Sales Tip No 28 - New Year Buidling Rapport

New year, new accounts, new opportunities for many sales people and account managers. Then, as we enter 2017 many markets seem to be heating up and so some sales people start to get a little complacent, some even aggressive (thinking they are being assertive!).  Even in an up-market taking time to build rapport is still important, so here are 5 reminders for building rapport: 1.     Be empathetic - put yourself in the customer's shoes. 2.     Use go ... Read more

Cold calling - some of us still do it!

Are you cold calling (yes many people still do it), following uop leads, cleaning lists but can't get hold of the right contact, especially when the target prospect has a "no names policy".   Try this it sounds counter productive but its not.  Do the research call and the sales call as two separate calls.   Call the target company's switchboard - "I wonder if you can help me, please do not put me through to any one, I do not want to talk to anyone.  I am sending an invit ... Read more

Sales tip No. 23 - Winning over the decision influencers

Getting the "Go To" people on your side When the decision maker does not understand something they are buying who do they ask?  Their "Go To" people - the decision influencers.  Typically we do not spend enough time seeking out these particular decision influencers, we are too busy trying to sell the decision maker something he or she does not understand!   We need to spend more time finding the "Go To" people and then getting them on our side. Ronald Reagan once [allegedly] ... Read more

Marginal [sales] performance improvement

Dave Brailsford, the visionary UK Cycling team coach, believes that by breaking down and identifying every tiny aspect of an athlete's performance and then making just a 1% improvement in each area the athlete's overall performance can be significantly enhanced.   He is right - look at the results UK cycling continues to achieve.   Now think about selling, I have recently worked with VERY experienced sales team, initially I thought what I am going to teach these guys.   Then ... Read more

13 questions you should ask about your business development activity

I recently gave a key note speech about business development - "The Anatomy of an Enterprise Sale".  I wrapped up the speech with 13 (unlucky for some) key questions you should ask yourself about your business development activity, lots of people liked these - they are great reminders! - Are you planning to fail or failing to plan
- Are you consciously using all your skills or running on autopilot?
- Are you confusing activity with results?
- Are ... Read more

Getting the most out of an interim executive manager

Want to get the most out of your interim executive then give them the authority to go with the responsibility     A couple of years ago I undertook an interim executive engagement whilst the CEO of my client was undertaking a search to find a new Chief Sales Officer (CSO).  The CEO was initially worried about giving me the authority that he would have given a full time employee.  I was empathetic towards his concerns and so we discussed the downside of responsibility witho ... Read more

What can I do to win back a former customer?

I was recently asked to be a guest expert for Charlotte Business Journal,  the ask the expert question was........   What can I do to win back a former customer   1.    Make sure you are talking to the decision maker 2.    Establish why you really lost them why did they buy from you initially, what changed, what finally triggered them into leaving you sometimes you just have to fix the REAL problem 3.    Avoid too early a counter ... Read more

No.22 How to sell value and avoid discounting!

Want to defeat the competition on price without discounting?  When talking to your prospect always refer to the COSTS of their current product, service or solution and the COSTS of your competition's offering but talk about the "investment" in your solution. "Currently the cost of your system is $ ............., for an investment in our solution of $...... you will be able to........". To set a trap for your competitor talk about TCO as True Cost of Ownership not Total Cost of Ownership. ... Read more

No 21. Build rapport - don't pitch to early

BIG, BIG debate on LinkedIn prompted this one!  It is very easy to pitch products and services too early - before we have sufficient information or have built any real rapport.  How do you avoid this trap?  Use this structure - get the prospect talking about 1) themselves, 2) their organization, 3) their present application / useage, 4) their technology / method.  Dont forget - use open questions HOW WHAT WHY WHERE WHEN WHO. Make it a conversation not an interrogation. ... Read more

No. 20 - have you found the budget?

We all know about prospect qualification - Need, Timescales, BUDGET, Decision Maker - but we get fooled into thinking we have all four boxes ticked.  We think we are dealing with the "budget holder" when in reality we are dealing with the "budget caretaker".  Let's take the example of Purchasing Managers, unless they are buying something for the purchasing department, they are not the budget holder - they are spending someone else's money, they are the budget caretaker.  So ask ... Read more