Happy Friday! Today we have a great post from sales trainer Mark Hunter. It will definitely give you something to think about over the weekend!
If something is free — or worse, available in unlimited quantities — how could it have any real value?
My problem with “free” is it’s what far too many salespeople and marketing teams are using as a way to try to create loyal customers. Ask yourself, “How loyal are you going to be to something that’s free?”
Yes, offering something for free can be part of a strategy to create awareness or to reward loyalty, etc. Unfortunately, “free” is being thrown around way too much, and as a result, it winds up becoming something people expect. Now we have a real problem — not only does “free” have little value, but it’s what people expect.
What makes free even worse is many times it’s used as part of a strategy to get somebody to buy something that would be considered high-price. This only winds up creating an even bigger problem, as the contrast between “free” and the high-priced item is too much for the customer to understand.
My other problem with “free” is it attracts customers and potential customers who can’t afford to stick with you when you attempt to move them to full-price. What results is a pattern of continued discounts all in the name of trying not to lose a customer. Ironic, isn’t it?
Yes, “free” has a place. You’re reading this blog for free. In fact, you might say my website www.TheSalesHunter.com is nothing but free stuff, and you’re right. Before you call me a hypocrite, let me explain.
I use “free” as a way to create awareness and to build traffic on my website. This is similar to the way another company may do direct mailings of a product sample or a salesperson might host a “lunch and learn” session with clients.
The goal of using “free” is to know how you’re going to use it in your overall sales strategy.
Before you offer anything for free, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. What is the goal of what I’m trying to offer?
2. How will I measure the results?
3. What is the process I’m going to use for moving prospects from “free” to “fee”?
4. How firm is my pricing plan to make sure I have a profitability plan that works?
5. Will I be offering “free” to everyone? If I don’t, how might it impact those who don’t get it for free?
Keep in mind as you develop your “free” strategy that your banker and your accountant don’t accept “free.” Offering something for free might make you feel good, but until you monetize the “free” you haven’t put any food on your table.
Finally, don’t think you can copy the strategy used by some software companies in becoming successful because of giving away millions of copies of something. For each software company that made that strategy successful there are at least a dozen or more that failed. I like to tell people if you want to try that strategy, then let me give you another one you can copy even faster.
Each month there’s at least one or two people who buy a lottery ticket somewhere that is worth a million dollars or more. Since that worked for them, then why not go do it yourself and let me know how that strategy turns out for you.
“Free” is over-rated and over-used!
Now, let’s all get back to work selling real value!
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Showing posts with label Mark Hunter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Hunter. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Why Do CEOs Buy?
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter steps inside the CEO mind to help you make more sales!
If you are wondering what drives a CEO’s decision to buy, I can guarantee you it is expectation, not price.
I should really be saying something like, “Why CEOs don’t buy anything.” That is the real tip.
You see, CEOs don’t buy — they only invest. In fact, that is what all companies do. They invest in outcomes, rather than buying “stuff.”
For the CEO, this means the investments they make are designed to deliver one thing — an outcome (an expectation that their company will benefit from whatever it is you are selling).
It is really a very simple concept; however, there is still another component to it.
CEOs make their investment decisions based on their strategies, and this means the timeframe under which they work is many times far longer than the salesperson’s time frame.
The time frame is not necessarily the time it takes for them to make a decision. Typically, CEOs make decisions far faster than any other person in a company.
Rather, the time frame they work under is the time frame when they expect to receive the benefit. I like to think that CEOs do not live in today’s world, but rather they live in the world they expect their company to be in.
This might a be a time period of 1, 3, 5 or even 10 years from now. When we in sales begin to accept the reality of the world in which the CEO lives, we can’t help but be in a better position to sell to that CEO.
Price will always be secondary to the CEO.
They understand this because they don’t buy anything. They only invest in expectations and outcomes. Again, for those of us in sales, this provides us with a huge opportunity to maximize our price when we know how to target our sales process to the CEO.
If you are using the same selling skills and strategy with CEOs that you use with purchasing departments or other lower-level personnel, there is no way you will ever succeed with both groups.
The sales strategy you use for the CEO needs to be 100% focused on the investment/benefit outcome they will receive within the time period they are working.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
If you are wondering what drives a CEO’s decision to buy, I can guarantee you it is expectation, not price.
I should really be saying something like, “Why CEOs don’t buy anything.” That is the real tip.
You see, CEOs don’t buy — they only invest. In fact, that is what all companies do. They invest in outcomes, rather than buying “stuff.”
For the CEO, this means the investments they make are designed to deliver one thing — an outcome (an expectation that their company will benefit from whatever it is you are selling).
It is really a very simple concept; however, there is still another component to it.
CEOs make their investment decisions based on their strategies, and this means the timeframe under which they work is many times far longer than the salesperson’s time frame.
The time frame is not necessarily the time it takes for them to make a decision. Typically, CEOs make decisions far faster than any other person in a company.
Rather, the time frame they work under is the time frame when they expect to receive the benefit. I like to think that CEOs do not live in today’s world, but rather they live in the world they expect their company to be in.
This might a be a time period of 1, 3, 5 or even 10 years from now. When we in sales begin to accept the reality of the world in which the CEO lives, we can’t help but be in a better position to sell to that CEO.
Price will always be secondary to the CEO.
They understand this because they don’t buy anything. They only invest in expectations and outcomes. Again, for those of us in sales, this provides us with a huge opportunity to maximize our price when we know how to target our sales process to the CEO.
If you are using the same selling skills and strategy with CEOs that you use with purchasing departments or other lower-level personnel, there is no way you will ever succeed with both groups.
The sales strategy you use for the CEO needs to be 100% focused on the investment/benefit outcome they will receive within the time period they are working.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Maximize Your Results
Today's article comes from sales trainer Mark Hunter, who suggests looking at your business in a whole new way so you can capitalize on opportunities. It's a good read!
If you want to maximize your results and your sales motivation, you probably need to minimize your goals.
I’ve watched far too many salespeople become so fixated on trying to make their goals that they fail to see opportunities when they appear.
It’s as if they’ve got “goal paralysis” — a disease where the salesperson is so consumed thinking about their goal that they lose focus on everything, including new opportunities.
I’ve always said my best ideas are when I’ve taken a step back from the problem and suddenly am able to see things clearly.
One of the best ways for a salesperson to do this is to spend time in an informal manner with a few key customers.
Spend time in one of the companies you call upon meeting people you have never met before.
Most of all, spend a little time looking at your business differently. When you do so, it is amazing what you will begin to see.
Today’s economy is strange — no doubt about it. And it requires all of us to look at the things we’ve done in the past and find ways to do them differently. We need to challenge our thinking and we need to challenge our customers. The way we do it is by taking a few minutes to step back.
I’m not saying blow off your goals. I’m simply saying that achieving your best numbers sometimes requires you to look at things differently than you have up to that point.
When you do this, you are doing what I call “thinking beyond” by asking yourself several “what if” and “why” questions. (That’s what little kids do and they have boundless imaginations).
You can maximize your results and your sales motivation if you don’t get so tightly focused on your goals that you miss opportunities that are waiting for you to notice.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
If you want to maximize your results and your sales motivation, you probably need to minimize your goals.
I’ve watched far too many salespeople become so fixated on trying to make their goals that they fail to see opportunities when they appear.
It’s as if they’ve got “goal paralysis” — a disease where the salesperson is so consumed thinking about their goal that they lose focus on everything, including new opportunities.
I’ve always said my best ideas are when I’ve taken a step back from the problem and suddenly am able to see things clearly.
One of the best ways for a salesperson to do this is to spend time in an informal manner with a few key customers.
Spend time in one of the companies you call upon meeting people you have never met before.
Most of all, spend a little time looking at your business differently. When you do so, it is amazing what you will begin to see.
Today’s economy is strange — no doubt about it. And it requires all of us to look at the things we’ve done in the past and find ways to do them differently. We need to challenge our thinking and we need to challenge our customers. The way we do it is by taking a few minutes to step back.
I’m not saying blow off your goals. I’m simply saying that achieving your best numbers sometimes requires you to look at things differently than you have up to that point.
When you do this, you are doing what I call “thinking beyond” by asking yourself several “what if” and “why” questions. (That’s what little kids do and they have boundless imaginations).
You can maximize your results and your sales motivation if you don’t get so tightly focused on your goals that you miss opportunities that are waiting for you to notice.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Quick Tip: Write Out Your Questions Beforehand
It seems like an easy tip, but you would be shocked by the number of salespeople who head into a meeting with nothing written down! Today sales trainer Mark Hunter discusses what you need to do to be prepared.
Ever head into a meeting with a customer thinking you will “remember” everything you want to ask?
You’d be wiser (and likely more profitable) if you write out your questions before you actually meet with the customer.
The big reason why I encourage people to do this is not what you think. You’re probably thinking it’s so you don’t forget what questions to ask. Yes, this is important, but it’s not the most important reason.
The most important reason why I tell salespeople to write down in advance the questions they want to ask is so they can think through and first determine if each question is worth asking. You will also be able to determine what is the most logical follow-up question to each question.
Too many times the questions salespeople ask are ones they think up either on the fly or ones that are so obvious they border on stupid. Take the time to think through what it is you want to ask.
As you develop each question, ask yourself if it’s going to help the customer see and explain their needs.
Your goal is to engage the customer in a dialogue where they will tell you what their needs and pains are. When they tell you this information, you then have credibility to explore further through the use of follow-up questions.
The follow-up questions are the ones that will really get the customer thinking.
Just make sure you don’t overload the customer too quickly with questions that are too deep in nature.
Work your way through the food chain of questions you want to ask. By taking the customer through a logical progression of questions, it will help them feel comfortable and in control. By doing this, you also will allow the customer to understand better what it is they want and need.
If you move too quickly and ask the customer a very deep question too soon, you run the risk of having them shut down on you. You may feel the question you asked is the right one, but you must be discerning about how the customer will perceive the question.
Writing down your questions in advance equips you to think through how you will ask them, and in so doing, allows you to ultimately ask them at a pace that fits the customer.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Ever head into a meeting with a customer thinking you will “remember” everything you want to ask?
You’d be wiser (and likely more profitable) if you write out your questions before you actually meet with the customer.
The big reason why I encourage people to do this is not what you think. You’re probably thinking it’s so you don’t forget what questions to ask. Yes, this is important, but it’s not the most important reason.
The most important reason why I tell salespeople to write down in advance the questions they want to ask is so they can think through and first determine if each question is worth asking. You will also be able to determine what is the most logical follow-up question to each question.
Too many times the questions salespeople ask are ones they think up either on the fly or ones that are so obvious they border on stupid. Take the time to think through what it is you want to ask.
As you develop each question, ask yourself if it’s going to help the customer see and explain their needs.
Your goal is to engage the customer in a dialogue where they will tell you what their needs and pains are. When they tell you this information, you then have credibility to explore further through the use of follow-up questions.
The follow-up questions are the ones that will really get the customer thinking.
Just make sure you don’t overload the customer too quickly with questions that are too deep in nature.
Work your way through the food chain of questions you want to ask. By taking the customer through a logical progression of questions, it will help them feel comfortable and in control. By doing this, you also will allow the customer to understand better what it is they want and need.
If you move too quickly and ask the customer a very deep question too soon, you run the risk of having them shut down on you. You may feel the question you asked is the right one, but you must be discerning about how the customer will perceive the question.
Writing down your questions in advance equips you to think through how you will ask them, and in so doing, allows you to ultimately ask them at a pace that fits the customer.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Texting Your Customers? Think Twice!
With the prevalence of texting in our everyday lives, this article comes just in time! Read on to learn why you should think twice before texting that new client.
Texting has become commonplace, but don't ever text a customer or prospect — unless they have first texted you.
Yes, texting is a form of communication, but it is a form of communication without boundaries and that's where we can get into problem. What one person may view as acceptable another person may view as unacceptable.
First problem with texting customers is if they will even know who the text is coming from.
Every few weeks I receive a text from someone who immediately jumps in and shares with me some piece of information. Nothing wrong with this, but I have no idea who it came from. I have an iPhone, and the only time it identifies who the text is from is if I already have that person’s name and number in my contacts.
My experience is going to be similar to just about anyone else with a cell phone. For this reason, I do not text a customer unless they have first sent a text to me.
A second factor to consider is the value of time. When many people send a text, they expect an immediate response. There's nothing abnormal about this, assuming the person receiving the text feels the same way. For this reason, it is just better to let a customer or prospect be the one to do the initial text.
The third issue is the wide use of abbreviations. What one person may abbreviate one way another person may very well abbreviate using different letters. Obviously this can result in a huge problem if the two people texting have different ideas of what they are each saying.
Nobody really knows for sure what role text messaging will play in the business world 2 years, 5 years, or even 10 years from now.
But for now I'll stick with my rule of not using text messaging until the other person has sent me one first. And even when we do engage in texting, I hold fast to the rule of no abbreviations, no slang, and no lengthy texts.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Texting has become commonplace, but don't ever text a customer or prospect — unless they have first texted you.
Yes, texting is a form of communication, but it is a form of communication without boundaries and that's where we can get into problem. What one person may view as acceptable another person may view as unacceptable.
First problem with texting customers is if they will even know who the text is coming from.
Every few weeks I receive a text from someone who immediately jumps in and shares with me some piece of information. Nothing wrong with this, but I have no idea who it came from. I have an iPhone, and the only time it identifies who the text is from is if I already have that person’s name and number in my contacts.
My experience is going to be similar to just about anyone else with a cell phone. For this reason, I do not text a customer unless they have first sent a text to me.
A second factor to consider is the value of time. When many people send a text, they expect an immediate response. There's nothing abnormal about this, assuming the person receiving the text feels the same way. For this reason, it is just better to let a customer or prospect be the one to do the initial text.
The third issue is the wide use of abbreviations. What one person may abbreviate one way another person may very well abbreviate using different letters. Obviously this can result in a huge problem if the two people texting have different ideas of what they are each saying.
Nobody really knows for sure what role text messaging will play in the business world 2 years, 5 years, or even 10 years from now.
But for now I'll stick with my rule of not using text messaging until the other person has sent me one first. And even when we do engage in texting, I hold fast to the rule of no abbreviations, no slang, and no lengthy texts.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Friday, May 27, 2011
A Bad Way to Use Your Smart Phone
Technology is an essential part of selling these days, but today sales trainer Mark Hunter cautions against using your smart phone in one specific place - a meeting! Read on, and let us know if you agree!
While sitting in a meeting, never take notes directly on your Blackberry, iPhone, Droid or other smart phone.
This applies for all professionals, but especially salespeople. You might be the most amazing tech user the world has ever seen. You might have the ability to type 40 words per minute on your iPhone — but that doesn't mean you should do it.
The reason is simple — the vast majority of people will assume you're bored and checking messages. Older salespeople understand that this assumption exists, but I'm amazed at how many salespeople under the age of 30 don't get it.
It doesn't matter who you're meeting with. Do yourself a favor and use a pen to take notes.
A general rule for any meeting is keep your iPhone, Blackberry or other smart phone on silent and put away. There is nothing more frustrating than to watch another person's iPhone vibrate with a new message while it’s sitting on the table in front of everyone.
I don't care how big your ego is. Put it away.
There is an appropriate time to take it out, such as to check dates for the follow-up sales call or to verify another date.
A few tips on taking notes:
First, make sure you jot down notes on whatever the customer has to say. Nothing will show them more about how much you value what they're saying than by taking notes.
Second, taking notes allows you to be the one to recap the meeting. If you can be the one to send out the follow-up email immediately after the meeting with your notes, you have the ability to influence the outcomes.
Third, it will help you stay focused. When we take notes, we naturally have to concentrate more on what is being said. This prevents us from losing focus or spending our time solely focused on what we want to say next.
What about an iPad?
Some of you reading this may be wondering how an iPad or other tablet plays into the process. My answer is that taking notes on an iPad is OK, as long as you can meet the following three criteria:
First, you have to keep it visible so people can see you’re typing directly on a tablet.
Second, everyone else in the meeting must be at least technically comfortable. By this I mean they have to see the value of technology and use it in their jobs. If a person is leery of technology, the last thing you want to do is to whip out an iPad just as the meeting starts.
Third, make sure that as you use the tablet for notes, you do not page over to check email, etc.
Finally, make sure all alert features have been disengaged to prevent the nagging buzz or beep at the inopportune time.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
While sitting in a meeting, never take notes directly on your Blackberry, iPhone, Droid or other smart phone.
This applies for all professionals, but especially salespeople. You might be the most amazing tech user the world has ever seen. You might have the ability to type 40 words per minute on your iPhone — but that doesn't mean you should do it.
The reason is simple — the vast majority of people will assume you're bored and checking messages. Older salespeople understand that this assumption exists, but I'm amazed at how many salespeople under the age of 30 don't get it.
It doesn't matter who you're meeting with. Do yourself a favor and use a pen to take notes.
A general rule for any meeting is keep your iPhone, Blackberry or other smart phone on silent and put away. There is nothing more frustrating than to watch another person's iPhone vibrate with a new message while it’s sitting on the table in front of everyone.
I don't care how big your ego is. Put it away.
There is an appropriate time to take it out, such as to check dates for the follow-up sales call or to verify another date.
A few tips on taking notes:
First, make sure you jot down notes on whatever the customer has to say. Nothing will show them more about how much you value what they're saying than by taking notes.
Second, taking notes allows you to be the one to recap the meeting. If you can be the one to send out the follow-up email immediately after the meeting with your notes, you have the ability to influence the outcomes.
Third, it will help you stay focused. When we take notes, we naturally have to concentrate more on what is being said. This prevents us from losing focus or spending our time solely focused on what we want to say next.
What about an iPad?
Some of you reading this may be wondering how an iPad or other tablet plays into the process. My answer is that taking notes on an iPad is OK, as long as you can meet the following three criteria:
First, you have to keep it visible so people can see you’re typing directly on a tablet.
Second, everyone else in the meeting must be at least technically comfortable. By this I mean they have to see the value of technology and use it in their jobs. If a person is leery of technology, the last thing you want to do is to whip out an iPad just as the meeting starts.
Third, make sure that as you use the tablet for notes, you do not page over to check email, etc.
Finally, make sure all alert features have been disengaged to prevent the nagging buzz or beep at the inopportune time.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Stop Using the "Yellow Pages" Approach to Sell
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter shares how to avoid selling like the yellow pages! It's an interesting read that gets you thinking about which information you can cut from your presentation!
Are you just giving your customers information?! This is the dreaded "yellow pages" approach to selling.
You're better than that. Start giving your customer solutions rather than just information.
Recently I was sitting in a meeting listening to salespeople discuss all of the information they routinely share with their customers. As they're going through their long list, I was struck by both how basic the information was and how everything they felt they needed to share was already on the web.
I'm smart enough to know just because something is on the web does not mean your customer has read it. But they could if they wanted to, and that's my point. If all we're doing is giving our customers information they can find elsewhere, then we're no better than the Yellow Pages. Remember the Yellow Pages? They used to be relevant and an important part of our life. Now they're obsolete because we can access the information much faster and more effectively through the web.
The point I'm making is our customers already have access to information. Our job in sales is to bring to our customers solutions, and that means going way beyond just sharing information.
We must help them understand things they didn't think possible and to see outcomes they had not considered. We do that by dialoguing with our customers, engaging with them, and allowing them to share their concerns with us. When we do this, we ensure our value as a salesperson. If, on the other hand, all we want to do is bring our customers information, then our worth will become dated and we'll fade away like the Yellow Pages.
Challenge yourself to bring your customers questions and ideas that will get them thinking. Use the information you have not to start a conversation but to stimulate a discussion that leads to new opportunities. There isn't much of a demand for the Yellow Pages anymore!
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Are you just giving your customers information?! This is the dreaded "yellow pages" approach to selling.
You're better than that. Start giving your customer solutions rather than just information.
Recently I was sitting in a meeting listening to salespeople discuss all of the information they routinely share with their customers. As they're going through their long list, I was struck by both how basic the information was and how everything they felt they needed to share was already on the web.
I'm smart enough to know just because something is on the web does not mean your customer has read it. But they could if they wanted to, and that's my point. If all we're doing is giving our customers information they can find elsewhere, then we're no better than the Yellow Pages. Remember the Yellow Pages? They used to be relevant and an important part of our life. Now they're obsolete because we can access the information much faster and more effectively through the web.
The point I'm making is our customers already have access to information. Our job in sales is to bring to our customers solutions, and that means going way beyond just sharing information.
We must help them understand things they didn't think possible and to see outcomes they had not considered. We do that by dialoguing with our customers, engaging with them, and allowing them to share their concerns with us. When we do this, we ensure our value as a salesperson. If, on the other hand, all we want to do is bring our customers information, then our worth will become dated and we'll fade away like the Yellow Pages.
Challenge yourself to bring your customers questions and ideas that will get them thinking. Use the information you have not to start a conversation but to stimulate a discussion that leads to new opportunities. There isn't much of a demand for the Yellow Pages anymore!
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What Does Eye Movement Reveal?
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter shares how you can watch your prospect's eye movement to learn more about what they're thinking.
Eye movement can reveal a lot about a person's level of confidence and commitment. Rapid movement of the eyes many times will indicate the person is not confident about what they are saying — or what they are hearing.
We simply do not pay enough attention to the eyes, whether it be our own eyes or those of the person to whom we are talking. The eyes reveal a significant amount about a person, and yet over the past 25 years as a society, we've learned not to focus on eye contact.
I'm not sure if this is because of the percentage of our conversations that occur on-line and on the telephone — both scenarios where there is no eye contact — or if the decline in eye contact is due to something else.
If we can learn to give people good eye contact and, at the same time, use our eye contact to study them, I believe we can learn a significant amount about how they think and may react to what we're discussing.
Rapid eye movement is but one indicator, but that in itself is huge, as it can tell us their level of confidence. Confident people are calm, and calm people have stable eye movement. This is why many police officers use the eyes as a leading indicator when they're talking to somebody.
Eye movement or eye contact also can tell us if the person is engaged with us or pre-occupied. Yes, it's very easy for people to pick up a person's lack of interest if they are not giving us eye contact, but we can also tell by their level of focus. When people are attentive to what you're saying, their eyes will have far more focus than the aimless stare of the disengaged person.
What I find amazing about all of this is these are not complex insights. They are very basic. Yet that's what makes them so good, because so few people truly learn from the other person's eyes. Raising our awareness to this one cue can open doors where we can gain valuable information.
One final thought — I may have shared this all in the context of watching someone else's eyes, but don't forget the same observations apply to your eyes as well. So pay attention to what you are doing with your own eyes too.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Eye movement can reveal a lot about a person's level of confidence and commitment. Rapid movement of the eyes many times will indicate the person is not confident about what they are saying — or what they are hearing.
We simply do not pay enough attention to the eyes, whether it be our own eyes or those of the person to whom we are talking. The eyes reveal a significant amount about a person, and yet over the past 25 years as a society, we've learned not to focus on eye contact.
I'm not sure if this is because of the percentage of our conversations that occur on-line and on the telephone — both scenarios where there is no eye contact — or if the decline in eye contact is due to something else.
If we can learn to give people good eye contact and, at the same time, use our eye contact to study them, I believe we can learn a significant amount about how they think and may react to what we're discussing.
Rapid eye movement is but one indicator, but that in itself is huge, as it can tell us their level of confidence. Confident people are calm, and calm people have stable eye movement. This is why many police officers use the eyes as a leading indicator when they're talking to somebody.
Eye movement or eye contact also can tell us if the person is engaged with us or pre-occupied. Yes, it's very easy for people to pick up a person's lack of interest if they are not giving us eye contact, but we can also tell by their level of focus. When people are attentive to what you're saying, their eyes will have far more focus than the aimless stare of the disengaged person.
What I find amazing about all of this is these are not complex insights. They are very basic. Yet that's what makes them so good, because so few people truly learn from the other person's eyes. Raising our awareness to this one cue can open doors where we can gain valuable information.
One final thought — I may have shared this all in the context of watching someone else's eyes, but don't forget the same observations apply to your eyes as well. So pay attention to what you are doing with your own eyes too.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Subject Line Matters!
As email prospecting becomes a bigger and bigger part of sales, salespeople have to become more and more creative to stay ahead. Getting a prospect to open your email has become increasingly difficult...sales trainer Mark Hunter explains why.
When you're sending an email to a person who may not know you well, do you know why it is so important to make your subject title short and clear?
I have one answer: Smartphones. It has become increasingly common for people to handle all of their email on their phones. What this means is that they are cruising through their email in-box on a much smaller device, and they are making quicker decisions as to where to allocate their time.
Your ability to capture someone's attention may come down to as few as 15 characters in your subject line! Be sure you are choosing them wisely. I wish the days still existed when we had a couple of paragraphs to really gain someone's attention. Sadly, though, some people are deleting emails before they even open them — based solely on the subject line.
I will even go as far as to say you should ALWAYS assume that any email you send to a customer or prospect is going to be read on a smartphone (and only a smartphone). The more refined your writing skills become, the greater likelihood you have of sending emails that actually get read!
Your subject line matters. More than you maybe realized.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
When you're sending an email to a person who may not know you well, do you know why it is so important to make your subject title short and clear?
I have one answer: Smartphones. It has become increasingly common for people to handle all of their email on their phones. What this means is that they are cruising through their email in-box on a much smaller device, and they are making quicker decisions as to where to allocate their time.
Your ability to capture someone's attention may come down to as few as 15 characters in your subject line! Be sure you are choosing them wisely. I wish the days still existed when we had a couple of paragraphs to really gain someone's attention. Sadly, though, some people are deleting emails before they even open them — based solely on the subject line.
I will even go as far as to say you should ALWAYS assume that any email you send to a customer or prospect is going to be read on a smartphone (and only a smartphone). The more refined your writing skills become, the greater likelihood you have of sending emails that actually get read!
Your subject line matters. More than you maybe realized.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Your Customers Are Selling You
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter shares how your customer is selling you! It's an interesting, thought-provoking article.
Your customers are selling you as much as you're selling your customers.
Anytime you're in the middle of a heated presentation with a customer, it's only natural for the customer to start trying to sell you. You might ask what are they trying to sell you? It's simple — they're trying to sell you why they don't want what you're offering, but only with enough emphasis not to have you run away. They just want you to make them a better deal.
Today's economy has only compounded this problem where everybody thinks for some reason they're special and, therefore, they should have a deal that's special to them. It's easy to fall into the customer's trap, as it usually begins with the customer expressing some hesitation. However, at the same time as they're expressing some hesitation, they're usually sharing with you the unique problems and issues they have.
I've found customers love to share their unique issues with the salesperson because they believe that by sharing what they believe is unique to them, the salesperson will then extend to them an offer that's not available to anyone else.
New salespeople fall for this very quickly. At the same time, I've watched many veteran salespeople unknowingly fall into it also. This is especially true when the customer and salesperson are of opposite sexes. The way you avoid this trap is by staying firm in the confidence of what your price/value relationship is.
Once you start wavering with one customer you will find yourself wavering with many more customers to the point that if you don't catch yourself you will start going into every selling situation thinking beforehand how you're going to personalize the offer to allow the customer to have a unique deal.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Your customers are selling you as much as you're selling your customers.
Anytime you're in the middle of a heated presentation with a customer, it's only natural for the customer to start trying to sell you. You might ask what are they trying to sell you? It's simple — they're trying to sell you why they don't want what you're offering, but only with enough emphasis not to have you run away. They just want you to make them a better deal.
Today's economy has only compounded this problem where everybody thinks for some reason they're special and, therefore, they should have a deal that's special to them. It's easy to fall into the customer's trap, as it usually begins with the customer expressing some hesitation. However, at the same time as they're expressing some hesitation, they're usually sharing with you the unique problems and issues they have.
I've found customers love to share their unique issues with the salesperson because they believe that by sharing what they believe is unique to them, the salesperson will then extend to them an offer that's not available to anyone else.
New salespeople fall for this very quickly. At the same time, I've watched many veteran salespeople unknowingly fall into it also. This is especially true when the customer and salesperson are of opposite sexes. The way you avoid this trap is by staying firm in the confidence of what your price/value relationship is.
Once you start wavering with one customer you will find yourself wavering with many more customers to the point that if you don't catch yourself you will start going into every selling situation thinking beforehand how you're going to personalize the offer to allow the customer to have a unique deal.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A Benefit? Only if Your Customer Thinks So
For a long time now, we've talked about how important it is to sell the benefits of a product rather than the features. While this is good advice, sales trainer Mark Hunter takes it up a notch and explains why you need to have the customer talking benefits - rather than you!
As much as salespeople like to talk about the "benefits" of a product or service, the truth is that something only becomes a benefit when the customer says it is.
Nothing drives me crazy faster than having a salesperson share with me how their number one objective in a sales call leading up to the close is to explain to the customer all of the wonderful benefits of what they have to offer. Excuse me but this is why people have the perception that salespeople don't know how to listen and how the typical salesperson thinks they know everything.
A quote of mine I like to use is "it's not a benefit until the customer says it's a benefit." Get it? Until the customer speaks the words from their mouth, there is no way I or any other salesperson can say that's a benefit the customer wants. The reason I'm a strong believer in this comes down to my belief that when a person says something it has a lot more meaning than if they merely nod their head at something the salesperson just said. Let's face it...they could be nodding simply because they are polite.
When the customer actually says in their own words what they're looking for, then it takes on value. Plus, once they say what they're looking for, it then gives you, the salesperson, an excellent opportunity to ask follow-up questions to get the customer to reveal more.
We are in a much better position to close the sale and do so at a profitable margin when we’ve been able to get the customer to verbalize the various benefits they want.
One more thought — yes, it is possible to close a sale after having a customer verbalize to us one good benefit; however, I believe the more benefits the customer shares, the higher the profit margin you'll be able to achieve on the sale. The customer is expressing to you several benefits, each with a different degree of value to them. As the customer shares with you multiple benefits, keep in mind that they are providing you excellent information you can use as follow up after the initial sale. In other words, you can begin working toward the next sale. After all, a good sale is one that leads to the next sale.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
As much as salespeople like to talk about the "benefits" of a product or service, the truth is that something only becomes a benefit when the customer says it is.
Nothing drives me crazy faster than having a salesperson share with me how their number one objective in a sales call leading up to the close is to explain to the customer all of the wonderful benefits of what they have to offer. Excuse me but this is why people have the perception that salespeople don't know how to listen and how the typical salesperson thinks they know everything.
A quote of mine I like to use is "it's not a benefit until the customer says it's a benefit." Get it? Until the customer speaks the words from their mouth, there is no way I or any other salesperson can say that's a benefit the customer wants. The reason I'm a strong believer in this comes down to my belief that when a person says something it has a lot more meaning than if they merely nod their head at something the salesperson just said. Let's face it...they could be nodding simply because they are polite.
When the customer actually says in their own words what they're looking for, then it takes on value. Plus, once they say what they're looking for, it then gives you, the salesperson, an excellent opportunity to ask follow-up questions to get the customer to reveal more.
We are in a much better position to close the sale and do so at a profitable margin when we’ve been able to get the customer to verbalize the various benefits they want.
One more thought — yes, it is possible to close a sale after having a customer verbalize to us one good benefit; however, I believe the more benefits the customer shares, the higher the profit margin you'll be able to achieve on the sale. The customer is expressing to you several benefits, each with a different degree of value to them. As the customer shares with you multiple benefits, keep in mind that they are providing you excellent information you can use as follow up after the initial sale. In other words, you can begin working toward the next sale. After all, a good sale is one that leads to the next sale.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Is Your Sale Really a Good Sale?
I really enjoy sales trainer Mark Hunter's blog - he covers topics that are pertinent to salespeople, and offers advice that is practical and easy to put to use. Today he discusses what makes a good sale.
Each sale you close is not a good sale unless it leads to the next sale.
I'm a firm believer that if you're doing your job as a salesperson, when you make a sale you're also creating a customer for life. Yes, we've all heard this, but here's how I believe the process works best:
When you're meeting with the customer, you're naturally uncovering needs the customer has. Some of these needs are the ones you're leveraging to make your sale. The opportunity is in uncovering not just needs you're going to solve now, but needs you can come back to later and create additional sales. To do this requires you to end the first sale having earned the right, the privilege, opportunity and respect to be able to meet with the person again.
One way you do this is by always leaving the customer with a next step as to what you intend to do for the customer. By creating an on-going process of being in touch with the customer, you will now be in a position to explore more comments the customer has shared with you in previous meetings. It's your ability to then take these comments and ask follow-up questions in subsequent meetings that will then help you create the next sale.
One of the reasons I'm a firm believer in always being in a position to start working on the next sale is simple. It's far more effective to generate additional sales from an existing customer than it is to get a sales from a new customer. In all of the sales profitability studies I've done, the results are almost always the same — the cost of generating sales is at its lowest point 1/3 of the way through the life of the customer relationship.
I won't attempt to go into a full explanation here, but basically the cost of generating sales is naturally high with a new customer and also is high with a well-developed customer. The reason it's high for a well-developed customer is because many times this type of customer is granted additional services or price breaks, etc. because they are so loyal or because the personal relationships run so deep. What this means is a customer is generating its most efficient sale approximately 1/3 of the way through their sales life-cycle. The way you can maximize this is by making sure each sale opens the door to the next sale.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Each sale you close is not a good sale unless it leads to the next sale.
I'm a firm believer that if you're doing your job as a salesperson, when you make a sale you're also creating a customer for life. Yes, we've all heard this, but here's how I believe the process works best:
When you're meeting with the customer, you're naturally uncovering needs the customer has. Some of these needs are the ones you're leveraging to make your sale. The opportunity is in uncovering not just needs you're going to solve now, but needs you can come back to later and create additional sales. To do this requires you to end the first sale having earned the right, the privilege, opportunity and respect to be able to meet with the person again.
One way you do this is by always leaving the customer with a next step as to what you intend to do for the customer. By creating an on-going process of being in touch with the customer, you will now be in a position to explore more comments the customer has shared with you in previous meetings. It's your ability to then take these comments and ask follow-up questions in subsequent meetings that will then help you create the next sale.
One of the reasons I'm a firm believer in always being in a position to start working on the next sale is simple. It's far more effective to generate additional sales from an existing customer than it is to get a sales from a new customer. In all of the sales profitability studies I've done, the results are almost always the same — the cost of generating sales is at its lowest point 1/3 of the way through the life of the customer relationship.
I won't attempt to go into a full explanation here, but basically the cost of generating sales is naturally high with a new customer and also is high with a well-developed customer. The reason it's high for a well-developed customer is because many times this type of customer is granted additional services or price breaks, etc. because they are so loyal or because the personal relationships run so deep. What this means is a customer is generating its most efficient sale approximately 1/3 of the way through their sales life-cycle. The way you can maximize this is by making sure each sale opens the door to the next sale.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Friday, January 14, 2011
RFPs are Rarely Final
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter shares tips on getting past the request for proposal and getting the sale!
If you think an RFP is final, think again. There always is a "next step." Are you wise enough to leverage it?
Never think that when you submit an RFP (Request for Proposal) or for that matter a bid — even a "sealed bid" – that the process is done. No matter what criteria the customer has stated, you should never think the only things you can do are what the customer has stated can be done. A few things you should do for any type of an RFP, bid, etc. is set up Google Alerts so you will receive all updates on the customer, their competitors and any other vendors who you believe may have responded to the RFP.
Second thing to do is to make sure your RFP response was received by the customer. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call. Don't trust email. Make the call – it will hopefully give you a chance to have a short courteous and friendly conversation with somebody.
Third, have your list of follow-up questions ready to go. The goal, of course, is to be able to have a follow-up meeting with the vendor to discuss with them; however, in the absence of a formal meeting, you want to be ready to ask a question or two at any time the opportunity arises.
Fourth, continue to develop and nurture relationships you have with the customer. With each conversation, the goal remains the same — find out one new piece of information about the customer and be able to share with them one new piece of information that educates them about how they can do their job better. Do not look at these conversations as opportunities for you to break out the list of features and benefits. Instead, look at this as an opportunity for them to see you in a different light than how they might see your competitors.
Fifth, have your list of negotiable items ready to go. This includes a list of variables you feel the customer might be interested in. Do not look to use these — merely have them ready. They should only come into play if and when you are ready to close the deal.
Sixth, go back and review the strategy you first developed before you began working on the RFP. The strategy you developed at the beginning is the strategy you want to maintain all the way through the process. Don't deviate! When you deviate, you run into problems, and the number one problem you will run into is giving away profit all for the sake of trying to "win" a proposal that in the end you can't afford to win.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
If you think an RFP is final, think again. There always is a "next step." Are you wise enough to leverage it?
Never think that when you submit an RFP (Request for Proposal) or for that matter a bid — even a "sealed bid" – that the process is done. No matter what criteria the customer has stated, you should never think the only things you can do are what the customer has stated can be done. A few things you should do for any type of an RFP, bid, etc. is set up Google Alerts so you will receive all updates on the customer, their competitors and any other vendors who you believe may have responded to the RFP.
Second thing to do is to make sure your RFP response was received by the customer. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call. Don't trust email. Make the call – it will hopefully give you a chance to have a short courteous and friendly conversation with somebody.
Third, have your list of follow-up questions ready to go. The goal, of course, is to be able to have a follow-up meeting with the vendor to discuss with them; however, in the absence of a formal meeting, you want to be ready to ask a question or two at any time the opportunity arises.
Fourth, continue to develop and nurture relationships you have with the customer. With each conversation, the goal remains the same — find out one new piece of information about the customer and be able to share with them one new piece of information that educates them about how they can do their job better. Do not look at these conversations as opportunities for you to break out the list of features and benefits. Instead, look at this as an opportunity for them to see you in a different light than how they might see your competitors.
Fifth, have your list of negotiable items ready to go. This includes a list of variables you feel the customer might be interested in. Do not look to use these — merely have them ready. They should only come into play if and when you are ready to close the deal.
Sixth, go back and review the strategy you first developed before you began working on the RFP. The strategy you developed at the beginning is the strategy you want to maintain all the way through the process. Don't deviate! When you deviate, you run into problems, and the number one problem you will run into is giving away profit all for the sake of trying to "win" a proposal that in the end you can't afford to win.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Stop Putting Off Till January What You Should Do Now
We've featured this article in the past, but I think it so important that I could probably run it every year around this time and feel like I was still offering fresh content. You know why? Because salespeople, including myself, fall into the "leave it till January" trap so easily! Today sales trainer Mark Hunter reminds us of the peril of pushing work off during the holidays.
This can be an interesting time of the year when it comes to sales motivation, as it can either plummet or soar. Before we get any closer to the end of the year, take a minute and develop a list of the key things you need to get accomplished in January 2011 and the 1st quarter of 2011.
I'm not telling you to take your eye off the ball in terms of maximizing your year-end results, but what I am saying is to be careful in how you deal with issues that pop up over the next couple of weeks — and the tendency to say to yourself or even tell the customer how you can "take care of it in January."
For many salespeople, myself included, January is a very busy month. If I'm not careful, I can very easily over extend myself with customers. When you over extend yourself, all you're doing is making your 2011 sales goals that much harder to meet.
Yes, there will be things that get pushed from December into January and that is to be expected. The key is to make sure you don't suddenly find yourself waking up on January 2, 2011, to a schedule and client project list that is unattainable. Talk about a hit to your sales motivation.
One strategy you can use right now when confronted with those customers that want to push things off until 2011 is to be upfront with them and tell them how your January is already quite full. Mention that you may not be able to deliver them the same quality of service you can now while there's still time in 2010.
I've found the best approach with a customer is to be upfront with them (assuming your January schedule is already fairly full.) Customer and prospects will appreciate the candor, rather than being told one thing now only to have it go unfulfilled in January.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
This can be an interesting time of the year when it comes to sales motivation, as it can either plummet or soar. Before we get any closer to the end of the year, take a minute and develop a list of the key things you need to get accomplished in January 2011 and the 1st quarter of 2011.
I'm not telling you to take your eye off the ball in terms of maximizing your year-end results, but what I am saying is to be careful in how you deal with issues that pop up over the next couple of weeks — and the tendency to say to yourself or even tell the customer how you can "take care of it in January."
For many salespeople, myself included, January is a very busy month. If I'm not careful, I can very easily over extend myself with customers. When you over extend yourself, all you're doing is making your 2011 sales goals that much harder to meet.
Yes, there will be things that get pushed from December into January and that is to be expected. The key is to make sure you don't suddenly find yourself waking up on January 2, 2011, to a schedule and client project list that is unattainable. Talk about a hit to your sales motivation.
One strategy you can use right now when confronted with those customers that want to push things off until 2011 is to be upfront with them and tell them how your January is already quite full. Mention that you may not be able to deliver them the same quality of service you can now while there's still time in 2010.
I've found the best approach with a customer is to be upfront with them (assuming your January schedule is already fairly full.) Customer and prospects will appreciate the candor, rather than being told one thing now only to have it go unfulfilled in January.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Ideas Mean Nothing...Until...
Yesterday our quote of the week was about bettering yourself. One excellent way to do that? Take those ideas you're always thinking of, but never acting on, and get started! Mark Hunter explains.
Do you know that ideas mean nothing until you turn them into action? Sounds basic enough, but so many people become paralyzed at the "idea stage." And what happens when you get stuck in "idea stage"? Your sales and your sales motivation start to suffer.
The "idea stage" is where too much thinking goes on and not nearly enough "get out and do it." It’s a common problem and we all have it. We all love to think up great ideas, and then in the next instance, we turn the idea into a goal that we somehow begin to think we can accomplish it.
There is nothing wrong with all of this except for one simple thing – it remains just an idea upon which you never actually work, let alone accomplish. I’m a firm believer in setting goals and for that matter big goals. I like to think my motto is something close to "If you're going to think big, you might as well think very big." Think big, but then do something about it. More importantly, do something about it right away. Sure, the idea you've come up might be huge and require a long period of time to achieve it, but that does not forgo the need to start working on the idea immediately.
The reason most ideas never turn into anything is people don't get working on them. Take the idea you've been thinking about lately and do something today to move it forward! If you're challenged by the size of the idea, then start by doing the next best thing and break the idea down into a number of smaller ideas. Then take one of the smaller ideas and start working on it.
In the end, your thinking is not the problem. The problem is in the action (or shall we say, the lack of action). What's your idea, what's your goal and what are you doing today to help accomplish it? Get to moving. Your sales motivation depends on it.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Do you know that ideas mean nothing until you turn them into action? Sounds basic enough, but so many people become paralyzed at the "idea stage." And what happens when you get stuck in "idea stage"? Your sales and your sales motivation start to suffer.
The "idea stage" is where too much thinking goes on and not nearly enough "get out and do it." It’s a common problem and we all have it. We all love to think up great ideas, and then in the next instance, we turn the idea into a goal that we somehow begin to think we can accomplish it.
There is nothing wrong with all of this except for one simple thing – it remains just an idea upon which you never actually work, let alone accomplish. I’m a firm believer in setting goals and for that matter big goals. I like to think my motto is something close to "If you're going to think big, you might as well think very big." Think big, but then do something about it. More importantly, do something about it right away. Sure, the idea you've come up might be huge and require a long period of time to achieve it, but that does not forgo the need to start working on the idea immediately.
The reason most ideas never turn into anything is people don't get working on them. Take the idea you've been thinking about lately and do something today to move it forward! If you're challenged by the size of the idea, then start by doing the next best thing and break the idea down into a number of smaller ideas. Then take one of the smaller ideas and start working on it.
In the end, your thinking is not the problem. The problem is in the action (or shall we say, the lack of action). What's your idea, what's your goal and what are you doing today to help accomplish it? Get to moving. Your sales motivation depends on it.
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Update Your Prospecting Method
With every new technological advancement out there, the world of sales is changing. Are you changing with it? Today sales trainer Mark Hunter explains how changing your prospecting methods will keep you in touch with your clients, and keep them reading your messages!
Has it been years since you really refined and updated your prospecting process? Try to do it at least every quarter to capitalize on changes in your industry and in the economy. Without a doubt, I truly believe your sales motivation — and your sales success — is impacted by how well you prospect.
Every quarter it is essential to assess the effectiveness of your prospecting process. Too many companies with which I consult only assess their prospecting process every couple of years...or even longer if they don't see a significant loss of new customers. This is really too bad!
By waiting this long, they're missing out on major pieces of business. Here's an example of what I mean. Over the past year, the percentage of emails being read on a Blackberry, iPhone, or other smart phone has increased significantly. This means how you write your message must change. More messages are being deleted before they're even opened, based solely on what the first 10 – 20 characters of the message! That never used to be the case, but technology has enlightened us to this reality.
Another example is the percentage of voice mail messages that are not being transferred to text form for delivery. Again, this forces you to think through how you prospect. I say this is a prospecting problem and not a customer problem, because your prospects aren't going to tell you if they're blowing off your messages. They'll just do it and you'll never know.
In what ways have you changed your prospecting to keep up with technology? Share in the comments!
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Has it been years since you really refined and updated your prospecting process? Try to do it at least every quarter to capitalize on changes in your industry and in the economy. Without a doubt, I truly believe your sales motivation — and your sales success — is impacted by how well you prospect.
Every quarter it is essential to assess the effectiveness of your prospecting process. Too many companies with which I consult only assess their prospecting process every couple of years...or even longer if they don't see a significant loss of new customers. This is really too bad!
By waiting this long, they're missing out on major pieces of business. Here's an example of what I mean. Over the past year, the percentage of emails being read on a Blackberry, iPhone, or other smart phone has increased significantly. This means how you write your message must change. More messages are being deleted before they're even opened, based solely on what the first 10 – 20 characters of the message! That never used to be the case, but technology has enlightened us to this reality.
Another example is the percentage of voice mail messages that are not being transferred to text form for delivery. Again, this forces you to think through how you prospect. I say this is a prospecting problem and not a customer problem, because your prospects aren't going to tell you if they're blowing off your messages. They'll just do it and you'll never know.
In what ways have you changed your prospecting to keep up with technology? Share in the comments!
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Friday, August 27, 2010
Educate Your Buyer
You all know I think sales trainer Mark Hunter's advice is great. I go back to it again and again, not only because it is extremely helpful, but also because it's concise and to the point. Sometimes all you need is a quick idea to get your brain going and working hard. Today's tip is one of those!
Although your buyer's first responsibility is in buying products or services, there is also a need for them to be knowledgeable of how the items/services you are selling contribute to their company.
Take time on every call to educate your buyer about one small piece of information that can help them better understand their business. When you do this, be sure to not do it in a tone that is condescending or arrogant. This will rile up their defenses and cause them to put up walls (which obviously defeats your goal of generating dialogue).
There are many benefits to helping your buyer gain knowledge. Not only will they learn more about the role your services and goods play, they also will see you as a person who is willing to help them personally raise their business skills.
Tips like these separate the average salespeople from the superior ones. Which camp do you want to be in?
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Although your buyer's first responsibility is in buying products or services, there is also a need for them to be knowledgeable of how the items/services you are selling contribute to their company.
Take time on every call to educate your buyer about one small piece of information that can help them better understand their business. When you do this, be sure to not do it in a tone that is condescending or arrogant. This will rile up their defenses and cause them to put up walls (which obviously defeats your goal of generating dialogue).
There are many benefits to helping your buyer gain knowledge. Not only will they learn more about the role your services and goods play, they also will see you as a person who is willing to help them personally raise their business skills.
Tips like these separate the average salespeople from the superior ones. Which camp do you want to be in?
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Sales Tip: Help Your Buyer With Paperwork
As you know, I think sales trainer Mark Hunter delivers quick, easily accessible tips that can make a huge difference in your business. This one is no exception!
One of the most tedious tasks of any buyer in the purchasing department is the paperwork, whether it be physical paper or the time required getting information into their computer system. So what are you doing to help them with this?
Take the time to ask your buyer and their assistants how you can help. Find out the timeline they have to have their information in by. Knowing how to help them and when to help them can open up significant doors for you by being able to assist them.
This is especially critical during vacation periods or other times when the office may not be fully staffed. Additionally, with many companies having made cuts in personnel, it can mean the buyer with whom you are working no longer has the assistance from others. Step in and help them out. Be the person they can count on and you’ll be amazed at how they will respect and thank you for your help.
It will be a boost to your sales motivation too.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/category/blog/
One of the most tedious tasks of any buyer in the purchasing department is the paperwork, whether it be physical paper or the time required getting information into their computer system. So what are you doing to help them with this?
Take the time to ask your buyer and their assistants how you can help. Find out the timeline they have to have their information in by. Knowing how to help them and when to help them can open up significant doors for you by being able to assist them.
This is especially critical during vacation periods or other times when the office may not be fully staffed. Additionally, with many companies having made cuts in personnel, it can mean the buyer with whom you are working no longer has the assistance from others. Step in and help them out. Be the person they can count on and you’ll be amazed at how they will respect and thank you for your help.
It will be a boost to your sales motivation too.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/category/blog/
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Are You Really Listening?
Today sales trainer Mark Hunter shares his thoughts on listening - and a great tip you can put into practice right away!
On every sales call, make sure you bring up at least one item the customer shared with you on the previous call. This demonstrates that you listen closely.
Salespeople are already struggling anytime they're talking to a customer or a prospect because of all the preconceived notions that so many people have regarding salespeople. Too many people believe salespeople don't listen and that the only thing they're into is their own personal desire to sell something.
The best way to overcome this is by showing the customer you're different and you listen. Problem is too many salespeople don't start listening to the customer until after they've either already bought something or on the verge of buying something.
The time to start listening is truly at the beginning. You do this by using each and every comment the customer makes to you as a potential follow-up question. This really comes into play if you're involved in a long sales cycle, where there are a number of sales calls either on the telephone, via email, or in person.
Use each communication as an opportunity to ask the person a follow-up question regarding something they told you in the previous discussion. If you can't come up with a question, you should at least reference something from an earlier call or something shared very early in your current call.
By doing this, you're accomplishing several things. First, you're finding out additional insights about the customer by getting them to build on something they shared with you earlier. Second, (and I believe more important) is the customer will begin to see your listening skills in action. This helps them to begin to have confidence in you. Ultimately it's the confidence the customer has in you that will determine if they buy from you.
So, are you really listening? Only you and your customer know. Your sales motivation and sales success will reflect it.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/
On every sales call, make sure you bring up at least one item the customer shared with you on the previous call. This demonstrates that you listen closely.
Salespeople are already struggling anytime they're talking to a customer or a prospect because of all the preconceived notions that so many people have regarding salespeople. Too many people believe salespeople don't listen and that the only thing they're into is their own personal desire to sell something.
The best way to overcome this is by showing the customer you're different and you listen. Problem is too many salespeople don't start listening to the customer until after they've either already bought something or on the verge of buying something.
The time to start listening is truly at the beginning. You do this by using each and every comment the customer makes to you as a potential follow-up question. This really comes into play if you're involved in a long sales cycle, where there are a number of sales calls either on the telephone, via email, or in person.
Use each communication as an opportunity to ask the person a follow-up question regarding something they told you in the previous discussion. If you can't come up with a question, you should at least reference something from an earlier call or something shared very early in your current call.
By doing this, you're accomplishing several things. First, you're finding out additional insights about the customer by getting them to build on something they shared with you earlier. Second, (and I believe more important) is the customer will begin to see your listening skills in action. This helps them to begin to have confidence in you. Ultimately it's the confidence the customer has in you that will determine if they buy from you.
So, are you really listening? Only you and your customer know. Your sales motivation and sales success will reflect it.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/
Friday, July 9, 2010
Networking? Don't Be Late
Sales trainer Mark Hunter has an excellent blog where he shares sales advice in short, concise posts. Perfect for the busy seller! Today he shares a networking tip.
Next time you have an opportunity to network in person, arrive early, not late. This seems obvious, but some people think it is better to take a casual approach and show up after the event or gathering is already well underway.
When you arrive early, you can have conversations with people before they are too engaged with others or already participating in the the activities of the event. Arriving after an event starts often means you will awkwardly break in on conversations that have already been established.
There are other benefits to arriving early as well, especially for the shy person or someone who does not like to network. Yes, this runs counter to the norm, but by arriving early, you're able to join in with other people who arrive early. The typical cliques that can develop at these gatherings will not have emerged yet, and you'll be able to meet others in a much more relaxed and comfortable manner.
When you are in sales, even though the actual "selling" may take a break every now and then, your sales motivation does not. Be the type of salesperson who is positive and grasps every opportunity to learn and to talk to new people. Always be networking. Never arrive late.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/blog
Next time you have an opportunity to network in person, arrive early, not late. This seems obvious, but some people think it is better to take a casual approach and show up after the event or gathering is already well underway.
When you arrive early, you can have conversations with people before they are too engaged with others or already participating in the the activities of the event. Arriving after an event starts often means you will awkwardly break in on conversations that have already been established.
There are other benefits to arriving early as well, especially for the shy person or someone who does not like to network. Yes, this runs counter to the norm, but by arriving early, you're able to join in with other people who arrive early. The typical cliques that can develop at these gatherings will not have emerged yet, and you'll be able to meet others in a much more relaxed and comfortable manner.
When you are in sales, even though the actual "selling" may take a break every now and then, your sales motivation does not. Be the type of salesperson who is positive and grasps every opportunity to learn and to talk to new people. Always be networking. Never arrive late.
Get more great tips and quotes from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, at http://thesaleshunter.com/blog
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