The Greatest Sales Strategy ever!

This was taking from Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus and yes he allows you to use his articles I thought it was great!

As a student of people and ideas I have to admit that what two guys are doing in a Northeast Florida Starbucks is absolutely genius.

The other day as I tried to pay for my green tea at my local Starbucks the cashier said, “Don’t worry about it sir. Those guys over there are paying for it today.” She then handed me their business card from a stack by the register. Turns out the guys were wealth management / financial planners who once a week, at different times, will spend a few hours at this Starbucks and buy customers their coffee or tea. Most people, like me, will walk over and thank the gentlemen and walk away with their business card in our pocket.

I thought about how brilliant this was. For many the coffee shop experience has become a right of passage that helps them take on the day. It’s become an emotional experience that makes them feel good. It’s become a bond of love. These financial planners brilliantly connected something people love with a service they offer. Not surprisingly I found out that these men do receive a good number of calls from the Starbucks customers interested in planning for their financial future.

It is said we remember one third of what we read, half of what people tell us and 100 % of how feel. Whether we are watching a commercial, listening to a teacher, or talking to a sales person it is how we feel that impacts us the most. We can’t remember what we ate for lunch a week ago but we can remember where we were on 9-11. We remember how we feel and when it comes to investing our money, buying a product, purchasing insurance or real estate, or choosing a restaurant we will make our choices based on these feelings.

This leads us to the greatest sales strategy ever-but it doesn’t involve coffee. While the Starbucks idea is brilliant it isn’t the best way to build a business. There is a far more powerful strategy to create an emotional connection and foster an emotional memory. It’s so simple and it doesn’t even cost a dime. It’s to love and care about your customers. Caffeine is temporary but a positive emotional experience lasts forever.

Customers do business with people they like and trust and who care about them. When customers feel like they matter and feel cared for they love back with more loyalty, more business and more referrals.

So if you are in sales, and we all are, I encourage you to make loving and caring about your customers your top priority. You don’t have to buy them coffee to connect your product or service with something they love. You can be the connection. You can be the bridge that connects your customer with your product or service. After all, no matter what we are selling, people are always buying our energy and making decisions based on how our energy makes them feel. And while coffee is an energy source that makes people feel good it doesn’t compare to the power of our positive energy. Look out for your customers interests. Show them you care. Do your best for them. Share the love and you’ll be so successful you’ll be able to buy your own coffee shop and give away all the coffee you want.

How do you show your customers you care?
Share your comments on our blog.

Stay Positive!
Jon

Why You Should Network

Networking is the one of the most effective inexpensive advertising out there.  By networking with other like minded business professionals you begin to build a relationship which can lead to 250 new relations and more.  This form of advertising is not something that is easy nor something that comes over night.  People will do business with those they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST.  As you get to “know” the person you will begin to build a relationship and hopefully they will like you.  Once a bond is formed they will soon begin to trust you and send business to you.  This process varies on your type of business.  Those businesses that are product based tend to get referrals faster than those with service based businesses and either way can take up to 12-18 months to pay off. 

Why it is important to network with a diverse networking group

There are two types of businesses-Brick and Mortar, those with a public building/store and those that are home based (aka Direct Sellers, Network Marketers).  Did you know that it is EXTREMELY beneficial to network with both? 

 Brick and Mortar:  These types of businesses have several people walking through their doors everyday.  With their permission, you could display your flyer/brochure/business cards/catalogs for their potential clients to see and perhaps even pass along to their friends/family.  This is in addition to the people that owner may already know.

 Direct Sellers/Network Marketers:  These types of business people go into several new homes a week.  Lets take for example that Susie has 3 home shows booked for this week and her show attendance averages 15-20 people, 3 x 15-20 = 30-60 new people each week.  This is in addition to the people that Susie already knows. 

 So come check out Women In Networking and see what we have to offer you. 

 Roseville Chapter:  Meets every 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of the month

Location:  Denny’s Restaurant

                 31831 Gratiot         

Time:  Networking begins at 8:30am

            The meeting starts at 9am until 10am

Utica Chapter:  Meets every 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of the month

Location:  Biggby Coffee

     8771 Hall Road

Time:  Networking begins at 6:30pm

           The meeting starts at 7pm until 8pm

You can also visit us on the web at www.winofmacomb.com

Organize Your Business Cards

Most companies are going to put a lot of thought into their business card printing. They will spend their time looking over different designs that create just the right image for them. They will get their color business cards and eagerly hand them out to everyone else in an effort to get more business, but one thing they will also be doing is collecting other people’s business cards at the same time.

What do you hope everyone else is going to do with your business card when you hand it to him or her? Do you want them to just throw it into a pile of papers on their desk, or do you hope that they diligently file it away for future use? Well, what are you doing with their business card?

Maintaining a strong network of leads and contacts is going to be important to any kind of business. The question you need to ask yourself is how you organize the color business cards you pick up from other people.

After getting back from anything that gives you a big pile of cards, the first thing you need to do is sort through them. When you first get back and everything is still fresh in your mind is the best time to organize the cards you have. Some of them you are just going to throw away while others need to be placed in a file for new leads with good potential.

How you organize the cards will be whatever works best for you. Maybe organizing them alphabetically will help you the most while others might like to organize things based on different industries and so on. The only thing you need to be sure of is that whatever system you use, you can easily follow it.

A big difference in organization from the days of old is the use of modern electrical means of keeping things together. A lot of people place most of the names they get into computer databases rather than bothering with a physical filing system. A system like this has different pros and cons you should be aware of.

One benefit is the easier ability to scroll through your information. The recent rise in small portable, digital assistants has led to the ability of keeping what amounts to thousands of business cards on hand at all times. You will never be without a person’s information no matter where you are.

However, I would suggest keeping the cards in a separate physical filing system anyways due to the one potential downside to the electric means. Systems can crash and information can be lost quite easily. I have had my share of computers meltdowns for various reasons that take with them all of my information I needed.

So long as you have both an electronic filing system and a physical one, if your system does crash, you still have access to a lot of year’s worth of information that could have been lost.

Ultimately, when it comes to business card printing, the thing you need to remember is to use a filing system that allows you to easily find contact information when you really need to. You are not the only one printing out color business cards. Just remember to treat other people’s cards, as you want yours to be treated.

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in business card printing industry and color business cards for small to medium-scale business.

Think BIG

At every meeting I want to start bringing up some sort of self improvement tip.  I’ve been reading Success Magazine lately and I LOVE it!  There is so much great information in this magazine it’s unbelievable.  It even includes a CD/DVD with short interviews and such.  There was an article in the October issue written by Anne Clarrissimeaux about Dr. Ben Carson, a world-reowned neurosurgeon at John Hopkins Medical Institution.  In it he wrote a message on “A Meaningful Life”.

Dr. Ben Carson shares a philosophy of what he believes creates a successful-and meaningful-life through the acronym THINK BIG……

Talent and time. Recognize them as gifts.

Hope for good things and be honest.

Insight from people and good books.

Be Nice to all people.

Knowlege: Recognize it as the key to living.

Books:  Read them actively.

In-depth learning skills:  Develop them.

God.  Everyone has their own beliefs.  When you THINK BIG, what does the “G” stand for in your life?

I hope this helps you.  Check back often for more info on self improvement, Women In Networking and what we’ll be doing next.

Expo a SUCCESS!

We had such an awesome variety of vendors!  We gave away over $2000 in prizes and Paula Tutman was FANTASTIC!!!  She is the most down to earth person you will meet.  I highly encourage you to grab her first book in a series “Deadline”.  You can visit her site and see where she will be next doing a book signing.  When you see her let her know WIN sent you.  Here’s a pic of Paula, Melissa and myself.

Now that the expo is behind us I can relax now, right?  WRONG!  Now that the expo is over I will figure out other ways to expand and improve upon Women In Networking.  I have so many ideas now all I need is patience.  WIN is going to have some pretty exciting things happen within the next few months. 

And of course we are always looking for new members so if you are intersted visit www.winofmacomb.com and contact us.

Expo’s

Ever buy a new car and then realize you and about 20 million other people have the same car or even the same color (and you thought you’d picked something not many others would pick)?  That’s how I feel about women’s expo’s.  It seems like every group is doing them now and is starting to get a little saturated.  As long as they are spread out throughout the year it’s not so bad, but when you have several in one month it’s time for a change.  Have you ever attended one of these expos?  What did you think? Was it worth going to?  Give me your opinon by clicking on comment below.  I’d love to take that into consideration for next year.  In the mean time, don’t forget to visit Women In Networkings expo on Sunday September 21st from 11am-4pm at the Best Western Concorde Inn in Clinton Township.  Meet Paula Tutman from Channel 4 News!  For complete details and to preregister to be entered to win a gift basket visit www.winofmacomb.com.

Are you a netWORKER or a NOTworker?

Think about the question above.  What are you?  Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell anyone or write it down.  Are you a networker?  If so, congratulations, you understand how to help others.  Are you a notworker?  Do you want to be a networker?  If so, please continue to read.  Do you know the definition of networking?  According to Random House Unabridged Dictionary, networking is:  a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.  Please reread.   A supportive system of sharing information and services!  Seems so simple, yet so many don’t get the concept. 

 

Scenario 1 -  At an event sponsored by a large organization, you see the following:  Mr. A has a handful of business cards in his hand and is going from person to person introducing himself and thrusting his card in the other person’s hand.  Have you ever witnessed this?  Were you ever that individual giving the card?  Were you ever that individual getting the card?  Was this a good connection? 

 

Scenario 2 – At the same event, by the same organization, you see this:  Mr. A approaches another, introduces himself as and offers his hand to shake.  The other individual introduces himself and they shake hands.  Mr. A asks Mr. B what kind of business he is in, followed up by other questions about Mr. B’s business.  Mr. A listens.  That’s all.  He asks a few more questions and he listens.  Soon the roles are reversed and Mr. B asks Mr. A some questions and he listens.  Have you ever witnessed this?  Were you ever Mr. A?  Were you ever Mr. B?  Was this a good connection?

 

I have witnessed both of the scenarios and I have to honestly admit when someone thrusts their card upon me I do one of two things.  I either hold onto the card and write my impression of the person on the back and make sure I file it in the “Do not do business with” file or I immediately dispose of the card.  Yes, I get rid of it.  Why, because this person is telling me THEY are more important than a relationship.  Networking is about developing relationships.  A supportive system of sharing!!  

 

However, if someone is involved in the conversation and is asking questions to find out more, I hold onto their card and am sure to remember them when I need a service.  They took interest, they listened, THEY understand what networking is.   A supportive system of sharing!!

 

Networking is not a selfISH act, it is a selfLESS act.  You have to be willing to help others and you in turn will be helped.  Please remember, you will be remembered for how you were able to help someone connect with another and you will be remembered when they have someone to connect with you!

 

Happy Networking!!

Submitted by:  Melissa Emanuel of MI Home Staging, (313)384-6765
Email:mihomestaging@gmail.com

Metro Chick Radio

Ever finally meet somebody face to face and realize just how incredible of a person they really are?  Well that’s how I felt about Lisa Marie (host) and Yodit (co-host) of Metro Chick Radio.  I decided to get an advertising package from them for the women’s expo we are holding and it was such an awesome experience.  I look forward to working with them both again in the future.  If you missed our interview you can go to www.winofmacomb.com and hear it.  It should automatically start playing once you get to our home page.  Enjoy!!!!

We’re in the NEWS!!!

If you go to this link http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2008/7-9-08/EF-WIN.asp you can view our story, which is set to print in the Eastsider next week.  They are also going to try to put it in the Warren Weekly if they have room.

YAY!!!!

TWO Affordable Advertising Opportunities

The first one is for the WIN Big Savings Book to benefit Rainbow Connection.  Rainbow Connection is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to Michigan children with life threatening or terminal illnesses.  Ads start at just $25!  All proceeds from the sale of the book, which will be $10/book will go to Rainbow Connection.  For more info and the application please go to www.winofmacomb.com.

 

The second opportunity is for the WINning Edge News, which is going to be a bi-weekly woman’s newspaper.  This will not be your typical long paper.  It will be 11×17 page folded in half and double sided.  Just enough for us busy women with kids, job, house duties, etc.  It will have articles on home/family life, business, general topics, games, community events and more.  Our advertising rates will be 25% off through the month of August so act NOW!  For more info you can email winofmacomb@gmail.com for rates or go to www.winofmacomb.com for additional info.