When Deals Stall Out

Barrier Roadblocks

Self- Analysis of the Situation:  Questions to Ask Yourself

Did I properly interpret the customer’s buying signs?

  • Did you create value?
  • Have you given the prospect a sense of urgency?
  • Are you giving them space and support through their buying fears?
  • Did I miss-interpret their commitment level?  Was it low commitment or high commitment?
  • Did you connect the dots of their needs to your value correctly?

Tips for Working Through the Stalled Sale:

Follow up with purpose

  • Create a purpose to your follow up.  Don’t just call and say “I’m following up” this creates no value for the prospect.  Continue to create value by offering them some additional information or re-defining an option or ask a question.  A voicemail that states “I’m just following up, give me a call back” can easily be ignored.  However, if you say – “I have more pieces of information that you may be interested in…give me a call back” or I wanted to clarify further a point we were discussing.. each voicemail gives your call a purpose and gives them a call to action.

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Are Emails Controlling Your Time?

MAXIMIZING YOUR MINUTES

Proactive vs. Reactive: Is email controlling you?

Time management is a crucial basic skill to achieve sales success. The ultimate goal is to fill your day with high pay-off activities that are building connections and filling your pipeline. Too often salespeople unknowingly let valuable time get lost forever which results in lost sales.

Time to be proactive and take back control of your in-box. Are your emails out of control?

Did you know?

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Prospecting in the Summer

 

“It’s summer. No one is around. Why prospect?” WRONG!

It is summer – get out there and prospect even more! Summertime is the perfect opportunity to fill your pipeline full of “ideal clients.”  Here are 10 ideas on how to ramp up and fill your pipeline/funnel:

  1. Attend local events
  2. Potential Prospects – Attend their sponsored events to learn about their company
  3. Friday Afternoons – Great time to make connections with decision makers
  4. Use social media to make more connections
  5. Research ideal clients – make a targeted list of prospects
  6. Do a Customer Survey – Touch current accounts and see if you offer additional products and services.
  7. Re-connect with leads that went cold – Take a look at past leads where the timing was not right.  Make an effort to re-connect, now may just be the right time.
  8. Have a growth mindset – Think positive about all the great connections and ideal clients you will come in contact with this summer.
  9. It is about them – not YOU.  Remember to always create value for your prospects and show the ways you can expand their business.
  10. Have fun – summer is a great time to meet new people.

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Voicemail: Strategize for Connection

Voicemails

In sales there has always been a controversy about voicemail. Do you leave one or not? In today’s busy B2B sales market, voicemail gets over-looked as a key sales strategy. Did you know that the average sales representative leaves about 16 hours of voicemail in a month? That is a lot of voicemail! Why then are we not strategizing this important tool more? Use voicemail as a valuable prospecting tool.

Most of the time sales people put little thought into what happens after the BEEP.

“Hi, this Bob with ABC Company. I would love to speak with you. Give me a call back at 555-5555.”

Voicemail is a tool that you have complete control over.  After the BEEP – is your chance to shine!

Here are a few tips to build a strong voicemail strategy:

1.  What results do you desire from the voicemail?  Define the action that you are looking for so that you can create the right call to action.  Are you looking for a call back?  Are you looking to connect online?  Are you looking for them to take your call the next time?  When you define the specific result you desire, then you can craft a proper message. Continue reading

Before the Meeting: Right Impressions

First Impressions 1

As salespeople you know the three second rule – that people are forming opinions about you in the first three seconds of meeting you.  However, in this digital age people are now forming opinions about you before you even meet.  Are you making the right impression before the meeting?

Here are 10 tips to keep you making the right impression:

Online Profile:

  1. Make sure that your online profile especially on LinkedIn is professional.  Executives will research those that they are scheduled to meet with.  They want to know if this person is worth their time.  Keep your online profile up to date.
  2. Restrict your privacy on Facebook and other social sites.  You do not want business associates having access to questionable information about you.
  3. Have someone take a professional photo of you to use on social media for business.  Keeping in mind that you are a brand.  Your image is important.

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Creative Prospecting Tips to Get Noticed

Be Noticed!

Creative Prospecting Tips to Get Noticed.

How to get that ideal client to notice you.

Do you have a specific prospect that you desire to do business with?  Your ideal customer may take extra effort to schedule a meeting.  Some prospects need creativity to get you noticed in a world of busyness.

Here are some creative prospecting ideas to try:

1.  Read the business section of the newspaper.  Notice accomplishments of other companies and call to congratulate them.  Better yet – write a hand written note of congrats to them for their accomplishment.  This can be especially personal if you have a local newspaper or community paper that publishes this kind of information.

2.  Have a fun/inspiring quote printed on 4 x 6 card stock to leave with gatekeeper during face/face prospecting and have contact information printed on back.  Tell them that you just want them to have a good day today.

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