Can you sell ice to an Eskimo? What about ice cream to an Eskimo? How about ice cubes?
If you said yes to the above questions, then congratulations, you suck as a salesperson!
Of course, nobody sells ice to an Eskimo. That is just a metaphor. But some salespeople love to boast that they can. It is my belief that those salespeople that claim to be able to sell ice to an Eskimo are actually bad salespeople. It is this cocky attitude that represents everything bad about the sales profession. When you say you can sell ice to an Eskimo, you are basically saying that you will sell anything to anybody, no matter if they actually need what you are selling or not. An Eskimo does not need ice.
Think about the image of the slimy used car salesman. People hate this person and everything he represents. He is out to make a buck at the expense of anybody he can swindle. He doesn’t care if he sells you a lemon as long as he gets paid his commission. It is cocky people like this that give sales professionals a bad image.
So, would you still want to sell ice to an Eskimo? If you sell something that doesn't actually need your product, your client will eventually come to terms with this fact and will probably end up telling others. You will eventually get a bad reputation and lose future customers. You can forget about getting future business referrals as well. People will generally dislike you.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
What If
What if this year;
You made one more prospect phone call every day?
You asked every prospect and client for a referral?
You eliminated one destructive sales habit?
You increased your market awareness with better networking skills?
You attended a sales seminar or sales boot camp that your company didn’t pay for?
You stopped accepting prospect’s excuses?
You became the most knowledgeable person in your industry?
These questions are endless and I won’t give you more to think about than you have time for today or even this week.
But I will share with you a simple truth – if you want to sell more every year you have to get better every year.
Let me get to the heart of the matter. If you have been receiving my tips for more than a few months you know that I have spent little time promoting my books, CD’s and boot camps. If you enjoy my tips and benefit from just a few hundred words once a week I would ask you – have you yet purchased one of my over 100 books, manuals or CD’s?
If yes, I hope you have enjoyed them and benefited from them. If not, why haven’t you? Is it the money? Remember the cost of not learning is far higher than the investment in learning. Is it the lack of time? Or some other reason or excuse?
Let me repeat at the sake of sounding redundant. If you want to sell MORE every year you MUST get better every year.
So let me ask you;
What is on your agenda this year to improve your skills?
What is your budget this year for improving your abilities?
What time have you allocated to learning and improving?
What career development organizations are you going to join this year?
What books are you going to read this year?
Let me leave you with some of the statistics and concepts that have driven my personal development philosophy for over forty years.
- Less than ten percent of the population gets what they want from life.
- Less than five percent of the population routinely invests in the improvement and
development of their skills and attitudes.
You made one more prospect phone call every day?
You asked every prospect and client for a referral?
You eliminated one destructive sales habit?
You increased your market awareness with better networking skills?
You attended a sales seminar or sales boot camp that your company didn’t pay for?
You stopped accepting prospect’s excuses?
You became the most knowledgeable person in your industry?
These questions are endless and I won’t give you more to think about than you have time for today or even this week.
But I will share with you a simple truth – if you want to sell more every year you have to get better every year.
Let me get to the heart of the matter. If you have been receiving my tips for more than a few months you know that I have spent little time promoting my books, CD’s and boot camps. If you enjoy my tips and benefit from just a few hundred words once a week I would ask you – have you yet purchased one of my over 100 books, manuals or CD’s?
If yes, I hope you have enjoyed them and benefited from them. If not, why haven’t you? Is it the money? Remember the cost of not learning is far higher than the investment in learning. Is it the lack of time? Or some other reason or excuse?
Let me repeat at the sake of sounding redundant. If you want to sell MORE every year you MUST get better every year.
So let me ask you;
What is on your agenda this year to improve your skills?
What is your budget this year for improving your abilities?
What time have you allocated to learning and improving?
What career development organizations are you going to join this year?
What books are you going to read this year?
Let me leave you with some of the statistics and concepts that have driven my personal development philosophy for over forty years.
- Less than ten percent of the population gets what they want from life.
- Less than five percent of the population routinely invests in the improvement and
development of their skills and attitudes.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
2007 Salesmanship Tips - Selling and Negotiating with Integrity
Perhaps you are already in a sales job or had been a sales profession for a while and you have read various books on the subject and you have decided to maintain and continue your sales profession ongoing education by also reading this book. This is a very smart habit for salespeople because it keeps them motivated and at the top of their game. But what he is a salesperson? In this book we will discuss selling with integrity and positioning yourself as a; Consultant, Problem Solver and Expert.
In my career I started out as a very small business and grew the business very large into a franchising company servicing 450 cities and 110 markets with franchisees in 23 states and four countries. In franchising there is a lot of sales going on for instance you have to sell the franchise and put the franchised outlet into the marketplace and then help the franchisee with their sales and train them to be effective. Also many franchise companies like ours had national accounts and those two needed to be sold. After all if the franchisees did not make money they would not be able to pay us the royalties.
As we set out to sell our franchises we realized that we had to sell only to qualified prospects who we believed could carry our brand name without tarnishing our stellar reputation. We also quickly realize that when we sold national accounts those companies were interested in saving money and would only hire our services if we could save them money and of course we could not take the accounts unless we could make money doing it. You can see quite quickly how selling with integrity and positioning yourself as a consultant, problem solver and expert was paramount to our success as a franchising company.
In my career I started out as a very small business and grew the business very large into a franchising company servicing 450 cities and 110 markets with franchisees in 23 states and four countries. In franchising there is a lot of sales going on for instance you have to sell the franchise and put the franchised outlet into the marketplace and then help the franchisee with their sales and train them to be effective. Also many franchise companies like ours had national accounts and those two needed to be sold. After all if the franchisees did not make money they would not be able to pay us the royalties.
As we set out to sell our franchises we realized that we had to sell only to qualified prospects who we believed could carry our brand name without tarnishing our stellar reputation. We also quickly realize that when we sold national accounts those companies were interested in saving money and would only hire our services if we could save them money and of course we could not take the accounts unless we could make money doing it. You can see quite quickly how selling with integrity and positioning yourself as a consultant, problem solver and expert was paramount to our success as a franchising company.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Don't Lose Control Of Your Sales Cycles
One of the biggest mistakes poor salespeople make is they lose control of the sales process. There are many ways they accomplish this feat, here are a few for your consideration:
1-They quote price just because the prospect has asked (before they have had a chance to build value.
2- They don’t ask enough questions early in the sales process, they just ramble on.
3- They send out literature when asked, without first qualifying the prospect.
4- They deliver proposals to the prospects door and wait for their answer, to buy or not to buy, that is the question.
5- They fail to set appointments that are convenient to them and always bow to the customer.
6- They lug equipment to demonstrate in the prospect’s office rather than getting the prospect to visit their office.
7- They don’t get deposits and hope the prospect will pay someday.
8- They leave –will calls- when telephoning a prospect.
I could go on but I am sure you get my drift.
Control is one of the key elements for success in sales. Successful salespeople understand that control is not manipulation but is in the ultimate best interests of the prospect or client.
I will bet you have a prospect right now as you are reading this where you have lost control. You are waiting for them to respond to your offer, appeal or whatever. I know because I teach this stuff and I am guilty from time to time of making the same mistake. How do you get and keep control? It is simple but not easy.
The best time to get control of the sales process with a new prospect is in the early stages of the relationship. It is very difficult, if not impossible to get it back later if you didn’t get it early. One of the best strategies is to get information before you give it. Questions always come before your presentation, pricing, literature etc.
1-They quote price just because the prospect has asked (before they have had a chance to build value.
2- They don’t ask enough questions early in the sales process, they just ramble on.
3- They send out literature when asked, without first qualifying the prospect.
4- They deliver proposals to the prospects door and wait for their answer, to buy or not to buy, that is the question.
5- They fail to set appointments that are convenient to them and always bow to the customer.
6- They lug equipment to demonstrate in the prospect’s office rather than getting the prospect to visit their office.
7- They don’t get deposits and hope the prospect will pay someday.
8- They leave –will calls- when telephoning a prospect.
I could go on but I am sure you get my drift.
Control is one of the key elements for success in sales. Successful salespeople understand that control is not manipulation but is in the ultimate best interests of the prospect or client.
I will bet you have a prospect right now as you are reading this where you have lost control. You are waiting for them to respond to your offer, appeal or whatever. I know because I teach this stuff and I am guilty from time to time of making the same mistake. How do you get and keep control? It is simple but not easy.
The best time to get control of the sales process with a new prospect is in the early stages of the relationship. It is very difficult, if not impossible to get it back later if you didn’t get it early. One of the best strategies is to get information before you give it. Questions always come before your presentation, pricing, literature etc.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Don't Overcome Objections - Sell Value
Sales resistance is a function of several things in the sales process. Some of them are:
1. Poor prospect qualification.
2. Poor timing.
3. Hidden agendas on the part of the prospect.
4. Lack of trust.
5. Lack of respect.
6. Lack of understanding by the prospect in some aspect of
your sales message.
7. Lack of acceptance of your sales message.
When a prospect gives you sales objections or sales resistance one of the above issues is usually the case. However, they might not tell you their real reason. There is what I call in the sales process a truth line. Prospects often tell you what is above the line hiding the real truth below the line. For example. The prospect says, the price is too high.” What else could they really be saying? What is below the truth line. “I don’t have the money or credit. You haven’t convinced me it is worth the price you are asking (perceived value). I don’t have the authority to make a decision , but I don’t want to admit that. So you see there is more to sales resistance than meets the eye. One technique I have used when I get sales resistance is to ask the prospect a question when I get any type of objection. “In addition to that is there anything else that would get in the way of our doing business together.”
The rationale for this question is: I am accepting their objection as real for them. I am not challenging it. But, I am asking what else is there? If there is nothing else they will either admit that there isn’t or make one up. In either case I am further below the truth line. If they admit there isn’t I am now closer to closing the sale presuming I can effectively deal with this issue.
The key to disarming sales resistance is to identify early in the process what the potential areas of concern are and then weaving the answers into the sales process.
You can effectively answer sales objections all day long and still not close the sale if you are not dealing with the real issues.
Why people challenge price.
Prospects, customers want several things from their suppliers. Fair price, quality products and services and timely service. (not in order of their preference) Surveys that have been done of consumers say that most consumers want: Timely and responsive service first, quality products and services second and low price third. For over 20 years I have surveyed my sales audiences and asked them what they think is most important to consumers and the results have been consistent: Low price, quality and service last. We seem to have a difference in perception here.
There are three elements that must be understood by salespeople if they are going to effectively deal with the price issue. First there is price. That is what people pay for what they buy. Second is cost. That is what they pay for what they buy, over time. And then there is perceived value. That is what they want for the money they pay.
Most consumers tell salespeople that what they want is low price when what they really want is low cost. Now I know that many of you will take issue with this statement but I only ask that you consider for a moment what you as a consumer want. Do you want the cheapest or that which solves your problem or answers your need or desire?
Most prospects or customers want their problems solved. They know that you get what you pay for and that the distaste of poor quality lasts far longer than the sweetness of low price.
People object to price when they feel that what you are asking them to pay is higher than their perceived value. Most poor salespeople when they get price resistance, lower the price. Most of the time it is not a price or cost issue but one of too low perceived value. How do you raise perceived value? Find out what is preventing your prospect or customer from getting a good nights sleep and show them how your product or service will satisfy this need or want or even better exceed their expectations for value, and I guarantee you price will be secondary. Not, cost, but price.
1. Poor prospect qualification.
2. Poor timing.
3. Hidden agendas on the part of the prospect.
4. Lack of trust.
5. Lack of respect.
6. Lack of understanding by the prospect in some aspect of
your sales message.
7. Lack of acceptance of your sales message.
When a prospect gives you sales objections or sales resistance one of the above issues is usually the case. However, they might not tell you their real reason. There is what I call in the sales process a truth line. Prospects often tell you what is above the line hiding the real truth below the line. For example. The prospect says, the price is too high.” What else could they really be saying? What is below the truth line. “I don’t have the money or credit. You haven’t convinced me it is worth the price you are asking (perceived value). I don’t have the authority to make a decision , but I don’t want to admit that. So you see there is more to sales resistance than meets the eye. One technique I have used when I get sales resistance is to ask the prospect a question when I get any type of objection. “In addition to that is there anything else that would get in the way of our doing business together.”
The rationale for this question is: I am accepting their objection as real for them. I am not challenging it. But, I am asking what else is there? If there is nothing else they will either admit that there isn’t or make one up. In either case I am further below the truth line. If they admit there isn’t I am now closer to closing the sale presuming I can effectively deal with this issue.
The key to disarming sales resistance is to identify early in the process what the potential areas of concern are and then weaving the answers into the sales process.
You can effectively answer sales objections all day long and still not close the sale if you are not dealing with the real issues.
Why people challenge price.
Prospects, customers want several things from their suppliers. Fair price, quality products and services and timely service. (not in order of their preference) Surveys that have been done of consumers say that most consumers want: Timely and responsive service first, quality products and services second and low price third. For over 20 years I have surveyed my sales audiences and asked them what they think is most important to consumers and the results have been consistent: Low price, quality and service last. We seem to have a difference in perception here.
There are three elements that must be understood by salespeople if they are going to effectively deal with the price issue. First there is price. That is what people pay for what they buy. Second is cost. That is what they pay for what they buy, over time. And then there is perceived value. That is what they want for the money they pay.
Most consumers tell salespeople that what they want is low price when what they really want is low cost. Now I know that many of you will take issue with this statement but I only ask that you consider for a moment what you as a consumer want. Do you want the cheapest or that which solves your problem or answers your need or desire?
Most prospects or customers want their problems solved. They know that you get what you pay for and that the distaste of poor quality lasts far longer than the sweetness of low price.
People object to price when they feel that what you are asking them to pay is higher than their perceived value. Most poor salespeople when they get price resistance, lower the price. Most of the time it is not a price or cost issue but one of too low perceived value. How do you raise perceived value? Find out what is preventing your prospect or customer from getting a good nights sleep and show them how your product or service will satisfy this need or want or even better exceed their expectations for value, and I guarantee you price will be secondary. Not, cost, but price.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Hate to Make Cold Calls? 5 Tips to Make it Easier
Have you often avoided making those “dreaded cold calls?” Do you dream of how much better your business could be but just can’t bring yourself to pick up the phone?
You’re not alone. In the 10 years that I have specialized in coaching real estate agents, I have noticed the same avoidant patterns in each of my clients. This article gives you 5 tips to make it easier.
Tip 1: Change the name
I’m not kidding. Do the words “cold calls” send a chill up your spine? It’s no wonder . Whoever created that term didn’t know what they were doing. So, change the term, because it’s inaccurate. First of all, many of the people you’ll be calling are leads. Second, why would you you think cold? Are you cold? Is the receiver of the call cold? Not likely if you’re living in a human body.
So maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but the point is, call it something different, call it what it is, “direct response calls”. My clients do much better when they realize they are making direct response calls.
Tip 2: Be in the right mindset
Are you calling to sell something? If so, put down the phone and start again. No, you are actually calling to give something and that is your time and expertise. Would you be scared if you had a gift you wanted to give someone? Unlikely. In the same way, be in the mindset that you have a gift and you are it.
Why is this so? Well, think about the fact that you have something to offer. You know much more about real estate than Ms. Jane Doe. So if you call to let her know what properties have sold in her area, that is valuable information. Likewise, if you want to offer her a Free Comparative Market Analysis. That’s a gift of your time , energy and expertise. You should be proud to offer that . Guess what? If you are proud to offer that , she’ll most likely feel appreciative of the offer. Our energy and mindset is transferred to our prospective clients.
Tip 3: Use a permission based approach
For example, when I do direct response calls, the conversation goes something like this, “My name is Maya Bailey and I work with real estate agents who want to double their income. If you’d like to take 30 seconds , I’ll be happy to tell you what I do.” Notice that I didn’t barrel my way through. I said as little as possible until I got their permission to continue.
Use this script as a template to make your own direct response calls. For example,” My name is ____________ and I’m your local real estate consultant . I have some news about the value of properties in our neighborhood. If you’d like to take 30 seconds, I’ll be happy to…..” Is this getting more clear? The latest trend in marketing is permission based marketing.
Tip 4: Get excited about the relationships you’ll make
If you approach this in a permission based way, people will be much more open and friendly to you. Instead of focusing on the occasional rude person at the other end of the line, focus instead on what you want.
Most likely what you want is to make some connections with a person , in which you can follow up , convert them in prospective clients and then convert them into transactions. Let yourself feel how good it’s going to feel to close those deals. Pat yourself on the back because it all started with the courage it took to make direct response calls.
You’re not alone. In the 10 years that I have specialized in coaching real estate agents, I have noticed the same avoidant patterns in each of my clients. This article gives you 5 tips to make it easier.
Tip 1: Change the name
I’m not kidding. Do the words “cold calls” send a chill up your spine? It’s no wonder . Whoever created that term didn’t know what they were doing. So, change the term, because it’s inaccurate. First of all, many of the people you’ll be calling are leads. Second, why would you you think cold? Are you cold? Is the receiver of the call cold? Not likely if you’re living in a human body.
So maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but the point is, call it something different, call it what it is, “direct response calls”. My clients do much better when they realize they are making direct response calls.
Tip 2: Be in the right mindset
Are you calling to sell something? If so, put down the phone and start again. No, you are actually calling to give something and that is your time and expertise. Would you be scared if you had a gift you wanted to give someone? Unlikely. In the same way, be in the mindset that you have a gift and you are it.
Why is this so? Well, think about the fact that you have something to offer. You know much more about real estate than Ms. Jane Doe. So if you call to let her know what properties have sold in her area, that is valuable information. Likewise, if you want to offer her a Free Comparative Market Analysis. That’s a gift of your time , energy and expertise. You should be proud to offer that . Guess what? If you are proud to offer that , she’ll most likely feel appreciative of the offer. Our energy and mindset is transferred to our prospective clients.
Tip 3: Use a permission based approach
For example, when I do direct response calls, the conversation goes something like this, “My name is Maya Bailey and I work with real estate agents who want to double their income. If you’d like to take 30 seconds , I’ll be happy to tell you what I do.” Notice that I didn’t barrel my way through. I said as little as possible until I got their permission to continue.
Use this script as a template to make your own direct response calls. For example,” My name is ____________ and I’m your local real estate consultant . I have some news about the value of properties in our neighborhood. If you’d like to take 30 seconds, I’ll be happy to…..” Is this getting more clear? The latest trend in marketing is permission based marketing.
Tip 4: Get excited about the relationships you’ll make
If you approach this in a permission based way, people will be much more open and friendly to you. Instead of focusing on the occasional rude person at the other end of the line, focus instead on what you want.
Most likely what you want is to make some connections with a person , in which you can follow up , convert them in prospective clients and then convert them into transactions. Let yourself feel how good it’s going to feel to close those deals. Pat yourself on the back because it all started with the courage it took to make direct response calls.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
How Many Times Have You Heard . . .
In 2006 I heard 58 times from prospects – “It’s not in the budget, that’s more than we had planned to spend, maybe next year we’ll have more available cash, we need to do it but can’t afford it at this time but keep in touch, get back to us next year - whatever,” or something similar. Ever heard any of these? Well, if you have been selling for more than twenty minutes I’ll guarantee you have heard something similar until you are blue in the face.
Here’s the problem from my perspective. What I am offering (selling) is a solution to these circumstances or conditions. What I provide is sure-fire techniques, ideas, concepts and solutions that will improve sales performance, income, margins and results that will solve this problem of a shortage of cash – or sales.
Believe me, either I am really lousy at selling or this is just a lame excuse to maintain the status quo.
If you offer solutions to your prospect’s problems, needs or circumstances that will improve their business or their personal life in some vital or important way and they tell you they can’t afford it – I ask you – what else could they be saying other than – we are really happy the way things are! We don’t want to change our state of affairs!
Or, could they be saying that you just haven’t convinced me that what you are offering will really do what you say it can or will do?
I have to believe that out of the 58 times I heard this reason for inaction last year at least some of them (I would like to think all of them but I have a lot to learn too) were just techniques used to get rid of me. Boy, does this really hurt when all I have in mind is their best interests at heart. Sure, we all make money when we sell, but I am sure you have figured out that the money you earn just comes and goes.
If you don’t get a certain degree of personal satisfaction and pleasure out of helping others, I urge you to seriously consider another career other than selling.
So, why don’t prospects just tell you and I that we just haven’t done a good job of selling or creating perceived value for them? Why the need to be illusive and give us some lame excuse for not buying? Why can’t they just say, “You are not any good at this selling stuff. Or, “We have bigger problems than the one you product or service will solve.” I don’t really care. Why do people feel they can’t just tell the truth? Are they trying to avoid hurting our feelings? Are they just lying and don’t want us to know? Who knows!
What I do know is that two things are going to happen.
First -They are not going to solve their problems or improve their circumstances or conditions unless they take corrective action. I don’t mean to imply here that there are not other sales training programs out there that are not as good or even better (Although unlikely) than mine. I love the line, “Expecting different or better results from repeated or not improved behavior is a mild form of insanity.” If you have heard this line before you may have noticed I took a little license with it. Delaying this corrective action only says that, “It’s not a problem or we have bigger problems to deal with.”
Here’s the problem from my perspective. What I am offering (selling) is a solution to these circumstances or conditions. What I provide is sure-fire techniques, ideas, concepts and solutions that will improve sales performance, income, margins and results that will solve this problem of a shortage of cash – or sales.
Believe me, either I am really lousy at selling or this is just a lame excuse to maintain the status quo.
If you offer solutions to your prospect’s problems, needs or circumstances that will improve their business or their personal life in some vital or important way and they tell you they can’t afford it – I ask you – what else could they be saying other than – we are really happy the way things are! We don’t want to change our state of affairs!
Or, could they be saying that you just haven’t convinced me that what you are offering will really do what you say it can or will do?
I have to believe that out of the 58 times I heard this reason for inaction last year at least some of them (I would like to think all of them but I have a lot to learn too) were just techniques used to get rid of me. Boy, does this really hurt when all I have in mind is their best interests at heart. Sure, we all make money when we sell, but I am sure you have figured out that the money you earn just comes and goes.
If you don’t get a certain degree of personal satisfaction and pleasure out of helping others, I urge you to seriously consider another career other than selling.
So, why don’t prospects just tell you and I that we just haven’t done a good job of selling or creating perceived value for them? Why the need to be illusive and give us some lame excuse for not buying? Why can’t they just say, “You are not any good at this selling stuff. Or, “We have bigger problems than the one you product or service will solve.” I don’t really care. Why do people feel they can’t just tell the truth? Are they trying to avoid hurting our feelings? Are they just lying and don’t want us to know? Who knows!
What I do know is that two things are going to happen.
First -They are not going to solve their problems or improve their circumstances or conditions unless they take corrective action. I don’t mean to imply here that there are not other sales training programs out there that are not as good or even better (Although unlikely) than mine. I love the line, “Expecting different or better results from repeated or not improved behavior is a mild form of insanity.” If you have heard this line before you may have noticed I took a little license with it. Delaying this corrective action only says that, “It’s not a problem or we have bigger problems to deal with.”
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