AAA Washington hires Harry A. Thomas as Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer to Achieve Aggressive Marketing Goals

AAA Washington, the preeminent provider of emergency roadside assistance to more than 1.1 million members in Washington and northern Idaho, is intensifying its strategy to increase membership, grow its travel and insurance businesses and expand its mobile presence. To help accomplish these goals, AAA Washington has chosen entrepreneurial leader Harry Thomas as its new vice president and chief marketing officer to lead its creative, web, public relations, social media, publication and discount teams.

Two Spaces Still Available for YouTube Marketing for Business Workshop on Tuesday

YouTube Marketing for Business Workshop Almost Full

There has been a lot of interest in Stacia Loo's free YouTube Marketing for Business workshop tomorrow night.  But the good news is that there are still a couple of seats left.  If you are interested in attending YouTube Marketing for Business you should RSVP asap.

If you are looking for better, less expensive marketing for your business, you cannot afford to miss the YouTube Marketing for Business workshop.  Don't let this opportunity slip to learn from an expert online marketer slip away.

 

Top 5 YouTube Tips for Bellevue Small Businesses

If you haven't explored video as a powerful marketing tool you might be missing out on a powerful marketing tool. YouTube is FREE and easy to use with a massive market audience which gives small businesses the kind of leverage big businesses have with TV and Commercials. However, like any strategy or tool, in order for it to see positive results it needs to be put into action.



I have put together 5 tips to help Bellevue Small Businesses get the most out of YouTube.

1. Create and Brand Your Channel
Just get started and sign up for a YouTube Channel. Once you start your channel make sure you customize your channel so that it has your company's logo, looks similar to your website and look of your brand. You can have your designer to create a YouTube Banner with your logo and images that will share what your channel is all about. It is well worth the time and will only take a few seconds to set up.

2. Develop a list of topics
My tip on finding out what topics to create videos around is to search Amazon's Books around your topic or industry. Find a popular book such as 101 Questions for ________(fill in the blank with your industry). Click on a book and search the contents of the book and you will see titles that will be great topics you could do videos about for your audience.

3. Search Google Keyword Planner
Search Google's keyword planner to find out more relevant topics and keywords to focus your videos around. Doing this research ahead of time will help you get your videos ranked on the first page of Google.

4. You Don't Need Expensive Equipment
These days everyone has a smart phone or an iPhone that has a very high quality video camera. People love videos that are real and raw. Try to to shake too much or have someone hold your phone while you film your video. Make sure that the lighting is in front of you or else the video will look dark. You can also make sure that you don't do videos behind a window. I have more tips on this but for now just don't go out and buy fancy equipment if you are on a budget. You can easily do it with a simple iPhone or very low end flip type camera.

5. Call to Action
At the end of your videos make sure to let your viewers know what to do next after watching your video. That might be telling them to visit you on your website, like this video, interact with you by commenting or asking a question the comment box below. People need to know how they can contribute to you or what they should do next with the valuable content you just shared with them.

If you would like to know more about how to start a YouTube Channel for your Bellevue Business I would love to invite you to my next workshop.

Join me June 2nd, 2015 at 6pm - 8pm

at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue in the Pacific Place Board Room.

Limited Seating is available! Please RSVP at www.YouTubewithStacia.Eventbrite.com.

Can't make this event and want to learn more about me go to: www.StaciaLoo.com/aloha to Get on my VIP List for more tips and tricks and my FREE 5 Day Online Marketing Training. 

Stacia Loo to Hold Free YouTube Marketing Event in Bellevue

Bellevue-based Social media professional Stacia Loo, who has successful clients near and far, is holding a free class on YouTube Marketing in Bellevue on June 2nd, 2015.  The event will be held at the Parkplace Boardroom on the 2nd floor at the Bellevue Hyatt from 6-8pm.  Complimentary parking is available courtesy of The Bellevue Collection.

Some of what you will learn from Ms. Loo:

• 
  

  How to brand and optimize your YouTube channel to attract leads

  
  


• 
  

  How to develop video topics that are most relevant to your audience

  
  


• 
  

  How to pick keywords and titles to attract targeted leads

  
  


• 
  

  Suggestions on the best and low cost tools to produce videos

  
  


• 
  

  Using cards, annotations, and playlists to increase engagement

  
  


• 
  

  Plus Creative ideas that will have even a novice doing videos like a pro!

  
  


• and my favorite:  Why it is important for your business to have a constant and fresh presence on YouTube (including the relationship between Google and YouTube and why your business cannot afford to ignore it.

To reserve your seat, make sure to register for YouTube Marketing For Business at Eventbrite.

 

Mikayla Morgan Promoted to Marketing Integration Manager at LoanStar Home Lending

Mikayla Morgan was recently promoted to Marketing Integration Manager and Coordinator for the Marketing Department at LoanStar Home Lending.

“Mikayla has been with our core team since before LoanStar was founded and has a very intimate knowledge of how our marketing systems work best for our originators.  And now as a licensed originator herself, she brings even more experience to the team and will be a tremendous asset to new loan officers and branches that join LoanStar in the future,” said Kenn Bartley, SVP Marketing and Business Development. Mikayla has been with the company since November 12, 2013 and has held positions as Marketing Coordinator and Regional Marketing Manager.  She will continue to serve as a marketing concierge for LoanStar’s Bellevue, Vancouver, and the Walla Walla branches, supporting those loan officers with all of their marketing needs from on-boarding and beyond.

We are excited about this new position at LoanStar, the Marketing Integration Manager, will be responsible for coordinating and facilitating all marketing onboarding activities for new employees.  Kenn Bartley added, “LoanStar recognized the need for a robust onboarding process since we founded the company, and elevating Mikayla Morgan to the new position of Marketing Integration Manager is another sign of our commitment to make the transition to LoanStar seamless and smooth.”

Really, “Close” the Sale? Eh, no Sparky. It’s “Earn” the Sale.

By Jeffrey Gitomer

It never ceases to amaze me how many people still ask me, “What's the best way to close a sale?”

Other than cold calling and finding the pain, this is one of the biggest misconceptions in sales. It's not a technique. It's not a manipulation. It's not something that you wait until the end of your presentation to do. It's not something that requires intimate timing. You don't have to be afraid of being rejected.

What you have to do is have an intelligent and engaging conversation with someone who is looking to buy you and your product or service – a conversation that involves value, a win for them, a visualized outcome, and an understanding that the sale is made emotionally and then justified logically.

That's a far cry from “closing.”

MAJOR AHA! If the sale doesn't start right, it will never end right.

“Close the sale” is the wrong thought process. The prospective customer is making his or her decision AS the sales call progresses.

If you're really wanting to complete the sale – also known as getting the order and also known as creating an atmosphere in which the customer will buy, ­ there are questions you must answer for yourself in order to increase the chances the sale can be yours.

CAUTION: When you ask yourself these questions, and your own answers come up short of mastery, it’s an indication of why you lose sales. The better and stronger you answer each one, the more likely you are to make the sale.

Think about your last ten sales calls, and ask yourself…
• How prepared were you in terms of the customer?
• How ready were you to make a sale?
• How friendly were you?
• How enthusiastic were you?
• How emotionally engaging were you?
• How intellectually engaging were you?
• How self-confident were you?
• How relatable were you?
• How compelling was your presentation?
• How different were you perceived to be?
• How valuable were you perceived to be?
• How believable were you?
• How trustworthy were you perceived to be?

Close the sale? No! It’s not an action. It’s a culmination and sum total of the elements that makes a favorable decision possible.

The close of a sale is a delicate balance between your words and deeds, and their thoughts and perceptions. And a sale is ALWAYS made – either you sell them on yes, or they sell you on no.

SECRET: You give me a prepared, friendly, enthusiastic, emotionally-engaging, intellectually-engaging, unique, valuable, compelling, believable, self-confident, relatable, trustworthy salesperson… And I’LL GIVE YOU A SALE! No close needed.

It is NOT the responsibility of the salesperson to CLOSE the sale. It is the responsibility of the salesperson to engage the prospect.

It is not the responsibility of the salesperson to CLOSE the sale. It is the responsibility of the salesperson to prove value to the prospect.

It is not the responsibility of the salesperson to CLOSE the sale. It is the responsibility of the salesperson to prove differentiation to the prospect.

It is not the responsibility of the salesperson to CLOSE the sale. It is the responsibility of the salesperson to EARN the sale.

There have been more words written about closing the sale than any other aspect of the selling process or the sales cycle. Most of it is manipulative rubbish. Most of it centers on your ability to push the prospect into a corner and make them feel pressured to make a decision. That pressure will often result in a no, or some kind of stall that will ultimately result in a no.

I've just given you an accurate dose of just who is responsible for making a sale, and how it should be completed.

NOTE WELL: By using this approach to selling you have just eliminated all of the silly objections and stalls. Price too high, need to think it over, we all meet next week and will decide then, call me next Tuesday, send me a proposal, yada, yada, yada.

Yes, I too have written a ton of information on “closing the sale.” You can find it in The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, The 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling, and various blog posts and webinars. All of that information is in harmony with my philosophy: zero manipulation and build a trusting relationship.

THE KEY: Be comfortable with yourself. If you're in a selling situation and you aren't feeling the love, or feeling the comfort, or feeling the relationship, or feeling the mutual communication then the best thing to do is back off, and be truthful. Truth will win you more sales than manipulation. All you have to do to change and improve your outcome is change your mindset from “close” to “earn.”

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

© 2015 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

The Old Way or the New Way? It’s Really Not a Choice Anymore.

By Jeffrey Gitomer

My sales perspective flies in the face of traditional selling. And it’s not just a disruption – it’s the new way of sales. What’s your perspective?

Last week (in part one) I discussed the worthlessness of the old way of selling – everything from cold calling and finding the pain to overcoming objections and closing the sale. I referred to “the old ways” as manipulative, insincere, and aggressive and cautioned that customers and prospects are not only against it, they’re insulted by it! Ouch.

Me? I prefer being assertive. And there is a huge difference between assertive and aggressive. Here are the four majors:
• Aggressive salespeople tell. Assertive salespeople ask.
• Aggressive salespeople try to “close.” Assertive salespeople use testimonial proof.
• Aggressive salespeople go for the sale. Assertive salespeople go for the customer.
• Aggressive salespeople think “quota.” Assertive salespeople think “relationship.”

Which one are you? It's the difference between the old way and the new way.

Here's my list of what's happening NOW in sales. The New Way. UPDATE: Sales will be happening the new way for the foreseeable future:
• Value attraction. A marketing approach that tells me how I win, not who you are.
• Social attraction. A social presence that’s value-message based. Social messages that your prospective customer can find. NOTE: It's time to rethink and revamp the so-called "law of attraction." If you're looking to identify and attract willing buyers, value attraction and social attraction are the new laws. Value attraction and social attraction are the new way of selling.
• Find the pleasure. Things you both know about and like will make the sale easier and faster than painful things (that are likely none of your business) that make the prospect uncomfortable.
• Ask emotionally engaging questions. Ask questions about them (the prospect or customer), that make them respond in terms of you. Uncover their experience, their wisdom, and their knowledge.
• Discover the customer’s motive to buy. Why people buy his one billion times more powerful than how to sell.
• Give perceived value beyond price. As a customer, I don't need justification to make a purchase. I need a perception that the value you offer me in exchange for my money is greater than the price you’re charging. I need to know how I win, produce, and profit as a result of purchase. I already know what it is, I already know what it does, I already know how it works. I don't need you to tell me you're the greatest. I just need you to tell me how I win after I take ownership.
• Confirm the urgency of your offer. Once you understand the customer's motive to buy, their urgency becomes apparent. If you haven't uncovered their motive, you will never know when they intend to purchase.
• Provide “voice-of-customer” proof. Video testimonials are the new black. When you say it about yourself, it's bragging. When a customer says it about you, it's proof. Take advantage of your best salespeople – your loyal customers! Testimonial videos can be offered as sales proof during a presentation and can also be posted on every form of your social media outreach. One of the most interesting aspects of testimonials is they also reinforce the belief of salespeople in their own product.
• Be both available and easy to do business with. 24.7.365 is the new 9-5. I want a friendly, intelligent, live human being to answer the phone when I call, and so does EVERY HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET.
• Give “after the sale” value. Once I purchase, show me more and tell me more about how I can use, produce more, and profit more from what I own. Give me a weekly value message, not another sales message. Serve me, WOW me, and surprise me.
• Earn customer loyalty. Loyalty is earned slowly over time. (Just like trust.) Loyalty is gained with quality of product, ease of doing business, availability of people, online alternatives to both purchasing and service, speed of response, and value received. Loyal customers purchase time and time again without regard to price. Loyalty is defined in two parts: Part one: Will the customer do business with you again?Part two: Will the customer refer you? If they do both, that’s loyalty. Any other measurement is bogus.
• Earn referrals. Asking for referrals has been replaced by earning referrals and giving referrals. Think about the last time you GAVE a referral. Oh wait, maybe you never have! That's because giving referrals requires work. I didn't say the new way of selling was easy, I just said it was a new way. Ask before you tell. Give before you get. Earn before you ask.
• Build online and word-of-mouth reputation. What are you known as? What are you known for? What is your image? What is your Google image? What is your social image? These five elements comprise your reputation. No asset is more valuable.
• Build relationships. Everyone talks about being relationship oriented. But my findings show just the opposite. A quick review of the elements above will let you see exactly where you are on the “solid relationship” scale. I don't want you to be relationship oriented, I want you to be relationship building. Every day.

Review this list and rate yourself between 1 and 10. Anywhere you score less than a seven in is telling you you're not near the new way yet. Work at it!

The new way will pay.

FREE GITBIT. I'll be writing more about the new way of selling, but for now if you would like to get both part one and part two that I've written, go to Gitomer.com and enter the words NEW WAY in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

© 2015 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

You Cannot Ignore the Present. It’s Where Your Sales Are!

By Jeffrey Gitomer

My sales perspective flies in the face of traditional selling. And it’s not just a disruption, it’s the new way of sales. What’s your perspective?

Here are seven realities to get your thinking started:
FIRST REALITY: Traditional selling is aggressive – telling, pitching, manipulating, and closing. This old-world approach to sales is over and has been for more than a decade.
SECOND REALITY: The first sale that’s made is the salesperson. If the prospective customer does not buy you, they're not buying anything.
THIRD REALITY: The customer is as smart or smarter than you are. The internet has provided them with competitive savvy and social media has provided proof.
FOURTH REALITY: Your customers and prospects are busy with THEIR stuff and may have little or no time to be bothered by you and your stuff. It's so much more powerful when they find you in time of need.
FIFTH REALITY: Customers and prospects want intellectual engagement about how THEY WIN, not a sales pitch! They do not care about your urgency to make quota. They only care about their urgency to make profit.
SIXTH REALITY: The prospective customer must perceive value in your sales offering, trust you as a person and as a company, perceive that they win as a result of purchase, and be able to visualize outcome after purchase (maybe with the help of your video testimonials).
SEVENTH REALITY: You better have a social presence and a social reputation that proves your worth to others, and provides peace of mind to the prospect.

Look at this list – carefully – and see if what you do, the actions you take, or any of the strategies about how you sell are contained here. If they are, you will consistently lose to the “new way.”
• Cold calling. If selling has a dark side, it’s the cold call. Total interruption of others (the prospect), and predominantly a waste of salespeople's time. Higher than 90% rejection rate and the major cause of sales failure.
• Hunting and farming salespeople. This is basically a sales specialist making a sale and then running away. Leaving behind the service department, or inside sales, or the delivery guy, and the customer to feel deserted. Hunting and farming is the worst case for relationship building ever created.
• Find the pain. Perhaps the rudest of all sales processes, it’s “probing” to make prospects feel uncomfortable. This is an old-world tactic, where the salesperson miraculously proposes a solution to an issue that the prospect has. The solution is not the issue. The issue is that finding the pain is the focal point of the sale. No value, no engagement, no connection – simply manipulation. The only thing more idiotic (and more rude) than “finding the pain” is cold calling.
• Pitch the product. Telling your prospective customer stuff about your product that they could've found online in three seconds, or that you could've emailed them in advance of your meeting. Customers do not care what you're selling, unless you're showing them how they win as a result of purchase such as how they will produce more, and how they will profit more. Start there.
• Overcome objections. “Your price is too high.” Really? You still dealing with that? Where's the value? Where's the testimonial? Where’s the relationship? Where’s the trust? Where's the social proof?
• Close the sale. Manipulative closing is a thing of the past. The sale is made emotionally, not manipulatively.
• Proposals and bidding. This part of selling will never go away, but can be significantly reduced with loyal relationships and proven quality.
• Insincere follow-up. Call looking for money.
• Customer satisfaction. J.D. Power and Associates gives “customer satisfaction” awards to airlines. Do I need to say anything more about how ridiculous customer satisfaction is?
• Ask for (beg for) referrals. If you ask for a referral once, and the customer does not give you one, and you call again reminding the customer that they promised to give you a referral, and the customer still does not give you one, they will never take your call again. Instead of asking for referrals, why don’t you give one?
• Low or no social media presence. Failure to understand the fact that social media is a combination of attraction, proof that you are you say you are, and a sales tool.
• Low or no social media awareness. Inability or refusal of salespeople to participate gives your competition an ability to use it and dominate.
• Low or no relationship. The quality of the relationship allows you to make multiple sales, earn more profit, earn referrals, and gain their testimonial proof. If you’re lacking in these four areas it’s your relationship report card, and loss of sales or profit, or both.

Me? I prefer to be assertive. Assertive salespeople ask. Aggressive salespeople tell. Assertive salespeople go for the customer. Aggressive salespeople go for the sale.

Which one are you? It's the difference between the old way and the new way.

The “new way” is next week – stay tuned!

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

© 2015 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

- See more at: http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ViewPublicArticle.html?key=ajcdMibak3N5xUxDx4ftPQ%3D%3D#sthash.E1KSB9Ai.dpuf

20 Phrases To Use When Your Client Says “Too Expensive”

By Martin Limbeck

No matter what business you’re in, you are always in the sales business.  Think about it: without new sales, new accounts and a flow of new and continued business coming through the door, you’ll be out of business before you know it.  This is true whether you manage a web design agency, software company, shipping business, staffing agency, cleaning service or anything else.  Being a good salesman is important no matter what you do.

One of the areas that most professionals have difficulty with is when the customer says, “It’s just too expensive.”  What usually follows is some negotiations with both parties giving and taking a little from the deal to make it work for everyone.  And there’s nothing wrong with this strategy and sometimes there is no other choice.  There are instances, however, when it is appropriate to stand firm on your number.

The next time someone says to you, “It’s too expensive” or “Can’t you do something about the price?” here are some great phrases to fire back with.

-          The other offers are cheaper and they deserve to be.

-          Discounts are the first signal of bankruptcy. Are you sure you want to go down that road?

-          Quality comes at a price and that price includes me.

-          If you pay 100%, you get 100%. If you pay 90%, that’s what you get.

-          If competence is too pricey for you, then wait until you try incompetence.

-          Cheap dreams lead to rude awakenings.

-          What would you advise your own salespeople to do if they were constantly under pricing pressure?

-          I can assure you, nobody is paying less than you are today.

-          Thrift is good, but quality is better.

-          Lowballing is not a sport I play.

-          You’re also buying our blood, sweat and tears.

-          Go with the cheaper option and things will really get expensive.

-          The price is a reflection of our experience.

-          How motivated would you be working for $10?

-          If you want to haggle, try the flea market.

-          This is not a yard sale.

-          Cutting the price means cutting the quality, and that is not an option for us.

-          The grass is always cheaper on the other side.

-          Discounts don’t fit in our budget.

-          If I give you a discount, you may as well give me a donation receipt.

Be careful: not every phrase is appropriate for every customer or every sale. And the most important thing: the phrase must be delivered with a smile and a slight twinkle in your eye.

Getting the price you want and deserve can sometimes be an uncomfortable situation for anyone to be in, but if you know what to say and are prepared, you can stand your ground while maintaining your pride.

Martin Limbeck is an international sales authority dubbed “The Porsche of Sales” and author of NO Is Short for Next Opportunity: How Top Sales Professionals Think. Visit http://www.martinlimbeck.com/ and http://no-is-short-for-next-opportunity.com

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned. Or is It?

By Jeffrey Gitomer

Ben Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726), and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life.

His autobiography lists his 13 virtues as:
1. Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths (sic), or habitation.
11. Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Franklin didn’t try to work on them all at once. Instead, he would work on one and only one each week, leaving all others to their ordinary chance. While Ben did not live completely by his virtues, and by his own admission fell short of them many times, he believed the attempt at living them made him a better man. He believed these virtues contributed greatly to his success and happiness.

In his autobiography, Franklin listed and wrote about the virtues, “I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.”

His list is certainly no be-all end-all list of virtuous characteristics, BUT it gets you thinking about yourself and your virtues. Impossible not to. Not wanting to in any way infringe on the genius of what was Ben Franklin, I’d like to offer some of today’s characteristics of virtue and add to Ben’s list.

I’ll add a few words of definition to each, but more important, think about each of these virtues as it relates to you, your self-disciplines, your actions, and your ethics. Maybe even RATE YOURSELF on each one as you read.

Were he alive today, Ben’s virtues might have included:
• Truth. Your ability to be truthful to others and truthful to yourself.
• Honesty. Take honest actions you can be proud of.
• Trust. Be trustworthy and trusting. Trust others until proven otherwise. Be trustworthy by example.
• Ethics. The right way you conduct yourself in business and life.
• Speed. Response in today’s world is immediate. How immediate are you?
• Reliable. People want to deal with reliable people. How reliable are you?
• Loyal. Getting loyalty because you earned it. Giving loyalty because it’s your philosophy.
• Responsible. Not just responsible to others, but both to yourself and for yourself.
• Observant. Having value based peripheral vision, both of others and yourself.
• Consistent. Making the highest and best decision – all the time.
• Independent. Not a follower to be “safe,” but a self-ruler of your time and fate.
• Faith. Not just religion, faith in people, faith in family, and spirituality of self.
• Self-belief. Belief in company, product, customer, and especially in yourself. Be a believer.
• Confidence. Confidence is evident often without saying a word. Radiate yours.
• Enthusiasm. Generate the inner spark of self-induced energy that lights up a room and the people in it.
• Study/Student. Learning more leads to earning more. Resolve to learn something new every day.
• Respect. Things and people deserve initial respect. Give it to get it.
• Kindness. Every ounce of kindness is worth a fortune to those on the receiving end of yours.
• Forgive. Until you forgive the past – both actions and people – you are likely to repeat it.
• Thoughtful. Expressing both thanks and feelings. Remembering events and people.
• Open-minded. Willing to accept new things. Willing to encounter “change” and see it as “opportunity.”
• Appreciate. Art and life. Look and see the beauty that abounds, the opportunity life affords, and appreciate your ability to choose the values you represent.
• Grateful. For health and happiness. Saying grace. Counting blessings, daily.
• Loving. Give love to get love. Give love to be loved.

Wow! Those are some values. How many are yours?

Why not tackle one a week? I’ve given you a six-month supply.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

Old Way or New Way? Only One Way Works. My Way.

The old way of selling is dead.

The only people who don’t know that are other sales trainers, recently released old-world sales tactics books that are still trying to convey old messages, and several million salespeople still trying to cold call, pitch the product, overcome objections, and close the sale. Don’t forget their managers who force them to use an uncomfortable “system, “ a non-sales helpful CRM, and hold their salespeople accountable for their actions and numbers. It’s over. Dead and over.

What killed it?
Who killed it?

The internet and its immediate access to any information – including one’s reputation – the economy, Google and online searchability in general, social media, smart phones, one-click buying, Amazon feedback and other ratings sites, and smarter customers and consumers both B2B and B2C. WOW!

The online and smartphone evolution has become a sales and selling revolution.

The NEW big picture of selling is quite simple. Here’s what to train and teach your salespeople:
• Teach why people buy rather than how to sell. My mantra and trademarked phrase is, People don’t like to be sold, but they LOVE to buy.
• Teach customer loyalty, not customer satisfaction. Customers may never be satisfied but will continue to do business with you based on your perceived value.
• Teach salespeople to “ask” questions about the customer rather than “tell” about their product. The old way of selling doesn’t work anymore. And no one is more aware of that than an informed customer.
• Teach salespeople to be responsible for their actions instead of being accountable for their activity.

Here are 4.5 NEW ways of thinking, acting and selling responsibly:
1. FIND THEIR WHY. Uncover your customer’s intentions and motives for purchase before or during your sales presentation. Do online searches for why they might buy, and ask emotionally revealing questions. Their “why” is your order.
2. TALK ABOUT THEIR OUTCOME. Share with him or her how they produce more and profit more AFTER purchase. Explain what happens after they take ownership Talk about how they win, not a bunch of boring crap about you that the customer could have found in less than two seconds on Google.
3. PROVE YOUR VALUE. Get several of your existing (best) customers to do video testimonials to corroborate your claims. When you say it about yourself it’s bragging, when others say it about you it is proof. Voice of customer is the proof you need to convert selling to buying.
4. DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A PRISTINE REPUTATION. Not just your company and your products – you personally. Information and reputation arrives before you do. Google yourself right now. That’s what your customer sees before you arrive.
4.5 BEWARE AND BE AWARE OF THE INTERNET. It has changed and continues to change the face of selling, and the lives (not to mention the incomes) of salespeople. EXAMPLES: Retail sales, banking, trading stocks, buying cars, traveling, and, most important, the ability to research the opinions and outcomes of others. Get internet savvy. Get internet fluent. Then stay there.

A few months ago I wrote about the difference between aggressive selling and assertive selling. That difference is pivotal in the company’s philosophy of selling, salesperson’s method of selling, and the customer’s decision to buy your product or service.

Here is the CliffsNotes™ version of the difference:
• Aggressive salespeople “tell.”
• Assertive salespeople “ask.”
• Aggressive salespeople “go for the sale.”
• Assertive salespeople “go for the customer.”

Aggressive salespeople sell the old way. They talk, they brag, they give a demo, they manipulate to close the sale, they send proposals, and in general they fight. They fight to get an appointment, they fight price, they fight competition, and they fight for the sale – a sale that even if they win they have lost profit.

The assertive presentation challenges you, the salesperson, to bring forth a combination of your knowledge and value as it relates to customer needs as well as a superior ability to connect both verbally and non-verbally with the person or the group you’re addressing.

You’ll know your assertive strategy is working when the customer or the prospective customer begins asking questions to get a deeper understanding about the value and difference your product or service offers. This changes monologue to dialogue and creates the power of engagement, or should I say assertive engagement.

A FEW MORE WORDS OF CAUTION: The new way of selling requires more work on the part of the salesperson. More research, more preparation, more knowledge, better presentation skills, more value differentiation, and more proof.

This accentuates my rule of, “the more the more.” The more research, preparation, knowledge, enthusiastic presentation skills, value differentiation, and proof you bring to the sales presentation, the more sales you will make.

Which type of salesperson are you?

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

© 2015 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

- See more at: http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ViewPublicArticle.html?key=ajcdMibak3MKORyWUj2naw%3D%3D#sthash.BaY6fSqP.dpuf

Building a Strong Brand Starts Inside Your Organization

A company name or brand is short hand for all the emotions, expectations and experiences any given individual associates with that image or name.  While everyone knows to market their brand outside their organizations, many overlook the opportunity to market their brand inside their organizations. Your employees are a critical constituency of our business. The stronger you build your brand internally, the more committed, engaged, and productive employees are likely to be.  It feels good to be on the same team as those around you. Additionally, employees with clarity about your brand and mission are more empowered to help you build your business.

So how do you bring your branding inside?  A good place to start is by making your physical work place unique to your brand and company.  Jason Hanleybrown, CEO of Fast Water Heater based in Bothell, WA embraced this idea and made some dramatic changes to Fast Water Heater’s offices.  "We wanted to accomplish two things with our new wall murals – first have a large visual reminder about our core values that our employees see every day.  We now have interesting graphics that communicate our Mission and Values at our primary entry ways.  Second, one of our Values is “Enjoyment” – we wanted to create a positive and enjoyable work experience for our team members."  Mr. Hanelybrown worked with Bellevue-based, RainMaker Signs to design and install new custom wall murals and graphics in the lobby, conference room, and other rooms throughout Fast Water Heater’s headquarters.

When asked about building organizational culture and attracting top talent Cameron Herold, author of Double Double is quick to bring up wall murals and graphics.   “Let your walls talk.  Your office space is one of the ‘decoys’ that will either attract or repel the ‘ducks’ you want to hire.  Use your space like a magnet.  The blank walls are canvas’ waiting to attract A Level employees to your company.”

In competition for top talent, tech companies know branding and work environment go hand in hand. Google understands the power of attracting and rewarding talent with amazing work space.  Google recently hired RainMaker Signs to design, fabricate and install wall graphics in their Kirkland offices along with adding wall lettering for some meeting rooms named after obscure Crayola crayon colors (produced in exactly those colors no less!)  Rover.com, a new tech company matching dog owners to the right dog sitters, is planning to install a 50’ mission statement mural in their new Seattle offices.

Deborah Scott, co-owner and Chief Marketing Officer at RainMaker Signs, understands the power of effective branding. Ms. Scott co-founded RainMaker Signs with Michael McGinn after a career of managing some of the largest brands in the world. For nearly a decade Scott managed top national brands at General Mills, including the flagship Cheerios brand. Ms. Scott went on to lead global brand marketing for Amazon.com and was responsible for the Amazon.com logo still in use today.

“We started RainMaker Signs because we believe great visual communications make great things happen.” Visual communications, be it wall graphics, vehicle wraps, displays or other types of signage, bring energy, personality, and key messaging to light in a very public way. When used internally it builds pride, affinity, and productivity. “We love helping our clients with marketing inside and outside their organizations. Both are important. We are proud to be a part of such positive projects and have an outstanding team to deliver great results.”

Salespeople Have Questions. Jeffrey Has Answers.

By Jeffrey Gitomer

I get a ton of emails from people seeking insight or asking me to solve their sales dilemmas. Here are a few that may relate to your job, your life, and (most important) your sales thought process right now.

Jeffrey, A company that installs gutter guards recently lost my business. I was solicited by their sales team twice. The second time I was in the market to buy. But their technique is different. They require both the husband and wife be home during their estimate. I do understand why they want both to be there (so they can eliminate any obstacles). However, my wife doesn’t care, nor does she want any involvement in these type of decisions. I told them if they require this, I will take my business elsewhere. They simply stated, "Thank you," and hung up. They lost the sale, but I now have new gutter guards that were installed by another company. What is your take on this? Mike

Mike, Old-world salespeople are gonna die. In sales, it's called a one-legged sale when only one of the two deciders is in the room. Companies don't want to "waste their time" on someone who "can't decide without talking to their spouse" because the objection they use is, "I'm going to talk this over with my …" The bottom line is that company is rude, stupid, and will lose people (just like they lost you).

First of all, men don't decide anything, anyway! Only women decide. The woman will approve all decisions in any household. Don't take my word for it, ask any husband.

HERE’S THE SECRET: If you're in the business of sales, you're also in the service business, you're also in the people business, and you're also in the friendly business. Anyone says, "I'm not going to give my sales presentation unless both decision makers are in the room," doesn’t fully understand that concept. But that's the bad news for them. The good news is you can call their competition and coach them on what to do correctly. Somebody obviously did. Best regards, Jeffrey

Dear Jeffrey, My company delivers mobile dictation and transcription service to field workers in IT and health care, saving these people time in reporting. Lately I have been promoting the service to sales professionals. I have written several 30-second commercials for this but keep running into all sorts of objections. Salespeople are difficult prospects and I’m constantly trying to find the right pitch. How would you approach the market of sales professionals and sales management? Do I need two different approaches? Gerhard

Gerhard, No. You need one approach. Every salesperson who has a CRM - SalesForce.com, Microsoft Dynamics, whatever it is - is required to put stuff into their computer on an everyday basis for every sales call they make and there's one universal truth about it: they all can't stand it.

But if you could get them to record something on their laptop immediately, like a two minute, this goes here, this goes here, and you could actually do their CRM entering for them… Oh baby! Their boss would buy it, they would buy it, their CEO would buy it, and their spouse would buy it. Everybody would buy it and they would pay double.

The problem is you're trying to sell your service instead of giving them an answer that they're looking for. Big mistake. Don't tell me what you've got. Sell me what I perceive that I need and then I will buy. Best regards, Jeffrey

Jeffrey, I'm an independent commercial real estate lender and commercial real estate mortgage broker. I'm trying to link up with referral sources such as CPAs, commercial realtors, financial planners, etc. Do you have suggestions for a thought provoking question or line of conversation to help me connect with these folks and open the door to more meaningful dialogue? Dennis

Dennis, Dude, you're providing them with money. You're helping them get deals done. Why don't you ask them questions like, "What do you think about when your deal doesn't go through? Do you think that there's another alternative way?” and then follow with, “My name’s Jeffrey, and I would love to be your secondary source for the deals that don't make it. If I can prove myself on a couple of them, maybe I can earn my way to becoming your primary source. Fair enough?"

All the people you're talking to in the real estate business only want to get a deal done. That is their primary objective. It doesn't matter what the interest rate is. It doesn't matter where they get the funding from. They only want to get the deal done. If you can be a person who can help them get the deal done, they will use you. Best regards, Jeffrey

Jeffrey, I am a devoted reader of your weekly email magazine and a fellow Phillies fan. I'm not a salesperson by title, but as GM turned entrepreneur, selling is a vital skill, and your insightful information is greatly appreciated, not to mention it just makes sense. My strengths are more on the production and supply side, so I was wondering if you had any advice on how to find qualified salespeople in specific industries. I have several products that I'd like to develop sales channels for, but I’m not sure where to begin effectively. Rob, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Rob, Qualified salespeople are already working someplace else. You must attract them with reputation, range of salary and incentives, and social proof that you're great. Look for people in related industries or directly at your competition. Ask your vendors. Ask your customers who they love to buy from. Search LinkedIn by keyword to see who may be “looking for career offers.” Go Phillies! Jeffrey

Jeffrey, My boss and I have drafted emails to different types of industries specifying how they can make money and profit from our service. The plan is to send out these brief descriptions through email and see who gets back to us. After reading almost all of your material, I know you don’t believe in cold calling, but in this case is it better to email the companies or call them on the phone? Ryan

Ryan, The answer is neither. What you need to be doing is blogging information about these companies that they would consider valuable. You have an email magazine. You post something on Twitter. And with their search for keywords about their own stuff, they will find you. If you only send out information about yourself… "We have this great service and it's the greatest thing in the whole wide world” …delete, delete, delete! But if you put value messages out that they might be able to find, it will be delight, delight, delight! Best regards, Jeffrey

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His books are now available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

© 2014 All Rights Reserved - Don't even think about reproducing this document without
written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer, Inc • 704/333-1112

- See more at: http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ViewPublicArticle.html?key=ajcdMibak3PVmNoUbpV4Zg%3D%3D#sthash.kXFsevKp.dpuf