- Proper Planning or Pretext for Procrastination
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written on January 30, 2012
by Tom Scully
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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You have a goal to achieve. Perhaps it’s a proposal to write, a “to do” list item to check off, or a major department project to complete.
Detail: You have a goal to achieve. Perhaps it’s a proposal to write, a “to do” list item to check off, or a major department project to complete. Whatever the task, preparation – research and planning – enables you to attack the undertaking in a more organized fashion, focus on what needs to be done, and complete the job more quickly.
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- Maximize Your Tradeshow Value
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written on January 20, 2012
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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Many COSE members use business expos and trade shows to market their products and services and network with prospects, clients and colleagues. If that strategy works for your business, here are four Best Practices to help you maximize your trade show experience, ROI and value.
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- You Can’t Solve Problems with Instant Coffee
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written on January 20, 2012
by Tom Scully
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Customer Service
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If you’re old enough, you may remember a time when the only thing “instant” was instant coffee – magic crystals that, when mixed with hot water, turned into actual coffee. Today, however, almost everything is “instant.”
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- Pain or Pleasure…does it really matter?
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written on December 15, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Prospecting
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When you first meet with a new prospect, how do you position your product or service? How do you characterize its various features, functions, and advantages?
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- Now that’s a dumb question
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written on December 13, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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You know that old adage, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question’? Sorry to spoil your fantasy, but that’s wrong. There are plenty of dumb questions. And my all-time favorite dumb question in a networking context is ‘Do you have a business card?”
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- I Need More Time
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written on November 28, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Prospecting
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A major frustration for salespeople is dealing with prospects that can’t seem to make a decision. Perhaps the biggest of those frustrations is struggling with prospects who indicate the desire to make a decision (and to do so by a certain date), but when the date rolls around, they invariably need more time.
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- How is Your Elevator Speech
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written on November 28, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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Regular readers know I write … and rant … a lot about Elevator Speeches, the simple answer to the often-asked question ‘What do you do?’ Sometimes maligned and often done poorly, Elevator Speeches are still a fact of life when you network.
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- Elevator Speeches Revisited
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written on October 27, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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Here’s the best elevator speech I’ve ever heard, from a good friend who is a financial planner. When someone asks him what he does, he simply says “I help take people from fear and frustration to financial freedom.’ Short, pithy, generates questions and is memorable.
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- Tell'em Where You're Going
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written on October 27, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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When you first open your mouth to speak to a group, audience members want to know two things: they are curious about the journey they’ll be taking with you, and they want to be assured that they will receive value during the presentation.
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- Being the Best Isn't Always Best...
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written on October 14, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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Did you ever notice that all the salespeople you know are saying the same thing? Famous last words: “We have the best _____ in the market today.”
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- Making the Varsity Networking Team
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written on October 14, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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Interact enough with members of the Varsity Networking Team and you’ll quickly realize how they got there. Here’s what we can learn from them:
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- Keep It Moving!
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written on October 13, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Prospecting
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But in reality, the prospect starting from the negative position can be easier to sell than someone who’s neutral.
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- Swim with the Sharks
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written on October 04, 2011
by Administrator One
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SME Cleveland
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Shark Tank executive Daymond John, founder of FUBU sportswear, will share his ‘shark points’ for getting ahead in business and life at the COSE Small Business Conference, October 19-20.
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- Where do you network?
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written on September 30, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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'Where are some good places to network?’ As MindSpring Networking Strategies Expert, I get that question a lot. It’s very difficult to answer, especially briefly. The long answer involves a lot of work asking several other questions first.
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- Reach for the Bread and Butter
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written on September 20, 2011
by Diane Helbig
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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As salespeople we tend to have this belief that we should strive to catch the biggest companies as clients. We think about the prestige and the feeling that we’ve ‘made it.’
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- Pain Relief - The Motivating Force Behind Sales
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written on September 07, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Prospecting
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Psychologists tell us that while there are five major buying motives (pain, fear, present pleasure, future pleasure and interest or curiosity), by far the most common reason people buy is pain. Something is wrong in their personal or business lives that they want fixed and they are prepared to pay to fix it.
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- The Magic of Masterful Closing
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written on August 15, 2011
by Diane Helbig
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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I’m always amazed to hear people talk about master closers. It’s as if their skills are most significant at the END of the cycle.
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- I Just Called To Say
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written on July 26, 2011
by Diane Helbig
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Customer Service
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We all know how important it is to follow up with a client after we do the work. The question is how to do it well. Many small business owners struggle with creating their marketing message and selling their product or service. There are various reasons for this including not knowing the answers to some basic questions.
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- Some LinkedIn Rants
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written on July 22, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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As part of my Social Media strategy that I learned from COSE, I now belong to a dozen business-related LinkedIn groups and regularly engage in their discussion threads. It’s a great way to learn new things, share ideas and regularly stay connected with your LinkedIn network through the weekly activity updates.
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- How To Increase Sales With Your Customer Base or How to Grow 20 Percent Without Really Trying
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written on July 22, 2011
by Matt Minarik
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Customer Service
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Our consulting group offers 5 services, but none gets the attention more than our Customer Sales programs, and for good reason. Studies that we have done and from the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) has shown that it is 5 to 50 times easier to resell to an existing account than to a new account.
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- Avoiding “Buyer’s Remorse”
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written on July 22, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Customer Service
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Sometimes a prospect will second-guess an agreement he just signed. You’ll experience such “buyer’s remorse” much less frequently if you deal with if straightforwardly, while you’re still on the scene.
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- When the Buyer Says, “Take It or Leave It”
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written on July 06, 2011
by Tom Scully
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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One of the best ways to achieve a win-win solution is to carefully balance assertiveness with a desire to gain equal value for both sides. Unfortunately, buyers often play by a different set of rules.
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- Networking With Timely Follow-up
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written on July 06, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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Let's assume you've just returned from networking at a COSE event. You met some people that could potentially help you accomplish your networking objectives and have several business cards. Good for you. Now what do you do?
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- Networking With a Focused Script
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written on June 28, 2011
by Phil Stella
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Networking Strategies
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The goal of your first brief interaction with a stranger is to begin to answer the question "Is this person someone I want to get to know better; someone who can help me ... OR someone I can help?" To do that, you need information.
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- Don't Be A Jumping Bean
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written on June 13, 2011
by Diane Helbig
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Relationship Selling Strategies
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Marketing, prospecting, and networking take time to develop. There is a process to each and one of the most important aspects of that process is stick-to-it-iveness. Impatience is the enemy of success.
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