Selling tips for your favorite sales team

February 20th, 2011 by Michael

Sales are the lifeblood of every organization.  That’s why we need to work so hard to keep these people happy, trained, and looked after.

One popular way to keep sellers engaged is to send them a continuous stream of sales-related tips and strategies.  Send only good, well-written stuff, not crap.

For example, you can send articles to your sales team once per week to get them into the habit of reading.  To make sure they read the articles, tell them you’ll be asking them to give a highlight from each article at your sales meetings.

This little routine will do several things for your sales team.  It reminds them:

1)  You are looking out for them.

2)  As long as you’re the one sending the articles, you may be smarter than them.    ;-)

3)  That reading about sales is a good habit.

3)  You expect them to read what they send you.

4)  That talking about this stuff somehow makes it more useful.


Good article sources

There are many good sources for sales articles, including:

www.BNet.com

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4153/is_4_60/ai_106863366/?tag=col1;subcol

http://www.bnet.com/blog/smb-sales-advice/when-8220yes-8221-means-something-else-in-sales/158

www.JeffreyGitomer.com

http://www.businessknowhow.com/

http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/5tipstoinc.htm

Later, you can ask one of the salespeople to provide the weekly article for a month.  Rotate the responsibility, so everyone keeps looking out for the team.

-Michael Angelo Caruso, Sales consultant, Royal Oak, Michigan

P.S.  More info on my sales-related keynotes and presentations at http://www.michaelangelocaruso.com/events/seminars/how-to-give-killer-presentations-seminar/

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What if these are the best of times?

February 15th, 2011 by Michael

airplaneOrlando and other hot spots are in high season and spring break will be here before you know it.

The travel season generates lots of negative publicity about how bad the travel industry treats us.

Older folks wistfully comment about the “good old days” when airlines treated customers better and travel wasn’t such a hassle.

But, what if these are the good old days?

Objective research indicates that what we’re experiencing now are the best of times, at least when compared to how things used to be.

Flying, for example has never been easier or more affordable, according to a recent USA Today article by John Waggoner.

Although the airline industry has made many improvements through the years, the big change was when the government deregulated the industry in 1978, which opened up competition.

Here are the facts about how much better things are compared to the “good old days:”

- In 1978, fliers paid about 27.9 cents a mile; they pay an average of 12.1 cents for each mile flown today.

- Until the 1970′s seat assignments were not available in advance.

- Flight attendants may have worn white gloves back in the day, but it used to take 14 hours and multiple stops to fly from New York to Barcelona.

-The Air Transport Association reports that in the period from 1965-69, there were 39 accidents involving fatalities on scheduled commercial flights operated by U.S. airlines.  In 2005-2009, there were six.

- Airports have become min-cities, filled with amenities such as high-end shopping, massage therapists, and cuisine from all over the world.


So why do  we think things are getting worse?

Memory, the media, and something called “group think” play a role.

Our brains tend to accentuate the positive and gloss over the negative when reviewing old memories.

The media–and gossip–for that matter, thrive on bad news and the act of stirring things up.   Now social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook have become a breeding ground for complaints rather than compliments.

Finally, people like to identify with other people who have problems.  Misery loves company and all that.

Maybe things aren’t so bad for right now.  Maybe we’re just that much more efficient at complaining.

What if these are the best of times?

________________________

Michael Angelo Caruso is a communication consultant and accomplished author based in Royal Oak, Michigan.

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5 Cool Ideas for a better presentation

February 10th, 2011 by Michael

Michael Angelo Caruso IACPA Iowa accountantsSpeaking is a lot like driving.  We all think we’re good drivers, but there are a lot of dented cars on the road!

Here are 5 Cool Ideas for sharpening your next presentation, followed by a link to order my Present Like a Pro DVD:

1.  It’s better to make mistakes when you’re alone.
I teach managers and salespeople how to be more effective.  The fastest improvement occurs when clients adopt my motto:  It’s better to screw up when you’re alone.

2.  Practice the beginning of your talk more than any other part.
Your nervous system is most likely to be under siege at the beginning of your presentation.  Practice the first part of your talk more than the middle or the end.

3.  Call your own voice mail to record sections of your presentation.
Use this “poor man’s” recording technique to listen to yourself and make improvements.

4.  PowerPoint often hurts more than it helps.
Stories are far more effective than bullet points because people tend to make buying decisions using the “emotional side” of the brain.  Use stories to inspire, motivate, and get the audience involved.  Develop a strong “signature story” and work it, baby.

5.  Be specific with your time-sensitive call to action.
All good presentations end with a clear call to action.  Don’t say “Please take this form back to your office and send it to me when you have time,” when you can say, “Please fill out this form before you leave the room.  I’ll be at the door to collect it from you.”

Order the Present Like a Pro DVD now!  It will be especially helpful to your leadership and sales team!

Place your order within 48 hours and I’ll immediately e-mail you a fantastic 30-page, companion e-book at no extra charge.  Watch for it and download it quickly.

As with all my products and services, you’ll get much more than you pay for.

Speaking about speaking,

Michael Angelo Caruso, Keynote Speaker                  T   248-224-9667  

P.S. You must order Present Like a Pro within 48 hours to receive the bonus 30-page e-book.

P.P.S. You’re welcome to publish these 5 Cool Ideas in your corporate newsletter, on your Web site and blog.  Just send a quick message to Reprint@EdisonHouse.com.

www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com

The Fifth, 432 S. Washington, #1105  Royal Oak, MI  48067

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Hey, speakers–Here are 3 tips to improve presentations

February 8th, 2011 by Michael

Michael Angelo Caruso Present Like a Pro DVDThe ability to make effective, persuasive presentations is almost an art form.

I often compare the art of presenting to a golf swing.  Both activities have a lot going on–and a lot that can go wrong.

Here are a few speaking tips to take your speaking to another level:

1. Personally greet people before you begin speaking. You’ll be much more effective if you build rapport with individual audience members in advance of your talk.  This is also a great way to settle your nerves, if you find yourself anxious prior to speaking.

2. Speak to the four different personality styles in your audience. Thinkers like to hear statistics, so give them facts and figures.  Directors like you to get to the bottom line; be succinct for them.  Relaters want you to identify with them, so tell stories.  Socializers want to have fun and laugh, so don’t take yourself too seriously.

3. End the speech using the same words and phrases you used at the beginning of your talk. This technique is called “bookending” and it’s the hallmark of a professional speaker.  Bookending helps you finish your talk with style and flair.

Thanks for your interest in self-improvement!  If you’d like to become a better presenter, it’s better to watch video than read a book on the subject.  Reading a book about speaking is like listening to the radio to learn how to dance.

That’s why I produced a DVD titled, Present Like a Pro, a 45-minute video that tells–and more importantly shows–my best speaking tips.  As always, you’ll get much more than you pay for with my products.  A 100% unconditional refund if you’re unhappy with this product for any reason.

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Selling tip: Make small talk big

February 7th, 2011 by Michael

This is one of my 52 weekly sales tips, available at www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com.   You’re welcome!

Tip #10: Make small talk big

You have a finite amount of time to spend with customers during personal visits.  Try not to spend the first ten minutes of a thirty minute meeting on useless topics like weather, parking, last night’s ballgame, and so on.

If the customer mentions the weather, quickly acknowledge her and move on to more productive conversation.

Here are some small-talk topics that probably don’t speed up the sale:

-  Weather
-  Sports
-  Politics
-  Parking
-  How busy you are
-  How busy the customer is

Here’s a short list of things to discuss instead:

-  How impressive your customer and her company is
-  How popular your company is
-  Get the prospect to fill out a credit application
-  Find out more about her passions
-  Ask about her family
-  Get her opinion on an industry trend (stay away from negative trends)

A few seconds of small talk may be useful, but move toward purposeful conversation and your sales will improve.  You can always talk about the ballgame after the customer places an order.

Sincerely,
Michael Angelo Caruso, creator of the Role Model Selling videos

P.S.  I’d love to speak to your sales team.  You can also send them to see me at an upcoming seminar.  My speaking calendar is available at www.MichaelAngeloCaruso.com

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