Focus On Customer Success

Tag: Focus On Customer Success

Today’s remark – real questions or just budgets

– Posted on Nov 13, 2012 by Margie Albert

2013 is just around the corner and, like most TV Sales Reps, you probably have been so consumed with 4Q and annuals you really haven’t THOUGHT much about your goals and execution plans for next year. Sure, you may have a list of your accounts and what you think you can get in 2013 but let’s dive deeper for you as well as them.

Let’s start with you. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself –

When I am at my best, kicking butt and taking names, what‘s going on inside and in my environment? In other words, what factors seem to be needed for me to perform at my peak? Make a list and become acutely aware of the main key factors. Those are the ones you want to magnify.
What drove me crazy in 2012? What held me back (no excuses, be honest with yourself)? Redundant processes? Continuous destructive thought patterns? Certain people? Hone in on the big offenders and address them immediately. The goal is to eliminate as many of them as possible.
What do you REALLY want to do in 2013? Not necessarily work related. Loose 10 lbs? Learn to ski? Go visit Aunt Martha in Italy? Close a 6-figure deal? From your list pick one or two and develop a plan to do it. No more talking about it – talking is not a plan!
What in my life do I appreciate most? Hopefully you start with a very long list. From the list pick one or two things you want to do to demonstrate your appreciation every day.

After you have spent some quality time doing this it’s time to move on to your work. How can your work be integrated into the above? How can you make sure your internal and external environment will allow you to do your best work? Now that you are concentrating on eliminating something that drove you crazy how will you use that time and energy to do what you want and need to do? And how will you demonstrate your appreciation along the way?

Your advertisers are making their plans for 2013. How can you help them achieve their goals and focus on customer success? Do you truly know their real goals? Have you asked the real questions or just asked for their budgets and promotional calendar?

Ask yourself and your advertisers the real questions and you will be remark-able.

Today’s remark – PowerPoint RANT

– Posted on Oct 30, 2012 by Margie Albert

If you have attended any of my sessions you have heard my PowerPoint rant. Now, if you choose, you get to read it!

Why do so many TV Station AEs continue to think PowerPoint is a series of note cards?? I see it every day and so do you. The presentation is for your audience – they can’t read and listen at the same time. It is impossible and you are confusing them.

Well, actually, no you are not. They make a decision – they tune you out or they are reading (assuming they are interested in your material which is a HUGE assumption). If they are reading you have become completely dispensable. If that was your goal may I suggest another line of work?!!

As I say all the time – THE PRESENTATION IS YOU! Not the PowerPoint!!

Here are some suggestions:

Your slides should support your proposal, not regurgitate what you are saying.
Images are much better than words. According to a Harvard Business Review study, slides need to pass the “glance test” –no more than 3 seconds to completely process and comprehend the slide.
Your oral presentation must be the focal point – know your stuff, be prepared and rehearsed.
Use a simple unique template – not one of the standard templates included in the software.
White backgrounds!
And does your station logo REALLY need to be on every slide? The presentation is about them, not you, and they know where you are from. If they don’t you have another problem.
Avoid animation and transitions – they look like your 9 year old child created your presentation. If you use them they are to emphasize a specific point. Otherwise, they are a distraction.
ALL parts of the presentations must be visible to the back of the room. NEVER say “some of you can’t see this.” No eye tests allowed—EVER.
The PowerPoint presentation is not detailed or meant to be a leave-behind. If you need a detailed leave-behind put it in a separate Word document with all the details. That’s where you can include your station logo and your complete contact information.

The attention needs to be focused on YOU if using PowerPoint. Please stop PowerPoint abuse and make all your presentations remark-able!

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Today’s remark – 10 productive lunch suggestions

– Posted on Jul 23, 2012 by Margie Albert

Meetings over lunch (or at a bar) can be challenging and unproductive. Lots of distractions, hard to get on topic, casual environment, etc.

Here are 10 suggestions if this is challenging for you:

Act as if you are not in a restaurant – behave as if you are meeting in their office. The restaurant is just a place where there are a lot of people there to bring you things like food and beverage.
Respect the hostess, server, valet, etc. They are your assistants in this situation!
Arrive before the client(s) and make sure you get a table away from the center of restaurant.
Do not sit at the bar unless there are just 2 of you. Even then do everything you can to not sit at the bar.
Don’t hesitate while ordering anything. Know the menu before you arrive and don’t waste time ordering (you wouldn’t waste precious time if you were in the client’s conference room selecting water or Coke).
Keep your eyes on the client. Do not allow them to wonder.
Sit up straight and face your client head on. You will appear serious, interested and focused completely on them – just as you would in their conference room.
If in a bar situation, drink in moderation or less! Know your limits and don’t get close to your boundary line. If you can get by without drinking at all do it.
Order your own drink – don’t let the client order for you or say “I’ll have what she’s having.” That statement makes you appear weak plus you know what you can handle and her drink may not be it!
Focus on their business and their success – it is a business lunch even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Take notes on a napkin, have a productive lunch meeting and make every minute remark-able.

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