I’m very excited to announce this year’s Sales Mastery Workshop. If you’re not familiar with this event, a limited number of the Engage community and I meet for three intensive days to run through my complete Sales Mastery System and create individual, personalized plans for sales success.

Taking place in Chicago, 19-21 November, it’s a roll-up-your-sleeves workshop that will provide you my latest strategies to selling more than ever before. You can read about the event at www.engageselling.com/mastery.

Because I know know you don’t want to wait till November to discover these strategies for selling more now. That’s why I’m offering you a very special opportunity to access many of the sales strategies that I’ll be revealing at the workshop now with a special no-cost preview!

In this three-part no-cost web class series, you will discover why now is precisely the time when you MUST focus on building your sales – not retreating!

Click Now for this Web Class Series

This week I started running again after 3 weeks off. I injured my back in early May, and took 3 weeks off. When I felt better I hit the open road, ran 5 times in 7 days and hit the gym full steam ahead. With 5 minutes to go in the first workout (and after 80 lunges) my back completely seized. I heard a noise that sounded like “Shrek” spoken out of the side of one’s mouth and collapsed mid squat. Bravely stating, “I don’t think I can do another”.

Turns out I had done too much too soon. Up until June 7th, I have operated on two switches. On and off. There had been no easing back into anything. It was always full steam ahead. I now know that not easing back can be disastrous. So, against my competitive spirit, and Type A personality this week, I started slow. A 16 minute run. Just enough to get back in shape without demoralizing.

I know that many of you are demoralized. Sales markets are tough. I spoke to a gold member yesterday who admitted that after years of president’s club earnings last year he did 40% of quota. I have been reviewing corporate results that are far below expectations, and I know that many clients are behind. The good news is this. You can dig yourself out of the hole by taking responsibility first and taking action next. Start small. Start now. Make 2 calls, or maybe 3. I know the task seems overwhelming. To me, running 5km right now seems overwhelming too. I know that if I do 2km this week I can do 3 the following and 4 the next. Eventually hitting 5km again.

You know that if you make 5 calls this week, you can make 10 the week after and 30 after that. Doing so will ensure you hit target this year. Whether you are $1 million behind or $1 thousand behind the first step is the same. Pick up the phone and call someone.

P.S. Hat’s off to Sean who implemented 1 small suggestion I made in training this week: “Call senior executives after 5:30″.  Sean deliberately waited till 6 PM in his territory to place a call to a CFO   which he’s been trying to contact for years…without success.  Guess what happened? The customer picked up!   He found a $2.8 million project to work on and now has access to this CFO to follow up with for the proposal and presentation.  Imagine that…..I  often get accused of delivering basic information. If you ask me, any idea, basic or not, that can help uncover a $2.8 million dollar opportunity is worth implementing.

Recently I have been receiving many questions about appropriate non verbal communication in sales.  Here are 4 simple ways to improve your sales etiquette, and build trust – leading to more sales – every time you meet a prospect or client face to face.

Dress appropriately. Always dress at least 1 notch above where your client will be dressed. If you are unsure about their corporate culture for attire, it’s never a bad thing to wear a suit. If you find out during your first meeting, that a suit is frowned on, or unnecessary, you can dress differently for the next meeting. None the less, wearing a suit does show that you respect the prospect enough to get dressed up for them. If you are making a formal sales presentation to a group of decision makers, a suit is a must.

Keep your car clean… yes, its part of your non verbal communication and prospect’s notice this. One Engage client – who asked to remain anonymous – has someone from their office go out a visual inspect the car driven in by the sales reps visiting is office His thought is, “if my rep can’t keep his car clean, how can he keep our files in order?” A fair comparison….maybe, maybe not. It’s not for you to decide. It’s the client’s decision to make.

Start and finish the meeting on time. Best yet, be 5 minutes early (both to start and end). Being late will cost you business as it is a LOUD sign of disrespect for other people.

Turn off your cell phone and blackberry. Even better, leave them in your car.  You would think this would be an obvious one yet every week I witness first hand a sales rep whose cell phone goes off during a sales call. Worse yet…some of them answer those calls! The only excuse I allow you to make is if your spouse is in or close to being in labour! If that’s the case be up front with your client or prospect. Tell them flat out “normally I would leave my cell phone off and I hope that you don’t mind if I just put in on vibrate for today’s call. My spouse is due with our first child today….” Being honest and upfront with your client in this situation is fine. You will earn respect for being human. In all other situations….cell phones need to be left in the car

Take notes. Not only is taking notes a best practice for listening, it also shows the client that what they are saying is so important to you, it’s worth writing it down. Clients are impressed with sales people who take notes and generally feel like you care more about their needs than sales people who don’t. In short, note taking builds trust. Trust leads to sales.

Yes these are simple ideas. So are “keep your eyes on the ball” when trying to hit a fast pitch and and “don’t forget to breath” when swimming a freestyle race.  Its often the small simple things that win or cost you a sale, and a relationship.

Dedicated to increasing your sales,

Colleen

Participate in Our Poll!

Participate in the poll and see what other sales professionals are saying. Last newsletter we asked: Have you ever been less than honest with a customer? Here are the results:

• Yes – I’ve bent the truth to try to land the deal: 7%
• Nope – I’ve always been completely forthright, even if it costs me a sale: 50%
• Sort of – I’ve held back or “spun” information that otherwise could jeopordize the sale: 43%

This week, your question is about blogging: Do you or your company have a blog? Vote and see how you compare to the rest of the Engage community…

Cast Your Vote &
Make Your Voice Heard!

I am sensitive to the rigorous schedule all sales people keep when travelling. While I know you must maximize every opportunity on your business trips, I also know that sleep and rest is a key factor of success.

 You need to be well rested to be your best and most creative in front of clients and prospects. If you are not sleeping well, you can’t be well rested. Good sleep hygiene will not only make you a more successful sales person, it will make you healthier too! Sleep fights of depression and helps the body to heal when it’s sick. I know it can be hard to sleep consistently well when you are traveling. Strange hotel rooms, uncomfortable beds, airplane naps, late night dinners and entertaining with restaurant rich food and wine, all discourage sleep. Here are some tips for setting up a healthy – and profitable – sleep schedule.

 1) Set up a solid routine. Organize your schedule as best you can so that you can go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday. This might be hard when traveling. If so at least be regimented at home. Such scheduling will train your body to sleep when you need to and wake up feeling rested.

 2) No Naps! This is a hard one for many – especially our newest employee (and my husband Chris!). Even if you have had a lousy night’s sleep don’t take a nap during the day. Daytime napping makes it harder for you to fall asleep at night. If you must nap, push back your bed time by the equivalent time of your nap.

 3) Dump Distractions: The bedroom should be a place for sleep ( and romance!) only. Put the TV, computer, and radio in the living room because they act as a brain stimulant, not depressant and will keep you awake for hours.

 4) Get out of bed. If you can’t sleep don’t stay in bed and stare at the clock. Instead, move to another room, read a book and go back to bed when you feel sleepy

 5) Travel with ear plugs. If you are in a noisy hotel, blocking out nose with ear plugs will help you sleep. Don’t worry. You can still hear the wake up call!

 6) Make 2 lists. Keep a journal beside your bed and before you sleep. In the first record all your success from the day. Everything you accomplished that you were happy about, no matter how small. If you exercised, that can be a success, if you ate healthy that could be a success. As could a great sale, a recovered customer, hitting your targets. Anything that makes you feels good and proud. The second list is a place for you to write down everything that has to be done the next day. Empty your brain of it’s to do list and get it on paper. Every email that has to be sent, clients you need to call, proposals to write errands to run, family members to call. Everything you can think of. Putting your to do’s on paper will help you to relax and fall asleep. With your brain thinking about all the success you had today, and the thought that everything you need to do is safely on a piece of paper, your peace of mind will allow you to fall asleep quickly, and stay asleep all night.

7) Exercise: A good work out will help you sleep through the night and feel rested the next day

Dedicated to increasing your sales

Colleen