The Handout From My Speech At NACE Baltimore

On Monday I flew to Baltimore to give a speech to the NACE Chapter in Baltimore. It was great to meet some of my longtime friends. Here is the handout that each person received:
A $ymphony Of Sales Secrets Revealed

A. Some First Thoughts On Making Sales

Sales success and growth results from your inbound marketing tactics, the user-friendliness of your people and systems plus the shopper’s overall “first impression”. Shoppers can get your products and services from lots of different (and less expensive) vendors. The goal is to impress the shopper so they quickly realize that while they can get what they are looking for from many other vendors, you seem to demonstrate a unique professionalism and concern that will increase their success.

B. Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing deals with your procedures for receiving and handling a shopper’s info requests from phone calls, emails, internet requests, or from walk-ins. My view is that the shopper’s first contact with your company is simply what makes or breaks the sale. Let’s think about what goes through the shopper’s mind before, during and after the first contact.

1. Shoppers call many vendors to shop… that’s what shopping means!

2. They learn and adapt as they contact different vendors.

3. They soon discover the “sameness” of each vendor and learn their weaknesses.

4. They feel “interrogated” by vendors from endless and “sameness” questions.

5. They’re told to wait to get their questions answered.

6. A bell goes off in shopper’s minds when they finally make contact with a “different-unsame” type of vendor.

C. Incoming Phone Calls

1. No “technology handling” during business hours.

2. The selling begins with the first voice they hear.

3. Who answers the call sets the stage.

4. Give your name… don’t ask names and other personal info too quickly.

5. “Sellucate” as you give and get info from the shopper… don’t interrogate.

6. Qualification is important. Are they buyers and can you sell them something?

    a. This is where you ask info and attitude questions.

    b. This is where you decide your next steps assuming you keep going - “go” or “no-go”.

    c. The first 180 seconds can make or break a sale.

    d. Remember: It’s more about how they answer the questions rather than what they answer.

    e. “From what you’ve shared with me so far, I can confidently say that we...”

    f. “I need to locate Bob Smith for you to speak with because he specializes in...”

    g. “Before I transfer you to him I just want to tell you a little about Bob.”

D. Incoming Email & Internet Requests

1. Learn to filter emails to targeted mail boxes.

2. Someone needs to determine their each email’s “importance” - everyone can’t be treated the same.

3. Use an automatic message received response - “Thanks - we’ve received your request”.

4. Send personalized “first-step” response a.s.a.p. to separate your company from the rest.

    a. Attach PDF, Youtube links, Audio Clip, Facebook, etc.

    b. Provide them with advanced fundamental info about your company and team.

    c. Assign a control number to their request.

    d. Give them someone at your company to call sooner if they wish.

    e. Infer the timeline they can look forward to for your response.

E. Uninvited Walk-Ins

1. This does happen with many businesses. It really should be encouraged.

2. Have signage showing the hours and/or directions of where to go.

3. The entire staff needs to understand what to do.

4. Have a walkthrough procedure that staff can execute to fulfill their reason for coming.

5. Qualify, reschedule, or walkthrough!

6. Sometimes it is just incorrect or impossible to take time to tour.

F. Let’s Talk Sales

1. Salespeople are the creators of profit and growth - they create everyone’s salaries.

2. There are no tricks in selling - just words, strategies, tactics and lots of rehearsing!

3. Selling is just making friends in a very short time.

4. Salespeople are developed... not born into it.

G. Don’t Sell Your Products First

1. Make a friend first.

2. Sell “non-embarrassment” not just your products. Boast about your team and what past buyers like about your

product/services. “Mrs. Smith, please let me take a moment and share with you why I chose to work with (your company)...”

3. Learn the difference between “order-taking” and “selling”. There is a need and time for both.

4. Always stay positive, but “correct” the shopper if necessary.

5. To the shopper... sell yourself, the company, the team, and then the product... in that order.

6. Tell the shopper the questions they should be asking and then answer them!

7. Establish the foundations of upselling right from the beginning.

8. Market and sell what your products/services do for clients... not just what they are.

9. Remember: Verbs and adjectives make sales happen. Nouns are shallow.

H. Some Last Thoughts

1. You need to continually present the shopper with “”real-world” scenarios and stories.

2. Selling is not lecturing. Selling is teaching through selling.

3. Sell the result they envision, but protect them from making mistakes or missteps.

4. Continually ask yourself why you do what you do!

5. To most shoppers chicken is just chicken, a white linen is just a white linen, a sound system is just a sound system no matter where they buy/rent it. So, paying less for the same thing is good.

Remember The “...ATE” Concept:

Motivate, Innovate, Aggravate, Communicate, Debate, Educate, Celebrate, Negotiate & Sellucate!


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