Part I
Be Honorable
Honor the Buyer and the Seller
"Trust me," says the salesperson, "I won’t steer
you wrong."
Look out, we tell ourselves, here comes the con.
Paying lip service to being trustworthy or honorable has nothing
to do with selling with honor. To sell with honor, you must behave in a way
that feels comfortable and appropriate to both parties—that honors the buyer
and the salesperson.
"Honor the salesperson?" you ask. "What does that
have to do with selling?"
Everything. Selling with honor begins when you can honestly say,
"I have something of value to offer." Then all you have to do is
communicate that value.
Know Your Value
Your first job is to communicate your value directly to yourself—to
sell yourself on you. Otherwise, you face an uphill battle, asking yourself,
If I can’t sell me, how can I sell anyone else?
To overcome your anxiety about selling, you need to develop an
unwavering faith in the value of your product or service.
What if you're not convinced of your value?
Convince yourself. Most people hugely underestimate the value they
bring to the table. Fearful of inflating their worth—overselling—they go the
other way. Deflating their worth, they lead potential buyers to conclude,
"You’re right. Based on the limited value you’ve communicated, I really
should go somewhere else."
Remember: To overcome your anxiety about selling, develop an
unwavering faith in the value you offer.
"We only have 10 percent of the market, and
that means that 90 percent of the women are buying the wrong cosmetics."
—Mary Kay Ash
Founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics
Be Crystal Clear About What You Do
It’s not enough to say, "I’m a good architect," or
"I work hard for my clients."
Be specific. Write down every benefit and service you
provide. And don’t stop writing until you have at least a page.
Next, ask trusted clients what benefits and services they think
you provide.
Finally, based on client feedback, revise that original list of
yours. Sing your praises as accurately and comprehensively as possible.
CASE IN
POINT
An accountant reports, "It took me a long time to get the
nerve to ask my clients for feedback. But when I started to hear what they had
to say about me, and I saw their compliments in writing, I suddenly realized
how much I did for them. Now I wonder if I’m not charging enough."
Write a
Borrow a page from corporate leaders like Johnson & Johnson
and AT&T. Write a mission statement—a statement of the values or beliefs
that will guide your selling behavior. In charting your rules for selling, pay
particular attention to offering service, safety, guidance, and passion.
After writing your mission statement, revise it and keep revising
it until your rules are stated as simply, clearly, and succinctly as possible.
"But I don’t know what my rules are."
Of course you do! Look to your own stories of selling success. Recall
what actions you took to win the day and identify the
underlying principles, or rules, you were following.
CASE IN
POINT
At AT&T, corporate principles are spelled out m a one page
document called Our Common Bond.
Regarding customer service, it reads, "We build enduring
relationships by understanding and anticipating our customers’ needs and by
serving them better each time than the time before."
Now ask yourself this: If you were a salesperson for AT&T,
would looking to principles like this—stated simply and clearly—help guide your
selling efforts?
You bet they would.
If You Don’t Like What You’re Selling, Sell Something Else
Writing your mission statement will take time. But if the process
causes you undue grief, there may be a very simple explanation: You may not
like what you’re selling.
When you do get business, you’re resentful of the buyer—someone
who’s now forcing you to perform a service or sell a product you’d rather not
be involved with. Ironically, you find yourself pitted against the buyer, in
danger of acting abusively toward the very person who’s paying the bill.
From the waiter who thinks his job is beneath him to the dentist
who hates his practice, we’ve all been abused by people who did not want our
business in the first place.
To sell with honor, honor what you’re selling.
CASE IN
POINT
After ten years of practice, a lawyer discovers he hates doing
divorce work, a "gutter practice" he calls it, where the lawyers
often make out better than their clients. Realizing he’s unable to honorably
sell himself as a divorce lawyer, he goes back to school and becomes a
mediator—helping to resolve the same sorts of conflicts, but without all the
cost, haranguing, and endless acrimony. And because he likes what he does for a
living, he finds it a lot easier to promote himself.
Part II
Reach Out
We’ve all walked into a store only to be rushed by a salesperson
who acts like he hasn’t seen a customer all day. Overeager (and possibly
desperate) he pushes to make the sale. And the more he pushes, the more you
want to flee.
How do you avoid having to "push" to make the sale?
Reach out to the world. Increase your sphere of possible
customers. The more you reach out to make contacts and friends, the less your
odds of the desperate clutch. "Please, don’t leave me. I’ve got to got to
make this sale before you walk out the door and I’m left without a prospect in
sight."
That’s what makes some of those salespeople so pushy—pushing to
close a deal for fear their next opportunity may be a long way off.
"But aren’t there people who have so much business they don’t
need to go out looking for more?
Absolutely. People who’ve met a large number of prospects have
been successful at communicating their value. Now their phone’s ringing off the
hook and they’ve got more business than they can handle.
People in this position represent a tiny percentage of the
everyday world. The rest of us—most of the world, in fact—still need to reach
out daily to find more business.
"Look, I’m just afraid that if I reach out for business, I might
end up making a fool of myself.
Then we’ll teach you to reach out
appropriately, in a way that makes you—and your prospects—feel comfortable.
Make Friends
When it comes to business, personal contacts are key.
People do business with people they like.
Very often, people call on a particular business or service
because they know and like the people involved. That’s why they thought to call
in the first place.
Remember:
People do business with people they like.
Get more people to know and like you, and more and more business
will come your way.
"Isn’t that somewhat cold and calculating, going out to make
friends so you can turn them into business leads?
It’s a fact of life. People who like us are potential clients, or
people who can lead us to clients. That’s how you’ve gotten a lot of your
business already—through people you’ve met who took a liking to you.
All we’re trying to do is help the process along.
"As a young lawyer on the make in 1984,
John Sloss learned that independent film director
John Sayles played in a weekly pickup basketball game at a high-school gym in
"A decade later, that hustle has paid
off... His marquee client [is] Mr. Sayles."
—From The Wall Street
Journal,
March 31, 1995
Ask Questions
You’ve reached out and made new friends. Now you’re ready to start
selling. Right?
Wrong. Before you tell them what you have to offer,
find out what they need. Otherwise, you risk acting inappropriately, reaching
out in a way that will make you both feel uncomfortable.
Before you jump in with, "Here’s what I can do for you,"
first find out what needs to be done.
How do I find out what people really need?
Ask lots of questions and listen more than you talk.
CASE IN
POINT
Black & Decker has a reputation for listening to consumers. In
the 1970’s, for example, the company discovered that consumers wanted a
portable vacuum cleaner for smaller spills. This led Black & Decker to
create the hugely successful Dustbuster.
In 1994, hearing that consumers wanted both hands free 75% of the
time they use a flashlight, the company created the SnakeLight,
a flashlight that can stand by itself or wrap around the wearer’s neck.
How does Black & Decker stumble onto these innovative
discoveries? They ask lots of questions and listen for needs.
"Listening to your customers is a way to
make a fortune."
—Mo Siegel
Founder, Celestial Seasonings
Know What You Do for a Living
When people ask, "What do you do?" very often they
couldn’t care less. It’s a social convention, something to keep the
conversation going. But it’s also an opportunity to communicate your value.
Instead of simply saying, "I’m a lawyer," or "I
sell computers," learn to convey how you help people, how you make
their lives better. It’s the difference between, "I’m a tax
attorney," and "I’m a tax attorney. I help my clients save money by
minimizing their taxes." One answer closes the door on conversation; the
other opens it up.
Think of it as giving them a sound byte—a simple, memorable way of
conveying the benefits you bring to your clients.
CASE IN
POINT
In 1979, when General Electric was looking for a new advertising
agency for its consumer products division, it held a competition between two
finalists. Both agencies developed television campaigns that showed consumers
enjoying various GE products. One agency used the tag line, "General
Electric. Let us work for you." The other used the tag, "General
Electric. We bring good things to life." The winner?
The agency that showed how General Electric brings "good
things to life"—a corporate pledge that’s still being used.
When telling people what you do for a living or why they should
hire you, the most powerful message you can deliver is, Working with me will
make your life better.
"Our sales people don’t necessarily sell
products, they sell solutions."
—Arthur Blank
Cofounder, The Home Depot
Learn That One Size Does Not Fit All
Be careful about that sound byte of yours.
As good as it may sound initially, don’t wind up giving everyone
you meet the same old line.
Learn to make telling people what you do for a living part of a
give-and-take conversation, not a stand-up routine or an unsolicited
infomercial.
CASE IN
POINT
One day, a medical malpractice attorney finds himself saying:
"I’m the David who fights the Goliaths of the medical industry."
He likes the line so much, he starts using it at every
opportunity. At parties. Pitching new clients. When he meets a woman he’d like
to ask out.
Unfortunately, he starts sounding like a TV pitchman, not the
caring, devoted person he truly is. And his behavior starts pushing people away.
What was once a spontaneous remark (just the right thing to say) becomes a
slick, stale line.
Eventually, he senses there’s a problem and returns to presenting
himself as someone who’s personable, caring, and likes to fight the good fight
when he suspects malpractice. People start responding. And business picks up.
"Be yourself, stay natural and dammit, smile once in a while!"
—Lee Iacocca
Be Honest
Telemarketers face an awful challenge. In a single call, they need
to establish a rapport, gain your trust, and make that sale. These demands lead
some telemarketers to resort to desperate measures.
They’ll glad hand you like mad, acting like your best friend in
the world: "Dave, how are you today?" Or they’ll tell your secretary,
"I’m a new client. I’m sure your boss wants to speak with me."
Question: By reaching out to make new friends in order to get more
business, aren’t you being equally deceitful?
Not if you’re honest; not if you disclose your intention to do
business. By stating your reason for reaching out in the first place, you do
away with the fear of manipulation: your fear you’re manipulating them; and
their fear they’re being manipulated by one more salesperson posing as a
friend.
"But it sounds so manipulative: all this trying to make friends
just so I can sell them.
You’re not trying to make friends, then trick them into being
clients. You’re trying to build relationships based on honesty. Get things out
in the open. Disclose your intention to do business one day.
"Just come out and say it? Be totally honest?
Try it sometime. Then watch them fall over.
CASE IN
POINT
A businesswoman arranges for her husband and herself to have
dinner with another couple, both of whom she’d like to win as clients. When the
wine arrives, she toasts: "Here’s to new friends." Her husband wants
to crawl under the table ("I felt like I was in a beer commercial.")
until his wife adds the words, "And if some business should come of it, so
much the better."
Suddenly, says the husband, "I fell in love with her all over
again, thinking, Who could resist a woman like this?"
Talk with Your Friends
When it comes to looking for business, friends are often
overlooked.
For some, it’s the unspoken fear that doing business with friends
could jeopardize the relationship. "If you want to lose a friend,"
they’ll advise, "loan him money or do business together."
For others, it’s the concern that asking friends for business
would reveal some flaw in their character. "They’ll see me as needy or
greedy."
For others, a more pragmatic concern: If I did business with
friends, I’d have to give them a discount and better service.
Granted, there are risks. Would you take a group of people who
know and like you and totally eliminate them as possible clients?
Remember:
People do business with people they like.
Think it over. Give it some good, honest thought and see if the
idea of doing business with one or more friends gives you the willies or might
just work.
Broach the subject with friends, and see how they feel about it.
You might be surprised or have your worst fears confirmed. But you’ll never
find out unless you ask.
Afraid to risk doing business with friends?
Then how about asking your friends to refer you to friends of theirs?
"What are they going to say? 'Jerry’s my friend. Why don’t you
hire him next time you need a contractor?' They don’t know if I’m any good
or not!"
Fair enough. Then what if they said, "I don’t know how good
a contractor he is, but his house looks great. We’ve been friends for years,
and he’s a good, honest guy."
"But why should they go out of their way like that?
They’re your friends; they want you to do well. (Besides, you’re
going to do the same for them.
Part III
First Give, Then Receive
Every client you’ve ever landed has been the result of your
marketing efforts—even if they were efforts you didn’t know you were making.
We’ve all met someone socially or on the job and had a
relationship develop over time. You stay in touch, become old friends, and
eventually, keeping in touch with that person translates into business.
But unless that friendship evolves naturally, most people have no
idea how to further the relationship.
For example: You asked for her business card and you really did
mean to call. Then you stuffed it in a drawer somewhere, years went by, and she
became a major honcho, president of Mega Industries. Now you’re dying to call
her, but you failed to stay in touch when you had the chance.
Stay in touch with the people you meet. They’ll grow into friends
over time.
Just remember: In business as in life, it takes a long time to
make old friends.
CASE IN
POINT
After five years with a large firm, a young architect decides to
strike out on his own without a client in sight. Over the years, however, he’s
made friends with a lot of architects at the firm, including some partners. So
he prepares for his departure by taking each of his architect friends out to
lunch and telling them of his plans. Then he follows up by sending out
announcements. Sure enough, they start sending him business.
There’s only one problem. At the firm, he’d see his fellow
architects on a daily basis. They’d work together, go to the same parties. But
once he’s out on his own, he fails to stay in touch. And little by little,
referrals dry up.
Meanwhile, another architect also leaves the firm. And even though
the second architect is junior to the first, he makes sure to stay in touch
with his former coworkers. He drops by the office, sends bottles of wine to
thank them for business, and remembers to treat them like the valuable friends
they truly are.
Not only does he keep getting referrals, he hires two more
architects to handle the load.
Make a Mailing List
Gather up those business cards you’ve been collecting and put them
to use.
If you don’t have a mailing list, it’s time to make one; if you
have a list, it’s time to update it and put it to use.
Create a list of everyone you know who could possibly send you
work. This is the first lesson in keeping in touch—knowing who, exactly, you’ll
be keeping in touch with.
If you find yourself resisting even the thought of such a list,
don’t be surprised. Creating your mailing list is like doing your taxes: It
gives you a cold, hard look at where you stand—whether you’re flush with
friends or desperate for help.
CLIENT 1
"But my mailing list would be so short. I’ve got less than a
dozen contacts.
Join business organizations, chambers of commerce, community
groups, any place you can think of where you can meet more prospects. And don’t
just send your dues in or buy a table at the annual banquet once a year. Go to
meetings; get on committees. Reach out to meet a lot more people and start
keeping in touch.
CLIENT 2
"My mailing list is too long already. I have hundreds of people
and half of them I haven’t spoken to in years.
Then get on the phone and get back in toucb.
"But I’d feel so awkward about it, calling up people I’ve really
lost touch with.
Would you feel comfortable calling up and saying, "I’m updating
my mailing list, and I wanted to know if I could keep your name on it as someone
to stay in touch with?"?
That’s an easy call to make.
"For you, maybe."
CASE IN
POINT
A management consultant at a large firm is asked to draw up a list
of five former clients who she believes were satisfed
with her work. But when it comes to calling them, she has a list of excuses:
She’s too busy; she didn’t do that good a job; and besides, it was years ago.
Finally, she braces herself, picks up the phone, and calls the
first person on the list.
"Why, Carol," says the former client. "You’re just
the person we could use right now!"
That one phone call sends shock waves through the firm. How, they
all wonder, could a devout nonmarketer like Carol
bring in a chunk of business worth $150,000?
Give Value in Advance
Lots of people talk about "added value," or throwing in
something extra to sweeten the deal. But suppose you gave value in advance
of the deal, giving value to your clients in advance of there being a business
relationship. Actually, it’s done all the time.
When a lawyer gives free advice to a prospective client, that’s
value in advance.
When an investment firm sends out a monthly newsletter, that’s
also value in advance.
Or think of the enjoyment or value you get when you visit your
local book chain emporium and spend some time in one of their very comfortable
reading chairs. Browse a while, goes the message. Make yourself
comfortable. No one’s pushing to make a sale.
To sell with honor, give them value in advance.
Start serving your clients before they’re your clients.
CASE IN
POINT
A homeowner asks a gardener to take a look at his property and
tell him how much he would charge to take care of it. While surveying the
property, the gardener spots a sprinkler head surrounded by a puddle of water.
"Been like this for long?" asks the gardener. "About a
year."
With that, the gardener pulls out a screwdriver and has it fixed
in a minute.
Having given the homeowner value in advance, he gets hired on the
spot.
"How about business lunches? That seems like a tried-and-true
form of value in advance.
True enough, but be careful: Many "tried-and-true" ways
of doing business have, over time, become tired and trite.
Besides, look at the message you’re sending: "Doing business
with me means business as usual. If you’re looking for someone who’ll offer
creative, innovative solutions, look somewhere else."
"But it’s not that easy to break from the mold.
You’re right. It will take some brainstorming. But if you think
hard enough, you just might come up with a winning solution.
CASE IN
POINT
In
He invites two dozen art directors—each a potential client—to a free
Paul Simon concert in
Today, that enterprising photographer has all the clients he
needs, many dating back from the night he played host at a free concert in
Before you go looking for that great idea they’ll never forget,
start with some business-as-usual approach and see if you can’t come up with a
slight variation. For example:
BUSINESS AS USUAL
• You take people to lunch, pick up the check, and hope they call
you for business.
• You send out newsletters to everyone on your mailing list.
• You write articles for trade journals.
• At Christmas, you send out cards and gifts.
SLIGHT VARIATIONS
• Instead of taking your business prospects out to lunch
one by one, take out a group—people in noncompeting
businesses who could benefit by meeting one another. And make it a creative
meal by taking them to an unusual restaurant.
• Supplement that newsletter with a free seminar in your area of
expertise. Which doesn’t mean you have to splurge for a hotel meeting room.
Invite people to your office and have it catered.
• Be creative when identifying trade journals. Consider the
chiropractor who writes an article on carpal tunnel syndrome and gets it placed
in the Writers Guild Journal, a magazine that’s distributed to 10,000
television and film writers in the Los Angeles area, because they all do a lot
of typing and many of them live within driving distance of his office.
• Avoid the Christmas rush; stay in touch throughout the year.
Instead of sending those annual bouquets, for example, arrange with a florist
to send special clients a monthly bouquet. Whatever the flowers, they’ll
be sure to serve as forget-me-nots.
Target
Years ago, there was a Twilight Zone episode about a
sidewalk peddler with the uncanny ability to know exactly what certain people
needed. The gifts he provided seemed fairly modest (spot remover, scissors, a
train ticket to
When offering value in advance, your goal is much the same—to give
each prospective client something of value that’s just right for them. Though
unlike the salesman in The Twilight Zone, you won’t have to rely on
magical powers. Having stayed in touch over time, you’ve learned about your
prospects, and you have a sense of what they might need.
You’ve also taken the time to create a database on each
prospective client: a running log on their business, family, everything you’ve
learned about them to date. Now it’s time to get specific, to target specific
actions to meet their needs. Ask yourself, "What can I do that will
position me positively in the eyes of this particular prospect? And how can I
keep giving value to the clients I have?"
"What if I can’t think of what to do for someone? Then what
do I do?
Do nothing until you can think of an action that’s right on
target.
"And if I still can’t think of something?
Resist the urge to act prematurely. Keep in touch, keep learning
about your prospect, and eventually you’ll discover something that person needs
you can easily provide.
"It all sounds so calculating."
It is. So’s trying to get a new job or
romancing someone you’re attracted to. The more you calculate and plan things
out, the better your chances for winning them over.
CASE IN
POINT
On their second date, a suitor brings flowers for her and gift-wrapped
bones for her
One year later, he pops the question and closes the deal.
Give Them Proof
David Letterman once took a Late Night video crew to visit
half a dozen greasy spoons that all had signs promising World’s Best Coffee.
The joke, of course, was: how could any of them have the world’s best coffee?
It’s easy to say, "I’m the best in the world."
The issue is proof. What can you offer that proves your worth?
CASE IN
POINT
Two computer consultants start their own firm, making sure to
reach out and give lots of value in advance. They serve on panels where they
offer free advice, meet reporters with whom they stay in touch over time, and
wind up getting profiled and praised in a local business journal.
What they have now is proof—an independent source that says
they’re outstanding.
"If I take a full-page ad in the New
York Times to publicize a project, it might cost $40,000, and in any case,
people tend to be skeptical about advertising. But if the New York Times
writes an even moderately positive one-column story about one of my deals, it
doesn’t cost me anything, and it’s worth a lot more than $40,000."
—Donald Trump
Let Them Know You Have Their Best Interests at Heart
We’ve all been to some snooty salon or highbrow boutique where the
hired help has treated us like dirt.
We’re so great, goes the message, it’s more important to serve our
needs than yours.
Let people know you have their best interests at heart. Then you
can guide and they’ll be sure to follow, knowing you care about their needs,
not just your own.
CASE IN
POINT
A businesswoman trying out a new travel agent calls to book a
flight weeks in advance, hoping to get a fourteen-day-in-advance discounted
ticket. Unfortunately, she learns that all the discounted seats have already
been sold or reserved. The travel agent suggests the following: "For now,
let me reserve a seat at full fare. Then, when it’s fourteen days before your
flight, I’ll call the airline to see if someone who’s reserved a discounted ticket
hasn’t paid for it yet. If they haven’t, the seat will be released, and I’ll
get it for you at the discounted price."
For the travel agent, the more expensive the ticket, the larger
the commission. Yet his clever plan to try for a less expensive ticket proves
to his caller: Not only am I resourceful, I have your best interests at heart.
Does our businesswoman wind up with a discounted ticket?
It hardly matters. What matters is she’s so impressed, she dumps
her old agent and switches to the new one.
Offer Guidance and Safety
At Joe Rombi’s restaurant in
When purchasing a product or service, what we want more than anything
is guidance and safety: to be given the guidance to help make our choice,
and to feel safe and secure once we do.
No one wants to place an order—for dinner or anything else—while
living in fear it’s the wrong choice and that disappointment lurks just ahead.
Guide, advise, and keep your clients from making dangerous
mistakes.
CASE IN
POINT
A young couple calls a childproofing company, Safer Baby, to come
to their house to give them an estimate. The representative goes through their
house room by room, pointing out potential problems and telling them about
various products they can have installed. He tells them what’s optional and
what he considers a must. He also shows them a lot of things they can do on
their own, like removing dry cleaner bags from clothes in their closet and
putting away small odds and ends their baby could choke on.
During the hour or so, he demonstrates his caring to such a degree
that when he hands them his estimate, they agree on the spot.
Having met someone who offered guidance and safety, there simply
was no reason to look anywhere else.
Avoid the Beauty Contest
No phone calls.
Résumé only.
Play by our rules or don’t play at all.
When someone else is giving the marching orders, it’s tough to put
your best foot forward.
Avoid the beauty contest. Don’t stand around holding your breath
while being compared to countless others.
But they’re setting the rules? Yes and no. Regardless of their stated
rules, there’s an unspoken rule that always prevails: Value gets noticed.
CASE IN
POINT
An infomercial producer is requested by fax to submit her résumé and
demo reel to an entrepreneur with a new product to sell. Rather than simply
play by the rules, she calls him up and discovers this will be his first
experience with an infomercial.
What he really needs, the producer realizes, isn’t a stack of demo
reels but guidance and safety. Volunteering to meet with him, she provides
value in advance by showing him how to avoid some common pitfalls and helping
get him started in the right direction. And because she’s shooting an
infomercial at the time, she arranges to conduct their meeting at the
production facility, where he watches her in action and gets further proof of
her value.
The alternative, you’ll recall, was signing up for that beauty
contest—sending out her résumé and reel in hopes she’d be chosen Miss Infomercial
Supplier.
"Don’t get trapped in 'what is,' look to ‘what
if?’ "
—Allen Adamson
Managing Director, Landor
Associates
Be Charitable
Willie Sutton, when asked why he robbed banks, replied,
"Because that’s where the money is."
Same goes for charities. Charitable and philanthropic
organizations are filled with wealthy, successful people who understand that
charity not only helps others, it can also help them.
Give of yourself to a worthwhile cause. Get involved in planning
and fund-raising. Prove to others the value of your work.
Rub shoulders with people who are doing good, and let some
business rub off on you.
"Isn’t that social climbing? Trying to meet wealthy, influential
people?
Like the politician running for office, trying to gather support
with an expensive fund-raising dinner?
"But isn’t that working for the common good, not someone’s own
self-interest.
Why not both? Why not be charitable to the charity as well as
yourself?
Serve the Community
Reach out to the community; give value in advance.
Remember those comfortable chairs at the book store? That’s a
great example of value in advance, providing comfort and a relaxing read well
before customers spend any money.
These enterprising stores also reach out with the goal of becoming
a community resource center, sponsoring events ranging from book readings and
lectures to demonstrations like "Ten-Minute Meals" and "Thirty
Minutes to a Painless Back." These events contribute to the community and
bring customers and business into the store.
Reach out and serve the community. Learn to do well for yourself
by doing good for others.
"So it works for a bookstore. What do you do if you’re selling
hardware?
Offer free classes on basic home repairs. Or consider what Home
Depot did. When parts of
Let’s say you run a restaurant and you could use more business.
Offer free cooking classes. Get written up in the local paper and get a new
group of people to sample your food—people who’ll get to know and like you, see
your business as a value to the community, and return with their friends to
share their discovery.
Whatever your product or service, think of a way to serve the
community. Then let the community serve you in kind.
The Southern California Gas Company sends out its bills in
envelopes marked "This Envelope Made From Recycled Telephone
Directories." It’s still a bill, and you’re not eager to pay it, but you
feel a little better about the company that sent it.
Part IV
See Yourself as Others See You
Don't Beg
There’s a word for what people do when they ask for business without
demonstrating their value in advance: begging.
Begging tells people, "I can’t take care of myself. Would you
take care of me?"
In charity, we’re more than willing to give to the needy, but in
business, unless the person you’re appealing to feels charitable or happens to
be your brother-in-law, begging, as a sales technique, leaves much to be
desired.
But you don’t beg, you say? Think again.
Whenever you feel awkward about asking for business, chances are
it’s because you’ve failed to demonstrate your value in advance of your asking.
So now what you’re doing is begging for work. "C’mon, I can do it. Give me
a shot."
"Why, are we related?"
Avoid the urge to beg for work. Instead, give them so much value
and so much proof of your value, they’ll beg you to work for them.
CASE IN
POINT
A salesman, desperate to win an account, sends a photo of his
children to a prospective client with a note that reads, "Please. Help me
feed these kids."
"It was supposed to be a joke," he explains.
"That’s all it was. But the second I dropped that picture into the mailbox
I began to worry. What if they thought I was serious? What if they really
thought I was begging for work?
"Whatever they thought, it wasn’t good. Not only did I never
get work from them, they never returned another call."
Don’t Be Desperate
No one wants to do business with someone who’s desperate for the
work. People want to do business with busy, successful, proven
commodities—people, in fact, who don’t need the work.
"But what if I really need the work?
Keep it to yourself.
Don’t Ask Strangers for Money
Certain rules of behavior are genetically encoded. You can’t avoid
them, erase them, or pretend they’re not there.
Like the rule that says: Don’t give money to strangers. Which
leads to the corollary: Don’t ask strangers for money.
Why do people do business with people they know? So they won’t
have to give strangers money and strangers won’t have to ask.
Don’t be a stranger. Work to become a well-known, proven
commodity, a reliable source they can take to the bank.
CASE IN
POINT
A salesman tells the story of visiting a client when he gets a
call from the hospital. His wife is in labor, and his car won’t start. So he
asks the client if he can borrow his car. The client agrees, and he makes it to
the hospital in time for the delivery.
"What I learned," says the salesman, "is you have
to develop such a level of trust they’d loan you their car if you asked. Now,
that’s a rule-of-thumb I use all the time: Unless I feel,
This is someone who would trust me enough to loan me their car, I won’t even
think to ask for the business."
Be Passionate
Rather than begging, acting desperate, or asking strangers for
money, learn to be passionate.
From Martin Luther King to Bruce Springsteen,
passion is the spark that starts the fire, the magnet that draws people in.
When someone asks you, "What’s up?" or "What’s
new?" reply with enthusiasm. "What’s up? Let me tell
you!" Tell them about that project you’re working on, about the dream you
have for its future success. Let them know you care about what you’re doing and
have the passion for your work.
People like to do business with people who like what they do.
Share your passion and vision, and few can resist.
CASE IN
POINT
Microsoft’s Bill Gates, when asked if he were a good salesman,
replied, "I’m good at sharing my excitement about where this industry is
going and what we can do for a company."
Bill Gates’s passion and enthusiasm has
helped to make him the richest man in
"You always have to have something you can
tell people you’re doing, something really nifty."
—Leon Wieseltier
Literary editor, The New Republic
See Yourself as Others See You
We’ve all seen movies where a character practices asking for a
raise or a date in front of the mirror. Mostly, these scenes are played for
comic effect, but the underlying concern is honest and real: How do I appear
to others?
Take a look at the following adjectives and ask yourself which of
these words people would use to describe your behavior? Would they say you
were: caring, creative, careful, cooperative, dedicated, diligent, ethical,
fair, focused, forward-thinking, friendly, helpful, honest, imaginative, interesting,
practical, reasonable, reliable, resourceful, respectful, persistent, patient,
thorough, thoughtful, trustworthy and generally a nice person?
Or would they use words like impatient, rude, pushy, demanding,
and unrealistic?
Starting with the adjectives above and adding any other words that
come to mind, write out a list of adjectives under the heading: This Is How
Others See Me. Next, make a separate list of the attributes you’d like to
foster, the words you’d like people to use when describing your character. Use
the heading: This Is How I Wish They Would See Me. Now comes the hard
part. Assuming there’s some discrepancy between the way you see yourself and
the way you’d like to be seen, ask yourself, "What can I do to modify my
behavior, to bring my wish list closer to reality?"
CASE IN
POINT
The salesman confesses, "I was raised in a family where
everyone told jokes. It was how you got attention, even love. So over the
years—thinking I had to be funny to get people to pay attention to me—I wound
up telling jokes all the time: The
"Then I made up those two lists of adjectives, and there was
this huge difference between how I figured other people saw me, as a
joke-teller, and how I saw myself, as an educator, as someone who could help
his customers to improve their lives.
"So I decided to change, to make a concerted effort to
communicate to the world: "Here’s the way I’d like you to think of me;
here’s the way I’d like to be known."
"I still allowed myself to be funny, but I stopped telling
jokes. And I slowly developed this new way of selling—being diligent, caring,
and a lot of other words that came up on that wish list.
"I admit it. I was one of those guys who was always saying,
"Say, did you hear the one about the traveling salesman?" But after a
while, it just wasn’t me, and it sure wasn’t helping to bring in the
business."
"Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends
him money."
—Willy Loman,
Death of a Salesman
See Your Product or Service as Others See It
A manufacturer of picture frames pastes their "Suggested
Retail Price" sticker right on the glass—which is something you don’t even
think about until you get it home and find yourself struggling to pick, peel or
scrape it off, hoping you don’t scratch the glass or plastic in the process.
How could they do such a thing? you ask. How
could they be so incredibly inconsiderate?
When offering your product or service, learn to see what you’re
selling from the buyer’s perspective. That’s step one.
Step two, of course, is doing something about it.
CASE IN
POINT
Ikea furniture stores—mindful that a lot of customers bring their
young children along—make shopping there a lot easier by offering free
strollers, a changing room for babies, and a supervised Ballroom where their
kids can play, leaving Mom and Dad to wander the store-and spend lots of money—without
having to worry about keeping Junior out of trouble.
The lesson is simple: Having learned to see the shopping
experience as their buyers see it, Ikea delivers exactly what’s needed.
Take a Survey
There’s a surefire method for finding out how your customers view
your product or service: Take a survey.
Ask them: Are we being helpful? Are you happy with our work so
far?
If the answer’s Yes, you both feel better; if it’s No, ask what
you can do to make things right—so you can work to fix things before they go
elsewhere.
Meanwhile, asking customers for their opinions strengthens the
relationship and increases loyalty—because people like to be asked and feel
like they’re heard.
" I’m terrified of asking. What if they’re unhappy?
When would you prefer finding out, when they’re miserably
unsatisfied and screaming divorce, or when there’s still time to kiss and make
up?
Let the seller beware. Just because a customer doesn’t make his
feelings known doesn’t mean he’s happy. Surveys conducted by the Harvard School
of Business consistently reveal: For every customer who stands up and
complains, two others elect to not say a thing.
CASE IN
POINT
A consultant who specializes in preventing workplace injuries gets
his first big assignment: to create a three-day seminar for a major
corporation. If he does well with this project, promises the head of personnel,
she’ll recommend him to their five branch offices.
Determined to wow them, he asks what they’re looking for, designs
a project they approve, and flies to
"Mind if I make a constructive criticism?"
"Not at all."
"I’ve been very disappointed for the past three days. I was
hoping for a lot more exercises."
The budding consultant wants to crawl under a rock. "I could
have given you tons more exercises! All you had to do was tell me."
True enough.
Yet all the consultant had to do was take a survey, to ask his
sponsor during a break, "Is this what you’re looking for? Are you happy
with what I’m giving you so far?"
For want of a survey the client (plus those five branch offices)
was lost forever.
"If something’s wrong, the question to ask
is, ‘What can I do to make it right?’ Because customers always have something
in their minds that would make it right."
—Aime
Morgida
Regional vice president,
Whole Foods Market
Don’t Kill the Messenger
In ancient Greece, when a messenger arrived with bad news, it was
often the practice to kill him. As Sophocles himself
observed, "Nobody likes the man who brings bad news."
Of course, we no longer take out a sword and assassinate the
messenger, but that doesn’t stop us from assassinating people’s character
when they don’t approve of our product or service. "He doesn’t like what
I’m selling? The guy’s an idiot!"
Because your prospect fails to value what you’re selling, you turn
around and devalue him. "That idiot. What does he know?"
Consider another approach. Rather than killing the messenger, what
if you embraced him? What if you said to yourself, "I don’t like what he
has to say, but maybe I can learn from it. Maybe his negative comments can
guide me to make a positive change."
It’s always easy to kill the messenger; what’s infinitely harder
is to consider his news as something worth hearing.
CASE IN
POINT
Let’s go hack to that consultant standing by his car with the head
of personnel. When she delivers the bad news, "I’ve been very disappointed
for the past three days," the man is crushed, defeated. Driving to the
airport, all he can think is how much he hates her:
The nerve of that woman, how could she abuse me like that? We agreed in advance
to exactly what I’d do. Now she changes her mind but doesn’t tell me about it
until I’m three days dead. She’s the one who caused the whole crisis!
It goes on like this all through the flight, until the plane
descends to make its landing and the truth of the matter suddenly appears:
She’s not a terrible person, her opinion of what happened can’t be dismissed.
As much as I’d like to blame her for the problem, I have to accept
responsibility. If I had stopped to ask, if I had taken a survey, I could have
prevented this whole disaster.
In Chinese, the word for crisis and opportunity is the same.
Whatever the crisis, work to turn it into a learning opportunity.
Part V
Proceed with Caution
Be Patient
While cultivating your contacts, keep in mind that results can be
long in coming.
Remember:
It takes a long time to make old friends.
Be patient, careful, and willing to wait.
"Can’t I skip a step, do something daring that wins them over?
For the buyer, it’s "Strike one, you’re out." Step on
their toes just once, and you’ll leave a more lasting impression than the fifty
times you did them good. Better to proceed with caution—targeting actions and
taking your time—than risk doing damage you can never repair.
"Be nice to everyone. Be polite. Serve one
customer at a time."
—Dave Thomas
Founder, Wendy’s Hamburgers
Look for Work When You Don’t Have the Time
To avoid the temptation to "skip a step" or act inappropriately,
start looking for work when you don’t really need it.
When your plate is full, you’ll find it’s infinitely easier to
communicate your value, presenting yourself as a busy, successful, proven
commodity.
Now you’re not begging, you’re spreading good news.
"But what if I really need the work?
Unfortunately, this places you at a distinct disadvantage.
Remember: People like to do business with people who don’t need the work. And
if you do need the work, it’s not that easy to act like you don’t. "Boy,
am I doing great. It’s my best year ever!"
"What are you working on?"
"Right now? Well, uh. You know, lots of stuff."
"Think you could be any less specific?"
"I don’t think so, no."
Seek Out Your Peers
In theory, it’s great to sell when you don’t need the work but in
practice, there are plenty of times when you do need the work. That makes it
tempting to do something rash.
When in doubt, seek out your peers—your personal board of
advisors. Ask them, "If you were the client, how would you react if this
is what I said or did? Would it make me a hero or a bum?" Talk things
over. Heed their advice.
Before taking the chance of making a strategic blunder, try things
out in a safe, nonthreatening environment, among
people you know whose opinions you trust.
"If I asked for their help, I’m afraid people would see me as
weak or indecisive.
Then choose someone who cares about you and cares enough to keep
things confidential.
Go through every name on your mailing list and ask yourself,
"Is this a person I could turn to for advice?" Or turn to a trade
organization chat line. But do be judicious. Don’t wear out their welcome mat
with your Problem du Jour.
Start Small
To minimize danger, guide your buyer to starting small.
Rather than trying for the whole enchilada—and asking your buyer
to make a huge leap of faith—create a plan that lets him "start
small," giving you the chance to prove just how valuable you truly are.
Start small, prove your value, and let the relationship grow from
there.
CASE IN
POINT
The owner of an older house finds Dalo
Plumbers in the Yellow Pages and calls them to fix a leak. Dave and Tim show
up, do the job for a reasonable price, and the homeowner’s happy. Though they
do advise her that the lead pipes in her forty-year-old house are showing their
age and will have to be replaced—not today, but sooner or later.
Over the next few years, various plumbing needs arise at the
house. Dave and Tim keep getting called and, from time to time, they gently
remind their customer about those pipes that will need replacing.
Finally, one of those pipes starts to give, creating a leak that
Dave and Tim are prepared to patch—until the homeowner says to them,
"Maybe it’s time to replace the pipes. Wouldn’t that be smarter?"
It takes a few years to win the big one, but Dave and Tim get the
job and get their price.
According to a 1994 survey by Olsten Staffing Services, nearly 40
percent of temporary workers get offered full-time jobs. Having demonstrated
their value with a small, safe deal (temporary employment), the buyer turns
around and proposes more: "We’re sold on you. How would you like to work
full time?"
Tell the Truth
Aside from convicted felons, most people would say that car
salespeople are the biggest liars in the world.
To help combat this impression, the National Automobile Dealers
Association now sponsors seminars in ethics and etiquette, where salespeople
learn that telling the truth is a smarter way to sell.
Don’t lie, don’t deceive, and don’t overpromise.
Tell the truth. What you sacrifice in immediate profit will be more than
made up in referrals and repeat business.
CASE IN
POINT
A potential client asks a lawyer if she’s had any trial
experience. She replies, "Contrary to what you see on TV, the last thing
you want to do is go to trial: It’s always a crap shoot and there’s too much to
lose. Even if you win, it’s enormously expensive. So I win on my briefs, or we
move to arbitration. And for fifteen years, that’s exactly what I’ve
done."
Tell the truth, no matter what. And if you can turn a negative
into a positive, even better.
"Don’t hide even small defects. Always disclose
something that would bother you, because it would also probably bother a
potential buyer. And if they found out, they’d wonder what else you were
hiding."
—Pam Strauss
Sales manager, Shorewood Realtors
Do What You Do, Not What You Don’t
You’ve started small, developed trust, and now your buyer wants a
product or service that is outside your area of expertise.
You’re tempted, really tempted, and even though it makes you a
little nervous, you start thinking to yourself: How tough could it be?
Then you step outside your comfort zone and take the bait, only to
discover that your clients request is a lot more challenging than you had
imagined. Now you’re at risk of disappointing, and possibly losing your
trusting client.
Unless you’re experienced and know the ropes, nothing in life is
as easy as it looks.
Don’t oversell. Only make promises you know you can keep.
CASE IN
POINT
A homeowner asks a painter to give him a bid on painting the
exterior of his house. At the same time, he asks the painter if he could also
repair and reseal the deck.
"Sure," says the painter, thinking,
How tough could a deck be? He gives the homeowner bids for both jobs and the
bids are accepted.
The work on the house turns out great, but the work on the deck is
riddled with problems. And because it takes a lot more time than the painter
had figured, he turns in a bill for the deck that’s double the bid.
He and the homeowner do not part as friends.
"Dell used to say, ‘We’re going to do
everything.’ ...The hard thing is figuring out what you’re not going to
do."
—Michael Dell
President and Founder, Dell Computers
"We don’t sell pantyhose."
—Van Butler
Divisional vice president, Toys "R" Us
Part VI
Plan to Succeed
Find Mentors
No one says you have to brave the frontier all by yourself.
Find mentors.
Seek the counsel of industry leaders and discover that people
who’ve achieved great success often welcome the opportunity to help others do
the same.
"Why would some big shot help someone like me?
Because lots of them got help from others.
Early in his career, Steven Spielberg connected with MCA Chief
Executive Sidney Sheinberg, who helped young Steven
make a film called Jaws. Once established, Spielberg took a
liking to a young director, Robert Zemeckis. Under
Spielberg’s tutelage Zemeckis went on to direct
Forrest Gump. Now Zemeckis
is helping others.
Review your mailing list. Target someone you admire to lend a
helping hand. Then find a way to give that person value in advance, even if
means paying for guidance.
CASE IN
POINT
A young criminal defense lawyer is having trouble getting
referrals, so he hires a leading attorney to advise him on a trial. They get to
know one another, become friends over time, and the novice attorney starts
getting referrals from his former mentor.
Don’t Only Sell to Buyers
Sell to people who can refer you to buyers. If you run a
restaurant, court the favor of the concierge of a nearby hotel; if you’re a
photographer, make friends with a wedding planner; if you’re a housepainter,
build a relationship with a real estate agent, someone who can recommend you to
their buyers as well as their sellers. (Just don’t tell them you also do
decks.)
CASE IN
POINT
In the 1980s, with no money to advertise, family-run newcomer,
Make-up Art Cosmetics (MAC), decides to target makeup artists in order to build
a word-of-mouth reputation. Giving value in advance, the company offers makeup
artists a 40 percent discount off prices that are already lower than the
leading brands. Ten years later, MAC sales grow to more than $100 million a
year, and the company gets purchased by industry giant Estée
Lauder.
Turn Your Clients into Advocates
Word of mouth is the best advertising there is—and the cheapest.
Imagine the thrill of someone calling to say, "Frank says you’re great.
When can we get started?"
Rather than sit and wait for these calls, help make them happen by
turning your clients into advocates for your business.
First, consider asking clients for a letter of thanks, words of
praise for a job well done. Putting their feelings down on paper strengthens
the relationship, and asking for a letter lets them know you’re open to the
idea of getting their help in finding new business.
Next, see which clients you have who might feel comfortable making
a strategic introduction, whether it’s picking up the phone or taking you along
to a trade organization meeting—a low-pressure setting for introducing you to
potential clients.
Finally, ask yourself: "How can beating the
drum for me benefit my client as well?"
CASE IN
POINT
When MCI first devised their Friends & Family plan, they hit
upon what looked like a terrific idea: Get customers to give them the names and
numbers of up to twelve friends and family members so everyone in their
"Calling Circle" can get a discount when calling one another—as long
as they’re currently using MCI or they switch to MCI.
It was an ingenious plan. By getting customers to serve as
referral sources for MCI, not only do they benefit, hut their friends and
family benefit as well.
What the company discovered, however, was that a lot of people
didn’t like hearing that a friend or relative supplied their name and phone
number without their knowledge.
Eventually, MCI modified their marketing. Now they no longer ask
for a list of names in order to make unsolicited calls.
When asking for a referral, get your client to make the first call.
Anything less and you could he a nuisance.
Send Letters of Thanks
Whenever someone tries to send you business, be sure to send a
letter of thanks.
It’s easy to make a phone call or leave a message on voice mail. A
letter of thanks says you care enough to take the time to write, and a
handwritten note says you really care.
Whether or not you get the business, your letter of thanks will
serve you well—as value in advance of their next referral.
"I should thank them even if I don’t get the business?
You’re not thanking them for the business; you’re thanking them
for the effort they made on your behalf. Otherwise, you’re sending the message,
"If you’re successful, I’ll show my gratitude; if not, I can’t be
bothered."
CASE IN
POINT
An advertising executive offers to help an aspiring copywriter by
introducing him to the creative head of his agency. The writer gets to show off
his portfolio but fails to get a job offer. He also fails to thank the
executive who set things up, who reports, "I went out of my way for this
guy and that was the last I ever heard from him. As for the creative head—even
though he got nothing out of it—he thanked me in writing for bringing him a
possible hire. It took him all of five minutes and made a major
impression."
Never Make a Phone Call Without a Plan
Making a phone call without a plan is like getting in the car with
no idea of where you’re headed or how you’ll get there.
You never want to call just to say hi.
You want to target your call before you make it. Decide ahead of
time exactly why you’re calling, and know what actions you’ll take to achieve
your goal.
If They Won’t Return Your Calls, Write a Letter Instead
Letter-writing is the art of precision. Better than a
well-targeted phone call, a letter gives you the opportunity to get your
message across with pinpoint accuracy—as long as you’re willing to write it,
revise it, and revise it again.
A word of caution: Try not to send out your letter until the next
morning. Seeing what you’ve written after time has elapsed can save you from
sending a message you may later regret.
Be Persistent
What happens when a prospect says No?
Some of us hear No, others, Not yet.
The issue is persistence.
CASE IN
POINT
Starting in 1967, engineer and inventor Allen Breed tries to sell
air-bag sensors to
In 1995, nearly thirty years after Breed’s first rejection, Breed
Technologies sells 23 million air-bag sensors for a net profit of $110 million.
Looking back on the old days, Breed recalls, "We lost track
of how many times we heard No."
"I lose most of the time. For me, losing is
just learning how to win."
—Ted Turner
"It’s not whether you get knocked down.
It’s whether you get up again."
—Vince Lombardi
Know When to Quit
You’ve been patient and persistent and given them value in
advance. Now they won’t return your phone calls, and your letters go
unanswered.
Despite your best efforts, certain prospects may never pan out,
which brings us back to where we started:
Honor the buyer and the seller.
At the point when it starts to feel abusive—and you fear becoming
abusive yourself—it’s time to pack up the tent and call it quits.
Never Deliver What You Promise
Always deliver more than you promise. That something extra
is an investment in the future—value in advance of your next business deal.
Make Someone Happy
When people buy something that doesn’t perform as promised, they
say, "Look what they sold me." When they’re proud of their purchase
they say, "Look what I bought!"
Sell with honor.
Let the buyer rejoice and make both of you happy.
Selling
With Honor was written by Lawrence Kohn and Joel Saltzman.
This document is FREE for individual use only.
For licensing for group or multiple use contact:
Joel Saltzman
Toll Free: 877-Shake It! (877-742-5348)
e-mail: joel@shakethatbrain.com
Visit Joel's website at: www.shakethatbrain.com/wow