Peter called a week before I
was to speak at a technology conference.
He apologized saying, “I won’t
be able to attend but I really wished I could hear what you have to say because
my company is about to upgrade our computers. I made some software decisions and
I’m dreading the people problems.”
I was the only non-technical
speaker at the event. They asked me to talk about the human aspects of Contact
Management. I don’t claim to be an expert on the hardware or software. My
expertise is the wetware…the gold standard of computing that each of us carries
around on our shoulders.
Here’s what I told him:
Using Contact Management Software:
- Enhances your
RECALL
- Assures that
you’ll be REMEMBERED
- Makes your
business RAMP UP
Recall. The
wetware, your brain, is unique. It learns continually, has “common sense” and
can figure out novel solutions to problems. It is, in a word, creative. But it
has its limitations, not the least of which is memory problems. Retrieval is
difficult and sometimes even impossible.
A study conducted by Dr.
Ebbinghaus and reported by McGraw Hill showed that we forget 40% of what we
hear overnight. Within a month we recall less than 5%. Even if we care about
the information we forget at an alarming rate.
That’s why a firm with six
names on the door gets shortened to one or two. And why that detail that might
clinch the deal eludes you.
Contact Management
software can help you recall a wealth of details you automatically forget. Today my Rolodex TM is covered with dust. My
computer can give me the information I want sorted the way I want it with
complete notes on each client and prospect from the first time we met right up to
today. And do it in less time than it takes to type this sentence.
To be remembered in a world that rains down thousands of messages a day you need to
manage your contacts so they don’t forget about you. It is absolutely critical
that you reach out and touch clients, prospects and even suspects regularly.
The effect of repeating a
message is a residual memory. If your message is repeated at the right time the
impact is additive. The residual memory of message 1 is added to by message 2
and so on slowly building to the point where the residual memory is
substantial.
The question is how often do
you have to do it?
Hubert Zielske, an
advertising agency executive, conducted research that showed that the absolute
minimum is once every four weeks. You can make contact more often but I’d
recommend that only for short-term promotions.
The required activity is
difficult for an individual to accomplish with any paper system I know of (even
with just few hundred contacts) in the limited time it takes to do it with
Contact Management Software.
Ramping up your business is a natural outgrowth of good contact management.
Every business depends on
relationships. Small businesses need good ongoing relationships even more than
others.
Who you know is important.
What you know matters. But the single most important thing for building a
business is who trusts you.
To get to trust you must
maintain contact. And the wet ware
is not designed to assure that you stay top of mind with prospects. Contact
management software linked to a proactive email program can do it more
efficiently than any other process available.
Contact Management Software…it
can enhance your recall, get you remembered and ramp up our business.
Sign up for the blog and learn more
about the human aspects of CRM, Contact Relationship Management for small companies.
Learn more about Jerry Fletcher:
Gail was on her high horse again saying, “It’s bad enough “One way we’ve found to make e-mail work in marketing is to “IOU? “ I asked. Rick replied, “It’s an easy test, anybody can do it. IOU I stands for interest. If your email is going to be read, The most important thing is to look at it from the viewpoint Gail muttered, “Okay, okay that should be obvious.” I agreed and then asked, “So what is the O for?” “O” Rick said, pausing dramatically, “Is for the Offer. It “That reminds me of Tom, I ventured. Remember how he used to “I could go on all day about offers,” Rick gushed but I “Yes, Oh Master of Direct, please tell us,” Gail mocked. “The U is for Urgency” Rick went on. If your message lacks a Get a FREE Networking Ninja Audio. Pass this blog on to friends and colleagues and urge them to Learn more about Jerry Speaking: www.NetworkingNInja.com Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com Business begins and ends with a contact. A prospect reaches out to you for help, describes a need you You connect. Your offering matches his or her need, the Is that all there is? Not if you understand that the true You want repeat business. The secret to repeat business lies in seeing each customer Reduce your unique difference to a short Use graphics that connect to strengthen the Use the distinct sounds of your company, Is there a sound effect that Build in tactile differences. Use heavy or textured paper. Put a special fold into your business cards to get involvement and generate tangible recall. Make your presentation brochure just slightly bigger or smaller than others. Chevy’s restaurant puts crunch into a salad with pieces of taco shells. A package tied with string seems so much more valuable than the one with the “automatic locking box.” Tantalize the sensation of touch to help you stand out from the crowd. Capture the aroma of your establishment if it’s positive. Override it if it causes distress or discomfort. Paddy, a remarkable dentist in Australia found that when he filled his waiting room with the smell of fresh baked muffins it reduced patient anxiety significantly…and increased his practice. Every time a batch is cooked at that Cinnabon in your local shopping mall it’s show time. Use tastes to capture share of mind. Every candy store that stays in business learns this trick. See’s each day have a specific item to give away. Sampling, like a previews of coming attractions, is a great way to get people to consider your business and one of the easiest ways to turn prospects into customers and customers into fans. In a lot of cases, people need to try something to be sure they’ll like it. A free trial or sample with no obligation is the easiest way to overcome the difficulty of getting people to take action. Make sure every contact your make is a prize-winning performance… touching as many senses as possible…for each audience of one. Get a better sense of this Marketing Strategist at: www.JerryFletcher.com Book Jerry to speak to or group at: www.NetworkingNinja.com You’ve taken that Word of mouth You swept onward But each crest got To break the roller Doing a Having Credentials Expertise No How can How do you get to trust Get How do Get to Be an expert. You never will know as much about The two That
Learn more at: www.JerryFletcher.com Book Jerry to speak: www.NetworkingNinja.com Mike leaned across the table and said, “Until somebody makes a sale there’s no bottom line.” Steve took a sip from his draft and asked, “So you believe the most important person in a company is whoever pitches the product or service…What about the folks that handle the advertising and the Public Relations…the ones that develop the image of the company?” Jeannie and Nan who run a communications training operation jumped in. “Image…as long as you mean that it’s not what you say,” Jeannie started. “But how you say it” finished Nan. I kept my mouth shut. They’ve each been arguing the same views as long as I’ve known them. Trouble was, this was a Friday night and my wife Susan was out of town so I couldn’t claim that I had to get home for dinner. I was stuck for the duration. So I tried a little change in direction saying, “Guys, you’re all right as usual, but I need help with a little problem.” I’m trying to come up with basic ways for a client to more quickly develop their business, any suggestions? Mike started, “I’ve heard you say that businesses are built one contact at a time. And you’re right. But a contact is just the beginning. You need to pitch ‘em and close ‘em to get the sale. That takes presentation skills. If you want to persuade someone to buy you have to get in front of them, connect with them. Show them how much you care and earn their trust. People won’t buy from someone they don’t trust. Getting to trust isn’t easy. But I’ll guarantee that if you follow my rules you’ll get more sales: “The sale is the thing,” agreed Steve, “but what about the pre-conditioning of the prospect? Seems to me you’ve overlooked how much easier it is to get in the door if they know about the company or product. I can guarantee that if we’ve done our homework and prepared the materials and the web site properly we’ll have expert information and opinions, statistical data and facts as well as solid examples of how to use the product or service. If you can‘t get to them, we’ll do it with direct mail or phone. And on top of that we’ll add an emotional hook to make it memorable. We can make it easier for you, or make the sale or both.” Nan piped up, “There’s an awful lot of guaranteeing going on around here! But you guys are overlooking the basics. You gotta be believable. You’ll get nowhere if you aren’t. Whether it‘s an ad or a brochure or sales letter or a sales call you have to be believed. There are two techniques that will make you more believable every time. Jeannie picked it up there saying, “Try the first-hand story. Stories, told with lots of detail will be more easily remembered by the prospect. We know from psychological research that stories are stored differently in the mind…like events that we were involved in and that makes them more credible…so you’re more likely to get the sale.” “No matter what you do,” Nan said, “you have to understand that getting someone to buy requires a change in their behavior…and that only happens for three reasons: To avoid pain. To gain pleasure. To respond to their emotional condition at the moment The question is, which can you honestly, believably use? The better you know your audience and the more enthusiastic about your product you are the easier it will be to choose.” I ordered a round and said, “You did it! You’ve given me a raft of ideas I can use but something each one of you said was on the same wavelength. Mike said show how much you care, Steve talked about an emotional hook and Jeannie & Nan hit on enthusiasm and emotional states. It all comes down to one word…passion. Passion is what is missing from the presentations we’ve developed. And passion is what we need to get to the Perfect Pitch. Thanks!” Get passionate about building your business. Call Jerry Fletcher direct toll-free at 800 533-2893 or visit www.JerryFletcher.com To schedule the Networking Ninja to speak visit: www.NetworkingNinja.com
It never fails. The caller or e-mailer identifies himself/herself, notes how the referral came about and gets right to the heart of the matter, “which CRM software should I use?” I don’t know. I can’t answer the question because I don’t have enough particulars. Here’s what you need to consider when you begin rubbing up against this decision: Why are you considering CRM software? You don’t need CRM software to survive and even thrive. You could use a paper system. The current software is based on paper systems that were developed over the last century by the best sales forces. But paper systems that can handle a thousand contacts, their data and all the records will take up a very large corner of your office. You can handle ten times that on your low-cost laptop, and easily up to a hundred times that on a server based system. The system difference between Contact and Customer is in the data you keep. Essential contact information is the same for both. But with customers you also need to know the things that drive your transactions but more importantly the drivers of your relationship. What do you expect to get out of the symbiotic relationship you’re thinking of entering? Is there some feature of one of the programs that you’ve heard about that you’d like to have? You get all those marvelous capabilities that a computer brings: sorting by groups, automatic addressing, form letters that look one-off, instant access, alarms to call your attention to required activities, the ability to print out personalized calendars, direct linkage to fax and e-mail, simplicity of duplication, ease of sharing files with others in your organization, multi-level networked scheduling and on and on. Most importantly you can increase your productivity. But the secret of doubling your effectiveness is really pretty simple: On paper or computer, that’s all it takes to double your business. How are you going to convert from your current approach/system? Most people dread this more than anything else. They’re so used to that card file or album or their paper list that all they can see is a massive typing job. And then they’re not quite sure how to take the daily calendar they use and make it work with the new computerized capabilities. There is a way. The secret is to keep what works for you, experiment with the new capabilities and then go with what works over time. Entering the names and addresses and phone numbers of the people you maintain contact with is easier than you might think. Converting your current database (an excel file?) to a CSV file allows you to easily map the fields you use directly to the new software. If you’re like most folks you’ll find when you begin reviewing your contacts that those you are really in touch with (and have current data on) are fewer than 25%. I strongly recommend that you pare down your current contact list to those you really reach out to on a regular basis. You’ll have a better fix on all those people and required actions than ever before. And you will be able to take advantage of the capabilities of the software to generate more business more quickly and keep those customers longer. CRM Software can help you take your business, your career and, yes, even your life to the next level. Here’s the best integrated solution I’ve found for solopreneurs and small businesses. How you use your CRM Software is critical to your success. Get advice from a strategic marketing expert: www.JerryFletcher.com To book Jerry to speak for your group: www.NetworkingNinja.com You meet someone. They become a contact. They are no longer a suspect. You now know something about them. What you know dictates how you identify them. The information you gather allows you to classify them and to determine how you will engage with them over time. You now have a contact, a connection or a prospect. What you know will allow you to get their business. And if there is no business you can make a connection that may reward you in other ways. BUT You have to follow up. Follow up is one part of what sets you apart from the vast majority of others in your industry. Follow up is what you have to do to win business and sustain it. Here’s a checklist for the follow up you need to Network to New Business Get the person’s contact data. At a minimum you need the name and e-mail. Enter the data in your Contact Management database. If it was a personal meeting and you have a card put as much as there is in your system. Note where you met them and/or who introduced you or referred you. Send them a handwritten note card. Tell them you will be calling to set a meeting over coffee to learn more abut their business. Plan your next step. Decide what your next action is going to be and when it is going to happen. Put a reminder on your calendar in your Contact Management system. Phone Call: have a script for a live call and if you get voice mail. Basic information to be included is: your name, where you met, why you are calling and options for a meeting time and place. Use essentially the same script if you get voice mail. E-mail is to be used only if you have no phone number. Provide the same data as the phone call. Continue to contact them regularly. Here are some time frames to consider: Contact–once a month decreasing to quarterly after year one. Connection—Once a month at a minimum. Prospect—weekly until you know what their schedule to take action is then monthly until three weeks before when you shift back to a weekly schedule. Get a PDF of the checklist with a copy of The People Out There. Visit the resources page at: www.Jerry Fletcher.com Need a CRM System? Here’s the best integrated small business CRM I’ve found. Schedule Jerry to Speak to your group: www.NetworkingNinja.com Share this information with friends and colleagues. Lip Service My advice to budding I need a little help. Ever notice how you respond to that phrase? Very She never did get written Put it in writing. “Jot down,” I said to an audience, “the reason you are in this business The room fell silent save “How many,” I asked, “are Only about 20% of those in “How many of you would be I’ll bet that The action of writing What you get is what’s not said. Multiple surveys in the last few years have Think about the last time Actions do speak louder Jerry Fletcher, Networking Ninja speaks and writes on building businesses from the ground up. Learn more. Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com or visit his Consulting Web site: www.JerryFletcher.com About mid afternoon, my brother in law pulled out his cell I thought, “Do I have to?” Today there are a myriad of ways to use technology to see You can use: But you have to have a camera and microphone on the device. Consider these things before you opt to call or Face Time used to Today, you could be As Humphrey Bogart Jerry Fletcher Suzie reported, “They didn’t change their marketing. This client came back from the fiscal edge by putting credit card operated vending machines in orthodontists offices.” Suzie helps companies raise capital in tough times. She doesn’t pretend to be a marketing specialist. I’ll come back to that company in a paragraph or two. Pardon me while I dust off some basics and add a little from my approach. Marketing consists of more than the four Ps you probably learned in your business courses in college. I prefer a passel of them. From beginning to end they are: “Suzie,” I said, “I have to meet the genius that came up with putting vending machines with all the parts required in orthdontist’s offices. That is brilliant. In one stroke he reduced his warehouse inventory, shortened patient waiting time and with the use of credit card payment eliminated aging problems on his receivables. And talk about competitive! That is one of the best ways to lock out competitors I‘ve ever heard about. It is absolutely great marketing.” “Marketing?” she asked. “Yes, marketing. It impacts three of the four components of Persona. The product is still orthodontic parts but now they don’t have to be individually ordered. The unit Price can be the same or lower (while maintaining or increasing margins) because there is less handling at all levels of the Passage. This change makes it easier to match inventory to the market requirements and allows manufacturing to build on demand for known requirements to restock the vending machines.” “Well,” she groused, “When you put it that way maybe it is marketing but they were just trying to survive!” I replied, “And that is a new definition of Marketing. It is rethinking how you go to market so you can survive.” Jerry Fletcher is a marketing strategist thoroughly conversant with that passel of Ps. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com Jerry Speaks professionally on all the components of business survival See and hear about his presentations at www.NetworkingNInja.com Refer this blog to a friend or colleague that you think will find it helpful. Thanks for your help. .
Speaking—www.NetworkingNinja.com
Consulting—
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Does Your E-mail Deliver an IOU?
that some people send an e-mail between cubicles just 15 feet apart…you would
think they could make them readable!”
make sure every one delivers an IOU,” Rick chimed in.
stands for the basics that have to be included in any e-mail that needs to
convince or persuade or sell.
you have to get people’s interest. What
you say and how long it takes you to say it can vary all over the lot. The key
thing is you have to connect with the target’s problem or concern in a way that
is engaging. You can use a story or a quote, perhaps a reminder but to be
really successful you need o relate to the individual being addressed. A note
that is triggered by a birthday or anniversary always pulls people into your
message. A topic of concern will bring them to you.
of the addressee. Use what tantalizes them and descriptions anchored in their
vocabulary.”
is the incentive that makes people want to take action. It is what moves them
toward making a buy or clicking to your web site or signing up. It is what gets
them to do what you want them to do.”
say …and Free is pretty good price.”
suppose you want to know what the U is for. Am I right”
sense of urgency it will not be acted on. For marketing you need to have an
end date on the offer. That generates urgency. Or you may only have a few of an
item left. That can generate urgency. Or, only the first swift responders
will be able to get the deal. That creates urgency. Limits of just about any
kind provide urgency. So what I do with
every e-mail we put out there for clients is check to see if it delivers an
IOU. I make sure that it has Interest, an Offer and Urgency.
sign up and comment at blog.JerryFletcher.com you and your friend or colleague could get a FREE Networking Ninja Audio.
Every Contact is an Audience of One
can fulfill and says they have the wherewithal to pay for your product or
service.
terms are right and the deal is done.
value of a customer is not derived from a single sale. You want that
client/customer to return to you for more of the same or variations on the
theme or additional products/services and refer additional customers/clients to
you.
contact as a performance for an audience
of one. Here’s how you can be sure that your unique difference is communicated
and remembered each time you make contact with a customer or client:
statement that everyone familiar with your operation can be aware of,
memorize and interpret. By everyone, I
mean you, your staff, your referral sources, your customers…anyone who can
refer business to you. A “hook” like “They call me Captain Crunch” for a CPA can make the difference between an average and a six figure income.
memory. Symbols, illustrations and photos can all make a contact count
more. Use visuals that people understand. A unique color alone can make you stand out.
product or service to enhance your position. Case in point: One of the best
remembered television commercials for Coke was simply the sound of a bottle
being opened and the pour of the product into a glass filled with ice.
will bring the curtain up on a “memory
play” for your business?
Is Your Business on the Roller Coaster?
long hard ratcheting ride up the first hill to start your business. The plunge as
that first healthy contract came in sped you along. But it changed or was reduced
or lost completely. Now you find your momentum carrying you forward. 
propelled you up the next hill of projects, orders and income.
pushed by referrals.
a little lower than the last. The surges moved you along but none catapulted you
to a new level.
coaster pattern you have to get on a different track.
good job is not enough. It must be memorable.
the highest quality won’t guarantee you the contract. Knowing the prospect will.
won’t get you the case. Credibility will.
is a matter of opinion. Theirs.
matter what field you’re in, you are on your way out of business if you don’t
manage your contacts. Each contact with customers, prospects and anyone who
might influence someone to buy your product or service is the greatest
opportunity you can have.
you be more memorable? Start by remembering the contact. Get the name, address,
the phone number…anything that you believe will help. Meet at their site.
Demonstrate your expertise. Do something out of the ordinary.
with a prospect or client? Take the time. Ask the questions that will make it easier for you to
provide what they need. Listen. Prove to them you’re listening by clarifying.
Ask for the order and the referral at the same time. Explain that referrals to
“customers like you” make it possible for your operation to stay in business
and provide the quality they need.
referred. Ask for it. Prime it. Make sure every customer, prospect and person
who can influence a sale for you knows precisely what kind of client/customer
you are looking for and what kind of projects. Don’t be afraid to tell them
your “perfect prospect specs” more than once and each time ask for direct
referrals.
you get credibility? Have someone else recommend you. Use a third party to
establish your capabilities whenever possible. If someone has lauded your
handling of a project, don’t be afraid to ask them for a letter with their kind
words in it. Or, have them step in and do the presentation about you to a
prospect. Words from a satisfied customer go a long way toward convincing if
not completely captivating a prospect.
know the professionals that regularly meet with and advise the folks you
consider prospects. Sell them and they will sell you in turn.
the prospect’s business as they do. But they will never know as much about
yours. Together you are greater than each of you might be separately.
of you are in this together.
realization, if nothing else, will take you to a higher level than your
competition.
How Do You Get To The Perfect Pitch?
What CRM Software is Right For You?
Checklist for Networking to New Business
Online Contact Tip: Stick with that minimal data until you have to gather data for a transaction.
Online Contact Tip: include the offer they responded to or how the connection occurred.
Online Contact Tip: Have an auto responder set up to thank them for their interest and to give them your direct contact info if they would like a personal conversation.
Actions Speak Louder–What You Get is What’s Not Said
was what I called it in my first book. Ever notice how when you are starting a
business that everyone you meet thinks it’s a good idea? Your friends encourage
you. People you’ve never met before say nice things. You are thrilled with the
reaction.
entrepreneurs was to ask those folks, “Would you like to buy one?” Suddenly,
they found out whether there really was a market for their products. Action
speaks.
few people say no. The technique led to a story included in my forthcoming Kindle
Book Trade Secrets Of A Networking Ninja about
a Certified Financial Planner who had sent out a draft copy of her new brochure
to six or seven CPA’s she had worked with to get their opinion on what she had
to say.
opinions from them. They acted instead and just sent her business.
and why you want to be in it next year. Tell the absolute truth…the words in
your heart of hearts. If you are not sure, that’s okay. Write that down.”
for the faint noise of ball points gliding. Each of them finished, their heads
came up and their eyes locked on mine with an expectant look.
sure you’ll be in the business next year?”
the room raised their hands.
willing to share that reason with us,” I asked. Only two people volunteered.
Both noted that they had wanted to do this for as long as they wanted to build
a business and they couldn’t imagine doing anything else because they
absolutely loved what they were doing and they were clearly on a track.
those two people not only will be in business for more than a few years, but
they’ll be leaders in it.
something down does two things, it
makes it easier to remember because it forces us to think about it in multiple
ways and it makes it attainable because
we see ourselves taking one step toward it.
indicated that the real differentiating factors for businesses today are
service-based rather than product-based.
someone recommended a product or service to you…unsolicited. I’ll bet it was
because of incredible service. Someone made the purchase an event to be
celebrated or went that a little further or gave just that little bit extra to
make a difference. They didn’t talk about it or hang puffed up statements of
intent on a wall, they simply took action.
than words.
Three Tricks to Take Face Time From Awkward to Zoftique.
phone and then his pad computer and announced, “It’s time for some face time.”
who we’re having a conversation with. The results run the gamut from awkward to
zoftique.
software.
receive a “Face Time” call. No matter what device you are reading this on,
I want you to just turn around and look at what is behind you. Go ahead, I’ll
wait.
seeing that?
people of your expertise?
expectations about you?
mean an in-person meeting. You knew it was going to happen. You dressed for
it. You got ready for it, reviewing information and honing your observations
and questions.
face to face in a heartbeat. Here’s how to be ready:
it is going to happen you can be ready. If you plan for it you can better
control what is going on around you. You won’t wind up talking from the
back of cab on our way to a costume party which is where we connected with
my nephew.
your office take the look suggested above. In the field, try to find a
quiet place with a neutral background and a low probability of people
wandering through it.
and make sure to disconnect.
Too often people that work from home simply forget where they are and the
fact they are in their pajamas (or less). Then, too you can stay online
with some technologies and not know it. Just disconnect if someone forgets
to do so. You probably don’t want to know what you might see or overhear.
would say, “Here’s lookin’ at you kid.”
speaks: www.NetworkingNinja.com
Promotion is Just One of the Seven Ps to Marketing Survival.
