15 Ways to Close a Sale Day 27 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
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Today for day 27 of the 28 Days to Better Selling we are covering 15 ways to close a sale. After you listen to the podcast identify how many of the closes listed below that you could apply to your sales process.
- The Alternative Close
- The Assumed Close
- The Minor Decision Close
- The Courtesy Close – “silent principle”
- The Direct Close
- The Urgency Close
- The “Shut-up Principle” Close
- The “Bonus” Close –
- The Objection Close
- The “Use of Terms” Close
- The Third Party Close
- The Summary Close
- The Similar Situation Close
- The Empathy Close
- The Consultant Close
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Reducing Anxiety and Worry Day 26 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
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Energy management in sales is just as important as time management. Worry and anxiety can be big energy drainers. Your assignment today is to implement as many of the strategies outlined in today’s podcast as possible.
The following are some ideas, strategies, and tips to proactively help reduce your worry and anxiety:
- Set a Specific Time for Worry
- Move to Action
- Try Exercise
- Get Out of Bed Quickly
- Post Good News
- Surround Yourself with Positive People
- Make Meetings Productive with the Worry Chart
- Time Limit on Hard Work
- Know the Value of the Present
- Laugh at Yourself
- Give Yourself Special Treatment
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Key Skills and Strengths for Selling Intangibles Day 25 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
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Yesterday we talked about the importance of proving or selling inangible results related to your products or services. Today we are going to focus on some of the key attributes needed to do so. The following provides a brief overview of some of the skills and strengths needed to be great at selling intangibles.
Personal Brand of You
When selling intangible solutions, it really is about credibility and the relationship. Because the solution is intangible, the purchase is largely based upon the believability of the salesperson.
Having a strong personal brand helps people understand who we are, what we are about, and it removes uncertainty.
Differentiation
People who are good at this type of sales often communicate what they do in a unique way. This means specializing and unique positioning is often necessary.
Passionate Evangelist/Industry Authority or Both
As an extension of our personal brand and our ability to differentiate, our passion and knowledge are critical in selling intangibles. Because the client cannot often experience the service or solution in a tangible way, their experience of you has to be credible and inspiring.
Clarity
“In communicating, your greatest enemy isn’t the noise around you – it’s the noise you create, un-wittingly” – Harry Beckwith, author of What Clients Love and Selling the Invisible.
Brevity and focus are key. If we focus on one or two core things we are good at and communicate those proficiencies really well, we can own a large portion of client mindshare and wallet share.
Value Builders
Because what we are selling cannot be seen, touched, or measured, we need to be good at building value. Your ability to articulate the real value in terms of return on investment is very important. Solutions must be presented in a way that solves a core client pain or challenge.
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Influencing Top Level Decision Makers Day 24 to the 28 Days of Better Selling
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Top level decision makers are results-orientated. Both tangible results and intangible results appeal to them. In order to be seen as a resource and potential supplier you must tap into their desire to produce results.
The kind of tangible results that appeal to them are:
Raising Revenues:
Show them how their overall volume can be increased; in other words, an increase in sales.
Increase Efficiency:
If they see that their employees, or their equipment, or other capital will be more efficient, then the chance of their buy-in is higher.
Keeping Shareholders Happy:
Top level decision makers are the ones who have to answer to the Board of Directors and to the Shareholders in a large corporation. Keeping the Board or shareholders happy is their main priority.
Lowering Cost of Production:
Lower costs equal better margins and bigger profits.
Increasing Market Share:
They are interested in advertising, marketing and business development strategies, tactics and methods to increase market share.
Higher Return On Investment:
Can you show them how they will get a bigger return on their investment for the money they invest with your services, products, ideas and concepts?
Dealing With Market Changes:
If you come with solutions for market changes that affect them, then they will take the time to explore the possibilities with you.
Intangible Results:
The types of intangible results that appeal to top level decision makers are:
Lower the Risk And Worry:
Anything that you can do to lower or eliminate the risk makes them feel better.
Personal and Corporate Pride:
Senior executives and top level decision makers are at the top because they have personal pride and are proud of the business results that they achieve.
Image – Personally And Corporately:
Yes the car they drive reflects their success level. The suits, the shoes they wear, the house they live in, the office address, and the image their marketing material portrays are all examples of personal and/or corporate image.
Retaining And Attracting Good Employees Who Work Beyond The Norm:
The top level decision maker knows that you win when you have exceptional people working with you.
Your assignment today after listening to the podcast is to:
1) Look at how many of these results your products or services can achieve for your clients.
2) Develop a unique way to present these results you produce
3) Memorize and practice presenting those core results statements that you will use with senior decision makers.
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Team Players Make Efficient Sellers Day 22 of the 28 days of Better Selling
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Too often salespeople even when surrounded by a large corporation do things all on their own. They have been selected because of their personal drive and focus, but this can also be a downfall.
This podcast is focused on the importance of connecting with and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Who knows, maybe the marketing team wants to know who your ideal client is!
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Just Thinking About You Day 21 to the 28 Days of Better Selling
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Today’s assignment is pretty straight forward. Mindshare = Walletshare. With that said mindshare is gained through adding value in multiple contexts with clients. Your assingment today is to add value by letting five of your key accounts know you are thinking about them and care about their success.
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Team Selling Day 20 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
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Team selling is a whole new dynamic for a lot of new sales people, even tenured sales people and executives can often miss in a team environment. Sales people are measured by their individual contribution to the bottom-line but in team selling they need to take a look at the bigger picture and engage and coordinate a whole team.
Today’s assignment after you listen to the podcast is as follows:
1) Develop your own Edification sheet or elevator pitch for your team mates
2) Get each of them to do that as well for you and then memorize each others “Edification Sheet”
3) Develop a checklist for prepping for meetings that ensures that you:
a. Know the key strengths and purpose of those people on your team
b. Determine the meeting lead
c. Warm everyone up for the call
d. Debrief after the meeting with the key questions:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- What could we do better?
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Preparing for a sales call Day 19 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
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We work hard to target the right companies, get past the gatekeeper, and get a commitment from the client to meet with us. But are we prepared? This is a two part podcast on getting ready for meetings. Today we will focus on individual sales calls and tomorrow we will talk about how to plan out team selling scenarios.
After you listen to today’s podcast here is your assignment:
#1) Brainstorm all of the possible objections you could get in your typical sales call and either pre-empt them or memorize your answers
#2) Be prepared for the worst case scenario, map out what those could be and how you will handle them.
#3) Be prepared for the best case scenario, what will you need to close the deal or negotiate with a key prospect on the spot?
#4) Map out key research sources you can review and confirm before heading to the meeting
#5) Build a checklist for this process and go through before each meeting well in advance
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Sell the Price Difference Not the Total Cost Day 17 of The 28 Days To Better Selling
We will often get objections that our product or service costs more money in comparison to a competitor.
There are two main questions you need answered before proceeding:
Question 1: “Mr. Client, when you say the price is too high, how high is it? And compared to what do you feel it is too high?
When the client answers this question, you know what amount you are dealing with. The important thing here is to separate that amount from the total amount. By the client telling you the amount, you know what they are happy to pay, so you do not sell them on that amount, they are already sold on it. Focus on the difference.
Example:
Client: “I am sorry, but the purchase price of that house is too much.”
Salesperson: “When you say too much, how much too much?”
Client: “About $20,000 too much.”
Salesperson: “So what you are saying is that $280 000 is okay with you, but it is the additional $20,000 that is holding you back?”
Client: “Yes.”
Salesperson: “Well, let’s take a look at what you get for that extra $20,000 or $250 per month in payments. For an extra $250 per month:
- You are just across the street from the elementary school, and you said you wanted to be close to the school.
- The area you were looking in is 10 miles further away from your office. You save yourself 20 miles of travel per day, and in gasoline and wear and tear on your car it translates into $5.00 per day, which is over $100 per month. That is almost half of the $250 per month.
- The house has a view and you really feel a view gives you a sense of freedom.
- You have a two car garage that is very secure.
- Your wife is in love with it.
- You reduce your worry about your children walking to school.
- You save time not having to drive or walk the kids to school.
- You are closer to the office and save time again.
- You end up with a view you want.
Salesperson: “For a $150 a month on your mortgage I feel this one is the best option we have looked at today.” (You would not use the entire list but probable focus in on the top ones you would feel the client would relate too)
Note: The salesperson does not say “for an extra $20,000 or for $300,000” which is the total price. The focus is on the difference and the lowest amount and then broken down to a monthly cost
Your Assignment today is:
#1) Look at which services or products you have where you have price objections
#2) Assess how much more they may be perceived to cost in comparison to similar products or services.
#3) Brainstorm all of the additional value financially and otherwise someone would get from paying the extra amount.
#4) Memorize your value added list.
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Preemptive Objection Handling Day 16 to the 28 Days to Better Selling
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Preempting objections is an important strategy that most successful sales people apply. Often we will have several obejctions that come up about our product, service or company on a regular basis. There are also things that lose deals that prospects will not tell us they are worried about.
Your assignment today is to listen to the podcast and then:
1) Brainstorm a list of all of the objections that you get on a regular basis.
2) List unspoken objections that people will not mention to you but you know are there.
3) Develop a way to preemptively handle each objection up-front and turn it into a selling point
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Day 15 to the 28 Days of Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Today’s assignment is focused on turning data gathered into compelling sales language. People buy results, emotions, and feelings not solutions or or things. After you have gathered a ton of information in a client meeting the question is “What do I do with this information?”
Today’s podcast is about prioritzing client issues, focusing on your key competitive advantages and communicating in the terms of benefits and results to the client.
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