That'll learn you

Self development, or "sharpening the saw" as famously termed by Stephen Covey, has long been something I value and invest in.  I left school with a handful of O-levels and worked for a year before entering military service. At the time, further and higher education did not hold the same appeal as getting a job and earning a wage.  It was later in my early twenties that I started to understand the opportunities that education offered, and the difference a tutor with true passion for their subject could make to the learning experience of their students.

Fast forward ten years and I held a fistful of qualifications including a degree, though I realised that the qualifications were a by product of the experience of building my knowledge and skills.  As individuals we learn and absorb information in various ways - I knew from a young age that video assisted my learning; having procrastinated my reading of To Kill a Mocking Bird, I must confess that I was aided in my preparation for an exam by watching the film adaptation featuring Gregory Peck.

 Reading is a daily habit for many of us and I have just completed (my first read through) of some 'must read' business books given to me as Christmas gifts.  I have also been exploring new (to me) network opportunities and attending some very interesting seminars and talks.  It was at such an event (on the future of leadership) that I was reminded that the best way to develop your learning of a subject is to teach it. 

Try it!

Just the preparation of a short training session is enough to get you thinking creatively about the material; the ways you will deliver the content; and the questions you may have to respond to.  Rather than wait for the opportunity to arise you could video yourself delivering a presentation; create a podcast or write a helpful blog post. 

You'll be amazed at how the process of sharing your knowledge embeds that learning and builds on your expertise - it might prompt you to do a bit of research to refresh your content or you may choose to weave in a case study or useful example to your presentation.  Currently I'm benefitting from preparing a sales presentation and negotiation course.

Learning is a lifetime activity and finding a subject you can passionately share and inspire in others is a gratifying reward, and if you are looking for your own inspiration, then check out some seminars and talks near you - with the right 'teacher' you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you can retain and hopefully share later with others.

 

P.S. If you are interested in discovering what I've been reading recently, drop me a line at john@vector-resources.co.uk

Outsource this!

Its presence blossomed in the late 1980's and early 1990's, yet outsourcing has been around for centuries in various guises, and it continues to be a growth sector for some specialism's.  Mercenaries are a historic and extreme example of how an outsourced resource provided an entity (country; group) with the skills, capacity and capabilities to achieve their vision and goals (war, battle, and invasion).  Though fortunately these days outsourcing applies more to business orientated functions.
 

Numerous businesses have used (in whole or part) outsourced support and front line services, and doing so can be hugely beneficial to the owner of a growing business.  Accessing the skills and resources needed, without carrying the full time salary and management costs, can be very appealing and make economic sense.  Many of us will be familiar with printing, legal and catering as outsourced services, and during the past decade we have seen a greater presence of HR, marketing, IT and virtual assistants also becoming effective outsourced functions.

Business owners are increasingly seeing the benefits (beyond just the cost savings) of using an outsourcing provider.  Generally these providers will be keeping themselves abreast of the latest trends and market conditions, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge, sometimes beyond that expected of a similar role if they had been the employee.  They are connected to other businesses and may be in a position to connect you with potential customers, partners and suppliers.

Outsourcing can be adaptable to your needs whether that's cost, skills, frequency or volume.  This empowers businesses to gear up quicker, free up internal resources, and test new products and markets.  However the appetite to the use of outsourced services can vary.  Using an outsourced printer or accountant seems quite common place, yet hesitation can creep in when considering the use of an outsourced sales or HR provider.

The benefits should outweigh the cost of any hesitation and as you are the customer, rather than the employer, it gives you greater flexibility (within the agreement or contractual terms) to work with the provider to focus on what matters most to you and your business. 
You are in control.

John is the Director, of Vector Resources Limited, who help growing businesses increase sales and improve sales performance.  Find out more about outsourced sales and sales management at www.vector-resources.co.uk

 

Warm up for your cold calling

For many, calling potential customers is up there with having to do a 60 second pitch to a new group about their business. Even those familiar with calling prospective customers can feel anxious or tongue tied at times. With a bit of forward thinking and preparation, you should find you gain more confidence in your calling and see improvement in getting to speak with your new customers.

Before the call

Start with the end in mind - if you are unsure why you are calling, the person at the other end will struggle to understand too.  Write the purpose of your call on your notepad and speak it back to yourself (see Message).

Who are you calling - if it's a business, have you looked at their website?  I always take a look at the latest news section, about us, and people section, particularly if I'm unsure who I wish to direct my call to.  Use your time wisely and appropriately for the initial call - this will depend on the volume of calls you intend to make, your proposition and the information you would wish to be armed with.

Message - what is your proposition?  Why are you calling this prospective customer?  You may have had success with similar businesses who have found your proposition beneficial.  Be clear about the purpose of your call - keep it clear of jargon and brief, as you may have to state it once or twice before you get through to the decision maker.

Remember it's about the customer - am I really interested in how long you've been established, what ISO's you've have, your special deal or how unique you think your product is?  Build a rapport with me and find out a bit about my world (that is relevant).  Share with me how your proposition will benefit my business and how others like me have benefitted.  Be prepared for longer conversations.

When are you at your best - plan time to make your calls when you are at your best/sharpest; block 30 minute chunks out in your diary to make the calls.   Consider when your customer might be best disposed to take your call - would you expect to have a good conversation with a restaurant owner between 11.30 am and 3 pm?

Role play it - get a colleague or friend to play the customer and role play the call.  This provides a safe testing ground to hear what works and it can provide some crucial feedback and leanings about the messages and conversation you intend to use. 

 

During the call

The clichés do work: stand up to make your call; smile; have your notes to hand to keep you on track.  Be polite and confident - if someone answers your call, I assume they have decided it is convenient to speak with you.  If they tell you it's not, make sure you agree a time for you to call back.  Make every call count - use the opportunity to gain a bit more information, such as what time the decision maker usually starts/works until; name of their PA; email address.

 

After the call

Make sure you update your database with the outcome of the call.   Keep track of your activity and hit rates: calls made/ calls connected/ decision makers spoken with/ appointments made - these can be very insightful.

Make a note of how successful you felt the call was; how you felt during the call, and what you might have done differently.

And most importantly give it time - the more you do, the more proficient and comfortable you will become, and the more success you will have.

 

 

John is a Director of Vector Resources Limited and helps businesses increase sales and improve sales performance.  Find out more at www.vector-resources.co.uk

From good to mediocre

I'm concerned about the potential decline of good customer service and customer experience.  It seems to me that mediocrity is becoming the new 'good' and I shudder to think what is now considered satisfactory.  Maybe it's my age or a generation thing; I'm sure my parent's generation said the same things in the past and probably still do.  However this is an important point and our routine experiences as customers appear to be getting worse. 

In some instances we almost applaud sales people who make eye contact and say hello, and continue to pay us attention throughout our interaction with them - surely this should be the base standard, yet its regularity is diminishing.  Is good customer service one American export that doesn't travel well?

One sector that stands out for me is retail; in particular supermarkets.  They have spent millions improving their product lines, rolling out online shopping, training staff to be extra helpful whilst you are shopping, and attracting talent to lead them.  I acknowledge that they do invest in their staff and their training - however training on its own is simply not enough.  Mary Kay suggested that every customer has a sign around their neck saying "make me feel important" - yet this seems far from how many treat us.

Whether it's the check out assistant who continues their conversation with a colleague whilst choosing the minimal amount of words to complete my transaction, or the sales person who disregards the answer I just shared and continues to try to close the sale using the same points like a mantra - we must expect and demand better.  If you are a retailer or a B2B sales person, surely demonstrating excellence in what you do must be an overriding goal, and something you would be proud of?

Maybe we need champions or managers to lead by example, or for business owners to clearly define their expectations and describe the desired customer experience - and importantly praise staff that they catch doing it right. There are so many things that we can do to make the experience for our customers memorable, and many actions carry no cost other than a bit of thought, effort and sincerity.  As my Nan used to say manners cost nothing, yet their value can mean a lot.

John is a Director of Vector Resources Limited and helps businesses increase sales and improve sales performance.  Find out more at www.vector-resources.co.uk

The value of free

Have you ever struggled to get take up of your free seminar, free quote, or free consultation?  Has it become that even in business that some of us are sceptical of a catch, or that we feel or think that free has little or no value?

Yet what truth does this have, as free is still being widely advertised - "come to our free event, have a free trial, take a free test drive" - so does it work, does it have value? As sometimes it may feel that we struggle to 'give "it" away for free'.

Free on its own carries little value - it's the experience associated with what is being offered that builds the desire to use or take for free.  If you've ever commuted into a mainline station in London you'll regularly see promoters handing out promotional giveaways of cosmetics, confectionary, magazines and drinks.  A swarm of people change their course, anxious to get this new product for free.

When it comes to an event, seminar or consultancy, the purpose of free is to attract interest from a range of people who you hope will attend, increase their curiosity about you, and hopefully do business with you. 

Some event organisers in an attempt to address the mind-set of 'free' may place a nominal charge to encourage attendance on the day, and contribute to the cost of refreshments.  This can really slim down the guest list particularly if this is a new event or trying to attract a new audience, though at least you can be mildly confident that someone will show up.

To achieve success we should consider who our likely respondents are, and what would be their motivation to engage with free. 
There are numerous ways we can provide added value - collaboration with other subject matter speakers that compliment your business and will be of interest to your audience, the venue, and 'take away' materials or plan - and if you are providing refreshments make sure the biscuits are of a good quality; or cake if you wish to get my attendance.

Thanks for reading - for free.

 

John is a Director of Vector Resources Limited and helps businesses increase sales and improve sales performance.  Find out more at www.vector-resources.co.uk