Author: mike

How to Worry Less & Enjoy Life More: New Book!

by mike

I’d like to invite you all to join me on my journey through a new phase of my career: From this point forward, I’m going to spend more time pursuing what I’ve always done professionally (write), but I’m going to be writing more of the kind of books that have always spoken to me.

Moreover, (and this is a big change), I’m going to begin publishing under my real name: Michael Zajaczkowski! For years, I’ve used my middle name, Brooks, because it was much easier to say over the phone, but in my personal life, my friends and family know me as just Michael Z.

My new book is called: The Owner’s Manual to Life: In case you missed that day in school when they handed it out. (Simple Strategies to Worry Less and Enjoy Life More)

In this book, you’ll find 100 inspirational quotes and two-page essays that will give you simple strategies and tips for living life more easily, and for worrying less and enjoying life a whole lot more.

Some of the quotes include:

“Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from what you can do.”—John Wooden

“Life is half delicious yogurt, half crap, and your job is to keep the plastic spoon in the yogurt.”—Scott Adams

“Worry is a terrible waste of the imagination.”

“It is what it is, but it will become what you make it.”

And many more. See the book here.

While I’ll still be working with a select group of clients with my inside sales company, I’ll be spending a lot more time pursuing my new path: writing both fiction and nonfiction.  

This new book is the result of over 20 years helping business professionals not only achieve more financial success, but also helping them achieve balance in their lives and finding joy along the way. And that’s what you’ll get from this new book as well.

Brian Tracy says:

“In The Owner’s Manual to Life, Michael Zajaczkowski has compiled 100 of the most important life lessons, and in his unique way makes them accessible and exciting for everyone. This book will truly make you worry less and enjoy life more!”

–Brian Tracy, Author/Speaker/Consultant

To encourage you to pre-order this week, I’m holding a contest: After you’ve placed your order, simply email your receipt to me (Mike@mrinsidesales), and I’ll hold a drawing next week. Whoever I pick will receive a signed copy of my bestselling book on sales: Power Phone Scripts!

Pre-order The Owner’s Manual here.

Best,

Michael Brooks Zajaczkowski

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Stop Beating Yourself Up!

by mike

Have you ever observed your self-talk after you lose a sale?

Mine used to go something like this:

“Darn it! I suck at this!”

“This product will never sell!”

“The leads are trash, and I actually agree with some of my prospect’s objections!”

“I wonder what I can sell that’s easier than this?”

“Should I go back to school?”

And on and on. . .

While managers want you to jump on the next call, go from a negative experience and be positive again and “smile and dial,” you know how hard that is.

Here’s the solution: Rather than try to go from negative to positive (very hard to do), it’s better to go from negative to neutral first and then on to positive. Here’s how:

When you lose a sale or suffer a difficult call (could be a prospecting call), you hang up and find your attitude is a bit negative, simply say to yourself: “Okay. That’s okay.” And then leave it at that. Accept it. It is what it is, and you can’t change it. Just accept it and get back to neutral.

Then ask yourself what went wrong? Dissect it. What did you do wrong? Identify it. Once you have, then:

Get positive and identify what you’re going to change next time. What are you going to say or not say next time? How are you going to keep from talking past the close? (Maybe use, “Oh?” or actually get back to the script?).

By identifying what you did wrong, finding a way to do better next time, and then use the more positive approach, you can go from negative to neutral to positive and make your next call, and your next day and week, better.

And that’s what you want to do, isn’t it? Try it next time you find yourself negative.

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

The Simplest Way to Qualify

by mike

Problem: Salespeople talk too much when they finally get a prospect on the phone.

They pitch features and benefits instead of asking questions and qualifying.

They talk over their prospects and generally learn very little about what it takes to close a sale.

Result? They may get some leads out and set up some “demos or presentations,” but because they didn’t discover whether a prospect was truly a buyer and in the market at that time, their close rate is a disappointing 2 sales out of 10 full presentations….

Compare that with your own close rate or your team’s closing percentages.

Solution: Ask questions and listen more.

This may sound easy, but if you’ve listened to any of your rep’s calls (or your own), then you know how hard it is.

Here is the simplest way to do it. Adopt the word “Oh?” into your qualifying pitch and find your MUTE button.

It goes like this: Ask a qualifying question, then hit MUTE and listen.

If you get an answer that doesn’t really tell you anything, or if you feel a prospect is trying to hide the real answer, simply unmute yourself and say, “Oh?” with your voice lifting up at the end of the word. Like you’re really curious.

Then hit MUTE again and listen as your prospect reveals more. Much more.

Don’t be fooled by this. It may seem simple, but it’s hard to do. However, when you do it, you’ll move into the rarefied air of top closers. You’ll discover hidden buying motives—and you’ll discover real objections.

In short, you’ll begin to tell the buyers from the non-buyers, and that is the start of closing more sales and making more money.

Try it today.

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Second Quick Fix to Get Your VMs Returned

by mike

To follow up on the blog post from two weeks ago (about the one quick fix to get your VMs returned), here is the second quick fix:

Stop trying to trick your prospect!

Everyone knows that a partial message like:

“Hey _______, this is Mike. Call me back as soon as you can…” just reeks of a tricky salesperson calling.

I ALWAYS delete these messages the moment I hear them. So do your prospects.

The proven formula is simple:

Leave your name, company name, and a brief reason you’re calling (especially one that includes a benefit for your prospect), and then leave your phone number SLOWLY and twice.

There are other proven techniques, too, like requesting some help—and promising you’ll be quick and won’t waste their time—but I’ve already written about those. (Search my blog if you missed them.)

Bottom line: Stop trying to be tricky, and stop sounding like a desperate sales rep. Your prospects can see through you and your message will be deleted quickly. Believe me.

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Improve Your VM Callbacks with This One Simple Fix

by mike

It happened just this second. . .

I checked my voicemail and found two messages.

One was from a business owner who wanted to speak to me about training for his sales team.

The other was a vague message from someone named, “Ty” who just said, “Hey Mike this is Ty; call me back when you can. . . “

Now here’s the problem: They both left their phone numbers so quickly that I had to listen back to the message four times—all the way to the end, by the way—before I was able to write down their whole number.

Guess which one I did all that work for and which one I deleted?

Yep—the business prospect, of course.

But even then I didn’t want to. I mean, why should I have to listen to a message four times, just to write their phone number down?

If you’re leaving voice messages and not getting call backs, consider whether you’re making it hard for your prospects to write your number down.

If you’ve identified yourself as a sales rep (like in the second example above. . . where do I start?!), then there’s no way someone is going to go through the hassle of replaying your message to figure out your number.

So here is the quick fix: Leave your phone number SLOWLY and twice so your prospect doesn’t have to replay your message a bunch of times.

It’s the simplest way to give yourself the best chance of being called back!

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Stop Jumping Through Hoops to Get a Sale

by mike

So many sales reps are anxious when they speak with a prospect. It seems they are afraid and think things like:

“Will they like my product or service?”

“Am I speaking with the right person?”

“Do they have the budget or is my solution too much for them?” And on and on…

As such, many reps don’t ask the “tough” questions, like:

“What kind of budget do you have set aside for this?”

“If you like what you see, what is your timeline for moving ahead with this?”

And, if they are an influencer collecting information, then:

“What is the timeline of the (decision maker) to put something like this to work for them?”

“What are they hoping to find in a solution like ours?”

And, to qualify the influencer:

“How do you get involved in the decision process?”

“Does the (decision maker) take your suggestions/advice?”

“When would YOU like to see this solution put in effect?”

The questions above are the questions that all top closers ask. They know that unless they get these “tough” questions answered, there is no way to move the sale forward. Plus, they know that most of the “prospects” they speak with don’t turn into a deal anyway, so, why not learn who is a real prospect right from the get go?

By getting the answers to these questions, you can stop spending time with non-qualified prospects, and spend more of your valuable time with real buyers.

And isn’t that what you want to do?

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Three Quick Tips to Increase Your Voicemail Callbacks

by mike

Tired of leaving tons of voicemails and not hearing back from anyone?

Incorporate these proven techniques and give yourself the best chance of hearing back from prospects:

#1: Use the “I need a little help, please…” technique. Everyone wants to be helpful, and by leading with this statement, you’ll at least peak someone’s interest, and get them to listen a little bit longer.

#2: Next, make sure and let them know you’ll be brief when they call you back. Most prospects don’t call you back because they don’t want to get caught in a lengthy “pitch,” and they certainly don’t have time to waste. By stating, in advance, that you’ll be brief, you’ll give yourself the best chance of having someone call you back.

#3: Finally, make it easy for your prospect to call you back. In other words, leave your phone number slowly, deliberately, and twice. Also, tell them your name again at the end as well.

Here’s a template voicemail that you can fit your product or service into:

“Hi {first name} (or if you don’t know the person you’re trying to reach, then just skip this and say):

“Hi, I need a little bit of help, please. My name is _______ ________ and my company is _________. Briefly, we provide XYZ. Could you take just a minute to return my call and point me in the right direction? I promise I won’t pitch you or try to sell you something; I just need to know the right person or department I should contact.

“My return phone number is—I’ll start with the area code—(919) 267-4202. (Say this SLOWLY). Once again, my number is (repeat number here), and my name is ________. Thank you in advance, and I’ll look forward to spending just a minute with you.”

Now, is this the guaranteed recipe for getting 100% of your voicemails returned? No! There isn’t one. BUT, by being transparent, polite, and promising not to waste someone’s time, you’ll be giving yourself the best opportunity to get those who might call you back, to go ahead and dial your number.

And I’ll bet that’s better than what’s happening now…

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Some Will, Some Won’t, Who’s Next?

by mike

It took me years to believe this. At first, it seemed almost rude to utter it…

But let me ask you: out of ten prospects you pitch to, how many end up actually buying?

My guess? Two.

Yep, two out of ten prospects you speak with turn into buyers.

And this means that you spend hours each day pitching to people who are never going to buy!

That’s why most people get burned out in sales. That’s why most salespeople find sales discouraging. That’s why many sales teams don’t make their quotas.

The answer, of course, is simple: Only pitch and spend with those prospects who are actually going to turn into sales—yep, those two people…

I know you still have to prospect and spend time with the other eight, but how about reducing that time? How about disqualifying them early and revealing that they are never going to buy from you?

How do you do that? You do it by qualifying and asking the tough questions and being honest about what they are telling you and being willing to walk away.

Never skip the important qualifying questions at the beginning of your pitch like:

“What is your timeline for making this decision?”

“What kind of budget do you have set aside for this?”

“Besides yourself, who else is involved in making this decision?”

“And from what we’ve just gone over, do you think they would like this?”

There are many other qualifying questions, of course, and I’ve written about them in detail and given you word for word scripts and questions to make it easy on you, but the above questions will always reveal who the two out of ten buyers are.

And it will also reveal who the other eight are.

Now that you’ve got the questions to help you decide who to spend time with, will you use them?

Remember, “Some will, some won’t. Who’s next?”

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Say This to Get Better—Right Now!

by mike

Want some quick (and easy!) tips that will make you better Right Away?

You’ll find them below, and I guarantee that if you use them, you’ll not only identify buyers faster, but you’ll feel more confident, you’ll close more sales, and your income will grow—starting today.

Here are quick/easy things you can say to make yourself—or your sales team—better:

Instead of saying, “I don’t know if you have any budget for this…”

Say: “And what type of budget do you have set aside for this?”

Instead of saying, “Why don’t we set up another meeting to talk about this…”

Say: “From what you’ve seen today, is this something you feel would work for you?”

Instead of saying, “The sooner you start with this, the sooner you’ll see the results…”

Say: “What is your timeline for getting started with something like this?”

BETTER: “Based on what you’ve seen today, does this sound like something you’d like to put to work for you?”

Instead of saying, “Who else needs to look at this?”

Say: “Is this something that you would recommend to (this other person)?”

And if YES, then: “And do they generally take your recommendations?”

OR: “I’m sure you work with (the other person) pretty closely, so from what you know about what they’re looking for, do you think they would go with this?”

As you can see, the point is to be more assumptive, instead of beating around the bush and not asking.

Remember, YOU are the closer, and YOU need to be leading the sale. And you can. And by adopting the questions above, you will!

And if you’d like more scripts like this, then download my Complete Book of Scripts by clicking here.

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today

Tie-Downs: You’re Using Them, Right?

by mike

It’s a new year, and the sooner you learn, practice, and use new habits, the faster you’ll get better results.

This is true whether you’re attempting to eat better, work out more, or make more sales.

And one easy and important habit you can develop right now is to use more tie-downs.

Ask yourself: After I give a benefit to my product or service, do I use a tie-down to see if it’s important to my prospect?

Tie-downs include things like:

“Do you find that, too?”

“How would you use something like that?”

Budget: “The investment in this is $10,000—is that within your budget right now?”

“Is that the amount you’d be willing to spend if you like what you see?”

While tie-downs are self-evident, it’s amazing how few sales reps use them. If you’re a manager or business owner, ask yourself: How often do my team members get confirmation and direction from their prospects by using tie-downs?

If they don’t, they likely just keep pitching and talking past the close. And the dangers of that are also self-evident.

So: New year, new you? If you want to get new results, you’ll need to adopt the new habits that will lead to success.

And that starts by using tie-downs.

If you’d like to know more about tie-downs and want word for word examples of them, then click here.

Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day?

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

If your team is struggling with call reluctance and is tired of the endless rejection they face, then get instant access to our On Demand training today. We provide the exact talk tracks, templates, and proven tools your team will be motivated to apply, all structured around an award winning comprehensive inside sales approach that gives your team the confidence to succeed in every selling situation they face today.

Unlimited License: One to 100 reps can attend for one low price!

Perfect for reps dealing with the following issues:

  • Reps struggling with call reluctance
  • Getting screened out by the gatekeeper
  • Overcoming blow off objections like, “Just email me something”
  • Identifying decision makers
  • Qualifying prospects
  • Setting call back appointments that stick
  • Giving successful presentations and dealing with objections
  • Staying motivated
Get Access Today