Tag: sales scripts

The Price Objection—Again!

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!

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

Lessons From the NFL to Close More Business

by mike

Are you ready for some football?

The first preseason games are in the books, and coaches are watching game film and teaching players how to improve every week.

I read a piece by Peter King from SI.com about his conversation with Ellis Hobbs—former cornerback with the New England Patriots. He was talking about how much respect he had for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

Ellis said, “Early in my career, Bill called me into his office, and we sat there, for a long time, studying game film. He taught me to look for the simple things, and not to make football so complicated. I got better. I was with one of the best coaches of all time, and he helped me become a better player.”

In inside sales, too, you can become a better sales producer if you concentrate on the simple things and doing them better. Here are two things you can do starting today to increase your closing ratio and make more money:

#1: Keep a record of the reasons your prospects don’t close and then concentrate on qualifying on these issues up front with your next prospects. This was one of the simplest and most effective habits I developed early on to get better.

I kept a notebook with all my prospects in it and every time they didn’t buy, I’d put in red ink the reason why not. I even boiled it down to three codes: NI, for No Interest; NM for No Money; and NC for Not Cooperative.

And then throughout the days and weeks I’d go back through my notebook and look for patterns and ask myself, “What do I need to focus on during the qualification stage?”

If too many prospects were not buying because they simply weren’t ready to buy right then, then “No Interest” needed to be addressed during the qualifying call. I’d start by asking more direct questions like: 

“_______, if you find that this would work for you, what is your time frame for moving ahead with it?”

And so on.  Bottom line—if you don’t get it right during the qualifying call, then you’ll never increase your closing ratio.

#2: Ask for bigger orders on every close. Oh, I know, you’ve heard this before, right? But how often do you actually do it? 

So many sales reps are afraid to ask for too much and are just happy to get a minimum order. I know because I used to be that way…

But my career turned around when I began asking for bigger orders on every single call. And what I learned is that you never know how much a person or company can handle. You can always go down (in price, quantity, etc.), but you can never go up.

The truth is, it’s all the same amount of work anyway, so why not ask for two times, or three times the minimum order and see what you get? If only two in ten of your prospects buy the increased amount, how much more money would that mean to you?

In addition, the good part about consistently asking for more is that you’ll end up getting more—and every time you do, you reinforce the habit to do it. And as soon as you get a taste of closing bigger deals, you begin looking for and expecting them. Try it and you’ll see for yourself. It’s one of the simplest things you can do to make a lot more money.

So, there you have it—two simple ways of closing more business and making more money. Just remember as you’re reading this, NFL players and coaches are working on the simple things to improve. 

You should be doing so, too!

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

3 Things You Should Stop Saying in Sales

by mike

I have listened to thousands of sales calls over the years, and I spend the majority of my coaching and training hours listening to sales calls even today. And I still hear the same mistakes….

Here are three things NOT to say if you want to become more effective at opening and closing more sales:

#1: When speaking with a gatekeeper and they ask if they can tell the prospect who is calling, don’t:

  • Just say your name (“John,” or “John Davis”)—and then nothing else…
  • Say your name and company name
  • Say your name and company name and then start pitching the gatekeeper…

Instead, respond with: “Absolutely! Please tell prospect’s first name, that John Davis is holding, please.”

#2: If you’re speaking with a client and you’re asking if they need to order anything, don’t say:

  • I’m just calling to see if you need anything today?

Instead, change the question to make it assumptive. Ask: “While I have you on the phone, what’s on your white board that you’ll be needing soon?”

You can adjust this to fit your product or service, but always change “Is there anything” to “What are you looking for…”

#3: When you are scheduling an appointment to follow up, don’t use the generic:

  • I’ll call you in a month to follow up…

Instead, you should ask the prospect when a good time to follow up is. AND, make this ask assumptive. Try: “When would you like me to check back in with you?”

By asking the prospect when you should follow up, you’ll be able to gauge their urgency and assess their buying rhythms. If they tell you 6 months, then suggest you’ll check in with them in 3, just in case something changes.

Little tweaks like this can make a huge difference in your overall sales results. Remember: practice doesn’t make perfect; it just makes permanent.

Only practice of perfection makes perfect.

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

Best Thing to Do After You Write a Deal?

by mike

Writing a deal (making a sale), is an exhilarating thing, and there are many ways to celebrate.

Some companies have a deal board where you can write down your latest sale so the other team members can see it.

Other companies have a bell to ring, so, again, other team members can be encouraged by your success.

I’ve seen some reps strut around the office, stopping at their workmate’s desk to share their glory or tell the (often long) story of how that deal went down.

Some sales reps go directly into the kitchen where they’ll find a group of other reps—and even a manager or two—and they share the good news there.

Other reps may go down to the café or coffee shop and treat themselves to a latte or piece of pie.

Question: What do all of these forms of celebration have in common?

Answer: They all take you (and your successful energy) away from your desk—and your next pitch.

Years ago, when I was telling the fourth sales rep of my latest big sale, my manager pulled me aside and asked me if I was excited by my successful close. “Heck yeah!” I replied.

He then suggested that my next presentation might benefit from the success and momentum I had. He said that wasting that on other sales reps (and taking them off the phone) was a waste of that energy, and that the best thing I could do after making a sale was to pick up the phone and make another one.

I was a little offended by this, but I took his advice and channeled my energy into my next pitch, and guess what? I closed that deal, too!

And that’s when I got it. “Strike while the iron’s hot,” the expression is.

Nothing breeds success like success, and prospects and clients can feel when you’re successful. And they want to buy from someone who is enthusiastic and successful.

So, the next time you close a sale, stay at your desk! Pick the phone up and keep that momentum going!

Remember: The best time to make a sale is right after you’ve made one!

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

“How to Avoid: ‘Will He Know What This Call is About?’”

by mike

How many times have you been stopped by the gatekeeper asking you:

“Will he/she know what this call is about?”

OR

“Have you spoken to him/her before?”

OR

“Is he/she expecting your call?”

Frustrating, isn’t it?

In all likelihood, you yourself are creating this objection by the way you’re opening your dialogue with the gatekeeper.

The number one mistake inside sales teams make when asking to speak with someone is not using a directive statement afterward. In other words, just asking to speak to someone and then not saying anything else.

The number two mistake is not giving your company name, thereby forcing the gatekeeper to do her/his job and ask you for it.

Here’s what not to do:

Gatekeeper: “Johnson company, may I help you?”

Sales Rep: “Can I talk to {prospect’s name}?”

OR worse:

Sales Rep: “Is {prospect’s name} available?”

The problem is that you didn’t use the magic word: “please.”

Using “please” instructs the gatekeeper to put you through, and, at the very least, encourages them to be polite to you. Here’s how it usually goes:

Gatekeeper: “Johnson company, may I help you?”

Sales Rep: “Hi, can I speak with {prospect’s name} please?”

Gatekeeper will now ask: “Can I tell him who is calling, please?”

Note here that the gatekeeper will use “please” right back to you—this as a good sign! The gatekeeper is now taking your lead and being polite to you!The

You reply exactly with:

“Absolutely! Please tell him/her {your first and last name} with {your company name} is holding please.”

That last part: “is holding please” is the directive part that both instructs the gatekeeper to put you through, and signals the end of your transaction with them.

This technique works 80%+ of the time.

So, if you’re getting any of the previous screening questions, you can end that today by learning and using a better approach.

Try it for a week and smile as you get put through to more decisions makers!

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

One Great Close You Should Be Using

by mike

How do you handle the following two big objections?

“Your price is too high.”

“I can get a better deal/rate/price using XYZ”

Arguably, these may be the two most frustrating objections sales reps get, and interestingly, there is one technique that works amazingly well—but few sales reps use it.

Instead, the vast majority of reps stumble when they get these objections, or worse: they lower their prices to try to compete.

The best way to handle this is to…

Isolate it! Just like you should do with most objections.

Here is the easiest way to do this:

Whenever you get either of the two objections above, simply respond with:

“In addition to price, what else is important to you?”

OR

“In addition to price, what else is holding you back today?”

Then hit that oh-so-important MUTE button, and let your prospect tell you how to sell them.

That’s it!

For those of you thinking this is too easy, I challenge you to use it for the next month each time you get this objection.

You’ll be amazed at what you hear—and how much further you can take your prospects…

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

Most Popular Article of the Last Two Years!

by mike
most popular sales blog article, sales article about overcoming objections, phone scripts, sales scripts, cold calling scripts,

As a sales rep, you need solutions to the problems you face when selling over the phone. You don’t need theory, you need actual word-for-word responses that aren’t salesy.

Responses that work.

And that’s why my blog has thousands of subscribers and why more and more sales teams are added daily.

I thought you’d benefit from my most popular article I’ve published over the last two years. It’s no surprise it deals with objections you get while prospecting.

Study these and adapt them to your product or service and then use them to overcome the objection: “We’re all set.”

And happy Holidays!

BTW: A variation of this objection is anything along the lines of:

“We are okay with our present system.”

OR

“We’ve already got a company that handles that.”

OR

“We’re fine for right now.”

Here’s how to handle it:

“We’re all set”

Response One:

“That’s great, and I’d just like to see if we could get on your vendor list for the next time you’re in the market. Let me ask you…” 

Now get into your qualifying questions…

Response Two:

“Most companies I speak with are ‘all set’ and that’s why I’m reaching out to you now—I want to give you an option for the next time you’re in need of this. Let me ask you…”

Back to qualifying…

Response Three:

“No problem. Let me ask you: the next time you’re in need of this, what’s number one on your wish list?”

Response Four:

“I understand – I didn’t expect to catch you in the market right now. Instead, let me get an idea of your perfect profile, and then I’ll send you some information you can keep on file next time you need this…”

Now re-engage by asking a qualifying question.

Response Five:

“Got it. Let me ask you: the next time you are in need of this, are you the right person to speak to about it?”

If yes, then qualify them for that next time—especially asking about timeframe, budget, etc.

Response Six:

“Understand, and let me ask you: When is your next buying season for this?”

Then keep the conversation going by asking additional qualifying questions.

Response Seven:

“That’s fine; I totally understand. And let me ask you—the next time you are in the market for this, how many companies are you going to reach out to?” 

And then ask how you can become one of them, what their budget is, who the decision makers are, etc.

Response Eight:

“No problem. What you might find helpful is to know about our special pricing and the additional services we provide. Did you know that….”

Then pitch one or two things you do that others don’t – and use a tie down!

Response Nine:

“I’m glad you said that. What I’ve found is that those companies who are already using a vendor for this are surprised to learn that….”

Give them a shocking statement about how you’ve just been rated number one, or that you give free delivery, etc. Something that will peak their interest…

Response Ten:

“No problem. Could I be the “next in line” company you call the next time you’re in the market for this?”

If yes,

“Great, let me get your email and send you my info…”

Then:

“And just out ofcuriosity, what would have to change for you to even begin looking at someoneelse?”

Look for an in here…

So there you have it: ten ways of handling this age old blow off.  Just remember, your goal isn’t to try to overcome this—rather, it’s to sidestep this resistance statement and get information you can use to create value and continue the conversation.

Now, it’s not too late to give yourself the best gift you’ll get this holiday season: Over 500 more word-for-word scripts, questions, and phrases that will help you make 2019 your Best Year Yet!

Order Power Phone Scripts here.

Note: There will not be a blog article next week on Christmas Day. Our next blog will come out on Wednesday, January 2nd.