Think like a friend to sell like a superstar!

"To gain influence over others make them feel that you are more interested in them as a person than as a customer."

Before you can persuade anyone to buy your product or service you must first get past their resistance.   If you try to close a sale before you've gained some trust, respect or likeability you will likely fail.   The natural tendency is to say no to any proposal that isn't the status quo.    No one wants to be sold anything. However we do like to buy, especially if it is from someone we like, trust or respect.

"Your first objective is not to make the sale it is to start a relationship."

 Here are  7 ways to make them feel like you are their friend...

1.  Use their first name often.   Start and end every conversation with their first name.   People love to hear their name.   It is highly personal.   If they hear it being said often enough it will start to feel like you are a friend.   Also start and end with their first name if you are emailing or texting them. This is a very powerful tip that I hope you don't discount.   That's why I made it the first tip!

2.  Always be looking for something to like about the person.  If you start liking them they will start liking you.

3.  Seek the similarities.   It's the things that we have in common with others that is the basis of how most friendships are started.   It was my love of boating and being on the water that led me to great friendships with others who shared my passion.    We all tend to like people who share our interests and passions.

4.  Show interest in what they like.    People love to talk about two things;  themselves and the things they love.    So ask lots of questions about them and their interests.

5. Friends give friends small gifts.    So show up with a small gift and watch their resistance melt away.   It can be as small a gift as a cup of coffee.  Just remember that gifts with your company name on it are considered advertising and do not create gratitude or reciprocity.  Don't do that.

6. Greet them and say good bye like you would to a good friend.   Big smile and an energetic warm greeting or good bye.   Act a little excited to see them and they will be receptive to meet you.

7.  Make a commitment to developing a friendship.    One meeting just won't do it.   You are not going to gain trust with just one meeting.   Familiarity breeds likeability.  Likeability leads to friendship and friendship begets trust.  Trust leads to lots of business and that leads to becoming a superstar!

BONUS...pretending that the person you are about to meet for the first time is a friend causes you to relax and make a much better first impression.    Same goes when I am giving a presentation to a group.   I pretend in my head that they are my friends and a lot of the nervousness goes away.  Try it!

Does asking for a favor make others want to do more for you?

"One of the most effective ways to influence others is to ask for advice or assistance"

Imagine that you are new to a position and you want to persuade a client to give you some business?    She knows that you are inexperienced and your knowledge of her business and of the industry is extremely limited.  What chance would you have of making a sale?   The odds would be pretty low, right?

However, what if you were to say something like this.....'I confess that my knowledge of your business needs is very limited.  And I was wondering if you could give me some advice?   What would I have to do to earn the privilege of doing business with you?    Odds are over-whelmingly strong that she would give you some very valuable advice. 

Why?

*  because we programmed to want to help when asked
*  because it is empowering to be asked for help
*  because it is totally non threatening so the client loses her resistance to you

A little story...

Ben Franklin had a political opponent that fought him on every turn.   The man was a pain in the butt to Ben.  A strong dislike was growing between them.    Ben decided to try and turn things around.

Here is what Ben did....

Ben knew the man had a wonderful library of valuable books.   Ben asked the man if he would consider lending him one of his books that Ben was most interested in reading.   He was at first shocked that an advisary would ask for a favor.   He considered Ben's request and relented and loaned the book to Ben.

Then what happened...

Ben read the book and offered gracious thanks for the favor.  Ben noticed the man softened to him and became even friendly.  So what did Ben do?   He asked him for assistance in developing a bill for Congress   He agreed.   They became friends!

Asking for advice or a small favor causes others to be more receptive to us.

Asking for advice is significantly more persuasive than using pressure tactics.   It doesn't build pressure or leave a sour taste. Also, they will tell you how they like to be sold....isn't that beautiful?   And here is an unexpected bonus for asking for advice....

When we ask for advice we are perceived as being more intelligent!   After all, you are showing some wisdom by choosing to ask me for advice"

This is how even an inexperienced person can level the persuasion table.

Pssst.....can I ask you for a small favor?   Would you be so kind as to hit the f button below and share this with your facebook friends?   Because it would make me so happy....thanks!

What is your dramatic difference? Should you have one?

"Sameness is boring, has no appeal and leads to mediocrity"

In business and in life it easy to fit in and be like everyone else.   But where will that get you?  At best you can be average and how much fun is that.    

What if....your company was dramatically different (in a positive way) than the competition?   Now that would be a huge advantage.

What if....you were dramatically different than your peers and competitors?   Then  guess who would; get the job, make the sale or get the promotion?   

What if....your product or service was dramatically different than the competition?   That is the mark of high growth companies, they are dramatically different than the competition.   Think Apple, Google and Tesla Motors.   

So is there is anything dramatically different between you and competition? Why should anyone give you their business?   Can you articulate your difference in a simple repeatable way that is easy to understand?   Would everyone in your company be able to deliver the message equally well?

Now imagine if your 'elevator speech' included something that explained why you or your company was dramatically different than your competitors?    Now that would be powerful and profitable. 

So let the drums roll and flags fly, here is my personal dramatic difference....

"I teach cutting edge persuasion techniques based in science that are fun and easy to learn.  They have been tested and proven to work as opposed to the old school high pressure sales tactics that have been passed down for decades. 

To me that is dramatically different than my competitors.   

Your turn....what makes you or your company 'dramatically different'?   Your future depends on your answer.   If you haven't got an answer, wouldn't that be a powerful thing to work on?

Here is my secondary difference which I really like......I make it easy for your clients to say yes and hard to say no.  

One simple rule guaranteed to make you more persuasive and likeable

 

"To listen is to be willing to be changed or persuaded by what we hear"

 

 

Only when the other person perceives that they are honestly being listened to will they really hear what we are saying.  When we feel we are not listened to we build resistance to the other persons thoughts. 

 

We are all guilty of waiting for the other person to finish so that we can have our say.   While they are talking most of us are busy not listening and instead forming our next thoughts.   The easy solution is....

 

The 50% Rule

 

Make sure the other person gets to speak at least 50% of the time.  Simple!  And if you let the other person speak 70 to 80% of the time guess what happens....

 

*  You start to build rapport

*  They like you more

*  They think you are smarter

*  The feel appreciated

*  Their resistance to you and your ideas drops

*  They will really listen to you

 

Isn`t that beautiful and all you have to do is stop talking!

 

Listen to learn

 

It is easier to persuade if you know where the other person is coming from.   Ask questions, ask lots of questions.   This gets you the information you need to persuade. The guy that talks the most usually walks away feeling satisified and comfortable.   Whose comfort is more important to you.

 

The first objective of persuasion is to find ways to lower their resistance to you and your ideas and requests.   This is the easiest path to preparing someone to be persuaded.  

 

Talk less to be more persuasive and likeable!

 

 

 

 

 



The 7 surprising benefits of a 'Thank You Card'

"It is a basic desire of all humans to feel appreciated and yet some give out appreciation as if it were coming straight out of their bank account"

 

 

1.  It makes you more likeable.    It's easy and natural to like anyone who appreciates who we are and what we did. 

 

2.  Thank You Card...is a great marketing tool.    What is the purpose of marketing tools?  To make your client feel positive about you and your company?   A hand written thank you can do that and it costs pennies.

 

3.  It's the classy thing to do.   We are busy and so is our competition.   It's easy to take our employees, clients and peers for granted.   That's what most do...except of course the classy people.   They say thanks sincerely and often.  Want to stand out from the mob...say thank you!

 

4.  Others notice.   Those lucky enough to get great thank you cards often show them off to others.   You create great impressions of yourself by being showing gratitude.

 

5.  Thank you cards have a lasting effect.   I recently saw a thank you card I gave to a friend on his fridge a full year after I originally gave it to him.   A verbal thank you would have been long forgotten. 

 

6.  Big advantage for small business.  Big businesses might send out those generic thank you cards but they rarely hand write a message!  And an ounce of personalization is worth a pound of professionalism. 

 

7.  Prepare to persuade.   So you want to make the big sale?   Research says for most major sales you may have to make 6-7 contacts before you can expect a successful outcome.   To do that you need to leave each contact with your client with a good feeling about you.   Thank them for their time so they will be receptive to another visit.

 

Who to give thank you cards to?

 

* clients

* employees 

* vendors

* friends and family

* peers

* new contacts

* anyone who does you a kindness

 

What to thank them for?

 

*  the businesss

*  their time

*  friendship or loyalty

*  a referral

*  a compliment or testimonial

*  their work (quality, efficiency and effort)

 

Make it special?

 

* hand write a message inside because it makes it more personal

* if your hand writing is not good...print but make it neat or it diminishes the effect

* make the message personal not generic

* take care in picking out your card and don't cheap out (that shows)

* humor goes a long way to warming up the recipient but isn't always necessary and      sometimes is not appropriate...you decide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pssst....thank you for taking the time to read this, it is much appreciated!



 

 



 



How to become lucky

"Lucky people talk to more people, do more things and take chances every day"

Who wouldn't want to be lucky?   Well the truth is we can all be luckier than we are today.   All we need to do is take more chances. How many times have you heard this...you can't win if you don't play!  What the line should be is....you can't win if you don't take a chance.

So if you want to get lucky and make a new friend or find a new partner? Take a chance and strike up a conversation with someone new every day.

Want to find a new business opportunity?   Take a chance and contact someone successful and ask for some help.

Always wanted to write a book?   Take a chance and start writing today.  Or take a chance and contact an author and ask for advice. 

Got a great idea that you are doing nothing with?   Take a chance and share the idea with others to see if it is viable.  So many worry that others will steal your idea but if you don't take a chance and test it, it probably never see the light of day.   That's where regret is born. 

Want to win the lotto?   Take a chance and...buy a ticket...the odds are terrible but you can't win if you don't play.  

Want to become lucky?   Take a chance on something every day.   Sooner or later your luck is going to improve.....I guarantee it!  (the odds are in your favor)

My brilliant conclusion.....people who are luckier than me and probably just taking more chances!   I can fix that....