Archive for March, 2008
March 31, 2008 at 11:18 am · Filed under Sales Tips + More
The simplest, most cost-effective and most time-efficient way to win new customers is to pick up the phone and call the prospects. But the concept of “cold calling” sends shivers down the spine of most sales people. It seems totally unnatural to many of us.
As with most irrational fears, such as public speaking, heights and spiders, it is the fear of the unknown rather than anything else that puts sales people off. This is only enhanced by the fear of rejection, a phrase that surely also needs its own phobia name!
While technique is critical, this comes with experience and confidence. The first defining characteristic of a successful cold callers is their persistence. Recent research showed the enormous mismatch between what most sales people thought was a sensible amount of persistence and how many rebuffs prospect really give. 43% of the sample said they would give up calling after the very first rejection from the prospective customer. Another 23% said they would not call again if the customer said no a second time, 15% the third time and 11% the fourth time. This left only 8% of the sample of sales people chipping away at the prospect’s resistance. However, the research showed that when questioned 73% of prospects said they would give 5 or more “objections” before buying!
So the major lesson is not to take now for an answer. The second lesson is to make sure you are speaking to the right person.
All too often, salespeople start selling to the first person that picks up the phone. This can be a waster of the caller and the prospect’s time if the person at the end of the phone is not the MAN. This is not me being sexist, the MAN is an acronym for Money, Authority and Need. Someone who is happy to listen to your pitch but can’t sign the sales order is merely a recommender.
So how do you make sure you get to speak to the MAN, not the recommender? My favourite question is to ask: “apart from you, who else is involved in [this buying decision]”. The boost their ego by admitting they have a part in the decision and then you get them to say who else you should really be talking to.
However, when calling a business, the first hurdle to get past is the person we call the “gatekeeper”. Often this is the PA, the secretary or the junior colleague who’s explicit job it is to get rid of sales people. However, the target prospect does actually want to still hear from people that can do him good deals, save him money, provide a better product or inform him or her of market developments. But the gatekeeper thinks it is their job to stop ANYONE getting through.
The first tactic to get past gatekeepers is to make friends with them first. Then it is much easier to negotiate a contact with your target. The temptation is to show our frustration with the PA who keeps promising to pass on messages. But they will be pleasantly surprised when you show respect!
You are very likely going to have to speak to the gatekeeper several times before accessing your quarry so make notes about their likes, dislikes, family interests, holiday, anything that gives you something to ask about when you next call. It may sound contrived, but most gatekeepers will begin to crumble when you begin to emerge as a kind, empathetic person.
Don’t be too proud to use the pity card: as an MD, I still find a winning hand with “my boss has told me not to speak to him until I get through to your boss, you could not help me out this one time could you?”.
The reverse of this one is to simply state the first name of the person you wish to speak to with an upward inflection: don’t ask to speak to the person, don’t say please, just firmly say the first name. Many times it will be assumed you are a known contact and you’ll be put through.
A classic is to get put through to accounts. Then tell the accounts people you have obviously been wrongly connected by the operator but “is there any chance you can connect me direct to Mr X to save me going around the houses”. You will then be an internal call and may even find out their extensions!
And if you don’t get to speak to the person you want, despite being put through DO leave a message on the answerphone. It may be a million to one chance, but it is still a chance they will call back. But keep it brief and don’t leave them enough information to decide they can not bother calling you back. Use just your first name, abbreviate your company name - leave out anything that says what your company does - and leave your number, stating it twice.
A little confidence goes a long way. The first times you try these techniques you won’t have believe in them and they won’t work. But keep bashing away and you will be soon setting your self and your colleagues appointments as if you were born to it!
Andy Szebeni is director of sales training and telemarketing company A&P. For more information and free tips and hints go to http://www.a-and-p.com.
March 31, 2008 at 9:23 am · Filed under Eating
The underside of the belly is called the flank. It is the part directly below the sirloin and the short loin. Steaks cut from this area are grainy any chewy. Hence, special cooking methods are employed for flank steaks to reduce their graininess and chewy nature. But these cuts are quite favored for their beefy flavor.
Flank steaks are cut differently from other steaks. The cutting is done in thin slices diagonally along the grain. This makes the steak softer to cut. Flank steaks are tough. They are marinated before the actual cooking, usually overnight. The marinating makes cooking flank steaks a faster process. Flank steaks should not be cooked at anything more than medium rare or they would become tough even to put a bite in them.
The marinade used for tenderizing flank steak is a mixture of various liquids, most of them acidic like curds, lemon juice, vinegar, wine, tomato juice or even fruits such as papaya or pineapple. The best method is to stuff the raw flank steaks into a polythene bag along with marinade and keep it overnight. Marinated steaks cannot be stored for long; hence they should be cooked as soon as the tenderizing is done.
Marinated flank steaks can be cooked by dry heating methods such as grilling, broiling or pan-frying. They need high heat for their striated muscle fibers to be properly done. They need almost double the time it takes for other steaks to be cooked. Flank steaks are also very delectable when they are stuffed and baked or braised. Before serving, flank steaks are cut into thin slices and suitably garnished.
Flank steaks are more difficult to cook than other steaks. They are also priced lower than other steaks. Despite the special care that must be taken to cook flank steaks, they are extremely popular due to their excellent flavor. Steaks marketed under the name ‘London broil steaks’ are usually flank steaks. However, this name has nothing to do with flank steaks, as they have nothing to do specially with London.
Flank steaks are less fattening than loin steaks. A 3 ounce piece of flank steak will have about 192.1 calories. It contains approximately 26% proteins and 12.5% fat.
Steak provides detailed information about steak, flank steak, grilling steak and more. Steak is affiliated with Disposable Chef Hats.
March 31, 2008 at 4:49 am · Filed under Better Sports
Bo Sox Power
As a Yankee fan for over 40 years I have seen many Yankee comebacks. 1978 was a great year. After being down 14 games the Bronx Bombers stormed back to overtake the Red Sox in the one game playoff. Bucky Dent sure had his baseball fantasy.
The 1958 Yanks. The team of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra were down three games to one. They beat the Milwaukee Braves to redeem themselves for the previous year’s World Series loss. The Braves happened to be the target for another Yankee comeback in 1996 when the New Yorkers stormed back from a 2-0 ( both losses at Yankee Stadium) deficit in games to win four in a row.
Other teams have turned the series around after being down three games to one. The 1968 Tigers did it against the St Louis Cardinals, in spite of Bob Gibson incredible performances. And the 1968 Pirates overturned the Orioles with “Their Family” of stars.
I think the Red Sox team of 2004 takes first prize. In all of sports including baseball, basketball and hockey there have been over 230 times since the playoffs started where one team was ahead of the other team three games to zero. Only twice has the team that was on the short end of the three to nothing deficit come back and won four in a row. Both times it was in hockey.
Now there is a third time…..
I am amazed but not surprised to see the Boston Red Sox defeat the Yankees four straight and then demolish the St Louis Cardinals in four straight games as well. A classic year has been completed by a team for the ages. It’s easy to say they did not give up. It is easy to say they had the right mixture of players. It is also easy to say how well they meshed as a team. Because they flourished at the right time makes the Red Sox of 2004 one of the best teams, of all time. Maybe they are and maybe they are not. There is no denying it was one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history.
Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, and Curt Schilling all came through - big time.
I am tired of writing about the Red Sox. Let’s go Yankees.
Wait till next year. Sound familiar?
About the Author
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 40 years. Writing about his favorite subject, baseball, has been a blessing. You will enjoy the heartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and inspiring quotes. But mostly you will love the heartwarming stories that hit a home run to your heart.
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March 30, 2008 at 11:57 pm · Filed under Eating
By now we’ve all heard of green tea and probably even read about
the health benefits that it has and lots of other information. I
want to take amount and put all of this nonsense aside and tell
you about a tea that is something to get excited about: Market
Spice Tea.
Market Spice originated from Seattle’s Historic Pike Place
market in 1911. Market spice is made from sweet huckleberries,
which is what gives Market Spice it’s “unlike anything else”
taste. Don’t be confused with Huckleberry Finn how ever I’m sure
if Tom Sawyer was to drink tea it would be Market Spice. Only
Market Spice packs the type of punch that an adventurer like Tom
Sawyer would be satisfied with. I’ve heard it compared to Orange
on Steroids. How ever you look at the Tea, The taste is
something else and leads to a simply unforgettable experience.
Market spice has been converting Green tea drinkers for almost
100 years. Why Market Spice? Words can’t do any more justice: If
there is an adventurer in you: Try it and find out for yourself!
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