Sales Success – From A to Z
by Mitch Taylor
Our calendar now turns to March and I recently returned from the Mobile Beat Magazine DJ convention in Las Vegas. It was a whirlwind event, with outstanding educational content and networking amongst peers. Having this experience reinforced my beliefs in the principles of Sales Success from A to Z. We now continue this month with G to I in Sales Success.
G = Give Freely - You may be asking yourself what giving freely has to do with sales success. As the old saying goes that we hear all of the time around the holidays, “’tis better to give than receive”. The beauty of this in the sales cycle is that when you give you almost always receive exponentially back. There are several local networking associations nationwide such as BNI or organizations that are wedding and event focused such as ABC and NACE and the Nevada Wedding Network where you can increase your network of referrals and hopefully increase your bottom line through word of mouth. To give freely also means you should donate whenever possible…it makes you feel good to do so.
H = Hug Your Clients – In Mark Ferrell’s disc jockey industry changing message Getting What You’re Worth, he spoke of the fact that he hugs his clients. I can still hear the chuckles in the room from my audio CD copy of this seminar when he said that. Do you hug your clients? Let’s explore this. What is hugging? Hugging is a form of communication. What does it communicate? It communicates that you care. This one word goes to the heart of sales success. Do you establish a relationship with your clients? After the event is over, do they ever hear from you again? Or is your sales cycle similar to one of a venue I worked at in metro Detroit several years ago when the hall manager informed me upon my asking if the client could have overtime that evening that once this wedding was done, it was done and she had another one in there tomorrow morning. Something tells me she didn’t hug her clients. She was only looking at this bride and groom as a means to an end…the end of the night so she could go home and collect her paycheck. Truly care for your clients. It makes a world of difference.
I = Invest In Yourself - This may sound simplistic, but it is profound. In regards to sales success, there are several ways to invest in you. What’s important to discover is what will truly generate referrals and make your phone ring in the days and weeks after your service at last weekend’s event. What will clients beg for, demand and truly desire for their event? Answer this question and you will know where to invest in yourself. For some, it’s sales training or studying books by the likes of Zig Ziglar, Bryan Dodge, Harry Beckwith and Jeffrey Gitomer (one of my personal favorites). For others its marketing courses or groups such as Toastmasters designed to improve your communication skills and help you create demand. Find what works for you and your business, and invest wisely.
On a side note, look for a future article that I will author regarding the connection between logic and emotion in sales. This will be a thought provoking discussion to be sure. Thanks for reading. I’ll be back next month with J, K & L in Sales Success.
(Editor’s Note: Mitch Taylor is a 17 year veteran of the mobile disc jockey industry and got his start working on the cruise ships of Carnival Cruise Lines. He is a member of the American Disc Jockey Association and WED Guild™. Mitch owns and operates Taylored Entertainment in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and can be reached at 906-786-6967.)
