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Capture Your Competitors' Customers
and Keep Them!


Excerpts from the book


How to get more new customers: Capture Your Competitors' Customers - and Keep Them!
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five or more copies?
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Section I Introduction

In today's changing marketplace, there are only two ways to generate increased business: expand your market or take over portions of the existing market. Expansion is tough. While many companies are expanding into overseas markets and are doing so somewhat successfully, this approach is increasingly more expensive and difficult to pull off. Global market development strategies may not be viable for most mid-sized and small businesses. The most effective and efficient way to increase revenue is to slice off a piece of the competitor's pie, i.e. capture your competitors' customers.

The first section of this book deals with various critical strategies and skills businesses and sales professionals can employ to be effective in their efforts to gain market share and increase sales. It begins with a chapter featuring success stories from a variety of industries. The real-life examples presented in section one demonstrate how persistence, willingness to do what others do not do, creativity, and differentiation result in winning (then keeping) the competition's customers.

Many companies and sales professionals discussed in the first chapter are my clients. Their stories are interesting, and prove that the strategies behind their actions actually work. In the chapters that follow, I provide detailed recommendations and invaluable information on the various practices and approaches that can empower others to experience the same levels of success. Business owners, mid-to-high level managers and executives, sales professionals and others who want to achieve a higher level of competitive success will benefit from the review of value-added practices. Readers will also learn more about the importance of confidence in the competitive sales process; the critical components of sales, marketing and advertising (including competing in the trade show arena); and the successful selling techniques that keep a sale from evaporating.

Perhaps some readers resent what is happening in business today. Others may be nostalgic for the good old days when selling was easier. I frankly think those are counter productive ways to look at the new world of commerce. Business has changed. It may never be the same as in the past. I prefer to see succeeding in the face of economic adversity and global unrest as the greatest challenge we have experienced in our lifetimes.

It is abundantly clear that only the sharpest, most competitive companies and sales professionals will survive. Their survival will be the direct result of hard work, having the most intelligent and creative approaches to generating sales and to capturing, and keeping, their competitors' customers.

A Few Excerpts From the Book

Chapter 1. Real World Strategies and Stories
Strategies the smartest businesses and sales professionals applied to swipe customers from their competitors. Examples provided are from a wide-variety of industries.

The "Just Start Helping" Strategy

"A St. Louis based General Contractor and construction services business had a staff of twelve business development specialists. Interestingly, the newest on the team, who had only been with the company for a three-year period, was the top producer. (Business development in the construction industry can take a long time.) He achieved this status even though he was not given the best territory. During the company's yearly "Business Development Idea Sharing" Retreat, the facilitator asked him to share the reason for his success with the team. In a most humble manner, he stated, "Well, I guess it's because of me." The retreat facilitator replied, "Of course, it's because of you. Tell us, specifically, what you did to get all this business?"

He replied, "Well, I would just walk into offices or on job sites to introduce myself. I'd ask if they had any interest in our services and whether or not they were pleased with their current provider.

In the beginning, it was always no and then yes. I'd ask in a relaxed manner if they would mind if I dropped by from time to time. The answer was almost always, "Sure, you're welcome to stop by." I believe that if you make a positive first impression, the potential customer will agree to see you because he or she likes you. People tend to agree to see and do business with people they like and trust. I've always worked hard to be likeable and trustworthy. Not to sound boastful, but I believe it comes through.

For about a year, I'd continue to drop by every single job site and every real estate development office I could. Each time, I'd look around and offer ideas on better ways of doing things. I just started helping these construction guys as much as I could. I'd even call them on the phone to ask how their projects were going and always offered my help. I'd recommend subcontractors, construction equipment rental dealers, better ways to conduct demolition, ways to avoid cost overruns, and much more. I did all of this without asking for their business.

One day, I approached a project manager on a major real estate developer' job site. I had been visiting him regularly and giving him advice whenever I could. It was obvious from the get go that he was angry about something. I asked what was wrong. He told me a subcontractor messed up in a big way. I took the opportunity to ask, "Why don't you let my company step in?"

The project manager didn't do anything right away, but he did arrange for an appointment with the real estate developer and key people in the company. On the next project, our company had its opportunity to shine in providing construction services, and we did. We obtained another contract to consult on a $3.5 million dollar construction project. The project manager and site superintendent talked about my company's consulting services, expertise, professionalism, great selection of subcontractors, ability to complete projects on time, and me! The word spread. Many people he told about me already knew me, because I had been working hard, visiting them, and helping them all along. As result, I am top producer. You have to just start helping. Act as if you already have the business. Meanwhile, wait until your competitor starts messing up."...

The "Think and Act As Merchants Instead of Marketers" Strategy

"...In 1984, catalog shopping was still a largely unproven, uneven experience for customers. Nevertheless, the executive team at Lands' End wanted to ensure that their company's catalog sales business would grow and prosper. To Lands' End, achieving that goal meant adopting a "merchant" mentality and extending honest, personalized, "golden-rule" service to customers (based on how they would like to be treated themselves).

Dick Anderson, who was president at that time, encouraged "golden-rule" behavior from his employees. It was a brilliant strategy, because it gave employees a tool (and an attitude adjustment) to help manage extremely rapid growth. It also kept the company on course during slow times. Anderson explained what he meant to be a "merchant" in this way: "We are all merchants. And for me, that is an honorable and vital identity—even in this day when it is fashionable to hold forth on the subject of marketing in all its forms. I don't decry that exactly, but I'm more comfortable considering myself a merchant. He describes it in this way:

"We are all merchants. And for me, that is an honorable and vital identity—even in this day when it is fashionable to hold forth on the subject of marketing in all its forms. I don't decry that exactly, but I'm more comfortable considering myself a merchant. Here's why:

  • A marketer deals with many; a merchant deals with one.
  • A marketer moves from the mind; a merchant moves from the heart.
  • A marketer is logical; a merchant is perceptive.
  • A marketer does business across the world; a merchant does business across the counter.
  • And finally, a marketer bets his all on a system; a merchant bets his all on his store.

The result: Lands' End grew 20 to 30 percent a year since 1984, in a world where products and services are available in hundreds of variations. Executives made sure the marketing staff and employees would think and act in as merchants. When the recession affected all retail businesses, Lands' End still obtained a disproportionate piece of the overall pie. In 2011, they received the designation of Customer Service Champ, from J.D. Powers and Associates..."

The "Advertise When the Biggest Competitors' Don't" Strategy

"... A few years ago a top producing local radio salesman in the Twin Cities market of Halifax and Dartmouth (Nova Scotia, Canada) gave some good (and profitable) advice to one of his new customers. One cold November day, he called on the new owner of a very small automobile dealership. The owner had decided not to advertise in November, December, or January because of the ferocious winters. In fact, the dealer development manager suggested that instead, he should set aside money during each month he did not advertise to offset losses and create a fund for peak season advertising.

The ad salesman countered with statistics that proved slow times are often the best time to gain market share. Competitors would be cutting back their advertising activity, making it easier to dominate the airways. The salesman also pointed out that since other dealers would not be buying cars at auctions, it would probably be the best time to purchase used cars for lower price.

The owner was convinced, and together the salesman and customer came up with a great strategy. The owner negotiated great deals at several automobile auctions. Every Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., he cleaned out his service department and decorated it with colorful streamers, balloons, and other similar items. He moved some used cars into the showroom with new models. On Friday mornings, he advertised in local newspapers and aired radio spots on Fridays and Saturdays. Popular radio announcers did live onsite broadcasts on Saturdays. Upbeat music played all weekend.

The result? This new automobile dealer profited $100,000 Canadian dollars per month in December, January, and February. He had budgeted for a $300,000 loss and instead made $300,000! In reality, he was $600,000 ahead.

The story gets better. By February, competitors tried to counter attack — after laughing at him for what they thought was a waste of advertising dollars. They were too late. He already had momentum. Sales carried over at an astronomical pace from March to October. The huge market share gained in down months positively impacted the best months. Within a year, he sold his small dealership for a huge profit and bought a new dealership in Atlantic, Canada. Today, he is a multi- millionaire, all from taking a risk, doing what others were not brave enough to do, and following the prudent advice of a savvy salesman..."

The "Compete With Full Service" Strategy

"A midwest construction equipment dealership devised a successful strategy to get more business from existing customers and steal some of the business the dealership's competitors were getting from those same customers. The dealer executive team recognized that becoming a "full-service" business would propel them to a different level. They expanded their scope and began providing building supplies and fleet management services.

A great opportunity came to the company through the dealer's top salesman. This team member had a strong relationship with a construction contractor who operated with a large fleet of machines. Some of the contractor's equipment had been purchased from the salesman's dealership and some from other dealers who sold competing brands. The salesman asked the contractor if the machines sold by his dealership would benefit from the addition of a new and highly sophisticated GPS system. The contractor agreed and the system was installed into the machines.

The salesman stayed in close contact with the contractor. In a few weeks, he asked if the contractor was interested in retro fitting the new GPS system into all of his machines including from competing brands. Again, the contractor agreed because the new system had proven to be far more efficient than the one he had been using. This brought the salesman and entire dealer organization even closer to the customer and gave the dealer's service department an opportunity to shine. Each time the salesman visited, he would ask, "What do you need? Oil? Belts? I'll bring them to you."

The result? The dealer's service department was so exceptional, that over a period of time, the contractor not only purchased additional GPS devices and bought other building supplies from the salesman's company, but also ordered more excavators, skid steers, wheeler loaders and power equipment. The savvy dealer and the smart salesman captured their competitors' customer. Their competitors were very unhappy about the situation. They still are..."

(Learn about the "Cool Hunter Strategy, Ready to Do Battle Strategy, The Differentiate and Win Strategy, and many more in this chapter and throughout the book)



How Smart Companies and Sales Pros Get
More New Customers and Obtain Their Loyalty

How To Get More New Customers
Free Bonus With Purchase
Order Now

Interested in purchasing five or more copies?
Call us for a special deal! (847) 581-9968


Chapter 2. Champion the Cause With Confidence
How to lead and sell with confidence, and create a high performance team

"Every season, sports professionals state with supreme confidence that they will be the champions by the end of their respective seasons. Of course, there can be only one champion. No way around it. Pundits will forever analyze and evaluate what produced the winning team. They will weigh the merits of savvy owners, smart managers, tough coaches, and great players. They will rarely talk about the most important ingredient for success—confidence. Confidence on the part of the executives who set the team in motion; confidence on the part of the coaches who believe in their team's ability to win; most critical of all, confidence the players have in their skills to get out on the field and produce a winning season...

Like sports, business also needs the right combination of planning, management direction, resources, and allocation of key personnel to implement and execute at the highest possible level. Business success also requires the highest degree of confidence to accomplish the primary objective of winning over a competitors' customers..."

Clarifying the vision
Sometimes, the proposed vision does not work. Just look at the losing NFL football teams that have hired the best college coaches. There have been a few like Bill Walsh, moving from Stanford to the San Francisco 49rs who achieved success at both levels. But the majority of the college coaches who have moved to the NFL have eventually been fired or left—most going back to college football. The vision sounds right. Get a high-impact college coach who has won a College National Championship; he should make a great NFL coach, right? All too often, the answer is no. There is too much of a gap between college and pro ball.

A college team is made up of students who don't get paid directly and are still trying to make a name for themselves in order to advance to the next level. Coaches at the college level are mentors, teaching young athletes to become better in the sport and grow as a person..."

Chapter 3. Take No Prisoners with Value-Added Practices
How to add value for your customers, become a value- added organization, and demonstrate that you provide value.

"It's not just about selling.
It's about listening to your customer service reps and sales team to
determine the best ways to add value without cutting deeply into profits."

"...Despite the economy, customers remain interested in the quality of the products and services they buy. Capitalize on this concern for quality by emphasizing the intrinsic value of what you sell or offer. The reality is that customers are concerned about the dependability of your services, and durability of the products they purchase. These, coupled with the higher level of service your organization can provide, represent real and perceived value. That's true regardless of price..."

Chapter 4. Stop Selling and Start Building Relationships
How to build profitable relationships and position yourself as an indispensible business partner to your customers.

"There are many highly successful organizations that recognize the importance of building relationships. In a recent study of Fortune 1000 companies, researchers at Booz Allen Hamilton and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management found that the most financially successful companies are more relationship focused than sales focused. The study also revealed that these companies, and their sales teams, deploy a consistent process to build relation- ships. That's their "differentiator."

Successful relationship builders apply a relationship-focused philosophy before, during, and after the sale. The study also established that the top 1% of sales earners were not only highly adept at building relationships, but were also more productive, closed deals faster, and received larger bonuses.

A savvy equipment dealer's management adheres to this philosophy
Recently, I facilitated a workshop in Wichita for Berry Companies, Inc., a highly successful construction and material handling equipment distributor. The workshop was conducted at their annual branch manager's meeting. The workshop topic was "Building on a Foundation of Dynamic Leadership, Strong Customer Relationships, and a Commitment to Service Excellence."

Prior to the event, each branch manager was asked to bring one best practice to share with the entire management team. When we got to the segment on "Sharing and Establishing Best Practices," one manager said this:

"We don't focus on selling. We focus on the relationship"

Smart manager. Profitable branch...

Chapter 5. Capture Customers Through Referrals and an Advocate System
How to drive referral business and hold events that will help you to obtain quality referrals; how to develop an advocate system.

It often amazes me how many business owners and sales pros tell me they are uncomfortable with asking for referrals. Some don't know how to ask; some just don't do it at all. If you are not proficient in asking for referrals, you are sabotaging your ability to win new customers—especially those you want to steal from your competitors. The content in this chapter will help you improve your ability to obtain quality referrals that will impact your bottom line—and your commission-check.

There are many reasons why asking for referrals should be a strong part of your sales strategy. Referral business is the least expensive way to increase your sales, has the highest possible leverage, and the best potential payoff. In addition, a prospect whose name you received through a referral is more likely to return your call—and correspondingly less likely to look to other sources to fill his or her needs. A referral also puts you in the best position to capture your competitors' customers..."

"...Are you "referral-worthy?" (Learn more in the book, plus how to hold referral-building events.)

Making referrals a success—two things to remember
"...Knowing what you should do—and actually doing it—are two very different things. Where so many people fail is that they don't ask for referrals from the very beginning. Asking for referrals should be a major part of your sales strategy. The other way people fail is that they ask for referrals, but then don't follow through. Referrals are hard to come by and have a short shelf life. Treat them with care..."

Chapter 6. Sell Exceptionally Well
How to change your sales strategy for today's changing marketplace, how a smart sales manager transformed his team from dead last to excel...step by step; critical selling skills for today's sales professionals.

Dead last? Turn it around!
"...A few years ago, a sales manager inherited a ten-person sales team that was ranked dead last out of 64 branches. His one and only producer was an 18-year veteran with the company. Other than that, no one on the sales team had more than one year of sales experience or any formal sales training; they had only received product training. To make things worse, the sales staff had a pitiful attitude. In the first two weeks, the manager consistently received excuses for poor performance—"I have a lousy territory!" "Our prices are too high." (Learn the ten steps in the book to achieve success)

"...Smart sales professionals know that asking questions impresses customers. The smartest sales professionals know that asking intelligent questions impresses customers even more..."

Ask intelligent questions
"...When seeking to capture your competitors' customers, ask high- quality, open-ended questions to demonstrate a higher level of professionalism. Review these examples of high quality questions or, what I refer to as "intelligent" questions. Consider those that are applicable to what you sell:

  • "Would you like me to direct you to the sale rack?" (Instead of "Can I help you?)
  • "What are the top issues facing your business?"
  • "What are your top three priorities regarding...?"
  • "What are your top five buying criteria?"
  • "If there is one thing that I could do for you today that your current vendors aren't providing, what would that be?"
  • "What is the biggest concern about _________?"
  • "Are the critical concerns you outlined being totally recognized or is there a gap between where you are and where you'd like to be?"
  • "What are your key business initiatives or short and long term goals?"
  • "Who would you say are your top two or three competitors and how do they differentiate themselves?"
  • "Can you tell me a little bit about the relationship with your current vendors and how you came to work with them in the first place?"
  • "Can you elaborate?"
  • "Can you tell me more?"
  • "May I share how we've helped clients such as X, Y, and Z achieve efficiencies and cut costs and how we may be able to do the same for your organization?"
  • "What will that do for you personally?"
  • "Would you like to buy a car that will ensure the safety of your family?"
  • "What's your opinion so far about how what we've been talking about fits in with the current economic climate your industry faces?"
  • "If you could change anything you wanted to in your business, what would you change?"
  • "What type of feedback do you receive from your customers?"
  • "On a scale of one to ten, where are you at right now?"
  • "What is holding you back from a nine or ten?"
  • "In general, how do you see your department's role and function within your organization?"
  • "Have I answered all of your questions?"
  • "Are you comfortable with what we have discussed?"
  • "Do you have more concerns?"
  • The last question and the best question: "What have I not asked you about that I should have?"

These high-level questions will help you address specific problems and needs that will lead you closer to the sale. Create and memorize a matrix of intelligent questions to ask at an initial meeting to demonstrate you are a master of consultative selling. The key is to listen intently, with complete and total focus, and demonstrate you are truly interested in the answer. Ask questions to learn about your prospect's desires, needs, and fears. You will know how to position your product or service in a way that it will be perceived as being critical to your customer's success..."

"...Avoid asking a question to think about what you will say next. Instead, listen and internalize. Then speak..."

"...Rarely will you ever listen yourself out of a customer. I saved the best question for last. This one will get you even closer to the sale: "May I buy you lunch?"



How Smart Companies and Sales Pros Get
More New Customers and Obtain Their Loyalty

How To Get More New Customers
Free Bonus With Purchase
Order Now

Interested in purchasing five or more copies?
Call us for a special deal! (847) 581-9968


Chapter 7. Win Over Customers—Even When The Boss Says it Can't Be Done
How smart sales professionals applied courage, persistence and creativity to win over customers when their bosses said it would be impossible.

"It doesn't do any of us any good to reach for the stars. Let's stay on solid ground."
"That customer will never switch to our brand."

In other words, what the boss is really saying is: "We don't want to look like failures so let's focus on the smaller businesses that we have a chance of winning. Let's stay in our league." Well, that isn't necessarily the right strategy for a company that wants to gain market share. Risks have to be taken...and sometimes they turn out to be real success stories. Just read the rest of this chapter for three true-to-life stories that happened to hardworking sales people whose bosses had all of those objections. In spite of the resistance, they forged ahead and ended up winners..."

A sales story to beat all sales stories

"When my boss told me to back off from pursuing a terrific but almost unreachable piece of business, I was crestfallen. Knowing that the major objection was that it would require too much of our small company's resources, I responded by saying that I would take care of the sales effort for this account while the team would stay focused on day-to-day business. I would use select team members only when absolutely necessary."

My boss's response was, 'I've always admired your "never say die" attitude, Joe. I just don't know how you can beat out the top seven competitors in our industry, but if you really want to do this, give it a shot.'

"With that, I began to create a sales strategy that would help us win this project over our seven major competitors—the largest being twenty two times the size of our company and the smallest three times our size. It reminded me of the story of David and Goliath; I felt that I was in exactly the same situation.

During that year, I focused quality (but limited) time on this new prospect and received almost no support. Inside our company, I was told many times that I was crazy for taking this on and that I was wasting my time. During that year, not one person from top management came to assist or help me out in this undertaking. As agreed, I was virtually alone in the effort. Even our major competitors, who I had gotten to know over the years, asked if I was really serious about going up against them and all their resources for such a large project. My response was that one never knows how things will turn out and that I was going to give it my best shot...

It's all in the preparation
During the first nine months, my strategic planning focused on the following:

  • Getting to know the key players at the end-user better than they knew themselves
  • Researching the end-user's long and storied history and analyzing the strategies that made them successful
  • Establishing strong relationships with the end-user at every level in all departments
  • Taking the time to get to know the end-user's Executive Staff and key Board members
  • Listening closely to the end-user's feelings on what they want from the winning supplier
  • Confirming after talking with several people in the company that key departments have little, if any, communication with each other
  • Visiting all key departments every few weeks (cross pollination of the end-user)
  • Defining what the end-user's challenges and needs would be once the contract was awarded
  • Seeking ways to differentiate our company from our competitors
  • Identifying advantages our competitors have over us
  • Identifying advantages we have over our competitors
  • Finding and asking for the resources to gain the essential services necessary to fulfill the end-user's long-term needs

After a great deal of relationship building, I was contacted by the end-user (along with all the competing firms), and asked to deliver mock-ups of the new products. Non-negotiable presentation times were set for the same weekend. The prospect wanted to have the opportunity to review all the competitors at one time and in one location so they could make the best comparison. This approach allowed them to call in the three finalists for last minute queries. The end-users Executive Staff and Board of Directors would be reviewing the presentations before making their final selection. A decision would be made by the following Monday morning. I knew I had to jump through hoops to get it done.

Where there's a will
On the day of our presentation, our city was struck by a severe snowstorm. Everything came to a standstill; we wouldn't be able to make the presentation. End of story. My boss called and said he was sorry that things didn't work out. But I just countered with a quick remark that we shouldn't give up just yet. I wasn't about to let Mother Nature stop me from making a big sale. If we could get the truck out with the mock-ups, I would find a way to deliver a great presentation that would make our competitors look weak in comparison.

Relationship building pays off
Because of the strong relationships I had developed within the end- user's organization, the review committee agreed to delay our presentation. They would review the mock-ups, hold a conference call for an opportunity to hear preliminary remarks, and reschedule our presentation for the following week. I knew that first or last is the best position to be in. This could not have been better because we were not one of eight; rather we were one on one and also the final presenter.

Within hours after the presentation, I received a phone call from the VP of Purchasing stating that we had been awarded the project. The contract represented over $11 million. It was the largest order in the history of my company and needed to be signed the following week so work could begin as quickly as possible.

A new vision and new sales strategies
When I called my boss to tell him the good news, he thought I was joking. He was actually shocked to realize that we had won this job over all our major competitors. With this contract, our company's future was forever changed. We now had to realize a new vision and execute new sales strategies that would send the message to our customers and potential customers that our company could compete with the "Big Boys." We had moved into the big leagues and needed to strengthen our base to stay there.

When my boss came to meet the end-user for the first time, we stood on their headquarters steps that overlooked their entire facility. My boss apologized for not having the confidence in myself and our company to know we could be successful. This one project, he commented, would increase our market share in the industry from 2 percent to 42 percent. Moreover, our company had changed its entire strategic planning to recognize that it could compete at the highest levels. Finally, he asked the question that had been eating away at him since that phone call during the snowstorm. He wanted to know what in the world I had done to get this business in spite of the obstacles, the limited time and resources, the combined clout of our major competitors, and the dearth of experience to prove to the end-user that we were the best choice.

Find out what they need and give it to them
I responded by giving a snapshot summary of the key strategies and initiatives that won this job:

  • Maintaining a positive attitude and focused vision on the end goal throughout the process
  • Knowing the end-user's key players inside out, what made them tick, and what their hot buttons were
  • Developing strong relationships across the organization from the president and board members to engineers and purchasing agents
  • Hearing the end-user repeatedly state that all companies' products look the same
  • Validating that we did have the product and service offering to equal our competition
  • Defining the end-user's priorities (implementation, service, quality, price — in that order)
  • Being known by the end-user as "the one who talks to all departments and knows what's going on"
  • Understanding the end-user's fear of implementation due to lack of communication between departments
  • Relaying that our smaller size enhanced our flexibility
  • Identifying that we would be prepared to lead implementation through project management in all areas
  • Offering "Full Project Management for Total Implementation" to end-user at NO cost

In the end, the key decision factor for our being selected was our offer of "Full Project Management for Total Implementation" at NO cost. Once I confirmed we would need to do this anyway (based on their organizational concerns), I used this "added service" to differentiate us from our competition. (I calculated the costs for project management and added this to our quote allowing us to recover any additional costs incurred from managing the total project). Providing Full Project Management took the fear and accountability for implementation out of the end-user's hands. It also reduced the number of people they would need to dedicate to the project.

I never would have considered this approach if I had not done my homework and really understood the end-user's organizational weakness. By identifying the end-user's most basic needs, fears, and drivers, coupled with having strong relationships at every level, our company became part of their corporate family even before they made their final decision. They knew that selecting us would be the beginning of great teamwork between our two companies. We proved that we had the people, services, and products to successfully complete their total project within the timelines requested. But, more importantly, we built a level of trust that allowed them to feel comfortable working alongside our people to build the best possible product. I just knew, somehow, that this would make all the difference...and it did.

It's not over until it's over
Every sales person knows that after winning a major project, you experience 15 seconds of euphoria. Then reality sets in—the reality of all the challenges ahead in managing the project and the outside possibility that you could fail to deliver what you have promised. This story has an unexpected twist. When the winning company told the Architecture and Design firm about the successful bid, they said they were too busy to help out. In fact, they never thought the project would come through anyway.

To stay on schedule, the first building needed to be designed and ordered within two weeks. Because the sales manager had a background in architecture and design, he was able to work on the design concepts. He purchased all the drafting equipment he needed to complete the job and set to work. He interviewed the departments during the day and, in the evening, he would work on the designs from his hotel room (which ironically had a view of the end-user's facility).

During this period there were a few sleepless nights to stay on schedule. (Also, since this was an existing building with block wall interiors, trying to fit the design to blend perfectly with their existing space was an unbelievable challenge. But, about 3:00 one morning, the solution for this problem came to him and it worked.)

Within two weeks our hero completed the design and the entire factory order. When the building renovation was complete, everyone was amazed at the final solution and how perfectly everything fitted into the existing building. Even though design was not part of the sales manager's job, the end-user asked him to oversee renovation on the next two buildings. The success of this job led directly to securing over ten buildings with another company totaling over $5 million.

Success against the odds
This is just one of many remarkable David and Goliath stories about how a company that thought it had no chance at winning proved to everyone that they had what it takes to compete at the highest levels. A positive attitude, unlimited confidence, and the courage to take on a huge challenge and succeed against all odds make sales professionals so dynamic.

Christine Corelli will show you how to acquire new customers from your competitors and win their loyalty.

How a new sales person ignored her doubting bosses and beat Goliath at his own game
A partner in a small training and development company heard of a young woman who was seeking a career change. Although she had no real experience in sales, she came highly recommended for her strong work ethic and impressive interpersonal skills. She was soon hired but provisionally. The company was just willing to try her out and see what she could do. But the partners in this enterprise were so consumed with selling and servicing their accounts and running their business that they were too busy to provide any real sales training. They were consumed with a sales training event scheduled for six weeks down the road. Until then, our young protege was given scripts to memorize, coached a bit, and told, "You'll get in-depth training in a couple of months. For now just jump in feet first and learn as you go. You won't be going after any big corporate accounts yet. You aren't ready."

You go, girl
This young woman, competitive by nature, decided that she was not going to wait to go after big accounts. She not only wanted to prove that she could be successful in her new sales position, but she needed to make money fast since she had been unemployed for a few months. She dove in feet first by cold calling. (What else could she do? She had no accounts of her own and was not in a position to ask for referrals.) Being persistent and using her interpersonal skills, she managed to get an appointment with the Director of Training and Vice President of Human Resources of a major bank.

The majority of the bank's training was contracted with a well-known national training and development firm. This noted firm had a reputation for delivering some of the highest quality training in the U.S. but they were also a Goliath compared to the small company our heroine represented.

After hanging up with the bank representative, our aspiring saleswoman rushed to one of the partner's offices. His response was less than positive. "We've called them before but they said we're too small and all of their training is done by XYZ. You must have charmed them into the appointment. I don't think it will result in business, but I'll come with you in case you need help."

Turning a dream into reality
This woman had something to prove—not only to her bosses who doubted her ability because she was inexperienced, but also to herself. Maybe, just maybe, she could land one of the biggest accounts the company ever served and secure her future at the company and in the industry at the same time.

She did. She proved that she could land a big account—one that would eventually contract numerous training sessions over a three year period, earn her large commissions, result in referrals to other training and development and human resource professionals in the banking industry, and create long-term profitability for the company she represented.

The woman is the author of this book.

Chapter 8. Apply Smarter Marketing and Advertising Practices
Great examples and how-to's: smart taglines, advertising practices, and social marketing techniques.

Great campaigns never die; they just become classics
There are, of course, exceptions. Some advertising and marketing campaigns from savvy corporations and small businesses are so great I will never forget them. Why were they great? They stood out. Not because the companies had the largest budget or the greatest media clout. Instead, the ads stood out because these companies strategically crafted a communications campaign that hit all the right buttons and resonated with their prospects—their competitors' customers.

This chapter is intended for mid-sized and small business owners or managers who can't afford the services of big marketing or advertising firms like the one depicted on Mad Men (the popular and award-winning cable television series acclaimed for its historical authenticity on the world of advertising in the '60s.) While the subject of marketing and advertising is often the basis of an entire book, this chapter will cover some highlights and provide suggestions to help boost your marketing efforts. Many examples discussed in this chapter do come from major corporations. Others come from smaller businesses. Either way, these examples can help open your mind and stimulate your creativity in your own campaigns so you can be better able to capture your competitors' customers.

We are going to explore two areas:

1. Learning lessons from the past
Sometimes we need to look to the past for advertising models that still work and classic campaigns that still resonate today. Who doesn't remember: "Finger lickin' good," "Can you hear me now?" "He keeps going and going and going," "How do you spell relief?," "Let your fingers do the walking," "Where's the beef?," "Got milk?" "Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is?" "Good to the very last drop?" "This Bud's for YOU?" You may or may not have heard these the first time around, but they are undoubtedly familiar. These successes were dynamic at inception and are still viable today.

2. Contemporary campaigns and tactics to apply
Whether today's businesses employ traditional marketing strategies and advertising channels or are making use of the latest technologies, companies of all sizes are employing unique approaches to reach out to customers. We will analyze their successful strategies and identify ways you can apply them to your business.

Learning lessons from the past
Whether it was in 1741 when Benjamin Franklin's General Magazine was the first magazine to print advertising or in 1931 when Procter & Gamble developed a brand management strategy that detailed how the company would manage its diverse brands, companies have always known that smart marketing and advertising are critical to capturing customers and driving sales.

Lesson #1: Break the rules to craft a powerful message
Leo Burnett
In the Mid '30s Leo Burnett founded the Chicago-based Leo Burnett Company. Burnett and his firm were known for breaking the rules and showing that images can be more memorable than words in ad campaigns. The Jolly Green Giant, Morris the Cat, and Charlie the Tuna are all Burnett inventions. There was also the nearly-unemployed Maytag Repairman, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Tony the Tiger, and the legendary Marlboro Man. All of these are examples of the Leo Burnett agency's talent for giving a product a strong, memorable image that endeared it to the consuming public.

He did not use images alone though. When Burnett obtained the United Airlines account, he concentrated on the people who ran the airline and the service provided, while other airline ads focused on the airplane. This gave rise to the "Fly the Friendly Skies" campaign. He also created the catch phrases "The best to you each morning" for Kellogg's and "You're in good hands" for Allstate" which are still being used today."

Chapter 9. Create a United Front—Align Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing must be aligned with your competitive strategy. This chapter will tell you how to align your teams for results!

Forging a relationship between marketing and sales is critical to ensuring situations like these don't occur. No company can afford bad public relations and loss of revenue that results when sales and marketing simply aren't on the same page. This holds true whether you are a major conglomerate, mid-sized, or small company.

Chapter 10. Reel in Customers at a Trade Show
Trade show studies consistently reveal that 76 percent of all attendees decide whom they will visit prior to the show. Spend as much time creating a preshow sales and marketing strategy as you do in creating your company's competitive strategy. Make sure your pre-show strategy will make prospects WANT to visit YOU. Then, go after them—hook, line and sinker.

Strategize before you make a move
In the months prior to the show, start with a strategy that covers whom you want to go after and how you intend to get them. Some important issues to consider as you are putting your strategy together are as follows:

Another creative way to get your target prospects into your exhibit is the following. Consider purchasing a gift that you can send in two parts. For example, send the earphones to an iPod with a photo of the iPod and a note that says, "What goes with this is in a personally addressed box in Exhibit Number 108." (You will want to be sure these gifts are discreetly wrapped, so as not to offend anyone who may not receive one.) A sales manager purchased 25 iPods for the most important 25 prospects he wanted to bring into the exhibit. What was the long-term result? He captured a significant number of prospects and converted many to customers. That's the name of the game, right?

Here's a great idea: Send a single ticket to a sporting or entertainment event to your most desirable customers with a note that says, "Another ticket to this event is waiting for you in an envelope at our exhibit. John Smith will be contacting you to arrange an appointment to pick it up."

Establish a giveaway or "gift" budget. Then, tap into your creativity to think of what gift would draw your VIPs into your exhibit. You could consider a "sneak-preview" to a new product. There are drawings for big prizes, which work for some exhibitors. Or you could purchase five or ten specialty items and reserve them for the people you most want to see. Even a gift card works! Think of something they might really want to have and go for it!..."

More in this chapter: Great ways to hook your competitors' customers with Good bait, get them into your exhibit, and close the Sale — a valuable read for any company or sales professional



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Section II Keep Your Hard Won Customers
Introduction — Who am I? I'm one tough customer!

Who Am I? One Tough Customer
I'm either your No. 1 fan or your worst nightmare.
How you treat me will determine whether you will keep me or lose me to your competitor.
If you really want to keep this relationship, let me tell you how...
I want service now!

I am better educated, more individualistic, and more discriminating than my predecessors. I expect a lot more than they ever did. For example, if I call your organization to make any type of inquiry whatsoever, I expect you to be able to give me an answer in three seconds. I expect you to be readily available to me at any time; I will not tolerate being just one of your regular customers.

Bend over backwards!

I expect you and everyone who works in your company to be friendlier and more caring than any of your competitors. You must be highly competent and knowledgeable. As your company ambassador, I expect you and your associates to stand on your heads for me when necessary. I even expect you to anticipate my needs before I become aware of them. If you are highly responsive, you'll be in a better position to keep me.

Read my mind!
I expect you to know what I want. I also expect you to know what I am willing to pay for it. If you cannot deliver what I want, how I want it, when I want it, and what I am willing to pay for it, I'll go to your competitor. There are other places I can buy.

Don't even think about scamming me!
Selling to me is more difficult now because I'm more cynical and skeptical than ever. I have become suspicious about whether you are giving me the best possible price. I always wonder if you are going to deliver what you say you're going to deliver when you say you're going to deliver it. I do not want some excuse and for you to disappoint me.

I don't believe that there is much truth in advertising. After all, your advertising claims that you give "Five star service—guaranteed." Any company can have great systems and procedures, but when it comes to service, it often depends on whom you get to serve you. So if you claim superior service, you need to make sure that everyone in your company demonstrates it in every aspect of my experience with you. After all, your company is supposed to provide exceptional customer service—not sometimes, all the time. Be sure it does or your customers might just find another source for their needs.

I didn't hear it through the grapevine!

To survive with me, you will need a reputation for "World Class Customer Service." Lucky for you, I have not heard anything negative about your company or your service through the "Grape Vine." If I had I would not give you the time of day. When I call for the very first time, I will form my first impression of your organization and how professional it is. It starts with the person who answers the phone. If they don't sound sharp or know how to handle this call, how can I expect good service at any other level?..."

Chapter 11. Keep Your Hard Won Customers With Exceptional Customer Service
Great examples from companies known for consistently exceptional customer service and how to apply these lessons to your own business.

What Customer Service Champs have in common

"...Commonalities among Customer Service Champs provide great insight. Let's analyze ways these companies achieve such high levels of service and discuss how their service practices can be transferred to divergent firms and other industries.

1. All Customer Service Champions have established a reputation for reliable and exceptional customer service.

Having a reputation for great customer service is critical to a company's success. It is an unconquerable competitive advantage. In fact, some companies' outstanding customer service reputations are so strong, it is a "fear factor" to their competitors.

2. All Customer Service Champion leaders make service excellence a priority and a strong part of their competitive strategy.

The top executives in remarkable Customer Service companies demonstrate their passion for service excellence. By example and by design, they make service excellence the highest priority. Many even establish it as a major strategic initiative.

If you are the "boss," demonstrate your firm's commitment to customer service excellence a priority. Make sure you are not so consumed with the bottom line that you leave customer service up to your customer service staff. Under your direction, service excellence should permeate your entire organization and be a strong part of your competitive strategy.

If you need to transform your culture to make this happen, or simply want to improve upon the level of service you provide, the remaining chapters of this book will show you how...

Chapter 12. Listen to Customers, Make it Easy and KEEP Them
How to obtain customer feedback and demonstrate that you ARE listening and improving the customer experience.

Being the best listener
Perhaps the biggest difference in the way we did business in the past and how we will need to do it in the future is that we will have to be better listeners. Gone are the days when a company could just operate on its assumptions of what the customer wants. We now have to develop ways to ensure that we hear what customers want. We need to be better at listening to uncover ways to make it easier for customers to do business with us.

This is especially true if you want to retain your existing customers. The cost of searching for new business is significantly higher than the cost of retaining existing customers; therefore, it makes sense to expend as much effort as possible to make sure your customers are happy. If you listen to what your customers are saying, they'll tell you what you need to do to keep their business.

Good listening is for everyone
Most people think listening is just for sales people who first have to ask the right questions and then have to listen closely to uncover the way to make the sale. Or, they think it is for customer service professionals who resolve customer complaints through careful questioning. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Everyone in the company should be trained to be a good listener. Hard as it is to believe, a person is not simply born a good listener. Every individual needs to work hard to develop the skills to "hear" between the lines and understand the nuances of what people really mean when they talk.

Why good listening makes a difference
Most companies in an industry have more or less the same products, so they must differentiate on service. In many cases, this is what sets a company apart and is enough to keep customers.

Chapter 13. Keep Even the Most Difficult Customers
This chapter is for everyone in your company. Learn how to handle the most difficult customers and situations.

"...Professionalism pays off
Whether you are dealing with an angry customer face-to-face or on the phone, you are in a very challenging situation. If you can't handle the situation professionally, resolve the actual or perceived problem, and bring the controversy to a successful conclusion, your unhappy customer will walk. He or she will go back to doing business with your competitor, which can be a major indictment of your service and a waste of the effort you put into landing the customer in the first place. Bad news travels fast. The result will be an assault on your reputation—something no business can afford.

When dealing with difficult situations and irate customers, displaying the utmost professionalism is crucial. It requires shifting into the right mindset, communicating with the customer in a confident, competent, and non-combative manner, and resolving the issue in a way that allows you to keep that customer. This chapter will provide you with communication skills and a ten-step process to apply when facing these situations."

Learn the ten-step process for successfully retaining your upset customer in the book.

Chapter 14. Create a "Sales Service Excellence" Culture
A step by step approach on how to drive sales by giving your full support to your sales team, and transforming your culture.

(Excerpts can be found on http://www.christinespeaks.com/sales-service-excellence-culture.htm)


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Christine is best known as the author of the popular books,Wake Up and Smell the Competition and The ART of Influencing Customers to BUY From YOU. As a keynote speaker, conference speaker, and sales trainer she is superlative in her field. Her impressive client list includes Fortune 100 corporations, prominent national associations and literally hundreds of mid-sized and small businesses.

To learn more about Christine's books, keynotes, seminars or consulting, please contact:
Gene Leigh, Director of Marketing: gene@christinespeaks.com


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