Sales

Bridging the Sales Experience Gap – Part II

Bridging the Sales Experience Gap – Part II
In part one of ‘Bridging the Sales Experience Gap’ we discussed
the Approach Strategy framework which describes four distinct
styles of selling, dictated by complexity and value. Since
beginning to use the frameworks to explain how experienced sales
people make decisions about sales situations, we have developed
to a total of nineteen framework diagrams. You can view the list
at www.salessense.co.uk/adaptive_frameworks.htm.
The ‘Meeting Tactics’ framework
When you are face to face with a prospective customer, if you
always use the same style or method of communication, you are
unlikely to be successful every time. Adapting for the person,
their circumstances, and their attitude towards you is an
essential part of achieving consistent success.
In part one of this series, we began with this question sent in
by an overseas subscriber – “How do you teach young sales reps
how to READ the client, how to understand their personality and
only provide the information when the client is OPEN to
receiving it?” A framework that depicts the sales challenge and
illustrates the options, offers an answer.
Searching out and articulating customer benefits is a natural
thing to do in selling. If you can pile enough value on your
side of the equation, a favourable decision becomes inevitable,
or so it would seem. Unfortunately this approach doesn’t always
work. Rationality is in the eye of the beholder.
If you really want something, you will be eager for any
information that helps you justify the acquisition of what you
want. If you would like to own a Mercedes and feel you can’t
afford one, you will lap up any scrap of an idea that suggests
you can realise your dream.
On the other hand, or on another day, you may be feeling
differently. Perhaps you have just had to settle a flurry of
bills, or have just sat through a budget cutting meeting. Your
mind will be focussed on other priorities or worse, on reducing
spending. Any number of circumstances can enhance the sceptic in
you. When this is the case, you may deny the validity of
evidence and use your creativity to block any pressure to act or
spend.
SalesSense Meeting Tactics Framework Diagram
www.salessense.co.uk/adaptive_tactics_diagram.asp
The diagram illustrates the importance of assessing a buyer’s
attitude, before deciding how to manage the meeting. Knowledge
of the buyer’s circumstances helps experienced sales people
anticipate the level of welcome or scepticism they will face
when meeting the buyer. Ability to assess rapport and read non
verbal signals enables sales people to check their standing with
a buyer.
Forward selling a highly sceptical buyer
This is unlikely to be effective. Sceptics will be suspicious of
your questions and guarded in their response. They will assume
that you are exaggerating, miss representing, or even lying
about the product or solution you are proposing. As a result you
will provoke a debate about the validity of the information you
discuss or present. Using traditional sales principles, you will
be speaking about advantages and benefits using the most
positive terms you feel justifiable. This just makes the
situation worse. The buyer uses his or her intelligence and
creativity to prove that you are wrong. People who adopt an
opposing position are rarely won over by a debate or argument –
which is what the engagement often becomes when traditional
sales techniques are dashed on a barricade of scepticism.
Reverse selling a sceptical buyer
Suppose you are sceptical about the value of buying a Mercedes
however, you do need to buy some form of transport. How would
you react if the Mercedes sales person said you should look at
something more practical? You might be offended. If the message
had been expressed in a disarming way, then you would probably
want to know why the sales person thought that you shouldn’t buy
a Mercedes. Reverse selling means doing the opposite of what the
buyer expects a sales person to do. Done well, reverse selling
will entice the most sceptical buyer to begin selling themselves.
Reverse selling an eager buyer
Suppose you really, really want a Mercedes. How quickly would
you get irritated with a sales person who seemed to be trying to
put you off? Sometimes sales people try to withhold pricing
information until they have established need and value. When
people try this on me, I tend to get irritated quickly. This may
be a personal thing however, when I want to buy something, I
want to do my due diligence, my way. I expect sales people to
help me buy the way I want to buy. Those who insist on following
their own agenda quickly get to do so without my presence.
Forward selling an eager buyer
Such situations should take place as an entirely natural
collaboration between buyer and seller. It should be straight
forward for the sales person to discover how the buyer makes
good decisions. Once understood, the seller can align his or her
efforts with the buyer’s purpose and preferences. You would
think it should be easy! Sometimes the challenge is to avoid
getting in the way.
The ‘Meeting Tactic’s’ Adaptive Sales Framework diagram helps
sales people recognise the need for careful observation and
flexibility of response, when meeting potential buyers. Learning
and practising different styles vastly expands opportunities to
help buyers get the right results.
Frameworks like this provide the tools to overcome the greatest
challenge to success, a lack of forethought, planning, and
preparation. Henry Ford put it better, “Thinking is the hardest
work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.”
Questions and comments to Clive Miller E-mail:
clive@salessense.co.uk Web: www.salessense.co.uk Tel: +44 118
933 1357

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Overcoming Objections Over the Telephone

Overcoming Objections Over the Telephone
In sales, one of the things you will be doing a lot of, is
making phone calls. You can’t escape it. It just comes with the
territory.
Making phone calls is really not all that bad. The thought of
having to do it, is actually much worse than having to
physically sit down and do it, and once you get on a roll, it’s
never as bad as it seemed.
The part of making cold calling sales calls that you will find
to be most painful are the objections you will be faced with,
such as, and most annoying, is the hang up, which doesn’t happen
as often as people think. In this particular case, I have no
answer on how to meet this challenge, my suggestion would be,
not to stress over it, just move onto the next phone call.
Another objection you will be faced with is: I’m not sure. I
have to think about it.
My suggested response to this objection would be:
I understand that you need to think about it, but perhaps there
is something I did not explain clearly enough, is there anything
you would like to go over one more time? Or . . . I know when it
comes to making a commitment over the phone that it is easy to
become lost in the confusion of everything that has to be done
and understood, is there anything I can go over with you one
more time.
If that doesn’t get them talking again, then let them go by
politely asking for their permission to follow up with them in a
few days, and, if you could possibly send them out some
literature, along with your business card.
Another common objection is:
I have to ask my spouse.
A good response to this objection would be:
Is your spouse available at this time? I would be happy to speak
with him/her.
Again, if this does not work, then let them go, and politely ask
to send out literature, and follow up with a phone call.
And one other objection you may run into . . .
I have already taken care of that, or I am working with someone
else.
If you are hit with this objection, it is most likely your
prospects way of telling you they are not interested.
On the other hand, if they tell you they are working with
someone else, it never hurts to take a chance, and ask your
customer if they would like to see if you could get them a
better price, or even a better product. It can’t hurt, and if
they are interested than go for it! If not, than let it go right
there, and move onto your next prospect.
And remember, challenges are nothing but obstacles on your path
to greatness!

europe calling card

Random surcharges Yet another hidden charge, random surcharges take away minutes
from your phone card for no apparent reason. This is another trick employed by phone
card providers in order to force you to purchase more minutes or phone cards.

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Three Keys to a Great PowerPoint!

Can you believe Microsoft PowerPoint has been around since 1987?
I remember the first time I watched someone give a presentation
with PowerPoint. I wasn’t quite sure what I was seeing, but I
was definitely “wowed” by it.
Should you still be using PowerPoint even though the “wow”
factor is no longer there? Absolutely. Studies show your
audience will retain up to 50% more of your information just by
adding visual elements to reinforce your points.
Key: Make your first impression count (or it may be your only
one).
I don’t mean to sound pessimistic, but In the business world
today- it’s true. Amongst the increasing information and
advertising clutter, you may only have one chance to make your
point. My personal philosophy is this: you will make either a
positive or negative impression during that first (and maybe
only) meeting. Make no mistake, a mediocre first impression is a
negative first impression. First impressions are lasting and
will color the rest of your dealings with that company. So,
you’d better make a good first impression or you’ll be fighting
an uphill battle the rest of the way.
Key: Your PowerPoint presentation is a powerful (often
subconscious) part of that first impression.
Often, your presentation pitch will be the first time many key
decision makers have heard anything in detail about your company
and it’s products. To gain those details they may have only two
immediate sources- you and your PowerPoint. Don’t let your
PowerPoint be the weak link. If your PowerPoint presentation is
cheap looking, sloppy and not well thought out– guess what
impression your audience will gather about your company.
Just as you would never show up to an important presentation
dressed in torn jeans and a plain t-shirt, your presentation
needs to make a professional impression. Back in the 90’s it was
perfectly acceptable to use a free template that came with
PowerPoint. But, today your PowerPoint is an integral part of
your sales and marketing collateral. If you don’t think of your
PowerPoint in this way then you truly need to shift your
thinking.
Key: Dress your PowerPoint for success.
Today, there are many sites that sell pre-made professional
PowerPoint templates. You can simply choose one (from among the
hundreds) that best matches your company’s look, feel and color
scheme. Once you purchase and download the template, you can
customize it to your liking.
Another option- If you don’t have the time or expertise to do it
yourself, you can hire an outside firm to do the PowerPoint
creation and customization for you. This can truly make your
presentation stand apart from the rest of your competitors,
through professional-quality images, advanced charts and by
utilizing appropriate animations that enhance and compliment
your message.
But, whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a
professional, it is definitely worth the investment to maximize
the professionalism and effectiveness of your PowerPoint
presentation. You’ll not only be doing your audience a favor,
but the high return on investment will greatly benefit your
company and you.

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Small Business Sales: The Practicalities

By Ben Botes: http://www.my1stbusiness.com You don’t have to be
a born salesman to get orders. You don’t even have to enjoy
selling. You just have to be clear about what you want and what
you have to offer.
Remember that effective selling is essential to the success of
your business. So whether you will be making the sales or have a
team to do that, you should do everything you can to ensure that
your sales are done in the best way possible.
Selling is one of the most important aspects of any business.
I suggest that if you at this point have not yet worked through
the Micro Module on Finding Clients and Knowing Your Clients,
that you do that now.
As you go through the following nine skills, think of the
practical issues of your specific service, how can you implement
these steps, what else could you do? In order for this module to
be effective you have to work through it and not just read it.
Use this as your opportunity to become a great presenter.
Step 1 Know your product, its benefit and competitive advantage
Your product may seems to be a haircut, but it’s probably
admiration. It looks like a motorcar, but it’s probably status.
It might be called a bungee jump, but it’s probably excitement.
If you’re selling to other companies, the benefit is probably
increased sales, lower costs or higher profits.
Why does your customer buy the product or service? What benefit
do you sell? In which way is your product different from the
competition? Do you have a unique selling proposition? What is
it? What is your competitive advantage? Why should anybody buy
the product or service from you? Is your product perceived by
the customer as being better in some way? Is it cheaper/faster?
Does the customer buy because you are an extremely pleasant
person? Who is your competition? Why do some customers buy from
the competition? What is the competitive advantage of your
competitor? In which areas are your competitors superior? In
which ways are they inferior? How can you creatively imitate
your competitor? What is “unique” about the product? Does it
provide better durability, not like another in nature, quality
or form? Is it unique by its appearance and/or design? Does its
appearance convey desirable qualities? How does the product
compare with the competition? Can the product be recognizable
and prove useful and be price competitive? Service – will it
require less servicing or less costly servicing than existing
products?
Step 2 Identify your customers It is only logical that in order
to find your clients, you need to know who they are.
Who or what do you plan to sell your product to? How do
customers perceive themselves? How do you plan to acquire
customers? What distribution methods will you need? What
features do your customers want? What are they prepared to pay?
What form of advertising and promotion will be effective to
produce sales and sell the product? What will promotion and
advertising cost? Where is your target customer most likely to
buy your product? How important is price to a customer? How
important are product or service quality and convenience to your
customer?
Focus on customers’ needs. Listen to your customer.
Why should anybody buy your product or service? What is the
benefit or improvement in their condition? Whose life will be
enriched? Who will get the greatest improvement from your
product or service? With which customers does your competitive
advantage make a difference? With which customers does your
competitive advantage make the biggest difference?
Customers want to be more, have more, do more. People buy for
ego needs, status needs, self-actualization needs, etc. People
buy for safety, security, admiration, social status,
recognition, prestige, respect, to increase sales, lower costs,
increase profits, self-improvement, excitement, popularity,
greater health, self-expression, influence, power, financial
success, more knowledge, greater skills, companionship,
self-esteem, fear of loss, desire for gain.
Step 3 Consider our tips
Get past the receptionist and on to the decision-maker. Be
cheerful and polite, have – and show – a good knowledge of the
target company. Explain that what you offer will need to be
assessed by an appropriate manager. Where possible make
appointments. Different businesses will have different ‘best
times’ to see them. You’ll struggle to catch a builder or farmer
when the weather is good and remember that most people still
adopt the traditional lunchtime. When arranging appointments
always offer a choice. Asking ‘Which is better for you?’ makes
them choose, and is better than an open-ended ‘When would be
good for you?’ which can elicit a negative response. I f you’re
selling a product that needs demonstrating, make absolutely
certain that it’s working perfectly before you leave for the
appointment. Know exactly what you want, but try to think, talk
and respond form the buyer’s point of view. Sell the benefits
and not the features of your products or service. Remember that
the likes of Kodak don’t sell films, they sell memories. Try to
ask, early on in the conversation, questions which cannot be
answered with simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses. Open questions
lead to improved discussions, and if you’re listening closely to
the answers you should be able to work out any problems the
buyer may have. You need to know these if you are going to sell
solutions. Take objections seriously, but try to turn them to
your advantage. Think creatively about how you can offer to
overcome objections and make sure you fully understand each
objection before addressing it. Recognize buying signals –
questions like ‘Will it take unleaded?’ and ‘What guarantees do
you give?’ W hen you begin to hear these close the sale quickly.
Never forget to go for the close and don’t be embarrassed about
asking for the order – that is what you’re there for, after all.
Step 4 Follow up
The sale is just the beginning. Following up the deal will
strengthen the relationship with your new customer, and could
provide opportunities for additional sales. And finally don’t
forget that continually evaluating your sales process is vital
if you’re hoping to refine and improve it – few things are ever
perfect.

Korea North – CELL Calling Cards

The Most Underused and Powerful Method of Lead Generation

Developing an abundant supply of targeted referrals is the
number one lead generation system used by top sales people.
The first step to implementing any successful lead generation
system is to get your attitude right. Becoming a “Master of
Referrals” requires the proper referral attitude.
Many sales people believe that by asking for referrals they’re
putting people on the spot or being pushy. “I’ll wait and if
they want to refer someone to me they will”. If this is your
attitude you need to change it.
Do you care about the people you do business with? Does that
caring come “from the heart” instead of from your pocket? Do you
care about the products or services your client’s friends are
buying? Do you believe your product or service is the best?
I figure your answer is yes!
If you truly believe your product or service is the best money
can buy and you care about your clients and their friends,
you’re doing them a disservice when you don’t implement this
lead generation system of asking for referrals. If you don’t
they may end up with one of your competitors who offers less
benefit, protection and advantage as you do.
Your job is to make sure everyone in your client’s network is
looked after by the best. So make sure that’s you!
You see, your clients are probably too busy to continually think
about helping people in their network. By using a lead
generation system of asking for referrals you’re giving them an
easy way to help their friends. You’re making sure they get the
same top quality products and services.
You’ve Got to Create a WOW Experience
Most sales people only try to satisfy their clients. Statistics
show that two out of three consumers that were merely satisfied
with a company will never return. If you only meet the client’s
expectations, you’ll never see two thirds of them again and you
won’t receive an abundance of referrals.
So how do you get a client to come back to you again and again?
How do you get your current and past clients to give you a
personal endorsement to their friends and relatives?
By implementing the second step of this lead generation system
and creating a WOW experience! Make every clients experience
special!
How many of your friends, family and business associates would
you refer to a company that…
•Takes care of your needs better than you ever expected
•Delivers more than they promise •Makes you feel special every
time you communicate with them •Delivers amazing results for you
If you take the time to create a WOW experience for your
clients, it’s very possible every one of them will be selling
for you.
One of the easiest ways to get referrals is too continually over
deliver. If you give much more than you promised, people will
want to help you in any way they can.
Over delivering should be the way you do business. The
referrals, thank you notes and new friends you make are the
bonuses you receive for doing your job.
Make a genuine difference in people’s lives and you’ll always
get lots of referrals.
Make it Easy, Fun and Enjoyable to Refer People to You
People don’t like doing difficult things unless there’s an
incredibly rewarding benefit in doing so. Even then many people
still won’t do something that appears too difficult.
Many salespeople’s clients are unsure about who to refer. Which
means they have to do all the work by figuring out who to refer?
So they may end up referring no one.
Make sure your clients know exactly who to refer. Otherwise
you’re not going to get a high quantity or quality of referrals.
The third step of this lead generation system is give each
client a good idea of who they could refer.
For example, The Realtor you recently purchased your home from
could say to you…
“Do you know anyone who recently had a baby, got married or
received a promotion and might be thinking about buying or
selling a house?
If you do, I’m sure they could benefit from my services. After
all you know how good my service is. So, please introduce them
to us. If you do I’ll be sure to do something wonderful to thank
you.”
You can see how this helps you know “exactly” who the Realtor is
looking for.
So make sure you show a genuine interest in your clients, their
families and friends. Make it your business that they receive
the best products and services available, YOURS! Create a WOW
experience for every client you do business with. Make over
delivering your way of doing business. And make it easy for
people to refer new clients your way by telling them who to
refer.
Follow the three steps of this lead generation system and you’re
on your way to creating an abundance of new target clients and
becoming a Master of Referrals.

Congo – CELL Calling Cards

Six Simple Steps for Getting more Applications

Six Simple Steps for Getting more Apps./ By Jay Conners
When I first started out as a loan officer, one of the things I
found to be the toughest, was taking an application over the
phone. I just didn’t seem to have the skills, nor did I have a
plan. I was literally calling people on the phone and saying
something to the effect of; Hello, my name is Jay Conners, and
this is what I do, and this is why I am calling, would you be
interested? No wonder I wasn’t having any success.
Knowing that my pathetic tag line wasn’t going to cut it, I knew
that I would have to change my approach.
Over time, through trial and error, and a whole lot of sales
training, I was able to incorporate my own six step process for
making a sales call. Keep in mind that this approach works just
as well face to face as it does over the phone, and can be used
in many situations, not just selling mortgages.
Follow these six simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to
taking more apps.
1. Be prepared
* Have a clean desk, a clean desk is proven to provide a less
stressful work environment. Plus this way you won’t be searching
for that elusive pen. * Have everything you need at your
fingertips. ie; pens, pencils, calculator, scrap paper, computer
on, and of course a blank application. * Not having all of the
necessities readily available, leads to having to find them, and
having to find them leads to dead air, dead air can kill a
conversation.
2. The personal touch
* Once you have your customer on the phone, and have introduced
yourself, it is important that you relax them. Engage them in
small talk about something other than a mortgage, ie; the
obvious one, the weather, if a dog is barking in the background,
ask about the dog, people love to talk about their pets, etc.,
etc. This technique gets them talking and gives the conversation
a personal tone that will last throughout, and once the
conversation turns to business it becomes all the more easy.
3. Make your assessment
* Ask probing questions, find out exactly what it is your
customer is looking for, if they are unsure, you can help to
educate them. Also, ask open-ended questions. An example of this
would be; Tell me more about why you have decided to refinance
your home? The tell me more part of the question forces them to
go into greater detail than just a one word answer. These
techniques will help you come to assessment of just what product
or program best fits your customer’s needs.
4. Make your pitch
*Now that you have gathered all of the appropriate information,
you are ready to make your pitch. Start by saying something in
the area of based on what we have discussed this evening, I
think this product would best suit your needs, A challenge you
may be confronted with might be, well I need to think about it.
One way to meet this head on is to ask if there is any thing you
did not explain clearly enough, and that you would be happy to
go over everything again. Once you have an agreement and your
customer is comfortable, you can then move on to step five.
5. Close the deal
* Once your customer has decided on a mortgage product, do not
let them off the phone without their 100% buy in, say something
to the effect of; Now that we have decided on a program, lets
not waste another minute, I will go ahead and order the
appraisal, title, credit report, etc. If you are discussing a
purchase, ask permission to contact their realtor so that you
may introduce yourself.
6. Follow up
* Step six goes without saying, but it bears repeating. The
follow up is extremely important. Customers hate to be left in
the dark. Every time something happens, give them a call. When
their appraisal comes in, give them a call, when their title
comes in, give them a call, etc. The more you keep them in the
loop, the stronger the relationship becomes, and the better the
chance they will refer you business.
So there you have it, the six step sales process.
I understand that every scenario is different and sometimes
these six steps will not apply. But please don’t be afraid to
give it a shot. Make an attempt to commit the six sales steps to
memory. Make it fun, give it your own name, roll play with an
associate for practice, or personalize it by adding, or tweaking
a few things of your own. But most of all use it to your
advantage, it helped me increase my number of applications per
week and I’m sure it will help you to.

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Ask for the Business

Ask for the Business
Many times in the process of making a sales presentation to a
potential client, we will break down our product piece by piece,
explaining all of the features and benefits it has to offer,
then we expect our customer to have immediate buy in, and
purchase our product based on the presentation they just heard.
Unfortunately, it does not work that way. Simply explaining your
product is not enough. To many times we are satisfied with our
presentation of the product that we forget our number one goal.
Closing the deal!
Customers will get up from your desk, or hang up the phone,
parting with statements such as, that sounds great! Let me think
about it, or let me discuss it with my spouse and get back to
you.
The number one reason we do not ask for the business is the fear
of rejection. We would rather end our presentation on a happy,
upbeat note, and leave the ball in our customers court.
Ask yourself this question:
Would Michael Jordan leave the ball in the opposing teams court,
or would he take the ball to the hoop?
You should be doing the same thing at the end of every sales
presentation, take the ball to the hoop, except in your case,
ask for the business and close the deal.
One of the best techniques for doing this is by asking leading
questions.
Here are a few examples of leading questions:
How about we open an account for you right now?
Why don’t we take a minute and get you started?
What do you say I go ahead and order an appraisal right now?
A leading question basically leads the customer in the direction
you want to go with them, if they weren’t interested in your
product, you would never have gotten to this point. It is just
following through with everything you just explained to them.
They are most likely going to agree with you and buy your
product because the information is fresh in their mind. The
minute they leave your office, or get off the phone, your
business card is left in their pocket, all but forgotten, headed
toward a wash cycle, or the napkin they wrote your number on is
headed for the trash.
Out of sight, out of mind!
So strike while the iron is hot!
Get their business while they are in front of you, because they
may never be in front of you again!

Bulgaria – CELL Calling Cards

Close more Sales – Make more Profit

Close more Sales – Make more Profits By Frank Furness
Closing sales is always easier if your preparation is done well
upfront. The more you know about your client and the more you
anticipate objections and cover them during the interview, the
easier the close will be. In many cases, if the sales person
conducts the sale properly, the prospect will close the deal
himself, and this should be the aim for the sales person – it
implies that the salesperson has done everything correctly
during the process. It’s only if the full sales process has not
been followed that the salesperson would need to overcome a
number of objections and know how to close. Research shows that
top salespeople know when and how to close, this should be your
aim. Remember the old Golden Rule, after asking a closing
question, just ‘shut up’. He who speaks signs….. Here are a
number a closes and scripts, learn and use them well. The
Assumed Close – This is the close you would use most of the
time. If you have followed the complete sales process, just
assume that the person wants to buy and assume the close and
start completing the order forms. It would go something like:
“Are you happy that we’ve covered everything and would you like
to go ahead?”, or simply “Would you like to go ahead or “Shall
we complete the paperwork?” The Alternative Choice Close: for
example – This is where you would give them two alternatives;
whichever they choose to answer will indicate that they are
ready to buy. Examples are “Would you like to have it delivered
next Tuesday or next Friday?”, or “Would you like to pay by cash
or cheque” or “We can deliver the car with leather or cloth
upholstery – which one would you prefer?” The Balance Sheet
Close – This is used with analytical clients like accountants,
engineers and computer consultants who think very logically. You
would say to them “Many of my clients in similar positions to
yourself are very successful because of their ability to make
logical decisions. (this is their kind of language). They
normally weigh up the pro’s and con’s and make a decision based
on which outweighs the other. Let’s draw up a balance sheet (you
do this on a sheet of Paper) and on the left hand side list all
the pro’s or reasons for going ahead with the purchase and on
the right hand side all the reasons for not going ahead with the
purchase. Whichever side has more reasons would be the correct
decision to make. Let’s list all of the pro’s on the left hand
side (and here you must list at least ten reasons why they
should buy your product), and all the cons on the right hand
side” (this you let them fill in). Normally they don’t come up
with more than three reasons, and amongst those is the hidden
objection. The hidden objection would include reasons like
‘We’ve already spent or annual budget’ or ‘I’m not actually the
final decision maker’ or ‘It’s a little too expensive’. Once you
find the hidden objection, you can address it and move forward.
The Similar Situation Close – Here you would relate a situation
similar to your prospective client and let them realise that
they could have similar consequences. It would sound something
like this ‘You know, about a month ago, I had a client facing a
decision similar to the one you’re considering today. He went
ahead with our comprehensive medical plan and had a need to use
it just last week. The situation was unfortunate; however, his
burden would have been doubled had he not gone ahead with the
insurance.’ The Cost of Delay Close – This is a close where you
highlight the additional costs that the client could occur if
they delayed the purchase. Examples are “As you know, houses in
the area have increased in value by 30% in the last year, the
longer you wait to purchase, the more it will cost you” or
“Interest rates are increasing by 1% next month and this could
add a lot to the loan in the long term. Let’s get the paperwork
completed today and have the rate fixed at the lower amount”.
The Secondary Question Close – This is where you ask a minor
question that would have them commit to closing the purchase. If
you were selling life insurance it would be “Who would you like
to nominate as the beneficiary”. If you were selling appliances
it would be “Would you like to take the extended warranty?” If
they commit to the minor close, assume that they are in
agreement and complete the paperwork. The Pen Close: “Do you
want to use your pen or mine?” (while producing the contract and
pen) The Decision Maker Close: An example would be “I know most
men wouldn’t be able to buy something of this value without
consulting their wives – do you need to get your wife’s
permission on this?..” or “Most business people in your position
need to refer this kind of decision to their boss or a
committee, do you need to refer it?” If their answer is ‘no’,
you know that they are the decision maker and can close the
sale. If their answer is ‘yes’, you would need to repitch the
complete process to the decision maker. I would suggest that you
use this close early in the sale to determine who the decision
maker is, or you could waste a lot of time speaking to someone
who is not a ‘qualified prospect’. The High Costs Close – With
this close you need to make decision makers aware that by
settling for the cheapest price, they could lose on quality or
service. An example would be “That you can find this product for
less elsewhere may well be true, and in today’s economy, we all
want the most for our money. A truth that I have learned over
the years is that the cheapest price is not always what we
really want. Most people look for three things in making an
investment: one, the finest quality; two, the best service, and
three, the lowest charges. I have never found a company that can
offer all three – the finest quality and the best service at the
lowest price. I’m curious. For your long-term happiness, which
of the three are you willing to give up? Quality, service or low
price?” The Emotional Close – With this close you let them feel
the emotions or consequences of not going ahead with the
purchase. An example would be “Over five years it might seem a
lot of money, but we find that most responsible people decide
they simply have no choice but to go for it when it’s less than
a pound a day to protect your…/safeguard your…./improve
your… (whatever).” The Puppy Dog Close – Let someone have a
puppy for a week and then ask for it back and you will receive a
lot of resistance: It has become part of their life. The same
applies to business, leave a sample product with a client for a
week and let them get used to it, “Let me leave it with you and
you see how you get on with it…” If they see the benefit they
will purchase it. I see a lot of this on the internet where
companies offer free software on a 30 day trail, after 30 days
you are so dependant on the software that you purchase. The
Great Leader Close – You would use this close is someone is
really reluctant to make a decision. Simply replace ‘Winston
Churchill’ with a great leader from your country (Benjamin
Franklin, Nelson Mandela). An example would be: “I recently
heard about something that Winston Churchill, one of the
greatest minds of our time, said. Here are his words:
“Indecision has cost the British, British business, and the
British government billions of pounds. Far more than a wrong
decision would have cost. ”What we’re talking about now is a
decision, isn’t it? What will happen if you say yes and what
will happen if you say no? If you say no, nothing will happen,
and things will be the same tomorrow as they are today. If you
say yes, …..”(you will have financial freedom/you will have a
hassle free holiday…) The ‘I want to think about it’ close –
This is most probably the most common objection you will come up
with. Once again you need to find the ‘hidden objection’. An
example would be: “That’s fine. Obviously, you wouldn’t take
your time thinking about this unless you were seriously
interested. So, may I assume you will give it very careful
consideration? Just to clarify my thinking, what part of this
opportunity is it that you want to think over? Is it the quality
of the service I’ll render? Is it something I’ve forgotten to
cover? Is it the return on your investment? Is it any of the
financial aspects? Seriously, please level with me……. (Wait for
the hidden objection) The Financial Freedom Close – You’ll have
financial freedom for the rest of your life, you’ll have the
satisfaction of ……….(watching your son walk across the stage on
graduation day, and you’ll be…………(a part of a Blue Chip company
offering unlimited career opportunities.)……..(driving your new
car for three years with free roadside assistance anywhere in
Europe) The Bad Experience Close – This you would use when the
client is a little wary because of a prior bad experience.
“First of all, even though it wasn’t my company, I apologise for
times other companies have sold you products and then let you
down with the follow-up and service. Let me assure you, we will
always be available to you and will contact you on a scheduled
basis to make sure of your satisfaction. In fact, that’s one of
the reasons I chose to work for XYZ. We are always here for our
customers. Your ongoing business is important to us, and I won’t
do anything to jeopardise the relationship we’re establishing
here today.” The ‘Too Busy’ Close. “Jack, I can see that you are
very busy today, and I believe that you have a strong desire to
make the right decision regarding the investment and the
benefits to you. To allow you the opportunity to consider the
benefits we have to offer without interruption, how about
letting me take you for a light lunch where we can cover the
details uninterrupted.” You can then: •Reschedule for a better
time •Recommend lunch for the next day •Suggest moving to a
conference room or a coffee shop The Collecting Information
Close – This is a close that should be used early in the
interview. It gives you permission to collect information that
will help you to come up with the correct solution and close the
sale. “Mike, I want to do the best I can for you today. So,
would you be offended if, while we chat I make a few notes. That
way there is no chance that I will forget anything that could
save you time or money.” The Understanding Concerns Close –
“Please help me to understand your concerns? Would you mind
elaborating on your feelings of uncertainty for me? The Big Ego
Close: “We generally find that only the people who appreciate
and are prepared to pay for the best quality go for this
service/car/product – How do you feel about it?…” The
Testimonial/Reference Close – Always carry a folder with letters
from happy clients that give glowing references. Show this to
the client saying “Mary, take a look at what some of our
satisfied customers have to say about us. Please feel free to
even give them a call and ask them about or quality and
service.” The Last Chance Close: (You’ve tried everything, but
just can’t close. Pack your case and prepare to leave. When you
get to the door, stop and ask) “Just one last thing – would you
tell me where I went wrong – you see I just know this is right
for you, and I feel almost guilty that I’ve not sold it to you
properly, as if I’ve let you down…..” “What could I have done
to convince you that this is the right product for you?” The
Benefits Close: “I can see I’ve not explained this properly -
can we take a moment to go through all the benefits and see
which one is stopping us from proceeding?” (At which you list
all the benefits – the positives, and run through each one to
confirm it’s not that one which is causing the problem, crossing
a line through each as you go. When you cross the last one out,
you claim that there really seems to be no reason for not going
ahead…) The Pro’s and Con’s Close: “I can appreciate this is a
tough decision – what normally works is to write down a list of
all the pro’s and con’s – two separate columns – and then we can
both see clearly if overall it’s the right thing to do…” The
Begging Close – If all else fails, beg. What do you have to lose
at this stage apart from you pride…..
Personality Styles and Closing The manner in which a sale is
concluded depends on the style of the decision-maker – watch out
for the signs: Drivers (decision makers/task focused people) are
likely to decide very quickly and may be a little irritated if
you leave matters hanging after they’ve indicated they’re happy;
Analyticals (accountants, engineers) will want every detail
covered and may need time to think, so don’t push them, but do
stay in touch and make sure they have all the information they
need. They will buy when they are ready, you can’t rush the
close; Amiables may actually say yes before they’re ready
because they want to please you, in which case you need to
ensure that everything is suitably covered so nothing can
rebound later: Expressives – make sure they understand all the
details and always follow up and put all of the details in
writing. Biggest Closing Mistakes •Not asking for the business
•Talking too much •Not in the mood to sell •Lack of enthusiasm
•Rushing the close •Selling logic rather than emotion •Too many
distractions •Loss of control ©Frank Furness 2004 ABOUT THE
AUTHOR Frank Furness is author of the ‘Finding New Business and
Clients’ and many other products that can increase your business
on CD, DVD and Video NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this
article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered
(including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send
a copy of your reprint to frank@frankfurness.com Take a look at
other articles, free software and eBooks at

http://www.frankfurness.com/

Argentina – CELL Calling Cards

HOW TO WIN COMPETITORS? CUSTOMERS

HOW TO WIN COMPETITORS’ CUSTOMERS
1.Think long term Don’t give up when you hear, “I’m satisfied.”
Satisfaction may be temporary. Your prospect’s needs may change,
or you may provide a good reason for switching.
2.Develop a relationship Once you’ve mastered the relationship
strategies, you will be able to determine quickly whether you
can develop a rapport with a prospect, sale or no sale. By
developing a friendship, you will be able to …
3.Study needs Take your time, do research, and ask a lot of
non-threatening questions so you can find out your prospect’s
needs and how well they are being satisfied. The key is to find
a need gap and offer a solution.
4.Sell yourself Personal chemistry is important, but so is the
knowledge that you are an enthusiastic, earnest, professional,
ethical, caring expert who would be nothing but an asset to know
and do business with. Come up with new ideas for your prospects.
Show them that you are on their team, sale or no sale.
5.Add value So many products and services are commodities that
differentiation may be difficult. That is why you sell yourself.
That is also why you have to differentiate your product with
added value such as service and performance guarantees, superior
services, and better delivery schedules – whatever it takes to
be better.
6.Ask for a no-risk trial order Many customers are loyal to
their suppliers, but will grant you a trial order if you ask for
it. Make it a no-risk proposition. Ensure your prospect’s
satisfaction with some kind of guarantee, and bend over backward
to make sure the trial order makes a very positive impression.
7.Ask for a portion of their business “Stealing” a competitor’s
customer may not be an all-or-nothing deal. You may have to do
it bit by bit, proving yourself slowly as you go along. Ask for
a small percentage of the prospect’s business and you may find
that percentage will grow.
8.Be persistent Nothing succeeds more than persistence. All
things being equal, the persistent salesperson will win the
account every time. Keep in touch with prospects, think long
term, be a consultant and ally, and you will plant
drought-resistant seeds.
©Frank Furness 2004 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Frank Furness is author of
the ‘Finding New Business and Clients’ and many other products
that can increase your business on CD, DVD and Video NOTE:
You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it
remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author”
info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to
frank@frankfurness.com Take a look at other articles, free
software and eBooks at http://www.frankfurness.com/

Nigeria – CELL Calling Cards

Quotations Tell- Proposals Sell !

The traditional “Quotation” was originally devised during the
Industrial Revolution of the 1850’s and has changed little to
the present day. It is a totally Dickensian format and
absolutely out of date in a situation where supply so completely
outstrips demand. We are now 155 years on, and selling through
proposals has gone way past this old fashioned legal junk.
Continue to include it if the legal eagles insist ( and they
will, but then they still wear stupid looking wigs, and bow to
“Hizzoner”) – but don’t expect it to do anything but harm in
terms of helping you achieve the sale.
Selling proposals are ideally designed with seven
sections. These sections must be used in the proper order. They
are:
Introduction & the Customer’s Objectives.
Start by thanking your prospect for meeting you and requesting
the proposal.
Then state your understanding of the objectives your customer
wishes to achieve. Show them that you understand their
issues, concerns, problems, worries, doubts and fears. This
achieves two things. It switches your customer’s concentration
to the subject of the proposal, and shows that you are also
focussed on meeting his needs- not your own.
Your Recommendations
Having defined your customer’s objectives you should now present
a condensed picture of the product (s) you are
recommending that will achieve these objectives, with a brief
outline of how each objective will be achieved (preferably using
the priority order established with your customer at the
Fact-Find meeting).
Specification sheets for complicated equipment/furniture should
be added to the proposal (at the back of it) and referred to in
this section.
Summary of Additional Benefits
Additional Benefits, Value, Merits, Extras, and Differences that
your customer will derive over and above the specification
should be summarised in this section. * Ensure these extra
Benefits are relevant to your customer. * When you list them,
make sure they are benefits, not features.
Financial Justification
This is the most important section. Very few of us will buy
anything unless we can see clearly that the goods we are buying
will give us a return- in money saved or made, in time saving,
in durability or less frequent replacement cost, in lower
maintenance, reduced waste, more flexibility, etc.
Professional buyers also have an extreme interest in that animal
known as the “payback period” or amortisation of the financial
investment.
The majority of sellers expect the customers to work this out
for themselves. Some customers do. Many of them don’t. One thing
of which I am sure. If you work it out for the customer (when
your competitors fail to) you have another significant edge when
it comes to closing the sale.
You can cost justify in several different ways. And if you can
show more than one cost justification, do it- putting your best
one first.
Your Guarantees, After-Sales Service and Testimonials.
Don’t leave your Guarantees and After- Sales Service to the
small print in the document. They are much more important than
that, so spell them out. Maybe it is the most important thing in
your customer’s mind – if anything goes wrong down the line. He/
she will have to carry the can if they made the purchase
decision!
So put their minds at rest. Tell them how good your Guarantees
and After Sales service is and how fast your service technicians
will respond.
Back these up with third party references. Customers whom you
know will be happy to take their call and make the right noises
on your behalf – because you have asked them to, well in advance
(don’t tell them what to say, please).
Another method of increase your credibility is to include a page
headed “Our Capabilities” outlining the success of various
applications of your equipment in different situations. Every
sales professional always has a dozen appropriate third party
references ready to go.
Offer names and phone numbers in this section or include copies
of testimonial letters at the back of your proposal.
Budget Summary
All factors that may be used for negotiation purposes should, if
possible, be mentioned on this page….in other words layout the
complete package, that will enable you to change the package if
the budget needs to be changed to suit a customer requirement.
Include such things as; Quantity, Specification, Delivery,
Installation, Training, Technical Service, Guarantees, Service
Charges,….anything that is in the package that you can use for
negotiation. Of course, this will also help reinforce the
overall value you are offering your customer.
Re-name it “Budget Summary”, a term perfectly understood and
acceptable in today’s business world. Stop perpetuating this out
of date crud.
Conclusion
Proposals that follow this template can be constructed in the
form of a letter or as a series of separate pages (my preferred
option), enclosed in a professional-looking binder.
Where the proposal is important enough it must always be
delivered personally to your buyer, giving you the
opportunity to take him through it under your control,
highlighting or marking the most relevant / important aspects of
it, and ensuring that these items will draw his attention in
subsequent readings.
Quotations Tell, Proposals Sell.
Keep Selling with Integrity
Maitiú

Cuba Guantanamo Calling Cards