Small Businesses and the recession

Cutting costs needs to be done - but never on EFFECTIVE marketing and advertising.

Following up all leads is essential. Reviewing sales process is essential. Can people find you, and when they do - how do you nurture that relationship?

Also think about this. If the spend in your line of business is down 30% and you carry on as before, your take will be down 30% - WRONG.

Your take will be down even more because some of your competitors are taking action to preserve their market share. Having put in that effort they may even INCREASE their market share.

Sales skills are easily learned. Just think about the things you have bought recently, good sales people don't have to be particularly charismatic - although that can be taught as well - they do have to be knowedgable, well trained, and helpful. A good sales process will help keep you or your staff on the right lines.

2 questions to ask yourself about your product or service.

• Why should anyone buy that off me
• Why would anyone want to come back or recommend me.

Good luck - but that comes with good effort and good focus. Paul

Treat other people as you would like to be treated. A potential recipe for disaster.

We like to deal with, or buy off, people we like. So who do we like, and who gets on our threepenny bits.
When it comes to doing business - Who annoys you most - People who:
· Would rather chat than get down to business
· Are too interested in facts and figures
· Are just too eager to do business – with no time for people
· Are looking for a deeper meaning to everything – want to know why about everything

Well, the answer to that question would be different for all of us.
Not surprisingly though, people in one group, will tend to annoy, offend, or upset people in one of the other groups.
So if we want to sell to, or hit it off with other people, then we must at least initially, try and match out energy and style with theirs.
This doesn’t mean that we abandon our sales process or more importantly, let the client lead the process, or we will just get dragged along behind them, never quite getting into our stride. But what we do is this. We initially match the price, style and energy with the client.
If they come in, and quietly ask you for some facts and figures, get your brochure out, and sit with them, and circle the relevant figures and facts.
If they come in and say – “It’s nice to see a bit of sunshine. I see they’ve still not finished the roadworks on Water Street yet”. Then don’t even think about talking of products or services, until you’ve asked them how far they’ve come, how many kids they’ve got and how long they’ve lived there and so on.
So what we’re doing is matching or mirroring them. And guess what happens – they like us. “Hey that Guy’s ok you know.” Then we can start slipping into our style and process after a few minutes - taking the client with us. We show we still understand the client by using phrases like (depending on the client type) –
Maybe - Oh I could chat all day – but I want to do a proper job for such a nice lady as you so I’ll just get a few facts off you......
Or perhaps – I know you’re a busy man but to save time in the long run, and to get it right first time – I’ll just need to.....
Or perhaps – I know getting the right specification is absolutely crucial, but let’s have a look a what the product can do for you – then if you like we can make sure it fits your spec.............
This really works - giving them a little time in their style – will gain their attention and respect.
Happy selling . If you are interested incoming to one of my sales seminars in your area please email me - Paul

Buyer’s Remorse Blog

Buyer’s Remorse Blog

We don't want our clients to suffer from buyer's remorse do we? - so what steps can we take to avoid it. A single word answer springs to mind - Consolidation.

So how and why do we consolidate, and indeed what is consolidation. The process come after the sale, the order is taken and most importantly - where appropriate - the NON returnable deposit taken. (more on this in another article). It is a process of both checking the client is happy with his / her purchase, and that they understand what they have bought and most importantly what the product / service is going to do for them.

When we were selling the product we were majoring on the BENEFITS that the product will give the client. In consolidation the ideal process is to list the FEATURES and get the client to tell you the benefits, the the product will give him. So whats the best way of going about this. Here is a simple method.

"Mr Client, congratulations on your purchase of an ACME 128C Gizmo. To make sure you get the best out of it for the next 43 years - that's how long a client in Stoke has been using his old 121c model - I just want to check your understanding of all the features of it to make sure you derive the full benefits and savings it will give you."

When you have run through this recap it should be safe to ask "So, Mrs Client - are you happy with what we have done today?" Hopefully theanswer is yes and it is given without hesitation or reservation. If its not then you need to ask the client "What is it you're unsure of ?"

Once you have got the client to agree the product or service is the right one, then you have the right to ask for a recommendation or introduction.

Happy Selling Guys n Gals.

How to get your Prospects to Tell the Truth

How to get your Prospects to Tell the Truth

So how do to get your Punters to Tell the Truth? Give them something to do. Get them busy. Lying or being guarded requires a lot of brain power. You need to take away some of that capacity to help get to the truth.

I used to use this principle a lot when selling cars. The questions I needed truthful answers to, I always used to ask at a strategic point on a test drive. The client is driving a strange car so he is a bit distracted anyway. Then you send him up a street he doesn't know. As you pull out of the junction you ask the question you need to know the answer to. You may have asked them this question before it doesn't matter - you will get the truth this time

Not in car sales? The technique is easily adaptable. Anyone can do it, if your bold enough. You need to occupy your prospect's hands. Give them a cup of coffee and a brochure. Be a little awkward when you do it. Now here is the real secret, ask the question as you offer the coffee / brochure, but don't let go of it until you have had the answer.

If you think it won't work, secretly try it out on a partner or a collegue. You will be amazed how well this works. No prospect will ever turn round and say "let go of the brochure dammit" subconsciously they know you are swapping the coffee / brouchure for their answer, and it is probably this that makes it work.

Have you ever noticed how you get to know and like someone so much better when you engage in an activity together, walking - working - sport -whatever. It is a similar sort of principal. Get your client doing something and you increase your chances of a sale.

Finally when I used to work as a financial advisor, and also when I was calling on small businesses, if they offered me tea or coffee I always accepted.I always used to say "I'll come with you and we'll chat while you make it" again this informal time when the're busy you can get some truth.

Good Luck and Good Selling Paul

When cold calling on small business, and I mean in person, here is a tip I have found to be most effective.

ALWAYS BE LEAVING.

What do I mean by this? Well it goes something like this. Say for example you walk into a small workshop or unit where you can expect the owner to be doing some work. You look like another rep who is looking to talk to *him/her for an hour and tell him how much money you're going to save him, and how much your better is better than the last man's better. He doesn't want it, whatever it is, so he is not listening. He's just looking for the way to make you go away. If only he would give you ten minutes to show him what you've got - you could do so much for this person if only they would let you.

So this is what we do.

Primary objective - make an appointment, when he will see you and listen.

Secondary objective - permission to call again to try and acheive Primary objective.

I have often sold on the spot using these objectives, but only because the client has asked me for more information, and not felt hemmed in.

So how does it work. Your opening phrase and your body language are crucial at this point. When you enter the work area you have your business card or flier held up in front of you. When you approach your target you are facing side on, holding your card in front of you, arm extended, (you are definately not looking to offer a handshake), and you say " I know you're a busy man - can I just leave you a card / flier." When the client takes the card unlike all the other sales people he has had in, you take a step backwards, as if you want to leave, having accomplished your mission (which of course you haven't yet). This prospect is now wondering what you've got - not how do I get rid of him. The prospect feels empowered, not threatened and he likes it. He may well ask you what's it about.

Tell him, "I'll need about 5 Minutes of your time - maybe 10 if you've a load of questions, as most people do - when you're not so busy." If he hasn't already asked you what's it about. he will now. What happens next will of course vary greatly depending on how busy the client is, how relevant your product is, and all the other variables that go into a sale. The prospect may well give you some of his time now. What happens next is up to you, if it normaly takes a couple of hours to sell your product use your 5 mins to engender interest and to arrange and consolidate an appointment.

Nothing is foolproof but this method has worked well for me. If the hostility is high, I have just left my card, and said I'll pop in next time I'm seeing one of my clients here, and hopefully you won't be so busy. Leave, but not in a dejected manner. You may have to do this on a number of occassions, but the client will see you eventually. Oddly enough these usually turn out to be the people who buy. Then never tell you, but they do admire your persistance, as long as you use the above method, and thus are not percieved as a nuisance. I know this from having worked a defined territory, with a limited number of prospects available.

Try to think of sales as a game of chess, so you have an armoury of opening gambits, depending on the situation. If you can start to enjoy it, you will start to win more.

Good Luck and Good Hunting - Paul Blake McGouran.

* I have only used the male gender for ease of writing