In the great year-2000 film ‘High Fidelity’, the character Rob asks Laura why he is so unhappy. Laura answers ‘because you’re the same person you used to be!’

These few words of wisdom encapsulate what we as salespeople should know instinctively. The fact that unless we are growing and nurturing our sales skills, we are left stagnating. And you know what happens when we stagnate. It stinks!

You may have heard of Gordon Moore, founder of Intel, who stated that the number of micro-components that could be placed in a microchip of the lowest manufacturing cost was doubling every year. His statement (latterly known as Moore’s Law) has been used in many other settings too, to reflect the rapid growth of knowledge and improvement we are making in many other areas.

In fact, you could say our knowledge of sales and everything related to selling has doubled every year in the past few years. One look at Amazon will show you how many books there available on sales and selling (over 228, 000 and counting!)

Charlie Jones once said that we will be the same person we are now in five years’ time, except for the books we read and the people we meet.

How do we grow as salespeople? How do we become better than we are now, and not stay the same person we used to be?

Firstly, have a personal development goal. Set yourself a measurable target of where you want to be in one, two and five years time. What knowledge do you want to have? What skills do you want to develop? How will you measure your success?

Then, create a plan to achieve it. Develop a learning log that will allow you to see and monitor your progress every step of the way.

Set milestones along the way that you can celebrate. Keep your motivation up by knowing exactly what you want and how you are going to achieve it. This clarity will work wonders for your morale.

Notice the set-backs and learn from them. Don’t wallow in the mess of failure. Treat the past as a school to learn from, not a place to live in.

Create a future plan for yourself that will draw you forward, and you’ll find yourself being motivated every day to pursue that objective. Be the person you know you can be by nurturing and growing your skills in every facet of sales. You’ll be happy you did. And so will your clients.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Of all the skills we learn while growing up, listening is rarely top of the list. And it IS a skill, because it can be learned and developed by almost anybody.

The best way to display excellence in this key area of communication is by listening on two separate levels.

Firstly, listen for content. You mainly use your left brain for this task, as it’s normally information-rich and process-driven. Your client will outline goals, targets, objectives, pains, opportunities and other things that will assist you in developing understanding of their business.

One way to develop your skill at listening for content is to imagine you will have to explain what the prospect is saying to someone else. And in a third of the time they took to tell you! This means you will have to filter out all the chaff so you’re just left with the wheat.

Another way is to paraphrase or summarise what the prospect has said every few sentences. Rephrase it so it shows a complete understanding of their point. Something like: “So let me make sure I understand you correctly. You know your department would benefit, but you don’t know if you want to pay the fees up front. Is that right?”

To develop this skill, listen for the actual words said, rather than the way they are said. Remember that everyone sees the world from their own vantage point, and by listening intently, you see things from their perspective, not your own.

Secondly, listen for intent. You’ve heard that over a third of your communication is relayed by tone of voice, meaning that not everything the prospect says has equal importance.

Consider this sentence. It has at least four different meanings. See if you can decipher what the client’s intent is in saying it:

“I don’t think, at this moment, we would be interested in investing all that money in this project”

Depending where the emphasis is put, the meaning (and hence the intention behind the statement) could change.

If they emphasised “at this moment”, it may mean they might consider it at another time.

If they emphasised “we”, there may be other departments who would be interested.

If they emphasised “all that money”, they may be interested in budgeting a different amount.

And if they emphasised “in this project”, they might be interested in something else you could offer.

Make sure you identify what the tone of voice is telling you. It may well uncover the intent in the statement.

So, if you listen carefully for the content and intent of what the prospect is saying, it will give you a clearer picture of the real meaning, and help you improve your listening skills on every occasion.

Happy selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Psst want to know a secret?

Your prospects don’t believe a word that you’re saying!

After all, you’re a sales person right?

I might jest and mock about this but you’re guilty until proven innocent in sales!

And it’s your job to build the trust with your prospects, to build the value of what you sell and to make it easy for them to buy but in a lot of cases because they have been “sold to” in the past or they might have been “promised the earth” by a sales person just like you and then let you down, they’ve had their fingers burned!

And they don’t want to make the same mistake twice.

That’s why some buyers put you through the ringer!

Now one way to build up this trust and to put their mind at ease is by supplying testimonials and case studies.

But 90% of the case studies and testimonials that I see are a complete waste of time.

You know what I mean, ones like this:

“I am so happy with my Super Mop that I would recommend it to everyone.  ABC company really looked after me and provided me with a fabulous level of service”

So what’s what wrong with that I hear you say?

We’ll, apart from beating on your chest your prospect is not going to connect with it.

Remember, they don’t believe you so hypey statements like that are only going to build up more distrust.

And don’t forget that you need to follow a sales process with your  prospects first and in short that is:

* UNEARTH PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
* PRESENT YOUR SOLUTIONS TO THOSE ISSUES
* BUILD UP THE VALUE
* REVEAL THE PRICE
* CLOSE

So how does that testimonial above help you with that?

In short it doesn’t.

Instead, your case studies and testimonials need to follow a similar structure so that the prospect can see the problems that someone was experiencing and then how your products and services and helped to solve them.

They need to connect with any case studies and testimonials that you show them.

So, our sales person asked the company to re-word the testimonial into the sales format above and look what they come out with:

“Having a large office meant that we went through cleaning products and especially mops at a rapid rate. We were getting through 34 mops a year due to the heavy industrial waste that they need to wipe through. We’ve tried all sorts of other solutions so when it came to trying the Super Mop I must admit I had the opinion of “Here we go again”.

We tried the Super Mop and have been doing so for a year now. Our savings have been in excess of £240 for the year.

We’ve used 2 Super Mops whereas we’d have used 34 of the standard mops on the marketplace. This really is a no brainer and if you want to save money on your industrial cleaning then I would look no further than ABC’s Super Mop”

Now, can you see the difference?

It included the problem:
“Having a large office meant that we went through cleaning
products and especially mops at a rapid rate. We were getting
through 34 mops a year due to the heavy industrial waste that
they need to wipe through. “We’ve tried all sorts of other
solutions so when it came to trying the Super Mop I must admit
I had the opinion of “Here we go again”.

Then the solution to the problem:
“We tried the Super Mop and have been doing so for a year now”

Then the pay off (value):
“Our savings have been in excess of £240 for the year.
We’ve used 2 Super Mops whereas we’d have used 34 of the standard
mops on the marketplace. This really is a no brainer and if you
want to save money on your industrial cleaning then I would look
no further than ABC’s Super Mop”

Now your industrial prospects can resonate with that and if they are in the same boat then BINGO!

So, when collecting case studies and testimonials please ask for:

What the problem/situation was?
What had they tried in the past?
How your product helped?
What the benefits were?

The benefits don’t always have to be in terms of money either.

They can be saved time, clarity, effort etc

I hope that helps you!

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

If I had a pound for the number of times someone has asked me that question, I’d be quite a bit richer! Naturally, we answer in terms of what we actually DO, as the questioner is normally edging in that direction.

Many of us have been taught to answer with an ‘elevator speech’, a few succinct words that encapsulate our service or offering in the time it takes to travel a few floors in an elevator. If you’ve tried this, it isn’t too long before most people’s eyes glaze over and you have to wake them up from their hypnotic trance.

Most elevator speeches are as exciting as watching my grass grow, but they don’t have to be. How about something different? How about asking the person a couple of questions that will show your interest in understanding their business pains and opportunities?

This will help them see you as someone who can offer real help and value instead of simply another salesperson up against all your competition.

When someone asks me what I do, I reply with something like: “Well, I’m glad you asked. May I ask you, What would happen if you lost two of your biggest customers?” That’s a hard-hitting question that gets the customer thinking about his business while he’s looking at me.

Then I follow up with another hard-hitting question: “What’s your business plan to keep those customers loyal to you?”

I’ve got the prospect thinking again, and he’s probably stalling while he thinks of the answer.

So I carry on with a quick resumé of what we could do for him: “We are in the business of helping businesses like yours answer questions like these”

It certainly grabs attention, creates desire to know more and piques their interest in what I have to offer.

Most clients have heard elevator speeches that are too generic. Think about how your services would affect your prospect’s business and then think up two or more hard-hitting questions that would make them stop and think about themselves. Interestingly, while their conscious brain is thinking of answers, their unconscious brain is associating the answers with you, as you’re the one standing there in front of them!

So think up at least ten questions that would show your prospects you are someone worth talking to. Then add some more, so you have a toolkit of ideas in your armoury to assist you in any meeting.

Questions get your prospects thinking. Make sure they think about you.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

The quality of your questioning and listening skills can have a profound effect on your professional success in sales. Ask most prospects what skills they most admire in their suppliers’ representatives, and you can rest assured that ‘listening to our needs and wants’ will be high up their list.

But why is listening such a valued skill? And what are the benefits of active listening in the collaborative relationship? Here are some reasons why you should hold this key communication skill in high esteem:

Top quality listeners make their prospects feel cared for and special

Questions show that you care, and listening adds to that impression. It shows your deep respect for the other person’s opinion and helps you understand their reasoning behind their statements.

The fifth of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People revolves around ‘listening to understand before making yourself understood’. When your clients are made to feel special, they are more likely to open up to you, confide in you and trust you. Remember; no-one ever lost a deal by listening too much!

Top quality listening reduces the chances of mistakes

How many times have you finished a conversation then realised there were several points you weren’t that clear on? Or even some points that you thought you understood, but afterwards leave you puzzled and confused. Quality listening means you are able to back-track, ask clarifying questions and confirm your clear understanding of what’s being discussed, with less chances of mistakes.

Quality listeners actually appear more intelligent

When you have asked appropriate questions of your prospect and got quality answers, you are able to dig deeper and request more information, as the prospect opens up and trusts your viewpoints on ideas for their business. This increases your value to them and makes you appear trustworthy and intellectually and emotionally more intelligent.

Qualty listening opens up opportunities and problems that you didn’t know existed

Deep listening will create a bond between you and the prospect, allowing you to find out more about the problems they face, especially if you probe deeper to uncover the problems and rewards that your services could deal with.

By identifying the reasons why listening can help you in the collaborative interactions you have, very soon you will reap the benefits of trust and respect that create long-term business partnerships with your key clients.

Happy selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

“Be careful out there!” These words were said during most episodes of Hill Street Blues by Sgt. Phil Esterhaus. He was advocating that his staff pay attention and be careful when out in the field.

Your manager should be saying the same to you, every time you go out in the field! Because there are some cunning prospects out there who will strip you of every bit of knowledge you have.

Here’s some things that you need to keep your eyes and ears open for:

The prospect who asks for a free consultation:

This is a demand that you provide up-front work without any commitment from them and they want the benefit of your experience and knowledge for free. Before agreeing to do any up-front work, you should demand a significant concession that will help you close the business.

An example would be “We’ll be happy to work with you on that basis, providing you give us regular access to your sales teams.”

By asking for something of value to you, you show the customer that this is something of great value to them.

The prospect who keeps delaying the meeting:

You may find that the delays between meetings get greater and greater. They may be trying to frighten you into giving more concessions because you’re afraid you might lose the deal.

An example might be “Can we postpone Monday’s meeting until later in the month?”

There has to be some negatives associated with the delay. You could suggest that your prices may be going up, or something regarding the servicing of the account may be affected.

What you’re trying to do is see if this is a scare tactic to get you to concede in some way. If they are really having problems meeting with you, it could be genuine. If they see opportunities for meetings suddenly open up, maybe they were trying it on.

The prospect who stalls right at the end:

The prospect may say they’re not sure if this deal is right for them at this time. And you’ve spent days going through the proposal with them!

They might be trying to get some extra concession, so flush out if the stall is really genuine. Go back in the discussions to determine if there are real objections that haven’t surfaced yet. If there are, you might need to go through how you can help with those nagging thoughts the prospect still has. If they don’t exist, you will see it’s just a stall that may be looking for more concessions.

And that brings us to:
The prospect who is about to sign then asks for just a little bit more discount:

They may say something like “Reduce by just 10% and we have a deal!”

You need to make sure right from the start, and all the way through, that your price is the best possible for this contract. If you think there may be room for manoeuvre, then ask what the prospect would like to cut back on to meet the criteria for the extra discount.

This will keep the conversation on a professional level and make the prospect realise there is no movement unless there is a concession on their part.

Make sure you prepare well by knowing your limits and identifying how far you could go.

So keep your eyes and ears open for these cunning ploys that some prospects play, and remember: “Be careful out there!”

Happy selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

You’ve heard it said many times that it costs much more to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing client. You can do the sums. There’s so much research to show how a partnership with a client’s business helps you achieve goals and targets in a way that struggling to get new business never could.

If this valuable partnership is so vital to your profitable future, is it possible you can ‘buy’ this partnership and loyalty? Wouldn’t it be priceless if you could buy repeat business, without giving away the shop?

Well, you can’t buy loyalty simply with price or discounts. You buy customer loyalty and repeat business with extraordinary customer care. This is not the same as special customer “service”, but honest, extreme, personal caring for your customers.

Go beyond serving your customers. Work with them to solve their problems and achieve their goals. It means listening to them, and responding. It means the old boundaries between “seller” and “buyer” break down and we work as a team to achieve win-win results that enrich us both.

Imagine sitting with your customer, both of you on the same side of the table. The challenge your customer is facing is out there in front of both of you. You both approach the challenge with the same energy, the same passion, the same commitment. With both of you seeing the situation from the same position, the care you can offer is obvious to your potential customer.

So you CAN buy repeat business. It’s done by caring about their business better than any of your competition do. By committing everything you can to that care, the quality you offer to your prospect will be seen as something they cannot, and don’t want to, do without.

Happy selling

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Training

If you’d like a copy of Drive Time Sales Strategies, my new 5 cd sales improvement programme, then please click on the link below.

CLICK HERE NOW FOR THE DETAILS

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘discipline’?

If you’re like me, it conjures up memories of growing up and being chastised by a parent or teacher. I still have the memory of red knuckles, having been attacked by a merciless teacher with a ruler! And he said at the time that I needed disciplining. So I grew up associating discipline with pain.

Having developed a more rounded out personality, I recognise now that the word actually has quite a different meaning to what that red-faced disciplinarian had taught me at school.

The root of the word is from the Latin ‘Discipula’ (or Discipulus if you’re a male) and it means ‘student’ or ‘taught one’. The verb associated with it is ‘Discere’, meaning ‘to learn’.

So, originally, the word meant to be taught as a student, while you learn. The image of pain and suffering is, if at all, a minor part of it.

As a salesperson, we are told that self-discipline is a key skill to practice if we are going to be successful. So, we can now see that self-discipline means to teach ourselves, to learn about something ourselves, to be a proactive student of progress.

That makes it a little more palatable, don’t you think?

Now, do you have a plan on how you are going to improve your skills and attitudes?

Do you have goals on what you are going to learn in the next month, three months, six months and one year?

Have you got a research book or journal that you write new ideas and learnings in?

Or are you like 90% of your colleagues, who think that self-improvement is something you will get round to when you have time?

Your personal plan of self-teaching (for that is the real meaning of self-discipline) will set you apart from your colleagues and your competition.

Personally, I have about 40 sets of CDs in my car on subjects like marketing, sales, self-improvement, communications and others. It’s seldom that I don’t learn something on a car journey!

Make plans now to discipline yourself. It’s the fun way to become the best you can!

Happy Selling

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Training

If you’d like a copy of Drive Time Sales Strategies, my new 5 cd sales improvement programme, then please click on the link below.

CLICK HERE NOW FOR THE DETAILS

If you’re in B2B sales, you will know that your customers are really interested in how they can help their customers.

If you ask questions related to this aspect, it will help you identify what buying criteria your customer is using to make decisions. By this I mean, how will your product or service make your customer look good in the eyes of their customer?

So, ask yourself, Who are our customer’s customers? What drives them? What is happening with them that may impact our customer? What opportunities does this create for our customer? What do they think of our customer?

If your customer can see the benefits that will come to their customer, you have a better chance of partnering with them in the long run.

Don’t just think ‘customer’. Think ‘customer’s customer’!

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Here are three critical questions you need to confirm with your customer before you have a hope in progressing the sale:

Who is going to make the decision?

That’s pretty obvious, but do you know who the key influencers are, too? Who are the people the decision-maker is going to take counsel from, ask approval of, or commit the product and services to? If you know who the influencers are, you may be in a position to present at their level, too

What criteria do your customers use to make decisions?

Each decision-maker will have their own way of deciding on how the decision will be made. If you haven’t sorted out what those ways are, you’re toast.

They might want a particular ROI, or completion within a certain time frame. They may wish to follow a certain process that they followed the last time they chose. Or they may have a certain budget that they have decided to stick to, no matter what. Find out the criteria they are going to use to judge whether they will use you, and you’re firing on all cylinders.

Thirdly, Why are those criteria so important?

Ask your customer why that particular reason is so important to them. It may be that other projects are running parallel to the use of your product or service. You can then make sure your services can assist the customer achieve their goals.

The answer to these questions will assist you in developing a closer partnership with the customer and put you in prime position in their considerations.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
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 you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…