Keeping Commitments Day 14 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
Today’s exercise is simple and brief but it can have a big impact on our success as salespeople and entrepreneurs. Watch the video clip from a seminar I did a couple years back and then answer the following questions:
1) Have you lost business in the past due to you or your company missing client commitments?
2) What are the most common areas in your sales and service process where commitments could be broken?
3) What could you do to improve your ability to keep commitments and exceed your client and prospect expectations?
Twitter for Sales Part 2 Day 13 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
This is day 13 of the 28 Days to Better Selling. Today’s video on Twitter for sales people is about how to get more followers and connect with prospects. It also covers strategies on building community and credibility. This is twitter video is 13 minutes in length which is a bit longer than the rest of the lessons but I felt that the topic needed to be covered thoroughly. Tweet you later!
Needs Analysis in Sales Part 2 – Day 11 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Yesterday we focused on how to construct a client needs analysis questionnaire. Today’s lesson is focused on how to conduct a needs analysis effectively.
The core take-aways for this lesson are:
- Never sell during the needs analysis.
- Don’t finish the prospect’s sentences, allow them to explore solutions and challenges in their own context.
- Get permission to sell at the end of the needs analysis to maintain rapport and trust.
- Always get a commitment for the next step in the sales process.
28 Days to Better Selling Archive can be found here
Listening in Sales Day 9 of the 28 days to Better Selling
Today’s focus is on listening. A big part of being good at all the steps in the sales process has to do with listening and being totally present. I have put together (in PDF format) a brief self-assessment on listening for you to complete. A big part of being a successful communicator is self-awareness. Take time during and after this assessment to really look at yourself and acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses as a listener.
Your ability to be totally present during the sales process and to connect empathetically with the client can seperate you from your competition. Clients often drop clues as to what they value and what they need if we listen closely enough.
Your assignment today is to be totally present and listen intently to everyone you interact with.
Download the listening self-assessment here
Don’t Be a Boring Sales Person Day 8 to The 28 Days to Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Face it, as sales people we can be really boring. We’re predictable, and in most cases we sound just like the next guy. Being boring is a guaranteed way to commoditize our product or service and drag our sales cycle out much longer than it has to be.
Listen to today’s podcast and then do the following:
1) Make a list of all the mediums you could be using for follow-up
2) Ask the question: How could I make each application of each medium value added, unique, or innovative
3) Set a goal to follow-up your A category clients using all of the mediums in a creative, enagaging way that will differentiate you, your product, and your company.
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
Lead Nurturing in Sales Day 7 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Today is day 7 of the 28 Days to Better Selling. Today we are going to focus on lead nurturing. Lead nurturing is really about taking a contact or a prospect who has given us permission to begin a relationship with them, and through a series of value added contacts solidify the relationship. This relationship ultimately results in a deal if there is a match between what you offer and the prospect truly needs.
Your assignment today after listening to this podcast is to answer the following questions:
1) Do I have a structured process for follow-up over the life time of the relationship?
2) Is there anywhere in the process where I don’t have solid goals or book the next step?
3) Is there anything that is not client focused that needs to have more depth or be deleted?
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
Investigative Prospecting Day 6 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Investigative prospecting is about identifying individuals or corporations that are experiencing a certain event that makes them more open to immediately doing business with you. We have talked about sources of sales leads, and even Linkedin prospecting in the past few days.
Today’s sales podcast is for Day 6 of The 28 Days to Better Selling. In sales your ability to find new opportunities and fill your funnel constantly is the oxygen your career lives on. Without prospecting continually your sales career will come to an abrupt end. Have a listen to today’s sales podcast. I’m looking forward to your feedback.
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
Linkedin Prospecting Day 5 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Today’s sales podcast is Day 5 of The 28 days to Better Selling and is focused on using Linkedin as a prospecting tool. There are many aspects of Linkedin but today we going to focus on the function that enables us to get introduced to a prospect through a friend.
Your assignment today is to connect with three prospects through Linkedin.
Step 1: Search for an individual using targeted criteria
Step 2: Click through their profile and select get introduced through a connection
Step 3: Send a non-pitch short introduction to connect and learn more about each other.
It’s one the easiest ways to make connections but it is very underused. Good luck!
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
Day 4 of the 28 Days to Better Selling
Today’s assignment is focused on finding and developing more lead and networking sources. Watch the video and then take the following action steps:
1) Make a list of all the possible lead and networking sources.
2) Pick the ones that have a high concentration of you’re A target or A referral sources
3) Join and or book yourself for some events
4) Book a morning once a month for the next 3 months to pre-plan your networking.
5) Get out there and start connecting
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
Day 2 of The 28 Days to Better Selling
This is Day 2 of the 28 Days to Better Selling with Shane Gibson. Today’s focus is on developing a set of criteria and aggregating your referral sources and centers of influence to help you maximize and prioritize your referral generating opportunities.
Today’s assignment is:
1) Brainstorm all possible criteria for CIO and referral sources
2) Pick 5-7 top criteria
3) Make a list of existing and potential A category CIO’s and referrals
4) Book a meeting with at least 2 existing to say thank-you and share criteria
5) Share your thoughts and how you implemented this at http://closingbigger.net
If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:
10 Tips on Doing Business in Vancouver
Today’s blog post is on the lighter side. Some of my comments are in jest so please take them with a grain of salt. The post was inspired by a series of tips I posted on Twitter and the response I got from people on Twitter. For those of you who are new to Vancouver or plan on visiting for business here are 10 tips on doing business in Vancouver:
Tip #1: Doing business in Vancouver: Your meeting has a good chance of starting late.
Tip #2: Doing business in Vancouver: You will most likely talk about 8 non-related things before getting down to business.
Tip #3: Doing Business in Vancouver: Your meeting will most likely take place in Starbucks (via @robertaw99)
Tip #4: Doing Business in Vancouver: Your meeting may be bumped by something of little consequence until you learn Vancouver priorities (via @Bradinator)
Tip #5: Doing Business in Vancouver: Vancouverites are friendly but take time to introduce and endorse you. They take business personally.
Tip #6: Doing Business in Vancouver: Green is the new bling and being too busy is a sign of business weakness.
Tip #7: Doing Business in Vancouver: Not everyone in Vancouver is into doing business.
Tip #8: Doing Business in Vancouver: When you don’t get a call back right away don’t worry and don’t get offended. Follow-up again.
Tip #9: Doing Business in Vancouver: Everyone knows everyone, and many have done business with each other at some point. via @KontentCreative
Tip #10: Doing Business in Vancouver: It’s all about relationships and what networks you’re connected to. Take your time getting to know who is connected to who. Join your local Board of Trade and corresponding Vancouver Linkedin and Meetup groups as a start.
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