Archive for November, 2006

Before booking a room, check the acoustics. If voices of your participants bounce around, you’re in for trouble. A speaker can’t be understood when acoustics are bad. He can be heard, but not clearly heard. It’s exasperating! Sound engineering has made rapid strides in the last few years. But in the past there have been many instances when new ceilings had to be installed in new buildings. Why? The acoustics were poor. Acoustics cannot be checked in the absence of an audience. The bodies of the people attending will alter the travel and effect of sound. Visit the room while a meeting is in progress. If this isn’t practical, contact someone who booked a recent meeting there. If acoustics were bad, he will still be complaining about it!

Guard against alien noises

Few rooms are soundproof. Inquire about activities to take place nearby. Will barbershop quartets turn up in the next room? Will an orchestra rehearse across the hall? Is noisy remodeling scheduled? How about noises from the outside? Is the street only a few stories below? Is it heavily traveled? Will there be open windows on warm days, or air conditioning?

Anticipate all physical needs before selecting a room

Does the room have a stage? If not, can a platform be erected?
Is there a backstage area for hiding people? If not, can screens be used?
Will the building management permit company personnel to move props? If not, will union stagehands be available?
Are rest room facilities adequate? If not, can additional facilities be used?
Will cloak room services be fast enough? If not, will self-service avoid a bottleneck?
Can telephones be removed? If not, can they be blocked by the switchboard operator?
Is a freight elevator available? If not, will doors, halls and stairways permit movement of bulky props?
Is the right type of current (AC or DC) available? If not, can the building engineer convert to what you need?
Does the engineer know whether your equipment will overload the line? If not, will the electric company advise you?
Is a p.a. system available? If not, will one be needed?
How about decorations? Are they needed?
Will a company banner or product display make the room look better?
How to Select the Best “Mike” for Your Purpose
A good p.a. system must be strong and clear enough to command attention. The only way to tell whether a p.a. system is this good, is to listen to it when the room is filled with people.
The fellow who arranges a sales meeting will usually accept whatever p.a. equipment he’s offered. He’s safe in doing this most of the time, but occasionally he won’t be offered the equipment that’s best for his purpose. And every sales meeting is important enough that the proper equipment should be used. There are systems and there are other systems. The difference is much in the microphone of which there are three kinds: a one-directional, a two-directional, and an all-directional.

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

Physical arrangements are a “snap” for those who can use the same room all the time. But when a different room will be used, inspect it. Even if it’s in the next county, inspect it. See it before publicizing the meeting. You may want to change rooms. Perhaps you’ve used the room before. If you haven’t seen it in the past year, inspect it anyway. This especially applies to hotel rooms, which are remodeled continually. The Sierra Room may be half the size this year, or it may be three times as large. Names are changed, too. This year’s Sierra Room may be what you remember as the Keystone Room. “I learned my lesson the hard way,” said a Las Vegas business man. “They had remodeled an adjacent room for a dance studio. Had I inspected the facilities, I would have known that their music would interfere with our sales meeting.”

Pros and cons of seating arrangements

The best room is one in which you can arrange the best seating. Therefore, your selection of a room should be based, in part, on seating arrangements.

There are four basic types of seating:

1.* Auditorium style. This arrangement is most widely used. It consists simply of one row of chairs behind another, as in a movie house. “We’ve always favored the auditorium style,” said a Denver retailer. “It enables us to get the greatest number of people in the room. You see, tables take up space-more space than people.” Auditorium style is okay for meetings lasting a couple of hours or less. For longer meetings, however, this arrangement is tiring. People want tables on which to lean and to keep cigarettes. Be sure to stagger the chairs. The guy in front may not be thick headed, but . . .

2.* Conference style. Each person is seated at a table. The table is shaped like an I, a T, or a U. This is ideal for note taking, water pouring, elbow resting, and the like. It’s comfortable. “Conference style is best for creating informality,” said a building supply executive. “To get group discussion, you can’t beat it.”
Tables consume so much space that conference style is used only for smaller meetings. However, it’s the smaller meeting that’s best for group discussion.

3.* Spotted Tables. Small tables are spotted at certain places in the room. From two to eight people are seated at each table. This requires extra floor space. In fact, it’s a good means of trimming a large room to the size needed. It’s also practical when the audience is to be divided into small groups, as in buzz sessions.
An educational leader said, “In some of our meetings we assign different projects to different groups of people. Each group works on its project then and there-right in the meeting room. Spotted tables are ideal for this. A different project can be assigned to the people at each table. A natural division of the audience is provided.”

4.* Theater in the round. You’ve seen this seating arrangement at boxing and wrestling matches. The stage is surrounded by seats. The average spectator is closer to the action. Some seats are a third nearer the stage. There’s more realism, too a better 3-D effect. But it’s a poor arrangement for the average sales meeting. A speaker’s stand cannot be used since it would face only a small part of the audience. Participants feel naked. Speakers must turn constantly to make eye contact with all the audience. If the crowd is so large that a p.a. system is used, a portable mike is necessary. As speakers walk, the wire to the mike is twisted. Sooner or later, action must be stopped while the cord is unwound. Some “character” finally trips on the cord! And it’s difficult to use visuals. Films are out of the question. Generated charts and chalk boards, too. A visual must be used in such a way that everyone can see it. Either it has four faces, or it’s turned completely around by the speaker. Both are clumsy.

“I’ll never forget the first time I spoke at a meeting arranged like a theater in the round. It was very confusing. I couldn’t decide on which part of the audience to concentrate. I was never so uncomfortable before people. I felt that I was on public display.” Who told this sad story? A talented public speaker. So beware of theater in the round.
Be sure to select a room that permits the seating arrangement you consider best.

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

Plan conventional meals and avoid exotic dishes. This way you’ll please nearly everybody. Never cater to the gourmets. Strive to satisfy Mr. Average Salesman. “The last time we had a ‘blowout’ we arranged for Cornish game-hens,” said a Newark man. “We later learned that most of the men wanted steaks even though the steaks were less expensive. And even though they’d been eating steaks at nearly every meal.” So give them what they want, not what they should want.

Is your meeting on Friday? If so, some will want fish. How about ham-anyone object?

You must pay for the number of plates guaranteed or the number of plates served-whichever is greater. This is standard procedure. Experience has shown that a few people miss organized meals. There’s always someone who can’t kick himself out of bed in time for breakfast. Another can’t tear himself loose from the bar at noon. Two more excuse themselves before dinner so they can “do the town.” One gets sick. Still another is called home by an emergency. Why guarantee that everyone will show for every meal? Reduce the guarantee figure by 8 or 10 percent. You’ll save money. You won’t have to pay for food that “goes begging.”

If everyone does happen to show, there’s no harm done. The hotel will be prepared to serve 10 percent more than the number guaranteed. This also is standard procedure.

How to Choose the Best Meeting Room

The best room is a little longer than wide and has no columns to block vision and segregate the audience. “The architects who design columns in meeting rooms should have to sit behind them,” a salesman ruefully declared. “It’s no fun.” The ceiling should be high enough that visuals can be shown to good advantage. If a chandelier is in the way, perhaps it can be removed. Inquire and see.

Low ceilings are also to be avoided since they tend to depress an audience. “I feel boxed in,” is the way one fellow expressed it. “It’s not so bad at first, but it gets ‘old’ real quick! As the day progresses you get a worried feeling. There’s no relief until you leave the room. It’s as bad as being on a crowded elevator.” Use a room that has entrances and exits in the rear. Reason: late arrivals and early departures will not be so distracting.

Naturally, the room should be large enough. But it should also be small enough small enough that it’s comfortably filled. Vacant space and empty chairs are deadly. Dressing room screens can be used to reduce the meeting area. It’s better, though, to select a room of the right size in the first place. “I’d rather have a few people standing than a lot of empty chairs/’ said an advertising account executive. “It leaves the impression the meeting is so important that everyone wants to get in on it.”

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

It doesn’t take a wizard to make good physical arrangements. “Horse sense” is ample. Take location of the meeting room, for example. You may have a suitable room at your office, store, or plant. If so, use it. “Our sales meetings are always conducted on the premises,” declared a Pittsburg industrialist. “The various things we need for the meeting are readily available here. Then, too, our salesmen must come to the plant anyway to confer with members of the staff, make reports and pick up supplies. We didn’t have a large meeting room, so we built one. It has proved to be an excellent investment.”

In some instances the audience will arrive from distant points and an overnight stay is necessary. Put all of them up at the same hotel, then conduct your meeting there. If a trip to your plant is desired, busses can be chartered. “We favor hotel meetings,” said an Omaha sales manager. “Nearly all of our men are called in from out of town. Since they’re staying at a hotel, it’s easier for us to hold our meetings there and avoid confusion.”

Only you can decide the best locale for your meeting. Select a place that is convenient for all the people attending, and one that is practical and within budget limitations.

How to locate desirable meeting rooms?

The best public meeting rooms are booked a year or more in advance, especially in the case of large auditoriums and ballrooms. Do some long range planning.

“I represent a group of fashion exhibitors/’ said a New York man. “We do shows all over the country. The competition for the best ballrooms is so great that I’ve booked five years ahead in several cities. It’s the only way I can be sure of getting the hotel I want.”

You may need help in finding a desirable downtown meeting place. Contact the Chamber of Commerce, their staff will know of many suitable rooms. A United States Chamber of Commerce official reports, “Most Chambers keep a roster of available meeting rooms. In addition to the location of each room, the local Chamber can tell you the capacity, the cost and the name of the person to contact. You can obtain this information whether your company belongs to the local Chamber or not.”

Gratis rooms can be booked in some cities. In addition to the Chamber, check the public library, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., public utility auditoriums, and public school facilities, where a clean-up fee is often the only change. Another means of getting a free meeting room is to schedule a meal. Most hotels charge only for food-breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nothing is actually free. In paying for the food, you also pay for the room. This hidden cost is usually quite reasonable, however. It’s most economical when food activities include a meal other than dinner. The trend is to charge heavily for dinner. “They’ll really soak you for an evening meal,” said a vending-machine operator. “Ask whether a less expensive meal is available. Usually they push the higher priced meal, but most hotels will serve a substantial lunch for a buck or two less.”

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

44.* A few sales executives boast that notes aren’t needed. Most speak better however, when using notes. Except for the “pros,” all speakers should use notes. Even a “pro” uses them until he has his talk down “pat.” There are times when your speaker can destroy his notes with effectiveness, however.

First, he might do it for the sake of informality. Upon taking the stand he looks at his audience and states, “I see Bill Lawson, Plasco Moore and other friends in the audience.” He rips up his notes with a flourish, adding, “And I certainly don’t need notes to talk to my friends.” Although the audience doesn’t realize it, he may still have a few notes before him!

45.* There’s another time for note tearing. It’s when a meeting is behind schedule and the audience is aware of it. The final speaker begins with a glance at his watch and a fast rate of speech.

“We’re running out of time, so here goes the advice I’d planned to give you.” He then tears a blank piece of paper down the middle. The audience giggles with relief.
“And here go the funny stories I’d planned to tell!” He rips some more paper. The audience relaxes and laughs louder. He captured full attention in spite of a difficult situation. Everyone is listening when he adds, “There’s only one part of the talk I’ll go through with, the part you wanted most to hear. I’m referring to”

Putting life into a speech

Capitalize on Basic Emotions and Urges
Suggest Showmanship To Your Speakers
-Props-
-Costuming-
-Skits-
-Demonstrations-
-Dramatizations-

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training

38.* The audience likes to see any idea presented by a speaker. A visual presentation can be made at the same time as the verbal. And it can be made in several different ways. A good method is the crossover, an individual crossing the platform behind the speaker. The person crossing can illustrate many things with real effectiveness.

39.* Suppose the speaker wants to tell ofi an overconfident salesman. “He vowed he’d eat his hat if he couldn’t sell a certain prospect.” This is a natural for a crossover! When the climax of the story is reached, a fellow crosses the stage chewing on his hat!

40.* Perhaps the speaker refers to a fellow who became a smart alec-”too big for his britches.” Someone with the seat torn out of his trousers could crossover.

41.* “He lost/7 said the speaker. “He almost lost his shirt.” A fellow in an undershirt (and trousers) could then crossover.

42.* “This man made a million dollars.” A fellow crosses with money sticking out of every pocket, and pinned to his shoulders and back. He’s smoking a long cigar and counting some bills in his hands.

43.* “That competition of ours really took a beating.” The crossover is made by a man who has a bandaged eye, an arm in a sling, and catsup on his cheek!

Keywords: Sales, Marketing, Business, Sales Training