Sales training ideas – Do you have a sales roadblock?
Okay, you have all your sales training, you have your great product, and your great support system in place. You have everything you need for huge sales numbers… or don’t you? Is there something that’s slowing you down?
Is Accounts Receivable ticking off customers? Is your Installation Department not installing equipment properly, leaving a mess when they leave, or giving the customer attitude? Is service not responding or not fixing the problem until the fifth trip on average? In other words, what areas of your business may be preventing sales?
Here’s an example from my previous life when I was selling bank equipment. One day a Senior VP from my second largest bank called to tell me that he could not get service on one of his ATMs. When he called for service, they told him there was an outstanding invoice for $239 and before they could send someone out to fix the machine, they needed to Fed. Ex. a check overnight, and they needed to call back with the tracking number. There are a few problems here but the first is that the bill was for an OPTIONAL service contract on new equipment they installed but equipment they didn’t typically carry service on, they paid as they went. Second, this bank was doing $500,000+ in business a year with us. Third, the bill was only 32 days old. Forth, they had 42 ATMs, they were paying us over $100,000 in service contracts per year, and this was a multi-billion dollar bank that they were holding hostage for an OPTIONAL $239. By the way, this was 5 years ago, WAY before the current banking crisis just in case anyone is thinking about that.
This was when I found out why God gave me two ears, because that VP only left me with one. Well, the situation got straightened out, but, when something similar happened again, they went to the competition, for service and ATMs. They apologized profusely to me for the move but, said they wouldn’t be continually treated like that by any company.
Where are your weaknesses? Is it in messages that don’t get returned on time or at all? Is it something as seemingly small as a bad receptionist, the first person most people come into contact with from your company?
The bottom line: we all have these issues somewhere that are preventing or slowing sales. Find out where yours are, and find a solution.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – What to do when you lose a sale.
In today’s sales training idea we’ll talk about what to do when you find out you just lost a sale. Why? Well, because someone just called me and said, “I lost a big sale I was sure I was going to get. What should I do?”
Okay, here’s what to do:
1) Find out if it’s a done deal. Did the prospect already sign a contract?
2) Do you still have a shot? Quick question to ask: “Ms. Prospect, is there anything I can do to still get the business?” If she says “yes”, find out what.
3) Find out WHY and get competitive information. Find out why you lost. This works best if you get in front of the person who made the decision and if you get there soon after the news. In other words, you don’t want to get the information from the secretary. She won’t have all the details as to why you lost and she won’t have the emotional reasons to open up to you. The decision maker may feel bad and thus, will be that much more open to telling you specifically why you lost and to give you actual, documented competitive information such as proposals.
4) If it is a done deal, thank the prospect for the opportunity and ask that the door be open in the future.
5) Send a “Thank You” Note.
6) Stay in touch and continue to keep your name in front of the prospect.
7) Get back to work. Use this as motivation to work harder and get more sales.
The bottom line: When you find out you lost the sale, find out if there is still something you can do to save it. If you can, do it! Learn what you can from the situation and finally, get fired up and go get other business.
Sales training ideas – Selling the right way.
I just got something in the mail from IBM, it said: STOP selling what you have. START selling what they need.
Hm, that should go without saying.
Okay, most salespeople should know to say what someone needs as opposed to shoving somwthing down someone’s throat, but I guess a lot don’t, and IBM put it in pretty simple terms. You want to focus on what the prospect wants and how you can help. Put that person ahead of you and your commission. In other words, if you take care of your prospects and customers, your paycheck will take care of itself. It’s almost like the old proverb about chasing happiness. If you chase it, it eludes you, but if you partake in the activities that make you happy and simply get busy living, happiness will follow.
Bottom line: In order to sell more and make a ton of money, focus on the prospect’s needs and not on the money. If you chase the needs of the prospect, the money will chase after you.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – No more cold calling.
How great would it be if you never had to cold call again? Great, right?
Lately there have been a few people out there who are saying that cold calling is a waste of time and you no longer should be doing it. Sounds great. In fact, if you have the means and the circumstances to implement other ways of getting leads, other than cold calling, have at it. But before you start, let’s look at the situation and the alternatives.
First, if you cold call, then cold calling is probably the accepted norm in your industry. Who knows, the number of cold calls you make may even be one of the criteria you are judged on. Second, this also means you have a manager and upper level management that believe in cold calling. Third, it also means you are required to get your own leads and you don’t have a telemarketing department or other marketing structure in place to get leads for you.
That being said, if you decide not to cold call, you’re going to be called to task almost immediately. When you are, saying something such as, “Cold calling doesn’t work. I’m sending out e-mails and faxes instead.” isn’t going to fly. Why? First, cold calling does work. Granted, it’s probably the most difficult of all sales tasks and the most time consuming, but it does get results. Second, you’re telling your manager, who knows that he knows better than you, that you know better than him. Good luck. Third, if your alternative to cold calling requires any money, it’s coming out of your pocket.
On another note, some of these people touting no cold calling ideas also mention the way things should be. They say things such as, “companies should have telemarketers in place that get you qualified leads”, or “there should be a marketing campaign in place to get the salespeople leads.” Okay, they have a good point however, you’re not dealing with the way things should be, you’re dealing with the way they are, and if you work in a company that does not have these alternatives in place already, good luck changing the corporate culture. It’s not going to happen unless you own the business.
Taking all of the above into consideration, there are some good ideas out there on alternatives to cold calling and again, cold calling can be a difficult way to get leads, although it is still effective. So what should you do? If you decide you want to try some of these other methods, try them on your time. You don’t want to start sending out faxes in the middle of the day with your manager glaring at you. Another idea, IF YOU ARE AN ESTABLISHED PRODUCER AND YOUR MANAGER LIKES YOU, is to talk to your manager about some of the new “non-cold calling” ideas and tell him you’d just like to try a few and see what happens. Also, you can incorporate a method already accepted by the cold calling establishment, which is to hire someone to cold call for you.
The bottom line: Take all ideas into consideration when it comes to cold calling alternatives, as there are some good ones out there. Just make sure you do it according to the rules of your company and your manager. Again, start with some ideas on your own time, or talk to your manager if you are well established and liked. Two other quick notes, start to implement one or two ideas at a time, don’t stop cold calling cold turkey and using only alternative methods until you see results. Second, it’s always better to work smarter than harder, at the same time, don’t expect your work load to go from 20 hours of cold calling to 20 minutes spent on alternative methods. Regardless of what these alternatives promise, you still must be willing to work hard and put in the hours.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – What about the “new” way of selling where you focus on customer needs and wants?
Today we will talk about the “new, magic formula technique for selling” that some gurus have been talking about lately. In a nutshell, this new approach involves teaming up with the prospect or customer, angling in from their point of view, shifting power and instead of pushing product and going for the close, you’re supposed to pull information from your prospects and customers to find out what they really want. Once you know what they want, you then present the solution. Sounds great doesn’t it? And in reality, it is. The only problem with this approach is that it isn’t new. The most successful people on the planet for the past 40 or 50 years have known this method and used it. And it is in fact, the way to sell. Yet, this “new” approach resonates with a lot of salespeople who sell the wrong way.
One example of this type of salesperson can be found in a testimonial on the web for the “new approach”. In this testimonial, this salesperson, who has been in sales for 15 years, described his previous style as “old school, in-your-face, buy now, buy now, buy now, completely focused on numbers and closing.”
The truth is, if that’s your idea of selling, in other words, beating up the prospect and hammering out call after call, and closing until your blue in the face, whether the prospect needs your product or not, then this “new” approach to selling will be “new” and if you use it, it will dramatically help your sales career. Why? Because that “old school” approach he mentioned is the wrong approach, while focusing on what the prospect really needs and how you can help, is the right approach.
The bottom line on the “new” way to sell, which has always been the only way to sell successfully over the long haul: Here’s how to be extremely successful in sales, and in life for that matter, and never cold call again: Be honest and straight forward with prospects and customers. Have more of an interest in helping others than you do in making a commission. Do more than anyone else could ever expect of you. Treat your prospects and customers like the special and valuable people they are. And build strong, long-term relationships in which your prospects and customers become your good friends.
That is the short of it. If you can do what is spelled out in the above paragraph, you will be a success in sales and life, and those people you deal with will send their family, friends, doctor, clergyman, auto mechanic, lawyer, and everyone else they know your way to do business with you.
You see even the person with the lowest IQ on the planet has a built in lie detector. People inherently know your intention and they know when you are more focused on making a sale than in helping them. Thus, the first place to start selling is with your mindset and what you are focused on. Take a sincere interest in the other person and in helping that person. You may be able to help, you may not, either way, be honest and give your best effort. All anyone wants is your full attention and full effort, and they want to feel important, they want to know that they matter, and finally, they want to feel as if you care about them.
Take care of your prospects and customers, and they will take care of you!
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – A note about the “new” sales methods.
Okay, this is a bit of a continuation of yesterday. Yesterday we spoke about the new idea that cold calling is a waste of time and why you shouldn’t be doing it any more. See yesterday’s post for details.
Today we will talk about the “new, magic formula technique for selling” that some gurus have been talking about lately. In a nutshell, this new approach involves teaming up with the prospect or customer, angling in from their point of view, shifting power and instead of pushing product and going for the close, you’re supposed to pull information from your prospects and customers to find out what they really want. Once you know what they want, you then present the solution. Sounds great doesn’t it? And in reality, it is. The only problem with this approach is that it isn’t new. The most successful people on the planet for the past 40 or 50 years have known this method and used it. And it is in fact, the way to sell. Yet, this “new” approach resonates with a lot of salespeople who sell the wrong way.
One example of this type of salesperson can be found in a testimonial on the web for the “new approach”. In this testimonial, this salesperson, who has been in sales for 15 years, described his previous style as “old school, in-your-face, buy now, buy now, buy now, completely focused on numbers and closing.”
The truth is, if that’s your idea of selling, in other words, beating up the prospect and hammering out call after call, and closing until your blue in the face, whether the prospect needs your product or not, then this “new” approach to selling will be “new” and if you use it, it will dramatically help your sales career. Why? Because that “old school” approach he mentioned is the wrong approach, while focusing on what the prospect really needs and how you can help, is the right approach.
The bottom line on the “new” way to sell, which has always been the only way to sell successfully over the long haul: Here’s how to be extremely successful in sales, and in life for that matter, and never cold call again: Be honest and straight forward with prospects and customers. Have more of an interest in helping others than you do in making a commission. Do more than anyone else could ever expect of you. Treat your prospects and customers like the special and valuable people they are. And build strong, long-term relationships in which your prospects and customers become your good friends.
That is the short of it. If you can do what is spelled out in the above paragraph, you will be a success in sales and life, and those people you deal with will send their family, friends, doctor, clergyman, auto mechanic, lawyer, and everyone else they know your way to do business with you.
You see even the person with the lowest IQ on the planet has a built in lie detector. People inherently know your intention and they know when you are more focused on making a sale than in helping them. Thus, the first place to start selling is with your mindset and what you are focused on. Take a sincere interest in the other person and in helping that person. You may be able to help, you may not, either way, be honest and give your best effort. All anyone wants is your full attention and full effort, and they want to feel important, they want to know that they matter, and finally, they want to feel as if you care about them.
Take care of your prospects and customers, and they will take care of you!
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – The importance of sales training in a bad economy.
Look, sales training is always important, but it’s particularly important in a down economy. Why? Because, you are going to have less prospects, so you have to do better with the ones you have.
Let’s say on a typical day of cold calling you get 10 prospects, whereas in a bad economy you get 3. Now if you close 1 out of 10, you’ll get one sale a day in the good economy and 1 sale every 3 1/3 days in a bad economy.
If you get some sales training and get to a point where you close 3 out of 10, now when the bad economy comes along, you’ll barely be affected. At the same time, if you get really good and get to the point where you can close 4 out of 10, now when a bad economy comes along you’ll be ahead of where you would have been in a good economy!
The bottom line: Never stop getting better at selling. Simply through getting better at sales, some salespeople have actually increased sales when the economy is down. Plus, when the good economy comes back, and it will, your sales and income will explode!
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – The importance of customer feedback.
Customer feedback is very important. Many unhappy customers will not say anything, they will simply stop doing business with you, that’s why it is critical to find out what kind of job they feel you are doing.
You can do this in several ways. First, you can ask. Questions along the lines of, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with our service.” or, “Is there anything that you think we could do to serve you better?”, are questions that can go a long way and help you to begin to get some feedback. You can also send out, or hand deliver thorough surveys. These are obviously better than one or two questions however, you may not get the high response rate you will with the questions.
The bottom line: Do what you need to do to find out how customers feel about you, your company, and your product and take that feedback to heart. Also, when you make changes, let your customers know what you are doing and ask for even more feedback on the improvements.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – What are your beliefs about sales and selling?
What are your beliefs and how are you empowered or disempowered by them?
Do you believe the economy is affecting your business? Do you believe that your closing rate will always be 1 sale out of 5 leads? Do you believe the other departments are not as supportive they could be, or that accounts receivable is chasing customers away? On the other hand, do you believe you always find business no matter what? Do you believe that other people in the company go out of their way for you or go above and beyond when it comes to your customers? Do you believe you will always be one of the top salespeople no matter what?
Whatever your beliefs are, you want to make sure they don’t defeat you or limit you. Start by questioning your negative beliefs. Do you know with 100% certainty that they are true? If you question and really challenge these beliefs and you are convinced one or more are true, you need to find a solution. Start every morning with a sheet of paper and pen and write down 20 solutions to your problem.
Positive beliefs are usually a good thing but just make sure they don’t make you complacent. If they do, you need to find a solution to this. If they cause you to rest on your laurels, you must find a way to keep yourself motivated. Use the same 20 idea method.
The bottom line: Look at your beliefs and how they affect you and your business. Challenge all negative beliefs, and even the positive beliefs that cause you to get lazy or over confident.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
Sales training ideas – The Economy and Sales
You hear it everywhere you go: “Sales are down because of the economy. My customers simply aren’t buying as much.”
Most sales training out there is saying the economy doesn’t matter, that it’s not what’s going on out there, it’s what’s going on in your own head that matters. While this is true, and while what’s going on in your own brain is always more important than outside circumstances, the economy is affecting many businesses. If yours is one of them, what can you do to keep sales up or even increase them? Here are three ideas.
First, don’t let the economy be your excuse. There are some people out there who will use this excuse to “take it easy” and not work as hard. Don’t make that mistake, it will be like a domino effect and your situation will go down hill quickly. What you should do instead is resolve to work harder and smarter. Come up with ideas to increase business. Sit down in the morning and jot down as many ideas as you can and then start putting them to work. If you work harder and smarter, business will improve.
Second, get some sales training. When there aren’t as many sales and/or prospects, we must do better with the ones we have. The way to do this is to get better at selling. Books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, take in anything you can get your hands on. Some people have improved so much that they actually sold more in a so-called down economy than they had ever sold in the past when times were good.
Third, keep a good attitude. Your attitude is your most important sales tool in your arsenal, you have to keep it sharp. Put lots of good things in your head and decide that, no matter what, there is a way to colossal success. As you did with the training material, read, listen to, and watch as much as you can to stay positive and focused. Be persistent.
Can the economy affect your sales business? Sure, but when you put the three sales training ideas above into practice, you’ll find that the effect on you will be minimal, and in fact, you may notice no change or even a positive one.
John Chapin www.completeselling.com
