I spend the majority of my time with two types of people: one, those active on the social web, and two, my clients who are working with me to learn how to integrate the social web into their marketing.

Speaking of the former, here are some of the ways I spend my time attempting to engage with people and (hopefully) share some value:

1. Hosting a radio show.

2. Blogging. In a lot of places.

3. Experimenting with a lot of video.

4. Hanging out with friends on Twitter.

5. Spending time reading and reviewing content on my RSS feed. [I don't read newspapers, or magazines, or watch much TV. I spend that time here. Learning.]

Seems pretty normal to me. But every now and then I step back and get smacked upside the head when I realize that a MAJORITY of the people on the planet don’t spend their time this way. They do their “normal” things. But many look at me as if I was from another world…

Let’s use LinkedIn for example. I recently was part of a training program teaching sales people about incorporating the social web into their marketing. In that session? Just two people – out of 25 – had a LinkedIn account. And more recently, I spent the day with the top sales leaders of a large corporation. Afterwards, a quick review of those same sales leaders on LinkedIn showed that, while they had an account on LinkedIn, most had 50 or fewer connections, and did not appear to be active.

It was a “palm smack on the forehead” moment for me, realizing that most people are not engaging these tools in a way I am accustomed to using them, or my close friends in the Twitter echo-chamber are using them.

And that’s why I need to remind myself each day that there is a whole world outside of my tight circle of Twitter comrades. So here are the lessons I am learning for myself – and concepts you need to think about – about how to interact with both our customers and prospects:

1. You can’t force the social web on people. If you do, they will resist and take NO action.

2. You can’t explain the social web once, and expect them to suddenly have their own “palm smack on the forehead” moment and get it. It will require repetition on your part, and their own willingness to explore.

3. Yeah, the world is moving in this direction, but not by tomorrow…

4. We have to change tact, and focus on teaching and educating people. If we are “telling” and “broadcasting” – they will resist, or at least not learn.

5. I have to demonstrate these things by example. Show what works, and what doesn’t.

6. I have to have patience with people. They will come around. Or they just won’t (and that’s ok too). Some people still use phones with cords…

7. Some people need permission from superiors. And we need to understand that will likely gum up the works. But just remember that not everyone will see this as clearly as you might…

8. There are people who profess to be experts, who proclaim to help people build community, that don’t actually fully understand and/or embrace the social web themselves… It is ok to teach and help them too… It is also important to remember that people you are interacting with may have been “taught” by one of these “experts” – so help them too…

I now understand that most people view me as an oddball. They can’t comprehend that I spend all this time writing on blogs, shooting (and sharing) all this video, and engaging with folks on Twitter. It is just not in their nature or DNA, or more likely their current level of understanding.

What they need to understand is that I believe this to be the future of marketing and how people will connect. And while I believe this is the future, I also know that you can impact your marketplace TODAY – by engaging this way.

You may feel the grass is greener on your side of the alien landscape. But just remember – not everyone is there. Bring them along for the ride, slowly, carefully, patiently…teaching and helping as you go!

What do you think?

[cartoon by @gapingvoid - this cartoon, btw, is now the wallpaper on my MacBook - to remind me that I have to educate and teach people to understand this alien landscape that I live on...]

I just sent this vid off — through Flip’s nifty Private Sharing e-mail thingy.

OK, so I didn’t exactly keep this one private — but I certainly could have (and would have) if the situation warranted it.

Seems like a great way to get people connected to me. In this case, I’m working to get the Cobb Symphony Orchestra folks and the Cobb County Medical Society leadership together — so they can be exploring ideas for serving each other and the community.

I’ll be interested to see what the Bob Littell / CEO Netweaving crowd thinks about incorporating video. So, if you’re sporting a Netweaver’s lapel pin and happen to come across this post, please weigh in. In the meantime, I’m gonna reach out to both Bob Littell and to Tom Crawford (former guest on the High Velocity Radio Show, and current Prez of Atlanta CEO Netweavers) and ask them directly.

If you’re not familiar with the Netweaving movement . . . They’re all about serving with a “pay it forward” mentality and doing so with no “quid pro quo” expectation of direct reciprocity. They also have a specific, structured method for connecting others. My instincts are that this video component would fit in very nicely with their approach.

What I like about it:
1. I can certainly talk faster than I can type.
2. I can be “me” (Gray hair and all the well deserved wrinkles not withstanding, I still maintain that this “being me” thing is important.)
3. It’s different — Not for long maybe. I suppose everyone will be sending video follow-up within the next few years . . . but for now . . . it’s still different.

I could craft a (much) longer list, but I’d rather invest the next few moments in shooting another quick vid — a Thank You message to our High Velocity Radio guest today, Speaker / Author Kristin Arnold. If you missed us LIVE this morning, Stay tuned –We’ll get that interview posted for you later in the week.

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It’s no secret we’re huge fans of the Flip Cam around here . . . and I find myself brainstorming “Flip App” ideas with prospects and clients almost every day now. The latest: Training Follow Up

You’ve heard me threaten to set up TrainingThat DoesntSuck.com before . . .

Well if I ever do, I think I’ll incorporate this idea — Crafting a 60-90 second (solid, relevant, universally applicable to all participants) post-training message on video . . . edited together with a (highly customized to each participant) 30 second or less introduction.

That’s the simplest application of the idea. The actual scenario my fellow brainstormers and I were volleying back and forth over margaritas went well beyond this — to include a pre-training video (with both generic and custom content — containing among other things, a recommendation / request to invite others to attend the session.)

I think we’re gonna help a lady try this in Sept. or Oct.

We’ll let ya know how it goes . . .

So, Whad’ya Think?
Did the tequila cause us to take things too far — or does this idea have some real merit?

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New Service From High Velocity: Member Marquee ™

If you lead an Association, Civic Group, or Networking Organization . . . You’re working harder than ever to Get New Members and Keep The Ones You Have.

You’re constantly tasked with Demonstrating Value for your Existing Members, Attracting New Members, and Generating Non-Dues Revenue.

We Can Help . . . by equipping both your organization and your individual members to capitalize on the Power of Video.

Give your members the most effective Marketing Tool available today — at a fraction of what they would pay anywhere else. And while you’re at it, collect valuable Video Testimonials in the process. Everybody Wins!

Achieve More Member Marketing Results in a 1/2 Day than you have in the last 6 months . . . with $0 investment (not a typo — that really is a zero).

Interested? Let’s Talk.

In the meantime . . .

Try to envision the old “School Pictures” business model — On Steroids:

• No Fee For Your Organization — Period.
• Low Fee For Your Members — Really, Really Low
• Members Buy Only What They Like, If They Like, After They See It
• Optional Revenue Producing Model For You (still $0 investment)
• Easy, No Fee, Turn Key Pre-Event Promotion
• Easy, No Fee, “Knock Your Socks Off” Post-Event Promotion
• Valuable Member Testimonials — Yours To Keep & Use
• Fun, Positive Experience For Your Members
• Current Member Reward
• New Member Incentive

Bottom Line: More New Members Faster, Fewer Dropped Memberships, Rich & Durable Marketing Material, Zero Dollar Investment . . . plus . . . One More Cool, Hip Thing Happening At Your Organization.**

** As powerful as the resulting content will be for you and your members, the real long-term value here — the “secret sauce” — is all about the incredible Member Experience we help you create.

At the risk of sounding a bit immodest, we’re pretty darn good at this whole “Create A Great Experience” thing.

Leading an Association, Civic Group, or Networking Organization?

Know someone who is?

Call / Write Today, And Let’s Talk It Through . . .

stone@highvelocityblog.com 770.518.1412

Photo Credit: The A Group

I attended Discipleship 201 this weekend — the second session in an ongoing series conducted by our Pastor designed to help us grow in our faith, navigate our spiritual journey, and help others navigate theirs.

So Why Mention It Here — In A Business Setting?

Because . . . What strikes me now some 48 hours later is this: Just how universally Applicable the Information, Tools and Principles shared in that session can be — even in (particularly in) business .

The 201 class was very different from the 101 class. The 101 class was an informative orientation. It was interesting — chock full of facts about Christianity and our denomination, peppered with provocative videos, and supported with easy access to plenty of additional resources.

101 was great. But 201 had something different — so different that it changed the entire dynamic. This session required (or at least very enthusiastically requested) each of us to take a stand, to put real skin in the game.

In a word, 201 asks for a COVENANT — In this case, a solemn promise to adopt a specific set of behaviors conducive to strengthening our Spiritual Maturity . . . bringing us closer to God, and further equipping us to help others in that same pursuit.

Have you signed up for 201 in your arena yet?

What Covenants (solemn promises) are you prepared to make with your market?

Try This: Write out 2 Covenants: Two solemn promises you’re prepared to make with one or more of your key constituencies — your customers, your team members, your suppliers, your alliance partners, maybe even your competitors.

If this comes easy, you’re probably “full of it” — but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and simply say Congrats !

If this doesn’t come so easy, Welcome To The Club . . . And don’t beat yourself up. You’re probably struggling a bit because you’re a dedicated professional who sincerely wants to make and keep promises to those you serve — but at the same time, you take the matter very seriously — seriously enough to thoroughly consider taking on any vows before boldly declaring “I Do.”

You’re to be commended for exercising this wisdom, not ridiculed. So Congratulations.

Of course, you know it’s not enough though. At some point, you’re going to need to make some promises to your market, keep those promises, and make sure they know you did it. So I Ask Again . . .

Have you signed up for 201 in your arena yet?

What Covenants (solemn promises) are you prepared to make with your market?

In The Meantime, Here Are 2 Covenants From Me:

I, Stone Payton Solemnly Promise:

(And I’ll try my very best to be clear about which items are genuine specialized knowledge, which are nothing more than my best guess, and which lie somewhere between.)

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I spent last weekend in my hometown (Pensacola, FL) so we could attend a wedding . . .

My best friend’s son was getting married, my folks still live there, and I knew I’d get to see some old (I didn’t realize just how freakin’ old till I got there and saw them again) friends.

All great reasons to weather the 6 hour drive, miss Church, get back late Sunday and go yet another week without doing some much needed work around the house . . . But the absolute highlight of the trip was seeing my Little League coach, Monk Godwin.

I played 2nd base for Coach Monk (Slick & Ellies Pizza) — for 3 years, and then played 2nd base with most of the same boys for another 2 years (Dixon Brothers Sporting Goods). I wasn’t as good as the older kid ahead of me — or the younger kid behind me for that matter — but between the two, I got my shot and completed the middle infield for a team that went undefeated for 5 years. Yes, I said undefeated for 5 years. We didn’t know how to lose — never even dawned on us that we might lose.

In fact — we were so good, had so much of the league’s talent on one squad, that the All Star team we assembled each year (consisting of whatever the minimum requirement of kids from each team was) was terribly diluted. We would have been far more competitive in the World Series had we simply sent Slick & Ellies.

The Reason I Mention It: It dawned on me while catching up with Coach Monk . . . Some people (maybe a lot of people?) never get to experience WINNING the way I did growing up. And on the drive back, I started thinking “Maybe it’s that experience of WINNING as a child that at least partially accounts for my success as an adult — my optimistic outlook, my willingness to take a risk, my comfort with temporary failure, my passion for the work I do, my delight in encouraging others to “saddle up and give it a shot”?

I apologize if this sounds boastful to you — but the fact is . . . I’m a WINNER. And because I’m a winner, I can weather challenges that others can’t, draw on emotional energy and stamina others don’t possess, choose not to let others determine my value . . . exercise all those disciplines and behaviors you read about in the self-help books. But I didn’t get it from a book, or from sticking post-it notes with positive affirmations on my mirror. I got it from WINNING.

SO WHAT ? / NOW WHAT?

- Put Yourself In Position To WIN
- If You’re A Leader, Put Your People In Position To WIN
- Expect To WIN
- If You’re A Leader, Expect Your People To WIN
- Celebrate WINNING
- If You’re A Leader, Celebrate Your People WINNING

Yeah, I know . . . It’s a kinder, gentler time. I realize they may not even keep score at your 6 year old’s soccer game, and everyone — Win, Lose, or Draw — is getting ice cream after. I’m not suggesting you change anything about that experience. In fact, I could build a case for exactly how & why that scenario is actually supporting this “Build Winners” philosophy / strategy of mine.

What I am suggesting,
No, What I want to shout from the roof tops so as to cut through the clutter of Political Correctness and Wimpy Excuses is this:

WINNING IS IMPORTANT

Winning is a mentality.
Winning is a habit.
Winning people can be intentionally developed.
Winning cultures can be intentionally crafted.
Winners are valuable assets.
Winners beget Winners.

WINNING IS IMPORTANT

Are You WINNING? Are Your People WINNING?

I had a great deal of help in becoming a Winner — including Coach Monk, my parents, several teachers –and the list goes on.

Whose help do you need to become / stay a WINNER?

Who should you be helping to become / stay a WINNER?

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It wasn’t too long ago that organizations didn’t allow employees to have email. Some thought that the evil employees would distribute double-secret company secrets across the planet…

Today, we still have organizations that prevent employees from utilizing online tools such as Facebook and viewing videos on YouTube.

I liken this to giving your employees a toolbox, but not letting them use the hammer, pliers, and any screwdriver. The toolbox is still a toolbox, but not of any use to the employee. Or the company.

Why does this matter?

1. Most seasoned sales gurus will tell you that you must build rapport with people before you can sell them. If so, then preventing them from using Facebook is taking away a window into the world of your most important prospects, and makes it much harder to find a common interest from which to build a relationship.

2. Forbidding the use of Twitter is like saying networking is evil. Because honestly, Twitter is the SAME THING as networking, but just done online.

3. Not allowing people to view YouTube and other video platforms is like expecting kids to learn without the use of textbooks. These days, video is an ever more important means of getting educated on a broad range of topics.

I just don’t understand companies that handcuff their employees, and send them out into the marketplace with their hands tied behind their back. They are at a competitive disadvantage to the growing multitudes who are learning how to leverage the social web to do amazing things, and connect with people in a deep and meaningful way, and grow their business.

I often hear that these policies exist to prevent security hacks. Maybe so, I just don’t have the expertise to fully argue that point, other than knowing that a LOT of large organizations do permit their employees to engage on the social web. This just sounds to me like an excuse.

Or I hear that some organizations do this to prevent people from horsing around and playing Farmville all day long. Well, sorry, but that’s your problem. You built the culture where employees are lollygagging…that’s not Facebook’s fault. Bring in employees who value the organization, fire those who take advantage of it.

There will come a day when we will say “remember those days when there used to be organizations that didn’t let you use Facebook?” We’ll all laugh and say, “Gosh, that was so long ago…”

But sorry people. We are in the new world. The world is social. People need to connect. People need to engage. Businesses do as well. Sending employees to fight “business war” without weapons is setting yourself up for failure…

What do you think?

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*** THIS IS A POST AUTHORED ENTIRELY BY CHRIS BROGAN OF ChrisBrogan.com ***

Original Source: http://chrisbrogan.com/50-power-twitter-tips
June 16, 2010

Why Re-Post It Here?
1. For the 11 people in the universe who may follow this blog that don’t follow Chris’ blog — and really should have immediate access to this info.
2. Chris said it was cool to do so (see his first paragraph below).
3. This list is so good — has so much merit for our business and for the clients we serve . . . We wanted to visibly endorse it, always know where it is, and have super easy, idiot-proof access to it.

Thank You Chris ! — for both your biz-wiz and your zeal for helping others.

A while back, I wrote 50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business. It still gets plenty of attention, as it’s listed as an official resource on the Twitter business resources page (thanks, @ed!). But you know, I can’t leave well enough alone, so here I am with another 50 Power Twitter Tips. Feel free to repost all or any of this, but if you do, please give credit to this link.

I broke them down into five categories: intent, technical, business, integrated usage, and off-twitter. Some could probably fit in more than one category, such as it were.

Here they are, sponsored by the Thesis WordPress theme (affiliate link):

50 Power Twitter Tips

Intent (Human Artist)

1. Don’t read EVERY tweet. It’s perfectly okay. You have permission.
2. Follow anyone who follows you (and unfollow spammers/jerks).
3. Promote other people 12x to every 1 self-promotional tweet.
4. Build lists to watch people who matter to you more closely.
5. Retweet the good stuff from others. Sharing is caring.
6. A lot of @replies shows a lot of humanity/engagement.
7. Robot tweets are less sexy than human tweets.
8. Promote the new/less followed more than the “names.”
9. Set an egg timer. Twitter is addictive.
10. Everyone does it their own way. You’re doing it wrong, too- to someone.

Technical

1. A non-standard background and face avatar means we believe you may be human.
2. Leave 20 characters or more space in each tweet to improve retweeting.
3. Use Seesmic or Tweetdeck or Hootsuite so you can see more.
4. Linking one update to several communities is technically possible. It’s just not respectful of each community’s uniqueness.
5. Tools like http://bit.ly let you see stats. Use them.
6. Make hashtags small and simple. We need room to tweet.
7. If software allows you to “post updates to Twitter” as well as to the app, don’t do that. We rarely want to see them.
8. If you develop software that pushes updates to Twitter, be VERY explicit how that works.
9. Every time you use OAUTH to give apps permission to use your account, you open a potential security hole. Check your permissions monthly.
10. The best mobile app is the one that you feel comfortable using. We don’t know better.

Business

1. Spamming us repeatedly is okay. We just unfollow you.
2. Spend more time in search than in chatting us up about your stuff.
3. Finding people who need what you’re selling trumps advertising to us.
4. Retweeting someone’s nice words about you is lame and doesn’t buy you more attention. Let it stand.
5. If your link is an affiliate link or a client, say so (in parentheses).
6. Your customers might not be on Twitter. Use rapleaf to find them.
7. Invite your customers to Twitter, then make it worth it for them.
8. Use Twitter as a personalized communication tool, not another blast.
9. Having different accounts for everything seems like the right move, until you realize it’s hard to grow multiple followings.
10. Just make money and then the boss won’t ask about ROI any more.

Integrated Usage

1. Twitter makes every event better. Post the hashtag everywhere. Make every speaker sign/label/name include a Twitter ID.
2. Apps like TweetChat.com make following event chats really easy. Put in a hashtag and go.
3. Tweeting the content of events is nice, but so is occasionally making a real live connection with the speaker.
4. It’s okay to tweet your blog posts, but try asking a question that leads readers into the post.
5. Can you invite Twitter followers to your other social platforms, like LinkedIn or Facebook? Sure you can.
6. I’m not into mixing my location apps with my tweets, but if you do, do it FROM the location app into Twitter, not the other way around.
7. Getting others to tweet your posts or news or registrations is useful, but sometimes comes off as a barrage or spam. Be prepared for that perception.
8. Tweets that point us to photos and/or video and/or music, etc, are always a great way to enhance the experience.
9. Please remove Twitter from LinkedIn. Use the #in tag instead and be selective.
10. Spammy or no, events that tweet their attendance registration seem to drive attendance.

Off-Twitter

1. Are your tweets really what you want to show in your sidebar? Doesn’t that direct people away from your site?
2. Think of Twitter as a guidance system to what you think is interesting. A lot of that is likely off-Twitter.
3. Apps like VisibleTweets.com are neat, but can be very distracting at events.
4. If you use tweets on a screen at an event, be warned if you moderate. Angry crowds can happen.
5. Don’t forget to invite people from off-Twitter to follow you on Twitter. Include your actual Twitter ID (I see lots of “follow me on Twitter” with no details).
6. Asking questions on Twitter makes for very interesting commentary and opinions for blog posts.
7. Tweetups are awesome, especially if you make them about more than just drinking and saying hi. (Though, hey, drinks can be nice.)
8. Outside of the Twitter app, keep “Tw” names to a minimum. We’re not your “tweeps.”
9. If your only marketing efforts are on Twitter, start building an email marketing list. Never put your eggs in one basket.
10. Start thinking in 120 characters (remember? save 20). Every bit of this advice is tweetable.

Your mileage may vary. Some of these might be really helpful and others might not be that useful at all, given your own situations. In fact, feel free to make your own version, add and subtract at will, and comment on where you disagree or agree. It’s all up for discussion. Besides, you’re doing it wrong.

Photo credit wilhei55

A High Velocity client...

We bought the new camera Thursday morning. Within 45 seconds of getting back to the office, the camera was in service. It really is that simple. No fuss, no reading directions (because there really aren’t any and I wouldn’t read them anyway), and no time consuming set-up process.

There are dozens and dozens of good video cameras on the market. I can’t recommend others, just because I am not familiar with any. We just use the Flip Cam. Because it is simple to use and not too expensive ($180). Oh, and it is high definition and superior quality video. [you can purchase below - affiliate link]

In fact, we believe so strongly in the Flip Cam that we include it in our package to clients. Whether they want one or not, they are getting one!

Still don’t see how this is meaningful to your daily marketing lives? Well, here are a few ideas. In fact, I’d recommend that you keep your camera on you, at all times. You never know when an opportunity will present itself.

Here are 10 things you can do with your Flip Cam TODAY, that can have a positive impact on your ability to go-to-market:

1. Use it to provide an additional way to generate content to your blog.

2. You can quickly record a customer testimonial to use on your website.

3. Do “Man on the Street interviews.” Do random interviews with people, and record their take on the state of your marketplace.

4. Film product/service reviews that you can place on your YouTube channel and/or product page on your website.

5. You can film an internal meeting. Not for public distribution, but to capture and record key conversations, or to perhaps use as training material for employees.

6. When a project goes very well, record a round table conversation of the team responsible. Record what worked, why it worked, and how you can improve the next time.

7. When a project goes bad, record a round table conversation of the team responsible. Record what happened, debate and discuss why it happened, and discuss ways to improve the next time.

8. Interview employees, and feature them on your “About Us” section. Don’t just video them reading their bio. Get to the core of why they are passionate about what they do…help prospects see the value of choosing your business!

9. Do random. You might be out in the world, and you just might stumble upon a situation, the kind of situation you and your business can fix. Why not record it, and tell a story about how you would solve the problem? Help prospects see how you tackle problems.

10. This doesn’t necessarily have to be for public distribution, but interview a customer when a job is complete, and do a debrief. Learn what you did right, learn what you can improve on, learn what needs to go.

These are just a few ideas. Please share other ideas in the comments below. As you see, the opportunities are limitless. Open your eyes…you will never run out of opportunities to creatively market your business with a video camera!

Guest Post by Best Selling Author and High Velocity Friend, Sharon Drew Morgen

Sharon Drew Morgen

Buying Facilitation® is a great model for helping buyers navigate their behind-the-scenes political and relationship issues that must achieve buy-in before they get consensus to purchase a solution – you know, that mysterious stuff buyers go through privately while we sit and wait for them to buy.

By using both two models consecutively, selling and buying becomes a very different experience than the one we are accustomed to: the timing is different, the skills are different, the outcomes are different, the relationship is different and the competitive and money factors fade away.
Indeed, sellers can enter the buying environment much, much earlier, be a coach as buyers gather the appropriate players and handle their buy-in issues, and lead them through all of the behind-the-scenes decisions they must make by being a part of the Buying Decision team – not as a seller, but as a management consultant and change agent dedicated to buyers achieving excellence. They have to do this stuff anyway: might as well be with you. You sit and wait while they do it anyway.

THE BUYER’S DECISION JOURNEY FIRST, THEN PROBLEM RESOLUTION SECOND
By beginning the buyer/seller relationship with a different agenda and skill set as a neutral navigator and using unbiased, systems-based Facilitative Questions to help buyers think through their range of relationship/political issues (like the department heads that need to get along, or the pesky tech team who try to take over the initiative, or the boss that wants to use her favored vendor) you can lead buyers through the non-problem-based, confusing stuff they need address to help them chart a course through their pre-purchase decision issues.

And then, once they determine how and why and if and when they can resolve their problem with minimum disruption, know who will be involved, and the criteria they all need to meet to move forward with any change, then you can start the process of understanding the specifics of their problem and know the right way to introduce your solution. First, neutral, unbiased change agent/coach. Second, gather data about full spectrum of need, and then place solution.

Let me break that down for you:

BUYING FACILITATION®

Step one: Make contact as a change agent. Lead a prospect through the discovery of where they are, what excellence would look like to them in the area your solution can resolve, and if there is a difference.

Step two: help the prospect discover all of the internal factors (many unknown, many historic, and all that they have to manage before considering doing anything different) that keep them where they are.

Step three: by using the right Facilitative Questions (based on helping prospect discover and manage their unconscious criteria), be placed on the Buying Decision Team to continue leading the buyer through all of the off-line, private decision issues they’ll need to address so they can garner buy-in.

Step four: continue to help prospects

» collect the right people,
» recognize their internal systems issues that are maintaining the status quo,
» help them re-organize,
» plot out the steps for adopting a solution that the whole Buying Decision Team would buy-in to,
» recognize any fall-out before they can even consider the right solution.
SALES

Step five: gather the appropriate data to see how your solution would fit and serve.

Step six: discuss your solution in detail, using the buyer’s buying criteria as they have discovered it, and introduced in a way that will teach the buyer how to manage the internal politics that you and the Buying Decision Team have just worked through.

SALES TODAY
In general the steps of sales today start with my Step Five (except when using the Internet as a lead generator, and then many companies start with Step Six, mistakenly assuming once the buyer makes contact they already know your solution fits and they are ready to buy). But make no mistake: buyers need to do the first steps anyway – with you or without you. It is here that you lose your sale.

How many times have you had the exact right solution and the buyer doesn’t buy? It’s not because your solution doesn’t fit or because they don’t like you or your price: it’s because they couldn’t get buy-in to do something different, or the internal politics demanded a different solution, or the status quo prevailed because they didn’t know how to keep their system in tact and determined that the risk and cost would be lower to do nothing.

You lose sales because buyers have a tough time navigating their internal decision issues, and sales doesn’t offer a model to help them do that.

Remember: the time it takes buyers to come up with their own answers is the length of the sales cycle – answers that most likely have absolutely nothing to do with your solution or their need, and everything to do with internal politics, relationships, and the unknown.

Buying Facilitation® is not sales. It’s a decision facilitation model that leads buyers through all of the internal navigation issues they must resolve privately and off-line before they get agreement to do anything different. Using sales, there are no skills to start where BF begins (As my book Dirty Little Secrets says over and over, don’t compare this to sales.) but you lose sales, lose time, lose money because you don’t.

Buyers are going to do this with you, or without you. And they do it very haltingly and inefficiently. Learn this model, add it to the front end of what you are doing now, and close more sales quicker – a lot more sales, a lot quicker.

Do you want to sell? or have someone buy? They are two different activities, and you need skills to support both.

sd

by Sharon Drew Morgen