Category: Sales & Marketing

If you’re like most people, the idea of selling fills you with fear and dread. Maybe it’s the fear of rejection or the cheesy sales pitch. Regardless, it’s not an activity many of us look forward to.
Usually the image that comes to mind is that of a used car salesman – a backslapping, glad-handing, insincere person with a gift for gab, and a pressure close. Very few of us want to see ourselves like that.
Yet in reality, you sell to people every day. If you didn’t, it would be very hard to survive in this world.
When you have a discussion with your co-worker about your feelings on global warming, you’re “selling.” When you persuade your child to pick up her clothes, you’re “selling.” When you change your spouse’s mind about where to go out for dinner, you’re “selling.”
Without this selling it would be extremely difficult to get the things you need from others and to get others to appreciate what you have to offer. So the problem is not with the activity as much as it is with our interpretation of the word “sell.”
What would happen if, instead of selling, you practiced the “art of persuasion?” What could you accomplish if you understood selling to simply mean the goal of educating someone else to see your point of view?
How would that change your feelings about the activities involved?
Knowing how to persuade and influence others is definitely one of the key skills that anyone who is successful possesses. Depending on our particular perceptual style, each of us has our own way of persuading and influencing.
So, if the word “sales” gives you the willies, discover your style and learn how to influence others naturally!
Here’s how; practice. Today, intentionally set out to influence or persuade three people. Try something silly with no pressure. Notice what specific behaviors you use that seem to have a positive effect and what behaviors seem to “turn people off.”
Aboit the Author:
Lynda-Ross Vega: A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-author of Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com

Article Contributed By Eric Gruber
Article marketing is one of the best ways to gain instant credibility, increase website traffic, build your list and get more sales. But, the only way you’ll experience these results is if you stop doing article marketing the traditional way!
Here’s why most of what you have been told by other so-called article marketing experts and gurus is dead wrong when it comes to writing and submitting articles online.
1. Traditional article marketing rarely results in any new traffic to your site.
Links from hundreds or thousands of unimportant article directories and sites are only going to build an army of low-quality links that do nothing for your page rank in the search engines. And it certainly will NOT bring you any more traffic. This is a mistake that tons of people are still making everyday on the web, and most of them don’t even know it. They just assume what they are doing will eventually work – because that’s what other experts are telling them.
2. Traditional article marketing does not establish you as an authority in your niche.
One of the biggest advantages of article marketing is that as soon as you publish your first article, you become a published writer in your marketplace. You will soon be considered an authority in your niche, which is great – but only if you are published at reputable sources. For example, my articles can be found on top websites like About.com, SiteProNews.com, MarketingProfs.com, Microsoft Community Dynamics and many more. Blasting out articles to a lot of low-quality sites makes you appear to be an amateur and not an expert, something that traditional article marketers tend to do.
3. Traditional article marketing promotes going for the quick-fix.
There are a lot of marketing “gurus” out there who claim to have the magical solution for helping you obtain thousands of links back to your site just by the push of a button. There are others who claim to have a solution for the duplicate content problem – and promote something called spinning software, which will produce several variations of an article. The problem with these “old-school” quick fixes is that article submission software results in the low-quality link. And spinning software creates articles that read unnatural. This is Not an effective way to create REAL traffic. It’s a waste of your time and money not to do article marketing the right way.
4. Traditional article marketing doesn’t result in dollars earned.
Traditional article marketing is all about producing content for the sake of quantity and not quality. Mediocrity is not the way to attract new business. Article marketing done right will grow into a powerful viral machine that will continuously bring you fresh new targeted traffic and qualified leads day after day. Especially, once you learn what your market wants to learn. Writing quality articles to meet those needs is like money in the bank!
5. Traditional article marketing doesn’t give you a system for maximizing your article marketing efforts!
You spent time writing the article. Even if you used my article templates at http://www.StartWritingArticlesFaster.com to write your articles in 30 minutes – That’s 30 minutes that you could have been doing something else. So why not get the most use from your articles. Getting your articles published on top websites will give you the ability to…
* Mix your social media efforts with your article marketing efforts. You can Tweet about your new article placement. You can link to the article placement on Facebook and LinkedIn. You can answer people’s questions on forums and send prospects to your article for even more information.
* Get in front of your prospects face again. Send the high authority site’s link with your article to your list. That’s how Kevin Berchelmann received a new, mid 5-figure client!
* Enhance your credibility on your blog. You can link to your article placements from your blog and show that you are the expert. Show how you’re different by getting published on a top website or online publications and not just sites like EzineArticles.com where everyone can get published as long as you follow the editorial guidelines.
* You can mention these placements in an auto-responder series. You can take the main take away lessons from your articles and turn it into an e-course. And than at the end of the day’s message, link to your articles so people can get even more information from you.
* Turn your articles into videos. And, within these videos show how you’re published on top websites as this will build instant credibility.
Now, if you’re ready to writing and submitting articles the traditional way – then check out my Online Article Marketing Course at http://www.onlinearticlemarketingcourse.com
About the Author
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, with his new article marketing course, Eric is opening up the curtains and revealing how he has built a 6 figure income business just by using articles. Check it out now at: http://www.onlinearticlemarketingcourse.com

As a sales professional, entrepreneur or business owner, being able to effectively establish new client partnerships and increase sales results quickly is vitally important. When sales are going great it can be very exciting! When you have a great month you are filled with sales motivation!
But, after a while, things slow down and you hit a wall. You find yourself chasing after prospects and wondering why it is taking so long to convert prospects into clients.
You’re stumped!
You start exploring different techniques and try to find a solution. But, no matter what you try, the results are the same and the sales cycle is a much longer process than what you would like.
So where do you turn when you are stuck in sales quicksand and can’t get your prospects to move forward?
Here’s How You Can Shorten The Sales Cycle and Win More Clients, Increase Sales and Profits with 2 Simple Strategies:
1. Determine, Uncover & Clarify Challenges
If a prospect is not clear about their challenges and the impact of these challenges, this will greatly slow down the entire sales cycle. This is because the client does not yet believe their challenge is significant enough to take action, and guess what, because of this, they won’t take action! It is a waste of time for you to give information before understanding their needs, goals, challenges and problems. You are presenting a “solution” to someone who doesn’t believe they have a “problem.”
So, what do you do about this? Ask a lot of questions! Ask open ended questions. Get curious and don’t assume you understand their problem or challenge no matter how long you have been in the industry. Dig in and really find out what is going on, and ask follow up questions that focus in on the greater impact of their challenges. Uncover the impact of the current challenges on both the organization and the individuals or groups you are selling to. Your questions will help them understand and verbalize that they have a challenge or problem. Now you have the information you need to explain how you can help solve their challenge.
If you find yourself talking more than 20% of the time during your sales meetings with prospects, stop yourself, and ask a question!
2. Always Set A Clear Next Step
Have you ever heard this before? “Thanks for your time today, your product looks great and we will get back to you soon.” Yet, you never hear back, and end up having to chase, follow up, and make multiple calls, send multiple emails to no avail. That is not fun for you, nor is it fun for the prospective client.
How do you solve this?
Well, if you are a great salesperson or great sales minded business owner, you don’t need to chase. You don’t need to pressure. You don’t need to persuade. Really. You need to set up a clear next step, and if your prospect is not ready to take the next step, they will tell you, and you will determine if they are a serious prospect or not, on the spot.
Remember, give your prospects an option to say, “No.” When you do this, all the pressure is taken off of you, and more importantly off of your prospect. That way, they do not feel like they are being “sold,” nor do they feel any pressure from you. Many of the sales coaching programs and sales coaches still are teaching the same old techniques developed decades ago that involve pressure and persuading. You do not need to do that anymore and it does not work.
Simply set up the next step at the end of your meetings. The next step could be a follow-up face to face meeting or a scheduled phone call for example. However, make sure the next step is moving the sales cycle forward and has a scheduled date, time, and location.
Map out your sales cycle and know what steps need to take place. Here is an example of a 5 step sales cycle: 1. Initial appointment, qualification, discovery, 2. Agreement to conduct an in-depth analysis, 3. Demonstration of service or product, 4. Contract review meeting, 5. Signed agreement.
At the end of each meeting, you should be setting up the next meeting and next actions. Explain the next steps you both will need to take to start working together. Map it out for them and provide them with a simple document that explains the next steps with clear time lines. Ask them to commit to the next steps along the way. Guess what happens if you do this effectively? You don’t need to “close” or persuade, the sale will be made, faster, naturally, and more effectively.
These 2 steps will help you shorten your sales cycle and experience dramatically improved sales results. Don’t wait to make these changes, take action now, and make a commitment to yourself.
About the Author:
Sales Coaching & Business Coaching Expert, Jeremy J. Ulmer, has helped hundreds of sales professionals, sales leaders, businesses and entrepreneurs overcome sales and business challenges to achieve breakthrough results. Jeremy has been ranked a #1 sales performer in the U.S. for 4 years at two Global Fortune 500 Companies, is the former Director of Sales at the #1 Outsourced Sales Company in the U.S., and is a Featured Presenter on Sales Skills and Entrepreneurship at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. If you are ready to dramatically increase your sales or business results then subscribe for your Free Tips or request a Free Coaching Consultation at: http://www.CoachWithJeremy.com.

Most entrepreneurs have new ideas springing up like popcorn. Problem is, they don’t know how to systematically transform those ideas into income, leaving them overwhelmed, disillusioned or with a scattered brand that’s the same as no brand at all.
The solution is both simple and profitable: turn one idea into multiple streams of income. This concept is especially easy if you’re a creative type because of your natural ability to see many possibilities. You just need to know how to harness your creativity so it’s working for you, instead of against you.
The beauty of this strategy is it channels your creativity into a direction that has high payoff value, thus opening the door to creating the six and high-six figure business you want.
That’s what I just coached my private intensive client, Bria Simpson to do. The result is a business model and plan that will easily turn her frustrating five-figure business into high six figures in less than one year. All Bria needs to do is implement according to the detailed marketing calendar we mapped out. (Watch a video at the end of this article, of Bria and I sharing the business model we designed together for her.)
So, here are 3 easy tips on how you can turn one idea into multiple streams of income. Remember that this simple shift in your business model will make a huge shift in your income!
Tip #1 Use The “Rinse And Repeat” Strategy
Every time I teach a client how to turn one idea into multiple streams of income, they always protest, saying, “But Kendall, I can’t offer the same information more than once…can I?” The short answer is yes, you can. In fact, that’s where the power of this strategy comes from: offering the same information in a variety of formats. This is how you build a powerful brand, simplify your life and quickly create multiple streams of income.
So rather than burn yourself out trying to create tons of new content, focus instead on repeating your core information in different learning modalities, such as teleseminars, articles, workshops, private 1-day intensives, etc. The more intimately clients get to work with you, the more personalized and advanced you can customize your information.
Tip #2 Listen To Your Clients For Your Next Big Idea
When I created my best-selling home study course, it was an instant hit. Why? Because I listened to my clients, who kept asking me for help with “how to charge what they were worth.” Bingo! That became the title of a best-selling info product that became the foundation for my 7-figure business.
Moral of the story is, don’t waste time trying to get your clients to buy what you think they should have. Instead, listen to what they tell you they want, then create it for them.
Tip #3 Don’t Get Distracted With Multiple Ideas
Rather than creating different titles and topics to offer your clients, direct your creativity to designing different offers on the same topic. Afraid you’ll get bored? Trust me, you won’t. Once you see the money flowing in you’ll be thrilled you channeled your creativity in this exciting way.
Repeat After Me: “What Streamlines Your Business Increases Your Income”
Creating a six, high-six or even seven figure business isn’t more work. It’s doing the right things right. By following my “turn one idea into multiple streams of income” model, you too can transform your current business into one that simplifies your life while putting a lot more money in your purse!
About the Author:
Kendall SummerHawk, the Million Dollar Marketing Coach, is an expert at helping women entrepreneurs at all levels design a business they love and charge what they’re worth and get it. Kendall delivers simple ways entrepreneurs can design and price their services to quickly move away from ‘dollars-for-hours work’ and create more money, time, and freedom in their businesses. For free articles, free resources and to sign up for a free subscription to Kendall’s Money, Marketing and Soul weekly articles, visit www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

Article Contributed by Eric Gruber

When you write articles, if you don’t keep your audience in mind then you are insulting them. Let me show you an example (unrelated to article marketing) of what happens if you don’t keep your targeted audience in mind.
Recently my girlfriend, Kristina Jaramillo, attended one of the worst bridal showers ever. I’ve never heard of a bridal shower where more than 75% of the guests left insulted, have you?
Here’s one of the reasons for the total disaster…
The bridesmaids thought it would be funny to put on a clothesline the different types of underwear to represent the different phases of life and marriage ending with Depends. Now this would have been a perfect gag for a bachelorette party, where all the guests would have been in their 20’s and 30’s. But not a bridal shower, where at least 75% of the guests were ages 55 to 75.
The bridesmaids totally forgot who their target audience was.
Out of respect for the bride, the guests did not leave, even though they were disgruntled. However, if you write articles or website content that’s not geared for your targeted audience, people will leave.
Keep reading this article below to find out if you’re insulting your targeted audience – without even realizing it.
3 Mistakes Most Article Marketers Make That Insult Their Audience
If you’re making any of the mistakes, then you are insulting publishers, prospects and readers alike.
Mistake #1: Failure to identify your audience.
I search the Internet all time for articles that can help me build my different online businesses. There are many times that I won’t open an article because I don’t know if it’s for me. And, because my time is valuable, I don’t want to waste it on an article that isn’t for me. That’s a slap in my face. So identify your audience in the title, in the introduction and in the bio box.
Mistake #2: Failure to use examples that resonate with your targeted audience.
Let’s say you write a sales article titled, “How to Double Your Sales in the Next 60 Days.” And, let’s say you use examples from the financial services sector to reinforce your points. Then, you target an online publication that’s specifically for IT sales professionals. And, although your tips, tools, information, systems and products may work for a broad variety of industries, if you don’t tweak your article examples, to show that you understand my industry – you lose instant credibility. It’s an insult to think that you can connect with me, even though you don’t show me that you have experience with my particular industry.
Mistake #3: Giving the wrong level of information to the wrong audience
One of my article marketing clients is a career coach who would love to get more 100K+ executive clients. The problem is that every article he writes has basic information that recent college graduates need – not executives who have been through the job searching process many times. If he wants to attract higher-level clients, then he has to stop insulting their intelligence and start writing articles with information that resonate with that specific audience. When you write, you have to keep your audience in mind and write to their needs, wants and desires.
That’s why it’s important that you write a variety of articles. To get started, check out my FREE Instant Article Writing Templates at http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com
About the Author
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber teaches experts, authors, small business owners, entrepreneurs, speakers and internet marketers who want more publicity, prospects and profits how to write articles that persuade and motivate prospects to take immediate action. Now, you can get 3 of his favorite instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com