Sales and the "F" Word‏

Phew! I thoughts things were supposed to get quieter over the summer? Not this summer!  

It’s been all go on the training front. Very enjoyable too. It’s my mission to help people and organisations to make more sales and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch people develop their skills and improve their results right before my eyes.  

It's clear to me that those who develop their skills and results the most have one thing in common...their ability and willingness to accept feedback - and use it.  

 

The essence of feedback  

Everything you do creates a result. Some results you love. Some results you don't. Develop your mindset so you get to treat it all as feedback on how you're doing and crucial pointers on how to operate in future.

 

Imagine a world where the only feedback you received was that you are wonderful, brilliant and amazing! Sounds fabulous doesn’t it? But if that's all you ever heard from people what do you think would happen? You would probably become complacent and at best your results would plateau and at worst you'd decline.  

 

You need feedback  

You absolutely need feedback on the areas where you're perhaps not that great (yet!). If nobody tells you... how are you going to improve? There’s a fair chance that on your own you won’t easily identify those areas where you can improve. So be receptive to the help of others. 

Many people are only comfortable giving positive feedback. The results being that you only get to hear the good stuff. Yet it’s often the ‘developmental’ feedback that generates greater learning and development. If this developmental type of feedback is ever given, it’s often delivered in a clumsy manner by someone who is very uncomfortable delivering it as attempt to justify a pay freeze despite telling you all year you’ve been doing well! Or it’s delivered at the wrong time i.e. the first time you find out about your weaknesses is during a heated exchange!

 

Are you getting enough? 

Congratulations if you already get excellent, constructive feedback to help you grow your success... and yes, do thank the people that have the confidence to tell you.  

 

If you don't get that kind of feedback... and in a way that makes it palatable for you to absorb - then you need to instigate the feedback you desire to grow your skills and your sales success.

You also need to accept feedback in the spirit of which it's meant. Getting all defensive and making excuses for why you did what you did won't get you very far. It will also put people off giving you the feedback you need. Accept it graciously, thank them... then reflect.  

 

You haven't got to agree  

By the way, you haven't necessarily got to agree with them. Remember it's their feedback based on their map of the world. Consider though that if they have this perspective, others may too. 

  

So when asking for feedback, be very specific with your questions to help the person help you. If you're not used to getting this kind of feedback and are a little unnerved by the responses you might get... get over it! This is the only way to continual improvement.

Remember...no failures - it's feedback. You’re on a journey.  

 

Ask for it. Welcome it. Act on it.  

 

Until next time..

Leigh

PS; Remember to grab your copy of "The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes"

The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated - and sets out how to avoid them.

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

Seal the Deal in 5 Minutes! A Solution to Closing those Sales…

How frustrating is it when you put in lots of hard work for little or no reward?

Perhaps you’ve been working on a tender for a big contract only to see it cancelled, or awarded to a competitor? Or you’ve given a fabulous sales presentation, only for the meeting to grind towards its end with no sign of a sale?

Maybe you’ve quoted and you just can’t get an answer no matter how often you contact them? What about when you think you’ve been fobbed off - they probably don’t want your products but they won’t tell you outright so you keep contacting them ‘just in case’?

We’ve all been there - it’s frustrating and time consuming. The dilemma - do you chase old ‘maybe’ business or spend more time generating new enquiries?

Closing a Sale in 5 Minutes…

The Issue
The meeting’s gone well. You’ve got a fabulous connection with your prospect. Rapport levels are high. They seem attentive. They seem interested. You’ve impressively answered some minor objections that came your way. Yet there’s something that’s holding you back from asking outright for the business.

What to do next? 

The Solution
Three Killer Questions. Before you embark on the first question, make sure you have good levels of rapport with your prospect. If there is any ‘edge’ present, these questions won’t work. With fabulous rapport, they always deliver.

So, back to your meeting. It’s coming to an end and you need to close the sale.

Question Number 1
At the end of your conversation, ask:

On a scale from 1 to 10 – 1 meaning “it’s over…don’t darken our door again” and 10 meaning “we want you to start straight away”…where would you say we are?

THEN…SHUT UP! This is critical to ensure you give the silence that allows your contact to think.

Give them time. Allow your prospect to respond. They will give you a number. Don’t be too attached to the number. The golden nugget is their response to the next question.

Question Number 2
Ask… What would need to happen to get us to a 10?

SHUT UP! Again…this is critical. Give them more time to think.

Allow your prospect to respond.

You have now identified the gap between what you’re offering and what your client needs from you before they can say ‘yes’. You now know how close you are to securing the deal.

If you are able to resolve the gap immediately you’ll be able to close the deal there and then.

Some answers will alert you that these prospects are unlikely to ever buy. Disappointing yes but good to know there and then not several weeks and many follow ups later.

Question Number 3
Open question.

What would you like me to do next?

Their answer is usually like all the jigsaw pieces falling into place. They are explaining exactly what the next course of action is - talking as if you’re already on board.

Agree on the next course of action and be sure to maintain your control by agreeing when you will get back to them.

Asking these questions will change your sales results! They identify how close you are to a sale, they identify how big the gap is - and exactly what you need to do to bridge the gap. And you both decide whether or not you have the means to bridge the gap. All usually in a few minutes.

By slightly tweaking these questions you can use the ‘out of ten’ technique in other situations - for example staff appraisals and job satisfaction surveys come to mind.

Hope this technique brings you lots of sales success.

All the best…

Leigh

www.sales-consultancy.com
020 7903 5426
leigh@sales-consultancy.com

For previous ‘Tricks of the Trade’ go here

Some NEWS!

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At Last!

You can now get my “Essential Sales System for Small Business” as a download – Details here 

 

I would say that this programme will really benefit you if you can say yes to one or more of these questions...

• Do you love what you do but you dislike the selling bit?
• You just don’t believe you’re all that good at selling?
• Learning new sales skills is on your list but you haven’t got round to it yet?
• You think selling is a necessary evil?
• You haven’t the time, or money to attend expensive workshops?
• You’ve ‘tried everything’ and yet you’re still not getting the level of sales you need? 

If these ring any bells with you then I suggest you click here and find out more.

 

You could be on your way to sales success in less than 5 minutes from now!

 

More details here  

 

All the best

 

Leigh    

PS: Don’t just take my word...

 “My perception of selling was a poor one…and I would put off the dreaded sales activity with a lame excuse. I’ve put into practice the positive ways to turn situations around that would previously have been a huge challenge to me. Leigh is the “John Lewis” of the sales world! She delivers what she promises and I trust her!!”

Lynn Batham - Alan Batham Digital Photography.

Click here for more comments...

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

"You don't get what you want in life; you get what you expect"‏

Some questions for you... 

  

Do you know where you’re heading? In work? Away from work? In Life? Where is it all leading to? Does it have to lead anywhere anyway?   

 

A bit deep for a Wednesday? Maybe. Let’s drill it down to your business, even your sales, especially your sales... What actions are you taking to get you to where you want to go?  

 

That's assuming you know where you want to go!  

 

How much of a plan have you got? So many sales professionals I meet have lack-lustre goals, if they have any at all; "I want to reach budget", "I want to achieve the annual bonus", "I want to progress", "I want more money" and so on. Often not specific. Often just so so.   

 

How about sprucing things up a little? 

 

You can have mere wishes...   

...or you can have dynamic expectations that really motivate you to reach for the stars. When you have mediocre goals - and let's face it, "I want to reach target" is fairly mediocre, you're setting yourself up to be ordinary.   

Shouldn’t you really be aiming for outstanding?  

 

It's wonderful to experience the curiosity and confidence of young children. They believe that everything is possible. But what happens between the age of children and teenage years? And beyond? Something comes up that gets in the way of those early dreams.  

 

It's all about expectations  

I’m not sure who said this but I wholeheartedly agree with it... “You don't get what you want in life; you get what you expect”. There’s a massive difference. Most people expect ordinary. In fact many sales people expect ordinary. Many business owners expect ordinary. That’s fine if you want ordinary - because that’s exactly what will show up... 'better to aim low and not be disappointed' and all that.   

 

But what if you’ve had enough of ordinary? What if you want more? To start with, how about expecting more? What if you decide that instead of settling for mid table in your sales league you expected to be in the top three? Instead of growing your business at 5% next year, what if you decided to expect 10% growth? And instead of converting your leads at the same 25% as the last few years, how would expecting a conversion rate of 35% sound?   

 

Goals  

I don't know where you are right now on your journey but what I do know is that most people who don't achieve the things they want in life usually have pretty mediocre goals and mediocre expectations to start with.   

 

How often do you start work with clear outcomes to achieve that day? How often do you set really aspirational objectives for the month? How engaged are you with the goals of your team?  

Challenge yourself... 

How could you increase your expectations tomorrow? Or today! What would your new expectations be for Friday 20^th June 2014? What does real sales success mean for you? Maybe in terms of units sold, revenue, profit, lead conversion? What should you really be expecting in your career between now and three years from now? Where do you expect to be? What are you expecting to be doing? And who with?  

Play with this. Imagine. You already know that tomorrow’s realities start with today’s thoughts – so get thinking! Put some meat on the bones. Really raise those expectations. Get used to wearing them. Be comfortable with them. That’s where you’re heading after all.  

 

Raise your expectations and you’ll have started a journey. A journey that will encourage your brain to deliver new, better and imaginative ideas to achieve those expectations and goals.  

 

Think Big: Expect Big: Plan Big: Act Big 

 

Until next time.

 

Leigh

PS: Check out my recent article for O2's "The Business" - Click Here to access "Losing Sales? Here's Why" 

 

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

"Optimise Your Business!" Very Special One-Day Event.

"Optimise Your Business!"

 
Hello!

There’s a very special one-day event going on June 13th in London that I recommend you take a look at to help your business.

It’s being run by two very good friends of mine, Shaa Wasmund and Mark Attwood and I will be making a guest appearance!

Shaa, as you probably already know, is the founder of Smarta.com and the best-selling author of “Stop Talking, Start Doing”.

Shaa is a truly inspirational entrepreneur and speaker and knows exactly what businesses need, from start ups to companies like Dyson!

Mark has generated nearly £40 million for his own business, PAL Hire, using his own internet marketing techniques.

He’s been working online since 1996, and really knows his onions.

But, the best thing about Mark is his ability to explain something technical in a really down to earth way that cuts through all the bull.

Shaa and Mark did a webinar recently called “Top 6 Tips to Optimise Your Business”, which is available for a short time to listen to here:

www.shaa.com/optimise-your-business

I highly recommend you take a listen to the webinar and consider attending the event on the 13th – it’s a one-off, a great chance to network and I know the knowledge and insights you will gain will benefit your business including sales success!

As my gift to you, enter the discount code 'leigh' and you will receive your tickets for £67 instead of £197!

For more details about the event click here

I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Leigh

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com