Category: Sales Management

5 Tips To Overcome Your Fear Of Selling

Marketing, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

Sales are scary. That’s a fact that both new and old salespeople alike have to deal with everyday. It’s scary because of the risks we associate with selling and most, if not all, are fear based. Afraid of being rejected personally. Afraid of humiliation. Afraid of making a mistake. Afraid of not making a goal. Afraid of failing. These risks are very real for us everyday and perhaps more intensified then almost any other position in the company. There is a lot riding on us each day and many other people depend on how well we perform. So now you have a lot of pressure pushing on your fears as well. So how can we get past all this to get our job done successfully?

Most salespeople have or will develop some type of coping mechanisms for the risks we face. It’s not that the risks are any less real to us, we just have a different way to process them. But what about all of the other sales people, quite possibly the majority of salespeople, who have not developed these coping skills. Most of us would perform rather well if we get past the fears that hold us back. And you know what I am talking about. The reason why you won’t pick up the phone to call a new customer. The reason why we are afraid that a customer is going to gasp at our price. The reason why we avoid someone who may say, “No thanks. Not interested.” There are some easy tricks to help you develop your own techniques for getting past your fears and these 5 are the ones that will really make a difference.

  1. Laugh before you leap – Take a moment to relieve the stress that you are experiencing and have a good quick laugh. For instance, we all have a little YouTube clip that cracks us up every time we see it. Watch it a couple times before you approach your sales so you can relax both your mind and spirit. Easy and fun.
  2. Roleplay your sale – I don’t mean in your head either. Ask someone to do a run-through with you so you can work the kinks out of your process and be mentally prepared for how a customer may respond. You will go into your meeting much more prepared and relaxed.
  3. Just walk – Allowing your body to release energy helps to clear your mind and focus your thoughts. Just 5 minutes can make a big difference. Got a big round of cold calls to make? Take a brisk walk to energize yourself. Have a big presentation on the calendar today? Walk through the presentation as you walk down the street. You’ll be surprised how much more energized and focused you are.
  4. Position to listen – Adjust your approach in whatever you are doing to be more of an active listener than speaker. Listening is not only easy, but it is highly effective. As long as you know your talking points, chances are you will do very well. This is often easier than trying to remember every angle of your sales pitch and helps you to create a more intimate relationship with your customer.
  5. ‘No’ is okay – You can’t win them all and I’m not asking you to accept failure in advance of trying, but keep in mind that not everyone is going to be a good fit. Don’t lower your expectations, but manage them all the same. Spend more of your time on making the sale the right fit instead of just selling for the sake of selling and watch how much easier and effective your selling process becomes.

Is a Difficult Salesperson Holding You Hostage?🔫

Business Analysis, Posts, Sales Management, Sales Training

Some people just have to make any and everything difficult. They refused to be managed, coached, or listen to anything that is contrary to what they believe and what they will or will not do. This is especially worse when it is a salesperson who brings in good numbers. Ain’t nobody gonna tell him what to do cause if you don’t like it, he’ll just quit. In essence, these types of salespeople derive a certain pleasure from holding their sales managers and the company hostage They put you in a darned-if-you-do-darned-if-you-don’t arrangement that gives them complete control at the expense of the rest of the team and your leadership. Who’s the boss?

When I say difficult salesperson, I mean someone who is truly disruptive and undermines the company and its process. They do not demonstrate the right attitude and behaviors, they act unprofessionally, focus only on themselves and they undermine leadership and policy any chance they get. Even worse, they carry themselves with a sense of diplomatic immunity and encourage others to be defiant as well. They just constantly set a bad example over your core values, but you really need the sales. Is this a hill that you are prepared to die on? If you do nothing, you may die on it eventually anyway. However, there is a good chance that you are dealing with a classic bully, and bullies must be dealt with. I’m sorry to inform you that the end result may come down to termination, but it almost never does. Besides, recovering from these kinds of losses may be inevitable yet easier to overcome than you think. But, let’s plan for the best by having the right conversation with the right person in the right way.

  1. Remain calm – It is way too easy to get your emotions involved when dealing with difficult salespeople. They will do everything they can to make sure that you lose your cool so they can gain control of the situation. Resist every urge, keep calm and focused on your desired outcome.
  2. Discuss the performance, not the person – Discussing a person’s character becomes subjective and argumentative. Once the person becomes defensive because you make it about them, any progress in the conversation will cease. Talk about what they do and not who they are.
  3. Create clear expectations – Leave nothing to chance here. This part of the conversation should definitely include potential consequences. If you are firm and fair at this point, most reasonable people will want to keep their job and are willing to begin the compliance process. If not, there is a good chance that you need this person off your team sooner than later. 
  4. Create a PIP – A Performance Improvement Plan demonstrates not only how serious you are, but your level of concern about performance, behaviors, and attitudes. Change won’t happen overnight, but a good PIP will get everyone headed in the right direction. If things ultimately don’t work out, then there won’t be any surprises. 
  5. Use good management follow through – It is important to sustain any course correction by managing the process, structure, communication, environment, and goals of the salesperson. There is a reason why things fell through the cracks, and it is up to you to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

Plant The Seeds Of Doubt And Grow A Sale

Marketing, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

There are all different kinds of tricks and techniques salespeople can use to stack the odds of a sale in their favor. Some different tricks may seem pushy and off-putting

while other techniques may be more subtle without compromising your integrity as a salesperson. Doubt, when used appropriately, is a technique that is often overlooked in the sales universe. But what exactly is doubt and what makes this creeping sensation so disruptive? Doubt is what makes the risk factor the animal that it is. It is a fear-based emotion that reminds us that we are not totally in control and if we are not completely prepared and protected, we are exposed to some probable danger.

On the other hand, doubt keeps us tied to deeply held beliefs that control many of the decisions that we make. So what does this mean in terms of sales? It means that we often question ourselves when we make a purchasing decision. Did I get a fair price? Will I be satisfied with the performance? Am I certain that I like this color? If it breaks, can it be fixed? Is this something that I really need right now? Every purchasing decision has to be put through this process. So, as salespeople, we already believe that we are selling the best option for our customers, but what if they aren’t on the same page as us? Or worse, what do we do if our competitor has them in a tight grip that we struggle to break them from? You plant the seeds of doubt.

This is a disclosure: There are both good and unethical ways to apply the doubt technique. Planting ideas in your customers’ minds that are dishonest, based on conjecture, or are otherwise working against their best interests is not good salesmanship. That said, let’s talk about 5 proper ways to leverage doubt in a tough sale.

  1. Compare price to drive the value – These are the two biggest drivers in a purchasing decision and there is always room for doubt. If your customer is leaning toward your competitor’s option you can ask, “Are you certain you have the great price over the value?” This will be your opportunity to talk through your offer and highlight where the customer is better served.
  2. Examine their decision-making process – Sometimes you have to switch from being a salesperson to a purchasing advisor. It is not only okay, but it is also prudent to ask someone their process for making a purchasing decision. This allows you to discover what is most important to them and if they haven’t been true to their own process (which many of us are not), you can demonstrate how your offer best aligns with their process.
  3. Assess their comfort level – Everyone has doubt, so why not just come right out and ask for it? If they are strongly considering another option, you can ask, “How confident are you that you are making the right decision and why or why not?” This will instantly reveal the opportunity to fill a gap that their competitor did not and win the sale back.
  4. Challenge their assumptions – Everyone knows what they say about assumptions, so why not exploit it? Ask questions such as, “How do you know you are getting the best value? How can you be confident that you will be pleased with the quality? What happens if you find out that you are unhappy with your purchase?” Let them vocalize their response so they can hear their own doubts in their own words. Maybe there is still a chance for you after all.
  5. Give them a Plan B – Salespeople are know for keeping their door open for opportunities, but sometimes we could do a better job of articulating it. Give them a clear path to your doorway and lead them there. Setting this next step is crucial if you don’t get the sale this time, so be clear about your intentions. “I understand that you have chosen our competitor and I respect that. You may find that you are happy with that decision 6 months from now. However, I have found that many customers realize their expectations not being met in that period of time and it can be good for me to follow up to see if the needs have changed. I will reach out to you then and if everything is going great, well, then it will be just nice to talk to you. But, if things aren’t going as expected, perhaps our conversation can be a little more helpful.

5 Easy-To-Use Tips To Control The Sale

Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training, Strategy Planning

Do you ever get excited going into a sale knowing that you have a plan to close the deal and everything is going to go your way and then Wham! Before you know it, the customer is beating you up on the terms and price and has full control of the sale. You don’t want to lose this sale and you tend to be a people pleaser, so you are willing to concede and do whatever it takes to make the sale. But you have given over full control to the customer as they bark orders at you and tell you how it’s going to be. It’s not much of a sale at this point as your profits are quickly disappearing and you are creating what will probably be a difficult customer to work with. But how can you get control of the sale to get the terms back in your favor and still close the deal?

Don’t be confused; controlling the sale does not mean you go from being passive to aggressive. Controlling the sale is all about learning how to be assertive and persuasive. This may take some practice, but it is not as hard as you think if you can apply these easy to use techniques that level the playing field for you and the customer so you can both achieve a win-win deal.

  1. Listen – Don’t be so quick to speak. When salespeople sense that they are being backed into a corner, they begin to nervous talk and give concessions without even defending what is already a fair deal. Silence can be your friend and it gives you time to think instead of defaulting to discount mode. ,,Read more here: the Power of the Pause.
  2. Ask Questions – Whoever is asking the questions is the one who is controlling the conversation. It is not the one who is doing the most talking. When you feel yourself losing control of the sale because a customer is asking for more than what you offer, ask questions to let them justify their position. Why is that term important to you? Is that the only issue that is important to you? Is this issue a deal-breaker?
  3. Challenge Objections – All sales objections begin as assumptions, and more often than not these assumptions are incorrect. The price is too high. I need it delivered sooner. I need you to customize aspects of your product. Rather than accepting it as truth and agreeing with them, challenge them to defend their position. “I understand your concern, but what is it based on?” ,,Read more about defending your price here.
  4. Compare Options – When customers negotiate, they will make you believe that they have another option that is better than yours to pressure you into concessions. Instead of focusing on just one aspect of the deal, compare each aspect of what you offer to the customer’s alternative to help control their purchasing decision.
  5. Trust The Value – It is okay to be flexible and negotiate terms with your customer so long as you are the one controlling that process. You cannot enter a sales discussion doubting any of the value that you are bringing to the table. This is as true for yourself and what you sell. If you, at any time, demonstrate a lack of confidence in what you are selling and how you are selling it, you create a sense of doubt in your customer and they now feel that they are not getting the best deal. Believe in what you sell and the customers will follow your lead.

Was this blog helpful? Would you like to learn more? Consider ,,Scorecard Sales Training for your team. We create great salespeople through training, technology, and coaching. Contact us at ,,ajacobs@scorecardsales.com to get started.

Stop Defending Your Price With These 5 Tips

Marketing, Sales Management, Uncategorized

Nothing sends a salesperson into a tailspin quite the way a price objection does. It is difficult to watch how salespeople respond to this objection in the same way that it would be painful to watch a friend get punched in the gut. And those gut punches just keep on coming until you are on your knees both in pain and out of breath. That is what it feels like when you give up any of your profits in a price discussion. Occasionally you try to shield your belly by defending your price, but the customer just keeps punching away until you drop your guard and you are back on your knees giving up the profits. You’ve sharpened your pencil adjusting the price so many times that it is barely a nub. You’re more of a re-estimator than a salesperson at this point.

Defending your price has never been, and never will be, an effective selling strategy. The main reason for this is because you give control over to the customer every time.,, Customers continue to do this because they know they can get away with it and you have been letting them do that for years. It’s time to start playing offense instead of defense with these 5 helpful tips.

  1. Acknowledge – You can’t just blow off a price objection as being unimportant. The customer brought it up for a reason. Maybe they don’t have the budget for it or maybe they are trying to beat you down on price. Either way, let them know it is normal to consider the price. “Mr. Customer, I don’t blame you for questioning the price. I do the same thing when I consider making a purchase.”
  2. Challenge – All sales objections are based on at least one assumption from the customer. In this case, it is that they can get a cheaper price from you or someone else. That may or may not be true, but you do not have to, and should not, accept the assumption as truth. Instead of defending your price, challenge their assumption. “Mr. Customer, what are you basing your price concern on? Are you considering apples to apple options from a competitor?”
  3. Structure – Price is not the only criterion for any purchase. There are issues of quality, performance, convenience, etc. to be considered. You must challenge the customer as to what is most important to get them back on track. “Mr. Customer, is the price the only aspect you are considering in this purchase? If we satisfy everything else you wanted, wouldn’t you expect to pay more?
  4. Redirect – It’s time for you to get the sales back on track so you can close the deal. You must challenge their purchasing strategy so that you can help them get past their assumptions about what a fair price is. “Mr. Customer, have you ever went with the cheapest price before and regretted the purchase later?”
  5. Ask Again – Conviction goes a long way in sales. When you decrease your price, your customers take it as your admission that you were being greedy. Although you have to be flexible in sales, you must also know when to stand your ground. When you ask for the same price twice, it reinforces to your customers that you were being fair the first time and that you don’t play greedy games with them. “Mr. Customer, our policy is to always give our best price the first time. If I have satisfied all of your other concerns, I recommend that we move forward with the proposal as is. You will find that you will be very happy with the purchase and the value is reflected in the price.”

Now that you have these 5 tips to stop defending your price – practice them and put them to work for you. For more on role-playing, read about ,,“Going to the Sales Gym – Stretching” or contact me at ,,ajacobs@scorecardsales.com to get started with sales training and sales coaching. We’re committed to creating great salespeople through training, technology, and coaching.