Stop Jumping Through Hoops to Get a Sale

March 17, 2023March 17, 2023 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

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023 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!

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?

February 19, 2023February 19, 2023 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!

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!

February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 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!

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?

January 20, 2023January 20, 2023 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!

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

How to Sell A Pencil—Or Any Product or Service

January 14, 2023January 14, 2023 by mike

NOTE: While this article talks about using this technique as an interview question to determine what kind of sales rep you’re about to hire, it’s also a great technique for managers to use to diagnose what is wrong with reps who may not be hitting quote consistently. Simply call your reps in, one by one, and ask them:

“If I gave you a pencil and asked you to sell it, how would you go about it?”

This is one of the most basic of interview questions I use for prospective sales reps, and the answer reveals so much about their previous training, their understanding of the sales process, and ultimately about what kind of sales rep they are going to be.

So, what is the most effective way to sell a pencil?

Let’s first look at how most sales reps go about doing it. When I’m interviewing sales reps, this is my favorite question. After letting a rep tell me how good of a closer they are, I pull out a pencil, hand it to them, and tell them to sell it to me. And off they go…

80% of sales reps start the same way – they start pitching. “This pencil is brand new, never used. It has grade “2” lead and a bright yellow color so it’s easy to find. It comes with a built-in eraser,” etc.

Some reps can (and do!) talk about it for 5 minutes or more before they ask a question or ask for an order (more rare). As the sales rep rambles on, I begin to yawn, roll my eyes, etc. Amazingly, this just makes them talk even more!

“What’s wrong with these people?” I think.

Now let’s look at how the Top 20% go about selling a pencil. As soon as I give a top rep the pencil, they pause, and then they begin asking me questions:

“So how often do you use pencils?”

“How many do you go through in a month?”

“What other locations does your company have that use pencils, and how often do they order them?”

“What quantity do you usually order them in?”

“Where are you getting them from now?”

“Besides yourself, who’s involved in the buying decision?”

Quite a difference, isn’t it? I’ll tell you right now, I listen to hundreds of sales reps in a month, and they can easily be separated into these two groups: Those who pitch, pitch, pitch, and those who take the time to understand their prospect’s buying motives and properly qualify to understand the entire selling process.

Now let’s see which category you fit in. When you speak with a prospect for the first time, how much of your script is focused on describing and pitching your product or service as opposed to questioning and uncovering buying motives?

If yours is like most scripts I review, then it’s filled with descriptions of what you do and how your product or service helps people. Most scripts attack the prospect with a barrage of “value statements” that turn people off and make them want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible.

Want a better way? Then take a tip from some of the best “pencil sales reps,” and change your script and your opening so it focuses more on questioning and qualifying. Seek to discover whether or not you are actually speaking with someone who is a good fit for what you offer.

Without knowing this, you will just end up with a lot of frustration and a lot of unsold pencils at the end of the month.

If you found this article helpful, then you’ll love my Completely Updated and Revised eBook, “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts.” Now over 130 pages of powerful and effective scripts to help you easily get past the gatekeeper, set appointments, overcome objections and close more money!

Vis it Here to find out why Jeffrey Gitomer, Brian Tracy, Tom Hopkins and many others recommend my eBook of Phone Scripts!

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

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

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

2 Great New Year’s Questions for Your Clients

January 2, 2023January 2, 2023 by mike

Welcome back to the office, how do you feel? Overwhelmed? Under pressure already?

If so, then you’re not alone. Most companies are under immediate pressure already to begin accomplishing their new goals and sales targets. In fact, this is also felt in the accounting department, the marketing department, and everywhere else. You can probably feel it in your company, too.

As you speak with your clients and prospects this week, realize that they are all feeling the same stress as well. While this may seem like a bad thing, it actually presents a great opening for you.

Here’s how I handle the companies and contacts I speak with this month: after talking briefly about the holidays and new year’s celebration, I always start with question number one –

“So ________, what are the top 3 initiatives for your department this year?” Then I hit mute and take notes.

If they need a little help here, I use layering questions like:

“And what was your revenue like last year?” Or

“What percentage increase are you asked to produce this year?” Or

“What are you doing differently to accomplish this?”

“What do you think is most needed for you to succeed at that?”

After I’ve listened and asked layering questions and taken notes on the three initiatives, I ask the second question –

“And how can I help you accomplish that?”

Once again, I hit the mute button and take notes. If I get an, “Ah, I don’t know,” then I once again use layering questions like:

“Have you heard of my new On Demand Inside Selling Skills Training?” Or I ask a good assumptive question like:

“How much of a budget do you have per quarter for sales training?” And,

“How big of a role do you think increased sales training is going to play?” Or,

“If you could wave a magic wand and get three resources to help you accomplish your goals, what would they be?”

Now I’m sure you can come up with your own questions here, but you get the idea.

The point is to ask questions and LISTEN to your prospect’s needs. Remember, your clients and prospects have all the information you need to make a sale, and they will almost always tell you IF YOU ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN TO THEIR RESPONSES.

So, write up your questions, call your prospects, and listen to how best to serve and sell them!

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

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

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 Price Objection—Again!

October 28, 2022October 28, 2022 by mike

If you’re ever challenged with the objection, “Your price is pretty high for that…” and you are tempted to see if you can lower your price to compete, what is the most important bit of information you need?

Think about this…

I was listening to a training call the last week, and the prospect told the rep that his price was quite high for a certain item. The rep then asked for the part number and told this prospect that he would “see what I can do.”

Now that may seem fine, but what is the crucial bit of information he needs to compete here?

He needs to know what other “lower” prices the prospect is seeing—or if the lower price he can offer is low enough to beat the price the prospect has and so win the deal.

If you’re ever faced with this situation, here is what to say:

Prospect: “Your price on these is too high.”

You: “I understand. What price have you been seeing on this?”

Then:

“I’m happy to see what I can do, and let me ask you: How many of these do you need? When do you need them by? Finally, if I can match that price, is this something you want to go ahead and order from us?”

By getting this kind of information, you’ll be positioning yourself to not only get a commitment on the order, but you’ll know how many and when.

Try this the next time you’re in this situation and watch your sales—and your commission—grow.

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

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

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

Call Back Sooner Than You Think You Should

October 14, 2022October 14, 2022 by mike

I don’t know why sales reps always default to: “I’ll call you again in a month…” Or 60 days or 90 days, etc.

Why would you want to miss all the sales this prospect will place in the meantime?

The smart thing to do is ask a prospect what their buying schedule is. Try:

“How often do you find yourself needing these?”

“I’m happy to call you back at the end of this week—do you think you’ll have some clarity over your needs by then?”

“I don’t want to bug you, but I do want to be there for you, so would it be best to call you in a week or would two be better?”

“When would be the best time for me to follow up with you?” (And then call them two weeks before whatever date they give you!)

The bottom line is that most sales reps simply don’t have any idea of when they should follow up—because they never ask!

The next time you have someone on the phone, don’t assume a month or two or three is the best time to follow up. Ask them!

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

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

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

“Can You Email That to Me?”

September 20, 2022September 20, 2022 by mike

What’s the number one blow off prospects use these days?

“Can you email something to me?”

If you think about it, that’s the perfect stall. They aren’t saying no, and it implies that they’ll talk to you later…

Unfortunately, later becomes never, as chasing down busy professionals—especially people who now don’t want to be followed up with—becomes nearly impossible.

The solution? Be prepared with a good script and a good strategy. The one I like most is to prepare an initial email in advance (it can be generic or it can include an initial quote of services) and have it ready to send at a moment’s notice.

And then when a prospect blows you off with, “Can you email something to me?” use the following script:

“I’d be more than happy to do that – where would you like me to email that?”

[Take their email down and then email them your information right now.]

“O.K., it’s on the way to you. What I’d like to do right now is take just two minutes to get an idea of what’s important to you, and then I can direct you to that part of the information when you get around to it. Let me ask you:

“How do you get involved in ordering/handling/working with the XYZ?”

“From a needs standpoint, how motivated is (your company/department/are you) to change/fix/replace/buy XYZ right now?”

“What would you need to see in the information I just sent you for you to become seriously interested in making a change in how you’re handling XYZ now?”

If you follow this strategy, then you’ll be ready to sidestep the email stall and get right into qualifying!

How great will that be?

Try this technique yourself and watch as you begin qualifying real buyers, or disqualifying those who just want to get you off the phone…

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

ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS!

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