I don’t know why tie downs aren’t used more by sales reps selling over the phone. I was listening to an experienced rep the other day just pitch and ad-lib to a good prospect, and at the end of the call, she had no idea about the prospect’s level of interest, nor did she qualify […]
I don’t know why tie downs aren’t used more by sales reps selling over the phone. They serve several crucial functions, including: Getting confirmation that the point you just made was understood and accepted by your prospect. This is especially important when selling over the phone as you don’t have the physical clues that tell […]
You’ve probably heard that nothing identifies you more as a sales person than using the worn out greeting, “How are you today?” right? Prospects know immediately who is calling and they can’t wait to get you off the phone. You know what else identifies you as a sales person? Using any of the following worn […]
Sales people like to talk; if you don’t believe me, just listen to a recording of one of your reps (or of yourself!). This is a problem. And that’s because when your mouth is open, your ears are closed. And when your ears are closed, you learn nothing about your prospect’s buying motives, their possible […]
I was onsite training in Montreal, Canada last week—a software company, hi everyone! —and one of the sales reps brought up today’s quote as we were reviewing calls during the training. The call was a closing presentation—a demo, really—and after about an hour of slides and features and benefits, the rep was anxious to set […]
Top Characteristic Part Six is difficult for many sales people to develop and practice, yet it’s one of the most important of skills to cultivate. And it is: Top Characteristic Part Six: Learn to build rapport before, during and after a sale. While most people think that sales people have the “gift of gab” and […]
In today’s ongoing series of the “Top Ten Characteristics of Top Sales Producers,” I’m going to give you a powerful way to open your closes. This is a technique that top producers use all the time, but that most sales reps are afraid of using. If you do this right, however, you’ll have the confidence […]
Last week, in Top Characteristic Number Two, I introduced the concept of scripting out the very best responses to the selling situations and objections you get into 80 to 90% of the time. I urged you to practice, drill and rehearse these responses until they become automatic. The point here is that you are practicing […]
If you give a demo or presentation to showcase your product or service, then you probably know all about the frustration of getting to the end, presenting your pricing options and then asking for the order only to be told a variation of, “Well, let me think about it/talk to corporate/get back to you, etc.”. […]
Sometimes, when something doesn’t turn out the way we want, it turns out to be a good thing… This happened to me early on in my consulting career, when I started working from my office in my home: One day my router stopped working and my internet went out. I was in the middle […]
