You know what your prospects are thinking — all the time? Every time you interact with them, they're evaluating you and asking themselves: "Is this a person (company) I want to work with on a long-term basis?"
There's nothing I like better than engaging prospects when they're NOT thinking of making any changes from the status quo.
Have you ever felt that what you're selling is just like what your competitors offer? Well, if you think that, imagine how your prospects feel. They get multiple calls every day from sellers who are all saying the same thing.
Crazy busy buyers don't want to waste one iota of their precious time with these sales clones. Instead, they want to work with people who:
Selling in today's economy is tough. And, it's likely going to get a lot tougher in the upcoming months. That's not news that we want to hear, but it is the reality we face so it makes sense to address it head on.
Recently I noticed that 465 fewer sellers get my newsletter today than 3 months ago, even though I've added tons of new subscribers. Why? Dead email addresses. I can only surmise that these sellers have lost their jobs. Ouch!
I remember the first time it happened. It was on a Thursday, about 4 pm, and I was worn-out after a day of prospecting. I hadn't uncovered even one viable prospect. Enough was enough! Time to go back to the office and do some paperwork.
When the phone rang, I answered it tiredly. But by the time I hung up I was a new person. I had just talked to one hot prospect!
Her company was BUYING! Not just looking - BUYING! They needed several new systems to handle their growth. And they wanted to make a decision quickly.
"Can we come in for a demonstration," she asked.
How could I refuse! They came in the following Monday and we spent about two hours together. We discussed their needs and I showed them several possible options. Things seemed to go really well. In parting, they asked me to call back early the next week.
In order to get customers to consider changing from the status quo, you have to give them a good reason. A really good reason. They need to know about the tangible business results they'll get from using your product or service.
I admit it! I'm hopelessly addicted to this fluffy, feel-good show where famous men & women dare to learn something new with millions of people watching their every move.
Yesterday I blew a sales opportunity - badly. After all these years, you'd think I'd know better. Unfortunately, I fell into a common trap that caused me to lose my good sense and make numerous sales-derailing mistakes in just 30 minutes.
Let me give you a bit of background. In the past few months, many of my friends have lost jobs due to company downsizings, restructurings and even closures. With the economy in turmoil and so much competition, it's tough to find a new position.
When you're dealing with today's crazy-busy prospects, it's a real coup to set up a meeting. Sometimes you've made eight, ten or even twenty contacts before you finally get to that point.
The last thing in the world you want to do is blow it. Yet time-and-time again, I see it happening. Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
How can that happen? Here are three sales-busting mistakes you must avoid to prevent serious opportunity leakage.
Establishing a business relationship with a new prospect is a lot like walking on a balance beam. Every single move you make has consequences. When you execute it flawlessly, you're in a perfect position for your next move.
However, any misstep on your part sends you into recovery mode. Sometimes you're able to bounce back, but other times you fall off and are out of the competition. To make it even more challenging, stone-faced judges ruthlessly evaluate how well you execute each move and its level of difficulty.