you show up late now what

Sometimes it happens. You went to the wrong location. You had your times wrong. You had trouble in traffic. It wasn't something you had control over. Whatever the reason you find your self late for this appointment you worked so hard to get.Now what?I recently was in the situation with a new sales rep and we went to the wrong location. It happens. Not the best thing. Not a planned thing. But it happened. But what happened after we walked in could easily have ruined any chance of ever making a sale. I used that opportunity to teach the four things that you find below that you must do when you're late.4 Things to do When You're LateNever apologize. If you apologize you demonstrate weakness.You have given the other person an opportunity to have the upper hand. It is best if you can begin a sales call with both of you on equal ground. Don't let what just happened (over which you had no control) put you in a position where you give away control.
This is so important. Most sales reps blow it right here. They have the idea that apologizing will make up for the late attendance. It won't. Apologizing only gives away any power that you may have had. You have now put yourself in a position where the other person can tell you how wrong you were for being late. You've given him control.
Note: Rule number one in life, when you lose control (getting stuck in traffic on the way to an important appointment) take control of everything you can. Instead of apologizing what you should do is...


Own the issue and move on. When you own the full responsibility for being late you demonstrate control. The other person cannot say anything else. You've now fully owned the issue. If they can't say anything more, then don't you dare say another thing about being late.
By owning the issue you have taken back control. Unless the other person is a complete jerk he will recognize that. He will then be ready to move on. Own the issue. It is my fault I was late. Don't blame it on anything else. Simply own it! Then take complete control of the situation by making an...


Offer to reschedule. The offer to reschedule is extremely important. You make the offer by saying, "what I'm going to share with you today is so important to your business, that I want to make sure we can both devote our complete attention to it. If there would be a better time for us to get together, when we won't be distracted, let's reschedule right now."
This is usually the time when you get the comment, "well can't you just leave a brochure and I'll call you?" How you handle those will make all the difference in the world. If you offer to leave anything you have just reduced your chances for a sale. This is not the time to leave a brochure. This is the time to leave an impression.
He's trying to blow you off because you were late. He's written you off.In his mind you're done. What you do next will determine how successful you can be. Instead of fulfilling his request for a brochure. Your should say: "What I'm going to share with you is far too important to your business to leave it in the hands of a brochure. I value your time and the 20 minutes it will take me to share with you is the most important time we could spend. So it may be better for us to reschedule."
What you're doing now is taking control. You've demonstrated value by putting a priority on your time together and the value you bring to his business. Now you wait. If you've convinced him that you have value he will either reschedule or tell you that he has 20 minutes available right now. Now you're in control. Make sure you do the next thing...


Stop short of the allotted time. If he tells you you have 20 minutes, then you better stop at 18 minutes. Never, never, exceed your time limit when you've been late! If you exceed your time limit you have violated the number one issue in sales - trust. He trusts you to do what you said you were going to do in 20 minutes. If he can't trust you to stick to your time constraints, how will he ever trust you with his business?Oh, one more thing - Never be late again! If you're worried about the traffic leave early. Make sure you can find the place. Get clarity about directions. Make sure you know where you're going. Don't find yourself in a situation where you have to follow these four rules because you were late. There is no excuse for being late. The only alternative is to own it. If you find yourself owning it you'll make sure you never do it again.

Original :: you show up late now what

cancel that sales meeting hold sales

Instead of holding regular sales meetings, consider holding sales training classes instead. And instead of having your sales manager conduct the classes, have the salespeople themselves take turns doing it.Successful salespeople learn their craft and sharpen their skills through education. Continual reinforcement in the form of training keeps those skills in constant use. So instead of a regular sales meeting where the sales manager talks and maybe allows each salesperson to report on what they did and what they're going to do, offer a class instead. Letting individual members of your sales team participate as trainers allows them to share their knowledge at the same time that they're furher developing their skills.Topics covered in peer-to-peer sales training might include:- Presentation skills.- Prospecting techniques.- Overcoming objections.- Dealing with unusual situations.- New product information.- Pricing and estimating.- Project management.- Proper documentation and reporting according to company requirements.- Goal setting and analysis.- Using selling skills in non-selling situations.- Time management and planning.Keep the content positive-make it "Here's what you can do," not "Don't do this." Be encouraging and supportive and don't let any negativity creep into the process. Talented salespeople have thought their way right out of the profession because they focused on negatives.Be sure everyone has an equal chance to participate. One way is to put the dates of upcoming sessions on slips of paper in a container and let each salesperson draw a date to be the teacher. Or schedule alphabetically or by seniority--any way you prefer as long as it's fair, equitable and doesn't show favoritism. Provide guidance on choosing a topic but let team members make the final decision on what they present.Let the sales staff decide the time and place for training sessions. The old school Monday morning or Friday afternoon meetings often cut into potentially productive sales time. Your salespeople may prefer evening, weekend, or even very early morning sessions so that the training truly enhances rather than conflicts with their sales efforts.Sales managers know that it can be hard to get people motivated. They understand that one person can't motivate someone else--you have to find out what's important to that person and then lead him or her to become self-motivating.Keep in mind that ownership can be a strong motivator. When people feel ownership, they care. And when they care, they produce results. Letting your team teach others what they know is a great way to give them a sense of ownership in the process and in the organization.

Original :: cancel that sales meeting hold sales

you got 10 seconds

I received a call a few days ago from a desperate client, she was going to attend her first professional referral exchange meeting and she honestly didn't know what to say.I asked her how many seconds or minutes she had to tell the group all about her services. She said..."I think 30 seconds!"I replied..."Cool... but lets make it 10!"There was a moment of silence and I really thought maybe she hung up on me."Did you say 10?"... she spurted out.I explained to her that 10 seconds is all she needed to capture the attention of the audience.I could tell she was nervous.So we practiced.Oh, by the way she's a real estate professional.She started out, "Hi I'm Suzy and I sell houses!"I wanted to sream.... "BORING" as loud as I could but, being the nice guy I am I said well, I think you can do better.I suggested, that she think of it as if someone was standing next to her with a gun to her head ready to pull the trigger and the gunman was giving her 10 seconds to sell herself or she asked if I could tone it down she was already feeling the pressure.Okay... I surrendered & recommended that she take a different stand and come at from all angles.I told her that although she was a real estate professional - the whole "I sell houses" has been done to death.How 'bout "I market the American dream, homeownership," I replied.We then went on to fill in the 10 second commercial she needed. (Although we had a enough material from our 1 hour consultation - that she probably could have spoken for a good 10 minutes).If you were given 10 seconds to come up with a truly unique way of selling your service that gets people to want to know more, how would you approach it.I ended up tagging along with Suzy to the referral exchange meeting and when it came time to introduce myself I explained,..."Entrepreneurs hire me to kick them in the backside!"Jaws dropped and eyes popped opened, the audience was now staring directly at me and I had their full attention.Always be prepared to change the rules!

Original :: you got 10 seconds

4 tips on how to climb the ladder of

THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHow often have you wondered what the secret to success is, especially when you believe you have tried your best and still appear to have not got there? It is so frustrating and the frustration gets worse when you observe someone that you believe is not as good or talented as you becoming successful. So what is the major difference, after all you are better right?Lets look at the how and why.The first discovery that I made about being successful is that contrary to popular belief the road to success is NOT ENJOYABLE. 'What?' you say. Well it is true. The journey is not going to be enjoyable. People that succeed do so because they don't enjoy it! Once you have got yourind around this you will find that there are no secrets to success.Remember "The truth will set you free" but first it will TICK you off.RESULTS = MONEY. It is that simple yet so many of us wait so that we can find out more, do more analysis, more research and at the end of all this still do nothing which will make you successful. It is Knowing Vs Doing. It is well and good to have done all the due diligence required to gain the knowledge but then you must use that knowledge by taking action. That is doing.Tip: You get paid for Doing not Knowing.Try not to be a typical statistic. 95% follow 95%. People follow what others do as they are too afraid to try something new themselves for fear that they may just become successful, hmmm.Tip: Life is extremely simple.Success is extremely simple. Just stop and think for a minute. You are reading this article and yet your mind is roaming some place else. You are physically DOING but mentally ABSENT. your mind has left the room so to speak.ARE YOU READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO SUCCEED?Are you willing to do what it takes?Remember people only change when they get really, really ticked off. All too often I have heard people say, "Hey I have really tried I have given it my 100%." Really?Tip: Trying doesn't work: SO STOP TRYING and DO "ACTION"Success in any endeavour is 90% mental and 10% mental. You really do not need to learn more of the same, you need to just DO more. Be prepared to take positive action and not be afraid to make mistakes, after all who determines that it is a mistake in the first place? I have seen some people become extraordinarily successful by making so called 'mistakes'.Imagine if you could use only 10% of your potential! Einstein used only 5% of his potential... the average person only uses.025% of their potential. For example when you get ill you do something about it. Unfortunately rising to your potential usually lasts a week before you slide back to where you were,Tip: Nothing in life is neutral.Always be proactive. No one will do the work for you, after all, would you go out of your way to make some one else successful and wealthy? Try not to be reactive which is what the 95% of people do. Stop and observe and you will see it.Here are some questions to answer to get you going.1. Why do you want success? Be specific in your answer, as a general answer will get you nowhere.2. What do you want to earn in the next 12 months? This is a world of abundance.3. What emotional reasons and goals do you have to change?YOU ARE OUT OF TIME...

Original :: 4 tips on how to climb the ladder of

clevel relationship selling 6 steps to

"I've got a great product, and I know this prospect can use it, but I can't get this person interested." Sound familiar. Well the problem to this dilemma is not the competition or your price. It's the word "I". Look how many times "I" is used.Try restating in terms of the prospect. It may look something like, "You've got a problem you need to solve as it relates to.... You're probably looking for solutions and you're trying to find someone to help you. I'm curious what you see as your problem and what your concept of a solution for it is?"Sales people approach a prospect with the attitude that they have a great offering the prospect has to have. I mean, "What company doesn't need it?" I man, "It's all about me." Unfortunately sales people don't realize they are doing this. However, depending on the prospect's frame of mind, the sales person can come off as helpful, presumptuous, out of touch, and/or annoying or rude.Now the prospect may need your offering, or need it, but doesn't realize it, or s/he may realize it, but not want to deal with it at this time, or may feel s/he doesn't need it. Good prospecting would say determine which one it is and have an approach for each in order to move to the next step.Since the sales person sees the situation from his viewpoint, and is confident of the need, and is anxious to sell something, he becomes pushy in an attempt to engage the prospect. There is an adage, "Selling starts when the customer says, 'No'." This is crazy. Actually selling starts when the customer says, "Tell me more." So how do you get the prospect to say that? You find out what problems s/he sees as pressing and fit you're offering around those problems.Here's how.Prepare Yourself
Realize you have to stop pushing what you have to offer. It's annoying.Practice interview questions to uncover what benefits / solutions the person wants as it relates to your product / service, and why s/he wants them. It's rewarding.Never assume to know what someone wants or what problems s/he is facing - especially a senior executive. It's stupid.Tak'n It to the Streets
a. Develop interview questions.What will you say or ask to find out what your next prospect wants or what her issues are?For example ask, "What issues are you facing currently as it relates to....?" If she says, "None" be prepared to offer some benefits, you thinks she should be interested in. If she still says not interested, move away from this person - not necessarily the account.How will you prevent yourself from presenting?Repeat to yourself, "I must present only what he wants. So I can't present until he tells me what that is. If I do, the buzzer sounds and I lose."Who's talking - you or the prospect? Check yourself when you're with a prospect. If you're talking are you answering his questions or pushing your product.Modify your attitude to the prospect. Change your approach to get the prospect to do the talking. And finally prepare yourself before every encounter to pull this off because your natural instincts are to do the opposite.And now I invite you to learn more.

Original :: clevel relationship selling 6 steps to

three sales approaches

After a good deal of reflection it appears as if there are 3 Key Approaches To Sales and SellingFeature Benefit SellingHere the focus is on the features or benefits of your service or product. Solid 'old school' in the parlance of the new breed of sales professionals.Pros:� Comes from a place of clarity about your offering.Cons:� Selling cycle stalls on issue of price and comparative value of product/service.Solution SellingYou are not 'selling' anything you are entering into a dialogue with your prospects in order to find 'the problems' that you and your product or service can 'solve'Pros:� Engenders long term, positive relationship with sales professional so that THEY as well as theiproduct have value.Cons:� Requires the sales professional to have an honest intention to 'support' rather than to 'sell". This results in a longer initial sales cycle.Provocation SellingUsing 'intelligence' about the prospects business in order to raise challenging questions about how they are going to achieve their goals.Pros:� The sales professional becomes a valuable resource to their client and has a genuine interest in collaboration.Cons:� If 'intelligence' is misused the sales person could be seen as 'fear mongering' and creating a climate of need.So what would you say is your key approach?Does it bring results and how, in the light of the economic downturn have you adapted your sales process?Perhaps the danger is that the current climate itself causes sales teams to be more aggressive and so losing site of the real value and power the professional sales person has.Perhaps it is as valid to consider where you want to position yourself for the 'long game'.Perhaps the questions that need to be asked are not simply about increasing sales and sales effectiveness now but about the strategies that will best help you be effective at the tail-end of this recession.Your relationship with your clients is paramount.So if you allow yourself only to think of the 'bottom line' and 'delivering according to reducing budgets' what message will that send out?I was speaking to a local entertainer who, not surprisingly, has been finding things very difficult. Less disposable income has the knock on effect of reducing attendance at social events and hence the need for entertainers.He has been in a position where he has been forced to cut costs in order to get the work - in order to close the deal. The quality of his product (his skills as a performer) has not changed, but he has been offering his services at increasingly discounted rates.His 'sales pitch', which once upon a time was more about defining clients needs and problems, has now become one of 'value' and 'cost'.Perfectly understandable, but I do wonder what will be the long term of effect of this. Surely there has to be limit to the amount he can discount his service.I wonder what questions clients will ask when, in a year r so's time, he suddenly appears to double or triple his price for a service they have seen valued by him at a much lower level?In terms of your sales approach and being in it for the long term perhaps it is worth asking yourself the following question...What is my intent and how dies that dictate my "inner sales game'?If the intent is to sell and 'close' no matter what then all you have to offer now, and for the future,� will be cut prices, lower costs to client...If the intent is to 'solve problems' and build relationships then your value (and that of your product or service) will be far greater than the 'cheaper' alternative.Alan

Original :: three sales approaches

top ten keys to sales success

Sales Success Key # 1 - ResilienceIn my list of 10 keys to sales success there is only one item that's comes from the realm of personal psychology. It's pretty straight forward: resilience. Do you find you give up too easily? How low do you go when you are rejected? How quickly do you recover?Disappointment, frustration, and hurt are built right into the job description. After all, the role of a salesperson is to influence. People often don't want to be influenced, so hearing the word 'no' is inevitable. As Sartre put it, "Hell is other people." Interestingly, statistically speaking, the more you ask, the more often you get told no. Almost paradoxically, the more you get told no, the moresuccessful you are (assuming at least a steady rate of yeses).Resilience is critical in order to contend with the day-to-day struggles. You can have problems finding a customer, keeping a customer, and getting a customer to like you. You can be beaten by a competitor, miss sales targets, and be told your ideas or products or services simply aren't good enough. You can easily be perceived by colleagues and customers as over-promising, unrealistic, too hard, too soft. But you have to keep going or things get worse. Resilience is a necessary ingredient.Just how resilient you are depends on a lot of factors -- things like: whom you hang around with, the frequency of letdowns, other life pressures, how you were raised, how you are compensated, your physical condition, the strength of your hopes and dreams, the negative consequences of failure, your level of pigheadness, your habits around self-soothing (e.g., babbling, bathing, buying). All these things impact your response, the duration of your recovery period, and your ability to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps.But if you want more resilience and "sticktuitiveness", where can you get it? Juicy question. Many people have spent a lot of time trying to figure that out.Self esteem is considered a biggie. That pertains to the extent to which you believe that you are generally able to do what you set out to do, and that you are valuable or worthy, in and of yourself. People with high self esteem tend to be able to override their impulses. Accordingly, the impulse to shy away from rejection, for example, can be overcome if self esteem is high enough.Managing your own inner monologue or self talk is another means of getting past the impulse to "go to sleep" after a letdown. Actually, what you mumble to yourself can be the cause of a negative attitude as well as a cure. For example, have you heard yourself say, "Yup, that proves it, nobody wants this stuff"? Or, "Our prices are too high," or, "The competition is much tougher than it used to be," or, "I'm not very good at this," or, "I blew it," or, "We don't do enough marketing," or, "There is a lack of internal support," or, "That customer was a doinker." Indeed, a negative inner monologue can actually create a negative emotional reaction in your own head. And slow down recovery.But quick recovery can come from how you reframe your circumstance. Self awareness is the key to this. Recognize yourself responding to rejection. Get really familiar with how you process it. Know what you are saying to yourself, where it comes from in your past and present, exactly what triggers it. Put your finger on how your response might not be rational or might be doing you a disservice. Work hard at overriding that habitual response and replacing it with something like a clenched fist, flexed arm muscles and, in your own private, whacky way, declaring to the universe, "Whoooaa."To some extent we're talking about getting oneself reoriented. For example, when you overcome an impulse (and, in so doing, either manifest or elevate your self esteem), you are essentially reorienting. When you manage your self-talk, you are reorienting. When you talk to your boss after some misfortune, hopefully her leadership reorients you in some way.Or even change the whole darned paradigm. That's reorienting at its best. One of the biggest things I've learned about mental health or emotional savvy is that one can't free oneself from negative feelings; but one can either manage one's life such that hurt is less likely to be the result, or one can try to see things differently.One of my favorite examples of reorienting is a trick I learned from a group of life insurance sales reps I trained 20 years ago. It was about handling the slings and arrows of cold calling and was called the paperclip technique. It's pretty much an industrial age kind of thing, but that's how darned old I am.If you have to call 100 people today, then make a pile of 100 paperclips right in front of your phone. The goal? Move the pile 12 inches over to the right -- one paperclip at a time. One for each dial. "Hello, Mr. Smith, got a minute? No? No problem. Have a good day". Click. Move a clip. Next call. Next clip. Watch your pile move. Stop when you've reached your goal. It's about moving the paperclips, not about getting rejected.Get it? It's not about you.Sales Success Key #2 - Numbers OrientationSure, "sales is a numbers game"-but that usually refers to the idea of throwing spaghetti against the wall with the knowledge that inevitably some of it will stick. That's the simple part of the numbers aspect of selling. There's a much more rigorous part too.In my opinion the most successful salespeople think in terms of volume and rates. I don't just mean they sit with a spreadsheet and crunch and study those numbers-though they might. I'm suggesting that their brains have been trained to actually work that way. Or, they were born that way; the style of thinking is, after all, basically rational. In the same way that you seek to invest your money in accounts with the biggest return, or pay off credit cards that charge the highest interest rate first, salespeople too must invest their primary asset-the minutes of their day-into the activities that yield the best return. In a capitalistic environment, a salesperson ought to sell as much as possible (the volume part), with as much profit per sale (the rate part) as possible. And to do all this in the finite amount of time available.We don't want volume alone; we want profitable volume. We don't want as many appointments as we can get, or to give as many presentations as possible; we want them to be qualified appointments and presentations to audiences who are most likely to proceed with a commitment. It's a balancing act; we seek to optimize both.If I have a geographical sales territory, I want to be efficient in my travels. If I manage big accounts, I want to apportion my time based on where I'll get the biggest bang for my minutes. If I generate leads, I want to know the rate at which they convert and make a science of measuring cost per lead and cost per sale by lead source. If I focus too much on volume, then I might blow it on efficiency. If I focus too much on efficiency, or profitability, or productivity, then I might not get the volume I need.Every business has its mathematics. The best salespeople think mathematics. In retail, for example, the game is to get as many customers into the door as possible, maximize the rate at which they walk out with a shopping bag in their hand, maximize the average cash register transaction value, and optimize the average profit percentage per transaction. Volume and rates. Volume and rates.It takes a person with honed left brained intuition to succeed at this game. Or natural skills in differential calculus such that you dream of minimums and maximums. Or a boss who harps.The problem with all this, of course, is that integrity and compliance with laws and policies need to be woven into the picture. All this striving must be done within certain parameters. Therein is the clash between capitalist values and, well, other stuff.We'll save that for another day.Sales Success Key # 3 - Creating Great First ImpressionsToday my daughter is being interviewed for a short-term role at New York's Museum of Modern Art.No fooling here: I am proud. Whether she wins the opportunity or not, she got exactly this far-and that's proof enough for me of her star quality.We were in Philadelphia so I took her to the train station and she would make her own way from there. That seems to be the formula.When we unloaded her bag from the back of the car there would only be time for a few words and a hug. We're not really a long-goodbye kind of family. I dug as deep as I could for my best fatherly advice.One thing that came to mind is a blog post from a couple of weeks ago-Sales Success Key #1-about mustering the right attitude. "As you're walking into the office or boardroom, wherever the interview is going to take place, give yourself a shot of positive attitude! Let there be an energy about you!"The other little offering might be seen as two things because there are two traits involved. But they need to be in balance, and that's the key.Here it is: don't forget that first impressions are made out of quick assessments of your warmth and your credibility. If you have warmth and not enough credibility, you're undoubtedly lovely, but not quite good enough. If you have credibility but lack the warmth, you may not play well with others.Indeed, I think this advice is good for salespeople too.It sounds easy, I suppose. But I don't think it is. I think the warmth and credibility one projects tend to derive from years of complex personal programming. The good news is that they are also self-programmable. We all have the circuitry for compassion and we all have whatever our left-brained cognitive functioning can offer; it's a question of whether we can flick the right switches at will. Managing to be genuine while keeping those traits front-of-mind is an art.Which is why my own daughter will wear the badge of modern art, if I say so myself.Sales Success Key #4 - EmpathyIf you tied me up, put a knife to my throat, and demanded that I pick one and only one key to sales success, I would probably blurt, "Empathy!"And, if you put the knife down and casually began to untie me, asking, "What's empathy?" I would say it's your ability to identify with the perspectives and feelings of another person. It's not just about understanding the person, or being able to describe what's on their mind; it's about allowing yourself, in some sense, to BECOME the person-to take on, at least for a few moments, their orientation, values, stance, concerns, emotions, desires, worldview.Some salespeople find the task particularly difficult because they get so obsessed with the goal of selling that they forget to listen. Paradoxically, the intensity of the obsession is inversely proportional to the ease of satisfying it. It's not like running where the harder you try the faster you go. The paradox explains why salespeople are perceived to talk too much, be too pushy, not listen, and even sell features rather than benefits. They know better, of course-we all know it's important to listen, but pressure from things like the economy, the boss, the competition, and the need for success get in the way.Empathy doesn't just inform a salesperson about what the customer seeks and avoids, it also helps the customer to FEEL a connection. That's actually the biggie here. Think about it. Think of a salesperson you really trusted and from whom you enjoyed buying-one you would gladly buy from again. I bet that person made you feel heard. You sensed that he or she fully understood your stance on the product or service you were considering. You shared something, yes?Can empathy be learned? Many people say no. You've either got it, or not. But I disagree most wholeheartedly. Except for certain psychotic people, we are all born with circuitry for compassion built right into our wiring. The challenge is to learn to switch that circuit on, to keep it on, and to integrate its contribution into the moments of a dialogue.Now let's you and I put away the tools of aggression and be friends.Sales Success Key # 5 - Goal OrientationLet's face it, some people don't really want to get anywhere. And that's totally fine with me. Sometimes I think trying to get somewhere just takes my attention away from what's important in the here-and-now.That being said, the best salespeople I've met do want to get somewhere. They effectively steer sales conversations, they tend to be deliberate in their customer relationships, and they guide their careers towards long-term targets. They are goal oriented.Think of goal orientation as motivation-with-a-sense-of-direction. It's emotion, put somewhere. It's not just having a goal; it's the disposition to go after it.Where does goal orientation come from? Desperation can be a motivator. Even the most rambling conversationalists get a whole lot more focused in a threatening atmosphere, such as with a tough boss, big financial needs at home, or a suffering marketplace in a bleak economy. In the carrot and stick motivational paradigm, desperation comes from the stick.Compensation plans and opportunities for recognition and career advancement are examples of carrots. They move people. They lure people.Notwithstanding the power of these somewhat externally-based sources, there's also the goal orientation that's hardwired right into the human brain. Some people are just more competitive by nature and many people are quite inclined to hunt and farm like crazy-all of which are conducive to sales success. In fact the predisposition to move towards goals is something a good interviewer can uncover during the recruiting process.What happens AFTER somebody is on board is one of the challenges of sales management. Beyond the standard carrot and stick strategies, what kind of education is called for? For that matter, how can YOU improve your goal orientation?For one thing, you can't reach goals if you don't have them-so, as cliche as it sounds, set them. And create time-bound, tactical plans to achieve them. Be sure they are genuine goals (as opposed to objectives to which you give "lip service") or they won't really motivate you.We become more goal-oriented when we officially commit to goals so it helps to tell others exactly what you are committed to accomplishing. When there's "skin in the game" we become very focused.One biggie on this: mindfulness helps a lot. It's a corny word. I know. In one sense the word 'concentration' applies here, but concentrating is about work. In fact many of us find it difficult to sustain concentration over a 2 minute period, let alone a whole career. Mindfulness suggests that when you get really good at it, you don't have to concentrate so much anymore. As with other things, being goal oriented can become second nature with proficiency.What's it look like? Well, if you start a conversation knowing exactly what you want out of it, and you keep your eye on that ball, effectively juggling all the diversions that naturally arise in a dialogue, you become the true agent of your goal. That's a beautiful thing. Throw in some authentic empathy and integrity, and, well, you'll be famous.It's those diversions that will challenge you. They work against goal orientation. There's the jumble of ideas in your head, and there's the jumble of ideas being thrown at you. Effective jumble management allows your will (you) to come to the fore.And the essence of jumble management? Well, in the case of customer conversations, knowing the essential dialogue steps helps; it buys you some bandwidth so you have brain-space to concentrate. Knowing what your reactions are while you are having them helps because it allows you to self manage. Knowing how to respond when the other party wants to veer off your planned conversational path also grants you presence of mind. Oh, and and then there's the goal itself; there's got to be a purpose.That's why they call it capitalism.Sales Success Key #6 - Pattern Recognition SkillsYou recognize patterns all day, every day. When a situation you've seen before arises yet again, you probably know what's going on and you probably know how to address it. If a colleague says there's a certain problem that pertains to your area of expertise, you know what to do about it. Perhaps your child comes crying to you about something that's happened time and time again-you know exactly what's going on and you know what to say or do. Or your friend plays out behaviour you've seen before, you recognize it for what it is, and either address it or go about your day.I think it was the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead who once said, "Civilization advances by extending the number of operations we can perform without thinking about them." In other words, when you get good at something, you don't rethink it every time the matter arises; you address it somewhat on automatic pilot so your attention can go to bigger and better things.Similarly, experienced salespeople recognize patterns in client situations or selling opportunities and can crank out success with their eyes closed. Really good sales people recognize more complex patterns-situations filled with nuance-and they stickhandle with ease around all the obstacles and the details.Some salespeople are better than others at recognizing patterns and responding appropriately. How come?Basically, smarts, experience, and training. There is ample evidence that somebody with a high IQ is faster at recognizing patterns and more able to detect complex ones. It's self evident that experienced people have, well, experience going for them. And when a salesperson is well trained on the patterns of client situations, in terms of what they are, how to uncover them, and how to address them, that salesperson will be more effective.For example, a salesman who "gets it" might recognize through a quick conversation with a prospective customer exactly what features and benefits of his products he'll need to highlight in a formal proposal in order to differentiate himself. He'll also, from that one conversation, be able to predict what objections the buyer is going to get from her own organization and what it will take to equip her with ammunition to counter those objections.Of course, recognizing patterns is also the root of bias. When we too quickly judge something to fit into one pattern, we might miss critical details. "Oh, I've seen this before," our unconscious minds quickly conclude. And bingo, we screw up.When sales trainers go to cocktail parties and get a little tipsy they are known to chat with each other about the trade. One might ask another, "Do you teach salespeople to go looking for certain problems or d'you teach 'em to go in with an open mind?" The other might reply, "Upsides and downsides, my friend; upsides and downsides. But it sounds like you're new to the game. Hey Billie," he hollers across the room, "this guy's a newbie!"Sales Success Key #7 - Work EthicIf the Platitude WORKS...Work, tactics, strategy: A bicycle does its thing when effort turns the pedals, the back wheel actualizes the energy, and the front wheel steers the way.Omphalopsychites (naval gazers) violate their wonderment via their sustained inactivity.Requisite for work: work.Knowledge is only half the battle.Steam is to heat, as success is to industry.Sales Success Key #8 - Building RapportTwenty-five years ago I was on a canoe trip pondering a name for a new sales model. I came up with "One Mind Selling". It was meant to highlight the need for a salesperson to establish such finely tuned rapport with a customer that the two of them would become one. Their values would be aligned, their conversational direction would be mutually satisfying, and their pacing would match up perfectly. They would hum right along with the tune of the transaction.Ultimately I dropped that name for the model because it sounded like hooey.But it's been in my heart ever since.I think I also gave it up because of a deep frustration that when you teach someone a beautiful way of "being", and it sings for them, it eventually gets normalized and devolves into a simple technique. That's a real problem.It's one thing for rapport to flow naturally from multiple dimensions of commonality; it's another thing for somebody to be "doing" commonality on purpose. I have the same problem with the notion of "making friends"; if you try to make friends, then it's just not natural.I swear on my life the resolution of this problem in the world of sales comes from integrating - not balancing - one's self-interests with a genuine interest in helping the other.Not that scientists can actually touch motives yet, in terms of motives being measurable, observable thingys, but it seems to me that motives define one's integrity. For what it's worth, this notion gives me hope in the possibility of commercial authenticity.Sales Success Key #9 - Memetic MasteryThe best salespeople are what I would call natural 'memeticists'. They package ideas and spread them like mad.The system of thought that explains how ideas spread is called "memetics". Thinkers in that field (e.g., Dawkins, Hofstadter, Dennett) use the word 'meme' to refer to an "idea that spreads".Salespeople "position" their products and their pricing. A position statement is a meme. Leaders provide followers with a "frame" or view of how to see a situation. A frame is a meme. Slogans are memes. Memes are, well, memes (after all, we both know that, as of at least now, they've spread all the way to your awareness).Genes are to genetics, as memes are to memetics. Genes are not fussy about whose genes they get paired up with (intra-species, at least); any genetic pattern will do. They just want to reproduce. Neither are memes fussy. And they too just want to reproduce.Yup, ideas spread, especially when they're nicely packaged and exposed to lots of people.For example, you don't want your kids introduced to drugs or sex or, darn it, even rock and roll, because even exposing them to the notion might start them on a path of no return. You KNOW those particular memes are nasty. On the other hand, surely you've packaged up a few favourable memes for the kids around you: "do a good deed for somebody every day", or "let's use our 'inside voices' please!". Just this morning I heard someone at my office spread a client's meme: "profitable volume". Memes are everywhere.Salespeople are one medium through which (hopefully) commercial memes spread. Really good salespeople spread memes like wildfire via the frequency, consistency, clarity, and allure of their utterances.When you've come up with the right response to a price objection, and it seems to work for you, you've created a meme. When you and your colleagues say it again and again, it jumps from person to person and thereby reproduces itself - customers believe it and they even learn to justify your price to others.When a customer is playing "hard to get" (that's a meme), highly skilled salespeople know the most powerful response (another meme). When a customer complaint scenario arises, it too is a meme. And there is undoubtedly a series of memes to deal with it. "Been there, done that".So why are some salespeople better at meme spreading than others? The best salespeople seek, practice and master the phrases that work, the conversation steps that push the right buttons, the responses to challenges, the multitude of magnificent memetic maneuvers that make merriment and money for the masses. Mmmm good. That's what Campbell's soups are.Sales Success - Key #10 Genuine StewardshipIf you want to sell to me, don't put your interests in front of mine. It's that simple.Most salespeople wrestle with this "whose team am I on?" issue. It's built right into the job description. They must sell, but at the same time they are somehow supposed to be stewards--taking responsibility for their customer's interests.Some ask themselves, Am I being too pushy? Others wonder from the opposite perspective: Am I forgetting my job? Many go back and forth depending on things like the pressure they are under and how well they get along with the customer.Self-managing which of your motives is front-of-mind is a skill. The idea is to know and embrace your goals, but in conversation, and even during some of your planning time in advance of conversation, put your noble intention first. Serve. Nature does take its course.As my grandmother, who didn't like the way I buttered toast, once said: "Arthur, Arthur, Arthur-when you butter the toast, just butter around the edge; the middle will take care of itself."

Original :: top ten keys to sales success

7 reasons you should upgrade your

Today's business world has changed significantly. Buying decisions that used to take a few days can now take weeks, sometimes months. Decision makers and buyers have changed the way they manage their operations. And business has become more complex. This all means that it is critical that you upgrade your selling skills if you want to achieve long-term success in your sales career. Here are seven reasons you need to upgrade your selling skills.1. The business climate has changed. In the last few years the business world has dramatically changed. Companies are leaner which means employees need to accomplish more with fewer resources. The decision making process often takes much longer thanit used to. And, the people you deal with and sell to, are much busier. See point 5 for more detail on this.2. Selling is becoming more difficult. If you are like many sales people, you have probably discovered that selling is more challenging than ever. It is more difficult to connect with executives and decision makers. It is more challenging to stand out from the competition. Products often change with increasing frequency which makes it more difficult to stay current. The volume of information you have to retain and manage can be overwhelming. And the number of accounts you have to juggle is likely taxing too.3. Your customers and prospects are more savvy. Buyers are immune to tired, outdated sales tactics that manipulate people into making buying decisions. I'm not suggesting that you use these tactics; however, they have caused corporate decision makers to paint all sales people with the same brush. If your voice mail message sounds anything remotely like the others your contact hears, then you are destined for failure. If your presentation sounds like everything else they have heard, you will not close the sale.4. What used to work is no longer as effective. A generic presentation that starts with an overview of your company, your position in the market place, the organizations that you have worked with, or the awards that you have won, simply doesn't cut it anymore. I actually don't know if this approach was ever very effective but I know for certain that it doesn't work in today's new economy.5. Aversion to risk has increased. Many buyers have been burned over-zealous sales people who made false promises and unrealistic claims. People have purchased products and solutions that failed to achieve the desired results. They have signed agreements only to discover that the system they wanted required an unexpected investment of time and money. And they have made decisions that caused them embarrassment.6. Key decision makers are busier than ever. Five years ago it used to take 6-8 calls to connect with a senior level decision maker. Now, it can take as many as 15 attempts. A typical executive has more than 40 hours of unfinished work on their desk at any given time. An average of 150 emails clog their in-box and they constantly have to deal with changing priorities. One executive I know said, "I can't possible talk to a sales person because I already have too many projects on the go." Another told me, "Just when I think I can't get any busier, I do."7. Competition has increased. Virtually every industry has seen an explosion of competition. Low-cost products manufactured and shipped from overseas to local competitors trying to carve a slice of market share from you. This increase--and change--in competition means you need to improve your sales skills so you can position your product more effectively.The majority of top performing sales people invest time and money in their personal development. They read books, listen to audio programs and they attend conferences and online events to improve and fine-tune their skills. If their company doesn't sponsor or fund this development, they use their own money because they know that they will always get a return on this investment.If you want to succeed in today's business world and enjoy a long-term career in sales, it is essential that you constantly upgrade your selling skills. I don't know who originally stated this quote but it is certainly applicable to this topic, "If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have gotten."

Original :: 7 reasons you should upgrade your

employee training using employee

In many organizations, human resource training in many matters related to employee and legal issues is compulsory, especially for those occupying manager and supervisor posts. This is because our employees need to be able to handle their relations with other employees satisfactorily and for this reason, need to be properly equipped.Most organizations arrange for professional trainers to take charge of these trainings. There are all manner of training programs and training teams available for various aspects of corporate and professional training, but it is crucial that the training is engaging, and to this end, uses real workplace incidents to make the trainings come alive for the particiants.But before you begin, do a thorough analysis to determine the real need for employee training and development. Make sure the opportunity that you are looking at or the problem that you are concerned about is a real training issue. Also, tell the employee why the new skill, brushing up of skill or new information, is necessary.To make all this possible, preparation for the training is essential. This is particularly true for the drier, information-heavy topics that employees must keep abreast of. Topics that tend to revolve a great deal around law and legal issues can be made interesting by using a mix of visual and multimedia support, discussions, examples from real life, and exercises. Also, managers and supervisors need to take the lead in the discussions, by talking about the steps that they took in relevant incidents and in the environments that are being discussed.The activities that take place during the training and those that follow the training are extremely important in determining its outcome. Remember, stories make the training come alive. Always encourage trainers to bring up real-life, real-time workplace stories. If internal trainers are conducting the training, let them come up with examples that they have experienced and that all trainees may be able to relate to.Know the laws specific to your state. Also, know what trainings are mandatory in your state. It helps to know about mandatory trainings, so that you can get them done on or before time.Have an employee handbook that has the appropriate policies and standards of conduct that your employees need for their education and for roadmaps for future use and guidance.Feedback from the trainees is very important too. Determine whether the trainees feel they can apply the learning to the workplace. Discuss specific desired behavioral changes, ways to apply the training, and what the trainees feel they have gained overall from the session. Share evaluation data with the trainees, and ask them how the trainings can be implemented better. For a detailed feedback, you may need an online tool along with an open discussion.It also helps to boost employee morale by giving out certificates and completion recognitions in whatever way to employees who successfully complete the training. People like to be appreciated for their efforts, and applause will go a long way in achieving further success in future trainings.

Original :: employee training using employee

managers training what better managers

The capacity to manage people can do great things for your company's revenues and profits. It can affect sectors are diverse as employee turnover rates and the cost of retaining talent in the organization. It can make an impact on litigation costs as well, apart from general productivity and business numbers.Most companies are geared up to provide managers' trainings of some sort, but given the importance of this training, it may be wise to consider employing skilled professional individuals to better execute trainings that will help managers feel equipped to tackle day to day situations in ways that reduce risks to the organization and improve relationships in the workplace and with custmers.There is now a wide variety of training programs available that you can utilize for the benefit of your organization. Online training is one such medium. This training format is cost-effective and convenient, allowing trainees to access them according to their own convenience. If you select the right vendor, you may even be able to have the online training tailor made for better benefits. You may even be able to design your own online trainings so that your employees are able to derive maximum advantages of the specific situations and circumstances. Whatever method you may choose, a training program for managers is bound to bring in improved performances at the workplace.The changes in corporate laws in the US in recent years have made it mandatory for companies to commit resources to ethics and compliance training. In certain cases, the training itself is dictated by the law. In others, it is in keeping with the wider ethical and business commitments the corporation may have made.A great many of managers' training programs include information on handling people within the boundaries of major employment laws. These may include federal and state discrimination and leave laws, discipline and termination practices, harassment, and laws surrounding the use of the company's electronic facilities. While all managers assume that they are aware of and act within the laws, they may be surprised to know that many of their assumptions contradict or fall short of the actual regulations.Leadership training is another key element of managers' training. Most people are on one side of the fine line between leadership and management, and need that extra boost for them to cross over. Leaders are those that effect or lead positive change. Managers are those who execute the change effectively. Several motivational speakers conduct these leadership programs for managers, and your organization would no doubt benefit from such an address.One skill that all of us need, whether managers or not, is that of effective communication. A good training program will be able to teach managers about the different kinds of communication systems, and which communication to pick in which situation. They may also handle one-to-one communications, public speaking, and even drafting communications to achieve best results.And that's not all. There are many more spheres of activity that managers' trainings take up and execute with success. All you need to do is identify your needs, and then select the best training for your requirements!

Original :: managers training what better managers

customer service training achieving the

In today's rapidly evolving business scenario, various kinds of trainings are routinely planned to give sales people, customer service executives or even company senior management a cutting edge over business rivals.While all of these trainings are vital to the company's success in the market place, that concerning the customer facing staff is probably most urgent as the day to day functioning of these personnel depends entirely on their communication and interaction skills. Developing efficient customer service is most important for corporations as it can do wonders for your overall image and the success of your company. Good customer service can turn prospects into sales, and new customrs into repeat customers. How your executives interact with customers can directly influence the volume of repeat business that your company gets, thus playing a hand in the organization's revenues.Should your organization need a staff training for better customer services, you will be able to choose from a host of trainings that a number of organizations provide in the sphere of customer service.Most of these programs focus on communication skills and understanding different styles of communication. Training programs may include pre training evaluation of customer service executives and even front line managers, and preprogram surveys to evaluate training needs and requirements. In fact, any training program that includes pretraining analysis is also a good bet, chances being that these will tailor-make training at least to some extent, to address your organization's specific requirements.An effective customer service training is best organized as an interactive workshop, with not very many participants, so that all trainees can contribute to and benefit from the training content and outcomes. Trainings will usually drill down to basics that most people neglect to think about, such as identifying and dealing with different styles of communication. Trainees are given or asked to choose words or phrases that are acceptable as well as those that should be avoided when dealing with customers.Exercises may be built around listening and questioning skills, handling awkward situations when front-facing the customer, and specially designed role-play scenarios.If the training provided is suitable, well-organized and well-received, it should generate substantial changes in trainees' customer interaction skills. They should be able to analyze and identify their own styles of communication, and from there, adapt effectively to customers' communication styles. Furthermore, they should be able to employ positive language in the most difficult situations. All in all, your employees should be able to deliver enhanced customer service skills that will add value to the customer and eventually to the company.In order to sufficiently make a difference to your organization's sales figures, you will have to focus on not only the customer service staff, but the customer service leadership as well. Remember that employees need support and leadership. If you can involve managers and leaders in these programs, you will be creating an entire company culture where employees will be motivated to deliver the best possible customer service.

Original :: customer service training achieving the

why youve got to ask your customers why

One of my sales specialists, John, recently scheduled a visit with a new client who was referred to our company to fix his inadequate home heating situation. John is a very young, aggressive sales person who is still in the learning stage of his sales career. (By the way, I think we should always keep a foot in that "learning" stage no matter what level we are in any career. When you're learning, you're also growing. When you're not growing, you're doing the opposite, which is dying.)The client wanted to do something extreme that involved abandoning the current "forced air-style" heating system and installing a hot water baseboard system. In the heating industry this type of a project cancome with a hefty price tag. Prior to sending John off to meet with this client, I coached him a bit."John", I said, "You want to ask many questions in the beginning. The most important question to ask is, "why?" I explained that the power of this question can drastically affect the outcome of his visit. If John just quotes what they've asked for with out asking why they want it, no matter how professional and spectacular his presentation, many scenarios can play out that can work against his sale.When John Doesn't Ask Why...If John quotes a hot water boiler with hydronic baseboard as the client requested, priced around $25,000, without asking the reasons why, the client may love his professionalism but just can't afford the job done the way it's proposed. In this case, the client may do one of the following...1) Thank him, commend him on his professionalism, but choose to do nothing 2) Never return his calls and use a cheaper contractor that may do an inferior job 3) Live with his current situation and save the money to do the job with him (not a likely scenario).When John Asks Why...If John asks the client questions like, "Why do you want to abandon your current forced-air system?", and "Are you aware of the budget you'll need to have for a project like this?" he will have greater opportunities to close a sale that fits the client's needs and budget.In this particular case, if John were to ask the reasons, he would find out that the client's issue is lack of comfort. The house has too many cold spots with his current forced-air heating system. The air is also very dry so he and his family sneeze a lot when the heat is on. Knowing his client's reasons will help John recommend a solution that will work to fit his comfort needs and his budget.The outcome of asking why will result in the following recommendation by John: Keep the existing forced-air heat, install a modern furnace with the capability of producing more "even" heat distribution, add a zoning system, humidifier and air cleaner. With this solution, John will achieve the comfort level the client wants and will cost the customer about $9,000, which will turn out to be $2,000 below his budget.What Really Happened?What happened in this - in reality, John didn't ask his customer the reasons for "why" he wanted to abandon his forced-air system. As a result, the 1st scenario I listed above played out. His client chose to do nothing. The good news however, is that this became a learning experience for John. Plus, he can follow up with this client and present the different options available to him, available, once he asks "why"."Why?" is a powerful question, isn't it?

Original :: why youve got to ask your customers why

selling to 4 personality types a lesson

I once read a great book by Florence Littauer, titled "Your Personality Tree", which taught me a great deal about how to approach many different types of customers. In this book, I learned about the theory of Humorism and the four humors, also known as "temperamentum" or temperament, which represent a way of thinking, behaving and reacting.The Humorism theory suggests that each person is born of a basic temperament, as determined by which of the four humors is more evident within them. The four temperament types are: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy and Phlegmatic. They are associated with the following personality characteristics:"Sanguine" - Cheerful, optimistic, the "Life of the Party" wo is comfortable to be around and gets along with everyone (extroverted)."Choleric" - "I'm in charge", "It's my way or the highway" type, characterized by a quick, hot temper and aggressive nature (extroverted)."Melancholy"- A thinker, everything is well-planned and thought-out, no decision is made hastily. This type of person tends to take a pessimistic view of the world and can be sad or depressed (introverted)."Phelgmatic" - A "worry wart", can be lazy or slow to make a any decision, even something as simple as "will that be cream or milk in your coffee?" (introverted).An effective sales approach using these theories would be: #1 - Assess your customer's temperament type. Is he or she dominant? Introverted? Cautious? Optimistic? #2 - Adjust your sales presentation to accommodate your customer's assessed personality type. Here are a few tips that do just that:When Selling to a "Choleric" Customer: Let them know they're in charge and compliment them on good decisions.When Selling to a "Sanguine" Customer: You don't need to do much except get along with them and work on closing the sale quickly (assuming there isn't another decision maker behind the scenes, like a spouse or business partner with a different personality type).When Selling to a "Melancholy" Customer: Be prepared to answer a list of questions he or she will have for you. These types are true researchers and detail oriented. Be prepared to settle in and entertain questions about your product or service that will test your expertise. You probably won't close this sale in the first sitting, but that's okay. If you follow up properly and are prepared for more questions after you leave, you will put yourself in the best position possible to close this sale. Just stay patient!When Selling to a "Phlegmatic" Customer: You are typically going dealing with a person who has difficulty with making decisions, especially a perceived "large" financial decision. After reassuring this person that everything will be handled professionally and with great care, be prepared with some third party proof. Referral letters stating how professional and careful your company is, certificate of insurance, any awards you've received and/or articles written about your company. In the end you have to take charge of the sale and just close it. If you are not strong in your close you may allow this customer to slip away with all their uncertainty and worry. Help make the decision for the customer and then compliment them on making such a great decision in your post close.These personality or temperament theories have a very practical application in sales and business. Sales professionals, managers, business owners and any professional who works with people can use this basic knowledge of personality to enhance their dealings with people. By understanding the underlying reasons why people behave and relate the way they do helps us as professionals to work through challenging business dealings and help our customers make better decisions.

Original :: selling to 4 personality types a lesson

selling yourself why professional

Is professional development part of your goal to increase sales?Yes, I know you are busy, there is not enough minutes in the day, you are working with more demands and less resources and worse yet your company does not provide any additional sales training coaching (self improvement) opportunities. However, maybe this story may help you to reconsider the importance of a professional development action plan.Two lumberjacks in the late 1800's were vying for a coveted prize - a top of the line quality axe. Each had to fell a very tall tree with many branches. At 8:00am, the starting gun discharged and both men began climbing up their respective trees. Then about 20 minutes later one of the lmberjacks came down and disappeared for about 5 minutes. He reappeared, scrambled up the tree and resumed cutting. Another 20 minutes later, he returned to the ground, disappeared and came back in 5 minutes. This behavior continued all morning long and into the afternoon.By early afternoon, the crowd was quite confused since the other lumberjack was significantly ahead. Then as the early evening shadows started growing, the tide began to turn in favor of the man who took a break every 20 minutes. Suddenly, one of the trees fell. The winner was indeed the lumberjack who stopped every 20 minutes.When he received his prize, he was asked about his somewhat strange behavior. The man smiled and replied that to win the prize the blade of his axe had to be at its best. To achieve that goal, he had to keep it sharp and so his breaks were devoted to honing the blade on his axe.Now think about you as a salesperson. Substitute cutting the tree as earning a sale. The coveted prize is your commission. Your axe is your selling skills. How sharp are those skills? Possibly the reason you are not realizing your goal to increase sales is because your sales skills are dull. Sales Training Coaching Tip: You are responsible for your own self improvement and professional development first and foremost.There are many resources from daily to weekly ezines to free e-books on sales in today's technology driven society that can help you keep your sales skills honed. Of course you may need to assess those marketing and selling skills and again there are free assessments to more formal ones such as the Attribute Index.Henry Ford best summed up life with these words: "If you think you can or you think you cannot, either way you are right." My only 2 cents if you think you can, then ensure that positive thought with a action plan to turn those thoughts into measurable results.

Original :: selling yourself why professional

sales skills what is missing in sales

What makes a great salesperson? After reading online articles and numerous interchanges in various sales training discussion groups, various topics emerged including:Top sales skills
Great cold calling success
Self-improvement by through books to additional training
As I reflected upon many of the responses, I realized that those engaged in selling their products or services be them small business owners, independent sales professionals, realtors, financial advisors, insurance agents, corporate salespersons to even C Suite level executives have truly failed to assess and determine what makes a top sales performer in today's relationship selling marketplace.Today more than ever before,o successfully be a top selling professional demands that you understand education based marketing and relationship selling within the sales process. Sales Training Coaching Tip: Marketing is getting attention and developing the relationship. Selling is uncovering needs, presenting the case, earning the and delivering the sale. Do not confuse these two terms because to do so will keep you from earning the sales or what some call closing the deal.Take a moment to think what talents are necessary to be successful so that someone will trust you enough to exchange their profits (hard cold cash) or disposable income for your products or services. From my experience, there are probably 3 general categories or what I prefer to call buckets.Goal setting, planning & achievement - How well do you manage your production actions including both short and long terms?

Sales skills - How well do you know and then leverage your talents to further achieve your goals?

Time management - How well do you utilize this limited, non-renewable resource?

Beyond the missing knowledge about talents, another missing piece is the lack of knowledge about how we as individuals make decisions both externally and internally. Dr. Robert Hartman did extensive work specific to this field of study (science of Axiology). Hartman supported this field of research through the creation of a mathematical assessment to further validate that people made decisions using three (3) filters:Head - Systems - Thinker
Heart - Intrinsic - Feeler
Hands - Extrinsic - Doer
Additionally, he assigned biases connected to each of these filters.By having metrics that are deductive and objective with a validity coefficient around.92 versus inductive, subjective with a validity co-efficient around.85 provides the foundation for a solid performance appraisal to that those in sales can work more efficiently (doing things right) and effectively (doing the right things). Additionally, a solid assessment instrument can help you navigate the Law of Process or what is also called Gordon's Learning Ladder.If you truly wish to be the Red jacket, stand out in the crowd, then invest the time to:Know who you are
Choose who you want to be
Create what you wish to become

Original :: sales skills what is missing in sales

how do you create future sales

How many of us entered our sales careers with our eyes wide open? Fully aware of what it takes to be an effective sales person - ably resourced with the tools, processes, plans and support essential to our success. Knowing full well what you were getting yourself into.For most, if not all of us, our initiation into sales was nothing like this, and was cushioned with little or none of these luxuries. Does the analogy "sink or swim" resonate with anyone?All of this makes the story I am about to share quite unique and refreshing. Recently, some rather clever and farsighted managers gave some very fortunate young people the opportunity to get a large glimpse into the world of selling.Here isheir story: Two senior managers from one company had the presence of mind and foresight to think ahead and tap into the desire of some of their younger staff to advance their careers.Their business is in the industrial equipment market where they sell new equipment, spare parts, service and rentals. Recently, they advertised for a new service sales person and received, amongst others, applications from several of their internal service technicians.The senior managers took these applications very seriously. However, they could not appoint any of their internal applicants because they had no experience and very little idea about what it takes to be an effective sales person. Thinking about the future of their business, staff retention and the desire of these young people to advance their careers, the senior managers took it upon themselves to give these driven and ambitious staff the opportunity to really understand what selling is all about - so that they could one day go in into a sales role with their eyes wide open.This is where we came in. In discussion with the managers, a one day session was developed where these young participants explored topics like: Why sales matters; The changing face of customers and what they really want; Ethics in selling; Critical success factors, and key qualities of the 21st century sales performers; The sales essentials overview; and, Skills you can apply now to build your steps to being a sales performer, to name a few.As part of the session, it was pointed out that even if they were not currently in a sales role, there were still numerous, valuable things they could take from the session and apply immediately in their current roles. Skills, knowledge and insight that would (and did) serve them, their customers and the company well right now, as well as lay the foundation for when the time comes for them to knowingly and willingly step into a sales role. Things like:1. Knowing, understanding, communicating and modeling the vision, key message and promise, values and customer service ethic of the business2. Knowing how to make effective phone calls to clients, etc. - being clear about the purpose of their calls and how to position themselves confidently (this relates to how to make prospecting phone calls)3. Recognizing and understanding different communication styles and how not to confuse different with difficult4. Knowing how to ask good questions to clarify and verify their understanding.What was most impressive was the prolific note taking, questioning and genuine interest in really getting a handle on what it takes to be a great sales person. It was most enjoyable and inspiring. There is nothing like working with people who really want to be there and be their best. Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Original :: how do you create future sales

sales training can you teach old dogs

Most people suggest you can't teach an old dog new tricks, especially when it comes to selling, but is that true? There are enough reasons not to learn how to sell properly, "I'm too old", "I can't sell", "My business doesn't need to sell" etc.We've heard them all before but businesses need to make money and selling is part of that process. We will evaluate what selling is, how important it is overall and discuss the finer points of sales training.What is selling?For many, sales conjures up horrific connotations of door-to-door pushy salesmen with the 'gift of the gab' trying to sell you something you don't want. These days it's also become associated with cold calling and foreign telephoe call centres, against trying to push products.It may surprise you but selling isn't about pushing products, instead it's actually about pulling clients. Modern day sales and marketing is about taking your range of products to a target market and telling the customer about the benefits associated for them. The client will then buy into the product or service and hopefully become a life long customer with favourable feelings towards your product or service and company.One definition of sales taken from thefreedictionary.com is"The exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling."This definition excludes any reference to the buyer / seller relationship or that it should be a mutually beneficial process.Why is selling and continuing to tune your selling skills important?Let's deal with the obvious - if a business doesn't sell its product or service then it can't make money and continue to trade.Competitors are constantly adapting and hiring the best skilled professionals to build their business. If your business is not supporting the selling process by constantly improving your face to face communication with potential buyers then you run the risk of remaining static in an ever changing business environment.Through improving your sales skills you can also retain existing customers. You'll be able to effectively meet their needs and in turn keep them satisfied for longer.Sales trainingWe originally asked, can you teach old dogs new tricks? It's not a case of 'can you' but 'you must' to keep your business current and "recessionary-proof".Sales training and support comes in a variety of different forms and can range from consultancy help to one-on-one advice.Sales training will be tailored to each individual company and industry, but regardless of the situation your business faces, selling in a must.Imagine your business managed to sell 10% more products over the course of a year, simply by changing the focus of selling. The training and support would be cost effective and enable you to re-position your business as a market leading, customer focussed and efficient company.

Original :: sales training can you teach old dogs

mlm recruiting tips 4 simple steps to

If You have ever wondered why top marketers and recruiters like Todd Falcone, Jeffery Combs, Mark Wieser and my favorite guy from Tampa Florida Mr. Cedric Harris, Mlsp's Top producer are such great recruiters and can close a sale just like that. They don't sell. The are what we call master prospectors, they have studied and learned the Art Of Prospecting. Yes, prospecting is an art form, a skill. The art of when they get on the phone, asking a series of questions in a particular order to get their prospects saying, yes, yes, and more yeses, getting them to sell themselves instead of them selling, a bobble head some call it...lol.You may think that prospecting is giving your leads your bessales pitch on your companies comp plan or product but it is just asking a few questions to getting the answer you want. They are qualifying there leads, and note, because they use attraction marketing these leads may have found them and came through their marketing system from a form of content they have out on the internet, could be an article, video etc. These aren't cold leads, they are not even warm, they are blazing hot like lava from a volcano..There is one right now leaving thousands stranded in Europe because of the thick mass of smoke crowding the skies, no flying for anyone on that side of the world.Ok.... back to our topic.. These leads are hot and ready to buy, they just need to confirm the sale. They are 4 simple steps to becoming a master prospector. A series of question for each step and a transition question to get from one stage to the other smoothly.The Introduction Stage - This is when you first introduce yourself to your leads, they are probably happy to here from you, because most people never call their leads..no need to be scared of calling your leads, if they left their number on your opt-in form, they want you to call them. Remember they gave you permission.So you introduce yourself, tell them who you are and what you do. Then you move into the first transition question to get to the:Rapport Building Stage - Get some background info on your prospects, where they live, if they have kids, are they in a network marketing business, if yes, how long they have been in abc company, just get to know more about them, build a relationship. But don't get too caught up here, even though relationship building is important your trying to close a sale.. Then you move to the second transition question in to the:Fact Finding Stage - Find out why they came through your website, what where they searching for, what problems are they having, find out where their pain is and then you present them with your solution which is your Marketing System. Then you move into the third transition question which leads you to:The Closing Stage - After you have gone through steps 1 -3 and the third transition question, closing the sale should be a breeze if the person is qualified. Remember you where asking a series of questions to get them to sell themselves, so you should know if they are worth your time to do business with based on the answers you where getting.All of this put together should not be more than 10 -15 minutes of your time, because you should have a ton more leads to call if you market like a pro using Attraction Marketing.

Original :: mlm recruiting tips 4 simple steps to

how to defend against canceled orders

10 Ways to Defend Against Cancellations and LossesCancellations stink.As much as we would like to think that cancellations may be a normal part of doing business, and as much as we would like to assuage our hurt feelings or disappointment with thoughts that we 'did the best we could' or 'somebody else was cheaper', the ultimate responsibility for cancellations fall squarely on the back of the salesperson. We must never surrender to the thought that a cancellation is okay (unless we are the ones canceling the relationship.) The only way to save a cancellation is to help a client see why it doesn't make sense to do so. Your reasoning must be connected to their needs, not yours.Here are someways you can defend yourself against cancellations:1. Take personal responsibility. Only by taking responsibility do we learn what to do more of (or less of) in the future to strengthen our relationships with customers. A major part of most salespeople's job is to control the experience of our customers. When we truly control that experience, they don't cancel. Customers cancel because they believe the value is better elsewhere. Period. It is harsh reality, but if the value of your relationship or your product's strengths as it correlates to their needs outweighed a lower price, your client wouldn't cancel for price. You may not want to hear that, but you need to.2. Take it personally. Explain to the customer that we take cancellations personally. Tell them you feel that you have failed them, because if you had done a good job, they wouldn't want to cancel. Offer a different salesperson. Ask them if they will give you a chance to carefully review the account and respond. Ask them "If you were in my shoes, what would you have done differently to better protect this account?" Look, you are about to lose the account. Appeal to them a little bit and listen to what they say. Maybe it's not dead.3. Go see them immediately. Sit eye to eye and have them tell you their reasoning again. Be prepared to listen. Do not make excuses. Just listen. Load your guns for a presentation within a few days to save the business. Listen for things you could be doing differently.4. Take your manager on the call. It is important that your client knows IMMEDIATELY how important their business is to the company.5. Remind them that you are the one who knows their issues and needs. You know the people. You know what they want. You've spent years making sure everything is functioning correctly. You know the complexities of their account. Acknowledging the investment they've made creates value and suggests a switch will have FAR greater lifetime costs than what initially appear to be savings.6. Consider the use of a "stay" incentive designed to save the business and keep them committed. This is a dangerous tactic because your client may feel you didn't offer your best deal. That may be true, but at this point, you may not have much to lose because the business is probably gone. If you cannot retain it, then at least make it hard for a competitor to take it. There's a time and a place for everything. Perhaps it makes sense to offer a considerable incentive. Don't give up easily.7. Most of the time, even if a cancellation is not because of price, they will tell you it is, because it is easier than confronting bad service or admitting they don't see any valuable difference in their experience with you. Explain that lower prices tend to cause either the quality or the service to decline. They won't acknowledge it, even if they are concerned. Raise the issue though, and tell them you don't want to lose their business over a few bucks. Ask for a second chance and discuss quality and service.8. Discuss scope changes. If they want a better price, then what can you do differently that may produce a lower price?9. Re-sell those things about your product or service that really set you apart from competitors. If your award-winning work is special, then help them begin to experience that gap in satisfaction they will feel when they leave. You must create a loss in their mind and you must know their needs well enough to lead them (gently) to the negative consequences they will feel when they cancel.10. Depending on your circumstances, it may make sense to sell the local community involvement. Has that national company supported the charities that happen to be important to that manager who is canceling? Does the national company make contributions to the school where that manager's child goes and is involved in sports or theater? Your company is a responsible, local, corporate citizen. Is that important and can you leverage it?Various surveys indicate that customers leave for these primary reasons:1% Die
9% Find a competitor to supply service cheaper
9% Outgrow the need for a supplier's services
14% Have unresolved complaints that made them mad
67% A competitor made them feel more special.Clearly, the most compelling reason most customers cancel is because they are not getting enough attention or because they are mad! What can you do today to reach out to your important clients? In today's business climate, operational excellence cannot be a goal, it is a given. If you can't get it right, someone else will. Everybody says they are customer-centric. The time to really prove it is when your customer has a complaint.Lastly, if you are truly going to lose, walk away with grace and class. You never know when this customer may resurface elsewhere or where your paths will cross. Your class and grace defines how the customer is likely to remember your company. You want it to be a fond memory, so you can confidently re-take their business again in the future.

Original :: how to defend against canceled orders

sales presentations success in the first

The first contact sales meeting happens only once! The first sales presentation is a big opportunity, and for those new to sales, the experience can be daunting! Many professionals, such as accountants or solicitors, are going out to sell their services for the first time and they are fully aware that sales is not their specialist area! Equally, many people are joining the sales force for the first time. This article will give you useful tips to help you get started.It is a Sales Meeting, not a Presentation
The first thing to appreciate is that the first sales meeting is a meeting, not a presentation. In sales, it is important to listen first and talk later. The idea is that when you evenually do begin to talk about your product or services, you will do so in a way that is totally appropriate and relevant for this particular prospect. To do that, the successful sales person will guide the meeting so that -
1. There is an appropriate flow to the meeting
2. There is a two-way conversation
3. The Sales person can gain an appreciation of the prospect, both personally and in terms of business needs
4. The Sales person will set his or her presentation of their products or services within this prospects context, how we can enhance their business
The key to this meeting is to think in terms of the structure of the interaction, the phases of the conversation from the first greeting in reception, to the farewells at the front door.The Structure of the Sales Meeting
There are phases to the meeting and each one should flow comfortably from one to the next. There are goals at each phase, and successful sales people focus tightly on achieving those goals before having to move to the next phase.The following is a useful guideline of the structure of a successful first contact meeting:
1. Greet the prospect with positive eye contact, confident posture and a warm handshake. The goal here is to create a positive first impression, and it is important to think about what impression you want to create. If the person greeting you is an assistant, use the same focus to create the right perception with this person. Every positive relationship counts and an assistant is usually the gatekeeper.
2. Listen and Observe. Walking to the meeting room is a time for you to listen to the prospect and observe them. As they make small talk, a good sales person will try to profile their personality style, how they walk, how they talk and what they talk about.
3. Establish meeting objectives. As you begin the meeting it is important to establish objectives. The prospect may well do this, but if they don't, then the sales person can do this. Usually, a sales person will say they would like to give an idea of the service the offer that would be of value to the person's business, but first they would like to get an appreciation of the nature of the business.
4. Question to fact find. The idea at this phase is to get as much information as possible about the nature of the business, their strategies and goals, their relevant needs and their business culture. People new to the first contact meeting often jump in when they see a selling opportunity and they will take over the conversation. This is a big mistake. Apart from interrupting the prospect's train of thought, you may well miss something vital that they would go on to talk about. The more the prospect talks, the more you will learn. A very general open question usually works well to begin this phase; Can you tell me bit about the business here? Can you give me an idea of your own role?
5. Listen like a sales person. As the prospect is talking, concentrate on receiving as much as possible. The person will usually use a language style that will give you information about his or her personality style, and also about the culture of the Company. Write key words and phrases down in the prospects own words. Identify their values and what is important to them. When you move on to your presentation, you will phrase what you say in a way that will appeal to this particular individual.
6. Present your Company, your products and services. Talk about what you can offer this business, this person and their specific needs. Think in terms of benefits and advantages to them.
7. Trial close. This is where the sales person hands the flow of the conversation back to the prospect and listens carefully to their view of our offering. Again, listen like a sales person, looking for opportunities and buying cues.
8. Gain agreement. This is a key point in the first contact meeting, and is the focus of the entire conversation. Many sales people fall down at this point, simply because they have a very vague idea of what exactly they are trying to do achieve at this point. What exactly am I trying to achieve by the end of the meeting. Do I want to close a sale? Do I want to get agreement for a second meeting? Establish a clear goal before you go in to the meeting, and focus very tightly on this.
9. Ask for agreement - ask for the sale, or the meeting or the next steps
10. Close Positively. No matter what the outcome of the meeting was, ensure the last impression this prospect has is a positive one

Original :: sales presentations success in the first

sales techniques for handling and

In the business world, no matter what you do or how good you are, you will always run into sales objections. You of course understand that as rational beings we (even you) have moments where you will question yourself and the sales person that you are talking to in order to assure yourself that you're making the right buying decision. So as a sales person, objections serve as your obstacles in making a successful sale. It's a challenge that's present in every sales call, meeting, or business opportunity - a challenge that requires the appropriate sales techniques, applied correctly, in order to become successful.So how do you possibly get over this challenge? Simple, you rise to every posible occasion. This is not to say that you'd be battling wits with the customer. Objection handling means that you will be finding ways and using specific sales techniques that make the customer see the importance of what you are selling without having to contradict or argue (even in the slightest bit).Without having to inform or tell you, most probably you already have an idea as to what some of your sales objections would be, but for the sake of the discussion here's some of the most common ones; value of the product and its relation to cost; the effectiveness of the product; the time it would take for the product to be delivered; AND if it will be delivered. You are basically dealing with trust and the knowledge of the customer when you are selling.So how do you get past all those possible questions? Ask them yourself. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. For example let's say you are a customer and you are being sold a product. You may have a few questions: one does the product or service actually works? two, is it worth the price?; and three, why should I buy it now?If you are at a loss for answers, try asking past, present and possible customers. This will allow you to see far beyond what your product offers in your mind. Asking a warm customer about what they liked about the product, what they hated, the concerns they had/have, and if they have any further questions will bring you closer to results that you want -making a successful sale. This is the essence of objection handling.All this information will help you when overcoming sales objections. When the prospect brings up an obstacle, you'll know exactly what to say to alleviate their worries. This will also prevent price haggling which devalues your product or service and also the integrity of what you're selling. Instead of haggling on the price, concentrate on the "real" value of your product instead. Overcoming sales objections will be different for each customer but as long as you are able to sway to any situation, you will be one step closer to making that sale.

Original :: sales techniques for handling and

3 keys to identifying what motivates

We live in a time when understanding what makes people tick is essential. Human understand is the one key factor that can determine success in a sales profession. We have moved beyond the closing skills and manipulation techniques of the past. Our times demand that sales professionals have a deep understanding of what motivates people.Since birth this generation has been bombarded with every kind of marketing and sales technique known to man. Knowing what motivates them is far more important than trying to impose some slick closing technique or some fancy marketing campaign. Here are some of the ways you can discover what motivates people to buy.Just because you have an appointment with te business owner does not mean he is in the frame of mind to consider your offering. An appointment is not a buying signal. You must touch him in some way that motivates him to consider your offering. If you fail to do so, you'll make a great presentation and get no money. You'll wonder what happened. You'll go back to your office and think he will buy later. All the while failing to recognize that he didn't buy because you failed to address those thing that motivate him.Identifying The 3 Keys What moved them to start the business in the first place?If you know what moved someone to start their business in the first place and you can tap into that you can motivate them to consider your offering. What moved them to start that business in the first place wasn't so they could buy your goods/services. They had a reason for taking that risk and it wasn't so they could do business with you. Know the reason and you are on your way. If they provide some special service to others, and you can show them how your offering can make that service easier to access you've made it easier for them to consider your offering. If he manufactures some kind of product, show him how to get to market faster and you'll motivate him to consider your offering. Speak his language and you will get access to purchasing power.
How does this business owner handle his employees?
During difficult economic times an employer must consider how he handles his employees. Slow economies demand higher productivity from existing employees. Labor cost are always the highest cost of production. So increasing productivity without increasing cost is the difference in a slow economy. How that employer handles his employees is an important factor in knowing his motivation.

Maybe your offering will make some aspect of the employees daily task easier, safer, or more enjoyable. Maybe it will help the employee to be more effecient or proficient in their labor. Maybe it is something that will bring employee recognization in the workplace. Whatever it is, if it touches employees in this economy and increases their productivity it will motivate the business owner to consider your offering.
How does this business owner take his product tomarket?
Understanding how the business goes to market with their goods/services will make a hugh difference in understanding how to motivate them to consider your offering. His business model is important to him. Understand his model and you can use it to motivate him to consider your offering. I was with a rep in a training situation recently when we were stood up for an appointment. The office manager apologized and said, "We don't do business that way. We treat people with respect..." Now I know their business model. I should use that knowledge in my next encounter with the business owners. Their business model motivates them...use it to your advantage.


Armed with this knowledge of the business owner you are now in a much better position to target your offering toward his motivations. Your presentations will lead to more closes when you address his motivations. Your success will lead to a life time client.

Original :: 3 keys to identifying what motivates