The Selling Sherpa

NAME GAME

If the sweetest sound a person can hear is their own name, you can bet calling someone by a name other than their own is a sour note.

I’ve done it.  You may have done it, too.  And, depending on the person, the reaction may not have been disastrous; but, if you repeatedly call a prospect by a name other than their own, you will likely lose the sale.  

If you are going to be in the sales game, you’ve got to play the name game and play it well.  Get the name right and make sure you spell it correctly in all correspondence and databases.  You can even put a pronunciation reminder in your CRM system.

After all, if you can’t get that detail right, your prospect may think you incapable of showing attention to the details of doing business with them.

CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE, EUGENE

Yesterday, I was preparing steaks for dinner and tenderizing them the way I usually do with a fork.  Except, this time I used a brand new turning fork instead of the usual dinner fork, and I had on my new glasses.

So, let’s recap: a very sharp fork that is longer than I am used to, with glasses that changed my depth perception....doesn’t take a scientist to figure out where this is headed, does it?  Yep, I put the fork right through my index finger.  And I mean all the way through.

My new glasses are great, but they did change things.  The change is an improvement to be sure, but it is still a change.  And the new turning fork is a precise thing of beauty that certainly is sharp and efficient.

But my unfamiliarity with both of them led to unwanted results because I had not practiced with either of them, or with the combination of the two.

The point, and I do have one (that’s not intended as a pun, although it does work) is when you are given new and improved tools to work with, you should practice with them until you are confident in your ability to use them properly without causing injury.  That applies to ideas, techniques and strategies you learn from books, colleagues, seminars....even from these tips.

It might be the sharpest sales tool you’ve ever seen, but until you know how to use it well, be careful with that axe, Eugene.

ROCK STAR

Yesterday, I noticed this sign in the door of what will certainly be an interesting store:

As it turns out, a new sandwich shop is building in the space and they are looking for employees now.  I really admire the enthusiasm and attitude this message promises, and I hope they deliver on it.

What about you?  When you are looking for new customers, what kind of message do you use?  Is there any enthusiasm?  How about positive attitude?

It always saddens me when I see a small business running advertising, or sending direct mail, or ordering salespeople to go forth with messages that are plain-jane, middle-of-the-road, safe, and uninspired.

If you want to attract a sell out crowd of raving fans, market and sell like a rock star!  

And it all starts with a compelling message that rocks!

REACH OUT AND TOUCH

Last night I was browsing at a specialty retailer of crafting materials when I heard a woman ask about something on display.

The store manager (owner?) told her a little about the piece and described how it was made.  Responding with some excitement in her voice, the shopper asked if they conduct classes to teach the technique.  She was told they might put together a class in December.

That’s where the conversation stopped...and the opportunity was missed.

What she should have done is ask for the shopper’s information so they can contact her about the class when they are ready to teach it, as well as keeping her informed of other specials or events.

Be sure to collect contact information on all of your customers and prospects so you can reach out and touch them with messages that makes it compelling for them to purchase from you

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

Most of the time, all a prospect really wants to know is whether other people are buying what you sell, are they buying it from you, and are they happy with their purchase.

When prospects know that many people have purchased what you sell and are enjoying the benefits of it, their objections disappear and they will often convince themselves to buy from you.

So, tell it like it is.  Share testimonials, names, and success stories with every presentation and you’ll see an increase in your sales.

MAGIC MAN

Last birthday, my honey got me front row tickets and arranged for me to meet these two guys after the show.

If you’ve ever seen Penn & Teller, you know how great their show is.  (And how TALL Penn Jillette really is!)

Part of what makes their show great is the way they unfold (almost) every illusion for the audience.  They’ll do the trick, then tell you how they did it, show you how they did it as they are doing it again, then tell you what they just showed you.

That’s a great lesson for selling, especially if what you actually do is not obvious to a casual observer.

Show or describe exactly what you will do for the customer, then do it, and don’t forget to recap what you have done for the customer.  Make sure they are aware of how much time, energy, talent, and expertise you brought to their project so they can appreciate the investment they’ve made with you.

Look, all business is show business.  And you can let them think you are a magic man if you want.  

But its probably best in the long run if your customers know exactly what you did for them and how you did it, so they can easily comprehend the real value of doing business with you.

WE WILL ROCK YOU

Do you really want to boost sales through the roof?

Become a carrier of the enthusiasm disease.  Infect everyone at your company with a high energy “can-do” attitude.  Fill your every thought, word, and deed with positive influence and optimism.

The goal is to create a team of people that all reinforce the same message to your valued customers, desired prospects, and close colleagues; and that message is, “we will rock you!”

When everyone in your market knows that you consistently rock your customers, it will become very easy to attract even more business.

WRAP IT UP

Whenever you go into a meeting with a prospect, pull out your contract, order form, or other paperwork and fill it out as you ask questions.

If your prospect reacts by telling you they are not ready to buy yet, reassure them you are only making notes for your own use...and recognize that you have some work to do yet to make the sale.

But a prospect that doesn’t stop you from using a contract has already decided they are going to buy.  When that happens, move quickly and confidently to wrap it up and get a signature.

ANTICIPATION

If you have been selling the same product or service for 6 months or more, there probably is not a single objection that you haven’t heard.

Because you can anticipate them, you can prepare answers for every objection or stall a customer can give you.  And, if you have prepared adequately, you shouldn’t miss many sales.

Anticipation is your ally.   Use that anticipation to build confidence in handling objections and your closing percentage will improve.

QUESTIONS

How you phrase questions can dramatically affect the answer you get.

Have you heard the story about two smoking priests?  They were unsure if it was permissible to smoke and pray at the same time, so they each wrote to their Bishop to get his “blessing”.

One priest phrased the question, "Is it permissible to smoke while praying?" and was told it was not, since prayer should be the focus of one's whole attention.  The other asked, "Is it permissible to pray while smoking?" and was told that it is, since it is always appropriate to pray.

So, before asking critical questions of your prospects, you should mentally phrase those critical questions in several different ways.  

Then use the phrasing you feel most likely to give you the result you want.