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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Thought Tweet #353

by Rick Baker
On Nov 23, 2011
Thought Tweet #353 If you are uncomfortable networking, that's contagious. If you enjoy networking, that's contagious.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
So, as a networker...what are you spreading?

Tags:

Beyond Business | Leaders' Thoughts | Sales | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #349

by Rick Baker
On Nov 17, 2011
Thought Tweet #349 Pay attention to your Client's work culture.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Culture: observe your Client's work environment...what 'group norms' do you see and hear? Every business has a Culture...either a planned one or one that developed without a plan. When you observe the business culture at your Client's workplace you can adjust your expectations and actions. as examples: (1) if it is clear to you that your Client works in a firefighting atmosphere then you will want to consider that and (2) if your Client works in a high staff-turnover environment then you can consider that.

Tags:

Sales | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #347

by Rick Baker
On Nov 15, 2011
Thought Tweet #347 Do you know your company's Differential Advantage? Are you thrilled about it? Are your Clients thrilled?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Differential Advantage answers the question, Why should people buy from your company rather than buy from one of your competitors or do nothing? If your company cannot answer this question then you better figure one out or find a new employer.

Tags:

Marketing | Sales | Thought Tweets

Why should I buy from you?

by Rick Baker
On Nov 11, 2011
After all…I have lots of choices:
  • I can buy from one of your competitors
  • I can buy stuff nobody in your market sector sells
  • I can keep my money
So, with all those options…
 
Why should I buy from you?
 
Picture yourself as a salesperson.
 
You are supposed to be selling…and you want me to become your customer, your Client.
 
Then, right out of the blue I spring this question on you,
 
Why should I buy from you?
 
How, on a Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale, do you feel when I ask that question?…
 
…where:
 
Minus10 means you have a panic attack right on the spot…when you are revived you are pleased to see that I have left the building
 
Minus5 means you squirm a bit, look down, and then look over my shoulder in hopes of finding a more-reasonable shopper
 
Zero0 means you don’t really understand the question so you smile politely and feign poor hearing, offer you hand, I shake it, and you walk away
 
Plus5 means you really like sales work and you are pretty sure you know the right answer…you move into selling mode while I am looking puzzled
 
Plus10 means you are thrilled…you know your company’s Differential Advantage and you know exactly how to communicate it with enthusiasm to people like me
 
***
In an effort to help you get to Plus10
 
Answer these questions:
  1. What makes your company different from your competitors?
  2. What’s special about your company?
  3. Why would I even give a care about that special thing?
  4. What’s special about your products or services?
  5. Why would I need that special thing?
  6. What feelings make me want that special thing?
  7. How do you package a communication that excites and magnetizes buyers?
Of course, you should ask yourself many more questions before you finalize your company’s Differential Advantage.
 
PS: A suggestion from Michael Gerber: Make a promise your Clients want to hear. Make a promise your Competitors wouldn’t dare to offer.
 
Footnote
 
Our definition of Differential Advantage: a company’s Differential Advantage is a concise statement that answers the question, “Why should I buy from you rather than buy from one of your competitors, buy some other thing, or do nothing?”  Even if you have the best answer in the world, your answer, your Differential Advantage, will not appeal and magnetize everyone. It will appeal and magnetize your Ideal Clientsand that’s the whole point.

Tags:

Marketing | Measure & Monitor | Sales

Thought Tweet #345

by Rick Baker
On Nov 11, 2011
Thought Tweet #345 You should deliver positive messages.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
We tested positive and negative marketing messages. We tried both "in these tough economic times" and "to build for the future". We found our positive messages were twice as successful as our negative messages. So we work to keep our communications on the positive side of centre.

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Marketing | Sales | Thought Tweets

An unbelievable ‘selling’ experience

by Rick Baker
On Nov 4, 2011
A few months ago, it was mid-afternoon and I was sitting alone at a table in a coffee shop. I was trying to put the 15 ‘free’ minutes between meetings to good use….i.e., some coffee and some reading. I looked up just in time to see my friend Jim enter with another fellow. Jim walked over to my table and said, “Rick, meet Bob. Bob, meet Rick. Bob, this is the fellow I was talking to you about last week. How about I get the coffees while you talk with Rick. Bob…maybe the two of you can hash out a deal so Rick provides the service we discussed.”
 
Jim got in the coffee line-up and Bob sat down at my table, across from me. Bob summarized the situation at his business. He outlined his understanding of what Jim had told him about my services and asked what it would take to have me sitting in his office providing the first piece of my service within 2 weeks. I told him. He extended his hand and we shook on the deal. We both put the first meeting date and time into our BlackBerrys. Bob thanked me. Then Bob got up to join Jim in the coffee line-up.
 
The entire interaction took perhaps 2 or 3 minutes.
 
I had a sip of coffee, looked up at the coffee line-up and a question popped into my mind….what can I do to deliver experiences of that quality? 

Tags:

Sales

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