Putting your feet on the street....

I've discovered I like face to face selling....

I went out today and did some.... I was helping my brother Thomas, by getting some experience selling blank CD-ROMs wholesale to stores....

It's not identical to selling over the internet, but if you know how to sell over the internet, those skills do help. I found myself pushing the benefits, finding the USPs (unique selling propositions), using some Remote Hypnosis techniques, and generally enjoying myself.... :)

Over the internet it's tougher. Face to face, you can see someone's expressions. You can see their posture. You can immediately hear their comments and questions.... All those things are clues as to what to say next, and when to ask for the order....

But online, it's much tougher. Because when people are reading a web page, you don't really know what they are thinking at that exact moment.... So face to face, and one to one selling is much easier than online....

Gordon recommended to me several times to get some real world face to face selling experience. He's noted that many of the highly successful sellers online, as well as many of the successful copywriters, have had face to face sales experience.... Online, people like Bill Myers, Don Alm, and copywriters like Joe Sugarman and Gary Halbert have all had face to face selling experience....

It's not too bad. Even though one person may represent a small business or a large company, he or she is still just one person. You are talking one on one.... If you generally get along with people, I feel you can do it.... Luckily, I like talking to people in general, and business people especially.... :)

Today, I was mostly talking to small retail store owners, as well as a few of those who sell to business. I had a blast. :)

I recommend you try it some time.... Gordon's recommended it to me, and I'm planning to do some more.

So, would you like about 200 of those CD-ROMs, just to try out? (Kidding, kidding! :)

Dien Rice

Where do you go from here?

You have to crawl before you can walk, and you have to walk before you can run....

And you have to run before you can fly!

I think I agree with Gordon, that face to face selling experience is really good for running a business....

That's because a business can't make any money until a sale is made! So, if you can't sell, you have to at least hire or JV with somebody who can....

But learning it yourself is the best. And I believe selling is something you can learn....

While some people might seem to have some kind of "innate" selling skill, it really is something you can learn. You have to dress sharp (but not too intimidating). You have to be confident (but not arrogant). You have to be able to talk in a good way about the benefits of your product....

And you can see it on people's faces, or in their actions or their questions, when they are interested.... Luckily, the CD-ROMs I was selling had some unique features....

Unique products are the best kind to get involved with, I think.... :)

Anyway, I had a blast.... This is another skill I'll be adding to my "bag of skills" for growing and expanding my business.... Along with the knowledge about the power of outsourcing, contacts, Remote Hypnosis techniques, and the many other things we've learned here....

Thanks to everybody, you've all been very generous.... :)

Running running running and flapping those wings....

(Are you flapping too? :)

Dien Rice

……..is hidden where _most_ least expect to find it!

In my opinion it’s out there on the streets. Online success is _guaranteed_ through learning the offline skills.

And if you are the type of person reading this who thinks that face to face selling is not for you, or not important in these hi tech days……this post is especially relevant:-)

I have found through personal experience that direct sales provides probably the best basis for internet success. Every product or service needs to be sold. It will not sell itself by just being there or failing to address what the client _wants_

To this day, for example, it causes a wry smile when I see otherwise intelligent web site designers pitching for business by saying their design and presentation skills are the best. Complete hogwash! What clients usually want are the benefits from more sales and if a one page web site (eg Marlon Sanders) provides these benefits they could not give two hoots whether flash or streaming video are included

Anyone who has sold all day everyday for years (and truly mastered the skills) would never make this mistake. I cannot believe that so many elementary mistakes are made on the internet by the vast majority of enterprises. It seems very few people are bothering to LEARN sales skills
The downbeat commission only salesman going from job to job can be likened to most failing web enterprises…they are not aware or have the motivation to learn the basic skills necessary for success. But the answers are staring them in the face!

Here is another crucial point. If you can sell your product face to face you will learn so much more than presenting on the internet. Why? You get masses of _feedback_. If you approach a thousand businesses with your product or service personally you get 1000 pieces of feedback. If you get a thousand page views on the internet and 30 buy you only have 30 pieces of feedback!

But most aspiring internet entrepreneurs do not ever think of selling face to face because
A) Most have a fear of rejection
B) They do not want to spend the time and effort learning the skills

Having trained hundreds of direct salespeople I know that both these issues can be overcome. The result being online success as a direct result of learning the skills necessary to become successful in any arena

The problem is that most of the people motivated to learn the skills are already successful. While the others fail to spot this key ingredient abd continue to search in other areas for their holy grail

Regards
Andy Frain




Sell Web Sites Like Wildfire...

Thanks Andy, that was a very educational response....

And with your world of experience, and also Gordon's advice to me along the same lines too, I can't help but think that what you both are saying is absolutely right....

Anyhow, I'm going to continue getting some more of this sales experience under my belt!

There are a lot of skills to business.... It's good to try to learn as many as you can, I reckon....

And I truly believe that if you don't have sales skills, you probably have to either get it, or hire a salesperson.... Otherwise you'll be stuck in a rut, because there's no money coming in unless a sale is made....

Being an employee is different this way....

As an employee, you may only have to sell something once -- and that's to sell your skills to get the job!

To do that, you write an "advertisement".... also known as a Resume or Curriculum Vitae....

But in business, you have to sell constantly, so it's more important to learn how to do it....

It's the way to independence....

Thanks Andy.... :)

Dien Rice

> I've discovered I like face to face
> selling....

****Hooray, Dien!

I really enjoy selling face to face. My first sales job was College Textbook publishing. Yes, I knew a little on everything from Anthropology to Zoology, even a little Physics in there. My personal favorite was when I was selling a Intro to Health texts cause I got to call on all the Coaches. Got tickets to games, got to hang out near the locker rooms and continue wearing my Little-Sister-Hanging-Out-With-The-Guy role.

(Or something like that!)

After Katherine was born, I sold at home parties...Christmas Around the World was my line. I used to say as a part of my Schpiel that I really loved my work because every night was a party and I got to be the center of attention!

My team was #1 in the district from my first year on! When people told me I was a great sales person I thought..."Hmmmm? I am just having fun!?"

> Over the internet it's tougher. Face to
> face, you can see someone's expressions. You
> can see their posture. You can immediately
> hear their comments and questions.... All
> those things are clues as to what to say
> next, and when to ask for the order....

***One of my largest sales with Prentice Hall (the publisher) was to the History Department at a College in Los Angeles. LOL! That story should probably go somewhere else....it was interesting though....I would say I used some (non) Remote Hynosis techniques....like a 20something sales rep in a room of men in their 50's and 60's....rolling with their punches...and not about history text books either!

I suppose that is a lesson in and of itself, that often times we while we are not selling the product as much as we are selling a feeling. Those men really enjoyed engaging in witty repartee with me. They knew I would keep visiting as long as they used my products. :-)

(Sometimes these a-ha's come much later!)

> It's not too bad. Even though one person may
> represent a small business or a large
> company, he or she is still just one person.

***This is critical, Dien. We are all simply people. I learned that from Prentice Hall as well. I talked to some very "big names" in academia. I found that the biggest names were some of the most down-to-earth I ever met. One of my friends became quite buddy-buddy with BF Skinner from Harvard. He is a person.

I met Beverly Cleary at a convention for English instructors. Might not mean anything to you. To ME, she was the creator of many of my childhood favorites. There she was, sitting at a table, no one talking to her. She simply took action on her dreams and wrote and wrote and wrote.

Created Beezus and Ramona and many other characters that lived in the Glen Ridge Library (and across the world!)

> So, would you like about 200 of those
> CD-ROMs, just to try out? (Kidding, kidding!
> :)

****Can you personalize a set amount with the 5Passions logo?

:-)

I got WAY off topic, Dien. Sorry about that! Caught me waxing rhapsodic again!

With Purpose and Passion,

JULIE

> Dien Rice

Hi Julie,

Goodness, you're very experienced in this! :) I'm very impressed, Julie... especially when you also think of the counseling work you did too....

It's very impressive. :)

> After Katherine was born, I sold at home
> parties...Christmas Around the World was my
> line. I used to say as a part of my Schpiel
> that I really loved my work because every
> night was a party and I got to be the center
> of attention!

Heheh.... I can imagine that.... :)

I also have a tendency to like to be the center of attention too.... Well, I fluctuate. Sometimes I like to be in the spotlight, and other times I prefer to be the one behind the scenes.... But I definitely know what you mean. :)

> My team was #1 in the district from my first
> year on! When people told me I was a great
> sales person I thought..."Hmmmm? I am
> just having fun!?"

Yes, I think if you're having fun it really helps with your success! Especially in sales.... It helps to like the people you're talking to. :)

> I suppose that is a lesson in and of itself,
> that often times we while we are not selling
> the product as much as we are selling a
> feeling. Those men really enjoyed engaging
> in witty repartee with me. They knew I would
> keep visiting as long as they used my
> products. :-)

Yes... That's something I just learned too....

I went around with someone who is more experienced than me, and he did most of the stores, though I did some myself (and enjoyed it). :)

However, yes, it is definitely much better to get into good conversations when the other person wants to.... You can't just look at your watch and say "I've gotta run"....

Often I'd notice that they'd buy more. For example, "Yes, we'd like 200 of those multi-colored CD-ROMs there, but no, we don't really want the black ones...."

Then some idle chit-chat about new technology and DVDs vs CD-ROMs.... Then they'd say something like,

"Oh, yeah, just give us 200 of those black ones too, why not... and some of those mini-discs as well...."

I noticed that having good conversation -- when they want to -- helps with the increasing the sale.... :)

And it also makes it more fun for you too!

> I met Beverly Cleary at a convention for
> English instructors. Might not mean anything
> to you. To ME, she was the creator of many
> of my childhood favorites. There she was,
> sitting at a table, no one talking to her.
> She simply took action on her dreams and
> wrote and wrote and wrote.

I know what you mean, Julie! Many people feel intimidated by the "big names" but they're just people like you and me.... They just want others to treat them like a normal person. :)

Anyhow.... It was a great experience for me, I'm going to be doing some more on Thursday....

I found the hardest part, actually, was "opening" -- how to start the conversation.... I think once you have a good first thing to say, the rest can flow if you know your products and their benefits and their unique qualities....

Now I know, though, why Gordon recommends this to other people. It really builds confidence. And when you talk to others online, it helps you to keep in mind that there's a real single person out there on the other end of your message.... And talking to them online is just like talking to them if you were in their presence....

Thanks Julie.... I can see why you'd be so successful at sales, it's because everybody likes you, you are so warm and caring and nice.... :)

Dien