Sales advice, recommendations and interesting, useful and fun news from the world of selling!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Is Social Media Ruining Your Sales?
In today's Sales 2.0 environment, sales professionals, consultants, and small business owners are told that they need to create an online presence if they expect to achieve their sales goals and targets. However, too many people take this advice to the extreme and end up spending far too much time on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the plethora of other social media sites.
It is very easy to spend several hours a day reading posts, adding comments to discussions, tweeting your actions, and sorting through scads of information. However, it is critical to realize that social media should not replace your other sales building activities. You still have to find other ways of marketing your business. You still need to actively prospect. And you still need to schedule face-to-face meetings with clients and prospects.
While I believe a strong social presence can help you, you need to guard your time wisely. Otherwise, you can fritter away too much valuable time while believing that you are proactively moving your business forward.
Allot a specific amount of time each day for social media activities. Choose whatever time works best for you. The key is to limit yourself to that allotted time and to not get sucked into the social media vortex.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Yesterday sales trainer Kelley Robertson showed us some of the many things we can learn from the recession - and he's back again today with more!
Signing Authority Many decision-makers no longer have the ability to sign off on the same level of expenses or purchases as before. This has significant ramifications.
The ego issue. Picture yourself in the executive office, perhaps you're a VP of Sales or Marketing. Until last year you could approve any purchase under $20,000. Now, you need to get approval from a purchasing committee for any expense over $5,000. Although you understand the philosophy behind this policy, it is challenging because in your eight-year history with the company you have never made a poor buying decision.
The buying committee. You may now have to deal with buying committees, and if you're not careful, you won't even get the chance to meet them. That means the decision to use your product; service or solution could be vetoed.
No approval. Some purchases simply won't be approved because of the extent or nature of the expense. Even though your solution may benefit the company, the organization may choose not to move forward simply because they know they won't get approval for the expense. It's not fair but it is a fact of business.
Once again, this means that you need to ask more questions to uncover the approval process. Be sensitive to the decision-maker's position if you discover that they no longer have the authority to sign off on your product or service. Look for ways to help them facilitate their decision. Work with your company to extend payment terms in certain circumstances.
Value is King Value has always been important in the eyes of the decision-maker. However, it has become even more important. But, it is critical to note that value is what the decision-makers deem valuable. It's not about you touting the features, advantages and benefits of your product. Just because you think something is important does not mean your prospect or customer will. Value is in the eyes of the beholder only. That means you need to ask high-value questions to determine EXACTLY what is important to each prospect and each customer. Once you have accomplished this you need to adapt your sales presentation (aka sales pitch) to ensure that it addresses your prospect value requirement(s).
Make No Excuses The sales professionals who prospered this past year were assertive in generating business. They did not use the recession as an excuse. They did not wait for business opportunities to come their way; they took responsibility and did whatever they could to reach their targets. This has always been a distinguishing factor between high-performing sales professionals and it will become even more important in the future.
What did you learn from selling in a recession and are you prepared to make changes in order to make 2010 a great year?
Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more sales with less effort. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter at www.Fearless-Selling.ca.
A lot has happened in the past year, and instead of trying to forget about it, sales trainer Kelley Robertson suggests you learn from it!
The past year was definitely interesting. Some sales professionals prospered while others suffered. I spoke to one person who doubled his income - and he works in automotive sales! Yet, another well-established person experienced a decline of more than fifty percent in his sales. There are several key sales lessons that can be learned from selling in a recession. These will help you succeed in the upcoming year.
Companies are Leaner This has been an ongoing factor for many years with continual downsizing and cut backs. However, the recession forced many companies to scale back even further than they normally would have. This has resulted in an extremely lean workforce.
What does that mean for salespeople?
It means people are stretched even further and busier than ever before. It means it will become even more difficult to connect with decision-makers. It means projects will be put on hold because people will be too busy to implement them. You need to find a way to help your customers deal with this. Make your solutions easier. Assist with the implementation. This also means respecting their time when you meet. If you have sixty minutes allotted for your meeting but you can wrap it up in forty-five, then do so. Your customer will appreciate it and it will help you stand out from the crowd.
The Buying Process Has Changed There is no question that decision-makers in corporate America have changed the way they make buying decisions. Caution is now a standard business practice and I suspect that it will remain that way for years to come. This means you need to become more adept and proficient in your discovery process. You not only need to find out who is responsible for the buying decision but also what internal factors your key decision-makers are facing that may derail the sale or prevent the process from moving forward.
This has always been part of the sales process. However, it is even more critical to uncover this information as part of your discovery process. The sales professionals who get this will outshine their colleagues and competitors.
Check back tomorrow when Robertson continues with more lessons from the recession.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
If you haven't created your yearly goal and broken it down into monthly goals, now is the time to get on it. You'll only achieve those numbers if you start immediately. So, today sales trainer Kelley Robertson shares how to create monthly goals you'll stick to all year.
Have you set targets for 2010? If you don't know where you're going, how will you get there? Here are a few simple strategies from Robertson that can help you make the most of the upcoming year.
Write down EXACTLY what you want to achieve by the end of the year as well as each quarter and month. Use the SMART formula:
Specific Motivational Achievable (in your mind) Relevant (to your situation) Time framed
Next, create a mental image of yourself completing the goal and how you will feel, act and think. For extremely powerful results create a visual representation of your goal and place it where you will see it all the time.
The third step is to record two to three action steps you can take that will help you achieve your goal. The more ambitious your target is the more action steps you will likely need to plot out.
Finally, take some form of action within the next 24 hours. This is a powerful strategy because it tells your subconscious mind that you are serious about attaining that particular goal.
Avoid the "I'll just let things happen" syndrome; plan your outcome. Smart salespeople know that time invested in planning always pays dividends.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.
I really enjoy reading advice from sales trainer Kelley Robertson - he gets straight to the point, and discusses familiar situations - so you often feel like you can apply his advice right away. Today he's talking about the impact language can have on your day - I know I'll be watching my words more carefully! Read on for his advice.
Are you familiar with the expression, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it?" The language you use during the course of a day can have a tremendous impact on your results.
For example, in recent weeks, I have heard people use expressions such as:
"We're clawing our way through these times." "It's really tough out there." "People aren't as easy to sell to as they used to be." "It's a war zone out there."
While these comments may be accurate, every time you state them - either aloud or to yourself - you reinforce the difficulties associated with selling.
I recall talking to a coach during my second year of business. My business had taken off quickly and I distinctly remember saying, "This should be more difficult." Needless to say, a short time later, it became more difficult. When I rephrased my sentiments, revenues began to climb more easily. I'm not suggesting that using positive language will magically make your problems go away. However, what you say will either move you closer or further away from your goals.
Here's a suggestion: For one day, carefully monitor what you say and count the number of times you use language that is self-defeating, negative, or that expresses difficulty. Then change that phrase to positive focused language.
Kelley Robertson is the President and founder of Robertson Training Group. He specializes in helping businesses increase their sales, develop better negotiating skills, coach and motivate their employees, create powerful work teams and deliver outstanding customer service. Learn more by visiting www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.
Sometimes all it takes is a reminder of how we should be working to get back on the right track. Today sales trainer Kelley Robertson shares the characteristics of a winner's attitude. Apply them to your workday today!
A winner's attitude is the ability to focus on your long-term goals even though your short-term results are not on track. This is more difficult than it seems. Too many people take their eyes off their long-term goal when they experience a slow month or two and end up focusing on their lack of results. As a result, they get sidetracked and their sales continue to suffer. In the words of Earl Nightingale, "You become what you think about."
A winner's attitude means resisting the temptation to blame the economy, competition, or current market conditions when sales are soft. Winners focus on what they can control unlike the average salesperson who redirects the blame to take the heat off himself.
A winner's attitude means exploring different options and approaches to selling. The best sales people constantly hone their skills. They read books and articles. They listen to CDs or Podcasts. They take advantage of every training program they can including webinars and teleseminars. Winners know that business gets more competitive every day and they take action to improve their knowledge and skill. They work at incorporating new techniques into their existing style.
A winner's attitude means focusing on showing the value of your product or service. Unlike average salespeople, winners don't focus on price. They know that most buyers and customers are more concerned with solving their problems and getting a complete solution rather than getting the cheapest or lowest price. While average salespeople are quick to offer a discount, winners concentrate on showing customers how their product is different than their competitors'.
A winner's attitude is accepting the fact that you won't close every sale. Winners recognize that a series of 'no's' brings them that much closer to a 'yes'. Winners may not enjoy losing a sale to a competitor but they're not going to beat themselves up when it happens, providing, of course, they can say that they did everything in their power to capture that business.
Do you have a winner's attitude?
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
A common mistake made by even the most seasoned salesperson is to use a shotgun approach when prospecting; in other words, trying to target dozens or hundreds of different companies. According to sales trainer Kelley Robertson, "This massive blitz works if you cold call for a living and need a large number of prospects in your pipeline. However, in most cases, this approach is not as effective as it used to be, especially in today's challenging economy."
"A more effective way to prospect is to create a list of 100 companies that could benefit from your product, service, or solution," continues Robertson. "Once this is completed narrow your list to a maximum of two dozen organizations and focus your prospecting efforts on that short list."
"The key to using this approach is to carefully research each company and learn as much about them as you can. Find out who the key decision makers are and the names of their executive assistants. Then use a variety of methods to make contact with your prospect including: email, voice mail, fax, snail mail, and face-to-face contact at conferences, trade shows, and networking events."
"During each contact, demonstrate your expertise and knowledge of their industry, potential business challenges and areas of opportunity. Give them insights to improve their business or solve a particular challenge. Do this on a regular basis: every 3-5 business days for the first two-three weeks, weekly for the next month, every other week for the following two months, and at least monthly after that. If you discover that a particular company has no interest or need for your offering strike them off your list and replace them with another company."
"This is a challenging strategy and it requires planning before you execute," says Robertson. "However, you will the results are typically much better because you quickly differentiate yourself from your competition."
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Want to impress your prospects and customers? Sales trainer Kelley Robertson suggests you learn to recap or summarize periodically during your sales conversations. The Summary or Recap technique has been around for decades but it is seldom used. Here is what you do:
After you have asked your prospect high-value questions to gain sufficient insight into their current situation or problem, you say, "Mr. Prospect, let me quickly recap what you told me." Then in bullet-point form, you restate the key points she mentioned. For example,
"Your employee turnover is currently 29.5%." "You typically need to hire 2-4 people every week." "You spend approximately 8 to 12 hours each week recruiting new employees."
This deceptively simple technique is effective for several reasons. One, it demonstrates to your prospect that you actually heard what they said and processed that information. Two, it forces you to carefully listen to your customer. Three, it helps you clarify in your own mind, what your customers key issues are. Four, it gives your prospect the opportunity to hear exactly what they said to you.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Sorry, we don't mean to be gross. It's just that it's such a great way to remember to probe further into your prospect's pain. Sales trainer Kelley Robertson explains:
"Sales professionals usually ask a few questions in order to gain a better understanding of their prospect's situation. However, most of them don't probe deep enough into the size and scope of the problem or situation. I remember hearing a great phrase from another sales trainer/coach (I think it was Tom Stoyan). He suggested that salespeople "pick at their prospect's scab," referring to the pain or problem that a prospect may be facing."
"Your objective in taking this approach is to help your prospect discover the implication or impact of an issue or problem," says Robertson. "When you talk to a new prospect and they express a particular concern or problem, take a few moments and probe a bit deeper."
"For example, if they say they experience a few customer complaints ask them how often they get complaints. You may discover that a "few complaints" actually means three or four per month. Follow up by asking about the financial impact of those problems. In other words, how much does it cost the company to resolve those problems? Then, ask how those problems affect the prospect in terms of stress, time, and aggravation. This helps the prospect see the bigger picture and understand the impact of the problem on their business and themselves."
Pick at your prospect's scab and dramatically increase the value of your solution.
Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a free copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com.
During a recent workshop sales trainer Kelley Robertson discussed with his clients the best way to open face-to-face cold call. One participant volunteered to share his approach.
"Hi Mr. Prospect. I'm Mr. Sales Person and I work for Big Sales Company. We do a lot of work in your industry and have been in business for over 40 years. We carry a wide range of products and services including this, that and the other thing. We pride ourselves on delivering great service and..."
Unfortunately too many people in sales think that they need to talk about their company or product or service when they first connect with new prospects. But this approach is ineffective.
Here is a better way:
Begin by stating your name and your company and then reference a problem you think that your prospect may be facing. "Mr. Prospect, Kelley Robertson, Big Sales Company. One of the trends we're seeing with companies like yours is the requirement to improve accuracy while also increasing production. How does that compare with your situation?"
This takes less than half the time to say which means you reduce the risk of your prospect tuning you out. Avoid the blah, blah, blah syndrome and focus on your prospect when you make a cold call.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Here's a helpful tip from sales trainer Kelley Robertson that will help you when a prospect asks for a discount.
One of Robertson's training clients sent him the following email:
"I sent my prospect a proposal and his first request was that I drop my price. However, I remembered your advice of asking for time to think about his request and told him that I would get back to him the next day. When I was discussing his request with my business partner a few hours later, my prospect sent me an email and suggested that she was open to a concession and I was able to close the deal without resorting to giving her the discount I had initially intended."
One of the most effective strategies you can use when negotiating a deal is to say, "Let me think about that and I'll get back to you."
"Unfortunately, most salespeople hesitate to use this technique because they're afraid they will lose the sale," says Robertson. "However, I consistently found that taking time to think about the other person's request causes them to make a counter-offer. That's because a highly-qualified prospect wants to do business with you and is willing to make a concession. Asking for time to think about the offer places pressure on their decision-making process and can give you the upper hand."
So, before you accept your prospect's demand, tell them that you will think about it and get back to them.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Have you ever watched a preview for a movie and instantly decided whether or not you'll watch it when it comes out? I know I have! The same thing can happen with your prospects. "The best television shows, Hollywood blockbuster movies, and novels start with a great attention-getter. Something to quickly captivate people. In other words, a hook," says sales trainer Kelley Robertson.
"This is a highly relevant concept for salespeople," Robertson continues. "If you don't capture the attention of your prospect or customer immediately, then you will have to work that much harder to get the sale. Buyers and key decision-makers are extremely busy and they don't want to be forced to listen to irrelevant information. A good hook has nothing to do with your company, how long you have been in business, or what awards you have won."
"A hook is something that will cause your prospect to sit up and pay attention," explains Robertson. "It can demonstrate that you understand a current business challenge your prospect is facing. It should entice your prospect and cause them to want to hear more."
Here is an example:
"Mr. Prospect, research has shown that when two companies merge, overall productivity drops by as much as 28 percent. What have you experienced since you began your merger? Call me at 555-1234 and we can discuss ways to prevent this from occurring."
"In today's highly competitive business climate you need to stand out from the crowd so before you make your next sales call, determine your hook."
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Every salesperson has had a prospect say, "No" to a product, service or solution. Sales trainer Kelley Robertson suggests you question whether your prospect or customer meant "no" or "know."
"The first version (no) means they are not prepared to move forward for one reason or another," says Robertson. "The second version (know) means that the prospect simply needs to know more information. The key is to understand the difference. Here's how you can do that."
"When the prospect says, "No" respond by saying, "No problem. Tell me, what barriers are preventing you from moving forward?" Then sit back and wait for their response."
"In many cases, you will find that they haven't made the connection between how your product will help them solve a problem, the key benefits they will derive from using your product, or in some cases, they need more information about your product," explains Robertson. "In those situations, you can take a few moments to expand on your presentation and demonstrate the value of your product, service or solution."
The next time a prospect says "No" find out if they mean "No" or "Know." It could mean the difference between a sale or a "no"-sale.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
When things are bad, sometimes the only thing you can do is try to look at the situation differently. This has helped me at many points in my life, and sales trainer Kelley Robertson has the same idea. Take his advice for when you're in the number two vendor position - it could move you to number one!
Many salespeople (and companies) feel that it is critical to be the main supplier of a product or service; that being the number two vendor is not acceptable. Here's a slightly different perspective:
What if you are the second preferred supplier?
Does that not give you a golden opportunity to demonstrate your strengths and be ready to pounce when your competitor drops the ball or makes a mistake?
Many suppliers take their customer for granted. As a result, they lose focus and direct more of their attention to new prospects. As the number two supplier, you can take advantage of this.
Demonstrate how you can be of value, before you get the first order. Send your prospect valuable information that will help her in her business. Information about market trends, how to improve something in her business, ideas on becoming more competitive. Think outside the norm. Get creative. Be different. Send this information as email, snail mail, postcards, white papers, articles, etc.
Eventually, your prospect will notice how much you're doing and how little your competitor is doing so you may get a small order to start. Ace that order and you are now in position to unseat your competitor.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
One of the most important qualities a salesperson can have in today's economy is patience. Clients are unsure of budget, they're nervous to make a decision, and they're taking more time to do it. You need to rely on your patience to hang in there and get the sale. Today sales trainer Kelley Robertson shares a few more examples that illustrate the importance of exercising patience. Work on this skill, and you'll be in good shape!
According to Robertson, you need to be patient so you can:
Ask questions
The vast majority of people in sales can't wait to discuss their product or service. I can't count the number of sales presentations I have been forced to sit through when the salesperson goes through his pitch and then asks questions. This process is backwards. Your goal is to ask questions first, then present your solution.
Listen to your customer
I have seen many salespeople ask questions only to ignore what their customer says. This typically occurs because the salesperson thinks he knows the answer because the beginning part of the response sounds similar to what he hears from other customers.
Properly position your solution
If you are not patient, you won't follow the first two points which means you will not be able to effectively position your product or service. Having patience means you will have a complete understanding of the customer's situation. That will allow you to present the aspects of your offering that are most appropriate to your prospect's individual situation. As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
Since you might still be feeling the season of giving, now's a good time to try giving something that feels counterintuitive to most salespeople. Sales trainer Kelley Robertson explains:
"From time-to-time you may encounter a situation when your product, service or solution does not fit a prospect's specific situation," says Robertson. "Some people try to force a solution in order to get a sale but this does not generate positive long-term relationships."
"Sometimes it makes good business sense to suggest a competitor because their product or service is more appropriate for that particular customer. You may shudder at the thought of 'giving' revenue to your competition but if you can't provide the best solution there's no point trying to keep the sale. It does not make good business sense."
"Here's an example of how this works," continues Robertson. "I have alliances with several other sales trainers, and indirectly, we all compete against each other. But, at the same time, we each specialize in different areas. So, if an engineering company contacts me about sales training, even though I can probably deliver a good program, I know someone who is more qualified so I put the prospect in touch with that person."
As Zig Ziglar once said, "You can get anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want." Sometimes, it makes sense to give business to your competition. Competitive alliances can work in your favor.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
We learned a lot during the recent Olympics - about the athletes, the host county, China, and maybe a little too much about how much Michael Phelps eats every day.But mostly we learned lessons of inspiration.Kelley Robertson shares a very important sales lesson learned, not from a winner, but a loser...
"As I watched the Olympics last week, I was appalled by the behavior one athlete portrayed after losing her event," says Robertson."Her words, tone of voice, and body language were extremely negative and her comments to an interviewer were far less than professional. Her bitterness was profoundly evident and this behavior dispelled any sympathy I had initially felt for her loss."
"I often encounter salespeople who show similar behavior," continues Robertson."A competitor sneaks in and steals an account. A customer decides to buy an inferior product. Competitors become more predatory in their pricing. A deal falls through after several months of effort and perhaps a great deal of expense. The list could go on."
"Situations like this are a fact of life and business. How you respond makes a difference. If you allow yourself to become bitter, future situations will only compound your resentment and you will gradually find yourself struggling to meet your goals. However, if you evaluate the situation and determine what, if anything, you could have done differently to improve your results, your behavior will be much more positive."
"No one likes to lose a sale, especially a large one," says Robertson."However, displaying bitterness will negatively affect your future efforts."
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
"Anyone who watched the opening ceremonies for the Olympics this past weekend could not help but be amazed by the event," says sales trainer Kelley Robertson, and I would have to agree with him. "From the costumes, to use of technology, the extravagant fireworks, and the sheer number of people involved, it captured the attention of everyone watching. The choreography alone was worthy of a gold medal with more than 2000 people performing in several of the segments."
Here are three lessons from Robertson that sales professionals can learn from Olympics opening ceremonies:
Think big The opening ceremonies epitomized the concept of thinking big. Most sales people do not dream big because they are afraid of failing. However, working on big goals expands your thinking and creates new opportunities.
Creativity Too many sales people use the same tired approaches even when they do not get the intended results. Get creative and change your strategy from time-to-time, and if necessary, brainstorm with coworkers or colleagues to generate new ideas to capture more business.
Practice Rehearsals for the opening event took more than one year. Many sales people fail to realize that mastering a new sales concept also takes practice. When you implement a new technique or strategy, make sure you invest the appropriate amount of time practicing that idea.
As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com
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Name: Editor: Kelly McLean
Location: Carlsbad, CA, United States
SalesDog.com, the internet's number one sales success destination for more than seven years, works with America's leading sales experts to bring practical selling tips and strategies to salespeople, sales managers, business owners and entrepreneurs. Over 30,000 sales professionals rely on its free weekly newsletter to keep them abreast of cutting-edge developments impacting their profession.
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