I used to be an engineer before I transferred into sales in 1988. I’m guessing you’ve heard jokes about engineers in sales. Accountants, contractors, PhD’s, and lawyers don’t have stellar reputations in sales, either. Yet these professions generally are an intelligent lot. They are quite skilled at what they do, since our daily lives may depend on their specific calculations and recommendations.
Here’s how I used to sell: (more…)
As a manager, your most valuable asset is your time.
In Part 1 of “An Alternative to Traditional Performance Management” you learned how to get time back in your week by implementing a 3-part performance management system: funnel management, a weekly behavior plan (a.k.a., “cookbook”) and a personalized development plan.
In Part 2, you’ll learn a system for reducing your time spent on, and your team’s anxiety about, their performance review. (more…)
The ABA Journal published a wonderful article about the legendary Texas lawyer “Racehorse” Haynes. In his very first jury trial, he accidentally stepped on a spittoon and fell to the floor in front of the judge and jury. After his client was later acquitted, he reasoned that it may have been because the jury felt sorry for the defendant being represented by such an inept attorney.
So, during his second trial, he stepped on the spittoon and fell again, only this time, on purpose. He performed this stunt over and over, almost a dozen times. All for the benefit of his clients and to achieve his goal: to win. Eventually the game was up, as the judge caught on to his strategy and stopped him from continuing this tactic.
Racehorse Haynes remains famous to this day for countless examples of doing whatever it took to win for his client. (more…)
In regards to your business, the expertise you have gained over the years is completely worthless… until someone gives you money for it. If you have a medical doctorate, all you really have is a bunch of student loans until you have patients, and get paid for your knowledge. (more…)
Here is the problem: 99% of people out there are already doing what they think is in their best interest. Of course, there’s the 1% who hate themselves and are self-sabotaging, but for the most part, you are probably doing right now, what you think is best. But why is that a problem?
Well, if you want to achieve a higher level of success or happiness, no matter your current level, you are going to run into a problem. (more…)
When the calendar turns to July and August, most people struggle to prospect because they believe that all of their prospects are on vacation.
Often summer is a great time to reach decision makers. They are in the office while their staff is away. (more…)
Prospects like to play games with salespeople. The purpose of games prospects play is to make a salesperson feel not-OK.
When a salesperson feels not-OK in front of a prospect, they are more likely to give up their time and information in the hope that their prospect will make them feel OK again. (more…)
The bottom line of selling is going to the bank; however, prospects are more likely to offer hope instead of an order when meeting a salesperson.
“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear,”—President Snow, the Hunger Games. “A little hope is effective; a lot of hope is dangerous.” (more…)
The two words that are guaranteed to trip up most sales people are “better” and “value.” The latter we’ll talk about in another post.
Typically the “better” trap is set by a prospect at the beginning of a meeting. After introductions and polite conversation your prospect says, “so tell me how you are better than my current supplier.”
If your instinct is to jump to a features-and-benefits presentation, STOP! There is no way for you to answer that question and have any chance of closing the sale.
There are three reasons why your prospects set the “better” trap:
Fortunately for you, the better trap is one of your prospect’s weaker moves for controlling your sales interview.
To keep your sales interview moving, and put you back in control, you can remove the better trap with one of the following:
Once the better trap is removed, you will be back in control of the sales interview. Your prospect does; however, have many more traps at their disposal and will employ them all to force you into their system.
Talk to your Sandler Trainer about the traps your prospects set for you and your options for removing those traps safely.
Hamish Knox is a Sandler Trainer in Calgary, Alberta.
Over time, every successful salesperson comes to the conclusion that having the proper selling posture during the sales interview is critical. Many sales people are still struggling to understand this concept.
When we talk about posture, we are talking about the attitude reflected in the communication of the salesperson. We know that the message we send in our communication is made up of our body language, our tonality, and our words. However, how we mix those three elements creates a particular attitude that is palpable to our receiver. (more…)
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