No is Not a Loss Sales environments that suggest every opportunity is “won” or “lost” do not recognize that NO is a good outcome. A consultative seller creates value by helping the buyer understand what merits action, and what does not. It is equally beneficial to agree to disengage, as it saves time for both parties, and avoids zombie deals. It’s also important to recognize … Read more
Maximize the Perceived Fit of Your Solution The best way to maximize perceived fit of your solution, is to ensure it is NOT your solution, but the buyer’s baby. Don’t pitch. In fact, consider using anti-suggestions to help the buyer lay claim to the solution. Co-create the buyer’s Utopian Vision in the 3rd section of The Perfect Discovery Call. If the buying organization requires a … Read more
Don’t Believe Your Own Marketing (Too Much) Sophisticated product marketing teams provide personas and typical pain points as a starting point for sales conversations. They also love to arm sales teams with case studies. On call recordings, I hear salespeople telling customers about the typical pain points and referencing the case studies. As counter-culture as this may sound, the customer’s reaction is typically, “That’s not … Read more
Influencing The Buyer’s Vision When You Are Late to the Opportunity If you were not the first seller through the door, you are at a disadvantage. If your competition was involved in the formative stages of the buyer’s journey, the buyer’s vision may be well developed and hard to change. You CAN still win, but you must adjust your tactics. Decision Criteria Ask what the … Read more
Never Get Ahead of the Buyer After reviewing an MRI, I had a doctor tell me, “This surgery is inevitable. You are going to want to do this.” His knowledge convinced him of the need, but he was ahead of me emotionally. He was convinced before I was convinced. Another doctor, looking at the same MRI, took the time to show me the image and … Read more
Sales Tools and Tips to Use at Each Point in the Buyer’s Journey Sales Tips to Facilitate the Shift from Latent to Active Need 15 Lead Generation Techniques Self Depreciation Over Social Rapport What to Say if a Sales Call is Not Going Well The Value of Training – The Value of Training Salespeople | Creating useful sales habits Style Matters in Sales This is … Read more
The Buyer’s Journey The image below depicts the five phases a buyer moves through to recognize a need, assess alternatives, make a purchase, and promote that solution. Buyers move through these stages with no assistance. Moving through the phases is like an element moving through changes of state, from gas, to liquid, to solid. It is primarily an emotional journey. The changes of state are … Read more
Preparing To Be a Player As a rule, success depends on practice; hours and hours and hours of practice. It’s true in sports. It’s true in music. It’s true in entertainment. Most professionals wisely eschew seat-of-the-pants performances. In the sales profession, we often enter into a negotiation with little to no preparation. As a result we rely heavily on instinct. Instinct tends to drive us … Read more
Lessons From a Savvy Seller A seasoned sales leader, who I had the privilege of working with, pointed out that, as a young salesperson, he made three mistakes at the end of a long sales cycle as he entered the final negotiation: No real plan. His plan was “to get the deal.” Ask for the order. When his old boss asked how he intended to … Read more
Do salespeople have to “give” to “get”? 95% of salespeople and sales managers believe salespeople have to “give to get.” A review of recorded buyer/seller interactions debunks this sales myth. Why do we feel the need to “give to get?” This widely held belief is based on the idea of “qualifying” the buyer. Qualifying is extracting information for the seller’s purposes. There’s a need for … Read more