Sales / Growth - Book Summary: "Mr. Shmooze. The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships", by Richard Abraham - News: JFD Performance Solutions

This book has been on my reading list for awhile. Then, its recent endorsement by commercial real estate broker-extraordinaire Peter Pessetto prompted me to act. "Mr. Shmooze" is the story of a man who lives his life and performs as a salesperson with the conviction that selling is not about "taking" or "persuading," but about "giving." Sometimes shmoozing (or schmoozing) has a negative connotation, as when a person acts kindly toward someone else in order to take advantage of them in some way.

So, you were finally able to schedule that all-important meeting with the sales prospect. Now what? Well, of course, you need to prepare. But what does effective preparation entail? And what is critical during and after the meeting? Many sales people overlook the "easy stuff", often resulting in lost sales opportunities. There are many reasons why a sales person does not get the result they want from meetings with prospects. They may be lazy, too "salesy", or just not very competent in general. Well, regardless of your situation and level of expertise in sales, here are some "easy" things you can do to help your next sales appointment go well.

1. Clear communication. Use the KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) method - it does not have to be complicated to outline exactly what is expected of them daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly.

2. Motivate your current sales team with incentives, rewards and, most importantly, acknowledgements of a job well done. Dissatisfied sales professionals often lament the fact that their achievements are not noticed nor seem to matter.

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Nothing helps you make a sale like strong testimonials from satisfied customers. Prospects are impressed when they hear positive things from those who have already bought your product or service. Some types of customer recommendations work better than others.