There is no doubt about it. It's a fact of modern life. Formal education can be very expensive and literally bury individuals and whole families under a mountain of debt. The bad news is, that even with the pricy education, your future may not be secure.
Please don't misunderstand, I'm not suggesting that post secondary formal education isn't the way to go. It's extremely valuable for many. What I am suggesting is that it isn't the exclusive path to financial security and it's not something that everyone can obtain for a variety of reasons ranging from financial pressures to grades that don't quite measure up.
Becoming successful in a selling career need not be expensive or even all that time consuming. You don't need the post secondary education. In fact you don't even require a high school diploma, although it helps. You definitely don't need the burden of the of massive student loans and you need not spend years learning before you begin earning. It can easily be a 'learn while you earn' process.
By now you maybe asking a few questions such as,
1. What will it cost to learn how to sell?
2. How long will it take to learn?
3. Who should consider selling as a career?
Let me try to answer those questions for you. If you want to be successful, you will want solid, well rounded training before you begin on your career path. Please don't set yourself up for failure by having less than sufficient skills when you begin. By well rounded, I mean training that not only provides you with techniques, tips and strategies on the actual selling process but most importantly, the emotional tools you will need. Tools to understand and handle what is taking place in the mind of your customers and your own mind throughout the selling experience. Many training programs completely ignore this critical mental aspect of selling. Excellent training can range from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand. Live seminars vary in price as well. You can get started quite modestly and keep layering on your knowledge as you go.
If you can devote a couple of hours every two or three day, you can have the skills needed in a couple of months. If you can go at it bootcamp style, in a week or two you can get be prepared to get started. Then it's a case of ongoing practice and upgrading. A word of caution for you, you can never allow your brain to be so full that you can't learn something new.
Selling is a great career option for a vast cross section of individuals. Let me suggest just a few.
* someone who is looking for a career change
* someone looking to return to the workforce after a number of years
* someone leaving the military
* someone looking to boost his or her income potential
* someone seeking a first job
* someone seeking a career with a future
* someone who is being downsized
* someone taking an early retirement package but still wishing to work
* someone involved in a homebased business
* someone considering selling 'anything' online
* someone forced into a career change because of illness or injury
* someone desiring to be in business for themselves
* someone who is a student seeking lucrative parttime income
Perhaps you see yourself on that list. Please check out all 8 articles in this series. A career in the selling profession just might be right for you or someone close to you.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
To Be Successful...You Must Make Calls Everyday
One of the hardest things for new salespeople to grasp is the fact that calls have to be made everyday, even when it seems as if they don't matter. It's Murphy's Law or something, but when a person is just starting out, it's tough to drum up any real interest in anything. Not to mention interest in whatever product or service you are trying to distribute.
The "pot of gold" at the end of the sales call rainbow only appears if calls are made everyday. A critical mass must be reached, and the only way to reach a critical mass is to make those calls everyday. Those calls can be phone calls or actual interactions in front of prospects; the point is that it must be done everyday. I'm sure you've heard the analogy, but much like a snowball, this is how the critical mass starts.
Does this make it any less frustrating when you are being told NO, over and over again, and not making any money? It sure doesn't, but it also doesn't make it any less true. If you're a salesperson (and who among us isn't) prospects are going to tell you NO a lot. That's just the nature of the game. This is another reason that calls must be made everyday. The more no's you hear, the closer you are to that YES.
This is all simple sales jargon, but again, it's true. The bottom line is that calls must be made every single day if you want to accomplish anything. If you're making calls here and there, you're not going to get anywhere and you'll feel like your spinning your wheels. Focus becomes a key. If staying focused isn't your strongest attribute, I would suggest getting to work on that as well. There are thousands of books and CD's on the subject, so get in there. Just make sure that while you're learning how to stay focused, you also make calls everyday, because that's where the business comes from.
The "pot of gold" at the end of the sales call rainbow only appears if calls are made everyday. A critical mass must be reached, and the only way to reach a critical mass is to make those calls everyday. Those calls can be phone calls or actual interactions in front of prospects; the point is that it must be done everyday. I'm sure you've heard the analogy, but much like a snowball, this is how the critical mass starts.
Does this make it any less frustrating when you are being told NO, over and over again, and not making any money? It sure doesn't, but it also doesn't make it any less true. If you're a salesperson (and who among us isn't) prospects are going to tell you NO a lot. That's just the nature of the game. This is another reason that calls must be made everyday. The more no's you hear, the closer you are to that YES.
This is all simple sales jargon, but again, it's true. The bottom line is that calls must be made every single day if you want to accomplish anything. If you're making calls here and there, you're not going to get anywhere and you'll feel like your spinning your wheels. Focus becomes a key. If staying focused isn't your strongest attribute, I would suggest getting to work on that as well. There are thousands of books and CD's on the subject, so get in there. Just make sure that while you're learning how to stay focused, you also make calls everyday, because that's where the business comes from.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Small Mistakes Cost You Big Money
My wife and I were shopping for a new lighting fixture to hang above our dining room table. We wanted something relatively contemporary, and in our quest, we visited over a dozen stores in search of the perfect light. This experience uncovered a wide variety of mistakes that are costing retailers big money in the form of lost sales. Here's an example of some of the situations we have encountered.
1. We walked into one store early in the evening and were greeted with a heavy rock station blasting over the speakers. Although I like rock music, it is definitely NOT appropriate for a retail environment unless you are selling music, extreme sporting goods, or cater directly to a demographic that appreciates this type of music. Based on the selection of product on display, I suspect this lighting store's target market is someone between the ages of 35-70. This means their music choice was a huge blunder, one that could easily have been avoided.
2. Another store promised the region's largest selection of lighting fixtures which definitely intrigued us. We dropped by the store, and indeed, they did have a fantastic selection of lights, including several that appealed to our individual taste. However, very few of the lights were operable which meant we couldn't see what they looked like when lit. Call me silly but when I buy a lighting fixture I expect to be able to turn it on so I can see exactly how it looks when it is lit. Plus, the apparent owner of the store didn’t bother to leave the comfort of the counter and make any attempt to help us.
3. We ventured into another store that had a very good selection of lighting fixtures. We were looking at one in particular and there was an employee standing nearby as we considered it. She mumbled something to us about the light—I guess to help us—but what she said was incomprehensible and she didn’t stick around long enough for us to clarify what she had said. Instead, after making her comment she left us to retreat behind the sales counter.
In the same store, they had a designated sales person roaming the floor but at no time did he approach us even though he had overheard us tell another employee what we were looking for.
4. The website of store number four appealed to my wife for a variety of reasons and it sounded like this might be the place we might find our ideal fixture. Unfortunately, as we opened the door we were assaulted by the smell of stale cigarette smoke. In fact, the entire store smelled like an old gentlemen’s club, and as non-smokers, this definitely turned us off. This store had given us the impression on their website that they had an extremely large selection of contemporary fixtures but their actual selection did not match their advertising. Although there were a few wall hangings and paintings that were attractive, we did not want to bring home the smell of stale smoke, so we left. Oh, did I mention that we were greeted by a small dog who barked at us the entire time we were in the store.
5. We went into another store and noticed several employees standing behind the sales counter, chatting with each other. We wandered around the store and looked at lighting fixtures for approximately seven to ten minutes but at no time did any of these employees make an attempt to assist us. I guess they figured that if we needed help we would ask for it. I can picture their boss questioning them the next day about the lack of sales and can hear them saying, “Oh, it was really quiet last night; we didn’t have anyone in the store.”
I could keep going but I think you get the picture. Each of these retailers made some type of blunder that cost them potential sales and profits. What is extremely unfortunate; is the fact that they probably don't even realize they made these mistakes or how money it cost them.
1. We walked into one store early in the evening and were greeted with a heavy rock station blasting over the speakers. Although I like rock music, it is definitely NOT appropriate for a retail environment unless you are selling music, extreme sporting goods, or cater directly to a demographic that appreciates this type of music. Based on the selection of product on display, I suspect this lighting store's target market is someone between the ages of 35-70. This means their music choice was a huge blunder, one that could easily have been avoided.
2. Another store promised the region's largest selection of lighting fixtures which definitely intrigued us. We dropped by the store, and indeed, they did have a fantastic selection of lights, including several that appealed to our individual taste. However, very few of the lights were operable which meant we couldn't see what they looked like when lit. Call me silly but when I buy a lighting fixture I expect to be able to turn it on so I can see exactly how it looks when it is lit. Plus, the apparent owner of the store didn’t bother to leave the comfort of the counter and make any attempt to help us.
3. We ventured into another store that had a very good selection of lighting fixtures. We were looking at one in particular and there was an employee standing nearby as we considered it. She mumbled something to us about the light—I guess to help us—but what she said was incomprehensible and she didn’t stick around long enough for us to clarify what she had said. Instead, after making her comment she left us to retreat behind the sales counter.
In the same store, they had a designated sales person roaming the floor but at no time did he approach us even though he had overheard us tell another employee what we were looking for.
4. The website of store number four appealed to my wife for a variety of reasons and it sounded like this might be the place we might find our ideal fixture. Unfortunately, as we opened the door we were assaulted by the smell of stale cigarette smoke. In fact, the entire store smelled like an old gentlemen’s club, and as non-smokers, this definitely turned us off. This store had given us the impression on their website that they had an extremely large selection of contemporary fixtures but their actual selection did not match their advertising. Although there were a few wall hangings and paintings that were attractive, we did not want to bring home the smell of stale smoke, so we left. Oh, did I mention that we were greeted by a small dog who barked at us the entire time we were in the store.
5. We went into another store and noticed several employees standing behind the sales counter, chatting with each other. We wandered around the store and looked at lighting fixtures for approximately seven to ten minutes but at no time did any of these employees make an attempt to assist us. I guess they figured that if we needed help we would ask for it. I can picture their boss questioning them the next day about the lack of sales and can hear them saying, “Oh, it was really quiet last night; we didn’t have anyone in the store.”
I could keep going but I think you get the picture. Each of these retailers made some type of blunder that cost them potential sales and profits. What is extremely unfortunate; is the fact that they probably don't even realize they made these mistakes or how money it cost them.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Who's Calling?
One of the most frightening challenges many people have is to pick up the telephone and speak to a decision maker they don’t know, and make an appointment.
And when you think about it, you are calling a decision maker, who is generally a very busy person, with numerous, weighty responsibilities, and asking them to spend some time listening to you. It’s asking a lot when you look at it that way…
So, the question is, why should they agree to see you or I? In answering that, it’s useful to ask ourselves a question: If a total stranger were to call and ask to set a time to see you, what would it take for you to agree? I’m willing to wager, they would need to get your attention and tell you how meeting with them was going to show you a way to either ‘avoid pain’ or ‘gain pleasure’ through your product or service – and tell them confidently and quickly!
Examples of this may include how they could avoid loss (of money), gain time/money. Or avoid losing customers to competition. Increase their customer base. Prevent loss of market share. Increase market share. And if you can’t, do any of those things, why would they want to meet with you? What’s in it for them anyway? If you don’t know the answers to those questions, from your customer’s perspective, find someone to help you brainstorm some ideas and find the answers. It could be the best time you invest in your business this month!
One of the greatest challenges when new business phone calls need to be made is, people have often already worked themselves into a less than useful state of mind. You may done this yourself. Time comes to make the calls. Just before you do, you’ll grab yourself another coffee. Then someone you asked to drop in some artwork calls in, so you look at that. Back at your desk, there’s a message from a friend, so you’d better return that call. Then before you start, you need a tidy desk. Of course, if your business cards aren’t alphabetized, that may slow you down. Your pencil looks a little blunt, so best remedy that. Actually, now is probably a good time to check your stationery supply and get a new pen, because you don’t want that failing you. OK, a quick visit to the bathroom and you’ll be ready to go…
Oh, look at the time! They’re probably at lunch now. Better diarise a time this afternoon to get right on to those calls. OK, so I’m exaggerating, but you get the picture. If we are not prepared, and don’t have a structure that allows us to confidently make the calls, of course we are likely to delay the process.
Many years ago when I started out in my own business, I was selling a US designed product that came complete with a structure for making cold calls. I read through the scripts and thought, “There’s no way I could say that. That’s not my style. Things are different in Australia.” So instead, I started doing things ‘Franks way’. After a period of time not achieving the types of results I was after, I went back to those scripts and thought, “Well, I’ll try it once. Can’t do much harm trying it once.” The difference was immediate!
In Australia we have something of an aversion to working from scripts, and there are a couple of reasons for that. One is, the script wasn’t written by us, so it may call on us to use slightly different language – and that feels uncomfortable. The other thing is, we have no doubt been on the receiving end of a call from a telemarketer who was so determined to stick to their script, they didn’t hear a thing we were saying.
Neither of those those things should prevent us using a well-crafted script as our base. The key is, to learn it so well it becomes second nature, so you can listen to, and work with the person on the other end of the phone. In avoiding making a start, people only deepen their unresourceful state of mind. Before picking up the phone, that state of mind needs to be changed. There are a number of ways to do that, and often individuals know their own system best of all.
And when you think about it, you are calling a decision maker, who is generally a very busy person, with numerous, weighty responsibilities, and asking them to spend some time listening to you. It’s asking a lot when you look at it that way…
So, the question is, why should they agree to see you or I? In answering that, it’s useful to ask ourselves a question: If a total stranger were to call and ask to set a time to see you, what would it take for you to agree? I’m willing to wager, they would need to get your attention and tell you how meeting with them was going to show you a way to either ‘avoid pain’ or ‘gain pleasure’ through your product or service – and tell them confidently and quickly!
Examples of this may include how they could avoid loss (of money), gain time/money. Or avoid losing customers to competition. Increase their customer base. Prevent loss of market share. Increase market share. And if you can’t, do any of those things, why would they want to meet with you? What’s in it for them anyway? If you don’t know the answers to those questions, from your customer’s perspective, find someone to help you brainstorm some ideas and find the answers. It could be the best time you invest in your business this month!
One of the greatest challenges when new business phone calls need to be made is, people have often already worked themselves into a less than useful state of mind. You may done this yourself. Time comes to make the calls. Just before you do, you’ll grab yourself another coffee. Then someone you asked to drop in some artwork calls in, so you look at that. Back at your desk, there’s a message from a friend, so you’d better return that call. Then before you start, you need a tidy desk. Of course, if your business cards aren’t alphabetized, that may slow you down. Your pencil looks a little blunt, so best remedy that. Actually, now is probably a good time to check your stationery supply and get a new pen, because you don’t want that failing you. OK, a quick visit to the bathroom and you’ll be ready to go…
Oh, look at the time! They’re probably at lunch now. Better diarise a time this afternoon to get right on to those calls. OK, so I’m exaggerating, but you get the picture. If we are not prepared, and don’t have a structure that allows us to confidently make the calls, of course we are likely to delay the process.
Many years ago when I started out in my own business, I was selling a US designed product that came complete with a structure for making cold calls. I read through the scripts and thought, “There’s no way I could say that. That’s not my style. Things are different in Australia.” So instead, I started doing things ‘Franks way’. After a period of time not achieving the types of results I was after, I went back to those scripts and thought, “Well, I’ll try it once. Can’t do much harm trying it once.” The difference was immediate!
In Australia we have something of an aversion to working from scripts, and there are a couple of reasons for that. One is, the script wasn’t written by us, so it may call on us to use slightly different language – and that feels uncomfortable. The other thing is, we have no doubt been on the receiving end of a call from a telemarketer who was so determined to stick to their script, they didn’t hear a thing we were saying.
Neither of those those things should prevent us using a well-crafted script as our base. The key is, to learn it so well it becomes second nature, so you can listen to, and work with the person on the other end of the phone. In avoiding making a start, people only deepen their unresourceful state of mind. Before picking up the phone, that state of mind needs to be changed. There are a number of ways to do that, and often individuals know their own system best of all.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
How to Close Larger Deals by Effectively Qualifying Your Sales Prospects
Qualifying your prospects is a critical step in the overall sales cycle. Creating situational awareness for your potential client will increase your probability of closing the sale. Having a better understanding of your prospects needs will also allow you to maximize your deal size.
In qualifying your prospect, you are determining three basics things:
1. What is your customer’s situation now?
2. What would they like it to be?
3. How can you help them get from where they are to where they want to be?
Before initiating a buying process, customers have to:
1. Recognize and understand that they have a need
2. Conclude that the need is significant enough to take action upon
When qualifying opportunities, probe to see how you can make truly valuable contributions to their organization. Help your customers to:
1. Discover opportunities they weren’t aware of or thought insignificant
2. Expand awareness to those opportunities to generate excitement
3. Intensify customer’s dissatisfaction with unsatisfactory situations
You should implement a qualifying process to allow you to gather customer information quickly and efficiently.
Begin your qualifying with broad, general questions about the prospect’s situation and narrow the conversation down to specifics when appropriate. Formulate questions in a way that promotes continuing dialogue, using descriptive words such as explain, describe, explore, tell me about, share with me, etc.
“Would you mind explaining more about your current situation and your strategy for the next 6 months?”
To encourage an open and productive dialogue, transition into qualifying by letting the prospect know why you are asking for the information.
“To be sure we’re recommending the right solution for your needs would you mind if I get your answers to a few questions”
Find the “pain” – explore problems and the impact those problems have on their business.
“What do you feel are some limitations of your current situation?"
Below are some qualifying questions you can customize to your specific product or service.You’ll be amazed of how much information prospects will give up when asked the right question!
* Mr/Mrs Prospect, to be sure we explore areas of mutual interest, what can you share with me about your current environment?
* Could You Describe What Your Current Environment Looks Like?
* What Does Your Ideal Solution Look Like?
* Any Thought on Budget Range?
* Would You Mind Explaining Your Current Situation and Your Strategy For The Next 6-12 Months?
* What are your objectives for the next 3-6 months?
* If money was not an issue what would your ideal situation look like?
* How much growth do you foresee in the next year or two?
* How much do you want to increase your profit this year?
In qualifying your prospect, you are determining three basics things:
1. What is your customer’s situation now?
2. What would they like it to be?
3. How can you help them get from where they are to where they want to be?
Before initiating a buying process, customers have to:
1. Recognize and understand that they have a need
2. Conclude that the need is significant enough to take action upon
When qualifying opportunities, probe to see how you can make truly valuable contributions to their organization. Help your customers to:
1. Discover opportunities they weren’t aware of or thought insignificant
2. Expand awareness to those opportunities to generate excitement
3. Intensify customer’s dissatisfaction with unsatisfactory situations
You should implement a qualifying process to allow you to gather customer information quickly and efficiently.
Begin your qualifying with broad, general questions about the prospect’s situation and narrow the conversation down to specifics when appropriate. Formulate questions in a way that promotes continuing dialogue, using descriptive words such as explain, describe, explore, tell me about, share with me, etc.
“Would you mind explaining more about your current situation and your strategy for the next 6 months?”
To encourage an open and productive dialogue, transition into qualifying by letting the prospect know why you are asking for the information.
“To be sure we’re recommending the right solution for your needs would you mind if I get your answers to a few questions”
Find the “pain” – explore problems and the impact those problems have on their business.
“What do you feel are some limitations of your current situation?"
Below are some qualifying questions you can customize to your specific product or service.You’ll be amazed of how much information prospects will give up when asked the right question!
* Mr/Mrs Prospect, to be sure we explore areas of mutual interest, what can you share with me about your current environment?
* Could You Describe What Your Current Environment Looks Like?
* What Does Your Ideal Solution Look Like?
* Any Thought on Budget Range?
* Would You Mind Explaining Your Current Situation and Your Strategy For The Next 6-12 Months?
* What are your objectives for the next 3-6 months?
* If money was not an issue what would your ideal situation look like?
* How much growth do you foresee in the next year or two?
* How much do you want to increase your profit this year?
Saturday, January 13, 2007
How to Sell Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to Small and Medium Business (SMB) Clients
1. SMB market situation
Big competition –The SMB market is characterized by a lot of competitors, who are trying to be market leaders. The competition is tough and we have to fight hard to get a sale.e
Little earning – At the same time, it’s a market that gives us a little earning. It is very hard to drive a consultancy firm living only from the earning from small a midrange customer.
Decision making about 1 year. The decision making does not come overnight. You have to have patience and ensure awareness. You have to keep pushing the same winner buttons: branch specific, state of the art solution and low cost price.
½ day to convince the customer. When the SMB customer wants to se you be sure that you are on immediately available. The SMB company doesn’t wait for you. You got typically ½ day to get yet another invitation into the world of the SMB company and to get the sale.
This leads and trigger white lies – It’s a hard market and we all know that when we’re pushed enough we start to make our little white lies. So everybody without exception makes these white lies or conceals the truth.
2. The characteristics of the SMB customer
Hardworking – They work 24x7x52. They know more than anybody that success in the SMB market requires hard work
Humble – They have a very humble approach to the way of running business.
Proud – They have built their business and are proud of it and remember we are only invited into.
Simple minded – they just love simple solutions. Often they cannot afford the luxury of endless meeting to make decisions
They know the art of survival – They know more than anybody the art of survival. The must be flexible and continuously change according to their business environment
Their business is their life. Once I heard a sales man propose daily fines if we didn’t succeed in meeting the go life deadline in time. He didn’t understand that they were more concerned about surviving the implementation. An implementation drains the business for energy and if its fails it will kill the customer.
3. SMB customer’s perception
It’s legal to say that Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is not good – Even persons on the street seems to know. We’re working uphill right from the start.
Too big – It can be difficult to maintain the overview of ERP since there are too many functionalities and constant changes. However, it is necessary to understand what is available and how it can benefit them. On the other hand it takes the customer 5 min to ask for the very deepest functionalities the ERP system. I feel sorry for the other systems. They must give up much sooner.
You’re lost in the ERP system – Nobody seems to know what is going on, there are too many bad stories and you cannot control development.
Not user friendly – ERP much be repeated again and again. The new customers haven’t heard the good news. Too expensive – It is an old story. Now it is cost effective.
4. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Superior Industry specific ERP template – It no problem to stand up and say: I believe that this is the right solution for you dear customer. The king of functionalities – This is it, I’m still amazed when I make new discoveries. ERP covers the latest best practices and process need for a specific sub industry.
The best documented system – this is in fact a unique selling point. You will get all the support you can get – Some of my colleagues just have to learn to ask within our organization or ERP politely. Just ask politely and you will get the help.
Respect – Everybody respects the ERP system. We know and the customer knows that this is state of the art. Often it is chosen in the preliminary phase only as a reference system to ensure that the cheaper system is good enough.
You have to earn the trust – You don’t immediately have the customer’s trust. You have to earn it.
5. Presales issues
Do not only use salesman. You cannot sell an ERP system with PowerPoint presentations or CATT’s alone. The customer has met too many liars.
Trust – show the system. The customers want to see the system in action in detail! They want to see it before they can trust you.
Be honest so it hurts – You have to be very honest and that may hurts. Then the customer will trust you. The point is that you don’t have to lie. Remember that you have the best solution on the market in your hand.
Trust it. Show the pain points and challenges – Show that you know their business by indicating paint points and challenges that can be eased by using the system. Often they are amazing of the possibilities in the ERP system.
Emphasize template. Repeat again and again that this is a template and that the major decision already has been taken. We don’t need 1 year of analysis phase.
Narrow the scope down. Continue to control and focus on the scope to keep on narrowing it down.
Don’t make it bigger every time the customer has a question.
Fixed price – This shows the customer that you really believe in what you’re selling.
6. How do you present the system?
Trust – show the system, they need to see it working in real life.
Focus on enduser functions. When you show it, focus on enduser functionalities. Customers often have a perception that the system is very poor in this area. Even though you might think it is so simple, show it anyway. You get acceptance right away.
Start from scratch and build up the trust. Build a relationship of trust and a common ground of understanding from scratch.
Show simplicity – Keep it simple. Don’t show 8 different approaches to a problem. Show only what you believe in is best for them. Be straight forward – Show how easily the ERP solution solves even the complex issues.
Answer “razor sharp” every time – When you get a question, answer “razor sharp” every time. Don’t say: “well it depends”. What kind of functionality do you have in mind? You are the master. You are the one bringing in the best practice show it.
Big competition –The SMB market is characterized by a lot of competitors, who are trying to be market leaders. The competition is tough and we have to fight hard to get a sale.e
Little earning – At the same time, it’s a market that gives us a little earning. It is very hard to drive a consultancy firm living only from the earning from small a midrange customer.
Decision making about 1 year. The decision making does not come overnight. You have to have patience and ensure awareness. You have to keep pushing the same winner buttons: branch specific, state of the art solution and low cost price.
½ day to convince the customer. When the SMB customer wants to se you be sure that you are on immediately available. The SMB company doesn’t wait for you. You got typically ½ day to get yet another invitation into the world of the SMB company and to get the sale.
This leads and trigger white lies – It’s a hard market and we all know that when we’re pushed enough we start to make our little white lies. So everybody without exception makes these white lies or conceals the truth.
2. The characteristics of the SMB customer
Hardworking – They work 24x7x52. They know more than anybody that success in the SMB market requires hard work
Humble – They have a very humble approach to the way of running business.
Proud – They have built their business and are proud of it and remember we are only invited into.
Simple minded – they just love simple solutions. Often they cannot afford the luxury of endless meeting to make decisions
They know the art of survival – They know more than anybody the art of survival. The must be flexible and continuously change according to their business environment
Their business is their life. Once I heard a sales man propose daily fines if we didn’t succeed in meeting the go life deadline in time. He didn’t understand that they were more concerned about surviving the implementation. An implementation drains the business for energy and if its fails it will kill the customer.
3. SMB customer’s perception
It’s legal to say that Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is not good – Even persons on the street seems to know. We’re working uphill right from the start.
Too big – It can be difficult to maintain the overview of ERP since there are too many functionalities and constant changes. However, it is necessary to understand what is available and how it can benefit them. On the other hand it takes the customer 5 min to ask for the very deepest functionalities the ERP system. I feel sorry for the other systems. They must give up much sooner.
You’re lost in the ERP system – Nobody seems to know what is going on, there are too many bad stories and you cannot control development.
Not user friendly – ERP much be repeated again and again. The new customers haven’t heard the good news. Too expensive – It is an old story. Now it is cost effective.
4. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Superior Industry specific ERP template – It no problem to stand up and say: I believe that this is the right solution for you dear customer. The king of functionalities – This is it, I’m still amazed when I make new discoveries. ERP covers the latest best practices and process need for a specific sub industry.
The best documented system – this is in fact a unique selling point. You will get all the support you can get – Some of my colleagues just have to learn to ask within our organization or ERP politely. Just ask politely and you will get the help.
Respect – Everybody respects the ERP system. We know and the customer knows that this is state of the art. Often it is chosen in the preliminary phase only as a reference system to ensure that the cheaper system is good enough.
You have to earn the trust – You don’t immediately have the customer’s trust. You have to earn it.
5. Presales issues
Do not only use salesman. You cannot sell an ERP system with PowerPoint presentations or CATT’s alone. The customer has met too many liars.
Trust – show the system. The customers want to see the system in action in detail! They want to see it before they can trust you.
Be honest so it hurts – You have to be very honest and that may hurts. Then the customer will trust you. The point is that you don’t have to lie. Remember that you have the best solution on the market in your hand.
Trust it. Show the pain points and challenges – Show that you know their business by indicating paint points and challenges that can be eased by using the system. Often they are amazing of the possibilities in the ERP system.
Emphasize template. Repeat again and again that this is a template and that the major decision already has been taken. We don’t need 1 year of analysis phase.
Narrow the scope down. Continue to control and focus on the scope to keep on narrowing it down.
Don’t make it bigger every time the customer has a question.
Fixed price – This shows the customer that you really believe in what you’re selling.
6. How do you present the system?
Trust – show the system, they need to see it working in real life.
Focus on enduser functions. When you show it, focus on enduser functionalities. Customers often have a perception that the system is very poor in this area. Even though you might think it is so simple, show it anyway. You get acceptance right away.
Start from scratch and build up the trust. Build a relationship of trust and a common ground of understanding from scratch.
Show simplicity – Keep it simple. Don’t show 8 different approaches to a problem. Show only what you believe in is best for them. Be straight forward – Show how easily the ERP solution solves even the complex issues.
Answer “razor sharp” every time – When you get a question, answer “razor sharp” every time. Don’t say: “well it depends”. What kind of functionality do you have in mind? You are the master. You are the one bringing in the best practice show it.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Banned Until Further Notice: All Boring Business Presentations
Wow!! Wouldn’t it be great if we, business people, could give better presentations...guaranteed to be more interesting, informative and easier to attend and more successful?
Business Presentations, Today.
You arrive in the hotel conference room or auditorium; the chairs and tables are neatly lined up in audience format. The lectern is set-up on stage and there’s this huge screen with a projected greeting, welcoming you to the event. On the tables in front of each chair is a stapled package containing the presentation slides you are about to see during the presentation..
Over my career, I have personally sat through many boring slide presentations at conferences and after the room is darkened, the speaker aims his pen laser at the screen. I start to leaf through the slides in the package. In fact, I usually count the slides in the handout and estimate the time it will take to go through all those busy graphs and information soaked visuals. After some time, I have to fight valiantly against dozing off.
I have also listened to ‘kitchen table’ sales presentations which made me yearn to watch the most boring re-run on TV. No matter the forum, presentations have become all, too common in style.
What Has Happened to Our Presenters?
Over the past thirty years or so, we have discovered ‘overhead slide’ projectors and subsequently graduated to the ‘PowerPoint’ computer slide shows. Our love affair with color slides grew and graphic representations; even video went into high gear. Not one presentation exists without an exhausting and painful display of graphics, numbers, words and colors, complete with special effects and chase scenes.
Audience members are now treated like toddlers whose parents need a break and get it by sitting them in front of the TV to baby-sit for a while. The whole presentation process has become an exercise in visual aids. The audience is left somewhat unattended.
The True Reason for Presentations
As a presenter, your job is to “entertain” your audience with the intent of informing, persuading or selling them on your point of view, your product or service or to convince them to follow you in some endeavor...or to invest their time or money in you. They came to listen to you not to read “your presentation” off a bunch of slides.
The Real Presenter
The Real Presenter should be “Conversing” with her audience. That’s right, she should be speaking to an audience just like she would speak to a group of her closest friends. A presenter, who shares information in a direct and friendly way, with audience interaction, invites interest and discussion.
True Stories
“Jim, a retired airline pilot, told his audience about an episode in which he was giving flying lessons to a new pilot when the engine on the aircraft quit at two thousand feet over an interstate highway. He struggled for some time to restart the engine, but finally had to land the plane in a farmer’s field. The small aircraft wound up leaning on its nose but both he and his student walked away without injury.”
Wouldn’t you want Jim as your instructor? Wouldn’t you feel safe flying on an airliner with Jim at the controls? In one short story, Jim convinced his audience that he knew his business.
“Marty was introducing herself to the group and happened to mention how she backpacked across Europe in her college days, then she stowed away on a “tramp steamer” from southern France to Africa. Her tone and demeanor was relaxed and conversational. Her audience was mesmerized; she had obviously captured their attention. They believed her because she was telling a true story”
Business Presentations, Today.
You arrive in the hotel conference room or auditorium; the chairs and tables are neatly lined up in audience format. The lectern is set-up on stage and there’s this huge screen with a projected greeting, welcoming you to the event. On the tables in front of each chair is a stapled package containing the presentation slides you are about to see during the presentation..
Over my career, I have personally sat through many boring slide presentations at conferences and after the room is darkened, the speaker aims his pen laser at the screen. I start to leaf through the slides in the package. In fact, I usually count the slides in the handout and estimate the time it will take to go through all those busy graphs and information soaked visuals. After some time, I have to fight valiantly against dozing off.
I have also listened to ‘kitchen table’ sales presentations which made me yearn to watch the most boring re-run on TV. No matter the forum, presentations have become all, too common in style.
What Has Happened to Our Presenters?
Over the past thirty years or so, we have discovered ‘overhead slide’ projectors and subsequently graduated to the ‘PowerPoint’ computer slide shows. Our love affair with color slides grew and graphic representations; even video went into high gear. Not one presentation exists without an exhausting and painful display of graphics, numbers, words and colors, complete with special effects and chase scenes.
Audience members are now treated like toddlers whose parents need a break and get it by sitting them in front of the TV to baby-sit for a while. The whole presentation process has become an exercise in visual aids. The audience is left somewhat unattended.
The True Reason for Presentations
As a presenter, your job is to “entertain” your audience with the intent of informing, persuading or selling them on your point of view, your product or service or to convince them to follow you in some endeavor...or to invest their time or money in you. They came to listen to you not to read “your presentation” off a bunch of slides.
The Real Presenter
The Real Presenter should be “Conversing” with her audience. That’s right, she should be speaking to an audience just like she would speak to a group of her closest friends. A presenter, who shares information in a direct and friendly way, with audience interaction, invites interest and discussion.
True Stories
“Jim, a retired airline pilot, told his audience about an episode in which he was giving flying lessons to a new pilot when the engine on the aircraft quit at two thousand feet over an interstate highway. He struggled for some time to restart the engine, but finally had to land the plane in a farmer’s field. The small aircraft wound up leaning on its nose but both he and his student walked away without injury.”
Wouldn’t you want Jim as your instructor? Wouldn’t you feel safe flying on an airliner with Jim at the controls? In one short story, Jim convinced his audience that he knew his business.
“Marty was introducing herself to the group and happened to mention how she backpacked across Europe in her college days, then she stowed away on a “tramp steamer” from southern France to Africa. Her tone and demeanor was relaxed and conversational. Her audience was mesmerized; she had obviously captured their attention. They believed her because she was telling a true story”
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