| Nobody wants to be their own worst enemy!
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| | is who you are in the minds of your
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| Sales is a demanding profession, and you
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| | customers. Too many salespeople focus
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| want to do everything in your power to
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| | only on method. They go through all the
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| make yourself more profitable.After
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| | steps to the sale, from asking questions
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| working with thousands of salespeople, I
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| | to closing, but never differentiate
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| have found that there are mistakes many
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| | themselves from the competition.Ask
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| of us commonly make. Once eliminated, we
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| | yourself "what, specifically, do I bring
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| can boost our sales and earning power
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| | to the sale?" Everyone says they're
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| dramatically.Here, in no particular
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| | service-oriented and will work hard for
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| order, are my top five:MISTAKE #1:
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| | the customer. Now ask yourself, "What CAN
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| GETTING INSUFFICIENT INFORMATIONIn a
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| | I bring to the sale?" Forget the
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| courtroom, the judge would never cut the
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| | non-substance answers like 'I'm service
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| testimony short and make a hasty
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| | oriented,' or 'I'm a terrific listener.'
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| decision, based only on preliminary
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| | Instead, find your own, personal value.
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| evidence, especially when more credible
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| | If you consistently come to them with
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| and detailed testimony is yet to come.
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| | intelligent discussion, research and
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| But that is exactly what defeats many
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| | ideas, you brand yourself as a
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| sales.We cannot honestly say where we are
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| | value-added consultant. Continuously
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| in the sales process without a clear
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| | remind them that you're working in their
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| understanding of what is happening on
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| | best interest with articles or web page
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| their end. We wont often be privy to
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| | links that address their interests and
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| everything happening behind the scenes,
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| | needs. Over time, you'll brand yourself
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| but that's no reason to handcuff
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| | as the kind of person they trust, respect
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| ourselves by ending phone conversations
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| | and want to do business withMISTAKE #4:
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| and leaving meetings without a better
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| | NOT ENOUGH TIME IN EACH DAYDo you
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| understanding of needs, timelines and
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| | accomplish everything you set out to do
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| procedures.What information do we need?
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| | in a day? Time is today's currency, and
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| In addition to product or service
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| | every one of us fights the daily
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| information, here are three critical
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| | battle.Finding time is the challenge.
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| points:How important is this decision?
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| | Taking it is the solution. Nobody's going
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| Everyone has felt the sting of that
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| | to give it to you. No customer is going
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| 'sure thing' sale which, at the last
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| | to call and say "we want to buy...and you
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| minute, gets put on the backburner
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| | just leave those little details to us."
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| because something else came up. In any
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| | The interruptions will not stop.Here are
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| changing business, new priorities can
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| | three strategies for finding time:1)
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| replace old ones in an instant. Your sale
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| | Schedule it (this is pretty basic, but
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| was a top concern yesterday, but when an
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| | it's critical). Block out several hours
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| equipment breakdown or staffing issue
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| | every week as though it was time for your
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| arose, new priorities took hold. It
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| | best customer, and use that time to
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| happens, but only if the sales process
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| | accomplish those important projects.2)
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| drags on too long, or if its priority is
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| | Prepare for it. If new business is a
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| too low to begin with.What is their
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| | priority, then print out a list of
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| buying process?
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| | prospective customers, complete with
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| Is the buyer, alone, in the position to
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| | name, phone and other notes, before the
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| make the final decision, or will others
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| | work week begins. Then you can spend your
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| be involved. Will approval go through a
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| | time taking action, not searching through
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| specific chain of command? Even
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| | files.3) Be disciplined. I like the
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| door-to-door sales to consumers usually
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| | health club analogy. On January 1st,
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| requires a second opinion, like a spouse,
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| | we're all committed to fitness. That's
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| in order to complete the sale.What is
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| | why the lines at Bally's are so long.
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| their timeline?
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| | But, by the 1st of February, you can fire
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| Is a decision imminent, or are they
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| | a cannon through there and not hit
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| gathering pricing information for next
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| | anything. Do you stay committed to a plan
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| years budget? It's amazing how often this
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| | after the initial motivation has worn
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| one comes up and, too often, the
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| | off? Challenge yourself, week in and week
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| salesperson is unaware because they
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| | out.Don't just find time....Take It. Grab
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| didn't ask.MISTAKE #2: ASSUME THAT PRICE
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| | that clock and out a choke hold on it.
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| IS THE ANSWERLow price doesn't always win
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| | It's yours.MISTAKE #5: NOT ASKING FOR THE
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| the sale. But go ahead and ask your
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| | ORDERWhen did closing become a bad thing?
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| customer their most important criteria
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| | Every day, countless sales are left 'in
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| and they'll often say "price, of course."
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| | limbo' because the salesperson made their
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| They're not lying. But they haven't been
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| | presentation, quoted the price, then left
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| sold yet, either.When it comes to price
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| | and waited for the customer to make up
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| sensitivity, consumers come in three
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| | their mind.There are two simple rules to
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| clusters. The first
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| | closing a sale. Rule #1: you cannot
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| is the low-price cluster. Some estimate
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| | force, trick or cajole them. Anyone who
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| this group to be about 15% of all
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| | agrees to a sale today can easily talk
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| consumers, business and consumer. They
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| | themselves out of it tomorrow. Rule #2:
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| may have a directive to be frugal with
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| | the salesperson need to lead the close by
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| the company budget, may have less means
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| | leading the sale. That means being
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| financially, or just a deep-rooted desire
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| | thorough throughout the selling process
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| to get the most in any bargain, even if
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| | by uncovering needs, developing trust and
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| it results in a win-lose
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| | presenting proposals that fill the
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| scenario.Another, although smaller
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| | customers' surface and deeper needs, and
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| cluster, will always pay the higher
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| | then asking for the order. No tricks. No
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| price. They may want the best quality,
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| | gimmicks. Just a straightforward
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| and know that you get what you pay for.
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| | statement like "if everything looks good,
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| They may want the prestige that goes with
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| | let's get it started" or "should we go
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| owning the best. Either way, price,
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| | ahead and write up the paperwork?" This
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| alone, is seldom an issue.The third
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| | may sound basic, and it is. But it's
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| cluster, estimated to be nearly 75% of
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| | probably one of the biggest mistakes we
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| all buyers, live in between the low and
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| | make!In every profession, from medicine
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| high-end. They're waiting to be sold.
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| | to sports, professionals regularly work
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| They want quality, they want service, and
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| | to improve their skills. Take 30 days to
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| they want a good value. But, if there's
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| | focus on these common mistakes and I can
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| no clear distinction among their options,
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| | guarantee you'll see and feel a
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| then the default buying decision becomes
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| | tremendous difference!One of America's
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| 'price.'To avoid becoming compared to
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| | hottest sales trainers, Joe Guertin has
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| others based on price alone, find their
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| | 25 years of outside sales experience,
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| definition of value. Ask questions that
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| | specializing in new business and customer
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| will uncover their most important buying
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| | relationship development. As a
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| criteria. Sometimes, a basic question
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| | sought-after speaker, and consultant, Joe
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| like "aside from price, what will be your
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| | has worked with thousands of salespeople,
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| most important criteria?" helps you find
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| | managers and business principals,
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| the way to differentiate yourself from
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| | targeting specific areas of development,
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| your competition.MISTAKE #3: A LACK OF
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| | including internal sales systems,
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| PERSONAL BRANDINGToyota, Heinz Ketchup,
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| | customer development strategies and team
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| Hershey Chocolate. They've got branding.
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| | skill-building. His firm, The Guertin
|
| Their name says it all. Branding
| |
| | Group, conducts customized corporate
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| identifies a product, and its perceived
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| | sales training, both live and
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| value. Hallmark Greeting Cards built an
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| | online.Visit The Guertin Group at to
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| empire with the phrase "when you care
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| | receive his monthly ezine newsletter.
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| enough to send the very best." Branding
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|
