Any tips, hints or helpful advice is welcome. I believe "objections" are the biggest pitfalls for new salespeople and how they are handled are the biggest problem for experienced salespeople. The old and still valuable first step is to rephrase the customers comment and then answer your own {hopefully better worded} question. As long as you can keep the conversation moving forward, the more likely you'll receive more info about what the customer wants/ needs or is wary of. If you satisfy most or all of these questions, you'll undoubtedly go through a level of qualifying the customer and at least one trial close. In addition the well broken in salesperson can either interrupt to get his answer across or already be making up his mind to a question that isn't finished. Another thing that I try to do is consider all comments or distractions "objections". If you're pitching to a group of people and two are talking you can ask "did something interesting strike you or did you have a question about the presentation?" I can't believe how many people will actually keep slogging through a pitch when someone isn't paying attention. It could be one out of fourteen and I'll re-engage them just by asking them a question. Also if a real question comes up you can parlay it into a solid answer, overcome an objection, qualify the person or even get a trial close in depending on the situation. There are of course hundreds of scenarios I could mention and even more questions & answers but I'm sure with the people who read these threads anything I say will already be known or already modified so I'll leave the floor open.
I've done a bit of sales training, on a regional level for one employer, and nationally for another. The sales training program I helped create for one employer was both simple and easy to remember and follow... we call it GUESTS, it's easy to teach, and it has a pretty universal appeal. The point of the acronym is first and foremost to remember that these are not just clients, but GUESTS in your sphere of influence. Greet the client with a non-business greeting. A comment on the weather, Phelps' performance in the games, the stylish wingtips he's wearing. Make it genuine, not forced, and you'll remove some of the tension of the dreaded 'hard-sell sales presentation'. Begin building a relationship and don't hurry into 'sell mode'. Understand the client's needs. Ask probing questions to discern what it is that your client needs assistance with, and what you may have in your arsenal that can be of use to your client. Evaluate the client's responses to your questions and whether you can help meet those needs with your products or services. It may be that your client needs three-pronged widgets, but you only sell two-pronged widgets. If you're honest, and don't try to sell him a two-pronged widget he doesn't need, he'll remember, and come back to you when he is in that market. Suggest solutions. If you have the right solution to a client's problems, needs, or concerns, and can demonstrate this appropriately, the next part wil be easy. Take action. AKA: Close the deal. You have to ask for the sale at some point (unless, of course, they've said "I'll take it!", in which case, shut up and write the order!). If you've built the relationship and followed the steps above, this will be an assumptive close, and the pieces will fall into place as if on autopilot. If there are still objections, you may need to revisit 'U' to be sure you've understood the client's needs appropriately. Support the client AFTER the sale. If you fail to follow up, you've lost the relationship that you worked hard to build. Support leads to repeat sales, and referrals. It's been awhile since I looked at my materials, and it's late on a Saturday night (plus I have women's beach volleyball on in HD, so my ADD is kicking in BIG time, but that's my take on sales training, and it worked remarkably well with our staff (~60 retail locations in 4 states). Hope that's what you're looking for, and that someone is able to take something away from it. Plus, if it doesn't work for you, I offer a 100% money back guarantee on the full purchase amount paid for this advice. Best, -Tad
For anyone who has watched "GlenGarry Glen ross" If you had your stomach in knots then you know how hard that cold calling BS is. For those of you who have not had cold calling, hard closing days then you most likely thought the movie was funny. I didn't laugh once. Awful movie!
Thanks for the post Tad, that's quite simple indeed. It's also easy to expand on and should fit many scenarios.
If you listen to your customer, they will tell you EXACTLY how to sell to them. God gave you twice as many ears as he did mouths, so he wants you to listen twice as hard. It works.
You can not 'Always Be Closing' if you you do not master Post #6. Closing is timing and there is a time to do it, so when the time is right, start closing, but listening comes first.
I think he just quoted the movie, I doubt anyone employs those kind of tactics. The phrase can always be changed to "always be prepared to close"
"always be prepared to close" is good. Far too many sales people when face to face do not: 1) Let the customer talk first. 2) Listen well.
I usually let them talk themselves out. Being as logical as I am I firmly believe that a customer will tell you what he wants/ what it will take to earn the business. Listening is the only way to receive information from someone who's in front of you.
We use a sales strategy called Miller-Heiman where I work. Basically it helps you organize your sales calls properly to leverage your strengths to help close business. It is very helpful in countering objections and also developing internal coaches in the organization you're selling to.
Talent can't be taught but effective training can get you a room full of slightly better than average order takers. Try this one at the easel. Draw a line and write WINNER above it and LOSER beneath it. Ask the room what the difference is. When no one gets it go up to the board and put a "C" in front of LOSER. It spells CLOSER and everyone goes AHHHHHH! WINNER CLOSER
Absolutely. My company prints magazines and catalogs, therefore our core service is manufacturing for publishers and catalogers (with a lot of ancillary services). As such we call on organizations with multiple buying influences. Our sales cycle is typically 6 months, the time it takes us to close a sale from the time we first call on a prospect. Working up a strategy involves many aspects, but the key thing you're looking to do is to find the win-result of a buying influence, i.e. what makes them WIN by doing business with you. If you can do that, and develop them into an internal coach it works.
Not sure if it's really a tip, but a story my dad has shared with me. My dad was a new sales guy at some company. Some guy tried to pull a "scare tactic" on my dad and claim some territory. My dad immediately began doing his research and found the guy was having trouble making sales in "his" territory. My dad immediately began gaining all of the business from that area. The guy found out and stood up and vocally said "whose taking business out of my area?" My dad stood up and said "I am, and I didn't steal your business. I earned it, you couldn't close the deal and I did." I know my dad said some other things to him and the guy just got quiet and sat down. What I learned from this is basically, "it's you against everyone else." Customers and their satisfaction > than trying to make friends. And since my dad's been screwed over by a number of people in business, I've seen how true this really is.
