One of the highest paid careers is sales. From paper clips to air craft carriers, everything is sold and at the helm is a terrific sales person who is receiving a terrific commission for their smart work in closing the deal. That sales professional has studied their product, their prospect and their competition to answer every pointed question about their offering. The sales pro can answer objections about the costs or effectiveness of their product and has helped their prospect to see that the value of their product is far superior to anything anyone else can possibly create. The sales pro is practiced in transferring their belief and emotion to the prospect; practiced at sharing their knowledge. The sales pro is also patient waiting for their prospect to realize (on their own) the superior value being offered so that ultimately the prospect is asking the sales pro—“how do I get one of my own??”
But before the sales pro can close the deal, the door must be opened. It is the sales professional who excels at door opening that both closes more sales and closes more sales faster. It is the bravest of sales pros who marches forth and meets more people and who will close more sales, therefore earning a more lucrative income.
Over the last 25 years I’ve been working on a system for you, the sales professional to maximize your time and increase your income. In this book I’ll be revealing the techniques that have increased my clients’ prospect list, their referral base, their sales and ultimately their income.
Before you can begin your practiced and perfected sales presentation, before you can close the deal, you have to engage your prospect, heck, you have to engage countless suspects to find your prospects. The journey is a long process to getting to the presentation table and on to closing the deal.
What if we could increase the success rate with our suspects and generate more prospects? What if we could increase the number of prospects?
People fresh out of college have been told that sales is the first job they should try regardless of their major. Out of work technicians are often told, just go in to sales. Sales is actually considered a lesser job than teaching and you know what they say, if you can’t do…teach. They also say if you can’t teach…go into sales.
Recently, sales jobs aren’t even paid! They’re “straight commission;” meaning sell something, work for me, wear your business clothes and drive your car (spend your own gas money) and maybe I’ll pay you if you sell something.
There is no college or high school training for sales. Any sales training you may want will come from personal investment in yourself and from your own pocket. My two sales heroes: Zig Ziglar and Tom Hopkins both talk about their own personal financial investment in learning how to sell and it paid off for them again and again. Both experts in the field of selling have not only succeeded in sales, but in training others how to be more effective.
For the novice and the sales guru, this book will outline the step by step techniques of opening more doors, of meeting more suspects and transforming them into prospects…who will become your new clients.
Since 1988 I’ve been selling professionally and I’ve learned tips and techniques along the way. I’ve learned tips to make your time more efficient, your language and body language more efficient…make it easier to sell. If selling is where you want to earn a substantial living, read on.
In 1976 our country was celebrating the bicentennial, the birth of our country. I remember the enthusiasm in my neighborhood that summer. Everything was red, white and blue. Everyone was planning their picnics at the state park or in their own back yard. One of our more ambitious neighbors had created a display in their yard with bricks proclaiming 1776-1976 to show off their patriotism. We were all caught up in the excitement.
That same was the birth of something in me, too. In the mail arrived a large white envelope from the Olympic Greeting Card Company and my passion for sales was born. I grew up in a little town with one grocery store and no traffic lights. Summers were spent in our back yard pool or riding my bikes, but in 1976 I launched my sales career. With the encouragement of my entrepreneurial parents, I set out with the large catalog of brightly colored greeting cards going door to door to all of our neighbors. Back in 1976 lots of people were home during the day. I would offer to personalize any greeting card from our large, colorful selection. After making the rounds, I hadn’t sold very many boxes…maybe 10. When I got home my wise Mom and Dad said, “Get back out there and ask them again. Don’t take no for an answer. Go after 5 when more people get home from work.”
When I arrived home again, I had sold a total of 32 boxes! Those magic words were the birth of my Meet and Greet sales program!
Years and years later, in 1988 I was working as a purchasing agent in Northern Virginia. Every day sales people visited me in my little office to offer printing at terrific prices and high quality. The company wasn’t looking for quality, just price and turnaround time. Ah, my first lesson in the ultimate triad. Do you want price? Quality? Turnaround time? I remember learning that you can have two from the triad, but not all three. Hmmm, no problem at that company.
It wasn’t until I was offered my first printing sales job that I learned that most people do want all three corners of the triangle. So negotiation for price wasn’t the only skill to develop. Educating clients about materials, construction, quality and the time it takes to create the product came in to play.
Ah ha! Educating the client. Sharing your knowledge about the process it takes to really create your product or service.
From selling printing I moved into consumer sales, first a quick stint at a gym then on to 7 years of selling custom made furniture. The first day on the job I called Mom and said, ”I don’t get it (shrug) who cares about their furniture? Why does it matter so much?”
Once again, my Mom had the germ of the answer. She said, “find out why so many people are passionate about their furniture, their furnishings.” Her answer resonated in me and reminded of the oldest adage I had learned: create desire, share passion, transfer your enthusiasm. How could I do that if I didn’t care about furniture myself? Over the next few weeks I studied furniture and learned about craftsmanship and quality.
During that time I developed a skill for creating desire, or urgency that would translate into top dollars. By educating our clients and creating desire we can provide what they want and need.
