Advice: Always bring a pad and pen with you to any meeting, whether you’re expecting takeaway value or not.

Here are five ideas that’ll help time fly by — and perhaps give you a leg up on the competition.

1. Makes a list of Sales prospects and older clients to check in with. (Even if you’re not in Sales, this is good advice.)
2. Look around the meeting room. Come up with one truly positive thought about each of the people there.
3. Think about one of the happiest times in your life. How detailed are your memories? (A little touchy-feely, but that’s OK.)
4. Create a list of your top priorities for next week, next month, next year.
5. Make a bucket list.

Of course, the best strategy:

Find a way to get out of attending the meeting.

Do you really need to be there? Could some of these issues be handled one-on-one, instead of in a group?

When are your reps most likely to catch prospects near a phone or computer?

Answer: Within a minute of them making an inquiry with your company.

In fact, calling a prospect within a minute of an online inquiry lifts conversions 391% over average conversion rates, according to a new study by Leads360, which manages more than 20 million leads.

Leads called between 60 and 120 seconds after they were generated converted 160% more often.

Can’t call back right away? That’s OK, but try to get in touch ASAP.

The study indicates that leads called within 24 hours are still 17% more likely to convert than those that are not. But you can see that’s a big drop off from calling back within the first few minutes.

Another telling stat: 88% of all leads that eventually convert are called within the first 24 hours.

Persistence is also key

It also pays to be persistent. Contact a lead a second time 30 minutes to 2 hours later and conversions jump 92%.

Call a third time 2 to 4 hours later and conversions are 279% better than average.

The most effective strategy? Six calls placed at different times and days.

Example: Calling twice the 1st day, then calling again on the 3rd, 4th, 11th and 12th days maximized contact and conversion rates with the leads that were studied.

Of course every company’s different, so it pays to test different call strategies to see what works best with your customers.

But chances are one constant will remain: The faster your reps make first contact, the better.

Test your responsiveness

One way to see if your reps are responding fast enough: Seed your system with a few mystery leads and see how quickly and effectively your reps work.

Don’t have reps that can call right away? Autoresponder e-mails are also great at keeping fresh leads hot.

A well-known business expert lays out his ideas for how every sales organization can boost sales, loyalty and profits in the year ahead. 

Here are 10 of national consultant Barry Moltz’s suggested resolutions for business leaders in 2011:

1. I will stop blaming the economy. The conditions companies are dealing with now have been in effect for the past three years and will likely continue — to some extent — beyond the next year. This is “the new normal,” according to Moltz, and managers need to stop playing the blame game and start determining how they can adjust to overcome it.
2. I will part ways with employees who don’t have the ability to do the job (and customers who aren’t profitable). If employees or customers are a constant drain on your budget, time and resources, don’t be afraid to cut them loose. They’re like an anchor keeping your ship from moving forward. Cutting ties creates consequences, it raises the game of everyone else and it frees up more time for managers to devote to big-picture issues.
3. I will frontload my lead pipeline with high-probability prospects. Part of management’s job is to give salespeople the best opportunity to engage prospects who have a realistic chance of buying. Do reps the courtesy of sifting through your sales funnel and tossing the leads that provide little or no opportunity.
4. I will not substitute price for value. Price-based selling is a short-term solution that causes more problems (long-term) than it solves. Enough said.
5. I will meet with prospects and existing customers face to face. E-mail/text/IM/social media … they’re all great ways to maintain contact, but by no means should they be considered a substitute for giving customers the face time they want and deserve. While you’re leaving a witty message on their Facebook wall, a top competitor could be over at their office, making a strong case for why now’s the time to consider a change.
6. I will attend at least one NEW industry event. If budgets cuts have caused you to minimize the number of events you attend each year, now may be the time to start attending again. Studies show reducing T&E budgets by as little as 1% can have a 10-15% impact on overall revenue. Seek out new tradeshows and conferences, where you’ll get an opportunity to make new connections, in addition to maintaining the existing ones.
7. I will learn at least one new skill. Take a class, attend a seminar, read a how-to book, earn a degree … do something to increase the amount of value you bring to the position.
8. I will take time off. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. More importantly, it’s scientifically proven to cause decreased productivity, work-related stress, burnout and possible feelings of depression and anxiety.
9. I will pay more attention to metrics. Things that get measured are things that get done. Set realistic goals. Follow up regularly. Adjust accordingly. Repeat.
10. I will be proud of the job I’m doing. If you’re doing everything in your power to get the best results possible, don’t hang your head about it. Things are tough, but successful managers persevere, inspiring the people in their employ along the way.

Adapted from “11 New Year’s Resolutions for Small Business Owners,” by Barry Moltz, Open Forum, 1/4/11.

1. An unprecedented wealth of product information which is readily available, making it much easier for prospects to do competitive pricing
2. Stiff competition forcing companies to continually improve products and services just to maintain their edge (or keep up), and
3. Highly competitive offers forcing sales execs to provide much more than just a generic list of features and benefits in order to earn a prospect’s business.

With so many companies vying for a prospect’s business, the role of the salesperson as someone who brings additional value to the table has never been so important.

Competitive research

Proactive salespeople adjust to these new challenges by doing their own competitive research. That way, they can anticipate any potential objections the prospect might have.

Competitive research also allows salespeople to pinpoint benefits they offer that an existing supplier doesn’t, which is a great way to gain the prospect’s attention early on in the selling process.

Overdelivering

Shrewd salespeople know one of the biggest keys to closing today’s prospects is providing solutions that help them overcome their biggest concerns.

But most prospects need to trust a salesperson’s expertise before they’ll feel comfortable discussing specifics about their problems or new markets they’re interested in targeting.

One way top salespeople earn a prospect’s trust: Going above and beyond, providing not only what the prospect asks for, but also other pertinent info and industry statistics (consumer reports, buyer testimonials, etc.). By underpromising and overdelivering, the salesperson sends a message that the prospect’s needs come first. Analyzing additional industry data may also identify new growth opportunities, which could cause prospects to view the salesperson as a valuable asset.

Boosting ROI

One thing that hasn’t changed about selling: Prospects still want to feel like they’re getting maximum return on their investment.

Salespeople can provide that type of assurance by suggesting consistent ways for prospects to generate additional revenue after the sale.

Example: When the salesperson’s company is launching a new product or service (or making changes to an existing one), the salesperson can discuss it in terms of how it might help buyers achieve their long-term goals. Forward-thinking salespeople share the same goals as their buyers, and — in many cases — that makes them ideal partners for mutually beneficial business relationships.

Based in part on the book Escaping the Price-Driven Sale by Tom Snyder and Kevin Kearns.

Here are eight prospecting principles that help salespeople find and convert prospects:

1. Focus on finding the right prospects. Some salespeople spend their time chasing would-be prospects who have no need or interest in what they’re selling. The key is spending time to determine who fits the profile of what you want to sell and then building the prospect database.
2. Look at the long-term. A major weakness in prospecting is making prospecting an event, rather than a process. Prospecting is not an impulsive quick fix. It involves more than making a call and if there’s a negative response, crossing the name off the list. The purpose of continuous cultivation is to build that relationship with a prospect, something some salespeople find difficult when the initial contact is negative.
3. Know the prospect before the call. Doing extensive research beforehand gives salespeople a chance to get acquainted with the prospect’s corporate culture and what has driven past buying decisions. Industry hot buttons are constantly changing, and prospects expect salespeople to keep up with those trends.
4. Speak in terms of value. The salesperson with the highest quality product rarely has the lowest price. That’s why successful salespeople try to think in terms of value for the prospect. What are they receiving in return for their investment, and how does your offer communicate that?
5. Listen first, sell second. Rather than work on assumptions, ask questions first to uncover why prospects buy and how their buying process works. It’s a good idea to take notes during the opening stages to ensure nothing is missed.
6. Time your selling. In every industry, there are better times for prospecting and scheduling appointments. Set priorities. Follow the schedule to the letter whenever possible. Nobody sells them all, but you’re guaranteed to lose 100% of the prospects you don’t call at the right time.
7. Help prospects clarify their thinking. Prospects don’t always know what they want, even though they may say they have a clear picture of the solution. Questions like, “What’s the biggest problem you’re facing now,” might help them get on the right track.
8. Look at former customers. Many former customers may be ready to buy again or try a new product or service. Try to mix in former customers when you’re planning your sales calls. Former customer may also be an invaluable source of leads.

Ted Barrows is the president of Barrows & Associates, a sales and marketing firm based in Bristol, RI. He can be reached at 401-254-1909.

Prospects usually have a few tried-and-true brush-offs they use when they don’t want to talk to a salesperson. Here are a few truths about these objections and how to handle them:

• Challenge prospect brush-offs, such as “Send me a brochure” with quiet but confident statements that keep the call alive. Example: “We’ll get a brochure right out to you, but I’m prepared right now to discuss how we can help your company.” Don’t be easily dismissed.
• To avoid “We’re happy with our present supplier” objections, demonstrate your knowledge of the prospect’s business and offer ideas on how you can make a difference.
• Don’t be blindsided by common obstacles prospects create when trying to avoid salespeople. Think about them ahead of time and plan your way around them. The last thing you want to do is figure out how to deal with them when you’re on the phone with the prospect.
• Don’t focus too much on your products or services. That can create objections for the prospect. Instead, focus on the business results your products or services can provide. Think about the objections you encounter on a frequent basis. Analyze what you might be doing to create problems for yourself.
• Recognize that there’s never enough money in the budget, a common response when a prospect wants to get rid of a salesperson quickly. It’s your job to help your prospects get money in the budget so they can buy your product or service.
• Don’t take their behavior personally when prospects are rude or abrupt. These prospects have not singled you out of the crowd and decided to treat you this way. They probably treat all salespeople this way. It says more about them than about you. Separate the behavior from the person.
• Don’t let their negativity, contrariness and toughness define your response. That’s something you can decide. Don’t allow yourself to get drawn into that game.

Qualifying questions

Before you write a prospect off completely, it may be a good idea to ask yourself a few of these questions:

• Are you calling on the right prospect? It’s possible you’re not getting through because the prospect isn’t right for the product or service you’re selling. Do a little research to make sure you’re calling on the right prospect. Getting to the wrong person will only waste time, and it may even prevent you from meeting with the real decision-maker.
• Are you calling at the right time? You may be making your calls at a time that’s inconvenient for the prospect.  It might be a good idea to ask what time would be appropriate for your next call.
• Are you selling what the prospect wants to buy? Wasting time on prospects who have no need for your product or service will only lead to frustration.

It comes at the time questions have been answered, objections have been resolved and  prospects are thinking about how a product or service will benefit them.

Three levels of interest

Prospects may have three levels of interest when they are ready to buy:

1. Prospect indicates complete satisfaction and is ready to be asked to buy.
2. Prospect knows all about the product or service but still needs some last-minute information.
3. Prospect understands the product and acknowledges its benefits but still needs time to think things over.

Measuring the interest

It’s not easy to measure the prospect’s level of interest. Some of the ones who seem the most receptive are the most difficult to close. Others who raise the most objections move effortlessly to a close.

Trial closing

A good way to determine a prospect’s interest is to use a trial close. When trial closing, a salesperson is asking for the prospect’s opinion about the product or service. It helps measure a prospect’s interest at any time during the presentation.

Urge your salespeople to use a trial close as soon as they spot a buying signal. There is usually no risk in trial closing. They may get an immediate positive response or uncover some resistance that has to be overcome before they can close the sale. It’s a win-win situation, in either case.

Adapted from The One Minute Closer (Business Plus, NY) by James W. Pickens. Pickens is a sales consultant and author

New research shows that salespeople can increase their chances of closing by involving more people in the selling process.

The strategy is especially critical when a sale becomes dead in the water because a prospect can’t or won’t make a decision.

Using leverage points

One way to involve more people: Tap into a prospect’s leverage points.

Every prospect has leverage points — people in the organization whom he or she:

• admires
• reports to, or
• competes with.

And when salespeople use these leverage points, fence-sitting prospects can be pushed to make a purchase.

So salespeople should make it a point to find out who these people are and get a message to each of them.

Finding the right person

Generally speaking, the best people to use for leverage points are:

• the prospect’s immediate supervisor
• the superior’s superior, and
• the prospect’s equals in the organization.

Making the group presentation

Salespeople are used to doing face-to-face presentations to a single prospect. But when the faces multiply, dynamics change.

Here four ideas that’ll make group presentations more effective:

1. Confirm who can and can’t stay for the entire presentation. If some attendees say they must leave early, try to find out their role in the decision making process — and make sure they get all the key info before they leave.
2. Watch everyone closely during the presentation. Does one person seem to get more attention when speaking? Try to key in on those whose input holds more weight.
3. Encouraging participation. If prospects seem too quiet, try to ask the attendees for their opinions. The goal: Generate dialogue among the group that may help uncover what it is they really want from you.
4. Make sure all prospects have the chance to speak. Ask all department heads how the purchase affects them. If some attendees seem reluctant to speak, call or e-mail them later. They may feel uncomfortable voicing concerns in front of others.

Adapted from “The Power To Get In,” by Michael A. Boylan.

Below are the top five areas salespeople need to work on, according to a recent survey of sales managers by consultant Mark Tewart.

Tewart also offers advice on how salespeople can go about improving upon these areas.

1. Listening

Customers and prospects continue to list failure to listen as a major weakness of salespeople. The problem: Some salespeople prefer speaking to listening or are too anxious to rebut objections. Others allow themselves to get distracted and jump to conclusions.

Solution: Salespeople can improve their listening skills by asking questions and then letting customers get their entire point across before saying anything. Top salespeople must be able to tune out distractions and concentrate on the customer.

Finally, sales pros should repeat what they’ve heard from the prospect/customer to confirm accuracy and prevent misunderstandings.

2. Qualifying prospects

The time it takes to qualify a prospect as someone who has a high probability of buying is nothing compared to the time that can be wasted on a prospect who has no need for the salesperson’s product or service in the first place.

Advice for salespeople: Try to develop a standardized set of qualifying questions that may alleviate any doubts about a prospect’s chances of buying.

3. Customer focus

Many customers have more to do than time allows. They’re too busy to waste time doing anything other than meeting their immediate needs. So customers appreciate salespeople who focus on meeting those needs instead of what’s being sold.

4. Enthusiasm

Prospects and customers want to do business with salespeople who are upbeat, positive and demonstrate that they like what they’re doing. Dull won’t cut it.

Prospects sense salespeople’s attitudes in everything they do — from the way sales pros answer the phone to the way they walk into a meeting.

When salespeople come across as positive, their prospects are likely to feel positive about them.

5. Rejection

Rejection is a fact of life in sales. It comes with the job. Salespeople have to be able to deal with it appropriately.

There are two negative reactions to rejection. The first is to become oversensitive, cautious and then retreat. The second is to become too aggressive with prospects, attempting to overcome the rejection with heavy-handed tactics.

Advice for salespeople: Try to understand the causes of rejection and take corrective actions. The way you handle rejection may mean more to your success than any other attribute. Learn from lost sales, and review what could’ve been done better.

1. Mumblers. If prospects often ask you to repeat yourself, you might be a mumbler. Generally, mumblers are insecure and need to gain confidence. Standing before a mirror and repeating “I will no longer mumble because what I have to say is worth hearing” may be an effective cure.
2. Slow talkers. Pay attention to customers’ expressions when you talk. If they look board, or their attention starts to wander, you may be speaking too slowly. Time yourself by reading aloud. If you use fewer than 120 words a minute, try to increase your speed.
3. Fast talkers. Speaking too quickly can also be a turnoff — especially if it’s caused by the fear that people will lose interest if you slow down. If you use more than 160 words a minute, try to slow down.
4. Screechers. These are people with loud, piercing voices. If you find yourself guilty of this problem, learn to calm down.
5. Weak voices. People with this problem usually don’t breathe deeply enough. Try using your abdominal muscles to breathe. Aerobic exercises can help.
6. Interrupting others. Salespeople who interrupt others or cut off/finish buyers’ sentences often aren’t good listeners. They tend to be impatient and don’t want to wait for their turn to speak. Eliminating this habit requires a dedicated effort to stay quiet until prospects or customers have finished speaking.

Adapted from “The 12 Cliches of Selling” by Barry Farber

Here are five best practices for actually getting prospects on the phone and avoiding the ongoing cycle of voice mail, voice mail, voice mail:

1. Gain insight from someone else in the department: Salespeople can often achieve this by dialing the closest extension or using the directory to dial by department. If you can’t get the prospect on the phone after repeated attempts, it might be worth asking someone else in the department when might be the best time to call to reach the person. At the very least, it’ll alert the prospect so he or she will know when to expect your call, or you’ll get a gauge on whether you need to find another way of reaching him/her.
2. Preface the call with an e-mail: Send an e-mail which includes some pertinent info or a limited-time offer. At the bottom of the e-mail, mention you’ll follow up with a phone call to see what the prospect thinks. You may even want to ask if there’s a time that would work best. If the prospect responds, you’ve started a dialogue. If not, you still have the option of calling to follow up.
3. Call from a different number: If you’ve been using your desk phone, switch to a cell phone. That way the same number doesn’t keep popping up on the prospect’s caller ID.
4. Switch up your routine: It’s been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. Cold calling is no different. If you’re not reaching the prospect at certain times of the day, switch things up.
5. Listen and leave a message: Some salespeople do this on the very first call. But most hold off on leaving voice mails until all else fails, and don’t even bother listening to prospects’ messages. But that could be a mistake. A lot of high-level prospects provide a cell phone number in their voice mail messages so they can be reached when they are not at their desks. If you decide leave a message, keep it brief and make sure there’s something up front that grabs the prospect’s attention and gives him/her a reason to call back.

Source: “The Top 10 Ways to Get Past Voice Mail and Reach More Decision Makers,” by Jim Domanski

1. Most new purchases need to be justified and/or approved: Unless you’re selling direct to CEOs, chances are your prospects will have to get the green light before any sales can be finalized. What may be helpful is to ask prospects early on who else is involved in the decision-making process, then work to gain as many internal champions as possible. Consider how each sale will impact the others involved in the buying process, so everyone — not just prospects — think your products/services are beneficial.
2. It’s a buyer’s market: Prospects have more access to competitive pricing and discount offers than ever before. So what does that mean for salespeople? Conducting more pre-call research and perhaps even offering their own competitive analysis may be required to seal more deals. Taking proactive steps like this helps salespeople anticipate any possible objections, while maintaining control of the process. Finally, providing your own competitive analysis allows you to highlight all the areas where you offer superior value and ROI.
3. Everyone is doing more with less: Companies are leaner, and most prospects are being asked to take on additional responsibilities. That means they don’t have nearly as much time to spend listening to a lengthy pitch. Salespeople may be able to use that to their advantage, by focusing on solutions that can help prospects eliminate costs or save time.
4. Loyalty is at an all-time low: The average company now loses 10%-30% of its customers every year and 50% of its buyers every five years, according to Carlson Marketing research. That’s a direct result of all the other offers buyers are bombarded with today. But salespeople can boost customer loyalty by focusing on building strong relationships. With the growing popularity of social networking outlets like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, salespeople have even more ways to maintain a dialogue with buyers, solicit ongoing feedback, monitor what’s changing about customers’ businesses, etc.

Adapted from “Sales Lessons Learned From Selling in a Recession,” by Kelley Robertson

1. Do you understand the ins and outs of my industry/business? This includes everything from the latest trends to what top companies are doing to maintain their edge (and how your offer can help prospects do the same). Prospects want to do business with salespeople who they consider experts — consultants who are capable of offering solutions that help them overcome their biggest challenges.
2. How can you help me increase profits and/or decrease costs? Budgets are tight and competition’s even tighter, which is why salespeople who can quantify value and return on investment in dollar-and-cents terms are in a much better position to help prospects justify a new purchase (or a switch from an incumbent supplier).
3. What do you know about my company’s past buying history? This is valuable information that helps salespeople understand how the prospect’s buying history works and what his/her priorities are when considering a buying decision. Some things you may be able to glean from pre-call research, other things you may have to actually ask the prospect about. The most important part: Be sure to go through your own records to determine if the prospect’s company has ever done business with you in the past, and, if so, why the relationship ended.
4. What differentiates your offer from the competition’s? The first thing prospects do when considering a purchase these days is hop online and do some competitive shopping to see what other offers are available. Salespeople need to anticipate that and perhaps even construct their own competitive analysis which highlights all the areas where their products/services offer more value than competitors’.
5. How have recent changes in the economy/industry impacted our business? Buyers want solutions that put them on the cutting edge of their industry, and they want to do business with salespeople who understand why and how their industry is changing. Industry journals, organizations, conferences and trade shows are ideal sources of info like this. But social networking and online message boards/blogs are also a great, no-cost way to stay on top of the latest industry news and views.

Adapted from “Proactive Sales Intelligence,” a CSO Insights White Paper by Jim Dickie & Barry Trailer

1. They don’t like conflict. Salespeople don’t like conflict. And prospects and customers don’t like it, either. But closing involves some sort of conflict, when one party must ask the other party to take an action of some kind. What follows can include arguments, disagreements, stalls, objections, pressure or silence. Some salespeople are nervous about being too pushy and turning the prospect or customer off. But they mustn’t be, it’s part of their job — and buyers know that.

2. They forget that the “sales clock” has started and don’t slip into their role as a salesperson. Sure, a great way to start sales calls is to engage prospects in conversations about topics (unrelated to business) that interest them. But at some point during a call, the salesperson must slip into his or her roll as the salesperson — turning the discussion toward business.

3. They have trouble becoming high-pressure closers in the middle of a presentation. Some salespeople dislike traditional selling styles that put undue pressure on prospects, so they over-compensate in the other direction and end up not asking prospects to take any action. They back away, not asking for commitment. Salespeople who don’t ask for commitment may avoid the awkwardness of applying pressure to prospects, but they probably won’t close many sales.

4. They tend to not have enough irons in the fire because they don’t do enough prospecting. If salespeople aren’t constantly looking for new prospects to fill the pipeline, all their great closing strategies won’t do them any good. If salespeople aren’t focused on prospecting, having a great closing rate won’t matter — they still won’t be closing enough.

Source: Ted Barrows, President of Barrows & Associates, Bristol, RI

1. Post your own competitive breakdown on each product’s Web page (e.g., price, features, benefits, ROI, etc.). This will show prospects how you offer more value. Plus, it allows you to control the comparison process. More importantly, it keeps prospects on your site. Once prospects leave your site to research a competitor’s product, chances are slim they’ll return to buy from you.
2. Offering something in return for registering (e.g., a free e-newsletter or one-time discount code, etc.). It’s an age-old principle: attract more prospects at ease by presenting the registration form as something that’ll entitle them to privileged information.
3. Keep the registration form as simple as possible. The more involved the registration process, the more prospects will be inclined to quit without completing the form. Only ask for the info you absolutely need. Once you have a name and e-mail address (or phone number) you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to collect more info. A good rule: registration forms should take no longer than 30 seconds to complete.
4. Offer a search option on your Web site. If prospects can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll leave your site and go straight to Google. The simpler navigation is, the more likely prospects are to stay (and hopefully buy from you).
5. Monitor “error/page not found” messages. Every time prospects land on an error page, it increases the chances they’ll leave your site. If possible, work with IT to make sure “error/page not found” messages don’t pop up when a prospect’s search fails on your site. If a search yields no results, make sure something pops up on the page — whether it’s a listing of your most popular products or services, or suggestions on how a prospect can refine his or her search.
6. Track which pages prospects view. Then develop a process that forwards that info to sales reps ASAP — so reps have valuable info they can use to follow up with prospects who leave your site.
7. Monitor/increase your visibility on search engine pages. Make sure to keep an eye on popular search terms here, then see if there’s any reasonable way to incorporate them in your Web copy to boost traffic. In addition, distribute online press releases, and encourage bloggers and consumers to post reviews of your products on their sites. The more attention your brand generates online, the more it’ll appear (and the higher it’ll rank) in Web searches.
8. Expedite the checkout process. Make sure buyers can get in and out quickly without getting caught up in unnecessary forms, survey questions or other distractions. If they’ve already registered, for example, make sure they don’t have to enter the same info again.
9. Offer product suggestions. More than 70% of Amazon’s sales last year came from products that were suggested by the company based on other customers’ past buying history (“132 people who bought X, also bought A, B, and C”). Lesson: Use other customers’ buying history to identify products/services new prospects may be interested in. It’s an extremely valuable and underutilized way to cross sell/upsell.
10. Develop a community. Some companies maintain one or more industry blogs on their site, others set up message boards, and some encourage product reviews from customers. These are all valuable ways to draw top-quality prospects back to your site on a daily basis. The more people view your site as a resource, the more they’ll be aware of limited-time offers and other promotions. Giving buyers a reason to come back to your site, that doesn’t necessarily have to do with buying products, is a great way to boost loyalty and earn buyers’ trust.

Adapted from “15 Tried and Tested Tips To Increase Online Conversion Rates” by Michelle Strassburg

The question prospects want answered now: “Where’s the value?” And if your salespeople don’t make the value of doing business with them clear, prospects will go elsewhere.

Here are 6 tactics that’ll help your salespeople meet the value requirement:

1. Offer help. What customers need more than anything else is help with innovative ideas. Be their sounding board. You’re the expert. If you can’t be of assistance, you probably won’t get the business. Show them you can deliver more than a product or service.
2. Make every presentation valuable. Don’t just drop in on customers. Have a clear purpose when you ask for a meeting, and make sure the customer agrees that the meeting’s worthwhile for him or her.
3. Answer communications. Prompt, clear and complete telephone and e-mail responses send the message that you’re timely and efficient — qualities that’ll set you apart from the competition.
4. Keep your antennae up. It’s easy to get blindsided in tough times like these. So listen and wait for customers to reveal their concerns and fears. Then make sure sales presentations speak to those issues. It sends the message that you’re in sync with buyers.
5. Show customers ways to reduce costs. Don’t assume your customers already think you’re looking for ways to save them money. Stay alert for cost-cutting solutions, and let customers know immediately when you’ve found something that’ll help them. It’s also smart to remind customers periodically that you’re always looking out for their best interests.
6. Tighten your schedule. Giving customers proper attention takes time — and that means making sure you touch base with them regularly.

Source: Steve White, Public Relations Manager, Graham Associates, Quincy, MA

1. Develop your own competitive analysis: Today’s prospects have unprecedented access to lowball offers and online discounts. If they haven’t done their own research prior to meeting with one of your salespeople, they definitely will before making a final buying decision. Control the process by developing your own competitive breakdown of price, features, benefits and potential ROI. It’s a proactive approach that earns buyers’ trust, while highlighting all of the areas where you offer superior value. It also allows salespeople to see — at a glance — what they can offer that an incumbent supplier can’t.
2. Embrace new modes of communication: Cell phones, text messaging, Twitter, LinkedIn, e-mail, instant messaging, Web conferencing … these are just a few of the ways today’s prospects communicate. Salespeople who ask prospects how they prefer to communicate early on are in a better position to maintain contact. Train salespeople to use as many modes of communication as possible, and encourage them to master any new modes as soon as they become available.
3. Determine who your high-probability prospects are: The marketplace has changed dramatically over the past three years and so has the type of prospect who can benefit from your products the most. Perform an audit of your sales from the past year to determine what types of prospects are most likely to buy now (e.g., title, industry, size of company, region, etc.). Once you’ve developed a “prospect profile,” frontload your lead pipeline with those types of leads to give salespeople the best opportunity for success.
4. Update your marketing message: As a result of the economic downturn, most buyers’ needs and challenges have changed. Partner with Marketing to recast your e-mail copy and marketing collateral (as well as advertising slogans) to ensure they address what buyers are up against now.
5. Use your company’s Web site as a resource: Having visitors register on your site before they can access company blogs, online articles, or customer reviews is a great way to generate leads. And it also allows companies to track how often prospects visit the site and which product pages they’re clicking on the most. Work with IT to create a system where that info is immediately forwarded to a sales rep. That way the salesperson can follow up ASAP, answering any questions the prospect has before he/she buys from a competitor. Allowing buyers to post reviews of your products and services is also a great way to gain feedback and learn how prospects are benefiting from your products the most.

Source: “Smart Selling on the Phone and Online” by Josiane Feigon

Are you in one of the country’s premier job markets?  A new Web tool from indeed.com reveals which cities offer the most available jobs per unemployed resident. You might be stunned which city ranks head and shoulders above the rest.

The chart lists the 50 largest U.S. markets. The job-to-unemployed ratios are based on numbers from indeed‘s national database of job listings and unemployment rates, so there may be a slight margin of error based on how those markets are shifting, as well as unlisted job postings, etc.

Some of these markets are slightly deceiving because they offer a lot of highly specialized jobs that can’t be filled by unqualified applicants (or vice versa).

Here are the top 10 U.S. cities in terms of available jobs per candidate:

1. Washington, D.C. (six jobs per candidate)
2. Jacksonville, FL (three jobs per candidate)
3. Baltimore, MD (one job per candidate)
4. Salt Lake City, UT (two candidates per job)
5. New York, NY (two candidates per job)
6. San Jose, CA (two candidates per job)
7. Hartford, CT (two candidates per job)
8. Oklahoma City, OK (three candidates per job)
9. Austin, TX (three candidates per job)
10. Boston, MA (three candidates per job)

While these markets offer opportunities in terms of growing business, emerging trends and a constant influx of new prospects, consider the following five markets that were ranked at the bottom of the list:

1. Detroit, MI (18 candidates per job … Whoa!)
2. Miami, FL (10 candidates per job)
3. Riverside, CA  (nine candidates per job)
4. Los Angeles, CA (eight candidates per job)
5. Portland, OR (seven candidates per job)

Click here for the full list of Job Market Competition.

Source: “Indeed Ranks the Most Crowded Job Markets“

The three surveys, each conducted during the past six months, reinforce the idea that consumers are more determined than they have been in years to buy American – and that may be a major opportunity for new marketing and/or advertising campaigns.

Among the studies’ most important findings:

• More than 80% of respondents in the Yankelovich poll said buying American products is important to them (and 37% admitted they’d even be willing to pay a little more for such goods)
• Almost 40% of auto consumers surveyed by Gallup claimed they’d “only” consider buying cars from an American company, and
• While nearly 60% of respondents in the BIG Research study said they always make a conscious effort to buy American, 65% felt it was harder than ever to find reliable American companies to do business with, due to all the bailouts, bankruptcy and other problems associated with the recession.

Perhaps that final bit of info is the most relevant - nearly two-thirds of consumers feel a personal responsibility to buy American, but the biggest challenge they face is finding stable companies to do business with.

That’s a tremendous edge for companies that can refocus their marketing collateral, advertising and sales presentations to play up the “Made in the U.S.A.” mantra. It’ll draw prospects to your business, and boost loyalty by reminding them that doing business with your company isn’t only a sound investment, it’s a small way they can contribute to getting the American economy back on its feet.

Source: “It’s Getting More Difficult to Buy American” by Mark Dolliver, Sales and Marketing Management Magazine, 7/8/09.