The Pierce Marrs Show

Negative conversation can get in the way of building relationships, networking and negotiating. It can also cause you to lose credibility and repel people.

We all know people that we try to avoid because of their poor communication skills. We do not want to be one of those people.

I heard a story recently of a conversation where a gentleman continued to interrupt and talk over the other person during a candid conversation on how to improve conditions in his company.

Is there anything more annoying than someone interrupting you while you’re talking? Not only is it rude but in this scenario it nearly undermined the entire purpose of the conversation.

In his bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey states that Habit Number Five is Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. For some of us, this may be the most difficult habit to master.

There is a video of Mr. Covey teaching this principle by means of The Indian Talking Stick. He demonstrates that the best way to learn and practice emphatic listening is to give your full attention to the person holding the Talking Stick or whatever object you have available to you.

The key here is that you must remain quiet until they are finished. When they feel understood, they will pass the object to you. Then, it is your turn to state your case and so on until everyone feels heard and understood.

Some other things to avoid is constant complaining, being disagreeable and talking down to people.

Eliminating negative habits in your communication is not an easy task and it requires practice. It means having to be aware of what you are saying and how you are saying it at all times. The results are worth the effort.

Think and listen before you speak.

Have a great week!

Pierce

In this world of electronic communication, it is sometimes difficult to determine the mood of the message you are receiving. A language is developing with hash tags, emoticons and the letters “lol” following a message that will provide you with an inclination of the spirit of a message. But what if you are wrong?

Is it worth the risk to assume a customer is joking and light hearted when we know there is always an underlying truth to a comment?

I told a customer that I would complete a proposal and have it to him when he returned from lunch. I was missing one piece of vital information and I did not send the proposal until late in the afternoon. When I sent it, he responded with, “How long of a lunch do you think I take?”

I know this guy and wanted to believe he was poking fun at me but how was I to know for certain? He did not include a smiley face or any other sign that he was kidding. I chose to apologize and explain the reason for the delay. I played it safe.

It goes without saying that I should have contacted him after lunch to let him know the proposal would be delayed.

We live in a global society and depend on electronic communication to make our lives more efficient. There are times when face-to-face communication is the best way.

I have found that in business communication, people tend to be audacious and less reasonable when they communicate over the phone and by email or text.

I recently corresponded by email with a customer and he was very direct in his message and I detected an unhappy tone. I was able to drop by and see him face-to-face. We had a friendly conversation and worked out the issues in a mature manner. It is much more difficult for a person to be angry and aggressive face-to-face if you handle it properly.

Developing good communication skills is vital regardless of the method. Make sure you make your intentions and mood clear.

Have a great week!

Pierce

What do you believe is the number one obstacle to sales people being successful?

A sales manager who was considering me to provide training for his team asked me this question.

The long answer would have been that it depends. Depends on their personality, their work habits and a number of other variables.

However, I answered quickly. I said, “They talk too much and don’t listen enough.” The sales manager chuckled.

If you are prone to talk too much, one remedy is to W.A.I.T. This acronym asks the question, Why Am I Talking?

You may want to post this prominently where you can see it while you are talking to a prospect or client.

I am a talker and have struggled with dominating conversations and talking too much my entire sales career. I have also learned that my success rate rises proportionately to how well I listen and ask questions.

It is natural for us to want to talk about our own interests and be enthusiastic about what we have to offer, but to successfully engage the prospect we have to let them do most of the talking. It is also important for us to become active listeners. They will tell you how to do business with them if you will only listen.

I recently watched the finale of a reality show in which the contestants continued to speak louder and become more obnoxious in order to be heard. The host asked a ninety-one year old man in the audience what he thought about the debate and he replied, “Talk less and listen more.” Then he quietly sat down.

Here is a summary:

1. Remember to W.A.I.T. and ask yourself, why am I talking?
2. Ask questions and become an active listener.
3. Use the 70/30 Rule. Let the prospect talk 70% of the time.
4. Take notes. This will slow you down and allow the conversation to breathe. Taking notes also shows the prospect you are listening.

Now it’s my turn to stop talking.

Have a great week!

Pierce

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in selling is to prejudge your prospect and assume they cannot afford what you are offering.

You may have heard that while Oprah was in Zurich to attend Tina Turner’s July wedding, a clerk refused to show her a $38,000.00 purse. The clerk assumed that she could not afford it. It is estimated that Oprah’s earnings in the prior twelve months exceeded seventy seven million dollars.

While the store denies racism, they cannot deny that they failed at doing what they are in business to do, sell merchandise. The clerk made a big mistake and lost a huge sale.

Dan Miller recalls a great story while selling cars in southern California. A guy walked on to the car lot, yes, I said walked. In the eyes of most car salespeople, this is a bad sign, but not for Dan. He treated this gentleman with respect and consideration. Just as if he drove up in a Mercedes wearing a thousand dollar suit.

That gentleman bought a car from Dan that day and paid cash. Subsequently, Dan sold cars to several members of that gentleman’s family over the next several months.

The term prejudge is defined: To judge beforehand without possessing adequate evidence.

Prejudging can cost you income, credibility and future business. You never know who you are turning away.

Remember to serve people and the Golden Rule is always the best policy; Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Have a great week!

Pierce

There are a number of people who try to get what they want by demanding or barking longer and louder than everyone else. Results may vary but this type of approach rarely builds moral and confidence. It usually leads to resentment and stress.

When it comes to influencing people, you can begin with your fists clinched ready to fight or maybe you can use a drop of honey.

Over thirty years ago I was first introduced to Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Mr. Carnegie illustrates the idea of beginning in a friendly way in the following quote.

“A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall. So with men, if you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey which catches his heart, which, say what he will, is the highroad to his reason.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Dan Miller illustrated in a recent blog that if you want to be relaxed and calm, keep your palms up. Dan discovered in his review of Bob Goff’s book Love Does, “When their palms are up, they have an easier time being calm, honest and accurate.”

It is remarkable to see the response you get when you begin in a friendly way. I have seen a frown turn to a smile in an instant. You might be the only bright spot in that person’s day.

Question: Can you recall a time when you have seen this principle work? Share it with us below.

Have a great week!

Pierce

One of the biggest mistakes I see salespeople make is that when they receive an objection from a prospect they will get defensive and begin overselling and talking too much.

In order to gain commitment from a prospect you have to understand the objection, determine if it is real and then you will be ready to overcome it.

In Ziglar on Selling, the great Zig Ziglar understood this and described a process to handle objections called The Q.U.I.E.T. Method.

When you get an objection, first you pause and think Q.U.I.E.T.

Q. Begin with a question.

U. You must ask questions so that you can understand the objections.

I. Once you understand the objection, you must identify the objection.

E. To identify the proper objection (and not be fooled by a false objection), you must empathize with the prospect.

T. If you empathize instead of sympathize with the prospect, you are ready to test the objection. When you test the objection and prove it real, you can eliminate the prospect’s concerns and dramatically improve your chance of making the sale.

Zig understood the importance of asking questions and you should too if you want to have a successful sales process.

When you feel the urge to keep talking and selling, slow down and use The Q.U.I.E.T. Method to get a clear understanding of the prospects wants and needs. This will make the prospect feel heard and understood which is a key component of gaining commitment.

So, do you agree with Zig? Share with us your method of gaining commitment. Leave a comment below.

Have a great week!

Pierce

Last week I sat in meetings with a few dozen salespeople. Many of them were at the top of their game earning a six-figure income year in and year out.

As I often do in these situations, I observed them to determine what they are doing that other salespeople are not. There were no similarities in appearance, background and personality. Some were articulate. Some were not. One guy in particular could never be identified as a salesperson; however, he is one of the top salespeople in the country year after year.

During dinner, I had a conversation with a sales manager from another state. I had managed that territory several years ago and began asking him about some old acquaintances.

One name came up and I received an immediate reaction. As a competitor, this salesperson had been a thorn in this District Manager’s side for a long time. He asked me, “How could this guy have so much success for so long?”

I answered him immediately. Relationships. This sales person had built ironclad relationships with a handful of customers and would go to great lengths to maintain and protect them.

As a matter of fact, that is what all of these successful salespeople had in common:

They were meeting or exceeding their customer’s expectations.

It is a simple explanation but requires effort and it starts with putting the customer before your own best interest. It includes doing what you say when you said you would do it and avoiding manipulation.

Here is the good news. Anyone can learn the steps for a Relationship Sales Process. Regardless of what you have heard, every great salesperson has had to learn these skills. They were not born with it. That means you can do it too!

Have a great week!

Pierce

This question comes up more than any other from people who are new to sales and building their own business. Your ability to master this skill depends largely on your personality and what type business you are in.

For example, if your business or product offering is online based with little or no face to face communication, your first impression will be dictated by your marketing and quality of your website.

However, if your business demands face-to-face meetings, there are some important steps you need to consider to properly break the ice and make a great first impression.

It takes just a quick glance for someone to begin making decisions about you. Research says we make eleven major decisions about someone in the first seven seconds of meeting.

In fact, studies have found that nonverbal cues have four times the impact on the impression you make than anything you say. So it’s worth giving every encounter your best shot.

In order to develop this skill successfully, there are three areas you need to consider: your appearance, personality and attitude.

In this session we will discuss appearance.

1. Present yourself appropriately. This does not mean you need to be dressed in a thousand dollar suit. Nor do you want to show up in shorts and a tank top when the venue demands business casual. You just need to make sure you’re dressed appropriately for the event. I like to dress equal or slightly better than the best-dressed person in the room. Especially the person I will be meeting for the first time.
2. Clean and Neat. Being well groomed and wearing nicely pressed clothes are important to a great first impression. Appropriate dress and grooming will make you feel better and more confident.  A nice haircut and shined shoes will make you feel better and more confident. Take the time to check yourself in a mirror before you arrive at your meeting.
3. Ornamentation. Depending on who you are meeting and why, be conscious of your jewelry, watches and accessories. Make sure you are making the impression you want to make for this occasion. Avoid gaudy or flamboyant when meeting new people. This may not line up with your personality but a conservative approach will help you relate to more people. Save those items for a party.
4. Be conscious of how you smell. Bathe prior to a meeting and use deodorant. Do not use perfumes and colognes. Some people are sensitive to strong smells and you do not want them to be distracted from your conversation. Make sure your breath smells fresh. Bring mints or gum to avoid turning the other person off.

These things may seem simple and common sense but they could make all the difference in you making a great first impression on someone. Will you let these things stop you? I hope not.

In Part two of this session we will discuss Body Language.

Have a great week!

Pierce

Please indulge me. Today is my fiftieth birthday. I tell you this but for one reason; I have never been more excited about the next fifty years.

I know we are not promised tomorrow, however, I intend to live each day as if I will live to be a hundred. I have never felt better and been more optimistic than I am right now.

I started to ponder how this is possible and I wanted to share my thoughts with you.

As I started counting my blessings and thinking about what had made the difference along the way, I thought of a list of things that I saw my friend Dan Miller put on the board at one of his coaching events here in Franklin, Tennessee several months ago.

Dan summarizes my thoughts through a list of five things that he believes will sustain you through the good and bad times. He also observes that people that do not have theses things will tend to struggle and not bounce back from any type of setback.

1. Supportive Relationships: I could not have accomplished anything without the support of Lesa, my wife of almost twenty-nine years, my two sons, Nick and Nathan and my friends and mentors that are too long to mention.
2. Uncompromising Integrity: Trust is one the hardest things to get and easiest to lose.
3. Clear Purpose: “Where there is no vision, the people perish” ~ Proverbs 29:18
4. Vibrant Health: I have my son Nick who is a personal trainer to thank for helping me get back on track. I weigh less and feel better than I have in years. It helps me excel in all areas of my life.
5. Optimistic Faith: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” ~ Helen Keller

Robert D. Smith, author of 20,000 Days and Counting, reminded me of the following quote about making every day count:

“No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.” ~ William Borden

I consider myself blessed and thank God for guiding my steps all these years. Here’s to the next fifty years. Will you join me?

Have a great week!

Pierce

I sat mortified as I listened to this story about a Fitness Center owner who described his effort to close someone for a new membership to his facility.

These were his exact words; “I had to work on him for an hour to close him!”

This man was concerned that if he let this person leave the facility, he would never come back. The owner’s concern is real since he has a business with a high turnover rate similar to letting a buyer walk off a car lot without a commitment.

Regardless, how does this new member feel about his experience with the owner and his new membership?

Author Tim Grahl made a statement worth repeating about this type of sales tactic.

“Why don’t we like the sleazy car salesman? What exactly is it that turns us off? We could talk about his pushiness and attempted hard close. But all of that boils down to one simple fact: He wasn’t looking out for our best interest.”

When someone isn’t looking out for your best interest, that means they’re only promoting his or her own interest.

Let’s look at another scenario in the same fitness center a few days ago.

A potential member returns his promotional seven day pass to the facility. The new personal training consultant is there to greet him. The consultant asked him if he enjoyed his experience at the center. He also asked several other questions about his fitness goals and what would stop him from joining.

During the conversation, the consultant uncovered the real reason he was reluctant to join the gym. When that obstacle was removed, the prospect signed immediately. The entire process took about ten minutes.

The prospect bought the membership because he felt heard and understood. The consultant created trust by helping the prospect feel he had HIS best interest at heart.

High pressure closing only creates regret and resentment in the prospect.

Are you looking out for your customer’s best interest?

Have a great week!

Pierce

P.S. By the way, the consultant was my son, Nick Marrs, owner of Mountain Health Management