Diva Sales Tips

My dad thought he’d brought a wonderful surprise for Christmas dinner this year.

He had a HUGE grin on his face on Christmas Eve as he proudly showed me a GOOSE he had brought for dinner the next day.

I smiled, said ” I LOVE it Dad!” but inwardly was thinking…

“I’ve NEVER cooked a goose but what the heck – I can do this!”

Fast forward to early afternoon on Christmas Day.  My sister officially delegated me as the “Goose Chef” as I have double ovens in my kitchen. (Thanks sis!)

I had 3 cookbooks on the island – Nigella Lawson, Julia Child and even one from the Four Seasons Hotel.  I thought “This will be a piece of cake.”

I looked at the goose and said “Let’s get this party started!”

The rest of my story encompasses 3 hours of goose fat being spattered on my stove and inside the oven, burning my arms not once but TWICE, massive, rolling bowling balls of smoke from my oven and yes – I will admit – at one point I even had my ONION GLASSES on as my eyes were burning.  (You can imagine how pretty your Diva was at THAT moment!)

(Honestly – I even stuffed the damn thing with sauerkraut, apples and rosemary)

Finally I thought I had tackled this monster and dragged the roaster to my sister’s house where everyone was waiting for the masterpiece.

My dad put the bird from hell on the platter so he could begin carving it.  Brown and succulent on the outside – I thought I had it made.

By the second cut – we looked at each other and went “UH. OH. The goose isn’t cooked!”

Nope. 3 hours of cooking was definitely not enough and appearances were deceiving.

What happened next? Well thankfully we also had a ham, turkey and cabbage rolls waiting in the wings (what can I say – lots of people!)

So HOW Does My Christmas Goose Apply To You And Sales?

It’s simple really.

There’s probably something BIG you had planned for 2009 but no matter what you did…IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.

Maybe you were planning on increasing your sales, adding more clients, adding another location, more staff…taking more holidays…however, it didn’t PAN OUT.

And you probably didn’t have a PLAN B waiting in the wings either.  And quite frankly – it probably HURT.

Right now everyone is hopefully planning how they want 2010 to look like. (You’d better be too lady!)

I want you to list what your “Christmas Goose” is for next year and I also want you to identify 3 BACK-UP PLANS.

One of the MAJOR MISTAKES made by salespeople and entrepreneurs is putting all their EGGS in one basket.

In business you need diversification of products and services so if one dries up – your GOOSE WON’T BE COOKED!

So there.

Love and Happy New Year from Your Sales Diva,

Kim

P.S. I’m devoted to helping as many women entrepreneurs and women in sales as I can.  If you know of someone who would love to learn HOW TO SELL THE RIGHT WAY, then please encourage them to sign up at www.salesdivas.com and we’ll get them on the track to success!

My friend Phyllis is on my “I adore you list”.

Why?

She’s eccentric, lovely, intelligent beyond belief, loves poetry as much as I do and in the winter she wears this HUGE ancient fur hat that honestly makes her look like something out of Doctor Zhivago.

(If you haven’t seen the movie – SHAME on you!)

Phyllis is also an incredibly talented soprano singer – and each time I see her (which isn’t often as she lives thousands of miles away from me) I ask her to sing me something beautiful.

We have a long-standing habit of sending each other poetry in the mail.

She sent me a letter the other day and on the back of the envelope she wrote this:

“A musician must make music,
an artist must paint,
a poet must write – if she is
to be ultimately at peace with
herself. What one CAN be,
one must be.”

~Abraham Maslow

Of course it made me think of you.

What Do You NEED To Be?

Here’s a little hint for you.

Selling is much, much, much easier when you’re selling something you believe in, love doing, absolutely adore and quite frankly you’d do it for free.  (although you’d better NOT be doing it for free lady!)

One of the biggest questions you can ask yourself while you’re taking some time off over the holidays is…

“Do I LOVE what I do?”

Why Is This Question So Important For You?

Because “dear heart” (something Phyllis always calls me)…you need to LOVE what you do so you don’t give up.

It will hold you over during the tough times.

It will thrill you even more during booming times.

It will keep you focused, excited and refreshed ALL of the time.

My Sales Diva Advice To You?

Get grounded.

Get peaceful.

Tap into (and don’t avoid any longer) what it is you’re meant to be.

So there.

Love from your Bossy Sales Diva,

Kim

P.S. I’m devoted to helping as many women entrepreneurs and women in sales as I can.  If you know of someone who would love to learn HOW TO SELL THE RIGHT WAY, then please encourage them to sign up at www.salesdivas.com and we’ll get them on the track to success!

Our latest questions comes from Samantha Moore:

Hi Kim,

(Love your blog!)

I am a personal trainer and recently have left my old company to start my own PT business. I am having difficulty getting new clients and even converting them over the phone to come down for a free session.

I used to be the most sought after trainer and now it feels like no one wants to train with me

I know my prices are more than generous, my competition is less value and more effort to get to, and that have more than enough knowledge and skill to change my clients lives!

Help me!!

Thank you so much for your time

Sammy
Inspire PT
Scotland Island, Sydney Australia

How would you train people to come to you? Let us know in the comments!

Send your sales and marketing questions to me now at info@salesdivas.com. Make sure you you include your name AND website!

Do you want to know who the toughest customer in the world is?

A student in high school.

Last year my 14-year old niece hated math.

As in…

“Who-needs-this-and-I-won’t-ever-use-these-formulas-when-I’m-25″

She was an honor student with all of her other classes but MATH felt like a big stone around her neck.

Until this year.  The Miracle on Math Street happened.

Who was the miracle?

Mrs. Gus.

As soon as the school year started, my niece said to me…

“Auntie – I LOVE my math teacher.  She’s amazing!”

Curious as to WHY she’s so amazing?  Keep reading lady as it applies to you too!

The Miracle of Mrs. Gus and Her 4 Weird and Powerful Sales Tips

Of course I asked my niece:

“Wow – she sounds terrific!  What has she done to make MATH feel so good?”

Cutie-pie niece sipped her hot chocolate and said with a smile…

“Auntie – she is soooo much FUN!

Honestly, she DESCRIBES things in such a cool way that it is all SINKING IN!”

So here are some examples of what Mrs. Gus has done recently:

She…

• Found a youtube video of Darth Vader teaching a math class….and while it was playing went to a closet and put on a Darth Vader helmet while everyone watched the video.
• Makes a formula look like her husband on the chalkboard – complete with a bow tie.
• Tells stories about her family every morning that makes the kids laugh.
• Compares complex formulas to rabbits having lots of babies (too complicated to explain here but OH SO FUNNY!)
• Looks for the positive in the kids and catches them doing THE RIGHT THING often

So What Are The 4 Weird Tips YOU Can Apply To Your Sales?

• Create An Experience. Take a good hard look at how you’re presenting your products and services right now.  Are you boring or are you memorable?

• Paint A Picture. If you have a difficult product/or service to explain…then find something in ordinary life that you can COMPARE IT TO.  When the customer can see how this can work for them IN THEIR MIND – they are sold!

• Be Willing To Be Different. I’d bet you weren’t taught math by Darth Vader.  Have you gone out on a limb lately? Have you tried something new?  If you keep doing the “same-old-same-old”…your customer starts to see you as OLD and OUT-DATED.

• Use A Variety of Methods to Reach Your Customer. Just as Mrs. Gus uses every technique and medium possible to reach her students…you need to do the same thing.  If you’re only using one method – you’re missing out on attracting and converting LOADS of CUSTOMERS. (and in my world that means LOST CASH LADY)

Listen.

If a math teacher can connect creatively with teen-age students (the toughest customers on earth) then I think YOU CAN connect with your customers in a unique way too.

I Diva Dare you.

Love from your Bossy Sales Diva,

Kim

P.S. I’m devoted to helping as many women entrepreneurs and women in sales as I can.  If you know of someone who would love to learn HOW TO SELL THE RIGHT WAY, then please encourage them to sign up at www.salesdivas.com and we’ll get them on the track to success!

I’d love to hear your unique ideas on what you’ve done for customers.
Share your stories in the comments below!

UPDATED:

Here’s a great powerpoint presentation on the beauty of math!

Last week I shared with you my little secret – Send gifts to your Top Clients in January.

But then there is the agonizing decision of what to buy.  Well, ladies, fret no more, because your Sales Diva is here with answers courtesy of Tina LoSasso from www.SalesDog.com

The Business Woman’s Guide to Gift-Giving
by Tina LoSasso

Anyone braving the shopping malls during the holiday season knows that finding the perfect gift for family or friends is not easy. Business gift-giving can be even more challenging. Choosing the right business gift requires more time and thoughtfulness. How do you go about selecting exactly the right gift for that important client? Here are some time-honored rules of thumb.

• Reject run-of-the-mill. Shun the ho hum food baskets and opt for a more memorable gift.  Check your client notes. What are her hobbies? Does she ski, cook or love theater? If your client, the gourmet cook, is still raving about the meals she enjoyed during her vacation in Tuscany, send her a beautifully illustrated regional cookbook. Your gift, and you, will be remembered far longer than a generic tin of cookies.
• No advertising! When is a gift not a gift? When it comes with your company’s logo on it. Save the logo-imprinted pens, paperweights, mouse pads and calculators for trade shows. And gift certificates from your own company are not really gifts. They’re promotions that make you look stingier than Scrooge. Instead, send a gift certificate from a national department store or ecommerce site.
• The ultimate in thoughtfulness is a gift you make yourself. This is especially true around the holidays. Unless your customer is a Martha Stewart type, she probably has little time to make much of anything. Gifts of homemade cookies, candy or preserves will be greatly appreciated. Packaging is important with homemade presents, so make them look pretty!
• Women love chocolate. In this case, think quality, not quantity. A small box of exquisite, handmade truffles will be appreciated far more than a big box of run-of-the-mill chocolates. Gourmet coffees and teas, crystal items and potted plants are usually a hit. Remember, a saleswoman may send more personal items—aromatherapy candles, a spa kit—to her stressed-out female clients, but your salesmen should not be so familiar.
• Men love gadgets, toys and food. Think of the latest electronics, or a clever desktop novelty. High-quality pens, nuts or jellybeans also score highly with men. Cigars are a great idea if you know he smokes them. Once again, think quality, not quantity. It’s far better to send a few of the very best than a box of duds he will throw away.
• Think regional. Consider sending a gift from your region of the country: Ghirardelli chocolate from San Francisco, smoked salmon from the Northwest, cheese from Wisconsin, citrus fruit from Florida or California, authentic Cajun fixin’s from Louisiana, or barbecue sauce from Texas. Cleverly packaged, these unique local gifts (and you) will be remembered far longer than a generic tin of cookies.
• Do not overspend. Many companies have strict rules on the value of gifts that employees may accept. When in doubt, send a fun gift that can be shared by the whole office, rather than one expensive gift for your client.
• Beware of booze. Alcoholic beverages are usually risky business. The one exception is when you know someone loves a certain brand of Scotch, a particular bottle of wine, or a regional microbrew. Never send a bottle of champagne to that key account in Salt Lake City or for that matter, frozen steaks to a customer who is vegetarian. Don’t laugh—it happens!
• Everyone gets a card. All clients, large and small, should receive a holiday card. Avoid religious themes (stick to “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greeting”), and again, no advertising.  You’d be surprised how many people can’t resist putting their business tagline or logo on a greeting card!
• Think New Year’s. If you run out of time to plan or shop for the holidays, get the cards in the mail and send an appropriate New Year’s gift. Think pens, desk clocks, or paperweights, packaged with noisemakers and streamers. Timing your gift to arrive right before New Year’s is a great way to stand apart from everyone else.

A carefully-selected gift shows your customers how much you appreciate them. Give your giving the time and effort it deserves, and you will impress your customers, and be fondly remembered when it is time to buy again.

Tina LoSasso’s extensive businessexperience isin publishing, marketing and business development. As managing editor for SalesDog.com, she works with leading sales authorities in producing a weekly educationalnewsletterfor sales professionals.She is a contributing author to Top Dog Sales Secrets. She was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the publisher of a national best-selling book. She taught marketing to the franchisees of the fastest growing real estate franchise in the U.S. She can be reached at editor@salesdog.com.

I love Christmas.

I love the decor, the songs, the cheesy Christmas specials (my favorite is the Charlie Brown Christmas), my mom’s shortbread, visiting with friends and family and having mulled wine after cross-country skiing. I love it all!

This fa-la-la-la-la atmosphere can lull you into making one of the GOOFIEST mistakes I see people making with their customers.

What Is The Goofy Christmas Mistake?

Sending Christmas cards and presents to your clients.

You know what I’m talking about here.

The dreaded fruit basket.
The frightening fruit cake.
The dried-out gingerbread house.
The Costco cheese platter.

All mixed in with 12 million Christmas cards that are strung out on a string across your client’s office.  Or worse – some lame e-card that says Seasons Greetings.

If you’re doing this – you are breaking the GOLDEN SALES DIVA RULE.

Thou shall not BLEND IN WITH THE MASSES.

Listen lady.

I know you love your customers.  However, giving them something at Christmas when they are swamped with a bunch of Christmas goodies – DOES NOT MAKE YOU STAND OUT.

So What Does Your Diva Want You To Do?

Send something in January.

Why? Well – the fun is over and the bills start to pour in.  The credit cards are full, it is cold outside and your client is starting to feel a little grouchy.

Here’s where YOU come in.

You’re going to send something FUN in the mail to them – a cool gadget, a magazine subscription for their favorite hobby, a ticket to the opera – whatever would float their boat.   Or you’ll take them for lunch and give them the scarf you found for their Paris trip.  Make it personal.

And you’re only going to send it to your TOP 10% of your clients.  Remember -the clients who are responsible for keeping you in business with their referrals and purchases.  (The ones you’d have a panic attack over if they went to your competition)

Your client will love you for it.

You will stand out in the crowd.

And you’ve created an opportunity for starting the year off on a positive note.

So there.

Love from your Bossy Sales Diva,

Kim

I’ve landed a fabulous SPECIAL GUEST EXPERT for our last call of 2010!

Who is it?

Ariel Hyatt is the founder of Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR a New York based digital firm that connects artists, authors and filmmakers to blogs, podcasts, Internet radio stations and social media sites. Over the past 13 years her firm has represented over 1,400 musicians of all genres.

Educating musicians is her passion and her philosophy is: combine social media with Internet marketing to help artists grow their fanbases and increase their income.

Several times a year, she leads sold-out workshops to musicians and music industry professionals looking to learn about Social media and online marketing. Her bi-weekly ezine and YouTube series “Sound Advice” has over 10,000 subscribers and the list is steadily growing.

Ariel has written dozens of articles on how to navigate the “new” music business and her book: Music Success in Nine Weeks is available at Amazon. She is a contributing blogger to Music Think Tank, and she has spoken at countless music conferences over the years including SXSW, CMJ, The Future of Music, ECMAs & OCFF (Canada),CMJ, NARAS, The Taxi Road Rally and The BMI Music Panel Series.

Ariel is going to be sharing her cool social media techniques (that she normally only shows rock stars and bands!) on how YOU can apply these techniques to YOUR BUSINESS.

She’ll be diving into Facebook, Twitter and Linked In so you can ATTRACT MORE RAVING FANS and CUSTOMERS!

It will be A SOLID HOUR OF UNBELIEVABLE CONTENT.

Don’t miss this last exciting call of 2009!

Join us on Wednesday, December 16th at 7 pm Eastern

This call is FREE for Prosperity Cafe members - and you can join for only $30 US! And you receive a FREE month when you sign up (how cool is that!)

Click Here To Learn More:
http://salesdivas.com/Sales-Prosperity.php

Our question this week comes from Rebecca Schwartz of Grace Broadcast Sales.

Hi Kim,

Love your weekly newsletter and sales tips – thank you!

Can you offer me some tips for making the best use of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for building strong customer relationships and increasing my sales?

Thank you!

Rebecca Schwartz
Grace Broadcast Sales
http://www.gracebroadcast.com

Share your social media secrets with Rebecca and I in the comments!