As a follow up to yesterday’s discussion on
BrainShark. I suggest that you look
seriously at this concept. If not with
Brain Shark, do your own. You will not
have all of the tools for tracking, but you will begin to use a medium that is
being accepted. On Thursday I will do a
Webinar with BrainShark and find out the costs.
It is subscription based, not sure of the charges, but I will report the
news as soon as I have the proposal.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start your cameras
I believe that I have just watched the future and it is
already here.
I am attaching a Selling Power Video that I just watched and
the possibilities are endless.
The Brain shark company has software for helping develop
videos for you to send to your prospects.
The gentleman gives an example of videotaping a proposal
including videos, power point slides, resident experts from their company,
introduced by the sales person and then personalized at the end of the video.
Tom O’Connor and me took an excellent sales video course
that was aimed at making better presentations. This takes that a step further
and uses video in the beginning, middle and end of a sales cycle. Your
prospect can view your presentation when they have time and they can pass it to
others in the company. The Video is in the cloud and each time it is
viewed or passed it is tracked.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start your cameras –
Give a listen and imagine using this in your day to
day. I am going to find out more during a demonstration that I signed up
for, on line. By the way the Web at the end of the video is at the bottom
of the page. I took me three times to figure it out
This is the link to Brain Sharks Web site.
Keep the Spark Alive in Your Business Relationships
Purchase behavior
insights are key to customer retention.
Posted
Oct 19, 2012
At the risk of stating the obvious, the most important thing you can do for your business is develop loyal customers. Reducing customer attrition is one of the most significant yet challenging goals for any business. While this is by no means novel information, many businesses take their customers for granted and are left stricken and shocked when a customer leaves for a competitor or for unstated reasons.
Customer relationships can be like marriages.
·
In the beginning of the relationship, it is easy to appreciate
each other. But after several months or years, the honeymoon period ends, and
it is up to the company to keep that spark alive through creative measures.
·
Many customers leave
because something is missing or lacking; there is a disconnect, and the
customer feels that the company does not truly understand its business.
o
Fortunately, this issue can be corrected by gaining a deeper
understanding of your customers' purchase behavior—what they buy and how their
spending patterns change over time. Business-to-business purchase behavior
insights are the secret sauce to client retention; such insights provide
critical data that can help businesses know their customers better, sell more,
and avoid revenue-threatening surprises.
Think of purchase behavior insights as new fuel for B2B customer relationship management.
·
By looking at a company's overall purchase and payment behavior,
organizing the available clues about its business, and taking action based on
the story told by the clues, companies can better serve their B2B customers by
gaining deeper insight into their business.
·
Acutely knowing customers' purchasing behaviors, past and present,
enables any company to anticipate what and when their customers are likely to
buy in the future.
·
By understanding purchasing patterns, companies are positioned to
build customer loyalty by knowing where and how existing customers are moving
and capitalizing on such information.
One of the best ways to improve customer relationships is through personalization.
·
Armed with purchase behavior insights, you can clearly see what is
going on within your customer's organization and tailor your message
accordingly.
·
Knowing if your customer is growing, in financial retreat, or changing business direction can help you alter your communication and match your product or service to its needs. If a company notices a customer is growing, it can use that as an opportunity to deliver smarter pricing. For instance, tell the successful customer that you recognize her company is growing fast and that you want to work out a plan of reducing rates over time on a unit basis based on the growth projections seen.
Knowing if your customer is growing, in financial retreat, or changing business direction can help you alter your communication and match your product or service to its needs. If a company notices a customer is growing, it can use that as an opportunity to deliver smarter pricing. For instance, tell the successful customer that you recognize her company is growing fast and that you want to work out a plan of reducing rates over time on a unit basis based on the growth projections seen.
·
And just like that, you've created a customer for life. By simply
adjusting the pricing terms to fit that customer's specific growth plan, you
have locked that client into something longer term. Forecast its needs and
understand what it needs to accomplish next. And in the process, that customer
will be flattered you took the time to research its business and recognize its
success. You are personalizing that relationship and creating lasting
stickiness with that customer. And the spark reignites.
When you
turn your customers into enthusiastic fans, you are positioned to up-sell more
effectively.
·
Up-selling is a matter of piecing together the clues about the customer and using that information to predict its next moves and spot opportunities to expand the relationship. The key is to act quickly.
Up-selling is a matter of piecing together the clues about the customer and using that information to predict its next moves and spot opportunities to expand the relationship. The key is to act quickly.
·
Meteorologists predict the weather not so they can know it is
raining, but so their viewers can plan for rain before it happens.
·
Purchase behavior insight enables companies to do the same with
their customers. This insight helps companies identify early signs of a
customer's financial troubles and take the appropriate action before reading
the article about that customer going out of business. It is a matter of
predicting the future based on accurately reading past and present conditions.
Identifying growth in key purchases made by your customers can tip you off to
significant opportunities you should act on. That way you can focus your time
and energy on the customers most likely to spend more with you rather than
those that aren't.
Keep that spark alive and strong. Know your customers, predict their next steps, and serve them better. When you do this, you will enjoy a lasting, mutually beneficial business relationship.
Jim Swift is CEO of Cortera, a
provider of comprehensive business-to-business payment and purchase behavior
insight on public and private companies. The company tracks $1.6 trillion in
business-to-business purchases across 45 spend categories to deliver insights
on more than 20 million U.S. business locations.
In
wholesale distribution we watch customer’s purchases to ensure that the
inventory is in alignment with the customer’s needs. This article takes
that thought to a new level and anticipating their needs to be able to serve
them better. Never mind the inventory levels, what can we do to make your
life easier.
- MEL
A truthful look at real success in your life and in your sales life.
Be true to yourself.
Respect for yourself comes from standing on your own two feet and making your own decisions and mistakes.
Instead of living or working for someone else's approval, do it for yourself and a sense of accomplishment.
Practice honesty with yourself in all you do.
Set high standards of performance and conduct for yourself, and live up to them.
Even if your ethics and independence make your road to success a little rougher, you'll be stronger for having traveled it on your own.
- Mel
Respect for yourself comes from standing on your own two feet and making your own decisions and mistakes.
Instead of living or working for someone else's approval, do it for yourself and a sense of accomplishment.
Practice honesty with yourself in all you do.
Set high standards of performance and conduct for yourself, and live up to them.
Even if your ethics and independence make your road to success a little rougher, you'll be stronger for having traveled it on your own.
- Mel
New Speaker for this Week!
Hi salesproskansascity -
Due to a health issue we are taking a
"rain check" on Ida Wiedel, who was scheduled for this week. Stepping
in without hesitation to speak to us is our own Paula Switzer, Switzer Resource
Group, on "The Fortune is in the Follow-up!"
Come listen, mingle and
don't forget 2013 dues - to get Pam's Tasty Cookies!!
See you Friday,
Linda
Smith, President
The Art of Chit Chat - This Friday!
Ida Wiedel, Personally and Professionally Speaking, "The Art of Chit Chat"
Come listen with salesproskansascity members to learn from Ida's expertise on this very important topic! We look forward to finding out how this technique will increase sales now and next year!
Breakfast $13; Network at 7:00 Meeting begins at 7:20
Note: Bring $80 annual salesproskansascity 2013 dues to taste Pam's Awesome Cookies for your dilligence! Or pay $200 including breakfast for Oct. 2012-Sept. 2013 (3 free breakfasts - no refunds) and get Pam's cookies too! See Rich's memo below....
Upcoming Events & Speakers (7 - 8:30 AM):
Come listen with salesproskansascity members to learn from Ida's expertise on this very important topic! We look forward to finding out how this technique will increase sales now and next year!
Breakfast $13; Network at 7:00 Meeting begins at 7:20
Note: Bring $80 annual salesproskansascity 2013 dues to taste Pam's Awesome Cookies for your dilligence! Or pay $200 including breakfast for Oct. 2012-Sept. 2013 (3 free breakfasts - no refunds) and get Pam's cookies too! See Rich's memo below....
Upcoming Events & Speakers (7 - 8:30 AM):
11.2 "How Do You Get Referrals?" Roundtable led by Ken Praiswater, Ken Praiswater Construction
11.16 Cathy Newton, PRT Consulting Inc., Risk It!"
12.07 "Linkedin" Roundtable led by Michael Montague, Sandler Training - bring your lap top
12.21 Dr. David Gulledge, Dr. Kyle Gulledge, Gulledge Family Wellness, "Stress Less - How Stress Affects Our Health"
1.18 Denise Mills, The Leaderfuel Center, "Success By Intent"
New to sales or business? You need us. Experienced in sales or business?
We need you!
http://www.salesproskansascity.com
11.16 Cathy Newton, PRT Consulting Inc., Risk It!"
12.07 "Linkedin" Roundtable led by Michael Montague, Sandler Training - bring your lap top
12.21 Dr. David Gulledge, Dr. Kyle Gulledge, Gulledge Family Wellness, "Stress Less - How Stress Affects Our Health"
1.18 Denise Mills, The Leaderfuel Center, "Success By Intent"
New to sales or business? You need us. Experienced in sales or business?
We need you!
http://www.salesproskansascity.com
Warm Memories on a Fall Day
With the rain drizzling down, I wait to be cued forward by the mechanical policeman with its successive lights of varying hues. As I wait, I catch my reflection in the window of a religious store. Among the articles in my reflection I see silver hands folded in prayer and setting on layers of blue and gold velvet. There were statues that are related to my faith and they carry me back to the 50’s and my Vacation Summer School at the Armah Parish Church.
During the early summer mornings the nuns would have the classes sit in the shade of massive old trees which stood around the grounds of the church. There I would try valiantly to concentrate on who made me and other Baltimore Catechism questions.
I remember sitting there in the soft grass as the breeze brought the sweet smell of newly mowed, Clover Hay. I watched a young man as he was cutting that hay in a near-by field. There is nothing on earth sweeter than the smell of newly mowed clover on a beautiful summer day. I remember wishing that he was here and it was me that was cutting that new hay.
With a warning from Sister, I was brought back into the catechism class. I stayed there until the wind demanded my attention. I could hear it as it blew through the tall trees and rattled the leaves. I could almost feel myself being carried along its path as it moved though the clear cool Iowa morning.
Then the clicking and clacking of the stop light brought me back to the present and as I waited for the next light I thought about my daughter Stacie Ann. She had just started kindergarten at the Seven Holy Founders grade school. I smiled at the realization that one of her tomorrows, was more exciting than all of my yesterdays put together. I could only pray that her life would meet all of her expectations.
The moving streams of people going by warned me back to the business at hand, for there were appointments to keep and people to see. Even with the rain drizzling down and a brisk fall breeze blowing in my face, I found that my soul had been warmed by a few precious memories of yesterday and a hope filled tomorrow, for Stacie Ann.
With a much lighter heart, I moved on to sell my wares in downtown St. Louis.
Mel Carney, 1978
Just
a few minutes of respite on the last day of the week for my sales pro
friends. I have attached a piece that I wrote many years ago about a day
of selling in downtown St. Louis. This is a reminder that it is
important to remember the past while enjoying today and looking forward to the
future.
News Flash!
Two
weeks ago I celebrated an event that only comes once in lifetime and that is I
published my first book. It is called Tomorrow’s
Road Home. Over the last 20 years I have been writing a story
at Christmas time to send to my family and friends. One of my friends
convinced me to put the stories into a book. Without knowing anything about
publishing I said I would. A lot of hours later a book that was already written
is on the E Pub list. For more information I have a website called
On
the web there is a sample chapter from the book under Memoirs,
along with some of my sales poetry and my first ever blog. I hope that
you enjoy the view.
Mel
Sales Meeting Minute: Needs vs Wants
This week's Sales Meeting Minute from Sales Pro, Mike Montague.
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