Make the Switch From Selling to Educating to Increase Sales Conversion Rate
Make the Switch From Selling to Educating to Increase Sales Conversion Rate
Possibly you may be thinking I am always educating the customer. I tell him or her how great my product or service is or how my product or service can outperform the competition. As an old mentor of mine once said: If you are telling, you ain't selling.
The problem here is that you are doing all the telling with a very high ego. Now what would happen if you truly listened to the customer and helped him or her through an educational non-self serving approach?
For example, you have 5 targeted qualified potential customers in you sight. Why not send each of them a handwritten note, briefly introducing yourself and letting them know that the following week you will send them an article that they may find of interest. Of course the article would reflect your research about the issues that each company is facing. Then the next week you send the article with another note about a new article that you will send the following week. After repeating this education based marketing behavior for 2 additional weeks, you then send a word processed letter with a little more detail about yourself and letting the decision maker know that you will be calling the following week for an appointment. Sales Coaching Tip: If you wrote the article all the better. Even better, print it from a directory site such as EvanCarmichael.com.
Another example is how you end your first telephone call with that potential qualified customer. Do you say something like If I can be of further assistance, please let me know. Again, what would happen if you embraced the role of educator and said something like, With your permission, I would like to send you a white paper or article that you may find of interest specific to this current problem or issue. Sales Coaching Tip: The article or white paper must provided exceptional value and not be a sales based marketing strategy in disguise.
Auto-responders are another way to educate the customer. You provide a free report, a white paper, an assessment or even a free coaching program just for the exchange of leaving contact and industry information. The challenge is not to overburden those who signed up for excessive emails that do not provide value.
Speaking of value, it has been said that people buy from people they trust. This is true, yet trust takes time. Many individuals simply do not have the time. So what would happen if you provided greater value by offering a product or service for free. Sales Coaching Tip: Make sure that make those offerings to only qualified potential customers or centers of influence.
By using an on line assessment, I have increased my sales conversions from 40% to 80%. Since I do provide a free coaching or business strategy session, this assessment quickly demonstrates value, educates the potential qualified customer and establishes trust almost immediately. Yes, there is a minimal added cost on my end for the assessment. However, the increase in conversions offsets this cost and has also shortened the sales cycle allowing me to earn even more sales.
TAKE ACTION SALES COACHING TIP: Research those top 5 companies that you wish to have as loyal customers. Find articles or write articles that address current or future needs. If possible cite outside sources to demonstrate that you truly understand the marketplace. Then freely share them with qualified potential customers. Use a proven online assessment if one is available that brings value to your qualified lead. Your goal to increase sales should be achieved while helping you to become that trusted advisor.
Make the Switch From Selling to Educating to Increase Sales Conversion Rate - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Are you selling your products or services? How is that working for you? Would you like to increase sales conversion rate? Then you may need to switch your sales skills from selling to educating.
Possibly you may be thinking I am always educating the customer. I tell him or her how great my product or service is or how my product or service can outperform the competition. As an old mentor of mine once said: If you are telling, you ain't selling.
The problem here is that you are doing all the telling with a very high ego. Now what would happen if you truly listened to the customer and helped him or her through an educational non-self serving approach?
For example, you have 5 targeted qualified potential customers in you sight. Why not send each of them a handwritten note, briefly introducing yourself and letting them know that the following week you will send them an article that they may find of interest. Of course the article would reflect your research about the issues that each company is facing. Then the next week you send the article with another note about a new article that you will send the following week. After repeating this education based marketing behavior for 2 additional weeks, you then send a word processed letter with a little more detail about yourself and letting the decision maker know that you will be calling the following week for an appointment. Sales Coaching Tip: If you wrote the article all the better. Even better, print it from a directory site such as EvanCarmichael.com.
Another example is how you end your first telephone call with that potential qualified customer. Do you say something like If I can be of further assistance, please let me know. Again, what would happen if you embraced the role of educator and said something like, With your permission, I would like to send you a white paper or article that you may find of interest specific to this current problem or issue. Sales Coaching Tip: The article or white paper must provided exceptional value and not be a sales based marketing strategy in disguise.
Auto-responders are another way to educate the customer. You provide a free report, a white paper, an assessment or even a free coaching program just for the exchange of leaving contact and industry information. The challenge is not to overburden those who signed up for excessive emails that do not provide value.
Speaking of value, it has been said that people buy from people they trust. This is true, yet trust takes time. Many individuals simply do not have the time. So what would happen if you provided greater value by offering a product or service for free. Sales Coaching Tip: Make sure that make those offerings to only qualified potential customers or centers of influence.
By using an on line assessment, I have increased my sales conversions from 40% to 80%. Since I do provide a free coaching or business strategy session, this assessment quickly demonstrates value, educates the potential qualified customer and establishes trust almost immediately. Yes, there is a minimal added cost on my end for the assessment. However, the increase in conversions offsets this cost and has also shortened the sales cycle allowing me to earn even more sales.
TAKE ACTION SALES COACHING TIP: Research those top 5 companies that you wish to have as loyal customers. Find articles or write articles that address current or future needs. If possible cite outside sources to demonstrate that you truly understand the marketplace. Then freely share them with qualified potential customers. Use a proven online assessment if one is available that brings value to your qualified lead. Your goal to increase sales should be achieved while helping you to become that trusted advisor.
Make the Switch From Selling to Educating to Increase Sales Conversion Rate - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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