How many times has a salesperson been hired away to a different firm because of perceived value? The idea that a salesperson that can make great relationships can bring his customers in mass with him is a myth. So will but most will remain with the original company. If the company has treated them right why should they change?
What salesperson does not think that they have a great relationship with all their customers? This maybe part fact but also part myth. This myth about their customer relationships creates the two biggest obstacles to a salespersons continued success:
1. Lack of Sales Competencies: As long as they believe they have great relationships with their clients they don’t worry about how good they are as sales people. They believe their customers like them and will buy from them no matter what. In addition, they start to become club joiners thinking the more friends I make the more customers I will get.
2. Prevents them from working harder: With the perceived relationship they start to become stagnet. They go where it is easy to talk to people (not prospects). They find places where people like them for fun not work. The potential of the meeting should dictate where the sales person goes to build relationships not the other way around.
Larson note: Relationship selling, positive selling bonds are good and necessary. But skills remain paramount. Relationship building provides the key to entry into discussions with your prospects. But to open the doors to a sale still takes skill and knowledge. To be top notched you need to learn both sides of the sales process, the people side and the skill side. USE both.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Consumers and Cell Phones
Customers plans for cut backs in their cell phone bill:
19% Very likely
21% Somewhat likely
21% Not very likely
38% Not likely at all
1% Don’t know
Larson note: 40% looking to cut back on their cell phone bill. This is a tell tale sign of what people are thinking. You can see them walking around, driving around (illegal or not) talking on their cell or (the funny ones) the Bluetooth who walk around talking to themselves, or so it seems when you first see them. Yet 60% are planning on no change. Is this because of the trend of making a cell phone their main line and discarding there ground line?
Do I hear mobile marketing?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
19% Very likely
21% Somewhat likely
21% Not very likely
38% Not likely at all
1% Don’t know
Larson note: 40% looking to cut back on their cell phone bill. This is a tell tale sign of what people are thinking. You can see them walking around, driving around (illegal or not) talking on their cell or (the funny ones) the Bluetooth who walk around talking to themselves, or so it seems when you first see them. Yet 60% are planning on no change. Is this because of the trend of making a cell phone their main line and discarding there ground line?
Do I hear mobile marketing?
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
The Week Ahead for April 6 – April 10, 2009
Monday:
Tuesday: February consumer credit
Wednesday: February wholesale inventories
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, February trade balance,
Friday:
Larson note: Over the last week there has been quite a lot of press published about if the recession has bottomed out. From where I’m sitting don’t believe it. Until companies stop shedding jobs we are not there. It is slowing but slow is not ending. IN my eyes we still have 3 more months of bumpy road to travel. Yet you can grow during this period if you have taken the time (never too late) to examine what and why people buy from you and keep focused on that! If you look below our company sales are up, but not without a struggle that began 18 months ago and was majorly restructured last July 2008 to allow us to achieve growth.
In our annual training/planning trip this year to a Northern Wisconsin resort we made a few slight adjustments to the overall business plan for 2009 but it remains for the most part intact and on target. Our plan is not a cast in stone plan but one that changes as needs and the economy change. If you don’t have a road map for your business you will never get to where you want to go. Your business plan is that road map.
We are still looking for that elusive sales representive for the Central States. Chicago based would be best but not necessary. How much is a sales person worth to your company? To my company 1 good salesperson is worth another 15 jobs give or take. Now that my friends is the real engine of economic recovery, people making money to spend on goods and services for their and their families betterment as they choose
Larson & Associates March's sales figures were up 68.6% over March of 2008.
Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of April are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and an Art Studio. Special bird dog rates apply in these industries
Trade show schedule:
> April 23, 2009 Greater O’Hare & Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce Trade Show
> May 5&6, 2009 Design 2 Part Job Shop Show, Schaumburg IL,
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Racing schedule: Palatine Invite Alumni 1 mile run Saturday April 24, Madison Marathon Sunday May 24th.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
P.P.P.S. subscribe to our newsletter "Mastering Marketing Monthly" at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com
Tuesday: February consumer credit
Wednesday: February wholesale inventories
Thursday: Weekly initial jobless claims, February trade balance,
Friday:
Larson note: Over the last week there has been quite a lot of press published about if the recession has bottomed out. From where I’m sitting don’t believe it. Until companies stop shedding jobs we are not there. It is slowing but slow is not ending. IN my eyes we still have 3 more months of bumpy road to travel. Yet you can grow during this period if you have taken the time (never too late) to examine what and why people buy from you and keep focused on that! If you look below our company sales are up, but not without a struggle that began 18 months ago and was majorly restructured last July 2008 to allow us to achieve growth.
In our annual training/planning trip this year to a Northern Wisconsin resort we made a few slight adjustments to the overall business plan for 2009 but it remains for the most part intact and on target. Our plan is not a cast in stone plan but one that changes as needs and the economy change. If you don’t have a road map for your business you will never get to where you want to go. Your business plan is that road map.
We are still looking for that elusive sales representive for the Central States. Chicago based would be best but not necessary. How much is a sales person worth to your company? To my company 1 good salesperson is worth another 15 jobs give or take. Now that my friends is the real engine of economic recovery, people making money to spend on goods and services for their and their families betterment as they choose
Larson & Associates March's sales figures were up 68.6% over March of 2008.
Our focused industries we are looking to add clients in for the month of April are Advertising Specialties, Trade Show Booth Builder, Sign Shop, and an Art Studio. Special bird dog rates apply in these industries
Trade show schedule:
> April 23, 2009 Greater O’Hare & Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce Trade Show
> May 5&6, 2009 Design 2 Part Job Shop Show, Schaumburg IL,
Time slots still available to meet & talk over coffee.
Racing schedule: Palatine Invite Alumni 1 mile run Saturday April 24, Madison Marathon Sunday May 24th.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
howard@larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. We make telesales for small business affordable by offering programs down to only 15 hours a week. Maybe you could add telesales into your marketing mix call today and find out.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free (a $75.00 value) ½ hour consultation periods per week to talk about marketing businesses. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
P.P.P.S. subscribe to our newsletter "Mastering Marketing Monthly" at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com
Friday, April 3, 2009
Need More E-Mail Opt-ins?
E-mail is an excellent marketing tool for many reasons. Cost and speed being two to the major reasons, yet on the down side it can be thought to be obtrusive to the recipienent if they don’t want it.
We all need to be careful to send our prospects emails that they want. You can encourage prospects to give you their email addresses in exchange of something such as a free white paper to download. Another way is to use telemarketing into prospects and follow up with different opt-in offers. Then you might want to redesign your web landing page to encourage opt-ins. You can send a direct mail piece out encouraging people to opt-in for more information. And lastly make sure you are getting all the harvested emails out of all your people that they collect as they are working. They all count.
Larson note: Now that you have all those nice active emails keep focused on your message. What you do and say is how you create your companies “brand”. Keep it as narrow nitched as you can. The narrower your focus the more powerful your message.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
We all need to be careful to send our prospects emails that they want. You can encourage prospects to give you their email addresses in exchange of something such as a free white paper to download. Another way is to use telemarketing into prospects and follow up with different opt-in offers. Then you might want to redesign your web landing page to encourage opt-ins. You can send a direct mail piece out encouraging people to opt-in for more information. And lastly make sure you are getting all the harvested emails out of all your people that they collect as they are working. They all count.
Larson note: Now that you have all those nice active emails keep focused on your message. What you do and say is how you create your companies “brand”. Keep it as narrow nitched as you can. The narrower your focus the more powerful your message.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Making B to B Referrals Work
You have customers. At least I hope you do. So. .
To start, ask them if they know anyone in organizations, or clubs that could use your service like they do. I’m not talking about one of the official networking groups or clubs here but chambers, rotory, etc.
Everyone is facing the same kinds of problems right now. Clients, pricing, market share, so why not help each other out.
Sharing recommendations either in f2f or the different SM sites is key to building your referral base and your business. To aid in this process look at your top 10 clients. What makes them your best? How and what do you do for them. What other services could you be doing for them? How well do you know THEIR industries? Is that knowledge transferable?
Use your online newsletter to keep your present customers and prospects informed about what is new (and exciting) in your business. Put out the personal feeling of what you can offer them. And remember to send a “gift” or at least a thank you card for each refural they send your way. As Hank Trisler would say, “people never hear thank you enough”. You can go the card route but I would suggest the hand written note. An email just doesn’t make it. Buy a note card, get a stamp and send.
Larson note: It is only hard to ask for a referral the first time, the second and third it gets easier. Ask and ask again and without asking refer back to your sources. They will appreciate it. Make it happen for everyone.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
To start, ask them if they know anyone in organizations, or clubs that could use your service like they do. I’m not talking about one of the official networking groups or clubs here but chambers, rotory, etc.
Everyone is facing the same kinds of problems right now. Clients, pricing, market share, so why not help each other out.
Sharing recommendations either in f2f or the different SM sites is key to building your referral base and your business. To aid in this process look at your top 10 clients. What makes them your best? How and what do you do for them. What other services could you be doing for them? How well do you know THEIR industries? Is that knowledge transferable?
Use your online newsletter to keep your present customers and prospects informed about what is new (and exciting) in your business. Put out the personal feeling of what you can offer them. And remember to send a “gift” or at least a thank you card for each refural they send your way. As Hank Trisler would say, “people never hear thank you enough”. You can go the card route but I would suggest the hand written note. An email just doesn’t make it. Buy a note card, get a stamp and send.
Larson note: It is only hard to ask for a referral the first time, the second and third it gets easier. Ask and ask again and without asking refer back to your sources. They will appreciate it. Make it happen for everyone.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Making E-Mail Work Without A CRM program
In a time like we are going though now, how can you make an email campaign work even without an expensive CRM program.
I would start by going slowly at first, building a foundation, focusing on who you and your company is. As you progress, you can ask subscribers what is important to them. Working with the structure and content, making it more and more relevant to your clients, prospects and subscribers.
If all you have to work with is an email list, start by sending a welcoming message out, stating your intentions and how often you plan to email out to them. Give them options and always be respectful of their “mail boxes”
If you can segment your list down to something as relevant as what you would find in some of Harvey McKay’s 66 you are well on your way.
Larson note: The more you know on each prospect the better you are able to connect with them I things relevant to them and how you could make their lives easier. As Hank Trisler would say, people buy on emotion and justify with fact. If you can hit your prospects on both sides of the fence at separate times you stand a better chance of success. E-mail being what it is, fast and efficient, you can push out our message with relevant ease.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
I would start by going slowly at first, building a foundation, focusing on who you and your company is. As you progress, you can ask subscribers what is important to them. Working with the structure and content, making it more and more relevant to your clients, prospects and subscribers.
If all you have to work with is an email list, start by sending a welcoming message out, stating your intentions and how often you plan to email out to them. Give them options and always be respectful of their “mail boxes”
If you can segment your list down to something as relevant as what you would find in some of Harvey McKay’s 66 you are well on your way.
Larson note: The more you know on each prospect the better you are able to connect with them I things relevant to them and how you could make their lives easier. As Hank Trisler would say, people buy on emotion and justify with fact. If you can hit your prospects on both sides of the fence at separate times you stand a better chance of success. E-mail being what it is, fast and efficient, you can push out our message with relevant ease.
Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
Using Phone In Economic Turbulence
In so many ways we reach and touch our customers but phone might be the biggest and least satisfying way a customer interacts with us.
You need to be thinking of the phone as if it is the only way you are touching your customers because quite frankly for some customers it is. What would you want your experience to be if it was you on the other end of the line trying (sad way to have to express it) to buy form your company. Would you, could you greet them in a personalized way? Would you make them feel like they are your favorite customer? Would you give them special phone deals and rewards for loyalty?A well designed phone touch plan is as essential as a well thought out f2f plan. The first step is to understand why customers call you. Once you understand that, you need to know the common questions and request you are getting so that can be taken care of easily and professionally.With today’s CRM tools you can personalize the caller experience by instantly recognizing the caller’s phone number, their name, etc. If you are able to put in place an IVR (Interactive voice response) system interacting with your CRM system you can instaintious caller recognition. Today there are systems out there that allow you to integrate both CRM and IVR together in one seamless flow, of perhaps your CRP provider would be willing to write the software. (Might make their program more marketable and be well worth their while. By integrating your phone system with your CRM system and putting in place proven marketing strategies, you can keep your customers coming back time and time again.
Larson note: I eat pizza. I usually eat pizza weekly. Not only that but usually from the same place. Not only does this place know me, they know me by first name, they know me by last name, they know me by telephone number and they even miss me if I skip a week. Once my wife ordered and picked up the pizza and they asked her if I was ok and feeling well? Talk about knowing your customer. Do I feel special?
Howard LarsonLarson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisitionMaking good businesses great and great businesses even better847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com
larsonassociateshttp://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
You need to be thinking of the phone as if it is the only way you are touching your customers because quite frankly for some customers it is. What would you want your experience to be if it was you on the other end of the line trying (sad way to have to express it) to buy form your company. Would you, could you greet them in a personalized way? Would you make them feel like they are your favorite customer? Would you give them special phone deals and rewards for loyalty?A well designed phone touch plan is as essential as a well thought out f2f plan. The first step is to understand why customers call you. Once you understand that, you need to know the common questions and request you are getting so that can be taken care of easily and professionally.With today’s CRM tools you can personalize the caller experience by instantly recognizing the caller’s phone number, their name, etc. If you are able to put in place an IVR (Interactive voice response) system interacting with your CRM system you can instaintious caller recognition. Today there are systems out there that allow you to integrate both CRM and IVR together in one seamless flow, of perhaps your CRP provider would be willing to write the software. (Might make their program more marketable and be well worth their while. By integrating your phone system with your CRM system and putting in place proven marketing strategies, you can keep your customers coming back time and time again.
Larson note: I eat pizza. I usually eat pizza weekly. Not only that but usually from the same place. Not only does this place know me, they know me by first name, they know me by last name, they know me by telephone number and they even miss me if I skip a week. Once my wife ordered and picked up the pizza and they asked her if I was ok and feeling well? Talk about knowing your customer. Do I feel special?
Howard LarsonLarson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisitionMaking good businesses great and great businesses even better847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://www.larsonassociates.ws
http://larsonassociates.blogspot.com
http://member.merchantcircle.com
larsonassociateshttp://businesswarfare.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
http://www.businessiibusiness.com/profile/HowardLarson
https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate
P.S. Want more Larson? Register to receive our monthly newsletter at larsonassoc1980@yahoo.com.
P.P.S. We are offering 2 free ½ hour consultations for marketing your business. Call or email to get your spot to pick my brain for 30 minutes today.
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