Dr. Seuss?s 3-Step Selling Process

Hello Everyone: Here's a unique look at learning how to
sell:

"I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green eggs and ham? Would
you like them here or there? Would you like them in a box,
would you like them with a fox?"

Most people have read the Dr. Seuss tale "Green Eggs & Ham",
either as kids or to their children. What is interesting is
the connection this tale has to selling. Learn from Dr.
Seuss to build your sales.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sam-I-Am" Selling Technique

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Sam is selling a product, initially, to an uninterested
prospect, yet it doesn't deter him from asking for the sale.

2. Sam consistently offers the prospect a choice when trying
to close the sale.

3. He refuses to give up. No matter how many times his
prospect says "no," Sam keeps offering alternatives. He
offers fourteen options before finally closing the sale.
This isn't suggesting that you pester your customers. It
means not to give up too early (most people do, you know).
They hear a couple of "no's" and they develop mindsets like:
marketing is too hard for me, I don't like to market myself,
or I just don't have the personality to market.
Need a web host? We give this company 5 stars!! Call PJ,
the owner of WebNetHosting. Here's his personal number
1-877-893-6890.

If you are a business owner, the buck stops there, and it is
your responsibility to ask the prospect for a decision. You
cannot expect a prospect to do the work for you. They like
to be asked. They want to be asked.

If you have been effective in learning about their specific
needs and presented the appropriate solution to your
prospect then you have earned the right to ask them for the
sale. Here are a few selling techniques that will help you
reach this point:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Go On, Tell Me More

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avoid diving in before you know what you can do for your
client and you thoroughly understand what business
challenges they face. Use open questions to gather
information and avoid jumping to quick conclusions. Listen
carefully and ask for clarify on anything that isn't clear.
Ask them to elaborate by using communication prompts such as
"uh-huh," "tell me more about ____," and "what else?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What About Options

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When its time to present your offer, give them at least
three options or choice of solutions that meet their
specific needs. Explain the benefits of each option, and if
needed, discuss the drawbacks of each alternative. Do not
present so many options that the decision becomes
overwhelming. Be prepared to narrow down your options to two
or three that best suit them and then present those.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speak Simply

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Seuss used very few words and left such a big impact.
Follow the leader on this one. Speak in terms they can
understand. Avoid using any terminology they "may" not
recognize. When in doubt, side with simple. Case in point;
when I began using computers, I talk with people who are
extremely knowledgeable in their area. They kept throwing
out terms that I always needed to look up or ask for
explanations. I choose not to work with these people
because of this one issue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hug the Objections

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recognize that objections are a natural component of the
sales process. It's common for a customer to express
several objections before they make the decision to commit
to the purchase. Don't take these objections personally nor
assume that it means the other person is not interested.
Understand that your prospect will likely have specific
concerns about making their decision. They will need to
justify their decision to their spouse, friends or family
and they want to be able to answer their questions
appropriately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clarity and Probing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clarify their objections and uncover their true hesitation.
Give yourself permission to probe to find out what is
preventing them from making a decision. In almost all
instances, your prospect will provide you with the
information you need to respond if you keep your approach
charge neutral.

Learn to handle objections in a non-argumentative, non-
conflicting manner. When you uncover their true objection
keep your response brief and to the point. Talk very little
so that it doesn't seem like you are trying to justify your
product or price or talk yourself out of the sale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Variety is the Spice of Life

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As long as you do not pressure them into making a decision,
they will not be offended by your request. Develop a variety
of ways to ask for the sale and have the confidence to ask
asking every qualified person for their commitment.
Recognize that most individuals want you to give them
permission to say yes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The SIX A's: Ask, Ask Ask, And Ask Again

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take a lesson from Sam and learn the importance of polite
persistence. The most successful sales people ask for the
sale seven or eight times and don't give up at the first
sign of resistance. Research shows that this persistence
earns double or triple amount of revenue for these
individuals.

Use these selling techniques and win like the Sam You Are.

Dr. Seuss web site with the original story and other games
http://www.seussville.com/seussville/t itles/greeneggs/

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing &
Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet
writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters
and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

---

Connecting with Customers

I just got off the phone with a friend of... Read More

Why You Buy, Part Three

Still more discoveries from the recent studies in behavioral economics:Over-Valuing... Read More

Selling To Women - Selling To Men - It Isnt the Same

Selling To Women - Selling To Men - It Isn't... Read More

Store Owners - Five Ideas to Increase Sales

1. Animate your window display.How often do you change your... Read More

Focus on a Trade - Not a Discount

Smart buyers will always ask for a better price. Unfortunately,... Read More

Business Lessons Learned At The Mall

Normally in this column I dispense highly-intelligent small business advice... Read More

Your Direct Mail Sales Letters Must Differentiate You

For two winters I heated my house with an old... Read More

Sex Sells!

An attractive woman has a decided advantage as sales representative... Read More

Your Ad -- Who Cares?

Junk mail. We all get it. And it goes straight... Read More

Prepare to Sell!

Sales is a critical part of any business, including non-profits.... Read More

Count Down To An Advert

There are hundreds of books available to teach you how... Read More

Where to Find Mannequins for Sale

Any time a clothing store opens or expands, they must... Read More

Selling Is Not A Dirty Word

Selling--a word that strikes terror in writers and professionals. We... Read More

The Basic Secrets of A Million Dollar Sales Letter

"Accepting the consequences, good or bad, will free you; take... Read More

Obtaining Self-Confidence

A reader recently asked me the following: "I enjoyed the... Read More

9 Ways to Keep Clients Coming Back For More

A lot of effort is put into getting new clients.... Read More

Lead Companies, Eight Features To Consider

So now the time has come to invest in Lead... Read More

Leveraging Yourself Up To Executives When Selling

The fastest way to get a decision made is to... Read More

Three Ways to Get More Referrals

When you are in the business of sales, among the... Read More

Give Up the Need to Sell

Most business people will tell you that selling is not... Read More

The Power of Thank-You

When was the last time you thanked your customers?This often... Read More

Stop Talking - Start Selling

Selling is not talking. It's listening. You may have heard... Read More

Never Stop Selling

The question: "When should a growing company slow down its... Read More

Planning to Realize Your Goals

Recently, I wrote about about creating specific, compelling goals that... Read More

Get The Help You Need With Fund Raising Ideas

There are many fund raising ideas on the market today... Read More

The Email Blow-Off

This week's article is my response to a question by... Read More

The Force That Drives Buying Decisions

What do people buy? They don't buy your wonderful presentation.... Read More

Sales Letters - How to Write Them

You could just send out your brochure to potential customers... Read More

When the Nose of the Camel is in the Tent

My new job was to sell Commercial Service Agreements. It... Read More

Gic Number For Writing Sales Letters

When I write sales letters for my clients, one rule... Read More

Why I Hate (Most) Benefit Statements

Benefits are what motivate people to purchase from you, right?... Read More

Clear Up Blurry Communication

One of the top brewing companies in America is a... Read More

Caring - The Secret Sales Strategy

Sales information resource Just Sell, calls caring "sales love". Here's... Read More