At some point in the sales process we need to make our pitch. This is an area where most salespeople could do a lot better. Most people in sales present a standard pitch that all their customers get to hear. This doesn’t work! People are different and buy for different reasons.
When people buy things buyers have what we call buying criteria. These are the overriding reasons for buying that are most important to them. Think about a Mercedes car. Different people buy a Mercedes for different reasons. Having trained many Mercedes salespeople I have learned that their customers buy for different reasons and these can be summarised as image, performance, finance and safety.
Image, or ego is a big motivator for some people. They love the look of the Mercedes and the tri-star on the front says so much about their status. Other people are interested in performance issues. A Mercedes is a very sophisticated piece of machinery with billions of ponds in research and development that have made it what it is today.
Finance can be a big motivator for some Mercedes customers. The residual value of a Mercedes is high. You get a lot back for your car when you sell it making it a good investment. This is what motivates some Mercedes buyers.
Finally, safety. Until you speak to a knowledgeable Mercedes salesperson you have no idea just how safe these cars are. There are many safety features that could be integrated to form a sales pitch to a safety minded Mercedes customer.
So, before you prepare a sales pitch, you need to understand what is going to motivate your customer to buy from you. What is important to them? What are their priorities and needs?
On my training courses I stress the importance of asking questions in a controlled and structured way. Many salespeople lack the self discipline to plan and prepare their questioning strategy. Their lack of professionalism excludes them from the top 5% of salespeople who make all the money.
Here are the areas we need to probe into if we are going to successfully identify facts, opinions, needs and feelings that will enable us to put together a sales pitch that is truly persuasive:
• The contact. The person we are meeting with. We need to find out about them and what motivates them
• The organisation. This is the company they work for. What is happening in their business? How might changes in their business provide us with selling opportunities?
• The decision making process. How do they make decisions, who gets involved and what are the relevant timescales?
• Current suppliers. Who are they buying from at the moment and how well is the competition performing?• Competition. Are we in a bidding situation with other companies to compete against?
• Finance. What budgets have they prepared? What is their perception of price?
• Problems. What are the current issues that we need to help them solve? All selling is problem solving. What are their problems?
• Needs. What are their buying criteria? What do we need to provide to make us their choice of supplier?
Once you have all this information you are ready to begin preparing your pitch.
Here are some more ideas:
1. Identify which services or products the customer is interested in
2. Establish your objectives. Set yourself more than one objective so you have a fall back position if you fail to make the sale
3. Clarify what style and length of presentation the customer wants: for example, a full blown PowerPoint presentation, a product demonstration or a short briefing followed by a discussion
4. Establish the key message you want the customer to take away from your presentation - the main benefit, or set of benefits that make your offering attractive
5. Establish a few key points that support this message; relate your points to the customer's needs and interests. Don’t over argue your case. The more arguments, the less persuasive your case
6. Prepare a logical argument for buying your product or service based on your knowledge of the customer. However, also be aware that there will be emotional issues that have a major influence on the decision to buy
7. Anticipate any objections or questions the customer might raise
8. Prepare a beginning, a middle and an end for your presentation. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them and tell them what you told them.
9. Collate any facts and evidence to support your argument: for example, product samples, brochures or customer testimonials. Make sure your samples work.
10. Rehearse your pitch until you are satisfied. Practice makes perfect
11. Think about how you are going to close. You must look for commitment; either to an order, or the next phase of the sales process
Make sure when you present your pitch you remind the customer of what was discussed in prior meetings. This shows you were listening.
Sell benefits. Try to answer all your customers are asking; “What’s in it for me?”
Finally, during your pitch remember to trial close. Trial closing is a process of asking questions during your sales pitch to get feedback on how the customer is feeling. “How does that sound?”, “Is that the kind of thing you are looking for?”, “How do you feel about that?” are all examples of trial closes.
Keep asking for feedback and don’t forget the final close at the end. 70% of salespeople don’t ask because they fear rejection. Don’t be one of them. For more information e-mail me frank@salestraining.co.uk or visit my website www.salestraining.co.uk
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
How to be more assertive
One definition of assertiveness is being confident and direct in dealing with others. Assertive people know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it. They also respect the feelings and needs of others and are prepared to negotiate solutions that are acceptable to both sides.
Aggressive people want to win at all costs. Passive people give in and are prepared to lose in order to keep the other person happy. Here are some tips on becoming more assertive:
1. Work on your appearance. How you look tells a lot about you. 55% of the message you send out when you meet people is through your body language. Dress appropriately, make eye contact. Try to look and sound confident.
2. Use a clear, calm voice. You don't need to be loud, but you do need to make yourself heard. If people aren't noticing you and you need service, say clearly "Excuse me?". Also, whatever you are trying to say, try to be concise.
3. Know what you want. People can tell if you already know what you want out of them, and it's much easier for them to do what you ask them if you can tell them clearly what that is. Whether you're speaking to an insurance agent or a waiter, their job is to serve you and you'll make their job about ten times easier if you know what you want.
4. Be realistic about your aims. Have a clear objective of what you want. Assertive people mare not afraid to ask, but they also pick their battles.
5. Don't misdirect your frustration. If the airline counter agent tells you that you must pay extra for your heavy bag, don't get angry at the agent! Your beef is with the airline's policy (and possibly your failure to read the fine print). Instead, treat the agent like an ally. If the policy was made available to you, apologize and ask for an exception. If you were never informed of the policy, say so, and ask for an exception. Either way, the agent herself did you no harm, so do not direct your frustration at her! She is not the aggressor; she's your potential ally. So treat her well and negotiate respectfully...then take the matter up with the airline's customer service agents.
6. Practise. If you're about to engage in an important encounter, like asking for a raise or getting out of an unhealthy relationship, ask a friend to role-play with you. Practice what you are going to say, and have your friend give you feedback. If you aren't assertive enough, try it again.
7. Be respectful. Being assertive does not mean that you should be rude. People are more willing to help someone who is both direct polite and respectful
8. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Asking questions will help you determine what you want and give you an idea of potential solutions. Don't be afraid to tell someone exactly what you think, but do so in a polite way. Speak your mind.
9. If you have to deliver bad news, don't offer unnecessary details. If you explain every single reason for your decision, the other person can use those reasons as negotiation points. Your decision is firm, and this will come across most clearly if you are short and to the point.
10. Don’t get angry. It doesn’t promote a problem solving atmosphere
11. Remember the big picture. True assertiveness, as opposed to pushiness, allows you to come away from any situation respectably. Pushy people may win battles, but only assertive people win wars
12. In confrontations especially, emotions can run high. Remember to be respectful and keep a cool head. The key to success in confrontations is to use an appropriate tone of voice and the correct words. Speak to someone like you would like to be spoken to!
13. Try asking first; don't demand things straight away. Gather information and make the other person an ally. If that approach doesn't work, then you may put your foot down.
14. Be friendly. If you are not, you won't be assertive.
15. Perspective. Keep a sense of perspective as well as a sense of humour
For more information on training courses and the range of other services offered by the Sales Training Consultancy, visit our website www.salestraining.co.uk or e-mail me Frank Atkinson frank@salestraining.co.uk
Aggressive people want to win at all costs. Passive people give in and are prepared to lose in order to keep the other person happy. Here are some tips on becoming more assertive:
1. Work on your appearance. How you look tells a lot about you. 55% of the message you send out when you meet people is through your body language. Dress appropriately, make eye contact. Try to look and sound confident.
2. Use a clear, calm voice. You don't need to be loud, but you do need to make yourself heard. If people aren't noticing you and you need service, say clearly "Excuse me?". Also, whatever you are trying to say, try to be concise.
3. Know what you want. People can tell if you already know what you want out of them, and it's much easier for them to do what you ask them if you can tell them clearly what that is. Whether you're speaking to an insurance agent or a waiter, their job is to serve you and you'll make their job about ten times easier if you know what you want.
4. Be realistic about your aims. Have a clear objective of what you want. Assertive people mare not afraid to ask, but they also pick their battles.
5. Don't misdirect your frustration. If the airline counter agent tells you that you must pay extra for your heavy bag, don't get angry at the agent! Your beef is with the airline's policy (and possibly your failure to read the fine print). Instead, treat the agent like an ally. If the policy was made available to you, apologize and ask for an exception. If you were never informed of the policy, say so, and ask for an exception. Either way, the agent herself did you no harm, so do not direct your frustration at her! She is not the aggressor; she's your potential ally. So treat her well and negotiate respectfully...then take the matter up with the airline's customer service agents.
6. Practise. If you're about to engage in an important encounter, like asking for a raise or getting out of an unhealthy relationship, ask a friend to role-play with you. Practice what you are going to say, and have your friend give you feedback. If you aren't assertive enough, try it again.
7. Be respectful. Being assertive does not mean that you should be rude. People are more willing to help someone who is both direct polite and respectful
8. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Asking questions will help you determine what you want and give you an idea of potential solutions. Don't be afraid to tell someone exactly what you think, but do so in a polite way. Speak your mind.
9. If you have to deliver bad news, don't offer unnecessary details. If you explain every single reason for your decision, the other person can use those reasons as negotiation points. Your decision is firm, and this will come across most clearly if you are short and to the point.
10. Don’t get angry. It doesn’t promote a problem solving atmosphere
11. Remember the big picture. True assertiveness, as opposed to pushiness, allows you to come away from any situation respectably. Pushy people may win battles, but only assertive people win wars
12. In confrontations especially, emotions can run high. Remember to be respectful and keep a cool head. The key to success in confrontations is to use an appropriate tone of voice and the correct words. Speak to someone like you would like to be spoken to!
13. Try asking first; don't demand things straight away. Gather information and make the other person an ally. If that approach doesn't work, then you may put your foot down.
14. Be friendly. If you are not, you won't be assertive.
15. Perspective. Keep a sense of perspective as well as a sense of humour
For more information on training courses and the range of other services offered by the Sales Training Consultancy, visit our website www.salestraining.co.uk or e-mail me Frank Atkinson frank@salestraining.co.uk
Friday, 28 August 2009
100 ways to improve your sales success
What makes a successful salesperson? I train salespeople how to sell and am often asked the question and it seems to me it comes down to four things:
Attitude
Skills
Knowledge
Hard work
The best salespeople expect to succeed. They always see the glass as being half full, not half empty. They have excellent communication skills and really care about their clients. They see selling as a problem solving process where their role is to help their customers and build solid, long term relationships.
They know about their products and their market. Also, they work hard, especially when times are tough.
I was challenged to come up with the 100 ways to improve sales results and here they are. You will notice they are all simple, practical and sensible. Sales is not Rocket Science. The basic principles are what matter and like the top sports people, the high performers in sales are successful because they understand and put into practice, the basic skills. Sales training focuses on communication skills and behaviour.
As you browse through the 100 secrets, think about how you implement these on a regular basis. Make yourself an action plan. If you need more help e-mail me, frank@salestraining.co.uk and I will be happy to help.
100 ways to improve your sales success
1. Begin with your attitude. The best salespeople think positively. Beware of negative thoughts. Thoughts like, "I could never do that" and "What if I fail?" can seriously impact the way you behave
2. When top salespeople catch themselves thinking a pessimistic thought about their situation they evaluate the evidence. What are the facts--not the fears--but the facts?
3. The best salespeople are aware of the importance of the image they present to clients. Invest in the way you look. You don’t want to be perceived as just another rep!
4. Read a serious newspaper at least once a week. Be aware of current affairs so you can have a sensible conversation on any topic. This was one of the best bits of advice I was given as a young salesperson
5. Use the internet. Find out about your clients future plans. Keep up with technology. It’s the way the world is going
6. Don’t use high pressure selling techniques on your customers. They don’t work. Treat your customers as you would want to be treated
7. Develop a style of selling that is relaxed and friendly, while still being professional
8. Never sell anything to a customer that they don’t need, or can’t afford
9. Set yourself goals. The most successful salespeople have clear goals and can tell you what they are
10. Set SMART goals. Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound
11. Read books on selling. Invest in your own long term development
12. Put together a sales plan. We have a free template. E-mail me and I will send you it frank@salestraining.co.uk
13. Discuss your sales plan with your manager. Use your manager as a resource
14. Find out the long term aims and goals of your company. Where do you see yourself going in the next 3, 5 10 years. Set yourself a career plan
15. Find a mentor. This is someone who is already successful, either in your organisation, or elsewhere. This is someone you can talk to and who can give you the benefit of their experience
16. Solve problems in your own organisation. Most people just sit back and complain. Come up with solutions. You never know, they may promote you!!
17. Get the right balance between work and the rest of your life. Take care of your health and fitness
18. Learn new skills that may not directly contribute to your job. Learn a language, or attend a night class. The brain is a muscle that needs to be kept active
19. Network. There are lots of organisations that business people join to do well and to meet similar people from different industries. Do a Google search for UK business networking sites, or speak with your local Chamber of Commerce, or Round Table
20. Think. Set aside some thinking time to review progress and the direction you are going in. Most people say they are too busy, but it is a useful exercise
21. Find someone who is already successful and mirror what they do
22. Plan to hit your target. Break your overall target down so that is becomes more achievable. If you have a target of £250,000 a year this makes no sense. If, by breaking it down you estimate you need to make 10 sales visits a week, this becomes more achievable
23. Manage your pipeline. We only convert a percentage of potential customers into actual customers. Plan prospecting activity into your schedule. Keep topping up the pipeline
24. Analyse your customer profile. Who buys from me? Where are they based? What is the best way to identify and contact potential customers?
25. What is happening in your market? Set yourself short, medium and long term goals that reflect the way the market is changing
26. Prospecting. Put together your hit list of prospective customers; targeted at people most likely to buy your products or services. Keep the list manageable. If you are going to contact 50 people a week every 4 weeks, you need 200 prospects. Quality is better than quantity
27. Keep targeting them. Most people don’t buy first time, especially if you are selling the idea of an appointment to meet you.
28. Set aside time for prospecting. It works best if it is, say, every Monday morning, or whatever day you prefer. The key is making it every week without fail. This is what the top salespeople do
29. If you are phoning your prospects write yourself a script and practise it with colleagues. When preparing a script always follow a statement with a question. This keeps you in control. “We specialise in sales and management training. Is this something you have purchased in the past?”
30. Disqualify poor quality prospects. This keeps your prospect list fresh and full of the kind of people that you really should be doing business with
31. Understand that prospecting is a numbers game. Set yourself targets for the number of people you contact each week and stick to it
32. E-mail is a great way of prospecting. It takes less time and can be very effective. Send information, or free stuff which will add value even if they don’t buy. When they are ready to buy you will be at the top of their list
33. Keep accurate records of your prospecting. This is what the top salespeople do
34. When you write your sales plan begin by defining your objectives. What do you want to achieve over a defined period. Write your objectives down and make sure they are SMART
35. Remember the Pareto Principle. 80% of our business comes from 20% of our customer base. Focus first on existing business. How to keep it and grow it. Most lost business happens as a result of neglect. Build into your plan a strategy for your existing customers
36. Key ratios are another issue. This is about using historical data to plan forward. Measure everything. If your target is to book 5 appointments and you know that, historically, you have had to make an average of 6 telephone calls to get an appointment in the past, you need to prepare 30 prospects. The ratios don’t always work every time, but do work over time
37. Top salespeople measure everything. If it can’t be measured it can’t be managed. E-mail me for more details frank@salestraining.co.uk
38. Lead times. Understand that sales activity today will generally lead to results in weeks or even months ahead. Even when you are doing well you need to be planning for future results. If you want more information on lead times send me an e-mail and I will send you a more detailed analysis
39. Keep reviewing your market. What is changing? What will the market look like in 3 years time? What can you are doing now to stay ahead of the game?
40. What resources are available to you to help you sell more? This could be anything from a lap top computer, to an opportunity to receive some training, or a sales manager who has lots of experience that you can tap into. Seek out opportunities to help you sell more
41. If you are booking appointments by phone, begin by putting together a good telephone script. If you want some examples, e-mail me and I will be happy to send you some frank@salestraining.co.uk
42. If you are cold calling, why not try a 3 stage process that professional telemarketing companies use. Phone call-mailshot-phone call. This approach pre warns the potential customer they are about to receive information and checks out that they are the right contact. Information is then sent out with a follow up phone call to book the appointment
43. When you call someone for the first time think about how you are going to introduce yourself. I like to give my first name then my full name. “Hello this is Frank. Frank Atkinson from the Sales Training Consultancy. How can I help you?”
44. Speak slower. We say our names 3 times faster than other bits of information. If you sound relaxed it will relax your customer
45. Sell the appointment. Don’t say that you are in the area next week and would like to pop in for half an hour. These people are busy. What have you got to talk about? Is it worth 30 minutes of their valuable time? What’s in it for them?
46. People will naturally try to say no, unless you have struck lucky and rung at exactly the right time. Give them time to explore the issues you want to discuss. Minimise the risk of agreeing to an appointment, but sell the benefits to them. “I feel confident that if you are able to give me 20 minutes of your time you will be much better informed about the changes in legislation that will be taking place over the next 6 months”
47. Deal with objections in a positive may. Most people will say no. That’s a fact. Look for the longer term. Send information. Agree a call back. Don’t beat them up in order to gain a short term advantage. If they want to think, that’s okay. Just make sure you agree the next steps once they have done their thinking
48. Practise dealing with the most common objections with your colleagues. There are relatively few objections. Two things to remember. Don’t interrupt and don’t attack your customer’s belief system.
49. For more information on dealing with objections go to our website and download free materials. There is an article on objection handling
50. If you are sending out information don’t leave it too long before following it up. First class post takes no more than 2 to 3 days. A fax or e-mail arrives very quickly. Follow up once you feel they have had a chance to read the information. Don’t leave it 3 weeks!
51. When asking for the appointment, ask for a specific time and day. This way you are in control of your diary. Go for an early appointment. This frees up time in your diary for later in the day
52. Confirm the appointment by e-mail. Remind them about the reason for the appointment and send an agenda for the meeting if appropriate
53. Once you have confirmed the appointment begin your planning and preparation for the meeting. Things you need to consider are your objectives, your agenda, the questions you need to ask, visual aids and finally your attitude.
54. Set objectives for the meeting that is ambitious, but realistic. Have more than one objective. “If I don’t make a sale, what else could I achieve from the meeting?”
55. Prepare your questions in advance. Areas you need to cover, especially at a first meeting are: contact (the person I am meeting with), organisation (their business), decision making processes (how they make decisions, who gets involved and their timescales), current suppliers (who they buy from at the moment), competition (who else are they talking to?), problems (what issues are they facing at the moment?), needs (what are they looking for from us?) finance (what financial issues are appropriate?)
56. Building rapport. It is necessary to have some social time before we get down to business. The amount of time we spend here should be led by the customer. Different cultures have different ideas about this subject. For my views, why not send me an e-mail and we can discuss
57. Agenda. Once you have settled down reaffirm the purpose of the meeting. Here is an example: “Thank you for seeing me today Mr. Smith. As you know my name is Frank Atkinson from Toyota. I’m sure you are aware that at Toyota we have a wide range of cars in our portfolio with lots of different options. In order to see whether any of these might be of interest to you, I need to begin by asking you a few questions. Would that be okay? “
58. The agenda statement is designed to achieve 2 objectives. To get control of the meeting and to earn the right to ask questions
59. It gives the customer the chance to contribute to the meeting. The first question we recommend is this: “Is there anything specific that you would like to talk about at this meeting?”
60. Relax. At this stage the customer is trying to work out if there is something in this for them. Try to avoid presenting too quickly. Ask questions. Get them talking about themselves and their business. People like to talk about themselves. Encourage this
61. Ask open questions early on in the meeting. Examples of open questions: How did you first hear about us? What made you decide to invest in a Personal Pension? Tell me, what is the best time for us to call and see you? Who else would benefit from being at our meeting?
62. Closed questions give us specific information. Examples of closed questions: Did you remember receiving our literature? How old are you? Do you still live at 25 London Road?
63. Follow up questions explore areas in more depth. Examples of follow up questions: So, you changed suppliers last year. Why was that? You say you weren't happy with the service. What happened? You mentioned efficiency. How important is that to you? Why?
64. Plan and prepare your questions in advance. Work out which questions have the biggest payoff for you particular business
65. Make your questions more effective by using prefacing techniques. Examples are: May I ask you.....? Could you tell me.....? I would be interested to know.....? Can we establish when.....? These phrases can make your questions more acceptable
66. Label sensitive questions by introducing them. This eliminates surprise and sounds more professional. Here is an example: “When people review their IT solutions it often involves different departments. This being the case, would this be your decision, or would you be consulting with other departments in the organisation?” More examples of labelling are available. E-mail me for more details frank@salestraining.co.uk
67. Linking questions. Another way to get acceptance for questions is to refer back to a previous statement made by the customer. Here are some examples: You mentioned before that you work at ABC Limited. Do they use these products as part of their manufacturing process? You said that your company is expanding. How are you going to manage the extra volume of information being processed by your accounts department?
68. When you ask questions you will get answers. We often hear buying signals. One example could be a customer saying something like: “I have had a few problems with deliveries from my current supplier” Most salespeople respond by presenting information. Resist the temptation and ask more questions
69. Listening is an important skill in selling. Practise your listening skills. Use a range of verbal and non-verbal techniques. Show you are interested, but try not to interrupt
70. Verbal listening skills. Asking questions, summarising and responding by making appropriate noises.
71. Non-verbal listening skills. These are the signals that show we are listening. These include eye contact, smiling, nodding, making notes, looking relaxed and making notes
72. The main learning point here is don’t interrupt!
73. When we ask questions we are looking to identify certain things; Facts, opinions, needs, problems, and feelings. Sales are an emotional process. The sequence of our questions is the key to sales success and building rapport. There is some free information on asking questions and listening on our website www.salestraining.co.uk
74. When people buy things they have buying criteria. Usually there are 2 or 3 reasons for buying which are really important. Think about major purchases you have made in your life. What were the really important issues that influenced your decision to buy? These are your buying criteria
75. People have logical and emotional buying needs. Logical needs include issues surrounding finance, image and performance
76. Finance needs include value for money, return on investment and profitability
77. Image needs relate to how things look, the value of branding and the benefits from buying a recognised brand
78. Performance issues relate to productivity, efficiency and measurable standards of performance
79. Emotional needs relate to how people buy on a personal level. This means that some people buy quickly, some slowly, some like to consult with others, some like to compare alternatives and some like to make buying decisions after having done a lot of research
80. Emotional needs include power, achievement, order, safety, affiliation and recognition. For more details e-mail frank@salestraining.co.uk
81. Emotional needs influence the speed of decision making and the amount of information people need before making a buying decision
82. When presenting information we need to focus on the issues which are really important to our client. People don’t buy lots of features. They have a preferred set of features that are important to them.
83. Common features we hear are things like: “We are the market leader”, “We give a great service”, “You have a dedicated account manager”, “We spend 20% 0f our turnover on new product development”. Many customers respond by saying “So what?”
84. We need to talk about advantages. “Because you have a dedicated account manager you can call and speak with a named person who understands your business” This is becoming more persuasive
85. Benefits relate to our emotional buying behaviour. People like to hear words like reassurance, confidence, reassurance and peace of mind. “Because you have a dedicated account manager you can be confident you have someone to talk to if a problem arises”
86. Practise your presentations. Role play with colleagues to make them really professional
87. Every presentation you make to your clients should be different. Every buying decision is unique. By asking questions and listening we can make our presentations totally relevant to the needs of each customer
88. Presenting price. Look and sound confident when presenting your price. Here are some tips for dealing with price: Make eye contact, be specific, and present the actual price with confidence.
89. Closing the sale. 70% of salespeople don’t ask for an order, or commitment. They lack confidence. Don’t be afraid to ask for the order. What is the worst thing that can happen?
90. At the time of closing the salesperson fears rejection and the buyer worries about making a mistake. The role of the salesperson is to ask for the order.
91. Don’t worry about closing techniques. The only close I use is the direct close. At the appropriate time I ask: “Would you like to go ahead?” There are only 3 answers. Yes, no, or maybe. The worst response is “No”
92. Accept rejection. It is very frustrating, but is a part of selling.
93. Negotiation. “A process of bargaining by which agreement is reached between 2, or more parties” Salespeople fear negotiations because they entail risk. We need to become more assertive and defend our pricing structure
94. Don’t worry about being liked. If you have a good working relationship with your customers it can handle a bit of conflict from time to time.
95. Prepare well for your negotiations. I have some good ideas which you can have for free. E-mail me: frank@salestraining.co.uk
96. Preparation should include identifying objectives, information, concessions, strategy and tasks. The better we prepare, the better results we achieve
97. Look out for negotiating tactics. These are many and varied. E-mail me for more details
98. Most of what gets given away in negotiation is given away in the last 5% of the time. Be careful during the closing stages
99. Always congratulate the other side when agreement has been reached. Don’t tell them they could have done better. It’s not what they want to hear.
100. Finally, enjoy yourself. Selling has got to be the best job in the world.
For more information on training courses and the range of other services offered by the Sales Training Consultancy, visit our website www.salestraining.co.uk or e-mail me Frank Atkinson frank@salestraining.co.uk
Asking questions
When we train salespeople how to sell we focus on their communications skills, Sales training courses are less technique based and more concerned with behaviour. The most important skill in selling is the ability to ask questions. I saw a quote recently that said
“Asking questions is 3 times more persuasive than presenting information”.
This is true. The best salespeople ask more questions and listen effectively. The least successful salespeople think that listening means “waiting to interrupt”
So, what are the main things we can do to improve this most important of skills?
There are 3 issues: design, sequence and introduction.
Design
The most effective questions are open questions, closed questions and follow up questions.
Open questions
Open questions are useful because they enable us to do several things:
· Establish rapport
· Open up particular topics
· Discover how customers feel
Open questions are those which cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, but require the customer to give more information. They generally begin with words like `how' and `what' or `tell me' and have the effect of `opening' the customer up.
Rudyard Kipling famously said "I have 6 honest serving men, they taught me all I knew. Their name is when and why and how and what and where and who." These words tend to introduce open questions.
Examples of open questions:
How did you first hear about us?
What made you decide to invest in a Personal Pension?
Tell me, what is the best time for us to call and see you?
Who else would benefit from being at our meeting?
These open questions bring out facts, opinions and suggestions from the customer. These are particularly useful in sales when customers are uncommunicative and not very forthcoming.
Closed Questions
Closed questions can be equally useful in the sales process because they enable us to gain specific information. Closed questions bring responses that arm us with facts or specific yes/no opinions.
For example:
Did you remember receiving our literature?
How old are you?
Do you still live at 25 London Road?
Follow-up Questions
Effective listening can involve the use of follow-up questions. The objectives of asking follow-up questions are as follows:
· To show interest and encourage the customer to keep talking.
· To increase the quality and quantity of information already gained.
· To confirm understanding of information already gained.
For example, by responding with really? or ?... and then?, you encourage the customer to continue by actively showing interest in what he, or she, is saying.
Examples of follow-up questions
So, you changed the policy last year. Why was that?
You say you weren't happy with the service. What happened?
Sequence
The sales process is intuitive and while we can plan ahead, we need to keep flexible. Part of our planning should be to think about the key areas that we need to find out about when talking to our customers. These are:
1. Our contact. The person we are talking to. Their role, responsibilities, job history and personal motivation. People like talking about themselves. This is a good way of building rapport.
2. Their organisation. Ask them about their business. Where are they based, what are their major products, where are they going?
3. Their decision making process. Who makes decisions, how do they do it and what time scales are involved?
4. Problems. Selling is problem solving. What problems do they face that we could help solve?
5. Needs. What are their needs? What are they looking for from a supplier? Can we give them what they are looking for? Find out their buying criteria
6. Finance. What are the budget issues we need to discuss? How important is cost to them?
7. Current suppliers. Who are they? How happy are they with the service they receive? Can we do better?
8. Competition. Are we in a competitive situation? Who else is involved?
Introduction
To make sure our questions do not seem abrupt, irrelevant, critical, manipulative, or inquisitorial, we need to introduce them in such a way as to make the feel customer comfortable.
To do this we can use 3 techniques; Prefacing, Labelling and Linking.
Prefacing
All communication contains 2 main elements - content and feeling. Once we have decided on the content, we must make sure the customer feels right about us. The easiest way to do this is to begin our question with polite phrases, such as:
May I ask you.....?
Could you tell me.....?
I would be interested to know.....?
Can we establish when.....?
Would you mind telling me.....?
It would be helpful to know.....?
Can you explain.....?
This method helps us to create a positive working environment and put the customer at their ease.
Labelling
Sometimes called behaviour labelling, this gives the customer advanced warning of the behaviour we are about to adopt.
The next stage of the questionnaire helps us to ensure that we recommend only what you are able to comfortably afford. How much is your annual income, before tax?
In order to be able to prepare the best possible proposal to meet your needs, I need to understand your budgetary requirements. Tell me, how much have you budgeted for this project?
Labeling involves introducing a question with a statement about its content or purpose. By giving advanced warning about what might be a difficult question to answer, we achieve several advantages:
· We create trust by eliminating surprise
· We give the other party thinking time and often get more considered answers
· We soften the impact of the discussion and put the other party at their ease
There are negative examples of labelling which should be avoided:
I’m sure it is probably against company policy to give out this kind of information, but could you give me an idea of what you’ve got in your budget?
Linking
Another way to get acceptance for questions is to refer back to a previous statement made by the customer.
You mentioned before that you work at ABC Limited. Do they use these products as part of their manufacturing process?
You said that your company is expanding. How are you going to manage the extra volume of information being processed by your accounts department?
You mentioned earlier that you are launching a new product. When will the launch take place?
Feedback
It is important to acknowledge the customer's response, before moving on to the next question. We see this in the use of non-verbal communication and by the use of expressions like "I see" or "That's interesting"
Two techniques that can be used are restating what has been said, paraphrasing, or how we feel about what has been said, reflection.
Here are some examples:
Statement: I'm concerned I may lose my job and not be able to keep up with the payments
Paraphrase: So, what you are saying is that you are worried about job security and payment protection?
Statement: I am looking for a long-term investment that is low risk
Paraphrase: So you are not looking for a quick return on your investment that might prove risky? Is that correct?
Statement: I don't want to be forced into making a quick decision
Reflection: You are right. It would be better to weigh up all the pro's and con's before going ahead
Statement: I'm concerned about making the right decision for my company
Reflection: That is very sensible. It is important to look at this decision carefully before making a long term commitment
Reflection can be a useful skill. In selling it shows we understand how the customer feels, which can create and build empathy. It can reveal what we have not understood and encourages further feedback.
To do this well, it is important to use different words than those in the original statement and seek clarification if you don't fully understand what was said in the original statement.
Sales training is focused on communication skills. Whether you sell by telephone, or face to face you need to develop your selling skills.
Work on your questioning skills. At The Sales Training Consultancy, we specialise in helping salespeople perform better. Contact us if you need more information. Also, feel free to pass this on to anyone you feel might benefit from improving their communication skills. Good luck with your selling.
For more information on training courses and the range of other services offered by the Sales Training Consultancy, visit our website www.salestraining.co.uk or e-mail me Frank Atkinson frank@salestraining.co.uk
“Asking questions is 3 times more persuasive than presenting information”.
This is true. The best salespeople ask more questions and listen effectively. The least successful salespeople think that listening means “waiting to interrupt”
So, what are the main things we can do to improve this most important of skills?
There are 3 issues: design, sequence and introduction.
Design
The most effective questions are open questions, closed questions and follow up questions.
Open questions
Open questions are useful because they enable us to do several things:
· Establish rapport
· Open up particular topics
· Discover how customers feel
Open questions are those which cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, but require the customer to give more information. They generally begin with words like `how' and `what' or `tell me' and have the effect of `opening' the customer up.
Rudyard Kipling famously said "I have 6 honest serving men, they taught me all I knew. Their name is when and why and how and what and where and who." These words tend to introduce open questions.
Examples of open questions:
How did you first hear about us?
What made you decide to invest in a Personal Pension?
Tell me, what is the best time for us to call and see you?
Who else would benefit from being at our meeting?
These open questions bring out facts, opinions and suggestions from the customer. These are particularly useful in sales when customers are uncommunicative and not very forthcoming.
Closed Questions
Closed questions can be equally useful in the sales process because they enable us to gain specific information. Closed questions bring responses that arm us with facts or specific yes/no opinions.
For example:
Did you remember receiving our literature?
How old are you?
Do you still live at 25 London Road?
Follow-up Questions
Effective listening can involve the use of follow-up questions. The objectives of asking follow-up questions are as follows:
· To show interest and encourage the customer to keep talking.
· To increase the quality and quantity of information already gained.
· To confirm understanding of information already gained.
For example, by responding with really? or ?... and then?, you encourage the customer to continue by actively showing interest in what he, or she, is saying.
Examples of follow-up questions
So, you changed the policy last year. Why was that?
You say you weren't happy with the service. What happened?
Sequence
The sales process is intuitive and while we can plan ahead, we need to keep flexible. Part of our planning should be to think about the key areas that we need to find out about when talking to our customers. These are:
1. Our contact. The person we are talking to. Their role, responsibilities, job history and personal motivation. People like talking about themselves. This is a good way of building rapport.
2. Their organisation. Ask them about their business. Where are they based, what are their major products, where are they going?
3. Their decision making process. Who makes decisions, how do they do it and what time scales are involved?
4. Problems. Selling is problem solving. What problems do they face that we could help solve?
5. Needs. What are their needs? What are they looking for from a supplier? Can we give them what they are looking for? Find out their buying criteria
6. Finance. What are the budget issues we need to discuss? How important is cost to them?
7. Current suppliers. Who are they? How happy are they with the service they receive? Can we do better?
8. Competition. Are we in a competitive situation? Who else is involved?
Introduction
To make sure our questions do not seem abrupt, irrelevant, critical, manipulative, or inquisitorial, we need to introduce them in such a way as to make the feel customer comfortable.
To do this we can use 3 techniques; Prefacing, Labelling and Linking.
Prefacing
All communication contains 2 main elements - content and feeling. Once we have decided on the content, we must make sure the customer feels right about us. The easiest way to do this is to begin our question with polite phrases, such as:
May I ask you.....?
Could you tell me.....?
I would be interested to know.....?
Can we establish when.....?
Would you mind telling me.....?
It would be helpful to know.....?
Can you explain.....?
This method helps us to create a positive working environment and put the customer at their ease.
Labelling
Sometimes called behaviour labelling, this gives the customer advanced warning of the behaviour we are about to adopt.
The next stage of the questionnaire helps us to ensure that we recommend only what you are able to comfortably afford. How much is your annual income, before tax?
In order to be able to prepare the best possible proposal to meet your needs, I need to understand your budgetary requirements. Tell me, how much have you budgeted for this project?
Labeling involves introducing a question with a statement about its content or purpose. By giving advanced warning about what might be a difficult question to answer, we achieve several advantages:
· We create trust by eliminating surprise
· We give the other party thinking time and often get more considered answers
· We soften the impact of the discussion and put the other party at their ease
There are negative examples of labelling which should be avoided:
I’m sure it is probably against company policy to give out this kind of information, but could you give me an idea of what you’ve got in your budget?
Linking
Another way to get acceptance for questions is to refer back to a previous statement made by the customer.
You mentioned before that you work at ABC Limited. Do they use these products as part of their manufacturing process?
You said that your company is expanding. How are you going to manage the extra volume of information being processed by your accounts department?
You mentioned earlier that you are launching a new product. When will the launch take place?
Feedback
It is important to acknowledge the customer's response, before moving on to the next question. We see this in the use of non-verbal communication and by the use of expressions like "I see" or "That's interesting"
Two techniques that can be used are restating what has been said, paraphrasing, or how we feel about what has been said, reflection.
Here are some examples:
Statement: I'm concerned I may lose my job and not be able to keep up with the payments
Paraphrase: So, what you are saying is that you are worried about job security and payment protection?
Statement: I am looking for a long-term investment that is low risk
Paraphrase: So you are not looking for a quick return on your investment that might prove risky? Is that correct?
Statement: I don't want to be forced into making a quick decision
Reflection: You are right. It would be better to weigh up all the pro's and con's before going ahead
Statement: I'm concerned about making the right decision for my company
Reflection: That is very sensible. It is important to look at this decision carefully before making a long term commitment
Reflection can be a useful skill. In selling it shows we understand how the customer feels, which can create and build empathy. It can reveal what we have not understood and encourages further feedback.
To do this well, it is important to use different words than those in the original statement and seek clarification if you don't fully understand what was said in the original statement.
Sales training is focused on communication skills. Whether you sell by telephone, or face to face you need to develop your selling skills.
Work on your questioning skills. At The Sales Training Consultancy, we specialise in helping salespeople perform better. Contact us if you need more information. Also, feel free to pass this on to anyone you feel might benefit from improving their communication skills. Good luck with your selling.
For more information on training courses and the range of other services offered by the Sales Training Consultancy, visit our website www.salestraining.co.uk or e-mail me Frank Atkinson frank@salestraining.co.uk
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Selling in a recession
By Frank Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director, the Sales Training Consultancy http://www.salestraining.co.uk/
Let’s face it times are getting tough. I set up my business in 1989 just as the previous recession started. Not great timing.
I borrowed money on my house to finance the business when my wife was pregnant. I sent out 5000 mailshots to kick start the business and got 3 replies.
At times like these you have to get creative.
Those of us who were selling in that awful period from 1989 to 1992 that followed the boom years of the mid-1980s will remember how tough it was. Customer confidence suffered and buying decisions were either delayed, or not made altogether.
I survived it and would like to give some tips that will help you and your sales team as we head on into the future.
Here is the good news. All is not lost!
Even when the economy stops growing people still buy things. The problem with selling is that if we lose confidence we lose sales. Here are my tips:
Let’s begin with the facts
All economies follow a regular pattern of expansion and contraction. The economy will typically expand steadily for six to ten years and then enter a recession for six months to two years.
Most people define a recession as two consecutive quarters in which the gross domestic product (GDP) decreases. The UK economy is worth about 2.3 trillion pounds, so although sales tend to dip there is still a lot of business out there.
Recession has happened before and it will happen again
Stay positive
Begin with your attitude. If you expect to fail you will probably achieve what you expected. All we hear on the media is negative, yet people still buy things. As a salesperson you have to realise that your attitude is your biggest strength.
The most common attribute of successful salespeople is attitude. Think positively and you will win more sales.
Get yourself a plan
The best salespeople have a sales plan that they work to. Without a plan you are not focused and will fill your day with meaningless activity. We have a free template for a sales plan. E-mail me, frank@salestraining.co.uk and I will send you a copy.
Planning isn’t everything, but it is a good start. Set yourself increased activity targets. Call up more prospects. See more customers. Don’t give up!
Get busy
We did some work for a client during the last recession and found that their sales activity levels had dropped by 23%. This meant less phone calls and less visits.
The salespeople had convinced themselves that things were so bad there was no point in even trying. The answer is to increase your sales activity. Okay, you may get more rejection, but if you give up trying you’ll get nothing.
Prospect
There is enough business out there to make you rich. To find it you have to prospect twice or even three times as much in the hard times.
Be better at everything you do
The best tip I can give you is to be better than the rest. Look at every aspect of your selling from the way you look to how you sell. Simple things matter like being punctual, delivering what you promised, being pleasant and helpful and being positive.
Strengthen your sales skills. Learn more about selling. Sales training works. Buy books. Listen to CD’s. I have a sales training CD that I sell for £35 on my website www.salestraining.co.uk
You can have it for free. E-mail me frank@salestraining.co.uk and I will send you a copy.
Improve your service
This isn’t just a sales issue. Look at all aspects of your customer service. Are you a truly excellent company? I recently put my house on the market and was appalled at the service I received from various estate agents.
Half of them didn’t even respond to my enquiry. Do they have sales training?
Customers rate the service they receive higher than product quality and price. The way you win is by being the best at what you do.
Work harder
Think of all the potential sales activity you get involved in; phoning prospects, booking appointments, contacting your existing customers, e-mailing, faxing, direct mail, attending conferences and so on.
Just do more of the right things and your business will improve.
For more sales advice go to our homepage www.salestraining.co.uk
If you want specific training for your sales team in selling during a recession give me a call on 0845 8725620
Good luck with your selling!
Frank Atkinson
Sales Managers, distribute this article to your salespeople then start working out your strategy for the next 12 months. If you need some ideas e-mail me and I will give you a call.
Don’t forget to e-mail me for your free CD ROM: frank@salestraining.co.uk
Dealing with objections
Dealing with objections
By Frank Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director, the Sales Training Consultancy http://www.salestraining.co.uk/
During the sales process most people will raise objections. Objections are raised for many reasons. At some stage, customers
· misunderstand something you have said
· feel pressurised
· are not convinced about your claims
· haven't yet made up their mind
· have misunderstood something
· have to go back and justify their buying decision to others
· want to make a buying decision
When people are about to make a buying decision they worry. What they worry about is making a mistake. This is the most common time, in the sales process, when objections are raised; just before the decision to purchase.
Often, what the customer is looking for is reassurance that their decision to buy is the right one. This is why objections are commonly raised at this stage.
The problem is that if we observe the behaviour of salespeople during this process, it can be quite negative. The most common thing that happens when a salesperson hears an objection is that they interrupt the customer.
The customer says “It looks a bit expensive” and the salesperson, who has heard the objection many times before, interrupts and jumps in to the conversation.
What often then happens is the salesperson effectively says to the customer “We are not too expensive” and then offers evidence to prove the statement.
Psychologically, what has happened is the salesperson has said, in effect, “You are wrong and I can prove it”
I don’t know about you but I don’t like:
1. Being interrupted
2. Being told I am wrong
3. Being proved I am wrong
Most salespeople when faced with an objection tend to react too quickly and don’t ask enough questions. This is a bad tactic since none of us like to be wrong and all of us hate to be proved wrong. This method, therefore, of responding to an objection with a statement of fact is unwise since it puts the customer in the wrong frame of mind
Rather than attacking our customer's beliefs or opinions we should try to get them on our side. The golden rule should be that, whatever the objection, you should never openly contradict a customer.
It may be that the customer has misunderstood something you have said previously or maybe feels it is his or her duty to question some of your claims about your product or service in order to test their validity. Whatever the objection and whatever the circumstances the least powerful way to answer a sales objection is with a statement of fact. This is where sales training can help.
There is a simple process that can be used to answer any sales objection.
1. Listen to the objection.
2. Clarify the objection.
3. Deal with the objection.
4. Advance the sale.
1. Listen to the objection
Resist the temptation of interrupting the customer. You may have heard the objection a hundred times before but not from this particular customer. It may also be that the customer has more than one objection, or that this particular objection is slightly different than the ones you usually hear.
By listening you show the customer you are interested in his or her problems and enhance your own professionalism. It also gives you time to think of a way of answering the objection.
2. Clarify the objection
It is very easy in the heat of the moment to mishear what your customer has said and begin to answer the wrong objection.
So, for example, when the customer says you are too expensive it can mean different things. The customer could mean:
I've had another quote
I'm checking you out
I'm negotiating with you
I have to go back and convince others
It's more than I expected
It's more than I have in my budget
I don't want to buy from you
It could also be that when you test your understanding of the objection you find that your customer has another objection that is fairly trivial and can be handled with ease. To clarify the objection you could say something like:
" When you say we are a little expensive, can you be more specific? "
We then need to probe and find out the real reasons behind the objection, before moving to the next stage. It could be that by the end of this stage of the process you identify, for example, they have had a slightly cheaper quote from a competitor. Once you have enough information it is now time to deal with the objection.
3. Deal with the objection.
Once you fully understand the nature of the objection then it can be answered in different ways depending on whether it is
· a misunderstanding by the customer
· disbelief over claims you are making
· a product disadvantage
Misunderstanding.
Where the objection is based on a misunderstanding of something you have said then you must:
· take responsibility for the misunderstanding
· give information to clarify the true position
· gain agreement to proceed
For example the customer says:
I don't wish to see anyone from your company as I am working full-time and can't afford to take time off work during the day.
The customer has clearly misunderstood the fact that someone will be available to call outside normal office hours.
I obviously haven't made myself clear Mr Smith. I will be pleased to call at any time in the evening to suit yourself. I will actually be in your area on Thursday. Would 7.30 be convenient or would you prefer a slightly earlier time.
Disbelief.
This occurs where you have made a statement and the customer does not believe you, or at least doubts some of the claims you have made.
For example:
I think you are too expensive
To answer this and other types of objection there is a method called Feel, Felt, Found, which is very effective for dealing with objections without attacking your customer’s belief system. Let's use the price example. After clarifying, we could say:
I understand how you feel Mrs Smith. Other people have felt exactly the same. People in the same business as yourself who are now our customers. When we first made contact there were often other companies who were able to provide quotes that were a little bit cheaper than ours.
However, what they found was that because we have invested heavily in new technology and are able to guarantee a 3 hour response to any problems that may occur during implementation, it was very much more cost effective in the longer term to pay a little bit more up front.
So, that being the case, would you like to go ahead with the project?
Product Disadvantage.
This occurs where there is a feature of your product or service that is genuinely less advantageous than a feature of a competitor's product or service. For example, the customer could say: We use a local company with an office in the high street.
There is a disadvantage here because you don't have a similar office in this location and is a genuine disadvantage, which needs to be put in perspective.
We try to overcome the disadvantage by stating the advantages of dealing with your company, in the hope that the advantages will outweigh any disadvantages.
This is often called the `Balance Sheet Method'. To do this successfully you need to be aware of your main selling points and the services you can provide that are superior to those provided by others.
However, before we deal with the objection we need to clarify why having a local office is important to the customer and whether other parts of our service might outweigh the disadvantage that has been identified.
4. Advance the sale.
The key to objection handling is to react less quickly when an objection is raised and find out more about the problem. Clarify exactly what the problem is then try to overcome the objection. Ask more questions.
Finally, if you have dealt with the objection successfully and it is the right time, close the sale, or move on the next stage of the sales process. There is loads of free information on selling and free training materials. Go to http://www.salestraining.co.uk/ or e-mail me frank@salestraining.co.uk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
