The Secret of Networking and Tradeshow Success
In this episode, Bill and Brian discussed the secrets of tradeshow selling since this is the trade show season coming up
But whether you participate in tradeshows or not this episode will help you become a better networker. The same skills apply.
Also mentioned in this podcast:
- Email It! A Seller’s Guide To Emails That Work with 20 Pre-Written, Ready-To-Use Emails
- Join the Advanced Selling Podcast Linkedin Group
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Are You Keeping Your Skills Sharp?
Isn’t it time you took inventory of your skills and competencies as a professional salesperson? Is it possible that, over time, your skills have deteriorated? You know the saying, “You lose what you don’t use.” In this episode, Bryan and Bill review several of the 10 Skill Sets needed to be a great salesperson.
You can email them at listener@advancedsellingpodcast.com (Subject line: Skills) to get all 10. In the document, you get a chance to rank yourself. If you’re sales manager/leader, there’s even space to assess your entire sales team.
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One Little Move Destroys Your Reputation
A friend of mine is considering getting out of the real estate sales market. He’s tired of the ups/downs. Don’t blame him.
So he’s been looking at other sales opportunities. One came a long–a large company that does high-end Handyman work. They needed a sales person so he sent his resume. He thought he’d be good at this — knowing as much as he does about residential real estate. Nothing. Not even a form email that said, “We’re so sorry. That position is filled.” Nothing.
So, at my request, he called the outsource staffing company to follow up. He was told, rudely and indignantly, that he need not call back–the position had been filled already.
Companies Spend Millions to Build a Brand. And It’s Over In Seconds.
Think about the absurdity of this. This Handyman company is a consumer company. Virtually EVERY potential candidate for the job is ALSO a candidate for a $50,000 remodel. So, what do they do? They piss off the very person who’s a potential prospect.
PLUS, he’s a realtor. How many people do you suppose he meets each week who are prospects for the Handyman services? And how many realtors does he know that he could refer Handyman to?
The bottom line is that this little mistake they made won’t show up anywhere on their P&L. But it will be costly.
You never know who you’re talking to. And you never know when who you’re talking to will tell stories to your real prospects. It’s a shame to ruin your reputation for no reason at all. If you’re an owner and you’re outsourcing important components of your sales cycle, be VERY careful. Your brand hangs in the balance.
Think about all the ways you build your brand or destroy it.
FlickrPhoto by Evisibility.com
Sales Process Work – Inside an Effective Sales Strategy
Recently, I posted on where sales training is going (The Future of Sales Training), I got some flack (probably well-deserved) for not getting in to more detail on each of my points. Sometimes in a blog, you just don’t have space to address the whole topic.
So, today I’ll dive a little deeper into point 1, which I’ve inserted below as a reminder.
1 A lot more process work. A lot less technique work. Not saying you shouldn’t have the basic sales skills (which so few really have), but I’m seeing it become a “process world.” Get the sales process right–and make sure it’s right for the prospect–and results will flow. Most sales companies have no coherent, useful, meaningful sales process. Get one–or hire someone to help you design one.
There is a curse alive and well in professional selling. Most sales processes have been built by sales people (and sales managers, who once were good sales people). The problem with that is the one thing you know about most sales people. They have a tendency for lack of detail. Your accountant or attorney or doctor doesn’t suffer from this. But sales people do.
That’s not a bad thing. It’s just a thing. It becomes a problem though when a “lack of detail person” builds your sales process.
And what has been overlooked in building an effective sales strategy and process are the details of the sequence of events. You see, in every sales process there is a sequence of activities that happen (whether you’re aware of them or not).
Perhaps after the first call, two weeks go by before you get with your prospect again. Guess what? Time kills deals. Consequently, you should have a built-in section of your sales process to make sure no more than 3-5 days go by between contacts with you.
That could mean an article sent to the prospect. It could be a narrative/review of your first call (written of course). It could mean a white paper – or a case study – or a blog that you recently wrote on a topic he/she’s struggling with – or a podcast you’ve done (all the more reason to blog/podcast).
Bottom Line
You MUST think through all the gory details of the sales process. Most companies have not done that. You can do that by doing a Mind Map or a Flow Chart with each and every section of your sales process. Yes, it’s tedious. No, it’s not fun.But all you have is your sales process. You could have a mediocre product, but with a good sales process, you will win a high percentage of time.
