Developing Sales Confidence

November 2, 2011 By 51 Comments

 

It’s an occupational hazard. We pitch a prospect, their defenses come up and it feels as though we are talking into nothingness. The less experienced seller thinks they’ve said or done something wrong while experienced ones have developed a healthy callus.

Here’s a strategy—don’t get hung up on approval.

Give yourself the inner approval to continue; carry on knowing that what you are saying is pushing a button. Assume so. It’s getting to them even if they show their poker face.

You have the power to not go down the sinkhole with customers—that’s self –mastery.

It’s alchemy actually and you can master this.

How? Stay connected to your core and confidence and cajole. Inject a lighthearted joke, or share something self-effacing—don’t make them wrong. They are either trying to make you squirm or they genuinely don’t want to be had or are thinking.

Here’s the biggie: you don’t have to be super serious to be seen as smart and capable. Levity goes a long way. Sometimes customers need a break from the heavy burden of decision-making and changing up the pace helps the two of you get through it and get on the same page.

The best advice I received was to practice pitching into nothingness. Pitch your cactus or a dining room chair and see if you can keep your energy and conviction when you aren’t getting any signals. It’s a wonderful practice to stay behind yourself and your wisdom and keep explaining.

Filed Under: handling objections, Sales confidence, women and selling Tagged With: , ,

Do You Need Therapy?

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The first time I met Lorrie Thomas of Web Marketing Therapy, she spoke at an event that my friend Tea Silvestre, owner of The Word Chef invited me to. Lorrie threw chill pills out into the audience as she spoke and I liked her and her smarts right away. . Her company has been around since the late 90s and I know you will enjoy our interview.
Oh and one more thing–I’ll be interviewing copywriters, web mavens and some of my favorite quirky and unique people on the subject of marketing in the months to come. That’s because marketing and sales are kissing cousins. They aren’t the same and you can’t do one very well without the other.
Alyse) How can women use their powers of seduction? 
I think women just need to be confident.  That is seductive.  When we know who we are, what our value is and what we want, that attracts…personally and professionally~
Alyse) What kind of marketing advice must you repeat over and over?
Lorrie) identify what you want (personally, professionally) THEN put all the wild web tools to work.  It’s not the tools, but HOW we use the tools strategically” that makes our marketing matter. 
Alyse) Share a Small Business Owners common unrealistic expectation?
Lorrie) Believing web tools will magically make them money.  WRONG!  I was just conversing with Darla Bea Smith (WMT’s Cyber Cowgirl!) about a client we had advised who was speaking, networking and using the web as a way to reinforce her communications and to expedite service. She understands that SHE is the driving force behind getting her business booming (and it is!) and the web tools are her back up to support her. It’s passive behavior to expect to launch a blog or a social media account and expect sales to come in. These tools need driving, momentum and energy!
Alyse) Marketing attracts prospective customers and humans close them or shepherd them to the finish line…selling is very important. 
Alyse) Advice on how not to be an e-hole?
Lorrie) Ahahaha!  E-hole.  FUNNY!  Remember that “it is nice to be important, but more important to be nice” and let that be your guide online.   We serve and support via marketing as a means to sell (not the other way around).
Alyse) Is the Web still the wild west?
Lorrie) The wild web still has no rules – yeeeeha!  The “no rules” concept still applies, elitism of marketing is dead…ANYONE can have a place on the world wide web thanks to social media and the low-cost/no-cost options out there.  Women are winning big time on the web because they can be heard, seen and can connect in ways that couldn’t before.
Alyse) I notice a more female or a warmer way of communicating on line—is a “professional” tone uncool?
Lorrie) It’s all about writing in our authentic voices…whether that is funny, serious, sassy, smart or a combination of both.  A more “feminine” professional can absolutely be more feminine now if that is truly who she is. At the end of the day, male or female, if you are good at what you do, you can own your value, values and voice it and attract your ideal clients…on your terms.
Alyse) What exciting shifts are you seeing with businesswomen now?
Lorrie) Women are embracing all forms of social media and what I love is they are developing their own strategy.  Some of my clients are anti-Facebook unless it is for friends/family, but they blog and have a business page and are on LinkedIn.  Some try all social media flavors – blog, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin.  I am seeing a huge trend is the gravitation towards YouTube.  I LOVE seeing women share their three V’s via video – so authentic!!  FYi: Three V’s: Value, Values and our authentic Voice. 
Alyse) What no BS advice can you tell women business owners with 1-3 years under their belt?
Lorrie) Marketing Rx: Get over yourself.  Clients fall off the therapy couch when I say this, but it’s a healthy virtual smack to remind us that no matter how good we are, we are never done learning, optimizing and growing.  There are people out there smarter, younger and cheaper than us.  Unless we continually do the self-work to learn, give, grow and love our businesses, and ourselves we run the risk to get walloped by competition.
My other common Marketing RX is to “own it”.  This means owning work, owning your value and if you want something done to make it happen.  Women can’t expect to be discovered for their fabulousness.  Marketing takes time and energy, but if you want success, it is there waiting!
Alyse). What marketing fear is often overblown?
Not having enough time or that marketing is “hard”.  It often means either a lack of knowing how to do web marketing well, or it’s inability to write, or lack of strategy/purpose.  Feeling overblown is healthy – it’s also a cry to stop, think and retool.  Sometimes it’s time to “do what you do best and pay others to do the rest.” It’s smart to measure web work to put energy on what really matters and make time for it.
Alyse). How can women avoid get rich quick marketing schemes that cost thousands? Should they be a DIY person before hiring someone?
Lorrie) It is so important to be a healthy skeptic.  The key is to do homework before hiring people.  Look at their web marketing – are they walking the talk?  Do you like their style?  Do they have references?  The best thing to do before any “mavens” are hired is to KNOW WHAT YOU WANT FIRST.  When you are clear with your wants and needs then hiring gets a lot easier.  I wrote my book, The 36-Hour Course to Online Marketing (McGraw-Hill) www.tinyurl.com/onlinemarketingbook to be an inexpensive educational tool to help people know ALL the aspects of web marketing best practices first…then mavens can be engaged.
Alyse) What is the coolest thing you’ve got on the horizon? Can you say?
Lorrie) Ohhhh!  I have something juicy work-wise (a great low cost educational thing!) and I can’t say….so join my email list on www.webmarketingtherapy.com and stay tuned.  On my website, I have some fun case studies under services that are featured.  And I suppose my new job as mom (I’m due in November) is pretty darn coolio!
Alyse) How about some practical advice for a service provider i.e. personal chef, trainer, homeopathic doctor when she can only service the local area.
A) Local web marketing is amazing.  The key is being clear that you are geo-based.  First things first – get a Google Places listing. 
Alyse) Advice on how not to be an e-hole?
Lorrie) Ahahaha!  e-hole.  FUNNY!  Remember that “it is nice to be important, but more important to be nice” and let that be your guide online.   We serve and support via marketing as a means to sell (not the other way around).

e. lorrie@webmarketingtherapy.com



Filed Under: sales and marketing, women on the web Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,