Diva Sales Tips

I was recently reading a magazine on a plane (I’m always flying to speak at conferences) and ran across an ad for jeans that “banish your muffin-top”.

I laughed out loud (OK – I think I actually SNORTED) and the guy beside me looked at me with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

With a smirk I said…

“You’ve got to be a woman to really appreciate this advertisement!”

Muffin Top

The dreaded spillage caused from wearing too tight pants.

It’s your basic nightmare.

But being the strange sales coach that I am…I immediately thought…

“Hmmmm….most women are experiencing MUFFIN TOP SALES!”

So What The Heck Are Muffin Top Sales??

Well cupcake…just as we’re responsible for creating muffin-tops in our jeans – you’re also responsible for creating Muffin Top Sales.

They occur when you’re trying to make sales:

• Wearing rates that are too tight
• Accepting too many clients that pay the tight rate
• Seeing spillage because there isn’t any room in your business ie/not enough time, money or even room for new and better customers.

How Do You BANISH Muffin Top Sales?

You know me as your bossy Sales Diva.

Well my clients know me as the..

“Super-Bossy-Sales-Manager-Who-Made-Me-Increase-My-Rates-
And-Drop-Bad-Customers”

You’ve got to push away from the table lady.

Whether you work for yourself or for someone else – you can still have Muffin Top Sales.

You’re overloading yourself with clients who don’t pay enough.  (And you let them.)

The only growth you’ll see from these customers will be the increased demands on your time.

Will You Accept My Sales Diva Dare Sales Tip?

It’s time to get rid of the Muffin Top.

Go through your client list and identify your Bottom 20%.

You know.  The clients who pay the least, expect the most and who take up the bulk of your time.  They’re costing you money in a big, big way.

The clients who aren’t going to grow WITH you.

And make sure you drop me a line letting me know how you DROPPED your Muffin Top Sales!

Love 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!

When I was a kid growing up, my mom worked most Saturdays at a local bank.

She’d call the house around 9 am (that’s as LATE as we were allowed to sleep in) and she’d say…

“Your “Cinderellies List” is waiting for you and your sister.
Make sure to have it all done by the time I’m home at noon.”

So for those of you who didn’t have a “Cinderellies List” as I did…here’s what I’m talking about.

My mom would have a BIG piece of paper waiting on the kitchen table which said…

“Good Morning Cinderellies!” (Her twisted version of Cinderella)

“Here’s the list of what has to be done today – if you FIGHT – you ALSO have to mow the grass and wash the car:”

• Make a pan of brownies
• Vacuum
• Dust
• Clean bathrooms
• Wash 2 loads of laundry
• Take the garbage out
• Have lunch ready

Love, Mom

Yikes.  We VERY QUICKLY chose the list that was less work.

So what can my MOM teach YOU about selling?

Compare Something BIG to Something Smaller

I’d bet when a customer asks you about YOUR pricing you start with the LOWEST amount and then offer a range ie/ We have packages STARTING at $99

Uh oh.  You need a lesson from my mom.  Because remember – what your customer (or your kids) will remember – is what you SAY FIRST.  My mom positioned washing the car and mowing the lawn IMMEDIATELY as the big comparison – it made the rest of the list LOOK EASY!

You ALWAYS position your products or services in COMPARISON to something else. (Sometimes even what a competitor is usually charging)

Show the VALUE of what you normally charge.  Show what you’d normally charge per hour.  Show what the retail value is.

Your Diva Assignment this week is to review your rates and pricing.  Are you positioning expensive products without COMPARING it to something EVEN MORE expensive? Or you’re having a sale but you don’t compare it to anything?

Fix it.

So there.

Love 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!

Pamela Goyette writes in with a question about trade shows and attracting potential clients:

Good Day Bossy Diva

Must say I am a HUGE fan of your weekly emails.

I actually just started over a month ago a new business venture. So far with much success. I basically am helping women from the bedroom to the bank literally. I do in home parties for many occasions which fits right in with my party planning passion I have.

I have had a couple of my own parties at my home. but was wondering what the best method would be to attract my potential clients and consultants? I want to grow my business not maintain it.

I have heard people doing the trade shows. Are they effective? I have heard yes and no.Or networking myself in the community and handing out my business cards everywhere I go.

I am just trying to reach my level 2. I need to get outside my comfort zone in order to achieve this level I am aware of that and have little fear about it, but I am worried about wasting my time and money on things that don’t work.

Please any advice on what you think may be the most successful route for me to take on this one would be so appreciated.

Your Party Gal
Pamela Goyette
www.mypassiondream.com

Share your advice with Pamela (and ME!!) in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether trade shows work for you.

Join me, in person, on March 9th, to learn how you can jump start the new season!

I’ll be speaking at Gratitude Stationers ‘Glamour & Great Things’,  in Edmonton.  It will be an evening of extraordinary sales training that will transform your entire business. Get ready to be inspired and left spinning with great tips and secrets.

Check it out.

P.S. Come prepared with tons of business cards – you just never know the connections you will make!

My 15 year old sassy niece and I are headed to New York in a few months.  We’re both so excited! (She is especially pumped about the clothes shopping!)

Part of the deal was that she also had to save up some money for the trip.  She’s been working diligently for a year doing odd jobs, babysitting etc.

We were chatting the other day about NY and she was chewing her lip.

I asked “Hey – what’s up? Got something on your mind?”

She looked at me with a frown and said “Auntie – I want to make some quick cash for our trip.  Do you need your car cleaned?”

I laughed and said “I’m sure we can arrange something!”

My niece’s comments tied in directly with all of the email I’ve been receiving lately.

Here’s some examples:

• “Kim – I’ve just lost a major contract – it’s caught me off guard – what do I do??”
• “I think I need a paper bag to breathe into…my sales are slower this month than I thought!”
• “Kim – help! I’ve had to reduce staff but I need to increase our daily sales – any ideas?”

and last but not least….

“Sales Diva -Do you have ideas on how my company can make some quick cash?  There are some opportunities I’d like to jump on but need extra cash flow.”

I do have an idea for you so hang on everyone!

Do You Desperately Need Some Quick Cash?

I don’t care what size of company you are – everyone needs cash flow.

Maybe you’ve been hit recently by something that has your cash reserves dangerously tight.  (They feel like last year’s bathing suit)

Or maybe there are some cool things you’d like to do with your company but you need extra cash flow FIRST.

No matter what the situation do the following:

Step 1:  Breathe.  You can handle this.

Step 2:  Step away from your computer and get a notepad.

Step 3:  Start scribbling your ideas after you’ve read the rest of my email.

If You Need Money – Go For The Low-Hanging Fruit

My niece thought of the quickest and easiest way to make money (cleaning my car) mainly because she isn’t in business.

If she was – she would have tried too hard to think of some outrageous, difficult, expensive way to make money. (Ever done THAT before?)

Lady -I want you to go for the low-hanging fruit instead.  And remember this is a strategy that uses what you already have…and you can use it at ANY TIME of the year.

Often the fruit that is on the lowest branches of a tree gets overlooked.  Everyone is looking at eye-level or higher.

What affordably priced products, services do you have that you can:

• Bundle together for a Special Limited Time Offer?
• Have a “Blow-out Price” for your best customers?
• Offer a special gift/discount to your best customers that they can also send to their friends?

Go have a cup of tea.  Write down all of the products and services that you have to work with.  And sell some low-hanging fruit to your customers!

So there.

P.S, I’d love to hear what you come up with…and also any ideas about what we should see in New York!

Love 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!

Recently I was visiting some fabulous friends who have 2 young boys.

Boys who happen to love the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

I have to tell you – I can’t stand SpongeBob SquarePants.
(Too much yelling)

However, the power of TV being what it is…as I was visiting with my friend, the other part of my brain was also randomly listening to dear SpongeBob.

And on one of his adventures he blurted out…

“I smell the smelly smell of something that smells smelly!!”

As a writer – I LOVE that line!

And as your bossy Sales Diva – I love it even more.

Do You Smell The Smelly Smell Of Something That Smells Smelly?

I can smell it from here actually.

There’s currently something in your business and sales that is…..

…OFF. Like something in your vegetable crisper that now resembles SOUP.

Maybe you know what it is.

You probably don’t.

But what you do know is that lately you’ve been smelling and feeling that there’s a

“Smelly Smell of Something That Smells Smelly!” in your business.

And lady – you’ve got to dig it out and find out what’s bothering you. You can’t avoid it any longer.

Success in selling isn’t just about attracting customers and selling them stuff.

A huge chunk of selling is STAYING FOCUSED and cleaning out what no longer works for you. (Because it’s starting to rot!)

Perhaps you need to…

• Focus on attracting some NEW clients
• Find a new supplier as your current one is dropping the ball
• Release a client who no longer fits your business (and they’re driving you nuts)
• Drop a product/service line or add a new one.
• Adjust your rates – as in INCREASE THEM
• Freshen your marketing strategy (please don’t say “What marketing strategy?”)
• Open the doors to new networking and promotional opportunities
• Attract some new powerful, strategic alliances
• Send to the garbage dump those OLD BELIEFS about selling

Listen. Something is STALE, SMELLY and STINKY and deep down you probably know what it is.

If you want 2010 to be the KICK BUTT year I know you want it to be, then you need to be willing to KICK OUT what “smells” in your business.

SpongeBob and I want to hear what you KNOW smells in your biz right now – send us a note on my blog!

Love 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!

This week’s question comes from Sylvia of  www.scrapbookingoasis.com, a Canadian Online Scrapbooking & Stamping store.

What are your thoughts on social networking advertising (Facebook etc)? and what are the best ways to take advantage of these types of sites?

Thanks

Sylvia
ScrapbookingOasis.com – www.scrapbookingoasis.com
Independent Rep for Lovable Labels – sylvia.lovablelabels.ca

Share your advice with Sylvia (and ME!!) in the comments!

Your question could be featured here! Send your sales and marketing questions to me now at info@salesdivas.com. Make sure you you include your name AND website!