May 22, 2007
Shut Up and Sell!
A guide to what gets in the way

The Client was in trouble. Sales were down, and he was looking for the reasons why. He was looking at changing the colors of the buttons on his website without really understanding the habits of his customers. It never crossed his mind that he might be looking in the wrong place. What struck me as odd is that when my sales are down. I always look at MYSELF, asking "e;What else can I be doing or doing differently?"e; - So, in an effort to try and not offend the client, I asked "e;John - When is the last time you were on a site and didn't buy the product becuase of the color of the "e;Buy Now"e; button? He hemmed and hawed and came up with several reasons why the site wasn't going to work for him, INSTEAD of focusing on GETTING MORE OF THE RIGHT CLIENTS. I have seen this before, and I know where he's headed. It won't be pretty when he gets there. Instead of focusing on what is really important, he has chosen to misdirect his energy on minutiae that will make no real difference on the bottom line.

According to Kelly Robertson, here is a short list of what makes successful people sell!

1. They are persistent. . The most successful people in any industry have learned to face the obstacles that get in their way. They look for new solutions. They are tenacious. They refuse to give up.

2. Successful sales people are avid goal setters. They visualize their target, determine how they will achieve their goal, and take action on a daily basis.

3. Great sales people ask quality questions.

Uncover their customer's goals, objectives, concerns and hesitations. This allows them to effectively discuss the features and benefits of their product and service that most relate to each customer.

4. Successful sales people listen. They have learned that silence is golden. 5. Successful sales people are passionate. You are not doing yourself, your company or your customers any favours by continuing to represent something you can't get excited about. 6. Successful sales people are enthusiastic. When faced with unpleasant or negative situations, they choose to focus on the positive elements instead of allowing themselves to be dragged down.

7. Successful sales people take responsibility for their results. They do not blame internal problems, the economy, tough competitors, or anything else if they fail to meet their sales quotas. They know that their actions alone will determine their results and they do what is necessary.

Now shut up and sell! - Jeffrey As VP of ImageWorks, LLC, Jeffrey Cohen's extensive professional career includes owning American Screen Graphics, an award winning graphic design and silkscreen house, A stint at Travelers Insurance in IT, Technical Support for ITW/Promark, and Director of Operations at Fleming Industries. A Graduate of the University of Bridgeport, Jeffrey also holds a degree from the Computer Processing Institute, and is currently on the board of directors for the Tolland County Chamber of Commerce, and The CT Business Hall of Fame. Aside from his chairmanship of the Economic Development Comission in Vernon, CT, Jeffrey is also executive Director and Host of the Connecticut Business Network.