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Using Selling Strategies in Other Areas of Your Life
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
[General]
"The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are; first,Cheap Michael Bush Jersey, hard work, second,Cheap Gale Sayers Jersey, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense." Thomas Edison
o Negotiations - nearly everything can be negotiated. Most retailers will lower the price on many items if you just ask for a lower price. But many people don't think to ask for a lower price,Cheap Bills Jerseys, they think negotiations are for major business deal, but that just isn't true. You negotiate everyday of you life. You negotiate with your spouse about chores, kids, vacations and so on. You negotiate with your co-workers over work that has been delegated to the 'team' and there are various other negotiations going on all around you. You can use this skill, after having practiced on potential clients and everyone around you, on your boss to get a better paycheck.
o Use the 18 hypnotic words - use the 18 hypnotic words in your everyday conversations to help you 'sell' what it is you want, a better seat at a restaurant, a better deal on a purchase, the kids to do their chores. These are the most powerful words when put together and will help you to gain anyone's confidence and trust so that more than likely, they will see things your way. You aren't actually hypnotizing anyone, you are just using agreeable wording.
o The follow up - don't be afraid to follow up on things. Make sure the kids are doing their homework; check with their teachers more often then just the scheduled parent/teacher conferences. It never hurts to know what's going on and it could help you child if they are falling behind. Follow up with yourself. Are you doing the things that need to be done everyday and in the order they need to be done so that you may get the business and the clients you deserve?
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
6 Tips For Gaining More Business From Existing Clients - Do
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
[General]
2. Sell to all the sister companies: Sometime companies have subsidiaries and sister companies that you can sell to. Identify the other subsidiaries or sister companies.,Cheap Von Miller Jersey
Since some of the easiest sales to get are from existing accounts as opposed to new accounts,Cheap New Orleans Saints Jerseys, here are 6 tips for finding more money in existing accounts:
6. Stick with the client and follow up: You will find incremental business along the way in most cases, in other circumstances, you will also be able to gain valuable referrals or be able to follow your client to other companies that they go to.
It is always easier to gain business from companies that you are already doing business with as opposed to trying to gain a new client. As such, you should make sure that you are are maximizing the revenue potential from existing accounts.
1. Sell to all departments: Have you or are you selling to all the departments in the company?
3. Sell more services: Identify other services that you client to could use from you.
Sometime,Cheap Franco Harris Jersey, as sales people, we look to get in the door and forget about the other business we can gain or we say that we will go after the other business later and never do.
5. Gain more of the share of the wallet: This falls in with the two above, but you should determine what the company is spending on all products and services that you can sell all of this product or service to them.
4. Sell more products: Make sure that you are supplying your client with all the products that your company can provide them.
Are you leaving sales on the table?
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Selling With Integrity
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
[General]
The industry standard says that 80% of our prospects will buy a similar solution as ours within 2 years of us speaking with them. That means: they've got the need,Cheap Sideline Black United Jerseys, but don't know how to get their ducks in a row to buy. And we didn't know how to help them figure out how to do it sooner.
In my humble opinion without helping buyers manage their change -
Indeed, if all of that needs assessment and relationship building and getting-past-the-gatekeeper stuff worked, we'd be closing a lot more sales. And buyers would be getting their needs met much faster: the time it takes them to figure out how to manage the backend change is the length of the sales cycle.
OUR BUYERS WILL BUY EVENTUALLY - BUT NOT FROM US
The sales model is designed to place solutions: sellers are trained to understand need, and place a solution accordingly. Arguably, the buyer gets what they need and the seller makes a commission: win/win. But is a win/win?
we are not in integrity with our buyers, but merely serving our product sale.
What, exactly, is selling with integrity? Is it about creating great solutions that make a difference in companies and lives? Or respecting and serving our prospects and clients and employees?
So by not helping manage the change and the behind-the-scenes decision path - very different from solution-focused/choice activities - we are actually harming buyers: with no help, it takes them longer than necessary to determine the folks to include in defining a solution, or figure out how to manage the change so there is no disruption, or how to get the necessary buy-in,cheap Super Bowl Jerseys, to purchase our solution.
SOLUTIONS VS. CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Ultimately, using the sales process without buying facilitation (which manages the change management end of the buying decision journey), sellers end up closing only those buyers who show up with all of their ducks in a row (about 7%) - the low hanging fruit.
Buyers don't want to buy. They want to resolve a business problem. If they must make a purchase, they must make sure there is appropriate buy-in from the people and rules and and and...
In my map of the world, the above ends up as a net loss. Here's why: because the sales model merely enters at the solution placement end of the buying decision path, it avoids and ignores the entire path buyers must traverse to enlist the right people, manage the change, and ensure system stability as they attempt to discover their best solution options. Therefore,Chad Pennington dolphin Jersey, sellers just come in at the end (or come in far too early with this data at the beginning) to offer a solution, and do not have the skill set to facilitate the back-end change management journey, leaving buyers floundering, trying to get the right people on board, and get the right agreements.
Net net, it obviously harms us also by elongating the sales cycle...not to mention we can't close those prospects who can't figure it all out.
getting the right folks onto the Buying Decision Team, finding and listening to the voices of those who will ultimately touch the new solution, making sure the old and new meld -
Here is the question: are you willing to go outside of your sales thinking, and start considering helping buyers manage their behind-the-scenes, non-solution-related change management issues? It's the buying facilitation process, of course, and not sales. But between the two models, we can truly sell with integrity.
I'd like to talk about what that means for me...and admittedly, I'm a hammer looking for a nail. So excuse my rant, but rant I will.
Sellers tend to think in terms of placing a solution. Buyers think of avoiding chaos. We forget that 90% of the decision issues buyers must address before they get to the solution choice stage is based on creating an environment that will accept and adopt a new solution. The last thing they consider is making a purchase.
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Great Yard Sale Ideas For Success
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
[General]
Use balloons or flags to create a festive atmosphere as this is one of the great yard sale ideas you can use to create attention. Maybe you would like to place bold arrows at nearby roadways and also place interesting pieces towards the front of your display,Cheap Louis Murphy Jersey, thereby attracting the attention of those who are driving by, causing them to stop and investigate more.
Yard sale ideas that offer conveniences for shoppers can help boost sales. Consider a play area where young children can go while their parents shop. The hours of your sale should be accommodating and preferably start early in the morning. Be prepared to negotiate on price and provide bags for multiple purchases.
Creativity is one of the best yard sale ideas. Create an environment for your visitors to encourage them to buy. You might like to serve up refreshments or play appropriate mood music. Another idea is to select a certain item and feature hourly price drops, as this can have the effect of encouraging people to stay around and browse.
There are some yard sale ideas that have had much success, but they all depend on how well the event is advertised. You don't have to spend a lot of money on advertising. Use online resources, your daily and weekly newspapers and bulletin boards in your community. You could pass out flyers, call people you know and ask them to spread the word and email your contacts. You should also put up signs prior to and the day of the sale that give visible directions to your address.
The creation of an area that allows effective traffic flow is an important yard sale idea. Look at the center of your yard and see how you could create a sale that allows your buyers to maneuver easily between items. Use shelves, clothes racks and folding tables and set out your items according to different themes and selections. Have a furniture nook, clothing area, kitchen area, music and book area and don't be afraid to expand into your driveway if you run out of space.
There are several yard sale ideas that will help you make the most you can from selling your stuff. Advertising, setting bargain prices and creating a fun and lively atmosphere are among the top ways to maximize your profit. The key is to plan ahead, create a layout for your tables,Cheap Gale Sayers Jersey, price items to sell and be ready to sell your items with enthusiasm.
Yard sale ideas can extend to the entire street or neighborhood. Make it a mega block party sale and encourage your neighbors to put out a table. A big sale will attract a lot more buyers. If everyone contributes a certain amount of money,Cheap Rob Gronkowski Jersey, you could increase your advertising avenues and reach more potential buyers.
Effective yard sale ideas are those that attract interest. Your ads should include certain items or special price points that will encourage people to attend. Your tables or displays shouldn't be overflowing with items that make it cluttered and difficult to see what you are offering.
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
And Your Biggest Sales Challenge Today Is
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:29 AM
[General]
Here are what I believe are the seven biggest sales challenges salespeople deal with today;
Training is important. Personal development is vital. And,Cheap Asante Samuel Jersey, attitude control is a must. But more than all of these you have to be willing to be honest with yourself and carefully evaluate all of your weaknesses and strengths to determine where you need change or improvement.
What are your three biggest hurdles for increasing your sales? A prospecting issue? A customer loyalty problem? A knowledge challenge? A self-esteem issue? A personal organization issue? Or some other rationale? In the end until you recognize and address your personal challenges in a mature and effective way you will continue to have the same poor or average outcomes no matter how much you want increased sales results.
The question I ask you to consider is this - when you evaluate your sales performance over a period of time - months or years - are you dealing with the same challenges over and over again or are you finding that you are facing new ones. My guess is that the challenges you face will tend to be repetitive and that you have still not developed effective solutions, strategies or techniques to finally put these to rest.
Whether you have been in a sales career for a short time or you are an established veteran with many years of experience I'll guarantee that every day you face some kind of challenge. The question is simply - are you facing the same challenge each time or do they vary depending on the economy,Cheap Brett Favre Jersey, your attitudes, your competition or some other factor.
There are certainly many others but if you will take a serious look at your sales results and where you are falling behind the expectations of management or yourself I believe that you will discover that your personal issues are related to one of the above.
So why do most salespeople use this price reduction default process? Insecurity? A lack of product or customer knowledge? The need to make another sale no matter what the cost? I could go on but in the end the bottom line is they have not developed an effective alternative to this mindset that seems to work for them.
1 - A lack of accurate and adequate customer knowledge.
2 - Giving ego centered presentations where the focus is on the product or service rather than the customer's needs or wants.
3 - The ability to prospect with integrity - finding the courage to ask the difficult questions and probe effectively.
4 - The ability to sell value in the face of price resistance.
5 - The courage and ability to get past roadblocks and get to the real decision makers.
6 - Keeping the prospect funnel full of good prospects.
7 - The lack of an effective and repeatable sales process or system.
Every career brings with it certain needs for growth, issues to deal with and lessons learned and sales is no exception. One of the significant problems among many salespeople today regardless of their tenure or what they sell is that they are stuck in procedures,Cheap Willie Brown Jersey, techniques or approaches that either don't work or work inconsistently - in other words they are not routinely developing and improving themselves to deal effectively with contemporary challenges.
Let me close with a fact - no matter how talented or experienced you are you will never be able to overcome all of these issues 100 percent of the time but the question is are you getting better at dealing with them or just accepting that they are a natural and normal part of the sales process.
Let me give you one quick example - the issue of price resistance. The first response by most salespeople to customers challenging price is to reduce price, bargain or discount in some way. They believe that whether a prospect buys is driven primarily by price. This has never been true nor is it today. The problem is that the majority of customers have convinced salespeople that this is their major concern. Yes price is important but short or long term value will always outweigh a short term savings. Price buyers exist but in the end they almost always end up paying more than they needed to - to get their problems or challenges resolved or desires satisfied in an effective or timely manner.
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Four Essentials You Need to Keep in Mind When Responding to
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
2. Always focus on the client
You may not even be aware of this, and it's especially true of those newly in business: It's the desire to blow your own horn. You place too much emphasis on how good you are, your particular skill set, your qualifications rather than focusing on the client. When clients read your proposal bid, they want to see that their concerns are front and center; that you are serving them. So when you read through what you've written, is the emphasis on the client?
3. Be clear that you know what the client wants
It sounds so simple, doesn't it? In front of you is the RFP or an informal request from the client. But what if something else is going on and the proposal request is to get at the real reason? OK - most of the time the proposal request is legitimate. It's straightforward. But you do need to find out. I'll have more to say about this in another article but the key thing is to discover who is behind the request? Is it supported by senior management? Does it have the approval of key people? I say this because I've been involved in developing business proposals, only to discover later that the CEO was unaware of what was going on and would not have approved it.
These four essentials in responding to business proposals are pretty basic. It's amazing, however, how often they get sidetracked when you're figuring out how to resolve the issues the client faces. Next time you have a proposal to respond to, make sure these four proposal essentials are accounted for. You'll improve your chances of winning the business.
1. Stick to the terms
Don't second guess the client's instructions. If you're uncertain, check with the client. If you're responding to an RFP, make sure that you have an answer to every question, every issue raised. It has to be there. If not, the client can simply conclude that however great your proposal, the RFP is incomplete and therefore you are ineligible. It's the same with an informal proposal. You must respond to the client's request and the proposal must be delivered on time. Sometimes a client will be flexible on the deadline, depending on circumstances, but don't count on it.
4. What the client needs to know about you
How much does a client need to know? If they've worked with you many times and continue to use you then little further information is required. You might want to tell them about any successes or awards received since the last time you worked with them. If you're a new supplier,Cheap Brian Westbrook Jersey, a new business,Cheap Philip Rivers Jersey, your job is to provide as much information as you can on your qualifications to handle the issues the client faces. In other words,Cheap A.Johnson Jersey, in your proposal bid, you must answer the question "why should the client hire me?"
Many of the business proposals with which I've been involved have been of an informal nature. They didn't deal with the specific requirements of an RFP. As far as I was concerned that was fine. However, that didn't mean that I shouldn't, in my proposal, avoid components included in RFPs. The following four proposal essentials should be standard procedure, however brief or informal the proposal happens to be:
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
3 Questions That Will Get You More Sales
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
Finding the answer to this question means asking the first two questions and then digging just a little bit deeper. Ok, so you found out their problem was say, "I'm not making enough money", an extremely common problem for a lot of people. You're selling an online course that teaches how to make more money and do it all on the internet.
This could also be stated as "What are they struggling with?" but it's pretty much the same thing. All of us have issues or problems with something. It could be not having enough time to relax, not making enough money, not having the best relationship, or even feeling like we don't look the way we would like.
Who are they?
What is their problem?
There are things we need and then things that we desire. Targeting desire is what leads to action. If your customer is not taking action by purchasing your product or service, you waste all your hard work and effort and end up frustrated.
For example, if you know a thing or two about business online, it's that you must have traffic in order to sustain and grow your business. And there is a big difference between good traffic and bad traffic. You can have a million people hit your website but if none of them are targeted (interested), it doesn't matter because they won't buy. However, when you have targeted website traffic (people that have an interest in what you are providing), you will get many more sales.
This means doing the proper research ahead of time to figure out our ideal customer, and then being prepared when the situation presents itself.
No matter what, we will always have some sort of problem. That's why there are those of us who provide solutions and those who come to us for their problem to be solved. It's important for us to provide proper and effective solutions that really help with our typical customers' issues.
The first step in finding out more about your customer is getting detail information as to who they are. Are they young, old, make a certain amount of money, do this, do that, have kids, are single, in a relationship, are married, and the list goes on. This is very important because it all comes down to targeting the right people and matching them to your products or services.
We all have different things we sell and do. In each market, there are different customers and people purchasing a particular product or service. Sadly, there is no "one size fits all" solution. Since all our customers are different in what they want, what they do, and what they have, we must provide solutions that best fit their specific needs and wants. If we can do that,Packers Jerseys, we can sell them what we have much more effectively and then go on to do repeat business.
So let's recap...
What is their desire?
Not all problems can be fully solved but a proper solution can make a ton of difference. And when you know exactly what problem and issues people are facing, you can position your product or service as the premier solution.
Research. Some of us hate doing it,Cheap K.Williams Jersey, others find it absolutely crucial. Researching your customer can make an absolute difference to your sales and most importantly, your bottom line. What I mean by research is simply learning and finding out more about your customer, before you actually meet them. Before you actually meet them as in, "How should I be prepared when faced with this certain customer?"
Maybe your product or service helps solve one of them or many of them. Maybe you have multiple products or services which alleviate quite a few different problems. The key is, if you can solve a problem that many people face and do it in a way that is 1) valuable to them 2) gets them excited and happy and 3) makes them come back again and again, you've successfully fixed their problem.
What is their problem?
What is their core desire?
This same methodology applies to knowing who your customer is. It's like selling a car to a man who doesn't know how to drive or a credit card monitoring and protection service to a lady who has never had a credit card. It just doesn't make sense!
Researching your customer and being prepared really isn't a hard thing to do. It takes a little bit of time but I guarantee if you know your customer going into every interaction, you're going to make a lot more money in the long term.
We all have cases at some point in time where we think we know our customer. We never do - there are going to be times when they totally surprise you. And there will definitely be times where stubbornness on your part loses you a sale.
Research is very important and being prepared will allow you make a lot more sales. Three questions you must always ask before you provide a solution, your product or service, are:
The lesson here is you are always going to have a better chance of making a sale when you target your customer's desire, what they truly want, not just what they "think" they want. Making money is just a byproduct of their main desires. What they truly want are all these other things.
So know who your customer is. There are many things you can find out about them and the more you learn and understand, the better prepared you will be.
Who are they?
All it requires is you asking the right questions and getting them answered. Here's a few to get you started:
There's an interesting psychological aspect to this as well. Back in the days of cavemen and women, we were in a constant need to survive. Because of a natural survival instinct, it required that when a survival solution so good presented itself, while exposing our core problem, we had to take it. This same survival instinct is inside us today. By understanding this we realize how very important it is that we truly know our customers' main problems. Being prepared and doing the proper research will allow us to make the sale much more effectively.
After you have successfully answered these, it's you are ready to focus on the next steps in the sales process such as how to provide your solution to them in the best way possible based on what you learned and in a way that will clearly get them to understand the benefits from doing business with you.
That's a good start but not good enough. The majority of people who want to make money don't do so just to pile up stacks of money. They have these common desires: freedom to do what they want when they want, more time to relax,Cheap Shaun Rogers Jersey, spend more time with their family, have the ability to purchase what they want, and a heck of a lot more.
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
The Day Technology Eliminated the Sales Person
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
The sales person of the future will possess far greater skills in developing business cases,Cheap Christian Ponder Jersey, business understanding, innovation and development of both simple and complex solutions. They will be more educated than an internet user and be capable of guiding an informed buyer to the end of goal of making a sale.
The fast moving consumables industries left that model behind some time ago but for many industrial sales people that role still exists today and managers are adamant that is how sales people must conduct themselves to meet customer demands. They believe wholeheartedly that the sales person adds value to the customer through their knowledge and expertise and the customer requires their guidance to make purchases and re-ordering. Their role is to build relationships that generate customer loyalty, brand awareness and of course, orders.
The sales people were hired or developed with product knowledge and features and benefits was the catch cry. In later years they started to evolve to solution selling methods but many still struggle with that challenge. Both those profiles may well now be sales people of a by-gone era.
The sales person needs to do more than have product knowledge, be able to offer the solution, and be a friend. Where he/she can outperform the internet is by being pro-active in learning and understanding the customer's business and delivering products and service that builds value in the customer company. They must be capable of not only building a business case but showing the customers new ways of achieving success within their business. They need to be more than a partner with the company; they need to add tangible value to the process that the customer recognizes.
In a recent article by David A. Utter, it was reported that 92% of people now Google before making a buying decision. A buyer is able to access enormous amounts of information on products before taking a step toward a potential supplier. There are review sites for products and a plethora of other information sources that gives the buyer a 360 degree view of products and companies before engaging with them. When they do engage, the buyer presents themselves as a highly informed individual (or team) that are well into the purchasing process.
Arguably, the younger the buyer is,Cheap Russell Okung Jersey, the more likely they will also opt for online purchasing where it is available. If they feel satisfied they have sufficient information to make the purchase, they will progress without the need for conversations with sales people. They are internet savvy and it is their preferred method of communication and their ability to source information is excellent. For the minority that are uncomfortable with the internet (and yes, they still exist) the sales person will remain a resource, but that number is shrinking fast.
For some companies that challenge can be difficult. Their products are commodities and they run the risk of sales people blocking sales as customers seek easier and faster methods of purchasing what is seen as a commodity product.
In years gone by,Cheap Colts Jerseys, good relationships were considered the key skill of sales people and the carrier of knowledge to the customer. The customers often waited for the sales people as that was often their communication between new products, market changes and competitor activity that would assist them in their business.
In today's market the customer has many other sources of gathering information thereby replacing the sales person. The challenge now for sales people is "Technology".
The challenges are:
To have product knowledge will no longer support sales people as product knowledge is readily available on the internet. To rely on friendships and relationships is a thing of the past as most people now rely on Facebook for their friendships and communication. They often ask for feedback from people regarding products and companies that are deemed a trusted support over and above sales person representations. To convey information that is readily available on brochures and internet sites will be deemed a waste of a customer's time. To provide technical knowledge that is already set out on the company website (many have enormous libraries of information) will only support the minority of people that don't like reading the manual.
Sales managers will need to alter their thinking if they are going to keep their teams relevant in the market in the future. They need to prepare and develop the team members to meet the challenge head on to succeed.
You need to add value to the process and not just duplicate what is readily available.
For many sales people their job has been to conduct regular sales calls to a prescribed number of customers on a daily-weekly-monthly basis. They were a type of route seller who was relied upon by both the company and the customer to make those calls and ensure orders were taken and stocks flowed as required.
For others where technical information and expertise remain a factor, they must lift their game to the new level required in the market. That is where the internet cannot reach at this time. This is the one area that website are not good at doing. They provide static answers, indications of possible solutions and often you need to read between the lines of marketing or reality. Until the websites mature to that level (although there are algorithms which try hard) the sales person can survive.
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
What Happened to Consultative Selling
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
Earlier this year, we asked 400 customers of one of our client companies what they felt was important to them in the sales process and how frequently they were actually experiencing those valuable attributes. Using the C-Lens Index, the results showed that consultative sales actions-like offering alternatives, providing advice, finding other valuable resources, etc.-were rated as important, but were practiced less frequently than more transactional skills.
But It's Tough To Be Consultative In A "Wal-Mart World"
So, what's happened to consultative selling? Our point of view is that where it works, it really works. Where it doesn't, salespeople aren't trying with ingenuity and perseverance. Why do we say that? Our findings show that customers do find consultative sales actions important. Sure, our sample is limited, but even this group says that ideas, advice, resources, options and the like are all important to them. Therefore, salespeople have to try, despite the challenges. Here are some suggestions:
Missing Customer Expectations: Creativity and Persistence Apply Within
It is clear to us the opportunity is there for salespeople. While there are challenges, the goal is to best serve the customer. It really is an attitude that permeates and drives sales interactions. Take the pressure off the closing-the-sale-button; think instead of how to help, no matter how small or grand a form that help takes. Customers will remember what you've done for them, and the next time they need help, they will remember you.
How Consultative Selling Continues to Work
Define the value you bring
This led us to wonder what happened to consultative selling. After all, the concept of helping solve a customer's business problem has been the gold standard in selling circles since the early 1970s and the number one aspiration of most sales managers we've talked to over the past 25 years.
To earn trusted advisor status, these respondents summed up the journey. Salespeople had to step up to a being a sales professional. They had to study the profession, practice the fundamentals, learn the details of the customer's world to earn the respect of the customer, and have a point of view about the different ways his/her products or services could help. He/she had to build a network of resources, any of whom could offer support to potential problems the customer's business might encounter. These professionals exuded value and could articulate their role as providing that value well beyond the delivery of a product or service.
On the other hand, some respondents paint a different portrait of why customers might not see consultative selling in action, despite sales managers' entreaties and four decades or more of sales training. For one thing, many respondents point to a "remote-access" environment. Purchasing processes designed and managed for the benefit of buyers seem to be the most frequently mentioned inhibitor. These systems deny access to decision-makers and are staffed by buyers who are rewarded for lowest price, period. The long-term view and relationships can't even get a beachhead in this kind of environment, report our respondents. Add the notion that some buyers often have short tenure-a year or two and they're gone-making for shallow relationships at best.
Don't believe that some people don't want value
Looking Ahead
You have more value in your tool kit than you probably give yourself credit for. You have your experience-the people you've worked with, the kinds of problems you've seen and solved for others, your network of people and other resources both inside and outside your current organization. You can also define uniqueness in how you do business-your own belief system and how that shows up in your personal business process. Of course, you also can tap into your organization's official differentiators, including resources such as training, experts, process, web tools,Cheap Steven Jackson Jersey, customer referrals, demo methods, and customer services that make a difference. If you've identified and documented these personal and company values and linked them to the kinds of needs they address, you can better spot when to bring them out of the box.
If there is a computer application between you and a customer, then continue to supply exactly what that customer needs, in the way they need it, and anticipate-if possible-what terms are important to them, i.e., delivery, credit, choices, packaging, staffing, and let them know you are supplying these. Stand out by error-free and timely compliance and by anticipating needs. When you have an opening of any kind, find a way to ask your contact "What kinds of challenges are you facing in your job?" Then, find a creative way to help, or at least begin helping that person do his/her job better, easier, faster. That's a beginning.
Where people have the skills and attitude, consultative selling is alive and well. The necessary skills mentioned most frequently included face-to-face relationship skills, sophisticated product and technical knowledge, and understanding current trends and challenges in the customer's business as well as in the customer's industry. But more than skill mastery was mentioned. Many LinkedIn respondents said consultative selling required confidence. Salespeople who were successful at consultative selling felt they wanted to and could make a contribution-that their role was to find a "true" fit of product or service to the customer's need, making recommendations with integrity. The result was to become a trusted advisor-a person who the customer could rely on for the long view, providing the advice of a confidante, and the knowledge of an expert.
In addition, respondents point out that many companies don't invest in or use more up-to-date sales training beyond a brief initial on-boarding. The training investment is "past due;" people are "thrown on the phones" with a quota and numbers to call. Whatever training that is done isn't followed up or supported in the field.
Finally, there is an interesting notion that consultative selling doesn't fit every buying process. While some relationships do lend themselves to exchanges of information, establishment of relationships among a number of different customers within an organization, and all the other consultative sales attributes, there are those who say that kind of approach might not be for every customer. Some customers just want product information: a salesperson who can write up the order and make sure it is fulfilled without errors or delay. That makes it easy for the salesperson since he or she is turned into a human catalog and order pad. If you are selling in that kind of environment, you go with the flow and settle into the expectations your buyer has created for you.
Find an opening, any opening
As we mentioned earlier, there are those who hold that some sales situations don't require a consultative approach. That view is that some customers know what they want, and the sales role is more order fulfillment than consultant. But think about it; you just want a pair of socks for formal or business wear. Would it be valuable to you for a salesperson to suggest a style that goes over your calf, making for a more elegant presentation than six-inches of bare skin between your cuff and your shoes? Absolutely; that's a valuable suggestion. Now multiply that tiny suggestion by the kind of advice and insight you can use to help your customers, no matter who they are or what they are buying. Our research suggests that ideas are important to customers. Offering them as a way to help customers solve their problems, big and small, is adding value. And that's what consultative selling is all about.
Another reason is that salespeople are inexperienced, often untrained,Cheap Jay Ratliff Jersey, focused on orders but not relationships, and are impatient with a relationship-oriented sales process. This crop of salespeople has a window for success that is 30-, 60-,Cheap Redskins Jerseys, and 90-days long and where commissions are based on short-term results. This sounds like an environment where control of the game is ceded to the buyer, and the seller is willing to do what it takes to get a score. That means a lot of dialing for dollars, cherry-picking predictable orders from regular customers without too much focus on segmentation, targeting, prequalification or penetrating existing accounts.
Then there's what one respondent called the "Wal-Mart phenomenon," where low price not only prevails but is a philosophical and practical way of being. Even if you could get through to the decision-makers, the decision is bound to be price-only, they say. Our whole society has been driven to buy at the cheapest price possible at every opportunity. This shows up in the purchasing process where your product or service is "commoditized," where differentiation is minimized or ignored, and purchasing agents get a "commission" for buying low.
To get some insight from people who are close to selling, we posted questions on a number of our sales-oriented LinkedIn groups. We received more than 50 responses from sales professionals, managers, consultants and coaches. Basically, the opinions fell into two broad camps: 1) those who felt consultative selling was alive and well, and 2) those who acknowledged consultative selling was under pressure and facing hard times. Let's look at each category.
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Sales Closing Techniques - Upsells - How to Do Them Well
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
It is kind of interesting but people are confused about upsells. I understand that this is probably one of the hardest thing for people to do. In fact is that many people forget to even incorporate this strategy into very sales closing techniques. The fact is all so that the more you do them, the easier they be calm, and consistently the more money you make.
I would really like to make sure that you understand that selling is an easy thing if you have the right attitude,Cheap Brian Urlacher Jersey, so instead of fearing upsells I would like you to enjoy them. I want you to think about them like they're the greatest thing in the world. They really are.
A selling situation does not have to be pushy and does not have to be dreadful. In fact, I've had many encounters any experiences with various salespeople, that have claimed a whole purchasing process so interesting and so engaging that I was compelled to buy from them more and more. I want you to understand if people want to buy things, but they don't want to be sold. They want to make the decision to purchase something on their own, so that they are happy with that decision. The fact is that with the right cell is closing techniques, you can make sure that they will make their decision to purchase on their own.
Without this strategy, sales closing techniques will not even be close to completed. You have to understand that you need this strategy, unique to offer people more after they purchase something from you,Detroit Lions Jerseys, because they are already in the buying new. They are already in the mood to buy more from you, often they already have their wallet taken out with their money inside it, and they are ready to purchase something that will make their recent purchase even better.
Now,Cheap DeAngelo Hall Jersey, you don't want to sound pushy or desperate when you are trying to make people to buy more after they've just bought from you. You don't want to sound like you really want them to buy it from you. You don't want to sound like you're desperate for a few dollars here and there. Instead, you want to make sure that they understand that the upsell is actually going to help them. It is going to make their life better and it is going to make it possible for them to enjoy the product even more, and even more fully. The upsell is supposed to make the product more complete, and it is supposed to be even more enjoyable for your prospect.
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24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Sales Lowest Price = Lowest Cost
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:28 AM
[General]
Ø If your service is better than your competitors and results in fewer customers calling into their Customer Service Dept; quantify the savings of reduced Customer Service calls.,Cheap Nick Barnett Jersey
Ø Show them how your service impacts their COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) and quantify that impact.
Ø Return Process- How convenient is the return process?
Determining the total cost of a product is not as simple as looking at two different prices. Price may get the most attention in the decision making process but cannot be looked at as the only factor. Here are some other important factors to consider in the total cost of a product:
Ø Brand- Is this a well known brand and will they be around in the future?
Ø Show them how your service saves them time and then quantify the labor savings into cost savings.
Ø Money Back Guarantee- Do they offer a guarantee?
Additionally, lowest price doesn't often equal best value. In fact, if the price for a product or service is far lower than the other competitor prices,Cheap Jets Jerseys, this should raise a red flag. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" is especially true here. A customer will often say their decision starts and ends with price. This could be due to the fact that they don't see any additional value in your product or service. This is a great opportunity for the salesperson to help differentiate his or her product or service from the competition. For example,Packers Jerseys, does the customer understand how your product or service will make their life better? Do they understand what the true differences are in the price? If you sell a service rather than a product then you have some additional ways of quantifying value to your customers. Here are a few ways you can ensure your customers are looking at the total cost:
If you were to rank all of the factors of a customer's decision making process, price is normally at the top of the list. That being said, the most common objection to a sale a salesperson hears is "your price is too high or I found it cheaper somewhere else." Unfortunately what customers don't often realize is the cheapest price at the moment of purchase is not always the lowest cost in the long run. Herein lies the struggle that customers face when they are making a purchase. This struggle is between whether to choose the cheapest price or the one that has the best value overall. Oftentimes there is a big difference and although the decision may vary depending on what you are purchasing the harsh reality is, in the end the lowest price often does not end up being the lowest cost after all.
Ø Quality of the product- How long will it last and what are the repair costs if it needs to be repaired?
Ø If they receive greater visibility as a result of your service, quantify the value of that information.
Ø Customer Service- Is the company easy to get a hold of? What kind of after sale service do they provide?
The author introduces:
24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Ways to Make Cash Online - Tips and Techniques in Making Goo
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:27 AM
[General]
- Write for the web. If you are skilled in writing, you can make extra cash online by offering your services online. With web content writing and ad copy writing being in demand online, you can indeed make good money out of it.
- Invest on stock or foreign exchange trading. Like gambling, these ventures a little risky by of course, if you mastered the trade and you have what it takes to be a good trader,Cheap Jairus Byrd Jersey, then you can indeed get huge profit from these ventures. But of course, you have to prepare, learn and practice your tools and your skills in trading so you won't regret it later. Again, these are risky businesses and for sure, you would not want to dive into them without being prepared.
To help you find great ways to make cash online, here are some tips that might help you.
- Make money through arts and crafts. If you have a hobby on this particular interest, then you can also make money from it by giving out tutorials and selling your crafts as well.
- Teach music. If you are music minded or you are a guitar pro, you can make extra money online by providing tutorials or selling eBooks on how to play instruments.
Yes, we all want to make money online. In fact, the growing trend today is to find ways to make cash online - whether in your free time or full time. Indeed, there are a lot of opportunities online that will help you make money online, but of course,Cheap Knowshon Moreno Jersey, you have to learn how to find these resources.
- Offer your web designing skills. Aside from you writing skills, you can also make money by making web designs and marketing it or offering your web designing skills to companies, businesses and web owners who need your services as a web designer. This is indeed another skill that has become profitable online as well.
- Sell stuff on eBay. Yes,Cheap Rams Jerseys, eBay and other online auction sites can be your ticket to earning extra cash online. You don't need to have a huge investment for this as well. If you do have a few things at home that you don't need anymore, then you can actually sell it on eBay and make extra money for it. If you get the hang of selling on online auction, you can even make a bigger business of selling items on eBay and make an eBay business.
- Earn commissions by selling other people's products. If you do not have products to sell but you are good in selling, there are still ways to make cash online, and one is becoming an affiliate of other merchants. You can become an affiliate by signing in an affiliate program, agree on the commissions and percentage and start making money.
- Bet on online casino games. This can be a little risky but of course, if you love casino games and you have what it takes to be a good gambler, then this can also be a great opportunity to earn cash online.
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24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
What it Takes to Get More Affluent Clients
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:27 AM
[General]
The word "tenacity" came up repeatedly as I spoke with managers about marketing to the affluent. My conclusion is that it's probably the most important factor that separates those who are successful in building relationships with the affluent and ultra-affluent, and those who do little more than dream about it.
Although most every financial and insurance advisor says they desire to have more affluent clients, so few actually achieve that goal. This disparity motivated me to contact 25 managers in the financial and insurance industries to determine why this is so.
The managers I spoke with were unanimous in their belief that any advisor can be successful in marketing to the affluent. As one said, "I've had team members who are extroverts as well as painfully shy introverts. Those with awe-inspiring intellect and those who I sometimes wondered how they found their way home in the evening. Yet all of them were successful in their goal to build strong, long-lasting and numerous relationships with the wealthy."
The next step was,Cheap Detroit Lions Jerseys, not surprisingly, to develop a plan for building relationships with this group. Not a general plan. Not a plan that begins with "and then when I get a meeting I'll talk about.." What the most successful advisors did was create a sales and marketing plan that addresses the real-world reality, that the affluent clients you want to do business with have absolutely no interest in meeting you.
As Mr. Sendwick said, "This is the first test of how much tenacity an advisor really has. Unfortunately most people drop out at this stage. Sure they'll do business with the affluent if it's easy to get. But the reality is that it isn't. It's hard word. It requires creativity. It requires a plan."
Their one common trait? Tenacity. So what exactly does that mean? As these managers commented, the path was pretty much the same for any advisor seeking to attract more affluent clients.
I remember back many years hearing a lecture by one of the world's most prominent investment bankers. He made the comment, "If you ask 100 people if they would like to become a millionaire, you're likely to have 100% say 'Yes'. However,Cheap Cam Newton Jersey, if you tell them precisely what they need to do in order to achieve that status, I doubt you would get more than 2% who would be willing to do what's necessary."
However, there is one market Ms. Thrushman said that is never targeted. "Successful advisors never define their market as "affluent clients". That's way too broad. Much too general. A bit like saying let's go eat American Food. If you're going to develop a marketing plan it needs to focus on a very specific audience."
He went on,Cheap Steve Smith Jersey, "If you're serious about getting more affluent clients, it requires a lot of "heavy mental lifting" to create a plan that deals with reality and then the tenacity to implement it."
As Michael Sendwick, a 20-year manager of financial teams says, "Success probably has more to do with mind-set than any other single factor. Specifically it's that ability to first formulate a sales/marketing plan and then have the tenacity to see it through to completion."
Nancy Thrushman, a 15-year veteran of the financial services industry outlined the steps. "First they need to decide upon who they want as clients. It might be a specific group or niche such as affluent dentists or affluent retailers. Alternatively the target market might be defined as specific individuals with whom they wanted to build relationships with."
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24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Increase Sales by More Effectively Dealing With Negative Ne
Friday, June 29, 2012, 3:27 AM
[General]
I believe you have to start by accepting these people for who there are. They are running behavior patterns that meet their needs for certainty, significance or maybe even love & connection. We all have these same needs; we just have different strategies for satisfying them. Their view of the world supports them. Don't view them as people who are broken and in need of "fixing." You're not likely to change these people. Should you try, the end result will probably be that you won't be effective and you risk having much of your positive energy drained. If you are looking to increase sales, you need protect your positive state of mind.
In a recent article we discussed how the beliefs, expectations and attitudes of the people we spend time with have a powerful influence on our ability our behavior, our performance, and therefore our ability to increase sales. We discussed how you could either try to change the people you with spend time with or you can change the people you spend time with.
For you to increase sales,Cheap Cincinatti Bengals Jerseys, you've got to be more committed to being happy, cheerful and optimistic than they are to being miserable. You can continue to love the "Negative Nellies" in your life; you might just need to love them from a little "further away."
Once you recognize the potential deleterious effects of the "Negative Nellies" and you have accepted them for who they are, the next step (for me) is to put a little "distance" between you and them. This could mean physical distance i.e. don't see them as much, or if the person is someone who you are forced to interact with on a daily basis (a co-worker or your boss),Cheap Russ Grimm Jersey, the distance may just have to be emotional distance. By this I mean you need to protect yourself (as much as possible) from their negative energy by not letting them "get to you."
Do you have one or two people in your life that are...shall we say "less than optimistic?" You know the type of person I am talking about. The sky could be 95% clear,Cheap Jordy Nelson Jersey, but they'll point out the one nasty cloud passing overhead. If there are no clouds, they'll remind you of the harmful effects of the sun's rays and the person they know who just died of skin cancer. They are very often the same people who always seem to find fault in others. They just seem to focus on that half of the glass that is empty!
While there are some people in our lives we can make a conscious decision to spend less time with, there are others we might be "stuck" with. The person could be a relative, a co-worker or worse yet...your boss! What if it were someone who you love dearly, but recognize him or her as a "Negative Nelly?" How do you reconcile your desire to lessen the impact of their negativity with your affection for them?
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24H JERSEYS is a privately owned sports goods company with a history of nearly 4 years.We have the professional factory behind us manufacturing all sports jerseys.Click here Read More
Turning Contacts Into Sales
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:12 AM
[General]
Know your stuff. Most likely, you already know your company's history, mission statement, and products. If you do not, learn them inside and out immediately. You should also know your customers, their companies, interests, and if possible their resumes. To find this information, make Google your best friend. A few words and a click of a mouse can put useful information at your finger tips.
Challenge the client. This is not an opening for a debate or argument, but rather for you to avoid being a "yes-man/woman." Treat the client like an equal, and when they say something that you disagree with,Patriots 2012 Super Bowl Jerseys, politely state that and why. Your client will appreciate your honesty and you are instantly elevated from just a sales person to a trusted advisor.
Get to the point. When you get in front of a client, treat their time as valuable. Know your product, what it will do for the client, and what their ROI (return on investment) is. This should be able to be delivered in under a minute. If not, practice. The language you use should be client-focused and benefit-rich, without technical jargon the average person would think of as a foreign language.
Ask away. Be sure to ask questions that relate to the client's needs. These questions should be open, so that the client elaborates on their needs. The more you know about what they need, the more you can show them how the product will help them. Be careful with this information, clients today are savvy, and will know when they are being manipulated, so always be honest.
Attitude is everything. When you meet with a current or potential client, be sure to be confident. Stand straight,Camouflage Realtree Jerseys, make direct eye-contact,Cheap Troy Aikman Jersey, but not too much; you don't want to seem odd or creepy. When you shake hands, be warm and firm. Speak in calm, even tones and phrases, and finally, smile. Nothing says that all is right with the world like a smile.
Are Sales People Athletes
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:12 AM
[General]
I have played and coached many sports during my life. If you have been involved in any way with sports you have probably heard it said that someone was a "natural born athlete". These are the people,that have a God given ability to do something without having to practice a great deal. On the other hand you have probably seen a person who is not as gifted but has to work very hard to keep up. As a coach, I always felt bad when I saw a "natural" not working hard and not reaching their potential. They seemed to know that they had the gift and therefore did not need to work hard. As these players got older they inevitably were surpassed by the player who was working hard and giving 100% effort. As a coach, if I had the choice I would always choose the hard worker over the "natural". They were more likely to be open to learning new skills. They would be "more coachable" and this would lead to success
Most articles and discussions relating to the business world at some point speak in terms of athletics. You often hear about team, goals, scoring and competition in these articles or discussions. This caused me to think, are salespeople just like athletes? The answer I came up with was YES! Here are a few things that made me come to this conclusion.
It's your choice!
Athletes must first learn the skills of their sport. This is true for salespeople. Without the necessary skills both would not be "in the game"
Athletes must practice these skills over and over for them to become natural at them. This is also true for salespeople. If either of them does not make their skills second nature they will perform robotically and this would cause them to fail.
Athletes must get and stay in shape in order to perform at their highest level. This is also true of salespeople. If either get slow,Cheap Cowboys Jerseys, lazy or take short cuts they will inevitably fail.
Athletes must prepare for their contest. They must strategize before the game. They look for the opponents weaknesses which can be taken advantage of. Athletes must also identify their own strong points to see how to use them to win the contest. This is also true of salespeople. They must constantly review their performance and identify weaknesses and strengths. Then they must work on these so they can be successful.
Athletes must always stay sharp. In their world, someone is always trying to take their spot on the roster or win the starting position. In the salesperson's world, they must also stay sharp by constantly keeping abreast of new techniques and sales tools. If they get complacent, someone is looking for that sale or even job.
Remember that just like athletes,Cheap Prince Amukamara Jersey, someone is looking to take that sale or position away from you! Coaches or managers do not want excuse makers, they want winners!
In the business world I have seen the same scenario played out. I have seen salespeople who had the "gift" but would not work hard at honing their skills. They do not embrace new sales techniques. They do not see the need for improving and developing into a better producer. Then I see the salespeople who are not "natural" salespeople but who work hard. These people are the ones reading sales books, going to sales seminars, listening to sales CD's in their cars and always looking to improve their performance. These are the people who as a manager I want on my "team". These are the people who are coachable and will contribute to the success of their company.
We should all ask ourselves,Cheap Israel Idonije Jersey, what kind of athlete or salesperson do we want to be? Do you want to be the kind of person that people want to have on their team? Are you coachable? Do you embrace new sales techniques? Are you staying in shape?
The #1 Reason Why Salespeople Fail to Close
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
Prospects buy for their reasons, not the salesperson's reasons.
You,San Diego Charger Jerseys, the professional seller, must know your product's features, benefits, the market it serves, and be knowledgeable about your competition too. Nonetheless, you will be spinning your wheels, unless you develop the skill of asking the right questions to uncover your prospect's buying reasons and position yourself as a problem-solver; not a problem-giver.
Nick Murray, the famous financial sales coach, says it best: "People don't care to know, until they know you care."
Pain-problems are stronger motivators than gain-problems. Most sales messages are geared toward what a customer has to gain in the transaction, and are met with skepticism because the customer is afraid that she might be disappointed in the promised future result. Whereas, pain-problems demand immediate satisfaction, otherwise if nothing is done the pain will continue to get worse.
You can dramatically increase your closing ratio by understanding that prospects buy for their reasons-not yours. The art of the sale is in developing the-desire-to-acquire-in-your-buyer! People buy emotionally,Cheap Haloti Ngata Jersey, then rationally justify their decisions. Touting features and benefits followed by applying price pressure, actually sets up sales resistance, which then leads to a frustrating conclusion for both buyer and seller.
Easily close more profitable sales and the lifetime value of a repeat customer by asking open-ended questions first. You are naturally curious to find out what problems the prospect has that matches up with the benefits of your product or service. Here are some examples of open-ended questions:
The bottom-line reason that traditional sales tactics are inefficient and ineffective is that the seller is motivated by an attitude; of "whatever it takes "to push product out the door in order to make a quick sale. Typically,Cheap Falcons Jerseys, the seller knows a lot about the product's features and benefits, has a good story to tell, and persistently overcomes objections until the deal is closed. Yet many sellers seldom delve deeply enough to uncover the prospect's true motivation for doing business, especially from the buyer's perspective.
Highly paid sales professionals are problem solvers positioning themselves as trusted advisors, rather than product pushers. The motivation for the prospect to do business comes when the prospect acts on your advice to immediately solve an important problem. (That's right; the customer is buying you and your understanding of his problem first!)
· How long has this been a problem?
· What have you done so far?
· When did the problem first happen?
· What is important for you to do right now?
No pain-no sale.
Seeing Is Believing - The Role of Body Language in Sales
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
Here what we are proposing is that the salesperson should understand the needs of the prospect and as a professional, be able to communicate a picture of the end result. We can accomplish this by simply explaining the desired outcome of the benefit of using his product. I believe that it is possible to help the prospect do it for herself.
Making effective eye contact with the prospect is little more than "focusing" on the prospect. We can insure this is being communicated to the prospect by practicing looking at an object for five seconds.
Weeks after we had our talk,Cleveland Browns Jerseys, I was helping my wife look for a new family station wagon. A salesman was, very clumsily, demonstrating the space in the cargo area. The salesman finally gave up trying to fold the third seat down and began explaining about all of the square footage available in the back compartment.
I had to bite my tongue. I wanted to interrupt. We had told him we were looking for a car for the school car pool, the Cub Scout den, the groceries and our upcoming trip with the kids to Disney World.
We have long heard much about the value of First Impressions and those comments are well founded. The first impression will outlast any later actions, all out of proportion to relative value. Knowing now how critical the visual impression is, we have the opportunity we have the opportunity to make our favorable approach with confidence and power.
Our very unscientific surveys indicate that most sales professional feel that they are exuding positive Body Language.... while equally unscientific surveys of the customers indicate that they are seeing very mundane sales presentations. What is certain is that when we get sales people in our video training sessions most find that they are not presenting the confident and enthusiastic image they want to present. I would suggest,Cheap Jack Lambert Jersey, then, at least once a quarter the serious sales professional spends, a couple of hours with a sales partner and do role-plays with a video camera.
I am no expert in the field but I have a feeling that if I spent all of my time trying to remember what each movement meant I would be hard pressed to recall at all what had been said. I believe that I need a much simpler version of "Body Language."
Building word pictures simply puts your prospect in the mental drivers seat.
THE EYES HAVE IT
On the other hand, if I am approached by a bright and enthusiastic personality, I would be open to listen. If the bright and enthusiastic behavior, turns into "bubbly and cute", I assume I should be spending my time with more important issues.
We hear much about "Body Language" and much of it I fail to understand. There are some people who would tell you that if a person pulls on her ear, it means one thing and if she then wipes her brow with her left hand it means something different than if she wiped with her right hand.
He kept talking about cubic feet and I kept waiting for him to say something like, "Lady there is so much room in the back, when those kids get car sick, chances are they won't get none on you."
Imagine the client trying to believe everything you say, while your eyes keep flashing away to the well-turned leg of a lady across the restaurant. The message the prospect gets is that the sales person is more interested in some futile Romeo fantasies than in business.
SEEING IS BUYING
YOUR CONFIDENCE SHOWS
Years ago I asked the late Nick Carter, V.P. of Marketing for Nightingale Conant Co. what he thought was the greatest secret of salesmanship. Nick said that he felt "It is the ability of a sales person to build word pictures for the customer. To make the customer see himself using and enjoying the benefits of the product."
The salesman, whose eyes become distracted by a cute waitress at a business lunch, seldom goes home with more than salad dressing stains on his tie and a receipt for expenses. This by the way goes double for the salesman who has taken a female executive to lunch.
We must recognize that some of our customers want an enthusiastic, firm handshake while others would find that same approach overbearing. It is up to the professional to adjust his or her personality to meet the needs of many types of prospective customers. People view us through their own perspectives and we must be open enough to intuitively give each prospect what they require to see us as competent professionals.
I believe it is quite important and very basic. Those people who find it difficult to make and hold eye contact with their prospects are at a serious disadvantage but most of the time problems with eye contact are much more basic.
What Nick was talking about takes us back to visual communications and he was right.
Pick a spot on the wall and focus on it for five seconds... count one thousand-one... one thousand- two... and so forth. If you practice this for a short time, you will develop a good sense for how long most people are comfortable with direct eye-ball-to-eye-ball contact. Eye contact held much longer than five seconds sets up a staring contest that is unnatural. Further,Cheap Todd Heap Jersey, Ron Willingham, author of THE BEST SELLER, advises that we should look into one eye. The reason he makes this very good advice is that it is impossible to look into two eyes at a time and we make more impact by concentrating on one eye. I think it makes sense and is good advice.
How many of us have been approached by a car salesman who looks to have just been punched in the chest by a milk truck. Shoulders stooped, chest caved in and a halting step would, I think, speak more loudly than any eye contact.
This is going a step farther than features, benefits discussion. Now we are asking the prospect to tell us why the benefit is important, how they would use the feature and what would happen if they didn't have it.
For instance, if I see a sales person who walks in like his Popsicle just melted in my lobby, I know all is not well back at his farm. My first reaction is that I haven't time to listen. He has been shut out before he opened his mouth.
Body Language naturally includes many other aspects than just good eye contact. A smile can tell us many different things, an arched eyebrow can raise a question and a turned hand can answer one. Suffice it to say many of these things we learn from experience.
Opening up a prospect to believe us, have faith in our recommendations and respect us as professional business consultants is not to be performed by someone who needs directions to open a beer can. Simply put, we need to be certain we are showing the most positive communications possible before the prospect has the time to make a negative assessment.
Eye contact has long been touted as the most telling of all Body Language feedback systems.
Does all of this mean that we should practice cheerleading down at the local bowling alley to develop enthusiasm, or take a Dale Carnegie course to come out of our shell? Definitely not, but perhaps what it does mean is that most of us are not animated enough to "show" confidence.
Personal Flexibility For Introvert Salespeople
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
In the final analysis, all really good salespeople, introvert or extrovert, are flexible to some extent. They have the ability to read clients and prospects and to subtly adjust their appearance and presentation to mirror their prospective buyer. Sure, it is probably easier for an extrovert to sell to an extrovert and an introvert to sell to an introvert. But true success demands the ability to sell to anyone; no matter what type personality they might have.
I'm not saying you have to be a chameleon adopting your customer's personality and mannerisms. It is much subtler than that. On the physical level it may mean moving just a bit more quickly, speaking with a faster cadence, and sitting a bit closer to someone than you usually do. This challenge isn't confined to introvert's exclusively.
One of the most valuable assets for any sales person to possess is the ability to "read" people. In theory,Cheap Kellen Winslow Jersey, introverts should actually be better at this than extroverts because by being quiet and less obtrusive, they have the opportunity to listen more and get a better read on the person to whom they are speaking. Armed with this information they can then adjust their own demeanor accordingly.
Talking with a non-native English speaker presents its own special challenges. If you don't know how well your listener understands English you might inadvertently speak too slowly and embarrass the person or you might speak normally and risk having the person not be able to follow you. It's best to speak just a little bit more slowly and get feedback from your listener to make sure you are being understood.
If your prospect's office is full of material but sorted into piles and neatly stacked,Cheap Chris Williams Jersey, you've got a detail person. You probably still need to be highly focused but be sure to have the time to include all the details of your product or service. As long as you stick to the subject and provide substance, you'll have an audience. But be prepared for questions. Detail people like details, details,Indianapolis Colts Jerseys, details. Make your answers comprehensive and always ask if they need further explanations.
As we've discussed, being flexible is an essential asset for any salesperson. By being aware of others and making subtle adjustments in your own style, you'll find your prospects and customers warming to you as you warm to them.
Body Position
Body language is much more difficult than speech to interpret. Of course, crossed arms and legs are signs of resistance and arms legs relaxed are signs of acceptance. Bu it has been my experience that body language can be so changeable and affected by so many variable that it is better to control your own body language than to constantly try to adjust yourself to your prospect. So always be sure that you are open, looking directly at your prospects and leaning slightly toward them. But be sure to always leave a respectable space between you and the person with whom you are speaking. Nothing can be more disconcerting to a person that likes their space than someone who sits too close for comfort.
The intelligent extrovert, upon ascertaining that his prospect doesn't share his devotion to a frenetic pace, moves a bit more slowly, tones down his speech and sits just a bit further back from the desk. The key is to be aware of your prospect's or customer's style and adjust accordingly.
There is no shortage of books on how to read people. Self-help books can show you how to take your cues from indicators such as office layout and decorations, body language and business dress. I suggest you invest the time to learn more about the intricacies of reading people and personality styles. As introverts, we should enjoy the challenge and opportunity to learn something new about people and put it into use.
Over the years, I have worked with a few salespeople who have had an annoying habit of getting too close to me when talking. In my experience, these were usually more extroverted people, "touchy, feeling types." But getting too close is not only an extrovert problem. But getting too close is not only an extrovert problem. After all, we introverts appreciate our personal space and are not as prone to invading others personal territory, right? But what I have found is that introverts who are not comfortable in a selling situation can react to their nervousness by getting "up close and personal" and be just as obnoxious as any extrovert that gets too close.
The Office
The office is easy. The sparser the office, the more likely the person wants to get down to business quickly without a lot of small talk and introduction. Just give these types the facts. Don't start out telling the story of your company's founding in 1932. Get to the point quickly and explain your best benefits first. With someone like this, it is a good idea to tell the person how long you expect to need and then stick to it. Rambling and long drawn out presentations are your enemies here.
If your prospect has a generally messy office with papers strewn here and there, the photos a little crooked on the wall and a couple of old coffee cups on the window sill, you probably have someone more creative, more easy going, a big picture person. So most likely you can take a few moments to warm up, tell a few stories and take your time asking questions or explaining details. Don't rush with these people. You'll take more time but should be richly rewarded.
For our purposes, and in the short run, I would advise you to focus on three signs of a person's character you can assess during a business call: their office layout, their speech pattern and their physical position while talking to you.
Be watchful of how your listener reacts. Start out where you feel comfortable and then adjust as you take your cues from the other person. If they appear to like you closer, then by all means move closer. But if they are like me and don't want you too close, stay back and make sure they are comfortable.
Speech Patterns
Speech is also a very telling sign of our internal makeup. In general, just be aware of your prospect's speech patterns and try to move your own natural patterns closer to theirs. If he or she is a fast talker, speed up your speech. Conversely, if they speak slowly and methodically, you do the same, as much as feels comfortable to you. Never stray too far from your comfort zone because you will feel unnatural and it will project to your listener.
It's said that people tend to like people they believe are similar to them. Opposites don't attract. In fact, they repel. You want to be perceived to be as much like your prospect as possible within the boundaries of your own comfort level. Step out of those boundaries and you run the risk of appearing foolish or, even worse, you might be perceived as mocking your listener.
What Buyers Want
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 10:11 AM
[General]
In addition, a personal note increases the buyer's curiosity and the odds that your material will be read sooner than later. When I received a 60-page catalog filled with junk I didn't ask for and no note from the seller, the catalog found its way to the far corners of my desk where, to borrow from Verizon, it was forever in "the dead zone."
Ever heard that famous saying "For want of a nail...the war was lost?" It suggests that if you focus too hard on the little mundane details, you may lose sight of what's really important- winning the war,Cheap Vernon Gholston Jersey! But I'm here to tell you that sometimes it's the little details that really matter in building and managing business relationships and the "little things" can put you ahead of the competition when dealing with a buyer.
Buyers are busy enough before you walk in the door or give them a call. If you can save your buyer even a little time and effort, not only will they be appreciative, they also will remember that effort in the future. If you're sending out a booklet or catalog bigger than a couple of pages, write a quick personal note and make the message relevant.
Put your note on the inside cover or shoot the buyer a quick e-mail saying "Tom, the products you're interested in are on pages 45-48. Have a good day, -John Doe." Hardly any of the salespeople that called on me did this, and the ones that did had a huge advantage when I came to choosing my rep.
1. Why am I receiving this communication?
2. How did you get my name? (If it was a reference, make sure to name the reference so the buyer knows you are recommended by a trustworthy source. Example: Hi John, Bill from Company B gave me your name and thought you would really be interested in...)
3. Do I know this person? (i.e.: you,Cheap Patrick Kerney Jersey! Have you met before? Been at a meeting together?)
4. Is this product important to me,Cheap Matthew Stafford Jersey, the buyer?
5. Is there any reason I should pay attention?
Make it easy for the buyer to see the relevance of your communication and your message will get read. These little things may not win you the war, but it keeps you in the battle.
How to win over professional decision makers? Prove that assurance that time spent with you today can pay dividends tomorrow.
Another little detail often overlooked: prepping for common buyer questions. Buyers often ask themselves these questions every time they receive a communication from a rep. Before the buyer has time to wonder the vast possibilities of answers to these questions, make sure you have a response lined up for them, and don't wait for them to ask, make sure you tell them in your introduction.
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