Worth Repeating: A Must Read Book For Sales People

Worth Repeating: A Must Read Book For Sales People

A Must Read Book For Sales People

I just finished a book by Steve Marx, "Close Like The Pros". It was one of those easy reads and hard to put down books on selling. Close Like The Pros is about interactive selling that involves the client and builds a respect factor with the client that will have your competition begging to learn. How many times have you met with the client, conducted your needs analysis and then come back with a proposal only to be told that, "you have given us a lot to think about here. Call me next week". This is called the "hand off" presentation and you are almost guaranteed you will not close this deal.

Marx has laid out powerful strategies that involves laying ground rules, partnering, avoiding the ditch, clearing paths, sending up trial balloons, half baked ideas, progress reports and giving the client homework assignments. Close Like The Pros will teach you mini-closes along the way that when you make your presentation it is simply a formality with the client and that the deal was closed long before the presentation, thus Interactive Selling.

What is worth noting is that at the end of each chapter, Steve Marx summarizes what the chapter was about and then asks you to email him what you took away from the chapter. And be prepared to get an email back from Steve acknowledging your thoughts.

Close Like The Pros by Steve Marx will be the best few hours you have invested in your business. Just remember two things: Amateurs built the Ark and Professionals built the Titanic. Come on, never be afraid to try something new!

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Do You Know What Your Staff Is Doing?

Dear Business Owner,

Are you wondering why your business is hurting? Let me share a quick 6 pack of clues of my experience to buy a car charger for my cell phone.

1. Your staff member grunted at me.
2. Your staff member was to busy to hear me because he was talking to a co-worker and laughing.
3. Your staff member then grunted and pointed to the back wall where the car charger I needed was instead of going over and getting it for me.
4. I had to say "pardon me" twice because I couldn't hear him over the loud music.
   
5. I then got the rolling of the eyes when I asked if I could get my purchase bagged.
   
6. And lastly. Keep the employees that look like a human pin cushion out of sight of customers!
   

Nothing against the choice for one to express themselves with piercings but retail may not be the best choice of employment.

Business owner, all the advertising in the world isn’t going to keep your business afloat and flourish, if you haven’t taught points 1 to 5 to your employees.

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Don't Read This If Your Momma Taught You Manners

Getting your voice mails and emails not returned is probably at the top of every sales persons hate list. How is it that we all have the same amount of time in the day and some can return messages and others are blatantly rude and don’t bother!

I hear you, people prioritize their messages and if you haven’t given them a compelling reason to call back its 3-3-7 and message erased and on to the next message.

Okay, granted some people need a lesson in leaving voice mail and yes I hate it when a message goes on and on. You are likely to get voice mail 7 out of 10 times, so why not prepare what your message will be before you call. Make it short and sweet and if it’s a first time call do not try to sell something in the message. If you want a great lesson in voice mail visit Colleen Francis at http://www.engageselling.com/articles/041223article_gatekeepers.shtml

But I digress. Back to you who doesn’t return messages. Why can’t you just be polite like your momma taught you? Return the call or remember this; when your own sales people come to you for advice on how to get messages returned what advise will you give them?

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Take The Test To See How Passionate You Are

According to dictionary.com, “passion” is a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything. As you let that description settle in, do you have that passion for your job?

Oilman John Paul Getty said “passion” was more important than business acumen, imagination and ambition. One just has to look to Tiger Woods. Woods makes a bazillion dollars a year just in endorsements. The money he wins on the tour is pocket change. Tiger Woods plays golf because his passion from when he was a little kid was to be the best golfer in the world, ever!

Here are five things to check your passion temperature:

l. Are you continually learning about your profession

2. Do you have the best interest to grow your customer's business and not your commissions.

3. If you were thrust on stage in front of an audience and only had 30 seconds to explain what you do, could you?

4. Your day doesn't start at 8:30 and end at 5.o0

5. You are recognized as an expert in your field.

Author and speaker Harvey Mackay says that a sales person without passion is just an order taker.

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You Call That A Commercial Part 2!

Have you seen the ad for the Sonata automobile where some Robert Redford wanna-be asks the car owner if he would take a million bucks to let him spend the night with the car? Are you kidding me?

Let me suspend reality for a moment (which is what a lot of tv ads try and I say try to do and fail miserably). A million dollars to spend the night with a 15,000 car! Where do I sign up?

If that isn't bad enough, the remaining part of the spot goes on to say how you can also get one of Hyundai's other great cars for just under $10,000 "because there has never been a better time to buy". Gag me!

What advertising agency bozo came up with this campaign? I can just see the pitch to Hyundai as the bozo leads the rest of the clowns out of the $15000 Hyundai car with a million dollars in one hand the bag of wool in the other hand to pull over the Hyundai people's eyes. Now that my friend is suspending reality.

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You Call That A Commercial!

It never ceases to amaze me how businesses allow schlock into their advertising messages. Here are is a list of the 5 worst things I heard in commercials today:

1. Friendly and knowledgeable staff- (duh, I was expecting a rude dimwit!)
2. 35 years in business (If you are relying on this you wont be around in 5 years)
3. There has never been a better time to buy...(So if I bought that car last month, you screwed me!)
4. Plenty of free parking (Get out of the way I have to rush down to your store!)

And the last thing,

5. Where two people are talking and they are spewing how great the the milling of that wood is going to make your living room look great. Who talks like that?

And a bonus point, don't let your family or staff members approve the ad. Before it airs, ask the professionals, your sales rep and the writer of the ad to weigh in on the finished product.

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