Cold Stone Creamery serves up a Triple Scoop of making Sales Effortless
Cold Stone Creamery serves up a Triple Scoop of making Sales Effortless
Learn these three valuable lessons to make sales close easily and the average sale amount will skyrocket!
From the minute you walk into one of Cold Stones 1000 stores the smell of fresh-baked waffle cones permeate your nose and seem to extend to every living pleasure sensor in your body. While you soak in the experience of this delectable smell your ears are greeted with a fine tuned and in unison staff saying, “Welcome to Cold Stones”.
Lesson #1: Overcoming the Ultimately Crucial Unasked Objection.
Walking into a Cold Stone you’re likely to see a line of patrons being waited on by your typical looking teen. Without question triggering the negative questions; “Is this going to take too long? What type of attitude am I going to get this time?” Most of us over the age of 28 have developed the bad habit, (even if sometimes warranted), of complaining about service. Slow service and unfriendly service is all too common. The simple task of giving the positive feedback that the Cold Stone staff gives you simply for walking in the door will instantly build hopeful expectations. It will also wash away any negative expectations, and make the wait bearable, not to mention walking out is now unthinkable. How often as sales professionals do we forget that any initial meeting with a prospect starts on an uneven scale and that scale is not in our favor. Prospects have been beat up by bad sales people and usually expect the same from you. Make a point to find some way to make the person calling or walking in feel good about you and your company from the get go. If you don’t, you’re working a lot harder to close sales than you need to. What is the unasked objection? This is it; “Am I going to get good service and be treated fairly?” If you don’t answer this immediately you can expect more objections toward the end of the sales presentation.
Lesson #2: Build an experience even better than expected and see the average dollar amount of your sales grow.
I am now standing in line with hopeful expectation of a good experience and for some reason I am convinced without having ever tried their ice cream that this might just be the best ice cream I have ever tasted. Mind you I am with three kids in tow, two grandparents and my wife, all vying for attention, which would normally start me thinking of a good exit plan for when the two young ones start getting impatient with the wait. Not the case here. Not only did they make me feel great for walking in the door but now smiling teens, (yes smiling teens), are singing and not too badly, the theme songs from my favorite shows I watched when I was a kid (cleverly twisted to promote their products). Notice songs from my generation, their target market. The theme to the Flintstones, the Adams Family and others were expelled from their lips with perfect timing every time a tip was given to them. Have the lesson yet? When you’re off to a great start, keep the experience going by providing unexpected great service and attention. Don’t forget to make it fun whenever possible. Remember this and you’ll see your average sale go through the roof.
Lesson #3: Give your customer the royal treatment while presenting and treat your product or service as a priceless gift for them. You must build a presentation that demands it.
Oh, how easy it is for us to get bored with our own products or services. After hundreds, even thousands of presentations some of the natural enthusiasm you had in your relationship with your company, its product and services can get stale. Cold Stone Creamery’s presentation is foolproof because each Ice Cream Consultant must mix your choice of flavors and topping right into the ice cream in front of you on a real “cold stone” (frozen by a method unknown to me). Never before has my ice cream been handled with such care. By now you must have guessed that when it came time to pay for my ice cream that the value in my mind of this particular custom creation was far more than anything they would ask me to pay.
Closing the sale at the end of the presentation? It was not needed; they had me at “Hello”! The ice cream was some of the best I have ever tasted. But the point is, regardless of whether the ice cream was good or not, the service and experience was so good for me and my family that I will gladly drive the forty five minutes it takes to get to the closest Cold Stone Creamery the next time we are looking for some fun.
The ultimate lesson here is that once you have a qualified lead, the difference between the prospects buying from you or the next guy is all about the simple emotional triggers that make them feel good about you, your service and your product. Better not forget it or you will pay the price!
Cold Stone Creamery serves up a Triple Scoop of making Sales Effortless - To learn more about this author, visit Matthew Fiorenza's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Cold Stone Creamery serves up a Triple Scoop of making Sales Effortless The professional staff of teenagers who help make this national chain of Ice Cream Parlors selling system work expertly reminded this old pro of lessons too often and too easily forgotten by most selling professionals.
Learn these three valuable lessons to make sales close easily and the average sale amount will skyrocket!
From the minute you walk into one of Cold Stones 1000 stores the smell of fresh-baked waffle cones permeate your nose and seem to extend to every living pleasure sensor in your body. While you soak in the experience of this delectable smell your ears are greeted with a fine tuned and in unison staff saying, “Welcome to Cold Stones”.
Lesson #1: Overcoming the Ultimately Crucial Unasked Objection.
Walking into a Cold Stone you’re likely to see a line of patrons being waited on by your typical looking teen. Without question triggering the negative questions; “Is this going to take too long? What type of attitude am I going to get this time?” Most of us over the age of 28 have developed the bad habit, (even if sometimes warranted), of complaining about service. Slow service and unfriendly service is all too common. The simple task of giving the positive feedback that the Cold Stone staff gives you simply for walking in the door will instantly build hopeful expectations. It will also wash away any negative expectations, and make the wait bearable, not to mention walking out is now unthinkable. How often as sales professionals do we forget that any initial meeting with a prospect starts on an uneven scale and that scale is not in our favor. Prospects have been beat up by bad sales people and usually expect the same from you. Make a point to find some way to make the person calling or walking in feel good about you and your company from the get go. If you don’t, you’re working a lot harder to close sales than you need to. What is the unasked objection? This is it; “Am I going to get good service and be treated fairly?” If you don’t answer this immediately you can expect more objections toward the end of the sales presentation.
Lesson #2: Build an experience even better than expected and see the average dollar amount of your sales grow.
I am now standing in line with hopeful expectation of a good experience and for some reason I am convinced without having ever tried their ice cream that this might just be the best ice cream I have ever tasted. Mind you I am with three kids in tow, two grandparents and my wife, all vying for attention, which would normally start me thinking of a good exit plan for when the two young ones start getting impatient with the wait. Not the case here. Not only did they make me feel great for walking in the door but now smiling teens, (yes smiling teens), are singing and not too badly, the theme songs from my favorite shows I watched when I was a kid (cleverly twisted to promote their products). Notice songs from my generation, their target market. The theme to the Flintstones, the Adams Family and others were expelled from their lips with perfect timing every time a tip was given to them. Have the lesson yet? When you’re off to a great start, keep the experience going by providing unexpected great service and attention. Don’t forget to make it fun whenever possible. Remember this and you’ll see your average sale go through the roof.
Lesson #3: Give your customer the royal treatment while presenting and treat your product or service as a priceless gift for them. You must build a presentation that demands it.
Oh, how easy it is for us to get bored with our own products or services. After hundreds, even thousands of presentations some of the natural enthusiasm you had in your relationship with your company, its product and services can get stale. Cold Stone Creamery’s presentation is foolproof because each Ice Cream Consultant must mix your choice of flavors and topping right into the ice cream in front of you on a real “cold stone” (frozen by a method unknown to me). Never before has my ice cream been handled with such care. By now you must have guessed that when it came time to pay for my ice cream that the value in my mind of this particular custom creation was far more than anything they would ask me to pay.
Closing the sale at the end of the presentation? It was not needed; they had me at “Hello”! The ice cream was some of the best I have ever tasted. But the point is, regardless of whether the ice cream was good or not, the service and experience was so good for me and my family that I will gladly drive the forty five minutes it takes to get to the closest Cold Stone Creamery the next time we are looking for some fun.
The ultimate lesson here is that once you have a qualified lead, the difference between the prospects buying from you or the next guy is all about the simple emotional triggers that make them feel good about you, your service and your product. Better not forget it or you will pay the price!
Cold Stone Creamery serves up a Triple Scoop of making Sales Effortless - To learn more about this author, visit Matthew Fiorenza's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|||
John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
|||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Matthew's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Relationships and Referrals Power of Concentration Book of Leadership Double Digit Growth eguide Accessing Capital |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Niche Blogs 2009
Top 50 Niche Blogs 2009 | |
 |
Top Social Business Blogs
Top Social Entrepreneur Blogs | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||