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Education

• Planning: Does the MLS have Instead of relying on periodic special events designed to force-feed attendees,
a plan for how to obtain the we could employ continuous learning techniques that are integrated into daily
merchant being targeted? Is it MLS routines, making it far more likely that key information and insights
to pitch savings? Simplicity? would stick.
Tech? Service? Or does the
MLS simply believe charm Steve Norell is Director of Sales at US Merchant Services Inc. Based in Port St. Lucie, Fla.; he oversees
will do the trick, that he or she the USMS sales force and maintains the company's bank and processor relationships. You can
can come across as such a nice
person it'll be fine to just ask reach him by email at steven@usmsllc.com or by phone at 772-220-7515.
for the business?
• Executing: Assuming you
have done the above, it's time
to execute. That means it's
time to take action in accor-
dance with your plan. How
many MLSs do that?

I have never understood why MLSs,
in general, do not practice, train and
study when it comes to both the
merchants they are approaching and
our industry as a whole. Doctors are
always studying. Athletes are always
training. Attorneys are always
practicing.
Answers, please
So my question for ISOs reading this
is: What do you do to help your MLSs
succeed when it comes to the points I
have made above?

And my question for MLSs reading
this is: Do you do any of what I've
discussed above?

I have found that the number one
mistake made by many MLSs is
believing they have to sell every
merchant they meet. Not every
merchant should be sold. Many
companies know their program or
product is not for everyone. Why can't
we take a page out of their books and
run our businesses the same way?

In addition, it seems to me that the
only training provided to all MLSs
is on products and never on selling
principals or techniques. Unless
you count the one time a year at
the annual meeting or the trade
association conferences where the
keynote speaker spends an hour on
this topic. In those settings, it usually
goes in one ear and out the other.

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