Flibuti Corp.

People say to me, Maria, I am creating brochures and I am meeting people. I am telling people about my business and I just don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Do you have any suggestions?

When I say to them, “have you asked them to buy your product or service?” I quite often get a blank stare back at me.

“Ask??” You mean I should ask.

Yes, this is a very important part of doing business, and many people have lost sales that they would have received if they had only asked for the sale.

This is called, the close.

Some people have said, “But what if they say no?” So what, the odds are in business that you will have more no’s than yes’s. You see, the more that I have studied marketing, the more I see how true that is. Just consider the no’s practice on your way to a yes.

Some of the most successful marketers out there state that a 10% conversion is good. That means 90% were either not interested or were unable to purchase at this time due to a large variety of reasons.

A no doesn’t mean the end of the world or the end of your business, it just means at this moment they are not interested.

And, ask yourself, how many sales do you believe that you will get if you don’t ask. Not asking is considered the same as leaving money on the table.

Sometimes it means, you just haven’t shown them a benefit that they can relate to.

I have seen examples of people who have changed just a word or two on their web copy and then the sales started pouring in.

If you need to learn how to ask for the sale, there are many books written on the importance of asking and many considered it one of the success secrets in business.

There are countless articles, books and courses on closing a sale and if you haven’t read any of them, I would highly recommend that you do. They go into detail on the early close, the trial close and the final close. As well, I have seen different names given to different styles.

Sadly, the reality is, many people have a sales phobia and would rather socialize at networking event and hope someone will come up and buy their product or service. And believe it or not, other people may think yes it is a good product but you are apparently just showing me today.

So, if the word sales drives you into a frenzy then start by reading, “The Aladdin Factor” by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. It is a book on how to ask for and get what you want in every area of your life. And, has in it a formula for overcoming the seven most common “asking fears”

It is important to remember that no matter what business you are in, you are always selling yourself, product and or service and knowing how to do it well will assist and help your clients.

When you have a valuable product or service that improves people’s lives, consider it your obligation to let them know that it exists. You will feel more confident than approaching them as though you are a pest.

Just remember, it’s your job to ask and it’s ok if they say no.

Smile and go on to the person just waiting for your arrival.

P.S. If you like what you’re reading in this ezine,
you’ll love the book,
“Overcoming Barriers to Communication”
Answer the questions; Why doesn’t anyone understand me?
Why do I have such a hard time getting my message across?.
Overcoming Barriers to Communication

All the Best!
Maria Boomhower
The Master Communicator
To sign up for a free report on “The 7 Secrets to Communication Mastery” go to:
www.falconfreedom.com
Master Communicator Blog

In essence affliliate marketing resembles e-bay. Merchandise is advertised on your web pages and for this, every purchase earns you a percentage. There’s much less work, few overheads, it works whilst you sleep, and what’s even better, it’s comparatively easy to pick up. At the start, you must determine what items or market you want to work in. A effective way to do this is, discover what solutions to a problem a certain market segment is experiencing, and which solutions will assist them. One of the best ways to find this is to find specific sets of extremely targeted words and phrases; there are less internet searches for these generally, nevertheless more of these convert to a sale. These important keywords can be obtained by using Micro Niche Finder or or a a similar program. The results generated by Micro Niche Finder or other applications and software packages makes a list of associated keywords allowing you to get a headstart when it comes to ranking on an internet search engine.

Further info is available from the program, for to illustrate search frequency, the exact number of other sites using the particular word or phrase, and how good those sites are. Ultimately, the data generated can help find appropriate domains, aid you in putting together your web site, and also point out the best sales opportunities.

The next step is to put together a internet site; but there are still essential things to do. Search engine optimization is absolutely crucial. This is where Seo Elite information and other similar applications comes in. Competing web sites are examined by SEO Elite information which then offers suggestions to improve search engine rankings. With SEO Elite the information created by the computer software suggests where you should find appropriate links, the best keywords, and even a list of article submission sites to refer to. In short, the data generated are much like to the advice that an SEO specialist may provide.

When you have determined which market segment you’d like to focus on, have your product advertisements, and your internet site is finished, then all you need to do is aggressively promote your search engine rankings. Your earnings will roll in regularly and you will wonder why you did not try this type of marketing sooner!

In essence affliliate marketing resembles e-bay. You promote the various products on your site and for this, every sale brings in a commission. It isn’t nearly as much work, fewer operating costs, it works while you rest, and what is even better, it is relatively simple to pick up.

To start with, you have to decide what products or area you wish to work in. A method of doing this is, identify solutions to problems a certain customer profile is suffering from, and what solutions will help them. One of the most effective ways to determine this is searching for groups of long tail keywords; broadly speaking people look for these less often, but they convert far more into sales.

These important keywords can be obtained by using Micro Niche Finder. Selective Information gathered by Micro Niche Finder or other applications and services results in a list of associated terms giving valuable targets to earn an advantage in the rankings on an web based search. Micro Niche Finder will in addition let you know how many searches each one gets, the number of competing sites, even competitor details. Ultimately, the data created can identify suitable domains, material for your internet site, and reveal the best items for you to sell.

Building a internet site is next; yet there are still crucial things to do. Search engine optimization is an absolute must. Products like SEO Elite can make this simpler. Your competitors’ internet sites are examined by Seo Elite information which then offers advice to better search results. In SEO Elite the info created by the software package suggests where to look for links, the most profitable keywords, and a list of article submission websites to use. In a nutshell, SEO Elite information is much like to the information you would receive if you consult a skilled SEO specialist.

When you know what target market you want to sell in, design your product ads, and your web site has been completed, then you are ready to advance your search engine rankings. You will collect a regular pay check and question why you ever doubted that this type of marketing could be successful for you!

If you own a business whether it is small or large it is very important that you train your employees on how to answer the business telephone correctly and in such a way that it is short and sweet and a very quick commercial about your company and your intent on good quality and great service.

It is hereby recommended that you start working on this tomorrow and perhaps discuss this issue with your employees to see who can come up with the best possible way to answer the business telephone. Make sure it does not sound to corny, but is really lively and makes you a real company to each and every single person who calls, whether they are a new client or an existing great customer.

Have you ever called up a company and listened to the telephone answer and thought to yourself; what a great company. And think you have not even done business with them yet. Now do you see my point?

For instance consider Avis Rent a Car; “Hello thank you for calling Avis Rent a Car, we try harder! How can I help you?”

Do you see how they accentuate their business telephone answer at a corporation and how this goes along with all their advertising on TV, radio and in the newspaper. When they answer the phone you hear one more time their slogan and you think yourself; Wow, maybe they really do try harder? Do you see what I mean? Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Training is one of those words that has numerous connotations associated with it. When we first think of training we often envision an instructor behind a podium imparting his or her wisdom, and then assuming students will have the foresight to apply the principles back in the real world. Second, training is often perceived as an expense that is hard to quantify. Third, training takes on the persona the instructor better be good, or the training process will be not be effective. In addition, it is perceived to be time intensive and not palatable when considering how to apply the training to the real world.

Well, none of these assumptions or presumptions have to be true. Training or learning does not have to take place in a classroom, and it does NOT have to be solely the instructor’s responsibility. There is a way to reduce management time, decrease long-term training costs, and ultimately turn employees into high performers who, believe it or not, manage their own learning. You may be asking yourself, “How does this take place?”

Actually, very simply, with a revolutionary concept called “Self-Directed Learning”. This extraordinary concept is taking the training learning world by storm. Learning is the key word with this concept, it imposes ultimate responsibility of the process on the employee. The employee is responsible for their own learning, versus an instructor having to train them.

So, “what exactly is Self-Directed Learning?” It’s a process that utilizes short techniques in 15 to 45 minute sessions geared toward simulating the required skills of a specific job function. The activities are performed on a continuous basis such as daily or bi-daily. Once the activities are completed, points are rewarded to track the progress of each employee. Many organizations will award employees by the accumulating points or achieving specific milestones to encourage the self-learning.

Next, the major factor in developing a successful self-directed learning program is using the proper techniques to achieve the desired outcomes. The following are some of the most common areas of training and how specific, self-directed learning techniques can enable successful learning to take place outside of the classroom:

1. Product Training - An employee could demo or teach the basic elements or components of a product and than have the employee teach it back. After all, it has been proven that to truly know something is to have the ability to teach it.

2. Industry Knowledge - An employee could be provided with reading materials on the industry, with the ultimate expectation they will either email a supervisor what they learned or present the concept to management.

3. Soft Skills - soft skills such as listening and presentation skills can be role-played by using specific scenarios that apply to the real world.

4. Positive Behavior - Modeling is a technique where an employee observes another employee who represents the positive behavior. A second facet of this technique is to then have the employee act out the modeled behavior.

5. Industry Workshops / Certifications - If employees need to go a public workshop or industry certification, you can leverage this event by making them email 3 things they learned or teach their peers in small groups what they learned & how they can apply the techniques to their jobs.

Designing a self-directed learning program is a relatively straightforward process. Any manager can learn the self-directed learning concept and how to successfully apply it. The key factor of a self-directed learning system is to match the activities with desired outcomes. The learning activities must produce activities or practices that are desired from a results perspective. In designing these activities if management is involved, the cost can be minimal.

Tim Hagen owns Sales Progress LLC a sales consulting and development firm located in Mequon, Wisconsin. Tim has worked with clients such as the Milwaukee Brewers, Bombardier Evinrude and EPSI. Typically, he has produced increases in sales between 15-35%. His website can be located at http://www.SalesProgress.com or http://www.SalesManagerClub.net

When my sales manager said “sales is a numbers game”, I should have beaten him with the lie then and there. Unfortunately, my first sale came directly from a cold call and I was convinced that cold calling worked. It only took one hint at success for me to believe in cold calling. You could say that I was cursed for the next few months and became a victim. Many of the old sales books fed my appetite for more sales calls and longer hours. Unfortunately for me, I’m not a math genius and couldn’t see the flaw in the formula. Perhaps there are industries where cold calling works. I just wasn’t in one.

My sales manager was right, “the more cold calls I made the more sales I made”. However, I was fighting a losing battle with time. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day to meet my sales goals. Fortunately, I began examining the sales numbers and noticed a more important equation in sales.

Revealing the Truth of Sales Ratios
My sales numbers began to reveal my sales ratios and a pattern of success. The activity numbers indicated that certain markets and businesses produced substantial sales. These sales trends jumped out as a pattern I wanted to duplicate. My interest in what was working shifted my attention to monitoring the success ratios of my activities.

WOW, my sales manager was right! However, the truth is - the sales ratios are the numbers we must evaluate. Discovering the relevance of sales ratios and sales activities was the break through I was looking for. Once I learned the value and benefits of profiling sales ratios, cold calling didn’t make sense. Why should I follow the less effective random cold calling method when a more efficient formula produced greater results?

It was like turning on the light of truth to the dark world of sales. Instead of cold calling, I focused like a laser on prospects that matched a specific profile increasing my success ratio. If I was going to make sales calls, I would make them on prime prospects.

The Better Way to Prospect for Customers
If you watch the television program Numbers, you know how the characters define profiles and patterns to find the right prospect or suspect. It is the same in sales and all the evidence is at our finger tips. Once we identify the clues of a prospect by the patterns of existing customers, we know where to find new prospects. Instead of random cold calling, we can focus on prime suspects for our business.

To understand and determine your ratios for success, just ask yourself what percentage of existing customers have X? Your answers will reveal the important ratios. From this exercise you will identify a success pattern to duplicate in your prospects.

This gets you started in determining your success ratios and stops the time wasted activity of random cold calling. As you add new ratios to this list, you will multiply your sales results. The great thing about using ratios is that once you identify the success pattern, there is industry information which will narrow your prospecting search down to who, where, when and how to contact them. Good Selling!

Steve Martinez teaches business how to out smart and out wit the competition by automating and customizing ACT and Outlook with the best practices of sales. http://www.sellingmagic.com

One of the best books I have ever read is a 1986 classic written by Charles Garfield; Peak Performers: The New Heroes of American Business. Garfield spent nearly twenty years trying to figure out what causes some people to excel to amazing successes, while others bask in the glow of mediocrity.

He discovered all types of individuals can become peak performers, that they are made….not born. Regardless of industry, he uncovered these superheroes of the business world in every corner of the United States.

Possessing key attributes, a peak performer will very likely:

• Be motivated toward results by a personal mission
• Posses the twin capacities of self-management and team mastery
• Have the ability to correct course and manage change

Every field has those who reach the top. There are those who are in the top 10% and then those dominate in the top 1%. I am constantly fascinated by those who have that “spark” that leads them to achieve more than other from similar background. Amazing people who are able to work harder (or is it smarter?) and do so without visible signs of effort. They accomplish more than any one could ever imagine. These people stand out as an example to us all.

I have a friend who we have call “Midas”. Since college he has had a spectacular career. He is able to spot great investments and helps others build their companies and maintains a phenomenally strong network of business and personal contacts. All this and he still has time to be a dedicated husband and father.

How about you? Are you a peak performer? If not, do you have the desire to accomplish more in your career and personal life? Here are three ideas that can help you on your path to peak performance:

• Never stop learning. Read books, magazines, newspapers, websites, blogs and other materials. Develop a never ending thirst for knowledge.

• Have a plan. If you do not know where you are going, how will you know when you arrive? Set goals and write them down. Refer to your goals regularly and make decisions that lead you toward their completion.

• Take action. Many intelligent people never reach their potential because they do not ever get moving. Even if you have to adjust your direction, having momentum makes it easier to get things done.

Make the commitment to be better tomorrow than you were today in everything that you do. With this as your mantra, the sky is the limit on what you will achieve.

Thom Singer is the author of the book “Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Keep and Grow Your Business Relationships” (New Year Publishing 2005), and the leader of “The Business Development / Networking Blog”. More information at http://www.thomsinger.com and http://www.thomsinger.blogspot.com.

You can call it telemarketing, tele-selling, telephone soliciting, prospecting, cold calling, or even customer service, but one thing is for sure.

Despite your protestations to the contrary, you’re going to use a script.

What do I mean, by a “script?”

I mean a pre-patterned conversation in which certain words and phrases are used, repeatedly, across conversations.

There are two types of scripts: those that are written down on paper or in a software program and appear on your screen; and those that “appear” only in your memory. But both are scripts.

Why do I say scripting is inevitable?

I mean there is no way to be completely spontaneous across numerous conversations. Just as you probably take the same route to work or school, day after day, you’re going to repeat significant parts of conversations, verbatim.

And there’s a simple reason for this. We’re creatures of reinforcement, and we repeat what seems to be rewarded. Your commute is rewarded. You arrive safely, and more or less on time. It’s a proven process, so instead of reinventing the wheel every day, your mind wants to do other things.

When we’re calling, we’re not just spontaneous, blathering fools. We’re perception machines, noting how listeners are responding to the stimuli we’re providing. When we happen upon a phrase that “clicks,” inducing a prospect give us an appointment or an order, by golly, we’re going to try that phrase again.

There’s nothing wrong with this. Scripts aren’t about morality; they’re about economy.

When we know, more or less, what we’re going to say, we can pay attention to other important matters, such as our inflections, timing, and note taking.

We can even listen to the breathing of the buyer, which can give us a clue as to how he’s unconsciously responding at a given moment.

By the way, you can prove the scripted quality of language to yourself. Studies have shown that a typical text, such as that which appears in an email or a business letter, is 50% redundant. You can delete every other word, and readers will still comprehend 90 plus percent of the meaning, when compared to a control group that reads the whole text.

If you prefer, record your side of telephone calls. Just roll from one call to the next, and you’ll hear the extent to which you’re currently scripted. It might amaze you.

The choice isn’t to script or not. It’s to script explicitly, to write it down, to test various segments systematically, noting the responses they generate. Then, you can refine it and make it the most effective script, possible.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

As a trainer, you will be able to see a single change in a single person, out of perhaps a hundred tries, as a success. That is a good percentage. Obviously, the more successes the merrier, and the smaller the number of tries, the more critical becomes the necessity to increase the possibility and probability of success.

How can you achieve this you ask? An important thing to remember is that no matter how he appears or what he says, your safest assumption always will be that the trainee is subjective. They will interpret you, what you are trying to communicate, and most of the things that occur in the interchange primarily in terms of their own experience, language, understanding, etc. Remember, too, that this is just as true of you. You must constantly and consciously remind yourself to be objective.

Another problem is that many trainers tend to over-isolate specific interchanges between themselves and other people and ignore these very similarities. As a result, they frequently use the wrong words or language or speak in a tone which is inappropriate to the training situation. They think they have to avoid the use of language which is unfamiliar to the audience, thus possibly oversimplifying what they say.

By keeping these two simple things in mind your success rate will definitely increase.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

You’re reading this article because the headline captured your attention. It sparked your desire to know more about creating headlines. That’s the mission of an effective headline. It captures the reader’s attention and provides a compelling reason to read whatever follows.

The headline is the most important part of any ad or sales letter. It determines whether or not people will read your message. You may have the best written copy in the world but you’ve wasted your time if your headline doesn’t excite readers enough to read your message.

Here are some examples of effective headlines I found in the classified ad section of a popular website:

1. Lose 15 Pounds In 30 Days… And Keep It Off 2. Submit Your Ad To 200 Websites With 1 Mouse Click 3. Instantly Increase Your Orders By 29% 4. How To Make $2,000/Month At Home With Your Computer 5. Discover How To Reduce Your Fuel Bills By 43%

Each of these headlines clearly states the benefit I can expect to get from the product, service or business opportunity promoted in the ad under the headline. If I am interested in gaining the benefit, I cannot resist reading the entire ad to find out more.

A SIMPLE FIVE STEP PROCEDURE

I’ve used the following 5 step procedure many times to create powerful headlines. It’s simple and easy to follow. Even someone without special talent, skill or previous experience can use it to create a captivating headline.

STEP #1. Define in writing the ideal prospect you want to capture with your headline. Be sure to include the characteristics that make your product or service valuable to this prospect.

STEP #2. Personalize this ideal prospect by visualizing them as one person you want to attract with your headline. Keep this vision of one person in your mind whenever you’re writing a headline. Your ad or sales letter will be read by one person at a time. Therefore, you’ll find it easier to produce an effective headline by visualizing just one person and writing to that person.

STEP #3. Determine the most valuable benefit this person will gain from the product, service or business opportunity promoted in the message under your headline.

STEP #4. Write as many one sentence statements as you can about this benefit. Use one or more of the words from the following list in each statement. There are many other power words you can use in your headlines. However, many years of trial and error have taught me these 12 are the most effective:

You, Free, New, Guaranteed, Fast, Easy, Discover, Proven, How-to, Save, Increase, $7953 (any exact amount of money)

STEP #5. Select the most powerful statement on your list. If you have several that seem equally powerful, try combining them into one statement and use that as your headline.

That’s it! You’ve just created a powerful headline to capture your reader’s attention and provide a compelling reason to read whatever follows your headline.

Here are some examples of effective headlines I developed using this 5 step procedure.

* Easy Way To Increase Your Sales 60% or More This Month! * Discover How You Can Reduce Arthritis Pain FAST! * You Can Earn 50% More Commissions This Year - Guaranteed! * How To Save $1,329 On Your Next Printing Job! * NEW Free Report: 10 Proven MLM Recruiting Ads YOU Can Use * How To Build Your Small Business FAST - Guaranteed!

Use this simple 5 step procedure the next time you want to create a captivating headline. It’s easy to follow and you’ll create a powerful headline to attract your reader’s attention and compel him/her to read your ad or sales letter.