Building the Skills to Close the Sale

Introduction and agenda

Making the sales call

Strategic selling

Practice skills

Strategic Selling

Win WinWin

Win Lose

Lose Lose

Lose Win

Satisfied customers Long-term relationships Strong referrals

Sales Process

Close

Prepare

Relate

Open

Probe

Feature

Benefit

Details of the Sales Process

Prepare – Know absolutely as much relevant information about the sales situation / sales call you are entering as possible

Relate – Introduction, build rapport, be personable, people buy from people they like, connect

Open – Clearly and concisely state why you are there and how you can solve problems, “elevator speech”

Details of the Sales Process

Probe – Asking the highly detailed questions about the business and challenges they face

Feature – Demonstrate and communicate what your product is

Benefits – Show how these features can really help the customer and meet the needs established in the probing step

Close – Ask for the business by recapping why your product is beneficial to the customer

Types of Competition

1. Buy from someone else

2. Use internal resources

3. Use budget for something else

4. Do nothing

Prepare

Organization

Indianapolis, IN

9 Preparation Steps to a Perfect Contact

1. Geographically section out your territory in groups of 30

2. Choose your two days of availability (approximately 2 weeks

out)

3. Choose your black-out dates

4. Personalize all of your introductory information

5. Prepare your email for request for more information

6. Set-up a confirmation email template

7. Personalize and prepare mail packets, both request for info &

standard

8. Now separate your 30 into groups of 10; this is your “sales area”

9. Drop off or mail introductory packets to your groups of 10

A Perfect Timeline2 to 3 Weeks of PlanningGeographic Section Selected Approximately 30

Communities

Two days for appointments selected 12/5/12 & 12/06/12

Select your blackout dates 11/22/12 & 11/23/12

Preparation of emails, letters, etc. 11/22/12 & 11/23/12

Drop-off or mail introductory letters 11/26/12 & 11/27/12

Contact could begin at this time 11/28/12

All follow-up and information request mailed

11/28/12

June July August Sept Oct Nov0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

No Prep Pre LetterSet Dates Post LetterFollow-up

Buying Influences

All organizations have four specific buying types. You may or may not need to deal with all four, but you must be cognizant of their roles, needs and power in the organization to make a successful sale and build a long-term win-win relationship.

Buying Influences

Economic Technical User Coach

Economic Buyer

Gives Final Approval to Buy1. Controls expenditures

2. Authority to release

3. Discretionary use of resources

4. Veto power

Focus: Bottom line

Asks: What is my return and what is the impact on the organization?

Technical Buyer

To Screen Things Out1. Judge, measure, quantify

2. Gatekeepers

3. Can’t give final approval

4. Can say “no,” based on specs

Focus: Does it meet specs in my area of expertise?

Asks: Does this meet criteria?

User To Make Judgments About Impact on Performance1. The user or supervisor

2. It is in my department and affects my people

3. Very personal

Focus: The job at hand

Asks: How will it work for us: me and my group?

Coach Your Guide for the Sale1. Validation for your program

2. Identifies other buying influences

3. Validates other elements of your strategies

4. Best to be found internally in the buying organization, but can be external

Focus: Your success

Asks: How can we make it happen?

Degrees of Influence

High

Medium

Low

Gatekeepers

Is the person really a gatekeeper or someone who directs traffic?

1. Be polite

2. Ask for help

3. Some sense of urgency

4. A good reason for the call

5. Send an e-mail

6. Call off hours

Do not fib, demand, threaten

Behavior Styles of Buyers

Expressive Amiable

Driver Analytical

People

Task

Dominant Easy

Behavior Styles Expressive

Characteristics Creative Emotional Slightly disorganized Friendly Animated Likes the Big Picture Takes pride in achievement,

judging people, creativity of solutions

Ego

Influence Tip Build on their thoughts Stick to Big Picture, have facts

but do not get too far into details

Likes risk if defensible Be personal, charismatic and

warm

Behavior StylesAmiable

Characteristics People-oriented Friendly Has personal items in work

area Warm and patient Wants to know what others are

doing and thinking Avoids being different

Influence Tips Be on time Friendly and do not rush Do not need to be overly

technical Think how my proposition

effects others You need to show that you are

sincere and caring

Behavior StylesAnalytical

Characteristics Disciplined Logical and fact-oriented Low-key Follows all policy and rules Moves forward only after has

all of the facts Step by step

Influencing Tips Be on time Detail-oriented with charts and

graphs Have your facts, not your

opinions Don’t be flamboyant Tell them how it really works

Behavior StylesDriver

Characteristics Objective-driven Short and precise Needs results Wants to control and win Quick and decisive Works hard Takes calculated risks

Influence Tips Keep it short and disciplined Be totally prepared Give specifics Targeted case studies Give them the results and

when they can expect to achieve them

Behavior Styles of Buyers

Expressive Amiable

Driver Analytical

People

Task

Dominant Easy

Which Behavior Style Are You?

Call Campaign Ordered

(Three Weeks from Beginning Date Request)

Territory List Ordered

Diane contact franchise owner, for geography of calls and appointment

dates

Franchise owner supplies available

appointment days and times

Send information

request

Email send immediately as requested from Call Center, cc:

F.O

Mail piece to be sent at the end of

day to the community

One week after mailing, Call Center to call

community for Visit Request

Follow-up master sheet to be filled

out every two weeks by

Franchisee

Visit Request Established

Email confirmation to

Admin. with attachment, and CC. F.O

Franchise Owner to confirm

appointment

Follow-up master sheet to

be filled out every two weeks by

Franchisee

Not Interested

Mark for follow-up in 6 months to Franchise

Owner

Never Reached

Added Back to Call List

Call until 4 attempts are made or until

campaign quota is accomplished

50 Communities chosen for each

phase until goal of 5-10 visits are achieved

Meeting Set-Up

1. What – What do you seek? Establish purpose.

2. Why – Why is this beneficial, urgent or consequential for the customer?

3. How – Will you run it? Agenda, what happens, how it works.

4. Outcome – What do you want to happen?

Meeting Planner/Checklist

• Community Information

• Values, Needs & Motivators

• Mission Statement

• Meeting Objectives

• Topics to Discuss

• Key Questions to Ask

• Key Messages

Controlling Your Physiology

Vocal quality Posture Movement Gestures Words / language Dress / grooming Facial expressions / eye contact

Relating and Opening

Decision-Making Process

Rational

PoliticalEmotional

Effective Influencing

•Understand

Empathy

•I don’t need to win control

Flexibility

•Our point of view

Coherence

Tools of Influence

Reciprocity – You scratch my back, I scratch yours

Liking – You are friends or could become friends

Commitment consistency – Does what he or she says,test / pilot project

Authority – The boss says to do it

Scarcity – They need you, you are the only one who has something

Social proof – Everyone else is doing it or has it

Why people say “yes”

Prepare an Opening Statement that clearly, concisely and succinctly tells someone who you are, why you are there to meet with them and briefly describes L2BH

Probing is the Key Component to the Sale

Principles of Questioning / Probing

Obtain information Build rapport Open a discussion Help jog memory Stimulate deeper thought Explore real feelings Change the subject Determine progress Defuse stress Confirm understanding Elicit objections Lead to your point of view

Questioning is essential

Sound questions based on preparation, experience and insightful thinking; project a very favorable image of competence and professionalism

Types of Questions

Closed-Ended Open-Ended Require a more

thoughtful and in-depth response. You are finding out more details about a situation or person and gaining their perspective

Think of them as essay questions

If you can answer a question with a simple yes or no, then it is most likely a closed-ended question

Think of them as multiple choice questions

Examples of Closed-Ended Questions Are you feeling OK today? May I use the bathroom? Do you have a special tonight? Do you have a fitness program? Is math your favorite subject? Do you represent Live to be Healthy?

Examples of Open-Ended Questions Tell me about your fitness program. What is your favorite childhood memory? How did you and your wife meet? What are you going to do when you graduate?

Low Value Questions to High Value

Closed Would you like vanilla ice

cream?

Have you ever met Joe?

Where did you go to college?

What is your best quality?

Open What is your favorite flavor of

ice cream and why?

How did you meet Joe?

What do you feel was most beneficial about your college experience?

How can your top qualities help our company grow and thrive?

Reflective Questioning

A good technique to ensure you have heard correctly and gain more information, while seeking a deeper response, is to reflect back

“So if I heard you correctly…”Reflect back or paraphrase

Listening Skills

Many believe they are good listeners because they hear everything the other person says without interrupting

Closed

Open

Listen to learn, get specifics, confirm

Distracted, emotional, tired

Polite

Tips for Effective Listening

Don’t assume you know what they are going to say

Make the effort Don’t interrupt Listen with empathy Active listening by your physical position and

actions Listen to the person as if you had never met them

before Check conclusions by clarifying and probing

Features and Benefits

Features Customers are only

moderately interested in the basics of your product

Feature = Attribute

Bells and whistles

Benefits Customers are extremely

interested in what your product actually does for them and the needs of their business

Benefit = Value

What it does for you, Mr. Director, or your organization

Features and Benefits

Feature These boots have a rubber

outsole with traction ribbing

This accounting software has an online reporting feature

This car has 6 state-of-the-art side airbags

Benefits These boots ensure that your

feet will stay dry!

Your managers will have instant, real-time, mission-critical information at a click of a button!

You and your family will be protected in side impact collisions

Presenting Features and Benefits

Relevance

FeatureBenefits

Evidence

Team Activity: Put Together a Features and Benefits Chart for L2BH

Decision-Making Process

Rational

PoliticalEmotional

Effective Influencing

•Understand

Empathy

•I don’t need to win control

Flexibility

•Our point of view

Coherence

Tools of Influence

Reciprocity – You scratch my back, I scratch yours

Liking – You are friends or could become friends

Commitment consistency – Does what he or she says,test / pilot project

Authority – The boss says to do it

Scarcity – They need you, you are the only one who has something

Social proof – Everyone else is doing it or has it

Why people say “yes”

The Close

Many people actually have a very successful meeting or call and do not ask for the business: We fear rejection Do not want to be seen as too pushy Just too embarrassed

The Close

You were well-prepared You established rapport You listened intently to the needs of the “buyer” You presented features and gained alignment on

the benefits of your program You summarize these benefits and ask

“When can we start?”“When can we meet with the…”

Selling Process

Prepare

Open

Probe

Features

Benefits

Close

Let’s Use the Process