Our VP of Sales, Barry Cohen shares some business secrets!
1. Sell Outcomes
People don’t book your product or your service - they book the outcomes. Tell them about the outcome they can expect from working with you in a simple, clear, and exciting way.
2. Be an Advisor
A vendor gives quotes, persuades, and negotiates prices to close a deal. An advisor introduces you to options, shares good tips that have value for you, and talks about the experience.
3. Challenge Your Prospects
Ask them about what they need and why they need it. If you feel a prospect is asking for something you know won’t work for them - share your personal opinion with them. Don’t be afraid of risk, remember, their great experience is your success!
4. Be a People Person
People make emotional decisions. That doesn’t mean they don’t think and can’t pick up on BS. Make sure what you say literally makes sense. Talk to people like you would have people talk to you: Down to earth, straight to the point, be courteous and show them you want their business.
5. Get Comfortable Talking Business
Rehearse saying No with a smile. When it’s no longer painful, start rehearsing on dropping high numbers. It’s the same thing.
People are telepathic whether you want to believe that or not, and what you send out weighs more on their final decision than what you say or even what they think.
6. Always Be Selling
You’re always selling. Not all deals close. Sometimes, a prospect will pass on your offer, choose to go with a lower price, get bad service and come back to you. If you’ve handled yourself in a way that allows that prospect to call you back - you’ve closed that in the past. How’s that for Time Travel?
7. Be a Student For Life
There are no magic tricks. You need to Observe, Listen and gain a True Understanding of Need and Ego.
Everything is liquid and will always change. If you’re looking for rigid rules, you’re setting yourself up to fail as no two people are the same and that goes for situations too. Those who allow themselves to learn and make mistakes grow a successful business.
8. Work with Emotions
Sales is balancing between push and pull energy. Sales is NOT about Money. If you can’t grasp this, you’re wasting your time and losing money.
Prospects come to you with a conflict: they want to book you but they feel bad about spending the money - respect that and expect that. This is a dance you need to lead and make them enjoy.
9. Identify the Decision Maker
In many cases you’re not talking to the decision maker: Educate them and Not Convince them.
Educated prospects “sell” you better to the real decision maker. Remember to keep it simple, short and repeat it again and again.
10. Shake Off Old Concepts
Excitement is not Eagerness: excitement draws your prospects to want to book you and it’s a sign of confidence and strength.
Assertiveness is not Aggressiveness: setting boundaries and saying No at times makes the customer feel they can trust you. You need that.
Accommodating is not Spineless: going out your way to help drive business in is your responsibility, not your weakness.
Courting a prospect is not the same as being Desperate. You want their business - and you Should! Following up is key and often will be that little thing that closed the deal.