Sales is more than just a numbers game...

A healthy shout out to our U.K. subscribers

Whenever we release a new Podcast, I see the RSS subscriber numbers go up. This is partly due to iTunes and Odeo subscriptions, but also everyday subscribers who are following the text side of this blog via the RSS feed get our Podcasts. Included in those numbers are those of you who get an email version of the Post by way of FeedBurner email.

When we installed the Feedjit widget on the blog for a map of recent visitors, it was no surprise to see the concentration of readers in the U.S. But, in looking at the FeedBurner reports of subscribers (to the RSS feed), we have been following the recent ratio favoring the UK. Depending on the day, the UK FeedBurner subscribers far outpace the US.

Let me take this opportunity to send a healthy shout out to the UK and say, “thank you”. Having spent a fair amount of time in the UK, and a three-year employment stint working for a UK-based company, I get a warm feeling being able to share some conversation across the pond.

But now I find I have a question gnawing at me. What am I doing in putting Posts together that has a broader appeal such as this, and seems to favor a UK audience in some form? When working in the UK, and other nearby countries, I found we were all faced with similar issues as it relates to business and work/life balance. But this blog often goes down a path that is not related to business. Whether a new product introduction, or reflections on a recent do-it-yourself project, not all the links or stories seemed global to me. Or, are they?

When U. S. auto companies get the bum rap, it can trickle down to dealers

Since I have both domestic and foreign autos in my family fleet of automobiles, I feel comfortable in making comparisons between the two. When I have turned to the dealerships for support, I have been fortunate in having mostly good experiences. It wasn’t that long ago that I told the story of “BMW dealer’s vehicle “porter” turns into frontline salesperson”.

With the press going on about Chrysler, and their reduced performance in sales and production quality, it’s no wonder their dealers may seem a bit skittish with a headline like “Dealers Anxious as Chrysler Stays Mum on Car Plan”. From my vantage point, it doesn’t seem fair.

With three Jeeps having gone through our garage doors, and two left in service, I don’t see changes in brand anytime soon. We reluctantly parted with the Wrangler, but the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee continue to perform well. The Cherokee has over 150,000 miles on it, and is still running strong. The Grand Cherokee is a little over half that much and I don’t regret any maintenance costs with it.

I have always felt comfortable about my local Jeep dealer relationship, especially with the parts department. Regular readers know that I like to tackle a few repair jobs along the way. Although the location is the same, the name has changed; the receptionist now greets incoming callers with, “Welcome to the all new Leith Chrysler Jeep”.

The parts department continues to deliver helpful and patient service, along with a willingness to offer some advice. This morning was another good example as I commiserated with one of the parts staff who shared my fondness for the ’96 Cherokee; he told me the story of running one of his Jeeps for nearly 300,000 miles.

It’s this level of service and satisfaction that keeps customers coming back; and not just for parts. Good customer service in the parts department can carry forward when it comes time to purchase a new car.

Having experienced Chrysler’s past troubles in the early 70s - I was selling steel in Michigan back then to many of the auto plants – I have confidence that if they put their minds to it, they can turn it around again. But, they need to treat their dealers well. After all, that is the customer-facing arm of the company.

Have product; need a review

Whether you are a large company with big bucks for marketing, or a start-up on a shoestring budget looking for some attention, there is nothing like a product review to gain some market traction.

In the old days, you worked with a PR firm to be placed in a magazine or trade journal. Today, your product can also appear as an informal user review, based on a purchase (on the merchant site), or a little more in-depth coverage in some form of social media or online discussion.

The simple lesson here is that your product can be reviewed by your choice and selection, or at the whim of someone who has no connection to your company. In one instance, you can control, to some degree, the outcome of what is said about the product; in the other case, you will have to accept the opinion of others – the worst of which would be to find yourself in a bit of damage control.

This places new emphasis on not only quality control and innovation, but the customer experience as well. You must be watchful for any write-up that may happen without your prior knowledge. There are numerous opinions about how to answer the negative side of things; some people advocate leaving it alone so as not to stir up more dust.

Encouraging reviews and customer experiences on your own Web site is one way to keep order. Without exercising undue censorship, it is better to have people voice their appreciation or displeasure under your roof, than elsewhere throughout the neighborhood. When the commentary turns negative about your product or service, people gain an appreciation for you and your company by witnessing the way you handle things. Reasonable outcomes that demonstrate fairness toward either party can do a great deal of good, and turn a bad situation into a positive conclusion.

Don’t be shy. If you think you have a product that could use more attention, and possibly a critique along the way, reach out to those who write about such things. They are likely as interested in looking at something new as you are about getting the word out about your product or service. But, avoid the ‘blast PR’ strategy of sending out generic press releases or marketing hype as an invitation to do a review or solicit an interview with company execs. Take the time to write something that shows you understand their audience. It’s no different than a freelance writer pitching a story idea; read the publication, first.

p.s. Regular readers and subscribers are aware of my curiosity for why things work the way they do, and how companies compete in the marketplace. The reviews and interviews I have done in this blog are the result of my own personal experience with a purchase or use, something has caught my eye or I stumbled upon it by accident, a reader sends me a note about their own experience, or a company has sent a product to me for testing and evaluation. The range of products varies a great deal. Whether it is a new software application, or something to complete a DIY project, I am always up for a test drive – be it my own motivation and need, or something I think will be of interest to you. 

What the business world needs now is another email newsletter company

While working out the details to a new series of podcasts last night, we found ourselves talking about the proliferation of companies trying to make money with near identical solutions; in this case, we were talking about Internet browsers and how do you make any money at it. Yes, we went down the route of ad revenues, etc., but it still left a void in our minds.

As I looked through my Webmail account early this morning, trying to ignore most of the banner ads, one ad catches my attention. It is an advertisement for a new email newsletter service. My mind meanders to the thought, “Another one (of these)? Why?”

Seeing this ad flash by made me think of all the ways companies are trying to get information, usage tips, and new product information across people’s desk(top)s. In our case, we have used an eNewsletter for many years, with Constant Contact as our current provider.

I have noticed a drop-off in ‘Opens’ and ‘Clicks’, most likely a result of firewalls, spam filters, and other screening devices. Even though we use a Spam Checker before we send the email – to which we normally score a ‘zero’ (as in, it should easily get through) – subscribers are telling us that the eNewsletter is being trapped.

I have experienced the same thing with inbound email. It seems no matter what format or medium, be that a PDF attachment, hyperlinked text, or a well-mannered HTML presentation, more emails end up as ‘Junk’ in my Inbox.

With yet another email newsletter company looking for customers, I am now wondering what means do companies use to send their information to customers and prospects. Without including the likes of YouTube videos, and regular advertising, I created a simple five choice selection poll.

The choices are:

• Plain text email with hyperlinks
• Attach a PDF file to an email
• Use an eNewsletter provider like Constant Contact
• Send something via regular (snail) mail
• We don't send anything via email or mail

I’ll hold the poll open for a couple of weeks, then post the results as a Comment to this Post. We’re going to send this to our eNewsletter subscribers, too – many of which get our eNewletter and subscribe to this blog. You can take the poll by clicking here.

Simple online add-ons make for a better customer experience

As an online purchaser, I would probably rank pretty low. I am still a ‘touch it, feel it, take it for a test drive’ kinda guy. But, when it comes to interactive chat in tech support, or product inquiry/clarification, I don’t hesitate to burn the wires with rapid-fire keystrokes.

Two recent ‘retail’ experiences have shown me that an emphasis on having a good Web site can be augmented with the addition of some extra communication add-ons for higher customer satisfaction.

After a recent purchase at the local Sears store, I sought some information on my order. It was going to be a pricing inquiry and membership discount question. Since the receipt only had the store phone, I decided this would probably be something that should be handled at the corporate level. I poked around Sears.com and found the customer service numbers. Calling the first 1-800 didn’t offer any choices that sounded like my need. Instead of going back to more phone numbers, I opted for their “Click to Call” vs. “Click to Chat”. I was greeted with a Pop-up window that offered two choices – talk by phone, or talk by computer.

I was eager to try the talk by computer choice to see how this might work. Much like using this in GoToMeeting webinars, I wanted to experience this as a customer service event. It didn’t go anywhere; an error code popped up to say there was an application error. On to Plan B, Talk by Phone. In this case, you insert your phone number and choose the delay timeframe to call the number. I chose the ‘talk now’ selection. No sooner did I finish hitting the enter button, and my phone was ringing. That works!

Ah, but not altogether true. There is no telling what department or category of customer service request is calling you back. Within a short period, I could see that this was not the right destination for my inquiry. Nor was there any offer from the customer service person to transfer me to another department or individual. This quickly hit the bin of “Good plan, flawed execution.”

On to the second example, Netflix. Again, I have been slow to adapt. When it comes to movie rentals, I still frequent my three top options: Blockbuster (local store), Redbox (local grocery store), and Time Warner Cable OnDemand. Having helped others with their Netflix accounts and movie choices, the pressure was on for me to do the same for myself. Since I am not a big movie watcher – especially now with the (USTA) US Open on ESPN2 – I never felt pressured to join Netflix.

I was finally ‘voted off the island’ and have succumbed to a subscription to Netflix – more like, I am trying this out to see if it works at the pace I rent movies. As before, the account setup and Free Trial was completed in short order; kudos to them for the ease to set-up an account and get started. With movies on order, I was a day or two away from the first one.

The movie arrived as advertised and I turned it around for return in minutes – poor choice on my part - on to the next one. Although I had experienced email confirmations from them for movies of arrival and departure, this morning a survey-style email arrived. They wanted confirmation on their delivery turnaround by offering choices of when they expected it to arrive. A couple of clicks later on my part gave them valuable customer service information on their part. Why couldn’t more companies do this?

With a little extra thought and effort, I am willing to bet that many businesses could make small investments in online add-ons and reap better (customer) results. Also, you probably have some good examples of your own. What is your company doing to improve the customer experience with online add-ons?

Forget about Tweets - why not AudioBoo?

I just learned about AudioBoo while trying to decide if I wanted to join the Twitter crowd. This is partially driven by my interest in short radio-like bursts of thoughts, ideas, and interviews – a little like a pull-quote, or sound bite. For those of you for whom this is new, too, here are some handy references:

AudioBoo Web site

AudioBoo story from guardian.co.uk

As one tasked to deliver the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Podcast series, I am left wondering, “Should this replace the current Podcast series as a download with a little different style, be used as an additional channel, or just foe-get-ah-bout it?” What do you think?

I have also posted this as a Discussion in the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Podcast LinkedIn Group. Here you can discuss your own personal selling situations as they might relate to an individual podcast episode, or in a broader sense of the profession of Sales.

p.s. The One Goal - Revenue Generation ® podcasts are featured on iTunes, Odeo, and Podcast Alley.

HP Pavilion dv6 Artist Edition – Hooked on videos in the first 30 seconds

When the newsletter from HP arrived in today’s email, it only took a quick glance at the picture of the HP Pavilion dv6 Artist Edition 2 Notebook for me to want to click on the video link. I thought their marketing of the designer edition of the netbook to women was a slick concept; charge premium pricing for the cover design with no change in form factor or guts. This time they reeled me in to watch a series of five short videos.

What has my attention in this is the effectiveness of using a series of short, online videos to get your attention. The first video is 26 seconds of flashy artwork and only 3 seconds that show it is a notebook; there is no video time dedicated to “HP” (the company). Once again, it proves to me that you can capture someone’s interest in 30 seconds or less, and have them ask for more.

I went on to watch the other four related videos that covered – in music and film – the attributes of product innovation (the guts and form factor), software and hardware for artistic creativity, and high-impact mediums like pictures, music, and video. It sports a 16-inch diagonal widescreen display and demonstrates its ability to deliver high-definition entertainment for TV. It also has, what is becoming standard issue, an integrated webcam and microphone.

Even though the intended audience for this unit is the Academic crowd - from the classroom to the dorm - I think it has traction in many other settings or use.

Small Business: When the big box store moves in, it’s customer service that counts

This small coastal area has grown from a commercial fishing community into a vacation destination. With the growth came stores of all shapes and sizes; some are geared primarily for the tourists, but others are to keep everything running well.

For a time, the local independently owned wholesale lumber and building materials dealer was the best choice for large projects, both contractor and DIYer alike. Beyond the building materials, they are a fully-stocked hardware retailer under the label of a well-known chain of hardware stores. They became an excellent one-stop shop for projects and materials.

As the area has grown, a big box store – Lowes Home Improvement – opened within a mile of the independent dealer and brought a new level of competition for this well-established business.

Those small businesses that have faced a similar situation often adopt various tactics to beat back the competitive threat. By stocking unique brands of products like Stihl outdoor power tools, or Benjamin Moore paints, local retailers can carve out a niche of loyal buyers who will often pay slightly higher prices for what might be a commodity item in the big box store.

When the choice in products falls into a category that lacks brand preference, better customer service will help the independent dealer hold onto their customer base. Be that advice about a specific product, or answering a question on material use, the store staff can quickly become the differentiator in the purchase decision.

Last week I stopped by the independent dealer reflected in the story above. I had a ready job list of items for various projects that I wanted to complete over the next couple of days. The employee in the aisle was quick to point me to the item locations. However, when it came to information about a specific product, I was surprised by the response of another.

In this case, I said to the service desk attendant, “Most house wash products (disposable sprayer/container attached to a garden hose) shoot a stream about 25 feet; do you know how far this one will go? It doesn’t say anything on the label.” (I was not familiar with this brand, and I was faced with three stories of siding.) The employee turned to me and said, “No.” That was it, a one word response.

Willing to take the chance on an unfamiliar brand, based on the information elsewhere on the product, I went forward with the purchase. In the past, I had always enjoyed shopping at this ‘away from home’ store. However, I left with the lasting impression of a defeated group of employees. With no other cars in the lot, and only a couple of pick-ups in the yard, it was the only reason I could come up with for this less than positive experience.

When the big box store moves in, it is customer service that counts, and gets the sale. When it is lacking, the scorecard will favor the big box store. Looks like I may be driving the extra mile down the road in the future. That is one less car in the independent dealer’s lot. Time will tell whether others follow suit.

Podcast: Customer's complaints from prior business relationship

I am new to my sales assignment and have taken over a territory that was managed by someone else. I have found that customers are complaining about our products and service as a result of the previous salesperson’s efforts. I have tried to reassure them that I will do better, but my short time in the assignment prevents them from accepting my pledge. How can I overcome this legacy and move on to better sales results? In this episode of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, Peter Kusterer of NvestNtech talks about rebuilding trust between you and your customer after a poor experience from the prior business relationship. Download this episode - “Customer's complaints from prior business relationship.”

Offer your comments, questions, or initiate general discussion with other listeners of the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® Podcast series. Use this LinkedIn Group to discuss your own personal selling situations as they might relate to an individual podcast episode, or in a broader sense of the profession of Sales.

Click on this link for the Podcast directory that includes the One Goal - Revenue Generation ® series, as well as additional Podcast episodes and related topics. Our podcasts are featured on iTunes, Odeo, and Podcast Alley.

Circuit Riders – Getting the word out about the Sales Barriers blog

Years ago, circuit riders would carry a message from town to town; they would even carry it across oceans. As a regular reader of (or subscriber to) the Sales Barriers blog, I am asking you to do the same. Pass our URL on to others so that we can get the content in the hands of more people – be that email, an RSS newsreader, or a favorite in their browser.

Encourage people to subscribe via RSS; this is especially helpful when subscribing to the Podcasts. We have put in place some convenient tools for sharing this content. Follow the link at the end of each Post to email it to others, and encourage them to forward it on to friends and business associates. Also we are enabling a ShareThis widget at the bottom of each Post that can be helpful for readers “to seamlessly access their contacts and networks from anywhere online and share the content through email, IM, Facebook, Digg, mobile SMS, etc. without ever leaving the current page.”

In addition to increasing the number of readers and subscribers, we hope this effort will encourage more people to add their comments to various Posts. This is a moderated blog, so comments have to be reviewed before they are accepted. I am confident that our readers and visitors use common sense and exercise sound and prudent judgment before they submit their comment; this should allow me to easily hit the Accept button and push it up quickly for others to enjoy.