Summer weather is upon us even though it is still officially springtime. It’s that time of year again. Schools are in the final phase of planning graduations. Parents are preparing for graduation parties. Some of us are counting the days until our last child is out of college or university; nineteen days as of today for me.
Whew! Summer vacation is around the corner. Are you ready for those precious few days away from the job when your biggest decision of the day is which golf course to play, which beach to go to and kick back to recharge your internal batteries, or which fruity, umbrella topped drink to order or great restaurant to eat dinner?
This year when you get away from the job, really get away from the job. Over the past couple of years, I have been surveying sales people and their managers about their vacation habits and here’s what I have discovered:
About 78.8 per cent check voice mail while on vacation;
An incredible 77.7 per cent check in with their companies while on vacation;
Some 69.6 per cent of people polled read work-related materials while on vacation;
Another 60.7 per cent checked business email while on vacation. That wasn’t too surprising;
A mere 56.2 per cent put out fires back at the office while on vacation; and
A whopping 94.97 per cent did some work activity while on vacation.
This is disturbing. The point of vacation is to get away from this type of stuff. The point of vacation is to clear the blackboard, relax and recharge. How can you relax if you never get away? Don’t you resent it? Is your job that critical that no one can cover for you while you’re away?
Please.
For managers, 40.6 per cent of you are contacting employees during vacation. Stop it. Let them have their time. Be a leader. Make a decision without them.
Claude Debussy, the French composer said: “Music is the silence between the notes.” Without the silence, there is no music. It’s just noise.
Do you have a good elevator speech?
The elevator speech has been around for at least as long as there have been elevators, probably longer. The elevator speech is a succinct overview or quick summary of your value proposition. It’s a sales pitch in the time span of an elevator ride. It’s your verbal business card. Introduce yourself and your company. Explain what you do. Tell them who your customers are. Tell them what makes you unique.
Tips for elevator speeches:
1. Keep it short–30 seconds or less.
2. Planned does not mean canned. Rehearse until it sounds natural and conversational. Use your natural style and conversational rhythm to make it sound like you.
3. Have three separate elevator speeches–one for purchasing agents that focuses on logistics, one for product users that focuses on application issues, and one for business owners or top management that focuses on profitability and productivity.
4. Passion sells and enthusiasm is contagious. Infect the prospect with your natural excitement for what you sell. Develop the attitude: “Of course they’ll want to do business with us.”
5. When first developing your elevator speech, write down as much as you think is relevant; you will edit it later.
6. Practice makes perfect. Consider it organic and evolving. Try different variations until you find the right mix.
The elevator speech is one of those old chestnuts is professional selling that we sometimes forget about. Bring it out and dust it off. Try it on your next cold call, which I know you’re making.
Tom Reilly is the author or Simple Psychology: Simple Living in a Complicated World.
Tom Reilly is a professional speaker and author. You can reach Tom through his Web site: www.TomReillyTraining.com.
