Rise @ Nite Episode #3 The Sage Stops In, Sales Horror Stories and  David’s Selling Secrets
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Gill's question to you: Do you have a sales horror story to share? Comment below!

The Sage of Selling Gill Wagner is about as unique as they come. He is what I like to call “a character” and a master at selling. He is one of those people you can throw difficult questions to and he answers with ease and always speaks his mind especially if he thinks someone has be wronged (as you can see above…don’t get on his bad side). Gill’s mission to bring honesty back to selling is refreshing especially in this “Debbie Downer” Economy. Oh and he can do some crazy stuff with the alphabet.

As someone who is on both sides of sales (I’m pitched to all the time by people wanting me to buy advertising or space and I of course sell creative sponsorships and advertising for the show) I love how Gill is so anti-predator when it comes to sales.

I’ve seen sales people that…frankly…suck. They aren’t passionate about the product they sell and try to anything and everything to “make the sale”. It is this stereotypical “Tell me what it will take to put you in this (INSERT BLANK OF THING YOU DON’T WANT)” that gives me the shivers.
So after being in the trenches of sales and based on my experience of getting doors slammed in my face, learning, and then signing major clients over the past few years (including On The Run Mobil, UPS, Anheuser Busch, Pepsi to name a few), here are a few tips:

#1: Create a referral system. Simply ask for referrals on your receipts or set up a formal referral system with bigger customers. Perhaps they get 5% off their next order with each referral.  Remember people buy from who they know and trust.

#2: Always alleviate a pain with your product. Tickle Me Elmo alleviated the pain of parents unable to shut up their kids wanting the toy, workout programs alleviate the pain of being overweight, Virtual Nerd alleviates the pain of tutoring being too expensive, The Rise To The Top alleviates the pain of most programming on TV sucks. Just kidding. We love you reality TV. OK, I’m lying.

#3: Ask Questions: Don’t just show up and throw up when trying to make a sale. Meaning don’t lay all your cards out on the table and try to make the customer buy. Instead be inquisitive and ask what they need? What is the perfect product they are looking for? What products or services have failed them in the past? The right questions will lead to the right answers.

#4: I’m taking this one from “The Nametag Guy” Scott Ginsberg. You must be persistent but not pushy. You know the pushy salesperson that comes flying up to you at 100 miles the second you walk into the furniture store. Don’t be that guy! You do, however, want to be persistent because frankly some customers are hard to reach. Persistence means an occasional email or phone call, not shoving products into someone’s face. That is just not sexy sales.

#5: This is a big one. If your sale doesn’t work out with your customer, always politely and disarmingly inquire “why” unless it is painfully obvious such as trying to sell a hockey stick to a baseball player. Say that you are always trying to improve and would love to know a tip or two so you can improve the product/service/presentation for next time. You will be surprised at what you learn.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – http://www.therisetothetop.com

Networking Secrets with LinkedIn Master Lewis Howes
The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
Entrepreneur Resources. Entrepreneur Education. Everything Entrepreneurship.

this weekend as he stops in on his St. Louis portion of his tour promoting his new book LinkedWORKING. Lewis is one of those interesting characters that you want to gravitate towards. He has big energy and he gets stuff done. He is a guru on LinkedIn, runs SportsNetworker.com and the sports fan in me on this one has to call it out, he holds the single record in a football game for receiving yards (418).

On the video you will notice a couple of tips about navigating your way to success at your next networking event you attend and here are a few of mine:

1. Don’t Be Shy
This is my number one rule. You don’t have to be like me and be wound up like a top running around at one hundred miles per hour or be an extrovert to start a conversation. Everyone is there for the same reason: To meet interesting people and make connections. Just introduce yourself!

2. Watch the Rock Stars
Observe the people who REALLY know how to network and watch what they do. Examples would be someone like Dixie Gillaspie who works the room with ease and has plenty of people coming up TO her. Sort of like ancient cavemen times, learn by watching.

3. Introduce and Vamoose
People love introductions. It take the pressure of sticking yourself out there completely off. Bring people into your conversations. Introduce around. This kind of karma will come back and help you!

4. Have A Game Plan
You wouldn’t play quarterback without a game plan and it is the same for networking events. What do you hope to get out of the evening? 10 new contacts? 100 new contacts? A hangover?

5. Adjust on the Fly
Now you have a game plan, but you may have to make some changes at game time. The bigger the event, the less time you will have to talk to each individual person (unless you stay glued to someone for the night…which is not so good). Bigger events mean your best bet is to make quick relationships and then follow up the next day to see if there is a good fit for business or a referral.

6. Follow Up Fast
Met someone you liked? Exchanged business cards? A firm handshake? Awesome! Now make sure you follow up and get together for a coffee of talk a little business. Have you seen my blog on following up?

 7. The Bottom Line
Networking in the “real world” puts a face to online connections and a whole new realm of people you have never met before. Have some fun and make some connections!

****Question to be answered below posed by Lewis****
“Are you actively involved with networking?” “What is working?” “What isn’t working?” Let us know below!

You can of course connect with Lewis here and check out his events (St. Louis event is Monday, March 2nd at 5:30-10:30 PM at SOL Lounge in the Central West End). We are co-sponsoring here at The Rise To The Top because I think it is super important to mix online and offline networking, so I will see you there.

And you can check out our events for The Rise To The Top on our Events page. Our monthly “Dinner and Discussions” have drawn a ridiculously cool entrepreneurial crowd and the list is already growing before invites for the next event even go out!

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – http://www.therisetothetop.com

Have you checked out the new episodes of The Rise To The Top? Brand spankin’ new episode coming online this week!