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Training Tuesday:Closing Techniques – Part 1

Posted 6 years ago

There are as many different closes as there are sales people, but there are some recurring techniques that may come in handy. While you may find that certain closes work better than others, that shouldn’t deter you from using a variety of closes or confirming techniques, depending on different situations. We’ve outlined the first 5 of our top 9 closing or confirming techniques. Learning the closes listed here will increase your chances of getting more sales, more often, from more accounts.

1.“It Costs Too Much” Close

Emphasize the benefits you know the prospect finds irresistible. Uncover the prospect’s hot buttons and emphasize how your solution will actually save them money in the long run.

2.The “What You Really Want” Close

Help the prospect see themselves using your service. Speak to them as though they already use it, and tie in a hot button benefit to its use. “When you use us, then this will happen, and that’s what you really want, isn’t it?

3.The “Minor-Major” Close

The minor-major builds a chain of affirmative answers to questions you ask to help lead a prospect into saying yes to the sale. To put the prospect in the habit of saying “yes,” ask questions you’re sure will get an affirmative answer.

4.The “If I Can” Close

This close uses the prospect’s questions and comments to help you get them to buy if you can provide what they want. Instead of immediately assuring the prospect that you can meet all of their needs and wants, ask them if they’ll buy from you if you can…

5.The “Give Us A Try” Close

If the prospect is waiting for an invitation to buy, give them one. Make a persuasive argument for choosing your product or company, including reasons why the prospect should buy, then invite them to do it. “Why don’t you give us a try?” or “Would you like to get started right away?”

Next week we’ll address 4 more top closing methods and how adding them to your repertoire of sale confirming techniques can help you up your sales success.

 

 

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Training Tuesday:10 Tips for Helping Dissatisfied Customers

Posted 6 years ago

Even the best company, with the best service, will occasionally make mistakes. What matters most is how you handle the situation when issues arise. We’ve included our top 10 tips to best help a dissatisfied customer.

1.Inform the customer as soon as you can – they’re going to find out one way or another – and no news travels as swiftly as bad news. Contacting them first allows you the opportunity to set the tone and break the bad news in the most productive way possible.

2.Get to the point quickly. Don’t draw out the inevitable.

3.If your customer approaches you with a complaint, don’t interrupt. Don’t become defensive or make judgement until you’ve heard all the facts as the customer sees them.

4.Take complaints seriously, even if they seem trivial to you. Remember that problems exist when a customer perceives they exist.

5.Apologize sincerely.

6.Avoid playing the “blame game,” instead focus on fixing the problem. The customer has already decided to blame you and your company, so take responsibility for the problem and solve it.

7.Let your customer suggest solutions or alternatives. Find out their expectations for a solution and follow that if it is reasonable.

8.Do something extra. Recognize the inconvenience caused by the problem and acknowledge that.

9.Listen to your customer, trust their sincerity, and empathize with them.

10.Follow up. After you’ve done everything you can to remedy the situation, follow up with the customer and make sure they are truly satisfied.

 

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Training Tuesday:Countering Objections

Posted 6 years ago

If it weren’t for objections, everyone would be in sales. While none of us like objections, we must accept them as part of the business and learn how to overcome them.

Your main goal when faced with an objection is to turn the objection around into a reason to purchase our service. If a prospect raises the ever-popular “the price is too high” objection, counter it by saying “Our prices accurately reflect the value of our services. And good value is important to you, isn’t it?”

Occasionally you’ll run into a prospect in the traffic or purchasing department who is sure they’ve seen everything there is to see. Generally, all this person really wants is attention, and to show you how much they know about your industry. Recognize their expertise and give them all the attention they crave. This is always a better way to handle a tough customer than putting them down.

When possible, let prospects answer their own objections. Sometimes you can stop an objection in its tracks by asking, “Could you tell me why you feel that way?” If the prospect can’t answer, then you and the prospect know the objection has little or no validity. If your prospect does not answer with a more specific objection, you have a chance to eliminate it and move one step closer to the close.

When faced with an objection, first restate the question or statement…

Give the prospect the opportunity to confirm your understanding of the objection, and hopefully they’ll give additional details.

Then, clarify the objection…

Remember this is a conversation between two people, not a contest.

After you’ve restated and clarified the objection, answer it. Answer the objection head on, honestly, simply, succinctly. A direct approach to handling objections guarantees greater sales results.

Buying decisions are risky for your prospects, and objections are the only way they have to help make sure that risk will pay off for them. If you can eliminate their objections, you’ll help provide the reassurance they need to say yes.

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Training Tuesday:Increasing Sales Achievements

Posted 6 years ago

High achievers embrace new experiences more eagerly than average achievers, they leave their comfort zones more willingly, and as a result, become more familiar with the process of growing than others do. They also view the anxiety or pain involved in new challenges as a small price to pay compared to the new levels of success they enjoy in return. High achiever thinking can be learned; however, the process takes time, patience, skillful mentoring, and persistence. Below are some of our suggestions for becoming a “high achiever” in sales.

1.Find role models or mentors to help you grow. There are many more people in high places willing to give advice than there are people actively seeking advice from them. You can find a role model n those you already know or use it as an opportunity to expand your network.

2.Don’t “should” yourself. To practice a new way of thinking, begin by practicing a new way of talking to yourself that puts your thoughts in a psychologically helpful perspective. Don’t personalize or internalize a negative situation by saying that you “should” be doing better, focus instead on what you “could” be doing.

3.Increase your mental “navigation” skills. Begin imagining new possibilities, new ways of acting, new ways of overcoming obstacles or roadblocks. It is important to use imagination constructively so it will enhance your ability to deal with situations.

4.Test the reality of your thinking. Work to put things in perspective and keep unrealistic or overprotective thoughts from getting in the way of your success.

5.Face difficulties and enjoy growth. Accept the fact that in order to grow, we must face difficult experiences. High achievers accept the challenges of growing as necessary and they learn to seek out experiences that enhance their growth.

 

Implement some of these techniques, and you will find yourself growing and achieving more towards your sales goals.

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Training Tuesday:Service Calls, part 2

Posted 6 years ago

Last week, we addressed eight ways to say thanks and offer service to customers. This week we’re covering more ways to say thanks as well as some tips to increase your sales, gain market share, and ensure your customers get exactly what they deserve – the best service.

1.Surprise a customer with a small gift that relates to a known hobby or special interest of theirs. For example: golf balls, a souvenir from their home state, logo-ed gear of their favorite sports team.

2.Invite your customer to accompany you to seminars, speeches, and other business functions.

3.Return all phone calls immediately.

4.Establish a follow-up schedule. Remember that last month’s “no” may be this month’s “yes.” Try to touch base with prospects regularly, but avoid being intrusive.

5.Vary your modes of contact. Phone calls, emails, packages – all will have a greater impact if they are followed with another form of contact. Show customers that you are persistent in your desire to help them.

6.Collect leads on follow-up calls to established customers. Contact repeat customers frequently to let them know they aren’t taken for granted. If you provide good service to these customers, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for the names of business acquaintances and others in their own company who might benefit from the services you offer.

7.Make buying fun. You don’t have to sacrifice professionalism to make buying an energizing, enjoyable experience that will keep your customers coming back.

8.Make sure internal employees are well-trained in good customer service techniques. Anyone who will have contact with customers should be trained in customer service and should be as excited as you are to provide outstanding service to your customers.

9.Never sell your customer a method of moving their freight that you don’t believe they really need. Know your prospect, know their needs, and sell to those needs.

10.Most importantly, do what you promised, do it when you promised, and do it more often than your competition.

Start today – make service an integral part of your sales strategy!

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Training Tuesday:Service Calls

Posted 6 years ago

To some sales agents, service is what they do when they don’t feel like selling. Service can be a way to putt off more important activities. Don’t use service calls as a way to pad your call report. Making service calls to your customers is very important, but remember that a service call should have definable objectives.

One problem that many have with service calls is that there’s very little short-term reward for it. There’s a much greater immediate reward for, and attention paid to selling than to servicing.

We define service as anything that builds trust or confidence that in our company and the services we provide to the customer. We’ve put together a list of services that are specific and measurable that you can use to make service a more specific part of our sales planning.

1.Write thank you notes as part of your service system. Carry the cards in your car and fill them out at the end of the call.

2.Conduct a training session for the client and their staff. Something in the sales training or customer service field is usually appreciated and it shows an interest in the customer’s success that goes beyond just the business you want from them today.

3.Schedule a visit of upper management to the client. This is symbolic but also allows your upper management team to gather information and stay connected.

4.Conduct office tours on a regular basis. Allow clients to come to the office to get a grasp of the depth of professionalism and dedication that goes into meeting their needs.

5.Throw a client appreciation party.

6.Bring coffee and donuts to their office. Get stickers that have your company logo and your contact information and put them on the box so you have many opportunities for name recognition.

7.Help clients with long term planning and strategizing efforts.

8.Send a thank you card or small gift to clients after they utilize your service for the first time. It shows you appreciate your customer and that you stay on top of the things happening at your company.

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Training Tuesday:Accelerating Sales – Part 2

Posted 6 years ago

Last week we addressed 5 of our top tips on improving sales success. This week we have 5 more suggestions for improving your success on sales calls.

1.Listen carefully. Here’s a basic rule for a successful sales presentation: Talking 50 percent of the time is too much. Instead, ask questions to direct the conversation 10 percent of the time and listen intently 90 percent of the time.

2. Ask directive questions. Memorize the 5 or 10 most pertinent questions you can ask. Make sure they are open-ended and use the answers to ask follow-up questions.

3. Remember to sell benefits. Although sales trainers have been preaching selling benefits versus features for decades, this technique is often overlooked in the heat of the presentation. If there is any one greatest selling violation, it is the failure to sell benefits. In fact, many salespeople don’t really understand what true benefits are. Be certain you do.

4. Use trial closes. You can often create these in advance of a meeting, then use as many as you need. The best trial closes are frequently open-ended questions that offer a choice and start with a who, when, why, where, or how.

5. Play the numbers game. For seasoned pros, sales is like gambling with the odds stacked in their favor. If you play it often enough, you’ll end up a winner.

If you utilize these methods, in combination with some tried and true methods you’ve perfected, you should be able to quickly accelerate your sales success.

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Training Tuesday:Accelerating Sales – Part 1

Posted 6 years ago

Almost all companies, from the smallest to those in the Fortune 100, frequently – if not continually – face the challenge of getting sales fast: next month, next week, even “tomorrow.”

Sometimes you should rely on the tried and true methods, but sometimes you should shake things up. Often the well-established selling principles may need to be shelved.

Here are some of our key tips for improving your and your company’s sales results:

1.Set clear sales objective. Determine what sales you are being asked to make in this situation and then set a strategy for getting them. Make a plan and put it in writing, even just a couple sentences will do. Refer to your plan every day and don’t hesitate to make revisions when necessary.

2.Be certain you have pre-call credibility. Proper pre-call credibility will telegraph what benefits the buyer can expect from your sales call and get him to look forward to meeting you, or to at least listen and learn about what you have to offer.

3.Make use of sales support. Use every ounce of sales and marketing ammunition available to you: telemarketing appointments, email, pre-call letters, literature, testimonials, referrals, leads, ads, etc. Test them, then use what works and discard what doesn’t.

4.Skim the “cream” of your customers, prospects, and suspects. Make a list of prospects most ready to buy. Sort them into groups and then target them in priority order.

5.Rehearse. Even if you’ve sold the same product or service for years, one or two mistakes can kill a sale. Practice, record your presentation and review, role-play with your team; practice and perfection will pay.

Check back next week for more of our top tips to quickly improve your sales success rate.

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Training Tuesday:Sales Traits Part 2

Posted 6 years ago

Last week we discussed several sales traits and the signals to improve them that you may be getting from your prospects and customers. This week we’re covering five more of these sales traits and signals.

Handling Resistance. If you’re running into a lot of resistance, the best thing you can do is work on analyzing needs and talking about benefits. When customers ask the same question over and over – even though you feel you’ve addressed it – you may be focusing on a benefit that doesn’t matter to them, and failing to find out their true concerns.

Selling Pressure. You’re coming on too strong if, when you attempt to close, customers become defensive or raise objections that seem irrelevant. When a customer starts defending a competitor they were unsatisfied with, that customer is telling you to back off. And if it seems the longer you’ve known a customer, the harder it is to get an appointment with them, the message is “stop pushing.”

Compatibility. Customers tell you you’re compatible by greeting you warmly, calling you when they think you can help them, and showing an interest in you that goes beyond “strictly business.” If new prospects quickly become unwilling to see you, customers are rude to you and keep you waiting, or customers keep calls short and straight to the point and refuse your invitations to lunch or recreational activities, be concerned about compatibility.

Trust. If customers don’t trust you, they may show it by withholding information you need, especially sensitive information such as budget constraints or involvement with competitors. They may ask you to put everything in writing or require proof, in the form of technical documentation and third-party references, of everything you say. If they’re calling the home office to check up on you, you haven’t gained their trust.

Account service. Simply put, this means getting in touch with your customers often enough to know about any changes that might impact future orders, and being available to handle little glitches before they become big ones. If you’re weak in this area, you may be getting these signals: Business from new customers drops off after the second or third order, or you lose sales to a competitor, even though you believe your product is better.

These are all important sales traits to work on and listening to the signals from your customers will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. Improving these skills will improve your overall sales success.

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Training Tuesday:Sales Traits Part 1

Posted 6 years ago

Do you provide customers with the kind of sales and service they expect? It not, they’ll let you know about it – not directly perhaps, but through indirect messages related to each of the sales traits below.

1.Professionalism: If customers keep you waiting in the outer lobby or look at their watches while you’re talking to them, they’re commenting on your professionalism. If they seem hesitant to discuss their needs with you, or don’t return your calls, you probably have not made a businesslike impression. You have two opportunities to establish your professionalism – in the initial contact and in the way you continue to keep in touch.

2.Analyzing needs: If customers seem bored and restless during presentations because what they hear isn’t relevant to them; customers interrupt you with questions that sound impatient or brusque because they see that you don’t know enough about them to propose appropriate solutions; you lose sales to competitors, even when you’re sure your product performs better, because our competition does a better job of finding out what the customer needed.

3.Talking in benefits: If customers are truly interested in what you’re discussing, they will be attentive, and the conversation will continue after the formal meeting is over. If, on the other hand, they’re nice and polite, and ask good questions, but leave with a simple “Good presentation,” watch out! This is a sign that you probably didn’t do that well.

4.Technical Competence: If you avoid talking about the technical aspects or avoid the customer’s technical people because you’re afraid you’ll be tripped up by their questions, or if you had an easy time getting in the door but a difficult time scheduling further appointments, this is usually a sign that you are lacking in technical competence.

5.Asking for the order. If you don’t move customers towards a buying decision, or ask for their business, the dialogue and interest will fade away. Making a lot of calls, but not many sales, the prospect’s interest fading away, or leaving a sales call without feeling accomplished, are all signs that you may not be asking for the order at the right time.

Next week we’ll discuss some additional sales traits that you should already possess, and the signs you may get that signal a need to improve them.

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