The Freestyle Entrepreneur

by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

John Newton became captain of his own ship at age 25.  He was offered the job a year earlier, but begged off, asking instead to be made first mate, so he could gain more experience.  In the end, it made him a better leader. 

(For those of you who do not know Newton, he was born in 1725 in England and is best known for writing one of the most popular hymns of all time, “Amazing Grace.”  Though he eventually became the most respected preacher of his day, and helped England become the first country to ban the infamous African slave trade, he was also in his youth a notorious drunk, womanizer and slave trader … proof that there is hope for all of us.  For more on this and other redemption subjects, I invite you to visit my spiritual blog, www.dailyconnections.net.)

My point:  For most go-getters, it is the years between age 30 and 40 when our careers take off like rockets, when we are likely to see our incomes double and triple and rise to the vice president spot, and do lunch with the CEO.  After that, we either build more sanely on what we have achieved or burn out like a Charlie Sheen, unable to handle our success. 

How to avoid becoming a wildly talented flash in the pan, quick to rise and quick to plummet back to earth:  Do like John Newton.  (No, not his profligate ways!)  Go slowly, if possible.  Take your time to learn, find good mentors, build true, lasting talent, not just flashy charm and gutsy moves. 

I knew a man who was a director of labor relations at Firestone Tires back in the 1960s.  He loved his job.  When he was offered the position of vice president of labor relations, he turned it down — three times – even though it would have meant an almost doubling of his salary.  Eventually, he accepted the position, but only when he felt he was ready.  (When he retired 20 years later, he was one of the most respected men both in the company and with the unions, who saw him as a formidable but fair opponent.)

Take your time.  Build your skills.  That corner office will be there when you are ready.  But do not be in a rush.  Get it right … not just fast.     

Work hard, make money, have fun … and don’t be in such a super rush to get to the top.  It will still be there when you do arrive.  There is plenty of room at the top.   

The Freestyle Entrepreneur – winner of the 2010 Top 35 Entrepreneur Blog awards from OnLine MBA.

John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur    

209 Church Street

Algoma, WI 54201

(920) 559-3722

www.TheFreestyleEntreprenuer.com

Want more biz tips and support?  Visit www.TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com.

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by

John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

Whether you’re just chatting about your business to a stranger in an elevator or summarizing your company’s key features and benefits to a make-your-day prospect, do not just wing it!  Ad libbing is for amateurs. 

Instead, actually write down and learn these following sales tools:

1.  Your company’s elevator talk.  That’s a 30- to 60-second power-punch explanation of who you and are what your business does.  It needs to summarize — in an interesting, powerful way — why a prospect should do business with you.  Put it down on paper.  Learn it.  Then rehearse it no fewer than ten times, until you “own” it and can give it in your sleep.  No, it won’t always be presented exactly the same way each time, and that’s the point.  You can adapt and adjust it depending on who you are talking to and how long you have. 

Important:  Watch your prospect’s eyes and listen for signs of other interest.  If you get the brush off, that’s it, no problem … and talk no more about your business.  However, if you see and hear signs of interest, be prepared to tell more.

2.  Your introduction to a prospect.  This is your story — who you are, what you do, your best-of-show unique competitive reasons why this person should give you his/her business.  Make it between three and five minutes in length and, if possible, include questions so the prospect gets a chance to talk as well.  (Otherwise, there’s a good chance he/she will begin to zone out. 

Once again, write it out and learn it and then rehearse it until it sounds natural.  This is important, because the biggest turn-off for prospects is hearing what sounds like a canned talk.  Instead, make it conversational. 

3.  Your close.  Remember, products and services do not sell themselves.  And even after you’ve trotted out all the great features and benefits, you MUST BE SURE TO ASK FOR THE SALE!   Again, make it smooth,  seamless, conversational.  For example:  “Well, that’s about it.  From what you’ve shared with me, I would say that this product/service meets your needs.  So, let’s get the paperwork wrapped up.  Let me confirm the spelling of your last name….” 

The bottom line:  Know what you will say, focusing on the key points you need to make, at every point of contact with every prospect.  Write out your key features and benefits, along with your close.  And then work on them until they feel and sound natural. 

Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  And be prepared to tell your story at the punch of an elevator button.

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by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

Are we there yet?  That’s the kids’ mantra from the backseat.  It can also be our whine when we wonder about when it’s ever going to get easier in our business.  Well, when it comes to you and your business success,  the answer should be:  Not yet! 

The fact is, in this uber-competitive, ever-changing world, we have to keep on growing, keep on learning, keep on investing in ourselves and finding new ways to stay ahead of the pack.  Life is challenging.  Embrace it.    

What can/should you do?  For starters, how about just 30 minutes each day of reading, listening to biz or motivational CDs while in your car; or maybe investing in a seminar, workshop or trade show several times a year?

Imagine investing 30 minutes a day, five days a week in staying sharp, keeping motivated, and growing.  That averages out to 2.5 hours a week, 10 hours a month, about 120 hours a year. 

That’s like three full weeks each year devoted exclusively to continuing education.  What will that do for you?  It will make you sharper and more knowledgeable than 95% of your competitors, and, yes, knowledge is power.  Just as important, it will help keep you motivated.  While many of the also-rans will get wooly-headed and dull-witted, you will keep loping along, staying strong in your game, becoming – and being known for – being one of the best.

So, invest in yourself.  And when you begin to wonder, “Are we there yet?” just smile, shrug and keep on going.  It’s a long trip, but it can also be a fun one.

Work hard. Make money.  Have fun.  And keep on investing in yourself!   – JRI

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[The following is a guest column written by Dr. Robert C. Snyder, musician, businessman and keen-eyed observer of life.  Enjoy. JRI] 

In the late 1940s I became aware of customer loyalty. I noticed that Millard, my dad, always bought his gas at the same Texaco station near our house in Topeka, Kansas. Millard never let the gas gauge fall below a certain point because he liked to keep track of mileage for every tank full. He kept a record book of mileages, and to make it easy, he’d always buy ten gallons of gas. That way, he could divide the 235 miles per tank in his head by just moving the decimal point one position to the left, giving him 23.5 MPG. Even now, 60 years later, I can still see that Texaco station in my visual memory. When it came time for me to buy tires for my 1937 Ford I bought them at dad’s favorite station. You can see how customer loyalty rubs off.

When I worked at Earl Jennings’ Sinclair station in the middle fifties, we had a customer, Mr. Blue, whom I will say was totally loyal. He came in one day and told Earl that he had bad news. “Earl, you have water in your gasoline.” Earl jumped up from his chair, pulled out his testing rod, put some water detecting chemicals on the end of it, poked it down into the fill tube, and reported that, “Yes, Jim, you’re right. How did you find out?” “Earl, it cost me $100 to have my fuel system in my Chevy cleaned out. The mechanic said it was filled with water.” “Jim, I want to pay for your repairs.” “No Earl, I’ve been your customer for 32 years and I don’t blame you. However, you should probably fix those holding tanks.”

Later in my college years, I worked a few months in Blaylock’s Drugstore on Tenth Street in Topeka. Customers would come in and say things like: “I’d like a bottle of Acetylsalicylic acid”. Of course they were teasing but were surprised when I knew they wanted aspirin. Of course customer loyalty worked both ways. When I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to change the pills in these diet bottles with the pills in the laxative bottle?” I thought of doing that little trick decades before somebody actually tried it. Remember that upset? It’s the reason we have unopenable bottles with unremovable seals under the caps.

When I operated my first mower shop in Charleston, Illinois in 1980, I bought my parts from Don Hutton’s Auto Parts store. The small engine parts salesman, Don Whitacre, visited me in my shop annually to inventory my parts. Mr. Hutton, who was too macho to wear a seat belt, collided head on with another ½ ton van and regrettably died, I grieved for a long time. He was such a good man and generous. I had a wonderful deep sense of customer loyalty with him and Mr. Whitacre.

When I had my little Jack’s Fixit Shop in Chandler, Texas, the shop was right next door to Jerry Kidd’s Convenience store and gas station. Jerry was in our church choir where I sang tenor, played flute, and pipe organ. I discussed customer loyalty one afternoon with Jerry and complained that I could find little or no reason to build customer loyalty with his station, because it seemed like every time I went there to pay for my purchase, there stood an unfamiliar clerk. “How do you expect me to grow my loyalty when I never see the same face twice in a month?” “Yes, Jack, (I was called Jack in Chandler.) we’re going to have a meeting about that problem tomorrow.” As far as I know, the meeting participants never solved the problem.

Now, these many years later, I have a loyal relationship with Mike Symes’ BP station in Hudson, Wisconsin. I always buy fuel at Mike’s, have him install riding mower tires and tubes, refer lots of my customers to him because he sells non-ethanol fuel, and generally have a good time teasing him. One time, as I fueled my Ford Escape, the back of the car started to shudder. When I looked over, there was Mike shaking the car from side to side……. Relentless teenager.

Mike refers two or three mower repair customers to me each week. The customer loyalty program works both ways for us.

Finally, I went to visit my small engine parts distributor when I first started repairing machines in Hudson. By chance, a young man named Justin met me at the front desk. He obviously was new to the job, didn’t know much about parts or how to look them up. So, I pledged to always call upon him for part ordering and technical assistance. Now, about three years later, he’ll even go into the warehouse and count the teeth on a gear if I ask. Now that’s an undeniable fruit of customer loyalty.

Robert February 2011

PS. Some of my repair customers have such strong loyalty to me, they’ve brought over a dozen jobs to me since 2006!

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HOW TO BEAT BUSINESS BURNOUT

The Freestyle Entrepreneur is pleased to announce the first program in the TFE Business Presentation Series:  How to Beat Burnout!  This program, presented by entrepreneur John Ingrisano, can be tailored for your individual for business, entrepreneur, executive or inventor group.

The premise:  Burnout and boredom are among the top reasons small business owners pack it in and either sell out or shut down.  According to market re­search, these two factors account for 50 percent of all busi­ness sales.  Pretty much every business owner hits the wall, crashes and burns.  The problem is especially rough in today’s shaky economy.  

It makes sense.  Successful men and women tend to be creative problem solvers.  They are also easily bored.  Plus, they don’t just commit them­selves to their companies … they become consumed by the quest.  Many put in long hours.  They neglect their health, families and outside activities.  Some end up physically ill, emotionally depressed, divorced.  Ironically, a major cause of burnout is suc­cess, ach­ieving a single goal long sought.  That’s why many owners get rest­less, discontented, bored.  

The program:  This entertaining and informative 45-minute presentation, with Power Point and handouts, has universal appeal for most business owners.  A lively mixture of statistics and John Ingrisano’s personal experiences (“I know I’m approaching burnout when I begin fantasizing about either Las Vegas and a showgirl or applying for an hourly job behind the counter of my local convenience store.”), you will be amused and unsettled by this humorous approach to a very serious subject.  Most of all, however, you will leave with some practical ideas about how to beat burnout. 

Who should find out more: If you are an administrator for a Chamber of Commerce, SCORE chapter, Economic Development Corporation, or work with any group that brings together self-employeds and SBOs, you owe it to your group to get more information 

Presentation covers:

• The price of commitment to success and the risk and causes of burnout. 
• The telltale signs of impending burnout.
• Ten practical, hands-on tips to re-ignite that fire in your belly and side-step burnout. 

 What attendees can expect to take away from this presentation: Business owners and executives will obtain tools to help them recognize the telltale signs of burnout and be able to take steps to avoid this destructive malaise that plagues too many men and women in business. 

For more information, call (920) 559-3722, or email him at john@thefreestyleentrepreneur.com. 

The Freestyle Entrepreneur — winner of the 2010 Top 35 Entrepreneur Blog awards from OnLine MBA.

John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur    

209 Church Street

Algoma, WI 54201

(920) 559-3722

www.TheFreestyleEntreprenuer.com

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by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

Are you in or are you out?  Too many business owners these days (and, yes, their employees and sales people, too) are only half-committed.  They’re burned out, fed up, on the verge of going under.

They coast, going through the motions of their responsibilities, both dreaming about last weekend’s football game or watching the clock, counting the days ’til their mindless vacation to Disney World.  They’re everywhere but present and focusing on their jobs, their careers, their lives.

The solution:  Be there!  Put the clock away.  Focus on your responsibilities today … and on DOING them to the very best of your ability.  Be surprised when five o’clock Friday arrives.  (Oh, and then plunge head first into your weekend, too!)

Work hard. Make money.  Have fun.  And be there!   – JRI 

                             – Stephen C. Lundin (Fish! Tales)

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www.TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com
Copyright © 2010 John R. Ingrisano

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I recently spoke with a biz owner who, convinced the place would go to pieces without her constant presence, hasn’t had a full day off in 12 years.  If that sounds too familiar for comfort, here are two suggestions to get you a few days off for fun and recreation in 2011.

First, in advance, decide the days you want off and write them on your calendar or in your appointment book.  Then schedule work around those days.

Let’s say you want ten days off in 2011, not necessarily all in one clump.    If you never take a day off, start by scheduling one day a month for the next ten months.  A modest enough goal.  Write them down.  Make sure the staff and crew see them on the scheduling board.  Oh, and then plan to do something exciting or interesting.  Most of all, get away from the business for that whole day … and stay away.

Now, it’s easy for me because I’m a one-man band.  However, even if you run a 24/7 restaurant, for example, you can do it.  How?  See my second point, right below. 

Second, either find someone who can run the shop while you are out or close the doors and just shut down (not necessarily advisable in these tough times if you’re in retail or a service biz). 

Sure, you may think that no one can do it, that no one can become manager for a day.  However, if you think so, that’s a matter of (A) too big an ego on your part; (B) a fear of delegating, or losing control; or (C) that you haven’t trained somebody YET to step in and handle things while you’re out of the office.  If the reason is A or B, get counseling.  If it is C, that means you’d better start grooming someone as one of your first goals for 2011.  

Remember, I’m not talking about a two-week stint in the Mediterranean.  Just a day or two off now and then.  So, decide how many days you want off in 2011, pull out your calendar and start blocking them out, and give your crew plenty of time to get ready for not having you around all the time.  I suspect you’ll be pleasantly surprised how well your employees rise to the occasion.  You might even find a manager-in-the-making just waiting for an opportunity.  Bonus:  You’ll get to be a human being (rather than a crazed business owner) for at least a few days in 2011.

So, work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  And, yes, plan to take a few days off next year.

John Ingrisano
209 Church Street
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722

Want more biz tips and support?  Visit www.TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com.

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by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

Smart marketing:  I just did a neat interview with one of the owners of Nutorious, a specialty nut company.  (Look for the amazing story of this zero-to-60-in-five-years Wisconsin start-up in the January 2011 issue of NEW North B2B Magazine.)  They sell high-end snack nut products, and have walked away with top awards in the snack food industry. 

One of the things that caught my attention during the interview was that they usually include samples with every order … often including a baker’s dozen in every dozen ordered.  Makes sense for them, of course, because the ultimate sales factor for food vendors is the taste.  Still, it’s a cost … or more like an investment.

Dumb marketing:  When I was a neophyte, I worked for a small marketing firm that was struggling.  I sat in on a meeting where one of the partners announced we had no money for a needed marketing trip.  As new as I was to business, I knew it was time to begin dusting off my resume.  And, yes, they were out of business within two months.  They had tried to save money by NOT doing the one thing that could have made them money!

My point:  Sure, these are tough times, but it makes no sense to cut back on the very activities that will build sales. 

Some people joke about skipping lunch and, instead, walking through Sam’s Club and scarfing up the samples.  Joke all you want; it works!  It’s the same with online sites.  Many give away a low-level product, and then earn big bucks by inviting visitors to go to the next level.  It works.        

Or then there are the business owners who make a point of putting in some face time with their clients at least once a year, but are flipping the coin over whether or not they can afford it, especially if those clients are scattered from New York to Tampa to Kansas City.  The fact is that maybe they can’t afford NOT to make the trip.  I believe it is crucial to remind clients/customers just how much they need and love you.  (They forget so easily.)  Staying in touch keeps you in mind when they need something you have to offer.

Spend your marketing bucks wisely.  Review results.  However, do not stop doing the very things that will help build up your business.  Keep on marketing!

Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  And maintain quality marketing activity. 

The Freestyle Entrepreneur – winner of the 2010 Top 35 Entrepreneur Blog awards from OnLine MBA.

John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur    

209  Church Street

Algoma, WI 54201

(920) 559-3722

www.TheFreestyleEntreprenuer.com

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PATTY @ PAPA MURPHY’S MADE MY DAY

It was 11:45 AM on a knock-about Saturday.  I’d just finished doing some clean-up at our church and was ready to pick up two pizzas that I could pop into the oven later today for dinner for friends before heading off to hear/see Messiah at Green Bay’s Weidner Center. 

I walked into Papa Murphy’s in Sturgeon Bay and placed my order.  I was first to order, followed rapidly by three other groups.  Behind the counter was one person (on alone until noon, I learned) who was taking orders, making pizzas, doing whatever takes place in the back. 

This employee, Patty was her name, I learned, was pleasant, efficient, never lost her cool as the orders began to back up.  Best of all, as each new customer entered, she cheerfully greeted/acknowledged him/her and asked to please wait a few minutes.  (That’s a big one to me: I hate being ignored by a too-busy waitress/clerk/etc.  Just an acknowledgement that I am present and a request to wait … and I surely will wait.) 

As she made my order, I joked with her that she was manager today, as well as assistant manager and gopher. She smiled and, while working like a Tasmanian Devil, said that relief would show up at noon. 

Patty was terrific – cordial, efficient, hard working.  Even though several customers had to wait to place their order, her acknowledgement of them and pleasant demeanor kept them waiting without complaint.        

My point:  Simply to acknowledge a go-the-extra-mile employee and remind all business owners (A) that employees like Patty are out there and (B) when you find one, cherish and reward him or her.  That person is invaluable to the success of your business. 

Work hard. Make money.  Take care of your primo employees!!!!!

The Freestyle Entrepreneur – winner of the 2010 Top 35 Entrepreneur Blog awards from OnLine MBA.

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Some people ask, “Why do sales people fail?”  With 35 years in this field as a sales professional and trainer of sales representatives, I recognize that sales people do NOT fail:  They simply quit before they become successful.  That’s why I encourage sales newbies to commit to the “10,000 Hour Rule.” 

Research has shown that 10,000 hours is the threshold, the “magic” point at which a person goes from being okay to being a super success. Nothing to do with talent; just persistence. 

A good example comes from the field of  music.  Studies have shown that music teachers, on average, practiced and studied an average of 4,000 hours before achieving their goal.  Moderately successful performers and bands – the ones who achieve regional fame, perhaps make a so-so living playing at the state fair each year, or become lifelong opening acts – have put in, on average, 7,000 hours total before achieving their level of success.  Super stars, however – Cher, James Taylor, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, etc. – generally work and practice and keep on growing for no less than 10,000 hours.  That’s the difference. 

That can take anywhere from three years for those who are focused and borderline maniacal to five years for people who have a family and a life.

The Beatles were a great example of that.  In the late 1950s, the Beatles were a so-so, knock about band in England, going nowhere.  A fellow from Germany showed up looking for British bands to play in the seedy strip joints of Hamburg.  He didn’t care if they were good, just cheap and willing to work long hours. 

The Beatles decided to accept the offer.  Over the course of three years, they went to Hamburg and played … and played.  During some of their gigs, they performed ten hours a day, seven days a week.  As one of their biographers pointed out, when they left England the first time, they were lousy, a third-rate band.  However, when they returned from Hamburg after their final contract, they were THE BEATLES. 

It wasn’t a matter of talent.  Yes, they were talented, but there are an awful lot of talented failures in this world.  It was their determination to work and work and work.  As a result, by the time they became overnight successes in the early 1960s, they had already put in well over 10,000 hours, more than most groups play during the entire course of their careers. 

The point:  If you’re in sales (or any field, for that matter), I don’t care how smart or talented you are.  You could be the biggest dullard in the world.  However, if you commit to working and learning and practicing, to trying and trying (and yes, failing), for 10,000 hours, you will become ranked among the best in your field.  Go for it! 

So, work hard, and keep working hard … and you’ll make it!  Period! 

The Freestyle Entrepreneur – winner of the 2010 Top 35 Entrepreneur Blog awards from OnLine MBA.

Want more biz tips and support?  Visit www.TheFreestyleEntrepreneur.com.

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[The following is a guest piece by consultant Paul Rudo at rudoconsulting@gmail.com.   Enjoy. -- JRI]

In order to be successful in any business, you must first have a high-quality product or service. But how do you define quality?

It’s simply the degree to which you meet customer needs, and the dollar-for-dollar value that you deliver. But the problem with “quality” is that only your customer can set the criteria that define it. As a marketer, you have very little say in the matter.

The customer will say “I want a faster, lighter widget,” and all of your competitors will begin announcing that they’ve discovered the “Fastest, Lightest Widget On The Market.”

Announcing the quality of your product is really no way to market your offering. It just sets you up as another commodity provider. The quality of your offering should just be assumed.

Your customer already has an expectation of what they want from you. And if you don’t meet that expectation, you won’t succeed. So don’t even bother talking about it.

So if I don’t sell based on quality, what do I promote?

When people buy things, they usually do so with double-intentions.

First, they have an irrational, emotional need that they want to fill. And once they’ve spent their money, they justify their actions with rational quality-based arguments.

This is the essence of consumerism in a nutshell.

• Make-up companies know that young women are insecure about their looks, so they use anorexic models and digitally altered photographs to set up a standard of beauty which is impossible to attain. And then, they link their product to it.
• In their advertising, Apple portrays their customers as creative, artistic trend-setters. And the people who buy their product want to align themselves with that lifestyle. Almost as if a computer could make them seem more interesting to others.
• One of my clients is a <a href= “http://ontariocleaning.com”>cleaning company in Toronto</a>. They understand that corporate customers are secretly terrified of having their cleaning person steal from the office. So their interactions are heavily focused on reinforcing trust, security and reputability.
• Record labels know that poor urban youth crave money, cars, jewellery and women, so they portray rap artists as the sort of people who consistently have easy access to those things (although it’s almost never true).
• Beer companies know that men want to be desired by women. So beer commercials usually take place at cool parties where the drinkers are seen having lots of fun, surrounded by beautiful women.
• Fashion and jewellery designers know that rich people crave exclusivity and “authenticity” (whatever that means).  So they make their products very expensive and difficult to buy. That’s why some of the best luxury products require you to sit on a waiting list for months, or even years.

How can you associate a fantasy with your brand? What sort of emotions are your customers looking to feel when they hire you or buy from you?

• Love
• Acceptance
• Danger
• Lost
• Belonging
• Hope
• Safety
• Power
• Protection

For example: Let’s assume that you’re selling a time management application, and most of you buyers are career-oriented males between 20 and 30 years old. These people clearly want to be more productive at work so that they can get noticed by the boss and promoted at work.

It’s not about saving time. It’s about social status.

How could you use your advertising to build a fantasy around this?

Figure out what your customers want to feel, and then see how you can associate your brand with that image as a means of differentiating yourself. If you can plant a “gut feeling” in your client, it sets you apart in a very positive way and allows you to charge a higher price.

About The Author:

Paul Rudo is an independent marketing consultant and blogger. He’s currently working with http://ontariocleaning.com to help with their online marketing efforts.  He can be contacted at rudoconsulting@gmail.com.

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By John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur 

[The following is an excerpt from John Ingrisano’s

 The Back to Basics Book of Selling: A Guide to a Successful Sales Career.] 

You don’t need to be a genius or have a Ph.D. in market­ing to be a successful sales professional. All you need are four things:

1. A thorough knowledge of your products or services.
2. A firm commitment to work hard and to invest the time and effort it will take to become successful. Some people think that an eight-hour workday represents four hours of over­time, while others regularly work up to 16 hours a day.  Andrew Carnegie, one of the most successful industrialists ever born, had the philosophy that, “Anything worth having is worth working for.”  Good advice.
3. A winning attitude.  Some folks come by a positive mental attitude naturally.  Most of us, however, have to work at it.  Train yourself to think positively.  Yes, it can be a challenge, but it is possible.  The more positive your attitude, the more successful you will be.
4. A mastery of the basic, fundamental techniques of suc­cessful selling.  They are ancient, universal … and they work.  Yes, new techniques and methods come around every year like Christmas and Easter.  However, the basics NEVER change.  They have been proven over the centuries to be successful for countless numbers of sales professionals and others.

These ideas should be thoroughly learned, step by step. Most of all, they should be understood. If you understand the purpose of each step in the successful sales process, you will be able to apply it with more conviction than if you simply view it as a step to be blindly followed.

Study the basics. Master them. Perfect them. Once you have a solid understanding of all of the elements of successful selling and can see how they all fit together, you can begin fine tuning and adjusting them to fit your own sales situation and sales style. Make them yours. In turn, they will make you an effective, successful sales professional.

 So, learn your products, work hard, keep a positive attitude, learn the basics of selling … and then go out and make money!

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If you’re like many business owners and dedicated managers, it has been a tough year.  I know I’ve been booking long hours to keep my business in the black. 

The problem:  A lot of us are cutting into serious personal time … and there is a price you may end up paying.  Yes, work a few seven-day weeks and some 12-hour days.  That’s what you may have to do these days. 

HOWEVER, you MUST take time for relaxation, for play, for family.  YOU MUST! 

With the holidays coming up, plan your time carefully.  Sure, you may have to work right up to 8:00 PM the evening before Thanksgiving, but then be sure to take a whole day off to enjoy friends and family.  Same with Christmas or whatever you celebrate in December. 

The bottom line:  Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays this year.

So, work hard, make money, have fun … and be sure to take some time for the most important things this holiday season.  — JRI

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I’m a solo-preneur these days; have been since 2004.  While I like the freedom (get to come and go as I please), going it alone is very limiting.  There’s only one me, and I am finding that my time and talents are very limited, especially in the rapidly changing techno-world.  Going solo almost entirely eliminates the potential for growth – I mean exciting, meaningful growth — to the point that I am considering reworking my biz plan and, if not hiring people outright, contracting with them virtually … keeping them on staff or on tap. 

The key:  Go for the best you can find.  Someone once said that first-rate managers hire first-rate employees, while second rate managers hire third-rate employees.  The implications are obvious.  I’m one of the best at what I do, so it makes sense to surround myself with others who are the best at what they do. 

The bottom line:  Find good people and either hire them outright or contract with them.  And pay them a notch or two above their going rate; that way, you can get them when you need them. 

So, work hard, make money, have fun … and hire the very best you can find. — JRI

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by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

 [The following is an excerpt from John Ingrisano’s The Back to Basics Book of Selling: A Guide to a Successful Sales Career.] 

The sales process is really fairly simple. It’s a lot like riding a bicycle — once you have it mastered, it becomes second nature. But for the person who has never gotten on a bike before, God’s creation of the universe wouldn’t appear to be much more difficult. Selling, like riding a bike, is essentially a matter of mastery.

But hold on, all you six-figure sales pros out there:  Before you begin writing letters in protest, let’s clarify one point: No one ever said that selling is easy.  And I’m not saying it, either.  In fact, it takes a lot of hard work to be successful in sales. And once salesman­ship is mastered, it can always be improved. Like any profes­sion, selling requires continuous education, growth, and de­velopment.

The basics, however, are simple to learn … even though they may take a lifetime to master. And these basics are the foundation upon which everything else is built. When you have a firm grasp of the basics, doors of opportunity and success are flung open … wide open. But without the basics, you will go nowhere, no matter how hard you work.

Over the years a number of “Secrets to Success” and “Shortcuts to Success” in selling have been developed. There really are no secrets, no shortcuts. A working understanding of psychology, for instance, may help you fine tune your sales skills. Tracking your biorhythms may give you added confidence and help you be at your best. Learning how to read the prospect’s eye movement or body language can’t hurt. But these are add-­ons, extras to help you refine the fundamental approaches to selling. It is crucial that you first learn to walk with these fun­damentals. Then, and only then, can you run with the extras.

Why is a mastery of the basics so important? Because the basic principles of selling never really change. The fundamen­tals of effective salesmanship are still essentially the same as they were when the serpent sold Eve on the benefits of that apple. They are founded on the concepts of an understanding of human nature and a whole lot of common sense. The basic principles of selling have been tested, refined, and improved through years of use — not only by tens of thousands of successful salespeople, but also by politi­cians, writers, and business people who have shaped the his­tory of the world.

Think of selling as effective, persuasive communication, because that is exactly what it is. The ancient Greeks devel­oped oratory, known today as public speaking. The Romans raised it to an art form. The citizen who could persuade his audience, convincing them of the truth of an idea or the value of a particular course of action, was honored with laurels, riches, and prestige.

Such persuasive oration was recreated by William Shakespeare in his play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Marc Antony’s address at Caesar’s funeral begins, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones; so let it be with Caesar.” Marc Antony then goes on to convince the crowd that there was good in Caesar and that they should rise up against his murderers. Another example of effective ora­tory is the political tract, Common Sense. Written by the pro-American English essayist and revolutionary, Thomas Paine, Common Sense argues forcefully and persuasively for the freedom of the American colonies.

Every time a politician opens his mouth, he is selling something. Every time a writer uncaps her pen, she is selling something. Every time a 16-year-old boy asks a girl out for a date, he is selling something. And to present their ideas effectively, they use various tools of persuasion that have been developed and refined over the centuries. The words may be different, the ideas may be different — but the techniques they use do not change.

Writers, politicians, and orators sell ideas. You sell your product, whether it’s life insurance, automobiles, office machinery, toothpaste, a training program, accounting or therapeutic massage service. But no matter what you sell, the fundamentals of how you sell will be the same. The tech­niques have not changed for centuries. They will work for you just as they did for Socrates, Aristotle, William Shakespeare, Thomas Paine, and others.

The bottom line:  Since the basic, time-tested techniques of selling work, since they do the job, there is no need for you to re-invent the wheel. You do not have to start from scratch, learning how to become a successful sales professional through trial and error. You can learn from the experiences of others. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And the basic techniques of successful sound selling “ain’t broke.” Every day they are used effectively by tens of thousands of individuals in tens of thousands of situations.

So, learn the basics, whether from one of my books or seminars, or another sales trainer.  Then practice and refine your ideas and presentations.  And watch the doors of success open … and open wide.

Work hard, make money, have fun, and keep on selling!

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Wow!  Did I ever get an overpriced truckload of criticism about my recent piece on buying local, on daring to point out that local businesses need to treat their local customers special.  So, let me try again.

If you own a local business in a small town (or if you’re a small biz in a big city competing with WalMart, etc.), you have to give locals a reason to buy local. 

Example:  When I lived on the island of St. Maarten, there were two prices:  One was the list price … and that was for tourists.  The other was the island price. When I’d walk into a store, I’d mention the magic words, “I live here,” and would get a discount.  It was as simple as that. 

My point, and perhaps I did not make myself clear earlier:  If you want to promote the buy-local concept, you’d damn well better give locals a reason to do business at your business.  And the best way to do that is through the local discount.  No coupons.  No magic cards.  Just a “Hey, how are you?” and a discount on the price.  It don’t get no easier or simpler than that!

 Remember, it’s a two-way street.  Want local loyalty? Give local loyalty.  It is a two-way street!

So, work hard.  Make money, and give your locals a reason to buy from you rather than bitching that they won’t!  –   John R. Ingrisano, The Freestyle Entrepreneur

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It’s happening right now.  As the towering super wave approaches, all we hear at first is the innocent sound of envelopes being opened … followed by such sounds as “You’ve got to be kidding!” (and that’s the most polite response). 

Millions of individuals and businesses are receiving notice of significant health care premium notices right now, and with midterm elections a month away, the timing couldn’t be worse for Democrats who voted for ObamaCare.

Example:  I have an HSA with a $5,000 deductible.  I’m the only one on the plan.  My premiums were $481.15 per quarter back in February 2010.  (I know – cheap.  That’s what clean living gets you … or so I thought.)  That was raised to $561.09 in May 2010.  I grumbled, but bit the bullet.  Then the other day, notice was given that my new premium, starting in December, will be $$712.41.  (So much for clean living.) 

I’m not alone.  Everyone I’ve talked to is experiencing these kind of phenomenal rate hikes.  Plus, the news is covering stories about companies dropping care because they cannot cost-effectively provide coverage under the new rules, while some whole health care delivery systems are dropping Medicare patients en masse.

And we thought people were already angry!  We ain’t seen nothing yet!  This drives home vague concerns about health care costs and makes it an in-your-face, dollars-and-sense pocketbook issue. 

The result:    It is highly likely that, come November 2^nd, voters will turn out in droves to tar and feather every Democrat on the ballot – from Washington to state governments. 

Good luck.  –   John R. Ingrisano, The FreestyleEntrepreneur

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by

John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

This one’s liable to get me in big trouble with some folks, especially my local business owners.  But here goes. 

I’m seeing major problems with the long-term viability of “buy local” programs.  Okay, the idea makes sense, but ONLY if the local businesses play ball.  Too often, they don’t.  

In recent weeks, I’ve heard about half a dozen complaints from people in my town and others in the state that they tried to work with local businesses, but the businesses they talked to had high prices and/or lousy service.  The complaint was summarized by one person like this:  “I’m willing to buy local whenever I can, but ********** seemed oblivious to the fact that I was trying to buy locally.  Instead, they tried to take advantage of me.” 

At the same time, I’ve heard business owners complain long and loud that the locals had no customer loyalty, but would go to the big-box stores just to save a few pennies.  

Sorry, but these days a few pennies are well worth the drive.  Most of all, I’ve been in business a long time, and I’ve always believed it was the businesses’ responsibility to motivate customers to buy from them.  Period.  Give them a reason and they will.  Try to make them feel guilty … and they’ll leave in droves.  Those that are doing a lot right do not need a “buy local” campaign.     

I’ve always been a fan of buy local, but here’s the big problem:  There is a reason customers go elsewhere for a purchase.  Buying local is fine, as long as the local merchants work to make themselves more competitive and not just sit back and see “buy local” as a windfall for them.  

For me, it goes back to the “Buy American” campaigns from the 1970s.  While America was making the worst cars around back then, they had to do more than just push me to buy their products.  I’d have loved to buy American, but the products were awful.  So, I bought Japanese.  (Today, by the way, I look for reasons to buy Ford, not just because they’re American, but because they are now creating a quality vehicle.)

Recommendation when it comes to “buy local” campaigns:

1. Educate businesses that they need to do their part and make themselves as competitive as possible.  This doesn’t necessarily mean lower costs, but perhaps quality, home-town service. 
2. Recognize that no customer should feel obligated to buy locally. That kind of thinking is all turned around.  Instead, the businesses need to give them a reason to do so.   
3. Do not make “buy local” an ongoing, year-round campaign.  Instead, designate a week or so every year to a whoop-dee-doo “buy local” campaign.  Get businesses to sign on, commit to wow their customers, and participate, giving them a chance to demonstrate why customers should buy from them.

Bottom line:  Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  And, remember, no customers owe you anything!  Get out there and give them a good reason to buy from you … and to keep coming back for more.

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by John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur 

[The following is an excerpt from John Ingrisano’s The Back to Basics Book of Selling: A Guide to a Successful Sales Career.] 

The sales professional plays a unique role in society and in our economy. He or she is a facilitator, a catalyst —- someone who makes things happen. It was a sales professional who convinced Grandpa to replace his push mower with one of the revolutionary self-propelled models. It was a sales profes­sional who sold you the latest top-of-the-line techno gizmo with all the options you hadn’t realized were available. The sales professional is the link between the manufacturer and the buyer, between an innovative service and the people who “discover” its many features and benefits.

It takes a sales professional — a person skilled in identify­ing needs of prospective buyers, making the buyers aware of those needs, and identifying the product or course of action which will meet those needs — to communicate to prospects how a product will meet their needs and why they should buy it … and buy it (A) now and (B) from you. 

In retail business, the prospective buyer comes to the sales­person. But just because an individual walks in the door does not mean that he is going to buy. He may just be window shopping, may not immediately see what he wants, or may have a number of questions that he wants answered before he makes a decision.

How many times have you walked into a store, especially during the holiday season, with a desire to buy “something” extravagant for your spouse or children? You may be out of your area of expertise (a husband in search of a coat for his wife or a wife looking for a new power tool for her husband’s workbench) and desperately in need of sales assistance. But either no one shows up with an offer to help, or the one who does is indifferent or unknowledgeable and of no value at all. You probably end up making a blind stab at buying some­thing that you pray turns out to be right, or you make tracks to the door. The store lost a sale, or made a smaller sale than it could have, because the all-important ingredient — an interested, motivated, knowledgeable professional salesperson — was lacking. 

Now look at the other side of the coin. Think of the stores you have entered where you were greeted by a courteous, in­terested salesperson, a person who knew his or her products and made the extra effort to provide you with exactly what you needed. Such a person probably also knew how to maxi­mize a sale: 

“We have a lovely blouse that will go very nicely with that skirt. Let me show you.”

“This car features a top quality six-stack CD player and all-around airbags as standard equipment, and is one of the top-rated models for mileage.  And did you know that this is our most popular seller.” 

“What would you like to drink with your order? Can I interest you in some apple pie today?” 

Think about how questions such as these maximize sales. In the first example, a woman has entered a store with the in­tention of buying a skirt. She is not opposed to buying anything else; she simply hasn’t given it any thought. But she knows that she wants to buy the skirt. The salesperson makes the simple suggestion that she might also want to look at a blouse. The suggestion is courteous and helpful, certainly not high pressure. The customer would only have to say, “No, thank you, this will be fine,” to decline. There is no risk, no loss, no penalty to the salesperson — but there is a very good chance of making that additional sale.

Suppose that each week the store sells 100 skirts for $50 each, grossing $5,000. The salesperson earns a 10% com­mission on every sale, so she earns $500 a week. Now suppose that every time a customer buys a skirt, the salesperson rec­ommends a blouse priced at $30 to go with it. If only a quar­ter of those customers buy a blouse, the store will gross an additional $750, and the salesperson will earn an addi­tional $75. Both the store and the salesperson would realize a 15% increase in income, all because of a simple suggestion. In addition, because of the professional, courteous sales attention, customers will probably come back again, becom­ing regular clients of the store. 

The same concept applies to business, industrial, and financial services sales. After closing a major order, the office machine salesperson might suggest, “We have a special attachment for this machine which would allow you to use it in your accounting area as well. It will double your capacity at only a fraction of the cost.” After completing an applica­tion for life insurance on a husband, the life agent might ask, “How’s Mary’s coverage? With both of you working, there’d be quite a financial loss if anything happened to her.”

The sales professional makes the difference when it comes to both making the sale and maximizing the sale. This is perhaps best illustrated in an anecdote told by an associate years ago.  When asked, “What’s a salesperson?” he replied: 

“Let me tell you what a salesperson is. A fellow walked into a department store and asked for a sales job. Since the applicant had no previous sales experience, the man­ager was naturally leery. But having a soft heart, he said, ‘I’ll give you one day to prove yourself. You can start right away in sporting goods.’ 

Later in the day, the sales manager dropped by to see how his new salesman was doing and found him talking to a customer. ‘You’ve made a good selection. This is a terrific fishing rod, the best we carry. But you know, the really big fish aren’t by the shore. You have to get out into the middle of the lake. What you need is a boat.’ The customer hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. The salesman went on. ‘Of course, by the time you row out to where the really big fish are biting, you’ll be too exhausted to enjoy yourself. Fortunately, we have a motor that’s just right for that boat. And you won’t find it for a better price anywhere in town.’ The customer couldn’t turn down a deal like that, so he bought the motor, too. ‘Now, that should just about do it,’ the salesman concluded, and then hesitated. ‘How are you going to get that boat to the lake?” he asked. The customer didn’t know, and it wasn’t long before the new salesman had sold him a trailer.

When the customer left, the sales manager came rush­ing over. ‘You’re terrific! You just made the single big­gest sale in the history of our store! And just think, all because the customer came in to buy a fishing pole.’ The new salesman looked at the sales manager and said, ‘He didn’t come in to buy a fishing pole. He wandered in, and we started chatting. When he mentioned that his wife was in the next department buying shoes because she was going to her sister’s for the weekend, I told him it sounded like a dull couple of days for him and asked if he’d ever thought of taking up fishing.’ Now that’s a salesman!”

As always, work hard, make money, have fun. — jri

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By John Ingrisano

The Freestyle Entrepreneur

[The following is an excerpt from John Ingrisano’s The Back to Basics Book of Selling: A Guide to a Successful Sales Career.] 

It was once widely believed that, “If a man can … make a bet­ter mousetrap than his neighbor, though he builds his house in the woods the world will make a beaten path to his door.” That quote is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson. And while Emerson was one of America’s finest essayists, philosophers, and poets, he certainly was no businessman. No product, no matter how good it may be, will sell itself. It has to be sold. And that is a fact of life. 

Almost daily, the business section of any newspaper tells us about new companies – many with innovative ideas and surefire products — that have gone belly up. The “Public Notice” and “Auction” columns in classified sections tell the same story: Companies have declared bankruptcy and what is left of their capital assets has to be auctioned off to pay their debts. Many of these companies do not fail because of high overhead, inefficiency, or managerial incompetence. All too often, they fail because the founders invested all their time and money in developing that better mousetrap, with no ef­fort given to developing a marketing strategy. They failed to realize that customers were not going to beat down their doors to shove money across the counter for their products.

Products have to be marketed. Products have to be sold. An obscure footnote to history tells us that, were it not for a salesman named Vail, Alexander Graham Bell’s venture with the telephone might never have gotten off the ground.  H.J. Heinz, the founder of the company that bears his name, did not develop those “57 Varieties” by sitting and waiting for customers to come to him. When he first started in business, he loaded his products into a wheelbarrow every day and sold them door to door. Mr. Wrigley and his chewing gum became famous because he “hit the streets,” so to speak, and sold his product from a basket.

That famous Texan named Mary Kay Ash is another great example. Starting in 1963, she built a storefront cosmetics business into Mary Kay Cosmetics, a nationally known, multibillion-dollar empire that continues to grow by leaps and bounds. How did she build this empire? Is it because her products are better than the hundreds of others that enter the market and fail each year? Mary Kay cosmetics are good products, but quality of product alone does not ex­plain this incredible success. What made the company successful was marketing. Selling. Mary Kay Cosmetics continues to boast a sales network that is second to none, and in 2006 racked up wholesale sales of $2.25 billion.

Remember, it is not the quality of a product alone that determines its failure or success. Products do not sell them­selves. They need to be sold. If you were to examine two companies, each with equally competent management, which of­fered identical products, you would see that the company that understands the importance of marketing the product, of selling the product, of bringing the public into contact with the product, this will be the more successful of the two.

Products can be sold by any of a thousand techniques — advertising, promotional campaigns, free samples, etc. Small nickel-and-dime items can be sold without the aid of a sales­person. Cigarettes, gum, soft drinks, and similar items can be bought from a machine, buyer awareness having been piqued through media advertising and attractive displays. Many such purchases are impulse buys, which satisfy basic needs or simple whim. While a “media blitz” or eye-catching mer­chandising may soften up buyer resistance, most major products or services re­quire one-on-one contact between a prospective buyer and a sales professional if they are going to sell at all, much less realize their maximum level of sales. Good advertising can at­tract prospective buyers, but it takes a sales professional to turn the curious into customers.

Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.

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 Desperate times can lead to desperate measures … and I’m seeing a disturbing trend these days among small business owners. 

 On more than one occasion, I’ve seen businesses pad their services – add extras without authorization.  “The air filter was pretty bad, so we replaced it.”  “I noticed that your dog was due for a stool sample, so I went ahead. No sign of worms.”

Some businesses are doing this even though the customer is either near at hand or a phone call away. 

The bottom line:  If you are tempted to pad your services without authorization, it will come back to bite you in your padding.  Guaranteed!  It’s not only bad business, but also bad for business.  Some people may protest.  Others will be too polite to speak up, so they will pay the bill … and then you’re likely to never see them again. 

That would be like the counter kid at McDonalds throwing in that order of French fries or apple pie without asking.  

A better way:  We’re all looking for ways to survive these challenging economic times, and finding a way to increase services can add 10% or more to an invoice.  Still, when you find an additional service that is needed, first talk to the customer and get his or her okay.  Don’t make assumptions that will cost your customer additional money … and you business in the long run.

Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.

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Okay, okay…so I’m not exactly Dr. Phil. However, for a few brief paragraphs I’m going to anoint myself as Dr. Bill. As Lucy might say to Linus, “The Doctor is In!” No degree. No fancy television show. No groupies. But a boat load of common sense in what I’m about to suggest.

Recently I attended a three-day spiritually-based seminar in which we discussed tenants from the Beatitudes urging us to purge ourselves of grudges and resentments. We were asked to write then down, whether the degree of hurt ranged from slightly irritating to overwhelming. There were two objectives:

1.) Share what we wrote with one trusted person from the group, who would in turn would share his/her list with you
2.) The seminar leader had a stack of rocks in back of her riverside home, weighing from a few ounces to several pounds. We had to choose a rock from the pile for each hurt and carry it around in one of those ‘green’ grocery bags that you can buy for a buck. We were instructed to carry that bag of rocks around with us throughout the seminar until we were truly ready to unburden ourselves from each hurt by hurling each and every stone into the river. Once that stone was thrown—the assignment was to, as my ex-New York buddy John Ingrisano says, “Fuggit about it!”

The results were amazing. Some people had one tiny rock and several carried a dozen. Since participants came from all over the country, and were instructed to carry them until we were truly ready to get rid of the hurt once and for all, it meant that they might have to stick some rocks into their respective suitcases and haul them back to California, Virginia, or Texas. With the cost of luggage on airplanes, it could be an expensive proposition.

Therefore, two options were offered: a.) Get about this forgiving business right away; or b.) Leave the rocks at our seminar location, but finish the project at home in some decisive manner. One alternative recommended was to deposit each hurt into a shredder in our home or office.
So how does all of this have an effect on you as an entrepreneur?

Dr. Bill recommends the following:
It is easy for all of us to get distracted in our daily work activities by that complicated issue known as LIFE! You are human. You have fears and hang-ups and resentments and past hurts and prejudices and scores to settle and problems. In order to not let these distractions get in the way of your work day, I suggest that you, for 30 days in a row, write your woes on a piece of scratch paper and run it through the shredder. Let the transaction be your version of throwing a rock into the river. Do it as many days in a row as necessary—but each day let the act represent freedom from whatever has been bugging you.

When those burdens are shredded each morning, you’ll have nothing to concentrate on but being the most effective and efficient entrepreneur on the planet!

Bill Sheridan    www.sheridanwrites.com      william_sheridan1@msn.com

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