H e l p i n g
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’ 5 7
S A L E S KnowHow powered by
GOOD NEWS ABOUT
BAD TIMES
Stretching your trade show budget MAXIMIZING Q2 How to make the most of the rest of the year
PLUS
The BEST way to CONTACT leads
RAISE YOUR R.O.T.I Why time management can increase your revenue GAMES THAT WIN 6 tips for your next trade show
JEFFREY GITOMER LIVE IN CALGARY Selling in an
Economic Downturn Canada's largest sales conference returns to Calgary with today's most sought after visionaries and New York Times bestselling authors. Gain the competitive advantage by learning the fundamental skills to ensure stability and growth in these uncertain times.
Jeffrey Gitomer Customer Loyalty & Buying Motives
CE Credits available for
EPCOR CENTRE’s Jack Singer Concert Hall
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9am - 4pm Michael Port Sales Strategy & Innovation
Register Today!! Sponsored by:
2 Sales Know How
Q2 2009
Jim Fannin Peak Performance
Julie Morgenstern Time Management & Productivity
1.866.99.ART.OF
Sales KnowHow By Scott’s Directories
Group Publisher Paul Stuckey pstuckey@scottsdirectories.com National Sales Manager Lindsay Rodgers lrodgers@scottsdirectories.com General Sales Inquiries sales@scottsdirectories.com 2009 Scott’s Catalogue
TM
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We want to hear what you have to say!
Custom database Orders lists@scottsdirectories.com Advertising in Sales KnowHow advertising@scottsdirectories.com Advertising in Scott’s Directories Barb Lebo, Lebo Advertising barblebo@rogers.com Creative Services Director - Robert Murdoch Interns - Megan Imbrasas Claudia Infusino Andrew Steventon Programming Tyla Teelucksingh Gary Flemming
Scott’s Directories Corporate Masthead Scott’s Directories is a division of BIG Directories LP. Business Information Group (BIG) is a subsidary of Glacier Media Inc. Copyright 2009 Scott’s Directories We welcome your suggestions, input, feedback and more. Reach us today. salesknowhow@scottsdirectories.com
We welcome your comments and suggestions. Provide us with your comments and feedback on this issue of Sales KnowHow for a chance to win a $100 gas card courtesy of Scott’s Directories. Your feedback will help us to improve and may be featured in an upcoming issue of Sales KnowHow in our Have Your Say section.
Two chances to win a $100 gas card in this issue! [ Take our reader survey [ Provide feedback about this issue
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 3
Table of Contents
20
Games in a Trade Show Booth Using games as incentives at your next trade show event can help to generate interest and bring in new business. Barry Siskind offers tips on how to plan games that win for both you and your prospects!
7
8
4 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
Publisher’s Letter A message from Paul Stuckey outlining the exciting improvements and changes to the Scott’s Directories family and how we want to continue to grow with you.
Scott’s News A look at relevant and recent news in sales, including coverage of some of the great events we recently attended and sponsored.
10
Recent Winners
12
The Best Way to Contact Leads
The prizes and winners from the latest contests and draws sponsored by Scott’s Directories.
You’ve managed to get a number of promising leads, now what? Barry Siskind offers tips on how to secure those leads and turn them into new business.
18
Q2-2009
16
Increasing your R.O.T.I.: Return on Time Invested Making the most of your time can equal greater results in the end on your time investment. By working on your time management you can increase your sales revenue!
Top 3 Things to Maximize Q2 and the Rest of the Year Using the fundamentals of good-selling techniques in your approach to evolve through difficult times and looking ahead to the future.
22
Spring Cleaning: Time to get Organized
24
Events Calendar
26
Reader Survey
Productivity expert Laura stark offers advice on how to get organized by getting rid of paper and electronic clutter and maintaining your workspace to maximize success.
An easy to read overview of important dates regarding upcoming product releases, shows and events.
We encourage you to participate in this month’s survey. You could win a $100 gas card for completing our reader survey in the back of this issue.
14
The Good News About
B a d
T i m e s
In times of ecomomic uncertainty, making the most of your current resources can lead to sustainability and success in the future. Learn how to make the most of your current trade show budget to reach long term goals.
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow
5
SOLUTION:
Scott’s TM WebSource Tap into the power of email prospecting the right way. Target your audience precisely. With WebSourceTM you can define your key prospect list by executive titles, geography and type of business.
The Scott’s WebSourceTM database:
Select from over 1.5 Million Canadian executives & decision-makers across the most sought-after industries and marketplaces in our economy. Updated monthly.
Tell us who you want to reach; we’ll provide a count - and a quote to run your list. You supply the message. Let Scott’s Directories handle the blast. 100% CAN-SPAM compliant.
Competitive Rates. Choose this list for your next EMAIL CAMPAIGN or Excellent Service. Quick DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN - - Act Today and get your turn-around. Proper optmessage out to the prospects you need to grow out guidelines. your business in 2009 and beyond. All email campaigns WebSourceTM raTe card include our Scott’s e-Blast Available fields include first name, last name, Click-thru / Open-rate report. job title / job function, company name, email address, and mailing address.
6 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
Publisher’s Letter
Scott’s Directories & You –
Continuing to Improve
H
ello and welcome to the Q2/09 edition of Sales KnowHow – our first issue in a digital magazine format. We hope you find this progressive new layout enticing and easy to read. Part of my ongoing mandate as Publisher of Scott’s Directories is identifying new and meaningful opportunities for all areas of our business and applying them in ways that deliver additional value to our customers. For example, recent improvements to our product lineup include: u Greatly-expanded coverage of tens
of thousands more CDN organizations and executives u The availability of over 50 specific vertical lists to help you reach your niche markets u The addition of accurate US data and reference guides for a total of 350+ titles for sale u Professional email & fax broadcast services to expedite your message to the right audience u Unique & limited-space advertising opportunities across most of our publications and sites u The launch of our cost-effective Online
Medical Careers and Medical Experts sites, and… u The continued evolution of our 9 userfriendly Scott’s Online Membership sites to help maximize the R.O.I. of our Online Subscribers every day. …all of which leaves little doubt that Scott’s Directories is working overtime to bring you more value, options, and features each year. Scott’s customers are enjoying these benefits and recognizing them as part of what Scott’s does best – helping YOU, the professional sales rep, sell better. Plainly stated, that ’s what Scott ’s Directories has been about since 1957 – whether it’s research or sales – our directories, databases and services help speed up your process to achieve the results you want quicker. When you put us to work, we’ll be Partners in Your Success. Our dedication to your success likewise spills over to Sales KnowHow. Since its launch in April ’07 we’ve bolstered every issue with intelligent articles from our diversified and talented independent contributors – the constant element being tangible knowhow and practical take-away tips instantly applicable to your daily routine.
You’ll take from it what you can use to improve – that’s our aim. In this issue, reinforcing the great new look, the informative and thought-provoking articles continue with timely submissions from sales trainers Michelle Cain and Tibor Shanto, popular time-management guru Laura Stack (making her Sales KnowHow debut), and a triple installment of trade show wisdom from renowned expert Barry Siskind – including our cover article The Good News about Bad Times. Your chance to win a $100 gas card is back this month with 2 new chances to enter: u Send me your comments, feedback or
suggestions (Have Your Say, page 3) u Take the Reader Survey (page 26 )
As you seek to improve your sales skills – and your ability to reach your target audience – we’ll continue to aim high as Partners in Your Success. Don’t forget – send us your suggestions for a future issue. Here’s wishing you good selling in the coming months and a happy & safe summer with your loved ones. Paul Stuckey, Group Publisher pstuckey@scottsdirectories.com
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow
7
Recent
Scott’s News
Above: The art of Sales 2009 conference in Toronto. Right: Michael Port www.michaelport.com Far Right: Jeffrey Gitomer www.gitomer.com
a philosophy about selling: that success requires mastery of selling basics, including selecting presentation styles, and effective closing techniques. Available for sale in book stores or at your favorite online book seller. Suggested retail price for this very thorough text is $98.95 CDN.
ScottsDirectories.com receives first redesign since 2006.
Scott’s Directories endorsed by the ABCs of Relationship Selling through Service - Charles M. Futrell & Mark Valvasori. (McGraw-Hill Ryerson) As with previous editions, the recent Fourth Canadian Edition continues to recommend Scott’s Online as an accurate and reliable source for Cdn company profiles and contact names. This textbook is centred around
8 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
Emphasis on a cleaner look and better arrangement of key home page items like 14day trial links, a current product list with over 350 titles for sale, customer testimonials, and the incorporation of promotional video. We’re pleased with this new look as it maintains the role of flagship site for our 10+ membership sites and micro sites that cater to specific segments of the market.
ScottsGI.ca receives a major redesign. Now easier to use, this membership based site lists all of the Federal and Provincial government contacts, including individual
email addresses, phone numbers, and other contact details. Try our 14-day trial and see how powerful programming collaborates with editorial excellence to produce the best 1-stop database for all government contacts across Canada (Municipalities are available on a different web site but there’s plans to marry these two databases in the coming months for even greater searchability and convenience.)
Scott’s is HIRING! WANTED – Professional Sales Rep (Inside sales, salary + commission) WANTED – Data Verifier (Editorial Department, flexible hours) Read the job postings
News
Attending Important Events, Meeting Great People. This spring the Scott’s Directories team maintained a busy schedule with several trade events in short order, but we love to get out and rub elbows with our peers, our clients, and our prospects at these exciting and dynamic gatherings. Here’s a quick overview of where you may have seen us lately:
ART OF SALES (Toronto, March 26, 2009) Over 1000 ticket-holders greeted the day at the John Basset Theatre on Front St for an early start to this motivational 1-day session of non-stop positive knowhow from some of the best in the business – Jeffrey Gitomer, Michael Port, Julie Morgenstern, Frances Cole Jones and Richard Robbins - renowned presenters and personalities and successful authors on the timeless subjects of selling, presenting, and building relationships. The day’s content was tangible, practical, intelligent and delivered in earnest with a healthy mix of funny anecdotes, laughter, personal insights and crowd participation to make it memorable, and immediately actionable. For 2009 Scott’s is a proud co-sponsor of these engaging events for sales professionals. www.theartofproductions.com The next Art of Sales event is June 12 in Calgary. For tickets to this event at a reduced
price, click here and receive the Scott’s Directories preferred rate (SAVE $100 off the reg. price of $399 for general admission seats or SAVE $100 off the reg. price of $499 for VIP seating). In the Online Registration page (http:// www.theartofproductions.com/register-form. html) QUOTE Reference Code RK-SD-28 in the “How Did You Hear About Us” box. Publisher’s note: As a sponsor of this year’s four Art of Sales events across Canada, I anticipate many successful relationships formed at these events, but I also look forward to working closely with the Art of Productions in the future as the fresh group of young entrepreneurs that head up this company are definitely on the right track – they combine a good business acumen with a solid dedication to integrity and delivering value for their customers’ dollars. I think you’ll see a lot more from this company in the years to come, and if you haven’t yet attended one of their events, you should plan to do so at your earliest opportunity. - PHS
SIAL (Montreal, April 1-3, 2009) This year’s food-based trade show in Montreal was a busy 3 days for our 2-person delegation at the Scott’s booth. We list profiles on numerous thousands of food & beverage companies in Canada and the many supporting industries from transportation to packaging, which means our data is in great demand with this audience. Our French-language interface on scottsinfo.com also allows our Frenchspeaking clients to enjoy using our search engine environment in the language of their choice. It appears the economy is maintaining some strength in this sector; SIAL 2009 is being called “a resounding success” according to show producers. Go to SIAL’s website for the full story. www.sialmontreal.com/home.ch2 http://www.sialmontreal.com/rtecontent/ document/CP_SialMtl09_Prebilan_ENG.pdf
PacEx (Mississauga, May 5-7, 2009) Always a good event for Scott’s, this biannual show moved from the Direct Energy Centre (CNE grounds) to the International Centre which didn’t seem to affect the walkthrough traffic to a large degree. Covering all areas of packaging (food & beyond),
hundreds of our clients are exhibitors at this show. Although some business owners and execs are claiming to hold on a little longer to see how the economic wind blows, there’s something to be said about those that come out and attend as they are keeping their ears to the ground and staying abreast of the industry trends. Cost-saving procedures, machinery and materials - and a focus on green packaging - are leading the charge. www.packextoronto.com
PrimaryCareToday (Mississauga, May 7-9, 2009) Giving us a chance to exhibit simultaneously at 2 different shows on May 7th, this annual event (now in it’s 7th year) is a popular show for Ontario’s General Practitioners and Family Physicians as they can attend lectures and presentations for accreditation under the continued medical education program called Mainpro-M1. Our co-exhibitors at Primary Care are the leaders in medical equipment supply, records management, health sector support services, and the pharmaceutical industry to name a few. With a growing focus on electronic health records across Canada, various companies are vying for a position in this budding field. Scott’s Directories is a consistent exhibitor at this show as our Canadian Medical Directory is widely considered the authoritative list of Canada’s 60,000+ physicians and surgeons. www.primarycaretoday.ca
PMDS (Montreal, May 12-14, 2009) This is the leading event for manufacturing professionals from throughout Quebec to find the products, services and information they need to stay competitive, searching for innovative solutions for plant and facility maintenance and equipment and systems design. PMDS is a natural fit with our corporate database and French products, and we found this year those in attendance were shrugging off the down economy with a “recovery mindset” and a view to the future. The show has been reduced in size but no doubt will regain its larger numbers in 2010 and beyond. http://www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-event.pl?-001764-00007-home--SME-RecentNews
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow
9
Recent Winners
Scott’s Directories Winners
From time to time Scott’s Directories holds draws for various prizes; sometimes our Online databases, sometimes something else. Here’s a few of our recent prizes and winners: TICKETS to the ART OF SALES, Toronto, March 26th
Reg price: $399 each
(A draw emailed to everyone on the Sales KnowHowTM readership list) 1 pair Of Tickets:
Catherine Sturm
Pamela Stewart
Principal and Director Business Development Up Inc www.upinc.ca
Business Development Manager Drake International www.drakeintl.com
Stephen Lambert
Horst von Richter
General Manager Robatech Canada www.robatech.com
President Tyson Tool Co. Ltd www.tysontool.com
1-year Scottsinfo.com subscription, National Industrial Profiler account (Open to everyone; names submitted at our booth at the ART OF SALES, Toronto)
Reg price: $1999
Rohan D’Souza Managing Partner, Technology Solutions Inforica www.inforica.com
Pre-Paid Gas Card (open to everyone; names submitted at our booth at SIAL, Montreal)
Reg price: $100
Archangelo Del Peschio President Logiciels Maitre Comptable www.masteraccountant.ca
Pre-Paid Gas Card
(open to everyone; names submitted at our booth at PMDS, Montreal)
Reg price: $100
Mark Gentile Sales Representative Total Lubricants Canada Inc. www.total-lub.ca
Pre-Paid Gas Card (open to everyone; names submitted at our booth at Primary Care Today, Mississauga)
Reg price: $100
Peter Sgro EMR Account Manager Alpha Global-IT www.alpha-it.com
1-year Scottsinfo.com subscription, National Industrial Profiler account
Reg price: $1999
(open to everyone; names submitted at our booth at PacEx, Mississauga) Josee Gauthier Customer Service SDI Packaging Inc. www.sdipackaging.com
10 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
Two chances to win a $100 gas card in this issue! [ Take our reader survey [ Provide feedback about this issue
Reliable Sources of Information
for Sales Professionals
Just some of the over 350 titles of databases available from Scott’s Directories NEW for 2009 – Alberta & Saskatchewan Business
This directory covers the fast-growing Alberta and Saskatchewan areas, an area of vibrant businesses and expanding markets.
US Advertising & Marketing Executives
Looking to identify and contact advertising and marketing executives? The Advertising And Marketing Executives Database contains names & titles of more than 42,490 advertising and marketing executives, along with full profile of the employing business containing essential company facts. Comes with unlimited usage.
Medical Device Register
The only one-stop resource of every medical supplier licensed to sell products in the US. This 2008 edition offers immediate access to over 13,000 companies, and more than 65,000 products - in two information-packed volumes. This comprehensive resource saves hours of time and trouble when searching for medical equipment and supplies and the manufacturers who provide them.
Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries
The Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries details the inception, emergence, and current status of nearly 120 flourishing U.S. industries and industry segments. These focused essays unearth for users a wealth of relevant, current, factual d ata previously accessible only through a diverse variety of sources. This volume provides broad-based, highly-readable, industry information under such headings as Industry Snapshot, Organization & Structure, Background & Development, Industry Leaders, Current Conditions, America and the World, Pioneers,
Directory of Canadian Schools
Our Canadian Schools publication gives you completely verified information on schools, colleges, universities and school boards across the country. This is your guide to every educational institution in Canada - including Public, Private, Native, Special Needs & Alternative Schools, Catholic, etc.
June Release – 2009 Canadian Medical Directory
The Canadian Medical Directory is Canada’s #1 source for contact information on doctors across the country. You get up-to-date information on over 61,000 practicing physicians.
Canadian Residential List
Canada’s largest householder database, compiled from a variety of public directories. This dynamic database averages over 98,000 changes every month.
May Release – 2009 Ontario Business Directories (4-volume set)
This is Scott’s most comprehensive business directory covering Greater Toronto, its Boundary Markets, Southwestern Ontario, Northern & Eastern Ontario
For more information or to place an order please visit us at
www.scottsdirectories.com
Communication
12 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
BEST The
way to contact leads
A
fter exhibiting at a trade show you come back to the office with lots of leads. You know you should tend to them quickly, but are not sure of the best method. You can send an e-mail or text message, which is fast and inexpensive, but leaves you wondering if it got through a spam filter or was designated as junk. You can send your information by “snail mail” which is slower and not terribly costly, but you don’t know for sure if the person who you intended to contact actually received the message. Or, you can send a package by courier, which is costly but dependable as you can rest assured that your intended recipient did receive your information. Which is the best method? The answer is simply: it depends; not on what, but who. Each lead you obtained will have a personal preference for follow-up. Some want information sent by snail-mail and others welcome e-mail, text message, or, depending on where in the world you exhibited, courier may be your only choice. Finding this out is easy and will not add additional time to your already overworked staff. There are two steps: 1. It is essential to have some sort of lead-gathering system at your disposal. This can take the form of one of the many electronic lead retrieval systems that are available through show management. You may also have an electronic system of your own tied into your PDA. Another solution is to create a lead card. This is a pre-printed form with a list of all the questions you will ask each visitor and room to record additional information you pick up during the conversation. In no case should you consider writing on the back of a business card, as you can only jot down sketchy and inconsistent information, and in
By Barry Siskind some cultures it’s often considered rude. 2. Whatever technology you choose, be it electronic or manual, make sure you have room to ask your leads one additional question which is, “What is the best way to stay in touch with you?” This goes to the heart of their personal preference, and knowing this important bit of information will help you create a follow-up plan that has a better chance of success. Once you return to the office, you can instruct your staff to followup with each lead according to their preference. If this sounds like a lot of work, it really isn’t. The trick is to focus your lead generating efforts on quality rather than quantity, and to gather information in a consistent manner. It’s easy to come back from a show with hundreds, maybe thousands of names, but many of these are not real prospective customers. By focusing your energy on finding those prospects that closely fit your customer profile and asking the right questions to whet their appetite for more information, you’ll have done your job well. You may come back with fewer, but better quality leads and if you contact them in the manner they choose, your chances of improving your exhibit ROI are greatly enhanced. Barry Siskind is author of Powerful Exhibit marketing. He is also President of International Training and Management Company who offers a number of services to exhibitors including the creation and implementation of a mystery-shopping program. Contact Barry at barry@siskindtraining.com for more information. For More Articles by Barry Siskind Click Here
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 13
Exhibiting
14 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
Good The
News
about
Bad Times
By Barry Siskind
I
f you have ever attended the world’s biggest car show in Detroit you were undoubtedly overwhelmed by the orgy of extravagant car promotions, wild stunts, spare-no-expense promotions and the best of what you would expect from an industry prepared to spend over $100 million to introduce their newest models. This year, it was different. Opulence was replaced by austerity. A struggling industry was now exhibiting only the bare bones. Some companies like Nissan pulled out completely. Yes, it’s true that when times are tough we all need to tighten our belts a notch or two, and yet when times are good we seem to forget the basics and throw gobs of money into the air hoping for some sort of a return. This year’s Detroit show is a direct reflection of the global financial scene. But sometimes, rolling back isn’t a bad thing. When all your energy goes into creating too much glitz and glamour, often the question, “Am I getting a return for my investment in all this excess” is not asked. So, in difficult times we are simply forced to take a serious look at what we are doing and focus our attention on finding exhibit practices that make sense. We can all learn from the automobile industry. While the current recession will affect us all, some will feel it more than others. There are challenges and opportunities for those
forced to reexamine their exhibiting practices because of shrinking budgets. For those who are still doing well and spending without regard to a return, this economy is a reminder that your good times may not always be there. The economy is cyclical, so rather than waiting for the economic hammer to fall on your trade show budget, take a serious look at what you are doing now. Does it make sense? Are you getting a positive return on your show investment? Could you get the same return or better if you made some changes? These are the gut-wrenching questions that savvy marketers mull over constantly. They don’t wait until the market forces them to address these questions; they act proactively so that when economic times shift, the landing is much softer. No matter what the size of your company, the same principles apply. Whether you are managing a budget as little as a few thousand dollars, or several millions, the need to focus on your return on investment is paramount. Here are some of the questions you should be asking now:
aIs my exhibit schedule of shows still relevant? aWhat have you learned from your previous show participation?
aDo I know what my return on investment is for each show?
aDo I set specific, focused, and measurable objectives for each show?
aHow will cost-cutting affect my
exhibit program? aHave I worked with my show organizer to find cost savings and return enhancement ideas? aIs my staff getting weary of implementing our show schedule? aIs my booth hardware up-to-date? aDoes my booth staff fall into negative behaviors because of the long hours of a show? aDo I have senior management commitment to our exhibit program? aWhat will be doing differently? The list can go on, but you get the point. This current economic downturn will return again. If you want to be well-prepared to deal with the good times, then use the bad times as your opportunity to fix your exhibit program. Barry Siskind is author of Powerful Exhibit marketing. He is also President of International Training and Management Company who offers a number of services to exhibitors including the creation and implementation of a mystery-shopping program. Contact Barry at barry@ siskindtraining.com for more information. For More Articles by Barry Siskind Click Here
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 15
Investments
Increasing your R.O.T.I.: Return on Time Invested
By Michelle Cain, CSP
W
e live in an increasingly timestarved world. There never seems to be enough time to do everything we need to do, both in our careers as sales professionals and personally with our family and friends. How can we deal with this seemingly never-ending quandary? While we cannot manufacture more time, we can manage it more effectively. I suggest that you start to think and act like an investment manager when it comes to how you invest your selling time. Towards that objective, the principle of ROTI should be top of mind. ROTI is an
16 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
acronym for Return on Time Invested, and for sales professionals the concept can be represented quite simply by the following formula:
ROTI =
Sales Revenue Time Invested
As an example, a sales professional
with a million窶電ollar-per-year sales target and 2000 hours in a year would require an average ROTI of $500/hour to achieve that quota. When we use this formula to understand the returns we need to generate for our time, we start to understand the true value of an hour, a day, a week. This understanding helps us to make different decisions about how much time we spend on activities that add little or no value to the selling process. I have accompanied many sales professionals over the years on sales calls, and I never cease to be amazed at the innovative ways to waste
time, such as running back to the office to pick up material or product. If that takes 30 minutes each way, the opportunity cost of that diversion for someone with a milliondollar quota is $500. In this example, even an expedited courier seems like a much less expensive alternative. You will also start to make better decisions about how much time you spend with existing customers and prospects. For those customers with significant existing business or prospects with considerable potential, you will invest more time and personal attention to capture the potential
return. For your smaller customers with limited potential, it is still important to invest time with them, but it should be aligned with the business potential of those organizations. Finally, you will start to plan better as you realize that all great investment managers have a plan. Spending the time up front to create a territory plan, key account plans, and call plans will make your time with clients more efficient and effective. You will waste less time and close more business as a result. More sales revenue in less time; in times
like these, isn’t that what we all need? Michelle Cain, CSP, is a partner with Cain Sales Solutions and has assisted many organizations with improving their prospecting and professional selling skills through assessment, training and coaching programs. She is an instructor and CSP examiner for the Canadian Professional Sales Association. You can reach her at (905) 331-1590 or via e-mail at mcain@cainsalessolutions.com. Additional information on Cain Sales Solutions is available at www.cainsalessolutions.com More Articles by Michelle Cain
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 17
Spotlight
3
Top
Things
To Maximize Q2 And The
Rest Of The Year
By Tibor Shanto
18 Sales KnowHow
Q2 2009
R
egardless of how you view things, the one thing everyone seems to agree on is that there is some comfort in being able to say it’s over; now that just leaves the rest of the year to get through. As Skip Miller said in his book ProActive Sales Management: “If you, as a sales manager, do not know if you are going to make the year after the first quarter, the battle is over. Now you better be lucky.” So with all that, and a hint of spring in the air, we did a very unscientific survey of what sales professionals can do to make the best of the rest of the year. We had all kinds of suggestions, from the ridiculous to the superstitious. I was not aware, but apparently, in markets that have been in decline for over two quarters, you are supposed to swing the chicken over your head in a counter-clockwise rotation three times before you cold-call a VP of Finance (whereas in up markets, it is four times clockwise). Here, in no specific order, is what we learned from those who were kind enough to respond. No surprise around here (and I’m sure with all of you) was the overwhelming opinion that while markets have changed, the fundamentals of good selling have not. As one respondent put it, “The process of good selling is no different today than it was 6 months or 10 years ago. On the other hand, the issues that will surface today will be quite different.” Others had similar opinions, but again, the number one message was that the climate has changed, but the atmosphere has not; the most popular response was “be proactive”. So let’s look at what suggestions there were as to how to respond to issues currently surfacing. We certainly do not want to suggest that you don’t have to update your approach; we all know the old saying about expecting different results from the same actions.
Activity There was consistent feedback that efforts around activity have to be redoubled; not
that work should be doubled, but rather how hard people work. This includes research in advance of initial contact and every contact along the way, along with making sure you spend your time with quality prospects, not just someone nice who’s willing to spend time with you. Again, not that new, but the implication is that it’ll take more effort to find real and willing prospects.
Level of Engagement The concept applies equally across your existing client base, prospect base, and lead funnel. “Assume nothing” was how one respondent put it; talk to your customers, talk to your prospects, and communicate with your leads. As things change so do priorities, expectations, and, by extension, opportunities. A disinterested party can be your best prospect a week later due to changing realities. Use all tools at your disposal, from e-mail to social media like LinkedIn, Twitter, and others. Using these to monitor trends can give you reasons to call prospects and show them what a valuable resource you can be. Combined with the notion of activity above, the right call to the right person for a good reason is much more productive that a lot of unfocused calls. But you have to stay in tune, and then, with the right info and reason, stay in touch.
will not care, and they will remember who brought value in tough times and who will reap when the good times return. Most agreed that there are all kinds of good models for crafting questions in a way that helps the client stay involved, and to understand what the specific difference and impact is to them. More important than ever is to engage in a way that clients are able to make a decision. We have to remember that the rules have changed for them too, and at times it is not so much that they don’t want to make a decision, it’s that they do not know how, given the new rules. While it is not an easy time for sales professionals, it was good to read that many sales pros are adjusting and coping (not liking, but coping), and that there was great commonality in their focus and activities. They all agreed that things have changed, and maybe for the worse, but all except one had a proactive outlook as to how to cope. Acting in a way that will help them succeed in the current downturn, and plant seeds that they know will yield big results when the market firms up based on the work they are doing now. Everyone agrees the key is to focus on the areas discussed above, and to remember that the fundamentals still work when applied. Download our e-book: What’s in Your Pipeline?
Client First Again, tried and true, but with the hits our buyers are taking, clients have to be the centre of every conversation. Buyers and clients are “Focusing on capital preservation, alternative financing options, business efficiency, etc. Buyers are focused on making it to next month, next quarter, not re-architecting their environment or making big new bets.” If you are not showing them the value and impact, they
Tibor Shanto is a Principal with Renbor Sales Solutions Inc., and has helped dozens of organization to fill their pipeline with real prospects and drive real revenue. You can also read the blog edition of The Pipeline at www.sellbetter.ca/blog. For more information on helping your team sell better, write to:info@sellbetter͘ĐĂ, or call 4166713555. You can also follow Renbor on Twitter at http:// twitter.com/renbor. For More Articles by Tibor Shanto Click Here
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 19
Incentives
Games
in a trade show booth
V
isitors at a trade show quickly learn that there is simply too much information and too little time to absorb it all. Often what peaks their interest is an exhibitor who moves away from pure information and gives tired visitors a break by offering them some entertainment. We have all seen a plethora of games and contests that exhibitors have devised. It can be as simple as a putting green to some of the popular games like Guitar Hero or other X-box games.
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So, the use of games has real value: it helps you stand out in the crowd of information clutter, drawing attention to your display, and gives the visitor a well-needed respite from the pressures of walking the show. It is important when you are planning your next exhibit to not lose sight of what you are trying to accomplish. Entertaining your visitors is not your exhibiting objective. Entertainment through games and contests is simply a technique for attracting attention; it will not, on its own, generate quality leads or make sales.
So what makes a good game or contest? The answer is that it needs to tie-in or reinforce your marketing message. Creating entertainment that takes people away from your messages is simple confusing. They will walk away and tell a friend, but when asked who the exhibitor was, they’ll shake their head and answer “I don’t know.” To fix the problem, here are a few helpful hints: 1) Create a game or contest that doesn’t take long to play. You don’t want to play chess at the booth; rather, find something that takes no more than a minute or two to play. 2) Whenever possible, tie the nuances of the game or contest to your marketing message. For example, if you choose a slot machine, then make sure that the symbols on the reel are programmed to reflect your marketing messages or product information. If the visitor is required to answer questions, make sure that each question focuses them on information you want to reinforce. 3) A contest isn’t much of a contest without a prize. You don’t need to give away $1,000 cash to get people to stop by your booth and play your game. But you will need to select a prize that will resonate with your target audience. You’ll also need to consider whether you’re going to have one winner (in which case you’ll probably want a higher-value item) or several winners (in which case you’ll want to choose more affordable prizes). Generic prizes include everything from iPods to gift certificates, but you will be better served if you opt for something relevant to their offerings or industry. For example, consider awarding your winner with one of your new or best-selling products, or if any of your C-level execs enjoy celebrity-like status in your industry, consider awarding your winner a private lunch with your CEO. 4) Allocate sufficient space in your display. While the game might become the focus point of your display, you don’t want to lose sight of product information that you want visitors to see. When you are creating the layout of your display, make sure that you have balanced both the needs of the game or contest with important messages. 5) When they finish the game or have completed the ballot, make sure one of your booth persons is there to engage them in a conversation. Simply taking the completed ballot, stuffing it in a draw box, and saying “hanks” means that your staff has lost a key opportunity. Don’t forget that the real reason for the game in the first place was to attract attention to your company. Once that game or contest has accomplished its mission, it’s up to your staff to see if they can find out a bit more about this visitor and maybe create a good lead.
By Barry Siskind
6) While visitors are waiting in line, have your staff approach them; it’s a perfect opportunity to engage someone in a conversation which may lead to uncovering a quality lead. Visitors tire easily of the same old exhibits. A well thought-out strategy where you include a game of contest may give your display some much needed pizzazz. Just don’t lose sight of its real purpose. Barry Siskind is author of Powerful Exhibit marketing. He is also President of International Training and Management Company who offers a number of services to exhibitors including the creation and implementation of a mystery-shopping program. Contact Barry at barry@siskindtraining.com for more information. For More Articles by Barry Siskind Click Here
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 21
Productivity
Spring Cleaning:
Time to Get Organized!
I
By Laura Stack
t’s springtime! For most, that means throwing open the windows and doing some serious spring cleaning. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up on much-needed spring organizing; attacking the organizational backlog that may have piled up over the last few months. Here are some tips on doing away with the two most pervasive and frustrating forms of clutter: paper clutter and electronic clutter.
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Tackling paper clutter A BusinessWeek article titled The Office of the Future gives a promising glimpse into the future of office productivity, including the paperless office. The article was originally published in 1975. Anyone out there working in a paperless office yet? Quite the contrary. Most of us are saddled with more paper than ever. So much for the paperless office!
How often have you been on the verge of pulling your hair out because you can’t find a particular piece of paper? How much would it reduce your day-to-day stress level if you didn’t have to look at stacks of unorganized stuff all week? This is a great time of year to grab one pile at a time and place every piece of paper where it belongs. Some hints to accomplish this task: You don’t have to do anything. When it comes to cluttered inboxes and crowded desk space, the number one offenders are items that you need to handle eventually, but don’t have time to do right now. When you are getting organized, it isn’t the time to get involved in a bunch of individual projects or tasks. The only things you should actually do on the spot are the ones that can be completed in a few minutes (sign a form, prepare something for the mail, that sort of thing). Everything else can be addressed at a later date. If you can’t do it right away, file it in your tickler file or make a note in your planner that indicates what you need to do, when you need to do it, and where you’ll find the information you need. You don’t have to keep everything. Be realistic. How much of the stuff on your desk is just trash that is continually shuffled from place to place? Don’t look for reasons to keep stuff, look for opportunities to get rid of it. Do you have a records retention policy in place? If you do, be sure to follow it, keeping what you need and actively purging what you don’t. If you don’t have a policy in place, take some time to decide what needs to be kept and what can be purged regularly. Be ruthless—paper versions of documents you have electronically, reports you’ll never read, notes you’ll never need—most of this can probably go. You don’t have to read everything. If there was something tremendously valuable in that reading pile of yours, wouldn’t you have gotten to it by now? Instead, there it sits, not only taking up space but also discouraging you from reading the things that matter. Have you considered just starting fresh? Don’t be afraid to send piles of reading material to the recycle bin if they aren’t worth your time and attention. Then you can keep up
with your reading as it comes in. Once you’ve cleared the backlog, you’ll feel refreshed and motivated to keep up with the day-to-day filing and management of paper, which ideally should take place at least once a week.
at how many files and folders you can have renamed and where they belong. When you have a few minutes to spare, sift through a folder or get through a handful of desktop files. I assure you that each session will be easier than you think!
Tackling electronic clutter Have your computer files become so messy and scattered that even the handy Search tool struggles to find what you need? It’s very easy to get in a hurry and simply drop an electronic file on your computer’s desktop or toss it in the My Documents folder. Then you do it again. And again. The next thing you know, you’ve got a sea of icons cluttering up your screen and you have to squint your eyes and hunt for the one you need. By putting an electronic filing system in place, it will be much easier to know where to save files as your receive or create them. Because tackling an electronic mess can be more intimidating than tackling a physical one, here are three straightforward steps to getting your electronic files in order: 1. Create your system. You want all of your files to live in a single master folder that is broken down into many subfolders. That can be your My Documents folder or anything you like. This centralizes your information and makes backups a breeze. From there, find a sensible way to categorize your files. Maybe you’ll start out by creating a subfolder for business files and a subfolder for personal files. Then keep drilling down, until you are creating individual folders for projects, clients, or whatever makes sense. Keep in mind that much of the time you’ll be building your system as you go. With each new file or folder, you’ll have to use your judgment to place the information at the best spot in the hierarchy. 2. Round up those files. This is usually the intimidating part, especially if you have out-of-control folders full of vaguely-named files. If you can’t stomach tackling the whole mess at once, then do it a bit at a time. With just five minutes of effort, you’ll be amazed
3. Keep up with it. Once you have a clear desktop and no orphan files running around without homes, it’s just a matter of filing things correctly day by day. It only takes a few seconds to label and file things appropriately as they come up. Don’t give in to the temptation of letting the chips fall where they may and cleaning up later. Once you’ve caught up with your paper and electronic filing, you’ll find that keeping up with it is a piece of cake…provided that you are committed to maintaining the effort. Just remember, it is easier to put something in the right place in the first place than it is to play catch up. Happy organizing! Make it a productive day! (TM)
© 2009 Laura Stack. Laura Stack is a personal productivity expert, author, and professional speaker who helps busy workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum Time®. She is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a time management training firm specializing in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations. Since 1992, Laura has presented keynotes and seminars on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today’s workplaces. She is the bestselling author of three works published by Broadway Books: The Exhaustion Cure (2008), Find More Time (2006) and Leave the Office Earlier (2004). Laura is a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, and Day-Timers®, Inc and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Her clients include Cisco Systems, Sunoco, KPMG, Nationwide, and 3M. To have Laura speak at your next event, call 303-471-7401. Visit www.TheProductivityPro.com to sign up for her free monthly productivity newsletter.
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 23
Events Calendar
New Releases and
Exciting Events Upcoming Product Releases:
May 2009 Ontario Business 4-vol set
June 2009 Canadian Medical Directory 2009 Western Industrial 2009 Alberta & Saskatchewan Business Directory - NEW
August 2009 Atlantic Industrial
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Q2 2009
Upcoming Shows & Events:
June June 9 Barry Siskind Webinar Barry will be presenting Turn Trade Show Leads into Sales at 11:00 am EST. To register, visit www.siskindtraining.com/webinars or for more information call 1-800-358-6079
June 12 Art of Sales, Calgary For tickets to this event at a reduced price, click here and receive the Scott’s Directories preferred rate (SAVE $100 off the reg. price of $399 for general admission seats or SAVE $100 off the reg. price of $499 for VIP seating). In the Online Registration page (http://www. theartofproductions.com/register-form.html) QUOTE Reference Code RK-SD-28 in the “How Did You Hear About Us” box. June 16-18 Western Manufacturing & Technology Show (WMTS), Edmonton Scott’s Booth # 2314 link: http://www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-event.pl?-001765-000007-home--SME-
Attention Readers Submit your own events and product release dates and Scott’s will be happy to list them here for no charge. Contact pstuckey@scottsdirectories.com
Q2 2009
Sales KnowHow 25
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