Critical Steps To Overcoming Sales Phobia

If you’re like most business owners and self employed professionals you started a business because you have a particular talent, skill, or ability; not because you like to sell. And although some sales people do start companies, most business owners have no experience or training in sales.

Let’s face it, no-one likes hearing the word “no”. The mere mention of the word “sales” conjures up all kinds of negative images like the ubiquitous “used car salesman” or the “bait and switch tactics” that television news shows are so fond of featuring. With all of these negative images around, it’s no wonder that so many people don’t like selling.

You may be naturally shy or lack self confidence. Or perhaps you never learned how to speak about your business in a way that compels people to buy from you. Regardless of the reason, if you run a business or work for yourself you’ll find it much easier to be successful if you sharpen your sales skills and get comfortable in this role.

If the situation I’m describing rings a bell, here are some steps you can take to turn your fears into success:

1. Get clear on your market positioning. What does your company stand for in the eyes of your prospects? What makes you different? Who’s your ideal client? What “pain” or problem do your customers have that your product or service solves? Once you’re clear about the benefits and results you get for your ideal customers, it will be easy for them to realize that they should buy from you rather than the other guy.

2. Pinpoint what it is that you’re really afraid of. Sometimes it’s not the “sale” per se that we’re afraid of. Look for the reasons behind the fear, and then come up with solutions for dealing with them.

For instance, sometimes a fear will develop when you know there’s a problem with the product or service. You may have had some recent complaints, or are having trouble meeting deliveries or deadlines. It’s hard to convince people to buy if you’re worried about what you’re selling. If this is the case, be proactive! Fix the problems. Make your product or service the best it can be.

Other times a fear can stem from an emotional issue, such as fear of success or fear of failure. Often, we get in our own way with negative self-talk or beliefs we have that sabotage our efforts. If so, get in touch with these feelings and implement strategies to deal with them.

3. Use the things you don’t like about sales to form a better approach. Once you’ve figured out what you don’t like, do the opposite! If you hate being pressured to buy, develop a strategy that doesn’t use any pressure. Make a list of all of the things salespeople do that you don’t like. From there, develop strategies that don’t use these tactics.

4. Examine the styles of those who do it effortlessly. We’ve all met them, people who don’t seem to be selling at all, but know just the right things to say to get people interested in their offering. They don’t employ any of the selling behaviors that turn people off. Study them. Analyze what they’re doing. Then adapt their style to suit you.

5. Develop an authentic selling style that you feel really good about. I believe that anyone can be successful in sales as long as they feel good about themselves while doing it. You may have to think differently. Look at what’s not working with your current approach, and why. Be creative – if the words “sales” or “selling” make you cringe, call it something else!

6. Understand that selling is a numbers game. No and that no-one closes every sale. Not every prospect is a “qualified buyer” and that’s OK! It’s just a normal part of the sales process. Try thinking of it as selecting the customers that would benefit most from your offering. Naturally, in order to select the best, you’ll have to reject those that don’t fit.

Keep track of how many qualified prospects you need to speak to before closing a deal. Then, set your sales goals, multiplying the number of sales you need to close by the number of qualified prospects you’ll need to speak to in order to close each deal.

Ie: If you close about ½ of the qualified prospects you speak to; and you need to make 4 sales a month, you’ll need to be speaking to about 8 qualified prospects a month in order to make your goal.

7. Learn to look at sales rejection as an opportunity for learning. Instead of letting yourself be discouraged by a “no” use the experience as an opportunity to learn from instead. What went right? What didn’t work that can be approached differently the next time?

8. Don’t take it personally! There are lots of reasons people say no. Many of these reasons have nothing to do with you. It may be that they don’t really need what you’re offering, the timing isn’t right, or they’re busy and preoccupied with other things.

9. Pinpoint common objections, and address them. You can turn more prospects into paying customers by thinking about logical comebacks to common objections. Is your prospect is focused on “price”? Then focus on value and return on investment. This way you meet their concerns head on, instead of avoiding them.

10. Boost your self-confidence and motivation. Think about all of the wonderful results your product or service has gotten for your customers. Don’t confuse your “selling” abilities with the value customers get from buying from you. Remind yourself often about the positive benefits your customers receive. If you’re not sure, ask them what they like best about doing business with you.

11. Think out of the box: You don’t have to use pressure or become the stereotypic “used car salesman” to get customers. You can learn to close deals without using pressure, in your own way and with integrity.

12. Set realistic goals. Although setting goals is important, be careful not to set the bar so high that you can’t reach it. This only leads to discouragement. Instead, start by setting a realistic goal. Then, break it down into all of the steps you’ll need to take to get there. Get real about the time, energy, money and any other resources you’ll need to have in place in order to achieve it. Next, add a timeline and benchmarks to measure progress.

13. Consider practicing on your “safe list” first. Practicing really helps. A great way to do this is try out your presentation in a comfortable setting first. A client of mine did this recently by compiling a “safe list” of people in his industry that he knew well and felt comfortable with. He contacted them and asked if they would listen to his presentation and give him constructive feedback. This allowed him to work out the kinks and gain the confidence he needed before going out in the real world.

Want a different approach? Practice on a group of prospects you don’t know who you’ll never see again. You’ll soon learn what works!

14. Celebrate your wins! Congratulate yourself whenever you make a good presentation or feel you’ve improved, even if you haven’t closed a deal yet. It doesn’t help to be hard on yourself if it doesn’t go as well. Those who keep focused on the positives find it easier to be successful.

15. Realize that often a “no” means “not yet” or “maybe”. Find out the reasons behind a “no” by learning to ask a lot of questions. Perhaps they need more info. or they’ve got a lot on their plate right now. If they see the value, and have a need for what you offer they may be interested in the future. Make sure to get to the bottom of the no and to follow-up with them later as necessary.

16. And finally, just allow yourself to do it! Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Psyche yourself up to try it and get out there – it really does get easier each time you do.

© 2004-2007, Susan Martin, Business Sanity.

About the Author

Susan Martin, NYC based business coach helps business owners and professionals get Business Sanity. Find out how you can make more money with less effort and stress by visiting Susan on the web at http://www.business-sanity.com/sales.html and sign up for her free Business Sanity Tips

What is Direct Response Marketing?

Direct Response Marketing is a form of marketing that solicits a response on behalf of the consumer, and offers advertisers the benefit of measurable results.

<u>Direct Response Television</u>In today’s marketplace the most prominent type of direct response marketing is the DRTV commercial. The wide distributive capacities that TV provides make this channel an ideal method for reaching a large volume of consumers, and initiating a response from them. The process is simple: the consumer views an advertisement that contains a phone number that he/she is interested in, and the consumer follows up to the commercial by dialing in.

<u>Direct Response Online</u>The advent of the internet and the popularity of internet search have spawned a number of different marketing possibilities, many of which can be called Direct Response Marketing. Direct Response Online advertising is built around motivating the consumer to request the marketer to contact him/her directly–the same as Direct Response Television. The consumer sees an ad, fills out a form, and submits it directly to the marketer. Advertisers seek to funnel consumers toward these forms or “landing pages” by using a variety of methods, which can be divided into two primary categories: paid search, and organic search.

“SEO” or Search Engine Optimization is practice that advertisers utilize in order to increase organic search rankings. By increasing organic rankings, advertisers gain more visibility, without having to spend on advertising.

In regards to paid online search, most advertisers utilize 2 primary forms of internet advertising: pay-per-click advertising–offered by search engines like by yahoo, google, others–and “banner” ads. The websites that publish ads charge a fee based on two models, the more popular being cost-per-thousand (CPM) impressions; impressions being the number of times the ad is displayed in the users internet browser. The second way publishers monetize the use of banner ads is the cost-per-lead model (CPL). When using the CPL model, the advertiser only pays the publisher when the consumer clicks on a banner ad, goes to the subsequent landing page, and fills out a form. The word “lead” refers to consumer information–name, birthday, phone number, e-mail, physical address, etc.

When contrasted to outdoor or print advertising, CPL is light years ahead in terms of providing tangible Return On Investment (ROI) information. The benefits of CPL are further emphasized by the fact that a large amount of risk is removed from the advertising process: advertisers pay for consumer information, not impressions. Some advertisers have taken to “incentivizing” leads, or enticing consumers to fill out a form by telling them they will receive a prize or a gift. Typically, consumers fill out the form in order to receive the gift, and not to receive information on a product; this decreases the quality of the lead, and makes the follow up process more difficult.

Advertiser Incentive Definition Quality rating (1-10) Sweepstakes entry Get entry into sweepstakes with submission 2 Free simple Get free sample with submission 2 Free gift for free trial Get free gift with product trial (i.e. continuity club) with submission 3 Free coupon Get coupon sent in mail or immediately with submission 4 Free trial Get free trial (i.e. magazine) with submission 5 Free quote Get free quote (i.e. mortgage, auto) with submission 7 Free information Get free information (i.e. tourism guide) with submission 9 Newsletter sign-up Get periodic newsletters with submission 9 source: IAB Marketer & Agency Guide to Lead Quality As seen above, information and newsletter sign-up forms–both content-based incentives–make for the highest quality leads. Lead quality refers to likelihood that the lead will convert into a customer–the higher the likelihood, the better the lead is. By cutting out certain incentives–or all incentives–, marketers can improve lead quality, which makes the follow-up marketing process easier and less expensive. Since Direct Response Marketers follow up with consumers directly, it only makes sense for them to generate the highest quality leads: a lower quality lead results in wasted man-hours, and frustrated consumers. This is precisely why Direct Response Marketing is so well suited to attracting and retaining prospective students: when tasked with generating college applications, the burden of providing high quality leads, and a comprehensive follow-up process falls on the Direct Response Marketing agency. About the Author

Patrick Sutton is an experienced Marketing Director for Innovation Ads and the companies various websites. He holds his M.A. in Spanish Literature and taught high school Spanish and English prior to working at Innovation Ads.

Post Interview Etiquette

An interview is tough work, tougher than writing a final exam: You may be mentally and physically prepared, but you don’t know what kind of questions will be thrown at you, who will be asking them and how you will psychologically respond to them. Once an interview is over and done with, there is some etiquette you must follow – irrespective of the fact whether you get the job or not. Because a professional approach after the interview will stand you in good stead with your employers, or even if you haven’t been hired, the people who have interviewed you will always remember you for your post-interview etiquette and attitude.

Here then is a small guide on post-interview etiquette:

1. Do not show any over-eagerness or emotion once the interview is over. If you didn’t do your interview well, do not show overtly that you are very upset. Remain calm and collected, and keep your ears open. You’ve spoken during the interview, now hear out and remember the closing comments. And do not forget to thank the interviewees and wish them a polite goodbye. Each and every action of yours speaks out the strength of your character, and you never know what can impress or irritate the interviewing board members irrespective of how badly or well you fared in the interview.

2. As soon as the interview is over, make a note of all the important points that were discussed in the interview. Critical and strategic issues dealing with your role, responsibilities and promises of job enhancements may have been discussed during the interview, and it is better for you to jot them down rather than consign them to your memory.

3. After taking down the important notes, call up your recruitment agent, if you used his services, and inform him about what happened during the interview. Recruitment agencies know employers well and they can guess what is on their mind based on certain comments the employers might have made during the interview.

4. Always send or email an error-free “thank you” note to your interviewers. In your “thank you” letter, do not forget to apologize for any slip up you may have made during the interview, and before signing off, emphasize on your commitment to the job. Lastly, your letter must be short and sweet and to the point – no flowery language, no multiple pages, and you know the rest.

5. If your prospective employer says that he needs some time to think over your application, then do not call back or get in touch using indirect methods (friends, friends’ friends, etc.). Give them the time they specified to decide your fate, and then get proactive and call them and make polite inquiries about your application. Do not display any eagerness or desperation while making the follow-up inquiry.

6. If you learn that you have not been selected for the job, inquire about the reasons and work around your shortcomings. And, even though you have not been hired, you must be courteous enough to send them a letter thanking them for calling you to the interview.

7. Once the interview is over, do not stop the process of hunting for other jobs because you never know what can come up. But do not pit one job against the other by telling prospective employers “I’ve appeared in a couple of other interviews too and I would appreciate if you could let me know your decision as soon as possible, or before so and so date because I need to make my decision.” Do not pressurize your potential employer into taking a fast decision. This kind of bargaining is not appreciated in the corporate world.

8. Above all, remember that if you do not get the job, it is not the end of the world – there are many fish in the sea, and all you need to do is angle for another one.

In the end, an interview can be a fantastic experience – you learn more about others, your shortcomings show up along with your strengths and you come out of the experience mentally tougher. But, this happens only when you observe and absorb the goings-on in every interview and follow proper interview etiquette. So, work on all aspects of an interview and do everything right after the interview.

Here’s wishing you all the luck for all your forthcoming interviews.

About the Author

Seek4Jobs.net is a job search center for all your job informations and needs. Post a resume for free, find a recruiter, find the jobs you want. Find all the informations you need to know about jobs at Seek4Jobs.net.

Take Control of Your Home Environment

People with allergies face the possibility of having a reaction almost everywhere they go. Though we cannot control the environments of other people’s homes, businesses or other public areas, we can make a difference in our own homes. Here are some tips for reducing allergens in your home.

In the Bedroom It is particularly important to clear the sleeping environment of allergens because symptoms tend to worsen at night and may cause an asthmatic to wake up with an asthma attack. * Clean the room of any visible mold. Get behind dressers and furniture, in closets and in corners, where mold may lurk. * Remove anything that may contain material you have not been cleared from by your doctor. Sensitivity testing will reveal which materials you are allergic to. Once you know what to look for find items containing or made up of those materials and remove them from your room (polyester, acrylic, nylon, wool, etc.). * Keep pets out of the bedroom. You may not be allergic to the pets themselves, but all kinds of allergens get trapped in their fur – from dust to other irritants – which are rubbed off on blankets, clothing, carpet, and so on. * Do some spring cleaning. Clean out your closets and dressers and 1) Get rid of anything you haven’t worn in a year; and 2) Wash everything else in an allergen-free detergent – or one that you know does not irritate your skin. This includes sheets and blankets that you know are not made of or contain materials you are allergic to. Clothes should be rinsed twice to thoroughly eliminate any detergent residues.

BioSET practitioners clear patients for common allergens in the bedroom air. First, the person is asked to leave an open jar of water in their bedroom for 24 hours. Then they are cleared for whatever substances are suspended in the water. This technique clears for various gases that may be given off in the bedroom by furniture, fabrics, carpets, and other items that might be difficult to identify individually. The person is also tested and cleared for sensitivities to materials commonly used in bedding, including wool, acrylic, nylon, polyester, and cotton.

Use the process of elimination to identify irritants in your bedroom. Do you have any plants, potpourri, dried flowers or other accessories that could be causing your allergies? Remove the items from your bedroom one at a time for at least three days. If your symptoms subside while that particular item is out of the room; keep it out.

One of the most common allergens that trigger asthmatics is dust mites. It is important to get rid of accumulations of dust. These next few tips are specific to the bedroom, but should be applied throughout the house.

* There should be smooth, uncluttered surfaces in the bedroom, with few small objects like books, knick- knacks, CDs, tapes, or stuffed animals that attract dust (and dust mites). * Bedrooms should not be used as libraries or studies. Dust loves books. * Bedding should be washed weekly in hot water–135 degrees Fahrenheit–to kill dust mites. Cool water just gives them a bath. * Pillows can be encased in non-allergic and non-permeable dust-proof covers, if the person sleeping on them is not sensitive to the material. Otherwise, the cover will do more harm than good. * Avoid feather comforters and pillows, and remove carpeting if possible. * Carpeting is a major hiding place for dust mites. * Avoid wall pennants, macramé hangings, and other dust catchers. * Stuffed toys should be machine washable. * Keep all clothing in a closet with the door closed. * When vacuuming or dusting, be sure to use a dust face mask.

In the Kitchen * Mold grows in refrigerators, particularly around door gaskets, in water pans below self-defrosting refrigerators, and on spoiled foods. * Mold can also grow on garbage, so containers should be emptied and cleaned frequently.

In the Bathroom * Remove excess water from shower doors, tiles, and tubs with a squeegee. * Shower curtains, bath tile, shower stalls, tubs, and toilet tanks should all be washed with mold-preventive solutions. * Do not carpet the bathroom. * Bath sponges and other so-called “spa” items are breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. Use a wash cloth instead and wash it frequently with the laundry.

Chlorine is a common sensitivity for asthmatics, and when present in tap water, the effects are particularly noticeable after a shower. There may be difficulty breathing and a feeling of running out of oxygen. Some asthmatics have found that a chlorine-removing filter on the showerhead helps to prevent this reaction.

Chemicals used in toiletries, from cosmetics to perfume and lotions, are common allergens and irritants for asthma-sufferers. Learning about and using natural soaps and skin care products–as well as natural house-cleaning products–can make a huge and immediate difference in respiratory health and allergy symptoms.

In the Laundry Room and Basement * In the laundry room, vent the dryer outside and dry clothing immediately after washing. * In a basement, do not lay carpet and pads on a concrete floor. Use vinyl flooring instead. * Dirt floors should be covered with a vapor barrier. * Keep the basement free of dust, and remove stored items that are likely to harbor mold. * Sensitive individuals should not have their bedroom on a basement level.

These tips may seem extreme, but for those who suffer from allergies and asthma attacks, making their home environment a cleaner place to live is well worth the time.

If you believe you have allergies and aren’t sure what you are allergic to, or if you believe that your asthma is connected to allergies, see a doctor and be tested for sensitivities. Once you know what causes your allergies, you can take steps to remove those irritants from your home. Until then, you acn follow some of these helpful tips.

About the Author

Dr. Ellen Cutler, DC is the creator of BioSET™, a digestive enzyme replacement program that has been proven to alleviate allergies, asthma, digestive disorders and more. She is a best-selling author and considered America’s only female “all natural” doctor. Visit http://www.BioSET.net or Email drellencutler@bioset.net.