Sales Book Review: New Sales. Simplified.

Happy almost Labor Day!

My daughter was a flower girl in my wife’s cousin’s wedding recently. So my wife, daughter, and her parents flew out to LA to make it to the rehearsal in time. I flew out Friday evening to join them. I ordered Mike Weiberg’s book “New Sales. Simplifed.” on Amazon and took it on the plane with me.

Quick and easy read.

2 points that stood out for me personally:

1. Instead of calling it a “cold call” which brings negative connotations, Weinberg suggested we rename it “proactive telephone call”.

I agree. No one likes to make cold calls. Even though we at Connect 5000 do it for a living and for our clients, it’s not exactly an enjoyable thing to do. This past month, I’ve been fortunate to receive 6 referrals via networking and past clients. It was a pleasant surprise to get calls out of the blue from past clients or executives who have used us in the past. Yet, we still have to reach out to potential prospects to keep the funnel flowing. I can’t afford to sit and wait for the phone to ring. We need to be proactive and reach out to executives by telephone to set up meetings to see if they are able to use our scheduling services.

2. Instead of asking for a “meeting” or “appointment”, ask instead for a “visit”.

I agree. An appointment sounds too formal and clinical. Visit is a positive word. You visit with friends and family.

If you’re at a designated “singles” bar hoping to meet someone special, everyone knows you’re looking to secure a “date”. But no need to ask for a date. You’d ask instead “Are you opening to coffee?” or “Are you open to getting together for dinner?” Same with business. The business executive knows you’d like a meeting or an appointment. Since you want to come across as warm, human and friendly, ask instead if they are open to visiting with you about _____. Whatever _____ is up to you.

I’m Ray Ruecker with Connect 5000 and hope you have a great week!