Selling Archives - The Sales Experiment

March 3, 2015 by Brett Leave a Comment

A Sales Lesson from Green Eggs and Ham

It’s not what you think.

It’s not Sam-I-Am’s ridiculous persistence (although there’s a lesson there, to be sure).

The sales lesson is in Dr. Suess’s economy of language.

He only uses 50 words in the children’s favorite. Yet he tells a complete story.

He does not waste a word. He uses each to move the story forward and create compelling interest. You want to know what’s going to happen. You want Sam-I-Am’s pluck to win in the end.

The rhythm and rhyme drives the action.

Again… only 50 different words, used perfectly.

The Sales Lesson

Get to the point. Use few words. Use them effectively. Focus them like a laser on the value you create for your client.

Be interesting and tell a good story, but don’t waste or use unnecessary words…or your client’s time.

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In honor of Dr. Seuss’s recent birthday.

January 9, 2015 by Brett 4 Comments

Why I Write, Sell, and Do Most Everything Else These Days

I honestly don’t really want to use this blog for blog challenges, but I am. This is from Day 2 of 10 Days to a Better Blog. I like John Saddington. An increasingly salty style over what appears to be a very compassionate, authentic heart. He is a smart kid who has created a bunch of stuff – a bunch of stuff. He’s more than worth a follow. I have no reason to brown-nose here unless he needs insurance for his various ventures. Then I’m his huckleberry.

Today’s Challenge: Connect with why you write…

I have no clue whether I write well or not. I have enough grammar sense at least to say ‘write well’ vs. ‘write good.’ But that doesn’t make me a good writer.

I love to read. I love words. I like to toss around ideas. I like to think.

Writing provides a way to get thoughts out and play with them.

Since words mean lot to me, writing has become a method for me to offer up a bit of myself to others.

Again, no statement on the quality here, but I write because it is a way I can give something to others. Writing has become one of my chief methods of telling individuals that I love them, respect them, and appreciate them.

Writing also provides a way for me to learn. If I simply think about something, I forget it. But if I mull over the idea and write it down, then it becomes much more real and more likely to become something I act on.

Writing provides a history. Journal after journal and a growing number of blog entries create a pretty clear picture of my life since high school. Probably too much navel-gazing, but that’s fine.

Hopefully, my writing will be something I can leave behind for my kids that might at least make them laugh even if I don’t teach them anything.

What Does Any of This Have To Do With Sales?

I was not supposed to go into sales. My English major self (with a graduate degree in ministry) never had selling on the radar. Luckily, we’re not always correct at 22 with all of our assumptions. It’s crazy how we feel like life has passed us by if we didn’t have the solid job, marriage, and family by 25 or 28 years old. I was an idiot back then (and might only now be crawling out of idiot-hood).

So sales… I’ve learned that selling isn’t about getting people to buy something. It’s about creating value.

I sell because it teaches me, over time, the importance of creating value. And this idea from selling has been ridiculously important for any of my attempts at writing. Writing isn’t only about any ability I might have to turn a phrase.

Writing (for me) is about taking what little value I can provide and putting it out into the world. It’s something that I think I have to offer, and I’d be a horrible steward if I didn’t practice and make a habit of taking the little that’s in my cup and pouring it out on the off chance it’s exactly what someone needs.

So I write because I want to give what little bit of experience and even wisdom I might have to others. If it helps you… wonderful! If it doesn’t… just chalk me up to one of the other billions of people who take up space on the interwebs.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to write, sell, and do other stuff in feeble attempts to make others’ lives just a bit better (and perhaps mine will improve in the process).

September 8, 2014 by Brett 2 Comments

If Teaching Sells, then Find Somewhere to Teach

I’ve always considered myself a teacher. I used to dream of people standing on their desks and saying “O Captain, My Captain” to me when I finally retired after 50 years of pouring into young minds.

But alas, I’m not that kind of teacher. I still love to teach. Perhaps it gets in the way of my sales because I almost am more jazzed when a client or prospect finally understands some strange insurance concept than I do when they sign on the dotted line.

According to John Jantsch, though, in his interview with Michael Stelzner on the Social Media Marketing Podcast, teaching is an effective way to engage potential clients.

Financial planners do it all the time. They will put on those seminars in the side room at the local mid-range restaurant, gathering 20-30 prospective clients to share information about handling money, budgeting, and investing. It must work. At least Pappadeaux and the like are making some cash on the practice.

Since I love teaching. And I make a living selling. Why not harness my teaching and find opportunities to give presentations to my target audience?

Today’s Action: Make a List of Potential ‘Audiences’ and Reach Out to at least One of Them

I’ve given a few talks in the past and am sure I can come up with clear content.

The content is useless without an audience.

So, per John Jantsch’s challenge in the podcast, I shall seek opportunities to teach. Not only will I teach, but I’ll give away the farm. I agree that while some individuals will take my information and go do their own thing, many people just want to be able to trust someone. If I can show what I know, then perhaps I’ll be the trusted guy.

Where I might be able to find audiences:

Community Foundations: There are foundations all over Atlanta. Perhaps they’d want someone to deliver content to the nonprofits they distribute grants to?
Associations: Associations need to provide value to their members. I’d love to be part of their value.
LinkedIn Groups: Local based LinkedIn groups might be a good option.

I was able to come up with a few potential options right off the bat and reached out to one of them. We’ll see how this one goes.

If this works out, I’ll have to bone up on my Powerpoint of Keynote (but don’t worry, I’ve listened to enough Michael Hyatt to know not to use my ‘bullets to kill’… you know, death by Powerpoint and all that.