Resources for becoming a better salesman.
Discussion
This is all you need to know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sYh0cnJ5r4
I found that not trying to be the salesman worked for dealing with the public and small businesses. Listen, understand, be enthusiastic about the product/service.
I found that not trying to be the salesman worked for dealing with the public and small businesses. Listen, understand, be enthusiastic about the product/service.
http://www.briantracy.com/sales_training/
Youll find lots of his stuff for free over various websites - youtube, vimeo or downloady type sites
Bit cheesy but actually some sound principles
Youll find lots of his stuff for free over various websites - youtube, vimeo or downloady type sites
Bit cheesy but actually some sound principles
In my opinion, it's important to start by understanding what you are selling and your place in the market as that will fundamentally impact on your approach.
For example, suppose you are a one trick pony and able to offer a single product, to solve a single problem from a single supplier. To use an example, you sell a fancy chemical that removes oil from almost any surface effortlessly. Assuming you phone up or turn up at places that use oil (garages, MOT stations, etc) you have but one goal in mind: get the prospect to admit they have spillage, identify it as a problem and buy into your solution. In this scenario you need a very tight and well controlled pitch. A pitch that is designed to get the prospect to tumble through hoops 19 times out of 20. The sort of pitch that might ask questions like, "what would happen to your buisness if you or an employee slipped and hurt themself on oil and were unable to work for a few months?" On this sort of sales call you will go nowhere if you can get the prospect to agree that they have accidental oil spilage and that it's a potential danger, doesn't reflect well on the business, should be cleared up immediately and is currently difficult to deal with.
I personally, hate this kind of selling. The first product I ever sold was solar panels. I sold a single line of panels with a single brand of inverter, all installed by the company I worked for. There was nothing more frustraiting than to be sat in someone's house realising that, actually, they were more concerned about their heating costs and really like the idea of something that would tackle that pain point. Upon realising this, I sought to position myself to be able to offer products that cover most of the householders heating and energy needs (solar panels, heat pumps, replacement A-Rated windows and doors, wood burning stoves, etc). The selling approach is now totally different, as it's much more about exploring what the customer needs and/or desires and tailoring the recommendation to that.
Using the garage example again, it's like being in the business of selling various chemicals and tools to help garage businesses. Now when you turn up you aren't looking to force the conversation in one direction. Instead, you are looking to consult and explore the issues facing the business. Rather than oil spillage, you might find they are concerned most about tools being lost, misplaced and generally hard to find. Maybe you sell a mobile tool dolly that is super organised and easy to move from station to station (or whatever).
I hope these examples stimulate some thought into what you sell, what approach you need and how tight your pitch needs to be. I personally believe that the more limited you are in your "solutions" the tighter and less flexible your selling approach. On the other hand, if you really do have a suite of products and services to offer your prospect you can be far looser, more consultative and mostly let the solution sell itself.
Edited to Add:
Your place in the market is also important as well. For example, I've taken a few sales calls from Google and they are generally very relaxed. Their is an air of "hey, we are Google, you know who we are, we're not really sure why you aren't spending money with us yet but if you'd like to better understand what we do, let's talk". They reputation preceeds them and it does allow for a more relaxed and 'assured' pitch. On the other hand, any time Yell call me up it's more scripted and tightly controlled and they always name drop Google and claim to have the inside track on Google's algorthyms (lol). When Yell phone the goal is to get my business there and then and to lock me down. When Google phone I sense they are happy to allow the relationship to develop slowly through multiple channles - confident that I'm in their funnel and will buy at some point. In my view, these two approaches are a direct consequence of their place in the market.
For example, suppose you are a one trick pony and able to offer a single product, to solve a single problem from a single supplier. To use an example, you sell a fancy chemical that removes oil from almost any surface effortlessly. Assuming you phone up or turn up at places that use oil (garages, MOT stations, etc) you have but one goal in mind: get the prospect to admit they have spillage, identify it as a problem and buy into your solution. In this scenario you need a very tight and well controlled pitch. A pitch that is designed to get the prospect to tumble through hoops 19 times out of 20. The sort of pitch that might ask questions like, "what would happen to your buisness if you or an employee slipped and hurt themself on oil and were unable to work for a few months?" On this sort of sales call you will go nowhere if you can get the prospect to agree that they have accidental oil spilage and that it's a potential danger, doesn't reflect well on the business, should be cleared up immediately and is currently difficult to deal with.
I personally, hate this kind of selling. The first product I ever sold was solar panels. I sold a single line of panels with a single brand of inverter, all installed by the company I worked for. There was nothing more frustraiting than to be sat in someone's house realising that, actually, they were more concerned about their heating costs and really like the idea of something that would tackle that pain point. Upon realising this, I sought to position myself to be able to offer products that cover most of the householders heating and energy needs (solar panels, heat pumps, replacement A-Rated windows and doors, wood burning stoves, etc). The selling approach is now totally different, as it's much more about exploring what the customer needs and/or desires and tailoring the recommendation to that.
Using the garage example again, it's like being in the business of selling various chemicals and tools to help garage businesses. Now when you turn up you aren't looking to force the conversation in one direction. Instead, you are looking to consult and explore the issues facing the business. Rather than oil spillage, you might find they are concerned most about tools being lost, misplaced and generally hard to find. Maybe you sell a mobile tool dolly that is super organised and easy to move from station to station (or whatever).
I hope these examples stimulate some thought into what you sell, what approach you need and how tight your pitch needs to be. I personally believe that the more limited you are in your "solutions" the tighter and less flexible your selling approach. On the other hand, if you really do have a suite of products and services to offer your prospect you can be far looser, more consultative and mostly let the solution sell itself.
Edited to Add:
Your place in the market is also important as well. For example, I've taken a few sales calls from Google and they are generally very relaxed. Their is an air of "hey, we are Google, you know who we are, we're not really sure why you aren't spending money with us yet but if you'd like to better understand what we do, let's talk". They reputation preceeds them and it does allow for a more relaxed and 'assured' pitch. On the other hand, any time Yell call me up it's more scripted and tightly controlled and they always name drop Google and claim to have the inside track on Google's algorthyms (lol). When Yell phone the goal is to get my business there and then and to lock me down. When Google phone I sense they are happy to allow the relationship to develop slowly through multiple channles - confident that I'm in their funnel and will buy at some point. In my view, these two approaches are a direct consequence of their place in the market.
Edited by Splats on Wednesday 4th January 20:27
I'l be working for a energy provider. The main advantage is the fact they offer electricity from a renewable source. There rates can be beaten by competitors but they offer a range of products on the back end which can add up and save much more money. Because there more an ethical choice other companies have aligned themselves with them and offer discount programs from high street super markets and so forth. Personally I try to engage in conversation about whats most important to them.
Are they just after the cheapest provider they can get? if so how much are they paying? even though we may be more expensive can we save them money in other ways to out way the cost? are they more interested in going with a home grown and local provider instead of a overseas one and so on.
Thanks for the links above all, I'll have a good look through them all tonight.
Are they just after the cheapest provider they can get? if so how much are they paying? even though we may be more expensive can we save them money in other ways to out way the cost? are they more interested in going with a home grown and local provider instead of a overseas one and so on.
Thanks for the links above all, I'll have a good look through them all tonight.
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