Profit-Point 32:
Value on the vine!
There was once a farmer who had some beautiful yellow tomatoes, but couldn’t sell ‘em.
They were priced the same as the red tomatoes, but nobody wanted to buy yellow ones. He was stumped.
The yellow tomatoes were big, plump and delicious. He even offered free slices on toothpicks. Folks gobbled ‘em up, but still didn’t buy!
Then, the farmer was struck by creativity and the power of perception!
He put a sign next to the yellow tomatoes that read:
“GOURMET! ORGANIC! LOW-ACID!”
This was true. Yet, it was also true of any good tomato. The farmer also increased the price of the yellow tomatoes. By a dollar a pound.
By mid-morning, the yellows sold out!
© Blackman & Associates, LLC
Profit-Point 35:
Negotiation know-how!
Clients often ask me, “How can I become a better negotiator?”
That’s an easy one. First, acknowledge that every negotiation is an evolutionary process. It changes with the introduction of a new objective or an unexpected decision-maker.
Therefore, planned spontaneity or preparation, combined with flexibility and creativity are crucial to your success.
The following “dynamic dozen” are practical,
profit-producing and ethical tips, that’ll immediately
help you maximize your success and results.
- Negotiate only with those who have the authority to make a decision.
- Anticipate and be prepared to make value concessions, not compromises, and only if necessary.
- Know your objectives, limits and expectations, and don’t compromise them.
- Know your customer’s goals, objectives and expectations, and understand them.
- Identify the strengths of you, your company, your product or service…and always communicate and reiterate them.
- Look at the big picture, the long-term…not the quick-hit.
- When the judge rules in your favor, get out of the court! Or said another way, when you get a favorable decision, say thank you and leave!
- The best time to get something, is when you give something.
- Be aware of deadlines, (real vs. assumed).
- Know how to respond to a totally unacceptable offer, either with a question, the twitch…which is physical or auditory disbelief, or silence.
- Be wary of the decision-maker who appears dumb or says little. It could be a ploy.
- Be willing to walk away from a bad deal.
© Blackman & Associates, LLC
Profit-Point 37:
Peddler or partner?
Don’t be driven by only commissions, quotas or contests. These are your motivators, not your decision-maker’s.
Don’t peddle products and services.
Instead, deliver results and value.
Today’s buyers don’t simply want a product or a service, they want you.
And they expect you to be a consultant. A strategic adviser. A partner.
Partners are invaluable. Vendors are expendable.
© Blackman & Associates, LLC
Profit-Point 41:
Lost or found?
A subscriber to my free e-zine, The Results Report , posed an interesting question:
“Jeff, I recently lost a client, what did I do wrong?”
I replied:
To give you a deeper insight and more on-target explanation, I need to know more details. However, there’s a pretty good likelihood you blew it, in one or more ways.
So take a deep gulp. Be brutally honest. Review the following. And then you’ll know better than any one else, where you goofed.
You may have lost a client if…
- You promised a lot, but under delivered.
- You or you people were rude, uncaring or indifferent.
- You stopped listening, because you knew all the answers.
- You remembered the importance of customer acquisition, but you forgot about the significance of satisfaction and retention.
- You forgot that individuals make decisions and you began to take for granted or ignored the value in your relationships.
- Your product or service has declining value or quality.
- You stopped communicating in a timely and effective manner.
- Your client’s needs and expectations changed, but your strategies and solutions didn’t.
- You committed an ethical breach.
- You began to think you were selling a commodity with no differential competitive advantage, except a lower price.
- You missed deadlines and deliverables.
- Your customer found somebody else, who wasn’t doing 1 thru 11.
Are you in jeopardy of losing a customer? If so, the time to take corrective action, is NOW!
By the way, a “lost” customer or client, may only be temporarily “misplaced.” Where they are, really depends upon, where you are.
Go find them!
(Join our virtual family and subscribe to our free e-zine, The Results Report , simply go to www.jeffblackman.com)
© Blackman & Associates, LLC
P.I.T. Stop
| P | Provocative or Playful |
| I | Inspirational or Informational |
| T | Thoughts or Theories |
On the airport tram in Las Vegas:
Stranger: “So did you win?”
Me: “You bet! How ‘bout you?”
Stranger: “Nope. Big loser. Lost my money. And, lost my girlfriend.
Me: “Sorry. Which disappoints you the most?”
Stranger: “The money!”
If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?
© Blackman & Associates, LLC
Profit Pillar V: Communicate & Conquer →
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Jeff is a Hall of Fame speaker, best selling author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” If you hire speakers, please contact Sheryl Kantor at: 847.998.0688 or [email protected]. And visit jeffblackman.com to learn more about his other business-growth tools and to subscribe to Jeff’s FREE e-letter, The Results Report. Jeff’s books include; Stop Whining! Start Selling!, (an Amazon Bestseller), and the revised 4th edition of the bestselling Peak Your Profits. You can also stay connected with Jeff via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: @BlackmanResults