Have you ever heard of the Sales Continuum? Do you know when a customer is truly sold? There are four stages to the Sales Continuum: you tell them, you sell them, they tell you and they sell you. Hitting each of these stages during the sales process can help you to close the deal, increase your sales success and lock in return customers.

The ‘You Tell Them’ Stage

On the far left hand side, you’ve got the You Tell Them Stage. This is where you are communicating your value proposition. Here is a dry run of the goods and services you have to offer — but there’s no passion. Remember, enthusiasm sells.

The ‘You Sell Them’ Stage

Going left to right, next on the continuum is the You Sell Them Stage. This is a tad better than the You Tell Them Stage. Now you are expressing your value proposition with passion and emotion, and the connection with the customer has improved.

The ‘They Tell You’ Stage

Continuing left to right, after the You Tell Them and the You Sell Them Stages, is the They Tell You Stage. This is good stage to be in, as the customer understands your position enough to be communicating it back to you.

The ‘They Sell You’ Stage

And finally, on the far right of The Sales Continuum is the They Sell You Stage. This is nirvana when it comes to customer acceptance. It is the point where the customer is drinking the Kool-Aid to such a degree that they are selling you on your goods or services. THEY are passionate about it. And chances are they are not only selling you BUT they are likely selling it to others. This is the raving fan stage.

When you get your customers to the point where they are selling you on your own stuff — WOW, that is exciting. That is when you know that they are indeed sold.

How can you be sure to ride out the entire sales continuum? Get passionate about what you are offering!

Rule #1 in sales is You Gotta Drink the Kool-Aid. If you are not passionate about your offering then how in the world is the customer going to get excited about it? Get passionate, and get your customer passionate.

Where are you on the Sales Continuum? Do you and your sales team have solution selling techniques down? Do you have the sales training and the passion to consistently overachieve and grow the business? No matter what you do, remember – Passion, Process & Execution. This is your path through the entire sales continuum and your road to sales success.

In the sales field, there are many different ways to generate a sales lead. The method that is most difficult to close a sale is phone calls. Not only are phone calls impersonal, but if the target did not request to be called you can wind up inconveniencing them, which will never result in a sale. However, there are some things that one can do to increase their chances of making a sale over the phone. Anyone who is an expert in phone sales will tell you there are very strict unspoken rules you have to follow in order to be successful in phone sales. Here a few tips for making a good call – included is the anatomy of a stellar, strategic sales call .

Introduction

This is sometimes the most important part of the call. This is the part of the call where you know if you have any chance of making a sale, as most people will ask you not to call them anymore or just hang up if they are not interested. This is your one and only chance to reel the target in, so it better be good. Always be polite, listen attentively and be sincere. Think of phone sales as providing excellent customer service while making a sale. If they interrupt you stop talking, listen to them and always display good manners. You called them; Don't be rude, short or even worse hang up on them, no matter what the situation is. Have some class and display professionalism under any circumstance. Get to the point quickly. A good introduction may read, "Hi Mrs. Jones? Hello, my name is Jamie and I work for JLAB Industries. Is there any chance you may have the time to listen about a new powerful all natural dietary supplement that costs 29.99 for 60 capsules and has no side effects? " You have been respectful, introduced yourself and got straight to the point as to why you called them and interrupted their busy day. The potential buyer has everything they need to know to make an informed decision about whether or not to continue the call.

Question and Answer

No matter how bad you want to just say your speech and close a sell, this is not up to you. The target may interrupt your product description or sales pitch at any time and ask questions. Once again be polite and answer any of their questions. It is important that you do your research ahead of time, because if you are unable to answer even one question, the sale is as good as lost. If you are unable to answer any questions it is an indication that you did not do your due diligence and are just calling them to make a dollar. Yes the point is to make money, but it shouldn't feel that way to a potential buyer. You should make the target feel as if you care about their life and you are providing a valuable service to benefit them in some way.

Closing and Follow Up

This is your chance to ensure that the customer, whether they bought your product or not, makes referrals to their friends. If they have listened to you all the way to your closing, it means there is some interest in your product. If they weren't able to buy anything today give your contact information so that if they change their mind they can call back and place an order. Giving your contact information also sets you up for other potential clients, because they may know a friend who could benefit as well. If they purchased the product you want to make them a loyal client so they reorder through you. If you call them back and check on them after they have had enough time to try the product, they will feel like you genuinely care about them. As a result you have maximized your chances of a reorder, and referrals to their friends.

They say, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I am pretty sure no one who has ever heard this felt better afterward. This said, let's talk about rejection. If you are in sales long enough, you will experience rejection.

Rejection can make your heart race, palms sweaty, and make your body go into fight or flight mode. This is because the fear we experience today has the same effect on our bodies as the fear of being eaten did so long ago. Humans traveled in tribes long ago to avoid being eaten by predators. Occasionally someone was rejected by the tribe and left to fend for themselves. They did not last long.

So, you see the fear of rejection is quite old and still very real in our minds, even if we no longer worry about being eaten alive.

Rejection is Personal

When we experience rejection, the emotions we feel can range from humiliation to anger. We either get angry at ourselves or the rejector. None of these feelings are productive and leave us in a bad mood, sometimes setting the tone for that day or longer. Some of us take rejection to heart and believe we are not good enough. These feelings can last a lifetime. I had a student that experienced rejection in the fifth grade by a girl, and that fear traveled into adulthood making him terrified of the rejection that comes with sales. There is a way to conquer this fear if this sounds familiar to you.

Rejection is a one-sided form of communication

When we effectively communicate we share information. Rejection is a partial exchange, or at least it feels that way to the rejected. The salesperson asks, and the buyer says no- sometimes in a not so subtle way. The way buyers refuse an offering says a lot about the person in general. It is not you; it's them.

Laugh it Off; It Helps with Rejection

When we get rejected, our brains release an opioid similar to the release we have when we experience physical pain. We also experience this chemical release when we laugh. If we can find humor in the situation and permit ourselves to laugh; we get a double dose of feel-good endorphins, lessening the pain of being rejected.

It Is A Numbers Game

Recently, leaders in the sales training community disputed whether sales is a numbers game. Sales is definitely a numbers game, the more no's you get, the higher the chance of hearing yes. You also become better at the art of persuasion, learning what worked when you heard yes, and learning what is really valuable to your buyer. When you learn what works- write it down. I coach sales people and tell them to keep a sales journal. A simple notebook you leave in your car will work. If you don't know what worked, how will you ever create a repeatable, sustainable road to success?

Ask Why

You have been rejected, and now you run for your life! This is the best time to ask why, you will learn a lot about your sales process, your buyers, and more. What do you have to lose? You already got rejected. The best part is sometimes rejection is an automatic defense mechanism in the buyer's mind. When you ask why they don't even know why, which gets them thinking and talking to you- and sometimes they end up saying yes! I swear I have seen this happen more than once when a seller has the nerve to ask why.

What is Your Backup Ask?

Have you ever thought of what to ask for that might be less of a commitment? Think of alternative options the buyer may find of value. When you offer choices, this creates the opportunity of saying no to this, but yes to that. Try it and see how many times you get a backup plan to succeed. Some examples of a great backup ask are referrals, a less expensive choice, or to revisit the decision to buy in the future. If you ask the reason why the buyer declined, you will know which option is appropriate for your backup plan.

People are Kinder Than You Think

Can people be jerks? You bet! However, the majority of people are very friendly. If you have been rejected, you will find the rejector does like rejecting you any more than you like getting rejected. (It is not you, it's the ask) While some people could use a class in elegant refusal, you will find the slings and arrows of rejection are not nearly as bad as what your mind has imagined. The best part; nothing will come out of the bush to eat you! I promise.

When you go the distance to train your sales team for a brand new marketing and sales effort over a weekend event, you're expecting a lot from them. So why not give them the BEST entertainment option with a Los Angeles Top-Shelf Cover Band to close out the event?

The more you expect, the more you give.

The sales team knows that … And they have expectations too!

Give them what they want … Powerful, top-shelf entertainment on the final night of your training event will pump them up, break them out, and send them into the sales field with their pockets full of wanting. They'll sell. They'll blow the doors off with new sales.

Kick off your event with a Tribute Artist

Go ahead, invite a tribute artist to talk up your business at the first breakfast or coffee break. Imagine the response of your sales team when Elvis is in the Room. Won't they be a bit more excited to participate when they realize that you've covered ALL of your entertainment bases with quality, top-shelf entertainers to energize the Sales Training Event?

Cool motivation and charm

Mid event, before you pass out the sales awards from the previous year, and top off some showcase training, you'll want to bring up an easy, 3 – 5 piece band with current hits. Perhaps a showcase of spectacular dancing girls, music, and Los Angeles style covers to ease your sales team into a night of schmoozing and getting to know who their best, most reliable sales associates will be. They'll be raring to go the next morning, when you end the first night on a high note!

Grand Finale from the Heart of Hollywood

After the sales training is over, before your team heads home to prepare for their Monday sales kick-off, seat them in a luxury dining hall with a five course meal fit for the amazing team they are, candle light, and soft background music. .. But then, crank it up with the BEST of Hollywood, Los Angeles Top-Shelf Cover Bands, and send them off with a weekend they'll NEVER forget.

The key ingredient to having a blow the doors off sales event, is having a memorable sales training event. Your sales team should be humming hot tunes from the BEST night of their lives for the next six months!

Give them a night to remember.

Are you ready to make sales records?

If you have been hunting around for a cold call script, take a look at this one. The destination vacation is a big money operation. People who make 1,000 calls per week generally find 100 interested prospects that turn into 50 paid customers using scripts like this one. Everyone tweaks a word here and there in scripts and this one is no different. Sit with your sales manager for approval on the wording and then try this script out on your next 100 calls and see if it makes a difference.

“Hello, is __________ there?

Hello, my name is _________, calling from _______________ How are you today? (Customer’s first name)

I see that you filled out a survey form and expressed interest in a Hawaii vacation.

Our company has just released our VIP Invitations for vacations to Hawaii and your name is on that list!

I am calling to make sure you want to take advantage of this discounted Hawaii vacation offer. Mr/Ms_______________________what do you think?

If you have pen and paper,I’ll give you all my information so you can start planning.

Again, my name is ________ and this is through _____________________________.

This Hawaii vacation package is for 4 days and 3 nights on Maui. Your airline will be _____________________________. You will be staying at the Hotel __________________ for 4 days and 3 nights. If you need other airline arrangements we are a full service travel agency and we would be happy to search for another airline fare.

I know that we do not pay your personal expenses or any taxes and no service fees are paid. The last time I went, I believe I paid not more than $25.00 and I paid that at the hotel check-in.

I only have 11 vacation packages to Hawaii and I do have other calls to make to lucky people. Are you ready to buy this great vacation today?

The cost is $698.00 for two adults and must be taken within 6 months from today. As long as both of you are over 21 years of age, you are on your way to sunny Hawaii!

Do you have your credit card ready or do you need to discuss this with someone before you buy?

I’m only offering this one package today so you would need to buy today, but then again, take up to 6 months before you run off for a fabulous vacation!

Oh no, Ma’am, there are no hidden fees or charges. But now that you mention it, there is one thing that I would ask you to do. Once you get home, would you drop me a line and tell me what was the most exciting, the most beautiful or the most fun about this Hawaii vacation?

Yes, you can enclose a snap shot if you would like.

If you are ready to buy right now, I’m ready to take your credit card and get you all set up.

Yes, Ma’am, please read the numbers on your card.

I’ll read that back to you.

Now if you would verify your address I’ll get your things into the mail.

Wonderful! Now write down my name and phone number so I can answer any questions for you.

My Ticket Registrations department might give you a call to verify the spelling on your name or some other detail, I hope that is not a bother for you.

Okay, we are all set.

I will you enjoy that fabulous sun, sand and sea! Aloha!”

Invest your time and words into a script that deliver what you want to convey as efficiently as possible. Use a mirror and practice doing phone sales to yourself until all the words are comfortable and you can smile the entire way through. A great telesales script is extremely valuable.

What? What are deserving customers? I want to sell to everybody, don’t I? Well… do you?

Smith Manufacturing Company, one of your best customers, regularly buys from you and your company. They order pieces and parts yet seldom yield an opportunity to solve larger manufacturing, production or quality problems, choosing instead to call other companies for these services, some of which may be your competitors. They call frequently, requiring lots of assistance from your inside sales and shipping people. They seem to have many issues too, issues that frequently require your attention and those of your customer service department. They pay late, but they always pay eventually. They buy at a discount and you earn less profit than you should for an account of this type. You call on them regularly, socialize with their managers over lunch and an occasional dinner, and enjoy a good reputation throughout their firm. You may feel this is one of your key accounts.

Does this scenario sound familiar? Or… does it sound all too familiar? We all have them; customers that consume a great deal of our resources. We like them. We like their employees. We spend a great deal of time there. The burning question becomes: Can we honestly continue to justify our current or growing level of investment of our resources in this account?

Jones Medical is also one of your regular customers. Your business here is quite different than at Smith Manufacturing Company. Here, you provide solutions based upon your product mix and your years of experience. Your profit margins are considerably higher and their company pays your invoices promptly, taking advantage of any particular terms you may offer. Your communications with their personnel are typically over the phone or via email. You make quarterly calls on key personnel and may occasionally take a key official to lunch. They operate in a very professional manner causing your inside salespeople, customer service staff and shipping department few problems. Since you are in the business of providing solutions, you often miss their more generic storeroom business since your “pieces and parts” competitor is often there weekly checking bins and drawers for needed low-margin, price-sensitive replacements. You have become an important resource to many key players in this company and they reward you with opportunities to serve them.

Let’s compare both types of customer. In your mind, quickly review your existing customer base. What do you see? Are there more Smith of Jones types of companies? Where do you spend the bulk of your time and resources? Which customers bring more complaints to you from your inside service staff? Where does the bulk of your gross profit come from? Which companies generate more of your costs? What are your opportunity costs? These are tough questions requiring tough decisions.

Many of us will find that we have far more customers like the Smith Manufacturing Company while actually needing to cultivate more customers like Jones Medical. How does this happen to be? As human beings, we tend to get comfortable. In fact, over time, we tend to get so comfortable that we actually get stuck in a rut and tend to remain there. Salesmen have told me that they simply don’t have the necessary time to locate and develop more customers like Jones Medical. “It is the Smith’s that pay the bills” they often say. That may look true on the surface, but underneath, the Smith-type companies are actually putting a stranglehold on your sales and earnings, causing the salesperson to experience a somewhat stable or declining income level.

I have found that at some regular interval, it is healthy to review my accounts and determine where we actually invest our precious resources as well as reviewing how much time we actually spend looking for additional customers. What I have found is that we often need far fewer Smith-types and considerably more Jones-types. Our sales and profit growth is going to come from establishing more accounts like Jones Medical and weaning ourselves away from our accounts like Smith Manufacturing. So what are we to do about it? How can we accomplish this?

Often, there may be a junior salesperson or a particular inside salesperson in your company that could be re-assigned these accounts. You might continue to see these customers quarterly to maintain contact and then share the commissions with your inside staff. It may however, be in your best interest to completely shed responsibility for these accounts, thus handing-off these customers to someone else. Alternately, you may be able to locate a new partner, another local company who is interested in servicing your Smith Companies, thus divesting yourself of them altogether. Sometimes, “firing” your customer is the only reasonable alternative.

I have several ex-customers and prospective accounts that I choose not to do business with. That’s right… I choose. While the reasons vary, the common thread is that pursuing their business is not a wise use of my time or company resources. The net profit gained from my selling investments there simply will not justify pursuing or keeping these customers. I choose to allow a competitor to service them. If my competitors are consumed with servicing these Smith-type accounts, I have more opportunities and less competition in pursing additional Jones-type accounts. It really is that simple.

What is required of you is clarity and self-honesty in evaluating your market position and your customer mix and the ability to make the tough choices. Remember, it is your territory, and it is your earnings at stake. Use your time wisely, invest your resources carefully and choose customers that your company can afford to deal with in a profitable manner. This is truly the selling scenario where everyone wins.

If you are to become proficient in closing the “sale” you will have to become knowledgeable of the many different types of sale closes. First of all, a good salesperson must understand this fact; products and services are sold, not bought and top salespeople always plan their closes in advance. Shooting from the hip is not a practiced art of top salespeople.

Here are two questions that you must be comfortable asking your customers:

1. Does this make sense to you thus far?

2. What questions or concerns do you have for me right now?

These two questions without a doubt will get you the furthest in the sales process than any other questions by causing the customer to share what they do or don’t understand. Most objections from a customer are due from the customer not understanding the value they will obtain by possessing the product or service you present them.

The following is a list of proven closes used by some of the top salespeople in the sales profession:

1. Invitation Close: “Mr. or Miss. Customer why don’t you just give us a trial run to see if our products or services are to your liking. You have nothing to lose but being a satisfied customer.”

2. Preference Close: Give the customer several choices between prices and/or products. No one likes to be pushed into a corner. By offering choices to the customer it gives the customer the illusion that they are in control of the transaction. Always know that the person who is asking the most questions is in control of the conversation. So, ask away!

3. Secondary Close: You will want to keep the customers mind on your products or services and bring up as many reasons why the customer may find value in owning or using the products and services you have to offer. In many cases, a customer’s attention may wander. If this does happen to you, it is imperative that you get the customer concentrating back on subject at hand.

4. Directive Close: Let the customer know what the next step is; (plan of action) then guarantee the customer that you will take care of all the details personally, concerning the product or service red tape immediately! Most customers want to be rest assured that the salesperson is competent and in control.

5. Shape Angle Close: “Mr. or Miss. Customer, if we can satisfy all of your concerns regarding our products or services, what would stop you from doing business with us right now”?

6. Authorization Close: “With your authorization here on this agreement” We can get started right away providing you with the products or services we spoke of this evening.” People want things taken care of right away. People also want to know the value in what they are about to own or purchase.

7. I Want To Think It Over Close: “That’s a good idea that you do so.” “I know this is a very important decision you are about to make.” “Obviously you have a good reason for wanting to think it over?” “May I ask what that reason may be?”

8. Assuring Your Customer Close: “When working with our organization you will receive extraordinary service!” “The quality of our products and services are the top in the industry!” “Our organization makes our products and services convenient to our customers!” “You will know the true value and the significance of owning our product’s or service’s once you see how they work or function!”

There are several keys to being successful in selling. You will want to get serious and decide to follow through with your commitment to be the best at our craft. Next, you will want to identify your prominent skills, so you can become a successful salesperson. You will then want to surround yourself with the best of the best, so you can ultimately become the best.

Taking care of your physical health is very important also. Your health has a lot to do with your demeanor and confidence. Your attitude controls your altitude. So, stay healthy and strive to be the best in all you do. You will want to have a positive visualization of greatness. You will want to see yourself as the very best in your field. You are what you think about all the time. The way you visualize yourself will be the person you will become.

Be careful how you talk to yourself. Talk to yourself positively. You will want to control your inner dialog. Never forget! Positive input = positive output! Garbage in, garbage stays! Never lose sight that the quality of your life will be determined by the depth of your commitment to excellence more than any other factor.

In commercial real estate brokerage, the weekly sales meeting can be a powerful tool when it comes to building the market share momentum for the real estate business and the sales team. The meeting can be well planned to achieve positive leverage and momentum across the agency.

With most agencies today, the weekly sales meeting is a good idea to keep the agents on focus and task. That being said, an agenda is required to achieve that. Minutes should also be created from the meeting to track and measure the efforts of individuals. Good salespeople thrive on positive recognition and individual performance tracking. They understand the benefits of the process.

Weekly sales meetings should occur in the mornings before the business day commences. They should also take no longer than 1 hour so that that the team can get back to the marketplace and the daily activities required.

So the goals of the sales meeting should be to achieve the following:

• To encourage the team forward with activities in listings and commissions
• To sustain the momentum and the focus across the group in a positive way
• To track and measure the activities of individuals
• To establish positive communication between the sales team and the administration team

It should be remembered that most salespeople dislike lengthy meetings. Any top agent or broker will prefer to have a firm agenda to stick to when it comes to weekly reporting and meeting attendance. The team leader or the sales manager should control the process.

Here are some tips to help you establish a positive process of meetings for your sales team:

1. The location of the weekly meeting should be varied to encourage activity and attendance. You can move the meeting between different venues and times of day. Breakfast meetings are usually quite successful, and the same can be said for lunch meetings. You will however need an agenda for the process.
2. Peer group praise will always be a useful tool within a successful sales team. The team leader or the sales manager for the agency should encourage that activity. When a salesperson has achieved great success or an extraordinary deal, share that information around the group at the right time and in the right circumstances.
3. Once a month allow the full sales team and the administrative team to come together as part of social drinks. The interaction between both groups will be important for the success of the agency.
4. Establish a points system between members of the sales team. The points system should be varied based on a number of different criteria. In that way you will be recognising and encouraging everyone, and not just the top agents with the best deals. Look at the different achievements of the week including the best deal of the week, the best marketing campaign, the greatest numbers of inbound calls, cold calling targets, exclusive listings, and new meetings.

Top agents and brokers like efficiency. They also like to get to the point quickly and effectively. Any sales meeting should take no longer than 1 hour, minutes should be created, and agendas should be circulated prior to the next meeting. Respect the time of your top agents, and they will respect the attendance requirements at your sales meetings.

Selling and acting are similar. Perhaps that’s why I have always enjoyed acting and the theatre as well as my sales and training career. In both professions, setting the stage is critical to the success of the performance. The stage provides the proper environment for the players to perform or tell the story. The top producing reps devote time to setting the stage and the strategy before jumping in to make a recommendation or a request.

You can use persuasion techniques to change or prime your prospect’s perception of the “stage” or environment. Perception is a lens through which we interpret reality. If you alter the lens, you can change how people view and interpret reality and ensure the prospect is ready and open to receive your message. Here are your five tips to successfully set the stage:

1. Similarity – The more similar you appear to the person you are trying to persuade, the more you increase likeability and the more likely you can persuade them. We are psychologically compelled to gravitate toward similar stimuli because people who are more similar to us appear less threatening. This mindset stems from the caveman desire to survive.

Dress similar to your prospect but always be well-groomed as the more well-groomed and pleasant appearing the more persuasive you will be. Of course, discussing shared backgrounds or similar interest generates less threatening conversation. But take care not to fall into the trap of comments on photos in the prospect’s office that may have been placed there to catch smooth talking sales people.

2. Ideomotor response (chameleon effect) – Our tendency is to perform a physical behavior simply by thinking of the behavior. You can gain rapport by mimicking your target’s behavior. When another person imitates our non-verbal behavior it activates the medial orbital cortex and that brain region is associated with reward processing so it’s biologically pleasing. This is not a “monkey see, monkey do” but rather relaxed arms and hands, posture, head nodding, and a sincere smile.

3. Behavioral consistency – When the behavior is not consistent with their attitude, they are motivated to resolve it. Robert Cialdini, noted influence speaker, suggests the “foot in the door” technique to motivate the prospect. First, ask the prospect to comply with a small request such as permission to sit down or to ask a question. You can continue sprinkling small requests in your conversation. Odds will then be in your favor for later larger requests as the prospect seeks consistency with previous behavior. However, do not use the old tricks such as asking questions that obviously require a yes answer. Use true questions of interest that further the sales process.

4. Storytelling – Stories, particularly self-disclosure stories (Who You Are Story) build trust, clarify, enliven, and make relationships more interesting and exciting. A good story follows the hero’s journey outlined by Joseph Campbell. It’s more than cold facts. It includes a conflict or challenge that you overcame and the resulting change or transformation that occurred. This often leads to a discussion of shared values or the prospect’s desired outcome.

5. BYAF (But you are free) – People do not like being pressured into a decision. They fear the loss of freedom. Because their motivational state is perceived as a reduction in freedom of action, it is considered a counterforce and is known as “psychological reactance”.

Research shows the best way to get someone to do something is to tell them they don’t have to do it. This technique doubles your chances of a yes. Suggest action but say “You are free to choose”. I saw an interesting implementation of this technique. A stop sign near my home displays the following: “Rolling stops $125 fine, full stop free. Your choice.”

Tell the prospect up front that there is no obligation. One of the major purposes of the call is to determine if there is a fit to work together. If there isn’t a fit, they’re free to end the current relationship and perhaps re-engage at another time when there is a fit.

Implement these techniques and you will increase your chances for a “yes” in your next customer interaction.

In our last blog, "We All Live in the Sandler Submarine", I talked about the seven steps of the Sandler system and how working through these steps will improve your sales process. Step 3 – Pain; Step 4 – Budget; and Step 5 – Decision; are the qualifying steps in the Sandler system. If your prospect reveals 3 to 5 issues to you that are clearly various levels of pain, they have money budgeted to fix the problems, and they have the authority to make the decision to buy your product or services, then congratulations! You have a qualified prospect.

The Sandler way of qualifying prospects before you ever present to them, is substantially different from the traditional way of selling. In the old traditional selling methods, sales people present benefits and savings to prospects who may not even need their products or services at that time. And worse, you often give away free consulting and walk away empty handed. That's why qualifying the prospect before any presentation is made, makes so much sense to both parties. Nobody's time is wasted.

THE TRADITIONAL SALES METHOD

In the traditional selling method, the prospect is typically in control of the sales meeting, leaving the sales person in a weak position. Here's why:

1. Traditional Selling Step one typically means the prospect plays his or her cards close to the vest and reveals very little to the sales-person. In fact, the prospects are so guarded they may outright lie to the sales-person, rather than share the truth about their problems. Some sales scenarios may even include manufactured reasons for the meeting because the prospect is just seeking information about your products and services, especially pricing, so they can use it as leverage in negotiations with other vendors, or to get you to offer major concessions in your pricing. Either way, it's not a winning situation for the sales-person.

2. The prospect wants to know what the sales-person knows, and they eagerly launch into a presentation and talk, in detail, about all the benefits and advantages of their company. He or she offers a quote, a proposal, references, and a lot of free advice. But, Step two typically ends with the prospect offering what sounds like a big compliment. For instance: "You really know your stuff, and I'll get back to you in a week."

3. All too often, though, more than a week goes by and the prospect does not get back to the sales-person at all. The salesperson has entered step three in the prospect's buying system. Step three is very similar to step one because the prospect has misled the sales-person again. Even though they did not live up to the promise of returning a call, the sales-person will still make an inquiry to the prospect in hopes of progress.

4. The sales-person may connect with the prospect, but the prospect is likely to put them off. They will usually make up excuses as to why they haven't gotten back to you or made a decision. They want to keep the sales-person on the hook, or they are too embarrassed to let you know they chose a different vendor. The sales-person is left dangling in limbo and continues to pursue a prospect that won't be buying.

5 . Finally, that's how the process ends: in voicemail jail. The prospect does pick up the phone and "goes dark" on the salesperson. You may never hear from them again.

Notice that the prospect's system for buying things is the same as the traditional salesperson's approach for selling things. It works for the prospect, so they won't change it. The Sandler System, on the other hand, is designed to level the playing field so the salesperson and the prospect can establish an Adult-to-Adult relationship, where both parties have something to gain. Working at the same level, they can decide as adults whether to proceed with the sales process, rather than remain in limbo. The key to knowing whether this relationship will work is uncovering the prospect's degree of pain. Stay tuned to our next blog for more on identifying a prospect's pain.