October 13th, 2016
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General Negotiation Tactics To Help You In Sales & Life

Let’s discuss problems and a few methods to help you overcome them successfully, otherwise known as negotiation tactics, or getting people to see things from your point of view while listening to them in an equally respective manner.

There are many ways to go about dealing with disagreements and problems that occur between 2 people, a group of people or several groups of people. To begin, there is usually a misunderstanding that creates tension which results in anger and other negative emotions.

In order to deal with a problem, start to look at the “human being” you are arguing with or talking to, rather than concentrating on the problem. Both of you have emotions, values, and morals that back up your stance on the problem or issue at hand. Each person wants to reach an agreement that is beneficial to their cause, but also lets them keep their self-respect and feel good about the outcome. Keeping a good sense of composure and professionalism is the ultimate way to resolve any negotiation situation.
Deal with each problem sensitively. Separate the relationship from the substance and deal directly with the people problem. When you begin to do this, you can truly explore rational solutions. This helps you avoid argument by showing the other party that your main goal is to come up with a solution that makes both parties happy.
Separating Your Relationship from the Problem:

  • You must maintain accurate and realistic expectations. Each person will not get everything that they want.
  • You must communicate openly and clearly. Each party needs to know all the details that back up the reasoning behind your point of view.
  • You must control and maintain your emotions. When emotions get involved, it can create personal problems between the two parties that distracts them from coming up with a best solution.
  • Your approach should always be forward-looking. You are looking to solve a problem and you should always be moving forward together to help come up with a solution together!

General negotiation tactics are traits that almost every good sales person has. Keep practicing and you will continue to improve.

September 26th, 2016
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Top Qualities of Top Earners In Sales

Sales is a cut throat industry and many people are not cut out for it. In the sales industry about 80% of the money that is earned is earned by the top 20% of the industries sales professionals.

Here are some of the top qualities of the top earners in sales, the 20% that bring in 80% of the revenue.

1. Overcome Fears

You must overcome your fear of objection and actual learn to seek out failure because that is the only way to be successful. The more no’s you receive when you are out selling, the more yes’s you will get, there is a direct correlation. In order to get rid of fear, you must do the things that you fear!

Try this, call 100 people as fast you can! See how many no’s you can get. Every time you reach a certain number of no’s (let’s say 50 no’s) reward yourself. You must be able to see no’s as a positive thing, you must not see rejection as a negative, but a positive.

2. Ambition

They have an intense desire to be successful. They are always aiming to improve their position and their sales numbers. They look at what successful people do and try to immolate that. They rarely criticize others or complain about their current situation. They are always aiming to improve their situation and better themselves. They are very ambitious and anxious to learn more, additionally, they are very goal driven.

3. Make a Complete Commitment

Unfortunately, the bottom 80% always mentally have one foot out of the door. They are always looking around for something else or some excuse. However, the top earners have the mental attitude of “I will be successful no matter what it takes”. They realize that they are responsible for their success and they take full responsibility to achieve it. Committing yourself to improving and doing your best in your sales tasks is the best way to work your way up to becoming a top-earning sales rep.

4. Authentic

Top earners practice making themselves better and improving their weaknesses so that they can be themselves on any sales call. Being your authentic self is important because people buy from people that they know and trust. Showing your prospect and client your authentic proves that you are human. This takes practice! It is not just as simple as being yourself, you must practice your weaknesses and improve your strengths so that you can stop pitching your product and start solving clients’ business problems.

Are you looking to hire “A” players for your sales team? Here are some tips on what you should be doing to put together your sales dream team. Sales Recruiting: How To Hire & Retain “A” Players For Your Sales Team

Learn more about executive sales recruiting to hire candidates that ensure the success of your company.

September 22nd, 2016
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Being Your Authentic Self on the Sales Call

A good opening impacts the rest of the sales call.

By being yourself during the opening sales call you will be seen as more sincere. You must also demonstrate that you are confident and you must engage your customer/prospect. By doing this you are demonstrating the traits of a true professional sales rep and will be able to close more sales.

It’s important to be your authentic self so that your client can get to know you. A prospect or client likes to buy from someone they know and trust. If you are confident, sincere and engaging while you are being your authentic self, you are more likely to win the business.

To improve levels of confidence and demonstrate the traits of sincerity and to engage your customer, make sure that you practice your opening sales call.

Learn more about the benefits of a positive opening sales call! 

Happy Selling! 

The Sales Coaching Institute 

September 21st, 2016
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Benefits of a Positive Opening in the Sales Call

What is an opening? It is a starting place, you are planting seeds to grow the relationship.

There are many benefits of preparing for opening a sales call. Above all, it improves your chances of closing the deal. Through this practice, you become better prepared to deal with objections, answer questions and ensure you cover key points during your opening sales call. As much as you should take the time to ask questions and learn about the consumer, take as much time to listen to what they are saying. Listening allows you to fully understand their needs and company goals. This preparation also helps you formulate your own questions about their company that relate to your product or service. By preparing, you are learning more about your customer/prospect and this will help you offer a sincere and engaging solution to their problem. All of this helps to improve your confidence. Successful salespeople prepare for their opening sales calls and almost all other sales meetings and demonstrate the above traits.

You have to “let go” of the pressure you face from yourself and from your management for making the sale and you must focus on possibilities and solving clients problems, rather than meeting a quota.

Benefits of a Positive Opening Sales Call

  • Forces you to be prepared
  • Positions you as a credible expert; someone prospects want to do business with!
  • You are now focused on possibilities rather than pushing to meet a quota
  • This also sets the tone for enabling you to discuss your “biggest competitor,” which is aversion to change.

Related Article:

Stop Pitching and Start Solving Clients’ Business Problems

“If you want to be successful, it’s just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.”

– Will Rogers

September 16th, 2016
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Opening The Sales Call – Part Two

 

You will often find yourself opening the initial sales call and having follow-up meetings. In both types of meetings, you will open the call in a similar fashion.

You will follow the Opening the Call model, which shows the steps for an initial call.opening-the-sales-call-checklist

In follow-up meetings, you will simply summarize what happened in the prior meeting, instead of making introductions.

However, in some cases, there will be new decision makers who attend the meeting. In that case, you will summarize as well as make introductions.

Opening The Sales Call Model

This is the model you will follow when you open a call.

 

Make Introductions

  • Make sure you know the names and roles of everyone in the meeting
  • (No time for small talk for today’s busy customers!)

 

Tips for Introductions

  • Keep them brief
  • Know everyone’s name; take notes
  • Thank them for their time beforehand
  • Plan a transition to next step, “Confirm Agenda”

 

Confirm agenda

  • Bridge from how you got the meeting (referral, idea, etc.)
  • Confirm purpose of meeting and timing

 

Provide an Overview of Your Company and Your Products/Services.

Summarize what your company does and present a mini case study (explain a challenge a customer faced, how you helped them, and the results the customer achieved).

 

Shift to focusing on the Customerstrategy-planning

 
Listening and Questioning

  • Business discussion
  • Summarize
  • Advance to next step

 

Tips for Opening The Sales Call

  • Remember that sales is a long-term process; success doesn’t happen overnight
  • Prepare to be an insightful outsider. You can offer a fresh perspective to your prospects and “see the forest through the trees.”
  • Connect with prospects. Relate your communication to their vision, values and core competencies.
  • Conduct extensive company research and plan effectively before making your initial sales call.
  • Commit to continued self-improvement.
  • Above all, always be yourself!

 

Successful Traits for Opening the Sales Call

The sales process helps us stay on track. That’s one way to ensure success. Another way to ensure success is to demonstrate certain traits.

Successful salespeople are:

  • Confident
  • Sincere
  • Engaging

Happy Selling!

The Sales Coaching Institute