Minding Your Own Brand - Why Can't I Get That With Whipped Cream?
A few weeks ago, some friends and I were on our yearly trip to Nantucket. According to ritual we stopped by our favorite ice cream shop as soon as we got off the boat. My friend asked for whipped cream on his small cup of chocolate ice cream. The clerk proceeded to tell him that “whipped cream only comes with sundaes.” Thinking it was a cost issue, he offered to pay the extra twenty-five cents that they charge to put candy on a cup of ice cream, which he felt would surely cover the cost of a squirt of whipped cream. The clerk refused the offer saying that was th

HOW to Answer Job Interview Questions
Do not worry when people tell you an interview is a "selling exercise". All they mean is that the interviewer needs to fill his or her position and you just have to show how you meet this need.You know what the need is - The interviewer advertised it in the vacancy! And you already showed you met the need via your CV or job application form!So, in the interview, you simply demonstrate, through answering interview questions, how well you meet this need and leave the decision to them.Be confident when answerin

Sales Resistance on the Rise
Have you noticed it? More and more marketing campaigns are going over the top. They're trying bolder, more in-your-face tactics. And consumers DON'T like it.There's a growing resistance toward advertising. According to a recent study by Yankelovich Partners (a marketing company) 60% of consumers have a much more negative opinion of marketing and advertising than they did a few years ago. 65% already feel overwhelmed with too many marketing messages. And 61% feel the volume is out of control.r one second suggesting that you should stop cold calling but you can use personal networking to greatly increase your chances of success and referrals.

Pareto’s Law states that 80% of your business will come from 20% of your clients. Chances are that these are the clients that you have strong relationships with, your “champions” if you like. So start to network with them. Find out who they know, who they can refer you to and who they would approach for business if they were you.

Now you may be thinking, “Well, I cannot do that.” Or even, “Well, they would have given it to me if they had any contacts, wouldn’t they!”.

Wrong! On both counts! People who do not sell for a living do not understand what you want if you don’t tell them. They may well think that you do not need or want their help. Approached properly your clients will help you, they will give you leads and they will sell your services for you. I advocate that everyone I coach has a “circle of influence” – a group of people who always speak well of you, will refer you to other people and who will happily pass leads to you. Start by identifying ten people for yours now and start to network with them. As time passes you can expand this group. You will find that many of your best clients will be people who are referred to you by your existing best clients.

And remember! In sales, none active clients can be “champions” too so keep in touch with them. I have won many large pieces of business from clients who work with my competitors for a variety of valid reasons but then recommended me and not them!!!

w, who they can refer you to and who they would approach for business if they were you.

Now you may be thinking, “Well, I cannot do that.” Or even, “Well, they would have given it to me if they had any contacts, wouldn’t they!”.

Wrong! On both counts! People who do not sell for a living do not understand what you want if you don’t tell them. They may well think that you do not need or want their help. Approached properly your clients will help you, they will give you leads and they will sell your services for you. I advocate that everyone I coach has a “circle of influence” – a group of people who always speak well of you, will refer you to other people and who will happily pass leads to you. Start by identifying ten people for yours now and start to network with them. As time passes you can expand this group. You will find that many of your best clients will be people who are referred to you by your existing best clients.

And remember! In sales, none active clients can be “champions” too so keep in touch with them. I have won many large pieces of business from clients who work with my competitors for a variety of valid reasons but then recommended me and not them!!!

want their help. Approached properly your clients will help you, they will give you leads and they will sell your services for you. I advocate that everyone I coach has a “circle of influence” – a group of people who always speak well of you, will refer you to other people and who will happily pass leads to you. Start by identifying ten people for yours now and start to network with them. As time passes you can expand this group. You will find that many of your best clients will be people who are referred to you by your existing best clients.

And remember! In sales, none active clients can be “champions” too so keep in touch with them. I have won many large pieces of business from clients who work with my competitors for a variety of valid reasons but then recommended me and not them!!!

asses you can expand this group. You will find that many of your best clients will be people who are referred to you by your existing best clients.

And remember! In sales, none active clients can be “champions” too so keep in touch with them. I have won many large pieces of business from clients who work with my competitors for a variety of valid reasons but then recommended me and not them!!! Why? Because the salesperson who sold them had something specific that they wanted at the right time but I had the networking skills and the credibility so they gave their referral business to me not the other salesperson!

“But Gavin, I have only just started out and I haven’t got any clients or any people to get into my circle!!!!”

Well, firstly I don’t believe you. Ten years ago I was offered a job with a large financial advisors in the City. I was very tempted. It was more money than I was earning, the commission was incredible and the offices were flash. I decided that it was not the path for me but I do remember their first question in the interview, “When you start with us you have to make a list of 200 people you know. Now you many not think that you know 200 people but you will. Write down all of your family, all of your friends and then everyone you know through them. It may take you a while but you’ll get there. Your first job is to ring them all, tell them what you are doing and ask them how they can help. Can you do that?”

So you see you will know people, when you try. Are you ready to try yet?

But there are other ways to get to know people and here are just a few. I am sure that you will have more and better ideas because you know your business better than me…

Business groups, user groups, networking groups (such as BNI), breakfast clubs, Toastmasters, church, rotary, rotaract, the round table, standing in queues, public speaking anywhere, charity work, in restaurants, volunteer service, hotels, at the gym, professional associations (such a