The Salesman Graal

Salesman is a hard job you know. But customer is too. And just like husband and wife, it’s the couple of the year !

Be careful about your neighbourhood, friends, family…customers. There are not invicible, there’s a no way track, a dead end job where economics, troubles and unstability may drive them. Selling is an art, giving pleasure, uses and products where one can buy it. It’s unbelievable how it can be a burst way to explode ourselves, in achievement, goals and even philosophy. But one can take the trap, if you’re not advised, blinded by ambition and foolish games. Let me introduce you to another plan, in more clever path, with ABC of selling maze…

• Let’s consider that, with “no target, no customers…”; what is it all about ? You can run, like a nut dog for quantity obsession, “raping” customers (who are not in fact, because they didn’t choose to be…), giving more than they need and want. Think about it: when you start to shoot, first you stare at the target. If you don’t, you fail. When you imagine to sell, it’s the same music…if you don’t target the audience, you won’t find the best customers, those who are going to buy more, and more longer with fidelity. But you will sell anything, to anyone, breaking the brand integrity, and making your action a short time effect. OK you decided to shoot in a more accurate way. you get the target ready…
• Well, you’re tired because you targeted all that moved, and still have no sales…Why ? “no customers, no sales“, it’s obvious. When you targeted, selected some islands of potential buyers, you must now talk to them…ranking them by parts, marketing items : age, job, potential wages, household with or without children – don’t forget they are real agents of potential spendings -, activities, hobbies, where and how they live, and so long. You start the famous ranking and segmentation, that is going to be the next milestone of your selling plan. Not for pleasure, but just because you don’t talk to a 10 year’s old boy as you do with his parents or grandparents…And even if the product is the same – I suppose it’s not, but anyway! -, the way you’re going to sell it and to talk about its qualities, is obviously the same way…Several paths for several customers, but for the same product…You start as well to write some selling bullet points for salesforce: presentation, pros and cons, selling notes. You enforced the tools, ready for the next step…
• “No products, no sales…” ; that is…have you identified the right ones, is there enough quantity in stocks, what is the speed of turnover, and production cycle ; are you limited, have you to select how many to sell or can you sell to anybody ? yes, you know like me, that a good salesman can even sell a product that doesn’t exist…;-) ; but that’s not a responsable behavior: you will shoot once, then you’ll be out of order by your bad boy reputation…Don’t forget the triple AAA, in Coca Cola worldwide strategy: Anywhere, Aware, and Available.
• Take it easy, still few steps to success. More difficult than ever…”no method, no sales“. You’re strong like a bull, enforced by tools, products, lots of targets and selling notes. Anyway, how are you’re going to cope with it, do you know all the story of customer’s needs ? It’s like you drive a car as you’re blind. Full crash for sure, end of the story. You have to spend time to understand the “needs” of your customers. They will thank you a thousand times, more than the product itself !
• The method is simply, listen…Nowadays, we forget too much listening our environment: advises, tastes, behaviors -yes body’s langage too-, experiences. It’s not hazard case to be there in a collective thematical website, yes, but web2.0 settlements, not at all, it’s just to share, stare, listen…yes practice what we call “active listening” to note the tinest detail about what the story of the product might be for your customer. Not for another. For this one. Each customer has a story to tell, considering the product’s finally use. Before closing the deal, don’t forget to know the right story; if you don’t, you will be hated first, but the brand you work for, will get a serious kick in its reputation…

Ready ? ready for a long story, embracing the job, ready to spend time and time, hearing stories, troubles, but hopes and destinies of future good deals, good sales. Sales you won’t never forget, you’ll be proud of. Sales customers want and call back. Because, products are there to be used, but there to tell stories too…Be a part of these stories, be the main character, the prince which saves the bride.

Coming soon: why can’t anyone be a salesman ?

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Evidencesx’s Network : on air, different kinds of social networks…#1 : what you do and who you are

I felt into social media several months ago, and travelled a lot since, thoughout news, posts, apps and meets. I don’t remember how it began, but there’s one thing I know for sure, is that I’m feeling better. It’s not only a “logo” affair, there a wild industry out there, crowling and managing with people. Obviously, I didn’t have time to try all you can find on the web, but with some patience, accuracy and a taste of discovering, you can be surprised if you like to. I found a good book too, that helped me reshaping landscape, regarding these fields of no man’s land…It’s an awesome collection of what exists as social apps, sorted by country, it’s not supposed to be complete, but great and long job by An de Jonghe, I met in Belgium. Let’s take the cruise and fall into this weird trip with me and fellows I’ve met: The social apps. This is the first part of my secret journey, for you on evidencesx’s network.

#1: What you do and who you are, are not useful for everyone, but help you to show your real profile.

Why have you a large interest to show you on the web? Because you’re not alone, and lots of people want to know you better, want to find you for your speciality, want to give you a better job, want to buy your advices, well some obvious reasons to get into the race…without racing. There’s nothing to win or lose, but to be there, exist, and give a vision of you in the most real profile; don’t cheat it’s dangerous, web’s going faster, the best goes fast, but the worst too…

You can find on this picture some of them that will help you, in the following weeks. You’re not registered? Run and choose one or more of them. You sign up, log in and start you personal story: personal profile, professional situation, skills, hobbies, education, who you know, what you can say about them (recommendations, endorsements). Your professionnal life, experiences, companies, responsabilities and jobs, will help people to shape your pro life, keeping you in a jobs network. Then start searching your next first followers: family? friends? jobmates? people you want to meet, talk? but respect the rules: everybody  has to fight “spam-sport” and mail-invasion-attitude; as soon as the mail has been created, people strangely recovered writing ability again, because of fluent facility to do it. Sendind anything, despite the target…but the target is you too, think about it, before approaching anyone: what can you bring to other people, they don’t have/need? Why have they an interest to know you (better)? As you’re regular, polite and not too noisy people, jump and try, there’s a lot to learn and share. You’ve just created your first circle of trust, that is going to follow you all your digital life…and maybe will share all your professionnal goals, emotions, success. And maybe will help you to find others on the next step, by endorsing people you know, by experiences you had with them; don’t hesitate to comment profiles you liked, another rule is that when someone recommended you, you’re so kind to send back the compliment. Someone that is involved in recommendations, is open to contacts and careful about peoples, and we speak here about human relations…people you tamed will give you access to their own circle and then, yours will enlarge…

Finally, after circles of trust, you can join groups, sorted by envies, skills or profiles, to focus on the things you like more, targeting your time and audience in a more accurate way.

convinced? no more? try, it’s easy, takes two minutes and free. Get leveraged as ever, boost your reputation, deal with the best, and live with your time. You can even surprise your children, those who have digital blood since they are born…

Let’s stay wired, don’t zap, no ad screen, no boring screen fail, soon for the #2 episode of these amazing stories on social board: what you like and what you share.

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