Bill Gluth's Creative Business Strategy Blog

A Must Read Article

If you haven't seen this article in Wired Magazine, take time to read it. It has great ideas on where the world of computing is really heading.

The link is http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.08/tech.html?tw=wn Check it out.

Buying Facilitation - Expansive Thinking in Modern Selling

Sharon Drew Morgen challenges us to think of sales in a new light. Embracing a sales/product/information mindset is a thing of the past. She asks us, “Do you want to sell or have someone buy?”

Conventional sales thinking still focuses on ideas developed in the 1930’s: how to manage the product sale.

Through buying facilitation sellers learn to help buyers buy. "You must help buyers make sense of their buying culture and make congruent decisions that will allow for change without disruption," Morgen recommends. "Until or unless this happens they are not going to buy."

All buyers ask the same 3 questions in the same sequence before making a decision:

1. What’s missing and how did it get that way?
2. How can we fix it with what’s familiar? How can we fix it ourselves?
3. What cultural issues need to be addressed before people are willing to change the status quo?

Only when a prospect recognizes they cannot fix their problem with anything familiar will they consider trying something new.

Buying Facilitation teaches buyers how to recognize and manage their own internal decision making; which will invite sellers into their process as part of the collaboration.

Sellers will then have an automatic competitive advantage. Price will not be a determining factor. It’s a wholly new model that is aligned with our business environment today.

To begin using Buying Facilitation consider:

1. How can you help your buyers discover all of the pieces that would play a part in their final decision?

2. How can you help buyers find a way through their entire system of people, initiatives, resources, etc?

3. How can you support current prospects in choosing you over the competition?

4. What new beliefs do you need to accept before being able to adopt a Buying Facilitation point of view?

5. How will you handle your new job of helping buyers discover their own solutions rather than coming up with solutions for them?

Next Week

Where Will You Find New Ideas to Help You Achieve Your Loftiest Goals?

Special thanks to Sharon Drew Morgan for sharing her insights and Buying Facilitation Method® with us.

To learn more, request a sample packet, including two chapters of Sharon Drew Morgen’s e-book Buying Facilitation: The New Way to Sell That Influences and Expands Decisions, with my complements. Email sdm@developyourvision.com.

Go Out and Sell That Story Today!

Whenever most people think about promotions (sales), they inevitably feel fear creep into their heart.

The reason they are frightened is because they are not clear on 5 simple things.

1. Talent in business
2. Prime benefit
3. Identity
4. Niche
5. Ideal client

Once clarity is gained in these 5 areas the small business owner is ready, willing and able to tell the world about the value they provide other people.

Get Motivated to Sell That Story Today!

First, sell yourself on the outcome you give. When you understand your talent and are genuinely enthusiastic about your clients, you will enjoy sharing your work with them.

Be authentic when you communicate your value to others. Speak with passion. Look for opportunities to communicate your value.

Write down your story. Create articles or short information pieces that force you to explain your story in greater detail.

This Weeks Action

1. Identify your talent in business.

2. Develop your prime benefit statement. Base it on client feedback and testimonials.

3. Be sure your niche, identity and ideal client are developed. Base it on market research not conjecture.

4. Sell yourself first. Then sell other people who are close to you. You'll become more comfortable when you get feedback under "friendly fire" first.

5. Make sure your story is truly you talking. Authentic communication is a major advantage you have as a small business owner. Use it to your profitable advantage.

6. Write a 300 to 500 word article about your passion and talent in business. Offer to share your article with prospects (at no charge), but only with permission.

7. Communicate with your ideal client frequently. Offer education and information they can't get anywhere else.

8. Treat people who buy from you as clients (one who is under the protection of another). Whenever you talk to clients, communicate as a trusted advisor and friend.

Realize that people do business with people they like. Your clients are members of an extended and valuable family.

Next Week

Decision Facilitation - Expansive Thinking in Modern Selling.

The Story You Tell Reflects the Business You Get

In the book All Marketers Are Liars, author Seth Godin explores a new paradigm. 'Liars' explains the process of unfolding a "story" (he calls it a lie) that reflects an authentic message about the storyteller.

After the story is developed, it is directed at a group of people who have a worldview that can be leveraged toward your story.

Seth defined worldview as "The lens they use to determine whether or not they're going to believe a story."

That kind of Genius Thinking leads us to consider 3 things.

1. What talent and ideas are you actually selling in the market? Selling a talent and providing supporting ideas to a niche group of buyers is the path to follow today.

2. Who cares the most about your talent and idea? What is the worldview that gives this group of people the motivation to care about your story?

3. If you were telling a story about your talent and idea over coffee with a friend, what would you say? How would you casually explain what you do?

All that's left is to tell that story to a group of people who have the mental framework in place to care. Put it all together and you have a story that will reflect the business you actually get.

This Weeks Action

1. Evaluate your talents, passions and values in business. What is the "talent" you offer? What ideas support that talent in creating your offer for the market? You have now created your unique story.

2. Who cares? Make a list of the characteristics of the people who have the worldview to care about your story.

3. Add specific names of existing clients and prospects who exhibit the traits that fit into your worldview characteristics list. Contact this group of people first.

4. Record or write down your authentic story. Once you're comfortable and understand your unique vision, you're ready to take your story into the marketplace.

5. SHOUT your new, authentic story from every roof top in neighborhoods where your ideal clients live. If you're in a B2B type of business, neighborhood refers to your prospects office or place of business.

You are no longer selling a business service or product. You're capitalizing on your greatest strength and only telling your story to people who have reason to care.

A very special thanks tp Seth Godin for his remarkable Genius Thinking and great ideas.

Bonus Action Step

Email your new authentic story to me at authenticstory@developyourvision.com.
I'll give you a quick critique on your story and if needed, make suggestions on how to strengthen it.

Next Week

Get Out and Sell That Story Today!

The REAL Price of Cheap

Jeremy Tuber of Can-Do Graphics inspired me to comment on cheap pricing.

He sent me an email about his prospect, who went on line and found a website auto-builder instead of moving forward with a services recommendation Jeremy made.

They said “It seems pretty easy and much more affordable for our needs at this time.” 

What’s the REAL cost of the cheaper, you-build-it alternative?

Well, if you study internet marketing and web building, it will be a low cost for hosting and maintaining the new site.

As long as you have enough bandwidth for traffic, know how to place Meta tags and have an optimization plan in place, no problem.

If you have no idea what I just said, you need a pro like Jeremy Tuber to help you along.

The cost of hiring a pro is slightly more.

But the cost of a poor business image is significantly higher. Once credibility is compromised it is almost impossible to get back.Often, when you save pennies you end up losing dollars.

Don’t make this mistake. Hire people who authentically CARE about your outcome and let them do the work they do best.

Then, when working with YOUR clients, be sure to do the same. Be hired because you add value to the business and life of another person. Care that THEY get results from your service.

You’ll earn more, quicker and with a LOT less trouble. Caring is worth its weight in gold.

How Important is "Caring" to Your Small Business?

Here's an example from Theodora Carter of the Professional Healing and Therapy Clinic in Tempe, Arizona.

"I recently spoke with a personal banker at a well-known bank in the Valley. It took her a week to follow through on a question that could have been answered in 24 hours.  On the third day I called her, only to be told she did not have a answer. Her exact words were” When I hear something, I’ll let you know.”  After calling and leaving messages on the 6th and 7th day, I took action and called the designated department."

Theodora goes on to tell me the REALLY "Good Part".

"I told a friend about my experience. She spoke highly of her personal banker at another bank. She relayed examples of the excellent customer service and the competence and caring of her personal banker. This information lead me to closing all accounts with the old bank and beginning a relationship with a new bank and personal banker."

So, people talk, talk leads to recommendations and recommendations lead to new accounts being opened for the astute business person who cares.

How many ways can you show your clients how much you care?

Theodora's Professional Healing and Therapy Clinic is at 1801 S. Jen Tilly Lane, Suite A-18, Tempe, AZ 85281.

The Jay Abraham Blog ? Maybe you should take some time off…

Link: The Jay Abraham Blog ? Maybe you should take some time off…. Take a few moments to read this post. Genius Thinker Jay Abraham makes a LOT of sense.

When he says "I urge you take some time off. Refuel your ambition. To get some space between you and your problems. Spend time with your family letting them know you care about them." I had to totally agree.

I'm finishing up a few notes and following this sage advice. After all, in 1 lifetime, how may wonderful moments do we have to show those we most care about how important they are to us.

Make it Easy For Me to Pay You

The goal of most business promotions is at some point to get paid for the service or product you're promoting.

If you make it complicated or difficult for a buyer to pay you, they will ultimately decide not to play. Remember, the confused mind always says NO.

Personally, I like PayPal. I use PayPal to receive payments. BUT if a client finds PayPal cumbersome, I always ask, "What would be most convenient for you?"

Then, of course, I let them use the method that works best for them.

Offer choices and ALWAYS ask "What would be most convenient for you?" Then give the buyer easy options for using THEIR perfered method to pay you.

Your client will purchase more often AND you'll get paid quicker.