Bill Guertin | 800 Pound Gorilla Blog on SalesGravy.com

You’re going out on a date.  A first date.  You don’t know your new friend’s tastes, budget, or anything about them, but you do know that you’ve decided to start off your evening by going out to eat.

You hit “Restaurant Row” in your city, and as you approach the many choices for eating out, a hundred different things go through your mind:

-          What does he/she like to eat?

-          Do I have enough money to go to the expensive place?

-          Do I want to get messy?

-          What am I hungry for?

-          Will the atmosphere be right?   Will it be too loud to talk?

-          Are we appropriately dressed?

-          Am I going to run into someone I don’t want to see?

-          Do they have enough parking, or are we going to have to walk a long way?

It’s a little snapshot of time, but in that moment, you’ll make a mutual decision based on lots of little things… and all those influences add up to the choice you’ll make in that moment.

This scenario is just like what your customer goes through when you call them about your product or service for sale.  A hundred different influences are acting upon your customer’s thought process at that moment in time, bringing them to a “snap judgment” – a quick conclusion about your offer:

-          They may have just ushered a bad sales rep out of their building

-          They may have just learned that their best client has dumped them for a competitor

-          They may have bill payment problems, shipment problems, or personnel issues

-          They may just have ended a “gloom-and-doom” meeting, a “come-to-Jesus” meeting, an insufferable budget meeting, etc.

-          They may have personal issues at home that are weighing heavy on them

-          They may be overwhelmed by all they have to get done in their day

-          They may have someone in their office that’s out sick, and everyone has to cover

-          They may be hiring new people, training new people, or re-educating their current staff on new tasks, and it may be frustrating and time-consuming

-          They may have learned about something that the company is considering that could impact them negatively

Just because they react negatively to you doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in your product!  Depending on the way their day is going, your product could literally be the FURTHEST thing from their mind at that moment.  They may not want to tie up their brain for something like your product, but it may very well be something they WILL be interested in talking about at the right time.

Don’t give up.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market, will be published this fall by John Wiley & Sons.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

We’re terrified of cold calls.  Can we admit that?

There’s nothing that strikes fear in the hearts of men and women quite like the icy grip of the COLD CALL.  Even the name sounds like a bad B-movie: “You never know who’s on the end… of a COLD CALL!” (Cue terrifying shriek, bad music)  “Rated “R” for Run Toward Another Job Right Away.”

The reason we hate them so much is because we know how we feel when we RECEIVE them!

Think about your feelings when someone calls or visits you out of the blue looking for you to buy something.  You’re thinking about all the negative words that people use to describe salespeople, and don’t want to be thrown into that same category.  Right?

So here’s the secret:  Don’t sound like a salesperson!

Ask yourself:  What do salespeople say, do, and act like that turns you off?  Jot down a few of those things.  Then decide that you’re not going to do those things!

What can you do instead?  Here are a few ideas that I use in training sports ticket sales reps, but can be adapted for any selling situation.  Use these as idea-starters, inspiration, or read them right from the sheet, but make sure you understand the intent, and when you customize them, keep the intent intact:

-          “Hi… Sales department, please.”  (This is an indication that you’re a revenue-producing call, and the receptionist is almost always instructed to route MONEY calls to the sales department.  Be prepared to answer questions as to what you’re interested in ‘buying’, so the person can route you to the right desk!)

-          “I have the weirdest question you’ve had all day.”  (Choose your weird question from the several below, or make up your own)

o   If sales are down at your place, who’s the one that usually gets the maddest?   That’s who I need to talk to.

o   Who’s the biggest baseball (or your sport) fan in your office?  That’s who I need to talk to.  (When you reach that person, say: “If you thought Season Tickets would be a good idea for your company, who would you have to convince in order to get them?”)

o   When was the last time your company went out and did something FUN as a group?

o   Who’s in charge of smiles at your place?  The one who’s got to keep morale up, and keep employees happy.  Would that be you?

-          “Could you help out a starving salesperson today?”  (gets receptionist/gatekeeper smiling and on your side!)

-          “I have called all over, and I hope you finally have the answer I’m looking for.  Do you know who would handle (sales incentives/group outings/etc.) at your place?”

-          “Is the boss around?”  (informal, non-threatening, familiar tone)

-          “Hi… who’s in charge today?”  (wait for response) “Good!  Is he/she nearby?”

There are plenty more non-traditional ways to start a conversation, which I train in my 3-day Sales Dominance program for sports ticket sales teams.  These should get you going in the right direction.

Always remember that cold calling is a game – a serious, results-oriented kind of game — and if you inject more FUN into it, your voice will reflect that fun, and you’ll be more successful as a result.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market, will be published this fall by John Wiley & Sons.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

MINNEAPOLIS – August 12, 2010 — Business Expert Webinars (BEW), the leading provider of virtual business training, announced the publishing of their latest book: Business Expert Guide to Small Business Success. Twenty-one business thought leaders collaborated to develop this book intended for small business owners and operators. Published by Business Expert Publishing, the book publishing arm of Business Expert Webinars, this book presents actionable ideas addressing the critical areas plaguing small businesses.

“As a small business owner, your employees look to you to come up with all of the answers. Many have found that the ‘idea-well’ has run dry and are looking for new, innovative ways to increase revenue, improve morale, or drive profits. The twenty-one business thought leaders who contributed to this book share secrets that can have an immediate impact for small business owners,” said Lee B. Salz, President and CEO of Business Expert Webinars."

The collaboration authors and topics addressed in this book include:

• Strategic Business Plan Design and Implementation by John W. Myrna
• Pricing for Profitability – Are You Priced Right? by Sarah Day
• Managing Cash Flow - Avoiding the Financial Pitfalls by Paul Pershes
• Strategic Decision-Making – The Essential Leadership Skill by Joseph Riggio, Ph.D.
• Leadership - Leadership Keys that Drive Business by Harlan Goerger
• Hiring Sales People - A Grounded Approach to Hiring Sales Stars by Danita Bye
• Sales Compensation Plan Design – Compensate to Motivate Your Sales Team by Lee B. Salz
• Networking Best Practices – Face to Face – Belly to Belly by Cindy Cohen
• Sales Intelligence Secrets - Know More Selling by Sam Richter
• Lead Generation – Techniques to Increase Your Sales Pipeline by Drew Stevens, Ph.D.
• Business Development - The Dynamics of Great Business Development by Richard Norris
• Buying Process Design – Four Simple Steps that Make Sales and Loyal Customers by Harlan Goerger
• Telephonic Selling – How to be an 800-Pound Gorilla on the Phone by Bill Guertin
• Negotiation - Stealth Negotiating in Small Business by Andy Miller
• Virtual Presentations – Jumpstart Your Online Presentation Skills by Roger Courville
• Employee Engagement – Your X-Factor for Success by Hillary Feder
• Invest In Yourself - To Build a Stronger Business You Must also Build a Stronger You by Jeb Blount
• Stress and Health Management – Keeping Yourself Mentally and Physically Healthy by Dave Hubbard
• Employee Development – Effectively Developing Employee Talent by Tim Hagen
• Six Sigma – Are Lean and Six Sigma Right for My Business? by Gary Gack
• Sarbanes-Oxley and Compliance - Leveraging Best Practices to Combat Fraud by Peg Jackson, DPA, CPCU
• Employee Dispute Resolution - Making the Best Out of a Bad Situation by Mic Puklich

To learn more about this book, visit www.BusinessExpertGuide-SmallBusinessSuccess.com

About Business Expert Webinars

Business Expert Webinars (BEW) is the leading provider of live and on-demand virtual business training that is economical, efficient and effective. BEW connects business thought leaders with their target audiences to teach skills designed to enhance job performance. BEW offers content for anyone and everyone in the business setting. For more information, visit BusinessExpertWebinars.com.

“Now batting… number 7… center fielder… Mickey Mantle… number 7.”

Bob Sheppard started his PA announcing career with the New York Yankees on April 17th, 1951, the very same day that Mickey Mantle started for the legendary New York baseball club.   Sheppard died over the weekend at age 99, but will long be remembered as the “voice of God” at Yankee Stadium, announcing each word and each batter’s name with measured precision. 

Some would describe Sheppard’s style as slow, lethargic, and plain.  For those who know better, Sheppard was a cut above who literally invented a style all his own, derived from his roots as a speech teacher and lover of classic poetry.

“Today’s PA announcer is a screamer, a shouter, and very flamboyant,” Sheppard said in a 1998 interview.  “That is totally different from my philosophy, which is: Be clear, be concise, and be correct.”

As the gently powerful, unmistakable 800-Pound Gorilla of stadium voices, Sheppard’s philosophy is one that today’s salespeople should perhaps study and ponder in their own careers.  

Be clear.  Be concise.  Be correct. 

A true formula for success in any endeavor.

Should you cut your list prices on your goods and services in order to compete in a shrinking marketplace and a global economic crisis?

Some are drastically cutting prices, while others are holding the line… but as a savvy businessperson, I believe it’s a good idea to look at what the 800-Pound Gorillas of the world are doing to combat this dilemma.

Procter & Gamble, makers of Tide detergent and hundreds of other category-leading, premium-priced consumer products, saw its fiscal 4th-quarter profits plunge 18%, related mostly to a weaker market for its premium brands like Tide.

Easily the most popular laundry product in America, Tide’s market share has been slowly but surely eroding over the past 12 months due to the increased popularity of less expensive and generic brands, including P&G’s own Gain brand detergent.

As their market share began to slip away, a battle raged in P&G’s Tide boardroom: Should we cut the price of Tide, the product that brings in $3 billion of our $79 billion annual revenues? How can we protect our product’s reputation, its popularity, AND its profitability all at the same time?

Enter Tide Basic.

The new, no-frills Tide was introduced in July. Its tagline, “Basic Clean, Big Value”, targets that growing segment of the population that has been willing to forego their premium brands for less expensive options. By giving them a product that includes less cleaning agents and fragrance — for 20% less than regular Tide — it gives consumers a choice that still includes P&G, and protects the integrity and value of the premium-priced product.

For a company that was used to “New and Improved”, Tide Basic was a monumental shift.

It was not a road they hadn’t gone down before. Tide brand managers were quick to point out that their own Charmin bathroom tissue and Bounty paper towel brands had rolled out a cheaper version of their premium-priced products to compete with the generics, and were doing quite well.

The jury is still out on whether Tide Basic will be a hit. But P&G is a VERY dominant player with a lot of very bright people in their organization.

They know how hard it is to build the perception of value in the consumer’s mind. Once you drop your price on the good stuff, it’s next to impossible to build it back up. People will come to expect that price for a very long time.

So here’s the question you need to consider before you drop your price: Is there a no-frills version of your product or service you could offer today that would generate sales today and protect the integrity of your “full-featured” products and services?

If the dominant players in the market are doing it, I’ll bet it’s worth considering for your business too.

– Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of clients includes the ticket sales departments of professional sports teams in the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer. He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales, is due this fall from John Wiley & Sons. Find more articles and valuable information at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.