Quote of the Week: Destiny and Decisions

Quote of the Week

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your destiny is in your hands. All of it! Your business life and your personal life are all determined by the decisions you make and the actions you take.

Who do you want to become? And what steps will you take to get there? Got any tips for how all us Sales Dog can determine our success? Tell us in the comments below! 

Getting Past the Emailed Quote

Sales trainer Joe Guertin often answers salespeople's questions on his blog, and I thought his most recent answer was very appropriate and advice we could all use. A recent reader asked "My customers are busy and can't take time to meet face-to-face. They want prices e-mailed. But then...NOTHING HAPPENS! Help! What can I do?"

"I get asked that a lot," says Guertin. "And it's a chronic problem. Busy buyers just want quotes, and then make their decisions on their own criteria (which, for the most part, include who they feel the most comfortable buying from)."

I don't like e-mailed quotes. Unless it's going to a current customer with whom you have an on-going relationship, e-mailed quotes take the selling out of sales.

But, in those cases where you absolutely have no choice, add these two steps and you'll see those all-important 'connections' grow (and get a better closing ratio):

Call Ahead
"I'm about to send that quote and just wanted to confirm one thing."
Ask a question about one of the specifications, about their timetable, etc. Thank them again for the opportunity, tell them you'll "follow up shortly," and let 'er rip.

Follow Up
Did they say it'll take a week or two to get an answer? Did they say they'd let you know? Did I say stop there? Especially if this is a new customer, FOLLOW-UP. The key is to have a specific reason for following up...as you don't want to sound like a lap dog who says "didja getit...didja getit...didja getit?" (Of course they got it.)

Make a strategic call that includes these elements:

"I know it'll be a week before you make a decision" (set aside THAT debate)
"but I just wanted to make sure we've got everything covered."

This could elicit responses from "I haven't looked yet" to "looks good."

Now, reconfirm their next step, thank them for the opportunity. Be sure to fire out a brief thank you letter, too.

P.S...Personal visits should be proportionate to dollar amounts. Larger, more detailed quotations have "I need face time" written all over them!

Joe Guertin is an advertising sales trainer, speaker and coach. His programs have informed and entertained sales professionals nationwide. Visit his Sales Resource Center at www.StreetFighterSelling.com

Quote of the Week

"Excellence is the gradual result of always wanting to do better." -- Pat Riley, NBA Coach with five championship titles

The business of being an NBA coach is much, much more pressure-packed than the sales world. Not only are you living up to the expectations of management, but also the expectations of your team and millions of fans worldwide. It's something few can handle, but those that do, like Pat Riley, are a great example of how dedication, focus, and constant improvement line the path to success.

If you're looking to make more sales, it won't happen overnight. Make small changes to your routine every day, whether its reading a chapter in a book, listening to an audio tape in your car, or making one more call. Making an effort to always do better will put you on the path to excellence in your business.

Quote of the Week

"Business is like riding a bicycle. Either you keep moving or you fall down." -- Frank Lloyd Wright

Do you remember learning to ride a bike?

I was an accident-prone child to begin with, so the process was full of scrapes, bruises, and the occasional dent in the family car. But like most kids, I was determined to try again and again until I finally got it right.

Similarly, building a successful sales career is all about determination. You'll fall down many times, and oftentimes encounters with prospects will leave your ego bruised, but reaching your goal makes it all worthwhile.

So after you've had a challenging day, reflect on what you could do differently, and get back on the bike - you'll be one step closer to reaching your goal.

Quote of the Week

"The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word "crisis." One brush stroke stands for danger, the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of danger - but recognize the opportunity." -- John F. Kennedy

Current economic conditions seem to be spelling "crisis" for most businesses. Now is the time to recognize the opportunity for you to shine with your customers. How can you help them weather the storm? What can you do to seize opportunities that now exist because of the economic "crisis"?

Quote of the Week

"Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish." - Ovid, Roman Poet

These may be fancy words from an old-world poet, but they ring true in business today. The only way you'll be successful in sales is to be constantly prospecting and finding new ways to reach your customers. Attend a community event, create a business card that expresses your personality, or just hold the door open for someone juggling a tray of Starbucks. You'll be surprised what turns up in your net.

Do you have any stories of unlikely meetings or a method that helped you reach prospects in a new way? We'd love to hear them!

Quote of the Week

"Confidence and enthusiasm are the greatest sales producers in any kind of economy." -- O.B. Smith

If you want to keep your sales up in a lagging economy, approach each day with the same confidence and enthusiasm you did in good times. Easier said than done? Then, take a few minutes each morning to remind yourself of your triumphs over adversity. And, while you're at it, remind yourself why your customers need your solutions. What do they like about using your product or service? What is special about doing business with you and your company? These positive thoughts are sure to boost your confidence and help you sail through the tough times.

Quote of the Week

"No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves." -- Dwight D. Eisenhower, former U.S. President

Today is President's Day in the U.S. - a day to remember and celebrate our nation's leaders (or just an excuse for the government and postal service to take a break!)

Take a cue from a past President and military leader. Never accept defeat. If you're having a hard time cracking an account - don't give up! Try another method of contact, get a referral, or send a funny note. Go out and find five new prospects to replace that one that's driving you crazy. Your persistence will pay off in the end.

Quote of the Week

"The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven't thought of yet." -- Ann Landers, Advice Columnist

Have you ever promised something to a customer then quickly realized you couldn't deliver? Passed on some company news you shouldn't have? Made a comment that was offensive or rude, only to realize this a second too late? These verbal slip-ups will cost you sales every time.

Prevent foot-in-mouth syndrome by slowing down and taking a few seconds to collect your thoughts before speaking. You'll not only avoid embarrassing yourself, you'll appear more thoughtful, confident and professional.

Quote of the Week

"Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops." -- Thomas J. Watson Jr.

Acknowledging and celebrating your accomplishments is important and can help motivate you when you reach an inevitable plateau (or valley). But, resting on your laurels will only lead to stagnation. So celebrate your next success, then be sure to ask yourself, "What's next?"

Quote of the Week

"The most unprofitable item ever manufactured is an excuse." - John Mason, Author - Conquering An Enemy Called Average
While they may make you feel better, excuses don't do anything to change a situation and they won't fly with your boss. Promise yourself that this week you'll take complete responsibility for a lost sale - and then work on what you can do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Quote of the Week

"If you are not moving closer to what you want in sales (or in life) you probably aren't doing enough asking." -- Jack Canfield

It's as simple as that: ask for what you want. If you've given a great presentation, answered all your prospect's questions, created value, and feel your prospect would benefit from your solution, then ask for the sale! You'd be surprised how few salespeople do this. Your prospects will be impressed with your confidence.

Quote of the Week

"There is only one way to get anybody to do anything. And that is by making the other person want to do it." -- Dale Carnegie

That's it, the essence of persuasion in a nutshell from the master of influence, Dale Carnegie. Keep these wise words in mind this week when you need to persuade, influence or motivate.

Quote of the Week

"As long as you're going to be thinking anyway, think big." -- Donald Trump

Great advice. It doesn't take any more effort to think big, and your opportunities will expand as you expand your thinking.

Keep this advice in mind this week. It will inspire you to call big, ask big, and sell big. Go for it!

Quote of the Week

"No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude." -- Alfred North Whitehead

Wise words to contemplate this week as we pause to give thanksgiving. Give some thanks for the people who are helping you achieve sales success.

Creating a sense of urgency

Zig Ziglar said, "Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust."

Today we're looking at the "no hurry" obstacle. You know the problem. Your prospect has an acknowledged need. You have the solution. They have the budget. But, they're just not moving forward.

In this situation, "Clients often need a little prodding to overcome their lack of urgency," says speaker and consultant Mike Schultz who advises that you:


Ask yourself, "What won't happen?" By the end of the sales process, you should have a very clear idea how your services will provide value to the prospect if he buys. Your next step is to get the client to understand the implications of not choosing to engage your services. Start by building a case (to yourself) for the negative implications if the client chooses not to solve the problem or address the issue using your services.

Ask the client, "What won't happen?" At the appropriate time in the sales process, ask the client, "To help me understand your situation so I can craft the best solution for you, can you give me a sense of what will happen if you choose not to move forward in this process and engage our services?" Like a good trial lawyer, you already know from your earlier analysis what those implications will be. However, the point is to get the client to state those implications out loud, in his own words.

Quantify the results. Just as you quantify the benefits and value of moving forward, quantify the implications for the customer of not moving forward. Make sure your case is clear before going on to the next step.

Demonstrate the results. When demonstrating your value in the presentation or proposal, also demonstrate the value of the "What won't happen?" analysis. For example, suppose you demonstrate that revenue will go up by 3% and customer retention 20% if they purchase your service. Now show them the flip side. Demonstrate that if they choose not to go forward, revenue will stagnate or drop and customer retention will drop by at least 5%.

"By employing a 'What won't happen?' analysis in your sales process, you will find a consistent increase in the sense of urgency of your clients, resulting in measurably increased closing rates," says Schultz.

Give his advice a try and let us know how this strategy works for you!

This advice was excerpted from Top Dog Sales Secrets. Mike Schultz is principal of Wellesley Hills Group.

Come back tomorrow to find out how to deal with the "no desire" obstacle.

Sales Obstacles

"Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust." --Zig Ziglar

Wise words from a sales training legend. This week we'll look at how to overcome each of these selling obstacles.

Today's obstacle: "no need"
"For many sales reps, getting prospects to open up and reveal their real issues, challenges and concerns early on is the most difficult part of the sales process," says telesales trainer Jim Domanski. "Without this critical information, the rep has no clear direction in which to take the sales call. As a result, demonstrating clear and compelling value to the prospect becomes almost impossible."

"When you probe for needs most prospects are reluctant to divulge areas of pain. This is understandable. Because you're a stranger, they feel a natural hesitancy to open up the floodgates and spill all their issues. On another level, some prospects don't want to admit to anyone that they have a pressing problem."

Domanski advises reps to use a scenario selling technique which makes it easier for reps to ask the tough questions, and prospects to respond. "Scenario selling is formulaic, and divided into two parts," explains Jim. "The rep creates a scenario as a pretext for asking a sensitive question. Next, the rep uses an open-ended trigger phrase such as, 'What has been your experience?' that invites the prospect to elaborate."

Here are two examples:

"Ms. Bixby, much of our client research shows that cash flow is sometimes an issue, particularly with the fluctuating price of oil. Let me ask you - what has been your experience with cash flow over the last year or so?"

"Mr. Edgerton, one of the things we've learned with new practices is that marketing their services is a challenge, because the owners are doctors and not marketers. Let me ask, what has been your approach to marketing, and what type of results have you been experiencing?"

To implement this technique, Domanski suggests strategizing with your manager or fellow reps. Develop a scenario or two that highlights common points of pain. Script your scenario and trigger phase and then practice until they flow naturally. Now deliver and watch the impact on your sales!

This advice was excerpted from Top Dog Sales Secrets. Jim Domanski is president of Teleconcepts Consulting.

Join us again tomorrow as we tackle the "no money" obstacle.

Quote of the Week

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." --Robert Louis Stevenson

Keep this advice in mind as you prospect this week.

No Better Time

Salesdog agrees with what legendary Hollywood agent Swifty Lazar once said, "Make something happen before lunch."