There is an intense amount of competition in today’s economy. There is more noise than ever due to the proliferation of social networking. There are also more competitors. With many individuals giving up corporate America for entrepreneurship there are more hurdles to battle. The chronic problem for selling professionals is to differentiate from competitive forces.

Differentiation is the key to business development success. It helps build brand and create cache. Consumers make decisions for brand sake. With sellers consumers make decisions based upon perceived value. Such value recognition is based upon nuances such as; sales language, professional ethics, professional dress and most importantly client recognition. These items help distinguish the indispensible sales and marketing professional from the customary. Here are some tips to make you indispensable.

1.     Be the professional. Review your dress code and dress the part. We’re good clothing and have professional equipment that emulates your corporate stature.

2.     Be the service provider. Customer service is paramount for every selling professional. Return calls when you say you will. Always be the professional and always remember business exists because of the customer.

3.     Gratuity. Always be thankful for clients that have done business with you. Send thank you notes and other types of greetings to ensure you are always top of mind.

4.     Referrals. The only way to ensure your indispensability is by others understanding the value provided. Your brand is manifested by the referrals gleaned from your value.

5.     Culture. It is wonderful if you take all the ideas from this post and utilize them continuously. However, the organizations culture must be congruent.

6.     Relationship. The entire reason for doing business is to invest in relationships. Forget the facts and only worry about creating valuable relationships.

©2010. Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on Sales Consulting, Business Development & Marketing Solutions. Drew is the author of the successful sales process books – Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales consulting website – stevensconsultinggroup.com.

It is almost fall 2010. You can almost feel the excitement in the air for football, festivals and the myriad of other activities. One of the most prolific is the end of the year fundraising push. While the church most recently instructions were given for the up coming fall Festival. In the mail I received at least seven pieces of marketing literature from others seeking funds.

We will all be inundated by a plethora of sellers in the next several  weeks. They will represent profit and nonprofit institutions such as schools churches and clubs. All will be selling products to their neighborhood kin. While the effort is admirable many will fail miserably. One reason is the current economic conditions. The other is related to a slew of issues that sellers encounter daily.

The largest issue is a lack of customer focus. Many organizations focus efforts inwardly. Organizations are concerned more about how much money will be collected versus the wants and needs of clients. No matter whom your customers, all efforts at all times must be outwardly focused. Organizations exist for one reason- the customer

However raising funds is an admirable gesture as long as it is done properly. Yet many fail. They fail due to lack of planning and they fail because they emulate those sellers that fail too! Many believe they can simply converse with individuals and “sell” Them on products and services. Untrue! Selling is a profession that requires patience, persistence and passion. In addition, it requires the right funds, the right “fit” and the proper formula.

Moreover, many individuals and organizations fail at selling for a myriad of other reasons. Enclosed is a succinct list of selling obstacles to be aware of:

1. Value. Consumers today require a value from the vendors but they conduct business with. Is a seller’s responsibility to ensure that consumers understand the value provided.
2. Emotion. Consumers do not make logical decisions; they make emotional decisions. Sellers need to refrain from using the features and facts while focusing more consciously on sales language that creates emotion.
3. Persuasion. Consumers are persuaded from the influences of other consumers. Sellers must be conscious of creating buzz. Customers to customer influences are too important today.
4. Belief. Consumers invest in particular organizations because of their belief in sellers. All sellers must have passion and conviction in their sales delivery.
5. Investment. Consumers do not leave bad organizations they leave poor selling professionals.
6. Consultative. Consumers invest in those that can aid them. Sellers must have an understanding of the prospective buyers company, industry and competition.
7. Lsten. Too many sellers talk too much. In order for consumers to invest more questions have to be asked. The best selling professionals questioned first and allow the consumer to sell themselves.
8. Conviction. Successful selling professionals will believe in what they are selling. No matter what the seller must be convinced first.
9. Dialogue. Good sellers know how to engage in great conversation. They would rather develop a relationship first and sell widgets second.
10. Gratitude. Good sellers are always gratuitous to consumers. They remain in constant contact and send words of thanks and praise when necessary. They appreciate every interaction.

©2010. Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. (Dr. Drew) is the author of Split Second Selling and the soon to be released Ultimate Business Bible and six other business books on sales, customer loyalty, self mastery and business development solutions. Drew helps organizations to dramatically accelerate revenue and outstrip the competition. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, seminars and workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website or call 877-391-6821.

A multitude of recent postings on the Internet discuss the value of cold calling in today’s economy. Apparently many pundits believe this traditional sales method to be effective. The reality is people are busy, decision makers have shifted and more importantly intended recipients do not want to be bothered.

Cold Calling is now as outdated as a physicians’ home visit. Cold Calling is intrusive; places prospects on the defense and typically produces very little if any results. Surveys illustrate that cold calling produces less than a five percent return.

The purpose behind business and selling is to develop relationships. This is an outward process and focuses all energies on the client. The initiation of relationships illustrates value and emotes loyalty.

The contradiction of cold calling is that it is an inward activity. Focus is on the company and widgets sold rather than acquisition, value and concern for the prospect.

To aid lead generation in today’s competitive tempest requires a bevy of integrated activities. Business professional can speak, write articles, comment to blog entries, attend networking events and trade shows, produce sweepstakes, disseminate press releases etc. Each activity helps increase name recognition to produce buzz. When you increase the amount of activities there is a correlation to accelerating the business.

Accelerating business in a competitive world is similar to the weekend golfer. Many swing clubs for hours hoping to hit the longest shot but the returns are minimal. However 90% of the activity in golf is the short game. Making 50 – 60 calls per day is tedious. It produces very little results. It is bold, it is old and continuing traditional methods in a contemporary world will leave you out in the cold!

©2010. Coyright Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of Americas top Thought Leaders and Selling and Business Development. Drew is a frequently requested keynote speaker and author with several books and hundreds of articles on sales, marketing and business development. To book Drew for your next sales meeting, send him an email or call him at 877-391-6821.

In a competitive business environment the one advantage that a business will have is business intelligence. With our knowledge-based economy, knowledge is power. Business Intelligence empowers business users to make more informed decisions by providing timely, relevant, and accurate information wherever, however and whenever they need it.

Business intelligence is highly important for organizations that desire to be more strategic amongst industry and individual competitors. The use of information allows organizations that are malleable to make the immediate changes necessary to be innovative and competitive. In addition erratic changes in the marketplace enable organizations to meet the needs of increase customer demand such as labor, production or delivery.

With computers and mechanization now entering a sixth generation, the increase in large databases and mobile devices positively affects how organizations can react to market needs. Real time information immediately enables organizations to run analytical reports and scenarios to gain competitive advantages. So where then are these places to obtain some of this pertinent data?

• Company information – There is gold in them hills. Discover the gems that already exist in your corporate databases. It is ironic when those that need information forget to look at the light in front of them.
• Annual Report. There is a major concern that with the amount of work and effort involved, many do not read these treasure troves of data. The content from executives and directors is invaluable.
• Mystery Shopping and Consumer Feedback. Customers are the lynchpin to competitive data. Meet with them often to discern your organizations strengths and limitations.
• Daily and Weekly Periodicals. At one time a manual position but the convergence of technology has eliminated the public relations department. Public Relations epitomize the success of any organization. The use of RSS readers and other business intelligence software enables organizations to understand what stakeholders and publics say.
• Research Journals. Wall and Main Street constantly report on company information and the data is very helpful in understanding company position.
• Real Time Feeds. The prowess of Dow Jones, Reuters, Bloomberg and other feeds capture real time information to enable spontaneity to current events.

Knowledge is power and content is king. Business intelligence is the strategy to success, if your organization seeks to be more competitive. Do not allow the firm to be a pawn. Create the information necessary to trump your competitors and become an industry leader.

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. (Dr. Drew) is the author of Split Second Selling and the soon to be released Ultimate Business Bible and six other business books on sales, customer loyalty, self mastery and business development solutions. Drew helps organizations to dramatically accelerate revenue and outstrip the competition. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, seminars and workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website or call 877-391-6821.

A bothersome factor of selling is the notion for organizations to corrupt selling. Nothing happens to organizations unless something is sold. However over 92% of many organizations never invest in their sales departments. To avoid this issue:

1. Stop sales training. Training is an event not a process. Nothing happens in a seven-hour day. The desired output is to alter behavior, this does not happen in a day.
2. Create KPI. Selling requires measurements. Sellers need to measure their success and sales managers need to inform them constantly.
3. Conflict. Mix it up. The problem with sales managers today is the inability to confront employees about workplace issues.
4. Accountability. Create measurements of success and hold individuals to them. Stop the procrastination; they are the frontline to your revenue destiny.
5. Hire Correctly. Stop hiring bodies and employ individuals with innate talents that can handle your frontline. Nothing substitutes passion, conviction and talent.
6. Self Mastery. Good selling professionals provide methods of constant improvement. Always question the sloths that expect your organization to provide their education.
7. Create a selling culture. Everyone in the organization must become involved in the effort. Refrain from compartmentalization.
8. No contest. The best selling professionals do not require contests and challenges they are constantly motivated.
9. Seek best practices. Emulate the best practices from the best people stop trying to correct those that cannot be altered.

10. Lead Generation. This is the most prevalent portion of selling. Do not worry about supplying leads to the sales department. All professionals must create pipeline opportunities.

11. Share the wealth. Stop paying selling professionals so much. Lethargy is created when professionals believe they have a “cushion” and little upside potential.

12. Pre-Board with Onboarding. Create a process that quickly encourages knowledge of the company, competition and the industry.

13. A view from the bridge. It is great to sit behind the desk and command all but to create a selling culture you must lead by example. Move away from the desk and partner with your sales people. Leaders must meet with customers too.

14. The new economy. Recent surveys show that companies cut back on their sales force when they need the help the most. Why invest in new computers, or new logo when your front line is more important.

2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. (Dr. Drew) is the author of Split Second Selling and the soon to be released Ultimate Business Bible and six other business books on sales, customer loyalty, self mastery and business development solutions. Drew helps organizations to dramatically accelerate revenue and outstrip the competition. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, seminars and workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website or call 877-391-6821.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? This is not a trick question. Yes you see you. I am often amazed by the amount of individuals that own and operate businesses that constantly look in the mirror and only see themselves. The world of sales and marketing doesn’t operate from selfishness and conceit. Consumers today demand value and most importantly respect. Therefore several issues are most prevalent

1. Operate from the other side of the mirror. Stop thinking about yourself and your business and think from the customer perspective.
2. Provide value. Refrain from the folly of features speak from what is most imperative to the consumer.
3. Stop speaking. Start questioning. You discover more when you are not talking.
4. Stop the tactics. Operate from a strategic perspective and the driving force of your organization.
5. Engage the client. Seeing from the customer’s eyes means providing them abounding customer service.
6. Surprises. If you do not want any, mystery shop your own organization similar to a customer. Ensure service and support permeate the organization.

If you take just a few moments each day to envision issues from the client perspective you will create better returns and more revenues. Seeing things from the eyes of the customer alters perspective and initiates better value. What do you see when you stare into the mirror?

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. (Dr. Drew) is the author of Split Second Selling and the soon to be released Ultimate Business Bible and six other business books on sales, customer loyalty, self mastery and business development solutions. Drew helps organizations to dramatically accelerate revenue and outstrip the competition. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, seminars and workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website or call 877-391-6821.

Many years ago while participating in track and field my coaches typically spoke of cadence. In fact, many athletic events use cadence in their respective performance. Football players have a cadence before each play, dancers have a cadence in their performance and coincidentally those that sell require a cadence.

To perform at a higher level in selling products and services, one must have a certain cadence in delivery and building relationships with clients. Here are some of the things required to assist with your cadence:

1. Confidence. Consumers invest in those they know and trust. However, they also invest in the conviction from the selling representative. Your cadence will be affected by the highs and lows of your confidence.
2. Presentation Flow. Presentation is where it all begins. Know what you want to say, how you are going to say and but most of all listening is more important then speaking.
3. Preparation. One cannot have cadence if there is a lack of preparation. Understand how your services can assist the buyer. Look at issues from the perspective of the buyer; think output. What can you deliver that can aid the client?
4. Presence. When you look good, you feel good. Sellers need to dress the part. Invest in good clothes, and groom well. Be noticeable when you walk into a room.
5. Poise. Buyers implicitly affect tempo with questions and concerns. Remain neutral during volatile periods with proper research and preparation. The better you plan the less likely impact to your poise.
6. Equality. When you formulate equality with the buyer there is better conversation. Your interaction should be a meeting of peers, anything less is a vendor.
7. Labor Intensity. Relationship building is must easier, and you have more swagger when you meet only with decision makers. Gatekeepers waste time and affect your confidence. Meet and greet only those that understand your value.

The concept of cadence is formulated from continuous learning and practice. Athletes and dancers practice daily to broaden their strengths. They understand the value of self-mastery, learning all they can to heighten their performance. Take the first step and before you know it you will be swaying with the music.

2010. Drew J. Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. (Dr. Drew) is the author of Split Second Selling and the soon to be released Ultimate Business Bible and six other business books on sales, customer loyalty, self mastery and business development solutions. Drew helps organizations to dramatically accelerate revenue and outstrip the competition. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, seminars and workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website or call 877-391-6821.

During my workshops I frequently speak of the need for selling professionals to be prepared for every selling situation. With the lack of selling methodology and training amongst 92% of the selling population there are a number of gaffs during the sales day.

After a relaxing Independence Day weekend, I returned to several emails. One of the most striking included the following, “I realize that your company may be too big to have a need for our training materials, but I liked what I saw on your webpage and I thought it might be worth having a conversation.”

While I honor the selling representative for having the gumption to connect, their lack of knowledge for my firm is alarming. Worse yet, there exists the typical bromide of “what you can do for me approach”. Selling professionals must refrain from selling products and begin to realize the need to invest in and develop relationships. Consumers buy from those they know and trust and this begins with intellectual dialogue based on objectives and values.

If there is a desire to invest in a relationship then:

1. Conduct fundamental research on the company and establish need.
2. Get introduced to the economic buyer through a third party.
3. If a cold call is required, ensure the focus is on objectives and measurements of success.
4. Conduct research on the true economic buyer, blind messages to gatekeepers will only get lost.
5. Stop thinking of input; consider how your product or service will benefit the customer. Think of external value end the selfishness and focus on the prospective client.

Before you pick up the phone or key a letter:

• Know the customer.
• Know the industry.
• Know the competition.
• Know your value.
• Know your differentiation.
• Know your value proposition.
• Know your output.
• Know your decision maker.
• Know your time frame.

Customers are too busy and not inclined to have their time wasted on the folly of sales commission. The only methods of competitively selling today include differentiation, value and output. Anything less is simply a waste of the selling professionals time. How much do you know?

© 2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on Sales Marketing & Business Development Solutions . Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website.

In recent weeks in working with a number of clients, there is a tendency to see similar issues between them. Much of what I experience concerns the sales force. The larger issue is that many organizations do not invest in their sales teams. Ironic since the notion of every business is to retain and acquire clients.

To assist organizations to operate more efficiently here are a few thoughts to remember:

1. Selling professionals are in the marketing business. Spend one to two hours per day creating information that increases marketing. Use resources stemming from IMC to assist you and the organization to attract consumers. Creating an array of activity lessens labor and helps to increase brand.
2. Use testimonials to build brand. Ensure that your customers and alliances can reiterate your value proposition and articulate it to others. Consumers that trust you and enjoy your value will be tickled to inform others.
3. Maintain customer contact. Those that invest in customer relationships are always top of mind. Consumers not only conduct business with whom they trust- but also remember!
4. Sellers and their business are dependent on customers. Ensure that all calls are returned timely. I use a 90 minute rule! If not return all calls and emails by day’s end. Additionally, any and all staff should be well versed in customer service culture.
5. Eschew the folly of trends. Refrain from the bromide trends of “casual day”. Always be prepared to visit a customer. Buy good clothes and resources (i.e. Wallet, brief case and yes a pen) to emulate the part. Have good vocabulary and become well versed to speak with economic buyers.

©2010. Drew Stevens Ph.D All Rights Reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on Sales Marketing & Business Development Solutions . Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Acceleration. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization visit his marketing and sales website.

The odds of your business surviving five years are 50-50 according to David Birch, former head of a research firm specializing in studying small business data. (Isen 2007) There are many reasons why a business will fail. Much research is available to denote which factors are the most important, however, it appears that most business fail because they lack focus on the organization’s most vital asset – customers.

Solo practitioners begin a business for two reasons; money and passion. Business professionals desire to take their passion and make money from it, and there is little harm in this. There is no better way to enjoy your time on earth than to do the thing that you enjoy.

However, with passion there is a need for focus. Presently with the cacophony of noise due to the Internet and social media resources, consumers are overwhelmed with messages. Consumers today require differentiation to denote whom to shop and whom to avoid. Unfortunately the Internet’s ubiquity hinders variety so that only option remaining the builds brand and business success is customer service.

Customer service is simply the organizational culture and processes that entrepreneurs create to ensure allure. Consumer decisions are driven by emotion. Service must be enculturated into the organizations so all staff become dependent on the client. This is an important construct; there is little difference from one retailer to the next or one restaurant to the next with one exception- customer service. When treated correctly, customers inform others of their experience helping to manifest the organizations brand and announce it to others. No marketing tactic in the IMC process is as cost effective as a word of mouth.

When customers believe and trust their vendor they tell others helping to create brand differentiation. Exemplars include Apple whose retail outlets are the busiest of any mall and Zappos.com whose unblemished customer service helps helped to brand to proliferate.

If there is little belief in customer service think again. According to both Dun and Bradstreet and the Small Business Administration, businesses with fewer than 20 employees have only a 37% chance of surviving four years. Customer service can provide the life raft of success if used correctly. In reviewing the success statistics, would you rather be a follower or a leader?

©2010. Drew Stevens PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Drew Stevens is one of the world’s leading authorities on business development and sales. Drew is the author of the successful sales process book Split Second Selling. He is also the creator of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling and has a top ranked podcast called Sales Fitness. To discover how Dr. Drew can assist your organization to increase their business development skills visit him at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com