Persistence conquers resistance
As we take this first step together, I’d like to share with you the very first rule of closing –Persistence conquers resistance.
For an early age, children learn that if they persist and keep asking, they can and will overcome the resistance of parents. They learn that ‘no’ doesn’t really mean ‘NO ’it simply means that they haven’t convinced Mum and Dad enough yet. So they continue to put forward their case, they persist in asking until they get whatever it is they want.
This same principle applies in selling. If a pro-clo believes that his product or service will be beneficial to his customer then he will persist until his customer is also convinced. Very often a customer will say no, but a pro-clo doesn’t give up.Even when the going gets really tough, he will continue because he knows that eventually persistence will always conquer resistance and in the end both the pro-clo and the customer will benefit.
This profession called selling can be the best-paid, hardest job in the world or the worst-paid, easiest job in the world. The rewards are down to an individual’s ability and effort, and only the strongest survive. The profession of selling, of closing sales, has made more millionaires than any other. A pro-clo can make more money than the company chairman who runs the company, or more money than the prime minister who runs the country, simply because in the profession of selling there is no ceiling on what you can earn. What’s more, apart form achieving financial security, once you have proven yourself, once you become a pro-clo, you can benefit from working what I call Martini time- any time, any place, anywhere and for anyone, because your skills will always be in demand.
Professional closers have attributes such as enthusiasm, confidence, a positive mental attitude, and an appetite for success. Above all, they have continuity and persistence.
Calvin Coolidge wrote:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not – nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with taient. Genius will not unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not – the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Remember, the brightest lights are always the first to fade. Don’t be a one-day wonder. Be consistent by being persistent.
Showing posts with label canvas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canvas. Show all posts
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Price
Price
Many salespeople believe that they lose sales because of price. But in reality, most of the time, it is not the price of a product that loses a sales but the salesperson’s fear of the price.
Remember, the only thing as contagious as enthusiasm is fear. If a salesperson is apprehensive about discussing price, or if a salesperson fears that a customers will say ‘It costs too much” then that fear will rub off on to the customers because fear is contagious.
A pro-clo understands that price will only be a problem when the customer feels that the product or service is not worth the risk, the asking price. In a nutshell, price is only a problem when someone doesn’t want something badly enough. You have to create that want, you have to build value into your product so that the customer is willing to pay the price to buy it.
In the initial stages of any sale, the customer’s fear of losing will be greater than his expectation of gaining. In other words, the customer will be more frightened about spending or losing his money than he will be excited about owning the product and benefiting form it. The pro-clo throughout his entire presentation builds value into his product by demonstrating how his product will satisfy the customer’s needs and how the customer will benefit from owning. So at the end of the presentation, when it’s time to talk money, the customer’s fear losing will no longer be greater than his expectation of gaining. In fact the complete opposite will occur. This is building value.
In his book supercharge your selling. Nigel Henzell Thomas suggests.
When a prospect or customer says you’re too expensive, ask whether he wants the cheapest solution or the best value for money.
I have found that they always opt for the best value for money. A pro-clo simply outweighs price with benefits and gibes the customer what he perceives is the best value for money.
Understand on more thing: it is never the price that stops people from buying (if they are sold), it’s always the terms of purchase.
Let me explain: few people can afford to buy the house of their dreams for cash. What they afford is the mortgage the terms of purchase. When the price is $100.000 the customers can’t afford it (cash), but when the mortgage works out a $500 a month they can. However, they will only buy the house if they are sold on it and if paying $500 a month is worth owning it.
If you build value into your product and you have the facility to negotiate terms of purchase, price will never be a problem.
But there are some customers who, even when sold will still till you that it’s expensive or it costs too much these customers want to buy be are trying to see if your price is flexible first. If price starts to become an which is best used when it is read aloud, so have it typed on to a piece of card.( Incidentally, this quotation is well over a hundred years old)
It’s not wise to pay too much but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, but that’s all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business prohibits you from paying a little and receiving a lot- it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it would be as well to add something for the risk you run and if you can do that then you can afford to pay for something better.
John Ruskin, 1819-1900
Remember: if you build value into your product and you have the facility to negotiate terms of purchases, price will never be a problem.
Many salespeople believe that they lose sales because of price. But in reality, most of the time, it is not the price of a product that loses a sales but the salesperson’s fear of the price.
Remember, the only thing as contagious as enthusiasm is fear. If a salesperson is apprehensive about discussing price, or if a salesperson fears that a customers will say ‘It costs too much” then that fear will rub off on to the customers because fear is contagious.
A pro-clo understands that price will only be a problem when the customer feels that the product or service is not worth the risk, the asking price. In a nutshell, price is only a problem when someone doesn’t want something badly enough. You have to create that want, you have to build value into your product so that the customer is willing to pay the price to buy it.
In the initial stages of any sale, the customer’s fear of losing will be greater than his expectation of gaining. In other words, the customer will be more frightened about spending or losing his money than he will be excited about owning the product and benefiting form it. The pro-clo throughout his entire presentation builds value into his product by demonstrating how his product will satisfy the customer’s needs and how the customer will benefit from owning. So at the end of the presentation, when it’s time to talk money, the customer’s fear losing will no longer be greater than his expectation of gaining. In fact the complete opposite will occur. This is building value.
In his book supercharge your selling. Nigel Henzell Thomas suggests.
When a prospect or customer says you’re too expensive, ask whether he wants the cheapest solution or the best value for money.
I have found that they always opt for the best value for money. A pro-clo simply outweighs price with benefits and gibes the customer what he perceives is the best value for money.
Understand on more thing: it is never the price that stops people from buying (if they are sold), it’s always the terms of purchase.
Let me explain: few people can afford to buy the house of their dreams for cash. What they afford is the mortgage the terms of purchase. When the price is $100.000 the customers can’t afford it (cash), but when the mortgage works out a $500 a month they can. However, they will only buy the house if they are sold on it and if paying $500 a month is worth owning it.
If you build value into your product and you have the facility to negotiate terms of purchase, price will never be a problem.
But there are some customers who, even when sold will still till you that it’s expensive or it costs too much these customers want to buy be are trying to see if your price is flexible first. If price starts to become an which is best used when it is read aloud, so have it typed on to a piece of card.( Incidentally, this quotation is well over a hundred years old)
It’s not wise to pay too much but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, but that’s all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business prohibits you from paying a little and receiving a lot- it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it would be as well to add something for the risk you run and if you can do that then you can afford to pay for something better.
John Ruskin, 1819-1900
Remember: if you build value into your product and you have the facility to negotiate terms of purchases, price will never be a problem.
Taking control
Taking control
A pro-clo takes control of his customers and he leads them. It is almost as if the pro-clo were the pied Piper with the magic flute wherever he goes, his customers follow. He simply leads them into making the only decision possible: the decision to buy.
After all my years in the selling profession, it still never ceases to amaze me just how much a pro-clo can take command and control of another person. Customers become like putty in his hands. He is able to warm them up and mould them towards the right decision.
The customer, be it joe Bloggs, a top executive, a company chairman, a powerful politician, or a multimillionaire, will do exactly what the pro0clo commands, within reason. When a pro-clo says sit, stand look at that, feel this, follow me, the customer does what he is told. This control is fantastic and the beauty of it is the pro-clo is so natural that customer is completely oblivious to what is happening.
This control, this air of confidence, this taking command of the situation or taking the initiative, is part of what makes a pro-clo what he is. The professional closer is not only in control of the sales situation, he is in control of his life.
So how, then can somebody learn to take control? The answer is, by having confidence. If you will learn this material, highlight the important passages and read them regularly- in other words, if you practice- you will become more conversant and competent. Then you will automatically be in control, because you will have confidence.
A good tip to control a customer’s attention throughout a presentation or demonstration is to use a pointer or a pen to emphasize specific features or to point out various things. To illustrate, try little exercise and see how easy it is to control somebody else’s attention.
Tell somebody (not a customer) that you are about to point to something really interesting and exciting with your pen. Ask him to deliberately concentrate on not looking. Then point to something, tap it with your pen and say:” just look at that’. He will do and when he does, move your pen and point to something else, tap it and say: ‘Look at that and that and that.’
That’s what I call taking control. In the above exercise we are obviously abusing that control to demonstrate a point, but in real-life selling the control is so discreet that the customer is not aware of what is happening. And a pro-clo would never do anything to abuse a customer.
A pro-clo takes control of his customers and he leads them. It is almost as if the pro-clo were the pied Piper with the magic flute wherever he goes, his customers follow. He simply leads them into making the only decision possible: the decision to buy.
After all my years in the selling profession, it still never ceases to amaze me just how much a pro-clo can take command and control of another person. Customers become like putty in his hands. He is able to warm them up and mould them towards the right decision.
The customer, be it joe Bloggs, a top executive, a company chairman, a powerful politician, or a multimillionaire, will do exactly what the pro0clo commands, within reason. When a pro-clo says sit, stand look at that, feel this, follow me, the customer does what he is told. This control is fantastic and the beauty of it is the pro-clo is so natural that customer is completely oblivious to what is happening.
This control, this air of confidence, this taking command of the situation or taking the initiative, is part of what makes a pro-clo what he is. The professional closer is not only in control of the sales situation, he is in control of his life.
So how, then can somebody learn to take control? The answer is, by having confidence. If you will learn this material, highlight the important passages and read them regularly- in other words, if you practice- you will become more conversant and competent. Then you will automatically be in control, because you will have confidence.
A good tip to control a customer’s attention throughout a presentation or demonstration is to use a pointer or a pen to emphasize specific features or to point out various things. To illustrate, try little exercise and see how easy it is to control somebody else’s attention.
Tell somebody (not a customer) that you are about to point to something really interesting and exciting with your pen. Ask him to deliberately concentrate on not looking. Then point to something, tap it with your pen and say:” just look at that’. He will do and when he does, move your pen and point to something else, tap it and say: ‘Look at that and that and that.’
That’s what I call taking control. In the above exercise we are obviously abusing that control to demonstrate a point, but in real-life selling the control is so discreet that the customer is not aware of what is happening. And a pro-clo would never do anything to abuse a customer.
Prejudging
Prejudging
This next step relates to a qualified prospect. For example, someone who has answered an advert, responded to a marketing campaign, looked at the competition, or walked into your shop, office, or showroom with a genuine interest. It does not relate to unqualified prospects or leads which we will look at in step 13.
The saying ‘you can’t judge a boo by its cover is never truer than in the sales industry. Regardless of where people live, what colour they are, how old or how young someone is, what a person does for a living, what religion or sex they are; regardless of appearance or dress, and regardless of whatever excuse or objection is voiced, nobody, and I mean no single person, is able to determine beforehand which prospects are buyers and which are not. If it were possible for a person to determine which prospective customers were going to buy, there would be no such thing as a pro-clo, simply because there would be no need for them.
At the end of the day, no salesperson alive can tell (and be too per cent sure) whether or not he has a sale until the money is on the table. To prejudge that customers aren’t going to buy before giving a full presentation is suicide. If your product were free, everyone would have one, wouldn’t they? Therefore, the only thing that stops people from buying is money, and until the price is on the table, you can never tell. For that reason the pro-clo always gives it his best shot he gives too per cent effort to each customer, and his sales figures speak for themselves.
The pro-clo knows that every customer or prospect he sees has been sold to before by someone. All he has to do is be as good as, or better than, that someone. The pro-clo also emphatically believes that each qualified client he sees should buy his product. The reason for this belief is that every pro-clo is that every pro-clo is completely sold himself.
Once again…………….. only the persuaded are able to persuade.
For my money, there isn’t a salesperson anywhere who hasn’t experienced the situation where he thought there was no chance of a sale, than lo and behold, from nowhere the client became a customer.
One more time- if you have a qualified client or customer, never assume that they’re not going to buy.
Let’s now look at an example of a salesperson prejudging his potential customers.
Supposing a couple respond to a marketing campaign from a timeshare company and they go along to have look. After a while the salesperson, who has now prejudged the couple, says: ‘ I can’t sell to this couple. He’s 45, she 20 and a different colour they’re not married, they don’t own a house and have only been in their rented accommodation for four months. He’s market trader with no accountant and she’s unemployed with bad debts, and to top it all off, they’ve seen the competition and didn’t buy because they couldn’t afford it. I just haven’t got a change with these people!
If you look for negatives, guess what you find? Obviously the above example is an extreme one, but let’s now look at how a pro-clo would handle the same situation.
First of all, the pro-clo listens to the information from his customers but what he hears is not negative, it’s positive. He knows that his customers have responded to an advert or marketing campaign.
Second, the pro-clo knows that a market trader with no accountant deals in cash and quite possible has black money (undeclared earnings/cash from under the table)
Third, the pro-clo knows that if his customers have seen the competition and didn’t buy, it was probably because the competition prejudged the customers and didn’t allow them the opportunity to buy. Instead of treating the customers like time-wasters, or outcasts the pro-clo treats them like a king and Queen.
Finally the pro-clo knows that where there is a will there is a way and with and with his special kind of treatment, he will find that way. After all, who is to say that the customers don’t have a nice little nest egg tucked away somewhere? Until the price is on the taste, you never know!
We have said before that customers come in all different shapes, sizes ages, colours, creeds, and so on but all human beings have certain characteristics in common. All our desires, needs and wants are very similar, and as emotions and we all think very similarly. Zig Ziglar, in his excellent book Zig Ziglar’s Secrets of Closing the sale, demonstrates this point superbly. The following exercise is an extract from his book, which I have added to and adapted slightly.
To prove how similarly we all think, answer the following questions as quickly as you can and don’t change your mind.
1. Think of a number between one and ten.
2. Think of a colour.
3. Think of a flower.
4. Using our writing hand, hold up three fingers.
5. Think of a fruit.
6. Think of a vegetable.
7. Think of an item of furniture.
8. Think of an animal.
Now let’s see how your answers compare.
1. Seven
2. Red
3. Rose
4. Held up all but your thumb and little finger.
5. Apple or orange
6. Carrot
7. Chair
8. Dog or cat.
It doesn’t matter how many answers you agreed with. I didn’t say we were all exactly alike. I said we were all very similar.
The point I am trying to hammer home is, all your prospects are similar too. So don’t prejudge because you never can tell!
Recap
It’s time we had a little refresher to make sure that you remember to use each step on the staircase, so that you don’t trip and fall over.
Step 5 Find a want or need and them satisfy it.
Step 6 Using customer benefits, build value into your product so that price will
never be a problem
Step 7 Radiate confidence and control.
Step 8 Never prejudge that a qualified prospect isn’t going to buy, because
then you will be right.
This next step relates to a qualified prospect. For example, someone who has answered an advert, responded to a marketing campaign, looked at the competition, or walked into your shop, office, or showroom with a genuine interest. It does not relate to unqualified prospects or leads which we will look at in step 13.
The saying ‘you can’t judge a boo by its cover is never truer than in the sales industry. Regardless of where people live, what colour they are, how old or how young someone is, what a person does for a living, what religion or sex they are; regardless of appearance or dress, and regardless of whatever excuse or objection is voiced, nobody, and I mean no single person, is able to determine beforehand which prospects are buyers and which are not. If it were possible for a person to determine which prospective customers were going to buy, there would be no such thing as a pro-clo, simply because there would be no need for them.
At the end of the day, no salesperson alive can tell (and be too per cent sure) whether or not he has a sale until the money is on the table. To prejudge that customers aren’t going to buy before giving a full presentation is suicide. If your product were free, everyone would have one, wouldn’t they? Therefore, the only thing that stops people from buying is money, and until the price is on the table, you can never tell. For that reason the pro-clo always gives it his best shot he gives too per cent effort to each customer, and his sales figures speak for themselves.
The pro-clo knows that every customer or prospect he sees has been sold to before by someone. All he has to do is be as good as, or better than, that someone. The pro-clo also emphatically believes that each qualified client he sees should buy his product. The reason for this belief is that every pro-clo is that every pro-clo is completely sold himself.
Once again…………….. only the persuaded are able to persuade.
For my money, there isn’t a salesperson anywhere who hasn’t experienced the situation where he thought there was no chance of a sale, than lo and behold, from nowhere the client became a customer.
One more time- if you have a qualified client or customer, never assume that they’re not going to buy.
Let’s now look at an example of a salesperson prejudging his potential customers.
Supposing a couple respond to a marketing campaign from a timeshare company and they go along to have look. After a while the salesperson, who has now prejudged the couple, says: ‘ I can’t sell to this couple. He’s 45, she 20 and a different colour they’re not married, they don’t own a house and have only been in their rented accommodation for four months. He’s market trader with no accountant and she’s unemployed with bad debts, and to top it all off, they’ve seen the competition and didn’t buy because they couldn’t afford it. I just haven’t got a change with these people!
If you look for negatives, guess what you find? Obviously the above example is an extreme one, but let’s now look at how a pro-clo would handle the same situation.
First of all, the pro-clo listens to the information from his customers but what he hears is not negative, it’s positive. He knows that his customers have responded to an advert or marketing campaign.
Second, the pro-clo knows that a market trader with no accountant deals in cash and quite possible has black money (undeclared earnings/cash from under the table)
Third, the pro-clo knows that if his customers have seen the competition and didn’t buy, it was probably because the competition prejudged the customers and didn’t allow them the opportunity to buy. Instead of treating the customers like time-wasters, or outcasts the pro-clo treats them like a king and Queen.
Finally the pro-clo knows that where there is a will there is a way and with and with his special kind of treatment, he will find that way. After all, who is to say that the customers don’t have a nice little nest egg tucked away somewhere? Until the price is on the taste, you never know!
We have said before that customers come in all different shapes, sizes ages, colours, creeds, and so on but all human beings have certain characteristics in common. All our desires, needs and wants are very similar, and as emotions and we all think very similarly. Zig Ziglar, in his excellent book Zig Ziglar’s Secrets of Closing the sale, demonstrates this point superbly. The following exercise is an extract from his book, which I have added to and adapted slightly.
To prove how similarly we all think, answer the following questions as quickly as you can and don’t change your mind.
1. Think of a number between one and ten.
2. Think of a colour.
3. Think of a flower.
4. Using our writing hand, hold up three fingers.
5. Think of a fruit.
6. Think of a vegetable.
7. Think of an item of furniture.
8. Think of an animal.
Now let’s see how your answers compare.
1. Seven
2. Red
3. Rose
4. Held up all but your thumb and little finger.
5. Apple or orange
6. Carrot
7. Chair
8. Dog or cat.
It doesn’t matter how many answers you agreed with. I didn’t say we were all exactly alike. I said we were all very similar.
The point I am trying to hammer home is, all your prospects are similar too. So don’t prejudge because you never can tell!
Recap
It’s time we had a little refresher to make sure that you remember to use each step on the staircase, so that you don’t trip and fall over.
Step 5 Find a want or need and them satisfy it.
Step 6 Using customer benefits, build value into your product so that price will
never be a problem
Step 7 Radiate confidence and control.
Step 8 Never prejudge that a qualified prospect isn’t going to buy, because
then you will be right.
The Don’ts
The Don’ts
1. Don’t use red.
Never write with a red pen, or wear a red shirt/ dress/blouse when you are with a customer. Subconsciously red signifies danger, stop beware, anger, red alert. Although these negative thoughts are not in the forefront of the customer’s mind, they are nevertheless there, warning the customer to be wary.
You wouldn’t wave a red rag at a bull to win favour, so don’t do it to a customer.
2. Don’t wear dark sunglasses when you are with a customer.
This gives the impression that you have something to hide, that you are a shady character who cannot be trusted. Eye contact is a must for the pro –clo.
By the same token, it’s impossible to read a customer wearing dark glasses, and you should ask him politely to remove them. I find a little hum our works best. Try saying ‘Mr Jones, what colour are your eyes?’ When he answers, say ‘would you mind proving it to me? (Raise your eyebrows and give him a knowing smile.) Works every time!
3. Don’t ask certain questions.
Never ask a customer if he understands. Not wanting to appear stupid, he will always answer ‘yes’ even when he wants to say ‘No’ Never say to a customer ‘ Your know what I mean’ or ‘Do you get my drift?’ Again, he will always answer ‘Yes’ when he might mean ‘No’ Instead, ask ‘Are you happy with that?’ Do you have any questions?’ Did you follow that or shall I go over it again?’
Also, never say to a customer ‘Let me be honest’ or ‘To tell you the truth, because it implies that you weren’t before. When someone says they’ll be honest with you, it generally means the opposite!
4. Don’t knock the competition
This has an adverse effect. The customer will think that you are trying to hide behind the competition or that you are trying to justify an inadequacy in your product. A pro-clo doesn’t knock the competition, he welcomes it, and sometimes he will even compare the competition’s product with his own in front of a customer. Remember what we said earlier. The pro-clo is sold on his product too per cent. If he thought the competition was better, he would be working for them. It is this belief, this conviction that makes the customer buy.
5. Don’t live in the past
Reminiscing can be fun and enjoyable, but only to the person doing the reminiscing. It’s the ‘also-rans’ in life who live off past performance and an old worn-out reputation. There is nothing worng with looking back, now and again-but remember, being in reverse won’t you forward.
6. Don’t fight change, welcome it.
Change has always caused, and always will cause, insecurity, doubt, unfamiliarity and fear. A pro-clo knows this but he understands that change is necessary. Without it we would all still be in the Stone Age living in caves. A pro-clo knows that change is good, it keeps people on their toes, it demonstrates a will to progress and to improve. Above all else, change creates a new challenge and every pro-clo loves a good challenge. So he doesn’t fight change, he encourages it.
7. Don’t stop learning
A pro-clo is forever reading new material, listening to cassettes and gaining new information. He is always updating his portfolio of techniques and closes and gathering new tools. A pro-clo has a relentless desire, a burning passion for knowledge and he soaks up all positive material like a sponge.
A pro-clo knows that the key to continuous success is continuous learning. If you stop learning you will eventually begin to decline. It’s like traveling in a hot air balloon. To ascend to greater heights you need to continuously supply fuel. If you shut off the fuel supply(stop learning) you will hang in suspension for a while, but inevitably you will begin to descend.
I wrote this book in such a way that it is easy to pick up and put down, because I know it is impossible to absorb all the lessons in one go. I implore you again to keep reading this book at regular intervals, use it as your personal sales manual, and keep learning. Don’t ever stop, don’t become content with mediocrity don’t remain stationary because if you do you will start to decline. Let me put it this way:
To discover how to be a true pro-clo
Continue to learn and continue to grow.
8. Don’t waste time
Time is the most precious thing in the world, and life is too short to waste it. A pro-clo makes full use of his time, he plans how to use it to give optimum benefit. However, things don’t always go according to plan, and when a pro-clo finds he has time on his hands, he doesn’t loaf around. Instead, he asks himself: ‘what is the most worthwhile thing I could be doing right now?’ When he comes up with the answer, he gets straight to it!
Remember to plan time for recreation and with your family and don’t get side-tracked. A pro-clo plans his time and times his plan.
9. Don’t give losers the time of day
In every sales organization there is always a group or negative salespeople that you should avoid like the plague. These losers are so easy to spot- They’re the ones that take an hour over a gallon of coffee before they start work in the morning, the ones that are forever hanging around the office or canteen and the ones that congregate in the pub after work to drown their sorrows. All these losers seem to do is complain, make up excuse, spread gossip and start rum ours.
All losers are sinking, and they are so afraid of going under that they try to pull everyone else down with them, thinking that they will find safety in numbers. When all is said and done, these birds of a feather will always flock together and there is very little you or I can do to change that. In this instance, the old saying ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’ is wrong’. A pro-clo says ‘If you can’t beat them, avoid them –but do it politely, there is no point in adding fuel to their fire.
In staying away from the losers ‘ pro-clo often alienates himself, but that doesn’t really bother him. He knows that sometimes ‘it’s tough at the top’, but it’s always tougher at the bottom.
10. Don’t ever give up
Fight the good fight, and when all else fails, when you’re in dire straits, when there is no hope whatsoever, admit defeat. There is no shame in it- but before you do, try another close.
1. Don’t use red.
Never write with a red pen, or wear a red shirt/ dress/blouse when you are with a customer. Subconsciously red signifies danger, stop beware, anger, red alert. Although these negative thoughts are not in the forefront of the customer’s mind, they are nevertheless there, warning the customer to be wary.
You wouldn’t wave a red rag at a bull to win favour, so don’t do it to a customer.
2. Don’t wear dark sunglasses when you are with a customer.
This gives the impression that you have something to hide, that you are a shady character who cannot be trusted. Eye contact is a must for the pro –clo.
By the same token, it’s impossible to read a customer wearing dark glasses, and you should ask him politely to remove them. I find a little hum our works best. Try saying ‘Mr Jones, what colour are your eyes?’ When he answers, say ‘would you mind proving it to me? (Raise your eyebrows and give him a knowing smile.) Works every time!
3. Don’t ask certain questions.
Never ask a customer if he understands. Not wanting to appear stupid, he will always answer ‘yes’ even when he wants to say ‘No’ Never say to a customer ‘ Your know what I mean’ or ‘Do you get my drift?’ Again, he will always answer ‘Yes’ when he might mean ‘No’ Instead, ask ‘Are you happy with that?’ Do you have any questions?’ Did you follow that or shall I go over it again?’
Also, never say to a customer ‘Let me be honest’ or ‘To tell you the truth, because it implies that you weren’t before. When someone says they’ll be honest with you, it generally means the opposite!
4. Don’t knock the competition
This has an adverse effect. The customer will think that you are trying to hide behind the competition or that you are trying to justify an inadequacy in your product. A pro-clo doesn’t knock the competition, he welcomes it, and sometimes he will even compare the competition’s product with his own in front of a customer. Remember what we said earlier. The pro-clo is sold on his product too per cent. If he thought the competition was better, he would be working for them. It is this belief, this conviction that makes the customer buy.
5. Don’t live in the past
Reminiscing can be fun and enjoyable, but only to the person doing the reminiscing. It’s the ‘also-rans’ in life who live off past performance and an old worn-out reputation. There is nothing worng with looking back, now and again-but remember, being in reverse won’t you forward.
6. Don’t fight change, welcome it.
Change has always caused, and always will cause, insecurity, doubt, unfamiliarity and fear. A pro-clo knows this but he understands that change is necessary. Without it we would all still be in the Stone Age living in caves. A pro-clo knows that change is good, it keeps people on their toes, it demonstrates a will to progress and to improve. Above all else, change creates a new challenge and every pro-clo loves a good challenge. So he doesn’t fight change, he encourages it.
7. Don’t stop learning
A pro-clo is forever reading new material, listening to cassettes and gaining new information. He is always updating his portfolio of techniques and closes and gathering new tools. A pro-clo has a relentless desire, a burning passion for knowledge and he soaks up all positive material like a sponge.
A pro-clo knows that the key to continuous success is continuous learning. If you stop learning you will eventually begin to decline. It’s like traveling in a hot air balloon. To ascend to greater heights you need to continuously supply fuel. If you shut off the fuel supply(stop learning) you will hang in suspension for a while, but inevitably you will begin to descend.
I wrote this book in such a way that it is easy to pick up and put down, because I know it is impossible to absorb all the lessons in one go. I implore you again to keep reading this book at regular intervals, use it as your personal sales manual, and keep learning. Don’t ever stop, don’t become content with mediocrity don’t remain stationary because if you do you will start to decline. Let me put it this way:
To discover how to be a true pro-clo
Continue to learn and continue to grow.
8. Don’t waste time
Time is the most precious thing in the world, and life is too short to waste it. A pro-clo makes full use of his time, he plans how to use it to give optimum benefit. However, things don’t always go according to plan, and when a pro-clo finds he has time on his hands, he doesn’t loaf around. Instead, he asks himself: ‘what is the most worthwhile thing I could be doing right now?’ When he comes up with the answer, he gets straight to it!
Remember to plan time for recreation and with your family and don’t get side-tracked. A pro-clo plans his time and times his plan.
9. Don’t give losers the time of day
In every sales organization there is always a group or negative salespeople that you should avoid like the plague. These losers are so easy to spot- They’re the ones that take an hour over a gallon of coffee before they start work in the morning, the ones that are forever hanging around the office or canteen and the ones that congregate in the pub after work to drown their sorrows. All these losers seem to do is complain, make up excuse, spread gossip and start rum ours.
All losers are sinking, and they are so afraid of going under that they try to pull everyone else down with them, thinking that they will find safety in numbers. When all is said and done, these birds of a feather will always flock together and there is very little you or I can do to change that. In this instance, the old saying ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’ is wrong’. A pro-clo says ‘If you can’t beat them, avoid them –but do it politely, there is no point in adding fuel to their fire.
In staying away from the losers ‘ pro-clo often alienates himself, but that doesn’t really bother him. He knows that sometimes ‘it’s tough at the top’, but it’s always tougher at the bottom.
10. Don’t ever give up
Fight the good fight, and when all else fails, when you’re in dire straits, when there is no hope whatsoever, admit defeat. There is no shame in it- but before you do, try another close.
Canvassing for business
Canvassing for business
Some pro-clo benefit from quality leads through their company marketing departments, some do not. Whichever is the case, a pro-clo is always on the hunt for leads which could generate new business. Here are some ideas that I have always found rewarding.
Hit’ em again Sam
The best source of new business is repeat business from existing customers, so let’s start first of all concentrating on the existing customers/owners list.
1.Seek out referral business from existing customers. Simply pick up the phone and say something on the lines of: ‘Listen, Jim, things are a little slow around here and I was wondering if you might be able to help me out. Can you think of anybody who might be interested in……? They’ll help you!
2.Market survey existing customers. Find out if they are happy, what if anything would they change and, most important, how long they anticipate it will be before they renew or replace. Every product or service has a lifespan – once you determine what it is, for example, three years, contact all customers who are approaching the three-year mark.
3.Contact existing customers whenever you have something new, e.g. new brochure, new price list, new product, new discount or sale, new data, new advanced formula, whatever.
4.Almost every business has an after-sales department that deals with customer complaints, replacement, parts, repairs and services. Your own service or complaints department can provide you with some excellent leads. Customers with problems are worth their weight in gold!
5.Contact the used to be customers the once that all the other salespeople give up on as no-hopers, even if they’re not in your area.
6.Take on any customer that another salesperson doesn’t want. There are always some that the losers want to get rid of, or give away.
The one that got away
As your customer list continues to grow, so will your repeat business. The next avenue for thought and then ground work is the list of the nearly was or could have beens.’
7.Contact all the old enquiries, the ‘could have beens’. These folk obviously had some sparks of interest once. Why not try to rekindle that interest?
8.Get hold off all the company’s cancellations, the nearly was list. Most of these ex-customers bought and wobbled because they didn’t have a pro-clo like you to service them and to consolidate the deal.
9.Swap your dead leads with those of a colleague or competitor.
From a gentle stream to a mighty flowing river
Then there are endless different lead sources right on your doorstep. They are like ripe fruit on a tree at harvest-time –one gentle little tug and they are yours for the talking.
10.Advertise in every newsagent’s window in your area. If you figure conservatively that each newsagent has 1,000 customers per week and there are 50 newsagents in your area- That’s a potential 50,000 prospects reading your advert for around 10 per week. Don’t just use your business card or a normal postcard; use something that is eye-catching like a testimonial letter from an existing customer.
11. Do the same with each post office window, your local garages, video store and the corner shop.
12.Browse through your local newspaper regularly, there are always hundreds of potential leads looking you in the face. For example, when Mr. John Johnson from the street in Any town raises 1,000 for charity by parachuting from a plane- find his address from the telephone book. Write congratulating him on his performance and enclose your business card, should he ever be interested in medical or life insurance. Get the idea?
13.Canvass potential customers from your Yellow pages or Thomson Local.
14.Every public library in the land has on its shelves trade magazines and publications, business directories and company names / addresses, etc, offering a wealth of possibilities. There are also guides to almost everything imaginable. For example, if you sell salt and pepper pots, than you’ll find guides to hotels, restaurants, public houses, nursing homes, youth hostels, bed and breakfast outlets – the list is endless.
15. Advertise on the notice boards of the local council offices, community centers, town hall, health and leisure club, the golf club, and so on.
16. Do some cold calling. There is nothing like knocking on a few doors to get the adrenalin pumping. Yes, you get a lot of rejection but you also get success around to per cent of the time. If you tell the ‘cold calls’ that you’re in the area and will be calling on such a day or a certain evening (drop a leaflet or brochure through the door), your success rate will be lot higher than to per cent. Ask the Avon lady.
17. Organize an exchange programmed with another business (not a competitor) who sells to the same kind of customers you do. As an example, let’s take the home improvements industry. Here there is a huge mass of potentially compatible customers from companies of potentially compatible customers form companies that sell such things as double glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, conservatories, security systems water purifiers, cable television, driveways, patios, textured wall –coating, and so on. You should contact a likely company and arrange to exchange leads or customer lists, like for like.
18. Arrange a direct mail shot or a leaflet drop.
19. Your local estate agents know the names and addresses of hundreds of people who have just moved into new homes. If you sell windows or carpets or water filters or paint, if you sell kitchens or bathrooms or bedrooms or conservatories etc. – maybe it might be worth your while to cross the estate agent’s palm with silver, if business should be generated form any leads he gives you.
It doesn’t stop with estate agents-plumbers know people who need a new washing machine, mechanics know customers who are talking about a new car and vest know of people who are in the market for a new dog. Be creative!
20. Don’t send Christmas cards, send calendars. They don’t have to be
expensive or have to be expensive or have a different picture for each
month as long as they are attractive and presentable. Every calendar should
have your name, your company and your telephone numbers on display in
a prominent position. It will be a constant daily reminder, for the next
twelve months, that you are there for them should they want to upgrade
add on replace, or send referrals. For the best impact and the best results,
make your calendar a personal gift.
There are many other ways of canvassing to generate new business, but to be effective, and be prepared to put in lots of hard work and determined effort. Here is a little story that demonstrates being creative, talking the initiative and making a determined effort to canvass my business.
Although I wasn’t in any hurry, I‘d been considering for some time making a small conversion to a part of our home and so I applied for planning permission. My intention was to save time when I eventually decided to go ahead and have the work done. I didn’t realize that my application went on public display at the council offices, but over the next few weeks I received a total of seventeen letters from builders offering their services, builder’s merchants pushing their wares, a couple of money-lenders selling finance and even a letter from a company who sold drapery.
At first I was impressed at the imitative these companies had shown in an attempt to canvass my business, but when I looked more closely. I saw a different picture. Only four of the seventeen letters had been signed by their author. The rest were either photocopied signatures informing me it was a standard letter, or they weren’t signed at all, or they had been signed ‘pp’ followed by an illegible scribble. Fifteen of the letters were addressed to Dear Sir, Dear Occupier, or Dear (Space) and six of them said ‘date as postmark’.
Only two of the seventeen had bothered to write to me personally, dated their letter and signed it with ink, of those two only one letter was from a builder, the other was from the draper.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many of those seventeen companies would give me the service that I would want. My guess was, only two. As I have explained, I wasn’t in any hurry, so I didn’t respond to any of the letters. Instead, I just sat on them.
Of those original seventeen, only one bothered to contact me again. Guess which builder it was, and guess who my business.
The moral of this story is, you must be professional and be personal and you must follow up to follow through we are now about to move on and look at the actual sales process, but before we do let’s have a quick refresher.
Step 11 Use ingenuity to pull your customer, not push him.
Step 12 Do your homework and you’ll reap the rewards
Step 13 Canvass, canvass, canvass then follow up to follow through.
Some pro-clo benefit from quality leads through their company marketing departments, some do not. Whichever is the case, a pro-clo is always on the hunt for leads which could generate new business. Here are some ideas that I have always found rewarding.
Hit’ em again Sam
The best source of new business is repeat business from existing customers, so let’s start first of all concentrating on the existing customers/owners list.
1.Seek out referral business from existing customers. Simply pick up the phone and say something on the lines of: ‘Listen, Jim, things are a little slow around here and I was wondering if you might be able to help me out. Can you think of anybody who might be interested in……? They’ll help you!
2.Market survey existing customers. Find out if they are happy, what if anything would they change and, most important, how long they anticipate it will be before they renew or replace. Every product or service has a lifespan – once you determine what it is, for example, three years, contact all customers who are approaching the three-year mark.
3.Contact existing customers whenever you have something new, e.g. new brochure, new price list, new product, new discount or sale, new data, new advanced formula, whatever.
4.Almost every business has an after-sales department that deals with customer complaints, replacement, parts, repairs and services. Your own service or complaints department can provide you with some excellent leads. Customers with problems are worth their weight in gold!
5.Contact the used to be customers the once that all the other salespeople give up on as no-hopers, even if they’re not in your area.
6.Take on any customer that another salesperson doesn’t want. There are always some that the losers want to get rid of, or give away.
The one that got away
As your customer list continues to grow, so will your repeat business. The next avenue for thought and then ground work is the list of the nearly was or could have beens.’
7.Contact all the old enquiries, the ‘could have beens’. These folk obviously had some sparks of interest once. Why not try to rekindle that interest?
8.Get hold off all the company’s cancellations, the nearly was list. Most of these ex-customers bought and wobbled because they didn’t have a pro-clo like you to service them and to consolidate the deal.
9.Swap your dead leads with those of a colleague or competitor.
From a gentle stream to a mighty flowing river
Then there are endless different lead sources right on your doorstep. They are like ripe fruit on a tree at harvest-time –one gentle little tug and they are yours for the talking.
10.Advertise in every newsagent’s window in your area. If you figure conservatively that each newsagent has 1,000 customers per week and there are 50 newsagents in your area- That’s a potential 50,000 prospects reading your advert for around 10 per week. Don’t just use your business card or a normal postcard; use something that is eye-catching like a testimonial letter from an existing customer.
11. Do the same with each post office window, your local garages, video store and the corner shop.
12.Browse through your local newspaper regularly, there are always hundreds of potential leads looking you in the face. For example, when Mr. John Johnson from the street in Any town raises 1,000 for charity by parachuting from a plane- find his address from the telephone book. Write congratulating him on his performance and enclose your business card, should he ever be interested in medical or life insurance. Get the idea?
13.Canvass potential customers from your Yellow pages or Thomson Local.
14.Every public library in the land has on its shelves trade magazines and publications, business directories and company names / addresses, etc, offering a wealth of possibilities. There are also guides to almost everything imaginable. For example, if you sell salt and pepper pots, than you’ll find guides to hotels, restaurants, public houses, nursing homes, youth hostels, bed and breakfast outlets – the list is endless.
15. Advertise on the notice boards of the local council offices, community centers, town hall, health and leisure club, the golf club, and so on.
16. Do some cold calling. There is nothing like knocking on a few doors to get the adrenalin pumping. Yes, you get a lot of rejection but you also get success around to per cent of the time. If you tell the ‘cold calls’ that you’re in the area and will be calling on such a day or a certain evening (drop a leaflet or brochure through the door), your success rate will be lot higher than to per cent. Ask the Avon lady.
17. Organize an exchange programmed with another business (not a competitor) who sells to the same kind of customers you do. As an example, let’s take the home improvements industry. Here there is a huge mass of potentially compatible customers from companies of potentially compatible customers form companies that sell such things as double glazing, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, conservatories, security systems water purifiers, cable television, driveways, patios, textured wall –coating, and so on. You should contact a likely company and arrange to exchange leads or customer lists, like for like.
18. Arrange a direct mail shot or a leaflet drop.
19. Your local estate agents know the names and addresses of hundreds of people who have just moved into new homes. If you sell windows or carpets or water filters or paint, if you sell kitchens or bathrooms or bedrooms or conservatories etc. – maybe it might be worth your while to cross the estate agent’s palm with silver, if business should be generated form any leads he gives you.
It doesn’t stop with estate agents-plumbers know people who need a new washing machine, mechanics know customers who are talking about a new car and vest know of people who are in the market for a new dog. Be creative!
20. Don’t send Christmas cards, send calendars. They don’t have to be
expensive or have to be expensive or have a different picture for each
month as long as they are attractive and presentable. Every calendar should
have your name, your company and your telephone numbers on display in
a prominent position. It will be a constant daily reminder, for the next
twelve months, that you are there for them should they want to upgrade
add on replace, or send referrals. For the best impact and the best results,
make your calendar a personal gift.
There are many other ways of canvassing to generate new business, but to be effective, and be prepared to put in lots of hard work and determined effort. Here is a little story that demonstrates being creative, talking the initiative and making a determined effort to canvass my business.
Although I wasn’t in any hurry, I‘d been considering for some time making a small conversion to a part of our home and so I applied for planning permission. My intention was to save time when I eventually decided to go ahead and have the work done. I didn’t realize that my application went on public display at the council offices, but over the next few weeks I received a total of seventeen letters from builders offering their services, builder’s merchants pushing their wares, a couple of money-lenders selling finance and even a letter from a company who sold drapery.
At first I was impressed at the imitative these companies had shown in an attempt to canvass my business, but when I looked more closely. I saw a different picture. Only four of the seventeen letters had been signed by their author. The rest were either photocopied signatures informing me it was a standard letter, or they weren’t signed at all, or they had been signed ‘pp’ followed by an illegible scribble. Fifteen of the letters were addressed to Dear Sir, Dear Occupier, or Dear (Space) and six of them said ‘date as postmark’.
Only two of the seventeen had bothered to write to me personally, dated their letter and signed it with ink, of those two only one letter was from a builder, the other was from the draper.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many of those seventeen companies would give me the service that I would want. My guess was, only two. As I have explained, I wasn’t in any hurry, so I didn’t respond to any of the letters. Instead, I just sat on them.
Of those original seventeen, only one bothered to contact me again. Guess which builder it was, and guess who my business.
The moral of this story is, you must be professional and be personal and you must follow up to follow through we are now about to move on and look at the actual sales process, but before we do let’s have a quick refresher.
Step 11 Use ingenuity to pull your customer, not push him.
Step 12 Do your homework and you’ll reap the rewards
Step 13 Canvass, canvass, canvass then follow up to follow through.
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