All Selling Aside with Alex Mandossian | "Seeding Through Storytelling is the 'New' Selling!"

Why ‘Sequencing’ Sells

In February of 2018, I was on stage at Guerrilla Business Intensive testing the “persona” theory from the stage. I was testing out the theory of sequencing to see how it would impact my sales. Before we get too deep into this, just know that I saw an insane increase in units sold. So what is sequencing? First you need to understand the concept of personas. Most people fall into one of four buyer personas. People either want to know what you’re selling, why it works, who else has it, and how it works. These aren’t learning styles, they are the personas we assume as we process products and services we are considering for purchase. Each persona processes their purchases either from a competitive standpoint, spontaneous, humanistic, or methodical.  This means that during any presentation, you are selling to four different types of people. It’s the order in which you sell them that will be the most impactful to your success.  This order is what I call sequencing. You need to have a system for sales, but when you add in proper sequencing your sales will almost certainly increase. So listen in to learn:  What the sequencing process means compared to creating systems. Why sequencing works faster and easier when influencing others. How sequencing stops the guesswork when crafting sales presentations.  Take a look at some of your recent sales presentations… could you make any tweaks to increase your success rate?    In This Episode:  [03:34] - What skills you learn with Alex aside from ethical influence. [04:43] - Learn which three key insights Alex is focusing on with this episode. [06:31] - How I tested the “persona” theory from stage. [08:54] - What is a world-class presentation?  [12:20] - How sequencing increased Alex’s buying units.[12:55] - Learn what a system is and sequencing makes it better. [16:32] - Alex shares how influence applies to sequencing.  [17:48] - Leadership versus persuasion… defined. [20:32] - Hear the sequence Alex used in his test. How many of you are “what” learners? (Competitive) How about “why”? (Spontaneous) Who? (Humanistic) How? (Methodical) [23:51] - The step-by-step of selling with this sequence.  [25:52] - What is a persona and how does it impact sales?  [27:46] - How does one learn what type of persona they embody? [29:43] - We all embody a little bit of each of the personas but we also have a bias towards one.[30:20] - Learn the ways you can structure a presentation using these personas. [33:59] - The personas broken down in the four quadrants. [36:13] - Answer what, why, who, and how in that order and see your sales increase. [38:06] - The Alexism is, “The first step to ethically influencing others is to define reality. The second step is to accept that reality. The third and final step is to co-create reality!” [38:52] - Hear a quick review of the key insights in this episode:  What the sequencing process means compared to creating systems. Why sequencing works faster and easier when influencing others. How sequencing stops the guesswork when crafting sales presentations. [41:20] - If you’ve already given Alex a review, write down your biggest takeaway from this episode on an index card. If you haven’t, though, please use that Aha! moment as your review for the show at this link! [43:04] - In honor of this episode, Alex gives listeners a final gift. You can get a 30-day free test drive of Kartra.    Links and Resources:  Alex Mandossian Alex Mandossian Fan on Facebook Alex’s Friday Live events MarketingOnline.com Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series Alex Mandossian on YouTube Alexisms by Alex Mandossian All Selling Aside on iTunes Alex Mandossian’s free live Friday show   Guerilla Business IntensiveMillionaire Mind Intensive Michael Gerber Joe PolishRobert Cialdini

Down-Selling Made Easy

Imagine a fish swimming upstream. There are several fish in the world that do this, the most easily recognized would be salmon. Imagine how hard they work fighting the current to get to their desired location.  This is what happens when you upsell. You’re fighting against gravity working to pull people up your offer ladder. Instead you could be down-selling. Present your highest tiered offer first and then slowly but surely step people down and show them what happens as the price points fall away.  I’ve worked very closely with Jack Canfield, the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and during one of our last recessions he needed to re-evaluate his business model. Now Jack is not a natural salesman. He is a teacher. Getting him into the habit of making the offer was difficult, but it was made much easier by down-selling rather than upselling. I’m sharing the step by step process you should use to downsell and why it is so much more effective than upselling. You’ll learn:  What “down-selling” is defined compared to the upselling model Why “down-selling” is easier and works faster than upselling How “down-selling” is applied when prospecting, step-by-step People love to buy things, but they hate being sold. When you upsell, you’re constantly selling people on why they should elevate their purchase. As you downsell, you’re simply presenting them information and allowing them to choose. It may surprise you how many people opt for your higher priced offers simply because you found a way to better reveal the value of that offer!   In This Episode:  [01:33] - Hate selling? Then this podcast is for you! [05:03] - The three key insights you’ll learn in this episode. [06:44] - How down-selling versus upselling changed an entire business. [09:40] - Why Jack and Alex started working together.  [11:49] - … then Clear Path Consulting was born.  [12:28] - The difference between down-selling and upselling. [15:36] - What is a funnel?  [17:03] - Why Alex flips the funnel and downsells instead.  [21:05] - There is no motivation when you’re upselling.  [23:11] - As you down-sell you simply remove benefits as you go down the value ladder. [26:55] - Easier and faster to down-sell versus upsell because it’s organic.  [29:24] - How down-selling works… step by step. Identify your offer price levels Flip the funnel and go high to low Put a 15-20 minute video on confirmation pages with a top down view of your business Sell via “take-aways” not “add-ons”  Divulge the entire ascension model  [37:20] - A quick recap of “how” to upsell. [39:09]] - The Alexism is, “Don’t stress over setting goals you don’t achieve because they are too high. Be more concerned over goals you achieve set too low.” [39:44] - Hear a quick review of the key insights in this episode:  What “down-selling” is defined compared to the upselling model Why “down-selling” is easier and works faster than upselling How “down-selling” is applied when prospecting step-by-step [40:50] - If you’ve already given Alex a review, write down your biggest takeaway from this episode on an index card. If you haven’t, though, please use that Aha! moment as your review for the show at this link! [42:57] - In honor of this episode, Alex gives listeners a final gift. You can get a 30-day free test drive of Kartra.    Links and Resources:  Alex Mandossian Alex Mandossian Fan on Facebook Alex’s Friday Live events MarketingOnline.com Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series Alex Mandossian on YouTube Alexisms by Alex Mandossian All Selling Aside on iTunes Alex Mandossian’s free live Friday show   Jack Canfield The Success Principles by Jack Canfield Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield Clement Stone Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Zig Ziglar Dan Sullivan

Open Loop Influence

Have you ever had someone start a story by presenting several scenarios and leaving them open ended. For instance, have you ever told your kids to grab their shoes and coat and get in the car… you have a surprise for them. What was their reaction?    If they started breathlessly asking you about the surprise and you had their complete and utter attention, then you successfully opened a loop. Once you get the kids in the car, you’ll either drag out the surprise or you’ll close the loop and give up the ghost.  This same principle applies in sales. When you’re speaking with someone about your product or service, you open loops to keep them hanging onto your every word. As you go through your spiel, you start closing loops, one by one. By the time you get to the end, your prospect is either ready to buy or they’re ready to say no. This is called the open loop principle. You weave a story opening and closing loops in just such a way to keep your potential client intrigued and excited about what you’re offering them.    Listen in as I share:  What the “open loop” principle is and how it is designed to ethically influence others Why the “open loop” principle is a fast and easy way to suspend attention. How the “open loop” principle works, step-by-step, in marketing communications. You don’t have to create new loops every single time you try to sell something. You can use templates and just make sure that the loops make sense with your new product or service. I’m using Success Resources Virtual summits as an example. What kinds of loops will you start using?    In This Episode:  [03:51] - Alex shares the three key insights for the episode. [05:08] - Listen as Alex recounts the first big action he took when the pandemic came to the U.S. [07:19] - Come late March Alex thought up Success Resources Virtual.  [09:37] - He knew exactly what they should do thanks to the open loop principles.  [11:10] - What is the open loop principle and why is it ethical?  [13:26] - Why is the open loop principle so enticing?  [15:48] - The biggest diservice you can do is to forget to close a loop.  [16:58] - How do you map out your loops to move your audience along the story?  [19:05] - Alex shares an example of the open loop principle in effect with a diamond ad. [22:51] - Listen as Alex breaks down the ad and why it is so effective.  [25:35] - How did he apply this principle to the Success Resources Virtual program?  [28:44] - Alex reveals the second open loop for SRV.  [30:55] - Learn more about the third loop and how it was closed.  [33:45] - What was the 10-second intro template used for each summit?  [35:14] - The Alexism is, “Unlearning old habits is harder than learning new ones!” [35:37] - Hear a quick review of the key insights in this episode:  What the “open loop” principle is and how it is designed to ethically influence others Why the “open loop” principle is a fast and easy way to suspend attention. How the “open loop” principle works, step-by-step, in communications. [37:08] - If you’ve already given Alex a review, write down your biggest takeaway from this episode on an index card. If you haven’t, though, please use that Aha! moment as your review for the show at this link! [39:08] - In honor of this episode, Alex gives listeners a final gift. You can get a 30-day free test drive of Kartra.    Links and Resources:  Alex Mandossian Alex Mandossian Fan on Facebook Alex’s Friday Live events MarketingOnline.com Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series Alex Mandossian on YouTube Alexisms by Alex Mandossian All Selling Aside on iTunes Alex Mandossian’s free live Friday show   Roy H. Williams Success Resources Alessia & Kane MinkusIndustry Rockstar Jeff Sexton Ryan Deiss The Monday Morning MemoThe Wizard of Ads SurveyGizmo   How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie How to Stop Worrying & Start Living by Dale Carnegie The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey  

H2H Selling Power

The concept of H2H or human to human selling was introduced to me at the Traffic and Conversion Summit in 2017. Ryan Deiss, a former mentee turned mentor, was speaking on the power of understanding the humanity of business.  When you’re selling anything, you’re selling an emotion. When something goes wrong, it’s due to a human failing. When a sale goes right, it’s because of a human connection. So many times we get caught up in whether a company is primarily B2B, B2C, etc… and we forget that all sales are human to human interactions. Would you rather purchase a high-end product or service from a machine or from a human who has been in your shoes and understands the solution?  Never forget that caring is the competitive advantage of the 21st century. In an ever more disconnected world, showing your followers, customers, and clients that you care is imperative. Listen in as I share: Why your business model is not about B2B, B2C, B2G… it’s H2H. Why living into H2H business modality accelerates your profits.  Why H2H focus is the key to uncover motivated buyer patterns. So, what processes in your business need a more human touch?    In This Episode:  [01:39] - Welcome back to All Selling Aside. [05:04] - Learn the three key insights you’ll find on this episode. [07:02] - Listen as Alex shares his experience from Traffic & Conversion in 2017. [07:43] - The key point was about H2H interaction. Learn what that means. [10:56] - Why give credit where it’s due?  [13:47] - Alex breaks down what various companies are selling with their products or services. [16:39] - How has status changed over time?  [17:20] - What do people lack in business?  Clarity Structure Influence Visibility Community [20:24] - Your level of community status is what counts most. [20:54] - Strengthen what you’re already stong in.  [22:49] - Every organization has five dysfunctions as well. The aggregate of what individuals are lacking.  [25:17] - Why caring is the competitive advantage of the 21st century. [27:30] - The Alexism is, “Don’t look for your business hero… just become one!” [28:00] - Hear a quick review of the key insights in this episode:  Why your business model is not about B2B, B2C, B2G… it’s H2H. Why living into H2H business modality accelerates your profits.  Why H2H focus is the key to uncover motivated buyer patterns. [29:36] - If you’ve already given Alex a review, write down your biggest takeaway from this episode on an index card. If you haven’t, though, please use that Aha! moment as your review for the show at this link! [31:15] - In honor of this episode, Alex gives listeners a final gift. You can get a 30-day free test drive of Kartra.    Links and Resources:  Alex Mandossian Alex Mandossian Fan on Facebook Alex’s Friday Live events MarketingOnline.com Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series Alex Mandossian on YouTube Alexisms by Alex Mandossian All Selling Aside on iTunes Alex Mandossian’s free live Friday show Roy H. Williams Patrick Lencioni Ryan Deiss Harvey Mackay

Three Keys to Biz Growth

Most people, including me, think that increasing business is a complex, giant burden of thousands of possible tactics that one can try. Thankfully, Jay Abraham has taught me how to take the complex and make it simple.  There are three keys to growing your business, and as long as they are used in the right sequence, growth is inevitable. Now the three keys are increasing new client transactions, increasing transaction price, and increasing transaction frequency. But these keys are out of order. Of the three keys, which do you think is the most expensive tactic? Generating new leads and nurturing new clients of course. This is why, when you are looking to grow, you should first focus on increasing your prices, then your sales frequency, and lastly focus on new clients.  A flawed execution with a brilliant strategy will always win the day. Listen in as I share: What the 3 keys are to unlocking the doors to accelerated biz growth Why sequencing which keys to use 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc leads to failure or success How 2 of the keys can double/triple your profits with zero ad cost If you stay to the end, I give you the price increase strategy that is proven to increase your revenue without impacting your client retention. Focus on the backend nurturing of your clients and you’ll see dramatic growth in your business. In This Episode:  [01:33] - Welcome back to All Selling Aside.  [04:12] - Learn the three key insights you’ll learn by listening to this episode. [06:04] - Most people feel that increasing business is complex. Learn why. [08:13] - What are the three keys to growth? Influence more new clients to buy. Inspire clients to buy with more frequency. Increase the dollar value of more client purchases.  [09:00] - Learn the correct sequence for business growth.  [11:00] - Which is the most difficult and costly key?  [12:40] - What is the key sequence to grow your business?  [15:13] - Why you should focus on your backend strategy before their front-end.  [16:14] - Take a quick pop quiz to determine which scenario leads to gross.  [18:39] - How to properly increase your prices. [23:00] - The Alexism is, “Actions are better than conversations. ‘Well done is always better than well said.’ Ben Franklin.” [23:41] - Hear a quick review of the key insights in this episode:  What the 3 keys are to unlocking the doors to accelerated biz growth Why sequencing which keys to use 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc leads to failure or success How 2 of the keys can double/triple your profits with zero ad cost [25:20] - If you’ve already given Alex a review, write down your biggest takeaway from this episode on an index card. If you haven’t, though, please use that Aha! moment as your review for the show at this link! [26:54] - In honor of this episode, Alex gives listeners a final gift. You can get a 30-day free test drive of Kartra.  Links and Resources:  Alex Mandossian Alex Mandossian Fan on Facebook Alex’s Friday Live events MarketingOnline.com Marketing Online 4-Part Video Training Series Alex Mandossian on YouTube Alexisms by Alex Mandossian All Selling Aside on iTunes Alex Mandossian’s free live Friday show Kartra Test Drive Jay Abraham Roy H. Williams