"Salesman's Corner": The Internet: Sales blessing or sales curse?
Three Net perspectives - two are wrong. The Web is not only here to stay, it gets bigger and stronger every second. And every salesperson in the world needs to re-evaluate his or her Web position and game plan www.rightnow.com.
Here are some Web questions to set your "Net-reality" button on stun: " What's happened on the Web so far?
" Where are my biggest Web vulnerabilities?
" What do I need to learn about the Web?
" Where will I get my Web experience and expertise?
" How much time and resources do I have to commit to master the Web?
" What can happen if I decide to wait? (If you think you should "wait and see" - call Barnes & Noble and ask them about amazon.com - or call any major stock brokerage and ask them about e-trade or ameritrade.)
"I have to get more Net savvy," I hear salespeople say. Wrong. You'd better become a Net master before your competition beats you or your industry replaces you. The Web is changing the sales world at Net speed. How fast is Net speed? One day your job is secure, next day it's obsolete. New Net-sales rules? You bet. Here are the some new reality rules for selling at Net speed: " The old way of selling doesn't work anymore. Old high-pressure manipulative sales methods are passe. The 21st-century way is creativity, value and relationship, both on the Net and in person.
" On the Web or face to face, they still have to like you. If they like you, believe you, trust you, and have confidence in you - then they may buy from you. Your job is to become likeable in person and attractive on the Web.
" It's not just contact management anymore - it's full-contact selling. To beat the best, you've got to be one notch faster, more literate, get them information sooner and be attractive in a daily way. Your ability to integrate computer contact, personal contact, and new-economy selling skills are your keys to sales success and Net mastery.
" In sales, it's not who you know, in sales, it's who knows you. Master the Web to create industry, market, customer, and prospect awareness. The more "value content" in the awareness, the more attractive you become.
" They want it now and they want it free. You must do everything for your customer at Net speed: Offer information, be human accessible, sell what they need not what you have, deliver tomorrow or sooner, respond to (and resolve) problems in an instant, inform customers how to make the best use of your product, create a problem-prevention program, and serve in a memorable way.
" Differentiate yourself from your competition in ways other than price. There are seven key elements in value differentiation. Price is not one of them. Your values are your name, questions, ideas, creativity, presentation, perceived value, and ability to deliver beyond the customer's expectation. If the customer or prospect perceives no "value" difference between you and your competition, they will buy price. Lowest price = lowest profit.
" The secret to true differentiation is the Jeffrey Gitomer "value-first" proposition. Your ability to help customers or prospects with information that will help them build their business, so that you can earn yours. "Value-first" is both the best way to differentiate AND the highest profit maker.
" Wow me or risk losing me. "Satisfaction" is no longer the acceptable measure of service. Change your actions, questions, presentation, sales tools, and Web site from ordinary to extraordinary. "Extra" leads to wow. Wow leads to "loyal" - the new measure of corporate and personal performance.
" Study creativity to get to wow. Most people will agree that creativity is one of the keys to sales success in the new economy. Most people have never read a book about creativity. Read one. My favorite is "Thinkertoys," by Michael Michalko.
" Be accessible to the customer when THEY need you. Understanding the customer's needs is one thing - doing something about it is another. Your highest priority is to be there when they need you and provide them with answers. The Web has changed hours of operation forever. 24.7.365 is now the minimum standard.
" Most salespeople will not do the smart work and hard work it takes to make selling easy. Yes, Dorothy, it will take hard work to gain Web mastery. It just takes courage. Invest in technology, read, compute, network, write, study, learn new, and practice. The rest is easy. The biggest key to success is to remain a student as you climb the ladder. The easiest way to get to the top is study, practice, and network your way there. The Web is your newest friend and resource. Get the best computer money will buy. Get wireless access. Get high speed at home. Get Web control of your sales life and your sales knowledge.
Master the Web and you will master your universe - and your (online) bank account.
Jeffrey Gitomer is author of "The Sales Bible," and "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." President of North Carolina-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts training programs on selling and customer service. He can be e-mailed at salesman@gitomer.com
