Sales People: Learn More About Your Product Than Your Company Taught You

When you were being educated about the value and benefits of the product that you would be selling, did you learn everything there is to know about the product? Most likely, no. It’s not that your company withheld information about your product, it’s just that even they probably don’t know all of the uses, benefits, or value of their own product. So how do you find out this information? Ask your customers.

Your customers can tell you things about your product (good and bad) that will help you in the sales process and make you more prepared to overcome the challenges of selling your product. But you have to ask them. They’re not likely to volunteer this information just because you sell the product, but they would be happy to share their experiences with you. It gives them a feeling of authority with your brand.

Here’s an example: WD-40 was developed as a lubricant (water displacement) for machinery parts. It solved a common problem for many industries. It was later revealed in Reader’s Digest that there are many additional uses for WD-40 beyond lubrication. Their customers were the ones that figured out these uses, most likely out of necessity to solve unforeseen problems, and applied WD-40 to solve the issue. One of those uses was for roach extermination. I highly doubt that the inventors of WD-40 knew, or invented WD-40 with roach extermination in mind. But, they never would have known this without the feedback from their customers.

What can your product do that you’re not aware of? You don’t have to brainstorm new solutions for your product to solve, just ask your customers. Use the feedback provided by your customers in your discussions with new prospects. You’ll find that it will make those prospects more engaged and receptive to your product helping solve their issues too. It’s worked for me.

Actively ask your customers how they use your product and you might be surprised what they tell you. The other thing that might surprise you is that you might get invited to lunch with the CEO more often, too.

Contributed by Jeff Vice.

Thoughts from a graphic designer….

What is a font?

A font is the collection of characters.

What is a typeface?

The design for a set of characters.

A typeface is not font. A font is not a typeface.

Confused yet?

The term font is often used as a synonym for typefaces, which is not technically correct. For most people who are not in the design world, they only think of about fonts when choosing one in Microsoft Word. The two terms frequently cause some confusion to those unfamiliar with the difference.

Typeface = a type family’s design

Think of a typeface as a set of characters of the same design. A typeface is the ‘design’ of the design of the alphabet, the shape of the letters that make up the typestyle. Typefaces describe the overall look of the characters.

Font = one member of a type family

A font, on the other hand, is traditionally defined as a complete character set within a typeface, often of a particular size and style. Fonts are also specific computer files that contain all the characters and glyphs within a typeface.

A typeface is like a jukebox while font is the tunes inside.

Contributed by Caitlin Tuohy.

Mirror Neurons, Glossophobia and A Thousand Paper Cuts

You are standing up on a stage bathed in the blue-white light of a spotlight. You know there is a crowd before you, but you can’t see past the very stage you stand on. Tremors buzz through your chest that turn your stomach into a hollow knot. The feeling works its way to your limbs as your heart begins to race and your mouth goes dry. You try not to breathe too hard, but surely they can see you practically panting up here. Your hands begin to tremble as you take hold of the microphone. You begin your speech, praying that this time your voice doesn’t shake.

Good grief – I’m stressed out just reading that. Glossophobia: the fear of public speaking. 74% of Americans in 2013 suffered from speech anxiety. Interestingly, the feelings we create for ourselves in public speech situations do not really change even when presented with a similar smaller-scale situation. I recently spoke with a friend who said she panics when speaking in front of a handful of her colleagues at regular meetings. It doesn’t matter if we’re standing up to give a presentation in front of 5 people or 500 – we still feel the glare of that spotlight.

I realize public speaking for most may be akin to death by a thousand paper cuts: slow and painful. You may never be a world champion Toastmaster, but you can still be an effective and engaging speaker. There are a few things I’ve learned over time that have helped me with addressing a room full of people: boost your confidence – talk yourself up before you begin. No one can do a better job than you right now. There is always someone in your audience who is a worse speaker than you are. Just strive to be better than them. Regardless if it’s true, the confidence you give yourself will make all the difference in your presentation.

Be mindful of your body. How we move says more than our words ever could. Video tape yourself – even just the first couple minutes of your speech. You’ll be critical of yourself, but be sure not to overdo it. Just identify the nervous habits that are distracting, and change them. We all have mirror neurons in our brain which help us to mirror how another person is feeling. If you are passionate about what you are talking about, even if I typically don’t care, at that moment I’m engaged and passionate with you. If you are nervous, I am just as uncomfortable as you are.

So the next time you sit down with a potential client, a roomful of co workers, or the whole world, sit up straight with your shoulders back, raise your chin and smile. You are a fabulous speaker, if only for the moment.

Contributed by Ashley Hudson.

The Introvert Bias

Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking is one of my favorite public figures. She herself is an introvert, but has found it within herself to speak to the world about the power of introversion and why the world is leaving them behind.

Cain explains that there is a difference between shyness and introverts, yet as a society, we’ve come to regard them as one in the same. She says shyness is a fear of judgment and introversion is simply introspective, reflective and quiet.

She goes on to question why we have started emphatically using group work, open office spaces and stimulating environments. Introverts feel most alive, creative and capable in a quiet, less stimulating environment. The ironic part is that up to half of Americans are introverted – so nearly half of the population’s needs are being either ignored, or worse, shamed.

Something I found very interesting that she said was that extroverts get so excited that they put their own stamp on things, and other people’s ideas might not as easily bubble up to the surface. Recently I took a leadership class, and this truth was very self-evident.

As a class, my professor took us out of the classroom and outside, down the stairs and past the parking garage until we had walked a total of about ten or so minutes from the classroom. He stopped us all and started passing out bandanas (to which we gave him very confused looks). He stated we’d have to make it back to the classroom…blindfolded. And we had to do it all together, never letting go of each other. If that wasn’t enough, we had only 5 minutes to make a plan and get ready, then only 1 hour to reach the classroom.

What happened next was interesting. In a room full of leadership students, chaos broke out. Quickly and subconsciously the group broke in two, with the loud students shouting their ideas and the quiet, more introverted speaking quietly amongst themselves and observing the other group. Eventually the decision was made (in well under 5 minutes), and the plan was executed. Was it the best solution? Maybe. Maybe not.

When all was said and done our professor stood before us and recapped what he saw. He told us that while the group was deciding on a solution, the extroverts completely shut out the introverts, who were in fact coming up with the more creative ideas. But because they wouldn’t yell above everyone else, their ideas were never heard. His lesson for us that day was that sometimes a great leader isn’t the one who will yell the loudest, but rather the one who won’t.

Susan Cain did a very entertaining and informative TED Talk , which you can watch below.

Contributed by Ashley Hudson

Got bad customers? What to do?

Customers are revenue. The more the merrier. Right?

If you don’t care if your business is just another competitor in a crowded field, then sure, more customers should be your ultimate goal.

The other side of that equation is fewer customers but better customers. Better customers make your business better in the long run. There are a variety of reasons why better customers trump more customers.

Better customers understand your value and are willing to work with you. A good customer doesn’t look at you as an adversary that they need to hold at arms-length and with an attitude of always having the upper hand over you. Because better customers look at you the vendor, as an equal, your relationship together is much more friendly and consultative in nature. Interactions are rarely strained or combative and by extension allow you to get to know your customer outside of the business transactions you conduct.

We would all like to have “better customers” all the time if given the opportunity. Many times it doesn’t work out that way even if we felt like it would going into the initial relationship. So, what can you do about it?

If you feel like the relationship you have with a customer is not what you envisioned going in, then there should come a point at which you must address those concerns. Do that with an honest but non-combative conversation. Suggest to your customer that maybe you are not the right fit for his or her business. This way you won’t be putting your customer on the defensive. It’s likely that your customer wouldn’t have seen this conversation coming and thus will also allow them to realize that perhaps some of the issue is due to their actions. They may take responsibility for those actions and work to make the relationship what it should have been from the start.

Something to consider in this situation is that you may be underestimating the value of what you or your company bring to the table and that the customer may think that losing that value is too much of a risk for them to take. Even if you don’t learn that specifically, within that conversation you are likely to learn from your customer how to handle them or their business in a way that makes the relationship stronger after all.

In the end, if things don’t come to a satisfactory conclusion for you, you can always tell your customer that “It’s only a good deal when it’s fair to both sides”, and end your agreement. It sounds harsh and counter-intuitive in a sales capacity to intentionally lose a customer, but you and your company will be better off in the long run as you can put more productive time and effort into your existing “good” customers and leave behind the angst and dread of dealing with bad customers.

I have actually had competitors call me to tell me about situations they’re having now, with my former client, that were the same situations I had had with that former client. That’s when I knew that any indecision about letting that former client go was now vindicated knowing that it wasn’t anything that I had done wrong, but that it was a bad customer all along.

It may hurt in the short-run to lose that revenue but this one business situation may fit into the money-can’t-buy-happiness category.

Do you have a bad customer story to share? Tell us about it below.

Reap the benefits of hosting your clients at a sporting or off-site event

This past Sunday, it was RSVP Cleveland/Akron day at the Akron Aeros baseball game. Families from RSVP and clients from the local area were in attendance and it turned out to be an exciting day for everyone.

Bill, owner of Closet Factory talking with Tony Succatto, owner of RSVP

Bob Pietrick, owner of Closet Factory talking with Tony Sucato, owner of RSVP

Thanks go out to the Akron Aeros management for providing such a wonderful facility and food for all of our guests. We highly recommend it for any business looking to host a fun day for their families and guests.

Renting a suite at a sporting event is well worth the effort. Having access to such a comfortable facility and the ability to entertain prospects, clients, and families really helps to make those important connections with people outside of normal business hours. Unlike networking events, attending a game is relaxed and fun. Everyone is there with the purpose of having a good time without the worry of having to be business-like or the pressure of industry talk. You’ll find that you will learn more about your prospects and clients in casual talk at the game within the suite environment which will lead to better relationships and communication going into the future.

For instance, we learned things about our clients such as where they come from, how their careers have evolved, and personal things that in many instances are entertaining. It’s funny how in a relaxed setting clients will open up and share things about themselves and families that you wouldn’t have found out under a more formal business setting.

Jim Inama, RSVP Cleveland talking with ***, owner of ****

Jim Inama, RSVP Cleveland talking with Lisa Matthews of Audio Video Interiors

The Aeros played well but couldn’t overcome Curve outfielder Alex Dickerson who nearly hit for the cycle, eventually losing 9-4. In the end everyone still had a good time.

Hosting an event isn’t limited to just a baseball venue, obviously, other sporting venues would be appropriate. Don’t forget about the “minors” also. It doesn’t have to be the big leauges in order to have a fun and productive event. In addition, it wouldn’t hurt to ask for customization of your event from the facility you would be renting from. Many of them would be happy to help add special touches or little extras to make your event memorable and stand out from others that your clients may have attended in the past.

Here’s how to get in touch with each of the professional baseball teams within the RSVP Kentucky Ohio Indiana footprint to schedule your company’s day to the game and personal suite: