The Sales Leader Blog

Take a stab at today’s sales quiz to test your sales savvy!

We’ve all seen them. And lately, I’ve begun reacting to them. The website testimonials that are supposed to say everything about the products and services they recommend, but really end up saying nothing.

If you are a meetings industry supplier, your website should feature a collection of testimonials from past clients who are happy to tell the world what a great job they saw you do on your last conference or meeting. But if a testimonial lacks a basic level of social proof, it does more harm than good.

Consumer Internet investor Aileen Lee defines social proof as “the positive influence created when someone finds out that others are doing something.” Although that explanation is pretty general, the power of social proof is in the specifics:

•  Does the testimonial just say that you’re fabulous, or does it say why?
•  Does it just lay out what you did, or describe the specific return the client received on his or her investment in your product or service?
• Is the information in the testimonial qualitative, quantitative, or a bit of both?
• At its most basic…does the testimonial include the name and affiliation of the person who provided it?

I’ve seen too many websites with inspiring product offers, gorgeous video, and testimonials to the effect that “you guys really came through for us,” attributed to a “major software company.” Testimonial Director is a service that has templated the fine process of collecting testimonials efficiently and making sure they contain the appropriate information. (Their website is also a great example of testimonials done well.) In a special report (see bottom of their home page; sign-up required), the company identified “recommendations from people known” as the best tool for building consumer trust through advertising channels.

In an age when LinkedIn makes it easier than ever to give testimonials, it’s never been more important to get this right. When you’re asked for a referral, remember that a proper business-to-business testimonial provides just the facts—what the vendor did, and why it mattered. It refers only to your direct experience, based on qualities and behaviours you’ve observed directly, and it tells the story as fully and clearly as possible.

Some hotels, CVBs and other hospitality and meetings industry organization have told me they don’t want to name clients, for fear that competitors will go after an important source of business. Baloney, I say. If your testimonial sources are that fragile, you may not want to quote them in the first place.

Your business objective with any contract is to leave the client so thoroughly delighted that they would never think of looking elsewhere—and that’s the story you want every testimonial to tell. That’s why I love ads for the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, who name and even show a picture of their clients with their testimonial!

- Re Posted with with permission from Doreen Ashton-Wagner of Greenfield Services

I spoke to a start up company today. The company is less than 6 months in business and one sales rep was hired originally in marketing. She was moved to sales last month because the founder felt she was good at building rapport.The other rep was hired in sales last month. No sales have been made to date.

They expect:

• 100 outbound calls a day
• Sales closed from cold call to contract signed in 5 days. Each of $25,000 or more
• The reps to find their own leads and enter them into the CRM
• The reps to develop their own sales plans
• Each to pay for their own training

In addition, they have changed each territory 3 times in 4 weeks and gave the Latin American territory to a non Spanish speaker in marketing when one sales rep speaks fluent Spanish.

The owner of the business claims that he has grown multiple companies and knows what it takes to sell. He interrupts the team every hour to ask :what have your closed, what demos have you booked. He is not interested in changing his ways, or developing a sales structure and culture.

Can they succeed or should they quit? What would your prescription be?

Take today’s sales quiz and see how sales savvy you are!

Looking back on February I am officially dubbing it professional development month! I was on the road almost every week this month, delivering workshops. The one week off from client work I spent in professional development of my own in Miami. If I’m going to teach, I’m going to be a student after all.

I love it when our clients are active like this working on their sales skills. And in February I was lucky enough to see some of the most extreme examples of where our clients sell.

From the 22 million people and high luxury of Shanghai at the Jumheria hotel, to the Yogo Inn in Lewistown where my drive into the workshop was delayed by deer crossing, a cattle drive and some of the most beautiful scenery in North America. Not to mention more deer crossings, a bald eagle sighting, and a gun shop name Butts, on the way back to Billings that night!

Regardless of their location and the product sold, Engage clients have 3 things in common: 1. A willingness to learn and implement new ideas, 2. Belief that they can always be better, and more productive, and 3. A desire to change or reinvent themselves and their sales processes to address the new needs of their clients.

It’s no wonder that the team in Lewistown and the team in Shanghai are in the top 5% worldwide of their respective industries.

What are you willing to do differently this year to get a better result?

Dedicated to increasing your sales,