Defining a business and sales strategy comes with an important choice: to withhold information or to be 100% forthright with the truth. And sure, there are plenty of dishonest salespeople out there, but here's the best sales tip you'll ever get: don't be one of them! The most successful and salespeople are those who consistently choose truth over deception. Rather than embellishing during a sales meeting, they prefer to under-promise and over-deliver. Instead of leaving out inconvenient facts, they proactively share any and all relevant details with their customers. Top sales professionals know that honesty in sales is possibly the most effective strategy for long-term success.

The good news for salespeople is that honesty isn’t just the best policy, morally speaking. Truthful communication is also a lucrative sales strategy that will serve you well in your career.

Let’s take a look at 7 reasons why it pays to be honest in sales.

1. Customers know better

Never underestimate a customer’s ability to sense that something’s not quite right. Sales prospects can detect when you’re embellishing important details about a product or service, glazing over the facts, or telling them what they want to hear. As a result, they are less likely to buy. While an unscrupulous sales strategy might work for you every now and then, in the long run, you’ll lose more sales than you close because people don’t trust you. Focus instead on creating a sales strategy that respects the customer's intelligence. You're likely to generate more successful sales in the short term and build stronger long-term relationships with customers.

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2. Transparency makes the sales process run smoother

Every salesperson knows that it’s easier to deal with an excited customer than a skeptical one. While it might seem simpler to answer questions with short answers or withhold certain information, it’s quite the opposite. Being selective with the truth only invites more questions -- and not the good kind. It’s actually much more efficient, and more likely to increase sales, if you take the time to thoroughly and openly address all of your customer’s concerns to ensure that they feel confident about the decision to buy.

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3. Capitalize on opportunities missed by other salespeople

There’s a decent chance that your target customer has already been pitched in the past by another sales rep. In many of those cases, their decision against buying was due to a lack of trust -- not a lack of interest. By being completely straightforward and authentic, you’ll ending up signing up customers who had previously said no, bringing you closer to achieving your sales goals.

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4. Setting proper expectations reduces buyers remorse

Nothing leads to an order cancellation faster than a negative surprise. Thankfully, the secret to a high quality, sticky sale is simple: ensure that your customer has realistic expectations. The strongest salespeople go out of their way to communicate relevant information, ensuring that buyers are fully prepared and informed.

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5. Authenticity makes you relatable

No one wants to talk to a sales robot. Consumers are much more likely to buy from someone they can connect with -- someone who seems genuine and trustworthy. Simply being yourself and leading with honesty, makes it easier to build rapport. And as all strong salespeople know, building a relationship is often the difference between a yes or a no.

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6. Honesty opens the door for future deals

We all know that satisfied customers become loyal customers, but did you know that simply being honest also generates leads? After a positive experience, customers are not only more likely to buy from you again in the future, but satisfied existing customers will also send you referrals of their friends, families, and neighbors.

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7. Honesty breeds self-confidence

As soon as you realize that you don’t have to rely on white lies, exaggerations, and “tricks of the trade” in order to make a sale, you’ll become a more confident salesperson. Not only will you sleep better at night knowing that you conducted business with integrity, but this boost to your self-esteem will make you a stronger salesperson and a great sales team leader.

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Never be afraid that you'll scare off a potential buyer with the truth. Remember: the mark of a strong salesperson is both quantity and quality of sales. Focus on being 100% honest, transparent, and authentic. Not only is this the right thing to do, but this simple sales strategy it can put you on the fast track to achieving your career goals.

While it’s important to know what you should do in meetings and negotiations, knowing what you shouldn’t do is often just as important – and it begins with bad body language.

The best sales managers know that while you may have a polished sales presentation, tasteful attire, and a product that practically sells itself, you can still miss out on closing a sale if your body language is out of sync with your words. While it’s true that first impressions make a lasting impact, cumulative body language is important. If you are in the habit of demonstrating any of the following body language in sales meetings, it could be enough to hurt your sales performance, turning a potential yes into definite no.

1. Crossing your arms. This communicates disinterest and a lack of confidence. Unless it’s done to make an obvious point, crossing your arms only serves to interrupt the flow of a productive dialogue.
2. A weak handshake. A limp handshake exudes zero enthusiasm and suggests a lack of confidence as well. Whether it’s cold and boney, or warm and fleshy, a weak handshake is just plain creepy and should be avoided.
3. An overly firm handshake. On the other hand, clamping onto a prospective client’s hand as if yours was granite and theirs was a water balloon is not a wise strategy. Winning the battle of the overly firm handshake will not generate a sale. Rather, it may actually hurt the other person’s hand and leave them with a negative impression of you.
4. Standing too close or touching too much. Many people are sensitive to others invading their personal space. Be aware that standing too close to someone or touching someone overly much can be seen as invasive. Pay attention to the other person’s body language, too, though; what is invasive to one person might seem merely friendly to another.
5. Not smiling. Smiling shows warmth and excitement and can serve to compel the prospective client to find you likeable. When you don’t smile, the opposite is true; your facial expressions may seem uninviting or unapproachable.
6. Avoiding eye contact. When you avoid meeting another person’s eyes, it conveys that you may have something to hide or you can’t be trusted. Your goal is to establish trust and make the sale, so focus on maintaining eye contact when possible to further your cause.
7. Don’t be a statue. While it’s bad to fidget, slouch, or cross your arms, standing perfectly straight and still can be creepy. It’s best to stand professionally, but naturally, so you look comfortable and the customer feels comfortable too. Try to mirror their posture.
8. Hiding your hands. In an attempt to look more professional, some people try to contain their hand gestures when talking. However, talking with your hands can actually help make your point and reduce filler words and perceived hesitancy. Also, showing the palms of your hands while speaking indicates openness and honesty.

There is no overstating the importance of presenting good body language in sales or any business interaction – it can make all the difference. Don’t send the wrong message with self-sabotaging nonverbal communication. Be prepared and well-rehearsed when you walk into a meeting. Be conscious, too, about what you do while you are speaking. You are, after all, providing visual accompaniment to your eloquent words. Once you ensure your words and actions match up, you’ll start to notice fewer closing doors and more closing sales.

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If you’ve caught yourself demonstrating some of these examples of bad body language in sales meetings, consider the correction of it one of your professional New Year resolutions.

If you’ve been using our negotiating tips, then it’s entirely likely a sale is on the horizon – so it’s important to be able to recognize it. As a salesperson, it’s important to stay tuned into the customer and what he or she may be feeling, thinking, or doing. It easy to get too caught up in delivering the perfect sales pitch or projecting energy and forget that sales is a two-way communication. It involves give and take; the exchange of information to and from both parties. Customers are constantly sending signals about what they want, what they need, and what they are thinking. And, if you just learn to pay attention, and know what buying signs to look for, these messages, both verbal and non-verbal, can make your job as sales person a whole lot easier.

Buying signals are indications the customer gives that he or she may be nearing a decision about your product or service and may be interested in making a purchase. These ready-to-buy cues, can be easy to miss if you’re too focused on what you need to say or do next. Learn some of the most common buying signs, so the next time a customer is ready to buy, you won’t miss out on the sale.

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Here are 10 buying signs not to overlook:

1. Asking Lots of Questions: Never get irritated if a customer grills you with questions. If a customer asks for more information about the product, the warranty, the price, the terms and conditions, what the service includes, how delivery works, or almost anything else, they are interested. Questions are a clear buying sign, because think about it, if you were not interested in a product, what would you do? You’d probably just walk away, right? Exactly. Customers don’t ask questions just to be polite, or to annoy you. They are asking questions because they need more information to decide about your product. Once you know that, all you have to do is give them all the exciting information about your product or service that you know will make them feel great about making a purchase.
2. Focusing on One Particular Product Type: If a customer keeps hovering around a particular version of the product or keeps coming back to a particular service package, they are telling you that’s the one they would like to buy. Don’t overlook this important buying sign, and instead of spending your time trying to sell them on other versions of the product, seize the opportunity to close the deal.
3. Looking Around for Help:Customers don’t usually like being bothered while they are shopping, so a customer who is looking around for someone to help her is usually interested in buying something. This body language should be an immediate signal to you to engage with this customer.
4. Asking Another Person’s Opinion: When customers reach out to others for their opinion, they are interested in making a purchase. They may simply need reassurance that the product or service they’ve chose is the right one for them. As the sales rep, you can help build their confidence to close the deal.
5. Fiddling with their Wallet: Customers may not realize they’re doing it, but when someone is ready to buy, they may handle their wallet or touch their money. Make sure to stay cued in to this subtle, but important buying sign.
6. Handling the Product or Sales Material: When customers touch or hold the product, they are unconsciously picturing themselves owning it. This may also be true of customers who spend a lot of time holding, touching, or staring at the brochure or sales sheet. When customers are hands on, make sure you’re paying attention and are ready to help them make the purchase.
7. Nodding and Eye Contact: Customers who keep their eyes locked on you are showing that they’re comfortable with you and interested in what you’re telling them. Nodding their head shows agreement with what you’re saying. Customers who show both of these non-verbal, buying signals are demonstrating their interest in your product.
8. Parroting: If a customer repeats back anything you’ve said in your sales pitch, especially if it’s the product benefit statement, it shows they are paying attention to what you’ve been saying and they are interested in that aspect of the product or service. So, if they say, “So I can save $20 a month if I choose this package?” make sure to give them the details they’re looking for. That customer is ready to buy.
9. Making “If I had” Statements: When a customer asks rhetorical questions like, “So if I had this tablet, I could stream my show anywhere?” they have already imagined themselves owning the product. These kinds of statements are clear buying signs.
10. Showing Excitement: When customers make exclamations like “Wow!” “Really?” and “Nice!” they are not just being polite. Most customers won’t bother. They are showing genuine interest in your product or service and that is a buying sign that should not be ignored.

Listening and paying attention is just as important as saying the right things when trying to make a sale. Customers communicate a lot about how they’re feeling about the product for sales people who are willing and able to pick up their signals. Overlooking these, sometimes subtle, buying signs could mean missing out on sales and doing more work than necessary. Becoming an expert on customer behavior and learning the classic buying signals can make selling a whole lot easier by giving you valuable information about the kind of customer you’re dealing with.

By Brooke Levy

Top Five Negotiating Tips

For many, negotiation is the most intimidating of all sales and business skills. It seems like one of those mysterious talents you either have or don’t have, and knowing a situation requires negotiation—buying a car, accepting a new job offer, or making a business deal—will cause some to break out into a nervous sweat. But according to negotiation expert, and Cydcor Senior Vice President and General Manager, Business to Business, Brooke Levy, negotiation can be learned.

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What many people don’t realize is that they’re not bad at negotiating, they’re just doing it wrong. Like most things that require talent and practice, improving negotiation skills takes understanding what works and what doesn’t. Think about sports. You may never become a championship golfer, but with the right information about how to hold a golf club and how the wind can affect a golf ball in the air, you certainly can learn to improve your game. It’s the same with negotiation. With the right negotiating tips and techniques, and a lot of practice, you can learn how to overcome your fears and hold your own when asserting yourself.

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Here are Five Surefire Negotiating Tips to Help Swing the Outcome in Your Favor:

1. Stop Fighting and Start Compromising!

• How to do it right: When people think of a negotiation they often think of a boxing match where the parties enter the ring, head to head, and throw punches until someone falls to the ground and the other proclaims victory.  In a successful negotiation, both parties should feel like they have won. It is important to always approach a negotiation as a discussion (not an argument or a contest) with a potential win-win solution.

• Why it works: The art of negotiation revolves around give and take. Two parties must work together creatively to find a mutual win. If you approach a negotiation as a discussion rather than an argument, you will have a different tone. You will be better at listening. Less argumentative. More constructive in your thoughts and ideas. You will be patient. These characteristics are crucial to find a solution – not a victor!

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2. Know What You REALLY Want

• How to do it right: Understand the difference between positions and interests. Imagine that you are negotiating Saturday night plans with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You want to stay home and your partner is adamant that you go out on the town. Those are your respective positions. But what are your actual interests? The truth is, you only want to stay home because you do not want to spend money on an expensive night out. Your partner wants to go out simply because he/she wants to hang out with friends. Your interests are the factors and reasons that cause you to take a particular position. Knowing one’s interests (as opposed to just his/her position) is invaluable in coming to a solution.  Stay in Saturday night, but have friends over!

• Why it works: We typically argue our positions rather than talk about our interests. If you do your homework and understand what you really want and what the other party really wants, it helps you find the route to a mutual agreement faster. Compromise is key. If you can give someone what he/she wants, you can typically get anything you want.

3. Talk Less; Listen More

• How to do it right: It’s amazing how much easier it is to talk then to be patient and LISTEN. In fact, even when we are “listening,” we are often not even processing what the other person is saying but rather, planning what we will say next. To be a good negotiator, you need to understand what the other party really wants. You cannot get that information if you don’t take the time to listen and really process his or her view. It is important in a negotiation to ask lots of questions and then listen to the responses. Play detective! Knowledge is power.

• Why it works: Your strength/power does not come from how much you talk or how important you think you sound. In fact, many conflicts are resolved simply by listening to what the other party really wants/needs. The general rule is that you should never talk in a negotiation more than 30% of the time. Ask open-ended questions and allow the other party to tell you what they need. You will have much more success finding a compromise!

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4. Be Assertive!

• How to do it right: I always joke that the best example of being assertive and holding your ground is to negotiate like a toddler. When my son was three we used to negotiate every night before bed how many books we would read. “Luca, pick out one book to read before bed.” “No Mommy! Three books.” “No Luca, it is late and we only have time for one book so pick out a good one.” “No Mommy, three books!” “Luca, you have two options. Either you pick out one book to read or we don’t read any.”  “Ok, Mommy. Let’s just read two books.”

• Why it works: Toddlers never take no as an answer—but they always make sure to express exactly what they want in a non-threatening way. And they rarely ever waver. Being aggressive and being assertive are not the same thing. You do not need to be mean or disrespectful to ask for what you want and hold your ground. Also, just like toddlers, make sure to always aim high with your initial ask so that you have some room to move. If you ask for EXACTLY what you need at the beginning, you will look completely unwilling to compromise during the negotiation.

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5. Don’t Negotiate Against Yourself

• How to do it right: It always amazes me how many people negotiate against themselves. And it happens in so many ways. The most common example I see is when silence becomes uncomfortable. Imagine that you want to ask your client for an increase in the bonus they are sponsoring for the holiday season. You perfectly plan your argument as to why the increase makes sense. You have the appropriate leverage (always make sure you have leverage!) and you present your position well. Then, there is silence. The client doesn’t say anything at all!  And before you know it, you start offering up a lesser ask. You assume that the answer is a no. Or that the client is angry. Or that your request was too aggressive. Silence is ok! Once you have set forth a request, wait for a response!

• Why it works: All negotiations require that you plan thoroughly and have your position solidly in place. If you are prepared, you should feel confident in your requests. Do not waver from your position or negotiate against yourself just because the other party does not immediately react the way that you planned. Negotiation takes patience. Sometimes the other party simply needs time to digest or better understand your rationale.

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Not everyone loves to negotiate, but understanding how to negotiate and improve your negotiation skills is critical to achieving success in almost any kind of business, and in life. Even those who never work in sales will need to negotiate at some point or another, because resolving almost any disagreement requires compromise. Learning to control and play an active role in resolving conflicts can empower you to feel less anxious when asserting yourself and your wishes, and can help you get the results you’re hoping for more often.

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Brooke Levy is Senior Vice President and General Manager, Business to Business at Cydcor, where she is responsible for managing client relationships, driving results at the campaign management level, and exploring new business opportunities. Under Brooke’s leadership, revenue for one of Cydcor’s residential energy programs tripled in just 18 months. Brooke heads the company’s entire business to business sector, and she was instrumental in designing the business and legal framework for both of Cydcor’s proprietary residential energy businesses. She has also developed new mid-market sales opportunities for Cydcor, pairing clients with business models she personally built and tested to ensure long-term growth. Brooke joined Cydcor in 2013, following a successful 10-year stint as a corporate lawyer, specializing in mergers and acquisitions as well as private equity.

One of the keys to being a successful sales professional is being great at the art of conversation. But being a good conversationalist is not something that comes naturally to everyone, even the most extroverted people in the world. There are some special conversational considerations for working in sales. Here are a few tips from Cydcor staff on how to master the art of sales-oriented conversation.

Learn more about Cydcor by checking out our profile on CrunchBase: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/cydcor

Start by building rapport. Make your prospect feel at ease with a little bit of small talk. You want your customer to feel you’re likable, which will make them more inclined to listen to you.

Match your prospect’s energy level. If your customer seems calm and cool, don’t bowl them over with aggressive enthusiasm. However, if your prospect seems like a more energetic type, then match their energy with yours. That way, you’re likely to create a better connection that can lead to a sale.

Ask questions. Find out what kind of aspirations your customer has or any frustrations with your competitor’s product or service. By doing so, you’ll be able to find ways to show your customer that your product is the best.

Ease into the sales pitch. Your prospect is much more likely to respond positively if you don’t just jump into “buy my product or service” mode. You’ll want to make your pitch with solid facts and an appeal to your customer’s aspirations and needs.

Listen. It’s tempting to stop listening before a prospect finishes speaking. You want to figure out a rebuttal to their “no.” But that’s not how you make a sale. But by listening well and doing some gentle probing, you’ll get to know what goals and needs your customer has.

Be sincere. Nobody likes a phony, and almost everyone can tell when someone is bluffing. Be yourself, and remember that you don’t have to agree with every single thing the customer says. Instead, try introducing one or two different points of view into the conversation; it’ll be more fun for both you and your prospect.

Don’t be obsessed with the sale. Have you ever been to a car dealership or a store and encountered a pushy salesperson that wouldn’t back off until you either bought a product or walked out the door? Don’t be that person. “Hard sell” tactics are a turn-off to most prospects. Instead, keep sharing information and appealing to their needs and wants.

Expect nothing, but be prepared for everything. Sales is a great and potentially quite lucrative profession, but it takes some time to become a real expert at it. Be patient with yourself and continue developing your unique skills to master the art of conversation—and conversion.

What tips would you give your teammates for mastering the art of sales conversation? Please share them in the comments. For additional blogs from Cydcor, be sure to check out https://www.cydcor.com/media.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

For anyone working in a sales environment, your relationship with your customers dictates your success. You can turn a one-time deal into lifelong business by how you acknowledge, understand and treat your customers’ needs. At Cydcor, we put an emphasis on this aspect of the job from the start.

Begin by asking questions. Ask them who they are, what they want and what they expect from your business. Conduct surveys, hold events and meet-and-greets, set up customer profiles to help individualize your sales pitch. Let go of your assumptions and figure out what each individual client wants.

We know that customer loyalty is at an all-time low, especially among younger clients who use social media reviews and recommendations as a means of doing business. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are great ways to interact with customers and ask them the questions that will give you a better understanding of what makes them tick. Through social media you can:

• Start a dialogue with clients about your product and their expectations
• Learn about your customers’ interests and buying history
• Give your customers a platform for reviews and comments
• Be active in the community and make a trusted name for yourself

Adding a personal touch to your professional relationship is also key. Gallup’s Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman found four levels of customer expectation that will help build trust between you and your clients:

• Accuracy - Learn exactly what your customer wants and when they want it, and then make sure they get it. If you can’t follow through with this most basic step, you are very likely to lose your customer and even your business.
• Availability - You need to be there for your customer, especially after you’ve taken their money. If there is an issue to fix or a product to be returned, they want to know you will be available to address their concerns.
• Partnership - This goes hand-in-hand with availability, and it’s the level where you really build trust. Are you attuned to your clients’ needs? Are you connecting to each client on an individual basis? Do they feel like you actually care?
• Advice - A study by the MIT Sloan School of Management showed that customers are most loyal to companies who teach them something. Educate your customer about the product you are selling and they are more likely to buy from you again.

It’s easy to get caught up in numbers. But the backbone of your business is the loyal, happy customer, and open lines of communication will work in keeping them coming back for more.

Getting in the mind of your customer isn’t the easiest concept to grasp, but it’s valuable in the long run. Have you found any good strategies to understand your customers better? Share with us on Cydcor’s Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

If you want to improve your sales performance, you need to think like a customer. It’s vital that you understand the obstacles preventing your customers from reaching their goals. Your customers will appreciate your effort in trying to understand their needs in order to provide them the best solution to their current problem or situation.

Employees and sales associates at Cydcor are trained to provide innovative solutions for our customers. Understanding our customer’s needs is an integral part of our world-class customer service.

Use the strategies described here and you’ll begin to think like a customer- that’s the first step in delivering great customer service.

Develop Long-term Relationships

A good salesperson builds long-term relationships with their customers. Keep up-to-date on industry developments and trends. Study the industry and become even better informed than your customers. By developing this expertise, you will be seen as an industry expert. You’ll be a part of their community. Your customer will see you as a trusted resource, not someone whose sole interest in them is making a sale. Always remember that your customer is the boss and your business will last for a long time.

Communicate Regularly

Although the world may rely on text messages or social media to communicate in 2016, reaching out to customers with a phone call or speaking with them in-person will show that you like going the extra mile. When you speak to your customers on the phone, at a community event, or at an industry event, let them know how much you appreciate their business. Ask your customers if they like working with you. Find out if they would recommend you to people in their networks. Staying in touch with your customers through face-to-face conversations shows that you’re always thinking about them and their problems. Checking in with your customers even when you don’t have something to sell builds connections, not just sales.

Be Visible

Join social networks popular with current and potential customers. Follow your customers on Twitter and connect with them on LinkedIn. Join industry groups on Facebook to learn what is buzzing in the business. By having a visible presence, it will be easier for customers to trust you and let you handle their needs. Utilize all opportunities to be what they’re looking for.

Build your online reputation as a trusted resource by regularly posting comments, links, and business news to industry blogs. Always use your real name and your company’s name. Include an email address, phone number, or link to your company website. Being transparent builds trust and may be a key factor in your favor when a customer makes a purchasing decision.

Think about your experiences as a customer, too. What do you like and don’t like about a salesperson? What are some of the characteristics you look for to help you have a positive sales experience? Do you appreciate when a salesperson has your best interest in mind? Do you have a better experience when the salesperson is approachable, patient, and clear?  Do you like being given multiple options for you to choose from? Answering these questions will help you to start thinking like a customer. This is the key to begin to provide truly great customer service!

Do you have more tips on how to better understand your customer and their needs? Let us know the customer service strategies that work best for you. Share your insights on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

Cydcor is a leading outsourced sales company. We specialize in dealing with people and convincing them we have the right product or service for them. While Cydcor knows the best way to win customer loyalty is to always do the right thing for the customer, new prospects are often suspicious of sales representatives. Beginning new customer relationships takes effective communication to help your prospect feel comfortable around you. Here are some tips for building an effective customer relationship from the very beginning.

DO:

Be upfront about who you are representing. Start the conversation with “Hello, my name is _______ and I am here to tell you about ________ company, offering you a great service.” Also add in details about the service or product that will pique interest, such as money saving deals or upgraded features.

Take an active interest in the customer’s needs. Know why you are selling your product and why you customer should want it. Be sensitive to new customers’ current challenges and see if you have something that will make their lives easier.

Assure them that they are getting the best you can possibly offer. New customers like to feel like they are getting special treatment, that because of their interaction with you they are getting something no one else has access to. You can do that by offering exactly what they want, as long as it is within the boundaries of possibility.

DO NOT:

Be pushy. If someone says no it is okay to offer one or two more pieces of information that may change someone’s mind, but it is important not to push customers too hard, or not only will you lose them, but they may get annoyed and tell others.

Lie. Do not tell customers you can give them something that doesn’t exist, or twist the facts around so that they will be disappointed. There is a fine line between emphasizing the positive and just making things up.

Get emotional. Stressing too much or getting upset when someone says no will give you a reputation for being unprofessional. Always be kind, courteous and gracious.

Incorporating email marketing into your business strategy is a great way to keep track of leads, follow up with contacts, and promote your business.  An email marketing web service is a great way to send branded emails, organize your contacts and represent your vision.

The Cydcor Sales blog recommends using email marketing services (Such as Constant Contact, Ace of Sales, Mail Chimp, etc.) as a way to send emails that are visually striking and keep in contact with your network.

Some email marketing services allow users to import their contacts, manage a limited number of  and send a variety of branded emails for no charge.  A paid account can get you more features and storage, but a small business should easily be able to meet their marketing needs for free.

Features you can find in email marketing software include being able to send pre-designed newsletters, greeting cards, updates and ads to contacts with pictures, company logos and links.  Connect your contacts with your website and social media in one, easy to build email.To create an account, just sign up with the email address you most frequently use for business and then confirm.  If you want to choose upgraded services you can.  Then import your contacts and choose which type of letter you want to send.  Newsletters are the most popular.  We created this one for Cydcor.

Features we like about email marketing tools include a “drag and drop” option in the design your own email step.  You can customize colors to keep your emails consistent with your branding.  You can also divide your contacts into lists, so you can send specially tailored emails to existing clients, prospective clients, and your extended network.  Email marketing services will also track who received and opened your letters, provide widgets to let people subscribe to your list on your website, and incorporate social sharing buttons into your templates.

Have you used email-marketing services before? What did you think?

The big game is this weekend, and the competitive of sports has a lot of parallels with sales.  Succeeding in both sports and sales requires strategy, winning, rewards and competing.  Whether you are looking for a career or another client, using your football fandom can help give you an edge that will help you achieve your goals.  The Cydcor team shares its favorite sales plays to attracting clients and building relationships.‍

The Ice Breaker. Seek out new prospects with a winning personality.  Cydcor recommends using the “SEE” principles: smile, eye contact and enthusiasm.  Find out what the lead enjoys and find some common ground in the conversation.

‍The Stat Push. Bring the facts.  People are often convinced by solid evidence that what you are offering is a better decision.  This includes making sure people recommend your work, testimonials of your success, and information about your product or service.  If you have an answer for everything, no one can argue with you.  But don’t be too pushy with your knowledge; it can turn some people off.  Just be ready for questions.

The Full Rundown.  Go through your entire contact list and send each person a quick email or give them a call.  This will keep your list fresh and relevant, and you can see if any former prospects have changed their minds about your service.  The full rundown can help you prioritize your strategy, and keep you organized

‍The Hail Prospects. Go all out.  Make a list of all ideal people you want to work with and find ways to contact them.  Go all out, reach for the top, even if you think it’s impossible.  Throw everything you’ve got at your search until something breaks through.

‍The Double Back. Make sure you follow up with everyone you talk to with a thank you note.  Remember as well that past clients may be interested in upgrades or additional products that you have to offer.

‍What’s your favorite play? You can join the Cydcor community and let us know!

Sales is an extremely competitive industry with customer loyalty being the end goal. That's why it so important to treat each interaction with a current or potential customer as an investment in that relationship. Did you know that 87% of customer said they would stop doing business with a company after a negative experience? And of those  84% said they would share their negative experience with others. On the other hand, 58% said they would recommend you to others after a positive experience.

This is why it is so important to treat each interaction with a customer as an opportunity to create positive experiences and thus build customer loyalty. In doing so you create more opportunities not just for yourself, but for your team and company as well.

So what steps will you take this week to ensure you are building a better relationship with your customers?