This is part three of three bolg posts on the top 10 ways that sales professionals blow it every day! Blow what? Opportunity, sales, margins, growth, sales, customer relationships, etc. Read this post along with the last few and decide if you are guilty and if you can afford to continue to be.
7. They are unaware of who (or what) they are up against.
The competition for a prospect or customer’s time, attention, and money is greater now than it ever has been. We not only are up against competing companies and vendors in the marketplace, we are also up against things like internal competition, the current vendor, internal pressure to fund something else (another project), and indifference (no action). When we are up against others, we need to be aware of who they are, how they sell, what they say, what they offer, and what it costs. We need to do SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) of the products and services offered by our competition so that we can professionally create and discuss our differentiators. When faced with internal competition, we must understand what it is and do our best to navigate the political and economic environment with our customer to best help them understand the value of choosing our offering.
Getting blindsided by any competition is a direct result of lack of preparation (you need to know what your going to run into) and a failure to listen to the things both said and un-said by our prospects and customers.
8. They lead with price and cry when price resistance comes up.
This is a big one. I have hundreds of salespeople every year complain about customers getting more price sensitive and cheap. They say that every time, without fail, their customers try to beat them up on price. After many ride-alongs with salespeople this year, I have discovered that it is the salesperson, more often than not, that actually brings up price very early in the conversation. They say things like, “Mr. Customer, we want to make sure that we get you the very best price that we can” or “I promise that we will definitely figure out the best way to save you money on this purchase” or “We have the best price in the industry.” These are the same people who get mad when the prospect or customer brings up the fact that they need a lower price! Well who do you think planted that seed??
We must be prepared for price concerns, but we cannot lead with our wallets! Again, the customer gets something out of the ownership of your product or service. Speak to that! The less you focus on the cost or the price, the less they will. The more you focus on the benefits of ownership, the more they will. And the more they focus on that, the more they will be willing to pay.
9. They don’t have enough opportunity in the pipeline.
It has been said that the best sales strategy is a full pipeline of business. What does this mean? When salespeople have a lot of prospects that are in their pipeline of business, they intuitively make moves that position themselves and their companies in more of a positive, confident light. They do not waver or buckle to terms or pricing demands of customers. They have a greater tendency towards action. In contrast, a salesperson who has very little in his or her pipeline tends to come across desperate. We watch these salespeople bow to the pressure and buckle to the demands of prospective customers. Instead of working from a position of strength, these salespeople work from weakness and hope!
10. They are simply not the right person for the job!
The profession of selling is for sales professionals. Sales pros have certain characteristics and traits that are necessary for sustained sales success. Too often we have people in the position of salesperson by default! Not only do they not possess the things needed for the Smart Selling approach (empathy, listening ability, curiosity, persistence, tenacity, assertiveness, self-belief, a bias for growth, etc.), but they also have very little, if any, training.
The position of sales professional for any company must be one that is filled with great attention to detail. Too often we find companies hiring QUICKLY to fill a spot on their sales team roster. On top of that, the subsequent training that goes into that new hire is typically centered on product training and not enough around the customer and/or the sales process. The result: Too many BLOWN sales or lost opportunities.
Take a look at the performance of your sales team over the past year. How many of your salespeople are going to reach their goal this year? How many of them are heading out into this competitive market half-cocked? How many are “winging it” every day in hopes of divine intervention? How much value do they add? How well do they differentiate themselves and thus your company from the competition? How often do they run up against the “wall” of price resistance?
Do your best to identify and isolate these areas and move towards elimination of them. Don't SUCK!!
Showing posts with label selling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selling. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
2nd of 3--Top 10 Things Top Sellers Do!
Below, you'll find some additional things (#4 thru #6)that Top Sales Pros engage in regularly that avaergae sellers do not. Again, just as with my last post, we need to understand that they are top sellers for a reason and that success leaves clues. These areas that I am addressing in the last post, this post, and my post next week are a solid "blueprint" for anyone to use in the construction of a stellar sales career.
4-Plan-Prepare-Practice
The Top Producers always seem to have a plan. It all starts with major clarity on their goals. They are very clear on the WHY so the WHAT and the HOW become their focus. The Heavy Hitters go into every call with a purpose and a higher level of preparation. They have run through all the “what-if” scenarios. They have thought through, written down, and practiced the questions that they will ask. They have mentally run through everything from the customer’s prospective. They are prepared to “open” the customer more effectively and practiced at transitioning to the “close” of the sale. They know the solid IMPACT statements and questions at the right time because they plan them, prepare them, and practice them ALL the time. BTW, they don't practice on the customer....they "inspect in private what they expect in public."
5-They Brand Themselves in Their Marketplace
The Cream of the Selling Crop make sure that they are “known-for” something in the marketplace. They create a buzz about who they are and what they know or do by becoming visible to those who may use their product or service. They realize that being a vendor is a tough gig because vendors are a dime a dozen, unless the customer only wants to pay a nickel. The Best of the Best want to be known as the EXPERT. They do the things necessary to position themselves in the marketplace as THE CHOICE rather than A CHOICE. They take the time to write articles and have them published in magazines and newsletters that their customers read. They get out of their comfort zones and look to speak at industry events that their customers attend. They constantly and consistently “touch” their prospects, customers, and clients in a variety of creative and value-add ways to ensure top of consciousness in the minds of the buyers. Top Pros always seek to create “Only Me” value to the sale. They realize that if they are not "visible" then they are "in-visible." They also undertand that if they are not known for somethingthen they are good for nothing!
6-They are Willing to Lose
All too often, most salespeople don’t take the risk of asking for the YES because they are afraid to hear the NO. The Top Sales Pros understand that they are in the NO taking business. They also understand that their success is highly dependant upon their willingness to “crash and burn” in failure. Jeffery Gitomer once sated that “Most people won’t risk asking because they fear the unknown. The real reason that they won’t risk is because they lack the preparation and education that breeds the self confidence (self-belief) to take a chance.” The great Wayne Gretzky once said that “You miss 100% of the shots that you never take.” And so it is with the best salespeople: They get out in front and risk it all for themselves, for the customer, and for their career because they know that most of their competition will STOP when the pressure of the potential loss gets too high. I try to teach the following to my kids, "The answer is always NO until you ask them to say YES!" The worst that can haappen is that "NO" is now clearer! ASK for it!
4-Plan-Prepare-Practice
The Top Producers always seem to have a plan. It all starts with major clarity on their goals. They are very clear on the WHY so the WHAT and the HOW become their focus. The Heavy Hitters go into every call with a purpose and a higher level of preparation. They have run through all the “what-if” scenarios. They have thought through, written down, and practiced the questions that they will ask. They have mentally run through everything from the customer’s prospective. They are prepared to “open” the customer more effectively and practiced at transitioning to the “close” of the sale. They know the solid IMPACT statements and questions at the right time because they plan them, prepare them, and practice them ALL the time. BTW, they don't practice on the customer....they "inspect in private what they expect in public."
5-They Brand Themselves in Their Marketplace
The Cream of the Selling Crop make sure that they are “known-for” something in the marketplace. They create a buzz about who they are and what they know or do by becoming visible to those who may use their product or service. They realize that being a vendor is a tough gig because vendors are a dime a dozen, unless the customer only wants to pay a nickel. The Best of the Best want to be known as the EXPERT. They do the things necessary to position themselves in the marketplace as THE CHOICE rather than A CHOICE. They take the time to write articles and have them published in magazines and newsletters that their customers read. They get out of their comfort zones and look to speak at industry events that their customers attend. They constantly and consistently “touch” their prospects, customers, and clients in a variety of creative and value-add ways to ensure top of consciousness in the minds of the buyers. Top Pros always seek to create “Only Me” value to the sale. They realize that if they are not "visible" then they are "in-visible." They also undertand that if they are not known for somethingthen they are good for nothing!
6-They are Willing to Lose
All too often, most salespeople don’t take the risk of asking for the YES because they are afraid to hear the NO. The Top Sales Pros understand that they are in the NO taking business. They also understand that their success is highly dependant upon their willingness to “crash and burn” in failure. Jeffery Gitomer once sated that “Most people won’t risk asking because they fear the unknown. The real reason that they won’t risk is because they lack the preparation and education that breeds the self confidence (self-belief) to take a chance.” The great Wayne Gretzky once said that “You miss 100% of the shots that you never take.” And so it is with the best salespeople: They get out in front and risk it all for themselves, for the customer, and for their career because they know that most of their competition will STOP when the pressure of the potential loss gets too high. I try to teach the following to my kids, "The answer is always NO until you ask them to say YES!" The worst that can haappen is that "NO" is now clearer! ASK for it!
Monday, January 11, 2010
1st of Three--Top 10 Things Top Sellers Do!
Every month, I run a Coach Call on two different topics. On this month’s second call, I listed the Top 10 things that the top sales pros do that most of the others do not. Since I recorded this call, I have had dozens of people respond that the call opened their eyes to the things that are necessary to stay on top. Furthermore, many of the respondents commented that the Coach call helped them get back on track to re-start doing the things that they used to do.
In either event, due to the overwhelming response to this call, I have decided to write a corresponding article for those of you who are not part of the Coach Call program.
The Top Sales Pros are a special breed of cat. They engage in decidedly different activities on a regular basis. Although they walk and talk the same at first glance, they do very unique things every day that, in and of themselves are not overly special. But combined, these things create a vortex of success that attracts the best customers, the most referrals, the strongest relationships and the highest commissions!
I have been fortunate to be a sales professional for many years that others have placed in the “Top Sales Pro” category. In addition, I have the pleasure of working with many top sales pros (and many more on the other end of the spectrum) every year in my business as a speaker and sales coach. In doing so, I have witnessed some of the best practices that are consistent among only the best. The 10 things that I have compiled in this article (First three listed below) are not the only things that these Heavy Hitters do, but they are, in my opinion, the most important:
1-They Take Full Responsibility
The Best of the Best never place blame on others for their failure or misfires. They realize that the only one responsible for their success or failure is the person that they stare in the mirror every morning. By accepting responsibility for everything, they NEVER become the victim of competition, market circumstances, pricing, or any other issues that are attacking their competition that whine, complain, and sit around waiting for the next big bad wolf.
2-They Guard Their Attitudes with Their Lives
The Top Producers understand that their Attitude is their most important asset to their success and they do everything they can to make sure they bolster it and protect it. They never hang around with those who choose to place blame, point fingers, complain, and bellyache. They go out of their way to associate with winners and successful people. Although they may get invitations to the pity parties, they never choose to attend. In addition, these cats NEVER feel that know it all. In fact, they always seek other’s opinions, knowledge, and experience. They believe anything is possible and you know what…most of the time, they are right!
3-They Feed Their Brains-Every Day
The Best of the Best got to that spot on purpose! They did not just wake up one day on the top of the heap. They actually worked hard to feed their brains the things that it needs to grow. They realize that the marketplace never stands still. They realize that customers needs will always change and they choose to stay ahead of the curve. Consequently, they read books, articles, and reports in the areas that demand their attention. They constantly “sharpen their axes” in the areas of salesmanship, customer service, empathy, and differentiation. They seek to become an expert in their field by increasing their knowledge every day on purpose.
In either event, due to the overwhelming response to this call, I have decided to write a corresponding article for those of you who are not part of the Coach Call program.
The Top Sales Pros are a special breed of cat. They engage in decidedly different activities on a regular basis. Although they walk and talk the same at first glance, they do very unique things every day that, in and of themselves are not overly special. But combined, these things create a vortex of success that attracts the best customers, the most referrals, the strongest relationships and the highest commissions!
I have been fortunate to be a sales professional for many years that others have placed in the “Top Sales Pro” category. In addition, I have the pleasure of working with many top sales pros (and many more on the other end of the spectrum) every year in my business as a speaker and sales coach. In doing so, I have witnessed some of the best practices that are consistent among only the best. The 10 things that I have compiled in this article (First three listed below) are not the only things that these Heavy Hitters do, but they are, in my opinion, the most important:
1-They Take Full Responsibility
The Best of the Best never place blame on others for their failure or misfires. They realize that the only one responsible for their success or failure is the person that they stare in the mirror every morning. By accepting responsibility for everything, they NEVER become the victim of competition, market circumstances, pricing, or any other issues that are attacking their competition that whine, complain, and sit around waiting for the next big bad wolf.
2-They Guard Their Attitudes with Their Lives
The Top Producers understand that their Attitude is their most important asset to their success and they do everything they can to make sure they bolster it and protect it. They never hang around with those who choose to place blame, point fingers, complain, and bellyache. They go out of their way to associate with winners and successful people. Although they may get invitations to the pity parties, they never choose to attend. In addition, these cats NEVER feel that know it all. In fact, they always seek other’s opinions, knowledge, and experience. They believe anything is possible and you know what…most of the time, they are right!
3-They Feed Their Brains-Every Day
The Best of the Best got to that spot on purpose! They did not just wake up one day on the top of the heap. They actually worked hard to feed their brains the things that it needs to grow. They realize that the marketplace never stands still. They realize that customers needs will always change and they choose to stay ahead of the curve. Consequently, they read books, articles, and reports in the areas that demand their attention. They constantly “sharpen their axes” in the areas of salesmanship, customer service, empathy, and differentiation. They seek to become an expert in their field by increasing their knowledge every day on purpose.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Stop Selling Features!
Every time I run a training session, whether with sales managers and CEOs or with salespeople, I ask the question: What do people buy; benefits or features? Without exception, there is a pause and then the word benefits sneaks out. (As if they are not sure...) YES! Benefits are what people buy! I don’t want your product! I don’t care to own your service! I simply want the benefit of what owning it does for me!
An overused example: All of us who own a power drill do not care to own the drill. At one point in our past, we simply wanted a HOLE! The hole is the benefit that the drill provides.
And so it is with our products and services. The things that are important to you about your product or service are typically NOT what is important to your customers.
Do the following exercise: Grab a blank piece of paper and very quickly write down the three main BENEFITS of doing business with your company.
Did you do it? If you did (and you are like most of those who go through this exercise), you probably have some of the following words or phrases on the page in front of you:
Quality Service Reliability Trust Dedicated Staff
Technology Local People Knowledge Track Record
Me Relationships Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
You see, EVERYONE says the same stuff all of the time! We go into the marketplace and passionately tout the benefits of quality, service, and reliability (the holy tri-fecta of sales). Guess what? Your competition is saying the same things! We all sound alike! We all sound like we attended the same school of sales. We are all putting ourselves into the same box.
STOP IT! Start helping the the customer understand how these words or phrases (FEATURES) translate into benefits for them! What does “service” translate into for them? What BENEFIT do I get because of your product's quality? (BTW, isn't quality a minimum expectation today?) The answers to these questions will bring the customer closer to the reason that they will but from you.
Pass the "SO WHAT!" test:
Here’s a quick tip to help: Follow up each of your feature statements with this sentence:
So……what that (the feature) means to YOU is this: ________________________.
There are only a handful of benefits that your customer seeks. What are the main benefits that your product or service provides for your customer? Is it Peace of Mind? Is it Greater Profitability? Is it Ease of Use? Is it Looking Good or Status? Is it to Dominate the Competition?
"What is it that owning your product allows me to have that I do not have currently?" If you can answer this and speak to this in your efforts to sell to me, I will not only go out of my way to own your product, I will pay a premium as well!
An overused example: All of us who own a power drill do not care to own the drill. At one point in our past, we simply wanted a HOLE! The hole is the benefit that the drill provides.
And so it is with our products and services. The things that are important to you about your product or service are typically NOT what is important to your customers.
Do the following exercise: Grab a blank piece of paper and very quickly write down the three main BENEFITS of doing business with your company.
Did you do it? If you did (and you are like most of those who go through this exercise), you probably have some of the following words or phrases on the page in front of you:
Quality Service Reliability Trust Dedicated Staff
Technology Local People Knowledge Track Record
Me Relationships Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
You see, EVERYONE says the same stuff all of the time! We go into the marketplace and passionately tout the benefits of quality, service, and reliability (the holy tri-fecta of sales). Guess what? Your competition is saying the same things! We all sound alike! We all sound like we attended the same school of sales. We are all putting ourselves into the same box.
STOP IT! Start helping the the customer understand how these words or phrases (FEATURES) translate into benefits for them! What does “service” translate into for them? What BENEFIT do I get because of your product's quality? (BTW, isn't quality a minimum expectation today?) The answers to these questions will bring the customer closer to the reason that they will but from you.
Pass the "SO WHAT!" test:
Here’s a quick tip to help: Follow up each of your feature statements with this sentence:
So……what that (the feature) means to YOU is this: ________________________.
There are only a handful of benefits that your customer seeks. What are the main benefits that your product or service provides for your customer? Is it Peace of Mind? Is it Greater Profitability? Is it Ease of Use? Is it Looking Good or Status? Is it to Dominate the Competition?
"What is it that owning your product allows me to have that I do not have currently?" If you can answer this and speak to this in your efforts to sell to me, I will not only go out of my way to own your product, I will pay a premium as well!
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