Which means your customers probably embrace procrastination and hesitancy, too.

And that kills sales.

You’ve accidentally given them permission to mull things over, to examine other options, do the laundry, pick the kids up from school, think about it…and then probably forget about it or just do nothing.

They walked right up to the edge of “YES” and then slipped right down that slippery slope.  And all your very good work is undone.

Have you ever flown Southwest Airlines?  If you have, you know that everyone seems to be there right on time, early even.  They queue up on those numbered lines so they can get the best seat they possibly can.  Then everyone rushes on the plane and into their preferred seat in record time.  Southwest has one of the fastest boarding times of any airline.

What can we learn from Southwest and apply to your sales?

Urgency.

We board that plane super-fast because there is a great sense of urgency to get that right seat, or to not get the middle seat that doesn’t recline at the back of the plane by the family with triplets under the age of 3.

On the other hand, your offer has no urgency.  Your prospect can get it now, or get it later.  It will still be sitting there waiting for them when they return—if they ever return.

What creates a sense of urgency?

• A limited supply
• Only so many slots, spaces or seats
• A limited amount of time to say “yes” for this offer (tick, tick, tick)
• Short-term discounts or bonuses that expire
• A free gift for the first x number of customers
• Offering a one-of-a-kind product or service
• One time offer

I’m sure there are others but you get the idea.

And by the way, these are honest, not made-up limitations.  There really are only 25 spaces in your webinar, only 100 seats in your workshop, or only 5 days availability. You really are only making this offer once and never again.  If you make up some sense of urgency, customers can smell right through it.  And frankly, so will you.

If you’re not creating a real sense of urgency, then you’ve accidentally given your customer permission to lollygag.

And that offer they are taking you up on!

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams

P.S.  Speaking of offers with urgency.  There are only 20 spaces as of today.

P.P.S.  Have you checked out Check it out and joined the most awesome new community for us small business owners?

A while ago, I was online ordering a book from Amazon.  The book listed for $24.95, and Amazon was offering it for $18.00.

I clicked to add it to the shopping cart and a message popped up.  “WAIT!” It warned….or something like that.  “Add $7.00 to your order to qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping!”

So I did what you’ve probably done ‘cause you know you’ve been here, too.

I considered every book and CD that I’ve ever thought about buying.  I asked everyone in the house what books they might need.  I scrounged to find another item, added it to my shopping cart and felt proud…clever… that I had saved myself $3.99 in shipping charges.

At a cost of $16.99.

Getting something for free feels very good.

Zero is not just another price, it’s a turn on.

Zero is an emotional hot button…a source of irrational excitement.  We chase FREE in ways we don’t any other offer.

What is it we find so irresistible about zero?  And how can we use this exuberance more effectively as we price our products and services?

Zero comes with no risk.  There aren’t any hidden “got cha’s” to decode.  There’s no downside.  There’s no math, no calculations, no figuring out just how good the offer really, really is.

Now I hasten to offer you the fine print on this seemingly delightful offer.  Free is a great enticement.  However, if you use it too often, you’re programming your folks to just wait for free.  And if you use it on one of your deeply valuable services, you’re giving away too, too much.

Free is one thing.  Crazy, stupid generous is something else entirely!

This is powerful insight.

What can you do to eliminate the downside of purchasing from you?

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams

P.S.  Remember what we said last week…there will always be an offer.

“I am hosting an event and have lots of speakers.  But I’ve warned them—I don’t want this to be a pitch-fest.”

Two different events.  Two different reactions to selling from the stage.  Which of these people has the right attitude?

Answer:  Neither.

There should always be an offer.  And that includes you!

You should always be making an offer.  And just get over all those folks making offers from the stage.  That’s what we’re supposed to do.

You see, most marketing is vague and leaves people wondering,  “What do you want me to do…because I don’t know the answer to my problem… you’re the expert, right?”  If you’re vague when you’re developing a new customer, how will they know what they should be doing?  How will they know that you are the answer to the problem they’ve been living with?

We’ve got way too many wimpy business owners out there, afraid or not thoughtful enough to make an offer.  And here’s the evidence:

→ How many websites did you visit for the first time this week, and they didn’t ask you to do anything?  No call-to-action.

→ How many emails did you get this week that didn’t give you directions on your next step?

→ How many presenters educated you but didn’t tell you what to do next?

Do you make offers?

And we’re not talking about just any old kind of offer.  We’re talking about one that’s compelling, gets people into action, thrusts them forward because your offer is so good.

Because we humans are riddled with allegedly good reasons to procrastinate, hesitate, and waver.  Your offer must conquer that behavior.

So your offer will be extraordinary.  It will have some sense of urgency, a limited availability time-wise or quantity-wise (legitimately).  Your offer has some exclusivity.

Get over this notion that making…and receiving…offers is wrong.

It’s right when it’s a great, compelling offer.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams

P.S.  Did you think I wasn’t going to make you an offer?  Well, I’m actually asking for a favor.  Chris and I are about to launch a new initiative.  One that will enable entrepreneurs and small business owners to begin to work together to get out of our own way, master our currently painful businesses, and get more customers.  And not have to do all of this alone without a sounding board.

One that will encourage customers to open their wallets to you.

Here’s the favor: simply go over to Facebook, put Small Business Thursdays into the search box, click on link and “LIKE” and friend it.  We’ll be sharing more about Small Business Thursdays in the weeks to come.

Thanks!

I had just that opportunity this week when I was speaking at an Ursula Mentjes event. About 40 of us had a chance to meet the founder of Ugg brand sheepskin boots, Brian Smith.

He’s brand new to public speaking and was motivated to do so because he just saw so many businesses malfunctioning without just cause.  While Brian had tons of thought-provoking insights to share, one in particular turned my head.

Someone asked him “Looking back on your career what would you do differently?”

“I wouldn’t have done it,” he simply said.

The room went silent.

We were all thinking the same thing.  Brian created something special, something unusual, something that just about everyone in the world knows by name.  And it certainly made him rich.  And he wouldn’t have done it???

“I wouldn’t have started Ugg.  It was so much work.  To be an entrepreneur we have to have grave ignorance.  If we knew everything up front, we wouldn’t do what we do.”

Then as what he said sunk in, we all started to laugh.  Laughing at the frank and honest truthfulness of what he shared.  This wasn’t the kind of insight you except from the founder of a world-wide brand that made him a millionaire.  But it was honest, and truthful, and not just about Brian but it probably applies to most of us.

To be an entrepreneur—to push and cajole your baby to success—it’s good to be a little ignorant.   It’s good not to be able to perfectly see your future.  And frankly, most entrepreneurs thrive on the unpredictable nature of business.  Surprises are not deviations from the path. Instead they are the norms that enable us to carve a path through the chaos. It’s the reason many ignore market research. We see it as time and money wasters.

So to all of you I wish a little grave ignorance, a lack of total clarity about what your future holds.  Go out and do your thing.  Push your baby forward and embrace its unpredictability.

And may you all wear your ignorance as well and as profitably as Brian Smith does.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams

Is your mind buying that story or sabotaging you with that “little voice” in your ear…”no, it’s not. That’s not happening. Who are you kidding?”

That’s what the mind does for many of us. It leaps up to counter our positive thoughts.

I hate that when that happens, don’t you? Yet a positive mind-set is one of the attributes of successful entrepreneurs. And you can regain your confident enthusiasm if you follow just a few critical steps.

If it’s time for you to rediscover your joy, tap into your natural happiness, it’s time for you to meet your best friend and mentor—your brain.

We become what we think about. Who have you become? Now who do you want to be?

There are just a few critical steps for you to tap your joy.  And the great part is – you already know everything we are going to tell you. All we are going to do is remind you of what you have forgotten – and give you some tools to support your efforts.

Regaining your positive outlook means understanding that your thoughts have power. It means learning to focus on what you want and looking for evidence of progress towards these things every day.

It means refusing to give in to negative thoughts and training your brain to be your best friend and mentor.

We are die-hard believers that good things come to those who first see it in their heads and hearts.  And then think it to be true, know it to be true. We don’t just believe in this approach, we’ve seen it work. We bet you have, too.

You’ve seen amazing things happen to people who believe, who ask the universe for what they want, they work for it, and it arrives. Have you written down what you want? Grab a minute right now to have a quiet moment with yourself. Ask yourself what you and your business want. Write it down. Put it someplace you’ll see it every day. Train that brain of yours to be your best friend.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams

Well, I decided that our conversation this week would extend the discussion we began last week—how to identify your customers’ pains, irritations, problems and issues.  All to make your efforts to get and keep customers less painful and difficult.

And when I sat down to write this, I realized there is only one way to identify your customers’ motivators–the things that get them into action to eliminate those pains, aches, problems, issues, and wants.

There aren’t five, or seven, or three or any other odd number (have you noticed it’s always an odd number).  There’s just one way.

Ask.

That sounds easy.

Except you can’t just ask “Hey, Ed, what’s the big irritation you face?” because Ed probably won’t answer you, or he might try but accidentally give you the wrong answer.

You can’t just straight-out ask this question.  You probably don’t know Ed well enough to ask.  If someone you didn’t know very well asked you, “What’s your biggest issue?” would you tell them?  Probably not.  It’s too invasive a question too soon in your relationship.

And even if Ed is willing to answer, he would probably give you a very surface response, not the real underlying driver.

Yet, there is a way to ask and get to the true motivators, the real reasons they get into action and make decisions to buy from someone.

You’re going to ask a why question.

“Why do you want to buy a big-screen TV, Ed?”

“Why do you want to get your business finances in order?”

“Why do you want more customers for your business?”

“Why do you want more funding for your business?”

“Why do you want to improve your health?”

“Why …?”

Ask a “why” question about their “want.”  Notice there’s nothing about you in this question.  It’s totally about them and what’s motivating them to remove a pain in the area in which you operate.

Now, the next step is fascinating.

You listen to their answer.

And it’s going to go one of two ways.

Way 1: “I want a new TV because my old one is big and bulky.  It takes up way too much space.  The picture isn’t sharp, and I feel like I’m stuck in 1968.”

Way 2: “I want a new TV because I love the look of high definition.  It’s a beautiful picture, and I can hang the TV on the wall like it’s art.”

Way 1 is an answer that tells you (because you are listening) that your customer is motivated—has energy around—moving away from pain.  They are motivated to take away something negative.

In Way 2, the answer tells you your customer is motivated—have energy around—making something better, moving towards pleasure.

There’s a world of difference between those two motivators, between making a decision to get away from pain or a decision to make something more pleasurable.

And as an average, about 80% of your customers’ decisions are driven by their desire to move away from pain.

Yet, look around you.  Look at your marketing and sales.  Look at your competitors. I swear about 100% of marketing and sales are about moving towards pleasure.

That puts you out of step with your customer.  They are driven one direction, and you are marching another.  Perhaps this hands you a clue about why you yourself are in pain or discomfort about attracting more customers to your business?

You’re not tapping into your customers’ energy, their motivation for looking for a solution, for buying.  Frankly, to make it even worse, you are probably doing the opposite of what motivates them.  That’s stings a little.

So we’ve handed you another big, useful insight into the difference between how you sell and why your customers buy.  Couple that with our discussion last week and make some changes in your marketing and selling process.

You’ll be on to something that will take away your pain, irritations, and issues about growing your own business.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams

P.S. Need a refresh on last week’s discussion about how to move out of “Maybe” Land? Here you go…  Here you go

What a terrible response when you are out there selling to your customers.

Maybes arrive in all kinds of forms: “maybe I’m interested” or “call me next month” or “this isn’t a good time” or “can you send me something” or the dreaded “I have to ask my spouse.”  Or perhaps maybes that sound like “no” but really mean “no, not now.”

Maybes are irritating for so many reasons, but mostly I take it as a sign that I haven’t done a good job explaining the opportunity and my value.  That’s my bad.

And we see this with tons of our customers, too, so I know we’re not alone.

The heart of the problem is actually easy to identify—or it would be easy if only someone shared it with you.  So I’m sharing because it appears most other marketers don’t or can’t (because they don’t know?).

We’re busy selling.  Our customers are busy buying.

And our sales process rarely matches our customers’ buying process.

We’re busy pushing our agenda seen through our eyes, often rooted in how gosh-darned swell our products/services are.

Our customers are busy buying solutions to their problems, things that take them away from their pain, issues and life’s irksome irritations.

Here’s what it looks like when it plays itself out in real life.

Our selling process:

> Educate about our product or service

> Validate that we are swell and the people to buy from

> Justify our offer—our product/service is the best

> Close the deal

Our customers’ buying process:

>  What will solve my problem/take away my pain

>  Who has to say yes—me and my spouse; me and my boss (you see, it just moved from me to we)

>  Rationalize our preferences (and each decision maker has different motivations to say yes and different rationalizations of their preference)

>  Decide who solves our problem best

Big difference, eh?

Now what do you think will happen when you adjust your selling process to match your customers’ buying process?

Sales…and probably much faster without all the “maybes.”

So how do you do this?

First, determine what your customers’ problems, issues, irritations are.  Your job is to show them how you solve them—not how your product works.

Pay attention to all the decision makers.  Understand they each have different pains to be relieved and therefore, different motivations to buy.  You must address both of their issues.

Ask questions first…and second.  Don’t make statements.  Questions will enable you to learn and understand what motivates their “yes” muscle.

Always, always, always create the value of what you offer from their point of view, not yours.  And their point of view is “what will make my life better, take away my pain.”  They are rarely looking for another anti-aging cream, life coach, accountant, educational school, financial planner, homeopathic nutritional, real estate agent, business coach, meal supplement, or fill-in-your-blank.

Lastly, it’s your job to remain in control at each step in their decision-making process.  Give them assignments.  Ask them to do something.  Now they are not only participating in finding the solution, they are participating as you have instructed to them.

Now you get to choose.  Having a selling process with a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) centered on you and what you do or a buying process and UBP (Unique Buying Proposition) centered on your customer that enables you to move out of Maybe Land?

Yes, this will take some practice and yes, you’ll be required to know the pains and irritations your customers are trying to eliminate.

Yet, by recognizing your customers’ Buying Proposition and putting it into motion in your own business, you move yourself away from pain, too!  One more “yes” and one less “maybe”—are you feeling better already?

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams

A little party would be completely appropriate.  Small businesses–people just like you–create between 60 and 80% of the new jobs in the country.  Entrepreneurs make the economy run, and are going to be the people who pull us out of the economic quagmire.

Entrepreneurs depend on their team like no one else.  Team supports your vision and plan, and move the ball.  After all, entrepreneurs make things happen.  Therefore, your team must make things happen.

Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel and one of the most acclaimed leaders in America (even if he isn’t with a small business) believes that getting the right team is one of the BIG reasons why some companies leap and others don’t.

That’s what we see in small businesses too.

So it’s worth asking:  when was the last time you evaluated your team?  If you haven’t done it recently, and by recently we mean within the last quarter, you’re overdue.  And with all the changes, side-steps and just flat out craziness you’re experiencing, a team evaluation is a great call right now.

Here are three simple yet direct questions for you to assess your team:

• Do you have the right people on the bus? High quality people; people who can do a number of tasks; people who support your skills. At this stage it doesn’t even matter that they are doing the right job. They are the right people. You need to recognize who they are and tag them as keepers.
• Who are the wrong people that you need to get off the bus? These folks might be highly talented but not for your company, not for your needs. It’s time for an honest look and a frank conversation. Maybe you’ve grown in different directions. Whatever the reason, you both need a change.
• Who are the right people in the right seats on the bus? Now that your “bus” is in good shape, you need to determine the very best seat for each team member. You must match their talents to your needs. When you have the right people in just the right seat for them…including you…this is when your business is poised to leap.

Your business evolves.  So must your team.  Evaluating your talent once a quarter is just about right to keep up with the demands of a thriving business.

“There is a growth rate at which everybody fails, [resulting] in a chaos,” says Andy.

The right team in the right seats on your bus enables you to grow, leap and mange even when the chaos arrives.  Because it will arrive…might even be here right now.

It all depends on how you handle it.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams

The writer Richard Bernstein explains it this way. “Very slight, nearly infinitesimal variations and the enormous multiplicity of interacting variables produce big differences in the end.”

All those big words aside, I get it.

And I find this a tremendously liberating idea.

This means every little thing you do sends out ripples of influence that shape the kind of world you live in, the kind of business you have.

Joyce flapped a new sales process and changed her prospect list.

Jennifer’s little change was her message, and the ripple changed her sales.

Paul got in action on his website and his results went from stormy to sunny.

What are you sending out?  Are you flapping your wings?  Taking even small actions that create the “enormous multiplicity of interacting variables”? Producing the big differences you are seeking?

What small action have you been sitting on, unsure of, procrastinating about that you can put into action this week?

Start flapping.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams

Everyone should love their job, right?  Isn’t that in the Constitution?

Let’s think about the mind of an entrepreneur versus a W-2.  Many of us haven’t crossed over from W-2 to W-Me, and perhaps don’t realize what a different brain it requires.  For those of us who have already made this passage, here’s a little reminder of where our brains and actions need to be.

What makes Entrepreneurs entrepreneurial?

Some people think the entrepreneur cannot be studied.  They are created by art, not science.   However, a professor named Saras Sarasvathy has actually studied entrepreneurs, and guess what?  Entrepreneurs aren’t like W-2s.  We love this list that Saras discovered:

• Entrepreneurs think differently. There’s something different or funny about them. Entrepreneurs are not goal-oriented, rather they use materials at hand to create opportunities. They are much more flexible on goals, often starting with their means and saying “What can I do?” It’s an opposite way of thinking about problem solving. We’re not talking about flying by the seat of the pants. There’s logic to the decision-making.
• Entrepreneurs thrive on the unpredictable nature of business. Surprises are not deviations from the path. Instead they are the norms that enable us to carve a path through the chaos. It’s the reason many ignore market research. They see it as time and money wasters.
• Entrepreneurs don’t start with existing markets and then try to go capture it. They imagine new markets and go create them…often one customer at a time. Hey, they might just try to take it out and sell it!
• Remember “Ready-fire-aim?” Well, it must have from an entrepreneur. Too much ready-aim-aim-aim-aim is a disease of Corporate America that traps a smart W-2.
• Entrepreneurs view the world as a series of successes and failures that happen at all levels. The best entrepreneurs outlive their failures and accumulate successes over time. Small failures are good. They don’t destroy the entire business :>)

The really important thing?  Entrepreneurship is learnable.  Even people who have spent their whole careers in Corporate America can convert their thinking.  They just need to know that convert they must.

Whether you’re thinking about exiting your W-2 or you did it years ago, this great reference list highlights what we’re all striving for as entrepreneurs.  Print it out and put it by your PC.  When you need some inspiration, the Entrepreneurial Code will be there to inspire you.

Go forth and do great things,

Martha and Chris