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BuyGitomer uploaded a new video
(1 week ago)
Jeffrey Gitomer is an author whose books have helped over a million sales people improve their careers as well as their lives. Here Jeffrey Speaks ...
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Jeffrey Gitomer is an author whose books have helped over a million sales people improve their careers as well as their lives. Here Jeffrey Speaks on the importance of relationship building it relates to the Sales Process.
Keeping a connection for the long term
There are several elements that must be fully utilized in order to maintain meaningful long-term connections.
FIRST, there must be some intellectual or emotional attraction.
SECOND, there needs to be some common ground established that is of mutual interest to pursue.
THIRD, there must be some commitment to regular communication that has a "give" to it, rather than an "ask." (In other words, don't be calling your connection to consistently ask for favors. It gets old. And one day, your calls will go unreturned.)
And FOURTH, there must be occasional face-to-face meetings. I belong to the National Speakers Association. I have many friends there, some of whom I only see once or twice a year. Most of them subscribe to my weekly e-mail magazine, or read my column in one of their local business papers. Occasionally I will get an e-mail or a phone call from one of them. All of them are my friends, and spending three or four days at the national convention or the winter workshop is enough to keep the friendship intact. We all have the speaking business in common. And everyone (me included) is looking to build that business. Most of the discussions focus on those issues. And of course there are those anecdotes of what went right and what went wrong that we each share an understanding of.
Each year, I try to deepen my relationship with existing friends and make three new friends in the association. I have been doing this for eleven years.
The number of significant long-term connections you keep can usually be counted on one or two hands.
Interestingly, I have probably just made you think of several people that you need to reconnect with. Someone you lost touch with, or should be keeping in touch with, but don't. I just thought of a few myself.
Long-term connections require a discipline, a self-discipline, as well as the preexisting friendship and the link.
NOTE WELL: It's not up to the other person to keep up the communication. It's up to you
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BuyGitomer uploaded a new video
(2 weeks ago)
Jeffrey Gitomer is an author whose books have helped over a million sales people improve their careers as well as their lives. Here Jeffrey Speaks ...
more
Jeffrey Gitomer is an author whose books have helped over a million sales people improve their careers as well as their lives. Here Jeffrey Speaks on the importance of the beginning of the sales process the first contact and follow-up. Because as he illustrates below it is as important as the close.
Opening is as important as closing.
On a sales call your professionalism is the first thing a customer or prospect sees. Then comes that all important first line. Your delivery, sincerity and creativity set the tone for the rest of the conversation. It also determines how the prospect listens. If you get attention and respect, you are likely to keep it throughout. If not, you're likely to leave empty handed.
If you're on the phone, the opening line is even more important. It's all you've got. You can't say look at my nice suit. It's just words.
It is critical to understand that if a prospect doesn't know you, the only thing on his mind is what do you want. The faster you get to the point the better.
Are there standard, stock lines you can use? Sure there are. But if your line and delivery are insincere or poorly delivered, you will be as successful in sales as you are in your local nightclub trying to attract the opposite sex. Turned down.
Opening is as important as closing - if you can't get past the gatekeeper, you can never get to try for the prize. If you can't impress the prospect you won't get the contract. And if you aren't perceived as professional, sincere and competent, it will soon reflect in your weekly paycheck.
Opening lines on a cold call (in person)
1. Can you help me?
This is by far the most effective way to start a conversation. People love to help, and don't feel on guard against a salesperson. Remember, the object is to get the prospect to listen. Can you help me almost commands the other person to pay attention. Other lines that are effective are
2. I'd like to leave (or mail) you a brochure about (type of product or service), who should I leave it for?
3. I'd like to leave some information for the person who decides about (type of product or service), who would that be?
In either #2 or #3, if you leave information, writing a personal note to the decider on the back of your business card goes a long way towards getting through on the follow up call.
Cold call (on the phone)
Rules: GET TO THE POINT FAST (state your purpose within the first two sentences). Smile when you talk. Give your name and company. Make it short and sweet. Try to be somewhat humorous. Offer or ask for help. State that you have important information.
For many years I have said "Hi my name is Jeffrey, my company is BuyGitomer and you don't know me from a sack of potatoes," and then make my request. I can tell by their reaction (laugh or no laugh) who I'm dealing with.
Avoid sales sounding lines like - great weather isn't it, or the dreaded how are you today, or any lengthy description about you or your company before you get to the point.
Phone follow up
Use the same rules for cold phone calling and select from below
1. I've been thinking about what you do.
2. I've got the answer to your question.
3. I've got some important information that will impact your business.
A majority of salespeople make the fatal mistake of asking "did you get the information I sent you?" If the prospect says "no," what do you say now genius? You can fumble about how you sent it three days ago, and how you can't understand how that could have happened, but it's lame, sounds defensive, and you have ruined any chances of making a positive call.
Try saying this instead. "I'm calling about the information I sent. It wasn't completely self explanatory, and I'd like an opportunity to discuss it with you personally for about 5-10 minutes."
If you want to gain some immediate benefit from reading this article today, make a list of the opening lines you use in your business, revise them, analyze them closely, and compare them to those of your co-workers. Try out your revised lines tomorrow. The results will surprise (and help) you.
FREE GitBitSales Manager Success Rules. Don't managelead! Just go to www.gitomer.com - click FREE STUFF then click GitBit - register and enter the secret word, SALES MANAGER.
(put this information in a box in the middle of the article)
Good or bad, your opening line will immediately establish an impression. It sets the tone for the sale.
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BuyGitomer uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
Dont ask me to do your work. Do it yourself!
I get requests like these all the time: Please update your information, blah, blah And whatever the pro...
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Dont ask me to do your work. Do it yourself!
I get requests like these all the time: Please update your information, blah, blah And whatever the program is, they want me to register and become part of their pathetic process. Eh, no.
Funny, I NEVER get these requests from customers. Only from salespeople or should I say LAZY salespeople. Why on earth are you asking me to update your database? How about your windows? Do they need washing? Floors need waxing? Trash can full? Why not ask me to make your car payment?
STOP THE STUPIDITY. Your brains are showing or not.
STOP THE RUDENESS. Your manners are showing or not.
STOP THE LAZINESS. Update your own records.
Come on.
And Im certain some of you will email me and tell me how successful it was, or how customers dont mind doing it. What a bunch of B.S. that is. Asking customers, prospects, and friends to stop what theyre doing to make sure your records are current? Give me a break.
How do you think your customers perceive you as a sales professional when you do this? At a minimum theyre thinking this guy cant even keep his own database up to date. YIKES!
What are you doing for them? Wheres the value? Wheres the professionalism? How many records do you have that you cant just pick up the phone and call them with an idea or a valuable piece of information, and OH BY THE WAY, is my info correct?
START THINKING. How can you help your customer instead of helping yourself?
START DOING FOR YOURSELF. Your own admin, order forms, and follow-up.
START DOING FOR OTHERS. Things that prove you value them and their time.
START BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. Give some value. Give some ideas.
MAJOR CLUE: What kind of an image of yourself and your work ethic are you sending to your customers and prospects? If they place an order, are you gonna call them and ask if they can pick it up so you dont have to fill out the FedEx forms?
And worse, these please update emails are always a pitch for the database software company that says, Join in, become a member so that you too can annoy the hell out of your customers and look like a fool. And oh, by the way, they purposely leave off the direct email of the sender so that you can only go through their system, and get you to register before you can do anything. This is the ultimate in frustration and rudeness.
How about this: Do your own work. Times are changing rapidly. Economic news is hitting every sector every day. Your customers need help, not frivolous emails begging for their assistance because youre to lazy to do it yourself.
SHORT LESSON: There are no shortcuts in sales. For a reason. There are no shortcuts to relationship building. And every action you take as a salesperson exposes you and how you conduct yourself as a sales professional.
SALES LESSON: Insurance salespeople fill out the forms for the customer. Always have, always will.
HARD LESSON: Mortgage salespeople dont fill out the forms for the customer maybe thats why its so hard for them to secure customers. We fill out the forms would be a competitive advantage to gaining my business.
VALUE LESSON: Updating your database is a great opportunity to reconnect with your entire customer base, if you will just pick up the phone and call everyone. You heard me, EVERYONE!
REALITY LESSON. How about coming up with a few ideas that will leave a positive impression on your customers rather than a pathetic one?
Pick up the phone and call every customer. You might just get an order. Can you imagine a customer saying, Glad you called, Ive been meaning to call you, I have an order for you!
That would be a delight instead of a delete.
If you want a few more ideas that will delight your customers, go to www.gitomer.com, register if youre a first-time visitor, and enter the word DELIGHT in the GitBit box.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Little Red Book of Selling. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com
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BuyGitomer uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
An unbreakable rule that each salesperson, you included,must follow everyday. As fast as you can come to the understanding and realization that no ...
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An unbreakable rule that each salesperson, you included,must follow everyday. As fast as you can come to the understanding and realization that no one is going to hand you any degree of success. That's something you hand to yourself. Twenty-five years ago I was standing outside my hotel in Chicago waiting for Mel Green, the CEO of Advance Process Supply (my client). It was February. The snow was coming down sideways. It was 5:30 a.m. After I unthawed in the car, Mel and I began talking about his latest project which as usual turned from an idea into gold. "Damn you're lucky," I said. He looked at me and winked. "Hard work makes luck," he replied. That single expression has been my gateway to millions of dollars. And it can be yours. Not every human being agrees with my personality, my philosophies, or my style, but no human being can say that I don't work my ass off.
Regardless of your selling circumstance. Regardless of your success to this point in time. Regardless of your company. Regardless of your boss. You have a responsibility to yourself to achieve. Achieve a level of success that you set for yourself. Not a quota. Quotas to me are a bunch of crap set by management who couldn't go out and meet those quotas themselves if their lives depended on it. If you are a great salesperson you should meet your quota in the first two weeks of the month, and begin to bank real money the last two weeks. You should have your manager coming up to you to find out how you do it. You should have the president of the company calling you on the phone congratulating you on your successes. But let me give you a big clue. The only way this is going to happen is with self-inspiration, self-determination, and hard work that starts before everyone else gets up and after everyone else has gone to sleep. Kick your own ass is not a statement. It's an axiom
The secret I have found in the kick your own ass axiom is that most salespeople will not do the hard work that it takes to make selling easy. But here's the bigger secret: work your ass off. All the rest of the principles can be taken to the highest level by working your ass off. Working your ass off leads to selling your ass off, and selling your ass off leads to banking your ass off.
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BuyGitomer uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
Economy up or down? Whats the REAL situation?
Breaking news! Have you heard? The economy is down!
THE economy is down, but how about YOUR economy?
Reg...
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Economy up or down? Whats the REAL situation?
Breaking news! Have you heard? The economy is down!
THE economy is down, but how about YOUR economy?
Regardless of the state of your industry, the state of your market, and even the state of your sales, as a salesperson its best to look at the big picture. When you see the big picture, you can craft more when the marketplace says less.
Before you try to make another sale, before you call on the next customer, I want you to look at the real world so you can come up with real ideas and real answers. Ideas and answers for your customers, for your sales, and for yourself.
Let me be more specific. I want you to look at and define your real world, and their real world. Before you visit any customer, you have to know what the total situation is in order to understand them, relate to them, help them, serve them, and sell them. In these times, sell them may be last on the list.
Let me define TOTAL SITUATION. Dont make the fatal mistake of just defining your situation. You also have to define the customers situation, the market situation, and your companys situation with their customers.
What you are defining is what exists now; the present situation. And by the way, once you have defined a situation, it will begin to give you clarity of the situation, and clarity of mind. Write the situation down. Writing it down will clarify the situation for you. It will also serve as a springboard for the actions you must take for your customer in these times, so you can win in these times and all times.
HERES THE PROBLEM: You may be panicked, maybe even pushed, for MORE SALES NOW. This means you have to make a choice. Panic, or prepare. My strategy is a little slower, but A LOT SURER.
After you have written the entire situation, now you can begin looking for opportunities. What are the opportunities for the customer, for your company, and for you? Is there an opportunity for you to capture a higher percentage of the customers business? Is there an opportunity for the customer to make more sales so they can pay their invoices in a more timely manner? Is there a market opportunity that the customer is missing because they are more focused on their woes and their competition, rather than their strengths?
Whatever they are, once youve identified all the opportunities, and youre clear on their situation, then and only then can you begin to write what you intend to do or accomplish your objectives.
Your objective may be as simple as getting the customer to pay their outstanding balances in a more timely manner. Your objective may be to double your business with this customer. Your objective might be to help your customer through troubled times. Your objective may be to broaden your relationship with the customer so they will refer you to other customers. Your objective might be to make a sale right now.
You may have several objectives. Whatever the objectives are, they must be clearly stated and defined in writing. AND PLEASE do not confuse objectives with goals. Write down what you intend to do to help the customer, do more business with the customer, gain more referrals from the customer, and make the relationship with the customer a financially rewarding one.
Once you clarify and understand the situation, identify opportunities, and write your objectives, make certain they are congruent with your intentions.
When the market is volatile or uncertain, all facts defined will help you think more clearly, act more directly, and become more successful.
Now, Im going to challenge you on a mastery point. Once you have this game plan written down: situation, opportunities, objectives, and intentions, I challenge you to share these thoughts with your customer so that they can become aware of how serious, how professional, and how certain you are about growing the relationship, helping them, and building your business.
Doing this will not only give your customer peace of mind, youll also give yourself peace of mind.
Your list of ideas and answers will not only set you apart from your competitors, who at this moment are merely trying to sell and collect, but they will also build your relationship in the more difficult times, so that when times become better (and they always do), you will have earned the business and the loyalty that you deserve.
I have one more powerful strategy to beat the crunch. If you want it, go to www.gitomer.com, register if youre a first-time visitor, and enter the word OPPORTUNITY in the GitBit box.
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