Top-Ten Skills of The Super Salespeople
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VERSION D: AUGUST 2009
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The Bottom Line “If you listen closely enough, your customers will explain your business to you.” — Peter Schutz
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TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 — THETHE SKILLS ANDSALES PROCESSES USED BY THE SUPER SALESPEOPLE ..................... 1 5 INTRODUCTION BIGGEST PROBLEM 1.1A.1 The The Biggest Sales Problem (Finding Competent Salespeople) ... 6 Section Section Biggest Sales Problem (Finding Competent Salespeople) 2
The Five Factors for Success in Sales ....................................... 8 The Five Factors for Success in Sales 4 Sales Aptitude Assessments .................................................... 9 Sales Aptitude Assessments 5 The Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople ........................... 10 The Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople 6 Marketing, Sales and Customer-Relationship Strategies ......... 11 The Four Major Business Growth Processes 7 The Top-15 Best Practice Marketing, Sales and CustomerCHAPTER ONE FOCUS ON A FEWRelationship TOP PROSPECTS 9 Processes ....................................................... 12 Section 1.1 Prospecting 10 CHAPTER 2 — ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT/CUSTOMER CARE ................................................. 13 Section 1.2 Qualifying Leads 16 2.11.3 Lead Management Techniques ...................................................... 15 Section Section Management 17 Section 2.2 Account-Management/Customer-Care Practices .................... 17 Section 1.4 Telephone Calling Processes 22 Section 2.3 Customer Feedback .............................................................. 29
Section 1.2A.2 Section Section 1.3A.3 Section Section 1.4A.4 Section Section 1.5A.5 Section Section 1.6
CHAPTER TWO USE COACHES/INSIDERS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND CUSTOMER CHAPTER 3 — STRATEGIC PLANNING ................................................................................... 32 REQUIREMENTS 32 Section 3.1 Strategic Planning ................................................................. 34 Section 2.1 Identifying Buyers and Using Coaches 33
Section 3.2 Vision Statements ................................................................. 36 Section 2.2 Understanding Personality Types 37 Appendix One Strategic Planning Process .................................................. 254 Section 2.3 Matching/Mirroring Personality Types 51
CHAPTER THREE 4 — BRANDING AND RESEARCH STRATEGICPROSPECTS MARKETING ....................................................... 38 CHAPTER THOROUGHLY AND THEIR ORGANIZATION Section 4.1 Branding Strategies .............................................................. 41 PRIOR TO FIRST CONTACT 53 Section 4.2 Business Intelligence ............................................................. 43 Section Section 3.1 Selling Yourself to The Buyer 54 4.3 Product/Service Lifecycle ...................................................... 45
Section 3.2 Relationship-based Sales 62 Section 4.4 Growth Strategies ................................................................ 49 Section 3.3 Researching Buyers’ Interests 67 Section 4.5 Every Employee Can Be Part of the Sales Process .................. 51 Section 3.4 Guidelines for Initial Contact 68 Section 4.6 Selling in a Soft Economy ...................................................... 54 Two Strategic Positioning, Market Segmentation and CHAPTER FOUR Appendix ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN 72 Customer Segmentation ................................................... 256 Section 4.1 Ascertaining Needs and Proposing Solutions 73 CHAPTER 5 —
Section 4.2 Becoming a Trusted Advisor 75 INTERNET ........................................................................................................ 57 Section Selling 76 Section 5.14.3 Solution Internet Marketing ................................................................ 59 Section the Right Questions 78 Section 5.24.4 Asking Websites .............................................................................. 60 Section 4.5 The Importance of Listening 81 Section 5.3 Search Engine Optimization/Pay-Per-Click ............................. 61 ................................................................................... 62 CHAPTER FIVE Section BE A 5.4 BUSINESS Email CONSULTANT AND SOLUTION PROVIDER 87 Section 5.5 New Web Tools ..................................................................... 63 Section 5.1 Overcoming the Salesperson’s Fear 88 CHAPTER 6 —
Section 5.2 Proving TheMANAGEMENT Value of Your Offerings 92 SALES AND MARKETING ........................................................ 64 Section 5.3 Offering Solutions 94 Section 6.1 Sales Managers’ Responsibilities ........................................... 66 Section Objections 95 Section 6.25.4 Handling Five Factors for Managing Salespeople .................................. 68 Section is Not The Most Important 98 Section 6.35.5 Price Four Famous Selling Fears .................................................... 71 Section 6.4 Characteristics of Top Salespeople ......................................... 77 Section 6.5 Selling Through Indirect Channels (Software Sales) ................ 83 Section 6.6 Managing Independent Sales Reps ........................................ 85 Appendix Three Compensation Programs and Goal Setting .......................... 261 Appendix Four Recruiting and Interviewing Salespeople.............................. 264
Asher © 2007
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 — THEUSE SKILLS AND PROCESSES USED BY THE SUPER SALESPEOPLE ..................... CHAPTER SIX APPROPRIATE MARKETING MESSAGES 1055
Section 1.16.1 Section Section 1.2 Section 6.2 Section 1.3 Section 6.2.1 Section 1.4 Section 6.2.2 Section 1.5 Section 6.2.3 Section 1.6 Section 6.2.4 Section 6.2.5
The BiggestSelling Sales Problem (Finding Competent Salespeople) ... 6 Value-Added 106 The Five Factors for Success in Sales ....................................... 8 Appropriate Marketing Message 107 Sales Aptitude Assessments .................................................... 9 Killer Arguments 108 The Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople ........................... 10 Key Discriminators 110 Marketing, Sales and Customer-Relationship Strategies .........111 11 Ghosting Discriminators The Top-15 Best Practice Marketing, Sales and CustomerReturn-On-Investment Analysis 112 Relationship Processes ....................................................... 12 Testimonial Letters 117
CHAPTER SEVEN 2 — ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT/CUSTOMER CARE .................................................119 13 RECOGNIZE THE BUYER’S SHIFT 2.17.1 Closing Management ......................................................120 15 Section When TheTechniques Buyer Is Ready Section
Section 2.27.2 Section Section 2.3
Account-Management/Customer-Care Practices ....................121 17 Recognizing the “Buyer’s Shift” Customer Feedback .............................................................. 29
CHAPTER EIGHT KNOW HOW TO CLOSE THE SALE 124 CHAPTER 3 — STRATEGIC PLANNING ................................................................................... 32 Section 8.1 The Closing Point 125
Section 3.18.2 Closing Strategic Planning .................................................................126 34 Section Approaches Section 3.28.3 Sales Vision Statements .................................................................136 36 Section To Avoid Appendix One Strategic Planning Process .................................................. 254
CHAPTER NINE BUILDING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS 137 CHAPTER 4 — BRANDING AND STRATEGIC MARKETING ....................................................... 38 Section 9.1 Client Service 138
CHAPTER TEN
Section 4.19.2 Account Branding Strategies ..............................................................140 41 Section Management Section 4.29.3 Handling Business Intelligence .............................................................147 43 Section Customer Problems Section 4.3 Product/Service Lifecycle ...................................................... 45 Section 9.4 Customer Feedback 150 Section 4.4 Growth Strategies ................................................................ 49 Section 4.5 REFERRALS Every Employee Can Be Part of the Sales Process ..................152 51 ASK FOR Section 4.6 Selling in a Soft Economy ...................................................... 54 Section 10.1 Referral Marketing 153 Appendix Two Strategic Positioning, Market Segmentation and Section 10.2 Generating Referrals and Following Up 154 Customer Segmentation ................................................... 256
CHAPTER USING FORMAL SALES PROCESSES 156 CHAPTER ELEVEN 5 — INTERNET ........................................................................................................ 57 Section Opportunities Section 5.111.1 Prioritizing Internet Marketing ................................................................157 59
Section New Business Capture Process 159 Section 5.211.2 Twenty-Step Websites .............................................................................. 60 Section 11.3 Ten-Step Sales Process 162 Section 5.3 Search Engine Optimization/Pay-Per-Click ............................. 61 Section 5.4 Email ...................................................................................164 62 OFFERINGS FROM ASHER Section 5.5 New Web Tools ..................................................................... 63
SALES AND MARKETING BIBLIOGRAPHY
168
CHAPTER 6 — SALES AND MARKETING MANAGEMENT ........................................................ 64 SectionKEY 6.1 Sales Managers’ Responsibilities ...........................................169 66 QUIZ/BLANKS ANSWER Section 6.2 Five Factors for Managing Salespeople .................................. 68 IMPORTANT LEARNING PAGES SectionPOINTS 6.3 NOTE Four Famous Selling Fears ....................................................170 71 Section 6.4 Characteristics of Top Salespeople ......................................... 77 Section 6.5 Selling Through Indirect Channels (Software Sales) ................ 83 Section 6.6 Managing Independent Sales Reps ........................................ 85 Appendix Three Compensation Programs and Goal Setting .......................... 261 Appendix Four Recruiting and Interviewing Salespeople.............................. 264 Asher © 2007
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INTRODUCTION The Biggest Sales Problem Finding Competent Salespeople
Section A.1 The Biggest Sales Problem Section A.2 The Five Factors For Success In Sales Section A.3 Sales Aptitude Assessments Section A.4 The Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople Section A.5 Characteristics of a Successful Salesperson
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Section A.1: The Biggest Sales Problem The Biggest Sales Problem Finding Competent Salespeople The top 4% of the country’s salespeople sell _____% of the country’s goods and services • When you eliminate the large capital sales 20% of the salespeople sell 62% — 2004 study at Harvard University of 100,000 business-to-business salespeople — 25 year study by The Gallup organization of 3,000,000 salespeople (completed in 2005) — Study of 80,000 salespeople by H. R. Chally (published in 2007)
Demographics 280 million people
180 17 3 3 2
million working people million outside salespeople million inside salespeople million sales engineers, sales associates, recruiters, estimators million executives, program managers, sales managers and business development people
= 25 million B2B salespeople 2
— 2000 U.S. Census
The Positive Result 4% of 25 million salespeople = One million super salespeople
The Less Than Positive Result 96% of 25 million salespeople = 24 million “others”
The 2007 USA turnover rate for outside salespeople was 37 percent — Bureau of Labor Statistics Department of Commerce
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Section A.2: The Five Factors For Success in Sales The Super Salespeople 1
Product Knowledge:
Know their business, their customer’s business and their competitor’s business extremely well
Aptitude:
Are born with a natural talent for sales
3
Selling Skills:
Know and use the top-ten sales skills
4
Motivation:
Are self-motivated, are in the right type of sales position and are continually selling
5
Sales Processes:
Are working in companies that have best-practice branding, marketing, sales and customer relationship processes to support them
* 2
– And the salespeople have the values and discipline to follow through with them — Dr. Larry Craft
* Numerous correlation studies show that 50% of the results for outside salespeople are due to their natural talent (aptitude).
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Section A.3: Sales Aptitude Assessments Definition of APTITUDE ap·ti·tude
n.
1.
An inherent ability, as for learning; a talent.
2.
The condition or quality of being suitable; appropriateness. — Wikipedia
Sales Aptitude Assessments
The idea that anyone can sell is nonsense
The total cost of hiring the wrong person is:
The natural talent of every person for any role in a company can be measured on a scale of 0 to 50 with a description of...
– Even in the best companies, 35% of the sales force does not have the aptitude necessary to reliably achieve acceptable results – $15,000 for a retail clerk – $150,000 for an outside business-to-business salesperson selling complex solutions
– Personality type, strengths and weaknesses – How to best manage the person to maximize sales (or results)
Assessment can be used for numerous roles, including:
Available on Internet 7/24/365
– – – –
Sales manager Inside salesperson Outside salesperson Customer service representative
– www.asherstrategies.com
— Discover Your Sales Strengths 5
Section A.4: The Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople* * These skills are listed in the order they are normally used by super salespeople
1. Focus on a few top prospects –
Give them a lot of contacts
2. Use coaches (insiders) to fully understand customer requirements – –
Match/mirror personality types with prospects Use neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) techniques
3. Thoroughly research prospects and their organizations prior to first contact –
Know how to get buyers to talk about themselves and their business issues
4. Ask questions and listen much more than they talk 5. Because of their superb knowledge, they can act as a business consultant and solution provider – –
Help prospects solve problems Know how to overcome objections
6. Provide appropriate marketing messages to prospects – – – – –
Killer arguments (we’ve done it before) Key discriminators (why they should choose us) Ghosting discriminators (why they shouldn’t choose the competition) Business case analysis/Return-On-Investment (why fund this activity at all?) Testimonial letters (who says so?)
7. Recognize when buyers are ready to buy (Buyer’s Shift) 8. Know how to close the sale 9. Build long-term relationships with prospects and customers by providing superb customer-care/account-management services 10. Ask for referrals and use a process to follow up on them — “The Top Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople”
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Section A.5: The Four Major Business Growth Processes
Branding – Raise market awareness such that when an unqualified lead becomes qualified, they contact you
Marketing
– Get qualified leads
Selling
Account Management
– Use the first eight of the selling skills (page 8) to pursue and close the qualified lead –
Use selling skills nine and ten to • Execute flawlessly • Up/Cross sell • Ask for, and follow up on, referrals — “How to Hire and Develop Your Next Top Performer”
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Have a Positive Attitude
Have an enthusiastic outlook (glass is half full) Have an enthusiastic answer to “How are you?” Are always excited and up – A positive attitude is contagious
– The more passionately you believe, the more persuasive you become — Charles Schwab
They Persevere
Persistence trumps brilliance almost every time – It is not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog!
Most salespeople give up after three contacts; on average, it takes ____ contacts to make the sale
When asked how many contacts they make before giving up, the most successful salespeople refuse to give an answer – They pursue qualified prospects until the prospect “buys or dies” — 2006 Survey by AMACON (NYC)
“Wendy will be with you in a minute. In the meantime, feel free to pump yourself up.”
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CHAPTER ONE Focus on a Few Top Prospects Top-Ten Skill Number One
Section 1.1 Prospecting Section 1.2 Qualifying Leads Section 1.3 Lead Management Section 1.4 Telephone Calling Processes
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Section 1.1: Prospecting Generating Prospects General Guidelines
Call three current customers every week and ask for referrals
Call three new prospects every day right after lunch
Make several appointments per week – One in the morning – One in the afternoon
Take a current or prospective customer to breakfast or lunch at least once a week
Go to at least one meeting a month for networking purposes
As appropriate, coordinate closely with marketing to follow up on the leads they generate — “Your Sales-call Success Ratio is All in the Numbers” — “The Sales Hunter”
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Sizing Up Prospects
Readiness to buy depends on four variables
Source (where they came from)
Need (the prospect’s reason for responding)
Timing (how soon they will make a decision)
Budget (do they have the money to pay for it?)
Action needed
– Source of lead – Need
– Timing – Budget
– Three points for a referral – Two points because it came from a known source (e.g., website) – One point for an unknown source (cold) – Three points because of a mission critical need – Two points for doing research for a planned project in the future – One point for curiosity – Three points for immediately – Two points for three to six months – One point for sometime in the future
– Three points if it is in the budget – Two points if budget has been requested – One point for no budget – – – –
12 points – immediate attention 10 - 11 points – start making appointments and using coaches Eight to nine points – use email and phone Less than eight points – shift to marketing — “Opt-In Marketing”
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Prospecting Networking Technology
Shorten sales cycle time by 25% Can turn cold leads into a referral Can help you find coaches for new and existing opportunities Examples – Linkedin.com (free site that lets you search your online network by keyword, name, industry locations or title) – Spoke.com (combines basic corporate data from licensed vendors, web crawling and its user interface ... 35 million contacts) – Jigsaw.com (online marketplace where users can buy or trade business card contacts ... 5 million contacts) — “Six Degrees of Separation” (Dr. Stanley Milgram)
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Generating Prospects in Your Existing Vertical Markets
Analyze your best clients to find your verticals (financial, healthcare, etc.)
Find other prospects in the same verticals. Use:
Become an expert in the industry
Join trade or group associations
Put the information you gain in customer-focused newsletters
– Industry directories – State and regional associations – National trade and professional associations
– Give talks and presentations at meetings
— “The Art of Sales Momentum”
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Starting Rich Conversations Immediately When Networking
Reveal something personal about yourself: (“What do you think about this conference? I have been on the road a lot and miss my wife and kids.”) – People will respond in kind – You gain intimacy immediately – When others volunteer something personal, show empathy (“Yes, that’s true for me too.”)
Strengthen the bond by looking for opportunities to give something to the other person – Technical, professional or personal information
When approaching bigwigs or speakers, start with: – I have followed your recommendations with great results. – They will want to help you
Do not be embarrassed to accept the help. “It is a gift to let others help you!”
— Keith Ferrazzi
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Other Lead Generating Techniques
Look at classified ads looking for people in your market – Perhaps they should outsource the work to your company instead – Especially in markets with very low unemployment rates
Optimize your website for search engines/use pay-per-click Generate leads at trade shows Use your field team – Those people closest to the customer generate the best leads
Use internal cold-call specialists (telemarketing) Join business/nonprofit/industry groups Follow clients as they change jobs/organizations When at the prospect’s site, ask support people, “Where did you work before you came here?” – Can generate great leads
Give a lead to get a lead Outsource lead generation to a company that specializes in it — Antower and Company
Generate Leads By Looking for Chaos
Look for chaos — it leads to opportunity – – – – – – – –
Revenue problems Rapid growth Mergers and Acquisitions Competitor’s salesperson leaves Personnel changes Reorganizing/Reengineering CRM/ERP Implementation Recession
Chaos usually means prospects are open to new solutions – From new providers (their problem is caused by their current provider) — “Selling is a Woman’s Game” 15
Section 1.2: Qualifying Leads Qualify Leads/Referrals By Asking Questions
Does this prospect fit the profile of our ideal customer group (e.g., Fortune 2000 manufacturer in upper midwest with over ten IT people)?
Does the prospect have a critical or urgent ______?
Is solving this need in the organization’s budget?
Has a purchasing time frame been established?
Do we understand the decision-making process?
Have we identified the right decision makers who have the authority to buy?
– A key driving force causing the prospect to take action – Can the prospect get the money? – Is the budget approved?
– e.g., will a buying decision be made within 90 days?
– User, technical and economic buyers
Do we have a coach in or close to the customer’s organization?
Do we have a potential solution to satisfy the prospect’s need?
Are the projected revenues and margins sufficient for us?
What is the prospect organization’s credit history and current financial condition?
Is this a buyer that we want as a customer?
– Can we provide a credible hard ROI?
— “The New Solution Selling”
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Section 1.3: Lead Management Lead Management
It takes an average of _____ contacts to make the sale to a qualified prospect in business-to-business sales – The average salesperson only makes ________ before they move on
A contact can be a: – – – – – – – – –
Personal visit Telephone call Voice mail message Text message Email exchange Direct mail Broadcast email Webinar Tweet
– – – – – – – – –
Instant message Audio postcard (salesforceaudio.com) Personal note Copies of interesting articles Social engagements Newsletters Special reports Sporting event Facebook/Myspace
Use Client Dynamics software and/or “Google alerts” to email recent interesting new articles or blog entries The thumb rule for contact frequency is once a month – Use customer-relationship management (CRM) software tools to manage contacts
Use standard voice mails to ease recording time in CRM Always leave an interaction with a buyer with an action item for yourself, even if you have to suggest it When appropriate, send an email to the prospect thanking them for the initial meeting and summarizing the agreed-to action items – Within 24 hours of the meeting — Zig Ziglar 17
A Minimum Number of Quality Contacts Are Required
Of the 12 contacts required, the average buyer requires seven quality contacts prior to a sale – Face-to-face discussions – Discussions on the phone – Active email/instant messaging/ text messaging exchange
Average salesperson makes only ______ quality contacts with each prospect — 2000 Study at Harvard Business School
Rationale Behind the 12 Contacts Rule (Business-to-Business Sales)
It takes time for the prospect to feel comfortable with you, your product/service and your organization Prospect company’s internal decision process/ budgetary issues/timing Prospect has other priorities (other “stuff”) Need to displace an incumbent or beat other competitors
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Perseverance Pays Off 80% of all sales opportunities are closed only after the fifth contact, but (oops) . . . – Only ______% of the salespeople make more than five contacts — “Psychology of Selling”
Focus on a Few Top Prospects
Average salespeople make a ______ contacts on a ______ of prospects
Top salespeople make a _______ of contacts on a _______ top prospects — “Selling to Very Important Top Officers (VITO))”
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The Focus Formula Based on how long it takes to make a contact, your average sales cycle time and the percentage of the time you are actually selling, make a rough calculation of how many prospects you have time to touch twelve times during your selling cycle. Example: ASSUMPTIONS Average time spent making contacts (quality and non-quality) is one hour Average sales cycle time is six months Average work hours in a day is eight National average for the % of time sales people actually sell (for complex sales) is 27% Average number of contacts made to a buyer before the close is 12
CALCULATIONS
X
1,040 work hours in a six-month sales cycle 27% percentage of workday spent actually selling
=
280 12
=
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“selling hours” in the six months contacts to close the sale (each one takes an hour) PROSPECTS TO FOCUS ON
Make sure you are focusing on the correct number of prospects.
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Improving Time Management
At the end of the day, make a list of tomorrow’s action items
Prioritize the action items
Make action items that are related to more sales the top priority every day
Allocate a set time for each task – Focus on managing your time, not managing your tasks
Analyze how you spend your time in a daily log and review it at the end of each week – Identify the top three things you do that add value to the company
Spend more time doing them Stop doing almost everything else
– Identify items that should/could be done by someone else just as well or better than you
Shift them, delegate them or change the underlying company process
– Identify others’ time that you waste; ask them for input
Change your behavior
– Identify the recurring fire drills
Fix the processes
– Analyze attendance at meetings
Is there an agenda? An objective?
Use technology (e.g., CRM) to better manage information — “The Effective Executive”
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Section 1.4: Telephone Calling Process Used by top sales professionals to get what they want on the telephone
Warm Call Process 1. Introduce yourself 2. Grab attention (the grabber) 3. State reason for call 4. Convey benefits to the buyer
– Use killer arguments, ghosting discriminators or ROI – Using metrics (e.g., ROI) is most convincing
5. Make a request for time All five steps are usually completed uninterrupted in less than 15 seconds.
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Introduce Yourself Who are you? “Good morning, Mr. Brown. I’m John Smith with Southern Security Systems.” — In general, do not use first names on the first call.
Grab Attention Why shouldn’t I hang up right now?
I’m calling at the suggestion of ...” (your coach) “I just read the article you wrote for the ...” “In researching your website, I noticed that ...” — “Customer Driven Sales”
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State Reason for Call Why are you calling me?
“I’m calling because we’ve just introduced a new technology that will affect your business.”
“I’d like to briefly describe how we can be your backup supplier for packaging supplies.”
“I’m calling about your need for office furniture for your new facility.”
Convey Benefits to the Buyer What’s in it for me?
“Our single sign-on system will typically pay for itself in reduced call center costs in about six months.”
“Our product helps our customers cut production cycle time by about 30%.”
“Using our sales training, our three most recent clients have increased sales by 11 to 16 percent in the first three months.” Note: Using actual percentages and/or dollars gained/saved (ROI) for your current clients increases the impact on the prospect by an order of magnitude
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Make a Request for Time
“Do you have a minute to discuss this?”
“Do you have a moment?”
“Have I caught you at a good time?” — “Customer Service NOW”
Keys to Making These Calls
Keep it short, simple, tight and focused
Use the coach (Bill Short)
Keep it conversational (shouldn’t sound like you are reading a script)
Combine steps if possible - “Bill Short suggested I give you a call (step 2), about your need for office furniture.” (step3)
Have an ROI (pays for itself in six months)
Example “Hello, Mr. Jones. I’m Donna Smith from Trident Software Systems. Bill Short suggested I give you a call about your need to reduce internal call center costs. Our single sign-on system reduces these costs and pays for itself in about six months. Do you have a minute to discuss this?”
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If You Get Their Voice Mail
Use exactly the same procedure Match the tone of their message Call again, every 24 hours for three days – If you haven’t heard back, send an email
Responses to “No”
If the prospect says – “No” – “I am happy with my current supplier.”
Sample responses – “We would appreciate the opportunity to qualify as your backup supplier.” – “I appreciate your candor. Before I hang up, may I ask if your mind is completely closed to this idea, or is there a slight chance that you might re-examine this need at some future time? — “The Art of Sales Momentum”
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Improve Your Vocal
Stand up when making telephone calls
Use a mirror when making calls
– Gives your voice more power – USC study discovered that the brain’s information processing power increases by up to 20% when standing – Makes it seem like you are in person – Put a smile on your face – Keeps you focused, increases confidence and increases sales
Take the time to speak clearly Keep your voice pitched as low as you comfortably can Listen to your own voice mail – Identify poor speaking habits
It is particularly important for people with _________ to speak slowly — “201 Super Sales Tips”
Impact of the Two Vs This is how people remember you from your phone conversation or voice mail.
Vocal (how you sounded) (_______ percent) Verbal (what you said) (_______ percent) — Study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian at UCLA
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Voice Mail Considerations
Voice mail is here to stay so integrate it into your sales efforts Leaving a routine voicemail – Use their full name and your full name
“Hello, this is Angela Green from the customer service department of Southwest Airlines calling for Mr. Don Adams”
– Slow ______ when you leave your phone number – Consider leaving your name and phone number __________________
Beginning and end
– Start by saying “area code ....”
Gives them a chance to get ready to write
– Include the date and time of your call
And, the date/time you can be reached
In your recorded message, clearly state when they can expect a call back, e.g., within one business day — J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Customer Satisfaction Survey
Other Considerations
__________________ is the best day to call Call early or late and bypass the gatekeeper — Liaison Agency
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Winning Over Gatekeepers
For some buyers, gatekeepers act as virtual assistant buyers – They screen sellers based on their knowledge of the company’s needs and the seller’s offerings – Treat them like buyers! Respect their position! – They can really help you (or hurt you)
If they ask, “Is there something I can help you with,” tell them – Establish credibility by referencing the coach, the research you’ve done or the triggering event that identified the company as a prospect
Show your value proposition with appropriate marketing messages Remember their names; makes them feel important Mention their helpfulness to your customer Send them hand-written thank you notes Build rapport; turn them into your __________ — “Selling to VITO” — “Selling to Big Companies”
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Using Receptionists Effectively RECEPTIONIST:
XYZ Company. How can I direct your call?
YOU:
Hi, my name is Joe. May I have your name please?
RECEPTIONIST:
This is Beth. How can I help you?
YOU:
Beth, I need help. What is the name of the person responsible for buying office supplies for your company?
RECEPTIONIST:
That would be Bill Hardnose. He’s not available. Would you like his voice mail?
YOU:
Beth, yes, but before you do, could you give me his extension number and the best time to reach him?
KEY POINT:
Once you have built a little rapport, you can ask a wide range of questions. — “The Certifiable Salesperson”
ASKING FOR HELP IS THE KEY TECHNIQUE
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Scheduling Sales Calls
Before 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast meetings
After 3:00 p.m. on Friday
– Less interruptions – Customer’s agreement is a big buy signal – – – –
Less vulnerable to cancellation Saves prospect time Simple menu; more time for discussion Prospect knows it is not a social event
– Prospects are more relaxed, more forthcoming, less harassed and less defensive – Getting a deal done late in the week provides a nice sense of accomplishment for buyers — “How to Become a Rainmaker”
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CHAPTER TWO Use Coaches/Insiders to Fully Understand Customer Requirements Top-Ten Skill Number Two
Section 2.1 Identifying Buyers and Using Coaches Section 2.2 Understanding Personality Types Section 2.3 Matching or Mirroring Personality Types
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Section 2.1: Identifying Buyers and Using Coaches Identify the Buyers BUYER
DESCRIPTION
ASKS
User*
Selects you to help them get their job done
“Will your offering respond to my need?”
Technical/ System*
Gives technical approval
“Does it meet specifications/ requirements?”
Economic/ Strategic*
Approves the money transfer to your company
“What kind of return will I get on the investment?”
Your champion in, or close to, the buying organization
“What information can I give you to help you make this sale?”
* In most cases we need a yes from all three of these buyers. — “Strategic Selling”
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Five Criteria For a Coach
Credible within the prospect’s organization
Knowledgeable of the organization’s requirements
Person with whom you have credibility
Wants you to get the job
Can be inside or very close to the buyer’s organization – The User buyer is usually the best possible coach – Always useful to have multiple coaches — “Strategic Selling”
SHORT CUTTING THE 12 CONTACT RULE One of the principal short cuts to the 12 contact rule is having a coach
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Percentage of Executives Agreeing to Meet with Salespeople 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Inside Recommendation
Outside Referral
Offsite Contact
Coach
A typical 80/20 rule
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Salesperson Letter Followed By Call
Salesperson Telephone Call
No Coach
No Coach
— “Executive Selling”
Finding Coaches
Use your current customer base
Use your vendors, suppliers and consultants
Ask referral sources to be __________
Use channel partners
Ask everyone in your organization (use email)
Find areas where you can join forces with a salesperson from another company while avoiding direct competition (be each other’s coach) – “You get me into one of your accounts” (FEDEX) – “In turn, I’ll get you into one of mine” (J&J)
Build relationships with salespeople in your prospect’s organization
Use social networking sites – Linkedin.com – Alumni Websites
— “Codebreakers; How to Close a Million-Dollar Sale in Two Sales Calls”
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Section 2.2: Understanding Personality Types Ego Drive Ego
Drive is the proactive dynamic behind human behavior. When it comes to completing their job duties or overcoming obstacles, individuals with high Ego Drive are risk-takers who place an emphasis upon the end result and “back into” the systems or relationships required to achieve it.
On the other hand, individuals with low Ego Drive are more ____________ and consistent and depend upon traditional systems, processes and/or relationships to achieve results.
Empathy Empathy
is the emotional/intuitive insight to perceive the needs of others.
When it comes to completing job duties or overcoming obstacles, individuals with high Empathy are more relationship-centered and emphasize social skills and personal insight.
Individuals with low Empathy are more task-oriented and emphasize self-discipline and efficiency. 37
Personality Types Low Empathy
High Empathy
(task oriented)
(people oriented)
34% *
39% *
8% *
19% *
High Ego Drive (impatient)
Low Ego Drive (patient)
* % of top salespeople with this personality type — “Strategic Selling”
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Driver
The Driver has a high Ego Drive coupled with Low Empathy, causing them to confidently and efficiently focus on the results of any effort. Their high Ego Drive produces impatience while their low Empathy keeps personal relationships from interrupting their on-task behavior. Well-known examples of the Driver style are the U.S. General George S. Patton, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, American director/actor Clint Eastwood, General Norman Schwarzkopf, music icon Madonna, Republican Senator John McCain, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
39
Driver/Authoritative Characteristics Dominating,
forceful, competitive, tough, stubborn Ambitious, decisive, strong-willed, highly-motivated, independent, goal oriented and assertive Fast talker/fast paced, high energy, action oriented Likes to take control; problem solver, independent Short attention span, impatient, intolerant when goals not met; task-oriented; self-motivated Processes information quickly; initiates change Will talk forcibly about the bottom line, results-oriented; doesn’t get bogged down in details Good at putting things in context, efficient, workaholic, impulsive, not a team player Cool demeanor; decisive, willing to take risks Less of a need for close personal relationships
Driver Recognition Factors
Work area is formal and often cold Desk keeps you at arm’s length Office doesn’t contain many personal items Greeting is formal and firm; lacks charm Leans forward and looks through you Nonexpressive body/facial movements Not interested in your personal life; sometimes abrasive Direct and to the point; readily discloses expectations Opinionated; poor listening skills 40
Getting a Decision from a Driver DO . . .
Use spoken communications; it reaches them better than written Be punctual and precise Maintain good eye contact; exude confidence Be clear, specific, brief and to the point Stick to the big picture Come with organized support material Present bulletized list of recommendations Let them control the sales interview and tell you what they want Selling points: money, time, efficiency, power, status, shortcuts Let them make the decision via choices Tell them about other high profile decision makers who do business with you
DON’T . . .
Get into their space by leaning forward Appear disorganized Leave loopholes or cloudy issues Talk about details Emphasize a personal relationship Exaggerate features/benefits 41
Motivator The
Motivator has a high Ego Drive coupled with high Empathy, causing them to be motivated toward meeting and entertaining others. Their high Ego Drive produces an impatience for results and a need to be socially active while their high Empathy produces a relationship-centered need to relate to others.
Well-known examples of the Motivator style are former President Bill Clinton, comedic actors Jim Carrey and Robin Williams, talk show hosts Regis Philbin and Oprah, President Barrack Obama, and comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
42
Motivator/Persuasive Characteristics
Expressive, personable, outgoing, optimistic, stimulating and motivating Magnetic, enthusiastic, demonstrative, political, talkative and good sense of humor Fast-paced and energetic; goal-oriented Thrives on options, possibilities, plans and change Creative, big picture type; dream chasers Not always strong on follow through; avoids details Desire to please; service driven; fun to work with Innovative, interactive, articulate, cooperative Likes new situations and meeting new people Warm personality; great communicator; big talker Excellent communication skills; enjoys selling and persuading Does not like making decisions
Motivator Recognition Factors
Greets you enthusiastically; socially impulsive Work area is typically cluttered, disorganized Prefers close physical distance Has active/expressive body movements Work area contains personal information, toys Leans forward when talking Likes to talk about personal life Friendly, open and talkative; shifts subjects frequently Poor listener, easily bored Not good at time management Relies on hunches 43
Getting a Decision From a Motivator DO . . .
Greet them informally with enthusiasm Use examples, stories and experiences Feel free to name drop; compliment them Provide a warm and friendly atmosphere Be ready for changes in direction; support their ideas Allow time for them to consider options Stay with the big picture Provide testimonials from people they perceive as important Be patient Allow them to talk about themselves Allow them to express opinions/feelings Be interesting and entertaining, but brief
DON’T . . .
Erect barriers Be cold, curt or tight-lipped Control the conversation or cut them off Emphasize facts, figures and abstractions Provide unnecessary detail Be competitive Be argumentative
44
Thinker The
Thinker has a low Ego Drive coupled with low Empathy, causing them to emphasize sales processes that involve preparation, organization, and detailed analysis of information. Their low Ego Drive produces a methodical, step-by-step approach while their low Empathy keeps personal relationships from distracting them.
Well-known
examples of the Thinker style are Alan Greenspan, Spock (Star Trek), Columbo (Peter Faulk), golf professional Tiger Woods and former CEO and chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates.
45
Thinker/Analytical Characteristics
Analytical, introspective; relies on structure and procedures to complete duties Deliberate, distant and reserved Dependable, neat, conservative, logical, precise, perfectionist, careful, deep and thoughtful Slow talker; slow and even paced, systematic, motivated by security, precision and order Thrives on details. Processes a lot of info. Wants to know the whole story; skeptical, accurate Respects people who provide thorough analysis and organized background information Cool demeanor, hates to be wrong – Typically ignores the emotional or feeling aspects of a situation – Low need for acceptance
Thinker Recognition Factors
Skeptical of the intention of others; insensitive to needs of others Has neat, well organized work area Greets you formally and without enthusiasm Dress and work area are conservative Shows no emotion Facial expressions nonexistent Over analyzes things before speaking; methodical Writes things down and takes notes Wants facts, figures, details Overly cautious Says “I think” rather than “I feel” 46
Getting a Decision From a Thinker DO . . .
Be well organized and on time Provide written materials and thorough research in advance Be patient and persistent Carefully prepare; have detailed analysis; use email Provide facts and numbers Provide information in a linear fashion Be accurate and realistic; don’t exaggerate, be precise; be logical Be polite Follow through on promises; missing a deadline is seen as a personal affront Close only after addressing all concerns
DON’T . . .
Get in their space by leaning forward Be giddy, casual, informal or loud Waste time with small talk Be disorganized or messy Jump from subject to subject Try to rush through decision making Be overly friendly Be overly expressive or emotional 47
Supporter
The Supporter has a low Ego Drive coupled with high Empathy, causing them to give more priority to close relationships. Their low Ego Drive produces patience and tolerance while their high Empathy gives them the ability to perceive the needs of the buyer and build long-term relationships.
Well-known examples of the Supporter style are Mother Theresa, former First Lady Nancy Reagan, American actress Grace Kelly, the late Princess Diana and actress and Good Ambassador Angelina Jolie.
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Supporter/Amicable Characteristics
Amiable, well liked, sensitive to others, friendly Patient, predictable, reliable, steady, relaxed, modest, noncompetitive, soft hearted, easy going Dislikes intellectual analysis, slow to change, possessive; low ego drive Slow paced, consistent, patient, slow to make decisions Family-oriented, interpersonal, self-sacrificing Will pass your idea around the office to get full consensus; team player; avoids risk Concerned with feelings of others; very empathetic Happiest when everyone is happy; enjoys relationships that are open and honest Warm personality; service-driven
Supporter Recognition Factors
Work area has photos of loved ones Greets you warmly with enthusiasm; sensitive to your needs Has genuine interest in you; concentrates on you Has transparent facial expressions Easygoing and slow paced Agreeable; wants to please you Avoids conflict whenever possible; keeps opinions to themselves Seeks advice from others Says “I feel” rather than “I think” 49
Getting a Decision From a Supporter DO . . .
Use casual, down-to-earth approach Give a slow-paced presentation Provide validation that is well established and conservative Emphasize personal relationship building Have patience, emphasize service to others Be tactful, appreciative Present yourself softly, nonthreateningly Be a good listener Encourage discussions of fears/concerns Keep personal notes (birthdays) Ask questions to determine needs Ask them for their help Discuss feelings instead of facts DON’T . . .
Erect barriers between you Be domineering or demanding Rush headlong into the decision process Force quick response to your questions Provide solutions with no structure Disrupt the status quo
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Section 2.3: Matching or Mirroring Personality Types Benefit of Matching or Mirroring Personality Types
________% will eventually buy when personality types are matched or mirrored Only _________% will eventually buy when personality types are neither matched nor mirrored Selling diagonally across the personality types is most difficult (e.g., Driver to Supporter) Another 80/20 Rule — Cargill Consulting Group, Inc.
The Two 80/20 Rules 80%
X
• No coach
=
• Successfully match or mirror personality type
• Got a coach
20%
80%
X
20%
• Chance of making the sale
=
• Failed to match or mirror
64%
4% • Chance of making the sale (cold call) — “Strategic Selling”
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To Effectively Mirror Personality Types
Give the buyer the necessary information, based on their personality type, to make the decision
– Not what you naturally want to give based on your personality type
Respond to their speed (fast or slow)
Mirror their personality temperature (warm or cool)
– Driver and motivator personality types are __________ decision makers, talkers and thinkers – Supporter and thinker personality types are __________ decision makers, talkers and thinkers – Drivers and thinkers __________ – Motivators and supporters __________
— Cargill Consulting Group, Inc.
Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)
A new field that attempts to understand why some people are terrifically successful
– What they do differently in terms of thinking, language use and behavior
NLP research shows that these terrifically successful people build rapport quickly with others by literally matching them in both spoken and body language As you communicate with others, match – Postures – Hand gestures – Other body language
– Voice tones – Buzz words – Breathing rates
If you can accomplish this in a natural, unobtrusive way, you can quickly establish uncommon rapport with little effort
– The uncommon rapport happens subconsciously – The other person quickly says to their subconscious, “Wow, this person is just like me. They are GREAT!”
— “Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies”
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CHAPTER INTRODUCTION THREE Thoroughly Research Prospects The Biggest Sales Problem andFinding TheirCompetent Organization Prior Salespeople to the First Contact Top-Ten Skill Number Three
Section 3.1 Selling Yourself to The Buyer Section 3.2 Relationship-based Sales Section 3.3 Researching Buyer’s Interests Section 3.4 Guidelines for Initial Contact
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Section 3.1: Selling Yourself to The Buyer Good at Selling Themselves
We are all salespeople every day of our lives
“You must sell yourself before you can sell your organization, your product or your service.”
– We are selling our dreams, plans and ideas to all with whom we come in contact
– “The customer may buy you and not the product”
“They won’t buy the product without buying you”
“______% of buyers must be comfortable with sellers before the sale can take place.” — Zig Ziglar
First Impressions
You never get a second chance to make a first impression – It happens in ___________ seconds — “Zig Ziglar”
First impressions are very important – People make up their minds about you in about __________ seconds — “Psychology of Selling”
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Importance of Appearance
The impact of the three Vs – Visual (how you look) (_____ percent) – Vocal (how you sound) (_____ percent) – Verbal (what you say) (_____ percent)
This is how people initially judge you
— Study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian at UCLA
The Subtle Importance of Appearance
Buyers unconsciously use your appearance to make inferences and draw conclusions – Happens fast – Can you sell a high-end car wearing cheap, unshined shoes?
The prospect’s brain screams “Warning: Incongruity!” and starts looking for other mismatches, this time in your offering
Image consultants advise (as appropriate to your industry) – – – – – –
Update your eyeglasses Whiten your teeth Wear a first class watch Keep your car neat and clean Shine your shoes and heel edges Use business cards with photo (as appropriate for your industry)
Dress should signal confidence, success, expertise, sensitivity, professionalism and attention to detail
When people dress more casually, they tend to act more casually and less professionally — Michele Nichols 55
We Make Up Our Minds Fast
People decide 10 things about you within 10 seconds of seeing you – – – – – – – – – –
Your economic level Your educational level Your trustworthiness Your social position Your level of sophistication Your social heritage Your educational heritage Your economic heritage Your level of success in life Your moral character
Your goal is to create an aura of confidence and assuredness when you walk into a room – Make sure your clothing contributes its part
Your posture is one critical aspect
– Walk and stand with confidence – Stomach in, shoulders back and head up — “Breakthrough Networking - Building relationships that last”
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Appearance Is Disproportionately Important
You do not want to turn off the buyer because of the way you are dressed or the way you look – 55% of how they judge you – Most people have expectations of how you should look — don’t disappoint them! – Ask your coach (or the admin) “How should I dress for this meeting?”
A $250 Billion Procurement Which one would you choose as the joint tactical fighter aircraft for the 21st century?
LOCKHEED MARTIN
BOEING
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Importance of Maintaining a Professional Image Image is what you reflect to others in your APPEARANCE, attitude and behavior APPEARANCE DO’s Clean shoes before putting away Organize closet by pieces and color Invest in a full-length mirror Keep a lint brush handy Stand tall Use good eye contact Maintain pleasant facial expression
MISTAKES Chewing gum No eye contact Casual clothing Wrinkled clothing Stained teeth Chipped nail polish No smile Run in hosiery Scuffed shoes Hair unkempt Biting fingernails Poor choice of accessories Too many accessories (too many rings) Standing with arms folded
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Importance of Maintaining a Professional Image continued ATTITUDE DO’s 100% positive aTtitude
at all times Maintain a can-do attitude even in tough situations Challenge with respect and understanding of other’s views Treat every person no matter their position, race or gender exactly the same and with respect Praise the success of others
MISTAKES Negative Complains Undermines the successes of
others Sarcastic Hyper-critical of others Gossips about the company, co-workers, vendors Jealous of others Bringing personal issues into the workplace
BEHAVIOR DO’s Treat professional “hat” like a
part in a play - rehearse the lines and scenarios Understand your role in the play
MISTAKES Sloppy speaking habits (i.e.
“You Know?”, “Yeah!”, “Like”) Aggressive Undermining the successes and reputation of others
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BEHAVIOR DO’s Speak clearly Maintain professional
MISTAKES Unpredictable Belittle people in front
character at all times Enunciate Pause for effort
Use inflections
Use proper grammar
of others Highly critical Impolite Not a team player - won’t share the spotlight Jokes at other’s expense Discriminatory Silent treatment
Professional Image Inventory 1. Take 1 minute and share your strengths 2. Take 1 minute and share your weaknesses 3. Strategize with teammate for improvements 4. Sign an agreement and share accountability
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Other Initial Impression Principles
Smile (shows interest, excitement, empathy and concern) – Most men smile when they are pleased – Most women smile to please
Make solid eye contact – Maintaining good eye contact denotes attention, concentration and true concern for what the customer is saying – Make it and keep it
Address people by their name – British Airways boosted its customer satisfaction ratings 60% by getting employees to address customers courteously by name
Have a firm handshake (web-to-web) with solid eye contact – Both women and men – Straight up and down; two or three pumps – Avoid the bone-crusher, limp fish and double-handclasp handshakes
Do not carry a ______________ into the first meeting – Or too big a purse/handbag/pocketbook — “Nothing Happens Until We Communicate”
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Section 3.2: Relationship-based Sales Gender Differences
When selling to women – Listen and do not interrupt – Men use interruptions as a control tactic—it turns women off – Treat women equally in all aspects of business
Women thrive on emotional satisfaction from the sale – Help them feel the sale
Women are interested in the product, not long stories – Shorter is better
When selling to men – Speak clearly and confidently – Present the facts and hard evidence – Have a sense of humor
Men respond to it better than women
— 2006 Survey by Miller and Miller, Inc.
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Meetings and Social Event Tips
Stand up straight Introduce people to other people Wear your name tag on the right so it is easier to read when you are shaking hands Smile, make solid eye contact and repeat the other person’s name when being introduced; then ask them to spell it (as appropriate) When meeting new people, ask how the other person’s business helps people – Then tell them about yours (I’m an accountant. I help people save money.)
— “Power Networking”
Be Interested in Other People
People want to do business with people they like and trust Buyers like and trust people who: – – – – –
understand them focus on them like them have integrity make them feel important
– – – – –
are human are knowledgeable are spontaneous are honest are interesting
Interesting people (to a buyer) are people who are ____________ in them
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— Dale Carnegie
Build Rapport
Purpose – Make friends and build trust – 90% of buyers must feel comfortable with you first
Buyers will usually not immediately give you the key to the sale (i.e., telling you exactly what they need) – They know that if they do, they will find it very difficult to logically reject a compelling sales offering that responds exactly to what they need — “Psychology of Selling”
Importance of Rapport Building
Decision makers are more interested in ________ than what you are selling (agrees with Ziglar).
What you say in the first minute of every sales call is one of the key factors in whether or not you make the sale
Decision makers will usually buy what they need (the business products/services that they are actually buying) only from sellers who demonstrate that they understand and appreciate the buyer’s individual interests (all about the person) – Use professional/technical/business interests as the first choice to get the converstation going — “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
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We Make Up Our Minds Fast About a New Salesperson _____
SECONDS TO FORM A PRIMARY PERCEPTION DURING AN IN-PERSON SALES INTERVIEW.
— “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
Your Opening Statement Primary perception formed in first 18-39 seconds POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
Trust (“You understand my interests.”)
Mistrust (“You don’t understand my interests.”)
Open Mind (“Tell me how you can satisfy my needs.”)
Closed Mind (“You can’t satisfy my needs.”)
Your benefits
Exactly the same in both cases
Your benefits
Facts about your company
Exactly the same in both cases
Facts about your company
Your Price
Exactly the same in both cases
Your Price
Sale _____ percent chance
NO Sale _____ percent chance — “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
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Conversation Starters In a Sales Interview
74% of prospects, especially “Driver” and “Thinker” personality types, find unsolicited small talk by the seller to be negative – You want to get the buyer talking
Top salespeople will start the conversation and keep it going by getting the buyer to talk
— “The New Science of Selling and Persuasion”
Identify professional, business and/or technical interests of the buyer beforehand – If you can initially demonstrate that you understand and appreciate the buyer’s interests, they will usually talk for an extended period (10-15 minutes), depending on personality type
As a general rule, don’t start with personal information – Getting too personal too fast can turn off some buyers, especially Driver and Thinker personality types
As a last resort, decipher the “cave artifacts” (e.g., the pictures on the wall, the trophies in the bookcase) – Use the artifacts to get the conversation going — “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
Take Control of The Buyer’s First Impression of You
Devise an opening statement with an open ended question that gets them to talk about what they like to talk about 66
Section 3.3: Researching Buyer’s Interests Obtaining Information About Buyers’ Interests
(Business/Technical/Professional/Personal)
Use the following techniques – Your internal coaches – “Google” them – Search services
– – – – – – – –
Zoominfo.com Spoke.com Wink.com Whitepages.com
• • • •
Facebook.com YouTube.com MySpace.com Plaxo.com
Your external network Websites Use their customers, suppliers and channel partners Their salespeople Ask everyone in your organization (use email) Secretary-to-secretary network (exchange bios) Social networking sites (e.g. LinkedIn.com) Alumni websites
If you do all the necessary research, you will be able to get the buyer talking. This will give them a positive primary perception of you, which will eventually result in a 93% chance of making the sale to this buyer. Research
Research
Research
— “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
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Section 3.4: Guidelines for Initial Contact Guidelines for Your Opening Statement With a New Buyer
Keep it conversational and simple
Make a statement about their interest and ask an open ended question
Stay away from words that are too flattering (terrific, outstanding, etc.)
Keep it focused on business, professional or technical items of interest to them – Use personal items as the last resort, unless you have a strong, mutual personal interest (e.g., golf or French impressionist prints)
Mention your coach – EXAMPLE: “Good to meet you Bob. Bill Smith told me
about your program to mentor young engineers. How did you get the program started?”
If you have nothing else, use their job – EXAMPLE: “Good to meet you Bob. It looks like you have a great job here at the company. How did you get started here?”
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Additional Relationship Principles
The relationship building is over when the ______________ decides it is
The _____________ should never prematurely end the relationship-building discussion
In most great initial conversations, the _______________ does most of the talking – The more the buyer talks, the better they feel about the seller — “How to Win Every Sale”
The sale today is not as important as the relationship tomorrow — Harvey Mackay
Selling on Emotion
Buyers buy for their own reasons – Almost always emotion based (interests)
Not because the seller’s proposed solution – Usually based on logic
The buyer may use the seller’s logic to justify the purchase (needs), but only after they have decided to buy based on ___________ (interests) – They feel a connection with the seller. — “Two Paradigm Selling”
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Natural Follow-up Rapport Building Open-ended Questions
How long have they been with organization? (7 years)
What has changed most about the business in the last seven years?
How did the buyer develop their personal knowledge of the industry?
What are the most exciting opportunities facing the company?
Who do they consider as their main competitors?
How does the company differentiate themselves from the competition?
What are their development goals?
What obstacles are in the way of reaching the goals? — “Action Selling”
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Credibility Building Statement
May be required if a relationship-building period is not possible
Most successful business people can succinctly describe their offering in less than 15 seconds
Indicate that you have a potential solution to the buyer’s problem. Back it up with: – Your success with other clients (“killer arguments”), or – Your key or ghosting discriminators, or – Appropriate ROI results
If appropriate, reiterate the success with the client who referred you Sometimes called the “_________________” speech
EXAMPLE: “Bob, Bill Smith (your coach) told me about your interest in reviewing your business insurance portfolio. We help companies manage risk across the entire enterprise and our solutions provide a nice ROI for our customers. What types of risks are of most concern to you?
The Next Level of Rapport Building rapport comes from great questioning and listening (STEP TWO) 71
INTRODUCTION CHAPTER FOUR The Sales AskBiggest Questions andProblem Listen Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Four
Section 4.1 Ascertaining Needs and Proposing Solutions Section 4.2 Becoming a Trusted Advisor Section 4.3 Solution Selling Section 4.4 Asking the Right Questions Section 4.5 The Importance of Listening
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Section 4.1: Ascertaining Needs & Proposing Solutions Key: Ask Questions About The Buyer’s Needs
Market Knowledge What your customers/prospects want you to know before you meet with them What
issues are of most concern in their industry?
What
are the emerging challenges in their industry?
What
problems are causing the greatest degree of confusion among their customers?
How
are the industry leaders addressing these issues, challenges and problems?
What
solutions are their competitors, industry experts and academicians proposing?
How
do your products relate to these issues, challenges and problems? How
do your products and services relate to the solutions? — 2007 Survey of 80,000 Business Executives by the H.R. Chally Group, Inc.
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Top Salesperson’s Mindset
Research the buyer(s), their business, their needs and the general competitive landscape beforehand
– Prospects have very little interest in spending time educating you about their business (especially C-level executives) – Pump the coach for as much information as possible – Needs are either “pain” or an opportunity (“gain”)
Your job as a salesperson is to thoroughly understand the buyer’s need and to help them The most effective way to uncover the pain or opportunity is to ask questions and be a great listener
– You cannot sell them on the correct solution until you have sold yourself that you can help them – If you do, buyers will feel like they are “buying” — not being “sold to” – Once you have uncovered the pain/opportunity and you have decided on the correct solution, offer a combination of your products and services
KEY psychologies behind asking questions and listening
– Their trust level increases and they open up even more – They feel like they are in control of the conversation But you really are in control as you are guiding the conversation where you
need it to go to extract the information you need
– If you closely listen to all wants, needs and desires, your solution will be exactly on target, and you will seem like a very intelligent salesperson – If your product/service does not fit, say so and recommend one that does (even if it is not yours) Do this once and become a trusted advisor for life
– The buyer knows that in your mind their interests come first
– It is more important to customers that the salesperson understands their needs than it is for them to understand the salesperson’s products — “Neuromarketing: How Selling to the Old Brain Will Bring You Instant Success”
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Section 4.2: Becoming a Trusted Advisor Which Salesperson Are You?
Average salesperson: – Tells prospects what they want to hear – Tries to make everyone his or her customer – Focuses on closing first and foremost
Top salesperson: – Remember that the prospect buys “you” first, before they buy your product or service – Uses permission-based phrasess so the prospect feels in control – Focuses on adding value by providing solutions – Wants to become a “trusted advisor”
— “Go Big...or Stay Home”
Becoming a Trusted Advisor Level One
Sales Engineer
You are a subject matter or process expert in a narrow niche
Level Two
Salesperson You also have expertise in related fields
Level Three
Expert You are a recognized expert in your Salesperson field
Level Four
Trusted Advisor
Your customers know that you always have their best interest at heart and can find a solution to any problem they may have — “The Trusted Advisor” 75
Section 4.3: Solution Selling Solution Selling
Today’s savvy buyers want four capabilities from salespeople: 1. Thorough knowledge of the buyer’s business, the general market conditions for the buyer’s products and services and the buyer’s main issues 2. Thorough knowledge of how the seller’s solutions can help the buyer improve their business performance
Higher Revenues Higher Margins Lower Costs
3. People skills 4. Sales Skills
They want solutions to help them improve their business performance — solution selling – Not just products or services
In order to sell solutions you must be a great questioner and listener — “Executive Selling”
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Section 4.4: Asking The Right Questions The Classic Five Buyer Decisions (And Their Related Questions)
You
Your Organization
Your Product/Service
Your Price
– Do I like and trust you? – Are you honest, credible and knowledgable? – Is your organization a good match for mine? – Is it known for the types of things I expect from a supplier? – – – –
Which of my problems will it solve? Or will it create new opportunities? Does it match my needs? How does the product stand up with the competition?
– Is it a good value compared with competitive offerings? – What must I invest(time, money, hassle) to gain the benefits? – Is there an ROI?
Their Time-to-Buy
– How soon do I need to make up my mind? – When do I need the results that the product will deliver? – Shall I stall? — “Action Selling”
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The Classic Five Buyer Decisions To get the Buyer to make these classic five buyer decisions favorable to you, it takes three principal skills: Relationship building (Get them to talk first) Questioning | needs analyses and proposing solutions Closing
— “Action Selling”
Questions to Discover the Highest Potential Needs
The Buyer will usually describe the need as – a problem, or as – an opportunity
Once the need is discovered ask – “In your opinion, what is causing the problem (or behind the opportunity)?” (the root cause)
Then ask the question that usually gives you the need with the highest potential – “What are the consequences to your company and to you personally if the problem isn’t solved and the current situation drags on?” (the emotional connection) – Answers to this question will generally increase the sense of urgency in the buyer’s mind
Now you have discovered the need with the highest potential and with a sense of urgency
— “Action Selling”
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Follow-up Questions Once Highest Potential Need is Discovered
So I can zero in on the capabilities that would seperate us from the competition, can you tell me who you are considering besides us?
What is your timeframe? (Urgency to make the purchase)
Who will make the buying decision?
Who influences the buying decision?
Who is affected by the buying decision?
What do you look for when choosing a new solution provider?
Is their anything else I need to know??
If They Ask About Your Company
“I’m prepared to discuss our solutions, but if you could give me your thoughts on your main issues (the reason you set up the meeting) first, we can focus on what is important to you.”
OR “So that I can recommend the best solution, I need to understand ...” — “The Socratic Opener”
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Section 4.5: The Importance of Listening The Importance of Listening
95% of buyers said that salespeople talk too much – __________________ before proposing solutions – “You sure are a good listener. I can’t believe you are in sales!”
74% of buyers said they would be “much more likely” to buy from a salesperson if the seller would simply listen to them
“I never learned anything when I was ____________.” — Larry King
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER INTERRUPT THE BUYER!
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Listening Habits
Covey’s Habit Number Five (of the seven habits) Active _______________
Seek first to understand (the buyer’s need)
Listening uses only 25% of our brain – Other 75% thinks about what to say next, or – Stops listening if the conversation is not stimulating — “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People”
Solution! Take Notes
Ask permission before you start: “Do you mind if I take a few notes? I want to make sure I have your requirements exactly right.” – Keep eye contact – Take bulletized notes only – Only take notes about the customer’s business needs
It says, “I’m actively ___________ to you; what you say is very important to me and I am interested in solving your problems.” – Lets the customer know her words are valuable enough to write down – It inspires confidence in buyers; they know that you have all the relevant information recorded – It forces you to have “20/20” hearing – It gets prospects to share more information – It will help you focus on solutions — “Listen to Win: A Manager’s Guide to Effective Listening”
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Top-Three Rules of Salesmanship ___________
___________
___________
Average salespeople talk _________% of the time Great salespeople talk only _________% of the time Never miss a good chance to shut up
Another 80/20 Rule — Zig Ziglar
NOTE: THE REGRETTABLE DEFAULT POSITION FOR MOST MEN IN BUSINESS IS TO TALK.
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Ten Reasons Why Most Men Talk Too Much (in Business Settings) and Don’t Listen
To show how smart they are
Ego
Men are from Mars (Problem-solvers) – They hear the first hint of a problem and will quickly offer a solution
They think they are in control of the conversation when they are talking
They prefer speaking to listening
They are too anxious to rebut the other person’s point
They allow themselves to get distracted and don’t concentrate on the buyer
They jump to conclusions before all the evidence is in
They dismiss much of what they hear as irrelevant or uninteresting
They tend to discard information they do not like — “The Selling Advantage”
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The Most Famous Salesperson Question
Is there anything else I need to________________?”
Other variations: – – – – – –
Have I covered everything? Is there anything I have missed? Have I asked about every detail that is important to you? What other items should we discuss? What other concerns do you have? What question should I be asking that I haven’t asked...? — “How To Become a Rainmaker”
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Summarizing Buyer’s Requirements
Just prior to offering solutions, _____________ the buyer’s requirements back to them – Use your notes
The summarization cements in the buyer’s mind that
– You were really listening, and you really understand their issues – You will propose solutions that will respond to the real requirements
No buyer wants a salesperson to come back with solutions to the wrong problem — “You Are Working Too Hard to Make the Sale”
Arguing With Customers
PROBLEM: Sometimes customers are wrong
You usually cannot win if you argue
If you do win the argument – You might lose the customer
Use __________________ to lead them to the correct solution — “Best Practices in Customer Service”
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INTRODUCTION CHAPTER FIVE Be Biggest a Business Consultant The Sales Problem and Solution Finding CompetentProvider Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Five
Section 5.1 Overcoming The Salesperson’s Two Fears Section 5.2 Proving The Value of Your Offering Section 5.3 Offering Solutions Section 5.4 Handling Objections Section 5.5 Price Is Not The Most Important
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Section 5.1: Overcoming The Salesperson’s Two Fears THE SALESPERSON’S FIRST FEAR The salesperson’s fear of their own lack of knowledge of what they are selling
Overcoming the First Fear
Know your stuff!
– Better than anyone else
Knowledge builds your expertise and increases your persuasiveness “The top salespeople are the knowledge giants” Top salespeople also know the competition’s business better than the competition does If needed, take a sales engineer with you — Dale Carnegie
Knowledge is Power ”The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to his/her commitment to excellence, regardless of the chosen field or endeavor.” — Vince Lombardi
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Build Total Trust with Customers
TRUST = Personal Characteristics + Knowledge
Important Personal Characteristics
Knowledge
Being a good person is not enough to build trust
Lack of trust kills more sales than the other top three reasons combined
– – – –
– – – –
Honesty Integrity Straight forwardness Ability to listen and empathize
of your business (products/services) of your competition’s business of the customer’s business of the general competitive landscape
– You must also be able to deliver value
— Miller Heiman
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THE SECOND FEAR The fear of being rejected by the prospect
Techniques for Overcoming the Second Fear
Rationalizing that it was not us that was rejected
– “It couldn’t be us, the customer is stupid.”
Unfortunately, in many cases, it was us
It wasn’t a “NO;” it was a “NOT NOW”
Realizing that sales success is a numbers game
– They may change their mind in the future – Build the relationship
– No attempt = no sale – Each day as you are about to go home, make one more call
Considering the rejection as a success because it is a learning experience – Analyze the loss to determine reason for rejection – Get feedback from the customer
Focus on high probability sales (e.g., with coaches) – Not ones that will result in more frustration
— “Selling Power”
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Techniques Used By Top Salespeople
Totally overcome the fear of rejection Use visualization techniques Do all functions of the sales process a little bit better than the average salesperson – Top _____% sell 55 times as much as the other 80% – Top _____% sell 16 times as much as the other 96% — A 2005 Study at Harvard University of 100,000 Business to Business Salespeople
Consequences of the Fear of Rejection
Average salesperson gets going at the “crack of eleven” and spends only 90 minutes per day selling Only 20% of sales calls are successful _____% of the people in sales positions in the U.S. leave the profession every year The importance of salesforce training cannot be over emphasized — A 2005 Study at Harvard University of 100,000 Business to Business Salespeople
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Section 5.2: Proving The Value of Your Offering THE BUYER’S FEAR The Buyer’s fear that they do not fully understand the value of your offering
Overcoming The Third Fear
To overcome this fear, use a small group of “demonstration” partners (your best customers) who will welcome your prospects into their company to see your solutions in ACTION – In return, give them something (e.g., better pricing)
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Selling Your Company
Once you have sold yourself by building rapport, asking questions, listening and uncovering high potential needs – Sell your company
Sell three areas quickly
– What does our company do? (standard) – What is it known for? (standard) – Are we a good match for the buyer’s company? (must be customized) Use the classic marketing messages:
– – –
–
Killer Argument Key Discriminators Ghosting Discriminators ROI
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Section 5.3: Offering Solutions Sell Your Product
Cite no more than three offerings
Include the gain for the customer
– The maximum the brain can handle – –
Gain = Value Cost Value is the combination of three areas for the buyer Financial (ROI) Strategic Personal (e.g. make them look good)
Include your marketing messages (top reasons your clients buy from you) – Killer Arguments – Key Discriminators
– Ghosting Discriminators – Return-on-Investment
All Discussed in Chapter Six
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Section 5.4: Handling Objections Handling Objections
Objections are generally great news! Objections tell you – What you have to do to make the sale – Where you weren’t clear or effective – Where the prospect needs more information
When clients have no objections, the success rate is low When clients have a few objections and you can satisfy them, the success rate is _____%
– Face them candidly and answer them completely and convincingly — 2004 Survey of 200 Sandler Sales Franchises
Brainstorm Buyer’s Likely Questions and Objections Beforehand
If you have really understood the customer’s needs and proposed a perfect solution, there will be few objections If there are unanswered questions or objections, the sale usually cannot be made in the call Objections are usually the way prospects mask pleas for help and information The buyer’s questions and objections usually provide the key to the sale – Script their likely questions and objections, and your responses, beforehand — Zig Ziglar 94
Turn Objections Into Objectives
Listen carefully Restate the objection in your words and get agreement Reframe the objection into a mutual prospect/salesperson objective
– (Prospect) “Your delivery time is too long” – (Salesperson) “So our objective is to get you the product when you want it, correct?”
The benefits of the change
Use the “feel, felt, found” response
– Tone of the language goes from adversarial to positive – The prospect’s “yes” response is an invitation to continue – Permission has been granted to ask more questions to fully understand the prospect’s concern – “I understand how you feel” – “Some of the other customers felt the same way when they first heard of our solution” – “But once they implemented our solution, they found the that they got a substantial ROI” — “22 Keys to Sales”
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Responding to Objections
NEVER GET THE SLIGHTEST BIT DEFENSIVE
Even the slightest degree of defensiveness will turn most buyers completely off
– Pause before answering – Restate the objection
– You come across as a “know it all”
Find a way to agree . . . “that’s a good point”
Probe to fully understand the objection
Satisfy the objection
Gain agreement and move on
– Ask permission . . . “Do you mind if we explore that idea a bit?”
— “Yes, You Can”
Learn to Overcome Objections by Role Playing In Company Sales Meetings
Ask all salespeople to write down the top objections they hear and how they overcome them
The usual top-four categories are: – – – –
Bad experience with your company Product lacking needed features/benefits Competitors offering a different deal Price — Reality Times Web Site
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Section 5.5: Price Is Usually Not The Most Important Reason Buyers’ Priorities When a Commercial Service Contract Exceeds $1M
Quality of the provider’s staff (90%)
Enthusiasm and commitment (80%)
A vendor who listens to clients’ goals and needs (79%)
Reputation (73%)
Initiative (70%)
Overall grasp of client’s business (70%)
Demonstrates confidence (70%) — In 2008 Survey by Rogen International
Price is NOT in the Top Ten
What’s Important When Customers Choose Their Vendors
Salesperson’s competence (39%)
Total solution provided (22%)
Quality of offering (21%)
Price (18%) — 2007 survey of 80,000 business customers by H.R. Chally Group, Inc. 97
Federal Government IT Procurement Officials’ Priorities
Reputation for delivery on time, in budget, in scope (57%)
Quality of proposed technical solution (55%)
Domain knowledge (31%)
Price (27%)
Program management (24%)
Innovation
(22%)
Quality of staff (22%) — 2006 survey of 470 Federal government IT procurement officials asked to name the top three factors for award “Campbell Communications, Inc.”
Price Usually Not Most Important Multiple surveys show that price is not the top priority for buyers – Most buyers buy based on value; an emotional combination of price, quality and service – ______ ranks as only the fourth to sixth most important consideration
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Insights Into Price Objections
Buyers need to obtain the right products/ services/solutions to help their internal people support their customers – Buyers get fired when they buy products and services that do not satisfy their internal customers
“SIR, THE BUYER WILL SEE YOU NOW.”
A price objection is the quickest and easiest way for a prospect to get rid of a salesperson that they do not like Buyers are trained to bring up price on a continuing basis to test the waters – Some Buyers are compensated on the % of price reductions they can obtain
Concentrate on benefits (that justify the price); not features – Show the ROI (It trumps price objections) – Sell on value before discussing price
— “The Best Seller”
Knowledge of these factors allows salespeople to not cave on price so fast
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Role of Purchasing Manager is Changing
Used to focus just on price Now needs to understand the total cost of ownership – Quality – Service – Price
Lower-level buyers focus on price only; higher-level buyers focus on increasing revenues, lowering costs, increasing productivity, increasing margins The pressure is on the purchasing manager to get the right partner
— The Verghis Group
“I WONDER IF IT WILL WORK? AFTER ALL, HE’S A SALESMAN AND SHE’S A PURCHASING MANAGER.”
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Price Objections
A price objection usually means you have not sold the buyer on the value of your offering – Qualify price objections by asking, “Is price your only concern?” – Quantify price objections by asking, “How far off are we?”
Other reasons for the price objection – A _________________ ploy – The buyer does not have as much money in their budget as you are asking — “The Best Seller”
Response When Your Price Exceeds Their Budget
Propose alternative payment structures – Extended billing across two budget years – Phased implementation
Look for shared funding sources – e.g., if ROI is good, perhaps the Facilities Manager’s reduced maintenance budget can help pay for your solutions
Rescope your offering such that you preserve your value Reduce fidelity, resolution or other areas of robustness Prioritize needs and fund the most important first Shift part of your solution to be funded in their next fiscal year Suggest extended billing solutions — “Non-manipulative Selling”
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Be the First to Mention Price (If you know your prices are higher than the competition)
If you know your price is higher, bring it up before the customer does
– “Because of our outstanding value, our product/service is a little more expensive than others in this market. Is that going to be a concern?”
Usually, the buyer will be refreshed by your straight fowardness This technique gives you a chance to take the offensive and explain the greater ____________ behind your higher price — “When the Other Guy’s Price is Lower You Can Still Make the Sale”
“I Want to Think It Over”
The generalized “I want to think it over” response usually means “no” People don’t think it over – Only _____% will actually think it over and decide to buy
More questioning is required to understand and satisfy the real objection(s)
70% of the time, the buyers really mean “No” 30% of the time, there is a misunderstanding that you can clear up with questions — “Psychology of Selling”
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Sample Responses
There is obviously some aspect of my solution that concerns you. (pause) Is it a question of price? (pause) What concerns you the most? Is it the way we propose to solve your problem or our price? — “The Best Seller”
Overcoming Negative Perceptions
Negative perceptions of your company are a “speed bump” that cannot be overcome by ignoring them Acknowledge the problem – If appropriate, take personal responsibility
Describe the solution, e.g.:
As appropriate,
– Fixed the problem so it won’t happen again – Management involvement – Improved the underlying process – Show metrics (that demonstrate improvement) – Offer testimonial letters (delighted clients)
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INTRODUCTION CHAPTER SIX Use Appropriate The Biggest Sales Problem Marketing Messages Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Six
Section 6.1 Value-Added Selling Section 6.2 Appropriate Marketing Messages
Section 6.2.1 Killer Arguments Section 6.2.2 Key Discriminators Section 6.2.3 Ghosting Discriminators Section 6.2.4 Return-On-Investment Analysis Section 6.2.5 Testimonial Letters
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Section 6.1: Value-Added Selling Value-Added Selling
Provide great customer service
– Including after-hours phone numbers
Delivery
– Free/fast/same-day/least-expensive means
Inventory
– Just-in-time/consignment/high-fill rate/vendor-managed inventory
Guarantees and extended warranties Training – More/better/on-site/frequent – Train their salespeople
Packaging/Labeling
e-commerce (EDI/Interactive Website/e-store)
– Bar-coding/custom/least volume/pre-kitting/RFID – Ordering/tracking/inventory levels/job status/order history
Volume discounts Features/functionalities
– More/better/customized
Share best practices for internal processes Higher quality Technical/engineering services – Design services/failure analysis/testing
Terms Co-marketing/co-branding Provide market info they cannot get on their own
— “Value Added Selling” and “50 Ways to Add Value”
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Section 6.2: Appropriate Marketing Messages Section 6.2.1 Killer Arguments (done it before) Section 6.2.2 Key Discriminators (why choose us?) Section 6.2.3 Ghosting Discriminators (why not choose the competition?) Section 6.2.4 Return-on-Investment Analysis (why do this at all?) Section 6.2.5 Testimonial Letters (who says you can do it?)
These marketing messages have been developed by top marketers over the years, because they: – answer the logical questions that most buyers have – allow you to differentiate yourself from the competition
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Section 6.2.1: The Killer Argument (Done it before) The Killer Argument
“We’ve done it before” – Greatly reduces the risk in the buyer’s mind – TROUBLE IS: You usually haven’t done it before
What to do? The average salesperson starts by saying, “We haven’t done this before, but ...” (ugh!) The great salespeople: 1. Team up with other organizations as necessary 2. Translate what they have done that relates to the need 3. Take advantage of what their senior people have done in previous organizations (remember, people give business to people) 4. Use the experience of their contractors, suppliers and vendors as part of their selling proposition 5. If it truly has never been done before by any organization, demonstrate that we have the time-tested processes in place to assure success — “Dale Carnegie”
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Teaming Considerations (with other organizations)
What teammates do we need to make the killer argument (done it before) Taking small companies, or niche players, off the street How we can structure our team to be the only credible provider Strategic (teaming) or political (quid pro quo) considerations
Reasons Why Prime Contractors Choose Sub-contractors
The sub has a low bidding IQ and is easy to use and abuse The sub is smart and can help us technically The sub understands the customer; we don’t The sub is the incumbent The sub has the best: – – – – – –
Price Value Insight into customer needs Software conversion plan Technical migration plan Product introduction plan
The sub has teamed with us before and done a good job The sub will be exclusive and others won’t — 2004 Government Marketing Report
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Section 6.2.2: Key Discriminators (Why choose us?) Key Discriminators
Need to answer the question: “Why should the buyer choose us?”
– – – –
What do we do extremely well? What is our added value? What is our unique selling proposition? What are our points of difference?
How are we different (not necessarily better)? – What is our sustainable competitive advantage? With appropriate metrics
– How do we provide an engineered solution? — “How to Become a Rainmaker”
Most Key Discriminators sound like an average salesperson keeping average solutions
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Section 6.2.3: Ghosting Discriminators (Why not the competition?) Ghosting Discriminators
Need to answer the more important question:
Determine Ghosting Discriminators by:
Result — we have pointed out the weakness of the competition
You must use identifiers to point out the differences
– “Why shouldn’t the buyer choose our competition?” – Analyzing the competition’s weaknesses – Emphasizing the opposite of the competition’s weaknesses as our strengths – Without mentioning the competition – Most, always, unique, least, etc.
— “How to Become a Rainmaker”
Most Top Salespeople use Ghosting Discriminators to differentiate their solutions
Ghosting Discriminator Examples Competition’s Weakness
Ghosting Discriminator
Schedule and budget problems
“We always deliver on time and within budget.”
No key facilities
“We have unique facilities.”
Stock/financial problems
“We are the most financially-stable supplier of these products in the area.”
High turnover of people
“We have the most stable workforce in the industry.” — “How to Become a Rainmaker” 110
Section 6.2.4: Return-On-Investment Analysis (Why buy at all?) Return-On-Investment (ROI) Analysis
Most purchases are made to solve problems or grow the business – 40% of solutions can be expressed in financial terms
Justify your offering’s price by demonstrating how quickly the offering will pay for itself When a seller can express this payback with convincing numbers, the buyer’s psychology changes radically
– From focusing on how much your offering costs to calculating how much money can be made/saved from your offering after the short payoff period
Show the buyer how taking no action costs more than funding your proposal Use the info as themes in proposals Top decision makers almost always use ROI to decide — “How to Become a Rainmaker”
Types of ROI
HARD — Can show real numbers (reduced head count) SOFT — There is an ROI, but cannot show real numbers (people freed up to do other activities) WHAT IF — We do not buy enough insurance
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ROI Examples
Computer systems that increase productivity Automated systems that decrease the need for people Equipment-monitoring systems that extend maintenance intervals Models and/or simulations that save on prototype and development costs Process improvements that reduce operating and/or total ownership (life-cycle) costs Products/services that do the job faster, better, and/or cheaper Web technologies that increase efficiency
Typical Hard ROI Metrics
Top-line improvers – – – – – – – – –
Faster new product startup time Improved product yield Improved quality Assured production scheduling Product uniformity Same-day order fulfillment Longer-term warranty Increased lead conversion Higher website conversion ratios
Bottom-line improvers – – – – – – – – –
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Reduced installation time Reduced maintenance time Reduced labor costs Reduced process downtime Reduced energy costs Reduced manufacturing-cycle costs Reduced environmental penalties Reduced costs of scrap and rework Reduced equipment downtime
What C-Level Executives Want
Return-On-Investment (ROI)
______ line growth (remove road blocks to growth)
__________ line improvement
Time
Brand
– How much capital is required? – How long to get a return (products)? – How long to go cash-flow positive (services)? – 100% retention of existing customers
– Getting all the possible add-on, high-margin business – Increasing efficiency of revenue-generating employees and mission-critical processes – Cutting non-value expenses – Reduced time to market – Reduced R&D, production and sales cycle times – Increase their brand identity
— “Learn the Language to Sell to ‘C-Level’ Staff” (Business First)
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Why Government Contractors Win Business
They provide a technology solution at a great price because they were paid to develop it for another government customer (ROI)
They have a unique forward-leaning new technology/ process/integrated solution – That provides an ROI
They own the relationship – Internal coaches — “Master Sales Strategies”
Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak
STEAK ... “We offer a full range of services to nonprofits, including x, y and z.” SIZZLE ... “Our services help nonprofits that need to simplify the administration of their trusts, to maximize the ROI that these trusts deliver and to minimize their exposure to legal and financial risk.” (another ROI) — “Two Paradigm Selling”
NOTE: The ROI provides the sizzle.
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Keys to Selling Complex Technical Solutions
Use reps who can make the business case
Bundle them with branded products or companies (e.g., CISCO) Obtain prestige endorsement (e.g., from the American Bankers Association) Educate the sales reps or take sales engineers on the sales calls Be patient ... these sales take longer Be ready to sell to multiple levels within the organization Use reps who can talk to C-level executives and take a holistic view of the customer and their needs
– Today’s buyers want an ROI in six months
— “Selling Power”
What Business Customers Want
Solutions that provide an ROI
Outsourcing solutions that are less expensive than they can do it (ROI)
– Not products or services
– Everything except their core competencies
A substantiated Return on Investment (ROI) for their business – with your guarantee, or – your sharing of the financial benefits of your solution
— 2007 Survey of 80,000 Executives by the H.R. Chally Group, Inc.
SHORT CUTTING THE 12 CONTACT RULE The second shortcut to the 12 contact rule is having a credible, hard ROI 115
Section 6.2.5: Testimonial Letters
“THESE ARE THE BEST TESTIMONIALS WE COULD GET?”
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Testimonial Letters
The best testimonial letters are case studies with appropriate metrics (ROI)
Outline a case study of a current delighted client – – – –
Short story of their business challenge The solution you provided The results of your solution with metrics (ROI) A testimonial from the client about the satisfaction of the results you provided
“The sales training provided to our sales force has resulted in a 24 percent increase in new accounts and a 19 percent increase in revenue. We are thrilled at the outcome of this sales training program.” Sally Client, President XYZ Company
Write the case studies for the client and ask them to sign off on them
Post them on your website and use in your other marketing materials — Sittig, Inc.
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CHAPTER INTRODUCTION SEVEN The Biggest Problem Recognize TheSales “Buyer’s Shift” Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Seven
Section 7.1 Closing When The Buyer Is Ready Section 7.2 Identifying “Buyer’s Shift”
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Section 7.1: Closing When The Buyer Is Ready Closing Principles
You cannot close until the buyer is ready to buy
Prospects will almost never close themselves, even when they are ready
– You must get them to the decision point with a closing proposal – They want to know what you are offering
Always ask for the larger order – You may get it
“_______% of all sales calls end without an attempt to close” — Brian Tracy
Salespeople who have not been trained to recognize buyer’s signals never try to close Trained salespeople know that if they try to close before the buyer has shifted, it will come across as being “pushy” and may kill the sale Once buyers decide to buy, they quickly become frustrated with sellers who do not recognize that they are ready to buy – The window of opportunity is short
You only have a minute or two
— Sales Pro Magazine, 6/2006
The national closing rate is only _____% (current/new) — Sandler Sales
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Section 7.2: Recognizing The “Buyer’s Shift” Buyer’s Shift
Watch/listen for the buyer’s shift; i.e., when the buyer changes his/her point of view and decides he/she wants your product or service – Sometimes you will get verbal signals – Most of the signals are nonverbal and nonvocal – In many cases, four to six of these signals occur simultaneously
Body language provides 55% of the signals
Body language almost always indicates the true feelings — “Non-verbal Selling Signals”
Principal Body Language Signals GREEN
YELLOW
(Buyer has shifted)
Face
(Buyer has not shifted)
Friendly Smiling Slow head nod Pleasant expression Tilted head to one side Active Chin stroke
Furrowed brow Little change in expression Tense, displeased Eye rub Nose or face scratch Frowning Shaking head Pursed Lips Biting Lips — “The Vocabulary of Sales Body Language” — “Non-verbal Communications: The Unspoken Dialogue” 120
Principal Body Language Signals continued . . . GREEN
YELLOW
(Buyer has shifted)
Eyes
Good eye contact Raising both eyebrows Eyes widening Looking upward with fixed expression; blinking eyes rapidly Pupils growing wider
Hands Relaxed Palms open Handling your material Rubbing hands together Fall to the sides (if standing) Hands on leg as if ready to stand On cheek Stroking chin or beard
(Buyer has not shifted) Avoiding eye contact Raising one eyebrow Looking at watch or clock Staring unblinkingly Squinting Pupils narrowing Sideways glances Hands behind back Clasped, clenched, tense Fidgeting with objects Pushing on desk away from you Covering mouth while speaking Rubbing cheek, forehead, mouth or nose Bringing a hand to the back of the neck Hands in pocket Pen tapping Biting fingernails Pointing index finger Fist-like gestures Cracking knuckles Grasping items tightly
Arms s
Relaxed Uncrossed Taking jacket off
Tense Crossed Shoulders raised
Legs s
Uncrossed, or crossed towards you
Crossed at the ankles Crossed away from you Bouncing leg up and down Tapping foot
Body Contemplative posture Angle Relaxed
Upright, or towards you Animated reactions Moving closer to you Sitting on edge of chair
Slouching, hunched over Putting space between you Tense Leaning away Turned away Leaning back in the chair 121
Typical Verbal Buying Signals
The buyer makes “buyer attachment” statements – “This is a good location for the item.” (They see themselves as “owning” the product already)
The buyer repeats a question – “Can you explain the response feature again?” (They are confirming that it is right for them)
The buyer asks risk-mitigation questions – “So you said this comes with a guarantee?” (They are leaning towards buying but want to make sure they cover their bases)
The buyer mentions an outside recommendation – “Bob is using your service and he says it is working well for him.” (Prospects that seek recommendations on their own are serious about buying)
The buyer relates unfavorable stories about specific competitors – “I had a problem when I used X company for a similar product.” (With reassurance that you are different, they are ready)
The buyer asks you for personal details – “How long have you been with the organization?” (They are ready to buy the product and need to buy you also) — “Reacting to Buying Signals”
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CHAPTER INTRODUCTION EIGHT The Biggest Know How ToSales CloseProblem The Sale Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Eight
Section 8.1 The Closing Point Section 8.2 Closing Approaches Section 8.3 Sales To Avoid
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Section 8.1: The Closing Point At the Closing Point
Once the buyer has shifted, go for the close
If the salesperson has ascertained needs and presented a reasonable solution – They have a 50% chance of closing
If they are timid about closing – They have a _____% chance of losing the sale
Customers expect to be asked for their business – Don’t disappoint them — “10 Steps to Sales Success”
Trial Closing Principles
The trial close is an opinion-asking question: – “What is the most important aspect of our offering? – “Where do we go from here”
It tells you what you need to adjust to get the sale
The actual close is a decision-asking question: – “When would you like us to start delivery?” — “The Best Seller”
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Section 8.2: Closing Approaches Top-Ten Closing Approaches (Decision-Asking Questions)
Direct (50% of the closes) Assumptive Alternative I recommend Pilot project Use of the “If or When” phrase Test it out first Window of opportunity The timeline technique Return-on-investment
“THIS IS THE PART THAT ALWAYS GETS TO ME ... WHEN THEY ASK FOR THE ORDER.”
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Direct KEY When all needs have been identified and all solutions are explained, use a statement that helps make the prospect comfortable enough to close the deal. EXAMPLE:
“Linda, it looks like we’ve got a nice match between what you need and what we are offering. Restate their needs, our solution and the price, and ask “Would you like to go ahead with this?”
Assumptive KEY In this close, the seller lays out the scenario and proposes a course of action based on a strong sense that the client wants to buy, but just doesn’t know how to say it. EXAMPLE:
“I’d propose installing my automated maintenance system on two of your helicopters. I’ve got several existing maintenance contracts in place already with your organization. Which one would work best for you, Jill?”
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Alternative KEY There is the implied assumption that it is not a question of whether or not the client will buy, but what will be bought. EXAMPLE:
“Bob, would you want to start with the sales training or with the strategic planning facilitation”
I Recommend KEY If clients sense that you really understand their needs, they will follow your recommended course of action, especially if they trust you. EXAMPLE:
“In order to add this functionality to your algorithm, we’ll need a contract modification of about $20,000. I recommend that we get started right away in order to meet your schedule. How does that sound, Joe?”
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Pilot Project Close KEY You select one small part of a project as a means of getting started and providing a chance to establish an initial working relationship. EXAMPLE:
“Sam, I suggest we start with a pilot project with 10 users to test out our CRM system. We can be ready to start as early as next Monday. How does this sound to you?”
Use of “When” or “If” KEY You have the capability to modify your product or service to satisfy the buyer’s objection(s). EXAMPLE:
“So, if we include Global Positioning System functionality into our algorithm will you be ready to include it in your avionics upgrade package?”
The Timeline Techniques KEY Offer the prospect choices as to the timing of the initial project. EXAMPLE:
“Usually we need around two months lead time to order materials in order to be ready to start on the first of June — or do you need to start this project sooner?” 128
Test It Out First KEY The client agrees to use a small portion of your service on a pro bono basis. EXAMPLE:
“We will be pleased to provide you and the CEO with a Blackberry for one month on a trial basis. When would you like to have them delivered?”
P.S. This is sometimes called the “puppy dog” close.
Giving Product Demonstrations
Many prospects want proof before they decide – – – –
Small assignments Product evaluations Beta tests Pilot projects
Always attempt to get a commitment in return: “If the demo is successful, will you be ready to go ahead with the project?” Usually get one of two responses – –
Samples – Product trials Demonstrations – Test results –
Unresolved issues (which you can resolve) Agreement
Always be there and closely involved with the demo/ trial/testing
— “How to Become a Rainmaker”
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Window of Opportunity KEY The client realizes that if they do not buy now, they will lose the opportunity. – Have you heard this technique “today only” from your friendly car dealer? EXAMPLE:
“The next quarterly computer simulation training class starts next month. If you are going to participate, I really need your commitment by the end of next week.”
Return-on-Investment KEY You have demonstrated a compelling “hard” ROI. EXAMPLE:
“Will you look at the numbers and decide for yourself if they make sense?”
– By agreeing to decide for herself, the option of not deciding is eliminated. She must look at the numbers and decide! – If she rejects the solution, she must admit that she can’t decide for herself (which most people do not want to do) and since the ROI is compelling, she must buy.
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Intermediate Closes If
you cannot get the actual close, get agreement for something that keeps the sales process moving (sometimes called the objective of the call) – – – – – – –
Ask,
Meet again Review product literature/presentation Accept a bid or proposal Participate in a demonstration Talk with others who use the product or service Use the product or service on a trial basis Arrange a meeting with a decision maker
“What is the next step?” — “Developing and Leading the Sales Organization”
Closing Principles
After you ask for the business, say nothing until the buyer responds – You want the buyer to say “Yes,” “No,” or “No because ...” (the objection you’ve been looking for) – He who speaks next “loses” – Technical as well as sales people need to be trained to be silent at the closing point — “The Best Seller”
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Stalls and Objections
If you get an objection(specific reason) handle it as previously discussed (page 94)
If you get a stall (no particular reason) say: “I understand” – Restate the features the customer liked and add an additional feature • (e.g. best warranty in the industry; two years) – “Would you like to move ahead?” • Second attempt to close
After the Close is Complete, STOP SELLING – You may sabotage the sale!
All customer-interface people need to be trained to stop talking at this point Buyers are busy—it is time to go! — Zig Ziglar
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Confirm The Sale
“Buyer’s Remorse” can set in once the Buying Decision is made
– Buyers may suffer from FUD Fear Uncertainty, and Doubt
Counter FUD by:
– Assuring the customer that their decision was a good one “ I am really pleased as my experience tells me that our product/service is a perfect match for your needs” – Thanking the customer for their business “ Thank you for your showing such confidence in our product/service” – Schedule the next event “ I suggest that we schedule the kick-off meeting for your people and mine early next week. How does Tuesday look?” — “Action Selling”
Additional Closing Opportunities
Closing can provide other immediate opportunities – – – – – –
Ask why you won and use the information Up sell (more quantity at a lower price) Cross sell (other related products/services) Get a long-term contract Meet with other buyers in same organization Meet with more senior buyers/executives in same organization – Referrals to other organizations in their supply chain
— “The Rainmaker’s Tool Kit” 133
When You Lose a Sale
Compliment the customer on their choice (grin and bear it!) – Never bad-mouth the competition
It makes you look small It insults the prospect’s judgment
Ask for a debrief from the prospect – Use lessons learned to improve your sales processes and bid strategies
Send a thank you note that says “Thanks for letting us bid [make a presentation]. I’m sorry we couldn’t help you this time. Please keep us in mind for future projects.”
Offer to qualify as a backup supplier with 10% of the business
Ask for a referral
Check in with the prospect periodically – Mention your new offerings or improvements to existing offerings — “Making Sales Manager”
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Section 8.3: Sales To Avoid Consider Walking Away From These Sales
The time and energy the prospect will require as a customer does not justify the potential gain
The prospect is buying your offering based on price alone
The prospect wants you to invest up front, but is unwilling to do so themselves
The buyer asks for too many modifications that makes you uncomfortable with your resultant offering
The buyer will put too many unnecessary, stressful demands on your fulfillment team
The product/service will not work well for the customer
Margins are unacceptably low or nonexistent, and there is no strategic potential from “buying in”
The buyer demands a kickback or bribe
The buyer abuses/bad mouths your company, your co-workers, or the product/service
You have a gut feeling that the relationship will not work — “Close The Deal”
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INTRODUCTION CHAPTER NINE The Biggest SalesRelationships Problem Building Long-Term Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Nine
Section 9.1 Client Service Section 9.2 Account Management Section 9.3 Handling Customers Problems Section 9.4 Customer Feedback
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Section 9.1: Client Services Client Service
Why keeping current clients delighted is so important – It costs six times more to attract a new client than it does to keep an old one – A dissatisfied client will tell _____ people about their negative experience • With “blogs,” the potential number is unlimited — Xerox Sales Training Institute
A Delighted Client Will...
Give you high margin add-on business
Call you first when any related need arises
Help you design your new products
Agree to be a demonstration partner
Give you access up and down the hierarchy of their enterprise
Willingly give you referrals in their supply chain
Provide testimonials if asked — “Getting to VITO”
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Focus on Your Top Customers
Determine the 20% of your customers that are giving you 80% of your business—these are your top customers!
Focus on them—give them special attention, including attention from top management. — “The New Management Marketing”
Operate as an Integrated Team with Your Top Customers
You anticipate customer needs and deliver solutions quickly Customers are involved in early stages of development of your offerings – Make them feel like they have an inside track with your new offerings
Open communications and total trust exist between you and your customers
– Look for things you can do that advance the level of trust between you in small steps over time
You get periodic feedback with focus groups Top management is involved with the ___________ customers — Total Quality Management
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Section 9.2: Account Management The Ugly Truths About Customers
Your organization chart is of no interest to them They do not care about your problems The fact that you are “trying hard” has no impact They are self-centered They always notice bad service You must almost always ask to get feedback Customer loyalty is fragile and fleeting — “Service America”
Results of Indifferent Account Management
68% of clients that stop doing business with organizations do so because they are being treated indifferently, not because of dissatisfaction with the product or service
_______% of unhappy clients who ceased doing business with an organization because of being treated indifferently did so without explaining the reason(s) – Average organizations treat customer complaints as an “annoyance” – Top organizations treat customer complaints as a “gift”—this is the information needed to improve operations — “2005 American Management Association Study of 2,000 Companies in the Mid-Atlantic Region”
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Best Practices for Customer Care 1. Listen to the customer 2. Meet all three levels of customer needs 3. Always give something extra 4. Take ownership of customer problems 5. Fix problems immediately — Multiple Sources
Meet All Levels of Customer Needs generated
Identify and record all customer preferences – Need a CRM System
— “Legendary Customer Service”
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Always Give Your Clients/Prospects Something Extra
The law of increasing returns
– Whatever extra you give to customers/prospects will be returned to you by a factor of __________
Must be recognizable by the customer/prospect as truly something extra Make sure your customers know that what you are doing is extra Cannot be too much – Customers will expect more and more – Profitability will be affected
Under-promise and over-deliver — “Think and Grow Rich”
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Typical Examples of Extras
Free up-front audits, analyses, assessments, inspections, etc. »» Allows you to identify needs and build relationships
More, better and timely information on the status of your deliverables Free training on your products/services Articles of interest to them
»» Personal, professional and/or technical
Free samples, delivery Manage their inventory (of your offerings) Design services, testing and failure analysis of their products Co-branding/co-marketing Food/snacks Small gifts Bringing them new customers — “Multiple Sources”
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Today’s Telecommunications/ email Response Expectations Technique
Expectation
Call centers
Most people want a live person 24/7
Voice mail
Most users are frustrated by voicemail; they want to be able to do things (e.g., order) between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
70% of business callers are put on hold
E-mail
60% hang up 30% don’t call back Callers hearing music while on hold stay on hold 30 seconds longer Callers hearing useful information while on hold stay on hold three minutes longer
Customers want a response within
________ hours It does not have to be a real response, an auto response is OK (“We’ll get back to you within 24 hours”) If they know you have a Blackberry (or equivalent) response is expected quickly
Text messaging/ Instant messaging
Response is expected almost immediately — Ragan Communications (2006 BONUS Sales and Marketing Report)
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Emotionally Bond With Your Customers
Be optimistic, encouraging, upbeat and cheerful Express approval of them, their concerns and their needs Offer appreciation – thank them frequently Give admiration – compliment frequently Be agreeable
Give the customer your focused attention
– Customers like to deal with agreeable people – It makes them feel at ease with you
— “Emotional Value: Creating Strong Bonds With Your Customers”
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Eight Things Not to Say to Customers
When at the Customer’s Site, Keep Your Ear to the Ground Listen and watch for – – – – –
Problems, issues, chaos, needs Their new products and services Their expansion plans New key people Their network and associates (e.g., channel partners) — The Alexander Group 145
Section 9.3: Handling Customer Problems The Ten-Step Process for Solving Customer Problems 1. The person who first hears the customer problem owns it until the customer is satisfied 2. Thank them for notifying you of the problem 3. Repeat the complaint in your own words – “Let me see if I understand you completely.”
4. Ask for details. LISTEN carefully — with empathy (puts you both on the same side against the problem) – It is impossible to scream about small details – Let them vent completely – Take notes
5. Try not to interrupt the customer until the complaint is voiced – Do not argue with the customer, even if the complaint is groundless
6. Sympathize, soothe the customer – I’m sorry you had to go through this.” – “Based on what you told me, I can see why you are upset.”
7. Ask for their input – “How would you like to see the problem resolved?” – “How can we make this up to you?”
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The Ten-Step Process for Solving Customer Problems continued 8. Make a commitment to solve the problem – Attempt to remedy the problem before you complete the conversation with the customer
“I will solve this problem today.” “I will get back to you.” (if appropriate)
9. Follow up to cement the relationship – Make sure the problem was solved quickly to the customer’s satisfaction
Make a follow-up call or send a thank-you note
– Provide explanations to the customer and what is being done to prevent recurrence – Reaffirm your commitment to serving the customer: “Here’s my cell phone number. Call me if the problem recurs.” – If possible, give something extra
10. Take internal action to preclude similar problems in the future – Enter the problem in the CRM database — “Value Selling” and “Loyalty Based Selling”
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Fix Problems Immediately
Fix the customer’s problem – 90% will do business with you again
Fix the customer’s problem immediately – _____% will do business with you again soon
Smart salespeople don’t mind when customers complain. They see it as a chance to shine — to win the customer’s loyalty for life – We show customers that we are truly committed to superior customer service
Statistics from National Car Rental’s superior program for recovering from mistakes – 85% chance that a satisfied customer will rent again – 90% chance that a customer who experiences their great service recovery program will rent again
They fix the problem immediately They give something extra They enter the event in their CRM database
— “Managing Major Sales”
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Section 9.4: Customer Feedback Customer Feedback
After winning the business, follow up with a written thank-you note Call and request feedback – After starting the job – Thirty days after starting the job
Conduct a formal face-to-face feedback session every six months with continuing customers — “The Marketing Report ”
Best-Practice In-Office Customer Feedback Questions 1. What do we do well? 2. What could we do better? 3. On a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that you would recommend us to your friends and colleagues? 4. What are your biggest current problems? 5. What kinds of requirements will you have in the near future to which we could respond? 6. Are there other organizations who could use our services/ products? Would you introduce us? — International Benchmarking Institute NOTE: Assuming all goes well, and as appropriate, ask if they would be a demonstration partner.
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How General Electric Uses Customer Feedback 0-6 7-8 9-10
Answers to Customer Feedback question #3 are categorized as:
The percentage of detractors is Customer subtracted from the percentage A of promoters to give a Net B Promoter Score (NPS). For C D example, the following company’s E NPS is 20%:
F G H I J
Across all GE businesses, the highest NPS scores have the highest margins – The lowest have the lowest
Detractors Passives Promoters Score
Category
7 5 9 8 9 6 7 9 10 8
Passive Detractor Promoter Passive Promoter Detractor Passive Promoter Promoter Passive
Detractors Passives Promoters NPS If any business unit gets an 2 (20%) 4 (40%) 4 (40%) 20% NPS score of less than zero, immediate action is taken to discover the reasons and fix it — Sales & Marketing Magazine
Most Company Executives Do Not Understand Their Customers
58% do not have a true dialogue with customers 67% do not meet frequently with their customers 54% said that the role of the customer is not well-defined 54% said that their company does not deserve customer loyalty
Companies remain self-centric, transaction-based and product-focused — 2005 Survey of Business Executives by the STRATIVITY Group, Inc. 150
INTRODUCTION CHAPTER TEN The Biggest Problem Ask For Sales Referrals Finding Competent Salespeople Top-Ten Skill Number Ten
Section 10.1 Referral Marketing Section 10.2 Generating Referrals and Following Up
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Section 10.1: Referral Marketing Gaining Initial Contact With the Prospect Introductions or referrals
48%
Organizations and associations
42%
Trade shows and events
41%
Viral/Word-of-Mouth
36%
Direct Mail
34%
Telemarketing
27%
Email campaigns
27%
Website
24%
Channel partners
23%
Advertising
21%
Search Engine Optimization
16%
— from “BtoB Special Report – Technical Marketing” (2007)
The number one item on everyone’s list when looking to buy is a personal/peer recommendation
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Section 10.2: Generating Referrals and Following Up Generating Referrals
Referrals should be managed
Ask your best customers for referrals
– Everyone who interfaces with clients can ask for referrals – In customer feedback sessions – Ask them for referrals to companies where they know you can really add value
Ask prospective clients who do not buy for referrals (“Who could use our services?”) Join a referral organization (Business Network Int’l.) Average salespeople never ask for referrals. Top salespeople always do. — “The World’s Best Marketing Secret” — “Customer Relationship Management”
Following Up On Referrals
Sales that result from referrals from existing clients have a 92% retention rate 54% of all qualified referrals that are properly pursued eventually buy But, oops... – 87% of all referrals are NEVER pursued — “Issues and Answers in Sales Management” (March 2006)
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Referral Follow-up Process
Thank them for the referral Turn the referral source into your coach Use the coach to help qualify the prospect Use the coach to
– Provide a testimonial via phone call, letter or email – Set up a conference call to introduce you – Set up a meeting/meal/golf game for all three of you
Tell your referral source, “I will do my best to give them the same excellent service I have given you.”
— “Little Red Book of Selling”
Provide Feedback to the Referring Person
Keep the referral source updated on your progress They want to know how it worked out – They may give you more referrals
Repay them by – – – –
Recommending their business (Referring them) Sponsor networking events or social gatherings for them Invite them to association lunches that have a great speaker Thank them by sharing information that will help their business Best practices for manufacturing processes Marketing information Useful websites
— “The Art of Sales Momentum”
SHORT CUTTING THE 12 CONTACT RULE The third short cuts to the 12 contact rule is having a referral where the referring source acts as your coach 154
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION ELEVEN The Biggest Problem Using Formal Sales Sales Processes Finding Competent Salespeople
Section 11.1 Prioritizing Opportunities Section 11.2 Twenty-Step New Business Capture Process Section 11.3 Ten-Step Sales Process
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Section 11.1: Prioritizing Opportunities Prioritizing Business Opportunities
Is this a qualified lead?
Do we have a ____________________?
If we win, how much ________________ will we get ...
If we win, how many months from now until the funding starts?
How much internal investment is required?
How profitable will the work be?
What is the probability of winning?
What is the degree of difficulty of winning?
Is this a strategic opportunity? e.g.,
– in the first two years? – over the life of the job?
– What is the internal ________________?
– How much direct labor will we generate?
– Will lead to a new market penetration – Will result in much more revenue in future years
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Electronic version available for download at: www.asherstrategies.com/pdf/Priority.pdf 157
Section 11.2: 20-Step New Business Capture Process The 20-Step New Business Capture Process The 20-step process for capturing new business – How the top organizations pursue large new business opportunities
Uses
Gets you ready for a sales call Gets you ready to make a bid/no bid decision 158
The 20-Step New Business Capture Process 1. Recognize buyers who have needs by using market research, your current customers, referrals, scouts or coaches 2. Identify the buyers (user, technical/system and economic/ strategic) and the coach for this opportunity 3. Form an internal capture team 4. Obtain information on the opportunity – Details of the buyer’s needs
5. Obtain information on the buyer’s interests (professional, technical and personal) 6. Obtain information on the money available and revenues expected in first two years and when the first monies will be available 7. Identify the main competitors 8. Assess the competition’s strengths and weaknesses 9. Determine amount of internal investment required to make the sale 10. Determine the internal ROI – Assess profitability
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The 20-Step New-Business Capture Process continued . . . 11. Develop our response to the buyer’s needs 12. Develop killer arguments 13. Develop key and ghosting discriminators 14. Analyze the return-on-investment for the buyer 15. Determine the appropriate team e.g., if we do not have the killer argument by ourselves 16. Match the salesperson(s) to each buyer 17. Develop the preselling contact plan 18. Brainstorm potential questions, objections, and our responses 19. Develop appropriate closing approaches 20. Prepare a short, focused presentation to use, if necessary, and/or to leave with the user buyer
An electronic version of the checklist (and detailed implementation instructions) can be found at:
www.asherstrategies.com/PDFs/ Quick/20StepCaptureProcess.pdf
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Section 11.3: 10-Step Sales Process Sales Processes
Of 1,275 companies surveyed (B2B) – Less than half have a formal sales process – Less than half of those have CRM or other related tools – Less than 10% have their sales process built into their CRM and use a metrics dashboard to monitor the sales processes
— 2008 Sales Performance Optimization Study
Benefits of Having a Formal Sales Process
Salespeople are 50% more likely to meet quota
The sales staff turnover is reduced by 39% – Salespeople are more successful, make more money and therefore stay with the company — 2006 survey by the TAS Group
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The 10-Step Sales Process (Given a Qualified Lead) 1. Research the prospect and the prospect’s organization using all available tools including their website, Google, Zoominfo.com, etc. 2. Develop a “Coach” who can add insight into the prospect’s issues 3. Ask the “Coach” to help you with the initial contact, which could be: – – – – – –
Meeting Meal Trade show Conference call Social event Sporting event
4. For large sales, prior to the first meeting with the prospect, complete the 20-step capture process to ensure an understanding of the customer’s problem, our proposed solution and approach, and develop the appropriate marketing messages – – – –
Killer arguments (done it before) Key discriminators (why they should choose us) Ghosting discriminators (why they should not choose the competition) ROI examples (why do it at all)
5. In the initial meeting, build rapport with the prospect by getting them to talk about their passions (keep it business related, if possible). Let them talk about them as long as they want and let them shift the discussion to business. 6. Ask the prospect about their business issues. Ask a lot of questions and keep asking until all of the issues have been adequately identified (as appropriate, formulate the questions prior to the first meeting).
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The 10-Step Sales Process continued... 7. Once you have fully determined the scope of the customer’s situation, discuss how we (and our teammates or other suppliers, if necessary) can help solve their problem(s) with our solutions. 8. Provide appropriate marketing collateral about our organization (brochure, PowerPoint, etc.). 9. Send the prospect a handwritten thank-you note. 10. Follow up with the prospect as many times as necessary to close the sale. Examples of follow-up activities are: – – – – – – – –
Tour/demonstration of our facilities White papers on how we propose to solve their problem(s) Sending interesting/relevant articles related to their issues (use clientdynamics.com) Bringing experts (inside our organization or trusted partners) to help Inviting them to appropriate activities (trade shows, open houses) Providing statement of work/proposal Drafting the internal paperwork for them that they need to sell our solution to their supervisors and/or to form the basis of a Procurement Request Communicating frequently via (find out the prospect’s preferred method of communication and use it): Telephone Voicemail Email Instant messaging Text messaging Podcasts
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OFFERINGS FROM ASHER TRAINING • Selling Excellence Seminar (Two-Day Seminar) »» Top-Ten Skills of The Super Salespeople »» Top-15 Best Practice Marketing, Sales and Customer Relationship Processes »» Role-playing Exercises
• Top-Ten Selling Skills (One-Day Seminar) »» In-depth training seminar on The Top-Ten Skills of The Super Salespeople
• Customized Sales Coaching »» For Sales Reps, Sales Managers and Sales Executives
• Role-playing for Outside Salespeople • Selling Through IDIQ Contracts, GWACs and the GSA Schedule for Government Contractors • Customer Service Seminars • Virtual Sales Management
WORKSHOPS • Breakthrough Negotiations • Gender Communications • Leadership and Management Skills • Marketing Message Development • Forging Program Success
FACILITATION • Strategic Planning • Winning Proposals
ASSESSMENTS • Sales and Marketing Processes • Aptitude of People in Sales Related Jobs
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OFFERINGS FROM ASHER
Sales Improvement Roadmap STEP 1 Sales Aptitude Assessments Assess your team’s natural aptitude for a variety of customer-facing positions using the Craft Personality Questionnaire (CPQ).
STEP 2 SELLING EXCELLENCE SEMINAR Train your sales executives, managers, salespeople, account managers and customer-service representatives on the Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople and the Top-15 Best Practices for Business Development. Includes effective role-play exercises. »» Session Length: Two Days »» Attendees: Up to 24 participants
STEP 3 Sales & Marketing Process Workshop Evaluate your current sales process as it compares and contrasts to the Top-15 Best Practices for Business Development and create a detailed action plan to revolutionize your processes. Includes a value/driver analysis to prioritize actions and create metrics. »» Session Length: Two Days »» Attendees: The executive and management teams
STEP 4 Role-Playing for Outside Salespeople and Sales Managers Review the Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople and role-play your successful sales and marketing processes. »» Session Length: One Day »» Attendees: Up to 15 salespeople
STEP 5 Strategic Planning Facilitation Devise your company’s BHAG (vision), purpose, hedgehog concept, a few goals for the year and, for each goal: a champion, action plans, timelines for the action plans and key sales metrics. »» Session Length: Two Days »» Attendees: The executive and management teams
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CONTINUING SERVICES The Top-Ten Selling Skills One-Day Seminar »» In-depth training focusing on the Top-Ten Skills of the Super Salespeople. Perfect for new hires! Available on-site or nationwide including quarterly sessions in the Washington, DC area.
BREAKTHROUGH NeGotiations One-Day Workshop »» This one-day workshop focuses on advanced sales negotiation techniques and how to use them to increase your organizations ability to capture new business, build long-term customer, supplier and partner relationships and increase profits. Available on-site or quarterly as open enrollment sessions in Washington, DC.
BEST PRACTICEs: Customer Care One-Day Workshop »» This one-day workshop teaches the best practices for Customer Service and Account Management and is tailored to the needs of the participants with examples of real business challenges and strategies to emphasize learning points. Available on-site or quarterly as open enrollment sessions in Washington, DC.
Customized Sales Coaching »» One-on-one coaching programs specifically designed for Sales Representatives, Sales Managers, VPs of Sales and C-Level Executives.
Interview Services »» ASHER consultants will administer CPQs and conduct 30-minute interviews as a means to screen candidates prior to starting the hiring process in the company.
Please CAll To speak with an ASher consultant For Pricing and More Information Corporate Office: 202-742-6639 • Toll-free: 877-50ASHER 166
SALES AND MARKETING BIBLIOGRAPHY (Top Ten in Order of Priority) “Think and Grow Rich”
Hill
“You’re Working Too Hard to Make the Sale” “Psychology of Selling”
Brooks Tracy
“Selling is a Woman’s Game” “The World’s Best Marketing Secret” “Secrets of Closing The Sale” “How To Close Every Sale” “How To Win Friends and Influence People” “Power of Positive Thinking” “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”
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Joy Misner Ziglar Girard Carnegie Peale Covey
Quiz/blanks Answer key INTRODUCTION Page 2 Page 8
Page 69 Page 71
94% 12
CHAPTER ONE Page 16 need Page 17 12 3 Page 18 1.5 Page 19 10% Few Lot Lot Few
CHAPTER FOUR Page 80 listen, talking Page 81 Listening, Listening Page 82 Listen, Listen, Listen 80, 20 Page 84 know Page 85 summarize questions
CHAPTER TWO Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 33 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 51 Page 52
Accents 82, 18 down twice Monday coach coach coaches cautious Driver Thinker 82 18 fast slow cool warm
CHAPTER THREE Page 54 Page 55 Page 61 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65
90 7 to 20 30 55 38 7 briefcase interested you 18-39 93, 1
buyer seller buyer their elevator
CHAPTER FIVE Page 90 Page 94 Page 98 Page 101 Page 102 Motivator Supporter
20 4 37 64 price negotiating Value, 5
CHAPTER SIX Page 113
Top, Bottom
CHAPTER SEVEN Page 119
48, 27
CHAPTER EIGHT Page 124
90%
CHAPTER NINE Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 143 Page 148
10 top 90 unanticipated 10 4 95
CHAPTER TEN Page 156
168
coach money ROI
IMPORTANT LEARNING POINTS
169
IMPORTANT LEARNING POINTS
170
