Category Archives: Tips and Advice

05.24.13
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Fire Him? But He Just Had a Stroke!

9,385 Views.   I have experienced, first hand, employer decisions in regards to further employment with stroke victim employees… more specifically managers. What a moral dilemma it was for both sides. Employer… What if your manager had one? How would you handle their continued employment?

Fire Him? But He Just Had a Stroke!

Deception
I entered a national retail sales career path as a young enthusiastic “manager trainee”. I worked long hours, won all national contests, and even challenged the CEO as to why I wasn’t, 6 months later, an assistant manager yet! I hadn’t understood politics like “don’t go over the regional managers head to get promoted” but that’s another future article. What’s the old saying… watch what you wish for and I would add… watch your back.

The regional manager pulled me in and discussed the conversation I had had with the CEO. He then told me I would get my wish if I would transfer to another site. The site was Walla Walla Washington. So… I left my young family and went to Walla Walla. What he had not told me is that the manager of this retail store site was out on disability. He had suffered a debilitating stroke and while he looked/acted normal… he would have seizures.

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05.24.13
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Are You Consultative Selling?

9,479 Views.   Consultative selling has been around for quite a while. At least as long as I have been in sales and that’s a long time. I find it a little humorous that current authors, sales gurus, and presidents of sales teams feel they are the originator of this selling style. I also find it a little odd that 70 to 80% of the sales professionals I have come in contact with don’t do it. Why is that? To understand this we need to have a basic understanding of what it is.

Are You Consultative Selling?

Consultative selling can be broken down into a couple of components easily:

1.) Take the time and fully understand the potential client’s internal processes and company direction. The discovery process should include an analysis of: PEST – political, economic, social, and technological directions and SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of the company.

2.) Look for their “pains” (issues) and “repetitions” (costs).

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05.09.13
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The Power of Perception

98,951 Views.   Early in my sales career I was asked to go to a seminar that was to “empower me” with a new sales method. I was skeptical. You know the drill… fold your arms in a group and before you know it everyone has their arms folded. In other words you were in control by manipulation. The seminar went further. If you swiped your hand to the left you were putting a negative influence out where to the right would be the opposite. I could mess with their brain, cool.

The Power of Perception

Armed with this new closing power I went to work. Lean forward, pressure was on. Palms up forward facing, body sitting back relaxed, pressure was off. Lean forward and stare at the potential client and not say a word. Serious pressure. People would actually start to sweat.

 

“Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously.” -Wikipedia

I still see a lot of this type of manipulation today with some motivators and coaches. They run into the room full of non-motivated people with aggressive body and hand movements. In an effort to control they ask to repeat after them with a hand raised and so on… And you know what… it works! For awhile.

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05.05.13
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Business Cloud Communications and Web SEO Services

21,787 Views.   Phones, phone lines, internet, websites, social media and the list goes on. Who would have thought that this new marketing – communications direction would be a company’s newest and maybe even top concern?

Business Cloud Communications and Web Services

So what’s working and what isn’t? Where do you put your time and money?

MARKETING
Website and Social Media involvement is Crucial to Business Marketing

Years ago I was advising businesses and sales professionals to get involved with social media and websites. Those that caught the vision early are now reaping the rewards of lead generation, online sales, and credibility. Isn’t it time that you catch this powerful business marketing wave?

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05.02.13
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So You Want to Be a Sales Professional

97,208 Views.   You’re fresh out of college and ready to take on the world. After a couple of interviews you quickly realize that getting a great position mandates experience. How does that work? Well, actually, I have a couple of ideas to help there. Before we get into that, however, let’s discuss what a sales professional is.

So You Want to Be a Sales Professional

What is a salesperson?
I can tell you my six year old is. Politicians, CEO’s, revolutionists, pacifists, friends and family are. Anyone that tries to express or sell their ideas… their “wares”… are. A better idea. A better concept. A better life. Seriously, where would society be in general without being motivated and “sold”? To persuade, convince, or direct others is in its truest since selling. I would go so far to say that everyone has the innate ability to sell. To become a sales professional however is much more than that.

“Anyone can sell something… Do it day in and day out for years… successfully… then you can honestly hold the title of salesperson” -Chris Lott

Sales Careers are different
Truth of the matter is that while sales positions-careers look easy they’re not. Here are some of the qualities needed to be successful.

Fast paced and full of energy
A quick wit and a knack for reading body language
Excellent people skills and a flexible attitude
Capable of initiating – taking risks
Adept at using verbal and written skills
Maintaining a positive attitude even when life challenges suck
Trainable – willing to learn constantly

Sales careers are not 8 to 5 jobs. Almost always long hours are demanded. Many times away from home.

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05.02.13
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Social Media Cyber Bullying and Mean-Spirited Comments

19,705 Views.   I was raised in a witty, cutting, aggressive dialogued environment and became a master of it in high school and college. With this background it would be easy to derail conversations for my own purpose. Regardless, I have consciously decided not to do so; one… out of manners and respect for the author, and two… for the possibility to learn something new. I would never lash out with a personal attack as I see that as a weak and small minded response. I wish that were true of others.

Social Media and Mean-Spirited Comments

You’ve seen and read these commentator’s… foul languaged, personal insults, with no regard to intellectual dialogue whatsoever. They try, and many times succeed, in derailing the conversation of a great discussion or article topic towards their own agenda. While I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion they do not. Their ideas are the only ones that count… at least in their own limited mind. This trend in conversation is starting to grow exponentially. Especially in social media.

Social media is a great tool to get the word out. Unfortunately many abuse this power. They hide behind their virtual diatribe with virtual bravery. And yet I have always found these assassins of conversation a little less brave when they can’t hide behind an email, blog discussion, or status… when they are confronted live. It is tempting to retaliate.

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05.01.13
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How Not to Do a Sales Presentation

108,961 Views.   I walk into our conference room and the visiting presenting manager, salesman and sales engineer were waiting there to give us their “dog’n pony” in hopes of my organization partnering with them. I know all of presenters from a previous life. All very professional and successful in their own right. What happened next was incredibly short sighted on their part however. Below are my 5 takeaways from this experience.

How Not to Do a Sales Presentation

1.) Assumed that we were all “buddies” and took personal liberties at my expense immediately in front of my boss. Also took on a very condescending tone. An “I will school you” approach.

    a.) Made fun of my social media prowess. I update LinkedIn regularly and am very active with this product. It has helped me with credibility, sales, hiring, and marketing.

    b.) Commented on me personally about my age and looks. “Wow, Chris, your picture must have been taken some time ago on LinkedIn because you look a lot older in person”. You could have heard a pin drop after that comment.

As the strong influencer in the decision of whether to take on this product, or not, I was not impressed and quite honestly ticked off. With that said I continued on and took one for the team in an effort to help my company make a good decision. Now with a very critical eye however.

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05.01.13
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Why You Might Not Be Credible: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself

22,675 Views.   Are you credible? In this fast paste ever-changing sales environment credibility has become a key differentiator. Most times it’s what makes sales and why customers become referenceable. Yet I think most of us really don’t pay attention to our credibility like we should.

I have come up with seven characteristics crucial to credibility. Believable, Dependable, Trust and Confidence, Accountable, Effective, Character and Integrity, and Consistency.

Why You Might Not Be Credible: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself

I know… you’re thinking… “I have this covered”. Do you? Let’s see… Here are 7 questions to ask yourself to see if you are credible.

Credible: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Believable: Do you talk the talk but don’t always walk the walk?

2. Dependable: Are you constantly late, breaking appointments and/or deadlines?

3. Trust and Confidence: Do you Play “007” with what you’re doing – critical information – keeping others in the dark?

4. Accountable: Do you point the finger instead of looking in the mirror?

5. Effective: Are you quick to respond?

6. Character and Integrity: Do you tell the truth?

7. Consistency: Are your methods and work ethics reliable and consistent?

OK… So how did you do? Realistically, most of us have some work to do on at least a couple of these credible characteristics. Lets go over them to see if we can’t become more credible.

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05.01.13
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Top 40 WordPress Plugins

130,739 Views.   If you want your WordPress website to be at the top of the game then these are the “must have” plugins in my opinion. Check in regularly as this list is continually changing.

Note: Chris Lott and lottspace.com are not responsible for any issues with your website or other plugin incompatibilities after trying the below plugins. Always make a backup prior to using a new plugin. All of the below listed plugins have been used on lottspace.com at some time successfully.

plugins

1.) .html on PAGES: Adds .html to pages.
Version 1.1 | By IntroSites | Visit plugin site

2.) Ad Codes Widget: The Ad Codes Widget allows you to place ANY size banner ( ad, ads, advertisements ) into a widget-ready bar for WordPress®. It supports AdSense®, Javascript, XHTML and more.
Version 110709 | By PriMoThemes.com / WebSharks, Inc. | Visit plugin site

3.) Akismet: Used by millions, Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from comment and trackback spam. It keeps your site protected from spam even while you sleep.
Version 2.5.6 | By Automattic | Visit plugin site

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04.25.13
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Holistic Approach to Technology Sales

67,375 Views.   You’ve probably been in the same demonstrations I have where the presenter shows product after product with no apparent goal or target. Sometimes these presentations even get disguised as a “design session”. It’s like they’re telling themselves “If I throw enough information their way they’ll buy something, anything!”

Holistic Approach to Technology Sales

In my experience this couldn’t be further from the truth. Unfortunately more times than not the potential customer comes away thinking its way too complicated, too expensive, and even more importantly, it doesn’t solve any of their real, present and future, technical issues. A better approach is needed… a Simple Holistic approach.

1. Simple is Good
One of the latest crusades that I have been on is that the offering needs to be “simple”. As the IT department is either the “strong influencer” or “decision maker” of high tech equipment purchases I am going to focus on this group to make my point.

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