Stop Beating Yourself Up!

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

The Simplest Way to Qualify

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

How to Sell A Pencil—Or Any Product or Service

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!

Visit 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!

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

4 Proven Ways to Get Better in 2023

Want to make 2023 your best year ever?

I guarantee that if you just take time to follow the four steps below, you’ll make more money this year than you ever have.

Guaranteed.

Step One: Take time to carefully script out word-for-word rebuttals to the common objections you get repeatedly. You know you should do this, but have you?

If not, do it this week!

Step Two:  Memorize your best practice responses.

Don Shula – the famous Miami Dolphin coach – once said that his players practiced, drilled and rehearsed their plays and techniques over and over again so they could internalize them and act automatically when they needed to. 

He said that football moves so fast that: “If you get into a situation and have to think about what to do next, it’s already too late.” 

Question: Can you honestly answer each objection you get with a best practice response (that works)?

If not, then record your responses onto your smart phone, and listen to them 30 to 50 times. 

Step Three: Record your calls.

You’ve heard this advice before, but are you following it?

If not, make a commitment and do it. Today.

Step Four: Be prepared to revise your rebuttals as needed. When listening to your calls, find ways to improve.

Can a rebuttal be shortened? Can you deliver it with a bit more energy? Or less energy? 

Never stop learning, critiquing and getting better. When you stop learning, you stop earning. The top professionals in any industry are always adapting, always learning, and always improving. 

You need to as well.


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

2 Great New Year’s Questions for Your Clients

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!

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

3 Ways to Improve Your Attitude

One of the most important things I learned early on in my sales career is that attitudes are contagious.

My manager told me that when I’m on the phone with a prospect or customer, someone was going to sell someone—either the customer was going to sell me on why he wouldn’t buy, or I was going to sell him on why he should buy.

And most of that came down to my attitude. “Would you want someone to catch your attitude?” he constantly asked me.

As such, I learned the importance of having a “can-do” attitude, an attitude that was confident, that expected success, and that signaled to my customer that he should buy today.

Here are three things you can do to improve your attitude, and to keep that attitude positive through each and every sales call you make:

#1: Buy a mirror and put it on your desk and look at yourself as soon as your prospect answers the phone. I know this sounds silly, but it works! A mirror will tell you if you’re smiling; it’ll teach you if you’re slumping or looking confident; it will reflect your level of confidence and it will help you remain positive throughout the call. Try it.

#2: Smile. Again, silly, right? Powerful, yes! Every time you smile, you signal to the rest of your body how positive you’re going to be. The moment someone calls me, my automatic reaction is to break out into a huge smile—and that smile is reflected through my voice to my customers.

You can hear if someone is smiling on the other end of the phone, right? So can your customers! Remember: Do you want someone to catch your attitude? The secret is they will—whether you want them to or not!

#3: Get up and walk around when you’re on the phone. Anthony Robbins once said that motion creates emotion. It’s true. If possible, stand up a few times a day, or get in the habit of pacing while on the phone with a prospect or customer. The simple act of moving your body will go a long way to improving your attitude and filling you, and your prospect, with energy.

As you read through this list, ask yourself: which of these are you naturally doing now? If none of them, then implement one (all three is best!) and watch your attitude—and the attitude of your prospect—improve!


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

Be Grateful for No

So many sales reps hate hearing NO. In fact, constant rejection is the number one reason most sales reps dislike sales.

One of the most useful things you can do, however, is to embrace getting a no, and reframe it for what it is: Simply someone getting out of your way and helping you get to your next buyer faster.

I realized a long time ago that I was going to get a lot more no’s than I was yes’s. And that’s how it is in almost every endeavor:

Actors go on a lot of auditions and get turned down a lot more times than they get the part.

Professional baseball players strike out a whole lot more than they get a hit.

And on and on.

So, why should sales be any different? (It isn’t.)

Rather than being upset the next time a prospect (or even an existing customer) tells you no, recognize that you’re now that much closer to getting a hit, getting a part in a movie, or getting your next deal.

In the meantime, the next time someone says no, just smile and dial—your next deal could be on your very next call!


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

A Simple Idea to Help You Improve Sales

I’m sure you’ve heard that practice makes perfect, right?

Do you believe that’s true?

For those of you who said yes, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Bad news first…

Practice doesn’t make perfect; it only makes permanent.

So, if you’re winging it, ad-libbing your way through your sales career, then I know you’re struggling—and I know you’re not making your revenue goals…

For those of you who said practice doesn’t make perfect, you’re right!

But the good news here is that as soon as you commit to learning and using the right sales techniques, and you then practice using them, you’ll get closer to being the perfect sales rep most of the time!

And that means more money, more sales, more confidence, more success, etc.

So, if you or your sales team, aren’t making revenue each month, then stop and look at what they’re practicing.

If it’s not perfect selling skills, then help them upgrade those skills 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

Don’t Make This Mistake When Prospecting

I watched a sales rep making cold calls the other day.

He was making one crucial error that was leading to him not getting very far with prospects. I want to share with you what this common prospecting error is and how to immediately fix it.

I contacted him and offered to do a complimentary coaching session with him to help correct this fundamental error. Prior to the call, I asked this sales rep to send over recordings, so I could play and point out exactly what he was doing wrong.

Here’s what it is: He was calling prospects and his pitch went like this:

“Hi, this is {first & last name} with {his company}, and I know you’re probably busy, so I just want to ask you a quick question to see if it makes sense for us to talk…

“If you could wave a magic wand and change two things about your online marketing, what would they be?”

The responses he got were generally negative, along the lines of, “Look, I’m in the middle of something right now and can’t talk to you…”

As you read this article, can you identify what the mistake in this approach is?

I told the rep the problem was that he wasn’t making any connection in the beginning and wasn’t allowing his prospect to engage with him at all. Instead, he was barging in on someone’s day and asking a question that required the prospect to stop doing what he was doing and then give a ton of information he probably didn’t want to give.

I said it was analogous to saying, “Hey, you don’t know me, but give me your time and tell me how to sell you.”

I also told him that my reaction as a business owner would have been, “Who are you, and how dare you ask me to tell you that!”

What was missing was the common currency of human interaction to set up the call. Plus, what was missing was a value statement of what might be in it for the prospect. I suggested he revise his opening to:

“Hi, this is {first & last name} with {his company}, how’s your day going?”

[Wait and respond accordingly—engage!]

“{first name}, I know you’re probably busy, so I’ll be brief. The reason for the call is that we provide affordable SEO services to small companies like yours so you can have a big footprint on the Internet and drive more qualified leads.

“Would you mind if I asked how you go about doing that right now?”

Note: this is just one of many different qualifying questions I would ask based on how they sounded to me. The point is to 1) Make a connection first, 2) Give the reason for your call—your value statement, 3) Ask an appropriate, quick qualifying question. This is the best practice approach.

After our coaching session, I received an email the next day from guy. He said he listened to the recording of the session several times and something clicked. He told me that he attends many face to face networking events, and he realized he would never use his phone prospecting script with anyone in person. It would be inappropriate and even rude!

Instead, he said, he would make conversation first, connect and interact with someone. He figured it would probably be true in sales over the phone as well. It told him that was the perfect analogy! I couldn’t have said it any better.

So, for all you inside reps and companies that are making outbound prospecting calls, just ask yourself: Would your technique work face to face? If not, then change it so it would. You’ll do much better when you 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

Lessons From the NFL to Close More Business

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