Diva Sales Tips

I love Smarties. (I can even sing you the entire Smarties commercial from my childhood!)

When I was a kid – my mom didn’t buy my sister and me 2 boxes of Smarties.

Oh no.

She’d buy ONE BOX and say…

“Share it.”

(I think it was her sneaky way to improve our counting skills.)

And when little kids sit down at the table to split something like a box of Smarties they say…

“ONE for you.

And ONE for me.”

Are You A Smartie At Negotiating?

I’ve observed something over the years.

Most women SUCK at negotiating.

Whether it’s buying from someone or selling something of your own…negotiating probably makes you feel a little “cheesy.”

You probably fall into one of 2 categories:

1. ALL MINE. You aren’t going to give up ANYTHING to get the deal.  Not one inch. (And P.S…you’ve lost some big opportunities because of it.)
2. TAKE ALL OF MINE. You don’t want to LOSE the deal so you give away everything hoping they’ll choose you.  (The problem lady-is that you’re left with nothing.)

The BEST Negotiating Phrase EVER?

Remember – the number one rule of negotiating is that BOTH parties should feel satisfied.

The SECOND rule of negotiating?  In order to give a little – you have a get a little back.

Are You Ready For The BEST Negotiating Phrase?

It’s simple.

The customer you’d love to have (remember we never negotiate with people we don’t want) asks:

“I want /need____________.”

You say:

“We/I can provide (REPEAT WHAT CUSTOMER ASKED FOR) ,

HOWEVER, this is what we/I would need from you in order to make that happen:

Ie/ Specific number of units sold

Guaranteed contract over x amount of months

If the customer is asking for something too crazy for you to consider – you say:

“I’d love to help you with ________________, HOWEVER we can best help you with __________________.”

Get the picture?

In negotiating you have to split the Smarties.  You can get what you want and so can the customer.

Negotiating requires a plan.

So don’t be too rigid or too easy the next time you need to negotiate.

Remember – SMARTIE sales women know to eat the red ones last.

And make sure to send me a comment and tell of one of your negotiation success stories (or flops)!

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!

Have you ever FLOPPED?

As in….”I tried something and it didn’t work and I want to hide under a rock for a few years” kind of a FLOP?

One of the myths that people believe about successful salespeople is that they’ve NEVER FLOPPED.

People have actually come up to me and said …

“Well Kim -you ALWAYS know what you’re doing – you always land on your feet.”

Oh my. You can’t believe that lady.

Successful people FLOP A LOT.

In fact, I’ve flopped so many times in my sales career and business that honestly I had to

SCRAPE THE MUD off my face. (Doesn’t THAT sound attractive??)

I’ve lost clients, almost fallen off a stage, been burned by customers, and had huge shipments of product stuck in customs for so long it grew leg hair.

But there’s a method behind the madness.

So why so many flops?

And why didn’t it stop me?

FLOPS if they are managed correctly – have a brilliant way of turning into FABULOUS! (I definitely wouldn’t be the international success I am today if I’d held too tight to my flops.)

Want To Know My 2 Secret Mantras?

Are you ready? Secret Mantra #1:

“Failure isn’t an option.”

Remember – a flop doesn’t necessarily mean it was a failure.

It means it flopped.

One or more conditions that were needed for success….were missing or lined up wrong.

So revise and try, try again.

My Second Secret Mantra?

There is a wonderful Japanese phrase about what success is.

“Fall down 7 times. Get up 8 times.”

So whatever you think you flopped at….or whatever is holding you back from GOING FOR IT (because you’re terrified of flopping) – enough is enough.

Remember – ONLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE actually take a chance on something new, something that scares them or something that challenges them.

Use my 2 secret mantras and you’ll see how you’ll never stay down in the mud again.

So there.

I’d love to hear about how you turned a flop into a fabulous opportunity! Fire me a comment 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!

First off – I am NOT a big fan of Jim Carrey.  (Too much rubber face)

However, my 2 cutie pie nieces recently convinced me to rent and watch his movie called

“Yes Man”.

Honestly – I loved it! Afterward my nieces and I had a chat about what it would be like to “Say YES to every opportunity that crossed your path”

My 14 year old niece said “I’d have to join the cheer leading squad.”

My 11 year old niece said “I’d have to eat liver.”

I said “I’d have to go to kick-boxing with my friend Tina!”

The three of us agreed on 2 things.

The first?

We probably say NO too much.  (Now I know SOME of you struggle with saying NO – however I’m not one of those people!)

The second thing we agreed on?

We all should say YES more.  Not to everything….but definitely to things that stretch us out of our comfort zone.  And sometimes to even things that don’t.

So I thought I’d experiment with this.

It was cold, it was snowing, it was an evening event and every single fiber in my being wanted to STAY HOME.  Networking event?  I could surely pass on this one.

What made me go? 2 things.

• One of my dearest friends was holding the event
• I’d just watched the “Yes Man’ movie by rubber face Jim Carrey

So I got dolled up, jumped into my gorgeous and trusty Land Rover and hit the icy road for an hour drive (one way, at night, in winter – I deserve a medal don’t you think?)

When I got to the event it appeared that many other women had decided to SAY NO and not bother going to the event.

But for me – it turned out pretty spectacular.  Even though there were only a few women there.

I met some cool, new people.  I have a potential fabulous new coaching client who is getting ready to work with me….and I had some of my friend’s home made meatballs.

(I also won a bottle of wine)

I also had some wonderful conversation with a very successful entrepreneur who hired me years ago to speak at her association.  Guess what? She’s a zillionaire and yet she was out in the snow and the cold too.

She said yes.  I said yes.  And we had a blast!

I normally do say YES to really big things….TV opportunities, being interviewed in the media, going to large international seminars, hiring a coach to help grow my business further, writing a new book, launching a new website (stay tuned!)…

…but I admit that sometimes I do say NO to things that initially feel like a pain.

So what’s my Diva Dare this week?

Say YES to the opportunities that cross your path (big and small) and then send me a note on my blog. I want to hear your adventures!!

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!

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!

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!

I was speaking at a fabulous conference recently and later had a line up of

women entrepreneurs and salespeople wanting to speak with me.

One lady in particular had a really wonderful question – in fact I think you may struggle with it too.  (Honestly, she was practically chewing her lip off in anticipation!)

Her question?

She said…

“Kim, I have tried and tried to connect with this individual, I know I can make a huge difference in their company….but I don’t know HOW to get in the door!”

Ooooooooooooooooooooooh I LOVE these types of questions.

Why?

Well – it is something I’m known for.  I KNOW HOW TO ATTRACT attention and interest from companies and people that others “give up” on.

My response to the lady with the BIG QUESTION?

“You’re focused too much on the front door.

Plus – there’s a ton of competition knocking on the same spot!”

What Was My Advice For Her?

Well, hold your horses!

First I want to explain WHY you’re making a big mistake by plowing through “the front door” like a bull in a china shop.

Most businesses have filters set up for people like that.

• Receptionists
• Voice mail
• Call display

So when you’re calling a million times, leaving too many voice mails and emails…you move into the Land Of Annoying.

What Do I Want You To Do?

Circle your customer instead. (Not stalk – but surround)

Here’s a few ideas (and you know I have a million more of those!)

• Get an introduction from someone in your circle who knows this person/company.
• Send an article to them in the mail that’s relevant to their situation.
• Send them an introductory letter and how you heard about them

So quit banging your head against the wall by doing the same thing as everyone else.

Get creative, “circle your potential customer” with YOU and your product in a variety of ways and you’ll GREATLY increase your odds of closing the sale.

So there.

Love from your Bossy Sales Diva,

Kim

 

 

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Check Out My National Magazine Column!

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I write articles for many different publications and I wanted to share my most recent one with you.

Check out my column in Company of Women.

(Hint – I’m on Page 27)

http://www.companyofwomen.ca

I lovvvvvvvvvvvvve living in the country.

I’m a Sales Diva who flies all over the world for business and pleasure (I’m only 30 minutes away from an international airport) who then comes home and goes for walks
in the forest.

Dream job.

A few months ago I was up super early to catch a 6 am flight to Dallas.  As I was slowly driving out of our area I noticed something VERY LARGE at my mailbox.

In fact, something was VERY LARGE and then there was a SMALLER VERSION of LARGE right beside it.

A mother moose (weighing in around 1 ton) and her little, gangly-legged baby calf with deep chocolate eyes and the longest eyelashes you’ve ever seen.

I kid you not.

I stopped the car.  I unrolled my window and we looked at each from 6 feet away.

They had this look on their faces that said …

“WHY are you here so early? This is OUR time of the day!”

And with an annoyed HMMPH they slowly lumbered away, crashing through the woods with the little guy bouncing by the mother’s side.

It was a gift, a truly magical way to start my day and I had a huge grin on my face all the way to the airport.

Of course, I started writing frantically as I knew there was something YOU could learn from this!

Do You Need A Moose By The Mailbox Moment?

If I had stuck with my regular routine – gone a little faster in my car or left a little later I would NEVER have had the gift of a mother moose and her little guy by my mailbox.

This also happens to be why there’s potential business and customers that are slipping through your fingers right now.

Why?

Well – you’re stuck doing your regular routine.  You haven’t changed things up which means you’re getting the same results.

In the world of sales, that is a money-sucker.

The worst part? You don’t even know its happening!

What Do You Need To Do In The Next 30 Days?

Oh lady – you need to step outside of your comfort zone.

I want you to….

• Attend the networking event you’ve been avoiding
• Go to a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT tradeshow to observe
• Ask a client if they know of any people who are struggling with the same problems your client has (the ones you’ve resolved of course!)
• Finally call a reporter with a story idea

Good habits are wonderful and I get that.

However, you also have to get into the habit of BREAKING THE HABIT of sticking with only what you know.

It’s holding you back in ways you can’t even imagine.

I Diva Dare you to create your own “Magical Moose by the Mailbox” moment but with customers instead! (and send me a comment on what you did!)

So there.

Love from your Bossy Sales Diva and 2 lovely moose,

Kim

 

 

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Do You Have Your Copy Of My Best-Seller?

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My best-selling book Tickled Pink: The Secrets of Attracting Delightful Customers always SELLS OUT at every conference I speak at.

Why? It is an easy-to-read book about HOW TO SELL, with step by step ways for you to grow your sales quickly and also how to avoid the pitfalls.

Its fun, jammed with stories and strategies and I’ve had many people say they’ve used a highlighter on almost every page! (love that)

It’s also designed to carry in your purse – I want you to USE IT!

Check it out here: http://www.salesdivas.com/Tickled_Pink_s.php

 

 

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Do Referrals Scare You?

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This weeks question comes from Tricia of Belo Sol Swimwear who finds the process of asking for referrals a little nerve -wracking!

Hey Tricia,

First of all – you’re not alone.  So many women have trouble with asking for referrals. Why? Well they think they are being pushy and that it will annoy or tick a customer off.

Deep down they feel that ASKING FOR A REFERRAL will make them LOSE BUSINESS.

My bossy Sales Diva response to that is ABSOLUTELY NOT!

As women we give referrals every day:

“Hey – where did you get those hot shoes?”  “Oh I bought them at Winners on 99st!”

“I love your new haircut – where do you go?”  ” I LOVE the new salon at the mall close to me”

Get the picture?  When you’re asking for a referral you’re actually asking for someone’s advice…for their feedback.

Make sure you don’t sound like a robot when you ask for referrals ie/ Hi Jo – can I please have 3 referrals from you?

Sounds too canned.

Instead ask ” Jo – you look so hot in all of my bikinis, and I want to grow my business with more fabulous customers like you.  Can you please spread the word about me and once I have 5 new customers recommended by you I’ll give you a ______________.”   Reward the customers who spread the word with something – maybe it’s a physical product, a special discount or something else equally cool!

Good luck!

P.S. Another cool way is to ask your client’s permission to post their bikini bod on Facebook with a testimonial.

How do you handle referrals? Love ‘em or leave ‘em? Let me know at Dazzle This Diva

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Dazzle This Diva has been going strong for six months now. To keep it going for another six months, I need your sales and marketing questions!

Not only do you get Free advice from your Sales Diva, but you also get Free exposure to all my readers. That’s a lot of people clicking through to YOUR website.

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

 

If you’re looking for sales tips -and I KNOW you are lady – then you will love this quote by Anais Nin.

 ” Good things happen to those who hustle.”

You want more sales? More customers? More success?

I suggest you put a WIGGLE IN IT and get moving!  Because realllllly – you’ve been procrastinating on SO MUCH lately you’re starting to grow moss.

So there.

 Love From Your Sales Diva,

 Kim (Hey – have you signed up for my free weekly tips yet??)