Many sales representatives absolutely dread their monthly sales forecasting meetings with their sales manager. Why? Often, it is because they really don’t know what is the next step to close the sale. More importantly, they also don’t know when that step is going to happen. As such, their forecasting accuracy is less than desired, and that makes for some unpleasant meetings!
To eliminate this, as sales professionals, we have to do a better job of controlling the time frame of each potential sale. (more…)
Regardless of how expensive or complicated your product is, a written proposal should not be longer than 6 pages. Too much information can actually slow or halt the sale, not move it forward. Your prospect only needs just enough of the right information to make a logical buying decision. Did you need of want detailed blueprints of framing, plumbing and electrical wiring before you bought your house? Neither does your prospect!
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A common concern I hear from sales representatives is that they have trouble booking appointments to present their recommendations to their prospects. Everything goes well in the needs analysis meetings, but when it comes time sit down and present the solutions, the prospect won’t return their calls.
One of the biggest mistakes made by sales representatives is that they finish a needs analysis meeting or fact find with a statement like, “Thank you for your time, Mr. Prospect. I’ll get back to you when my proposal is ready.” Weeks of voice mail tag can go by before the next meeting, and by then all of the momentum created has long since been forgotten. (more…)
If you sell a simple or transactional product where the customer can make the buying decision very quickly, don’t write the price on a brochure when the prospect asks for a quotation. Write the price on an order form instead. Not only will this give the prospect the information he has requested, but it will save a lot of time because the sale will close much more quickly.
Regardless of how expensive or complicated your product is, a written proposal should not be longer than 6 pages. Too much information can actually slow or halt the sale, not move it forward. Your prospect only needs just enough of the right information to make a logical buying decision. Did you need of want detailed blueprints of framing, plumbing and electrical wiring before you bought your house? Neither does your prospect!
Are you having trouble booking appointments to present your recommendations to your prospects? Everything goes well in your needs analysis meetings, but when it comes time to sit down and present your solutions, the prospect won’t return your calls?
One of the biggest mistakes made by sales representatives is that they finish a needs analysis meeting or fact find with a statement like, “Thank you for your time, Mr. Prospect. I’ll get back to you when my proposal is ready.” Weeks of voice mail tag can go by before the next meeting, and by then all of the momentum created has long since been forgotten.
Successful sales representatives know that proposal templates are a huge time saver when creating quotations. All that should be needed to customize a proposal for a particular prospect is to change the customer information and the financial considerations. Many studies show that sales people only spend about 25% of their time selling. If you have a $1 million quota, your time is worth $2,000 per hour. Use it wisely!
How do you tell your prospect your price? If you add adjectives like “our usual price”, “the suggested list price”, or “our regular price”, you are actually inviting the prospect to negotiate and ask for a lower price. Instead, try “the price is” and simply state the fact.
Add related products to all of your proposals. The reason fast food employees always ask you if you want some fries with that is because many people say yes. Suggestion selling works. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so why not ask? The worst that can happen is you prospect says no.
Studies show 25% of sales reps produce 90 to 95% of all sales. Clearly, most sales people are not selling up to their potential and not making the incomes they could. B2B Sales Connections wants to change that.
A Sales Compass is a blog where business to business sales professionals can network. Here you will find motivation, share sales tips, and improve your sales and sales management skills. Together, we can all unlock our sales potential.
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