STRATEGIC SELLING : HIGHLIGHT YOUR DIRECT VALUE PROPOSITION

As a seller, you will never benefit if a prospect goes down a path that isn’t going to benefit them.

If businesses can't immediately recognize the value you bring, then they won't buy what you're selling. It's as simple as that. Show your prospects that you're creating value for them, up front.

Practice communicating your unique value proposition so you're ready to demonstrate your value in any selling situation. Keep practicing until you have a compelling, quick response for whenever someone asks you: "What do you bring to the table?"

 Become an Advocate: 

As a seller, you will never benefit if a prospect goes down a path that isn’t going to benefit them. We’ve talked a lot on this show about the need to truly listen to your buyer, and it’s true — you have to understand what factors they’re facing internally and externally, what deadlines they’re up against, and what investments they may have already made. Once you’ve done that, then you can align your resources from content to people to offer the best solution that’s unique to them.

Make Quality Touches: 

Who benefits from messages that are “just checking in?” If you said “nobody,” you’re right. Every outreach you make needs to provide value to your prospect. Think about how you can use business journals, social media, or another news platforms to encourage conversations and show that you’ve heard your buyer and understand their challenge. Do not mistake what I’m saying — by no means am I telling you to never go for the sale, I’m just telling you that, done right, building a relationship based on the value you add outside of your product can make a big difference.

Quit Focusing on the End Result: 

Building on both the previous takeaways, understand that I know you have a quota to hit. But, by always focusing on the end result, the thing you want most (a signed contract), you could be pushing your prospect farther and farther away. Start thinking about what is the best possible next step. Want to secure a meeting with the Vice President? Maybe you should talk to 2-3 of her direct reports first and learn what matters. Want to close the deal by end of quarter? Maybe you should have an alignment meeting to understand both the internal resources they’ll need and what other projects they’ll be working on at the same time.

CONCLUDING

For every champion there are hundreds of others with just as much – or more – pure talent who never rise above mediocrity. Champions reach the winner’s circle through work. Working to achieve meaningful goals is the most satisfying and rewarding way you can spend your time and energy.

To become successful, choose to be one of the few people willing to spend countless hours preparing for victory. Achievements do not come spontaneously; they must be rehearsed. You must practice being a champion before you can reap the honors high-performance living provides.

When you set challenging goals and discipline yourself to work toward them, you turn your desires and dreams into reality!

Target Selling : a patent way to conserve sales resources and improve productivity

target  selling 

versus

 spray gun PROSPECTING

The fulfillment of annual, quarterly and monthly sales targets, creates  pressure which can spill over onto sales teams as a whole, who have to find any number of effective techniques, strategies and sales methods. That’s where stress causes some of them to make a serious strategic error: trying to sell to everyone. The thinking behind this mistake goes like this:

if I prospect 10 leads, I’ll get one / two / three customers (depending on sales efficiency and the current conversion rate).To hit my monthly business targets, I need to find 10 customers. So if I prospect 100

Prospecting in this way often means forcing the sale (instead of assisting the customer towards purchasing). Many customers then find themselves with a product or solution they don’t need enough and won’t make full use of. They’ll be dissatisfied, and will run down the company’s reputation in one way or another, harming its future sales. 

The spray-gun prospecting approach earns you lots more “No”s and plenty of rude responses. And if you’re not mentally and emotionally strong enough to take it, your confidence and motivation will take a knock. The outcome: less energy, fewer sales opportunities and fewer sales.most prospects you come across will either not want the product, not be appropriate for the product, or not know the company well enough to commit themselves. 

Result: a waste of the financial and material resources that go into prospecting, but also of the time you have available (which is often at a premium) to achieve results. It’s vital to understand that “trying to sell to everyone by prospecting blind” isn’t the best strategy for generating business. Especially when you realise how easily Sales Intelligence lets us target the best prospects with cutting-edge techniques!

So why don’t you take the time to identify your ideal customer, so you can target them better? You’ll reduce your prospecting costs, the length of your sales cycle… and you’ll generate more satisfied customers, who will recommend you and help to strengthen your business in the long term.What could be better than that?

a strategic blunder any big ticket sales manager can do is not learning from mistakes

STRATEGIC SALES BLUNDER :

NOT LEARNING   FROM   MISTAKES

We all make mistakes when selling our product or service. Here are the most common sales mistakes people make. I have to admit I have made many of these mistakes, even though I have been teaching this stuff for almost a decade.

Sales Mistake # 1:

Allowing a prospect to lead the sales process. 

The best way to control the sales interaction is to ask questions. This is also the best way to learn whether or not your product or service meets the needs of your prospect. Quality questions that uncover specific issues, problems, or corporate objectives are essential in helping you establish yourself as an expert.

Sales Mistake # 2:

Not completing pre-meeting research. 

After several weeks of voice mail I finally connected with my prospect and scheduled a meeting. Unfortunately, I entered the meeting without first researching the company. Instead of presenting a solution to an existing problem, I spent the entire meeting learning fundamental information, which to senior executives, is a complete waste of their time. This approach is one of most common sales mistakes. Invest the time learning about your prospect before you call them and before you try to schedule a meeting.

Sales Mistake # 3: 

Talking too much. Too many sales people talk too much during the sales interaction. They espouse about their product, its features, their service and so on. When I first bought a water purifier for my home I recall speaking to a sales person who told me how long he had been in the business, how smart he was, how good his water purifiers were, etc. But this dialogue did nothing to convince me that I should buy from him. Instead, I left the store thinking that he did not care about my specific needs. A friend of mine is in the advertising business and often talks to prospects who initially request a quote. Instead of talking at great length about the ad agency’s experience and qualifications, he gets the potential client talking about her business. By doing this he is able to determine the most effective strategy for that prospect.

Sales Mistake # 4: 

Giving the prospect information that is irrelevant.

 When I worked in the corporate world I was subjected to countless presentations where the sales person shared information that was completely meaningless to me. I don’t care about your financial backing or who your clients are. Make the most of your presentation by telling me how I will benefit from your product or service until I know how your product or service relates to my specific situation.

Sales Mistake # 5: 

Not being prepared.

 I remember calling a prospect expecting to receive his voice mail. That meant I was completely unprepared when he answered the call himself. Instead of asking him a series of qualifying questions I simply responded to his questions, allowing him to control the sale. Unfortunately, I didn’t progress any further than that initial call. When you make a cold call or attend a meeting with a prospect it is critical that you are prepared. This means having all relevant information at your fingertips including; pricing, testimonials, samples, and a list of questions you need to ask. I suggest creating a checklist of the vital information you will need and reviewing this list before you make your call. You have exactly one opportunity to make a great first impression and you will not make it if you are not prepared.

Sales Mistake # 6: 

Neglecting to ask for the sale.

 If you sell a product or service, you have the obligation to ask the customer for a commitment, particularly if you have invested time assessing their needs and know that your product or service will solve a problem. Many people are concerned with coming across as pushy but as long as you ask for the sale in a non-threatening, confident manner, people will usually respond favorably.

Sales Mistake # 7: 

Failing to prospect. 

This is one of the most common mistakes independent business make. When business is good many people stop prospecting, thinking that the flow of business will continue. However, the most successful sales people prospect all the time. They schedule prospecting time in their agenda every week.

CONCLUSION

Even the most seasoned sales professional is a person in evolution. No matter how good you are you can be better. No matter how good you are the competition is getting smarter. Use a checklist to prepare your attitude, appearance, customer information, company and product information and the selling environment, so you can be at your best on every call. Study yourself, your product or service and your company to know what is working now. Reinforce the actions and tools, which are generating results. Learn from your successes as well as your failures. BEGIN TODAY ANEW

HOW TO NATIONAL SALES MANAGER CAN BOOST SALES PERFORMANCE IN CHALLENGING TIMES

POST COVID is a challenging time  for the salesforce; every sector is affected by the currency crunch; global cues of protectionism and falling market demand Are you the National Sales Manager driven by lower market performance due to factors which you belive are beyond your control; Take heart you are not alone in your problems and there is no end to the possibilites which are still open. Here are a few I have tried during such business downturns in the years gone by.... Notice What Is Working & What is Not… Study yourself, your product or service and your company to know what is working now. Reinforce the actions and tools, which are generating results. Learn from your successes as well as your failures. Create a profile of the company’s Market Create a profile of the ideal market for what you offer. Define who they are, where they can be reached, what they care about, what they fear, what they read, whom they admire and more. Know them well. Check  & Redesign Your company’s Sales Reputation Determine today how you want to be thought of tomorrow. Specify the reputation you want within each group of which you are a part, and then work a plan to earn it piece by piece. Know Your company’s Competitive Advantage Study your company and your company’s products and services in relation to what your company’s competitors offer. Know where and how you stand out, and where you don't. Be prepared to discuss these comparisons at any moment. Use Pareto Principle to target Your company’s Best Prospects Best customers have patterns. We call it the Pareto Principle Most will fit the same pattern, so prospect among those who fit the pattern. Calling on people with similar needs, circumstances, and interests makes you more likely to create another best customer. Backyard Gold mining- Ask For Referrals from Satisfied Customers Tell people what your company’s ideal customer or prospect looks like. Ask them who they know who fits this description. Then ask them to take a specific action to help you meet the prospect; a telephone introduction, a testimonial letter, arrange a luncheon or coffee shop meeting, etc. More business exists around you than you know. Look among your friends, neighbors, existing customers, past customers, colleagues, competitors and coworkers for the opportunities that others overlook. Start a Backend Sales Campaign with Loyal Customers Know how to cultivate dedicated customers. A movie ticket doesn't just buy you a seat in the theater; it buys you the experience of enjoying the movie. What experience does your company’s product or service bring to people? Give them a way to sample that experience through your company’s presentation. Become competition-proof by delivering more than people expect. Overfill your company’s client's needs and be their business friend, even when they are not buying from you. Be the kind of person people rave about. Grow Your company’s Brand Identity Get yourself and your company known within your market area. Write articles, letters to editors, offer expert input for reporters and publishers, conduct surveys, provide free services to key people, donate your time to worthy causes, put your photo on your business card, share valuable ideas via email. Create a broad awareness of yourself as an authority on what you do. Build A Long term fund Of Good Business Relationships It is not only who you know that determines the value of your relationships; it is whether they know you as a valuable business resource. Define who you need to know today and five years from today. Start now to cultivate the relationships and the reputation, which will expand your possibilities. Design a Direct Marketing Approach That Uses Your company’s Sales Strengths Use the combination of online communication, in person calls, telephone contacts, trade show attendance, and public speaking, which allows you to shine. Build a mix of activities to diminish your company’s sales weaknesses and amplify your company’s strengths. municate with. Become a partner in problem solving, not a sales persuader.  Train Continuously & Recharge your Sales Story & Techniques Use a checklist to prepare your attitude, appearance, customer information, company and product information and the selling environment, so you can be at your best on every call. The way you are perceived by your company’s customer determines how much resistance you will encounter as you sell. Learn to project a positive feeling among those you come in contact with. Write down specifically how your company’s product or service makes life better for those who buy it. Read this description every day briefly, to keep in mind the reason behind the purchase. It's not about buying; it's about benefiting from buying. Create an awareness of the psychological needs of your company’s prospect as well as knowing what their technical needs are. Sometimes the way someone wants to feel has more influence on their decision to buy than what they actually need. Sustain motivation in the Sales team With lower sales incentive the sales rep (even the best) doesn't find much meaning in what they do, they don't bring much value to what they do. Half your job is keeping yourself and others in the right frame of mind. Cultivate your ability to keep the focus on the things that matter most. Become a person who can put everything in perspective for others. As tension rises, trust falls. Be aware of the ebb and flow of tension as the sale unfolds. Learn to reduce it when it gets in the way and to momentarily increase it to add urgency to the decision process. Best of luck Dr Wilfred Monteiro

closing the gap in your sales process: AUDIT YOUR SALES PROGRAM EVERY THREE YEARS TO KNOW THE DRIFT VERSUS PLAN AND THE UNDERGROWTH OF INEFFICENCY

Value Stream Mapping is not only for the production function it applies equally to the sales process and to the major sales campaigns you tried to execute. By the theory of cause & effect; sales do not spring by luck or surprise there is a definite relationship with the value chain you have set in the sales process... OTHERWISE sales boys blame logistics and logistics in turn blame production and production blames purchase and purchase blames finance... 

THE COMPANY IS NOT FIGHTING THE COMPETITION IT IS FIGHTING WITHIN ITSELF

xxx

 

XXX Losers put off the important things that could make a difference in their lives. Winners put off low-value tasks and activities.

Eliminate the Time Wasters in Selling

The first major time waster in selling is procrastination and delay. This occurs when you find every conceivable reason to put off getting there with people who can and will buy from you. Everyone procrastinates. There is always too much to do and too little time. The difference between successes and failures is determined by people's choices about what they put off. Losers put off the important things that could make a difference in their lives. Winners put off low-value tasks and activities.

Stop Wasting Time

According to sales research, half of all working time, in all fields, is wasted. Most of this wasted time is taken up with coffee breaks, phone calls, and personal business, or other useless activities that make no contribution to your work.

Resolve to Overcome Procrastination

The best way to overcome procrastination is to plan each day in advance, set priorities on your activities, and then make your first sales call as early as you possibly can. Get up and get going. When you launch quickly into a workday, doing something important as early as possible, you will work at a higher level of effectiveness all day long.

The Incomplete Sales Call

Another major time waster is the incomplete sales call, requiring a callback. This occurs when you have not thoroughly prepared your presentation or taken all the materials you need for your sales call. When you are with the customer, you find you're missing the correct order forms, or other materials needed to close the sale. You then have to make arrangements to go back and see the prospect a second time, something that often does not happen.

Inaccuracies and Deficiencies

You waste a lot of time in selling when you find yourself with a prospect, but without all the information needed to make an intelligent presentation. You may have the wrong facts, the wrong figures, or the wrong specifications. You have misunderstood what the prospect said she wanted and made a proposal that does not solve the prospect's problem or satisfy her need.

Lack of Product Knowledge

This weakness can cost you hours of hard work. It boils down to ignorance of the product or service you are selling. This is invariably caused by laziness on the part of the salesperson. Fortunately it can be very easily overcome with time and study.

Poor Preparation

Thorough preparation separates the sheep from the goats among sales professionals. The top salesperson takes the time to diligently study every detail of her product or service. She reviews and then reviews again. She takes notes. She decides in advance that no one will ever ask her a question that she cannot answer intelligently and completely.

Unconfirmed Appointments

Here's a common scenario. A salesperson sets off across town to see a prospect for an appointment. It was arranged in advance, so everything should go as planned, right? But when the salesperson arrives, the prospect has been called out of town, is in a meeting, or cannot see him for some reason. As a result, he has wasted the entire trip, including the time it now takes him to get back to the office. Sometimes a salesperson can lose half a day because he did not reconfirm an appointment.

Action Exercise

Plan every day in advance; make a list of everything you have to do, and then set priorities on your list; always start with your number one, most important task.