Proven Sales Skills, Strategies, and Tips You Can Use!

Art Sobczak'sArt Sobczak'sArt Sobczak'sArt Sobczak'sArt Sobczak's

November 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 Volume 24 Number 11 Volume 24 Number 11 Volume 24 Number 11 Volume 24 Number 11 Volume 24 Number 11

TELEPHONEPROSPECTING ANDSELLING REPORT

What to Do When They SayThey Can’t Buy Today

Many reps are hearing their prospectsand customers say they are interested, butthey just can't do anything today. Here'sa step-by-step way to address the objec-tion, “The time just isn’t right, right now.”

As with any objection, you need tobreak it down gradually with a series ofquestions. What you don’t want to say atthis point is, “Oh, OK, when can I callyou back.?” A date is of little use if they’renot interested. Because they’ve then justgiven you the next date when they’ll brushyou off again.

Your first move needs to be,“I see.Let’s talk about that. First, do youagree that the system/product/serviceis something that you would seeyourself using?”

This is critical. It confirms that they’renot just blowing you off. No use wastinga series of frustrating follow-up calls tohear the same—or a more creative—ob-jection again. Hey, if you’re going to get adefinite “I’m not a prospect,” get it now.

Now, learning a time frame would bemore useful.“When would you seeyourself using/getting involved/join-ing/buying?”

Notice the wording here. Speak in termsof their action, what they will do—buyfrom you. If you just said, “When can Icall you back?” you’re simply asking themfor permission to call again, and that’snot as desirable as the alternative.

After confirmation of interest, then findout about the delay.

“What changes do you anticipatethat would make another time rightfor you?”

Or, “What will make (date) a bet-ter time for you?”

Or, “What’s going to happen be-

tween now and then that will makeit a better time?”

This not only helps to further qualifytheir intentions (a fuzzy answer heremight mean they aren’t that hot of aprospect), but it gives you ammo to workwith in case they’re mistaken about whatyou’ve presented, they don’t have all thefacts yet, or if they aren’t convinced aboutthe value and urgency of acting now.

Then, listen very carefully to the an-swers. Here are possible responses fromthem, and routes you could take. Theysay, “We’ll have more money availablethen.”

You could revisit the reasons they’reinterested. Ask questions to help themtell you what the missed opportunitywould be by waiting. Get them to quan-tify it. For example, “What would yousay that is costing you now?” Or, ifthe situation isn’t fixed, “How much ex-tra expense will you incur?”

Let’s say you’ve concluded that theydo have a valid reason for waiting, andthey agree that they want to work withyou. Firm it up at this point. Get com-mitments.

“OK, if anything changes be-tween now and our next scheduledconversation, will you please callme?”

Or, “Great, so I’m assuming thatthe next time we speak we can dis-cuss details of implementing theprogram?” Notice how you’re pre-clos-ing the sale.

After finishing the call, confirm yourunderstanding with a letter detailing thepoints. Then and there, schedule re-minders to keep your name in front ofthem: post-cards, hand-written notes,even after-hours voice mail messageswith tidbits of interest to them.

Turn ResistanceInto a Win-Win Deal

The scenario: a rep feels he has thesale wrapped up, but at the eleventhhour the prospect begins pushing formore concessions. The rep, feeling thedeal slipping away like beach sand be-tween his fingers, caves in and givesaway profits. It doesn't need to be thatway if you're prepared.

For example, consider a situationwhere a prospect or customer pressuresyou for a concession. You have some-thing he wants, and you want the salebut don't want to give away the store.Follow this process.

1.Propose aWin-Win Situation

Change the tone from one of con-frontation to an effort to reach a mu-tually beneficial agreement.

“Pat, this deal would need towork for both of us so we couldbuild a longer-term relationship.”

2. Restate the ScenarioCutting through the garbage to

reframe the facts often takes the emo-tion out of a negotiating battle.

“It's only fair that you want thebest value for your money, and it'sreasonable that we're not incurringall of the expense of performingthe extra services you want.”

3. Present OptionsSuggest a win-win solution.

“Let's do this: If you can agreeto a longer-term contract at thehigher quantity, which you saidyou'll likely need anyway, I canprobably get that price break ap-proved, and justify the higher levelmaintenance agreement. Doesthat sound fair?”

©Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399

The “The “The “The “The “ArArArArArt” of Sellingt” of Sellingt” of Sellingt” of Sellingt” of Selling

22222

Sales Observations

ArtSobczak isPresidentof BusinessBy Phone,and editor/publisherof TPSR,and authorof severalbooks andaudiotrainingprograms.He develops and delivers results-gettingtelesales training and workshops. Todiscuss what he might be able to do foryou, call him at 800-326-7721, or(402)895-9399. E-mail him at ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com.

TELEPHONE PROSPECTING ANDSELLING REPORT(ISSN 0882-1461) is published 12 timesper year by Business By Phone Inc., and isa member benefit of the Telesales SuccessInner Circle of Sales Professionals. To join,go to www.TeleSalesSuccess.com. Sendcorrespondence, and change of address toTELEPHONE PROSPECTING ANDSELLING REPORT, 13254 Stevens St.,Omaha, NE, 68137. Publisher/Editor: ArtSobczak; Contributing Columnists: JoeCatal, Jim Domanski, Jim Meisenheimer.Subscriptions: ©Copyright 2008, BusinessBy Phone Inc. All rights reserved. Photo-copying of this publication without permis-sion is breaking the law. Please inquire forpermission. (402)895-9399. FAX:(402)896-3353. Reprinting of articles inyour publication is permitted as long aswe’re credited with address and phonenumber and a copy is sent to us.

In this issue we have several ar-ticles addressing the challenging eco-nomic environment we are currently in.As I have written and spoke about somany times, the economics surround-ing us are an element we exist in andexperience, just like the weather. Andjust like the weather, we can't controlit, but we can control what we do.

For example, lots of people arewringing their hands right now, fearfulof how they are going to meet quota.Some are wondering if they will be ableto keep their job.

I have an idea: how about thinkinglarge? Why not just assume that youwill make 2009 your best year ever?

Am I crazy, given the economy, fi-nancial crisis, real estate, and (insertexcuse here)?

Oh, I know, there’s no denyingthings are slow in most areas right now.And granted, many companies are nolonger around. However, those that are,are still doing business. So why not thinkBIG, get way outside the proverbial box,and ask yourself some provoking ques-tions.

For example, what would you needto do in order to increase your salesvolume by 50%. Think again if you said,“I need to get 50% more customers.”

About 5% of your customers likelygenerate 50% of your current sales. So

why not try to clone that 5%?

Take the top 5% of the customers yousold within the past two years, those re-sponsible for the bulk of your sales vol-ume and income. Ask yourself these ques-tions:

How did you find them?

What do they have in common? (size,location, type of business, personality ofdecision maker)

What problems did you solve or needsdid you fill that initially caused them tobuy?

Why do they continue buying fromyou? (If you do not know, ASK them!)

What else can you learn about thesecustomers that can help you sell to othersjust like them?

How can these existing customers helpyou find more customers just like them?(referrals)

Increasing your sales dramatically isprobably not possible if you do the samething over and over, because up to thispoint, even though you’ve been success-ful, you’ve spent time generating custom-ers who don’t contribute the bulk of yourbusiness. Not that those are bad custom-ers, but to make the quantum leap, youneed to replicate the larger ones.

A must-have book for anyone do-ing telephone prospecting is Sam Richter’s“Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling.” Or,I should say anyone who wants to be re-ally effective at prospecting. This is NOTa how-to book on sales. It’s a guide onhow to use the web to get inside informa-tion on companies, industry, and people.I’ve long advocated that to place a trulyeffective prospecting call, you need to per-sonalize and customize it by knowingsomething about the person and companyyou are calling. You can then connect withthem about what is going on in their world,which of course generates interest, buildscredibility and rapport, and minimizes earlyresistance. There is so much rich, how-toinstruction in this book I can’t begin to doit justice here. Just get it.

I will give a brief example of things

you can learn. Let’s say you are tar-geting a company, and want to see whattypes of useful literature or documentsyou can find on them or their prod-ucts. You can do a “File Type” search.You are able to search their websitefor actual files they have publiclyposted, such as Word docs, PowerPointfiles, PDF files, and more.

How would this help? Well, let’s sayyou found a presentation the CEO gaveregarding their push to break into spe-cific new markets in 2009. You call andrefer to those intentions, and how youmight be able to specifically help themdo that.

To do a File Type search, go to asearch engine, then type “companyname” filetype:pdf (replace the pdf withwhatever type of file you might besearching for…doc, ppt, xls…you getit.

I interviewed Sam for the recentTelesales Success Inner Circle PlatinumAudio Seminar. He shared lots of use-ful tips. If you are a Platinum Member,check out the audio at the member site.If you are a Gold Member, you canupgrade by calling my office at 800-326-7721. Or, you can get the CD ofthe seminar within a couple of weeksby going to my main site atwww.BusinessByPhone.com

Go have your best month ever!

A Member BenefA Member BenefA Member BenefA Member BenefA Member Benefit of the Tit of the Tit of the Tit of the Tit of the Telesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Profelesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Profelesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Profelesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Profelesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Professionals wwwessionals wwwessionals wwwessionals wwwessionals www.T.T.T.T.TelesalesSuccess.comelesalesSuccess.comelesalesSuccess.comelesalesSuccess.comelesalesSuccess.com 33333

Josiane FeigonJosiane FeigonJosiane FeigonJosiane FeigonJosiane Feigon

Selling During Challenging TimesLet's talk about what you need to

do to survive, and thrive in today'senvironmnet.

Today’s buyers are more informedthan they used to be, but they are alsomore confused and fearful. When ev-erything is uncertain, unstable, andbudgets are under scrutiny, salespeoplemust approach their qualification ef-forts with more curiosity, depth, andsubstance than just the old “Got aproject?” question—especially whenonly a small percentage of leads thatare generated are likely to be “sales-ready.”

Surviving in today’s selling battle-field requires you to establish substan-tial relationships.

During tough economic times, theymust take the time to strengthen cur-rent relationships, rekindle past relation-ships and plant seeds for the future.

Skillful questioning habits build rap-port and trust. If you ask good ques-tions and listen to the responses to hearyour prospects’ needs, you will guidethem straight to their comfort zone,hold the focus through all their confu-sion, and very likely close a sale.

It’s important to do your home-work. Today’s buyers are demandingthat sales reps know who they are be-fore the call. As with good introducingskills, you must come in with a certainlevel of knowledge about the target or-ganization. This starts before you makethe call, with all that great Sales 2.0research at your command.

Finely honed hunting skills are be-coming a lost art because so many in-side salespeople believe they can bereplaced with automation tools andemail exchanges. These tools serve apurpose: they can help you determineyour qualification strategy based on thesource of the lead by tracking theirprospect’s interest through web site vis-its, webinar attendance, whitepaperdownload or identifying which list theyare calling from. You can research yourtarget organization and may learn

about the company’s direction,new product releases, position inthe market and the size of the vari-ous departments and teams.Bringing all this data to a callhelps jump start qualification ef-forts and increases the chancesof having a meaningful conver-sation and getting results.

But here’s the real point: Withso many marketing automationvendors bringing products to helpwith lead generation, cultivation,and management, there is agreater need for the high-touchaspect of effective questioningand listening skills. These criticalskills cannot be managed onlinebecause they require a dynamicdialogue, a conversation, a dis-cussion—a direct human inter-change best served by the imme-diacy of live voices over thephone.

Think about it: Will a busyprospect really want to spend timeresponding to a long email stringfilled with qualification questionsthey must answer?

What Customers HateAbout You

According to Kelley Robert-son’s 2008 article What Custom-ers Hate About You, recent re-search uncovered eighty reasonswhy customers dislike salespeople.Here are the top seven:

1. Not Listening

2. Talking too much

3. Lack of knowledge

4. Lack of follow-up

5. Lying

6. Failing to understand theirneeds.

7. Refusal to take “no” for ananswer.

Where do you stand as it re-

lates to those characteristics andactions. Of course, in today's envi-ronment, we can't afford to dothings that actually run customersoff!

You Can No Longer Affordto Waste a Call

In today’s tough economictimes, salespeople must worksmarter. When they spend 33% oftheir time finding the right people,they must maximize and salvageeach call with stronger questioningefforts. They can’t afford to skipthe qualification process, or do halfthe job. The lead nurturing processrequires attention and definition.

Working very hard at chasingthe wrong business is a waste ofyour time. Believing you are mov-ing it forward by volunteeringwhitepapers, demos, proposals,competitive analysis and even on-site trouble-shooting as a way toqualify prospects will not work.Chasing everything that looks likean opportunity keeps you busy butineffective—you’re working harder,but not smarter. Begging for dis-counts with low margin customersis unacceptable, and adding moreleads isn’t the answer.

Learning the art of questioning,and putting it into practice, will getyou there. Formulating questionswith a definite strategy will holdyour weight on your calls.

Follow some of these ideas andyou will make tougher times easierfor you and your customers.

Josiane Feigon, is President ofTeleSmart www.tele-smart.comand blogger www.tele-smart.com/blog. Her upcoming book, SmartSelling from the Inside Out will bepublished in 2009 will become thesourcebook for inside sales. She isa global thought leader in the in-side sales community and recog-nized as one of the world’s leadingexperts on inside sales teams andmanagement talent.

Jim DomanskiJim DomanskiJim DomanskiJim DomanskiJim Domanski

©Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE SELLING REPORT • 13254 Stevens St. • Omaha, NE • 68137 • (402)895-9399

Turn Cancellations Into Sales

4

(Jim Domanski is President ofTeleConcepts Consulting, a telesalesconsulting and training firm. Contacthim atJim@TeleConceptsConsulting.com,613-591-1998)

In today's economic environment,even more so than in the past, sales repsreceive calls from customers cancellingtheir insurance, membership, subscriptionor an order they recently placed. Dutifully,the rep takes the information, cancels theorder or subscription…and so the storyends.

But the story does not have to endthis way. You can convert a cancellationto a sale in many situations. It’s a simplefour-step process and the focus of thismonth’s column.

The Key:The Key:The Key:The Key:The Key:Understanding WhyUnderstanding WhyUnderstanding WhyUnderstanding WhyUnderstanding Why

Before you can convert a cancellationinto a sale you need to know that thereare four reasons why your customers can-cel:

• They are dissatisfied or unhappy withthe product or your company

• The product or service no longerapplies/brings value

• Buyer's remorse

• They are cutting costs

• Unseen events

Knowing this up front gives you a dis-tinct advantage because the trick to con-verting the cancellation is to discoverwhich of these reasons is prompting theclient to take action. Here’s how you dis-cover the reason.

SSSSStttttep 1: Tep 1: Tep 1: Tep 1: Tep 1: Takakakakake the Initiale the Initiale the Initiale the Initiale the InitialCancellation and ExpressCancellation and ExpressCancellation and ExpressCancellation and ExpressCancellation and ExpressEmpathyEmpathyEmpathyEmpathyEmpathy

Typically, a cancellation looks like this:

Customer: “I am calling to cancel mybusiness insurance.”

Rep: “ Oh, I am sorry to hear that.Let me get some information from you.”

When customers call to cancel theyare either annoyed or feel a little guilty orembarrassed about the situation. At thisearly stage you do not want to be con-frontational and place the customer onthe spot. Sincerely express your regret andgather what information you can. Thisstep is vital because you want to look for

some sort of data that you might lever-age. For example, the caller might havebeen a customer for years or this mightbe their first order on record. Use this in-formation.

Step 2: DiscoverStep 2: DiscoverStep 2: DiscoverStep 2: DiscoverStep 2: DiscoverOnce you have gathered the initial in-

formation, the next step is to discover thecause for the cancellation. Here’s howyou bridge to the question.

Rep: “I have your informationhere, Mr. Clement. I see you havebeen insured with us for the past tenyears. That’s a long time. May I askwhy you are cancelling?”

Or,

Rep: “I see Mr. Mendendez thatthis is your first order with us. I don’twant your first experience with usto be negative. May I ask you whyyou are cancelling the order?”

Notice that in each case, the rep le-veraged whatever information he/shecould find. I call this a “pre-text.” Thepre-text is a reason or an excuse for youto ask a question or two. In the first case,the pre-text is the longevity of the client.In the second case, the pre-text is simplya desire to make the experience positive.

Step 3: Question and PresentStep 3: Question and PresentStep 3: Question and PresentStep 3: Question and PresentStep 3: Question and Presentthe Offerthe Offerthe Offerthe Offerthe Offer

Once you have asked why, shut up.

Listen to the customer and learn. Wasthere a problem? Was there a better price?Did the product fail to deliver? Have situ-ations or circumstances changed and theproduct no longer fits? Was there a fit ofconscience?

Probe with a question or two. Onceyou have a feel for the situation, presentyour offer:

Jim: “I am calling to cancel my sub-scription to your executive book sum-mary.”

Rep: “I’m sorry to hear that. Letme find your name in the database… I see Mr. Domanski that you havebeen a subscriber for about threeyears. That a fair bit of time. May Iask why you are cancelling?”

Jim: “Well, the majority of booksummaries don’t really apply or inter-est me. As well, I don’t seem to havethe time to read them.”

Rep: “I understand. Tell me,what topics are you interested in?”

Jim: “Sales and marketing.”

Rep: “You also mentioned youdon’t have the time. Quick ques-tion: do you travel or commute?”

Jim: “Yes, I do.”

Rep: “Mr. Domanski, here’swhat I would like to recommend.We have a summary subscriptionthat focuses exclusively on salesand marketing. And we also havethem on tape which means youcould listen to them when youtravel. This means you’ll get thefocused information you need plusthe time saving convenience ofhaving them on tape.”

Step 4: CloseStep 4: CloseStep 4: CloseStep 4: CloseStep 4: CloseHey! It wouldn’t be a sales call if

you did not close. Simply ask for thesale.

Rep: “The sales and marketingsubscription on tape is only $x./month. Can I convert you to thatprogram?”

SummaryI have given but one example. With

a little imagination and thought, youcan develop your own strategies to can-celling a cancellation. Determine whythe majority of your customers are can-celling. Perhaps its price. Develop aprice strategy. Perhaps it’s the product.Find out what it is and correct it orchange it. Perhaps it is a service issue.Fix it.

Converting a cancellation is a greatway to keep ‘money in your bank.’

Good Selling!

A Member Benefit of the Telesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Professionals www.TelesalesSuccess.com

TTTTTop Top Top Top Top Tipsipsipsipsips

55555

Call ClinicCall ClinicCall ClinicCall ClinicCall Clinic

Amy, a salesperson I worked with re-cently, was having trouble meeting her salesquota. In fact, she was afraid she was go-ing to lose her job. Amy was getting plentyof first appointments to discuss hercompany’s wireless communications. Thetrouble was, when she met with a pros-pect, she asked flat out if he or she was thedecision maker.

At the beginning of each call, Amyasked every prospect a question like: “Areyou the person who handles wireless?” or“Are you the decision maker?” or “Are youpart of the decision making process?” Theperson she was talking to virtually alwaysassured Amy that she was, in fact, alreadytalking to the person with authority to makedecisions. So Amy would return the nextweek with a proposal only to hear, “Mr.Jones makes the final decision about this”or “The President handles mobile commu-nications.”

How many times has it happened toyou? You ask a prospect, “Are you the rightperson?”, get a “yes” answer, and then youfind out later in the process that you shouldhave been talking to someone else.

Learn About Past DecisionsLearn About Past DecisionsLearn About Past DecisionsLearn About Past DecisionsLearn About Past DecisionsThe truth is, you don’t have to know

who the actual decision maker is at thebeginning of the interview, but you do haveto find out whether the person you’re talk-ing to is the right person (or one of the rightpeople). The best way to learn who’s theright person is to ask directly how decisionshave been made in the past.

I suggested Amy ask questions likethese:

“I’m just curious, who is your cur-rent mobile communications ven-dor?”

“Why are you currently using __ ?”

“What is the current service youare using?”

If the prospect were to say, “We’re us-ing the XYZ Company,” Amy should re-spond with, “I’m curious, how did yourcompany pick them?” and “Why wasXYZ chosen?” She will instantly learnwhether or not her contact had anythingto do with the process of deciding — andshe may well learn about the company’spast buying criteria. That’s important! If

Amy doesn’t present her company’s ser-vices in a way that matches the way theprospect buys, than the company is notlikely to buy from her.

Ask these kinds of questions, and youwill be in a much better position to learnthe size of the sales opportunity, themindset of the prospect, and (most im-portant of all) how decisions were madein the past.

Amy has implemented this question-ing technique into her sales process. Amyhas gotten much more accurate informa-tion about her prospects, and she’s in-creased the number of presentations shemakes to actual decision makers.

After all, when her contact can’t pro-vide her with any meaningful informa-tion about how decisions have been madein the past, Amy knows she has to try toconnect with others within the target or-ganization.

Ask these questions in your own pro-cess, and you will get a much clearer pic-ture of what services to present — andwho should be hearing your presentation.

(Erin Flynn is founder of Flynn Media, acommunications firm that offers writing,editing and publicity services. Her website is www.flynnmedia.com where shecan be contacted via email.)

Know When andKnow When andKnow When andKnow When andKnow When andHow to say “No”How to say “No”How to say “No”How to say “No”How to say “No”I've seen far too many sales reps whofeel obligated to jump through hoopsat the request of prospects who want topick their brain, or otherwise would likeobscure product information or other re-search done. And they do so withouteven knowing if they’ll get something inreturn. As it relates to investing inordi-nate amounts of time with prospects,be sure they’re truly worthwhile. There’snothing wrong with asking, “I’ll behappy to do this for you. I’m as-suming you want it because this issomething you’re interested in, andthat we’ll be working together ona purchase?”

Stay Sharp at All TimesStay Sharp at All TimesStay Sharp at All TimesStay Sharp at All TimesStay Sharp at All TimesWith the repetition of phone work

naturally comes the temptation to be-come lax with some of the basics, espe-cially when you’re quite busy. Here aretwo areas to especially be cautious with.

➥ ➥ ➥ ➥ ➥ Leaving rushed voice mail mes-sages. Particularly your phone number.If your goal is to have them return yourcall, a rushed phone number that’s unin-telligible negates that possibility. And mostof us are unaware we’re doing it. Here’sa good strategy: According to NancyTuckerman and Nancy Dunman, authorsof the “Amy Vanderbilt Complete Bookof Etiquette,” before you leave yourphone number, say, “Here’s my num-ber,” and then pause for one or two sec-onds. It gives them a chance to retrieve apen. Then pause every few digits, andrepeat the number at the end so the per-son can check what he has written.

➥ ➥ ➥ ➥ ➥ Blurting out your name, and yourcompany name. I’ve heard introduc-tions that sounded like the speaker’smouth was taped shut. Articulate yourintroduction, and speak at a rate so you’reunderstood. Be proud of your name andaffiliation!

And remember, even though you mightbe repeating something 30 or more timesdaily, they’re hearing you for the first time.

Get Referrals from WithinGet Referrals from WithinGet Referrals from WithinGet Referrals from WithinGet Referrals from WithinTheir CompanyTheir CompanyTheir CompanyTheir CompanyTheir Company

If you have a customer within a com-pany that has multiple locations, or manydepartments at one location, you prob-ably haven’t even scratched the surfaceof potential business. The hard part isbehind you—getting the company as acustomer. Now that you’re in the door,part of the family, ferret out other oppor-tunities. Ask your customer, “Who elsewithin your company also uses/does______, who could also take advan-tage of something similar to whatwe’re doing together?” Prompt thema bit: “How about other depart-ments? Other locations?”

Even if they come up empty, askthem,

“If I can find other buyers on myown, it wouldn’t be a problem if Imention your name as a reference,would it?”

By Erin Flynn

LLLLLocating the REAL Decision Makocating the REAL Decision Makocating the REAL Decision Makocating the REAL Decision Makocating the REAL Decision Makersersersersers

©Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE SELLING REPORT • 13254 Stevens St. • Omaha, NE • 68137 • (402)895-939966666

Ari Galper's Unlock The Game™Ari Galper's Unlock The Game™Ari Galper's Unlock The Game™Ari Galper's Unlock The Game™Ari Galper's Unlock The Game™

Seven Steps FSeven Steps FSeven Steps FSeven Steps FSeven Steps For Avoiding Chasing Decision Makor Avoiding Chasing Decision Makor Avoiding Chasing Decision Makor Avoiding Chasing Decision Makor Avoiding Chasing Decision Makersersersersers

You probably know this scenariowell: Your main contact at a companyhas expressed interest in possibly pur-chasing your product or service.

You’ve had the pleasant conver-sations, you’ve heard “Yes, we’re defi-nitely interested” and “Yes, I’m thedecision maker,” and you’re excitedabout making the sale happen.

You’ve put your heart and soul intodoing what you’re best at--explainingthe benefits of your solution but work-ing hard not to come across “salesy”or pushy.

As far as you’re concerned, you’vedone everything right.

Now you’re on the phone withyour contact. You’re hoping this willbe your last conversation before theyfax the contract through.

Finally you ask, “So, is the agree-ment ready to be signed?” There’s asilence, and then you hear the dis-heartening words: “Oh, I realize that Ishould really have Mike and Julie, lookat it before I send it over.”

Talk about being set up to believeeverything was going to be smoothsailing! Now a big wave has over-turned the boat and it’s sinking fast!Why didn’t he tell you he wasn’t thefinal decision maker? Why did he leadyou on?

Most important, what can you doto stop this from happening again?

Seven Steps to Ending theSeven Steps to Ending theSeven Steps to Ending theSeven Steps to Ending theSeven Steps to Ending theChasingChasingChasingChasingChasing

Don’t despair! Here are sevenways to end the chasing game withdecision makers:

1. Understand the psychologyof working in an organization. Noone in an organization wants to makea wrong decision and then be left hold-ing the bag and looking bad. What’smore, in many cases even CEOs ofcompanies can’t make final decisionswithout the other executives on theirteam buying in.

So, even if your contact tells youthat he or she is the only one making

the decision, in most cases that’s highlyunlikely, especially in larger organiza-tions. Once you understand that, you’llfind it easier to roll with the news thatothers are actually involved in signingoff on the decision.

2. Make sure your contact hasthe authority to sign the agree-ment without approval from oth-ers. How many times have you beentold: “I’m the decision maker, and I de-cide if we’ll purchase your solution ornot”? Contacts may say this with totalconfidence, and we usually take themat their word, only to discover later thatthey didn’t want us bypassing them toget to the other decision makers.Here’s how you can avoid this situa-tion: After they tell you they are thedecision maker, you simply say in arelaxed, easy-going conversationalmanner, “Oh, okay. No problem.So, basically you’re the only per-son who signs the agreement, andno one else needs to be involvedwith this decision?”

It’s amazing what happens whenyou ask this question. First, there’slikely to be a short silence, and thenall of a sudden you learn that otherdecision makers are involved. Onceyou know this, you can rethink yourapproach.

3. Don’t panic when you dis-cover other decision makers areinvolved. Don’t get thrown off trackwhen you suddenly learn, deep intothe sales process, that other decisionmakers need to be involved in the de-cision. When this happens, gently sug-gest that it might make sense to comeup with a way to get them involvedwith the proposal so they won’t becaught off guard.

4. Suggest a conference callto connect with the decision mak-ers. Suppose you find out that twoother decision makers are involved.Now you have a total of three! Whatcan you do to avoid the delay that’sinevitable when your contact tells you,“I need to get hold of Mike and Julie,but they’re both traveling, so I’ll getback to you after I speak with them”?This situation is often the black hole of

selling, because you can wait for weeksuntil your contact tracks down Mikeand Julie and gets back to you.

Here’s how to avoid this: You sim-ply say, “Okay. No problem.Sounds as if Mike and Julie arean important part of theprocess…I’m wondering if itmight make sense to pull to-gether a brief conference callwith you and them so that theycan get an overview of what’shappening. That way you canavoid chasing them down, andeveryone can get up to speed atthe same time. Does that makesense?” Also, the answer you get willtell you a lot about where you reallystand. If your contact says, “Sure. Thatmakes sense. Let me schedule it,”things are looking good. But if youhear, “Nah, I’ll just try and get hold ofthem when I can and then get back toyou,” he could be saying, “We aren’treally that interested.”

5. Work with your main con-tact to set the agenda for the con-ference call. If your contact agreesto the conference call, spend sometime working together on a well-thought-out agenda. Emphasize thatyour main purpose is simply to informthe others about what has happenedso far. It’s crucial that you assure yourcontact that during the call you will inno way apply any type of sales pres-sure on the other decision makers.

Why is this important? Becausemany times contacts are reluctant topull together a call because they’reafraid that the salesperson will put theparticipants on the spot, and thatwould make things awkward for ev-eryone. When you begin the call, sim-ply say, “The purpose of our calltoday is simply to bring you upto speed on what has happenedso far so you all have the infor-mation you need to think this so-lution through at your own pace.Here at XYZ, we don’t believe inpressuring people to make deci-sions.” Your contact will love you forthis.

(Continued on next page)

77777

Joe Catal

A Member Benefit of the Telesales Success Inner Circle of Sales Professionals www.TelesalesSuccess.com

(Ari Galper, founder of Unlock TheGame™, makes cold calling painlessand simple. Learn his free cold callingsecrets even the sales gurus don'tknow. To receive your 10 free audiomini-lessons visithttp://www.UnlockTheGame.com/Art )

6. Ask your contact to arrangethe conference call. When yousuggest a conference call with all thedecision makers, it’s important to putyour contact at ease. Too often, sales-people get anxious and say, “I’d behappy to contact the other folks andschedule the call for a time that worksfor all of us,” but that may make yourcontact think you’re going to try toinfluence the others before the call.

To avoid accidentally triggeringany “sales alarms,” simply ask yourcontact if he or she would be open tocoordinating the call: “It might makesense if you could e-mail them to co-ordinate a time for all of us to con-nect, since you’re closer to them thanI would be.”

7. Get to the truth aboutwhere the deal stands. So youhave the conference call and you feelit went well, with lots of good discus-sion. Your intuition is telling you thateveryone seemed positive about yoursolution. Now you want to find out thetruth about where the deal stands, butyou need to be careful not to call yourcontact and put subtle pressure on himor her to give you a final answer.

You want to get that answer with-out asking outright, but you can’t un-til you’ve uncovered the truth aboutwhere everyone stands. When youcall your contact back, don’t use thetired phrase, “I’m just calling to fol-low up.” That just kicks off sales pres-sure. Instead, say, “I’m giving youa call to see what kinds of ques-tions the others on the call mighthave, since those types of callsdon’t always address everyone’sissues or concerns.” This will al-low your contact to talk about wherehe or she stands, and you can thenask, “Where do you think we shouldgo from here?”

These seven tips will help you putan end to the dreaded game of chas-ing decision makers.

Here is how to deal with situationswhere you have a chance of hearing,“Send me some information,” orsomething similar.

1. Find out if they’re at their com-puter or on line during your conversa-tion with them. Find out early! This willbe used for the end of presentation.

2. At the end of the presentation ifthe person says they need more info,ask them what additional informationthey need to make a decision. No mat-ter what they say, since you knowthey’re on the Internet already, takethem through it. Let them know ev-erything they need to know is on yourwebsite (if it is). Since you alreadyknow they’re on the website, just say:“Pat, on our website there, go tothe top of the page and click onthe Product Details link.” Then gothrough it with them.

When you’re done doing that, askthem if that answered their question.If they say yes, then say, “Great.Since you know everything thereis to know about this to getstarted I just need...”

3. If the person still wants a call backat the end of the presentation, beforehanging up ask them if they liked the(idea, service, product). If they say yes,ask them what part they liked the most.THIS IS A KILLER QUESTION! You’renow having them tell you what theylike!

Example: You sell a financial ser-vice, you can say: “So Pat, before Ilet you go, do you like the idea ofinvesting in a 401k?”

If the prospect says yes, say: “Whatexactly do you like about it?” Ofcourse if he says no he doesn’t like it,he’s not a prospect. The fact is, if hecan’t tell you what he likes about it, he’snot a prospect. Move on.

Example: You sell supplies of anykind. “So Pat, before I let you go,what exactly do you like about

(Continued from previous page)

Ari GalperAri GalperAri GalperAri GalperAri Galper

Preparing for the“Send Info” Resistance

our/my product/service?”

When you make your call back youwould start out by bringing that up.

Example: “Hi Pat, this is JoeCatal calling you back from ABCFinance regarding our 401k pro-gram. When we spoke last weekyou told me you liked the fact byinvesting $200 a month you canpay for…”

Because you set him up with the lastcall to tell you what he liked about yourproduct or service, you can use that asa weapon for your callback. Remem-ber, you’re not calling back to touchbase, you’re calling back to see if theytook the next step in your sales process.

Example: If you’re calling back forthe order, you would say: “Hi Pat, thisis Joe Catal calling you back fromABC Finance regarding the 401kprogram. When we last spoke youtold me what you liked best aboutthe program was…”

Then say: “Now do you have anyquestions I can answer for you be-fore I enroll you today?”

Notice how I called back to ask forthe order. Of course if it’s a longer salescycle you may be calling back to see ifthey read the info you sent them, butthe technique is the same.

The fact is, you should be preparedfor all of your prospects to say “sendinfo” or “I want to think about it.” Thisis a good technique to use and it givesthem something to think about whenthey tell you what they like about it.

Remember, if you say it they candoubt it, if they say it, it’s true.

( Joe Catal is at JoeCatal@hotmail.com.His book “Telesales Tips from theTrenches: Secrets of a Street-SmartSalesman” is available in hard copy, oras an e-book for $29.95. To order, call800-326-7721, or go towww.BusinessByPhone.com)

TTTTTeleTipseleTipseleTipseleTipseleTips

©Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399Art Sobczak's TELEPHONE PROSPECTING AND SELLING REPORT • (402)895-9399

HoHoHoHoHow Tw Tw Tw Tw To Sign Up Fo Sign Up Fo Sign Up Fo Sign Up Fo Sign Up For A FREE Tor A FREE Tor A FREE Tor A FREE Tor A FREE TrialrialrialrialrialTry it for FREE, right now, and get access to

over $562 worth of information, including all of thenext two months worth of Full Member services.

www.TelesalesSuccess.com

Special Offer ForSpecial Offer ForSpecial Offer ForSpecial Offer ForSpecial Offer ForCurrent Newsletter SubscribersCurrent Newsletter SubscribersCurrent Newsletter SubscribersCurrent Newsletter SubscribersCurrent Newsletter Subscribers

Your remaining subscription credit can be ap-plied to your membership. Call 800-326-7721 oremail SteveL@BusinessByPhone.com for details.

Member Benefits IncludeMember Benefits IncludeMember Benefits IncludeMember Benefits IncludeMember Benefits Include❑❑❑❑❑ Online access to past newsletters ❑❑❑❑❑ Bi-weekly audio podcasts❑❑❑❑❑ Archive access to Art’s weekly TelE-Sales Tips❑❑❑❑❑ Instant 24-hours seven-days-a-week web access❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Ebook: “How To Place The Successful Sales And Prospecting Call”❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Membership in the “Telesales Network” community❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Bi-Monthly Audio Seminars ❑❑❑❑❑ Bi-Monthly Video Training❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Personal Telephone Access to Art himself!❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Must-have books and other resources

Plus much, much more!

Receiving a pass along copy of Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report? Or a current newsletter subscriber, but not yet amember of the Telesales Success Elite Inner Circle of Sales Professionals? Here’s your invitation to join today and get instant andongoing access to the most in-depth, complete what-to-say, when-to-say-it, and how-to-do-it step-by-step how to’s on prospecting andselling by phone. The Telesales Success Elite Inner Circle of Sales Pros is, quite simply, the widest and deepest collection oftelesales and prospecting information on the planet.

If This Newsletter is Not Yours, Here’s How To Get Your Own Copy Each Month, and MORE!

88888

1108

GeGeGeGeGetting Ytting Ytting Ytting Ytting Your Messages tour Messages tour Messages tour Messages tour Messages to The Buyo The Buyo The Buyo The Buyo The BuyerererererIf the screener asks if you'd like to leave a message on

voice mail, or if you have the option of having someonepaged, respond with, “How does he/she like to gettheir messages?”

This betters your chances of more efficiently reachingthe decision maker. Some people prefer to speak with thescreener when they call in for messages, therefore attach-ing more importance to the messages left with the screener.Also, some people simply hate to use their voice mail, andmay be lax in checking for messages. Again, a messageleft with the screener may yield better results. Conversely,the voice mail proponent might religiously retrieve mes-sages. Asking the aforementioned question might give youthat slight edge.

Will YWill YWill YWill YWill You Help Me?ou Help Me?ou Help Me?ou Help Me?ou Help Me?Another idea on working with screeners, regardless of

whether someone has voice mail, is to simply ask thescreener, “Will you have a chance to see Ms. Biggwhen she comes back?”

When they answer affirmatively, continue with, “Great.When she picks up my message, would you pleasetell her personally that I really would like to speakwith her today? I have an idea that she might wantto know about.”

By treating the screener with respect, and understand-ing the power they wield, you should be able to get themhelp you reach the decision maker.

A TA TA TA TA Trial Closing Questionrial Closing Questionrial Closing Questionrial Closing Questionrial Closing QuestionWhen the call is running along smoothly and you de-

tect they're leaning in your favor, take their temperaturewith, “What else will you need to make a decision togo with this program?” The answer will indicate howlikely they are to make a positive decision, and what elseyou'll need to provide to help them do it. Or, it can helpsmoke out any problems, which also is a good outcome.

How to Sell the Premium ChoiceHow to Sell the Premium ChoiceHow to Sell the Premium ChoiceHow to Sell the Premium ChoiceHow to Sell the Premium ChoiceYou've probably heard this before from a prospect or

customer:“What's the difference between the $400 model andthe $575 version?”

Or, “How does the Deluxe system compare to the SuperExtravagant system?”

What they're really saying:“I could buy the higher-end prod-uct/service, I'm not yet convinced of the value. So help meunderstand why I shoud get it it.”

Understand your opportunity here!

Many reps simply go into a data-dump explanation. Oth-ers downplay the higher-priced option, thinking they don't wantto lose the opportunity to at least make a sale with the lowerpriced one. Keep in mind that they are really saying, “I can besold on the higher-priced version ... I just need to justify it.”

Your approach should be to ask questions focused on thereasons the top-of-the-line version delivers more value, to de-termine if that's what they need.

For example, “Well, the Deluxe Option has a few niceextras that might be a good fit for you. Let's find out.Tell me, do you ever run into situations where you haveto manually extract the additional data you need fromyour database? I see. Well this version does that for you.And, how about situations where ...”

Replay the CallsReplay the CallsReplay the CallsReplay the CallsReplay the CallsSuccessful reps never experience failure. They always take

a situation where they didn’t accomplish their primary objec-tive—the “no’s”—and pick that situation apart to learn why.They therefore don’t fail; they succeed at learning from theexperience. Football coaches and players regularly view hoursof film of previous games. Then, they work on correcting anydeficient areas, and also improving their strong points. Tele-sales reps need to conduct a similar “replay” of their calls View-ing “no’s” as pure failure is a precursor to ultimate failure. Con-versely, perceiving “no’s” as a component of the learning pro-cess will lead you down the road to success.