PUMP UP THE SALES – OCTOBER, 2010

To: All KBC Team Members

From: Paula

WOOHOO!  DAY ONE!   A FRESH BEGINNING! THE PAST IS THE PAST!  WE START THE FUTURE NOW!  OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGINS NOW WITH THE FIRST ORDER OF THE YEAR…..PUMP IT UP!

KBC 45TH EDITION MASTER CATALOG HITS THE STREET

Finally! We have a great new catalog to send out to new clients and old.  It looks great thanks to Charlie, Scott, Sabina, and Jacob.  It’s filled with great new products….and a few less old ones thanks to Kathy, Greg, Val, Phil, and Lynn…..and thanks to all who proofed, proofed, and proofed.

Now is the time for you to take a look through it and get comfortable with it.  We’ve made some changes, but for the most part you’ll find it familiar and comfortable.  We’ve made the colored headings easier to read by adjusting the color and making the lettering white apart from in the yellow section of the book where the lettering is black.

Please read over our introductory pages so you know what we said, make sure to find the place in the front of the book for the client’s account number and ask them to write it in there, read about Brand KBC, check out the Hey Look at Me contest and get some clients to enter, find the credit application and fax order form and be able to tell a client where to look for it, and read the terms over – you want to be able to tell a client what 100% KBC satisfaction guaranteed means…and live by it. (By the way, in Canada we now have the terms and welcome letter in French.)

Also, every catalog costs us at least $7 before we ship it to our branches, and mail it.  Please be prudent to whom you are giving/sending these books.  For those catalog collectors, please very pleasantly say, “I’ll be happy to send that out with your order today.  What can I get for you?” – this also works well with existing clients…..and then follow up!!!  Call, e-mail, fax within a week to get an order!  We don’t want the one and done customer.  We want repeat clients!!!! We want to create a relationship with our clients.  We want to be able to tell who is on the phone without even being told his/her name.

NEW CATALOG ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL KBC TEAM MEMBERS

Find a NEW item in the 45th Edition Master Catalog and outline its features, highlight its attributes, detail its benefits, and tell me what’s in it for me – the client.  Keep it short and simple. 

Give your finished assignment to your branch manager.  Your branch manager will forward them to Kathy and Greg for us to use for future SPIFF items.

Due by 5p.m. October 15th!

GO FROM UPSELL TO UPSOLD!

There was an article recently in The Globe and Mail about upselling.  The reporter was upsold numerous times during the course of her week on books, electronics, beverages, toiletries, dinner, and DVD rentals.  One week = six extra purchases = $103.84.  That’s just one woman!  Think how much extra you could sell during one day if you asked 20, 30, 40 or more clients.  Now, multiply that by 5 days in the week!  Now, multiply that by 4 weeks in month, and you can really see how your sales can add up! 

Suggestions for upselling, (please feel free to add onto the list and share your ideas with your team):

• upsell to box quantities
• upsell to receive volume discounts
• upsell for free shipping
• upsell to get the flyer gift of the month
• upsell by offering the special of the week (SPIFF)
• upsell by adding complementary items, ie. cutting fluid with end mills, safety shields with lathes, inserts with holders, and safety glasses with almost anything…..
• upsell by asking if they would like to stock up as it is on sale now
• upsell when there are only 2 on the shelf by asking, ” are you sure you don’t want the other one, we only have 2 on the shelf?”
• hey, you get the idea, now get asking!

P.S.  S.W.S.W.S.W.N. – SOME WILL. SOME WON’T. SO WHAT.  NEXT! – Don’t get discouraged, just keep asking.

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR FACEBOOK SITE LATELY?  GREAT PHOTOS OF ELVIS.  HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR WEBSITE LATELY?  WWW.KBCTOOLS.COM – LOOKING GOOD.

“ELVIS” GIVES US TIPS ON USING BODY CUES TO SELL, SELL, SELL

RECENTLY EDWARD, AKA “ELVIS” DUE TO THE RECENT ADDITION OF HIS MAGNIFICENT SIDE BURNS, STARTED SELLING MORE AND MORE IN THE SHOWROOM.  I WAS BURSTING WITH CURIOSITY, SO I JUST HAD TO ASK.

ELVIS TOLD ME THAT APART FROM FEELING GREAT DUE TO ALL THE EXTRA ATTENTION HE WAS GETTING DUE TO HIS NEW LOOK, HE HAD READ A BOOK ABOUT READING PEOPLE’S BODY SIGNALS, AND HE HAD PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.

HERE ARE A FEW HINTS AND TIPS FROM ELVIS:

-WHEN ASKING A CLIENT IF THEY WOULD LIKE A PRODUCT, BUY NOW, ADD A SPIFF, ETC.  KEEP NODDING YES.  THIS ONE LITTLE MOVEMENT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE CLIENT SAYING YES TO 85%- THAT’S AMAZING!  SO, THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE GOING OUT FOR DINNER, AND THE WAITRESS ASKS YOU IF YOU’D LIKE DESSERT, WATCH TO SEE IF SHE’S NODDING HER HEAD YES, YES, YES.

-ARMS CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE CHEST IS A CLEAR SIGN OF BEING CLOSED TO WHAT YOU SAY.  TRY TO MIRROR THE CLIENT’S ACTIONS, AND THEN WORK FROM THERE TO A MORE NEUTRAL STANCE SO HE/SHE WILL START GETTING INTO SYNCH WITH YOU AND CAN HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SAYING WITHOUT BEING DEFENSIVE.

-IF THE CLIENT LOOKS UP TO THE LEFT, HE IS RECALLING.  IF HE LOOKS UP TO THE RIGHT, HE IS CONSTRUCTING /MAKING IT UP/LYING. (GREAT TIP IF YOU’RE INTERVIEWING ANYONE FOR A JOB.)

-IF SOMEONE STARES INTO YOUR EYES FOR TOO LONG A TIME, HE IS TRYING TO SEE IF YOU BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE IS LYING…..OR HE’S IN LOVE OR ON DRUGS!  TRY THIS ONE AND THE ONE BEFORE WITH YOUR KIDS – THEIR FACES REALLY TELL IT ALL.

BE CONFIDENT.  LOOK CONFIDENT.  SMILE. WELCOME.  ASK FOR THE ORDER NOW!

THANKS ELVIS!

HAVE A GREAT OCTOBER!  CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOUR HALLOWEEN COSTUME PHOTOS! ….AND YOUR FRIGHTFULLY FABULOUS SALES! (THIS YEAR I BOUGHT GUMMY CANDIES TO GIVE OUT IN THE SHOWROOM IN THE SHAPE OF BLOODY FINGERS! -YUK! WHAT A PERFECT CANDY FOR THE METALWORKING INDUSTRY.) 

-PAULA

PUMP UP THE SALES – SEPTEMBER, 2010

Pump up those sales!

Happy September!  This month’s “Pump up the Sales” has a touch more urgency attached to it, as I know all of us are working feverishly to reach the branch & company goals for the end of fiscal year; for both obvious and enticing reasons!  

The good news is, we’ve got a new flyer out, and both Elvis and then new catalog, are on their way!  Hopefully, the combination will spur an influx of new orders and customers.

Those of you that have read my previous “Pump up the Sales” (*ahem*…everyone should now have their hand in the air) know that I like to fall back on the basics…upselling, adding on, complimentary purchasing, etc, etc, etc.  Are those things important?  Yes.  Do I tend to repeat myself?  Yes.  Are you sick and tired of hearing it from me?  Don’t answer that.

So this month, and I know you’ll all be shocked, so I hope you’re sitting down, I’ve decided not to go there.  You already know it, you’re already doing it, so why waste my breath (or ink in this case), right?  Right. Instead, I’ve decided to take this whole concept of “sales” back even further…instead of focusing on making the first order, or the current order BIGGER, let’s focus a minute on how to turn that order, turn that client, into a repeat offender. 

The obvious answer, of course, lies in customer service.  I’m sure we can all think of a time when we walked into a store and were “wowed” by the service, which in turn provided an enormous source of motivation to return again.  Likewise, I’m sure we can all recall a time we were treated unfairly, were frustrated by staff attitudes, or were disregarded entirely.  Do we, as a general rule, frequent those establishments that treat us like dirt?  Like we’re a burden on their time or a drain on their resources? Not likely.  What we have to remember is that fantastic customer service doesn’t start with the customer…I mean, I’m a hell of a gal…why would ANYONE dare to treat me, as a customer, without the awe and reverence that I deserve? 

Stop laughing.

My point (and I do have one) is that great customer service, arises from a genuine concern, a pointed interest, IN the customer, BY the employee.  It all comes down to your character:  Are you warm and gracious? Do you care, and can we tell that you do? 

That’s why, especially when it comes to sales, often times personality will win over experience…if I can’t answer your question, but I treat you like you’re my number one priority, you’ll most likely cut me some slack and give me some time to find the answer, because you like me so much, and appreciate our rapport.  BUT, if I’m a giant jerk, who just happens to have all the experience to know all the answers, you may listen to the advice I can offer, but it’s doubtful you’ll have any patience for my attitude or any loyalty to our relationship.  

We want people to be pleasantly surprised every time they walk in the door, or pick up the phone and call us.  We want them to tell their friends about “those nice folks over there at KBC”.  We want them to feel welcomed, feel important, feel significant, and feel valued, EVERY time they experience the KBC difference.  We should be striving, every day, to become known for our people, for our service.  We should be creating a buzz about “how we do it here”.  And when we do, when we are able to shift our focus from the DOLLAR SIGN TO THE WELCOME SIGN, the payoff will be huge…because once we create that culture, you can be sure that even if we don’t get the sale today, we’ll increase the likelihood that a customer will return when they’re ready to purchase, because we’ll have already done the hard part: Won their respect, and gained their trust.

So, yes, smile when you answer the phone, continue to upsell and add-on, keep on suggesting complimentary purchases, but more than that, I want you to remember the most important question that you can ask any customer that you come into contact with…the question you should ask every customer, every day…

“What can I do to help?”

And then…do it.

 “Ahhh…thank you…thank you very much”

Love,
St. Louis

PUMP UP THE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, SEPTEMBER, 2010

Pump Up the AR: September 2010

Well, here it is; another fiscal year has come to pass. As we go through many changes at KBC, it is time to look to the future and embrace the excitement that awaits us. This is the perfect time to get your AR in order, sweep out the old nonpaying accounts and bring in the new ones. With the new catalog on its way, it will hopefully pump up our sales and in turn, our cash flow. We have to pay for it somehow. So, to get people to pay you, here are a few tips to remember and use.

• Summer is winding down, go into fall with your account paid up to date.
• End of our fiscal year is this month, we need to have your account paid up. 
• Payment of your account will be crucial to our brighter 2011.
• The KBC Catalog is coming soon. Your payment assures a copy for you.
• Economy is getting better and so should your payment habits.
• My boss is really on my butt about your account, help me out and pay us. 
• Buying more from KBC and paying on time will really save you money.
• Exceptional paying habits will keep us from calling you all the time.
• Really. Just send me the money.

Seriously though, using the fiscal year end as an incentive to get them to pay does work on some accounts. Tell them we need their money in order to pay for the new catalog, so if they want one they should pay us now. Go through your AR, call the whole list. Think about any that may be uncollectable, or those that collections have given up on and try one last time before you put them on the list to write off. Compile that list as the accountants will be asking for it very soon. Do your best to keep that list short and sweet. Even after you write them off, you can turn them over to yet another collections agency. Any money collected is all the better for us.

So, call those slow payers, call them again and get the money in. Use whatever (legal) means you can to collect the cash.  Blame it on the Corporate accountants, because if you ever watched “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” you know how ruthless those banker type people are.  It just may scare someone into paying you. 

Happy Collecting,

C.J. Stoyka,

Team Fullerton!

 ********************

Hi,

PUMP UP THE AR.

WHICH COMES FIRST THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG???

I anxiously await the sales report each month, looking to see if the total is up from the month – and year, before.

However much we want our sales to increase, unfortunately there is a down side – and that’s when clients do not pay for what they receive!

When I was at Commercial College – a very long time ago – we were taught that the Balance Sheet has to balance – that’s why they call it so.

I translate that very simply into what goes out, must come in. In other words:

WE SUPPLY TO MERCHANDISE

OUR CLIENTS MUST PAY FOR IT!

Now that doesn’t sound unreasonable to me – how do you feel about it?

So, however anxious we are to sell, sell, sell, we must always be alert as to whether the customer, old or new, is able – or willing to pay for what they receive.

Gloria used to go to the ‘big book’ to check out new clients and I trust we continue to do so. However, it is more often the small ‘shnooks’ who come to us – and then forget to pay.

So, here’s to lots of good sales – and tons of checks coming each day.

Good Luck,

Sheila Bass.