Ever had a truly horrendous sales interaction?

Let me clear the air first: I respect salespeople. I do.

They have a hard job and at the end of the day they are just trying to feed their families like you and me.

And of course, we are also salespeople! So there’s nothing wrong with selling or sales at all.

But there’s a right way and many wrong ways to do this. And the window sales guy who came to my house the other gave a great illustration of a wrong way I want to pass along to you.

My wife answers the door (she’s meaner than me, so better for dealing with salespeople 🤣) and proceeds to have a conversation with this guy (I’m watching on the Ring camera).

What he didn’t know — but found out promptly — is that we just had new windows installed a couple of months ago. And we have a deal with our current provider (whom we’re extremely pleased with) that locks in a terrific price for when we’re ready to get the windows replaced.

So naturally, Tiffany tells him that, expecting him to go along his merry way.

Wrong. He did not go. And he was not merry.

At this point he basically started to badger my wife with questions:

• Are you SURE it was (competitor company)?
• Wait, did they do THIS test?
• No, they couldn’t have, that’s our test.
• Did they jump on the windows?
• Well would you consider having us quote the rest of the windows?
• And on and on it went.

This guy did not like the answer Tiffany gave him. And he got defensive.

When you get defensive, you are in a weak position, and everybody knows it.

Based on that one interaction, we will definitely never use that company for anything in the future. We surely won’t tell anyone about them. And if someone asks about them, all we have to share is our negative experience.

Was this guy just doing his job? Of course. He needs to make sales.

Handling objections — including the “we already work with a competitor” objection — is part of the game.

But at no point in the game should you ever get defensive, interrogate your potential customer, or make them feel uncomfortable.

So how might I have responded if I was in the sales guy’s shoes? Up for a little role play?

—

Me (as sales guy): “Hey there, our team is in the area doing some window installs today and I wanted to check and see if you were in the market for new windows any time soon?”

Customer: “Well, actually, we just had a few of our windows replaced by another company and we’re under contract with them to replace the others soon.”

Me (as sales guy): “Really! So I showed up just a little late, huh? Well I understand that and I’ll let you get back to your family. Hey, before I leave, would you mind if I asked you one question about your experience with them?”

NOTE: This is NOT a fake question. You’re asking for permission to continue. 99% of the time you’ll get a yes. If they say no, you thank them for their time, honor their request, and leave. This question places the customer in the driver’s seat (at least it makes them feel that way.)

Customer: “Um, sure, that’d be fine.”

Me (as sales guy): “Great! Well to be honest, I was just wondering what you found most impressive about them that ultimately made you decide to go with them? And if you don’t mind answering further, I’d also like to know whether you felt the installation process went smoothly?”

NOTE: Ok — what I am doing here is gathering information. As a window sales guy who can CLEARLY see there are some brand new windows in the house along with some old ones, I’ve got zero reason to distrust the customer’s answer. I already know I’m not making this sale. So I can either leave or use this as a strategic opportunity to gather intel on what the other company is doing. In the real life example, the sales guy badgered my wife by telling her how great HIS sales presentation would be if she’d let him give it. But that wasn’t going to happen and he should have seen that a mile away. Always gather intel.

Customer: “Of course! Well, the guy with spoke with was very friendly and he actually spent about six hours with us helping us make an informed decision. It was no pressure and he made us feel comfortable throughout the process. Plus I feel like we got a great deal. The installation took a few hours and was entirely painless on our end. We feel really good about it.”

Me (as sales guy): “That’s really awesome. I’m so happy for you. Last question, I promise, if you have time?”

Customer: Sure thing.

Me (as sales guy): “Great. Well, I was just wondering whether there was one, two, or three things about the experience you felt could have gone better?”

NOTE: Ok, three things. First, notice I did not start with the “negative” question. I let the customer share their positive feelings first to lower their defenses. And of course we can learn from those things too. Now second, if they’re willing, I want them to share negative experiences. This can be an awkward question, and if you over-explain or hedge it will be even worse. State the question succinctly and shut your mouth. Also notice I did not ask IF there were things about the experience. I asked WHETHER there was one, two, or three things about it. The IF question would get an immediate “no.” The WHETHER question (with numbers to follow) automatically makes their mind search for at least one, but perhaps up to three things so they can answer your question (now that rapport has been established). Finally, notice I did not ask them to share what they didn’t like about it, parts of it that were negative, etc. I’m simply asking “What could’ve gone better?” That’s going to (1) broaden the range of responses they are willing to give me and (2) feel like a more unassuming question (you’re not assuming they had a negative experience; there’s ALWAYS things that could go better).

Customer: “Well, as a matter of fact, there was one thing. I was a little turned off that the confirmation call to schedule the actual sales appointment said the process would take about an hour. And the guy ended up being here for six. I feel like they just said that so we wouldn’t say no, because we probably would not have said yes to a six hour sales appointment that took until 11:30pm. We didn’t even get to eat dinner until then.”

Me (as sales guy): “Oh man. Yeah, that’s frustrating. Was there anything else?”

NOTE: “And” is a powerful word in sales. This is a variation. I want to make sure they didn’t forget something.

Customer: “No… really, everything else was great.”

Me (as sales guy): “Ok! Well listen, I truly appreciate your time and willingness to answer those questions. Obviously you don’t need help with windows, but we do a lot more too. If I may, I’d like to leave my card with you in case you should need any help with these items in the future. Would that be alright?”

Customer: “Sure thing.”

Me (as sales guy): “Have a great evening!”

—

OK, so, at this point (this conversation in practice would have probably taken the same amount or maybe less time than the actual one) there has been no pressure and no badgering. The salesperson has gained valuable intel about his competition to use in future interactions. A card has been left.

And most importantly, a bad taste in the customer’s mouth has not been left.

Will the customer ever call? Who knows! But the brand image has been preserved, contact info left, and intel has been acquired. Pretty good for a “lost cause” sale!

I think in the scenario described, the customer would walk inside saying, “You know, that guy was pretty nice.” And file them away as a potential option when work is needed around the house.

Not bad.

Want to have a more specific conversation about beefing up your sales game? We talked about some sales conversation tactics in both of our most recent member calls.

It comes up often and will continue too as more and more of my students find themselves in sales conversations.

May I help with yours too?

Here’s the link to sign up:

http://subscriptionwebdesign.com/get-swd

There’s a lesson I learned — and thank God — very early on in business.

Because of this lesson, our business has made it through some rough patches over the years. Not only that, but we’ve been able to maintain an inordinate amount of focus and see initiatives through.

Despite knowing the lesson for some time, I’ve never really shared it with anyone, because I didn’t have a very elegant way of putting it.

Until yesterday.

Jason Fried just wrote a short but excellent blog about this. And in terms of business, it’s one of those “must reads” IMO. I just knew I had to share it with you all.

Who or what in business are you really competing against? The answer might surprise you.

Here’s the link to the blog:

https://world.hey.com/jason/you-only-compete-with-one-thing-48a20d93

I’ll never forget the day everything I thought I knew about marketing changed.

It was probably 2018 or 2019, sitting in my cubicle at work. The lights were blaring overhead, sounds of office chatter filled the air, and my boss was sitting in his office minding his own. I spent my days figuring out how to leave as soon as possible. I was looking for anything I could to move the needle in my business far enough to make the exit.

Now the exit came years later.

But I’m grateful I had the opportunity to learn while not under the pressure of having the bills paid! That was a great blessing.

I remembered seeing ads for what looked to be a 12 year old kid with incredible hair (I’m balding, so don’t judge).

Thing is, the word “expert” was plastered all over these ads and he was literally sitting in between late-night internet marketing legend Dean Graziosi and larger-than-life personal development legend Tony Robbins.

My interest had been piqued for a while.

Even though I didn’t know who he was or what he did, the name Russell Brunson was already seared into my consciousness.

I gave in.

“Ok, I’m not clicking on the ad,” I told myself with a puffy chest. “But I’ll see what he’s got on YouTube.”

The first video I came across was this one. And I spent the next hour and a half of my life in a trance listening to what he had to say and watching when he could.

Doubt I got much work done.

I later learned I was not the only one entranced. He set a stage sales record that day, at just over 3 Million dollars in a crowd of 9,000.

I knew that nothing would be the same going forward. When it came to business, my life would be entirely changed. And it has been. Btw, the “expert” book they were promoting is on sale for $2.99 on Kindle right now. I highly recommend you grab it. If you need a testimonial, I’ve read it 9 times now. So yeah.

The point:

One of the things he said during that talk, which he claims to have learned from the great Tony Robbins, is to model others who are successful.

And one of the things Russell always points out is to not only read his books, watch his videos, etc. It’s to watch what he’s actually doing.

Write this one down, it’s important:

Experienced marketers and businesspeople learn just as much (if not more) from what their peers do than what their peers tell them to do.

Watch how the people (like me, frankly) interact with you.

Now maybe there are things you both like and dislike. That’s fine. You make it your own. But just remember there is a lesson to be learned from every interaction that goes beyond the subject of the interaction itself.

That level of awareness is key to having the success you want to see in business.

So watch and learn. Model and make it your own.

If it weren’t for learning from and through Russell, I wouldn’t be a marketing and copywriting nerd like I am today. The skills I’ve learned from his work are simply invaluable.

I invite you to check it out for yourself: http://subscriptionwebdesign.com/expert

(Yes, that’s an affiliate link. It’ll get me about 1/4 of a coffee if you use that 🙂 Much appreciated.)

Happy Monday!

Today, I’ll be beating a drum you’ve heard me beat before.

But I hope you listen – it’s a particularly important drumbeat.

Last week, a friend of mine who is unfortunately really struggling in his business came to me with yet another grand idea he was going to try to drum up some business.

Another hack.

Another “thing I heard from a guy somewhere.”

Another “what’s working now for someone else.”

It is my contention that your chances of winning with a mindset like that is about the same as winning the lottery. Just ain’t gonna happen.

If you are not executing on the basics well, you will not grow.

The math is simple, really. In any domain, there is a baseline level of discipline and expertise it takes. I’m a drummer, and long before I was learning complex drum fills and kick patterns, I was learning basic rudiments like singles and doubles.

I learned a basic “rock beat” – bass, snare, bass, snare, with eighth notes on the hi-hats – before I ever attempted “the cool stuff.”

Music is a great example of this in action, btw.

Listen closely to some of your favorite musicians and notice how even the most basic stuff sounds so clean, precise, and skillful.

You can always revert to basics.

More:

On Saturday I watched UFC Austin. Clay Guida—one of the greats—was fighting. He is 41 years old and looked incredible out there.

Now—he lost the fight. But it was a clean fight. And he didn’t stop moving forward til the end. He is a voracious executor of the basics. Nothing flashy. A slow ride to the top. But he’s in the Hall of Fame, has a raving fanbase, and is still consistent even at his age in the fight game, consistently fighting opponents a decade (or sometimes almost TWO decades) younger than him.

So, I present to you the basics:

• If local, join Chamber and networking groups (yes it’s uncomfortable, but you have to be where the business is being done – in the marketplace)
• If doing business primarily online and/or in a niche, create content, build an email list, and email the list with offers as often as possible
• Build a habit of maintaining regular contact with your current clients, asking them for referrals, and continually updating them with new offers

Get the basics rolling to start generating business.

THEN – and only then – you should start looking at tactics to grow.

Still more:

I want to clear one thing up. Subscription Web Design is neither a basic or a hack. If you are looking for SWD to be your savior and be the thing that finally gets you all the clients you’d ever hoped for, this is the wrong thing. You need another program that teaches you how to build lead-generating systems, convert clients, etc.

Sure – we touch on those things. And we cover them in great specificity on our member calls when it makes sense.

But SWD is primarily about building a business model that breaks you free from the feast or famine.

It’s about looking at your business as a tool for long-term sustainability for your family and/or to meet whatever goals you have.

You still have to execute on the basics of building a web design business, even with this model.

But if building a sustainable long-term business with predictable income is the thing you wanna do, you’re in the right place.

Here’s the link:

http://subscriptionwebdesign.com/get-swd

Ever get distracted and feel like you need to do something right now or you’ll forget about it?

I can be the same way.

This morning, as I was working through my notifications on Basecamp, I was reminded that I need to get a client their Build Sign Off form in the next few days.

Yes, Basecamp creates a task for this.

However, there’s a difference between a project management system like Basecamp and a personal task list like Things 3. They are different in the information they give you as well as the way you interact with them. For example, there’s not a way to just quickly add something to Basecamp.

There is, however, a way to quickly add something to Things 3. And not only that, but I have a process I go through to make sure tasks don’t fall through the cracks.

So, in that moment, without going down a rabbit hole, I hit a quick keyboard shortcut and typed “(Client Name) Build Sign Off” and hit enter.

Boom. Done.

Won’t even think about it again … until Monday morning.

This is when I do my weekly preview. And during that time, I check my Things 3 inbox and process tasks where they need to go.

This is classic GTD productivity methodology in the specific, but I’m also trying to teach you a general principle.

Rather than responding to every whim throughout the day, build processes, and “dump” new thoughts, ideas, tasks, activities, etc., into them.

Below are a few other ways I’ve done the same thing. (Note: Some of them may not seem as obvious, but look for the similarities.)

• Check email every day at 4pm (only, if I can help it) — this is me “dumping” the mental bandwidth of needing to check email every 5 minutes; instead, there’s a predetermined time
• Write a project overview/kickoff and assign the task of assigning the rest of the tasks to my project manager, Brian
• Schedule recurring todo’s to free my brain from having to remember when things are supposed to be done
• Send a daily email to my SWD list (it’s easier to market every day as a habit and keep a pulse on what’s happening than to spread things out, at least for me)
• Have my assistant do a task that I had been doing; this means rather than doing the task myself, the process gets it done, and I’m brought in automatically when help is needed
• Pinned idea capture note in Bear notes app — easy to append to, then once a week process the ideas into Notion during weekly preview

What you’re basically doing here is outsourcing, whether to tools or to people.

You’re allowing yourself the brain space to get your most important work done, while keeping a system in check so that the things that come up from time to time, or need to happen regularly, happen “on their own.” It’s personal automation and it’s a glorious thing.

Ok, enough for now. Hope this is a helpful tip for ya.

Here’s where to go for more helpful tips and personalized guidance in your amazing journey:

http://subscriptionwebdesign.com/get-swd