Intrepid Marketing by Todd Schnick » Integrity Selling

Don’t Care About Your Customer? Please Press “0″

Todd Schnick — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:10:37 +0000

Yesterday I published a post about the dangers of making your customers wait. Read it here.

My dear friend, and loyal reader, Mark Walker of Integrity Solutions, wrote me back on this with his thoughts. His full note is published below (with his permission).

Here is a pet peeve of mine regarding “waiting.” Ever try to call someone to see if they might be a prospect for your goods or services? You get their automated attendant. After listening to the menu (one minute+) you don’t hear a suitable option. So you press “0” and the automated attendant starts all over. You get into a “loop” which will never end. All options lead back to the automated attendant system, not a live person.

What is the message here? “If you don’t know the phone or extension number of the person you want, buzz off! Quit bothering us.”

I always recommend that every CEO in the world call his company about once every two months, as if he is a prospective customer or supplier. Try to reach someone who 1) is alive and 2) is genuinely helpful. Today I pressed “0” after hearing the empty promise of my target that he “would return my call promptly.” (He has not done so.) A nice woman answered. I asked her if this person was out of the office, or if there was a time of day it was best to try to reach him. She did not know, but attempted to find out. She was respectful and courteous, and she came back on the line and admitted that she was also unsuccessful.

While I still don’t respect my target person’s “promise” to return my call, I know that his employer cares enough to hire someone as a receptionist who is interested in helping people who call their organization. And here’s the key idea. While I am not a prospective customer, I can feel comfortable suggesting to someone that this company could be a reliable supplier of their appropriate goods and services.

You never want people to think poorly of you, unnecessarily. That sales person trying to reach your purchasing department might be the daughter of a potential major account CEO.

Right on Mark. Thanks for taking the time to write me back on this.

What do you think?

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Daily e-Journal – Todd Schnick's Graduation Day!

Todd Schnick — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:41:12 +0000

Today is Graduation Day! As I have mentioned in a few previous blog entries, I have been enrolled as a student in Mark Walker’s Integrity Selling class. And it has been a wonderful experience.

I have NEVER gone through any sales training in my entire career. But this first exposure has been eye opening. If you are at all familiar with Integrity Solutions, you have heard about the AID INC formula. It will change the way you look at selling.

If you are interested in talking with Mark Walker about the course, you can find him at: http://www.jmwalkergroup.com/.

Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. www.intrepid-llc.com

Daily e-Journal – 13 November 2008

Todd Schnick — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:43:23 +0000

Just wrapped up my weekly Integrity Selling course with Mark Walker. What an outstanding program to be going through. If you or your organization are looking for sales training, you owe it to yourself to explore this program. Contact Mark Walker at 770.578.1345 to learn more.

And if you are interested in attending next week’s Meet the eXpert Live Learning Event sponsored by GrowthANSWERS, go here: http://growthanswers.com/expert/

And most importantly, opening this week:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4jY8WxcFMo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1]

Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. www.intrepid-llc.com

The key to sales? Ask the right questions…

Todd Schnick — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:31:13 +0000

I am in the process of taking an Integrity Selling course from a good friend and GrowthANSWERS business partner, Mark Walker.

For those of you familiar with the AIDINC methodology from Integrity, you know that a key step in their sales cycle is the INTERVIEW. This is the process where you find out, by asking questions, what the prospects true “needs” are.

Only knowing this, can you ever really understand how to position your product as a solution to that need. Below is a video from another sales guru on the same topic:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxEZqQBVAXA&hl=en&fs=1]

Enjoy!

Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. www.intrepid-llc.com