No. 9 – ARE YOU QUALIFYING THE PROSPECT OR SPINNING YOUR WHEELS?

When sales are slow the temptation is to try and sell to everyone. Sometimes we forget about "prospect qualification" and we end up wasting time. The prospect has to have a Need for what you are selling, they have to have the desire to do something about the need and a desire to do something about the need with you. The prospect must have the Money and the willingness to spend it. Finally you must be dealing with someone who has the Authority to say yes. Who's the MAN? The person with the ... Read more

No. 8 – ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR AVAILABLE SELLING TIME?

There is never enough time in a day and once the day has gone, its gone! Don't forget "Prime Time" the time when prospects, clients and customers are most likely to be available and receptive. This will vary from industry to industry, market to market, job to job. If you have a "sell / do" role lawyers, CPAs, consultants, sales engineers put time aside that is only for selling. Just because its the beginning of the month, don't fool yourself, watch out for the time bandits that steal y ... Read more

No. 3 – THE CONFUSION BETWEEN ACTIVITY AND RESULTS!

Advancement any action you or your customer takes that moves you nearer to the order. Continuation sales activity but no progress towards winning the order.   In reality how many of your sales calls and visits are continuation calls? OK, so you cannot expect the order on every call you make but you can move things along. Set an objective for every customer, prospect or client engagement. Develop commitment questions that advance the sale but are non threatening. "What do I have ... Read more

No. 2 – DON’T INTRODUCE COST AS A PROBLEM!

When presenting your pricing or your fees don't use the word cost. Especially in the current economic climate, if you talk cost the prospect thinks cost. Your prospect is "investing" in your services or products because they will get a return on the spend. Never have a section of a proposal titled costs, always call this section "Your investment in [product / service] and the return". Never put "costing details" as an email subject line. Sounds crass, silly, nitpicking? Try it you will be ama ... Read more

No. 1 – IF A PROPOSAL IS WORTH WRITING THEN IT’S WORTH PRESENTING!

Does your sales process mean giving your prospect a written proposal? Then present it in person, don't send it. You should use a proposal to close the order not open the sale, this means you need to be there. If a visit is not practical, arrange a set time to telephone and with the prospect on the line email your proposal, present it and then ask for the order. More info on proposal writing. ... Read more

Want some sales help?

I love sales, I love helping sales people especially people just starting out. Sales is not a black art, sales is a process. Yes you need a personality but you also need some sales techniques too. So if you have a sales question let me know, if you have a sales situation and you want some tips let me know, gotta question you think is silly the only dumb questions are the one's you don't ask. I don't have the answer to everything but I do bring 30 years sales experience to the party and if I d ... Read more

Marketing dinosaur?

Having been in the international sales and marketing business for over 30 years I am beginning to feel like a bit of dinsosaur when it comes to all this social networking, especially as its use is now having considerbale commercial ramifications. I can remember avoiding using and reply to SMS messages for as long as I could before finally caving in dinosaur behaviour again. I guess I have avoided social networking for as long as a can. And yet I was a very early adopter of email, I ca ... Read more
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