Today author and speaker Anne Miller shares a story that reminds us of the importance of shpwing value, not telling. Think about this great tip, and then make the change in your presentations!
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...
They confuse laundry listing features, processes, models, and functionalities in excruciating detail with communicating the real source of their value: what their product or service does for the buyer. Does it increase ROI? Make buyers’ lives easier? Save them money? Give them a competitive edge? Enable them to sleep better at night? Increase their revenues? Cut their costs? Increase their transparency? Help them be in compliance? Avoid litigation? Protect their share of market? Reduce time spent on routine tasks? Make them heroes to their clients? Other?
That is what people buy, not the latest wrinkle in your model. The cliche about people not buying nails for the sake of owning nails but for the holes those nails make holds true.
Take a Tip from Apple
Writer Nigel Hollis' article in The Atlantic Monthly talking about the differences in advertising among consumer technology companies echoes this point very well. “Blackberry, Samsung or Nokia ads are often laden with so much information that the recipient is left in a blaze of numbers and claims. Instead of focusing on how people interact with technology, those companies focus on features and specifications...Now think about the Apple iPad. The first ads for the iPad did not focus on the product features, like memory, speed, or slimness. Instead they portrayed someone relaxing on their sofa using the product. The ads didn’t tell us what the product was. They told us how we would use it, accessing news and entertainment whenever and wherever we want.” The rest, we know, is history.
Are You More LIke the iPad or Samsung?
Whiz-bang technology notwithstanding, no matter what you sell, people don’t care what you have, or how you do what you do until they know what it does for them. So, step back from the descriptive minutiae of your offering and shift your gaze to the bigger picture of what that minutiae means to your buyers. Showing how your offer changes your buyers’ lives for the better will change your bottom-line for the better as well.
Internationally respected author, speaker and seminar leader, Anne Miller teaches sales people how to increase their business; coaches CEOs and senior management to communicate successfully to key constituencies; and enables technical people to transform complex information into simpler, meaningful messages. Learn more at www.annemiller.com
Showing posts with label Anne Miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anne Miller. Show all posts
Friday, August 5, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Time and the Art of Selling
A salesperson's time is essential. The way you use your time directly correlates to how much money you make! Today author and trainer Anne Miller discusses how salespeople can best use their time.
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?
If your conversation fails to get into anything deeper than surface needs, you will end up presenting ideas and solutions that are off the mark or have the sticking power of snowflakes hitting hot pavement which will generally lead to smaller deals or no deals at all. While you don’t want to be scripted, you do want to have a conversation that is both substantive and moving forward. Ask yourself: Do you take the time to think through how you will execute a strategic conversation with each person you meet?
If you run from one account to another, you will be very active, but not necessarily very productive, missing opportunities to cross sell, up-sell, and build competitively resistant moats around your clients. Developing $500,000 from two accounts is generally much less wear and tear on you than developing fifty accounts of $10,000 each. . Do you take the time to figure out how you will develop long-term business?
“Slow Down. You Move Too Fast. Got to Make the Morning Last” (Simon & Garfunkel)
I could go on, but you get the point. As much as we all love technology and our various tech toys, there are still only 24 hours in a day. In today’s world where everything moves faster and faster, I suggest it is better to slow down, get your bearings, and take the time to polish your skills, strategies, and attention to detail so that clients will want to spend their time--and money--with you.
Internationally respected author, speaker and seminar leader, Anne Miller teaches sales people how to increase their business; coaches CEOs and senior management to communicate successfully to key constituencies; and enables technical people to transform complex information into simpler, meaningful messages. Learn more at www.annemiller.com
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?
If your conversation fails to get into anything deeper than surface needs, you will end up presenting ideas and solutions that are off the mark or have the sticking power of snowflakes hitting hot pavement which will generally lead to smaller deals or no deals at all. While you don’t want to be scripted, you do want to have a conversation that is both substantive and moving forward. Ask yourself: Do you take the time to think through how you will execute a strategic conversation with each person you meet?
If you run from one account to another, you will be very active, but not necessarily very productive, missing opportunities to cross sell, up-sell, and build competitively resistant moats around your clients. Developing $500,000 from two accounts is generally much less wear and tear on you than developing fifty accounts of $10,000 each. . Do you take the time to figure out how you will develop long-term business?
“Slow Down. You Move Too Fast. Got to Make the Morning Last” (Simon & Garfunkel)
I could go on, but you get the point. As much as we all love technology and our various tech toys, there are still only 24 hours in a day. In today’s world where everything moves faster and faster, I suggest it is better to slow down, get your bearings, and take the time to polish your skills, strategies, and attention to detail so that clients will want to spend their time--and money--with you.
Internationally respected author, speaker and seminar leader, Anne Miller teaches sales people how to increase their business; coaches CEOs and senior management to communicate successfully to key constituencies; and enables technical people to transform complex information into simpler, meaningful messages. Learn more at www.annemiller.com
Friday, March 18, 2011
Think Strategically. Execute Brilliantly.
Sales and presentation specialist Anne Miller has a way of getting me thinking with her blog posts. This one is no different! It got me thinking about what I could change to start thinking strategically and executing brilliantly!
Einstein was afraid that technology might outrun our humanity. Not sure he was talking about email and info overload, but his concern certainly applies in high stakes communication situations.
Technology has us all rushing around working faster and faster. Time to think has been lost. In a business world of increasing complexity, commoditization of offerings, and limited attention spans, failure to push back and protect your time to think can be fatal to your bottom-line.
Here are two examples of how failure to think strategically results in an inability to execute brilliantly.
In Presenting...
I see people failing to think in these basic, but critical, areas:
1. What is the clear, crisp, memorable message I want to leave with my listeners?
2. What is the specific appropriate next step I want from my listeners?
3. What are the best ways to visually support what I am saying?
Poor strategic thinking leads to confusion, longer sales cycles, and/or no sale.
In Negotiating...
I see people failing to think in these, again, basic, but critical, areas:
1. What will I ask for, what will I accept, what will I walk away from?
2. What can I trade to prevent deadlock?
3. What does the other side need to feel good about our agreement?
Poor strategic thinking here leads to weakened relationships, money left on the table, or no deal when one was possible.
Slow Down
Years ago, before our current tech info deluge, I used to say, laughingly, to seminar attendees, "Engage mind before mouth." Now, I say that in total seriousness. The stakes are too high to waste those precious face-to-face opportunities you have with clients. Think first. Execute second.
Sales and presentation specialist Anne Miller is the author of "Metaphorically Selling" and "Make What You Say Pay!". Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Einstein was afraid that technology might outrun our humanity. Not sure he was talking about email and info overload, but his concern certainly applies in high stakes communication situations.
Technology has us all rushing around working faster and faster. Time to think has been lost. In a business world of increasing complexity, commoditization of offerings, and limited attention spans, failure to push back and protect your time to think can be fatal to your bottom-line.
Here are two examples of how failure to think strategically results in an inability to execute brilliantly.
In Presenting...
I see people failing to think in these basic, but critical, areas:
1. What is the clear, crisp, memorable message I want to leave with my listeners?
2. What is the specific appropriate next step I want from my listeners?
3. What are the best ways to visually support what I am saying?
Poor strategic thinking leads to confusion, longer sales cycles, and/or no sale.
In Negotiating...
I see people failing to think in these, again, basic, but critical, areas:
1. What will I ask for, what will I accept, what will I walk away from?
2. What can I trade to prevent deadlock?
3. What does the other side need to feel good about our agreement?
Poor strategic thinking here leads to weakened relationships, money left on the table, or no deal when one was possible.
Slow Down
Years ago, before our current tech info deluge, I used to say, laughingly, to seminar attendees, "Engage mind before mouth." Now, I say that in total seriousness. The stakes are too high to waste those precious face-to-face opportunities you have with clients. Think first. Execute second.
Sales and presentation specialist Anne Miller is the author of "Metaphorically Selling" and "Make What You Say Pay!". Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Help People Decide
Author and speaker Anne Miller knows how to engage people and get them listening - and today she points out another resource that does the same. Miller's articles never fail to make an impact on me - read on, and I'm sure you'll feel the same!
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.
In "Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions," he extends the concept of benefits to "salient points." Salient points illuminate facts with meaning to facilitate quicker decisions from buyers. His example: "A label on a cheeseburger that says, 'You'll gain half a pound from eating this' communicates more salient information than 'Total calories: 1500.' Other examples:
Cars: miles per gallon vs. cost of fuel per year
iPads: gigabytes of storage capacity vs. number of songs and movies the device can hold
Charities: monetary amount vs. how long your donation will feed a child
In each case, the salient points add meaning to the facts, thus allowing people to appreciate the impact of the facts they are hearing which leads them to make decisions faster.
Salient Point for Sellers
It is so easy for sellers to get trapped in data dumps. We know so much and feel compelled to share it all! However, listeners today - and in the past - still want to know "Why do I care? What does it mean to me?" Without that link, it is hard for them to justify a decision.
Review your presentations and business conversations. Whether you call them benefits, so whats? or salient points, they are essential growing your business.
Sales and presentation specialist Anne Miller is the author of "Metaphorically Selling" and "Make What You Say Pay!". Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
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.
In "Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions," he extends the concept of benefits to "salient points." Salient points illuminate facts with meaning to facilitate quicker decisions from buyers. His example: "A label on a cheeseburger that says, 'You'll gain half a pound from eating this' communicates more salient information than 'Total calories: 1500.' Other examples:
Cars: miles per gallon vs. cost of fuel per year
iPads: gigabytes of storage capacity vs. number of songs and movies the device can hold
Charities: monetary amount vs. how long your donation will feed a child
In each case, the salient points add meaning to the facts, thus allowing people to appreciate the impact of the facts they are hearing which leads them to make decisions faster.
Salient Point for Sellers
It is so easy for sellers to get trapped in data dumps. We know so much and feel compelled to share it all! However, listeners today - and in the past - still want to know "Why do I care? What does it mean to me?" Without that link, it is hard for them to justify a decision.
Review your presentations and business conversations. Whether you call them benefits, so whats? or salient points, they are essential growing your business.
Sales and presentation specialist Anne Miller is the author of "Metaphorically Selling" and "Make What You Say Pay!". Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Make Use of Metaphors to Make the Sale
Anne Miller has a way with words - specifically, metaphors. She uses them daily in her business, and today explains how you can too! Read on, and then take a look at her new book for more information.
In a world drowning in information, no one should lead, sell, or influence others without a command of metaphors – images created with words. Metaphors work because we humans are wired to respond instantly to images more than we are to information.
For example,
-When asked by an interviewer why he should be hired to sell, Cliff C., now Senior Account Executive at a leading recruitment firm, replied, "I'm just like Rocky. You knock me over and I come right back for more." Determination, persistence and energy--everything a sales manager wants in a new hire, expressed metaphorically to win a job.
-When presenting the features of her magazine's audience to a media planner, one sales rep gets her publication's readership remembered every time when she says, "Our publication reaches one million buyers for your product – that's ten Super Bowls full of potential customers for you." –a familiar image used to illustrate the significant buying power of her audience.
When to Use a Metaphor?
You are limited only by your imagination...
1. Clients confused by how your solution fits their situation? Un-confuse them with a metaphor.
2. Need to inspire a group to gain support for your ideas? Win them over with a metaphor.
3. Facing a tough objection? Neutralize it with a metaphor.
4. Selling technically complex services or products? Simplify them with a metaphor.
5. Need to close a client who is wavering on a decision? Move him to take action with a metaphor.
6. Caught in a sensitive situation with a client? Calm him down with a metaphor.
7. Need to distinguish yourself or your firm from the competition? Paint an unforgettable picture of yourself and your firm in the mind of your client with a metaphor.
Metaphor is the invaluable tool of sales rain-makers. Don't leave home without one.
Based on the new book "Make What You Say Pay!" by sales and presentations specialist Anne Miller. For a free two chapter download, go to: www.makewhatyousaypay.com
In a world drowning in information, no one should lead, sell, or influence others without a command of metaphors – images created with words. Metaphors work because we humans are wired to respond instantly to images more than we are to information.
For example,
-When asked by an interviewer why he should be hired to sell, Cliff C., now Senior Account Executive at a leading recruitment firm, replied, "I'm just like Rocky. You knock me over and I come right back for more." Determination, persistence and energy--everything a sales manager wants in a new hire, expressed metaphorically to win a job.
-When presenting the features of her magazine's audience to a media planner, one sales rep gets her publication's readership remembered every time when she says, "Our publication reaches one million buyers for your product – that's ten Super Bowls full of potential customers for you." –a familiar image used to illustrate the significant buying power of her audience.
When to Use a Metaphor?
You are limited only by your imagination...
1. Clients confused by how your solution fits their situation? Un-confuse them with a metaphor.
2. Need to inspire a group to gain support for your ideas? Win them over with a metaphor.
3. Facing a tough objection? Neutralize it with a metaphor.
4. Selling technically complex services or products? Simplify them with a metaphor.
5. Need to close a client who is wavering on a decision? Move him to take action with a metaphor.
6. Caught in a sensitive situation with a client? Calm him down with a metaphor.
7. Need to distinguish yourself or your firm from the competition? Paint an unforgettable picture of yourself and your firm in the mind of your client with a metaphor.
Metaphor is the invaluable tool of sales rain-makers. Don't leave home without one.
Based on the new book "Make What You Say Pay!" by sales and presentations specialist Anne Miller. For a free two chapter download, go to: www.makewhatyousaypay.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Sales expert Anne Miller shows salespeople how to use their words to get what they want - and in today's post cautions against words that can keep you from getting what you want. Read on for her expert advice!
After spending millions of her own money to win the GOP senate nomination in California, Carly Fiorina may have permanently hurt her chances of winning in 2010 by her thoughtless comment on incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer's hair: "God, what is that?...Sooo yesterday." A slip of the tongue can be fatal not only in politics but in negotiating as well.
Think about what you say when you open a negotiation discussion. Is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us. What do we need to do to get a final agreement"? OR, is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us and am happy to work out an agreement that works for both of us."?
If it is the former, you may not be risking millions of dollars on the deal, but you are definitely going to get less attractive terms than you would otherwise get with the latter statement. The first statement immediately puts you in a subordinate power position. It makes you sound desperate. It invites being taken advantage of and says, "Go ahead, walk all over me."
The second statement immediately communicates equality in power positions. It suggests that the deal could fail if it is not beneficial to you as well as to the buyer. It invites a collaborative business discussion likely to lead to a fair deal for you both. It says, "Yes, we want your business, but we have pride in the value of our services and will accept an agreement only if it recognizes that value."
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
After spending millions of her own money to win the GOP senate nomination in California, Carly Fiorina may have permanently hurt her chances of winning in 2010 by her thoughtless comment on incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer's hair: "God, what is that?...Sooo yesterday." A slip of the tongue can be fatal not only in politics but in negotiating as well.
Think about what you say when you open a negotiation discussion. Is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us. What do we need to do to get a final agreement"? OR, is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us and am happy to work out an agreement that works for both of us."?
If it is the former, you may not be risking millions of dollars on the deal, but you are definitely going to get less attractive terms than you would otherwise get with the latter statement. The first statement immediately puts you in a subordinate power position. It makes you sound desperate. It invites being taken advantage of and says, "Go ahead, walk all over me."
The second statement immediately communicates equality in power positions. It suggests that the deal could fail if it is not beneficial to you as well as to the buyer. It invites a collaborative business discussion likely to lead to a fair deal for you both. It says, "Yes, we want your business, but we have pride in the value of our services and will accept an agreement only if it recognizes that value."
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
You Don't Get What You Don't Ask For
With people everywhere trying to cut corners, you've probably experienced an increase in clients asking for more - for less! Today business expert Anne Miller tells you how to deal with this situation.
How do you respond after a client asks for more services for the same amount of money on your proposal after you changed the proposal once already to accommodate their budget?
1. You deny the client's request, saying your offer is as it stands.
2. You revise the proposal, taking out other components of the offer to accommodate the client's new request at the same fee level.
3. You ask for more money to accommodate the new requests.
Any of these could work depending on the situation. However, let me advocate for the third option first. Ask for more money. Remind them of the value of what they’re getting (justifies the investment); the fact that you have already adjusted the proposal to earlier requests (introduces an element of fairness); that making any more changes would compromise the solution and tell them, that for the added services, the incremental cost is worth the investment (helps them justify the higher cost).
And, then, be quiet.
Very often, they will recognize that if they want more, they will have to pay more, and agree. If that does not happen, you can always decide to go with options 1 or 2. But, if you skip option 3 first, you are shooting yourself in the foot: leaving money on the table that could have been yours.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com.
How do you respond after a client asks for more services for the same amount of money on your proposal after you changed the proposal once already to accommodate their budget?
1. You deny the client's request, saying your offer is as it stands.
2. You revise the proposal, taking out other components of the offer to accommodate the client's new request at the same fee level.
3. You ask for more money to accommodate the new requests.
Any of these could work depending on the situation. However, let me advocate for the third option first. Ask for more money. Remind them of the value of what they’re getting (justifies the investment); the fact that you have already adjusted the proposal to earlier requests (introduces an element of fairness); that making any more changes would compromise the solution and tell them, that for the added services, the incremental cost is worth the investment (helps them justify the higher cost).
And, then, be quiet.
Very often, they will recognize that if they want more, they will have to pay more, and agree. If that does not happen, you can always decide to go with options 1 or 2. But, if you skip option 3 first, you are shooting yourself in the foot: leaving money on the table that could have been yours.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Best Networking Question Ever
Be a more effective networker this holiday season with this tip from Anne Miller:
Oh, no -- yet another networking event. -- and more coming with the holidays!
Are you ready?
Elevator speech? Check.
Smile and business cards? Check
Shoes shined? Suit pressed? Look like a million bucks? Check
Objectives set? Check
Up on latest news for smart conversation? Check.
Discussion questions memorized? Check.
With everyone pretty much a networking clone by now, how do you get real interest in you?
Surprise people.
Ask this high pay-off question and watch them light up: "Tell me, what would someone have to say for me to recommend you?"
People LOVE this question. A. They feel I am really interested in helping them (I am). B. It gets them off their canned elevator speech and provides a much richer description of what they do that would really help me help them. C. Best of all, that interest in them sparks a deeper interest in what I do. A win-win all around.
Try it at your next event. Let me know how it works for you.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com and her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
Oh, no -- yet another networking event. -- and more coming with the holidays!
Are you ready?
Elevator speech? Check.
Smile and business cards? Check
Shoes shined? Suit pressed? Look like a million bucks? Check
Objectives set? Check
Up on latest news for smart conversation? Check.
Discussion questions memorized? Check.
With everyone pretty much a networking clone by now, how do you get real interest in you?
Surprise people.
Ask this high pay-off question and watch them light up: "Tell me, what would someone have to say for me to recommend you?"
People LOVE this question. A. They feel I am really interested in helping them (I am). B. It gets them off their canned elevator speech and provides a much richer description of what they do that would really help me help them. C. Best of all, that interest in them sparks a deeper interest in what I do. A win-win all around.
Try it at your next event. Let me know how it works for you.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com and her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Out of Business
Sales trainer Anne Miller recently had a wake-up call that made her take action and change some things about her business. Upon reading her story I felt compelled to make some changes for myself - you might too!
"I recently met with a client to discuss possible follow-up training to a negotiating seminar we had done for her team," says Miller. "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????"
"Well, shame on me. I reviewed all my materials from my business cards to my website and realized it was easy for her not to know the range of services I provide. I had obviously fallen down on marketing. So I changed everything, even my email signature, to explicitly describe the value I believe I bring to clients. Now, if someone doesn't hire me, it won't be because they didn't know what I do."
"Keeping clients aware of what you do is a real challenge. Eileen Sutton took this one step further and recently sent this email to her clients. I love it because it is brief, it is friendly, and it works."
Dear Anne,
Sometimes we don't let our inner circle know of our achievements.
So far this year, I've positioned a private-equity firm, a $20B asset-management firm, a Latin American investment bank, and a cash-management firm representing 300 banks nationally.
If you're aware of a financial firm that's in the market for a clearer, more profitable identity, perhaps I can help. My new brochure is attached, and consultations are complimentary. Thanks so much for your time.
Happy to help in any way in return. Let me know.
Very best,
Eileen
How are you reminding your clients and network about your current services?
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com. You can also visit her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
"I recently met with a client to discuss possible follow-up training to a negotiating seminar we had done for her team," says Miller. "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????"
"Well, shame on me. I reviewed all my materials from my business cards to my website and realized it was easy for her not to know the range of services I provide. I had obviously fallen down on marketing. So I changed everything, even my email signature, to explicitly describe the value I believe I bring to clients. Now, if someone doesn't hire me, it won't be because they didn't know what I do."
"Keeping clients aware of what you do is a real challenge. Eileen Sutton took this one step further and recently sent this email to her clients. I love it because it is brief, it is friendly, and it works."
Dear Anne,
Sometimes we don't let our inner circle know of our achievements.
So far this year, I've positioned a private-equity firm, a $20B asset-management firm, a Latin American investment bank, and a cash-management firm representing 300 banks nationally.
If you're aware of a financial firm that's in the market for a clearer, more profitable identity, perhaps I can help. My new brochure is attached, and consultations are complimentary. Thanks so much for your time.
Happy to help in any way in return. Let me know.
Very best,
Eileen
How are you reminding your clients and network about your current services?
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com. You can also visit her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
Friday, May 29, 2009
Fishing for Business
Sometimes all it takes is a little creativity. Read this story from sales expert Anne Miller, as well as her thoughts on how you can apply the same creativity in your sales, and you'll be luring in the big fish in no time.
A young man from Texas moves to California and goes to a large department store for a job.
Manager says: "Have any sales experience?"
Fellow replies: "Yes, I sold some back home."
Manager liked him, hired him, and said, "You start tomorrow. I'll come down at the end of the day to see how you did."
The new hire's day was rough, but he got through it. The sales manager came down as promised at the end of the day.
"How many sales did you make?" he asked.
"One," said the new hire.
"Just one?" Said the manager. "How much was it?"
New hire said, "$101,237.74."
Manager said, "$101,237.74! What did you sell?"
The new hire said, "First, I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fish hook. Then I sold him a larger fish hook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast, so I told him he was going to need a boat. So we went down to the boat department and I sold him that twin engine Chris Craft. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the auto department and sold him that 4X4 Blazer."
The manager said, "A guy came in here today to buy a fish hook and you sold him a boat and truck?"
The new hire said, "No, he came in here to buy medicine for his wife who had the beginnings of a two-day migraine, and I said, 'Well, since your weekend's shot, you might as well go fishing."
Turning "Migraines" Into Opportunities
I love this story for what it reminds us as salespeople to do: listen to the client and come up with bigger and more creative solutions than the client ever thought of to deal with his current problem. Times may be difficult but clients still have needs and therein are your opportunities.
Find those opportunities by asking these seven questions:
1. What issues are you facing today?
2. What are these costing you (in revenue, ROI, market share, efficiencies, productivity, morale, turnover, other?)
3. What is the urgency to resolve these?
4. What will happen if no action is taken?
5. Who has to get involved to take necessary actions to address these issues?
6. What options are you looking at? Why?
7. What would be most useful to you now?
With the answers to these questions as context, you are in a very good position to figure out what you can offer to be of real value to them now that they most likely have not yet considered.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. Her free newsletter is available at www.AnneMiller.com
A young man from Texas moves to California and goes to a large department store for a job.
Manager says: "Have any sales experience?"
Fellow replies: "Yes, I sold some back home."
Manager liked him, hired him, and said, "You start tomorrow. I'll come down at the end of the day to see how you did."
The new hire's day was rough, but he got through it. The sales manager came down as promised at the end of the day.
"How many sales did you make?" he asked.
"One," said the new hire.
"Just one?" Said the manager. "How much was it?"
New hire said, "$101,237.74."
Manager said, "$101,237.74! What did you sell?"
The new hire said, "First, I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fish hook. Then I sold him a larger fish hook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast, so I told him he was going to need a boat. So we went down to the boat department and I sold him that twin engine Chris Craft. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the auto department and sold him that 4X4 Blazer."
The manager said, "A guy came in here today to buy a fish hook and you sold him a boat and truck?"
The new hire said, "No, he came in here to buy medicine for his wife who had the beginnings of a two-day migraine, and I said, 'Well, since your weekend's shot, you might as well go fishing."
Turning "Migraines" Into Opportunities
I love this story for what it reminds us as salespeople to do: listen to the client and come up with bigger and more creative solutions than the client ever thought of to deal with his current problem. Times may be difficult but clients still have needs and therein are your opportunities.
Find those opportunities by asking these seven questions:
1. What issues are you facing today?
2. What are these costing you (in revenue, ROI, market share, efficiencies, productivity, morale, turnover, other?)
3. What is the urgency to resolve these?
4. What will happen if no action is taken?
5. Who has to get involved to take necessary actions to address these issues?
6. What options are you looking at? Why?
7. What would be most useful to you now?
With the answers to these questions as context, you are in a very good position to figure out what you can offer to be of real value to them now that they most likely have not yet considered.
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. Her free newsletter is available at www.AnneMiller.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Go for the Gold-Fish
Anne Miller writes "The Metaphor Minute," an excellent newsletter that helps salespeople use metaphors and language to their benefit. In a recent issue she shared the story of someone who was having a hard time getting his prospect to sign the papers. An initial agreement was reached, until he suddenly disappeared. So what did the salesperson do? He used metaphors, and some unusual gifts, to reach his prospect creatively. Read this and then throw a little creativity into your sales.
Tom Sant, founder of the proposal software firm The Sant Corporation, was in such a situation and finally hit upon the solution that got him that signed contract.
He sent not-so-subtle metaphoric hints in the form of various props. One day, his client received a small box of the goldfish snacks with this message: "You can catch more fish, if you put more hooks (proposals) in the water." Another day, the client received a glue pot and a pair of scissors with the message: "Cut and paste is for kids. Professionally prepared proposals are for adults." The client loved these creative messages, took the hints, and called Tom to say he got the point and was ready to sign the contract.
Lesson for All Metaphorians
"If in doubt about using a prop, test your idea on a couple of people first," says Miller. "You'll find that props appropriately used can be wonderful communication tools. They surprise, they amuse, they dramatize. At a time when buyers have lots of choices, they can distinguish both you and your message and get you the results you want."
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. Her free newsletter is available at www.AnneMiller.com.
Tom Sant, founder of the proposal software firm The Sant Corporation, was in such a situation and finally hit upon the solution that got him that signed contract.
He sent not-so-subtle metaphoric hints in the form of various props. One day, his client received a small box of the goldfish snacks with this message: "You can catch more fish, if you put more hooks (proposals) in the water." Another day, the client received a glue pot and a pair of scissors with the message: "Cut and paste is for kids. Professionally prepared proposals are for adults." The client loved these creative messages, took the hints, and called Tom to say he got the point and was ready to sign the contract.
Lesson for All Metaphorians
"If in doubt about using a prop, test your idea on a couple of people first," says Miller. "You'll find that props appropriately used can be wonderful communication tools. They surprise, they amuse, they dramatize. At a time when buyers have lots of choices, they can distinguish both you and your message and get you the results you want."
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. Her free newsletter is available at www.AnneMiller.com.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"See" What You're Missing
Sales trainer Anne Miller recently relayed an excellent story in her newsletter to remind us to look at the whole picture. The story and subsequent exercise are great for the entire sales team. Try them out today!
"As the pressure builds to develop business in 2009, it is appropriate to briefly re-visit the lesson of the story of the blind men and the elephant," says Miller. "You'll recall that three blind men stumble upon an elephant. Each blind man grabs onto a different part of the animal. The first man, feeling only the elephant's leg, declares the object they have come across to be a tree trunk. The second man, holding the elephant's tail, assures his friends they have found a snake. And the third man, touching the elephant's ear, announces that it is most certainly a fan. Since they do not have the benefit of vision, they cannot see the big picture -- the whole animal -- and, as a consequence, they draw the wrong conclusions."
"Similarly, in a difficult market, sales pros often miss opportunities to build business that they would otherwise have, because they often lack a way to step back and see the big picture."
The following 5-step exercise forces you to step back and see these opportunities in your business (allow 2-3 hours).
You can try this exercise by yourself or, even better, with your sales team. (Remember: Two heads are better than one.)
1. Select a category of accounts (or a single account) whose business you want to grow or win (e.g., the hotel industry).
2. Hang four sheets of flip-chart paper around the room. On the first sheet, list all the things that are Going Well for that industry. On the second list all the Problems or Challenges that specific industry faces. On the third, list all the Trends that could affect this industry negatively or positively. On the fourth, list all your Assets, Capabilities & Resources.
3. Brainstorm. For each item on the first list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do/combine that would add value to what is Going Well. (e.g., If you sell advertising space, can you offer an email marketing idea? sweepstakes? sponsorships? leverage databases?).
For each item on the second list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do/combine to help address each Challenge (e.g., an offline tie-in that drives users to an advertiser's site? a joint effort with another complementary advertiser, a give-away how-to booklet filled with past articles?)
And for each item on the third list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do to play off each Trend that is occurring in the industry (e.g., develop a new size/type ad? an in-room customized, travel CD? a tie-in to their loyalty program?)
Collect ALL the ideas that come up, whether they are practical or not. In true brainstorming fashion, build on one another's ideas, and don't immediately dismiss any. You will wind up with lots of ideas in a relatively short time.
4. Evaluate. Review the ideas that you like, those that fit, those that leverage your expertise and resources, and those that will have a high bottom-line payoff.
5. Implement. Decide who will do what and when.
"At a minimum, these ideas give you a good reason to see a client and bring him/her something new to think about, which helps build your relationship with that client," says Miller. "Does it cost you selling time to do this? Absolutely. But in today's competitive world, where you are only as good as your last idea, what's the cost of not doing this exercise on a regular basis?"
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
"As the pressure builds to develop business in 2009, it is appropriate to briefly re-visit the lesson of the story of the blind men and the elephant," says Miller. "You'll recall that three blind men stumble upon an elephant. Each blind man grabs onto a different part of the animal. The first man, feeling only the elephant's leg, declares the object they have come across to be a tree trunk. The second man, holding the elephant's tail, assures his friends they have found a snake. And the third man, touching the elephant's ear, announces that it is most certainly a fan. Since they do not have the benefit of vision, they cannot see the big picture -- the whole animal -- and, as a consequence, they draw the wrong conclusions."
"Similarly, in a difficult market, sales pros often miss opportunities to build business that they would otherwise have, because they often lack a way to step back and see the big picture."
The following 5-step exercise forces you to step back and see these opportunities in your business (allow 2-3 hours).
You can try this exercise by yourself or, even better, with your sales team. (Remember: Two heads are better than one.)
1. Select a category of accounts (or a single account) whose business you want to grow or win (e.g., the hotel industry).
2. Hang four sheets of flip-chart paper around the room. On the first sheet, list all the things that are Going Well for that industry. On the second list all the Problems or Challenges that specific industry faces. On the third, list all the Trends that could affect this industry negatively or positively. On the fourth, list all your Assets, Capabilities & Resources.
3. Brainstorm. For each item on the first list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do/combine that would add value to what is Going Well. (e.g., If you sell advertising space, can you offer an email marketing idea? sweepstakes? sponsorships? leverage databases?).
For each item on the second list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do/combine to help address each Challenge (e.g., an offline tie-in that drives users to an advertiser's site? a joint effort with another complementary advertiser, a give-away how-to booklet filled with past articles?)
And for each item on the third list, look at your asset list and write how many different things you can do to play off each Trend that is occurring in the industry (e.g., develop a new size/type ad? an in-room customized, travel CD? a tie-in to their loyalty program?)
Collect ALL the ideas that come up, whether they are practical or not. In true brainstorming fashion, build on one another's ideas, and don't immediately dismiss any. You will wind up with lots of ideas in a relatively short time.
4. Evaluate. Review the ideas that you like, those that fit, those that leverage your expertise and resources, and those that will have a high bottom-line payoff.
5. Implement. Decide who will do what and when.
"At a minimum, these ideas give you a good reason to see a client and bring him/her something new to think about, which helps build your relationship with that client," says Miller. "Does it cost you selling time to do this? Absolutely. But in today's competitive world, where you are only as good as your last idea, what's the cost of not doing this exercise on a regular basis?"
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Float Like a Butterfly
Getting someone to see your point of view can often feel like pulling teeth. Everyone's wired to think differently, and some people really think differently. So what do you do when your client doesn't see your point, no matter how you explain it? Use a metaphor! Sales and communication trainer Anne Miller recently relayed a story that perfectly fits this situation - read on to see how you can use a metaphor to get your point across.
A reader of Anne Miller's newsletter recently wrote in with the following situation:
As Reed wrote, "I was talking to the Vice President of Sales for a California software company that I am assisting in marketing in Japan. He seemed interested of course in numbers, units sold, and where they stood in terms of lower-priced competitive products."
"I suggested that rather than getting into a features fight and the inevitable price comparison, that they brand their product in terms of their company image, people, and the cool projects they are involved in."
"My client stubbornly insisted we stay focused on the numbers. Realizing that logic was not going to persuade him, I sketched my idea on a piece of paper showing ants on the ground fighting it out over the small stuff, the individual features, vs. the insects with wings flying above the melee, the larger branding. I compared it to Muhammad Ali, and his 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'"
"Not only did that seem to work for him, but he came back with an intriguing metaphor of his own seeing my strategy as a way of separating themselves from what he called, 'the bottom feeders.'"
Reports Reed, "The metaphor took our conversation away from the dry numbers and performance stats, into the more interesting and emotional world of metaphors, which ultimately led to his acceptance of my ideas."
"An idea forced on people with logic alone rarely sticks," says Miller. "An idea expressed in images changes a listener's perspective and most often gets the results desired. What result do you want? Who doesn't quite see things your way? What metaphor or analogy can you use to shift that person's perspective?"
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
A reader of Anne Miller's newsletter recently wrote in with the following situation:
As Reed wrote, "I was talking to the Vice President of Sales for a California software company that I am assisting in marketing in Japan. He seemed interested of course in numbers, units sold, and where they stood in terms of lower-priced competitive products."
"I suggested that rather than getting into a features fight and the inevitable price comparison, that they brand their product in terms of their company image, people, and the cool projects they are involved in."
"My client stubbornly insisted we stay focused on the numbers. Realizing that logic was not going to persuade him, I sketched my idea on a piece of paper showing ants on the ground fighting it out over the small stuff, the individual features, vs. the insects with wings flying above the melee, the larger branding. I compared it to Muhammad Ali, and his 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'"
"Not only did that seem to work for him, but he came back with an intriguing metaphor of his own seeing my strategy as a way of separating themselves from what he called, 'the bottom feeders.'"
Reports Reed, "The metaphor took our conversation away from the dry numbers and performance stats, into the more interesting and emotional world of metaphors, which ultimately led to his acceptance of my ideas."
"An idea forced on people with logic alone rarely sticks," says Miller. "An idea expressed in images changes a listener's perspective and most often gets the results desired. What result do you want? Who doesn't quite see things your way? What metaphor or analogy can you use to shift that person's perspective?"
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Need help...
Getting your foot in the door?
Establishing value?
Persuading prospects?
Then you'll want to get on this complimentary one-hour teleconference onWednesday, Aug 20 featuring cold-calling Top Dog Leslie Buterin, the Ultimate Sales Chick Brooke Green, and author of Metaphorically Selling Anne Miller. These ladies really know their stuff and they'll share their secrets with you. The call is sponsored by our friend Jill Konrath, founder of the Sales Shebang sales conference for women. Get all the details here.
Establishing value?
Persuading prospects?
Then you'll want to get on this complimentary one-hour teleconference onWednesday, Aug 20 featuring cold-calling Top Dog Leslie Buterin, the Ultimate Sales Chick Brooke Green, and author of Metaphorically Selling Anne Miller. These ladies really know their stuff and they'll share their secrets with you. The call is sponsored by our friend Jill Konrath, founder of the Sales Shebang sales conference for women. Get all the details here.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A Snappy Comeback to a Common Objection
Have you ever been stopped dead in your tracks by a prospect demanding to know what experience or clients you have in their industry? And you don't have any? Yikes!
"Years ago, I used an analogy to compete for, and win, the Presentation Skills training business of a leading ad agency in New York," explains Anne. "I was up against every major firm and consultant in the city, including one who specialized in presentations work with agencies." "When confronted with the fact that I had no ad agency in my client base, I responded, 'That is correct. However, you just won the DHL (the overnight courier) account. How much overnight courier experience did you need to have the right to do their advertising? Let me suggest, none. You would learn the dynamics of their business the way you have of all your other accounts in the insurance and beer industries. DHL just had to be sure you were the best ad agency for them. Isn't that right?'
Here's an effective "analogy" comeback courtesy of sales and presentations consultant Anne Miller. Anne specializes in teaching sales presentations. See how she cleverly uses her prospect in the analogy to illustrate her point:
" 'True,' replied the Executive Vice President.
" 'The same is true with me.' I continued. 'I will quickly learn the dynamics of your ad agency the way I have learned the dynamics of my other clients in the aerospace, investment banking, and consulting worlds. You just need to be sure I know everything about presenting. And I do.' (The last three words were said staring into her eyes).
"As the truth of what I said dawned on her, all the EVP could manage to say was, 'Oh.' I won the business and went on to earn many thousands of dollars from them over the next several years -- all because of this carefully thought out analogy to their business."
The next time you're scheduled to pitch a prospect whose industry is outside your realm of experience, prepare an "analogy" comeback to have in your back pocket. You'll be more confident and prepared just in case.
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
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