I know that may sound really far flung, but I think salespeople have MORE in common with doctors than they may think.
Let me explain.
You walk into a doctors office with a bad back. The doctor, without looking at you, taking your blood pressure, or doing any diagnostics just begins to show you an array of medications that you may or may not need.
You look quizzically and start to choose a few, just in case you may need them. Some keep your blood pressure down, you may need that someday. While others keep your blood from clotting. Oh my yes, I may need that, you think. When you walk out you’re not sure if you got the right ones for your current need, that bad back, but hope so and the others you store “just in case” you need them later. You just never know, what if?
I know…that sounds ridiculous, right? But if we think of that crazy example in how so many sales people sell; like going to every client you can think of, all the ones you like, all the ones you know, all the ones who may have given you some business here and there and show them all the great, new product you have without “diagnosing” what their current needs are, that’s essentially what you’re doing, wouldn’t you agree?
Of course, it’s probably not life or death, but it might be the life or death of your income!
DO YOU KNOW ALMOST 60% OF SALES FAIL TO CLOSE AND ONLY CAUSE BUSYWORK BECAUSE OF LACK OF QUALIFYING.
That’s why so many salespeople are SWAMPED!
And what is qualifying? It’s diagnosing, analyzing (just like a doctor) before anything is taken from that big bag of pills, I mean product you brought in. In fact, it’s done before you even pick up the phone to make an appointment.
This is an example that uses three of my 7 Core Principles for Reaching Optimized Sales.
- Push don’t pull (ask questions!)
- Be the Solution
- Make time count
I call it FRONT LOADING. It’s doing more work before the appointment than during or after. It’s asking the right questions of what that person is working CURRENTLY working on (it’s important to use that word to focus the client) and needs from you even before you go to see them. You should have something in your hand that the client needs right now as you cross the threshold of that client’s door, so you are that much closer to a sale. Then you can UPSELL while you’re there..What could be better?
We’re not called presenter people, we’re called salespeople. If we do more of this we’ll have less busy work and more sales.
And if they don’t have current business for YOUR products, you should really not care how busy they, how big they are, how many they employ, how well you know them, it’s a waste of your good time (and really their’s which is why it’s much more difficult to get appointments).
But if you analyze your sales, you should have clients (top10) that do have current business for you all the time. These are your “A” accounts. If they do not have a current NEED for your product, find out the ones who do, see them first, then fill in that calendar with all the others. But the focus should be on who can use what you sell, not your product or how big the company is.
As Brian Tracy writes in his great book, “Eat That Frog”,
Do what makes you money first!
But so many sales people work so hard and so many hours with less than optimal return on investment (you know, the bucks). They call on everyone whether they have a current need or not. That’s what most (including me) were taught to do. But today, that just does NOT work (it really never did, we thought it did, there were just fewer options). If you really want more sales, focus on the critical few, not the insignificant many.
And to close out with one more sales guru, Jeffrey Gitomer,
Remember, the best way to create success with your calls is by investing time in getting to know your prospect and their needs..
Would you like to work with me? Great! I would love to help you increase your sales as I have for many reps and companies.
I work in many different ways with companies, company salespeople or independent reps. You have to want to increase your income because all the paths lead to increased sales. My ecourse, (read about it here), one on one, very affordable coaching packages (coming soon) and do-it-yourself pre-recorded video package. I also speak on sales at National or Regional Sales Conferences (read about it here)
All live venues are totally customized to your needs, but all are based on the 7 core principles for reaching optimal sales performance.
You can reach me at 773-281-9448 if you want to Power up Your Sales, NOW!
