Sure, they are stressful, unpredictable, and challenging but I enjoy the interaction with prospects and learning more about their business and/or an industry I’m not familiar with.
However, that’s not why I really love face-to-face sales calls…
I love the challenge each meeting with a new prospect presents.
Let’s face it, every sales call is completely different from the last one which give us the opportunity to learn, grow and improve our skills. And my favorite part of meeting with new prospects is being able to move the sales conversation forward and, eventually, capturing the deal.
Here are three ways you can ace your next sales call with a new prospect or existing customer.
1. Be prepared for the sales call.
The Boy Scout’s motto is particularly relevant in today’s sales environment.
Before any sales call, meeting or appointment it is important to have a base understanding of your prospect’s critical business issues. If you’re not sure what these issues are, you need to prepare a few questions to uncover them.
You need to anticipate potential concerns or objections your prospect may voice during your meeting AND you need to be prepared to address them.
The more preparation you do before a face-to-face sales call, the less likely you will be caught off-guard by something. It may sound like a fundamental concept but too many sales people are still under-prepared for their meetings which means you can stand out from your competition.
2. Be patient during the sales call.
Avoid the over-whelming urge to immediately launch into your sales pitch or presentation. Instead, ask your prospect a few questions to gain a deeper knowledge of their situation and to validate your understanding.
An effective way to do this is simply say, “Mrs. Jones, before I tell you how we can solve your employee turnover issues, let me ask you a couple of questions.”
This approach sets you apart from competitors who fire up their fancy PowerPoint presentations and recite a memorized sales presentation
3. Tailor your sales presentation.
Now that you have more insight about your prospect’s situation, problem, pain point, etc., you can deliver your solution.
However, if you really want to ace your meeting, it is critical that you tailor and adapt your presentation so that it addresses each key point. Avoid the common sales blunder of launching into a canned sales presentation or sales pitch; otherwise you end up sounding like every other sales person your prospect has met with.
Follow these three seemingly simple steps and you will make a powerful impact with your prospect; providing of course that your solution is relevant to their situation and that it will help them solve an existing problem.
BTW: I’m discussing this topic in detail during a webinar I’m conducting next week. It’s called, “You’ve Got the Appointment, Now What?” and it’s totally free. You can get the details and register here.
Could your team use some help with this? Maybe they could benefit from a hands-on, interactive workshop. Contact me and we can discuss: 905-633-7750.
A little while ago I was conducting a sales training workshop and we were discussing the importance of asking high-value questions. A participant piped up and said, “What difference does it make what questions we ask? The prospect isn’t going to tell us the truth anyway.”
I have to admit that I was somewhat taken aback from his statement. But… it did make me think.
There’s no doubt that some people will not tell you the truth during a discovery conversation. However, I strongly believe that this is caused by the sales person and his or her actions or behaviour.
Here’s why…
Prospects are inundated by people trying to sell them the latest and greatest product, and in many cases, they have heard a similar sales pitch from other sales people.
In my experience, many sales people ask questions that either could have been answered by a quick visit to the prospect’s website or by doing a few minutes of research. Or, they ask self-serving and useless questions such as;
“What do you know about our company?”
“Can I tell you about…?”
“If I could show you how you will (save money, increase sales, etc.) would you be interested?”
“What will it take to earn your business?”
In today’s business climate, the people you’re trying to sell to are incredibly busy.
They don’t have time to waste on frivolous conversations. They expect you to do some research BEFORE you contact them so that you can get to the point and offer something that will help them improve their overall business results.
Too many sales reps still follow the “show up and throw up” approach. They believe that telling is selling. If they actually ask questions they either ask the wrong questions or they ask them at the wrong time. Or, they ask questions that are designed to get a buying commitment from the prospect.
Here’s the simple truth…
The main reason prospects don’t tell you the truth is because they don’t trust you.
If you want prospects to open up and tell you the truth you need to create an environment of trust.
This means using the right tone and manner during your conversation whether it’s on the telephone or during a face-to-face meeting.
It means resisting the temptation to pitch your product until you have an accurate understanding of how it will actually help the prospect you’re talking to.
It means putting your agenda on the side burner and focusing 100 percent of your attention on your prospects’ problem, concern or situation instead of thinking how you will try to close the sale.
If you can achieve this then it is more likely your prospect will be straight-forward with you and you will no longer have to worry about them lying to you.
Looking for speaker for an upcoming sales meeting, conference, or other sales related event? Feel free to contact me and we can discuss what type of program would help you get better results. 905-633-7750
Tuesday’s post about stage fright certainly struck a chord with people.
I received emails from a variety of people who expressed their fear of delivering sales presentations to a group of people. Everyone stated that a one-on-one presentation was easy but groups really made them nervous.
If you happen to struggle with this problem this post is for you…
Here are eight strategies that will help you to tame those nerves and deliver a powerful and compelling sales presentation.
Sales Presentation Tip #1
Prepare, prepare, prepare. One reason for sales presentation anxiety is the fear of making a mistake. I know very few people who like making mistakes in public and the impact is intensified when you’re standing in front of a group of prospects.
Therefore, the more time you invest in preparing your presentation, the more confident you will be.
This doesn’t mean writing out an entire presentation but it does mean making sure you know the key points you want to address.
Sales Presentation Tip #2
Avoid memorizing your entire presentation. Instead, just memorize the key points (I use PowerPoint as my markers). This can reduce the stress because you won’t worry as quite much about making a mistake.
Here’s a technique I learned many years ago in case you forget your next point. Instead of racking your brain to remember what to say next (that seldom works and only causes more stress), simply recap your last couple of points. This approach misdirects your brain and is extremely effective at getting you back on track.
Sales Presentation Tip #3
Anticipate potential problems. What might go wrong during your sales presentation? What might you forget? Are you relying on technology? If so, do you have a back-up plan? Does it make sense to write a list of everything you need to bring with you?
Sales Presentation Tip #4
Rehearse. Rehearse your presentation as many times as possible before you deliver it. This helps your brain and mouth work together and gives you the opportunity to correct mistakes and ensure that the speech flows smoothly. I have been speaking for more than 16 years and I still verbally rehearse new speeches and sales presentations several times before I actually deliver them.
Sales Presentation Tip #5
Anticipate objections. Rehearsing helps me anticipate possible objections which gives me the opportunity to prepare for them before the actual sales presentation. When you anticipate potential objections you can actually modify your presentation and proactively address them. This gives you more credibility and commands more respect.
Sales Presentation Tip #6
Nerves are okay. Recognize that it’s okay to be nervous before a presentation. I STILL get nervous before a sales presentation, a training workshop or sales keynote speech. The key is to find ways to relax such as deep breathing, stretching, or even pacing.
Sales Presentation Tip #7
Don’t expect perfection. In the years I have been selling and delivering sales training workshops and keynote speeches, I don’t think I have ever delivered a perfect presentation. I have neglected to make certain points. I have forgotten what to say. I have stumbled on my words. I have called people the wrong name.
My point is that it doesn’t matter.
You will seldom, if ever, deliver a perfect sales presentation so don’t expect to. Strive for excellence instead. Learn from your mistakes but don’t beat yourself up unless of course you REALLY screw it up (I’ve done that, too!).
Sales Presentation Tip #8
Present, present, present. Lastly, the most effective way to overcome your fears and hesitations is to deliver as many sales presentations as you can. This is particularly important if you experience extreme anxiety like my youngest daughter. You may never become completely comfortable delivering sales presentations to larger groups but you will become more proficient.
What additional advice do you have? Please feel free to add your thoughts on how to reduce sales presentation anxiety in the comments area.
Could your team use some help improving their sales presentations? Feel free to contact me and we can discuss the details: Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com or 905-633-7750.
Several years ago I met with a small business owner who had a product that I thought might be suitable for one of my sales training programs. I had a particularly hectic schedule that day so I told him that I only had 30 minutes available for our meeting.
He quickly launched into his pitch but his focus was on how the product could be used for project management training, even though I mentioned that I was considering it for a sales management workshop. He obviously didn’t hear me make that point.
Anyway, after several minutes of listening to him drone on, I decided to buy the product.
I said, “Looks good, I’ll take it” to which he replied, “I haven’t told you the best part yet” and he continued talking.
Once again, I said, “I don’t need to hear anymore, I’ll take it.”
He put up his hand and said, “Oh, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell you about…”
At that point, I leaned forward, took the product from his hands and said, “I’ll take this one. Send me an invoice” and I stood up.
He sputtered and looked completely confused. It was obvious that he expected me to object or that he wanted to continue telling me more about the product.
Why is it that so many sales people want to continue selling AFTER the prospect has made a positive buying decision?
When a prospect or customer is prepared to move forward with the buying decision don’t create an opportunity to talk them out of it.
Shut up, take the order and go!
Planning a sales conference, meeting or training? Need a dynamic presenter who can help you get more from your meeting? Give me a call 905-633-7750 or email me.
In case you have been living on another planet or under a rock for the last two years, Adele is a UK-based singer who has sold more than 18 million albums since bursting on the music scene.
But that’s not what fascinated me…
You see, Adele suffers from a severe case of stage fright.
Seriously!
I was stunned!
Her career requires her to regularly sing in front of thousands of people and she frets over it the entire day before a performance. Cooper asked if she ever threw up before a performance and she said matter-of-factly, “Oh yeah, of course.”
What about you?
Does stage fright affect you?
Do you hesitate to pick up the telephone and make a cold call because you don’t know what to say?
Do you resist attending new networking function because you don’t enjoy mingling with strangers?
Do you hesitate trying new sales tactics or approaches because you feel uncomfortable?
Stage fright can be debilitating so imagine what would have happened to Adele’s career and record sales if she succumbed to this affliction. Imagine what the record company would do if she said, “I’m doing any more live performances; I’m just going to do studio work.”
Instead, she pushes through it every day she performs live. And that approach has certainly contributed to her success.
Are you prepared to push through your stage fright?
Could your team use some help pushing through their stage fright? Give me a call and we can discuss the best approach: 905-633-7750 or email me
