Is there a voice behind Sales Speak?

Tuesday, July 24, 2007  by Susan Julien-Willson
Category: sales, selling

Welcome to Sales Speak!

Selling ideas. Selling products. Selling houses. Selling cars. Selling our skills. Speaking up. Speaking out. It’s what we do … one day to the next, every day of our lives. Think about it. We all sell something … even sell ourselves on a new idea or doing a project or wearing a new style. I’m wearing two necklaces today and had to sell myself on adopting this new trend. It only took a second, but still … I had to sell myself on the look.

So you see … I sell. I sell ideas. I sell products. I sell through words. I’m attempting to sell you on reading my blog now and in the future.

I feel lucky after thirty years in the advertising business that I continue to love the work I do. Being a writer, editor, and copy director is exciting, fun, challenging, and well, yes, it can be exhausting. But in the last couple years, I’ve learned that as long as you keep a positive attitude, it will result in being productive throughout the day and feeling satisfied with your progress at the end of the day. Best yet, it will help you sell everything ... even the unsightly "white elephant" gift you were given at the department party that you have yet to figure out what it is.

Because I love selling through print and web, I can’t help but be fascinated by the shopping and buying that goes on every day by virtually everyone in the world. With the holiday season whirling by and now winding down, I’ve been squirming to share sales ideas, examples of sales attempts gone awry, tales of salespeople who haven’t found their voice … many stories and lessons I will probably reveal at the right blogging moment. I sure hope you’ll power post a few stories of your own.

Here’s my spin:

This blog is a success if I pique your interest, share some noteworthy observations, grab your attention with thought-provoking questions that inspire you to post a response.  If reading my blog encourages you to listen and accept new ideas and explore different ways of thinking about the business of selling and the business of life, then this blog is worth its character count and more.

So, here we go! Stay tuned. Stay connected. I may be the blogger … but
we’re all the voice behind Sales Speak.

Comments

# Bridgett said on July 25, 2007 1:13 PM:

Yeah!!! We can leave you a comment! Welcome to the Opportunity Zone Susan.

You'll get to see the different personalities (and temperments) of all of us here.

:-)

I like the "comment notification" option. Can we get other bloggers to add this to their blogs? Makes it much easier to follow threads, since this Zone is growing exponentially.

Again, welcome.

# Robin said on July 25, 2007 5:21 PM:

Welcome Susan! Hold onto your seat because you're in for a wild ride on the O'Zone.  Sounds like a new ride at Six Flags!  Well, anyway, there are all kinds of ups and downs, twists and curves, and plenty of screams.

# Peter Anderson said on July 25, 2007 8:25 PM:

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Yes! Now we are moving in the right direction. I feel privilaged to have someone with such a long history in sales experience to be giving expert advice about the most important part of our business. Selling products to customers and completing the first cirlce is so crucial to the long term success of IBOs. With the help of you and the other bloggers on opportunity zone, I believe that we will have a much better show of confidence and action in sales and other aspects of our business. Thank you for listening!

# Chris Perez said on July 26, 2007 10:41 AM:

I look forward to future posts.  You indeed did pique my interest.  When it comes to direct sales, perhaps like sales copy in print, what have you found to be some of the best principles to "sell" without being perceived as a "salesman"?  

Coming soon in a blog post! Thanks for the great question, Chris.

# Josh said on July 26, 2007 12:45 PM:

Susan,

I am not sure if Beth forwarded my message to you.  I was wondering what the future of the ribbon incentive is going to take next year?  If I may add my thoughts, I think this year's version was awesome.  It was very professional, appealing and easy to use.  Also dropping the automatic shipping was genius as well.  Thanks again.  And welcome, I look forward to discussions with you and others on selling products to customers, or increasing sales with current customers.

 

Josh-Thank you for commenting and thank you for the compliment on Ribbon. Thrilled you think Ribbon is awesome! If IBOs and their customers find it awesome, then the redesign work was totally worth it! Yes, the look, feel, and tone of Ribbon will continue in 2008 and 2009, but we'll be tweaking a few things based on IBO feedback. Look for a survey in early Fall. We count on your feedback to make this program a success! sjw

# Tex said on July 26, 2007 1:59 PM:

Susan,

Welcome. What relationship do you have with Quixtar University? If you are working with QU, do you have any "scoop" information, such as topics, timing of the launch, etc.?

 

I am connected with Quixtar University and the Training Department at Quixtar-in fact, I plan to tell you more about QU and what's coming next week. Stay tuned! Thanks for commenting, Tex.

# Kelly Murra said on July 30, 2007 5:36 PM:

Welcome Susan!

I am happy to see a Q-Blog on selling. As a 30 year veteran in brick and mortar retail, I am excited about also being an IBO. Your comments on integrity are on target! I look forward to checking RSS daily to see what's up!

Thank you, Kelly. sjw

# Carl Grady said on July 31, 2007 7:43 PM:

Sales are what keep us in business, but marketing is what keeps us in sales.  Best to all at Quixtar who buy that and contribute to it.  Years ago I was sitting at a Chicago business executives luncheon, 8 of us to a table, all high-level people and one of the guys at my table was a business professor at Northwestern, featured speaker was Kristie Hefner (sp?).  When he heard me say that first sentence he said he was updating a textbook and would I mind if he included that comment with attribution, so I gave him my business card and wished I'd asked for his because I never saw the book or him again.  He said he'd never heard that before, so I guess I made it up.  But it's true, isn't it!

# Ben said on August 1, 2007 5:03 PM:

Hi Susan, thanks for taking our input. I wanted to ask IBO's out there that have had any success in converting customers to online ordering and getting on the ditto program if they could share their success stories? Thanks!

# Beryl Nichols said on August 30, 2007 2:17 PM:

Susan,

By the responses to your blog, it seems that people in this business don't realize they are in the direct selling business!  I can't believe that they spend all their time on the menusha caused by TEAM and little of their time realizing that NOTHING happens until somebody SELLS SOMETHING!!!  Keep up the good fight and feel good about what you are doing!

Keep the Faith!

Thank you so very much for your support. Please keep your comments coming on selling products. We value your input! And don't worry, I won't ever give up -- I am passionate about Quixtar, our IBOs' sales success, and their customers' satisfaction. sjw

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