Sales Rules (13-17)

• Manage the sale – don’t allow it to manage you
• Don’t spill your beans
• Never give without receiving
• Make everything your own

Manage the sale – don’t allow it to manage you.

An unmanaged sale can easily run your life, stealing time away from other sales. Take five minutes to coordinate your efforts on calls, email etc . . . the easiest method to manage a sale is by understanding it from the prospect’s side of the table.

Don’t spill your beans

Patience. Repeated touches. Common sense with prospects builds credibility and trust. If you give all of your information too early or in one sales action you won’t have any reason for the prospect to speak with you again. Limit your information to what is pertinent at the time so that you and the prospect have valid reasons to speak with each other in the future.

Never give without receiving

If someone asks you for something you must always expect something in return. It can be of small or large value. It doesn’t matter, so long as the rule is set. Operating in this way helps build credibility and respect between you and the prospect. If you always say yes, than the prospect will see you as a “yes” man. “Yes” men are never trusted and don’t get referrals.

Make everything your own

You will learn many methods and tips throughout your sales career that can help you become a better salesperson. All of these are worthless if you don’t invest in making them your own. Don’t be a robot! Add your own personality and style.

Sales Rules (9 – 12)

• Present options they aren’t aware of (Teach them a better way)
• You walk the path taken by many before you
• Your job is to build trust
• Under promise –  Overproduce

Present options they aren’t aware of (Teach them a better way)

Here is where you learn to look beyond a knee jerk answer. When a prospect says, “I’ll never do _____” , seek to understand their statements. You might find an opportunity to teach them a better way. (See the path you walk).

You walk the path taken by many before you.

Until you demonstrate your worth to a prospect, they’ll see you as just another ________ salesperson. Take nothing for granted. People have been selling since man could walk. If you can say it, someone else has said it before. Don’t leave things to chance with broad statements, “Our enrollment is simple (said with a wide smile).” You must demonstrate, show, and backup what you say.

Your job is to build trust (earn it)

Most clients will hold their trust until you’ve delivered on what you say. Always think of little actions you can set up and complete to demonstrate your ability. Five small sales actions (calling when you say you will, delivering references when you say you will, or sending over a thank you with a paper copy of the proposal) will do more to create trust than one large action.

Tasks that may seem simple and meaningless, on their own, are in fact the quickest way to earn credibility and trust when completed as a series of separate actions. They will keep you top of mind, creating more touches for a relationship and build a controllable, repetitive record of success. One big action may be easier for you to complete, but it will do nothing to help you earn the credibility required to call someone a customer (especially one that delivers referrals).

Under promise — Overproduce

When working with a customer, the quickest way to lose trust and credibility is to blindly say what you think they want to hear and not be able to follow through. It’s much better to set certain expectations a “little” lower than your capabilities and overproduce with your actions.

Sales Rules (5 – 8)

1. Understand your prospects’ business issues
2. Know your prospects’ job description — beyond our service
3. Understand your prospects’ environment
4. Look for their buying windows – (Lighter workload, urgency, etc.)

Understand your prospects’ business issues

This doesn’t mean you must be an expert in their business. You should have a base knowledge of what it is they do and how your services relate to their industry. Many sales will be won because of you and your company’s experience working in a particular industry.

Know your prospects’ job description — beyond our service

Until you know what your prospect does everyday, you will not understand where your service rates. Most people today have many different functions (hats) to their job. Our service may be just one very small component of their work day. The sooner you find this out, the sooner you’ll know your place at the table.

Understand your prospects environment

Understand how they interact with the rest of their company. When you find this out, you can better gauge if they are the decision maker, influencer or just a time waster. (Many CEO, CFO and Presidents just rubber stamp decisions made by influential/trusted employees)

Look for their buying windows – (Lighter workload, urgency, etc.)

A buying window is the timeframe when a prospect is most likely to buy. An initial meeting might have nothing to do with a prospect’s buying window being open. Your sales call may have caught them with just enough time to begin investigating options. Prospects, just like salespeople, have a process to work through. A prospect’s buying process requires time and resources outside of their control. By asking about peak seasons and their workload, you can better identify their buying windows. When you do this you will be managing your sales, not chasing phantom deals.

Sales Rules (1 – 4)

This is the first in a series of posts on my general sales “rules” — little pieces of information I’ve learned and picked up over the years. The list is always growing and being tightened. Comments are encouraged.

1. Always be yourself
2. Don’t leave your personality at the door
3. Patience, Patience, Patience
4. View all sales opportunities from your customer’s perspective

Always be yourself:

You are who you. If you try and be something that you are not, a prospect will sense it and not trust you.

Don’t leave your personality at the door:

Others can help you improve your work habits and sales process, but your personality was created long ago. Go with it. More than likely it’s what landed you in sales.

Patience, Patience, Patience:

There is a big difference between asking for a sale and being aggressive. Patience knows when the prospect is ready to buy.

View all sales opportunities from your customer’s perspective:

When you can see things from their side of the table, you are in a better position to deliver on their vision.

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