by Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic™

Not long ago I received a menu in the mail from a local Chinese restaurant. On the front of the tri-fold mailer is a proud proclamation in large type: “$1.38 Chinese Food.”

Sure enough, all of the appetizers and most of the entrees listed inside are indeed only $1.38.

My first thought?

This stuff must really suck.

Seriously, if they’re charging less than a buck-and-a-half per item, they must be using the cheapest, lowest-quality ingredients possible. And that’s not what I want to eat.

Too often, business owners, professionals and salespeople feel they need to cut their prices to attract more customers. But that can actually work against you.

We’ve all learned from experience that as a general rule, you get what you pay for. Higher-quality goods and services tend to be more expensive, lower-quality ones tend to be cheaper.

Which means if you’re the cheapest option around, people will perceive you to be the worst. Is that the positioning in the marketplace you really want?

People don’t want cheap, they want good. If you’re good, say so. Make the relationship between your quality and your price clear. Point out what makes you better than your competitors and how that’s better for your prospect.

If you want to boost your sales, don’t make your product or service cheaper. Make it more appetizing.

By combining his sales expertise and performance skills with intensive research, Don Cooper delivers programs that are industry and even company specific. So audience members get unique insights and practical, relevant tools they can use immediately to increase their sales—which is why Don is typically the highest-rated speaker at conferences and why his corporate clients bring him back again and again.

by Zoe Training staff

Perhaps Mike Faber’s face is familiar to you. Maybe it’s because Mike has been a regular pledge drive host for PBS television stations across the country since the mid ’90s and has been in television broadcasting since the late ’70s.

In this interview, Mike opens up about his personal philosophies and what motivates him to positively impact others.

What’s your favorite topic(s) to present on? Why?

My focus is on leadership, and how we “show up” as leaders in our business, community and personal lives. It’s my favorite topic because we can all remember a leader who made a life-time impact for us in our growth – what better legacy to leave than helping others make the same impact?

What are your favorite groups of people to work with?

I love working with business groups, especially people who are relatively new to management and leadership positions. When I began as a corporate manager and executive, I believed that it was more important to know business, than to know people. Now I realize that institutional knowledge can be passed along, but relating to others in an inspirational and compelling way is the foundation for any great leader.

Are you involved in any community projects/issues?

The first five years after college I was a TV sportscaster and that began a lifelong connection to broadcasting. I’m in my 26th year of volunteering at Public Television, in markets as diverse as Brownsville, Tex., San Francisco, and for the last 15 years in Denver, Colo. As a speaker I contribute a portion of all event proceeds to charity, including the Campership Fund at Camp Pathfinder in Algonquin Park, Ontario. One of my talents is that I can right a capsized canoe in virtually any weather!

Do you have a favorite quote? What/why?

Many, but the playwright Arthur Miller captured the potential risk and reward of leadership when he said “One can’t stand forever on the shore. At some point, filled with indecision, skepticism, reservation and doubt, you either jump in or concede that life is forever elsewhere.”

Tell us a recent book you’ve read and would recommend:

“Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. The story of Olympic runner, WWII aviator and POW Louis Zamperini. Simply the most inspirational book of survival I’ve ever read.

What are you most grateful for in life?

My family, wife Terry and boys, Nick and Chris. In my keynote Aloha Leadership I share a story about a recent family trip to Hawaii. In the midst of paradise, we found ourselves in an urgent double health crisis. Without our Hawaiian “ohana,” the trip could have been disastrous!

by Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic™

Great presentation skills are a powerful asset for a salesperson. Lousy presentation skills are a serious liability. Even if you have the best product, service, delivery, warranty and price, a poor sales presentation can shatter your prospect’s confidence in your company, causing them to run in the other direction.

If your presentation skills suck—or aren’t as stellar as you’d like them to be—use some of these strategies to get them up to snuff.

1. Study others
Watch and listen carefully to people who are great presenters. Pay close attention to what they do and how they do it. Notice also what they don’t do. Take detailed notes whenever possible. And if appropriate, ask them for advice.

2. Read books
There are hundreds of books on presentation skills. Browse your favorite book store or Amazon.com. Cash flow a little tight at the moment? Hit your local library.

3. Invest in audio or video programs
Audio training programs allow you to learn while you drive, bike or roller blade. They also enable you to hear examples of good presentation techniques. Video programs go a step further and show you examples of effective presentation visuals.

4. Practice
No amount of reading, listening or watching will make you a better presenter unless you practice. To be a better speaker, you need to speak. As much as possible, as often as possible. Build practice time into your schedule.

5. Get peer feedback
It helps to practice in front of a live audience. Especially if that audience contains other experienced presenters. Ask your colleagues, bosses and anybody else who has a stake in your sales success to listen to you and critique you.

6. Videotape yourself
Get feedback from your toughest critic: yourself. Record yourself and watch the video. You’ll be amazed, impressed and horrified by what you see.

7. Join Toastmasters
If you’re not familiar with Toastmasters International, it’s a non-profit organization with thousands of clubs around the world. You can develop your presentation skills at your own pace, in a supportive environment. For more details and to find a club near you, visit www.toastmasters.org.

8. Hire a coach
A presentation skills coach is a significant investment, but it can produce massive dividends quickly. A coach can identify your biggest problem areas and help you correct them fast. Because of the immediate impact coaching can make on your sales, your company may pay the tab. If not, your investment is still tax-deductible. And well worth it.

I’ve seen enough sales presentations to know that many—if not most—salespeople don’t do them well. Which means sharpening your skills can give you a huge edge over your competitors. Don’t risk another sales with a sub-par presentation. Boost your skills and you’ll boost your sales.

By combining his sales expertise and performance skills with intensive research, Don Cooper delivers programs that are industry and even company specific. So audience members get unique insights and practical, relevant tools they can use immediately to increase their sales—which is why Don is typically the highest-rated speaker at conferences and why his corporate clients bring him back again and again.

by Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic™

With all the attention on social media over the past couple of years, it’s easy to forget that face-to-face networking is still extremely valuable. However, it isn’t enough just to meet people at networking mixers once in a while. People need to really get to know you. And they need to remember you, like you and trust you before they’ll want to do business with you. So try one or more of these tactics to speed that process along.

1. Volunteer
Every organization needs volunteers, and savvy networkers jump at the chance. People will see you in a position of responsibility and service. You also get a chance to showcase your talents and learn new skills.

2. Work the Registration Table
You’ll meet virtually everyone who attends the event. More importantly, they’ll meet you.

3. Donate a Door Prize
Your product or service will be showcased in front of the entire crowd. And everybody loves to win things. For maximum effect and goodwill, make sure the prize is an outright gift rather than a discount or coupon.

4. Join Committees
In most organizations, the majority of the work (and the majority of the networking) occurs in committees. Because committees typically meet on a regular basis, you get an opportunity to see the same people frequently, giving you all ample opportunity to get to know each other well. By the way, this is also where you will often find the “movers and shakers” who you most want to meet.

5. Write Articles
Virtually every trade association and business group has a newsletter, magazine or journal. And they are all in need of articles of value to their members. Contact the editors of these publications and ask about needs, schedules and editorial guidelines. Write according to their guidelines and include your contact information for the authorship credit. (Bonus Tactic: Be sure to get reprints to include in your promotional materials.)

6. Speak for the Group
Speaking at your group’s events can give you valuable exposure at absolutely no cost. Anything from a ten-minute talk to a two-hour seminar can serve your audience while positioning you as an authority in your field. And everyone wants to meet the speaker!

7. Host an Event
For several hours people will see your facility, employees, products and/or services. You can even take guests on guided tours and give away samples or coupons to increase your impact. To reduce the cost, time and effort involved in hosting a networking event, consider sharing the event with a caterer or restaurant. You provide the location, they provide the food and you both get the credit. And the exposure!

Use these seven tactics to raise your profile in your community and you’ll see your sales increase as a result!

By combining his sales expertise and performance skills with intensive research, Don Cooper delivers programs that are industry and even company specific. So audience members get unique insights and practical, relevant tools they can use immediately to increase their sales—which is why Don is typically the highest-rated speaker at conferences and why his corporate clients bring him back again and again.

by Don Cooper, The Sales Heretic™

Most of us believe we’re good listeners, when in fact, most of us are lousy. (If you don’t believe me, ask your spouse.) Yet listening is a critical skill that we all need to be better at. Listening allows you to relax, compose your thoughts and gather valuable information. And truly effective listening builds rapport, respect and trust.

Whether you’re networking, selling, negotiating or simply having a casual conversation, keep these principles in mind:

See Eye to Eye

When someone is speaking to you it is imperative that you maintain good eye contact with them. Looking at something else sends the non-verbal message that whatever you are looking at is more important than the speaker is. An additional benefit for you is that by looking at the speaker, you can pick up on their non-verbal signals, which will help you better understand what they really are (and are not) saying.

Use Your Body

The way your body is positioned can make a big difference in your conversation. Slumping or leaning back in your chair implies boredom or indifference. Instead, lean toward the other person to indicate interest. If you are standing, especially at a networking event, stand at an angle to the other person rather than face to face. This position will allow you to easily hear each other in a crowded room while still giving both of you plenty of personal space in front of you. This “open” body posture also makes it easier and more inviting for additional people to join your networking conversation.

Make Faces

Facial expressions give people a visual cue that you are listening to them. Smiling, frowning, raising your eyebrows, and other facial reactions send a strong signal that you are following what is being said.

Add Sound Effects

Verbal reactions are the auditory equivalent of facial expressions. Words and phrases such as really, oh no, you’re kidding, fantastic, right, uh huh, and yeah provide a different type of sensory feedback to reinforce the message that you’re really listening.

Restrain Yourself

The temptation to interrupt people can be overwhelming at times. Lets face it—we all love to talk. But giving someone our undivided attention and allowing them to speak without fear of interruption is so powerful in building rapport, that it behooves us to exercise restraint. You can, however, use the next three strategies to get a word in edgewise while keeping the conversational focus on the other person.

Question Authority

Asking questions is a sure-fire way to demonstrate interest in the person you are talking with.  Asking for clarification, for more details, or even advice (if appropriate; avoid the “Hey Doc, I’ve got this pain…” syndrome), encourages the speaker to continue and communicates that they have an appreciative audience.

Put It Another Way

Repeating the speaker’s ideas in your own words will help ensure that you heard what was actually meant. Paraphrasing also signals the speaker that you want to be sure you understand what they are saying.

Emphasize Empathy

Mentioning that you have had an experience similar to what the speaker has described can help to create rapport, because you have something in common. But claiming that your experience was better, worse, faster, slower, cheaper, or more expensive can be counter-productive, because it can make the speaker feel less significant. Focus on the similarities of your stories, not the differences. Remember, you are engaging in a conversation, not a competition.

If you are sincere in your desire to hear what others have to say, it will have a dramatic impact on your business and personal interactions. As Mark Twain once noted, “We despise no source that can pay us a pleasing attention.”

By combining his sales expertise and performance skills with intensive research, Don Cooper delivers programs that are industry and even company specific. So audience members get unique insights and practical, relevant tools they can use immediately to increase their sales—which is why Don is typically the highest-rated speaker at conferences and why his corporate clients bring him back again and again.