Resistance Training for Sales People

What was the quickest rejection you ever got? 2 minutes into your call? 1 minute? 15 seconds, 3 seconds?

Resistance comes in many forms in sales. Buyers may resist from the beginning of the presentation to the very end. And yet by using some simple steps we can reduce this resistance to increase our sales performance.

Here's an analogy: many people exercise using resistance training. It's good for you. Encountering resistance during the sales process can also be good for you. It lets you work your sales muscles, enabling you to become a stronger sales person. Too much resistance may not help you achieve your goals, though. Plan for resistance in advance and you can help eliminate or reduce it.

Create a planned presentation that takes into account, step by step, all concerns and objectives your prospects may have. Look at every point in the sales process. Examine them and look for ways to make it easy for a prospect to say "yes" to you. Here, then, are 12 steps to decrease resistance and increase sales:

1. Sound confident. Your voice gives you away. Your voice is an emotional barometer. If you're not comfortable, your prospects will hear it in your voice. There's a hesitancy, a slight stutter or stumble when we're not confident. Your confidence will give your prospects confidence to do business with you.

2. Rehearse names beforehand. Nothing says I don't know you faster than a fumbled name.

3. Do your homework. The number one complaint buyers have about sales people is that they don't know enough about the targeted buyer or even their own products. There are lots of ways to research. Check the company's website, look at their printed materials, and do a "google" search. Finally, don't forget to ask questions during your sales call.

4. Phase your words positively. There's a big difference between saying "If you order an additional 25 I can drop the price to ___" and "You don't need another 25, do you?" Drop the words "no" and "not" from your vocabulary. There's no need to suggest a negative.

5. Listen. People will tell you everything and more if you let them. Listen actively and objectively. Focus on what is being said as well as what is not being said. If you're on the phone, don't multi-task. Multi-tasking is the enemy of good listening.

6. Ask questions to discern needs. Use open ended questions to generate information. Open ended questions start with words like who, what, where, when, which, why, and how. Use closed ended questions when you need to get "yes" or "no". Closed ended questions start with word such as: is, are, can, may, have, and do.

7. Listen some more. See #5

8. Propose solutions based on buyer needs. If you've listened, this should be easy. If it's not easy, there may not be a good fit between your product and your prospect. If you're looking for a long term relationship, sell only to needs. You'll make more sales in the long run.

9. Keep listeing. Notice the pattern here. Remember, the seller should always talk less than 50% of the conversation.

10. Ask for agreement. How often have you spoken with a salesperson who doesn't come to the point and ask for the order? Make sure that's not you. Don't forget to ask for agreement in order to close the sale. When you ask for agreement, the "yes" from the buyer closes your sale. A "no" says you've more work to do.

11. Follow up. You'll close as many sales on the 8th try as on the 1st. It's been said that the fortune is in the follow up.

12. A positive attitude. If you think you can, you will. It's a simple tool but it works.

If you think in terms of decreasing resistance, if you build it right into your presentation, you'll find it easier to get "yes's".

Jo Ann Kirby is president of KRG Communications Group. Her experience includes many years in inside sales/management and an extensive background in training and development. Known throughout her career as a coach and motivator of sales people, Jo Ann has worked with a wide variety of sales positions in different industries. Find out more at http://www.krgcommunications.com

---

The Road to Pendingville is Paved with Good Intentions

If you've been in sales for any length of time,... Read More

Quiz: What Kind of Sales Shoe Are You?

Have you ever wondered what type of saleswoman you are?... Read More

Nine Competencies of the Complete Sales Professional

Have you ever tried to explain to someone what you... Read More

Cross-selling for Increased Sales, Profits, and Customer Satisfaction

Cross-selling - the art of selling for non-salespeopleCross-selling is the... Read More

Sales Predator Or Professional Sales Rep

From a customer's perception, it's easy for a salesperson to... Read More

In Sales - Heres News You Can Use

Here's an idea on how to make reading the daily... Read More

The Reason Why They Buy

If you're a business person you want to sell your... Read More

Increase Your Sales in 5 Minutes

Increase your sales-in five minutes. This article is the third... Read More

Why ALL Sales Decisions Are Based On Emotion - Heres The Proof!

Have you ever gone into a newsagent, picked up a... Read More

Are You Doing What It Takes To Win More Sales

What does it take to be a WINNER during these... Read More

How To Attract Buyers Using The Right Sales Terminology

It is always important that you use the right terms... Read More

Hello! I Cant Sell!

What's that you say? You can't sell?Oh, you must be... Read More

Nine Common Mistakes Salespeople Make

1. They talk instead of LISTEN. Too many salespeople monopolize... Read More

A Great Sales Technique: Be Aware of Sales Myth #5

A myth can best be described as somebody or something... Read More

Elearning Is Dead - Long Live Blended Learning!

There is little doubt that eLearning has not achieved the... Read More

Practice Building: Create a Powerful and Targeted Call to Action for Your Prospects

A "Call To Action" is an invitation for your prospective... Read More

How To Stop Chasing Prospects Forever!

Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by salespeople is the problem... Read More

10 Killer Ways To Multiply Your Sales

Would you like to multiply your web site sales? Or... Read More

5 Small Steps To Ultimate Sales Success

"Selling worth doing is worth doing badly ? at first!"... Read More

How A Dancing Horse Can Increase Your Sales

"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More

Stop Selling! for the Million Dollar Contract

During the introduction of the "Stop Selling!" philosophy, we typically... Read More

Sales Tips from Sales Masters

Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and... Read More

Making Sales is Easy When You Learn How to Make Friends

Friends buy from friends. Why? Because people trust that their... Read More

How To Go Perpendicular In Your Sales Territory

First and foremost are you thinking Strategically? "Do you have... Read More

Marketing Vs. Sales

Marketing and sales co-exist and work in tandem beautifully if... Read More

A Revolutionary NEW Dimension in Sales

A Revolutionary 'NEW' Dimension In Sales: Make many more closings... Read More

How To Win Business By Networking

In sales we do tend to become focused upon our... Read More

How to Boost Your Sales Letter Conversion Rate

Emotion and reason mix very well together to make excellent... Read More

Direct Sales and the Use of Clipboards

Do you ever feel that when you are doing direct... Read More

Youre Hired... I Think

I'm not a fan of "The Donald" and I had... Read More

If You Respect Them, They Will Buy -- Closing the Sale

We've all had the unfortunate experience of being convinced by... Read More

Increasing Your Sales FASTER -- Dealing with Ill Think It Over.

Do you frequently hear that from a prospect?"I'll Think It... Read More

Sales Language: Whats Wrong with But?

Language is one of the most important tools you have... Read More