are these mistakes preventing you from

Successful salespeople are the one collective but major asset that every business needs if it wants to be a major and profitable success. This statement may seem like a given but you would not believe how many start ups and even successful businesses forget that fact. They look to cut costs by reducing sales training or naively believe that the product will sell itself without specifically finding successful salespeople.As a direct result of this attitude, many businesses go under. They fail to prosper, are forced to shed even more staff and ultimately end up with huge debts that they have no way of paying because revenue has dramatically decreased. Do you want that to happen to your busiess?You may be one of the business owners that reads the above introduction and dismisses the warning it provides you with out of hand. If you are then you seriously risk damaging your business and its viability in the coming years. This is because successful salespeople should never be underestimated.They make your products and services shine to potential customers, convert sales when the average salesperson will simply not be able to and generate recommendations and referrals as a result of their professionalism. In short, successful salespeople are of huge value to any company. They are worth their weight in gold as the lifeblood of a business.So how do you get successful salespeople into your business? Well, the first point is that successful salespeople are born to a certain degree but created via sales training as well. They must have certain characteristics to be successful. They must have confidence in what they are saying and their ability to attract a customer.They must be articulate, friendly and appeal to the customers as honest and direct. Most importantly, they must be unbelievably persistent and even arrogant! However, after that, sales training will provide them with the knowledge they need to be successful. Creating the best sales training program is no easy feat though and takes time and effort.Sales training tips are rife on the Internet but most of those circulating are either business specific or complete rubbish. Generalizations cannot be applied to sales team training. Each successful salesperson will have his or her own strengths and weaknesses, and so the best sales training advice is to assess your people, your products and formulate a specific program that will develop your team into a coherent force that is an asset to your business.If you do struggle to implement a viable training program that will help to increase sales by developing employees then turning to successful salespeople services will help. A sales training consultant is just as valuable to a business as successful salespeople if you are not entirely sure how to develop your salespeople.Every penny spent on development is worth it though because your salespeople, successful salespeople, will generate success and profitability for your business too.

Original :: are these mistakes preventing you from

how to generate free sales leads

There are lots of people that pay an arm and a leg for sales leads. I have worked for a company that generated leads for people online, and I have been generating business for myself for a very long time. I can tell you this, the ROI on lead generation services is just not something you can consistently count on. So what we as salespeople need to do is look for places that give us information at no cost that lead us to sales. I am going to give you 4 easy steps to bring in leads that wont cost you anything but time.Work your sphere: In fear of telling you something we all know, but we rarely do, talk to the people you know first. The people you know in everyday life should have a much higer degree of trust for you than any cold call. I know, I know, you already know this. The fact is most people don't do it. Past clients, family members, and friends are a valuable resource.
Sell where you buy: Where do you buy your clothing? Where do you go when you go out to dinner? Who does you dry cleaning? Fact is you give these people your business, why not ask for theirs? It is hard to get anything but a warm response from someone you hand your money to for their products. Always ask for reciprocal business.
Volunteer your time: Become a volunteer for a charitable organization. It is for a good cause and it is a great way to network and build solid long term friendships. Make sure everyone knows who you are and what you do.
Social Media sites: Get on Facebook, Twitter, and any other useful site you can find. Branch out beyond your network of friends to people who are in Industries that can use your product.
Forum and Blog Marketing: Find forums and Blogs that relate to your product and use them as a free marketing tool.
Cold Call: The phone people, its a great concept. People try to sell you the bill of goods that it doesn't work, that's what we all want to hear. It isn't true, it DOES work. You can make 3 times the contacts dialing that you can walking the street. Use Manta to find information about the companies in your area and go to town. Practice makes perfect and don't get frustrated, it is tough for everyone.

Original :: how to generate free sales leads

kickstart your sales career

If you are new to sales or are considering a career in sales, there are a few guidelines that will help get you started. I understand that there are thousands of workshops, books, experts, etc. on the market today that will help you succeed in sales. My goal with this article to provide you with some guidance that will help you hit the ground running. As you experience success and want more advanced advice, there is plenty available.1. Listen to the prospect. Yes, this seems obvious but it is actually difficult to do when you are in the heat of conversation. Your gut reaction is probably to talk the person to a yes. You want to show how great the product is, read customer testimonials, had out brochures....STOP! Ask questions that allow the prospect to tell you what they want and pay attention. When they answer, they are telling you exactly what they want and how to close the deal.2. Solve Their Problems. If you listened well as I explained above, you should know what problems your prospect is facing. Your role now becomes problem solver. By creating a solution to their problems with your products, you provide real value to the prospect and are no longer an everyday salesperson. You are now a trusted business partner.3. Acknowledge The Prospect's Objections. You do not have to agree with every statement a prospect makes, but by acknowledging their objections you can turn those into reason to buy. For example, if you have a minimum order quantity and the prospect says he cannot order that much product, find out why. Try something like "I understand that order quantity is an issue, what is the reason?" If the prospect tells you he doesn't have the room, or doesn't want to commit that much at this time, or whatever reason, you now have more information to work with. So you can respond with "I see that space is an issue. What if I could get my shipping department to send that order in 3 shipments over the next few weeks. Would that help with your space constraints?" Don't give up on a sale based on an initial objection. Find a way to work with your prospect so you both win.4. Ask for the Order. I have not met many prospects that freely throw money at sales reps. Once you have listened, shown how you solve their problems and have overcome objections, you must ask for the sale. My preference is to review the information including objections and close with a statement like "Since we agree my products are a good fit, there's really nothing left to do but finalize the paperwork." I like to reassure the prospect that we have covered everything needed to work together.I hope you take these tips to heart, especially if you are struggling with your first sales job. Keep practicing and learning if you want to be a top performing sales superstar!

Original :: kickstart your sales career

the turn that pivotal conscious choice

It has been said that greatness is in each and everyone of us; we are born with it and make conscious choices to demonstrate or deny its existence. It has also been challenged that greatness is a matter of skill/will, some have and some don't. Examples of either perspective have been substantiated by relative evidence and embraced bilaterally depending on the set of circumstances. It is difficult to definitively stand on one of the aforementioned concepts, however, applying them situationally may be a more doable task. Think about this thought: We are who we choose to be; our freedom of choice justifies self accountability and responsibility.Between what happens to us and how we react tot (known as The Turn) lies an opportunity to decide; a chance to determine direction based on correlative conditions. Although our decisions in the turn are typically results of immediate experiences, we have applicable options. Your game improves with tools and how well you use them, the state in which we exist is an outcome of exactly this. As it relates to success, tools are intellect, discipline, attitude, and behavior which increase the probability of favorable decisions within the turn.When magnified, the turn is consistently occurring. We are constantly making decisions and consequentially paid or punished for them. The broader view is the collection of decisions specific to a common goal. However we look at it, advantageous advancement materializes when we are working with eminent, relevant, and instrumental experiences; an influential set of tools that operatively strengthen the turn. Be it culture, family, race, gender, or age, there are authorities that usually dictate parameters in which we function.Take the smartest, most obedient, willing, and discipline, collegiate graduate whose incumbent environment has not acclimated them to professional culture and place them in Corporate America. Although their cognitive abilities exceed par, the adjustment to unfamiliar and unwritten frameworks will ordinarily inhibit natural progression. Just as an elephant is broken to be trained, their upbringing will confine their thought and in turn limit options of possibility. When this occurs the latitude of the turn is comparatively restricted and inadequate. With the right leadership this learning curve can be swiftly subdued, however, they can easily become a clever, confused, and underemployed oddity without it. As leaders it is our responsibility to put the right people on the bus, develop altruistic emotional connections, and tighten the turn to maximize their potential as well as ours. Great Selling!

Original :: the turn that pivotal conscious choice

cold calling marketing to your hit list

In most companies, cold calling means calling any list of prospects that you have any hope at all of selling at any time in the future. Although you can market like that, here is a better way.If you go through your list of past customers, you'll notice something strange. Eighty percent of your marketing business will come from twenty percent of your customer list. In some companies it may even be a ninety five/five percent split. In other words, five percent of your customers will account for ninety five percent of your sales. You need to identify that five percent, and find out what they have in common.This is easier to show in a business to business example. You have a few customers thaaccount for most of your marketing results. If these are big companies, why not just get a list of the other big companies in your area and concentrate on marketing to them. I don't mean just give them a call. I mean send them direct mail packages, give phone calls, mail them articles they may like, and send little gifts. Make offers that are hard to ignore. Make them your cold call marketing hit list.You can go to zapdata.com or infousa.com to get the lists. Make sure you have the name of the CEO and the phone number.Then you just call, mail, or e-mail (light on the E-Mail) something every two weeks.Will they take you call right away and see you? Maybe one or two will, but that's not where your real measurable success is. Figure on spending anywhere from a few months to a couple of years just to get to see the CEO. But you know what? After you have been in contact with them (meaning the CEO, not the company) for several months, an alchemy takes place.Now you are not a stranger. In fact, you may become a topic of conversation. The CEO will remember your name. He will begin using you as an example of how his marketing reps should be more persistent in their cold calling. He will begin to wear down. And something else will happen. Eventually the company that currently sells what you sell to him, will do something that irritates the CEO. You'll get a call to replace the guy they are mad at.If you look at the amount of money that you invest in marketing to each new Big Fish customer, you'll see that it is far smaller, by percentage, than what you spend marketing to the little accounts.Of course, you still service your small accounts. But you concentrate on getting the big ones. Your company will love you, your spouse will love you, and you will surprise yourself at how easy this type of marketing really is.And after you talk to the CEO once, it isn't cold calling anymore.

Original :: cold calling marketing to your hit list

help our sales team isnt converting new

We recently had an experience in which a printing company had sent us a number of direct marketing emails looking for new business. Around the time we received the third of these we were about to undertake a sizeable printing job, so I clicked through from their email and filled out the 'request a quote' form.....and waited for a response.After 3 days I hadn't heard from them, so I gave them a call and was put through to a sales representative who, whilst friendly, had no interest in finding my request for a quote. So we went over the details again and I was assured they would call me back within the hour. I never received that call and we won't be rushing to do business with them.This exerience was a beautiful example of the disconnect that can occur between marketing promotion and the sales team. So where's the problem and what would you do about it?Before rushing to blame the sales staff, disconnects like this can too often result from management not paying attention to the process, from lead generation to sales conversion.So management attention, follow up and action is priority one. If you've got that solidly in place then you need to look at what other factors could be contributing such as:People - are there enough, do they have the right skills, is the culture/attitude/environment right? Be especially mindful of 'consequence imbalances' by which negative actions are not addressed or worse, condoned by being ignored. Equally be aware of positive actions that are not being recognised and reinforced.Process - is it deeply understood by all, what are the key activities and in particular the handoffs, where are things breaking down? Imagine you're a customer being carried across the process; who's dropping you on the floor, ignoring you or being slow to respond to your needs?Tools - is there 'task interference' occurring by which the tools the team have to work with are inadequate for the various tasks they need to complete? Is there a CRM system and is it being used effectively or being by-passed? Every business or organisation, of any size, needs one and can afford one.Standards - have these been established around quality, quantity, cost and timeliness? Do you have something like a 'sunset policy' in place by which every new prospective or customer enquiry must be responded to before the sun goes down?
These are just a few of the possible factors you should evaluate. However in our experience, the single greatest detriment to serving an external customer is the existence of a 'we/they' attitude internally. We should all be very clear that if this syndrome exists, it exists because management is not paying attention!

Original :: help our sales team isnt converting new

one call closing and the law of

Selling health insurance is a one-call close, and if you understand "the law of diminishing returns," you've got to be willing to run the risk of applying a little hard-ball pressure in order to close the sale at the first meeting... or accept the fact that you probably won't ever get another chance.For example, let's say you haven't eaten anything all day. If I give you an apple, you'll devour it with extreme pleasure, right?Now, I give you a second apple and since you're probably still hungry, it's enjoyable to eat... although not quite as much as the first one.At this point, your hunger is just about satisfied (stay with the analogy, please) and I hand you a third apple, which you relutantly eat (perhaps with some displeasure) and... although you have no desire to eat a fourth... I keep insisting and, of course, with each bite you receive less pleasure and become more and more nauseous.Sorry. Really dumb example, but since I've already gone this far...Just as your appetite progressively decreased, "the law of diminishing returns" has the same effect on the close of a sale. Your prospect has the most enthusiasm to apply for insurance at the end of your presentation because you've just created the need and desire for it.If that buying decision is delayed because your prospect "sold" you on the benefit of thinking it over... the more time that lapses, the more likely that...1. Your prospect will get misleading input from competitors2. Doubts will arise3. Less and less information will be retainedIn short, your prospect will cool off and you lose!Now, we've all heard it said that "even a blind hog will stumble across some corn." Maybe so, but I wouldn't count on it. You'll never build a huge book of business on easy ones alone.Obviously, the high six and seven-figure pros get their share of lay-downs. But it's closing the difficult ones that make the top 10% stand out from the crowd. They know how to make their prospects feel an urgent need to buy now... before something happens and it's too late!People have a natural tendency to procrastinate, but it's your job to motivate them to do the right thing now... and your success in sales rests on your ability to overcome procrastination.It's not always the most pleasant way to sell, but it does get the best results!

Original :: one call closing and the law of

casual sales training goes deeper

As the owner of a small, but growing, parts supplier I often look for informal opportunities to train my sales staff. I find that communicating to them the principles of selling that I want them to embrace in a casual setting goes deeper than the training they receive in sales seminars. For example, I'll often have 2 or 3 members to my home on a weekend evening for a relaxed barbecue on the deck. After the meal I'll pour another round of beverages and invite everyone to grab a chair around the fire pit that is a centerpiece of our landscape. It's one of those stone fire pits that rises about two feet off of the ground.Ahead of time I've placed some wet wood in the fire pit along with somedamp newspaper that I know won't light easily, if at all. I ask someone to grab the nearby lighter and start the blaze. After trying for a minute or two with nothing to show for their efforts but some smoldering paper and stinging eyes from the smoke, I'll stop them and make a point. I'll say, "There's something wrong with that wood in the fire pit. It won't perform. What would it be like to have to sell product that don't perform as they should?" That leads to a profitable discussion about making sure we have the best products from our suppliers. They begin to understand why I simply won't carry underperforming brands for them to push. Selling junk hurts their reputation and the company's. This object lesson and discussion helps to solidify their sales philosophy that selling better parts, even at a slightly higher cost, leads to more fruitful business in the long run.Then I'll remove the wet stuff from the fire pit and replace it with dry wood and kindling. It lights quickly and soon a roaring blaze is being enjoyed by all. After conversation about things other than business I'll go around behind whoever sat in the chair that has the wheels on it that make it easy to move around the yard. I'll slowly start pushing the person toward the fire pit. An awkward chuckle or laugh usually follows as they start heating up or get some smoke in their face. I'll then apologize and move them back. Then I'll say, "The fire is wonderful...but being pushed toward it makes you want to push away. How is that like being too pushy in your sales approach?" More great sales-oriented discussion follows before we get back to chatting about family life, sports and news of the day. We all enjoy ourselves and that builds a healthier work environment. In addition, they leave with a better grasp of what I'm looking for from my sales staff. I find that these informal sales training sessions increase their confidence and motivation, and tracking corresponding growth in their sales figures is inevitably the result.

Original :: casual sales training goes deeper

selling the easy way

Okay, there really is no "Easy" way to sell. But the fact is most people try so hard to avoid objections that the Rosie pictures they paint loses them a long term customer. Now I understand you need to positively portray the benefits of your product or service, but lets analyze a few things.When you oversell a product or service it creates an angry customer. If you don't set reasonable expectations you are setting yourself up for no repeat business.
The amount of damage one angry customer causes is far worse than the amount of good press five happy ones do. How often do you hear people at the Barber Shop talking about how great a company treated them? I bet you hear them complaining everday.
Is the Sales Industry a sprint or a marathon? It is a marathon, flash in the pans are commonplace in the Sales industry, any person with a quick tongue can snowball a few unsuspecting clients, but where will they be in 6 months when word gets out?Sales is a tough racket with an extremely high attrition rate. The great salespeople will tell you that there is a lot more to success than the type of closes you use. It is something based around building relationships, knowing and loving the clients you have. People today are more likely to buy the realistic side than the Pie in the Sky anyway, so be truthful and pitch the truth. Return on investment is all people want, show them a reasonable way to benefit from your product and service, they will be more likely to be your customer for life.Pitch the risks, they want to hear them and you will be the only salesperson that does it most of the time. Sell yourself as an honest person first and you will eventually get the sale if there is a need. Happy Selling......

Original :: selling the easy way

how to prepare for your first facetoface

Beginning note: though this is primarily directed to sales people making face to face sales calls, the same "how-to" principles apply in any other kind of meetings, even job interviews.1. Always call to confirm that the meeting is still on schedule.Don't leave home without (well, without your American Express card, to be sure) but also without taking the time to call ahead to confirm that the meeting is still on schedule. You might be reluctant to make that call to confirm, fearing that opens up the chance for a cancellation. There is always a risk of that, sure.But the greater risk is to invest your finite time in traveling across town to that meeting only to find it has been postponed-prhaps for a few minutes, or even to another day.Calling to confirm will prevent many wasted trips.Besides, it conveys that you respect the value of your own time... which in turn subtly communicates that you are a serious professional.When you call to confirm, have your appointment book open and ready so you can quickly suggest alternate times if necessary.When you call to confirmWhen should you make that call to confirm? Usually either earlier on the day of the scheduled meeting, or late afternoon of the day before for an early morning appointment.If possible, confirm through the secretary or Gatekeeper, instead of disturbing the Prospect herself. Make it clear that you are making this call to confirm an existing appointment, and that you are already on the Prospect's calendar:"Good morning. This is Paula Krantz with Adaptron Consultants. I'm calling to confirm my three o'clock meeting with Mr. Benson. Is that still on schedule?"If there is a change of time or location, always echo that change, to confirm that you are both in accord:"Agreed: we're shifting things back an hour, so now I'll be meeting with Mr. Benson at three-thirty this afternoon."What if you find that you have to "re-sell"When you call to confirm, there is always the chance that the Prospect may have decided that she now doesn't want to meet, after all. Therefore, when you call to confirm, be prepared to "re-sell" yourself.Re-selling the idea of meeting is easiest if the Prospect herself comes on the line to tell you. If that happens, then deal with it as an objection: probe the reason, then respond accordingly.But what if the Prospect leaves it to the secretary to tell you that the meeting is postponed, or even cancelled?Start with the assumption that it is merely a matter of scheduling, and suggest alternate times for rescheduling.If that doesn't work, then try to find the real reason for the cancellation: it could just be their busy time of the year or month.If the secretary says the Prospect doesn't want to meet at all, probe further to find why.In any case, whether you talk with the Prospect, or with a Gatekeeper, try to avoid letting the door close permanently. Say something like, "Well, I would like to keep in touch, and perhaps we can talk again in a few months." Most will agree (if for no other reason than to end the conversation).Thus when you make that call-back in a few months, you can then say that you had mutually agreed to talk at this time.2. When you arrive on-premises...Here we're focusing on a call on a business person in an office, but the principles apply whatever the place and Prospect.As you walk into the office, try to carry your briefcase in your left hand, leaving your right hand free for retrieving business cards and hand-shaking. That avoids the awkward moments of setting things down to shift hands.For the same reason, keep a supply of your business cards in the right pocket of your jacket. If you don't have a pocket, hold the card ready in your right hand before you enter the office so you won't be fumbling for it when you're standing in front of the receptionist or Prospect.As you give the receptionist (and maybe later the secretary) your business card, introduce yourself and make it clear that you are expected by the Prospect at a specific time, (as otherwise you could be shuffled onto the drop-in list). Here's a model to adapt:"Good afternoon. I'm Paula Krantz, Adaptron Consultants, here for my four o'clock meeting with Mr. Benson."Do not hand over any sales literature at this point. It's essential that you control the information flow in the meeting. If you hand out literature too soon, chances are you'll find the Prospect flipping through your materials, instead of giving full attention to what you have to say.3. Use the waiting time in the reception area to do your personal "industrial espionage." You can often pick up a great deal of useful information in the few minutes before your meeting. (Count that as another very good reason for arriving early.) Visual indicatorsUse the waiting time to look around the place (including the building as you arrive).- What do the location, furnishings and equipment tell you? That the organization goes for the best, regardless of cost? Or that economy and practicality reign here? Do the furnishings show that the emphasis there is on showing money, saving money, or making money? (Thanks for this insight go to my wife, Susan, drawn from her experiences as an executive recruiter.)(Indicators like these guide you in deciding whether to emphasize, for example, the high-tech, newest-of-the-new nature of your product, or instead to focus on how it is relatively low-cost, yet at the same time a cost-saver.)- What is the "mood" of the place? Tense, stressed, to-the-point? (If so, maybe your product has the potential of reducing that work overload.)Develop your own checklist of the kinds of specific clues that may indicate a need for your product or service.Clues from the literature in the waiting roomThe scrapbooks, piles of magazines, and even the photos on the wall in the reception area may also provide useful clues on trends to address in your sales call.- First priority: look at any publications put out by this Prospect organization, such as the annual report, newsletters, book of news clipping, and the like. From them you may get a sense of the priorities, as well as the insider jargon that operates there now. (Thus, if they are talking cost-cutting, you will want to talk cost-cutting. If they speak of the need to increase productivity, then speak of how your product/service can help do that.)- Look also at any of this firm's brochures, catalogs, and other sales literature, as you may find other clues on need-areas you can fill. (As non-profits often rely on grants and government contributions, be attuned to any current relevant trends and buzz-words.)- If this is a non-profit group or government agency, scan the literature for trends, as well as for projects under development, opening of satellite offices, and the like.- Magazines and newsletters specific to the industry or profession in which that Prospect operates will give you a sense for what trends are important now. You may be able to relate these trends and other information to the benefits of your product or service. (The trade magazines may also give you names of other firms that may be potential customers.)Summary: Preparing for your first face-to-face with the Prospect1. Always call to confirm that the meeting is still on schedule.2. When you arrive on-premises...3. Use waiting time in the reception area to do your personal "industrial espionage."

Original :: how to prepare for your first facetoface

how to find your ideal customer the art

Effective marketing requires mastering 7 steps. The first step is Prospecting. The second is the Sales Process. In this article, we're focusing on taking that a step further with qualifying.Qualifying is the step by which we determine if a prospect is the sort of person/business we want to try selling our product/service to. This is all based upon the definition of our ideal customer. Obviously, the more prospects we talk to who fit the criteria of ideal customer, the better our sales conversions will be.So! How does one actually go about effectively qualifying a lead?Contrary to popular opinion, effective qualifying of prospects isn't really all that hard. We make it easier for you to mater the art of lead qualification thanks to our:Top Tips for Effective QualifyingIt's really not at all difficult to effectively qualify your leads. Here's what we recommend you do:* Determine who your ideal customer is: Create a profile of that customer - and be very specific. Get right down to the nitty gritty details of who that perfect customer is. We're talking here about the customers you wish all of your customers were like. Who do you want to do business with the most? These are your ideal customers. What makes them ideal? Write it all down, because this is what forms the profile of who you will be targeting.* Have your qualifying criteria with you at all times: Have this criteria list on you when you are going over your list of leads. Obviously, to get the most out of your sales process preparation, you'll be researching your prospects. Determine at this point if they fit the criteria of your ideal customer. If they do, you will end up talking to them as outlined in the last email focusing on the sales process. Your objective is to ensure that your leads are in fact qualified as ideal customers before you go to the trouble of organizing a meeting with them.Through effective qualifying, you are saving yourself so much time because you will only pursue prospects who fit the criteria of your preferred customer. So many businesses end up with customers who are time wasters - the sorts of customers who demand a great deal of time and effort. They're just not worth the trouble and demand far more than they end up paying the company for. And if you're a small business owner, they're the sorts of customers you just don't want!We end up with these sorts of customers if we pursue prospects without effectively qualifying them.By determining who your ideal customers are and ensuring only the prospects meeting that criteria make it through to your final list of prospects, you'll not only save time and attract quality customers - you'll increase your sales. Prospects who fall into the category of "ideal customer" are more likely to do business with you - and that's why your sales will go up!So it definitely pays to take the time to prospect and expand upon that with effective qualification. Take the time to determine your who you wish to have as a customer and create the criteria of ideal customer. It's well worth it for sure!Be on the look out for our next step in the sales process where we will talk in greater detail about presenting the sale. How is it done for maximum results? We'll share our top tips for presenting the sale in our next chapter - so don't miss it!

Original :: how to find your ideal customer the art

sales training becoming a student of

The salesperson who understands people and human nature is the salesperson who is consistently on the top. Unless you understand the psychological process a customer goes through before committing to a purchase, you will be spinning your wheels trying to promote your products.To become a student of people, you must get "in the trenches" and connect with the people who will become your buyers. You need to figure out what the driving force behind their needs and problems are before you can offer them solutions. Find their pain and frustrations or deepest desires and you will close sales.To do this, you need to go where they hang out. This may be different for every market. Forums and user goups are a great place to start. Remember that you are there to study, not to sell. Make friends, engage in conversations and read what the members are discussing. Ask questions. This is very effective. If you have an idea of what their problems are, ask, "Has anyone ever had this problem? If so, what have you tried and did it work?" You will immediately get people telling you they have and what they have tried so far. This is invaluable information. You can use it to formulate your sales copy. Armed with this knowledge, you can tailor your sales campaign to target the specific problems.When people do a search, they generally search by the description of the problems and not for product names because they usually do not know them. So let's say you have a baby product that will swaddle a baby, you might offer the solution to the problem of settling a cranky baby, or getting a baby to sleep through the night rather than just promoting baby swaddling.It is human nature for any parents of a crying baby to want a solution to that problem and to want it now! You do not have to sell them on the features of the product, all you have to do is tell them that it will solve their problem. They will be lining up to make their purchases. The same goes for just about any problem you can think of. If your product offers a solution, relieves pain or fills a deep desire, you have a winner on your hands if you learn to market the problem.From there, the rest is very easy. You see, solutions sell themselves. All you have to do is identify and acknowledge the problems, let it be known that you have an effective solution and your customers will be begging you, with their credit cards in hand, to sell to them.

Original :: sales training becoming a student of

how good are the leads

"How good are the leads?"Why do (struggling) prospective insurance agents always ask me that question, as though their own personal skills and ability to work a lead is irrelevant?My knee-jerk response is, "Well, that depends. Let's hear your approach." After which I'm typically compelled to say something like, "hmm... I'm pretty sure that your particular leads will be... uhhh... horrible."It seems like nine out of 10 agents use a variation of, "Hi, Mark, did I catch you at a bad time? Hey listen, Mark, I see that you're with (Fill in the Blank) and I know I can save you a lot of money. In fact, I'll be in your neighborhood this week and I'd like to set up a meeting. Would Tuesday at 2:00be good, or would Wednesday at 10 a.m. be better?"Ugh.Look, self-employed people and business owners hear essentially the same "pitch" almost every day of the week, and you've got less than 40 seconds to engage their brain, capture their imagination and, in no uncertain terms, let them know that they'd be absolute fools to blow you off.What's special about you? What do you have or do that virtually eliminates the competition? What could you say within the first 40 seconds that would cause a complete stranger to feel like a total jackass for not, at the very least, granting you the courtesy of their undivided attention for just 20 minutes?All you need is a unique and compelling benefit statement like the one below. See if you can reduce it to around 40 seconds, by cutting out the marshmallow fluff while sparing most of the meat and veggies. Modify to fit your speaking style, product or service and personality so that it feels comfortable and genuine.And remember, just relax and have fun. Your objective is to help. Forget about commissions, if you want to make the big bucks!Think benefits, benefits, dollarized-benefits..."Hello, Joe? Joe, this is (Your Full Name), and I know you're busy so I'll get right to the point.""I'm a health insurance specialist. That's what I do best. I customize cost-reduction, tax-saving strategies, specifically targeting self-employed people like you. My clients typically save over 40%... and that's just part of the story. I'll show you how to multiply your benefits, eliminate your out-of-pocket expenses and slash your income taxes to the point that, in effect, your health insurance is virtually free!""You know, with gasoline headed to four bucks again and the economy in a recession... and folks like you and me, Joe, getting hammered year-after-year with double-digit rate increases.... we've got to stretch those dollars as far as possible, right?""Well, generally speaking, Joe, what's better for you... mornings, afternoons or evenings?"Congratulations. Your foot's in the door.

Original :: how good are the leads

web based sales training 9 steps in the

In Part I and Part II of this three part series on Web Based Sales Training, we started learning the 9 Steps in the Consultative Selling Process. These nine steps are:#1 Your Opening Statement
#2 Tell Them What You Have and the Benefits
#3 Prove it! (Tell Your Story)
#4 Special Bonuses and Guarantees
#5 The Price
#6 Call to Action - Ask For the Sale!
#7 Answer Questions and Objections
#8 A Further Call to Action - Closing the Sale
#9 FollowupIn Web Based Sales Training - Part III, it is time "close" on the sale, and that means, make some money! But don't get overly excited yet. In fact, this is the time to really keep your cool and continue to position yourself as a true consultaninterested first and foremost in your customer's needs, problems and challenges.In this article, I am going to cover how to effectively close on a sale by taking the following steps in the consultative selling process:#7 Answer Questions and Objections
#8 A Further Call to Action - Closing the Sale
#9 FollowupStep #7 Answer Questions and ObjectionsObjections are not to be feared. They are your prospect's questions and concerns and they need to be addressed before your prospect can comfortably move forward. There's not a single sales person alive who has avoided objections from their prospects. It's actually a healthy exchange and helps you to determine what exactly the hesitations are for your prospect. Some people will not make up their mind without a grand inquisition of every detail of your product, service or opportunity.Objections are good! Your own comfort level also will increase as you start addressing or "overcoming" these objections. Don't be concerned if you don't have all the answers either. No one is expected to. You have the option to say, "I don't know the answer to that very good question. But I do want to answer it. I'm going to get the answer and I'll give you a call later today."Then be sure to do just that. Not calling your prospect back will result in losing a huge amount of ground you covered in developing this relationship. Getting back to them as you committed to do will continue to increase your credibility.As you move forward in your marketing and sales career, you're going to hear thousands of objections. Mostly, you'll hear the same ones over and over again. Always respond with a "feel good" response, such as, "Mary, that's a very good question. I'm glad you asked me that. Here is why...."Step #8 A Further Call to Action - Closing the SaleYou are a pro at this by now. You've been giving your web visitors, email readers, and newsletter subscribers Calls to Action all along. Now you are going to tell your prospect on the phone what action she needs to take next. Do not assume that she knows what to do, even though you have already asked her to buy. You must invite her to participate and show her how. This is closing the sale. Now you are prompting them to take out their credit card.We believe that your prospect deserves to be asked to buy. We liken it to a personal invitation. After all, after you've set up your whole entire table of appetizers and refreshments to completely entice your house guest, don't you then invite them to partake of the supper?Exactly!Walk Mary onto your company website and show her exactly where to click to select the product package you discussed with her. Then take her to the place where she sets up her account and enters her payment information. Or take her order over the phone and process it for her.Whew! Congratulations, you just made your first sale using the consultative selling process. But you're not finished! Now for the followup.Step #9 FollowupCustomers who buy from you have the potential of becoming repeat customers so you must continue to remain in consistent contact with them and present other Calls to Action to move them through your sales funnel. After a consultation, your prospect may need to think things through. But the old adage "out of sight, out of mind" is very true so you need to "stay in front" of your prospect and further prompt them to take actionThis sales process may take several more calls before your prospect makes a decision to buy. In fact, some statistics report that nearly all sales take place on or after the fifth contact to the prospect. So be patient. It's all part of the natural process of digesting information and allowing the prospect to make a decision based on their needs.Follow up is not only critical, but also essential to any sales person's success. But just calling the prospect again to see if they are ready to buy is not going to be enough to get the sale. In fact, you run the risk of becoming downright annoying if you call your prospect over and over again. Calling is an inefficient use of your time. You need to automate the follow up process as much as possible as well as vary the ways in which you follow up.When you follow these 9 Steps in the Consultative Selling Process you are laying the groundwork for turning prospects into loyal customers who buy from you over and over again and feel confident in referring others to you as well. This is the best way to build a customer base who will be with you through the good times and the inevitable challenges that every business faces as it evolves.To refer back to Part I and Part II of this three part series on Web Based Sales Training - 9 Steps in the Consultative Selling Process, please see our Part I and Part II Articles in our author resources section.

Original :: web based sales training 9 steps in the

recruiting superior sales talent step 3

When I ask attendees at our executive briefing titled, "Recruiting Superior Sales Talent" to rank the importance of the recruiting steps, "Searching" is normally ranked incorrectly. In order of importance, "Searching" should be step 3 after the "Identify" and "Testing." Steps. However, many of you rank "Searching" as step two in your process, after "Identify." This confusion between the importance and sequence of steps causes many organizations to underachieve when it comes to executing the searching step. Organizations tend to panic and get in such a hurry to fill their pipeline with candidates they default to a traditional searching method that is, at best, ineffective for the 21st Centry.The traditional method of "Searching" for superior sales talent fails for many reasons:?Marketing for the position describes the candidate a company would like to hire and provides way too much company information-instead, you should describe the opportunity in detail?You need great sales people, but they are already in a job and typically not actively looking to change?You have not built in insurance, such as testing, before conducting phone screening and looking over resumes. Most organizations are confused about the real purpose of benchmarking and how to use it effectively in a search?You are not using automation to its best capacity in the searching process to save your team time and energy?You place too much faith in the job description?Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future performance (just like purchasing a stock history is not necessarily an indicator of future stock performance). If you make your search contingent on previous performance, you may set yourself up for a trap.I will offer more detail on some of these traditional steps for searching for a sales superstar along with some suggestions for improvement.Searching and marketing for superior sales talent are similar and neither can be done effectively unless you first did the most important step in this recruiting process: correctly identifying the right candidate. As part of the Identify step, you should have isolated things like the market your new employee will call on, the size of target companies, the average size of your accounts, length of your sales cycle, who the new employee will call on, and whether the end user needs and wants your product or service-or whether they need it but don't want it.In your marketing you should fully describe the opportunity in detail, making sure to look up key words that candidates will search for online on job recruiting sites like Monster, the Ladders, and others. You marry up the key words using a template exercise. The template exercise works like a puzzle where you choose, then combine, common text phrases and demographic and psychographic words from your Identify step. Here is a brief example of how it comes together:Selling high end business services to C-Level executives of large corporations in a complex selling environment and a growing market against the incumbent vendor.Using the template correctly and identifying all the challenges the candidate must overcome is an important way to shift from traditional searching for superior sales talent.Another way to shift from traditional searches is to list your total compensation package in the marketing support materials. In addition, if you really want to break with the traditional way of searching for superior sales talents, don't ask for a resume. Have the candidate send one or two paragraphs describing how and why they meet the specifications in the marketing material. Next, make sure you automate the process by using auto responders to direct candidates to a testing site before you decide which one to pursue. All of these exercises are designed in a way that someone who is not actively looking for a position says to themselves, "Wow that describes me! I need to look into this more."Searching for superior sales talent requires an entire company effort. You should mandate an intense recruiting effort from the CEO to the receptionist that includes PR, marketing, and Internet employment ads. The stakes are just too high. The incidental cost of assessing candidates should be the insurance, not the final criteria. I recommend that my clients preferably have at least three hirable candidates after the assessment process in order to hire one. Most clients don't like to hear that. But usually one candidate won't fit for some reason that everyone in the department agrees on, and then you're left arguing about which of the remaining two will knock the ball out of the park. What a nice argument to have!To up the chances of attaining three great candidates, you must understand the posting cost challenge. While your posting won't expire for two months, you must repost your ads every week to continue the flow of resumes. Then, you must know where to post the ad as well as the way the site's search engines work. With Monster.com, you must know how to use each field and drop-down list so that your ad comes up with the appropriate search key words. If potential candidates don't see your ad, they can't respond to it.It should be evident by now that you need a new mindset to correctly search for superior sales talent in today's market. This article only touched on the highlights of a few steps in the process. Soon we will write about using Benchmarking in the search for superior sales talent.

Original :: recruiting superior sales talent step 3

selling what can we learn from the

My wife, Cheryl and I were going to the furniture store to buy an end table because we cracked one that we had. We walked into Levin's Furniture store in Canton Ohio. It was completely devoid of customers except for one middle aged gentlemen talking to a young couple. We saw eight or ten other salespeople talking to each other in groups.I walked up to the service desk and said. I need an end table. I want to talk to your best salesperson. Who would that be? She gave his name. I asked if he was the best salesman there. She said "Honey, He's the best in the world". I asked if we could speak to him. She told us that he was busy with another customer, but we could talk to one of the other tensalespeople. I told her we would wait. His name was Dan.Over the next twenty minutes or so, we heard him paged three or four times because customers were calling for him, by name, and nobody else.He walked over to us, a little disheveled. Limping slightly. He introduced himself, and I said we wanted to look at this one end table I picked out. He said "How long do you want it to last?"I smiled, because I thought I recognized a selling sequence, a good one, was about to begin.I wanted it to last forever, I said. He said "Then you will want to follow me." And after showing me what I really wanted, of course it didn't go with the furniture we already had. So he asked about our furniture. "Leather" I said. "Premium quality leather throughout".He smiled and showed me a new definition of the word "Premium". I told him we just purchased a new home. Of course, that reason was enough, in his mind, for us to repopulate our home with new furniture. We passed a bedroom suite. I asked about it. He said "You have excellent taste. It's make from 100% real hickory and the bed alone weighs a thousand pounds. Can you smell the hickory?". I started salivating, and drooling all over the furniture, I'm sure. I asked if we could get a special deal. He said "We'll total it up when we are done"."When we are done?" I thought.After I said we would take the bedroom suite, he leaned over and said to both of us in a low voice "Now you got something for yourself. What about your wife?"I laughed out loud. I knew what he was doing, and was loving every minute of it.We got the end table that day, with $25,000 in more furniture. The whole time we were talking, every few minutes there was a call for him, and nobody else.I told him that I trained salespeople, and asked him how he sold so much furniture.He said "I can make my customers so comfortable with the furniture we sell. I truly love the furniture. I love the feel of it. The smell. And I want my customers to share that feeling".I asked him how long he would have kept going. He said "Until you said Stop. I could tell money wasn't stopping you, and you were having a good time. It was a pleasure serving you".I'm a fan of Dan. Two weeks later, I walked into our sunroom. It had all new furniture. I asked my wife where she go it. "From Dan, he called and asked what other rooms needed new furniture,. I went to see him. This was a surprise for you".Did the furniture store call? Another salesperson? No. Dan called.These sales were made in the middle of a deep recession. The other salespeople there were probably spending the day complaining about how little business there was, how the company should advertise more, and how cheap the buyers are. But not Dan.And hopefully not you.Maybe soon, someone will tell a story like this about you.

Original :: selling what can we learn from the

sales process cold opening

I hate cold calling! Most people do. Learning to cold call is the first step in becoming a sales professional. This step is usually what puts people out of the selling profession faster than anything. Let's see if we can find some benefits from cold calling. Then turn that into a Cold Opening.Cold Calling AdvantagesBuilds a pipeline of potential prospects. When you first start your sales career or when you are in a slump cold prospecting can begin to build your pipeline. You need to be talking to people about your business! Cold calling gets you talking to potential prospects.
Teaches you to think on your feet. Nothing you do will benefit you more than putting yourself in a position whee you have to think on your feet. Cold calling puts you in situations where you don't always know what is going to happen next. I learned to think on my feet by cold calling. You will too.
Teaches you to think like your prospect. Your presentations will suffer mightily until you learn to think like your prospect. Cold calling puts you in a position where you are forced to learn to think like your prospect.
Helps you develop marketing skills. There is a vast difference between marketing and selling. Cold opening keeps you focused on the marketing aspect of your business. Because selling is completely out of bounds in cold calling. My definition of marketing is: "Building a path so that people can find what they want/need and get it from you." You can't do that if you're selling when cold calling. Cold calling is simply marketing to secure an appointment so you can sell.Cold Calling MythsThe gatekeeper is your enemy. That is so old-school selling it is embarrassing! Don't ever treat the gatekeeper as an enemy. They are far too sophisticated for that. You need that person to be your advocate. Without her you may never get to see the person who can tell you yes.
The potential prospect is waiting to do business with you. There will never be a time when the potential buyer is sitting at his desk waiting for you to arrive with your offering. So you need to go from an interruption to an invitation. The first time you walk in the door you're an interruption. Find a way to turn that into an invitation and you're on the road to sustained success.
The perfect pitch/presentation is the key. Cold calling isn't the time to make your presentation it is a time to make friends. It is time for you to put a face on the prospect. It is time to observe. It is a time to listen. It isn't a time to present.Turning Cold Calling into Cold OpeningNever sell out of bounds. If the gatekeeper wants to know why you are there you better have a reason that doesn't give her an opportunity to say no. You must never "sell" to the gatekeeper. If the person who can tell you yes is there, make an appointment to come back. Never try to sell when you are cold opening! You are prospecting not selling.
Treat the gatekeeper with the love you would show your mother. That gatekeeper must become your friend if you are ever to get to the person who must tell you yes. Offend her and you may never do business there. Love her and she will assist you in getting to the person you must talk to about business. Cold opening requires loving the gatekeeper.
Give value first. This begins by the way you walk across the lot to the building. By the way you treat the gatekeeper. By the way you respect the time of the business owner. By your marketing message. Cold opening demands that you give value before anything else.
Leave an impression. You never want to leave a brochure. A brochure gives the opportunity to tell you no. You don't want to leave a business card. A business card isn't a cold opening tool. You want to leave the impression that you really care. The only thing you ever want to leave when you are cold opening is an impression.Take a fresh look at your cold calling efforts. Are you doing cold calling because your manager requires it? Maybe it is time to rename that "dreaded activity" something that will actually help you grow as a sales professional...Cold Opening.

Original :: sales process cold opening

10 steps to enjoying more success in

There is no other occupation where you have so much control over what you earn.Imagine for a moment that we could build the perfect salesperson and it really doesn't matter what they look like. They could be Mr or Mrs Average but we take them and fill them up with:An unsurpassed knowledge about their products, their customers, and the market they operate in
Good healthy doses of integrity, so they would be someone their customers can trust
We'd give them a solid amount of work ethic, so they work harder than all the other salespeople
We'd throw in some fantastic communication skills, especially listening skills. They would need to be a great listener. They'd ask the customer what thy want and listen carefully to the answer
We'd make them friendly and approachable
Give them great dress sense They would be smartly presented 24/7
We would also throw in a few buckets full of resilience, Sales are full of ups and downs, so they would need to be able to bounce back and not take things personally
We'd throw in a little dose of a sense of humour
Naturally they'd need a huge dose of Selling skills, but they will acquire those because of their work ethic. Instead of watching television at night like all their colleagues, they study how to become better at what they do
And last but not least we'd give them an amazing attitude.. a deep down unshakeable conviction that they will winNow just imagine we unleash this person on your sales environment. Every customer that walks in the place is greeted with enthusiasm, treated with respect and care, is asked carefully about their needs and wants and is expertly guided through your product range. So much so that this person completes more sales than anyone else on the floor, in fact anyone you know.Would your industry be talking about this person? If there were lucrative job offers going around, do you think this person would attract those offers?Now imagine for a moment if this person went to management and told them he or she had been given a better offer by another company would your management let them go easily? How could they talk them into staying?As a salesperson, you have ultimate control over your earnings.Because all the ingredients that went into and made up our super salesperson if you like are acquirable. You can choose to study and learn them. I guess that that means you can basically predict your own future!How exciting is that?

Original :: 10 steps to enjoying more success in

five tips to maximize trade show roi as

Exhibiting at a trade show is one of the most expensive sales and marketing activities that any company incurs. Insuring that the investment in booth space, travel, personnel and other miscellaneous costs is returned through future sales is essential for any company. A business that has dedicated itself to having a sales culture recognizes the tremendous opportunities presented by trade shows and focuses on maximizing the return from their show investment. Here are 5 keys to having a successful show.1. Make 1 person responsible for the show's success. In my experience, shared responsibility is a main reason for show disasters. One person takes care of the booth, another is responsible forthe product, the sales manager decides who attends the show and the marketing manager schedules everyone to work in the booth.Instead of this chaos, smart companies have one person who pulls everything together. This person has the authority to get things done without excuses. Starting well ahead of the show, he or she calls planning meetings, orders the product, reserves the hotel, lays out the booth and is the center of all activities. Everyone knows whom to contact and who is in charge. After being involved in 100s of shows, believe me this one tip will make trade show success much more likely.2. Always send out invitations to your customers to visit you at the show booth. I know many of you will say why worry about seeing customers whom you can talk to at any time when you are at a trade show. But having the opportunity to show them products they may not have seen, to introduce them to your management or other team members, and to spend some extra time visiting can be very helpful in building a stronger relationship. If possible, try to set up a specific time to meet in your booth so that you can be ready with your presentation. Having lunch or dinner with a customer at the show is always helpful also.3. Have a theme or central message for your booth. I've seen too many companies that simply tell their booth personnel to show up on time, take a quick look around the booth at any new products and put on a smile. The salespeople are on their own from there. But in order to make the most of their trade show investment, companies with sales cultures develop a central message to be delivered to all booth visitors. It might be product or sales oriented; or be about a new marketing campaign. No matter what the theme is, it must be used over and over by everyone in the booth. For instance, if there is a new product, it must be mandatory for each person working in the booth to bring their customers and prospects over to the product and give a sales pitch. The salespeople should know the product intimately and be able to explain it and answer any conceivable questions.4. Be sure everyone in the booth can discuss every product in the booth. When I was younger, I worked in the booth for companies that made very technical electrical equipment. Because I was in marketing I was obliged to attend shows but when I was in the booth I was terrified of showing my technical ignorance. Looking back, I realize that I should have been nowhere near the booth. Don't embarrass your company by having untrained people in the booth. I've known accounting and even some management people that have worked in the booth but couldn't really answer more than the simplest questions. That gives a terrible impression of your company and can waste valuable face time with customers and prospects.5. Track and respond to everyone who visits the booth. I shouldn't have to include this but I have seen too many companies break this cardinal rule. With today's hand held scanners and other electronic gadgets to help, there is no excuse for not capturing information about everyone coming to the booth. Of course a name without more information can be useless. It is mandatory that some indication of product or service interest also be captured for every person you meet. Then, when someone follows-up with the contact they can focus on which product or service most interested the visitor, moving the sales process ahead at a quicker pace.By following these simple rules companies will increase their sales from trade shows and recoup their investment in a very costly sales and marketing endeavor.

Original :: five tips to maximize trade show roi as

basics of consultative sales

IntroductionThe biggest mistake a sales person can make is to "box-shift". To rely on a customers to know what they want and decide which product or service is best for them leads to poor sales, dissatisfied customers and a bad reputation.Why is it such a mistake? Consumers seldom know exactly what they need. They may believe they have the necessary information to decide on a product or service, using the internet, catalogues or friends for research, but it is unlikely that they will know more than a well trained employee.A retailer who sells flat screen TVs is a good example. It is a big purchase for most people and many consumers will do their research before visiting you. Empowered witthis information, they may request a specific make and model from the sales person that they believe ticks all the boxes. It would be easy to "box-shift" and get the sale there and then. However...Do they know about the latest developments in flat screen technology? Have they researched compatibility to ensure it works with their other equipment? Do they know about special offers, bundle deals and, most importantly, stock availability. Are they sure that a 40" screen will be suitable for their room size? Have they thought about cables, wall fixtures and extended warranty?The basis of any interaction with a customer should be to meet their true need. That is, as an experts in your given field, you should be able to identify a consumers' needs better than they can and offer a product or service that will meet that need. This applies to every business; from florists to toy shops; mobile phone services to travel agents; gift shops to clothes retailers.A consultative sales process allows you to do this by providing a framework that allows you to find out information about you customer which you use to recommend the right product or services, underpinned by your expertise. Below are the areas which support the consultative sales process in any business.Know your productsIt may seem like an obvious thing but for a successful sale you must know what you are talking about. All too often I see sales people reading the back of packaging to answer a question or relying on generic statements that don't personalise the interaction ("Yeah, that one is quite popular at the moment").People buy from other people. A solid knowledge of what you are selling gives massive amounts of confidence to customers. Especially important is to know about availability. There is no point in promoting the features of a product only to find out that you have no more in stock or that the service is not available at the desired address.Know your customerOnce you are tooled up with knowledge about your products, it is time to get to know your customer by questioning them. The kind of information you need will depend on the market you are in and the products you have to offer. The following is a general rule of thumb and can be expanded as required. It doesn't hurt to write some of this information down during the interaction as you will need it later.Permission: make sure the customer is happy to answer your questions. For example:"I want to make sure that you get the perfect product from us today. Are you happy for me to ask you a few questions to find out a little more about what you need?" Reason for purchasing: simply finding out why they are purchasing from you can give you a wealth of information. Is it a gift? Who's the recipient? Is it a first time purchase or are they upgrading? Is it a necessity or a leisure purchase? Are they replacing something and why?
How are they going to use the product or service: probably the most important thing to find out!. This is where you should ask the most questions to find out what their true needs are. Using the flat screen example you may ask: Where is it going to go? What equipment will be connected to it? Who will use it? What will be watched on it? (Some TVs are much better at sport than others, some are suited to home cinema) How long do they intend on keeping it?
Personal information where relevant: many purchases which involve a contract will require personal information. Ask these questions now so that you can highlight any possible needs that they may raise. For example, employment status, marital status and an children all change a person's requirements. Someone with children may want a flat screen TV with parental controls. Recommending a FAB product You now know what your customers needs are and can match them to a suitable, available product that you offer. Using the Features of a product, you should highlight the Benefits to your customer (Features and Benefits or FAB)Features are what the product can do and the Benefits are how it will meet the needs of your customer. This is where the information captured above is used so refer to any notes you took. For example:"This is a fully High Definition TV (F) which is compatible with your Blue Ray Player (B)""It has 6 ports for connecting other equipment (F) which covers your DVD Player and set top box (B) and allows for any new equipment you get in the next 3 years (B)""It comes with an inbuilt recorder (F) which allows you to pause live TV (F) which is great when you have children in the household (B)"Ask for the businessAll the hard work is done. By now the customer should be confident that the product you are offering them meets the needs that you identified. The final step is to ease them into the purchase phase. Simple questions like "Are you happy with all of that? Well let's do the paper work" or "Shall I go ahead and take that to the till" will gain a commitment from the customer and close the sale.If the customer does say "No" you can go back over the information to check if something was misunderstood.Finally, ask for a recommendation. Whilst processing the sale you have time to turn the customer into a walking advert for your business. "If you know anyone else who is looking to make a similar purchase, I'd be happy to help them. Feel free to tell them to ask for me directly"ConclusionBy using a consultative sale you can increase conversion, increase up-sell/cross-sell rates and improve your customer experience. Great sales lead to loyal and happy customers who promote your business more than any advertising can.Know your products, know your customers, FAB your sales and always, always ask for the business.

Original :: basics of consultative sales

sales training and confidence

Imagine increasing your sales figures with 7% and gaining lifelong customers.The best way to achieve a great sales force is to train your salespeople in all of the methods of great sales techniques.Most sales people jeopardise their sales due to subconscious limiting beliefs and a lack of proven sales techniques. You don't lose a sale, you lose a customer.With so many sales and corporate training seminars on offer, it's hard to sift your way through the mire. It can help to first decide what it is that you really need in order to achieve the outcomes you want. Do you need more product knowledge or more confidence? Better communication skills or more confidence? Improved closing skills orore confidence? Better dress sense or more confidence? Get rid of your fear of public speaking?Lack of confidence is the number one stumbling block to sales success. Of course all the other things are important too, but without confidence, you can be the best dressed man on the block with great product knowledge and an ability to communicate clearly and having read all the books on closing the deal and still struggle to make sales targets. We all know people who seem to have it all and yet aren't quite making it.Genuine confidence is at the core of it. I'm not talking about that surface only confidence that's all about appearances, but a real authentic confidence that just exudes from its owner. We all know those who seem to just attract others to them, creating in others a desire to do business with them without them even needing to think about it or put in any effort. This is genuine confidence and it comes from being certain about who you are, what you're good at and what you stand for.It comes from being completely relaxed about the message you have to deliver and an honest faith in your own integrity and ability. Genuine faith and confidence can sell anything to anyone. So go for training that's not just another workshop on catch phrases that sell, but that offers a more complete personal growth opportunity that once begun, will have you stepping forward in leaps and bounds with authentic success building confidence.To be the best sales person is not about IQ, education, or luck: it's about mastering the skills and mindsets that separate the top 20% of sales people from the rest. The good news is that anyone can learn these skills.In closing. What is the bottom line of sales. It is not to close the deal, but to solve the customers problems. Money is a result of a sale not the other way around!

Original :: sales training and confidence

uncollectible accounts and the role of

Purchasing on credit is an important fabric of how businesses exchange goods and services. Like most companies my organization extends credit on the purchases of merchandise for our customers. In my field, the use of credit is an essential part of doing business and the company extends the purchase of products on credit to help our customers with cash flow.The customer makes a purchase on credit, administers the product to the patient and then submits for reimbursement through the insurance company. The organization extends payment terms for 30, 60 and even 90 days for the use of the products. This helps the customer pay their invoice after they receive reimbursement from the third partynsurance company.In order to limit our risk of non-payment a complete credit history is conducted utilizing the most reliable and objective credit history. Although the organization takes extreme measures to ensure proper and timely payment is achieved often there are accounts that are unable to pay their bills. The company is willing to extend the use of products on credit knowing that some customer may not be able to pay the invoice.The sales volume that is achieved by the extension of credit is higher if the credit was not extended. Some physicians would be unable or on willing to take on all of the risk of using the product prior to reimbursement. The risk that the company takes is offset by the increased profit of the greater sales volume. When the accounts receivable becomes uncollectible the company will reflect this by a valuation adjustment. This is recorded to reduce the carrying value of the asset and recognize the bad debt expense. Allowance for bad debts accounts is called a contra asset and it is reported as a subtraction on the balance sheet. This account communicates to the financial statement readers that a portion of the accounts receivable is uncollectible.Often sales professionals and managers have to deal with customers that are unable to pay their invoices in a timely manner. These customers may be very important to the success of the territory, division and region. This is often a delicate job for the sales representative/manager and takes good internal and external customer relations.Obviously, the company must get paid for the product and services that they offer and it's the role of the credit department to make sure that this is achieved. The sales representative or manger must work as a liaison between the internal credit department and the customer. The main role of the sales representative/manger is to ensure that both parties are on the same page and they are communicating on the reasons why the invoice was not paid on time. There may be legitimate reasons for the late payment and the organization will potentially extend the payment terms.This is only possible if both the customer and the credit department are having an open dialogue. There are some companies that offer additional discounts for paying invoices within the payment terms. I currently work for an organization that offers this discount and it's imperative that the sales representatives are communicating this benefit. These additional benefits are often unknown and they may help the customer become more efficient in paying their bills. This may help cut down on the amount of bad debt that the organization experiences. There are cases when the customers are unable or unwilling to pay the outstanding invoices.In these cases its best to walk away from the situation and spend your efforts with other customers. Chasing bad debt is usually the responsibility of the internal credit department and spending too much time trying to intervene may be detrimental to your success with other customers.

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how to win with purchasing

Let me tell you a secret that all great Demand Creators know - purchasing or procurement is your friend. That's right, Demand Creators love the purchasing and procurement function.How? Why? Here are some reasons:* Purchasing is a brick wall that prevents good salespeople from breaking through, so Demand Creators gain a significant advantage.
* Purchasing is the grand commoditizer and, as such, plays right into a Demand Creator's ability to radically differentiate.
* Demand Creators realize that purchasing people are people too, and are motivated just like everyone else. This knowledge allows them to gain significant control in guiding how purchasers make decisions.If you want to be one ofthe few (probably less than 5%) of salespeople who know how to gain an advantage here are some important tips to keep in mind:1. Purchasers, like everyone else, are motivated by achieving business results. The problem for sellers is that the results they seek often are not in alignment with the purpose of the sellers' core offerings. Your job, as a seller, is to first understand the results that they want, then demonstrate how you can achieve them.2. Purchasers rarely live with the pain that your offering is designed to solve. So, the more you talk about superiority and expertise the less you are going to impact them. You must talk with purchasers about critical issues for them.3. Most importantly, you need to understand the people in purchasing are responsible for one primary function: purchasing the proper specs at the lowest possible price.So, if you want to impact the decision without lowering your price you must get the buying organization to change the specs. Simply put, if you change what it is that purchasing is looking to purchase, then the budget and the decision that purchasing makes will change as well.To truly succeed when procurement is involved, you must influence the [decision criteria] that determines the specs. You must remember that procurement is not responsible for setting the specs - it is responsible for fulfilling them. Other people - those who live with the pain - set the specs. Make sure you talk to them before they think they know what they want.Please do not misunderstand this post. I am in no way saying that procurement is unimportant or should be avoided. It should be embraced and supported in the context of enabling your customers to achieve their critical results.

Original :: how to win with purchasing

6 sigma training objectives of a six

The objective of any Six Sigma Training programme is to improve the business processes at every level within the organisation by reducing defects and wastefulness. Six Sigma within the organisation automatically puts into place a culture of communication amongst the members of the team which enables them to perform their duties in a much better way. Therefore, by striving to improve processes and people, Six Sigma successfully improves a company's profitability and its bottom line in the long run.It is for the above reasons that Six Sigma training is very much in demand today and people all over the world are exploring options to be trained in Six Sigma methodology. While some people areortunate to receive Six Sigma training from their employer, others have to enrol to a course available at a nearby location. However, owing to hectic lifestyles and demanding jobs, most employees choose Six Sigma training courses that are conducted online and are self paced in nature.Six Sigma Training is available at every level of the six sigma hierarchy; the most basic level of six sigma training is the Yellow Belt programme, then the Green Belt, then the Black Belt followed by the Master Black Belt programme which is at the most advanced level.The most basic level of six sigma training is the Yellow Belt. A Yellow Belt has a basic knowledge of Six Sigma but does not lead projects independently. A Yellow Belt usually takes part in a six sigma project as a subject matter expert.A common myth surrounding Six Sigma Training is that organisations or individuals have to almost always invest in a Black Belt training programme to ensure that their business processes are running smoothly or that the individual's career path takes off in a better way. Besides since this is an expensive course, many individuals or organisations may be discouraged to go ahead with the training.However, experts point out that investing in a Green Belt Training programme is a far more affordable option and organisations who are investing in this are actually reporting amazing business results. Since Green Belt Training is not the most basic level of a Six Sigma course, it allows individuals to obtain a Six Sigma certification at a low cost and gives them a fair chance of participating in Six Sigma projects. Besides, since Green Belts play an important role in implementing Six Sigma projects, they are very much in demand. A typical Green belt Training programme focuses on the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure Analyse, Improve and Control) and teaches individuals the different stages in a six sigma project.At the next level of the Six Sigma hierarchy is the Black Belt. The role of a Six Sigma Black Belt in a Six Sigma project is to oversee successful execution of six sigma principles into action. Apart from receiving training in Green Belt curriculum (DMAIC Framework), Black Belts will also have to learn the tools that stimulate the decision making process. Moreover, since the primary goal of a black Belt is to formulate and execute business plans and projects, they will have to learn the art of strategic thinking.The most advanced level of Six Sigma is the Master Black Belt, who acts as a leader in a project and takes on the role of mentor to the Green Belt and the Black Belt.

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lean six sigma training objectives of

Lean Six Sigma is a combination of the principles of six sigma and lean manufacturing. While Six Sigma is a relatively new concept, lean manufacturing techniques have existed for a long time now. Lean Six Sigma is used to solve complex problems where techniques from both disciplines can be used to completely analyse a problem and come to a solution. Those working on a particular problem are exposed to both Lean and Six Sigma tools so that they can use their discretion and ascertain whether the problem needs to be solved using the DMAIC approach or a Lean tool. While Lean methods and Six Sigma are both used to continuously improve a process, Lean brings about smaller changes that show a poitive impact over a period of time. On the other hand, Six Sigma techniques bring about conspicuous significant changes that have a major impact on the quality and performance of a business.Compared to Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma is a more cost effective method of quality improvement which is why it is used more often in businesses of a small nature. Six Sigma projects usually include expenses of a huge nature and are therefore reserved for large companies who are able to afford them and are also on the lookout for a complete makeover in the quality of their business.Lean Six Sigma Training and Lean Six Sigma Certification are available via online as well as onsite courses. Online courses are self paced but there is a time limit for completing the course. Onsite courses are scheduled on days and times predetermined by the Training Provider. A Lean six Sigma training programme teaches individuals how to apply pressure for attaining speed and high levels of quality in a manufacturing process. It teaches individuals how to get rid of defects or variations in a manufacturing process. Lean six Sigma promotes the need for balanced approach in any business; it points out that neither aspect, be it speed or quality can be ignored. It highlights that every aspect in a business is important for it to run successfully. This ensures that customers and shareholders are happy and improves the overall level of speed, quality, cost, capital and customer satisfaction maintained by an organisation.The core objective of any Lean Six Sigma Training programme is to focus on what a customer looks for in a business; in terms of product or service quality, costs and fuctioning. Lean Six sigma Training teaches how to keep processes under control, improve speed and keep capital requirements low.Some institutes that provide training in Lean Six Sigma are: Six Sigma Training.org- This programme is sponsored by Pyzdek University, which offers online training on six sigma and lean six sigma by Thomas Pyzdek, author of "The Six Sigma Handbook". This course includes over 70 online modules, online resources for study, online forums for communicating with instructors, email support and lots more.
Aveta Business Institute - Online courses are offered on DFSS (Design For Six Sigma) and Lean Six Sigma. These two courses are combined because experts working on a Lean Six Sigma project often face obstacles on the way which sometimes requires them to redesign the products or the process. Hence, a training on DFSS is useful. Moreover, the Lean Six Sigma certification course provides training on how to develop a systematic approach towards waste reduction in the value chain. It teaches one to identify defects and /or defective work. It also keeps a check on overproduction, unnecessary processing or excess inventory. This course integrates the principles of DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify). This results in product designs that consistently meet customer requirements, target costs, target release dates, and manufacturing requirements.

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5 body language myths busted

The truth behind the smileImagine how much easier your life would be if you could read people's minds?Such superhuman powers would increase your sales tenfold if you were able to delve inside the head of your prospect and turn each situation into a money in the bank deal.The good news is that it is possible. I can hear you ask how is it possible the answer with some training.The ability to read "nonverbal communication" is an essential skill when trying to strike business deals in today's property, or motor vehicle industry in fact I will go further and say within any industry that requires you to sell, now that takes in close to all industries out there currently competing for the dollarThe problem that most of us have is that we usually interpret a smile or lack of eye contact incorrectly that is emotionally, instead of scientifically. The first lesson is to decipher the type of smile being given as it could be one of happiness, of contempt or fear, yes some people actually smile when they are afraid.Up to 85 percent of communication is non-verbal. In other words, we watch for clues to the meaning and intent behind what is being said, we get our clues from gesture, facial expression, posture hand movements and smiles.Now doubt you have listened to something being said and suddenly get the feeling that the person speaking does not really mean what they are trying to tell you. In short the speaker cannot be trusted, they don't really mean it? This is our warning bells ringing that is why, we instinctively recognize that the person is lying, the more we observe the persons eye, nose and mouth movement, along with hand gestures, these are the four major nonverbal cues typically associated with lying.A word of caution you may not always be correct in your assessment as you may have preconceived prejudices or been brought up to believe that all sales people are inherent liars with the sole goal of ripping you off. Relax, often times when you relax and get to know the person a little better you opinion changes and your trust grows, little wonder that con men and women do so well as they are well versed in the art and psychology of body language. An accurate knowledge of body language and how you can use it is an essential factor in this process. It can be all too easy to jump to the wrong conclusion about a situation if you aren't careful!So what are the Myths that we are told to believe as being right.1. A liar can't look you in the eye2. More eye contact the better3. Men show dominance by touching in a variety of ways4. People smile when they are happy5. You can't trust fast talking people.Here are a few truths behind those body language myths.1. A liar can't look you straight in the eye.There is a persistent belief that people with shifty eyes are probably lying, this isn't necessarily true. It could mean that the person is nervous, but you might need to look elsewhere for an emotional interpretation before jumping the gun. Pathological liars can make eye contact and be sincere while they are lying through their teeth.2. More Eye contact the better.This long-held belief is the opposite to the idea that shifty-eyed people are liars. Most of us are comfortable with eye contact lasting a few seconds, but any eye contact that persists longer than that can make us nervous. We assume that there is something else going on.Often when this happens to you the thought that goes through your mind is why is he staring at me or what have I done wrong in some instances you may thing that the reason for the long eye contact is an attempt at flirting. Making amorous advances towards a prospect isn't't a good career move!3. Men show dominance by touching in a variety of ways. It is a widely accepted belief that powerful people in society, often men - show dominance over others by touching them in a variety of ways, recent examples of this are heads of state one in particular was President Bill Clinton who loved touching as a show of affection, respect and dominance the fact is, women initiate touch more often than men do. In Sales, I wouldn't extend to physical contact with anything more than a handshake and perhaps a brief touch on the arm.4. People smile when they're happy. People smile for all sorts of reasons, but only one of which is to signal happiness. Smiles can range from a "felt" or true smile to the fear smile, the contempt smile, the Mona Lisa smile, the miserable smile, and a number of others. Whatever their origin or motivation, smiles have a powerful effect on us humans. Be friendly and approachable, but if you smile all of the time then people may begin to question your integrity - and wonder whether you are actually going to treat them and their needs seriously.5. You can't trust a fast-talking people. The belief that speed and deception go together is a widespread and enduring one. People talk at an average rate of 125 to 225 words per minute; at the upper end of that range listeners typically find themselves beginning to resist the speaker. However, the opposite is greater cause for suspicion. Speech that is slow, because it is laced with pauses, is a more reliable indicator of deception than the opposite.Now we have busted the myths, let's examine a few gestures to look out for when reading people's behavior.Body Language of Liars:? Physical expression is limited, with few arm and hand movements. Hand, arm and leg movements are toward their own body as the liar takes up less space.? Hands touching their face, throat & mouth. Touching of /or scratching the nose or behind their ear. Not likely to touch his chest/heart with an open hand.Interactions and Reactions? A guilty person gets defensive. An innocent person will often go on the offensive.? A liar is uncomfortable facing his questioner/accuser and may turn his head or body away.? A liar might unconsciously place objects between themselves and you.Most of the research into nonverbal communications shows that people are not very good at hiding their feelings. Emotions regularly run free. Most of us are not good at decoding those emotions as we would like to think we are!Stand out from the rest of the sales people and become a body language expert. It will give you the competitive edge in a demanding marketplace.

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customer service training crucial to

Customers-service training is targeted towards improving communication skills and understanding different styles of communicating. Possessing good customers service skills is crucial to attaining a positive organisational image and therefore a loyal customer's base. Dealing with customers in a friendly and polite manner can actually help generate repeat business and recommendations. Customer-service employees are the face of the company. These employees have the special opportunity of directly interacting with the customer's on a face to face basis and promoting or representing all that the company stands for. How successful they are on their job is dependent on the service skills they posess.The way in which a service employee has dealt with the customer's determines whether or not the customer's will come back to the company for a repeat service or purchase. This is where the importance of customer-service training crops up. A typical course in customer's service training will teach students what the customers actually wants and doesn't want. It also highlights common errors committed by a customer-service employee and the impact it has on the reputation of the company and therefore the business. It also highlights the importance of having a positive appearance, approach to one's job and the importance of greeting the customers with a smile. Courses in service training are available all over the world. Normally, a course in customers training would teach the following topics:1. Quality customer-service2. The importance of customer-service3. Expectations of the customers4. Making customer-service a part of organisation culture5. First impressions/critical service moments6. Face-to-face and telephone/mail/email contact7. Handling complaints and difficult customers8. How to measure customer's satisfaction9. The importance of customer's retention10. Service standards and professionalism11. Communication types and processes12. Attitudes and people's perceptions13. Satisfaction, self-esteem and accomplishment14. Systems, processes and procedures15. Service versus care concepts16. 100% quality delivery - getting the basics consistently right17. Internal and external customersBeacon Consulting is an organisation that trains people in the essentials of service quality. Not only does this programme aim to teach candidates specific skills but encourages them to develop a mindset that is needed to provide good service to a customer's.Customer's Focus is an organisation which specializes in providing service training and tries to meet world class standards in service, quality and cost control. Some of the programs offered by Focus are:
Creating CEOs' is a training program targeted towards front line personnel. It also trains employees to build a culture of customer-focus within an organisation which leads to customer loyalty.
'Patient Satisfaction Skills' is a training programme targeted towards improving service skills in the healthcare industry.
'The Patient's Voice' is another programme which aims to achieve patient-centred healthcare with the help of collaboration between patients and their care givers. Customer's service training is also provided at Service Quality Institute where the training programme aims to change attitudes and behaviours to better service performance.Therefore, no matter what a company's business or core product is, it really doesn't matter if there is no one to sell it. Excellent service support is crucial to the survival of any business and is necessary to retain old customers for life and to prospect new ones.

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