I come across clients all the time that say "...yeah well, this social media thing, to be honest we are just to small." or I get responses such as "Our products even our industry just does not fit with this new social media thing you talk of." I completely understand... Continue reading

Creditsafe.com is a company that survived the dot com shakeout becuase it was based on sound business practice and took advantage of a structural market change. Namely the making of credit information available en masse to ltd companies, so as to break up what in the UK was an oligopolistic... Continue reading

I gave a sales seminar today entitled "Can I have your business?". It centered mostly around the closing stages of a sales negotiation / interaction. I opened the seminar by asking "What is your favourite closing question?". Do you know how many well paid, London based, recruitment consultants mentioned anything along the lines of "Can we do business?" NONE ! You can talk with passion, conviction and authority until your blue in the face, but you will never get the deal as a salesperson unles you ASK for it ! What is there to lose by asking this type of question? Certainly not the deal, there isn't one as yet and never would of been if a question like this ends a discussion. I now ask for the business on the first call everytime. Not because I think that all first calls can be closed, but because 1) They might just say yes and 2) If they dont say yes they will give you an indication of wether there will EVER be a yes. If you do nothing else in 2011 and your at the fore of client interaction, ask for the deal. It will save both parties time and money. Why have 3 conversations and an email sent, to get the answer you could of had at the starting gate? ex. "No sorry we have one major recruitment drive in January and would only seek outside help in emergency situations outside of this. " Great! You now know that they recruit in January and you can try to close on the contigency there and then. Ex "That's great and has saved us both some time. I build and manage relationships with clients that do excactly the same thing. (here you can build a senario)... Janice in accounts will be unavailable in March and it's year end - "Get someoneone in !" shouts the boss and it lands on your desk, its now your problem! Am i right? Lets get the paperwork signed off now and when you need a replacement, when that headache arises I can do what I do best and take that headache away from you and find the best person. Can you sign off on this today?" Now not the best example I admit, but can you see where I'm coming from? Regardless of who your speaking to and their position, if any, in the decision making process, this is a powerfull tool to use. It's also a great trial close, as it tells you how close to a deal you are. Here is another senario. Your talking to Bob the FD of a smallish concern and trying to do business with him. Go back in and ask Bill the MD what his opinion is on wether or not you will do business with Bob and when ! You can bet he knows the answer and will tell you as he sees the reason and value in the question. Always ask yourself when any director of a company says he needs to consult another director a number of questions 1) Is he saying that because he really does have to, or 2) because its coming out of a budget he does not directly control or 3) It's the easiest thing for him to say to get rid of a confident, passionate salesperson? Remember, its a small concern and he is the FD. Of course he can say yes if he wants to! I want to buy off someone who is ticking a number of boxes and so do my clients. Professionalism and determination, both of which are shown in a direct question about "doing" business, or its likelyhood are two of them. In closing, one of the best bosses I ever worked for would constantly say "If you dont ask, you dont get, If you dont get we are both out of a job, so close your eyes, grab hold of something and ASK for the business!". Continue reading