by Scott Howard | Aug 26, 2013 | ScLoHo Sales Tips
Pushy salespeople often get rejected.
We push back against them.
Instead, if you are in sales, have conversations with your potential customers.
Here’s more from RAB.com…
Persistence Pays Off
Stop assuming customers won’t take your call, agree to an appointment or do business with you. Too many reps simply give up because they don’t hear back from prospects right away. They throw proposal after proposal out the door and then lose interest in following up because they get distracted chasing the next opportunity.
Please understand that I’m not giving you license to become a pest, but I am encouraging you to become more persistent. Quit making decisions for your prospects and move forward with a relentless “go for no” attitude.
Sure, you’ll face a little more rejection, but that helps clean out your funnel and forces you to focus on the right opportunities. I know it hurts to lose, but you can’t lose what you don’t have. And you just might be surprised how many times you’ll hear a “yes” if you’re willing to stay engaged.
Source: Sales consultant/speaker Tim Wackel
by Scott Howard | Aug 19, 2013 | ScLoHo Sales Tips
from RAB:
10 Hedge Words That Are Sales Killers
I’ve found that the nicest people use the most hedge words. Hedge words soften what nice people say. Maybe it is because of trying to not sound too aggressive or forceful, but these words will steal confidence from statements to clients:
- Maybe
- Hope
- Think
- Believe
- Possibly
- Probably
- Could
- Should
- Might
- May
Simply remove these words from your statements and increase advertisers’ confidence in your recommendations.
For example, not: “Maybe our integrated solution best achieves your marketing objectives.” Instead say: “Our integrated solution best achieves your marketing objectives.”
Don’t say: “I hope this recommendation addresses your advertising plan.” Instead say: “This recommendation addresses your advertising plan.”
Avoid: “I think this commercial will get our listeners’ attention.” Instead say: “This commercial will get our listeners’ attention.”
Re-phrase: “Based on our conversations, I believe this is the perfect package for you.” Instead say: “Based on our conversations, this is the perfect package for you.”
I hope you will close more business by using this tip.
Source: John Potter, SVP/Professional Development, RAB
by Scott Howard | Aug 12, 2013 | ScLoHo Sales Tips
I spent 10 years earning my living directly from a sales commission in the world of radio advertising.
(Altogether, I spent 25 years in the wild and wacky world of radio, including on the air and in management).
I still get email updates from the Radio Advertising Bureau, which is where these sales tips come from. I pick & choose the ones that echo, or come close to my own sales philosophy.
Like this one:
Manipulation or Persuasion?
Manipulation is getting prospects or customers to do something for your benefit. Persuasion is getting them to do something for your mutual benefit.
What’s the difference? Manipulation is usually bad. It’s done to serve your own interests without any regard to what you’re doing for the prospect or customer.
Persuasion is good because it’s done for the best interests of you and the prospect or customer. Here are some tips that may increase your persuasive powers:
Persisting. Persuaders realize that 80% of sales are made on the fifth call or later. They recognize that one of their most persuasive abilities is the refusal to give up. They understand that more than 75% of salespeople quit after calling on a prospect three times. Persuaders are in the elite 20% of the sales force that close 80% of the sales.
Personalizing. Persuaders recognize that a prospect wants to know one thing: “What’s in it for me?” They add persuasion by personalizing every part of their presentation to meet prospects’ own personal needs and wants.
Proving. Facts and testimonials are very persuasive. Persuaders recognize that third-party endorsements go a long way to building credibility. They’re prepared to prove every claim they make with hard data, test results and performance records.
Positive. The best persuaders are positive about themselves, the company they represent, the products or services they’re selling, and the prospects they’re attempting to persuade. Enthusiasm is contagious. They persuade with power because they get customers and prospects feeling the same way.
Source: Adapted from Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want, by sales trainer/consultant David Lakhani.
by Scott Howard | Jul 29, 2013 | ScLoHo Sales Tips
from RAB:
Watch What You Say
There are four verbal communication rules to remember in sales:
— Use descriptive language
— Use short sentences
— Avoid buzz words and jargon
— Avoid tag questions and qualifiers (“I guess,” “I hope,” “sorta,” “probably”)
When preparing your sales presentation, keep your points focused, so you don’t ramble on in long sentences. Adding tag questions (like “I think this is a good proposal, don’t you?”) weakens your position, and using words like “umm” and “like” and “you know” detract from what you are saying.
Think about what you really want to say, and then say exactly what you mean.
Source: Communication/sales consultant Marjorie Brody
by Scott Howard | Jul 6, 2010 | ScLoHo Sales Tips, Uncategorized
The easy ones sometimes aren’t.
Unless you are prepared and know what you are doing.
Around the group of radio stations I work with, I am the fix-it person. About four years ago when I moved into management, I took over our Hip-Hop Station and increased sales to hit our budget within 4 months.
Then I took over the sales management of a different station with the same result… 4 months later, it was on budget.
April of this year, we launched a new station and by June, it was on budget. Now I’ve been assigned a different station and by September or October it will be exceeding its budget too.
The station I’m focused on improving now just launched a morning talk show 3 weeks ago. A well known afternoon talk show host from another station in town became available and after doing research, we brought him on board.
He had a list of about 40 local businesses that he used to do testimonial commercials for and they were our first target for increasing revenues. Yesterday I met with another one on the list and it was fun. Not easy, but fun.
For the past eight years, this local business owner would never agree to meet. The door opener was the talk show host we hired.
When I was ushered into his office, he introduced me to his marketing team, one of whom I’ve known for about 3 years. It was clear that the final decision was going to be the owners, but he wanted input from his team.
I brought with me, a few papers, one with the price for advertising, and a blank contract along with a credit application. I’ve renamed it a terms agreement because it sounds friendlier.
The conversation was back and forth, like a real conversation. I involved everyone in the room, and they basically sold themselves on what I was offering them.
But I’ve seen others who were put in similar situations, who would have blown it. They talk too much about themselves, or why they are better than others. They give unnecessary price discounts, they appear nervous, pushy, and they project zero confidence.
I did the opposite. I even gave them an idea on how to get better results with the radio station they were still on.
Sales shouldn’t be a battle, or a game of trickery. Successful sales people know that their mission is to help solve their customers problems. And when you do it with the right attitude it can pay pretty well too.
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