Btb Guest Author

Jonathan Farrington

INTRODUCING…………..

Last Wednesday, we shared some exciting news with the entire Top Sales Experts team, and now I can at last share that news with you.

When we formed Top Sales Associates in 2007, our original plan was to follow the successful launches of Top 10 Sales Articles and Top Sales Experts with a number of other “Top Sales” initiatives and create a global brand.

However, as we all know, time is a great “educator” and based on the experience we have gained during the last two years, and after lengthy discussions with the TSE Executive Board, we have decided to change our strategy.

The desire to ornate the definitive sales related location remains strong, but instead of diluting our offerings, we are going to merge them and build an all-encompassing, one-stop, “sales supermarket” – so welcome to …..

Top Sales World…The Global Sales Resource.

We intend to use the Top Sales Experts project as the foundation, and in fact, we will only be promoting the products/services/solutions of the TSE team, plus those of our  Sponsors and TSE Strategic Partners.

This is of course, our most ambitious project to date, and it is outside the scope of our existing resources. We will therefore be working with outsourced expertise where necessary, specifically; website design, copywriting and marketing.

The projected launch date is January 12th.

So let me share with you what precisely is involved.

Site Content – Existing Sections:

Top Sales Experts
Top Sales Masterclasses
Top Sales Roundtables
Top 10 Sales Articles
Top Sales Articles/Top Sales Podcasts/Top Sales Guides
Top Sales Newsletter/ Top Sales Ebook
Top Sales Assessments
Top Sales Blogs

Ok, so that’s the eleven existing successful sections. Now let me introduce you to the seven new ones …..

Top Sales Leadership Zone
Top Sales 2.0
Top Sales Tools
Top Sales Jobs
Top Sales Store
Top Sales Events
Top Sales Advice

Those then are the eighteen areas that we have identified, and there may be two more to be added before we launch.

For example, it would make sense to have a “Top Sales Resources” Section  where we promote our Strategic Partners.

Project Timetable:

Site design chosen – October
Build begins – November
Testing phase – Mid-December
Launch – January 12th

In Summary:

We are building the significant sales related location
It will contain every conceivable sales resource
We will only be promoting the products/services/solutions of the TSE team and those of our sponsor and strategic partners

Top Sales World – Where in the world do you want to go today?

More soon….

This post appeared in Joinathan’s blog on October 3rd.

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Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author, and consultant, who has guided hundreds of companies and tens of thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels.  He has authored in excess of three hundred skills development programmes, designed a range of unique and innovative process tools and has been published extensively on a wide range of business topics including organizational and sales team development, leadership and the customer imperative.  Jonathan’s first book, “Tougher At The Top” will be published early in 2009.  Visit his website @ www.jonathanfarrington.com

In part one; I talked about our second SLI meet up “From the Buyers Perspective” and in part two about our morning International Partnership event “International Success for Tech Companies”

Tuesday: The International Partnership – International Success for Tech Companies (Afternoon Session)

As already stated, the interest in this took us by surprise so we ended up holding a second session on Tuesday afternoon. The running order followed a similar pattern to the morning event, with both Donagh and Dave speaking again (see part two)

However this time first up was Paddy Holahan. Paddy is CEO of Newbay Software, a leader in digital lifestyle solutions for operators, enabling subscribers to create, store, view and share user content. Paddy brings huge experience in the Irish tech sector, having previously been Executive Vice President of Marketing & Product Management at Baltimore Technologies.

He spoke at length about his humble beginnings and how he managed to grow the various Irish software businesses that he has been involved with. Paddy is a straight talker, someone who is not afraid to call it as he sees it - but I think what impressed everyone most was his incredible focus.

He demonstrated an ability to back his own judgement, sometimes against the advice of others - but more often than not proving his was the right course to take. As a fellow Tipp man, I have to say - I liked his style.

Again, the quality of the people that attended was reflected in the intelligent dialogue and engagement that ensued all afternoon. As the risk of repeating myself, the Irish tech sector is in good hands. It’s the rest of us that need to make sure we adequately support our tech leaders - I for one, intend to make that happen.

Wednesday: Day of Rest? Yeah Right!

I travelled from Dublin to Tipp on Wednesday, happy in knowledge that the previous two days events had exceeded my expectations. I had intended to do a little work in the afternoon; I also knew I had a conference call with Jonathan Farrington and the Top Sales Experts International team that evening.

Irish Biz Blog Network

On the way down, I put a call into Fred and Facundo at Channelship. The guys and I have teamed up to launch Ireland’s first Biz Blogging Network.

Now I have always believed that best way to get stuff done is to simply trust the right people and then let them do their thing. I don’t want to give too much away just yet, but let’s just say it was another expectation exceeded. I would seriously encourage you to watch this space and Channelship because they are rightly becoming leaders in their field.

Here’s a recent Slideshare from Channelship.

TSE, the Greatest Show on Earth!

All that was left was the conference with TSE, and boy, did Jonathan have lots of exciting news. I am not sure that there is someone doing more for the profession of selling than Jonathan.

Again, I need to remain tight lipped for now but let’s just say there are a serious of BIG announcements planned over the coming months. If you haven’t checked TSE out yet, click on the banner – It is already an incredible sales resource and is on the way to becoming the one-stop shop for sales info on the planet.

Next up, was Thursday, which was the IT of Cork meet up and another very successful Irish entrepreneur – who may also double to be the most successful social networker in the land??

Btb Guest Author

Jonathan Farrington

Micro-blogging service Twitter remains the preserve of a few, despite the hype surrounding it, according to research.

Just 10% of Twitter users generate more than 90% of the content, a Harvard study of 300,000 users found.

Estimates suggest it now has more than 10 million users and is growing faster than any other social network.

However, the Harvard team found that more than half of all people using Twitter update their page less than once every 74 days.

And most people only ever “tweet” once during their lifetime, the researchers found.

“Based on the numbers, Twitter is certainly not a service where everyone has seen it has instantly loved it,” said Bill Heil, a graduate from Harvard Business School who carried out the work.

On a typical online social network, he said, the top 10% of users account for 30% of all production.

“This implies that Twitter’s resembles more of a one-way, one-to-many publishing service more than a two-way, peer-to-peer communication network,” the team wrote in a blog post.

Silent crowds

Twitter is a social networking website where people can post messages of 140 up to characters - known as “tweets” - that can be seen by other users who subscribe to their feed.

Its growth has been described as “explosive” and has become the poster child of social networking sites, particularly amongst media companies.

Twitter is a broadcast medium rather than an intimate conversation with friends.

Recent figures from research firm Nielsen Online show that visitors to the site increased by 1,382%, from 475,000 to seven million, between February 2008 and February 2009. It is thought to have grown beyond 10 million in the last 4 months.

By comparison, Facebook - one of the most popular social networking sites by number of visitors - has 200 million active users and grew by 228% during the same period.

Research by Nielsen also suggests that many people give the service a try, but rarely or never return.

Earlier this year, the firm found that more than 60% of US Twitter users fail to return the following month.

“The Harvard data says very, very few people tweet and the Nielsen data says very, very few people listen consistently,” Mr Heil told BBC News.

‘Super user’

The Harvard study took a snapshot of 300,542 users in May 2009. As well as usage patterns it looked in detail at gender differences.

For example, it found that men have 15% more followers than women despite there being slightly more females users of Twitter than males.

It also showed that an average man is almost twice more likely to follow another man than a woman, despite the reverse being true on other social networks.

“The sort of content that drives men to look at women on other social networks does not exist on Twitter,” said Mr Heil. “By that I mean pictures, extended articles and biographical information.”

However, said Mr Heil, the most striking result was that so few people used the service to publish information, preferring instead to be passive consumers.

For example, the median number of lifetime tweets per user is one.

“Twitter is a broadcast medium rather than an intimate conversation with friends,” he said. “It looks like a few people are creating content for a few people to read and share.”

Some “super users” can have thousands or even hundreds of thousands of followers.

Currently, the most popular person to follow on Twitter is the movie star Ashton Kutcher who has over two million followers.

However, the service bills itself as a way to “communicate and stay connected” with “friends, family and co-workers”.

“The Twitter management need to decide if this is a problem,” said Mr Heil. “And if they decide it is, how they will tweak Twitter to become more acceptable to the average user?”

Very interesting!!

Thanks to BBC News.

Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author, and consultant, who has guided hundreds of companies and tens of thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels.  He has authored in excess of three hundred skills development programmes, designed a range of unique and innovative process tools and has been published extensively on a wide range of business topics including organizational and sales team development, leadership and the customer imperative.  Jonathan’s first book, “Tougher At The Top” will be published early in 2009.  Visit his website @ www.jonathanfarrington.com

In the News

Here is a second very interesting post from Jonathan called “Dear Customer, Meet Me On Twitter. Dear Vendor, Why Should I Do That? “

“We all know that a vitally important sales activity is that of managing existing customer accounts, to consolidate and grow the relationship. Yet unfortunately, when compared over time, the customers’ interest levels increase while salespeople’s interest levels tend to decrease. This creates a “relationship gap” and is due entirely to complacency. I happen to believe that “complacency levels” are increasing alarmingly, and this goes some way to explaining declining levels of sales achievement”

Jonathan highlights why increasing dependence on Sales 2.0 tools may end up decreasing the levels of time and activities spent managing existing accounts and relationships. I think he makes a very strong case why salespeople should proceed with caution.

Staying with the Twitter theme, Jordan McCollum tells us that to”Breathe into a paper bag. Put your head between your knees” because Twitter traffic is now at best flat or maybe even declining.I guess I may have to start looking for another replacement addiction

Over at TSE

TSE Masterclass Schedule

Today @ 6pm

“Engage More…Sell More” presented by Skip Anderson

Thursday @ 6pm

“Cold Calling in the 21st Century: The New Rules” presented by Wendy Weiss

Thursday June 25th

“Mom Was Right! Honesty is the best policy and, in today’s tough selling market, a very profitable one” presented by Colleen Francis

Tuesday June 30th

“The Incredible Value Of Sales Team Audits” presented by Kendra Lee and Jonathan Farrington

Remember each masterclass is $59.50 on it’s own, but if you join through my blog as a VIP member - you get all this and more, much MORE for $25 so why not:

Take the tour

Download a FREE copy of our summer eBook (normally $19.95)

Just click through on the two banners above.

This is my article from the new Summer eBook from Top Sales Experts International.

It’s 147 pages and includes articles from some of the foremost sales experts in the world. People like Dan Adams, Keith Rosen, Wendy Weiss , Nancy D. Solomon, Joanne Black, Jonthan Farrington, Paul McCord , Cindy King and Kelly Robertson to name but a few.

It will be on sale for $19.95, but you can grap a copy for FREE here. To download your copy - just click on the widget on the right.

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A person’s likeability factor is often referred to by people such as Simon Cowell when assessing contestants for TV shows like Pop Idol. While it might be a commonly used term, how many of us really understand what it means? How can you use your own L-factor to improve your sales performance?

Definitions of “likeable” can be vague. Terms such as “Easy to like”, “attractive” or “appealing” are just some of the descriptions that are often used. In the book “The Likeability Factor” author Tim Saunders tells us that it is only when we enter the fields of psychology, physiology, and personality that a more concise description of likeably can be found.

Tim defines our likeability as, “An ability to create positive attitudes in other people through the delivery of emotional and physical benefits” He identifies four key factors that go to make up each individual’s L-Factor, they are:

● Friendliness: your ability to communicate liking and openness to others.

● Relevance: your capacity to connect with others’ interests, wants, and needs.

● Empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people’s feelings.

● Realness: the integrity that stands behind your likeability and guarantees its authenticity.

We refer to actions in sales, where both the prospect and the salesperson benefit, as win-win. Improving your L-factor is also win-win, because not only do those who know you benefit, but as Tim points out - you also benefit. You win more of “the popularity contests” that define your life.

In sales, your likeability is vital in creating good first impressions, building rapport and allowing the prospect to trust you. These are critical building blocks to creating strong relationships with customers.

Likewise, in a competitive situation where two solutions are evenly matched, the salesperson’s L-factor could quite easily become decisive. So what are some practical steps you can take to increase your own Lfactor with your customers?

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1. Friendliness - Be more open to creating a lasting Impression with your Customers.

One of the first ways that you convey friendliness to prospects is through non-verbal communication.

● An open posture
● Using open gestures
● Maintaining eye contact
● Interested facial expressions
● Smiling
● Laughing

Note: Remember that later evidence is only interpreted by customers in light of their first impressions of you.

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2. Relevance - Let your Customers know you are listening to what they want.

Active listening is how you communicate your listening to customers. This means nodding, conveying expression in your face and making good eye contact. Also important are not interrupting, asking the customer checking questions and taking notes. Remember, it’s how you dramatise and convey you’re listening that really matters.

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3. Empathy - To better know your customers, first get to know how they are feeling.

Developing empathy with your customers requires that you manage your responses to:

a. Your customers and their circumstances.
b. Your customer’s reactions to you.

● Be careful not to pre-judge an emotional state, tone or reaction, as there are nearly always circumstances beyond your knowledge.

● Rather pose questions to better understand where the particular emotion (good or bad) is coming from.

● The best way to develop empathy with customers is to ALWAYS try to look at things from their perspective.

● Remember, the first step in getting customers to feel strongly about you is to first understand what they already feel strongly about.

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4. Realness - Guarantee your Customers nothing but the Truth (even when it hurts).

Honesty is an integral part of sales. Without it, there cannot be trust and without trust, there cannot be a relationship. The ability to develop strong relationships is the critical aspect of a successful outcome in sales - which in turn makes honesty so vital.

Remember (Honesty ● Trust ● Relationship ● Sales)

Most salespeople are never intentionally dishonest, but there are times when pressure or temptation creates traps that we can fall into. These sometimes result in salespeople venturing into grey areas and telling customers white lies.

Traps to be very careful of:

● When a customers asks a question where you don’t know the answer to or only know some of the answer. Not wanting to appear foolish - the temptation here can be to bluff - don’t do it!

● When a solution only partially meets a customer’s needs, but they continue to be interested - the temptation can be to fail to highlight that the solution will not meet all of their needs - don’t do it!

● When a competitor makes very ambitious claims - the temptation can be to follow suit - don’t do it!

● Where a customer is still struggling to grasp how a solution will work, but still wants to buy - the temptation can be to choose to explain after the deal is done - don’t do it!

The easy rule to apply to any circumstances is, if in doubt - DON’T do it!

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Getting prospects and customers to like us more is by no means easy. The challenge to building great person to person relationships, very often comes down to our understanding and acceptance of the individual’s uniqueness (warts and all). The skill is in finding the common ground.

There are certain traits that we all find appealing in others - business and sales are no different in that regard. Becoming a better salesperson may require that you become a better person.

Applying these 4 simple, yet effective, principles in both your personal and professional life will help.

Oh yeah! And your customers will trust, respect and LIKE YOU MORE for it.

Top Sales Experts International have just released their very latest ebook.

It’s 147 pages, packed with articles from some of the foremost sales experts in the world. It will be on sale for $19.95, but you can grap a copy for free, that’s right for FREE here.

I haven’t got around to reading all the articles yet, but I have already found some gems in there:

Business Consultants, Strategic Orchestrators & Long-Term Allies
By Jonathan Farrington

A “Big Picture” View Blurs The Vision…..
By Christian Maurer

Don’t Get Referrals, Get Introductions
By Paul McCord

Are You Missing These Buying Signals?
By Skip Anderson

Recruiting A Sales Force That Sells
By Colly Graham

How To Successfully Cold Call For New Business
By Steve Martinez

Time Well Served!
By Tibor Shanto

Sociable! Selling Integrating Social Media Into Your Sales Process
By Shane Gibson

The Secret To Getting More Done And Making More Money
Aligning Your Activity With Your Objectives
By Karl Goldfield

Stop Blaming The Economy! Three Tough Questions
For Winning More Business In Today’s Soft Market
By Tim Wackel

To download this super ebook for FREE - just click on the widget below

Oh! and by the way, my own article is on page 109. Its called “Are You Selling Your L-Factor?” - Make sure to check it out