What does a good sales call look like?

What does a good call look like? Many people think the only way to identify a good call is a call that ends in a sale. The problem is that today, the "one call close" is very rare. In a tight economy customers usually need to be sold and reassured over a period of time. I believe a good call is a call where there has been an exchange of information, a call where you learn something new about the customer and the customer learns something new about your products. This also applies to calls on regular advertisers. Rather than just picking up their copy, you should try to find out something about their plans, goals and feelings toward your product. This is important because the customer's situation is in constant flux and it is vital to stay abreast of how they view you and your products. It is also important to share success stories and remind customers about your benefits. The old proverb "Knowledge is Power" applies doubly to sales people. You should view every call as an opportunity to collect and share information with your customers and prospects.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Objection Prevention Part 2

In sales, as in life, timing is everything. I believe the #1 cause of objections is impatience. Sales people who get in a hurry and try to make a recommendation before they clearly understand the customer's problems. Even more important, they bring up price before the customer clearly see their needs. Going for the sales without during the hard work of probing for and developing problems that can be solved by advertising is a quick shortcut to failure. One of my unbreakable laws of sales is "Treatment before diagnosis is malpractice." Don't be in a hurry, don't try to make a "one size fits all" close. People only buy when they see how advertising will make their world better. Follow this formula and the number of objections you hear will decrease significantly.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

The 1st step to a happy New Year

This is the perfect time of year to talk to customers about their plans and goals. "Mr. Customer, I want to wish you a happy New Year and ask you about your plans for 2010. What are your goals for the upcoming year. My job is to help you achieve your goals, so I'd like to know what you want to accomplish." This question not only helps you formulate a marketing plan for the customer but also positions you as someone genuinely interested in the customer's business.

This is the 1st step toward a happy New Year for both you and your customer.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Five C's equals an A+

When I call on a prospect or a client I like to be prepared. At a minimum I like to know how I am going to open the call and the questions I want to ask. There are five basic things I want to know about any business I am trying to sell. I call them the "5 C's". By asking 5 C questions you can uncover the customer's needs and problems and begin to formulate a plan. Here are my 5 C's:

5 C’s
1. Company
2. Customers
3. Current Marketing
4. Competition
5. Challenges

In the coming weeks I'll elaborate on these and give some examples of question for each,

Have a great week.

Keep smiling, keep selling.

Thanks Jim Busch