About Face

Let’s pretend you are just like this handsome dude in the picture; a guy, single, and in a bar. And it’s 80’s night.

Your name, as always and of course is…Rock Ledger. (Just go with me on this – my blog, my rules).

Even though you are still a certified Sales legend, these are not Good Times in the romance department.

Things are so bad that one woman said “No” to a date with you, even after you handed her 2 concert tickets, promised you wouldn’t bother to show up and that you’d never contact her again.

You don’t understand what’s happened to you! You have never had these kinds of problems in the singles scene before. Heck, your buddies named you years ago, “The Other Rock Legend”. Maybe you’re in a rut. Maybe the world is changing and your approach has to be different. Maybe it’s just a run of bad luck. Real bad luck.

Despite the cool Tears for Fears music, you’ve had it. You get up to leave. But then..…

…….She ……slowly…..walks…..by………

She is stunning. She is more than stunning…… she is amazing.

She actually turns around ……………….and looks at you.

You realize your mouth is awkwardly agape as you bask in the awesomeness of her beauty. So you snap it shut, straighten up and give her The Look. (The Look of course, was invented by you back in the day. It’s the one in which the left eyebrow arches, the head bobs with a half smile that says, “Hi there, I am Rock Ledger, and you deserve me).

It worked! She starts to walk over to you.

Good Times are back.

Her name is Cassandra and well; you are feeling good so you’ll spring for something special. You motion to Marty that you’re moving “uptown” now and will pass on the normal Bud Lite cuz’ for the lady, only Bud Lime will do.

“You are so beautiful” you tell her. And she is. “You’re so beautiful that you don’t even need much make-up”. You can feel you are getting your groove back now. She smiles sweetly and takes a sip of her Bud Lime.

You are a romantic guy so you keep on with the sweet talk. “Not much make-up at all Cassandra.” She smiles again. You know it’s a great move to get her to talk about herself, so you ask a good one. “Are you happy with the way your face looks now?”

“Excuse me?” she says.

You reply “No, what I’m saying is I’ve seen a lot of other women ….do like a whole total makeover thing on their faces and even look more beautiful than ever.”

“Are you talking about my FACE!” she cries. “What is wrong with my FACE?!” a little louder.

You’re thinking maybe you are in a little trouble but this is the best you’ve done in a while so you keep on keeping on.

“Cassandra, your face is beautiful. I bet everyone loves your face and knows your face, but you have had that look for a long time. I think I have a few good ideas you might like if you want to you know, freshen it up a little bit.”

She stares at you.

Yep. You suspect that now you are in fact, still in a rut. Deep in a rut.

Cassandra slams her Bud Lime bottle on top of yours and as that explodes all over you and the bar, she takes the rest of her bottle and dumps it on your head.

Good Times no more.

*******

I needn’t beat you over the head with the lesson we learned at the bar today. So I’ll keep it brief.

Cassandra has a face and a business has face. And both are things you as sales people, consultants and advisors need to be very careful about.

That face is very important to a business owner, especially if that business is small to medium sized. Be it the logo, the website, the facebook or LinkedIn page, the storefront, brand promise, the status in the community, the unique services they provide or the colors, the cars, or even the style of the owner- it’s all a crital “face” of the business.

And it can be that personal.

If you are in the business of helping businesses get better and or change; be careful how you go about messing with the “face” of that business.

Small business owners in particular are a prideful ego-laden bunch. You can’t talk like Rock Ledger did here (yes that picture is really me, but the nickname..not so much) and suggest tactlessly a business makeover, a switch in strategy or revamp of their websites or marketing plans – whether you’re a marketing consultant, a printer or software salesperson. If you do, trouble might brew (pun intended :)).

Whenever you foster change a business, especially a smaller one, you can be changing that “face” of the client. Be smart about it. Do it wrong and it can go very wrong. It’s not taboo – It’s just different.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Love

I’ve gotten a lot of good natured ribbing lately about the word “Love”.

Yeah, I helped the talented staff here and designed a short training a couple of weeks back around a particular sales effort. I recommended that salespeople use the word “love” in voicemails and conversations they have with folks.

Darn proud of it I am. It’s good thinking. Heard we got some sales rollin’ in too.

You don’t like the idea? Feels uncomfortable for you? Too bad. You are missing the point.

It’s not the word “love” that matters as much as what that type of word does.

You have a choice. Do you want to sound like every other Sales or Account Rep calling or leaving voicemails for clients and prospects or do you want to be different?

Do you want to be the 11^th voicemail the small business owner picks up that is not a needed customer, or their accountant, or a family member but instead is a sales rep (you) and pray that your brochure-like language gets an inkling of attention? Or do you want to be memorable?

In Voicemail your biggest obstacle isn’t how you deliver your value, or how you position your offer or if you can sound credible – it’s the dang Delete button.

You bore and you are no more.

A word like “Love” in a voice mail or in the first minute of a conversation as in “We sent you a coupon for this because we love you” makes wonderful sense when you are calling on customers with any tenure to your organization. A word like “Love” as in “I love what you are doing, opening a new business- that is exciting” when working with prospects will surely get attention.

Still feels awkward? It just doesn’t feel right still?

Find a way. You are still missing the point.

“Love” and words very much like it, engage something wonderful in a customer or prospect. They don’t expect to hear that and in one word, it signals uniquely what you think of them – which is impossible to go unnoticed. No other vendor, sales rep or partner leaves words like “love” on a voicemail today let alone in a conversation. And maybe, just maybe if you do this – that customer or prospect will perk their ears up, listen to the rest of the message and who knows, write your number down and call you back.

So whether the word is “love” or “adore” or “cherish”, each will get attention. And it sets you apart in a memorable, wonderful way that will get you far more business than if you sound like everyone else.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Friday Reprise

Dear Reader,

This blog is a youngin’ (a mere 10 months old) with about 100 posts. Thank you for visiting today and whenever you do. I write not for me you know. (Well writing really helps me think so that is a bit of a lie)

What strikes folks about posts on sales,marketing, training or just life? I took a look at the stats last night.

Here are the 5 most popular blogs in order based on page views so far. You might know them.

5 Oddly Wonderful Things to Say to Customers

6 Questions Never to Ask a Customer

Still The Luckiest Man in the World

Treat Your Boss Well

You Had Me at Hello (and then you just let me go)

What does it say that these are the most popular posts so far? To me is says that obviously a post has to catch the eye of (and this is the essence of social media) someone who is both influential (lots of followers, subscribers etc) and cares to recommend and share – but that in general; people like short, valuable and interesting content written in a way that is perhaps a little different or unexpected and that on occasion, moves you a little bit or makes you think.

Shocker eh?

That’s a darn good recipe for a bunch of stuff like selling andmarketing and training too.

Only wish I could do that every time I post. Enjoy!

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Bueller

Everyone knows the movie scene. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is not present in the classroom while the unknowing and charismatically challenged teacher (Ben Stein) drones “Bueller?… Bueller?…. Bueller?….”. Funny.

25 years later, some folks (including me) use the phrase with very present people when there is.…. no response. In some meetings and trainings, questions are never asked and comments are never made – it’s just silent. And “Bueller?..Bueller?…” is a means to get some response. Funny.

Sometimes.

But really, if you have to Bueller when people are present, don’t you have or are you, a problem?

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

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Mondays are busy. All posts are 100 words or less.

How To Avoid Being an HR ( and Customer) Nightmare

Am I an HR Nightmare? You decide.

Imagine that you and I just ran into each other in the street. We’ve never met before.

I smile and ask, “Excuse me Miss, may I take your hand?” or I smile and ask “You are simply gorgeous, have you ever been a model?” or I smile and I ask “Your place or mine?”

Well? Am I an HR Nightmare?

Before real HR personnel here race down the hall and escort me out of this building, let me explain why I ask. There is a lesson here.

First I understand a majority of you (OK, all of you), would have been appalled and/or frightened if any of the vignettes really happened. “Hell no!”, “Get away from me!” and “Police!!” would likely be the vitriol lobbied at me.

But let’s change the vignettes just a wee bit.

Imagine that you and I just ran into each other in the street. We’ve never met before.

I smile and say “Excuse me, I am a doctor and you don’t look well, may I take your hand?” or I smile and say “I am with Martin & Stevens modeling right here in Boston. You are gorgeous, have you ever been a model?” Or I smile and say “I am Detective McCarthy with Boston PD and I need to ask you a few questions – your place or mine?”

You get it now. Makes a little more sense.

But while I may not be a true HR nightmare; some of us are Customer or Prospect Nightmares.

Within moments of meeting customers or prospects, whether they call us or we call on them, some of us ask questions we have not yet earned the right to ask. We ask questions like “How’s business?” or “How do you market your business?” or “What challenges do you face?” Or “What are the goals?”

And shockingly we often don’t take the time to drop the necessary credibility first. We never proclaim our being a doctor, an agent or a police officer so to speak and hence we create a whole lot of tension, confusion or even anger.

Tension, confusion or anger by the way, stops the sales process dead in its tracks.

In a perfect sales world we have the credibility, trust and time already invested and would be able to ask these questions without worry of how a customer or prospect might feel or respond.

But we don’t live in a perfect sales world and yet still need information from our clients. So when that phone rings or we make that cold call we ask and ask away, sometimes to our detriment.

Here is a surefire simple way to avoid being a Customer Nightmare (Sorry really can’t help you if you are an HR Nightmare) and improve your chances of getting good questions answered.

Preface It: If you want to ask “How’s business going?” of a small business owner seconds after meeting them – Preface It with “I’m hearing a lot of things from my retailers lately, but how’s business going with you?” Here your experience with other like customers (retailers) earns you street cred and reduces risk of posing a question that might be considered an affront so early on. It also piques interest that you may know something of value; which can help you avoid getting booted out the door or off the phone sooner than you’d like.

Preface It is a simple formula: Any variation of Your Experience + Teaser + Customer’s line of business = one heck of an assist to get a good question answered.

Have at it.

(Next time, I’ll share another tip you can button right on to this one that will greatly enhance your effort to discover well with your customers and prospects).

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Cool Sheep

Google’s +1 (plus one) launched last week. It’s flattering proof once again that what your network likes is a vital influence in your decision to buy something.

We are sheep – albeit the smartest, coolest and most innovative sheep ever. And we largely act and buy because of what we see other people like us do or recommend.

No influence in the history of the world is more powerful. None.

Advertisers know it. You must know it. Strive always to share and show the cool sheep what is so liked about you and your product – all their friends are watching.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

****

Mondays are busy. All posts are 100 words or less.

QVZ

I suspect some of you are like me.

And I bet like me, you would hate it if you started seeing highway signs with just three letters – “QVZ”.

Let me explain.

On Sunday, my wife and I decided (along with the two 13 year olds in the back seat who somehow pried the Ipods and Iphones from their cold cramped hands), to play that classic Alphabet game you play while driving. Don’t think too deep; it’s a long ride. But the game is Old School. Good Times.

20 minutes into the game, one of the recently minted teenagers, (perhaps cranky not used to keeping his head held level for any extended length of time) exclaimed “I wish there was a sign with all the hard letters!”

Really?

What fun would that be? Where’s the challenge in the alphabet game if the three toughest letters to find (Q, V & Z) are just given to you? What mini thrill, what little adrenaline rush would that be? None is the answer. And what good is that?

People like us enjoy the “thrill” of getting through that alphabet before we get to our destination or we …..LOSE. We like to look hard, fast, wide and crazy** trying to find what we are looking for.

People like us set little challenges, little goals, little obstacles in front of us just to see if we can get it done and….WIN.

People like us do this at work too. We challenge ourselves to make 30 calls before 11:30, to not leave work until those three competitor sites are reviewed, to spend 3 hours on the floor coaching cuz’ that is what we woke up with as goal for today and today only.

People like us add an initiative to our list that must be done in a week not because it’s been asked of us, but because we want to challenge ourselves in a good way.

It’s a bit of game for us; these mini challenges. And when we succeed it’s a rush – perhaps even addictive. If it’s not something you’ve tried before, I encourage you to give it a whirl.

And I promise there’ll be no highway signs with the answers to ruin it for you.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

** Last year, with the same two kids in the car (pre- teens then at 12) we played that alphabet game. We played to win. We got to “Q” and found nothing (alas, no QVZ highway signs) and with just 6 miles left before home we, ( as you would expect), pulled into a handy cemetery to find our “Q”.

News Flash: – Meeting House Hill Cemetery in Dunstable, MA has apparently no Quinns, McQuaids, Quimbys or any other such souls with a darn Q in their name. Not one. We rolled and wound our way peering and craning to look at hundreds if not thousands of headstones and yet no Q was found.

Darkness loomed, we left depressed and slowly headed towards home with irises wide straining to see anything that might have a Q. 200 yards beyond the entrance to the cemetery on the left stood an old house with a little lit sign that read “Antiques Sold Here”. Hurrah! We got our Q and the remaining 9 letters (V and Z were shockingly easy finds license plates that night). Victory!

Kidnapped

I realize now I never told him what we were doing and why we were doing it in any real detail. It just needed to get done.

I was busy, so he needed to be busy. I just told him to get in the car with not much more than a “We gotta go!”

We went to Lowe’s. We went to get him a haircut. We went to the grocery store.

Finally on our way to a fourth destination he said, “Am I not a real person here? Don’t I matter? Where are we going!!? ”

I realized then that I had essentially kidnapped my 12 year old son.

The problem is “Kidnapper” was not on my bucket list. And a bigger problem might be that it happens in business more than we think.

During the kidnapping, my child felt anxious about where we were going. He felt anxious about not being able to influence where we were going. He felt anxious about not having any control of the situation. And he felt anxious that he’s as the mercy of his captor (me) who is not talking too much.

In hindsight, I think that if I offered more in guidance, direction or real or perceived collaboration about these errands, he would have felt a lot more comfortable and would have been engaged in helping me get everything done.

In foresight, I wonder if we as leaders or account executives or customer service reps unintentionally “kidnap” our employees or customers at times. I wonder if we unintentionally kidnap these folks in a major way for as long as weeks or months or in a mini way for as little as hours or minutes. Either way, kidnapping is a problem.

I wonder in the rush to get the message out, the order placed, the demo done or that call completed if we aren’t always so clear enough about where we are going and why we are going there.

I wonder if we aren’t open minded enough about being influenced or sharing some control along the way in these and other situations. I wonder if we don’t realize that our charges or customers feel as if they are at times, at our mercy.

What I don’t wonder about is this; If there is anxiousness about where, why or about influence or control, then employees and customers just stop. Stop listening, stop caring and in the worst case, stop attaching themselves to you.

In the end, ask yourself if you’ve ever heard or sensed iterations of my son’s words to me on Saturday from an employee or customer. “Do I matter? Where are we going!? ” If the answer is yes then check the kidnapping skills at the door.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Forgetting How Wonderful

It’s funny that we sometimes forget how wonderful the customer is.

Well it’s not really funny.

I know we forget though because we often don’t think twice about using words and phrases like “There are calls in queue” or “How many leads did I get?” or “How many where’s my order calls” did we get last month?”

These are our customers and prospects folks. These are the wonderful people that help you and me feed our kids, or pay for our medicines or spring for our steak tips or allow you to even think about marrying your girlfriend this summer.

These customers are wonderful. You know that. I know that. But we forget.

It’s not that we are short sighted, selfish or stupid.

It’s that we get caught up in systems and keyboards and processes and meetings and incentives and what’s on the lunch menus and inexplicably forget that the customer really is wonderful.

When that phone rings, 20 people should be leaping over walls to answer it.

When that customer decides not to leave us, there should be cheers heard loud across the floor.

When that voicemail light comes on, or that mail piles up, or those calls come in fast and furious- they are customers and there should be wondrous smiles and joy all around, not sighs.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

[100 Words or Less] Persuasion

You’ve got a way of persuading. What is it?

Persuasion is crucial to your success. Can you articulate and write down that process? Is your way the same for customers as it is with colleagues? Is your way the same for your boss or with your family?

What pray tell, is your way?

If you don’t know, you can’t fix it when it’s broken or when the world changes around you. If you don’t know it, you can’t influence, lead, close or help in any consistent way. Persuasion for the best, isn’t by feel, luck or hope.

It’s known.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Mondays are busy enough. Any Monday post is 100 words or less.

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