How to Win Over the Man in the Chair Salesmanship, Repetition, and Direct Mail

In a classic business-to-business print ad from the late 50's for McGraw-Hill Magazines an imposing looking executive sits in his chair. He has both feet planted firmly on the ground, a scowl on his face. His hands are folded together in front of him and his elbows rest on the chair; he leans ever so slightly forward. To his right run these eight lines of copy:

"I don't know who you are.

I don't know your company.

I don't know your company's product.

I don't know what your company stands for.

I don't know your company's customers.

I don't know your company's record.

I don't know your company's reputation.

Now ? what was it you wanted to sell me?"

Across the bottom, a single line of copy drives home the selling proposition:

MORAL: Sales start before your salesman calls ? with business publication advertising."

This ad amplifies and expands on what many, including David Ogilvy, consider to be the single best definition of advertising ever given. "Advertising," said copywriter John E. Kennedy nearly eighty years ago, "is salesmanship in print."

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Promoting Your Private Label at Industry Trade Shows

So everyone thought you were crazy when you announced 6... Read More

T. L. S. Part I: Tier Level Selling ? A Penetration Strategy

A number of sales "Gurus" have promoted the theory that... Read More

14 Top Lead Generation Tactics

According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical... Read More

Moving a Business Relationship from Free to Fee: Turning Strangers to Friends with Power of Freebies

In the last issue I shared with you a technique... Read More

Increasing Sales by Using Coupons - Will it Help Your Business?

Increasing Sales by using Coupons. Will it help your business?... Read More

The Product or the Sale

This is a quandary not unlike the chicken or the... Read More

Is Sales Process & CRM Stopping Sales?

Standard metrics and KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) are created usually... Read More

How To Become A Better Sales Manager

YIPPEE! Kendra won, or should I say, "She was hired,"... Read More

Sales Competence Isn?t About Quota Performance!

Compounding the problem are two myths regarding measures of competency... Read More

Whats a Professional Sales Manager?

I was in the depths of a major depression. As... Read More

How to Maximize Account Penetration and Jump-Start Sales

Maximizing account penetration is one of the most critical functions... Read More

How You Can Raise Your Business Earnings By 50% With An Age-Old Magic Truth

Imagine increasing your business earnings by 30, 40, or 50%.... Read More

3 Steps To Getting A Sales Meeting

The best way to get a new customer is to... Read More

To Increase Your Sales and Revenue Make Sure To Add Value

What are you and your company's services and products worth... Read More

Small Business Marketing: Overtaking Your Competitors

Few businesses keep tabs on competitors, yet such knowledge can... Read More

How to Develop a Proactive, New-Business Sales Team!

I don't know about your business but in my experience... Read More

Increase Retail Sales With Meetups

I recently attended the monthly Italian language Meetup here in... Read More

Five Steps to Maximize Success in Targeting For Growth

Targeting is the process of selecting high potential customer accounts... Read More

A Coachs Handbook For Sales Managers

This article may be reprinted in its entirety with express... Read More

The Get Dangerous Quickly Approach to Product/Service Training

In 2000 a computer distributor hired me to help them... Read More

Make Time, Not Excuses

There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in... Read More

Investing in Your Sales Team

While there's no easy answer to this question, there are... Read More

Finding A Sales Force That Pays For Itself

The elements involved in building a sales force, especially one... Read More

When Its DUH? Time at Trade Show - 3 Little Words Save the Day

TIME, MONEY, HASSLE - You can make a sale on... Read More

Hiring--A Vital Key In Sales Management Success

Recently, I was asked to spend some time on the... Read More

Snuff Out the Competition Without Leaving a Mark!

Does the competition drive you crazy? Are they relentless about... Read More

All Small Businesses Need to Gather Community Intel

How well do you know your community? As business owners... Read More

Is Your Sales Trust Factor High Enough to Win Against the Competition?

How high is your sales trust factor?Is it higher than... Read More

How To Build A Worldwide Distributor Network

When your product is market ready and has a good... Read More

Not Enough Fresh Sales Leads? Marketing is the New Sales

Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's... Read More

How Many Salespeople Should I Hire?

One of the most asked questions I get is how... Read More

Increasing Business Through Distributors

You're a small company with a good product. You are... Read More

Baditude!

As a group of sales trainees took a break from... Read More