Don't You Think It's Time to Stop Selling Your Products and Start Making Sales?

Is your sales process backfiring on you these days? Are you still taking the "traditional" approach to selling your products? That is, telling your customer whatever they want to hear? Or, telling your customer whatever they want to believe? And, this is exactly why customers hate dealing with sales people. They feel they've been "conned" into believing something that isn't there.

"Selling" and "making the sale" are total polar opposites. Making the sale is a process ... not an event when the customer signs the purchase order. And many times, the process is a long drawn out one and not a quick signature on the purchase order.

Many sales people don't have a clue who they should target. The task should be to clearly identify to whom you would like to do business. Selling to people who have no need for your products or services doesn't even make sense. But, some sales people will continue cold calling every phone number they can get their hands on, and to no avail.

You need to cultivate a relationship with your customers (existing and potential). Don't just be interested in what did they buy this week. Think about the potential for sales a year from now. I spoke to a sales rep recently who had sold two high-priced instruments to a customer he had been doing business with for years. Even though this customer had not made a purchase in years, she was now at a company who had budget for his products. It was almost a slam dunk sales process because he had spent over eight years cultivating the relationship. When the opportunity came, the customer called him and no other companies.

Look at the purchase order not as a "sale" but as the customer's commitment and loyalty to your company and its products. Be seen as a partner rather than a sales person. Your customer will develop a sense that you are an indispensable part of their decision-making process. People are looking for expertise these days so expand your knowledge base about your products so that you represent yourself as the reigning expert in your field.

So, stop selling and start making sales.

Need a Killer Sales Prospecting Script? Part 2

Following on our previous article on this blog, here are a few more tips for developing a great sales script.

• Set yourself up as an expert. Say phrases like "we specialize in ..." or "we are known for ..." And, don't be bashful to name drop current or former clients to help you position your expertise in the minds of your prospects. They are most likely familiar with some of your reputable clients. Also, if someone has referred you, then say so, and use their name.

• Describe your product or service and point out the benefits of your service or product. But, be sure you position the benefits from the prospect's perspective, and not yours. So, you really need to do your research and understand the industry problems that you are solving with your company's offerings.

• To use or not to use jargon, that is the question. If industry jargon is well-known by your prospect, certainly use it to show your expertise. But, if you are dealing with someone not familiar with the jargon, then use plain vanilla communication. You need to be sure your prospect understands what you're talking about. If they don't, you may hear a click at the other end of the phone. Try filling in your script with a success story you had with another client. Using word pictures will help the prospect to understand what you can do for them.

• And, don't forget to close the conversation. You need to ask for something. Now, it may not be a sale on the first conversation. All you may want is a meeting, a teleconference, or a personal one-on-one appointment to discuss your products and services further. But, always ask for what you want. The main goal is to introduce yourself and your company. Your prospect needs to get to know you first before they will buy. They may already have a vendor that supplies a similar service. But, you never know the future and something could happen to that supplier.

Need a Killer Sales Prospecting Script? Part I

Don't we all these days. After all, we are all sales people whether we want to admit it or not. Whether you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, looking for another job, or trying to advance in your current company, we are all in sales.

I know "sales" is an ugly word. The stereotype is that guy or gal who is obnoxious and bothers you all the time. You have no need for their services and they are persistent. They must have your contact info in their database and ping it to remind them to call you weekly, monthly, or every few months. Like clockwork, you get a voice mail from them.

But, it doesn't have to be that way. Here are a few tips to help you gain rapport and be successful with your prospecting.

• Be prepared. Don't try to wing it. Even if you're a seasoned sales professional, think about your goal. It's not necessarily to get a sale at this early stage. You most likely just want to get an appointment with the prospect. Or at least you want to canvass them to see if they have a need for your product or service. No use in wasting time on people who need widgets when you're selling buggy whips, so to speak.

• Write your script and practice it. Record your voice and listen to how you sound on the phone. You can even call yourself and leave yourself a voice mail to see how you sound. Make it sound natural. Don't ever appear to be reading your script. Your script should be written as you normally speak.

• If you get your prospect on the phone, don't ever ask them "how are you today". They were probably fine until you called and interrupted their busy day. Get to the point and introduce yourself and the company you're with. Then give a sound bite of what you do, what your company does, or some information about the product you're selling. You should position yourself as the expert in the field.

• Don't write a "me-too" script. That is, don't sound like your competitors. Really take a view of what you do better than all the rest. Don't just position yourself as a another widget manufacturer. What does your product do better. How does it solve a problem that your prospect has? Point out the relevant benefits.

Start with these tips and see how your phone scripts will improve. We'll have more tips on our next blog post.