Often times there are multiple people involved in the sale - and you many not even know some of them. This means your main contact then has to go and sell you to those other people - and a lot can happen in that situation. Today sales trainer Joe Guertin shows us how to avoid that situation and make the sale.
If you were a buyer, would you go out on a limb to support a new contractor or supplier? Bet you didn't think "yes" right away. These days, that decision-maker who reports to others will need your help in selling you to others.
Here are two tips on helping make it happen:
1) Don't just sell to one person, but give them whatever they'll need to 'sell' you to the rest of the team...which is best done when you:
2) Make connections with the other decision-makers. When there's a committee or other group who'll influence the decision, get an audience with them, face-to-face. The buyer is far more likely to get behind your plan when they see the others supporting it, too.
In a big-ticket, 'Complex Sale,'; a complete, internal strategy is essential. But, even in day-to-day renewals, too many opportunities are delayed or lost when a plan has to be 're-sold' internally, but without your expertise.
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
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Watch Your Language
I really enjoy reading advice from sales trainer Kelley Robertson - he gets straight to the point, and discusses familiar situations - so you often feel like you can apply his advice right away. Today he's talking about the impact language can have on your day - I know I'll be watching my words more carefully! Read on for his advice.
Are you familiar with the expression, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it?" The language you use during the course of a day can have a tremendous impact on your results.
For example, in recent weeks, I have heard people use expressions such as:
"We're clawing our way through these times."
"It's really tough out there."
"People aren't as easy to sell to as they used to be."
"It's a war zone out there."
While these comments may be accurate, every time you state them - either aloud or to yourself - you reinforce the difficulties associated with selling.
I recall talking to a coach during my second year of business. My business had taken off quickly and I distinctly remember saying, "This should be more difficult." Needless to say, a short time later, it became more difficult. When I rephrased my sentiments, revenues began to climb more easily. I'm not suggesting that using positive language will magically make your problems go away. However, what you say will either move you closer or further away from your goals.
Here's a suggestion: For one day, carefully monitor what you say and count the number of times you use language that is self-defeating, negative, or that expresses difficulty. Then change that phrase to positive focused language.
Kelley Robertson is the President and founder of Robertson Training Group. He specializes in helping businesses increase their sales, develop better negotiating skills, coach and motivate their employees, create powerful work teams and deliver outstanding customer service. Learn more by visiting www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.
Are you familiar with the expression, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it?" The language you use during the course of a day can have a tremendous impact on your results.
For example, in recent weeks, I have heard people use expressions such as:
"We're clawing our way through these times."
"It's really tough out there."
"People aren't as easy to sell to as they used to be."
"It's a war zone out there."
While these comments may be accurate, every time you state them - either aloud or to yourself - you reinforce the difficulties associated with selling.
I recall talking to a coach during my second year of business. My business had taken off quickly and I distinctly remember saying, "This should be more difficult." Needless to say, a short time later, it became more difficult. When I rephrased my sentiments, revenues began to climb more easily. I'm not suggesting that using positive language will magically make your problems go away. However, what you say will either move you closer or further away from your goals.
Here's a suggestion: For one day, carefully monitor what you say and count the number of times you use language that is self-defeating, negative, or that expresses difficulty. Then change that phrase to positive focused language.
Kelley Robertson is the President and founder of Robertson Training Group. He specializes in helping businesses increase their sales, develop better negotiating skills, coach and motivate their employees, create powerful work teams and deliver outstanding customer service. Learn more by visiting www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Out of Business
Sales trainer Anne Miller recently had a wake-up call that made her take action and change some things about her business. Upon reading her story I felt compelled to make some changes for myself - you might too!
"I recently met with a client to discuss possible follow-up training to a negotiating seminar we had done for her team," says Miller. "She mentioned her need for presentation skills and when I said I could help her with that, she replied, "Oh, I am working with someone else for presentations training. I didn't know you did that." Didn't know? How could that be? I have written books on presenting, consulted on a zillion presentations across many industries, run hundreds of training and coaching sessions for people from groups of junior and seasoned reps to CEOs going out on road shows. And she didn't know????"
"Well, shame on me. I reviewed all my materials from my business cards to my website and realized it was easy for her not to know the range of services I provide. I had obviously fallen down on marketing. So I changed everything, even my email signature, to explicitly describe the value I believe I bring to clients. Now, if someone doesn't hire me, it won't be because they didn't know what I do."
"Keeping clients aware of what you do is a real challenge. Eileen Sutton took this one step further and recently sent this email to her clients. I love it because it is brief, it is friendly, and it works."
Dear Anne,
Sometimes we don't let our inner circle know of our achievements.
So far this year, I've positioned a private-equity firm, a $20B asset-management firm, a Latin American investment bank, and a cash-management firm representing 300 banks nationally.
If you're aware of a financial firm that's in the market for a clearer, more profitable identity, perhaps I can help. My new brochure is attached, and consultations are complimentary. Thanks so much for your time.
Happy to help in any way in return. Let me know.
Very best,
Eileen
How are you reminding your clients and network about your current services?
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com. You can also visit her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
"I recently met with a client to discuss possible follow-up training to a negotiating seminar we had done for her team," says Miller. "She mentioned her need for presentation skills and when I said I could help her with that, she replied, "Oh, I am working with someone else for presentations training. I didn't know you did that." Didn't know? How could that be? I have written books on presenting, consulted on a zillion presentations across many industries, run hundreds of training and coaching sessions for people from groups of junior and seasoned reps to CEOs going out on road shows. And she didn't know????"
"Well, shame on me. I reviewed all my materials from my business cards to my website and realized it was easy for her not to know the range of services I provide. I had obviously fallen down on marketing. So I changed everything, even my email signature, to explicitly describe the value I believe I bring to clients. Now, if someone doesn't hire me, it won't be because they didn't know what I do."
"Keeping clients aware of what you do is a real challenge. Eileen Sutton took this one step further and recently sent this email to her clients. I love it because it is brief, it is friendly, and it works."
Dear Anne,
Sometimes we don't let our inner circle know of our achievements.
So far this year, I've positioned a private-equity firm, a $20B asset-management firm, a Latin American investment bank, and a cash-management firm representing 300 banks nationally.
If you're aware of a financial firm that's in the market for a clearer, more profitable identity, perhaps I can help. My new brochure is attached, and consultations are complimentary. Thanks so much for your time.
Happy to help in any way in return. Let me know.
Very best,
Eileen
How are you reminding your clients and network about your current services?
Anne Miller is a popular sales and presentations expert and author of the book, Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade, & Explain Anything to Anyone. She works with people in high stakes situations and clients like Yahoo!, Citigroup, and Time, Inc. to sell millions of dollars of business every year. Visit her site at www.AnneMiller.com. You can also visit her blog at http://www.annemiller.com/blog/
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Ensuring a Profitable Sales Day
You all know how much I love a good time management tip! Today sales trainer Colleen Francis shares several tips she put together after working with a sales team that made a commitment to do proactive, outbound sales prospecting everyday from 9-11 am. Here's how they stick to it:
1) Print out a list of at least 30 names to call the night before you leave the office, so you don't have to turn on your computer first thing in the morning (and risk checking email).
2) Make your calls from a meeting room rather than the open cubicle area so other employees can't bother/interrupt you
3) Put the phone on do not disturb
4) Keep cell / mobile device in the car during the "calling time"
5) Have a weekly contest to see who can make the most calls / appointments and sales during this time
6) Instruct receptionist to put all inbound calls directly into voice mail.
7) Turn off email and web browsers. Only use CRM during this time. If this can be done at the source by IT, all the better!
8) Create your "to do list" or "to call list" the night before.
9) Arrive at work 30 minutes early to get settled before "call time starts".
10) Block other employees from entering the sales area during this time with a banner that reads "Do not enter. Earning your salary"!
11) Send prospecting emails to prospects at the end of the day rather than during the "call time".
"While some of these ideas are fun, some are serious, and some are outrageous, they all work," says Francis. "I am sure you have some ideas to add to the list as well. At its core, sales success is all about demand generation, lead generation and prospecting. No prospects, no sales. Knowing that, what are you doing everyday to ensure prospecting for new business remains a top priority on your team?"
Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Start improving your results today with Engage's online Newsletter Engaging Ideas and a FREE 7 day intensive sales eCourse: www.EngagingIdeasOnline.com.
1) Print out a list of at least 30 names to call the night before you leave the office, so you don't have to turn on your computer first thing in the morning (and risk checking email).
2) Make your calls from a meeting room rather than the open cubicle area so other employees can't bother/interrupt you
3) Put the phone on do not disturb
4) Keep cell / mobile device in the car during the "calling time"
5) Have a weekly contest to see who can make the most calls / appointments and sales during this time
6) Instruct receptionist to put all inbound calls directly into voice mail.
7) Turn off email and web browsers. Only use CRM during this time. If this can be done at the source by IT, all the better!
8) Create your "to do list" or "to call list" the night before.
9) Arrive at work 30 minutes early to get settled before "call time starts".
10) Block other employees from entering the sales area during this time with a banner that reads "Do not enter. Earning your salary"!
11) Send prospecting emails to prospects at the end of the day rather than during the "call time".
"While some of these ideas are fun, some are serious, and some are outrageous, they all work," says Francis. "I am sure you have some ideas to add to the list as well. At its core, sales success is all about demand generation, lead generation and prospecting. No prospects, no sales. Knowing that, what are you doing everyday to ensure prospecting for new business remains a top priority on your team?"
Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Start improving your results today with Engage's online Newsletter Engaging Ideas and a FREE 7 day intensive sales eCourse: www.EngagingIdeasOnline.com.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Quote of the Week
"Strategic advantage lies in the leverage of knowledge." -- Robert Buckman
We advocate reading a lot to increase your knowledge about the profession of sales - but we don't talk enough about reading materials in your field. You have to be an expert, be able to make recommendations, and see things coming in the field. To do this you have to read trade journals, news articles - whatever you can!
Read up and you'll be able to show your customers you know what they're going through - and what they should do to best make a profit.
We advocate reading a lot to increase your knowledge about the profession of sales - but we don't talk enough about reading materials in your field. You have to be an expert, be able to make recommendations, and see things coming in the field. To do this you have to read trade journals, news articles - whatever you can!
Read up and you'll be able to show your customers you know what they're going through - and what they should do to best make a profit.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Presentation Mistakes That Can Cost You
You've done a lot of work to get to the point where you can make a presentation to a new prospect - so don't ruin all your hard work with a little presentation mistake that's easily avoidable. Today sales trainer Dan Adams shares some of the biggest presentation mistakes with us - and tells you what to do to avoid them.
Mediocre First Impression
Jack Welch said: "Whenever I see a young man make a great presentation, I never forget that young man. Unfortunately the opposite is also true." You will never get another chance to make a great first impression. Your first impression is key to a great presentation. Consider the very first few slides you intend to show your client. Do they convey that you have done your homework and that you have created a highly customized presentation? Or, do they smell like the same old "standard" presentation you have used over and over again?
No Presentation Goal
Every meeting and every presentation must have a goal or objective. Your presentation's goal should be clearly communicated at the beginning of the meeting to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Poor Visual Aids: Less Is More
Dump the cartoons, and remember that the primary goal of the slides is to remind you what points you want to make to your client. The 4 X 4 rule of thumb works great. Never use more than 4 bullets per slide and never more than 4 words per bullet. Avoid paragraphs of data!
Too Long: Less Is More
In general, most people don't want to sit through a very long presentation; they get bored. If I learn that my competition has taken 2 hours to bore my client with their presentation I might open my presentation with: "I know you are very busy. Out of respect for your time I plan to take 30 minutes to share the information you requested. If any of you would like me to stay longer that's fine, we can delve deeper as needed."
Allowing "Derailments"
A presentation may get "derailed" if you permit a question or comment to take you in a direction that is not in your mutual best interests. Questions and comments are fine as long as they are controlled and take you in a direction that you find acceptable. Otherwise respond with: "Judy, that's a great question, thanks for bringing it to my attention. If you can hang on to that I'm planning on addressing that specific issue at the end of our time together."
No Audience Involvement
Without audience involvement you will not know if you have connected with them. You will not know if they understand your points. Stop occasionally and ask the audience members questions such as, "Does that point capture how your department may benefit from ABC?" Or, "Give me your opinion on our approach to ABC". Once you pause for reinforcement the audience becomes more receptive to your effort to satisfy their objectives. Just be sure that you maintain a balance between audience involvement and derailment.
Daniel Adams, author of Building Trust, Growing Sales, and creator of Trust Triangle Selling helps corporations improve their profits by optimizing the performance of their sales teams. He is a frequent and popular speaker at national sales meetings, workshops and association events. Visit www.trusttriangleselling.com
Looking for a way to add interest to your presentation that's meaningful and shows your attention to detail? Customized presentation materials like folders, binders, index tabs and pocket folders from Binders.com may be just what you're looking for! Check out their excellent prices and quality materials here.
Mediocre First Impression
Jack Welch said: "Whenever I see a young man make a great presentation, I never forget that young man. Unfortunately the opposite is also true." You will never get another chance to make a great first impression. Your first impression is key to a great presentation. Consider the very first few slides you intend to show your client. Do they convey that you have done your homework and that you have created a highly customized presentation? Or, do they smell like the same old "standard" presentation you have used over and over again?
No Presentation Goal
Every meeting and every presentation must have a goal or objective. Your presentation's goal should be clearly communicated at the beginning of the meeting to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Poor Visual Aids: Less Is More
Dump the cartoons, and remember that the primary goal of the slides is to remind you what points you want to make to your client. The 4 X 4 rule of thumb works great. Never use more than 4 bullets per slide and never more than 4 words per bullet. Avoid paragraphs of data!
Too Long: Less Is More
In general, most people don't want to sit through a very long presentation; they get bored. If I learn that my competition has taken 2 hours to bore my client with their presentation I might open my presentation with: "I know you are very busy. Out of respect for your time I plan to take 30 minutes to share the information you requested. If any of you would like me to stay longer that's fine, we can delve deeper as needed."
Allowing "Derailments"
A presentation may get "derailed" if you permit a question or comment to take you in a direction that is not in your mutual best interests. Questions and comments are fine as long as they are controlled and take you in a direction that you find acceptable. Otherwise respond with: "Judy, that's a great question, thanks for bringing it to my attention. If you can hang on to that I'm planning on addressing that specific issue at the end of our time together."
No Audience Involvement
Without audience involvement you will not know if you have connected with them. You will not know if they understand your points. Stop occasionally and ask the audience members questions such as, "Does that point capture how your department may benefit from ABC?" Or, "Give me your opinion on our approach to ABC". Once you pause for reinforcement the audience becomes more receptive to your effort to satisfy their objectives. Just be sure that you maintain a balance between audience involvement and derailment.
Daniel Adams, author of Building Trust, Growing Sales, and creator of Trust Triangle Selling helps corporations improve their profits by optimizing the performance of their sales teams. He is a frequent and popular speaker at national sales meetings, workshops and association events. Visit www.trusttriangleselling.com
Looking for a way to add interest to your presentation that's meaningful and shows your attention to detail? Customized presentation materials like folders, binders, index tabs and pocket folders from Binders.com may be just what you're looking for! Check out their excellent prices and quality materials here.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Quality vs. Quantity
When selecting material for this blog I try to feature different authors, different topics, and different points of view. After all, one piece of advice will not work for everyone's situation. That's why I jumped at the chance to run this article from sales trainer Adrian Miller. She gets into the quantity vs. quality debate like Mark Hunter did on Tuesday - but offers a different take on it that might be a better fit for you.
"The age-old debate of quantity versus quality - Is one truly more important than the other? For sales professionals, the answer is unequivocally No! Quantity and quality are both important if you want to succeed. We've all heard the "experts" drone on and on about the importance of "quality" when it comes to leads. Isn't the concept of developing quality obvious enough? Of course, we'd all love to have only those leads in our funnel that turn into valuable customers. However this isn't always the reality."
"What is frequently neglected or downplayed is the necessity for quantity," says Miller. "Like it or not, sales is inherently a numbers game. If you currently have three "quality" prospects, but you need ten new customers this month, you're not going to be successful. To reach your goal, a significant amount of time must simply be spent on gathering new leads."
"To balance the demands of acquiring both quantity and quality in your sales funnel requires constant multitasking. Let one ball drop and your sales funnel will deplete. What do you need to do to maintain the balance necessary to keep the sales flowing?"
Here are a few helpful tips:
Regular Prospecting - Make it an absolute must to reach out to a set amount of new prospects each and every day. Let's face it - The more calls you make, the more opportunities you will discover. It's not rocket science!
Aggressively Network - As part of your regular routine to make contact with new prospects, networking must be a priority. You'll need to do more than just attend the quarterly get-together for your friends in the industry. Seek out online and in-person opportunities with enthusiasm. Help others by generously providing referrals and introductions and take advantage of any that you receive, too!
Keep Organized - Leads are valuable, so keep track of them efficiently. Develop your own contact management system and stay on top of where each lead is within your sales funnel. Don't let even one slip through the cracks because of an inability to manage the sales process.
Don't Make Assumptions - Sometimes the best customers come from the most unlikely of places. Don't dismiss leads or introductions because you think they have little potential for you. Value every opportunity and find out as much as you can before you drop contact with anyone.
Adrian Miller is the President of Adrian Miller Sales Training, a training and business consulting firm delivering sales-level performance training and executive-level business development consulting. A nationally recognized lecturer, she is also author of "The Blatant Truth: 50 Ways to Sales Success".
"The age-old debate of quantity versus quality - Is one truly more important than the other? For sales professionals, the answer is unequivocally No! Quantity and quality are both important if you want to succeed. We've all heard the "experts" drone on and on about the importance of "quality" when it comes to leads. Isn't the concept of developing quality obvious enough? Of course, we'd all love to have only those leads in our funnel that turn into valuable customers. However this isn't always the reality."
"What is frequently neglected or downplayed is the necessity for quantity," says Miller. "Like it or not, sales is inherently a numbers game. If you currently have three "quality" prospects, but you need ten new customers this month, you're not going to be successful. To reach your goal, a significant amount of time must simply be spent on gathering new leads."
"To balance the demands of acquiring both quantity and quality in your sales funnel requires constant multitasking. Let one ball drop and your sales funnel will deplete. What do you need to do to maintain the balance necessary to keep the sales flowing?"
Here are a few helpful tips:
Regular Prospecting - Make it an absolute must to reach out to a set amount of new prospects each and every day. Let's face it - The more calls you make, the more opportunities you will discover. It's not rocket science!
Aggressively Network - As part of your regular routine to make contact with new prospects, networking must be a priority. You'll need to do more than just attend the quarterly get-together for your friends in the industry. Seek out online and in-person opportunities with enthusiasm. Help others by generously providing referrals and introductions and take advantage of any that you receive, too!
Keep Organized - Leads are valuable, so keep track of them efficiently. Develop your own contact management system and stay on top of where each lead is within your sales funnel. Don't let even one slip through the cracks because of an inability to manage the sales process.
Don't Make Assumptions - Sometimes the best customers come from the most unlikely of places. Don't dismiss leads or introductions because you think they have little potential for you. Value every opportunity and find out as much as you can before you drop contact with anyone.
Adrian Miller is the President of Adrian Miller Sales Training, a training and business consulting firm delivering sales-level performance training and executive-level business development consulting. A nationally recognized lecturer, she is also author of "The Blatant Truth: 50 Ways to Sales Success".
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