Another Marketing Insensitive
Approximately two years ago I first wrote about “Marketing Insensitives.” At the time, I had received a call from a telemarketer offering me some “marketing insensitives” to purchase a product. Yes, she really said this! She was not being clever; she just couldn’t pronounce “incentive.”But, Marketing Insensitives do

Sales is About ... Now or Never
You are preparing for you next call. Or you are to visit a client in a face-to-face presentation or demonstration. What happens in this short period determines the sale. If the client of prospect does not buy from you in this private encounter he or she will never do. You have only one opportunity…And it is now or never.Selling today has, in many cases, become like a giant shell game, or what I refer to as the Big Pow Wow. For those of you who haven't got a clue as to what I am talking about, let me explain. Years ago, when the white man invaded the Native American's homeland, they would often bring gifts. These gift exchanges were accomplished with a variety of ritualistic behavior on the part of both parties. When all was said and done, if the white man escaped with his head it was a good day. Both groups or parties were selling - the Native Americans, the right to continue to hunt, or even live; and the white invaders, their goods and trinkets from the east in exchange for their ultimate agendas of seizing the lands away from the native Americans. By the way if you have Native American blood please don’t take offense at this illustration.

O.K. let’s flash forward 200-250 years and what have we got? You and I are trading what we have (the product or service we provide - that our customer wants or needs) for their wampum. (That's money, folks.)

Some Native Americans, without t

an invaded the Native American's homeland, they would often bring gifts. These gift exchanges were accomplished with a variety of ritualistic behavior on the part of both parties. When all was said and done, if the white man escaped with his head it was a good day. Both groups or parties were selling - the Native Americans, the right to continue to hunt, or even live; and the white invaders, their goods and trinkets from the east in exchange for their ultimate agendas of seizing the lands away from the native Americans. By the way if you have Native American blood please don’t take offense at this illustration.

O.K. let’s flash forward 200-250 years and what have we got? You and I are trading what we have (the product or service we provide - that our customer wants or needs) for their wampum. (That's money, folks.)

Some Native Americans, without t

te man escaped with his head it was a good day. Both groups or parties were selling - the Native Americans, the right to continue to hunt, or even live; and the white invaders, their goods and trinkets from the east in exchange for their ultimate agendas of seizing the lands away from the native Americans. By the way if you have Native American blood please don’t take offense at this illustration.

O.K. let’s flash forward 200-250 years and what have we got? You and I are trading what we have (the product or service we provide - that our customer wants or needs) for their wampum. (That's money, folks.)

Some Native Americans, without t

n exchange for their ultimate agendas of seizing the lands away from the native Americans. By the way if you have Native American blood please don’t take offense at this illustration.

O.K. let’s flash forward 200-250 years and what have we got? You and I are trading what we have (the product or service we provide - that our customer wants or needs) for their wampum. (That's money, folks.)

Some Native Americans, without t

250 years and what have we got? You and I are trading what we have (the product or service we provide - that our customer wants or needs) for their wampum. (That's money, folks.)

Some Native Americans, without the benefit of attending the latest seminar on effective negotiation, were quite persuasive when it came to getting more of what they wanted. The white men often walked away, after giving a great deal, with the feeling that they had been taken to the cleaners. Today, many salespeople give away far too much, in the way of margins, discounts and extra services, to satisfy the demands or expectations of the prospect. They treat the sales process like a big shell game or old fashioned Pow Wow.

Customers today want value, not trinkets; service, not empty words; honest commitments, not temporary involvement; and fair treatment, not selfish demands. In an age where competition abounds, choices are increasing, and quality, service and timely communication are the hallmarks of positive relationships, salespeople can no longer afford to live with the illusions that t