Today’s guest is Maria Brown. She is a sales trainer/evangelist. With 20 years experience in training and management, she is the source of information in the furniture retail industry. She motivates sales professionals to become evangelists, to help them get excited and fall in love with what they do as sales professionals, and to help decorate people’s homes and people’s lives.
Here are the highlights of my conversation with Maria:
Maria’s coolest sales experience as the customer: buying from Terry Shapiro at Rooms To Go – delivering above & beyond what was promised.
The importance of becoming your own “Google:”
- You should be THE source of information
- Do NOT direct traffic away, but be the destination
- Engage with the customer
- Help them make a well-informed buying decision
The importance of understanding the client’s emotions when relaying information:
- It means YOU care
- To be always in the pursuit of knowledge
- In sales, everything has to be PERSONAL
- Translate and tie in the information into the prospect’s emotion
- Be prepared
- Be professional
- Be present
- Listen to everything the customer says
How to improve your “Google” ability:
- Stay thirsty!
- Be in the constant pursuit of knowledge
- Know your website, be your website, know your culture
- Know your competitor’s website
- Get training and get in touch with the marketing people
- Be in the know, be in the now and what is to come
- LEARN MORE!
Turning “Im-possible” to “I’m-possible”
Simon Sinek’s TEDTalk: Start With Why
Top qualities of successful individuals:
- Being not only the source but the force
- Being able to authentically communicate the “why”
- Knows everything he needs to know about the industry
- “Your brand is what they buy into, not so much the organization.”
- Be your own authentic brand.
Make sure your message is:
- Meaningful
- Applicable
- Relevant
Current projects Maria is working on:
- Training
- Creating more evangelists
Get in touch with Maria via Twitter @mspirenow or send her an email through campibrown@gmail.com
Maria’s Major Takeaway:
“Be the source of information. Have your information be meaningful, applicable, and relevant to the customer and their operation. Be present. Be engaged. Listen and anticipate what their questions are going to be. They love when you anticipate. Become the source, but more importantly, the FORCE.”
“Salespeople are a force of nature…we are enthusiastic, passionate people. Don’t lose the enthusiasm. Don’t lose the passion. Be real and be authentic. Promote and take care of your brand. You are the destination of information.”
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