Selling Without "Selling"

Hi everyone ...

Does the idea of selling make you uncomfortable? I used to feel that way. What was really funny was that after someone would give me an appointment and spend an hour or more with me, I would still feel uncomfortable asking them if they wanted to buy my goods! Why was I there .. of course they planned to buy something! What was my problem?!

Now many years later I use a process I put together based upon primarily the Max Sacks training program and my own observations on "polite" communications. The end result is a sales process that I enjoy. I feel like a matchmaker and the best part is that the sales tend to close themselves!

Having been asked many time to share my sales process, I have finally created a 1-on-1 telephone training that I believe will change not only your selling success, but your life! At its completion you will be able to sell without selling! How great is that?

Check it out here and let me know your thoughts! http://bit.ly/cYUJ3d

Meanwhile ..


Keep your business growing ...
margie

Online Marketing Confusion?

Anyone get confused about which online resources to use when? ... and where? ... and how? You are not alone. It can get "cloudy" out there!
x
One way to help yourself clear up the confusion is to break your marketing functions down into the basic components you have seen over the years in traditional marketing. There is a central office or hub of operations with advertising, a sales force, and prospecting as the primary marketing components. Do you agree with that?

Now, take it a step further by realizing that each individual marketing function can and will multi-task all the functions, i.e. advertising will happen at the central hub, prospecting can obviously be a part of advertising, and I'm sure you have more examples.

The same thing happens with online marketing resources at an even higher rate ... which is probably why we can get sooooooo confused! Would love you to write a comment on where you see cross-utilization and are not quite sure which or what way to "best" use a resource ...or when?

A basic platform or guideline is:
Central Hub - Website
Advertising - Online Newsletter, Email Promo's & Ads
Sales Force - Blog for conversation on business specifics
Prospecting - Social Networking

Does this make sense? Let me know "your" thoughts. Again the above is a very 1st layer of "assignment" of roles and basically serves in assisting you in knowing where to start. The layers build and get more complex.
x
TIP for success in assigning roles & priorities: Always keep your business needs "FIRST" and the resources second.

My weekly mailing adds lots more detail to this discussion ... if you are not on my list, please join us! There is a sign-up link on the right side of this page.
x
In the mean time ...
Keep your business garden growing ..

margie

5 Email Subject LIne "DON'Ts"

Hello to all .. .

Have been noticing an increase in "laziness" when it comes to creating our one-to-one email subject lines! Not a good idea as this is where ...

• Your "first" impression begins.
• Where your reader creates a mind-set for opening and then reading your message.
• Where an emotion is created about you, the sender!!

Did you know all that was going on? I hope not!

HERE ARE 5 DON'Ts FOR EMAIL SUBJECT LINES

1. DON'T leave your subject line blank.
   A blank subject line often, upon first glance, is seen as spam. No hope of getting it opened.
   x
2. DON'T put your message in the subject line.
   Some people just read the beginning and assume the message is inside ( where it is supposed to be). When they open to a blank message area they get confused .. are not sure if something you wrote didn't come through, have to go back to the subject line and check to see if there is more ~ it all adds up to an unpleasant communication written obviously for YOUR convenience, not theirs.
   
   You might say it is just a short message so it "is" for the convenience of the recipient. They still do not know there is nothing inside and upon seeing the blank interior can be left in a "grey" mindset where they really don' t know if there is more for them to know. Just does not work in your favor.
   x
3. DON'T grab an old email and keep the old email subject line for a new message!
   Your recipient is sure going to feel less than special don't you think? Great way to build upon a relationship. You are also risking them not even opening it for thinking it is old news.
   
   Take the 30 seconds it takes to grab that old email so you can find their email address, copy and paste their address into a "new" email with a new subject line. It will change your recipient's entire attitude about you.
   x
4. DON'T assume you are tho only person who sends emails to your recipient.
   By this I mean if you make your subject line be about "lunch" ... identify the day of the lunch, purpose of the lunch, or even say lunch with you( by name). Make it easy for your recipient to know exactly what your email is addressing. Not everyone looks at the "from" name .. or at least not before confusion and discontent sets in ... subliminally or conscious wise.
   x
5. DON'T be cute or tricky.
   No one these days opens anything that does not get to the point. It is usually regarded as spam and deleted before a "from" name is even looked at. See more on this under number 4"s description.
   
   

Bottom line .. be clear, concise, distinct and considerate. The more you can eliminate "any" need for the recipient to think about what the email is about, the more positively your email will be received in the reader's inbox. Upon passing this point, the more likely your email will be opened and read!
x
Remember each and every one-on-one email is an opportunity to further develop your relationship with your recipient. Take advantage and make sure your emails are positive experiences.
x
Keep your business growing ...
margie

Facebook Security - Are We Expecting Too Much?

Hello ..

Just did a mailing on the new facebook security settings. The name begs me to ask if you think we are expecting too much from our internet resources in regards to "security?" What are your thoughts? Do you expect to have information you put on the internet be private?

It wasn't that long ago, and for many it still is, when we hesitated to use our credit cards online. So why now is the level of expectancy so high? We all "know" that encryption is required along with passwords for any type of true protection. Just because a company tells us all is private, are we that easy? How can we be so "trusting" or "stupid" .. which do you think it is?

I will concur that facebook had no right to lead us on .. but again I feel we each need to carry a personal responsibility. Basically it is lots more fun to just put data on the internet that we are comfortable sharing .. no worries!!

If nothing else, I for one, am changing my use of the word "security" to "control." What say you?

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Do You Like Facebook's New LIKE Button?

Hello to all ..

Just did a mailing all about the facebook's new LIKE button! I like it .. what about you?
x
Need to find a moment or two to add it to my pages but if your website gets visitors and traffic it is the way to go for sure.
x
Basically you can have people "LIKE" your business page the very same way you did it before when the pages were FAN pages. BUT now in addition, there are plugins that you can put on your website pages, blog, articles that you write, etc. The plugins allow your webpages to operate like a facebook business page without being one. Visitors can share them, recommend them, and what I like the most is visitors can write a comment that will go their live feeds ...i.e. taking your webpage to live feeds that stretch way beyond your own. How much visibility is that????
x
If you are not on my mailing list you may want to join. I go over all in easy to understand detail .. http://www.todaysway.net/weekly/gardengrowingmay242010_facebook.htm PLUS ..my weekly special is a 90 minute facebook training and coaching session for $60 to the first 4 callers! Can't beat that!
x
If you already know about the plugins, please share with me what your thoughts might be about the LIKE button. Would love to hear from outsiders just what you think facebook is up to!!
x
Keep your business growing,
margie

Do You Ever Struggle When Creating Online Postings For Your Business?

Do you ever struggle with creating a social networking business posting? How many times do you head to your social network of choice and become clueless as to what to write and resort to something trivial from your day?

If this is you .... you are amongst many out there! There are so many telesminars on strategies for timing, types of postings, places to go to post, etc... but there is very little to help you actually create your postings.

There is no larger pond to fish in for new prospects for your business than the social networks ... so why is it that we don't know what to say about ourselves ( our businesses)? I would really love it if you would share what your specific thoughts are on this subject.

Social networking should be a core activity within our business marketing plan and we should have fun while we are doing it. I have some ideas of my own that I shared with my weekly mailing list to make it much, much easier for business owners. If you would like to get a copy you can subscribe to my mailing list at http://www.todaysway.net/welcome.htm#struggle. You can also find out a little bit more about what you will be receiving via this same link.

In the mean time I would still love to have your input on what "you" find challenging about creating social networking postings for your business. Leave me your comments, please!

Keep your business growing ...
margie