Are You Practicing On Your Customers?

In other words, are the sales techniques that your staff utilizes on a daily basis following a proven method of success, or are they simply implementing “trial and error” techniques while losing valuable sales opportunities in the process?

Practicing on your customers is a costly sales method for any company. That’s why preparation and practice will achieve peak performance.

Opportunity Rich, but Action Deficient

Your customer will provide you with plenty of opportunities called buying signals during the course of the sale. This is your signal to take action and attempt a Trial Close. Unfortunately, many Salespeople overlook the customers buying signals. Buying signals can come in two different forms: Verbal or Non-verbal. A customer will either tell you that they are ready to buy or they will show you visually. If you are not actively listening or paying close attention, you will miss them.

Example: Customer says “How much is it? And you just give the price and pause instead of giving the price and using a trial close or they handle your product with an attitude of possession demonstrating non-verbally that they really like the product. Instead of saying” It looks like you already made your choice. Let’s go with that one.” You just remain silent.

That is your signal to jump into action and bring closure. They will not keep repeating the buying signal. Eventually, you will just miss out on the opportunity to close the sale. Remember that customers don’t close themselves. That’s your job. Make a list of the potential buying signals that relate to your industry then list potential closing responses. Then practice until it becomes second nature. Stop missing these prime opportunities to close the sale. Sometimes they only come around once.

Don’t Think You Are, Know You Are!

“Did you have the opportunity to watch the MATRIX? There is a part in the movie where Morpheus is training Neo and he challenges him to free his mind and makes the statement ‘Don’t think you are, know you are.’ In other words, you will increase your odds of making the sale if you truly believe you will.

I have said repeatedly to salespeople that unless you believe that you can make the sale, you are already defeated. It’s an assumptive mindset that you must practice constantly if you want to be successful in this profession.

1. Assume you will get the appointment.
2. Assume you will have a positive meeting.
3. Assume the prospect will become a customer.
4. Assume the Sale.

Unfortunately, a lot of Salespeople go into a sales opportunity already defeated. I remember doing a sales call observation and evaluation with a Salesperson who immediately told me that this would not be a good call.

I asked, ‘How do you know that already?’ He pointed to the lead sheet and said, ‘Look! It’s a one Legger and it’s in a bad part of town.’ I then asked, ‘What’s a one Legger?’

The salesperson said, ‘That’s when only one of the decision makers are there.’ Needless to say, he half-heartedly went through the Sales Call and did not make the sale. It didn’t end there though.

The women of the house who we met with wrote a letter to complain about how she was treated and also said she purchased the product from someone else. Can’t go into any sales call with a negative crystal ball. Free your mind of all doubt and don’t think you can, know you can!

Companies Don’t Tell You “NO”  –  People Do

Companies don’t tell you “no”. People do. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your product or service is definitely needed by the prospect, but they told you “no” or keep postponing their decision? Keep in mind that the Company did not say “no”, it was a representative of the company. That means you should not give up just because you received a “no”. You have several options:

1. Maybe you’re not talking to the Decision-Maker and you need to find out who that is. Middle management and Line Management are easy to contact but are influencers not decision-makers.
2. Just be pleasantly persistent and sell the benefits of using your product or service now!
3. Did you uncover the prospect’s pain or just stop at the problem? Don’t forget to ask the question. “How is that problem affecting you?”
4. When all else fails, put them in your follow-up file on a date that both of you have agreed upon. Either they will change their mind or maybe your contact has moved out of that position.

You never want to have a closed file. You should title it your “When” or Win file. In other words, it’s just a matter of time before it becomes a sale. Remember! The company never said “no”.

A person representing that company did, and time as well as being pleasantly persistent always brings about a change.

People Don’t Buy Features, They Buy Benefits.

Some salespeople have a bad habit of stringing several features together, but never taking the time to explain to the customer what the features will do for them. The next time you’re explaining a feature to a customer, add a connector to ensure you provide a benefit. One of my favorites is “what that means to you”.

It forces you to provide a benefit. You can personalize it even more by starting each feature with the word “you”. Larry Robinson, in the hay days of JB Robinson Jewelers, would always say “You have an unconditional six-week money-back guarantee and what that means to you is…”.

He wanted the listener to have immediate ownership of that feature and benefit. Customize your features and be sure to always provide a benefit to your customer that addresses the needs you have already uncovered.

Attitude is Everything!

Let’s start right at the beginning. The first thing I talk about when I am in front of Sales or Customer Service Representatives is the power of a Positive Attitude.

I am a firm believer that the success that you have in sales and in life starts with what is going on between your ears. What are you thinking on the way to the sales call? What is your thought process as you’re putting the proposal together? What’s going through your head as you’re sitting in front of the buyer to deliver the proposal?

If it’s all negative then you’re already defeated, but if it’s positive you’re over halfway to the close. In other words, “if you think you can, you will.” If there is the least bit of doubt in your mind, you’re already putting yourself at a disadvantage. The power of positive thought works.

Successful people use it all the time in their personal and professional life. Do you want to be successful? Know you can!

Remember that “It’s not what happens to you, it’s what happens in you that makes the difference. I am asked all the time. How do you stay so positive or how can I maintain a positive attitude? The answer is simple but it takes a concentrated effort.

Attitude is a choice. Expect the best and that’s usually what you get. Needless to say, he half-heartedly went through the Sales Call and did not make the sale. It didn’t end there though. The woman of the house who we met with wrote a letter to complain about how she was treated and also said she purchased the product from someone else.

Can’t go into any sales call with a negative crystal ball. Free your mind of all doubt and don’t think you can, know you can!