Using Robert Cialdinis Persuasion Techniques In Sales- Video Blog
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When we ask for things that we want others to do for us, many times we just ask for the favour or the request is made without outlining the reason for it to be carried out.
Watch this short video blog on Robert Cialdinis persuasion technique to help improve influencing during your sales interaction.
Happy Selling!
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have. Click on the image below to find out why your very existence as a sales person is in doubt…
Posted in Sales Interactions | Tagged Influencing Techniques, persuasion in sales, persuasion techniques | Leave a comment
The Transition From Small Talk To Real Business In A Meeting
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This is an interesting question that came up in one of recent sales courses. The sales person wanted to know if there was an ideal time period to spend on idle chit-chat (or rapport-building, as he termed it) before getting into the meat of the meeting. He felt that sometimes he sounded as if he was avoiding the real issues the client had by making small talk, but he also didn’t want to just say ‘Hallo, here’s what we can do for you’!
Well, what would you say the purpose of small talk is? Let me give you three scenarios:
1) You compliment something in the prospect’s office, like their view or posters or pictures
2) You refer to a big news item so they see you are up-to-date and interested in world affairs
3) You refer to something that proves you’ve done your homework on their company or they themselves
The first two are typical introductions and make you fall into the same barrel as every other salesperson who has crossed their threshold.
The third is something that makes them feel you have their best interests at heart and that you are getting round to business, without (and this is the main point) digging deep into your products or services or putting too much pressure on.
Think of the introductions as an opportunity for you to build rapport at the professional level. If your initial discussion points revolve around the global picture of how their business is going, you set the scene for taking discussions deeper later on, and you don’t have to worry about crossing the threshold from how good or bad the weather is to talking about why you’re really there. There’s plenty of time to talk about last night’s game when you are having a natural break in the meeting.
Here’s an example of openers I like to use in sales meetings when I meet with prospects:
“I noticed from your LinkedIn profile that you used to work in the (xxx) industry. Was it a challenge moving into a new industry like this one?”
“I really appreciate that you’re taking the time to meet with me when I know things are really busy for you these days. You must be facing some real challenges with the re-organisation that your company announced recently.”
“The company results you announced yesterday must have been really pleasing for you. Were they better than expected?”
This way, you are still creating small-talk, but the emphasis is on how professional you are, and the rapport can still be built as you walk through the global issues before honing into the more detailed areas.
Consider the small-talk in the sales meeting as helping you build rapport with the client on a business level. There’s plenty of time to discuss more mundane matters after the rapport has been gained. That way, the prospect doesn’t feel that you are simply asking questions that everyone else has in order to try to get ‘friendly’. Many prospects simply see it as patronising, so get to their level quickly and decisively, showing you appreciate they are busy and want your help as soon as possible.
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
(Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have. Click on the image below to find out why your very existence as a sales person is in doubt…
Posted in Sales Meetings | Tagged business language, Rapport building, sales rapport, sales small talk | Leave a comment
Avoid The Five Biggest Sales Email Blunders
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We see so many emails come through our office that, in all honesty, are an embarrassment to our profession. They are poorly laid out or lack impact or are lame in the extreme, too patronising, or something similar.
Being one of the main avenues for most salespeople to connect with prospects, it’s imperative we utilise this communication medium in the best way possible. Therefore, here are five of what I would consider the biggest errors or mistakes in sales emails:
1) Mismatching the tone from the prospect. Imagine you have received a message from a prospect that gets right to the point, is fairly dogmatic and demands (rather than requests) information. Many salespeople would miss the very important conversational cues laid down by the prospect, and would reply with a long-winded and detailed monologue.
No, you need to be aware of the thought processes the prospect was going through when they wrote their original missive. Highlight their main points and answer them in the same way. Match their tone…not their abruptness. Match their tempo…not their dogmatism.
2) Sending one-word answers. Yes, I’ve received many replies with a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ before. It may be the other person was in a rush or had nothing more to say. But it can come across as arrogant to certain people. Even worse is the simple smiley or miserable face!
Take the time to address the issues and at least be courteous and civil.
3) Not re-reading it before pressing ‘send’. How many times have you uttered the immortal word ‘Noooooooooooooo !!!!’ as you pressed the send button and noticed that spelling mistake or grammatical error wing off into the ether without the chance to correct it? Of course, the client might not spot it. But why give yourself the worry that they might? Simply stop, check the wording and be happy that the other person will understand the meaning before you send it.
Remember, the absence of the tell-tale red line under the word doesn’t always mean that it’s grammatically right…you may have spelt the word right, but it’s not in the right context!
4) Being condescending. Too many times we see salespeople mistake humility for being servile. They say things like ‘I hope you don’t mind’, ‘at your convenience’ and ‘ if it suits you’.
These out-of-date terms shouldn’t be used as the client may think you’re being subservient. You need to portray yourself at the same level as the client. You may be serving their needs in the long run, but the impression you have to give has to be one of equality and congruence with their business.
5) Not confirming or setting the next step. Surprisingly, many emails don’t give an idea of what is expected or what will happen next in the relationship. Here are some examples of what you can place in emails to determine the next steps to take place:
- A request for a face-to-face meeting
- A link to a specific article or video that would be of real interest to the recipient
- A specific time and date to discuss a new idea
- Set an agenda for an upcoming meeting
- Create a proposal for consideration
- Agree a time for a phone call to discuss options listed in your email
- Determine when a debrief meeting can be arranged to action a specific point
These five are among the biggest mistakes you can make when communicating with email within a sales environment. Naturally, there are many more, but if you can avoid these five, you give yourself a chance to at least look and sound professional with the prospect, who may well turn into your next client.
Happy Selling!
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
(Image courtesy of Kookkai_nak at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have. Click on the image below to find out why your very existence as a sales person is in doubt…
Posted in Communication Skills, MtdBlog | Tagged email blunders, email errors, email mistakes | Leave a comment
Jack Welch’s Sales Management Concepts
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Jack Welch has been voted one of the most influential managers of the twentieth century, and the effects of his style is still being felt today.
He was the CEO of General Electric (GE) from 1982 till 2001. To start evaluating his managers, Jack implemented a system of measuring performance based on characteristics that ‘graded’ them against certain criteria.
The criteria he chose were interesting in that they were different from the normal distribution of measurements within business settings. They became known as the 4 ‘E’ and 1 ‘P’ concepts, and we can compare them now to ascertain whether they are still effective in today’s critical sales world.
The first ‘E’ referred to ‘Energy’. High personal energy displayed by the sales manager is vital if their team is to follow the example. The team follow the example set by the manager, and if the energy levels are low, the lethargy is shared among the team. You need to display a hard-working attitude, yes, but the visible energy exuded at the personal level is more important to help the team keep their motivation, spirit and drive at a high level.
The second ‘E’ is related to the fact that you need to ‘Energise others‘. Naturally, you can’t do this if you don’t show energy yourself, so it’s imperative that you set the lead and example. This creates momentum for the effect of energising others to be put into place.
The third ‘E’ refers to what Welch called ‘the Edge‘. This was defined as the taking tough decisions without flinching, understanding what needed to be done and when. He recommended that, when decisions needed to be made, they were considered, determined and then acted upon. Managers who have the edge show their teams what need to be done and actively get on with them.
The fourth ‘E’ drove people to the top of the pile. Welch referred to it as ‘Execution‘ and considered it to be the most important of the four, or at least the catalyst for the other three to be effective. It requires a manager to be proactive, identifying where things are going wrong and formulating plans before they have an impact on results. The Execution manager recognises how he or she should take ownership of the matter before they have to make excuses for failure.
And the ‘P’ stood for ‘Passion’. Welch referred to having passion as the essential quality that kept the four ‘E’s working well. Without the drive, the motivation, the passion for excellence, managers fall at the first obstacle.
So, there you have the five key components that Welch stated were needed for top performing sales managers. I don’t believe anything has changed since his day and recommened we all follow that advice.
Happy Selling!
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
( Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have. Click on the image below to find out why your very existence as a sales person is in doubt…
Posted in MtdBlog, Sales Management | Tagged 4 E and 1 P, Jack Welch, sales management, sales management ideas, sales management tips | Leave a comment
5 Steps In Dealing With A Buyer With No Authority- Video Blog
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I am sure you have come across this many of times, going through all the details with a potential buyer and finding out they need to get approval from someone else or a committee. We refer to these people as information gatherers where the real buyers don’t have time to deal with salespeople. It is important to get the support of these no buyers as they are inside the company and you are not.
Watch this short video for a 5 step guide for dealing with buyers who have no authority.
Happy Selling!
Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training
Have you downloaded my latest report “The Sales Person’s Crisis”? Over 10,000 sales pros have. Click on the image below to find out why your very existence as a sales person is in doubt…
Posted in Sales Tips | Tagged buyer decissions, non authority buyers, sales techniques | Leave a comment
