Take Note of The Things That Speak To You
Read and make note of those things you read that really speak to you.We might read a 300-page book…and see only 3 things that spoke to us. That’s fine.Take those three things and try your hand at writing about them.
You learn more when you write about something.
- Why did they speak to you?
- What will you miss by not adhering to those lessons?
- How have those lessons shifted “how you think?”
-B. Caskey
Roadmap To Revenue-10 Components To Sales Growth – Part 1 of Advanced Selling Podcast Live
For our listeners who are accustom to our 10 minute podcasts, this might be a shocker-a full 27 minutes of 10 components to revenue growth. Actually this is the audio from a live-audience event we did in Indianapolis last week.
This is not a step-by-step process to growth — rather a “component approach,” meaning. “What are the things I need to ‘have, be or do’ in order to grow my business?” Bryan and Bill walk through each of these with extra attention paid to three of the sections.
- [PART 2: Roadmap To Revenue]
- Also, join our LinkedIn group.
- Download the PDF “Roadmap to Revenue”, visit – http://www.advancedsellingpodcast.com/toolbox/
Roadmap To Revenue – 10 Components To Sales Growth – Part 2 The Advanced Selling Podcast Live
For our listeners who are accustom to our 10 minute podcasts, this might be a shocker-a full 27 minutes of 10 components to revenue growth. Actually this is the audio from a live-audience event we did in Indianapolis last week.
This is not a step-by-step process to growth — rather a “component approach,” meaning. “What are the things I need to ‘have, be or do’ in order to grow my business?” Bryan and Bill walk through each of these with extra attention paid to three of the sections.
- [PART 1: Roadmap To Revenue]
- Also, join our LinkedIn group.
- Download the PDF “Roadmap to Revenue”, visit – http://www.advancedsellingpodcast.com/toolbox/
When One Door Closes, Another Opens–If You Have Your Mind Right!
I was recently invited to lunch with 2 members of an executive team who were interested in joining our public sales training program. Their company is at a size where leadership is the only face of the company, therefore, responsible for bringing in new business. I was really excited about the opportunity as we are always looking to raise the bar in our public programs, and these 2 would definitely do that.
The first question I asked them was, “Why do you think you want to join our group?” What they told me had nothing to do with sales training and everything to do with growth, leadership in a changing environment and really deciding what they want to be in the next 5-10 years.
I think joining our sales group was the only solution that came to mind. They were obviously feeling some discomfort with everything that is going on, and sales training would put them with other smart people, learning new stuff. That can feel good when things back at your office are a bit discombobulated! 
The Monetary Benefit of One Idea
I have a client who is in one of our training programs, and once a quarter we’ll get together and talk about his business. You might call it “personal coaching,” but it’s really just me hearing what his struggles are and giving some advice and tips and ideas on how he might be able to alleviate them.
The thing I love about his approach is that he always tells me what each idea I give him could be worth.
About two months ago, I suggested to him that in his sales process he put in a “diagnostic assessment” that allowed him to assess the customer’s business in a way that would help him determine if he even wanted to spend any time with that customer. And, of course, it would help the customer know if he/she had pain that was worth spending any time to fix.
Prior to this he had only asked questions and taken opinions from prospects. He had never put in any kind of a process/assessment. That idea just earned him a $1.3 million sale, which will generate about $300,000 of net profit in his business—one idea, $300,000.
But That’s Not Typical
What’s more typical is that ideas that we toss around in training meetings and coaching sessions go unused. They go unused because most of us have no way of executing anything new. We get so rigid in how we’ve done things that a new idea goes in one ear and out the other.
The Challenge
In 2011 I have a challenge for you: Make this the big idea year. And big ideas don’t mean earthshaking new ways to do business. It could be a very small idea that becomes a big idea because it leads to a windfall of economic benefit.
So the next time you ask someone for advice, and they give you something, don’t let it pass through your brain without filtering it through to see what that one idea could be worth. New ideas are the coin of today’s realm, but they’re worthless if no time is spent understanding them and deciding how they can be of economic benefit.
The High Hazard of High Emotion
We love emotion don’t we? When we see a coach ranting and raving on the sideline, we say, “Boy, look at that passion!!” Usually, what we mean is “He’s come unhinged-but it’s for a good cause.”
But is out-of-control emotion all it’s cracked up to be in the sales cycle? I say, “No.” Here’s why.
We have a saying in our business when we’re working with clients: “The only emotion that should be seen is the prospect’s demonstration of emotion of why they need to fix their problem.” Not only does your emotion (desire to sell the product, desire for the resulting income, ego satisfaction) not help, it hurts the process.
You want the prospect’s emotion to fill the air and the space between you and him. The more your emotion is on display, the less room there is for theirs to play out.
Catch Yourself
Believe me, this is hard for me to do…and I see it difficult for others. When your points are falling flat and your customer resorts to “Your price is too high,” you WILL get emotional. But it won’t come out as passion…yelling…screaming. It will come out as defensive. And the instant you go defensive, you’ve lost the battle.
Write down the thing that your prospect commonly says that drives you crazy. Then come up with a strategy/device so that when they say it, you stay calm and in the moment. Then you can, logically, walk thru how they got to that decision/conclusion.
And, of course, practice detachment. If it is not meant to be, then you must move on. But don’t use detachment as a way out of the process. Detachment is merely a ‘way of being’ so that you can logically sort out the truth.
How Salespeople Can Differentiate Themselves
We get asked this question almost daily in our sales training business: HOW CAN I DIFFERENTIATE MYSELF? Let’s spend a little time looking at the bigger picture.
Step 1: Stop Behaving Like a Salesperson
Find 20 strangers and ask them to do word association. You say a word, and they say the first thing that comes to mind. The word: SALESPERSON.
95% of the responses you’ll get will be negative: PUSHY, ANNOYING, SLIMY, SLICK, etc. So the first step in differentiating yourself is to STOP BEHAVING LIKE, SPEAKING LIKE AND THINKING LIKE any sort of salesperson.
Step 2: Develop 2 Stories
Express your value with STORIES. The “elevator pitch” is OUT. The 30-second commercial is as up to date as an 8-track tape player. Time to find your voice in the new century.
You need to develop 2 stories: 1) your personal story and 2) your company story. We’re not talking about your biographical history. We’re talking about why you do what you do—your philosophy with new customers. Stating your intent. Sharing what you’ve learned. The Story is in and a necessity when it comes to differentiating yourself in the sales process.
Step 3: Keep Features/Functions/Benefits Out of the Conversation
Here’s the deal. NO ONE CARES ABOUT WHAT IT DOES. THEY ONLY CARE IF IT MAKES THEIR LIFE BETTER. Salespeople are still addicted to specs, attributes, features, functionality, etc. No one cares…how is my life better off with you and your product in it than out of it? That’s it.
Step 4: Stop Trying
Stop trying to DIFFERENTIATE. Trying to differentiate from a competitor immediately puts you in a very bad place. It puts you on the defensive. When you’re on the defensive, you turn your attention to the COMPETITOR and away from the CUSTOMER. If you really want to differentiate yourself, stop trying to. Just focus on helping the person across the table.
4 small ideas that will dramatically and positively impact your effectiveness in the sales process.
