We have all heard the phrases; an order taker or a sales person. However, what does that mean and what is the difference between the two?

Take a look at this analogy…

The Eagle and the Vulture
The difference between a professional sales person and an order taker is similar to the difference between a vulture and an eagle. Whereas, a vulture, sits, perched and waits. Waits for a meal to develop and appear, usually by something that has died. It then meanders over and scavenges the rotting carcass, and barley survives in a state of half-starvation.

The eagle, on the other hand, does not sit and wait, but goes out, flies around and FINDS fresh food. It then swoops down and CREATES a bountiful meal and enjoys a life of opulence.

The Sales Professional and the Order Taker
Similarly, an order taker sits around and waits for someone to BUY something. The order taker waits for the incoming call. Waits for the web lead from the prospect that has a check-in-hand. The order taker waits for the buyer to say, “I’ll take it!” The order taker lives on a minimal wage, surviving in a state of half-living.

The professional sales person however, does not wait. The professional sales person goes out, flies around and FINDS opportunities. The professional sales person finds prospects who never even thought about buying anything. The sales pro then helps the prospect by uncovering problems and exposing needs and desire, and then diagnoses those problems, offers solutions and then solves those problems. Thus, the professional sales person lives a life of success and affording the joys of wealth.

Now I ask you…Which Are You?
Below are a few questions to ask you. Of course, depending on what you sell, some may not apply. However, be honest with yourself.

Order Take or Professional Sales Person?

1. What percentage of your sales come from prospects that come to YOU, verses how many are the result of outgoing prospecting efforts?

2. What percentage of your sales are from lead sources OTHER than your company’s TOP 2 normal lead sources? (In other words, how many leads are you finding out of the box?)

3. What percentage of sales volume is from add-on, up-sell, or otherwise production that is above the original lead value? (In other words, by what percentage are you able to increase the sale that the buyer already committed to spending?)

When the economy slows and a million other excuses overwhelm the order taker, the true professional sales person will always go out, reach out, call out to create and generate business.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Training

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Be honest; have you ever walked into a sales interaction or had a prospect come in the door and immediately say to yourself, “OMG! This is a losing situation?”

No matter how hard we try, often it is difficult NOT to make predetermined, and usually unfounded judgments about people based on first appearances. It is also likely that you have been the recipient of such prejudgement yourself.

I thought I’d just give you an example of the dangers in doing this in the form of a short, light-hearted, yet very significant sales story.

My friend and “super salesman” from the U.S, John Landrine writes below of a situation that happened to him very early on in his sales career that taught him never to judge a book by its cover.

Here’s what he wrote to me…

“Selling home cleaning and maintenance systems, I walked into the prospect’s home only to find it was very messy. In addition to the obvious potentially disqualifying conditions, it appeared that there was no working adult in the household. Add this to the fact that this was not a very good area of town, and well, I was a little disheartened from the outset.

Although we had some basic pre-qualifying parameters in place, it appeared, to put it mildly, that the senior-aged woman and her daughter were quite poor, not to mention that they also provided care for an elderly parent in the home.

The presentation went well, too well. They wanted the system. The problem of course, was how in the world they would pay for it. So, in presenting the offer, I went to the bottom line, immediately dropping to the lowest possible nuts and bolts price, which they accepted.

Never even thinking about a cash purchase, I went into trying to figure out how I could finance the system for them, and went into credit application mode. What I needed to figure out was what was their source of income, since no one had a job.

The daughter, astutely noticed that I was tip-toeing around asking the hard question, and exclaimed, “Oh!! You mean, where do we get our money?”

“Ah, well, yes.” I admitted. “I just need to know how you pay the rent.”

“That is Mrs Chappers! (Not the real name)” the daughter explained as if I was supposed to know what that meant.

Dumb founded, as the small group starred at me with smiles, I shrugged my shoulders to say, “I don’t get it.”

“Mrs Chappers!” The daughter insisted. “You, know…Mrs Chappers!”

I come to find out that the old lady owned a chain of beauty salons and beauty supply stores all over the state, about 25 locations! She was the Mrs Chappers of “Mrs Chappers Beauty;” a wildly successful business.

How did they pay the rent? They did not pay rent because the famous Mrs Chappers owned the whole building and many others. She was a millionaire! Also, the state of the current home was due to a recent death in the household and they were in the midst of cleaning and rearranging.

Well, I closed the sale and got a ton of referrals, which almost all resulted in sales. However, the price point was a serious problem. I could not go and sell all of her friends and relatives the same system for more than I sold it to Mrs Chappers, and she made that very clear.

Judging that book by the cover cost a ton of money. I never did it again!”

Of course, if your sales process includes ways to disqualify prospective customers out of the funnel, then do so. However once they have qualified, then trust the numbers and treat everyone, every prospect as if they are worth a million pounds!

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
MTD Sales Training

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You can find Sam-I-Am in the critically acclaimed children’s book, “Green Eggs & Ham,” by the famed Dr. Seuss.  First published in 1960 by Random House, “Green Eggs & Ham,” tells the story of two characters: one named Sam-I-Am and another, an unnamed character I will call “IT.”

Eloquently presented with colourful images and rhymes, the book follows Sam as he tries tirelessly to persuade IT to eat some green eggs and ham. As the IT character continues to resist, showing no interest in the meal, Sam relentlessly perseveres in what has become one of the greatest sales stories of all time.

In case you have forgotten, below is a short excerpt and some paraphrasing from the book.

IT:       I do not like them, Sam-I-am.  I do not like green eggs and ham.

Sam:    Would you like them here or there?

IT:       I would not like them here or there.  I would not like them anywhere.  I do not like green eggs and ham.  I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Sam:    Would you like them in a house?  Would you like them with a mouse?

IT:       I do not like them in a house.  I do not like them with a mouse.  I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere.  I do not like green eggs and ham…

This goes on throughout the entire book, as Sam proves to be incredibly persistent, suggesting numerous ways that IT may enjoy the product.  Sam suggests IT try green eggs and ham in a car, a tree, in the dark, in a box, with a fox, in the rain, on a train, on a boat and even with a goat.

The IT character continues to object, until finally…

Sam:    You do not like them.  So you say. Try them and you may.  Try them and you may, I say.

IT:       Sam!  If you will let me be, I will try them.  You will see.

(IT tastes the green eggs and ham)

IT:       Say!  I like green eggs and ham!  I do!  I like them, Sam-I-am!  I would eat them (with all of the above) Thank you!  Thank you, Sam-I-am!

The Sales Genius
Sales trainers the world over have used “Green Eggs and Ham,” and Sam’s perseverance as a model of persistence.  However, Sam did much more than take a lot of “NOs.” Below are five successful selling examples Sam-I-Am demonstrates in the book.

1. Maintained his offer: No matter how many times the prospect said “No,” Sam never reduced his offer.  Many sales people are too quick to change their original offer or drop their price after only one or two objections.

2. Did not challenge IT: Sam never directly challenged IT’s objections or thinking.  He never asked, “Why will you not try them in a house?” Sales people often demand the prospect justify their reasoning, which creates an adversarial condition.

3. Did not try to change IT’s mind: Sam accepted all of the NOs. He never tried to make IT change its mind.  Sales people often try to change the NOs into YESs. You cannot get people to change their minds.

4. Continued to build value: After every failed closing attempt, Sam introduced new ideas and new ways the prospect could benefit from the offer.  Sam continued to build the value of the product by offering new information. Instead of building the value of the product, sales people often reduce the price or benefits.

Understand that while you cannot get someone to change their mind, you can help someone make a new decision based on new information.

5. Had the right motive: What would Sam gain or lose if IT did not try the green eggs and ham? There is no mention of a commission.  Sam’s persistence was based solely on the fact the he knew IT would enjoy the meal. Sam wanted to help IT get something IT did not even know IT wanted.  To help the prospect solve a problem he did not even know he had.

When prospects sense that you are pushing them because you truly believe it is in their best interest, rather than your commission, your persistence is acceptable, welcome and even desired.

When you’ve got that big sale you have to land,
And feel you did everything you possibly can,
Remember the story of “Green Eggs and Ham,”
And the powerful sales example in Sam-I-Am!

Happy Selling

Sean

PS Sam-I-Am could have pulled out the needs and wants of IT before presenting the Green Eggs & Ham to him too in a consultative selling manner!

It’s an old one but a good un: Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice! 

Sean McPheat
The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling
MTD Sales Training

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Just after the invention of the telephone, sales people took to the streets around the world selling this marvelous new invention.  It would seem that to sell a telephone to people who have never seen or used a telephone before, would be easy.  Yet, many sales people had problems closing door-to-door sales for this new and advanced product.  

However, one sales person consistently outsold everyone.  In fact, his sales were nearly 200% higher than that of the average sales person.  So, a wise sales manager set out to find out why. 

The manager rode along with some of the average sales people first and found they had essentially the same presentation.  It went something like this:

“Hello!  What I have here is a new invention called the telephone.  Unlike the old outdated telegraph, this telephone actually takes your voice and breaks it down into electronic signals.  It then takes those signals and transmits them across town via those wires overhead.  The signal arrives at switching station miles from here, where the operator connects your electronic location with another by a switchboard and bingo!  You are talking with someone many miles away!” 

The manger noticed that the sales people had vast knowledge of the product, but saw minimal results.  He then went out with the super sales person whose presentation at the door went more like this:

“What I have here will allow you to talk to your friends and loved ones who are hundreds of miles away, and speak with them just as if they were sitting right here next to you in your home!”

SOLD!

And the Moral of the Story is…
Many sales people today have forgotten the old adage, “Sell the sizzle not the steak.”  As you gain expert knowledge of your product, be careful to remember that much of what you know is for you to know.  Most people could care less about exactly how their car works.  Rather, they want to know that it will transport them to where they want to go and do it in the style for which they desire. 

While some products do require mechanical or technical explanation and selling, be careful not over do this.  Think of those technical aspects and equate them to their beneficial counterpart.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
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 islanders panicked as their main generator, the source of all of the electric power on their island had stopped working.  They immediately called in everyone on the island with knowledge of fixing generators.

The oldest and most reliable electrician in town made the first attempt to fix the generator, as he had nearly 50 years experience with such matters.  However, after two hours, he could not get the machine to work.  He left his bill for £400.  A second fix-it guru from the island went to work on the generator, also to no avail, leaving his bill for £320. 

The islanders could never tolerate outsiders to their private land, however, as a last resort; they reluctantly called an expert from the mainland.  

Upon exiting the helicopter, the man proceeded to the generator.  He studied it for a moment, and slowly walked around the machine.  He then crouched on one knee, formed his right hand into a fist and banged his knuckles on the generator with two loud knocks. 

“Brraaoom!”  Instantly the generator started up!  The man got back on the helicopter and left.  Later the islanders received his bill for £10,002 plus airfare.  Outraged, the island leader called the generator expert.

“What is this?”  The island leader demanded.  “How could you possibly charge us £10,002 just for knocking on the machine twice?”     

“No, you’ve got it all wrong.”  The expert explained.  “The knocks are only £2, that’s all.  I charge £1 per knock.  The £10,000—–that’s for knowing WHERE to knock.”

And the Moral of the Story is…
All of the product knowledge in the world is useless, if you do not understand where and how to apply such knowledge to solve the problems of your perspective clients.   Do not sell knowledge, expertise, experience, history or even benefits.  Sell solutions!  Know where to knock. 

Find other “Morals of the Story” in Sales Stories.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
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…

In tribute to the many sales managers, trainers, directors and coaches who are always in need of more creative, effective and memorable ways to relay sales training concepts, I am starting a new series called, “And the Moral of the Story is…”

Start your weekend by looking here every Friday morning at 10:00 am for some entertaining sales stories.  Like “King Kong’s Got Nothing On Me,” from Memories of a Sales Manager, some stories are funny, some are serious, but all have a strong sales message!

If you miss one, not to worry.  You can find them all in the new MTD Blog category, “Sales Stories.”  Next Up: “The Harmless Sale,” from my buddy, John Landrine in the U.S.

The Harmless Sale
We sold outdoor signage for independent businesses, via door-to-door as I met this one prospective customer who proved a real challenge.  The man owned a small travel agency and during my sales presentation, the customer challenged or refuted almost everything I said.  He would deny any claims I made, though I had some facts to back up our claims and he had nothing to support his positions.  Of course, though, as a professional, I was not going to get into a debate with him.

Me:                  “Our studies show that your street has about 22,000 cars pass by here every day and…”

Customer:       “No!  No.  That’s not true.”

Me:                  “Well, Thomas, do you have a different figure?  How many cars do you think pass here every day?”

Customer:       “I don’t know…I just know that it is not 22,000.  You are just wrong on that”

He would do this on nearly everything I said and I realized that he was not actually objecting or just being obnoxious.  I realized that he had a serious distrust of sales people.  He would refute anything any sales person said simply because a sales person said it.  So he continued to try to provoke me into a debate, but I did not fall for it.  I continued and went to close asking for the order as I always do. 

He said, “It’s a nice looking sign.  But you know all that stuff you said is not true don’t you?”

I replied, “Every word is true.”

He said, “Come on John!  If you will just admit that you sales people exaggerate everything and that the sign is not really going to do me any good…then I might buy it.  But I want you to admit that the sign will do no good.  Admit that you exaggerate!”

I said, “Sir, every word I said to you is true as all of our research and history shows.  Plus, I do not lie…period.”

Finally, he came with his ultimatum, “Ok.  If you want to make a sale…then tell me that sign does no real good.  Otherwise you can leave.”

I said, “Thank you for your time.”  I then closed my briefcase, packed up my sample and walked out.

As I was packing my car, he came out and stood in the storefront, looking up and down the street. 

“So, ah…” he began very slowly.  “You know, there really are a lot of cars that go pass here.”

“Yes.”  I said as I continued to load my car and prepare to leave.  Then he began looking at the top of the building around where the sign would go.

“Ah, so where did you say that sign would go?  I mean, just for imagination’s sake…,” he said.  I closed the car door and came over to him.

“Yes, it would go right there…,” I pointed.  “…and I would have it facing a little to the right.  That way it gets all of your north and south traffic and some of the east and west traffic as well.”

He said, “uhm…uhm. Interesting…” as he stood there. 

I knew the man was in pain.  I had sold that sign and he wanted it and knew that he needed it.  However, his false pride would not ever allow him to say, “Ok, I believe you are right…I want the sign.”  In addition, he had already told me to leave, and to his surprise, I did. 

Now he was stuck.  How could he get the sign and save face?  I began to think of a way to help him out of his misery and finally came up with…

“You know Thomas; I think there is ONE thing we can agree on.” 

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” he said.

I concluded, “That sign, up on the corner of your business…certainly will do no harm.”

His face lit up like a bulb!  “Yeah!!  Yes!” he began yelling.  “It won’t do any harm!  It may not do any good…but it surely can’t hurt!  It can’t hurt!  Go get the contract, let’s write this thing up!”

And the Moral of the Story Is…
Should John have given in to this customer’s request, more than likely he would not have made the sale anyway.  The customer would have simply used John’s admitting to falsehoods as further justification for his irrational statements and negative beliefs.  John would have solidified in the mind of the prospect that NO sales person can be trusted.  Also, if by some chance the customer did buy, it would have been the mostly costly sale John could have ever made.  It would have cost him his reputation, tons of additional customers and possibly his career…not to mention…his dignity.

You must uncompromisingly believe in what you sell.  Never be one who will do or say anything to make a sale and be ready and willing to take no for answer.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
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…

In tribute to the many sales managers, trainers, directors and coaches who are always in need of more creative, effective and memorable ways to relay sales training concepts, I am starting a new series called, “And the Moral of the Story is…”

Start your weekend by looking here every Friday morning at 10:00 am for some entertaining sales stories.  Like “King Kong’s Got Nothing On Me,” from Memories of a Sales Manager, some stories are funny, some are serious, but all have a strong sales message!

If you miss one, not to worry.  You can find them all in the new MTD Blog category, “Sales Stories.”  First up…The Sunday Ham

The Sunday Ham
One Sunday morning, a young mother began preparing the usual big Sunday family dinner as her young daughter looked on.  After unwrapping the huge ham shank, which was star of the show, she promptly placed it on the cutting counter, grabbed a giant meat cleaver and with one powerful, almost vicious swing, hacked off the tip, the triangle edge of the ham. 

Startled, the daughter asked, “Mom, why did you do that?!”  

The mother confidently replied, “Oh, it’s ok, Honey.  You have to do that because it makes the ham come out better.  It cooks better and tasted yummy!”

“Really?”  The young inquisitive child, asked, “How?  Why does it make the ham taste better?” 

After a moment of deep thought, the mother replied, “You know, Sweetie, I’m not really sure.  I learned how to cook the ham from your grandmother, let me call her and ask.”  Moments later with nana on the phone, the mother asked, “Mom, you know when you make the ham and you always chop off that shank tip, why do you do that?”

The grandmother quickly and confidently responded, “Oh, well, it comes out better that way, child, you know that.” 

“Yes, I know Mom, but why, how?” 

Also puzzled, the grandmother said, “I don’t really know.  I learned how to cook that delicious ham from your grand, let’s ask her.” 

Now on the telephone in a three-way mini family conference, the great grandmother, and three generations of family asked the question, “Mom, you know when you used to cook the ham and you would always cut off that corner shank tip?  Why did you do that?”

The great wise grand, now in her nineties, paused and matter-of-factly replied,

“Well, I had to do that…because the ham was always just too darn big to fit in that little pot I had back then.”

And the Moral Of the Story Is…
Just because you have been doing something one way for a long time does not make it right.  Remember that much of what you know about professional selling has been “passed down” from one generation to the next.  Your sales manager learned from his sales manager, who learned from her supervisor and so on. 

The problem is not that those tried and true sales techniques of the past no longer work.  The problem is that those prospective buyers of the past no longer exist.  Today’s modern consumer is far more educated, sophisticated and sales savvy than ever before.  They also have a worldwide database of information at their fingertips with the Internet. 

Check out my video, “Why the Modern Day Buyer Has Changed,” and if you have not yet done so, download my latest report, “The Sales Person’s Crisis,” below.

The fact is today’s prospective customer has changed from those of the past and your entire selling paradigm must change to keep pace.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
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…