Sales-training

A myth can best be described as somebody or something whose existence is or was widely believed in, but is in reality fictitious. Based on this description I have created a series of articles entitled: Sales Myths. Here is one of them. Sales Myth: People with the greatest "gift of gab" make the greatest salespeople. Belief: Our ability to talk clearly and present powerfully is the most important factor in getting people to buy. Problem: You're a good, or maybe a great presenter. Qualified prospects seem to be impressed with your presentation, but are not moved to buy....

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Sound impossible? It's easier than it seems. As a salesperson, you have 100% control over the experience that customers have in your store because it is your home turf. You have the advantage of knowing your store and products inside and out and using that knowledge to prepare yourself for your customer's arrival. You can engage your customer immediately by simply interacting with them in a way that shows that you care about their needs and have the knowledge to help them. Greet your customer Meeting and greeting your customer from the moment they walk into your store sets the tone for the rest of their shopping experience....

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If you've been in sales for any length of time, or have participated is a sales training program, chances are you've been taught to look for "buying signals" from your prospects. Buying signals can be important; but they can also easily be misinterpreted. We recently read an article in which the author equates certain statements or requests from your prospect with indication they are ready to buy. For example: - Your prospect repeats a question that has been answered fully. - Your prospect asks for a sample - Your prospect makes "...

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I know you've heard this a thousand times, but from the looks of things few businesses are following the advice? Far too many businesses (online or offline) define their target market as "anyone with a pulse and a wallet." (Not always in that order.) You read their sales copy and it's the same old, walking on eggshells "corporate speak", devoid of personality, writing to a group style, as everyone else in their industry. Sure. They're not going to eliminate any "potential buyers"...

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Through out our career and lives we regularly get an opportunity to meet new people and form new relationships. Did you know you have seven seconds to make a first impression? Apparently in those seven seconds people assess your age, income, marital status, education level and interests - in seven seconds! Regardless of whether people are right about their perception of you? we all subconsciously make assessments of people when we meet them. To ensure you make an outstanding impression every time?...

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Sooner or later, we all backslide into old ways of thinking about selling that lead us down the wrong path with potential clients. A few weeks ago, I had a phone conversation with Julie, who has been struggling with theold-style selling methods that her manager insists are the only way to sell their company's technology solution. Regardless of what product or service you're selling, you should be able to relate to her dilemma. Outdated sales skills fail to address the core issue of how we think about selling and unless we get to that core and change it once and for all, we'll go on struggling with the same counterproductive sales behaviors....

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What do we mean by a consultative approach? When you hear the word "salesman", it usually brings to mind someone that is pushy and will not take no for an answer. If you stated you were in sales with a prospective client, it would likely turn him off. Yet, all businesses rely on their sales force to bring dollars into the firm. It is the sales force that makes the company run as there would be no inflow of cash without them. So how do you attack such an image problem? Actually the answer lies in the approach that you take when networking....

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Here's the thing... you still have to make every marketing and sales message all about the WIIFM* for your target audience. But it's how you do this - the words you choose and your behavior - that makes the connection with the marketplace all about you. Let's look at what the experts advise. By the way, while these tips sound bizarre -- they're real nuggets, so stay with me: 1. Be an authentic liar. 2. Be your own valentine. 3. Fight bull. Here's how these successful experts connect with the marketplace - and you can too: Be an authentic liar....

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This issue's topic on sales prospects comes in response to a question I received from a reader. Question: Five weeks ago, I had a good conversation on the phone with an important prospect in my territory. They have a need for our product and the prospect seems to acknowledge this as well. Every time I have talked to him, he has been very interested and seemingly aware of the problem in his company that our product can help solve. I sell print management and print tracking software and the prospect acknowledged that the cost of printing is an issue for his organization....

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Have you ever eaten a soft taco? The shell isn't hard - it is soft - and folds over really easily. They are delicious! In business, however, I see too many people fold like a taco when they are negotiating with a customer. It's not pretty. The customer may not even be asking for a discount/added value but at the slightest sign of hesitation a. k.a silence - the salesperson drops the price or keeps throwing in extras "to sweeten the deal." This isn't called selling - it is called Folding Like A Taco....

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A few weeks ago I was onsite at a company that had hired meto train their sales team on how to stop using traditional selling and start using the Unlock The Game? sales approach. After one coaching session, one member of the sales team cameup to me and said, "Ari, your approach makes complete sense --but I'm afraid I'll lose sales if I stop being aggressive and start being passive!" Whenever I hear a comment like that, I want to scream, because it means that the person just doesn't yet understand that removing pressure fromthe sales process doesn't mean being passive!...

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It's a common question we come across everyday: why is business getting more difficult now? Well, it all starts with your company's sales competencies. The strange thing is that many companies spend lots of money and time training its people how to sell their products but not how to sell. Avoid the sales peaks and troughs experienced by the average salesperson by building an individual selling system that will guarantee you results? Step 1: Goals Without clearly defined goals, measured over a specific time frame, you will achieve very little....

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