Greetings:

You can go ahead and put each of these thoughts in the “what does he know” category, yet I’m betting you'll find a nugget of value.  Sales and Selling is on my mind thanks to a wonderful recent conversation with a long-time friend and well-regarded newspaper and broadcast sales trainer.   Consider:

• Reach, frequency, audience, GRP’S, uniques, whatever.  All legit and interesting metrics, yet RARELY from a customer’s or prospect’s point of view.  They typically could care less! 
• If your motivation is to genuinely help a local business thrive, you’ll try to learn what metrics they use to advance just two causes:

1)  Find new customers;

2)  Keep the customers they have and encourage them to spend a bit more.

• Most sales executives TALK TOO MUCH.  You know who you are!  You are infinitely better off asking a few probing questions, then shutting up and allowing the prospect to talk.  When you do so, five good things happen:

1)  The more the prospect or customer shares, the smarter you’ll be about their business.

2)  This increased knowledge will help you recommend better, longer-term solutions.

3)  Their confidence in you will grow.

4)  Improving their satisfaction.

5)  Thereby growing commissions.

• Everyone MUST have a ready-to-ask list of questions to help you better understand the hopes, dreams, expectations, fears and pain points of a prospect.  That’s where a conversation should begin.

What’s on your list?

• We all know the axiom, “The customer (or prospect) is always right!”  For the record, that’s a bunch of hooey.  They can be pig-headed, wrong, rude, late, error-prone and even worse, right?  Nevertheless, what’s important is how you handle that difficult customer!  Or, if you decide she/he’s even worth handling?
• Finally.  Prospect More.  I’m as guilty of this as anyone.  I tend to spend more time with the customers I like.  Some “servicing” is a must.  Yet, even best customers will occasionally churn out for reasons good and bad.  Therefore, you simply have to systematically and relentlessly pursue NEW.  Figure out the sustainable number of prospecting contacts (email, phone, text, drop-in, etc.) per week and STICK with it.
• Related – leverage your best customers in your prospecting quest.  Ask for testimonials, ask for referrals, identify other businesses who “look like” your best customers and ask ‘em questions.

What are you waiting for?

P.S.  My favorite line from an article by psychologist Angela Duckworth – “Without exception, every high performer I’ve studied credits a host of supporters for success.  Research has found that a willingness to ask for help is crucial to achievement.”