Do you have 5, 10, or 20 years of sales experience?
Or do you have 1 year of sales experience 5, 10, or 20 times?
Many salespeople never advance beyond ancient outdated sales lines like "If I do this for you, will you give me the order?" Or "What do I have to do to get your business?"
Lines like these are why salespeople have a reputation near lawyers in our society.
Everyone learns lines like these in sales at some time or another. Often it comes from a senior salesperson who is described as "aggressive" or as "a closer". Because this guy brings in a lot of business, other's think that they should model his every habit. People say that you would sell more if you acted like this person. Yet secretly, most people abhor this guy.
Here's a hint. If the people in your sales organization abhorred this guy, then so did most of his prospects and customers. This guy sold a lot by using the law of averages. He sold not because of his ancient sales lines, but in spite of them. He worked 70 hours a week, and one of his favorite sayings was "its a numbers game".
Now you do have to get your message out to a large number of people. However, if you are annoying them in the process, you are wasting many great sales opportunities.
Lines such as these quickly ruin the rapport you have worked so on hard building up to this point. You brand yourself as a mere salesperson hawking a product focused only on your sales commission, rather than a business partner with concern for your prospect's business.
So what should you do instead?
Learn how to uncover problems and desires that you can help the prospect eliminate, solve, achieve or realize. Begin by seeing yourself as one who helps businesses and people with your products, ideas, and services.
You do this by asking questions. Ask questions to uncover problems and desires. If you cannot find something that you can help with - move on to a new prospect. Ask questions as to what the consequences will be of not doing anything towards eliminating their problem or not pursuing what they want. Use questions to help them see the consequences of buying your competitor's inferior product or service.
Helping your prospects to experience the consequences of various courses of action (or inaction) will stimulate the prospect into wanting to move the sale along. Done properly, this results in the prospect asking you how to speed up and complete the sale so that he can get on with solving his problem or realizing his goal.
© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.
Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
A completed communication consists of a sender and a receiver.... Read More
It is vital that insurance salespeople have a steady stream... Read More
Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with the... Read More
Robert Louis Stevenson said 'Everything in Life is Selling' and... Read More
"I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green... Read More
Sales letters, sent via e-mail or snail mail, are an... Read More
Looking for new leads, new contacts, new business opportunities? Do... Read More
The sales letter you can't put down?the advertising copy that... Read More
A closing question asks for a final decision. A trial-closing... Read More
What do you think it is? Many experts insist it's... Read More
Prospecting is the engine that propels anyone in sales. Without... Read More
How many of you have a corporate web site? Everybody... Read More
Want to build a successful incentive program for your company?... Read More
In the last article... Read More
Here's a chilling thought. If you were to die tomorrow,... Read More
Ever had a party online or offline, and had guests... Read More
Have you ever shopped at Walmart and thought... I need... Read More
I know, don't groan. You have to do them if... Read More
John Di Lemme on "Miracles are your responsibility"Miracles are your... Read More
The Importance of setting appointments is crucial to running a... Read More
There are thousands of books and seminars on how to... Read More
Our world of selling is closed off from other areas... Read More
In the last decade, the Internet has become a major... Read More
The above quote, "Eighty percent of success is showing up."... Read More
The main reason for buyer resistance and selling stalls boils... Read More
Selling your products at shows can be difficult when you... Read More
Can you say who you are and what you do... Read More
Most people who consider trade show planning think of it... Read More
A challenge facing many businesses is how to maintain a... Read More
Terminology / AcronymsABC figures: This is the independently audited sales... Read More
Whether you're a conventional sales person, a professional ? such... Read More
Hypnosis has been a taboo word for far too long.... Read More
I've written previously about how to attract customers and how... Read More
Ready to put your Web pages up? Ready to sell... Read More
The best day of the week is TODAY, of course.... Read More
A key method of our survival in the business and... Read More
Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with the... Read More
Testimonials are all-important to sell anything. You may already have... Read More
Your business is making profits, but where is the cash?... Read More
Ever feel like you were "just a salesperson"? I think... Read More
What comes to mind when you think of networking --... Read More
To be effective your sales letter must be opened, read,... Read More
Telephone canvassing, or cold calling, is the practice of sitting... Read More
Over the years, I have been amazed at... Read More
Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that... Read More
Even in this day of websites, many customers want to... Read More
People ask me, "What should I charge?"I say, "Ask your... Read More
I know, don't groan. You have to do them if... Read More
When I first started out as a loan officer, one... Read More
Would you like an easy way to track the performance... Read More
Sales is all about negotiating. You are negotiating from the... Read More
Want to build a relationship -- sell yourself for a... Read More
When buying something, you can buy in one of two... Read More
Obtaining merchant status will help to increase your sales. Consumers... Read More
Hi, I'd like to discuss the most powerful words you... Read More
Being a good listener requires more than just keeping quiet... Read More
When I ask salespeople to define what a gatekeeper is,... Read More
The other night I was watching a classic western from... Read More
One of the most useful and fundamental communications lessons that... Read More
I really just don't get it.How can so many businesses... Read More
Remember those school exercises that started "Compare and contrast....yada yada... Read More
All customers have a choice to make. Sometimes that choice... Read More
How do you get people's attention and build their interest... Read More
What do the words that you use say about you?... Read More
Some trainers and sales managers teach that there are prospects... Read More
I went shopping for clothes today.My plan was to buy... Read More
Sales |