What kind of Sales Negotiator are you?

Salespeople come in all shapes and sizes. But the true measure of a salesperson is really, how well can they negotiate and close? I have been thinking a lot about the different kinds of people I have met in sales. I like to break it down the following way!

Some salespeople are simply order takers. Order takers are lucky when the economy is strong and robust but the order taker fails miserably when the economy turns or competition grows stronger. The order taker often knows the product or service well and can easily talk about features and benefits. But they lack the true ability to establish rapport with their prospect. Without the ability to establish rapport, the order taker simply cannot establish trust and credibility. Both are necessary ingredients to move a sale forward.

Joe Average Salesman - Now this salesperson can establish rapport and knows the product or service. The problem here lies simply with the ability to close. The only close this salesperson knows is the "soft close" where they simply wait for the prospect to ask for the order.

The Negotiator - This salesperson has it all. They establish rapport, know their product or service and can close. These folks are usually in the top 10% of the sales organization and consistently remain there, year in and year out. But, they lack one trait that keeps them from the number 1 spot.

The Super Negotiator - or the great showman. The Super Negotiator has it all and then some. This type of salesperson captivates an audience and never lets them go. They walk into a room and fill it with dynamic energy. They constantly read the room and immediately know how to interact with everyone there. There greatest skill lies in their ability to make a product demonstration a show everyone wants to be a part of. They are usually fun, energetic and bright.

To become better and more accomplished at what you do always takes work. Sometimes just understanding the differences will put you on the road to great success!

Sales-Negotiation-Training.net

We'd love to hear your questions! Email me directly!"

Sales Note

I realize that for many sales people, the end of the quarter is looming. So as you work to finalize various deals, here are some statistics that you should remember.

* 20% of people will always buy the cheapest price no matter what.
* 3-5% will invariably buy the most expensive
* 75% of people like you and me will occasionally buy on price if we have no other reason to base our purchase decision on.

The messages is this - give your prospect a reason to buy "you" and the not the price of your product.

Sales Training for Clowns!

Jenna Bradley sells Imaging Equipment for a company that is made up here (just like she is). As a matter of fact, all the characters are fictional to provide you some daily entertainment, but hopefully the message this blog provides isn't lost. Enjoy!

Today's the day! Today's the day I get to sit through 8 hours of Sales Training. I can hardly wait. No really, I can hardly wait. I could use some Sales Training this week. So far this month my only "yes" turned into 6 "No's" from Banks who seem better equipped and more willing to torture people than interragators from the Abu Ghraib prison.

When they introduce the Sales Trainer all I can see are his shoes. Wow, he certainly has walked a lot in those shoes. I'm pretty sure they used to be brown, unless he thinks mustard is really a color for mens shoes. Maybe I'm too judgemental.

He begins, "The quickest way to yes in this economy is to listen, really listen to your customer. If you can emphasize with them, they will become your best friend." Oh good, I think. I could use a best friend, maybe two. And then I can ask my new BFF if they can make my mortgage payment. Why, why, why am I so cynical?

He continues, "I'm going to show you today how learning to ask questions and listening to the answsers will make you a Sales Superstar." He asks, "Why don't we ask close ended questions?" I'm not sure he is looking for audience participation but John Wayne from Atlanta jumps to his feet. (Yes, that's really his name!)John Wayne yells, "because Close ended questions are Closed." Oh, and I had so hoped he would win the toaster.

The speaker then spends the rest of the day going through the differences of open and close ended questions, how to set up open ended questions and then... role playing. Personally, I would rather cut off my left leg than to role play. Ever! And no matter what any of us did - according to this Sales Training guy, we just couldn't get it right. My boss, Shrek, likes to pipe up from time to time and offer his valuable insight to the group, as if a promotion hangs in his future. I notice though that he doesn't look so much like Shrek anymore. I think he ACTUALLY did get his stomach stapled. (Which could be why he never calls anymore.) Now he looks just like Yoda from Star Wars. It's funny how losing weight can make you look shorter but your ears bigger. Fat or skinny, the dude is still Green.

When it's over we meet in small groups and discuss the day. The Philadelphia rep Jeff Morgan is in my group and is the first one to speak. "Here's the thing about closed and opened ended questions," he begins. "Closed ended questions actually aren't bad if they are used for important questions where you need to know a specific answer or if you are trying to establish credibility with your prospect. For instance, I may need to specifically know when someone's lease is up on equipment they already own. I have to ask a close ended question to get that answer. And when you think of open ended questions, you can't just walk into a meeting and begin asking a bunch of open ended questions. You haven't established any credibility. I use what I call credibility questions to actually establish my credibility, and these are generally more close ended, and then I move to open ended questions"

Yoda looks confused and actually so do I. But Yoda says he agrees with Jeff's assessment and so I look at Yoda and ask, "Can you give me some examples of what you mean?" Yoda looks like he wants to cut me off at the knees, as if for a moment we all might get to see as a group how his reputation as Ted Bundy actually unfolds. "No," he says, "This is Jeff's moment, lets let him tell us." Pity, I think.

Jeff begins, "Let's say you don't know the prospect and you want to establish credibility. Credibility as an expert in your field. You could ask questions like - How many pieces of Imaging Equipment have you purchased or used in the past? Were they 2D, 3D, 4D or Hologram? Were they Open or Closed? Were you able to adjust the resolution using Coral or GreenSave software? Could you magnify them using standard magnification mirrors or did you have to send them to Johnson Company for perfect magnification? So in less than a minute, I have just told the prospect that I know something about my field and probably more than he or she does. And I have done this by asking a series of close ended questions." He continues, "Often times I will ask a question someone can't answer. I have to be careful then not to appear arrogant and I might slightly downplay the answer if it appears they seem uncomfortable with their lack of knowledge."

"And because my close ended questions have provided me a lot of information, when I begin my presentation I feel like I have some pretty valuable stuff to work with," Jeff says.

"Then, I tailor what I'm going to present. I structure the open ended questions I'm going to ask, around their previous responses and reactions. And, in asking some of those closed end, credibility questions, I usually uncover several, specific reasons why they are looking at buying a new piece of equipment. But no matter what, it's only after I have established credibility can I begin to ask broader, open ended questions. Like, what are the challenges they are currently facing, what is their vision specifically with this new equipment, how do they see this new equipment helping them with their vision, etc....And, if I don't understand or I'm not certain they are exactly sure what they are saying, I will ask them to explain what they mean. I am not afraid to ask someone to restate if I am not certain. Sometimes I may ask someone to repeat something, several different ways. Then I have clarified it in my mind and it's now clear in their mind. You might be surprised to find that getting someone to yes simply means having them say back their reasons for purchasing on several occasions and at the close reminding them exactly what they said."

Wow, I think. This is the guy who should have taught the class.

Selling is not simply a job, it's a skill that's continually built upon over time. We are dedicated to helping you navigate and grow during good times and bad. Sales-Negotiation-Training.net

We'd love to hear your questions! Email me directly!"

Finally the Ebook is finished!

It's hard for me to be a self-promoter but this ebook is exactly the book I wish I had when I got into sales. If you are new in sales, looking for ideas on how to jump start your sales or want to discover how Top Producers consistently sell more than anyone else, this book is for you. Enjoy

http://www.sales-negotiation-training.net

Cold Call me Crazy!

I woke up today with a new fire. A passion to move my sales forward and not look back. My list is ready, my phone is plugged in. I dial my first lead on the sheet.

"Hello this is Jenna Bradley with...., hello?" Oh that's nice music I think. I must be on hold. I wait. 5 minutes pass by and I decide to hang up and redial. "Hello, this is Jenna Bradley with...." Music again. Wow, that's not very nice. What if I was already a vendor servicing this company? Screw them. I dial a new number.

"Hello this is Jenna Bradley with BestImaging, can I speak with the office Manager?" "No, she doesn't know me! Well, can I leave a message?" There's a pause. I ask again, "Can I leave a message?" She agrees so I tell her my name and number and then ask, "Do you want me to repeat my number back to you?" There is no reply so I ask again. Holy cow, that rotten receptionist hung up on me. I consider calling back but decide nothing good will come from that. I wonder if there is a full moon.

I decide to change my strategy and get the office manager's name and then call back and ask for him or her directly tomorrow. Tricky, I tell ya. I'm not really busy tomorrow anyway or the day after that, or the day after that. Besides, using the phone is saving the planet but it's hell on my thighs and ass.

"Hi I'm trying to update my contact sheet for our company, can you tell me the name of your office manager?" She tells me, I write it down and consider quitting and taking the rest of the day off. Success requires celebration. I change up my strategy several times but I try not to use my name or company. I'll have to use it tomorrow when I call back.

After 100 calls and getting the names of 75 key personnel, I think I may have found the Holy Grail. Only a few receptionists actually asked me for my name or company.

All of that and it's only 2:30 in the afternoon? How is this possible? I pick up my series of B leads. Oprah is on? Rock, paper, scissors. Ughhh, I lose. Wait, how can I lose I own both hands?

I plow ahead.

By 4:30pm I have 132 names of key personnel and then it hits me. I'm going to write them a letter. A clever little note with a product brochure included in the envelope. I'll wait a few days to call and then I'll have something to follow up on.
I'll have to pay for the postage myself though. Cut backs in everything. I ponder the stupidity of this but decide to sell something on Ebay to cover it. I'm a wizard.

And then it hits me again. Wow, this job has become real work. It could be worse, I could be sleeping in my car.

Selling is not simply a job, it's a skill that's continually built upon over time. We are dedicated to helping you navigate and grow during good times and bad. Sales-Negotiation-Training.net

We'd love to hear your questions! Email me directly!"

How to Sell in a Down Market

We've been following the story of Jenna Bradely, a sales rep who is having a tough time selling in a tough economy. Today she gets a lesson in how to do this better, even in a down market.

In order to understand how to sell in any market, you have to understand what moves a market. Markets are generally at the mercy of two, very real human emotions - fear and greed. Fear and greed drive markets to unnatural heights and to devastating lows.

Greed can often be the great predictor of financial ruin. You see, most people neither understand, nor want to understand "irrational exuberance." They love the easy promise of riches and prefer to listen only to those who will tell them what they want to hear. Even if none of it makes logical sense.

Think of the those who invested with Bernie Madoff. Does it make logical sense to any one of us, that one man could beat the markets year, after year, after year, after year? Not one down year? Of course it doesn't make sense to us and it's simply not logical. In the world of dynamic, fluid markets, this is an impossible feat. Bernie Madoff would have to be God. He clearly was not.

And, is it really possible that not a single investor in Madoff's funds wondered if something "funny" was going on? Something, possibly illegal? These investors were not dumb people. Most of them we would consider quite smart, highly successful men and women. What could have possibly made them turn stupid or at least a blind eye? Did the really imagine they had found someone who could beat the system. Someone smarter than every super computer and living creature on the planet? I bet they were honored to be apart of this club. I'm sure they felt that those not able to get into Bernie's funds were possibly "less than." I absolutely have compassion for those who lost it all, but it seems impossible not a single investor chose to dig a bit deeper.

Greed has a funny way of starving the brain.

Look at the housing market. Americans were told they couldn't lose - that housing was a stable commodity. So people started selling their old homes, for new and bigger ones. They bought second homes in the mountains that they didn't need. They bought rental property because the more homes you could buy, the more money you would make. Banks made it easy for everyone.

Was there an ounce of logic in any of this? Could houses really appreciate 100% in a three year period and this make logical sense to anyone? Was there a sudden explosion in the population in this country to support all these new home starts? Suddenly were people making more money that they could afford this massive load of debt? Nope. But the promise of easy riches and life on the beach before 50 is a dream that feels so close we can touch it, smell it. "I just need that one big payday," we think. We believe because we so desperately want to believe and because we refuse to logically think it through. We forget that the wizard behind the curtain is another greedy man, just like us.

And when it all comes crashing down, the rush to sell is always too late. When fear takes over, people seem to completely lose their ability to make any decision at all. Fear cripples the mind. It's almost as if the world stops turning on its axis. Wallets are slammed closed, the honest salesman is looked at like a crook and commerce is frozen.

So how do you sell in this environment which is now a fear based economy. You sell by being honest and real. You add words to your presentations that will inspire. You add slides to your power point that show your potential buyer what your company is doing to help the consumer in this economy. You explain what happens when you jump on a speeding train and how much easier it is to get on that train before it accelerates again. How that's always a better value. You go far and above the call in order to impress potential buyers and current customers. You find ways to save them money. Start a website or a blog so your customers and prospect know you. Brand yourself the King of the Hill. But do it with honor. People want to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. This rarely ever happens and we should remind them of this. There's only one God.

And if you are selling a product or service that seems stuck in the mud because credit lending is tight, seek out regional banks in your area that still have money to lend. Find out what they require. If this seems like a daunting task, hire a virtual assistant to track down the lenders and their paperwork requirements. Trust me, we all live in a small circle of what we know. Expand your horizons to those you don't know.

And lastly, learn to look at the markets logically - yourself. Where is this market headed now? Do you know? Do you assume that because it's been up for the last several weeks the economy is now cured of its problems. Ben Bernake said yesterday he expects a recovery by the end of the year. Do you believe it because you want to believe it? Hasn't he been really wrong and stupid in the past? If you know where the market is headed, you can prepare now for how to sell in it. And how would you change how you sell if you knew that tomorrow inflation was about to raise its ugly head? Would you do anything different? Things aren't really much of a mystery if you have all the pieces of the puzzle in front of you. You just have to learn to put them together.

Selling is not simply a job, it's a skill that's continually built upon over time. We are dedicated to helping you navigate and grow during good times and bad. Sales-Negotiation-Training.net

We'd love to hear your questions! Email me directly!"

Creating A Sales Goals Worksheet

From the desk of the writer: Maybe over the past few weeks, you have noticed I am a big believer in Focused Goals. In my life, having defined, written goals has helped me achieve things that I otherwise would have given up on or probably forgotten about.
I have received a number of emails asking me what MY goals sheet looks like. Click the link to find the one that I have used for years. It can be modified in any way that makes sense to what you are selling or what you are trying to achieve.
The only thing that matters is that you believe. Goals Worksheet