FREE eBook: LinkedIn The Sandler Way by Sales Pro, Mike Montague

LinkedIn The Sandler Way: 25 Secrets that Show Salespeople how to Leverage the World’s Largest Professional Network

Get the free PDF version of the book at the link below of the new Sandler Training and LinkedIn collaboration, LinkedIn The Sandler Way. Our own Sales Professionals USA member, Mike Montague, contributed to this book, and we are very excited to share it with you. Mike has been on the local and national Board of Directors for Sales Professionals USA as the VP of Internet Marketing, and now you can learn why!

This book contains valuable information for salespeople on how to maximize LinkedIn with 25 tips to:

• Create A Client-Attracting Profile
• Get Connected With Prospects & Clients
• Search For Quality Leads & Prospects
• Make Contact With Decision-Makers

This complimentary ebook is endorsed by LinkedIn and was created in a partnership with LinkedIn and Sandler Training to teach salespeople how to create a social selling plan to attract, find, make contact with, and close more prospects. We hope you find this information helpful, but if you need personal assistance, please contact Mike Montague to schedule a LinkedIn training session with you or your team.

Get your FREE ebook, LinkedIn The Sandler Way, now!

7 Proven Ways To Write Emails That Get Replies, Backed By Science

by Bernie Reeder in Work Smart

Effective email writing boils down to one thing: Mind reading. 

Really. 

Sure, we’re all different, but in many instances our brains are prone to react to psychological triggers in a similar manner. Understanding these subtleties can help you hone in on creative ways to persuade others to take a desired course of action, like reply to more of your meticulously written emails. 

Here are seven powerful psychological principles that can help you get busy people to respond to your emails, backed by template reply-rate data and examples from Yesware’s own sales team.  

1. Social Proof

Peer pressure is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and still one of the smartest. It accounts for why emails have higher open rates when sent to multiple people, and higher response rates when mentioning other stakeholders at the company. Because when it comes to making decisions –like whether or not to reply to someone’s email– we take cues from other people. 

 What it means: If your prospect sees proof that his colleagues are receptive to your ideas, he’ll be more likely to jump on the bandwagon and give you the time of day. It’s one of the reasons this prospecting template from Yesware’s Paul Hlatky has been so effective at garnering replies:

2. Provide A Reason (Because I Said So)

A study performed by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer found that people were more willing to comply with a request (in this instance, cut in line) when people used the word “because.” Even when the reason was seemingly nonsensical (i.e. “Can I use the copy machine first because I need to make a copy?”), nearly all (93%) people complied. 

What it means: When you ask someone to do you a favor, you’ll be more successful if you provide a reason. Because (see what I did there?) yes, in today’s world of 24-7-365 communication and mile long to-do lists, answering an email from someone you don’t know is a favor. 

3. Throw In The Frog

You’ve been going back and forth with someone for weeks now, and then suddenly, they’re MIA. No reply. Won’t return your phone calls. Nothing. What’s your next move? 

You throw in the frog. 

In an experiment by O’Quinn and Aronoff, participants were assigned to “buyer” and “seller” roles and asked to negotiate the price of a painting. Half of the sellers received instructions to use the line “my final offer is $_, …and I’ll throw in a pet frog.” This led to relaxation, smiles, and increased compliance, with buyers agreeing to pay significantly more money than when the frog joke was not used. 

What it means: When you make someone smile, they relax. Humor can help break down objections and win over an otherwise unreceptive audience.Here’s an example of how breaking the ice can earn you replies:

4. Choose Your Numbers Wisely

Let’s look at three quick tips that can increase your chances of getting your email opened and keeping their attention long enough to get a reply, all backed by science.

1.      Include digits in the subject line. Numbers written out as numerals (i.e. 33 as opposed to thirty-three) have been shown to stop wandering eyes of online readers, making it more likely that your email will get noticed in an overcrowded inbox.

2.      Use statistics and data. It makes you appear more credible.

3.      Remember: Three is the magic number. Numerous studies have proven that the brain likes to be presented with three choices, whereas four choices may trigger skepticism and anything higher than that can lead to confusion. Try breaking your email into three (short) paragraphs, offer three options for meeting times, or describe your product using three adjectives.  

5. Keep It Short & Simple

Brevity is the soul of wit. So it should come as no surprise that it’s the soul of effective emails, too. Drawing from data culled from five years of emails in an executive recruiting firm, researchers found that shorter emails result in quicker response time, leading to higher overall productivity. 

What it means: Don’t waste their time. Be considerate of your audience and use spacing, numbers, bulleted lists etc., to visually break up your message so that it’s easy to digest and take action on. MIT’s Marshall Van Alstyne argues that Twitter length  - roughly 140 characters – is ideal. Here’s what that looks like:

6. Use Their Name More Than Once

Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language. -Dale Carnegie

Dale wasn’t kidding. “Few things light us up quite like seeing our own names in print or on the screen,” explain the folks at Copyblogger, citing recent research on brain activation. “Our names are intrinsically tied to our self-perception and make up a massive part of our identity. No surprise then, that we become more engaged and even more trusting of a message in which our name appears.”

What it means: Personalization is key. Try catching their eye by placing their name in the subject line — i.e. “Hi Jim, it’s Bernie from Yesware.” Asking for a reply that requires more than a simple yes/no? Throw in a simple “Thanks for your time, Jim” to close out your email. 

7. Be Specific 

Being vague isn’t going to help you clinch that important meeting. According to research by psychologist Robert Sutton, people are more responsive and willing to help if they’ve been given clear directions on how to contribute. Research coming out of Carnegie Mellon also found that people are more likely to respond to email requests that are easy to answer, as opposed to complex messages that require more time and mental energy to address.

What it means: Ending your emails with open ended statements — i.e. “Let me know what works best for you” or “how is your schedule this week?” — does more harm than good. Rather than take the time and energy to make the decision for both of you, they instead opt for “no decision” and you get no reply to your email.

You should end every email with a pointed call to action. Buy or not buy? Meet or not meet? Interested or hold off? Here’s an example that’s worked particularly well for our team:

o     

 

Managing Stress

Stress impacts each of our lives in so many different ways.  Often we are not even aware that we are being driven by a stressful situation.  One of the first things to do is to understand the Stress and then take steps to nullify its impact on our lives.  The article alludes to stress like a glass of water. If we hold a 10 ounce glass for  10 minutes no problem.  If we hold a 10 ounce glass of water for an hour our arm starts to get sore.  If we hold the glass for a day they will need to call the paramedics.

So it is with stress, eventually we will not be able to function if we do not get some relief.  The article suggests that you put it down occasionally and definitely not carry it  into the evening.  Put it down and if you need to pick it up tomorrowmorning.  However, when you start to understand the stress, each time you do this, you will pick up less of a burden

Mel

Managing Stress only comes after

Identifying the cause of the Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all...

 "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.  Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.

It depends on how long I hold it.

·         If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.

·         If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.

·          If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.

In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "And that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens without setting them aside, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavier, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.  When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden – because you have identified the stress, each time you put it down and pick it back up again, it will become easier with each session.  Regardless of your stress, don't carry it into the evening.  Put it down and if you have to, pick it back up tomorrow. You may also find that you do not have to pick up as much of your burden now that you have identified it and are working to better manage the stress. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, set them down for a moment. Relax and then pick them up later after you've rested. 

Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've set down or maybe conquered!"

Always keep your words soft and sweet

Always read stuff that makes you feel good during and after

Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth the investment.

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

God does provide for each bird, but he does not throw it into their nest.

The second mouse gets the cheese.

When everything's coming your way, you may be on the wrong side of the pathway.

Birthdays are good for you:

·         The more you have the longer you live

·         If it was not for birthdays, one day you would be dribbling your pabulum all over your gray cardigan and not  know why

·         If it was not for birthdays, One day you would find yourself in the basement with no memory of why you are there. With Birthdays you know that you are 95 and can’t remember! 

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

 We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull.  Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

 A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Have an awesome day

And know that someone has thought about you today.

SAVE THE EARTH….IT IS THE ONLY PLANET WITH CHOCOLATE

9 Qualities of Truly Confident People

First things first: Confidence is not bravado, or swagger, or an overt pretense of bravery. Confidence is not some bold or brash air of self-belief directed at others. Confidence is quiet: It’s a natural expression of ability, expertise, and self-regard.

I’m fortunate to know a number of truly confident people. The majority are people I’ve met through my career and who work in a variety of industries and professions. It comes as no surprise they all share a number of qualities:

1. They take a stand not because they think they are always right… but because they are not afraid to be wrong. Cocky and conceited people tend to take a position and then proclaim, bluster, and totally disregard differing opinions or points of view. They know they’re right – and they want (actually they need) you to know it too. Their behavior isn’t a sign of confidence, though; it’s the hallmark of an intellectual bully.

Truly confident people don’t mind being proven wrong. They feel that finding out what is right is a lot more important than being right. And when they’re wrong, they’re secure enough to back down graciously. Truly confident people often admit they’re wrong or don’t have all the answers; intellectual bullies never do.

2. They listen ten times more than they speak.  Bragging is a mask for insecurity. Truly confident people are quiet and unassuming. They already know what they think; they want to know what you think. So they ask open-ended questions that give other people the freedom to be thoughtful and introspective: They ask what you do, how you do it, what you like about it, what you learned from it… and what they should do if they find themselves in a similar situation.  Truly confident people realize they know a lot, but they wish they knew more… and they know the only way to learn more is to listen more.

3. They duck the spotlight so it shines on others.  Perhaps it’s true they did the bulk of the work. Perhaps they really did overcome the major obstacles. Perhaps it’s true they turned a collection of disparate individuals into an incredibly high performance team.  Truly confident people don’t care – at least they don’t show it. (Inside they’re proud, as well they should be.) Truly confident people don’t need the glory; they know what they’ve achieved.  They don’t need the validation of others, because true validation comes from within.  So they stand back and celebrate their accomplishments through others. They stand back and let others shine – a confidence boost that helps those people become truly confident, as well.

4. They freely ask for help.  Many people feel asking for help is a sign of weakness; implicit in the request is a lack of knowledge, skill, or experience.  Confident people are secure enough to admit a weakness. So they often ask others for help, not only because they are secure enough to admit they need help but also because they know that when they seek help they pay the person they ask a huge compliment.  Saying, “Can you help me?” shows tremendous respect for that individual’s expertise and judgment. Otherwise you wouldn't ask.

5. They think, “Why not me?” Many people feel they have to wait: To be promoted, to be hired, to be selected, to be chosen... like the old Hollywood cliché, to somehow be discovered.  Truly confident people know that access is almost universal. They can connect with almost anyone through social media. (Everyone you know knows someone you should know.) They know they can attract their own funding, create their own products, build their own relationships and networks, choose their own path – they can choose to follow whatever course they wish. And very quietly, without calling attention to themselves, they go out and do it.

6. They don't put down other people. Generally speaking, the people who like to gossip, who like to speak badly of others, do so because they hope by comparison to make themselves look better. The only comparison a truly confident person makes is to the person she was yesterday – and to the person she hopes to someday become.

7. They aren’t afraid to just be silly…

When you’re truly confident, you don’t mind occasionally being in a situation where you let your inhibitions go and just have fun. (And oddly enough, people tend to respect you more when you do – not less.)

8. … And they own their mistakes.  Insecurity tends to breed artificiality; confidence breeds sincerity and honesty. That’s why truly confident people admit their mistakes. They dine out on their screw-ups. They don’t mind serving as a cautionary tale. They don’t mind being a source of laughter – for others and for themselves.

When you’re truly confident, you don’t mind occasionally “looking bad.” You realize that that when you’re genuine and unpretentious, people don’t laugh at you. They laugh with you.

9. They only seek approval from the people who really matter.  You say you have 10k Twitter followers? Swell. You say that you have 20k Facebook friends? Cool. You say that you have a professional and social network of hundreds or even thousands? That’s great.  But that also pales in comparison to earning the trust and respect of the few people in your life that truly matter. When we earn their trust and respect, no matter where we go or what we try, we do it with true confidence – because we know the people who truly matter the most are truly behind us.

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Dharmesh Shah

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I thought that this article said a lot about confidence and self reliance.  The picture with the hand holding a tight rope reminds me of a lot of sales situations.  All of us are used to working without a net.  It is a little scary to think that sometimes it is an individual that is holding up one end of our tight rope.
 Keep your eye on prize Mel

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Reasons To Keep An Open Mind...

"Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances."
-- Dr. Lee DeForest, "Father of Radio & Grandfather of Television."

"The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives."
- - Admiral William Leahy , US Atomic Bomb Project

"There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom."
-- Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1923

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
-- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year."
--The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957

"But what is it good for?"
-- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
-- Bill Gates, 1981

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us,"
-- Western Union internal memo, 1876.

"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?"
-- David Sarnoff's associates, in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible,"
-- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper,"
--Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in "Gone With The Wind."

"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America  likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make,"
-- Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out,"
-- Decca Recording Co. Rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible,"
-- Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this,"
- - Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads

"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy,"
-- Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau."
-- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University  , 1929.

"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value,"
-- Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre, France  .

"Everything that can be invented has been invented,"
-- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899.

"The super computer is technologically impossible. It would take all of the water that flows over Niagara Falls to cool the heat generated by the number of vacuum tubes required."
-- Professor of Electrical Engineering,  New York   University

"I don't know what use any one could find for a machine that would make copies of documents. It certainly couldn't be a feasible business by itself."
-- the head of IBM, refusing to back the idea, forcing the inventor to found Xerox.

"Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction."
-- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at  Toulouse  , 1872

"The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon,"
-- Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen  Victoria  1873.

And last but not least...

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

Sometimes prophetic utterances by people in high places are unbelievable in their silliness.  Especially when we are still around to see the outcome of the new technology.

Mel

Smarts In Business - Is Not About IQ

This story appears in the December 16, 2013 issue of Forbes. 

When academics use the word “smarts,” they usually mean general intelligence, or “g” for short. This is the ability to learn, think and apply. For decades scientists have sought to measure g by using IQ and similar cognitive tests. But smarts is something different in the real world. It isn’t defined by 800 math SATs. It’s more about the importance of hard work, perseverance and resilience:

•  Call it grit. 
•  Call it courage. 
•  Call it tenacity. 
•  Because these are old-fashioned concepts, they’re easy to miss. 

In business the questions are: Who can get things done? Who can achieve, endure and succeed? The oil wildcatter in North Dakota or the top insurance salesman in Kansas City may not be a mathematical genius like Google's GOOG +0.32% Sergey Brin, but they’re both wily, clever and capable. They’ll survive good times and bad. They’ll adapt to changing markets and win more than they lose.

While discussing smarts, CEO Tom Georgens of NetApp NTAP -0.95%, the $6.3 billion data storage company, made a very interesting observation: “I know this irritates a lot of people, but once someone is at a certain point in his or her career–and it’s not that far out, maybe five years–all the grades and academic credentials in the world don’t mean anything anymore. It’s all about accomplishment from that point on.” About his own hires, Georgens offered, “I don’t even know where some members of my staff went to college or what they studied.” To him and other CEOs, at a certain point it just doesn’t matter anymore. 

Taking the idea in a more entrepreneurial direction, Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, told me, “Some of the better venture capital firms that I know want people who are scrappy, who have been through trials and tribulations. These people will figure out a way to make it work, no matter what.”

Maynard Webb, chairman of Yahoo's YHOO - 0.25% board of directors and a board member of Salesforce.com CRM +0.97%, added, “What I’m looking for is talent. But talent isn’t just intellect. Talent is also what you’ve done. If you’re an entrepreneur trying to break through, it’s hard work. You have to be tough, you have to be willing to take lots of body blows. So I’m looking for that grit factor.”

This should be good news for most of us. We’re not limited or defined by the IQ we’ve inherited. Much of what makes us real-world smart comes from what we’ve learned–usually the hard way. Academics will say those things don’t technically define smarts. Fair enough. Effort and tenacity don’t directly align with the scientific definition of intelligence. But before dismissing this column’s definition of smarts, let me show you how grit leads directly to becoming smarter. This happens because grit results in an increased ability to learn more and adapt faster.

GRIT CREATES SMARTS 
 From the prenatal period to the end of our lives what shapes the neural circuits underlying our behavior is experience. This can include such uncontrollable influences as adversity, as well as such intentional influences as learning and training. The human brain displays amazing plasticity–the ability to modify neural connectivity and function–even into our 70s.

The smartest people in business are not those who have the highest g; they are those who regularly put themselves in situations requiring grit. These acts of courage accelerate learning through adaptation. For example, salespeople who make more calls will almost always outperform salespeople who make fewer calls.

That’s no surprise, but here’s the key point: This doesn’t happen just because the act of making more calls mathematically raises the chances of success.

There’s much more to it. By facing up to the task of making a call, frequent callers:

• Put themselves on a faster learning curve. 
• They discover more rapidly what works and what doesn’t. 
• They’re quicker to learn techniques that overcome rejection. 
• Thus, their success yield will improve– i.e., double the calls, triple the sales. 
• The act of making lots of calls also helps a person learn self-discipline and understand the rewards of delayed gratification. 

In the real world its grit that makes us smart. My daughter was home from college and we were talking about her grades. Her GPA was 3.4 and I told her that that was about what I had when I went to college, but it took me 3 years to get it that high. She said, “Dad, it is an average grade, it is not cumulative!” You would think someone would have mentioned that when I started.

Thank heaven you do not have to have a high GPA to be successful in business.  This is an excellent article that talks about Real Grit and what it takes to be successful.  I thought the comment from one of the presidents was interesting.  He did not know what most of his people majored in college.  Their life experiences and business smarts was what he was interested in seeing in his people.

Mel

Sale Pro Edumacation

 My thanks to David Parks, for forwarding this piece to me for the SP Web Site.

Writing to the Top

The video featured Deborah Dumaine author of Writing to the Top.  She has some excellent suggestions on presenting you and you product to your customers.

·         A subject line for each paragraph

·         A letter designed for speed reading

·         Using bullets in each paragraph

·         Include a call to action at the close of the letter or email

Take time to read and use these suggestions to close a current customer

Good Selling

Mel Carney

Sales Pro Edumacational guy

A book by Deborah Dumaine

http://www.bettercom.com/

Writing may be on the way back.   Today I watched the Selling Power Video and rediscovered writing to help my sales career.  Deborah recommends a new writing style to capture a busy executive’s attention.  She suggests a subject line for each paragraph of an email or a letter.

Subject: Choosing an financial partner who’s right for you

Talking with you yesterday was a pleasure-Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.  I am really impressed with ABC Funding Corporation and hope that we can be financial partners

You asked about our new loan program

·        I am enclosing information about that program and you will be able to see how our product can have a positive impact on your company and  your bottom line, including improvements in your handling of:

o  

The emphasis is on you the prospect

International bonds

o   Fixed Income Management

o   Growth and income equity results

Helping you reach your goals

·       

YOUR GOALS – Not Mine

As part of your team we can support ABC Funding with loans that range between 1 million and 15 million dollars.  You can get:

o   Quick Loan Approval

o   A larger line of credit

o   Yada Yada

Why go with Fix- it- Quick?

·       

I will admit to explaining my attachments – stop that

The enclosed information shows you why FIQ can serve you with expertise, dependability, and reasonably:  My enclosures includes

o   Our investment results

o   Our 20 year history

o   An outline of our financial history

o   Staff resumes

o   And a breakdown of our Fees

Suggested next steps

Once you and your committee have reviewed our results working with other financial organizations, I would be happy to meet with you.  Thank you again for considering FIQ.

Sincerely

Notice- This letter is designed for speed reading – an executive can read the subjects and know what it is about – She did not go into detail about her enclosures – she went with just bullets – Suggested next steps is an excellent addition.

Recommendation from Deborah: Send letters as the executive’s are covered up with emails.  A letter they can put into their briefcase and read as they jet to the next meeting

Hey – Give it try – It might work to capture that next contract!  Mel