Should you ask a prospect, "What's in your budget?" You know, a lot of sales training programs tell you that it's very, very important to qualify your prospects. And if they don't have money in their budget, then you need move on because that's a sign of whether or not they are going to actually buy.
Let me give you an example that I think refutes this entirely.
Is it a good idea to contact multiple decision makers in an organization at the same time? A lot of salespeople are afraid that means they’re going behind somebody’s back, and they certainly don’t want to to do that.
The answer is - it’s absolutely OK and you should be doing it!
What do you do with people who promise, promise, promise that they'll order for you, but just keep asking for more samples and additional time? That's the question that Helene posed for me the other day. Here's what I told her:
Just because you're a salesperson, doesn't mean you're a doormat. If you feel like you're being used, you probably are. You need to deal straight on with your prospect and say something like this ...
Can you really leverage sales questions to demonstrate your expertise? Absolutely. And, it's one of the best ways I know to show that you're a smart, savvy seller who could bring value to a relationship.
The way you do it is by wrapping the question with your knowledge. For example, I could ask a potential prospect, "What kinds of problems are your salespeople facing today?" It's a nice open-ended question and might get someone talking.
I don't know about you, but when I was first told that I needed to call on senior-level executives, I was terrified. What would I talk with them about? They were so far above me -- so much smarter than me about things like finance, overall strategy -- you name it. Yes, you do need to have a different conversation with these people. But, what I'm here to talk about today is the fear of selling to those big wigs.
Should you kiss your PowerPoints goodbye? Might not be a bad idea. 95% or more of the presentations I see actually HURT your chances of success. They're long. They're all about your company, your products and your services. Blah...blah...blah.
And, truth be told, if you were in the prospect's shoes, you'd probably be bored to tears by what you're presenting.
In SNAP Selling, I talk about using the four SNAP Factors as your guiding light in determining what to include and how you present it. Here's an excerpt you might find helpful in preparing for your meetings.
Today's post from the Chamber of Commerce features business-growth advice for small companies.
Owning a small business can often feel very lonely. Building, maintaining and finding success is a lot to take on, especially with limited resources. Entrepreneurial consultant Barry Moltz says that many small business owners “begin to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, direction less, hopeless, battle torn, worthless or alone.” One of his pieces of advice for getting “unstuck” is to dig deeper – especially when it comes to strategic partnerships.
Forming strategic partnerships with other like-minded business owners is a smart way for both companies to get ahead and support each other in the process. Here are some things to keep in mind:
What are the best sales closing techniques? Let me share a story with you to answer that question. In my first year of sales at Xerox, I was having pretty good success. I'll never forget the time that Vern, an experienced sales pro blocked me from leaving my office. "All right, honey," he said. "What secret techniques you're using to close all those sales?"
If you're like most sellers, you've never heard about emotional intelligence. But every single day, it impacts your performance. That's why I interviewed Colleen Stanley, author of the hot new book: Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success. (Download a free chapter here.) I hope you enjoy it!
It was a tough day. I'd been prospecting for hours with no luck and was pretty discouraged. You know - that "why bother" feeling that can stop you in your tracks.
Suddenly, a song popped into my head (you can listen to it here). It was one I'd sung at Young Life in high school.