A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Black Haus Icicle, with Black Haus® blackberry schnapps, Smirnoff® vodka and Cointreau® orange liqueur.
Category: Shots & Shooters – by base-ingredient
Ingredients: 1 oz Black Haus® blackberry schnapps
1/2 oz Smirnoff® vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau® orange liqueur
How to: Pour the Black Haus blackberry schnapps into a shot glass. Add Smirnoff vodka, followed by Cointreau, and serve.
Glassware: Shot Glass
What’s in it for you?
(per 2 oz serving)
|
Calories (kcal)
Energy (kj)
Fats
Carbohydrates
Protein
|
146
612
0 g
13.1 g
0 g
|
Fiber
Sugars
Cholesterol
Sodium
Alcohol
|
0 g
-
-
-
22.7 g
|
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A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Canadian Cider, with Yukon Jack® Canadian whisky, Canadian whisky and spiced cider.
Category: Beer / Ale – Yukon Jack® Canadian whisky
Ingredients: 1 oz Yukon Jack® Canadian whisky
1/2 oz Canadian whisky
3 oz hot spiced cider
How to: Pour all ingredients into a Irish coffee mug, and stir. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, and serve.
Glassware: Irish Coffee Cup
What’s in it for you?
(per 4.5 oz serving)
|
Calories (kcal)
Energy (kj)
Fats
Carbohydrates
Protein
|
150
628
0 g
11.6 g
0 g
|
Fiber
Sugars
Cholesterol
Sodium
Alcohol
|
0 g
11.6 g
0 mg
23 mg
19.8 g
|
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“How do you create a perceived value to differentiate yourself from the competition, when you are both selling a commodity?”
That’s a question I’m often asked in my seminars. It uncovers a problem that is spreading to almost every industry. The rapid pace of technological development and our ultra-competitive global economy means that no one can keep a competitive edge in their product for very long. Develop a hot new product or service, and before you can take your first check to the bank, a competitor has a hotter or cheaper version. As a result, customers are more and more inclined to view your product or service as a commodity – no real difference between you and the next guy.
This complicates life for the salesperson. In some cases, you are selling exactly the same thing as your competitor. I spent a number of years selling for a distributor who sold, for the most part, exactly the same products as four or five competitors. Many of my clients work in this arena. Lumber distributors (a piece of lumber is a piece of lumber), industrial fasteners (a screw is a screw is a screw), petroleum (87 octane gasoline is 87 octane gasoline) etc. The list goes on and on.
In other cases, your product may not be exactly the same, but the customer views your product as a commodity with no real differences between what you sell and what your competitor offers. How much real difference is there between Coke and Pepsi after all?
Regardless of the situation in which you find yourself, the problem for the salesperson is the same – getting the business in the face of the customer’s perception of your “me too” product or service.
So, what do you do? This. To put it simply, you must detail and communicate the important ways your offering differs from your competitors.
That’s easier said then done. To do so effectively, you need to spend some time thinking and preparing. And that means that you must carefully consider the two most important elements of the sale – your offering, and your customer. In this column, we’re going to focus on one part of that equation – your offering.
Granted, your product may be exactly the same as the competition, but the totality of your offering may be dramatically different. I use the word “offering” to indicate every aspect of the purchasing decision – not just the product. For example, the customer buys the product from a company – yours or the other guys. The customer buys it from a salesperson – you or the competitor. Your company and you are part of the “offering.” In addition, there may be differences in your terms, delivery, your customer-service capabilities, your follow-up, your return policy, your value-added services, etc. All of these are part of your “offering.”
The product may be identical, but everything else about your offering may be different. For example, let’s say you are contemplating purchasing a new Taurus. You have identical price quotes from two dealers. The product is the same, and the price is the same. However, one dealer is close by, the other across town. One dealer has a reputation for great customer service; the other has no such reputation. The salesperson for the first dealer is the brother of an old high-school friend, while the salesperson for the second dealer is a bit cocky and pushy. The first dealer has a clean, comfortable establishment, while the second one is cramped, cluttered and dirty.
From whom do you buy your Taurus? Stupid question. Of course you buy it from the first dealer. Not because of any differences in the product or the price, but because of differences in the offering. Got the idea? There is a whole lot more to a decision to buy then just the product or the price.
Your first job is to identify those differences. Here are some very specific steps you can take today.
ONE: Think about everything that is associated with the product when a customer purchases it. Create several categories, and label columns on a piece of paper with the names of those categories. For example, the first column could be headed with the word “company,” the second with the word “salesperson,” the third with “terms.” Continue in this way, identifying every aspect of the offering and placing each of those components at the top of a column.
TWO: Now, consider each column one at a time, and list all the ways that your offering differs from your competitor’s in that column. For example, your company may be locally owned as opposed to your competitor’s branch of a national company. Or you may be physically closer to the customer, or larger, smaller, newer, older, etc. After you’ve exhausted one column, move onto the others, filling in the details as you go.
THREE: This exercise will typically reveal dozens (and in some cases hundreds,) of specific, detailed differences. Far too many than you can easily communicate to the customer. So, your next step is to pick out those differences that are most important to your customer. Keep in mind that often what you see as important may not be viewed that way by your customers.
At one point in my career, I worked for a company that celebrated its 100th year anniversary. That was unusual. No other competitors had been in business nearly that long. The company decided to make a big deal about it. A history of the company was written, brochures printed, even murals depicting significant moments in the company’s history were painted on the walls of the corporate office. We all thought it was important.
Our customers, however, didn’t care. After respectfully listening to our boasting, their response was some form of “So what?” In other words, our 100 years didn’t mean anything to them. In no way did it make their jobs easier, simplify their lives, or make them more important to their companies. What we thought was important turned out to be irrelevant from our customers’ perspective.
Don’t make the mistake we made. Instead, take the time to critically analyze your list, and eliminate those items that are not important to your customer, that don’t impact their jobs or make a difference to them. You should be left with a handful of items.
FOUR: One more step to the preparation. Translate each of those items into statements of benefit to the customer. For example, your company may be local, while your competitor ships from 50 miles away. So what? What does that mean to your customer? You could translate that item of difference into a benefit by saying something like this: “As opposed to some other suppliers, we’re just 15 minutes from your plant. This means that you can get quick delivery of emergency shipments, as well as rapid response to any problem that might develop. So, you’ll have potentially less downtime in the plant, and of course, less stress and pressure on you.”
Now that you’ve professionally prepared, you are ready to communicate those differences to your customer. You need to point them out in an organized and persuasive presentation.
Prepare a sell sheet with each of the differences noted as a bullet. Next to each bullet, have a few comments that capsulize the benefit statements you prepared. Then, meet with your customer, lay the sheet down in front of him/her, and talk down through it, explaining each point as you go.
Treat it like you would any other well-done presentation. Be sensitive to your customer’s reaction, and ask for feedback as you work down through the list. Say, “How does that sound?” or “Does that make sense to you?” and emphasize those things that seem to be more important to your customer. Then, leave that sheet with your customer.
I’m always amazed at the number of salespeople who are confounded over the customer’s perception that their product is just like the other guys, when those salespeople have done nothing to show the customer how it is different.
As always, if you have done a good job of analyzing, preparing, and communicating, your customer’s perception should be altered, and you gain the business. If you haven’t done well at this, then your customer will continue to see no difference between buying it from you and buying from the next guy. And, if you haven’t shown him/her sufficient reason to buy it from you, then he shouldn’t.
From the customer’s point of view, if your offering is just like the competitor’s, then the customer is absolutely correct in buying from the cheaper source. However, if there is any difference between your offering and your competitors’, than the responsibility is totally yours to show the customer that difference. Follow the process described here, and you’ll have far fewer customers treating you like a commodity.
Copyright 2002 by Dave Kahle
About Dave Kahle, The Growth Coach®:
Dave Kahle is a consultant and trainer who helps his clients increase their sales and improve their sales productivity. He speaks from real world experience, having been the number one salesperson in the country for two companies in two distinct industries. Dave has trained thousands of salespeople to be more successful in the Information Age economy. He’s the author of over 500 articles, a monthly ezine, and four books. His latest is 10 Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople. He has a gift for creating powerful training events that get audiences thinking differently about sales.
His “Thinking About Sales” Ezine features content-filled motivating articles, practical tips for immediate improvements, useful resources and helpful tips to help increase sales. Join for NOTHING on-line at www.davekahle.com/mailinglist.htm.
You can reach Dave at:
The DaCo Corporation
3736 West River Drive
Comstock Park, MI 49321
Phone: 800-331-1287 / 616-451-9377
Fax: 616-451-9412
info@davekahle.com
www.davekahle.com
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Your groomsmen will be donating their time to your big event. They will appear at the tailor or rental store to be fitted for that formal wear. They will hear your arguments with your beloved over the wedding arrangements. They will celebrate your last night of being a single man. They will cheerfully escort your guests to their seat. And some will offer toasts in your honor at your reception. So how do you show your appreciation for all they are doing for you? Take a look at some of our suggestions.
-A key chain with a four leaf clover embedded into a plastic circle.
-A monogrammed leather money clip with their initials on the front.
-Silver cuff links with their last initial engraved on the surface.
-For the man who travels, a monogrammed leather travel valet.
-For the ones who are still single, give a silver paperweight of a frog with a crown on his head.
-A set of silver pen and pencil set with their last initial as an emblem on the clip.
-A Silver-plated yo-yo with the words “thanks” and the date of your wedding engraved on the side.
-For the golfer in your group, a silver plated key chain with a golf divot tool attached.
-Someone in your group loves to BBQ. Give him an branding iron with his initials so that he can brand every steak that comes off his grill.
-For the hiker, give him a set of “off trail” binoculars.
-For the guys in the baseball team, give them a personalized bat. You can add 3 lines to the bat to express your appreciation.
Adriana Copaceanu provides people with creative gift ideas that don’t blow the bank. Gift Baskets for Baby, Birthday and Beyond, are just some gift ideas you’ll find at her site: http://www.abcgiftsandbaskets.com. Want regular reminders on gift-giving? Sign up for her free monthly newsletter at http://www.abcgiftsandbaskets.com/gift-news-signup.htm.
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Certainly by now you have seen those new ultra-long SUV type shopping carts, where the kids sit in the plastic car in front and pretend to steer down the isles? They are excellent for Store Managers as it keeps kids from pulling items off the shelves. This causes unnecessary spillage, product loss and time to clean up the mess. Makes a lot of sense and the kids seem happy, stay out of the way and do not get run over by fast moving shoppers like you and I. Zooom!
One thing you may not have thought of is that retail merchandisers are now putting kids type products on the lower shelves. And companies selling things that kids like pay to be on those lower shelves instead of only at the normal eye level of kids sitting in shopping carts, which is closer to the eye level of adults. This means they are freeing up some of that high rent space and able to put more items lower, which they can charge for also, this is helping their shelf space programs that they sell to manufacturers of retail products.
Those who sell products may wish to be thinking here if you are selling to spoiled children who are now riding lower in the carts yelling; “mommy, I want, want!” In essence the children’s department at the grocery stores is now split to two levels and the grocery stores are loving it in more ways than one. Think on this.
“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
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A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Drambuie Cider, with Drambuie® Scotch whisky and cider.
Category: Cocktails – Drambuie® Scotch whisky
Ingredients: 2 oz Drambuie® Scotch whisky
8 oz hot cider
How to: Stir ingredients together in a coffee mug, and serve with a cinnamon stick.
Glassware: Coffee Mug
What’s in it for you?
(per 10 oz serving)
|
Calories (kcal)
Energy (kj)
Fats
Carbohydrates
Protein
|
292
1221
0 g
26 g
0 g
|
Fiber
Sugars
Cholesterol
Sodium
Alcohol
|
-
-
0 mg
-
35.2 g
|
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Do you believe sales people are born, or made? If you think they are born, why is it so many companies pay a great deal of money on sales training? Let’s kill a few myths – good, professional sellers are not necessarily extroverts or the life and soul of the party, they are not cavalier in their attitudes, they are not hard-nosed “closers”, nor do they have to be driven by money.
Most people can be successful as sellers once understand what they need to do to be effective. Beginning with the basics, dictionary definitions will tell you that “to sell” includes “to convince of value” and “salesmanship” includes “persuading purchasers to buy.” Taking these as a starting point provides some good clues for becoming more successful at selling. (It also explains why many industries become media fodder through their mis-selling approaches which should have died out decades ago!)
1. Identify the right target market and prospects for your product or service. Be clear who you want to sell to, get your message to them and then qualify whether they have the budget and need – or when will they?
2. Build rapport with the prospect, ie get in tune with the way they want to interact with you. Remember, people buy people. They do not have to like you, however it is important that they do not dislike you!! Starting to build the relationship will move you to a position where they will tell you about their business, themselves and their needs.
3. Focus on their challenges or issues, what they want to change, remove or improve. They know what is going on, so let them tell you. Help this along by being curious, ask questions – and listen to the answers! If you want to persuade them to buy, and be convinced of value you have to find out what it will be for them. Find their “shopping list” and write down what they tell you. Check that you understand what is on their list. Anything which is vague or can be misinterpreted needs to be clarified. Remember, “telling is not selling”!
4. Let them know what you have to offer which matches the items on their “list”. Learn to sell the benefits – people will buy your product or service for what it does for them, not for what it is. Remember, prospects are asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” or “How will that help me?”
5. Ask for commitment. You can be committing prospects throughout the meeting(s) with asking for small levels of decision or bits of information. When you feel that you have covered the key points of what they want, and have dealt with any questions, ask them if they want to go ahead.
Selling is like learning any other skill, there is a basic level you can acquire and then you can develop your expertise with on-going training and practice.
Remember that selling is simple:
- Find the right types of prospects
- Find what they are looking for
- Show them how you can provide it
- They will be happy to buy from you!!
Graham Yemm has over 20 experience as a consultant. He runs a UK based consultancy, Solutions 4 Training Ltd and works both in the UK and internationally with organisations helping them to develop their sales strategy, processes and skills. He can be contacted at : info@solutions4training.com”>info@solutions4training.com or +44 14843 480656.
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