By Steve Stearns
The podcast currently has 71 episodes available.
Sales is, by its very nature, competitive. Some love to compete with others for the top spot on the leader-board and for many it's what drives them to be the best. However for others, competition can lead to comparisons and comparing yourself to someone else can be demotivating.
On today's show discover:Mark Twain said that "comparison is the death of joy" and believe it or not recent studies have backed that up. Spending time comparing yourself to others can:
Remember you can only control you, focusing on someone else is a waste of energy.
Also, it's not always a fair comparison. Everyone has different experiences, strengths and weaknesses. You have no idea what kind of journey they're on, how long they've been on it or why. When you compete with yourself , you know where you're going, and what you need to do to succeed.
This shift in perspective allows you to make more progress in less time. You're not discouraged by the fact there are people who are better than you. No matter how good you get, there will always be people who are better than you. There are also people who look up to you.
Compete with YourselfThat said, by competing with yourself you have a chance to celebrate your "wins" and allow those wins to inspire you to continue toward your goal. Think about it, the person you are today is a result of the decisions you made yesterday and if you're always in a state of creation you’re always getting better! That means when you compete with yourself you always win!
If you find yourself getting sucked into comparing yourself to others try taking these steps:
Friendly competition on the sales floor is healthy and it can be motivating. However, when competition turns into comparison it can have the opposite effect.
Today’s One Two Punch Compete Against Yourself, Succeed and Win!If you find customers saying things like “ok, can we get on with this?” or "look I don’t have all day". You may be spending too much time uncovering and talking about their needs. Read on to discover a simple way to Increase Customer Engagement.
On today's show discover:This sort of goes against a lot of conventional wisdom which tells you to spend plenty of time understanding your customer’s needs. Now, don’t get me wrong, understanding your customer’s pain points is critically important but sometimes you can over due it. How do you know if you’re overdoing it? You get more customers asking you to “get on with it.” It’s a sure sign they feel they’re being grilled and they don’t like talking about the subject matter. They’ve become disengaged and they’re losing their excitement.
Think about it, I mean how much fun would it be to sit down and have someone ask you 20 questions about your bills?
Yuck....not much fun. And if you’re spending a lot of time asking customers about their needs and what’s wrong it can start getting that way for them too.
A Simple Way to Increase EngagementSo what do you do? Well, you should still ask about their challenges but only gather what you really need to understand their issues. Don’t belabor the point. Then before presenting your product, transition to their hot buttons and start talking about how they want their life to be once those needs and problems are resolved. That’s a much better conversation to have. You may hear them “light up”, their tone may change, heck they may even get excited!
If you go back to our “talking about your bills” example imagine transitioning that conversation to what you would do with a 2 million dollar lottery check! Much more fun to talk about, wouldn’t you agree?
ConclusionSo spend time understanding your customer's needs but don’t over due it. Get the information you need and then transition to talking about their hot buttons. What you’ll learn will help you build value and the process will help your customer stay engaged and excited.
Today’s One Two Punch Transition to Hot Buttons to Keep Your Customer EngagedOn June 18th 1914, Lawrence Sperry demonstrated autopilot for the first time on an aircraft. He did it by flying past the crowd at an air show while holding both hands up above his head. Autopilot revolutionized flying and allowed pilots to focus on more important things like navigation and safety. Developing good habits let's you put parts of your sales process on auto-pilot and focus more of your energy on your customer.
On today's show discover:“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, copy what they do and you'll achieve the same results.” - Tony Robbins
Most of the people you look up to seem to make what they do look pretty easy, right? It’s like they’re on autopilot and in a way they are. Their success comes down to the things they do, out of habit, without even thinking about it.
Their habits are so strong, they could do them in their sleep. Building your own auto-pilot takes time but if you build good habits you’ll succeed. However, if you spend time reinforcing or sticking with bad habits overtime it could cost you thousands of dollars in lost sales commission. Selling with bad habits it’s like setting your auto-pilot to crash into the ocean.
Why would someone stick with a bad habit?Even though you consciously know that a habit is bad your subconscious mind is looking for a pleasurable, immediate reward. The reward for a bad habit is often pretty obvious but sometimes you need to dig a bit deeper to figure out what it is. Bad habits live in your comfort zone and since it would require you to do something uncomfortable to break them, your subconscious wants nothing to do with it. This is why bad habits can be so hard to break.
Common Bad Habits that Cost Salespeople SalesHere are some other bad habits that cost salespeople money every year.
All of these bad habits make it hard to succeed in sales.
Developing Good HabitsHere are some good habits worth developing:
Recognize your bad habits and work to change them. Change may not always be fast or easy but with time and consistent effort, almost any bad habit can be reshaped into one that works for you, not against you.
Today's one-two Punch Good Habits set a Course for SuccessWere you aware that the exact same thing that causes a lobster to grow and develop is what causes you and I to grow and develop? For lobsters growth isn’t an option but for you and me personal development is simply a choice. If you want to be further ahead next year than you are right now it’s a choice worth making.
On today's show discover:I recently heard an interesting story by Dr. Abraham Twerski about how a Lobster grows. As a native mainer, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I never gave the growth and development of a lobster very much consideration. You know a lobster is really just a squishy sea creature that lives in a hard-shell. The problem is that while the squishy lobster expands the hard shell doesn’t.
So as the lobster inside grows it begins to feel confined, it starts getting cramped and things start getting uncomfortable. So what does he do? He finds a rock (for protection), says goodbye to his old shell and starts growing a new one. Then over time the new shell becomes confining and uncomfortable, he finds another rock, says goodbye to the new shell and grows a newer one. And this process continues over and over again.
What's the Trigger?So the trigger that let’s the lobster know it’s time to grow is that feeling of being uncomfortable. Even though it’s probably scary to cast of his old shell he knows he has to grow a new one. No doubt he also feels vulnerable without it but he finds a rock that provides temporary protection.
It’s the same for you. If you want to grow you need to cast off your old comfortable ways of doing things. You'll feel uncomfortable and even a bit vulnerable when you do it but it's necessary in order to grow. Stick with what’s comfortable, and you'll never grow. Continue doing the same things you’re doing today and there is little chance that you'll be better in a year, five years or even 10 years.
You need to ask yourself what do you want? Do you want
If you do, you have to grow and do those things that are uncomfortable for you now.
What Do You Do?Chances are you know exactly what those things are.
Just as the Lobster has a rock protecting him while he’s growing, you have your coach and your training team. Use them for encouragement and let them hold you accountable for making progress. You’ll find that the “uncomfortable” phase doesn’t last long and before you know it you’ve grown a new shell and you’re better for it.
Thomas Edison said
"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
So what are you waiting for? Trade in your old shell for a new one and astound yourself.
Today’s One Two Punch Get Uncomfortable and Grow for it!Sales is more like a roller coaster ride than a cruise....there are good times that are REALLY good and then there are bad times that seem REALLY bad. When sales are up you give yourself credit for working hard and influencing your success but when things are bad it’s easy to feel a bit out of control.
On today's show discover:Bad days happen to the best of us and it can all start before you even get to the office. You wake up late, you’re out of milk, there’s grid-lock on the road or you can’t find your favorite shirt. It doesn’t take much to send us down the wrong track toward a bad day.
Put it in PerspectiveWhatever gets your day off on the wrong foot, it’s important to put it in perspective. You know, now matter what is happening or how bad it may seem will it matter a year from now? Will you even remember this? Most of the time the answer will be no. Minimize those small annoyances and dismiss them so they don’t start piling up on you.
Accept RealityNow you’re on the job and you just found out that shipment of widgets never made it and it’s going to cost you sales. So what do you do? The best advice? Accept reality. Accepting reality helps you cognitively and emotionally move on.You may need to switch from Plan A and start thinking about implementing Plan B.
Be FlexibleAnd that means you need to be flexible. When you’re having a tough day you might be falling into a routine...so try breaking it up. Make a change. Something as simple as moving to a new seat, taking a walk or working on something else can break the routine. I’ve even seen people say “I’m going to start over”. They get up, go outside, turn around and come back in. (it’s like a professional do-over). Whatever works, right?
Avoid Beating Yourself UpHere's some great advice for you perfectionists out there, avoid beating yourself up. It's easy to dwell on something after it goes wrong. You might find yourself mentally playing out alternative realities, and what you could have done differently. If there are lessons to learn a review can be helpful. Be aware that it shouldn’t take too long or monopolize your thoughts. It’s just a learning opportunity and that’s positive.
If you can’t seem to let it go ask yourself what do you have to gain by spending all that time and energy on the past? Yes, the first couple of customers you dealt with today were difficult, so what? How do you benefit from thinking about them all day and letting those bad experiences influence all your other interactions? Instead, chalk them up to a learning experience and move on.
SummaryYou have more control over your "bad days" than you might think. Bad things happen but your reaction and attitude determine how much they’ll impact the rest of your day. Just like a roller coaster ride you don’t need to stay at the bottom long.
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On November 19th 1863 people gathered in Gettysburg Pennsylvania for a dedication ceremony. The keynote speaker was a man named Edward Everett and he spoke for more than 2 hours. Abraham Lincoln who was also scheduled to speak, spoke for just two minutes. Even though Everett’s speech was longer, Lincoln's short 2 minute speech is now regarded as one of the most elegant, thoughtful and well-crafted speeches in American history. The Gettysburg Address certainly makes the case for brevity and the power of saying less.
On today's show discover:When you’re in sales they always wants you to do more. Make more calls, learn more products, talk to more customers, close more deals. More, more, more. But there’s one thing you can do less of to close more deals and that’s talk.
We covered the power of silence back in round 15 of the KO Sales Coach. Among other things we discussed how
If talking less and listening more is so important why don’t more salespeople do it? Because like any skill it takes practice and a conscious effort. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Here are three simple tips you can use to get started.
1 - Post a reminder for yourself to WAIT.Now WAIT stands for Why Am I Talking. A visual reminder can be a great tool when you’re learning a new habit. If you’re on the phone it’s easy; just post WAIT where you can see it. If you’re in face to face sales you might need to get a little creative and post something under the counter, on your clipboard or some other place you can see it and be reminded.
2- Ask one question at a time.When you ask a 2 or 3 part question it can be hard for a customer to follow and if they can’t remember everything they’ll probably end up answering just the last one. That means if you need the other information you have to go back and that wastes time.
3 - Avoid setting up your questions.Setting up your questions is unnecessary, wastes your customer’s time and causes you to talk too much.
Here are a couple examples “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you break your arm?” By asking the question we’re assuming they don’t mind so why not just ask the question. (the set up is unnecessary just ask how did you break your arm? )
Here’s another example: “Now that I have a better understanding of how this can help you let me ask a few more questions to determine how much you’ll need. How many times a day are you planning to use it?”
Bonus TipWhen you’re customer’s talking they’re interested!
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Walk onto any car lot, into any specialty store or call center and you’ll hear conversations taking place. It’s what happens in sales. But having a good conversation and getting one started is often easier said than done.
On today's show discover:We’ve all had conversations before and most (with friends and family) are pretty easy. But when it comes to customers or someone we’ve just met it can be hard to know where to start and what to say. Before we dive into some tips for getting a conversation started let’s take a look at what it takes to have a good conversation.
One thing that’s important in any conversation is that both people are involved. If you’re doing all the talking it’s more of a lecture than a conversation. A good conversation means there is give and take. Generally when we ask someone a question we expect them to ask back: How are you doing? I’m doing great, what about you?
A conversation should be casual and help to put both you and your customer at ease. It’s not an argument and it’s not about manipulating anyone. It let’s them get to know you (so they can trust you) and help you find out more about them (including their hot buttons and emotional reasons for wanting your product).
6 Ideas for Getting a Conversation Started 1 Give a complimentCompliments are a great way to begin a conversation. Everyone likes a compliment and feels good about the person who gives it. Now it’s important that your compliment is appropriate, sincere and specific.
2 Embrace Small TalkSmall talk is an important first step in building a good conversation. Think of it like driving a car. When you take off in your car you gradually accelerate until your going 60mph. Small talk is that same gradual acceleration when you meet a customer for the first time. Going from 0-60 in the first few seconds of meeting someone is not a good plan if you want to make a connection, build value and make sales.
One of the easiest ways to get started with small talk is to simply ask someone how they’re doing. The majority of people will say “fine, great, or good” take it as a positive and get your conversation started by saying something like “That’s fantastic, I’m having an amazing day too what’s put you in such a great mood?”
If they tell you they aren’t doing so well try something like this: “Well, let’s see if we can help turn that around for you. Tell me more about what’s going on.”
Here some other ideas for small talk:
You can even use The weather (although I would save this as a last resort because it’s pretty cliche')
3 Ask QuestionsQuestions are what will move a conversation forward. Be curious and ask logical questions and listen for a natural transition from small talk into the sales process.
Here’s what it might sound like if you don’t ask a logical question:
So the question does encourage the customer to stay engaged but in many ways the initial question doesn’t seem to make sense. Why did I ask where they are from? We’ve missed an opportunity for a little small talk before getting right down to business.
Here’s what it sounds like with a more logical follow up question.
This should be obvious, but don’t underestimate how important it is. Your level of friendliness can make or break a good conversation. Smile, stay focused and go out of your way to show that you’re genuinely interested in what your customer has to say.
5 Focus on ThemThe best conversationalists are good listeners and that means keeping the focus on your customer. Follow the 80 / 20 rule and listen 80% of the time and talk just 20% of the time. When they’re doing most of the talking, it's a great conversation!
6 Stay positivePeople like positive people and when you’re encouraging; your customer will feel more comfortable having a conversation. Be sure you’re incorporating positive and supportive responses throughout your conversation. You’ll instantly be more likeable.
Use phrases like:
Remember to:
A famous psychologist named John Dewey discovered that everyone wants to feel important. When you engage your customer in conversation you’re showing them that you value what they have to say and you’re interested in their opinions. When you’re interested, you’re more interesting...and so is your offer.
Today’s One Two Punch A good conversation leads to a good saleIt would be fantastic if customers came in one after the other and the phone rang the instant you hung-up? It sure would; and while there are times like that in sales there are also those times when things are slow. While some just wait out the slow times, others have found ways to use that time to be even better and more prepared for the next rush of customers.
On today's show discover:Downtime is a fact of life in sales. It’s an opportunity to hone your skills and stay sharp so you can make the most of those times when you do have customers. Here are 10 things you can do during down time to hone your skills and prepare to maximize your next opportunity.
9 Effective Ways to Maximize Down TimeVolunteer to help a new salesperson
Next time it gets slow don’t just wait it out, do something productive to be better prepared for your next rush of customers.
Today’s One Two Punch Prepare while it’s slow to be better when it’s busyFred’s at a party and across the room he sees the woman of his dreams. He makes his way over to her, looks her in the eye and says “hi I’m Fred, I have a masters degree in english literature, I can bench press 240 pounds and I love opera would you like to go get a cup of coffee?” Now as you may have guessed, Fred generally drinks his coffee alone. He’s got a lot to offer but he cuts to the chase too fast for most people. However, with a little coaching anyone, even Fred could be much more successful.
On today's show discover:We’re all trying to do more in less time and a popular misconception is that cutting corners helps you get more done. In reality, cutting corners can end up costing you more time and money. Now consider how this applies to the sales process. It’s easy to think that getting right down to business is the most efficient way to interact with a customer. After all, it’s that idol chit chat, (building rapport) that seems to be so disconnected from the ultimate goal. You might think “If I just leave that out and get right down to business I can talk to more people and make more sales right?” Not necessarily!
Look at Fred, by getting right down to business he could talk to ten different people in 10 minutes at the party and still end up having his latte solo. Or he could spend a little more time talking with fewer people, making a connection and finding a date for coffee.
In fact, the sales process relies heavily on establishing, building and maintaining rapport.
Look at the entire process and you’ll find it all starts with that connection.
So let’s talk about how to establish, build and maintain rapport throughout your next customer interaction.
8 Ways to Establish, Build and Maintain RapportTaking the time to build rapport and have empathy for your customers at the beginning of the call helps provide the trust and value they need to say “yes” at the end.
Today’s One Two Punch Make Time for Rapport at the beginning for Better Success in the endDespite what some may tell you more isn’t always better. Like adding more soap to your washing machine. The clothes won’t be any cleaner but you’ll have a BIG mess of bubbles to clean up. To say less is more might seem like a contradiction, but what it really means is that less is more effective. In general it means “don’t overdo it.”
On today's show discover:I remember being a new salesperson and thinking that the key to making great sales was to know a lot about the product and share all of it with my customers. Seemed like a logical approach...just pepper the customer with information until they give up. Well, I pretty quickly figured out that was a terrible plan. I just ended up talking customers right out the door and my sales numbers went with them!
Overtime I came to realize that a more effective approach was to provide just the information necessary for them to make a good decision.
Here some examples of times when less is more in sales.
1 When providing features and benefits...less is more.Bombarding your customer with every feature and benefit your product delivers can cause them to lose their enthusiasm and become confused.
When you take the “less is more approach” you narrow your presentation to just the features and benefits that are compelling and unique to them. This helps maintain their enthusiasm and keeps you moving toward the sale.
Now, it’s a little harder to narrow your presentation because you need to invest some time upfront and find out about their needs; but it’s time well spent.
2 When providing options...less is moreConfusion is to sales what kryptonite is to superman. Confusion kills sales and when you give your customer too many choices they can easily become overwhelmed.
In a recent chocolate study, researchers found a difference in the way people felt about choosing a chocolate based on how many options they were given. One group was asked to make a selection from 30 chocolates and another group from a selection of 6. They found that many shoppers experience frustration with complex choice-making processes. Not only that they feel dissatisfied with their choice when faced with too many options.
If a lot of your sales presentations end with the customer “needing to think about it” you may be providing too much information or too many options.
Consider keeping some options in your “back pocket” rather than laying them all out at once. Afterall, your customer is counting on you to help them make the right choice so offer the one that truly meets their needs. Then respond with your backup option only if there are new needs or new budget considerations that come up.
3 When answering a question less is moreYour customer asks a simple question and it deserves a simple answer so it keep it brief and direct.Long answers often contain unnecessary information that moves your conversation away from the sale. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a salesperson lose a sale by elaborating too much, when all they needed to do was simply answer the question.
When your answer goes on and on you seem less informed and less credible. It can also cause your customer to tune out and stop listening. So when you’re asked a question be direct and provide just the information required to answer it.
4 When closing the sale less is moreGreat salespeople understand the 80 / 20 rule which says you should be doing 20% of the talking and 80% of the listening. When you do talk, most of what you say should come out in the form of questions. By keeping your customer engaged in the process you’ll be able to focus your presentation on just the features and benefits most important to them. Ask them for the sale and then let them speak. Avoid talking over their decision. Once you ask your closing question, close your mouth, to close more sales.
Today’s One Two Punch Use Less to Get More from Your SalesThe podcast currently has 71 episodes available.