Transcript Week 1

Presented by:
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS
CEO, Soundline
•Hone Your Prospecting Skills
•To Increase Your Success Rate
•To Increase Your Sales
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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The Telephone Is The Lifeblood Of Sales
primary uses:
•Maintain Periodic Contact
•Providing Information
•Closing Sales
•Troubleshooting
•Taking Orders
•Getting Referrals
•Saying “Thank You”
Prospect And Make Appointments
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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PRECONDITIONING HELPS GET A CALL BACK
For four consecutive weeks I deliver a “good morning breakfast” in attractive
gift bag with sales literature and a note on corporate stationary.
Week 1: Bagels and a note that says “Please enjoy your breakfast with my
compliments while you read my most current literature”.
Week 2: Croissants and a small jar of jam plus a note. “Please enjoy your
breakfast and when you’re in a jam…call us.”
Week 3: Rolls and a note “We (company name) will keep your sales rolling
in”.
Week 4: Small loaf of bread “ We’ll rise to any occasion.”
Distribution by mail, in person, etc. The last week should be delivered by hand.
Jennifer Jankovski, Account Executive ( Selling Power Magazine)
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Last Call
On your last call prospecting did you…
• Ask questions?
• Record responses ?
• Did you listen ?
• Did you show interest and concern for the prospect’s needs?
• Did you treat the buyer as an important individual?
• Was it brief ?
• Did you get a meeting ?
• How many calls did you make
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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True or False55
1.
The average prospect is more inclined to say NO, than yes
when you cold call ?
2.
On average it takes more than one call to get through to a
prospect ?
3.
There is generally a “gatekeeper” who has the job of fending
off your call from the boss ?
4.
You are likely to face rejection again ?
•Don’t internalize…it isn’t you !
•It’s only a phone. Hang up
•They all look the same in their underwear
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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1- Arthur
4- Doug
2- Sandy
5- David
3-Kathy
6 -Wayne
Let’s Tap A Telephone
Be Prepared
Cliff Note Yourself
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Test Your Skills
Ring Ring
Hello, this is Bob Jones
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Constructing
A Prospecting Call
The Two Minute Drill
A short, concise introductory phrase (overture).
•Who you & your company are
Value Statement – what’s in it for me ?
•Increase sales, reduce turn-over, add profits
Ask questions directed at getting YES answers
•Am I right in assuming you would like to increase sales ?
•I’m sure you would agree your time is very valuable
Get Facts – test the prospects sincerity in seeing you
•What would you look at first for promotion ?
Get agreement On next step – offer options seek a YES
•Fax, e-mail, visit
2 Minutes
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Voice Mail Messages
“If a prospect does not call me back after several telephone
messages I use humor to get through by saying, ‘Joe,
you’re not ignoring me are you ? You know you can run
but you can’t hide”. Or, I’m afraid I’m going to have to
sing my next message into the phone unless I hear back
from you and, believe me, it’s not pretty“’.
My funny messages almost always get a response. If they
don’t, I make good on my threats.
Lisa Schraeder, Business Development Manager (Sales Power Magazine)
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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The Fundamentals Of Leaving
A Voice Mail Message
BE PREPARED
•Your voice mail may be a buyer’s first impression of you
•State your name and number first and last
•Leave it at the beginning and end of your calls
•Speak only as fast as you can write the information down yourself
•Be brief
•Smile. To project warmth over the phone, smile while you speak
•Limit alternatives - Limit information
•Add a sense of urgency
•Add a sense of mystery - Be vague yet specific
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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VOCABULARY SPEAKS A
LOT ABOUT YOU
BUZZ WORDS
•Help
•Save
•Increase/Decrease
•Win
•Free
•Discount
•Build
•Partner
•Make
•Security
•Beat
•Achieve
•Goals
•Insure your success
•Expert creative staff
•Vast experience in your product group
•Within 5 minutes
•Special value
•Solve problems
•Exclusive program development
•Promotional think tank
•Open new markets
•Build employee tenure
•Lower workers compensation rates
•Insure using your co-op dollars
•Move ahead of the competition
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Your Vocabulary Says A
Lot About You !
WORDS YOU MAY WANT TO AVOID
•I sell, I carry, I’ve got
•We’re in the ad specialty business
•We do giveaways
•Imprinted items
•Lines
•__________
•__________
•__________
•__________
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Be An Effective Listener
1)
Respect the speaker.
You are more likely to listen to someone you hold in high
regard.
2)
Listen for unspoken messages the speaker may not want
to openly share.
3)
Observe the 80/20 rule.
Nerves or eagerness may tempt you to talk too much.
4)
Be aware of any tendency to let your mind wander.
Stay focused and pay attention. If you are scripted you
Won’t need to think of the next question. 5Ws
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Seven-point prospecting plan.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Choose & use three sources of quality leads. Your leads may come from
people (current customers, prospects, service organizations, etc.) or data
(advertising responses, trade directories or the Net).
Research first. Before you call prospects, study up on their industry,
company financial situation, market conditions, problems, etc.
Know titles of top contacts. Know who has influence and who makes the
buying decisions. Show the prospect your working knowledge
Perfect your contact methods. Third-party introductions are ideal ways to
meet new prospects, but if you make your message memorable and
unique, a phone call, email message or fax may be equally effective.
Develop skills to get past gatekeepers. Treat gatekeepers with respect and
courtesy, and don’t be shy about politely asking questions to help you
learn more about your buyer.
Pick your three best benefit statements. To create interest, use benefit
statements with the words increase, improve, gain, grow, maximize,
enhance, or manage. Practice your overture
Use an effective follow-up system. Schedule follow-up visits and phone
calls and have objectives for each follow-up contact.
SET REALISTIC PERSONAL CONTACT OBJECTIVES
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Effective Follow-Up Calls
1)
Schedule and plan.
Know in advance when to make calls and what you will say.
2)
Keep calls short.
Show respect for your buyer’s time and your own.
3)
Make appointments.
Instead of dropping in for face-to-face follow-up calls, call ahead.
4)
Call with a purpose.
Have a good reason for calling and share it up front.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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PROSPECTING
Warm Up For The Call
Use Letters & Campaigns
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Practice what you preach. Lumpy mail gets attention & gets through
Build a cost effective campaign. It’s all about ROI
Express understanding of the reader’s busy schedule.
Ask a strategic question to get the reader’s attention,
State goals.
Promise ideas and solutions.
Provide a response vehicle, but don’t expect much without a call
Make a special offer, then ask for action.
Use snail mail and e-mail to precondition your target
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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e-mail As A Prospecting Device
e-mail messages should hasten the sales process not hinder it!
Stick to the point.
Reading and responding to e-mail is time consuming.
Don’t waste your own or your buyer’s time with longwinded messages.
Save something for the sales call.
What’s in it for your buyer?
Use e-mail to answer prospects’ questions, send quotes or
proposals
Suggest action steps. Leave out information on your history
or competitive positioning.
Present a next step.
Getting to the next step in the sales process is your primary
goal. Through your e-mails, take the initiative and set the
stage for reaching that step.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Getting Referrals
1)
Since selling is a numbers game, ask for referrals every day.
2)
3)
Start early in the day, early in your relationship
In asking for referrals. Try to exceed your personal goals.
4)
Appeal to buyers’ desire to feel needed by asking for help, or advice.
5)
Send a “token” of appreciation. Practice what you preach.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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A Daily Prescription
For Success
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Prospect every day, even when you’re busy with other immediate sales opportunities.
Send a well thought-out mailing to your prospect/suspect list in advance and avoid the dreaded
brush off. “Send me some literature”.
Qualify your initial prospect list yourself. Eliminate the obvious. Don’t spend time on wasted calls.
Organize your prospect list by geography, estimated business potential and other priority
considerations.
Get referrals and suggestions from your customers, clients or networking sources.
Rehearse what you’re going to say when you speak with the prospect
Call when you might catch your prospects alone.
Be persistent. Leave a brief voice mail. If not overdone, several messages can establish your name
and your message in the prospect’s mind.
Make lots of contacts. “The number game” isn’t always the answer, but if, over time, you make a
large number of calls, you will succeed.
Listen… most important of all. The best salespeople listen and use information they gather to help
meet their customers’ needs and close business.
Repeat success. Nothing breeds success more than prior success. If you sell one hospital…call
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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another.
Rules For Closing On The Phone
1.
Know Your Buyer Well – Knowing your buyer helps you select your closing method.
2.
Close Incrementally – Get the buyer to make small decisions on color, shipping dates, artwork.
Then, ask your closing question.
3.
Have An Arsenal Of Closing Techniques – Write and record your top three telephone closing
techniques.
4.
Do Not Over Tel-sell – There comes a time to shut up. Let some dead air happen after you pop
the closing question.
5.
Be Creative – Differentiate yourself from competitors and e-commerce. Display a flash of
creativity. Save a brilliant stroke for the end. “Oh…I have a good idea”.”.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Practice Session
Buyer:
Job:
Secretary:
Company:
Location:
Research:
Mr.or Ms. Jones
Human Resource Director
Wanda Wickedski
Acme Explosives
10 minutes from your office
150 employees,
Mark Stevens, President,
New contract with the government.
Always advertising for employees.
Annual sales 150 million.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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Don't use a "benefit list" to present from. Instead, use it to create
questions to determine if those "benefits" truly are of value to your
prospects and customers. Some "benefits" could actually be liabilities.
Avoid asking go-nowhere questions like,
"Is everything going OK?"
"What are your needs?"
"Are you having any problems now
Get them emotionally involved in seeing and feeling the
pain or problem that can be solved with your product/service-especially
problems you know they're likely experiencing. For example, "What do you do in situations when you need parts shipped overnight, but
are unable to get them?"
Ask one question at a time..
After asking, be quiet. Resist the urge to jump in if they don't answer
immediately. Don't be intimidated by silence. They're likely thinking about what they're going to say.
After they've finished, count to two (silently, of course). This ensures they're done, plus they might continue with even better information.
Be confident in your questioning. One reason reps ramble with questions is that they're not prepared or confident. Prepare your questions.
Role play them-with yourself if necessary.
Always know where you'll go with answers. Regardless of the answer.
Follow up their answers with related questions. Too often reps work from a rigid list of questions, losing the opportunity to pick up on
prospect statements which are just the tip of the iceberg of their real feelings. For example, if a prospect said, "I believe the main reason
production isn't higher is a lack of motivation. The best move is to follow up with, "I see. What specific signs of poor motivation have you
noticed?", or, simply, "Tell
me more." (For lots of other ideas on questioning, and all parts of the
call, get How to Sell More, In Less Time, With No Rejection, Using Common
Resist the tendency to present. Some reps get so excited when they hear the slightest hint of an opportunity, that they turn on the spigot
of benefits. Hold off, ask a few more questions, get better information, and you're able to craft an even harder-hitting description of
benefits, tailored precisely
to what they're interested in.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS Soundline LLC
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