To Make More Sales, Try Making More Friends By C.J. Hayden

"Learn to love, respect and enjoy other people." -- Dale Carnegie

In 1936, Dale Carnegie published "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Since then, his book has sold more than 15 million copies and is widely credited as being the first book in the modern self-help genre.

The core of Carnegie's simple philosophy is that one of the greatest human needs is to feel important. If you want to win people over to your way of thinking, they need to like you. And the way to get them to do that is to take an interest in them.

When learning how to sell better, we often hear the advice to ask questions and listen to the customer. This advice, though, is frequently given in the context of using questions to gather information helpful to the sales process, and to listen for clues that will help you convince the customer to buy.

What Carnegie suggested was that the true path to being a successful salesperson, leader, or well-liked individual was not to focus on your desired outcome, but to put your attention on the other person.

Here are Carnegie's six ways to get what you want by making people like you:

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

2. Smile.

3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

5.Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

6. Make the other person feel important -- and do it sincerely.

Notice the emphasis on being genuine and on sincerity. Despite the fact that Carnegie was talking about how to persuade people to adopt your point of view, this really isn't some sort of manipulative sales technique. It's a recipe for making friends.

This idea wasn't just a personal theory of Carnegie's. To write his book, he interviewed the most successful people of his day, from Clark Gable to Franklin D. Roosevelt. He studied the writings of philosophers from Confucius to Benjamin Franklin, and the lives of famous leaders from Abraham Lincoln to Henry Ford.

Carnegie spoke with many professional salespeople, and also with many of their customers. Here's what he discovered: "Thousands of salespeople are pounding the pavements today, tired, discouraged and underpaid. Why? Because they are always thinking only of what they want... The world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage. He has little competition."

All the great salespeople I know are people others refer to with adjectives like "friendly," "nice," and "likable." When you see them across a room, you are drawn to them. When you get on the phone with them, you don't want to hang up. They seem to have the ability of making you feel as if their conversation with you is the only thing in the world that matters to them.

And they're not faking it.

What sort of shift might it create in your selling if you took Carnegie's advice to heart? If instead of trying to make sales, you simply set about making friends? Imagine what a difference it would make to how you dealt with everything from cold calling to attending networking events.

Picture yourself on a cold call, smiling, talking about the other person's concerns, and making him or her feel important. Visualize yourself at a Chamber of Commerce mixer, getting people to talk about themselves, and expressing your interest in what they have to say.

Showing a genuine interest in others not only makes them feel good, it makes you feel good. Instead of trying to convince someone of your point of view, your job becomes to see everything from the other person's side. Conversations that used to be challenging sales situations can instead become opportunities to make new friends.

If this approach appeals to you, here's what to do next in Carnegie's own words: "So, if you desire to master the principles you are studying in this book, do something about them. Apply these rules at every opportunity. If you don't you will forget them quickly. Only knowledge that is used sticks in your mind."

Copyright © 2004, C.J. Hayden
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C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now! Thousands of business owners and salespeople have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at www.GetClientsNow.com.

Getting Your Voicemail Messages Returned -- Helpful Sales Tips

There's an interview with Jill Konrath over at Softwareceo.com where she shares some good advice on "How to leave compelling voice mails" -- this is important if you need to reach the key decision makers in big companies. Remember, if you can't reach the decision maker in the first place, you can't get the sale.

I've included a few of the sales tips she provides in her interview below...

Voice mail tip #1: Don't leave a standard, self-serving voice mail.

Voice mail tip #2: Make your first sentence short and sweet.

Voice mail tip #3: Keep them listening with your second sentence.

* Read the complete interview with Jill Konrath -- where she shares other tips as well as goes more in-depth on each of points above.

-- Here's to your selling success, Josh Hinds :-)

Schedule Telemarketing Time For More Success By Stan Rosenzweig

Telephone canvassing, or cold calling, is the practice of sitting down with a long list of potential prospects you've never met and telephoning them, one at a time, to learn which of them needs what you sell and then arranging to sell it to them.

Believe me, nobody likes telephone cold calling. Salesmen don't like it because they perceive that cold calls are to unfriendly, unkind strangers who would rather see you in a California kickboxing ring, going one-on-one with Governor Arnold, than see you in their offices. It's true. They are. They would.

Prospects don't always appreciate cold calls, because they are from people they don't know, asking questions they don't want to discuss. These calls are unscheduled, intrusive and sometimes can be a general pain in the South Forty.

At other times, however, prospects do respond well to cold calls. They open up freely and give us the chance to sell them what they need.

So, here's the dilemma: If we don't like doing it, and prospects don’t always know when they like it done to them, why is it that we all MUST make cold phone calls part of our selling strategy? There are countless reasons. Here are just a few:

1. It's the fastest way to qualify prospects and maximize valuable selling time.

2. It’s also the fastest way to let them know what we do.

3. It's targeted. It's the best way to find the decision-maker.

4. It creates a quick personal relationship with the buyer.

5. It keeps us productive when store traffic is down.

6. It reaches prospects we’ll never run across in our other selling activities.

Every time you sit down to make telephone-canvassing calls, can you clear your mind of self-doubt? Concentrate on the goal of the moment and you will find that each new day will bring you new business, will raise you to new heights in professional productivity, and will give you a great sense of personal satisfaction.
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Stan Rosenzweig is a sales trainer, marketing consultant and author. He creates customized corporate sales training and directs strategic marketing, product development and cost management consulting for large and middle sized companies and offers free selling advice at www.salestipwebsite.com.

How To Shorten The Selling Cycle And Reduce Buying Stalls By Doug Staneart

The main reason for buyer resistance and selling stalls boils down to one simple fact: the reasons for not buying are bigger to the prospect than the reason to buy.

If you sell an intangible product or service, it may be even tougher to close down a sale because your product or service is not something people can see, touch, or feel. So the reasons for your prospects to buy have to be vivid, logical, and emotional. There has to be a reason for them to buy NOW, or they’ll put off making the decision until later.

When you sit down with a prospect, ask a lot of questions about the prospect related to your product or service to get the person to tell you what is important in his/her life.

If you are selling a tangible product, you might ask questions like the following:

-- What do you like most about your current product?

-- What do you like least?

-- If you could change anything about the product you have now, what would it be?

-- Has any needs changed hat makes buying a new product different than the last time you bought (bigger family, etc.)?

-- Why do you want to buy a new product?

If you are selling an intangible product, then questions like the following might be more helpful?

-- At this point in your family/career, are you more concerned with getting ahead, security, planning for the future, creating a legacy, being esteemed by others, etc.?

-- Is that different from what your focus was two years ago? Five years ago? Ten years ago?

-- Where do you see yourself in three to five years?

-- What kinds of things have to be put in place to in order for you to accomplish what you have planned?

The answer to these and other questions may help you determine what is most important to your prospect. Now, just look to see what types of products/services you supply that can help the prospect get what he/she wants.

For instance, if you sell insurance, you have to realize that NO ONE wants insurance, but they may want the things that insurance provides like security. Or if you sell real estate or cars, the car or house may not be nearly as important to the prospect as the status that each may provide. So if during the questioning period, you find out that your prospect is most concerned about security for his/her family, then you’ll show the prospect how the policy you sell will give the family security, or the house you have in mind is resistant to forces of nature, or the car you sell just won Motor Trend’s safety award.

If you have a personal example of a sale you’ve made in the past that was able to get the thing that your new prospect wants by buying from you, then by all means, tell the new prospect about this success. Be specific. Use proper names, time, and location, and your prospect will begin to picture himself/herself having received that benefit as well.

During the close, give them options like, 1) buy this now, 2) wait a year, 3) wait five years, 4) wait ten years, etc. Show them how much they will miss out on if they wait (higher premiums, less return.) Show what might happen if circumstances change between now and the time they buy.

Give them options, and they will probably choose to buy now.

Copyright 2005 Doug Staneart
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Doug Staneart, doug@sales-leader.com, is CEO of The Leader’s Institute, www.sales-leader.com, specializing in sales training, public speaking, and team building training for individuals and groups. He can be reached toll-free at 1-800-872-7830.

Selling – Remember These Ten Rules and Succeed By Bill Robb

There are thousands of books and seminars on how to succeed. What many don’t make explicit is the requirement to be a great salesperson – even if you’re selling an idea!

Here are the ten simple but powerful rules that will guide you in all your selling decisions.

* Helping. Get into the mindset of respecting and helping the customer. The hard sell today does not work.

* Knowledge. Know your product/service, customer and industry inside out – be able to answer almost any question.

* Benefits. Think of how each of the features of your product/service can benefit the customer and always mention that first – right at the beginning.

* Presentable. Be neat, presentable and clean and that includes smelling good too. Dress as the audience expects.

* Rehearse. Practice your presentation over and over gain. Use audio and video tape, do it in front of the mirror and ask friends and colleagues to offer suggestions. Do not underestimate this.

* The 70 – 30 rule. Listen more than you talk – ask questions – find out customers concerns so you can ease them away.

* Enthusiasm. Show enthusiasm, energy, friendliness and professionalism and show confidence in the product/service. Mention nothing negative – even if the weather is lousy.

* Easy. Make it easy to handle, try, test the goods or services and then make it so easy to buy.

* Boldness. Ask for the business.

* Friendly. People buy from people. Never argue or make the customer look silly.

Here’s a list of some of the things that annoy your customers:

* Spread himself out in my living room
* Used the toilet and didn’t lift the lid
* Had smelly breath/ body odour
* Tried to pressure me
* Didn’t listen to me
* When I said it wasn’t for me she insisted
* Tried to convince me I was wrong
* Talked down to me as if I was stupid or inferior
* Hinted that I was stupid for not seeing the value of what he was offering me
* Avoided answering my questions
* Kept saying bad tings about other companies
* Went over to my bookcase and took down a book and made some comment
* Kept talking about his children
* Didn’t have an order form needed to progress the sale
* Was too smarmy – kept using my name all the time as a sales technique
* Spoke too quickly and didn’t give me much time in the car – felt we had to hurry
* Made me feel I was bothering him – that I was interrupting him

Of course you don’t do any of these!
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Bill is managing director of Brilliant Web Workshops and is committed to discovering, demystifying, distilling and disseminating practical knowledge to help people do even better. He is putting most of his workshops online so people can do them anywhere, anytime. www.brilliantwebworkshops.com

Sales Process - The Secret to Closing More Sales By Alan Rigg

Most sales training programs that teach salespeople how to sell specific products or services do not mention business problems. This is an unfortunate oversight, as qualifying and quantifying business problems is the secret to closing more sales!

What is a Business Problem?

A business problem is any activity or outcome that negatively impacts a business. Examples of negative impacts include reductions in revenue, profits, customer satisfaction, employee productivity, job satisfaction, etc.

Here is an example of a business problem description:

"Many mission-critical software applications (e-business, manufacturing, point-of-sale, etc.) need to access relational databases in order to function. If a database has problems (goes down or suffers data loss or corruption), application downtime can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars per minute in lost sales, lost customers, and lost opportunities."

In the above example, the business problem is a database that is not functioning properly.

What is the relationship between Business Problems and the Features and Benefits of a product or service?

Features are what actually solve business problems. Benefits are what customers enjoy when the business problem has been solved.

The only features prospects actually care about are the ones that will solve their own specific business problems. If we randomly spew long lists of features and benefits at prospects, in effect we are hoping they are already aware of their business problems, and they will somehow figure out which of our (product or service) features will solve their business problems.

This is a very inefficient way to sell. Plus, we run the risk that our prospects will NOT figure out which features will solve their business problems. Or, they may become bored and "switch off" before we mention features that may actually be of interest to them!

If you are going to talk about features and benefits, discuss only those features that will solve your prospect's specific business problems! Of course, you need to identify your prospect's business problems if you want to have this kind of highly targeted discussion.

If your employer's product or service training programs do not specifically address business problems, you will need to do some digging to uncover them. Ask the question, "What problems does this product or service solve?" Another way to ask this question is, "What would motivate a prospect to make the investment required to buy this product/service?" Then, once you have made a list of the most important business problems, ask, "What questions can I ask that will help me figure out whether a prospect has any of these business problems?"

When you become an expert in business problems and related qualifying questions, your education will not be complete. You also need to learn the questions you can ask to quantify the impact of each business problem.

What is a Quantified Impact?

Quantified impacts are dollar values or percentages with associated time frames that can be assigned to specific business problems. In the earlier business problem description, the quantified impact was "tens of thousands of dollars per minute".

Quantified impacts are an invaluable aid to closing sales. How? If the quantified impact of a business problem exceeds the investment required to fix the problem, a buying decision is easy to justify.

The larger the difference between the quantified impact and the required investment, the easier it becomes to close the sale. If the quantified impact is a multiple of the required investment (for example, a quantified impact of millions of dollars versus a required investment of thousands of dollars), the buying decision becomes "a no-brainer".

IMPORTANT NOTE: In order for a quantified impact to add value to the sales process, your prospect must be the source of the numbers. Why? In general, prospects don't trust salespeople. Many have dealt with salespeople who were more interested in making sales than they were in providing value.

Plus, prospects recognize that salespeople have a vested interest in creating a compelling business case that can be used to support a buying decision. This causes prospects to discount any quantified impact information that salespeople provide. However, if the prospect is the source of the quantified impact information, they perceive it as unquestioned truth. This makes learning how to ask quantifying questions a valuable skill indeed!

If you want to close more sales, invest some time and effort in identifying the business problems that can be solved by your products and services. If you become an expert in business problems and the questions you can ask to 1) determine whether a prospect has specific business problems, and 2) quantify the impact of those business problems, you will close more sales faster and with less effort.

Copyright 2005 -- Alan Rigg
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Sales performance expert Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don't Perform and What to Do About It. His company, 80/20 Sales Performance, helps business owners, executives, and managers DOUBLE sales by implementing The Right Formula™ for building top-performing sales teams. For more information and more FREE sales and sales management tips, visit www.8020salesperformance.com

Gatekeepers By Sharon Drew Morgen

When I ask salespeople to define what a gatekeeper is, I generally hear: "Someone who keeps out people who will waste the boss's time."

But gates are two-sided - they open as well as close: a gatekeeper's job is actually to make sure the boss gets to spend his/her time efficiently.

I've probably gotten approximately $500,000 in business as a result of the word or deed of gatekeepers.

How have I done this? By remembering a few simple rules:

1. whoever answers the phone is my client;

2. in order for a gatekeeper to open OR close the gate, she has to decide which category to put me in - in, or out.

3. it's the job of the gatekeeper to make sure her boss gets to speak with people who can help him/her do a better job.

My own secretary has a very unique habit of putting messages on the bottom of my In Basket when they are from folks she doesn't like - and she keeps moving these back to the bottom as I go through the pile. But I've come to trust her judgment (once I got over the initial discovery of her deception. Of course, I look there daily now, and just don't tell her.)

"WHY are these HERE?" I asked the first time I noticed a rather large grouping of pink message slips at the bottom of the pile. "I was WAITING FOR THIS CALL."

"He was rude to me, and I didn't trust him."

I address my follow up calls with her feedback in mind; she has saved me time, money, and effort through her gut responses. And she's never been wrong.

Here are two stories of how I got business from gatekeepers. Note that I was using Buying Facilitation with each of them, and taught them how to decide to choose me.

TWO CASE STUDIES

Case Study #1

I got the name of the Vice-President Southwest Region of DEC (Remember DEC? It's been subsumed by Compaq/HP.) Dave Heil was allegedly a dynamic, innovative thinker, and was located in Albuquerque, NM when I lived in Taos. His secretary Judy answered the phone.

Judy: Dave Heil's office.

SDM: Hi. My name is Sharon Drew Morgen, and this is a sales call. I know you're busy so I'm wondering if this is a good time to speak.

Judy: it's never a good time. Thanks for asking. How can I help you?

SDM: I'm wondering how you folks are adding new sales methods to any current sales training you're doing.

Judy: Can you get here next Wednesday at 8:10? Dave is on vacation til Wednesday, and his first meeting is scheduled for 8:30. He always gets in at 8:00, and I bet he'd like to spend 20 minutes with you before he starts his day. SDM: You're having him meet with me the day he comes back from vacation??

Judy: Yes. I speak with a lot of people trying to get through to Dave; you're the first one who respected me, and who trusted my involvement. I also know that Dave is always on the lookout for innovative material, and if your opening question was a representation of what you're doing, and I suspect it is, Dave will be interested in meeting with you. Can you come?

Of course I went. At precisely 8:10, Dave walked in with a dark tan. "Well, you must be a very smart person that I need to meet. Not many people get through Judy. So, who are you and why do I need you?"

I got the job; Dave Heil is still my friend and colleague 13 years - and several job moves - later.

Case Study #2

I was given the name of a small manufacturing company (company has since been subsumed by a much larger company) and told that they were seeking new sales training. I called in and spoke with the receptionist, Susan.

Susan: Hello. This is Company X. Who would you like to be connected with? SDM: I'm not sure, but maybe you can help me. Are you sure this is a good time?

Susan: I've got the time. What do you need?

SDM: My name is Sharon Drew Morgen, and this is actually a sales call. I've developed an innovative and ethical sales methodology, and am not sure if your company either seeks innovation, or has a desire to bring in new material. Can you tell me how your company chooses to bring in new sales material?

Susan: If you send me a packet with your stuff in it, and call me back in a week, I'll make sure it gets to the proper person.

I sent her a packet on Wednesday. On Friday, Susan called me back.

Susan: I put your material on the desk of our sales director. Two hours later he was fired, and he cleaned out his office. He either threw your stuff away or took it with him. Can you please send me another packet and I'll get it to the new person?

I sent her the packet immediately. The following Tuesday I got a call.

Joe: Hello, Sharon Drew. You don't know me, but the receptionist gave me a packet of information, and I promised her that not only would I call you, but I'd report back to her on what we decided. Since this is my first day, you must be a very important person. Who are you?

I began doing work with this company about 2 months later.

WORKING WITH, NOT THROUGH

For some reason you have been taught to view the person answering the telephone as a deterrent to getting where you want to get. But this person is your guide. And, since she decides whether you 'get through' or not, she's in control of the conversation. No matter how smart you are or how good your product is, no matter how much your prospect needs you or how much money you can make or save them, if the gatekeeper doesn't put you through, you're toast.

Whole books and programs have been devoted to 'getting through' the gatekeeper. But this person is a human being, with a job. And she is happy to help you. I've heard of sales people using an authoritative voice to show her they're important (um, they're in control, remember?

Doesn't matter how important you are to you - she's the one who determines if you're important or not); or sounding familiar and suave, as if they are friends with the boss already (and, you don't think she knows who the boss knows?); or using the name of a reference as if it were the boss's best friend (the boss rarely knows the reference well, or the reference would have already called the boss on your behalf and the secretary would be awaiting your call).

These are all ploys to 'get through'. Why not teach the gatekeeper how to choose to help you? Here are a few stories of what gatekeepers have done to help me over the years (Note: all of the following responses have been to my calling on a cold call, with no reference and no prior contact):

1. go into the men's room (literally) to get their boss to hurry up so he would speak with me and not keep me waiting;

2. tell me when the prospect would be available, with a clear calendar;

3. give me a specific time and date, and put my incoming call on the calendar so when I'd call in the boss would be awaiting my call (and, when the boss's calendar shifted even called me back to give me another time commitment);

4. told me the correct person to speak with so I wouldn't waste my time on the person I thought I needed ("Oh, you don't want to talk to HIM. He'll turn it over to her anyway, so you might as well start with her.");

5. told me to hang up and call back during morning hours when the guy would be, um, more able to have a cogent conversation rather than after his lunch break (This guy must have been REALLY productive in the mornings!);

6. given me lists of names to call in addition to the name I had, with an offer to get more names if I weren't successful with the ones I had.

ATTITUDE

A supervisor I was coaching from a large software company called to ask for one of the Project Managers. He used a very snooty, condescending voice.

Gatekeeper: Hi. How can I help?

Seller: Give me Stephanie please.

Gatekeeper: Stephanie is on holiday for two weeks. I'll take your name and have her call you back.

I asked this man to call the number again and this time I took the call. I believed there was something more than a vacation happening here.

Gatekeeper: Hi. How can I help?

SDM: Hi there. My name is Sharon Drew Morgen and I'm with XYZ company and…..

Gatekeeper: you're from XYZ company? Do you have any idea how long we've been trying to reach you? We've put in over a dozen calls to have you fix a problem here, and no one has called us back. I'm the Systems Analyst; let me get the Project Manager.

Stephanie: Hello. This is Stephanie. I hear you're finally calling me back, but it's too late. We've taken you off of our preferred supplier's list.

We fixed the problem (groveling works!), but my client realized that his attitude was quite annoying to the person on the other end no matter who answered the phone. He had assumed - hearing a woman's voice - that the person who answered was the 'gatekeeper' and he had to show her who was boss.

The Systems Analyst wasn't going to be treated that way by anyone. How many other times had prospects been 'on vacation' or at a 'meeting' because the gatekeeper was being verbally abused by a seller's attitude? If you act as if everyone who answers the call is your client - and everyone is your client! - you'll have an easier time getting to speak with the right person sooner.
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Sharon Drew Morgen is the author of NYTimes Best seller Selling with Integrity. She speaks, teaches and consults globally around her elegant, doable sales model, Buying Facilitation. Visit www.newsalesparadigm.com or www.sharondrewmorgen.com.
Phone: 512-457-0246
Morgen Facilitations, Inc.
Austin, TX

Sorry, But I'm Not Buying From You! By Gary S. Goodman

Former General Electric CEO and legendary manager, Jack Welch, nailed the problem recently when he said there’s just too much beating around the bush and indirectness in corporate communications. People are more interested in not hurting each others’ feelings than in improving productivity, and we simply need more frankness, says Welch.

In my own small way I’m trying to remedy this situation, especially when I deal with salespeople. For example, I put out a request for a proposal and about ten companies responded. Quickly, I boiled the list down to five, called the references of the three in which I had genuine interest, and then I selected the contract winner.

Within minutes of making my decision, I phoned the others and told them, nicely but directly, that I had selected a different firm. (Of course, I left open the door to a few runners-up, in the event the chosen-one falters down the road.) Most of those I called were surprised, if not flummoxed by the fact that someone like me took the time to say, “Sorry, but I’m not buying from you!”

I did it for several reasons:

(1) It’s courteous, and what comes around, goes around. I’m a salesperson, too, and I appreciate frankness.

(2) It saves everybody’s time, and this improves productivity. I’ve calculated that I have to leave at least three non-answered voice mails or messages to figure out that someone is uninterested, or is possibly ducking my calls. These calls may be spaced over a week or two, and during that time I’m thinking I still have a living, breathing buyer when I’m really chasing a phantom.

(3) Although I have my vendor’s hat on when I’m selling, in many cases, I’m also a potential or actual customer. The person who fails to return my calls at Countrywide dooms her company to not even getting close to earning my mortgage business, the next time I need one.

(4) It’s a golden opportunity to give and to get high quality feedback. I would have gladly told any potential suitor how they missed the mark and why I made my selection, but no one asked! By the way, price had nothing to do with my choice. More subtle, but powerful and significant factors entered into the equation, which every vendor should hear about, so they can improve.

(5) It takes a lot of energy to avoid someone’s calls. Why waste the time of your receptionist by asking that he or she join your conspiracy by being forced to say you’re in a meeting, on conference call, or by lying with whatever the excuse of the day happens to be?

(6) If you waste my time, it becomes a cost of doing business, and I have to pass along this waste through higher prices, lower quality, or inferior service. Which would you prefer?

(7) There’s too much frustration and anger in the world, already. Why add to it?

So, then next time you have a choice, try using directness. In the long run, it will help us all.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, Copyright 2005
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Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a popular keynote speaker, consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books. He is the author of the Nightingale-Conant audio program, The Law Of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable. Gary teaches Entrepreneurship and Consulting at UCLA Extension, and he is President of Customersatisfaction.com and The Goodman Organization, in Glendale, California. He can be reached at gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Complacency and Fear are Sales Busters By Don Price

Prospecting is the engine that propels anyone in sales. Without consistently initiating contact with prospective customers to talk with, your sales will plummet and everybody loses.

Studies confirm that 80% of all salespeople fail in their first year because of the fears associated with prospecting. 40% of veteran producers with more than five years -- experience severe sales slumps due to fears associated with prospecting.

Fears are productivity busters that drain our energies and makes sales prospecting emotionally difficult. Fears most commonly recognized in the sales world are fear of rejection, fear of loss, fear using the telephone, fear of not be prepared, group selling and a host of others. All of which jeopardize existing relationships with customers and stand in the way of acquiring new customers -- resulting in loss revenue for companies and loss income for salespeople.

Eliminating those fears is something that is easy to overcome. But sales managers and trainers who tell sales rookies and seasoned professionals to do the things you fear most and it will go away -- haven't a clue of what harm is being done.

The person who is motivated, has sales goals and is reluctant to cold calls, self-promotion, selling to groups or any other forms of call reluctantcey is legitimately fearful. Forcing that person to make cold calls on the telephone is only imbedding the fear deeper. It is like pounding a nail into a person's leg and at the same time telling them to think positive and it won’t hurt.

Fears are feeling establish when we allow ourselves to, mindlessly, recite self-limiting thoughts. To overcome distressful gut wrenching feelings we must replace fear producing self-talk with non-fear-producing statements.

Sales, is a stressful business causing negative mind chatter in a person to conjure up all kinds of unpleasant thoughts. When prospecting, it is not at all uncommon for the salesperson to check out momentarily by going into a state of self-hypnosis reciting counterproductive, contorted and self-defeating talk. When that occurs, you need to replace it with self-enhancing self-talk, which will result in constructive emotional responses.

When complacency and stress sets in -- beware. Check what is going on with your self-talk. It just may be that you are slowly being contaminated. When you are having feelings of distress and despair over any form of prospecting, listen carefully to yourself. Are you hearing highly charge and emotional words like -- couldn't, terrible, awful, can't, hate -- that automatically invoke self-talk statements that are inhibiting your career.

Here is a simplified but useful way of reversing self-diminishing self-talk:

1. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths.

2. While you are exhaling, slow your self-talk down to the point that you are reciting, your words, in slow motion. Listen for your self-defeating talk.

3. Disconnect your self-defeating talk with goal-supporting non-fear producing statements.

4. Continue the reinforcement by visualizing a positive outcome along with your non-fear producing statements.

Your focus in this simplified exercise is to realign your emotional energy. Fear takes on many different forms and drains us of energy, while robbing us of many valuable hours we could be using more productively for prospecting and growing our business.
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Don L. Price – Coaching Minds To Succeed, Sales/Marketing & High Performance Success Coach, International Speaker, Consultant and Author of Secrets of Personal Marketing Power-Strategies for Achieving Greater Personal & Business Success -- www.donlprice.com

Sealing The Deal Over The Business Meal By Lydia Ramsey

Doing business over meals is a ritual that has existed for centuries. Taking clients to breakfast, lunch or dinner has long been an effective way to build relationships, make the sale or seal the deal. These business meals are essentially business meetings.

Knowledge of your product or your service is crucial to the success of the meeting, but so are your manners. Too many people jeopardize an opportunity because they fail to use good dining etiquette. Here are a few basic rules to make the experience pleasurable and profitable.

Know your duties as the host. You are in charge. It is up to you to see that things go well and that your guests are comfortable. You need to attend to every detail from extending the invitation to paying the bill.

Plan ahead when you issue the invitation. Allow a week for a business dinner and three days for lunch. Be certain that the date works for you. That might sound obvious, but if you have to cancel or postpone, you can look disorganized and disrespectful of your clients' time.

Select a restaurant that you know, preferably one where you are known. This is no time to try out the latest hot spot. Being confident of the quality of the food and service leaves you free to focus on business.

Consider the atmosphere. Does it lend itself to conversation and discussion? If you and your clients can't hear each other over the roar of the diners and dishes, you will have wasted your time and money.

When you make your reservation, let the staff know that you will be dining with clients. If your guests suggest a restaurant new to you (perhaps you are hosting clients out-of-town), call ahead and speak with the maitre'd. Make it clear that you will be having an important business meal and picking up the check.

Confirm the meal appointment with your clients the day before if you are meeting for breakfast or that day if you are having lunch or dinner. Things do happen and mix-ups occur.

Arrive early so you can attend to last minute details. This is the perfect time to give your credit card to the maitre'd and avoid the awkwardness that seems to accompany the arrival of the bill.

Take charge of the seating. Your guests should have the prime seats-the ones with the view. As the host, take the least desirable spot-the one facing the wall, the kitchen or the restrooms.

Beyond being polite, where you seat your guests is strategic. When you are entertaining one client, sit next to each at a right angle rather than across the table.

With two clients, put one across from you and the other to your side. If you sit between them, you will look as if you are watching a match at Wimbledon as you try to follow the conversation.

Allow your guests to order first. You might suggest certain dishes to be helpful. By recommending specific items, you are indicating a price range. Order as many courses as your guests, no more and no less, to facilitate the flow of the meal. It is awkward if one of you orders an appetizer or dessert and the others do not.

As the host, you are the one who decides when to start discussing business. That will depend on a number of factors such as the time of day and how well you know your clients.

At breakfast, time is short so get down to business quickly. At lunch, wait until you have ordered so you won't be interrupted. Dinner, the more social occasion, is a time for rapport building. Limit the business talk and do it after the main course is completed.

When you know your clients well, you have more of a basis for small talk. However, because you have established a business friendship, you can eliminate some of the chitchat when time is an issue.

When you don't know your clients well, spend more time getting acquainted before launching your shoptalk.

Sometimes you simply need to use your own judgment about when to get down to business, realizing that if you wait too long, your clients may start to wonder why they were invited. If you begin too early in the meal, your guests might suspect that you are more interested in their money than you are in them.

Keep an eye on the time, but don't let your guests see you checking your watch. Breakfast should typically last an hour; lunch an hour and a half. Wrap up your business dinner in two to three hours, no more.

Handle any disasters with grace. With all your attention to detail, things can still go wrong. The food may not be up to your standards, the waiter might be rude or the people at the next table boisterous and out of control.

Whatever happens, make sure you are not the one to lose control. Excuse yourself to discuss any problems with the staff. Your guests will feel uncomfortable if you complain in front of or to them.

Limit the amount of alcohol you drink at the business meal. The three Martini lunch is mostly a thing of the past. However, cocktails and wine are still part of the business dinner. Since alcohol can have the same effect as truth serum, keep your consumption to one or two glasses.

When guests are drinking liberally and you sense trouble, excuse yourself and discreetly ask the server to hold back on refilling the wine glasses or offering another cocktail.

Your conduct over the meal will determine your professional success. If you pay attention to the details and make every effort to see that your clients have a pleasant experience, they will assume that you will handle their business the same way. Before long you could have them eating out of your hand.

(c) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved.
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Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real Simple and Woman's Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site www.mannersthatsell.com

Seminars for Prospecting By Dan Hudock

The purpose of a 1- or 2-hour seminar is to attract potential customers for your product or service. The topic must be provocative enough to attract attendees, without sounding too much like a sales pitch with breakfast thrown in.

Topics can be about the latest advances and/or technology in your industry; the impact of the latest political, legislative, or economic changes; increasing profits, reducing costs, avoiding unnecessary expenses, and so on.

In an educational/public seminar, the goals of the seminar are to present yourself as an expert in your field-someone who understands and is knowledgeable about the problems and challenges attendees face-and someone who has solutions to those problems and challenges. You may want to bring in other experts, such as your strategic alliance partners, to present with you.

When you hold customer appreciation seminars, the client typically arranges for the facility and refreshments as a way to thank his customers for their business and provide added value to their businesses.

You benefit by exposing your products or services to the client's customers. You deliver the program and provide handouts. As an introduction, you can call invitees to confirm their attendance. If the attendees like what they see and hear, it may result in future business opportunities.

Seminars give you a chance to begin to build rapport with potential prospects. They are also a low-risk way for potential prospects to learn about your company, your product or service, and you.

* Excerpted from Sandler's President's Club Professional Development Program (trainer edition and workbook) ©2000 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Dan Hudock is an owner of the Sandler Sales Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. He can be reached at (724) 940-2388 or dan@sandler.com. His web site is: www.dan.sandler.com

How to Revive a Dead Lead By Stuart Ayling

It’s easy to spend days, weeks, or months speaking with a prospect, working up to a decision to buy. This is especially true if your prospects are in larger companies.

Sometimes your lead can go dead. You’re not sure why, but your contact person just goes quiet – sometimes disappearing for good.

Was your price too high? Did you say something wrong? What should you do?

I’ve had a few clients in exactly this situation – one even had his prospect located overseas. And they report great results by using this simple procedure.

Usually in these circumstances you can’t contact your prospect by phone. This is a sure sign they have "disappeared". If this is the case for you, simply leave a voice mail message that you will send an email to them and ask them to “please take a moment to read it”.

1) Remove the pressure – assume they will say “no”.

Sometimes prospects think they have put themselves in an awkward position where they have to make a decision. They could feel backed into a corner. Sometimes they may be embarrassed because they have taken so long to come to a decision. Or because their superiors don’t agree with them. Or maybe they haven’t got the finances to buy from you.

Either way, they may suddenly back-off because they feel under pressure. You must take that pressure away by assuming they will not go ahead. Assume they will say “no” to your proposal.

2) Send a polite, non-threatening message.

Because you have probably had trouble contacting the person by phone, send this via email.

Your message needs to say something like you “Appreciate the time they have taken so far to discuss their requirements. And you understand they may not be in a position at the moment to use your service. But when they are ready to proceed you would greatly appreciate an opportunity to speak with them about a service to suit their needs.” Or use similar wording for your situation.

This approach gives your prospect a way to “save face”. It gives them a way out of a tricky situation. They now know that you are not “expecting” anything from them, so they can relax and tell you what they will really be doing.

It also helps you to build trust with that prospect. By taking this approach you are demonstrating that you:

* Understand they may be in a difficult situation.

* Are interested in the longer term, not just an immediate sale.

* Are still on good terms with them, and not annoyed by the outcome.

RESULTS

By using this technique my clients have found that their "dead" lead comes back to life. One of the following usually occurs.

Either the contact person feels bad about not letting you know what has happened, so they return your call or email and tell you.

Or someone else from the company returns your message and says something like "So-and-so doesn't work here anymore, so I have forwarded your message on to the-new-guy who has taken over that role."

You win - no matter what happens. You now understand what you need to do next to keep the sale alive.

(c) 2005 Stuart Ayling. MySalesTutor.com
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Stuart Ayling is known as the 'Sales Tutor'. Stuart offers a unique sales training eCourse at www.MySalesTutor.com. This 16-day course gives you the skills and confidence to handle any sales situation and close more sales. Stuart has developed this eCourse specially for independent professionals, service providers, and business owners, based on sales "best practices" and proven trust-based sales techniques. To get the eCourse visit www.MySalesTutor.com/ecourse.htm

Trade Show Networking Tips By Scott Ingram

Trade shows are a great place to network. People are there to meet other people, and learn about who’s doing what. These 6 tips will help you maximize the networking opportunities at any trade show.

1. Meet the exhibitors

The exhibitors at any trade show paid to be able to talk to you. Make an effort to visit as many vendors as you can. Learn about them and what they have to offer. You might also ask who their target market is, or who their ideal client is.

2. Make it fun!

Consider making a game out of your networking efforts. Try to meet at least one new person every 10-15 minutes. That’ll give you enough time to spend 5 or 10 minutes getting to know them. You’ll also have a few minutes left over to meet your next new friend.

3. Listen

When you’re meeting new people listen more than you talk. Try to find a common interest. Ask them about their business and their personal interests. This information will come in handy later when you follow-up.

4. Give people value, be a resource

Be listening for ways that you can help people. Direct them to the exhibitor you met earlier who might have a great solution for them. Tell them about the great drawing you just entered, and suggest that they do the same. Offer to introduce them to someone else you know at the event who you think they might be able to make a good connection with.

5. Use business cards

Business cards are a tool. After you meet someone be sure to ask them for a business card. Take a couple of seconds to make a couple of notes about what you learned about them. Before handing someone your own business card you might want to write a quick note that will add value.

Write the name of a website they might find useful (NetworkInAustin.com perhaps?), a book, another networking event. Anything that will make your card stand out, because you’ve show that you’re a valuable resource.

6. Follow-up

This is probably the most important tip of all. Your networking efforts at any networking event are unlikely to bear any fruit if you don’t take the time to follow-up with those you met. Be sure to make at least one, preferably two, contacts during the week following the show, with each person you met.

A hand written note and a voicemail. A brief phone conversation and an e-mail. Just be sure to reconnect so you can truly begin building a relationship.

Happy networking!
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Scott Ingram is the founder of etworkInAustin.com a networking resource for networkers in Central Texas. He also posts regularly to his Business Networking Blog where you’ll learn more about Scott as well as how to become a better networker. When he’s not out building relationships at trade shows and other business networking events you’ll find Scott out running with friends on the trails of Town Lake in Austin, Texas or spending time with his growing family which currently consists of 2 cats and dog and his expecting wife Emily.

The Five Most Common Mistakes Salespeople Make By Dave Kahle

Over the decades that I've been involved in sales, I've worked with tens of thousands of salespeople.

Certain negative tendencies -- mistakes that salespeople make -- keep surfacing. Here are my top five. See to what degree you (or your sales force) may be guilty of them.

Mistake Number One: Over concern with strategy instead of tactics

Gather a group of salespeople together around a coffee maker and listen to the conversation. After the obligatory complaints about all types of things, the conversation inevitably drifts to questions of strategy. How do I accomplish this in that account? How do I get this account to this?

In my seminars, I often hold a "clinic" where salespeople write down any sales-related question and submit it to the group for discussion. These questions are almost always related to strategic issues. In one form or another, they ask the same question: How do I achieve this effect in this account?

While this thoughtfulness is encouraging, it reveals an erroneous mindset. The belief behind these questions is this: "If I can only determine the right sequence of actions of my part, I'll be able to sell this account, or achieve this goal."

This, unfortunately, is rarely the case. These sales people, based on this erroneous belief, are looking for a solution in the wrong place. Almost always, the answer to the question is not a more clever strategy, but better execution of the basic tactics.

It is like the foot ball team whose players don't tackle well, miss their blocks, throw erratic passes, and fumble frequently. The solution is not a more clever game plan. The solution is better execution of the basic tactics. Learn to do the basics effectively, and the strategy will generally take care of itself.

The real problem with this over concern for strategy is that it seduces the salesperson's energy, substituting the pursuit of a better strategy for the real solution - better execution of the basics.

When I'm asked these "strategy" questions, I find myself asking the salesperson to verify the fundamentals. Have you identified the key decision makers and influencers in the account? Have you created trusting personal relationships with each of them? Have you understood the customer's situation at a deep level? Have your presented your solution in a way that gives them reason to do business with you? Have you effectively matched your proposal to the intricacies of the customer's needs?

This line of inquiry almost always reveals a flaw in tactical execution. It's not the strategy that the problem, it's the tactics. Focus on doing the basics first, and the need for a clever strategy diminishes.

Mistake Number Two: Lack of thoughtfulness

The typical field salesperson has, as a necessary and integral part of his/her personality, an inclination toward action. We like to be busy: driving here and there, talking on our cell phones, putting deals together, solving customer's problems -- all in a continuous flurry of activity. Boy, can we get stuff done!

And this high energy inclination to action is a powerful personality strength, energizing the salesperson who wants to achieve success.

But, like every powerful personality trait, this one has a dark backside. Our inclination to act often overwhelms our wiser approach to think before we act.

In our hunger for action, we neglect to take a few moments to think about that action. Is this the most effective place to go? Have I thoroughly prepared for this sales call? Do I know what I want to achieve in this call? Is this the person I should be seeing, or is there someone else who is more appropriate? Is it really wise to drive 30 miles to see this account, and then back tract 45 miles to see another?

Customers these days are demanding salespeople who are thoroughly prepared, who have well thought-out agendas, and who have done their research before the sales call. All of this works to the detriment of the "ready-shoot-aim" type of salesperson.

On the other hand, those who discipline themselves to a regular routine of dedicated time devoted to planning and preparing will find themselves far more effective then their action-oriented colleagues.

Mistake Number Three: Contentment with the superficial

There are some customers who have been called on for years, and yet the salesperson doesn't know any more about them today then he/she did after the second sales call. These are accounts where the salesperson cannot identify one of the account's customers, explain whether or not they are profitable, or identify one of their strategic goals.

Most salespeople have a wonderful opportunity to learn about their customers in deeper and more detailed ways, and often squander it by having the same conversations with the same customers over and over. They never dig deeper. They mistake familiarity with knowledge.

What a shame. I am convinced that the ultimate sales skill -- the one portion of the sales process that more than anything else determines our success as a salesperson -- is the ability to know the customer deeper and in a more detailed way than our competitors do.

It's our knowledge of the customer that allows us to position ourselves as competent, trustworthy consultants. It's our knowledge of the customer that provides us the information we need to structure programs and proposals that distinguish us from everyone else. It's our knowledge of the customer that allows us to proactively serve that customer, to meet their needs even before they have articulated them.

In an economic environment where the distinctions between companies and products are blurring in the eyes of the customer, the successful companies and individuals will be those who outsell the rest. And outselling the rest depends on understanding the customer better than anyone else.

Mistake Number Four: Poor questioning

This is a variation of the mistake above. I am absolutely astonished at the lack of thoughtfulness that I often see on the part of salespeople. Most use questions like sledgehammers, splintering the relationship and bruising the sensibility of their customers by thoughtless questions.

Others don't use them at all, practically ignoring the most important part of a sales call. They labor under the misconception that the more they talk, the better job of selling they do, when the truth lies in exactly the opposite approach.

And others are content to play about the surface of the issue. "How much of this do you use?" "What do you not like about your current supplier?" Their questions are superficial at best, redundant and irritating at worst.

The result? These salespeople never really uncover the deeper more intense issues that motivate their customers. Instead, they continually react to the common complaint of customers who have been given no reason to think otherwise: "Your price is too high."

Fewer sales, constant complaints about pricing, frustrated salespeople, impatient managers, and unimpressed customers - all of these as a result of the inability to use the salesperson's most powerful tool with skill and sensitivity.

Mistake Number Five: No investment in themselves.

Here's an amazing observation. No more than 5% of active, full time professional salespeople ever invest in their own growth. That means that only one of 20 salespeople have ever spent $20.00 of their own money on a book on sales, or subscribed to a sales magazine, taken a sales course, or attended a sales seminar of their own choosing and on their own nickel.

Don't believe me? Take a poll. Ask your salespeople or your colleagues how many of them have invested more than $20.00 in a book, magazine, tape, etc. in the last 12 months. Ask those who venture a positive answer to substantiate it by naming their investment. Don't be surprised if the answers get vague. You'll quickly find out how many sales people in your organization have invested in themselves.

Sales is the only profession I know of where the overwhelming majority of practitioners are content with their personal status quo.

Why is that? A number of reasons...

Some mistakenly think that their jobs are so unique that they cannot possibly learn anything from anyone else. Still others think they know it all. They have, therefore, no interest in taking time from some seemingly valuable thing they are doing to attend a seminar or read a book.

Some don't care. Their focus is hanging onto their jobs, not necessarily getting better at them. But I think the major reason is that the overwhelming majority of salespeople do not view themselves as professionals and, therefore, do not have professional expectations for themselves. They worked their way up from the customer service desk or they landed in sales by chance, and they view their work as a job to be done, not a profession to grow within.

They are content to let their companies arrange for their training or development. And between you and me, they would prefer that their companies really didn't do anything that would require them to actually change what they do.

These are the five most common negative tendencies that I see. It may be that you and your colleagues are immune to these dampers on success. Good for you. But if you are not immune, and if you spot some of your own tendencies in this list, then you are not reaching your potential for success.

You have tremendous potential for success -- for contentment, confidence and competence - that is being hindered by these negative behaviors. Rid yourself of these negative tendencies, and you'll begin to reach your potential.

Copyright 2002 by Dave Kahle
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If you would like assistance structuring a sales system or sales development program to suit the specific needs of your company, you can reach Dave Kahle at 800-331-1287 or by visiting his web site.

7 Phrases You Can't Say in Sales By Doug Smart

7 Phrases You Can’t Say in Sales
(Because They Will Undermine Your Credibility and Drop Your Closing Rate)

Years ago, George Carlin listed seven words you can’t say on television. Then HBO came along, said all the words, and the world of television changed forever. Now, I know that even before you read the seven no-no phrases in sales, you might be tempted to think, oh, whatever these are they will eventually become acceptable, too.

There are two big problems with this reasoning.

1. Television has been around for about sixty years so it is still a youngster experiencing growing pains; sales started way back when the inventor of the wheel made a few extras to sell to friends.

2. The seven sales phrases are already being said by salespeople and they are delivering decidedly mediocre results. They live on because veteran salespeople say them and novice salespeople ape them. The cycle continues.

The big challenge with these words is that they undermine the credibility of salespeople and they encourage defensive barriers to spring up in the minds of the prospective buyers. Talk about salespeople shooting themselves in the foot! These phrases either degrade what could be a great sale down to a pedestrian transaction or they scare off buyers. And worse, less experienced salespeople think they are supposed to say these phrases in order to entice buyers. Here is a word to my sales colleagues: No matter whether you are selling products, services, and/or ideas, avoid using these phrases! They will make buyers distrust you.

As you read these seven, think of yourself as a buyer not a salesperson. (Did you ever stop to consider that over the course of your life you will most likely buy more products and services than you will sell?) As a buyer, imagine you are in situation in which a salesperson has recently made your acquaintance. Test your gut reaction. Do any of these seven make you want to buy – or do they make you want to run?

Here are the seven deadly phrases in sales. Actually, one of these is a pair of words, not a phrase. But all of these leave the same unpleasant after-taste as one bad word.

Trust me. Instructing people to trust a salesperson is pretty much like setting up a too-familiar joke whose punch line is going to be “you are an idiot so just give me lots of your money now.” The pairing of trust and me signals buyers to put up their defense shields and turn on their BS filters (for Better Sense, of course).

Trust is one of the two concepts that the more somebody asks for it, the more elusive it becomes. Trust – like love – cannot be requested effectively. Although it is plentiful, it has to be earned to be genuine. And besides, it is the buyer’s prerogative to decide whom to trust, when, and how much. Asking for trust will actually hinder the salesperson from getting it. (P.S.“Believe me when I say…” is in the same league.)

I’m your friend. It is tempting for a salesperson to think a buyer is a new friend after the two share fifteen minutes excitedly discussing a mutual experience or passion. This happens, for example, when both share an obsession for golf and both once played the course at Pebble Beach in their youth.

However, too many salespeople mistake rapport for friendship. The two are not the same. Friendship requires an emotional investment and real commitment. Friendship takes time, energy, and some sacrifice. Friendliness is a great way to ease any tensions in the sales process but over-friendliness can raise resentment in buyers’ minds.

Nobody can sell this cheaper than me. Nobody? First off, the world is a big place with a lot of others selling things a lot like what other salespeople have. If the salesperson really has the world’s lowest price on something and can do business both legally and profitably, instead of wasting time one-on-one with prospects, he or she should put up a website and rake in the dough. And second, the problem with bragging about being cheapest (besides triggering buyers’ skepticism) is that it is a lousy way to make a profit.

A more satisfactory approach is to show the value of the product, service, or idea. Value takes into account integrity, experience, service, reliability, trustworthiness, uniqueness, desirability, return, and how the buyer will be better for buying. Promoting value ahead of price is a rock-solid strategy for long-term success.

We are the best! Okay, maybe there are a few situations in which this is credible. And I am not opposed to the power of positive thinking as a confidence builder. But the truth is buyers have learned that ninety-nine percent of the salespeople who say it are lying. A phrase like this turns on their BS filter. Best, like beauty, is in the eye of the buyer – not the salesperson.

Always and never. This pair stands on the same quicksand as “We are the best.” They sound like exaggerations and are frequently perceived as stretching the truth. For example, how truthful do these two statements sound? “We always provide quality service.” “Our delivery drivers are never late.” Many people simply don’t take always and never at face value.

A few years ago I did a series of training programs for engineers from several Miller Brewing locations. I asked each to write the words always and never. Then I asked each to express as a percentage what the words meant. As you would expect, some saw always as a one hundred percent occurrence and never as zero percent. But the unforgettable thing was that twenty-five percent saw them as somewhere in between.

To many, always and never were so abused they became synonymous with frequently and occasionally. For example, “I never lie” was readily perceived as a lie and was reinterpreted to mean “I occasionally lie.”

What you need is... This is actually a great phrase after high levels of rapport and trust have been developed. But even then this is pretty presumptuous on the part of the salesperson because he is not the one who has to live with the purchase. Just a few days ago a salesperson, with whom there was not much rapport or trust, told me “What you need is this computer.” That may have been so, but the salesperson did not ask questions -- so he knew little about me, my situation, or what I wanted to accomplish. I didn’t care what he thought I needed. I listened, learned a few things, walked out the store, and bought one elsewhere. (See number one.)

This is perfect for everyone. This is another statement that is hard to accept as true (Is H&R Block perfect for everyone?). Before adding this one to the list I tried hard to think of one commercial product or service that really is perfect for everyone. The closest I could get was bottled water. But then I thought, “If the brand of bottled water you sell is indeed perfect for everyone, why do you have competition? Doesn’t the mere existence of stiff competition indicate that for some buyers other brands are more perfect for them?” Okay, you don’t sell bottled water. But re-read the above substituting your stuff for bottled water.

Some other phrases, such as “The check is in the mail,” undermine rather than build. No matter how well intentioned, when salespeople use these seven phrases, and related phrases, buyers hear something that is questionable. This can cause buyers to react protectively and be selective about what they choose to believe. That results in fewer closed sales. A smart strategy for salespeople is to steer clear of these seven toxic phrases.

Copyright 2004 by Doug Smart
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Doug Smart helps select, develop, and retain exceptional sales managers and salespeople who are passionate about thier work. He is the author of “Grow Your Sales by Selling Smarter Not Harder.” He is a consultant and speaker who has presented 2,000 paid presentations around the world. For a free subscription to “Grow Your Sales" eNewsletter visit www.GrowYourSales.org

Your Sales Process Isn't By Paul Johnson

A lot of energy is expended within selling organizations as they try to identify, adopt, and administer a sales process that works for them. The holy grail of selling is to find a foolproof method for creating a customer, the ultimate finished product of the perfect sales process. Prepare to be disappointed.

Webster's tells us that a process is "a particular method of doing something, generally involving a number of steps or operations." By performing specific actions in a certain order on allowable inputs, we can produce a finished result that meets a predefined design specification. This works well in manufacturing, and in recurring activities that we find in other areas of our businesses.

We may even have certain processes that we use while we sell. But when we talk about the whole of selling, we need to avoid using the term "sales process" because no such thing exists. That's because there is nothing we can do to reliably produce a customer as a finished result.

Here's why: if we try to apply a process to the way any product or service is sold, an important variable in our sales process would have to be the Buyer. Unfortunately, the Buyer is the last thing that we can control, or should want to control. Therefore, we have to rethink the notion of a selling process and consider if a process applies at all.

Yes, There Really IS a Process The process that the seller needs to pay attention to is the one that the Buyer uses. All Buyers go through a process as they prepare to make a purchase. If we can understand how that process works, we can tune our sales approach to make it easy for the Buyer to make a positive decision that favors us, and do it faster and more frequently than they might otherwise.

We all go through a multi-step process as we prepare to make a purchase. The incremental steps associated with a buying process define distinct Buying Stages. Throughout the buying process, significant psychological shifts occur within a Buyer, causing them to move from one Buying Stage to another.

These shifts in Buying Stages, or Inflection Points, can be influenced by the activities of a salesperson and marketing organization, and the application of tools and tactics that are appropriate to the current Buying Stage. Let's explore the concept of Buying Stages and how they work.

Buying Stages Alerted: The first Stage for a Buyer to move to is typically the Alerted Stage. Here, the Buyer is simply aware that our company and offering exists, and may someday satisfy a need. Most advertising and marketing communications efforts are aimed at moving the Buyer to the Alerted Stage.

When you first see a television ad for a new car model, you are now alerted to the fact that the model exists and which company makes it. However, you may have no current need for a car at all, much less that particular product. While that manufacturer has succeeded in moving you to the Alerted Stage, nothing will happen unless and until you decide to engage with the person or company making the offer.

Engaged: When you decide the timing is right to investigate a product and take steps to contact the supplier, you have reached an Inflection Point and have moved to the Engaged Stage. In the Engaged Stage, you have called the 800-number, sent an e-mail, or walked into the showroom and talked with the seller.

You may have been in the Alerted Stage for days, months, or even decades before deciding that the particular product or service is appropriate for a current need. Your timing – not the seller's – determines when your activity marks an Inflection Point and moves you to the Engaged Stage.

Qualified: Once you engage with the seller, an exchange of information usually takes place where you as the Buyer attempt to get some high-level questions answered. You want to determine whether or not the offering is worth spending even more time later to investigate the specifics of how it will fulfill your need.

You may ask questions like, "How big is it?" or "Exactly what does it do?" and "What is the price range?" If the answers are satisfactory, you've reached another Inflection Point and reached the Qualified Stage.

Qualified implies that you have had your high-level questions answered satisfactorily and are willing to invest more time considering a purchase. Likewise, the seller has often asked a few questions of their own, to determine your suitability as a prospective customer. It's important that both sides believe that a purchase is possible; otherwise no further activities will take place.

Exposed: Assuming both parties choose to move forward, the seller is often invited by the Buyer to present the highlights of the offering and the potential benefits. This could be a brief presentation or demonstration to acquaint the Buyer with the core value proposition and competitive differentiators.

Once the Buyer has seen enough to decide to move forward with their buying process, another Inflection Point is reached and the Buyer moves to the Exposed Stage. At this point, the Buyer may or may not be ready to immediately move forward with pursuing an in-depth investigation, proposal, and so on.

Oftentimes, car purchasers stop into a showroom to look at a new model just to find out how much it is, how it feels to sit in it, and to determine whether the vehicle has potential as a future new car. The Buyer may be months away from being able to do business because of a current lease that will not expire for several months, or other conditions that require delaying the purchase.

The exposed Buyer has enough information to determine whether or not the offering should remain on their list for consideration, either now or in the future.

Selling is All About Buying - A Buyer will continue to pursue their buying process, moving from one Buying Stage to another, at their own pace. As sellers, our job is to help these Buyers wherever we can!

Not all buying processes are the same. The actual Buying Stages associated with a buying process will change based on the category of Buyer and the offering. What won't change is that each Buyer will continue to move through distinct psychological stages appropriate for their category and the offering until they decide to reach the Closed Stage and become a customer.

By focusing on the buying process instead of the sales process, the attention stays where it needs to be: on the Buyer. By being alert and recognizing where each Buyer is in their buying process, the salesperson can be most responsive to the Buyer's needs. Now salespeople can readily support the Buyer the way they need to be supported at each Stage to make their buying process move forward smoothly and quickly.

To support the salesperson in their efforts to help the Buyer move past Inflection Points to each successive Buying Stage, we can make sure the salesperson has the proper tool set. Tools may include telesales scripts, needs analysis guides, qualification ranking forms, collateral, and even technology like software.

Additionally, training becomes an important success factor associated with your support of the buying process. Training must go beyond the products; we must make sure that selling skills are appropriate for each Buying Stage, and that the salespeople are properly trained on how to apply each tool to best support the buying process at each Stage.

Sales Communications Focusing on the buying process is what Sales Communications™ is all about. While marketing communications speaks to a general population of Buyers, Sales Communications takes it right down to the individual.

Sales Communications makes the organization's marketing efforts personalized to the specific Buyer, recognizes the unique needs of the Buyer, and equips the salesperson with the complete toolbox to make it easy for the Buyer to come to a positive decision for the benefit of the seller and Buyer.

Sales Communications will allow each salesperson to describe the progress of a selling opportunity in terms of the condition of the Buyer instead of what the seller did. In other words, it doesn't matter whether we've given a demonstration or delivered a proposal. It only matters where the Buyer is in their buying process. Now we can talk about a prospect as Engaged, or Exposed, and everyone in your organization will clearly understand how far along the Buyer is in their buying process.

Identifying the buying process associated with your offering will give you the structure you need to support the Buyer. You'll be able to apply the proper tools and tactics to help each Buyer move through their buying process toward a positive decision. By teaching your salespeople to recognize Buying Stages and their associated Inflection Points, and apply the proper tools and tactics, you'll be able to sell the way your Buyer wants to be sold. You'll be helping them buy the way they like to buy, because they'll be using their process, not yours.

Sales processes may not work, but buying processes work every time.

© Paul Johnson. All rights reserved.
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Paul Johnson of Panache and Systems LLC consults and speaks on business strategy for systematically boosting sales performance using Shortcuts to Yes™. Check out more salesforce development tips at http://panache-yes.com. Call Paul direct in Atlanta, Georgia, USA at (770) 271-7719.

7 Sales Skills to Improve On By Shamus Brown

The following 7 sales skills are what I have found to be the most important skills for professional salespeople. Get good at these, and you'll be able to make a lot of money no matter how the economy is doing.

Sales Skill #1: Qualifying Fast to Avoid Wasting Sales Time

Do you chase after your prospects until they tell you yes or no? Do you ever tell your prospects "No", as in "No, I am not going to sell to you"? There are many things in selling that you do not and will not be able to control. The one thing that you do have control over is your time and how you choose to use it.

To qualify fast you must have a set of criteria describing who you will and will not sell to. You want to sell to the prospects likely to buy your products, and drop the prospects unlikely to buy (so that you can find more good prospects). Sounds simple, but too many salespeople let sludge buildup in their pipeline, constricting the total revenue that flows out.

KEY TIP: Develop a list of sales qualifying criteria that prospect's must meet in order for you to invest your sales time with them.

Sales Skill #2: Motivating Prospects

Qualifying goes beyond budget, authority, and need. You want to sell to prospects who *want* to buy from you. Finding prospects that need our products usually is not difficult. Finding those who really want our products though can be very hard if we wait for them to come to us.

Products sold by professional salespeople are more complex and offer more value than commodity products offered through stores, catalogs and brokers.

Prospects generally do not know they need such products, until they first discover that they have a problem. This process can take seconds or years depending on the nature of the problem (and the prospect!).

Prospects get motivated to work with you when you help them to discover that you solve their problem better than anyone else does.

KEY TIP: Determine which problems that you eliminate or solve for your prospects. Plan and ask questions to uncover and agitate those problems.

Sales Skill #3: Selling to People Outside Your Comfort Zone

Most salespeople who are "people persons", already think that they are good at this. Let me ask you a question. When you last lost a sale, how was your rapport with the key person who decided against you?

You can't afford to look away and ignore people that you don't have natural rapport with. The good news is that people like people like themselves.

All you have to do to gain rapport is stretch your behavior outside or your comfort zone until you become like another person.

KEY TIP: Match speech patterns with people to gain rapport outside of your typical sports or weather conversation.

Sales Skill #4: Reaching Decision-Makers Through Voicemail

There's two ways to make more sales. One is to close more of the prospects you do contact. The other is to get more prospects into the pipeline.

When prospecting, you can look at voicemail as either your friend or your enemy. With 70% of your prospecting calls going to voicemail, it is time to make friends with it.

Although you will never get even close to getting every voicemail returned, you can get a significant number of your messages returned when treat them as a one-on-one commercials.

KEY TIP: Prepare 3-5 separate benefit-focused voicemail messages that you can leave over a period of days or weeks for a single decision-maker before you give up on her. Each message should focus on a single unique customer-focused benefit.

Sales Skill #5: Delivering "I Gotta Have That" Presentations

Let's face it, a lot of business presentations are really boring. Salespeople talk about why their product is great, why their company is great, and the history of their company. Prospects don't relate to this. That's why they look so bored.

Great presentations get the prospect's imagination involved. The best way to involve the imagination is through storytelling.

Stories rich in descriptive detail get the prospect picturing them using your product and evoke that "I Gotta Have That" reaction.

KEY TIP: Study 1-3 of your best customers and develop detailed customer success stories that will put emotional power into your presentations.

Sales Skill #6: Gaining Commitments Instead of Closing

Eliminate "Closing Cheese" from Your Vocabulary. You know what I am talking about: "Would you like that in gray or in black?" or "If I can show you how this will help you will you buy today?". Lines like these are why salespeople are down on the bottom of society's respect list somewhere near lawyers.

Learn the power of asking for incremental commitments from the beginning of your sales cycle. It is not an easy shift to make. First you got to get the prospect to show you what they most want (Hint: See Skill #2 above). Then you can negotiate incremental commitments in return for more of your time, information or resources.

KEY TIP: Practice asking for simple commitments once someone has expressed a clear want, pain, or desire.

Sales Skill #7: Have More Fun

Sales is fun when you are in control and closing deals. Selling is miserable when you are under pressure to close business.

Take the pressure off yourself to close and instead focus on qualifying and motivating your prospects.

KEY TIP: Shift the responsibility back to the prospect to solve his own problems, and the pressure to make the sale will be gone. Focus on selling at your best only to qualified prospects and you'll close more and have fun doing it.

Bonus Sales Tip ...

When you are giving a presentation, selling on the telephone or one-on-one in your prospect's office, picture your prospect as having the words SO WHAT stamped on his forehead. Imagine that for everything you say, the prospect is asking "so what, why should I care?".

Remember, prospects only care about how what you are selling can eliminate a problem that they have or help make their business or life better. The answer to this question is always what your product does for them (benefits), not what your product is (features).

© 1999-2005 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.
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Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com.

Closing The Sale By Jim Meisenheimer

Several weeks ago I asked my Newsletter subscribers to send me their biggest sales challenges. So far, I have received 275 challenges. While I am still in the process of categorizing them, I noticed that a number of them mentioned "Closing the sale" as their biggest challenge.

Closing the sale, cinching the deal, tying up all the loose ends, and getting to a yes decision is an important skill in the selling process. Even getting a "No" decision is better than holding onto an everlasting pending one.

Joe K., a friend and former client, discovered the importance of an effective close at an early age. Joe has been the president of major corporations and currently serves on several corporate boards - so pay attention to his comments.

Here's what he has to say about closing the sale . . .

"When I was in high school in downtown Philly, I went into a men's clothing store to buy a new suit. Obviously, many of the salespeople are career salespeople, and know all the lines and closing techniques. After trying on one suit, I came out of the dressing room and looked into the three-way mirror.

The salesman approached me, smoothed out the back of the suit, tugged a little on the cuffs, and told me, "On you it looks good." I continued to look in the mirror, and moved from side to side, and he sensed some reluctance on my part. That's when he came up with the best close I have ever heard. He said," If you don't buy that suit, you are insulting yourself." So, not wanting to insult myself, I bought the suit."

Finally, it's not as important how you say what you say. What's more important is that you know exactly what you're going to say - during the "Close." Preparing and practicing in advance will always, and I mean always beat out on-the-spot improvisation.

Optional homework assignment - if you want to improve your closing technique and take it up to the next level grab a pen and a yellow legal pad. First think and then write how you plan to ask for the order in the future. Review and edit what you have written each day for four consecutive days. My guess is you'll have an incredible and powerful closing statement by the fourth day.

If you skip the assignment your approach to closing the sale will continue to be a "Wing it and sing it" one. It's not a big deal for me. But I guarantee you every customer/prospect can tell the difference between "preparation and improvisation."
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Jim Meisenheimer is the creator of No-Brainer Sales Training. His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by contacting him at (800) 266-1268 or by visiting his website: www.meisenheimer.com

Achieving Sales Goals Requires Drive & Motivation By Shamus Brown

How did you do this past year on your sales goals?

Did you write your goals down?

Did your review them frequently, and revise them as conditions changed? Or did you set them at the beginning of the year, and forget about them by February?

What do you most want this coming year?

The first and most basic step to getting what you want is to know what that is, and to constantly remind yourself of that. Goal setting is an important skill. One that you've may have read about and heard about many times before. It only works though if you do it.

Sales Goals & Reasons

Start with the end in mind. What is the result that you want? Give yourself the freedom to think big. Picture a big compelling goal that you really, really want. While envisioning this picture, how you make it happen is not important right now. The important thing is to get started, thinking big about what it is that you most want. Later we'll deal with how you get it. Your focus should be on what you want.

Sales goals should be expressed in ways that compel us to achieve them. The human brain directs us to creating what we focus on, good or bad. Start by writing down your goal. The more specific you make your goal the better. Create the picture in your mind and write down specific quantities, dates or time periods, places, people, etc.

Now make the image of your goal really compelling. Make it in color, add sounds, feelings, movement and sensations to it. Find or make a picture of it and carry it around in your pocket, purse or daytimer or post it prominently on your office, bedroom, or bathroom wall. Carry a symbol or icon of your goal around with you, constantly reminding yourself of what you are going for.

Now that you know what you want, its time to get clear about *why* you want it. Your reasons for your desires are the drive that will cause you to get what you want. Get big enough reasons, and you can accomplish anything.

Let me give you an example. Let's say you want a big, fat six- figure income this year. That's the sales goal - a big, fat six-figure income. But this is really not specific enough. So you refine this and say that you want to make $300,000.00 in income this year. Good, now your goal is specific and timed.

So what are your reasons for wanting this goal? Upon asking yourself this question, maybe you answer that this will make you feel more powerful, successful, and capable. Or you say that you will be able to afford a nice home for your family, an education for your kids, and financial independence at an early age.

Now these are reasons that motivate a person. Much more exciting than just stating a number.

Setting goals alone is more than most people do in life. If you write down your goals, AND review them frequently, you are well on your way to accomplishing what you want. But when the obstacles start coming and getting in your way, you will need real drive and determination to keep going and not give up. Determining and writing down your reasons for wanting your goals will give you the drive and the power necessary to make them happen.

Write down your sales goals, being timed and specific. Write down your reasons for why you want your goals. Get pictures, symbols or icons that you can post up or carry around with you to constantly remind you of what you want and why.

© 1999-2005 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.
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Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com

TheTop 10 Reasons Why Salespeople Get Outsold By Dave Stein

In my business, it has been an interesting and very busy two quarters. I've worked with sales managers, marketing executives, professional services practice managers, business development executives, divisional presidents, two dozen sales teams, nine VPs of Sales and directly with 29 CEOs in North America and in Europe. I've seen a lot of deals won and more than a few lost.

When I first meet my clients, I find that some really do not know why they have won or lost business, although often they think they do. Their answers to just a few of my questions provides me with a pretty good idea of where to dig in more deeply. (Note: For me to perform a comprehensive diagnosis and provide appropriate recommendations for improvement, a formal win/loss analysis is required.)

In order to help you diagnose why you may have lost one or more deals, I am sharing with you in Letterman-style reverse order, the top ten reasons that salespeople (generally those employed by my clients' competitors) got outsold during the first part of 2003:

• #10. They are depending on capabilities of their product or service to win. This is a prevalent cause of losing. Deals have been lost this way for years and will continue to be lost in the future, unless salespeople begin to understand the critical trap they are stepping into if they assume this strategy.

I don't know of too many companies these days that truly have a unique enough product or service that they can depend on that offering to win. And even if they do have that truly unique product, it doesn't take a desperate competitor very long to convey to their market that they have greater capability and a lower price. Once that happens, you're in a capabilities "beauty contest" and your product or service is destined to be considered just a commodity.

Winners differentiate their product or service in ways that convey value to executives while protecting that value proposition from attack--and they don't count on their demo or presentation to be the ultimate death knell to their competition.

• #9. They're afraid. Unfortunately a lot of salespeople have been using the down economy and resultant changes in customer buying patterns as an excuse for not selling. They are afraid to get out of their comfort zones and assume a position of strength--to be more persistent, to negotiate for access to the real buyer and to be more persuasive. Unfortunately, they're coasting, using headlines in the Wall Street Journal as justification for a lack of activity and productivity.

• #8. They don't know who their competition is. More often than you would believe salespeople plod along in a sales campaign without knowing whom they are competing against. It could be an incumbent, no decision, an internal corporate department (such as IT) or pressure to fund another initiative or project within their prospect's company. Other times, sales people who get outsold simply don't know anything about that person who is in contention for the same piece of business--not their name, how they sell, to whom they sell, whether they are new at the job or highly experienced or what that person is likely to do to win the business. That's selling blind.

• #7. They're not flexible enough to meet customer/client budget and risk requirements. Companies are holding back on capital expenditures, cutting expenses, slowing down or delaying initiatives (and always looking for ways to raise the top line). Their holding back means fewer and smaller sales for us. I'm not suggesting discounting as a primary strategy here. What I have observed again and again is that vendors who are willing to adapt-- and I mean really adapt--their typical terms and conditions of sale to their customers' requirements (for example payment schedules and phase-in approaches) are much more likely to win business. Software companies are renting software. Consulting firms are agreeing to shared risk contracts with performance bonds. Is your company ready, willing and able to adapt?

• #6. They depended on '80s or '90s sales strategies, tactics and skills to win. Attending a two- or three-day class and learning about selling skills that worked five or ten years ago just isn't going to do it for you today. Think about it: All your competitors have taken the same classes, from pretty much the same instructors. I see the same training programs listed on scores of resumes that come across my desk. Where's the competitive advantage for those reps?

The big name training companies have done a terrific job over the years growing their own businesses, but many of them differentiate themselves through complexity of approach and related account planning tools. That's one of the reasons so few sales people use the very process they've been trained in.

They are just too difficult and time consuming to use. I know. I get called in to pick up the pieces and get the sales teams back on track. And no matter what those training vendors represent, they can't possibly be flexible enough to keep you informed about what it takes to win today. Not with shrink-wrapped programs and teams of trainers who have to be re-trained and re-certified every time a change is implemented...

• #5. They depended too much on relationships. One of my clients, who is the CEO of his company, said recently, "Relationship selling isn't enough anymore. If you can't prove the value, all you'll get from the person you've built a relationship with is an empathetic rejection, rather than a dispassionate one."

Sure you need relationships with key buyers and influencers, but if the business case isn't there, there is often little they can do to help you win. After all, the CIO still has to go to the CFO or CEO to justify the investment he or she is looking to make, especially now in publicly-held corporations since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed last year. If all the answers to the inevitable tough questions aren't right for the executives, who have learned a whole new definition of the word "accountability," then no sale.

• #4. They failed to build a trusting win-win relationship with an influential ally. I said in #5 that you can't depend on relationship selling the way you once could. However, we do need allies in our accounts that can provide us with unwritten decision criteria, competitors' strategies and tactics, and to sell for us when we aren't there. These days with rules and purchasing organizations restricting communication with suppliers, recruiting and building trust with allies is more difficult than ever before and for that reason, more important than ever before.

• #3. They didn't have a plan to win. What was once a straightforward, short sales cycle two years ago is now often drawn-out and complex, and maybe for a lot fewer dollars. What was a complex sale two years ago is now beyond the capabilities of even the best salesreps to plan for and manage by the seat of their pants.

I'm working with companies who are pursuing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars and although the sales teams are filling out the colored sheets, or the deal tracking software, they don't have a comprehensive, competitive plan to win. They've filled in the boxes in the plan, but haven't done the planning.

• #2. They counted on unqualified business. Salespeople really don't lose these opportunities. They never had a chance to win them to begin with. As I've said many times before, the buying environment has changed so much that new degrees of rigor are required to qualify and re-qualify opportunities. When a sales VP tells me his team lost a deal because they couldn't (or wouldn't) meet a competitor's price, it takes me a while to convince them that the deal wasn't lost at all. It was just never a viable deal.

• And the #1 reason sales people get outsold is...

They didn't have all the skills and traits required to win. When I work with my clients, I collaborate with management in building a specific profile of skills and personal traits that are absolutely required for their salespeople to win for that company, in that market, at that time, selling that product or service to the appropriate level of buyer. The profile is used for hiring as well as sales development.

What has become apparent to me is that the skill levels and behaviors required for sales success in today's selling environment are different from what they were even as recently as two years ago. Sales professionals (and their managers) whose everyday behaviors map to the profile win. Those who don't invariably lose. And by the way, I see many salespeople who had the right skills but due to complacency or neglect, fail to use them habitually. A bit of coaching can generally bring them back on track.

I coach sales teams to be more effective no matter what sales process or methodology they use or have been trained in. To learn more about these subjects, read my book, take my downloadable training program and/or let my office know if you'd like to have a discussion on the subject.
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Before founding The Stein Advantage, Inc. in 1997, Dave Stein spent more than 20 years employed in a diversity of executive sales and marketing roles for corporations worldwide. Dave consultants with, coaches, speaks and trains on competitive selling strategies, helps companies to strategize specific, complex opportunities, organize a sales organization, present and position themselves with analysts in the best possible light, as well as to recruit and hire the best sales reps. He is the author of the Amazon best selling business book: How Winners Sell: 21 Proven Strategies to Outsell Your Competition & Win the Big Sale, Dearborn Trade Press, May 2004. For more info: www.HowWinnersSell.com or contact his office at viv@HowWinnersSell.com or call (845) 621-4100.

Sales Tips from Sales Masters By Patricia Weber

Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and better. And if you think about a dog’s life, it’s quite a pampered and easy one. Some dog behaviors can serve as models for do’s and don’ts for salespeople.

Dogs mark their territory.
Do what you can to stand out in your industry or in your working geography. The better you customers and prospective customers know you, the more you control your territory. That’s as much as anything can be controlled!

Dogs do not have problems expressing affection in public.
Let your clients and prospective clients know how much you care. The simple remembering of some previous personal bit of news they shared with you the next time you meet somewhere expresses that care.

Dogs miss you when you're gone.
What if your customer gets a postcard from you on THEIR return from a trip? Or what if you called your customer from YOUR vacation?

Dogs are very direct about wanting to go out.
Are you clear on what your role in sales is? In general, it is to increase revenues by getting the order; it’s to get the business; it’s to help more customers buy more of what you have.

Dogs do not play games with you — except fetch and then they don’t laugh at how you throw.
Your customer might play games with you. They might throw you a buying sign by asking for more information. Or they might give you the go ahead on an order and later cancel. If you go fetch for these, note your reaction. Examine your reaction’s appropriateness to the situation. You may have to adjust it to keep on playing.

Dogs understand what NO means.
In sales a “no” early in the process usually means that the customer needs more information about what you have that will solve their problem. Later on a “no,” maybe you want to backtrack and discover where you may have gone off track with this particular customer. And when you hear a “no” remember, dogs admit when they are lost.

But doggone it those dogs don’t know everything. They have their faults too.

Dogs are bad at asking you questions.
And if you and your customer are not in synch, a few good clarifying questions can help you get back on track. Learn to say things like, “Gee, I must not have been clear on that point. You seem to have a concern, Can you help me understand what it is about?”

Dogs don’t know how to talk on the telephone.
In today’s world of communications we want to be better on the telephone, with beepers or pagers, with emails, with faxes and with anyway we communicate with our customers. Take some time to evaluate your effectiveness with each way you communicate. Then plan to improve each area one at a time to get better results.

And when we get the buying and selling working more easily, as in a dog’s life, remember: Be ready for a tummy rub at a moments notice! Be ready for your sales to come more easily and in greater abundance!

Copyright © Patricia Weber.
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Pat Weber is a coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer. With her incisive, effective communication skills, her services can help you to accelerate professional and personal results you want, by helping you increase your choices and build your self-confidence. With personal coaching, a teleclass, an online email course or on-site workshop, get what you want, more easily and more often. Visit her website at http://www.prostrategies.com. Contact her for a free coaching session.

Sales Strategies: It's Not Who You Know - It's What You Know By Neen James

We are all in sales. We are all selling in every role we have. Whether you are in sales, marketing, home business, looking after your kids, dentist, athlete or whatever your chosen field is – you sell.

When you are “selling an idea” or pitching a business proposal or offering a product or service – it is all selling. You can choose to avoid it or be good at it.

Have you ever met natural sales people and admired them? Have you wondered how they do it? It is simple – you just need to be in the “know”.

Know your style – how do you like to work? Do you work with a team, do you work for a manager, or do you work alone? Determine how you work best or how you need to work, and design a sales process just for you.

Know your personality – are you outgoing? Are you shy? Are you confident? Are you reluctant to meet new people?

If you are an extrovert sales may seem a bit easier to you but I believe that the introverts who are exceptional at building relationships with people, are some of the best sales people I know.

Know what energizes you – do you work best inspired by others, do you like recognition, do you like to set goals and achieve them.

However you like to work you can use this same formula to boost your sales. If you like recognition but work alone, you will need to find someone who you can share your sales achievements with.

Know how to network – this is one of the most important skills in any business. Learn how to network in opportunities that are suitable for your business.

If you want to find out more on how to do this you can read my latest book with other master networkers called “Network or Perish”.

Know your commitment – how much time can you allocate to selling as part of your role. If you run a home based business or work for yourself, I imagine you would be “selling” constantly to educate others on what you do and generate your next project or income opportunity.

If you work with a sales team you may be required to bring in monthly targets. Make a note of how much of your time you need to spend in a sales mindset.

Know your weekly sales target – if you are part of a sales team, this will be easy as managers provide you with monthly figures. If you don’t have this target – create it.

Look at your annual income or targets you want to achieve, divide it by twelve for a monthly figure then simply divide it by four – easy – now you have your weekly target. Place this target somewhere you can see it each day to remind you of what you need to achieve. Take 10 minutes each week to review how you went against your sales goal.

Know your strike rate – if you have to make sales calls (either on the phone or in person) keep a track for two weeks to determine how many calls you made and how many translated into sales opportunities.

Some of you may have products or services with long sales cycles (for example in some businesses the sales cycle can be several months) but you will get a feel for your success rate. You might find out of 10 appointments you have 5 turn into sales – your strike rate is 50%. Now you need to make 20 appointments to achieve 10 sales in a week.

Know your team – if you work alone, build a virtual team. Your virtual team might include accountant, personal assistant, bookkeeper, mentor, web designer – you get the idea. Know the talents of those around you and learn from them.

Outsource expertise areas to allow you to focus on selling. Know whom your team is connected with and how they might benefit from your product or service. Know how they like to work and ensure your sales processes support that.

Know how to ask for the sale – so many people I observe forget to ask for the sale. Don’t be scared of asking people if they want to buy.

Find language that suits your style and just ask. It could be as simple as “Would you like to proceed with this? If so, when should we deliver it for you?” – don’t forget to ask for the business.

Know why people buy from you – understand what needs your product fulfils in people’s lives. Do you sell services that make people feel better about themselves; do you sell products that make people’s lives easier?

What reasons do people have for buying from you? You could conduct surveys or hold focus groups to ask your customers what they think. Once you know this information it will assist your marketing and sales efforts.

Know how to thank your customers for their business – find out what your customers enjoy i.e. outdoor activities, entertainment, cooking – what are their interests?

When you thank them for their business include something that reflects this. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Simply send a thank you card with an article inside they would be interested in. This shows you know your customers well and you think of them after the sale has occurred.

Whenever I speak or train a new female client I always send a box of flowers the following day to their office. This shows them I appreciate the opportunity to work with them and their team.

Know how to generate referrals for your business – a good way to do this is develop advocates for your product. Find people who are willing to promote you to their customers or provide testimonials for you – this is very powerful marketing tool and makes your sale process really easy!

Know “no” is not the end of the sale – some people say no to a sale because they have more questions or are not completely satisfied they require the product. Don’t let no be the final word.

Have a series of questions or statements you can make to help fully understand why someone doesn’t buy from you. Don’t be put off by the word no – don’t take it personally.

Know how to negotiate – this skill is essential if you are serious about selling. Learn the skill, get some training or observe an expert and ask lots of questions. Negotiation is a key part of any sale – no matter how large or small - get good at it.

Know how to make your service tangible – if you sell a service i.e. coaching, image consultation or something that doesn’t have a product your client can touch or feel – make it tangible for them.

Simple ways to do this include business cards, brochure, website, a free analysis or one hour consultation, a manual, testimonials from previous clients, a CD or book on your topic of expertise. There are many ways to make it tangible – get creative.

Know more than your competitors – we all have competitors. Understand how what you are offering is different or better than your competitors. Be able to explain the differences to your clients. Know what your competitors are also offering so you can provide an educated and balanced opinion about how your products are different.

Selling is a great skill – you can develop it or improve it – make the decision to boost your sales by applying these strategies to your business.
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Neen is a Global Productivity Expert: by looking at how they spend their time and energy – and where they focus their attention – Neen helps people to rocket-charge their productivity and performance. A dynamic speaker, author and corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing things. With her unique voice, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson in productivity. Find out more at http://neenjames.com

The Key To Sales Success By Brian Tracy

Learn To Listen Well
A vital key to sales success is listening. The ability to listen well is absolutely indispensable for success in all human relationships. The ability to be a good listener in a sales conversation is the foundation of the new model of selling. It leads to easier sales, higher earnings and greater enjoyment from the sales profession.

Being A Good Talker is Not Enough
Many salespeople have been bought up with the idea that, in order to be good at your profession, you must be a glad-hander and a good talker. You have even heard people say, "You have the 'gift of the gab'; you should be in sales!"

Focus On The Other Person
Nothing could be further from the truth. As many as seventy five percent of all top salespeople are defined as introverts on psychological tests. They are very easy going and other-centered. They would much rather listen than talk. They are very interested in the thoughts and feelings of other people and they are quite comfortable sitting and listening to their prospects. They would much rather listen than talk in a sales situation. Poor salespeople dominate the talking, but top salespeople dominate the listening.

Practice "White Magic" With Everyone
Listening has even been called "white magic." It is too rarely engaged in by business people. When a salesperson develops a reputation for being an excellent listener, prospects and customers feel comfortable and secure in his or her presence. They buy more readily, and more often.

Practice the 70/30 Rule
You've heard it said that God gave man two ears and one mouth, and he is supposed to use them in that proportion.

Top salespeople practice the "70/30 rule." They talk and ask questions 30 percent or less of the time while they listen intently to their customers 70 percent or more of the time. They use their ears and mouth in the right ratio.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, resolve today that, from now on, you are going to dominate the listening in every sales conversation. Become comfortable with silence.

Second, practice the 70/30 rule in every sales conversation. Listen 70% of the time and only talk and ask questions 30% of the time.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit Brian's web site and take advantage of his FREE audio program offer.

Order Takers vs. Sales Professionals By Mike Palman

As business owners we all know that in a ideal world prospects would just pick up the phone and give us an order – but for most of us sales is not like that! Yes it would be utopia however have you considered the difference between order takers and sales professionals? Firstly they are two completely different animals.

Lets face facts order takers are less likely to be skilled in sales technique. This includes the ability to easily up sell, cross sell or add on services. Order takers are by there very nature just waiting for the phone to ring and do not work on a pro active basis. If we left everything to the client then so many additional products would never have been sold.

Before I am told that they probably were sold something that they didn’t want, lets examine the motivation for buying. If you were looking at purchasing software to run on a Windows based platform maybe it would be important to ensure that it worked with every release or version of the software. Some companies still have Windows 98 and have not (for whatever reason) upgraded to XP. If this particular prospect came through and presented the company with an order and found out later that the software was incompatible with Windows XP it is my belief that they would have expected the seller to let them know prior to purchase.

The same could be said for printers. Imagine an real estate agency that wanted to print thousands of property particulars. If they bought a bottom of the range ink jet printer as opposed to a colour laser they would possibly be feeling cheated when the printer just didn’t meet expectations.

Salespeople are taught (or should be) to manage expectations and recommend appropriate products and services. Money is tight for everyone (I think it always has been) and I believe that nobody is tricked into buying something that they don’t want by some smooth talking sales person. Unfortunately apart form the very basic advice that may be given at the point of purchase most order takers won’t even recognize an opportunity. That could be an expensive mistake if you were considering the value that the prospect brings over the buying cycle.

For many companies this is measured in years. A bookstore can attract buyers whose buying pattern is measured in years (say 5 years at 12 purchases per year). A trained salesperson will recognize this and ensure that they are helped with the current order and try to anticipate future buying habits. Some of the big companies on the internet have employed this – when you order a book another window may popup suggesting other books to purchase thus increasing the order value at the point of purchase.

Lastly remember this, order takers shine when the market is buoyant in a declining market sales people have built solid relationships that they leverage and still make or exceed targets – the choice is yours.

© The Sales Academy 2005.
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Mike Palman, is a Global Master Sales Coach and Author. Mike helps people and businesses do more, do it better and get results that they want. Mike had a successful career in sales for over 25 years and now helps other salespeople get the sales edge. Mike lives in both the UK and South Africa. For more articles by Mike Palman, visit http://www.thesalesacademy.com

Change Takes Time By Steve Waterhouse

I am writing this at the Philadelphia Airport on my way back from meeting with one of my clients. Three weeks ago, we offered a training program for their staff in basic selling skills. She reported that they saw an immediate increase in sales after the program. Since these are all telemarketers, she listened in on their calls to see what had changed.

To her pleasure they were asking good, open-ended questions. They were taking time to listen to the client's responses and using their comments to match them with the right product. They were even closing right at the correct time. She was thrilled.

Unfortunately, not all of the reps kept it up. Within weeks, some of the rep's sales had slipped back to their original level. Another listening survey showed the cause. Each of the reps whose sales were down had slipped back into their old way of operating. It was as if a giant rubber band had been stretched during training, and now it was returning to its original size.

Should we be surprised? I'm not. For years these reps had been trained to operate in a lecture mode. They read scripts and gave the same pitch to every caller. Now we were asking them to change, and change takes time.

So what do you do? Forget training? No, but you may want to think about the steps that must follow a training program to make it stick. These can include email reminders, peer coaching, and manager mentoring. In this case, we are adding audio 'mini-seminars' to the mix. Each rep will be encouraged to call into a voice mailbox for a short refresher on the subject they need help on. Each 10 minute message will give them tips and examples designed to overcome their area of weakness.

Whether you are offering training for your team or simply taking a training program yourself, recognize that old habits die hard. Build a reinforcement regiment to turn that training into practice and the practice into habit over 30, 60 or 90 days. Just like planting a garden, putting the seeds in the ground is only the first step to a bountiful harvest.

** For a free copy of "How to Get Dramatic Results From Training", please email article12@waterhousegroup.com and ask for article #12.
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Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com.

The 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do By Jim Meisenheimer

We all make mistakes and some salespeople seem to make a lot of them. What scares the vinegar out of me is that most salespeople keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Now in my book - that's just plain STUPID!

Maybe this list will serve as a helpful reminder. Maybe it won't. But at least you're curious to learn what these blunders are or why would you keep reading this?

In any case here's my list of the 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do:

1. Relying on one relationship to protect your account. Why in the world would you put all your eggs in one basket? Excuse me - with one person. It doesn't make any sense and the bigger the account is the more vulnerable you become. There are five reasons why you should develop more than one relationship in all your accounts, especially the major ones:

First retirement - people do retire. Second is death - yep some people actually die at their desk. Sure it's not common, but it does happen. Third is resignation - people do leave for better opportunities and that happens more than you might imagine. Fourth is termination - some people actually get fired. Finally - and sure this is a long shot -some people win the Lottery.

Action-step. Build and cultivate a network within every major account you have. The biggest Rolodex usually WINS! This is a rock-solid sales tip.

2. Putting your fate with mid-level managers instead of starting with the top gun. The worst thing you can do is to follow your instincts on this one. Your instincts tell you to start at the easiest point of entry in any organization. Why - because it's easy! Once you gain access at this point your instincts continue to give you bad advice. Soon you'll be thinking you can't go over the head of the person you currently have the relationship with.

Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker.

Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. This is more than a sales technique - it's an idea that really works.

3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same mindless introduction. Imagine walking into an account and telling your prospect/customer that you are the new sales REP for your company. For a moment let's switch gears.

Imagine boarding an airplane scheduled to fly from Chicago to San Francisco. Imagine also hearing the pilot welcome everybody on board and announcing that he is new at flying the 757 you are seated on. Also imagine your dentist refers you to a specialist for your very first root canal. And imagine that the specialist lets you know he's a recent Dental School graduate and you're his first patient. Now, how does that make you feel? That's how everyone feels when they're working with somebody who announces they are "NEW."

Action-step. If you're new to sales or are an experienced sales REP just getting started with a NEW company give some thought how you will introduce yourself. Just don't say that you're "NEW."

4. Doing price-driven quotes instead of value-structured proposals. If you're in sales you're likely to get requests on a daily basis for product quotes. Somebody wants you to quote on a particular product or a particular service. So, like someone following the Pied Piper you do exactly what they ask, namely you send them a quotation. Then you go ballistic when you lose the deal because you did not have the lowest price.

Look Bubba - when you send somebody your quote all you are really doing is sending them a price to look at. If you don't like that approach get out of the quotation business. Do sales proposals. Load them with value. Make your sales proposal scream value and always include a benefits page. Your benefits page should be positioned ahead of your pricing page.

Action-step. If you don't know anything about sales proposals I strongly suggest you do a search on Google.com and Amazon.com using the keywords "sales proposals." This is too important to be flying by the seat-of-your-ants!

5. Making sales calls like a tourist. Anytime you show up on a prospect's/customer's doorstep without written sales call objectives you are nothing more than a well paid tourist. I think you'll agree most people most of the time are too busy to waste their valuable time. When you show up planning to touch base, catch up, check up, and see what's going on - that's called "Wasting time." To get you started in the right direction, here's an example of a written sales call objective for an account you're calling on for the very first time. Simply stated your sales call objective could be written as follows:

"My objective for this sales call is to establish rapport, build some credibility, ask 3-5 open-ended questions, attempt to identify one common interest we have, and if the person is qualified to secure a confirmed follow-up appointment. Note how numbers make this objective even "More specific."

Action-step. Never leave home without written sales call objectives. The key word is "Never!"

6. Getting mugged by your own mouth. This is a very easy trap for a salesperson to collapse into especially if you're extroverted and talkative. If you're not careful with the language you use, you run the risk of sounding like the "Mediocre majority." For example, you should avoid using these phrases: I think, can I be honest, can I ask you a question, I know you're busy so I won't take up much of your time, how soon do you need it, I agree with you - But, what do I have to do to earn your business today, so - what do you think, I was wondering etc. I hope you get the picture and recognize that these phrases aren't inherently sinister. They are however over-used by the salespeople who are in the "Mediocre majority" category. Avoid them like the Plague!

Action-step. The more you prepare what you'll say and how you'll say it during a sales call the less likely you'll end up getting mugged by your own mouth.

7. Making the sales call a virtual "Improvisation." The way my twisted mind works is there are only two types of sales calls. One is prepared and the other is a total improvisation. Let me concede right out of the chute, it's inconceivable to totally prepare for a sales call - the way I define the word prepare. It should also be inconceivable to you from this point on, that your sales calls should be a 100% improvisation. In this example, when I use the word prepare, I mean in writing.

Here's a short list of what I recommend you thoroughly prepare -in writing: Prepare how you call for appointments. Prepare your elevator speech. Prepare at least 12 open-ended questions. Prepare how you will segue into your presentation. Prepare how you will deal with the price objection. Also prepare how you will ask for the customer's commitment to order your product/service.

Action-step. Prepare in writing the words you will use in each of these key steps in your selling process. Preparation always sounds better than improvisation. Always!

8. Forgetting to develop the "Brand Called You." One of the cardinal sins I observe salespeople making is your complete reliance on the branding of your products and your company. Please remember this. Most people don't buy the product. Most people don't buy the company. Most people buy - because they buy the relationship with the sales professional working with them.

I just ordered the autobiography written by PT Barnum. I can't wait to get my hands on this book. If you want to be remembered you have to be memorable and PT Barnum wrote the book on this topic. Marketing will win more sales than selling ever can. To be a success today, and in almost any business, you have to be an extraordinary marketer! You might want to buy Peter Montoya's book, "The Brand Called You."

Action-step. I believe everybody is unique. Discover your uniqueness parade it around your sales territory. Forget about being boring, bland, and benign. Blending in is out! Standing out is in! Do everything you can to be different in a memorable way!

9. Playing the win-lose instead of the win-win game. This point is easy to say and hard to do because it involves a dramatic change in your thinking. In some cases, it may involve a lobotomy! Never offer a price concession without getting a concession from your prospect/customer. To do so means he wins and you lose. Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned game of win-win?

What happened to it is quite simple and very easy to fix. When ever someone asks you for a better price - ask them for a better deal - which could mean a larger quantity, something else added to the order, an extended contract etc.

Action-step. This one takes courage. Do you have what it takes to do what it takes to make your selling game a win-win game?

10. Putting your families on the veritable back-burner. Most people don't think bad things can happen to them. I think it's called the theory of self-exception. Maybe it's because you're so optimistic. You think you'll live for ever. You think your families will live for ever. Take it from me it doesn't always work out that way. Now rest assured, I hope it does for you and your family.

I just don't want you to bank on it. You see stuff happens: My first wife Louise died when she was 34 from cancer. My brother John died when he was 46 from a brain tumor. My brother Ray, a New York City firemen, was killed on 9/11 at the age of 46. Enough said!

Action-step. When you put your family on the back-burner you're risking life's biggest regret - "I wish I had spent more time with my family." To avoid this potential tragedy make your calendar the centerpiece of your life and make sure every member of your family is on your calendar.

11. Living life in the multi-tasking lane. This thing called multi- tasking isn't what it's cracked up to be. Sure it looks impressive to a casual observer to see you driving your car with a headset on and nibbling on your morning egg McMuffin. How many tasks can you do at the same time and do them equally well? Some people, notably researchers writing on the subject, are now saying that tasks completed by the multi-taskers are losing out in the quality department.

Hey - it's a No-Brainer - how many things can you do at the same time and do them all exceptionally well? Go figure! Two months ago in the men's room of one of my major clients I heard someone behind that closed door, and presumably in a seated position, talking on his cell phone, munching on what sounded like potato chips and flushing at the same time. How do you explain that to a customer? Would you actually say you're passing through Niagara Falls, thus accounting for the noise in the background? I think you get the point and I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

Action-step. This one is so easy it hurts! Start every day with a written list of what you want to get done during that day. Using numbers, be sure to prioritize your list. Do one thing at a time. Do the most important thing first. Don't do anything else unless it's more important than the next most important thing on your list. I told you this was easy - easy to say and hard to do.

12. Giving a "Gazillion people" your cell phone number. Man do I get a lot of heat when I talk about this in my No-Brainer Selling Skills Boot Camps and sales training programs. I've heard all the reasons why salespeople give every body their cell phone number. I know why people print their cell phone number on their business cards. I know why salespeople do this but I'm not sure it makes any sense.

Well it does make some sense if you're the kind of salesperson, who after giving 50 or more prospects/customers your cell phone number, goes immediately to a tattoo parlor and has 24/7 tattooed across your forehead. Maybe it would make some sense if you had the only cell phone in your sales territory. That would be a clear advantage for you. Whenever you give somebody your cell phone number it becomes the default number which people use to call you. The more people you give your cell phone number to, the more people will dial your cell phone number every time for every minuscule reason they want to talk to you.

You may like it this way but I sure don't. I have two cell phones- one in my car and one in my briefcase and I use them exclusively for making outbound calls. Until you experience this - you won't realize how much control over your life you give up every time you give someone else your cell phone number.

Action-step. Here's a suggestion. Get a stamp that allows you to print on the back of your business card the times during the day you check your voice mails and e-mails. Tell your customers, except for two or three of your biggest, you're disconnecting your cell phone number because it's taken over your life. My guess is you'll get some well deserved empathy and sympathy.

Well - it's agreed then - we all make mistakes. The good news NOW for you, is you don't have to make the "Dirty Dozen" any more.

Now that I think about it, there probably should have been a #13. Let's just say most salespeople don't ask good questions. You think you do but you probably don't. Here's a quick test. On a blank sheet of paper write down your 12 best open-ended questions. You're leaving so muuuuuuuch money on the table - if you can't do this blind-folded and do it within 3 minutes.

What are your 12 Best Questions?

If you'd like to know what my 12 Best questions are use this link to find out. It might change your life. These questions changed mine. These phenomenal questions have helped me earn millions of dollars over the last 17 years. If they work for me, I'm certain they'll work for you as soon as you adopt and adapt them.

"If you've ever wondered how you could learn, as much as possible, about your prospects and customers and close more sales effortlessly, and in less time, then I've got GREAT NEWS for you!"
Here's the link for more information.
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Jim Meisenheimer is the Guru of No-Brainer Sales Training. His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by contacting him at (800) 266-1268, e-mail: jim@meisenheimer.com or by visiting his website: www.meisenheimer.com

How to Reduce Sales Resistance By Greg Roworth

Sales resistance is a fact of life for most sales people. We encounter sales resistance in 5 specific areas. In any sales transaction we must negotiate these 5 barriers. They can be real and permanent, which means no sale. Or they may merely represent perceptions that the prospect currently entertains through lack of knowledge. These perceptions can be changed through the sales process resulting in a sale.

The 5 barriers are:

1. No need: the prospect is not aware of any problem and how the type of product or service you provide can be of benefit.

2. No help: the prospect accepts the problem, but does not see why your particular product or service is the best solution.

3. No hurry: the prospect is not aware of any urgency in solving the problem.

4. No trust: the prospect is not sure that you are the right person to deal with.

5. No money: the prospect is not capable of funding the purchase.

The key to eliminating sales resistance is to quickly identify whether these barriers are real and permanent or if they are only a temporary condition. Selling is often made unnecessarily difficult by the method used by the sales person, especially when they use a “push” selling model.

The traditional “push” method of selling actually increases resistance because it often does not recognize these barriers in the sales transaction. With the push approach, sales people waste much time and effort either trying to make a sale where these barriers are permanent or by using methods which increase resistance when the barriers are temporary. There is a better way – the pull (attraction) model.

The Push Sales Model

The steps of the old model look like this:

Advertise product ? presentation ? proposal ? overcome objections ? close sale.

In the push model you advertise your product (or service) to get a particular response that provides the opportunity for a sales presentation. During the presentation, you detail the features of your product and tell the customer the price and payment terms.

Then you ask them to buy. Usually they will have some resistance or hesitation about going ahead (sales people call these “objections”). Then comes a negotiation phase when you try to overcome objections and “close” the sale. The prospect either says yes to your product after a bit of a battle, or tries to get you to reduce your price to the point where you don’t make a profit, or says they need to think about it. Rarely do they actually say, “No thanks.”

A number of factors make this model ineffective:

1. We suffer from information overload. It is estimated that on average we receive approximately 3,000 marketing messages daily. With so much coming at us, people are screening out advertising, making it much harder to get your message through.

2. Today’s market is more knowledgeable and there is greater choice than in the past. There is an inbuilt resistance because the customer will want to research other options before accepting your proposal.

3. The “push” approach creates resistance. I remember from school, one of Newton’s laws was “every action creates an equal and opposite reaction.” This is true in selling. When we push the reaction is resistance.

4. This resistance is even greater because people are more suspicious of sales people these days. The consequence of unethical advertising and sales practices of the past is that the market is now very wary of what advertisers and sales people say.

5. The push approach is product focused. Unfortunately, people are generally not interested in your product until they discover a need your product will satisfy. Salespeople who push the product make hard work of selling.

6. In the push approach sales people spend a lot of time trying to sell to people who have not discovered a need. They try to sell to anyone who could possibly be a prospect. This makes the job of selling very difficult and increases the level of resistance that sales people face every day.

The Attraction Model

With the pull or attraction model, there is very little need to “sell,” as selling is normally understood. In the attraction approach, the focus is on the customer rather than the product. This approach recognizes that no one is interested in your product until they have identified a need. The main focus of marketing is to first highlight and identify needs, rather than inform about products.

Most of the sales conversation is about the customer and their circumstances. Your job as a sales person is to identify a need, before you present your solution. You also view the customer as a long term client of your business, rather than a sales prospect who may buy today and never come back.

There are a number of clear steps in the attraction model which eliminate much of the resistance that the push approach suffers. The model looks like this:

Lead generation advertising identifying prospects with need ? build credibility ? fact finding ? solution ? clarification ? agreement ? open ongoing relationship.

1. Rather than marketing to everyone, we gain permission to concentrate our marketing on the people who are most likely to buy – those who need our product. It is more effective to break the sales process down into two distinct steps, lead generation and lead conversion. Our first aim in lead generation, is to eliminate non-qualified buyers from our attention. The push model tries to sell to everybody. This is expensive and wasteful. Lead generation focuses on finding prospects with a need and gets them to indicate they want to find a solution.

2. Our “lead generation” offer needs to educate the prospect about the benefits of our product and show how the product solves the problem or meets the need. This approach means that prospects can find out more about a possible solution with very low commitment. This breaks down resistance. A free sample or trial will help, as will free information about your solution. The valuable information you provide will also build credibility and help establish trust. It also eliminates prospects who do not have capacity to fund a purchase.

3. After attracting qualified leads, we can concentrate on converting them into customers. The fact finding process is the critical element of this model. The temptation when someone responds to our lead generation advertising is to try to “sell” them. We need to resist this urge. We need to do some fact finding, some probing of the customer’s circumstances to find out the extent of the customer’s problem.

Because of our focus on the customer at this point, there is very little resistance. The customer feels our genuine care to find the best solution for them. This attention to the customer also builds credibility and trust. They don’t feel like they are “being sold.” They feel respected and cared for.

4. When the exact nature of the problem is identified, the sales person, who is now regarded as a knowledgeable adviser, is able to make a proposal about the best solution to the customer’s problem. If you have done your marketing well, the solution will be your product.

5. Rather than objections, if the customer has any hesitation at this point, it is normally just in the area of needing clarification of something to do with the product or payment terms, warranties etc. These queries are not difficult to answer. All you need to do is restate the details and benefits relating to the query and check that the customer understands what that means. With the attraction model you don’t need 50 different closing techniques to trick the customer into saying yes. All you need do is to check that your customer agrees that the solution you have proposed is acceptable and ask them how they want to pay.

6. In the attraction model, the focus is not on selling, or closing sales. The focus is on creating customers and opening a relationship that provides ongoing mutual benefits to both parties. This recognizes that a customer has a long term value to your business, both through the initial sale and from additional sales to that customer as well as from the referrals that satisfied customer provides.

Conclusion

Which sales model does your business use? If you are struggling, finding the market is resistant, why not develop a sales model based on the attraction approach. The attraction approach makes life easier for customers and sales people, because it is a partnership approach rather than a confrontational approach. Sales resistance is minimized, you spend more time working with interested, motivated buyers than difficult customers. You make more sales in less time with less stress.

© 2004 Greg Roworth.
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Greg is managing director of Progressive Business Solutions Limited, a business consultancy operating in Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand, specializing in business growth and strategic development. Greg is a qualified MBA and Chartered Accountant with over 25 years management experience. Greg is also the author of "The 7 Keys to Unlock Your Business Profit Potential," a vital book for business owners that shows how to develop a highly profitable business that runs on autopilot, freeing the business owner to enjoy the rewards the business provides. Purchase "The 7 Keys" online at www.progressivebusinesssolutions.co.nz

Busting Your Assumptions - Effective Probing Techniques for Sales Professionals By Nicki Weiss

Do you find yourself making these kinds of assumptions?

- “I lost the sale because my price was too high.”

- “I know exactly what my customer wants.”

- “I can’t hold a member of my team accountable for the delays in our project because she won’t like me if I do.”

- “I don’t delegate often enough because I know I can do the work better myself. “

These assumptions may be correct. However, they also might only be partially right or they might be absolute bunk.

The problem with assumptions is that we are certain they are true. We unquestioningly believe, for example, that if we ask a customer about their needs, we look stupid (shouldn’t I instinctively know their needs?).

Also, making assumptions can easily lead to a negative outcome in our dealings with customers. For instance, I go nuts when a salesperson starts solving my problems when they haven’t asked me about my situation. I know I am not alone here.

Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, then you have definitely crossed the border into assumption-land.

One way to stop making assumptions is to ask a lot more questions.

Here are five powerful questions that can help you check out whether an assumption is true, and, in the process, connect more effectively with your customers.

1. “Tell me more.”

2. “What do you need?”

3. “What about this is important to you?”

4. “How will this make a difference in your work?

Then confirm your understanding by asking:

5. “So, if I understand you correctly, what you’re saying is … Right?”

Notice that you cannot get a one-word answer to the above questions. The art of selling is to have customers explain, at length, what their situation is, and what they want to do about it. It is not about you blabbering on about your products and services.

To develop the asking-questions muscle, start your questions with the following key words: What, why, tell me, describe, explain.

To build muscle, you’ll need to practice everywhere. Look for at least one opportunity a day to engage someone in conversation. You can pick anyone: family, friends, customers, colleagues, peers, superiors, strangers, cabbies, waiters, or the guy next to you on the bus. Try to pick a topic that the individual can address for at least five to ten minutes, and try to keep your opinion to yourself, even if you have strong views.

Just ask more questions, and see where the conversation takes you.

Have fun with it! You will be taking steps toward opening up your mind, recognizing the assumptions you make, and, most importantly, working with customers in a way that they value.
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Nicki Weiss is an internationally recognized Certified Professional Sales Management Coach, Master Trainer, and workshop leader. Since 1992, Nicki has trained, certified, and/or coached more than 6,000 business executives, sales managers and salespeople.

Nicki guarantees increased sales performance when sales managers become better sales coaches. Sign up for her FREE monthly e-zine, Something for NothingTM, which has powerful tips and techniques for sales managers who are ready to make this transformation. Sign up at www.saleswise.ca You can email her at nicki@saleswise.ca or call 416-778-4145.

Seven Critical Qualifying Questions By Rob Halvorsen

Training your salespeople to not waste time working unqualified accounts, or building relationships with the wrong people in qualified companies is imperative to the long the term success of your sales team and your company.

By understanding your salespeople's natural fear of qualifying, you can better coach them to ask the seven critical qualifying questions early in the sales cycle. Their productivity will improve, and you will achieve more sales in less time.

Why Don't They Qualify?

There are two reasons why even veteran sales pros lapse into working unqualified accounts. The first is tactical. Salespeople, who typically have a highly political style, don't want to offend a prospect by asking questions about decision making, spending authority, and budgets too early in the sales process. They want to make friends first.

The second and primary reason is psychological. It is part of the typical salesperson's psychological makeup to want to be liked. And most salespeople are very likeable. Unfortunately, it is more comfortable in the short run for the salesperson to build a relationship with the wrong person than to ask questions that may alienate the prospect.

Succumbing to Temptation

The nature of the sales job reinforces this fear of early qualification. Because salespeople face a lot of rejection, they are vulnerable to the song of praise and positive feedback from their prospects.

For the prospect, it can be almost like having a congenial (and free!) employee doing problem analysis and preparing the way for the prospect's solution. For the salesperson, it provides frequent strokes. And because the relationship is good, it is natural for the salesperson to assume that he or she will eventually make the sale.

Of course, if the prospect is not legitimately qualified, it is only a matter of time before both parties realize that the salesperson's solution is not a fit. But by then the salesperson has wasted valuable time. Even worse, he or she may have wasted additional valuable resources such as sales and technical support.

Teach Early Qualification

It is reasonable, therefor, for the sales manager to require and verify that the seven critical qualifying questions are answered early in every sales cycle.

By all means, this should be done before your company commits sales support or technical personnel to the sales effort. This is especially important in longer sales cycles or more expensive products.

A good time to do this is during the forecast and review sessions that most managers schedule on a regular basis.

During these meetings, confirm that each salesperson is asking the "W" questions (what, why, when, and who) to qualify both the prospect company and the individuals within that company.

What Will They Do and Why?

1. What need(s) does the prospect have that can be met by your solution? Can your salesperson clearly articulate those needs?

2. Why would the prospect be willing to spend x dollars for your product or service? Has it been budgeted?

When Will They Do It?

3. When does the prospect plan to implement your product or service? For many products and services, implementation - not the close date - is the key because it is the purpose of the buying decision. It also focuses on the customer's perceived benefits, not the salesperson's sales forecast.

Who Are The Decision Makers?

4. Who will make the decision to buy the product or service?

5. Who are the decision influencers who can bring pressure to bear (positive or negative) on the person who will make the final decision?

6. Who has the budget or spending authority to implement the decision? Don't confuse decision and spending authority. They may not be vested in the same person.

7. Which decision makers have your salespeople called on? It should be all of them!

Bold, Direct Questions

Given these questions, there are really only two skills that your salespeople need to qualify properly. The first is confidence. The second is questioning skills. Good questioning skills can create confidence.

Prior to making a call on a prospect, you want your salesperson to get the answers to as many of these seven critical questions as possible. Resources could be the prospects company web site or past sales reps who have contacted the prospect company, etc.

The amount of information that can be collected in advance will vary for each prospect. But without fail, once your salesperson is in front of someone in the prospects company, he or she should ask bold, direct questions:

"Do you have the authority to implement this decision?"

"Has this item been budgeted? Does it need to be? Do you have the funds available?"

Your salesperson will not get the answers that qualify the lead every time, but it is better to walk away from a sales cycle that will lead nowhere.

Getting to the Decision Maker

Teach your salespeople to convince the influencers to take them to the decision makers. That retains the relationship with the influencer, while opening an opportunity to the decision maker.

If they must, they should go over the influencer's head without permission. This will almost certainly alienate the influencer. But if the sale is going nowhere, your salespeople may have to take that risk.

Ask yourself: Can our sales strategy overcome the loss of this influencer? If the answer is yes, it's a reasonable risk.
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Rob has been a sales manager and trainer in the sales and marketing industry for over 20 years. Based in Houston, Texas, Rob is the creator of Sales Careers Online, a career web site dedicated exclusively to the sales and marketing industry. If you are seeking a new job in the sales and marketing industry, please visit http://salescareersonline.com

Increase Your Selling Confidence By Neil Greenberg

1. Be on time. In fact, arrive a few minutes early, so you can mentally prepare for your sales presentation. When you arrive on time, your professionalism shows your prospects that you value their time as well as your own.

2. Ask specific questions. Find out exactly what the prospect needs and wants from your company's product. If you get the details early, than you can avoid possible misunderstandings and delays later on.

3. Dress appropriately. Your first impression is extremely important, so always dress in a professional manner. A well dressed salesperson with good posture radiates professionalism and honesty. Since certain parts of the country are more relaxed in their style, know your regions style and dress according to it. You don't want to be ostentatious, just obviously successful.

4. Listen attentively. Listening is an all-important skill and salespeople often overlook this fact. Focus your attention on what the prospect says. Don't let your mind wander. Listen for subtle clues that may indicate your customer is ready to make the purchase.

5. Be concise. Use the "KISS" method. Keep It Short and Simple so your prospect can understand all aspects of your presentation. Use stories rather than lists or statistics to illustrate a point. Stories will help you hold your prospects attention.

6. Be enthusiastic. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm". Be visibly and verbally excited. Many people feel that they don't have anything in life to be enthusiastic about. Through your excitement, you can help them change their attitude. Enthusiasm is contagious!

7. Maintain eye contact. Eye contact is important for two reasons. First the eyes are an important channel of nonverbal communication that allow you to read your customer's true feelings. Second, if you maintain eye contact, your customer can gain greater trust. If you can't look them in the eyes, they may doubt your integrity.

8. Say "Thank You". These two simple words can bring dramatic results. They are a sign of appreciation and your prospect will realize that you do value their business. Send a thank you note after the sales call. Show your prospect every common courtesy.

Follow these eight steps and watch your selling confidence and your sales soar higher than ever before!
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Neil Greenberg is a sales manager with a DC based e-commerce company. He also keeps his blog, Sales Sherpa fresh with articles on sales, goal setting, motivation, and more.

A Sale in 30 Seconds? It's all in the Greeting By Tom Richard

It has been said that a customer makes a decision to buy within the first 30 seconds of their experience at a retail store.

That means that as a salesperson, you must create an environment that is comfortable for your customer and conducive to making a sale, all within 30 seconds of their arrival.

Sound impossible? It’s easier than it seems.

As a salesperson, you have 100% control over the experience that customers have in your store because it is your home turf.

You have the advantage of knowing your store and products inside and out and using that knowledge to prepare yourself for your customer’s arrival.

Establishing a comfortable and engaging environment for your customer is also easy because it does not require any special training or skills.

It means being aware of your customer and having an understanding of their importance to your job and your company.

You can engage your customer immediately by simply interacting with them in a way that shows that you care about their needs and have the knowledge to help them.

Greet your customer

Meeting and greeting your customer from the moment they walk into your store sets the tone for the rest of their shopping experience. By acknowledging their presence, they will feel important and will see that you are friendly and helpful.

In retail, the absolute worst thing you can do is make a customer wait for service or wander aimlessly around your store to search what they came in to find. They may have driven over 15 minutes to get to your store just to find one item.

When they get there, they expect to find exactly what they are looking for and expect that you will help them find it. Without your help they may become frustrated and lost, and may leave empty-handed.

If, for some reason, it is necessary that the customer wait, do not let them feel neglected. Make them comfortable and let them know you will assist them as soon as you can, or give them an alternative resource for their questions.

Establish yourself as their resource

Immediately following your initial greeting you need to establish yourself as the customer’s resource.

Your customer needs to know that you are the index of your store and that their experience will be efficient and pleasant with you as their guide.

Even if the customer is not ready for your help at the present time, it is important that you let them know you are available for questions and assistance when they are ready.

If your customer feels like you are crowding them, they will likely want a few minutes to ‘look around’ before they feel comfortable enough to allow you to help them. Either way, establishing this contact immediately will let them know where to go when they do have a question.

Listen

When the customer is ready for your assistance, you must be ready to listen. Listening means discovering the meaning behind their words and the questions they ask.

Too often in retail, salespeople try to find a quick solution, and dive into a speech about the first product a customer mentions. Take the time to allow the customer to reveal their unique needs and desires. Then you will be able to match them with a specific product that is perfect for them.

Listening to the customer will make them feel comfortable talking with you and ultimately, buying from you. They will feel understood and appreciated from your personalized service, and they will remember the experience.

It is amazing how simple these initial steps are when you understand their importance. They are easy to implement and so effective in creating a pleasant and welcoming environment for your customer as soon as they arrive.

So the next time a customer comes in, pay attention to how they are treated within the first 30 seconds. Watch how others greet them and take a hard look at how you typically greet them.

Come up with a few ways to improve your greeting and put them into action. After all, if a sale is determined by the customer’s first impression, don’t you want to make sure it is a good one?
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Tom Richard is a sales trainer and author. Visit his website to join his weekly ezine at www.tomrichard.com

Cutting Through Stalls and Objections By Dan Hudock

It's the prospect. If stalls and objections frequently come up in your sales calls, it's a good idea to bring them up before the prospect has the opportunity. If you bring them up first, several good things happen:

* It helps your credibility when the prospect sees that you're not afraid to bring up stalls and objections, even before you're asked. This promotes a feeling of trust.

* You remain in control, not the prospect.

* You can save time and get down to business faster and easier.

Here's how you can handle stalls and objections up-front:

"Art, sometimes when I talk to people about what we do--and it may not be the case here--sometimes they tell me one of the following: They see all vendors as being the same; they hate the idea of going through the process of whom to select to provide this product (or service); they had a bad experience the last time they tried someone new; or they're not sure which direction or application will be best for them. Which of these, if any, Art, is a concern to you?"

The idea is to take three or four of the most common objections--those that you hear most often--and phrase them in a multiple-choice question that prompts the prospect to select one or more. This technique smokes out an objection that might get in the way of your progress later in the presentation.

When your prospect selects one of the objections, you then reverse by saying:

"Really? I'm surprised by your answer. Why did you pick that one?"

Probe a couple more times to find out the real objection. Then, decide if the prospect's objection will be a problem, or if you can handle it later in the presentation.

** Excerpted from You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar, by David H. Sandler. © 1995 David H. Sandler. All rights reserved.
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Dan Hudock is an owner of the Sandler Sales Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. He can be reached at (724) 940-2388 or dan@sandler.com. His web site is: www.dan.sandler.com

7 Keys to Turning Cold Calls Into Warm Calls By Ari Galper

Let’s face it when it comes to cold calling many of us fear being rejected. What if I was to tell you I have come up with 7 keys to turning your cold calls into warm calls? Would you believe me?

Try these 7 cold calling ideas for yourself and see just how easy making a cold call can really be.

1. Change Your Mental Objective Before You Make Your Call

When making a cold call the traditional way, your main objective is usually to try and get the appointment or make the sale. The main problem with that is when you do make the call it is quite clear to the person on the other end of the phone that this is your goal and they usually think of an excuse to get you off the phone before they have a chance to hear what you have to say.

To turn your cold calls into warm calls you need to change your objective to creating a feeling of trust with the person you are calling. It is important to remember that the person you are calling needs to feel that you are calling to help them rather than just trying to make the sale.

2. Understand The Mindset of The Person Your Calling

This is an extremely important tip and one that can help you greatly with your cold calling success. By putting yourself in the mindset of the person you are about to call, you can move beyond making a sales pitch.

Imagine that you are that person receiving the call and you hear “Hello, my name is Clare and I’m with a company called Financial Solutions International, do you have a few minutes?” What would be your immediate reaction?

You’d probably think “Salesperson! How can I get them off the phone.” Instead, try beginning your conversation with “Hi, my name is Clare, maybe you can help me out for a moment?” Something as simple as that puts you smack in the middle of your prospect’s world of welcoming phone calls.

3. Identify A Problem That Your Company Can Solve

Knowing a specific problem that your prospect is having is how you can immediately create a natural conversation on the phone.

If your prospect feels that you really do understand their particular issues, then they are more open to hearing your solutions giving you the opportunity to see if you both are a good match.

Identifying the problem before you make your cold call really can make a major difference in the success of your cold call.

4. Start A Conversation, Don’t Give A Presentation

Giving a presentation is the old traditional way of cold calling which has the negative affect of creating sales pressure and viewing people as “prospects”.

Engaging people in a natural conversation is the only way to avoid rejection because you are relaxed as if you are talking to a friend. A genuine approach will always put your potential customer at ease from the start.

Never assume beforehand that your prospective customer should buy what you have to offer. Your prospect will pick up on this right away and you will be on your way to losing the sale.

5. Start By Asking A Question

After your opening cold calling statement, always begin by asking a question about how you can help them solve issues that you believe your solution can solve.

Think about it, how would you respond if someone genuinely knew what you were struggling with and had ideas to solve it?

By basing your cold call on honesty and truthfulness and knowing how to engage your prospect based on their issues, then all of a sudden your call becomes a two-way dialogue rather than a one-way pitch.

You will be able to open up a conversation and be able to build up trust at the same time.

6. Recognising and Diffusing Hidden Pressures

By being able to recognize hidden sales pressure you can turn your calls into pleasant conversations. And be aware, that enthusiasm can make your prospects feel pressure from you.

Learning to engage in a natural conversation can alleviate this pressure and leave your client open to the idea of hearing what you have to say.

Try to avoid controlling your calls in a way where your prospect feels you are taking them down a sales process. Give them a chance to share their concerns with you without having to worry about you trying to “close” them.

7. Determining A Fit

Let’s say your call is going great and the dialogue is flowing well but the conversation is reaching its natural end. What do you do next?

Most people who sell assume they should try and close the person to an appointment. But there is a risk in that if the person’s problem isn’t a priority to solve. So it’s important that you first ask “Is this issue a priority to solve or is it something that’s on the back burner?”

Not only have you determined a need but you will also determine a time frame. This could save you months of wasted “follow-up” calls.

Now it’s time to start putting these tips into practice. From personal experience, I can tell you that if use these ideas on your cold calls, you’ll know how to turn cold calls into warm calls.
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Ari Galper makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit www.Unlock-The-Cold-Calling-Game.com

Selling More Effectively as a Trusted Sales Professional - Thirteen Tips By Robert Reed

Do you want to sell more successfully using an honorable and straightforward approach? Read these thirteen sales tips to help you be perceived as a trusted sales professional by buyers. Incorporating these sales tips into your selling process will differentiate you from the rest and help you sell more successfully.

1. Attitude can be everything. It is important to remember that your attitudes drive all actions and these actions are perceived by buyers as trust-building or trust-breaking. The most important change you can make to sell more successfully is to adopt and reinforce attitudes that will lead to actions resulting in greater levels of trust. Conversely, it is just as important to "lose the attitudes" that result in actions that are trust-breaking.

2. Truly believe in the product or service and company for which you sell. This is a really difficult hurdle for most sellers who strongly believe in straightforward selling. If you don't believe your products or services will benefit your buyers, then you will constantly be in conflict with yourself during the sales process. If selling using a straightforward platform is truly important to you, it might be necessary for you to find another product or service you will better represent to truly be successful using this approach.

3. Intimately know the product or service and environment in which you sell. Do you need to be an expert? Maybe not. But it can only benefit your customer to know as much as possible so you can identify if your product or service can best meet their needs.

A significant aspect of building trust with your buying counterparts is quickly establishing credibility. First and foremost, you should know much more about your products and services - as well as your competitors' products and services - than your prospects. Secondly, you should know your customers' organization and industry and the unique challenges and issues they face better than any of your competitors.

Lastly, "I don't know" is a very appropriate answer when that is, indeed, the case. If you're new to a market, letting your potential customers know that up-front will help lower their expectations and make you feel more comfortable when giving "I don't know" as an answer. When you use this response, however, make sure you offer to find out the answer in a specified timeframe, and then be sure to keep that promise.

4. Live within your means. It's simple. Don't force yourself into a position where you "have to make the sale" or you lose something. For one, prospects don't like to feel like you are desperate for business. Secondly, if you want to sell using an honorable approach, it's important to reduce the risk/reward for a given sales situation.

If you typically make only three to five sales per year and find yourself in serious debt, don't you think there's a definite likelihood that you might "stretch your value structure" a bit to make sure you win the sale so that your debt can be reduced?

5. Focus on helping the prospect rather than making the sale. If all you're thinking about is making the sale, this will be perceived negatively by your prospect through your actions. It doesn't mean you should never think about the sale, it simply means that you need to focus on the prospect's needs first and foremost.

6. View yourself as an advisor. This is a different mindset that may be foreign to a lot of salespeople. If you adopt the mindset that you're an advisor with the primary goal of identifying and fulfilling your potential customers needs, your attitudes and actions will be perceived very differently by your counterpart(s) than if your view yourself as a sales rep needing to "overcome the obstacles" and "close the sale."

7. Focus on the long-term. Admittedly, this is difficult. Most salespeople are used to the frequent calls from sales managers reminding them that "we've got to make our monthly or quarterly targets." If you can adopt this attitude, though, you will likely see higher sales, both short-term and long-term. Buyers hate to be "closed." If you take a short-term mentality, there's a high likelihood that buyers will perceive you as trying to close them - this is trust-breaking and your sales will likely suffer in the short AND long-term.

8. Some business is not worth pursuing. Most sales managers probably hate this one. It's important, though, to be realistic about each sales opportunity. You're not going to win every sale, so why work under the assumption that you will? Oftentimes, there are many early indicators that will lead you to believe that there's a low probability for making the sale. If that's the case, move on and spend your limited time and energy on opportunities where there's a higher probability for success.

9. Tell the prospect if your product or service will not meet their needs. Once you've had a reasonable opportunity to ask the appropriate questions, you must be willing to let the prospect know, as soon as possible, if your product or service will not meet their needs.

This will result in a more efficient buy/sell process and save both you and the prospect valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere. The prospect will respect and probably trust you more for selling in this manner, and very well may purchase or recommend someone else to purchase from you in the future.

10. Ask questions, listen, and take notes. Entire books have been written on this subject. Prior to every prospect meeting, you should already have a list of at least one dozen questions to ask. The prospect's response to each of these questions should oftentimes be followed by one to three additional questions to drill down to the true issues and needs. Always take notes. This will show the prospect that you're truly listening. Also, send your typed notes to the prospect and ask them to review to ensure that you did indeed "get it right."

11. Follow the 80/20 Rule. When meeting with a potential buyer, you should try to talk 20% of the time and allow them to talk 80% of the time - a lot of salespeople and sales managers get this one confused.

12. Be direct. Answer buyer questions directly. Why do you think there is such a loss in the public's trust with politicians? How often do they provide a direct answer to a question? Rarely. Just because most politicians set a poor example, doesn't mean you should.

13. No "closing." One of the worst things you can do as a salesperson is to spend a lot of time and effort building trust with a prospect, only to destroy your "trust factor" towards the end of a complex sales process. No buyer likes to feel they're being manipulated or "closed."

Make a recommendation, preferably with several options for the prospect to consider, and ask them to identify the next steps with a timeline. Tell them you'd really appreciate their business and ask what next steps you can take that will be helpful to them.
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Robert Reed is a consultant, speaker and president of TrustBuild. TrustBuild offers the Trust Seal Program to identify and differentiate trustworthy sales professionals from traditional competitors. Sealholders are provided with easy-to-use tools and information to help them break through the buyer “trust barrier” to gain a competitive edge and win more sales. Visit TrustBuild.com to learn more about the Trust Seal Program for trustworthy sales professionals.

Who Am I? Who Is My Customer? By Dominic Rubino

You'll find that the extremely important skill of tactical communicating will be that much easier if you if know who it is you're talking to.

Luckily, there's a simple, yet powerful formula that Myers & Briggs developed, to pinpoint different personalities, and what I'm referring to is the DISC, or D.I.S.C. personality profile.

In its simplest form, the DISC model breaks all of us into 4 different personality types. The word DISC is an Acronym for these different types of people. The 4 Personalities are easily remembered using letters. But remembering how they act and react in real life is easiest by using birds!

The "D" from D.I.S.C. is the Driver. These people are direct, forceful, and results oriented people. These types of people may not be very good at customer service or repetitive tasks. If they were a bird, they would be an eagle.

An Eagle is top of the food chain. They fly alone, and they make quick decisions. As an aggressive animal, the link back to people in business is that these people are most often the ones with the big office - the President or Manager!

You've probably run across this personality type with people who want short answers, no fluff. And they let you know that you better get to the point, they have little time to waste. With a "D" you have to make your point quickly and show plenty of benefit to them.

"I" is the Influencer in D.I.S.C. They want to be everybody's friend. They are everybody's friend. They tend to be optimistic, energetic and outgoing. They work well as salespeople, but generally not quite as good at collecting your receivables. Sound like anyone you know?

An "I" personality is usually referred to as a Rooster or a Peacock! Bright flashy colors, screaming "Look at me, look at me! As a general rule these people want to be included and recognized. (An excellent point to keep in mind when selling to one) You'll spot them easily by the trophies, photos, awards and "#1 Dad" coffee mugs in their office!

"S" is Steadiness. These people are patient and relaxed. They are content to hang back in the crowd and look for direction from others. An excellent choice as an administrator or receptionist. I've seen them as Owners and Presidents, quite often in the Medical and Technical Fields. It's a great character trait, but not one that needs to stand out in the crowd. If you have a lot of Office Managers on your accounts list, this is a personality type that will encounter a lot.

If an "S" was a bird, it would be a Dove.

"C" is the Compliance person. They like "the rules". As a matter of fact, they need them to function well. They tend to be very detail oriented and accurate. Obviously, these people are a great choice where details are important. So if you sell to Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors, Architects, Law Enforcement, you may encounter C's.

A "C" personality is like an Owl; wise, watchful and analytical. Of course, these are all general terms, and most people aren't confined to just one category. I, myself have traits that make me both an "I" as well as a "D", but the DISC model does help you to understand the people that you deal with each day, and help you to communicate with them in a way that makes it easier for both of you.
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Dominic Rubino is a sales trainer and business coach whose personal goal is to make every salesperson a sales superhero. You can visit his website at www.ultimatesalesmeetings.com

Mindset Over Materials: The Secret Weapon of Sustainable Sales Success By James Ray

Long-term sales success has less to do with skills or knowledge than you might think. Nor are stunning brochures or excellent products guaranteed to make one iota of impact over time.

Unless certain critical elements already exist in the salesperson, providing training and tools in hopes of improving performance does nothing more than giving a PGA golfer's best driver to an amateur. The club itself can't make someone a pro.

Yet a pro can take a cheap driver and make a better shot than an amateur with the best and biggest Big Bertha has to offer. Likewise, you probably know one or two standouts who have excelled without classic sales training, without flashy support materials for their products, and even without a superior product to represent.

Then what makes the difference? If it's not remarkable closing ability, appealing brochures, outstanding product knowledge, or relentless objection handling... if it's not talent or brainpower or tools that create sustained success, what is it?

In more than twenty years studying the top performers in many fields, I've discovered the mysterious X-factor is mindset: a group of attitudes, understandings, beliefs, and resulting behaviors. Whether you're talking about golf or sales or any other pursuit, the same principle applies. Ultimately, the mindset creates top performance, excellent production numbers, and prosperity for both the salesperson and the company he or she represents.

Creating a mindset of sustained success requires you to focus on three key areas:

1. The beliefs you have about yourself;
2. The attitudes you have about your customers, product, and industry;
3. The ownership you take of your own success.

The Inner Game of Sales
You have to see yourself as successful in the inner game in order to be successful in the outer game. When you give that "command" to the unconscious mind -- when you imagine how you'll feel, look and sound when you are producing at the level you desire -- the mind thinks it's already occurred and calls for an encore performance in the real world.

The first step to changing your own "mental programming" is to recognize it. Think about it. Think about why you don't do what you know intellectually you should. Then start thinking about what's behind it. What do you have to believe about yourself, your world, your product, your industry, to cause this behavior to occur?

Some common underlying beliefs that regulate salespeople's performance are

* "I need more training and skills before I can succeed."
* "I'm not worthy of earning more than..."
* "I am not good at cold calling."
* "I'm not able to talk to (or get to) the decision makers at the top."

Once the underlying belief is uncovered, a new belief must be chosen. The new belief can be the opposite or an "antidote" to the old one, such as "I have unlimited life knowledge and experience." New beliefs must then be "installed." Specifically, the new belief must be supported by both evidence and habit.

Start by answering a simple question: What will I have to see, hear, and feel to cement this belief? Then begin vividly visualizing these results at least twice a day. (Note: the mind is most open to suggestion first thing in the morning just after waking and the last thing at night before sleep.) Many people think that results build belief, and in some cases this is true, but it's more often the inverse. Remember the chain: thought/word-image-emotion-action-result. You must be able to see yourself already in possession of the outcome of the new belief.

Champions in any field create an unbending belief in themselves, program themselves to continually find evidence to support its truth, then consistently and vividly see themselves in possession of the desired goal. William James, the father of modern psychology, said, "Your belief creates the fact."

Now Forget Sales, and Focus on Your Customers
Once you've visualized yourself achieving your goals and removed any psychological obstacles, it's time to put those goals aside and focus on the customer. Again, this all happens in your mind, but it has a profound impact on the way you affect your outer world.

Today's customers and clients require a new attitude, one that offers something rather than asks for something. In a high-tech society, high touch is highly valuable. The new-school salesperson focuses on giving instead of getting, on service instead of sales. Always a man ahead of his time, Henry Ford captured this mindset eloquently: "Wealth will never be achieved when sought after directly; it only comes as a by-product of providing useful service."

This level of service takes some guts. Sometimes you have to tell people what they don't want to hear. Sometimes, you even have to say, "Maybe I'm not the best for you... I'd like to send you to someone who will be." Service means that you're no longer willing to do whatever it takes for the sale. Now you'll do whatever it takes for the customer -- because it's the customer who makes or breaks your business, not an isolated transaction.

Old Hat, New Head: Take Ownership of Your Success
Have you heard these ideas before? Are you utilizing them as you should? If not, why not? Likewise, are there other, obvious principles of business success you've overlooked?

Sales success grows out of a fundamental mindset, based on some ideas that may be "old hat" but require a "new head" to fit you. I operate from the premise that you know what you need to do, and you have what you need to create a six- or seven-figure income.

Most salespeople have heard all the "magic bullet" ideas and pitches. But until you begin to think in new ways, you will never apply these time-tested principles. The distinction between short-term flashes in the pan and sustained success is simply doing what may seem obvious to you right now. We might say, "If the hat fits, wear it."
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James Arthur Ray of James Ray International is an expert in teaching individuals how to achieve Harmonic Wealth™ in all areas of their life by focusing on what they want, opposed to what they don't want. He has been speaking to individuals as well as Fortune 500 companies for over 20 years and is the author of four books and an inventor of numerous learning systems. His studies of highly successful people prove that they continually achieve results by taking control of their thoughts and actions to create and shape their own reality.

The Power to Win seminar will explain in detail how success is state of mind and how the principles of quantum physics (as seen in the movie What the Bleep) can be applied to proven success-building techniques. James will also cover why people who are successful in one area of their life tend to be successful in all areas. Learn more about James Ray's The Power To Win seminar.

Time Management for Sales Superstars By Joe Heller

One area my consulting client's fall into are sales organizations who are fighting to regain lost momentum inside their market.

These struggling sales organizations resemble a sailing ship battling to gain ground against a strong wind at its bow. They never seem to advance no matter how well they prepare because they are navigating the sea without a chart. They have no course set to help guide them through the troubled waters they are encountering.

The challenge is that these "troubled" organizations are activity driven, not priority driven. It's like they are trying to navigate with a broken compass.

A question I often ask sales executives (CEOs too) behind close doors is "What are the three highest priorities that you must get done every day in order to succeed?" What I get back is a lot of blank stares or maybe a few ramblings tossed out in hopes of winning my approval.

The trouble with these ambiguous responses is that if sales leadership can't answer this simple question what hope does the rest of the sales organization have.

The truth is that many people don't have a clue how to assign priorities in order to succeed. Do you?

They cannot identify priorities that should guide their day, like the stars in the heavens guided navigators who sailed in ancient times. Once discovered, these priorities that I've asked you to identify will produce the highest pay-off for you in any endeavor you undertake. And, if possible they should be interwoven with the company goals that you work for in order to enhance your opportunity for success.

In case you didn’t know it, TIME is your most precious resource you have. It is possibly the most valuable resource you possess. This gift is given freely and its value is acknowledged by even the wealthiest tycoon.

The gift is the twenty-four hours of the day that you are given to spend or invest in any manner you see fit. You can spend it or invest it; however you cannot save it in the bank for a rainy day.

Once time is passed you can never recapture it except in your memories. Everything you do involves time, so it is absolutely essential that you invest time appropriately.

In order to determine how you should invest your time you must determine what is really important to you. It makes sense that you organize your life around things that you are passionate about.

Your passions should give life to the goals that you design your life around. What you want to accomplish? You must decide what your goals are in order to maximize your time towards their accomplishment.

In sales, daily priorities may include conducting sales presentations, prospecting and investing time for daily sales instruction.

For every priority item on your list you must ask yourself what are the tangible benefits you will receive from each item in order to evaluate its return for your (time) investment.

A few questions you must ask yourself in order to reach your potential are:

• What priorities should I focus on everyday?

• How do these activities bring me closer to my goals?

• What do I need to learn in order to continue my growth?

• How can I cut waste (non-productive activities) from my day?

Note: By removing 30 minutes of non-productive activities from your daily schedule will give you an extra twenty-two 8 hour days annually. Imagine what you could do with an extra month to sell.

So, how much is time worth to you? What are the different activities worth to you that you do everyday in achieving success?

Also, consider the consequences of undertaking activities that under perform or that don't return the value you invest into them. Why do them? When you know what time is worth, you know what items to focus on and what to delegate to others.

If you make $100,000 a year, every hour is worth $51.23. You must learn how to value your time in order to win in the sales game.

After all, it makes no sense for you to cut the grass only to save $20.00 if your time can be more productively used to produce $80.00. Of course, if you enjoy yard work there may be a value to you beyond its monetary aspects.

Additionally, time has an intangible value too that provides for a future incentive. When you invest time in building a personal relationship in business or socially you are making an investment that can never be measured in dollars and cents.

In sales, many such relationships help cultivate valuable prospects that come through a referral from a friend or associate. These relationships create centers of influence that assist the sales professional in meeting new people who can benefit from their product or service.

Invest your time wisely with others so that you can profit from your investment. The truth is that giving yourself wisely to others is invaluable; but never give yourself away cheaply.

In conclusion, Time Management is one of the major keys to unlocking your success. Determine what your time is worth and the value associated with your daily activities to ensure that you are living up to your full potential.

Identify what activities are most worthwhile and produce the highest return for your investment of this precious resource. You will begin to discover what drives success and the activities that yield the lowest returns that are probably causing you the most frustration.

When you identify your high-payoff activities that produce the most benefit to you, you can immediately craft a plan that focuses on these activities while eliminating the non-productive activities from your schedule.

When you gain control of your time you are no longer a ship sailing against the wind. You now have the essential information to chart a course that takes full advantage of the wind at your back.

High-payoff activities allow you to condense your success cycle to reach your goals in the time you've allotted.

Challenge:

1) Take a moment right now to write down what activities produce the highest returns for you.

2) Once identified, write them on a piece of paper and keep them with you for 21 days to help you focus on your high-payoff priorities and to eliminate waste from your day.

(c) 2002-2005 Heller Research International, All rights reserved Worldwide.
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Joe Heller, Sales Consultant
1.888.5HELLER
"Visit http://www.joeheller.com for more information."

Sales Skills for the Non Sales Professional By Mary Gardner

Have you ever wondered how in the heck you’re going to do it? You are a lawyer who wants to make partner, an accountant, an engineer or other professional and part of your business plan is that you have to attract business customers? You’ve always detested selling, and you can’t see yourself doing it! As a matter of fact, sales people are a HUGE turn off to you!!!

Yet, you HAVE to bring in customers!!!

What ARE you going to do?

Many of my current or former clients fit the above description. Many of them finally contacted me, a coach, when they were in trouble because they had NO CLUE where to start. They decided that they did need help, and they realized that only a professional could rescue the mess that they’ve made.

And guess what? They survived! And not only did they survive, but they thrived! As soon as they realized that they didn’t need to change their personality, become a raving fan, or over the top, they relaxed and settled into learning what they had to do.

I’ll take you through a typical client and what they learn to do.

Kirk was a guy who found me in one of my Charisma classes! He was basically a smart fellow who was trying to make partner in his law firm. He had been told upon his hiring that he’d be responsible for attracting business to his company.

He bluffed his way through the interview by mentioning how many people that he knew and how many big cases he had worked on successfully. He didn’t mention that the business wasn’t his, or that he was TERRIFIED of calling all of the people that he knew and asking for business!

When Kirk and I finally got together I asked him to start by naming all of his strengths. We went over all of the benefits that any of his clients or future clients would get by working with him. I had him post these in his office so he’d never doubt how talented he really is in work.

Next, we outlined what sorts of clients he should secure and then wrote a list of any current or former friends or colleagues that he knew. We developed an information sheet on each of them which would be later transferred to a contact management system such as ACT or Goldmine. On each of the sheets, Kirk had to go and write about the person. He wrote down anything he knew about them professionally or personally. These ranged from where they went to school to their spouses names, to their hobbies.

Next, we put them in order from A Accounts ( HUGE!!!) down to D accounts (Barely worth calling) and everyone in between. When all was said and done, Kirk had a list of about 25 people on the A list and those were the ones that we focused on.

Those names went into the computer. We then called and got all of their current information such as emails, secretaries names, firms, etc. We then wrote a letter that was sent to each of them announcing his new position and then said that Kirk would soon be giving a follow up call to say a quick hello. The letter was written in a casual manner, and not too formal. It definitely did NOT look like a form letter from a law firm!

Over time, Kirk redeveloped these people into friends. He did it by meeting them to play basketball, going to networking events with them, or inviting them to political speeches. He was able to get tickets for a few of them to different events and basically became a resource to the whole legal profession for most of them. Kirk became a FRIEND to these individuals, their firms and as a result, guess what happened?

Kirk started bringing in business of course! Not only that, but his bosses wanted to know what he was doing and how it all started. Needless to say, a few of his co workers were in the position to hire a coach and we duplicated Kirk’s experience.

Developing into a sales professional is a scary thought for someone who is afraid of sales. But turning into a resource for your friends and colleagues is not only fun, but a great way to learn and grow your business. And if you get stuck, call me! I’ll help you through!
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Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC’s 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

For information contact: mary@marygardner.com or Web: www.marygardner.com

Getting the Appointment By Tom Richard

What are you doing now to try and set up an appointment with your prospect? Calling? Is that all? Guess what? Every other salesperson is doing the same thing. They’re trying to get the appointment that could be YOURS!

So, what are you going to do about it?

Stand out!

If you want the prospect to believe that you and your company are different, then you must prove it to them from the beginning! Your initial contact with them should show that you are creative, that you are persistent, and that your business is the better choice for them.

Calling your prospects is only one of the many resources you have for establishing contact with them and setting up the appointment.

Not only are you limiting yourself to one option, you’re also using the method that may leave the worst impression on your prospect. When you call, you are assuming that you are important enough for your prospect to stop whatever they are doing at that moment and talk to you so that you can try to sell them something.

How inconvenient and annoying is that? VERY.

So let’s use our imagination, shall we? Let’s think of some creative ways to get in front of your prospects and grab their attention. There are many obvious modes right in front of you, like snail mail, e-mail and faxes.

This doesn’t mean you should stop calling your prospects. It means that you should stop relying on this method to gain that appointment. Using a variety of mediums (like those mentioned above), and learning to match them with the right message, will get you through to your prospect and capture their attention.

Got guts?

Have the courage to try something fun and new with your prospects. Too scared? Think about it this way: if your boring method isn’t working with them now, don’t you think it’s time to try something new? You might as well have some fun with it, anyway.

Your level of comfort and unique style will help determine how risky you will allow yourself to be. If you’re not ready to take the full plunge, there are still ultra-safe solutions that bring remarkable results.

For example, create a customized document with creative business ideas and solutions that your client can use to become more productive or more profitable.

Sound strange?

Take a step back and look at the idea objectively. Your prospect will only buy from you if you can prove that your product and company will make them more productive and more profitable. So that should be the primary purpose of your contact.

A result-based document like this will be sure to stand out among the many brochures your prospect gets from other salespeople. It will be read. Even if your ideas stink, your prospect will notice and remember your name because your approach was different from others.

Important: Never send your client a brochure about your company. Nobody wants to read about how great you think you are. Prospects want to read about themselves and how they can improve to gain better results. They will consider you when you show them how you can fit into that equation.

(Don’t send brochures? Well, what else can I do? For more ideas, send a blank e-mail to appointment@tomrichard.com.)

Keep standing!

Some prospects, in an effort to be polite, may simply try to wait you out. They will ignore your voicemails and e-mails, and wait for you to get bored and go away.

You must have the longevity to remain pleasantly persistent with your prospects, or you may lose the appointment and the sale!

Being pleasantly persistent means that you are NEVER annoying or pushy (pleasant) and that you apparently will NEVER go away (persistent). When faced with this type of person, your prospect has only one logical option left, and that is to finally meet with you.

Make it personal

If you want to have pleasant contact with your prospect, you must establish a relationship that is personal. A call from a salesperson is a nuisance, but a call from a friend is always a pleasure.

Send your prospects personalized e-mails, or handwritten notes to set the tone for the transaction. Regardless of your company, your product, and the nature of your situation, you can still find ways to make your contact with your clients as personal as possible. Your effort to contact them in this manner will show them how important their business is to you. This sets the tone for your relationship, and this relationship sets the tone for the sale.

Focus, focus, focus

It’s too easy for prospects to wait out inexperienced and overzealous salespeople! The only thing separating you from your competition is your ability to decide that you are going to win. You will get the appointment with the prospect because you have the creativity to stand out and the determination to remain persistent!

Throughout this entire process, keep a clear objective in mind. See your transaction as a series of goals. Sure, you may want that appointment, but first you must work on getting your prospect to pick up the phone and call you, or finally take your call.

When you represent your good ideas creatively, personally, and persistently, you will not only get the appointment, you will get the SALE!
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Tom Richard is the author of a weekly ezine titled, Sales Muscle, as well as the book Smart Sales People Don't Advertise: 10 Ways To Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing. To view his works please visit http://www.tomrichard.com

Unbreakable Rules of Sales Calls by Art Sobczak

In sales, there are certain things that we must do and avoid as well. Do you have your list of absolutes? The do's and don'ts that you strictly adhere to? When you do, you're a better salesperson. Most people don't.

Here are the most basic ones that serve me pretty well. I suggest you consider them too.

Art's Unbreakable Rules of Sales Calls

1. Never start a call without a Primary Objective, which is defined as, "What do I want this person to DO at the end of this call?"

2. Always treat screeners with respect. Treat them as you would the buyer.

3. Always have a "value statement" in an opening statement. It must answer "What's in it for me?" for the listener.

4. Always get them talking as quickly as possible after your opening.

5. Never think about presenting a product, service, or what you can do without questioning first.

6. Don't agree to a follow-up call unless you get a commitment from them as well.

7. Never wonder later if you should have asked for the sale; If you're hearing agreement signals, ask.

8. Always listen more than you talk.

9. Never dial the phone until you have planned exactly what you'll say in your opening, voice mail message, and have prepared your first several questions and your responses to their possible answers.

Have your best week ever!
Art
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Art Sobczak helps sales pros use the phone to prospect, service and sell more effectively, while eliminating morale-killing "rejection." He presents public seminars and customizes programs for companies. Art has a number of books, CD's to help sales reps. See free articles and back issues of his weekly emailed sales tips at www.BusinessByPhone.com. Also ask for a free copy of his monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report newsletter by emailing ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com, or calling (402)895-9399

Characteristics of Successful Salespeople - Kelley Robertson

What separates successful sales people from everyone else? I believe that most successful sales people, in virtually any industry, possess the following characteristics:

1. They are persistent. Selling or running a business for a living requires a tremendous amount of persistence. Obstacles loom in front of us on a regular basis. But it’s what you do when faced with these barriers that will determine your level of success.

I believe it was Brian Tracy who once said that a person will face the most challenging obstacle just before they achieve their goal. The most successful people in any industry have learned to face the obstacles that get in their way. They look for new solutions. They are tenacious. They refuse to give up.

2. Successful sales people are avid goal setters. They know what they want to accomplish and they plan their approach. They make sure their goals are specific, motivational, achievable yet challenging, relevant to their personal situation, and time-framed. They visualize their target, determine how they will achieve their goal, and take action on a daily basis.

3. Great sales people ask quality questions. The best sales people ask their clients and prospects plenty of quality questions to fully determine their situation and buying needs. They know that the most effective way to present their product or service is to uncover their customer's goals, objectives, concerns and hesitations. This allows them to effectively discuss the features and benefits of their product and service that most relate to each customer.

4. Successful sales people listen. Most sales people will ask a question then give their customer the answer, or continue to talk afterwards instead of waiting for their response. Great sales people know that customers will tell them everything they need to know if given the right opportunity. They ask questions and listen carefully to the responses, often taking notes and summarizing their understanding of the customers' comments. They have learned that silence is golden.

5. Successful sales people are passionate. They love their company and they exude this pride when talking about their products and services. The more passionate you are about your career, the greater the chance you will succeed. The reason for this is simple—when you love what you do you are going to put more effort into your work.

When you are passionate about the products or services you sell, your enthusiasm will shine brightly in every conversation. If you aren’t genuinely excited about selling your particular product or service, give serious consideration to making a change. You are not doing yourself, your company or your customers any favours by continuing to represent something you can’t get excited about.

6. Successful sales people are enthusiastic. They are always in a positive mood - even during difficult times - and their enthusiasm is contagious. They seldom talk poorly of the company or the business. When faced with unpleasant or negative situations, they choose to focus on the positive elements instead of allowing themselves to be dragged down.

7. Successful sales people take responsibility for their results. They do not blame internal problems, the economy, tough competitors, or anything else if they fail to meet their sales quotas. They know that their actions alone will determine their results and they do what is necessary.

8. Successful sales people work hard. Most people want to be successful but they aren’t prepared to work hard to achieve it. Sales superstars don’t wait for business to come to them; they go after it. They usually start work earlier than their coworkers and stay later than everyone else. They make more calls, prospect more consistently, talk to more people, and give more sales presentations than their coworkers.

9. Successful sales people keep in touch with their clients. They know that constant contact helps keep clients so they use a variety of approaches to accomplish this. They send thank-you, birthday, and anniversary cards. They make phone calls and schedule regular ‘keep in touch’ breakfast and lunch meetings. They send articles of value to their customers and send an email newsletter. They are constantly on the lookout for new and creative ways to keep their name in their customers’ minds.

10. Successful sales people show value. Today’s business world is more competitive than ever before and most sales people think that price is the only motivating buying factor.

Successful sales people recognize that price is a factor in every sale but it is seldom the primary reason someone chooses a particular product or supplier. They know that a well-informed buyer will usually base much of her decision on the value proposition presented by the sales person. They know how to create this value with each customer, prospect, or buyer they encounter. We all have what it takes to become successful. Are you ready to make it happen?

© 2005 Kelley Robertson, all rights reserved.
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Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees and has helped thousands of sales professionals and business people improve their results. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques To Turn Browsers Into Buyers.” Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his free sales and motivational newsletter available at http://www.kelleyrobertson.com Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

Are You Asking Provocative Questions? By Jill Konrath

The other night on TV, I saw an ESPN special on the Football Hall of Fame. Just before the final commercial break, the announcer said something like, "When we get back, you'll have a chance to learn what we asked these Hall-of-Famers."

Then they showed clip after clip of the most famous football players ever, all shaking their heads saying things like, "Wow, that's a tough one" and "I don't have a clue." Of course, I stayed glued to the television to find out the question that elicited these incredulous responses. When the show returned, the announcer posed the question:

"If you were the captain of a football team composed only of Hall-of-Famers, who would be the first person you would pick to be on your team?"

What a great question! Every single person had to really think before they answered it. Did they want an offensive or a defensive player? Someone they'd played with or against? Perhaps even a player from an entirely different era? What qualities would they want in that first pick?

Great questions are like that. They're provocative, forcing you to look beyond the obvious, to analyze, assess and make decisions.

In selling, your ability to ask great questions is highly correlated with sales success. Great questions demonstrate your expertise and enhance your credibility. And, the best questions you can ask are highly provocative - ones your prospects can't possibly answer without seriously considering their business situation.

So how do you come up with provocative questions? First of all, it's virtually impossible to come up with them when you're in the midst of a sales call. Too many other things are going on.

Provocative questions require pre-planning and a significant investment of your time before you meet with prospective customers. To develop them, you need an in-depth understanding of your own offering from a customer's perspective.

Here's what you need to consider before developing your questions.

1. Determine how your prospective customers are meeting their needs if they don't use your product/service. Identify the 3 to 4 most likely scenarios you encounter. These scenarios may include competitive offerings, your older systems, or even "doing nothing."

2. Define the primary problems, difficulties and concerns prospects likely experience in each of these scenarios. State these in your prospect's words.

3. Clarify the business implications of these problems. How do they impact productivity, time-to-market, legal issues, profitability, costs, operational efficiency, decision-making and more?

4. Determine the value a customer gets if they replace their current methods, systems or processes with your offering.

Having a cursory understanding of your offering isn't enough. You need to "know" it at a much deeper level - and truly understand it from your customer's perspective. It's only when you've conducted this exercise that you can begin to develop provocative questions.

You see, most customers are living with a less-than-perfect system. They know it has its drawbacks but they've learned how to work around things and get by. Besides, they're much too busy to analyze every aggravation or potential problem.

Most customers have NO IDEA about the total cost of continuing to do things the "same old way." When you ask questions about the business implications or the value of change, they're provocative! They get your prospect thinking about why change is necessary - and why it's needed now.

And better yet, these provocative questions create a reason to do business with you today not in the distant future. Plus, they demonstrate your knowledge and expertise - making you an invaluable resource to your customer.

To ask provocative questions, it also helps to frame them with your knowledge of your customer's business, industry, or market trends.

For example, in my consulting practice (http://www.leapfrog-strategies.com) I work with many companies on new product launches, specifically in the hand-off of the new product from Marketing to Sales. My prospects frequently have had less-than-stellar results on previous product/service introductions.

I frame my questions with statements such as:

"In a recent study on new product launches, 75% of executives felt a poor value proposition and launch process were major factors in their lack of success."

"Based on my work with other technology companies on new product launches, the biggest thing that gets in the way of their success is how much they love their new technology."

Then I ask questions such as:

* Are you comfortable that your value proposition is strong enough to deliver the projected sales revenue?

* What gaps or problems do you see in your launch process?

* What is the impact on your company if your new product/service isn't successful in the projected timeframes?

* If the product takes an extra 3-6 months to ramp-up sales, how does this impact time-to-profitability? Lifetime profitability? Competitive inroads?

* What benefit would it be to your company if your salespeople didn't have to create their own proposals and presentations?

Provocative questions are related to the problems you can solve and their resulting business ramifications. They're focused on critical issues facing your customer and framed with your own personal knowledge and expertise. They always get your customer thinking and they move the sale forward.

So, let me ask you a question:

Why is it that most sellers say they know it's important to ask questions on sales calls, but few take the time to plan really great, provocative ones?

Investing time developing provocative questions will have an immediate impact on your sales results. Are you willing to do what it takes to excel?

P.S. In case you're interested - Johnny Unitas was selected most often as the number one pick by the Hall-of-Famers.
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This article is by Jill Konrath of Selling To Big Companies. Her web site is full of resources to help consultants, entrepreneurs and salespeople win big contracts with large corporate accounts. For a free newsletter or more information, visit http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.com

BeyondVC: Order takers versus order makers

Ed Sim (a venture capitalist) has an interesting article at http://www.beyondvc.com/2005/10/order_takers_ve.html

Ed's article gives an interesting viewpoint from the perspective of a venture capitalist. He touches on some of the things he looks for (hint: these are things you may want to keep in mind as you set forth in improving your sales skills) and recommends others look for when hiring or looking to build successful sales teams...

Here's an interesting point from Ed's post:

If you are a sales rep at an early stage company with no name, no brand, and an unproven product, you better be hungry, make your calls, schedule your meetings and not take no for an answer. What this boils down for me is the difference between "order takers" and "order makers."

In one of my portfolio companies we thought we hired the best team with significant industry experience having ramped up a startup to a successful IPO. What happened, in my mind and the CEO's mind, is that they got fat and happy.

At the peak of their success from the prior company the sales team had performed so well that they transitioned from order making to order taking. Instead of going out and playing the numbers game-doing the dirty work, making the calls, and having the meetings, they expected resellers and customers to come to them.

They expected the fax machine to ring with orders. They went elephant hunting in search of the big win which proved to be elusive or too lengthy an endeavor.

You can read Ed's entire post on "Order takers versus order makers" here.

-- To your sales success, Josh Hinds :-)

6 Powerful Prospecting Tips By John Boe

Sales is a contact sport and prospecting for new business is the name of the game! You will never meet a salesperson that failed because they had too many prospects to talk to. For the majority of salespeople, finding new customers is without a doubt the most difficult and stressful aspect of the profession.

Prospecting should be viewed more as a mindset rather than merely as an activity. It is something you need to be constantly aware of because you never know where your next prospect will be coming from. It really doesn’t matter how competent you are or how well you know your product line, if you don’t have a qualified prospect in front of you, you don’t have a sale.

1. Prospecting for new business is similar to working out. You know it is good for you and it will produce positive results if you do it routinely. Professional salespeople prospect daily. It is important to block-off specific time on your calendar for prospecting activities such as phone calling and emailing.

Treat your prospecting time with the same respect as you would any other important appointment, otherwise, there is a tendency that it will slip through the cracks. This is not the time to check your emails, play solitaire on the computer, make a personal phone call or chat with your associates.

Stay focused and take your prospecting seriously. Set the tone by closing your office door and have your incoming calls held unless it is a call from a client or a prospect.

2. Be prepared, get organized and take good notes. It is critical to have a computerized contact system to record remarks and suspense future contacts or appointments.

3. Use a script - don’t shoot from the hip. There is only one thing worse than listening to a salesperson read a script over the phone and that is to listen to a salesperson without a script. Obviously, it is important to not only have a script but to practice it until it sounds smooth and natural.

Set aside time to role-play with an associate over the phone. By taking turns presenting and critiquing you will gain confidence, polish your script and be more effective. When prospecting, avoid the temptation to sell over the phone. Your objective is to gather information and make the appointment.

4. Strike while the iron is hot! When working with a new prospect, it is important to make contact quickly. Prospects are perishable. No matter how interested a prospect may appear, don’t wait for them to call you. You are only one of many competing interests for your prospect’s time and money.

5. Keep the high ground and avoid the temptation to badmouth your competition. While it is fair to make head-to-head comparisons, you should avoid personal attacks. Attacking your competition makes you look unprofessional and petty. Emphasize the benefits of your product or service by guiding your prospect through a comparison of quality and price. Play to your strengths and not the weakness of your competition. Let your prospect draw their own conclusions from a well-presented comparison.

6. Rejection is a natural aspect of the sales process so don't take it personally. Learn from rejection, use it as a feedback mechanism and look for ways to improve your presentation.

Salespeople who take rejection personally lack perseverance and seldom make the sale. Sales is a numbers game pure and simple. As a professional baseball player, if you can average four hits out of ten times at bat you are heading for the Hall of Fame.

Research indicates that in sales you can expect your prospect to say no five times before they buy. With this in mind, realize that with every sales rejection you receive, you are one step closer to making the sale!
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John Boe presents a variety of training and motivational programs for meetings and conventions. John brings over twenty years of experience as an award-winning sales trainer to the platform. John's programs are unique, consistently well received and get results! To have John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or call 831 375-3668.

A Consultative Approach to Enrolling New Clients - Jim Rohrbach

"I'm Not Here to Sell You Anything!" ...

Do you ever have trouble getting a prospect to take action, pull the trigger and become a paying client? A lot of my coaching work is done with salespeople who often haven't done much in their career to upgrade their professional selling skills. They believe that because they have "the gift of gab" they can "wing it" during meetings with prospects. (No wonder their numbers are down!)

The following is a step-by-step approach I've adapted to my style and teach to my clients. I give much of the credit for what you'll read here to the Nightingale-Conant audio programs Advanced Selling Techniques by Brian Tracy and Close The Deal from the Sandler Sales Institute.

Introduction with benefit. When beginning a relationship with a prospect, start with something like, "Hi!
I'm _______________________ with _________________________. We help people like you to __________________________." You'd fill in the blanks with your name, your company and, most important, the main benefit you provide to your clients. For example -- "Hi! I'm John Smith with Acme Benefits. We help our clients in companies like yours to sleep good at night instead of worrying about their health care coverage." Ideally you want this statement to be catchy or memorable in some way -- the idea is to get people to want to know more.

Positioning statement. The next step is to mention what you do, and perhaps what you don't do. So you might say, "I'm really a consultant, and my role is to help you make good choices for yourself about your situation. What I don't do is sell, promote or recommend anything before I know exactly what's in your best interest."

Ask permission to ask questions. The Sandler Sales Institute calls this step the Up Front Contract -- you ask prospects for explicit permission to ask questions.

Example: "I'd like to get 15 or 20 minutes of your time to ask you a few questions about where you're at currently, where you want to get to, and what might be getting in your way. Then we can decide if it makes sense to do something further together, or not. Does that sound fair?" A few discussion points about this powerful sales tactic:

• "15 - 20 minutes" You're indicating this will be brief, and you won't take up much time. (Prospects who have a real need will choose to extend this time frame.)

• "...we can decide ... to do something further together ..." This implies you and your prospects are going to collaborate -- that you won't be begging for their business.

• " ... or not." What prospects hear: It's OK to say "no," so they can relax -- you've given them an out if they need it. (It also implies you can say "no" too -- this helps you screen out poor prospects.)

• "Does that sound fair?" No one has ever said "no" to this seemingly innocuous question. And when prospects say "yes," -- congrats! You now have control of the sales process, because the person who's asking the questions is in control, not vice versa.

Start the interview. Proceed with a consultative interview, using a series of questions in a logical sequence to determine your prospects'

1. Pain, need or gap between where they are now versus where they could be with your product or service.

2. Budget/Value $$$ -- what kind of money they've set aside to address any problems you uncover, and what the value of your product/service would be above and beyond their investment.

3. Decision making process -- who else besides the person you're in front of is involved with moving forward, what's their time frame, and what would they need to be convinced of to know working with you would be a great decision for themselves and their firm.

Your skillful use of questions in these three areas will be all you need to determine if you and your prospects are truly a good fit. I assign all of my producer clients to script these questions out and use them on every sales call -- only amateurs "wing it," and they usually are checking the want ads for a new job in short order.

Directive close. If there is a good fit, Brian Tracy suggests you tell your prospects the exact steps they will need to go through to become an active client. “If this sounds interesting to you, the way it works is ____________________________.” Then SHUT UP!

The prospect will either agree to proceed to the next step (which might entail a proposal or presentation), or will present an objection. If there is an objection, go back to the interview to determine what their real concerns are. Redefine these in terms of their "conditions of satisfaction" -- what must they get from you in order to feel comfortable moving forward. Then restate the steps for becoming a client, then silence. (Note: if another meeting is required, you MUST set a firm appointment -- date, time and agenda -- even if by phone, to keep the process moving. No next-step appointment? No sale is likely.)

Proposal/presentation. You may think this is out of place here, but you must refrain from doing a proposal or presentation for your product or service until prospects have answered your interview questions satisfactorily. The key concept of this entire strategy is not to do dog and pony shows, but instead to qualify prospects first through questions and get their commitment BEFORE you deliver your proposal/presentation.

I learned a perfect analogy from Tracy: A doctor who would prescribe a treatment plan for a patient before doing a thorough examination and diagnosis is engaging in malpractice -- why would it be different for you and your prospects?

I realize this is a simplified outline for handling the ins and outs of any high-level sale. I greatly respect any sales professional who is using this type of approach on a potential large sale, with its multiple calls, elusive characters, political intrigue and seemingly endless sales cycle. If that describes YOU, I know you're well on your way to Close The Deal!
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Success Skills Coach Jim Rohrbach, "The Personal Fitness Trainer for Your Business," coaches business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals on growing their clientele. He has helped hundreds of individuals to achieve their goals since he developed his first coaching program in 1982. You can visit Jim on the web at www.SuccessSkills.com.

The Importance Of Mental Fitness - Brian Tracy

The Hard Work of Selling
Selling is hard work. It is one of the most difficult jobs in our economy. As a salesperson, you face continual rejection, potential failure, persistent disappointment, setbacks, obstacles and difficulties not experienced by most people.

Selling is not easy and it has never been easy. It never will be easy. It will always be varying degrees of difficult, from hard to very hard, to very, very hard. And to be successful in selling you must be tough, as well.

Your Attitude Makes The Difference
In selling, your attitude is probably eighty percent of your success. Your attitude is the outward expression of everything that you are, and everything that you have become over the course of your lifetime.

Your attitude has the greatest single impact on the people that you deal with. The development of a positive mental attitude is the indispensable requirement for great success in your field.

Learn to Bounce Back
Psychologists have defined the "hardy personality" as the type of personality that is most suited to the rigors of the modern business world. The hardy personality, the personality you need to develop, is resilient, optimistic, tough, strong, and capable of bouncing back continually from temporary disappointments and defeats.

Respond Constructively to Stress
A positive mental attitude is a constructive response to stress. It is a solution-oriented, objective approach to difficulties that you face every single day.

A positive mental attitude is expressed as a general optimism toward life and the inevitable challenges of earning a living. A positive mental attitude is the most outwardly identifiable quality of a winning human being, and it is the characteristic most closely identified with success in selling of all kinds.

Practice Mental Fitness Every Day
To become and remain physically fit, you must engage continuously in physical exercise. To become mentally fit, to develop the kind of attitude that leads on to success and happiness, you must engage in continuous mental exercise.

It is a never ending process. Just as you do not achieve physical fitness and then discontinue physical exercise, you can not achieve mental fitness without working on it regularly, every day, like breathing in and breathing out.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:

First, decide in advance that, from now on, you are going to respond in a positive and constructive way to each and every stress situation in your life. Be tough!

Second, practice mental fitness every day by forcing yourself to remain cheerful and optimistic in the face of difficulties and disappointments.

Remember, you can do it if you decide to!
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit Brian's web site and take advantage of his FREE audio program offer.

Beyond The "Just Work Harder" Mentality - Paul Huff

Most of us have been told all of our lives that if we want better results, we just have to work harder. Peak-performing salespeople understand that to get better results, they have to make adjustments, often requiring a change in their beliefs and habits, not just their volume of effort.

Two common mistakes that peak-performing salespeople avoid are:

1. “They don’t think their product or service is more important than they are.”

Sounds crazy, but peak-performing salespeople believe they are more important than their products or service. They develop a unique purpose and identity that makes people want to do business with them, and are always evaluating and reevaluating themselves. Peak-performing salespeople focus on improving themselves, and ask, "What makes me unique?" "Why would someone want to do business with me?" They clearly understand that long-term success in sales develops from building ever-deepening relationships that result from who they are, not what they sell or service.

2. “They don’t define their job as sales.”

Instead of defining their job as “sales,” peak-performing salespeople look at what they do in terms of how their product or service positively impacts the lives of their customers. We all know what it feels like to make a positive difference in the lives of others, and peak-performing salespeople have learned to tap into this innate “good feeling.” It’s not just about making another sale, ringing the cash register or making a commission. Peak-performing salespeople see themselves as a people who enhance the quality of each client’s life.

Pumping up the volume of effort without a change in beliefs often causes burnout, inefficiency and cynicism.. However, when we change our beliefs, our assumptions and our feelings about selling, we create record-breaking results that seem almost... effortless.
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Motivational speaker and author, Paul Huff, offers proven concepts and step-by-step methods to achieve and sustain success in professional and personal arenas. He is the author of numerous book and audio recordings, Paul has performed before audiences throughout the U.S. and in 12 other countries. Visit his site at PaulHuff.com

Consulting Versus Selling - Brian Tracy

View Yourself as a Consultant
One particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as salespersons. They see themselves as problem solvers with their products or services rather than as vendors looking for someone who will trade them money for what they have to offer.

Approach Them as Clients
They do not approach their customers with hat in hand, hoping for a sale. They approach their "clients" with the attitude that they are consultants calling on the prospect to help him or her solve a problem or achieve a goal.

Ask Questions and Listen Carefully
Seeing themselves as consultants, they ask questions carefully and listen intently. They focus all of their energies on understanding the customer's situation so that they can make intelligent recommendations based on what the customer really wants and needs.

Become an Expert in Your Field
As consultants; they recognize that they must be experts, authorities in their field. They know their products and services from one end to the other.

They invest many hours familiarizing themselves with every single detail of what they sell, and of what their competitors sell as well. They know the strengths and weaknesses, the advantages and shortcomings, the features and benefits of what they are offering.

They have excellent product knowledge that their customers can sense and which gives both themselves and their customer's greater confidence throughout the sales conversation.

Differentiate Yourself From Your Competitors
Top salespeople, positioning themselves as consultants; see themselves as resources for their clients. They see themselves and carry themselves as advisors, mentors and friends.

They become emotionally involved in their transactions and they are generally concerned that their product or service be the ideal solution to the real needs of the prospects they are dealing with. They differentiate themselves from their competitors by being more concerned with helping their prospects than with selling their products or services.

Their customers often feel that they care more about them than they care about making a sale. And it's true.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, see yourself as a problem-solver rather than as a salesperson. Take sufficient time to understand the prospect's real need before you start selling.

Second, think of ways to tailor your product or service to your customer's needs so that he sees what you sell as the ideal solution for him.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit Brian's web site and take advantage of his FREE audio program offer.

How To Handle An Angry Client - Tom Hopkins

Too many salespeople, when faced with clients who range from dissatisfied to down right angry, choose the loser's path by postponing handling the situation.

This results in one of two things happening. Either the angry client decides the problem isn't worth the aggravation and cools down (what every salesperson wishes would happen, but like many wishes, just thinking it won't make it so).

Or the client gets so angry that the next time you hear from him or her is through the higher-ups in your company who have absorbed some of the client's anger and are happy to give it to you.

If you are a small businessperson or sole proprietor, you may learn more about your client's anger through legal channels.

Naturally, no one wants to walk into a lion's den and face the angry client. However, you must consider the value of this client to you, your reputation, and the company. In most cases, I would guess that it will be worth your while to face that angry customer and get the situation resolved as quickly as possible.

I'd like to give you nine steps I've developed for facing and dispelling another person's anger.

1. Acknowledge the other person's anger quickly. Nothing adds more fuel to a fire than having his or her anger ignored or belittled. The faster you verbally recognize their anger, the better.

2. Make it plain that you're concerned. Tell them you realize just how angry they are. Let them know that you are taking the situation seriously. Make notes of every possible detail they give you.

3. Don't hurry them. Be patient. Let them get it all out. Never try to interrupt or shut them up. In many cases, the best move is to simply listen. They'll wind themselves down eventually. In some cases, they'll realize they blew the situation out of proportion and feel foolish for it. They are then likely to accept nearly any solution you offer.

4. Keep calm. Most angry people say things they don't mean. Learn to let those things pass and take them up after you've solved the present challenge -- only if you feel it's necessary to do so.

5. Ask questions. Your aim is to discover the specific things that you can do to correct the problem. Try to get specific information about the difficulties the problem has caused, rather than a general venting of hot air.

6. Get them talking about solutions. This is where you will learn just how reasonable this client is. By the time you get to this step, their anger should have cooled enough to discuss the challenge rationally. If it hasn't, tell them you want to schedule a later meeting, even if it's in an hour, to come up with some reasonable solutions. Let them do the rest of their fuming on their time.

7. Agree on a solution. After you know exactly what the challenge is, you're in a position to look for some kind of action that will relieve the challenge. Propose something specific. Start with whatever will bring them the best and quickest relief. Don't get into a controversy over pennies at this time.

8. Agree on a schedule. Once you've agreed on a solution, set up a schedule for its accomplishment. Agree to a realistic time frame that you know you can handle. The biggest mistake you can make is to agree to something that cannot be done. If you do, you'd better be ready to face another bout of this person's anger when you don't come through.

9. Meet your schedule. Give this schedule top priority. You've talked yourself into a second chance with this client, so make sure you don't blow it.
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Tom Hopkins International
7531 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Tel: (480) 949-0786 or 800/528-0446 Fax: (480) 949-1590
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