Listen First - Sell Later

In 1971, after working as a photojournalist, I decided to open a studio based photography business. I was very young and was under the impression that if I built a really great studio along with creating and presenting great work, the public would be knocking down my door. It didn't work like that.

I quickly realized that people were not ready to listen to what I had to say about my photography. It was only after I realized I had to get their attention first that I began to experience success.

As I got more experience in marketing and sales, this is what I learned: In order to get people to listen to what I had to say and buy what I had to sell, I had to listen to them first. I learned the value of asking questions and listening before trying to sell or market. I realized that attempting to sell something without listening to my customers first would be the same thing as a physician prescribing a drug without ever talking to the patient. I would be guilty of malpractice.

Many people today are starting their own small businesses for a number of reasons. Some do so because they're tired of the corporate grind. Others want to be their own boss, either as a second career or a precaution against downsizing. But unless they have a good background in sales and marketing, many of them will fail because they don't know how to get people's attention. They don't know that they need to listen first and sell later.

This book contains over 35 years of sales and marketing experience for people just like them-especially those just starting out or struggling. That's another thing I learned the hard way over many years: It's far easier to learn from other people's mistakes than your own. This way, you can learn from mine.

"Once again Bob quickly connects with the reader and adapts his extensive business experience to us in this fun- to- read that actually delivers. On the money, entertaining, and practical if you truly want to differentiate yourself, offer real value, and have your customers feel heard! A great gift for my executive clients."

"Having for years bragged that I am unaffected by (code for superior) marketing strategies, Listen First - Sell Later gives me the courage to admit that I might be after all, 'the marketing type.'"

"If Willie Loman had read Bob's book, there never would have been the Death of a Salesman! This is not your father's marketing and sales manual! It's a timely contribution to the field of permission marketing. Each kernel rings true! If you think you know marketing and are content with where you are, this is not the book for you. Be prepared to be challenged, stretched and changed by this book. If you walk away with one kernel, it will be that you have to listen with your heart as much your ears. Listen - build your relationships! Sales will follow!"

* How to really listen to your customers, colleagues, and everyone else.
* What animals can teach us about business relationships and trust.
* Why your customers want belly rubs!
* Why you need to stop selling and start listening.
* Why you need to stop managing and start leading.
* How to be a solutions provider instead of a salesperson.
* How to THRIVE in a rough economy.
* How to connect even with the one client you just can't get along with.
* How one person (that's you) can make a big difference.
* How to use web tools to make sure your customers remember you.
* How to jump start a new business and answer important questions.
* Small business land mines you need to be aware of and how to surmount them.
* Why YOU need to be the Chief Marketing Officer of your company.
* How you can steer clear of small business overwhelm.
* How to provide amazing value and compete with unlimited competition.
* Whose responsibility it is to communicate clearly with your customers.
* Why stories are one of your most important assets in sales and marketing.
* The true cost of advertising, and what you can do instead.
* Word of mouth, and helping your customers find you when they need you!
* How to do email marketing RIGHT.
* How to value your employees (and how they'll pass it on to your customers).
* How to take care of your salespeople.
* How to deal with fear and rejection in business.
* How to persist, change the picture, and never give up!
* All about risk, reward, and VALUE.
* What you can learn from the new marketing revolution.
* How to practice what you preach.
* How to be an energy creator, and not a sucking black hole!
* How to lead, encourage leadership in others, and change the world.
* How personal attention, creativity and fun can help you connect.
* DOZENS of stories, case studies and small business ideas to connect, increase income, and create value that you can apply to your business right now.

If you're opening a small business in a down economy or during boom times, you need to think a few things through before you open your doors for business.

A pizzeria-style Italian restaurant recently opened in my area. I wouldn't have known it, but they had someone stuff a menu in our door. It was a menu just like every other pizzeria menu. It didn't give me a reason to visit them. They have the same specials as all the pizzerias. The menu is printed on stock paper with stock photos that lots of restaurants use. There is nothing in their first contact with me (a potential customer) that makes me want to give them a try.

As I looked the menu over, I noticed that I didn't see anything about delivery service. Pretty much all the pizza places here deliver. The ones that don't just threw away at least half of their business.

Then I noticed one of their coupons, which stated "Good only for dining in or take out." Logic told me that if it's only good for those two things, they must have another service where it isn't good-and the only one that made sense was delivery. So, I called them and asked.

"No, we don't deliver," they said.

I said, "I'm confused-your menu offers discounts only on dining in your restaurant or taking food out. How would I buy your product in a situation where I couldn't use the coupon?"

"We don't deliver," was the response, and that was the end of the conversation.

Here's what I would have done if I was opening a new pizzeria-style Italian restaurant and planning to deliver flyers to potential customers:

1. I would have the best pizza in town.

2. The flyer would be an offer of a free pizza. (I'd spread the flyers out over a couple of weeks.)

3. I'd have free delivery, and I'd make sure I paid the delivery people well to give the best possible service.

4. I would have my delivery people wear costumes. We'd change them from time-to-time. Imagine if the pizza was delivered by someone dressed as a gorilla.

5. Every time someone got home delivery or bought at my restaurant, I'd include a little something extra they weren't expecting.

6. When they'd come into the restaurant to eat, the server would give them a free pizza coupon at the end of their meal. They would also be handed a postcard and a pen with an offer to give a friend a free pizza too. We then would take the card and put it in the mail for them.

7. We'd have a birthday club. Members would get a birthday card and coupon for a free dinner at the restaurant anytime during their birthday week.

I wouldn't do what every other pizza place does. I'd make it a fun experience whether customers were coming into the restaurant or calling for delivery.

With a little creativity, you can substitute pretty much any other product or service for the pizza, like software or employment services.

I have always been a proponent of companies and salespeople sending birthday cards to their customers. It's a great way to connect, an opportunity to be creative, and both those things are essential to building a positive customer relationship. But now I wonder-maybe it's a better idea to give the customer a phone call. Communication is getting more impersonal, and I wonder if a phone call would mean more to them. What do you think?

I've read that 70% of communication is non-verbal. I wonder who comes up with these numbers. Are they real or do they become "real" because they get repeated so many times?

A sales expert is espousing that numbers don't work anymore when it comes to making sales calls. She says you can actually do more harm by making more calls. That might be true if you're totally inept, but you can take this to the bank: Work harder, make more calls and you'll make more sales. (Where do they come up with this stuff?)

This same sales expert also says it takes at least 10 contacts before you make a sale. Wow. I don't know how to break this to the thousands of salespeople who are out there making sales in one call. I wonder what I'm supposed to do the next time someone indicates they want to buy from me and we've only had two contacts?

I recently read about how the Human Resource department of a multi-billion dollar software company hired a sales assessment company to create a hiring profile for hiring successful salespeople. They determined there are 80-yes, that's 80-key indicators of successful salespeople in this particular company. I wonder how they apply that to hiring their salespeople. I wonder if that means you don't have to interview or even meet candidates anymore!

How do you screen for 80 key indicators? I think five is plenty, and you're lucky if you can determine all of them. I guess with this profile you could do all your screening over the internet, just using the assessment profile. Think of the time and money savings! What I really wonder is, who's the idiot that allowed Human Resources to have anything to do with hiring salespeople?

I have a client who finds people jobs-both permanent and temporary-in a licensed professional field. He sends out weekly job bulletins, information about Continuing Education workshops, and a monthly educational newsletter. I have always wondered why a person who asks to be on their 100% permission-based mailing list later takes themselves off permanently, when they get a job. Don't they want to know what's going on in their field? Do they think they'll work for one company forever? I've always wondered what goes through their minds.

I wonder why more people don't expect the best to happen (instead of the worst)? Why do they allow themselves to be paralyzed by fear? People who need to know something is perfectly safe before trying it never get anywhere. Remember Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail?15 The final step was a "Leap of Faith." You have to have faith the best will happen. You have to know it won't always work out, too-and you have to pick yourself up and try again.

I wonder why some people treat waiters, dry cleaners, the train conductor and the checkout clerk so poorly. Are they only nice to the people they think are like them? Why can't they even make eye contact with those people?

I wonder why some people are always chasing after the cheapest price, even if it means giving up a relationship. Don't they know that a quality life is all about relationships?

Do you ever think about what you want for your customers, clients, and prospects? I believe the more you want the best for them, the more you build them up, the more generous you are with them, the more productive and successful you will be.

Seems pretty simple, and yet it doesn't happen often enough. People in business often get caught up in focusing on themselves - salespeople, marketers, business owners. Training and the ability to ask questions about a customer's needs aren't enough. You need to love them.

I think if you want the best for someone, if you are giving them your attention by listening, and if you are taking the time to understand them-you are engaging in a form of love.

If this is simple, why doesn't it happen enough? Fear is the reason. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of loss, and more. But when you have faith in yourself, your message and your convictions-fear goes out the door.

Have faith and show them the love.

Known as The Sales & Marketing Guru®, Bob Poole has over 35 years of sales and marketing experience helping businesses and entrepreneurs to meet their sales and marketing goals. Unlike many consultants who talk a good game, Bob has actually sold both door-to-door and on Wall Street. He is an expert in making complex sales and marketing strategies - simple!

As a photojournalist and professional photographer during the late 60's and early 70's, his peers, his clients and the industry recognized Bob as an outstanding talent, leading to a national photography achievement award from Eastman Kodak. His fellows in Professional Photographers of America consistently acknowledged him for his outstanding work. As a teenager, Bob decided to take flying lessons at the age of 17. He soloed later that year in a 1939 Luscombe 8A - a vintage "tail dragger" that is still one of his favorite planes.

During the Vietnam War, Bob served in the US Navy and traveled to over 35 countries and 4 continents. He has since worked in and visited 2 more continents. Only Antarctica remains on his list. During part of his naval career he was stationed on board the USS Recovery (ARS 43), salvage and rescue divers' ship. He is proud to have served with Master Chief and Master Diver Carl Brashear during this period. The movie "Men of Honor" starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert De Niro was based on Chief Brashear's life.

Bob did not have a part in the movie.

A talent for creating marketing campaigns led to him becoming more involved in sales and marketing. His first position with a company other than his own was in sales for 3M Company. In only his second year with the company, he was recognized by 3M as one of the Top Ten Sales Representatives in the Company. He is a holder of every sales honor and award given by 3M. He was recognized by 3M as a guest for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. It was at these Olympics that the United States Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union in what was to become known as "The Miracle on Ice." A film of the event called "Miracle" was released in 2004.

Bob did not have a part in this movie either.

After leaving 3M he later created and managed a consulting company and a software development company that led to the creation of a successful multi-million dollar E-Business. He has actively participated in million dollar engagements in Enterprise Financial Services, Management Consulting, Customer Behavior and Profitability, Security Planning & Assessment, Systems Integration, Public Key Infrastructure, Client Relationship Management and E-Business Solutions.

With a desire to share with others his passion for business, he has conducted over 150 sales, marketing and technology seminars and workshops for a wide variety of companies, associations and individuals in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, and Asia. As a member of the National Speakers Association, he was one of the original founders of the International Center for Professional Speaking in Tempe, AZ. His sales consulting program, "Listen First - Sell Later"® has been used by both companies and individuals to implement a new and extremely successful approach to selling both products and services. His work has also appeared in many newspapers, magazines and trade journals.

Bob's greatest asset is probably his ability to quickly connect with people and adapt his extensive cross industry and best practices experience to his clients own particular set of challenges and thereby make practical and usable recommendations to improve their condition. His company motto is: "We Help Organizations Improve Their Performance and Effectiveness."

In 1993, in order to meet a client's marketing needs, Bob produced a play that took place in a historical cemetery where the characters were famous people who are buried in the cemetery. The audience moved throughout the play through the cemetery which became the "stage." The cast would "come alive" and deliver their lines which were both educational and entertaining. The play was such a hit that it played to "standing room only" every showing and was extended several weeks. The client was the cemetery!

Needless to say, Bob did not have a part in the play.

Bob is CEO of The Poole Consulting Group LLC. He writes a blog called The Water Cooler Hangout which is read by thousands of people in over 20 countries.

About Megan Elizabeth Morris:

Megan Elizabeth Morris, or The Magnificent Megan M., [proper noun]: Superhuman font of knowledge, skill, determination & resourcefulness. Exudes enzymes that cause others to surpass their potential. Master thinker; writes, designs, manages, ideastorms, markets, inspires, connects, grows, teaches, makes things happen, changes the world, and fights evildoers. Bam! Pow! Leaps buildings in a single bound! Creates moulah out of thin air just in the nick of time! Saves babies from speeding trains! Narrowly avoids unleashing the zombie apocalypse by aiding and abetting its evil overlord! Megan's job descriptions say "Adventurer" and "Catalyst." She thinks big ideas and makes them happen. She also, apparently, edits. ;}

Megan M. maintains that all people are capable of great things. (This means you. She's not kidding.) She sings a damn good aria, drinks green juice, run experiments on herself, and is an active advocate for people pushing their potential, finding out what thrills them and making it what they DO. She's best when she's coming up with crazy ideas and figuring out how to implement them. She freaking LOVES an impossible challenge. Go ahead. Say "can't" again...

If you need what she's peddling, drop her a note. If you just want to talk, she loves making new friends -- and she loves to help brilliant people who are driven to make something wonderful happen. If you think you can do amazing things, you're already halfway there.

You can read more about Megan and her wacky adventures at Personal Revelations of the Magnificent Megan M.

About Paul Durban:

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