SalesTrainingCamp

Ask for Action, Not Permission by Art Sobczak

2010-12-28T13:25:00.003-08:00

Greetings!

An article that originally appeared in the New York
Times on October 15, 1997, titled "In War Against
No-Shows, Restaurants Get Tougher," by William Grimes
is especially relevant for us as salespeople. Here
is an excerpt:

Gordon Sinclair, the owner of Gordon restaurant in
Chicago, had an epiphany about 10 years ago when he
began adding up the cost of no-shows and found that
the grand total was $900,000 a year, a figure that
got him thinking, fast.

He made a change in the restaurant's procedure that
underlines the curious moral status of a restaurant
reservation, which is less than a contract but
something more binding than "let's have lunch."

He instructed his receptionists to stop saying,"Please call us if you change your plans," and
start saying, "WILL you call us if you change
your plans?"

His no-show rate dropped from 30 percent to
10 percent!

In other words -- by asking a question and
eliciting a response -- Sinclair created a
sense of obligation. Getting that soft commitment
made a huge impact.

"May I send you some information?" is asking the
prospect to give you permission; "If I send you
some information, will you look it over and we
can talk again in a few weeks?" is asking the
prospect to commit to the next step.

If you're able to engage them at all, you should
be able to ask for some commitment--not permission.

If they're too busy right now -- or their budget
monies are coming in two weeks -- "Will we be able
to talk more about this when I call back in a
few weeks?" is asking for commitment and implies
that they need to be ready for that conversation
when you do call back. Then, you have a reason to
send them material, so they'll be ready.

On the other hand, "May I call you in a few
weeks?" is simply asking for permission.

People like to honor their commitments. If the
call ends and they have only given you permission,
why would they care what happens next? The ball is
not in their court.

But, if the call ends and they've committed to
doing something, odds are good they'll do it.
And, if asking for that commitment doesn't
feel right, then it probably means you've
got more work to do in building interest.

Make it your goal on every call to ask a
version of "Will you...?" as opposed to
"May I...?"

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"The success of your presentation will be judged not by
the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives."

-Lily Walters

About the author:

Art Sobczak, President of
Business By Phone Inc., specializes in one area only: working
with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing
and delivering content-rich programs that participants begin
showing results from the very next time they get on the phone.
Audiences love his "down-to-earth,"entertaining style,
and low-pressure, easy-to-use, customer oriented ideas and techniques.
He works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them
get more businesses by phone. Art provides real world, how-to
ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more
effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing
"rejection." Using the phone in sales is only difficult for people who use
outdated, salesy, manipulative tactics, or for those who aren't
quite sure what to do, or aren't confident in their abilities.
Art's audiences always comment how he simplifies the telesales
process, making it easily adaptable for anyone with the right
attitude.

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

At the Sound of the Beep … by Tim Wackel

2010-12-28T13:24:00.001-08:00

I always get a big chuckle when sales people call my office to prospect for new business. I’m amazed at the fundamental lack of research, amused by their haphazard preparation and surprised that they actually believe their approach has any chance of working.

Here are a couple of actual winners I’ve recently received. The messages you are about to read are real. The names have been changed to protect the guilty. See what you think:

Hi, this is Ken with Hopeless Inc. We purchase used office telephone equipment and PC’s. Our number is 214.555.1212. If you’ve recently switched systems or plan to in the near future please give us a call at 214.555.1212.

Not much of a compelling reason to return this call. What is the potential value in doing business with Hopeless Inc.? It looks like the classic numbers game…make enough calls and eventually you find someone who has just “switched systems” and wants to get rid of the junk sitting in the closet. I couldn’t do that for a living, and I’m glad I don’t have to!

Here’s another example. Maybe it looks familiar to you.

Good morning Kim, this is Barbie with Clueless. We produce the business to business database called Insight Online. I’m following up on your email inquiry to see if you have any questions about our product. Please give me a call at your convenience. My number is 888.555.1212 extension 1234.

Well for starters my name isn’t Kim. Yes, I did make an email inquiry, and I’m pretty confident that I didn’t misspell my name on their form. Barbie says she wants to see if I have any questions on their product. Maybe it’s just me, but if I had a question I’m thinking I would pick up the phone and call them. What if Barbie was calling because she had ideas to share on how Insight Online has helped other sales speakers improve their business? Think I would return that call? You better believe it!

So what does it take to craft a better voice mail message? How can you improve your odds of getting a call back? Here are five questions that will help you start creating better messages now…

#1. Who is your target market?

Specifically, what is the title of the decision maker you want to do business with? And, if you are leaving a message for me, I want to hear that you work with professional sales trainers and speakers. I’m not interested in a one-size-fits-all approach. I’m interested in talking with someone who knows something about what I do (that’s why it’s called research!).

#2. What are some of the specific challenges that you solve?

What are some opportunities that you help create? Be as specific as possible. This is the classic pains & gains stuff. Re-visit these ideas often… that is why they are called classics!

#3. What emotions (frustration, disappointment, concern, optimism, hope) does your target market experience with the challenges and opportunities you outlined above?

Remember that emotion plays a big part in buying decisions, yet most of you sell using too much logic. Ever see someone driving a Lexus or wearing a Rolex? Help me understand the logic behind those decisions.

#4. What are some of the competitive alternatives available to your target market?

Yeah, I hear you screaming “never bring up the competition!” Do you really believe your prospect is only going to
consider you without checking out someone else? Think again! And remember, doing nothing is a competitive alternative.

#5. Why, based on all of the alternatives available, should they do business with you?

What are your compelling differentiators? Be careful here, because most of you are thinking “great products, awesome service, solid reputation and a competitive price.” If most of you are thinking this, then it really isn’t a compelling differentiator… is it?

Now just plug and play!

Fill in the blanks, read, revise, get feedback from your peers and you will have crafted a message that is purposeful, powerful and on target.

“I specialize in helping (target market) who are (feelings/emotions) with (specific challenges) and want proven solutions for (your specific benefits). (Quantify number or use names) of clients have already discovered that unlike (competitive alternative), my solution is/does (compelling differentiator).

My goal is not to make a sales call on you, but if these issues sound familiar and the benefits are important to you, then it might be worth ten minutes for us to have a brief fact finding conversation.”

I can’t guarantee that this process will work for you, but I can guarantee that it works. I’m hoping you will take some time to review and improve your current library of voice mail scripts. If you aren’t getting all the callbacks you want, you don’t have much to lose!

Speaking of Sales is about finding, winning and keeping customers for life. If that’s part of your job, then you won’t want to miss the next issue.

Best Wishes For Your Continued Success!

Tim Wackel

tim@timwackel.com

214.369.7722

Tim Wackel is hired by sales executives who want their teams to blow the number away. Tim’s “no excuses” programs are insightful, engaging and focused on providing real world strategies that salespeople can (and will!) implement right away. Sales teams from BMC Software, Cisco, Fossil, Hewlett Packard, Allstate, Thomson Reuters, Raytheon, Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, Catalina Marketing, Philips Medical Systems, Red Hat and TXU Energy count on Tim to help them create more success in business and in life.

http://timwackel.com/index.aspx

Getting Prospects Reengaged by Eric Slife

2010-11-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

You finish your presentation, and your prospect states, “Everything looks great. I’ll call you in a couple of days to move forward.” Several days pass, a week, then a month. They don’t return you calls, and you have no idea why. Sound familiar?

I’m not sure what’s more frustrating; not getting the business, or not knowing why. Here are some easy tips to reconnect with your prospect.

Establish Guidelines – At the very outset, establish guidelines for the relationship you are about to enter.

Mr. or Miss Prospect, thanks for agreeing to meet with me today. I have some questions I’d like to ask you today, and I’m sure you probably have some questions you want to ask me. Before we get started, I just want you to know, it’s okay to tell me “No.” Sometimes, a client chooses to go a different direction, but they feel uncomfortable telling me. If at any point while working together, you determine my product or service isn’t the right fit, will you please let me know?

Voicemail with Email – I don’t expect people to return my voicemail. However, within my voicemail, I’ll inform them I’m sending an email, because for many busy individuals it’s easier to respond. In my email I will write, Mr. or Miss Prospect, upon our last discussion, you requested I follow up with you at this date and time regarding… I’ve tried several times to call you, but unfortunately, we haven’t been able to connect. I’m beginning to feel like I’m becoming a pest. Please let me if your situation has changed, so I know how and when to best follow up.

Because many people aren’t comfortable telling you “no” over the phone or in person, this approach gives the prospect a way out of the situation, and you can move on. Often, you find they have been slammed or you get some additional information as to why the delay.

Disengage Caller ID – Call your phone company and ask how to disengage your caller id. This way your prospect can no longer screen your calls.

Did I Do Something Wrong? – Mr. or Miss Prospect you asked me to follow up on… I’ve tried to reach out several times, but I never heard back from you. Did I do something that offended or upset you?

Copy Referrer on Email – If you were referred by another individual, copy them on your email. This is especially useful if you were referred by a superior. Don’t throw your contact under the bus, but apply a little pressure.

Discard Proposals – Finally, always be willing to walk away. I want to do business with adults, not children. If someone requests to call them back, but then never returns my calls or email when I’m following their directions, those aren’t the customers I’m looking for.

However, I’ll provide one final opportunity. Mr. or Miss Prospect, you requested I contact you on… I’ve tried several times, but I never heard back from you. The price (or proposal) was good for 30 days, so unfortunately I have to discard your file.

Put a time limit on all your proposals. This creates a sense of urgency, and it doesn’t lock you into a price for an extended period of time.

About The Author: Eric Slife is President of Slife Sales Training, Inc. From cold calling to closing, receive ongoing, unlimited access to top sales trainers through our Team Training Program. Our affordable online sales and sales management training program can be customized for both individuals and sales teams.

http://www.salestrainingcentral.com

5 Sales Reports That Every Sales Manager Should Be Reviewing

2010-11-02T10:25:00.001-07:00

A good manager knows that the sales team can make or break their company. All other departments might be in sync, but without a strong sales staff and sales process, the revenue that pays employee wages can vanish. When it comes to the sales team, special attention must be given to ensure that the company paydays keep coming.

According to Suzanne Paling, sales management consultant and author of The Accidental Sales Manager: A Survival Guide for CEOs (or owners or presidents) Who Find Themselves Managing Salespeople, sales reports can be key in keeping the sales process and the cash flow moving.

“Sales reports enable a manager to track how much time salespeople are spending on different sales activities, if they are meeting their productivity goals, and whether their efforts are translating into real sales,” explains Paling. “In other words, the sales reports paint a picture of the sales representatives’ day even when the manager can’t be there to observe them. The information in these reports plays a critical part in helping a manager oversee the success of the sales team and essentially the whole company.”

For the sake of sales success, Paling encourages sales managers to incorporate these basic reports into their sales process:

The Daily Call Report

Knowing how many calls your sales representatives make during a given day, as well as whom they are calling, is essential for those managing salespeople. Accounts are not all created equal. Some need to be called on more frequently than others. After establishing the call frequency for all of the salespeople’s accounts, the data from this report confirms whether they are adhering to the schedule.

Paling suggests looking for the following when reviewing this report:

• Number of calls made in a row

• Specific types of calls

• Absence of certain types of calls

• Excessive numbers of certain types of calls

• Average length of call time

The Productivity Report

Those managing salespeople need a reasonably accurate summary of how many and which type of calls they make. The data often includes the number of outbound calls, conversations, voice mails, e-mails, customer meetings, product demonstrations, and proposals generated in a given day, week, or month. The purpose of this report is to compare actual results against the benchmarks established for each activity.

Paling notes, “Whether a sales staff exceeds or fails to meet the established productivity standards, the productivity report keeps the manager informed. When a salesperson or sales staff does struggle, looking at the raw numbers can offer insight into the problem.”

When reviewing this report, Paling advises managers to ask:

• At which point in the sales cycle is the rep below/above productivity quota?

• In which areas is the rep consistently behind/ahead?

• Where the rep is below/above the productivity quota, how does it affect the next phase of the sales cycle?

The Pipeline

The pipeline report consists of all those prospects being actively pursued by a sales representative and separates them by their appropriate phase in the sales cycle. This information allows managers to keep track of the total number of prospects the salesperson is working with at any given point. Managers can tell how quickly a prospect progresses from one stage to the next or be aware when a prospect drops out altogether.

Paling offers these as examples of typical pipeline phases:

• Phase I—Decision-maker expresses interest in product or service

• Phase II—Salesperson meets with decision maker

• Phase III—Decision-maker participates in product demonstration

• Phase IV—Proposal submitted

• Phase V—Sale closed/sale lost

“It helps if the sales manager and the sales reps agree on the pipeline phases,” says Paling. “Naming the phases adds consistency and contributes to the development of a sales culture.”

The Sales Forecast

The single most important document generated in most sales organizations, a sales forecast has multiple purposes including:

• Holding salespeople accountable for the deals they intend to close at the end of each month

• Determining which opportunities need executive attention

• Helping to estimate revenue

• Paving the way for post-sale product or service delivery

The accuracy of this report strongly affects the entire organization. Unfortunately, many people confuse the pipeline report with the sales forecast.

The pipeline report and the sales forecast both show prospects at different phases of the sales process. The difference lies in the fact that the sales forecast shows only those prospects in the final stages of purchasing the product or service.

“The potential sales shown on the sales forecast might be a cause for celebration or function as a shrill alarm,” explains Paling. “The accuracy of the information provided determines sales revenue for the month or quarter. Failure to bring in enough sales revenue over a period of time leads to staff reductions, cash flow issues, and most drastically—companies going out of business.”

When looking at the sales forecast, ask:

• In which months (1, 2, or 3) is the rep typically above or below quota?

• Does revenue usually drop in any one month in particular?

• How many accounts drop out/get added from one month to the next?

• Does the rep have an easier/more difficult time achieving quota in one product line vs. another?

The Long-Range Sales Forecast

Often overlooked, long-range forecasts have a place in the portfolio of reports for those managing salespeople. Prospects in this report have told the sales representative that they are budgeted for and are committed to purchasing a product or service at some point in the future. The reason for the delayed purchase usually involves an expiring contract or a large capital expenditure that needs to go through a formal budgeting or bid process.

Typically, the long-range forecast keeps track of prospects planning to buy anywhere from four months to two years from the time of the initial contact with the sales representative.

Many of these long-range sales involve RFPs, intense competition, or the possible replacement of the prospect’s current provider. Sales like these usually require executive involvement at some point. This report helps management prepare accordingly.

Suzanne Paling, author of The Accidental Sales Manager (Entrepreneur Press),is the principal consultant of Sales Management Services, founded in 1998. She has more than 20 years of experience in sales, sales management, and sales consulting. Working with both field and inside sales organizations, she has helped clients in a vast number of industries including software, construction, medical, telecommunications, manufacturing, delivery, and recruiting.

The Accidental Sales Manager was named an award-winning finalist in the Business: Leadership and Management category of their “Best Books 2010” Awards, sponsored by USA Book News The book is available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Borders.com; for more information on this title visit www.accidentalsalesmanager.com For more information on Suzanne Paling visit www.salesmanagementservices.com.

If You Ever Lack Focus, This Might Help by Art Sobczak

2010-11-01T15:28:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

A very brief tip this week as I return from
several days of travel, and back out again.

Early this week I met with a group of other
speaking and training professionals. We have
been meeting several times per year, for 13
years now. It's a mastermind group (if you're
not familiar with this term, I suggest
researching it and perhaps finding or starting
one, as it will likely change your life, and
income) called Master Speakers International http://www.businessbyphone.com/msi.htm

Usually at our meetings everyone shares ideas
about what's working for them in their business,
marketing, sales, operations, technology,
latest must-read books, etc. At the meeting
earlier this week, one of our members, Mark
LeBlanc, http://www.markleblanc.com/, a small
business success expert, conducted the entire
program. Although I took pages of notes, just
a few key points will put a lot of money in my
pocket, and might for you as well.

In my case, I wear so many hats, perform so many
roles, and get torn in so many directions I
often feel like I'm running in place, and in
circles. Mix in my self-diagnosed Attention
Deficit Disorder, and that's a recipe for
reaching the end of some of the rare days that
I'm in my office, where, although there might
have been a whirlwind of activity, I just say to
myself, "What did you REALLY get done?"

Perhaps you have been there. Or are there.

I won't go through Mark's entire system, but will
share a key piece, what you can do as a sales
person that might help you sharpen your focus
(if you need it) and reach new levels.

1. Set your Optimistic Number for the month. Thisis the sales number you optimistically would like
to reach every month. Stretch a little, but make
it realistic. You probably have this now as a quota
or goal.

2. At the beginning of each day, ask yourself,"What am I doing today to book my Optimistic
Number?"

3. At the end of each day, ask, "What did I DO
today to book my Optimistic Number?"

4. Build your day around at least three High Value
Activities that are focused on reaching your optimistic
number. This might seem simplistic to some people, but when
we really analyze our activities, not everything we
do every day contributes to actually reaching our
numbers. You determine what yours are. You might realize
that sending emails, Tweeting, going on Facebook, etc.
is not directly contributing to reaching your
number.

5. Every DAY, update your scorecard that shows your
results towards your Optimistic Number.

Fairly simple process. What struck me is that it
provides the framework for focus, accountability,
and self-motivation.

Adapt this as you see it applying to you. And especially
if you are a small business professional, check out
Mark's site and resources http://www.markleblanc.com/

Continue having your best week ever!

Art

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

Characteristics of Great Sales Negotiators by Kelley Robertson

2010-10-28T10:58:00.001-07:00

Virtually everyone in sales is required to negotiate.
After conducting hundreds of workshop and working
with thousands of people during the last decade, I
have discovered that most sales people are not as
effective at negotiating as they could be.

However, I do come across great sales negotiators
from time-to-time and have noticed that they typically
have a few things in common. Here are the
characteristics they usually possess.

Understanding of the negotiating process. Highly
effective negotiators recognize that negotiating is a
process, not just something that is done when
discussing the terms and conditions of a solution.
Negotiating is much more than haggling about price. It
requires an understanding of the dynamics that affect
the process and influence the behavior of people.
Great negotiators invest time learning different tactics
and strategies and how each technique contributes to
the overall outcome.

Focus on win-win. Win-win means that both parties
feel good about the outcome of the negotiating
process. Some books that state win-win solutions are
not possible in business negotiating; the authors write
that someone usually gives away more than they
should and the outcome becomes a win-lose
situation. Great negotiators don’t believe that. They
help their customer try and solve problems and look
for opportunities to give as much value as possible.
They also know how and when to limit their
concessions, give-aways, and discounts so they can
work out an agreement that is equitable for both
parties.

Patience. Too many people search for the quick fix
try to close the sale as fast as possible so they can
move on the next prospect. Great sales negotiators
recognize that patience is a virtue and that rushing
the process often leads to an undesirable outcome.
They don’t hurry to reach an agreement. Instead, they
take time to gather the necessary information. They
think carefully about possible solutions. They take
their time during the entire process. This is critical
because major mistakes are made when we try to
reach an agreement too quickly. We rush through the
process, not giving the other person’s offer ample
attention, and often end up with an outcome that is
win-lose. Simply because we were in a hurry.

Creativity. Most great negotiators are also very
creative. They use their problem-solving skills to
determine the best solution and look for unique ways
to achieve their goal. A friend of mine was once
embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with a company and after
months of negotiation, he came up with a solution that
ended the suit. He stretched out beyond the normal
answers and developed an alternative that was
accepted by the other party. In other words, he got
creative.

Willingness to experiment. Negotiating is a very
dynamic process because no two people are alike.
What works extremely well in one situation can
backfire in another. That’s why great negotiators
practise using a variety of concepts and techniques.
They experiment with different strategies, solutions,
and tactics. And a small failure does not prevent them
from experimenting with new ideas in the future.

Confidence. Great negotiators are confident when
they enter a negotiation. They aren’t arrogant or rude
or cocky—they are simply confident. They have
developed a high belief in their ability to reach an winwin
agreement. They are confident that they can
handle anything that comes their way in a negotiation
and this confidence is developed through experience.
Great negotiators evaluate themselves regularly.
They learn from their mistakes and victories. They
focus on improving their skill. They develop an
internal confidence that is unshakable.

Keen listening skills. People will tell you virtually
everything you need to know if you ask the right
questions AND listen carefully to their answers. I
personally believe that this one attribute is the most
important skill in selling and negotiating. I remember
my wife talking to a prospect on the telephone and at
one point during the conversation she sensed that he
had more to say. She waited patiently and listened
carefully and the other person eventually gave her
valuable information that helped her close the sale. Unfortunately, too many sales people simply wait for

their turn to talk, or even worse, interrupt their
prospect. This lack of listening means they often miss
hearing key information that will assist them in the
negotiations.

Negotiating is not a skill that is easily acquired. It
takes time, effort and energy. If you want to improve
your negotiating ability you must be ready to work at
it. Invest the time learning the dynamics and science
of negotiating. And be prepared to push yourself out
of your comfort zone.

.
© 2010 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Get your FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to Kelley's free newsletter, "59 Seconds to Sales Success" at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

Creating Fresh Sales Opportunities By Jill Konrath, Author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies

2010-10-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

There's nothing I like better than engaging prospects when they're NOT thinking of making any changes from the status quo.

This may seem counterintuitive or perhaps even like sales heresy if you've spent your career chasing prospects who are already in the buying mode. After all, they already have money in the budget for your product/service and are actively looking for new options.

So why would I recommend chasing "non-lookers" versus the tempting low-hanging fruit? Lots of reasons:

The incumbent is sleeping.

Since dislodging the status quo is always your biggest sales challenge, you want to slip in under the existing provider's radar screen.

By bringing in new perspectives that help prospects better achieve their objectives, you gain a foothold in an otherwise impenetrable account. The incumbent's failure to do so creates a credibility gap for them and opens the door for you.

Your competitors aren't around.

If you do things right, you can prove your capabilities, demonstrate your expertise, and establish a strong relationship long before any competitors enter the scene. They'll be playing catchup from the start. And, in most cases, they'll find it extremely difficult to close the gap.

You set the playing field.

By bringing new ideas, insights, and information to your prospect, you help determine the criteria against which future "go-ahead" decisions will be judged. This gives you a chance to best position the strengths of your product, service, or solution.

Sales cycles get condensed.

When you leverage your expertise to help customers sort through everything that has to be considered to make a change, their decision-making process go faster.

Customers often love you.

Okay, I don't mean literally. But if you've ever had someone show you a better way, then made it simple to implement it, you know what I mean. That's how I feel when I visit the Apple Genius Bar, where tech gurus show me how to solve seemingly insoluble problems on my computer.

As you can see, there are many good reasons to get engaged with prospective customers earlier rather than later. Plus, you won't find yourself constantly fighting pricing battles.

So start thinking about pursuing business with those non-lookers today. But don't talk about your products or services. Your prospects are only concerned about their objectives or eliminating the barriers that stand in the way of achieving them.

Keep your focus on that and the possibilities are endless!

About Jill Konrath:

Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into new accounts, speed up sales cycles and land big contracts. She's a frequent speaker at sales conferences.

For more fresh sales strategies that work with crazy-busy prospects AND to get four bonus sales-accelerating tools, visit www.snapselling.com.

Stealing Business From the Competition by Art Sobczak

2010-10-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

This is a bit longer tip this week. Actually more
of a sales training session. I know many of you
use these tips in your sales meetings, so this
will be an excellent fit for that.

And by the way, this was a recent cover article in my
monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report eight-page newsletter, just one of the member
resources for my Telesales Success Inner Circle participants.

Let's dive in.

If you place prospecting calls (hopefully Smart
Calls) you probably often hear, "I already buy
from X-Company," or, "We're happy with who
we're using."

I know, at this point you feel like saying,

"X Company! What a bunch of losers. How can
you be so dumb?"

Almost as bad--and what many salespeople
actually do--is data-dumping a pitch explaining
why your company is better. It's confrontational,
and only causes the prospect to harden his defenses.

Another strategy is to simply make a quick exit.

Which might not be bad, depending upon your
industry, and the quality and quantity of names
you have to work on. Many stockbrokers take
this route. After all, repeatedly running into
a brick wall, rebounding off, reloading and
ramming into it again isn't the most efficient
use of time if you have stacks of other leads
staring you in the eye. Plus it hurts after
a while.

But if your prospect pool is relatively finite,
you can't afford to burn through names. You need
to take the next step.

Get Them Talking

Your best approach is to engage the prospect
in a two-way conversation. You see, prospects
often say "I'm happy with my supplier," because
it's an easy way to get rid of a salesperson.
It's instinctive. It's easy. Jumping into a
pitch at this point not only falls on deaf
ears, it's unwise because you don't yet know
anything about them.

Engaging them in conversation, however,
gets them involved, and gives you material
you can work with.

A suggested route is to learn why they
selected their present vendor. Once you
know what influenced that behavior, you
have insight into what to say so they'll
consider you.

But DO NOT say, "Why did you choose them?"

The reason is that "Why?" puts them on the
defensive. It forces them to justify their
selection. And it can be interpreted as an
attack of their reasoning. You might as
well poke them in the ribs with a sharp
stick and then try to sell to them.

Saying, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that," or, "Any particular reason you use them?" has
the same effect.

Instead, you want to ask questions that
open them up, build rapport, and ease
into a conversation about how they chose
their supplier, again avoiding the stern "Why?" word.

For example,

"What influenced the decision to select them?"

"What prompted the decision to go with them?"

Notice that the last two questions take the
emphasis off the person, and place it instead
on the decision. It's non adversarial, and
is a soft way to get them talking.

By the way, I don't favor the oft-recommended "What do you like best about them?" Some might
argue it gives you insight into what they
want in a vendor. I maintain it asks them to
reinforce their decision to pick their
existing vendor--the exact opposite of what
we truly want to accomplish.

The Competitions' Weaknesses

What you should do now is ask questions
designed to extract information not only on
what his needs are, but also to point out
your strengths and the competitors' weaknesses.

For example, if you know X Company has poor
quality--allowing them to charge that lower
price--instead of blatantly slamming X's
workmanship, you'd ask a question to shed
light on it:

"How often do you have customers return for
service because of defective parts?"

"What do you do in situations when the
units overheat?"

Now it's not YOU disparaging the competition;
they're doing it for you. More importantly,
they're reliving their negative experiences
as they explain them. Delicious.

I don't want to paint too rosy of a picture
here. Despite your best efforts, in most cases
the prospect still won't budge. Then your
best tactic is to keep the door open for
the future. After all, we've all had those
written-off, discarded prospects who surprised
us with a phone call announcing,

"You called us a couple of months ago, and
we'd like to do business with you."

Here are additional questions that can make
that happen more often.

"Do you have a backup supplier?"

"What type of contingency do you have in
place if something were to happen where you
needed something in an emergency?"

"If anything were to happen with your
existing supplier, could I be on the list
of people you would consider?"

Or tell them,

"Please put my name and number in your
vendor's file. If anything happens where
they can't provide you something when you
need it, would you please give me a call.

Selling against someone's existing vendor
can be difficult--if you make it that way.
Instead, get them talking, and you might
find out exactly what you need to do to
get your foot in the door.

Go and Have Your Best Week Ever!

Art

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

Stop Selling On Price

2010-10-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

The price objection is the curse of every salesperson's life and yet, as sales managers, we do little to help our people deal with it effectively.

Despite what we seem to believe, unless you're involved in transactional or commodity-type sales where price is the be-all and end-all, price is NOT the primary factor in the customer's buying decision. It's a safe bet that price is always going to be a factor in every sale but it is rarely the deciding factor, particularly in non-commodity sales.

The results of various surveys taken over the years show that between nine and fourteen percent of buyers will put price first in their buying decisions. This means that 86 to 91 percent of buyers have other factors they consider more important than price.

The Factors

One of those other factors is confidence. Prospects want to be confident that you'll do what you said you'd do, when you said you'd do it. Confidence comes from building trust and rapport with your prospects.

One of the fastest ways to destroy rapport and therefore confidence is for the salesperson to start selling before he really knows what the prospect wants to buy. That's sort of like the doctor who gives you a prescription before making a diagnosis. How much confidence would you have in the doctor? Probably not much. Your salespeople need to learn to properly qualify before they sell.

A second factor is choice. Prospects don't like to be in a position of having just two choices — to take it or leave it. Any time your salespeople can offer the prospect a choice, they strengthen their selling position. This is a particularly effective strategy when you are being compared against a competitor. Instead of the situation being one of them versus you, it becomes them versus you, you, and you. Much better odds. Teach your salespeople how to effectively use this technique.

Another factor is service. Prospects want to know you'll be there after the sale is consummated and that you're not going to sell 'em and leave 'em. You need to assure them you'll be there if (or when) they need you. Make sure your salespeople are equipped with evidence or testimonial material to help remove the FUD factor (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt).

The last factor is value. Prospects want to know they're getting the best quality for their money. This is probably the single most important factor in non-transactional selling and one where many salespeople could use some help. Are your salespeople talking catalogues or are they truly able to create value in the prospect's mind about what they are selling? You need to make sure your salespeople really understand the value of what they're selling.

Why Should I Buy From You?

Here's a test for you to try with your salespeople. Ask them, "If I were a prospect, why should I buy from you?" and see what kind of answer you get. Can they give you a value-based reason or do they fall back on the "well-we-have-a-good-price" type of response that gets the prospect thinking dollars and cents again. Some salespeople are so taken aback by this question that they sound like they have a mouth full of marbles as they stumble through their answer. Now that really instills confidence.

If the salesperson doesn't know why a prospect should buy from him, it's a safe bet that the prospect doesn't know either. If the prospect can't tell the difference between you and your competitor, she is more likely to make her buying decision based on price.

In order to move the prospect away from price as a prime consideration, salespeople must be able to articulate what additional value they bring to the offering. Not all the added value is in the product/service you offer. You have many hidden factors that would be of value to the prospect if she only knew about them.

Typical hidden values are: number of years in business, years of experience, organizational background, family-owned business, highly trained service staff, certified technical people, free delivery, toll-free ordering, money-back guarantee, life-time warranty, location(s), easy access, technical capabilities, past relevant experience, strategic alliances, personal attention, etc.

Salespeople need to be aware of these hidden values and know what they mean to a typical prospect so they can effectively answer the often unspoken question, "Why should I buy from you?"

The Value Iceberg

I recommend you walk your salespeople through the "value iceberg" exercise at your next sales meeting. Draw your best rendition of an iceberg on a flip chart (or whatever) and title the part above the waterline as "price" and the part below the waterline as "hidden values." Point out that your prospects often just see the tip of the iceberg— the price— and they need to be aware of the hidden values that can impact a sale. Brainstorm with your people until you've developed a list of hidden values that you offer. If you can, get them to put a dollar amount on as many values as possible.

This exercise will help your salespeople know and appreciate the additional value they and your organization bring to the sale. Being able to effectively explain these to their prospects will help move the prospect away from price as his or her primary decision factor. Remember, it's important to sell value because if prospects can't tell the difference between what you're offering and what your competitor is offering, then they'll make their decision based on price.

Sell Value

Once you help your salespeople deal with the other factors that impact the buying decision and teach them to sell value before price, they'll never go back to selling on price again.

-0-

About the Author

Brian Jeffrey is President of Salesforce Assessments Ltd. His company works with sales managers who want to make the right hiring decisions and build a strong sales team using his sales assessment test. For more articles like this and your free copy of "The 8 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Sales Managers Make" go to => www.SalesforceAssessments.com

Get The Crud Out Of Your Sales Funnel by Brian Jeffrey, CSP

2010-10-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Most salespeople understand the concept of the sales funnel. It works just like an ordinary funnel that you might use to transfer liquid from one container to another.

We all know that if you stop pouring the liquid into the top of the funnel, fluid stops coming out the bottom. We also know that if you try to pour too much in at one time, the funnel overflows and you lose some of it.

You'll also lose liquid if the funnel leaks. If you have blockages in your funnel, the flow may stop or back up, causing an overflow situation.

So how does this work for sales? Simple. If you stop putting potential sales opportunities into the top of the funnel, closed sales stop coming out of the bottom.

If you try to put too many sales opportunities in at the same time, the sales funnel overflows and you lose some potential sales. This can happen after a trade show where you simply have too many leads to follow up in a timely manner.

You'll also lose sales if your sales funnel leaks. Leaks are simply lost sales that probably weren't going to happen in the first place.

A blockage in your sales funnel could be something as simple as the inability to get a proposal or quote out in a timely manner, the inability to deliver by a specific date, or indecision on the part of someone in your organization.

Clogging Up the Funnel

By far the most common blockage that clogs up the sales funnel is an overabundance of non-sales opportunities that are eating up the salesperson's time. It's this problem we want to explore in more detail and provide a quick-and-easy solution to removing or minimizing this blockage.

Why Blockages Occurs

A lot of salespeople feel they are doing their job if they keep their sales funnel full to capacity. Not true. Your job as a sales professional is to not just keep your sales funnel full, but to keep it full of "real" opportunities and not "wished/hoped-for" sales.

Overly optimistic salespeople will dump almost any potential opportunity into their sales funnel just as long as the prospect is breathing. Just because someone is breathing doesn't mean they're a live prospect; it just means they're alive period! Unfortunately, your sales funnel can get clogged up with too many non, or poor, opportunities and you spend your time spinning your sales wheels instead of focusing on business that you can close in a timely manner.

One way to minimize the sludge is to make sure that it doesn't get into the funnel in the first place. It's important to properly qualify the opportunity during the Probe part of the sales process. Sharp salespeople not only take the time to properly qualify opportunities but they take pains to disqualify those opportunities that can result in wasting their valuable selling time.

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Even the most efficient salespeople will find their sales funnel getting filled with sales sludge from time to time. You need to review what's in the funnel and take the time to separate the good opportunities from the bad and clean it up so the funnel is flowing effectively again.

How often you decide to clean out your funnel will depend upon how many new or potential opportunities are added each month. As a minimum, you should probably be cleaning up your funnel once a quarter, or even monthly, if you're doing the type of selling that generates a lot of potential opportunities.

Sludge Cleaner

Here is a relatively simple tool that will help you decide whether an opportunity is worth keeping in the funnel or not, and if it is worth keeping, what priority you should assign to it. This method allows you to quickly assign a percent chance of closing the sale to each of your opportunities.

Once you've assigned a percent chance of getting the sale to your opportunities, all you have to do is rank them in order to determine which opportunities you should be working on and which one you should let die a natural death.

All you need to do is look at each of your opportunities and check off the questions in four categories — price information, degree of urgency, funds approval, and competitive edge.

Price Information

10% Prospect has written quote or price information.

5% Prospect has verbal quote or informal pricing information.

0% Not quoted as yet.

Degree of Urgency

30% High degree of urgency. Prospect must buy something now.

20% Medium degree of urgency. Prospect should buy now.

10% Some degree of urgency. Prospect may decide to buy now.

0% No/low degree of urgency. Prospect doesn't need to buy now.

Funds Approval

30% Opportunity funded to or above our price.

20% High probability of funds approval.

10% Good probability of obtaining funds.

0% Funds not yet available and/or approved.

Competitive Edge

20% Sole source, no other competitors being considered.

10% Good rapport, preferred or favoured vendor.

5% Competitors still being seriously considered. Who & why?

0% Sale possible only with difficulty. Why?

You'll note that, at best, you can only have a 90 percent chance of getting the business. That's because a sale isn't 100 percent until the product/service has been delivered, installed, completed, paid for, etc, and you've done a follow up to ensure the customer is satisfied.

Make It Work for You

Of course this system isn't a "one-size-fits-all" solution to the problem of sludge removal but it can be changed and modified to fit most sales situations. Take the time to make it fit yours and keep the sales flowing.

Both you and your sales manager will be delighted you did.

-0-

About the Author

Packing A Punch With Voicemail Messages by Paul Cherry

2010-10-12T11:08:00.001-07:00

Voice mail messages can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, voice mail is an easy way for you to leave a brief but useful message for a prospective customer. On the other hand, we all know it’s just as easy for those same prospects to ignore or simply erase voice mail from unknown salespeople. If you hone your voice mail messages for maximum impact, however, you’ll create great sales opportunities.

WHY VOICE MAIL IS A POWERFUL SALES TOOL

Your voice communicates enthusiasm, warmth, and energy that easily gets lost in a printed or e-mail format.

Because voice mail is such a basic communication tool, you don’t have to worry about technical compatibility and accessibility from your prospects’ end.

You can communicate your message to many prospects within a short time. A seasoned rep can easily convey a powerful message to 20 prospects in under an hour. If that leads to one callback who’s truly interested, you’re on your way to getting results.

Voice mail saves money. The average voice mail message is 30 to 45 seconds long. If you factor in time to connect and transfer into voice mail, your average cost per call should be 10 to 30 cents—cheaper than a first class postage stamp!

Voice mail is flexible. From lead generation, scheduling appointments, connecting with past customers, or announcing special offers or a letter or e-mail already on its way, your opportunities are unlimited.

Most prospects receive a few dozen e-mail solicitations daily—but in that monsoon of e-mail and direct mail solicitations, voice mail messaging stands out like a ray of sunshine.

With so much information thrown at customers, standing out is no easy feat. Voice mail hasn’t been exploited like e-mail or direct mail. Leaving a powerful, concise voice mail message lets you differentiate your own unique message that speaks to your prospects’ needs.

Voice mail messaging builds confidence and sales presentation skills. New sales reps especially must learn all about product features while fine-tuning their selling skills. Their biggest fear is if they have to interact with a live prospect who asks a question for which they don’t have an answer. Practicing a well-rehearsed script on voice mail gives new reps experience while they acquire product knowledge.

For new reps, voice mail messages can be limited to introducing special offers or promotions, or to schedule a joint sales call. These approaches give new salespeople a great opportunity to reach out to veteran customers and new prospects in a safe, controlled environment.

EXAMPLES OF VOICE MAIL THAT PROVOKES RESPONSES

Note that the following examples cite articles covering subjects of interest to the prospect.

By citing an article or other tool to help your prospect enhance her work environment, job, or career, you’re positioning yourself as a consultant and advisor, increasing your prospect’s interest in calling you back. When you connect with her, you’ll have positioned yourself as a credible source who understands her issues, not just another peddler eager to launch into a sales pitch.

“Hi, my name is _____, and last week I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that claimed drug testing is an ineffective tool to weed out poor-quality job applicants. Yet, five times more companies test for drugs today compared to ten years ago. I have worked with a company in your industry that has reported saving over $5 million by streamlining its hiring process and increasing its retention rates. Is this something you’re looking to address? If so, please call me back at _____.”

“Hi, my name is _____, and I recently read an article in U.S. News & World Report stating that over 75% of high-tech firms today turn to foreign workers to manage their help-desk operations. One of the key challenges seems to be surmounting the language barrier and the difficulty customers have had communicating with the new help-desk personnel. My company is currently working with a client who has addressed this concern and increased customer retention by 30% over the past 12 months as a result of our services. Is this an issue you are experiencing? If so, please call me at _____.”

A template can help you form more educational questions to suit your situation, like the following examples:

“Hi, my name is ____, and I recently came across some information that would be of interest to you. While reading the trade journal __________, I learned that __________ which seems to be an issue a number of my clients are dealing with. I’m curious if this is an area you are looking to address and, if so, we have some ideas. Please call ________.”

“… and I’ve learned about some pending legislation that might affect your company. The legislation is _____. Does your company have a plan in place to deal with this change? Over (number of companies) in your industry have turned to us for solutions…”

“… and I read an article this morning in _____ claiming that ________. My clients’ experiences have been different, however, and I was wondering how your company’s experience compares…”

Make your voice mail messages an engaging calling card for you and your company, and you’ll increase the likelihood of prospects calling you back.

Paul Cherry is President of the sales and leadership firm Performance Based Results and the author of QUESTIONS THAT SELL, published by AMACOM Books. Paul can be reached at 302-478-4443 or e-mailed at cherry@pbresults.com. When you subscribe to our quarterly newsletter at http://www.pbresults.com, download our free white paper, “Top Questions that Sell,” based on PBR's latest research on what salespeople need to ask in order to up-sell, cross-sell and win more customers!

Two Types Of Salespeople by Jim Meisenheimer

2010-10-11T10:42:00.001-07:00

Actually "There are three kinds of salespeople; those who make
things happen, those who watch things happen and those who are
wondering what happened."

You've probably heard that one before. In fact, there are two
different types of salespeople and they are very easy to spot.

The first type is the improvisor. He seldom prepares, his
preferred style, is to take things as they come. He likes to
be spontaneous. He usually relies on his instinct and counts
on his intuition to carry the day.

His days are fun filled and exciting, because he literally treats
each sales call as an adventure. He's the Indiana Jones of
selling, foot loose and fancy free, whatever that means.

The second type is the professional. He also enjoys his work, for
different reasons. He anticipates everything, especially the
routines and repetitive stuff. He knows the routines which gives
him the opportunity to prepare in advance.

For example, he handles recurring objections. He knows he'll get
them over and over again, so he prepares in advance how he will
deal with them.

He plays with words, until he creates power phrases that work
like magic. Once prepared, he knows that to execute a perfect
delivery, he must practice what he's prepared until he nails it.

He records his power phrases into a digital recorder and plays
them over and over until they are anchored into his subconscious.

His sales calls are different because he treats them as
opportunities not as adventures.

There are two types of salespeople and of course they achieve
two different results.

Each one follows a pattern, one is unstructured and one isn't.

Each can be seen as a formula. One formula gets better selling
results than the other. Here they are:

I + I = I (Instinct + Intuition = Improvisation)

P + P = P (Preparation + Practice = Professionalism)

The secret to achieving consistent selling success is that there
are no shortcuts, no quickies just plain old fashioned hard work.

These are the formulas and you get to choose. One doesn't require
much preparation.

One pays better than the other.

Remember this too, preparation trumps improvisation every day of
the week.

Also remember, your customers can tell the difference between "Improvisation" and "Preparation."

When you combine preparation with practice you get professionalism
which enables you to meet with a success you never before imagined.

About
The Author:

Make sure you check out Jim's Sales Trailblazer program: http://salestrailblazer.com

Jim is a
Sales Strategist and is the creator of No-Brainer Selling Skills.
He shows salespeople and entrepreneurs how to increase sales,
earn more money, have more fun, and how to do it all in less
time. His focus is on practical ideas that get immediate results.
He offers Advanced Sales Management Workshops, Sales Coaching,
Consulting, In-house Sales Training Programs, and a wide variety
of Learning Tools i.e. books, special reports, sales manuals,
and CDs.Jim Meisenheimer
is a member of The National Speakers Association, where he earned
the C.S.P. designation, Certified Speaking Professional. He
has authored five books including, "The 12 Best Questions
To Ask Customers," and the recently published “57
Ways To Take Control Of Your Time And Your Life”.

Websites: http://www.startsellingmore.com/

http://www.meisenheimer.com/

Are Your Follow-Up's Accomplishments, Or Just Activities by Art Sobczak

2010-10-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Do you really know where you stand with the
prospects in your follow-up files right now?

Come on, really now? I'm not trying to make
you feel bad, but my experience is that many
sales reps have no clue where they are in
the sales process with a majority of the
people they are following up with.

Yet, they continue to call, continue to
leave voice mail messages ("Hey, I'm just
checking in with you, wondering how it's
going..."), send an endless stream of emails,
and HOPE that something will happen.

It's like running on a treadmill. There's
lots of activity, but you don't go anywhere.

And it can exhaust you. (Actually, the
treadmill is better since at least you are
accomplishing something physically-more
people should do it. I digress.)

Although some reps argue that at least they
are making contact and "touching" their
prospects through their messages, I say,
bull. Here's why:

1. Repeated messages with no value puts you
in a position where you're viewed as a vendor...
a salesperson whose goal is to sell them
something. The more you call to "just check
in," the more the image of the "stalker
salesperson" is solidified in their mind.

2. You waste time, and money, on a couple
of levels. First, let me make the assumption
that many of these "prospects" never will
do anything with you. Therefore, you are
throwing away time--which translates into
money--by continuing to call them. Not only
are you wasting the time when you actually
DO reach them, but factor in all of the
attempts and messages you leave.

And then add the prep time for each call
(You are doing pre-call planning, right?)

OK, so what should we be doing?

Let's zoom in to a call. We need to gauge
the temperature of the prospect and get a
snapshot of precisely where we are with them.
I've found that it's always best to let the
prospect tell you their perception of the
progression of the sales cycle and what
the next steps should be.

For example, when you reach the point
where you feel things have moved sufficiently,
ask,

"So, where are we right now?"

"Where do we sit right now?"

"How far do you feel we have progressed

to this point?"

"How close are we to making this happen?"

"What are the next steps?"

"What next?"

"What needs to happen on your end to move
forward?"

"How do you see us proceeding?"

And then...?

Assuming you've done this, received good
information, and the person truly is a good
prospect, then what?

Well, let's use a real situation posed to
me by a reader. Donald Holbrook with Stanford
Keene asked,

"I manage three guys that are on the phone
every day and talking to the top executives
in companies worldwide. I am continuously
working on my verbal communication as well
as theirs. As you can imagine, we have to"follow up" with our contacts and have
found that it is common for these guys
to say that they are calling back to "touch
base" or "when is a good time for me to get
back in contact to touch base and see how
things have progressed?" What suggestions
would you have to replace these words?

Recommendation

To tie this into what I have covered earlier,
I always say the success of the follow up is
in direct relation to the success of the
previous call, and what is to happen next.

It involves getting a commitment that they
(the prospect) will do something and you'll
do something as a result of the call.

Then you can follow up with,

"I'm calling to continue our conversation
of last week where we had discussed ____
and you were going to review the statistics
I sent you. I'd like to go through those
with you and I have some additional
information I believe you'll find beneficial."

On your follow-up calls it's important to
remember that your prospects are likely
not doing pre-call planning like you.
Therefore, you can't assume they are in
the same frame of mind as you when your
call arrives. Actually, you should assume
they might not even remember you. Then
you'll make it a point to briefly review
where you left the previous conversation:

"The last time we spoke you had shown
interest in..."

"I'm calling to continue our conversation
from last week where we had discussed ____
and you were going to..."

Remember, activity is not accomplishment.

Worse, it could be costly. Use these ideas
to move your prospects forward, and your
sales higher.

_________________________________

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Listen long enough and the person will generally come up with an adequate solution."

Mary Kay Ash

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

32 Fatal Negotiating Mistakes That Cost Salespeople Money by Kelley Robertson

2010-10-05T10:04:00.001-07:00

Most sales people are required to negotiate with their prospects and customers. But let's face it, today's consumer and corporate buyer is much more aggressive when negotiating the terms of a sale. Unfortunately, many sales people lack the same level of sophistication when negotiating with savvy purchasers. Here are thirty-two fatal mistakes that sales people often make when they negotiate.

1. Believing that price is the primary reason why people make a buying decision. Although price is a factor in every sale, it is seldom the motivating factor behind a person's final decision.

2. Not asking enough high-value questions. I'm still amazed how few sales people take the time to ask great questions during the sales process which makes it more difficult for them to effectively position their offering.

3. Not gathering the RIGHT information. While it is essential to ask questions, it is equally important to ask the right questions so you can negotiate more effectively.

4. Falling prey to the myth that ALL of your competitors are always cheaper. Someone, somewhere will always be able to sell a similar product for less. However, unless you are the absolute highest priced vendor in your marketplace, not all of your competitors will be cheaper.

5. Failing to establish the value of their product, service or solution. Value is in the eyes of the beholder so determine what is important to each buyer or customer and position your product or service accordingly.

6. Allowing their ego to get in the way. Negotiating is part of business but I have seen people walk away from a good deal because their ego got in the way and clouded their judgment.

7. Failing to remain objective during the sales and negotiating process.

8. Another mistake is to reveal any deadlines you working with. A tight deadline puts you under time pressure and a savvy person will use this grind out a better deal for themselves.

9. Neglecting to negotiate with limited authority. Don't hesitate to tell a prospect that you need to check with your boss before you agree to a concession. This gives you wiggle room and allows you to appear that you are working on behalf of your customer.

10. Failing to plan. Failure to plan means planning to fail. Invest the time to plan your approach, the tactics you will use, the concessions you are prepared to make, and what information you still need to negotiate the best possible outcome.

11. Failing to determine a walk-away point. If you don't know when to walk away from a sale, you could end up losing money.

12. Unable to walk away. Too many sales people find themselves in the position of accepting an offer only to discover later that the deal actually cost them money. If the sale doesn't make good business sense be prepared to walk away from it, regardless of the time you have invested.

13. Not taking a time out to think. Important decisions are sometimes made without proper thought; often in the heat of the moment or in order to get the deal done. Taking the time to think about the implications can save you money and add critical profit dollars to your bottom line.

14. Failing to get a different perspective. I often talk to my business partner before making a final negotiating decision. This gives me a different perspective, and often, new ideas and strategies. Use your time out to review the deal with someone who is not attached to the outcome.

15. Negotiating with the wrong person or people. If you're not talking to someone who can make a final buying decision then you are dealing with the wrong person.

16. Talking too much. I have watched dozens of sales people negotiate with themselves because they talked too much. The best negotiators listen more than they talk.

17. Not using silence as a negotiating strategy. I saw this in action when my wife spoke to a client on the telephone. Instead of immediately responding to the person's request, she paused and remained silent. A few moments later, the client made a concession that added more money to the deal.

18. Making too many assumptions. You may have heard the expression, "Assuming makes an ASS of U and ME." Enough said.

19. Not properly using written testimonials and endorsements. Assuming you have testimonials in place, I suggest arranging them into different categories so you can use the right testimonial at the right time.

20. Giving in too soon. People appreciate what they have to work for. If you give in too soon, people will think that something is wrong with the product or that you are desperate for the sale.

21. Not listening carefully enough. Instead of waiting for your turn to speak listen intently to other person. It sounds simple but it takes effort, energy and patience.

22. Fear of losing the sale. Remember, there will always be someone else to sell to. This fear is more prominent when a sales person's pipeline is running on empty so avoid it by constantly adding new prospects to your pipeline.

23. Immediately offering a discount to close the deal. Remember, price is seldom the primary reason people make buying decision. Avoid the temptation to drop your price unless you have first considered other options.

24. Making too many concessions without getting something in return. If the other person refuses to make concession, you are simply negotiating against yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for something in return for offering a concession.

25. Failing to pay close attention for clues and underlying messages. Watch the other person's behaviour and body language. If they look down when asking for a discount, it indicates that they may be uncomfortable making that request.

26. Making concessions too quickly. When you make people wait before you concede to something, you increase the value of that concession and you subconsciously tell them that if they keep asking for concessions, the negotiating process will take longer.

27. Lack of confidence. This is usually a result of lack of negotiating skills which is why it is important to practice negotiating as often as possible. It can also be caused when negotiating with someone who is perceived to have more power than you.

28. Being overconfident when entering the negotiations. Get your ego out of the picture. I have seen some sales go sideways because the seller was overconfident in their approach.

29. Failing to practice. Great negotiators use every available opportunity to practice their skills. The more you negotiate the better you will get and the more comfortable you will become.

30. Believing that the buyer or customer has all the power. While I accept the fact that buyers have more leverage in today's business climate, it is essential to realize that you can walk away from a deal if the other person get too aggressive or makes unrealistic demands.

31. Not using a variety of tactics and strategies. Great negotiators are well versed and they know how and when to use specific tactics such as the Flinch, Trade-off Principle, Nibble, etc.

32. Trying to rush the negotiating process. Effective negotiators have the patience of Job. They can wait out delays and they never show anxiety when the process doesn't move as quickly as they would like it to.

There you have it. Thirty-two mistakes, blunders and gaffes that sales people make when negotiating. Avoid these errors and improve your results, your top-line sales and your bottom-line profits.

© MMX Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Get your FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to Kelley's free newsletter, "59 Seconds to Sales Success" at www.Fearless-Selling.ca.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits with less effort. Kelley conducts sales training workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Contact
him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

Negative Selling - Does It Work? by Dan Adams

2010-10-05T09:29:00.001-07:00

Dan:

It is election season, so I'm seeing quite a few negative ads on TV in which political candidates criticize each other. It seems it must work because the negativity is used frequently in both political arenas and in the traditional B2B selling world.

What are your thoughts?

Kathleen - St. Paul, MN

Kathleen:

Great question!!

I am certainly no political expert, but it seems that we can draw parallels to the business world. In my experience (with large investment, long buying process, B2B high technology sales to educated senior executives) it does not work. In fact, it accentuates the traditional negative perceptions of the selling profession. Now some may say it does work. I would argue that any success enjoyed as a result of negative selling was sheer luck and probability at work. The negative sellers only drew the conclusion that their negative methods worked. This reasoning might be as accurate as predicting the gender of an unborn child by way of a coin toss. Anyone will be correct 50% of the time!

In my workshops and book I stress that reps need to understand that their needs as well as the needs of their company and client are best served over the long term by utilizing a highly consultative approach. That approach has TRUST as its core foundation. Negative selling results in withdrawals from the bank of trust versus deposits. See First National Bank of Trust.

What should be done if there is a feature or characteristic about my competition that I want my customer to be aware of? Here is the first question you ask yourself: "Is that issue related to one of my customer's key purchase criteria?" You may recall from an earlier email that one of the key BMPCC account qualification questions results in a thorough understanding of your client's purchase criteria. If the issue is not currently on of your client's purchase criteria then you can use a Change the Game Strategy to help the customer to add it to her criteria.

If and only if this issue is one of your client's key criteria, you may highlight your positive rather than your competitor's negative. For example, let's say your system has better quality that your competition. You simply accentuate your quality and invite a comparison to others.

Another approach is to utilize the statement: "There is no perfect solution. Each of the offerings you are considering has tradeoffs". If the customer invites further discussion, you can highlight the positive aspects of the competitive offering and then, in a balanced approach, discuss the "tradeoff" of their offering. The key here is balance. Focusing only on the negative, or spending more time on the negative versus the positive, will result in less trust.

In summary, I believe that people buy from whom they trust. Negative selling decreases trust rather than increases trust.

Good Luck, and Close 'Em!

About
the Author:

Daniel Adams, author of Building Trust, Growing Sales,
and creator of Trust Triangle Selling™ helps corporations
improve their profits by optimizing the performance of their sales
teams. He is a frequent and popular speaker at national sales
meetings, workshops and association events. You can visit his
web site and read his other articles at www.trusttriangleselling.com.

19 Ways to Lose Top-Performing Salespeople by Brian Jeffrey

2010-09-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Relax, this is not a tutorial on how to lose salespeople, good or bad. It's hard enough finding top-performing salespeople in the first place, so why would anyone want to lose them? The answer, of course, is that you don't, but there are a number of things that you do or don't do that will drive your top performers out the door.

What about your other salespeople — the less-than-top performers? They're likely to stay put simply because they're not top performers and finding another job isn't as easy.

Good salespeople move around because they can. The less-than-good salespeople hang tight because it's prudent to do so. The not-so-good salespeople take root and you have to dig them out before they'll migrate.

The Top 19 Retention Sins

In their eBook "Sales Recruiting 2.0 — How to Find Top-Performing Sales People, Fast," Eliot Burdett and Brent Thompson of Peak Sales Recruiting Inc have identified the most common mistakes, issues, and omissions that cause peak performers to leave an organization. You might consider buying a copy. It's a good read if you're considering using a recruiting professional.

As you read down through this list of 19 retention sins, check off those that your company might be guilty of so that you can plug the holes in your sales dike.

Frequent changes to the commission plan.

A reduction in commission rate if the salesperson produces big sales and big commissions.

Penalizing the sales team for post sales delivery.

Refusal to compensate the salesperson on certain types of sales that generate desirable profits for the company.

Failure to support them with proactive product management, strong product development, professional delivery and effective support.

Investing nothing in marketing and brand recognition.

Making them spend a lot of time completing reports and doing other non-selling activities.

Hiring sub-par salespeople and keeping poor performers on board.

Stepping in to take over accounts which salespeople have worked hard to acquire and develop.

Focusing on hours and activities instead of results.

Forgetting to be a cheerleader to get everyone over their daily rejections.

Requiring salespeople to make cheap travel arrangements which waste valuable selling time.

Not providing best practices and resources such as objection handling scripts and reference material.

Asking the salespeople to lie to customers and prospects in order to close more business.

Avoiding coaching and constructively helping the salespeople to be bigger producers.

Refusing to leave your office and visit customers.

Paying commissions late.

Taking credit for closing deals the salesperson closed.

Implying that selling is the easy part of the company's success.

Building the Best Environment

While the prime intention of this list is to help you uncover potential problems within your organization, it can have a more important use as well. It can be used as a checklist to build an internal environment that not only keeps your top salespeople happy but gets others to aspire to join that lofty rank.

Building the Best Team

Just like having a great stadium to play in doesn't guarantee a winning team, creating an open and supportive environment for your salespeople, while important, is only one part of the equation. The players are the key.

Sports teams are constantly assessing their players and fine-tuning their line-up. Unfortunately for us, we can't send a poor-performing salesperson off to the farm team for some seasoning, or draft a top performer from one of our competitors as they do in hockey. We have to make do with what we've got.

This means that we've always got to be on the lookout for "free agents," as well as take care in our hiring process to ensure we're strengthening our line-up.

Because of the nature of my business, I agree with Burdett's and Thompson's sin #8. Hiring sub-par salespeople and keeping poor performers on board is not how you build a strong, enduring sales team.

You might consider benchmarking your existing team to see who's who and what's what. Benchmarking can help you find the holes that need plugging or the people that may need culling on your way to the best team you can build.

If you want to know more about benchmarking, let me know and I'll send you a copy of our white paper on the topic.

The Bottom Line

Build an environment where top performers can thrive and then find top performers to put into that environment. Help your good salespeople become better and assist the bottom 10 percent to find a position more in keeping with their talents.

About the Author

What Are You Struggling With In Your Sales Career? by Jim Meisenheimer

2010-09-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

What are you struggling with in your sales career?

Have you ever taken an inventory of what's holding you back?

Throughout your life you're bound to struggle from time to time. Hey, we all do. It's no crime to struggle. It is however poor judgment to struggle needlessly and endlessly.

One of my favorite quotes is by Albert Einstein who once said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Your life isn't designed to face endless struggles. They come and they go. The more you learn about what you're struggling with the sooner you'll get rid of them.

Continuous learning is one of the solutions for dealing with the stuff you face in your sales career.

The opportunities to learn are limitless. You can read books, listen to CDs, watch DVDs, subscribe to blogs and even newsletters. You can take courses at your local university and today it's possible to take courses online.

Just don't stop learning because it's too important to be put on the back burner of your life.

Here's how you can deal with whatever you may be struggling with today.

Got struggles =>> Get competence =>> Get confidence

Take a close look at this list to see if you're struggling with any of these things. Send me an email if you're struggling with something else that's not on the list. I'd like to hear about it. jim@meisenheimer.com

Here are some of the things professional salespeople struggle with on a daily basis:

1. Dream Big - your life isn’t a dress rehearsal

2. How To Become The Best You Can Be

3. The A-B-C’s Of Effective Goal Setting - Establishing Goals That Stick

4. How To Find Time For Yourself, Protect Your Insanity, Stay Balanced, And Sell More

5. How To Avoid Making The Mistakes Most Salespeople Make - part I

6. How To Avoid Making The Mistakes Most Salespeople Make - part II

7. How To Explore And Explode The Brand Called You

8. How To Turn Gate-keepers Into Advocates

9. How To Avoid Turning A Sales Call Into An Adventure

10. How To Use Systems To Make Everything Work For You - part I

11. How To Use Systems To Make Everything Work For You - part II

12. The Shocking Truth About Asking The Right Sales Questions

13. How To Create The Perfect Segue To Any Sales Presentation

14. How To Make Every Stand-up Sales Presentations Standout

15. How To Achieve Selling Success Using Simple Strategic Account Plans

16. How To Prepare Effective Sales Proposals (Step-By-Step)

17. How To Adapt Your Selling Style To Your Buyers’ Buying Style

18. How To Overcome Obstacles Including Price

19. How To Master Your Follow-ups

20. How You Can Make Big Things Happen With 47 Little Things

21. How To Build Your Self-confidence and Preparing To Succeed

22. How To Multiply Your Sales With Clever Selling Strategies

23. In Sales Attitude Has Everything To Do With Everything

24. Even More Valuable Sales Tips And Selling Techniques

Just like your actions follow your thoughts, your self-confidence always improves with increased competence. And I just don't think you can acquire competence via osmosis.

I didn't become a student of selling until I became a teacher of selling and maybe, just maybe that's another example of insanity.

I don't have all the answers because I'm still a student with a thirst for more knowledge. It's a journey not a destination. But what a journey it is.

Why struggle when you can choose to grow and prosper.

Ya know - every day, in every way, you can get better and better!

Take another look at the list of 24. This list is what's covered in the 24 Sales Trailblazer Lessons.

Remember Einstein's quote about insanity.

Stop doing what you've been doing, IF IT's NOT WORKING for you. Become a Sales Trailblazer and learn how to live your life to the fullest!

About
The Author:

Make sure you check out Jim's Sales Trailblazer program: http://salestrailblazer.com

Websites: http://www.startsellingmore.com/

http://www.meisenheimer.com/

E-Mail Prospecting - 7 Ways to Get Your Prospect's E-Mail Address by Jim Domanski

2010-09-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

Business to business cold calling can be made easier and more successful when you use a well crafted e-mail targeted to a specific prospect. Some studies indicate that an e-mail and voice contact strategy can increase closing by as much as 20%. So, it pays to have an e-mail address.

Of course, the problem is getting the prospect's e-mail address.

This article provides you with 7 ways to obtain an e-mail address. The techniques tend to take time and effort, and they assume that you're crafting a 1:1 approach to your prospecting effort (versus a mass mailing effort). If you are a financial adviser, trainer, consultant, or if you sell high end products or services, this article is for you.

WARNING: Some of the techniques below are a little edgy and must be used with integrity. What this really means is you need to follow the processes described so that you never misrepresent yourself or your company.

1. Receptionist - Just Ask

Start with the easiest of tactics. For the amount of time and effort it takes to dial a company and speak to the receptionist this approach is a no-brainer. Just call and ask for the e-mail address of your prospect. You might get lucky.

2. Website - Look for the Code

Sometimes the most obvious spot to find an e-mail address is the most overlooked. Check the website. On occasion, e-mail addresses are as bold as brass.

Look for the 'code.' You might not find your prospect's e-mail address but if you can find any e-mail address chances are you'll discover the address code.

A great place to look is the "sales contact" page. Sometimes the name of a marketing or sales rep is listed. If you see, joe.smith@abc.com chances are your client's first name, dot, last name and the company name is all you need. (Be careful with this tactic. Sometimes the name is fictitious and is used only to garner inquiries.)

3. Call Sales or Customer Service - Direct and Indirect

Direct. A quick and easy way to get e-mail addresses is to call your prospect's sales or customer service department. When calling sales, be candid. Explain that you are sales rep (just like them) and you'd like the e-mail address of your prospect. Sales reps understand your plight and will often help you out. This is a powerful and effective technique.

Customer Service departments can be helpful too because most CSRs have been taught to be helpful. Simply ask,

"I am sending Mr. Big an e-mail but I don't seem to have his address. Can you help me?"

Simple as that. Always be candid if asked why or what you are sending.

Indirect. Some sales or customer service departments won't give e-mail addresses as a matter of policy. One way to tackle this is to treat the call as an information gathering contact. Ask the rep for information about the company, products and services and then request his/her e-mail address in order to send him/her a thank you note. Et voila! You've got the code.

Or, if you ask the rep for Mr. Big's e-mail address and they refuse, ask the rep for his e-mail address. He will know what you are doing but will he probably chuckle and give it to you. You can figure out the rest from there.

4. Experiment - Try Different Addresses

This tactic takes some time and effort but it sets you up for the next step (#5) listed below. Most e-mail addresses are standardized. For example, first name plus company name or first name last name and company name. Or maybe it is last name with an initial and company name. The variations are obvious.

If you have a handful of prime prospects and you haven't been able to get an e-mail address despite trying a number of avenues, try sending your e-mail to the variations you've created. Usually you'll get an error message on those addresses that don't exist. Meanwhile, one of your variations is bound to get through.

But if they don't here's what you do next.

5. Back to Reception, Sales or Customer Service - The E-Mail Error

If the variations do not work, call reception, sales or customer service. Explain that you have attempted to send an e-mail to Ms. Decisiononi but the e-mail address does not seem to be correct; that there seems to be an 'error:'

'I have been trying to send Ms. Decisioni an e-mail and I am wondering if I have the right address. I keep getting an error message. I have, j_decisioni@xyz.com. Is that correct or did I get wrong?"

The beauty about this approach is that it is legitimate. You can honestly say that you have attempted to reach the prospect and that the e-mail address is truly wrong. This protects the integrity of the relationship. And while the approach does take additional time and effort, it works well. Use it for prospects that have the greatest potential.

6. Use LinkedIn

LinkedIn offers a vast amount of information on your prospects. First, use the search feature to determine if your prospect is a LinkedIn member. If so, review the information provided in the profile. Sometimes you will find an e-mail address. Or, you can contact the prospect via LinkedIn e-mail service.

7. Use Traditional Marketing - Send Something

The final way to gather an e-mail address is to send the prospect a card or letter and request an e-mail response. Offer a special report or copy a company newsletter or send something of value (anything from an industry report to something more personal like a jar of BBQ spices) and then ask the client to respond by sending you an e-mail.

Summary

There is no question that e-mail prospecting enhances telephone prospecting. Getting an e-mail address may take time and require a little creativity but the 'synergy' that the e-mail provides in the cold call processing is considerable. Give yourself an edge. Do what it takes. For more information here is my e-mail address: jim@teleconceptsconsulting.com There, I made it easy for you.

About The Author:

Teleconcepts Consulting works with companies and individuals who struggle to use the telephone more effectively to sell and market their products and services. For more information on consulting services and training programs, articles, and other resources visit www.teleconceptsconsulting.com or call 613 591 1998.

Disastrous Prospecting Mistakes You May Be Making Unintentionally By Jill Konrath, Author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies

2010-09-22T12:02:00.001-07:00

No one I know wants to sound like a self-serving salesperson. So, as we prospect for new customers, we vow to never stoop as low as those product-pushing peddlers.

Instead, we decide to be paragons of professionalism. When we contact our prospects and get their voicemail instead, we'll leave a message like this one:

Hi Pat. This is Jane Kerry calling. I'm with Big Deal Strategies, a leading marketing firm in the Minneapolis area. We offer a wide range of services, including branding, collateral development, as well as packaging and web design - one-stop shopping for all your marketing needs.

I'd love to set up a time to find out about your needs and tell you a bit about how we might help your company. Please give me a call at your earliest convenience. My number is 123-456-7890. I look forward to meeting you. Have a great day!

As we hang up the phone, we pride ourselves on how gracious we were. Not one bit pushy either. In short, perfect.

Well, guess what! When your prospects hear that "nice" message, the first thing that pops into their head is, "Another self-serving salesperson!" Then they hit the Delete button as fast as they can. It happens with email too.

Or if you actually get a person on the phone, they'll brush you off right away by saying, "We're happy with our present vendor" or "We're not interested."

Why is this happening? It's simple. Your non-salesy message is "salesy." You may not think it is, but if you got dozens of near-identical, but very gracious messages each day from salespeople, you'd change your mind in a hurry.

In short, you have violated the #1 Paradoxical Sales Principle: To get more sales, stop selling.

When you talk about your own company, you're selling - even if you do it nicely. You really cross the line if you use verbiage like one-stop shopping, industry leader, user-friendly, scalable, best-in-class, robust, or innovative.

In fact, if you say even one nice word about your company, you're seen as a typical salesperson - despite all your best efforts to not be. So stop talking about yourself.

How about this for a fresh perspective: Focus on your customer instead. That's the antidote to "selling." In your next call on a prospect, think about how you can quickly:

Demonstrate your knowledge of what's happening in their firm or industry.

Align your message with their issues, goals, objectives and concerns.

Bring them ideas, insights and information about highly relevant topics.

Sound like a colleague who's been thinking about their business challenges.

That's what it takes to capture your prospect's attention today. Your "nice" spiel doesn't work anymore. It just gets you d-e-l-e-t-e-d.

Try this instead.

Pat. Jane Kerry calling. 123-456-7890. If you're like most marketers today, you're probably under a ton of pressure to increase your lead generation effectiveness. One of our recent clients was able to increase their sales pipeline by 31% at the same time they decreased their marketing spend. Let's set up a time to talk. Again, it's Jane Kerry and my number is 123-456-7890.

Or, you could say this.

Pat, Jane Kerry calling. In researching your company, I saw that one of your prime initiatives this year is to drive sales of your new products. We've worked with lots of other high tech companies on this same challenge. I have some ideas on how to shorten ramp up time for your new product introduction. I think you'll find them interesting. Let's see if we can get some time on the calendar in the next week. My number is 123-456-7890. (repeat)

See the difference. It's palpable. You're a business peer. A real professional. A person who brings substantial value. Someone worth meeting. A person who cannot be ignored!

** P.S. Want to learn more about the 7 Paradoxical Sales Principles? Get my one-page cheat sheet here: http://bit.ly/60Yhip.

About The Author:

For more fresh sales strategies that work with crazy-busy prospects AND to get four bonus sales-accelerating tools, visit www.snapselling.com.

What Customers Hate About You by Kelley Robertson

2010-09-22T11:01:00.001-07:00

(Note About Author: Don't miss Kelley's teleseminar How To Eliminate The Dreaded Price Objection this Friday! Can't make the seminar? Pre-order the cd. Click here for details.)

Recent research uncovered almost eighty reasons why
customers dislike salespeople. Here are the top seven.

1. Not listening. This was the most cited reason
customers dislike salespeople. Too many salespeople
neglect to listen to what their customers or prospects
say which means they fail to address the key issues
that their customer has stated as being important. I
remember an interaction with a couple of salespeople a
few years ago. One of them asked some great
questions to learn more about my particular situation.
However, his counterpart did not listen to my
responses, and as a result, his solution did not address
my business challenges and buying requirements. In
fact, his presentation was so far off-base, I abruptly
called an end to the meeting. Time is a precious
commodity for people and when you don’t listen you
disrespect your prospect.

2. Talking too much. It still amazes me how many
salespeople think that telling is selling. I see this in
virtually every type of sales environment from B2B to
B2C to Retail. My personal belief is that your prospect
or customer should do most of the talking in a sales
conversation. Sales people react to this idea by saying,
“But if they’re doing all the talking how can I sell my
product?” The key is to let your customer do enough
talking so that you can properly present a solution to
their problem or situation.

3. Lack of knowledge. In today’s information-rich
world, there is no reason for a salesperson to lack
knowledge about the products and services they sell. I
was recently impressed by the person who gave us an
estimate on a new roof for our house. He knew his
products and was able to speak intelligently about them
and the differences between each. I know that the lifecycles
of many products are very short and that many
companies introduce new products at an alarming rate.
However, if you don’t know enough about your
products, you are going to lose your customer’s
respect, and in all likelihood, the sale. Do yourself a
favor and invest the necessary time learning about your
products and services.

4. Lack of follow-up. Many sales people say they will
do something and fail to follow through. This ranges
from promising to get information to taking care of a
problem or concern. Many people use this as a
barometer before they make a final buying decision.
Here’s how.

A potential customer asks for a particular piece of
information and the sales person promises to deliver it
by a certain date. The deadline passes and the
prospect has to call and remind the salesperson.
Because the sale has not been finalized, warning
signals sound in the customer’s mind. After all, if the
sales person is this slow to respond BEFORE the sale
is made (the courting stage), how long will it take him to
respond AFTER the sale (the marriage)?

Lack of follow up results in lost sales. A person contacts two or three companies about a particular item
or project. All three submit a quote but only one makes
the effort to follow up. Who is more likely going to get
the sale?

5. Lying. “I don’t care about the customer and I’ll tell
them anything I have to in order to get the sale.” Believe it or not, I heard this comment from a
participant in one of my sales training workshops.
Unfortunately, the number of sales people who lie or
intentionally mislead their customers is staggering. This
behavior includes; overstating the capabilities of your
product, stretching the truth, or giving people the wrong
information. Almost everyone has bought a product
from someone who was less than truthful, and as a
result, has become more skeptical with their buying
decisions.

6. Failing to understand their needs. This is an
extension of the first two reasons customers dislike
salespeople. When a sales rep talks too much and
listens too little, they don’t get a full understanding of
their prospect’s situation. I have worked and interacted
with thousands of sales people over the years, both as
a trainer and a buyer and I can state without hesitation
that a mere twenty percent of them actually take the
time to understand their customer’s needs, situation,
concerns, etc. And it is this group of individuals who are
the most successful.

7. Refusal to take ‘no’ for an answer. Almost
everyone in sales knows the importance of persistence.
However, there is a fine line between persistence and
stalking. While you shouldn’t drop your efforts after the
first ‘no’, it is critical to recognize that you won’t gain
anything by pressuring people. In many cases, the
reason someone says ‘no’ is because they don’t see
the value in your product/service or because they are
not a highly qualified prospect.

Sales is an honorable profession. Stand out from your
competition by avoiding these behaviours

Sales Superstar Status by Dan Adams

2010-09-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

This month's question comes from Jill in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dan:

I have read your book and attended your workshop. You often refer to becoming a Sales Superstar. How do you know when you have reached Superstar Status?

Jill

Great question Jill. It is a very tough question to answer because there are a myriad qualities required of a true Sales Superstar. One definite requirement is a commitment to the art of selling. Another part of being a Superstar is having the humility to realize that you don't know enough about the customer at first to really be a consultant. You have to do some research on that person and her company so that you can customize your services and intelligently articulate the value you can bring to them. Of course, this assumes that you actually can bring value to them. Superstars are open and honest if they cannot bring value. It would be the height of arrogance to call someone up and say, "I know what's good for you."

There is another trait of superstars that I call the "Michael Jordan factor".

Formal and Informal Impact

You know you are a Superstar when your skills help to improve your team's performance. Michael Jordan was one of the very best basketball players of all time. One of his most admired talents was his ability to improve the skills of his teammates. His skills and unselfish play was one reason his teammate Scottie Pippen was an all-star.

Sales Superstars too can have this impact. They formally and informally affect their company's performance. Formally, Sales Superstars "raise the bar" relative to performance expectations. Informally, they are unselfish and consistently share best practices, sales tools, strategies, letters and templates with their colleagues.

Commitment to personal and professional growth and improvement.

Sales Superstars are ravenous for new and different approaches and best practices. They internalize Ben Franklin's quote: "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

The Customer Knows

At the end of the day, the one person whose vote really counts is your customer. Do they tell you that they don't see you as an outsider working for Company "A", but rather as an unpaid senior consultant in their business helping them to reach their current and future goals?

There are several other key indicators that you are viewed as trusted adviser by your customers. Ask yourself whether your customers do any of the following:

Continually invest in products/solutions offered by your company regardless of price

Serve as a reference for you and your company

Ask for your help on other unrelated projects

Share confidential information with you

Allow "Back Door" access for you

Consult with you on projects/issues/challenges outside of your paid area of specialization and compensation

Continue to seek your advice even after you leave your company

If you cover a large number of accounts it is nearly impossible to be seen as a trusted adviser by each of them given that your limited interaction. Your goal in this situation is to conquer each account one by one. On the other hand, if you have just a handful or fewer number of accounts you have the potential to be seen as a trusted adviser by all.

Jill, good luck on your quest to become a true Sales Superstar!

Good Luck, and Close 'Em!

Pilots & Trials by Dan Adams

2010-09-07T15:40:00.001-07:00

Thank you to Joanna from Phoenix, AZ, whose question inspired this month's newsletter.

Hello Dan,

Our company offers a software solution to help companies improve their productivity. It comes in two "flavors": installed at the customer's site or accessed via web or cloud.

The problem my sales team is having is that we have several deals where the sales cycle is expanding due to the trials we conduct for the customer. These trials allow the customer to feel more comfortable with the sizable cost of our solution and help us to close the deals. We are also experiencing quite a few instances where the customer does not buy after we invest heavily in the trial.

Any thoughts on how we can improve?

Sincerely,

Joanna

Thanks for your question, Joanna. This is a familiar challenge for many reps and a useful opportunity to share some ideas about trials and pilot programs.

I do have a suggestion which will hopefully reap benefits for you and your team.

I like to say to myself: "Pilots are for airplanes. Trials are for court rooms." Your company is not an airplane or courtroom, so you should really offer neither. This could be a new best practice at your company for all reps to implement.

You may be worrying that you will lose business if you adopt this approach. However, there are other ways to satisfy your customers' requests. What do I mean? First, you will not call it a "pilot". It should be called exactly what it will be, which is a Contingent Order Evaluation Program. In other words, you will offer to spend a significant amount of your company's and personal scarce resources to assist your client in the evaluation of your offering. In return for that, you will seek a contingent order. (This approach is what we call a quid pro quo.) The contingencies will be mutually agreed upon and included on the purchase order prior to the commencement of the evaluation. You will only approve a Contingent Order Evaluation Program for a properly qualified client who meets very specific criteria.

In order to establish your new Contingent Order Evaluation Program policy at your company, you will need the following:

The specific criteria necessary to qualify your client for this program. For example, do you understand the "BMPCC" account qualification criteria? Are all the answers acceptable to you? For more information on the Trust Triangle Selling BMPCC account qualification criteria please access a previous TTS newsletter on the topic HERE.

The exact performance criteria that can be used as the contingencies and listed directly on the customer's purchase order.

The specified duration of the Contingent Order Evaluation Program. In other words, the program must have a clearly defined "end date" ("Critical Event Date") which must be listed on the purchase order.

The purchase order must include a phrase which states something like: "If the software meets or exceeds all of the specific criteria described herein, the contingencies will be removed and this order shall become binding".

The benefits of this approach are:

Achieving customer buy-in. Typically a customer will not apply the necessary resources to something that she does not own. The Contingent Order Evaluation Program forces them to have "skin in the game" and they begin to take ownership which increase your chances of success.

Weeding out the "tire kickers" and poorly qualified clients.

Pinpointing the specific performance requirements of the software PRIOR to the trial versus after the trial.

Allowing you to control the where, who, how and duration of the evaluation.

Involving the client's Finance and Procurement departments. Given that the purchase order will contain specific legal contingencies, early participation by the Finance & Purchasing Department will prevent delays or sabotage of the sale at a later date.

Forces a discussion of the investment and ROI before the evaluation. This prevents surprises and delays occurring at the completion of the evaluation.

Driving a strong process (3-D) to the evaluation with a "Critical Event" date.

Establishing the criteria for success up front, avoiding subsequent surprises and delays.

The criteria that are placed on the purchase order serve as a white picket fence of sorts, adding structure and process. You will clearly define exactly what both your company and client expect during the evaluation of your offering. This will prevent the chaos you described in your question and will help you for close more deals, in less time, with greater forecasting accuracy and at higher margins.

Good Luck, and Close 'Em!

The Easy Way to Get Bigger Sales by Art Sobczak

2010-09-07T10:15:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

A newer sales rep came into a company, in an
industry he had never sold to before. Within
two months he was kicking major butt and
became the Number One rep. By a lot.

One disgruntled and jealous rep, in another region,
who had been there for a few years, asked the manager
what the new rep was doing that got such great results.

"He's going to the top level of the companies
we're selling to, and selling bigger deals."

The rep responded, "How does he sell to those
people? I always get stalled at the mid-management
level?"

The manager replied, "He doesn't know that it is
even possible to talk to mid-managers and sell our
product. We told him that the only people he can
talk to are those at the highest level, and that bigger
deals are all that we sell."

Hmmm. Pretty simple point this week:

All that limits us is ourselves, and thinking and
acting BIG gets BIG results

Here are some thoughts along those lines:

----------------------------------------------

It takes just as much energy to ask for a large
order as it does a small one. As long as you're
asking anyway, why not ask LARGE?

----------------------------------------------

When you EXPECT to sell large, that notion
becomes part of you; your thoughts, your
actions, and your results.

----------------------------------------------

Even when you don't get the large sale or project
you ask for, you will probably end with something
more than you would have gotten otherwise if you
had thought small.

----------------------------------------------

The pros with the highest average orders, and
the most overall sales are typically the ones
who shoot for--and ask for--the biggest sales.
The math works on this.

----------------------------------------------

Where you target in the organization usually
determines the size of the sale you're able
to get. Where are you calling? Aim high.

----------------------------------------------

Percy Ross wrote a syndicated newspaper column,"Thanks a Million," where he gave away millions
of dollars to people who wrote in, and ASKED
in the right way. In his now out-of-print book,"Ask for the Moon--and Get It!" he also suggested
asking large: "Take a chance; ask for something
big! Most of us have a tendency to shy away from
the things we want the most. What is it your heart
desires? What is it you want the most? Who could
give it to you or make it come true? Go ahead,
ASK THEM!"

----------------------------------------------

John F. Kennedy said that "Only those who dare
to fail greatly will succeed greatly." He
practiced what he preached; he asked for the
moon, got it approved by Congress, and received
commitment from the thousands of people
who ultimately made it happen in 1969.

----------------------------------------------

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Why not go out on a limb.
Isn't that where the fruit is?"

Frank Scully

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

The 12 Deadly Sins of Sales Questioning - Are You Guilty? By Jim Domanski

2010-09-02T13:41:00.001-07:00

Are you a good questioner? Most sales reps are not. Here is a list of the twelve most common "sins" made by tele-sales reps (or field reps for that matter) and what you can do about them. Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?

Deadly Sin #1: Not Asking Questions at All

Still, after the millions of words that have been written about the importance and value of questioning, there are sales reps that continue to ignore the advice and simply pitch the product. Asking questions gets clients involved by getting THEM to tell YOU what they want or need or think is important. When they're involved, they are more likely to buy. To solve this blunder, stop talking and start asking.

Deadly Sin #2: Asking Dumb and Destructive Questions

Don't be fooled, there ARE dumb questions. For instance, "What do you like about your current supplier?" is a particularly dumb and destructive question. This question gets the client to open up and verbally 'testify' why they like your competitor. In effect, it justifies and reinforces their rationale for choosing their vendor which makes your job even tougher. What to do? THINK about the questions you are going to ask before you ask them.

Deadly Sin #3: Asking too Many Questions

While questions are good and necessary in the selling process too much of a good thing can be dangerous. Asking too many questions can overwhelm, bore or frustrate your client and YOU. Ask yourself: What do I really need to know from the customer or prospect?" Focus on these questions to ensure you get what you need.

Deadly Sin # 4: Asking too Many Open Ended Questions

Open ended questions are often positioned as the Holy Grail of questions because they get the client to 'open up' and provide vital information on their problems, predicaments, pains, opportunities, challenges and the like. However, the truth of the matter is too many open ended questions can be destructive. Unless they are relevant and pertinent, they can confuse, bore, annoy, overwhelm, and bewilder the client. They can often lead you down paths you don't want to go. The solution is twofold: carefully select your open ended questions and then direct and point the discussion with the judicious use of closed ended questions.

Deadly Sin # 5: Asking too Many Close Ended Questions

Closed ended questions are short answer or yes or no type answers. When used wisely they are handy little helpers that verify, clarify and confirm information. In addition they can help direct the questioning so you can identify needs more quickly and easily. The problem occurs when they are overused which tends to make buyers feel they are being grilled or interrogated. Surveys reveal that after three or four consecutive close ended questions buyers feel frustration; beyond that they are annoyed or hostile and will disengage from the conversation. Regrettably, the majority of reps tend to use more closed ended questions than open ended.

The Incredible Questioning Guide

The trick to balancing close and open ended questions is to create a Questioning Guide Chart. Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left side, list all the INFORMATION you need to help understand the client's situation, needs, wants etc. On the right side, list the QUESTIONS that you need to ask in order to get the information. What you will find is that most of your questions end up being close ended. Revamp those questions so there is mix of open and closed. You can use this chart to help you deal with virtually all of the blunders listed here.

Deadly Sin #6: Not Asking Bold Questions

Bold questions are qualifying questions that many reps seem to avoid or forget. They are called bold because sometimes it takes a little nerve to ask them but in doing so you can save time by cutting to the quick and determining if the prospect has potential or not.

One bold question is the decision maker question: "Apart from yourself, Jim, who else is involved in the decision making process?" Another bold question is the budgetary question, "Tara, let me ask you: have funds been budgeted for this project (product, service)?" A third bold question is the time frame question,

"Wendi, when will the decision to buy be made?"

What are your bold questions? Add them to your Questioning Guide.

Deadly Sin # 7: Assuming that One Person Has All the Answers to Your Questions

Depending on the nature of your sale, there may be several stakeholders that could be impacted. Each stakeholder has different needs and requirements and it is vital that you ask each of THEM questions that are relevant to their situation.

Here's what you do. First, ask your contact who does this sale affect? Second, use a bold question and ask your contact for the names of those who might have a stake in the sale. Third, create a Questioning Guide for each particular stakeholder.

Deadly Sin # 8: Not Asking Pain and Gain Questions

Pain questions are those that query about a problem or a predicament or a concern that a client might have that you can fix. Gain questions query about opportunities or enhancements that you might be able to provide. Both questions deal with the issue of motivation. Find a pain or find a gain and you'll begin the motivation process.

How do you do this? Simply develop a list of questions that pinpoint pain and gain. (Your Question Guide is the place for these.) For instance, "Mr. Gunderson, one thing teachers have been telling us is that creating daily class plans is time consuming and frustration. Let me ask, is this similar to your situation?"

Deadly Sin #9: Not Asking Questions that Quantify

Uncovering a pain or gain is a good start but it is rarely enough to close the deal. The pain or the gain might be minor at this particular stage and not important for the client to take action. You need to quantify the motivator. Quantify means getting the client to evaluate the nature and extend of a problem or an opportunity. Often they don't readily see the implications of pain or gain and they need you to help them assess the situation.

For example, you can ask how often a problem occurs. What does it cost the client when it occurs in terms of both time and money? This creates magnitude. The greater the magnitude the greater the motivation.

Deadly Sin # 10: Not Using Questions to Respond to Objections

The trouble with an objection is that you can never be certain if it is the REAL objection or if it is a false objection. The way to deal with virtually any objection is to a) pause, b) empathize and c) ask a question to determine if the objection is real or if it is hiding something else.

For instance, suppose the prospect objects to price. Ask him to "explain" what he means by price. Does he really mean budget or is it an issue of value or is he comparing apples to apples? Who knows? So use questions to solve objections.

Deadly Sin # 11: Not Listening to the Answers to Your Questions

Perhaps one of the deadliest blunders is asking a question but failing to listen to the answer. Some reps dutifully ask questions but instead of listening they are simply waiting for their turn to speak.

To solve this, stay focused on the words being uttered. Use a pen and pad and take notes because it forces you to concentrate. Next, focus on the tone of voice. The way a client speaks offer nuances that can indicate agreement, disagreement, confusion, indifference, annoyance etc. If you hear something in their voice, ask about it: "Eric, I think I hear some confusion in your voice. Is there something I can clarify?"

Deadly Sin #12: Not Asking Verifying Questions

The last blunder is failing to ask verifying questions. This is particularly important in the world of telephone sales, lead generation or prospecting. Verification questions are those that seek to determine if the client understood YOU. For instance, after providing some information to the client (e.g., a product description) ask, "Does that make sense to you?" or "Do follow my logic?" or "How does that sound to you?" Then shut up and listen. Gage the response but more importantly gage the tone. These questions will ensure that you are staying on track and more importantly, that your CLIENT is staying on track with you.

Summary

Questions are the very best of tools in the selling process. But use them wisely by avoiding these blunders. Does that make sense?

About The Author:

Upside Down Salesmanship by Jim Meisenheimer

2010-09-01T08:31:00.001-07:00

Upside down salesmanship was the title of a book that never got
written 30 years ago.

It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details.

I like the title because it accurately describes how I think
about the art of selling.

Selling seems to come naturally to lots of salespeople. This
isn't a bad thing and definitely isn't a good thing either.

The things you do instinctively and intuitively may not be the
best things to be doing as you weave your way through your daily
sales calls.

Here are some examples of what I'm referring to.

Talking versus listening. It's a sure bet, if you're in sales
you like to talk. I've been there and done that.

In fact, growing up, my mouth was the center of my universe. Now,
after I turned my approach to salesmanship upside down, my ears
have become the center of my universe.

Look, how much can you learn when you're talking? Not much! No
amount of talking makes your sales prospects think you really
care about them. Talking doesn't, but listening does.

There's multiple benefits to asking questions during a sales call.

The questions clearly demonstrate your interest and curiosity.

The response to your questions provides you with valuable insights
about your sales prospects and customers.

The more you talk the less you're able to tailor your sales
presentation based on what you've learned about your sales prospect,
because the more you talk the less you'll learn.

Asking good questions enables you to pay close attention to your
sales prospects and their problems which of course you want to
solve.

Here's something else that deserves being turned upside down.

Stop selling and start solving. Just because your products and
services offer solutions is no reason to start selling these
solutions too early, which unfortunately is what too many
salespeople end up doing.

Start with your prospects and customers not with your products
and services. You should avoid doing this until you have
identified and quantified the major problems your prospects and
customers are dealing with.

When you can tailorize (my invention) your product and service
solutions to specific and unique problems, it makes selling so
much easier. It also takes some of the heat and pressure off
your pricing.

When I was growing up, one of my favorite movies to watch during
the holiday season was "The March Of The Wooden Soldiers," which
was a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in November 1934.

The marching wooden soldiers were quite a sight. Perfectly
aligned and always in step with each other. Each soldier did
exactly what the other soldiers did in unison.

Follow along with me. Salespeople do exactly the same thing.

For example, a sales prospect asks you to quote on a piece of
business.

So what do you do - you quote on a piece of business and so do
your competitors. Imagine your prospect solicits and gets five
quotations. Also imagine what he's looking for. You think he's
looking for value in a written quote, nah - he's looking for the
lowest and best price.

You can skip the wooden soldier routine. You can also skip doing
quotes and start doing sales proposals. In your sales proposal
you propose value, benefits, bundled products, and all the other
things you're not likely to include in a "Quote."

Another thing that ought to be turned upside down is "Closing
the sale." Closing the sale is actually a very hot topic. I offer
a special report titled, "The Art Of Closing The Sale." During
the last 4.5 years 26,874 salespeople have requested a copy.

It just reinforces my belief that closing the sale is extremely
important to salespeople. As I say, forget about closing and
concentrate on opening.

Yes opening! Opening the friendship. Opening the relationship.

Opening the doors to mutual benefits shared by you and your
prospects. Doesn't this make more sense?

If you want to parade in front of your sales prospects and customers
like wooden soldiers, then by all means A.B.C. - Always Be Closing.

When you think about it, closing usually means the end to something.

Whereas opening means the start of something and usually good things.

One more thing needs to be turned upside down. I believe it's time
management.

First of all, you can't manage time. You can't speed it up or slow
it down. Everyday has 86,400 seconds which you have absolutely no
control over.

You see, you can't manage time but you can and should manage yourself.

Self management is an art and an acquired taste. I encourage all
entrepreneurs and professional salespeople to develop your interest
in self management.

I suspect Upside Down Salesmanship isn't for everyone. And neither
is belonging to the top 1% club in your industry.

Run for the hills if you see lots of wooden soldiers when you look
into your bathroom mirror.

Turn your approach to salesmanship upside down and while you're
doing this be bold, be daring, and be first in everything you do.

According to Investment Guru Warren Buffet, who also happens to be
the world's second richest man, the five most dangerous words in
business may be, "Everybody else is doing it."

Avoid being a copycat - be the original!

Let me know what your reaction is to the concept of Upside Down
Salesmanship. You never can tell, I just may get serious about
writing the book I didn't write 30 years ago.

About
The Author:

Make sure you check out Jim's Sales Trailblazer program: http://salestrailblazer.com

Websites: http://www.startsellingmore.com/

http://www.meisenheimer.com/