Handling Objections

One of the topics that I'm asked to speak most frequently on is handling objections.  Sales people want to know the “silver bullets” that will turn an objection into a sale. I wish that it were that simple.

In reality, objections are an essential part of a successful sales process. In fact, the earlier you uncover and address objections, the higher the likelihood of a sale. Great sales people welcome objections because only when objections are raised can they be addressed. It's the unspoken objections that will kill a deal. 

Key to this process is creating a climate where the prospect is willing and able to share his/her concerns with you. If the climate is agreeable, then handling objections is really quite pleasant, because the prospect views you as a problem solver, not a salesperson. I encourage sales people to position themselves on the same side of what I call, the relationship triangle. What I mean by that is - put the problem external to your relationship with your potential customer.

A prospect will naturally (if you let them) align you, the salesperson, with their objection (or problem). It looks a bit like this: 

 

 

The relationship that you want looks more like this:

Keep the problem external to your relationship with the customer. That will enable you and your customer to handle objections together. In many cases, the prospect will come up with a solution that you wouldn't have thought of. The key is to develop a climate of collaboration and trust – then the objections will almost handle themselves. 

If you'd like to talk more about how to help your team handle objections, give me a call or send me an email. It's one of my favorite topics. 

Looking for the Right Sales Training Program?

by Lois Wong

Looking for the Right Sales Training Program?

When I was tasked with developing a training program for my company years ago, there were two things I needed

• #1: training for me (train-the-trainer)
• #2: training for the sales people.

There are many good sales training programs on the market; however, not many offer "Customization and Coaching".  In other words effective sales programs should provide customized training with follow-on coaching.  Without the follow-on coaching, the learning isn't reinforced nor are the metrics aligned with solid sales principles.

When sessions are taught in small portions (like a having small meals per day instead of one big banquet), information is ‘digested' more easily and ‘absorbed' more completely.  The combination of customized training and follow up incremental coaching enables better retention resulting in a higher degree of performance success.

Sales managers can provide a lot of benefit to their teams by doing their own "bite sized" training at weekly sales meetings. Spending even 20 minutes per week on training can make a big difference. Ways to structure these mini-training sessions include:

• Role playing an objection that came up during the week
• Assign each member of the sales team a particular sales skill that he/she needs to train the team on and rotate the training responsiblility among your team
• Assign a sales book, podcast, or video to the sales team and spend 20 minutes reviewing and role playing concepts that were presented
• Choose one deal per week that closed and analyze why
• Choose one deal per week that DIDN'T close and analyze why

These are just a few suggestions to get you started. We'd love to hear what's worked for you in the past. Let us know!

Top Three Sales Best Practices - advice for someone new to sales

 

Top Three Sales Best Practices - advice for someone new to sales

I'm constantly advising my clients to distill their message - to use fewer words. And it's a challenge! And so I decided to drink my own Kool-Aid and come up with the top three sales best practices. To come up with these, I asked myself - if someone new to sales could only work on three things - what three things would have the most impact on his/her career?

So here are my top three sales best practice tips (I reserve the right to edit this list in future blog posts):

• #1: Choose an organization/product that you believe in

There's an old adage that a great sales person can sell snow to an Eskimo. That's not true! Great sales people could never sell snow to Eskimos - because Eskimos don't need snow! A great sales person sells with integrity. And if you believe in the product or service that you represent, it is much easier to sell with passion and commitment.

• #2: Be willing to walk away from a sale

My first sales job was working for Xerox Corporation. I had my first big sale on the line with Ford Aerospace. When I went to present my proposal to the decision maker, he shared with me a proposal from a competitor who could do everything that needed to be done, and at a significantly lower price. My solution could do most of what he wanted, at a higher price point, and with limited expansion capabilities. The decision maker and I had developed some rapport - and he asked me for my advice. Despite wanting this sale very badly, I told him that if I were in his shoes, I would buy the other solution. And he did. I went back to the office with my head down.

However, back at Ford Aerospace, word got around that I could be trusted, and so whenever there was a problem that my company "might" be able to solve, I was invited to bid - and many times, I did have the superior solution and won. Ford Aerospace became my largest account and a very big account for Xerox Corporation. I lost that sale, but won a customer.

• #3: Be your own manager

Someone once told me that sales is as close as you'll get to running your own business without actually running one. I agree. A salesperson is responsible for managing his own time and territory. Salespeople are not only measured, but paid depending on how well they are able to manage themselves. The best salespeople are those who know in 15 minute increments how they should spend their time. They are clear about doing those activities that drive sales, and eliminating those activities that don't. It requires clarity and discipline but enables them to avoid the roller coaster income that many salespeople complain about (which is unnecessary!). The best salespeople are great managers - of themselves.

Upon reflection - this is a good list! Follow these three and I'm convinced that the rest of things that are important will fall into place.

I'm working on a book of sales stories to illustrate best practices. I'd love to hear about the experiences that have helped to shape your success. Send me an email!

Non-Profit Presentation Skills

Non-Profit presentations - there's a lot at stake...

I'm sitting on a train in India - traveling from Chadipury to Kolcata. I am here with a group of CARE supporters - looking at various health, education and economic development projects in rural villages around the country.

The work is stunning. The presentations are not. I am not tolerant of bad presentations with my technology clients, but for some reason, I am even less tolerant here. Perhaps because I feel that there is more at stake. The problem of poverty is enormous and stubborn. I don't know much about how to improve health in a rural village, but I do know how to craft a message that people will respond to.

So here are Bridget's Five Rules for a Non-Profit Presentation:

• Rule #1: Don't read your slides

Your slides are meant to serve as guideposts for what you want to talk about. DO NOT READ your slides. It is boring, insulting and a waste of time

• Rule #2: Choose three main points

Choose three things that you want the potential donor to remember (and no more!). Once you have identified the three most important things, build your PowerPoint presentation around those three points. Yes, it's true - that there is more to tell but you are more likely to lose your audience if you give them TOO much information vs. too little.

• Rule #3: Keep your slides uncluttered

Font size should be 20 points or greater.
Have no more than 4 bullet points per slide (and that's a LOT) with no more than two points under each bullet.
Use graphics.

• Rule #4: Remove unnecessary slides

Be RUTHLESS about determining which slides you need and which ones you don't. If the slide doesn't relate to one of your three main points AND if your slide isn't absolutely essential to the understanding of that main point - REMOVE IT.

• Rule #5: Present with passion

If you aren't excited about the topic (and if that excitement doesn't show), then why should the potential donor be excited? Moods are contagious - if your passionate about the topic, let it show. If not, perhaps you are in the wrong job.

Non-Profits will do well to spend some time and money improving the way they present and tell their stories. Andy Goodman (the Goodman Center) is a fantastic resource for non-profits and is full of free resources. Don't hide great work behind a poor presentation.

If you'd like help with your next presentation to donors, I'd be happy to review your presentation and offer feedback. Give me a call.