* required field
Bonus Gift

44 Ways to Stay Connected and Be Remembered. Find out how you can make your networking work with our FREE Guide.
We promise to never sell, rent, trade, or share your email with any other organization.

Claim Your Free Subscription Now!

Each month our ezine features networking and business articles to help you connect with professionals, build relationships, and grow your business.

 

Networking Article from Networking Today Canada, Nat'l

Recent Articles from Cities Across Canada

Sales Success Secrets

Author: Karen Susman
Date: May 2004

You're in sales whether you like it or not. You're selling a product, service, yourself, or an idea. Some days you want to sell a computer. Some days you want to sell going to that new Mexican/Indian/Grits-Sausage 'n' Gravy Fusion restaurant.

Here are a few tips that come straight from watching the real pros on infomercials and hucksters at a recent Home Show and Expo.

  1. Go where the people are who will buy your product, service, or idea. Don't wait for them to come to you. Figure out where they will be and go there. My acquaintance, Jill, is attending a conference expressly to sell her ideas to the keynote speaker. She'd have a hard time getting in front of him any other way.

  2. Build a crowd and keep them. Get excited about what you're selling. If you don't believe in your self, product, service, or idea why would anyone else? Your excitement will build a following and your supporters will attract additional supporters.

  3. Repeat your message again and again and in as many different ways as possible.

  4. Get your audience involved. Ask them questions. Ask for their opinions. Ask for their help. Ask them to help you demonstrate your product. After a sushi maker pitchman at the Home Show asked me to help him make rice laden, carrot/cucumber stuffed, seaweed wrapped sushi in order to demonstrate how easily his machine worked (Even Karen Susman can make sushi and if she can, you can.), how could I pass up his handy machine?

  5. When your customer is ready to buy, add more benefits. This is the famous, "But, wait! There's more." maneuver.

  6. After your customer is begging you to sell to him, offer to throw in one more benefit, widget, or service with just one proviso. The customer must promise to tell someone about what you're selling. The customer doesn't actually have to recite an oath. You might say, "I'll throw in a free hour of consultation if you'll promise to tell at least one person about my company. Will you do that?"

  7. Congratulate your customer on making a purchase. Make your customer feel she has just been made a member of an elite society (your supporters). Create pride in ownership. People don't like to be sold, but they do like to own.

Adapt these concepts for whatever it is you're trying to sell. Let me know how you like that new Mexican/Indian/Grits-Sausage 'n'Gravy Fusion restaurant. Yum!

Karen Susman is a Speaker, Trainer, Coach, and Author of 102 Top Dog Networking Secrets. Karen works with organizations that want to maximize performance. Programs include Humour at Work; Balance In Life; Networking Skills; Presentation Skills; and Building Community Involvement. Order new guidebooks on humour, networking, time management, and community involvement by calling 1-888-678-8818 or e-mail Karen@KarenSusman.com.. www.KarenSusman.com.

Published in Networking Today, May, 2004



Search Articles

 in Titles
 in Content
 by Author

More Articles

May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
May 2000
November 1999
October 1999
August 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999

 

Select a City