The Costco Connection

SALESPEOPLE ARE THE folks who open doors and close sales. ;ey are responsible for generating the lifeblood of your business: revenue. However, your salespeople are also your front line and o;en-times the only touch point customers have with your company. In their role, they act as ambassadors of your brand.

To ensure that your salespeople remain highly motivated and represent your company in the best way possible, try these ;ve tactics.

Turn stars into leaders. Take the “employee of the month” concept to the next level by giving your best-performing salespeople the opportunity to provide leadership to others and spread ideas that are working. ;is turns the recognition and respect you show for one salesperson into a bene;t for all salespeople at the company.

Make it matter. Add meaning by drawing into focus your company’s impact on your customers and/or community. Share true stories about the change that your company is making in people’s lives. When you make the work important, you’ll see a whole new level of passion, gutsiness and results. As they say, “You can’t sell it if you don’t believe in it.”

Cultivate competence and confidence. Instead
of barking commands to go out there and perform,
give your salespeople command of the subject mat-
ter. Further their education and training in key
aspects of your industry sector, your product or ser-
vice, and the latest sales techniques to continuously
stimulate and challenge your sales force and grow
their knowledge.

Be out front. Give your sales force state-of-the-art toys, tools and gadgets to help them be (and, signi;cantly, appear to be) ahead of the curve. ;e more you set your sales team members apart, the more excited they will be about respecting themselves and, in turn, engendering respect from their customers. Encourage their use of social media for professional purposes such as writing opinion pieces, sharing trends and encouraging discourse and accessibility among customers.

Blur the lines. Break from the “all work, no play” paradigm by making your business a fun and exhilarating place to spend long hours. Liven up your workplace with dedicated areas for work, creativity and breaks. Create o;-site events and activities that build team rapport and company loyalty and that allow for the exchange of ideas among salespeople. Unstructured environments can foster fresh thinking and big ideas. C

RICH AND JEFF
SLOAN

Rich and Jeff Sloan are the founders of Startup Nation.com, a business advice and networking website for entrepreneurs.

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FRESHVIEWS

ENTREPRENEURIAL TACTICS

C HRI S NI ER H AU S

BY MINDY CHARSKI

DID YOU KNOW your customers can also be great marketing partners?

Indeed, when fans post positive comments, images and videos related to your company, they’re creating promotional gems for you.

“If you can get your customers to speak
for you, your message, competitive advantage
and credibility become more believable,” says
Keran Smith, co-founder of the social media
marketing agency LYFE Marketing. “People
trust people.”
Here are five ways to leverage what’s
known as user-generated content.

• Search social media for flattering con-
tent that you can feature in marketing materi-
als. Be sure to ask the creators for permission,
and spell out your intended use, Smith says.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time, people are delighted for you to showcase things that they post and must care about because they posted it themselves,” he says.

• Encourage customers to add reviews and ratings of your business and offerings on your website and on third-party sites like Yelp and Angie’s List. Don’t let the potential of unpleasant responses hold you back. “Use [negative comments] to improve, but also to show you care about the situation and you’re willing to rectify it if needed,” Smith says.

• Ask customers for written testimonials.

Including a photo helps make a testimonial more credible, says Shawn Karol Sandy, a Costco member and founder of The Selling Agency, a sales coaching firm. Video testimonials are compelling alternatives.

• Pick up on the verbiage fans use to describe your business. “You can form your selling messages directly from what your customers are saying,” Sandy says. “Look for themes or consistency in the way they talk about you or your product.” If customers rave about your customer service, for instance, you can build a campaign around the lengths you’ll go to for customers, she suggests.

• Launch a social media contest that ties into your products or services. It will generate more than just content. “When you get your customers involved, you’re also building brand loyalty and brand equity,” Smith says.

“If they care enough to join a contest or create images or videos, that shows you have a place in their heart, and that place is going to grow more and more as you interact and engage with them.” C