SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #23

NEXT YEAR IS NOW!

SELLING IN ADVANCE

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

How companies establish their budgets can be mysterious, indeed. What happens when they don’t spend that budget is even more curious. Some companies allow funds to “roll-over” to the next year. Sometimes the balance evaporates into thin air, never to be used.

Some companies belong to trade groups or business groups that make funds available for education, advertising or other uses based on their buying patterns and participation in specific marketing programs. In the advertising business, tons of coop funds go unused each year.

We can actually help our clients -- and perhaps ourselves -- by knowing how these budgets work.

At the end of every fiscal and/or calendar year, reach out to your clients. Ask how satisfied they are with the service you’re providing. Ask what you can do to improve as a vendor to them. We can also inquire as to whether our clients will be using us in the up-coming year. If so, we can offer to take payment now in return for services to be provided in the future (make certain their accounting department is good with this).

How about making that call right now?

Good Selling!

BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com/

SLH Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #22

“THAT IS SO NICE”

THE POWER OF REFERENCES

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

Frequently potential clients will want to talk to folks who have used you in the past. There are people who know you, your work and can vouch for you, our highly-prized references. These are people who speak for you and solidify your reputation in the market. Over the years, many super people have helped me build my business through their good words.

Some things to remember while building and maintaining your references:

·        Always ask in advance how they would feel about being used as a reference.

·        Ask how they wish to be contacted – office phone, cell phone, e-mail, fax, etc. Be certain you understand their wishes.

·        Every December give them a chance to “opt out.” Send a nice note thanking them for the past support and asking if want to “take a break” or continue to speak for us.

A couple of weeks back this was carbon-copied to me by a potential client after contacting an existing client:

·        “Had a very positive discussion with (Name of person) with (Company) related to David Rubenstein and his “Sell like Hell” program. (Company) has realized some significant gains throughout their sales efforts as a result of adopting some of Rubenstein’s selling suggestions and principles. One of the biggest gains they have realized was within house accounts which got my attention.”

Let your best clients help build your business.

HTS?

Good Selling!

BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com

SLH Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #21

“QUESTION STACKING”

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

Everybody does it and we are rarely aware of it. And, it’s not a good thing.

It’s fantastic when Sellers ask open-ended questions of their Buyers. This is the essence of sales, after all. But, in our zealousness we frequently cause more problems for ourselves.

Working with more than 25,000 Sellers over the years, I have noticed that Sellers share a common malady –“stacking” questions. This is asking more than one (1) question at a time and not waiting for the Buyer to respond. In Training, and when riding with, or “sitting-beside Sellers, I have witnessed “doubling,” “tripling” and even four (4) questions in a row – “quadding!”

Nothing positive results from this action. Buyers can become confused and the Seller can lose control of their part of the sales process. And, worse, the answer we need may never be provided.

Solutions to this problem:

·        Slow down.

·        Know what your going to ask when you get there (see Morsel #17 on Protocols).

·        Listen well and “Follow the Buyer.”

·        Begin audio-taping your end of your phone calls for review.

·        When a Manager rides with you, ask him/her to make note of your question-asking patterns. 

Remember, one (1) question at a time always makes the selling process better and easier.

What do you think?

Good Selling!

BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com

SLH Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #20

IT AIN’T THE REACH,

IT’S THE TOUCH

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

How many of us have been asked by Sales Managers, “how many calls did you make today?” That would probably be all of us. What do our Managers really want to know? Perhaps, how we are spending our time. Or, are we working at all?!

Let’s look at that question and its intent in the most positive light possible. Our Managers want us to do well and succeed. They want us to take care of our Buyers, families and our company.

But, Managers might be looking at the tail and not the dog. This question deals with the number of “reaches” Sellers make every day. The important question is really “how many ‘touches’ did you make today?”

A “reach” is an attempt to get hold of someone. There are three (3) ways to do this:

·        Face-to-face.

·        Telephone.

·        The written word.

Sales is really about the “touch” – being able to communicate with the Buyer. What good is it to make 75 telephone calls if we can’t talk to anyone? Revenue can only be generated through the results of that “touch.” Let’s start tracking our “touches,” because that’s where the money is.

What do you think?

Good Selling!

BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com

SLH℠ Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH℠ Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #19

CREATE MORE TIME

TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE

DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

It’s amazing how many of us just don’t have enough time to get done what needs to get done during the selling day. Well, here’s a quick tip on how to create more time – simply turn off your cell phone!

We are so tied to our cell phones that it becomes the tail wagging the dog (us!). But, there was a time before cell phones; a time when we weren’t totally dependent on a piece of technology that took precedence over everything else; a time when we didn’t wear a silly blue-tooth “thingy” in our ears. What could be that important that we wear those things while walking around, while eating dinner or in a meeting? Give me a break!

So, turn off your cell – right now. And, leave it off at least one (1) hour every  day. It can be split into a pair of thirty (30) minute blocks if that’s easier. This is your “DO NOT DISTURB” message to the whole world. Now, you have created the time necessary to get the important things accomplished today. Right now!
Changing your out-going voice-mail message (see Morsel #18) to reflect your “time-out,” allows you to complete those projects that demand “quiet time.” And, all will be well in your selling world.
You can do it this way:

• Hello. This is David Rubinstein and today is ... I will be available after 2:00 PM today but I’m checking in regularly. If you need immediate assistance, call 555.1212 and ask for Joe. Otherwise, please leave a message and I will be back to you as soon as possible.
• And, remember to change your out-going message again at 2:00 PM.

Go ahead, try it. After a brief period of withdrawal, you will be the dog wagging the tail!

HTS?

Good Selling! BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com SLH℠ Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH℠ Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #18

CHANGE YOUR VOICE-MAIL

MESSAGE DAILY

 DAVID RUBINSTEIN

EDITED BY

JIM OLSON

There are big things in Sales and there are little things. This is an example of the latter. Sellers strive to differentiate themselves from their competition. One way to accomplish this is to change your voice-mail message every day:

         *   Announce the day.

         *   Tell ‘em what you’re doing today.

         *  How you can be reached – if you want that to happen.
         *  Who they can reach at your office in case immediate   response is required.
          *  When you’ll get back to them.
You can do it this way:

           * Hello. This is David Rubinstein and today is Thursday,  October 31. I am traveling today and will be back in the
office bright and early tomorrow. If you need immediate assistance, call 555.1212 and ask for Joe. Otherwise,
please leave a message and I will be back to you as soon as possible.
If you can’t change the message every day, at least make the change on a weekly basis. It takes less than thirty (30) seconds and can make a real difference in how you are perceived by your customers. No one else does it and you’ll certainly be different.

What do you think?

Good Selling!

SLH℠ Sales System "Morsels" are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH℠ Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.

SLH SALES SYSTEM SALES TRAINING MORSEL #17

“THE IGNITER PROTOCOL”

How hard is it to make a cold-call? Imagine this. You enter an office where you’re not known. The person you’re seeing has a ton of other, more important, things to do and the odds are overwhelming they are getting what you’re selling from another source. Not a pretty picture.

At this point it is essential to “open” the call in the most powerful way possible. Too often, Sellers react by talking a lot – and usually about themselves, their company and the product line. Instead of doing this we would be better off asking our way through the sales process than telling our way through it.

You may recall that a Protocol is a set of prepared questions. An “Igniter Protocol,” is a set of questions used to “open” a cold-call.  These are questions that pertain specifically to the product you sell and for the industry in which you sell.

Try building your own Igniter Protocol with these parameters:

                      

                       * You are meeting with the decision-maker.

                      

                       * Neither the decision-maker nor the company has ever done business with your company or you.

                      

                       * You have the opportunity to ask ten (10) questions – the meeting is over after the 10^th question.

                      

                       * All questions must be open-ended, using “WHAT,” “WHY” or “HOW.”

                      

                       * Generic questions like “how are you?,” although important, don’t count.

                      

                       * Don’t worry about the answers, just the questions.

                       * After you create the questions, put them into the sequence in which they will be asked.

                      

                       * A Protocol should be “fluid,” always changing for the better. Keep working it.

                      

                       * Memorize the Protocol and you’re ready to go.

If you wish, forward your Igniter Protocol for posting on the SLH Blog. Or, send it directly to me and I’ll be happy to take a look.

HTS?

Good Selling!

BLOG – http://selllikehellsales.blogspot.com

SLH℠ Sales System “Morsels” are meant exclusively for non-commercial use by the recipient. No modifications of any kind may be made without the written permission of SLH℠ Sales System. To be removed from distribution list, simply reply accordingly.