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Every Sell is a Memory
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 4:43 AM
[General]
Think about it,K.Williams vikings Jersey! Maybe the delivery guy damaged the carton the product is stored in. How about the dishwasher not ensuring that all silverware has been cleaned properly? What about your customer service representative not answering the phone before the second ring, and then putting the customer on hold for a minute? You see, everything that goes into a sell,Cheap Darren Sharper Jersey, is a memory that could impact your business.
Great Selling!
Customers care about one thing; themselves! Don't we demand perfection when we are a customer? Then why when we go to sell a customer, do we not think of their needs and expectations? I was doing a business review with one of my customers a couple months back. It occurred to me that every out of stock, substitute item,Cheap Chris Harris Jersey, or damaged box is an opportunity that we can either make good on and fix properly or just let go through it's cycle and hope the customer does not have time to think about it.
Memories last a lifetime! When was the last time your customer said to you, I remember that time my dinner was overcooked or my delivery was a couple hours late and you took care of me? If they have said it to you,Cheap Willis McGahee Jersey, then you are making every sell a memory. If they have not, most likely you already have lost that customer to the competition. You probably never followed up on every small,Cheap Marcell Dareus Jersey, minute problem that could have been and opportunity for you to make "Every Sell a Memory". That is the key. Follow up with your customers and you'll make it a memory.
Let's start the sell off on the right foot,Cheap B.J. Raji Jersey! As you look at everything that goes into a sell, make it an excellent memory for your customers. Every step of the sell is so important that you could lose a customer for life if just one mistake is made and you didn't follow up.
But that's were we make that fatal mistake as sales professionals. We assume that our customers don't have any time to worry about the little things that go on in their day to day operations. Those are the ones that count. Those are the memories that we need to take advantage of and show our customers that we are looking out for their business.
Qualifying Sales Prospects
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 4:43 AM
[General]
What are the questions you should begin asking every new sales prospect?
I am amazed at how often companies fail to create this type of "knock-out" plan up-front so they don't waste tons of time with potential clients they can't help. Typically, salespeople don't think this way. You will need to question your sales team carefully to identify what sales qualifying questions you need to ask prospects to identify these situations. Then,Cheap Cedric Benson Jersey, put those questions at the very beginning of your screening process.
Having a solid process for qualifying sales prospects can be vital to your business. Here is why it is important:
If everyone is handled differently, it is impossible to institute best practices or measure the effects of improvements.
Salespeople's time is precious. It is best spent in front of qualified prospects. It can also be far less expensive to have other personnel or a lead call center do the initial screening, information gathering, and, eventually, appointment scheduling.
You need to be able to track and compare your salespeople's performance. You can only do that if you know how many "qualified" leads each one actually had.
The next step is to ask questions that help you prioritize your leads.
How did they find out about you? If they were a referral,Kyle Orton broncos Jersey, this is the hottest kind of lead. Referrals are far more likely to close than any other type of lead.
Is your potential customer experiencing a serious or urgent problem? For example, if a production line is down, they will probably be prepared to move like lightning to get it fixed.
If the problem is not urgent,Cheap **** Butkus Jersey, what is the prospect's time frame for making a change: a month, a quarter,Kellen Winslow charger Jersey, or a year?
What other options are they considering: Do nothing, handle it in-house, or inquire with your competitors (who)? If you discover that they have already called 15 other companies in your business,Cheap Anquan Boldin Jersey, you know that price is very likely to be the deciding factor. If you are not the cheapest, this prospect may be a big waste of your time.
The first step in creating this process is somewhat counter-intuitive. Think about all of the circumstances under which a prospect simply can't buy from you. For example,Michael Jenkins vikings Jersey, consider the following questions:
Are they located in a place where you cannot provide service? Do they need work done in a residential setting and you can only provide commercial service? Do they need industry specific products that you don't carry?
Time is one of your most valuable resources. Guard it fiercely. You only want to spend it on qualified prospects and you need to follow-up with your hottest leads first. You can only do this if you can identify them through a standard lead qualifying process.
Simple Sales Tips Anyone Can Use to Increase Sales
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 4:43 AM
[General]
For example, if you ask the customer how your proposal sounds and he responds by saying,Cheap Antonio Cromartie Jersey, "That price sounds high." Pause for a moment and paraphrase by asking, "Are you saying the price sounds high?" Now shut up and let the customer explain. Don't assume anything. He may have a better price or he may have a simple concern that you can address. Let the customer tell you why he thinks the price sounds high. He might say, "Yeah,Detroit Lions Jerseys, I expected it to cost a hundred dollars or so but I suppose that since you have to do the electrical it's a fair price."
Finally, after asking questions and listening, don't forget to ask for the sale. "Would you like to place an order?"
For example, after explaining the fan's features and benefits and giving its price,Cheap Otis Sistrunk Jersey, ask the customer, "How does that sound?" This forces the customer to tell you exactly what he thinks of the product or the price. A response might be, "The fan sounds great,Cheap Aaron Maybin Jersey, but I can get it $50 cheaper at Bob's Hardware Supply" or "It sounds really good. When can you install it?" Had you not asked, the customer may have been content to hang up the phone and dial the next phone number. By asking this open-ended question you can find out exactly where you stand - and you may make the sale simply by asking it.
In our exuberance about our products or services, it's easy to get caught up in the features and benefits of what we are selling. After all, the product is great and your customer should love it just as much as you do, right? And, you've been taught about the importance of the product's features and benefits. However, are you presenting the right product for your customer's needs? Is your customer trying to tell you something? Are you listening?
Your customer will indeed tell you but you've got to ask - and you have to listen.
"What if?" is also a powerful open-ended question that you can ask. "What if I can match Bob's price?" or "What if I throw in the light kit for free?" or "What if I can guarantee installation this weekend?"
Consider this scenario for a moment. You are at your desk when a phone call comes in. The customer asks for a quote for one of your products, let's say a ceiling fan. You proceed to tell the customer about all of the fan's features and benefits, how you'll do the wiring, how the fan has a lifetime warranty, and its price. The customer says, "Thank you." Are you tempted to say "You're welcome"?
Who wouldn't be? Good manners have been drilled into our heads since we were toddlers. However,Steelers Superbowl Champs Jerseys, this is a sales situation. This doesn't mean that good manners don't play a part; it means that you need to be a master of conversation. You have to shut up and let the customer speak. Customers don't generally speak up though,Cheap David Garrard Jersey, so you will need to ask open-ended questions. Here are two good ones:
How does that sound? What if?
You can ask questions all day long but if you don't listen to the customer's responses, you'll get nowhere and may even drive the customer elsewhere. Active listening shows customers that you have heard what they just said. Everyone wants to know that they have been heard and everyone wants to feel as if their concerns are being considered. Paraphrasing is an excellent active listening technique that both clarifies your understanding of what's been said as well as demonstrates that you are listening. It can also be combined with open-ended questioning techniques.
Why You Need Ron Paul On Your Sales Team
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 4:43 AM
[General]
Yes, you need a Ron Paul on your sales team; in fact you need a whole sales team full of 'em. You need sales people who are passionate about what they sell, understand how to truly connect to your customers, have the confidence to always do the right thing, and lastly, sales people who understand the power of building relationships and creating trust.
Trust - Put all of those qualities together, and the bottom line is we trust Ron Paul. Again,Randy Moss patriots Jersey, whether you agree with him doesn't matter; the truth is, people believe him. I don't think any other candidate delivering the same message could have gotten this far,Cheap Austin Collie Jersey, raised this much money or finished as strongly as Ron Paul. Talk about a good salesman! Only someone as authentic as Ron Paul could have sold such a tough message in such a direct manner. He has been able to do that and attract a strong following because of one thing: we trust him. Trust is hard to come by these days, but there is no stronger bond you can have with a voter or a customer.
Whether you agree with him or think he is crazy, the one point of view we all seem to share when it comes to Ron Paul is that we like him. We all seem to get a kick out of him, enjoy listening to him, and we admire the dedication he has to the message he is sharing. In fact, for most of us, Ron Paul is the only thing that has made the Republican debates worth watching. Why? Because he is authentic.
Face it: we have become a cynical society, with good reason. We're tired of being led down the path by our government, corporations and our leaders, only to find their words hollow and their actions self-serving. We're desperate to find someone, anyone or anything we can believe in. Someone who does what they say they are going to do, and someone whose words match their actions. Whether in business, politics or life, we are searching for authenticity. We're willing to pay a higher price, build a stronger relationship, and refer our family and friends if the company we're dealing with can truly deliver on those promises.
Enter a Ron Paul. If you are looking to grow your business,Cheap Lance Moore Jersey, motivate your employees or truly take care of your customers, then you need Ron Paul (or someone like him) on your sales team. If want to stand out from your competition, you need someone your customers can believe in, someone they trust,Cheap Giants Jerseys, and someone they believe has their best interests at heart. Yes, you need a Ron Paul.
Again, you don't have to agree with him or support him, but the truth is most people respect him. Why? Because he has the courage to speak his truth, do what he believes is right instead of what is popular, and stand up for his beliefs despite the risk to his personal success. Put those qualities together and you begin to understand how rare authenticity is these days, and why voters and customers gravitate to it. So, what makes someone authentic, and how can you build a sales team that has those qualities? How can you add a Ron Paul to your sales team?
Passion - Ron Paul is 76,Cheap Patriots Jerseys, yes 76! When most people his age are heading to the retirement home, Ron Paul is out there night and day talking to anyone who will listen about what he wants to do to put America back on track. He is passionate, motivated, and excited. His energy and his drive are something we can actually feel and something we gravitate to.
Let's look a little closer at what makes Ron Paul authentic.
Succeeding in today's economy may not be easy, but it is simple: Be authentic!
Yes, it is true: if you want to succeed in today's economy,Cheap Denarius Moore Jersey, you need a Ron Paul on your sales team. You've heard me say it over and over: this economy has changed, it is a different time and it calls for a different type of sales person. This is what I call a "Trust and Value Economy". If you want to grow your business, motivate your team and care for your customers, then you have to build trust and create value. You need sales people your prospects like, your customers trust, and you believe are authentic. Yes, you need a Ron Paul.
Confidence - Ron Paul's message is not happy, easy to hear or popular. Like many other politicians he has been skewered by the press and by his rivals. He doesn't seem to care -- it seems like water off a duck's back. He is so committed to his mission that even the understanding that he will never win is not enough to throw him off the track. His confidence makes even this very ordinary-looking man charismatic.
Connection - Ron Paul is speaking to us in our language. He is expressing our fears, concerns, and our challenges. He seems to understand. He is also providing solutions and ideas on how we can get involved and what we need to do. The way he communicates makes us feel that his only goal is to help us.
Direct Sales - How to Choose a Direct Selling Opportunity
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 4:42 AM
[General]
Here's how you can choose the best opportunity in direct selling:
4. Get feedback. Talk to other people who have joined this particular company and ask about their experience. Through this, you'll get a solid idea of what lies ahead. Also,Cheap Kevin Boss Jersey, determine if products and services are actually sold to customers. If the company if more concerned in recruiting down line, run to the opposite direction before you get scammed.
5. Verify all information. Do not simply believe everything that you see on "official looking" documents. For your own protection, I recommend that you investigate and verify all information before you sign up.
3. Get printed copies of the literature that contains everything that you need to know about the company that you wish to join. Read them very carefully and highlight the information that are not really clear to you so you'll know what to ask later on.
1. Do your research. Check out relevant online and offline resources and read about the companies that you wish to join. Its better if you get yourself involved with companies that are selling products and services that you believe in so you'll become more effective seller.
2. Ask questions. About the company, the products and services it offers,Cheap Tony Dorsett Jersey, its leadership,Cheap Tennessee Titans Jerseys, realistic cost of doing business, start-up fees,Cheap Chase Daniel Jersey, return policies,Cheap Eddie Royal Jersey, average earnings of distributions,Cheap Maurice Jones-Drew Jersey, and everything else that you'll be concerned about in the future.
Direct selling is a rapidly expanding channel of distribution of products and services directly to consumers. To date, it has attracted millions of people from across the globe who simply hate having 9am-5pm job or those who want to have direct control over their working hours.
Sell Smart to Increase Your Profits - Down-Selling
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:48 PM
[General]
The Top 3 Down-sell Techniques:
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For simple,Cheap Mike Iupati Jersey, low cost products - If someone walks into a grocery store and asks for a package of Panadol simply offer them the largest size. You might simply give it to them or you could say ... "Here you go. This 100 pack offers the best value for money." Simple isn't it,Cheap Dallas Cowboys Jerseys! You're doing the customer a favor by offering them a bargain AND you're maximizing your average transaction value as well. Using comparison charts - The easiest way to down-sell is to create a comparison chart which you can either use as an internal document or use it to show your customers so they can compare options. A great example of this is car manufacturers. They list all of the prices and specifications of their vehicles, typically starting from base model and going right up to the most advanced model. Using a Needs Analysis Questionnaire - Another important tool to help you down-sell is the Needs Analysis. It is a fact-finding tool that helps you uncover information about the customer's needs. This information can then be used to make the right recommendation based around those needs. For example you could ask... - What do you want the product to do for you... and why is this important to you? - What features are important to you... and why - What have you seen so far?
What You Can Do Today:
Educate and excite your team about the importance of down-selling Create a product/service comparison sheet - give buyers an instant snapshot of how various options compare Develop a Needs Analysis questionnaire - this will help you to ask the questions to uncover customer's needs and determine which product is best for them Start learning dialogue techniques to encourage customers saying "yes"
With up-selling the customer identifies that they want a certain product and your aim is to encourage them to buy the more expensive option like the "super-sizing" up-sells that happen at McDonalds. Down-selling happens before the sale occurs. Once the salesperson identifies the customer's needs he/she recommends the highest priced option to the customer (assuming,Cheap Chris Long Jersey, of course,Buffalo Bills Jerseys, that this product is a match to their needs).
It's then up to the customer to either make a decision that they want the most expensive option or downgrade themselves to a lower priced option.
Don't worry about your money - this won't cost a cent. Best of all it takes hardly any time to get going. Last time we talked about the wonders of up-selling and how it can create an overnight success in your business. Now let's dive into the other variation of up-selling,Cheap Jimmy Graham Jersey, down-selling. Increase the average transaction value and your profits of your business.
Selling Tips in a Down Economy
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:48 PM
[General]
We are stuck in this economy,Cheap Tracy Porter Jersey, at least for now. There is nothing any of us can do about that. But there things we can do to make our individual situations better. I've mentioned two ideas here,Cheap Shaun Alexander Jersey, but you can learn many more at this website.
For one,Cheap Tom Brady Jersey, they are focusing on their current customers. They are taking more time than ever to make sure the people that are buying from them are happy. Personalized customer service goes further now than it ever did. And watch out if you are not taking care of your customers because I can guarantee your competitors will be at their doorstep.
We are all overwhelmed with all the negative news on the economy. It's hard to blame yourself for getting a little negative yourself. However,Cheap Brandon Flowers Jersey, as sales professionals we have to remain positive and get our there and do our job. Even if it seems next to impossible with the economy today.
Another way to get ahead in this economy is to work on getting and staying as educated as you can in your industry. Read as much as you can about what it is that you are selling. Make sure you can represent yourself as an expert to your customers and prospects.
As I'm sure everyone is aware,Cheap Lance Moore Jersey, this isn't the best economic climate to be asking people to buy something. As if being in sales isn't tough enough, the economy had to go ahead hit the brakes on us. In fact, it's actually been in reverse for the last several months to make things worse.
The good news is that are some ways to thrive a sales person in a down economy. You don't have to convince yourself that doing less is ok,Reggie White packers Jersey, because everyone is struggling in this economy. There are people that are doing well and it's pretty easy to dissect how they are doing it.
Sometimes the Simplest Actions Are the Fastest to Build Doll
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:48 PM
[General]
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Those owning and operating a dollar store find that it is important to focus on building new shopper traffic for their stores. In this article I shared a few of the many simple, low-cost options you have for doing just that. Don't stop with this list. Be on the lookout for new and different ways to get your store out in front of the local community. Let them know about the dollar store merchandise you carry, your hours of operation and details about your location. Then watch as traffic and dollar store sales grow.
It is essential for those owning and operating a dollar store to make their store visible to all passers-by. Many passers-by are prospective shoppers who have never taken the time to come in. Don't just depend on a great location. Add signs, banners and flags to standout. It might just be a banner waving in the wind that attracts the attention of someone who has walked by many times before. They stop and come in. One caution: check zoning and lease requirements before adding those extra signs.
To your success when owning and operating a dollar store!
If you are owning and operating a dollar store you must constantly grow your dollar store sales. Even though this seems so simple and straightforward, many of those owning and operating a dollar store overlook just how important sales growth is to the very survival of their store. Rather than looking for simple,Okaland Raiders Jerseys, low-cost and effective strategies to bring more and more shoppers into their store they focus their efforts on trying to maintaining current sales levels. Given the tight margins and ever-growing costs,Cheap Sean Taylor Jersey, allowing sales to remain flat will not lead to long-term success. Sales must continuously grow. Sure costs must also be reigned in,Cheap Santonio Holmes Jersey, but that is for a different article. In this article I examine simple actions that help build sales for your business.
This is such a simple action. Yet the results can be impressive. An eye-catching banner sign and an active carrier placed at a busy intersection close to your store will bring shoppers into your store almost instantly. Assign this duty to current staff members during slow periods. If that isn't possible add a sign carrier to work a few hours per week during busy traffic periods. Don't forget the caution: check zoning and lease requirements before posting a sign carrier on the nearest corner to your store.
* Add a sign carrier to your staff.
You must create a warm,Cheap Oilers Jerseys, inviting store. It must welcome shoppers as they enter. It must be a place they want to spend their time. Once you've created that environment maintain it by routinely picking up, cleaning and replenishing displays. When the look and feel of your store is right shoppers will stay longer, and they will find more merchandise they must buy. So of course your dollar store sales and profits climb as well.
* Don't blow your one chance to impress first time visitors.
Appeal to local residents by adding small ads in your local newspaper. Simply sharing the great assortment of products in your store will be enough. Advertise merchandise for upcoming events,Cheap Bruce Smith Jersey, holidays and seasons of the year.
* Focus on new customers.
* Make it easy to see your store exists.
* Place inexpensive ads in your community newspaper.
Those owning and operating a dollar store you must continually bring first-time shoppers into their stores. It is wise to expect first-time shoppers to make smaller purchases. The first visit is to scope out your store. This is a time to see exactly what you have to offer. Yet if you provide a great shopping experience and have the right products on display these shoppers will return. And when they return watch your dollar store sales grow as they spend much more.
The New Buying Habits of Buyers - Does Solution Data Drive a
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:47 PM
[General]
Do you know that point in a buyer's decision process that they seek this information? And is there other material we could be offering at other points in the buying decision process?,Cheap Eric Dickerson Jersey
When a consumer wants the new iPhone, is it about owning the newest MAC product? Then that person is someone who is an early adopter who has 'time' and 'wizzy factor' as their major criteria. If someone's criteria for purchasing a phone is usability, then their 3G phone may suffice. Same product (phone), different criteria, different buying choices. Different information needed.
Before any purchase gets made, an unknown number of internal,Cheap Ronnie Lott Jersey, private, behind-the-scenes decisions and considerations must be resolved first. And make no mistake: until or unless they are dealt with, the status quo will prevail regardless of the efficacy of the new solution. Indeed, the status quo has been 'good-enough' until now, and far easier to maintain than going through whatever change must happen when something new is adopted.
While their capability to attain data, or make the actual purchase is much easier,Cheap Shaun Alexander Jersey, is their route to their buying decision different?
THE CRITERIA UNDERLYING THE CHANGE
Does our carefully branded data drive our buyer's buying decision?
Well, yes and no. Obviously buyers must ultimately know if your solution fits their needs. But this is the last, the very last thing,Cheap Tom Brady Jersey, that they need before they make a purchase.
It's so much easier for buyers to buy now. With the click of a wrist,Kenny Stabler throwback Jersey, or a jog of a fingertip, they can read about, compare, and purchase whatever they want. So buyer's behaviors are changing. Or are they?
It's time to add a new skill to augment the sales process. I know, I know, I'm a hammer running around seeking a nail. But really: would you rather sell? or have someone buy?
People never, ever,Cheap Green Embroidered Jersey, make choices that lie outside of their values or criteria. The pain involved with living with the results of shoving an incongruent element into a working 'system' - into accepted beliefs and values, into people's jobs and relationships and habitual daily activities - is greater than any noticeable need or problem to be resolved. Not to mention that the choices they've already made has created their status quo, which has been 'good enough' and most likely not facing an emergency situation to change immediately.
So while it's easier, these days, to actually make a purchase, and easier for buyers to get whatever - whatever - data they may need as a way to meet their final choice criteria, all of the new sites, posts, clicks, links, that help the purchaser buy only address that portion of the population just beginning to consider a purchase, or those who have already make their foundational decisions to change and are just needing those final detailed bits.
INFORMATION DOES NOT CREATE A NEW DECISION
Think of losing weight. The last thing you need is to know membership prices for a gym. First you need to decide to be a healthy person, change your eating habits, decide to change your schedule - which might involve several family members and the family dog.
Think of a house purchase. The very last thing you need is information about the house. First you need to decide to move - and your family might have some really interesting conversations before that decision is actually reached. Then you have to figure out the criteria - neighborhood? school district? travel time to work? /affordable mortgage/price? It's only when all of purchasing criteria are lined up that you know where to look for a house, the sort of house you need, etc.
Our current buying support options do NOT address the making of the foundational change/criteria/values decisions. In other words, just because people like your solution and it's easy to purchase, doesn't mean they have garnered all of the internal agreement necessary to purchase.
DOES OUR SOLUTION DATA DRIVE THE BUYER'S DECISION?
And herein lies the problem: until or unless buyers navigate through all of their decision criteria, they will not buy regardless of their need or ability to press a purchasing button. All of our lead generation is rendered useless if there is a political issue going on between two departments, for example.
Is It Worth Hiring A State Agent
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:47 PM
[General]
Another benefit of hiring a state agent is that you will not need to worry about any formalities or any other thing. All the tax formalities,Cheap Franco Harris Jersey, legal formalities which are usually very annoying can be handled easily with the help of state agents.If you are hiring an agent to give your home on rent then the formalities required to register the tenant details to the nearest police department or any such required department then you will not need to run through the departments suffering the hectic meetings. You will just have to give the fee to the agent and he will serve you the sales proceeds in a tray,Cheap Mike Wallace Jersey, no tough times no pressure will be faced by you. So having so much benefits just by giving some fee,Cheap Patrick Crayton Jersey, is not a bad idea. Just go for it!
Though the sales agents charge fee but it is nothing in front of the sales proceeds you will get. I think it is not the bad deal to sell your home quickly,Cheap Falcons Jerseys, sell home quickly taking desired profit just by giving some fee to the agent instead of waiting for a long time and selling your home at a loss in order to save the agent's fee. So do not rely on the experiences of others,Cheap Chicago Bears Jerseys, just jump into the field and select the best possible sales agent because the agent's suitability can enhance your profitability. The sales agents have a vast experience of dealing the transactions of the sales of properties. The sincere state agent will value your home rightly and will try his best to save you from every possible lose that you can suffer.
Well this is not the case; different people have different experiences but wisely saying that hiring a state agent is really worth only if you succeed in hiring the suitable agent for the property. The diverse contacts of the sales agents increase the chances of quick sales of your home. Usually the sales agents are connected with other agents too,Cheap Kyle Wilson Jersey, so this increases the density of buyers seeking to buy the houses. The discomfort of meeting the agents again and again is also now resolved by the modern technology. Many sales agencies have their own websites so you can contact them online and keep the track of their progress through the internet.
Building Unstoppable Sales Confidence
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:47 PM
[General]
Understand this: Rejection isn't as bad as you think it is. Sure, it really is aggravating and frustrating when you put in all this time and get a denied response but it's not the end of the world. A great example of this is in the direct marketing industry. Promotions are mailed out, sometimes put together by the absolute best in the world.
Another thing is to speak your customer's language. What I mean by that is don't use confusing, uninteresting jargon that will damage the conversation. It's like trying to teach someone who's never touched or even seen a computer,Jonathan Vilma jets Jersey, to learn how to make computer programs. That makes both parties' time used up very ineffectively.
First, let's understand that confidence isn't something you just learn, it's something that you must do. You've got to show it in your body language, how you speak, and how you act and interact with others. People will notice if you're weak which is the last thing you want others to perceive you as. Weakness in what you present no matter how well the product or service, is an almost guaranteed deal killer.
That alone can close the deal. Being uncomfortable can take some time to get over. One of the best ways to get more comfortable and in turn, build confidence is to be educated. This all comes back to knowing your product or service and being passionate about it. Also understanding your customer's wants and needs while getting a sense of who they really are, helps significantly.
What you must do is focus on your desired outcome. What is it you want? What do you need to do? How will you get there? Focus on the desired outcome or result while taking the next step, after the next, and after the next. One of the keys to shifting from a negative attitude to a positive attitude is what you focus on. Whenever you focus on the good and the positive result, you end up achieving what you set out to accomplish.
If you want to generate more sales,Cheap Brandon Jacobs Jersey, generate more profit, or gain customers who will come back again and again, you must build confidence and that's exactly what this article is about: Building unstoppable confidence.
The best that we can do is learn as much effective knowledge as possible, and apply it in real-world situations. If mistakes are made, you simply fix them and do better the next time. Everything, from getting a sale to providing the best customer service,Cheap Lance Moore Jersey, is and always will be a learning process. When we fix our mistakes, we grow and become better and better at the task at hand. Trying to be a perfectionist can cause our thinking to go haywire when things don't go as expected, which can bring down our overall confidence in our abilities.
Confidence is a very elusive part of sales and even everyday life. Most people don't have enough of it, let anyone any of it, and those who do are able to get exactly what they want out of every situation, and end up becoming very successful.
Get a feel for their conversation. How do they speak? What words do they use most? What is their knowledge for the product or service? This can help you tremendously in speaking their language, the language that they will respond best to.
Here are some quick ways you can build confidence now:
With many different ways of effectively getting the sale,Cheap Tony Romo Jersey, one comes to mind that is very important and essential to your entire sales process: Having superb and unshaken confidence when it comes to presenting your one-of-a-kind offer.
Lastly, don't come off as being uncomfortable or unintelligible in the product or service. This can and usually is a very big turnoff and might lead to losing multiple sales. Educate yourself on what it is you provide, what it is you're trying to sell, what are some of the features but also benefits, and be passionate about the product or service. People notice when you know what you're talking about and are very passionate about what you're selling. Passion tends to stir curiosity and gets your customer excited to do business with you.
All in all, everything we talked about is easier said than done. Now that you're armed with ways to build unstoppable confidence,Cheap Antonio Gates Jersey, there's one last thing to the equation...
Get over the fear of rejection - This is a very big problem in business and sales. In fact, I'd say this is one of the biggest issues when it comes to building confidence. For example, it's been shown via surveys that people are more afraid of public speaking than dying. That's to an extreme and it all comes down to the fear of being rejected. Whether it comes to contacting that potential customer, presenting your ideal offer, or getting the sale, we all have that fear of rejection lurking in the back of our minds.
Go out there and start doing, no matter what the obstacles, no matter what the fears, and no matter what others tell you. The most successful sales people make big things happen by acting on what effective knowledge they have learned. They also understand that the more they go out there and approach and communicate with people, the more confident they will become not just in their products and/or services, but in themselves.
Guess what? Virtually all of them are rejected. People receive them, take one good look sometimes not even opening the letter, and throw them away. In mail promotions, a few percent conversion and action taken is considered a successful promotion. Of course this isn't the same as direct, face-to-face communication or sometimes online marketing but you get the overall idea. As I sometimes hate to say it, it really does take so many no's to get a yes.
It never will...
Perfection is not necessary, in fact, it's impossible - Many of us can be a perfectionist from time to time. We want all the details, down to the most minor of preferences, to be perfect. Sadly,Cheap N. Harris Jersey, we end up very disappointed at the end result. We beat ourselves up and get angry that what we set out to do, didn't going as expected.
Maintain a positive attitude - Whether you have this or that thing going on in your life, you must realize that negativity will get you nowhere. Being negative leads to many different problems down the road, one of them being improper thoughts which translate to poor confidence. We never said getting sales was easy, there's always some sort of struggle along the way. It's how you deal with it that makes the difference.
There are several things you can do to bring rejection down to a minimum. One of those is be consistently changing and improving your approach. Learn details that are essential to your conversation with the customer, and formulate how you can best present your offer. It can take some time to do this but you'll see how huge of a difference this process makes to your overall bottom line.
What to Do When Customers Buy From Strangers
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:47 PM
[General]
With my razor cutting,Cheap Jerod Mayo Jersey, fire breathing ability I could've really gotten even if she wanted to talk about looks. But,Cheap Falcons Jerseys, I did what any self respecting franchise owning,Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys, mature business owner would do. I got the sales flyers of the competitor and sent them to the lady with a note saying my prices were one penny less than theirs on anything they sold. I knew she wasn't going to take me up on the offer anyway. It didn't work and she still won't buy and I assume my looks haven't improved. Mom didn't think I was that homely.
Then along comes the internet and it seemed ideal until the price cutters started. We had a few loyal customers that refused to go that route. I think the reason was because the price cutters came in with cheap prices and didn't take care of problems and soon left town or went out of business. Several times I had to visit a red faced person that would start apologizing for buying from the cheap place and asking me to fix their problem. It was sure tempting to give 40 lashes across their backside but I figured they learned their lesson. One lady in particular learned it 3 times.
The one area I find that is the hardest for me after I discover they bought from a stranger is finding out I was more of a stranger because I hadn't kept in touch the way the other guy did. Visually my customer didn't know the competitor from Adam. But I hadn't acted like I wanted business because I hadn't sent out flyers like the competitor did. They hadn't seen me for a while and lo and behold a sale flyer came to their email box. It caused them to think they needed that item and instead of calling to ask me if I could get it or if I was still in business they clicked and bought.
I would highly recommend a variety of books on questioning to find out what you want to know. It takes practice to learn. The books I found most helpful were Tom Hopkins & Zig Ziglar books. There's a lot of others but I think I found them to be best for me.
I could have titled this how to fight fire with fire. I have a website. In fact I have several. I have email flyers but I only send them occasionally because I don't want to be called a spammer even though spammers seem to get the business away from me. I did away with expensive catalogs to save money but the cheap sources blanket the area with them. Another reason for not buying catalogs other than expense was that I had several people that I would hand them my expensive catalog and they would show me the cheapie guys catalog and want that price. I got the sale if I matched it which by the way I did that once and it was the same cheap source company.
I was tired of their catalogs and emails being thrown in my face to match. One potentially large account gave me the call and said if you can match this guy's price we would rather buy local. It was a large order and I did it. I said I never would drop price but I did. That customer never bought from me again. I learned a real expensive lesson about price integrity. I also had to do extra measures dividing the order among several recipients and it was bound to have problems. It didn't but for the extra efforts I didn't make much and apparently lost a lot.
I think the internet is a super tool and using it to get what the customer wants is what business is about. I don't have all the answers I thought I would at this age. Someone changed the questions on me and I'm doing what I can to catch up. Maybe those reading this will learn from me and the mistakes I made.
I've been in the sales business for myself all my 55 plus years in a wide variety of different categories. In all those years the one thing that either got my dander up or caused me to want to quit more than anything was not understanding the reason my customer would have the audacity to buy from strangers when I was perfectly able to get what they wanted.
I will restrict this article to the past few years that I've been in the Promotional Product and Printing business since the earlier years prior to the internet the problem wasn't so bad. Being the local person in business I was able to get business because I might have been the only source or sources were limited. In the beginning we used pencil and paper to write and snail mail orders to suppliers until fax machines and computers sped things up.
I think in the past 5 years or less the internet played a big part in shoppers looking for ways to save a penny. Yes,Cheap Tony Romo Jersey, I said a penny. For example,Cheap Derrick Thomas Jersey, one person always wanted my rock bottom price for whatever she asked for. I always gave it to her but she always bought from the out of state guy on the internet. One day I was accidentally given a gift of all the details of that penny cheaper order. Sure enough she bought a total of 1500 items imprinted and the internet company was one penny cheaper per item. She saved $15.00 and bought out of state. If it was a mom and pop business I would have understood saving a penny here and there to a certain extent.
Minus those two examples I don't think there are any others like it in my experience. There have been other customers that bought from strangers and it worried me enough to ask them why they did it. Flat out bold and straight to the point I would ask "is it because" and give them a reason and keep up the questioning until I found the answer. If it is something other than looks that I could work with I sometimes managed to overcome the problem. Questioning cannot be confrontational. You have to have a sort of whipped pup thoughtful look and low tone to voice. In the case of the woman that didn't like my looks I must've had a dog ugly look that day.
However, it was a huge place,Cheap Matt Hasselbeck Jersey, tax payer funded on my property tax bill and the $15.00 savings was added on to the shipping and handling cost meaning no savings at all. The rest of the gift I mentioned was learning I had done nothing wrong in all the efforts spent in trying to get this lady to buy from me like the rest of the offices there did. I also learned the real reason she would never buy from me was because she didn't like my looks. I was afraid I'd told too many long winded stories or she didn't like older men or whatever. When it was told to me that this buyer didn't like my looks I was really socked in the gut.
I'm still in this business after 20 years and still rolling with the punches. I try to play the hand as it's dealt. Sometimes I win and sometimes I don't. I've seen a lot of competitors disappear and have bought out two of them. I keep reading the professionals ways of doing business. Some of it works and some doesn't. When you lose to a stranger make sure it wasn't because they felt more comfortable with a stranger that kept in contact all the time.
How to Sell Products Effective Sales Techniques
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:46 PM
[General]
Now don't be blown away to read this,Cheap Devery Henderson Jersey! Do not tell your possible customers what would be the advantages of acquiring your product or service. But, focus on sharing with them what they have to might actually lose by not purchasing,Cheap Rolando McClain Jersey! Reverse psychology helpful more often than not and a Multi Level Marketing specialist who discovers how to discuss losses,Cheap Reggie Nelson Jersey, not benefits, would be the master of how to sell products.
This is essential! You have to make sure you regularly telephone your prospective and well as established purchasers. Understand what works well for whomâ some may choose texting/e-mailing while others love to speak on the cell. Do whatever, but always stay in the mental radar of your shoppers.
What do you do while you are unsure about something? Say, your not certain which automobile to obtain? You Will get hold of somebody who is an motor vehicle expert. Or your not being able to pick which gown to buy for the next party? You are going To get in touch with your cool and trendy pal, right? So, here is what I am indicating. Position yourself and your item as a thing that is greatly regarded by the industry experts and you won't have a problem attracting prospects.
How to sell products? How about trying the following techniques:
That is a superb selling technique: make your potential customer feel that your product is tremendously in demand. Like it or not, folks want what they can't have simply! Think about it. As a client, aren't you influenced to buy some thing once informed that the good discounts is on for a very limited time? That triggers you to take action, correct? Well,Cheap Chester Taylor Jersey, your customers aren't any different. Make sure they feel like everything you have on offer won't be for sale always, this will make them drive them to make up their minds rapidly.
Simply Being difficult to get is great. But truly appreciate the truth. You have to sell to prosper. So do all the things possible to transform that potential client to a confirmed buyer. And that's why, you need to understand your possibility client inside out. Now,Cheap Darryl Tapp Jersey, greet them, invite them to know your products/ services, handle their questions and then follow up.
You Are missing out on lots of necessary aspects of your life when you don't have exceptional salesmanship competencies. This includes not simply your business and employment, and also your associations and social life. Please understand that individuals who intelligently use the power of persuasion will always have an edge over people that don't. So, isn't it time to learn to sell items making use of compelling product sales procedures?
How to sell products isn't all that hard once that you've learnt the ability of marketing!
There exists a very distinction between being persuasive and pushy. How to sell products has a lot to do with following up with the shoppers. But that should be carried out smartly and sensitively. How would you feel in case you received marketing and advertising telephone calls part way through a significant work appointment? Irritated or maybe even angry,Cheap Le'Ron McClain Jersey, right? Ensure you don't put your client in the similar place. In your first call, ask the customer details like when to follow up, does mailing work better or calling?
6 Exciting Steps to Sell More Audio Products
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:46 PM
[General]
Here's how you can make your audio products sell like hotcakes in the online arena:,Cheap Rolando McClain Jersey
1. First thing to do is to ensure that your audio products have something different to offer that will make them stand out from the crowd. The process of selling them will become a lot easier if they have amazing selling points that can influence the buying decision of your prospects
2. Article marketing. Before you can convince your prospects to buy your audio products,Cheap A.J. Green Jersey, you need to convince them first that you're a great source of useful information. You can make this happen through article marketing. Write articles and share your in-depth knowledge.
3. Offer money-back guarantee. Remove the risk that comes along with the purchase by offering your customers with 100% satisfaction. Tell these people that they can get their money back if they're not happy with their purchase. Minimize your returns by simply making sure that your audio products are fantastic.
4. PPC advertising. Create ads and bid on keywords that are popular in your chosen niche. Getting these ads to appear on search page results can help you promote product awareness and in reaching out to wider market. Ensure that your ads are compelling so you can get more people to click on them.
5. Believe in your products. It's important that you're very enthusiastic when you're talking about your audio products as your enthusiasm will most likely to rub off on your potential clients.
6. Use testimonials. Find ways on how you can communicate your previous customers and get them to leave exciting testimonials on your blog and website. These can definitely help in influencing the buying decision of your new customers.
13 Questions to Win More Sales With Your First Impression
Friday, June 15, 2012, 4:46 PM
[General]
Here are some quick questions to help you avoid making your first impression your last one. These questions have been separated into specific areas to better assist you.,NFL Sideline Black United Jerseys
So what do you do during the first few moments when you met that potential customers?
Personal Initial Behaviors
Is your handshake firm not weak, yet not overly firm? Do you have good eye contact? Is your voice loud enough to be heard,Cheap Chuck Foreman Jersey, but quiet enough to stay between the two of you? Is your first comment centered on your potential customer or on you?
Do you want to win more sales? Maybe you need to assess your sales approach during the first few minutes instead of looking to other sales skills issues such as fact finding or delivering an effective presentation?
Within the first 15 second to several minutes depending upon the research,Cheap Albert Haynesworth Jersey, you have been judged from social economic status to education to ethics and beliefs. Once those moments in time pass you can never recapture them nor can you change what just happened. If you truly wish to win more sales,Cheap Leodis McKelvin Jersey, make sure your first sales approach is the beginning of a series of best impressions.
Before you have any of these thoughts,Cheap Robert Meachem Jersey, maybe it is time to do a self-assessment as to how you look and how others perceive you. Your first impression in many cases maybe your last one if you are not projecting the necessary image both non-verbally and verbally to attract attention. Remember marketing is all about attracting attention and building the relationship by making a friend.
Personal Clothing and Accessory Questions
Is your attire clean and pressed from the jacket to the shoes? Is your jewelry complimentary and not a distraction? Is your briefcase or portfolio clean and organized? Is your business card informative,Cheap Haloti Ngata Jersey, interesting and easy to read?
Personal Grooming Questions
Is your hair cut and clean? Is your hair style complimentary and not a distraction? Are your nails cut and clean? If you polish your nails are they fresh compared to being chipped and cracked? Are your nails a reasonable length so they do not dig into the other person's hand?
Think about what you are going to say? Look for that next potential customer as you are shaking hands with the person in front of you? Wonder how quickly you can get an appointment and move on to the next "victim"?
Everything You Always Knew About Sales, And Didn't Know How
Friday, June 15, 2012, 2:27 PM
[General]
The Listening Problem
The Knowledge Overload Phenomenon
It's the relationship with the client that's most important Knowing the client is more important than knowing your product It's all about identifying their problem and providing a solution for it Listening is a more important sales skill than talking
As a society, we are poor listeners. We spend 48% of our waking communicating time listening (the rest is spent speaking, reading and writing); and where we have all had some formal or informal training in the other three, virtually nobody has ever 'learned' to listen. And one of the worst professions at listening - sales. And it's not because we don't listen - it's because of the way we listen.
What customers want most is for you to help make sense of what they know already. Is that feature important for their proposed use? Why is that brand consistently cheaper? Will the benefits of that justify the additional cost? Doing this builds their decision-making confidence; whereas, ironically, giving them more information can often have them scurrying away to do more research.
Before the internet became the primary source of information for most of the world,Cheap Lavar Arrington Jersey, customers would say, "Tell me about your product." And they needed you to because they knew little apart from what was said in your advertisements. Nowadays, they have researched your product website and every other webpage that mentions your product. They have read the comments by your satisfied - and dissatisfied - clients. There's a good chance that they have read more about your product than you have. Yet, they still start with the same line: "Tell me about your product." And you do...and, in the process you exacerbate their information overload.
Yet,Cheap Jeff Reed Jersey, when most salespeople get in front of a prospect, what do they do? They talk, and talk,Cheap DeAngelo Hall Jersey, and talk...about their product. Which is evidence of my theory that is based on observing thousands of salespeople: what is stopping most salespeople from achieving their potential is NOT knowledge of what they should do...it's knowledge of HOW to do it.
So we all know salespeople should build stronger relationships and listen better; but it's the ones who find a way to actually apply this in the field that will be successful in the future.
No matter what they say, customers mostly do not want you to tell them about your product as if they know nothing. If they do, it's probably to test your product knowledge! Often, more information makes decision-making harder for a customer - and you want the buying decision to be easier, not harder. So,Cheap Brian Cushing Jersey, when a customer asks you to tell them about your product, your response should be, "To save me wasting your time, what do you like from what you've seen so far?"
The secrets to sales success are obvious. For over 50 years, anyone involved in sales has known:
Clients have too much information available to them nowadays. The situation is the same as that described in the BBC satirical series of the 1980s called Yes Minister (and, later,Cheap Shannon Sharpe Jersey, Yes Prime Minister) where the manipulative government bureaucrat, Sir Humphrey, gave the Minister seven briefcases of papers to read every night. The important papers were always given to the Minister, but they were in amongst so much 'junk' information that Sir Humphrey knew they were unlikely to be read.
All sounds that we hear go through a filtering process before they are listened to. This is why you can ignore the hum of the office air-conditioner at your desk or why people who live near a railway line don't hear the sound of the trains after a while.
With salespeople, their products become the filter. Everything a client says is scanned for a clue - a 'hook' that you can attach one of your product's features to. Now, obviously, some qualification is necessary to determine if you've got anything to offer this customer; but,Cheap Julio Jones Jersey, if it's done too soon, it severely limits what you hear from the client. There's an old saying: "If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". You need to forget about your product in the early part of the conversation - certainly, keep any samples or brochures out of sight - so you can really listen to what your customer is saying.
Making the Best Sales of Your Life Who Will You Invite to t
Friday, June 15, 2012, 2:27 PM
[General]
Making these strategic decisions for who you want in your party can dramatically increase both the quality and quantity of your sales. You'll end up attracting clients who are willing to pay more for your product or service, and you'll also find people who will come back again and again,Cheap Brandon Jackson Jersey, giving you more sales through their repeat business.
These are the people who you want at your party.
Who don't you want to invite?
Avoid cheapskates. Avoid the type of client who will constantly be asking you for discounts, or want prolonged installment plans. In my experience,Cheap Hakeem Nicks Jersey, these types of clients have been nothing but trouble. They may want to give me some sales,Cheap Albert Haynesworth Jersey, but I simply don't want them in my party.
So,Cheap Chris Johnson Jersey, who do you invite to the party?
If you haven't experienced it before, one of the most gratifying things in the world can be "firing" a trouble client, the one who makes your life more difficult than you would care for. Think about the people who give you so much grief that it's not worth the money to work with them. These are people you don't want to attract.
Regardless of whether you make sales to business or consumers, take a moment and think about who you would want to strategically target and who you want to go after. Think about the biggest businesses or consumers,Cheap Dez Bryant Jersey, think about the people who are likely to give you repeat sales, and think about who you would most enjoy working with. Think about who you want to invite to the party.
Not long ago, I was planning a party with my friends. We wanted a big party, something boisterous, something people would talk about. So, we set out to create a guest list and invite as many people as possible.
It's the same with sales. You may think that your only goal is to make as many sales as possible to as many people as possible. You may think that you want to invite everyone to the party. But if that's what you think, then you'd be wrong.
But this was an obvious conflict with our original goal: to have a big party and invite as many people as possible. If that were truly our one and only goal, then we would have simply invited everybody. But we didn't. We chose not to invite certain people to the party.
You need to start strategically. If you're a realtor, for instance, you may start by distributing fliers in a wealthy neighborhood. After all, people in that neighborhood will buy and sell the most expensive houses, giving you the highest commissions. These are the clients who will give you the biggest sales.
Then we got to one particular person. There was a pause. Then finally, my friend spoke up: "Do we really want him? He always gets way too drunk,Cheap Indianapolis Colts Jerseys, and people find him a little bit annoying." We decided not to invite him.
Help! My Sales Team Isn't Coping With the Fallout From the G
Friday, June 15, 2012, 2:27 PM
[General]
Whether we learn to develop and cultivate our resilience in relatively safe environments like playing both team and individual sports, or learning music and performing at recitals, or we develop resilience via our personal experiences such as developing and losing friendships, or other trials of childhood like playing favourites, not fitting in, learning difficulties, etc., or more extreme difficulties such as losing a parent to cancer, chronic illness, and other life changing events, all these have an effect on each of us. How we are taught to deal with and overcome these challenges and learn from them the best way we can is what helps us develop resilience. If someone else tries to assume responsibility for your journey,Cheap Dez Bryant Jersey, even if it is with the best intentions, they are really taking away your ability to learn and grow.
The current climate is, indeed,Cheap Pierre Thomas Jersey, a test of character.
The first step to becoming more emotionally resilient is the acknowledgment that there is room for improvement and taking the time to learn more about yourself. The following behaviours and attitudes are some ways in which emotional resilience can be demonstrated and measured:
But it isn't just the income drop that's causing concern, another sales team whose incomes are not linked to commissions, also found it hard to remain positive and keep going in the face of adversity. With clients feeling the pain, these sales people didn't want to be around the negativity or distress. It's almost as if they have chosen to put their fingers in their ears and saying 'la la la la la' to block out the stress hoping it all goes away. Not very useful either.
Developing emotional resilience and awareness in a variety of situations is vital for your ongoing survival and ability to thrive despite the markets or life's other circumstance. Developing emotional resilience supports individuals to better achieve their goals, communicate with and manage other people, and spring back emotionally after suffering through a difficult and stressful time in one's life.
Not surprisingly, many of these requests have come from the finance and advertising sectors reporting that the current landscape has been one of turmoil and distress. While other sectors have also sort support it is not at the level suggested above. These business leaders have indicated that many of their clients have been severely affected by the GFC and this has created a significant amount of depression in the market place, also affecting their sales teams.
We can all learn how to be resilient and we can learn from a very early age.
No one can ever be guaranteed of winning. We know we have to work for our successes. We usually fail more than we succeed but that is par for the course in life. We need to encourage each other to pick ourselves up and keep going, learning from our mistakes, stretching ourselves to do better. It's about doing our best at whatever we do. Winning isn't everything, but doing our best,Cheap New York Giants Jerseys, developing self mastery, taking calculated risks and learning from everything we do is what life was all about.
Some of us might be born with the potential to be more resilient than others but you do not know how resilient you are until you put yourself to the test or life does it for you. The saying 'if it doesn't kill it will make you grow stronger' is quite apt here.
The one thing these two sales teams have in common is that their sales people earn significant commission from their sales results. With their clients in freefall and sales down, these sales people's earnings were being affected which meant that some are having trouble paying their mortgages, maintaining their life styles, etc. Certainly reasons for concern, however doing nothing and getting 'depressed' isn't going to help solve their problems.
In recent weeks and months at Barrett, we have seen an increase in the number of conversations we are having with clients about how to help their salespeople to deal with distressful situations. They are seeking support, coaching and training in how to help sales people and sales managers handle the emotional fallout from the GFC. The requests for support and training range from wellbeing, emotional resilience, optimism, stress management, how to re-engage with the team or clients, and how to lead a healthy life.
Selling, as a career, is not for the faint hearted as I have often stated. Besides good selling skills, quality thinking and solid process it takes courage, self discipline, determination,Cheap Antonio Cromartie Jersey, persistence, the ability to learn from your mistakes, a sense of humour, and a healthy approach to life to lead a healthy sales career.
Not only do we need to be skilful in selling we need to be skilful in how we manage our wellbeing, our emotions and the emotions of others. So as I reflect on my life so far and all the challenges and joys that come with it, I am indeed grateful for the gift of resilience, it keeps me growing.
o Have realistic and attainable expectations and goals.
o Show good judgment and problem solving skills.
o Be persistent and determined.
o Be responsible and thoughtful rather than impulsive.
o Be effective communicators with good people skills.
o Learn from past experience so as to not repeat mistakes.
o Be empathetic toward other people (caring how others around them are feeling).
o Have a social conscience, (caring about the welfare of others).
o Feel good about themselves as a person.
o Feel like they are in control of their lives.
o Be optimistic rather than pessimistic.
How do we do this? Among other things this requires people to have access to insight and self awareness.
Many sales people, especially those in their 20's and 30's have not likely experienced selling in tough markets before. For the past 12 years prior to 2008, at least, the business climate in our market place has been, for the most part, buoyant. As we all know it's very easy to sell when times are good.
My concern is that many people, especially younger people may not have been in a position to really build up their resilience and toughen up, especially in sales and tough markets like this. It appears that many don't seem know how to navigate and manage their thinking and emotions through these times.
It is possible to teach people how to develop the skills to enhance their emotional resilience, optimism and ways of thinking and dealing with the world. This information is not new either, it has been around for thousands of years. We can all encourage a resilient attitude at work and at home.
The sales teams mentioned above are all highly trained and skillful sales people. They have been trained in appropriate sales skills and processes but many do not have the tools or know-how when it comes to managing their own wellbeing, stress, emotions, and the emotions of others.
Another business, in the advertising space,Cheap Israel Idonije Jersey, reported that their sales team had been hit hard too with lower than expected advertising spend. Management was observing very low motivation levels and rising levels of distress in the team. They realised that their people didn't have strategies to cope with this crisis. They were worried their people were feeling useless and dejected.
For instance at a recent management meeting,Buffalo Bills Jerseys, the sales leaders raised their concerns about how the sales team was handling the distress arising from severely reduced incomes for themselves and their clients and loss of a number of clients from their industry. They wanted to know what they could do about it because what they were doing by way of standard management practice wasn't working. For the first time they are seeking help around emotional resilience, and optimism.
So what do you rely upon to get you through the tough times?
Here are some tips.
As a parent I know I want my children to be safe and free from harm, however if I cotton wool them from life's tough experiences then they will not develop their resilience and learn the lessons of life. None of us need ever be a victim when we know we have choices in every moment and we take responsibility for them.
If, as is being highlighted, these and other sales people like them are not used to dealing with sets backs, overcoming obstacles or they let the negative sentiments of others overtake them then their work will suffer. It will be much harder to achieve results. This negativity can cloud their thinking and potentially keep them from seeing and realising those ideas and strategies that will get them back on track and producing again.
Besides the obvious sales skills, processes and tools, we need to learn (if we haven't already) and apply the skills that go to developing strategies for healthy thinking, emotional resilience, optimism, healthy lifestyle practices, etc.
It now begs the question: How well have we prepared ourselves practically, emotionally, and physically to manage our way through these tough times?
Developing a Resilient Attitude
In my opinion, we need to help people become more emotionally aware, and resilient in a number of ways. We need to give people access to tools, processes and assessments that can help them develop insight and strategies to enhance their emotional resilience and allow people to make the most of their capabilities and the situations they find themselves in on a daily basis. Particularly if they have not had the chances to really test themselves in previous roles or earlier in their lives.
Many sales people, for the first time, are experiencing tough times when it comes to selling and many are not sure how to handle themselves in these difficult situations.
The Selling Profession
Friday, June 15, 2012, 2:26 PM
[General]
Sticking to the facts
The worst salesman will resort to fabrication of facts for closing a sale. Don't ever resort to this, since it can infuriate the customer if he figures it out. Be careful with how you handle your potential clients since this is a profession that doesn't give you second chances. A tainted image is extremely hard to fix. The credibility of a poorly rated salesperson will be very tough to modify. Hence,Cheap Lance Moore Jersey, avoiding it is the best direction to proceed in, which will also be the right way to grow from.
Identifying the niche market
The other aspect to keep in mind would probably be the market that the salesman caters to. This is important for many reasons,Cheap Marshall Faulk Jersey, since knowing the market will help make for a better pitch. Understand the boundaries of this market and what is acceptable and what is not. Good salespeople also go one step ahead to understand the customers that are a part of this market. This is another important aspect to keep in mind, since personalizing the sale can help the client feel more comfortable about going in for the purchase.
Being flexible
There might be certain customers that might demand something extra or might be different in some other way. Consequently, you might want to think about being flexible in this manner and willing to work around the rules. Being rigid in your approach can scare away customers, which is definitely not what you need. You need to understand the client's needs and accommodate them so that they are comfortable in dealing with you. This will help build a strong relationship with the client and will ensure that you build a good reputation at the same time. Eventually,Cheap Danny Woodhead Jersey, you can command higher prices and even get them with ease.
The word sale is something that sparks a curiosity in most people. It is no wonder that shops that put up a large number of sale boards have such a big crowd of people taking a look at all the wonderful things that are on sale. Without the sale board,Cheap Warren Sapp Jersey, people might be quite reluctant to go out there and try to get something for themselves. Consequently, it is important to know ways in which you might be able to get better at this,Cheap Mario Williams Jersey, especially if you are planning to offer something big. After all, you wouldn't want to spend more time than you ought to do on a typical sale, right?
Knowing your boundaries
A good salesman always knows the norms and what he can and cannot offer before selling. For example,Cheap Willis McGahee Jersey, the sale price is often negotiable but a good salesman knows the pitch for the right price and will push for it. Regardless of how tough the competition might be, the salesman will try hard to get the sale going at a certain price. Also, he should know about the local rules and taxes so that he is conforming to them and still making a profitable sale. This is quite crucial and a very important skill while making the sale.
Proposing One Optimum Plan
Friday, June 15, 2012, 2:26 PM
[General]
There are plenty of age-old selling strategies. Included among them is the theory that says that a salesperson should always bring three proposals to a presentation for a prospective client. The first proposal should be for more than you think they want to spend, the second one for much less,Cheap Jake Long Jersey, and the third should be in the middle price range. It is the third, of course,Cheap Alex Smith Jersey, that you expect them to buy. The rationale behind this strategy is pretty simple. The prospect won't buy the little proposal because that will make them look cheap, and they don't want that. They won't choose the biggest one because they can't afford it, and they will decide to buy the middle one because it looks like a bargain relative to the biggest one and it's the safest,Cheap Charles Mann Jersey, middle-of-the-road choice.
A common excuse for offering alternative proposals is that the first proposal might be too expensive, so you should be ready with a fall-back position. There's nothing wrong-and many things right-with changing your proposal at the prospect's desk. After all, you're still on the first call on a new prospect and you're basing your proposal on some estimates you've prepared,Patriots 2012 Super Bowl Jerseys, not on hard data. It's unreasonable to expect that you're going to be right on target every time. You can make alterations in the proposal along with the prospect as part of your closing strategy.
Anyone who has been selling for more than about a week knows that the most frustrating customer isn't the one who says "no," it's the one who says "maybe." So why would you ever intentionally give the customer an excuse to "think it over?" Give them one proposal so they can give you one answer. It'll simplify your life tremendously and you'll be absolutely shocked at what it does for your time management.
There's another big danger in using either of these methods to give the prospect alternative proposals to consider. Faced with choices, most humans delay making a decision. In fact,Camouflage Realtree Jerseys, many people hate to make decisions so much that they will actually welcome choices that have to be made so they can use them as an excuse to delay giving you a final "yes" or "no."
This approach may be fine for some types of products or services, but I've always felt that using it seriously undermines your credibility. When you practice creative selling, you're really presenting yourself to the prospect as an expert in your field. You're sending the very clear message that you have studied their situation, analyzed their opportunities and problems,Cheap Lee Evans Jersey, and used your expertise to come up with the optimum plan just for them. Your proposal is that optimum plan.
Another similar tactic is to give the prospect proposal "A" while keeping proposal "B" in your briefcase for use "just in case." Proposal "B" is always smaller, of course, and it's the one you whip out at the first sign of a price objection. This tactic sends two really bad signals to the prospect. The first one we've already covered: what kind of an "expert" is so unsure of himself that he can't decide which alternative is best? The second signal you're sending is a real killer, though. Having seen proposal "A" and then proposal "B," the prospect will be sure to think proposal "C" is waiting in the wings, and if they give the salesperson enough price resistance, it will appear as if by magic. Way to go! You just created your own price objection.
How can there be three best plans? When you give the prospect three different proposals, aren't you subconsciously saying that you're not sure enough of your own abilities to make a positive strong recommendation?
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