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Golden Rules for Dealing with Asian Businesses, part 2 of 3

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6. Never cause anyone to lose face
No understanding of Asian mentality is complete without a grasp of the concept of face. Having face means having a high status in the eyes of one’s peers, and it is a mark of personal dignity. You should always be aware of the face factor in your dealings with Asians and never do or say anything that could cause someone to lose face.

7. Suggestions, especially criticism, must be indirect
Open criticism, especially of a personal nature, is taboo in Asian cultures. If one disapproves of a statement or course of action, alternatives may be suggested in a humble manner, as indirectly as possible (“we tried something like that last year… ” or “another thing we found useful… “).

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About the Authors

Kai Hammerich received his M.B.A. from Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his M.Sc. in economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. Based in London, he is a consultant with the international search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. Kai has conducted numerous CEO and board-level assignments for major global companies. He has in-depth experience advising clients on how to align a company’s talent portfolio with its overall business strategy and company culture. Kai has been nominated by BusinessWeek as one of the most influential search experts worldwide.

Richard D. Lewis is a renowned British linguist and founder of Richard Lewis Communications – a language school for executives as well as a company that advises on cross-cultural business issues. He is the creator of the Lewis Model of Cross-Cultural Communication and author of many books including the bestselling When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures.

What’s the difference? What’s the weakness?

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Question from a fan:

Hi Jeffrey, I just purchased your new book on the 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. As usual, it’s full of amazing content. But as I read it, it generated three compelling questions I hope you can answer. Thanks, Brandon

1. What is the biggest difference between selling today and 10 years ago?
Three things have changed selling (and buying) forever – THE INTERNET, SMARTPHONES, and SOCIAL MEDIA. The Internet sells trillions annually, and it does it 24-7-365. Customers can investigate, shop price, compare prices and values, and buy with one click – anyplace in the world. Social media is the largest one-on-one sales reference on the planet, and like the Internet, it’s keeping business (and salespeople) honest. And it’s making smarter customers. Smartphones have created access. Ultimate and instant access. Apps are the new Internet. And the combination of these three elements has changed the face and manner of doing business – forever.

NOTE WELL: You can only SELL at your place – but customers can BUY anyplace in the world – any time of the day or night.

What has changed is that salespeople HAVE NOT CHANGED. No personal website, no personal brand, no social media interaction, and not taking advantage of smartphone technology.

ADVICE: Get heavily involved with the Internet. Make sure it serves your customers, not just your company. Get heavily involved in social media, and don’t just post – respond to comments, concerns, and praise. Use your smartphone to study your marketplace, transact business, and post on social media. ASK YOURSELF THIS: Is it easier to find and do business with you, or your competition? Got app? If not, invest whatever is needed in people and money to set and maintain a leadership position in all three areas.

2. Why “21.5” unbreakable laws and not more or fewer?
I started with more than 50 laws that I had written and compiled over the years, and after weeks of study and deliberation, I pared it down to 21.5 through combination and elimination. These are THE hard-and-fast laws of selling. They cannot be broken, unless you’re willing to lose sales. These laws form the foundation for your selling success and your personal success. CAUTION: They are NOT rules. They are LAWS. Rules can be bent or broken, but laws remain steadfastly the same. BIGGER CAUTION: Reading the laws once will not make you great – re-reading, studying, and implementing them day-by-day will.

3. What are the biggest mistakes salespeople make today?
I have interacted with hundreds of thousands of salespeople – that’s how my 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling came about.

During my continuing journey, I have seen 3.5 flaws that are common to all weak salespeople. Not necessarily “mistakes,” like asking the wrong questions. Rather, blunders and errors in judgment and thinking that causes failure…
1. Lack of belief in what they sell, who they represent, and in themselves. Lack of belief shows up in your presentation and is evident to the prospect. ADVICE: Visit customers who LOVE your product and have been loyal to you for years. Talk to them about WHY they have belief. It will strengthen yours.
2. Lack of love of what you do. If you have “hate” or have ‘no passion’ for or about what you do, you’ll never give it full effort, and you’ll always be looking for greener pastures. “They don’t pay me enough” will ALWAYS be your mantra. Your attitude will suffer more that your sales. (If that’s possible.) ADVICE: Find a job you love before you’re fired from the one you don’t.
3. Blaming everything and everyone for what goes wrong or what didn’t happen, rather that taking responsibility for what happened, and adding personal responsibility for making things happen.Seems so obvious, yet it’s one of the biggest missing elements of sales (and society). ADVICE: Responsibility starts in the bathroom mirror in the morning. Look, smile, and commit. Next, check your language. Negative talk is usually blame talk. Avoid it. Get a partner to stop you when you start. This is one of the biggest challenges in sales and life. CAUTION: The media is blame-ridden, and the more you expose yourself to it, the more you are likely to play the game yourself. Turn off the negativity. Turn on your life.
3.5 Weak resilience. Rejection occurs 74% more than acceptance. Salespeople, especially those forced to make cold calls, weaken and bow out way too soon.

There are many more mistakes made by salespeople – too many to list here for sure – BUT many sales shortcomings can be reduced or eliminated completely, simply by taking responsibility and purchasing the 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling – and putting the laws into action.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Golden Rules for Dealing with Asian Businesses, part 1 of 3

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Today, more Americans than ever are doing business in China, Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia. Below is advice explaining what Western business people need to know about national traits and customs in those countries if they want to succeed.

1. Speech is to promote harmony
In the West the primary purpose of speech is to exchange information. In Asian cultures, what is actually said is of less importance than how and when it is said and who says it. Platitudes are trotted out in profusion in Japan; flattery is also included. Westerners consider it as time wasting and pointless; in the Asian view, the longer this harmonious exchange is maintained, the more likely it is that successful business will ensue.

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About the Authors

Kai Hammerich received his M.B.A. from Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his M.Sc. in economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. Based in London, he is a consultant with the international search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. Kai has conducted numerous CEO and board-level assignments for major global companies. He has in-depth experience advising clients on how to align a company’s talent portfolio with its overall business strategy and company culture. Kai has been nominated by BusinessWeek as one of the most influential search experts worldwide.

Richard D. Lewis is a renowned British linguist and founder of Richard Lewis Communications – a language school for executives as well as a company that advises on cross-cultural business issues. He is the creator of the Lewis Model of Cross-Cultural Communication and author of many books including the bestselling When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures.

Are your sales historical or hysterical?

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Summer’s over. Back to school.

Boy, there are some memories. High school. College. Subjects you loved, subjects you hated. Teachers you loved, teachers you hated.

THE QUESTION IS: What did you learn in school? What lessons are you still using?

I have 2.5 major, early and later school-learned lessons I am grateful for:
1. Grammar from 9th and 10th grade. It’s the basis of my writing and communication. In today’s world, misuse of the words they’re, their, their, your, and you’re create lasting (bad) first impressions.
2. In college (Temple University in 1964), my modern European history professor said, “It’s not the date of what happened that matters. It’s what happened in response to the date (events, outcomes) that creates history.”
2.5 Later in life I came to the realization that algebra was not about math, it was about learning how to solve problems logically. I wish my algebra teacher could have put it that way when I started.

And how about sales and business? What lessons have you learned? What lessons are you still using?

I have 2.5 major, early sales lessons I am grateful for:
1. Questions control conversations. The person that’s asking is in control.
2. Relax, find common ground, and be friendly with the prospect BEFORE you start the sales conversation.
2.5 Find out why they want to buy BEFORE you start to sell.

Here are 11.5 lessons you can use to start this school year off with a bang – and a bunch of sales:
1. Study your (or your company’s) last 100 sales. The history of where your last 100 sales came from will predict and help you complete your next 100 sales.
2. Videotape the buying motives of your top ten customers. Call your top ten customers and meet with them for a short, casual conversation about WHY they buy from you. Video the conversation.
3. Meet one customer a day for morning coffee. Just talk personally. In a year this will give you the personal insight of 250 customers.
4. Study service issues. Find out what issues customers have. Study how (and how fast) they were resolved.
5. Study backorders. Why did the back order occur? How was it dealt with? How was it resolved?
6. Talk to users, not just buyers. Go to your customers and talk to the people that USE your product or service. Find out what they love and what’s missing. Video the interviews. SECRET: Get purchasing people to be at the meeting with the people that USE your product, so they can understand the difference between price, productivity, value, and profit.
7. Talk to your loyal customers that don’t buy price. Find out the true non-price buying motive(s) for dealing with you.
8. Get involved on a deeper, hands-on level. Make a few deliveries yourself. Take a few service calls yourself. Work in accounting for a day. Find out what’s really happening with and to your customers.
9. Get short meetings with executives. Talk about the issues they value the most – loyalty, productivity, morale, and profit. Maybe ask a question or two about their vision or leadership philosophy, and leave. DO NOT ASK FOR BUSINESS. Just make an impression. IDEA: create a blog around executive leadership philosophies.
10. Start your own value messaging in social media. Post your ideas and thoughts on all social media outlets. Then email the links to all your customers and prospects so they can follow you.
11. Post customer testimonials on YouTube. Then email and tweet the links to all your customers and prospects.
11.5 Create a customer “reasons” book. List all the reasons why they buy, say no, stay loyal, or leave you. As you write, answers and actions will become evident.

KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: The lessons you have learned from your history of doing business with customers is very valuable, BUT not as valuable as your customer’s history of doing business with you. A subtle but powerful difference. Both are valuable, but your customer’s input from their perspective can teach you how to achieve and maintain loyalty.

KEY TO IMPLEMENTATION: Re-construct your sales presentation around customer’s responses and perceived values.

WINNING NEW BUSINESS: Where is your new business coming from? The best way to find new business is to talk to old business, learn the lessons, and refine your practices and presentation to be in harmony with their needs and expectations.

Those are lessons you can learn from and earn from.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Using Instagram is not an option; it’s an opportunity!

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QUESTION: Why did Facebook pay one billion dollars for Instagram?
ANSWER: So that instead of worrying about how many people joined Instagram (and abandoned Facebook), they could brag about it.

Are you on Instagram? I am. All of my family is. ALL of my family is. Daughters, granddaughters, in-laws, outlaws. All of them. All of my close friends are too. And a few hundred other people I don’t know, who looked me up or found me through a hash tag. Are you on?

Do you post on Instagram? I do. Almost every day. Why? Because I take pictures on my iPhone that I believe are worth sharing. That’s what Instagram is all about.

With more that 130 million ‘users’ Instagram is what’s new and what’s next. If you doubt it, ask yourself why Facebook bought a company – that never made a dime of profit – for a billion dollars.

I’m certain that in a Facebook research-marketing lab someplace in Silicone Valley they’re talking about Instaface or Facegram.

Instagram is an app of the future. It’s really only usable on mobile and tablet devices. But it makes sense because mobile is where you take pictures.

Take a look at mine @jeffreygitomer

Here’s what Instagram offers to your social media mix:

  • It’s instant. Shoot the photo, minor edit, short description, add the people you’re with and or the location the photo was taken, and post it.
  • It takes less time than other social media. Not just for you, but for everyone else you’re connected to.
  • People typically post positive things. They ‘like’ it, and they can say a few words.
  • No drama. Facebook is a soap opera. Instagram is a happy place.
  • It’s a document of your daily life. In a light and non-time-consuming way.
  • It’s personal. Family sees family. Friends see friends. And you are able to stay in touch with family friends in a personal way. KEY: Invite your family and friends to join you.
  • It’s available to others. Your business friends and close customers can get a glimpse of your personal side without all the Facebook crap and your past life.
  • You don’t have to be a writer, just a smartphone user. Very few words are needed – just photos and short videos.
  • There’s a chance to be ‘liked.’ For your photos, your travels, your creativity, your career, your achievements, your cute kids, your passions, and your family.
  • There’s a chance to comment. And you can send words of praise to those you follow.
  • There’s a chance to acknowledge others. When you appear in a photo with others or want to send them a message.
  • It’s fun. It is by far, my favorite of the social media options.

YOU MUST: Get your parents, kids, close relatives, and friends involved to ‘share’ the spirit of Instagram.

IT’S NOT A TREND, IT’S A MOVEMENT: Kids are ON IT, and ALL OVER IT. My grandchildren have all but abandoned Facebook in favor of Instagram.

NOTE: I just texted Morgan, my 15-year-old granddaughter, and asked her when her last post on Facebook was. ‘September 16, 2012’ (Almost a year ago – and she was on it every hour before then). Last post on Instagram? ‘Yesterday.’ Morgan has 447 followers (knows most of them), is following 272 people, and has posted 584 photos. She is the future of Instagram – and Facebook knows it.

WAKE UP – Microsoft Word still thinks the word Instagram is a misspelling. Sad.

WANT MORE FOLLOWERS? Besides your inner circle of people and family, if you want more followers, take great photos and #hashtag key words and places of interest when you post a photo or video. Others go searching for those words and places, find you, and (some) will follow you.

Here are a few more things about Instagram that will help you learn more and take full advantage of the opportunity:

  • Hashtag (#) search for a few things you love, and find a few people to follow that have similar interests. I follow people who photograph Paris. It has led me to other amazing photographers.
  • Be authentic – post your own photos.
  • Study the experts. There are hundreds of them on Instagram.

Do it. If you’re already doing it, improve and expand your doing. It’s an easy way to share joy, memories, and passions. Oh, and it’s FREE.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].