Productivity Tips Newsletter
For Better Results, Goals & Success

Prospecting as a Trusted Advisor or Sales Person

Problem:  Part of, Spring in Your Step Manufacturing’s, “On Boarding”, program for new sales representative was to make 100 out bound calls a day. 

Jason was new to the company and was complying with the “On Boarding Program.” He didn’t lack enthusiasm and was making his objective of 100 cold phone calls a day. He felt pretty good about that since he saw others make far less. But still, he was not making nearly enough meaningful conversations to keep his pipeline filled and wondered how he was ever going to achieve his income goals if things didn’t change.
 
Diagnosis: Unfortunately, Jason was committing an error common to most salespeople.

His cold calling approach message sounded like every other salesperson. You know, something like this…“Ms. Smith, this is Jason Jones with ABC Company. We’re a leading provider of walking shoes solutions and I’d like to tell you how our products can help you save time and money.” CLICK! The ugly sound of rejection. Most salespeople’s approach is so familiar that the prospect simply goes on automatic pilot, tunes the salesperson out and looks for an opportunity to end the call.
 
Prescription: Use a bit of DNA Sales Judo and DNA Sales Psychology by keeping the prospect off balance.

If they don’t know where you’re coming from or where you’re going, it’s difficult for them to control the situation. First and foremost do not sound like a sales person. Remember we just interrupted their day, so repeat their name and confirm they are listening. Record every call and listen for pace, rate, tonality and how well you are matching the other person on the phone. Now move on to your name do not say hi hello and all that how are you stuff.  Acknowledge you caught them at a bad time and then get to business by asking permission to proceed. Mention you will be brief, and then proceed. Now for the hard part explain what you did for other clients just like the prospect.  Make sure what you did for other client’s sounds compelling to the prospect. Here is how I would do that in my business “Clients do business with us because they were mad about having to give away margins to meet end of the quarter numbers. They were concerned that a slowing economy would wreck their sales forecasts. End the call by using more DNA Sales Judo and say, “Don’t suppose you will be addressing any of these issues in the next one to six months? “

Here is my Christmas Gift to newsletter readers. You can e-mail to Ted Gulas at results@gulasgroup.com one problem you have fixed for your clients that you have turned into a compelling statement. I will get back to you and let you know if it is compelling enough to sound like a trusted advisor or just a salesperson when next you make your outreaches to new suspects.  Who knows I might just make some suggestions to make it even better. Do not suppose you are willing to take time in a slowing economy to find out?