Posts from — November 2007

Most salespeople work hard to find business, identify new prospects, and close the deals that are in the pipeline. As much as salespeople truly want to sell, it is surprising how few keep track of inactive and/or former clients.

It is commonly known that a person who borrows money invariably goes back to the people who lent him or her money, not the ones who said no. There is also the old story of Willie Sutton, notorious bank robber of the 1930’s, who when asked why he robbed banks said, “That’s where the money is.” In the same vein, clients who buy from you in most business situations are most likely to buy again from you if they have a need (unless, of course, it is a truly one-time sale or they were dissatisfied with the service or relationship).  Read more...

Before considering the profitability of Key Accounts, we need to agree on a definition. At the risk of simplifying a complex topic, here is the definition of a Key Account:

“Key Accounts have a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with their supplier. They seek to increase the profitability of their organization through this relationship, and expect their supplier to participate in business planning and support for the products/services they purchase. Their unique relationship with a supplier is managed by a Key Account Manager whose job is to seek ongoing sales opportunity through business partnership and by fostering cross company relationships.”  Read more...

Listening Builds Self-Esteem…
It has been said that, “Rapt attention is the highest form of flattery.” When you listen intently to another person and it is clear that you genuinely care about what that other person is saying, his or her self-esteem goes up.

His or her feeling of personal value increases. He or she feels more worthwhile and important as a human being. You can actually make another person feel terrific about himself or herself by listening in a warm, genuine, caring way to everything he or she has to say.  Read more...

The internet has revolutionized social networking. It has expanded our reach beyond the typical “grab and greets” to an interactive online world of real time relationships. Blogs are changing the way we define and manage our personal relationships. Is this revolution changing the way we do business with our clients? More specifically, will it change the way we sell in the future?

Most of us have seen news stories describing a disgruntled customer that slays a corporate giant on the alter of the internet. The weapon of choice: A Blog. Images of an Apple Computer demolished by a ticked-off customer resonate in our minds. An audience of over 12 million watches and a corporate giant bends its knees to meet the service demands of its customer. Clearly, blogs have provided a customer voice.  Read more...

We all know there are two types of people: those who say, “My glass is half empty,” and those who say, “Isn’t that my glass?” I’m an “Isn’t that my glass?” person.

I have learned over the years that negative thinking is a waste of time. Blaming people is a bad habit that takes up a large part of a typical person’s day. I’ll prove it. Your homework assignment will be very simple: DON’T BLAME ANYONE FOR ANYTHING FOR THREE DAYS. This includes slow and/or moronic car drivers, your spouse or significant other, your children, prospects, and watch out for this one — people in your own firm. If you mentally blame any person for anything, start over with a fresh three days. E-mail me when you have successfully completed the task, but keep in mind my life expectancy.  Read more...

Want to learn how to sell anybody? Good. Why not learn from someone who can sell YOU? Let’s choose something simple like a pen.

Let’s pretend you are a prospect and, to make it interesting, your job is NOT to buy a pen from me. Remember, don’t buy from me.

Pat: “Hi, my name is Pat Evans. What is your name?” [I ask while shaking your hand]

You: “Bill Johnson”.

Pat: “Bill, this is the pen you use now correct?” [Gesturing toward your BIC pen.]

You: “Yes.”

Pat: “What do you like about the pen?”  Read more...

Which employee in your firm fits the following description? The person sits at a desk at the entrance to a firm. The employee answers the phone, types, has a little bit of an edge, maybe does the mail and is trained to keep sales people and other foreign invaders OUT.

Yes, you’re right; it’s the receptionist…the “white blood cell” (WBC). The only person with “Don’t let anyone in who does not have an appointment” listed in their job description and the only employee with a “defend the fortress at all cost” mentality.  Read more...

There are “tried–and–true” sales techniques that are so simplistic that it seems they cannot be really effective. Many times, we try to re-evaluate, improve upon, and complicate them. An experience I had once while on vacation reminds me of how we try to make some things harder than they really are.  Read more...

What makes a consumer say “yes” to a purchase? Is it the product? The service? Is it you, the salesperson? People buy “stuff” worth tens of thousands of dollars a year. But, why should they buy from you?

To better understand buyers’ motives, let’s start by focusing on people skills. If we understand people better, we can understand why they buy, when they buy, who they buy from, and what they like to buy.

Your approach to prospects is so critical that we recommend you get GEMS training (a personality type model created by internationally-known speaker, sales trainer and self-made millionaire, Dani Johnson):  Read more...

To successfully close a deal, you have to invite the prospect to buy several times during the sales process. Other than low-ticket retail purchases, most prospects tend to avoid saying, “OK, I’ll buy it” on their own initiative. They have to be coaxed to make this commitment. Master sellers know how to ask for the sale, and they don’t interpret a customer’s “no” as a personal rejection.

Closing a sales process is really very simple. All that is required is to learn a few simple closing questions and then practice them until you are a master closer. The closing phraseology used during this phase of selling is simple but carefully worded.  Read more...