Posts filed under 'Sales Portal'
We are each responsible for our own success - or failure. Winning at a career in sales is no exception. To ensure a win, you must take a proactive approach. Prevention of failure is an important part of that process. If you find yourself saying “I’m not cut out for sales,” “I’m not pushy enough,” “I hate cold calling,” “I can’t take the rejection,” or “My manager is a jerk”-you are heading down the wrong path.
Here are some recurring characteristics and traits of salespeople who thought they could hit a home run in a sales career, but who struck out in their attempts. Many of those people had a bat on their shoulders, but failed to swing at the ball as it passed them by. Hopefully none of these apply to you.
They don’t believe in themselves. If they don’t think they can do it, who will?
They don’t believe in their product. Lack of conviction is evident to a buyer and manifests itself in low sales numbers.
They fail to set and achieve goals or fail to plan. Always define specific goals for the long term-what They want-and the short term - how they’re going to get what they want.
They’re lazy or just not prepared to make the sale. Their self-motivation and preparation are the lifeblood of their outreach. They must be eager and ready to sell or they won’t.
They can’t handle rejection. Prospects are not rejecting them. They’re just rejecting the offer they are making, or, they are rejecting because we don’t suit their needs.
They fail to master total knowledge of their product. Total product knowledge gives them the mental freedom to concentrate on selling.
They fail to learn and execute the fundamentals of sales. Read, listen to tapes, attend seminars and sales meetings, and practice what they’ve just learned. Everything they need to know about sales has already been written or spoken-learn something new every day.
They fail to understand the client and meet his needs. Learn to question and listen to the prospect.
They can’t overcome objections. This is a complex issue. They are not listening to the prospect. They are not thinking in terms of solution. They are not able to create an atmosphere of confidence and trust suitable enough to cause (effect) a sale. People are not afraid of failure, they just don’t know how to get success.
They can’t cope with change. Part of sales is change: change in products, tactics and markets. Roll with it to succeed. Fight it and fail.
They can’t follow rules. Salespeople often think that rules are made for others. If they think rules are not for them - they should think again. They cannot “break” the basics. They can only break themselves against them.
Success in professional selling comes to those who think in the long term. Those who start in sales for a reason and who have chosen to succeed. After that success decision is made you need only to trust the process and keep learning.
Neil Greenberg is a sales manager with a DC based e-commerce company. He also keeps his blog, Sales Sherpa (http://salessherpa.blogspot.com/) fresh with articles on sales, goal setting, motivation, and more.
May 27th, 2008
1. Allow your prospects imagine you both have a strong bond. A
powerful way to bond with your prospects is to tell them a
secret in your ad copy. Tell them the only people who are
learning the secret are the people who read the ad. This will
make them feel like they’re included in a special group of
people. When you tell people a secret, it makes them feel
important and creates a strong bond. It will also create trust
and rapport. Example: Please don’t let anyone know I’m releasing
this top secret information to you…
2. Have your prospects to imagine that you believe in them.
People want other people to believe in them. You should write
your ad copy in a way that shows you believe in your prospects
to solve their own problems. Example: I know you have the
courage to change your life using our product.
3. Allow your prospects imagine that you’re leading them to a
better life. Most people like to be lead. They often choose to
be followers rather than leaders. That is why it is important to
use action commands in your ad copy. Your copy words must become
the leader to get them to take action. Examples of action
commands: Order Now! Improve Your Business! —-
April 26th, 2008
I am writing this at the Philadelphia Airport on my way back
from meeting with one of my clients. Three weeks ago, we offered
a training program for their staff in basic selling skills. She
reported that they saw an immediate increase in sales after the
program. Since these are all telemarketers, she listened in on
their calls to see what had changed. To her pleasure they were
asking good, open-ended questions. They were taking time to
listen to the client’s responses and using their comments to
match them with the right product. They were even closing right
at the correct time. She was thrilled.
Unfortunately, not all of the reps kept it up. Within weeks,
some of the rep’s sales had slipped back to their original
level. Another listening survey showed the cause. Each of the
reps whose sales were down had slipped back into their old way
of operating. It was as if a giant rubber band had been
stretched during training, and now it was returning to its
original size. Should we be surprised? I’m not. For years these
reps had been trained to operate in a lecture mode. They read
scripts and gave the same pitch to every caller. Now we were
asking them to change, and change takes time.
So what do you do? Forget training? No, but you may want to
think about the steps that must follow a training program to
make it stick. These can include email reminders, peer coaching,
and manager mentoring. In this case, we are adding audio
‘mini-seminars’ to the mix. Each rep will be encouraged to call
into a voice mailbox for a short refresher on the subject they
need help on. Each 10 minute message will give them tips and
examples designed to overcome their area of weakness.
Whether you are offering training for your team or simply taking
a training program yourself, recognize that old habits die hard.
Build a reinforcement regiment to turn that training into
practice and the practice into habit over 30, 60 or 90 days.
Just like planting a garden, putting the seeds in the ground is
only the first step to a bountiful harvest.
For a free copy of “How to Get Dramatic Results From Training”,
please email article12@waterhousegroup.com and ask for article
#12.
Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group.
They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and
profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or
steve@waterhousegroup.com.
Re-Print Permission This article may be reprinted in it’s
entirety if the following conditions are met:
The complete tag with the author’s name and contact information
is included immediately after the article. A copy of the printed
article is mailed to the author at 1467 Walnut Creek Drive,
Orange Park, FL 32003 within 30 days of publication. The article
is presented in a positive light as part of an appropriate
business related publication.
March 17th, 2008
Forex trading is all about making big money. Some investors have found it quite easy to make a large amount of money as the forex market changes daily. Forex, is the foreign exchange market. Online and offline you will find references to the forex market as FX as well. Forex trading takes place through a broker or a financial institution often where you are able to purchase other types of stocks, bonds and investments.
March 4th, 2008
When the choice of travel destination for vacation is brought up, most families have a vocal majority supporting a beach vacation. The benefits of beach vacations are clear, as most beach resorts offer something for everyone: relaxation for adults, water sports for youngsters and a large sandbox for the smaller children.
Destination and Beach Resort
There are many kinds of beach resorts around the world that you can choose for, when planning your beach vacation. The most popular destinations include southern coasts of the US, Caribbean islands, the Mediterranean sea, and Pacific or Oceanian islands.
Whichever destination you choose for your family beach vacation, you have many different resorts to choose from. Every destination has both resorts of luxury quality and those for the budget conscious. If you, like many families, are in a tight financial situation, you should look for budget resort options.
When planning your beach vacation, the best way to find information on resort options is the world wide web. There are web sites dedicated to reviewing and comparing different travel resorts. One of these sites should point you to the right direction - a budget resorts that is of good quality.
Packing
Another important consideration when planning your vacation is packing. You need to make sure you know what you will need during the vacation. This is especially important, when you are planning a family vacation, as there are so many things to keep in mind.
If you are trying to travel on a budget, you must make sure you have everything with you. Missing something may lead to unexpected costs at the destination. Having to buy important items you could have taken with you severely limits what you can do with your budget.
Thankfully, many travel web sites also offer this information for you. By reading about the destination you have chosen and thinking ahead, you can plan which of your belongings you should take with you. Some sites also have a to-do list for planning the trip. Reviewing one of those while packing is definitely a good idea.
Family beach vacations are very popular, as they offer something for each of the family members. It is often a good idea to enjoy the vacation in a warm beach resort to relax from work. Beach vacation is also possible for families on a budget, as long as you take care to review everything in advance. Stay informed and the vacation will go smoothly.
The Maldives
The Maldives is a popular travel destination for a family beach vacation. Maldives resorts have something for everyone: popular activities include diving, shopping and spas. Find everything you need to know for a Maldives vacation from Maldives Resort Review.
March 3rd, 2008
I was watching a feature film on cable TV, It’s a Great Feeling, staring Doris Day and Dennis Morgan. Doris is sitting outside the train station in Los Angeles. Three little Mexican children approach her with their musical instruments. They offer to play a song for her for ten cents . . . or leave for 15 cents.
Dennis Morgan happens along and wants to talk with Doris. He tries to shoo the children away. Again, they offer to play a song for ten cents . . . or leave for a quarter.
I like the sales points this scene illustrates.
The children knew what their services were worth.
They knew what actual services they were selling.
They knew it was a fluctuating market.
They knew that as soon as the demand changed, the prices could change.
They knew demand changed with the customer.
In short, the three Mexican children knew how to tailor a sale. Many people in sales don’t understand that.
There is a complete training series (eight programs on tape or DVD) called The Principles of Sales and Marketing: The Power of Ethical Selling. This series outlines the principles that should underlie all sales and marketing transactions. One of the sales training videos in the series is Tailor the Sale.
“Each individual has distinct wants and needs. When a salesperson has properly tailored a salechosen exactly which points to stress and which to de-emphasizethe customer feels that the salesperson has taken the time to create something that will address his or her particular needs. This program presents concrete methods that show salespeople how to approach the sale, listen to and assess the customer’s needs, tailor the sale to the customer, and “read” the customer for his or her reactions.”
- Program description from Tailor the Sale
Tailoring the sale starts with knowing your customer and their needs AND adjusting your approach.
If a sales person can’t tailor the sale to meet the needs of their customer and the market, then that sales person should perhaps take up guitar and learn a few songs . . . I know a few.
Author Don Doman: Don is a published author of books for small business, a corporate video producer, and owner of Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which provides business training products. Don also owns Human Resources Radio (http://www.humanresourcesradio.com), which provides business training programs and previews 24-hours a day.
January 17th, 2008
You have finally decided that you need a houseboat at all cost.
So you begin your search for one either within your locality, on
the web or by browsing through the newspapers.
Before you venture out to even ask for the price of a craft,
ther e are some few things you should consider first.
Do you want a new boat or a used one? Your budget and desire to
carry out additional repairs or reconditionining will determine
your answer to this question.
Are you seeking to buy a 10-seater or a 20-seater craft? After
an assessment of your needs, you can decide whether you need a
personal craft or a family type which can carry the entire
household on a trip.
Are you buying though a broker or making the purchase yourself?
If you are not familiar with the practicalities and
technicalities of sea going vessels, then you better contact a
broker.
Where are you going to moor the boat ? Remember you can only
moor the craft at canals, lakes, rivers or the sea.Each craft
has been built for a specific water body and you may need to
factor this into your purchase.
After you have decided on all these, you will now have to go out
to find out the boat of your dreams.
You can find excellent boats for sale at www.boats-for-sale.com.
Alternatively, you can visit boatyards and speak to the repair
workers there. They may know someone offering his boat for sale.
You can even find notices on some houseboats offering them for
sale.
Visiting boat brokerage companies can also lead to a good
purchase. These companies maintain a list of offers and can
advise on what will be a good sale.
You may also contact brokers who are well-versed in these jobs
and can do the negotiation and inspection on your behalf so you
get a good bargain and a better buy. The greatest risk that
comes with purchase of houseboats arises when you are buying
used ones. Unlike a car which when troublesome you ca park along
the highway and walk home, if you buya faulty boat and there is
leakage, you may not find anywhere updteam to stand and call for
help. It is therefore essential that you do a thorough check on
used houseboats before you make a purchase. Look at the hull and
see it it has undergone sandblastiing and painting as these will
protect it against damage. If the hull is aluminium, is it
intact or if it is fiberglass, is it fractured? If you are
buying a pontoon, check for cracks on board as that is their
greatest vulnerability. You can use a hammer to knock the floor
to detect weakspots. Inspect the engines for oil leakages,
cracks and loose fittings. So now you now know how to find a
houseboat to enjoy your vacation.
December 16th, 2007
Cross Selling, Add-on, Suggestive Selling, Up Selling, Down
Selling, Soft Selling and Hard Selling, all mean the same thing
– more or less revenue generated at the customer sale point, and
if done correctly, a happier, better informed, well satisfied
repeat customer. Some approaches work, others do not…
The numbers can be staggering when looking at how minute changes
in front-line staff behaviors can influence revenues into the
millions of dollars. The following example is gleaned from real
data gathered by National Shopping Service
http://www.nationalshoppingservice.com, a 33-year veteran
mystery shopping provider offering customizable mystery shopping
services and solutions for Global 2000 retail organizations:
Let’s assume we have a chain of 900 C-Stores averaging 7,000
individual customer transactions each week. Let’s also assume
that our historical mystery shopping observations have shown us
that in only 10% of the transactions, the CSR offered an
additional revenue producing item to the customer (…”did you
need a bag?” does not qualify!) Lastly, let’s assume that a
typical add-on sale, or suggestive sell item is valued at $1.00.
If we can motivate front-line staff with incentive programs,
actionable mystery shopping feedback, and refresher training to
increase the suggestive sell from 10% to 11% of our customer,
base we can increase system wide annual gross revenue by a
staggering $3,276,000.00!
The numbers speak for them selves, the trick is how does one
motivate 25 or 25,000 front-line C-Store employees to
consistently and effectively offer revenue increasing items or
services to the daily customer flow. Furthermore, how does one
deter staff from down selling (…”Did you want a small…”)?
The answer is to implement a consistent, reliable, non-biased
monitoring tool and to offer training coupled with positive,
constructive feed back. An incentive for employees to perform is
a definite plus. A Mystery shopping program works extremely well
to fill this requirement.
Statistics show that front-line employee suggestive selling
training works very well…until they arrive to work the following
day, at which point they place suggestive selling at the bottom
of their list of duties. Most staff are initially uncomfortable
“selling” – they are cashiers, not salesman. They feel as though
they are “bugging” the customer or are being “forced” by
management to sell something the customer didn’t want in the
first place. At peak customer flow times, suggestive selling
becomes just another task that slows down queue times – a
built-in conflict as front-line staff have had customer
through-put hammered into their heads.
Role-playing, a hand-full of various selling techniques, clear
goals and protocol, and a little incentive is key to overcoming
this aversion. Many employees state they are uncomfortable using
only one suggestive selling technique for all customers, as each
customer is different. Give employees fundamental training and
freedom to “customize” their suggestive sell. It may not make
sense to offer a customer a bag of chips to go with their 10
gallons of gas…but perhaps mentioning the recent hot weather and
the in-store special of a 12pk of Coke does.
What if each employee was to state, “…Those are less expensive
if you buy the three-pack that’s on sale…” instead of, “…Next.”
Not only will the employee be helping the customer save money
(and saving the customer money means a happy, returning
customer), but he/she will also be adding revenue. It’s a
win-win proposition.
Suggestive selling does not have to be scripted or limited to
one or two items to work well. There are a myriad of additional
items, larger items, sale items, complementary items, and
services to softly and appropriately suggest to customers. If
front-line staff understand effective and non-obtrusive selling
techniques and have feedback tied to incentive on their
performance, the end result will be happier customers, staff
receiving positive reinforcement for a job well done, and
greater revenue – A win-win-win.
December 4th, 2007
I am not usually one to go for secured loans but on this occasion I did go for a secured loan against my property. It worked out for me in the end because I had 4 different Mortgages with four different lenders which meant I was getting an ok deal (as I had shopped around.) Needless to say I freed up some capital and went ahead with my new business plans.
I really am glad I turned to Loans because I would not be half as established as I am today, so quickly had I opted for securing my own funds rather than getting quick help. But you do really have to do your research and get a loan that suits you!
November 29th, 2007
Typically it can be troublesome hunting down a nice motor in west wales. You might have to go to 20 used car garage in west wales before you find something you are interested in. Eventually it is true you will usually find a good source of quality cars, but when your in a small rural community it can take a lot longer to do so than it should.
Personally I use the web firstly to find what I am going to drive to see but then also to contact the seller. Aber Car Sales in Aberystwyth is prime example of how well this works. I was looking for a used Peugeot within ceredigion and had checked out about 10 different garages online, they all had OK websites but nothing special, I had called them up but they did not have their stocklists online or a pug in stock. Needless to say I found great used cars in aberystywth through aber car sales, they really helped and actually found me a car! very good service.
November 26th, 2007
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