1. Make sure you listen 80 percent of the time and talk 20 percent. Try and use open ended questions that will keep prospects talking to you.
2. While it is important to open new accounts, keep in mind that the close should be the beginning of a long-term selling relationship, not just a one time commission sale.
3. Be persistent, and let your prospect know that their business is important, and that you’re ready to serve them now, or later.
4. It is important to present product features selectively, based on each individual customers needs.
5. Don’t just talk discounts. Real sales professionals talk about value and emphasize how the quality and durability of their product will benefit the customer.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Following is the list:

1. ProActive Sales Management
2. The Optimal Salesperson
3. Coaching Sales People Into Champions
4. The Market Has Changed Have You?
5. The Funnel Principle
6. Playing Bigger Than You Are
7. B2B Street Fighting
8. Becoming The Vendor Of Choice
9. Listen To The Dinosaur
10. http://www.sellingtozebras.com/

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Mastering the selling process however, takes time and practice. I recently came across, “A Checklist For Mastering Closing,” in my November/Decmber 2009 issue of Selling Power magazine that I liked and found useful and wanted to pass along to readers.

A Checklist for Mastering Closing

• Did you describe all the benefits your product, or service offers and what they can do for the client?
• Did you ask the client to buy? (Did you outright ask for the sale?)
• Did you discover the key issue in your client’s buying decision? (You’re too new, or too much like XYZ company.)
• Did you uncover the key benefit that your client wants from your product, or service?
• Did you attempt to make lots of little closes, so the client had the opportunity to make small decisions before making a large decision?
• Did you try one more time when you thought the sale was lost?

Thanks for reading and happy selling!

Barb

10 Rules For Success

1. Believe that you have already succeeded before you even begin the task. (Act, dress, and speak the part.)
2. Replace negative statements with positive phrases. (Make sure you practice this everyday—morning, or evening, or both.)
3. Take responsibility for your actions and your life.
4. Think positively about all of your accomplishments, no matter how small they may appear to others.
5. Formulate a mission statement and keep it with you.
6. Remember great stories of successful people and the difficulties they had in accomplishing their goals. (Helen Keller, Thomas Edison, etc.)
7. When taking on a new project, ask yourself, “What is the worst that can happen?” (This should help you get going on your path.)
8. Allow yourself to make mistakes. It is an essential growth component. (This is how we learn, and improve.)
9. Strive to be the best you can, not the best there is.
10. No one was born a great doctor, lawyer, or salesperson. (You have to work at it and you can choose success!)

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Some people buy for enjoyment, or improvement, while others may buy something to save money, or reduce their costs, etc. For example, some people may be interested in granite countertops  for their kitchen because they want a larger area to entertain guests and enjoy the company of family and friends, or they may want to show off their home. Others may want to add granite countertops to their home to add resale value. Still others may buy granite countertops because of their durability and low maintenance features. Whatever the reason, it is important to identify motive, and then gear your products benefits to the persons circumstances.

Following are Six Basic Buying Motives mentioned in the article:

1. Profit or Gain: The buyer may be looking for quality, saving money, or making a profit.
2. Fear of Loss: Buyer wants to reduce costs, save time, reduce risk, or blame.
3. Comfort and Pleasure: The buyer seeks enjoyment, comfort, attraction, etc.
4. Pain Avoidance: The buyer may want less work, protection, or may want to save time.
5. Love and Affection: The buyer values beauty, prioritizes family and friends, or may want social approval.
6. Pride and Prestige: The buyer has a desire for fashion, or style, or acceptance from others. They enjoy a good public image.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

“The study examined the electronic logs of more than a million cold calls made by thousands of sales professionals and 50 companies.” When the study was concluded, various patterns of success and failure were revealed and some conventional thinking in regards to cold calling was disputed.

Following are some interesting findings from the article and Dr. Oldroyd’s study:

• Thursday is by far the best day to contact a lead, and Friday is the worst.
• Contrary to popular belief, the best time to call and qualify a lead is 8:00 am to 9:00 am, or 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
• The best way to contact a lead is still by telephone.
• The worst time to contact and qualify a lead is right after lunch, between 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.
• The best odds of qualifying a lead is within 20 minutes of a shown interest. In fact, 5 minutes is the most effective.
• Hiring inside sales reps, over outside sales reps has become the new trend.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

As I left the store, I thought a little more about the M&M’s, but more about the two companies, (Walgreens and M&M Mars Corporation) trying something different to boost sales and to be innovative, and thought…”Good for them!”

The practice of suggestive selling has been around for quite a number of years, and is often used by fast food restaurants, as well as many retail chains. While many businesses incorporate the practice, not every business does, but probably should. Add on products can add up fast and help increase revenue.

In todays market, it is more important than ever to stand out from the competition and raise sales. How is your business doing? Maybe it’s time to get those creative juices flowing.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

I recently read, “When the Going Gets Rough,” an article found in the April 2009 issue of Selling Power magazine that had some helpful hints for keeping positive and turning your attitude around.

Following are a few ways to keep selling in the face of adversity from the article that I wanted to pass along: 

• Make A Positive Beginning—
  Look for ways to make your mornings more pleasant. A positive morning will help set the tone for the rest of the day. Listen to some upbeat music, etc.
• Offer A Cheerful Greeting—
  When someone asks, “How are you?” try and answer with a positive response such as, “Fantastic, or Super.” You will naturally make a lasting impression, and pass along your positivity to others.
• Expect The Best—
  Expect things to go well, and they naturally will. This is important, especially in sales. Believe you can make things happen.
• Forgive Yourself—
  You can train yourself to think more positively. “We can often talk ourselves out of a bad mood as easily as we talk ourselves into it if we’re willing to make the effort.” If you falter, acknowledge that you are human and that you may have had some bad thoughts, but forgive yourself and change your thought pattern to something positive again.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Yesterday, I came across an interesting perspective on how to restore your motivation when everything seems to be going wrong from “A Few Of Your Favorite Things,”  a Reader Tip, found in the May 2009 issue of Selling Power magazine  that I wanted to pass along.

The reader suggested to restore motivation, make a “neat stuff” list of everything that is going right.

1. It is a beautiful sunny day.
2. I got an appointment with a customer that I’ve been trying to get in contact with for a long time.
3. A rebate check came in the mail.
4. Etc.

The key is review your list daily, both morning and night, to keep the positive thoughts with you. “Research suggests that after one to two weeks of reviewing your list, you will start feeling more positively focused and energized.

Sounds like a simple way to try and keep positive to me. How about you?

Thanks for reading!

Barb

So what you may ask, is their secret? “They know that to survive you must be able to change, flow, bend, and grow and must be mentally tough.” They know they need to control their thoughts and keep them positive, and upbeat everyday, even in tough circumstances.

With a slower market and economy, many businesses today are facing tough decisions and choices that call for change? How are you handling these decisions? Are you going to bounce or splatter?

Me? …Most DEFINITELY BOUNCE!

Thanks for reading!

Barb