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Prospecting
If you're lucky, you've got a great marketing team feeding you an
endless stream of hot prospects!
But, what if you're not so lucky?
Join the club! Now, you've got two choices. You can sit around and whine
about not having enough good leads to come close to meeting your quota.
Or, you can get off your duff and learn to prospect!
Here are two great articles that I think will help you jumpstart your
prospecting efforts! Then, click the banner below to learn more! Highly
recommended!
7 Ways to Cut Loose from Old Sales Thinking
By Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game™
Sooner or later, we all backslide into old ways of thinking about selling
that lead us down the wrong path with potential clients.
A few weeks ago, I had a phone conversation with Julie, who has been
struggling with the old-style selling methods that her manager insists are
the only way to sell their company’s technology solution.
Regardless of what product or service you’re selling, you should be able to
relate to her dilemma.
Outdated sales skills fail to address the core issue of how we think about
selling and unless we get to that core and change it once and for all, we’ll
go on struggling with the same counterproductive sales behaviors.
And we’ll continue believing that we’re always just one new sales technique
away from the breakthrough we’re looking for.
New Thinking = New Results
Maybe it’s time to take a different approach. Maybe we need to analyze
our thinking and identify why we’re not making more sales.
Take a look at the table below and think about your current selling mindset.
How would your selling behaviors change if you changed your sales thinking?
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Old Sales Mindset
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New
Sales Mindset
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Always start out with a strong sales pitch.
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Stop
the sales pitch. Start a conversation.
|
|
Your goal is
always to close the sale.
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Your goal is always to
discover whether you and your prospect are a good fit.
|
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When you lose a sale, it's usually at the end of the sales process.
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When you lose a
sale, it's usually at the beginning of the sales process.
|
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Rejection is a normal part of selling, so get used to it.
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Hidden sales pressure causes rejection. Eliminate sales pressure,
and you’ll never experience rejection.
|
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Keep chasing prospects until you get a yes or no.
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Never chase
prospects. Instead, get to the truth of whether there’s a fit or
not.
|
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When prospects offer objections, challenge and/or counter them.
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When prospects
offer objections, validate them and reopen the conversation.
|
|
If prospects challenge the value of your product or service, defend
yourself and
explain its value.
|
Never defend yourself or
what you have to offer. This
only creates more sales
pressure.
|
Let's take a closer look at these concepts so you can begin to open up
your current sales thinking and become more effective in your selling
efforts.
1. Stop the sales pitch. Start a conversation.
When you call someone, never start out with a mini-presentation about
yourself, your company, and what you have to offer.
Instead, start with a conversational phrase that focuses on a specific
problem that your product or service solves. For example, you might say,
“I'm just calling to see if you are open to some different ideas related to
preventing downtime across your computer network?"
Notice that you are not pitching your solution with this opening phrase.
Instead, you're addressing a problem that, based on your experience in your
field, you believe they might be having. (If you don't know what problems
your product or service solves, do a little research by asking your current
customers why they purchased your solution.)
2. Your goal is always to discover whether you and your prospect are a
good fit.
If you let go of trying to close the sale or get the appointment, you’ll
discover that you don't have to take responsibility for moving the sales
process forward.
By simply focusing your conversation on problems that you can help prospects
solve, and by not jumping the gun by trying to move the sales process
forward, you’ll discover that prospects will give you the direction you
need.
3. When you lose a sale, it's usually at the beginning of the sales
process.
If you think you’re losing sales due to mistakes you make at the end of
the process, review how you began the relationship. Did you start with a
pitch?
Did you use traditional sales language (“We have a solution that you really
need” or “Others in your industry have bought our solution, you should
consider it as well”)?
Traditional sales language leads prospects to label you with the negative
stereotype of “salesperson.” This makes it almost impossible for them to
relate to you with trust or to have an honest, open conversation about
problems they're trying to solve and how you might be able to help them.
4. Hidden sales pressure causes rejection. Eliminate sales pressure,
and you’ll never experience rejection.
Prospects don’t trigger rejection. You do -- when something you say, and
it could be very subtle, triggers a defensive reaction from your prospect.
Yes, something you say.
You can eliminate rejection forever simply by giving up the hidden agenda of
hoping to make a sale. Instead, be sure that everything you say and do stems
from the basic mindset that you’re there to help prospects identify and
solve their issues.
5. Never chase prospects. Instead, get to the truth of whether there’s
a fit or not.
Chasing prospects has always been considered normal and necessary, but
it’s rooted in the macho selling image that “If you don’t keep chasing,
you’re giving up, which means you’re a failure." This is dead wrong.
Instead, ask your prospects if they’d be open to connecting again at a
certain time and date so you can both avoid the phone tag game.
6. When prospects offer objections, validate them and reopen the
conversation.
Most traditional sales programs spend a lot of time focusing on
“overcoming” objections, but these tactics only create more sales pressure.
They also keep you from exploring or learning the truth behind what your
prospects are saying.
You know that “We don't have the budget,” “Send me information,” or “Call me
back in a few months,” are polite evasions designed to get you off the
phone. Stop trying to counter objections. Instead, shift to uncovering the
truth by replying, “That's not a problem.” No matter what the objection, use
gentle, dignified language that invites prospects to tell you the truth
about their situation without feeling you’ll use it to press for a sale.
7. Never defend yourself or what you have to offer. This only creates
more sales pressure.
When prospects say, “Why should I choose you over your competition?,”
your instinctive reaction is to defend your product or service because you
believe that you are the best choice, and you want to convince them of that.
But what goes through their minds at that point?
Something like, “This ‘salesperson’ is trying to sell me, and I hate feeling
as if I'm being sold.”
Stop defending yourself. In fact, come right out and tell them that you
aren’t going to try to convince them of anything because that only creates
sales pressure. Instead, ask them again about key problems they’re trying to
solve.
Then explore how your product or service might solve those problems. Give up
trying to persuade. Let prospects feel they can choose you without feeling
sold.
The sooner you can let go of the traditional sales beliefs that we’ve all
been exposed to, the more quickly you’ll feel good about selling again, and
start seeing better results.
|
Ari Galper,
founder of Unlock The Game, makes cold calling painless and simple.
Learn his free cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don't know.
To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit
http://www.UnlockTheGame.com
|
The Surprising Truth About Cold Calling
Three cold calling myths and why they hurt you
By Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game®
Haven’t you noticed that the old "tried and true" cold calling
techniques that were once successful in cold calling have now completely
lost their effectiveness?
That's why I’ve developed a new cold calling approach that will
automatically put you ahead of the game and in a league above your
competition quickly.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 1 “Cold Calling is a Numbers Game”
When all you know is the traditional way of cold calling, selling is
indeed a numbers game. Yes, you can call people over and over. You can also
chase them until they listen just so that you go away.
Have you ever wondered how someone came up with the “numbers game concept?”
It was really about the rejection we constantly experience when making cold
calls. The boss just said to call someone else, and so we did. The idea is
that if we call a hundred people a day, then we should squeeze out at least
a few good leads. However, there’s a better and easier way of getting your
product or service message across -- all on one call.
If you simply change your cold calling approach, you'll make fewer calls and
more sales. How? By engaging in conversations. Yes, that’s right. Just talk
to people...in your normal tone of voice, and without the usual sales pitch
approach. When we focus on relationship rather than salesmanship, we’re
calling with the anticipation of meeting someone new. We’re looking forward
to a pleasant conversation to find out whether we can be of service.
The other person subtly but powerfully feels this mindset. You’re no longer
meeting with defense and resistance right from the start. That will
dramatically change the way people respond to your cold calls.
OLD COLD CALLING GURU MYTH # 2 "Use a sales script"
People can tell when you're reading from a script, even if you think
you're pretty good at it. There's just nothing personal about a sales
script, and people pick up on that. Being artificial immediately tags you as
a typical salesperson. Therefore, if you can learn to get your message
across in a different way, then you'll eliminate the negative triggers that
can lose your sale within seconds.
So once again, the best way is to begin with a conversation. Anticipate a
dialogue, not a monologue. People will respond much more positively. When
you allow a conversation be natural and to “breathe,” they know you’re
present and listening. T hat feels good to someone who is having to “fend
off” salespeople who are really just talking billboards.
OLD COLD CALLING GURU MYTH # 3 "Focus on closing the sale"
Are you "going in for the kill" with your closing sale technique? If you
are, you could end up killing your deal instead.
Old cold calling sales techniques do nothing more than pressure potential
clients. They feel like they’re being chased. What do most people do when
they feel chased? They run! They naturally want to retreat away from that
pressure -- and that pressure is you.
So learn to avoid the "push-pull" dynamic between you and the potential
client. You'll actually find the sales process moving forward much more
naturally (and more often) than when you’re forcing things.
In this old myth, the idea is that if a sale is lost, it’s usually at the
end of the sales process. The truth is that it’s often lost at the beginning
of the cold call. When all you’re doing is going for a sale, the other
person can sense it, no matter how well you think it’s camouflaged. When
someone senses this sales pressure, “The Wall” goes up and the defenses come
out. So stay away from focusing on making the sale. Rather, your goal is
always to discover whether you and your potential clients are a good fit.
I can’t tell you how useful these new ideas have been in my own life, and in
the lives of hundreds of others who have tried it. It’s not always easy to
shed the old cold calling myths. Nevertheless, it’s worth it. With a little
practice, you’ll come to a place of actually enjoying your cold calls and
getting better results
|
Ari Galper,
founder of Unlock The Game, makes cold calling painless and simple.
Learn his free cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don't know.
To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit
http://www.UnlockTheGame.com
|
Rich's Recommended Web Sites
Selling Power
This is a great site and a wonderful resource for every sales
professional! However, to get the best information on this topic, you have
to take an extra step: Once you get to the home page, look for the "Search"
box - usually near the upper left corner. Then simply type "prospecting" in
that box and click "Go." You will instantly get a nice selection of articles
that will surely inspire you and help you with your problem! One more thing,
the first time you do this, you must register with the site. Don't worry!
It's free and innocent!
http://www.sellingpower.com/
Mr. Cold Call
Mr. Cold Call, author of "114 Common Sales Objections, 153 Clever And
Savvy Responses" and "How To Have Fun Cold Calling" has made over 80,000
cold calls in the past ten years (worked for companies such as CBS
MarketWatch, Futures Magazine and Dartnell Publishing). In an effort to
counter cold call frustration he began to develop a series of innovative
cold call strategies that he now calls "The Mr. Cold Call Approach." This
non-traditional approach to cold calling and sales prospecting is designed
to make cold calling fun, reduce your prospect's level of resistance and
finally, it's designed to inspire your prospect's curiosity. Once you have
captured your prospect's curiosity (this includes your prospect's screener
or gatekeeper) they will be more likely to listen to you, take your call,
return your call and your chances of a sale have now increased dramatically!
http://www.mrcoldcall.com/
Myths of Sales Prospecting
http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/sales/a/prospect.htm
Industrial EGO Sales
http://sales-tips.industrialego.com/cold-calling-tips/index.htm
RainToday.com
RainToday.com is the premier online source for insight, advice, and
tools for service business rainmakers, marketers, and leaders.
http://www.raintoday.com/index.cfm
Rich's Recommended
Reading List
Prospecting
Referrals
Cold Calls
Buy these books from Amazon.com
Have a question about this topic?
Then please just email me your question! If the answer is short
& sweet, I will pop you back an answer. If the question requires further
research, I will look into it and post the reply on my blog,
AskRichBohn.com, to share with
others. As always, you can email me at
rich@sellmorenow.com !
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