Her answers turned into an interview with Forbes Magazine which she was able to post to generate more consulting work.  It’s amazing what a little Social Media can do when your prospecting for new opportunities.

Which ever social media business sites you visit, donate some of your online time to help others with your area of expertise.