This Week's Tip My Take on Inside Sales, and Where it's Going
Greetings!
A few months ago I was introduced to a young, but rapidly-growing group, the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals. I was impressed. They are dedicated exclusively to advancing the profession of Inside Sales.
If you are involved in inside sales, and I'm assuming you are using the phone in some way in sales since you are reading this, I urge you to check them out and join. www.AA-ISP.org.
I also attended their second annual Leadership Summit in May. I was invited to be added at the last minute as a speaker, but because I didn't get involved with the group until right before the conference, I declined, wanting to simply observe and evaluate what was being said by speakers and attendees before I fully committed to getting involved. My report is that, again, I was impressed, and will be promoting the association, as well as speaking at their events in the future.
What I had heard at the conference confirmed much of what I have been writing about and teaching myself, but it did also open my eyes wider in a few areas.
I've assembled some thoughts and musings about where I feel inside sales is headed, and points about the environment in which we sell today.
Information tools are abundant. I have for years preached and insisted that sales pros do their research and be informed about their prospects, companies, and industries before calling. That is the foundation for Smart Calling.
Today there are a host of companies that help you to obtain, consolidate, sort, and interpret the sheer amount of data that is available. If you are not using any of them, you are handicapped. To see some of the best ones available, see Josiane Feigon's free ebook, Smart Inside Sales 2.0 Toolswww.smartinsidesales20.com/
Buyers lives and habits have changed. I'm often asked what is the biggest change I've seen in inside sales over the years. Without a doubt it's how buyers--and everyone for that matter-- conduct their lives as it relates to their technology, how they communicate, the real demands on their time, and outlets for wasting time.
People are busier. And less productive. How many times in the past couple of hours have you touched your cell phone, checked email, accessed a "social network," or been online for anything?
And really now, how much of that was absolutely necessary and productive? See. Point made.
The relevance and challenge for us is that this is what we are competing with and trying to sell into, attempting to cut through the noise and clutter to grab the buyer's attention. (Get Jill Konrath's book, SNAP Selling for a great, in-depth guide on how to sell to these crazy-busy buyers. www.SnapSelling.com )
We must adapt or fail. I have been a horrible predictor of new trends. I didn't think "car phones" would ever catch on...no one needed to be that accessible, I felt.
And when the first drive-through window was installed in an Omaha-area McDonalds 35 years ago, I thought that was stupid, it wasn't a bank.
Fast forward to the past couple of years: I skeptically viewed most social networking as just more ways to waste time. While that's still true for the majority of people with most of the online sites, the hard fact is, more and more of our customers are using Twitter, blogs, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Studies show that cell phones are used more for purposes other than talking. People are spending less time at their desk, but still "in touch" through email and voice mail.
I resisted adopting most of this stuff, but I realized that I am not my customer. We need to sell to our buyers the way they want to be sold to, or at least utilize the communication methodologies they are plugged into, or access wirelessly.
And of course WebEx, GoToMeeting, and other online conferencing tools have changed the inside sales function for the better.
Some things remain the same and always will. What hasn't changed, and I'm pretty certain that it never will, is that people still buy based on value.
Particularly in today's economy and environment.
Everything I have taught over the years is just as true today. We need to understand our buyers' problems, pains, wants and desires, and then match the results of our offerings, and communicate that message in a persuasive way. Bottom line, when you remove all the technology and slice through the cloud of clutter, it still involves people talking to people. You must not let anything minimize this important point.
Technology should help you TALK to people, not prevent you from doing it.
Where we are going: More smart companies and individuals are realizing every day that while being face-to-face with someone is the most effective way to communicate, it is also the most costly, and in most cases, not necessary in order to sell.
Twenty-seven years ago I started a business that bet heavily on the success of inside sales as a viable way to do business. At least I was right about THAT one. It is even more true today.
Inside sales has evolved from--in most cases--yeas ago, an afterthought, where companies would stick their "telemarketing" people in a corner and treat them like second-class citizens, to what is more and more becoming a company's only method of selling, and treating that department with the respect it deserves and the resources it needs.
This is the best time ever to be involved in the sales profession, particularly if you'd rather not leave your office or home very much in order to do it.
At the AA-ISP conference I was honored to be named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals. That's a testament to great pros like you who have used my material over the years to gain results. I look forward to your continued success, and that of the profession.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." Frederick Douglass
This Week's Tip: A Mishandled $8000 Pizza Order Call Greetings!
I'm a self-taught cook, and probably own as many cookbooks as sales books. I watch the Food Network every chance I get. For a few years my barbeque cooking team traveled all over to competitions, and we even won a few championships. It's tough to order at many restaurants, since I sometimes struggle to find something I couldn't make better myself.
However, there's still nothing better for my palate than a great slice of pizza. I particularly like thin crust, New York style. Could eat it every day. Normally I don't go more than a few days without a pizza-fix.
When I'm in Omaha I'm a bit limited in my choices of places to get exceptional pizza. Last Sunday I was lusting for a slice and wanted to try something different, so I went online and was reminded of a place just a few blocks from my suburban neighborhood. I had tried it a couple of years ago, was not impressed, so they fell off my radar.
However, I read some of the recent favorable reviews and thought I'd give them another shot. After all, right down the street...if they've improved, this could become a spot I'd be dropping lots of cash in the future.
So I called, intending to order a pie. After about eight rings, the out-of-breath voice answered-- with chaos in the background--and greeted me with, "Can you hold?"
(I'm intentionally leaving out the name of the place--she did say it when she answered.)
Reluctantly, I agreed.
She did NOT put me on hold. She just put the phone down.
So now I'm hearing the banter of the kitchen staff, and occasionally her voice. One minute passes.
I'm getting restless.
Two minutes, I'm annoyed.
Watching the clock on the computer screen tick away, three minutes. Now I'm pissed. The kitchen staff continues whooping it up.
Trying to put it all in perspective and remind myself that in the whole scheme of things this is not worth getting upset about, I decide to give them one more minute. Sure, I could have hung up and called back, but the devilish side of me wanted to see just how long this customer service train wreck would continue. Plus, I thought I had the makings of a weekly tip.
And I really didn't feel like driving any further than a few blocks to get pizza.
At the five-minute mark, I FINALLY hear someone pick up the phone, and...hang it up. "Call Ended" flashes on my cell phone.
At that moment I decide to provide the owner with some unsolicited phone sales training.
While I was simmering, waiting, I was online, reading about the history of the joint, and about the owner who had come here from Chicago a few years ago. I remembered seeing him the last time I was there, working the counter and the kitchen. Chances are he was there and I was going to tell him about my experience.
Certainly as an astute business owner he would welcome feedback and offer to make things right.
I called back.
Busy signal. Hit redial. Busy signal again. Undoubtedly someone else was told to hold, but then forgotten about.
THREE more times I tried back, hearing the busy signal each time.
Finally I heard a ringing sound. A male answered, and said "This is____," giving his name. It was the owner.
I said, "Yes, I called there about 10 minutes ago. I was going to get a pizza from you. I was asked to hold, was forgotten about for exactly FIVE minutes, and then was hung up on. I wanted you to know this personally since you might be losing customers because of how calls are handled."
"Sorry about that," he said in a tone that contradicted his words.
That was it. No attempt to recover. Nothing like, "Wow, that certainly is not the way we do things, let me make it up to you..."
"Sorry?", I repeated, after he was silent for a few seconds, giving him a chance to say more.
"Yeah, sorry, he repeated with an attitude that I read as, "Look, I'm busy here."
I remained silent--and a bit stunned--for a few seconds, thinking he might come to his senses as a business owner and do the right thing.
Silence.
I was not an a-hole about this by any means, but I finally matter-of-factly said, "Well, you just lost a sale and more importantly, a customer."
That, I thought, might cause him to realize he could still fix this. Instead, I heard, "Sorry to hear that."
He was one of the sorriest guys I've ever heard.
So I found another place, a few miles from my house, that answered on the first ring, did not put me on hold, repeated back my order, made an upsell suggestion for a salad, which I took advantage of, and told me precisely when my order would be ready. THEY will be getting a lot more of my money in the future.
Now, you might be thinking that from the first pizza joint's perspective, so what, big deal, they lost a sale, under $20 in revenue.
Wrong.
A number of years ago a marketing exec with Dominos spoke right before me at a national sales meeting. He talked about the value of a customer, something many people do not keep at the forefront of their mind. He said their research indicated that a customer would spend--I don't remember the exact number, but this is close--in the neighborhood of $8000 with Dominos in their lifetime.
They would emphasize that to their employees who answered the phone, and anyone who had contact with customers. It wasn't a one-pizza transaction, you were talking to an $8,000 customer.
One of my business mentors, Dan Kennedy, stresses the importance of "future bank" vs. "present bank." Future bank is what your customer means to you over their lifetime, and yours. That's why smart marketers often take a loss in acquiring a customer, knowing that the real profit is in keeping them over time.
Let's try to stitch this back together to some relevance for you: What do YOU do to ensure that you make it easy for people to become customers?
Are there any deterrents that make it difficult for people to become customers...like saying, "Can you hold?", when someone WANTS to buy from you, now?
Do you know your own "future bank" number? If not, figure it out, and be sure EVERYONE who has customer contact knows it.
What are you doing so that when your competition calls your customers--and you know they will-- your customers say, "I'm happy with who I'm buying from."
By the way, I didn't reveal this pizza place's name, since perhaps it was an isolated incident, and I don't want to trash them. And I might just give them another shot at some point. I guess I like pizza too much and almost kind of expect bad, or even rude service from pizza places.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Adversity is an experience, not a final act." Michael LeBoeuf
A couple of years ago I noticed the book, "Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling," by Sam Richter. www.takethecold.com/
It wasn't a sales tips or technique book, but rather the most comprehensive collection of web search ideas I've ever seen for getting information about people, companies, and industries.
I was blown away! At the time, I was in the process of planning my entire Smart Calling system, including the book, of which gathering intelligence is a major component. I had to meet this guy, since what he teaches needed to be part of the toolbox of any true Smart Caller.
We connected, and even did an Audio Seminar together. In fact, until next week, as an introduction to Sam and his material, I'm offering the $49 downloadable one-hour seminar, full of great secrets at $35 off, just $14. Go to businessbyphone.com/Richterspecial.htm
Sam and I will be on stage together, offering interactive customized workshops for companies, associations, and national sales meetings, showing exactly how to use his secrets to gather intelligence, and plugging it into my Smart Calling process to get through to buyers, engage them, and turn them into customers. (For more info, call me at 402-895-9399, or email me at ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com)
Sam also is now writing a regular column for my monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report. Here is one of his first columns with us.
Three Google Web Search Secrets for Getting Insider Prospect and Customer Info By Sam Richter
In March 2010, there were 15.4 billion online information searches conducted via popular search engines, with more than 65% of it done using Google. And in the business world, it's my experience that Google has a 95% search market share.
Yet even though Google is very easy to use, most people only access a small portion of what Google has to offer.
The standard call where you give the same pitch or voice mail message to everyone just doesn't cut it (yet it's surprising how many people still "smile and dial"). In his book, Smart Calling, Art calls that the Dumb Call.
It's imperative that prior to any sales call, that you find information about your prospect so you can customize your message.
And I'm not talking about just visiting someone's Web site. Rather, a good search can reveal detailed information that helps you better personalize your entire call and your examples to things that your prospect or client cares about.
If you're a true Smart Caller who understands that the intelligent use of information is power, these three Google Web Search Secrets can help you get the inside information on companies, industries, and people.
1. Google Advanced Search For most people, receiving millions of Google search results has become a way of life. It doesn't have to be that way . Think of Google as a virtual vacuum cleaner, looking for Web pages with words that it can vacuum up and put in the Google database.
When you type in words into the Google search form, all it is doing is returning Web page results where your words have appeared most often.
The trick, then, is putting better information into Google so you can get better information out.
How?
Use the Google Advanced Search form. You'll find the link right next to the search button on Google's home page.
Once in Google Advanced Search, you can enter in words, phrases, words that are not important to you, and more. Take a few moments and think about exactly what you want, and use the fields to enter the information. Click the search button and notice how much better your results are.
2. Google Timeline Search Type the name of a company in Google. If the company name is more than one word, put the name between quotation marks (e.g. "acme corporation").
On the Google results page you'll see a link that says "Show Options." Click on the link.
This allows you to sort your Google search results using a number of criteria. One of the options is labeled "Timeline." Click on is and you'll see a graphical timeline by decade, with certain time periods blocked out. Click on one of the blocked out periods and you'll see articles featuring your search results from your chosen time period.
On the left side, you can also click the "Latest" link, which will show results featuring your search criteria mentioned in blogs, current news, and even instant Twitter messages.
How can you use this information?
Imagine prior to a sales call that you conduct this sort of search. You click on the current month and pull up press releases and articles. You reference this information during your call.
For example, you might say: "I saw in your company press release from last week that you are..." or "I thought that article from last month where you were quoted was..."
Even the historical information is valuable, as it will show you how the company has progressed over time, past partnerships, and it even might reveal past or current vendors.
3. Google Filetype Search Imagine finding a competitor's sales proposal, an association's membership list, or a high- end research report online. It's truly amazing what people post to the Web. From company budgets to vendor and client lists, companies think that the files they post online for colleagues or clients to download are secure, but if not properly protected, Google can index the data and make it available to people who know how to look.
a). Enter the information you want and/or the company name (use quotations around phrases).
b). Enter filetype: (filetype colon) and then choose a filetype extension e.g. pdf = adobe acrobat; xls = Excel spreadsheets; ppt = PowerPoint document; doc = Word document.
For example, "paper industry" + "membership list" filetype:xls will search for a paper industry membership list in Excel format. "Widget corporation" filetype:ppt will search for a Widget Corporation PowerPoint presentation.
"Plastics industry" + trends OR issues filetype:pdf will locate research reports and/or articles related to trends or issues in the plastics industry.
If you're looking for additional search resources, please make sure to visit my Know More! Warm Call Center where you can also download my Warm Call Toolbar www.WarmCallCenter.com. The site is completely free and it will help you to stop "surfing" through Google search results and instead start getting the information you need, the first time, every time.
(Sam Richter is an internationally recognized expert on sales, marketing, and leadership. He's author of Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, now in its fifth edition, and he presents his customized Know More! keynote and training programs to audiences around the globe. Get his book, and contact him at www.TakeTheCold.com )
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Get Art's Audio Seminar With Sam Richter Sharing More Web Search Secrets at $35 OFF The Regular $49 Price, Just $14! Or you can get the actual CD AND the instant download for just $24 after the $35 off. Plus, we'll throw in the written transcript of the seminar FREE. Go to businessbyphone.com/Richterspecial.htm
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Adversity is an experience, not a final act." Michael LeBoeuf
This Week's Tip What Was This Guy Thinking? Greetings!
While technology has helped us become smarter in many ways, it also allows people to do dumb things in many ways.
For example, salespeople sending out non-targeted messages, or just plain old ill-conceived emails and voice mails.
Here is an email I actually received. _____________________________
Subject: IFRS
Hi Art,
I thought you and your organization might find value in a new IFRS Transition Workshop. This a two day workshop has been designed to kick start the conversion to IFRS through an in-depth analysis of critical changes from US GAAP.
May I send you the detailed pamphlet via email?
Regards,
Josh
(His contact info was here)
_____________________________
Perhaps your reaction was the same as mine: Huh?
IFRS?
US GAAP? Is that a clothing store at the mall?
I actually thought someone was playing a joke on me so I sat on this for a few weeks. Nope. No one took credit for it, and the guy never followed up.
Curious as to what this IFRS actually is (and perhaps there was a possibility I should be interested in it-- I do tend to blow some things off that I should be paying attention to) I researched it. Well, turns out it doesn't apply to me, and if I had to attend the two-day workshop I would likely stick a fork in my skull out of boredom after the first minutes or so. (It has to do with accounting procedures and is aimed at financial professionals.)
So what was this sales rep thinking? Obviously he could not have done any research on me and my company. Just looking at my company name, Business By Phone Inc. would have been a clue I wasn't a prospect.
And since I have a spam email system where a new emailer not in my database must physically respond to a return email in order for his to be put through, I know this was not a mass mailing. A human was actually behind this. Amazing. Just like there are dumb cold calls, this was a dumb cold email.
Aside from my rant, and the humor in all of this, it does affect you. Your buyers and prospects receive emails, voice mails, and calls like these, too.
They clutter up inboxes and voicemailboxes, contributing to the "always too much to do and not enough time to do it" mode that it seems everyone is operating within today. And if, by chance, one of these clueless callers actually gets through to a decision maker and speaks his non-targeted message, they are quickly blown off the phone.
But again, it has created another negative impression of sales reps in the prospect's mind, making it that much tougher for you and me.
So, what to do? Control what YOU can. Of course, that is the way you approach your calls. Today, there is no excuse, other than laziness for not being totally prepared with intelligence about your prospects, customers, their company, and their issues. That's Smart Calling.
It's just plain dumb not to.
You can interpret this as me just trying to sell you a book and tune out now, but you're wrong. (This is one of the few products out of over 100 I have authored but did not publish myself, so I'm making, oh, maybe 60 cents per book). If you don't have it already, I urge you to go to amazon.com right now and order your copy of Smart Calling. It's about $15 for gosh sakes. You'll blow that much this weekend on something and not even think about it. This will put money in your pocket.
And don't just take my word for it, read the many glowing reviews from people who showed instant results after switching to Smart Calling from what they were doing before. Go to www.smart-calling.com/launch.html
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Success begins with getting started" - ad headline for a Scottsdale health club
There are a lot of sayings that have floated around the sales world forever, many that are outdated, some that never were true, yet the more they are repeated, the more they are accepted as gospel. One of those is: "You need to sell yourself."
This week, sales expert, Jeb Blount, discusses why that does not work, and how you should LET people buy you instead. It is based on his excellent new book, People Buy You, which has been released just this week. I recommend you get it. Learn more at www.PeopleBuyYou.com.
This Week's Tip: Despite What You Heard, Don't Sell Yourself. Let People Buy You Instead. By Jeb Blount
Most of us, at one time or another in our careers, have heard some wise trainer or manager exclaim,
"You have to sell yourself."
"If you want to get that job, son, you have to sell yourself."
"The real key to sales is your ability to sell yourself."
"If you want others to like you, you'll have to sell yourself."
The phrase sell yourself has become an easy- to-use cliché. It just rolls off the tongue. Most people will nod their heads in agreement to the statement as if some prophet on a hill had just read it from stone tablets. Then, they go forth into the world and start selling at networking events, to clients, prospects, hiring managers, and anyone else they can get to stand still for more than five minutes. You've heard it. These are the people who tell you all about themselves, their accomplishments, and how great they are.
But it does not work, because people like to buy, they don't like to be sold, as Jeffrey Gitomer says. In fact, the harder you try to sell yourself to others the more you push them away. A conversation where the other person tells you all about how great they are is a turn off.
It is a features dump. You don't walk away from that conversation thinking how much you would like to spend more time with them. Instead you think, "What a jerk,"', or "How boring,", or "Wow, that guy is full of himself."
Of course, we do love the opportunity to sell ourselves. Most of us, if given the opportunity, will talk for hours about our favorite person, oblivious to the negative impact it has on how we are viewed by others.
You cannot sell yourself to others; you have to get others to buy YOU on their terms. Even if you are preceded by a great reputation and others are anticipating meeting you, your attempts to sell yourself can backfire.
People Buy You for their reasons, not for your reasons. So when we sell people on why they should like us, it backfires. However, when they choose to buy you for their reasons, it creates a powerful connection and a relationship that makes almost anything possible.
Five Tips To Get People To Buy You
1. Be Likable: Likability is the gateway to connections and ultimately to relationships. If others don't find you likable, then it is virtually impossible to form profitable business relationships. If you are not likable, people will not buy you or from you. Likability is responsible for first impressions because it happens in an instant, and it is responsible for ongoing impressions because it can be lost in an instant. When people find you likable, the door opens to emotional connections, to trust, and ultimately to business relationships that help you build a successful career and income. Smile and use your positive attitude and optimism to project a cheerful, smiling, outgoing personality. People love to be around happy, optimistic people.
2. Connect: The key to connecting is listening deeply with your eyes and ears. Listen to what your customers say and observe their emotions. There are things they are passionate about. Look for common ground here. When you truly connect with someone, you take rapport to the next level. You begin to move from a business relationship to a friendship. Connecting tears down walls that tend to get in the way of real communication and understanding. When people feel connected with you they feel more comfortable telling you their real problems. With this information in hand, you have the opportunity to solve problems that really matter. This ability provides real value and engenders true loyalty. Strong connections are hard to break and are the foundation of truly prosperous, long-term business relationships.
3. Solve Problems: One of the immutable laws of the universe is that when you give to others, you are rewarded ten-fold. Problem solvers are the champions of the business world. However, it is impossible to solve problems you do not know about, which is why connecting is so critical. The essence of business is one person solving another person's problem. A solved problem is the value that buyers pay for. It is the most important lever in the People Buy You philosophy. The most successful business people take problem solving to the next level. These individuals are constantly on the look- out for problems they can solve-even if it has no direct impact on their business. They live by the motto, "By helping others get what they want, I will get what I want."
4. Build Trust:Trust is the glue that holds relationships together and the foundation on which all long-term relationships rest. Trust is developed with tangible evidence that you do what you say you will do, that you keep promises, and that you maintain a consistent commitment to excellence. It means going the extra mile in everything you do. In a world in which most people are doing just enough to get by, those business professionals who consistently do more than they have to, will stand out. Buyers appreciate and reward this commitment to excellence with repeat business, referrals, and ultimately with trust.
5. Create Positive Emotional Experiences: Learn to make dealing with you fun, relaxing, and rewarding. You always want to leave your customers and prospects thinking about you and remembering you positively so it is imperative that you find ways to create positive emotional experiences for your customers. The key is to focus on the little things. Remember birthdays, send handwritten notes, do the unexpected. Just as an anchor is used to hold a ship in place against currents, wind, tide, and storm,; positive emotional experiences anchor your relationships. They leave people wanting more of you.
Get the Book Now Jeb Blount is the CEO of SalesGravy.com, the most visited sale s website on the internet. A respected thought leader on sales and sales leadership, he is author of three books, People Buy You: The Real Secret to what Matters Most in Business, Sales Guy's 7 Rules for Outselling the Recession, and Power Principles. He is the author of more than 100 articles on sales and sales leadership and the host of the top rated Sales Guy Podcast. When you buy Jeb's new book, People Buy You, today, you'll also receive thousands of dollars worth of bonus gifts from sales growth leaders. Learn more at www.PeopleBuyYou.com.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Anything you can do needs to be done, so pick up the tool of your choice and get started." Ben Linder
This Week's Tip Sales Success is Similar to Liking Soccer, for Non-Fans of Soccer
Greetings! I'm really jazzed about the major sporting events going on this weekend. I'll be attending the start of the NCAA men's baseball College World Series here in Omaha, and closely following the U.S. Open golf tournament however and whenever I can.
What's that...there's another major sporting event going on? Oh yeah, that World Cup soccer thing.
Calm down, soccer fans worldwide, I'm toying with you. I know that is the biggest sporting event in the world.
However, most guys my age in the U.S, in their 40's and 50's, grew up playing baseball, football, and basketball, and many of us also got into watching hockey (congrats Blackhawks!). Then some of us got into golf--some of us much more than others.
I am one of the bigger sports geeks you'll ever meet. I have spent more time attending, watching, reading and talking about all of those sports than I am proud to admit.
However, with soccer--and I'll include tennis and NASCAR--there has been zero appeal for me over the years.
But, I can understand they are tremendously popular sports, and have rabid fans.
And right now I am really making an attempt to get into the World Cup. I'm reading everything I can about the teams, players, history, how players are developed worldwide, the importance of soccer to other countries and its citizens, those annoying horns we hear during the games, etc. I watched the end of the US-England game (right after I finished playing 18 holes).
I'm not certain I can ever become an avid fan, but I can respect how others are passionate about this and want to understand and feel where they are coming from.
What does this have to do with sales?
Well, everything. Let me put a spin on it.
You have certain thoughts, interests, beliefs, and knowledge about your products and services, why you think your prospects and customers should buy, and what YOU want to do.
But, most importantly, YOU are not your customer.
In sales, it does not matter what you want. It needs to be all about them.
When you let your interests and desires get in the way, that creates objections. That is, IF you are even able to get to that point, meaning self-interested salespeople often don't even get the chance to speak with a prospect, since their "all about me" calls, emails, and voice messages are ignored and deleted.
So here's one of the simplest principles of sales success:
Forget about what YOU want. make it all about them. I have a brief audio tip that goes into a bit more detail on this. I invite you to join me and take four minutes to listen in.
Go to www.TelesalesBlog.com and scroll down in the post to the audio player to hear the tip.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "In business or in football, it takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results." Roger Staubach
If you handle incoming telephone inquiries or follow-up on mail-in or web business leads by phone, keep one thing in mind about these people: Even though they took the initiative to contact you, they might not know what they want, or even which questions to ask you.
It's frustrating when an inquirer tells me, "Uhh, we're just interested in training," and can't be more specific. They called me, for gosh sakes! I guess that during my hectic business day, I expect someone who calls me to tell me exactly what they're looking for.
What a mistake on my part!
I need to realize that sometimes these people don't know precisely what they want, and likely aren't even aware of what's available.
It's like when I take my car in for a repair; I'm mechanically inept, and they usually realize that when I mumble something about how "it makes a noise in there somewhere." I usually have no clue about specifically what I need, and therefore, I'm a prime candidate for recommendations. (I am more picky about where I go though--one guy told me the muffler fluid was low. $50 isn't too much for muffler fluid, is it?)
WHAT TO DO Be careful here. For lack of something better to say, these folks often start with, "Well, just tell me what you have." You don't want to shift into data-dump mode, spewing in laundry-list fashion everything you sell. Since that is nothing more than a generic verbal brochure, it's likely they won't find anything of interest.
Instead, when you realize you have a prospect who can't articulate what they're looking for, be prepared with questions that get them to open up. Try to first determine the reason for the call:
"Tell me, what was it that prompted your call?"
"What ion the site caught your eye and persuaded you to contact us?"
"How did you happen to decide to call us?"
Just think about the great information you could get here. It could be like unlocking the dam of information they have inside.
Or you could get, "Uh, I dunno. Just saw the ad and thought I'd call."
OK. Then we need to focus the microscope a bit more, and uncover the real reason for the call...which would be the problem, the irritation, the annoying pebble in their shoe--not the solution; that's what they're looking for from you. Begin questioning with the big picture, then narrow it down. Ask about the past:
"What has happened in your department that helped you determine you needed to look at additional training?"
"What have you done before that didn't work as well as you would have liked? What were those results?"
Ask about the present: "What are you doing in this area right now?"
"What results are you getting?"
Or, "What do you anticipate?"
When you finally touch a tender area, then it's time to embellish their answers even further with additional questions:
"How is that affecting you/the department/ the organization?"
"And then what happened/happens?"
"What is that costing you?"
Then ask about the future. This should help you determine specifically what you should recommend:
"What results would you ideally like to see?"
Of course within this framework you'll also ask your typical qualifying questions regarding budget, authority, and time frame. After getting all of this great information, then you're in a prime position to tell them what you can do for them, and recommend your next action, whether it be a sale, appointment, or simply sending them information by mail or fax.
People who call you often don't know exactly what they need. Your questions help them tell you. And that helps them sell themselves.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "To continue learning is to embrace the process of trial and error at higher and higher levels." Michael Gelb and Tony Buzan
I was in the Seattle airport, connecting to my third flight of the day. To get to my tiny commuter plane I had to take the airport train for what seemed like a journey across the entire state of Washington.
It had been a long day already, with flight delays, and of course, full body searches by airport security personnel at every possible checkpoint.
As I stood leaning up against the pole in the seatless subway-like train, I noticed a bouncy four-year old boy with his father standing nearby. He looked at me, then asked him, "Daddy, is that man sad?"
Wow!
It hit me like a baseball bat to the head.
Although I felt pretty good, apparently that wasn't the message I was sending.
"No, I'm happy like you," I told him as I straightened up and instantly changed my expression to a smile.
Then I thought about that small change, and the effect it has on people.
So I tried a goofy experiment: I smiled at everyone I made eye contact with, or interacted with the remainder of the trip: the next security lady who went through my briefcase...ticket agent...flight attendants...rental car counter guy... and random people walking down the terminal.
An interesting thing happened: Most of them smiled back. (Except for the one woman who sped up as she passed me. Not sure, but I think I heard her say "creep.")
And it was fun!
So what's the point here?
Obviously this isn't deep intellectual sales psychology.
It's just an elementary principle that works.
Your attitude--and the one you project with your appearance, and consequently your voice--says a lot about how others perceive you, and react to you.
Sadly, there are way too many people who act and sound like it's a burden to speak with you. And I'm just talking about the people who are paid to do so!
It probably hasn't been two days since you've personally encountered someone who looked or sounded like they just sucked on a lemon before waiting on you in a store or restaurant, or spoke with you on the phone.
I asked voice expert, Susan Berkley, author of "Voice Shaping: How To Find Your Million Dollar Voice," to share a few ideas about how to project the best image on our sales calls.
HOW TO RIVET THE ATTENTION OF ANY PROSPECT OR CUSTOMER By Susan Berkley
A boring salesperson isn't just tedious for the prospect or customer. It's embarrassing for the sales rep.
If you've ever suspected you might be putting people to sleep, fear not. You don't need an elaborate bag of gimmicks to liven up your talks. All you need is a little more liveliness in your voice.
While working as a broadcaster and voice-over artist, I have discovered that the quickest and easiest way to liven up your voice is to liven up your body language.
With body language in mind, let's explore three easy ways to become a more energetic, natural communicator.
1. POSTURE Sit up straight, or even stand, when speaking on the phone. If you habitually slump in your chair, I guarantee that the tone of your voice is going to sound slumped and the people you call may find it hard to concentrate on what you are saying.
Why?
Because there is no energy in your voice to capture their interest.
2. GESTURE Even though you cannot see them, successful radio personalities use their bodies to express themselves, consciously or not. They speak with their hands. Their body language is fluid and alive--just as it was when you were a child.
Next time you are on the phone, pretend you are "on- the-air." Notice how energetic gestures add life to your voice. Try using a telephone headset so your hands can stay free and relaxed while you speak. You don't have to look like you are conducting an orchestra. A few expressive hand gestures will do.
3. FACIAL EXPRESSION Do people frequently ask you what's wrong--like Art's airport train example--even when you feel as though you are smiling and happy inside?
If so, you are probably a "secret smiler." Secret smilers tend to look intense and may scowl when they are concentrating. If you are in this group your voice may tend to flatten and sound monotonous to others. By developing a greater range of facial expression, you'll develop a more interesting and captivating voice.
Here's a great exercise to try. You will need a TV, a hand mirror, and a friend:
Step One: Turn on the TV news channel
Step Two: Watch a few news stories keeping your face relaxed and neutral.
Step Three: Look in the mirror. Pretend you are mute and have to express the feeling of each story to an imaginary third person. Do this with facial expression only.
Step Four: Repeat step three looking at your friend. Can they identify the emotion?
Selling is enough of a challenge. Don't make it tougher by projecting a gruff image. Follow these ideas and you'll liven up your voice, and your customers' and prospects' attitudes as well.
(Susan Berkley is a professional speaker and international communications expert. She is a top voiceover artist and author of "Voice Shaping: How To Find Your Million Dollar Voice," which is absolutely the best voice training product I've ever seen.
It is a seven-CD audio program, and for anyone making his or her living as a communicator, this program is a must-have. www.businessbyphone.com/vs.htm)
Go and have your best week ever!
Art
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "When it comes to body language, there are some who have better vocabularies than other." Doug Larson
This Week's Tip Stealing Business From the Competition
Greetings! This is a bit longer tip this week. Actually more of a sales training session. I know many of you use these tips in your sales meetings, so this will be an excellent fit for that.
And by the way, this was a recent cover article in my monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report eight-page newsletter, just one of the member resources for my Telesales Success Inner Circle participants.
Let's dive in.
If you place prospecting calls (hopefully Smart Calls) you probably often hear, "I already buy from X-Company," or, "We're happy with who we're using."
I know, at this point you feel like saying,
"X Company! What a bunch of losers. How can you be so dumb?"
Almost as bad--and what many salespeople actually do--is data-dumping a pitch explaining why your company is better. It's confrontational, and only causes the prospect to harden his defenses.
Another strategy is to simply make a quick exit. Which might not be bad, depending upon your industry, and the quality and quantity of names you have to work on. Many stockbrokers take this route. After all, repeatedly running into a brick wall, rebounding off, reloading and ramming into it again isn't the most efficient use of time if you have stacks of other leads staring you in the eye. Plus it hurts after a while.
But if your prospect pool is relatively finite, you can't afford to burn through names. You need to take the next step.
Get Them Talking Your best approach is to engage the prospect in a two-way conversation. You see, prospects often say "I'm happy with my supplier," because it's an easy way to get rid of a salesperson. It's instinctive. It's easy. Jumping into a pitch at this point not only falls on deaf ears, it's unwise because you don't yet know anything about them.
Engaging them in conversation, however, gets them involved, and gives you material you can work with.
A suggested route is to learn why they selected their present vendor. Once you know what influenced that behavior, you have insight into what to say so they'll consider you.
But DO NOT say, "Why did you choose them?"
The reason is that "Why?" puts them on the defensive. It forces them to justify their selection. And it can be interpreted as an attack of their reasoning. You might as well poke them in the ribs with a sharp stick and then try to sell to them.
Saying, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that," or, "Any particular reason you use them?" has the same effect.
Instead, you want to ask questions that open them up, build rapport, and ease into a conversation about how they chose their supplier, again avoiding the stern "Why?" word.
For example,
"What influenced the decision to select them?"
"What prompted the decision to go with them?"
Notice that the last two questions take the emphasis off the person, and place it instead on the decision. It's non adversarial, and is a soft way to get them talking.
By the way, I don't favor the oft-recommended "What do you like best about them?" Some might argue it gives you insight into what they want in a vendor. I maintain it asks them to reinforce their decision to pick their existing vendor--the exact opposite of what we truly want to accomplish.
The Competitions' Weaknesses What you should do now is ask questions designed to extract information not only on what his needs are, but also to point out your strengths and the competitors' weaknesses.
For example, if you know X Company has poor quality--allowing them to charge that lower price--instead of blatantly slamming X's workmanship, you'd ask a question to shed light on it:
"How often do you have customers return for service because of defective parts?"
"What do you do in situations when the units overheat?"
Now it's not YOU disparaging the competition; they're doing it for you. More importantly, they're reliving their negative experiences as they explain them. Delicious.
I don't want to paint too rosy of a picture here. Despite your best efforts, in most cases the prospect still won't budge. Then your best tactic is to keep the door open for the future. After all, we've all had those written-off, discarded prospects who surprised us with a phone call announcing,
"You called us a couple of months ago, and we'd like to do business with you."
Here are additional questions that can make that happen more often.
"Do you have a backup supplier?"
"What type of contingency do you have in place if something were to happen where you needed something in an emergency?"
"If anything were to happen with your existing supplier, could I be on the list of people you would consider?"
Or tell them,
"Please put my name and number in your vendor's file. If anything happens where they can't provide you something when you need it, would you please give me a call.
Selling against someone's existing vendor can be difficult--if you make it that way. Instead, get them talking, and you might find out exactly what you need to do to get your foot in the door.
Go and Have Your Best Week Ever!
Art
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Dreams are powerful reflections of your actual growth potential." Dr. Denis Waitley
Greetings! For the past 10 years or so, there have been plenty of reality TV shows. They're cheaper to produce for networks, and attract big audiences. Most are horrible, but that's another story.
If I were doing a reality show for salespeople, I would loosely base it on one that was very popular and aired in 2003: "Joe Millionaire." In case you don't remember it--or didn't care--the premise was this:
A bachelor had supposedly inherited a million dollars. He then took a number of unsuspecting women contestants on dates to exotic places, finally selecting one to be his partner, and share in his wealth. What the women didn't know is that "Joe" was actually a construction worker. (There's more, but you can Google it if you're that interested.)
Mine would be a much more entertaining, and useful show, probably airing on the Fox Business Network:
"Joe BigCustomare."
In this reality series, 50 salespeople are herded into a 55- story magnificent office building with gold fixtures in every bathroom, to wait their turn to win the business of Joe BigCustomare, a head honcho decision maker who will award a million dollar purchase order to one lucky and skillful sales pro.
Little do the unsuspecting sales reps know, but Joe BigCustomare is really a schlub who runs a near- bankrupt snow plowing service in Phoenix, and is behind on his truck payments.
Our focus is on one sales rep, Pat Savvy. Pat was the eighth sales rep to have a shot at pitching to Joe.
In the first episode, the first seven all pretty much took the same approach. Each paraded in to see Joe, pulling out their laptop computer and Powerpoint presentations.
They had charts, graphs, videos, reams of technical data, samples, interactive computer programs, and slickly-crafted pitches, extolling in detail each of the fine "benefits" of doing business with them.
One even got in the hot tub with Joe.
Then, it was Pat Savvy's turn.
Pat had nothing but a yellow legal pad and a pen.
And lots of questions.
Pat started out with some general questions. "So, Joe, tell me why you're looking at this product."
"How long have you been looking?"
Then Pat go into need- and problem-related questions: "What problems will it solve for you?"
"What are the other implications of the problem you're looking to solve?"
"Who else is affected by them?"
"What is the return on investment that you're looking for?"
"What do you expect to get for the price you expect to pay?"
"Why did you choose this format to choose a vendor and make a purchase?"
"Is this product going to replace another one?"
Then Pat asked about the decision-making process: "What three criteria will you weigh most heavily in choosing your vendor?"
"How did you come up with those?"
"How did you choose the previous vendor?"
"Who else will be involved in the decision making process?"
"Tell me about them and what they might be looking for."
"Will everyone else go along with your recommendation?"
"Who else will be affected by your decision?"
"Are you already leaning toward one salesperson over another?"
"If I met your criteria, the ones you mentioned, better than anyone else, would we work together?"
"When, specifically will the decision be made?"
Pat just absolutely drilled Joe with questions.
And you know what?
It was decided that Pat wasn't the best person and company to get the business. Pat was the first one eliminated.
Pat decided that, by the way. Pat quit.
You see, that by asking questions, Pat unmasked Joe.
Pat realized that Joe wasn't for real.
Pat knew Joe had no intention of making a real decision.
Joe had no money or authority, in this reality series, and Pat saw that by the answers to questions.
Joe was just parading salespeople in, all of them eager to put on their dog and pony shows, because they thought Joe was working on "some new initiative."
Pat didn't want to hang around, just an undistinguished peddler among the masses. Pat didn't do business like that. Pat's motto is, "Move them forward, or move them out."
The announcer tried to grab Pat for the obligatory interview after the losers are eliminated, where they act bitter and cry. But Pat was nowhere to be found. Until later, where the announcer caught up to Pat after a sales call.
Announcer: "Pat, you were one of the first sales reps eliminated. How do you feel about that, and why are you smiling?"
"I feel great. I always say, if there's not a fit, find that out early. Don't try to shove a square peg into a round hole. You won't create business where it never will exist. I knew there would never be a real sale here... and by the way, I'm smiling because I got out of there quick, and used that time to close a deal minutes ago with a real customer."
Announcer: "Any more sales cliches that people make fun of, but are actually true?"
"Yes, big business isn't necessarily good business. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. You don't need to get all of the business, just the business that is profitable for you."
Announcer: "So, sometimes you need to know when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em ..."
"You need to know when to walk away, and when to not quote bad country songs."
Announcer: "It looks like losing was actually winning for you."
Precisely. ACTION STEP Do you have any Joe BigCustomare's out there?
These are the people who look like they might be legit, when in fact they'll yank your chain for months or years if you allow them. Analyze your own follow up files right now and make some tough choices. Ask them the tough questions next time. And be aware, and beware of these types so you can treat the situation accordingly.
Go and Have Your Best Week Ever!
Art
QUOTE OF THE WEEK "Forget the times of your distress, but never forget what they taught you." Herbert Gasser
s website on the internet. 