1. 21st Century Sales Tactics
To break free of the 20th Century Doldrums
Darla Walker
1/27/2012
Historically, the transition from one century to the next seems to accompany the dawn of significant
cultural shifts. As we transitioned from the 20th to the 21st Century, the surge of technological
advances increased to a pace of change never before seen in the human history. The technology
shifts changed the way we live – and the way we sell products and services in the 21st Century.

2. Some things are pretty much the same
Why people buy things hasn’t changed much
 Consumers buy to satisfy wants and desires;
 Businesses buy to satisfy needs.
More than ever before, the 21st Century Ad Salesperson must discover and satisfy their business
customers’ advertising, promotional and marketing needs – and then develop campaigns to
encourage consumers to satisfy their wants & desires with your advertisers’ products & services.
That’s the way it should have been, but too much last century selling involved a lot of pushy selling
and a lot of schmoozing on the softer side. In the cold light of the 21st Century psyche, the whole
spectrum of 20th Century sales tactics – as actually applied with the customer – was more about the
seller and the seller’s product than about their needs, wants or desires. That must change because:
How Businesses Buy has Changed Dramatically
 More Informed Purchases – But too much info. Be their specialist & help them sort it out.
24/7 we are tied to a web that contains most of the knowledge on the planet. Prospects
know more about ads than 20th century businesses, because info is more accessible.
Problem is: There is TOO MUCH info. They need someone to help them sort through it.
 Faster pace – BUSY! – Be organized and focused on their needs.
Businesses make more decisions and get more requests for action on phones, email, social
networks, etc. The impact of technology makes us all feel that we have less time and less
efficiency than ever before. Fewer people are willing to spend the time for the “social
courtesy” of setting a poorly qualified meeting with you.
 Fewer helpers – BUSY! – Give a helpful reason to meet.
Because of the slower economy, the impact of technology and globalization, people have
fewer helpers, assistants and secretaries. That means they actually ARE busier! They are
often answering the phone, and they have no patience for the self-serving sales call. They
want to know why they should see you (how you can help them).
 More people calling – more options – more competition – Use tools & templates.
With so much demand on our time, we look for convenience tools and summarized
recommendations. Cater to the convenience trend. Show features comparison lists and get
them involved in working on worksheet to engage them and to PARTNER in the decision.
 Less tolerance for the Company Spokesperson – Too BUSY! – Be their expert partner.
Disintermediation is another way the 21st Century is far different from the last. People buy all
kinds of ads online without any salesperson intervention – even display ads in print. Over
time, there will be more of it – but more options, too. People will look to specialized experts
who can help them with the decisions and buys.

3. 21st Century Business is more Social
Businesses and consumers get information about products and services from millions of commercial
internet sites as well as content sites catering to specific industries and market segments.
For today’s decision makers, it’s only a partial view without using the data that has exploded out of
the new social aspects of our culture and our way of doing business.
Today, even business had better attend to facebook and google+ and yelp and linkedin and all kinds
of mobile apps. Business decision makers and consumers of all kinds are posting opinions all over
the web – and those opinions are valuable information for decision-making.
Your customers, too, talk to others about services that they liked – and those they didn’t like so
much. Sometimes that conversation may include your advertising products and services.
Your customers look for advertising products that get good reviews. They use other business
owner’s recommendations as a valuable decision making tool, because they trust the information.
3 of the basic steps to get in step with social business of 21st century:
1. Be social with your customers on facebook, linkedin and/or twitter – you can set the level of
privacy and sharing to be different among professional and more personal friends.
2. Get testimonials for good results campaigns and good customer service to show potential
advertisers – that also can be posted on your company’s facebook page. Deal with
challenges promptly and professionally. Ask for referrals – always.
3. Encourage your advertisers to feature their “top rated” products and services in both their
print and online advertising for better results/ROI.
Learn how social media are affecting the local advertising landscape as part
of your advertising expertise.
 Customer Stories campaign drove 13,000 new prospects for La-Z-Boy. (La-Z-Boy, 2009)
 Products with syndicated reviews convert 26% higher. (Bazaarvoice Case Study, 2009)
 Shoppers who browsed the site's new "Top Rated Products" page, which features products
rated most highly by customers, had a 59% higher conversion rate than the site average and
spent 16% more per order than other browsers of products. (Bass Pro Shops, June 2008)
 Consumers were willing to pay between 20 to 99% more for a 5-star rated product than for a
4-star rated product, depending on the product category. (comScore/Kelsey, October 2007)
From email advertising to mobile to video to social media and ways yet to be invented, keep up with
the advertising trends that can help your advertisers succeed. Be a trusted advisor and partner.

4. Your Client is adapting to BIG changes in
the way we do business
And it’s changing their expectations – They want to partner with the expert.
 They are savvier about products and sales tactics.
 They want Dialogue not monologue
 Their world is high stress enough – at least 75% of prospects will be put off by pushy tactics.
 Collaborate – don’t push
 Businesses like to use easy tools and analysis to make informed buys.
 They want Interactivity, templates, tools and feedback
 Businesses are overwhelmed by the number of people who call for appointments.
 Differentiate to stand out from the crowd
o On “commodities”
 If several competing publications sell display ads, differentiate yours by
supporting a claim of better customer service, for example
 (Or differentiate with your specialized expertise.)
o Differentiate with unique features that only your company offers. (Make it easy to
compare.)
 Email blasts or day parted banner ads, etc. – if you have them and others
don’t, be sure to stress it as a competitive advantage
Hone your skills to be one of the best
 To stand out from the crowd
Your clients may get dozens of sales calls a week. They can’t see them all – and don’t want
to. To be selected for a meeting, you must show that you are in tune with results for your
clients and that you have worked solutions for clients much like the prospect.
 To keep your job
Employers will become increasingly selective about the salespeople they employ. You must
become one of the best with a record of high sales and high customer retention rates to
prove it.
Let’s look at the questioning and negotiating communication skills of the 21st
Century Salesperson.

5. 21st Century Sales Questions
Types of Questions
 Ask open-ended, indirect questions
 Listen to & clarify all points
 Identify the main needs & gain agreement
 Assure them you want them to get the most value
Your Attitude
“I want to ask questions that will set you up for what I want to sell.”
Versus
“I want to get information so I can understand if you have needs I can satisfy.”
Don’t ask them directly. Let them tell you. The more they talk about it, the more they develop an
inner tension and need to solve it.
Work on it together – while you’re with the prospect – that’s 21st Century Selling!
From "Integrity Selling for the 21st Century"

6. Questions to Match Buyer’s Style
Buyer Styles
Recently, I heard a trainer say that she didn’t believe in personality typing because she finds pigeon-
holing people offensive. The point of casual personality typing is really to be considerate – not to be
intrusive. Even more today, customers expect to be approached on their terms in ways they feel
comfortable with. Consider the quadrant analysis types that I use in my own client communications:
Expressive Style
The Expressive is outgoing, with a high energy level. They enjoy talking about ideas, but may not have
the ability to see the idea through to completion. They are particularly fond of socializing. They are
usually slow to reach a decision. It’s best to get them to express what they feel about your
recommendations to try to find ways to move the sale along. If you ask, they’ll tell what they need.
Driver Style
Drivers thrive on the thrill of the challenge and the internal motivation to succeed. Drivers focus on
getting results. They can do a lot in a very short time. They usually talk fast, direct and to the point.
Often viewed as decisive, direct and pragmatic – but they must feel convinced the solution is right.
They respond to well-organized statement of “needs” with bullet-point features & solutions.
Analytical Style
Analytical people are usually systematic, well organized and deliberate. They like data and
information presented in a logical manner to support your business discussion. They enjoy detailed
tasks. They may be seen as too cautious, overly structured and slow to act, but they will not buy if
you can’t accommodate their need for information to prove your case and support their decision.
Amiable Style
The Amiable style wants to be friends and wants to know who else is using your solutions or doing
business with you. They like non-threatening, non-confrontational meetings and decision routines.
They are turned off by data-driven presentations. They are usually quick to reach a decision, when
they feel emotionally supported. They are completely wishy-washy when not emotionally in tune.
Type of Buyer Typical Question
Expressive – Tells you what he thinks & feels How do you feel about this solution?
Driver – Needs to feel confident about solution. What do you need that isn’t happening now?
Analytical – Needs logical support & data How do you figure ROI on your ads now?
Amiable – Needs low risk, proved solutions What has worked for you in the past?
Listen for the gap between what they want and what they have – there’s the need to satisfy.

7. Negotiating Differences
(Answering Objections)
When the prospect and salesperson have worked collaboratively toward the close, there are fewer of
the traditional “objections”. Most points will have come out already in the process of hammering out
a possible solution or two.
Today’s sales professional sees the challenges that come up as opportunities to problem-solve with
the client and to focus them on solutions rather than on the problem. This way of “answering
objections” or dealing with any dissatisfaction is transparently collaborative.
3 Ways to Open Dialogue and Discourage Active Resistance
1. Restate your understanding of the challenge and reframe the situation for solutions:
“Sounds like we need to do some problem-solving now. Let’s look at some solutions…”
2. Tell a true business story that is pertinent to the situation about when you & a client resolved
a similar concern to the client’s satisfaction and benefit.
3. Draw the client’s attention to a work sheet (can be 8 ½ x 11 yellow pad) or iPad or laptop
screen where you work on a solution together. Two working on the same thing makes a bond.
Today’s clients are turned off by approaches designed to:
 Win them over – That’s a win for sales position and a loss for client position.
 Convince them they’re wrong – Who likes to be proved wrong?
 Focus on convincing them – They consider their viewpoint legitimate.
 Focus on the end result too early – They need relationship focus early on.
Too often they hear self-serving closes like this: “I’m sure you agree this is a great program for
getting more customers, so let’s get started next week.”
Today’s clients respond to approaches designed to:
 Listen to them describe their customer development needs.
 Solve the mutually targeted problem
 Focus on helping the customer from his/her perspective
 Focus on the front-end of the process – on building a partnership of trust and collaboration.
They are less likely to completely push back from closes like this: “What other things do we need to
consider before making a decision?”
“Have the courage to face the truth!” – W. Clement Stone

8. Welcoming Objections in Buyer’s Style
The sales professional welcomes the challenge as necessary for the buyer to feel totally committed
to the buy. In the absence of that commitment, the buyer will feel “sold” a bill of goods – especially
when encountering any complications with the ad process or the results.
Dealing with Objections:
 Ask questions about the objection
 Listen without interruption
 Repeat back understanding of the objection
 Ask for their opinion and share yours on best solution
 Get on same side – Use a screen or a sheet of paper to work on together
Focus on Solutions:
 Say, “OK, let’s problem solve – what are some solutions?”
 Ask opinions of solutions – do not just tell
 Tell them stories about what others have done, if you have real stories
Expressives:
 Need personal support & help
 Listen carefully for fears expressed; explain guarantees or other safeguards
Drivers:
 Want to make their own decisions when convinced it will work for them.
 Tell stories about how it has worked for specific others
Analyticals:
 Need facts and documentation
 Give them the documentation and data they need and go over it with them
Amiables:
 Want plenty of time to make decision – fear social disapproval
 Provide testimonials and references
Treat the prospect as an individual whose fears & concerns you wish to resolve.

9. 21st Century Winning Attitude
You might wonder how a salesperson in the 21st Century will develop that “winning attitude” that
seems to inspire confidence in both the buyer and the seller.
While the 21st Century attitude is not about winning a battle of wits with the customer, it IS all about
winning FOR the customer which is a win for the sales professional, too, in more ways than just that
one sale.
By working for your company ON BEHALF OF THE CUSTOMER in a more collaborative way, both you
and the customer will feel more of a commitment to make things work out even beyond the initial
sale. You will both be more inclined to build a long term relationship. Great wealth is built from
recurring business – in commission, yes, and also from the wealth of referrals and the welcoming
relationships with so many long term clients.
Develop Prosperity Consciousness
Expect good things to happen in the future, for yourself and your customers.
Your 2012 Plan should include these basic elements for success that we have covered:
 Develop specialized knowledge in your field
 Become a resource for your clients
 Help your clients get results
Your attitudes and habits determine whether the task is welcome or as welcome as a toothache.
Beyond the tactics, work on developing
The 4 Traits of Highly Successful Salespeople:
1. Strong Goal Clarity
2. High Achievement Drive
3. Emotional Intelligence
4. Excellent Social & Networking Skills
There’s no time like the present moment to start.
Send me stories about your successes. I’d love to add your sales stories to my portfolio.
Darla Walker dwalker@sharevelocity.com

10. Recommended Resources
Integrity Selling for the 21st Century – Ron Willingham
Partner with your customers and prospects by dialoguing and collaborating on solutions to needs.
Scenario Selling – Patrick Sullivan
Creating a Collaborative learning model for 21st Century selling.
Do More Great Work – Stop the Busy Work and Start the Work that Matters – Michael Stanier
Finding your great work.
Stand Out – Marcus Buckingham
New Strengths assessment from Marcus Buckingham of Gallup Strengths fame. Includes self testing password
to online test. Buy the book –but not the Kindle eBook version which doesn’t have the test key.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 – Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
Emotional Intelligence must be healthy to make and maintain wealth. We can improve it.
Strengths-Finder 2.0 – Tom Rath
Has a key to the Gallup Strengths Finder online test to discover your unique set of strengths and to work action
plans on your own personal online dashboard.