Author Archives: DononSelling

How to handle Price Objections, Part 2

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In part 1 of this post, I included three YouTube videos from sales experts on how they would handle price objections. Below are three more videos to help you.

Victor Antonio, from the Sellinger Group – Sales Coaching and Motivation, argues that customers are so focused on price that they don’t see how badly they need your service or product. Your goal as a salesperson is to create a sense of urgency. He also makes a very good point that using visuals is more effective when trying to convince prospects to buy from you.

Here is his video below –

Scott J. Vail, from The Customer Servant, argues that you need to empathize with clients when they raise price objections and that you need to stress the value of your service or product.

Here is his video below –

Chris Murray, author of The Extremely Successful Salesman’s Club & Selling with Ease, offers his suggestion for handling price objection in his video below –

In part 3 of this post, I will offer my own suggestions and discuss the key takeaways about how to overcome price objections.

How to handle Price Objections, Part 1

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One of the most common objections salespeople hear is about price.

How would you handle price objections? Below I’ve collected some YouTube videos from leading sales experts on how they would handle this objection. I will summarize each video, and in my last post on the topic, I will offer some of my own suggestions and key takeaways from the videos.

Victor Holman, from Lifecycle Performance, outlined 7 suggestions to help you. His suggestions are – Ask thought-provoking questions, discount, change the package, explain your value added, argue your case from the buyer’s perspective, reassure the buyer and deal with the objection later.

Here is his video on YouTube –

Alan Gordon, from the Big Book of Sales, has an excellent two-part series on how to handle price objections. He makes a very good argument that price objections are really buying signals from the client. The client has already made up his mind that he wants to buy the product or service. The real question is does he buy it from you or your competitor. He also argues that it’s the job of your clients to raise price objections and that you need to be prepared with different strategies on how to handle them.

Here are parts 1 and 2 of his videos –

How to increase membership for a non-profit organization

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increasing and retaining membershioI’ve been working as a volunteer for a non-profit organization for writers in the Washington, D.C. area. During my time, I’ve developed a list of ideas to help the organization increase and retain its membership. Among other things, I reviewed more than 20 domestic and international non-profit writing organizations to determine how each group manages their membership. Based on my review and observations, I developed a list of suggestions.

This post will not directly report on my findings. Instead, I will outline below a list of suggestions on how any non-profit organization and retain and increase its membership. Here are my suggestions –

1). Engagement: You need to engage your members and make them feel that they are part of your organization. This can be accomplished through creating committees, sponsoring workshops and seminars, and allowing members to publish articles, white papers and other interesting material on the organization’s website.

2). Create a Discussion Board: By creating a discussion board and allowing members to use it, this will help create a healthy community within your organization. It will allow members to exchange ideas and suggestions. Of course, there needs to be ground rules and someone needs to monitor the discussions.

3). Renewal Notices: Be creative. Send more than one renewal notice. Use colorful envelopes. Maybe put a sticker on the envelope reminding members of the upcoming renewal deadline. I once worked for a publishing company that sent out renewal notices in pink envelopes. Odd? Yes, but effective.

4). Recognition: If a member wins an award, receives a promotion, or publishes a book, send him a handwritten congratulations card. You may also make the announcement on your website and social media outlets (with the member’s permission).

5). Webinars: Present webinars that may interest your members. Or, better yet, have your members conduct webinars.

6). Marketing Content: Provide good marketing content on your website that will attract new members. Make sure the material is downloadable and that you obtain contact information, like names, email addresses, and phone numbers.

7). Ask for Referrals: Hey, if your members like your organization, it doesn’t hurt to ask for referrals.

8). Greeting Cards: Send out generic Greeting cards during the holiday season.

9). Ask for ideas: Create a membership committee made up of some of your members. Use it as a springboard for suggestions on retaining and increasing membership. Invite all members to offer their ideas.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions that you want me to add.

 

A shout-out to Peet’s Coffee & Tea in Silver Spring, MD

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good customer service at Peet's CoffeeWorking in retail or a restaurant can be a tough job. You are on your feet most of the day. You normally have to deal with rude or impolite customers. The hours can be long. And let’s face it, the pay isn’t all that great either.

So I was pleased by how well treated I was at Peet’s Coffee & Tea on East-West Highway in Silver Spring, MD yesterday afternoon. When I stopped by to purchase a cup of coffee, I requested a “regular cup.” The person behind the counter said, “We don’t sell regular coffee, but we do sell amazing coffee.”

Playing along, I said, “Well, in that case, I want an amazing cup of small coffee.”

We both smiled and laughed.

Customer service. Sometimes it’s the small things that matter the most.

A smile here. A joke there. It goes a long way to help you improve your brand, encourage more customers, and ultimately, increase your sales.

If you are ever in Silver Spring, MD, I would encourage you to stop by Peet’s Coffee & Tea. The place will cheer up your day.

photo credit: DSC07149 via photopin (license)

Are you unique enough?

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the power of uniquenessSince starting this blog a month ago and also tying this to a Twitter account, I’ve received 9 requests to purchase Twitter followers.

Now, I’m not going to discuss the ethics or wisdom of purchasing followers. I will save that for a future post. However, today I’m going to discuss the power of uniqueness. You see, all 9 of the Twitter followers making the request are using the same Header Photo from 100kfollowers.net. I’m assuming that if I go through one of the Twitter followers of my account, and purchase Twitter followers, that particular follower will receive some type of payment or commission.

But if you are going to offer a service, shouldn’t you at least be a little unique about it? Shouldn’t you try to stand out of the crowd? I mean, when 9 Twitter followers are using the very same Header Photo slogan “Speed Up Your Twitter Marketing Campaign” and are using the very same pictures of different packages and price offers, it makes me suspicious.  I mean, c’mon. You couldn’t find another picture for your Header Photo to make you stand out – even a little?!? What is going to inspire me from purchasing followers from one follower vs. another follower? Nothing.

And that’s where the power of uniqueness comes into play. Many vendors sell or closely sell the same types of products or services. But to make yourself stand out and generate more sales, you need to show uniqueness – at least in the eyes of the consumer. Do you want to buy a suit from Walmart or Brooks Brothers? It depends on your taste and budget. Both retailers have a unique brand that caters to a different market. Walmart is going after the discount crowd while Brook Brothers is going after the fashionable crowd. Who’s right? Both are – because each knows their own market and are going after different consumers.

And really, when you think about it, that’s what branding is all about. It’s about being unique – making yourself look different from your competitors who may sell or closely sell what you are offering.

So the next time you want to sell followers on Twitter – be a little unique. It may go a long way of helping you make more money.

The courage to sell

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the courage to sellFor most of us who have been selling for a long time, it’s almost second nature to us. We don’t even think about it when we make cold calls, or give a presentation or conduct a webinar. You just do it. It’s part of the job.

But take a step back. Do you remember that first cold call you made? Do you remember the first time you stood at an exhibit booth waiting for prospects to walk up to you and ask questions?

How did you feel? Nervous as hell.

Think about for a minute. It takes courage to pick up the phone and call strangers. It takes courage to knock on the doors of strangers. It takes courage to stand at an exhibit booth at a trade show and talk to strangers. I know some people who would rather be unemployed than go into sales. Next, to death and public speaking, selling is probably ranked up there as one of the top things that people are scared of the most. I know one newly hired salesperson who was humiliated by a negative response he received while speaking to a prospect over the phone. It was his first call to a prospect at the company. For the next couple of hours, he didn’t make any more calls. Noon rolled around and he went out to lunch and never returned to work. He didn’t even call his manager and tell her he was quitting. The salesman just disappeared!

And let’s be honest here. Sales professionals are not the most popular people in the world. How many times have you hung up on a telemarketer? How many times have you been interrupted by cold calls from salespeople at work? When you are sitting on a plane and someone next to you says he sells insurance, do you quickly look out of the window and stare at the wing for the rest of the flight? When you see someone standing on a street corner asking for donations for a charity or selling products, do you avoid eye contact and quickly walk away? And don’t you love having a salesperson knocking on your door on a Saturday morning asking if you need energy-efficient windows?

While many of us may love our jobs and the companies we work for, sales professionals are not always…well, treated professionally. In fact, some of us don’t even want to admit that we are sales professionals. We use euphemisms like “consultant” or “account manager.” Or we quickly change the subject. I actually received an email from a contact on LinkedIn who praised me for calling myself a “sales professional” in my job title. He wrote “Nice to see someone with sales still in the title. Also nice to see it teamed with professional. Too many Account Directors or Category Advisors out there. We are all salespeople and some are professionals.”

Be proud you are a sales professional. Because if nothing else, it takes courage to be one.