I’ve been delivering sales seminars for more than 20 years and had a decade of sales and sales management experience before that. When I ask salespeople to tell me how they sell, they rattle off the steps of their sales process. When I ask how their customers buy, they’re stumped. They give me a lot … Read full article
While it’s important to understand why and how people buy, that’s not enough to automatically help you win more sales. You also need to have a plan that addresses what’s most important to each decision maker at each step of their buying process.
Recently I was retained by a regional VP of sales for a large financial institution to evaluate the effectiveness of his team’s sale of investment advisory services provided to high-net-worth customers. He asked me to be a “mystery shopper,” and at his request, I met with one of his salespeople while posing as a high-net-worth … Read full article
For years, I recommended doing in-person cold calls because I personally found them very effective. But times have changed and in-person cold calls absolutely do not work in many settings because of security measures. Often you will simply not be able to get in the door. However, if your “beat” includes offices where you can … Read full article
Amazon.com Top 500 Reviewer: John Chancellor says… “In a number of ways this book takes a counterintuitive approach to selling. But as you read and understand the concepts behind Slow Down, Sell Faster you realize this approach is much more effective. The book is extremely well written and very easy to read.” Additional Reader Reviews … Read full article
It’s important that you not jump into talking about all the selling points of your product or service. The temptation to jump ahead is so tempting that I want to emphasize again it’s still too soon to begin “the pitch.” Until you have helped your customer define an effective solution for their needs or opportunities, … Read full article
Salespeople tend to be very optimistic. When a customer calls, it’s natural to be excited about the opportunity, but keep your eyes open for signs that your potential client isn’t as interested as he seems. A customer who is truly interested in your company will be open to working with you. A customer who has … Read full article
When attempting to diagnose prospects’ needs, many salespeople make the mistake of asking questions to uncover only problems; that is, they look exclusively at what has already happened. Salespeople who look only for problems are like drivers who look only in the rearview mirror. They are not focused on where their customers want to go. … Read full article
Losing your most profitable sales relationships is a concern for every professional. To protect this relationship, you must help your customers identify realistic and observable indicators of your solution’s value. If you don’t, you’re linking your personal success with dozens of factors that are totally out of your control. The way I like to help … Read full article
As a salesperson, once you have your prospect’s attention, you need to make a clear, concise statement of the problems that you solve for customers. Think about what problems you can help the prospect solve. You need to customize your sales solution not only to your prospect’s industry, but also to that person’s self-interest. Make … Read full article