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Put Yourself in the Reporter's Shoes
Imagine you're the technology reporter at a daily newspaper. You learn that a new computer virus is making the rounds on the Net and you find that it has shut down three local banks within the past few hours. You're desperately searching for information on the virus, names and phone numbers of experts who can tell you about it, ways to prevent the virus from spreading, how to eradicate the virus and repair the damage to computers, and a spokesperson from at least one of the banks so you can get a quote for your article -- all before 5 PM so you can write the story that will appear on tomorrow's front page. Whew!I'll bet you're feeling a bit frazzled and impatient. Where would you start?Right. You'll look in your database for a local computer expert to help you understand the scope of the problem, the damage expected and how to fix it.You call the first one. No answer. You don't have a cell phone number. So you call the next expert. She's not in her office but you call

crifice. Friendliness is a great way to ease any tensions in the sales process but over-friendliness can raise resentment in buyers’ minds.

Nobody can sell this cheaper than me. Nobody? First off, the world is a big place with a lot of others selling things a lot like what other salespeople have. If the salesperson really has the world’s lowest price on something and can do business both legally and profitably, instead of wasting time one-on-one with prospects, he or she should put up a website and rake in the dough. And second, the problem with bragging about being cheapest (besides triggering buyers’ skepticism) is that it is a lousy way to make a profit. A more satisfactory approach is to show the value of the product, service, or idea. Value takes into account integrity, experience, service, reliability, trustworthiness, uniqueness, desirability, return, and how the bu

5 Tips on How to Deal with Jobs Fairs
A job fair represents a good opportunity for job seekers to meet with the job offers in persons, meaning with the employing companies representatives. If you are looking for a job, a job fair is an event you shouldn’t miss. You will have the chance to interact personally with the employers and you will get a glimpse on the companies inside. You will also have the opportunity to meet a lot of employers in a short time and in the same place. And you may even get an interview right there if you are exactly what the employer is looking for.In order for you to best benefit from a job fair, here are some tips you should take into consideration.First of all, always do your homework before attending a job fair. Study the list of the companies participating to the job fair and select those you are interested in applying for a job. Keep in mind that you will have limited time at the job fair and you will not be able to meet all the employers. Therefore, make your own list of companies

7 Phrases You Can’t Say in Sales

(Because They Will Undermine Your Credibility

and Drop Your Closing Rate)

Years ago, George Carlin listed seven words you can’t say on television. Then HBO came along, said all the words, and the world of television changed forever. Now, I know that even before you read the seven no-no phrases in sales, you might be tempted to think, oh, whatever these are they will eventually become acceptable, too.

There are two big problems with this reasoning.

1. Television has been around for about sixty years so it is still a youngster experiencing growing pains; sales started way back when the inventor of the wheel made a few extras to sell to friends.

2. The seven sales phrases are already being said by salespeople and they are delivering decidedly mediocre results. They live on because veteran salespeople say them and novice salespeople ape them. The cycle continues.

The big challenge with these words is that they undermine the credibility of salespeople and they encourage defensive barriers to spring up in the minds of the prospective buyers. Talk about salespeople shooting themselves in the foot! These phrases either degrade what could be a great sale down to a pedestrian transaction or they scare off buyers. And worse, less experienced salespeople think they are supposed to say these phrases in order to entice buyers. Here is a word to my sales colleagues: No matter whether you are selling products, services, and/or ideas, avoid using these phrases! They will make buyers distrust you.

As you read these seven, think of yourself as a buyer not a salesperson. (Did you ever stop to consider that over the course of your life you will most likely buy more products and services than you will sell?) As a buyer, imagine you are in situation in which a salesperson has recently made your acquaintance. Test your gut reaction. Do any of these seven make you want to buy – or do they make you want to run?

Here are the seven deadly phrases in sales. Actually, one of these is a pair of words, not a phrase. But all of these leave the same unpleasant after-taste as one bad word.

Trust me. Instructing people to trust a salesperson is pretty much like setting up a too-familiar joke whose punch line is going to be “you are an idiot so just give me lots of your money now.” The pairing of trust and me signals buyers to put up their defense shields and turn on their BS filters (for Better Sense, of course). Trust is one of the two concepts that the more somebody asks for it, the more elusive it becomes. Trust – like love – cannot be requested effectively. Although it is plentiful, it has to be earned to be genuine. And besides, it is the buyer’s prerogative to decide whom to trust, when, and how much. Asking for trust will actually hinder the salesperson from getting it. (P.S.“Believe me when I say…” is in the same league.)

I’m your friend. It is tempting for a salesperson to think a buyer is a new friend after the two share fifteen minutes excitedly discussing a mutual experience or passion. This happens, for example, when both share an obsession for golf and both once played the course at Pebble Beach in their youth. However, too many salespeople mistake rapport for friendship. The two are not the same. Friendship requires an emotional investment and real commitment. Friendship takes time, energy, and some sacrifice. Friendliness is a great way to ease any tensions in the sales process but over-friendliness can raise resentment in buyers’ minds.

Does Your Marketing Pass This 10-Point Test?
Good marketing, whatever form it takes, always meets certain criteria. That's what makes it good. The following 10-Point checklist will help you determine if your marketing passes the test. I challenge you to evaluate one of your recent ads, promotions or other marketing activities to see how it measures up.1) Does it focus on the solution or benefit you provide?Too often ads simply list product or service features. Don't make your prospects work that hard to figure out how your product or service can help them. Tell them straight out.2) Does it have one, clear message?What's the ONE message you want to communicate? Make sure it's not buried in too much information or it may not get across.3) Is it focused on one, specific group of prospects?Do you know who you are talking (and marketing) to? Make sure your marketing is targeted at one, specific group of prospects - it's the only way to make sure you are addressing their needs.4) Is it w

ivering decidedly mediocre results. They live on because veteran salespeople say them and novice salespeople ape them. The cycle continues.

Here are the seven deadly phrases in sales. Actually, one of these is a pair of words, not a phrase. But all of these leave the same unpleasant after-taste as one bad word.

Sell Without Feeling Like A Used Car Salesman
Many business owners and professionals are appalled at the thought of having to sell their products or services. If you are going to be successful though, regardless of your profession, you are also going to be in the business of selling. But you don’t have to don a plaid jacket and adopt the sales techniques that have made the used car salesman infamous.If we are uncomfortable “selling” our services, it is generally because we are trying to “sell” before someone has reached the purchase stage of the buying process. While selling may never be the favorite part of your job, by implementing a systematic process you can move potential clients into the purchase phase and increase your comfort level and success with selling.Imagine that you were in the market to purchase a big screen TV. You had visited a couple of stores to see what was available, done some research on the internet, talked with friends, and narrowed the choice down to 3 models. Now you have a few questions

to consider that over the course of your life you will most likely buy more products and services than you will sell?) As a buyer, imagine you are in situation in which a salesperson has recently made your acquaintance. Test your gut reaction. Do any of these seven make you want to buy – or do they make you want to run?

Here are the seven deadly phrases in sales. Actually, one of these is a pair of words, not a phrase. But all of these leave the same unpleasant after-taste as one bad word.

ISO 9000 Standards
ISO 9000 is a vastly popular set of standards accepted by businesses and consumers worldwide. ISO 9000 is a method by which businesses can monitor the quality of their customer service as well as the quality of their products or services. Generally speaking, there are three quality standards within ISO 9000:2000, ISO 9001:2000, and ISO 9004:2000. ISO 9001:2000 presents requirements, while ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 present guidelines. This set of standards refers to the quality of the management process, not the product or service itself.In order for businesses to develop quality standards, they must first recognize and express the areas in which quality control is needed. After recognizing what changes need to take place, they must implement the standards by updating and managing their new quality processes. They should develop documentation to implement the new system and create documents that outline the nature of the company. A quality system manual should also be develop

epts that the more somebody asks for it, the more elusive it becomes. Trust – like love – cannot be requested effectively. Although it is plentiful, it has to be earned to be genuine. And besides, it is the buyer’s prerogative to decide whom to trust, when, and how much. Asking for trust will actually hinder the salesperson from getting it. (P.S.“Believe me when I say…” is in the same league.)

Do Web Rings Sparkle On Your Finger?
Do Web Rings Sparkle On Your Finger? By Lisa DeClueWeb rings are collections of sites connected in some way - by vocation, location or interest - that link back from the member's site to the ring. Thus, the ring provides banner and link swapping, sometimes resources of interest to members, and lots of free network advertising. And they provide a great opportunity to learn.One way to get noticed by other sites is to write articles (which we do anyway!) and post them to compatible sites, preferably on RSS. You would have a contact line or two at the bottom, hence your site/email will be seen by those readers as well. For instance, I might write on "Avoiding that 'naked feeling' after taking down your Christmas decorations," and plug HGP and my "house call" service. I would submit it to decorating, organizing and women's sites. (Of course I haven't done this yet...!)Here are some sites of interest that may help you on your way:http://www.internetbasedmoms.c

crifice. Friendliness is a great way to ease any tensions in the sales process but over-friendliness can raise resentment in buyers’ minds.

We are the best! Okay, maybe there are a few situations in which this is credible. And I am not opposed to the power of positive thinking as a confidence builder. But the truth is buyers have learned that ninety-nine percent of the salespeople who say it are lying. A phrase like this turns on their BS filter. Best, like beauty, is in the eye of the buyer – not the salesperson.

Always and never. This pair stands on the same quicksand as “We are the best.” They sound like exaggerations and are frequently perceived as stretching the truth. For example, how truthful do these two statements sound? “We always provide quality service.” “Our delivery drivers are never late.” Many people simply don’t take always and never at face value. A few years ago I did a series of training programs for engineers from several Miller Brewing locations. I asked each to write the words always and never. Then I asked each to express as a percentage what the words meant. As you would expect, some saw always as a one hundred percent occurrence and never as zero percent. But the unforgettable thing was that twenty-five percent saw them as somewhere in between. To many, always and never were so abused they became synonymous with frequently and occasionally. For example, “I never lie” was readily perceived as a lie and was reinterpreted to mean “I occasionally lie.”

What you need is... This is actually a great phrase after high levels of rapport and trust have been developed. But even then this is pretty presumptuous on the part of the salesperson because he is not the one who has to live with the purchase. Just a few days ago a salesperson, with whom there was not much rapport or trust, told me “What you need is this computer.” That may have been so, but the salesperson did not ask questions -- so he knew little about me, my situation, or what I wanted to accomplish. I didn’t care what he thought I needed. I listened, learned a few things, walked out the store, and bought one elsewhere. (See number one.)

This is perfect for everyone. This is another statement that is hard to accept as true (Is H&R Block perfect for everyone?). Before adding this one to the list I tried hard to think of one commercial product or service that really is perfect for everyone. The closest I could get was bottled water. But then I thought, “If the brand of bottled water you sell is indeed perfect for everyone, why do you have competition? Doesn’t the mere existence of stiff competition indicate that for some buyers other brands are more perfect for them?” Okay, you don’t sell bottled water. But re-read the above substituting your stuff for bottled water.

Some other phrases, such as “The check is in the mail,” undermine rather than build. No matter how well intentioned, when salespeople use these seven phrases, and related phrases, buyers hear something that is questionable. This can cause buyers to react protectively and be selective about what they choose to believe. That results in fewer closed sales. A smart strategy for salespeople is to steer clear of these seven toxic phrases.

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