Tag: Sales coaching Harrisburg

Making A First Impression In Sales

Sales Communication & Prospecting

Making the first move to introduce yourself to a stranger is an intimidating thought to most people. However, if you are in sales and part of your job is prospecting for new business, this is a serious anxiety that you need to confront. There are all sorts of reasons why we struggle to extend our hand and say hello to someone we don’t know but it all relates to one central issue; confidence. Overthinking, negative self image, and fear of rejection all impact your first impression in sales.

Just knowing what to say and how to say it can go a long way for a lot of people who are trying to overcome this social awkwardness. But there’s a problem in that conventional sales training has taught us to memorize 30 seconds of whatever we think would be interesting or important in order to capture someone’s intention. At Scorecard Sales, we believe your first impression in sales should be authentic, which means you need to speak it from the heart and not from a script. But I’m getting ahead of myself at this point. Yup, you’re supposed to memorize over a paragraph’s worth of information as the potential customer politely waits for you to work through your soliloquy, er, I mean elevator pitch. So talking this through, do we expect people with confidence issues to talk about themselves for 30 seconds to strangers in an effort to engage them? 

An educational blueprint for a sales training curriculum showing the progression from foundational modules to advanced selling techniques

Being able to concisely express your selling points is indeed a valuable skill that all salespeople should have, but it needs to be authentic which means you need to speak it from the heart and not from a script. But I’m getting ahead of myself at this point. What we need to have is a simple way for any salesperson to engage a new prospect while making a first impression and it all starts with a goal. This is where things often go wrong because, as salespeople, we honestly forget why we do various parts of our integrative sales improvement process. In the case of making an introduction the goal is simple; to have a conversation now or at a later time. More importantly, that goal is to talk about both them and yourself. It is more important for you to memorize that simple goal than it is of any elevator pitch.

 

  • Your name/ company  – This is simple enough. “Hi, my name is _______ with _______”
  • What we do – Please don’t use this opportunity to go over a list of products and services. You can learn more about us to see how we define our value.
  • Customers we work with – This is your chance to make yourself relatable to the prospect. This can be expressed either by identifying a specific industry or a trend that is common with the customers you work with.
  • The outcome – This is the solution and opportunity that is commonly achieved with the customers you work with or the one you believe is most important to the person you are talking to. 
  • The goal – Why did you take the time to introduce yourself? Now is the time to let that person know and, guess what, they won’t be surprised because having a conversation is the whole reason for making an introduction. It’s up to you if you want to have that conversation now or later.

 

Being able to concisely express your selling points is a valuable skill taught in our B2B sales training. Putting the pieces together the introduction sounds like this (pardon the self promotion):

“Hi, my name is (1)Aaron Jacobs with Scorecard Sales. We (2)optimize sales teams for (3)companies that are having success and want to (4)improve their performance to reach higher sales goals. I would like to (5)have a conversation with you at some point to learn about your sales team and share some of the ways we can optimize them.”

 

In case you were wondering, that took about 60 seconds to memorize and 12 seconds to say. To help your team master this, professional sales coaching can provide the necessary practice. You can also utilize sales performance software to track the success of these introductions.

Check out our blogs for more tips on modern selling. If you are looking for expert sales consulting services or specific sales methodology training, we are here to help. If you’re ready to improve your team’s outreach, feel free to request a quote today.

Price: The Deadliest Sales Objection

Sales Negotiation & Strategy

Nothing sucks the air out of a sales conversation quite like a price objection. When it comes time to talk about price, the situation suddenly gets real for both the buyer and seller because everything is on the line including value, expectations, commitment and certainly emotions. Handling price objections is a critical skill because price is the one objection that can stop the sales process faster than a cheetah chasing a chimpanzee. And no wonder; it is a common sales tactic used by customers to attack your profit. It gives control to the customer and puts you in defense mode while destroying your confidence. Worst of all, a price objection in the sales process is one that most sales people will commonly fail until they learn to handle it properly.

 

Here’s the truth about price objections: purchasing decisions are almost never about price alone. In fact, people will shop your products and service on price when they perceive no other value. At Scorecard Sales, we teach that immediate price reductions are an admission of guilt. What you need is the Price Pushback Process—a core part of our integrative sales improvement process. Now I’m not saying that price isn’t important, but it is the oldest trick in the book that customers will use to keep you in line. However, you already did your best to give a fair price and you can’t just give in. What you need is the Price Pushback Process. This is the best way to get the conversation away from price and back to value so the sale can get back on track.

A data dashboard used for sales performance management

  • Acknowledge: “I understand that you are concerned about the price”
  • Empathize: “I don’t blame you. When I am a customer I always want to make sure I am getting the best possible price.”
  • Affirm: “That’s why I always make sure to quote the fairest price possible the first time.”
  • Challenge: “Do you mind sharing with me what your price expectations are based on?”
  • Ask Again: “Based on everything we talked about, I still believe this is a fair price. Is this price a deal breaker?”

 

Always ask twice for your price, but you’re not done yet. The customer still won’t back down from the price conversation and you feel like you’re backed into a corner. But there’s a way out. These are the same techniques we refine during professional sales coaching:

 

  • “Is price the only thing that matters to you in this decision?” *hint, the answer is ‘no’.
  • “Other than price, what are your three most important decision criteria?” 
  • “If I compromised those critical issues to lower the price, would that be okay?”
  • “If I cannot meet your price expectations, will that be a deal breaker?”

 

To learn more about us and our philosophy on value-based selling, visit our main page. We also offer detailed insights on our blogs regarding negotiation. Mastering these responses is a key focus of our B2B sales training.

By using sales performance software (our web tools), you can track how often these objections occur and refine your approach. If your team struggles with these conversations, our sales methodology training or broader sales consulting services can provide the confidence needed to hold your price. Ready to protect your margins? Request a quote for a customized training program today.

R.E.A.C.H. For The Solution, Pivot For The Progress

Sales Closing Techniques

If you asked any sales manager what the top three stages of a sales process that most salespeople struggle with you would hear prospecting, discovery and closing the deal. Although all three of these are crucial in the sales process, one is absolutely essential closing the deal.

Why is this so challenging? Because this is the moment of truth where the greatest risk of true rejection is. Part of the problem is not knowing how to ask for the business and the other part is how to respond when customers don’t tell us exactly what we want to hear. This brings panic for salespeople which then causes them to lose control. There’s nothing worse than watching a winnable sale leak out of the pipeline because we couldn’t manage objections when it’s time to be closing the deal.

A sales professional explaining Upselling Strategies to a customer using a value-based approach

This is where the R.E.A.C.H./ Pivot Process comes in. At Scorecard Sales, we teach this as a simple and effective way for all salespeople to work through objections. It is a core component of our integrative sales improvement process.

R.E.A.C.H. for the solution means:

  • Resolve any reasonable objections with ease.

  • Establish a mutual understanding for items that can’t be changed.

  • Affirm that the sale is still optimal for the customer.

  • Confirm that the customer is still interested.

  • Harmonize by working together on a mutually beneficial solution.

For example, if a customer needs “time to think,” you must resolve the hang-up. To learn more about us and how we handle these scenarios, visit our company page. We also share more scripts on our blogs.

Always be prepared to Pivot For The Progress Unless you uncover a deal breaker, there is still a chance to move forward. Never try closing the deal without a Plan B. A proper Plan B keeps the customer engaged through professional sales coaching techniques like offering smaller commitments or lower risks.

You can track these pivot opportunities using sales performance software (our web tools) to ensure no lead is left behind. Mastering this transition is a major focus of our B2B sales training.

If your team needs to master the art of closing the deal, our sales methodology training and sales consulting services are designed to drive these results. Ready to see a difference in your win rate? Request a quote for a customized workshop today.

Cross Selling & Upselling Made Simple

Sales Growth & Strategy

Cross-selling and upselling are vital skills for being successful in sales at Scorecard Sales. Although there are differences between the concepts of cross-selling and upselling, the methods and outcomes are constant. Both are designed to motivate customers to spend more than they intended so that they can optimize their customer experience while giving the salesperson the benefit of increased revenue. Cross-selling and upselling are powerful tools, but that does not mean they aren’t challenging. Some of the reasons why customers will move forward with the opportunity to spend more can be a perceived or communicated desire/need, satisfying the ego, status, getting a deal and, most importantly, getting a better customer experience. 

 

It is important to remember that everything you have to offer in a cross-sell/upsell scenario can and should improve the lives and/or businesses of your customers. This philosophy is a core part of our integrative sales improvement process. Therefore presenting these options should come with ease to you knowing that these options will make things even better for the customer whether or not they are willing to spend the extra money. It should always bring additional value to the customer while always enhancing the customer experience. When that is the case, everyone wins.

digital transformation dashboard illustrating the revolution of sales training through real-time data analytics, performance growth trends, and measurable ROI metrics

Here are 5 simple methods to help make cross-selling and upselling easier:

 

    1. Needs/desire based – This is pretty straightforward. You identify the gaps that may be left in the customer’s original purchase, demonstrate the value of the cross-sell and make the recommendation. You can find more tactical advice on our blogs page.
    2. Quantified value – This is a common approach for customers who want to get a deal. To learn more about us and how we measure ROI, visit our company profile.
    3. Experience enhancement – Maximize the customer’s original purchase with options that improve performance and satisfaction. Focus on what the customer really desires, demonstrate how the cross-sell will make the experience even better while getting the most from the original purchase.
    4.  Social Proof – Customers feel validated when they see others making similar purchases. Learning to leverage social proof effectively is often refined through professional sales coaching. How is this customer similar to those customers and what was their experience like when they chose those options? 
    5. Personal Endorsement – Be relatable to the customer. How are the two of you similar and what would you do if you were that customer? What would you recommend if the customer was your neighbor or mother? Make sure you are genuine in this approach as this can be very intimate; don’t just use this method for the sake of doing so.

Mastering these 5 methods is a key part of our sales methodology training and broader sales consulting services. By focusing on the value you provide, you make the transition to a larger sale natural and beneficial for the client. If you are ready to boost your team’s average deal size, you can request a quote for a customized training program today.