The Program Committee decided to something a little different at our Membership Meeting on May 24, 2010. We wanted to generate ideas and conversations to lead to new insights about sales and how it applies to each of us. We are not all salespeople for a living, but we all use sales everyday in one shape or form professionally, personally, and in EWI. Using the roundtable format to provide everyone with the opportunity to interact, Robyn Joliat, Sharon Bennett, and Sheryl Beyersdorfer led small group discussions on topics relating to sales.
Asking for input from each small group, Cheryl Wood then collected and presented our key ideas to the entire group as summarized in the following synopsis.
What is Sales? How do you perceive it and how does it apply to you?
- Being enthusiastic about whatever you are doing or discussing
- Promotion, education, honesty, making connections
- We are always selling ourselves.
- Listening to the customer’s need
- "When you are talking, you are buying. When you are listening, you are selling."
What is a lead?
- Anyone at anytime could be a lead because everyone knows someone who could use your services.
- A lead is an opportunity for business
- A referral is a lead
- Networking leads to leads.
- Customer service generates leads.
- A lead is nothing unless you follow up.
- Leads can be hot or cold; sometimes it is better to know when to let go of one and move on.
How do I close the sale?
- Reiterate what the prospect has told you and ask what is holding him or her back.
- PCAV: Pause, Clarify, Answer, & Verify
- Persistence
- Ask for the business and for the contract.
- Do not take existing clients for granted. Return to them and ask for their continued business; do not assume it is there.
How do these ideas apply to our lives within EWI?
- In selling raffle tickets and soliciting for auction items, we have found that people buy from people they know and trust. These relationships and the solicitation process both increase exposure of EWI and all it offers.
- Each representative is promoting her firm and EWI in all of our events, big or small.
- ASIST Night is the culmination of all of our efforts.
- Networking with leads brings opportunities to bring in new member firms.
- Our chapter is promoting “1 for 1” – each representative brings in one new representative to grow our chapter.
To end the evening on a high note, Ways & Means Director Michelle Knue presented the solicitation packets for the auction in October. Then, our very own representative and professional auctioneer, Susan Johnson, presented many ideas for auction donations. Thank you to our mighty chapter. We are off and running in our big sales adventure!
Respectfully Submitted,
Helene M. Buse
2009-2010 Program Committee Member
EWI OF CINCINNATI / NORTHERN KENTUCKY
May 24, 2010
The Original Montgomery Inn
Do you have a favorite speaker, book, or website related to the topic of sales? Please consider sharing them with us in future editions of EWI Connect.
