In many cases, sales people lack earning sales due to not following the fundamentals. Prospecting is too intimidating, following up freaks them out, and asking for the sale or closing it brings out the one-sided face sweat drop. Is that you?
Practicing and role playing on all of the fundamentals helps you prepare, thus making you confident enough to earn more sales. Do you prepare yourself for earning sales? Or do you prefer risking losing them. Risking is a huge part of sales, but you can prepare yourself to win more instead of losing to those who are preparing.
Here is a way to prepare. How much "weewee" do you have in your presentation? We do this, we do that, we are this, we are going there, we are everywhere. How about removing all the "we" stuff and start speaking about how your customers benefit, profit, increase productivity or how their life is better due to buying from you? Or in other words; where is the value? So many companies and sales people tend to confuse value with how "big" they are, when value is measured on how your customers benefit.
So, your presentation shows value, right? Even though you hate it, you must ask for the sale. You want to get paid don't you? Most sales people wait for a prospect to ask to buy, putting the blame on the prospect when they haven't seen a check. "Ask and you shall receive". But after all the "weewee" and lack of engaging your prospect, instead of asking for the sale, you ask what everyone asks: "Do you have any questions?" Avoiding this when closing is the biggest challenge most sales people have. Yep! Even you! When you open the room for questions, you have put yourself in defense mode. Your prospect might ask you questions that you are not even prepared to answer, and thus use it as an excuse for them not to buy. Because if you are not a resource to them, they will find someone who is.
When someone asks a question without you having to ask if they have any; that is a buying signal! That is why many sales people, at closing, ask prospects for questions. There is a silence at the end of your presentation, you haven't engaged your prospect, and you are looking for a buying signal. Therefore, you force it. And since you haven't prepared for it, your answer is: "Let me get back to you on that one". Or the fatal dagger to your prospect: "I honestly don't know".
Here are some tips that will help you engage your prospects more, make them sell themselves without a hard close, and will serve you as a more effective way to earn sales. There is a lot more to this, but this will give you more than just a start. You must be on the offense all the time. YOU ask the questions. YOU have control of the board. Power questions are the heart of the sale. Instead of thinking of it as a presentation, work it into a conversation. This will make you fully aware of how much fun asking for a sale and closing really is. It also makes it more comfortable for your prospect.
For example: If you sell disability insurance, and your prospect is a dentist, ask your prospect: "What would happen if you suddenly injured your main working hand and you could not work anymore?" This will reveal information on how your prospect might need or want to buy from you. You can follow up that question with: "How important is making sure that that doesn't happen to you right now?" You absolutely, without excuses, must prepare a list of questions that make your prospects think in terms of you. Because when asking for the sale, they already heard themselves explaining how much they need you. And not using your service or you as a resource is a huge loss for them.
I'm going to leave you with that so I don't drive you crazy with too much goodness and you can start writing your power questions right now. Call me to schedule a seminar to reveal the master salesperson in you.
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Hey! Guess what?
Millo is now a member of the highest and most respected association of professional speakers. Millo is part of the National Speakers Association where the best speakers of the US come from. We will keep you posted on how to book Millo through the NSA. Cheers!
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