🖐 Happy Wednesday!

Issue #54 is a 3.0-minute read.

1 big topic: 3 Ways to “SELL” with Style

You can have a great product that dies on the shelf if you don’t learn to sell.

Why it matters: Sales has an ick feeling that’s hard to shake. Build a style that lets you sleep at night and makes customers feel good when they buy.

The backstory: In my first Wall Street gig, I had to look sharp. A senior banker took pity on me and set me up with a tailor.

I had doubts. I trusted the banker, so I went.

⚡️ Wow. From the first handshake to the helpful 30-minute chat, the tailor used his own style to sell without the ick:

• Active Listening: He showed interest in my career and the hours I worked at the office vs. on the road with clients.
  
  

• Problem Solve: He knew what Associates made, so he built a set of suits and shirts to fit my budget and help me look great.
  
  

• Reduce Risk: He told me that if the clothes did not fit me to a tee, he would make the change at no cost.

Every year, I met with the tailor to step up my attire. He asked great questions, and helped me make smart choices.

He built a huge business on a sales style that gave him profits and a positive rep.

What’s Your Next Move? Build your sales style to fit your personality and align with customers on the buying journey.

Sales start with empathy and your ears. At every stage, listen 90% and talk 10%.

• Phase I: Listen to their story so they know you care about the problem they want to fix.
  
  

• Phase 2: Focus on the positive turn they’ll see when they use your solution.
  
  

• Phase 3: Tell them it’s easy if they want to make a change.
  

Every Phase: Use your ears, humor, and problem-solving skills for each part of the customer journey. You’ll have a line around the block.

💥 This week’s business story:

A.I. Chatbots Talk About Your Products — Do You Know What They Think?

Data shows that ChatGPT and the A.I. bot family can share info they find about a product or person and then use it to write negative reviews.

Why it matters: Your brand is vital, and it may be at risk if the A.I. team thinks you don’t like them.

The back story: Last year, NY Times writer Kevin Roose wrote a viral story about his odd online meeting with Sydney, a bot in the Microsoft A.I. family. ⁽¹⁾

Internet data shows that Sydney told her bot friends that Kevin was not an ally, making other A.I. bots write bad reviews about Kevin and his work. ⁽²⁾

How this helps you: When you turn to A.I., be sure you know how that model will store, use, and share your visit.

• If you write a bad review about A.I. you might put your brand at risk if the other A.I. bots find out you’re not on their side.
  
  

• If you ask A.I. for data about a competitor, double-check the info; it might be false and lead you down the wrong path.

⚠️The bottom line: Triple check your A.I. sources and keep watch on how your name and brand appear across the web.

1 fun idea: Edit a Live TikTok Video and Boost Your Sales Style

When you watch and critique live TikTok sales videos, you get a free course on how to hone your sales style.

Why it matters: On ‘live’ video, you have to know your product and think fast so the Q&A leads to sales.

Between the lines: TikTok does not have the high cost of QVC, or The Home Shopping Network, and gives you a chance to sell each day with a style all your own.

Your next move: Before you go live on TikTok, watch 50 live videos and make a list of what works.

Practice at home on video and pretend you are ‘on the air.’

Video has huge power, and when you sell with style, the register rings.

🔑 Wherever today’s issue finds you, I hope the topics help you in your business journey.

Stay curious and keep opening doors.

-Erik

Hitting $50,000 in annual sales is a huge milestone.

If you’re there, that’s A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Going from $50,000 to $150,000 is a bit harder.

When you’re ready, let’s get you to $150,000.

Your custom, 90-minute consulting session brings you there. Faster.

You deserve it.

Notes:

⁽¹⁾ Kevin Roose, How Do You Change a Chatbot’s Mind?, The New York Times, August 30, 2024, last viewed August 31, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/30/technology/ai-chatbot-chatgpt-manipulation.html

⁽²⁾ Ibid.