Diva Sales Tips

Check it out!  I am on the front cover of the National Speaker’s Association magazine – for North America.

Wooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooo!

Here’s a look at the magazine – you can read the feature article about “Stand For Your Brand”

http://nsaspeaker.org

So many of the customers I’ve worked with say that 2009 was really tough on them. If you don’t want 2010 to be like last year, then now is the time to do something different.

One of my good friends has launched something that could make a tremendous difference in your life…MyInspiration4Life.com.

I really do love and admire what they’re doing. Their mission is to bring out the natural brilliance in each of us while at the same time, help 2010 be your best year ever!  And they’re offering my subscribers a chance to experience their program FREE for 7 days. (Yahoo!)

Click on the link below and watch a short video to learn how you can sign up for their program. Make a commitment to yourself and say, “Beginning today, I’ll start making changes in my life so I can create my best year ever!”

https://ccd.infusionsoft.com/go/152/Diva

Remember, you can try it out absolutely free for seven days. No credit card to put in and no strings attached.  At the end of your FREE 7 day trial period make the choice to have a great 2010 and learn more about MyInspiration4Life’s membership options.

Ask anyone who is experiencing a tremendous amount of happiness and success in life – there was a turning point, a time when they said, “ENOUGH.” From that moment forward, their life would never be the same.

Click on the link below and discover for yourself how MyInspiration4Life will do that for you.

https://ccd.infusionsoft.com/go/152/Diva

I’m always on the lookout for a great read, so I wanted to point you to this fabulous article by Lexi Rodrigo called Romance 101: How to Use Feminine Words That Sell

I love her tips in this entry… and especially loved the lipstick kiss!
http://www.copyblogger.com/feminine-copywriting/

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’m a huge fan of Joan Stewart aka The Publicity Hound.  Joan’s tips and insights are the best in the world (and I know her advice has gotten me TONS of national media!)

 She has a wonderful and FREE (gotta love it) gift to pass along.

 She has a limited time offer of her 2008 ebook :

“The Best of the Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week of 2008″ ebook, which you can claim at:
http://tinyurl.com/Bestof2008Tips

 Dive into it – as you’ll love Joan’s PR tips!

 So there.

My friend Tricia – one of the co-creators of www.themarketingchefs.com – sent me a cool postcard in the mail from www.Hippopost.com – you can actually send FREE postcards (YES – I said FREE) to your Facebook connections or just to anyone in general.

How cool is that?  Have you picked yourself up off the floor yet??

 ”What’s The CATCH ” you may ask?

 The postcard has a small ad on it from another advertiser…in essence they were the ones who paid for your postcard AND the postage.  Try one for yourself so you can see.

Check it out – and while you’re at also check out Tricia’s site at www.themarketingchefs.com

OK – if you’ve been receiving my e-zine over the years (and if not – SNAP TO IT LADY!) you know that I love shoes.

Love. Love. Love

And I also love NICHE SELLING – when instead of trying to appeal to everyone (always a crappy sales strategy) you appeal instead to the hot, niche market that will love you!

A great example of this came across my desk this week and it cracked me up – you’ll love it:

http://shoetube.tv./

I am someone who surrounds myself with positive quotes, pictures, people – you get the idea!  I absolutely NEED it – it helps keep me uplifted, energized and hopeful. (and we ALL have days when we need a little boost!)

 Here are a few of my secret inspiration pick-me-ups.

 I LOVE receiving Daily Quotes and here are 2 FREE resources that I adore:

1) http://www.kristincoach.com/  I love the quotes Kristin has chosen – always seem to come in exactly when I need them!

2) http://www.tut.com/  Mike Dooley was one of the featured speakers on The Secret – he is weird (but in a lovely way) and I absolutely love his “Notes From The Universe.” In fact – I went out and bought both of the books!

Andddddddd – if you want some Daily SALES INSPIRATION – then you had better click here for my 365 Daily Sassy and Savvy Sales Quotes From Your Sales Diva!

 (They aren’t free – but they may AS WELL BE – I only charge $27 for the ENTIRE YEAR.)

http://www.salesdivas.com/motivational-tips.php

You’ll get a laugh, you’ll get a different perspective and you’ll also get some resources, and the people who receive my DAILY quotes say this:

“Kim -where have you been all my sales life???
Like I said before, I LOVE your stuff!”

                                                                  Pauline Relkey http://www.paulinerelkey.com/

Check it out here:

http://www.salesdivas.com/motivational-tips.php

            OK – I have a silly confession for you!

Something I use to refresh my brain and to put the end to writer’s block – is to play this hilarious little word unscramble game called Chicktionary. 

(Because really – all of us need a little brain break with some chocolate!)

It’s a game that tests how many words you can form from the letters given by the chickens.

It’s funny – the chickens even “squawk” at you when you screw up and honest-to-goodness it really does the trick for me! 

Check it out here: http://g.msn.ca/ca55/207

(Just wait – I’m working on my New York Times Best Seller)

 Have fun!

There is a resource out there for you that applies to all types of business.

It doesn’t matter whether you own a retail store, have an internet based business or you are in the service industry.

 And this resource is FREE.FREE. FREE.

However – you’re probably NOT using it.

What is it?

 You guessed it – THE MEDIA.

So Why Aren’t YOU Sending Newsreleases  

To Your Local and National Media?

Easy.  You’re:

• Scared to.  ” Me  – ON CAMERA – forget it!”
• Insecure.  ” Why would they want to hear from me??”
• Unsure of what to do.  ” What topics would they want to know about?”
• Worried you’ll look or sound stupid. ” I might screw up my words!”
• Thinking they might throw tomatoes at you.  (They won’t!)

One of the BEST ways to attract attention to your business is to get into the media.

And 2 of the best resources that I have used are 2 incredible ladies:

1) Joan Stewart. The Publicity Hound www.publicityhound.com

2) Jill Lublin.  Promising Promotion. www.promisingpromotion.com

Both of these ladies offer fabulous free info on their ezines, have wonderful teleclasses etc and blogs.

 Trust me – I’m a woman who worked in the Canadian national television media for 15 years – if you want MORE MONEY – you need MORE MEDIA attention.

 So there.