webbased employee training provides

With the current state of the US economy including financial bailouts from the federal government, stock market plummeting, and high unemployment rates, the pressure on businesses to be more productive with less resources has skyrocketed. Operating more efficiently and cost-effectively has become the current corporate mantra.During this volatile economic situation, more businesses are faced with the challenges of maximizing employee performance and increased productivity. One way in which businesses can achieve operational excellence while continuing to cut costs is to invest in web-based employee development and training.This current trend in e-learning continues to defy the challenges fcing corporate America today. Through the continual investment in employee development, businesses are able to accelerate business growth and differentiate themselves from the competition.How can investing in Web-based learning for employees contribute to a company's bottom line? Web-based learning provides employees the opportunity to enhance their core skills and competencies while providing employers with a cost-effective means to improving employee productivity. With Web-based learning programs, employees are able to take courses in the convenience of their office or home - resulting in minimal loss of productivity, money saved in travel, time out of the office and more.Perhaps the most important benefit for businesses is Web-based learning provides employees the opportunity to learn in a more productive manner while enabling them to begin contributing to the productivity and profitability of the business in a faster method over traditional learning. New hires are now capable of contributing to a company's bottom line in a more concise manner.When searching for an online learning resource, be sure to look for one that provides an interactive, real time learning atmosphere. This type of learning allows learners to interact directly with the instructors for a more enhanced learning experience.

Original :: webbased employee training provides

a proven strategy for sales success

Do you have a strategy for sales success, or do you just "wing it" and hope for the best? Maybe you do have a strategy, but it isn't working as well as you would like. Whatever the case, you're reading this because you're interested in improving your sales results, so what you're going to learn today is a proven strategy for sales success.The first step in your strategy for sales success is to adopt a successful mindset. Do not underestimate the importance of your mindset! Take a close look at any really successful salesperson in any industry and you will see that they work extremely hard at cultivating a mindset of winning. They simply refuse to allow themselves to think negative thought. They won't even associate with other salespeople who are negative lest they become "infected" themselves. So do what the best salespeople do, fill your mind with positive thoughts and expectations and don't let anyone poison your mindset.The next step in your strategy for sales success is to become a student of successful selling techniques. Great salespeople understand that selling isn't a job, it's a profession. It requires ongoing education just like a doctor, a lawyer, or an accountant if you want to stay at the top of your field. Read sales books instead of watching television at night. Listen to sales/self improvement CD's in your car in between appointments. Seek out other top salespeople and pick their brains. The improvement in your sales will happen automatically.Now that you're full of positive thoughts and you're studying the fundamentals of successful selling, you need to develop a strategy for sales success that follows this basic formula: develop rapport first, ask questions to discover your client's needs and wants, use follow up questions to magnify those needs and wants into must-haves, get a commitment to take action if you can satisfy those must-haves, then make a presentation that focuses exclusively on those things and nothing else. Ask for the order every time!Now of course, you're going to get objections quite often, so your strategy for sales success must include strategies for dealing with them. Within three months of selling any product or service, you will have heard just about every objection you're ever going to hear and you should be ready for them. Talk to your sales manager and the other top salespeople in your company and put together your best ways to overcome the most common objections. Keep them in a notebook and read them every day. When they start to become second nature to you, your confidence and your sales will skyrocket!Maybe the most important part of your strategy for sales success is to practice. Yes, practice! Practice your warm up, practice your presentation, practice your closing sequence, practice your objection handling techniques. If you think you don't need to practice, think about this: Tiger Woods is unquestionably the greatest golfer in the world today, and one of the reasons he got that good is because he practices harder than anyone else. He knows that if he wants to stay on top, he has to keep practicing everyday and so should you.It really isn't that hard to be extremely successful in selling. Stay relentlessly positive, study everything you can about how to sell better, prepare in advance for the objections you know you're going to get, and practice, practice, practice. That's a proven strategy for sales success!

Original :: a proven strategy for sales success

rv sales training keeping your customers

It's that time of year when our presentation skills should be perfected, refined, and designed to capture our customers attention and keep it.Most presentations flop out of the gate because they fail to answer the key question on the minds of listeners: Why should I care?What's the most important message you want to leave your customer with-and why should they care? Every customer instinctively wants to know one thing: What's in it for me?The greatest public speakers are those who work at making their addresses both interesting and that relates to the customer.Make yourself interesting from the start. You can't afford to have your customer lose interest in those first few moments.You liteally have just a few seconds to make a lasting impression-from as little as two seconds to 90 seconds, depending on which study you cite. Regardless of the exact time, it's fast.Given that fact, it's important that you make a strong, emotional connection with your customers with your first few words. And those first few words should grab your customers by getting them involved with the content of your presentation.Give your customers a reason to care:I remember as a young sales person being taught to walk up to my motor homes and pound my fist, hard against the side walls of the coach demonstrating my construction quality. (Don't try this at home).The thunderous noise certainly got my customers attention. Was it the side wall construction they were concerned about? Maybe yes, maybe no.My objective was to do something different and interrupt the pattern that they were about to get the same presentation they got down the street.Another sales person I worked with went right out, and without a word, climbed up the ladder and began jumping up and down on the roof. (Don't try that at home either).Customers attention; He had it. Now they were listening and we could go to work focusing our presentation on what was important to the customer, confident in the fact they were paying attention, maybe to see what goofy thing I would do next.Make sure this animated silliness does not continue throughout your presentation or you will lose credibility.Make a positive impression on your customers by giving them a reason to care about your message. Let them know that the next 20 or 30 minutes will be valuable for them.The goal of most presentations is to lead the customer to some sort of action: buying an RV or scheduling a follow-up call or appointment to learn more. The more memorable the message, the easier it is to act upon.Be sure to focus on what is important to your customer by asking high quality questions.After making sure the customer is in budget by using the choice technique word tracks, say something like, "There certainly is a lot about this RV I could tell you but let me ask you this... What is important to you?You should have acquired usable info during an initial interview if possible.
Be prepared. They just might tell you how to sell them!Be sure to use proper trial closing techniques and word tracks at the appropriate moments to make sure you are still on the right unit before continuing to the next step of your presentation.Uncover hidden objections as you proceed to make the transition to the write up an easier one.Make your message memorable by grabbing the attention of your customer right out of the gate. Give them a reason to care about what you have to say.Now Go Sell Something!

Original :: rv sales training keeping your customers

rv sales training the importance of

With lighter than normal floor traffic, selling and follow up skills have never been more important to our success in RV sales. Everyone who's been to my classes knows my mantra; "They're Gonna Buy. They're Gonna Buy Today. They're Gonna Buy From Me. They're Qualified, and They Can Afford It". As always, there is NO REASON to not have this Mindset with every customer that comes on the lot, until THEY prove otherwise. If however, they don't "Buy Today" then we go into "Follow Up" mode.With sales and pricing competition getting fierce, proper phone skills become critical to getting the customer back to the store. Once a customer returns, closing ratios jump dramatically. Even more reason toget good on the phones.Here's some tips to help you out with your next phone calls.1. Always leave a message.Most everyone has caller id today. If you call your customer, get voicemail or an answering machine, and don't leave a message, they know it was your dealership (you) that called. This sends a negative message to the customer that perhaps they were just another customer on your to do list, as opposed to someone of value and importance. This could reinforce a customers potentially negative perception of us as salespeople. We often don't leave a message for the simple reason we don't know what to say, panic, and hang up. The solution is preparation. One of two things is going to happen when you make the call. Someone will either answer or you'll get voicemail. That's about it, so just be prepared for both before making the call. "This is what I'm going to say if they answer, and this is what I'm going to say if they don't answer." Be prepared and don't hang up. Give your customer service, and value.2. Call sooner rather than later.If your customer leaves the dealership without buying, and you have their information, do not leave it for later to call and tell them thank you. It should be the first thing you do when they leave. Just a courtesy message to tell them thank you for visiting your dealership and taking the time to look at your products. Make yourself available to answer any questions that may have come up after they left. Don't try to sell anything. Make sure you leave your name, dealership, and the product they were looking at, at least once if not twice to reinforce who you are. They more than likely stopped somewhere else either before or after your dealership and you need to set yourself apart. If you put off this step till "later", it won't happen till you start your follow up, which may be a day or two.3. Don't over qualify the customer before making the follow up call.I always say, "You don't know, what you don't know". You can't read the customers mind and have no idea what is going through their mind after leaving your dealership. If you just go off your "feelings" about the customer, you are making a mistake. I've seen countless customers perform "miracles" after leaving the dealership to get the RV you got them excited about. If you're not their when this "miracle" occurs, someone else may get the deal.4. When the customer answers, ask if you caught them at a good time.There's nothing worse for any of use than a salesperson endlessly yapping away when we have other things happening at that particular moment. If they are in the middle of something they aren't pro-actively listening to ANYTHING you are saying. I call it the "Baby on the hip syndrome". She's got a baby on the hip, something boiling over on the stove, the cat's thrown up on the carpet, the dog's barking at the UPS driver ringing the doorbell and here you are looking for an appointment. You are now public enemy number one. If it is a bad time, and you asked, they will be more receptive to you following up at a more appropriate time.5. Always stay positive on the phone, even if the call does not go your way.You may have caught the customer when they are focused on something else and they may not give you the responses you're looking for. Keep smiling!! It's not over, till it's over. Stay upbeat and positive no matter what. Be the salesperson that someone is happy to talk to, when the time is right. Negative attitudes on the phone are poor customer service and in today's RV market that may be all you have.Now Go Sell Something!

Original :: rv sales training the importance of

increase your sales and longterm

Whether you are in real estate, insurance, network marketing, or any other sales related industry, knowing why a customer buys is critical. How can such various sales industries be addressed simultaneously? Because ALL customers--regardless of what they are buying--have a common thread. According to The New Conceptual Selling by Robert B. Miller and Stephen E. Heiman, "People buy for their own reasons, not for yours." This sounds like common sense, but it is a concept overlooked by most salespeople.In the first chapter of The New Conceptual Selling, Miller and Heiman expand on this idea and demonstrate how salespeople can improve their sales and long-term profitability by keeping this inind. In traditional sales, the salesperson is initiates the transaction, does most of the talking, and is responsible for the outcome. However, in today's high tech, global internet market, customers are well educated and have more purchasing options. In order to survive in this highly competitive field, salespeople need to engage customers as their partners in each sale and include them in the process. This will give salespeople a higher chance of ending the transaction in a win-win solution for both parties.In order to improve your client relationships and enhance your sales, stop selling--in the traditional sense--and start listening. It is crucial to know your customers' reasons for buying before diving into a product pitch. It is essential to know what solutions they desire before attempting to offer any. Traditional sales methods of "performing" for customers--explaining detailed product information, statistics, analyzes, graphs, and charts; keeping the dialogue going, filling any awkward silences; keeping them on the right track (yours), and quickly fielding any objections--are growing obsolete.Search out a customer's true needs--instead of pushing the product you need to sell. Focus on truly satisfying a customer rather than doing whatever it takes to make a sale. Remember that every customer is unique with unique reasons for purchasing your solution. Don't expect to use the same script with every customer and lead each of them to signing on the dotted line. Try a new approach instead of just doing more of the old one. Positive thinking won't always be enough. Sometimes you will have to learn, grow, and change yourself in order to change your results.In order to incorporate these customer-engaging ideas, according to Miller and Heiman your sales calls should include three phases: getting information, giving information and getting a commitment. In the first phase, getting information, find out as much as you can about your customer's situation. Find out why they are dissatisfied with their current situation, what solution they have in mind, what else they have tried to resolve or fix the problem and any other details that will help you understand where they are coming from. Then in the second phase, giving information, you can tailor your product or solution knowledge to how it will apply to this particular individual. You do not need to give them every last detail you know about your product, only the information pertinent to them and their situation. Finally in the third phase, getting a commitment, you can help your customer make the best possible choice for their situation.It is important to note you will not always have the solution they need! Sometimes you will have to admit that your product or solution is not what they are searching for. It is always best to admit this up front, rather than down the road. As salespeople, we all have a customer that was more work than they were worth, at least one customer we wish we had never sold to. While difficult to pass up a sale, if it isn't in the customer's best interest, it probably won't be in your best interest in the long term either.Applying these techniques will make for happier customers up front, but it will also increase your long-term profitability. These customers are more than just customers. They are now your partners in this sale. They will come back for repeat business, give good referrals and through their networks, can increase your sales exponentially. An unsatisfied customer can do exactly the opposite.Look for my next article which will detail how customers make buying decisions.

Original :: increase your sales and longterm

rv sales training generating rv sales

When preparing this article I came across this anonymous quote:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It know it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle...when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." I think I've seen it before, but considering where we are in the RV business today it seemed to fit.So, what about this "money lying in the streets of the RV business"? Well, it comes from my personal observations in travelling the country training RV sales people and managers over the last 4 years. Some ofs just "aren't running when the sun comes up". At the end of every class, I ask everyone what they got of training today. There usually is always one who says, "I realized today that I need to work harder". Eureka! (I found it!).This isn't that hard if....if we step back and take an objective look at what we do everyday. The actual actions that we take, realizing that high quality action produces high quality results.How to have a 13 and 1/2 month year.If your year was longer would you make more money year to date? Of course. Short of discovering time travel, where can you pick up more time? Several weeks ago I told you we all wake up with the same thing; 1440 minutes that look us in the eye and say "What are you going to do with me?" The reality of the RV business, at least for salespeople, is that most of us only work 2-3 hours per day, tops. I know because that's what I did when I was on the line. You may be the exception, however, I work with a lot of salespeople across the country and it isn't any different no matter where you are.So what do you do with the other 6-8 hours per day? Would you be willing to accept a raise in income in exchange for some of that down time? Just work 1 more hour per day. That's it. Don't ADD it to your day, just WORK another hour of that 6-8 you don't do anything. Why is that such a big deal? Just do the math.1 hour per day of productive work x 5 days a week = 5 hours per week.
5 hours per week x 4 weeks a month = 20 hours per month.
20 hours per month x 12 months per year = 240 hours per year.
240 hours / 40 hours a week = 6 weeks.
6 weeks of productivity every year. Let that sink in a minute.....
That's how you get 13 1/2 months out of a year.Why is this so important? Look at what we actually do in RV sales today.
If we're actually working 3 hours a day x 5 days a week = 15 hours per week.
15 hours x 4 weeks x 12 months = 720 hours per year.
Actual "full time" jobs = 2000 hours per year.Yes, I know you probably work longer on weekends and when you have good floor traffic, but take your actual working with a fresh up out of the equation and you will understand what I'm talking about. It's the rest of our time we need to look at. If you show me what you do with your "spare" time in the RV business, I'll show you what you're going to make next year.You see sometimes it's not what you're doing, it's what your not doing. I know from first hand experience that it is easy to do nothing in RV sales or any type of commission sales. Remember that pain/pleasure thing we talked about last time? It applies here in a huge way because it affects your income and your ability to take care of yourself and your family.Bottom line, work harder. This takes Self-Discipline, one of the 35 keys to being a Top Producer in the RV business. It also takes a daily written plan of action, another key. It takes alot of things we teach in our RV sales training classes. You've heard, "The harder I work, the luckier I get". LUCK = Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. With emphasis on laboring.When you can you start with your new found productivity? How about right now?
How about 20 minutes on product knowledge, 20 minutes on selling skills and 20 minutes on a positive mental attitude. Mix it up depending on your experience level. Do part of it yourself, and get your teammates involved in part of it.Is there any reason you can't WORK another hour today? You don't have to come in earlier, or stay later. Just come to work to work. If you throw 240 hours of focused effort at anything, you will improve and get results. You will feel better, make more, which will make you feel better, which will make you more.... you get the picture. Unlike many other sales trainers out there today, I spent many years on the line selling RV's. I felt best and made more when I was busy doing something.Just Sell On Purpose and like the lion in Africa, wake up tomorrow, kill something, and eat it.

Original :: rv sales training generating rv sales

rv sales training generating rv sales

I remember years ago hearing from a phone trainer from Belgium, in his heavy French accent, "If you live off the floor, you'll die off the floor". He was right. People will RV, and thank goodness there is nothing we can do to stop them. Part of our problem today is that there is not a lot of them coming in the front door. Don't get, or stay, discouraged. Remember the harder we work the luckier we'll get. I know that the sales and money are available to us if we just know where to look.Diggin' for Gold.
California is Gold Country and I enjoy prospecting as a hobby. Unfortunately, I get to use the analogy more than I get to go out actually looking for gold anymore but... Prospecting for god is an art and a science, combined with hard work. You could just pack up your shovel, pan, sluice box and a strong back, head into the hills or a river and start digging. But more than likely you'll end up with a sore back and an empty pan. Or you could do some research first. Discover where gold might actually be. Understand what geological features of the land to look for. Go where gold has already been found. Listen to people who prospect. (Don't ask them where the gold is, they won't tell you. Just let them talk...there's a lesson there.)We do all this, before we even pick up the shovel. You see, I don't mind getting dirty. I just want to do it with a Purpose in mind and maximize my return.So where is the "Gold" in the RV business. Well, like prospectors during the gold rush, many times it's laying right at our feet. 3 key markets to look at are.1. Repeat Business
2. Referral Business
3. Service DriveLet's look at the facts:1. Repeat Business.
Math doesn't lie. If someone bought an RV, there is a good chance at some point they will buy another. The average time for someone to trade in their RV is around 39 months depending on where you are. If you're relatively new to the RV business and you have not built your customer base yet, there are still ways to tap this market.If you have been in the RV business for a couple of years you should be taping this now. If you have been in for several years you should be taking, (or waiting for), very few walk in customers.
Do your own math. Find out how many RV's you have sold during your career. Most sales people don't know. After the deal rolls we maybe, maybe call the customer to make sure they are happy and that's about it. I know as well as you do that it is all about "the deal today" but if I don't continue to stay in contact with my sold customers I have placed my own self imposed limits as to their value to me, and my income.If we work smart, we "create" be backs, not hope we will get one. Customers trading in quickly is not unusual. I've seen it happen the same day. I've seen customers buy and trade 3 units within 6 weeks! Stop thinking that "you would never do that", "you" are not buying anything. "They" are...let them.Find out today how many RV's you have sold at your dealership. Managers, get the sales people the info. If you have been with your dealership for a few years you may be shocked to learn what that number is. Say you sell 5 units a month. That's 60 a year and you've been with your dealership for say, 4 years. That's 240 sold customers. 240 buyers who liked you, believed you, listened to you, and trusted you. Now ask yourself when was the last time you called any of them? It's not about the floor traffic...it's about our attitude and work habits.If you're new to RV sales, get a list of orphan owners. Orphan owners are previously sold customers whos salesperson no longer works for the dealership. How big is that list? At one of my in house training dealers they estimated they had over 30,000. Most with no salesperson attached to them. You work hard for your deals. How would you like to work half as hard for the next one, and make more money?2. Referral Business.
How do you get referrals? ASK
Ask and ye shall receive.
Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and the door shall be answered.I don't make this stuff up! It never ceases to amaze me what people will do if you ask. So who do you ask for referrals from? Everybody. When do you ask for referrals? All the time.I run a web video production company as well as my sales training company. It started from me doing my own personal videos for training and marketing purposes. A friend of mine in a different industry saw what I was doing and asked me to do some work for him. Not only did I take the job, but I did it for free. I owed this man, for many reasons. He's one of my mentors. Someone I would trust with anything or anyone.This type of human association is worth more than all the gold in the world. More on mentors another time but suffice to say this person did not come into my life by accident. It felt good to repay his guidance with hard work, a good product and good service.He has since sent so much business my way I can barely keep up. He has put our business on the map. Now the clients he has referred to us, have begun sending us referrals as well. We don't have to look for any clients. We do good work, provide a good service, provide tremendous value, and they just keep coming. I am a firm believer in referrals. I spoke at the RV Dealers Association Convention this year, because of referrals.You see it doesn't matter if your customer buys from you or not, or if they qualify or not. None of these have anything to do with asking for referrals. If they buy, tell them thank you, and ask them for referrals. If they don't buy, tell them thank you for coming, and ask for referrals. If they can't buy, tell them your sorry, and ask for referrals.I've been in the RV business for a long time so here's a little truth. I don't care what other trainers have told you. I remember going to classes and they would talk about asking for referrals and tell me most everyone would give me a referral. I remember thinking, what planet are you on? Most people will not give you a referral. Get over it.I come from the RV sales line and did very well and I know most people won't cough up a name and number, period. Setting unrealistic and unachievable goals is foolish. Your job is to ASK EVERYONE. The right way. Some will, some won't, so what, next. The few you will get will be worth all the no's you will ever get.Referrals have a higher closing ratio ( 6 times the walk in customer ) and usually decent gross profits as well. A warm relationship, an appointment coming in, beats a fresh up any day of the week. It is usually not just an easier sale, but a more pleasant experience for you and the customer alike.I personally know a salesperson who sells 5+ motorhomes per month without taking any ups because of repeat and referrals alone. He got in one dealership and stayed there.3. Service Drive
This is an untapped gold mine. If you have a service department talk to your sales or service manager and ask how many customers come through the drive in a month.Depending on the size of your dealership and how long the dealership has been in business, it is not unusual for me to hear numbers like 200-400 per month. Yours maybe more or less but that is not the point. The point is who is out there. Qualified buyers, that's who's out there.Figure out, realistically, how many customers you could touch in the service department per month. As an individual salesperson, taking out the weekends, then your week days you are off. You have about 2-3 days per week to do this. Go meet 1-2 people each day. You have the time. I know it, you know it. Take action and watch what happens.Let's say you meet 5 new people per week. Remember, all you need to do is offer someone a cup of coffee and start a conversation with open ended questions. That's 20 opportunities per month or 240 opportunities a year you got because you stayed away from the updesk, got off the internet, stopped texting your buddy (who doesn't pay your bills) etc. If I gave you 240 more opportunities, qualified RV owners, do you think you would make a larger income? The closing ratio on these types of customers is high but let's say that it was typical of a walk in customer, 10%. That's 24 deals per year.Now you do the math. How much is your average voucher times 24? Probably between $8,000 and $25,000 per year. And that is just the service drive. We didn't even count the money from repeat and referral business. We do this in our sales training classes in more detailIf you know what you are doing in RV sales you could make a living and rarely take an up. Work smart and eliminate the frustration. The RV business, regardless of our present temporary economic condition, is a great business that will allow you to take care of yourself and your family, if you Sell On Purpose. If you focus and take action, you just got a big raise.May the bottom of your pan.... always be yellow. (That means filled with gold for you city folk ;)Now Go Sell Something!

Original :: rv sales training generating rv sales

rv sales training the important of

Here's 5 keys ways to maintain a positive mental attitude in RV sales.1. Avoid toxic people.
What does that mean? Who are the toxic people? Toxic people can be well-meaning people but when they talk to you, they are coming from a negative attitude about money, finances, themselves, and especially about the current RV market. They may be fellow RV sales professionals who want to gather at the popcorn machine or coffee pot, or well intentioned friends and relatives trying to "protect" you. Here's what you need to do: either change the subject or walk away. Better yet, speak up for yourself and mention that you want to think positively about the RV business.The world is full of two kinds ofeople. Life givers, and life takers. Decide who you are talking to and make a decision. Remember our "Power of Association" training? Elimination, Limitation, and Expansion of our current Associations. And, adding New and Empowering Associations.2. Avoid the media.
Why? Because their intention is to sell newspapers, magazines and commercial time. The more fearful and negative a picture they can paint, the more they sell.They're mantra is "If it bleeds, it reads". Don't subject yourself to slanted, negative spins on the economy when you can find just as much information to point to the positive. Is every industry slow? No. Real estate is taking a blood bath in the media but my friends in real estate are doing just fine. They're "making lemonade" in the foreclosure market. If you have to read the news, get it online so you can read what you want and move on. Newspapers on the sales floor are a cancer. You will not be able to find anything in a paper that will help anyone make more sales and money. Eliminate them.3. Successful sales people do well in any market.
Don't use the excuse that "the market is bad", for not making money. This is the time to bombard yourself with positive. If you focused every single day on getting positive input you will succeed in any market. If the business isn't walking in the door, than go get it.If you live off the floor, you'll die off the floor. Does everyone you know, know you are in the RV business? If not, why? You don't have to try to sell them anything, just make sure everyone you know, knows what you do. There are people with money just waiting to take advantage of a buyers market. If you sell them now, you will have them in your data base for repeat and referral business later.4. Look for opportunities in todays marketplace.
Campgrounds this summer are filled to capacity. The price of fuel and travel has changed peoples plans. RVing is an economical form of travel, trust me, I travel. If you have an RV or access to one, spend some of your slow time camping where RV owners and buyers are. As a dealer you should be sending a sales person out in an RV every weekend to where Rv'ers go.Not everyone is slow. Local, state and government people are in the same position job and income wise as they were last year, maybe better. Everyone is not in commission sales, or in down industries. Have you lost any firemen, peace officers, postal workers etc. in your neighborhood lately? I have a neighbor who does stress management for cancer patients. She discovered a new market in stress reduction for corporations and her business is booming. I have another friend who just changed careers and became a corrections officer, their business is booming. My auto mechanic is busier than he has ever been, and he's an active RV'er.Brainstorm and make a list of every business trade that has not been affected in a negative way by a downturn, and make a list of ways to pursue them. If you do this as a store using a mastermind concept you will get even better results. Sitting at your desk wondering how you are going to make your next car payment is not going to make you any money.5. Remember that your success depends on your mindset, not on the outer conditions of the market.
Henry Ford said "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right."
Are you taking the time to create a positive mindset in yourself? Your beliefs create your reality. How? Your beliefs control to what extent you tap your potential. If your beliefs are mostly positive you will tap more of your potential, take better quality and hopefully massive action, and get better quality results. (income). As your results increase in a positive way your belief level will increase as well, taping more of your potential and on goes the success cycle.The opposite is the quick sand. If your belief level is poor due to negative input, you will not tap your true potential. If you don't, you will take little if any action, and get little, if any, results. How does that make you feel, good or bad? Probably bad, and if you feel bad do you tap your potential?See how that works? Who controls which direction this circle goes? That's right, you do.Now Go Sell Something!

Original :: rv sales training the important of

rv sales training how to use trial

Often times customers have hidden objections that they will not share with a sales person unless they are directly asked a question. These obstacles directly affect our ability to close effectively with minimal negotiations. Discovering and closing on these objections is critical to the sale. The key to this process is to ask High Quality Questions. Although many smaller trial closes are used throughout a presentation, there are 4 important selling points to use a trial close before moving to the next step of a presentation.1. After an Inside Presentation.
2. After an Outside Presentation.
3. After a Demo Drive (if motorized).
4. Before going inside to write a deal.
The word tracks for tral closing are simple and flexible. The timing however is critical. We should never proceed to the next step; inside, outside, etc. until we have attempted to uncover any hidden objections.Side Note: I do not believe there is a right or wrong order in which to do a proper feature-advantage-benefit presentation. But we cannot skip any part of a presentation or we are lowering the value of what we are trying to sell. Higher closing ratios are achieved when the value of the RV has exceeded the price before we write the deal.If a customer expresses an interest for example, in the interior features of the RV, (floor plan, kitchen, etc.) that is where you should start. You should show a feature or two at most, than offer the budget choice technique discussed in a previous post, our training class, and in our sales products, to make sure the customer is within their budget, before continuing your presentation.Once the customer has placed themselves within budget we can continue our presentation. After completing the inside presentation, do not move to the outside, or vice versa, without using a trial close like; "After looking at the interior features of your new (motor home, trailer), do you feel this is going to meet your needs?, meet your expectations? solve some of the challenges your having with your current RV?" etc. Then be quiet and wait for a response. If the customer responds with "Yes", it is your opportunity to build value. Don't just move on to the next step. This is perfect time to show the customer how this RV will meet their needs.Build value by saying something like What do you like best? or How do you see this being an improvement over what you have now?. Whatever they say next is important to them so point out an additional benefit to whatever they mention. If they say "No", no problem. You have an objection you need to overcome. Better to find out now and overcome it, before continuing with a complete presentation only to find out they won't buy it because something is wrong with it, or to start negotiating on the price to make them happy. If you get a No, just follow up with "What are you uncertain about?, or Which feature are you concerned about?" Then be quiet and wait for a response.You are about to get an objection. No problem, that is exactly what you want. Objections give you something to close on. You can't close on an unknown. Better to find out now than to continue and increase negotiations at the write up stage. Use the same technique inside, outside, demo drive and before going inside to minimize price negotiations, build value, hold gross profits, and sell more RV's.Now Go Sell Something!

Original :: rv sales training how to use trial

sales training questions are the key

In almost any sales training, questions are touted as the best way to sell more effectively. But you are seldom told which questions to ask, when to ask them, or how to ask them. If you ask the wrong questions, or ask at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, you can do more harm than good. So what are the right questions to ask, and when and how should you ask them? I'm glad you asked!First of all, you should understand the difference between "closed-ended questions" and "open-ended questions". Closed-ended questions are ones that are simply answered with a "yes" or "no". They are best used for confirming information you already know, to clarify a specific point that you're discussing, oro lead a prospect to a commitment. They usually won't help you learn anything new that might help you close the sale, and they tend to cause awkward conversations, so you should keep them to a minimum.The better type of questions by far are open-ended questions. These questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, and usually begin with what, why, how, where, when, or who. The beauty of open-ended questions is that they get the prospect talking, and in so doing gives you information that you need to make the sale.One thing you must be careful of is to not come off as if you're interrogating your prospect. You need to be conversational, as if you're talking to an old friend, or you risk alienating your prospect. Ask them for permission to ask them questions. Let them know why you're asking, i.e. so you can better understand what they're looking for and focus only on the things that they're interested in, etc.Start off with questions that are easily answered and non-threatening, and gradually get into more specific areas. Ask questions about potential areas of concern that your prospect may have that your product or service can solve. When you find one, ask more questions to dig deeper into the issue, such as "tell me more about that?" Ask probing questions to get them talking about how often they have that problem, how long has it been a problem, what have they done to try to fix the problem, and what are the implications of that problem? By probing deeper into the problem, you will help your prospect realize the magnitude of the problem and they will feel more inclined to want to solve it.Try to find at least three problems that you know you can solve with your product or service, because people are much more likely to take action to fix multiple problems than just one. Go through the sequence "identification - probing - implication" with each problem one at a time until you have three or more. Just don't try to jump in and solve the problem yet, make sure you keep asking until you uncover all the problems and there isn't anything left hidden that might be important to them.Now that you've got all the issues out on the table, do a quick recap of each problem, and ask them if you've got it right? Then ask them if there is anything else that you've missed? This will keep them from blind-siding you later. Once you've done that, ask them if they want to fix the problems. If you've done it right, you should get a solid "yes!" at this point. If not, you need to go back and develop some more problems so that your prospect sees the situation as too big to ignore.Now you've got your prospect hanging on your every word, dying to know if you can solve these problems for them. It's time to ask the most important question of all: "Mr. Prospect, if I could show you a way to solve all these problems, is there any reason you wouldn't go ahead with it?" The answer to this question will tell you whether you're ready to present your solution or if you need to ask more questions.Now you know why sales training questions are so important. Put these techniques into action and watch your sales skyrocket!

Original :: sales training questions are the key

what makes a good salesman

One of the most asked questions in the direct sales industry is: what makes a good salesman? It would seem to be an easy question to answer. Just go down to your local bookstore and you'll find stacks of books that claim to have all the answers. But in the real world of selling, what makes a good salesman is a little harder to answer.The reason for this is that there seems to be as many different ways to be successful at sales as there are sales people. On the surface, they all seem to be completely different. But if you look a little closer, you will notice some similarities. The following are some of the traits that all good salespeople share:1. The ability to quickly develop rapport wih their prospective customers. Without rapport, your prospects won't trust you enough to feel comfortable doing business with you. What makes a good salesman is either an innate ability to bond with people, or more likely, working hard to study and acquire this ability.2. A desire to truly help their customers. People can sense when the only thing you care about is your commission. What makes a good salesman is putting the customer's needs and desires first.3. The habit of asking questions to gather information before making a pitch. The average salesman will just start right in with every reason they can think of why someone might want their product and hope that the customer will pick up on something and decide to buy. What makes a good salesman is their knack for finding out what is most important to each individual customer and showing them a product that gives them exactly what they said they wanted.4. Sticking to a consistent, proven sales process. Good sales people don't just show up and "wing it". They know that even though they make some sales that way, in the long run their closing ration is much higher when they follow a step-by-step process that consistently results in more sales. What makes a good salesman is his discipline in sticking to that process every time.5. A never ending desire to learn more about how to sell more effectively. Most salespeople never take it upon themselves to further their own education in the profession of selling. What makes a good salesman is his drive to keep learning, keep improving even when he is already at the top of his game.Being successful at sales isn't really a big mystery. There are some basic fundamentals of interpersonal skills, selling techniques, attitudes and work habits that anyone can learn and apply. What makes a good salesman is simply learning and sticking to those basics.

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successful selling in the 21st century

In case you haven't noticed, the world has changed! Dramatic advances in technology during the past ten years have created more change faster than any previous period in history and guess what fellow sales-folks...success in selling has changed as well!One thing that stayed the same is the importance of establishing trust and building a strong relationship with our customers. Another thing that stayed the same is the importance of finding the unique, specific and individual needs that our customers have and marrying them to the unique values our firm offers.What has changed is how we do that and what it takes to do it successfully!Whether our customers are retail consumers or professionalpurchasing agents, the internet has changed everything. With a click, buyers can learn every product specification, every competing product or service available in the marketplace, all about our company and even all about us!That is not necessarily a bad thing but it certainly changes what we have to do to be recognized as original and/or to be recognized as offering some unique value. Like Seth Godin says, "the TV-Industrial complex is over and with it comes the end of interruption marketing and the advent of permission marketing". So, other than being really remarkable so you stand out from the crowd of competitors, what does that mean to you as a professional salesperson?Just as traditional says there are five P's in successful marketing (product, price, place, promotion and people) I believe there are also five U's that we need to memorize, internalize and practice if our future as sales people is to be a positive and long-term one. The five critical U's are: Unexpected, Unique, Unconventional, Unobtrusive and Unstoppable. Here are the definitions that stand behind my belief in those six U's:1. Unexpected is about being creative in our strategic analysis of every sales opportunity and channel. It is about looking for new and additional customers, sales venues and avenues that our competitors have not even dreamt about!If I am selling industrial tools to manufacturing firms, what retailers am I passing while on my routes that could use or re-sell these products also? If I am selling components and equipment to swimming pool contractors to help them be more effective, what landscapers and deck builders am I passing by who might also profit from my products? If I am selling unique products to drug-stores, are gas stations a viable possibility (vice-versa)? If I am selling high-end jewelry in a retail store, what are the possibilities of doing in-home-jewelry parties? How about educational presentations at private women's clubs? You get the idea!Looking for unexpected channels and potential new customers is best accomplished by structured brainstorming and/or free-thinking exercises while we plan for the coming year and evaluate where we will focus our selling efforts. To be most effective and to gain the most additional sales volume, creativity in planning is critical. You cannot keep doing what you have been doing in the past and expect anything to change for the better! Looking for unexpected sales channels is particularly critical when we are working in mature markets and or slow economic environments. Thinking about possibilities that our competitors are not addressing is the answer to being unexpected.2. Unique is about developing the products or services that separate us from the competition and making sure that all of our customers and potential customers are well aware of those differences. Unique is about finding niche products and services that cannot be easily turned into commodities. Sometimes uniqueness doesn't have anything to do with the products we sell: Do you and your competitors both deliver product to the same customers? If so, can you customize schedules or change the delivery hours to be of help and support to your customers? Can you offer 24/7 ordering capability that your competitors can't? Can you offer unique financing or different terms than your competitors? Can you customize or private-label a product in ways that your competitor can't?What can you do to customize your services to meet the unique needs of even one of your customers or potential customers? If we wanted to make up a word to cover this uniqueness, it would be; customerization...the ability to make our services fit our customer's most challenging requirements. Offering something unique and making sure that our customers and potential customers are well aware of the uniqueness is good for sales and good for increasing margins as well!3. Unconventional is about being truly remarkable in our advertising and promotional messages. If the normal tools for promoting our product or service are being ignored because they interrupt or and are obtrusive, it may be time to try something really out of the ordinary. We have to find something that stirs curiosity and sends a message of gain as opposed to interrupting our potential customer's time or invading her space. Perhaps offering a portion of our product or service for free is the promo that makes it attractive. Perhaps tying our services to an incentive trip or gift makes the customer more willing to listen. Perhaps offering goods or services in multiple languages offers a new more easily understood perspective. Perhaps a message focused on our client's kids turns his head. Perhaps accessing through some form of social network, physical or digital opens new interests. Perhaps a challenging puzzle that the customer must solve is interesting.Whatever the unconventional approach is, the goal should be to build a list of e-mail addresses, by interest in specific areas of product and service and then to establish rapport and only promote specific and targeted items in our communications.4. Unobtrusive is being totally cognizant, respectful and appreciative of our customer's time. This goes beyond the obvious and normal focus on making appointments in advance, planning the call and having the presentation worked out in advance. Being completely unobtrusive requires knowing our customer's business so well that we only communicate with her when we know the new product or service could be of additional value. It means knowing her schedule so well that we only try to make appointments that fit that schedule.Unobtrusive is also about tapping into the folks that have given us permission to market to them as a result of some of the unconventional things we did above. Now that we have generated e-mail lists from those folks who are interested in what we are selling, it is time to begin a sophisticated set of messages to them. Have we categorized our e-mail lists based on which products or services best fit into their needs? Sending message and programs that are always applicable to our customer's specific needs means they will always read what we send. It means we have established credibility based on our ability to be unobtrusive but effective suppliers!5. Unstoppable is about persistence, closing skills, feedback and follow-up. Moving a sale forward or closing a sale is the step that happens when we get a signal that says, "It's time to stop talking and start writing." The "writing" could be as simple as scheduling the next call in the process or scheduling a call with a "specialist" or "expert". The "writing" could be filling out the order. What makes us unstoppable is what we do from that point on.Being unstoppable is about following up on the details, promises and commitments. Most sales people are not very strong in the follow-up area until they get enough experience and maturity to recognize that this is a more solid stream of opportunities and income than cold-calling will ever be!If you are not proficient with the electronic customer relationship management tools your firm provides, get over it! Spend the time and effort needed to become proficient because this is where the money is. Being unstoppable is about using every tool to make sure that relationship with your customer keeps getting stronger. Remembering important dates and events, following up with every task you are committed to and making sure that you use current successes with existing customers to help uncover new opportunities with new customers. That is how tools and good follow-up habits make you more successful.The new, exciting and challenging world of selling in the 21st century is something to be embraced not avoided. Paying attention to the Five U's can make all of us unbelievably successful and real winners.

Original :: successful selling in the 21st century

overcoming objections easily quickly

Being a successful salesperson isn't a talent that you are born with. Some people may have the right instincts and personality traits to potentially be good salespeople, but success still depends on learning and putting into practice the right selling techniques. One of the biggest roadblocks to success in business sales is customer objections. When you are not prepared to deal with them, your prospects for successful sales are bleak. If you take the time to learn positive ways of dealing with and overcoming objections, however, you will see obvious financial benefits.Let's say that you are in the business of selling a certain brand of office furniture. You set up an appointment with andhen visit a business owner. Your goal is getting him to replace the office furniture he has with what you are selling. You make your presentation to the customer, laying out in detail the benefits of buying and using your office furniture. The business owner's first response is that he is happy with the furniture that he has, and none of his employees have ever complained. Almost before he finishes saying this, you jump into how the furniture he has now could actually be physically detrimental to his employees. You tell him that he should replace it with the furniture that you are selling if he cares about the people who work for him. You walk out of there without a sale.In a slightly different scenario, you make your sales pitch to the business owner, detailing positive facts about your office furniture and why it would be beneficial to him and his employees. He tells you that he and his employees are happy with the office furniture that they have and don't see any reason to spend money on different furniture. You listen intently to his objection. You ask him to clarify what it is that he and his employees like about the furniture they are using now. You tell him that you can see why he feels the way he does. You go on to explain that a lot of your customers felt that way at first, but when they bought your furniture they found that there was a significant increase in comfort and decrease in employee injury. You get the sale.In the second example of dealing with the customer objection, you show that you are truly listening and not simply thinking about the next thing that you're going to say. You acknowledge his feelings and empathize with them. You ask him to clarify something to show that you want to make sure that you understand what he's trying to say. You give him examples of others that have felt the same way, and then you go on to show why other customers ended up preferring your office furniture over what they used before. You can see the difference between this kind of positive interaction and respect for the customer's feelings, and the negative approach in the first example.When overcoming objections, customers should always be treated with respect, and their feelings should be taken into consideration. When you think of your customers as people and not potential sales, you are leveling the playing field and creating a positive atmosphere for successful selling.

Original :: overcoming objections easily quickly

sales training in todays uncertain

Sales Training is one of the most effective ways of maintaining a motivated and results oriented team of sales professionals. However, salespeople training is also known to have an impact for only up to 90 days, or for one quarter of the year.For sales training to be effective, measurable against results, in today's economy, it has to be ongoing and consistently re-enforced. The more ongoing and consistent it is, the better the results and the better the return on training investment (R.O.T.I.).Salespeople training is not product, service or company information training. That is product knowledge, which is necessary but needs to be properly positioned in the entire training process.Salesraining will prevent sales executive from talking too much about what they know, when they should be demonstrating empathetic listening.It will allow salespeople to do their job more effectively by first building trust, setting parameters, qualifying opportunities and summarizing.Only after qualifying and summarizing would they know if there is an opportunity for their products and services and if so, they can then reveal what they know in the form of a prescription.Sales professional training is available in many different formats depending on size of sales-force, sales targets, management objectives, participant needs, time allocations, budget, R.O.T.I., etc.For a small sales-force with a limited budget, it can be from simply providing each sales professional with a book, audio, video or online program on sales.The main messages should be presented, discussed and re-enforced at each weekly sales meeting. This is basic, but still important training to keep the team motivated and learning new techniques in today's uncertain economy.It can also be in the form a keynote address or workshop at a sales conference or public sales event. These are also great training opportunities to network and to learn different or new sales techniques.However, these sorts of training need to be followed up on with a debrief and sharing of lessons learned. Those lessons learned then need to be implemented, monitored and discussed on an ongoing basis to be effective.However, attendance at these sort of events needs to be ongoing, at least quarterly, to be effective, all management also needs to get involved in them.Then there is the ultimate of sales training based on partnering program with a reputable salespeople training organization. This is where an in house, customized on going sales management training program is developed and adopted by the organization as their complete salespeople training program.In other words, the end results is that the organization takes ownership of the sales training program and carries on without the entire training organization after an established period of time.The development of this sort of training takes more time, but will have a greater R.O.T.I. than other formats because of it's partnering approach to customization, bottom line contribution and in house ownership.When developing an in house customized sales professional program it takes all factors into consideration - Organization mission and vision, management objectives, participant needs, industry, language, the market, competition, seasonality trends, sales targets, methods of monitoring and measuring, etc.Once the salespeople training program is developed, a train the trainer program could follow for in house delivery. Then there is Sales Management training which should also be developed supporting the sales training program.There is no sense just training the sales executive as they will only do what they see - monkey see, monkey do. The same customization approach would need to take place with more focus on coaching, mentoring, managing and motivating while demonstrating the appropriate skills that they would like to witness in their salespeople.Sales training in today's uncertain economy is needed more than ever. Whatever format you choose to conduct sales training, just make sure it is not the flavor of the month, that it is ongoing, it is consistently re-enforced with methods to monitor and measure it's R.O.T.I.

Original :: sales training in todays uncertain

six success tips for creating enthusiasm

Here's some food for thought....what do gasoline and enthusiasm have in common? They both provide the power to drive us forward. Think about it. In an internal combustion engine gasoline is ignited, unleashing the power to drive our cars. In very much the same way enthusiasm, properly ignited, drives us forward in our business, in our relationships, in our lives.There is no better predictor of sales success than enthusiasm. In selling, I'll choose enthusiasm over any other trait. Intelligence, talent and hard work are of lesser value on their own. Mix in some enthusiasm, however, now you've got a potent mixture! Enthusiasm breeds greatness. As a case in point think about the people you knw who have accomplished great things. Chances are, they all share an enthusiastic zeal for what they do. Think of enthusiasm as the power cell for brilliance."Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your objective. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." ~ Ralph Waldo EmersonDo not confuse enthusiasm with excitement. Excitement is that heart palpitation you feel at the stadium after seeing a bottom-of-the-ninth walk off homerun. Enthusiasm is that inner drive you feel when you are driven to become a ball player. Enthusiasm is excitement supercharged with inspiration, motivation and determination.Enthusiasm is powerful stuff. It can power you to success. It also powers the physical body. Enthusiastic salespeople have lower blood pressure and resting heart rates. They tend to be happier, healthier and feel more fulfilled. They also have more life energy and mojo. Fortunately, enthusiasm is contagious; it tends to rub off on people.So how do we get more of this tonic we call enthusiasm? Here's an Enthusiastic Six List to help you dig down deep and generate some more enthusiasm for yourself.1. Know your products and services up and down, inside and out. Knowing your product and services means understanding everything about them so you can handle anything that a prospect or client throws at you. It means that you have an intimate knowledge of how it works, its features, its benefits, and what it says in the brochures and websites. It means that you listen to your best sales people and to your best clients so you can understand how your products and services benefit them. This product and service knowledge gives you self-confidence that comes across as genuine passion and enthusiasm for what you sell.2. Know your company. Make it your business to know as much as you can about your company. Know its history, core beliefs and values. Understand and live its mission. Know what it means to be world class in your industry and how clients benefit from your value proposition. Know your best clients, understand how they benefit from your products and services, and why they keep coming back to you. As you learn you will develop a new appreciation for the company that will come across as enthusiasm for what you do. You will become a walking testimonial as to why new clients should work with you.3. Share the power. Every product and service you sell has created powerful results that have changed your client's business, even their lives. You need to be able to tell these stories in compelling ways. Go ahead and write down your company's top five client success stories. Focus each story on how your product or service enabled your client to reach his business or personal goals. After you get the stories down on paper, go ahead and practice telling them over and over again. Tell them to your colleagues at work, tell them to your boss, tell them to your prospects, tell them to your clients. Sales success breeds success and potential and current clients want to know how your company has benefited other companies.4. Personal pep talks. Successful sales people create a vision of what success looks like to them. Then they break that vision down into specific goals that drive their day-to-day activities. Goals create enthusiasm. Imagine how excited a child is on Monday morning when he knows he's going to Disneyland over the weekend.During their daily toil successful selling professionals experience the ruts and rejections that all of us do. Sales is not for the feint of heart. To succeed you have to be able to handle rejection on a regular basis. Rejection is no fun and can kill enthusiasm. That's why personal pep talks are so important. Psychologists tell us that we have an inner dialogue 80% of the time and that talking to ourselves in the positive can have a tremendous impact on our mood, energy and self-confidence. During your personal pep talks lean on your vision of success to generate the get-up-and-go you need to realize your vision. Successful people constantly tell themselves how good they are throughout the day. Talk yourself into rising above the challenge and going for greatness.5. Fake it 'til you make it. Action and feeling are intertwined. Have you ever felt really tired during the middle of the day and then went out to get some exercise? Usually the exercise reinvigorates and re-energizes you. That's why doctors recommend exercise for people who are feeling blue. A great way to overcome lethargy or a bad mood is to muster some get-up-and-go. Many times when you act enthusiastic or happy, the genuine feelings follow.A corollary to "fake it 'til you make it" is "think it and you'll be it." Cognitive psychologists tell us that the best way to change our feelings about what we're doing is to change the way we think about what we're doing. The brain tells the body how to feel and the body acts accordingly. It's true, we can direct our own feelings and our outlook on life by changing our thoughts. Next time you feel down and out change your thought process and see what happens. Think about the positives of your situation. Think about attaining your goals and see what happens. You do have the power to change the way you are and future outcomes by adopting a more positive thought process.6. Get in shape. Mustering enthusiasm is so much easier when you're feeling good and your energy is high. Your body is a temple and there really is no substitute to regular exercise, eating well and sleeping well. We're not talking about running a marathon...a 20-minute walk will do just fine. When you're body is feeling good, your mood will usually follow.People gravitate toward those who radiate enthusiasm and bring with them unique opportunities and valuable resources. Today, strive to be a person of enthusiasm by using one of the Enthusiastic Six from the list above and see what happens. Chances are you will feel better about yourself and that feeling of well being will generate even more enthusiasm."If you're not fired with enthusiasm, then you'll be fired with enthusiasm!"
~ Vince Lombardi

Original :: six success tips for creating enthusiasm

pull the trigger and make the sale

Making money online or anywhere else is about getting the sale; that's a simple fact of life.Most people, make that ALL people, think that they make their buying decisions rationally. That is, they weigh up the pro's and con's of a product, is it suitable for them, will it do the job they require of it, is it value for money etc.However, the facts of the matter are quite different. We all actually buy things based on our emotions. Knowing this is part of the equation to getting a sale, but putting it into practice is another matter altogether.The key to learning how to put this into practice is studying the art of persuasion. In person, this is what you say to people and how you react tohat they have said to you. If you are on online marketer, whether you're selling insurance or an ebook, you must rely on the written word.There are certain sub-conscious triggers that you can easily pull to make a person take the action that you want them to take. Is this ethical? Well, this depends on two things: your ethics and your desire to give people what you think will improve their lives in some way with the product you are offering for sale.Knowing what these "triggers" are and WHEN to employ them is critical to your online (or other) success. How many are there? Well, there are a great many, like there are a great many food recipes. But, like recipes, you typically use the same, or similar, ingredients time and again.So, if knowing these ingredients is the real key, what are these ingredients? Here they are:Cost value Guilt Reciprocation Social Proof Herd Like Authority Greed FearMaking money online can be a LOT easier if you understand AND employ this knowledge.Let's discuss each one briefly.Cost value This is the mistaken idea that if a thing costs more, it must be better. Although this can be easily disproved, the thing to remember is that people will almost always think that if something is more expensive, is MUST be superior to something that is less expensive.Guilt If you've ever received a request for a donation, then you know this one well. You'll receive an email or a letter in the mail showing you a very extreme example of somebody (often a child) in horrific living conditions. You're not as badly off, so you feel guilty that you have more than they have.Reciprocation Somebody does something for you and you feel it's only right to do something in return. It makes you feel less beholden to them and "clears the slate".Social Proof This is simply being accepted. After all, who wants people to dislike you because you're not like them? The very word "like" has two inter-related meanings. If you like someone, you're really saying that you are "like" them.Herd Similar to Social Proof, the herd mentality is in our DNA. We are "pack animals" by nature and will almost always tend to group together. That's why there are villages, towns and cities. We group together like this because we feel safer, though in reality we most likely aren't. Ever hear the term "keeping up with the Jones's"? If they have it, you want it!Authority If we are told that somebody is our boss, we automatically accept that they know more than we do. Again, this is often very easily disproved, but we still can't help ourselves FEELING this. The boss could be a President of a country, your employer or even your spouse.Greed Although this word conjures-up very negative feelings, they are perfectly natural and actually necessary for the advancement of the human-race. It's what makes people keep striving for bigger, better and more of whatever they want.Fear This is the grand-daddy of them all. The single most powerful psychological trigger is fear. This is always the fear of loss. The loss of your life, your health, your money, your possessions, your security. I could go on, but you get the idea.Understand and USE this information in all of your marketing efforts and the rewards will come faster than you can count. (Greed).Don't understand or use this information, and you will lose out time and again to your competitors. (Fear).

Original :: pull the trigger and make the sale

why you should be investing in staff

As the economic downturn deepens we are seeing a divide in the way businesses are tackling the issue of staff training. As some businesses seek to reduce costs the training budget is often an easy target, yet research has highlighted that companies who do invest in employee skills training will perform better in an economic downturn and be quicker to respond to the subsequent upturn.In October of this year, captains of industry, including CBI director General Richard Lambert and Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose, published an open letter in which they stated, "investing now in building new skills will put us in the strongest position as the economy recovers. From our experience inrevious downturns, it was the businesses that did invest in their staff that saw the most dynamic recovery."So why should you invest in staff training now?1. Training motivates the vast majority of people and can encourage them to remain with their employers. Just because the economy is suffering, don't be fooled into thinking that your best employees won't be looking elsewhere to further their careers if you have stopped growing.2. Maintaining investment in staff development sends the message that you value your employees and can see the merit in investing in them for the long-term. A visible cut in staff training, especially for businesses with a long-standing commitment to staff development, is likely to alienate staff or reinforce any concerns they have about job security.3. During these tougher times every customer counts. Front-line staff should be fully trained to deliver the best possible service to prevent valuable customers from straying. As people think harder about their purchases they will be less forgiving of any service mistakes.4. As weaker competitors collapse there will be big gaps in your market, if you are prepared, and your employees have the relevant skills, your business can capitalize on this and increase market share or even enter new markets.5. As HR teams focus primarily on those leaving the company, it is easy to oversee the needs of the remaining workforce. Many of these people will not only be worried about their own job security, but may also be asked to take on new roles and responsibilities often for which they are poorly equipped.6. As businesses slow or pause in their growth, remaining staff will undoubtedly have fewer opportunities for career progression. Staff may become tired of their job roles making them less efficient and enthusiastic. Training can alleviate any stagnation and help prepare staff for new roles in the economic upturn.In addition to this, businesses who fail to address the issue of training are 2.5 times more likely to fail during a downturn than those who invest, for companies who haven't invested in training over the last 12 months; this is a frightening figure indeed.With the Welsh Assembly pumping ?35 million into the ReAct Scheme to retrain 12,000 redundant workers, employers may be facing the prospect of new employees being better skilled than existing ones. Offering staff training now will not only refocus and motivate employees but drive new skills into the business at a time when they are needed most.

Original :: why you should be investing in staff

selling process made simple easy to

Closing the sale. Getting the money. Finalizing the selling process. Getting to Yes! Whatever expression you can think of, the bottom line is just that, the bottom line! Can you successfully turn a prospect into a client? There are thousands of books, articles and dissertations written on the subject of sales training, the selling process and closing. This short story rapidly describes how honesty, directness and just a little courage can help you gain more customers. Follow this process and these sales tips to increase your sales.We have read hundreds of books on how best to close a sale, on how to get to "yes". We have attended panoply of seminars on how to capture customers on savvy was to ask for the money. We have honed in on our selling skills through a few decades of practice. This short preview is in no way a complete selling process. It is a quick 1-2-3 approach to selling. Recently we witnessed selling at its purest form which made us rethink our entire approach to not only selling our own products, but how to teach others to sell theirs.The traditional selling process is comprised of a greeting, an introduction, a discovery phase, the demonstration of your product, the presentation of a proposal with pricing, and finally closing. Please remember that to simplify the selling process discussion, we list it in the aforementioned order. However the selling process in a retail store is typically a two way conversation. Let's take a very brief look at each of these phases in the simplest possible form.GreetingHow many times have you walked in to a specialty retail store that only sells one type of product and the salesperson says: "How can I help you?" or "Can I help you?" Customers today are also savvy and have learned to say "No thanks, just looking". So get creative and simplify! You might try something like:* "Good afternoon, thank you for coming in"
* "Welcome back, what can I help you with today?"
* "Welcome to Spas for Fun"Humor can also be a great ice breaker and can be appropriate in the right circumstance with the right people. Your personality plays a big role in this type of approach. Here are a few responses to "We're just looking":* "That is great because I'm just selling."
* "That is great because this is Tuesday and I don't sell on Tuesdays."
* "That's OK because it is before noon and I don't sell until after lunch."Even with such greetings, some people just want a few minutes to look around. Read their body language and give them a little space. Come back after a few minutes later to see if they need assistance.IntroductionOnce you get over the initial hellos, and the clients are done just browsing around, go over to them and introduce yourself. State your name clearly and shake hands. Pay close attention to their names and repeat them with "Nice to meet you John and Carole". If you need to carry around a clip board or small note pad or even a lead sheet, write down their names so you won't forget. Use their names as often as possible during your chat with them, keeping it within the realm of sanity. After all we don't want to sound like a robot or a crazed maniac! It is totally acceptable to take notes, especially if you are like me. I have poor short term memory, so I take notes and tell clients, "Do you mind if I take notes, it's an old habit from my waitress days."DiscoveryThis phase started when they walked through the door. Every question you ask yields an answer. Their stance, behavior and especially their answers and tone of their answers to your questions are clues to lead you to the best product for their needs. If you are truly paying attention and focusing on your client, you can use this answer to help you close the deal. How can you possibly recommend the right product or service for your client if you did not ask them what they need or worse yet, did not pay attention to what they told you. How can you close the deal if you have no clue what your client's needs are! To recommend a product or service to your client you must know the answer to basic questions:* How did they hear about you?
* Who will use the product?
* When will they use the product?
* Where will the product be installed?
* Are they ready for the installation?
* How often do they plan on using this product on a daily? Weekly or monthly basis?
* Why do they need or just want this product?
* What are the 2 or 3 most important features for them?
* What are the 2 or 3 most important benefits for them?There are hundreds if not thousands more questions you can ask depending on the complexity of your product or service, the customer and the situation. At the very least, you MUST ask the basic questions that will allow you to select which product is best suited to their needs. This is important IF you want referral business from your customers.ObjectionsWe all have to deal with objections. Consumers are professional objectors. That is their job! What is your job? Your job is to make money! Your job is to sell them a product or service. There is no shame in that. Selling is an honorable profession, if you treat it as such. Everyday someone is either selling you something or you are selling them something. Even office workers are selling. Convincing your boss or teenager of an idea is selling.Objections are great! If your prospect is still in your store or office asking questions or presenting you with objections, then you still have a chance to get the sale. Objections are a sign of interest. How to deal with an objection depends on the source of the objection. Does it stem from your competitors? Does it stem from a simple unanswered question your client has? Or did you create an objection they would not have thought of because you are over selling and talking too much?An objection coming from your competitor should always be dealt with by taking the high road. It is never positive to play along with competitor bad mouthing. Simply take a positive approach to what your competitors say. You can say: "It is too bad they said that, we think highly of them and the product. We picked this product because.." Often times, the same objection comes back, so be prepared for it and address this type of objection during your presentation.A question coming from our client is probably just that, a question or concern. If you know the answer, then provide it in a clear and precise manner. If you don't, simply say, "I am not certain about that, if you'll give me a minute I'll see if I can find out for you". If you have to take some time to get the answer, ask for their coordinates, find the answer and get back to them as quickly as you can. The LAST thing you should do is make up a random, costly or risky answer that might give you, your company or the manufacturer a bad reputation. Not finding the correct answer might also cost your client, you and your company a lot of money if extra expenses are incurred because of it.Trick of the trade: When faced with an objection, use the following method that is tried and true.1. Repeat their questions in your words to clarify that you truly understand what they are saying. This also forces you to pay attention to their words.2. Ask them permission to provide an answer. For example: "Now that I understand what you meant, please allow me to show you how this works" or "If you don't mind, I'd like to walk you through our services in a step by step process."3. Provide the correct and honest answer to their concern. Provide the best solution to their apparent problem or concern.4. Close the sale with something like: "Now that we have cleared this up, would you like your product delivered Tuesday or Saturday." (Using an alternative is easier than just asking for money.)ProposalWhen you make your offer or proposal, do it directly. Look your client in the eye in order to relay confidence and honesty. You must be convinced that the price you are proposing is just and worth it. If you do not believe in the price/quality value of your product or service, you will have a very hard time convincing others. Remember that just because you cannot afford it or you do not need it, does not mean others can't or don't. Your proposal or offer should be clearly understood so your client is not feeling jilted. Ask them if they understand the offer you've just made and exactly what it includes or excludes. If you ask them to reiterate what the offer is, then you will know if your proposal is understood. If it is not, then explain it clearly. Clients only feel cheated when they misunderstood what you promised. A good rule of thumb is to under promise and over deliver. This means quite simply that you should NEVER promise something you cannot provide!ClosingClosing the sale is such a hard thing to do for many. Change your mind set if this is difficult for you. What are you really closing, nothing but this brief encounter. In most cases, you are just starting a long term relationship with your customer. If this is a onetime deal, remember that a satisfied customer will recommend you to his friends, which in turn will bring you new business.Doing a Show and Tell with your client and not closing the deal makes you a demonstrator! You become a sales person only when you take the next step which is to ask for the money, ask for a delivery date, ask for a deposit, ask them to sign the contract...basically, do you get the idea...ASK! If you do not ask, your competitors will. If you do not ask, they might just walk away. Many customers are just waiting for you to ask them for their money. They need a little nudge to reassure them that they are making the right decision.Here are a few closing lines that work in a retail environment:* Which day is best for you next week to deliver this TV?
* When would you like to start this service?
* Would you like to pay cash or with a credit card?
* Would you like to finance this purchase?
* We can deliver your new Product next Monday or Wednesday, which one is best for you?
* Do you want the extended warranty on this Product?
* We have both models in stock; do you want the Standard or Ultra model?
* As we discussed, an inspection of your yard is necessary, I can be there Monday through Wednesday, which afternoon would you prefer?There are so many lines you can use. Just do it! ASK for the sale. If they say no, the worst that can happen is that you've had a good conversation with your prospect and a little more practice. If your prospect is still undecided, qualify how far along they are with this:"On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being absolutely never and 10 being we are ready, where would you say you stand?" Depending on the answer, you might then say: "What can I work on to provide you with the information you are still needing to make a decision?" If they give you another objection, try to address it immediately. If research is required, then ask for their contact information and give then a time and day you will call them. Now even if they won't commit right now, today, then at the very least get their contact information so you can follow up with them.There are statistics that show that 81% of sales happen only after the 5th contact. Are you taking the time to follow up with your prospects? If you take the time to get their information, make sure you tell them what you will do with it. Reassure them that it is only for you so that you can call them in a day or so to answer any further questions they might have. Or that you are in the habit of sending thank you cards to your clients. When you do make that follow up call, close again and again. Persistence does pay off.Example of selling in its purest formDuring a home and garden show, our teens came to lend a hand in our booth. We instructed them on how to demonstrate the product, in this case a hot tub with interchangeable seats. We gave them a five line presentation sales pitch, pricing, showed them how to demonstrate the interchangeable jetting and instructed them to get one of us if the client wanted more information. We suddenly became very busy and everyone was working with clients.The kids (19 and 16) presented the product to a tall gentleman and his wife. Their approach was a great lesson for all of us observing the interaction.Kids: "Hi, I'm Cat and this is Phil, thank you for stopping to look at our hot tubs"Couple: "You are welcome, we are Jack and Jill"Kids: "Have you ever seen this kind of hot tub? We'll be happy to show you how different they are." (Assumptive position, they just assumed this couple would take a minute to look at the hot tub)Couple: "OK" Then the kids proceeded to show Jack and Jill why these hot tubs are different from others and gave them the basic five line presentation. Phil demonstrated how easy it is to change around the stations and asked what type of massage they liked and showed them which seats would best suit their needs, then asked "What do you think?" Phil being 16 still has the natural instinct of waiting for an answer.Couple: "Well this one is too big, do you have a smaller one?" to which Cat answers: "You are really tall sir, I am not certain you can fit in the smaller one. But we have one over here; do you want to see it?" She simply walked them over to the smaller hot tub. "If you climb in, you'll be able to see if you fit, it's OK just try it, we do it all the time". So the couple climbed into the spa to see if they both fit in it.At this point, the kids just looked at each other with a big smile and Cat simply says: "Well you definitely fit, it's nice isn't it?" Jack asked them what the price was. Phil says: "It costs $6500 and my mom says that includes the delivery".Then without missing a beat Cat asks: "Which credit card would you like to use to buy it?" Kids being kids, they did what they do best when asking an adult a question; they simply looked at them and waited for the answer. The couple was amused by this direct approach, but also pleased at the lack of games and proceeded to buy the spa. It was such a refreshing episode to watch and learn from. No fancy talk, just a basic, direct and open approach.In closing, if you are direct in your approach, honest with your statements and gutsy enough to ask for their business, you will close more sales. This very brief article is meant to simplify the selling process by providing easy sales tips you can use. Remember that relationship building is also a big part of retail sales, so don't be afraid to chat with your clients and get to know them a little. Selling can be as complicated or as simple as you make it. Just remember that you are there to sell and your clients are there to buy: a perfect match....so just sell!

Original :: selling process made simple easy to

the top 3 confessions of a veteran sales

Training is a tough business. The old saying, those who can, do, and those who can't, teach, makes an already challenging business something you can't even be proud of doing. To protect their fragile egos, trainers have a secret language that makes them feel a bit more important. Sorry fellow trainers...I'm breaking the code of silence.After 17 years of sales, sales management, and sales training experience, as well as having conducted thousands of assessments, profiles, and interviews to determine what separates winners from underachievers, I have come up with a list of the top three secrets that trainers don't want you to know.1. It's not the trainer. The trainer wants to appear to yous the guru and will typically avoid anything that might diminish their celebrity status.Prior to facilitating a two-day training course for a close-knit group of people who had worked for the same company for at least l5 years, I was invited to go to dinner with them. Never having had an invitation like that before, I asked my mentor (a typical training guru) what I should do. He told me that I would lose my guru status by going to dinner with these people. He said that I should show up, train, and leave immediately. Disregarding this advice, which seemed inauthentic to me, I went to dinner, learned more about each participant, and had a much richer training experience because I found out what made each person tick.2. It's not the material.When hiring for a sales position and deciding between two seemingly qualified candidates, I advised this same client to hire both of them, put them through their internal training program, and see which one worked in the end. If they both worked-great. If only one worked, at least they didn't spend any additional time and energy training two people at different times.The training process the two candidates went through was identical. They started the exact same day, spoke to the same people, and ate the same boxed lunches. One was a success the other didn't make it. The training program was not the difference.3. It doesn't take a long time to see big shifts.As an expert in business development and sales growth, I am invited to speak to associations, organizations, and companies across the country. While the message is motivational, it is designed to be 90 percent no-nonsense content. I want people to take what I teach and use it right away. After a 45-minute keynote address at a conference sponsored by the Women's Business Development Center, an entrepreneur named Anna approached me to thank me for the concrete ideas I had shared.Before I got back to my office I received a voice mail from Anna. "I just used your technique to make sure that a closed deal sticks and uncovered an issue that could have cost me $85,000 in new business had I not done what you said."Big shifts can happen quickly.Okay, so if those are the secrets trainers don't want you to know, what is the secret that allows good material and good trainers to make big shifts in short periods of time?One word...Belief.What makes training work is not the dynamic trainer or presenter. It is your belief, as the trainee, that you have what it takes to learn what the trainer will teach you.What makes training work is not a foolproof system. It is your belief in your ability to be open to learning and executing new skills.What makes training work is not just being patient over a long time until it works. It is your belief in what is possible for you that gives you the guts to go beyond your current comfort zones.Let's be clear. Training works, but only when the trainee believes that they are capable, willing to learn, and willing to apply what they've learned.Any training program that omits the step of first assessing a trainee's core beliefs and measuring a trainee's personal beliefs about self-worth and money concepts is malpractice in my world. Sure, we do great training, but only for people who are clear about their commitment and desire and ability to be trained. For them, there is no limit as to what is possible.

Original :: the top 3 confessions of a veteran sales

how to increase sales revenues part one

When it comes to how to increase sales, there are many important factors to implement. In fact there are too many to adequately deliver them in one article. Therefore, this series of articles on how to increase sales is comprised of seven parts.The first lesson on how to increase sales discusses how to deliver exceptional customer service.Exceptional customer service is mandatory, no matter what kind of business you own, and there's no excuse for poor customer service. If you concentrate on customer service, you can increase sales dramatically.It goes without saying that if your customer has a good experience, they might tell a friend. But if they have a bad experience, they may go on toell ten friends. People get very passionate about bad customer services stories.Here's how to increase sales through exceptional customer service:Tip #1 Remember your customers' names whenever possible. I was recently in Las Vegas and I went to the Fashion Show mall Starbucks and I had excellent service. I ordered an iced latte and she said, OK, Great, what's your name hon?" (very friendly) and I told her. She wrote my name on the cup and gave the cup to the barista. And when my drink was ready, "She called out, "Suzanne, your drink is ready".I love this because not only do they get an excuse to ask their customers for their names, but they can work on remembering their customer's names too.Whenever one of my clients calls me, and they say, this is so-and-so calling, I always enthusiastically say, "Hello Nancy Smith!!!! How are you? I am so GLAD you called!!" And I smile as I say it because people can always hear you smiling. [For the record, I am a sales coach, but also own a direct marketing list brokerage firm]. Be grateful for your customers and let them know how much you appreciate them. Start by calling them by their names.Tip #2 Answer your phone.There is nothing worse than a company that does not have a live operator taking calls. It drives me crazy!I have a subscription to a very wonderful independent newsletter and I have it set up on automatic renewal so I never miss an issue. But my credit card expired and I had to get my new number to them and do you think I could get through on the phone? Not a chance. I tried calling at least 10 times and their recording just went on and on and on....Finally they sent me a letter saying that my subscription was at risk of being cut off because my credit card expired and all I needed to do was... Yes, call this number. UGH, the same number that no one answers. How frustrating. They don't answer emails either!Tip #3 Listen to what your client is saying.There is a reason that God gave us two ears and only one mouth. So we could listen more and talk less.The most fascinating thing about listening to your client is what you will learn about them. You will also learn where their pain is. They might be saying, "I want your XYZ product" but during the conversation you might find they could really benefit from two of your other products as well.Listen more, and you'll be surprised what you hear.Tip #4 Deal with complaints fairly and promptly.Even if you have to refund all their money. There have been times when I have had a client extremely unsatisfied with what they purchased, and actually made them feel so much better that they continued to do business with us at a later date.Just because someone complains does not mean they don't want to do business with you. It's how you handle it that matters. If my firm's clients aren't happy, I make it right - even if that means we lose money on the deal (this sounds simple but actually you'd be surprised how many of my competitors don't give refunds).I had one client that ordered a list of human resource executives and for some reason the list was pulled incorrectly and he got a terrible list that was completely different industries. We apologized and gave him a full refund.A month or two later he emailed me: "Suzanne, I personally would like to thank you for your amazing help and I really apologize I'm not able to send more business your way. You were an amazing help and by far the most reliable and sincere person I dealt with."Tip #5 Overdeliver. Always give your customers more than they expect. After they order, you can send a little bonus e-book, or CD. Even before they order, you can send bonuses their way.I couldn't believe it when my phone company sent me one of those blue tooth hands-free phones one day. Free! With a note saying, Thanks for being our customer. We appreciate you very much. Now that is excellent customer service.Delivering Exceptional Customer Service is one of the 7 ways how to increase sales revenues. Stay tuned for my next 6 parts in this series.

Original :: how to increase sales revenues part one