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A Salesperson´s Handbook
Introduction
I wrote this brief book to share a sales methodology that I know is effective. I
learned so many key lessons about the sales process through trial and error.
Sales drive most businesses. It is a well worn path, but that does not mean that
knowledge and experience easily passes to the next generation of professionals.
I began my first job in sales with a large commercial bank in 1993 and have
developed techniques and insights ever since. I have sold securities, insurance,
legal products, charity, and even political ideas. I have been a salesperson, sales
manager and a consultant to sales organizations and seen a myriad of styles.
Yet, they all could be reduced to a similar sales process, and successful
salespeople share common ways.
I find it helpful to be thoughtful about the fears and anxieties we all experience
when selling so that one can identify insecurities for what they are and get over
them. This is critical because the sales methodology that I will discuss is
designed to run that emotional risk. In my approach, you never stop asking for
business. It is a sales wheel. The Sales Wheel consists of five simple parts: the
offer, the snap profile & recommendation, overcoming objections and the close.
Each part is linked by a transition statement or question. The offer should be
stated in less than one minute. The snap profile should be a very brief
qualification of the prospects need for your product such as a financial profile.
The circle of overcoming objections, restating the offer and benefit to finally
close the deal should be where the salesperson´s time is spent.
I hope you enjoy these useful maxims and that the concept of the Sales Wheel
helps you become the best salesperson possible.
Note: I use the word product to mean both products and services.
1. Keep dialing, keep dialing, leave messages and take return calls (not
messages)
Sales is a numbers game. Disciplined work habits drive your call
volume which determines how many prospect you actually speak
with to make your offer. I often refer to the 10 percent rule. You
will turn 10% in your universe of prospects (say, a conference list)
into qualified prospects. If 10% of your qualified prospects pick
up that phone or return your call, and one in ten become clients
then every call you make and take counts. So, keep dialing and
take your calls!
3. If your product cannot be engaged with a credit card, then restructure your
offer.
I don’t care if you sell Global Express private jets for 50 million
dollars, when you close the deal take their Centurion Amex charge
card for the first million. A sale only becomes real when money is
transacted and the prospect becomes a stakeholder…a real client.
If you don’t, you will lose half of your sales volume. Right now,
you may already be losing half and you just don’t know it.
Engage the client with a credit card now and save the deal. Take
100 bucks, take 5%, take something. If not, the check will always
be in the mail and you will lose, literally, half of your buyers.
6. Never discount, haggle, bargain or horse trade over pricing. Your price is
your price.
I often win the Credibility Death Match and the prospect says ¨I
like your product. I want to buy it. I know it is worth what you
are asking, but _______ (there are a hundred good lines that could
go here). As they say in the real estate business, “It’s just too much
house.” This is a bargaining tactic that undermines everything.
The essence of your answer effectively needs to be, “Then, too
bad…call me when you can afford it.” If you haggle, then you
unwind what you have worked so hard for, the close. It is like
winning a sword fight and then falling on your own sword. Don’t
discount. Your price must be your price or you lose your
credibility and profitability.
10. A salesperson should always be driving The Sales Wheel: offer & snap
profile, overcome objections, closing statement, offer, overcome objections,
closing statement, the close.
It takes discipline to never stop driving The Sales Wheel. As
explained in maxim 2, it can be awkward. How many times has a
prospect torn me apart with barbing challenges like, “I know this
is just boilerplate, you actually think I would pay you 20 thousand
dollars?¨ My answer would be simply, “Yes (pause), Mr. Smith you
have understandable concerns. Good questions…any other
questions about how this product works or why it is so important?
(pause) If you’d like we can go ahead take a moment and gather
the information we need to begin (pause) what is your legal
name?” As they say, aaaawkward. But it works. To stay on the
sales wheel and never quite overcoming their objections to wheel
back around to take another pass and ask for the business takes
discipline, but that is how you overcome their doubts and win
loyal clients.
13. When your product is sold, bring the conversation to a close after warmly
welcoming them aboard.
Nothing is more frustrating than watching a deal unwind after it
is closed. But it happens all the time. Be disciplined and bring the
call or meeting to a close before your client experiences premature
buyer’s remorse or finds another round of objections.
14. Be true to the sales wheel by remembering that every objection brings you
one step closer to the sale
A prospects objections can feel tiring, even irritating, at times but
do not lose your patience. Overcoming objections is like a tennis
volley and the best matches are hard won. The prospect should
sense that you care about his concerns as you are unwavering and
consistent with responses. The transition statement should sound
like, “These are good questions. Do you have any other questions
about how this works or why it so important?” Keep answering
questions that are relevant to your product. They are simply
sending you buy signals.
17. If your prospect involves more than one decision maker then be mindful of
the “purchasing process” of their organization
Sometimes the purchasing process is the family dinner table.
Sometimes it is a committee. Sometimes it is two people. Even if
you convince an individual you can still lose the sale. Get the
decision makers on the same call or meeting. Go through the sales
wheel with each one individually if necessary.
19. Think of your work as being like an Olympic sprinter who is trying to beat
his best time
This maxim keeps you motivated and brings more meaning to
your work. I believe that it is unrealistic to always “love” what
you do. Some folks say that so others will envy them or it feels
consoling. Let’s face it, some days are a drag but remember that
you are competing against yourself. Performance should be a
personal measure of your improvement as a person and a
professional. When the crowd of admiring colleagues stops
clapping one can enjoy the satisfaction of simply getting better.
The consummate salesperson may sit alone in a solitary office for
thirty years doing essentially the same work but his evolution is
that of a sculptor mastering his craft.
22 Revisit your cold leads or the Do Not Call list after a year
Just because someone says no today it does not mean they always
say no. I have found that most of the time when prospects bluntly
told me to leave them alone it was because I happened to catch at
a bad moment. They usually forgot our conversation when I
called them back a year later and I folded the file back into my hot
lead list.
23. Be innovative and self reliant to bring in new prospects to your contact
list
Even if it is not your job to market or generate prospects, make it
your job. Marketing vs Sales is an old war but the great sales
person takes personal responsibility to fill his lead list. Ask even
prospects for referrals. Leverage existing clients. Go to colleagues
in other departments to find referral synergies. Do not be afraid to
create a public profile. If in compliance, utilize the internet,
Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, CurrentTV, industry blogs, self
publish a book through www.iuniverse.com, buy “Search Engine
Optimization for Dummies” and spruce up your website. Beat the
drum about your hard earned credentials. Realize that everyone is
important as you network. Join the Rotary Club, shake hands at
events, go where there are lots of people being social. One time I
saw a politician shake an insurance salesman’s hand and say, “I’m
running for Congress” as the salesman replied, “I’m running for
insurance agent.” He gets it. Be public! Whining to the
marketing department, henpecking your marketing assistant or
pitying a decline of standing in your product´s brand will not
improve your performance. Think of marketing self reliance as
self-help and a form of saving for the inevitable rainy day.
26. Carefully craft your sales script for each part of the sales wheel…and
stick to the script!
This is critical. Craft each word like a poem. Use a thesaurus.
Don’t be afraid of rich words. Edit, edit, edit your script to perfect
efficiency. Read William Strunk´s book, “The Elements of Style”.
Hire a professional writer to polish your language.
(bethbrownresumes@yahoo.com). Reflect on techniques that
worked for you, that fit your sales personality and practice them.
Once you have invented your perfect sales pitch do not reinvent
the wheel. Stick to it. If you are training or managing others make
sure they stick to it too.
27. Script and stage the message you leave on prospect’s voicemail
Voicemail is an excellent opportunity to state your offer and
product´s personal benefit. I suggest staging the message in the
sense that it is a chance to create an impression as warm and
authoritative. Think about how many thoughtless voicemails you
have received and consider what message you want to leave for
others.