What’s your Ziggy?

I know they say you should never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. I hope it’s OK to blog!

I’ve been daydreaming about a favorite ice cream shop where they offer every customer a Ziggy. You order your cone exactly as you want it, but they go one step further in serving it to you. Using a melon-baller-size scoop, they add just a little bit more to the top, a Ziggy. You can have one extra bite of your favorite, vanilla on top of vanilla for those who like to keep it simple, or you can satisfy your taste for that runner-up flavor that didn’t get picked this time as the main attraction —Mint Chocolate Chip on top of Elephant Tracks (peanut butter cups in chocolate ice cream), for example. Hypothetically, of course.

It small. It’s simple. It’s cheap. It’s fun. And it creates an experience —one that gets talked about, one that creates fondness and solidifies customer loyalty.

Well. That got me thinking about the barber shop that offers a coupon for a free tap beer at the pub next door with every purchase of a buzz cut, the landscape shop that always has fresh popcorn popping and the restaurant that brings Bazooka Joe bubble gum to the table at the end of the meal. Each creates the same result. Of course, nobody’s going to get a bad hair cut in exchange for a free beer (well, with a few exceptions). But, all things being equal, why wouldn’t you do business with the entrepreneur who adds a Ziggy to the mix?

So what’s your Ziggy?

You don’t need to be a retailer to have one. And, though all of the examples I've provided so far may be driven by my dropping blood sugar, a Ziggy doesn't have to be something you can eat.

Hosting a customer appreciation party at the local bowling alley is a Ziggy. Mailing valentine cards to everyone on your client list is a Ziggy. In fact, your Ziggy doesn’t even need to be a physical thing. You can attract or retain new clients because they find YOU compelling; you add a touch of fun or novelty to the transaction.

Here’s food for thought: Whenever, and however, you add value for the sheer joy of it, people will naturally be attracted to you and to your business. Get Ziggy with that!

Get Them to Say No: A Contrarian Approach to Sales

Don’t take “no” for an answer! That’s the sales mantra that used to run through my head as I sat down to make my daily sales calls, bracing myself for the rejection and objections I would inevitably face.

After all, it’s been said that buyers will say no at least five times before they say yes. And it was the approach I’d observed and experienced with other sales folks I’d encountered. If everybody else is doing it, it must work. Right? It’s a seductive fallacy to believe that sheer persistence will bring you sales; it’s more likely to bring you frustration and burnout.

I’ve come to realize that a “contrarian” approach to selling is more effective and gives me a greater sense of control. It's draining to feel like you're at the prospects mercy, groveling for a sale. Selling is not about talking people into doing something they don’t want to do. In fact, sometimes “no” is the best thing you can hear from a prospect.

Have you ever pursued a customer for weeks, months or even years because they showed some interest without making a sale? And do you now look back with regret and wish you had invested that more wisely? Consider these thoughts on the sales process:

• It’s Not a Closing Problem: Many business owners get hung up on the closing ratio of their sales staff, when that is seldom the real issue. Don’t confuse a closing problem for a qualifying problem. Are you selling to anyone who can fog a mirror, or have you put a specific set of criteria in place to systematically and diligently weed out less than ideal candidates? The right prospects close themselves. They gladly buy when there is a match between cost, value and need.
  
• Drive to No: Not only is “no” an acceptable answer, it’s actually better than a reticent “yes”. Make it easy for the prospect to say no instead of ignoring and overcoming every objection. Remember, each rejection you get past frees you up to search for the prospect this is the perfect fit for what you’re selling. At a minimum, get prospects to quantify early on how serious they are.
  
• Shift the Ownership: A prospect takes your card and agrees to call you and meet you for lunch next week. What do you do when they fail to call? Make a follow-up call yourself — maybe even two or three? Do you send more information and call again to see if they got it? While a certain amount of follow-up makes sense, you’re better off to move more quickly to a forthright approach like this: “I don’t want to pester you if this isn’t for you, so this will be my last call. If you decide later that this is something you want to act on, you have my number.” Once you’ve educated them about what you have to offer, let the prospect drive the sale.
  
• Retain a Sense of Exclusivity: Your product or service isn’t for everyone. Let your prospects know that you’re picky about who you take on as a client—that you want to screen out prospects that aren’t ready for what you have to offer—and suddenly what you have to offer is more desirable. Every business owner wants to be a step ahead of the competition. Separate yourself from the mainstream and you’ll create a brand that resonates with many consumers who want to stand out from the crowds themselves.

How many of the of prospects you've been chasing after should have been abandoned long ago?There's a time and a place for pursing someone with dogged determination, but, more often than not, a contrarian approach is a better choice for you and the target of your sales pitch.