Earlier today, I reviewed "The 5 Critical Sales Questions that will help you Thrive during Tough Times" with a few leaders at my regular monthly briefing. Following this session,New York Jets Jerseys, I had a private discussion with one CEO who attended. His comment to me was "the answers to these questions are probably worth $1M or more in sales to us during these tough times!" Too often we are overly busy acting on the answers to the wrong questions for our current challenges. Some of these actions form previous right answers to the right questions likely do apply. As I had said in my previous articles on this topic,Cheap Tony Gonzalez Jersey, 90% of what you are doing is probably sound action for your current challenges. It is that 10% that needs to be re-invented and that re-invention starts with the right questions. Last time I discussed the importance of asking the right questions in pursuing excellence in college football when I compared four prominent football programs; OSU, USC, Texas, and Florida. Today we will look at the importance of the right questions when looking at sales during tough economic times. -- Voltaire "The essence of the process is to get the right people engaged in vigorous dialogue and debate, infused with the brutal facts and guided by QUESTIONS formed by the three circles." In the next 30 days, this CEO will have a great start on finding the path to generating that lost $1M in sales in the next 12 months because he was open to hearing and asking the right questions. As Verne Harnish often says,Cheap Devin Aromashodu Jersey, "We have the answers,Cheap Chad Ochocinco Jersey, all the answers,Cheap Patrick Chung Jersey, it's the question we do not know!" "Judge others by their questions rather than by their answers." Copyright 2009 Jon L. Iveson,Cheap Patrick Willis Jersey, Ph.D. -- Jim Collins -- Chinese Proverb In what areas of your life or business do you need to ask new and better questions? "One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever."

To begin with, you need to remember that working for yourself is a difficult and time consuming job. It's OK saying that you'll be financially better off,Cheap Larry Johnson Jersey, but that's only if you get sales - and getting sales is going to be the most difficult bit. Just how do you get customers banging on the door? If your service is so good then surely it's worth people buying it? None of us want to sell something that won't work or doesn't have a decent return on investment, so we need to simply make our product compelling enough to ensure people will want it. One of the problems with this attitude (and it is a very common one) is that it is a mistake to think that life is quite that easy. For a start, as an employee you probably had all your work brought to you by a team of salesmen. Maybe your marketing department did all the work of bringing in the clients through advertising and your accounts department invoiced and chased late accounts. It's not until you leave that you realise that life is not quite as easy as your own boss and you suddenly have to do everything yourself - everything. This is the biggest single point to remember when trying to sell to someone. In essence,Cheap Rodgers-Cromartie Jersey, you shouldn't really try to sell - you should simply try to advise and give consultative advice to your prospect so he can make the decision as to whether to buy. When deciding to leave the safety of your 9-5 job you may be tempted to step into the world of the consultant. If you're coming from a background of employed consultancy,Cheap Bart Starr Jersey, perhaps in a service industry where you are already providing advice to companies then this would seem like the obvious next career step. Surely going from an employed roll doing one job into doing it for yourself and reaping the obvious financial benefits is a no-brainer? Or is it? Most people think that selling is a skill based on confidence,Cheap Rey Maualuga Jersey, being brash and having to know absolutely everything about your subject, but in fact that can be a hindrance because in reality, to be a good salesman you really need to be a good human. So where do you start? In fact, the best sale isn't a sale at all, in the best case scenario, the customer will want your product or service so much that he'll beg for it. And why shouldn't he? It's true that working for yourself brings a lot of benefits - the financial ones are the obvious ones that people seems to latch on to, but it also brings with it an incredible amount of paperwork and requirements that you've never even had to consider before. Although we like to think that the best salesmen are those that stride around in grey suits being brash and argumentative,Cheap Ndamukong Suh Jersey, the truth is actually quite different. The best salesmen in the world are quietly confident, yes, but they're also very good at getting people to trust them. And that's the key - get someone to trust you and you can then sell to them. When you have a product that people want,Cheap Jake Long Jersey, all you need to do is to ease your customer into thinking that you are the best person to provide it. Sales therefore doesn't become a process of convincing a client, it becomes a process of getting your customer to trust you enough to believe you'll do the best for them.

People hire you for various reasons directly tied to what they want to get. Each person is motivated to act because they are fed up with what they have and want something different. You either tap into that motivation or expect clients to be as rare as hen's teeth.,Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys Prevention is focused on danger or opportunities that are years away. Your potential clients don't wake up in a cold sweat thinking the first thing they need to do that day is buy something that is going to stave off a potential problem they could face a few years from now. It just doesn't work that way. Part of the reason prevention is so hard to sell is because deep down we all like to believe we are invincible. Even when we know something is likely to happen we still think it isn't going to happen to us. Because the consequences of not acting are far off so is the desire to purchase. I guess some people are hell bent on learning things the hard way. However,Cheap Jason Taylor Jersey, you aren't like that because you are actively searching for ways to improve the way you get clients. You aren't just thinking about it. Does that mean you are doomed if what you sell is predominantly preventative? No,Cheap Earl Thomas Jersey, it means you have to find a way to talk about your services in terms of what your potential clients are motivated to act on now. The key is tapping into their existing motivation. If you want a bevy of clients you need to focus your communications on the people who are ready to buy now not people who are thinking about what they could do or thinking about what they should do. Yet,Cheap Terry Bradshaw Jersey, I see service providers focus their communications on the things you could or should do. These are the service providers trying to sell their services as a means of prevention. You choose who you want to work with. You choose how you communicate with those people. Don't make the mistake of focusing your communications on something that's going to get you spanked. Here's what I mean. When you are thinking about taking an action you know there are things you could do. There are things you should do. Then there are things you must do. The things you must do are the things you act on now. When you must act you aren't thinking about buying anymore you are thinking about who you want to buy from. You are searching for the best match.

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If,Terrell Owens cowboys Jersey, on the other hand, that same person was able to see your passion and enthusiasm for your offering in action,Cheap Zach Thomas Jersey, they might eventually warm up to hearing what you have to say. It reminds me of the Tom Sawyer story about the picket fence: Tom is able to convince the other kids in the neighborhood to pay him for the privilege of doing his chores,Cheap A.J. Green Jersey, not by reasoning with them, but by demonstrating how much he enjoyed doing the task. And even though Tom was faking his enthusiasm for the job, the other children caught his enthusiasm and begged to be allowed to do the work. Imagine how much more effective sincere enthusiasm would be! That's the power of love. How exactly does one "greet the day with love", though? I love Mandino's explanation: "I will greet this day with love in my heart." - from The Scroll Marked II, The Greatest Salesman In the World by Og Mandino. Mandino nails it when he says that "only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men". You've likely seen this in action. Think of the last time you were dealing with a real skeptic, a nay-sayer who had absolutely no interest in hearing about what you had to offer. How would you set about winning such a person over to your way of thinking? Would you try to persuade with logic and reasoning? Try that and let me know how it works out. Trying to convince another person they're wrong with logic is like pushing a wheelbarrow full of bricks up a hill: no fun at all. A secret formula for expressing this love is to "in silence and to myself...address him (those you come in contact with) and say I Love You." Why? because, "though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkle my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened." Master that ability, "and who is there who will say nay to my goods when his hearts feels my love?" Once again, it comes down to the choices we make. When it comes to feeling and expressing love,Cheap Shawne Merriman Jersey, gratitude helps. If we're grateful for what we have, even what challenges us, we can show it love. If we lack gratitude and are always wishing we had something better, love is going to be hard to find. And who decides whether we are grateful or not? I think you know the answer. Gratitude, like any trait, is something we have to choose to maintain. To quote Huey Lewis, that's the power of love,Cheap Carolina Panthers Jerseys! Think of the mental outlook this principle encourages the would-be salesperson to embrace: if you truly greet the day with love in your heart,Cheap Roy Williams Jersey, do you think that a little discouragement or rejection will stop you? That's the power of optimism, the part of love that's always looking to the future with hope and a smile. Love can be hard to pin down to a single definition. In the second principle for becoming the greatest salesperson the world has ever seen, qualities like gratitude, passion, enthusiasm and optimism are grouped under the subject of love; each of these facets of love is required to truly succeed as a salesperson. "Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge."

Make sales everyone's job. Everyone in your company plays a critical sales role and creates an experience for customers and prospects - from your receptionist to your backroom employees. Evaluate your sales force. Get rid of those salespeople just sitting on the dock, keep your most productive farmers and give your best hunters the right tools,Cheap Jaguars Jerseys, beliefs and management support. Are you looking for things to blame for poor sales - a bad economy, aggressive competition or a less-than-aggressive sales team? If we find something to blame, we don't have to change tactics. Truly successful companies are constantly asking, "What can I do today to improve sales?" Treat clients like prospects. Think of how you court prospects when you're trying to land their business. You uncover problems, offer solutions, stay in touch and respond quickly. You go the extra mile. How would your clients react if you treated them the same way? Stop the blame game now,Cheap Ronnie Lott Jersey! Take action, watch your sales grow and improve the future of your company. Sell more with less. Are your top producers hunters, farmers or fishermen? Do they aggressively hunt for new business opportunities? Do they have a good base of business that they farm? Or, are they "fishermen" just waiting for a sales bite? Use the crystal ball. By putting the right sales processes in place and taking into account your sales cycles, you can actually forecast what your yearly sales will be. We call this the "crystal ball." Do you have a crystal ball, or are you going to do what many companies do - set goals,Cheap Hines Ward Jersey, evaluate them maybe once per quarter and complain at the end of the year that sales fell short? Get rid of your top producers. In most companies, top producers are not hunters - they've just stuck around long enough to inherit business. Are your so-called top producers aggressively looking for and landing new business? When 9/11 hit,Cheap Roy Williams Jersey, Acuity Systems' clients announced major cutbacks - and training was one of the first things to go. When 50% of the company's revenue was lost,Cheap Bart Scott Jersey, we decided to re-evaluate our customer base and expand services. Are you doing anything different to improve sales? If not,Cheap Johnny Knox Jersey, here are a few helpful tips:

He is a natural born salesman. This statement infers that the ability to sell is an inherent one. That the person possesses natural born talent. BALONEY. There are natural born Salespeople but they are few, very few, and far between. Very far between. The so called natural born salesman who cannot answer technical questions and do those things necessary to satisfy the needs of the customer by supplying them with the benefits of the features of that product or service is going fail. He will lose the order to a salesperson who may not be as glib or personable, but can show the value and appreciation of his or her product. Finding the hot button, satisfying the customers' needs while using the tools you have at hand and your selling skills is the way to make sales. GOOD SALESPEOPLE ARE MADE NOT BORN. Salespeople who are friendly and popular will always have a place in sales,Cheap Taylor Mays Jersey, but the salesperson who answers the question "What have I done to successfully complete the sale" is the one who will get the order more times than not. Personality and hospitality can get you far,Cheap Chase Daniel Jersey, but not to the finish line. If you continue to rely on your congeniality,Cheap Dallas Clark Jersey, personality, reputation,Wes Welker raiders Jersey, past accomplishments, you are going to lose. The salesperson who shows charts,Cheap Bob Sanders Jersey, reports, analysis,Cheap Bruce Smith Jersey, tables and anything else that helps make the decision process easier will get the order which he so richly deserves, because he has done those things necessary to earn the business.

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What are the challenges you are currently facing? Why did you select your current vendor? What are you hearing from your customers? 3. Ask "Barrier" questions Barrier questions are what is blocking them from achieving their goals. Some examples are: 4. Ask "Pay Out" questions Pay out questions invokes emotion from your potential client by asking them to imagine they have achieved their goals. 1. Build Rapport 2. Develop trust in the relationship 3. Show the potential client that you are interested in their needs 4. Qualify the potential client to see if they are right for your business To give credit where credit is due,Cheap Ted Hendricks Jersey, this is the Dale Carnegie Questioning model and it works extremely well, I took additional sales training and finally learned a systematic approach to asking the right questions. The reason you want to ask the right questions is to: Looking forward 6 months, where would you like to be? If you could wave a magic wand,throwback Dennis Byrd Jersey, what would be different? What do you want to hear from your customers? Joanne I was so anxious to get my pitch out that I did all the talking. Plus I thought if I asked a lot of questions,Cleveland Browns Jerseys, I might bother the prospect. So I made a zillion calls and through the force of this volume was able to make and exceed my numbers. One last note here, if you have not developed rapport from the beginning of the relationship, your prospect will not feel comfortable answering your questions. You will need to ask permission to proceed and earn the right to ask these questions. Once you have mastered this, your sales success will explode. Okay,Cheap Sam Bradford Jersey, now that we have gone through this questioning model,Cheap Anthony Gonzalez Jersey, I am going to give you my secret question. This question allows people to feel comfortable telling me everything important to them. I don't have to remember all the questions above because of this question. Here it is: What's preventing you from achieving these objectives? What is holding your company back from making the transition? What is the level of urgency for making this change? Your success is our mission! 1. Ask "As Is" questions "As Is" questions are questions about their current situation. Some examples are: When your goal is to understand the needs of your prospects to ensure that your solution is right for them, these questions will be critical to this goal. Sincerely,Cheap Roscoe Parrish Jersey, 2. Ask "Should Be" questions Should be questions are what the prospects is hoping to achieve. Some examples are: Tell me about...(your company, your goals, etc.) When I was a fledgling sales person selling computers to the government, our sales trainer would say, "The quality of your questions determine the quality of your paycheck." This was a commission only position but asking the right questions eluded me and therefore, I was struggling. If you were able to...what would that mean to your company? What would it mean to you? Then be quiet. Quiet your mind as well as don't interrupt. Take notes if you need to and come back to fill in the blanks. This question is selling magic!

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While the ability to judge people in general and customers in particular, to diagnose and to size-up, is the one thing which stands between the great salesman and one of ordinary capacity, diagnosing is not the most important element of all. It is a necessary one, and no one can succeed without some of it. Those who possess it to a marked degree belong to the upper grade of the upper class, and those who have little of it are pretty close to the bottom. Seventhly, good-nature. Comparatively few morose, over-dignified, cold,Cheap Jerry Rice Jersey, and chilly salesmen have amounted to anything. It is possible for them to sell goods when the buyer is as anxious to buy as the seller is to sell, but they are practically worthless at the initiative, and are seldom able to obtain or to hold any trade worth having. Some managers look upon good-nature as the most important requirement of all. Whether it is or not, it is a fact that without it great success is impossible. Unless a salesman is both pleasing and profitable to the customer, he will not continue to do business, and will be forced out of business whether working as a car salesman or on the internet as an affiliate. Of course, there are many other elements which contribute mightily to salesmanship,Brett Favre packers Jersey, such as persistency, faithfulness, promptness, and the like, without which one may not hope to succeed at anything. Which is the most important of the eight points of selling? The answer is of little concern. The proficient salesman possesses them all, not in their fullness or perfection,Cheap Vincent Jackson Jersey, because that is impossible. Most salesmen are strong in one direction and weak in others. They do not have selling balance. All of these attainments play leading parts on the stage of salesmanship, and their relative positions are of little consequence. They do not compete with one another. Thirdly, a general knowledge of business principles. There are salesmen who can only sell goods, possessing no real business ability beyond that of selling. Some of them succeed moderately, but few of them become great salesmen. A general knowledge of business, or some ability to manipulate business, is essential to good salesmanship or to best salesmanship. Fourthly, a working familiarity with the business methods and action of one's competitors. To successfully and continuously consummate trade, and to be able to overcome expected and unexpected obstacles, one must be familiar with the methods used by those in the same line of business. Eighthly,Cheap DeAngelo Hall Jersey, that ability to play a double part, to interest and benefit the customer while being thoroughly faithful and profitable to the business one represents, including one's own. Salesmen holding permanent trade never forget the customer's interest, and yet they always work for the benefit of their own business. First, he knows his goods. No seller of goods, who is unfamiliar with them, can sell them to full advantage. There are a few expert salesmen who have closed large deals without an intimate knowledge of the goods they sell and who are woefully, and almost criminally, ignorant of their wares, yet are able to consummate larger sales than ninety per cent of thoroughly knowledgeable salesmen. These men are natural geniuses, preeminent traders, who seem to be able to sell anything at any time to anybody. Secondly, the ability to describe or talk the goods. Many people with an intimate knowledge,Cheap Thurman Thomas Jersey, both technical and broad, fail because they do not know how to communicate. It is obvious that all the knowledge in the world is worthless unless it is distributed. The person of knowledge, who can not communicate orally or in writing, is about as bad off in business as would be the person who can communicate but with nothing in back of it. The commercial value of what we know is dependent upon our distribution or use of it. If we do not know how to talk our wares, we cannot readily sell, and we have no right to be members of the selling craft. Fifthly,Cheap Troy Polamalu Jersey, the ability to talk something besides "shop." To do this requires a knowledge of things in general. Practically all successful salesmen are reservoirs of general information about business and of matters outside of business; and this information, always ready for immediate delivery, permits them to be both agreeable and profitable to their customers. It materially assists in making a good impression and builds the bond of trust that is crucial to present and future sales. The first-class salesman, whether he is behind the counter, on the floor, on the internet, on television, or banging on your door. Whether he peddles books, e-books, computer programs, car insurance, ice cream or sells furniture, is proficient along the following lines: Sixthly, the ability to diagnose the customer, or, in the language of the street, "to size-up the other fellow." Unless one is able to do this, to some degree, at least, he cannot hope to be more than a mediocre success, online or fact to face; and he stands as little chance of winning the battle of trade as does the commanding officer of an army who meets his enemy without a knowledge of its strength or proportions.

Remember these steps when you're seeking appointments with qualified prospects. Do it the way the sales pros do it. Get more appointments, and get more sales,Cheap Steve Smith Jersey! Introduce yourself to the gatekeeper, note a referral, and ask to speak to the decision maker. Be concise: "This is so-and-so, with such-and-such company. This-or-that person suggested I call. Is Mr/Ms Prospect in, please?" Remember: the longer you speak to the gatekeeper, the less likely it is you'll ever get through to the prospect. If you're asked what this concerns, respond,Cheap Casey Hampton Jersey, politely,Cheap Dan Hampton Jersey, with something along the lines of "This is something Mr/Ms Prospect would want to know about, and within 90 seconds will know whether we need to get together in person. Is he/she in, please?" Confirm the benefit, with a tie-down to get an affirmative response. Don't make a patronizing statement like "Do you want to save money?" Instead, make a casual statement they're likely to agree with, made into the form of a question with a tie-down like "wouldn't you?" or "aren't you?": "I'll bet in this economy, you have to watch every nickel you spend, don't you?" When you get the decision maker on the line, repeat your intro,Cheap Julio Jones Jersey, and note a benefit you've provided to similar businesses. "This is so-and-so, with such-and-such company. This-or-that person suggested I call" Always note a referral. If you don't have the name of one of their colleagues, cite your boss. Or me. Say "Dr. Bob Kimball suggested I give you a call." After all, I just did. Then, cite a benefit that would likely be of importance to them. Benefits come in three forms: Increase profits, reduce costs, or make their life easier: "We've been working with several firms in this industry, and have saved them this amount on whatever." Call early. Many qualified prospects arrive at work before the office staff arrives. If you have their direct-dial number, call early and you might get right through. But if not... If the prospect is too busy to meet with you right now,Cheap Matt Leinart Jersey, close on that objection. When the prospect says they're too busy to meet with you, what they really mean is "Why should I meet with you?" So,Cheap Bobby Hebert Jersey, if they say they're too busy, answer with "That's just why you need to meet with me. I won't waste your time, and I can save you time and money. We just need 20 minutes. How about Tuesday at 8?" If the prospect declines your request for an appointment, ask questions to uncover some unmet need or dissatisfaction. No matter what they say, bring in the witness and ask for the appointment again. Ask "How do you feel about this?" or "How do you feel about that?". One good question is "How do you feel about what you're paying now?" It doesn't make any difference whether they say "Well, it's going up a bit lately" or "I am absolutely thrilled and don't know how they can do it for so little", respond with something along the lines of "Interesting you should say that. This-and-such a person said the same thing when we first met. We're saving them over $1000 a month now. We need to talk about this. 20 minutes is all it will take. How about Tuesday at 8?" The most important selling skill isn't presenting, closing, or negotiating. It's persuading a qualified prospect to meet with you in person. Here's how top sales pros do that! Make a direct request for an appointment. When you do this, position yourself as a partner, not a salesperson desperate for a sale, by indicating that you'll wish to proceed only if this is in their best interest: "It'll take us about 20 minutes to see if this is right for you. It may not be, but you'll know in 20 minutes." Now ask for the appointment, not with the manipulative tactic of suggesting two possible times and asking them to choose one, but by proposing a meeting time: "How about Tuesday at 8?" Then shut up. Let them propose an alternative time if it suits them.

So by thinking and acting in terms of providing service when you're up to bat, you'll hear the crowd go wild, you'll advance your runner,Cheap Isaac Redman Jersey, and you'll safely cross home plate more often. So when you contact a prospect, the main question on your agenda should be: Remember,Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys, it takes time to develop a relationship, and this is how successfully closed sales are built. If your call ends up being a sale that's going to solve all their problems, that's obviously awesome. Play ball,Cheap Deuce McAllister Jersey! Actually, don't even try to hit a homerun every time. But first,Cheap Nick Fairley Jersey, let's talk about how your philosophy can impact your overall game. "Sales = Service" "How can I help this person make their job and life better?" If the outcome is to set up a face-to-face, phone or web meeting to offer more time for an in-depth conversation, solution or advisory session, even better. I work with my clients to transform their sales philosophy so "sales" is equated with "service," no matter where the prospect is in the sales cycle. This approach solves A LOT of confusion, anxiety and uncertainty, and it also creates a very effective, ethical and enjoyable sales process for both parties. You don't need to hit a homerun every time. The other day someone asked me what the goal of a sales call should be. And it got me thinking about baseball. The goal of your sales call is to find a way to offer help and work with that prospect (not "pitch to" them) towards realizing some value gained from your interaction. That value you provide should be appropriate and proportionate to your own business goals and needs. And the best part - Everyone wins. In terms of progress during the sale cycle, let's get back to our baseball analogy, because this is where it gets really important and most sales professionals strike out: Actually, I'm more of a football and basketball fan myself, but this baseball analogy made too much sense to pass up. If the result of your contact ends up simply being the chance for you to give some advice, resources or other form of value, great. They'll appreciate and remember you for it. But even if it turns out that they don't need your help,Cheap Mark Ingram Jersey, that's good,NFL Sideline Black United Jerseys, too. Either it isn't and won't be a good fit for you to work together, or it just isn't the right time for them *right now*. You can assess that, so you know how and when to move forward with them, and that is time well spent. Even if you're not a baseball fan, stick with me here. I'm talking about how to implement your sales game plan to gear up for a long, successful season. The risk/reward ratio is in your favor to just get on base - make small victories that build - rather than striking out most often with the hope you'll hit one out of the park once in a while. Those probably won't happen fast enough, and you'll be out of the game in no time at all.

These are only few mistakes that ticket brokers make when new in the branch. If you are one of those who have been losing a lot of money from this business you should consider the above mentioned advices and try your luck again. This time you will earn big money out of it,Cheap Jack Tatum Jersey! First of all give up buying from secondary sources. Because secondary ticket brokers are willing to make good money in short time,Cheap Randall Cobb Jersey, just like you are,Cheap Marques Colston Jersey, you will always pay more than the face value of a ticket and will not be able to sell it with much more. Sometimes, these tickets cannot be sold at the same price they were bought, making you lose money. Next time when there is an important event try to buy the tickets directly from the venue or from primary sources, such as promoters or agencies which have contracts with the organizers. Also, do not put your tickets on sale on sites which charge a lot of fees. Choose the site which has the fewest fees and the most visitors. This way you will ensure that your ticket will be seen by many people and you will not give an important part of your profit to the owner of the site. Do not buy tickets if you do not know where they are placed. Mainly if you buy tickets from secondary sources they will tell you that they have front ticket seats, but in fact they may be selling you back ticket seats. To avoid being duped like this you should have a map with the location of the event and check the number of seats for which you want to buy the tickets. Also,Cheap DeMeco Ryans Jersey, do not wait until last minute and then put the tickets on sale. No real fan likes waiting until last minute for a ticket and by the time you decide to put your ticket on sale,Cheap Vince Young Jersey, most of those interested in the event will have already bought tickets. So the chances of you selling the tickets at a good price are very much diminished,Cheap Tim Brown Jersey, no to tell that you may as well not sell them at all. The news according to which ticket brokers earn a lot of money simply by buying cheap tickets and then selling them for a bigger price spread fast around everywhere. This determined many people to try their luck in this business. However not all of them have found the success they were expecting. What went wrong? Here are some mistakes that you should avoid making if you want to make good money by selling tickets.

Consultative sales training will teach you that the process is not about guiding the customer, but rather the customer guiding you to offer them something that they need. This means that you must solve their problem, not blindly offer something that they may or may not need or want. Become an Expert with Your (and Other) Services or Products In all industries, and especially in certain ones, motivational sales training should incorporate a thorough knowledge of the competitor's products and services. Potential customers will be comparing your services or products to others in the market. Sales training which incorporates an important tenet of consultative selling, in understanding the customer's needs, assumes an understanding of the competitor's offerings, in addition to your own to be successful. According to sales training articles, if you are to define the difference that consultative selling brings to the sales world in a phrase or sentence: it would include selling to the customer's needs. This is the fundamental difference, whereas other conventional salespeople will present what they have to offer in a similar fashion. Sales skills training will teach you to know your product. When you think about it, how can you expect to sell something if you do not know what it is, or how it will affect some aspect of your customer's needs? The products or services you sell must be able to fit into your customer's needs, which means that it is vital that you are aware of how it will do this. Show Enthusiasm Motivational sales training is based in showing enthusiasm for one's products or services. Chicago sales training consultants and those around the world understand that enthusiasm will help sell a product or service. This confidence in your offered products or services will seek to transfer to the customer. You will also be able to build trust as well. Sales training stresses the salesperson to customer relationship, for good reason. Potential clients that are seeking what you have to offer will be looking for a level of assistance and knowledge. Thus, they must be able to respect what you have to say. Sales skills training methods understand the important value of preparation when it comes to consultative selling, something that occurs before the actual selling process. Before you approach a customer,Cheap Javon Walker Jersey, gather data from the prospect. With this info you will be able to customize your products and services to offer something that will fit his or her needs. Consultative selling is about selling to his or her needs,Cheap Kyle Wilson Jersey, as covered in the next section. If you are to prove this to the customer, a positive relationship must be built. Communication skills will help you build this relationship,Cheap Vince Young Jersey, such as enthusiasm, honesty, and trustworthiness. Sales team training will stress all of these important dynamics, which form a huge portion in the "supplementary" features of consultative selling. That is, those qualities which separates successful and other consultative salespeople. Chicago sales training consultants will utilize market researchers, accountants, underwriters, and analysts to make an informed reach to their consumers, in larger businesses. This is exactly what needs to occur, regardless of the scope or sales team training available to you. Whether it is the individual salesperson or a large and diversified team, preparation is key for any type of consultative selling. Offer Appropriate Solutions Sales training speakers, as well as other individuals in the sales world, are often confused as to what is a consultative salesperson. They may know when they find one, yet it is difficult for many to describe what it truly means. Sales training articles that properly describe the term pinpoint consultative selling on the dialogue that takes place between the customer and the seller. In order to achieve this, one must prepare himself or herself for this important interaction that takes place. Understand the Customer's Needs Ask Questions Consultative sales training people will demonstrate the value of asking questions in this type of sales method. In fact, along with customized solutions, which is covered in the next section,Cheap Julian Edelman Jersey, and an interactive conversation, these three essences are often what makes consultative selling what it is,Cheap Camouflage Realtree Jerseys, according to consultative sales training articles. You must be able to understand the customer's needs and their interactions with you to sell your products and services. A well-versed Chicago sales training consultant will ask as many questions as possible in order to make these offers and to identify what the customer is looking for. Use questions to your advantage in order to gain insight; you may also find it helping you to build a meaningful business relationship with your clients as well. Tom Daly of BestFit Solutions states this in terms of numbers: "The RIGHT answers, if you want to leave the pack behind are: you should be spending at least 80% of your time talking about how to solve their real problem... and less than 20% of the time talking about you or your product/service." Perhaps Chicago sales training consultants and sales and marketing training people around the globe should adhere to this general guideline to find success in consultative selling. Consultative sales training consultants end the mastering of the art and science to offering an appropriate solution to your customer. This is the true end to the consultative sales process. Of course, you may need to revise your offer if it is not what the customer needs or desires, which will take you back to other parts of the process, yet this remains the proper end of the process. And if it is done properly, you should have success in your consultative sales endeavors. Preparation Offer what you can to help the customer with his or her needs. Recognized sales coaching institutes acknowledge the offering of appropriate products or services to the customer's needs,Cheap Johnathan Joseph Jersey, only if they fit with the customer. If you cannot do this, it is important to keep the positive relationship intact. Offer what you can for the customer and help them find what they need. In the long run this will be better for you and the customer. You will demonstrate your helpfulness, which will be much more likely to give you return customers in some way, such as word of mouth, or a customer returning for a new and different need that you can satisfy. Build a Relationship with the Customer Talking with (Not to) the Customer

Selling on the internet is really no different than any other type of selling. In internet sales, you must use the correct keywords so that the search engines will direct the prospective buyer to your website or sales page. Then you will need catch phrases that stand out and will attract someone to your website, where they will see information about your product. Otherwise your site will be passed by for someone else who might use better words. Most of us would have trouble selling a free lunch to a starving artist. But even the starving artist must sell his paintings,Cheap Matthew Stafford Jersey, if he ever wants to eat. You must also have the ability to listen to people. That is, the ability to hear what they are actually saying. Listen to the words the prospective buyer is using. What is the person's tone of voice? What is the person's attitude and body language? Listen for hidden meaning behind their words. Do you hear pain? Is there more emphasis on some words than on others? Do you hear relief or maybe hope when you talk to each other about the product you are there to sell? Many people make their careers in sales. Some sales careers might include a car dealer, a real estate broker, or retail sales. Then there are door to door sales. Some examples of door to door sales might include such things as cosmetics, vacuum cleaner sales, or insurance. The list is endless for careers in professional sales. Maybe you want to sell an old television that you aren't using anymore. Perhaps you're having a yard sale. You might be at the bank trying to get a loan for a new car. Or maybe you want to buy a home. You are preparing a resume. Or you are on your way to a job interview. These are all forms of selling in which you must sell yourself. In order to be able to sell, you must first learn to interact with people and you must turn this ability into a great skill,Cheap Nick Fairley Jersey, almost an into an art. And you also will need to sharpen your ability to peak someone's interest. Have you ever tried to sell something? Was it easy for you, or did you fumble and fidget through the whole deal? Were you nervous, or did you get exited? Selling is an art. You must say the right words and you must ask the right questions. But most people are not sure of what to say when they are trying to sell something. These skills must be learned and applied to all types of sales transactions. Whether you are selling door to door,Cheap Jack Tatum Jersey, through mail campaigns, a sales meeting,Kellen Winslow charger Jersey, or even on the internet. You will need to learn how to carry on a conversation with people and you must be able to guide the conversation so that you will be able to convince your prospective buyer to do business with you instead of with your competitors. Being able to sell yourself is actually where all sales transactions begin. What people perceive of you will almost always determine whether or not they will do business with you. People pick up on your self-confidence, body language, and your knowledge of your product. In our modern society,Cheap Ronnie Brown Jersey, selling is a daily event. Like it or not, we all have to sell something at some point in our lives. Many times,Jacksonville Jaguars Jerseys, actually.

So how do you make sales stick? A great way to increase sales and have them stick is to add a guarantees. Offering a guarantee minimizes the risk in the consumer's mind. It lets them know you believe in your product and/or service and it makes their decision process considerably easier. Many people are very hesitant to offer guarantees for a number of reasons. They are concerned they will get too many refund requests; they aren't sure what type of guarantee to offer; they think people will take advantage of them and they are not sure what type of guarantee to offer. Years ago I heard a very, very well known expert say,Cheap Julian Edelman Jersey, "If you're not getting a lot of refunds,Cheap Israel Idonije Jersey, you're not selling hard enough." * Selling to a market that is not a good fit for your product or service One of the greatest concerns for those who do sell online is how to make sales stick and minimize refunds. If you've been doing business online for any length of time,Cheap Cardinals Jerseys, you know that making your sales stick and minimizing refunds is essential to your success and your profit margin. Selling someone a product or service is one thing. Making it stick is something else. Some experts have very few refund requests, while others have a high number. If you are getting a lot of refund requests,Cheap Jason Taylor Jersey, chances are you are doing the one or more of the following: * You have overpriced your product or service. * Your product or service is of very poor quality,Cheap Darryl Tapp Jersey, thus the high refund requests To say I was disappointed with this advice is an understatement. Being pushy, aggressive and not caring how many refunds you get is what has given sales a bad name. You will not find that type of advice from me. I believe in selling with influence and integrity. To minimize refund requests make sure you aren't doing one or more of the previous points AND offer a solid guarantees. Guarantees encourage people to buy, even if they never use the guarantee. In reality,Cheap Evander Hood Jersey, most people rarely take advantage of guarantees, so you really have nothing to fear if your information products and your services are of high quality.

It's like calling your prospect an idiot. Sure,Cheap Derrick Ward Jersey, you're not actually saying it word for word. You might not do it outright. And you might not even be saying it in your collaterals such as your booklet printing or print catalogs. But you are actually telling your customers they are idiots if you tell them how you can save them money when they are the ones responsible for their business. Even if you tell it to their face or in your marketing copy such as in your print booklets and brochures. Again, this just proves that the sales agent doesn't know anything about the company or the owner of the company. This particular opening makes company presidents angry. If you're the sales agent you certainly would lose your prospect in that instant. Because,Cheap Art Monk Jersey, how can you be sure how much the companies are paying for their overhead? And how can you be so sure that they are losing money even when they are raking profits after profits every year? By claiming you know how you can get them to save money,Cheap Nick Mangold Jersey, you are implying that the person you're talking to is a bad negotiator and should not be in business in the first place. Even when the business owner is a brilliant businessman and is considered by his peers as the most capable negotiator in the industry. Here's what you should NOT do when making a sales call or print marketing: NEVER claim you can save your customer money when you don't even know everything there is to know about his or her business. It's the worst idea ever if you start your sales call by telling your prospect that you can save them money. It's like telling them to their face that they are idiots and wouldn't know better if you're not there to help them. Beware if you or your sales agents start this way. Not only are you insulting your prospects,Cheap Braylon Edwards Jersey, but more importantly, you are calling yourself idiots yourself because you're showing your customers that you don't know what you're talking about. Really. This is especially insulting to Presidents of companies because it's as if you're telling them that they don't know how even with the years they have under their belts. Worse, that they are the worst negotiators for their companies. On the other hand, you are also making yourself look like one because it just goes to show that you don't know anything about the company. Here's something to think about before you make that sales call: have you ever called your prospects idiots? You might be adamant about it. But surely,Cheap Ron Jaworski Jersey, some way or another,NFL Camouflage Realtree Jerseys, you have done this particular faux pas.

Bulk pricing follows a similar formula, encouraging customers to buy more of your product when they perceive a savings in doing so. Value To increase your odds of accomplishing this feat, you must get into the head of your potential customer to find out what motivates them to open their wallet and actually make a purchase. We have four ways to use consumer psychology to boost sales. Benefits This is old school marketing, but it still holds true. To make a sale, you must first create a need for your customer. In many instances,Cheap Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey, this is about telling your customer the many benefits she will enjoy by purchasing your product. Your customer may not realize they can clean their bathroom in half the time or save significant time and effort in the kitchen by purchasing your product. Pitchmen are experts at this technique, and if you learn to do it properly,Cheap Mike Quick Jersey, you can also enjoy a significant increase in sales. Once you have solidified your JV partnerships, you've only won half the battle. While attracting new customers is a key component to a successful business, another important attribute is the ability to close the sale once the customer visits your website. JV marketing is an excellent way to attract new customers,Cheap Bill Posluszny Jersey, but once you have increased traffic, you must be prepared to close the sale. With these techniques,Cheap Steve Young Jersey, you can transform lookers to buyers to boost sales and your bottom line. A customer must determine that the price is right before they are willing to buy. However, pricing is one part math and nine parts psychology. Why do you think you see so many prices set at $9.99,Bo Jackson raiders Jersey, $99.99 or 1,999.99? This is a psychological move to keep the customer from moving to the next price threshold. Yes, your product may be just a penny under the $100 mark, but to your customer, there is a major chasm between $99 and $100. It's a fact of life: most people spend plenty of time and money trying to keep up with the Jones. They want top quality merchandise and they want it at a ridiculously low price. When you perfect the art of selling luxury at a bargain,Cheap Lee Evans Jersey, you will increase your sales. In some cases, this may amount to educating your customer about the materials you use to build your product, or the manufacturing process it must undergo to be deemed "fit" to put on your store shelves. Testimonials Customers are often afraid to try out a new company or product because they fear failure. They worry that the products they purchase will not stack up to the value test listed above. Your JV partnership has already overcome part of that concern by linking your relatively unknown business with one that is more established. However, you can take the process a step further by providing potential customers with testimonials of previous buyers. Free samples are another good way to boost consumer confidence so they are more likely to take a chance on your business. Pricing