Sales Salve

Exceed Your Sales Expectations

Have you ever had a sales manager tell you that they were unhappy with how long prospects were lingering in your sales pipeline?  If so, please forward this to them.

Look at any CRM system and you’ll find plenty of common elements.  Among them include fields for sales stage (with a default win probability), expected close date and expected revenue.  With these elements, management typically forecasts by discounting the expected revenue based on the win probability (per the sales stage) and organizing opportunities according to expected close date.  Thus management has an idea of what they can expect in terms of revenue over the next several months.  This is all very basic Sales 101 stuff, but is often the source of unmet expectations between sales managers and their sales force.

A main source of the divide between a sales forecast and the subsequent sales performance is that win probability is typically tied to the sales stage of the opportunity (e.g., if an opportunity is Identified, it has a 10% chance of closing, if they’re Contacted its 20%, Qualified 50% and Proposed 67%).  It is my experience that, when looking at pipeline from a macro perspective, the single best indicator for how long a lead will be in your pipeline and the likelihood with which it will survive to become a happy customer is the source of the lead.  Therefore, I suggest that you define the lead source at a very high level.  In my CRM, I have just three different lead sources.  They are:

• Seekers – these are prospects that seek you out
• Sought – these are prospects that you seek out
• Suggested – these are prospects that were referred to you

It is important to think of these categories when engaging with your prospects, forecasting your pipeline, and managing sales expectations.

The Seeker

On the surface, this prospect appears to be the best.  After all, they’re most like your mother in that they recognize just how special you are.  They have demonstrated admirable wisdom by successfully identifying you as someone who can potentially solve their particular problem.  Perhaps they looked you up through a web search, found you through social media or just somehow innately knew that you were ‘the (wo)man!’  More likely, they are using one of your competitors and have decided, for one reason or another, to contact you.  

Unless you represent the clear-cut industry leader, the notion of a prospect seeking you out should actually be cause for some concern.  It should raise a red flag for you when companies look to spontaneously replace their current vendor.  If they were a good customer, paid their bills on time and worked in partnership with their current vendor, why would they be looking elsewhere?  If they were indeed a good customer and the incumbent vendor were moderately competent, that vendor, its sales team and customer service staff would be bending over backwards to make sure their good customer was happy.

Case in point, I was once contacted by one of my competitors’ largest customers.  They called me in for a meeting and already had all of the information I would normally solicit waiting for me, accompanied with a list of one-sided, ridiculous demands.  Against my recommendation, our company met their demands for reduced pricing and extended billing cycles as well as some other one-sided concessions.  They quickly became my 4th largest customer from a revenue perspective.  Frankly, I looked like a hero for the quarter.  However, the stringent requirements of this customer caused me to have the lowest year over year growth of my sales career!  My prospecting time was diminished and time spent with profitable customers was cut.  I was not able to methodically sell and produce the “right” kind of business.

Eventually, the reasons why this company left its incumbent supplier became painfully obvious.  In an unprecedented move, I presented a business case for why our company should fire this customer and no longer do business with them.  We gave them 30 days to find a new vendor.  Despite the loss of this revenue, I was able to sell far past the deficit and ended up in the top 1% among all sales people globally for my company.  I still say that my best and most profitable "sale" that year was selling my company on the idea of cutting that customer loose.

The moral of the story: be very cautious when a prospect seeks you out.  Find out why they have sought you out.  Be very slow to give concessions.  Most importantly, establish a balanced, open communication system with them so that they view you as a respected partner and not a pawn.

The Sought

The Sought are the most challenging and have, by far, the lowest conversion rate.  However, these prospects are the key to success for the B2B sales elite.  If you want the highest quality leads, you have to seek and engage them for yourself.  No one knows more about your product’s strengths and potential for success than you.  No one knows more about the types of businesses that will have a painful problem that your company can solve.  No one is as invested in wanting to close the right kind of business then you are!  This is the prospect you are cold-calling, sending more information to and trying to get time with in order to engage the right buying influences.

The big challenge with these prospects is that they are extremely difficult to accurately forecast in your sales pipeline.  A symphony of sales activity must take place, rapport built, relationships established, knowledge exchanged and persuasion gently applied.   After first contact, the entire sales process must be executed with flawless precision.  Keep in mind that at any time this prospect may shut you down, after all, they did not seek you out.  Unlike the The Seekers and The Suggested, The Sought have no initial reason to engage with you.

Often The Sought will tell you that they are happy with their current supplier.  To that, my response has always been, “If you are happy with them, wait until you get a load of me!”  Of course I’m kidding, but seriously, the fact that they are happy with their current supplier is some of the best news you can hear.  It may have more to do with them being a perfect customer than their supplier making them happy.  Your job is to get to the right person or people with the right message at the right time.

The Suggested

These are relatively rare in B2B sales.  When you can get them, they can be fantastic.  Though not always an easy sale, they represent the opportunity to work from a position of mutual, professional respect.  Unfortunately this is something that is that is not common enough in the beginning of the sales cycle.  The main challenge with The Suggested is that they are often not properly qualified.

I recommend that you do everything possible to introduce as many of these prospects into your sales pipeline.  Sources can include your own marketing department, current clients, social media and your oldest and dearest friends.  The B2B sales elite treats all prospects with the utmost in professionalism, however, it is even more important to go the extra mile with these prospects.  Remember, with these prospects, your actions are not only a reflection on you but on the person that referred you.  By going the extra mile, you are turning a favor your referral source did for you into a favor you have now done for them.  Initially, they did you a favor by referring you customer.  If you do your job well, you will have done the person who referred you the business a favor by making them look very smart for recommending such an outstanding company and sales professional.  Lastly, make sure you report back the results to your referral source and, if possible, reciprocate by providing them with leads as well (email me and I’d be glad to share some ideas on how best to do this).

Realizing that there are salient differences between the types of prospects is one of the first steps in understanding a sales pipeline.  In reviewing potential sales opportunities, as a sales manager, ‘how did they get here?’ should be one of your first questions.  This will help to manage actions and exceed expectations.

Sales Is A Numbers Game - But No One Wants To Be A Number

To a large extent, sales is a numbers game.  Few sales professionals would argue that point.  You have to throw a lot of tomatoes against the wall to get some to stick.

These days, however, despite pouring on the numbers, many sales people are still struggling for sales.  Often times a sales manager will ask a sales person to show greater numbers.  It seems logical enough - by increasing the sheer volume of cold-calls, sales presentations, and proposals, they hope to better the odds of finding, qualifying and closing more deals.  It is a serious event when a sales person makes the all-important phone call.  The problem is that many times, under the pressure of it all and due to a bit of laziness, sales people forget what is on the other side.  On the other side, is a person first, and a potential revenue number or opportunity second.

Prospects know that they are a number; they can feel it.  Some even hire gatekeepers (a person too) in an attempt to keep the onslaught of sales forces at bay.  If a prospect feels like they are just a random number in your call cycle, I guarantee that, short of you selling life rafts as their place is flooding, you will be rejected.

Buyers who know they are a number get turned and ticked off!  The implication is that more sales people experience more rejection.  Consequently, more people don’t get the help they need from sales people who have real solutions to real problems.  So how do we, as sales professionals, overcome this?

1.    Realize that you are in sales, not marketing.  

Marketers say, ”It slices, it dices, it chops, it grates!”  A sales professional would say, “What are you doing today?  Are you slicing or dicing?  Slicing?  That is interesting, how are you slicing?  How do your competitors slice?  How do your customers perceive your slicing?  Do you have any problems effectively slicing for your customers?  Do you see yourself chopping in the future or are you looking into any other cutting markets?”                

You Get the idea:
Marketing is about getting the masses of prospects to take a look at you; sales is about you, taking a massive look at your prospect.

2.    Prove that they were not a one-call stand.

Sometimes sales people treat buyers like a lottery ticket – we hold out hope for immediate gratification but as soon as it is determined to be a loser, the ticket is summarily discarded and then off to the gas station to buy a new ticket for the next drawing.  Like so many ill-fated quick picks, they’ll then sit somewhere on a list or scratch pad never to be checked again.

Prove to your prospects that they are not a number and that you are not a taker.  The best way to prove this is to be there.  Prove that you are there to partner with them and not just there to cash in and move on.  This approach requires multiple touches - not just a cold call.  A cold call is just a starting point.  Follow up with additional communications such as another call, a proactive online sales presentation or a letter or post card.  If your prospects are close by, frequent events where they will be and seek them out with some useful information to share.  The purpose of these activities should not be aimed at an immediate sale but to demonstrate that you are looking to make a career-long sales connection. 

3.    Learn the real numbers on which the game is based.

The number that should be the priority is the number of times you touch, visit or follow-up with a prospect.   We run into more and more sales people who are looking to blast off a sales message to a large email list.  This simply does NOT work.  The thought is, to put a message into an email and assume some people will read and possibly buy.  The communications you have with your prospects need to be customized and personalized.  Does this take extra time?  You bet it does but the sales elite understand that the extra mile is part of the path they take everyday.

The numbers game that should be played is the ten-touch rule.  Do everything possible to have ten interactions with a prospect.  The number may vary but, for the most part, I have seen ten as a great rule of thumb.

So you just made a cold call, ok that’s one.  What will you do next?

Four Sales Techniques to Build Credibility with a Prospect

I have always been a fast talker, not like a huckster or snake oil salesman, but more to do with rate of speed - like the guy at the end of a commercial that reads a list of disclaimers.  Needless to say that this has always worked against me when trying to build credibility and trust with new prospects and customers.  Like many sales people, I was taught some sales techniques for rapport building.  For example, when you begin a sales call, take a visual survey of the person’s office.  Attempt to find some common ground or points of interest like golf, the kids, the alma mater or favorite sports team.  This may have a place somewhere in the sales relationship but I don’t believe that its place is early on in the process.

The first encounters with a prospect are similar to that of an interview; it is a time to assess if there is potential for a mutually beneficial partnership.  Think of it as an interview where, simultaneously, the prospect interviews you and you interview the prospect.  If you want to have no chance of making a sale, go ahead and establish yourself as the master of small talk, wasting precious time that you may never get back.  Along these same lines, try not to crack jokes; no one wants to buy from the class clown.  If you have a good sense of humor, let it be a pleasant surprise later after you’ve established more credibility and respect.

The good news is that in B2B sales, there is often more time to build some history with a prospect.  A shift in thinking is necessary.  Sales people should think of prospects as potential life-long customers with whom they’re building a lasting professional bond, strong enough to survive changes in situation and even employment.  So with this is mind, leave the BS for your competition and try these sales techniques instead:

1.    Be Squared Away

One of my former mentors was an ex-Naval officer and whenever any of his employees would say, “I am sorry,” he would say, “don’t be sorry, just be squared away.”   Show up for the meeting on time, show up for the meeting prepared, with respect to your appearance as well as your pre-call prep.  Do not make excuses or jokes, and when you are asked a question, keep your answer concise and efficient.  If you don’t know the answer, say that don’t know and commit to finding out and following up with them.  Be sure to write it down (even if you know you’ll remember) and communicate back in a timely fashion once you’ve learned the answer.  Think about it - who do you want to help you with your problem, Mr. Magoo or Mr. Miyagi?

2.    Send a Pre-Call Questionnaire

I am seeing sales 2.0 lead/business information engines popping up all over the place, and there are some really good ones out there.  Without a doubt, it is helpful to have detailed research at your fingertips, but nothing can supplant the understanding you can gain first hand from your prospect, in their own language.  A great place to start is at the very beginning of the process.  Send a survey or questionnaire that asks the vital questions that will give you a head start in customizing a sales solution.  Some great free options to quickly and easily create on-line surveys is Google Docs and Zoomerang.

3.    Become a Team Member (or at least a fan)

Ask if you can schedule some time to observe or lend a hand in a certain department that relates to your product or service.  Observe and make note of the:
•    way things are currently being done
•    challenges they face
•    language that is used
•    team dynamics - see who is really in charge.

Look for inefficiencies and be prepared to make professional recommendations.  Start to look at the people you are about to do business with and see how, once your product or service is implemented, their situation will change.  Start to learn their prospects, customers and competition in order to find a way to make them more competitive in their marketplace.

4.  Prepare an Implementation or Rollout Plan

In your sales presentation, prepare and administer an implementation plan and schedule.  This can be the most effective means of proactive closing.  You will show that you know exactly what steps to follow, as well as alleviate any concerns your prospect may have that makes them feel uneasy about the difficulty of switching to, or purchasing, your product.  Furthermore, sometimes the prospect does see a fit, realizes the urgency, but has no idea what to do next.  A proactive implementation plan will serve as a guide for follow-up and help keep momentum going during the sales process and beyond.

Remember, you are not just winning the sale for today, you are building career-long business relationships.  Start the process by being squared away, then build on it by sharing powerful industry knowledge in the context of their unique challenges.  Once you’ve built the foundation of a solid business partner that provides value, you can then start to share your sense of humor and make other personal connections.  These can definitely enhance a relationship but it’s important that you establish from the beginning that these are not the basis of your relationship.

3 Sales Techniques for Better Follow-Up

Have you had a look at your CRM lately and seen all the dead wood?  How about that stack of stale business cards getting in the way of your mouse?  Why have these once hopeful opportunities died on the vine and how do we prevent this from happening again?  Here are some tips on effective sales follow-up that will help keep these hopefuls from becoming hopeless. 

1. Show that you've listened and observed

The sales qualification process is similar to a puzzle - each party gathers information, like puzzle pieces.  They try to fit the pieces together to form a complete picture, or at least a more complete picture.  Once all of the research is complete, you are ready to propose your solution.  To stand out from the crowd, try adding a section to your follow-up proposal called "other suggestions."  In this section, outline other issues or problems that you've observed through careful study of their business practices, along with your suggestions for improvement.  Most importantly, be willing to roll up your sleeves to help implement these suggestions in order to demonstrate what you are really made of.

2. Always present, and propose, an opportunity

When presenting a solution to a prospect or customer, make sure it is in the form of an opportunity.  Nobody wants to be the person who let a golden opportunity slip through his or her fingers.  Salespeople must master the art of painting a picture for a buyer of exactly what life will be like after their product or service is adopted.  Presenting an opportunity, instead of a feature or price driven solution, will motivate the buyer and seller alike.  If you are not able to phrase your offer as an opportunity, then go back to the drawing board until you can.

3. Follow up quickly and completely.

Unlike you and fine wine, follow-ups don't get better with age.  It is absolutely critical that you demonstrate to your prospect that you're on your game. 

Struggling to gain momentum in the sales process?  Quick and thorough follow-up helps you to maintain the momentum in the sales process and sets the tone for subsequent sales communications.

Components of an ideal sales follow-up include:

• a brief summary of the current situation
• confirmation of completed items
• a gentle reminder of customer requirements
• clearly defined next steps
• all of the necessary materials (documentation, forms, links, etc.) for your prospect to complete their next steps

Please share with us any other follow-up components that have worked well for you.

Three Things Every Sales Force Needs to Know

Recently I had a conversation with a very good friend of mine who is a director level sales executive for a global Fortune 100 organization.  We have been known to mix it up, dig into big issues, analyze and solve them.  Once we finished our expert analysis of all the offseason roster moves made by the NY Jets, we directed our conversation to our second love - sales.  As our conversation progressed, I learned that his sales organization was struggling mightily.  By the end of our conversation, we had identified three root causes of their problems.

Many of the problems could be traced systemically back to basic causes, all rooted in a lack of understanding of three very important things:

1. Company Direction

While the focus du jour of the company emphasizes the acquisition of new business, all signals seem to indicate that the de facto focus is still on cultivating business from existing customers.  The sales force is receiving mixed messages.

There is little doubt that without a clearly conceived and communicated vision, organizations perish.  It is the responsibility of sales executives and sales managers to disseminate a message clearly, simply and powerfully.  As long as the right individuals are hired, given a proper vision and realize an unwavering commitment from leadership to achieve these goals, sales success becomes highly attainable.

2. Product, Services and Differentiation

This lack of understanding goes deeper to include why this product is priced the way it is.  The lack of understanding of cost structure, coupled with not understanding how to de-commoditize the product, is causing a serious disconnect between sales reps, prospects and the company.  Every company should employ the tactic of training its salespeople to understand its pricing strategy.

When I was growing up, my family had a little Italian deli in upstate New York.  The keys to being solvent were obvious.  Whatever we charged for a sandwich had better be more than the sum of the costs that went into making it (bread, cold cuts, electricity, wrapping paper, etc.).  Frankly, I am amazed at how many people in sales today have no idea of what goes into making, maintaining and marketing their product or service.  To these people, sales is just a game that is played by hanging on long enough, doing the compulsories, and manipulating the numbers and activities into creating a situation of positive earnings for themselves.  This thought brings us to our third cause.

3. Basic Priorities Every Salesperson Should Observe

There are three basic priorities that salespeople must understand and keep in a specific order in order to ensure the symbiotic health of all involved.  If these basic priorities are observed in any order other than the prescribed order you put all three risk.  However, when these priorities are embraced and observed in the prescribed order, it is a recipe for success for all those involved. 

The priorities in the exact order in which they need to be followed are the health of your:

1) Company

2) Customer

3) Paycheck

A healthy company is best suited to take care of their customers, offer the best products and services, and compensate its sales people.  An essential element of a healthy company is having healthy customers.   A healthy customer is loyal, especially when they can attribute some of their wellbeing to your business relationship.  Top sales earnings are a natural byproduct of getting the first two priorities straight.

So we've diagnosed the issues.  We need a strong vision, clearly communicated to a well-aligned sales force that has a deep understanding of their offering.  Now it's time to administer the treatment.  Here's a question for you all, how do you recommend administering this treatment?

Four Sales Strategies for Proactive Customer Interactions

A young man was sick of the fast life so,
He entered a monastery,where he was informed of the rules by the head priest.
One, you're not allowed to speak at all.
Two, once per year you will be allowed to speak...but only two words so choose wisely.
The first year passes by and it comes time for the young man to speak, he steps up and says "Bells Noisy".
Then a whole year passes by once again, and the young man has his turn to speak, this time he says "Floors Cold"   
A third, long year passes by and when the young man steps up to speak, he says "food stinks"
The fourth year passes by, and as he begins to speak, he takes a good look around and says "I quit".
The head priest turns to him and says, well doesn't surprise me, all you've done is complain since you got here.

This anecdote is a perfect illustration of what not to do when communicating with customers. If a customer only hears from you when there's a problem,  what do you think their perception of your service will be?  They will place you and your company in a section of their mind reserved for things that are problematic. They will not think of all of the flawless execution of your company provides, just the problems because that is all they hear about. One of the main keys to customer satisfaction is the customer's perception of the value that you are providing. There are many factors that go into an effective customer communication strategy from a sales perspective - let's look at a few that are easy to implement and you can begin doing today with just a little effort.

1) Always Set the Right Expectation

As you enter into a business relationship with a new customer, make sure you set the expectation of what you will be delivering. Do not promise more than what your company is able to deliver. Do not promise more than what you are willing and able to do. Instead, if it takes your company three days on average to complete its work, promise to deliver in six days. If your company's product costs $75 promise $100, then delight the customer by surprising them with a better result. At the onset of a sale in its early stages, make sure you layout for the customer your plan of action for implementing your product or service. Show them that you've been there before, and that you know what you're doing. These time lines will serve as a reminder for you, and equally important, as a natural implementation process to get the customer up to proper utilization levels, and revenue levels. The main idea here is to set an expectation for your customer, or paint a picture of what it will be like for them, so as to make the only surprises happy ones. 

2) Weekly Check-In

Use a weekly communication structure to let your customer know proactively, how your company is performing and shape their perception of your company's performance. Your contact will tell you what issue you need to address and with whom, as well as make you aware of any other red flags.  I am well aware that it is not always possible to meet weekly with your customers face-to-face, but by establishing predictable contact at the same time every week they can schedule it, expect it and hopefully look forward to it.  The advantages to this communication strategy are too many to mention here. But overall, the main benefit is that you will begin to develop a reputation for exceeding expectations and promises. One great way to establish a personal and cost-effective weekly check in is with an online sales presentation.

3) Use Proactive Reporting

No matter how good your product, customer service and price may be, a day will come when the decision to partner with you will be challenged. It is crucial to plan for this moment ahead of time.  It can be in the simplest format, nothing fancy at all, but begin to provide your contacts with key performance indicators, in the form of proactive reporting. Your company will most likely have a way to get to this data, but if they do not, then it is your job to stand on your desk and scream until you get the data. If you're feeling shy, you could alternatively figure out how to get the data yourself. Do not be afraid of less than perfect results, just make sure you address them and have a plan on how to fix them. No one will knock you for a lack of perfection, but failure to address these problems could be very costly. This data can be sent monthly in preparation for a face-to-face meeting.  If the data needs explanation, consider sending it in an online presentation so you can include personalized video to clarify.

4) Hook Them Up

Make yourself a hub of business relationships for your customers and prospects. Do not be afraid to introduce your customers to each other. By doing the first two items on this list, you will know to be on the look out for complementary services. Possibly even useful technology and best practices from each other's organization to help make them more successful.  Let's face it, most busy executives do not see the light of day - when they are in meetings, they're stuck behind a desk fighting their way out from behind a pile of work. As a salesperson you should be a breath of fresh air, a burst of energy and a sight for sore eyes. By you exposing your customers to your other customers when it makes sense, you develop value beyond that of a simple service provider and begin to become a valued partner.

By implementing the above steps, you will begin to establish a reputation for being a great account manager, a good friend and a class act. These are virtues you can take with you everywhere. What is more, once you have established this reputation, the odds of your competition being able to take business from you are slim. The time that you get to spend customer-facing is very limited. Be sure to make it count.  

Okay, it's your time to talk - what do you have to say (preferably not 'post stinks')?

4 Ways to Avoid the “Just Friends” Speech in Sales

As the recipient of my fair share of "just friends" speeches, I can tell you for a fact that they stink.  Similar to the hope of finding love in a relationship, is the expectation that a hiring manager has for a new sales representative.  With hopeful expectation, a manager asks you to begin a relationship with their product by applying the same passion you showed for getting the job in the first place to your daily selling activities.

Last night I received a call from a good friend of mine, who has always been a top sales performer.  Recently, he switched companies to sell a new product at a much higher rate of pay and more generous commission structure.

I'm getting appointments, he said, but I haven't had any luck closing anything so far.  I asked him "so tell me about this new product that you are selling."  He went on to tell me about the product and all of the benefits that his new company claims to provide.  However, I did not hear the same passion in his voice that I used to hear when he was representing the previous company.  So after listening to a features, advantages, and benefits monologue, I took a minute to ponder the spirit in which it was given.

And then I asked him some questions (and I recommend you ask them to yourself, I certainly have):

Do you like your product?

Do you believe in your product?

Do you love your product?

I will spare you all the details of his answers, but the salient point that came from this conversation, is that he kind of likes the new product, but doesn't really believe in it yet and he certainly does not love the product.

In today's economic climate, people who make decisions to purchase products need to have more than just information.  Buyers need to feel good that they are making the right decision to benefit their organization.  I won't even discuss the problem of not even liking your own product, because if you are in that position it is time to look for something else to sell.  But if you do like your product, it's time to take it to the next level.  Time to become someone that believes in, even loves, the product.  Believing in, and loving, your product will cause you more sales success, because your belief and passion are highly transferrable.  People may not remember your entire sales presentation, but they will remember the passion, or lack thereof.

Here are some ideas on how to stop being "just friends" with your product:

1. Become a student of your product

Pretend that you are a customer, and learn everything about your product from a customer point of view.  Learn how to use the product.  Call up your support team to experience your company's customer support, everything from signing up to paying an invoice.  Even try to reach yourself as a representative, see if you are delighted or frustrated.  Now, go embrace your company's sales training. But approach it as someone who's looking to become an expert, not just someone who is conversant.  Once you learn your product from the customer's perspective, and from the provider's perspective, you are now ready to take the next step.

2. Become a student of your competition

In a respectful and forthright manner, immerse yourself in the knowledge and culture of your competition.  Identify those who you are competing against and gain a close understanding of what difference you can provide.  Know how they differ from each other, and from your product.  Be prepared to speak in the language of your customers as it relates to your competition, know what words are synonymous with your company's own vernacular.  Be prepared to speak always in a complimentary way to their capabilities.  Never, never, never bash your competition, instead use this approach: we agree that XYZ company is good at what they do, but let me show you what our company has to offer, and how we feel this can bring you a superior value.  Little else will turn a customer off faster than competition bashing.  Even if they begin to bash the competition, do not participate.  Instead, try to understand where their point of frustration is and offer your solution through consultative approach.

3. Become a student of your customer

In order to be a top performing sales executive, you must begin to think of the customer as YOUR customer.  Not a company to be sold, convinced or closed, but a customer that you personally take care of with an in-depth understanding of their goals, needs and challenges.  Become a student of their products, and their competition, just like you have become a student of yours.  This step will change your mentality, from thinking that they are an obligation, an entry into our CRM, or a name on a spreadsheet, they will now become a lifelong customer no matter which product you are representing.

4. Become the voice of your customer

Once you grasp your product, understand your competition and embrace your customer, it is time to gain the edge by developing a passion for the product you are selling as it relates to your customer.  Knowing that your product is the right fit for the customer, and the knowledge that you are going to be there for them no matter what, will instill a sense of confidence when you speak to a prospect.  You will know that, although they don't yet know you or your product, given the opportunity sometime in the future, they will be very happy and grateful for the day that they met you.  Holding yourself and your company accountable to provide the very best service to your customer will cause a bond with your most important benefactors.

Now put this all together and approach your selling activities with new vigor, realizing that you're not just going through the motions, but you are providing a superior value to help your customers remain competitive in the marketplace. What is more, they will get a lifelong friend out of the deal.  Transferring knowledge about a product is difficult, and if you are able to transfer it, inspiring a desired action can be even more daunting.  Infinitely more transferable is a feeling or belief. Once you believe in it, and actually feel good about what you're selling, you'll see dramatic increases in your close ratio.  You'll actually be shocked when someone doesn't buy your product, not surprised when they do.

So what's not to love?

Five Sales Lessons Learned From Selling Cars

One of the most maligned and berated professions is that of car sales. Though they are not respected in most instances, I feel that if every sales professional did at least a brief stint as a car sales professional, it may do them some good.

Some valuable lessons I learned from car sales:

1) Decide to Feel like Selling Every Day

Applicable to most types of selling is, for the most part, no one really looks over your shoulder.  If you want to do just the bare minimum, that's okay. If you want to be the same as everyone else, another face in the crowd, no one will stop you.  There is plenty of downtime in car sales between walk-ins and appointments. This time could be used anyway a car salesperson sees fit.  Perhaps, to read a book, surf the Internet, kibitz with their counterparts or to GET Serious about Selling. The salespeople who are always on top of the performance chart are the ones who take selling very seriously. They do not come to work to socialize or to get involved with office politics or any other menacing trifles. Instead they come to work ready to sell from the time the bell rings until the time the curtain is dropped.

2) Develop Strong Relationships with Co-Workers

As a microcosm of life, a car dealership is a perfect example of how important it is to have a solid support system.  People to watch your back and to look out for your customers when you are not able to do so.  These work mates can help to hold you accountable to make sure you are doing the drill and persisting in the habits that will make you successful.  You must then respond in kind.

3) Don't See What You Can Sell, Sell What You Can See

Most sales people wish their products had more, better or different features.  It is easy to get wrapped up in what one wishes, hopes or plans they had to sell.  In car sales, if you don't close, you don't eat!  So forget waiting for the new arrivals, take a look around at what you have, and sell that!  With whatever product you may be selling, be sure to sell what you have, not what you wish to had.

4) Show 100% of the Product 100% of the Time

When in an environment of big-ticket sales, it is crucial to treat every potential customer with enough respect to show them 100% of your product, features and benefits.   This is true for many reasons, not the least of which is, you never know what may be the trigger that inspires them to take the next step.  When you do a full product demonstration, you are providing real value, a learning opportunity, people appreciate that and will respond well in most cases.

5) Do the Things the Others are Not Willing to Do

It is not always about who is the smartest, who is the fastest, or who is the most experienced. It is often about the one who was willing to do the things the others were not willing to do. Make the extra call, come to the lot on your day off, make friends with the mechanics and the service advisors who can refer people whose cars are on their last leg and in need of buying something new.  As a matter of habit, make sure you send personalized sales communications to prospects, to separate yourself from the sameness of the cloud of others.

Most of all, the key to selling success in car sales, like many other selling situations, is to respect the customer enough to be prepared at all times to give your best.

Effective Sales Tips: Video E-mail

I was just thinking about you, as your name came up several times during sales meeting with a mutual acquaintance. This acquaintance was saying what a great guy and exceptional sales person you are, and stated that they really like your company and it's products.  I was echoing that sentiment, by saying how much respect I have for you, and how personable you are. So naturally, I was shocked when I checked the visitor sign in book I saw neither your name nor any mention of your company (even though I thumbed back through several weeks of records).

I thought you might like to know that this mutual acquaintance, though quite complementary, was a little bit concerned that they had reached out to you for some help with some very important compliance forms, but had not heard back from you.  Luckily I was able to help them!  They had also mentioned that their business model had changed slightly, and that they needed some adjustments made to the way they were doing business with your organization. Fortunately, I was able to provide them with a web link that quickly solved the problem. Then, according to their records, you are scheduled to come visit them in about three weeks. I would also like to pass on to you, the fact that they said they had some questions about miscellaneous charges that keep showing up on their bills. These charges seem to keep mounting and are beginning to become quite a nuisance, but I'm sure you will address all of this in a few weeks.  Believe me, I know how busy you have been these last few weeks.  However, you have a geographically dispersed territory. No one can hold any of that against you, after all your great guy.

One last thing, this acquaintance was actually your largest customer. And I am the sales professional who represents your competition. Starting today, I have a new largest customer - thank you for being so busy. Next time I see you, the drinks are on me! You really are great.

Anyone from the least experienced telemarketer to the most experienced sales manager can tell you that this story is NOT fiction. All too often we take our eye off of the ball with our most precious commodity, (our customers) in favor of a myriad of other responsibilities. One way to stay in front of your customer, even when you can't physically be there is to send an online sales presentation through e-mail, it allows you personalized contact one-on-one with key decision-makers so you can stay connected. If you are managing your customers properly, you will not miss out on new business development opportunities, and equally important you'll keep your competition out.

For some sales training on exactly what types of online presentations to send please check back with this blog over the next few weeks. Also, if you have any selling tips or sales techniques for the most effective way to stay connected with your prospects and customers please let us know.