Don’t Worry Baby

September 20, 2011 at 6:58 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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Don’t Worry Baby was a pop hit released by the Beach Boys in 1964.

Don’t worry baby

Everything will turn out all right

Agh. If only the Beach Boys were spot on but the sorry truth is that everything does not always turn out all right neither in love nor in business. You know that things can fall apart, clients (lovers) go astray, projects get won and then lost in an amazingly short amount of time, your sales funnel gets constipated…well, you know the drill.

But are you a “don’t worry baby” kind of businessperson? Do you think that everything is going to be all right?

I don’t want to be typecast as some sort of business “downer” but things aren’t going to be all right unless YOU make them so. Here’s how:

1)    Don’t be a vendor. Repeat after me…don’t be a vendor. Vendors are marginalized out of existence, they can be bought and sold with little impact and there is little, if any loyalty. What do you want to be instead? Well, a business resource of course. Someone that your client cannot do without, someone that helps them in ways that would never be expected and is the go-to person when there is a question or problem.

2)    Yes, it comes back to staying on the grid. You better worry if you’ve allowed yourself to be invisible and out of contact. Staying on the radar screen is as easy as the three I’s: invitations, introductions and information. Deploy these three faithfully and you’ll see how easy it is to be visible.

3)    Make sure that your customer service is exceptional, not good, but exceptional. Conduct Voice of Customer surveys to make certain that you are getting honest and important feedback from the very people that you are looking to maintain and grow.

4)    Sales funnel got ya down? What are you doing to keep it filled? Are you actively going after new prospects at the same time as you are moving existing prospects further through the funnel and, hopefully, out the end as new business.  No matter how busy you are you can’t stop prospecting. That’s a rule.

The good news is that by doing all of the above you don’t have to worry, baby.

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Why Can’t I Close More Business?

July 8, 2011 at 4:39 pm | Posted in Adrian Miller Sales Training, New York Sales Trainer, sales, Sales Training | Leave a comment
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This is a question that is put to me with some regularity: “why can’t I close more business? What am I doing wrong?”

Despite the type of business or size of the company, the issue of “difficulty with closing” is put to me by frustrated sales reps, sales managers (usually stated as “why can’t THEY close more business”) and business owners alike.

It’s simple, right? JUST ask for the order. But no, it’s not as simple as that; in fact, it’s not simple at all. Closing is actually one step in a complex sequence that done correctly will help you to win business.

But remember winning new business is the end result! Before you can get to the end there is an intricate sales dance that must be executed flawlessly. What you do first, and then throughout the interaction or series of interactions, will set you up for the “right” to ask for this business.

Follow these steps and you’ll find yourself in a better position to win increased new business.

• Make certain that you have clearly and succinctly explained your service or product’s core value proposition. What “improvements” will you make in your prospect’s business or personal life?
• Utilize exquisite probing to uncover your prospect’s wants and needs as well as to uncover potential hesitancies that will stand in the way of a successful “close”.
• Have a response for all objections and stalls. These are critical moments in the sales dialogue. If you are unprepared you might just lose the prospect’s interest and attention.
• Don’t proceed too quickly. Engage your prospect and allow time for a dialogue. The faster you move through the interaction, the less time to allow the prospect to visualize just how your offering can benefit them.
• Make certain that when you are ready to “ask” for the business it won’t come as a total shock and surprise. Remember that closing is the last step in the sales interaction. It shouldn’t come out of left field.
• Utilize trial closes to get a read on what your prospect is thinking and if they are in sync with what you are offering.
• Timing is everything. Think about your process and adjust as you move through the sales cycle.

At the end of the day prospects need and want you to attempt to close the business. If you don’t, they are left hanging and are uncertain about what to do and, when uncertain, their only recourse is to respond negatively.

So now take a close look at your prospect database. How many of them remain to be closed? What percentage do you think will turn into business and within what time frame?

Pick up the phone and start to deploy some of these tactics and see if you can improve your closing ratio. Start now!:)

How to Convert More Business

May 8, 2008 at 9:41 am | Posted in Customer Service, Networking, sales, Sales & Technology, Sales Training, small business, technology | Leave a comment
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As a salesperson, it’s always helpful to have a long list of prospects. However, if you don’t have a well thought out plan for converting them into customers, you are simply setting yourself up for failure. A low conversion rate is a common problem for salespeople, but one that is correctable with understanding the steps to take through the entire sales process. These steps are easily implemented with little or no cost and can make a tremendous difference in converting a higher percentage of prospects into customers.

 

 

Pick Suspects with Care

Not all prospects are created equal, and it’s best to think of them as suspects until they are screened and qualified. This is a fact that seems obvious, but is often forgotten. The reality is that it’s very easy to jump into selling mode, and mistakenly waste time dealing with someone who will never become a customer. Without a process for assessing the potential of a prospect, you are rolling the dice. You might get a customer, but more likely you’re going to get someone who will take your time and not offer anything in return.

 

Categorize Prospects

When you have multiple prospects, it can be a challenge to keep tabs on where each one is in the selling process. A touch point management strategy is a must. From sales quoting to billing and beyond, companies of all sizes need to make sure that these vital touch points are handled on time and effectively. Without them, the relationship will most likely come to a screeching halt. Sensitivity to what a prospect or a customer is experiencing is crucial and knowing that the proper handling of the most basic of interactions can be what is required to ensure long-term, fruitful relationships.

 

Improve Your Prospect’s Situation

You can have the most wonderful product or service in the universe, but if it does nothing to benefit your prospect’s situation, they’re not going to buy it. Take the time to understand their situation, their needs and wants, and then show them how you can help them. Never assume that what you’re selling just sells itself. In the vast majority of cases, it won’t. It’s your job to sell.

 

Move the Process along the Sales Pipeline

Often the sales process heat up early on, and then fades before anything is closed. If you’ve done your homework and know that you have a qualified lead and a potential sale, don’t let the momentum die. Follow through, keep asking questions, and offer your assistance. Don’t let a sale slip through your hands due to a lack of follow through, and by all means, don’t expect your prospects to do move the sales process along themselves.

 

Close New Business

It comes natural to discuss the features and benefits of what you have to offer, but it can be unnerving to take that final step of closing new business. This is often because many of us associate closing a sale as hard selling. Rather, it’s not a cutthroat maneuver; it’s just a necessary part of the sales process. If you’ve taken the right steps throughout the sales process and recognize that your prospect is ready to buy, they will appreciate the honest, mutually respectful discussion towards the sale.

 

 

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