4 Reasons Why the Sale is Not Made
August 12, 2008
When sales are down, a salesperson must begin to take stock of why that is happening. Most sales people start by blaming the company’s policies. "If you’d only offer better specials," or blame the economy, "If only customers had the money," or they blame their boss, "If only I got a better schedule," or they will blame whatever happens to come to mind that day. Never, do they take stock of their own selling techniques.
There are four basic reasons why salespeople don’t make a sale.
The customer doesn’t want/need your product or service. Therefore they lack the motivation to make the purchase.
Many sales people ignore the fact they don’t want/need the product and continue to attempt to make the sale.
In this case, the sales person doesn’t adequately qualify the buyer. Not everyone you come into contact with will have a need for what you are selling. But sales people are conditioned to try to make a sale no matter what.
Asking good questions and listening carefully to the answers will solve this problem quickly. That will free up the sales person to move on to greener pastures.
The customer can’t buy. They don’t have the money.
7 Phrases You Cant Say in Sales
July 16, 2008
7 Phrases You Can’t Say in Sales
(Because They Will Undermine Your Credibility
and Drop Your Closing Rate)
Copyright 2004 by Doug Smart
Years ago, George Carlin listed seven words you can’t say on television. Then HBO came along, said all the words, and the world of television changed forever. Now, I know that even before you read the seven no-no phrases in sales, you might be tempted to think, oh, whatever these are they will eventually become acceptable, too.
There are two big problems with this reasoning.
1. Television has been around for about sixty years so it is still a youngster experiencing growing pains; sales started way back when the inventor of the wheel made a few extras to sell to friends.
2. The seven sales phrases are already being said by salespeople and they are delivering decidedly mediocre results. They live on because veteran salespeople say them and novice salespeople ape them. The cycle continues.
How To Improve Your Sales Skills
June 22, 2008
One of the biggest problems for many business owners is the ability to overcome objections. In fact, for many, this skill could be the difference between succeeding and going back to being an employee. Since none of us want to do that, we need to hone our sales writing skills and our in person skills. This article will discuss the in person skills.
Objections stop sales. Period. The customer says, “No”. Listen to the objection. For example, the customer says, “It’s too expensive”. Don’t walk away or hang up, listen. Do they really think it is or is this just a knee jerk response. Is he/she trying to buy time, make up their mind. Tell them about the product, benefits to them, how it can help their business. Listen to your customer. Let them finish before immediately jumping in and responding.
Don’t over-react by interrupting while they are speaking. First of all, you cut them off, which upsets them, and secondly you appear as if you are dying for the sale.
Let the customer finish speaking. Be empathetic. Show you understand the concern and then deal with the objection. If it’s price, agree, that while it might seem high it’s not when you consider how the product or services saves time, helps them cut costs, helps expand their business and so on.
Sales 101
May 27, 2008
For many individuals in business the hardest part is selling. For the majority of business owners, the jobs they had before don’t prepare them for dealing with selling products. So, this article will deal with some basic tips to help you with sales.
Always be sure to go to the head honcho. Ask to see the person in charge, the individual who makes the decisions. This avoids hearing, "let me ask my supervisor, my boss, etc." Also you project an image of confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Don’t be long winded. Remember the KISS principle. Time is a big factor today for all of us and the quicker you get to the point the better. So be sure your sales pitch is short, sweet and to the point. Have 3-5 benefits, don’t bore them with all the features. Remember, always to turn features into benefits.
Six Simple Steps to Increase Sales and Decrease Stress
May 3, 2008
Have you ever found a lead on a scrap of paper after the prospect purchased from your competition? Are you spending time recreating proposals because you can’t find a similar one you wrote a few months ago? Do you run out of the door for an appointment at the last minute because you couldn’t find the brochures you really wanted to take? Are you feeling overwhelmed? If so, here are six simple steps to help you increase sales and decrease stress:
1. Make a date with yourself for getting your act together. Plan a minimum of three hours when there will be no interruptions. Decide on a reward for yourself when you’re finished! Do anything you can to reduce your stress during the process ? put on music, grab your favorite beverage, and get plenty of trash bags and recycling bins!
2. Take everything off your desk except what you must have or do. (A photograph or memento that reminds you of the reason you work is definitely OK!) Practice The Art of Wastebasketry?. Research shows that 80 percent of what you keep you never use! Tossing or keeping is not a moral issue, but it is a practical one! So how do you decide what to keep? Ask "What’s the worst thing that could happen if I didn’t have this piece of paper?" If you can live with the results of your answer, toss it or recycle it..
Sales Success Step 1: STRONG SALES CULTURE
April 20, 2008
Big business who sell well embrace a sales culture. It is evident from the leadership that winning and keeping customers is important. Sales is not a “function” or a department with “CARE - Customers Are Really Everything” signs. Leaders in these businesses make it their business to keep in touch with customers, to personally engage on the big deals, and to assist the sales people with practical insights or support.
As a result big business often have the edge over smaller to medium sized businesses by having invested in multi-level relationships with a client over a long time. The value of this can be as simple as a phone call to suggest an account is at risk, or to smooth over a service failure, and even a nudge that a pencil should be sharpened on pricing.
Best practice sales organisations recognise that the role of the organisation is to support the sale. As a result there is a high level of alignment with marketing, and a genuine lack of “us” and “them” between sales and other functions.
Top Ten No Money Promotion Ways That Create New Clients and Fast Sales
April 6, 2008
Better than offline promotion such as press releases, talks, or networking? Better than search engine placement, banner ads, ezines and news groups?
Yes! The number one way to promote your service and your products is through informational how-to articles that you send to top Web sites and dozens of no spam opt-in ezines.
Content is still King on the Internet. People want your free information. That is why they go Online. When they see your useful, unique information, they will be more inclined to click the link in your signature file that leads them to your Web site where your coaching practice or products are sold.
Where to Start?
1. Find an existing article, excerpt from your book, coaching sessions stories, or how-to information from your talks.
You already have a wealth of information to choose from, so this step is the easiest one. Once you get going, you can write an article in less than one hour.
2. Target your article to your Web site buyer or ezine subscriber to attract more interest to your service. Think of each article as a mini sales letter.
How To Master the Art of Super Salesmanship
March 11, 2008
Mastering the “art of selling” is simply knowing how to present whatever it is that you’re selling, to the buyer in such a manner that he feels buying it from you will solve his problems or fulfill his dreams. Selling online is really no different than selling in person, face to face with your prospect. Really, it’s just a way of making sales calls more efficiently and economically. You’ve got to get his attention - you’ve got to appeal to his interests -you’ve got to make him understand how his purchase of your product will benefit him ? and finally, you’ve got to close the sale by causing him to reach into his wallet for money or to write out a check for whatever it is you’re selling. Remember, in essence, even though the method of selling is the Internet, it’s the same as if you were knocking on his front door. Thus it’s very important that your material look its best. Make your website look professional and successful. The opening encounter with the prospect affects the success of the presentation and whether or not a sale is ultimately closed. Once he’s gotten the website opened and is looking at your presentation, you’ve got to carry over that image of professionalism and success -Make him feel comfortable -Be friendly and believable. -Stimulate his interest in whatever you’re selling by appealing to one of his basic wants, needs or problems with a solution. Don’t waste his time with a long and/or complicated dissertation. >BR>The most important thing you want to do is to create within your fulfillment he’ll have as a result of buying from you. Stimulate his imagination, and explain to him how he can use whatever you’re selling to his advantage. Finally, and most importantly, make it as simple and as easy as possible for your prospect to buy from you. Don’t force him to read a long, drawn out sales agreement or contract. Just make your presentation, explain how purchasing from you will solve his problems or fulfill his dreams, paint a word picture that allows him to see himself with your product and his problems solved or his dreams fulfilled, and then direct the buyer to your order page on your website. Too many sales presentations begin with some sort of story about the seller ? Hello there, I’m writing to you from the beautiful beaches of Waikiki; or after a hundred years of research I’ve found the fountain of youth; even some such tripe as dear friend - you may not know me but I’m now a millionaire… When you put your sales presentation on paper - when you’re trying to sell something by mail or online - appeal to the basic wants, needs or problems of your prospect. He or she wants only to satisfy his or her problems - not read about who or where you are or what you’ve done -just ask them if they’d like to know how to make their tires on their car last 10 years or more (or whatever the benefit of your product is) Above all else, remember that people’s wants, needs and problems are changing constantly - and that people are learning all the time ? meaning that you must constantly be up-to-date with what you’re selling, and always be improving your sales presentation. May be reprinted and redistributed freely as long as the resource box remains intact. To show my appreciation to the people that use my article, I run a free solo ad to my ezine list. Once I receive confirmation of the url or a copy of the ezine that the article was used in, I will run your solo ad. Send the url or ezine copy to pnewsletter2004@yahoo.com
Three Fast, Short, Simple Ways to Escalate Your Sales
February 16, 2008
1. Sell an inexpensive product to sell an expensive product. If people like your inexpensive product, they will be persuaded to buy your expensive one.
2. Allow your visitors to decided how much they want to pay for your product. I only recommend it for products that don’t sell or ones that hardly sell.
3. Create an extra revenue stream with your web site’s articles or content. Publish the first paragraph of each article and charge people to read the rest.
Catherine Franz is a Marketing & Writing Coach, niches, product development, Internet marketing, nonfiction writing and training. Additional Articles: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com
Eliminating Objections to Increase Sales
January 21, 2008
You want to increase the flow of sales revenue, but you are stymied by prospects’ seemingly endless objections. Prospects say they’re not interested. They tell you your price is too high, or this isn’t the right time. You’ve heard all the objections. What can you do to get rid of these once and for all?
Engineering Your MarketingWhen I was seven one of my favorite ways to spend a hot summer day with my friends was playing a backyard game wecalled “waterworks”.
We’d use a trowel to construct channels in the dirt, put the hose at one end and watch the water flow. If we wantedthe water to go straight, we’d remove rocks and debris toclear a path. We became sophisticated engineers, guiding water around corners and across short aqueducts. We felt like masters of the universe, directing the water where we wanted it to go. (You can bet my mother loved seeing uscome into the house at the end of the day.)
Plan your marketing to take charge of increasing your sales. Your marketing can lead prospects to your products and services the way my friends and I engineered our waterworks; by making clear paths and removing obstacles. Channel your prospects’ attention and interests and eliminate objections. Below are the four most common objections and ways to eliminate them.
