Posts Tagged salespeople
sell. don’t beg.
Posted by Chris Houchens in marketing on February 11, 2010
One of the analogies I probably wear out is comparing bad salespeople to the kids selling ads for school yearbooks.
At several times in my career, I was in charge of the marketing for local small businesses. In each job, I would get a call (sometimes a visit) each year from a member of the local middle or high school yearbook staff. The exchange would normally go something like this:
Me: Hello
Them: (mumble) Wanna buy a yearbook ad?
Me: No
Them: Bye
Aside from the fact that yearbook ads are not marketing (they’re donations), I may have entertained the idea of buying “an ad” if the kid had prepared SOME sort of sales presentation that focused on my marketing needs. You know, something like: the ad will be seen by parents who are your customers, people will see these ads in 20 years, etc. Anything in additon to just asking.
These days I hear lots of salespeople say, “I asked them if they wanted to buy _____ and they said no.”
If your sales pitch is just asking, you’re missing alot of potential sales.
(There’s also the problem of salespeople who just talk to the customer and never ASK for the sale — but that’s another post)
If you’re just asking people to buy, then you’re not a salesperson. You’re a beggar. It’s a small distinction, but an important one.
Most of this problem (and most sales problems) can be traced back to the salesperson’s motivation. Are they wanting to make a sale or are they trying to solve the customer’s problem?
People just trying to make a sale do make a few (the yearbook always has ads in it) — but problem solvers are always successful salespeople.
expecting this call
Posted by Chris Houchens in advertising, media, online on November 24, 2008
Concerning this MediaShift post:
Hi! I’m calling from your local newspaper. As you may know, over the past few years our industry completely missed the boat on how to succeed online. As a matter of fact, we’re still arguing with each other on how to compete and win online. The reason I’m calling is that we’d like for you to put your trust in us to handle your online marketing strategy!
I will agree with the post’s point (and have said before) that the concept of “mass media” on the web does not work and that old-media can’t seem to get that idea out of their heads.
The big problem I have with the idea is the concept of a media property operating as as any sort of marketing or ad agency. I’ve witnessed the fast crash/burn of a media property that tried to start an ad agency. And I’ve seen several media salespeople who “help handle” all the advertising for a small biz client.
In case it’s not obvious to you (and apparently with the number of small buisnesses who do it, it’s not), media properties and salespeople are a bit biased to have your money spent with them. It’s not the best idea to trust all of your ad/marketing dollars with someone who has ad space to sell.
sales diets
Posted by Chris Houchens in marketing on August 21, 2008
Dieters who don’t know the right way to lose weight by eating right and exercise may succumb to binging/purging.
Salespeople who don’t know the right way to sell by establishing relationships may succumb to cold calling.
And they’ll cold call me.
someone tried to proposition me in a hotel lobby
Posted by Chris Houchens in marketing on April 18, 2008
Last week, I was in Chicago speaking to a group. The hotel had an afternoon social time that I stopped at one afternoon to grab a snack. While I was sitting there, a young guy came in and started talking to me. He said he was from the area and had an appointment with someone staying at the hotel.
He was unusually chatty and a little cheesy in our conversation. But he was a young guy and I figured he was awkwardly trying to “network”. He said he had his own business and wanted to know what I did. I explained I was there to speak to the group. He said he might have a need for sales/business speaker in his new business. I gave him a card, said goodbye, and went to my room to crash.
A few days later, I get a call from the guy. He wants to know if I’m keeping my options open for “business opportunities”. And he goes into a pitch about his “system”.
It then dawns on me that the dude cruises business hotel lobbies to pick up leads. He has now taken the title of “most pathetic schemer” from the guy who tried to do the same thing to me in an aisle at Staples a few years ago.
I broke into his pitch and tried to politely tell him I wasn’t interested. He responded testily – “Does that mean you don’t want to keep your options open?”
I told him my options are pretty much closed. And I hung up.
But I wish I had stayed on the phone a bit longer and told him some simple truths:
–The reason that my “options” are closed is that I’ve already been through that stage of life without getting sucked in. I’m now (much?) older and wiser. When I was in college and immediately afterwards, I wasted several hours going to “job interviews” that turned out to be MLM schemes like Primerica or worse.
(Advice to the marketing kids — never respond to a job listing that refers to “sports marketing” or sports-minded marketing”)
–If you’re hanging out in Staples or hotel lobbies trying to bottom feed, you really need to reexamine your sales strategy (and reexamine your life)
–If you have to trick people into a meeting, you’re probably selling crap.
I’ve said it before. Sure, stuff like this works in the short term. But for long term success (in sales, marketing, or whatever), you HAVE to have honest conversations and relationships with your targets.
on the phone
Posted by Chris Houchens in marketing on November 19, 2007
A salesguy got in contact with me this morning in reference to a service we’re looking at signing up with. I typed the following as I was on the phone with him.
Why would you start out this call with the most boring information? I don’t care how long your company has been in business. I don’t care what companies just signed up with you. Let’s talk about my company instead of yours.I swear, if you use the word “leverage” one more time, I’m coming through the phone at you.
Is this call really necessary? We filled out your online contact form because we are almost ready to buy. We just need a proposal. Why are you trying to sell me something I’ve already decided to buy?
What are you doing in addition to talking to me? I can hear you doing something else. I’ve stopped listening to you and I’m trying to figure it out.
Why did you just ask me for my phone number and my email? You just called me and you have the online contact form that I filled out.
This bad call is not out of the ordinary. I look at new products and services all the time and sit through these calls about twice a month. They’re all similar to this one.
Attention Small Business People
Posted by Chris Houchens in advertising, marketing on September 14, 2007
If a media salesperson is putting together your entire media buy for you “as a favor”…
Or if a media salesperson is your buddy and is “helping” you buy advertising…
You really need to have a reality check.
I refer you to this once again.
Small Rule
Posted by Chris Houchens in advertising on June 18, 2007
The smaller an available ad space, the more information the client (or salesperson) will want to cram in it.
Salespeople types
Posted by Chris Houchens in marketing on June 2, 2007
Lots of people confuse sales with marketing and vice versa.
Sales is an important function of marketing and sometimes that function is carried out by salespeople. Unfortunately, good salespeople are hard to find. I’m sure you’ve run across one or two of these sales types in your life…
Psycho Sales
–A little too happy with tracking sales on spreadsheets
–Own way too many Successories and motivational books.
–They “network” way too much.
–Arm-wrestle clients into a purchase.
–Over-promise and under-deliver (also called lying)
Floaters
–They got out of college and had no plan. They think they’ll “they’ll try sales for awhile” and 20 years later they’re still trying to sell you copier toner.
–Have absolutely no knowledge about what they’re selling you
–Typically promoted to Sales Manager.
Stable Horses
–Have little knowledge of the product/service they’re selling.
–Sales mostly occur through long relationships with clients, sales promotion (gimmicks), and luck.
–The majority of all salespeople fall under this category
Order Takers
–Pick up the phone, write down the order, turn it in.
–Rinse.
–Repeat.
Eye Candy
–Can be male or female
–Clients tend to buy just so the salesperson keeps coming by.
Good Salesperson
–They’re concerned about what the customer needs versus what they can be sold. They understand that this sometimes means no sale.
–They know what they’re selling inside and out. That means both the advantages and disadvantages.
–Using this philosophy, they are always very successful and very well compensated.
–Sadly, I can count on one hand the number of these salespeople I’ve ever met.
I’m sure I’ve missed some sales characters. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
From all of us to all of you
Posted by Chris Houchens in advertising on December 4, 2006
Ahh….the snow….the decorations….the wasted advertising dollars.
It’s the time of year that salespeople go out and bilk unsuspecting small business owners into wasting their “advertising dollars” for holiday greetings. In case you’re thinking of buying, here’s some ready-made copy…
Shotgun Concepts
:30
12/1 – 12/25
(mx fade in)
Everyone here at Shotgun Concepts wishes you and yours the very very best of the (blank). At this time of year, it’s important to remember (blank). And Danny, Frank, Lorita, Consuela, Bobbi Jo, and all the guys down in the warehouse wish you the very best of this holiday season and the happiest of new years.
(Insert recordings of owners’ kids and grandkids here)
Remember, that this is the only time we’ve advertised all year…and we’ve only mentioned the name of the business once…and you still have no idea what we do.
From all of us to all of you, Happy Holidays to you and yours and mine and his….
(long mx fade out)
Nothing like placing generic wallpaper advertising on the air during one of the most ad cluttered times of the year for great ROI.
If you’re lucky, it may beat the return on that yearbook ad you bought last April.
tags:: marketing – holiday marketing – cynical rants – small business marketing
Marketing with Sally Struthers
Posted by Chris Houchens in advertising, marketing on February 22, 2006
This happens more in small businesses in smaller markets, but I’ve seen examples of it everywhere.
“We’re doing a special section this week to highlight the boy’s basketball team trip to the state tournament. Will you support the team?”
Ask the salesperson how buying a miniscule 3×3 ad will help the kids. The answer is…that it doesn’t. Your money goes to the owner of the media outlet and a commission for the salesperson. The cash never even gets near the kids.
Not only are you being duped by the salesperson into believing you’re helping the kids…but you’re wasting your marketing funds.
“WILL YOU HELP THE KIDS?” is the the rallying cry of salespeople who don’t know how to sell the merits (if there are any) of their media.
I do think a responsible business should support local charities, schools, and other philanthropic ventures. But give the money directly to the organization and be careful not to confuse these donations as marketing.
tags:: small business marketing – rants – Sally Struthers
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