Tag: Sales Tips

A while ago, I got a chilling reminder of the bad “Ghost of Christmas Future” I narrowly avoided all those years ago. Here’s what happened:

I was on my way to work with a new client when I stopped at Starbucks for a cup of coffee. As I stood in line, I glanced out the window and saw a city bus stop and a bunch of people got off. One guy – mid 40’s, tall and lanky – started walking towards the Starbucks, and there was something about the way he was walking that was familiar to me.

When he entered the store, I recognized him from many years before when we were both struggling inside sales reps trying to sell investments over the phone. His name was Mark. After I got my coffee, and he got his, he came up to me and said, “You’re Mike Brooks, right?” “Yes” I said. “Hey, we used to work together!” he said. “I remember,” I said.

He asked me what I was up to these days, and I told him I had become a consultant in inside sales, and that I was off to work with a new client. I asked him what he was up to and this is when the chill hit me. He said he was starting a new sales job today, and then he rolled his eyes as if to say, “And this one will suck, too.”

We walked out of the store together, and said goodbye and went our separate ways. He went to wait at the next bus bench, and I got into my Mercedes and drove away.

As I sipped my coffee and listened to the tunes in my plush car, I thought about how different our lives had turned out and wondered what happened to make them so different. As I did, I knew exactly what it was.

During our time together, the owners of the company brought in a superstar in inside sales, a guy named Stan Billue, to motivate us. Stan spoke to us for an hour about what makes up the difference between the top money earners in sales versus all the other sales reps. He said that you had a choice that very minute to either commit to learning and using proven scripts and techniques that would double or triple your income, or you would just keep doing what you were doing, and then you’d just keep getting what you’d been getting.

Stan said: “If you’re willing to do what most sales reps aren’t willing to do, then soon you’ll be able to enjoy the things, the lifestyle and the future that most sales reps will never be able to enjoy.”

I was sold. Mark wasn’t. I invested in Stan’s cassette series, “Double Your Income Selling Over the Phone.” I committed to learning, practicing, and doing what he suggested. My sales and income soared.

Mark thought what Stan taught was just a bunch of old sales techniques that wouldn’t work for him. Mark thought he knew better. Mark didn’t believe in using scripts, “I’ll sound like a telemarkerter,” he said. “I have to go with the flow because each prospect is different,” he said. Mark didn’t believe in putting in the time, energy or money to get better. So he didn’t.

Fast forward to our Starbucks encounter. Over 20 years had passed between that Stan Billue talk, and I realized that, that seminar was the moment I made the decision to change my life. When Mark showed up that day, he was the Ghost of Christmas Past that could have become my Ghost of Christmas Future.

My life had changed because of Stan’s material, my commitment to investing in it and then using it diligently. My life is infinitely better because I did, and I have no doubt that had I not bought it and studied it and used it, it would have been me that was taking a bus to my next, new job. It sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it.

The moral here is that you, too, can avoid the Ghost of Christmas Past from becoming your future. Stan just went back into the studio and produced another masterpiece of sales training that can and will double or even triple your income in 2015 – if you get it and use it.

You can get it here.

Now I know only a select few of you will actually invest in this, but I also know that those of you that do, have a good chance of driving a Mercedes next year rather than taking the bus. It’s really up to you. If you want to avoid Mark’s “Ghost of Christmas Past,” then Act Now.

Believe me, there is not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful I did…

The Holidays are finally here. To most sales people, this means extra days off, and half days before Christmas and New Year’s; it means holiday parties, year-end bonuses (if they’ve been good and made their quotas), and even promotions if their company offers them. It means holiday cards from vendors, and it means long lunches spent at malls trying to avoid the crowds.

It also means gifts. There may be gifts from co-workers, bosses, department heads and clients. There may be gifts from themselves (the best kind), but also from family members and friends. It’s a wonderful time of year, as many of you know, and if only we could make these feelings last the whole year…

Well, maybe you can. What if you were to receive some gifts that could make all the feelings you have right now last throughout 2015? What if you were to receive some gifts that would guarantee that you would have a better year in sales next year than the one you just had?

Here are three gifts you can give yourself that will pay you back over and over again for years to come:

Gift #1: The gift of a positive, expectant attitude. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than a positive attitude. Zig Ziglar said it best all those years ago: “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude.” This is true in life, of course, but especially true in sales.

The number one thing you can give yourself this December is a resource to help you nurture a positive attitude. There are scores of books out there, and my favorite is still, “The Advanced Formula for Total Success,” by Dr. Robert Anthony. It’s out of print, but you can still find some used copies on Amazon.

My favorite way of developing a positive attitude, though, is through the use of subliminal recordings. I especially use these at night to fall asleep to, and they always work for me (and millions of other people, too). Click Here to find a recording that resonates with you, and then start listening.

Gift #2: The gift of proven, specific sales techniques that will improve your sales skills. Let me ask you: Do you believe that practice makes perfect? If you said “yes” then you’re wrong. Practice only makes permanent. If you are adlibbing and using ineffective sales techniques, then you’re just going to keep getting substandard results. And that’s what most (unfortunately) sales reps do.

If you want to truly have a better 2015, then you have to improve your sales skill set. And the way you do that is by investing your time, money and energy to get better. It’s kind of like setting a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. If you want to do that, then you have to invest some time, energy and money (if you’re going to join a gym or buy new sneakers) to get the new result, right? In other words, you’re going to need to change what you’re doing.
It’s the same with your sales results. If nothing changes, then nothing changes. Here’s an easy way of making more sales next year: Invest in my eBook of Phone Scripts, or take advantage of this incredible holiday deal on my powerful 5-CD program. Remember, only practicing good techniques is what’s going to make you a better sales professional.

Gift #3: The Gift of Gratitude. Want to know the fastest way to improve your attitude and your life? Become grateful for everything in your life. Yes, I mean EVERYTHING. Oh, it’s easy to be grateful for the good things in your life, but what would happen if you became accepting and even grateful for the things that are not going your way right now?

Being grateful for everything in your life means you are grateful for being alive. My first mentor used to say that every day he woke up on this side of the grass, it was a great day. The same is true for you: If things aren’t going your way right now, or if there is a problem you’re dealing with, be grateful you get to go through it – it means you’re alive and on this side of the grass! And on this side, the grass is always greener…

Another mentor of mine seemed to be happy all the time. I once asked him how he maintained such a good attitude, and he told me it was simple. He said, “I don’t expect anything, and I accept absolutely everything.” Sounded pretty Zen like to me.

There are many books and CD’s you can invest in to help you “develop an attitude of gratitude,” but the easiest way is to simply make a list of 25 things you’re grateful for right now. Do it after you finish reading this article, and you’ll know what I mean.

So, do you want to extend this holiday feeling into 2015? Give yourself any one of these gifts and you will be on your way. Give yourself all of them, and you’ll live each day with this holiday feeling!

A few years ago I was introduced to a system of marketing that is easy, inexpensive, and automatic even. It’s a way that I stay in front of prospects so when they are finally ready to buy, I’m the first person they think of. Once I learned about it, I was all in. Then, once I started using it and getting results, I wondered why other sales people didn’t use it. And that’s when I remembered the famous words my mentor taught me years ago.

He said, “Mike if you’re willing to do the things that most sales reps won’t do, then soon you’ll be able to do the things most sales reps will never be able to do.”

And I found out that means live a lifestyle most people only dream about. As you probably well know, most sales people struggle to make sales, while the top producers seem to enjoy all the perks, bonuses, recognition and lifestyle others only dream about. I took his advice and I’ve been living that lifestyle for over 25 years…

So what are the things “most sales reps won’t do?” If you’re a regular reader of my ezines, then you know many of them. But here’s something I don’t mention much, but it’s a perfect example of one of those things that, again, is easy, inexpensive, automatic and extremely effective. Yet, most sales reps just won’t do it. But those that do reap major benefits…

I’ll start with the story that got me hooked on this system. A guy named Jordan owns a vacation property in Phoenix, and one day he went to his getaway and found that someone had broken in. They didn’t steal anything, but it looked like they lived there for a while. They brought their own food, did their own cooking, and didn’t wash the sheets when they left.

So Jordan did what most people would do: he opened the yellow pages and picked an alarm company and hired them. Now, here’s where the story gets interesting. Jordan said that when he bought the house he was pitched by several different companies to install an alarm. He decided not to do it at the time. But he said if any one of the sales reps kept in touch with him, for example, if any one of them had sent him a reminder card every couple of months, then they would have been the company he would have called.

And they would now be getting the $45 each month he sends to the other guys he picked at random!

What I learned from this story is that there is a company out there that sends custom cards that can be arranged in a campaign that you customize to send at any interval you want. You write the cards in advance and then just input a prospect’s name and voila! Every month or every two weeks – or any interval in between – this company sends a beautiful card to your prospect.

I was sold. I know that many of my prospects might like what I have to offer but something happens and they have to delay the purchasing decision. But I also know that THINGS CHANGE! And when they do, I want to be top of mind to get that business. And I do get the business.

I’ve been using Send Out Cards now for several years, and I’ll tell you now I’ve made hundreds of thousands of dollars from prospects who call me out of the blue because I’ve stayed in front of them.

Just last year I got a $64,000 deal from someone who had been referred to me because the guy who referred me got cards from me. I had never even spoken to the guy! I invested about $12.50 in cards (which were sent without me doing anything) and that’s the result I got. And that’s just ONE example. I’m telling you, this system works.

And now here’s the good news. Even though Send Out Cards is a direct marketing company, now you can begin using them without signing up or paying any fees. You can use them on a pay as you go basis. And at under $2.00 per card (again, for a beautiful, custom greeting card delivered right to your prospect), this is the easiest, most affordable and effective marketing program you will ever use.

You’ll need to use my distributor # to try it out: 83661

Now I know that most of you won’t do this. Again, only those people “who are willing to do what others won’t” will actually try this. But those that do will make more sales, be more confident and begin “doing the things that most sales reps will never be able to do.”

If you’re ready to begin rising above the crowd, then click here and learn more about this amazing system. And when prospects start calling you to do business with, you’ll think back to this moment and be happy you did.

P.S. And don’t forget that the holidays are coming! Send Out Cards can send not only custom Holiday Cards, but very affordable, unique gifts as well to your special clients and prospects. Try it now. Use 83661 to get started today!

Myth Number One: Cold Calling is Dead:

A few years ago, when social media and social selling came out (sales 2.0 they called it), there was an almost euphoric sense that spread among the sales community because everyone suddenly hoped (and, some still hold out the hope), that the worse part of their job was now a thing of the past – cold calling.  With the thousands of potential connections and message boards, and leadership groups, etc. available, it was prophesied that no more would you have to dial endlessly to find the right person, and that by just joining the right group, you would instantly have the key to the corporate suite.

Suddenly, sales gurus came out with elaborate systems and programs that showed you how you could eliminate the dreaded cold call from your daily life and how, by just crafting the right marketing campaigns or emails, or voice mails or posts, you could generate hundreds of qualified leads who would actually reach out to you.  Life would be grand!

[Learn how to Combine the New Rules of Social Media, with the Old Rules of Proven Selling Techniques to Maximize Sales!  Join Us for “Sales 2.5” the Webinar Event of 2014!]

Unfortunately, anyone still in sales can tell you that while social selling has changed things, one thing it hasn’t changed is the need to still pick up the phone and have a conversation with a prospect.  O.K., just to show all the sales trainers and blogs, and companies that I’m not still in the dark ages, while many of the outbound calls you have to make may not be completely cold (you may not still be calling from the yellow pages – remember those?), what IS true is that you still have to make calls to people who either don’t know you, or don’t necessarily want to be sold to.

So, let’s reframe the term cold calling and call it something else.  Since you still have to make outbound calls to sales prospects, you can now call them: Warm Calls, or Introduction Calls, or Follow Up Calls, or Exploratory Calls, or Call Backs, etc..  The bottom line is that if you don’t already have an established relationship with someone, and you have to pick up the phone and qualify and set up a demo or presentation of your product or service, then you have to make a, a…(cold call!).

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the most effective way of making those calls.  Since you still need to 1) Get past the gatekeeper, 2) Find a way to instantly build rapport and not sound like everyone else calling your prospect, 3) Qualify your prospect so you’re not wasting your time, 4) Set up a successful demo, etc…

Myth Number Two: Nobody Returns Emails Anymore:

It may seem as if getting a response from an email is as impossible as getting a response from a voice mail, but that’s not true, IF you know how to use the New Rules of email.  Here are two resources for you:

One: If you would like to know how to stand out from your competition, accelerate relationships, Wake-Up silent prospects and actually get clients excited to work with you, then you’ll want to Join Us on Wednesday, June 18^th as Andy Horner shares with you the New Tool of Email in the Age of Social Media!  This could be the most important hour you spend This Year!

Two: If you’d like a guaranteed email to get over 65% of prospects who haven’t been getting back to you to finally respond to your email, then use this proven email technique:

Subject line: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

Dear _________,

I haven’t heard back from you and that tells me one of three things:

1) You’ve filled the position or you’ve already chosen another company for this.

2) You’re still interested but haven’t had the time to get back to me yet.

3) You’ve fallen and can’t get up, and in that case please let me know and I’ll call 911 for you…

Please let me know which one it is because I’m starting to worry.

Honestly, all kidding aside, I understand you’re a very busy individual and the last thing I want to do is be pain in the neck once a week. Whether you’ve just been busy or you’ve gone another direction, I would appreciate it if you would take a second to let me know so I can follow up accordingly.

Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Kind Regards,

If this made you smile, then it’ll make your prospects smile, too.  But don’t take my word for how effective this is!  Adjust it to fit your product or service and see for yourself…

Myth Number Three: LinkedIn is Just a Glorified Place to Put a Resume:

Question for you: How many deals, actual sales, have you gotten from LinkedIn?  If your answer is, “Not many,” then you are probably making the mistakes MOST of your competition is making…  For example: If you’re trying to join groups and participate like everyone else, then you’ll get lost just like everyone else.  If you’re building your profile like a resume, then it will get treated like a resume (thrown away!).

If you’d like to learn the REAL way to get leads and sales using LinkedIn, then you absolutely MUST attend Erik Luhrs’ session on LinkedIn in the Webinar Series Event of the Year – Sales 2.5.  Erik will be addressing all these issues and a whole lot more on Tuesday, June 17^th.  Click Here to learn more.

Myth Number Four: Webinars are for Big Companies Only:

Social Media is all about putting you in front of your target audience and positioning you as a subject matter expert.  And webinars are one of the best ways to do this.  So, the question is: How many webinars have you, as a sales professional, put together and successfully run?  Once again, if your answer is, “Not many,” then once again, I’ve got good news for you!

Once you learn the right technology (easy, fast and inexpensive), you can create what is known as “evergreen” webinars that run on demand and still have the look and feel of a new and live webinar.  This means you can be in front of hundreds of potential clients 24/7 without having to do anything (except creating it to begin with).

If you’d like to know how your competition is using the power of webinars to introduce, educate and win new clients, then you MUST attend Joel Peterson’s powerful and career changing webinar: “How To Leverage The Power Of Webinars To Increase Sales, Attract New Loyal Customers, And Save Time,” on Thursday, June 19^th at 1pm Eastern.  Register Here

I have collected the top experts in their fields to help you Maximize Sales by combining the New Rules (of social media) with the Old Rules (traditional, proven sales and marketing techniques) to help finally make more sales in today’s sales environment.

So join us the week of June 16^th, for “Sales 2.5: Combining the New Tools with the Old Rules to Maximize Sales.”  After these four webinars, you will finally have the pieces you need to solve the Social Media Selling puzzle.

I was reading an article in Sports Illustrated by Boomer Esiason (the ex-NFL Cincinnati Bengals quarterback) and he was breaking down what makes Peyton Manning such a great quarterback. He discussed specifically how, on November 17th of this season when Payton was playing the undefeated Chiefs, Peyton was challenged with surviving a defense that was leading the league in sacks. Boomer says:

“Pundits were saying how that K.C. pass rush was going to get to him, that this would really be a disaster for Peyton. But from the first snap, he knew right where he was going with the ball, he knew exactly what coverages he was seeing, and he took so much pressure off his line that the defense had no chance to get to him.”

K.C. didn’t get to Manning even once that night, and when the game was over, K.C. had its first loss of the season.

Boomer goes on to make a crucial point: When you truly understand the game of football, it’s turns out to be a simple game. To quarterbacks and players who haven’t taken the time to really learn it, to study it and adapt to it, it’s a fast paced game and one you often just react it. But when you’re committed like Peyton is, you can literally slow the game down and control it. Once you do that, you realize it’s really a simple game.

And in sales, it’s exactly the same.

Many sales teams and reps I work with find that the selling process – the prospecting/qualifying call, the demo call, the closing call, etc., all seem to happen very fast. They are often overwhelmed during each of these calls and miss asking important questions or lose control of the situation. They then become frustrated and struggle to catch up.

Boomer goes on to report that as a veteran himself, he also knew how to slow the game down and perform at the highest level. He says:

“I also had a crystal-clear understanding of what was happening on the field. I could process the game so quickly – call a play, get to the line, audible immediately, read the defense, work through my progressions, find the open man. I was like an old pitcher who could no longer throw 95, but who knew from ages of experience what he had to do to get the job done.”

And it’s the same in sales.

All top producers understand this analogy to sales. When you listen to a top producer’s recording, what is immediately apparent is their complete understanding of what is happening during the call. They, too, can process the situation quickly – and ask the right question, get to the appropriate comeback, read the prospect, work through their responses and find the opening they need to direct the call or handle potential objections.

As Boomer says next, “…but in every game his (Peyton’s) mental capacity is clearly so much higher than everybody else’s that it appears he has the answers to the test before he takes it.”

Peyton’s preparation, commitment, and study of the game allow him slow the game down and control and dominate it. His work habits are legendary. Boomer used to joke with Frank Reich – Peyton’s quarterback coach for several years with the Colts – that coaching Peyton had to be the easiest job in the world because of how much work he puts in. Frank disagreed:

“To the contrary, Boomer, this is the hardest job in the league. Peyton’s the most demanding player. From the moment I walk in, I have to have certain film clips ready; I have to be ready to talk over and over about what’s happening on the field, trying to foresee things that might happen. He has a relentless desire to be great.”

To be great in sales, you also have to put in the time, invest in the resources, and commit to learning the skills and tools you need to succeed. But once you do, the game of sales slows way down. It becomes easy for you to identify qualified and interested prospects and you immediately know exactly how to take them through the sale and win the deal.

It’s one of the most satisfying and exhilarating feelings in the world, and I hope it’s one that you have a relentless desire to experience, too.

I was in Staples the other day and saw their promotion using a little red button that says, “Easy” on it. You know the one? They have commercials on it and essentially whenever a business person needs any help around the office, all they have to do is hit this button and BAM! their need is met. Would that be nice? Staples even sells little red buttons with “Easy” on them, and you’re encouraged to buy one and keep it on your desk. Nice marketing, huh?

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a little red button on your phone called “Easy” and all you had to do was press it and your prospect or client would automatically start telling you exactly why – or why not – they would buy from you? How much would you pay for that magic little button?

Well guess what? YOU DO! In fact, you have an even more powerful, more magical button then “Easy” right on your telephone, and I bet you’re not even using it. That magic button? Your MUTE button, of course.

Now I know you may have heard me talk about the importance of using your mute before, but the question is, are you? If you’re like most sales reps I listen to, then the answer is no. Oh, you may use your MUTE button when you need to get information or check on something, but when was the last time you actually used it to truly listen to and allow your prospect or client the time to complete a thought – or even a sentence?

Let me tell you why it’s so hard to listen on the phone. When you’re with a friend having dinner and you ask them a question, do you immediately jump in as soon as they pause for a breath? Probably not. You see, when you’re in front of someone, you can read their body language, you can read their face, and you can see when they are searching for just the right words to continue. During the few seconds it takes for them to find those right words, you don’t just start talking at them, do you? (I hope you don’t because if you do, you probably don’t have a lot of friends!)

But when you sell over the phone, you don’t have any of those cues, do you? And that’s why most phone sales reps talk over their prospects and that’s why most people (including you!) hate it when a telemarketer calls. They don’t listen and they don’t give you time to collect your thoughts, do they? And, chances are, neither do you…

So, let’s get back to your magic button – your MUTE button. Here are three easy ways to begin using your MUTE button to guarantee that you give your prospects the time to complete their thoughts – and their sentences:

1) Use it when asking about who they are using now. I’m sure that during your qualifying stage you probably ask something like, “And how are you handling your lead flow now?” This is the perfect time to automatically hit your MUTE button. Expect them to answer in a sentence or two, but keep your MUTE on! During the next couple of seconds, chances are, they will elaborate.

If they don’t, just un-mute and ask, “Oh?” and then immediately hit MUTE again!

2) Whenever they ask about price. As soon as you give your price, you must always qualify and see how that landed with them. This is the perfect time to ask, “And how does that fit in your budget?” And then hit MUTE! Listen here carefully and then to prompt them after they are done by using a layering question like, “And what were you hoping to spend on this?” And then hit MUTE once again. And then listen….

3) The third time to use the MUTE button is whenever you get an objection. Rather than rush into answering it, ALWAYS get more information. Ask things like, “What do you mean?” OR “What else were you thinking in terms of this?” OR “Beside that, what other questions do you have?” And then hit MUTE directly after each of these and listen to what is behind the stated objection.

I think you can see how much more information you will get if you just listen instead of talking. You can do this easily if you just start using that magic button on your phone called, MUTE!

If you found this article helpful, then you’ll love Mike’s Completely Updated and Revised for 2014 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!

A few months ago I was in Las Vegas training at a very large company’s sales summit. I love these events because I not only get to train wonderful groups of sales professionals, but because I always learn so much myself. Below is an example of five things I learned from one of the regional sales managers during one of his sessions to the group. They are in no particular order, but you’ll see there is a ton of tried and true wisdom and experience in each one.

#1: “Prospecting is a lot like panning for gold – you’re going to find a lot more dirt than gold.”

I loved this the moment I heard it. And how true it is! Just think of the old gold prospectors who toiled in the hills and caves and rivers panning for gold. They went through a lot more dirt than they did gold, didn’t they? And isn’t it interesting that the term for cold calling is now called prospecting….

Bottom line is that you still need to do a lot of work and make a lot of calls before you find your gold – a qualified client who buys.

#2: “Most sales reps who call prospects and have ‘commission breath.’”

Another gem! I’m sure you know just what that means. The secret to becoming a better sales person is to concentrate on listening to your prospects rather than pitching and begging a deal. Your goal should be to uncover buyers, not force unqualified leads into your pipeline so you can hound them and chase them with “commission breath.”

For some great techniques and word for word scripts to help you avoid commission breath, visit my blog here.

https://mrinsidesales.com/insidesalestrainingblog/tag/cold-calling-scripts

#3: “Don’t let the exceptions dictate the rule.”
I can’t tell you the number of times bad sales reps encounter one situation once and then base their whole approach on either avoiding or preparing for that situation again. And when they do, they throw away all the best practices and proven methods that work in the 90% of other situations. In other words, they let the one exception (“Well, back in ’83 someone said…”) and that hurts them their entire career.

What Top Sales Reps do is follow the fundamentals and practice perfection on each call. Whatever you do, don’t ‘let the exception dictate the rule.’

#4: “Use Bingo to make calling fun!” For all of you sales managers who missed my article on how to use the game of Bingo to make calling fun and rewarding, visit my blog here.

https://mrinsidesales.com/insidesalestrainingblog/how-to-use-bingo-to-increase-sales

#5: “Telemarketing training doesn’t exist anymore.” Another brilliant and right on comment. Back in the day (the eighties) when the word “inside sales” didn’t exist, there were true “telemarketing” rooms. And in these rooms, there was a ton of structure, scripts, recording and training. These rooms were mightily successful and helped build giant companies that are around today.

But along the way something happened. Telemarketing became a bad word, and as it was tossed out, so was all the great structured training and skill sets. This regional manager was right: ‘Telemarketing training doesn’t exist anymore,’ – but I’ll add – for the most part. There are still a few masters around who know how to build multi-million dollar inside sales teams, and luckily, you’re reading one right now.

If you’d like to learn more about how these proven techniques can help you do the same, then visit here.

http://www.mrinsidesales.com/ManagementTraining/

Hope you enjoyed the article!