Packers Fans are the Best Salespeople I Know

Happy Football Season!  Time for hooded sweatshirts, crockpots, and all day football Sundays.  It’s fair to say football fans are about as enthusiastic as they come.  Nothing reminds me more of this universal truth than my first Packers game - I was SOLD. 

A home game at Lambeau Field is an intoxicating experience, figuratively (and for some literally).  Those people are PASSIONATE.   I’d heard stories of lore about the frozen tundra, and seeing is believing.  But at Lambeau – EXPERIENCING, is believing.  The hours of traditional tailgating beforehand, the fans dressed up in dark green and gold football costumes & headdress, singing fight songs, the buzz of energy before kick-off…it was electric.  As a Chicagoan, I know it’s bad to say…but I walked away a fan.  They made me BELIEVE in the team, the town, the cause. 

Now can you imagine, walking out of a meeting with a prospect, and they feel like that?!  They become a fan?!  Impossible?  Perhaps, but how can we work toward that level of fandom?  It’s my view that not only do you need to share your excitement about why you can help them, you must also be open and willing to learn about why they’re excited about their work and fixing whatever problem they may be having. 

So, first off – seek first to understand, then to be understood.  Ask good questions - understand why you’re there.  What does success look like for them?  How is the current way of doing business not cutting it?  How will doing things differently improve their situation?  Was there a tipping point that prompted this meeting?  If you understand their “why”, chances are you can strike a common chord and empathize.  Everyone, including you, at one point or another, has tried to save money or be more efficient or just plain be BETTER.  By practicing empathy, you can in turn get excited about supporting them in realizing their definition of success.       

The second key?  Understand why you are there; this time, by “there”, I mean in your job.  What aspect of your job do you get excited about?  How does your widget help people?  What do you love about what you do?  And the biggest question – why do you do what you do?  If you can eloquently share and elaborate that with your potential customers, you’ll be two steps ahead of everyone else.  I encourage you to watch this great video by Simon Sinek (at least the first half) to explore this idea fully and help discover your WHY. (Side note - if you're not aligned with that WHY, start looking elsewhere)    

So, REMEMBER - sales is a transfer of ENTHUSIASM.  Sure, 72,928 impassioned fans behind you at your next meeting would help, but you don’t have that luxury.  Instead, practice and understand the above principles, combine it with a confident smile and positive body language, and you’re on your way to winning very enthusiastic fans.

Whoa, Whoa Buddy…You’re in the Wrong Place.

I had just gotten back from two weeks of corporate training and I was pumped up.  I had booked eight prospect appointments for that 1^st week in the turf and was ready to take all of them through the six steps of the sale.

Monday afternoon, looking polished in my new suit & tie, I had my first prospect call – Jerry’s Diner.  It was just after the lunch rush and I slid into the faded green booth across from the owner.  I gave him my card, and attempted to ‘build rapport’ (step 1), making polite chit-chat about how long they had been in business.  I then set an agenda (step 2), and off I went into my memorized company overview (step 3) – excitedly telling him how we’re the largest, oldest, most well-respected company in the industry, 600,000 clients can’t be wrong, etc, etc…

Before I could begin he ended it by raising his hand toward me and saying, “Whoa, whoa buddy... you’re in the wrong place.  Thanks for stopping by.”  Without a handshake or second thought he was back in the kitchen and I was alone in the booth.

I got two big lessons my first day out…

Understand your audience – meeting with the owner or office manager?  Top 50 law firm or Jerry’s Diner?  Before you step into their door you better know how to be dressed and the questions you’d like to ask.  Seek understanding on their:

·         Website – is it crisp & new, or was it built in 1996?  Shows you their image and positioning in the marketplace, if they value technology, and their history.

·         LinkedIn – what associations are they active in?  Hobbies?  Where did they go to college?  Find a common thread and think about what motivates them.  Conversely, maybe they don’t share much on LinkedIn or any social media platform – chances are they’re going to hold things a bit closer to the chest.

·         Obvious Clues – type of industry, their job title, how you got in (referral or call call?), “About Us” section of website.

Adapt your style & rhythm.  Every conversation has a pulse to it; a cadence.  Your job is to create flow, which helps display competence and builds a foundation of trust.  Matching your prospects energy & intensity level is a good start.  If you can tell they’re more reserved, don’t be pushy.  Energetic & Fun?  Show them your biggest smile.  Do they expand on questions & ideas, or do they seem like they need to be somewhere else in 5 minutes?  With your questions in hand, prioritize and don’t interrogate.  Use phrases like Really?, Tell me more…, No kidding?, How do you mean? to encourage people to share.    

Don’t be afraid if the topics & questions wander a little – as they say, you never know where the conversation may go (hopefully toward a 2^nd meeting).  Understanding your audience & adapting your rhythm will develop your sense of empathy and help you better connect with people during those first crucial steps of the business cycle.  In the end, seek first to understand, then to be understood.      

 

Perhaps in another post I’ll get to those last three steps.  Until then, happy selling!

May 2013 Update

Good afternoon – happy sunny Tuesday! 

 

Hello again to my friends, colleagues, clients, and business partners.  I am very fortunate to be out every day networking with an eclectic group of people.  I’m always interested to hear about what others are reading about, listening to, watching, or just flat-out DOING. 

With that in mind, this monthly digest (and now my TWITTER account) shares the latest Chicagoland findings, music I’ve enjoyed, new ideas I’ve been exposed to, the latest in the world of Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group, as well as other things that may be of interest to you or someone you know.  Thank you for your recommendations and thoughts, as well as taking time out to enjoy it.

While I enjoyed the Cubs rooftop game last night, I hope it’s the last time I have to wear a stocking cap for a while.  This upcoming flip-flop weather is the reason we all live in Chicagoland and I intend to take advantage this summer more than ever.  This (3 minute) TED talk has inspired me to get out of the Starbucks and Corner Bakeries for meetings and get out enjoying our beautiful city.  I hope many of my appointments the next few months are outdoors and active!   

Featured Charity

The Holiday Heroes Foundation’s mission is to visit hospitals for a number of holidays including; V-Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, T-giving, and Christmas/Chanukah. During those holidays, they attempt to recreate the spirit of each holiday in hospital wings all across the nation by throwing a party and giving out gift cards to the children.  Professional Athletes past and present have also been involved with Holiday Heroes’ events and hospital visits. Their annual fundraising event is on Thursday, June 6^th from 6-9PM at Quay Restaurant & Bar downtown.  TOM THAYER – FERGIE JENKINS – DESMOND CLARK - TED ALBRECHT and more sports celebrities will be socializing with guests attending this exciting, casino-themed event!  SOX, BEARS, CUBS - Unique and Exciting Live and Silent Auction Items!  Great networking opportunity – clients, prospects, friends, spouses, etc.  TICKETS HERE.  (Early Bird Rate: $100.00 if purchased TODAY!  General Admission: $150.00 if purchased after 5/15/13).

Featured Business Partner

Legalshield – this unique, affordable employee perk/benefit is something to consider as health insurance confusion and rates rise.  Plus, LegalShield takes the stress and strain of legal issues off your employees’ shoulders and puts their focus back at work, where it belongs.  These plans are designed to meet the most common legal needs encountered by employees and their families.

Human Resources & Business

• Does your company offer a 401K plan?  Do you take advantage and get good guidance?  Read the points on this brief article and start saving!  Those in the financial services arena, I’m curious to hear thoughts/feedback.   

Precision Payroll & Sales Empowerment Group

• Precision Payroll – many companies are struggling with proper time & labor solutions.  Accurately tracking hours, over-time, projects, and client costs can be challenging.  We get rid of the labor-intensive work and “ka-chunck” clocks to help streamline the process.  Email me back if you’d like to see/hear more on the technology.   

 

• Sales Empowerment Group – If your company is looking for solutions on appointment setting, lead generation and/or prospect profiling, we may have the solution for you.  We are quickly growing a new division to help tackle these common sales areas.  More news to come soon!  

Web

• This is a disturbing video about the ever-rising obesity rate in the U.S.  Start eating healthy people!

 

• Some of grew up watching “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, but you had to know they weren’t the first.  Jonathon Winters shows here how it’s done.   

Chicagoland

• Trying to convince Lindsay that we should get this print for out Chicago-themed nursery.  If I don’t happen to win that discussion, please go buy one and I’ll live vicariously!   

Music

 

• Some extraordinary subway performers with their take on a popular tune.  If you have a son/daughter/grandchild that plays violin and thinking of quitting, show them this video.  

• The Polyphonic Spree has been around for a while and live shows are pure joy.  The group travels with 20+ members, so you know they do it for the love of it (hard to make money on the road with that many people).  They are releasing a new album soon and here is the single – good stuff!

 

Quotes

The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. – Umberto Eco (1932 - ), Travels in Hyperreality (Harcourt)

Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild, harmless, rather engaging little things, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters. – Margaret Halsey

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. – Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.  – Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. – Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

I hope you enjoyed the newsletter and found something of value for yourself or someone you know.   Again, I appreciate your recommendations, thoughts, and referrals that so many of you have shared with me.