- Feel free to request an article covering sales, or the sales process .
- Let us find a solution with your concern or concerns.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.29.09
Why are there so few Great Sales People?
This is a good question and one that will probably receive many complaints about the organizations ability to provide enough money, benefits, and opportunities. However these are reasons that organizations cannot hold onto their superstar sales professionals.
Why are there so few great sales professionals?
There are a limited number of sales professionals willing to give of their own time to invest in themselves to being the top performer that delivers day in and day out. Even on a bad day the top performer delivers something.
Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy call this the cost to them. What are they willing to do in order to reach the goals that they have set professionally and personally? The time invested to get what they want while helping another get what they need and want. Extra time learning new techniques, extra time preparing for a new client. Becoming an expert with their product and not afraid to inform the client they are the expert and there to help them.
Greg Deming touches on this quite often; they have a stronger sales will. They spend time with communication and find ways to communicate on a level that is far above the average or standard sales professional.
Please do not think it is limited to the above however I am not here to write a book. In conclusion to my forum post the attitude is stronger and that drives the confidence, ability, and know how.
Customer service care and,what not to do with customer service.
Father’s day came and went and I was a lucky father. I did not receive the usual Father’s day gifts of t-shirts, ties, and socks. This day I received a gift certificate to Office Max, office supply store. My son noticed we had started remodeling the office and he wanted to help in some way.
I needed cd/dvd computer backup discs along with minor office supplies and off I went to purchase them. I found out the amount on the gift card and soon the shopping started. I am a happy camper. I know this is free to me today.
I wait in line to make my purchase. The woman in front of me asks a question. The cashier seems agitated and asks a smart mouth question in return. The customer shrugs her shoulders and the clerk demands an answer without looking up to acknowledge the customer.
The woman makes her purchase and walks out the door. The cashier remarks I would not work for her I do not read shrugging shoulders. I am still happy and say, "Hello!"
The register speaks with the money sound they make. I give my gift card and it is slid into the machine. The cashier tells me that the computer is not working right and she would have to make a call to the 1-800 numbers. I said great. Barking at me she said you do not have another method to pay for this like a credit card? I said no I have this gift card from your store. I do not want to call that 1-800 number. Not my problem.
I leave without the merchandise. No manager or assistant manager in site to stop this from happening. I get in my car and call the number on the back of the gift card. I spent the next twenty-five minutes, traveling back to my home, talking on the phone with a service representative that could not satisfy the issue. Finally I asked for someone over her head that can make a decision.
Up- to-date I have an hour in the store, thirty minutes on the phone and still I am not satisfied. The supervisor of the service department informs me he must get in contact with the district manager. Fifteen minutes later I receive a call informing me that I must go back to the store where they will refund the gift card to me. I have another thirty minutes getting there and receiving the refund to gain some satisfaction. I have a total of two hours and fifteen minutes and my time vested in this purchase, value is of no interest to this company.
When I returned to the store I spoke to the store manager, who did not seem to know the story. I started to inform her of what the problem is and then the excuses start to flow. All of the sudden the store manager tells me the cashier is slow. I say, " Excuse me."
"Mentally she is not all there and cannot multi-task." replied the manager. I expected to hear from this manager that they are sorry this has happened, they will take care of it, and make sure it does not happen again.
What if I had a special needs child? How would I have felt with the explanation? I now claim that the cashier was not the problem. Management is the problem. Management makes poor decisions with positioning employees to best benefit the consumers. This confirmed my decision not to use this store again instead of taking responsibility for their terrible decision making and throwing their employee under the bus.
How is your customer service? Does it have a lackluster appearance? The time is now to increase customer satisfaction and service helping the client to an enjoyable ownership exchange.
7.22.09
Tips to Avoid Disaster During the Sales Process.
Never argue with a client guide and try to convince them.
Yes the client is ALWAYS right. However, if we look at it from this perspective we find this is the result.
Do not win the battle, win the war. It is not where you start but where you finish.
It is not what is said rather it is how it is said.
Anything can be stated as long as it is in a question.
Rejection is not personal.
Accept responsibility.
Action is required before anything can be accomplished.
Respond to the idea not to the client disposition.
Let the client speak and then ask questions to make sure you understand.
7.01.09
Success
Every person that reaches success at any level must give thanks and appreciation too those that have influenced and impacted them.
Without mentors we as people could not improve. We have basic innate instincts that further develop depending upon how we are nurtured.
An animal in the wild learns to hunt. This is innate. When the animal develops these instincts it is often through trial and error, until the hunt is perfected. This development may take months or even years. Some animals never perfect the hunt, thus becoming the hunted that will eventually lead to their ultimate demise, death.
Other animals are taught by their parents and learn at a much quicker pace. They learn how to sneak up on their prey, undetected. They learn how to approach their prey and finally how to overcome the prey and go in for the kill.
Sales technicians need others to show them a way to approach the sales process. This may take several mentors to shadow and mimic. The successful sales technician can never get enough education and influence throughout their careers.
They take pieces of each mentors suggestions to mold and guide them into a sales process specifically designed for them. Perfect practice of these principals makes them good at their craft.
The goal of every professional is to become the very best in their field. Difficulty arises from not knowing how to proceed for more growth. The search for more mentors and sales coaches us developing relationships with other professionals. With this group questions are asked and numerous responses are given to add to an existing process.
I have found throughout life many new ideas come from old techniques with a twist added to form it into a new idea or product. We as sales professionals must accept and embrace additional information. This allows for maturation and growth both professionally and personally.
There are many internet sites that offer help and tips for the sales technician. Search and read many sites before deciding which one(s) offer the best help for you. I personally chose two initially; one allowed for friendliness and offered great information for discussions.
The other site was not as friendly and not as much fun. It also had a few highly successful salesmen. It contains very valuable information shot straightforward without consideration of the impact, brutally honest. It offers that kick in the pants site that we all need at one time or another.
You can find mentors almost anywhere, mentoring by a friend, relative, client or co-worker to name a few. A mentor lets you vent discuss changes and gives their opinion. Mentoring keeps the sales technician fresh and able to maintain focus on goals.
Finding a sales coach is a different procedure. You must decide how much you are willing to invest. Finding the rights sales coach that gives the proper inspiration, information and that kick in the pants is a must. They cannot be afraid to lay it on the line and be brutally honest with the direction you must travel.
Acknowledge those who help guide and mold you toward wanting to be the very best at your craft. Never forget those who have influenced and made an impact.
6.20.09
Have you ever heard the saying that power is knowledge? This is a false statement. Knowledge is not power it is potential power. It is power when it is followed by action.
6.15.09
Often the salesperson forgets to ask the client what else they need. The object is to help the client with all their needs. Failure to help the client discover and take care of issues that they have become accustomed to living with is a mistake that needs to be corrected. Start today helping the client dissolve any issues that can be taken care of right then and there. This makes it cheaper and it is more efficient for the client. They do not have to take another day off of work losing pay to take care of items that the sales technician forgot to mention. Start taking care of your client and enjoy a long term relationship that provides many referrals.
6.07.09
We have bi-weekly meetings, at today’s meeting we spoke about our economic climate and what to do about pricing. Why? Others are dropping pricing, service and the value to clients. LET THEM drop those important items from the daily habits.
When organizations drop their pricing they drop much more. The stuff that is dropped affects their clients. Shipping, service, and building relationships, time spent with clients, availability, and doing what is in the best interest of the client, inventory suffers and that means the client does not receive the best product for their needs and wants. Advertising to gain clients is limited and that means reaching new clients and supporting existing clients is stopped.
Employee benefits recede and that drops moral and that means motivation is lost. Caring for the client’s lessons and the pay days are short. Profit margins are not met and hoping to last thru the economic climate is the next best thing.
This is the time to invest in your employees and clients. This is the time to expand service and stand out from the wannabe organizations that really do not care about the client, employee or their business. Cutting prices informs the clients that they have been over priced in the past. That a new standard is set and that is not a trusting standard.
Be the organization that cares about their employees and clients increase the service and value. Increase the advertising to gain new clients and inform the existing ones. Enjoy the organization and owning one while looking to the future.
6.06.09
The instinctive behavior of people responding to positive is optimistic action providing an equally constructive response. Responding to a negative situation pessimistically produces unenthusiastic action and response.
6.05.09
Welcome Sales Hq friends please take the time to visit and send an email.
Let us see what the future brings learning new techniques and watch your sales grow.
6.04.09
Getting prepared
I am a firm believer in scripting out your process. Often times others assume a scripted response is word for word and sounds robotically. I want scripts learned and worked to correspond to your vocabulary and comfort level. Where it is a natural progression with your communication creating a script that fits your personality and flows within the conversation with others.
I am also one who accepts as true that you must be prepared by trying to figure out what the client will ask or demand of you. I keep a journal that includes everything I have done with every sales call I have been involved with for the past fifteen years. In this journal I have the questions asked and my responses. I have what I could have done better with my failed sales calls. There are questions that my client has asked me that I fumbled with and could not come up with an answer or reply. This journal allows me to define my process better by eliminating concerns or questions I have heard from a multiple of clients and include these with my presentation to bypass unwanted objections.
Every night I come home and transfer these items onto the computer and I work on how I could have answered them better. This allows me to grow and learn how better to respond to my clients. When I have a client who I must deal with concerning buyer’s remorse I write down every question they may ask of me and am ready to respond to the client in a way that allows them to understand and appreciate the way we do business.
I want to be prepared at all times to answer any question, concern and provide the best possible solution. Fail to plan, plan to fail comes to mind. There is never an instance where anyone is one hundred percent prepared for whatever the client can throw at the sales technician. With proper preparation all questions and concerns are easily answered.
This is one way to prepare. What each person must discover is how they learn and set up a system that helps them grow while learning to be prepared.
6.03.09
Would we all agree that clients love the sound of their name? One of the goals of a sales technician is to use the clients name as often as possible without over doing it and bringing attention to the effort.
The sales technician is all prepared to make the phone call. The practiced efforts have the sales technician calling the client by Mr. or Mrs. Client this is so and so with XYC Company. The call is made; the phone is dialing, waiting to start the presentation of the greeting. BANG right to voice mail.
Hi this is Charlie and I am not available at the moment if you leave your message and I will answer as soon as possible.
What do you call Mr. or Mrs. Client?
Most sales people would keep on the strict dialogue using the proper heading and the name. I suggest using a different approach. The message clearly stated this is Charlie leave me a message. Hello Charlie! This is Rich from XYZ and I have important news for you concerning Widget Enterprise (Charlie’s Company) call me at 555.4111.
The message informed me that Charlie enjoys his position and enjoys working. He is a fun loving person that wants to deal with those who have fun and enjoy their position. Mirror the client in every way and the client must respond in the same manor.
6.02.09
Deciding which style of question to ask the client depends on the desired outcome you are trying to receive from your client. Finding a concern an open ended question is desired. This type of question lets the client explain their position and cannot be answered simply by a yes or no answer.
A closed ended question supports a fact that you are trying to bring to the clients attention. You want to receive a yes or no answer from the client when an ownership decision is made. Mr. Client do you have any concerns how this widget benefits the goal of making it easier.
6-01-09
When you do not know or you think you know stop right there, this raises concerns and questions. It is required of that person to ask questions to gain the proper knowledge to make an intelligent decision. Never assume the knowledge when the intent is unclear.
5.29.09
Zig Ziglar quote
You might not be what you say you are,BUT what you say, you are
5.28.09
"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny."
- Anonymous
Change is tough and does not come easily however in order to get where we want ,we must not stay the same.
5.26.09
I was asked to give my five top tips for sales. I had a difficult time coming up with five top tips. To place more importance with one aspect of the sales process over any other portion of the sales process is next to impossible. Each step feeds off of the other steps. Giving the total sales process consideration these five pop up during the sale process and my personal life. I consider these five very important to becoming successful with people in general.
1. Listening and hearing what the client actually means. The hidden meaning hidden inside the framework of a statement. Most listen however they do not hear the true meaning
2. Problem solver. Finding a solution that satisfies today and tomorrow.
3. Relationship builder. Building true rapport and value while engaging the relationship.
4. Effective communicator. Having the ability to communicate with and to the client to help guide them to a solution that best fits. Communication is verbal and non- verbal. Words are a tool and anyone can use them.
5. A great attitude allows for many adjustments and acceptance of ideas and ways.
What are your five top tips?
-----------------------------------------------
Larry Grimes is a member of Sales HQ and he posted this in a forum thread. I believe this has merit and is a quality statement. One that all potential and professional sales technicians need to take action within their daily life.
Do you make things happen
Are you the HOST or the GUEST in life?
Do you approach people or do you wait for them to come to you?
The two major factors for happiness, serenity and a lifetime of overall satisfaction are PREDICTION and CONTROL.
If you CONTROL your immediate environment by MAKING THINGS HAPPEN (mainly by approaching the right people at the right time for the right reason), you will easily be able to PREDICT the outcomes of your actions and other's actions or inactions..
And, the uncontrollable and unpredictable events in your life are much fewer and much less impactiful.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had the experience of a lifetime Thursday May 14,2009. I attended the Get Motivated Seminar created by Peter and Tamara Lowe.I was fortunate to hear Zig Ziglar and see him in person.I heard an amazing speaker named Krish Dhanam. Very energetic and inspirational.I highly recommend hearing this man.
Rudolph Giuliani spoke about Leadership and the attributes for a strong Leader.Phil Town gave a great speech on investing.Joe Smith gave a rousing session dealing with real estate.Dick Vitale spoke on what he does best giving it your all and full of energy.
See this seminar! GetMotivated.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you started setting goals? Start today setting goals both personal and professional and watch you life dramatically increase in desire to achieve. While setting goals decide what you will do to reach these goals.
Want a car? Give up sodas during the day.Take one day and stop eating out and stay in until you collect the money to purchase the car of your dreams.
Take responsibility for your actions and reach those goals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn to speak better,become better prepared. Join your local Toastmaster International Group.