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Expectations- A Sales Attitude By Any Other Name
Written by: Leanne Hoagland-SmithArticle Overview: Years ago I read something that Zig Ziglar wrote: Attitudes are habits of thought. Pretty simple definition, but incredibly powerful. How many of our thoughts are really sales attitudes including expectations?
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Expectations- A Sales Attitude By Any Other Name
Years ago I read something that Zig Ziglar wrote: Attitudes are habits of thought. Pretty simple definition, but incredibly powerful. How many of our thoughts are really sales attitudes including expectations?
So what are expectations? And, more importantly why are they so important in your goal to increase sales?
What I have discovered is that expectations are attitudes with an anticipated result. For example, if I make 100 phone calls, I expect to receive 50 appointments. From those 50 appointments, I expect to have 30 second meetings. Those second meetings should provide me with 20 commitments or sales. Now I expect my sales to close ratio to be 20% or 5 to 1.
Conversely because I might have meet the wrong people (A.K.A. not the decision makers), I may have included them in my calls and then all of a sudden, my sales to close ratio is no longer at 20% but possibly at 10%. Now my expectations may change and so will my results specific to the goal to increase sales.
Expectations are powerful sales attitudes because of their immediate connection to some desired result or want. Many sales people really dislike to cold call, to talk to strangers, to go to where they have not been invited. They have a negative attitude about cold calling. This attitude can be changed, but when the expectation is that cold calling does not work, this is more difficult to change.
I have seen the affect of expectations specific to marketing and direct mail. Businesses will spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on print, radio, television, billboards and even on-line advertising for impressions. Due to the numbers of people who are tuned in to a radio station, watching a TV program, driving by a billboard or visiting a website, the advertisers can claim we have thousands to millions of people hearing or seeing your advertised message. They have set the expectations that your invested dollars will generate incredible results. After all, your message is being heard or seen by the masses. Yet, how can you confirm those thousands to millions of people are truly qualified prospects who have these 4 criteria: need, budget, decision maker and urgency?
These same businesses will balk at investing far less in direct mail because it does not work. As a sales coach, I have heard sales professionals including small business owners, real estate agents, insurance agents and financial planners say that they sent out 100 postcards or 500 postcards and received no responses. We do not expect direct mail to work for us. However, if they had sent out 1,000 mailers at least 3 to 6 times to a qualified list over the course of several months, their expectations would probably change. Did you know that to expect someone to know your business name requires 13 touches? Did you know to expect your name to be the first one that comes to their top of mind demands 33 touches over the course of a year?
Expectations are indeed powerful sales attitudes that can either make or break a business as well as any sales professional. These thoughts become ingrained in your overall belief systems or foundational thought processes based upon all prior experiences. So, be careful of what you expect, you may get it or not get it, for the choice is yours.
Article Tags: advertisers, appointments, attitudes, billboard, billboards, cold call, cold calling, commitments, decision makers, direct mail, expectation, immediate connection, impressions, line advertising, negative attitude, radio station, radio television, thousands of dollars, tv program, zig ziglar
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About the Author: Leanne Hoagland-Smith RSS for Leanne's articles - Visit Leanne's website Executive consultant, sales coach and speaker, Leanne Hoagland-Smith, partners with innovative and crazy busy leaders who want to dramatically improve their team results. What this looks like differs for each firm and why a free strategy session is offered just by calling 219.759.5601 CDT USA to have a conversation about the results you are seeking. If you prefer you can forward a request to coach@processspecialist.com Her book, Be the Red Jacket is a no-nonsense and quick read to help discover potential gaps that may be keeping you from your goal to increase sales. The forward is by Evan Carmichael of EvanCarmichael.com Remember if you think you cannot or you think you can either way you are right. (Henry Ford). Sales Coaching Tip: Change your thoughts; improve your results. Click here to visit Leanne's website Leadership Assessment Business Building Check List Leadership Audit For Business |
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