+1 Lead Generated at a Networking Event
+1 Totally pleasant COLD CALL (it didn't turn into an Opp, but positive conversations fuel my day)
+1 Using Google Alerts for prospect company updates (+1 more for getting responses!)
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Why Journalism was a Perfect Background for Sales
Photo found on Pinterest.
Lately I've found myself reminiscing about my days as a journalist and newspaper editor. I spent a decent chunk of my young adult life reporting and producing newspapers, all with encouragement from a wonderful teacher named Erin Coggins.
When I was barely 18, I shook hands with Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, and had a book signed by "Meet the Press' Tim Russert. These were only a few fond memories provided by the Free Spirit Scholarship Foundation, which my teenage self took for granted. Rest in peace, news history makers.
Despite my passion for journalism, I chose not to pursue it professionally, mostly because I was told the job outlook would be poor and I'd be living off of ramen for the rest of my life. However, I did not lose my journalistic instincts or ethical standards in the process -- two things that have been critical to my role in sales.
Below are ways to conjure your inner journalist that may be helpful to anyone pursuing a career in selling:
1) Stay curious.
Ask questions. Seek to understand your prospect's goals and motives.
2) Truth and accuracy come first.
A salesperson's integrity is critical for establishing trust in a process. Don't bend the truth to win a deal. Consumers have the upper hand these days, and you will be found out.
3) You must prepare.
Like you must for an unforgettable cover story, researching who you are talking to is critical for a productive sales call. A simple website skim isn't going to cut it. If time allows, find your prospect on LinkedIn and beyond. Can you find any news coverage of this individual? What about their company and industry?
Find out his or her accomplishments, what's motivating them, and why they should give a damn about what you are selling.
4) You must ask the right questions and many of them.
Despite my passion for journalism, I chose not to pursue it professionally, mostly because I was told the job outlook would be poor and I'd be living off of ramen for the rest of my life. However, I did not lose my journalistic instincts or ethical standards in the process -- two things that have been critical to my role in sales.
Below are ways to conjure your inner journalist that may be helpful to anyone pursuing a career in selling:
1) Stay curious.
Ask questions. Seek to understand your prospect's goals and motives.
2) Truth and accuracy come first.
A salesperson's integrity is critical for establishing trust in a process. Don't bend the truth to win a deal. Consumers have the upper hand these days, and you will be found out.
3) You must prepare.
Like you must for an unforgettable cover story, researching who you are talking to is critical for a productive sales call. A simple website skim isn't going to cut it. If time allows, find your prospect on LinkedIn and beyond. Can you find any news coverage of this individual? What about their company and industry?
Find out his or her accomplishments, what's motivating them, and why they should give a damn about what you are selling.
4) You must ask the right questions and many of them.
Make a list before your calls. The more you ask, the more your prospect will speak and you will learn.
5) Paint a picture with words.
Sales is all about creating a vision in your prospects' minds. Use intel from your "interview" to help frame problems and how you can solve them with your solution set.
6) Use shorthand notes.
Recordings are great, but nothing beats shorthand notes. Leave out vowels, and learn to pull important points from your conversation. Don't clutter your sales story with fluff.
6) It is okay to reach out coldly.
In news writing, my mission was to uncover the Truth. I never thought twice about asking for an interview because I didn't feel like what I was doing was imposing on my subject. As long as I could explain my article's intent, people would open up and talk. I helped others get their stories out to the public, and I also helped readers understand new perspectives. In Sales, you can apply this same focus to helping people solve their problems. The monetary exchange is just part of the territory.
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