If we react properly to what the prospect is trying to tell us, they will give us the exact words to use to help them buy. And it is NOT pitching. It is recognizing "problem trigger" words and phrasing, and then prompting them to continue telling you more. You'll hear examples of these words, and how to respond to get the information you'll use in your persuasive recommendation.
The reality is that a lot of the math we go through in high school and college is never used by most people. What IS used more often is sales math. You'll hear examples of how to use numbers in your messaging to be more persuasive and help more people buy.
Like it or not, the reality is that we are all judged every time we speak. The good news is that you control how you speak, sound, and what you say. Here are some suggestions so that your delivery and message are judged favorably.
A situation most people who prospect by phone have experienced is the immediate, "I'm not interested," or, "We're all good," followed by a hang up. So, what should you do in this situation. It is NOT to call back immediately. Art shares the mental, and tactical steps to take in order to not feel rejected, and to still have a chance with this seemingly uninterested prospect.
Most every salesperson who prospects has been asked, or will be asked, "Are you a salesperson?" by the decision maker's assistant. How you answer determines if you will be screened out, or be put through. You'll hear suggestions from other sales pros as to how they answer, and Art shares his recommended way of answering.
In a time where people are more connected to electronics, devices, and social media than ever, we are actually less connected to fellow humans. Today Art tells a personal story of an interaction that really hit home and impacted him, and how we all can improve our connections, and impact.
You can have what you want, IF you ask yourself the right questions, and act on the answers. Here are questions to help you do just that. (Get a transcript of these at http://TheArtofSales.com so you can print them out and write your answers.)
This will certainly make some people mad--and they are the ones who need to hear it the most: YOU, and your habits, decisions, and actions up to this point in your life have determined where you are right now. The great news, is that you also can decide to make things better. Right now. Art shares some common sense advice and facts that can help you make next year--or any part of your future--the best ever.
No one want to be subjected to, or sound like the typical stereotype of a salesperson. To avoid that, what we do BEFORE making a recommendation is key. You'll hear a simple, unique approach to help get someone in a frame of mind where they first sell themself on wanting to change their situation.
When we get a tough question, and answer it without first knowing why the person asked it, we could dig a hole for ourselves. Salespeople do all of the time. The best option is to find out why they asked, so we can then determine exactly how to answer. You'll hear examples of exactly what to say in these situations.
Often salespeople speak with people in an organization who might not be able to give the final yes, but they do play a role in the sales process. As tempted as we might be to go over them (as is the case when we are buyers in our personal life, as Art explains) there is a more effective way to do it. You'll hear how, along with specific messaging to use.
Most salespeople have experienced the prospect who seemed hot at one point, but then went cold. Art answers a number of common questions about this situation, and gives examples of what to do to avoid it, and also revive those leads.
This week Art went into his golden vault of sales tips and methods and pulled out lots of brief nuggets that will help motivate you, get you through more often, and selling more.
Too many salespeople send samples/demos/links to content/proposals, and then wonder why they are not successful on their follow up calls. The reason usually is because of what they did NOT ask before agreeing to send something out. You'll hear what that is in this episode, along with examples you can adapt and use to turn more of your follow ups into sales.
Most voice mails from salespeople are ignored and deleted. Usually as a result of the mistakes the salesperson makes with the message. You'll hear these common mistakes to avoid, and what TO DO and say to get more prospects interested and replying to you.
Lots of opportunities are lost every day because one small detail is absent from conversations: agreeing on a time when something will actually happen. In this brief episode you'll hear the simple way to do this, so you will help people take action.
While video has become a big part of the lives of many sales pros, most do not use it as effectively as they could. And many more are just awful. Julie Hansen, actor and sales author and trainer, shares eye-opening and essential techniques used by on-camera pros for creating a near in-person experience to build deeper relationships, and communicating with greater influence and credibility.
To be relevant in today's noise-filled sales world, we need to customize and personalize our messaging so it is all about the prospect and customer. Some say that is being creepy. It could be, when used the wrong way. You'll hear the right way, along with examples, to make your messaging stand out, and engage prospects and customers.
Art reviews the opening statement of a sales rep who made a number of mistakes in his opening. This rep was calling on leads from a sales rep who had left the company. And you'll hear what the rep should have said to have been successful on the call.
There's a saying in golf that when a golfer doesn't have the skill or confidence to aim and trust a putt by hitting to the higher side of cup's elevation, that they "missed on the amateur side." A similar correlation can be made in sales situations when the sales rep doesn't dig deep enough with their questions and takes the easy way out. Hear what you should do instead to turn more conversations into sales.
In today’s sales and marketing environment, in order to have any chance of success we must be able to cut through all of the noise, get attention, and stand out from the competition. Today’s guest, Lee Salz, shows us exactly how to do that.
Art shares an experience where he was the customer at a small clothing boutique in Positano, Italy. The salesperson only needed a couple of words, used several times, to win a very nice sale. You can use these two words as well with similar results.
The key to cutting through all of the noise and clutter you are competing with every day is to make your message relevant. That means customizing, personalizing, and tailoring it for your prospect. One of the best ways to get the intel to do that is a process called Social Engineering where you speak with people other than your decision maker. You'll hear the exact process to create your own script and begin using it right away.
It's a simple psychological principle that we all believe more of our own thoughts than what someone tells us we should think. And more people should employ that principle in their sales. Here is a simple type of question to help you do just that, especially in situations where you hear resistance.
Regardless of whatever you have experienced to this point in your life, or your net worth, education, or social status, one thing independent of all of that is one's desire. If you want something with enough passion, other things become minor. I learned this early in life, with high school basketball. I'll share my story, and hopefully it will resonate with you and what you desire.
Olympic athletes have achieved their levels through lots of hard work and practice. There are lots of similarities with sales pros. Further, there's one specific area that sets apart the very top performers from the good performers. You'll hear exactly what that is, and how you can reach that level too.
Many sales reps blow it after they finally get a meeting with a prospect, and then just begin pitching their product. Which usually results in an objection. Here is what to say instead to get them talking about exactly what they want and need, and how you can adapt it for your prospects.
Here's a very simple, but powerful questioning formula you can adapt within seconds to help your prospects sell themselves, and explain why they should buy from you. You only need to fill in two blanks.
Art received a question from a listener about a lack of success with his prospecting opening. He shared what he was saying and asking, and Art gave a detailed recommendation about what he should say instead to get better results. You can model this, adapt it, and use it to get a good response too.
We need to plan our sales messaging for sure, but much of our calls rely on reacting and responding. But many salespeople find it challenging to get off script, be spontaneous, and think on their feet. Master improv instructor, Gina Trimarco discusses how to leverage the same techniques that actors and comedians use to improvise in the moment while on stage and still appear brilliant (and on script) to the audience.
