Ask for Action, Not Permission by Art Sobczak

Greetings!



An article that originally appeared in the New York
Times on October 15, 1997, titled "In War Against
No-Shows, Restaurants Get Tougher," by William Grimes
is especially relevant for us as salespeople. Here
is an excerpt:



Gordon Sinclair, the owner of Gordon restaurant in
Chicago, had an epiphany about 10 years ago when he
began adding up the cost of no-shows and found that
the grand total was $900,000 a year, a figure that
got him thinking, fast.



He made a change in the restaurant's procedure that
underlines the curious moral status of a restaurant
reservation, which is less than a contract but
something more binding than "let's have lunch."



He instructed his receptionists to stop saying,"Please call us if you change your plans," and
start saying, "WILL you call us if you change
your plans?"



His no-show rate dropped from 30 percent to
10 percent!



In other words -- by asking a question and
eliciting a response -- Sinclair created a
sense of obligation. Getting that soft commitment
made a huge impact.



"May I send you some information?" is asking the
prospect to give you permission; "If I send you
some information, will you look it over and we
can talk again in a few weeks?" is asking the
prospect to commit to the next step.



If you're able to engage them at all, you should
be able to ask for some commitment--not permission.



If they're too busy right now -- or their budget
monies are coming in two weeks -- "Will we be able
to talk more about this when I call back in a
few weeks?" is asking for commitment and implies
that they need to be ready for that conversation
when you do call back. Then, you have a reason to
send them material, so they'll be ready.



On the other hand, "May I call you in a few
weeks?" is simply asking for permission.



People like to honor their commitments. If the
call ends and they have only given you permission,
why would they care what happens next? The ball is
not in their court.



But, if the call ends and they've committed to
doing something, odds are good they'll do it.
And, if asking for that commitment doesn't
feel right, then it probably means you've
got more work to do in building interest.



Make it your goal on every call to ask a
version of "Will you...?" as opposed to
"May I...?"

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"The success of your presentation will be judged not by 
the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives."

-Lily Walters

About the author:

Art Sobczak, President of
Business By Phone Inc., specializes in one area only: working
with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing
and delivering content-rich programs that participants begin
showing results from the very next time they get on the phone.
Audiences love his "down-to-earth,"entertaining style,
and low-pressure, easy-to-use, customer oriented ideas and techniques.
He works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them
get more businesses by phone. Art provides real world, how-to
ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more
effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing
"rejection." Using the phone in sales is only difficult for people who use
outdated, salesy, manipulative tactics, or for those who aren't
quite sure what to do, or aren't confident in their abilities.
Art's audiences always comment how he simplifies the telesales
process, making it easily adaptable for anyone with the right
attitude.

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

 

At the Sound of the Beep … by Tim Wackel

I always get a big chuckle when sales people call my office to prospect for new business. I’m amazed at the fundamental lack of research, amused by their haphazard preparation and surprised that they actually believe their approach has any chance of working.

Here are a couple of actual winners I’ve recently received. The messages you are about to read are real. The names have been changed to protect the guilty. See what you think:

Hi, this is Ken with Hopeless Inc. We purchase used office telephone equipment and PC’s. Our number is 214.555.1212. If you’ve recently switched systems or plan to in the near future please give us a call at 214.555.1212.

Not much of a compelling reason to return this call. What is the potential value in doing business with Hopeless Inc.? It looks like the classic numbers game…make enough calls and eventually you find someone who has just “switched systems” and wants to get rid of the junk sitting in the closet. I couldn’t do that for a living, and I’m glad I don’t have to!

Here’s another example. Maybe it looks familiar to you.

Good morning Kim, this is Barbie with Clueless. We produce the business to business database called Insight Online. I’m following up on your email inquiry to see if you have any questions about our product. Please give me a call at your convenience. My number is 888.555.1212 extension 1234.

Well for starters my name isn’t Kim. Yes, I did make an email inquiry, and I’m pretty confident that I didn’t misspell my name on their form. Barbie says she wants to see if I have any questions on their product. Maybe it’s just me, but if I had a question I’m thinking I would pick up the phone and call them. What if Barbie was calling because she had ideas to share on how Insight Online has helped other sales speakers improve their business? Think I would return that call? You better believe it!

So what does it take to craft a better voice mail message? How can you improve your odds of getting a call back? Here are five questions that will help you start creating better messages now…

#1. Who is your target market?

Specifically, what is the title of the decision maker you want to do business with? And, if you are leaving a message for me, I want to hear that you work with professional sales trainers and speakers. I’m not interested in a one-size-fits-all approach. I’m interested in talking with someone who knows something about what I do (that’s why it’s called research!).

#2. What are some of the specific challenges that you solve?

What are some opportunities that you help create? Be as specific as possible. This is the classic pains & gains stuff. Re-visit these ideas often… that is why they are called classics!

#3. What emotions (frustration, disappointment, concern, optimism, hope) does your target market experience with the challenges and opportunities you outlined above?



Remember that emotion plays a big part in buying decisions, yet most of you sell using too much logic. Ever see someone driving a Lexus or wearing a Rolex? Help me understand the logic behind those decisions.

#4. What are some of the competitive alternatives available to your target market?

Yeah, I hear you screaming “never bring up the competition!” Do you really believe your prospect is only going to
consider you without checking out someone else? Think again! And remember, doing nothing is a competitive alternative.

#5. Why, based on all of the alternatives available, should they do business with you?



What are your compelling differentiators? Be careful here, because most of you are thinking “great products, awesome service, solid reputation and a competitive price.” If most of you are thinking this, then it really isn’t a compelling differentiator… is it?

Now just plug and play!

Fill in the blanks, read, revise, get feedback from your peers and you will have crafted a message that is purposeful, powerful and on target.

“I specialize in helping (target market) who are (feelings/emotions) with (specific challenges) and want proven solutions for (your specific benefits). (Quantify number or use names) of clients have already discovered that unlike (competitive alternative), my solution is/does (compelling differentiator).

My goal is not to make a sales call on you, but if these issues sound familiar and the benefits are important to you, then it might be worth ten minutes for us to have a brief fact finding conversation.”

I can’t guarantee that this process will work for you, but I can guarantee that it works. I’m hoping you will take some time to review and improve your current library of voice mail scripts. If you aren’t getting all the callbacks you want, you don’t have much to lose!

Speaking of Sales is about finding, winning and keeping customers for life. If that’s part of your job, then you won’t want to miss the next issue.

Best Wishes For Your Continued Success!

Tim Wackel

tim@timwackel.com

214.369.7722

Tim Wackel is hired by sales executives who want their teams to blow the number away. Tim’s “no excuses” programs are insightful, engaging and focused on providing real world strategies that salespeople can (and will!) implement right away. Sales teams from BMC Software, Cisco, Fossil, Hewlett Packard, Allstate, Thomson Reuters, Raytheon, Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, Catalina Marketing, Philips Medical Systems, Red Hat and TXU Energy count on Tim to help them create more success in business and in life.

http://timwackel.com/index.aspx

 

Getting Prospects Reengaged by Eric Slife

You finish your presentation, and your prospect states, “Everything looks great. I’ll call you in a couple of days to move forward.” Several days pass, a week, then a month. They don’t return you calls, and you have no idea why. Sound familiar?

I’m not sure what’s more frustrating; not getting the business, or not knowing why. Here are some easy tips to reconnect with your prospect.

1. Establish Guidelines – At the very outset, establish guidelines for the relationship you are about to enter.
   
   
   
   Mr. or Miss Prospect, thanks for agreeing to meet with me today. I have some questions I’d like to ask you today, and I’m sure you probably have some questions you want to ask me. Before we get started, I just want you to know, it’s okay to tell me “No.” Sometimes, a client chooses to go a different direction, but they feel uncomfortable telling me. If at any point while working together, you determine my product or service isn’t the right fit, will you please let me know?
   
   
   
   


2. Voicemail with Email – I don’t expect people to return my voicemail. However, within my voicemail, I’ll inform them I’m sending an email, because for many busy individuals it’s easier to respond. In my email I will write, Mr. or Miss Prospect, upon our last discussion, you requested I follow up with you at this date and time regarding… I’ve tried several times to call you, but unfortunately, we haven’t been able to connect. I’m beginning to feel like I’m becoming a pest. Please let me if your situation has changed, so I know how and when to best follow up.
   
   
   
   Because many people aren’t comfortable telling you “no” over the phone or in person, this approach gives the prospect a way out of the situation, and you can move on. Often, you find they have been slammed or you get some additional information as to why the delay.
   
   
   
   


3. Disengage Caller ID – Call your phone company and ask how to disengage your caller id. This way your prospect can no longer screen your calls.
   
   
   
   


4. Did I Do Something Wrong? – Mr. or Miss Prospect you asked me to follow up on… I’ve tried to reach out several times, but I never heard back from you. Did I do something that offended or upset you?
   
   
   
   


5. Copy Referrer on Email – If you were referred by another individual, copy them on your email. This is especially useful if you were referred by a superior. Don’t throw your contact under the bus, but apply a little pressure.
   
   
   
   


6. Discard Proposals – Finally, always be willing to walk away. I want to do business with adults, not children. If someone requests to call them back, but then never returns my calls or email when I’m following their directions, those aren’t the customers I’m looking for.
   
   
   
   However, I’ll provide one final opportunity. Mr. or Miss Prospect, you requested I contact you on… I’ve tried several times, but I never heard back from you. The price (or proposal) was good for 30 days, so unfortunately I have to discard your file.
   
   
   
   Put a time limit on all your proposals. This creates a sense of urgency, and it doesn’t lock you into a price for an extended period of time.

About The Author: Eric Slife is President of Slife Sales Training, Inc. From cold calling to closing, receive ongoing, unlimited access to top sales trainers through our Team Training Program. Our affordable online sales and sales management training program can be customized for both individuals and sales teams.

http://www.salestrainingcentral.com

5 Sales Reports That Every Sales Manager Should Be Reviewing

A good manager knows that the sales team can make or break their company. All other departments might be in sync, but without a strong sales staff and sales process, the revenue that pays employee wages can vanish. When it comes to the sales team, special attention must be given to ensure that the company paydays keep coming.

According to Suzanne Paling, sales management consultant and author of The Accidental Sales Manager: A Survival Guide for CEOs (or owners or presidents) Who Find Themselves Managing Salespeople, sales reports can be key in keeping the sales process and the cash flow moving.

“Sales reports enable a manager to track how much time salespeople are spending on different sales activities, if they are meeting their productivity goals, and whether their efforts are translating into real sales,” explains Paling. “In other words, the sales reports paint a picture of the sales representatives’ day even when the manager can’t be there to observe them. The information in these reports plays a critical part in helping a manager oversee the success of the sales team and essentially the whole company.”

For the sake of sales success, Paling encourages sales managers to incorporate these basic reports into their sales process:

The Daily Call Report

Knowing how many calls your sales representatives make during a given day, as well as whom they are calling, is essential for those managing salespeople. Accounts are not all created equal. Some need to be called on more frequently than others. After establishing the call frequency for all of the salespeople’s accounts, the data from this report confirms whether they are adhering to the schedule.

Paling suggests looking for the following when reviewing this report: 

• Number of calls made in a row

• Specific types of calls

• Absence of certain types of calls

• Excessive numbers of certain types of calls

• Average length of call time

 The Productivity Report

Those managing salespeople need a reasonably accurate summary of how many and which type of calls they make. The data often includes the number of outbound calls, conversations, voice mails, e-mails, customer meetings, product demonstrations, and proposals generated in a given day, week, or month. The purpose of this report is to compare actual results against the benchmarks established for each activity.

Paling notes, “Whether a sales staff exceeds or fails to meet the established productivity standards, the productivity report keeps the manager informed. When a salesperson or sales staff does struggle, looking at the raw numbers can offer insight into the problem.”

When reviewing this report, Paling advises managers to ask:

• At which point in the sales cycle is the rep below/above productivity quota?

• In which areas is the rep consistently behind/ahead?

• Where the rep is below/above the productivity quota, how does it affect the next phase of the sales cycle?

The Pipeline

The pipeline report consists of all those prospects being actively pursued by a sales representative and separates them by their appropriate phase in the sales cycle. This information allows managers to keep track of the total number of prospects the salesperson is working with at any given point. Managers can tell how quickly a prospect progresses from one stage to the next or be aware when a prospect drops out altogether.

Paling offers these as examples of typical pipeline phases:

• Phase I—Decision-maker expresses interest in product or service

• Phase II—Salesperson meets with decision maker

• Phase III—Decision-maker participates in product demonstration

• Phase IV—Proposal submitted

• Phase V—Sale closed/sale lost

“It helps if the sales manager and the sales reps agree on the pipeline phases,” says Paling. “Naming the phases adds consistency and contributes to the development of a sales culture.”

The Sales Forecast

The single most important document generated in most sales organizations, a sales forecast has multiple purposes including:

• Holding salespeople accountable for the deals they intend to close at the end of each month

• Determining which opportunities need executive attention

• Helping to estimate revenue

• Paving the way for post-sale product or service delivery

The accuracy of this report strongly affects the entire organization. Unfortunately, many people confuse the pipeline report with the sales forecast.

The pipeline report and the sales forecast both show prospects at different phases of the sales process. The difference lies in the fact that the sales forecast shows only those prospects in the final stages of purchasing the product or service.

“The potential sales shown on the sales forecast might be a cause for celebration or function as a shrill alarm,” explains Paling. “The accuracy of the information provided determines sales revenue for the month or quarter. Failure to bring in enough sales revenue over a period of time leads to staff reductions, cash flow issues, and most drastically—companies going out of business.”

When looking at the sales forecast, ask:

• In which months (1, 2, or 3) is the rep typically above or below quota?

• Does revenue usually drop in any one month in particular?

• How many accounts drop out/get added from one month to the next?

• Does the rep have an easier/more difficult time achieving quota in one product line vs. another?

The Long-Range Sales Forecast

Often overlooked, long-range forecasts have a place in the portfolio of reports for those managing salespeople. Prospects in this report have told the sales representative that they are budgeted for and are committed to purchasing a product or service at some point in the future. The reason for the delayed purchase usually involves an expiring contract or a large capital expenditure that needs to go through a formal budgeting or bid process.

Typically, the long-range forecast keeps track of prospects planning to buy anywhere from four months to two years from the time of the initial contact with the sales representative.

Many of these long-range sales involve RFPs, intense competition, or the possible replacement of the prospect’s current provider. Sales like these usually require executive involvement at some point. This report helps management prepare accordingly.

Suzanne Paling, author of The Accidental Sales Manager (Entrepreneur Press),is the principal consultant of Sales Management Services, founded in 1998. She has more than 20 years of experience in sales, sales management, and sales consulting. Working with both field and inside sales organizations, she has helped clients in a vast number of industries including software, construction, medical, telecommunications, manufacturing, delivery, and recruiting.

The Accidental Sales Manager was named an award-winning finalist in the Business: Leadership and Management category of their “Best Books 2010” Awards, sponsored by USA Book News  The book is available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Borders.com; for more information on this title visit www.accidentalsalesmanager.com For more information on Suzanne Paling visit www.salesmanagementservices.com.

If You Ever Lack Focus, This Might Help by Art Sobczak

Greetings!

A very brief tip this week as I return from
several days of travel, and back out again.



Early this week I met with a group of other
speaking and training professionals. We have
been meeting several times per year, for 13
years now. It's a mastermind group (if you're
not familiar with this term, I suggest
researching it and perhaps finding or starting
one, as it will likely change your life, and
income) called Master Speakers International http://www.businessbyphone.com/msi.htm



Usually at our meetings everyone shares ideas
about what's working for them in their business,
marketing, sales, operations, technology,
latest must-read books, etc. At the meeting
earlier this week, one of our members, Mark
LeBlanc, http://www.markleblanc.com/, a small
business success expert, conducted the entire
program. Although I took pages of notes, just
a few key points will put a lot of money in my
pocket, and might for you as well.



In my case, I wear so many hats, perform so many
roles, and get torn in so many directions I
often feel like I'm running in place, and in
circles. Mix in my self-diagnosed Attention
Deficit Disorder, and that's a recipe for
reaching the end of some of the rare days that
I'm in my office, where, although there might
have been a whirlwind of activity, I just say to
myself, "What did you REALLY get done?"



Perhaps you have been there. Or are there.



I won't go through Mark's entire system, but will
share a key piece, what you can do as a sales
person that might help you sharpen your focus
(if you need it) and reach new levels.



1. Set your Optimistic Number for the month. Thisis the sales number you optimistically would like
to reach every month. Stretch a little, but make
it realistic. You probably have this now as a quota
or goal.



2. At the beginning of each day, ask yourself,"What am I doing today to book my Optimistic
Number?"



3. At the end of each day, ask, "What did I DO
today to book my Optimistic Number?"



4. Build your day around at least three High Value
Activities that are focused on reaching your optimistic
number. This might seem simplistic to some people, but when
we really analyze our activities, not everything we
do every day contributes to actually reaching our
numbers. You determine what yours are. You might realize
that sending emails, Tweeting, going on Facebook, etc.
is not directly contributing to reaching your
number.



5. Every DAY, update your scorecard that shows your
results towards your Optimistic Number.



Fairly simple process. What struck me is that it
provides the framework for focus, accountability,
and self-motivation.

Adapt this as you see it applying to you. And especially
if you are a small business professional, check out
Mark's site and resources http://www.markleblanc.com/

Continue having your best week ever!

Art

About the author:

Art Sobczak, President of
Business By Phone Inc., specializes in one area only: working
with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing
and delivering content-rich programs that participants begin
showing results from the very next time they get on the phone.
Audiences love his "down-to-earth,"entertaining style,
and low-pressure, easy-to-use, customer oriented ideas and techniques.
He works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them
get more businesses by phone. Art provides real world, how-to
ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more
effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing
"rejection." Using the phone in sales is only difficult for people who use
outdated, salesy, manipulative tactics, or for those who aren't
quite sure what to do, or aren't confident in their abilities.
Art's audiences always comment how he simplifies the telesales
process, making it easily adaptable for anyone with the right
attitude.

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

 

Characteristics of Great Sales Negotiators by Kelley Robertson

Virtually everyone in sales is required to negotiate.
After conducting hundreds of workshop and working
with thousands of people during the last decade, I
have discovered that most sales people are not as
effective at negotiating as they could be.

However, I do come across great sales negotiators
from time-to-time and have noticed that they typically
have a few things in common. Here are the
characteristics they usually possess.

Understanding of the negotiating process. Highly
effective negotiators recognize that negotiating is a
process, not just something that is done when
discussing the terms and conditions of a solution.
Negotiating is much more than haggling about price. It
requires an understanding of the dynamics that affect
the process and influence the behavior of people.
Great negotiators invest time learning different tactics
and strategies and how each technique contributes to
the overall outcome.

Focus on win-win. Win-win means that both parties
feel good about the outcome of the negotiating
process. Some books that state win-win solutions are
not possible in business negotiating; the authors write
that someone usually gives away more than they
should and the outcome becomes a win-lose
situation. Great negotiators don’t believe that. They
help their customer try and solve problems and look
for opportunities to give as much value as possible.
They also know how and when to limit their
concessions, give-aways, and discounts so they can
work out an agreement that is equitable for both
parties.

Patience. Too many people search for the quick fix
try to close the sale as fast as possible so they can
move on the next prospect. Great sales negotiators
recognize that patience is a virtue and that rushing
the process often leads to an undesirable outcome.
They don’t hurry to reach an agreement. Instead, they
take time to gather the necessary information. They
think carefully about possible solutions. They take
their time during the entire process. This is critical
because major mistakes are made when we try to
reach an agreement too quickly. We rush through the
process, not giving the other person’s offer ample
attention, and often end up with an outcome that is
win-lose. Simply because we were in a hurry.

Creativity. Most great negotiators are also very
creative. They use their problem-solving skills to
determine the best solution and look for unique ways
to achieve their goal. A friend of mine was once
embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with a company and after
months of negotiation, he came up with a solution that
ended the suit. He stretched out beyond the normal
answers and developed an alternative that was
accepted by the other party. In other words, he got
creative.

Willingness to experiment. Negotiating is a very
dynamic process because no two people are alike.
What works extremely well in one situation can
backfire in another. That’s why great negotiators
practise using a variety of concepts and techniques.
They experiment with different strategies, solutions,
and tactics. And a small failure does not prevent them
from experimenting with new ideas in the future.

Confidence. Great negotiators are confident when
they enter a negotiation. They aren’t arrogant or rude
or cocky—they are simply confident. They have
developed a high belief in their ability to reach an winwin
agreement. They are confident that they can
handle anything that comes their way in a negotiation
and this confidence is developed through experience.
Great negotiators evaluate themselves regularly.
They learn from their mistakes and victories. They
focus on improving their skill. They develop an
internal confidence that is unshakable.

Keen listening skills. People will tell you virtually
everything you need to know if you ask the right
questions AND listen carefully to their answers. I
personally believe that this one attribute is the most
important skill in selling and negotiating. I remember
my wife talking to a prospect on the telephone and at
one point during the conversation she sensed that he
had more to say. She waited patiently and listened
carefully and the other person eventually gave her
valuable information that helped her close the sale. Unfortunately, too many sales people simply wait for

their turn to talk, or even worse, interrupt their
prospect. This lack of listening means they often miss
hearing key information that will assist them in the
negotiations.

Negotiating is not a skill that is easily acquired. It
takes time, effort and energy. If you want to improve
your negotiating ability you must be ready to work at
it. Invest the time learning the dynamics and science
of negotiating. And be prepared to push yourself out
of your comfort zone.

.
© 2010 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Get your FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to Kelley's free newsletter, "59 Seconds to Sales Success" at www.Fearless-Selling.ca. Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca.

Creating Fresh Sales Opportunities By Jill Konrath, Author of SNAP Selling & Selling to Big Companies

There's nothing I like better than engaging prospects when they're NOT thinking of making any changes from the status quo. 

This may seem counterintuitive or perhaps even like sales heresy if you've spent your career chasing prospects who are already in the buying mode. After all, they already have money in the budget for your product/service and are actively looking for new options. 

So why would I recommend chasing "non-lookers" versus the tempting low-hanging fruit? Lots of reasons:

• The incumbent is sleeping. 
  
  
  
  Since dislodging the status quo is always your biggest sales challenge, you want to slip in under the existing provider's radar screen. 
  
  
  
  By bringing in new perspectives that help prospects better achieve their objectives, you gain a foothold in an otherwise impenetrable account. The incumbent's failure to do so creates a credibility gap for them and opens the door for you.

• Your competitors aren't around. 
  
  
  
  If you do things right, you can prove your capabilities, demonstrate your expertise, and establish a strong relationship long before any competitors enter the scene. They'll be playing catchup from the start. And, in most cases, they'll find it extremely difficult to close the gap.

• You set the playing field. 
  
  
  
  By bringing new ideas, insights, and information to your prospect, you help determine the criteria against which future "go-ahead" decisions will be judged. This gives you a chance to best position the strengths of your product, service, or solution.

• Sales cycles get condensed. 
  
  
  
  When you leverage your expertise to help customers sort through everything that has to be considered to make a change, their decision-making process go faster.

• Customers often love you.   
  
  
  
  Okay, I don't mean literally. But if you've ever had someone show you a better way, then made it simple to implement it, you know what I mean. That's how I feel when I visit the Apple Genius Bar, where tech gurus show me how to solve seemingly insoluble problems on my computer.

As you can see, there are many good reasons to get engaged with prospective customers earlier rather than later. Plus, you won't find yourself constantly fighting pricing battles. 

So start thinking about pursuing business with those non-lookers today. But don't talk about your products or services. Your prospects are only concerned about their objectives or eliminating the barriers that stand in the way of achieving them. 

Keep your focus on that and the possibilities are endless!

About Jill Konrath:

Jill Konrath, author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into new accounts, speed up sales cycles and land big contracts. She's a frequent speaker at sales conferences. 

For more fresh sales strategies that work with crazy-busy prospects AND to get four bonus sales-accelerating tools, visit  www.snapselling.com.

Stealing Business From the Competition by Art Sobczak

Greetings!



This is a bit longer tip this week. Actually more
of a sales training session. I know many of you
use these tips in your sales meetings, so this
will be an excellent fit for that.



And by the way, this was a recent cover article in my
monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report eight-page newsletter, just one of the member
resources for my Telesales Success Inner Circle participants.



Let's dive in.



If you place prospecting calls (hopefully Smart
Calls) you probably often hear, "I already buy
from X-Company," or, "We're happy with who
we're using."



I know, at this point you feel like saying,



"X Company! What a bunch of losers. How can
you be so dumb?"



Almost as bad--and what many salespeople
actually do--is data-dumping a pitch explaining
why your company is better. It's confrontational,
and only causes the prospect to harden his defenses.



Another strategy is to simply make a quick exit.

Which might not be bad, depending upon your
industry, and the quality and quantity of names
you have to work on. Many stockbrokers take
this route. After all, repeatedly running into
a brick wall, rebounding off, reloading and
ramming into it again isn't the most efficient
use of time if you have stacks of other leads
staring you in the eye. Plus it hurts after
a while.



But if your prospect pool is relatively finite,
you can't afford to burn through names. You need
to take the next step.



Get Them Talking

Your best approach is to engage the prospect
in a two-way conversation. You see, prospects
often say "I'm happy with my supplier," because
it's an easy way to get rid of a salesperson.
It's instinctive. It's easy. Jumping into a
pitch at this point not only falls on deaf
ears, it's unwise because you don't yet know
anything about them.



Engaging them in conversation, however,
gets them involved, and gives you material
you can work with.



A suggested route is to learn why they
selected their present vendor. Once you
know what influenced that behavior, you
have insight into what to say so they'll
consider you.



But DO NOT say, "Why did you choose them?"



The reason is that "Why?" puts them on the
defensive. It forces them to justify their
selection. And it can be interpreted as an
attack of their reasoning. You might as
well poke them in the ribs with a sharp
stick and then try to sell to them.



Saying, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that," or, "Any particular reason you use them?" has
the same effect.



Instead, you want to ask questions that
open them up, build rapport, and ease
into a conversation about how they chose
their supplier, again avoiding the stern "Why?" word.



For example,



"What influenced the decision to select them?"



"What prompted the decision to go with them?"



Notice that the last two questions take the
emphasis off the person, and place it instead
on the decision. It's non adversarial, and
is a soft way to get them talking.



By the way, I don't favor the oft-recommended "What do you like best about them?" Some might
argue it gives you insight into what they
want in a vendor. I maintain it asks them to
reinforce their decision to pick their
existing vendor--the exact opposite of what
we truly want to accomplish.



The Competitions' Weaknesses

What you should do now is ask questions
designed to extract information not only on
what his needs are, but also to point out
your strengths and the competitors' weaknesses.



For example, if you know X Company has poor
quality--allowing them to charge that lower
price--instead of blatantly slamming X's
workmanship, you'd ask a question to shed
light on it:



"How often do you have customers return for
service because of defective parts?"



"What do you do in situations when the
units overheat?"



Now it's not YOU disparaging the competition;
they're doing it for you. More importantly,
they're reliving their negative experiences
as they explain them. Delicious.



I don't want to paint too rosy of a picture
here. Despite your best efforts, in most cases
the prospect still won't budge. Then your
best tactic is to keep the door open for
the future. After all, we've all had those
written-off, discarded prospects who surprised
us with a phone call announcing,



"You called us a couple of months ago, and
we'd like to do business with you."



Here are additional questions that can make
that happen more often.



"Do you have a backup supplier?"



"What type of contingency do you have in
place if something were to happen where you
needed something in an emergency?"



"If anything were to happen with your
existing supplier, could I be on the list
of people you would consider?"



Or tell them,



"Please put my name and number in your
vendor's file. If anything happens where
they can't provide you something when you
need it, would you please give me a call.



Selling against someone's existing vendor
can be difficult--if you make it that way.
Instead, get them talking, and you might
find out exactly what you need to do to
get your foot in the door.



Go and Have Your Best Week Ever!



Art

About the author:

Art Sobczak, President of
Business By Phone Inc., specializes in one area only: working
with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing
and delivering content-rich programs that participants begin
showing results from the very next time they get on the phone.
Audiences love his "down-to-earth,"entertaining style,
and low-pressure, easy-to-use, customer oriented ideas and techniques.
He works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them
get more businesses by phone. Art provides real world, how-to
ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more
effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing
"rejection." Using the phone in sales is only difficult for people who use
outdated, salesy, manipulative tactics, or for those who aren't
quite sure what to do, or aren't confident in their abilities.
Art's audiences always comment how he simplifies the telesales
process, making it easily adaptable for anyone with the right
attitude.

Contact Info

Art Sobczak

Business By Phone Inc.

13254 Stevens St.

Omaha, NE, 68137

402-895-9399

ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com

www.businessbyphone.com

Stop Selling On Price

The price objection is the curse of every salesperson's life and yet, as sales managers, we do little to help our people deal with it effectively.

Despite what we seem to believe, unless you're involved in transactional or commodity-type sales where price is the be-all and end-all, price is NOT the primary factor in the customer's buying decision. It's a safe bet that price is always going to be a factor in every sale but it is rarely the deciding factor, particularly in non-commodity sales.

The results of various surveys taken over the years show that between nine and fourteen percent of buyers will put price first in their buying decisions. This means that 86 to 91 percent of buyers have other factors they consider more important than price.

The Factors

One of those other factors is confidence. Prospects want to be confident that you'll do what you said you'd do, when you said you'd do it. Confidence comes from building trust and rapport with your prospects.

One of the fastest ways to destroy rapport and therefore confidence is for the salesperson to start selling before he really knows what the prospect wants to buy. That's sort of like the doctor who gives you a prescription before making a diagnosis. How much confidence would you have in the doctor? Probably not much. Your salespeople need to learn to properly qualify before they sell.

A second factor is choice. Prospects don't like to be in a position of having just two choices — to take it or leave it. Any time your salespeople can offer the prospect a choice, they strengthen their selling position. This is a particularly effective strategy when you are being compared against a competitor. Instead of the situation being one of them versus you, it becomes them versus you, you, and you. Much better odds. Teach your salespeople how to effectively use this technique.

Another factor is service. Prospects want to know you'll be there after the sale is consummated and that you're not going to sell 'em and leave 'em. You need to assure them you'll be there if (or when) they need you. Make sure your salespeople are equipped with evidence or testimonial material to help remove the FUD factor (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt).

The last factor is value. Prospects want to know they're getting the best quality for their money. This is probably the single most important factor in non-transactional selling and one where many salespeople could use some help. Are your salespeople talking catalogues or are they truly able to create value in the prospect's mind about what they are selling? You need to make sure your salespeople really understand the value of what they're selling.

Why Should I Buy From You?

Here's a test for you to try with your salespeople. Ask them, "If I were a prospect, why should I buy from you?" and see what kind of answer you get. Can they give you a value-based reason or do they fall back on the "well-we-have-a-good-price" type of response that gets the prospect thinking dollars and cents again. Some salespeople are so taken aback by this question that they sound like they have a mouth full of marbles as they stumble through their answer. Now that really instills confidence.

If the salesperson doesn't know why a prospect should buy from him, it's a safe bet that the prospect doesn't know either. If the prospect can't tell the difference between you and your competitor, she is more likely to make her buying decision based on price.

In order to move the prospect away from price as a prime consideration, salespeople must be able to articulate what additional value they bring to the offering. Not all the added value is in the product/service you offer. You have many hidden factors that would be of value to the prospect if she only knew about them.

Typical hidden values are: number of years in business, years of experience, organizational background, family-owned business, highly trained service staff, certified technical people, free delivery, toll-free ordering, money-back guarantee, life-time warranty, location(s), easy access, technical capabilities, past relevant experience, strategic alliances, personal attention, etc.

Salespeople need to be aware of these hidden values and know what they mean to a typical prospect so they can effectively answer the often unspoken question, "Why should I buy from you?"

The Value Iceberg

I recommend you walk your salespeople through the "value iceberg" exercise at your next sales meeting. Draw your best rendition of an iceberg on a flip chart (or whatever) and title the part above the waterline as "price" and the part below the waterline as "hidden values." Point out that your prospects often just see the tip of the iceberg— the price— and they need to be aware of the hidden values that can impact a sale. Brainstorm with your people until you've developed a list of hidden values that you offer. If you can, get them to put a dollar amount on as many values as possible.

This exercise will help your salespeople know and appreciate the additional value they and your organization bring to the sale. Being able to effectively explain these to their prospects will help move the prospect away from price as his or her primary decision factor. Remember, it's important to sell value because if prospects can't tell the difference between what you're offering and what your competitor is offering, then they'll make their decision based on price.

Sell Value

Once you help your salespeople deal with the other factors that impact the buying decision and teach them to sell value before price, they'll never go back to selling on price again.

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About the Author

Brian Jeffrey is President of Salesforce Assessments Ltd. His company works with sales managers who want to make the right hiring decisions and build a strong sales team using his sales assessment test. For more articles like this and your free copy of "The 8 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Sales Managers Make" go to => www.SalesforceAssessments.com

Get The Crud Out Of Your Sales Funnel by Brian Jeffrey, CSP

Most salespeople understand the concept of the sales funnel. It works just like an ordinary funnel that you might use to transfer liquid from one container to another.

We all know that if you stop pouring the liquid into the top of the funnel, fluid stops coming out the bottom. We also know that if you try to pour too much in at one time, the funnel overflows and you lose some of it.

You'll also lose liquid if the funnel leaks. If you have blockages in your funnel, the flow may stop or back up, causing an overflow situation.

So how does this work for sales? Simple. If you stop putting potential sales opportunities into the top of the funnel, closed sales stop coming out of the bottom.

If you try to put too many sales opportunities in at the same time, the sales funnel overflows and you lose some potential sales. This can happen after a trade show where you simply have too many leads to follow up in a timely manner.

You'll also lose sales if your sales funnel leaks. Leaks are simply lost sales that probably weren't going to happen in the first place.

A blockage in your sales funnel could be something as simple as the inability to get a proposal or quote out in a timely manner, the inability to deliver by a specific date, or indecision on the part of someone in your organization.

Clogging Up the Funnel

By far the most common blockage that clogs up the sales funnel is an overabundance of non-sales opportunities that are eating up the salesperson's time. It's this problem we want to explore in more detail and provide a quick-and-easy solution to removing or minimizing this blockage.

Why Blockages Occurs

A lot of salespeople feel they are doing their job if they keep their sales funnel full to capacity. Not true. Your job as a sales professional is to not just keep your sales funnel full, but to keep it full of "real" opportunities and not "wished/hoped-for" sales.

Overly optimistic salespeople will dump almost any potential opportunity into their sales funnel just as long as the prospect is breathing. Just because someone is breathing doesn't mean they're a live prospect; it just means they're alive period! Unfortunately, your sales funnel can get clogged up with too many non, or poor, opportunities and you spend your time spinning your sales wheels instead of focusing on business that you can close in a timely manner.

One way to minimize the sludge is to make sure that it doesn't get into the funnel in the first place. It's important to properly qualify the opportunity during the Probe part of the sales process. Sharp salespeople not only take the time to properly qualify opportunities but they take pains to disqualify those opportunities that can result in wasting their valuable selling time.

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Even the most efficient salespeople will find their sales funnel getting filled with sales sludge from time to time. You need to review what's in the funnel and take the time to separate the good opportunities from the bad and clean it up so the funnel is flowing effectively again.

How often you decide to clean out your funnel will depend upon how many new or potential opportunities are added each month. As a minimum, you should probably be cleaning up your funnel once a quarter, or even monthly, if you're doing the type of selling that generates a lot of potential opportunities.

Sludge Cleaner

Here is a relatively simple tool that will help you decide whether an opportunity is worth keeping in the funnel or not, and if it is worth keeping, what priority you should assign to it. This method allows you to quickly assign a percent chance of closing the sale to each of your opportunities.

Once you've assigned a percent chance of getting the sale to your opportunities, all you have to do is rank them in order to determine which opportunities you should be working on and which one you should let die a natural death.

All you need to do is look at each of your opportunities and check off the questions in four categories — price information, degree of urgency, funds approval, and competitive edge.

Price Information

10% Prospect has written quote or price information.

5% Prospect has verbal quote or informal pricing information.

0% Not quoted as yet.

Degree of Urgency

30% High degree of urgency. Prospect must buy something now.

20% Medium degree of urgency. Prospect should buy now.

10% Some degree of urgency. Prospect may decide to buy now.

0% No/low degree of urgency. Prospect doesn't need to buy now.

Funds Approval

30% Opportunity funded to or above our price.

20% High probability of funds approval.

10% Good probability of obtaining funds.

0% Funds not yet available and/or approved.

Competitive Edge

20% Sole source, no other competitors being considered.

10% Good rapport, preferred or favoured vendor.

5% Competitors still being seriously considered. Who & why?

0% Sale possible only with difficulty. Why?

You'll note that, at best, you can only have a 90 percent chance of getting the business. That's because a sale isn't 100 percent until the product/service has been delivered, installed, completed, paid for, etc, and you've done a follow up to ensure the customer is satisfied.

Make It Work for You

Of course this system isn't a "one-size-fits-all" solution to the problem of sludge removal but it can be changed and modified to fit most sales situations. Take the time to make it fit yours and keep the sales flowing.

Both you and your sales manager will be delighted you did.

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About the Author

Brian Jeffrey is President of Salesforce Assessments Ltd. His company works with sales managers who want to make the right hiring decisions and build a strong sales team using his sales assessment test. For more articles like this and your free copy of "The 8 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Sales Managers Make" go to => www.SalesforceAssessments.com

Packing A Punch With Voicemail Messages by Paul Cherry

Voice mail messages can be a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, voice mail is an easy way for you to leave a brief but useful message for a prospective customer.  On the other hand, we all know it’s just as easy for those same prospects to ignore or simply erase voice mail from unknown salespeople.  If you hone your voice mail messages for maximum impact, however, you’ll create great sales opportunities.

WHY VOICE MAIL IS A POWERFUL SALES TOOL

• Your voice communicates enthusiasm, warmth, and energy that easily gets lost in a printed or e-mail format.


• Because voice mail is such a basic communication tool, you don’t have to worry about technical compatibility and accessibility from your prospects’ end.


• You can communicate your message to many prospects within a short time.  A seasoned rep can easily convey a powerful message to 20 prospects in under an hour. If that leads to one callback who’s truly interested, you’re on your way to getting results.


• Voice mail saves money.  The average voice mail message is 30 to 45 seconds long.  If you factor in time to connect and transfer into voice mail, your average cost per call should be 10 to 30 cents—cheaper than a first class postage stamp!


• Voice mail is flexible.  From lead generation, scheduling appointments, connecting with past customers, or announcing special offers or a letter or e-mail already on its way, your opportunities are unlimited.


• Most prospects receive a few dozen e-mail solicitations daily—but in that monsoon of e-mail and direct mail solicitations, voice mail messaging stands out like a ray of sunshine. 


• With so much information thrown at customers, standing out is no easy feat.  Voice mail hasn’t been exploited like e-mail or direct mail.  Leaving a powerful, concise voice mail message lets you differentiate your own unique message that speaks to your prospects’ needs.


• Voice mail messaging builds confidence and sales presentation skills.  New sales reps especially must learn all about product features while fine-tuning their selling skills.  Their biggest fear is if they have to interact with a live prospect who asks a question for which they don’t have an answer.  Practicing a well-rehearsed script on voice mail gives new reps experience while they acquire product knowledge.


• For new reps, voice mail messages can be limited to introducing special offers or promotions, or to schedule a joint sales call.  These approaches give new salespeople a great opportunity to reach out to veteran customers and new prospects in a safe, controlled environment.

EXAMPLES OF VOICE MAIL THAT PROVOKES RESPONSES



Note that the following examples cite articles covering subjects of interest to the prospect.

By citing an article or other tool to help your prospect enhance her work environment, job, or career, you’re positioning yourself as a consultant and advisor, increasing your prospect’s interest in calling you back.  When you connect with her, you’ll have positioned yourself as a credible source who understands her issues, not just another peddler eager to launch into a sales pitch.

• “Hi, my name is _____, and last week I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that claimed drug testing is an ineffective tool to weed out poor-quality job applicants.  Yet, five times more companies test for drugs today compared to ten years ago.  I have worked with a company in your industry that has reported saving over $5 million by streamlining its hiring process and increasing its retention rates.  Is this something you’re looking to address?  If so, please call me back at _____.”


• “Hi, my name is _____, and I recently read an article in U.S. News & World Report stating that over 75% of high-tech firms today turn to foreign workers to manage their help-desk operations.  One of the key challenges seems to be surmounting the language barrier and the difficulty customers have had communicating with the new help-desk personnel.  My company is currently working with a client who has addressed this concern and increased customer retention by 30% over the past 12 months as a result of our services.  Is this an issue you are experiencing?  If so, please call me at _____.”

A template can help you form more educational questions to suit your situation, like the following examples:

• “Hi, my name is ____, and I recently came across some information that would be of interest to you.  While reading the trade journal __________, I learned that __________ which seems to be an issue a number of my clients are dealing with.  I’m curious if this is an area you are looking to address and, if so, we have some ideas.  Please call ________.”


• “… and I’ve learned about some pending legislation that might affect your company.  The legislation is _____.  Does your company have a plan in place to deal with this change? Over (number of companies) in your industry have turned to us for solutions…”


• “… and I read an article this morning in _____ claiming that ________.  My clients’ experiences have been different, however, and I was wondering how your company’s experience compares…”

Make your voice mail messages an engaging calling card for you and your company, and you’ll increase the likelihood of prospects calling you back.

Paul Cherry is President of the sales and leadership firm Performance Based Results and the author of QUESTIONS THAT SELL, published by AMACOM Books.  Paul can be reached at 302-478-4443 or e-mailed at cherry@pbresults.com. When you subscribe to our quarterly newsletter at http://www.pbresults.com, download our free white paper, “Top Questions that Sell,” based on PBR's latest research on what salespeople need to ask in order to up-sell, cross-sell and win more customers!

Two Types Of Salespeople by Jim Meisenheimer

Actually "There are three kinds of salespeople; those who make
things happen, those who watch things happen and those who are
wondering what happened."

You've probably heard that one before. In fact, there are two
different types of salespeople and they are very easy to spot.

The first type is the improvisor. He seldom prepares, his
preferred style, is to take things as they come. He likes to
be spontaneous. He usually relies on his instinct and counts
on his intuition to carry the day.

His days are fun filled and exciting, because he literally treats
each sales call as an adventure. He's the Indiana Jones of
selling, foot loose and fancy free, whatever that means.

The second type is the professional. He also enjoys his work, for
different reasons. He anticipates everything, especially the
routines and repetitive stuff. He knows the routines which gives
him the opportunity to prepare in advance.

For example, he handles recurring objections. He knows he'll get
them over and over again, so he prepares in advance how he will
deal with them.

He plays with words, until he creates power phrases that work
like magic. Once prepared, he knows that to execute a perfect
delivery, he must practice what he's prepared until he nails it.

He records his power phrases into a digital recorder and plays
them over and over until they are anchored into his subconscious.

His sales calls are different because he treats them as
opportunities not as adventures.

There are two types of salespeople and of course they achieve
two different results.

Each one follows a pattern, one is unstructured and one isn't.

Each can be seen as a formula. One formula gets better selling
results than the other. Here they are:

I + I = I (Instinct + Intuition = Improvisation)

P + P = P (Preparation + Practice = Professionalism)

The secret to achieving consistent selling success is that there
are no shortcuts, no quickies just plain old fashioned hard work.

These are the formulas and you get to choose. One doesn't require
much preparation.

One pays better than the other.

Remember this too, preparation trumps improvisation every day of
the week.

Also remember, your customers can tell the difference between "Improvisation" and "Preparation."

When you combine preparation with practice you get professionalism
which enables you to meet with a success you never before imagined.

About
The Author:

Make sure you check out Jim's Sales Trailblazer program: http://salestrailblazer.com

Jim is a
Sales Strategist and is the creator of No-Brainer Selling Skills.
He shows salespeople and entrepreneurs how to increase sales,
earn more money, have more fun, and how to do it all in less
time. His focus is on practical ideas that get immediate results.
He offers Advanced Sales Management Workshops, Sales Coaching,
Consulting, In-house Sales Training Programs, and a wide variety
of Learning Tools i.e. books, special reports, sales manuals,
and CDs.Jim Meisenheimer
is a member of The National Speakers Association, where he earned
the C.S.P. designation, Certified Speaking Professional. He
has authored five books including, "The 12 Best Questions
To Ask Customers," and the recently published “57
Ways To Take Control Of Your Time And Your Life”.

Websites: http://www.startsellingmore.com/

http://www.meisenheimer.com/