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Hello, World!
| Guest post by: Sue Barrett |
Article Overview: This is my first entry into my blog! Welcome to ‘Sell Like a Woman’. The creation of this site came about as a result of an idea I had about putting a book together. I am writing a book called “Sell like a woman” which I want to publish in 2007. My aim in writing this book is to highlight the key qualities, approaches and attitudes displayed and used by successful sales women.
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Hello, World!
This is my first entry into my blog! Welcome to ‘Sell Like a Woman’.
The creation of this site came about as a result of an idea I had about putting
a book together. I am writing a book called “Sell like a woman” which I want to
publish in 2007. My aim in writing this book is to highlight the key qualities,
approaches and attitudes displayed and used by successful sales women.
To make the book real, accessible and relevant to readers I wanted to
profile real women and their stories and then coordinate the findings with the
relevant research and see what we come up with. This is so it will not be some
‘technical’ book but a ‘living, inspiring’ book which also happens to be
supported scientifically – no tricks or secrets here. I have interviewed over
30 women so far and hope to get around 50 successful sales women to profile
here in Australia. (If you would like to recommend anyone let me know asap)
There is an increasing body of research overseas showing that woman are
often often outperforming men when it comes to achieving real and sustainable
results in sales and effective sustainable client relationships.
As you can understand I would not want to create controversy for
controversy’s sake, however, here in Australia the feedback and support for
this site and the book has been overwhelming.
The book and this site is not about denigrating men nor is it a feminist
manifesto, it is really about drilling down into what makes people successful
is sales today.
I want to challenge the way we think about selling and demystify some myths
along the way. And perhaps, every now and then, highlight the qualities women
bring to the world of business and in particular sales and see what lessons cab
ne learned – for men and women alike.
One of my colleagues and friend is a specialist consultant in Retail, Debra
Templer, Australian Retail Services and has written a book on ‘What Women Want:
How to Market to Woman’.
Her research shows that in Australia at least over 85% of all retail buying
decisions are made by women (directly or indirectly). She also confronts the
often aggressive manner in which some men try to sell to women and how this
just doesn’t work and never really has – so they are losing sales they could
otherwise have made if they had chosen a different approach.
Also in a business space where a new product has only 6 months at best to
trade on its ‘unique’ features before it is replicated how do we keep selling
value? As you said in your book – you sell on substantial relationships based
on trust, transparency and doing what you said you would do, etc.
So I hope you can understand that I am working for the good of all and
whilst the title might raise an eyebrow or two you must admit people will take
notice – all I would like is for people to read the detail and then make up
their own mind based on fact not effect.
If it helps I have two young sons so it is not in my interest to go about
male bashing.
FYI
I started my own business in 1995 after holding senior positions with a
leading consultancy and recruitment company. I had become increasingly
frustrated at the haphazard approach to improving sales performance. I started
my business because I was frustrated at seeing capable people going to waste in
a one-size-fits-all approach to sales. Most people’s efforts to increase sales
are faddish or haphazard, following no logical process when strategising,
selling, training or recruiting. This doesn’t make them money, it costs them
money.
I look forward to your feedback and support.
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About the Author: Sue Barrett RSS for Sue's articles - Visit Sue's website Sue is one of the leading voices commenting on sales today. Sue has a unique way of getting to the heart of the matter - she combines extensive knowledge, research, insight, and practical experience with a deep sense of compassion to bring forth a more enlightened way of thinking and participating in the world. This makes her stand out from the usual crowd of existing business commentators. Her ability to distill complex ideas and relate them to life's everyday challenges and opportunities has audience members and readers leaving with a stronger understanding of "self" and how they can begin to achieve excellence through purposeful action. Presenting and writing on a wide range of topics about the world of 21st Century selling Sue's presentations and articles include sales philosophy and culture, sales leadership and coaching, sales training, selling skills, resilience, neuroscience in selling and more. Sue's articles are some of the most widely read in Australia and she is gaining a following overseas as well. Besides publishing on Barrett Sales Blog site, Sue has been the lead sales writer for www.smartcompany.com.au since 2007, and is also regularly published on other highly regarded publications such as Australian Anthill Magazine, Niche Magazine, Marketing Mag, Business Chicks, and Business Deals. Click here to visit Sue's website   Elite athletes find key to corporate success Insights from being in business for 13 years How well are you Weathering the Storm Create your Ideal sales force blueprint Why hiring or keeping the 600lb sales gorilla is a mistake |
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Who Said Twitter Doesn't Work...?
- Last month, the BBC World Service programme, The Strand, featured 21 year-old Icelandic pianist/composer Olafur Arnalds.
Arnalds achieved extraordinary success through his internet-led project to compose 7 tunes in 7 days, post them on his website and then post links to it via TWITTER. As a result his website got thousands of visitors eager to listen to his music, catapulting him to fame and bringing his music to the attention of the BBC, who featured an interview with him on the World Service programme, The Strand!
So who says Twitter doesn't work? (HINT: It does help if you have something uniquely your own that other people want to get hold of...)
Re: Exotic Tea Shop Website for Review
- Hi David,
- Background is nice and fitting, but I don't like the header. The title completely blends in with the background?
- About Us shouldn't be second from the left on the navigation bar. People read from left to right. The commercial intent is to buy, the online store should probably be second.
- Online Tea Store... too many choices without supplementary information. No description of product choice. oz and pricing should be stylized separately from the name of the product.
- Online Tea Store.... Visuals is definitely very important in raising commercial intent. Someone who comes to the site through SEO is searching for exotic teas and not particulars. Meaning they're browsing. Text is not enough for a browsing shopper.
- World of Tea... the information can be organized a bit better. Again, visuals. Some of this info belongs to online tea store. I'm not too sure on the name.
- Tea & Treasure... not sure on this name either... mainly because you have "World of Tea" next to it. Navigation should be transparent in conveying information to the users. Why not call it "Find Us" or "Visit Us"?
- Email newseletter.... "occasional updates" containing what exactly?
Again, my humble opinion. Hope you find it useful!
Tale of a success story!
- First, Shonika, thanks for that link! I'll check it out.
Now, yahoooo! I'm so excited right now that I hope I'll be forgiven if I gush gush gush on what's turning out to be a success story.
And one that I planned. I had a feeling, back in September when the Red Sox were leading their division so comfortably (before those dang Yankees made it tight!) that the Sox would be going to the World Series.
So, I'm thinking to myself, they've got this rookie, Jacoby Ellsbury, first Navajo in the major leagues. That type of thing always draws readers, as does the first Japanese player, etc. etc. And not only was the the first Navajo, but he was also an exciting, star in the making type of player.
So I created a website for him, really only a two page biography...and the site took off immediately. Everyone who saw him on TV wanted to read about him. And my google ads on the site took off as well. (But not the Amazon ads, darn it!!!! Never the Amazon ads!)
Then, at the end of September the injured player he'd been subbing for came back, and Jacoby went back to the bench. And the hits - and Google clicks - dropped off dramatically when he was on the bench during the ACLS, while their regular center fielder, stuck it up on offense.
But, finally yesterday, he got the start in center field because their regular center fielder couldn't hit anything at hte plate. And Jacoby got a hit, scored a run, and made some good plays in the field.
And the hits - and clicks - to the website started ramping up again, and tonight, with him also making two "highlight" reel type catches in the field as well as delivering a timely hit, they're going through the roof.
Also, he is bound to be on the sports news tomorrow - along with his teammates of course - because of those two plays in the field.
So all this free publicity is playing right into my hands - just as I planned and expected it to do.
And, even better, the World Series starts on Wednesday and he will be starting in center field again. I expect his defense to be stellar, which will catch people's eyes again, and if he can only do well at the plate..
Even if people aren't baseball fans, they usually tune in to the World Serious. And with Jacoby's background, people are going to be bound to want to read about him.
So I am expecting much, much more traffic to my site, and I'm just so proud of myself for seeing this opportunity and capitalizing on it, and I am sooo happy that the Red Sox got into the World Series, because they were down 1 - 3 and I came *that* close to losing all my free publicity!
Whew.
Okay, sorry for the gush, but I am just really looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few days.
Of course it will tail off after the World Series ends, but next year will be Jacoby's first official season as a Rookie, so then it should ramp up again...
Now I've got to find a rookie football player whom people might like to read about, on a football team that [i:3c74rhpr]should [/i:3c74rhpr]get to the Superbowl... for example the Colts, and see if lightning will strike twice!
Re: Question: Do you listen to music while you work?
- I don't usually listen to music while working. However, if I'm doing something like preparing orders then I'll listen to BBC World Service, or a video or audio while packing parcels... Evan's videos often come in handy for that!
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