One of the best little known tours in New York is a visit to the Steinway piano factory in Long Island City. Less a factory and more like a large home, Steinway makes the finest pianos in the world and how they do it is remarkable and incredibly detailed.  When I asked what makes them different, our tour guide replied, “It isn’t one thing. It is a thousand little things done right.”  Which leads me to what makes some salespeople winners and others just also-rans.  It turns out not to be a thousand little things, according to a provocative new study from The Rain Group, but three radically different things. Some of their insights will surprise you.

They studied what the winners of more than 700 actual B-to-B sales opportunities (from buyers responsible for $3.1 billion in annual purchases) are doing to win the sale, and what they do differently than the sellers who come in second place. Sample insights:

·         Solution selling and relationships in selling are not dead but they’re not the whole story

·         A few key areas that don’t get much attention in selling (e.g. reduction of risk, collaboration with buyers, idea education) now demand more attention.

So Steinway does a thousand small things differently to be a world class producer of pianos and The Rain Group. a leading sales training company, says there are three [big] radically different things that top sales people do to be world class producers.  The common denominator is that people do things differently to be the best. To find out what it takes to be a top salesperson in today’s world, according to The Rain Group, get your  free copy of What Sales Winners Do Differently here. http://bit.ly/13SOMho

Anne Miller

Sales winners are always learning. In that spirit, check out this comrehensive summer sales reading list compiled by my business friend Nancy Bleeke http://bit.ly/11Al4dL.

Sales winners know how to communicate creatively, memorably, and persuasively.  Check out The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: the power of metaphors to sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone. Now available in Audio, as well as Print and on Kindle.   

“Anne Miller's latest edition of Metaphorically Selling - The Tall Lady With The Iceberg once again puts blood in the veins of the sales process.  No need for dry, often mind numbing pitches that too often elicit the glazed over look from buyers.  The strategic use of insightful, relevant and creative metaphors can often crystallize and put meat on the bones (a little fillet mignon, if you will) of selling and business communication efforts at any level.  From new business pitches to opinionated blogs, Anne's metaphorically selling road maps will lead you to success.  Jay Berfas, President, Berfas Media Consulting

Sales winners are always improving their game.    Contact me for creative selling & practical program ideas for an unforgettable & high pay-off session.   212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

http://www.rainsalestraining.com/

“It’s the economy, stupid.” “Just do it!” “Ideas worth spreading.”  We all know these as sound bites that capture a strategy (Clinton’s election slogan), a brand (Nike), a movement (the TED talks). If, in an age of information overload, sound bites are the “sticky stuff of marketing” because they are short, catchy, and memorable, what is the “sticky stuff of selling?”

I am coining a new word to answer that question:  “Picture-Bites”

Picture-Bites are particular kinds of sound bites. They carry within them an image and, since we humans are wired to respond instantly to images more than we are to facts and logical arguments, they are the best way to drive home your points and make them both meaningful and memorable.  Think of a pile of facts and data explaining the budget deficit problem and then compare that to “fiscal cliff” as a description of those problems. Which has greater impact, greater grabbing power, and greater emotional resonance?

Picture-Bites are any communication tool that creates an image in the mind of your listener: metaphors, analogies, stories used as metaphors, cartoon, or props.

Picture-Bite Power

Picture Bites are powerful because they create  common ground for understanding between you and your listener for what you are proposing, describing, or urging.   People only understand something new when it is compared to something they already know.  Then, when that comparison is made, they instantly get what you are saying and can move forward with you in your argument. But when they don’t “get it,” you lose them and the potential for any action.

A Confused Mind Does Not Say Yes  

I was reminded of this at a media exposition this morning. I stopped by the booth of one of the many, many advertising network companies that seek advertisers’ media budgets for online advertising. I asked the fellow manning the booth how his firm was different from others in his space. I was immediately hosed with a flood of features and benefits, which basically came down to the fact that his company has “quality” data to help advertisers best target customers online.

I countered with the observation that everyone says they have good data (who would say they had bad data???). He replied, “Oh, but our data is really quality data. We verify each user. The others don’t.”

Still trying to understand his network’s unique value, I said, “Oh, so you’re like American Express in the sense that American Express has real buying history data of all its cardholders. Is that what you mean by having quality data?”

“Absolutely,” he said, delighted that I finally understood (no thanks to  him).

Lesson Learned

It is not the prospect’s job to figure out what we do or how we are unique. That is our job as communication professionals.  This sales person was lucky that I stuck around to work out what he was selling. In our busy, A.D.D. world, most buyers don’t have the time or inclination to do that.

We live in a visual world. Just look at how people love their online videos, Facebook pictures, and Pinterest. If we want to engage, persuade, and create change, we need to recognize and respect this neurological craving for images and master the art of speaking in Picture-Bites.

7 Signs You Need a Picture-Bite. To:

1. Clear up confusion for a client.
2. Gain support for your ideas.
3. Neutralize a tough objection.
4. Simplify technically complex services.
5. Move a wavering client to a decision.
6. Distinguish your firm from the competition.

7. Wow a crowd

Sign up for my IAB Presentation seminar: “Turn Information That Tells Into a Story That Sells”. June 4, NYC, 9-12:30. Click here for details.

Having a meeting?      Contact me for creative & high pay-off program ideas for sales teams and organizations: 212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

Learn How to Master the Art of Picture-Bites. Check out The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: the power of metaphors to sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone. Now available in Audio, as well as Print and on Kindle.

“Anne Miller's latest edition of Metaphorically Selling - The Tall Lady With The Iceberg once again puts blood in the veins of the sales process.  No need for dry, often mind numbing pitches that too often elicit the glazed over look from buyers.  The strategic use of insightful, relevant and creative metaphors can often crystallize and put meat on the bones (a little fillet mignon, if you will) of selling and business communication efforts at any level.  From new business pitches to opinionated blogs, Anne's metaphorically selling road maps will lead you to success.  Jay Berfas, President, Berfas Media Consulting

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

A coffee discussion this morning with a marketing friend of many years led into a discussion of what is good and bad business. We agreed that sometimes the best business decision for both you and a prospect or client is to walk away from the business. When do you do that?

We’d  Walk for These 3 Reasons: Do You Agree?

• The #1 reason: when they don’t pay or don’t pay on time.  Your firm delivers value on time and should be paid on time, no questions asked.  Your company is not your client’s banker. Late payments or, worse, no payments speak volumes about the respect they have for you (none), their ethics (questionable), and/or their own financial viability (shaky). In all cases, you are only looking at headaches.  Time to say sayonara.

• The #2 reason: when you are a bad fit.  No matter how much you want that marquee name in your portfolio of accounts, if you are not the right fit, you will regret working with that account.  Problems will crop up immediately around expectations, deliverables, support, time invested, and results.  You will always gain more than you lose, when you say, “You know, Ms. Prospect, as much as I would like to work with you, I do not think this is the right assignment for the results you are seeking. Let’s talk again on another project (OR,I can suggest who can help you).”  You will be remembered for your integrity, likely be hired for future business, and/or be recommended to others.

• The #3 reason: when it isn’t fun or stops being fun.  An assignment may be challenging. It may be complex. It may be time-consuming. All those are fine, so long as in some way, it is still energizing and fun to work on. You like the people. And, even, if you don’t love the people, you are nevertheless deriving some meaningful value from the relationship, e.g., learning from the experience, meeting interesting people, or taking satisfaction in creating something profitable and exciting for them. 

           If it isn’t enjoyable and the account is important to the organization, look for ways to make it more positive: deal with other people on the account; delegate the parts of the work you dislike to someone who will like doing those things;  focus on the expected positive outcomes and not on the daily frustrations; create ways to make the work more appealing. Get through the assignment, de-brief why it wasn’t fun, and either fix that “why” or decide not to deal with that type of account again.

In Your World

If you don't know what good business looks like, you will inadvertently wind up with business you don't want.   What criteria do you use to identify your good business from bad (potential revenue, fit, difficulty of delivery, resources, care and feeding, the people, other)? If you haven't done so, it is a good exercise to sit down and determine those criteria to help direct your business development efforts.

This is not a rehearsal.  You might as well get the highest ROI for yourself both financially and personally from all your business.

Random Recommendation. Great NY Times article: “Even the Tech Elites Leave Gadgets Behind” on how even the techies are dialing back on their addiction to electronic gadgets. We’ve seen Lean In, Lean Forward and this is Lean Back and get a life. Check it out 

Having a meeting?      Contact me for creative & high pay-off program ideas to help you win great business: 212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

Add persuasion power to your arguments  Check out The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: the power of metaphors to sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone.

“Anne Miller's latest edition of Metaphorically Selling - The Tall Lady With The Iceberg once again puts blood in the veins of the sales process.  No need for dry, often mind numbing pitches that too often elicit the glazed over look from buyers.  The strategic use of insightful, relevant and creative metaphors can often crystallize and put meat on the bones (a little filletmignon, if you will) of selling and business communication efforts at any level.  From new business pitches to opinionated blogs, Anne's metaphorically selling road maps will lead you to success.  Jay Berfas, President, Berfas Media Consulting

Special for digital ad sales reps   “Creating & Delivering Winning Presentations” webinar for digital ad sales reps. Nearly 3 hours of specific, step-by-step information, tips, strategies and examples to give you a competitive edge in your market. Work at your own pace.  (Offered in partnership with, and available exclusively via, the Laredo Group Institute.) Preview 

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

My apologies to Descartes, but anyone who knows me knows I am a passionate advocate for the use of visual language to persuade, explain, and rally others to your cause, and  a recent article, "The Analogical Animal," in The Wall Street Journal, re-affirmed that .  In fact, its authors state that “Analogy, one can say without exaggeration, is the very fabric of our mental life.”

Every time you say things like sales are going through the roof, business is slipping,  that’s a tough road to hoe, you don’t have the bandwidth to process that, theirs was a stormy relationship, our policy looks like we are just re-arranging  the chairs on the deck of the Titanic, it’s time to take the plunge, etc., you are speaking in analogies.( It is virtually impossible to get through two or three sentences without using an analogy or metaphor. Watch your language in the next conversation you have to prove that to yourself.)

When you use analogies (and that includes metaphors), you are basically making a comparison between two things, one of which is familiar to the other person, and by doing that you create common ground with your listener. Pulitzer Prize-winning cognition expert Douglas Hofstadter and Psychologist Emmanuel Sander write in the article, “It is by way of analogy that human beings negotiate and manage the world’s endless variety…analogies lie at the very center of human cognition, from the humblest of everyday activities to the most exalted discoveries of science.”

In business, using analogies and metaphors are essential to help you

·         Simplify complexity

·         Drive home a point

·         Neutralize objections

·         Engage attention in blogs, articles, PPT slide headers,  & book titles* &

·         Create change

In Your World

Where do you hit roadblocks (analogy) in your communications with clients, prospects, colleagues, others?  Smash (analogy) through them with an apt analogy or metaphor and return the conversation to a path (analogy) that will speed (analogy) you to your goal.

*Speaking of books that use analogies to engage attention in their titles, check out “Head Trash: Cleaning Out the Junk That Stands Between You and Success”  by my pal and leading consultant Tish Squillaro and her co-author Tim I. Thomas,  just released yesterday and available on Amazon. Must reading particularly for managers and leaders.    For more information and a chance to check out your Head Trash Index go to www.headtrash911.com

Take This Analogy Quiz    (Can you Sell, Persuade & Explain anything to anyone?)  Take quiz at  www.thetallladywiththeiceberg.com

Thank you, Jay Berfas.    “Anne Miller's latest edition of Metaphorically Selling - The Tall Lady With The Iceberg once again puts blood in the veins of the sales process.  No need for dry, often mind numbing pitches that too often elicit the glazed over look from buyers.  The strategic use of insightful, relevant and creative metaphors can often crystallize and put meat on the bones (a little fillet mignon, if you will) of selling and business communication efforts at any level.  From new business pitches to opinionated blogs, Anne's metaphorically selling road maps will lead you to success.  Jay Berfas, President, Berfas Media Consulting

Having a meeting?    Contact me for creative selling & practical program  ideas for an unforgettable session.   212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

Special for digital ad sales reps   “Creating & Delivering Winning Presentations” webinar for digital ad sales reps. Nearly 3 hours of specific, step-by-step information, tips, strategies and examples to give you a competitive edge in your market. Work at your own pace.  (Offered in partnership with, and available exclusively via, the Laredo Group Institute.) Preview 

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

Wracking your brain to figure out how to crack an account, present your solutions creatively or develop a new service? It turns out the best thing you can do is to stop wracking and start walking – outdoors, that is.  Recent research as reported in The Wall Street Journal* this week is consistent with what every innovator intuitively knows:  that sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to walk away from the problem – for a little while.

When our brains are under pressure, they do not do always do their best work.  Anyone who has tried to put a proposal together under a tight deadline knows that.  The ideas don’t come. The words stick. Items get left out. It is not fun. But the idea of leaving the job at that moment seems counterintuitive in our workaholic culture.

However, when you think about it, when do you come up with your best ideas? It is usually when you are in a relaxed state: walking the dog, taking a shower, doing the dishes, running, or just before you wake up.  When your mind is in that state, it notices, it wanders, it makes connections, it allows all kinds of creative thoughts to bubble up and often leads to an “Aha!”

The pace of business is such that few people allow themselves the luxury of random relaxation time, when in fact that time can lead to great solutions to problems. I am blessed by living across the street from Central Park and regularly walk in it to clear my head before I begin work each day (which I need to do since I am working on a new service, to be announced in a few weeks), but there are other things you can do and get the same result:

·         Listen to music (Mozart is highly recommended)

·         Do something mindless, like watering the plants, filing papers or playing a game on your smart phone

·         Walk around the block

·         Do a crossword puzzle

·         Depending where you are, talk to a child (always good for the endorphins)

·         Stretch, exercise, meditate

·         Take a 20 minute power nap

·         Read or listen to something funny

·         Time permitting, sleep on it until the next day

There are also specific games and exercises you can do to spark creativity by yourself and in groups and I have always seen people come up with the most amazing results in my "Outrageous Thinking" seminars, but part of the reason those techniques work is the same reason that taking a walk or exercising works--they all  relax the brain.  Taking a “ brain break” is not “goofing off,” but a necessary part of staying sane and doing productive work.

Where do you get your best ideas?

*Click here for the The full Wall Street Journal Article, Tactics To Spark Creativity

Random Recommendation     I think I recommended this before, but I am finding www.Contact Monkey.com so helpful that I am recommending it again! It is surprising how much stress it takes out of doing email, because I always know who opened what I sent and who hasn’t – which, in line with the theme of this week’s blog, frees up that energy to do better work! 

Having a meeting?      Contact me today for creative ideas for your next sales meeting: 212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

New!      Take “The Tall Lady” Quiz and see how well you can sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone with metaphors. Order on amazon. Available in paper and on Kindle.

Special for digital ad sales reps     “Creating & Delivering Winning Presentations” webinar for digital ad sales reps. Nearly 3 hours of specific, step-by-step information, tips, strategies and examples to give you a competitive edge in your market. Work at your own pace.  (Offered in partnership with, and available exclusively via, the Laredo Group Institute.) Preview here. 

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

 If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

“To Sell is Human” is the name of a new book by Daniel Pink, the premise of which is that everyone  sells-- even if they don’t think they do. What salespeople sometimes forget is that everyone in your company is a “client” even if they don’t look like one. Ignore these people at your peril.  This was recently brought home in spades to super sales woman Rita X.

Rita works for an online company and had closed a really nice new piece of business for her firm, but she nearly lost it when her product management department missed a promised delivery deadline.  How could that have happened? Rita had written very clear memos to the appropriate people with the deadlines clearly delineated.  They had even met and agreed to her timetable.  And then, disaster! They missed the deadline.

When Rita questioned Dean, the head of the department, she was given a wagon load of excuses: John,who was supposed to work on her project, “had to go out of town for a few days on business;” Seena, who was supposed to coordinate other aspects of the project, “had her priorities changed when a senior manager stole her for his project.”  On and on went the explanations.

Long story, short, Rita, furious, but determined, eventually saved the business. 

What Rita Forgot

When I met Rita for coffee shortly after this crisis had passed, Rita reflected on what had happened and said she realized three things:

• 1. Internal corporate relationships are just as important as the external client relationship.   Make everyone feel a part of the process.  Talk to them periodically when you don’t need anything from them.  Remember personal things about key internal people and acknowledge them at the appropriate times. Thank them for a job well done after a  tough assignment. Work to become the number one priority on their to-do list. You are not competing for their business, but you are competing for their time, resources, and attention.

• 2.  Ask questions for no surprise results.  Just as with clients, assume nothing.   Find out who will be involved in getting the product out?  What could go wrong? What contingency plans are there? What other resources are needed? 

• 3. Collaborate. Don’t dictate.   Keep a “we” focus in communications. “We just landed account X and we will need to get product to them by…” vs. “I just landed account X and I need you to…” “In our meeting next week, we will set up…” vs. “I need you to attend a planning meeting next week where I will layout the time table…”  Spread the ownership for success.

Good insights to remember.

How strong are your relationships with the internal people who must deliver on the promises you make to your clients?

Random Recommendations   

1.Chris Brogan (NY Times bestselling author) interviews Mitch Jackson (CA Trial Lawyer of the Year) about how to communicate effectively, make an impact, and close deals. Many good tips for anyone who sells.

2.New resource for small business owners “Small Business Digest,” packed with really good ideas (including my column “Last Word”) 

Having a meeting?  Contact me today for sales, presentation, negotiating, or creative thinking programs tailored to your group: 212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com 

New! Take “The Tall Lady” Quiz and see how well you can sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone with metaphors. Order on amazon. Available in paper and on Kindle.

“Creating & Delivering Winning Presentations” webinar for digital ad sales reps. Nearly 3 hours of specific, step-by-step information, tips, strategies and examples to give you a competitive edge in your market. Work at your own pace.  (Offered in partnership with, and available exclusively via, the Laredo Group Institute.) Preview here. 

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

 If you like these blog posts, please tweet them or share them on LinkedIn. Thank you!

“Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” really does exist. The concept is an old one, but a good one to honor. There is nothing worse than seeing a sale de-rail because some influencer you missed ultimately said, “No.”  

• Who should I speak with next? 
• Who else is impacted by this?
• Who is in charge of that?
• Do you know anyone that works in that department?  
•  How can I contact them?
• Can you introduce me?

Had breakfast this morning with a leader in the digital industry who brought up an interesting question: Why do salespeople resist change when change is a fact of business life and what can be done to make change more acceptable? 

• Embrace change.  Like the anxiety felt before a presentation to a group, you can turn yourself into a useless quivering mound of nerves worried about failing, or, you can re-channel anxiety into positive energy to get yourself ready for the challenge ahead and see yourself being successful.  Change is not going away. What we see is what we do. If you “see” failure, you will most likely fail. If you “see” success, you will most likely succeed.  Choose success.

• Replace uncertainty with action.   Don’t just sit there. Do something. Learn a new technology, do more research prior to a call, take a course to sharpen your skills, or reach out to experts in the field through contacts or trade associations. Volunteer for new aspects of the job. Talk to clients to hear their concerns. Share your concerns with a friend and work together. Once you get moving in a direction, you have a good chance of getting where you want to go and of feeling better about the journey, but if you never take the first step, you will remain stuck where you are.

•   Work Smarter. Examine the systems, routines, and tools that you now use. What needs to change? For example, if you are drowning in email, Google “tips for handling email” and streamline that activity. Don’t waste time re-inventing the wheel. Find the person on your team or among your friends who seems to be the most together, most organized, and most effective and adapt their methods to your work.

 Harvard Business Review article

Need a Speaker for your next meeting? Make 2013 a year to remember. Contact me today for sales, presentation or negotiating programs tailored to your group: 212 876 1875 or amiller@annemiller.com Remember, "You can have great ideas, but if you cannot communicate them, you do not have anything." Lee Iacocca.

In a world of so many similar services, we constantly work to present a unique value proposition. Instead of talking to ourselves and with our marketing departments, consider looking to your clients for the answer.

Words Matter - Make What You Say Pay!

“You don’t rise to the occasion. You sink to the level of your training.” That quote came from a recent article on surviving disasters and it is an apt description of what happens in sales as well and carries a message with it for success in 2013.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are rarin’ to go in 2013. It may be a new year, but the old challenges remain: too much information coming at buyers; too many similar-sounding choices which confuses buyers; and too little buyer attention to focus on you. These are the business realities we all face. Here are three tips to overcome them.

As everyone tries to nail down business before year-end, there is nothing more frustrating than clients delaying their decisions, to which I say, choose your words carefully and, as one of my clients calls it, “Be bold!” Here are five ways to do this:

I didn’t watch the debate Monday evening because of a schedule conflict, but I gather from all the post debate spin, the key discussion was around “strategy.” Did Romney’s “strategy” to look presidential and keep the focus on economic strength at home work? Did Obama’s “strategy” to look like a commander in chief work?  I won’t be the judge of whose “strategy” worked, but I did meet the author this weekend of a little book with simple strategies that will work for anyone who wants to grow their business.

Most sales people would agree that the more you know about your prospect, the easier it is to align your services with their situation, needs and aspirations. What I see however is questioning for the seller’s interest rather than a discussion that aims to truly understand the prospect .   For example…

There is a huge difference between saying to someone, “When I look at you, time stops.” And saying, “You have a face that could stop a clock.” Romney fell into the "stop a clock" hole this week for his comments at a fund-raiser where he said 47% of Americans will vote for Obama because they are "dependent on government" and see themselves as "vicitms."  Since then, the media and many in his own party have been raking him over the coals for his speech.  Politics totally aside, Romney is suffering the consequences of all people who sell, persuade, or influence who neglect to “engage mind before mouth.”

Drifting on the water on a rubber float with the sun shining is delightfully relaxing as the breezes take you in one direction, then another. However, drifting-- so pleasurable on the water--is fatal at work. I was reminded of that truth again during a recent sales coaching session with an otherwise very lively, energetic and dedicated salesperson.

Ask sales managers what they look for in a salesperson and inevitably one of the top three responses is some variation of enthusiasm, passion, or energy. But can enthusiasm be a liability?

It is so thrilling to watch the Olympics. What bodies! What strength! These athletes are the epitome of discipline, purpose, beauty, elegance and dedication – an inspiration to all of us.  For me, the gymnasts are the most exciting athletes to watch because of their astonishing control, grace, and power. However, if you watched the women's Russian gymnast team last evening, you saw that control crumble.  It was particularly fascinating (and painful) to observe how they fell apart both individually and as a team after some serious errors on their last routine. It wasn't a failure in skill that brought them down, but a failure in psychology and mental self-talk. 

The analogy to business is obvious. Given comparable selling skills, one’s mental toughness in the face of adversity, for example, a tough economy, often makes the difference between success and failure. Mental strength won’t compensate for lack of skill, but in challenging situations, it often makes the difference in outcomes.

Looking for a fresh approach to getting meetings with impossibly difficult people to see Create a variation of this letter.

In an equal slap at both Romney and Obama for their inability to communicate anything of substance to the public, Peggy Noonan, commentator and Wall Street Journal columnist, made some observations that should resonate with all of us in business who need to get results from others.

When early caveman ran into a huge, hungry looking T-Rex unexpectedly, his “fight or flight” reaction mechanism kicked in. He either got the hell out of there as quickly as possible, or, with adrenalin pumping and heart pounding, he used the sudden burst of energy and strength that come into play in the face of danger and attempted to fight off the pre-historic beast, most likely with dire consequences.  I sometimes think business people today react in similar ways when it comes to dealing with resistance to their ideas and services. They either fight or flee.  In fact, a third strategy would be a wiser, and safer, way to go.

     3.    The question allows you to get a deeper understanding of just what the issues are and provides a better     opportunity to work  through the buyer’s concern.  

• The Financial buyer – the person who holds the purse strings and cares about ROI
• The User – the person who will actually use what you are selling and cares about result
• The Key Influencers – people who can’t say yes, but can say no, who may care about many things (e.g., tech folks who care about ease of implementation or support departments who fear more work) 
• The Ally – the person who really wants your services and who is championing your cause

What would you have done?

Alice Herz-Sommer practices piano three hours a day, a fact, in and of itself, that is not particularly remarkable --until you learn that Alice is 108. When asked why, at this stage of her life, she continues to practice three hours a day, Alice replies…

There’s the story of the donkey, who, despite standing near two bales of hay, one ten feet to his left and the other ten feet to his right starved to death. He could not decide which nearby bale of hay he should eat. As he approached one bale, the other looked good and he would move in that direction. As he approached the other, the first one looked good and he would move back towards the original. In the end, he starved. Today’s sales person is not unlike that poor donkey.

 I had coffee this week with Lee R., a seminar graduate of mine from several years ago, who has just changed jobs in the media industry from one part of the digital world to another.  He is an excellent senior sales pro and as he described how he was doing everything he could to learn the buying dynamics in this new segment of the market, I remembered what a boss did for me many years ago when I was in that position which got me up to speed  very quickly.

I had switched from selling an automated trading service for The New York Stock Exchange to Wall Street firms to selling advertising space for Institutional Investor magazine, a prestigious publication that targets the financial community.  I knew the names of the players in the business who would be my prospects and clients because of the NYSE job, but knew little about selling advertising and even less about how advertising got bought.

Lunch & Learn

In my first week on the job, my boss arranged for me to take the Media Director of J. Walter Thompson, out to lunch. JWT was an agency that ran a lot of business with us and with whom we had a close relationship.  My goal was basically to get an instant Ph.D. from this MD in how to sell advertising from a buyer’s point of view. That lunch was worth a month of joint calls.

These were 10 questions I asked and I offer them to you as well not only to help you get smart fast about  your buyers, but also to give you the benefits and the language that will resonate with your market far beyond your company’s corporate lingo and inevitable boilerplate claims. (These are good questions to ask clients even if you have been in your business for years. The answers you get will keep you current with how your buyers are buying in today's market.)

1.       Why do you buy from/use us?

2.       What value do we provide for you?

3.       What problem/opportunity did we solve/provide?

4.       What were the symptoms of the problem/the signs of potential opportunity?

5.       What was the key that made you choose us over the competition?

6.       What criteria did you use to evaluate us?

7.       How are you measuring success?

8.       How do you see us in our competitive set?

9.       What do you expect from us in the future?

10.   What else should I be asking to really understand what is important to you when you buy X?

Let me ask you a question: How is a salesperson like an air controller? Answer not on the tip of your tongue? It wasn't on mine either. However, when you think about what air controllers actually have to do to keep all of us from bumping into each other as we travel the friendly skies from one client to another, the answer not only becomes clear but also deeply profound when applied to sales success.

Given the level of negative advertising among the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, I was reminded of a problem that comes up from time to time in business. What do you do when a competitor smears your company with lies and misrepresentations? Here are five suggestions...

Ah, yes, it is that time of the year for the resolution ritual. First, we make them. Then, a few weeks later, we abandon them. However, here are three sales resolutions you dare not give up on…

Not sure what will be under your tree this year, but here is a very valuable gift for you—and it’s free!

Not sure what will be under your tree this year, but here is a very valuable gift for you—and it’s free!

As the holiday season approaches, it is tempting to switch your focus from selling to Santa.  It’s the end of the year. It’s gift-buying time. There are parties to go to, etc. It's so tempting to slow down the pace of business now and in the coming weeks. If you find yourself doing that, you might want to read this article.

• Commitment to certain goals and activities
• Discipline to stick to both, and
• Consistency in the pace of work

So this person, let’s call him Greg, who I worked with but have not seen or spoken to in maybe twenty-five years, tracks me down and sends me an email saying that he is concerned about a woman, Marcia, another colleague from that time, with whom he has remained in touch over the years, but who seems to have now disappeared. We both know she moved to Vermont many years ago with her husband, Rob, but her phone, Greg tells me, is suddenly disconnected and there is no trace of Marcia or her husband in the entire state. Fearing the worst, Greg asks if I know what might have happened.

Yesterday was  "Information Overload Awareness Day.” (I kid you not.) The creator of the website behind IOAD  and the author of “Overload! How Too Much Information is Hazardous to your Organization” has some rather interesting data about the price of information overload to our productivity as well as suggestions for cutting down on that overload and returning to a saner working world. In the spirit of  IOAD, this blog will end here. For more information, go to the IOAD website.

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Words Matter: Make What You Say Pay!

I attended the IAB MIXX digital conference this week, which is always fun and educational. And, like all industry conferences and trade shows, it was a huge, noisy, buzzy affair where everyone was networking to make new contacts and cement existing relationships.  In the limited time you have at these events,  one of the biggest challenges meeting people is separating likely prospects from less likely prospects.   I have found a simple, non-pressuring way to do that.

"A plain iron bar is worth $5.  If you make horseshoes from it the value increases to $10.50. If you make needles it is $3285. If watch springs, $250,000. Ergo ,the difference between $5 and $250,000 is creativity." Anonymous. Thinking creatively has a high pay-off and EVERYONE can be more creative, even if they don't think so.

At the core of creativity is the ability to connect the unconnected and come up with something new. Steve Jobs connects technology with style and the result is a long line of exciting and cool products like the iPad.  Lady GaGa connects music with outrageous costuming and she is a stand-out in the music field. TV producers connect cooking with entertainment and suddenly Emeril, Mario Batali and Rachel Ray become celebrities. Creativity is not limited to technology and entertainment.  It manifests itself in all fields from science, gaming and the arts to business, negotiating and sales. I know this to be true because of the results I see when I run creative thinking programs for clients.

In the spirit of believing everyone can be more productive by being more creative, I would like to share this excellent article from the Harvard Business Review to remind you what you can do to stimulate your own creativity.

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To those who celebrate it this week, a very Happy  Healthy, and Prosperous New Year to you and your families.

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Words Matter: Make What You Say Pay!

Dozens of articles have been written about Steve Jobs and his recent departure from Apple announcement. All in one way or another praise his genius, frequently characterized as someone who brilliantly married technology with design, made it cool, and, as a result, simply and elegantly transformed the way we all communicate, listen to music, and access information.  One article in particular made an observation that applies to all who sell....

There’s an old story about a group of prisoners who, tired of taking the time to run through the same jokes over and over, decided to assign each joke a number. When a prisoner wanted to tell a particular joke, he would just say the number for that joke, for example “23,” and everyone would laugh, because they knew what the number meant. They were able to relate to it. Too often, I see people presenting or selling with numbers who could learn a thing or two from those prisoners....

Ever have one of those days where it seems like the world is in a conspiracy to deliberately ruin your life?  I did, and on my vacation last week, no less. An email told me an important phone meeting was cancelled. A telephone message said a client decision was being put on indefinite hold. A Google alert announced that someone I had been courting at a new account changed jobs. And then, as if making an editorial comment on my morning, my dog decided to pee on the rug. Grrr! All I wanted to do was run far, far away. And that’s what I did...

One of the great joys of my business is that, while I frequently work in the digital and media space, I also get to work in other industries as well, e.g. investment banking, money management, professional services, even the pork industry! I am always fascinated by what people do and the challenges they have in selling their services or products. However while the industries differ, when these professionals tell their story, there is one failing they all seem to share...

One of my favorite cartoons shows Opportunity in the form of a woman wearing angel wings speaking into the intercom of an apartment building lobby to a tenant and the caption says, “It’s Opportunity, Mr. Jones. It’s Opportunity. I only ring once.” I was reminded of this while teaching a time management program to salespeople at GE Capital recently. 

Time is everyone’s currency. Spend it well and it rewards you. Waste it and it costs you. You only get a few opportunities to sit with any single prospect or client.Make every second count.

Haste Makes Waste (Trite but true)

If you skimp on prep time for a call, prospects will notice immediately, feel insulted or annoyed, clam up, or at least share only minimal information with you, and get you out of their offices faster than you can say, “Have a nice day.” Question to ask yourself:  Are you doing the right things during the time you spend planning for your calls to ensure the best reception to you and your business?

Actually, no matter what the season, growing your business is never exactly easy. but these five marketing tips from my friends at the Nurture Marketing Institute can definitely help.(I have modified them to apply specifically to sales.)

One of the benefits (or curses, depending on your point of view) of the internet for salespeople is the amount of content that is available to everyone 24/7.   Sales pros hungry for ideas to give them a competitive advantage can definitely find tons of information (like this blog) from specialists outside their companies.  However, sometimes those “latest and greatest” ideas are only as far away as your own backyard. Three events in the last week alone reminded me of how true that is.  

As if we didn't just come through one of the worst winters in recent memory, the daffodils  in Central Park are visible everywhere, the forsythia is in gorgeous neon yellow bloom, the trees are in bud, and the grass is turning greener and greener with every passing day. No matter how, horrible the winter, nature always bounces back in the spring. That ability to bounce back in nature, that resilience, is a quality all salespeople need to be successful.

Resilience has become a hot topic of research since 9/11, Katrina and the recent economic down turn.  There’s still much to learn, but research shows that although some people are naturally more resilient than the rest of us; like any behavior, resilience can be learned and with practice, can be mastered.

Fortune magazine relates an anecdote in its "World's Most Admired Companies" issue about widely respected Sam Palmisano, IBM’s CEO, that illustrates an important difference between mediocre salespeople and exceptional salespeople.

I’ve been a movie junkie ever since I was a kid. I always watched  movies from the 40’s and 50’s on TV and remember spending every Saturday in the dark at the local movie theater where, for a fraction of today’s admission prices, you could see two movies, a cartoon, newsreels, and coming attractions. So, it was sad to read about Elizabeth Taylor’s death. She is so closely associated in my mind with the then glamour and mystique of the old Hollywood.  There are few, if any, actors today who really match her star wattage.  While I nurse my feelings of nostalgia for a lost era, you, my readers, will find a communication lesson in an article about Taylor in today’s New York Times.

Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist for Apple, has an interesting new book coming out in March that, among other things, focuses readers on some basic truths when it comes to communicating the value of services to clients.

Alan Mulally, Ford CEO, uses a low-tech technique that really speeds up understanding, increases retention, helps determines priorities, and gets everyone organized to focus on top priorities.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Mulally meets with his 15 top executives every Thursday at 7AM to review Ford's business progress and problems.  He requires them to post 300 plus charts to indicate problems, caution, and progress. How does he make sense of all that data? With color. Each chart is color-coded red, yellow or green to indicate problem, caution, or progress.  The colors quickly pinpoint what needs to be done and help drive decisions.

Our brains are wired to notice and respond emotionally to colors.  That is why most consumer products are packaged in color, why most advertisements have color, and why just a splash of color with a black and white outfit or shirt and suit is so dramatic. Color can also helps you be more productive, effective, and efficient. How many of these uses of color do you employ?

“Can a regimen of no play dates, no TV, no computer games and hours of music practice create happy kids?” This question raised in last week’s Wall Street Journal article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” based on a new book, “Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother” set off a debate that spread through the media and around the country. Its premise threatened every non-Asian coddling parent’s notion of child rearing in the nation. Everyone had an opinion. Everyone was buzzing about it. 

A recent blog by marketing guru Seth Godin reminded me of a true story that happened several years ago, which has particular relevance today as we all begin the new year.

Words Matter: Make What You Say Pay!

“Just finished a new white paper. It’s a quick read (13 pages). Grab one here (free): www.annemiller.com "Hooked!" gives 7 tips on how to use metaphors in your prospecting. I put this white paper together with Sales 2.0 expert and pal Nigel Edelshain. OK, mini promo over.

Hope  it brings real value to you. Enjoy.

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Make What You Say Pay! in Selling, Presenting, Negotiating, & Building Relationships

Small Actions Lead to Best Results

What do you get when you take twenty-five amazing women entrepreneurs in the same industry from around the country and you put them in a hotel for a day and a half to share their best ideas, tips, strategies, and business problems?

The difference between the right words and just words is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Mark Twain

The Best Persuaders Do This

How versatile are you in persuasion strategies? If you are like most people, your default strategy is to convince through reason, a perfectly good strategy. However, if that is the only arrow in your influence quiver, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. Here are five additional ways to get others to take action...

Sometimes fortune lands on you when you least expect it. I had been periodically calling/emailing two companies to follow up on conversations about sales training they had said they wanted and I was getting no response. What finally got their attention was totally unexpected...

He stood there, very nondescript, sandy colored hair, hands in pocket, average looks, average height, somewhat overweight, no one special—and then he began to speak. Steve Stott, Founder of Tampa SEO Training Academy, delivered an amazing presentation to a Microsoft Partners meeting that I attended yesterday. It wasn’t the slides--too wordy. It wasn’t the topic--search engine optimization, very technical. It wasn’t his delivery style—though extremely energetic and engaging. It was the fact that he delivered so much more than we expected both in quantity and quality of information. In a 90 minute presentation, we felt like we had received hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars worth of useful information, delivered in an obviously thoughtful and entertaining way that was genuinely meant to help the audience.

I had an uncle who until he died was always telling great jokes, not one-liners, but stories that drew you in to the characters and situations until the story took an unexpected turn into punch lines that would double us over with laughter. Those stories were so much a part of who he was that at his funeral, appropriately, his sons each told one of his stories to honor their father.

Because of the internet, our clients are likely to be very well informed about an intended purchase before they ever see or talk to a salesperson. (Just think what you did over the vacation when you bought your holiday presents or your latest tech gadget.) Whether clients are looking for new financial software, marketing services, graphic designers, or tech equipment, you can bet they have been all over the web--like ants on a picnic table covered with spilled honey--comparing services, reading articles, and getting advice from chat groups and social media site friends. They do this to help them get smart about their intended purchase.

I had a professional wake-up call recently when I met with a client to discuss possible follow-up training to a negotiating seminar we had done for her team. She mentioned her need for presentation skills and when I said I could help her with that, she replied, “Oh, I am working with someone else for presentations training. I didn’t know you did that.” Didn't know? How could that be? I have written books on presenting, consulted on a zillion presentations across many industries, run hundreds of training and coaching sessions for people from groups of junior and seasoned reps to CEOs going out on road shows. And she didn’t know????

When Steve Jobs was courting John Sculley, then CEO of Pepsi, to be CEO of Apple, Jobs won Sculley over by asking, "Do you want to sell sugared water the rest of your life or do you want a chance to transform the world?" With the way that question was framed, Sculley could not resist and the rest was history.  I used this story in a recent seminar I did for AC Lion, the leading interactive sales search firm, to illustrate the importance of knowing your client, not just his business needs and situation, but how he thinks,feels, and what fires him (or her) up.  As companies scramble to innovate products and develop new strategies and business models -- all of which  are very important for future success - it is equally important to remember one business factor that does not change: the ability  to read and respond to the variety of buyers that cross your path. John D. Rockefeller said, "I will pay more for the ability to get along with people than for any other skill."  This new blog promises to focus on the people and process sides of doing business,. That means strategies, skills, and insights into the substantive and mission critical conversations that occur  throughout a sales process that lead to results.   I hope you will find this blog to be an evergreen guide to building business in all economic times.  All comments welcome.

Recommendation: Think you know about selling? Think again when you read Sharon Drew Morgan's hot off the press book, "Dirty LIttle Secrets:Why Sellers Can't Sell and Buyers Can't Buy."                            .