I just heard some talking head state that last year’s increase in online holiday purchases was because of bad weather and high gas prices.
What are they going to blame it on this year? Halley’s Comet?
Hello! One thing has NOTHING to do with the other. It was 85 degrees in Miami, and people were buying online. If gas were fifty cents a gallon, people will still be buying more online.
It’s called reality.
Wake up and smell the websites. Online purchases are going to increase FOREVER. The experts trying to deny the inevitable are the ones with rotary dial telephones, who are “thinking about” getting a laptop. Or businesses with their head in the sand, like fax machine manufacturers, or phone book printers.
The question is NOT why are more online sales occurring – that is the most obvious answer on the (we want it now) planet. The question is: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET YOUR SHARE?
What can I buy from you online? What can you inform me of that has value to me? What can you do to make my life easier and better? What can you do to entice me? How easy can you make it for me? How can you prove it to me? And how can I trust you enough for me to enter my credit card number and pull the trigger to purchase?
Think about the things you have purchased online in the past year. WOW! You wanted something, or needed something that did not have a today deadline, and you went to www.something.com and bought.
AND, you’re probably doing it more often than you ever did. Convenience, availability, ease of purchase, fits your timeframe, and you trust the seller.
AND, if your need is greater, or more urgent, many sellers offer overnight delivery. WOW! About the only thing you can’t do online is reach through your computer and pull out the product.
AND, isn’t it fun when the package arrives? Almost like Christmas every time!
Let’s go back to why, and get to the root cause. People trust the Internet more than ever. Microsoft, Yahoo, Google and other search engines have made the Internet THE FIRST place you go to get information. Anything from a plane schedule to the weather. Anything from the date, time, and place that Mickey Mantle hit his 536th home run, to the perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
Read the rest of this article
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Kick off the year right in Oklahoma City!
January 28th, 2009
When the economy is down, you have to be up! In these times, it’s important to keep your customers loyal and earn as much market share as you can so your business can thrive not just survive. Join Jeffrey Gitomer as he presents the 10.5 Commandments of Sales Success from his bestselling Sales Bible AND timely information about making sales of any product or any service in any economy.
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Jeffrey Marches home to Charlotte!
March 5th & 6th, 2009
March 5th – Managers, develop your personal plan to find and keep a winning, loyal, well-trained, and self-directed sales team. This seminar will provide strategies and techniques about real-world sales leadership, plus self-evaluation to measure your present level of achievement.
March 6th – Join Jeffrey Gitomer, best selling author of The Little Red Book of Selling, as he presents the 10.5 Commandments of Selling from his New York Times bestseller The Sales Bible. Learn the 10.5 commandments that will WOW! your customer, make the sale, and beat your competition, WITHOUT sacrificing price.
Click Here to Register NOW!
www.gitomer.com/charlottemangers
www.gitomer.com/charlotte
If you would like to connect with my public seminar audiences, I recommend you inquire about the exclusive sponsorship opportunities I offer in each city. For details, call Sara or Heather at 800-242-5388 or emailpublicseminars@gitomer.com.
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Dear Mr. Gitomer,
I’m a nurse and I’m starting my own legal nurse consulting business. I have one other nurse that works with me. I purchased your set of little books because I know I have to sell myself and my business to my attorney clients, but I know nothing about sales. I’m currently reading your Little Red Book of Selling. There is SO much information, I don't know where to start! My partner and I have just taken two days off work to make cold calls and market to attorneys in the area. I would like to know, in all of your vast information, where our focus should be. Where should we start on our path to success?
Your new loyal fan.
Deborah
Deborah,
Several Halloweens ago, someone came to our office wearing a nurse’s uniform. I thought it was a woman in costume, but instead it was a woman from a temporary health company who specialized in nurses and home healthcare for senior citizens. It was a classic cold call. I think you should consider having a little fun, being a little outrageous, and calling on law firms who might not otherwise see you -- other than if you went in full nurse’s regalia. At the front desk announce, “There’s a nurse here to see (mention the lawyer’s name).” Just try it and have some fun with it. Now to your question… Start by providing a number of free services in exchange for testimonials so that you might be able to build your business based on other people’s confirmation of your capability. You may also want to pick one or two specialized areas where you know there is work available so you can hit the ground running. Lawyers may not be your only target; you may also want to go to physical therapy clinics, orthopedic clinics, and other places where your type of patient might be readily available.
Best regards,
Jeffrey
Jeffrey,
Lately my business has dropped off a lot. When I inquire why, I’m told that my competitor is highly persuasive. When I ask “In what way?” the question goes unanswered. I know that my competitor is selling a less expensive brand of hose and fittings and perhaps this becomes the bottom line. Parts are parts after all. I have exhausted the questions I thought would open the buyer up so I could have a frank conversation regarding the lost business. What suggestions/questions would you ask to open up the possibility of regaining the lost business? Again, our product is the highest quality and our deliveries have been 100% on-time for over two years now. There have been no quality issues. Customers have been using my product for over 15 years. We have come to the rescue with a piece of assembly equipment my competitor could not produce.
Regards,
Marshall
Marshall,
You have a competitive advantage; you’re just not using it. A competitive advantage is something your customer considers very important, at which you excel. If your product is superior and your testimonials are superior, then you should be able to get to the truth. My feeling is that there’s more to the story than you’re aware of. Salespeople can be persuasive, but if their product is lousy, it won’t last that long. Maybe you should start out by purchasing your competition’s products and doing a side-by-side comparison. This test may reveal more than you want to know, but it’s something you should do immediately. The second thing you should do is call on your most loyal customers and find out why they are NOT switching. That may give you some insight. And finally, if the customers who have switched are unwilling to give you detailed information, that’s a reflection of the depth of your relationship with them. You may want to try more relationship and less selling.
Best regards,
Jeffrey
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Redefining the Christmas Card
By James Robbins
Holidays are coming and you know it is customary if you’re a manager to send greeting cards to your staff. The problem is you hate the whole process. I am going to show you how to create a holiday greeting card like they have never laid eyes on before.
In our virtual world of email and text messaging, the hand written card has been placed on the endangered species list. The good news is that with rarity comes great value. I want to encourage you to redefine the holiday greeting card. I want you to create something that will actually move your staff emotionally. What we have to get away from are the usual cards everyone writes each year. You know, the one’s where we sign our name and maybe write the words “Seasons Greetings” if they are not already included on the card. I am talking about a new standard, a human resources work of art. Imagine for a minute that this year, your employees will actually keep the card you write them. Imagine that they actually take it home and show their family, and that they even bring it back to work in January and keep it in their desk to read every time they are feeling discouraged. Imagine that they auction it off on EBay for a ton of money as “Best Card Ever Written...” Ok, now we are getting carried away.
We have become numb to the mechanical expectation of exchanging cards, and the good news for you and me is expectations are at an all time low. Employees do not expect their greeting cards from their managers to say much. So if you are willing to spend a little extra time, you can make a big impression on your employees this holiday season. Here are some ideas how.
Don’t assume Hallmark can say it better than you
In fact go and buy the cards that are blank on the inside. This forces you to write something yourself. Now what do you write?
Personalize it
In the card you want to write more than just ‘Happy Holidays,’ or ‘Thanks for all the great effort.’ Use the card to inspire, thank, recognize and uplift the employee.
Praise the past
Include a memory detailing one of their specific accomplishments during the year.
“Bob, I’ll never forget how in March you organized that meeting when tensions were high and you set everyone at ease. That was pure magic. You set an example for us all.”
Comment on their growth
Let each employee know how much you have seen him or her grow this year.
“Sara, I am so proud to see how much you have grown as an up-and-coming manager. I remember how at the start of the year you used to get a bit stressed about the paperwork and now you handle it with ease which has freed you up to use that Midas Touch you seem to have with the rest of the staff.”
Let them know they are integral to the team
People want to feel they are needed. Let them know specifically how the team relies on them.
“Joe, I hope you realize how important you are to the team here. Not only are you the one that cheers everyone up, but your knowledge base is incredible and continues to grow. When anyone in the office needs to know something it’s always “Go ask Joe.” I don’t know what we would do without you.”
Point out where you have learned from them
This is huge because people want to feel respected by you as a boss. If they feel like you have learned something from them, it will communicate a huge amount of respect from you. Whether it is something big or as little as how someone handles customers on the phone, the key is to let them know they have value.
“Kelly, you may not realize it but I have learned a lot from you this year. I see how patient you are when training the new hires, and it has made me begin to imitate that quality in you. Because of your example I have become a more patient manager, thank you.”
Acknowledge tough times
If an employee suffered from something during the year, maybe an illness, death of a family member, or trials with home life, you can also comment on how you admire them for persisting in tough circumstances and that your thoughts will be with them this holidays. The key here is to be sensitive and really care. This will mean a lot.
If you follow even a couple of these ideas, it will make your greeting cards stand out. Your staff will not bother comparing cards to see if you wrote the same thing in everyone’s card because they are all so individualized. Remember the key is it has to be genuine and from the heart. This is not just a way to manipulate your staff into staying with you longer.
I know what you might be thinking, how on earth will you have time to write a card like this to everyone of your employees? That’s why I am sending this to you now. Do not wait until mid-December, because December is the busiest month of all. Write one a day, or one a week depending on how many direct reports you have. In the end it is a small thing to do that goes a long way. All you need to do is start early and you will be amazed at how many employees warmly thank you for the card at the company Christmas party. You may even here “It’s the nicest card any boss has ever given me.”
Forward this on to a manager you know.
James Robbins is a rare mix of adventurer, management consultant and motivational speaker. He helps organizations lower their turnover by equipping managers to create engaging workplaces. Visit James on line at www.ontothesummit.com
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Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is LOYALTY!
DO NOT wait until Christmas to unwrap this deal. If you would like to have more loyal customers for yourself and for your company this is the deal that help you! This week, you will get Jeffrey's best-selling book Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless and the companion audio program to listen to in your car THE BEST OF Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless CD Set. Finally, because we are in the spirit of giving, we are throwing in Jeffrey's Teleseminar CD What Are You Giving Yourself For Christmas? All for $59.00 ($108.00 value)Click here to buy now!
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“Hello. These are my Jeffrey Gitomer
books in Poland” -Bogdan Narloch
If you see Jeffrey, or Jeffrey's books
SEND US A PHOTO to ezine@gitomer.com.
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"Jeffrey Gitomer truly hits the nail on the head with this precise, almost shocking look at what it takes to build relationships that help in business and all of life. In many ways, we are ALL salespeople. We ‘sell ourselves’ on a constant basis in relationships with everyone around us. Whether you are a professional salesperson, or simply want to understand the dynamics of how to be a better, more appealing person, this book can bring some clarity of the basic needs to be real and relevant." -Stieg
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“It takes thought to create value. You have to decide to do it. And you have to dedicate the time to do it. I have seen this work first-hand. I did it. And so can you.”
-From Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Black Book of Connections
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“Just hit quota again today and have next month already lined up... My boss just told me how much I've come along in the last two months. Jeffrey’s training have been instrumental.” -Jeremy
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Speaking and training worldwide more than 150 times a year, Jeffrey provides answers, informs, challenges, and inspires sales forces and upper management for hundreds of the largest and most successful companies. You and your people want someone who can make a difference. The difference is Gitomer.Click here to hire Jeffrey for your next event. |
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Your Success Strategy.
I started at a new company three months ago (I have been selling for several years) and one of my first client meetings was an account review with what was described to me by my colleagues as a very difficult and demanding client. With that in mind, I made sure I was well prepared for the meeting. When I met her, I simply asked, "What are your expectations of an Account Manager?” She said she would like an account review every six months. I said let's do it every three months to make sure you are always on the best rate plans. I then recommended several changes that are saving them money every month, and followed up with everything she asked (this took about an hour). She sent my manager a fantastic compliment a week later. Since then, I have also received two more orders and a referral -- all because I spent a little extra time to find out what her expectations were and then exceeded them.
-Wayne
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Each week, we feature a salesperson's success story. Please send your stories to gill@gitomer.com. If your story is published, we'll send you a free Sales Caffeine mug!
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People who gamble for money are potential cheaters because they are trying to get something for nothing.
Anyone who risks his or her wealth upon the fickle whims of chance is usually not the type of person you would like to have for a business partner. They are individuals who are most likely to yield to the temptation to cut corners on product quality, overlook unsafe working conditions, and generally fail to deliver on their promises. It is impossible to get something for nothing for a sustained period of time. The law of compensation is unforgiving in its demands that you get what you deserve. You may feel at times that you deserve better-and you may-but eventually your payback will be commensurate with your efforts.
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