Jeffrey Gitomer August 22, 2013

Summer’s over. Back to school.
 
Boy, there are some memories. High school. College. Subjects you loved,subjects you hated. Teachers you loved, teachers you hated.
 
THE QUESTION IS: What did you learn in school? What lessons are you still using?
 
I have 2.5 major, early and later school-learned lessons I am grateful for:
1. Grammar from 9th and 10th grade. It’s the basis of my writing andcommunication. In today’s world, misuse of the words they’re, their,their, your, and you’re create lasting (bad) first impressions.
2. In college (Temple University in 1964), my modern European historyprofessor said, “It’s not the date of what happened that matters. It’swhat happened in response to the date (events, outcomes) that createshistory.”
2.5 Later in life I came to the realization that algebrawas not about math, it was about learning how to solve problemslogically. I wish my algebra teacher could have put it that way when Istarted.
 
And how about sales and business? What lessons have you learned? What lessons are you still using?
 
I have 2.5 major, early sales lessons I am grateful for:
1. Questions control conversations. The person that’s asking is in control.
2. Relax, find common ground, and be friendly with the prospect BEFORE you start the sales conversation.
2.5 Find out why they want to buy BEFORE you start to sell.
 
Here are 11.5 lessons you can use to start this school year off with a bang – and a bunch of sales:
1. Study your (or your company’s) last 100 sales. The history of where your last 100 sales came from will predict and help you complete your next 100 sales.
2. Videotape the buying motives of your top ten customers. Call your top ten customers and meet with them for a short, casualconversation about WHY they buy from you. Video the conversation.
3. Meet one customer a day for morning coffee. Just talk personally. In a year this will give you the personal insight of 250 customers.
4. Study service issues. Find out what issues customers have. Study how (and how fast) they were resolved.
5. Study backorders. Why did the back order occur? How was it dealt with? How was it resolved?
6. Talk to users, not just buyers. Go to your customers and talk to the people that USE your product orservice. Find out what they love and what’s missing. Video theinterviews. SECRET: Get purchasing people to be at the meeting with thepeople that USEyour product, so they can understand the differencebetween price, productivity, value, and profit.
7. Talk to your loyal customers that don’t buy price. Find out the true non-price buying motive(s) for dealing with you.
8. Get involved on a deeper, hands-on level. Make a few deliveries yourself. Take a few service calls yourself. Work in accounting for a day. Find out what’s really happening with and toyour customers.
9. Get short meetings with executives. Talkabout the issues they value the most – loyalty, productivity, morale,and profit. Maybe ask a question or two about their vision or leadership philosophy, and leave. DO NOT ASK FOR BUSINESS. Just make animpression. IDEA: create a blog around executive leadershipphilosophies.
10. Start your own value messaging in social media. Post your ideas and thoughts on all social media outlets. Then emailthe links to all your customers and prospects so they can follow you.
11. Post customer testimonials on YouTube. Then email and tweet the links to all your customers and prospects.
11.5 Create a customer “reasons” book. List all the reasons why they buy, say no, stay loyal, or leave you. As you write, answers and actions will become evident.
 
KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: The lessons you have learned from your historyof doing business with customers is very valuable, BUT not as valuableas your customer’s history of doing business with you. A subtle butpowerful difference. Both are valuable, but your customer’s input fromtheir perspective can teach you how to achieve and maintain loyalty.
 
KEY TO IMPLEMENTATION: Re-construct your sales presentation around customer’s responses and perceived values.
 
WINNING NEW BUSINESS: Where is your new business coming from? The best way tofind new business is to talk to old business, learn the lessons, andrefine your practices and presentation to be in harmony with their needs and expectations.
 
Those are lessons you can learn from and earn from.
 
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The SalesBible and The Little Red Book of Selling. His forthcoming book, 21.5Unbreakable Laws of Selling, will be available September 3rd, and willfeature a national public seminar tour. For details and more information about training and seminars, visit www.gitomer.com, or email Jeffreypersonally at [email protected].
 
© 2013 All Rights Reserved. Don’t even think about reproducing this document
without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. 704/333-1112