Many salespeople think that the more they talk the more they will sell.
Not necessarily so!
There are times during a sales discussion, presentation or demonstration when silence helps advance the sale.
Here are three such times -
(1) When your prospective customer is answering your questions. You need to ask conversational questions in order to get a handle on your customer's needs, wants, preferences and prejudices. Don't jump in too soon. Create a second or two of silence to let them finish. Remember that the best information often comes at the end of the answer.
(2) When answering your customer's questions. Don't move on too soon. Use a silence to encourage them to ask a follow-up question. Remember that a customer's questions are indicators of areas of concern or interest - they are to be encouraged.
(3) Immediately after asking the Final Close question. It sounds tough but you must allow your customer to decide in silence. If you talk the moment will be lost, maybe forever. (Remember also that if you have used Trial Closes on the way through your discussion you know with maybe 90% certainty what the answer will be.)
In summary. Don't be afraid of silence in selling - used appropriately and carefully it can be a great assistant.
(The up-coming post for Monday 1/12 is A few cold calling tips. It about ways to get better results from your cold calling efforts.)
Friday, November 28, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Time management and selling
At one level at least, the results you achieve as a salesperson reflect your ability to manage your time effectively.
Obviously, the more time you spend in front of prospective customers 'selling' the more you will sell. It stands to reason therefore that, as a salesperson, you should maximise the amount of time you spend in front of customers selling.
This is a matter of simple time allocation.
Given that sales appointments don't always make themselves there also needs to be sufficient time allocated to the task of setting up sales appointments - whether this be done by phone or face-to-face.
The best way to ensure that this vital time allocation is done is to employ the Ideal Week concept where you divide your activities into two categories - 'key' and 'secondary'. (Your key activities should include, as a minimum the setting-up and holding of sales appointments; there may be others, there may not be.)
You then allocate your key activities to specific time slots each week on a regular basis - they become absolute priorities.
Having allocated time slots to the key activities make your secondary activities fit in around the key activities.
Then stick to your plan - don't let your secondary activities get in the way of your key activities.
(The up-coming post for Friday 28/11 is Shut up! - and sell more. It's about the value of silence in selling.)
Obviously, the more time you spend in front of prospective customers 'selling' the more you will sell. It stands to reason therefore that, as a salesperson, you should maximise the amount of time you spend in front of customers selling.
This is a matter of simple time allocation.
Given that sales appointments don't always make themselves there also needs to be sufficient time allocated to the task of setting up sales appointments - whether this be done by phone or face-to-face.
The best way to ensure that this vital time allocation is done is to employ the Ideal Week concept where you divide your activities into two categories - 'key' and 'secondary'. (Your key activities should include, as a minimum the setting-up and holding of sales appointments; there may be others, there may not be.)
You then allocate your key activities to specific time slots each week on a regular basis - they become absolute priorities.
Having allocated time slots to the key activities make your secondary activities fit in around the key activities.
Then stick to your plan - don't let your secondary activities get in the way of your key activities.
(The up-coming post for Friday 28/11 is Shut up! - and sell more. It's about the value of silence in selling.)
Monday, November 24, 2014
What about the ride-along?
Ride-along work is one of the most valuable activities a sales boss can undertake. (When I write of a sales boss I'm referring to the person with responsibility for the activities and results being achieved by a business's sale group, regardless of their job title.)
In support of that statement let me summarise just some of the benefits of ride-along work -
It helps build morale
When a salesperson sees that the boss is prepared to get 'in the trenches' their respect for the boss can be raised to a new level. This can't help but improve morale.
(Having done plenty of ride-along work during my career let me assure all you sales bosses out there - it can be fun and there is no better way of getting rid of the mental cobwebs.)
It provides a coaching opportunity
There's nothing like seeing things happen in the real world of sales to open our eyes to missed opportunities. Sometimes these opportunities are about things that could be done better; sometimes they're about things that shouldn't be done at all. Either way it's only by being there that these opportunities can be identified.
It helps the boss with their own sales skills
In my opinion the boss needs to occasionally take the lead and 'run' the field call. This is good for the boss and their sales skills. It's also good for the salesperson - we can learn as much through the observation of others as we can from our own experience.
(In my experience the salesperson doesn't expect the boss to be perfect in this situation. However they do expect the boss to follow the boss's own guidelines; by this I mean that, if the boss wants sales discussions to be run a certain way in the training room, the boss does it that way in the field.)
It builds relationships with customers
This is a two-way thing.
Firstly, the boss gets to listen to real customers and their reaction to the company's products as offered by the salesperson. If there are weaknesses in the offering who better to point them out but a customer? If there are strengths in the offering who better to point them out but a customer? This is great feedback for the boss - unsanitised and straight from the horse's mouth.
Secondly, if handled properly, there is great PR value in having the boss visit customers - whether they are existing or prospective. It can raise the profile of the business and increase the prestige of the salesperson.
My suggestion therefore is that, if you're the sales boss in your organisation, commit some time to getting out there with your sales troops. Remember that, in wartime, the senior officers most respected by their troops were those who got out to the front line to see what really was happening.
History also shows that they generally got better results.
(The up-coming post for Wednesday 26/11 is Time Management and selling. It's a reminder about some easy-to-use time management tips that can help salespeople be more productive.)
In support of that statement let me summarise just some of the benefits of ride-along work -
It helps build morale
When a salesperson sees that the boss is prepared to get 'in the trenches' their respect for the boss can be raised to a new level. This can't help but improve morale.
(Having done plenty of ride-along work during my career let me assure all you sales bosses out there - it can be fun and there is no better way of getting rid of the mental cobwebs.)
It provides a coaching opportunity
There's nothing like seeing things happen in the real world of sales to open our eyes to missed opportunities. Sometimes these opportunities are about things that could be done better; sometimes they're about things that shouldn't be done at all. Either way it's only by being there that these opportunities can be identified.
It helps the boss with their own sales skills
In my opinion the boss needs to occasionally take the lead and 'run' the field call. This is good for the boss and their sales skills. It's also good for the salesperson - we can learn as much through the observation of others as we can from our own experience.
(In my experience the salesperson doesn't expect the boss to be perfect in this situation. However they do expect the boss to follow the boss's own guidelines; by this I mean that, if the boss wants sales discussions to be run a certain way in the training room, the boss does it that way in the field.)
It builds relationships with customers
This is a two-way thing.
Firstly, the boss gets to listen to real customers and their reaction to the company's products as offered by the salesperson. If there are weaknesses in the offering who better to point them out but a customer? If there are strengths in the offering who better to point them out but a customer? This is great feedback for the boss - unsanitised and straight from the horse's mouth.
Secondly, if handled properly, there is great PR value in having the boss visit customers - whether they are existing or prospective. It can raise the profile of the business and increase the prestige of the salesperson.
My suggestion therefore is that, if you're the sales boss in your organisation, commit some time to getting out there with your sales troops. Remember that, in wartime, the senior officers most respected by their troops were those who got out to the front line to see what really was happening.
History also shows that they generally got better results.
(The up-coming post for Wednesday 26/11 is Time Management and selling. It's a reminder about some easy-to-use time management tips that can help salespeople be more productive.)
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