Jonathan Farrington's Blog

To some, networking means simply meeting or calling someone new for what might be a one-off discussion or event. In this limited sense, networking is only a trading relationship in which two parties seek to discover whether they have anything of mutual interest to talk about. They either make some sort of exchange or quickly move on. This makes networking a highly ‘transactional’ subject, much like buying and selling or negotiating with someone.

My view is very different because I believe that networking has a much wider definition. In fact it can be a major social and life skill to be used in both a business/organisational and personal setting.

Network & Relationship Building

The ‘relationship building’ aspect of networking is a long-term commitment to knowing more about yourself and others and what you may be able to do together that you couldn’t do (or couldn’t do as well) alone.

The reality is that anyone can systematically adopt effective networking as an individual strategy. It can play a key part in linking you with a wider range of people who can help you to achieve more – whatever ‘more’ means for you

The Benefits Of Networking

The benefits of effective networking are many. Some of these are:

• It is the most cost effective marketing tool available

• Networking referrals will typically generate 80% more results than a cold call

• 70 – 80% of all jobs are found through networking

• Every person you meet has 200 – 250 people with whom they connect who can potentially assist you

Anyone that you might want to meet or contact in the world, is only five to six people contacts away from you

As if these reasons were not enough, a healthy and active link to a network is a vast resource available to every individual at a low personal cost. It can help you to achieve a range of goals that otherwise might be too hard or out of reach.

A key point to understand is that networking is achieved at low personal cost not no personal cost. I am not suggesting that networking is a quick fix or fad idea that can be easily adopted to make things better for a while. However, it can provide immediate results for those prepared to invest their time and energy.

The Concept Of Networking

Many of the definitions of networking highlighted in the next paragraph may surprise some people, in as much as they suggest that networking is an altruistic activity involving giving and sharing, rather than taking.

In Summary: Networking Definitions

• A power that comes from a spirit of giving and sharing

• A willingness to honour ourselves, our relationship and our connections with the universal flow

• A way of sending out into the system what we have and what we know, and having it return to re-calculate continually through the network

• An organised way of creating links from people we know to people they know for a specific purpose

• Giving, contributing to and supporting others without keeping score

• People caring about people

• Fostering self-help, and the exchange of information; seeking to change society and work life and to share resources

• Ensuring the right to ask a favour without hooks.

Today’s News: Fellow sales blogger Shaun Priest ( www.closerq.com) has a new novel out, and it’s about a sales executive – here is a taster:

“Jack ‘Fitzy’ Fitzpatrick gets the promotion of his career to regional vice president of sales at his publicly traded company as his gambling addiction increases exponentially. Fitzy is trying to win a twenty-eight million dollar healthcare software sale, the biggest of his career.  At the same time, he is putting his career, wife, and son at risk as he battles his gambling addictions of sports betting, craps, blackjack, and proposition bets.  Jack travels back and forth from Boston and Nevada, as he navigates the steps of winning a complex multi-million dollar sale, is in-debt, is being threatened by a big time Boston bookie, and being followed by the FBI.  All while trying to keep his job, not go to jail, avoid physical beatings, and save his marriage.  See if Jack makes the right ‘Decisions’ as he uncovers a company secret.”

For more details or to place your oder, simply click on the banner below

Some of my friends and I have been having some fun over at The Customer Collective this week – Dave Stein describes it all very well here and you can update yourself with the latest comments here

Tomorrow: I am back on my travels again and preparing for a very big week in the UK, let’s hope the weather improves, because Paris is cold, damp and very depressing – so much for “Paris In The Springtime”

Have a great weekend – and do make it back on Monday.

The buyer-seller situation – like any human contact – is an exercise in human relations: The interplay, cause, and effect of behaviour by two or more people on each other. In the buyer-seller situation, the seller must be responsible for shaping mutual behaviour.

What’s the difference between human nature and human relations?

• Human nature is the instinctive behaviour that governs action concerned with the self and with self-interest.
• Human relations are concerned with how we think and act in terms of other’s interests.

Successful selling demands that human relations be dominant over human nature.

Selling is not something a salesperson does to a prospect. Selling is something you do with the prospect in a process of discovery and interaction – human relations at work.

The greatest barrier to success in this process is the “Egocentric Predicament”. This consists of being overly and unnecessarily concerned with self. Our ability to be perceptive and concerned about others is inversely proportionate to our self-concern.

When self gets unnecessarily in the way, the fruitful cycle of good human relations stops producing.

The key to understanding and accepting others, is to first understand and accept oneself – starting with the realisation that, rather than strive for an unattainable “I should be” image, we should settle for our real self as “I am” – accepting shortcomings along with strengths.

The following points provide a practical answer to the “I am” versus “I should be” conflict.

Recognise it – and recognise that its source is rooted in the views of others. Either (a) accept your “I am” image or (b) decide on attainable, constructive steps to achieve “I should be” in the future.

Our behaviour is a reflection of our attitudes; and our attitudes grow out of our values.

Each is an integral part of the other. Do your life values make it easy for you to put the other person’s interests first?

Sincerity is a much-used word in relation to selling. Integrity is a kindred word. Integrity implies a consistent kind of honesty: acting outwardly the way you truly feel inwardly. That’s why sound values are so important to your success with others.

Remember: “People buy our product not so much because they understand the product… but because they feel that we understand them.”

There are many effective ways of doing this: The best way to create this kind of buying climate is to “transmit on their frequency.” This opens their mind to you…makes them willing – and eager – to listen.

A sincere, specific compliment on a point of real meaning to them gets the other person talking about things of interest to them. It opens doors.

“Before I sell my prospect what my prospect buys, I must first see my prospect as they see themselves.”

In Summary:
Empathy is the magical word in human to human interaction. It means feeling as the other person feels, not just with them. It means putting yourself in their shoes and shaping your attitudes accordingly.

Beyond getting the order, the plus factor in selling is to make people look good in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. Rather than sell to them, we help them buy.

We do this best by building their self-image. This helps them grow. And as we help others grow, we grow. To do this, we must be open and honest – this is the essence of good human relations.

These concepts are applicable to every facet of our lives and in selling, they pave the way to the truest and most fruitful success.

Today’s News: You can anticipate that I will be highlighting one of the most significant sales events of the year frequently, and we start today:

My friend, colleague and fellow  Colleen Francis, “One of the Top 5 Sales Trainers in the Market Today” – Sales and Marketing Magazine, is hosting/presenting:

Engage Selling Powerhouse Sales Event
27-28 April 2009

You will find all the details here

- I suggest that early registration is advisable: This is an example of what last year’s delegates said:

“The Powerhouse Sales Event was awesome! The day was full of excellent presenters with powerful information!”
Lorraine Gignac, Adecco Employment Services 

Finally, today:

You will not want to miss this week’s top article, over at

Tomorrow: Everyone – literally everyone, is talking about Sales 2.0, and many of them haven’t quite got it. My guest tomorrow most certainly has – he may have invented it. Join Nigel Edelshain on The JF Guest Author Spot 

Sales success to-day demands a radical shift from the ‘peddler’ mentality of merely demonstrating products and expanding on their features. It requires treating the customer as a participant. More often than not, a ‘flashy’ sales presentation alone alienates rather than persuades.

The best salespeople regard the sales call as a two-way conversation – not a one sided pitch. They have developed active listening skills Average salespeople score fairly well in their ability to provide customers with facts and figures, but top performers dramatically outscore the rest when it comes to gathering information. In addition, how a salesperson collects information still distinguishes exceptional achievers from the rest of the pack. I.e. top performers ask better questions and as a result gain much better information.

Essentially, they aim to engage customers in the buying process with questions that require thoughtful answers, that stimulate curiosity and that reveal the customers underlying needs.

Businesses need to re-define selling and what constitutes basic selling skills:
In to-day’s world of selling, there is less and less room for apprenticeship. Selling has become an exclusive club of highly skilled professionals where product knowledge and time management skills, for instance, are the cost of membership not leadership.

Ongoing research demonstrates that to-day’s ‘average’ salesperson is just as effective as the high performer in explaining features and benefits effectively, relating a service or product to customer needs and closing a sale. But, above this Level 1 plateau of competence, the exceptional salesperson is busy defining the “basic skills of tomorrow”.

Building an up-to-date foundation in sales competence does mean sacrificing some old notions of what it takes to succeed in a competitive marketplace. For example, a salesperson can no longer just “win by knowing”. Every company needs to test their assumptions about what skills really contribute to sales success. Too often operating on old sales theories means training and rewarding people to do the wrong things.

When the buyer and seller act as partners, they are building a bridge to profitability:
Successful selling is definitely not about the “hit and run” sale. Sales achievers regard their relationships with key customers as a partnership and cultivate it as such. When customers face tough business challenges and complex technological choice, they rely on sales people who can assist them in making the right decisions.

The primary objective of a sales partnership has to be, to create and sustain a mutually productive relationship, which serves the needs of both parties, now and in the future. The key word here is symbiotic. Partnership does not mean eliminating the tension between buyer and seller; it means that top-performing salespeople know how to strike a balance between achieving immediate results and developing the relationship fully.

In Summary: Why Do We Need A Fresh Approach To Selling?
Many organisations have developed without objective analysis of their purpose and structure. The buying power in many industries is no longer evenly distributed – in a large number of markets a few big firms control the majority of purchases.

The development of new marketing techniques has meant that some tasks traditionally performed by the sales team can be more effectively handled by other methods. The prime objective of all sales staff is to gain business. From an organisational point of view, however, how they all achieve their goals must be defined in order to identify what kind and the quality of skills that are required.

Today’s News:

Yes, I know that we were supposed to launch the new “JF Reviews” section today, but we are still waiting for some details, but I promised you a FREE ebook every Wednesday from my “Winning Series” sponsored by SalesNexus and here is the first one for you. If you are serious about making 2009 your best year yet and you are ready to “Plan To Win” then this is a must read – simply click on the banner above.

Tomorrow: One of the most switched on and in-demand sales coaches in the world, my good buddy from NY,NY, Keith Rosen – yet another Top Sales Expert and founder member of the soon to be announced “Global Sales Council”

As with all things in life, the quality of the preparation affects the final outcome and this is certainly true when it comes to planning and preparing a presentation.

I have experimented with a number of methods over the years but I do believe that the simplest are usually the best.

The Collection:
Over a period of time think all round the subject and note down on a large sheet of paper or indeed several sheets, everything that comes into your head about the subject of your presentation. This is rather like a personal brain storming session and should be done roughly, in the order in which the thoughts occur; do not attempt to write a speech at this stage

The Central Theme:
This second method requires you to decide on the exact message you want to get across and writing it down in one simple sentence. Then you think all around the sentence, scribbling down the ideas as they come to you – this method is almost identical to ‘mind-mapping

Before selecting or rejecting any idea, it is important to decide:-

• Who are my audience?

• How much do they know already?

• How much time will I be allowed?

Having taken account of the answers to those three key questions, it should be possible to answer one further one -

• What do I want to say?

This is the stage at which you can decide your headings and sub-headings and put them into a logical order. Your structure then begins to take shape. Essentially you go back to the notes you made during the ‘ideas’ stage and select which ones you wish to use – and then put them in the right order.

Remember you probably will not have time to tell your audience all you know about your subject – after all this is not an ‘information dump’ Use only what is relevant and what can be dealt with in the time at your disposal – this may involve a ruthless reduction exercise.

It is suggested that if possible leave the speech, once written, for 24 hours. Then re-read and revise, removing any jargon or unnecessarily flowery phases or faulty reasoning.

The actual notes that you speak from can be the final draft of the speech but this will normally cause you to read most or all of the presentation and the audience will find this dull.

It is much better, therefore, to read the final draft and put it to one side. Then, without referring to it, write short, key-word notes or, if you are very experienced, headings only, on to numbered post-cards.(Numbering your cards will prove to be an invaluable exercise in the unlikely event you drop them half way through your presentation!)

You can now re-look at the final draft to check that you have included all the major ideas on the cards, but be careful, the chances are that if you forgot that idea when making out the cards, you will forget it when you make the presentation.

And Finally -Final Notes:
Unless you are a very good actor with a phenomenal memory, do not dispense with notes by memorising a speech ‘parrot-fashion’. Unless your audience are ornithologists, they do not want to listen to a parrot! Also, it is easy to lose your way when giving a memorised presentation and easier still to lose an audience.

Today’s News: I really hope you are going to join Jill Konrath, Kendra Lee and myself today for an open webinar, that is going to provide you with a wealth of advice and ideas for surviving and succeeding within the current turbulent marketplace. That is 1pm Eastern/6pm GMT – and it is FREE to register here

A couple of excellent blog posts for you, both focusing on a downturn economy:

From fellow Parisien Christian Maurer – “Lifeline For Sales Executives”  and here, Charlie Green is discussing “The Trust Recession”

Tomorrow:I am delighted to welcome back, Leslie Buterin to The JF Guest Author Spot

Closing a sale has always been the most difficult stage for inexperienced sales professionals – this is usually down to a lack of confidence and the fear of rejection. Here is some advice that will get you to those three magical words: “Yes, I’ll buy” – more easily.

Unless the person you are influencing offers an unconditional yes to your proposals you will need to do or say something that will generate a positive decision.

Here are two steps you can take towards getting a decision:

Step One:
. Ask yourself ‘How does this person normally go about making decisions?’ Most people usually have a preferred way of making up their mind. Some people take their time to decide, others are happy to make snap decisions. You can sometimes push the latter, but will need to tread more carefully with the former.

Step Two:
. Have a variety of ways in which you can stimulate a decision.

Spot The Signals – Verbal And Non-Verbal

Knowing when to ask for a decision can be critical. Ask too soon and you may frighten the other person off. Ask too late and you may miss your best chance. Watch for signals that suggest the other person is ready to decide:

• Leaning forward, seeming more interested and involved
• Head up, good eye contact
• Stoking chin thoughtfully
• Nodding or smiling in agreement with you
• Upward infection in voice tone
• Requesting more information
• Asking you to repeat some points you made earlier
• Making notes
• Asking ‘What if …’ or ‘Suppose …’ questions
• Checking guarantees, support, follow-up plans
• Picking up your written proposal and double checking aspects
• Discussing implementation details

Dealing With Ditherers

A good way of avoiding a decision is to say ‘I want to think about it.’

Sometimes people do want time to think things through. But, very often, this can be an excuse or a put-off.

Ask:
• ‘What exactly do you want to think through? (Whatever you do – don’t pause here!) Is it the implementation schedule? Is the bottom line? Is it the timing?’

Once you have isolated the real reason, you are much better placed to respond to the objection.

Going For “Yes”

• ‘If you agree, shall we go ahead right away?’

Its very directness appeals to the Driver or Expressive personalities.

If the answer is “no”, ask : ‘What’s preventing you from going ahead?’

The Alternative Choice Question

This is less direct because you enable people to make a choice between two possible options.

• ‘When would you like to start – Friday or shall we wait until Monday?’
• ‘Which of these two do you prefer?’
• ‘Which support contract is most appropriate for you – this one, or that one?’

The Minor Decision

Here, you ask people to make a decision about a relatively unimportant aspect of the proposal. If they give the go-ahead, the assumption is that they agree to the whole idea.

• ‘Where do you want your logo to appear – at the top of the form or do you think it would look better in the bottom right hand corner?’
• ‘By the way, how do you intend to resource the project?’
• ‘How should we deal with the Southern branches?’

The Assumptive Question/Statement

This question/statement works well with Amiables and Expressives, both of whom need a continuous nudge towards decisions. (Be careful with Analyticals  who dislikes presumption.)

• ‘After we start, I assume you’ll want a monthly update?’
• ‘You’ll notice significant improvements immediately after we start.’

And Finally: The Benefit Summary

Some people like to hear a review of the benefits they will receive if they agree to your ideas. A quick list followed by a decision question often does the trick.

• ‘Ok – let’s summarise. After we’ve made the alterations you will notice that you have extra time available for other things, you’ll start to save on budget and you’ll have a happier work force. So, shall we go ahead?’

Please note: To understand and read more about the four personality types mentioned in this article, go here:  “How To Relate To And Influence The Four Personality Types”

Today’s News: Well done America – thank God for sense and sensibility! Be assured that if Europe had been allowed to vote, it really would have been a landslide. Now we can get some sleep.

Just seven days to go, and there are still places left - we anticipate more than 500 front-line sales professionals will be registering – so do reserve your FREE place today and take part in this innovative and highly relevant event – it’s for YOU – just click on the banner below.

Over at Business Expert Webinars, the very bright Terri Dunevant is presenting:

The Staircase Principle Applied to the Salesperson
11/5/08 5:30pm EASTERN TIME
Details Here

Tomorrow: On The JF Guest Author Spot, is the man himself, Jeffrey Gitomer

One of the main differences between negotiators is how confident they feel when negotiating. Typically, the more confident we feel, and the better we are prepared, the more successful will be the outcome of our negotiations.

Personal power comes from many sources. To build up and increase our confidence as negotiators we need to step back and analyse the sources of our personal power and compare them with those of the people with whom we are negotiating.

Power is not absolute. In most negotiating relationships the power balance moves with time as the negotiation progresses.

Here are just a few examples of sources of power:

Information Power:

Information power comes from having knowledge that will influence the outcome of the negotiation. Planning and research can increase our information power, as can asking the right questions before we reach the bargaining phase of the negotiation.

Reward Power:

Reward power comes from having the ability to reward the other party in the negotiation. It could be the power a buyer has to place an order for goods and services or the power a salesperson has to give good service and solve problems

Coercive Power:

Coercive power is the power to punish. This is seen most commonly in the buyer-seller relationship, but can be a feature of other types of negotiation.

Situation Power:

Situation power is the power that comes from being in the right place at the right time. A customer is desperate to place an order and you are the only source of supply in the short term. Having an effective network and keeping in touch with what is happening can increase your situation power.

Expertise Power:

Expertise power comes from having a particular skill which you can apply and which can influence the outcome of the negotiation. Improving negotiation skills helps you win better deals. Other areas of expertise could also help the outcome of the negotiation.

And Finally – Referent Power:

Referent power comes from being consistent over time. If people see you as having a clear, consistent strategy as a negotiator, you will increase your referent power.

Having standards that you stick to and being consistent will help to increase your referent power. In the eighties, Margaret Thatcher wasn’t universally popular, but was respected by many for being consistent in her views and behaviour. In the end she failed because her approach was too rigid and she was unable to adapt to changing circumstances.

You will find a number of other articles on negotiation here

Today’s News: Amazingly, Business Expert Webinars has just delivered it’s 100th session - incredible how time flies. This is the message I received from CEO, Lee Saltz.

Business Expert Webinars Delivers its 100th Business eLearning Training Session!
October 28, 2008, Minneapolis, MN – Business Expert Webinars (BEW), the leading provider of business eLearning, achieved a major milestone today when they delivered their 100th for-fee webinar.

“I am proud of this significant BEW accomplishment. I’m not aware of any other program that has
delivered 100 for-fee webinars in this short period of time. BEW has clearly demonstrated that people are willing to invest in business eLearning as a way to enhance the skill development of themselves and their employees. As the economy has tightened, companies and business professionals have been forced to find alternative strategies for skill development. BEW offers an affordable way to increase business aptitude on a limited budget,” said Lee B. Salz, President and CEO of Business Expert Webinars.

“The BEW platform is incredible,” says Jeb Blount, BEW speaker and CEO of SalesGravy.com. “It has provided professional business speakers with a venue to reach a global audience. Participants learn relevant information that they can immediately use in their business career.”

Business Expert Webinars began delivering for-fee webinars in May 2008 and has built a portfolio of over 150 business speakers, with a schedule of over 750 live business eLearning seminars on a wide array of subjects. “What makes BEW unique is that our speakers are not using these sessions as marketing events, but are using the technology to deliver their teachings to audiences around the world. Not only are BEW’s participants worldwide, but so are the speakers. We have speakers in Canada, France, Australia, Egypt, and the U.K. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, business education in a cost effective environment.” said Salz.

“As a result of delivering business eLearning sessions with Business Expert Webinars, I’ve been able to provide business professionals with new ways to affordably benefit from my services,” says Leslie Buterin, BEW speaker and founder of ColdCallingNetNews.com. “With training budgets being squeezed, BEW offers a means to develop teams without breaking the bank.”

About Business Expert Webinars
Business Expert Webinars (BEW) is the leading provider of business eLearning. BEW has an
international community of business speakers that comprises best-selling authors, award-winning
speakers, and business gurus delivering training for business professionals. For more information, visit
BusinessExpertWebinars.com.

Upcoming Event: On November 12th, Jill Konrath, Kendra Lee and I are presenting an open workshop, hosted by Landslide Technologies – it’s FREE, and I feel certain you will not want to miss it – just click on the banner at the bottom of this post, for full details.

Tomorrow: On The JF Guest Spot I am delighted to welcome back Kevin Dwyer, the second internationally acclaimed leadership guru to appear this week.

As well as being a great friend, Kevin is one of the wisest men I know and I have never held it against him for being Australian!

Our role in the sales situation alternates between sender and receiver of messages. The very best sales professionals devote a large portion of the sales interview to listening.

“Creative ability” is geared to perceptiveness. Our ears are as important to perception as our eyes.

Understanding people and “human motivation” demands alertness to behaviour clues. Among the most important clues are the words people use.

“Human relations” is all about helping others like themselves. Sincere listening demonstrates sincere interest.

The best sales approach begins with a question. Listening for the answer is our guidepost to the right road.

Solutions to problems are based on what we hear in answer to the questions we’ve asked and good listening is the shortest distance between us and more sales; better sales, faster sales.

Good listening is a skill that requires much conscious practice.

There are many bad listening habits common to most of us:

• We lable subjects dull and uninteresting and tune out.
• We look only for facts, not ideas.
• We stress the speaker’s manner of delivery and speech habits and ignore the contents of their words.
• We let our emotions colour and obscure the inflow. (We judge before we understand, and lose the thread.)
• We permit ourselves to be distracted.
• We pretend to listen but we don’t hear 
• We go off on mental tangents.

These poor listening habits are “pick-pockets” that rob us into mental and sales poverty. Be alert to them and avoid them.

Good listening is real work. But there are many things in our favour. Average speech speed is 125 words per minute. We can listen six times as fast. This gives the listener a time advantage over the speaker.

The good listener applies the ”EARS” Formula to exploit this advantage. They:

Evaluate – search for evidence that the speaker might use to support their statements
Anticipate – tries to predict what the next point will be
Review – mentally summarises the main points the speaker has covered
Speculate – read between the lines to ask: “What is he/she really saying?”

It pays also to listen with your eyes as well as your ears. Frequently a gesture or an expression, will reveal as much or more than words.

Remember too, communication involves four steps:

Step One: Sensing the message and the stimuli that goes with it

Step Two: Interpreting it (to be sure you understand)

Step Three: Evaluating it (never judge before you understand)

Step Four: Reacting (either verbally or non-verbally)

And Finally – Some additional hints on listening:

• Be neutral. Let the other person have their full say.
• Give them complete attention… and reinforcement.
• If appropriate, ask them to explain further.
• Rephrase their main points and “play them back” to them…to help them see if they have said exactly what they wanted to say, and to make sure you understand.
• Put their “feelings” into words. This will help them evaluate and perhaps modify their statement…and it gives further evidence of your understanding.
• At the appropriate time, get agreement. Summarise what you have both said as a preparation for the next step. If possible, have them suggest the course of action.

Listening really is that important: First we seek to understand, and we cannot do that, unless we listen.

I think you will also enjoy: “How To Become An Active Listener”

Today’s News: I have a couple of really excellent events to share with you, but unfortunately, the copy didn’t arrive on time. However, I can confirm that the latest Top Sales Experts ebook launched to very loud “hurrahs” – if you haven’t downloaded your FREE copy yet, just click on the banner below.

Our graphics guy, Bill Jeckells, who was responsible for putting the masterpiece together, has been at it again – I asked if we could have a single leaf design, that incorporated the TSE logo – this is what he sent through last night!

Tomorrow: On the JF Guest Author Spot I welcome Dan Adams.

The JF Guest Author Spot 

Email is so much easier to use for prospecting than the phone. You can write it at any time day or night. You don’t have to worry about being hung up on and you won’t catch your client “at a bad time.” But it’s also easily deleted with no response. When you put yourself into your email, your chances of getting prospects to respond escalate. You stand apart from the other sellers who blend together as Inbox clutter.

Sound hard? It doesn’t have to be.

You know that it’s your personality and message that distinguish you on the phone. But, when you write, you have to be really careful that the words you choose let your personality shine through. If your prospect can’t feel your personality, you’re no different than any other seller trying to get time on his calendar.

Here’s the story of two sellers I’ve been working with and their very different email prospecting results: Eric, who follows the email prospecting rules perfectly, and Mae, who breaks the rules and allows her personality to shine.

Eric sells IT maintenance services. He does most of his prospecting via email because he doesn’t like to cold call. He has an outstanding value proposition including impressive financial results clients have received in reducing unplanned IT expenditures.

Eric adapts his value proposition to the group he’s targeting and follows all the email prospecting best practices.

* Limits the length to 4-5 sentences

* Uses only 1 link

* Includes a tag line in his signature

* Provides his phone and contact information

* Includes an offer his prospect can respond to if interested

* Writes a compelling subject line

Eric has utilized best-practices tactics for email, but even quoting impressive financial results and a client testimonial, he only gets replies from 10% of his prospects. Look at how Mae both uses those tactics and then goes beyond the norm to ensure her personality helps her make stronger connections.

Mae sells IT software and servers. She does most of her prospecting via email because she sees how easy it is to grab prospects’ interest and for them to click reply. She identifies a small group of prospects to target, uses a value proposition like Eric’s, then breaks the prospecting rules by:

Mentioning something about herself in every email, from running in an upcoming marathon to the kids being out on fall break in two weeks

Consistently following up over the course of a month, gently pushing for a connection. Each time Mae forwards the previous emails with a general, but personal, note about the prospect: how busy they must be now that it’s fourth quarter; or, are the leaves turning?

Including a simple  emoticon in her third or forth email to reinforce something personal she’s written if it suits the content: Go Broncos!! 

Writing a personal subject line, such as: Can we talk?, or Checking your availability Tuesday at 3:00

Mae’s emails let her interest in talking with her prospect – and her personality – shine through. She becomes a real person who sat down at her PC to email this specific prospect. Her emails let prospects she’s never met know it’s her sending the email, not some marketing system, and in turn, as they realize it, they reply. As Mae continues to email them, a whopping 85% of prospects reply!

So how do you let your personality out and get 85% of your prospects to hit reply?

Mention a tidbit about yourself. One time I emailed a bunch of prospects during my birthday month and told them all it was my birthday that month! I got nearly a 100% reply rate and started a conversation with every one.

Picture your prospect and write as if you already know him. You know what job your prospect has, so talk about something he can relate to.

Make it easy to reply by suggesting a couple of times to talk. You’ve been friendly and now you’re eliminating the work in scheduling a time to talk. Of course he’s going to respond because you’ve given him a valuable reason to take you up on your offer.

As your prospect gets to know you through your emails, he will respond as he would to anyone else he knows personally. After an email conversation he’ll want to talk to you because he knows you, likes you, and feels comfortable with you. By combining best practices with your personality, your emails will become a productive prospecting tool – instead of a shot into the Inbox abyss.

Kendra Lee is author of “Selling Against the Goal” and president of KLA Group. Specializing in the IT industry, KLA Group helps companies rapidly penetrate new markets, break into new accounts and shorten time to revenue with new products in the Small & Midmarket Business (SMB) segment. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. For more information, contact the company at +1 303.741.6636 or info@klagroup.com or visit www.klagroup.com.

For more articles like this one, visit www.klagroup.com . Click here to sign up for the free KLA Group Strategic View e-newsletter.

Today’s News: I am onsite with clients, so you know what that means – news is brief: I did sign up today, to do a webinar for Landslide with Jill Konrath on November 12th – it’s FREE, and I’ll give you all the details in a couple of days.

Tomorrow: “Some Salespeople Have Ten Year’s Selling Experience; Most Have One Year’s Experience Ten Times” a brief extract……..

“During the 1970s and 1980s, it was common for large corporations such as Hewlett Packard and IBM to put their new sales recruits through a twelve to eighteen-month training programme.

Today, salespeople consider themselves “lucky” if they get an initial two weeks of training.

Have companies discovered that training doesn’t really pay off? On the contrary! Training appears to be even more important today than years ago and it is getting more important all the time.”………. more tomorrow.

A Sales Leader’s level of success or failure may be determined by their ability to influence people within their own organisation, as well as those operating in other companies.

Sales Leaders who use their influencing skills well are exciting to be around and they exude a positive energy that attracts people towards them. Your ability to influence others can empower people development, accelerate results and ultimately ensures an easier working environment. Influencing is about understanding yourself and the effect or impact you have on others. Though, it can on occasion be one way, the primary relationship is two way, and it is about changing how others perceive you.

Truly excellent influencing skills require a healthy combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation and assertiveness techniques. It is about adapting and modifying your personal style when you become aware of the affect you are having on other people, while still being true to yourself.

Behaviour and attitude change are what’s important, not changing who you are or how you feel and think. You may try to exert your influence through coercion and manipulation. You might even succeed in getting things done, but that isn’t really influencing. That’s forcing people to do what you want, often against their will. You won’t have succeeded in winning support. Pushing, bullying, bludgeoning or haranguing DO NOT WORK! Like elephants, people will remember the experience. Indeed, if you force someone to do something you want without taking their point of view into consideration, then the impression that person is left with is how they will see you forever. You’re stuck with it, unless you deliberately change what you do in order to be seen differently. People are far more willing to come halfway (or more) if they feel acknowledged, understood and appreciated. They may even end up doing or agreeing to something they wouldn’t previously have done, because they feel good about making the choice.

What Makes An Effective Influencer?

Winning influencers share a common set of attitudes and behaviours that ensure consistent success. Studies have shown that they:

• Indicate the benefits of their ideas and are able to put a context around these benefits so it creates greater impact on the individual.

• Neutralise resistance, usually in advance. They anticipate, respond and are able to plant a positive association to potential areas of resistance before the other person has even had a chance to voice them.

• Find alternative ways to influence others and demonstrate high levels of flexibility. This means that if the approach they are taking doesn’t get them their desired results they try a different approach. If this doesn’t work they try another approach. Ultimately, the person with the greatest flexibility will always have control over the situation.

• Listen attentively to what others say because this improves mutual understanding and conveys respect for the opinions of others. Giving good attention to people makes them more intelligent. Poor attention makes them stumble over their words and seem stupid.

• Uncover needs and wants because they appreciate that every individual is unique. They have their needs, their own set of problems and their own motives for doing what they do.

• Empathise continuously and are able to adopt different perceptual positions to connect with the feelings of others in different situations. Not only do effective influencers manage to put themselves in their customers’ shoes, they are also able to wear the shoes of individuals in their sales team.

• Have developed high levels of sensory awareness. This means that their senses are fine-tuned to pick-up on the smallest details include non-verbal signals that are sometimes different to what a person is saying.

• Create and maintain rapport throughout their communication that enables them to deepen relationships, build higher amounts of trust and minimise resistance.

• Eliminate weak statements from their language and are able to create multiple positive associations by avoiding negative words and using negations in a positive way. For example; “I’m not going to say that this strategy will be totally successful.” The unconscious mind has to think about the strategy being totally successful, irrespective if the word ‘not’ is contained within the statement.

• Base the success of their communication on the response it produces in others. If other people don’t respond in the way that the influencer was wanting, they accept responsibility and change their communication until they do achieve their desired outcome.

Influencing really is that important!

You may also enjoy reading: “Recognising The Different Influencing Styles”

Today’s News: I posted  over the w/e about the excellent upcoming “Critical Strategies For Winning Big Company Clients” gig in New York (see banner below) - I have to repeat that there are only forty places – simply click here for full details.

Over on Top 10 Sales Articles, we have nominated a top class set of articles this week – you really do not want to miss them – simply go here

Tomorrow: A treat for you on The JF Guest Author Spot – Stone Payton, with an absolutely brilliant piece, all about proposals and proposal writing – you will thoroughly enjoy it, I promise.  

In my role as a leadership coach, a question I am often asked is: “What is the most important leadership trait I should consider developing first?”

Very interesting question, because there are several essential traits that need to be developed as early as possible, but choosing just one – the most important, is a “no-brainer” for me.

Nothing puts you in the “poor leader” category more swiftly than inadequate communication skills.

Staff view an inadequate communicator as someone who is unclear, ambiguous, says too little, speaks up too late, or not at all (keeps secrets unnecessarily) and most importantly, someone who doesn’t relate to their viewpoint.

Leaders should resolve to communicate:
• Using appropriate methods (memo or meeting, e-mail or notice-board)
• From the right perspective (talk about we not I and put things personally – “You will find” rather than “This is the case”)
• Using good communication principles (keep it simple, make it clear, and be precise and succinct)
• Explaining both the what and the why of things.

Because communication is the most important aspect of a leader’s role, if you feel you need to bone up on it, do so. Ignoring failings or uncertainties, risks disaster.

Your early communications will be looked at or listened to carefully. Lines will be read between and inferences about you and the way you do things will be drawn – for good or ill. Take care!

While thinking about communication, make one firm rule for yourself: Always be courteous to your staff.

The old adage that politeness costs nothing is true. Any temptation that staff may provide to descend into insults or even to be offhand may cause problems and will certainly not engender respect. This applies whatever the provocation – and, believe me, sooner or later if you lead people, there will be some!

So keep cool, count to ten if necessary, and moderate your language and your manner.

A final point about communication is that you need to be constantly well informed about what is going on around the organisation and in any other area that is important to you.

Never forget that informal communications are as important here as formal ones.

You need to develop a good network of contacts and here I must flag the importance of the grapevine. This exists in every organisation.
• Discover how it works and who is key to its operation
• Get yourself “plugged in”
• Remember that communication is two-way (you must contribute to receive)

Use it constructively: ignore and do not start rumours, use it for firm information, early warning, and dissemination and keep your eyes and ears open.

Keep In Touch:
Take away communication from an organisation and not much is left. Yet, the subject is often neglected. It is the foundation of a good relationship between leader and staff and thus the basis for success.

Make sure you take action to create good – two-way – communication by, for example:
• Practising LBWA: that is Leadership by Walking About. Talk to people informally, ask, listen, take notes, and ensure feedback.
• Regularly informing people of your thinking: by memo, e-mail, at meetings, etc. Tell them what your vision is, what you plan, hope and intend, what’s happening – and how it will affect them.
• Systematise the processes involved: make aspects of what you do formal and regular (e.g. regular departmental meetings and updates on operational issues).

Fundamental to good leadership is being seen as open and honest, concerned that people should know what is going on and concerned also to encourage and receive their inputs.

I think you will also enjoy reading this: “What Is Successful Leadership Really About”

Today’s News: In the most recent issue of Fortune magazine, Jill Konrath’s “Selling to Big Companies” was selected as a “must read” book that belongs in everyone’s briefcase.

Jiill said: “I’m honored that it was chosen as one of only eight books recommended – especially since the competitors were all the other good sales books ever written!”

If you want to check out Selling to Big Companies, here’s the Amazon link. Make sure you read the 46+ Five Star reviews. Or start by downloading two chapters on her website.

Also, here’s a link to the entire Fortune article:Download Fortune-SelllingtoBigCompanies-9-08.pdf

Way to go, Crazy Sister !

Final blogpost recommendation of the week for you: “How Acting Skills Helps Selling” from Drew Stevens.

Tomorrow: We are working on the next Top Sales Experts ebook, so I will be fully extended this weekend, plus we are also preparing for the launch of TSE 2.0 -exciting times! As ever, wherever you are, have a great w/e yourself, and be sure to make it back here next week – JF