Who’s Around Your Table?

by Scott Howard | Nov 27, 2014 | ScLoHo Sales Tips

On this Thanksgiving Day as many of us are surrounded by friends and family, I want to share a few thoughts about who you and I surround ourselves with at other times.  From RAB.com:

Surrounding yourself with success
Sales trainer/consultant Colleen Francis
You’re probably familiar with the following quote:

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

If you want to be a successful salesperson, you must do your best to learn from and work with successful salespeople. If you’re learning tips and strategies from poor salespeople, you’re not going to achieve great results. If you don’t currently work with any sellers who are creating positive results, branch out and meet successful salespeople via networking events, conferences and trade shows. The idea is to surround yourself and learn from successful (not mediocre) people.

It doesn’t stop at your immediate network. Here are a few steps you can take to create a success mindset so you can create a prosperous sales career:

• Read success quotes
• Read biographies of successful people
• Read sales books to increase your knowledge
• Watch sales tip videos from top salespeople
• Work with a (successful) sales mentor or coach
• Set big goals that will push and challenge you
• Set timelines to reach your goals
• Listen to success audio podcasts or radio shows
• Go to conferences and events to learn from industry experts
• Believe success is possible for you

Success isn’t about showing up to work each day and hoping for the best. There are real steps you can take to skyrocket your chances of achieving sales success. Being successful isn’’ about aiming to just hit your sales targets, it’s about aiming to exceed them…by a long shot!

Take steps to surround yourself with success. Meet successful people but also read, watch, and listen to success inspiring material on a daily basis. It will train your mind to make the most of your current opportunities as well as create new ones. Don’t let your success be a matter of chance, make it a matter of fact!

17 Sales Tips in One

by Scott Howard | Nov 20, 2014 | ScLoHo Sales Tips

From RAB.com:

The Best Practices of Top-Performing Salespeople

Many people wonder what separates a top performing sales person from the rest of the pack. In most cases, it’s because they apply a number of best practices in their daily routine. Here are 17 best practices of top performing salespeople.

1. They set HIGH TARGETS and goals.
Top performers don’t wait for their manager to issue an annual or quarterly quota. They set their own goals that are usually more ambitious than the corporate targets.

2. They carefully PLAN their quarter, month and week, as well as their daily schedule.
Too many salespeople fly by the seat of their pants and only look at the day or week ahead instead of planning their month and quarter. Look at the big picture.

3. They set OBJECTIVES for every sales call.
It is essential to know exactly what you want to accomplish before you make your call (face-to-face or telephone).

4. They ASK high-value questions that probe to the heart of the issue.
Sounds simple but most salespeople fail at this and ask weak, feeble questions. Top performers are comfortable asking tough questions that make their prospect think.

5. They LISTEN carefully to what their prospects and customers say.
You can ask all the questions in the world but if you don’t hear what people say you won’t be able to present the proper solution.

6. They CLARIFY the issue when they are unclear what their prospect means.
People often say things that are unclear and most salespeople assume they know what their prospect means. Top performers take the time to fully understand by asking “What do you mean by that?” or “Can you clarify that for me?”

7. They WAIT TO PRESENT their product, service, solution or idea until they know exactly what their prospect’s situation is.
The majority of salespeople jump too quickly into their “sales pitch,” but top performers are patient and wait for the right moment.

8. They begin every sales presentation with a brief RECAP of their understanding of the prospect’s situation.
Again, a simple concept but one that is greatly ignored by many salespeople. A quick summary of your customers’ situation gives you the opportunity to ensure that your presentation addresses their key issues.

9. They know how to ADAPT their sales presentation if their prospect’s situation has changed.
Making changes on-the-fly is challenging but it is one way to stand out from your competition. Learn how to modify your presentation when a customer’s situation has changed from the time you initially met to the time you are delivering your presentation.

10. They know how to properly and effectively POSITION their product, service or solution.
The vast majority of salespeople fail miserably at this. They talk, talk, talk, but usually end up talking about aspects of their product or solution that have little or no relevance to their customer’s situation.

11. Their sales presentations FOCUS on the prospect.
Most sales presentations focus on the seller’s company, their product, or other trivial information that is of no interest to the customer.

12. They are PREPARED for potential objections.
Top performers anticipate objections and plan their response before their sales call.

13. They always establish the NEXT STEPS.
Decision-makers are busier than ever, which means they are more difficult to connect with. Avoid losing contact with a prospect by agreeing on the next steps after every sales call. Do this in face-to-face meetings and telephone calls.

14. They FOLLOW-UP after the initial call or meeting.
Many a sale has been lost because the sales rep failed to follow up after the initial call. You cannot rely on your prospect or customer to call you; you need to take this initiative. Set this up during your call or meeting.

15. They PROSPECT continually to keep their pipeline full.
It’s not uncommon for sales reps to experience peaks and valleys in their sales. This is usually a result of failing to prospect for new business on a regular basis. Avoid the highs and lows and schedule time to prospect for new business every week.

16. They deal with the DECISION-MAKER whenever possible.
Dealing with people who have little or no buying authority is a waste of time. However, many salespeople fall into this trap because it is easier to connect with people other than the decision-maker. And that may be true. However, in the long run, they end up wasting their time because they don’t close the deal.

17. They look for ways to KEEP IN TOUCH with their customers.
A sale is not a one-time deal. However, you need to find ways to keep your name in your customer’s mind to prevent a competitor from squeezing in. Top performers incorporate this into their schedule and make it a priority.

Incorporate these strategies into your routine and you will quickly become a top performing sales rep, too.

Source: Sales trainer/consultant Kelley Robertson

Listen More, Talk Less

by Scott Howard | Nov 5, 2014 | ScLoHo Sales Tips

When I’m doing my job as a radio advertising salesman, I do my very best to avoid the classic sales guy stereotype.  You know the person who won’t shut up and thinks that if they talk long enough that you’ll buy whatever it is that you’re selling…

I want to have conversations.  You tell me what you want to accomplish and I’ll use my knowledge, experience and expertise to be your advertising and marketing consultant.

When I was in sales management, I didn’t want to hire men and women who had the gift of gab, I wanted to hire people who had the gift of listening…

More in this sales tip from RAB.com:

Do not interrupt
Sales consultant Joe Takash
Frequently interrupting customers when they are speaking sends a negative message. It’s usually done for one of these reasons:

• The other person said something that energized you and you just couldn’t wait to contribute your idea.
• You disagreed with the customer and were so angry or disturbed by his/her position that you felt compelled to state your own.
• You felt the customer was being long-winded, and you were too impatient to allow him/her to finish.

None of these are valid reasons to interrupt a customer. Whatever you gain by getting your two cents in prematurely, you may lose from a relationship perspective.

You may be making a valid point, but your customer may not appreciate your delivery method.

Negotiating Basics

by Scott Howard | Oct 2, 2014 | ScLoHo Sales Tips

Last weekend my wife and I went garage sale shopping in our neighborhood to see if we could find a couple of items.  This Thursday Sales Tip is from a daily email I subscribe to from RAB.com and it’s what we did to get what we wanted at the price we wanted to pay.

When negotiating, be patient
Michael Schatzki, Principal of Negotiation Dynamics
Sales is a high energy, fast moving business. And patience is one commodity that is in relatively short supply. But if you’re impatient in a negotiation, you’ll lose your shirt.

If I’m negotiating with you and I know that you’re impatient, I will hold out just a little longer, no matter how desperate I am to make a deal with you. As long as I know you’re in a hurry, I’ll wait.

So be patient. Take the time that you need, don’t rush to give in, don’t show your anxiety, stay cool and don’t panic. Negotiation is a process and a game. Use the process and play the game. You’ll be astonished at the difference that it makes!