Sometimes it’s fun to go against the grain. Sometimes tweaking the regular mindset a bit can take a project, idea, or relationship in a completely different direction. An article by two contributors to MarketingProfs offers some advice on customer service that detours from the norm.

While their suggestions aren’t too far-fetched, they aren’t, in the words of the authors, “cookie-cutter best-practices…too obvious and stale to motivate your people toward new plateaus.” So, if you’re tired of the same-old, same-old that aren’t generating fresh results, take a look at these tips and then head over to the original article to read more about each suggestion, as well as others’ comments and additional suggestions.

1. Stop helping the customer!

2. Live in a fantasy world

3. Dominate the scorebook by putting away the rulebook

There are many things to remember when networking: A big smile and eye contact, your elevator (or escalator!) speech, breath mints…the list goes on. Well, how about 51 more things to keep in mind? Many sales development Web sites and blogs have featured this list, which was written by speaker/trainer/author Scott Ginsberg, and for good reason. Ginsberg lists 51 actions that can maximize networking opportunities.

Here are a few from the list:

#2. No matter where you go – the mall, church, out to dinner, the gym – make sure you’re carrying at least five of your business cards.

#11. Email articles of interest, links or other cool stuff OF VALUE (not spam) to people you’ve met.

#25. Every time you meet someone, write the letters HICH on their business card: how I can help. Then think of five ways to do so.

#47. Come to every networking event with three great questions ready to go. Be sure they begin with, “What’s the one thing?”, “What’s your favorite?”, and “What was the best part about?”.

To read the entire list, and even suggest some of your own ideas to Ginsberg, check out his Web site.

The art of negotiation has been the subject of several past blogs, due in part to the large amount of advice available from industry professionals. The majority of suggestions stress the importance of listening during the negotiation process, as well as making eye contact, asking questions, and leaving with a firm handshake.

I recently came across a piece of advice that offered a different type of tactic. The article, from Marketing Scoop, discusses the importance of silence while negotiating, and in addition to the typical advice on listening, the article also suggests the “10-second strategy”:

“…the next time you are negotiating with the other party, and they say something like “well, that’s my offer,” don’t utter a word for 10 seconds. It’s practically guaranteed they will jump in with another offer or more information, anything to break the silence. When you get comfortable with 10 seconds, bump it up to 20 seconds. The silence will hang like lead and drive ‘em crazy! ”

Interesting. Ten seconds may not sound like a long time, but during a meeting, those 10 seconds of silence may feel like an eternity. While Marketing Scoop doesn’t offer any examples of the effectiveness of this strategy, admittedly, it is an out of the ordinary idea. One of the questions that comes up is what should one do during this time? Maintain steady eye contact? Shuffle papers? Twiddle his or her thumbs?

Silence is not always bad, but agencies should find the comfortable balance between speaking up and keeping mum. The 10-second strategy might not be for everyone, but it does provide a starting point from which agencies can examine the role silence plays in their negotiations, and who knows, maybe a 5-second strategy is just what your agency needs.

The best way to get an answer is to ask a question. But, the trick is to ask the right questions to get the answers you’re seeking. Most importantly, when an account is on the line, you need to make sure that you understand your prospect or client’s needs, wants, dislikes, and goals.  Are you asking the appropriate questions to get this information?

Careful consideration, planning, and yes, even research, go into formulating questions that get answers. Sales trainers Craig Harrison and John Tenza share the belief that some personal preparation is key. They suggests asking yourself the following before switching the inquiries to the prospect or client:

• What is the purpose of your questions?
• Are you interested in discovering something new?
• Do you want to connect and build rapport?
• Is it your goal to set an appointment?
• Are you there to cause somebody to take action?
• What do you already know about your prospect?
• What is important to him/her?
• WHY is that important?
• What benefits do you offer that would make his/her situation or life better?

Harrison writes [his article can be found here] that “the art of asking questions is not the same as opening your mouth and asking whatever comes to mind. True professionals are sincerely interested in bridging the gap and delivering great results.”

So, by taking some time to do a little inner-brainstorming, you actually can save time in the future by delivering exactly what the client or prospect expects.