Synopsis
GOING OFF ON YOUR OWN? NEW VENTURE? NEWLY SELF-EMPLOYED? CAREER CHANGE? CONSULTING?
NEWBIE’S GUIDE TO SELLING FACE-TO-FACE : QUICK START FOR CONSULTANTS, FREELANCERS, NEW SELF-EMPLOYED, CAREER CHANGERS, START-UPS is a sales training workbook specifically designed for people who have a skill or product to bring to the world but who have never done much selling to this point in life . . . people such as new small business owners, consultants, free-agents, career-changers, free-lancers and self-employed.
WHAT IT IS
This is a concise, to-the-point, information-rich sales training book particularly directed to the needs of people who are new to selling . . . people such as new small business owners, consultants, free-agents, free-lancers and self-employed people who will benefit from better selling skills.
With this sales book and the sales how-to tips, model sales scripts, checklists, and templates for organizing your new knowledge, you are only hours away from a clear vision of what you will sell, how to reach qualified prospects, how to create an awareness of their need for what you offer, of responding productively to questions and objections, and of closing sales
WHO IT IS FOR
It is mainly intended for individuals who are starting up new ventures - or starting over after a career change - and need to quickly absorb practical sales techniques needed for sales success.
It is also a succinct guide to selling consulting services and marketing free agent or free-lance projects.
Note: This book is designed for beginners. A companion book, SELLING 101: Consultative Selling Skills, also by Michael McGaulley, is directed to the needs of more experienced sales people, as well as sales managers, sales team leaders, and sales trainers in organizations and colleges. (A SALES TRAINING WORKSHOP LEADER GUIDE has been developed to accompany SELLING 101, to aid sales managers and instructors in classes and team meetings.)
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
In each chapter, you will find how-to tips, model scripts, checklists, and templates for pulling together your ideas and insights. The tutorials are set up around key, practical questions, like these:
- Are there important needs that my product or service can fill? If there are no needs, or if the needs are not recognized, by the prospect, then selling your services will be an up-hill battle. Maybe it's best to rethink, open to new slants and reassess the needs your product can fill.
- How does my product or service stand out from the competition? Can I tweak it to make it even more unique and valuable?
- How can I cost-effectively reach the decision makers who can say yes?
- When to work by appointment? When (if ever) by cold-calling?
- How to get past the gatekeeper? How to win an appointment?
- When on-site, what to look for? What does the office mood and style suggest?
- How to open the meeting.
- How to get the prospect excited about what you offer, and what it can do? Hint: telling how great your product is usually not the best way. . . at least not at the start.
- How to ask the kind of questions that nudge the prospect into telling you why they need what you offer.
- How to talk price. Tip: Price is usually not the most important issue.
- How to recognize and respond to "buying signals".
- A dozen-plus ways of "closing"- that is, moving the prospect to take action, now.
- How to look through questions and objections to the deeper point, then turn them into reasons for buying, now.
- When and what kind of proof to offer?
- How to follow up in a professional way with both those have bought, and those who are still only prospects, not yet customers.
From the Author
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Because of space limitations here, we've had to cut out some of the sub-steps(e.g. 3, 4 etc.) while giving examples of the overall coverage.
Step 1: QUESTIONS FOR FOCUSING YOURSELF, YOUR BUSINESS CONCEPT, AND YOUR APPROACH 9
Step 2: DEVELOPING A LIST OF POTENTIAL PROSPECTS 21
Step 3: FINDING YOUR WAY TO THE"PROSPECT"--THAT IS, THE PERSON OR TEAM WHO CAN SAY YES 27
4. Be attuned to any significant "Decision Influencers." 31
Step 4: INITIATING YOUR FIRST CONTACT 35
Step 5: GETTING PAST THE GATE-KEEPER 39
Step 6: MAKING YOUR FIRST PHONE CONTACT WITH THE PROSPECT 47
1. This first phone contact is not the place to try to make your case. You can only lose the sale, but not make it,over the phone. 47
2. Once you have the Prospect on the phone, aim to accomplish three key tasks within the first 30 seconds. 48
Step 7: PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE PROSPECT 53
Step 8: OPENING YOUR FIRST FACE-TO-FACE WITH THIS PROSPECT 59
1. Enter the Prospect's office consciously projecting confidence. 59
2. Introduce yourself, offer another business card, and be prepared to shake hands. 59
6. Be prepared for the possibility that the Prospect may start by saying shehas had second thoughts and thinks it isn't a good idea to meet, afterall. 64
Step 9: WORKING WITH THE PROSPECT TO UNCOVER NEEDS FOR WHAT YOU OFFER 67
1. People and organizations rarely buy products or services. Rather, what they DO buy are way of filling needs which they consider important. 67
4. The best way of creating or enhancing the Prospect's sense of need for what you offer is to ask the kind of questions that lead the Prospect to tell you why she needs it, and why it will help pay for itself. 68
5. One reason for asking these questions is to help you understand the Prospect's situation, and to explore what needs exist. 69
6. A second reason for asking the questions: in order to "take the Prospectwith you" as you explore, so that both you and the Prospect gain ashared awareness of each step in the process. 69
7. Therefore, ask the questions even if you are sure you already know the answers. 70
Step 10: CONSULTATIVE SELLING: SELL BY ASKING SMART QUESTIONS 73
1. In your work with the Prospect, view your role as that of a consultantworking to analyze and solve problems, not just to "push" one particular solution. 73
2. Important: before asking any questions, begin by setting the context for thosequestions: that is, briefly explain why you are asking. 74
13. The Prospect's overview may provide you several areas of potentialneed. Focus-in on each of these in turn, then go on to develop Value for those that seem most promising for you.
14. In somecases, it may happen that you Focus-in and develop Value for one area of potential need for your product, then recycle back and Focus-in onother need areas. 81
Step 11: MAKING CLEAR THE LINK BETWEEN THE PROSPECT'S NEEDS AND HOW YOUR PRODUCT (OR SERVICE) WILL FILL THOSE NEEDS 85
1. In presenting your product (or service), relate it to the SPECIFIC Needs of this UNIQUE Prospect. 85
2. The more clearly and explicitly you are in making the link between the Prospect's specific needs and thespecific ways in which your product fills those needs, the better willbe your chances of making the sale. 85
3. Make the link explicit between the needs you discussed with the Prospect and the specific product capabilities that fill those needs. Don't take for granted that the Prospect sees either the need or the solution as clearly as you do. 86
6. Be attuned to signals that indicate that the Prospect wants additional proof. 89
7. But before offering any kind of proof, make certain that both you and theProspect are in accord on exactly what needs to be proven. 89
Step 12: WHEN DEALING WITH THE ISSUE OF PRICE, FOCUS ON "VALUE" 93
3. Therefore, to make the sale, you need to shift the Prospect's thinking from anarrow focus on price (the money spent), to the broader issue ofvalue(whether and why that is a worthwhile investment). 93
4. But if you can also show that the product will help pay for itself, by value received, then the reasons for buying become almost overwhelming. It is up to you to help the Prospect understand all the ways in which your product or service brings value greater than what the price may be. 93
5. If you're new to selling, the thought of mentioning price is scary, and you may be tempted to put it off as long as possible. 94
6. If you wait for the customer to ask about the price, then you operate from a disadvantage, and . . . 94
9. After presenting price, immediately move on . . . usually by closing for the order (or for some other kind of buying action). 96
10. The terms you use to express value will depend on the Prospect, the needs,and various other factors in the situation. 97
12. Still another way of establishing the value: combine multiple ways in which the product either pays for itself or makes life easier, more convenient, or adds more hours to the day. 98
13. Refer to incidental uses as a way of increasing the customer's perception of the value of your product. 98
Step 13: BEING ATTUNED TO "BUYING SIGNALS" 103
1. The "right" time to close can come at any time in the call; hence, be alert for buying signals. 103
2. Buying signals are often conveyed by the Prospect's questions. 104
3. Before answering a question, "look through" to determine whether that question may be a buying signal. 104
4. Even objections and tough questions may be buying signals. 105
5. When you encounter a question or objection that may be a buying signal,respond to it, then immediately transition to a trial close. 106
6. A Prospect who shows interest in negotiating (or haggling over details) is usually sending a strong buying signal. 107
7. Buying signals may be non-verbal. 107
8. Rule of thumb regarding possible buying signals: If in doubt, test it out. 108
9. Don't be compulsive about "finishing" everything in your planned sales call: seize opportunities if they arise. 108
Step 14: CLOSING FOR THE ORDER, OR FOR OTHER TYPES OF "BUYING ACTION" 111
1. Simple direct request for the order (or other buying action). 111
2. Summary and Recommendations: summarize the key reasons to buy, then recommend that the Prospect act now. 112
3. Offer a Choice of Alternatives for implementing your proposed solution. 113
4. Offer a proposed Action Plan. 115
Step 15: RESPONDING TO OBJECTIONS AND QUESTIONS 121
1. In many cases, what seems to be an objection is often a question indisguise. Conversely, what seems to be a question may actually be anobjection.121
5. The model approach in responding to objections and questions:Explore,Listen Well, Restate (if appropriate), Respond, then Move on. 126
6. Rule of thumb: if, when you explore an objection, you find that theProspect's reasons keeps shifting, or the Prospect keeps raisingadditional objections, that indicates that you have not yet cut to thecore of the real concern. 127
7. The ultimate probe: "What can we do to make this sale happen?" 129
Step 16: AFTER THE SALE: CUSTOMER CARE, AND FOLLOW-UP 131
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