Monthly Archives: September 2009

Skip Manipulating by Customer Service Report Card

By John Aberle | Internet Marketing , Sales and Marketing , Soft Sell , soft sell marketing

There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Ask for a Testimonial

Charles H. Green got me thinking the other day about the right way and the wrong way to ask for testimonials. He was actually talking about how to do customer service surveys but his point applies to asking for testimonials as well. In Trust-Based Selling, Green wrote, “It’s manipulative to ask customers point blank if you have given them excellent service; it is embarrassing, self-serving, and highly self-oriented.” (p. 201) Having been on the receiving end of just such a manipulation seven years ago when I bought a new car, I agree completely with Green.

Bribes and Guilt Trips Can Backfire

The interesting thing is that the sales rep’s effort to control my survey backfired. I got quietly furious about their attempted bribe, Continue reading

Sales Lesson from Julie & Julia

By John Aberle | Sales and Marketing , Soft Sell

Last night Dorothy and I went to see Julie and Julia. It was a delightful movie about overcoming obstacles through persistence and creativity, about frustration and “meltdowns,” and about a passion for writing. I’m an average cook with no real desire to attend Le Cordon Bleu so that’s not where I connected with this story.

I Related to Their Passions, Persistence and Challenges Overcome

My ability to relate comes from my passion for what I do and have done. I could relate to both Julie and Julia’s love of cooking and of writing as well as all that they went through, including Julia’s being rejected by her first publisher. Interestingly, in both cases their passion developed over time and had lots of points where they could have quit. Sales has been that way for me.

Initially, I Stumbled Upon Sales as a Way to Make Extra Money

I didn’t start out knowing that I wanted a career in sales. What happened is that in my spare time Continue reading

Attitudes Revealed that Put Customer Interests before Profits

By John Aberle | Sales and Marketing

In several of their emails the week prior to their May 15th release on Amazon, Judith & Jim said, “Our New Book Can Change the World….” I agree. And it’s about time! The view of soft sell sales and soft sell marketing as expressed in The Heart of Marketing: Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back is core to the way I enjoy doing business.

Feel Good about Your Sales

When I’ve been focused on “me, myself, and I,” I have come to regret my actions in sales. When I’ve concentrated first on what my customer or client needs, I have walked away with relationships that I treasure to this day. And, lest anyone think that this soft sell approach only results in good feelings, I have consistently been a sales leader using soft sell sales techniques.

No Longer Alone in Feeling Selling Is Spiritual Service

It wasn’t until I met Judith & Jim that I realized I wasn’t alone in my viewpoint that “selling is spiritual service.” Continue reading

The Place for Hard Sell – Lessons from the LA County Fair

By John Aberle | Sales and Marketing , Soft Sell

It’s Fun Watching Product Demos at Fairs

Yesterday, Dorothy and her sister Martha and I enjoyed Labor Day at the Los Angeles County Fair. I love fairs! I love the crowds and frenetic activity. I love the commercial booths with the salespeople demoing their products. And it brought home to me something I already know but don’t always think about when talking about soft sell sales and marketing.

Some Sales Don’t Require Relationship Building

Not every sales situation requires or even benefits from the investment of time and effort required for soft sell sales. Sometimes the customers qualify themselves. This is especially true in Continue reading

I See You

By John Aberle | Sales and Marketing , Soft Sell

Human Need for Others to Recognize We Exist

Bill Gates, Sr. in his memoir, Showing Up for Life, said that “in certain traditionally Zulu parts of South Africa, when two people greet each other the first one uses words that mean ‘I see you.’” (p. 155) He goes on to say “That greeting is a powerful statement about how much being recognized and encouraged by others in our lives has to do with the kind of people we become. It also drives home the role community plays in all our lives.” (p. 156)

3rd Soft Sell, Heart-Based Marketing Conference

I was reminded of Gate’s statement when I listened to Judith & Jim last night on their second free preview call for their upcoming Bridging Heart & Marketing III virtual conference. They talked about how the soft sell marketer sees the prospect as a person in the relationship first and as a customer second. Hard sell marketers instead focus first on making the sale.

Prospects Want to Exist as People, Not Wallets

More and more people around the world, but especially in America, are getting tired of the hype and of being seen as a walking wallet. Continue reading

Join Me Tonight to Learn How to Enjoy Soft Sell Success

By John Aberle | Sales and Marketing , Soft Sell

By now, you know that I’m a soft sell salesman and a soft sell marketer. But after decades of training in traditional sales and marketing techniques, there are numerous times when the situation is hard to call because it seems to me to be a gray area. I really enjoy having someone else committed to soft sell sales and marketing who has thought deeply on the issues. I’ve found Judith & Jim have excellent insights and appreciate what I’ve learned from them.

Enjoy Soft Sell Success – Marketing What You LOVE

Because I believe so highly in the value of their training, I want to invite you to hear my friends, Judith & Jim, are doing two free teleconference calls on the topic “Enjoy Soft Sell Success – Marketing What You LOVE” starting tonight, Wednesday, September 2nd and Thursday September 3rd. You can ask them your most pressing question about Soft Sell Marketing. They’re recognized as the leading voices in Soft Sell, Heart-based Marketing. Please join me. If you read this too late to attend, check out them out anyway for additional insights on soft sell marketing.