Train Your Team in Sales
Author: Si Harris
Game Changing Script is now here…
For all those who requested a copy of this from my last post, here it is. I have been surprised by the number of responses so rather than doing this one by one.
PLEASE: Remember to respect peoples time and be a great interruption in their day not a sales pitch.
Initial Cold Call Script from LinkedIn prospecting
Hi [name] Its [name] here from [Company name] in [Location] (pause here and DO NOT ASK HOW THEY ARE????. Just wait for them to ask you). I usually mention something about the fact that they don’t know me as I can hear their mental rollerdex searching. This puts them at ease.
Let them know that you are doing some homework on LinkedIn and their profile jumped off the page and you had to call. They will be somewhat intrigued at this point as they still don’t know you or why you are calling.
[Name], the reason for my call, we are a [type of company] and we specialise in the (mention their industry). From time to time I jump on LinkedIn and search for interesting businesses to work for and you guys jumped right off the page so I had to call, now [name], I hope you don’t mind the direct approach. This is why people are on LinkedIn, that are natural networkers
Now at this stage, I’m not too sure if what we do is right for your company as we are not right for everyone – but I am wondering if you are open to spending 5 minutes with me right now to see if we have a fit. – (WAIT FOR THEIR REPONSE) either keep going if they have the time now or book a quick call – date and time.
OK, so what we have found in this industry is that (mention 3 typical client frustrations here). Has that been your experience in working with training companies [name]. Pause and wait for their response. So what we have done with the clients we choose to work with is to (explain the “Why your company”) and seek to set an appointment with them 3+ days out.
DO NOT OFFER OR AGREE TO SEND OUT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR COMPANY. This is a furphy. Instead send them to your web site or LinkedIn profile so they can do their homework on you or better still your http://www.abc.com.au/session link to book themselves right into your diary
If you cant get into their diary right away then we send them a Time Trade link to yours!!!
Assuming you got into their diary, You will also want them to do some prep for the session. Now [name], in order for us to get the most out of the session next [time and date], would it be OK if I asked you to do some quick preparation? What I find useful is if you do a quick [audit, outline, current situation]. What I mean is – [put some thought into what info you might like them to think about prior to getting together, things that will get them thinking not just the info you need] would that be OK?. Get them doing some prep work for you….
Who’s Chasing Who – This is a Game Changer!
Quick one for you…. Do you chase prospects or do your prospect chase you?
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could turn the tables and have people chase you.
I’ve been doing some amazing training of late with my mate Taki Moore and got some really cool ideas on how to flip things around. I have written a “killer script” for those who prospect for new business in the B2B space.
Let me know if you want a copy of this and I’ll send it through. Just not sure if its right for everyone so when you reply to this post let me know your industry and your role so I get clear on what to send.
This stuff is potent so please use it carefully and only share this post with those you trust.
Fill out the form below and I’ll get it to you.
Si
Dealing with Inbound leads!
Just had a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious) when we started to deal with inbound sales leads and thought I would share this. For so long our business has dug up leads from outbound sources like telemarketing. Back in Dec we decided to stop outbound calling (cold) and poured our marketing $$ into generating inbound leads – where people call us.
Its been a slow process but nowadays 80% of our leads are from inquiries or from people who have sat in on a webinar or seminar. This has been great for the business but today I noticed a new trend for these leads. We are not the only coaching business that they are considering!! So now I have objections where we are in the final 2 or 3 companies that they are checking out. This is really starting to give me the shits especially as its something that we have literally never had to deal with before.
So I have to devise a cunning plan to deal with this. So my plan.
- have to find out early on in the piece if they are considering others. This is a double edged sword as if they weren’t then this might plant that seed in them to go out and find others, but if you don’t then you are dead anyway.
- make sure we are last in the interview process
- be able to clearly demonstrate the top 7 reasons why others have chosen us over anyone else
- have a clearly defined USP and a strong guarantee
- find out what they liked about the others.
A great problem to have I say so, bring it on business owners and let us show you why we are the right choice.
Do you have this problem and if so – love to hear how you overcome it in your business.
Si
Thats What I’m Talking about.
I my continuing quest to build my sales team and I wrote last week about the frustrations I have when employing. The complete lack of prep, the general disinterest in being up to date on the company they are looking to join – you who employ people know exactly what I am talking about. Well, let me tell you – the tables turned this week when I had yet another interview.
Now I am different, I wait in reception for people to show up rather than have the receptionist call me and then go out to meet them. I literally wait in reception about 5 – 10 mins before the appt time to greet them, this includes clients. I believe that people should not have to wait as I know how frustrating it is to wait especially for Dr’s and the like.
So, I’m waiting for this chap to show up, he arrives early, extremely well presented, polished shoes, nice suit and tie (a little over the top for me these days however I respect the effort) and he confidently approaches Elaine at reception and states his purpose. I surprise the daylights out of him and introduce myself. Firm handshake, looks me right in the eye and first impressions get a big tick.
Walking through to the meeting room I see him looking around and taking it all in. He sits down and then the conversation starts. It is clear he is prepared, he’s done his homework and he is asking great engaging questions. He knows about me, he knows about the company and he lets me know. I ask a few tough questions like – OK so I’m a small business owner, I’m in the sales process = how would you close me into a coaching program? Not even a flinch – he was straight into the close – again prepared.
At about the half way mark he presents me with his Sales Plan, a 1 page summary of how he will deliver results for the business. Again, all stuff i would do as a matter of course, but all too often this is missed completely. Guess, what – he then did a trail close on me by asking what the next steps were and guess what – he made it to round II.
Cryers are Buyers!
Do you guys know of Jeffrey Gitomer? He’s one of my mentors in the $ales arena and he taught me all about getting to emotion in the sales process. He tells a story of a small invisible string that is connected to the heart that runs under the skin, over the shoulder and down and then tied to the wallet in the back pocket! Can you picture this? Well – he says – if you pull hard enough on the (heart) string, the wallet pops right out!! I know this is kind of old school thinking but really when you boil it down – he’s right.
So lets look at this for a moment. If you are sitting with a prospective buyer (prospect) then your job as a sales person is to make sure you uncover the emotional reasons for the prospect wanting to buy your product or service. What frustrations do you fix, do you solve problems that they have, and how do these problems or frustration affect them in the lives or businesses. Say for example you sell solar panels / solutions into the domestic market. Lets delve into the frustrations of the average home user. The costs of electricity are rising every year, more and more electrical products are being used in the home, budgets are squeezed, the neighbors have solar – you get the picture.
Knowing this, the sales person needs to develop a set of questions around this to help the prospect understand the problem in quite a lot of detail. We all know that the price of electricity is high – so rather than glossing over this, delve in and find out how much of a problem it really is, find out what else the family could have done with that money – a holiday, pay down the mortgage faster etc. You get the idea – we have to play dumb and dig deep here so that the emotional aspect of the frustration is highlighted. Example – so [name] if we could reduce your electricity bills by 30 – 40% what would you and your family do with the extra money in your account each month? Is that a dinner out, a weekend away with your husband and facial or makeover?
Once we tap into the emotion we are way more likely to make the sale. Most sales people are great at following a sales process, what the top performers are good at doing is translating the logical issues into the emotional end point. So – practice asking questions that uncover emotion and don’t be afraid to go there!!!
Employing $ales People – WTF
You know, I’ve been at this a long time – $ales that is. I have interviewed so many people for sales and related positions and I have to say lately, its been bugging me. “It” is the complete lack of prep that candidates are doing before they show up! Seriously, how freakin hard is it to get on a web site, do some LinkedIn homework and read up about the company you are trying to get a job with.
One of the first questions I ask is – “so what do you know about our company”. Not really a hard question, not one someone should balk at or come back with something like “well I know a little bit”, or “to be honest, I have heard about you guys”. REALLY!!! If that’s the best, then I really should terminate the interview right then and there and save myself another 45 mins pf polite conversation.
In previous posts I have spoken about another favorite question. It relates to the fact that $ales is a profession – people get paid to do it and paid well if they perform well. So, why not become professional about the role and read up, study and make this your passion. So, the question I ask goes something like this. “OK, your applying for a $ales role, tell me – if I walked into your home office, what books would I see on your shelves”. Of course I am looking for things like Tom Hopkins, Brian Tracey, Ari Galper, Brad Sugars, Zig Ziglar and more of the classics like Jim Rohn, even Tony Robbins would do.
Typically the answers I get are – “well I have read a few books”. Again, I lose interest in the person because if they were serious they would be studying and reading to improve their professional skills.
So – to all those out there job hunting to join the oldest profession – study for f*#k sakes!!! Come on people – do the profession of $ales proud and go out and become professional. Interesting, as I write this I am coming to the realisation that the ones that need to read this are probably watching TV right now rather than styudying up!
siharris.com 