Selling to Consumers | Sales Training Blog by Skip Anderson

The Continuing Saga of Michael J. Roman and "His" Blog

I prefer to spend my time writing about sales, marketing, and management for this blog. It's ground zero for my professional interests.

But today I need to write about blogging. To be specific, I want to write about one blogger who apparently continues to steal others' material in a most brazen manner.

  
You may have read my post a week or two ago about one Michael J. Roman. Respected blogger Jonathan Farrington discovered Roman had plagiarized his blog and other bloggers' material and posted it on Roman's blog as Roman's own creations, using the material without permission, without credit, and without a link to the original posts by the original writers of the material. He even had the audacity to place a copyright statement on each of the stolen blog posts saying he reserved all rights to the material. 

A couple dozen sales bloggers outed Roman by posting and tweeting about his twenty or so counts of verified plagiarism. Roman responded by taking his blog down (one of us also had contacted Tumblr, the host of his blog, also which may have initiated the downed site). 

Roman contacted Jonathan Farrington, one of his victims, to offer a mea culpa for his plagiarizing ways:

I am speechless.
 
I cannot apologize enough to you and I am completely embarrassed. It seems that one of my employees who is my “Creative Director” in fact is not as creative as I presumed he was. All this time I was complimenting him on his articles, which in fact were approved by me for publishing. Clearly this comes down to me no inspecting or researching his work more carefully. Basically, I was taking it for face value. We just started this blog a few months ago, and when we did, I was writing my own articles. Shortly thereafter I assigned that task to someone else. Apparently he (and I) found your articles very well written. I however did not know that he was basically stealing your information as well as the information of others.
 
I want you to know that I have completely deleted the blog account until further notice. Additionally, my creative director’s employment will be terminated next week following my informing of his actions to my Human Resources department. Any unethical behavior under my leadership will NOT be tolerated and I appreciate you (and others) bringing this to my attention.
 
I can assure you that there is no way to retrieve the old blog site.
 
I have read your latest blog and would appreciate if you would b so kind as to remove it at once.
 
Again, you have my most sincere apologies for this unacceptable act on my employee’s part, which in turn, is a direct reflection on me.

Best regards,
 
Michael J. Roman

But a day later, Roman started up a series of new posts, the first being a post that featured a very large graphic of a gold seal, along with the headline "Integrity Verified" or something similar. The written post was a guarantee of integrity throughout his new blog.

Jonathan explained the details of this interaction with Roman and what had happened and his reaction to it in one of his blog posts (here).

Fast forward to yesterday:

One of this blog's readers (thanks Tim Parker) commented on my original Michael J. Roman post and notified the blogosphere that he once again found at least two instances of apparent continued plagiarism in Roman's NEW blog articles which he posted since the original plagiarism outing. I checked it out and found that, sure enough, it looked like Roman was right back in the saddle with his very large plagiarizer hat on.

Roman's post titled "Seven Essential Qualities of a Good Leader" was actually a post by Barbara White titled "Seven Qualities of a Good Leader."

Roman's post "Essential Steps to Negotiation" was actually a post by another author titled "15 Negotiation Workshop Rules Every Negotiator Must Know."

Moments ago, I checked Roman's blog and it's down. But whether it stays down is another matter. Or, Roman could just resurface on another web hosting platform or even possibly under another name and continue his plagiarizing ways. 

The entire online community of bloggers, experts, consultants, writers, authors, and speakers across all subject matters and disciplines must join together with readers, consumers, and business people to stop the stealing of intellectual property on the internet and in every form. The internet is an incredibly wonderful tool, but only to the extent that the material that exists out there is accurate and verifiably written by the person who says they've produced it. Those of us who spend a very significant portion of our time creating material with the sole hope of helping others, entertaining readers, or attracting clients (or for any other reason) must be protected. 

I encourage YOU, dear reader, to out plagiarism whenever and wherever you find it. By joining together, we can hope to at least make a dent in plagiarism and limit this despicable act. 

Since his blog is down, at least for now, I encourage you to visit the apparent plagiarizer's main website. Take a good look at the material you see there. Read about his values, like integrity. Visit his "strengths" page and read his long list of "core values" including his "exceptional leadership qualities including honesty". Visit his "Philosophy" page and read about his "3 point ethics analyzer." Visit his "About Me" page, and stop by his "Testimonials," "Affiliations," and "Accolades" pages and then ask yourself one thing.

Is any of it real?

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment.Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors to increase sales by leveraging the buying potential of every prospect and shopper.

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The Scourge of the Blogosphere: Plagiarism and Michael J. Roman

The blogosphere is amazing, isn't it? Just think of all the wonderful tidbits of really good information floating about in cyberspace, put there by people who have passion for their field or to offer a helping hand. The amount of information available in the blogosphere is astounding, especially when it comes to information about sales, marketing, management, and business.

Personally, I subscribe to about forty blogs, and I read them every chance I get. As a very active blogger myself, I revel in the idea that people from all corners of the world find value in what I have written.

But there is a dark side to the blogosphere that we all should be aware of. And we need to do what we can to shine a light on this dark underbelly of the internet. Thus, my post today.

Enter one "Michael J. Roman." Mr. Roman may have some excellent qualities, but he appears to be a plagiarizer with a significant body of others' work that he claims to be his own work. According to his LinkedIn Profile, Roman is a Managing Director at Modis, part of the MPS group.

[Update on 7/7/2010:  I see that Mr. Roman has taken down his "Michael J. Roman" profile at LinkedIn, so the link in the previous paragraph won't work. He replaced it with a new LinkedIn profile (with new photo!) under the name of "Mike Roman" - you can view this profile here. ]

My friend Jonathan Farrington, one of the most respected business bloggers on the planet, just discovered that approximately twenty of Jonathan's blog posts have been republished (without his permission) on Michael J. Roman's site, plagiarizer. Each had been published by Roman as if they were his own work. In fact, Roman had the audacity to attach this to each of his stolen posts:

"The moral right of the author, Michael J. Roman, has been asserted. © Copyright 2010. All rights reserved."

Gutsy. Especially for a plagiarizer who lists "integrity" as #4 on his list of "top ten traits for success."

While checking out Roman's blog for any possible appearances of my own writing, I ran across a post by my friend and fellow sales trainer Kelley Robertson called "Boost Your Sales Instantly." The plagiarized version on Roman's site is titled "Instantly Boost Sales." There's no mention of the real author, nor is their a link to his site or the original article.

I love the blogosphere. But we all need to do what we can to rid it from plagiarizers like Michael J. Roman.

Please retweet or repost. Let's get the word out about Mr. Roman. It is my hope that by the time you read this post, the links to Roman's post will be dead, meaning he's taken his site down or at least deleted the stolen posts from his site.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment.Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors to increase sales by leveraging the buying potential of every prospect and shopper.

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Have I Been Spammed by a Kindergartner? (How Not to Sell Via Email)

 
Here's an email I received the other day. It illustrates how not to sell via email (and is included here exactly as I received it):

MY NAME IS MARC BATKE I LIVE IN CALGARY ALBERTS CANADA.I WORK WITH ONE OF THE TOP INVESTMENT BANKERS IN THE COUNTRY HIS NAME IS KURT SOOST. WE ARE CREATING A #1 SALES PERSON NETWORK IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES,WE ARE GOING AFTER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND PREVENTATIVE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH.IF YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED THEN PLEASE SEND ME A SHORT E-MAIL OR CALL ME TOLL FREE AT 1-(555)555-5555  EXT # 216

This is probably just spam, and not a legitimate sales email. But nonetheless, it offers an opportunity for analysis. And those who know me that it's difficult for me to pass up an opportunity to analyze something.

So, with this in mind, here are the problems with Marc's email from a successful selling point-of-view:

1. It is all in upper case text.

This makes it difficult to read and doesn't follow accepted conventions of email communication or common sense. MOST PEOPLE KNOW UPPER CASE TEXT IN AN EMAIL SETTING IS EQUIVALENT TO SHOUTING IN A CONVERSATIONAL SETTING.

2. The email is all about the sender, not about the recipient.

Marc, if you're going to market via email, don't make the communication about you and the "top investment banker" you work with. As a consumer, I don't care about you or him. And no recipient would. I only care about me. Send an email about me and what you can do for me.

3. Alberta is misspelled.

If you really live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, you should really know how to spell your province. I know how to spell Minnesota, after all. I'm just sayin'...

4. Make it clear what you're offering or selling.

"We are creating a #1 sales person network in different industries" and "we are going after people that want to be more proactive and preventative about their health..."

Huh?

5. Don't "go after people."

Really? You're "going after people?" Gee, sounds great to an email recipient! Where do I sign up? Thanks for "going after" me, Marc! I'm anxious to be associated with someone who "goes after people" via email. That's just what most people want, a salesperson who proudly announces "We're going after people" to his prospects.

6. It's simply too confusing.

So Marc, you're working with an investment banker...okay, I get that.

But you say you're creating a "#1 sales person network." Hmmm...I'm not sure what a "#1 sales person network" is and I'm not sure why an investment banker would be creating one.

And you're creating a #1 sales person network in "different industries." Whoops...you totally lost me there. Why different industries? And you and your investment banker buddy or boss are looking for people who "want to be more proactive about their health?" Why would an investment banker be looking for people who want to be more proactive about their health? This is simply way too confusing.

Do I smell MLM???

You lost me [press delete button].

7. It has a weak call to action.

"If you might be interested" is very weak, especially when it's not clear what I'm supposed to be interested in.

"I need four people in your industry and already have three. If you think you could possibly be the fourth person to join us, call me directly at my office before April 12 at 1 pm Eastern and we'll talk" would be much stronger.

Marc, please mail me $2500 for that advice because I'm "going after" business people who write poor sales emails.

8. It's a generally accepted principle of writing that one places periods at the end of each sentence, and a space after each period.

I count three missed periods, one missed comma, a comma used where a period should have been used, and a bunch of missed spaces after periods.

My third grade daughter knows you put periods after each sentence and a space after each period. Why don't you know this, Marc? In fact, my daughter knew this in second grade. Come to think of it, she knew this in first grade ("grade one" for you, Marc, in Canada).

Hold up. Wait a minute. Hmmm. Marc? Are you a...kindergartner?

Now I get it, Marc! Okay, look, log off of mommy's computer now, and go tell her you've been using her computer to send poorly written spam sales emails.

And tell Mommy the caps lock is on.

NOW GO HAVE A TIME OUT.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment.Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors to increase sales by realizing the buying potential of every prospect.

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Sales News

Branding expert Martin Lindstrom, author of Buyology, was interviewed by Matt Lauer on the Today Show this morning. You can listen to my podcast interview with Martin Lindstrom on the Selling to Consumers Podcast.

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I've been named to "The Sales 2.0 Pro Bowl Team" along with such notables as Gerhard Gschwandter (Publisher of Selling Power magazine), Jeb Blount, and fellow Minnesotan's Jill Konrath and Lee Salz.

There are AFC and NFC teams. I was assigned to the NFC team. Check out the list of sales experts on the Sales 2.0 Pro Bowl list, then please vote for the NFC (regardless of your football allegiances)!

<  <  <  >  >  >

I'll be attending "Senior Sales Executive Conference" in Chicago later this month as a blogger thanks to The Conference Board. I'll be covering the conference on this blog and also on Twitter. If you're not attending the conference, tune in for updates!

<  <  <  >  >  > 

If you haven't joined the Selling to Consumers group on LinkedIn, please do. It's for all executives, managers, and salespeople in the B2C space, as well as other sales and business experts. Selling to Consumers LinkedIn Group.

<  <  <  >  >  > 

Blog.com named the Selling to Consumers Blog one of the "Top 10 Sales Blogs." Check out the list of top sales blogs. All the blogs named to the list are fantastic and worth following.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment.Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors including retail, in-home selling, health care, financial, real estate, and insurance,etc.

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Free eBook: "27 Can-Do Steps to Sell More in Tough Economic Times"

My new eBook is 33 pages and it's absolutely free. Download it here at free sales ebook.

And please email this link to your colleagues and friends so they can download it, too:

http://sellingtoconsumers.com/27_can_do_steps_to_sell_more.htm

 

Good Stuff From Cyberspace

1. Business-to-business companies are more active than business-to-consumer companies in the online social media sphere. Read Social Initiatives: B2B vs. B2C.

2. Everybody needs and wants validation. Watch the validation video. Well done.

3. Coupon use in the U.S. is up for the first time since 1992. Read Coupons are Being Used at a Faster Clip in the Los Angeles Times.

4. Jerry Kennedy says "Change Your Thinking - Change Your Results."

5. Read Manipulation vs. Persuasion.

If you like this post (or don't) please click on "comments" below and share your comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, in the financial, real estate, and insurance markets, and other consumer-selling industries.

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New FTC Guidelines for Endorsements & Testimonials in Advertising

New Federal Trade Commission guidelines regarding the use of customer testimonials and endorsements in advertising will start tomorrow (December 1, 2009).

No longer will a mere statement like "results not typical" be acceptable in communicating to consumers that some endorsements may not reflect typical results for most users or customers. With the new rules, the advertiser will have to clearly describe what results should reasonably be expected by the average purchaser.

There are other changes in the guidelines, too, for bloggers and celebrity endorsers.

You can read a press release from the FTC about the new guidelines here, and you can download an 81 page pdf with even more detail here.

If you like this post (or don't) please click on "comments" below and share your comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, in the financial, real estate, and insurance markets, and other consumer-selling industries.

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A Celebration of Sales Learning

I apologize in advance for the self-centered nature of today's post. You see, this is my 400th post on the Selling to Consumers Blog.

I love my job as a sales trainer, public speaker, and management consultant. I am so thrilled to be making a living doing something I love. Helping a client company or coaching client sell more fulfills me in so many ways. I just love it. This blog is for you.

But not every company or every individual who sells to consumers can or will hire me or my company. This blog is for you, too.

This blog is a celebration of learning about selling. Free to anyone, the 400+ posts of this blog will tell you a lot about what you need to know to be able to sell better and be more successful.

So if you're new in sales, or a veteran, or if you manage a sales force or own a company that sells to consumers, this blog is truly for you. If you have a passion for learning and improving, a passion for your career, and a passion for your customer, I hope you'll continue to join me here at Selling to Consumers for the next 400 posts. I know a bunch of you will hire my company to do training or consulting work, and that's great. I thank you. But even if you aren't one of those companies or individuals, I hope you visit here often and, most of all, I hope you learn something that helps you achieve your business and career goals.

Thanks for celebrating with me.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, and the financial, real estate, and insurance markets.

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Racism: Alive and Well in the Consumer Market

I've been doing work for a company that has massage clinics across the U.S. Their front desk associates sell memberships to their visitors. While in one of their clinics this week, I witnessed a disturbing event.

A women called to schedule a massage appointment. The receptionist scheduled the appointment with a massage therapist we'll call "Jared." She arrived at the clinic at the appointed time and began filling out her health history paperwork. Suddenly, she stopped and approached the front desk associate:

CUSTOMER: "I don't mean to be crude, but is Jared a black person?"

ASSOCIATE: "Yes, Jared is a black man..."

CUSTOMER: "I have a problem with that. I'm going to need to change my appointment to someone else."

ASSOCIATE: "Ummm....okaaaaay...." We can have you come back in an hour and you can work with Jule, would that work?

CUSTOMER: "Yes, that will work. It's just that my grandmother was murdered by a black man and I don't want a black person touching me."

ASSOCIATE: "------"

Gulp. Everyone in the clinic was very suddenly uncomfortable

This blog has almost 400 posts, all about selling, marketing, or business. But my post today isn't about selling. It's about human beings.

The murder of this individual's grandmother was indeed a tragic event. But also tragic is this individual apparently holding every human being with dark skin accountable for that murder.

I wonder if the murderer had been white if this customer would have refused to have white massage therapists work with her for the rest of her life? Or if the murder was 6'2" tall, would she have refused to have tall massage therapists work on her? Or if he had a big nose like me, would she dismiss all big-nosed massage therapists? Probably not on all counts. But for some reason, the color of skin was the trigger to unjustified behavior.

Maybe reading this post will make you want to call me naive, or oblivious about how people [white] really feel. Maybe I am naive or oblivious. But I'd rather you call me non-racist.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should the front desk associate handled the situation differently? What would you do? How do you feel about this event? Does the murder justify this customer's behavior? Am I naive?

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, and the financial, real estate, and insurance markets.

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The Wrong Way to Overcome Customer Objections

I hate it when this happens:

A salesperson who, in response to my objection (I need to talk to my wife, I need to think about it, etc.) either (1) repeats herself (repeating a bunch of stuff she already told me during her presentation) or (2) babbles trite stuff (like "I know you'd love this widget" or "our customers really are happy with our widgets and you will be, too").

No more generic handling of prospect objections, please!

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My friend and all around nice guy Shane Gibson will be blogging for 24 hours straight to raise money for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. It sure would be great if you could stop by his blog and donate some money to the cause. Visit Shane Gibson's Closing Bigger Blog.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, and the financial, real estate, and insurance markets.

5 Brief Motivational Videos That Are Motivational

Business motivational tools can be trite, over-produced pieces that play on emotions but rarely have long-lasting effect.

So I was very pleased when I ran across five brief "motivational" videos by Jerry Kennedy. Their messages are powerful, the production is simple, and the videos are fantastic. I know Jerry, and nobody is more genuinely interested in helping others succeed.

Have a look and get motivated today!

Jerry also created Motivation 101, a fantastic audio program which I highly recommend, too. I've listened to the audio program in my car a half dozen times and will continue to do so.

Jerry's You Tube videos:

Got Purpose?

Got Focus?

Got Passion?

Got Optimism?

Got Motion?

Check out Jerry Kennedy's Motivation 101.

If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training.

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I'll Know It When I See It and Top 100 Sales Blogs

Here's the scenario: You're working in sales at a furniture store, and you greet a couple who has entered your store. You quickly find out they are looking for a sofa, so you begin to ask probing questions about their need so you can be helpful. Then the prospects say this:

"We'll know it when we see it."

I know people who sell cars, homes, clothing, jewelry, and many other products also here this distancing statement. Having spent many years working in a range of business-to-consumer selling roles (yes, even selling furniture for quite some time), I would cringe when I would hear a prospect say something like, "We'll know it when we see it!"

Why would I cringe? Because I would feel like I had been marginalized. Prospects saying this succeeded at keeping their distance from me. They had effectively prevented me from doing my job. Although "I'll know it when I see it" limited me early in my sales career, I eventually figured out why prospects would say this. And here's the reason:

Lack of prospect engagement. 

When a sales professional doesn't succeed at creating an engaging relationship with a prospect,  the prospect can see the salesperson as a foe rather than trusted advisor. Engaging the prospect draws them in, makes them feel comfortable, and encourages them to enter into conversation with their salesperson.

When prospects are engaged, they are actively involved in the buying (and selling!) process. They speak, they share, they challenge, they ask, they joke, they relax, they relate, they laugh, and on the list goes. In my sales training, I talk a lot about how better engagement of the customer cures many sales ills, but one of my favorites is putting an end to hearing prospects say "I'll know it when I see it."

Engage more if you want to sell more.

* * * * *

News flash: The Selling to Consumers blog was recently named to a list of the Top 100 Sales Blogs. See the list the here.

 

If you like this post (or don't!), please consider leaving a comment. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter to read more sales tips and commentary about selling and sales.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip works with companies and individuals to unlock the buying potential of every prospect through improved selling.

The Attraction Effect, Top Sales Bloggers & The Role of Selling

Today, I have three interesting business tidbits for you:

1. A Peek into the Brain of Shoppers

What happens when buyers' brains when they consider difficult purchasing decisions? Researchers Akshay Rao from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, and William Hedgcock from the University of Iowa, have published a very interesting study in the Journal of Marketing Research.

Using MRI scans, the researchers have discovered what they call "The Attraction Effect." If you're considering purchasing a sweater, let's imagine that you have your purchase narrowed down to two possibilities. You like both sweaters, but are having trouble deciding between the two. When a third option is introduced into the mix, and when this third option is a less appealing one, the research study's subjects found the decision was easier than when two sweaters were being considered. And the MRI showed the subjects were experiencing more pleasure when the third option was present.

What can sellers take away from this? Give your customers a third option. I've been teaching the "three option" technique for years. If you sell life insurance, give your prospects a quote on three different policies at three different price-points rather than just providing two.

Read The Attraction Effect.

2. Top Sales Bloggers

Using data from several sources, Business Technology and Sales 411 (www.BTS411.com) has just published their list of the top 15 sales bloggers who are also power twitter users. There are some great bloggers on the list (Ian Brodie, Will Fultz, Art Sobczak, and Shane Gibson for example). I'm honored to have earned the #11 spot on the list for this Selling to Consumers Sales Blog. See the complete list of the top sales bloggers.

3. What is the Difference Between Marketing and Selling?

• Respected marketing guru Seth Godin says the role of selling is to overcome the customer's natural resistance to buying. I agree. Read sales is overcoming resistance.

If you like this post (or don't!), please consider leaving a comment. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter to read more sales tips and commentary about selling and sales.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is mad about helping companies and individuals sell more. 

How to Make Your Sales Target

Breaking News! One of the most common sales questions of all time is "How do I make my sales target?" After years of research, we at Selling to Consumers Sales Training have finally cracked the secret to making one's sales goal! I'm delighted to share it with salespeople throughout the world today. 

 
 

Without further ado, here it is, the secret to making your sales quota this month, this year, and forever:   

1. Do the right sales behaviors. 

2. Do those sales behaviors really often.   
There you have it!

You're welcome! 

If you like this post (or don't!), please consider leaving a comment. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter to read more sales tips and commentary about selling and sales.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is mad about helping companies and individuals sell more. 

The 300th Sales Blog Post

Wow, there are now three hundred posts on the Selling to Consumers Blog! I can't believe it. I started out with one post just a year-and-a-half ago. Many thanks to my readers, subscribers, commenters, and supporters. I appreciate you very much.

Do you care to look at some of my favorite posts? (I'm not saying they're the best, just some of my favorites). Here they are:

Most musical post

Most inspirational post

Most helpful post

Post with the biggest bonehead management mistake

Most interactive post

Most irritating post

Least sucky post

My wife's least favorite post

Most quoted post in other blogs

Post which best illustrates why companies need Selling to Consumers Sales Training

Why not subscribe to this blog, either in a RSS reader, or via Feedblitz so you don't miss the next 300 posts?

See you at post #301...and thanks again.

If you like this post (or don't!), please consider leaving a comment, or subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is nuts about helping companies and individuals sell more. 

Learn More, Sell More

I've had three recent mentions in the blogosphere (that I'm aware of). I think you'll find these links valuable.

1. Brad Trnavsky and Jerry Kennedy interviewed me for the Sales Management 2.0 Podcast. The topic was one of my favorite sales training topics: prospect engagement. I'm on an ongoing mission to encourage salespeople to do a much better job of engaging their prospects, because when prospects are engaged in the sales process, more sales happen. [My definition of "customer engagement": The active participation of the prospect in the selling/buying process (as opposed to passive participation)].

The interview is really a sales seminar (almost an hour long), and of course it's free, so if you want to learn more about how to sell, don't miss it. 

2. I was interviewed for an article on examiner.com. Read "Are You Prepared for Second Interview Questions?' The article has advice for both the interviewer and the job candidate during those all-important second interviews. It's not specifically a sales-focused article, but it applies to second interviews for all types of companies and positions.

3. Niall Devitt, Founder of Beyond the Boardroom in Ireland, chronicles an online debate I was having with another sales trainer in the sales training forum at www.SalesPractice.com. I disagreed so much with what was being said by the other trainer, and I pursued a hot and heavy debate online. Niall apparently observed the debate and wrote this post. Read The Sales Trainer Debate.

Here are a couple of other fantastic learning opportunities:

- Tibor Shanto is offering another "The Ultimate Appointment Making Workshop" in Toronto on March 10, 2009 (two days from now!). Tell your B2B sales friends about this workshop...it's fantastic. Click here to learn more.

- Colleagues and fellow members of TopSalesExperts.com are presenting an online roundtable called "The Future of Professional Selling on April 14, 2009. You'll hear Linda Richardson, Jill Konrath, Dave Stein, Jonathan Farrington, and Nigel Edelshain. Click on the banner below for more information.

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If you like this post (or don't!), please consider leaving a comment, or subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is nuts about helping companies and individuals sell more. 

Skip Anderson Interviewed for StarTribune Article

I had the pleasure of being interviewed for an article in the Minneapolis StarTribune newspaper on Sunday, March 16th. The article, written by Brett Pyrtle, is titled "Get Specific for Success."

The article is about the importance of sales training in a slow economy. Read the article here.

If you like this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to our free sales tips newsletter.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is nuts about helping companies and individuals sell more. 

Learn Something: 5 Posts to Read Today

Here are some great articles if you are in the mood to learn something today (please say you are!):

1. LEADERSHIP:

Sadly, quality leadership is lacking in many organizations. All managers (or manager wannabes) should not miss Chris Winfield's article about 99 Ways to Become a Better Leader.

2. SALES MANAGEMENT:

I'm a big fan of FOCUS. For instance, high energy is valuable only if that energy is focused in the right direction (have you ever seen someone use their high energy to spin their wheels and go nowhere?). Read Steven Rosen's post How Focus Helps Sales Management Effectiveness.

3. SELLING:

The Sales Loudmouth says we all have superpowers. Do you know what yours are? Read Hone Your Superpowers and find out. One of mine is the ability to engage prospects. Another one is the ability to accurately sort socks by color and style. I'll leave it at that.

4. WORK LIFE:

Bob Selden offers wisdom to those looking for their next position. Have you ever had high hopes for your manager in a new position only to be disappointed after several weeks or months in the new job? Learn how to select your new boss.

5. BRANDING:

The power of branding reaches deep into our culture. Read about how the Minneapolis Police Department hired a branding firm to strengthen their "brand." Read the Advertising Age article here.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to our free sales tips newsletter.

Skip Anderson is the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and management consulting company. Skip is nuts about helping companies and individuals sell more.  

Business Knowledge from Cyberspace

I just love learning. Not only do I have an office (and house) full of books, I have the internet, which I scour for worthy reads. Start out your Friday with a learning moment and check out the following:

Mason Hipp writes about the "The Art of Self-Motivation". He presents a step-by-step plan for achievement through self-motivation.

The teachings of Brian Tracy have been a major factor in my success. Watch his video, "You Are What You Think."

Bill Sadick tells us it's time to change our minds. Read his post over at Nice Selling.

A study has shown that more dominant individuals achieve more influence with others. Read the Time article, "Competence: Is Your Boss Faking It?"

The Hustler would rather fold his socks than go sell. Read "The Closed Mouth Goes Hungry.

Your comments are always appreciated. Please share your comment by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Your $2000 Gift is Waiting from Top Sales Experts

Today is the big day. As a Top Sales Expert, I want to inform you that today at noon pacific standard time is the launch of Top Sales Experts 2.0.

You can get $2000 worth of free sales training and learning products (including my brand new eBook) . These products can help you through this challenging period. Just one sales tip can change the course of your February sales.

So here's what to do TODAY:

Follow the countdown to noon here.

Then, at noon PST today, visit the site.

Enjoy! Sell More!

Your comments are always appreciated. Please share your comment by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

How to Sell More by Reducing Risk | Free Sales eBook

I formed the Sales Bloggers Union in 2008 in an effort to bring together some of the best sales experts in the world. Made up of nine prominent sales bloggers from the U.K., Canada, and the U.S., the union is active in the online community to advance the sales profession.

The Sales Bloggers Union has released it's new free eBook. All nine of us have contributed articles on the subject of "selling more by reducing risk." You can get the free reducing risk ebook here.

 

The Sales Bloggers Union members are:

Nesh Thomson, Sales System Developer at Symvolli

Tibor Shanto, Principal at Renbor Sales Solutions

Tim Rohrer, The Sales and Marketing Loudmouth

Will Fultz, Top Sales Blog

Brad Trnavsky, Sales Management20.com

Colin Wilson, Managing Director of First Border

Karl Goldfield, The Startup Sales Mentor

Skip Anderson, Founder, Selling to Consumers Sales Training

Your comments are always appreciated. Please share your comment by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Want Your Customers to Stop Procastinating?

Researchers at the University of Kostanz, Tel Aviv University, New York University, and Indiana University have published a study that suggests that people are more likely to procrastinate when the task at hand is more abstract and less concrete in nature.

A series of research studies asked participants to respond to email questionnaires within three weeks. Some questionnaires distributed asked questions that required abstract thinking while other versions asked questions that required more concrete thinking. The vast majority of participants who were asked to complete the concrete tasks completed the questionnaires by the deadline, whereas over half of the participants who were asked more abstract tasks didn't bother to respond at all.

How might this information be used to influence a prospect in a selling scenario? 

Tasks that are "assigned" to a customer (for instance, a mortgage broker who needs financial information from the prospect or an interior designer who needs his prospect to set a budget) might be more likely to be completed on time if the instructions are concrete, and if the task is framed in a concrete manner.

How might you use this information to reduce procrastination on the part of your prospects?

I appreciate your comments. Please share your comment by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Today, I'm a Proud American

It''s inauguration day in the U.S.

Today, I'm proud to be an American. We say we value equality, freedom, and justice. Today, we offer the world evidence that those words are not merely marketing phrases spoken in our great American self-promotion campaign.

Regardless of our individual political beliefs, what better day is there to sell more?

Have a great, productive, inspiring day.

I love your comments! Please share them by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Managers: Don't Give Your Employees a Heart Attack (Literally)

If you're a manager, a Swedish study suggests you might have an impact on your employee's health. The recent study by the Karolinska Institute found that the lower an employee rated their boss's competence, the greater the employee's likelihood of having a heart attack and other health problems.

The institute followed the employees over time, and by the completion of the study, were able to link increased and more severe health problems, including heart attacks, to the employees who had bosses who were rated lower in competence. Additionally, the study found health problems to have increased prominence for employees who had worked for their incompetent boss for a longer period of time.

Ratings of managers were derived by having the employees answer survey questions such as "I have sufficient power in relation to my responsibilities" and "I have a clear picture of what my boss expects of me." Therefore, it appears that the incompetence in the study may be real, or it may be perceived by employee participants.

Good management may very well be more healthy than bad management. Manage well!

I love your comments! Please share them by clicking "comments" below.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Retail Bankruptcy Update

The Wall Street Journal reports that a wave of bankruptcy filings are expected in the retail sector could be forthcoming now that the holiday retail season is done. Bon-Ton, Claires, and Gottschalks are mentioned in the WSJ article, and there's mention of a possible liquidation by Circuit City.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Read "Selling Yourself for Success"

I was interviewed last month for Matt Krumrie's column in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper ("Ask Matt"). Read Selling Yourself for Success.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers Sales Training, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to our free sales tips newsletter.

Selling to the 2009 Consumer

It's a new year, and time to look ahead. Trendwatching.com has just released their list of consumer trends for 2009. Anybody who markets or sells to consumers could use this list to educate themselves about the consumer mindset in current times.

In one of the trends, which they call "Happy Ending," Trendwatching.com predicts that the new year will be a good one for companies that do a good job of showing their customers that they truly care. And, with the economic downturn in full swing, this is what they have to say about the new consumer mindset:

"But the most important effect of more austere times is probably that consumers start questioning what truly makes them happy, which more often than not steers them towards the realization that happiness ain't (just) about traditional consumption. Expect pockets of consumers to switch to lower-consumption models with surprising ease, and to look for different and less costly sources of happiness and thus, ultimately, status. Any way you can help them with that will be a guaranteed winner."

I takeaway three things from this:

1. Consumers will consume less and when they do consume, it will be at a more moderate price point than before; and

2. Prospects will focus on what makes them truly happy, with an eye on practicality.

3. The definition of "status" is changing.

Years ago when I was selling custom closet systems in customers' homes, I was intrigued and constantly puzzled by homeowners who built, for example, a 5000 square foot home (that's a good-sized home in my part of the country) with a large master closet, but would only put a rod and shelf (either wood or wire shelving) in the closet to hold the clothing. What apparently made this consumer happy was a large home (but a poor use of space).

This didn't seem practical to me (but admittedly, I was biased). Imagine how much money this consumer spent on their 10 foot by 16 foot master closet (don't forget to add the mortgage interest on 160 square feet of space into the mix). Yet, they often went the cheap route and put an inexpensive rod/shelf (with tons of wasted space) in this large closet to hold their thousands of dollars worth of clothing. Wouldn't it be a better investment to put that expensive space to good use with a little extra investment in a quality closet system to utilize the space well?

Perhaps the new trend will be to build smaller homes with more modest closets, but also to invest in a custom closet system that truly utilizes that space. It makes sense, doesn't it? (Making full use of what you have rather than mindlessly building something where the only goal is sheer size). Products like this may fit well with the new definition of status.

I believe we'll see consumers shop smarter in 2009, but those of us who can position our products to be a practical addition to their lives rather than an ego trip will probably fare better than those of us selling products that are purely luxury purchases. Look for the consumers you sell to be more practical and to focus on what makes them truly happy. This will be an opportunity for many of you, but will require a slightly or greatly different approach to selling and marketing.

What can you do to help your product/service and your sales approach resonate with the consumer of 2009? Let's talk about it.

Flickr photo by Gemma Vittoria.

Please share your comments.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Retail Marketing: Winning the Battle but Losing the War

Retail marketing expert Rick Segel shared this story about his retail shopping experience. With his permission, I'm passing it along here for my readers.

* * * * *

I am Mad as Hell and This Retailer's Behavior Disgusts Me

by Rick Segel

I got suckered into a store over a very deceptive TV ad that ends up hurting every retailer. I am especially annoyed because I traveled 43 miles each way to go to this phony "make-believe sale". A chain of men's stores advertised that if you buy one suit or one blazer or a leather coat or jacket, you can get 2 other items of equal or less value for free. Now I have bought things in this store several times and was always pleased with their selection, their staff (very professional), and the value of the product.  So it was worth the drive.

I got to the store at about 3:30 on Sunday and just from the look of the store you could tell they had been busy. I was sure I was going to do well there right after I tried on the first suit. It fit great and I loved the fabric. I didn't focus too much on price because like I said, I had shopped there before and the price range for suits was between $200 and $450 but the $450 range was not the strong price point of the business. So I tried the suit without looking at the price. When I went to the dressing room to put the pants on, I was shocked to see the price of $995. Ya Right! This store never carried a suit for $995 in their life.  Then I noticed that the price tag had been altered. There was a small piece of with tape covering the original price of $395.  I couldn't believe that any store could do that.

Then I started to look at the prices of the other suits. They did not carry any suit that was priced less than $595.  So then I started to look at sport coats. Navy blazers were all priced at $395 but someone messed up because they left the previous sale tag on some of the blazers. They were all originally priced at $159.  So I asked what was going on and showed the difference in the tags. The sales associate then replied, "Since they are buying 3 sport jackets for the price of one, that means that the customer is paying approximately $133 per jacket or a savings of about $28. That's pretty good in this economy."  HUH? Of course he had to add that, "Every retailer does that and the customers know it." NO, they don't!

Then it got worse. I went to look at shirts and spotted a great looking striped shirt. The price was $59.95. Although the price was inflated, 3 shirts for $60 wasn't a bad buy so I picked out 2 more shirts from the same table and proceeded to the checkout counter. I gave the cashier the 3 shirts and she told me that I really should buy another one for the best savings. I didn't get it. Then she showed me a sign that looked the same as the other signs but read, "Buy one, the second one is free." Yet that was never mentioned on the TV ad or in any other advertising at all. So I told the cashier that I would only buy the 2 shirts.

I bought the two shirts and said to myself that $30 a shirt was still not that bad. They rang my credit card through and I was signing a credit card slip for $80.  I just assumed that they marked up all of the shirts to $59.95 but my assumption was incorrect.  Some of the shirts were priced at $74.95, then with tax it became $80. Did I get ripped off? No, but I felt manipulated and deceived. I don't care about every other store that does that. It is still wrong and it will catch up with them. At a time when consumer confidence is at an all time low, we don't need retailers playing shady pricing games. It hurts the store and the industry.

You can fool some of the people some of the time but the ones you fool always seem to get back to you. Trust me, short cuts and deception never pay off in the long term. This store may have won a battle, but they are losing the war.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Strong Holiday Sales

Adam Davidson from NPR reports on an online retailer that is pleasantly surprised by strong holiday sales. Listen to Surprised by Strong Holiday Buying.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Customer Engagement | Talbots

One key to maintaining sales success during this economic downturn is customer engagement. Companies that engage their customer base and keep them engaged are positioned to keep sales at acceptable (or better?) levels.

Retailer Talbots is now putting customers in the role of hostess at their stores. What a remarkable way to engage their customer base.

Read all the details.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Introducing SalesBloggers.com

I have the honor of being one of nine members of the Sales Bloggers Union, a group of well-regarded sales experts who produce some of the leading sales blogs in the world. I formed this group earlier in 2008 as a way to bring the best sales minds together under one umbrella group to offer varying sales perspectives to the blogosphere.

The Sales Bloggers Union now has a new website which features the writing and expertise of all the group's members. Unlike many sites, the union members' blog posts all revolve around one specific topic at a time. Readers can read a new post each day to get a different perspective on the featured topic from a different union member. This is a wonderful sales training opportunity for the site's regular readers.

Among the areas of expertise included in the group are the selling of professional services, media sales, pipeline management, start-ups, sales management 2.0, and of course, B2C and retail selling.

Read the sales bloggers press release to learn more about the Sales Bloggers Union.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Sales Bits from the Blogosphere

Thanks to all the folks that have joined the Selling to Consumers Group on LinkedIn. If you haven't done so yet, please do. Join here.

My new podcast that was released yesterday is all about planning for prospecting success. Jonathan Farrington wrote a nice blog post recently about how top sales performers have a penchant for effective planning. Please read it. Proactive planning is very important in maximizing sales.

Joseph Provenzano writes a blog for restauranteurs. His recent post about benefits instead of ingredients is similar to how I teach to present benefits and not just features.

If you have friends who sell business-to-business, have them read Brad Trnavsky's post about Sales Management 2.0. It may also apply to some B2C salespeople.

Retail Design Diva has a post about the renewed popularity of retail layaway, powered by the weak economy.

Reminder: If you're a Twitter user, please consider following Skip Anderson on Twitter.

Onward!

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Another Case of Apparent Article Piracy

If you have written articles online, you should check out Dave Stein's post about post. 

Dave is a well known sales trainer and writer, and a friend.

Readers of this blog may remember another recent similar accusation of article piracy.

Please spread the word...article piracy is a bad thing.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Retailing News: Selling to the Consumer

1. Order your next Pizza Hut pizza via Facebook. Read more

2. This holiday season's most wanted gift items.

3. Circuit City added to the lengthening list of company's filing for bankruptcy protection (chapter 11). Read more

4. Best Buy is predicting the most difficult holiday season in the company's history. Read more

5. The cost of theft to retailers. Read more

6. Retailers fear the worst as consumers slam their wallets shut.

7. Will Wal-Mart feel the pinch this holiday season?

8. Even upscale retailers are expected to take a hit this season.

9. At least here's one bright spot in retailing: American Girl sales strong.

Hang tough, friends.

Skip Anderson is a professional speaker, sales coach, and the Founder of Selling to Consumers, a B2C and retail sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

And Now: The Great American Cleansing Breath!

Today is the day of the great American cleansing breath; and do we Americans ever need it.

Vote...and then b-r-e-a-t-h-e- d-e-e-p-l-y.

The whole world will be able to join us in an even bigger cleansing breath on January 20, 2009.

Share your comments by clicking on "comments" below. If you you use Digg or Stumble Upon, please consider using the Share This button (below) so others can find this post.

Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company specializing in sales training in retail, in-home selling, and services. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.