Three Ways to Connect With Your Prospects

By Mike Brooks, http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

What’s the first thing that goes through your head when you get a call from a sales rep? If you answered, “I can’t wait to get them off the phone,” then you’re not alone. In fact, when a telemarketer calls me up at home and says those words that immediately identify them as a sales person, the “How are you today?” line, my first thought is, “I’ll be great as soon as I get rid of you!”

One of the biggest mistakes sales reps make who have to call prospects – either to set an appointment, generate interest, or qualify and then send information – is they don’t acknowledge in any way what is going through the prospect’s mind. Let’s face it, everyone you call has a reaction to being intruded upon, and each of them is having a similar reaction to the one that you and I have.

If you want to successfully connect with your prospect, and earn the precious few seconds it takes to establish rapport and generate some interest, then you must put yourself into the mind of your prospect and enter the conversation that’s going on in their minds. If you don’t do this, then you will be pitching and pitching and the prospect will just be waiting for you to take a breath so they can blow you off.

So, what can you do to enter this conversation? Incorporate the following three techniques the next time you make a cold call, and watch your call times improve, your confidence grow and your sales and income soar.

Technique number one: If we all know that what’s going on in your prospect’s mind is, “Oh, no, not another sales rep”, then why not acknowledge this? Try:

“Now _________, you probably get a lot of these kinds of calls, don’t you?
Well if you’re like me you’re probably wishing you hadn’t answered the phone right about now, so let’s make a deal: I’ll ask you just two quick questions to see if what I have can actually help you (do whatever it is your product or service can do), and if it can and you’re interested, we’ll continue, and if it can’t or you’re not interested, we’ll part friends, is that fair enough?”

Technique number two: Many times what’s going through a prospect’s mind is that they are too busy to listen at that moment, so they just use the overall brush off of, “I’m not interested,” and this usually gets people off the phone. Here’s how to enter into that conversation:

“_________ if you’re like me you’re probably busy doing a million things so I’ll make this brief. Let me just ask you two quick things and if we find that we’re a fit and you’d like to know more than we can talk about it or we can schedule a time when it’s more convenient, is that fair?”

The nice thing about this technique is that it acknowledges that they’re busy but it gives them the option of spending more time with you now if they like what they hear.

Technique number three: This third technique is something I learned from a good friend of mine, David Frey. I’ll let him tell it to you straight:

When I first started out in marketing I needed to make some quick money.
At the time, there was a rash of mold infestations here in Texas and mold remediators were having a heyday. I knew they were hungry for good, solid leads.

And about the same time I came across a way to generate leads using telephone autodialing. So I bought an autodialing system, installed it in my home and started generating leads for mold remediators. Yes, I admit it. I was one of those pesky, annoying autodialing demons.

It Worked So Well That I moved into generating leads for the mortgage industry. At the height of my lead generating business, I was autodialing 12,000 people in the city of Houston every day out of my little home office. You should have seen all the telephone lines coming out of my wall.

It was crazy!

From all those calls, I would generate about 5 good, solid leads a day (which actually made me a lot of money).

My Eurika Moment! I wasn't happy with only 5 leads a day so I started testing new scripts. I thought to myself, what's the first thing that I do when I hear an autodialed message? I HANG UP! So I added 4 words to the front of my script and KABOOM!

My leads QUINTUPLED….to an average of 20 leads a day with the same amount of dials. Wanna know what those 4 words were? They were simple.

"Please don't hang up"

That's it. I added, "Please don't hang up" at the beginning of my script and my leads quintupled!”

For all of you out there who use an autodial, I recommend you trying this technique. Once again, it’s effective because it gets you into the mind of your prospect.

Think about what you’ve learned today as you go out and make your cold calls. Always ask yourself: “What is my prospect thinking, and how can I speak to that?” If you do, you’ll make a much better connection and you’ll end up making more sales!

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s bestselling book on inside sales: “The REAL Secrets of the Top 20% - How To Double Your Income Selling Over the Phone.” You can read about it by clicking
here: http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Training_Books/Complete_Book_of_Phone_Scripts

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. He offers a FREE audio program designed to help you double your income selling over the phone, as well as an internationally acclaimed FREE ezine. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by
visiting: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

How to Not Sound Like a Telemarketer

by Mike Brooks, http://www.mrinsidesales.com/
I don't know about you but I can always tell when a telemarketer is cold calling me. From the moment they begin speaking, "Hi is that Mr. Brooks?"

to the way they mechanically read their scripts, I have them pegged before they get past their first sentence. And like I'm sure it is with you, too, I am immediately not interested.

If you are reading this article, it probably means you have to pick up the phone - either to make appointments, call prospects back, return calls to clients, etc. - and if so, then you need to learn how to sound natural on the phone and avoid putting your prospects, gatekeepers, assistants, etc., on notice that you're trying to sell something.

The way you do that is by learning how to sound like you're not selling anything, and you do that by learning how to disarm prospects, sound natural yet professional, and how to be friendly without being phony. Use these 5 techniques to not only sound natural on the phone, but to also close more business:

# 1 - Always use the prospect's first name. I know that there are two schools of thought on this, one being that you should show respect for someone you don't know and so use either Mr. or Mrs., but I don't agree. I think you can show respect for someone by being courteous and professional, and I think you're going to make a lot more progress if you use a person's first name. Here are the two reasons to do so:

a. First, by using a person's first name you aren't immediately signaling that you're a sales person! How do you feel when someone you don't know calls you and addresses you by "Mr." or "Mrs."? Also, when you use a person's first name, you are starting the call on equal footing, without giving them all the power.

b. Second, everyone likes the sound of their own name. In fact, psychologists have found that everyone's favorite word is their first name! By starting with that you are immediately making a connection, and a personal one at that.

#2 - Be polite. You'd be surprised by how many sales reps still try to trick or get around gatekeepers and assistants, and how many are even rude in doing so. Always, always use please and thank you when speaking with anyone over the phone (or in person for that matter).

Words like "please" and "thank you" go a long way when trying to make a connection with a prospect, and they work especially well when you're trying to get through to a prospect also. Examine your current scripts now and do all you can to insert the proper courtesies wherever you can.

#3 - Be brief. Most reps go into pitch mode the moment they reach their prospect, and it's no surprise they can't wait to get the rep off the phone. I review scripts all the time that essentially read the company's brochure to the prospect the moment they reach them.

You can turn that around and sound so much better by briefly delivering your presentation and checking in with your prospect. Try things like:

a. Briefly _________, the reason I'm calling is that we've been working with many companies like yours, and I just wanted to see if we could help you as well. Can I ask you just a couple of questions to see if we'd be a fit for you?

b. __________, you probably get a lot of calls like these, so I'll be brief. I'll just ask you a couple of quick questions and if I think we can save you between 15 to 20% I'll let you know and, if not, we'll part friends, is that OK?

Get the idea?

#4 - Make a connection. This is one of the easiest of all and it's a great way to get your prospect talking. All you do is find something that you know is affecting your other clients (like new laws in their industry), and ask how it's affecting your new prospect as well. Try:

a. "You know ________ a lot of my clients have told me of the changes they are having to make because of (the new law/change in regulation, etc.), how is that affecting you?"

b. "__________ what are you planning to feature at the September trade show?"

By addressing something that they are dealing with now, you can instantly make a connection and get valuable information. Warning: you have to fit this in after you've established rapport, and you have to address something that is relevant to them.

#5 - Listen more. This may not sound like a way to sound natural on the phone, but believe me, it's probably the most important of all. Because most sales reps are so busy talking at their prospect, they usually lose them at the beginning. In most cases, the prospect has turned off and are just waiting for an appropriate pause to get rid of the rep.

By listening you actually create space for your prospect to speak (and to think), and because of that you are allowing the conversation to flow.
When you give the prospect a chance to get their thoughts and feedback out, they feel comfortable with you, and that is the best way for the conversation to unfold naturally. Hit your mute button after you ask a question and count three 1000's if you're having trouble remaining quiet.

There you have it - five easy ways to avoid sounding like a telemarketer and ways to sound more natural on the phone. The good news is that they are easy to implement, and, once you do, you'll make more connections and you'll feel more comfortable on the phone. And this will come across to your prospects and you'll end up qualifying better leads and making more sales.

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s: “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” which is packed with word for word scripts and techniques that you can begin using today to make more appointments and more sales. You can read about it by clicking here:
http://www.mrinsidesales.com/scripts.htm

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US, teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance.

Questions to Help Open Up the Sale

By Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales

Have you ever been in a closing situation that seems to have stalled, where your prospect isn’t really objecting, but they sure aren’t going where you want them to go? Sometimes during a close you’ll find it necessary to sort of re-open the close, to keep your prospect talking, and to find out exactly what is on their mind.

This is especially true when you’re not sure how to respond to an objection or to how your prospect or client feels about a specific point or feature. It is times like these that you need to just ask a question and let your prospect tell you which direction you need to go in, or how you should respond.

Use the following questions to help open your prospect up and to get them to reveal where they really stand, and what you need to do to close the
sale:

“I can tell that’s important to you; why does it mean so much?”

“Let me see if I have this right. You (restate what they said), right?
What would have to change for this to work for you then?”

“Do I have that right?”

“What else do I need to know to understand how this affects your operation?”

“How would you react if I told you we could handle that and give you this?”

“Can you give me more detail on that?”

“What is your perspective on this?”

“And what has led you to feel that way?”

“What is your experience with this (solution)?”

“When was the last time you tried this?”

“What would have made it work better for you?”

“If you went ahead with this, what would be the worse thing that could happen?”

“I hear you saying X, but I’m also hearing something else. Could you elaborate on that please?”

“And if you didn’t move on this solution today, how are you going to change your results and get more (leads, sales, production, etc.)?”

“Do you see how this (your solution) has been designed to fix your exact problem?”

“How is this sounding so far?”

“I see where you’re coming from. How did you arrive at that?”

“What leads you to believe that?”

If you found these questions helpful, then you will love Mike’s Ebook:
“The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” which is packed with word for word scripts and techniques that you can begin using today to make more appointments and more sales. You can read about it by clicking here: http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Training_Books/Complete_Book_of_Phone_Scripts


Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughut the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

Thanks Mike, another great article! If you'd like to publish your articles here, then please contact us

What makes you special?

When it comes to being innovative, there are many training companies out there who claim that their programmes are unique. And, I fully believe it! No other programme on the planet will have quite the same content, quite the same presenter, and certainly not the same audience.

So what is a genuine ‘unique selling point’ for a training programme, and how do you go about making this distinction?

This was a challenge I discussed recently with John Giblin, Director of a company called Reach Another Level. His team have spent the last 18 months developing performance improvement programmes based on years of training and development experience. They run residential leadership programmes, experiential team development days (such as Tall Ship sailing events), and open programmes based on accelerating performance improvement in the workplace. Two of these programmes, The Big Picture and The £100,000 Crunch Buster Challenge, seem pretty unique in content, delivery and concept.

I looked at the descriptions on the website, and then used some search terms to see if I could find anything similar. I failed after the first ten pages of Google results. But, if you searched very specifically for these programme titles, you’d only find Reach Another Level, a company whose name matches one of the programme descriptions, and many other inappropriate references.

Switch it round. Looking at the audience for these programmes, the market is the same as for more familiar training programmes, but the challenge is to educate the audience into knowing that these solutions are going to be something they will find genuinely beneficial. That may seem like the challenge everyone faces, but when you take a product such as the forerunner to MP3 players, the Sony Walkman, until they invented it, we didn’t know we needed it!

But to return to marketing, the key is in education. Identify the right target audience; inform and explain your key differences; highlight the benefits that make your product or service stand way ahead of the competition. There’s the challenge – communicating what may be a new concept to an audience who are tired of words like ‘innovative’, ‘unique’ and ‘creative’. Don’t get too clever, and don’t alienate your audience by baffling them with concepts that they just can’t grasp quickly enough.

In this highly competitive world - one which the learning and development industry may find particularly squeezed by the global economy – standing out from the crowd is more important than ever.

Just because you think you are special, does not mean the client will think so. Think like the client, and you stand a better chance of really selling your USP.

Please add your comments - I'd love to hear what you think makes YOU special (or your products, of course!)

Four Ways to Handle the “I’m too busy” Brushoff

by Mike "Mr Inside Sales" Brookes

Let’s face it – we’re all busy. This is especially true if you are cold calling and are lucky enough to actually get a decision maker on the phone. Just like you, they’ll be in the middle of at least three things and be on their way to or from a meeting. Because of this, one of the most frequent objections they use these days to brush you off the phone is the, “I’m too busy/don’t have the time objection.”

Now here’s the thing: while this may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t need or aren’t interested in what you have to offer. Like all initial resistance statements, what you must do with this objection is to quickly control the situation, assess whether or not your prospect is or can be interested, and then find a way to quickly qualify them. Sound like a lot? It is if you’re not prepared with proven and effective scripts like these:

Here are four ways to handle the: “I’m too busy, don’t have the time” brush off:

Response #1:
“I know that feeling; my desk is full of things I need to do, too. I’d be happy to schedule a time to call you back, but I don’t want to bother you if you’re really not interested. Let me ask you a quick question and be honest with me: If I could show you a (system/product/service) that is proven to (reduce your overhead, generate more sales, etc.), would it be worth it for you and I to take for just 5 minutes to see how it could work for you?”

If NO: “No problem. Before I go, who else do you know that might be able to use a system like this?”

If Yes: “Terrific. Do you have 5 minutes right now?”

If No: “I’m looking at my schedule, what is a good time later today?”

Response #2:
“___________ you probably get a lot of calls like I do, and my initial reaction is to say I’m too busy as well. But I can explain this to you in just 3 minutes and if you think it can help you we can schedule more time later - and if you don’t we can part friends, is that fair?”

Response #3:
“I’m with you. Before I schedule time to get back with you, just a quick question: Is it a priority for you to (fix or improve what your product or service will do for them) this quarter?”

Response #4:
“I’m glad you’re busy, that means that you don’t have the time to waste looking at things you have no intention of taking advantage of. Quick question: If I could show you a proven way to (get the benefits of your product or service), is that something that you would invest 5 minutes learning more about?”

If you found these scripts helpful, then invest in “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” which is packed with many more word for word scripts and techniques that you can begin using today to make more appointments and more sales.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps all over the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: www.MrInsideSales.com

Three Interviewing Mistakes

Three Interviewing Mistakes – And How To Avoid Them By Mike Brooks

As the economy slowly recovers, companies are beginning to expand and hire sales reps again. If you’re looking for a job, or looking to change jobs, no doubt you will be sending your resume out, talking to hiring managers, and, if you’re lucky enough to get picked, even going on interviews.

Over the years, I’ve looked at thousands of resumes and interviewed thousands of sales reps. In fact, right now, I’m recruiting for several companies, and I’m amazed by how sales reps keep making basic, horrible mistakes that often times immediately disqualify them for any chance at landing a position. Often times, these mistakes even prevent them from getting an interview!

Here are the 3 worst interviewing mistakes sales reps are making, and what you can do to avoid them:

#1) Filling your resume with every job you’ve worked at for the last 10 years. The first mistake sales reps make – and that hiring managers look for first – is listing five to seven jobs (or more!) on their resume within an eight to ten year time frame.

Nothing will disqualify you faster than a history of job hopping, or a history of staying at jobs for less than a year. (One resume I saw last week listed 3 jobs this year alone!)

Obviously, the reason this is a red flag for companies is that they see themselves investing thousands of dollars hiring and training you only to think that their company will be the next one on your resume.

The Solution: Omit jobs you’ve stayed at less than a year, and never list more than four jobs in a ten year period (it’s better to have only three).

You can disclose other positions once you move forward during the interview process – in person – after you’ve earned a change to wow them with your personality, experience, and obvious qualifications for the job.

#2) Talking for too long when asked a question. Whenever a hiring manager calls you and begins asking questions, make sure your answers are direct and short. You’d be amazed at how so many sales reps will go on and on and on…..

What the hiring manager is thinking is that you are a sales rep who will talk past the close, never listen to your prospects, and never close any business. “No wonder they’re looking for a job,” frequently goes through my mind…

The Solution: Listen carefully to what you’re being asked, think about how to answer it directly, then answer it and shut up! This one technique will separate you from 80% of the sales reps interviewing for the same position.

#3) Don’t interview or interrogate the hiring manager. I know that you have questions about the job, and you should ask a few, but don’t interrogate the hiring manager! Nothing makes us more irritated than being grilled about every aspect of the job, especially about the pay and comp plan. You’re the one being interviewed, not the other way around.

The Solution: Ask some basic questions but save the majority of them for the END of the in person interview. Believe me, the hiring manager will appreciate it and be much more likely to bring you in.

If you’re serious about getting a new position or moving up in your sales career, then avoid these 3 interviewing mistakes. Your chance of getting the new job will increase 100% if you do!

Good luck and happy job hunting!

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s bestselling book on Inside Sales and his Complete Book of Telephone Scripts

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. He offers a FREE audio program designed to help you double your income selling over the phone, as well as an internationally acclaimed FREE ezine. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by
visiting: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

Top Sales Producers - Inside out!

by Ken Buist

Recruiting sales professionals with the appropriate raw material to rapidly and consistently become top producers for your company is even more essential within the current economic climate. Our research study suggests it is now possible to predict more accurately who these top producers are likely to be.

Up until now the main research carried out on potential top producers has tended to focus on behaviour. It was important that sales professionals performed to a high standard at interview. They had to look and sound good as well as be able to communicate with influence, all observable behaviour.

For predicting behaviour, there is the individual’s CV (past behaviour being a predictor of future behaviour) as well as a temperament analysis (temperament being the biggest single influencer of behaviour).

How Would You Define Top Producers?

Over the years clients have asked us to define potential top producers based on temperament analysis. We have always resisted coming up with an ‘ideal’ because our experience is that top producers come in a variety of ‘shapes’ with regard to temperament.

What happens on the inside?

The purpose of this new study was to find out:
a) Is there a particular temperament ‘shape’ associated with top producers?
b) What influence do values (hidden motivators) have on the performance of top producers?

The results indicate that what drives top producers on the inside is consistent, whilst the behaviours displayed on the outside are variable and useful but are probably less crucial when it comes to identifying top producers.

Study Details

Top producers from the sales forces of 39 companies were given a dual assessment to measure Temperament (behaviour – the HOW) & Values (motivators – the WHY). The temperament dimension was based on the highly internationally validated DISC model. The results below show that the top producers were spread across at least 5 major and 3 minor ‘shapes’ of behaviour.

Values were measured and based on the Workplace Motivators model which looks at 6 values. The results shown below were conclusive; 72% of top producers had ‘Utilitarian’ as their number one value and in every case were considerably above the average.

Conclusions

Top sales producers are spread across a variety of behavioural dimensions. However when it comes to what drives these behaviours, a Utilitarian value can be found in almost ¾ of top sales producers, confirming that the drivers which are on the inside is at least as important as looking good and sounding good.

Would you like to try out one of the assessments? We are allowing (for a limited period only), Complete Trainer contacts to access this superb tool for free: www.thetrustedadviser.com/new-assessment-ct

We love the tools that Ken at The Trusted Advisor has shown us - we think you will too.

How To Make Your Sales Manager Better

by Mike Brooks, http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

I consult with a lot of business owners, and I hear a common complaint:

“The sales team isn’t making their revenue numbers and my sales manager doesn’t seem to know what to do to get them to improve. What should I do?”

After reviewing their sales processes, their training program, sales scripts, etc., I always ask the same question: “How much production is your sales manager generating per month?” And I almost always get the same answer – “My manager doesn’t sell.”

Therein lies the problem.

The problem with most sales managers that they don’t sell. And the problem with that is how can they teach and manage something they aren’t doing themselves (or worse, can’t)?

Now I know there are differing opinions on this – some say managers need to manage from the sidelines (like coaches), need to be involved in higher level responsibilities, need to attend endless meetings, and need to be able to set revenue goals and get their team to achieve them.

I agree with some of this (except the endless meetings part!), but the most effective and respected sales managers and V. P.’s I work with all lead by example. They have a personal quota and they keep their skills sharp and refined because they are on the phones closing prospects and clients every day.

Because of this, they have a real understanding of what it takes to get the job done, and so they are in the best position to teach it to others.

Here are the top 5 benefits of having a selling sales manager:

1) Sales managers who actively sell have an up to date, intimate understanding of what techniques, skills and strategies work in your selling environment. And having this first-hand knowledge means they can teach it to others.

2) Because a selling sales manager has this immediate experience of closing sales, they are in a much better position to help their team members close business as well. They can easily do a TO (take over) when a sales rep needs help. This not only teaches the rep how to handle selling situations, but it often saves a sale as well. This is what your sales manager must be able to do, and it is a crucial part of their job.

3) A selling sales manager commands the ultimate respect and confidence of his/her sales team. A sales manager is a leader of his team, and the best way to lead is by example. Sales reps respect and follow a leader who can help them close sales and achieve their goals. They’ll also work harder for them.

4) A confident sales manager grows a confident and productive team.
Nothing is better for a sales manager than to have him/her demonstrate, to themselves and others, that they have what it takes to successfully close sales. A successful selling manager isn’t afraid of setting production goals because he knows he can achieve them (and he knows what it’s going to take).

5) As a business owner, you must have the confidence that your manager knows exactly how to accomplish your company’s revenue goals. The most accurate way to determine this is by having the sure knowledge that he knows how to do it himself. This experience is invaluable and will ensure that the goals you set are reasonable and reachable.

The #1 problem I run across when working with companies is an unreachable, unrealistic revenue goal set by the owner that has no real buy in by the sales manager. It is this disconnect that causes friction, undermines morale, and often leads to demotivated, underperforming sales teams (and managers).

All this can be avoided when you have an experienced, hands on, selling sales manager who can give you honest and accurate feedback about production goals and the ways to achieve them.

There are many more benefits of having a selling sales manager leading your team, but I hope this short list has convinced you. Believe me, the fastest way to make your sales manager better is to give them a quota and require them to pick up the phone and start closing business.

If you don’t already have a quota for him/her now, then do yourself (and your company and your manager) a favor and set one this week. All of you will benefit from it!

Mike is the author of several sales books including The Complete Book of Phone Scripts and Inside Sales.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance.

Newsletters - do they work?

The art of clear and interesting communication is important and it's wonderful to receive good, concise and relevant newsletters that provide a real benefit, even if it's just a smile or a useful web link.

I find writing newsletters hard - I need to announce products, direct people to links on my site or the blog and share information. Making it relevant to my audience is sometimes difficult when I have such a fantastic wide range of people that I connect with. But before you go down the 'segment the market' route, don't worry, I do.

Something I liked

Back to newsletters - today I received a newsletter that started with:

You are a 100% Verified Member of this mailing list. To stop receiving this newsletter, Ordinary Brilliance, please visit the end of this email.

Hello Carolyn,

Your one-minute-to-read issue of Ordinary Brilliance is here. Take just one minute to read it now.

And then the main body of the newsletter focused on just one key customer service issue. It did take a couple of minutes to read (not one, maybe I'm a slow reader) - but it was relevant, carried a good business message and had an interesting and tempting offer at the end. The message hit the right spot for me. It also helped that I knew who the newsletter was from.

How do you do it?

Clear communication - stating what you mean right up front, asking for engagement and being clear about why you are contacting someone - is crucial. I think I've a lot to learn from Anne Alexander's approach (check out her guest blog entry on Dealing with Problem Employees).

I also receive some really fancy emails with lots of graphics and some in simple plain text. The key to getting me to read them is content - and sometimes I completely miss it.

There's a lot to having really gripping opening copy (and not just for newsletters) but stating who you are and what you expect right up front is not a bad tactic. I wonder how many golden nuggets I've missed just because the complex graphics that take too long to download or some fussy intro turns me off before I get to the really good content?

But do newsletters actually work? If you do them properly, then yes. There's lots of guides out there on the web to writing a good newsletter - I quite liked this one: http://www.webmarketcentral.com/effective_email_newsletters.htm.

Unsubscribe
The most important thing to remember (and Anne puts it right at the top of her newsletters) is the Unsubscribe option. Not only is it a legal requirement in many countries, but you are empowering your audience. Every unsubscribe I get I always acknowledge politely and expedite as quickly as I can - just because they don't want my newsletter doesn't mean they won't ever visit my site again. A useful feedback tool is to have a 'please tell us why you unsubscribed' if your system can manage it, but only if it doesn't mean too many hoops for your audience to jump through.

Hopefully people who register for my newsletter (easy to do, visit the site and fill in the box on the right or drop me a note via the contact page) are familiar with the style and content of my newsletters. Yes, they include product announcements but I do make sure I have some interesting articles and don't just 'sell sell sell'.

(C) Carolyn Sheppard 2009

This article may be reproduced with permission.

Sound More Natural On the Phone

5 Ways to Sound More Natural On the Phone By Mike Brooks, www.MrInsideSales.com

I don’t know about you but I can always tell when a telemarketer is cold calling me. From the moment they begin speaking, “Hi is that Mr. Brooks?” to the way they fumble through their scripts, I have them pegged before they get past their first sentence. And like I’m sure it is with you, too, I am immediately not interested.

If what you sell for a living means you have to pick up the phone – either to set appointments, call prospects back, return calls to clients, etc., then you have to learn how to sound natural and how to avoid putting your prospects, gatekeepers, assistants, etc., on notice that you’re trying to sell something.

And the way you do that is by learning how to sound like you’re not selling anything, and you do that by learning how to disarm prospects, sound natural yet professional, and how to be friendly without being phony. Use these 5 techniques to not only sound natural on the phone, but to also close more business:

#1 – Always use the prospect’s first name. I know that there are two schools of thought on this, one being that you should show respect for someone you don’t know and so use either Mr. or Mrs., but I don’t agree.

I think you can show respect for someone by being courteous and professional, and I think you’re going to make a lot more progress if you use a person’s first name. Here are the two reasons to do so:

a. First, by using a person’s first name you aren’t immediately signaling that you’re a sales person! I mean how do you feel when someone you don’t know calls you and addresses you by “Mr.” or “Mrs.”? Also, when you use a person’s first name, you are starting the call equal, without giving them all the power.

b. Second, everyone likes the sound of their own name. In fact, psychologists have found that everyone’s favorite word is their first name! By starting with that you are immediately making a connection, and a personal one at that.

#2 – Be polite. You’d be surprised by how many sales reps still try to trick or get around gatekeepers and assistants, and how many are even rude in doing so. Always, always use please and thank you when speaking with anyone over the phone (or in person for that matter).

Words like “please” and “thank you” go a long way when trying to make a connection with a prospect, and they work especially well when you’re
trying to get through to a prospect as well. Examine your current
scripts now and do all you can to insert the proper courtesies wherever you can.

#3 – Be brief. Most reps go into pitch mode the moment they reach their prospect that it’s no surprise they can’t wait to get them off the phone.
I review scripts all the time that essentially read the company’s brochure to the prospect the moment they reach them.

You can turn that around and sound so much better by briefly delivering your presentation and checking in with your prospect. Try things like:

a. Briefly, (prospect) the reason I’m calling is that we’ve been working with many companies like yours, and I just wanted to see if we can help you as well. Can I ask you just a couple of questions to see if we’d be a fit for you as well?

b. (Prospect), you probably get a lot of calls like these, so I’ll be brief. I’ll just ask you a couple of quick questions and if I think we can save you between 15 to 20% I’ll let you know and, if not, we’ll part friends, is that OK?

Get the idea?

#4 – Make a connection. This is one of the easiest of all and it’s a great way to get your prospect talking. All you do is find something that you know is affecting your other clients (like new laws in their industry), and ask how it’s affecting them as well. Try:

a. “You know (prospect) a lot of my clients have told me of the changes they’re having to make because of (the new law), how is that affecting you?”

b. “(Prospect) what are you planning to feature at the September trade show?”

By addressing something that they are dealing with now, you can instantly make a connection and get valuable information. Warning: you have to fit this in after you’ve established rapport, and you have to address something that is relevant to them.

#5 – Listen more. This may not sound like a way to sound natural on the phone, but believe me, it’s probably the most important of all. First of all, most sales reps are so busy talking that their prospect has turned off long ago. They are just waiting for an appropriate pause to get rid of them.

By listening you actually create space for your prospect to speak (and to think), and because of that you are allowing the conversation to flow.

When the prospect has a chance to get their thoughts and feedback out, they feel comfortable with you. And that is the best way for the conversation to unfold naturally. Hit your mute button after you ask a question and count three 1000’s to see how well it works.

There you have it - five easy ways to sound more natural on the phone.
The good news is that they are easy to implement, and, once you do, you’ll make more connections and you’ll close more business. Try them today!

Mike is author of the Complete Book of Phone Scripts and works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: www.MrInsideSales.com

The 4 Secrets of Leadership

by Mike Brooks, "Mr. Inside Sales"

Can you name the one or two best sales managers, or business owners you ever worked for? If so, how did they make you feel? What qualities or traits did they have in common, or which ones do you most try to emulate in your own company?

I work with a lot of business owners and managers, and I can tell you that the most successful ones all have at least four core characters in common.

Many of them possess other qualities as well, but these four "Secrets" as I call them are always at the center of their power and charisma.

As you read through them, ask yourself which ones you currently have, which ones you’d like to strengthen, or which ones you can develop. Once you master them all, you will be able to lead any team and any company to greatness.

Here they are:

#1: Unbounded Optimism. Ask any great leader to describe the future, and they will always tell you it’s a wonderful place. Leaders are extremely goal oriented, have clearly identified what it is they want and what they are willing to sacrifice to get there, and they radiate an optimistic glow because they already live there in their mind’s eye.

Because people want to feel good about themselves and their futures, they naturally gravitate to winners. People want to work for and, in fact, work harder for people who are optimistic. Plus, optimism is contagious.

A great leader can often turn an organization full of negativity around, and the excitement they inspire can result in greater morale and greater results.

If you’re in a position of authority, ask yourself if you’d want others to catch your attitude. If not, then focus on ways to become optimistic – you’ll be a much more effective leader when you are.

#2: Rock Solid Confidence. Great leaders are convinced they can do anything they set their minds to. I love a saying of Napoleon’s: “The improbable we’ll do at once. The impossible will take a little longer.”

A leader’s attitude is: Whatever the challenge, we’ll find a way to overcome it.

Confident leaders create confident followers, and a company, family, or team with an “I Can” attitude is unstoppable. The confidence of a great leader always inspires the best performance of his/her employees, and their team’s success just adds to and confirms the leader’s confidence.

#3: Integrity. In a recent survey about what qualities employees wanted from the managers and business owners they worked for, integrity was the most desired trait people picked. Integrity, including honesty, fairness and consistency of attitude and action, are traits that build confidence in a leader and that build loyalty in the people who report to them.

Leaders with integrity genuinely care about the company they are building or the job they are doing, and this helps everybody feel as if their work has meaning and makes a difference in people’s lives. Most people spend a third of their lives at their jobs, and while we go to work for a pay check it’s the intrinsic satisfaction someone gets from their work that helps them feel fulfilled. Leaders with a high degree of integrity help foster this feeling by setting the example.

#4: Decisiveness: All great leaders are decisive and committed to the actions they take. This doesn’t mean they act capriciously, on the contrary, they fully weigh out and think through their options, but the key characteristic is that they aren’t afraid to make a decision and implement a plan of action.

Most employees tell many tales of bosses who are afraid of making a decision, or who frequently go back on them, and this habit of hesitation undermines their authority and the confidence of everyone in the organization. Leaders, on the other hand, may not always make the right decision, but they can be counted on to make a well thought out one, and then to take action on it. If facts change or results warrant it,they are flexible enough to reevaluate and make another decision.

If you’re in a leadership role, don’t shy away from decisions. Evaluate the data at the time and the relative need of making a decision and then choose the best course of action and commit. Making a decision – even if it’s the wrong decision – is better than making no decision at all.

If you are in a position of authority and wish to become an effective leader, then find ways of developing or strengthening these four characteristics in yourself. Remember, everyone is counting on you for guidance, and it is your ability to lead that will determine the ultimate result in your team or company.

Mike Brooks, author of "Complete Book of Phone Scripts" and "Inside Sales".

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. He offers a FREE audio program designed to help you double your income selling over the phone, as well as an internationally acclaimed FREE ezine. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by
visiting: www.MrInsideSales.com

5 Ways To Capitalize On the Economic Recovery

By Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of hearing about how bad the economy is. The truth is, many parts of the economy have stabilized and many sectors are on the rise. In fact, I'm excited about the Economic Recovery that is happening right at this very moment.

Haven't heard about it yet? Perhaps you're listening to the wrong news stations, or hanging around with the nay sayers at your office, or still looking for excuses for your performance. Regardless, the economy IS turning around and the Top 20% are talking it up, driving the enthusiasm and writing more and more business because of it. How about you?

Are you still:

Listening to the negative news in the morning and arriving at work defeated before you even pick up the phone?
Convinced that the economy has to fully recover before you can make your quotas?
Siding with your prospects when they tell you they can't afford it and justifying it when you don't make sales?

Getting on the phone with an already defeated attitude dreaming of Friday or of another job?
If so, then it's no wonder you're not picking up on the signs of the economic recovery that is taking place right now. On the other hand, if you're ready to take advantage of it before your competition does and you're ready to contribute to and so start being part of the recovery, then here are 5 things you can start doing today to capitalize on it:

1) Look for the evidence of Economic Recovery and talk it up. Again, it's there if you look for it. Most news programs (print, radio and the
internet) report bad news because it sells. However, there are plenty of sources that report the good news as well. Find them, read them, and then spread the word.

The economy doesn't have a mind of its own - it has our mind. By concentrating on the recovery already taking place, you'll increase it.
Start today.

2) Ask your prospects and clients for the Good News. It's hard to turn somebody's attitude around, but one way to counter your prospect's negativity is to ask them for the good news. There always is some if you'll just help them find it. Try:

"I totally understand __________. You know I heard some good news about the economic turnaround." (Tell them what you've heard and then say:) "What good news have you heard?"

Then reinforce what they tell you and keep selling!

3) Tell a recovery story: I know you hear about client's successes all the time (if you don't, then you need to begin asking for them!!). Gather two or three successful stories and be quick to share them with your current prospects and clients. Show them how they are in a similar situation and how they can succeed as well.

Remember, that's what your clients want to hear from you (solutions) and if you're ready with other client's success stories, they'll be easier to influence and sell.

4) Practice perfection. Those of you who know me know how big I am on practicing perfection. Remember, if you're using poor sales techniques including weak openings, not qualifying prospects, etc., then you'll have no chance regardless what is happening in the economy.

Your best bet is to go back to basics and begin using your scripts! I'm sure you've got them, why aren't you using them? If you're still winging it, God help you.

Another great option is to invest $17 in my book, "The Real Secrets of the Top 20%" which you can get on Amazon.com right now. If you're not sure you need it, go read the 20, 5-Star reviews and see for yourself. Bottom line - if you're not doing something to get better, then you won't get better.

5) Write up and begin using an affirmation to imprint the performance and results you really want. I'll tell you right now, most sales reps (80%) have horrible, negative self-talk, and this, more than any single thing, affects their results. Ask yourself: what do you say to yourself after you miss a sale or get brushed off on the phone?

Take some time right now, and develop some affirmations and begin using them to replace your negative self-talk. There are many books on the market that will show you how to do this (including the last chapter of my book), but which ever you choose, do it today.

There you have it - five proven ways to contribute to and take advantage of the economic recovery that is happening right now. Don't wait for the negative news stations to finally get on board - all the good sales will be long gone by then...

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s eBook: “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” which is packed with word for word scripts and techniques that you can begin using today to make more appointments and more sales. http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Sales_and_Marketing/Complete_Book_of_Phone_Scripts

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide in the US, teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

Mike regulary provides us with great sales articles - if you have articles you'd like to see here, please get in touch! www.thecompletetrainer.com/contact_us

Handling the Economy Objection Once and For All

by Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales

If you're still getting the "We're just not going to do anything until the economy (settles down or improves, or whatever...), when you are closing the sale and asking for the order, then I've got some good news and bad news for you:

First the good news: After reading this article, and applying the techniques in it, you will virtually eliminate this objection once and for all.

Now the bad news: If you're getting this objection during the close when you're asking for the sale then you're responsible for creating it.

Here's the bottom line: It's your responsibility to qualify out any economy, price, budget objections on the front end call so that these objections don't come up during the close. If you're still getting these objections later on, it means you didn't "disqualify" out the non-buyers - which are what you're dealing with when you get this objection.

It doesn't mean they aren't EVER going to be buyers, it just means they aren't going to buy now. And you need to know that in the beginning and NOT send any information or demo out.

Here are some questions to ask to identify who will and who won't use the "We're just going to wait until the economy gets better" objection.

During the qualifying call, make sure and ask any of the following questions by working them into your specific sale:

"A lot of companies are taking advantage of this (your product or service) now that the economy is slow - do you think the time is right for you, too?"

"Given what's happening in the economy right now, do you still see yourself (or your company) moving forward with this now?"

If they say they don't know, then layer it with:

"When do you think would be a more appropriate time for you?"

Also, ask:

"How are you doing in this economy?"

Layer:

"Are you still going to be able to participate in this if we can get you the (price, rate, deal) we're talking about here?"

Ask:

"__________, many of our clients find that this (your product or service) is still important regardless of what is happening in the economy - is it something that you still have in your budget?"

I think you're getting the idea, right? The bottom line is that it's up to YOU to eliminate any budget objections BEFORE you get into the closing arena. And you'll do this by asking these types of qualifying/disqualifying questions in advance.

Start using them today and watch as your closing ratio goes up, and your frustration level goes down.

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s Ebook: “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” which is packed with word for word scripts and techniques that you can begin using today to make more appointments and more sales. You can read about it by clicking here:
http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Books/Complete_Book_of_Phone_Scripts

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/

The Problem With Affirmations (And What To Do About It)

By Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales

To start with, let me ask you the most important question of your sales

career: Do you have an affirmation card, a few sentences or a paragraph, that describes in detail the feelings and emotions that you will have once you have accomplished your current financial goal?

And if you do, do you have it on you right now?

Most sales reps, managers and business owners will answer no to that, and that’s too bad. Without a doubt, the most important determinant to your success is what your belief and expectation of your success is. Every sales rep already has an image of what their results are going to be, a number, if you will, of how much they are worth and how much they are going to earn, and it is that image that will always determine your results.

Not the economy, not your leads, not your territory or the price of your product. Rather, your belief and expectation of your performance is the BIGGEST predictor of your results. What you believe will happen, happens.

What you think about all day long becomes your reality. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this:

Isn’t it true that what you are currently thinking about all day long, in every area of your life, is exactly how your life currently is? Think about your weight, your income, your success, your relationships – aren’t they the mirror image of what you think about all day long?

Of course they are. That’s why the only way to really change anything in your life is to first change how you think about it. There are hundreds of great books about The Law of Attraction, and I recommend you buy some of them and read and apply the truth immediately, but the bottom line is that until you change your currently dominate self-image or picture, your results won’t change.

And that’s where affirmations come in. The proper use of carefully crafted affirmations can and will change your image, your actions and your results faster and more effectively than any other tool you have access to. The problem is that most people give up on affirmations because of one big mistake they make at the beginning:

They set their goals too high and because of that, their affirmations are unbelievable. The fact is, most people who write affirmations make them so unrealistic that their subconscious minds reject them and so they feel they are just lying to themselves, and, in a sense, they are. That’s why they stop using them after just a few days.

For example, if you make £1,500 a month in commissions, and you read a book on sales or goal setting and affirmations and get fired up and think you can make £3,000 or £5,500 the next month or two, chances are you will have some self talk that says, “Who are you kidding?” And it is that voice that will win out and in short order you will go back to earning your old self-image of £1,500 a month.

The solution is to make incremental increases that you can truly believe in. For example, can you actually see yourself making £2,000 a month, or £2,500 a month? Which amount truly feels like a realistic (and yet still stretches you a little) goal that you can really believe in? Once you determine what truly feels achievable, set a goal around it and begin affirming how it feels now that you’re earning that amount.

This is the proper use of affirmations and you will go much further by setting realistic goals and then achieving them. In three or four months, you can revise that goal higher because the more you achieve the more you will believe you can achieve.

If you have given up on affirmations because they never worked for you, then revisit them TODAY and develop ones that you CAN believe in. Then begin using them immediately. Remember, the fastest way to change your results is to change your image of what is possible for yourself, and using affirmations, properly, is the most effective way to do that.

If you want to Double Your Income Selling Over the Phone, then check out Mike's Award Winning 5-CD Series and learn the techniques and strategies of Top 20% producers

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance.

The Five Secrets To Writing Killer Prospecting Scripts

Article By Mike Brooks

I've written, tested, re-written, tweaked, copy edited, composed, marketed, reviewed, and used thousands of telemarketing scripts over the last 26 years.

I've written and used opening scripts, closing scripts, prospecting cold calling scripts, warm inbound scripts, closing scripts, rebuttal scripts, trial close scripts, initial resistance scripts, blow off scripts, qualifying scripts, etc....

Bottom line? Nobody writes better scripts than yours truly, Mr. Inside Sales. Heck, I wrote the book on scripts The Complete Book of Phone Scripts.

When companies and sales reps hire me to write or review or tweak their prospecting scripts, almost always I find they are saying or doing the same things wrong. In today's article, I'm going to give you The 5 Secrets to writing Killer Prospecting Scripts.

Secret #1: Stop asking, “How are you today?” Believe it or not, 80% of your competition still advertise themselves as lame sales reps making cold calls by asking this over used and insincere question. Nothing identifies you more as a pesky telemarketer than opening your call with that question.

Instead, try: “Hi _________, how’s your (day of the week) going?”

Or, “Well hi _________, happy (day of the week) to you!”

These may not sound that impressive, but believe me, they work! Try it and see for yourself.

Secret #2: Stop talking at your prospect and instead ask a question so you can connect early on. Again, believe it or not, 80% of your competition start pitching as soon as they get their prospect on the phone. Compare your own script to this and ask yourself how long your first opening paragraph is. Three sentences? Four? Way too long!

You must engage your prospect right away and begin a conversation. That means asking them a question early on! Try something like (after you’ve wished them a happy Tuesday):

“__________ the reason for the call is to let you know about the service we provide with regards to your accounting procedures. Who’s handling that for you now?”

Or, “__________ briefly, the reason I’m calling is to show you how we could perhaps save you money and time with your widget process. I was told that you handle that, is that correct?”

See how that goes? It’s imperative that you connect right away, and the best way to do that is by asking a question.

Secret #3: Listen and Think B-4 You Respond Next: Asking a question in the beginning not only allows you to connect with your prospect, but it also allows you to gauge their reaction. The reason 80% of your competition is afraid to ask a question is they are afraid their prospect might not be interested. That’s OK!!

The Top 20% are anxious to find out who is, who isn’t, and how much someone might be. And they do that by carefully listening to their prospect’s response to this question, and then they Listen and Think B-4 Responding. You need to as well.

In other words, don’t just start pitching again here, but rather, be prepared to vary your response based on what and how your prospect responds. In other words, listen and react to what they say.

Secret #4: Make sure you have a list of questions to ask your prospect so you can gather all the information you’ll need to fully qualify or disqualify them. You need to know the six areas I’ve written on before, but basically you need to know:

Why they’ll buy (their hot buttons)

Why they won’t buy (possible deal killing objections)

Who makes the decision (how many people are involved)

What the decision process is all about – how long, etc.

What other companies they are looking at (who your competition is)

Their budget

If you don’t know all of these things before you send out your demo or information or quote, then I’ll bet you’re closing less than 3 out of 10 leads sent out.

Secret #5: Make an exact appointment time to get back with your prospect.
You’d be amazed by how many sales reps are not doing this! Instead, 80% of sales reps are chasing and chasing unqualified leads they can never reach again (and who never close).

Making an appointment gives you SO much information. First, if they won’t commit it tells you how uncontrollable your prospect is. And remember, “Leads never get better!” Also, if your prospect misses your appointment, what does that say about them? And, of course, when your prospect is there and waiting for your call, what does that tell you?

Start setting a definite time with ALL your prospects and watch your closing rate start to climb…

So there you have it – the five secrets of writing killer prospecting scripts. You can instantly improve your prospecting script by incorporating any or all of these techniques.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps throughout the US teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance.

www.mrinsidesales.com/

2009 - How To Have Your Best Sales Year Ever

From Andy Preston:

I always find it interesting at this time of year how people's attitudes can affect the actions they take towards having a successful year, or an unsuccessful one! Particularly given the current market conditions, a good start to the year is possibly more important than ever!

It's also a very interesting part of the year, as many people choose to set 'new year resolutions'. These resolutions are usually set around personal things like losing weight, stopping smoking, or exercising more often for example, but most people don't tend to set them for their sales careers or for their business.

On a humourous note, the resolutions that they do set are probably the ones they set last year (and broke in early January), and the year before, and the year before that...and so on!

With that in mind, below I've given you a list of areas to focus on, that if you read and take action based on them, will help to make 2009 your best sales year ever - regardless of the market conditions!

So let's have a look at these in turn……


Andy's Sales Tip No 1 - Get Focused

It's always very important to get focused on what you do and make sure you do it as well as possible, but in the current market conditions it's more important than ever! Perhaps over the past few months (or even longer in some cases) you've allowed yourself to be distracted by other things. Well now's a really good time to re-focus your energy and your efforts.

If you're a business owner or salesperson, look at your core sales proposition and your core activities. Are these as strong as they could be? Can you clearly articulate what benefits your product or service brings to the customer? Do you do that regularly enough on your marketing literature, your website, your emails and verbally to clients and prospects?


Andy's Sales Tip No 2 - Stay Positive

Staying positive is another crucial part of making 2009 your best sales year ever. As in any other year, you're going to experience some setbacks. If you've heard me speak you'll know how much I drive home the point that it isn't what happens to you that natters, it's your attitude to what happen to you that matters!

If you're been watching television, listening to the radio or reading newspapers for the last few months you'll have heard negative message after negative message about the economy, lack of sales and that people aren't buying. Is that going to help or hinder your attitude towards getting new business?

Which do you think customers and prospects value more, someone who sounds like they're terminally depressed, or someone who remains upbeat and positive about their company, products and services, and themselves? Which do you think they're going to buy from?


Andy's Sales Tip No 3 - Do More Prospecting

More than ever before, prospecting is vital to your chances of making 2009 your best sales year ever. The challenge is that when market conditions are easier (as they have been for the past few years) prospecting is one of the first things that a business owner or a salesperson stops doing!

In a market where people are negotiating harder with you and you're losing business through no fault of your own (customers being taken over, going out of business etc) then doesn't it stand to reason that you need to do more prospecting?

So whether you prospect by networking, referrals from existing clients, cold calling, whatever method you use, just make sure you do more of it! Let's be honest, there are people out there that have a need for what you offer, but don't know you exist! Make sure you do more prospecting, it's one of the keys to making this year a success for you.


Andy's Sales Tip No 4 - Look For More Cross-Selling / Up-Selling Opportunities

Once again, in an easier market, simple up-selling and cross-selling opportunities are often overlooked. You've probably got plenty of existing clients that don't use every product or service you offer, haven't you? I wonder if you've ever heard the immortal words from a client 'oh I didn't know you did that' when you asked them why they've just bought from a competitor?

One of the first things you can do is make clients aware of your full product range or all of the services that you offer. This maximises your cross-selling opportunities. In a market where the economic conditions aren't as good as they were previously, one of the quickest ways to get more business is to get more orders from your existing client base! Think about it - they already like you, have done business with you and have everything set up to order from your company - why not get them to order more items from you?

Another important area to look at is up-selling opportunities. Every single time a customer places an order with you, you've got an opportunity to 'up-sell' them to a higher priced item. A lot of people don't feel confident in doing this and 'assume' if the customer wanted the higher-priced item, they would have asked for it! Don't make the same mistake. Why not offer the client 2 options on their next order? It's an easy way to get more business!


Andy's Sales Tip No 5 - Keep Your Sales Skills Updated

This is always an interesting one! In any of my seminars of speeches, whenever I ask the question 'how many of you have read a sales book, listened to a CD or done something to hone your sales skills in the last 6 months?' hardly anyone puts their hands up! I find this astounding.

Some people say 'Oh I don't have time', some people say 'oh I don't need to, I know what I'm doing' and even more frighteningly some business owners say 'oh I'm not a salesperson'!! How crazy is that?

If you're in a competitive market right now (if you have competition, that's you!) then your sales skills (or lack of them) could be the difference between you winning a customer, and losing a customer. How are your cold calling skills? Your questioning skills? Your objection handling skills? Your closing skills? Could they do with some work? You have to work on these and keep yourself 'sharp' so you don't miss out on sales opportunities you could have won!

Follow the tips above and watch your sales soar! I look forward to hearing of your sales success!

(C) 2009 Andy Preston

Andy Preston is a leading Cold Calling and Sales Expert. You can see more about Andy and get his free cold calling and sales tips at http://www.andy-preston.com

'Tis the Season to be 'JOLLIE' - six sales tips for Xmas

Yes it is that time of year again, and as salespeople you will have a lot of things to do before the end of the calendar year. However it is also the time to start thinking about the year ahead and my acronym may help you to allocate some time in getting some of the things that are often forgotten about until well into the New Year.


January is just around the corner; traditionally this is a quiet month for many sales people and customers may not be keen to see you. But have you thought about what sales you are likely to bring in during January? Have you factored that into the following months? More importantly have you thought about how best you can use you time? You can be highly productive in January, using this ‘quiet’ time as a launchpad for the rest of the year. Are there any areas of improvement you need to address? Are there any gaps in your product knowledge or your competitor’s product knowledge? Do you have any specific training requirements or other development needs? Get it done in January when it won’t impact your sales as much.

Objectives – Have you set your objectives for the coming year? It amazes me how many people fail to hit their sales target in one year and then think that by doing exactly the same thing next year they will have a better chance! Remember to use SMART objectives and to make sure you include some degree of stretch; you do want to be a better salesperson next year don’t you?

Look closely at your customer base, have you got appropriate plans in place with you major accounts? Have you compared sales results with last year at account level? Are you losing business to competition? How much business is at risk? What are you doing to ensure to retain that business? Are you growing your business in the accounts where you forecasted some uplift in the business? Do you have sufficient prospects being developed to ensure you exceed next year’s targets?

Look at your total operation, are you penetrating your territory as well as you could? Are you maximising the sales potential within your area? What can you do this year that will enhance your performance over last year?

Invest your time in the areas and activities that will give you the best return. Remember, time is like money, you can save it, invest it, waste it and spend it, but remember, you can’t get a refund on your time!

Enjoy what you do – as opposed to, do what you enjoy! Most salespeople will customise their operation around what they enjoy, and consequently spend most of their time in their ‘Comfort Zone’. Star performers tend to establish exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve the results they insist upon and stretch themselves to work outside of their comfort zone and end up enjoying more of what they have to do.

Article by Tony Dimech, Appleton Associates and provider of Telesales Prompt Software.