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communication
Master objections: how silence can seal the deal
Handling objections is a critical skill for any sales leader. An objection is simply a voiced concern, waiting to be addressed with information, compassion, and patience. The key to overcoming objections effectively is to respond succinctly and then stop talking.
Here’s how to master this approach:
Understand the Concern
When a customer voices an objection, your first step should be to understand the real concern. Ask clarifying questions to get to the heart of the issue. For example, if a cu…
Transform your sales pitch less: stop talking when you present a solution
As a sales leader, your primary goal is to help customers find solutions that meet their needs. However, one common mistake is providing too much information when presenting a solution. This can overwhelm the customer and hinder their decision-making process.
When a customer comes to you, they are looking to solve a specific problem or achieve certain priorities. It's crucial to focus on these aspects and align your solution accordingly. Here’s how to effectively present a solution without over…
Be Realistic and Honest
This month I'd like to dedicate time to discuss ENDING a selling period…and ending it on track and on goal, even if the month didn’t go as smoothly as desired.
We are now in the fourth quarter of the year, so the skill of finishing strong applies to the month as well as to the year.
Let’s start with being straight and realistic. You are either on track to make goal or you are not. You have had a specific number of opportunities that you have closed or scheduled, or you have not. You have sch…
The Second PR Word
This is the second in a series of four blogs about P R words. What did you gain from the last blog to learn more about the PRoblem that your client/customer is facing? Let’s keep looking at our next P R word….
PRiority
- What matters MOST to them NOW?
- What are the key and essential elements of the problem they are trying to solve or the vision they are trying to realize?
- What are the motivating aspects of this process and decision that is driving them now?
This part of the sales i…
The 4 PR Words
Nope, it’s not about public relations. This is the first in a series of four words beginning with P R that are critical to ask and to know.
P and R are the first two letters of FOUR words that impact the sales interaction and the outcome. These are questions we should be asking them and ourselves about what is in the mind of the customer/client and what is driving their decision-making. Let’s look….
PRoblem
- What is behind this purchase and decision?
- What is the ‘current reality’ that th…
Respecting Time by Making Appointments
As part of organizing actions in time, establish pre-arranged appointment times for when they work best for YOU (scheduled at lower opportunity times for other, harder-to-control actions). Use the repeat feature on your calendar so that you hold those times week after week. When you offer an appointment time that is agreed to, send a calendar invitation that can be accepted and ‘saved for this event only’ from the series…leaving that spot open next week at the same time. Increase the opportuni…
Charming Idiosyncrasies
Some of our imperfections can truly be cute…even bordering on adorable.
My brother, never a math wizard, when called out on his inaccurate calculation is known to say, “Oh, I was figuring it another way.” Damn near adorable.
As it is with all of us. Our frailties endear us to others because they expose our humanity and reveal our connection to others by our lack of perfection. We all have qualities that might madden us and amuse others. And yet, here we are.
Now, go reveal something…
Calling After Delivery
In home furnishings retail showrooms, we have done a poor job with this area; it is an industry shortcoming!
We even have a name for this action: a can of worms that shouldn’t be opened. Seriously. We treat it as something to be avoided at all costs.
And yet, I assert that we could raise our revenues by 10-15% with this action ALONE. And to do that, we need to align our expectations with what is likely to happen and upgrade our skill of managing it when it does.
What does that mean?
Ex…
Calling Unsold Opportunities
If you have neither closed the sale nor scheduled an appointment to meet or speak again with a prospect, calling to see how their process is unfolding IS the next action to take. Always.
It’s a judgment call as to WHEN to reach out, and I invite everyone to examine their follow-up on unsold opportunities to see if you have a process in place (such as reaching out 48 hours after contact unless otherwise noted). At the very least, start by reaching out with a ‘great to meet you!’ email or text……
Guardrails #1
In the very simplest of terms, as a sales professional, our job is to make it easy for our customers/clients to say yes… and to buy from us.
To do that, we need to truly be responsible for the entire sales interaction and how it goes, and where it ends up.
Guardrails help that.
By guardrails, I mean guiding the conversation so that it doesn’t veer off course and stays in the lane for the intended outcome. Guardrails include asking questions that will direct the discussion and get the answer…
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