Tag Archives: Dignity

Creativity, Dignity, Winning

#TBT – EVER JUST CALLED SOMEONE TO SEE HOW IT’S GOING?

This post dates back to May of 2014 and got a great response back then. I still love it! People are the most important part of your business. Find ways to Love ‘em UP!

If you believe that sales are founded on great relationships. (And, most of us still do.) Especially in this world of complex sales.

Ever thought of calling your decision-maker up – just to see how their life is going?

It will test your ability to GET OVER IN THEIR WORLD.

What if your customers viewed you as someone who called them because you were interested in what THEY were dealing with. Not just what you could sell them to help them. You won’t always have the answers.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Can you see how much more FUN you would have calling on people?

You have fun. They have fun.

You will find out things about their children, their marriages, their pressing concerns.

You do it because you “getting the deal” isn’t the most important thing to them. But, their life IS important to them.

Do you know that salespeople don’t do this?

Stand out. Demonstrate that you are truly out for THEM.

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Are you ready to be in sales? Find out with my (very fun) QUIZ.

Dear Irreverent Sales Girl, Dignity, Prospecting

WWISGD about Prospects Who Waste My Time?

rsz_meeting-1019995Dear Irreverent Sales Girl,

I enjoy your blog posts, and have a question I hope you can help with.

Forgive the long intro, but I want to put the question into context:

Two weeks ago, I was introduced to a prospective client by a mutual business friend. Let’s call him “Bob.” Bob wanted to meet face-to-face. I tried to schedule the meeting at a half-way point for us.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

His response? “I’m so busy I wouldn’t be able to vacate the office unless we have billable work to discuss.”

Again… this was a “meet and greet.”

So I hustle out to their office on a Thursday, which is 35 minutes away. I also discover that Bob’s ‘office’ is actually within another company’s office. The owner of that company (“Tom”) was also in the meeting and seemed to be the driver of the meeting, not Bob.

We had a good meeting. Tom tells me he was impressed with my communication. And when I left, he told me he’d be out of the office on Friday but he’d get back to me on Monday.

I followed up the following Friday. Then I followed up again the next week on Wednesday.

No response.

I followed up again today with a more pointed question:

Hot or Not?

Was the project they discussed with me still hot or was it put on the back burner? I clarified that I didn’t want to be a pest but I do follow up. I said I would respond accordingly to the status.

So, Irreverent Sales Girl, my question: do you have any suggestions on how to handle one-on-one meetings for the ‘solopreneur?’ I am seriously considering not meeting in person anymore unless a consulting fee is paid.

I’m looking for action-takers not time-wasters. Any input from you would be appreciated!

Thank you,

Signed,

What to Do in Columbus!

Continue reading WWISGD about Prospects Who Waste My Time? →

Dignity, Irreverence, The Art of Selling

Would Someone Please Just Say It Like It Is?

photodune-3721815-female-speaking--xsIs anyone else out there tired of listening to business people use big words and phrases to make their topic sound more important than it really is? Or maybe make themselves look smarter and sexier than they really are?

Do you ever find yourself wishing that they would just say it like it really is?

I do!

So, I’ve put together my very own totally Irreverent, mostly accurate, and thankfully abridged glossary for your edification (and amusement) about what commonly used business and sales terms actually mean. Not in alphabetical order because, well, you’ll see…

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

CAUTION: This one is a teensy bit snarkier than my typical post. It may not be suitable for all audiences – especially those who use these terms regularly.

Enjoy!

Continue reading Would Someone Please Just Say It Like It Is? →

Irreverence, Loving Life, Performance, Presentation, Self Care, Uncategorized, Winning, Wisdom

Take the OFFER off the table…but, don’t take YOU off the table

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Take the OFFER off the table...Don't take YOU off the table

When you take yourself away, you hurt yourself

Sitting in a sales meeting with a VIP at a company I would love to have as a client.

You know the one. The pretty big deal who would make a great addition to your core set of clients? A nice and pretty feather in your cap?

I was INVESTED in this deal

I had been working this deal like a good job.

I had traveled for hours to meet in person.

I looked my best, and I was prepared.

Things looked good

As we started to talk about how we could work together, this lovely VIP laid out the landscape. She shared with me how her systems weren’t working – how she wasn’t meeting her goals. (A-ha! I could help!)

THEN…Two really bad things happened.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Things took a turn for the worst

First, she said to me: “We don’t have budget for another solution AND I don’t have buy-in from my senior management to make any changes. It’s just not important to them.” (In other words, I CAN’T BUY ANYTHING FROM YOU)

The second thing she said was even worse. Next she said, “OK. Pitch me.”

(HUH?)

For a moment I could barely see straight

I was SO annoyed.

When she said “PITCH ME” – I was just floored. Here she was, completely wasting my time AND forcing me to be some small person who was going to give her a spiel. UGH!

Somehow, I regained POISE and PROFESSIONALISM

I remembered what a very successful friend of mine once told me, “Sometimes you will have to take the OFFER off of the table, but NEVER take yourself away.”

So, I paused and put myself on HER side of the table. She was in pain and wanted some help. I had nothing to offer. Not her fault.

I told her. “I have nothing to sell you. If you don’t have the budget and your managers won’t agree, then we don’t really have anything to talk about just yet.”

Then I laid out the plan

“I would love to have another conversation when you have more support from your execs and they see the value in putting money behind your efforts. Is there anything I can do to help you get that?”

She agreed that there wasn’t.

I stayed with her

When all of me wanted to storm out of her office and make her realize what a waste of time our meeting was and how badly she had insulted me, instead… we talked about other things.

We spent the next 15 minutes talking about personal stuff. The sales conversation was closed, but our relationship wasn’t.

Now, I’ve never sold to this company 

And neither have any of my competition, but she speaks well of me in our circles and we are friendly, and – who knows – Well, you just never know.

The moral of the story

Bring dignity to the sale.

Stand up for yourself. You are not a trained monkey with a canned approach. It would have been ridiculous and demeaning if I had given my well-prepared presentation.

Yet, love that other person UP! This VIP would NEVER have wasted her time with me if she didn’t need some help. I couldn’t help, but I could be her friend.

Take your offer away, but never take YOU away! 

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl