Fire All the Salespeople

by Bill Guertin | March 5th, 2010 | View Comments

sunface13 There is a common problem I see brewing in sports ticket sales organizations across the nation. It started about 18 months ago, and has been spreading like a virus, bleeding organizations dry. I’m not sure where it started, but I know how it can be stopped.

Here’s the problem: We’re allowing the economy to lull our leadership into expecting less from the salespeople who are paid to make things happen. Our managers are taking the “economy” excuse and letting our sales reps use it as a crutch, and it’s weakening everyone in the process.

If you’re an account rep, I have a few telling questions for you:

Did you achieve your monthly goals for either January or February? If not, what happened?

Get Out of a Sports Ticket Sales Slump

by Bill Guertin | February 11th, 2010 | View Comments

rocketace So you’re not having the kind of success you’d like. Your calls are more difficult, you’re not closing as many sales as you’d planned, your manager is supportive but insists on results. Your check isn’t enough to do the things you want to do.

This sports thing wasn’t what you thought it would be. This is way too stressful. Where’s all that fun and excitement you thought would be coming your way? This is more like…a JOB!

If you’re feeling this way, here are several things to consider:

Look at how you’re spending your time each day. Do you talk a lot with your co-workers about how bad things are? It’s a natural thing to do, but it’s not doing anything to move you forward. In fact, psychologists say that peer group reinforcement of a particular negative belief can actually hold you back. Is it worth feeling good for a few moments just to stay where you are?

Networking at the Ballpark

by Lewis Howes | February 1st, 2010 | View Comments

Werner Kunz (This is a guest article by Chris Rufle)

Putting on a networking event at your venue can be beneficial for you in a few different ways. It can give you the opportunity to sell a weak night, draw in new quality leads, and help other business executives further their businesses all at the same time. As long as you follow a few steps to make sure you plan your event properly it can be a success.

First, pick a night. Since people are primarily coming for the networking event instead of the game, you have the opportunity to pick the date you prefer. This gives you the ability to take one of your weaker nights and sell it while hosting a successful group outing with great potential for future leads.

How to Get More Callbacks from Prospects

by Bill Guertin | January 18th, 2010 | View Comments

Johan Koolwaaij When someone has decided to call us back before making a buying decision, there’s a good chance (despite all their good intentions) they won’t follow through. It doesn’t make them liars or bad people. It’s just the law of averages. We know people get busy and have other priorities come up in their lives.

Are you kidding? Something else is more important than getting back to you about their awesome seats? C’mon! You don’t have to take that crap! Push the odds in your favor!

Welcome Back…Now Get Selling!

by Bill Guertin | January 1st, 2010 | View Comments

Ed Coyle Photography The holidays have passed us by, it’s 2010, and for those of us who hibernated for several days, it means it’s time to get back to work. Over the years I’ve seen an inordinate number of people give me excuses why it’s not the “right time” to sell someone right after the holidays:

“Everyone’s hung over.”
“People are hitting the ground running, and they’re too busy to talk to me.”
“Their budgets have just been set for the year, and there’s no money for me.”
“People have more important things to do, and I’m the last person they want to talk to right now.”

Selling Tickets to the Family

by Bill Guertin | December 21st, 2009 | View Comments

jbrownell Nothing is quite as powerful or as meaningful to a prospect as the benefits of ticket ownership for their children. Talk about the benefits of tickets to them personally, and many will say OK… but talk to them about the benefits related to their children, and suddenly the purchase becomes much more personal and emotional. Parents will often do WAY more for their children than they’ll do for themselves.

What kinds of things can you talk about regarding season tickets that can relate directly to a prospect’s family? Here are a few examples:

Reach out in New and Creative Ways for Ticket Sales

by Tyler Johnson | December 9th, 2009 | View Comments

I always take the opportunity to reach out to a customer and show off a brand I represent. I won’t lie, I had a college professor that pounded this into my head for a semester. Working in ticket sales a few years later, I searched for ways to capitalize on this point.

In today’s ticket selling environment some of the most frequent “reaching” out to customers is often through an e-mail blast or annual phone call of some sort. These customers receive the same treatment from companies across all industries, not just ticket sales people. I search for new ways to build rapport and trust with current and hopefully future customers. I’m trying to differentiate myself along with the brand I represent!

What to Say When Your Prospect Says, “Call Me Back Later”

by Bill Guertin | December 4th, 2009 | View Comments

JasonNicholls You have a prospect who’s genuinely interested. They’re asking all the right questions, and you’re responding perfectly. All seems to be going well, and it looks like you’re about to close the deal.

All of a sudden they say, “I’ve got some other pressing things that are going on right now, so I have to go… but I have all your information, and I’ll call you back later.”

ARGGH! What happened?

Salesman Calling!: Where People Answer Their Cell Phones

by Bill Guertin | November 6th, 2009 | View Comments

kiwanja What’s the strangest thing someone has said to you as they’ve answered a call from you on their cell phone?

Sports ticket sales professionals call thousands of prospects a day, and many times we catch people in strange, awkward, or questionable situations. Here are some of the best examples of responses from sales prospects during actual calls that sports ticket sales reps have made to people on their cell phones:

• “I’m on a treadmill right now.” (out of breath)

• “I’m going into a CATscan.” (Aren’t you supposed to leave those cell phones outside?)

How to Increase Ticket Sales for Your Sports Team

by Lewis Howes | August 28th, 2009 | View Comments

I had the pleasure to meet with fellow SportsNetworker.com writer, Bill Guertin, during one of my business networking events that I hold around the country. This event happened to be in Cleveland where Bill was doing some ticket sales consulting with the Cleveland Cavs and meeting with the Cleveland Browns as well.

I already knew that Bill was a great writer and had a wealth of information on how to boost ticket sales, and I was pleasantly surprised when we met in person and I realized he was a great guy to be around. Check out this brief video below where Bill shares with you a few of his tips on how to increase ticket sales.