We often find salespeople keeping to a specific sales process that they’ve tried religiously for years. It works on occasions, but not all the time. That’s the way it’s always been, you say.

Here’s an eye-opener; people buy when they are ready to buy, not when you’re ready to sell!

It’s vital in every sales situation that you put their needs ahead of your need to sell. If you put pressure on customers, you sound unprofessional, pushy and unattractive to deal with.

Think of expressions like these:

“We can only keep these prices until the end of the day”.

“We’re the best in the business”

“When can you let me know your decision?”

“Can I call you in the next ten days to follow up?”

What messages do these words convey? They make you sound desperate for business and put the idea in your prospect’s mind that you’re only out for the sale, not a business partnership.

Instead, try building the customer’s confidence in your relationship building with them.

Try: “Let’s see how we can solve that problem for you”

“Let’s see what’s best for your business in terms of the investment you can make”

“I’ll call you in the next ten days to answer any questions you might have and discuss further actions”

“Let’s see how we can accomplish this”

All these suggestions put the focus on the customer, make you sound more professional and helpful, and ensure the customer views you as a partner, not a commodity seller. When you take the desperation out of selling, you become more confident and the customer has more confidence in you. And that can only be good for business!

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 England Cricket Team has been announced to compete in the Ashes series against Australia in the winter. Among the bowlers is Monty Panesar, a spin bowler who has played for England 33 times. Interestingly, Shane Warne, the legendary Australian spinner, said of Monty, “He hasn’t played in 33 tests; he’s played in one test 33 times!”

What he meant was he thinks Monty is a one-trick pony. He can’t adapt his game to various conditions, and he only has one way of bowling. Batsmen get used to his style and are able to play him because of his predictable nature.

Actually, we love Monty because of his enthusiasm and sheer determination. It got me thinking, though, about how we approach customers at times. Remember that they have seen maybe dozens of salespeople who have tried to sell what you sell, and know exactly what you’re going to say before you do. They’ve got their responses ready and they know exactly what price they want it for.

It’s only when someone approaches them from a different angle, helps them see things from a different perspective and convinces them that the product is going to make their business quicker, safer, more productive or more profitable, that they may say ‘yes’ to your offering.

Think how you can be viewed differently today. How can you approach your customer with a different mindset? Is is possible for you to change your ‘delivery’ rather than send down predictable messages that can easily be batted away?

If you do, you prove to your prospect that you can help their company thrive and prosper in their market place. And that can only be good for business!

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…

So, you’ve got to the point where you’re ready to present the price and everything’s going well. You think you’ve covered everything and the customer seems happy with the product.

They are waiting with baited breath to hear what the investment is going to be.

You tell them.

There’s a sharp intake of breath, and the immortal words, “You’ll have to do better than that!”

I was out with a sales consultant on a call a few days ago when this scenario actually occurred. How would you have responded?

The consultant I was with said “Well, if you place an order today, I might be able to stretch to a 20% discount. But it has to be today!”

I just shuddered.

The final result was that the customer got 25% off, extra warranty and better payment terms. And he agreed to buy ‘today’.

I asked the sales consultant as we walked back to the car why he felt the need to offer discount immediately. He said the prospect was obviously going to buy if the price was right, so he made it easy for him to buy.

I asked why did he feel the prospect wanted discount. After a few seconds of silence, the consultant groaned “I don’t know…I didn’t ask!”

And that was the crux of it all. He didn’t ask the one fundamental question that would have given him the chance to find out more information and discuss further opportunities. And that one question is the simple one-word “Why?”.

Now you can package it up with other words around it if it sounds better (“Do you mind me asking why I have to do better?”, “May I ask why you say that?”) but basically you’re asking for a reason for the statement or objection.

The answer to this question will reveal a whole multitude of situations that you can deal with.

Prospect: “You’ll have to do better on the price!”

You: “I see. May I ask why you want a better price?”

Prospect: “Because we don’t have the budget”. Or “Because your competitor is cheaper”. Or “Because I never pay top price for anything”

Now you have the real reason why they asked and you can deal with it.

This one-word question will clarify any generalistic statement the prospect makes, and enable you to find out exactly how the process can be continued. And that can only be good for business!

Happy Selling!

Sean

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…

Do you want to make an impression on your prospects? Who doesn’t?

But when it comes to standing out, what do you do that would definitely be different from your competitors and make you extremely memorable?

How about this? Imagine you’ve delivered a great proposal to your prospect, one you’ve been working on for ages with your marketing team. You feel good about it, and are now just waiting for them to pick up the phone and call you to ask you to come and pick up their cheque!

You set up a camcorder, go into a quiet room or one of your quiet offices, set up the recorder and say a few words of thanks to the prospect, with a promise to contact them shortly for a review of your proposal. You then download it to your computer, and save it. You send it immediately to your prospect via email and ask him to click on the link.

Your smiling face and positive voice explain how happy you were to present to him and how you are looking forward to meeting up again soon. The prospect hasn’t received anything like this from the other suppliers. How would the prospect view you?

Yes, it’s different. Yes, it’s personal. Yes, it shows you care. If you’re serious about making a different impact, invest in a small camcorder and a stand and a microphone. Record a message to every prospect you visit and send it to them. You can guarantee it will make an impact! And that can only be good for business!

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…

It’s my birthday soon, and I know I’m going to get a few cards. Every one of them is received with a big smile and lots of appreciation. Why? Because I know how important personal contact is. And I feel good that someone has thought about me!

How do you feel when you get a personal card? You know, you can set yourself apart from the crowd and make a huge difference in your reputation with your clients. How? Read on!

How long have you been selling? Five years? Five years in November? How would you feel if you got a card from a business friend of yours that said, in his neatest handwriting, “Congratulations on your 5th anniversary in sales.”

Probably pretty good. How would you feel about the person who sent you this thoughtful card? Probably pretty good.

What would sending this card say about the person who sent the card to you? Well, it might say he was thoughtful and professional and that he cared enough about you to send a card.

How can you make your prospect think more of you and less of your competitor?

Here’s a plan you can use with prospects. Whenever you meet someone for the first time ask them, “How long have you been here?”

If they say, “7 years”  confirm the exact year and then ask “Which month did you start?” Everybody knows the answer to that!

Make a note on your Outlook or Lotus calendar or in your diary, and put it under recurring for every year.

Imagine that your prospect hasn’t given you any business yet. In November of this year, they get a card saying
“Congratulations on your 7th anniversary in engineering”

How will he feel? He will feel good about the card and probably will feel even better about you. Now get this – you’ve known the prospect for no time at all and you send him a personal anniversary card.

His current supplier has been selling to this prospect for 7 years. Do you think he might wonder why he didn’t get a card from his current supplier?

Try it a few times. How many of your competitors send anniversary cards to their clients, never mind their prospects? You will be known as special, different and worth remembering. And that can only be good for business!

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…

Cliché warning alert!:

“First impressions last.” “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

OK, I know. You can groan now! But let’s think for a second. What if these old clichés are actually true? What if the impression you provide could make or break the relationship with the prospect?

It’s said that people make judgments on other people within the first few seconds of meeting them. If that’s the case, what can we do to ensure that the first impression at least gives you a chance to go on and make a lasting impression?

Here are some tips:

• Do your homework. Proper preparation prevents poor performance (OK, I should have warned you about that cliché!). Without preparing effectively, efficiently and comprehensively, you risk losing confidence and bluffing, which is something that will badly affect your first impression.

• Dress appropriately. The clothes you wear will have an effect on your demeanour and the reaction from the prospect. Think about the impression you want to make and then make sure that is the one you give

• Use positive body language. Learn how to shake hands effectively. Learn how to use the appropriate amount of eye contact. Remember that people believe your body language more than they believe what you say. Make sure yours is positive and confident.

• Practice the first few opening lines. If you can deliver these with confidence and authority, it makes your prospect believe you can be the kind of person who they could think of partnering with.

If you make that great first impression, it lays a great foundation for furthering the relationship with the prospect. And that can only be good for business!

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…

Do you get into a tug of war with your prospects and clients at the end of your sales interactions?

You know what I mean…

It’s when you go back and forth answering their objections, isolating them and all that jazz!

Well, it’s far more productive and fruitful if you can handle the objections during the interaction.

Prevention is better than cure and it’s better for the relationship and ultimately the sale if you can get to the objections before they do!

I mean, come on, you should know the objections that you’re going to face. It’s not rocket science!

Here’s an exercise for you to complete:

1. Write down the top 10 objections that you normally face

2. Script out word for word what your ideal response would be to each of those objections

3. Look at an opportune moment in your presentations or interactions to cover off that objection BEFORE your prospect or client brings it up.

4. Practice and refine your responses

For example, you’re more expensive than anyone else in the marketplace. You might plan to cover the price objection when you are going through the demo of the product.

“James, because we use polyfibre in our castings it means that on average the product lasts for 13 months longer than anything else in the marketplace. We researched this from 120 of our clients who use the product. It means that the product is a little bit more expensive than XYZ or ABC product but lasts twice as long saving you 25% in costs over 18 months”

I know you understand where I’m coming from.

What you did was talk about quality and at an opportune moment covered off the “Compared to XYZ and ABC you’re 10% more expensive”. But with this example, you already covered it off with quality and 25% savings!

Anyhow, give the exercise a try and then use the output.

It will work wonders…and that can only be good for business!

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…

One of our trainers asked delegates on a recent open sales course, when was the sale actually completed and finished?

All the delegates volunteered that it was when the prospect said ‘yes’ to the sale. This was termed the ‘close’, and we could heave a big sigh of relief and tick another one off our checklist.

However, I came across an interesting definition the other day during some research. I looked up the phrase ‘follow-through’ and it was defined as “the act of continuing an task to completion, to its natural end”.

According to this thought, the ‘close’ is not the ‘natural’ end of the sale. Especially if you’re looking for repeat business.

One delegate was asked how he follows through with customers who have bought. He said that he logs their buying cycle and diarises a call-back three months before they are ready to buy again. Mmmm!

Well, for most salespeople, selling requires constant cultivation in order to keep the relationship growing.

Ask, “What actions can I take to strengthen this connection and move towards a natural end, or the next natural level?”

Follow-through is what you do to build the strongest, long-lasting relationship with your client. Think about these ideas:

After gaining agreement, follow-up with a letter to confirm the arrangements. Send a hand-written, personal thank-you note to your client (which of your competitors would do that?). Send articles of personal and professional interest to your client. Ensure all deliveries and service agreements are delivered on time. Find out the best way your new customer wants to be contacted.

The benefits of effective follow-through are:

* You can provide additional information as and when it’s needed

* You can discover steps to assist in your customer’s business growth

* You can differentiate yourself from the competition

* You can build trust in the long-term, so when the time comes for renewing the contract or changing for something new, you are first on their mind.

By following-through, you go beyond expectations and help the customer see they made a great decision in choosing you. And that can only be good for business!

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…

Some time ago, Johnny Carson was interviewing a guest on The Tonight Show in the USA. The guest was billed as one of the greatest salespeople who has ever lived.

Now, with a billing like that, it certainly attracts attention. When you make that sort of claim, you have to be prepared to be sifted, sorted and challenged.

Johnny did exactly that. “So, you’re the greatest salesman in the world…sell me something!” Johnny said.

The man asked, “OK, what do you want me to sell?”

Johnny replied, “Oh, how about this ashtray on my desk?”. Johnny expected the man to go into a sales pitch. Instead, the salesman asked, “What do you like about this ashtray?”

Johnny spoke about its unusual shape, its colour and how it matches other things on his desk. The guest asked how much Johnny would be willing to spend on an ashtray of that colour, that shape and matching the other items.

Johnny replied, “Oh, maybe $10?”

“Sold!!” said the salesman.

Uncovering the customer’s needs is the main pre-requisite to getting to the close. You need to persuade the customer to state their own needs and get them to experience either pain in not solving their problems, or reward in solving them. By getting your customer to convince himself of the need, they figuratively own the product in their mind before you even have to use any closing ‘techniques’, and this produces buying signals. The gaining of commitment to agree to using your product or service should be a natural progression in the conversation. No tricks, no bluffs, just good old acceptance of the need to have what you’ve got.

When you’ve got the customer to persuade themselves, it’s a no-brainer for the customer to say they want it.And that can only be good for business!

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…

I came across an interesting article the other day proving why the number seven was so important to us humans. No matter what culture or religion you come from, the number seven has a interesting effect at a psychological level.

When you consider all the permutations associated with it, it’s fascinating to see how often this particular number crops up in everyday life.

Is it possible you could use this psychological phenomena to your advantage?

Think about it, If you have subscribed to any newsletters, or downloaded material off the web, or paid for ebooks, chances are that the price you have been offered ended with a seven. Search for any ebooks in your profession or industry and you’ll find, more often than not, that the price will be $17, $37, $57, $97, $197, or something similar in pounds sterling.

Why? It appears that we are drawn to this number in many areas of life. We call it ‘lucky number seven’ (or ‘sleven’ if you’re a film-buff like me!).  According to Stephen Covey, there are Seven habits of highly effective people. The Magnificent Seven. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Seven days a week.  James Bond. There are countless references to the number seven in religious writings. The list goes on.

It depicts a sort of completeness or perfection, a finalising of a circle or loop. It adds something that feels incomplete if we finished at another number.

How does this apply to you?

Well, when you’re putting your figures together for a proposal, remember your customer will look at the final figure as your opening negotiable position. If you quote, say, £5000 for the complete package, they will see that as a figure to be started at.

However, if you quote £5027, this sounds more final, more specific, more believable that it’s been worked out personally for this prospect.

Plus the fact that it ends in a seven has a completeness about it.

Try it. See if you can get your next few proposals to end with the figure seven. Be specific and see what the prospect’s reaction is. Let me know how it goes. Who knows…you may create a new marketing and pricing structure around this magical number! And that can only be good for business!

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…