Have you ever wondered how in the heck you're going to do it? You are a lawyer who wants to make partner, an accountant, an engineer or other professional and part of your business plan is that you have to attract business customers? You've always detested selling, and you can't see yourself doing it! As a matter of fact, sales people are a HUGE turn off to you!!!
Yet, you HAVE to bring in customers!!!
What ARE you going to do?
Many of my current or former clients fit the above description. Many of them finally contacted me, a coach, when they were in trouble because they had NO CLUE where to start. They decided that they did need help, and they realized that only a professional could rescue the mess that they've made.
And guess what? They survived! And not only did they survive, but they thrived! As soon as they realized that they didn't need to change their personality, become a raving fan, or over the top, they relaxed and settled into learning what they had to do.
I'll take you through a typical client and what they learn to do.
Kirk was a guy who found me in one of my Charisma classes! He was basically a smart fellow who was trying to make partner in his law firm. He had been told upon his hiring that he'd be responsible for attracting business to his company. He bluffed his way through the interview by mentioning how many people that he knew and how many big cases he had worked on successfully. He didn't mention that the business wasn't his, or that he was TERRIFIED of calling all of the people that he knew and asking for business!
When Kirk and I finally got together I asked him to start by naming all of his strengths. We went over all of the benefits that any of his clients or future clients would get by working with him. I had him post these in his office so he'd never doubt how talented he really is in work.
Next, we outlined what sorts of clients he should secure and then wrote a list of any current or former friends or colleagues that he knew. We developed an information sheet on each of them which would be later transferred to a contact management system such as ACT or Goldmine. On each of the sheets, Kirk had to go and write about the person. He wrote down anything he knew about them professionally or personally. These ranged from where they went to school to their spouses names, to their hobbies.
Next, we put them in order from A Accounts ( HUGE!!!) down to D accounts (Barely worth calling) and everyone in between. When all was said and done, Kirk had a list of about 25 people on the A list and those were the ones that we focused on.
Those names went into the computer. We then called and got all of their current information such as emails, secretaries names, firms, etc. We then wrote a letter that was sent to each of them announcing his new position and then said that Kirk would soon be giving a follow up call to say a quick hello. The letter was written in a casual manner, and not too formal. It definitely did NOT look like a form letter from a law firm!
Over time, Kirk redeveloped these people into friends. He did it by meeting them to play basketball, going to networking events with them, or inviting them to political speeches. He was able to get tickets for a few of them to different events and basically became a resource to the whole legal profession for most of them. Kirk became a FRIEND to these individuals, their firms and as a result, guess what happened?
Kirk started bringing in business of course! Not only that, but his bosses wanted to know what he was doing and how it all started. Needless to say, a few of his co workers were in the position to hire a coach and we duplicated Kirk's experience.
Developing into a sales professional is a scary thought for someone who is afraid of sales. But turning into a resource for your friends and colleagues is not only fun, but a great way to learn and grow your business. And if you get stuck, call me! I'll help you through!
Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC's 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.
For information contact: mary@marygardner.com or Web: www.marygardner.com
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Are you searching for new and innovative ways of sales... Read More
Recently I received a prospecting voice mail message from a... Read More
The telephone is still the best and most effective way... Read More
It pays to be specific. I believe that statement is... Read More
We all make mistakes when selling our product or service.... Read More
I was looking at some promotional literature and web sites... Read More
Although David has been a graphic designer for a decade,... Read More
If you knew a few sure fire ideas that have... Read More
I have found that there are two best ways to... Read More
The goal of all sales training is not just to... Read More
1. Give your prospects a f~ree trial of your software... Read More
Ever thought to yourself, "If only my team members would... Read More
People are always looking for ways to close the sale.... Read More
There's an old saying, "Don't air your dirty laundry".If you're... Read More
Based on his most recent e-mail, "Everything looks good --... Read More
"The Close" is sales jargon for the bit where you... Read More
For many individuals in business the hardest part is selling.... Read More
I saw something in town the other day that just... Read More
Many of us in sales are taught to believe that... Read More
In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More
Obviously, you can not know all of the things that... Read More
It's all about relationships!Here is how a popular TV show... Read More
Q & AQ. Sometimes when I'm presenting to clients, I... Read More
A lot is written and talked about in regard to... Read More
The "Three Cs" in building customer relationships are a key... Read More
Most salespeople are under the false belief that the lower... Read More
Want to increase sales within your company? It's not as... Read More
Since 1990 I have focused on the three primary barriers... Read More
These are the top 7 safety tips that criminals don't... Read More
1. Spend money on targeted advertising instead of mass media... Read More
To be totally in tune with the needs of your... Read More
Better than offline promotion such as press releases, talks, or... Read More
The dreaded question: "What exactly does your company do?" It's... Read More
The telephone is still the best and most effective way... Read More
During the introduction of the "Stop Selling!" philosophy, we typically... Read More
Pareto's Principle {the 80/20 rule) is vividly illustrated in the... Read More
Here's an idea on how to make reading the daily... Read More
In this article, I would like to talk about the... Read More
Several weeks ago I asked my Newsletter subscribers to send... Read More
Unquestionably when the word hypnosis pops-up in a conversation or... Read More
I have found that there are two best ways to... Read More
Sales marketing online is an art that you must keep... Read More
As a trainer, you will be able to see a... Read More
It's the prospect. If stalls and objections frequently come up... Read More
When I researched the field of using personality inventories to... Read More
I am a big believer that great salespeople generally realize... Read More
Contrary to many of the books on how to be... Read More
What do we mean by a consultative approach?When you hear... Read More
Just because your business is based in your home that... Read More
In the day-to-day operation of an online business we can... Read More
As a salesperson, your ultimate goal, of course, is to... Read More
1. Combine a product and service together in a package... Read More
To be totally in tune with the needs of your... Read More
Who's talking to your customers? Is it your competition? Why... Read More
This issue's topic on sales prospects comes in response to... Read More
I arrive with about 350 other guys. We smile at... Read More
Mortgage leads are like a box of chocolates, you never... Read More
1. You could end your ad copy with a discounted... Read More
The "Three Cs" in building customer relationships are a key... Read More
The quickest way to increase sales is to make things... Read More
1) QUICK FOLLOW-UPSWhen you make your first sale, follow-up with... Read More
"I recommend the 5.8 GHz Digital Phone, because it suits... Read More
The art of backend sellingThe backend sale can be more... Read More
Look at your marketing material. Now, is there something missing?... Read More
From a customer's perception, it's easy for a salesperson to... Read More
Have you ever found a lead on a scrap of... Read More
Sales Training |