Engaging Prospects: Two Vital Elements to Dropping Resistance!

Two very vital keys that will make a diffrence in how you approach customers and others in your life to create a positive interaction to get positive outcomes. When you can engage others you are more than half way to influencing them!

Keywords:

sales;selling;prospecting;cold call;engaging;rejection;phone call;getting in;

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You pick up the phone, the decision maker is on the line, countless letters and attempts have been made to get to this point, your great benefit line comes out, response; “not interested, click”.

Want to be able to “engage” customers with out creating resistance? Here are 2 vital elements everyone needs to be influential and persuasive.

Now it does not matter if we are using the phone, walking in cold or in a retail setting. We need to avoid adding any additional resistance in the other persons mind. There is this avoidance of “sales people” in 80% of our population including other sales people. This is mainly because of product pushing, “I don’t want to be sold something”.

Here is the key; do I understand what the other person really wants? Do I have an idea of how to talk in their “language”? Can I ask a question that will drop resistance and engage them in conversation?

It has been proven time and time again that shoving your product in front of someone will create resistance to you and your product. Review the first and second key from the last article (4 Keys to Selling), your customer buys the “results” of your product/service/idea because it fixes, fills or satisfies their perceived needs or wants. This means your product/service/idea is just a means to and end, not the main issue.

1. Our first action is to take the time and determine just what is it that our product/service/idea does for the other person. Determine what the real results are from using your product/service/idea. Here are some examples.

A business owner might be looking for more time, better productivity, reducing hassle in some area, freeing up capital for something else.

A young mother with 3 toddlers might be looking for best value, more time, better direction, safety, even just a listening ear.

A plant manager might be looking for ways to get better compliance, reduce down time and get his numbers up, keeping his boss off his back.

Think of your past and current customers, what is it your product/service/idea did for them? What did it reduce, take away, eliminate or create? Also keep in mind that people have a tendency to avoid loss more than obtain gain. This means if you can provide a better “today”, it generally has more power than a better “tomorrow”.

In a recent training program we worked with a real conflict situation a participant was involved with. We ended up with over 50 “what’s in it for the other party” points that could be used to engage the other party in a positive way! It took 5 minutes!


2. Second you want to “engage” your prospect or customer in a positive way. The best way is to develop questions that can “engage” rather than repel.

Before we start, we have to understand what results your product can potentially provide for your customer. Here are some examples.

Office equipment: Reduce work load, eliminate paper, eliminate errors, streamline process, reduce labor expense, free up time, create in-house opportunities, and eliminate daily frustrations.

Real Estate Agent: Eliminate wasted time, reduce the stress of selling/buying, assure legalities are covered, target the market, professional image, experienced input, negotiations services, and eliminate the hassles.

Now there are many more and I suggest you create at least 20 for your product. Here is a hint, list the facts about your product, then all the benefits related to that fact and then ask, “What are the results to my customer/other party because of these benefits”.

Let’s now apply these to questions that “engage” our customers. We want to use “open” type questions that get people talking. If we don not have them talking we have only partial engagement. Open questions use what, why, how in their structure.
“Mr. Jones, what effect would a reduced work load have on your staff?”
“If you could eliminate both paper and errors in your current procedures, what would happen for you?”
“Just suppose the frustrations you face on a daily basis were gone, how would it change things for you?”

Now put yourself in the customer’s shoes, how would you react to the previous questions versus this?
“We sell copiers and office machines of the highest quality with excellent service, when could we meet to determine your needs?”

How many words are in this question that create resistance or could be rejected by the customer? Compare that to the three questions above, which ones “engage” and which question repels.

Now if your customer is a “D-I”* type you usually can ask for appointments or get quickly to the point. If you have an “S-C”* type they may want more info which you can give in the form of a quick example of another application you have done, not a litany of your products facts and benefits.

This has proven to be a much more viable way to engage customers and people in general than talking about your “stuff”. People are concerned about their issues and problems, not your product or you. Engage them by asking about what a “result” might do to their concerns and issues. You will find them much more open and willing to talk.

One of our participants in the Internet Technologies asked only one of these type questions and 20 minutes later closed on a million dollar deal! Just one question! The customer did all the talking and sold themselves. The power of engagement!

For more on building these skills and thinking patterns, check out the Influence and Persuasion Program and Reverse Engineered Sales at our web site www.hgoergerassoc.com
* DISC Behavior Patterns, ask us about how this can help you sell, manage and engage people.

Questions or comments:
Contact Harlan at Harlan@itstartswithyou.net cell phone 701-799-1972.

Document Shredding And Document Security: Protecting Your Vital Information

Document security and document shredding have never been more important before and are bound to impact our lives in a way that we just can’t imagine. If you see a proliferation of caro document shredding or Davison document shredding, or even curtis document shredding, you are witnessing the new wave of privacy protection.

Document shredding, document security and what they mean to us is symptomatic of the world we occupy. The times that we live in today are new, wonderfu...

Keywords:

document shredders, paper shredders, paper shredding, document shredding, document protection

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Document security and document shredding have never been more important before and are bound to impact our lives in a way that we just can’t imagine. If you see a proliferation of caro document shredding or Davison document shredding, or even curtis document shredding, you are witnessing the new wave of privacy protection.

Document shredding, document security and what they mean to us is symptomatic of the world we occupy. The times that we live in today are new, wonderful and enchanting times where technology and a more evolved intellect ensure that the outmoded lifestyles of the past are but just a legacy remaining in the inner recesses of some of our minds. Information today is absolute power and the keeper of this Holy Grail remains strongeth for ever. That’s precisely why document shredding and document security have not only just rose in prominence but have advanced to a sophistication level that makes caro document shredding or Davison document shredding or even curtis document shredding look like the run-of-the-mill shredding technique.

The reason why document shredding is important is because your identity is not just yours. Not unless you protect it. A glance of your newspaper over the past few months and you would stumble upon innumerable cases of identity thefts, of loss of property and money, and in some cases a loss of life as well. And the victims became the victims not because they were ignorant of caro document shredding or Davison document shredding but because they did not fully appreciate the need to protect sensitive information either about themselves or their business entity. Information in the wrong hands is like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. At that point in time it stops becoming a question of ‘if it will happen’ and starts becoming a question of ‘when it will happen’.

Your personal documents therefore are more important to others than they are to you, just a little bit of malicious intent and you could be facing a financial loss or legal suit slapped against you because some one did something they were not supposed to in your name. Document security therefore becomes important and ipso facto so does document shredding. And with it, the growing practices of curtis document shredding, caro document shredding and Davison document shredding among others. Of course, you don’t have to own a paper shredder to do document shredding. There are several shredding agencies who for a very nominal fee, come in a truck with a high power paper shredder installed in the truck right up to your doorstep, and shred your documents in no time right in front of you. What more could you possible want?

Thus it makes tremendous business sense to take good care of your personal documents, your sensitive information and any similar information of your business as well. Tearing up sheets of paper is a small price to pay for insuring yourself against any fraudulent activities that could be committed in your name. Feel free to explore more of justpapershredders.com to get an insider view on the world of document shredding and paper shredders.

Good Employers Want a Balance of Assertiveness and Agressiveness . How to Cultivate that Vital Balance

Employers often avoid hiring overly aggressive employees as they drive business away. However employers want and hire assertive employees because assertive behavior projects capability and promotes a healthy productive working environment. What are these traits and how can you create a healthy balance?

Keywords:

interview , resume , employment , job , interviews , preperation , job market , employers , team

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Employers often avoid hiring overly aggressive employees as they drive business away. However employers want and hire assertive employees because assertive behavior projects capability and promotes a healthy productive working environment. What are these traits and how can you create a healthy balance?

Assertive behavior can be many things. It can be standing up for your rights, expressing yourself honestly, courtesly and comfortably as well as observing and respecting the rights of others.

Assertive behavior promotes equality and a healthy balance in human relationship. Assertion is based on human – right- especially the right to be treated with respect in all situations. Every person has the right to be listened to and taken seriously, to say yes or no with conviction, to express his or her opinion, and ask for what he or she wants.

Assertive behavior is critical to a successful job search and career potent ional because it conveys self-esteem and capability.

Employers hire people who behave confidently and are able to convey their job descriptions comfortably and clearly. They want employees who strengthen human relations and project competence in the workplace. They hire applicants who demonstrate assertiveness in interviews, resumes, and all communications. To reach your full potential, be assertive and tactful expressing yourself, and respect the rights of others.

Generally personality types fall into three general categories. Nonassertive, aggressive and assertive. Employers avoid hiring nonassertive and aggressive employees because they are often detrimental in the workplace.

People who are nonassertive have difficulty expressing thoughts or feelings because they lack confidence. They may become unhappy because they permit others to abuse their rights. They project their feelings of unhappiness others.

Aggressive based people often violate the rights of others with domineering, pushy behavior. Their goal is to dominate because they fear loss of control. Overly aggressive employees drive business away. The good employers who you would wish to work for usually identify such trouble and avoid hiring these types.

Assertive behavior is essential to career success. Assertive people are confident, express their needs and opinions comfortably, and are sensitive to the needs of others.
The type of employer that you would want to work for usually search out assertive employees as their behavior projects capability and promotes a healthy , productive working environment.

What are techniques by which you can develop assertiveness? Practice expressing your feelings and needs calmly and clearly. As well continually demonstrate acceptance and respect for others by praising them sincerely and honestly whey they perform or behave well.

The whole point is to deal with other people in a sincere and truthful way. Imitate friendships. Express your opinions in meetings or conversations particularly when you strongly believe or are knowledgeable about the topic. Don’t talk just to be noticed.
Contribute something to each conversation.

It may help to join a professional or service organization or club. You can always volunteer. This is good way to network and build your assertive skills.

Remember the type of employer that would have a pleasing, easy going workplace without great interpersonal conflicts is the place you want to be.

Generally the people who do the hiring in such progressive firms recognize the traits of the applicants that they wish to hire. A balance of assertive behavior without overly aggressive tendencies is preferred. Groom yourself for those personal traits.