Selling What's Different
Selling What's Different
Why stand-out when you can blend in?
Why is blending in so much easier?
Why is standing out from the competitive crowd often viewed as risky business?
It all starts with your childhood. Now, I'm not a shrink but I do think it goes all the way back to when we were kids. I mean most kids - probably not the neighborhood bully. Speaking of neighborhood bullies, I wonder what they're all doing today?
Never mind that! When I was a kid I wanted to fit in with the other kids and maybe you did too. I Wanted to belong to a group of kids. I think that's normal. However, this desire to fit in and belong, and not make waves doesn't serve us well later in life - especially when you're selling.
I remember being in junior high school. There was a boy named Russell. He was tall and lanky. He wore funny glasses. He didn't seem to be well coordinated. I guess by today's standards he looked a little nerdy. He was always by himself because he was different.
Back then, when I was a kid, it was no fun being different from everyone else.
Fast forward a whole bunch of years. I'll tell you being different is where the action is especially if you're an entrepreneur or a professional sales representative. Unfortunately not everybody understands this - I guess it's because we've been trying to blend in since we were kids.
Don't focus on the similarities among you and your competitors. Instead, concentrate on the differences.
It's time for change. Stop blending in and start standing-out. Being different pays better too. Keep that in mind.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking seriously about the art of differentiation in your sales territory.
1. Talk different. I'd give anything, almost anything, to have a genuine/authentic British accent. Nothing makes you sound more different than a good accent. I was born in Brooklyn and so I have a slight accent. Okay - it's not slight, it's Brooklyn. Now get this, for the longest time I tried to hide my Brooklyn accent. When I moved to Chicago not a single day went by without someone pointing out the fact that I had a Brooklyn accent.
So instead of accepting my different accent I try to avoid it, until one day I realized my accent made me different. Botta bing, botta boom!
2. Look different. In one of my sales training classes last week a woman told me her shoes make her different. Apparently she has quite a collection and her customers recognize this as a point of difference. It could be a very unique/handmade briefcase. It could be bow ties for men. It could be a very unique and eye-catching fountain pen. It could be you always favor one color. It could be anything you want it to be.
3. Do different. Do things in a different way. You have developed a signature way to end every sales call. Many years ago NBC had an evening news program starring Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. Every night they ended their program with "Goodnight Chet. Goodnight David. And goodnight for NBC News." It was their signature. It worked for them and it can certainly work for you.
4. Prepare different. Being prepared doesn't take the fun out of being spontaneous. In fact being prepared makes your spontaneity more appreciated. Prepare written sales call objectives. Prepare and practice the benefits of your products and services. Prepare and practice how you will handle the dreaded price objection. You can also prepare "Knock your socks off" sales proposals.
5. Ask different questions. Try asking questions that don't include "Ahs" and "Ums." This is almost impossible to do when your questions aren't prepared prior to the sales call. When you ask a question and the customer responds "What do you mean" that's a clear indication it wasn't a very good question. FYI - the whole concept of asking fabulous open-ended questions is the centerpiece for all my sales training programs.
Ask this question and see what kind of response you get. "What would it take to win your supplier of the year award?" And remember the better the question, the better the response will be.
6. A.B.T.D.T. Always be trying different things. Look for the differences in people and things. Note what works and what doesn't work. Try taking small chances on a daily basis. Try doing things a little different on a daily basis.
Just be different . . .
Send 3-5 handwritten notes to internal and external customers every day.
=> Thank everyone personally who helps you make a sale.
=> Use a fountain pen with blue ink to write these notes.
=> Send birthday cards with the sound of music.
=> Do one good deed everyday.
=> Order personalized M&Ms.
=> Be positive!
=> Yes I can!
If you dare to be different and start selling what's different, the road to success is right around the corner.
Selling Whats Different - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Meisenheimer's Website.
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Why be different when you can be the same as everyone else?
Why stand-out when you can blend in?
Why is blending in so much easier?
Why is standing out from the competitive crowd often viewed as risky business?
It all starts with your childhood. Now, I'm not a shrink but I do think it goes all the way back to when we were kids. I mean most kids - probably not the neighborhood bully. Speaking of neighborhood bullies, I wonder what they're all doing today?
Never mind that! When I was a kid I wanted to fit in with the other kids and maybe you did too. I Wanted to belong to a group of kids. I think that's normal. However, this desire to fit in and belong, and not make waves doesn't serve us well later in life - especially when you're selling.
I remember being in junior high school. There was a boy named Russell. He was tall and lanky. He wore funny glasses. He didn't seem to be well coordinated. I guess by today's standards he looked a little nerdy. He was always by himself because he was different.
Back then, when I was a kid, it was no fun being different from everyone else.
Fast forward a whole bunch of years. I'll tell you being different is where the action is especially if you're an entrepreneur or a professional sales representative. Unfortunately not everybody understands this - I guess it's because we've been trying to blend in since we were kids.
Don't focus on the similarities among you and your competitors. Instead, concentrate on the differences.
It's time for change. Stop blending in and start standing-out. Being different pays better too. Keep that in mind.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking seriously about the art of differentiation in your sales territory.
1. Talk different. I'd give anything, almost anything, to have a genuine/authentic British accent. Nothing makes you sound more different than a good accent. I was born in Brooklyn and so I have a slight accent. Okay - it's not slight, it's Brooklyn. Now get this, for the longest time I tried to hide my Brooklyn accent. When I moved to Chicago not a single day went by without someone pointing out the fact that I had a Brooklyn accent.
So instead of accepting my different accent I try to avoid it, until one day I realized my accent made me different. Botta bing, botta boom!
2. Look different. In one of my sales training classes last week a woman told me her shoes make her different. Apparently she has quite a collection and her customers recognize this as a point of difference. It could be a very unique/handmade briefcase. It could be bow ties for men. It could be a very unique and eye-catching fountain pen. It could be you always favor one color. It could be anything you want it to be.
3. Do different. Do things in a different way. You have developed a signature way to end every sales call. Many years ago NBC had an evening news program starring Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. Every night they ended their program with "Goodnight Chet. Goodnight David. And goodnight for NBC News." It was their signature. It worked for them and it can certainly work for you.
4. Prepare different. Being prepared doesn't take the fun out of being spontaneous. In fact being prepared makes your spontaneity more appreciated. Prepare written sales call objectives. Prepare and practice the benefits of your products and services. Prepare and practice how you will handle the dreaded price objection. You can also prepare "Knock your socks off" sales proposals.
5. Ask different questions. Try asking questions that don't include "Ahs" and "Ums." This is almost impossible to do when your questions aren't prepared prior to the sales call. When you ask a question and the customer responds "What do you mean" that's a clear indication it wasn't a very good question. FYI - the whole concept of asking fabulous open-ended questions is the centerpiece for all my sales training programs.
Ask this question and see what kind of response you get. "What would it take to win your supplier of the year award?" And remember the better the question, the better the response will be.
6. A.B.T.D.T. Always be trying different things. Look for the differences in people and things. Note what works and what doesn't work. Try taking small chances on a daily basis. Try doing things a little different on a daily basis.
Just be different . . .
Send 3-5 handwritten notes to internal and external customers every day.
=> Thank everyone personally who helps you make a sale.
=> Use a fountain pen with blue ink to write these notes.
=> Send birthday cards with the sound of music.
=> Do one good deed everyday.
=> Order personalized M&Ms.
=> Be positive!
=> Yes I can!
If you dare to be different and start selling what's different, the road to success is right around the corner.
Selling Whats Different - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Meisenheimer's Website.
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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