Archives For sales

The Greatest Salesman

January 14, 2013 — Leave a comment

As most of you know, I am a voracious reader. I really believe your success in life is all about the books you read and the people you meet. There are a handful of books that I read over and over again at least once a year. One of those books is “The Greatest Salesman In The World” by Og Mandino. This simple book tells you everything you need to know in order to be successful in sales … if you study, learn, and internalize each of the principles taught in the book.

I have listed the 10 principles here. I chose not to elaborate on any of them because I want you to really think about each one and make it your own.

1. I will form good habits and become their slave.

2. I will greet this day with love in my heart.

3. I will persist until I succeed.

4. I am nature’s greatest miracle.

5. I will live this day as if it is my last.

6. Today I will be the master of my emotions.

7. I will laugh at the world.

8. Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

9. I will act now.

10. I will pray for guidance.

Write the ten principles listed above on an index card or put them in your smart phone. Read them each morning before you start your day. It will make a difference.

In sales , ,
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What Is Your Next Step?

November 14, 2012 — Leave a comment

You make a sales call and schedule an appointment to meet with a potential client. You have your first meeting and everything goes great. Your potential client tells you they have all the information they need and no need to have another meeting. They will call you. BUT the sale is not final.

What is the next step?

This is where a lot of sales people drop the ball. They wait for the client to take the next step, when the reality is you have to be in control of the sales process at every step. You can’t let your prospect control the flow of the sale. On a rare occasion, the client will call you back but many times you never hear from them again if you don’t take the initiative to keep the conversation going after the meeting. And many times, it’s not because they don’t want your services. It’s because they forget about you because they are busy with their life and their business.

So it’s up to you to make sure they don’t forget about you. How do you do that? There are many ways, but I’ll mention six here.

1. Send a handwritten note to thank them taking the time to meet with you.

2. A follow-up phone call a few days after the meeting to see if they have thought of any questions since you met.

3. A follow-up email to thank them for meeting with you and to let them know you are available should they have any questions. Keep in mind a handwritten note is better, but an email is better than nothing.

4. A direct mail piece that reminds them of what you discussed at the meeting with an overview of the benefits you provide as a result of using your services.

5. A postcard with an overview of what you have to offer, as a reminder.

6. Connect with them on social media channels, such as, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. (You should do this step before meeting with them, but if you didn’t, then now is a good time to connect.)

Building a business is all about building long-term relationships. Just because someone doesn’t need your services today does not mean they will not need them tomorrow. Always know what your next step will be to keep an ongoing dialogue with your prospects and current clients.

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What Is Your Excuse?

May 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

I need to call on this client BUT …

… they are getting ready to go on vacation.

… they are just getting back from vacation.

… it’s the end of the month.

… it’s too close to the holidays.

… they are just getting back from the holidays.

… it’s the beginning of the month.

… Monday is not a good time to make sales calls.

… Friday afternoon is not a good time for sales calls.

… they are cutting back on spending.

… they just had a management change.

… they don’t need what I have.

… they are already working with (insert name here).

… they don’t have the budget to purchase my product.

… it’s the end of the year.

… I just called them last week.

… I don’t want to be a pest.

… they just made a major purchase.

… nobody does anything during the holidays.

… it’s too late in the day.

… it’s too early in the day.

… I haven’t spent enough time preparing for the call.

… my promotional materials are not good enough yet.

Do you recognize any of these? If not, I’m sure you have a few of your own that you’ve used to avoid doing what you know you need to do. And just like everyone else, I’ve used a few of these in the past.

What is the underlying reason for making these excuses? Fear.

Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Fear of what someone will think. Fear of success. And the list goes on.

Accept the fact that you will sometimes fail, and accept the fact that you will have some fear in your business. If you don’t have some level of fear in your business, then you are probably not doing enough.

It’s time to stop making excuses. Embrace failure. Embrace fear. Stop letting these things paralyze you and keep you from taking action.

Make the call, close the sale, complete the project, or whatever else you need to get done … NOW!

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How Is It Working For You?

October 19, 2011 — Leave a comment

Is your current business model still working for you?

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut in your business if you are not aware of current market trends, and if you are not listening to your clients.

Dealing with technology requires that I stay on the leading edge of everything that’s out there. This involves reading a lot of books, being involved in social media, attending seminars, research on the internet, and doing anything else I have to do to stay up-to-date.

My business model is constantly changing as I find new services I can offer and new ways to help my clients market their products and services.

That doesn’t mean I lack focus. It just means I am in an ever-changing industry. Even if my business model changes, my focus is still helping my clients market their products and services so they can make more money.

So is your business model ready for a change? Do you need to learn a few new skills, read a book, or get more training to update your skills? Do you need to offer your clients a new product or service?

In today’s world, you cannot afford to stay still. You have to keep growing, keep learning, and keep providing more value for your clients. And you need to adjust your business model accordingly.

So take some time today to really take a serious look at your current business model. Is what you are doing now working for you?

Are you generating the income you need to sustain a successful business? If you are not, then it may be time to update or modify your business model to better serve your clients.

In business model, change, internet marketing, marketing, sales
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What Are You Worth?

August 12, 2009 — Leave a comment

One of the biggest challenges facing many professional service providers is deciding what to charge for their services. Some are afraid of charging too much or not charging enough for the services they deliver. There can be many reasons for this confusion over pricing but I have listed a few of the more common ones here.

1. Fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of what people may think about you or your business if you charge too much. Fear can paralyze your business. Identify your fears, face them, and move on.

2. Lack of confidence. Many times a lack of confidence can be traced back to a lack of preparation. Your prospects can sense self-doubt and they know when you are not prepared. Make sure you are thoroughly prepared for every meeting you have with potential clients. How much better do you feel going into a meeting knowing you have done everything you can to prepare in advance for the meeting? This will give your confidence a boost in addition to making you appear more professional to your prospective client.

3. Assuming your prospect does not have the money to pay for your services (especially in these economic times). This is usually the wrong assumption. You should always give them the benefit of the doubt. You should always assume they have the money but you may need to better communicate your perceived value to your prospect. The fact is most people do have the money to pay for your services if you can increase the perceived value of what you have to offer. People generally have money for things they need. Raise the perceived value of your product or services through better branding and by improving your presentation skills.

4. Not knowing the true value of the services you deliver. For example, if you approach a business doing a million dollars a year in sales and assure them you can increase their sales by 10% in the next 12 months. If you are charging $500 to do this, it may give them cause for concern. You are offering an increase of $100,000 to their bottom line and only charging them $500 to do it. How good could you possibly be if you are the “cheap”? Do the math. If you only charge 5% of the increase they are expecting to receive as a result of using your services, that is $5000 (not $500). See the difference. Charging $5000 is much more realistic and it will make your clients value your services even more. If you can deliver the goods, make your price match.

If you become more aware of the four things listed above, you will be able to increase your fees with confidence. By charging more, you will attract better clients and make more money. You will be happier and will deliver better service to your clients…..which will lead to more referrals and more money. You get the idea.

Know what you bring to the marketplace and charge what you are worth. Let your clients know they are investing in a service that will provide them with a huge return on their investment. As you can see, everybody wins.

In sales
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