Selling Success by Steve Waterhouse

2010-01-30T17:07:00.001-05:00

Interviewed by Dave Stein

January 12th, 2010

I was interviewed by sales expert Dave Stein for his wonderful blog, “Comentary on Sales”. It will give you a little more insight into our business and our clients. http://prfl.us/stein1

http://www,waterhousegroup.com

2010-01-30T17:07:00.000-05:00

Interviewed by Dave Stein

January 12th, 2010

I was interviewed by sales expert Dave Stein for his wonderful blog, “Comentary on Sales”. It will give you a little more insight into our business and our clients. http://prfl.us/stein1

http://www,waterhousegroup.com

Sales Training & Assessments Helps Retailer

2010-01-30T17:02:00.001-05:00

In an effort to increase sales, Yankee Candle, a leading retailer, applied a combination of assessments, training and coaching provided by PI Worldwide. Dorrin Exford, Director of Learning and Development said, “The immediate results were impressive. After the first month, the revenue performane differential between our test group and the genteral staff increased by 40 percent.” Full Article

The tools they used included Customer-Focused Selling™, Predictive Index® and Coaching for Selling Success. These programs are offered by Predictive Results at 904-269-2299 or www.waterhousegroup.com.

Focus On The Hot Leads

2009-10-18T21:19:00.002-04:00

A business friend of mine showed up the other night at a talk I was giving on Building Your Own Recovery. We had talked at a trade show about six months ago and he promised to follow up to discuss getting my investment business. When we shook hands he said, "I apologize for not calling you, but business has been good and I had to chase the hot leads. I knew you were only warm!" He was right. I was only warm and he read me correctly. When things get really busy, focus on the hot deals and don't let any of them drop. You can come back to the warm ones later, or send them an email over the weekend.

Social networking not just for the kids anymore

2009-06-06T08:36:00.001-04:00

06/05/2009

by David Chapman

Staff Writer

The landscape of the social networking world has changed over the last several years, as it’s not just teens and tweens who populate the Facebook universe, get up-to-the-minute updates from their friends via Twitter or connect with LinkedIn.

Now, more and more business owners are using the technological tools to promote and increase their businesses, too.

“What we’re seeing is evolution,” said Steve Waterhouse, founder and CEO of professional sales consultancy Waterhouse Group. “We’ve always done it (networking) but the kids figured out the (social networking) tools ... It’s really no different than going to an after-hour social or Chamber meeting, it’s just human activities we’ve put in technology.”

Complete article

The Value Of Local Involvement

2009-05-28T10:34:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I spoke at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Expo. I was asked to speak on the use of Linkedin for building your business. While this was a pro-bono event, the results have been wonderful. I recommend that every business person get involved with their local chamber and see how giving results in benefits for you and your business.

Here is a link to the article and a video clip of me on the evening news.

Keep Selling!

Steve Waterhouse

waterhousegroup.com

What would you ask of a Genie?

2009-05-26T08:27:00.002-04:00

Michael Lake asked this question on Linkedin:

You found a lamp this past weekend containing a genie who can solve ANY marketing problem for your business. But you only get ONE wish. What ONE problem relating to your marketing would you ask him to solve?

My reply is this:

What every company wishes for is a steady stream of high potential, high probability leads. With that wish granted, you can go on with the other aspects of building your sales process. We teach our clients multiple approaches to granting this wish and it often takes more than one to accomplish it. Rather than wait for the Genie, every CEO, Marketing Manager and Sales Manager should focus energy on this one issue until it is solved. Once it is, you can grow your business as large as you want.

http://www.salesleadsforever.com
http://www.waterhousegroup.com

Cold calling is 'No. 1 tool' of heavy hitters

2009-05-25T21:38:00.003-04:00

Monday, May 25, 2009, 9:51am MDT | Modified: Monday, May 25, 2009, 9:53am
Cold calling is 'No. 1 tool' of heavy hitters
Denver Business Journal - by Dolly Penland Jacksonville (Fla.) Business Journal
James Crichlow
Bob Hawkinson uses cold calling as part of a larger sales strategy for Total Lawn Care.
View Larger
One of the most effective ways to generate new business is with good old-fashioned cold calling. So, why don"t more businesses do it?
"The No. 1 reason executives say they don't cold-call, whether going in face to face or getting on the phone and setting an appointment, is the lack of time," said Steve Goranson, owner of ActionCOACH in Jacksonville, Fla. â€œWhat that is really telling me is that going after and generating new business isnâ€™t that important.
"Make it part of your everyday schedule. Set aside 15 minutes or 30 minutes a day to make two, five, 10 phone calls. Even the busiest person has time to do two or five phone calls a day that will generate new appointments."
Others are loath to cold-call, saying it just doesn't work.
"It absolutely works; the problem is for some, cold calling is so incredibly painful," said Steve Waterhouse, president of Predictive Results. "If you have the personality style that works well for cold calling, it's natural. If you don't, it's naturally painful.
"But cold calling definitely works," Waterhouse said. "It is the No. 1 tool used by heavy-hitter salespeople to make the contacts they need to make the big sale."
Read the entire article

How to Get Your Sales Up In a Down Market

2009-02-24T09:35:00.002-05:00

Here is a 15 minute video to help you deal with the current selling situation.

Click to play

If we can help your company with these issues, please call me at 904-269-2299 x102.

Steve Waterhouse

President

Napoleon Hill on Our Personal Power

2009-02-24T08:40:00.004-05:00

In these tough times, it is important to remember that we have all the power we need to turn around our personal situations. Napoleon Hill had it right. We are in control of our destinies.

Link to video

Sunday is the key to the week

2009-02-22T10:52:00.002-05:00

The work you do on Sunday can drive your success for the rest of the week. Here are some of the things I do that have made a world of difference for me.

Plan

1. Make a list of the next steps required for every deal that is currently in process.

2. Make a list of every meeting or time specific commitment you have for the week.

3. Make a list of the top 5 tasks that would dramatically improve your business.

Do Now

1. Send emails to all of the people you need to call suggesting a time for that call.

2. Check your calendar to make sure you have reminders set for each meeting

3. Do as many of those 5 important tasks NOW as you can.

Market

When the items above are done and you still have time left, make a list of 10 prospects you want to reach and send letters or emails to each of them.

Bonus: Keep In Touch

Send emails to clients, friends and prospects that you have not contacted recently. Send them something of value.

Have a great week. Those who are still working hard and smart are winning in this market.

Steve Waterhouse

www.predictiveresults.com

Keynote Videos On Youtube and web

2009-01-24T12:13:00.003-05:00

I just uploaded clips from one of my Keynote talks to Youtube and my website.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SteveWaterhouse

http://waterhousegroup.com/services/keynote-speaker.html

I hope you enjoy them.

Steve Waterhouse

Sales Leadership is Critical To Success

2009-01-21T10:02:00.006-05:00

Dr. Todd Harris, Director of Research at PI Worldwide® (our parent company), talks about leadership in the sales world.

We use the Predictive Index®, Customer Focused Selling™ and the Sales Skills Assessment Tool™ to help our clients excel.

To learn how we can help your leaders become more effective, call us at 904-269-2299 or email me at steve@predictiveresults.com

Steve Waterhouse

President

Predictive Results

Who is looking forward?

2009-01-04T13:32:00.003-05:00

I just listed to a group of top economists on CSpan. They were addressing questions from Congressional representatives from around the country. One congress woman asked a great questions. She asked, "Given the rising debt and shrinking work force, what models have you economists created that shows us what the US economy will look like in 25 years!" I sat up, because this is what I have been waiting to learn. The answer? They have no models. It seems that no one is looking out the window of the engine of this train, they are all in the caboose.

The lesson is simple. As business owners and sales professionals, we drive the future and control our own destiny. Don't listen to the news or the experts. Just work harder and smarter.Work like you need twice the money and treat your clients like they were the last ones on earth.

We drive the economy. We will make it work!

Steve Waterhouse

New Year, New Actions

2009-01-01T08:11:00.005-05:00

What is your New Year's resolution?

If you are in sales, it's time for a change. I find that most people know what to do but fail to do it because they are overwhelmed. Here is a technique that is guaranteed to work:

Do one thing that works.

It sounds simple...and it is.

Answer this question: "What is the one thing you could do every day that would make the greatest positive affect on your business or your life."

Think about it. You may need to make a list of the top 10 actions your could take and then circle the one that could make the greatest impact.

Now the next question. What do you have to do to ensure you can do this every day? Do you have to reserve time? Do you need a reminder? Do you need a commitment buddy? Do you need to learn a new skill? Whatever it is, take Nike's advice and Just Do It!

Let's not get buried in the dozens of things we could do. Let's each do the one thing that will make a difference and then repeat it over and over and over again.

The largest ships turn because the captain makes one small change and then keeps it up over time. You and I can do the same thing. Starting tomorrow, you will do that one activity and repeat it every day for the rest of the year. I promise you incredible results.

Let me know what you plan to do.

Happy New Year,

Steve Waterhouse
Waterhouse Group
Sales Training, Assessments and Consulting

2008-12-28T09:25:00.003-05:00

You win some, you lose some and some get rained out:

But you have to suit up for all of them.

When times get tough, it's easy to assume we will not make the sale and not take each call seriously. Since you don't know which call will be the winner, follow this advice and "Suit up for all of them".

Plan your 2009 sales targets well

2008-12-27T14:51:00.002-05:00

2009 will be a tough year for sales, so we better be ready. Now is the time to pick your target accounts well so you can make this a successful year. Here are a few tips:

1. Pick accounts where you can prove the value you bring to them.

2. Pick accounts where you can get to the decision makers easily.

3. Pick accounts that have enough potential to be worth your effort.

4. Get referrals from current clients. These are earlier sales to make.

5. Now that you have a good list, believe in it and go to work.

Let's blow the socks off 2009!!

Happy New Year.

Steve Waterhouse

www.waterhousegroup.com

How To Get Your Sales Up In a Down Market

2008-12-16T17:45:00.001-05:00

What's Wrong With Sales and Marketing?

2008-12-09T10:11:00.001-05:00

Sales, Marketing Link Broken at Most Companies

Survey Finds Over 90% of Firms Need Better Coordination
Between Sales and Marketing
Waterhouse Group, McSweeney & Antman Offer Innovative Service to Fix Problem

The vast majority of companies could increase revenue and boost profits if their sales and marketing efforts were better coordinated, according to an informal survey of sales and marketing professionals.

To address this critical issue, sales consultancy The Waterhouse Group and marketing communications firm McSweeney & Antman have developed a proprietary Sales and Marketing Integration (SMI) service to assist companies in coordinating these functions.

“Sales and marketing should work together hand in glove, but the reality at most companies is that they do not, resulting in inefficient and ineffective go-to-market efforts—and lost sales and profits,” Dennis McSweeney said.

According to the survey, conducted by The Waterhouse Group and McSweeney & Antman, 80% of sales and marketing professionals said that the two functions were not integrated in their organization. And over 90% said their company could both increase sales and reduce costs and inefficiencies if sales and marketing worked better together.

Reasons cited most often by survey respondents for the breakdown between marketing and sales were that the marketing and sales people didn’t fully understand or appreciate the role of each other’s department (75%), that no formal financial incentives existed to improve integration of marketing and sales (65%), and that the marketing and sales departments didn’t communicate enough (60%).

“In most cases, the breakdown between sales and marketing occurs because the two functions have different perspectives and don’t communicate enough. The Waterhouse Group and McSweeney & Antman bring together consultants who live in each world and who understand how to integrate both functions to help companies grow revenue and boost profits,” Steve Waterhouse said.

Combining in-depth knowledge of marketing, marketing communications and sales with a commitment to integrated communications, the SMI service provides companies with expert, third-party assessment of where the breakdowns between sales and marketing are occurring, what the impact is, why the breakdowns are occurring, and what needs to be done to overcome them.

About the Waterhouse Group

The Waterhouse Group www.waterhousegroup.com, which is headquartered in Orange Park, FL, helps companies increase sales and maximize profits by providing customized consulting, training and coaching services. Founded in 1994, it has worked with thousands of sales professionals worldwide, including many in the United States, Germany, Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, UEA and Canada.

About McSweeney & Antman

Chicago-based McSweeney & Antman www.mcsweeneyantman.com is a corporate branding and strategic communications consultancy. The firm specializes in companies with complex product and service offerings and sophisticated target audiences. M&A takes a strategic approach to the challenges these organizations face, helping them use powerful corporate brands and compelling marketing communications initiatives to achieve their business goals

# # #

For information, contact

Steve Waterhouse
The Waterhouse Group
steve@waterhousegroup.com
sales training
904-269-2299

Make it Happen

2008-12-09T09:14:00.004-05:00

What do you do when your company cuts your pay by 20% and stops paying for your health insurance? You do what my daughter did and invent a job.

Kat is an event planner, but she was also working part time at a climbing gym because she loves to climb. When she saw that the demise of her primary job was near, she did what we all do. She panicked. But that was only for one day.

Seeing no jobs around that could replace her current pay and benefits, she made a proposal to her part time employer. She invented the job of event coordinator and showed them how should could bring in enough revenue to more than pay for herself. They bought it.

Many employers in this tough market are not thinking abundance, they are hunkering down for the fight. If you see an opportunity that they missed, don't be shy! This is the time to stand up and be heard. Make your case and create an opportunity where non existed.

Sales people know how to bring in revenue. Use that to your advantage in this market.

Steve Waterhouse
Waterhouse Group
Sales Training

Thank You to Jim Harmon, Coach of Scarbough Maine's CC Team

2008-12-05T17:49:00.003-05:00

As parents, we would like to believe that we are the greatest influence on our children’s lives. But we know better. We know that they are influenced at least as much by others, especially their peers, teachers and coaches. This is at once out greatest fear and our greatest hope. You have been the realization of that hope.

You have motivated our sons in the most wonderful way possible.

You did not do it by lighting their flame from the outside, because you knew that as soon as the yelling was over, so would be their motivation.

You did not do it by lighting their flame from the inside, because you know that when tough times hit, they would need someone else to rekindle their spirit.

You did it by teaching them how to light their own flame, and that was the greatest gift of all. It is a gift that will keep them strong for a lifetime.

It is for this gift that we thank you for what you have done for these fine young men.

Thanks Coach

Predictive Index in Florida

2008-06-14T15:45:00.000-04:00

We get calls from all over Florida asking us if we sell Predictive Index in there area. The answer is YES!

For Predictive Index in Tampa
For Predictive Index in Miami
For Predictive Index in Orlando
For Predictive Index in Jacksonville
Even for Predictive Index in Tallahassee, Call us

Predictive Results
904-269-2299

Do I have this right?

2007-06-24T12:33:00.000-04:00

I just heard on the news that trailers left over from Katrina are being given to American Indians because many are poor and have no acceptable place to live. If I remember correctly, the American Indians have been here for well over 500 years and have been given enormous tax advantages, cash and benefits like casino gambling to help them succeed.

Now compare this to the illegal immigrants coming across from Mexico. They too are dirt-poor and start with nothing. Then, within days of crossing the boarder, they are hard at work supporting not only themselves but their families back in Mexico.

Why can the Mexicans become self sufficient and the American Indians can't. I don't know the answer but if I were the Indians I'd be embarrassed!

New Blog

2007-05-30T14:25:00.001-04:00

See my new Predictive Results blog at www.predictiveresults.blogspot.com

New Business

2007-05-29T08:52:00.001-04:00

We have recently added a new business at the Waterhouse Group. It's called Predictive Resuts and it includes one of the most powerful and effective assessment tools available: Predictive Index. You can learn more about it at www.predictiveresults.com.

GOOD-BYE BOBBY KNIGHT, And All The Sales Managers Like You!

2006-11-14T21:35:00.000-05:00

Note: In light of Bobby's recent troubles, I thought I would reprint this article the I wrote in 2000.

The recent dismissal of Bobby Knight as the head coach of Indiana University should mark as big a change for sales management as it did for coaching. For years it was popular for sales managers to abuse their staffs with tirades and threats. I remember one manager I worked for who prided himself in publicly humiliating at least one person in every weekly meeting. While this approach may have achieved results, it was still wrong. Beating a person might get them to behave, but it doesn’t make it right.

I almost thought these Neanderthals had become extinct until I was sitting in the Red Carpet Room at O’Hare Airport last week. Behind me was the loudest, most obnoxious representative of this breed. He was cursing a blue streak at full volume, so I had no choice but to listen in. It seems that a particular sales rep must have missed his quota last month and, in the words of my loud friend, it was because he was just plain lazy. And furthermore, if he didn’t get on the stick he’d fire his sorry %?#. With that he slammed down the phone and I realized that he had been talking to this poor reps voice mail! The coward didn’t even have the courtesy to be rude in person.

What follows, I swear, is true. Moments later, our Neanderthal took a call on his cell phone and the tone of his voice changed remarkably. He was calm and collected and even nice. As I listened in, he was telling a friend about a meeting with his boss who had apparently recommended that he get immediate counseling for anger management. (Imagine that!) He said the boss let him know that it could affect his career. He told his friend that the boss just didn’t understand ‘these guys’ and if he did he’d be screaming, too. Then he confided in his friend that he had already started the counseling and that he was going to try ‘real hard’ to make it work.
I noted that he never said his boss yelled at him or threatened him, although I believe his boss had cause. He actually spoke very nicely about the man who had just made it clear that his job was on the line if he didn’t change immediately. And he referred to the fact that he was taking action based on the advice he had received. It was clear to me that Mr. Loud and his boss had very different styles.

I wonder who gets the best results: the screamer or his calm boss? I wonder which one builds a loyal team that will give their all to make goal in the tough months? I wonder which one has employees who recommend friends to join their company? I think the old style of management was a result of poor skills. Managers who lacked the knowledge to handle people properly resorted to the techniques they learned in high school football. I don’t know about you, but my high school football coach retired with a winning record and a small paycheck.

Let’s bury phrases like, “Winning isn’t the most important thing, it’s the only thing”. It’s that attitude that caused one parent to shoot another at a hockey rink near here recently. What’s more, today’s workers don’t have to put up with that abuse. They are too smart and have too many options. Let’s use effective goal setting, coaching, mentoring, training and motivating. Let’s spend the time to hire the best and then invest in them to make them better. Let’s identify those who are not right for the job and move them to other positions or ‘free them up for other opportunities’ by helping them find jobs elsewhere and discharging them with their dignity intact.

This is not just the right way to treat people; ironically, it’s the only way that works. If you have Bobby Knights in your company, pull them aside. Tell them that they are a liability not an asset and that you are sorry you let it go this long. Give them the training, the tools and an opportunity to change, but make sure they do. Then make sure you lead by example and build an organization where smart people can feel good about trying their best and where achievement is recognized and failure points out areas for improvement.

Let’s say good-bye to Bobby Knight and all those like him. The future is too good to be spoiled by their kind.

Update on Goodyear

2006-10-03T20:21:00.000-04:00

Sales is about trust!

Last year, I wrote an article on the great service I received from the local Goodyear store. That one situation build a great relationship that made them a load of money.

How things change.

I dropped off my BMW today for an oil change. A few hours later, they called to say that my transmission fluid was turning brown and needed to be changed. There is only one problem. The BMW has a sealed transmission and you can't see the fluid!

Their story?

They say that a novice mechanic looked at the oil and thought it was the transmission fluid.

There are only two possible situations here. Either the new mechanic is a real beginner and should not have been working on my car or someone thought they could charge me for something I did not need. Either way, they lost a load of trust in my book.

Sales requires trust and we must do everything we can do to build it or repair it when we damage it.

Go out and sell something,

Steve

2006-09-11T16:06:00.000-04:00

Technorati Profile

Training Saves The Day

2006-08-01T14:41:00.000-04:00

70 Feet down and sinking fast!...

Saturday afternoon I was diving off of West Palm Beach, Florida (in front of Donald Trumps new place with the 8,000 square foot living room). The seas were a little rough but otherwise life on the boat “The Wetter, The Better” was pretty good. The first dive after lunch was supposed to be a drift dive into 70 feet of water. That’s deeper than I had ever been before, but I had a good team with me so I was ready. After we all entered the water and signaled OK, we all started down.

Something went wrong.

I started down a little slower than the rest but thought I’d quickly catch up. Wrong! The current was so strong that we were all quickly separated and I was left by myself. I was watching my gauges as I descended past 60 feet and still could not see the ocean floor. At 70 feet, still no floor and no team. It’s a little disconcerting to be in a totally grey world, dropping into the abyss and getting well beyond your comfort zone.

This is where training counts.

With the equivalent of a 7 story building of water above me and no idea what to do next, I was a little concerned. That’s when my training kicked in. My instructor had taught us how to get out of situations like that. I had been taught how to quickly surface from those depths without killing myself. (Done wrong, the air in my lungs would more than triple in volume!)

It worked.

A few minutes later, I was on the surface and waiting for the boat. No harm done and ready for the next dive.

When does your training kick in?

Any good sales person will get themselves in over their head from time to time. You’ll be faced with a tougher customer or a bigger opportunity than you ever faced before. This is the time to go back to your training.

Questions will save you.

Whenever you start to feel stressed and don’t know what to say, start asking questions. Questions are your emergency kit for all situations. Simply asking, “Please tell me a little more about that?” or “What could we do to help you?” or “What would you like us to be able to do for you?” will often turn it all around. Once the prospect is talking, you’ll have the opportunity to regroup and prepare your next move.

Good training will prepare you to go where others fear to tread. It will give you the confidence to call on CEO’s and bigger accounts. As long as you know that you can always handle the situation, you will have what it takes to constantly move your career up to the next level.

Ever been stuck and panicked on a sale call? Send me your favorite stories and I’ll put them on my blog (and omit your name!).

Have a great week and keep selling,

Steve Waterhouse

You can see great photos of our dive area here.

Which one of us is clueless?

2006-06-13T13:49:00.000-04:00

Make Your Presentations Understandable

Which one of us is clueless?

That’s probably a dangerous way to start my newsletter, but I’ll risk it. I know how my kids would answer that question! I walked into the kitchen today and my wife was on the phone with a friend talking about a new restaurant in town. The restaurant had inserted a flier in the newspaper and it was full of special deals for the grand opening.

Here’s where the clueless part comes in…

My wife and her friend were trying to figure out what kind of crablegs and wings this place had. You see, in the ad it said “AUCE Crablegs” and “AYCE Wings”. I guessed that the AUCE must mean Australian but I had no idea what the AYCE stood for.

We did catch on.

All of a sudden we all got it. It meant “All You Can Eat” and “All U Can Eat”! We all felt foolish for not figuring it out sooner. Shouldn’t it have been obvious?

Yes! It should have been obvious and it should not have required that much time to decode. I’m sure the restaurant assumed that we all know their code, but they were wrong. So wrong that they almost lost the entire value of the ad on one cute abbreviation.

We all do the same thing.

Every industry has its inside talk. Unfortunately, it slowly creeps into our regular talk. When it does, we risk having others completely miss out points. We know from studies of clients that they will seldom ask you to clarify a term they don’t understand. Instead, they will sit there quietly and nod their head in agreement until you leave. Then they will buy from someone they understand. What’s worse, we often present to a group of people, some of whom get it and some don’t. Which group should we play to?

K.I.S.S.

You remember the old adage, Keep It Simple Stupid. That’s more than an old saying, it’s sage advice. Here’s a test for you. Pull up the slides for your favorite sales presentation and look through it for ‘insider talk’. Is it possible for smart people to miss your point if they don’t thoroughly know your business? Would it make sense to clarify that point in your next presentation? Could you explain it on the slide?

Don’t weaken the impact of your offering by burying it in code. Spell it out and make sure everyone clearly understands the real value of your offering.

Wishing You Selling Success,

Steve Waterhouse

Does your group need presentations skills training? Our Power Presentations training could be just the solution. Contact me at mailto:steve@waterhousegroup.com?subject=presentations-blog or 1-800-57-LEARN (575-3276).

Columbo was a great salesman

2006-06-06T22:35:00.000-04:00

Don’t get too smart…

My wife and I had dinner last night with two friends who are also in the consulting and training business. We spent most of the night sharing war stories and catching up on recent business events. One of my friends has had great success in selling to the military. Her program for military recruiters is one of the most successful ever and has helped the recruiters show many young people a great path to a wonderful future.

During the conversation, I mentioned that I have trouble when I work with the military because I can’t keep all the ranks straight. A Captain in the Army and a Captain in the Navy, for example, are at very different levels. My friend admitted having the same issue, and then said something very profound. She said, “I don’t really want to get to know them that well”. She went on to explain that her job was to bring them an outside perspective and not to become one of them.

That’s a lesson for all of us!

Our job is to understand our client well enough to bring them solutions, but not to get so deeply involved that we become one of them. I’ve heard sales people who have worked with a particular client for so long that they know exactly what will and won’t work. They are paralyzed by their knowledge. Amazingly, when we change sales people on the account, opportunities pop up everywhere.

The new sales person was dumber!

That’s right, dumber can work better than smarter if it means that you are still open to charging into situations that might mean new business or asking questions that others think they already know the answers to.

Are you too smart?

Do you already know what can’t work and what the client absolutely won’t do? Listen to yourself. Listen to the conversations you have with your manager about the account. Are you justifying the lack of business with your knowledge of the situation? What if you are wrong? What if the situation has changed? What if you read it wrong in the first place?

It’s time for Columbo.

Remember the Peter Falk character of Lieutenant Columbo? His genius was in his ability to not know the answers and to ‘play dumb’. Only then did he find the real solution to the crime.

What do you know that might not be true? What situation have you prevented yourself from pursuing? Today is your day to make a change and open up the doors that you yourself have closed. The opportunities may be right in front of you.

Be a little dumber today and let me know what opportunities you find!

Wishing you great Selling Success,

Steve Waterhouse

Here is another blog you might like:

Customer Service and More: The Shep Hyken Blog

A Great Recovery is Better Than No Mistakes

2006-06-06T22:30:00.000-04:00

We screwed up…

Sometimes that’s the only answer. Last night I chaired a teleconference with an association committee that I head. Our association just made a big decision and, while the details were understandable, the timing was very poor. Members were questioning why the board was either stupid or insensitive to the needs of the members.

To help answer the questions, I had the president of the association join me on the call. When I opened it up to questions, the first person laid it on the line and asked why the board had done what they had done. The president defused the situation with his first sentence. He said, “Frankly, we screwed up.” He took full responsibility for not having seen the problems and for not correcting them sooner. He promised he would talk with future presidents to make sure a similar oversight never happened again.

That did it.

I had budgeted a full hour for the discussion, but we only needed twenty minutes. The lesson for sales people is simple. When you or your company makes a mistake, the client wants two things. First, they want an apology. They want to know you are truly sorry for the inconvenience you caused them. This is a courtesy we owe each other in such situations. Second, they want to know that it will not happen again. You need to show the steps you have taken or will take to prevent a repeat of the same error.

Recoveries build rapport.

Many sales people have told me stories of how they have built better relationships with clients as a result of how they handled a bad situation. One person last week said the best thing that ever happened to him was being given a territory where the pervious sales person was a disaster. Everyone was willing to talk with him, if only to complain. His job was simply to turn the complaints around and become a hero. He said it was the easiest time he has ever had in a new territory.

What can you fix today?

What mistakes have you made that need correcting? What old clients need an apology to get the relationship started again? There may be no easier way to build your business. There is certainly no better way to improve your sleep tonight! Go get it done and send me a note with your successes. I love hearing from you.

Wishing you selling success,

Steve Waterhouse

Here is another blog you might like:

Grow Your Key Talent
Rebecca Morgan’s Insights & Information For Developing Your Star Staff

What's your value: a Dr's story

2006-03-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

I went to the doctor recently for a regular check-up. While I as sitting in the waiting room, I noticed that there were three patients and four pharmaceutical reps. This fascinated me since I train phama reps. At the end of my exam, I asked the doc what he thought of pharmaceutical reps. Were they valuable or annoying?

His answer was surprising.

He said that that drug sales people have two values to him. First, he said that occasionally they actually tell him something that he did not know. He saw that as important because he needs to keep up on so many new things that every source was worth a few minutes of his time.

Then came the surprise.

He said that drug reps are part of the informal welfare system. They load him up with samples of drugs every time the stop in. He, in turn, dispenses these drugs to patients who can not afford to buy them.

I'm not sure if he is more likely to prescribe these same drugs to those of us who can afford to pay for them, but I suspect he is. The lesson for all of us is to understand that we bring a variety of values to our client. Some direct and some indirect. Determine what the client needs and you'll find your key to earning their time and earning their business.

Keep selling!

Steve Waterhouse

We now have trainers around the country to serve our clients.
Sales Training in Portland
Sales Training in Detroit
Sales Training in Boston

Biodegradable False Teeth

2006-03-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

My Friend Laurie called me on my cell phone yesterday. She was all excited about her new business idea!

Biodegradable False Teeth from China.

I was a little surprised since I did not see the value in false teeth being biodegradable. Laurie explained that when people left them on golf courses, they damaged the mowers. Ok, I can see how a pair of false teeth, left on a golf course could damage a mower, but why would people leave their false teeth on the course? Laurie said they did it all the time. She asked me what I did with mine after I teed off? I told her that I had taken care of my teeth and didn't need false teeth yet, but I had never seen my dad and his friends take their's out when they were teeing off.

That's when she started yelling at me. "What are you talking about? Biodegradable golf tees are going to be required by courses soon."

Golf Tees? I thought she said "False Teeth!"

The lesson is to listen more carfully on your cell phone when you are in a noisy airport.

Now go sell something.

Steve Waterhouse

Don't insult the customer

2006-02-25T09:53:00.000-05:00

There is an ad running on the radio here in Jacksonville that goes like this: "If we can't give you $10,000 for your trade, we'll pay your first month's car payment." What a joke. So, if I understand this, their only downside to not giving me $10,000 on my old junker is to make my first car payment (and they limit it to $500) IF I BUY FROM THEM! I'm not stupid. I know they will never give me the $10,000 unless my car was already worth it. They will do nothing more than usual.

Companies do this all the time. They make offers that are not real and assume the public is too stupid to figure it out. Maybe they are, but I think it's poor business. Treat your client with dignity and respect and you might be surprised at how much they respect you.

Wishing you selling success,

Steve Waterhouse
More sales articles

Toll Brothers Home Builders complaint page

Give Generously

2006-01-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

When I checked into the Crown Plaza in Detroit, I was told that I had won a free dinner. Apparently they give one out each night for members of their Priority Club. Since I was on my own tonight, it was perfect. After a great meal of sea bass, the waiter told me that, not only was the meal free, but the hotel covered his tip! That's class. Think of how you and your company do business. Do you strive to amaze the client or do you risk leaving them with a bad taste?

I gave him another tip and he was thrilled.

Keep Selling,

Steve

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah

2005-12-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to all of you to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanukah. Enjoy your time with friends and family. As my son's running coach said, "Eat until you feel awful", we can get back to good behavior next week.

All the best from all of us,

The Waterhouse Group

Christmas good news

2005-12-22T23:18:00.000-05:00

I just spent an hour in traffic here in Jacksonville heading home from the mall. While some might be upset, I was thrilled. That traffic tells me that our economy is strong and we are spending at an incredible rate. As you look at your 2006 sales forecasts, remember the traffic and do your best to get your share of all that great business.

Happy Holidays,

Steve Waterhouse

New MLM Sales Tools

2005-12-07T21:40:00.000-05:00

For those of you in MLM or network marketing world, you can find some great mlm sales tools at www.mlmsalesbuilder.com

The Bike Accident (a sales training story)

2005-12-06T17:14:00.000-05:00

There I was, on the road and bleeding…

Like many of you, I have been riding bikes since the days when we were putting baseball cards in the spokes to make noise. Today, I ride as a way of cross-training from my running. It saves my knees and legs…usually.

Last week, on my regular route, I was just about to cross highway 220 when it happened. I was waiting at the light with one hand on the cross-walk button and my right pedal positioned to get me moving when the light changed. The next thing I knew I was on the ground and bleeding from my right knee and elbow.

I was confused!

I had no idea why I had fallen, but I was sure that it must have been amusing for the people driving by. Probably looked like Arte Johnson on his tricycle on Laugh-in (for those under 40, see the re-runs).

We run into similar situations in sales all the time. You lose a sale and don’t know why. One day you are forecasting the business and spending the upcoming commission and the next day the client buys from someone else. It happens in other ways, too. You make dozens of cold calls and get nowhere. You send hundreds of letters with no results.

You are failing with no idea why.

With a new year in front of us, it is a great time to take an inventory of what is not working in your sales career. You work in a business where you are surrounded by people who have had great success and want to help you succeed. Bosses, mentors, trainers and peers are willing to help if you are ready to ask. The book stores and web sites are full of great articles and programs to teach you new techniques.

I often see the best sales people coming back to my training programs for a second and third time. They all tell me the same thing: I just need to learn and apply one thing today to make it worth the time. They know they will always have room to grow and they love it. You can see it in their eyes when they discover the key to one of their personal issues. They can’t wait to get back to work to try it. Like any performer or athlete, sales professionals need constant tuning to be their best.

I found it.

Well, when I got myself back together and started to ride off, I found the culprit. As I had pushed off, I had broken my toe clip. Once I saw the broken strap, it was obvious why I had fallen. When I showed it to the guy at the bike store, he laughed. “They haven’t used leather straps like that for 10 years”, he said. “They broke too often!” Now he tells me. I replaced it with a new, up-to-date, stronger, nylon strap and I should be good for many more years of riding.

What old ideas are you still hanging on to?

What weak area are do you need to strengthen? How are you going to do it? Make a plan for the New Year to improve one or two areas of your selling technique or process. Put it on your calendar and make it happen. If you need suggested resources, just drop me a note. If you want to receive my “10 Ways to Generate Great Sales Leads”, send an email to article22@waterhousegroup.com. I’ve got all kinds of great recommendations for you. Feel free to ask anytime as you build your personal plan.

Team Selling Webinar recording is online

2005-10-26T16:13:00.000-04:00

I did a webinar called "The Power of Team Selling" for the Microsoft Leadership Forum on LiveMeeting yesterday. They recorded it and posted it online.

It's a great program that is about 50 minutes long.

Steve Waterhouse
Sales Training and Consulting

She stared at the glass and froze... (a sales training story)

2005-10-24T16:38:00.000-04:00

She stared at the glass and froze…

I love it when companies grow, merge and change. It makes wonderful opportunities for the sales people involved. One of my newer clients has just gone thorough a buying binge and acquired a host of smaller companies that all offer related products and services. I had the privilege of working with the newly formed sales force which was comprised of seasoned pros from all of the new companies. Each one was an expert in selling their particular offering.

My job was clear. Get them all to sell everything. Sell the whole portfolio.

So here I am with this group of about 100 pros and I decided to pull out an old trick. I grabbed a water glass and handed it to the closest person and said, “Sell me this!” Ok, I put her on the spot, but that’s fair in my rule book. What did she do? She froze! She just sat their in front of 100 of her peers and said nothing. Finally, after a very uncomfortable amount of time, she said, “I sell services. I don’t know how to sell a product.”

Bunk! Trash! Huey!

There is fundamentally no difference between selling products and services. They all start with probing questions that help you understand the customer’s needs relative to your offering. Questions don’t care if they are asked about a product or service.

Mr. Johnson, what were you hoping our fugerwump would do for your company? Mrs. Smith, when you compare fugerwumps, what is most important to you? Mr. White, how are you planning to make your fugerwump decision. Insert any product or service you want for fugerwump and it works.

Let’s not trap ourselves into thinking that we only know how to sell one thing or another. If you have good sales skills you can sell many things. And if you have great sales skills you can sell them all as a total solution to your client’s ultimate need.

Oh, and the one that froze? She is actually one of the top sales professionals in the company they acquired. I predict she will go on to be one of the best as she has the opportunity to sell the entire suite of offerings of her new company.

Free Online Team Selling Seminar on October 25

2005-10-12T20:47:00.000-04:00

You are invited…

Last week, I got a call from a friend who said, “HELP!! I need you to fill in for me on a webinar.” Well, I love an opportunity to make our programs available and you get this one for free. (Plus a bonus)

Here is the scoop. Just click the link below to sign up for this great webinar from Microsoft.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=47857&cbClass=7582&signupkey=2659

BONUS: As a special bonus to my newsletter subscribers, I will select 10 of you to each receive a free copy of my book on audio CD. To enter, just register for the program and forward your Microsoft confirmation to me.

Here is all the PR stuff that Microsoft sent out:

The Power of Team Selling
Steve Waterhouse
October 25, 2005
9:00AM - 10:00AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)
12:00PM - 1:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Speaker: Steve Waterhouse, President, Waterhouse Group

Seminar Overview: How to turn your sales group into an effective sales team.
This program will explore the many ways that teams can dramatically improve your sales results. We will examine the opportunities that teams offer and how to maximize them. We will also look at the mine field of problems that teams expose, both internally and externally and how to avoid them.
Sales managers who are looking for a secret weapon may find it in this program. You will also find ways to minimize your costs and maximize your impact. Building effective teams is one way that sales managers can effectively increase the size of their sales force without adding additional people to the payroll. You’ll see how in this program.

Sales professionals will learn how to take advantage of the team concept to sell more and sell faster. You will learn how to effectively manage your team’s resources for maximum results. This is truly the way to ‘do more with less’!

Bring your questions and problems or email them in advance and Steve will answer them during the program (info@waterhousegroup.com).

In this seminar you will learn:

* How to build and use teams to maximize sales
* How to avoid the mine field of problems that teams can create
* How teams can accelerate the sales cycle
* To use teams as your competitive secret weapon

About Steve Waterhouse

Steve Waterhouse's career as a record setting sales professional and sales manager make him uniquely qualified to help companies dramatically improve sales and increase profits. As the Semiconductor Sales Manager for Sprague Electric Company, Steve achieved record sales quotas in the Northeast and developed the most successful marketing campaign for new catalogs. When Steve took on the role of Director of Sales and Marketing for Vortech Corporation, the company's sales increased by 300% in 24 months. As an entrepreneur, Steve has successfully launched several businesses. He founded and developed Waterhouse Communications Newspaper Group, the largest community newspaper in the State of Maine. He also challenged the U.S. Postal Service with the state's first private mail delivery service.

Mr. Waterhouse is President of Waterhouse Group, a consulting and training company that helps companies increase their sales by building effective sales organizations. His clients have included IBM, Xerox, Lucent Technologies, Sun Microsystems, Guidant, AT&T, Aventis-Behring and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

He is the author of “The Team Selling Solution: Creating and Managing Teams that Win the Complex Sale” (McGraw-Hill, 2004).

Waterhouse Group

Waterhouse Group is a consulting and training company based in Jacksonville, FL with clients in 11 countries on 5 continents. They specialize in consultative selling, value selling and team selling.
__________

Don't forget your copy of The Ultimate Prospecting Manual at http://www.salesleadsforever.com and How to Leave a Voice Mail Message that Gets Results at http://www.effectivevoicemailmessages.com
Save when you order both!

Does anyone want my business? (a customer service story)

2005-09-28T20:28:00.000-04:00

This should have been simple. I had a 12 hour round-trip drive coming up and I thought I should get an oil change first. The car was over due and I felt it was really important to get it done before I left. So Friday morning I drove over to the local Jiffy Lube figuring they could do it quickly (You know, in a jiffy!). Maybe not. As a drove up, I saw that each of the three bays was completely empty and the four guys inside were just leaning against their tool boxes.

I parked in front of the middle bay and walked up the guy who looked most like a manager and asked if he could change my oil. He said he had to check to see if they had a filter for my car, first. With that, two of the guys went below and started digging through the supplies. A few minutes later, the verdict was in: no filter in stock. The manager said that sometimes they have one for my car, but not today. Sorry!

With that, I drove away.

My next stop was Goodyear. This time every bay was filled and everyone was running around like a chicken with its head cut off (Don’t write me if you work for the chicken lobby). I went into the lobby and asked the counter person if they could do a quick oil change. He checked his computer and said, “Let me make sure I have a filter for your car.” Two minutes later, he came out and said, “Mr. Waterhouse, my computer showed that I had your filter but I don’t see one in the supply room. I’ve just sent one of my guys out to get one and he’ll be right back. Is that ok with you?”

Ok? Of course it’s ok. I would certainly rather wait 10 extra minutes than spend the rest of my morning running all over town. (Note that he said that the guy had already left before he asked for my permission. Great move!)

Here is the odd thing. The Jiffy Lube is locally owned by an entrepreneur who has his hard earned cash invested in the business and only makes money when they get a car in the bay. The Goodyear store is company owned and run by a manager whose bonus goes up about five cents when he does an extra oil change. Shouldn’t the Jiffy Lube people be the ones chasing all over town for my filter?

Do you or your sales people look more like Jiffy Lube or Goodyear? How do you know? Make a few candid calls to your customers and ask them to rate your service on a scale of 1 to 5. One being, ‘we never follow through’ and five being ‘we are always proactive about solutions’.

Strive for five. It will make you more money than a dozen new customers.

Here are two new tools to help you grow your sales. Check out Sales Leads Forever and Effective Voice Mail Messages.

Ask better questions (a sales training lesson)

2005-09-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

One of my clients called last night about an upcoming program. She was all upset because her boss had called and said that the "What he had on my upcoming program looked very light." She told me that we should add more to the program to beef it up because this guy was used to more info.

Now anyone who knows me, know that my programs are already crammed, so I was a bit confused. Then she called back...

It seems that her assistant had only sent him my short bio and he wanted my long bio. He was not referring to the program at all. She said, "Steve, I should have paid attention to that section in your program on asking better questions. It would have saved us a day of running around."

I haven't even given this program yet and it's had an effect on one person! ;-)

Keep selling!

Steve

Please Give!

2005-09-02T09:24:00.000-04:00

In this time of enormous need, please join us in giving to the American Red Cross.

Donate Here

Stop Throwing Cans!

2005-08-23T22:26:00.000-04:00

Tim was dumbfounded at their request…

Two months ago, I had the pleasure of working with the technical training group for one of my clients. You know these guys. They are the techies who teach your customers how to use the software and operate the equipment we sell. They often come along on demos just to make sure we don’t make total fools of ourselves. Unfortunately, too often we fear that they will stray from their role and start talking. Who knows what will happen then!

This group had asked me to teach them how to sell since they not only talk with their own sales people, but their customers are usually resellers and interested in sales, too. They believed that if they understood a little about sales, they would be able to do a better job helping sales people use their information as a tool to make more sales. They wanted to talk their language.

What a concept!

I talked with them on a teleconference today and I’m happy to report that they are doing great, except for one issue. The techies showed the sales people how to find customers for each product. They tied all the features and benefits into customer value points. They even showed the sales people how to do a demo that closes a sale. Bravo!

Then came the big question…

Tim said that some sales people consistently asked him to reduce each offering down to one sentence or ‘elevator speech’. They wanted canned lines for everything. He came back a little frustrated with these individuals, and I don’t blame him. I had taught them a consultative approach. One that was based on questions and intelligent responses that connected with the prospect, not canned pitches that require little thought or probing.

What would you say to a prospect who asked you, “What can that do for me?” Would you throw out a litany of canned feature and benefit statements, hoping that one or two would hit the mark? Or would you say, “I don’t know. Tell me a little about your needs and I’ll tell you how this might fit in your situation”?

Selling does not have to be complicated, but it does take some effort. Let’s can the canned responses and make the effort to connect with every prospect through knowing their needs.

Ps: Respect your technical support team. They just might be the best sales tool you have.

Steve Waterhouse

You can have quality prospects NOW!

Sales Training in Value Selling

The Boss is Too Busy

2005-08-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

I had a call recently from the administrative assistant for the Sr. VP of Sales of a medium size, regional company. She asked for pricing and I said that I needed more information first and the best way to get it was to talk with the VP directly. The Admin was nice but firm and said that they had had two previous bad experiences with sales training and that it was her job to screen the candidates to improve their success rate. (does that make sense to you?) She said I should ask her the questions and she could answer them.

Ok, I said. "What are your annual sales?" She could not tell me. "What increase are you expecting this sales training to give you?" She had no idea. "What skills sets need to be improved in your team for this training to be successful?" She had no idea what I was talking about.

Eventually, she said that it was obvious that a meeting with the VP was needed and that she would arrange it. Bottom line, the VP refused to talk until I quoted prices.

I no-bid the job.

If you can't get to the decision maker, you can't make a winning proposal. Don't let the client's flawed buying process ruin your selling process. Stick to your plan and you will waste less time on fruitless proposals.

Wishing you selling success,

Steve Waterhouse
www.effectivevoicemailmessages.com

Waterhouse Sales Training

New Prospecting Program is ready

2005-08-11T11:01:00.000-04:00

It's finally done!

The Ultimate Prospecting Manual is completed and available online at:

http://www.salesleadsforever.com

I hope you enjoy it and profit from it.

Steve

You probably don't want...

2005-07-28T09:36:00.000-04:00

If I hear that phrase one more time I think I'll scream. Sales people are so afraid to sell that they insult us by assuming that we don't want or can't afford the best that they have. Let me say no. I know how!

As sales people, we do not have the right to cheat our customers out of the opportunity to buy our best. Remember these facts:

1. It's easier to cut out options and lower the price than it is to build it up.
2. People like nice things and are flattered when you assume that they want the best.
3. No one has ever died from sticker shock! Not customers and certainly not sales people.

Go sell your best!

Steve Waterhouse
www.waterhousegroup.com

So Close, but no deal (a sales training story)

2005-07-19T17:15:00.000-04:00

Well, he did send a letter with three of his business cards and a form letter offering Gina $100 if she would refer a friend to him. But wouldn't a call have been more effective? I think so. And it's not like car sales people are short on time. They spend most of their time pacing the floor waiting for a walk-in because they did such a poor job of prospecting.

Steve Waterhouse
www.waterhousegroup.com

Lesson from a car dealer

2005-07-19T12:40:00.000-04:00

So my wife, Gina, went out Saturday and bought a new Honda for herself. I was in Vancouver, but I understand she hammered the guy on the price. Go Gina! Yesterday, the dealer called to make sure everything was ok and to thank her for her business. Today, a basket of cookies and goodies arrived with a personal thank you note. Now, either the dealer is doing a great job of service or he is hitting on my wife. Either way, he's got her attention. ;-)

And that's the point. He's got her attention. Now let's see if he can convert his good will into a referral. He certainly has a solid process that is turning a new client into a friend and, potentially, a lead source. Two point for Lucas Honda of Jacksonville.

Steve Waterhouse
www.waterhousegroup.com

Sell me on Vancouver

2005-07-12T19:53:00.000-04:00

I am working in Vancouver, BC this week and it is beautiful. My room overlooks the bay with the mountains in the background. Tough duty!

Keep watching for our latest project. It's called T.U.P.M. and we will have more details soon.

Sell Smart,

Steve
www.waterhousegroup.com