Sales Training Tips and Advice

Sales Strategies: Increase Sales with Actionable Emails By Kendra Lee

2010-02-22T07:10:00.000-08:00

I hate long emails. They take too long to read and typically include action items I just don’t have time for. No doubt you’ve experienced it, too. Your customers are no different and it’s impacting your ability to close sales.

Sure, you carefully word your email, expanding your questions to avoid being misunderstood, or outlining a great recommendation. You format it with underlining and bolding to call attention to critical details. You use bullets to make it simple to read. You’re friendly throughout, sometimes even using a pretty color instead of boring black or blue.

And what happened? No response.

Neither your prospects nor your customers appreciate the effort you put into that perfectly crafted 434 word email.

You thought your detailed sentences would streamline the sales process, simplifying your prospect’s effort. You tried to help your client avoid another meeting by sending your list of questions through email instead. But it didn’t work. You received no response because it was felt too time consuming and difficult to do.

Use these tips to make your emails actionable.

Consider who you’re emailing. If you’re selling to small and midsize companies, the decision maker you’re working with is frequently the owner or a top executive with multiple responsibilities across the company from performing work to setting the business strategy.

Several company presidents I work with sell, install, manage technical consultants, and plan the direction of the company all in a normal day’s work. If you’re selling to enterprises, your key contact is most likely a manager with too many assignments on his plate, acquired as the company downsized, as well as multiple vendor contacts. They’re all very busy people wearing too many hats.

Recognize that email is an interruption that they typically haven’t allotted time to manage into their day like they would a scheduled meeting. You can’t expect to get all the answers you would during a meeting, in the course of one email.

If you have a lot of information to share or gather, consider a different approach than email. It may be more effective to convey a project update in a project status report and ask just two questions in the email. Or, to present a recommendation in a proposal document and tell your contact in the email that you’ve included a great idea in the third paragraph on page one.

Start a conversation. Limit how much you ask or share. Keep your emails brief so they’re a quick read and simple to respond to. Keep in mind that email can be a conversation. It’s okay to ask for clarification, or ask the next question. 434 words, no matter how well organized, are still a lot to read, absorb and reply to. If possible, try to stay under 175 words.

Write your emails to look fast. The faster it looks to handle, the better your chance of getting a quick response. Vary your paragraph lengths. Avoid long paragraphs. Use bulleted lists, limiting the number of items to five or less. Keep your signature short. Long signatures give the appearance of long emails.

Make it simple to reply. Ask only two or three questions at once. Questions become action items when sent via email. Your objective is to reduce the number of to-dos you place on your contact to speed their ability to reply. If you have ten questions, consider scheduling a meeting.

Make your emails easy to respond to and you’ll discover that both customers and prospects you’re working with will respond more promptly and keep your sales process moving forward.
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Kendra Lee is author of "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, as well as subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.773.1285.

-what are your thoughts? Agree or disagree?

PS: If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that will inspire your sales team to great heights click here!

Sales Lessons Learned From Selling in a Recession By Kelley Robertson

2010-02-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

The past year was definitely interesting. Some sales professionals prospered while others suffered. I spoke to one person who doubled his income—and he works in automotive sales!

Yet, another well-established person experienced a decline of more than fifty percent in their sales. There are several key sales lessons that can be learned from selling in a recession. These will help you succeed in the upcoming year.

Companies are Leaner - This has been an ongoing factor for many years with continual downsizing and cut backs. However, the recession forced many companies to scale back even further than they normally would have. This has resulted in an extremely lean workforce.

What does that mean to sales people?

It means people are stretched even further and busier than ever before. It means it will become even more difficult to connect with decision makers. It means projects will be put on hold because people will be too busy to implement them. It means you need to find a way to help your customers deal with this.

Make your solutions easier. Assist with the implementation. This also means respecting their time when you meet. If you have sixty minutes allotted for your meeting but you can wrap it up in forty-five then do so. Your customer will appreciate it and it will help you stand out from the crowd.

The Buying Process Has Changed - There is no question that decision makers in corporate America have changed the way they make buying decisions. Caution is now a standard business practice and I suspect that it will remain that way for years to come.

This means you need to become more adept and proficient in your discovery process. You not only need to find out who is responsible for the buying decision but also what internal factors your key decision makers are facing that may derail the sale or prevent the process from moving forward.

This has always been part of the sales process - or at least it should have been. However, it is even more critical to uncover this information as part of your discovery process. The sales professionals who get this will outshine their colleagues and competitors.

Signing Authority - Many decision makers no longer have the ability to sign-off on the same level of expenses or purchases that they were once accustomed to. This has significant ramifications.

The ego issue. Picture yourself in the executive office, perhaps a VP of Sales or Marketing. Until last year you could approve any purchase under $20,000. Now, you need to get approval from a purchasing committee for any expense over $5,000. Although you understand the philosophy behind this policy it is challenging to deal with because in your eight year history with the company you have never made a poor buying decision.

The buying committee. You may now have to deal with buying committees, and if you’re not careful, you won’t even get the chance to meet them. That means the decision to use your product, service or solution could be vetoed.

No approval. Some purchases simply won’t be approved because of the extent or nature of the expense. Even though your solution may benefit the company, the organization may choose not to move forward simple because they know they won’t get approval for the expense. It’s not fair but it is a fact of business.

Once again, this means that you need to ask more questions to uncover the approval process. Be sensitive to the decision maker’s position if you discover that they no longer have the authority to sign-off on your product or service. Look for ways to help them facilitate their decision. Work with your company to extend payment terms in certain circumstances.

Value is King - Value has always been important in the eyes of the decision maker. However, it has become even more important. But, it is critical to note that this value is what they, the decision makers, deem as value. It’s not about you touting the features, advantages and benefits of your product. Just because you think something is important does not mean your prospect or customer will. Value is in the eyes of the beholder only.

That means you need to ask high-value questions to determine exactly what is important to each prospect and each customer. Once you have accomplished this you need to adapt your sales presentation (aka sales pitch) to ensure that it addresses your prospect value requirement(s).

Make No Excuses - The sales professionals who prospered this past year were assertive in generating business. They did not use the recession as an excuse. They did not wait for business opportunities to come their way; they took responsibility and did whatever they could to reach their targets. This has always been a distinguishing factor between high-performing sales professionals and it will become even more important in the future.

These are just five sales lessons I learned last year. What did you learn from selling in a recession and are you prepared to make changes in order to make 2010 a great year?
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Kelley Robertson, sales trainer & author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales with less effort. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Visit him at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

-What was your key takeaway or lesson learned in the article above? Use the comments to share your thoughts with your fellow sales professionals.

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Sales Advice: Just Follow Up! By Keith Rosen

2010-02-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

My wife and I were about to undertake our last remodeling project. Being a consummate consumer, I wanted several qualified companies to bid on our next project. After calling ten contractors, I scheduled an appointment with the five that called back.

Following our meetings, one gave me a price on the spot and two never responded with an estimate. Two contractors mailed an estimate, and one of them followed up a week later.

Guess who got the job. Just by making a five-minute phone call! What fascinated me most was that only one contractor called back to discuss his proposal and ask for my business.

How can these salespeople afford not to follow up? Conducting my own research, each one said they needed more business, yet didn't know the status of the majority of proposals they sent. I sensed that following up regarding their proposal was not their typical M.O. Instead, here's what they said.

· I thought you were using someone else.
· I didn't think you were ready to buy.
· I thought you felt the price was too high.
· I didn't want to bother or pressure you.

While these contractors formulated their own conclusion, they never bothered to confirm if their assumptions were, in fact, true! They were operating under the costly assumption, "The prospect will call when they're ready."

I asked Bill, one of the contractors, "If you're sacrificing valuable time to drive to an appointment, deliver a presentation, write a proposal and then don't follow up and ask for a prospect's business after taking all of the steps that earned you the opportunity to do so, who are you really helping?" Then it hit him between the eyes. "My competition!"

Bill realized something that only a select few have. While prospects need his remodeling knowledge and skills, they also need his help in making their purchasing decision.

Bill recently called me with some exciting results. After making thirty phone calls to past prospects, he spoke with ten prospects he had met with. Bill sold three more deals ($78,000) in one week that he never would have sold.

In many businesses, especially the ones that sell directly to consumers such as home remodeling, cold calling consumers via the phone is no longer an option to generate new leads. Aside from canvassing door to door, networking, asking for referrals, posting job signs or traditional (and sometimes costly) marketing/advertising campaigns, what else brings in more business? Follow up calls.

How many prospects are waiting for your phone call so they can send you a deposit? How many people are out there waiting to begin working with you?

Bill and I sat down to crunch the numbers. I shared this observation with him. "Consider that you can make about fifteen calls per hour (one hour per week). Assume that out of fifteen contacts, you make one more sale. (Average sale $10,000.) Four hours a month equates to four more sales. Over a year, that's $480,000 in volume. This exceeds the yearly volume of most contractors just by making one hour of follow up calls each week!"

If you take a moment and look at your call back list, how much business does that equate to? Now ask yourself, "How much of it am I willing to give to my competition?"

Since your competitors aren't paying you commission, here's your opportunity to utilize a simple, efficient three-step follow up system that will bring in more (free) sales.

1. Get Permission. Whether you need to follow up after an initial conversation or once a prospect receives your proposal, tries out your product, speaks with references or needs to check their schedule before they meet with you a second time, it's just good business sense to get permission before doing so. For instance, you inform the prospect they will be receiving your proposal next Friday. Before you leave the appointment ask, "May I follow up with you to discuss and answer any questions you have regarding my proposal?" Gaining permission to follow up eliminates your fear of appearing overly aggressive or pushy. Now, they're expecting your call.

2. Schedule A Meeting. Now that you've gotten permission, schedule a time that you will be calling or meeting with them. Immediately put it in your planner or PDA. This eliminates the time consuming game of phone tag and having to hunt your prospect down in order to schedule yet another time to meet or review your proposal, reducing the number of calls you'll have to make or respond to.

Tip from The Coach: There is an exception to this rule. If part of your selling strategy requires drafting a proposal for a prospect, rather than sending your proposal and then scheduling a time to meet after they've received it, if possible, it's always better to schedule a time to hand deliver your proposal. This way, you can review it face to face (or computer to computer) with the prospect and immediately address any concerns or barriers to the sale.

Reviewing the proposal upon delivery provides you with the luxury of handling all possible objections immediately so that you can then ask for the prospect's business, thus reducing the chance of your proposal becoming another item on the prospect's lengthy 'to-do' list. In many cases, the longer it takes to reconnect with a prospect, the closer your proposal gets to the bottom of their priority list.

3. Just Follow Up! Depending on the sheer number of prospects you connect with, start by putting aside at least one hour each week that's strictly devoted to this practice. Considering your ROI, it's time well invested. Otherwise, something else will always take precedent.

Instead of thinking about how many calls you need to make, consider how many sales you'll be giving to your competition if you don't. If something as simple as following up provides you with a competitive edge, then your next sale is just a phone call away.

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Keith Rosen is the preferred, authentic coach that top executives and sales professionals in many of the world's leading companies call first. Keith is one of the foremost authorities on assisting people in achieving positive, measurable change in their attitude, in their behavior and in their results. To speak with Keith about personalized, one to one or team coaching or training or to receive his free ezine, visit www.ProfitBuilders.com.

Josh Hinds Sales Coaching Tip: Some of the best sales professionals I know make a point to not only follow up during the sale, but also after the sale is complete. It's amazing that more sales people don't invest the time to keep in touch with the folks they've done business with in the past. For one thing, it's just good business, doing so allows you to make sure those you've worked with remain happy and content as a result of having done business with you -- which in turn does wonders in ensuring the likelihood that the next time they, or someone they know is in need of your product or service, that you're the one in the best position to receive a referral for that piece of business.

Keep in mind what my friend and colleague Bob Burg says, "All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust." Wise words don't you agree? Following up, during, and after the sale is the best way to make sure you stay well positioned as someone others "like & trust".

-Do you have any advice you'd like to share on the importance of following up?

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*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

The Art Of How Not To Get To Any Decision Maker By Dan Adams

2010-02-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

If you consider yourself a professional sales representative or executive you have undoubtedly worked very hard to overcome the stigma sales professionals have faced over the years.

For this reason I was very disappointed to read a newsletter written by a major international sales training firm entitled: "The Art Of How To Get To Any Decision Maker".

I thought I would write about it this month in a newsletter that I will call: "The Art Of How Not To Get To Any Decision Maker".

The author, president of a major international sales training company, offered claims and advice to get past any gatekeeper/assistant. He asserted: "I've been able to get in front of the CEO and CFO of "so and so" (name dropping a Fortune 500 company). Seeking to share his pearls of wisdom, the author offered suggestions as to how you too, can do it. He advised:

* "Don't be charming to the assistant because it's a dead giveaway you are selling something."

* "Tell the assistant what to do - don't ask them."

* "The other secret to getting that top executive on the telephone is to send the gatekeeper back as many times as you can, each time giving very little information."

* "You must lead the conversation at all times."

* "The biggest tip is that your voice has to sound like you're important." To the author's credit he states: "Never give false information." He then, however, follows up with,"That doesn't mean you tell the whole truth."

The author also advises to keep assistants "off-guard and off balance" by not telling them what your reason is for the call. He advocates sending the gatekeeper back so many times that the CEO finally gets fed up and tells her to put the call through. This sales trainer suggests making a contest out of your efforts: "Let's see how many times you can send the gatekeeper back to that CEO." This role play was suggested in the article:

You: Hi.This is Bill Johnston. I'm calling for Carl. Is he in?
Assistant: Can I ask what this call is in reference to?
You: Just tell him it's Bill Johnston.
Assistant: Carl did not recognize your name, what is this in reference to?
You: Did you tell him it's Bill Johnston?
Assistant: Yes. He didn't seem to know you.
You: Hmm. Just tell him I'm from XYZ Company. That might jog his memory.
Assistant: I'm sorry. Mr. Johnston, but the company name didn't ring any bells. Can you please tell me what this is in reference to?
You: Who am I speaking to?
Assistant: This is his assistant.
You: Are you his regular assistant?
Assistant: Yes.
You: What's your name?
Assistant: Shirley.
You [tone of authority]: Shirley, if you tell Carl that I'm following up on some correspondence sent to him that should be enough.

I imagine you feel as shocked at this manipulative and deceitful behavior as I do. The next logical question is, if you are a TRUE SALES PROFESSIONAL how DO you get access to key decision makers? The simple answer to this complex question is that you earn it through trust.

How do you do that? Don't cold call! Work to get a referral from an existing satisfied client or someone else in their organization. Either way you must do your homework! Research the target company and your senior executive contact. Your goal is to know more about your clients than they know about themselves. Online tools now make this possible. You must be able to tie your solution to one of the top three key pain, challenges, issues or opportunities that they are facing.

When you do reach out to the administrator, follow these four steps as you introduce yourself:

1. "I have done an extensive amount of research analyzing your company." (I am not cold calling);
2. "As a result of my research I know your: pain, challenges, issues or opportunities. I think your major areas of concern are...";
3. "We have helped other companies in your industry solve the exact same issue with excellent results. Here is how we helped them...";
4. "What is the best way for me to share this information with Sharon (the administrator's boss)?".

Here is an example of how it would sound:

"Hi Margaret,This is Dan with A&A. Over the past two months I have been researching your firm and have uncovered a strong focus on cost reduction through supply chain integration. We are working with X and Y in your industry to solve this very same challenge. I believe that Sharon would be very interested in hearing what we have be able to accomplish for that client. What is the best way for me to share this information with her?"

Instead of viewing your "gate-keeper" as an obstacle, you have professionally justified your reason for seeking access to her company's executive. It is not advisable to keep anyone "off-guard and off balance". After all, it is your objective to provide professional and consultative service to your clients, and this introductory call will start you off on the right foot.

Good Luck, and Close 'Em,
Dan Adams
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Dan Adams is a popular professional speaker, author, and consultant who draws upon more than 25 years of experience in the field of sales and marketing. Having honed his sales skills selling multimillion dollar solutions for Fortune 500 and high technology companies over the past 25 years, he founded a sales consulting company called Adams & Associates. Visit him at TrustTriangleSelling.com. Dan is the author of: Building Trust, Growing Sales: How to Master Complex, High-End Sales Using the Principles of Trust Triangle Selling.

-what are some effective ways you've found to reach the key decision maker? Share your thoughts and ideas with your fellow sales professionals in the comments below.

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No Voicemail Equals A Missed Opportunity By Kendra Lee

2010-02-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

Leave a voicemail? Don’t leave a voicemail? This is a question that sellers are passionate about. Many suggest not, but isn’t that a missed opportunity?

I always leave a message because how else will they know that you want to speak with them? In today’s world where it’s acceptable to screen calls, you may never reach your prospect if you don’t. Add to it that a message allows a prospect to hear your interest in talking with them and your professionalism.

So why not do it? Take advantage of the 40 seconds or so to grab attention, leave a positive impression, and start relationship building.

Here are a few tips to increase your success rates.

Have an idea to go with the triggering event. The core of your message should be about a triggering event or business issue they’re most likely grappling with. Don’t talk about your offerings or the latest special deal.

Focus on their issue and mention that you have some thoughts or an idea about how to address it based on work you’ve done with similar companies. It’s the opportunity to get a new idea that’ll make them want to speak with you.

Request a specific time. Don’t stop with a request to call you. You’ll end up playing phone tag, and they probably won’t take the time to type in your email address even if you leave it. Instead, make it easy to connect by requesting a specific date and time to talk.

It sounds something like this:

I wanted to schedule 15 minutes to discuss my idea with you. By chance are you open Thursday at 2:30? Let me know. My phone number is 303-773-1285 or email me at klee@klagroup.com. I look forward to our discussion!

Do it again via email. Clearly you aren’t expecting a response. Picking up the phone during a busy day is hard. If you have your prospect’s email address, promise to send an email “in case that’s an easier way for you to respond.” Then send an email that says the same thing as your voicemail, including the time to talk. Don’t attach anything or include any additional links beyond what you have in your signature. Keep it concise and to-the-point.

If you don’t get a response, call Thursday at 2:30, further demonstrating your professionalism and interest in talking with the prospect. Leave a voicemail that you’d promised to call and reiterating what you wanted to talk about. Suggest a new time to talk and do it all again.

Switch it up. In today’s environment it can take 9 times to get a return call so don’t get discouraged. After the third call approach the gatekeeper to schedule a time scheduled on the prospect’s calendar. Use your value proposition and let his assistant know you just wanted to share your idea.

The secret to success with this approach is to have real ideas to share about how to help your prospect address the business issue you mentioned. When you do that, your prospect is glad he took your call. He appreciates the value you provided. If all you do is spew on about your offerings, you didn’t meet your commitment from your voicemail and you’ll never get a second chance.
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Kendra Lee is author of "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, as well as subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.773.1285.

-Do you have any helpful ideas on leaving voicemails during sales calls that get returned by prospective clients?

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

How To Deal With Red Flags By Mike Brooks

2010-01-27T05:58:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest mistakes 80% of salespeople make when qualifying is to overlook or not react to obvious Red Flags prospects give during the initial call.

In their haste or desperation to “generate a lead" or to “fill their pipeline," most sales reps hope that the possible objection they just heard will miraculously go away once the prospect sees their information or product or service, etc.

But you all know from experience -- it never does. In fact, the law for calling back leads is that:

“Leads Never Get Better."

What appears to be an objection or deal killer always is.

Someone wrote me once about a prospect who wasn't calling him back only to find out the prospect was leaving the company. He wrote me and said, “I guess intuitively I knew he wasn't the right guy to make the decision anyway."

And I'll bet he knew intuitively because he heard (but didn't question!) the Red Flags that came up during the initial qualification call.

So how do you deal with obvious Red Flags? Do what the Top 20% -- as soon as you hear something that triggers your intuition or that gives you that sick feeling in your gut, stop and ask the tough questions!

Here’s how you do it:

If someone says that they usually buy from ________, but would like to see your information, ask:

“Why would you switch vendors?" Or

“How many other companies have you looked at in the last six months?"

And then: "And how many did you go with?"

If someone says that they will pass it on to ________, say:

“Thanks. So that I make sure I'm not wasting her time it's best that I speak with her for just a few minutes. Can you please tell her that (your name) is holding please?" (If you're then told they are not available, make sure and get their direct line or the person's extension and keep calling until she picks up.

If someone says that they'd be glad to look at over, ask:

“Great, after you do, if you think that it can help you (or your business, etc.), when would you move on it?"

And so on.

The bottom line is that if you want to close like the Top 20% then you have to start questioning the Red Flags.

Remember: It's better to disqualify the non buyers early then to spend your time and energy chasing and pitching people who are never going to buy.

Plus it means that you have more time to find real buyers.

So this week, write up questions to the Red Flags you currently get and begin using them! You'll feel so much stronger as a closer, and you’ll begin making more money. Believe me, it’s a win/win.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-What are your thoughts on the ideas above? Do you have anything you'd like to add along the lines of what was discussed?

PS. If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that is sure to inspire your sales team to great heights click here!

Who Really Achieves Success in Sales? By Mark Hunter

2010-01-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

Success in sales does not go to the one who has the lowest price.

Nor does success in sales go to the one who has the best customers.

And, success in sales does not go the one who has the most intelligence.

Who really achieves success in sales? The people who practice integrity with every person with whom they come in contact. There is no substitute – no alternative – to consistent integrity.

Eleven years ago, I left my corporate career working in sales management for a Fortune 100 company. I began traveling the globe, working with salespeople across more industries than I can even begin to count. Over the years, I've personally met with thousands of salespeople, each with their own level of success and failures.

I also have met with hundreds of sales managers, VPs of Sales, CEOs and others from the "C-Suite." All those interactions and opportunities to learn about so many industries has revealed to me more than ever what it takes to remain at the top.

People who are at the top year in and year out are those who walk and breathe integrity in everything they do. This is true in good economic periods and bad economic periods, through global upheavals and company chaos. The consistent factor to success is not an external circumstance, but rather an internal commitment to a high level of integrity.

These are the people who do not necessarily close every deal or land every new big hot account that comes along. However, in their actions and attitude, 365 days a year, they walk with integrity.

How would you define integrity? I would define it as adhering to strong moral and ethical standards, regardless of the situation or result of such commitment. In other words, integrity is not a commodity you can casually use when it benefits you, and carelessly throw aside when it doesn't. Consistency is one of the hallmark signs of true integrity.

As a consultant for more than a decade, I have had the opportunity to watch several people over the course of not just weeks or months, but years. If you have been in sales a long time, you too have had the unique perspective of spotting the people others trust and want to follow.

Sometimes this person holds official capacity as a leader, but often the "leader" is not high up in an organization. Regardless of a leader's "official" position, they likely wield much influence because of their integrity.

Integrity starts with allowing yourself to be personally and publically accountable for everything you do and everything you think. In fact, integrity is more about holding yourself personally to a higher degree of accountability, because the real onus of integrity is how it guides you each day in your actions and activities. Accept 100% responsibility for how you carry yourself and do so with a high standard.

When it comes to strengthening integrity, here are some points to consider:

* No one can be forced to operate with integrity. It's completely an internal choice that is reflected in external actions.

* It's never too late to start. If you have struggled with integrity in the past, begin today to set a new course. In small ways and big ways, begin to line up your actions and attitudes with a strong moral and ethical standard.

* Accept the fact that you may not close every deal, because you are not willing to compromise your standards.

* The real measurement of integrity is what you do when nobody is looking and when nobody will ever find out what you have or have not done.

* Learn from those around you who live and breathe integrity. Become a student of their approaches and reactions – not just when the circumstances are good, but particularly when the circumstances are hard. As much as you can, surround yourself with these people. More than likely, they will not only have the highest degree of integrity, they will also be the most optimistic.

Whether you have been in sales a short time or for years, you owe it to yourself to achieve a level of success that is rooted in integrity. That kind of success cannot be matched. You will find yourself experiencing long-term success, and best of all, it will come in ways you least expect it.
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Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit TheSalesHunter.com.

-What are your thoughts on the ideas shared? Is there anything along these lines you you would like to add which would be helpful to your fellow sales professionals?

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

Should I Promote My Top Sales Person to Sales Manager? By Lee B. Salz

2010-01-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

Before moving your top sales person into sales management, there are some key considerations.

Early Greek mythology tells tales of sailors lured by Sirens. Their sweet music mesmerized the sailors and led them to believe that the illusion was reality. Ultimately, those sailors who blindly followed the tunes crashed their ships on the rocks and their boats sank.

Sirens lure business executives and small business owners too. The song that the Sirens sing has one line… "Promote my top sales person, put six people underneath them, and generate six times the sales." And, like the sailors, many business executives and their companies have been led into harm's way.

A promotion? The first issue with promoting your top sales person into sales management is that it's not a promotion at all. The promotion perception is the first way the Sirens get you. Sales management is not a job elevation, it's a job change. If you consider this move as a promotion, you probably send a congratulatory email and hold a luncheon for the new sales manager. A nice handshake is offered and the new manager is sent to achieve grandeur. This approach delights the Sirens and your ship is sunk!

If you handle this as a job change, your approach is completely different. Since this is a new job, you provide training and mentoring as well as monitor their performance. As the manager of the new sales manager, your role is to help them successfully assimilate into their new role.

Top Seller = Top Sales Manager? Before we go any further, we need to take a step back. The second way the Sirens trick you is they lead you to believe all great sales people can become great sales managers. Some certainly do. And, some pretty good sales people become rock star managers. And some great sales people fail miserably at sales management.

Before moving your top sales person into the sales management ranks, consider the ramifications of this move. You are taking your rainmaker out of the sales game where they've generated millions of dollars for your company. While your hope is that your theory of "disciple selling" (placing six people underneath the new manager and getting six times the sales) becomes proven, that is rarely the case. If it was so easy to clone a rainmaker, every company would do it. Quite frankly, the "disciple selling" dream is flawed. Again, you've been duped by the Sirens. The sole reason to place someone in the role of sales manager is that you feel that they have the potential to succeed in that capacity.

What does all of this tell you? You need a process and methodology to evaluate sales management candidates...just like you evaluate sales candidates. And, even though the rainmaker got on your radar screen because they blew out their quota, their sales management candidacy should be handled the same way you would if you were considering an external sales management candidate. Don't skip any steps in the evaluation process!

Profile the Role. This evaluation starts with the development of your profile of the ideal sales manager for your company. Think about what it takes to succeed in the role and document those elements as part of your profile. Once you've prepared your list, identify each element as either required or desired.

With your profile developed, the next step is to develop a screening process that allows you to compare and contrast the candidate with the profile. It is critical during this process that you ascertain why this successful seller aspires for management and ensure that you set clear and accurate expectations of a day in the life as a sales manager in your company. In addition to interviews, you may want to consider tools to help identify a synergistic match like personality and proficiency assessments.

If your rainmaker succeeds in the evaluation process, you've found your sales manager. If not, don’t lose the revenue! Keep this seller selling!

Positioning Your New Sales Manager to Succeed. With your new sales manager hired, there are four keys to making the venture successful.

1. Support. The first is dealing with the sales team. Yesterday, she was a peer. Today, she is the manager. The new manager needs your help in developing managerial respect. The reaction to the new manager will be mixed. Some will be fully supportive, but there will also be some on the team who are jealous and attempt to undermine her efforts. The key message for you to deliver to your new sales manager is that she has your unwavering support.

2. Mentoring. Your new manager needs a resource to guide them through the neophyte status…a mentor. Don't just look within the organization for a mentor candidate. Many sales management consultants mentor and develop new sales managers. The role of the mentor is to bridge the managerial knowledge, skills, and experience gap.

3. Training. Chances are that your new sales manager has never been taught how to hire a sales person, have a difficult conversation with an employee, or develop a sales compensation plan. These are all skills that can be taught. If you aren't will to provide the new sales manager with skills training, don't put them in the role. They will fail!

4. Expectation Setting. Your new sales manager should be provided with a scorecard that tells them how they are going to be measured. In most companies, sales managers are measured on revenue…but that is only one component of the scorecard. Based on the role and responsibilities of the sales manager, the scorecard could include metrics like profitability, cost of sales, turnover, sales cycle, forecast accuracy, etc.

Sales is one of the few professions where moving into management isn't always the best path for the sales person or the company. Make sure the person you put in this critical role is the right sales manager for your company.

After all, while this person may not be directly generating sales, they are the one responsible for the company achieving its revenue goals. Don't let the Sirens lure your business into trouble. Develop the systems to help you make the best decisions.
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Lee B. Salz is a sales management strategist who specializes in helping companies build scalable, high-performance sales organizations through hiring the right sales people, on-boarding them effectively and efficiently, and aligning their sales activity with business objectives using his sales architecture® methodology. He is the President of Sales Architects, the C.E.O. of Business Expert Webinars and author of “Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager.” Lee can be reached at lsalz@SalesArchitects.net or 763.416.4321.

-Do you have any other ideas that would be helpful as they relate to hiring or promoting a salesperson to the role of sales manager?

Sponsor Message: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... Zig shares tips and techniques from his vast wealth of sales experience. His insights will prove to you over and over why this is the definitive how to sales program.

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

Four Ways to Handle the “I’m too busy” Brush Off By Mike Brooks

2010-01-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

Let’s face it – we’re all busy. This is especially true if you are cold calling and are lucky enough to actually get a decision maker on the phone. Just like you, they’ll be in the middle of at least three things and be on their way to or from a meeting.

Because of this, one of the most frequent objections they use these days to brush you off the phone is the, “I’m too busy/don’t have the time objection.”

Now here’s the thing: while this may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t need or aren’t interested in what you have to offer. Like all initial resistance statements, what you must do with this objection is to quickly control the situation, assess whether or not your prospect is or can be interested, and then find a way to quickly qualify them.

Sound like a lot? It is if you’re not prepared with proven and effective scripts like these:

Here are four ways to handle the: “I’m too busy, don’t have the time”
brush off:

Response #1: “I know that feeling; my desk is full of things I need to do, too. I’d be happy to schedule a time to call you back, but I don’t want to bother you if you’re really not interested. Let me ask you a quick question and be honest with me: If I could show you a (system/product/service) that is proven to (reduce your overhead, generate more sales, etc.), would it be worth it for you and I to take for just 5 minutes to see how it could work for you?”

If NO: “No problem. Before I go, who else do you know that might be able to use a system like this?”

If Yes: “Terrific. Do you have 5 minutes right now?”

If No: “I’m looking at my schedule, what is a good time later today?”

Response #2: “___________ you probably get a lot of calls like I do, and my initial reaction is to say I’m too busy as well. But I can explain this to you in just 3 minutes and if you think it can help you we can schedule more time later - and if you don’t we can part friends, is that fair?”

Response #3: “I’m with you. Before I schedule time to get back with you, just a quick question: Is it a priority for you to (fix or improve what your product or service will do for them) this quarter?”

Response #4: “I’m glad you’re busy, that means that you don’t have the time to waste looking at things you have no intention of taking advantage of. Quick question: If I could show you a proven way to (get the benefits of your product or service), is that something that you would invest 5 minutes learning more about?”
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-Do you have any other suggestions for dealing with prospects who give you the "I'm too busy" response (note: it's worth considering that the best response, assuming the person is actually busy, and it's truly not a good time for them, may be that you simply honor their response and secure a time to follow back up at a more convenient time. Doing so might actually give you a leg up over the folks who are simply being pushy)? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Sponsor Message: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... You'll learn step by step over 100 specific closes and over 700 questions that lead the prospect to the decision table... Learn more about Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing The Sale.

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

Why Sales People Hate Cold Calling By Kelley Robertson

2009-12-31T05:21:00.000-08:00

Cold calling is a fact of life for most people in sales. Sure, the vast majority would prefer to rely on referrals, word-of-mouth, or some other lead source that reduces or eliminates their need to make cold calls. However, unless you deal with an established set of accounts, you will, at some time, be required to cold call in order to generate sufficient leads for your business.

Having said this, even the most seasoned sales professionals often resist this strategy unless they are poked, prodded and pushed by their manager. Excuses include:

“I don’t like the rejection.”

“I don’t want to come across like I’m desperate for business.”

“I don’t want to sound like a telemarketer.”

“I don’t like interrupting people at work.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

However, I believe that two other dynamics prevent people from embracing cold calling.

1. Cold calling is hard work.

We know that cold calling seldom generates quick results. It takes a lot of effort and energy to make call after call, navigate voice mail systems, and to gain the support of receptionists and executive assistants.

You need to make dozens of dials to connect with live people. It takes finesse to deal with receptionists, gatekeepers and executive assistants. It takes a certain amount of creativity to deal with the barriers that get in our way.

It takes multiple attempts and a bulldog sense of persistence to finally connect with decision makers. And, finally after all that work, we eventually manage to make contact with our prospect only to hear, “No, thanks.”

It’s no wonder sales people resist incorporating this strategy into their daily/weekly routine. Most people like to take the path of least resistance and cold calling certainly does not fall into that category.

2. The need and desire for instant gratification.

I once read that there are two types of people. People who are willing to wait for a reward and those who want the reward now even though the payoff may be higher if they wait. I suspect that people who have the ability to wait for a payoff also possess the ability to make more calls than individuals who need immediate gratification. Let’s face it.

Capturing a sale is highly motivating and many people have a difficult time making call after call with little to show for it. Making fifty or sixty dials and not capturing a sale or being unable to connect with a buyer or decision maker can be extremely frustrating. Spending an entire day on the telephone is even more challenging and difficult.

Experts on this subject say that you need to recognize that every ‘no’ brings you one call closer to making an appointment or landing a sale. Some people say that you need to “go for the no” and to use those ‘no’s’ as a stepping stone to hearing a ‘yes.” While these philosophies are technically true, it takes much more than that.

It takes big picture thinking. It requires the ability to postpone the pleasure of getting the reward and developing the discipline to work through the pain and challenge of making dozens of calls with little to show for it.

So, here’s the $64,000 question: how do you develop this ability?

I’ll warn you; it’s not easy. In order to develop the ability to get used to a delayed payoff you actually have to make these calls, as painful and challenging as it is. You need to condition yourself that you will eventually get a reward for your efforts. I know, you were hoping for a magic answer or quick result. Unfortunately, the quick-fix solution exists only in infomercials, novels and movies.

Let’s take a look at this from a slightly different perspective. When you learn a new hobby, sport, language, etc., it takes time to just to become comfortable. It takes longer to develop a level of consistent proficiency. And, it takes even more time to develop your skill to the point of excellence.

The same concept applies to cold calling. You can’t expect to make ten or fifteen calls and master the skill. In fact, that number of calls won’t even get you to the point of feeling comfortable. You need to block time in your schedule on a daily basis to make calls. The more calls you make, the easier it will get and the more proficient you will become.

As your skill improves, so will your ability to generate leads and secure appointments. You will become more adept at dealing with receptionists and executive assistants. And this will eventually translate into sales.

I guarantee that it will be a grind at first. However, if you can push through your initial resistance you can develop the ability to postpone your need for instant gratification. And as you do this, your results will improve.

© 2009 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
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Kelley Robertson, sales trainer & author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales with less effort. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Receive a free copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

-What are your thoughts on the ideas above. Can you share any helpful techniques related to cold calling, and getting the most mileage out of doing so?

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

PS. If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that will inspire your sales team to great heights click here!

3 Sales Lessons I Learned from a Raccoon By Kelley Robertson

2009-12-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

From the outside, selling seems like a fantastic career. Many sales people get to travel, attend trade shows, go to conferences, socialize, and earn a ton of money. However, those of us in the profession know that selling can be intimidating.

Cold calls. Objections. Frustration. Rejection. There are many occasions when we encounter resistance from buyers, or have to defend our price, or venture into new markets, or deal with cranky decision makers. It’s no surprise that many people who get into sales end up choosing another career. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to become successful in sales.

A neighborhood raccoon recently reminded me of several sales skills that will help you improve your sales career. Allow me to explain.

Our municipality does a lot of recycling and composting and we keep these products in bins on our back deck. I have come face-to-face with a mature raccoon on three separate occasions this past summer as it searched for food.

The first two occurred while I was sitting outside on the deck, writing and enjoying a Cuban cigar. In each of these situations, the raccoon ignored me while it approached the bins. The first time it clawed its way up the side of the deck, and the second time it simply ambled up the stairs. I shooed it away both times by shrieking (yes, I admit that I shrieked) but it took several yells before he was frightened enough to leave. However, it was the third encounter that blew me away.

While watching TV one evening I heard a noise on the back deck and went to investigate. I turned on the light and saw the raccoon sitting on my barbeque gnawing the meat off a several rib bones I had discarded. I banged on the sliding glass door window, yelled and shouted, but to no avail. The raccoon simply stared at me and it was obvious he had no plans to interrupt his dinner even though I was less than two feet away albeit protected by the glass door.

Here are the lessons I learned from this marsupial:

- Be Bold. This raccoon knows that he will eat well if he is willing to take a risk and be bold. Being bold means pushing your natural fear aside and trying new approaches. Being bold means taking calculated risks. Being bold means you move out of your comfort zone. Whether you have to summon up the courage to make a cold call or apply a new strategy, you can develop the ability to be bold. This is definitely not easy.

For many people cold calling is the most challenging aspect of selling and many people would rather suffer poor sales results rather than pick up the telephone and dial for dollars. However, if you summon up the courage to make just one call, it will become easier to make the second call, and even easier to dial that third number.

I figure that if a raccoon is willing to take a risk and be bold, so can you. It’s not easy but the reward often offsets the risk. Based on his weight, the raccoon has figured this out.

- Ignore your initial fear. The raccoon appeared startled when he heard me yell the first time we came face-to-face. However, he did not immediately flee as I expected him to. It wasn’t until I escalated the volume (and, perhaps the pitch, too) that his fear overcame his desire to rummage for food. But, the third time we encountered each other, he took a calculated risk and maintained his ground. I know enough about wild animals to know that you don’t try and take away their food once they begin eating.

- Be diligent. The lid for our compost is well-secured. However, this raccoon has figured out how to open it (I still can’t believe it!). I went as far as wrapping bungee cords around it and he still discovered a way to gain access. From a sales perspective, we must recognize that trying a new approach once will not result in the desired outcome. It takes plenty of practise to develop a high level of competency.

Unfortunately, most sales people don’t give themselves permission to fail. They attempt to use a new process and when they don’t get the result they want, they move onto something else while convincing themselves that the new process won’t work in their situation. Successful salespeople keep working with that new concept until they master it and become proficient.

Even the best of us can learn and improve our skill. Take a lesson (or three) from a raccoon and get better results.

© 2009 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
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Kelley Robertson, sales trainer & author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales with less effort. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Receive a free copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

Sponsor: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... Zig shares tips and techniques from his vast wealth of sales experience. His insights will prove to you over and over why this is the definitive how to sales program.

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

One Sentence to Establish Immediate Rapport By Mike Brooks

2009-12-21T17:41:00.000-08:00

If you have to make cold calls as part of your sales process - either to set appointments or to find potential clients to sell your products and services to - then you know how hard it is to overcome initial resistance and establish rapport. Let's face it, people don't like to be bothered by a sales rep they don't know.

Think about your own reaction when you get a call at home from a telemarketer you don't know. As soon as they begin their pitch, your eyes probably roll up and you begin thinking of ways to get off the phone.

Even if they are personable (which is rare) or have something you're actually interested in (which is rarer), most telesales calls feel like an intrusion and end up being ineffective.

One of the biggest reasons for this is that most sales reps making calls have no idea how to engage a prospect and make a connection in the opening ten seconds. Making that connection is the most important thing you can do to lower or eliminate initial resistance and give yourself a real chance to see if what you're offering is a fit for the person you're speaking with.

Here is the one sentence you can use that will give you the best chance to make that connection:

"Hi _______, this is ________ _________. We haven't spoken yet but I'm calling you because you (use your product or could benefit from it) and I have (your product offering or benefit) and wanted to run something by you. Let me ask you a quick question, if I could..."

The power in this technique is that by leveling with your prospect that you don't know them, you are immediately eliminating the natural resistance that is there when this goes unspoken. Prospects respect this honesty, and you'll feel a natural connection form as a result.

Don't underestimate the power of this technique, but rather, try it for a few days and see for yourself how effective it is. Obviously, you'll want to adapt it to fit your product or service, but taking the time to do this will pay big dividends.

Remember - making an immediate connection is the most important thing you can do, and this technique will help you do that.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-With the ability to build rapport being such an important sales skill -- what are some of the ways you go about it?

Sponsor: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... This powerful series of timeless sales messages will help you close more sales today as you build a career for tomorrow! You'll learn step by step over 100 specific closes and over 700 questions that lead the prospect to the decision table... Learn more about Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing The Sale.

PS. If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that will inspire your sales team to great heights, click here for details on hiring Josh Hinds.

6 Ways To Increase Your Referrals and Make More Sales By Colleen Francis

2009-11-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

"Colleen - how can I get more referrals?"

This is the most common question I get when conducting prospecting workshops. My most common answer is: "What have you done to deserve more referrals?"

Referrals are the most powerful tool in any sales person’s arsenal. A referred prospect is much more likely to be ready to listen to you, trust what you say and – ultimately – to buy from you. Referrals make your job easier, and help you sell more with less effort and in less time. What else could any sales person ask for?

If you want to increase your referral rate, however, you have to start not by looking to your existing customers, but by asking yourself a number of questions about how you conduct business on a daily basis. The most important question is: "how likeable are you?"

People buy you first, not your company or products. So to get more referrals, you have to make like Sally Field, and make sure your customers really, really like and trust you.

What are you doing every day to be more likeable? Like everything else in sales, there is no magic "likeability" bullet that works every time, with every customer. However, the following are six of the best ways I’ve found to help you increase your referrals, by putting the other person first – and simply having fun!

1. Start a monthly advocate program - Once a year, do a customer genealogy to see who or what was responsible for all the additions to your customer base. Odds are, you’ll find between 5-20 primary referral sources, ranging from current clients to friends, partners and suppliers.

Make an "advocate list" of these active referral sources, and develop a concrete plan to keep in touch with them on a regular basis. Every 4-6 weeks, for example, send them something of value –not a brochure or promotional piece, but something they will actually value and use, like an article or book you think they will enjoy, a phone call, an invitation to lunch or breakfast, or even a referral for their business from you.

I can’t stress this enough, though – whatever you send has to be of value to them, not simply an advertisement for you. After all, the goal is for you to help them improve their business, not your own. Think about it this way – what could you give them that will help grow their revenue? In helping to grow their business, trust me, it won’t take long before they return the favor and help grow yours. For examples of what to send to your best referral sources, please feel free to download a complimentary copy of our Advocate Worksheet.

2. Develop a culture of referrals - Another approach that can help you develop a steady stream of referrals is to ask questions that benefit your customer first. One Engage customer doubled her referrals simply by asking the following client-focused question at the end of every client meeting:
"Now… how can I help you?"

By putting the needs of her customers first, she demonstrates that she truly cares about them. When people sense that you care, they tend to want to return the favor. In fact, you may find that many of your customers are genuinely surprised by a question like this, because no one has ever asked them that before. And that’s why your follow-up question is equally indispensable:

"You’ve helped my business grow by becoming part of our family network. I’d like to help your business grow, too. So let me ask you – what type of people do you want to meet to help increase your revenue?"

3. Write some letters - If you don’t feel comfortable asking for referrals face-to-face, try the approach that’s worked for sales people, direct marketers – and hopeless romantics – for centuries: write a letter!

Regardless of the business you’re in, an effective letter writing campaign can bring in a steady stream of new leads that will have an immediate and dramatic impact on your bottom line. When drafting your letter, the key is to make sure it says four things:

* Thank them for their business.
* Remind them how you met – especially if it was through a referral.
* Ask them to send you some names.
* Tell them that you will reward them with lunch or a gift basket if their referral turns into business.

Sound simple? That’s because it is! And the real beauty is – it works! Since implementing this system at Engage last month, we’ve seen a steady stream of new referrals arriving from our customers and advocates, on an almost daily basis.

4. Send thank-you notes and gifts - Send a thank-you note for every referral, and a gift for every referral that turns into business.

Thank-you notes should be handwritten, on a note card or postcard that isn’t branded with your company advertising. Keep a supply of traditional, fun, theme and plain note cards handy for all occasions throughout the year. For a real treat, spoil yourself with a great fountain pen to make writing the notes something you really look forward to.

For gifts, don’t send the same old thing to everyone. Instead, take a minute to think about what your customer would really like. If they’re dedicated oenophiles, send wine. If they’re into sports, try tickets to a game. For gourmets or candy-o-holics (like myself), food baskets work wonders, and are available in almost any size, style and budget at the click of a mouse – some of my personal favorites are www.harryanddavid.com, www.elenis.com, www.candybouquet.com and www.baskits.com

Got some favorite sites of your own? I’m always on the lookout for new ideas (not to mention new sources of gourmet delectables!). So if you send us a list of your favorite Web sites for client gifts, we’ll return the favor by sending you a gift, too – a free copy of our Prospecting for Profit eBook. There – see how easy that was?

One last thing – I implore you NEVER to send electronic greeting cards, no matter the occasion. E-cards look like you were too lazy or didn’t care enough to do the real leg work needed to honor your customer – and let’s face it, that’s not too far off the mark, is it?

Go the extra mile, and write a personalized note. That little extra effort is what will get you noticed – and get you more referrals.

5. Bring like-minded people together - Create a top-of-the-class networking club. Make a list of those people in your city who you know to be well-connected, great networkers, then invite them all to come together with one catch – they have to bring someone that they think the rest of the group should meet. It’s likely this person will be a great networker, too.

When great networkers get together in the same room, the energy is unmistakable, and they share leads like there’s no tomorrow. Plus, because everyone in the room will be of the same caliber, there’ll be an even higher propensity to share, because everyone will feel like the giving and receiving is balanced.

6. Have fun with holidays and celebrations - Most sales people send Christmas cards. If you want to stand out and be remembered by your customers, why not try something a little different? In addition to sending cards out each December 25th, mix a few of the following ideas into your annual calendar:

* Valentine’s Day candy baskets.
* Birthday cakes on their birthday.
* Champagne on their company’s anniversary.
* Thank-you cards or gifts on their anniversary of doing business with you.
* Gifts for their children’s birthdays.
* Plants on the first day of spring, or at Easter.
* Candy at Halloween.
* Gifts for your clients’ admin assistants on Secretaries’ Day.
* Patriotic presents on national holidays (e.g. July 1st or 4th).
* Thanksgiving cards or food baskets.
* If your client has a volunteer day where they help out a local project in the community, see if you can participate with them.
* Send congratulations to your clients when you know they’ve completed something significant in their personal or professional lives – like they just ran their first 10K, earned a black belt in Karate or qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Yes, some of these ideas require you to know detailed information about your customers. But isn’t that what sales is all about?

At its most basic level, selling is relationship building. And to build a successful relationship, you have to know a few things about the other person who’s in the relationship with you. Think about it this way: if you don’t know this information about your customers, who does?

There are countless ways you can let your customers know you care and are thinking about them. Each has its pros and cons. Some work consistently but cost too much. Others are cheap and easy to implement, but don't produce as many leads as you might want.

Try them all, and try them often, and I guarantee, you’ll start to see results – and more referrals – in no time.
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Colleen Francis is the Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions, which delivers sales solutions that realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise the client's bottom line. She can be reached at EngageSelling.com.

-What are some things you do to encourage referrals? How do you ask for referrals?

Sales Training Resource:
The Psychology of Selling By Brian Tracy - The insights, techniques, and professional secrets you'll find in this sales program can put you in the top 10% of all salespeople. Brian reveals all you need to do to become a highly paid salesperson.

The Law of Advance Planning By Brian Tracy

2009-11-12T22:09:00.000-08:00

The best salespeople prepare thoroughly before every call. This principle is so simple that it is often overlooked. The hallmark of the true professional is thorough preparation, reviewing every detail, before every sales meeting. The very best salespeople are those who review their presentations and study the details of their products and their sales materials repeatedly prior to every new sales contact.

The Customer's Situation...
The salesperson with the best knowledge of the customer's real situation will be the one most likely to make the sale. The more time you take to thoroughly understand your prospective customer and your prospective customer's situation, the more likely you will be in a position to sell at the critical moment.

Sales Professionals Plan their questions in Advance...
There is a direct relationship between the quality of the problem focused questions that you ask a customer and the likelihood of a sale taking place. The only way of assuring that your questions are clear and penetrating is by writing them out, word for word, in advance. Some of the most successful salespeople who have ever lived have been "question experts."

Notes...
The power is on the side of the salesperson with the best notes. Plan your sales-call objectives thoroughly in advance of meeting the client. Write down and itemize exactly what you hope to accomplish in this visit. After the call, quickly write down everything that was said. Don't trust it to memory. Remember the Chinese saying, "The palest ink lasts longer than the finest memory."

Prior to every sales call, and no matter how many times you have visited this same customer, take a few minutes to review the customer's file, the customer's situation, and your own notes on what has taken place in the past. You'll be amazed at how impressive you sound when you go into a sales interview having just reviewed the customer's file a few minutes before. And customers always know if you have done your homework.

Prior to Closing a Sale...
The top salespeople in every field prepare exhaustively prior to selling, prior to their presentations, and prior to closing. They think everything through in advance. And they leave nothing to chance. Remember, it's the details that make the difference. The salesperson who has taken the greatest amount of time to acquaint himself or herself with the most specific needs of the customer is the one who builds the highest level of trust and the best sales relationship. Thorough preparation is the essential precondition for successful selling.
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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 the Brian Tracy web site.

-What are some of the ways you prepare before meeting with a prospect or client? Assuming you make asking questions a part of your sales presentation, what are some of the questions you would ask in a typical sales call?

PS: If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that will inspire your sales team to great heights click here!

Putting an End to the End-of-Quarter Blues By Colleen Francis

2009-11-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

Seeing as this is the end of another calendar quarter, I suspect many of you may be feeling what I like to call the "end-of-quarter blues."

On the one side, you've got pressure from your manager to close deals now! On the other, you're getting the brush off from clients who want to call you back next month or next quarter instead.

Stuck right in the middle? Yup, you guessed it - its lucky old you!

The end of a period is a time when your prospects have other fires burning bright. Often, they use those other priorities as an excuse to put buying decisions on hold - especially if you're selling to publicly traded companies.

"I need some more time," "let me think about it" and "call me back next (month, quarter or year)" are three of the most frustrating phrases you'll ever hear in sales. The worst part is, these aren't even valid objections you can deal with. They're stalls. And stalling is twice as frustrating because it almost always masks a real objection. When you get a stall, you have to figure out how to dance around it, find the real objection, handle it - and then get the deal back on track.

So what can you do to stop your prospects from stalling - and put an end to the end-of-quarter blues? An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure

The best solution if you suspect a stall may be coming is to do something about it before it happens.

Preventing stalls and objections is the single most powerful - and least used - sales technique I know. If you have a client who regularly seems to get cold feet around this time every three months, try some of the following patented stall prevention cures:

* Bring up the stall first and have an answer ready. Say: "Mr. Customer, you may be thinking that it's best to wait until after the year-end to buy. I'm concerned that if you do that, we won't be able to guarantee you these prices."

* Keep your pipeline full. If you have a pipeline with at least 3-4 times as many prospects as you need in order to meet your goals, you (and your manager!) will feel far less pressure. When you feel less pressure, you'll close more deals. Ironic? Yes. True? You bet.

* Start calling customers early on in the period to create a greater sense of urgency.

* Set price increases in September to take effect January 1st. This four-month window of opportunity will encourage your customers to buy now.

* Create a unique holiday special. Hold a sale at the beginning of December or on Labour Day to boost sales in Q3.

* Have a "closing blitz day" at the office or, better yet, arrange a longer contest to see who can close the most deals.

* Hold a series of seminars on issues that are important to your prospects and customers. Start it first thing in the morning at a desirable location, schedule the best session just before the end of the period - and make sure to serve great food!

* Build relationships all year long by staying in touch with your customers on at least a monthly basis. Send them a "thank you" or "thinking of you" card, take them out for coffee, or just give them a call. Try to stay away from email, as it's not the most effective relationship-building tool.

7 surefire ways to get the deal done:

If you've done everything you can think of to be proactive and are still getting stalled, try these 7 great ideas to help overcome any unwarranted delays:

1. Make the customer be specific. "Thanks for letting me know that next month is better for you. What date would you want to place the order?" Or: "I would be happy to call you back next month. Would Tuesday, July 11th at 10:00 a.m. work for you?"

2. Control the call back. Don't take "don't worry - I'll call you!" as an answer. You need to stay in control of the follow-up. I suggest you say: "Thanks for wanting to stay on top of this, Bob. How about, if I don't hear from you by the 15th, I'll call you on the 16th at 10:00 a.m.?"

3. Offer alternatives. Once when I was selling software, we offered to split an invoice in two, charging the customer for the software in March and the maintenance in April. Because the payments were split, the order fit better into her quarterly budgets, and the customer was able to make the deal right away. Can you think of a creative way to help your customers say yes right now?

4. Question them into a corner - and close them when they get there. Tell your clients: "I would be happy to call you back next month. Do you mind if I ask, what will have to be different in May to make you want to buy from me then?" Or take the opposite approach, and ask: "Will anything change over the next few weeks that will cause you not to buy?"

Once the prospect assures you that they do want to do business with you, you can respond with: "Great! Let's get your order into production now so your project won't be delayed, and we'll deliver it after July 1st." One Engage client offers to ship his product in advance and the invoice later, so that his customers can benefit from having the product on site while paying for it later. Of course, he only does this with clients who have excellent credit. But it works great - and he never has to discount his prices!

5. "Use the "F" word. Agree with your clients, and then disagree, by offering an alternative: "I know how you feel. Other clients of mine have told me that they felt the same way. What they have found is that they can save up to 20% if they buy now. Are you sure you don't want to save this money now?"

6. Get a testimonial letter. Testimonials are the most powerful tool in your arsenal. They're also a sales person's best friend (next to my dog Conrad of course!). Ask someone who bought before the quarter end, or any client who accelerated their purchase and was glad they did so, to write you a two-paragraph letter. The first paragraph should state how they originally wanted to wait, and the value they received by not putting it off - for example, did they save money? Time? The second paragraph should detail how happy they are with your after-sales service.

7. Get scarce! Remind your customers (if it's true!) that the price will be going up after a specified date or that there might be a product or delivery back-up after the 1st of the month, and advise them to schedule delivery now. If your business tends to be seasonal, encourage clients to buy during off-peak periods in order to get priority shipping and production.

The success with which you handle stalls is directly related to the quality of the relationship you've built with your prospect or customer. A good relationship gives you more freedom to press for immediate action. A weak relationship may mean you end up having to wait until the next quarter to make the sale - or longer.

One last thing - under the considerable pressure the end of a quarter can bring, many sales people give in to the temptation to hold a "slash and burn" sale to get their prospects to buy. I urge you to avoid this at all costs.

In the long term, slash and burn sales are rarely effective, because all they do is set a precedent that your prices will drop whenever you're desperate. Once word gets around, who will ever buy from you at full price again?
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Colleen Francis is the Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions, which delivers sales solutions that realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise the client's bottom line. She can be reached at EngageSelling.com.

-How do you deal with clients who stall during the sales process? What are some ways you have found effective in moving the sales process along?

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The Secret of a Sales Manager By Brian Tracy

2009-10-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is a very successful sales manager. After he had carefully interviewed and then selected a new salesman, he would take the salesman to a Cadillac dealership and insist that he trade in his old car for a new Cadillac.

The salesman would usually balk at the idea. He would be frightened of the cost of the car and huge monthly payments involved. But the sales manager would insist that he buy the Cadillac as a condition of employment.

At first, the salesman would feel guilt for buying the car, but within a few days, he would begin to see himself as the kind of person who drove a new Cadillac. He would see himself as a big money earner in his field, one of the top performers in his industry. And time after time, almost without fail, the salespeople in this organization became sales superstars.

Create the Mental Equivalent
Emmet Fox, the spiritual teacher, once said, "Your main job in life is to create the mental equivalent within yourself of what you want to realize and enjoy in your outer world." Your focus must be on creating the beliefs within yourself that are consistent with the great success you want to be in your outer world. You achieve this by challenging your self-limiting beliefs, rejecting them, and then acting as if they did not exist.

Behave Consistent with Your New Self-Image
You develop new beliefs by taking actions consistent with those beliefs. You act as if you already believe that you have these capabilities and competences. You behave like a positive, optimistic, and cheerful person toward everyone. You act as if your success is already guaranteed. You act as if you have a secret guarantee of success and only you know about it. You realize that you are developing, shaping, and controlling the evolution of your own character and personality by everything that you do and say every single day.

Make a Decision
Make a decision this very day to challenge and reject any self-limiting beliefs that you might have that could be holding you back. Look into yourself and question the areas of your life where you have doubts about your abilities or talents. You might ask your friends and family members if they see any negative beliefs that you might have. Often, they will be aware of self-limiting beliefs you have that you are not aware of yourself. In every case, once you have identified these negative beliefs, ask yourself, "What if the opposite were true?"

Keep Your Words and Actions Consistent
Your beliefs are always manifested in your words and actions. Make sure that everything you say and do from now on is consistent with the beliefs that you want to have and the person that you want to become. In time, you will replace more and more of your self-limiting beliefs with self-enhancing beliefs.

Action Exercise:

Imagine that you have the "golden touch" with money. If you were an extremely competent money manager, how would you handle your finances?
______________
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 the Brian Tracy web site.

-What are your thoughts on the ideas above? How about sharing the answers you came up with that were asked in the "action exercise"?

Sponsor Message: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... Zig shares tips and techniques from his vast wealth of sales experience. You'll learn step by step over 100 specific closes and over 700 questions that lead the prospect to the decision table... Learn more about Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing The Sale.

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How To Sell A Pencil -- And Your Product Or Service By Mike Brooks

2009-10-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

If I gave you a pencil and asked you to sell it, how would you go about it?

This is one of the most basic of interview questions for sales reps, and the answer reveals so much about your previous training, your understanding of the sales process, and ultimately about what kind of sales rep you are.

So, what is the most effective way to sell a pencil? Well, first let’s look at how most sales reps go about doing it. When I’m interviewing sales reps I love using this technique. After letting a rep tell me how good of a closer they are, I pull out a pencil, hand it to them, and tell them to sell it to me. And off they go!

80% of sales reps start the same way – they start pitching. “This pencil is brand new, never used. It has grade “2” lead and a bright yellow color so it’s easy to find. It comes with a built in eraser,” etc.

Some reps can (and do!) talk about it for 5 minutes or more before they ask a question or ask for an order. As the sales rep rambles on, I begin to yawn, roll my eyes, etc. Amazingly, this just makes them talk even more! “What’s wrong with this people?” I think.

Now let’s look at how the top 20% go about selling a pencil. As soon as I give a top rep the pencil, they pause, and then they begin asking me questions:

“So how often do you use a pencil?”
“How many do you go through in a month?”
“What other locations does your company use pencils, and how often do they order them?”
“What quantity do you usually order them in?”
“Besides yourself, who’s involved in the buying decision?”

Quite a difference, huh? I’ll tell you right now, I listen to hundreds of sales reps in a month and they can easily be separated into these two groups: Those who pitch, pitch, pitch, and those who take the time to understand their prospect’s buying motives, and properly qualify to understand the entire selling process.

Now let’s see which category you fit in. When you speak with a prospect for the first time, how much of your script is focused on describing and pitching your product or service as opposed to questioning and uncovering buying motives?

If yours is like most scripts I review, then it’s filled with descriptions of what you do and how your product or service helps them. Most scripts attack the prospect with a barrage of “value statements” that turn people off and make them want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible.

Want a better way? Then take a tip from some of the best “pencil sales reps” and change your script and opening to focus more on questioning and discovering whether you’re dealing with a qualified buyer and what it might take to actually sell them.

Without knowing this, you’ll just end up with a lot of frustration and a lot of unsold pencils at the end of the month.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-What do you think of the ideas shared? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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How To Successfully Handle Objections By Mike Brooks

2009-10-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you're like most sales reps, you hate to get objections. Your stomach aches, your palms start to sweat, and you can literally see your commissions fly out the window.

And, if you're like most sales reps, when you begin dealing with objections one of two things happen:

1) After you answer them, your prospect gives you another, then another objection and you go on the defensive...or

2) In answering the objection you tend to talk past the close, and you actually introduce more questions or objections! Now that's a sick feeling, isn't it?

Want an easier way to deal with the objections you get over and over again? Here's how to do it:

First, learn to listen. Don’t be so quick to interrupt your prospect because often times the way to overcome their objection is actually in the objection itself... Second, if you don’t know how to respond to their objection, or don’t even understand what the objection is (which is the case for 80% of sales reps), ask for clarification. An effective technique is:

“Hum... I’m not sure I follow you, what exactly do you mean?”

This is a great technique because in restating their objection, many times prospects will either give you the answers you need, or sometimes they’ll even explain away their objection.

Third, after your prospect has clarified their objection and you fully understand what it is, you should always isolate it before answering it! Again, you must be patient and give your prospect every opportunity to help you deal with their objection.

Let’s use “The Price is too high” objection since it’s the most common. Most sales reps have been taught to build value to justify their price, or drop close to a lesser amount, or try to negotiate in some other way. While these techniques are valuable tools, they should only be used after you isolate the objection. Here’s what you say:

“I understand __________, and let’s put the price aside for a moment and make sure this (product or service) is something that will work for you. Let me ask you, if price weren’t an issue here, in other words, if this fit in with what you were willing to pay, would you go ahead and put me and my company to work for you?”

This one technique is the most powerful closing tool you’ll ever use in dealing with objections. Sadly, it’s used less than 10% of the time, and that’s the reason I keep getting emails asking me what the best way of dealing with objections is.

My suggestion to you today is to incorporate these two techniques and to see for yourself how much easier objection handling becomes for you.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

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-What are some techniques you use for handling objections which come up during the sale?

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How To Stay Firm On Price By Mike Brooks

2009-10-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

In today's economy, everyone wants a lower price. I'm getting emails and calls every week from sales reps around the country who want to know what they can do to deal with prospects and clients alike who are looking for discounts and even threatening to take their business elsewhere.

"I can't go any lower," they tell me, "And certain clients just keep low balling me and working me for more discounts. What should I do?"

If you are dealing with this sort of thing as well, then I've got some specific advice that will not only work for you, but will make you more confident and successful as well. To start with, you have to admit the truth:

You can only go so low with your price, and some people will buy, and some won't. Period. Continuing to lower your price not only cuts into your
commissions (and company margins), it also doesn't always work as you know. And the worst part is that after you've jumped through all the hoops and your client still doesn't buy, you feel used and abused.

And that feeling is even worse than not getting the deal because it kills your confidence and makes you a weaker closer. After a few days or weeks of taking that weak attitude onto each additional call, your prospects begin to hear that defeat in your voice and you just keep getting beaten up over and over again.

Want a better way? Adopt the attitude of the Top 20% and do what they do. To start with, the Top 20% know that the two greatest feelings in sales are #1) Getting a deal, and #2) Keeping control of the situation by using a take away and leaving the call with strength.

The Top 20% know that not all prospects and clients are going to buy, and they know that staying strong and using a take away is the only way they can leave the call successfully. Here is what they say after they have made their best offer and the prospect/client is still trying to get them
to go lower:

"_________ I totally respect that you're trying to do what's best for your company right now, but the offer I've just made is the best I can do and
still give you the (level of service, quality, value, etc.) that you'd expect and be happy with. If you can get this somewhere else and it fits within what you're willing to pay, then I'll just have to understand and hope that I can work with you next time. I'm here for you now, but the decision is up to you - what would you like to do?"

Many times calling their bluff like this will get the prospects/clients that are deals to stop hammering you for price and sign up. And those who
walk? They would have walked anyway, and now when they do you'll have remained strong. Just like the Top 20% do.

Try this take away close this week, and watch your deals go up and your confidence rise as well. On Friday you'll go home with more money, and you'll feel better about yourself. And that's what being a Top Producer is all about!
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you're looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-How do you go about addressing the issue of price when it comes up during the sales process?

Attention: If you're looking for a motivational speaker for your next company meeting or sales rally that will inspire your sales team to great heights click here!

Why Customer Service Destroys Salespeople By Mark Hunter

2009-09-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

One position that has not been impacted by the economy is sales. Ask any CEO and you will hear that one of their biggest issues is finding and retaining good salespeople.

Something happened on the way to a sour economy: Too many companies learned the hard way that their salespeople didn't know how to sell. Instead, their salespeople were good at taking orders and providing customer service.

There is nothing wrong with this approach, as long as the marketplace is always going to serve up new customers and keep current customers in business. Does that kind of marketplace always exist? Unfortunately, no.

As a sales consultant who works with a wide number of companies, I am not surprised with the current state of sales. In the past 20 years, books and soothsayers have inundated us with advice saying that the best way to grow your company is through great customer service. (Think of companies like Disney, Marriott and Honda, just to name a few).

These are certainly great companies, and I'm personally an avid customer of each one. However, if great customer service is all that is needed to win, then why is each of these companies struggling in today's economy?

I don't offer up this example to generate an in-depth discussion on economics and market share. Rather, I put it out there to say that customer service alone is not going to help a company achieve its growth targets. It is essential for salespeople to be focused on selling as their first priority and providing customer service as their second priority.

Selling is about digging in and working with customers to help them see needs they didn't realize they had. It's about helping customers see how the solution for which they are looking can be found in what you are offering.

Selling is not about sitting back and taking orders based on what the customer wants. If that's selling, then there really is no need for a salesperson. The entire process could be done on the internet or over the phone. I know that observation just hit a sore spot to many of you reading this. Possibly, you've watched your industry be decimated by the power of the web. Nowadays, many customers can get what they want, when they want it and how they want it, all through their computer.

If your job was lost because of the internet, then let me share something that you may not like to hear, but is simply true: you weren't selling; you were merely taking orders. I am not putting myself on a pedestal, because one of my first sales jobs I thought I was a salesperson (at least, that's what my business card said). In reality, I was doing nothing more than going around to grocery stores and taking orders from store managers. I wasn't selling. I was conveying information and providing customer service.

Today's economy is crying out for salespeople. Are you someone who is willing to be assertive in making phone calls, meeting with customers, and spending time doing what I refer to as the "deep-dive" with high-potential prospects to secure the really big business. If a salesperson is not willing to go face-to -face with a customer, then they have absolutely no right to be in sales.

The only thing they are doing is hurting themselves and their employer. The fastest test I know to measure a person's aptitude towards selling is to ask them to explain in detail how they develop leads and handle cold calls.

When a company looks to outsource the lead generation process, or spend so heavily in advertising to try to create enough leads for everyone, then they are setting themselves up to fail. Over time they will wind up with a sales team focused on capturing the easy sales. They do this by making everything a customer service moment. This is akin to a pro-athlete thinking because they are a professional, they no longer need to stick to a physical workout program.

When a pro-athlete stops their conditioning program, they may not experience a falloff in performance immediately. Over time, however, the decline will be evident. The same is true for salespeople who are not routinely in the game of prospecting and developing new customers. They will lose their edge. The decline will be so slow that they won't realize it is happening, let alone why it is happening.

Each client with whom I have the privilege to work hears this message: The responsibility of finding and retaining new customers is the responsibility of every employee. Salespeople by the very nature of their position must take the lead and be assigned weekly, monthly and quarterly goals of prospecting calls they must make.

Management owes them the tools that encompass an effective sales process. This process must include employees outside of sales whose primary responsibility it is to provide customer service. After all, salespeople should focus first on selling. They need the time to achieve this realistic expectation.
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Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit TheSalesHunter.com.

Sponsor Message: Secrets of Closing The Sale By Zig Ziglar ... Zig shares tips and techniques from his vast wealth of sales experience. Learn more about Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing The Sale.

-What lessons did you takeaway from reading the ideas shared in the above article?

Send a Price Quote To Me! By Dan Adams

2009-09-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

The phone rings. It's a new customer you have never met saying, "I need a quote tomorrow morning on your highest-quality product. Can you get that to me?" How do you respond?
Let's consider two options a rep can take:

Option A, "The Special Assignment Option"
Rep "A" will rush back to her office, yell for her specialist and burn the midnight oil churning out a fifty-five page response. She may toss in a brochure, include a national discount, mail it to the customer and cross her fingers.

Isn't this what a typical/average rep does? In the workshops I conduct I call this the "Special Assignment" option which is a euphemism for a rep in a precarious employment position.

My advice to Rep "A" is, "Don't be a quote machine." Special Assignment reps seem to adhere to the motto: "When in doubt, quote!" Most companies do a great job teaching reps their administrative duties, namely, how to produce bids.

They generally don't do a very good job teaching high-quality consultative and strategic selling skills. Speaking from experience, after my initial sales training I could churn out bids better than anybody. The quotes were usually numbered with a letter suffix.

I would start out with "A", and the quote would get altered so many times that if I was lucky enough to get the sale, the final quote would end in "Z". It was of no value to quote this way.

Ultimately you will probably have to generate quotes, but it should be at the end of your sales process. In fact, you should adopt the mindset that you will "never" quote.

Instead, as a courtesy to the customer who is trying to put together a budget, you can provide budgetary letters and use the opportunity to act as a consultant to your customer.

Of course, you will have to provide a detailed quote eventually, so the "never" isn't etched in stone. Nonetheless, you want to put it off as long as possible.

A superstar knows it is never in her best interest to provide formal pricing early in the game. Rather, her goal in pricing is to delay for as long as possible.

Rep "B" understands that providing a formal price one week into a seven-month buying process is futile. After all, at that point it is unlikely that she knows exactly what the customer needs or whether in fact her solution is the right one.

Let's assume that you do understand your customer's needs and believe that your solution is right for your customer.

Even so, if you provide detailed formal pricing now, in months 5, 6, and 7 you will have to provide pricing again in response to additional customer requests. At that point you will be competing against yourself and your prior pricing bids.

Option B: The Superstar Approach
When faced with the "give me a quote" customer demand, Rep "B" asks herself: "Why do my customers need this quote and where are they in their buying process timeline?"

Then she says to her customer: "Sure! Happy to assist. Can you share with me why you need a price quote now, and where are you in your overall process of evaluating potential solutions?"

The two most logical responses from the customer would be:

1. "I need a formal quote for the budget",
or:
2. "We want to look at pricing and your competitor has given us a formal bid."

Let's take a look at how you would address each response:

1. Budget Response:
You are on the left side of the Trust Triangle. Your goal is to gain trust, NOT to dump a formal pricing contract on them. You should use a delay strategy to position yourself as a true consultant by creating and driving a formal pricing process.

How do you delay providing formal final pricing?

Position a "formal budgetary price letter quote" (at list price with all options) in lieu of a formal quote. Provide the customer with reasons why providing formal pricing now is not in her best interests.

* A quote is a formal contract with legal implications and is only valid for 60 days. "Ms. Customer, there are legal repercussions. A quote is a formal legal document valid for only 60 days. Our respective lawyers would have to review it. Are you at that stage?"

* Providing a formal budgetary price letter quote prevents the budget shortfall headache. This is the headache you will cause your customer to endure if you provide formal discounted pricing now only to find out that it's not enough to cover their desired solution in the future.

Perhaps the future will bring budget cuts, potential price increases, new product updates or unanticipated options.

"Ms. Customer, you have not finalized your exact solution and required options. If you take a formal bid to your CFO now, you'll be stuck with that number.

Given potential price changes, new product announcements and budget cuts, you may be unable to obtain your preferred solution with the options you desire."

While deferring a formal quote at this point, the superstar begins positioning her ability to assist the customer with a formal pricing process which she will need to solicit price quotes from all vendors.

2. Time To Get Formal Pricing:
If you customer states that it is time to get formal pricing you can respond by stating: "I'm happy to provide the pricing you are requesting.

In order to provide a solution that will meet your needs both today and in the future, I must first understand your project timetable, your business (if you don't already know it), your short and long-term challenges, opportunities, goals and objectives.

Without that information, I cannot prescribe a mutually beneficial solution that will meet your needs today and into the future."

The superstar knows that providing formal pricing without this key background data would be like making an appointment with a doctor and greeting her by stating, "I want surgery. When can it be scheduled?"

Serve As A True Consultant: Drive A Formal Pricing Process:
Significantly, the superstar will use this customer request as an "STP", or a Superstar Turning Point - a chance to distinguish yourself as a true consultant. A superstar is always looking to help her customer avoid headaches.

For example: bids are not apples to apples, bids arrive from different vendors weeks apart, bids arrive months before a decision is made, bids do not include key options, the solution does not meet future needs, etc.

You must help your customer avoid difficulties by helping her establish a fair and formal bidding process. This way you begin to enhance credibility and position yourself as a consultant and trusted advisor.

You may say, "Ms. Customer, sounds like you need pricing from all the vendors you are currently considering. Let me say, respectfully, that I think you will bring on a major migraine if you request quotes from vendors without an established bidding process. I can help you avoid that headache."

One key service you can offer your customer is to insure the proper timing of her pricing process. That is, she should understand that most bids are only good for 30-60 days, and the pricing process belongs at the very tail-end of the buying process, not at the beginning or middle. You need to step up and assist her with this key information.

You may also offer to provide templates for a Request for Proposal cover letter and a detailed Generic Bid Specification so the customer will have an apples-to-apples comparison of the various options.

If she balks, mention occasions where other customers tried to simply ask for bids and were burned by the chaos. In those instances the vendors played games, the customers did not get what they wanted and nobody won.

For example, "You know, the CFO down the street just did what you are planning to do. After she received the three quotes, she spent hours on the weekend trying to compare the bids.

It was a huge headache for her." Then offer a chaos-free example or two of how things worked out beautifully using your RFP and cover letter templates.

I hope this helps when you receive those calls from customers who want a bid immediately.

Good luck, and Close 'Em.

Dan Adams
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Dan Adams is a popular professional speaker, author, and consultant who draws upon more than 25 years of experience in the field of sales and marketing. Having honed his sales skills selling multimillion dollar solutions for Fortune 500 and high technology companies over the past 25 years, he founded a sales consulting company called Adams & Associates. Visit him at TrustTriangleSelling.com

-Have you had any experience along these lines that you'd like to share with your fellow sales professionals? Leave a comment below.

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Time Management Techniques for Salespeople By Brian Tracy

2009-09-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

In 1928, the magazine Sales and Marketing Management surveyed American Businesses to determine how efficiently salespeople were using their time.

They discovered that the average salesperson in America was only working 20 percent of the time, approximately one and one-half hours per day. This finding caused bells to go off throughout the sales industry. The idea that salespeople were only working ninety minutes per day became the emphasis for improved training, better time management skills, better supervision, and better control of the activities of salespeople.

Double Your Sales

In my sales programs, I teach what I call my minutes theory. It is based on a simple equation. If you are in sales today, 100 percent of your sales and your income are generated by the number of minutes hat you spend face-to-face with prospects and customers. If you want to increase the number of sales or the amount of money you make, you must increase the number of minutes that you spend in actual selling activity, face-to-face with people who can, and will, buy from you.

My theory says that if you double the number of minutes that if you spend with customers, you will double your income, even if you do not improve in any other area of sales. If you manage your time as the top salespeople do, so that you are spending more time with customers, your sales will increase immediately.

The Job of the Salesperson

Let us begin with the job description of the salesperson. The job description of the salesperson is to create and keep customers. The measure of effectiveness of a salesperson is how many new customers she creates, or resales she generates, in any given time period. Everything else that salesperson does is secondary to creating and keeping customers. Therefore, the only time a sales person is working is when he is face-to-face, head-to-head, and knee-to-knee with a prospect or customer.

Begin with Clear Income and Sales Goals

Achieving Peak Performance and excellent time management in sales begins with your setting clear income and sales goals for yourself. The act of sitting down and deciding, in writing, how much you want to earn, and how you are going to go about earning it, makes it far more likely that you will achieve those goals than if you didn't set them at all. The goal-setting exercise I am about to share with you has led to the doubling and tripling of the incomes of many salespeople. It is powerful because it is simple and easy. You can learn it and apply it immediately.

Determine What You Will Have to Do

Once you have broken your income and sales goals down into monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly amounts, you then define these goals in terms of the activities necessary to achieve them. The critical element in this calculation is the factor of control. You cannot control your income or your sales on a day-to-day basis.

They depend on too many other factors. But you can control your activities. You can determine and control what you do from morning to night, and as a result, you can indirectly control your income. If you engage in the activities necessary to make sales you want to make, you will inevitably achieve your sales goals.

Get Better at What You Do

Once you have determined your sales goals and worked out an activity schedule for each day, you immediately go to work on yourself to upgrade your skills in your key result areas. One of the best uses of your time is to get better at the most important things you do. Your goal is to upgrade your skills so that you achieve more and better results in a shorter period of time.

Action Exercise:

Take charge of your sales career today; resolve to double the amount of time you spend face-to-face with prospects and customers.
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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 the Brian Tracy web site.

-What are some strategies and or tools you find helpful in better managing your time as a sales professional?

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

Handling the Economy Objection Once and For All by Mike Brooks

2009-06-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

If you're still getting the "We're just not going to do anything until the economy (settles down or improves, or whatever...), when you are closing the sale and asking for the order, then I've got some good news and bad news for you:

First the good news: After reading this article, and applying the techniques in it, you will virtually eliminate this objection once and for all.

Now the bad news: If you're getting this objection during the close when you're asking for the sale then you're responsible for creating it.

Here's the bottom line: It's your responsibility to qualify out any economy, price, budget objections on the front end call so that these objections don't come up during the close. If you're still getting these objections later on, it means you didn't "disqualify" out the non-buyers - which are what you're dealing with when you get this objection.

It doesn't mean they aren't ever going to be buyers, it just means they aren't going to buy now. And you need to know that in the beginning and not send any information or demo out.

Here are some questions to ask to identify who will and who won't use the "We're just going to wait until the economy gets better" objection.

During the qualifying call, make sure and ask any of the following questions by working them into your specific sale:

"A lot of companies are taking advantage of this (your product or service) now that the economy is slow - do you think the time is right for you, too?"

"Given what's happening in the economy right now, do you still see yourself (or your company) moving forward with this now?"

If they say they don't know, then layer it with:

"When do you think would be a more appropriate time for you?"

Also, ask:

"How are you doing in this economy?"

Layer:

"Are you still going to be able to participate in this if we can get you the (price, rate, deal) we're talking about here?"

Ask:

"__________, many of our clients find that this (your product or service) is still important regardless of what is happening in the economy - is it
something that you still have in your budget?"

I think you're getting the idea, right? The bottom line is that it's up to you to eliminate any budget objections before you get into the closing arena. And you'll do this by asking these types of qualifying/disqualifying questions in advance.

Start using them today and watch as your closing ratio goes up, and your frustration level goes down.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

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-Were the ideas above helpful? What were some key points that stood out? Do you have any other sales strategies along these same lines that would be helpful? Use the comments to join the conversation.

The Key to Influencing Others By Brian Tracy

2009-06-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Do Nice Things For Others...
One of the best ways to influence someone is to do something nice for him.

I know many successful salespeople who make a habit of taking their prospects out to breakfast or lunch. During the breakfast or lunch, they do not talk about their products or services unless the client brings it up. They merely make small talk, ask questions and listen.

They work on building trust, and they work on establishing a friendly relationship. At the end of the breakfast or lunch, they tell the prospect that they will be getting in touch with him sometime in the future with the possibility of talking to him about helping him in some way.

See Them As Friends and Partners...
The best salespeople and businesspeople in America today are those who look upon their customers and prospective customers as friends and partners.

They always look for ways to help their partners improve their lives in ways that are not directly related to the products or services they sell. They sow seeds, and they reap a harvest. They trigger a desire in people to reciprocate.

When the time comes for those salespeople to approach their prospects with the possibility of buying their products or services, the prospects are wide open to the questions and inputs of the salespeople. The prospects have a deep-down desire to reciprocate.

Send Thank You Notes...
One of the best ways to use this principle in your interactions is to continually look for ways to say and do positive things for people. Look for ways to do kind acts and favors for your friends and prospects.

Send thank-you notes. Send birthday cards. Send clippings from newspapers about subjects that you feel may be of interest to them. Always keep your promises, and follow up on your commitments.

Always do what you say you will do. Do everything possible to put in, knowing confidently that you will ultimately be able to get out far more. You will reap if you sow.

Be A Go-Giver Rather Than A Go-Getter...
Someone has observed that no one ever built a statue to a person to acknowledge what he or she got out of life. Statues are built only to people to acknowledge what they gave.

The most powerful, influential and successful people you will ever meet always look for ways to do nice things for others.

When you meet someone under almost any circumstance, one of the best questions you can ask is this: "Is there anything that I can do for you?"

Always look for ways to put in rather than to take out. The successful man or woman of today is a "go-giver" as well as a go-getter.

Be Open and Empathetic...
The more that people feel that you are open and empathetic and sensitive to their needs and concerns, the more open they will be to your influencing them positively in some way.

And the more you can influence others with the power and impact of your personality, the more you will accomplish, and the faster you will accomplish it. The more rapidly you will move toward the great success that you desire and deserve.

Action Exercises:

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

First, look for ways to do nice things for other people, especially your family, friends, and customers. The more nice things you do for others, the better you feel about yourself.

Second, take time to really listen to people, especially your staff and coworkers. The more and better you listen to others, the greater is your influence over them.
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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 the Brian Tracy web site.

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-Are you using any of the ideas shared above? Do you have any suggestions that might be helpful, but weren't included in the above article -- use the comments below to share your thoughts :-)

Mine Proposals for Hidden Gems of Opportunity By Kendra Lee

2009-06-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

With the economy causing prospects and clients alike to clamp their wallets shut, we’re looking everywhere to fill our pipelines. One place you may not have examined recently is in your past proposals, yet they could be the quickest place to find new opportunities.

When I’m working with a prospect, I like to look further and deeper than the initial problem they see to get to all the potential issues creating it. Often the problem isn’t a simple one and the deeper I dig with questioning, the more I learn about how we can solve it.

My consultative approach results in a proposal that goes beyond one recommendation. It includes four, five, six suggestions or more on things they can do to address the challenge, complete with several options of how to get started.

It’s beefy and full of ideas they can choose to implement – or just think about for now.

And therein lies the opportunity for us in a tough economy!

If you’re writing a meaty proposal like I do, often your clients will choose to move forward with only a portion of what you recommended. They liked your ideas, but budget, resources, or timing limited their initial implementation.

They probably even told you they’d like to “wait and do the other things later.”

And, if you’re a savvy seller you pinned them down to dates of when they’d do the “other things.”

But busy as we are, and aware of how clients are looking to conserve spending, you may not have revisited those “other things.”

Now’s the time! You could have a goldmine of opportunity right on your hard drive!

Go back and revisit your proposals from the last twelve months. Look first at the suggestions they chose to invest in.
* How’s their implementation progressing?
* What progress have they made in solving the problems they chose to deal with first?
* Where do they still need help to eliminate those challenges? Do you smell an opportunity there?

Then, look at all those great recommendations you made but they elected to wait on. Here’s the goldmine just waiting for you to unearth it!
* Do the issues behind your suggestions still exist?
* Could they make a difference in your client’s profitability or cost cutting if fixed now?

Don’t wonder. Go find out!

Set up a review meeting to do a status check with your client.

I really like review meetings. These are your opportunity to check in on how you’re doing, reinforce the great work you’ve completed so far, and get your client’s agreement on value they’ve already experienced.

Dust off the proposal and use it as your guide in the meeting.

The best part is, your client will remember it well. Before making any decision in the first place you know he spent a great deal of time studying it. You reviewed the document in depth with him to be sure he did!

Use the proposal to revisit the issues you originally discovered and agreed upon before you started working together. Share the areas you think you can help take the results they’ve already experienced to even higher levels with some simple tweaks or additions.

Next, remind your client of the recommendations you’d made. Discuss those things they wanted to “wait and do later.”

As you talk, the pain of those yet unsolved issues will come roaring back. Your client may see the need to address them now, especially if it’ll help reduce costs, drive more revenue, or improve the productivity of an already overworked staff.

Get creative and show how you can help even within their tight budget. Your clients will appreciate the attention you’ve given their problems.

Before you know it, new opportunities will surface and your pipeline will be healthy again.
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Kendra Lee is author of "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, as well as subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.773.1285.

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-What are your thoughts on the ideas above. Do you have any other ideas you'd like to share on uncovering hidden opportunities to make more sales?