It’s a challenge to find good news lately, particularly if your industry, or especially your company, is struggling. Despite the recent woes facing many salespeople today (a time when buyers just aren’t buying), one communications coach is offering some advice: Be upbeat! Now, this may seem distasteful, considering the slumping economy and hardship many are facing, but Carmine Gallo believes that by remaining confident, one can help lift their company’s confidence, as well as that of their customers. Gallo doesn’t suggest lying or misleading in any way, but he challenges readers to acknowledge problems with a confident attitude. “By delivering an honest, optimistic message, your influence will increase and, most important, you may help contribute to a faster recovery for your business,” he says.

In the rest of his article, “Restoring Confidence, One Presentation at a Time,” Gallo offers advice and examples of how to maintain optimism and inspire the same in others. While Gallo focuses on how to deliver presentations, his message can be useful for any interaction, whether it be a phone call with a current client or an informal chat with a coworker. Click here to read his article in its entirety.

E-mail: Another wonderful tool at our fingertips to generate new business. But are you going about sending sales-related e-mails the wrong way? Sadly, many people are, including a particular salesperson who “cold” e-mailed Jim Logan, blogger at B2B Rainmaker. While Logan keeps the guilty party’s identity confidential, he shares the e-mail and asks his readers if they can spot the mistakes. The following is a copy of the e-mail:

My names is [Joe Salesperson] and I am contacting you on behalf of [Company]. We are a lead validation and management provider. As an affiliate network, you know the importance of lead quality and understand how vital it is to the success of your business. We are currently offering two validation platforms at highly competitive prices and very flexible contracts. [Company] might be able to add value to your already existing business. Our platforms can be easily white labeled and we offer dedicated account support and easy campaign setup. If this is something that interested you I would love the opportunity to further discuss what we can offer you.

Any consideration is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
[Joe Salesperson]

According to Logan, this e-mail has “plenty” of mistakes. Can you find them all? To find out, click here to read his follow-up post.

Despite the influx of new ways to communicate with clients (e-mails, blogs, etc.), a personal phone call still remains a powerful way to stay in touch. Along with this great communication tool comes the not-so-fun possibility of having to leave a voicemail message. Few people enjoy leaving voicemails, playing the waiting game after leaving a message, or not having the call returned at all.

Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions Colleen Francis likens the voicemail box to a black hole. This is a perfect metaphor for how many feel when hearing the recorded message answer your call: “No matter what you put into it, your efforts never see the light of day ever again-prospects don’t return your calls and you spend more time than you think you can afford being on the phone leaving message after message,” she explains in a recent article on Rain Today.

She lays out a three-step plan that will make sure your messages are heard, but also returned. Below is the first step, and the other two can be read by clicking here.

Step #1: Leave a short, purposeful message that requires no action by the person you are calling.

“Notice that the message does not include leaving your phone number. There’s a reason for that. Your first message must not require any kind of task or action on the part of the called party. You’re the one who makes the commitment to call back at a specific date and time. Also, if the call is a referral, be sure to include that person’s name in your message. Doing so helps to establish that you’re not some stranger at the other end of the line. You’re a known quantity who has something that is useful to offer to the person you are calling. This gives the called party an added incentive to talk to you.”

I just came across a small blog post that made a big point. Kelley Robertson, a writer for the Sales & Marketing Management blog, posted the following:

“I recently received a cold call in my office and when I answered the telephone, the person on the other end was talking to someone else. I paused, waiting to see how long it would take him to realize that his call had been connected. A few seconds later he noticed and he started into his pitch, which by the way, was pretty bad.”

Robertson notes that even if the pitch had been good, the caller had not earned her respect. In times like these when budgets are getting cut, and spending is low, your agency can’t afford to drop the ball due to lack of attention. Whether making a cold call or leaving a voicemail for a client, make sure you’re giving it your full attention. Despite the increasing ease of multi-tasking (thanks to technology like Blackberries and Bluetooth), the battle for business is fierce and there’s often no opportunity for second chances.