Sometimes you have to state the obvious

8/11/2009

Have you ever ran into a salesperson and thought, "Oh boy, he's a little lost."

I was at a networking event the other night and I ran into a financial services representative that looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Being the eternal trainer that I am I struck up a conversation. Sure enough he was new to the firm and new to sales.

Once he figured out what I did he asked a very direct question... "Do you have any words of wisdom for me?" I gave him the standard answer - "Just stick to it, get your first client and work very hard."

Then I stated the obvious, I said... "Do you see all of these people in this room? They all want to talk to you. That's the point of the event and that is why they are all here." Networking events are held to bring people together. People at those events actually pay the organizer to hold the events so you can meet people and expand your sphere of influence.

His sales manager probably told him to go to this event. He told him to go talk to as many people as possible. What he didn't tell him was that the other people in the room want to talk to him. Had he stated the obvious this new rep would have had a better outlook and probably have had a much more productive evening. He wouldn't have been a deer caught in the headlights he would have been a deer foraging for food.

To review all sales articles by David Peterson click here

Why Ask For The Sale?

7/6/2009

I'm continuing on this theme of asking for the sale. If you read the tip below I stated that " bet I will have at least two quotes that will be comparable systems and within a couple hundred bucks of each other."

I did indeed. Two quotes were within $200 of each other. That night my wife held both quotes in her hands. She and I went back and forth - it could of been either company's to win instead they left it up to us to decide which to choose!

When you ask for the sale you are not doing it because the sales book says too. You are asking because the customer NEEDS YOUR HELP DECIDING. In other words when you ask for the sale you are helping the customer make their own decision - the customer wants to say yes and get it over with!

Never ever leave it up to the customer to decide for themselves. Ask for the sale - they need your help deciding and when you ask you are actually helping them make up their own minds.

Ask For The Sale!

6/20/2009

I bet you think you are doing this. Experience tells me you are not.

Here is my latest scenario of seeing and listening for this very common mistake. This week one of my air conditioners in my house went out. I'm in the process of getting 4 quotes to make an informed decision. I am going to buy from someone.

To date I have had 2 professional sales people sitting at my kitchen table in the heat (remember the air is out). Both are pitching well, both took the time to find out what my needs were, they both did a good job explaining their air conditioning systems, and they both did a good job explaining the benefits of working with their respective companies. But neither came close to saying "...Well Mr. Peterson we look like a perfect fit for your needs are you ready to get started?"

It's so simple to ask.

Here's what both professional sales representatives said... "When do you think you will be ready to make a decision?" I politely told them both my answer and guess what NEITHER said "...well before you decide give me one last call!"

Here's the point, in the end I'm getting 4 quotes. I bet I will have at least two quotes that will be comparable systems and within a couple hundred bucks of each other. Which company will I choose? I'm probably choosing the one that wants the business.

Think about it, on your last sales call did you actually ASK for the sale or did you just hem and haw around it?

To review all sales articles by David Peterson click here

Never Reopen a Closed Sale!

This tip should be obvious, but I just ran into it again last week with a colleague.

Once a sale is closed, leave it closed. If you reopen it you may find yourself at the beginning of the sales cycle not at the end. Rarely do you get to mention an add-on product and just jump right to the new close.

You may mention a new add-on product and find out that a competitor has already pitched it at a better price. You may mention a new add on product and the customer starts wondering what else you have forgotten. You may mention the new add-on product and the customer now has to get a new approval since you changed the specifications. Or... you may accidentally talk yourself out of the sale.

The point is don't do it. Never reopen a closed sale - ever!

Now this tip assumes that you have done your homework and you sold the customer the proper product. You just forgot to add on an incremental product that would have made you more commission and made the product even more valuable for the customer.

If the value of the add-on product is truly there then it gives you a perfect opportunity to make a follow up call and pitch it at a later date.

If you have misunderstood the initial needs of the customer then by all means start over. Reopen the sale and begin again. The worst thing that you can do is to provide something that is not going to solve the customer's problem - in our business we call that a RETURN.

To review all sales articles by David Peterson click here