Entries from May 2008
How often do you ask total strangers to give you money?
Ever try to pry a few dollars from Dad’s grip without a reasonable explanation?
Want to learn the secret to influencing people? Here’s how:
BE RELEVANT. BE SPECIFIC. DISTURB COMPLACENCY
No matter how compelling the message, some people just won’t be receptive. In the sales world we like to say that ‘You can’t sell stupid’. However most people want to know how to better their situation and just need to be shaken out of their mental slumber.
Drive into your average suburban strip mall and take a look at the variety of businesses renting space. This week I visited one in Palatine, IL that housed a dog groomer, hair studio, tanning salon, dentist, realtor, and everyone’s favorite…the liquor store. I brought a young saleswoman with me for a little experiment: could we score an appointment with each business owner?
First up, the dog groomer. Shannon, the rookie sales rep, asked the lady if she was interested in gaining more customers from the local area by advertising with her company. WHAMMY! The lady barked a hearty, ‘NOT INTERESTED!’. Strike one.
Next up we entered the hair studio and I asked the woman I presumed to be the owner if they cut and styled men’s hair. ’Why yes we do’ she said. What about manicures and pedicures? ’Yep, those too.’ I told her my wife love a manicure to treat herself now and then and asked what her web address was. ‘Well, we’re revamping it at the moment but let me write down the address for you’. I told her 96% of women like my wife won’t even set foot in a hair studio if they can’t find the service they need online. She looked floored and asked me how I knew that. At that point I let her know my friend Shannon was a Local Internet Marketing Specialist, said she would be happy to give her a few ideas for improving both the website and the number of customers who spent money with her each month, and asked if Wednesday or Thursday would be the best time to come in for another visit. New appointment set for Wednesday at 8:30 am. Score!
Start talking their language, learn what topics, stats, and real life issues your customers, associates, and friends are most interested in. And remember, the most sweet music in the universe to each person is the sound of their own name.
To Your Success,
Joe
Categories: Professional Development · relationships
Tagged: success, college graduate, Advice, sales, selling, no solicitors, google page rank, disturb complacency, new salesperson, sales tips, sales advice, find new customers, be specific, make money, make money selling, influence, influencing people, how to influence people, suburban strip mall, inexperience, need money, need a job, finding a job after college, jobs in palatine, il, palatine, indiana jones, palatine liquor store, local search il, local search, how to sell more, how to succeed, avoid failure, defeat failure, stop losing, successful salespeople
When you’re in the cereal aisle do you instinctively reach for the Cheerios over the knock off brand? How many times do you pour a cup of Tide into the laundry instead of a less expensive alternative? You may not drive a Mercedes or BMW, but I’m willing to bet you ’splurge’ on Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, Oreo cookies, Evian water, or something else you are deeply attached to.
Behold to power of the brand. Advertisers like Proctor & Gamble spend BILLIONS of dollars each quarter painting a picture, creating an image of their product for you to perceive in a favorable light. You see it, you buy it…no deep thought necessary, the brand is burned into your subconscious.
Let’s take this a step further beyond coffee and donuts to the ultimate brand: YOU! You and I are brands, reflecting whatever passions, opinions, desires, and abilities we possess. Read the news this morning? George McGovern, former Senator from South Dakota and presidential candidate, endorsed Hillary Clinton’s brand early in her campaign. He explained his decision by stating, “We have an old rule of courtesy in the United States: Ladies first.”
Today Ol’ George reversed course. No more ‘ladies first’. Call me cynical, materialistic, or any other name in the book, I will tell you what no one else has the guts to: McGovern is a choosy shopper who decided to buy the more popular brand. He wants the Tide, not the store brand. Obama has the momentum and McG wants to be part of the winning team.
How can this help you? Think…1…2…3…go! Call business associates, colleaugues, and friends for business lunches and brainstorming sessions. Be a leader. Hell, even if you’re sheepish the appearance of confidence will do the trick. Soon enough you’ll be truly confident enough to expand your brand. Write a blog, a business plan, a course for the future, and create a brand for yourself that people want to be a part of. Ask how, send a comment, and I’ll be happy to show you some ideas.
Your brand is waiting to be built. Maybe someday Senators and CEO’s will jump on to your ‘brand bandwagon’!
To your success,
Joe
Categories: Professional Development · networking · relationships
Tagged: big brands, brand awareness, brand build, brand success, brand you, building your brand, cheerios, clinton indiana, Dunkin' Donuts, George McGovern, McGovern Clinton, McGovern endorses Obama, McGovern Obama, obama north carolina, oreo, oreo cookies, Tide
Yes, I said it, you may be selling out at less than fair market value!
Think about it, if Nick Cannon can score a marriage to Mariah Carey, why can’t you move up the chain of command on your own terms without relying on kissing up to your potato butt boss-man? You can, here’s why:
1. You are the economic engine behind every successful company — unless you make the coffee.
How many times have you visited Barnes & Noble, Borders, or a similar big box bookstore with an employee who can describe books deliciously, recommend reading that matches your taste wonderfully, and pin down the book you have been desperately searching for in the blink of an eye? What are the odds this person publishes a blog, heads up a writing class, or is looking for creative ways to enjoy low/no taxed income? More than likely they are slaving for money that is washed through the tax machine more times than Robert Downey, Jr. has been arrested for drug possession.
2. Get up, Stand up, Plus Up!
Baby steps kids… next time payday comes around check out how much is going to taxes, how many hours you needed to work t achieve it (including how many hours you worry about work, think about work, or discuss work) and divide that by how much came to you after taxes. Whoa, don’t jump, just know there’s more out there. Ask me how. Here’s a quick idea: write down what you love, hate, want to know more about, know quite a bit about, and write in a free flowing, non editing style. Put pen to paper and generate ‘content’, now you have a product or idea to center an income generating business with that will not be taxed through that nasty washing machine.
To Your Success,
Joe
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: bad bosses, broad street run, busy people, busypeople, eliminate high tax, fair market value, high taxes, how to live like mariah carey, how to make more money, how to quit your day job, how to succeed in business, how to win at work, how to write a blog, how to write content, how to write for money, Iron Man, lower my taxes, Mariah Carey, Mariah Carey Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey Wedding, Nick Cannon, Nick Cannon Wedding, Robert Downey Jr., rock star weddings, tax savings
