Sales Coaching Lessons from Kanye West and Taylor Swift

By now you’ve probably seen/heard/read all about the Kanye West interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV-VMA Award show… Even President Barack Obama when asked to comment on the situation called Kanye West a “jackass”! Regardless of where you weigh in on the situation, there are some great Sales Coaching lessons to be learned from the incident.

Here are the Top 5 Sales Coaching lessons from the incident:

To read the rest of this post, visit http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/

Sam Palazzolo

Pathos Leadership Group

Independent Contractor vs. Employee: Top 12 Reasons Why You Should Choose Pathos!

Why should you and your organization work with Pathos Leadership Group on a contract basis versus hiring a full-time employee?

Here are the “Top 12” reasons why:

1.Reduced Overhead: We’ve been able to save our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars in the following types of overhead: Expenses, Payroll, Benefits, and Other overhead.

To see the rest of the "Top 12" reasons why Pathos Coaching (Business Coaching / Executive Coaching) and Leadership Development programs should be a part of your strategic plan, visit http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/.

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP, RODP
Pathos Leadership Group

Sales Coach: What Do You Do When They Don’t Buy From You?

Sales Coach: What Do You Do When They Don’t Buy From You?
Seven Tips to Offset Lost Sales
By Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP, RODP

You work hard to sell your product or service, right? Nothing is handed to you… Sometimes your sales cycle is short, other times it’s long. Regardless, as a sales professional you are out there pounding the pavement (or email system “virtually” pounding the internet superhighway) every day. Just when you think you’ve got the sale, the prospect puts the brakes on and calls a halt to the sales action. You hit the “pause” button as well and move on to another prospect. When you ultimately do buckle-back with the prospect, you find out that they’ve bought your product or service, just not from you! What went wrong? What will you do now? The following “Seven Tips to Offset Lost Sales” are for you if this scenario happens to you far too often (In our sales coaching practice, our clients learn that once is often enough!)

Read the entire entry here... http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/sales-coach-what-do-you-do-when-they-don%e2%80%99t-buy-from-you/

Business Coaching: The Goal of Work... You Dig?

As a business coach, periodically I have a session that's so powerful that I just have to share... I just completed a business coaching session where I provided a group of clients with building blocks (ie, Group Coaching). "Building blocks? Those are for kids..." you might be saying, and the answer is "Yes!" Here's the exercise:

Today we wanted to discover "What We Are Building" in our work and in our lives. Each participant was provided with four building blocks. Remember building blocks when you were a kid? The possibilities were endless for you to mix/match/stack. The only boundaries imposed on your creation were set by your imagination. Well in our exercise, each participant was expected to build a structure from the blocks provided and tell the group:

1. What is the theme of your structure?


2. What is the inspiration for the creation? (ie, What life moment caused you to create the structure?)


3. Lastly, what is your message based on what you built?

Often times in Executive Coaching, we discuss something that is so powerful, so impactful, so perfect that clarity is gained and major advancements can be made by the individual both professionally as well as personally. This was one of those moments...

One of the participants structures was somewhat simple, but deep on interpretation. The theme for his four blocks which were stacked one on top of the other was "The Goal of Work... You Dig?" The inspiration was that this is where he perceived himself to be at this point in his life. He'd tried several solutions in the past, some worked while others didn't. However, now, at this point he reflected that the bottom block equated to these baseline experiences. The second block represented his "striving" to achieve. The third related to his failures, or negative influences that brought him down. And his fourth block, which was yellow and perched atop his structure, represented his never-ending quest to go for the gold in his life. The group applauded with a coll round of coffee house "snaps" of their fingers!

So what structure would you create? What would your theme be? What's your inspiration? Most importantly, what would your message be?

Sam Palazzolo @ Pathos Leadership Group

Business Coaching: Does Your Business Card Suck?

Does your business card say who you are, what you do, and MOST IMPORTANTLY how you can be reached?

I got asked to present my upcoming book "Influential Sales: Achieve Selling Supremacy in the New Economy" to a business association yesterday. I really like the President who invited me, and even though I knew it would make for a long week, I agreed to present.

I had a great time, and the energy level in the room was outstanding! There was a lot of positive energy that allowed for a great networking atmosphere.

I gave my presentation, the people were really appreciative and departed with a bunch of new tools to use in their businesses.

This morning, I am writing "Thank You" emails to the group to show my appreciation, and that's when it hit me. Most people's business cards suck! One of the aspects that I love about a card is that it should show not only who you are, where you work and what you do... but the MOST IMPORTANT part is how people can get a hold of you! In this Web 2.0 world, why would you put a card together that isn't complete? And by "how people can get a hold of you" I am talking not only about phone numbers (Work/Cell), but the all important email address. Also, if I've got to search your card to find this information your prospect won't take the time! I am very curious... Your prospect won't be! Spell it out clearly/concisely for them, and for gosh sakes make it EASY!!!

So here's a tip, look at your card right now... Can you see who you are, where you work, what you do and how people can get a hold of you (Phone/Email/Skype/Twitter...)? If so, great job. If not, throw out your business cards and design new ones!

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP, RODP
Pathos Leadership Group

Business Coaching: Which of These Business Mistakes Did You Make in the First Half of 2009?

If you’re like most of the business owners I worked with in my business coaching practice, the “New Economy” has allow you to make some mistakes during the first half of 2009. As we make the “turn” into the second half it’s important to reflect on those mistakes. This way, we won’t make them again in the second half of 2009! Here then, are the Top 12 Mistakes I’ve seen business owners make so far this year:

1. You said “Yes” When You Should Have Said “No”
There you were plugging along in your business in the first quarter, making the most of the action items you had on your agenda for the year. You’re cutting through them like a warm knife goes through butter! Then the phone rings… It’s one of your favorite clients calling to ask you a favor. It’s in the following moments where you will determine whether or not to stay the course for the year, or whether you will you will entertain reaching outside of your primary business to help. Granted, the new economy has caused us to rethink our revenue streams, and unfortunately entertain new business ventures that previously wouldn’t have been considered. In our new book “Influential Sales” we discuss how it is that you should stay within the primary boundaries of your service offerings. While it may seem to be a great idea to go outside of those boundaries in order to secure additional revenue, more times than not that strategy will backfire. So what should you do when you are offered such an opportunity? Should you really say “No”? E-mail us at info@pathosleadershipgroup.com and we’ll send you the way to say “Yes” through and “No”!

2. You’re Not Marketing on the Internet
It’s official, the Internet is here to stay! I find it hard to believe the number of businesses that believe that they do not need to have a presence on the Internet superhighway. Do they need a special invitation from Al Gore himself? What’s worse is that I continue to see people who do not utilize a website for their marketing or advertising purposes. Your 24 X7 marketing billboard should be firmly in place for the world to see, no note from Al required!

3. Social Media is Not in your Arsenal
There are so many options to connect right now online for free, from Facebook to LinkedIn to Twitter to MySpace to YouNameIt the opportunities to connect have never been greater or easier than they are right now. Each of these spaces should be utilized not only to tally your message, but to leverage your business. If you’re pre-teenage son, daughter or neighbor can do it, why aren’t you?

4. You Relied on “Old Techniques” in the “New Economy”
The new economy has caused each of us to stretch in different directions. This stretching has been most evident in old techniques versus new techniques. The new economy requires totally rethinking your techniques and how they can be applied in this new economy. We discuss this in-length in our book “Influential Sales”… If you’d like a FREE chapter, send us an email to info@pathosleadershipgroup.com.

5. You “Talked” when You should have “Listened”
Customers today behave unlike the customers of yesterday. They require better questions, ones that hit them right between the eyes and make them think about what it is that they can enjoy as a result of participating with your product or service. The customers of the new economy like to talk, and in order to do so you must ask questions that are powerful. When you do have such powerful questions and ask them, you must be in position to stay engaged in the conversation and continue to ask powerful questions. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of successful salespeople talking themselves out of the sale, either because they lack powerful questions or they just can’t stay engaged in the conversation (They’re usually thinking ahead of the customer, trying to figure out what needs to be said next! Big mistake…) Just when the sales seem to be in reach, they blew it by asking questions and talking more than they should have. In this instance, the customer has sold them on “No”!

6. You got Nervous and Went into New Markets
When sales are down, you may have been tempted to enter into new markets and perhaps work with new customers. Granted, if the market you served disappeared, or got wiped out overnight thanks to the second half of 2008, you needed to head somewhere! However I saw far too many business leaders starting to panic way too early and head into markets that they had no expertise, nor any business being in. We had a saying in New Orleans that went something like “If you’re scared, say you’re scared!” I think the shoe fits perfectly here as well.

7. You Quit Too Soon
Again when sales are down, some leaders started to panic and they started looking for new opportunities (New market, your product, new salespeople...) However, by doing so they just quit too soon on their traditional business and service lines! How many times during the first half of 2009 did you find yourself questioning your current direction, or actually changing direction and sailing into new areas when if you had stayed the course you would have been better off?

8. You Stopped ABC’ing
The ABC’s of sales say that you should Always Be Closing. Many salespeople have moved away from this ABC philosophy. Why? I believe that they were under the impression that their “New Customers” in the “New Economy” were more intelligent and knew more about their products/services than they did. While in some instances, this was correct (What we call a “Transparent Transaction” at Pathos). However in far too many cases, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, what happened was that salespeople stopped selling! Here’s a case in point… What used to take at least seven touches for a sale to be made, the new economy required no less than 10 to 12 touches. If your sales staff didn’t believe in the product, didn’t enjoy the accounts they were servicing, felt as though the grass was greener on the other side, or let’s just say they were weak then these were the true causes for the ABC’s of sales to cease.

9. You Stopped cold calling
Nobody likes to cold call, however what do you do when you run out of customers and their referrals? You’ve got to attempt to grow your business? Unfortunately whether you want to believe it or not, cold calling is an effective way of growing sales. The new economy has caused me and my clients to look at new strategies for how it is that we can effectively cold calling. Gone are the days of going through the phone book and dialing for dollars. Today’s cold calling strategy requires your best game plan!

10. Your Service Fell Short and You Didn’t Realize It!
So sales are down, and were co-piloting the Tidy Bowl boat which is about to go right down the pipe to Omaha! We’re trying new products, we’re looking at new services, we’re entering into new markets that we hadn’t thought of before and here is the worst part, customers are still defecting! Worse yet, we don’t even realize it! We’re so focused on new conquest sales that we have forgotten about the customers who have gotten us to where we are! In other words, our insatiable appetite for more sales, any sales at that matter, has led us to not fully engage with the clients we currently should be dealing with. Pay attention to your current customer base.

11. You Forgot Why You Do What You Do
Let’s reflect for a moment… Why did you get into the business you are in? Was it because you want to make some money? Was it because you love the long hours? Was it because you’ve got nothing better to do? The moments when the water level lowers, that’s when we get to see where the rocks are out in the lake. During the good times, when water and business are a plenty, you can scoot our boat right across the top of those rocks without any damage to the boat. However with this new economy, and the new water level associated with it, running our engine wide open could be devastating without proper navigation. Now we can buy some fancy equipment, and dodge those rocks and not cause any harm to our boat. But why are we really there? What do we enjoy the most during good times? What will we enjoy the most during future good times? Why do we do what it is that we do for a living?

12. You Thought You Could Go It Alone!
The old saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is wrong! I see far too many CEO’s and Key Leaders in organizations today who believe that they can work their way out of this new economy by putting in longer/harder work days. That’s insane! The outcomes from their efforts include less productivity, less revenue, more weight gain, receding hairlines and marriages that end up on the rocks! It doesn’t have to be this way. If the first half of 2009 has not brought you to where you need to be, the year is still salvageable. We are working with leaders and their organizations on solid, scientific business principles that are allowing them to not only sustain, but grow their businesses in this new economy! Send us an e-mail today at info@pathosleadershipgroup.com and we’ll schedule a Complementary Coaching Strategy session. Unless that is, you’re satisfied with where you’re at?

Business Coaching: Dealing with Negative People

We’ve all been there before… The day is moving along just like we hoped and then “WHAM” we run right into the negative wall, or in this case person. All the momentum we’ve been building is suddenly stopped dead in its tracks. Furthermore, the current moment has left the future direction and speed uncertain. So what do you do when you encounter negative people? The following seven tips should help you get back on track faster and move forward again.

• Negative People Tip #1 – Get Back to Basics – What were you working on and why were you working on it? Identifying what the current project at hand is as well as why it’s important will get you refocused on what you were doing. Moving forward again will re-engage you!
• Negative People Tip #2 – Forget About ‘Em – Perhaps the hardest aspect of dealing with negative people is putting their “negativity” behind you. However, you’ve got no control over them (even if they work for you), so move on. Consider your encounter with them to be just a speed-bump in the big road of life!
• Negative People Tip #3 – Update Your Radar System – You are going to encounter negative people, even if you’re at Disney World (aka, the “happiest place on Earth”). If you know that you are going to encounter them, why not plan your “escape” before you get into the situation? Doing so will allow you to enter the situation with confidence and exit with panache!
• Negative People Tip #4 – Be More Selective – You have a choice every hour of every day regarding what you will do and who you will do it with. Make better choices regarding what that is and who it is with!
• Negative People Tip #5 – Dr. Phil Them – I don’t want you to break out your best Dr. Phil impression and ask negative people to lie down on your couch and say “tell me your problems?” However people are often negative because they are currently occupying a “negative” space in their lives. Asking why they are there and how you can help them get from there to a “positive” place just may be a difference maker!
• Negative People Tip #6 – Go To Your Happy Place – Being negative is easy when it comes right down to it. It takes a lot of effort to stay positive when you encounter these types of individuals. When you do, remove yourself from the situation and go to a place where you can refocus, recharge and re-energize yourself!
• Negative People Tip #7 – Stay Positive – Negative people want you to come over to their side if you’re positive. Just because they want you to join their “Pity Parade” doesn’t mean that you should. Avoid doing so at all costs!

Following these seven Negative People Tips will make you more productive and positive. One of my coaching clients told me “Life’s short, play positively and you’ll succeed!” I like that…

Take a moment to complete the “Dealing with Negative People Poll” and tell me how you deal with those negative people in your world. If I can further assist, reach out to me at sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com.

How Good is Your Sales Follow-up?

I got a postcard in the mail today... Not that big of a deal, right? If you're like me, you get (and probably send) hundreds of postcards each month. But this one was different... It was for my daughter and it said "Happy Birthday from your orthodontist". Now I know what you're thinking, she's a kid that has braces, right? Wrong! This is from an orthodontist that we visited for an initial visit last year, but never "got around" to getting them on (Moment of Truth - My daughter realized there would be pain involved in wearing them, so no braces for her for the time being!).

So she gets a postcard for her birthday from someone that we don't even do business with. It made me wonder... Do you send out "Happy Birthday" postcards to your clients on their birthday? Do you stay in touch with the clients that currently do business with you, as well as those that have in the past? More importantly, do you send anything to prospective clients that decided for some reason or another (pain versus pleasure/devil I know versus the one I don't...) NOT to do business with you?

I am guessing that you don't. Make that, I am pretty confident that you don't! If you'd like information on how you can follow-up/follow-through like an "Influential Salesperson" then send me an email to info@pathosleadershipgroup.com and I'll be in touch!

Sam Palazzolo

Pathos Leadership Group

http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/

PS - The orthodontist was Terry Moore, DDS in Colleyville, TX. For less than $1 he might earn our business after all!

Are You Losing Sales Because Of Your First Impressions?

Well, it happened again… I got a voicemail this morning from a prospective customer that wanted to discuss executive coaching with me. The gentleman spoke clearly, and was even so kind as to do the three actions I request in my voicemail (What… you don’t make a similar request for three items in your voicemail? Let me guess, you’re still saying “You’ve reached (Your Name), sorry I’m not in to speak with you, but please leave me your name, number and a brief message and I’ll return your call as soon as I can. Have a nice day!” You’re missing sales is you do…Send me an email and I’ll send you an article titled “Sales Saving Voicemail Scripts”).

I took good notes from the message he left and reached for the phone to return his call. That’s when it happened… Let’s just say that her name was Lola (Sing along with me, “Oh my Lola, la la la la Lola!”) Lola was not having a good day, it was apparent over the phone in the first three seconds of our conversation. That’s all it took for me to get the wrong mental picture of her, this prospect and his business! So I wonder, are you losing sales because of your first impression? In other words, are the people that are on your front line representative of you and your operation, or are they totally misleading in the wrong way? The following then is a list of 5 techniques you can “review” with your “first impression” staff so that the right impression is left every time!

Technique #1 – Smile – You can hear how someone feels through the phone! So if you are answering the phone with a frown on your face… smile. You might not be on candid camera (i.e., Punked!), but your customers will certainly feel the warmth.

Technique #2 – Serve – Why are you there? You are there to serve others, otherwise you should be in a backroom office with no phone in sight and far from the customers. If you are in the front of the customer experience line, you’ve got to have a serve mentality.

Technique #3 – Refresh – We all get in a bad mood… we’re human! However, when the phone rings or a customer walks in the front door, it is “Showtime” for those frontline employees. So adopt a “Showtime” mentality, but see if you can’t carry that mentality over when no customers are present!

Technique #4 – Clear – Clear the thoughts of workers that you can identify as struggling. It’s natural to want to help, so lend a hand and help them out. I think this is called teamwork or something…

Technique #5 – Get Real! – If you have associates that are not interested in putting your best foot forward, you’ve got to part company with them. There is only so much training and development that you can offer someone. If you notice that nothing is sticking from these sessions, part company with dignity!

I hope that these five techniques will allow you to stop losing sales because of those bad first impressions! If you’ve got other ideas, send me an email at info@pathosleadershipgroup.com .

Sam Palazzolo
Pathos Leadership Group – Home of the Influential Edge!
www.pathosleadershipgroup.com

Who the Hell is James Strock and Can He Save Leadership? 12 Tips on Becoming a More Effective Leader

I had the opportunity to spend time with James Strock, author, speaker, and executive educator on 21st Century Leadership. If the saying “If you don’t know your history, you’re bound to repeat it!” is true, then you must get to know James and his work. He has the unique ability in possessing dual vision, with one eye on the past and the other towards the future.

His next book, “Serve to Lead: 21st Century Leadership System” discusses how leadership today is different. Here are twelve of his thoughts regarding just how different things are for leaders and the serious issues to be challenged with:

1. Technology – Is the vision of Hanna-Barbera and George Jetson very far off?
2. Ethics – We operate in a “transparent” society… Kiss privacy good-bye!
3. Service – Everyone can lead because it’s so easy to serve at the current time.
4. Empowering – Becoming “empowered” is easier today than it ever has been.
5. Consensual – There exists a consensual relationship between the leader/non-leader.
6. Love – The Beatles sang “all you need is love” and so does James!
7. Relationship Transition – There is today a transition from transaction to relationships.
8. Dynamic – Kick “static” relationships to the curb.
9. Custom – There is no universal or “one size fits all” leadership methodology.
10. Convergence – Leadership styles are converging (Think Mr. Cosmo Spacely meets John Maxwell)
11. Imagine – Another Beetle sighting… Think “strawberry fields forever!”
12. Public – There is no leadership in private?

If you don’t know James work, get to! He was motivational, inspirational and at times controversial. When was the last time you met someone that told you that Tom Peters and Jim Collins are wrong?

You can find out more about James at his website… http://www.jamesstrock.com/

If you’d like to see where you “rank” versus the 3,000+ business leaders that we surveyed for our book, “The Influential Leader” please visit http://www.gotinfluence.com/ and take the 2 minute survey. You’ll receive a report that shows where you compare versus them on the 10 critical skills that made them successful!

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP, RODP
Pathos Leadership Group
www.pathosleadershipgroup.com

Influential Customer Service 101 - XM Sucks !

Many of you have heard me in my "Influential Customer Service" presentation talk about what happens when "Good Companies Go Bad!" For those that haven't seen me in action, Here's an example for you...

Thanks to Joe Vitale and his "Attractor Factor" earlier this year I got a new car. It's a beautiful Acura MDX in that dark burgundy color. The car is perfect, except for one thing... The XM radio. Now XM came with the vehicle for a three-month trial. I left terrestrial-radio behind almost three years ago and got a Sirius subscription. I was delirious with the Sirius Customer Service, the variety of channels, etc... It almost made my commutes bearable (almost!) So when I got this new car I was expecting the same level of outstanding service.

Well...XM sucks for several reasons. There are great customer service lessons to be learned from all this, so here goes:

• My Trial Subscription Had Limited Channels - If you are going to offer your product/service for a "test-drive" like we do, why wouldn't you give prospective customers a feel of your entire product offering? Sign-up for our complimentary "Pathos Platform" and experience what I am talking about!



• The Price Was Nearly Double What I Was Already Paying - If you have similar aspects of your product and your service is equal, how can you justify nearly double the price charged? I had an exchange with the Customer Service Representative at XM that honestly went like this....Sam "That price is nearly double what I am paying now!" XM CSR "Yes sir, that's the price." Sam "What's the logic behind that?" XM CSR "There is none sir."



• There Is No Negotiating With XM - I could have lugged my old Sirius radio with all the wires and everything from my old car to the new one, but I opted to see if I couldn't retain some of the crisp/clutter-free interior styling of the vehicle. As such, I decided to make a run at XM to see if they could at least negotiate (Hey, my 3 month "FREE" trial was almost over!) I talked with an XM Customer Service Representative and asked if there were any "Economic Stimulus Packages" taking place (I had to inform them that I was talking about a discount, apparently the Training Department at XM hasn't had that comedy/humor training session with the economy being as it is!) They told me that if I paid in advance for an entire year that I would receive a month for free. One month? I asked if they could do better. The told me that if I prepaid for two years I would receive two months for free. I couldn't hang-up the phone fast enough!



• My "FREE" Trial Just Billed Me - Imagine the look on my face when I received in the mail today a bill from XM for $7.58. The bill is broken down as follows - Invoice Fee $2.00, Late Fee $5.00, Tax-State $0.44 and Tax-Local $0.14. I called in to see what the deal was, as my official "FREE" trial ended at the end of last month. First I couldn't get to the right department (The automatic operator wouldn't give me the "For Billing Questions, Press 9" option). Next, when I did get to a "live" person, I could barely make out what they were saying (Watch for my "Customer Communication with Marbles in Your Mouth" training series coming soon!) Finally, I talked with someone that informed me that the bill was "in error"... Sure!

So here I am in this brand new car... still smells new even after three months! Unfortunately, I've reverted back to terrestrial radio for the time being (I'll be compromising that clean interior design by bringing over my old Sirius radio shortly!)

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP

Pathos Leadership Group

http://www.pathosleadershipgroup.com/

Is Cold Calling the Success Key to Sales?

Pathos Leadership Group – Home of the Influential Edge!

Is Cold Calling the Key to Sales Success?
6 Strategies to Make Cold Calling an Effective Part of Sales
By Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP

Another day, another dollar! If you’re like most sales professionals today, you’ve hit the wall regarding locating, identifying, prospecting, selling and delivering to new prospective customers. So what can you do? All of the “Sales Gurus” would tell you that cold calling is a total waste of your time! Why one even goes so far as to say that there is nothing that adds less value to a sales professional’s day than attempting to perform cold calls. I disagree! If your current customers are not referring you to new business (Problem in and of itself addressed in a later article) and you need new sales, you’d better be cold calling and reaching out to new prospective customers!

In this document I will share with you six tips, techniques, and tricks that you can implement into your sales process when you have run out of prospective candidates and need to cold call. After all, we only know so many people and so many people know us, right? We need to break outside of that “circle of friends” or contacts to increase our sales volumes… Here then are six tips to cold calling:

TIP #1 : Proper ID
Properly identifying your target industry and prospective candidates within the organization structure for customer-hood is crucial to your success. If you are targeting potential customers that cannot or won’t write a check for your product or service, then I would have to agree with the so-called Sales Gurus and say that you are wasting your time! Here is an example… I got an e-mail from Joe who is a Sales Pro in Cleveland, Ohio. Joe writes that his customer base has dried up and that he is cold calling prospective candidates within the same industry with little to no success. I picked up the phone and I called Joe. The first question out of my mouth was “Joe, before you even tell me what your cold calling script is, would you mind sharing with me the industry you are targeting, and tell me a little bit about the prospective customers there in?” Joe replied that he was targeting the manufacturing industry and furthermore that they were in a certain dollar annual sales revenue/number of employees range. Sounds like a solid plan, from Joe’s perspective. Unfortunately from my perspective, no one in this industry segment was purchasing now or were they purchasing within the previous 12 months! This revelation to Joe allowed him to see that he was fishing in the wrong pond. There simply were no fish present in the lake that he was fishing in!

Make certain you properly identify your prospects and whether or not they can buy.

Tip #2: Proper Script Please
In order for cold calling to be effective you need to develop the most high impact cold calling script that you can. “What does it look like?” you might ask. The high impact cold calling scripts that we utilize here at Pathos Leadership Group in our Business Development Operation for clients across the country consists of the following eight key characteristics:

• Introductory Statement


• Nice Tone


• Who Are You


• Why Are You Calling


• Get To The Point


• What Are The Benefits?


• “Who Have You Helped” Testimonials


• What Do You Want?

This simple formula for creating a cold calling script has left many a person on the other end doing exactly what we hoped to achieve, set an appointment! Unfortunately, most cold callers are hoping for dramatically different results than what can realistically be expected (i.e., Sell a product/service). So let’s get real before we even pick up the phone!

Make certain you’ve got the proper script which drives towards realistic results please.

Tip #3: Working with The Gatekeeper
There are several techniques that one can use to successfully work with the dreaded Gatekeeper. There job is to keep you out, and remember that your job is to get in! You have four choices, you can either navigate around the side (Left or right) or go up and over or below them (Joe would argue there are actually five, that they could stop you! Poor Joe…) However, nothing, let me repeat that, nothing is as important as forming an ally relationship with the Gatekeeper! One of the key characteristics identified in step number two (Proper Script Please) was that of being a nice.

Being nice? It is a given that we will be nice to the person whom we are attempting to reach (in the event that we ultimately do reach them!) However, I am always amazed when I listen in to recorded cold calling attempts when I hear that the cold caller is “not so nice” to the Gatekeeper! This leaves little doubt in my mind regarding why it is that so many cold callers are unsuccessful in their efforts and attempts today! If you are going to be nice to the prospective customer, then you had best be nice to the Gatekeeper of that prospective customer. It just makes sense!

In order to work effectively with the Gatekeeper, play nice!

Tip #4: Voice Mail Strategies
There is a school of thought out there by the Sales Gurus that says not to leave voicemails when cold calling. I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Guess what the Sales Gurus staff does when they reach out to prospective customers that they want to do business with? Lean in, here is the secret… They leave voicemails when cold calling! Now you may be thinking, “Well Sam, if I was a Sales Guru I would leave voicemails too because I would expect people to return my phone calls.” I’ll give you that! Being a Sales Guru has many advantages and this just may be one of them from many people’s perspective. However, from my perspective cold calling is a “level playing field” for all to operate on. While those Sales Gurus may have the name recognition that you desire, there is nothing that says that a prospective client will return their phone call any quicker over yours! What they may have that you don’t is a compelling reason in to return your phone call.

Give your prospective customers a reason to return your cold calls.

Tip #5: Consistency
The difference between below, or average sales and exceptional, or outstanding sales levels is caused primarily by your performance in the “consistency” arena. Most sales professionals attempt to perform one process or one procedure on day one. Those same sales professionals attempt to perform a different sales process, or procedure on day two and a third on day three. In other words they have no consistency when it comes to their “game plan.” They rely instead on their sales managers “Program of the Month” or “Good to Great Idea of the Day” to move them towards greater sales success. Don’t fall victim to the temptation of straying from the path in front of you. You must remain consistent and you must see the process through. What may turn out to be a decrease in productivity and profitability may in the end results in your success!

Be consistent for exceptional sales results.

Tip #6: Seek Help
I run into sales professionals all the time who ask me how it is that I know what it is that I know. I tell them it’s because I have failed far more often than they have. I always make a point of saying “Ask me how I know an idea won’t work or perhaps needs to be fine tuned, it’s because I’ve attempted it!” I say this not to brag, but instead to show that I am humble and that sometimes our best learning opportunities come from failure. Salespeople, always the skeptical bunch, often follow that up with a secondary question something like “Well if you fail so much, how come you are so successful?” The answer is simple, I was fortunate to have a great coach that took interest in my development and my income in that order. I learned the value of successful sales coaching and training early on and I would not be where I am today had I not had someone mentor me. If you think that I am above reproach when it comes to coaching and training, I continue to believe that I will never know it all and as I write this article today I have just completed an e-learning session with SalesForce.com on “Successful Sales Productivity, Efficiency, and Cooperation.”

Contact a Sales Coach to move your game to the next level!

Summary
I am convinced that there is no way that you will succeed in sales unless cold calling is a part of your process. While I do agree with the Sales Gurus when they say that referrals are a “better” way to get customers, what if you don’t have any? You’ve got to start somewhere! The six tips, techniques, and tricks identified above are the key to successful sales cold calling.

Copyright © 2009 Pathos Leadership Group. All Rights Reserved

Got Influence? You’re either an “InfluencerR” or you’re being “InfluenceD”! Take the “Influential Leader Inventory” at www.GotInfluence.com and see where you rank against other leaders who have the “Influential Edge!” Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP is the author of “The Influential Leader: 10 Critical Skills You MUST Possess For Success” as well as “Influential Sales: How to Achieve Selling Supremacy in the New Economy!” As President and Chief Influence Officer at Pathos Leadership Group, Sam conducts Influential Keynotes, Workshops, Webinars and one-on-one Coaching. Discover more at www.PathosLeadershipGroup.com, e-mail sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com or call 817-605-1942.

"Your Associate Said What and It Got Picked-up by ESPN, the AP, and the World?" How Training + Development Can Overcome a Disaster!

The number of organizations that bring me in to help them with their communication skills usually have a "challenge" or "obstacle” that they are trying to overcome. I think of it as a deficiency that they are trying to “bulk-up” on! After all, who doesn’t want to equip their team with the best skills possible?

So what do you do when a disaster occurs? Witness the Dallas Police Department’s Officer Robert Powell. On Wednesday, March 18th he was on duty and witnessed a vehicle running a stop light. He did what any police officer would be expected to do… He flipped on the patrol car lights and pulled them over for this minor traffic violation. However, there’s more to this story because of the situation. Watch the video on ESPN here http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4017382.

So how can your Training and Development help when situations like this occur, and perhaps even more important how can you prevent them from occurring in the future? There’s a host of opportunities for you to take, both reactive (it already occurred) as well as proactive (it hasn’t occurred… yet!) Here’s my “Top 7” for you…

1. Assess each team member on desired Communication Skills
a. Presenting…
b. Speaking…
i. Crucial Conversations
ii. Sensitive Conversations
iii. Performance Conversations
c. Listening…
2. Identify the areas of “weakness” from the assessment and develop training
3. Perform Training with video feedback
4. Assess each team member post training to insure desired results are present
5. Coach Leaders/team members on communication
6. Present positive communication “episodes” or examples to the organization to remind them of the importance
7. Re-do annually!

Situations like this happen, granted it’s not every day ESPN or the AP picks them up! Most communication simply goes “under the radar” or unnoticed except for the individuals that are participating. Regardless of reactive or proactive stance, the above roadmap should allow you to set the proper tone for future desired communication.

If you’d like more information about my “Influential Communication” workshops send me a note to info@pathosleadershipgroup.com It may be the difference between showing up on ESPN with the caption “Weekend Warrior Looks To Go Pro!” or “Executive Explains What Went Wrong”…

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP
Pathos Leadership Group – Home of the Influential Edge!
www.pathosleadershipgroup.com

Is the Magic Back?

Ahhhh... March Madness! Does anything quench the Influential Leader's sole like college basketball? I spent last week traveling, so what better way to take some "down" time to watch wall-to-wall basketball. Being a Big 10 Varsity Athlete, I was especially pleased to see Michigan State University and Tom Izzo breeze through their first two games. Hard to believe that it's been 30 years since Magic Johnson lead MSU to the title in 1979. Even more hard to believe that they won the 2000 championship!

So what's the secret to their success? Anyone that knows anything about Tom Izzo knows that it all boils down to one thing. Every team in the NCAA - Division 1 athletics has got star athletes. Every college hosts their teams in what could only be called modern day coliseums. Every team has great athletic training programs. So from athletes to facilities, everything is pretty even. What's the secret then?

The Influential Leader has the secret! It's hard work. So simple, yet few actually accomplish success because there is an extreme lack of hard work. Magic used to tell tales of running up and down the court in practice until he puked. So what are you working so hard at that you actually "puke" afterwards?

If you'd like to get the "Influential Edge" and start working hard, send me an email at sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com and let's start today! You'll join the thousands who've participated in our programs that are tasting success today, even in this economy! You'll also get in on the ground-floor of our exciting 2nd Quarter of 2009 programs. What are you waiting for? Oh you already work hard don't you? There's a big difference between working hard and hard work... Drop me a line and we'll spend 10 minutes together to see where we can go together!

Sam Palazzolo, CPLP
Pathos Leadership Group
www.pathosleadershipgroup.com

Types of Business Coaching

Kris Koonar writes an excellent post on the types of Business Coaching available today! View it here... http://stepstosuccessmadesimple.com/blog/types-of-business-coaching.php

In our Executive Coaching practice here at Pathos Leadership Group, we touch all of the items mentioned. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding what a coach will and won't do... Our answer is simple: "If you wan't to get the 'Influential Edge!' we've got to first and foremost determine what you want. From there, it's all hard work and effort!" In other words, there is no shortcut/magic pill which you can take to get to where "success" lives.

To schedule a Complimentary Coaching session send me an email (sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com) today... It will be the best 20 minutes you spend!

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP
Pathos Leadership Group

Is Executive Coaching Dead in this New Economy?

I often get asked "Is Executive Coaching dead in this New Economy?" My answer is the same that I give to my clients that seek excellence... "Only if you suck!" Executives right now need coaching more than ever, even if they got some of that TARP money in their pockets (Come to think of it, they might be exactly who needs coaching!)

If you think executive coaching is dead, read this great article from some chaps in the UK: http://www.businesszone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=196078&d=1095&h=1097&f=1096&dateformat=%25o-%25B-%25Y

Let me put the article in a different light... One of my clients asked me the other day "Sam... When will I no longer need you?" I told him "About 15 minutes after you pass-away!" Send me an email at sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com if you'd like a "Complimentary Coaching Session" with me... It will be the best 20 minutes you spend this year!

Verizon Wireless - That WasN'T Easy!

In "The Influential Leader" I wrote about how mastering technology can make you truly influential (One of the ten critical skills identified as a result of interviewing 3,000+ business leaders coast-to-coast). Well, as a result you know that I am always looking for a way to maximize my time. I met with a client recently who told me about a great opportunity to do just that... Enter the new Blackberry Storm. Now this is an upgrade from my current PDA and I have been going round-and-round with AT&T about new phones/replacement phones/etc. lately. Did you know that the best deals on cell phones can be had when you switch phone companies? I interviewed an executive that said "You're just stupid if you don't switch from AT&T to Verizon every six months!" That's pretty powerful!

Well, I did just that! I ordered two new phones to keep me and my assistant on the same page. Our Blackberry Storms arrived on Tuesday and boy were they great to look at. I said "to look at" because neither was working! Here's the saga in a nutshell from an email I sent to the Opertions Director...As you can tell, it's been anything but "easy"!!!

Well, I think after spending 43 minutes last night and 21 minutes this morning on the line with Verizon that my cell phone activation is complete! Here were the issues that I encountered:

• Both of my previous numbers were not “ported” over to Verizon.


• The Verizon Customer Service department could only help me with one of the numbers last night. He recommended contacting the "Activation Center" which I did from my other line at 9:50pm. I sat on "Activation Center" hold for 12 minutes and then dumped the call when Verizon CS came back to me with a “plan”.


• The Verizon CS “plan” is that I contact their “Port Center” first thing this morning (Another call). No big deal… it’s just my business line that’s not activated! I’m kind of excited because he says that the number doesn’t look like it’s been ported over for me… I may lose the number (No big deal again… it’s just my business line!)


• However, the Verizon CS did review my account with me, and he mentioned that I had the Blackberry Enterprise Plan (Remember the one we looked at for $49 that you’d use if you had a Blackberry Enterprise Server at work?) I had him change this back to the Blackberry email and web plan that I had selected from my online order (Not certain where the disconnect is/was with this one?) He requested that when I contact the Port Center that I verify Blackberry service on my other line as well.


• OPPORTUNITY – The Verizon CS agent reviews my entire plan/options with me. He says that he notices that I don’t have insurance for $4.99. He reminds me that the phone costs $550 and that (1) the technology is still very new and (2) he has lost/damaged/had stolen his phones in the past and this policy kept him from having to come out of pocket big time! I had insurance before with AT&T… I know it’s probably a waste of money (You could take me through the phone factory again right?)… But he does plant the seed. He can’t sell it, but he’s offering and setting it up for Verizon!


• I contact the Verizon Port Center at 7:02am CST. The representative tells me that the number was not requested originally. I get transferred to a representative with an “easy” button. This new representative punches this “easy” button and makes it happen in like 30 seconds! She says that I should be able to use the phone now. I ask if we can review my Blackberry plan and she has to transfer me to another person.


• The final person I talk to reviews my plan with me. Again, I am setup on the Blackberry Enterprise Server plan. We switch me to the other one. She also helps me get the insurance and offers the Verizon GPS for $9.95 a month (per line). I take the insurance, but decline the GPS (I can add it later!)
  
  

Here’s the real dagger for me… I hate sending my assistant off without her phone. Unfortunately, I sent the phone with my business number with her yesterday... i.e., the one that wasn't working (I thought it was the other line… stupid phones all look alike!).

When it’s all said and done, I am probably looking at 4+ hours of purchasing through using these new phones. I’d better pick up my pace and get some efficiencies quickly!

Wait... It get's more ironic! I am having a great conversation Wednesday morning with a Business Development Manager from non-other than Staples. After hearing my saga, she looks at me and says "Too bad they didn't have an "easy' button for you!" Yeah... too bad.

If you'd like to see how Verizon can implement an "easy" button and get on the Pathos "Customer Advocacy" train (The "One Call Resolution" train might go too fast for them!), send me an email (sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com) and I'll send you a link so you can view this "virtual" training-on-demand.

Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP

If Seth Godin Said "It"... "It" Must Be True!

Here's an article that I recently published in the National Speaker Association (NSA) North Texas chapter newsletter. If you belong to a professional association, this one's for you!

"Is The Expense of NSA Membership a Waste?"

I recently took the advice of Seth Godin (Author of "Tribes", "Purple Cow" and "Permission Marketing" to name a few). In an interview he said that right now in order to weather the current economic storm, businesses need to look at each of their expenses and cut out the wasteful ones. So I sat down and analyzed my business, one painful accounting expenditure at a time. I ultimately came to the NSA and NSA North Texas expenses. I looked at these expenses and like Seth said, asked myself if this was truly a waste? I came up with two conclusions...

First, I just returned from the NSA Winter Convention in Orlando, so the expenses were still fresh in my mind (They'll have a little more "sting" when the bill arrives next month!) It was a great opportunity to see old friends, meet new ones, bring my kids with me (My daughter celebrated her 8th birthday there! She celebrated with Mickey, I celebrated my 8th birthday with my Uncle Mike... but that's a different story!) and to learn new ways to take my business to the next level. I set a goal for myself to leave with no less than six $10,000 ideas. I left the first day with nine thanks to Jeff Magee, CSP! Was this expense worth it?

Second, I reviewed the NSA North Texas expenses associated with the meetings and sitting on the board. Even though I purchased a "Value Pass" the membership and meeting expense are high in comparison to the other associations I belong to (But I do get to attend a special session later this year!) I reviewed my notes from each of the presenters that have come through... Michael Port, Scott Halford, Jill Konrath, Chris Clark-Epstein, etc. What value did I receive from each that directly dropped to my business bottom line? I also looked at my time spent on the board. This is time away from my clients, students at the university where I instruct, and my family. Was this expense worth it?

I had a conversation with a "prospect" or potential member to the group, which cleared up all the analysis that I was trying to perform. She asked "What is the best part of being a member of NSA?" I told her the answer was simple for me, it's a place where you can go and learn how to best structure your business because everybody shares! So whether you take Seth's advice or mine, determine if the expense of your membership is truly bringing value to your business bottom line. If you're like me, this is a no-brainer!

From the Membership Desk... Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP

What's In Your Cup...Starbucks Buyer Beware!

A note from the frontline about how lousy customer service can kill the best coffee in the world.

I was as upset as the next guy when I heard that Starbucks would no longer be serving decaf after 12noon at their stores (See the Decaf Debate story at http://www.usnews.com/blogs/the-inside-job/2009/01/28/starbucks-calls-off-decaf--after-12-pm-.html . Also, if you want to see just how much caffeine you’re giving up, visit http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/starbucks-tall-decaf-coffee You’ll be blown away!) But I’ve had an experience today that left me looking for something to calm me down!

As many of you know, I am legendary for my “coffee connoisseurship” as often seen through my entire pot-drinking episodes (As a matter of fact, that FedEx Kinko’s commercial where the guy drinks the entire pot because of the “all-nighter” was stolen from me!). As a result of this elite club, I am the easiest guy in the world to buy gifts for! Let’s see, what do we get the guy who has everything, including a caffeine addiction? I got it, a Starbucks gift card! While not extremely creative, the shoe does fits so I am drinkin’ coffee!

Today I went to my local Starbucks to purchase a brew and hold a meeting. I walk in, promptly hand over one of the bazillion Starbucks cards I have at home and the Barista announces to me “You owe me 29 cents!” I don’t want to say that any “favors” should have been granted to extend me credit, or even comp me the 29 cents, but I’ve visited this Starbucks several times a week for the last year, I have my own “chair” complete with a nameplate, and the Barista even knows me by name and makes my drink for me when she sees me (Grande ½ & ½ please, room for cream/sugar…Nothing fancy!). During this entire time period, I’ve never paid with cash or coins or anything but one of these gift cards. I must have had a look on my face similar to the look I received when I was younger and started speaking to my Uncle Louie in English (Not a good idea in case you’re wondering! You’ve heard of the kid that grew up on the wrong side of the tracks? Uncle Louie grew up under the tracks!)

I was baffled. I was befuddled. I mean I was really baffuddled! I paid my 29 cents with a dollar in my pocket and have to admit that I had a difficult time concentrating on my meeting… Wouldn’t you? So here is what I pledge to do. For the next 30 days, not only will Starbucks not earn my decaf business, but they will forgo my caffeinated business as well!

So how are your “front-line” associates treating your customers? You know the ones…They usually earn the least yet have the maximum impact on your customers, many times being the only voice the customer hears! What are they doing? What are they saying? What are they not doing? Where are they falling short of your customer’s expectations? When was the last time you “listened-in” to their conversations? Here is what I am betting, you don’t know! Worse yet, you do know and your burying your head in the sand hoping that things will “get better” or that they’ll “get smarter” or that the problems will “go away” magically! Well they aren’t! You need a plan, you need clarity on that plan, you need an implementation schedule of that plan and a review of it once implemented to insure that you are getting what you want. Pretty simple? Pretty straight-forward?