PROSPECTING TIP:
Ask if they look in the phone book, you think I’m joking, bet most of your sales staff have never even thought of it. Those who have are often intimidated…. it’s a lot of names and it looks like a lot of work, “hmm best not tie up the phone, a customer might be trying to call me”… Slip outside and grab a couple of your sales “experts” and ask them how they prospect, (take your blood pressure pills with you).
ANOTHER SIMPLE PROSPECTING TIP:
Where to prospect… existing customers, suppliers, colleagues, investors, advisors, associates, family, friends, acquaintances, researched leads, past customers, public presentations, civic activities, networking, trade shows, competitors internet sites, next door
REFERRALS:
If the sale is made and the order signed, salespeople (as against order takers) should then ask, ”Fred who do you know that might also benefit from this product/service/widget”. All to-do lists and of course sales reports should include a referrals section and if they don’t come back with at least one from each satisfied customer find a sharp object and insert it where it will inflict the most pain.
TRIAL CLOSES:
The sales person’s thermometer. This is where the sales person asks the potential customer to purchase the goods or service during the sales interview to test how hot or cold the prospect is. It can also be used to uncover buying objections. Just for fun ask your sales people to tell you about the last time they used a trial close and what happened. If they can’t tell you (or look at you as if you crawled out from under an old piece of cheese) place the following add “SALESPEOPLE WANTED”
DECISION MAKERS:
Have your salespeople send you a list of names and positions of the people they contact and see how many secretaries, purchasing officers, clerks and other strange characters they are talking to. If they have developed a “milk run” just to keep their call rate up remember the experts tell us (last time I heard) it costs about US$220 per call. That’s a lot of money to smile at a secretary who can’t approve any purchases.
NO FEAR:
Sales people need to overcome their fear of rejection and have no call reluctance. They need to understand risk in their profession comes from developing too few customers and prospects, not from having too many. They have to accept rejection as part of their life and do not allow a prospect’s rejection to effect and control their mental attitude. Fear can be reduced by planning, being prepared for every step of the selling process backed by solid product knowledge. Even a well developed prospecting script with prepared responses to all of the major questions and objections they might encounter can help.
DESTROY THE SALES SCRIPT… DON’T PITCH
Selling, or more correctly helping the prospective customer through the process of deciding that what you have to offer is a worthwhile solution to satisfy his or her wants (or needs if you must) should be a conversation not a one, two, three (or ten) act play. If you or your salespeople are using a script (and many still do) you are probably not listening to the customer you are just pitching. You need to let the customer explain what he or she wants and then know enough about your product or service to explain how it provides the solution or benefit desired.
BONUS TIP: IT IS VERY HARD TO FIND NEW CUSTOMERS AT OUR DESK… GET OUT THERE
Tags: closing sales, finding customers, sales closing, sales management, sales prospecting, sales referrals, sales success, sales training, selling tips, successfull selling, trial closes
I agree with what is said. Many salespeople do not realize that they should be prospecting at any given moment. The sales process includes what I call the simple “abc’s” (always be closing) and this includes the simplicity of listening to the customer. Finding the “needs” of the customer and tying the “benefits” of the product to their needs will gain an easier sale. To prospect it, it is a matter of probing the consumer about family and friends. If you become the customer’s “friend” by relating to them, it makes it harder for the customer to say no and in turn they will start referring people to you. This was the secret of one of my top sales reps.
Hey, Ric, during my “on the road” sales days of years gone by, my customers/clients (there is a difference) always became my friends. As an example, during my many years in face-to-face sales I only bought lunch for a client twice .. and I had many client lunches! My personal slogan was “Make Them Want You”. Many would call, apologize for interrupting my day, and then ask if I could take an order from them – an order they thought was too small for me to consider (I dealt mainly with corporate buyers). A good rapport with your clients is critical for continued business. Sometimes a buyer would leave their employer and go to another – and they would “take me with them”. Always have your ‘elevator pitch’ well polished because you will always be asked “What do you do for a living?”, or “What do you sell?”. So, anybody reading this comment … “What do you do?”. Can you answer right away, with confidence, without hesitation?
It is good information!