Launch of a New E-Marketing Company.

Dear All,

Last 6-8 months had been really busy in my life - lots of development - lots of opportunities.

By grace and mercy of GOD - i will be launching a new online e-marketing company.

The name of the company will be 'DIGIsense Solutions' and this will be in partnership with my friend Mr.Mayaank Kansal.

From 01st August 2011 - we will officially start taking business orders.

My friends and family all over the world are requested to pass the leads.

We as a company will offer the following services:

a) Website Design & Development b) Search Engine Optimization c) Google PPC Campaign Creation d) Social Media Set Up

Any organisation or any company willing to use any of the above mentioned services - please contact us.

And now - Time to Impart some Knowledge..!

Lately I see a lot of websites with social media icons on it. Asking the users to follow them or be a fan. Unfortunately, not many of these companies give you good reasons to follow them.Ask yourself: Is this your Social Media Strategy? To stick up the icons on your website and expect to have return on it?

Search Engine Optimization is a way to increase traffic to your website via tuning your website and keywords to appear on the first page of search engine (Google, Yahoo). Until now, in fact still, this is predominantly keyword based. Where an optimizied search keyword drives more traffic than other.

With social media coming into picture these days, this is now changing. Search engines are starting to be more friendly to social media content, which means your goal should shift from keyword to people. You should start building real connection. Get people to talk, share, recommend and link in and out of your content.

Soon you no longer have to drive traffic to your website, rather your content will be driven to several high traffic platforms where people would consume based on their interest, recommendation and needs etc.

Think distributed.

Thanks for Reading !

My next post will be an insight on Google PPC Campaign!

Cheers for now.

SID.

PERSONAL SALES TARGETS....

Hello All,


Ok, its going to be very quick...just a few lines may be...Wanted to tweet actually but my thought exceeded allotted 140 spaces...phew.


Anyway, I have a quite different, weird, controversial and contrary vision of looking at sales targets, yet so successful, atleast for me.


Last month i managed to hit an important personal sales target that I set for myself. ( Important because i achieved it )

It was very exciting. I was jumping up and down, pumping my fists in the air.


{{{ Someone whom i love told me a very good thing - 'Celebrating your successes is very important'. No matter how little it is. }}}


One of the keys to my hitting this target was that I set an achievable target for myself.

No one else set it for me, and I didn't base my expectations on what anyone else did or thought I should be doing.

I looked at what I think is possible, what the potential is, and I set a reasonable target and a stretch target.


During the month, in order to achieve the target, I kept reminding myself of both of these numbers ( reasonable and stretch )in my head for days.

I was under a bit of pressure until I achieved my reasonable target at first. As I approached my reasonable goal, i saw that my stretch goal is within reach. I started focusing on that next, which I was sure i can achieve just a short time later.

Now you may not be in a position to set your own sales quota for this year, quarter or month. I understand that.

But you can set your own personal goals that are reasonable and achievable - - - and believe me, your personal drive and personal goals can get the best out of yourself and can yield more results --- not the targets set by someone else or your peers.

And i think the only way you are going to get to your target is to break them down into goals that you believe you can achieve. And it has to be set by yourself.

So if your sales numbers are such that you don'tbelieve in your gut that you can make them, then stop focusing on those numbers. Make a little realistic target then.

No way in any sense whatsoever i am against the company targets set by the management, if i am, then may be i am on the verge of bringing revolutionary change in the corporate selling world as almost all of the companies have certain targets to be met. But my point is one needs to ascend above the challenge and ensure that his personal targets are far more than the targets set by senior management and these targets should be well suited to his efficiency and are realistic in approach.

Finally, always believe in yourself and be self confident....as the saying goes "Think high to rise and work hard to achieve"....

OMG, I just cant believe i ended up writing this much...I only wanted to scribble few lines...:)

Critics are more than welcome to leave a comment, also you can tweet me on http://twitter.com/ShoebSiddiqui

Cheers !!!!!!!

SID.....

DONT LET THE APPOINTMENT'S CRY OFF AT THE LAST MINUTE.....

Hello Guys,

I was reading Peter Bruening yesterday and what good demonstration and technique he gave on how to make sure we control the appointments...

Yes appointments needs to be controlled....

How many of your appointments cry off at the last minute?

Maybe it’s down to the fact that you are not confirming them in the right way.

Here’s a way Peter Bruening suggest to make the appointment stick!

Just remember the word cement. C-E-M-E-N-T.

C - ConfirmConfirm or re-confirm addresses, telephone numbers, and the dates and times

E - ExplainBriefly re-explain what you are going to do. Basically you want to tell them what you just told them

M - Many Thanks or Much Obliged Thank the prospect for their time and for the upcoming appointment time

E - ExonerateAbsolve the prospect for this decision and reassure them that it is the right thing to do(Ammunition for buyer’s remorse)

N - Numbers The logic that helps the prospect keep the appointment set. Mention some brief numbers that seal the decision with logic.

T - Terminate with Tact Get off the telephone SLOWLY! Always let prospect hang up first
This may sound like a lot, but it is actually very simple and quick.

Prospect:“Yes, ok. 9:15 in the morning will be fine.”

Sales Person:“Thanks, Mark. I appreciate your time. Now let me just double check. You are in the Midas Building on Swinton Avenue, is that right near Town Hall Road?

Prospect:“Yes, actually, it is on the corner of Town Hall Road”

Sales Person:“And exactly where is your office, Mark?”

Prospect:“When you come in the main entrance, just turn left, and you will see the glass doors that say Halsbert Maintenance.”

Sales Person:“Great. And are going to meet me there this coming Friday, that is the 8th, at 9:15 am, is that right?”

Prospect:“Ok.”

Sales Person:“Once again, thanks for your time next week, and I’m sure you’ll find the information I will leave with you is really useful. As I mentioned, we will just sit down for a half an hour or so and I will show you how our new technology can save you lots of man hours—as much as 55%. Oh, also, Mark do you have a pen handy—let me give you my number in case anything comes up.”

Prospect:“Go ahead.”

Sales Person:“That’s Linda Johnson…….with New Day Maintenance Supplies. And my office is 0843 849 6900. My mobile is 0744 844 8181. Please give me a call should anything come up.”
Prospect:“OK”

Sales Person:“Mark, again, thank you for your time and I look forward to meeting with you on Friday.”

It was not a long drawn out speech, but she did not rush off of the telephone. That is a solid appointment!

Happy CEMENTING!

Happy Selling....

SID.....

Neil Rackham's SPIN Model - Just Not Good Enough !!!

Hello Everyone,

Most of us know who Neil Rackham is - the author of SPIN SELLING book...

He is often called as 'Professor of Professional Selling'...

I spent a lot of time last week reading how extensively he researched on successful selling behaviour for 12 years and came out with the concept of SPIN....

( Apparently, the SPIN concept was developed in the 1970s-80s, and he checked selling behaviour in 20 leading sales organizations, in 23 countries, involving analysis of data from 35,000 sales calls. )

I think the SPIN model is fine example of selling process in creation selling....BUT not in Consultative Selling...

SPIN model is in simple terms:

S - Situation. P - Problem. I - Implication. N - Need .

Let me elucidate what he probably meant by that :

Discuss the situation with the prospect.

Next identify the problem that exist or could arise.

Understand the implication of the problem for the prospect's business or Interest.

Then do the needful to meet prospect's requirement.

BUT i am sorry, i think selling is something more than that ( atleast i believe so )

I believe - the Sales Process begins with catching the prospect's interest or attention.

So I ask all those who follow Mr.Rackham's theory, what are you doing there to get your prospect's Interest?

What are you doing to grab people when you make a phone call, leave a voicemail, or send an email to a new prospect?

Are you sounding the same as everybody else in your market, saying things like we are the best training company in the UK...We have wealth of experince and expertise to meet your demands.

Well so are all your competitors.

Most people say the same things when they prospect.

Very few people use their creative brain enough to come up with something special and extra ordinary or something very very ordinary yet so different as a way to get people's attention.

MY POINT IS --- Standout as Special One and be different with your prospecting.

Get their interest / attention and begin to sell.

First try to capture the imagination of your client and then follow SPIN model...

Lets SPIN it properly...

SID...

LIKE FOR LIKE SALES GROWTH IS VERY SLOW ( TARGETS NOT BEING REACHED )

Hello Guys,

Wondering where the hell i had been from the last few days..... 'NO'... its ok then...

Anyway, i hope you all enjoying great summer...

Well, the global economic outlook continues to look pretty gloomy and like for like growth has certainly slowed...

It is like big chaos these days....

" " " People losing out their jobs " " "

" " " Customers not willing to spend " " "

" " " Sales people finding tough to close " " "

" " " Marketing people finding tough to get good clients " " "

There is so much of frustration cos of this chaotic stress...

As per ' The Guardian ' : In UK alone 70% of businesses are not meeting like for like sales targets - thanks to credit crunch and recession.

Now, Where do we SALESPEOPLE stand....

At the firing line of SALES Managers or the behest sympathy of Cutomers...

Unfortunately at the both ends,,,....if we dont meet the numbers.

Sales Managers / Employers generally set the target based on last year's performance and growth, which is quite fair but not realistic in the given financial difficulties and economic downturn...

Customers on the other hand wants to exercise incredible caution before they spend a penny...

Amidst this extremely difficult scenario, My suggestion to all those worried sales people is to focus on basic sales etiquittes and apply more effort on passion and commitment to yield happy results...

Follow the age old basic yet so effective SALES CYCLE PROCESS..

1. Preparation/planning/research/approach.

2. Introduction/opening/approach/establish initial credibility.

3. Questioning/identify needs/ask how and what, etc/establish rapport and trust.

4. Presentation/explanation/demonstration.

5. Overcoming objections/negotiating/fine-tuning.

6. Close/closing/agreement/commitment/confirmation.

7. Follow-up/after-sales/fulfil/deliver/admin. ( THIS IS DAMN IMPORTANT )

Lets get some result guys.....

Cheers !!!!

SID...

Sales and Marketing.....A basic difference.

Hello Guys,

I am back.....

From now on you will be able to see my posts once or twice a week....

Okay, my very own take on Sales and Marketing taken from 'SID-DISM'... (as my colleagues says.)

In my perception SALES is easy to explain and preach but its not that easy to practise.

SALES is about natural ability first and skills second.

Good Sales People are good because people trust and respect them, rather than the skills they possess.

Sales is different to Marketing.

Marketing relies more on planning, organisational and communications skills and SALES relies on Marketing skills too, but more so on qualities such as persistence, assertiveness, courage, commitment, sincerity, passion, confidence, positivity, wisdom, determination, compassion, sensitivity, and a degree of personal charisma. (omg they were too many to write).....

The truth is, in order to ensure that - company rises well and grows well in the market, it is very imperative that Sales and Marketing should co-ordinate with each other as any lethargy or mess-up with marketing directly affects sales....

Cheers !!!!

SID..

SELL WITH COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE....!!!

Hello Friends,

Well,..' You can not sell anything if you do not have courage to sell '...

Lets Analyse :

I was talking the other day with one of my friend ( not Jay this time ) about what you can and can't teach in selling.

We were talking about a couple of other entrepreneurs that we know, both of whom are better at doing their business,than at marketing or selling of the products of their businesses.

Now one of the most common things we hear about sales ability is that you are either born with it or you aren't.

Personally I think anything can be taught to, and learned by, anyone else.

But not everyone believes as I do.

Many people believe in the lie of "the natural".

I call it a lie, because when we focus on how "natural"someone else is, we short change our own incredibly powerful ability to transform our own selves into what ever we wish to be.

( My friend SAL gave a good example as he does mostly :- Imagine you are a rash driver and you dont want to learn how to drive it slowly, people got fed up teaching you to drive slowly, but you never learned because it was your personality to not listen to anyone and not to follow good advice --- but what happens is in an accident - god forbid - you almost lost your dear ones...at that point because of the horrific event that took place you forced and compelled your personality to change and started to learn that following one's good advice often helps... )

{ So, the action and circumstances forces us to change ourselves }..,thanks Sal..

Anyway, I think that sales ability is relatively easy to learn.

But that's not what is holding back the two entrepreneurs that my friend and I were talking about.

What's holding them back is fear.

Lack of courage.

Courage is much more difficult to teach than sales ability.

Learning something new is one thing. Willingness to learn it though is another.

Napolean quotes : Life is the process of learning and the process of learning new things isn't really that hard,once you get started.

Now if you are afraid to get started, then of course you will never learn.

And you stay stuck "doing" the business, making products for it, prettying it up, but never getting enough customers. You need to go through the various ebbs and tides in the business if you ever want to flourish....

Also, I was reading this in 'The Metro Newspaper' yesterday that 90% of all businesses fail within the first 5 years of startup.

It is very true that you can not gauge the depth of ocean until you go in....and you can not see heaven until you die.... You need to be more courageous and take the decision quickly with lot of confidence...

Courage is one of the most valuable traits you can have and develop as a salesman and a businessman.

Courage is the ability to act, in spite of fear. It's being able to do things, when the fear would freeze a weaker man.

And courage is a trait that can be developed.

Developing courage is like building a muscle. You got to exercise it, work it out, stretch it and stress it. And as long as you don't over do it, your muscle will get stronger.

This means taking risks, big enough ones to stretch yourself, but reasonable enough ones that you can succeed at them.

So, one thing worth remembering is that Courage, Confidence and Persistence, properly applied will help you to sell any product or any service to anyone and everyone in any god-damn industry...

Trust me guys....

SID.....