Evan Carmichael Top Header about About About facebook Twitter YouTube Google+

If You’re Not Selling . . .



Free PDF Download
Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes. - By Michael Johnson

Name: Email:


Are you working hard, but not getting the results you want? If you’re a professional salesperson and you’re not selling, it could be because:

• You are boring. Do customers cut you off in mid-sentence, or jump in when you pause for breath? Chances are, you’re boring them. Paint a vivid picture and put them in it; use an example or interesting case history to illustrate your point. Whip out some visuals to show them how much they will save.

• You insult their intelligence. “Mr. Jones, would you like to save money on your long distance phone bill?” Polling prospects with lame questions in an attempt to get them to say yes is manipulative and insulting. Instead, ask open-ended questions to elicit their needs. Treat them with respect by tailoring your questions to their company, industry and circumstances.

• You are uninformed. Take time to visit the website of your prospect’s company. Check out their competition, industry association and trade journals. Remember: the more you learn, the more you earn. If you do not understand what your prospects do, and what issues they face, how can you expect to determine how your product or service can best help them?

• You are talking to the wrong person.
Oops! Once again, you have not done your homework, and end up pitching someone who has no decision-making authority. This hurts, because it’s usually hard to get a second bite of the apple.

• You do not listen. Pay attention to what your customers are saying and how they are saying it, including their non-verbal communication. Effective listening will provide you with most of the answers to your qualifying questions without even asking them. You will learn about your customers’ needs, what their hot buttons are, and how to convince them. Simply put: when your customer talks, you sell; when you talk, you lose.

• You talk about features, not benefits. You are crazy about all those neat bells and whistles your product offers, but you do not let the buyer know how they will directly benefit him.

• You do not understand their needs.
In the world of sales, one size rarely fits all. Find out your prospect’s special needs and concerns, and show how your product or service can help. Again: listen and he will tell you.

• Buyers do not like you.
You have heard it a million times: people buy from people they like. If your prospect doesn’t like you, he’s not going to spend time getting to know your product or service. Investing some time in your rapport-building skills will pay big dividends.

• They do not know you, and have never heard of your company.
All things being equal, who do you think your prospect is going to buy from: the company he has known for years, or you, the new kid on the block? Allay his fears by providing him with current customer lists (including contact names and numbers for some of your accounts), testimonial letters on your customers’ letterhead, documented case histories, and press coverage. A referral from someone he knows and respects will swing doors wide open.

• Make your buyers heroes.
Even in a business-to-business sale, you need to show your prospects what’s in it for them personally. How do they personally gain? Will they look good to their boss? Will they save time and effort? Will they make their customers or employees happy? There’s an important difference between, “Your company will save over $50,000 a year with our product” and “You will save your company over $50,000 a year with our product.” People want to be heroes. Make it so.

It’s the little things that make a difference in the sale. Pay attention to these ten factors, and make more sales.


Related Articles

  Work at Home Mom - The Secret to Success
  Real Work at Home Jobs - Why Cant You Find One?
  Sales Education - New Events, Articles and Books
  Leadership Strategies and NO to Burnout
  Selling Power 26
  New Years Resolution for 2009: Start Earning Money at Home
  Are You Monkeylike? Joint Ventures
  Does Sex Sell?
  The "Use Seasoned Sales Professionals As Trainers" Myth
  The 80-19-1 Rule
  Consultative Selling
  Finding The Right Prospects For your Business
  At-ti-tude, n
  Increasing the Velocity of Your Selling Cycle
  Consultative Selling Won't Fill Your Pipeline
  Is Selling Difficult or Easy? It All Depends on Your Definitions
  The Value 2 (Squared) Equation
  Seth Godin Reinforces the Proper Sales Process
  What Are You Really Selling?
  Sales and Marketing: Know and Apply The Separate But Equal Ideology

Home > Sales > Michael Johnson > If Youre Not Selling >

Free PDF Download
Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes. - By Michael Johnson

Name: Email:

About the Author: Michael Johnson

RSS for Michael's articles - Visit Michael's website
Michael Dalton Johnson is an award-winning publisher and successful entrepreneur and business leader. He is Editor and Publisher of "Top Dog Sales Secrets", the bestselling book featuring advice from 50 renowned sales experts. Michael is the founder of SalesDog.com, an educational website for sales professionals. For a free subscription to his weekly sales tips newsletter, visit his website at http://www.SalesDog.com

He has appeared on NBC's Today Show and been featured in U.S. News and World Report, Time, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and New York Times. He has been a featured guest on over 200 television and radio shows.

Michael has had a very diverse business background. He is the former publisher and editor of a national political satire magazine. He simultaneously served as Director of Development for an international technical publishing and marketing company which he took from three employees and two products to a multinational corporation with hundreds of employees and over 100 products. He is the founder of several successful businesses. The father of five, he and his wife Kathryn make their home in Rancho Santa Fe, California.



Click here to visit Michael's website.
Dashed Line

More from Michael Johnson
Power Tips
Stop Hiding from Your Buyers
The Fine Art of the Handshake
If Youre Not Selling
Make Small Commitments Get Big Changes

Related Forum Posts

Re: What is the Best Franchise? Re: What is the Best Franchise?
Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur? Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur?
Re: This is Marketing Warfare! Re: This is Marketing Warfare!
Blog pinging Blog pinging
Business magazines Business magazines

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Share for a Cause
Featured Article



Worksheets
By: Evan Carmichael

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

8 Powerful Steps to Finding Your Passion

Does your pitch suck?

Create a plan of attach to launch your new business.

8-Cover

Like this page? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Are You a Forced Entrepreneur?

Role of the Supervisor: Employee Engagement!

How to develop the best lateral thinking skills

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.