Today we're sharing a great article from sales trainer Rochelle Togo-Figa. Her key steps to bigger sales will help you to create more opportunities, and close them!
A client recently called me with some very good news. She had been hired by a large company to do several projects for them. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself. She had been working hard on growing her business for several years and it was beginning to pay off.
I told her this didn't happen by luck. She had created a clear and concise step-by-step sales action plan and had diligently and consistently followed each step. Let's take a look at the steps she followed that led to her business success.
1.Know your niche. Be clear about the market/industry you want to go after. Often new business owners make the mistake of being generalists because they want any business they can get. Be specific about who is your ideal client and put all your energy in that direction. Get yourself known as a specialist in one area rather than trying to be an expert in everything.
2.Ask for referrals. There's "low-hanging fruit" right under your nose. If a client is satisfied with you, they'll be happy to help you. Ask happy clients if there is anyone they know who you can call. If your client works within a large organization, figure out the department you want to call and then ask the client who they know in that department. This is the first step my client took, so do this early on!
3.Get the meeting. When calling the prospect for a meeting, introduce yourself, give the name of your referral and state the purpose of your call. If they know and respect your referral source, you've opened the door to getting the meeting. Don't wait to say who referred you. Let the prospect know immediately who referred you.
4.Visualize getting the business. Close your eyes and actually see yourself walking into the meeting with confidence, having a great meeting and then getting the business. Do the visualization a few times the day before, as well as before you go to sleep and on the way to your meeting. How you come across as soon as you walk in the door sets the tone for the whole meeting.
5.Prepare an effective presentation. Create a complete presentation of what you want to cover at the meeting. I've created a PowerPoint presentation of The Sales Breakthrough System. I also bring a marketing folder that includes a list of my programs, with descriptions of each, a bio, client list and testimonials. Whether it's a visual presentation or a brochure, you want to show something to the prospect that will enhance your professionalism and make an impact.
6.Practice your presentation. Practice what you're going to say. This includes an opening statement, a run-through of your presentation, responses to objections they may have, questions they may ask, questions you might ask--especially asking for their business--finally, closing for next steps.
7.Establish a connection. Connect with the prospect by looking at them throughout the meeting. Do not talk over them, talk directly to them. You will come across as someone who is warm, confident and in control. This is a valuable skill if you're meeting with a group. Speak to each person for 4-5 seconds, and then move to another person. You'll find each one will pay more attention to what you say.
8.Outline the Next Steps. At the end of the meeting summarize for the prospect what has been discussed and agreed to. Then take out your calendar, asking the prospect to do the same, and write in what the next steps are. Never leave without knowing what the next steps are.
9.Follow Up. As soon as you return to your office, summarize in an e-mail what was covered during the meeting and the next action steps you and the prospect have agreed to take. Send the memo to the prospect the next day. Include due dates for each action step and be sure to fulfill what you said you would do.
Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of the Inner Game of Salesâ„¢, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.
Friday, July 29, 2011
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
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
SalesDog Quick Tip
Record Your Cold Calls
The information you'll get from these recordings can help your sales immensely. You'll catch phone habits - good and bad - that you didn't even know you had. (Remember to confirm if in your state you have to ask the other party for permission to record.)
Today's quick tip comes from Kendra Lee, a top IT Seller, Prospect Attraction Expert and author of the award winning book "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, read her latest articles, or to subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.741.6636
The information you'll get from these recordings can help your sales immensely. You'll catch phone habits - good and bad - that you didn't even know you had. (Remember to confirm if in your state you have to ask the other party for permission to record.)
Today's quick tip comes from Kendra Lee, a top IT Seller, Prospect Attraction Expert and author of the award winning book "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, read her latest articles, or to subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.741.6636
Monday, July 25, 2011
Quote of the Week
"A good goal is like a strenuous exercise - it makes you stretch." -- Mary Kay Ash, cosmetics pioneer
Even if you're on track to meet your quota for the month or year, think about changing your goal so you're working harder and putting in more effort. You'll see the reward in your sales!
Even if you're on track to meet your quota for the month or year, think about changing your goal so you're working harder and putting in more effort. You'll see the reward in your sales!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Relationships Are Everything
This article from sales expert Brian Tracy shares great advice on how to build and maintain relationships with your clients - the keys to sales success! Read on and get building!
Your Foundation for Success
Relationship Selling is the core of all modern selling strategies. Your ability to develop and maintain long-term customer relationships is the foundation for your success as a salesperson and your success in business. Relationship selling requires a clear understanding of the dynamics of the selling process as they are experienced by your customer.
Propose a Business Marriage
For your customer, a buying decision usually means a decision to enter into a long-term relationship with you and your company. It is very much like a "business marriage." Before the customer decides to buy, he can take you or leave you. He doesn't need you or your company. He has a variety of options and choices open to him, including not buying anything at all. But when your customer makes a decision to buy from you and gives you money for the product or service you are selling, he becomes dependent on you. And since he has probably had bad buying experiences in the past, he is very uneasy and uncertain about getting into this kind of dependency relationship.
Fulfill Your Promises
What if you let the customer down? What if your product does not work as you promised? What if you don't service it and support it as you promised? What if it breaks down and he can't get it replaced? What if the product or service is completely inappropriate for his needs? These are real dilemmas that go through the mind of every customer when it comes time to make the critical buying decision.
Focus on the Relationship
Because of the complexity of most products and services today, especially high-tech products, the relationship is actually more important than the product. The customer doesn't know the ingredients or components of your product, or how your company functions, or how he will be treated after he has given you his money, but he can make an assessment about you and about the relationship that has developed between the two of you over the course of the selling process. So in reality, the customer's decision is based on the fact that he has come to trust you and believe in what you say.
Build a Solid Trust Bond
In many cases, the quality of your relationship with the customer is the competitive advantage that enables you to edge out others who may have similar products and services. The quality of the trust bond that exists between you and your customers can be so strong that no other competitor can get between you.
Keep Your Customers for Life
The single biggest mistake that causes salespeople to lose customers is taking those customers for granted. This is a form of "customer entropy." It is when the salesperson relaxes his efforts and begins to ignore the customer. Almost 70 percent of customers who walked away from their existing suppliers later replied that they made the change primarily because of a lack of attention from the company.
Once you have invested the time and made the efforts necessary to build a high-quality, trust-based relationship with your customer, you must maintain that relationship for the life of your business. You must never take it for granted.
Action Exercises
First, focus on building a high quality relationship with each customer by treating your customer so well that he comes back, buys again and refers you to his friends.
Second, pay attention to your existing customers. Tell them you appreciate them. Look for ways to thank them and encourage them to come back and do business with you again.
Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year. Learn more at www.briantracy.com
Your Foundation for Success
Relationship Selling is the core of all modern selling strategies. Your ability to develop and maintain long-term customer relationships is the foundation for your success as a salesperson and your success in business. Relationship selling requires a clear understanding of the dynamics of the selling process as they are experienced by your customer.
Propose a Business Marriage
For your customer, a buying decision usually means a decision to enter into a long-term relationship with you and your company. It is very much like a "business marriage." Before the customer decides to buy, he can take you or leave you. He doesn't need you or your company. He has a variety of options and choices open to him, including not buying anything at all. But when your customer makes a decision to buy from you and gives you money for the product or service you are selling, he becomes dependent on you. And since he has probably had bad buying experiences in the past, he is very uneasy and uncertain about getting into this kind of dependency relationship.
Fulfill Your Promises
What if you let the customer down? What if your product does not work as you promised? What if you don't service it and support it as you promised? What if it breaks down and he can't get it replaced? What if the product or service is completely inappropriate for his needs? These are real dilemmas that go through the mind of every customer when it comes time to make the critical buying decision.
Focus on the Relationship
Because of the complexity of most products and services today, especially high-tech products, the relationship is actually more important than the product. The customer doesn't know the ingredients or components of your product, or how your company functions, or how he will be treated after he has given you his money, but he can make an assessment about you and about the relationship that has developed between the two of you over the course of the selling process. So in reality, the customer's decision is based on the fact that he has come to trust you and believe in what you say.
Build a Solid Trust Bond
In many cases, the quality of your relationship with the customer is the competitive advantage that enables you to edge out others who may have similar products and services. The quality of the trust bond that exists between you and your customers can be so strong that no other competitor can get between you.
Keep Your Customers for Life
The single biggest mistake that causes salespeople to lose customers is taking those customers for granted. This is a form of "customer entropy." It is when the salesperson relaxes his efforts and begins to ignore the customer. Almost 70 percent of customers who walked away from their existing suppliers later replied that they made the change primarily because of a lack of attention from the company.
Once you have invested the time and made the efforts necessary to build a high-quality, trust-based relationship with your customer, you must maintain that relationship for the life of your business. You must never take it for granted.
Action Exercises
First, focus on building a high quality relationship with each customer by treating your customer so well that he comes back, buys again and refers you to his friends.
Second, pay attention to your existing customers. Tell them you appreciate them. Look for ways to thank them and encourage them to come back and do business with you again.
Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year. Learn more at www.briantracy.com
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Do the Hustle
Today's article from sales expert Colleen Francis reminds us of the difference between "hustling" a customer, and "hustling" to do your best every day. It's great!
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits - Thomas A. Edison
I saw this quote somewhere – might have been a “friend's” Facebook post a few weeks ago and it resonated with me. First let’s define hustle. in this case I take it to mean:
To move or act energetically and rapidly “We hustled to get dinner ready on time”
NOT
To sell or get by questionable or aggressive means: hustled stolen watches; hustling spare change.
I met a hustler this past week. Mike is selling to the home builders, renovators and consumers. Arguably a down market. His sales are up 200% this year because he is (as he said to me) “powering through this economy and out hustle my competition”. It got me thinking of all the different ways you can hustle in your own business to ensure your sales stay up….no matter what the economy is doing. Check out this list and add to it as you see fit!
1. Reach out to your current client database at least twice per month with a value based, content rich newsletter – paper based or email
2. Attend at least 1 networking event per week
3. Ask for referrals at least once per day
4. Follow up on your leads at least 7 times by email and 7 times by phone before you give up
5. Prospect every day to keep your funnel full. A full funnel is one full of opportunities totaling 300% of your goal.
6. Identify new target markets to sell to
7. Attend trade shows regularly and follow up with the leads within 24 hours
8. Make 5 more calls everyday
9. Implement a reactivation campaign to win back lost customers
10. Revise your goals for the month quarter and year
11. Change your presentation to place the customer’s values first and your corporate marketing messages last. Remember client’s only care about what’s important to them
12. Talk to your five best customers. Ask them to evaluate your situation and make suggestions for new markets
13. Get a coach or a mentor. Invest in a live training program and network with other professionals for a new perspective.
14. Get to work an hour before everyone. Put in more productive time.
15. Stay away from the complainers. Don’t make your sales worse by hanging around the life suckers and underachievers.
16. Each night before you go to bed make a list of 20 things that happened that day that you are excited about or proud of.
17. Spend 15 minutes before you start work reading materials that focus on developing your positive attitude. Search for blogs or online sources, or start a classic book from Napoleon Hill. Skip the newspaper!
18. If you travel, listen to motivational or educational CDs in the car ALL DAY. Make sure your mp3 player is also loaded with motivational CD’s for listening to in airports, train stations and while travelling.
19. Record your live presentations. Review them with a manager a superstar colleague or your coach. Take notes. Implement new ideas immediately.
20. Ride along with the best sales person you know and watch how they are communicating with clients. Implement what they are doing into your sales approach.
21. Take your boss with you on calls for a week. Or ask them to listen in on your sales phone calls. You’ll get more feedback than you can handle, but it will help.
22. Record your calls and listen to them. Would you buy from you?
23. Tweet, blog or update your social media status with a value message or inspirational message daily.
Colleen Francis, President of Engage Selling Solutions, helps sales professionals everywhere make an immediate and lasting impact on their sales. She offers key note speaking, sales training and sales coaching, all delivered with a savvy, no-nonsense approach. Learn more at www.engageselling.com
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits - Thomas A. Edison
I saw this quote somewhere – might have been a “friend's” Facebook post a few weeks ago and it resonated with me. First let’s define hustle. in this case I take it to mean:
To move or act energetically and rapidly “We hustled to get dinner ready on time”
NOT
To sell or get by questionable or aggressive means: hustled stolen watches; hustling spare change.
I met a hustler this past week. Mike is selling to the home builders, renovators and consumers. Arguably a down market. His sales are up 200% this year because he is (as he said to me) “powering through this economy and out hustle my competition”. It got me thinking of all the different ways you can hustle in your own business to ensure your sales stay up….no matter what the economy is doing. Check out this list and add to it as you see fit!
1. Reach out to your current client database at least twice per month with a value based, content rich newsletter – paper based or email
2. Attend at least 1 networking event per week
3. Ask for referrals at least once per day
4. Follow up on your leads at least 7 times by email and 7 times by phone before you give up
5. Prospect every day to keep your funnel full. A full funnel is one full of opportunities totaling 300% of your goal.
6. Identify new target markets to sell to
7. Attend trade shows regularly and follow up with the leads within 24 hours
8. Make 5 more calls everyday
9. Implement a reactivation campaign to win back lost customers
10. Revise your goals for the month quarter and year
11. Change your presentation to place the customer’s values first and your corporate marketing messages last. Remember client’s only care about what’s important to them
12. Talk to your five best customers. Ask them to evaluate your situation and make suggestions for new markets
13. Get a coach or a mentor. Invest in a live training program and network with other professionals for a new perspective.
14. Get to work an hour before everyone. Put in more productive time.
15. Stay away from the complainers. Don’t make your sales worse by hanging around the life suckers and underachievers.
16. Each night before you go to bed make a list of 20 things that happened that day that you are excited about or proud of.
17. Spend 15 minutes before you start work reading materials that focus on developing your positive attitude. Search for blogs or online sources, or start a classic book from Napoleon Hill. Skip the newspaper!
18. If you travel, listen to motivational or educational CDs in the car ALL DAY. Make sure your mp3 player is also loaded with motivational CD’s for listening to in airports, train stations and while travelling.
19. Record your live presentations. Review them with a manager a superstar colleague or your coach. Take notes. Implement new ideas immediately.
20. Ride along with the best sales person you know and watch how they are communicating with clients. Implement what they are doing into your sales approach.
21. Take your boss with you on calls for a week. Or ask them to listen in on your sales phone calls. You’ll get more feedback than you can handle, but it will help.
22. Record your calls and listen to them. Would you buy from you?
23. Tweet, blog or update your social media status with a value message or inspirational message daily.
Colleen Francis, President of Engage Selling Solutions, helps sales professionals everywhere make an immediate and lasting impact on their sales. She offers key note speaking, sales training and sales coaching, all delivered with a savvy, no-nonsense approach. Learn more at www.engageselling.com
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Another Lousy Appointment
Today's article comes from The Whetstone Group - it's good, solid advice you can put into practice today!
Problem: It was a gloomy day and had just started to rain when Rick left his second lousy appointment of the day. “Man,” he thought to himself, “it’s pouring down rain, my car is at the other end of the parking lot, and this appointment that I drove 40 miles to see was a total waste of time. My grandmother is a better prospect than this guy.” He put his head down and dejectedly trudged through the rain towards his car. On his way back to the office he reflected on the appointments he had been on recently. The majority of them had been similar to these two, a waste of time for the most part…nobody seemed interested in buying. He was starting to feel like they were all bad prospects. The gloomy day mirrored his mood perfectly. But he needed to do something quickly since his sales were starting to suffer.
Diagnosis: There are no bad prospects; just ineffective salespeople. Unfortunately, salespeople seem to be willing to meet with virtually anybody who expresses so much a passing interest in what they are selling. Hope springs eternal, as they say, and salespeople hope that if they can just get face to face with someone, anyone, something good might happen. However, more often than not something not so good happens. Let’s face it, most salespeople really don’t want any bad news, so they don’t ask the hard questions. You know, the ones that might disqualify a prospect. Questions like the ones we’re suggesting below.
Prescription: If you want more productive appointments, change your attitude and plant your feet. Be adamant that you simply don’t have the time to meet with anyone who can’t pass a quick qualification test. Anyone who can’t answer affirmatively to the following three questions may not be worthy of your time:
“Is the problem compelling enough for you to take a good, hard look at a solution, assuming one were available?”
“Are adequate resources available to implement a solution, assuming you found one that you felt would work?”
“Who else should be at the meeting who needs to be part of the final decision process, besides yourself?”
If the answers to the first two questions are affirmative, you probably have a good prospect. If you get a wishy-washy answer, chances are your prospect is not very close to buying anything from you or anyone else. (Let your competitor go on this call.) The third question is designed to make sure you have the right people at the meeting. How much better would you feel if you had this information before you went out to the appointment?
Your time is simply too valuable to waste with people who aren’t serious or who don’t have the resources to buy. And you can’t afford to spend time with people who don’t have the authority to buy.
Whetstone Group is a sales process improvement company that focuses on helping companies implement a proven sales process that will increase sales, shorten the selling cycle, increase closing rates, and improve margins. Learn more at www.whetstonegroup.com
Problem: It was a gloomy day and had just started to rain when Rick left his second lousy appointment of the day. “Man,” he thought to himself, “it’s pouring down rain, my car is at the other end of the parking lot, and this appointment that I drove 40 miles to see was a total waste of time. My grandmother is a better prospect than this guy.” He put his head down and dejectedly trudged through the rain towards his car. On his way back to the office he reflected on the appointments he had been on recently. The majority of them had been similar to these two, a waste of time for the most part…nobody seemed interested in buying. He was starting to feel like they were all bad prospects. The gloomy day mirrored his mood perfectly. But he needed to do something quickly since his sales were starting to suffer.
Diagnosis: There are no bad prospects; just ineffective salespeople. Unfortunately, salespeople seem to be willing to meet with virtually anybody who expresses so much a passing interest in what they are selling. Hope springs eternal, as they say, and salespeople hope that if they can just get face to face with someone, anyone, something good might happen. However, more often than not something not so good happens. Let’s face it, most salespeople really don’t want any bad news, so they don’t ask the hard questions. You know, the ones that might disqualify a prospect. Questions like the ones we’re suggesting below.
Prescription: If you want more productive appointments, change your attitude and plant your feet. Be adamant that you simply don’t have the time to meet with anyone who can’t pass a quick qualification test. Anyone who can’t answer affirmatively to the following three questions may not be worthy of your time:
“Is the problem compelling enough for you to take a good, hard look at a solution, assuming one were available?”
“Are adequate resources available to implement a solution, assuming you found one that you felt would work?”
“Who else should be at the meeting who needs to be part of the final decision process, besides yourself?”
If the answers to the first two questions are affirmative, you probably have a good prospect. If you get a wishy-washy answer, chances are your prospect is not very close to buying anything from you or anyone else. (Let your competitor go on this call.) The third question is designed to make sure you have the right people at the meeting. How much better would you feel if you had this information before you went out to the appointment?
Your time is simply too valuable to waste with people who aren’t serious or who don’t have the resources to buy. And you can’t afford to spend time with people who don’t have the authority to buy.
Whetstone Group is a sales process improvement company that focuses on helping companies implement a proven sales process that will increase sales, shorten the selling cycle, increase closing rates, and improve margins. Learn more at www.whetstonegroup.com
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