Will You Add? - Business Cards Should Be Burnt

1) They don't need your product or services right now.

Odds are when you are handing someone your business card their exact need and your timing aren’t perfectly aligned. They are most likely not in the market for your product or service. Forcing them to buy your product or service is called duress and you can be thrown into prison for this. So, as you have heard before don't take their lack of desire personally – sales, really is a numbers game. Sure you can tip the scale in your favor but know that it takes more time and effort to coerce people into buying something they don’t really need right now than it does to just be there for them when they need you. The trick is just being in front of more people and better yet being the one they think of when they think of that purchase. How do you do this? The easiest was is to be the recognized expert which takes some time to do. Be the one people go to for a better understanding of the process or the service or product you are selling -- be the expert. Things that come to mind include; writing articles and getting them published, sending out cards or notes to your prospects possibly including tips or helpful hints and my favorite (because it's free) doing all of the above by sending regular informative newsletters via email. Action Step - begin getting contact information from potential prospects and letting them know you'll put them on a contact list and send them some occasional information. Yes... keep it simple and a little vague so it doesn't seem threatening. Then, follow through.

2) You gave them no compelling reason to call you back.

Make yourself different. It is possible many people are selling something similar to you. So it is important that you stand out. It is important that you are not homogeneous. When you answer the phone or leave a voice greeting stand out (everyone knows to leave a message by now so don’t waste your greeting on that). When you provide your service or sell your product go the extra mile with a follow up call or a free gift. People expect the basics from you already, they can get that nearly anywhere. "Good food" or "great service" for example are platitudes and they mean nothing to the American Consumer. As a small business coach I used to respond when asked what it was I did with "I'm a Leading Change - Fatal Results When You Force Timelines
Every leader of organizational change has a timeline. The Big Kahuna wants it done by such and such a date and that date becomes the gospel. There is just no changing it. Let me take you on a trip and show you why that is often fatal, for the project, the organization and mostly the people involved.Go back with me to the summer of 1967. It was in the northern provinces of South Vietnam and I was a sniper team leader with the U.S. Marines. It was my second consecutive year in country and we were assigned to go with a Marine infantry unit to a nasty place called the Street Without Joy located in Quang Tri Province. It was an area in the sand dunes with tree lines and hedge rows and villagice is called duress and you can be thrown into prison for this. So, as you have heard before don't take their lack of desire personally – sales, really is a numbers game. Sure you can tip the scale in your favor but know that it takes more time and effort to coerce people into buying something they don’t really need right now than it does to just be there for them when they need you. The trick is just being in front of more people and better yet being the one they think of when they think of that purchase. How do you do this? The easiest was is to be the recognized expert which takes some time to do. Be the one people go to for a better understanding of the process or the service or product you are selling -- be the expert. Things that come to mind include; writing articles and getting them published, sending out cards or notes to your prospects possibly including tips or helpful hints and my favorite (because it's free) doing all of the above by sending regular informative newsletters via email. Action Step - begin getting contact information from potential prospects and letting them know you'll put them on a contact list and send them some occasional information. Yes... keep it simple and a little vague so it doesn't seem threatening. Then, follow through.

2) You gave them no compelling reason to call you back.

Make yourself different. It is possible many people are selling something similar to you. So it is important that you stand out. It is important that you are not homogeneous. When you answer the phone or leave a voice greeting stand out (everyone knows to leave a message by now so don’t waste your greeting on that). When you provide your service or sell your product go the extra mile with a follow up call or a free gift. People expect the basics from you already, they can get that nearly anywhere. "Good food" or "great service" for example are platitudes and they mean nothing to the American Consumer. As a small business coach I used to respond when asked what it was I did with "I'm a 3 Practical Secrets Helping You Find Great Executive Jobs
Searching for executive jobs used to be a buyer’s market. Recruiters or head-hunters in the past called you with offers; companies advertised for job openings, and announcements of new positions would generate multiple interviews.Executive job search is now however a seller’s market – with many executives realizing that they have to take an active hand in promoting themselves, if they want to get that better job or their preferred salaries and benefits. Here are some practical secrets to effective executive job searches.1) It is a seller’s market. Don’t expect the job you want to come looking for you.Waiting for the job to come to you is a pitiful approach to getis? The easiest was is to be the recognized expert which takes some time to do. Be the one people go to for a better understanding of the process or the service or product you are selling -- be the expert. Things that come to mind include; writing articles and getting them published, sending out cards or notes to your prospects possibly including tips or helpful hints and my favorite (because it's free) doing all of the above by sending regular informative newsletters via email. Action Step - begin getting contact information from potential prospects and letting them know you'll put them on a contact list and send them some occasional information. Yes... keep it simple and a little vague so it doesn't seem threatening. Then, follow through.

2) You gave them no compelling reason to call you back.

Make yourself different. It is possible many people are selling something similar to you. So it is important that you stand out. It is important that you are not homogeneous. When you answer the phone or leave a voice greeting stand out (everyone knows to leave a message by now so don’t waste your greeting on that). When you provide your service or sell your product go the extra mile with a follow up call or a free gift. People expect the basics from you already, they can get that nearly anywhere. "Good food" or "great service" for example are platitudes and they mean nothing to the American Consumer. As a small business coach I used to respond when asked what it was I did with "I'm a Business Owner's Essentials - the Best Recruitment Interview
Recruiting staff is another essential element that you need for your business to grow. And a key part of the recruitment process is the interview. When you conduct an interview you are trying to establish a number of points:-1. Will the candidate fit in your company?This is often one of the most important issues. If you find a person with all the right skills but you know they won’t get on with anyone else in the company, this is going to cause a problem. When you find out that someone has left their last three positions due to disagreements with other staff you need to ask yourself whether it’s relevant that they appear to be the common factor.Consider the attrtion from potential prospects and letting them know you'll put them on a contact list and send them some occasional information. Yes... keep it simple and a little vague so it doesn't seem threatening. Then, follow through.

2) You gave them no compelling reason to call you back.

Make yourself different. It is possible many people are selling something similar to you. So it is important that you stand out. It is important that you are not homogeneous. When you answer the phone or leave a voice greeting stand out (everyone knows to leave a message by now so don’t waste your greeting on that). When you provide your service or sell your product go the extra mile with a follow up call or a free gift. People expect the basics from you already, they can get that nearly anywhere. "Good food" or "great service" for example are platitudes and they mean nothing to the American Consumer. As a small business coach I used to respond when asked what it was I did with "I'm a Simple Classified Ads Writing Techniques That Get Your Phone Ringing Non-stop
While posting a classified ad for free or for a price, you wish your phone start ringing with prospective customers making excellent offers. While a few people adopt the right techniques to write classified ads that catch eyeballs and sell products, majority of people out there tires and give up even before giving classifieds ad writing a full hearted try.Classified ads writing techniques are simple and easy to adopt. Yet, lot of people seem to miss the techniques of writing classifieds ads that attract potential customers.How to Write Classifieds Ad Title that Creates Interest in Potential CustomersTitle plays all the most important role in writing a claseeting stand out (everyone knows to leave a message by now so don’t waste your greeting on that). When you provide your service or sell your product go the extra mile with a follow up call or a free gift. People expect the basics from you already, they can get that nearly anywhere. "Good food" or "great service" for example are platitudes and they mean nothing to the American Consumer. As a small business coach I used to respond when asked what it was I did with "I'm a small business coach". Yipee, boring, vanilla - who cares? Now I answer with my UVP (Unique Value Proposition). “I help entrepreneurs get off to a fast start” or “I help entrepreneurs determine which steps to take next to grow their business”. Doing this gives prospects a reason to continue the conversation. What's your UVP?

3) They already know someone that does what you do.

People will buy from "people they know" if all things are equal (or darn close). So the challenge is to be different. How can you position your product or service to be different enough that someone will want to buy from you, not their brother in law? Give them a reason to make the change.

Action Step - Be different, be in regular contact and be credible. Incidentally just being in regular contact can "cause" credibility.

4) They lost your card.

If they were touched moved and inspired they probably would have hung onto your card. To solve this, you need to collect their information. You just can't rely on someone else to call you back.

The ultimate solution to all the problems above is;

a) Get their information – Get over the awkward feeling that not having a card is unprofessional. You know the truth – they won’t call you anyhow so be smart and efficient.

b) Do something with their information. Get it loaded into a database so you have the info readily and easily available. Don’t throw their cards into a shoe box and pray for results.

c) Develop a plan, a strategy to stay in regular and predictable contact. A clothing store for example may send out a simple postcard with fashion tips on a regular basis. A business coach may do better by sending out helpful tips to his email subscribers offering words of wisdom to help people with their businesses (much like this article).

d) Don't get paralyzed by analysis. Instead of fretting over the perfect copy, get something out. The content you send them does not have to bring the dead to life but i

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