Posts from — May 2008

What routines are preventing you from increasing your sales?

Whether you realize it or not, you are a creature of habit. Unless you do shift work, you probably get up at the same time everyday, follow the same routine to wake up and get yourself ready for the day, drive the regular route to work, do the same things once you get to work, and take the same route home at the end of the day.  Read more...

I was talking with one of my CEO clients last week. “Bill, sometimes I feel like our sales force is like the blind fly–trying to get out of the house but he keeps running into the same window. And right next to the window is an open door. But he never sees it.”

You know he had a point. And it’s a point I’ve seen proven out with the hundreds of teams I’ve worked with in the training business since 1987. Plenty of market opportunity, but because of blind eyes, it’s never seen.  Read more...

You as a salesperson should give every opportunity to the prospect to ask questions and make objections if he is inclined to do so.

It is frequently desirable to assist in bringing out these questions and objections. Sometimes the very best arguments you can make are based on objections by the prospect, especially if you are thoroughly prepared.

To ignore or try to dodge them is a confession of weakness which will not be overlooked by a prospective buyer. It is an opportunity for you to treat the question raised as if it were a point you would have reached very soon in his talk even if the buyer had said nothing about it.  Read more...

Master the skill of cold calling and supercharge your earning potential…

Cold calling — the words alone can strike dread in the heart of even the most unshakeable among us. It’s no secret that there is a real fear out there about having to make these kinds of calls.

If you’re in sales, cold calling is likely an important part of how you’re expected to find new leads and turn them into customers. Just being competent at it is important if you want to make ends meet.  Read more...

While you may not have recognized it, the last time you ordered from a fast food restaurant or went to the post office, there is a good chance you experienced some form of cross-selling or up selling.

Cross-selling and up selling are well-established and highly effective marketing practices utilized by a wide variety of industries.

What is cross-selling? It is a proactive, ongoing sales process designed to provide your customers with a full spectrum of your company’s products and services. The good news is, cross-selling is one of the most profitable and least risky endeavors a sales rep can undertake.  Read more...

One Simple Mind Shift and You’re In Control

We seem to live in a ‘control-freak age.’ We all want control–but we don’t want to give up anything to get it.

Well, in the next few paragraphs, I’ll share with you one certain way of gaining control in the sales process. But one caution: You must give up something to get it.

The One Thing…
Here’s the bottom line: I can say, without significant exception, that when you shift your mindset from ATTACHMENT to DETACHMENT, you will own control of your sales process. Let me tell you how it works.  Read more...

You are guaranteed to hear a variation of the phrase “I want to think it over” from one out of every five new clients. Some of the variations you’ll hear may be:

“I want to sleep on it.”

“I’ll get back to you.”

“We’ll review all the facts, then make a decision.”

“We never make a decision on the first visit.”

The exact words that are used matter little; what really matters is that you recognize the stall and are ready with this reply:  Read more...

Salespeople are different based on their values. A higher order value always takes precedence over a lower order value. If you place one value higher than another, and you have to choose between doing one thing or doing another, you will always select the action that is consistent with your higher value. Once you are clear about your order of values, decision making becomes much easier.  Read more...

There is a little test that professional buyers give to every sales person. It is a test to see if they are confident in the price they presented. They call it the flinch test. Will you pass the test?

After a lengthy buying process, the time has come to submit pricing. Countless hours are spent formulating a glorious proposal that details your comprehensive solution. Proud of your accomplishment, you present the proposal to the buyer. Skipping the sections about your company and your solution, she flips right to the pricing page. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t think it would be this expensive!”  Read more...

When someone calls to ask about your product or services, you know exactly what to ask, what to say, and how to follow up. Are you as confident, and effective, responding to an Internet inquiry? Without the benefit of talking with the prospect directly, the contact can feel colder than a cold call.

As more consumers and businesses research and purchase via the Internet, you can’t afford to mishandle these inquiries. To respond in a professional manner, and convert more Internet inquiries into customers, keep these guidelines in mind:  Read more...