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Let’s visit a few areas of the Cycle of Sales that the Black Belt handles a little differently than the rest of us.
Contact
When a Black Belt contacts a Prospect, they NEVER stumble with the Gate-keeper objection, because they can “sell” the Gate-keeper on becoming an ally. They already know the Gate-keeper’s name and can build rapport to convince the Gate-keeper why it’s in her best interest to get the decision-maker on the phone!
And once they get through to the decision maker, they can set an appointment IF THEY CHOOSE. They’re in complete control. They use 15 to 20 credible names that make immediate sense to the decision maker. In fact, most Lethal sales reps already are close to making the sale in the Contact! Setting the appointment and visiting the Prospect is a given. And they NEVER set an appointment with a low-qualified Prospect- they don’t have to! They have too many qualified Prospects they can spend their time with!
Presentation
The Presentation is where the Lethal rep spends all his time. The entire sale hinges around getting the decision maker qualified, closing the deal, and GETTING OUT OF THEIR! They want to fill a need in the quickest, least pressured way, build a credible name-based relationship, and MOVE ON to the next Prospect! It’s kind of like a heart surgeon. The surgeons there to do a very specific job. He’s there to fix a patient’s heart. He may be nice, friendly, and build a relationship with his patients, but HE’S THERE TO FIX YOUR HEART! Which is exactly my point with sales. The REAL sales person is there to make the sale, and not waste a bunch of his or his Prospect’s time. Let me ask you this, do you think you Prospect’ ULTIMATE goal with buying your product is to have this big relationship with you, the sales person?? Or is the Prospect’s goal to solve a problem or fill a need that you, the sales person, has the solution too?
Lethal Sales Person’s Customers appreciate and respect the fact that their “black belt” sales person helped them and then left them alone!
Business is business. Business is not about making friends. If you make a friend in the process, GREAT! But don’t let a bunch of industry sales gurus try to convince you that there’s a bunch of other stuff you’re suppose to be doing. EVERY additional task you set out to accomplish that is not IMMEDIATELY related to solving your customer’s needs is a WASTE OF TIME!
If you don’t believe me, flip the table. Do you go to work everyday so that your manager can become a GREAT friend to you? Do you appreciate it when a manager wants to start yet another “character development program?” Do you think it’s fair if your company wants you to do 5 hours of community service to “better the image of the company?”
What if you’re already a Lethal Salesperson. Isn’t almost everything else your manager or company tries to do to “help you” a waste of time? I mean, if you’re already producing “off the charts,” usually what happens is the manager ends up hindering your performance because they lose sight of the real deal. The real deal to find and get customers in the quickest, most effective way. The real deal to provide incredible solutions to these customers.
Pass on the long lunches. Pass on the 80 “follow-up” phone calls. Pass on trying to be something to your customer that neither you NOR he or she wants.
Just do your job the BEST way you can!
Close
The Black Belt goes into the Presentation closing from the very start. WHY? Because he wants to pressure his Prospect? NO WAY! He goes in closing from the beginning to save EVERYBODY time.
What if your Prospect is ready to buy when you get there? The only way you’re going to find out is by asking.
I usually start my presentations by saying, “Are you guys pretty much already sold, or do you want me to go through my spiel?” And guess what, once in a while, they say, “We want to buy it, we just need a few details.”
So I just saved us all a bunch of time. I can answer the questions they have and MOVE on. Because I respect that they’re busy (and I’m busy to.) Problem solved, deal done, and go on to the next Prospect!
Cancellation Prevention
The Black Belt totally solidifies the sale by asking the Customer to give him three or four reasons WHY he chose to purchase. But the Black Belt has a second motive in mind. The VERY reasons the Customer bought becomes a testimonial for the Black Belt. A Testimonial that the Black Belt will use in future demos to allow this new Customer to become an “assistant sales person” through third-person selling!
Profile - Referrals
The Black Belt ALWAYS gets four, five or TEN quality referrals from his Prospect. He uses his rapport to “train” his Prospect to help him find more business. Everyone likes to help people out, and the Black Belt gives his new Customer a great experience of helping him with referrals. It’s a POSITIVE experience. But if the Black Belt finds that the Customer really enjoys helping him, he’ll let the Customer give him as many referrals as possible.
I’ve had a Customer give me 15 referrals before. And then, this same Customer proceeded to get on the phone and called one of the referrals right then to help me set an appointment.
He LOVED helping me. You know the feeling. Don’t you feel really good when you help someone out?
You MUST feel good about letting people help you. It can make their day!a
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