KO Sales Coach

The Thing You Love The Most

If you had the entire day off, paid and you could do anything what would you do? You know for fun, just for you?

On today's show discover:

• ... that everyone has a hot button;
• ... why finding your customer’s hot button is so important;
• ...and how connecting with the emotional reason they want your product can make the entire sales process much easier!

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Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes What Are Hot Buttons?

Whenever I think about hot buttons I think of that Big Red EASY button you may have seen in some ads on TV. I think of that because hot buttons make the sales process much easier.

Hot Buttons are the emotional reasons customers want your product and believe it or not, they are WAY more important than the logical reasons they want it. In fact, we did an entire episode on that called Why Mr Spock Was Wrong about Why People Buy.

Don’t get me wrong, getting a hot button doesn’t guarantee a sale and you can certainly make sales without them but when you get one the entire sales process gets much easier. The reason? Because you’re able to connect your product to what’s most important in your customer’s life!

Needs and Hot Buttons What's the Difference?

When you first think about how hot buttons relate to sales it’s easy to get confused between needs and hot buttons. I mean just about every sales course out there talks about finding out what your customer needs. That is important but needs are just the tip of the iceberg.

Way below the surface are the hot buttons and just like an iceberg those hot buttons under the surface over-shadow the needs on top of the water when it comes to building value in your product.

Let’s say you’re talking with Nancy and she tells you she’s interested in your product because she’s having a hard time sleeping at night. So you know why she needs your product, she has trouble sleeping.

The question is; what’s her hot button? It’s not trouble sleeping, there really isn’t anything emotional about that. But let’s say through the course of your conversation you find out that this lack of sleep has changed her personality, she’s become short tempered, and it’s affecting the relationship she has with her husband.

• They aren’t as close as they were,
• they aren’t doing things together,
• and she’s really concerned that they’re drifting apart.

Now, that is emotional, now you’re product isn’t about getting a better night’s sleep, it’s about getting close with her husband again and having the kind of relationship she wants.

How Hot Buttons Help You Build Value

Let’s go back to your paid day off. What did you decide to do? Whatever that thing is, that’s your hot button. It’s what you would do because you love it so much.

Maybe you would spend the day

• reading,
• riding your bike with your husband,
• playing with your kids,
• hiking with your wife,
• playing golf or any number of things.

Now ask yourself; why do you love that so much? Maybe, you love spending time with your kids because it reminds you of times you spent with your parents. Perhaps you love reading because it let’s you escape the stresses in your life and dream.

Now, imagine for a second that something happened that prevented you from ever doing the thing you love ever again. How would you feel?

• Devastated?
• Angry?
• Upset?
• Frustrated?
• Determined?

And if there was a product that could help you get back to doing it again, how much would you pay? When I’m training and I ask this question most people say “I would pay anything”.

That’s how a hot button increases the value of your product. When you learn your customer’s hot button and why it’s so important to them (emotionally) you help them see the big picture. It’s not about the knee pain, it’s about being able to take those long walks on the beach with their daughter again. That’s really what they’re buying.

How to Find Hot Buttons

Let’s talk for a second about how you find that hot button. There are really just three things you need:

1 Rapport - you have to establish rapport so your customer likes and trusts you.

2 Empathy - when you communicate with sincere empathy it helps your customer feel understood and strengthens your connection.

3 Open ended questions - so you’re customer is involved and encouraged to share.

When I asked how you would feel if you were unable to do the thing you love chances are you responded with an emotion like frustrated. Because you can imagine how you would feel you can empathize with how your customer is feeling.

What about the questions?

During your conversation after you’ve discovered your customer’s needs you'll ask a questions like “Once we resolve your pain what will you be able to do that you’re struggling with now?” Or “how has this situation changed things for you on a daily basis?”

Once your customer provides a title for their hot button like “walking on the beach” it’s your job to find out more. “Tell me why walking on the beach is so important to you?” Then encourage them to share some emotion about it. “How would it make you feel to be able to do that again?”

Once you have a good understanding of their hot button and why it’s so important it becomes much easier to build value in your product. For example after you share information about your product and how it can help her sleep, you can build tremendous value by aligning your product to what’s most important to Nancy.

“ ....Nancy just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to get a good night’s sleep again and wake up feeling refreshed and energized. You get out of bed get ready for your day and you’re in a great mood. You have a nice conversation with your husband over breakfast, and at the end of the day you still have enough energy to stay up and watch a movie together like you used to. You’re reconnecting and getting your relationship back! In the end, that’s the most important thing, isn’t it?”

When you align your product with what’s most important to your customer the price become insignificant. Remember, they would pay anything to reclaim that part of their life.

Getting good at uncovering and understanding Hot Buttons are the very best way for you to help people and increase your sales at the same time.

Today’s One Two Punch Hot Buttons Makes the Sales Process Easier Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

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Learning Never Ends

Once upon a time there was a very strong woodcutter name Woody and he applied for a job cutting down trees. He won the job and he was determined to do his best.

His boss, Forest, gave him an ax and showed him where to cut down trees.

On the first day, Woody began cutting and fell fifteen trees.Forest was impressed and praised Woody for doing such a great job.

The next day, Woody was highly motivated by Forest’s praise, so he tried even harder but he could only bring down ten trees. The third day he took it up a notch but was only able to bring down seven trees (half what he’d done the first day).

Woody apologized to Forest saying "I must be losing my strength, I can’t understand what’s going on with me.” Forest thought for a moment and asked "When was the last time you sharpened your ax, Woody?" Woody hadn’t had time to sharpen his ax he was too busy cutting down trees.

You know most of us struggle to update our skills, and we assume that whatever we’ve learned so far is sufficient. But good is not good enough when you want to be the best. It’s important to keep sharpening your axe if you’re going to be a success in whatever you do.

On today's show discover:

• ...how to maintain a great attitude for learning new things;
• ...why even the “best of the best” rely on coaches to make continued improvement.

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Maintaining a Great Attitude for Learning

If you’re going to be great at anything you can never stop learning and that takes the right attitude. So how do you maintain a good attitude for learning new things? Actually, it’s pretty simple.

When the things you learn:

• work,
• help you get better,
• and move toward your goal...

...it’s easy to have a great attitude about learning more. You’re excited to learn something new because you’ve seen the benefit. On the other hand, when the things you learn don’t work it’s easy to get discouraged and that can ruin your desire to learn new things. If you weren’t able to use what you learned at the last training session...how excited are you going to be to go to the next one?

No matter how excited you are about what you’ve learned..

• if you don’t practice it
• it won’t benefit you.

Why Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect

But there’s another important factor at play....because practice doesn’t always make perfect.

Let’s look at professional teachers for a moment. If anyone knows the importance of putting what you’ve learned into practice it’s a teacher right?

Well interestingly, studies have shown that less than 20 % of teachers who go through workshops [and] learn new skills about teaching, are using those same skills six months later.

So what’s happening?

Well, there are two main things that could account for this bleak statistic:

1 - the teachers didn’t put what they learned into practice

2 - or they put what they learned into practice but it didn’t work as the expected it to.

Now compare the results when teachers not only put what they learned into practice but also utilized a coach to help ensure they’re practicing the techniques properly.

In this study when teachers had a coach follow them into the classroom, even just once a month , over 75 percent were likely to use the skills they learned going forward.

So this demonstrates is the importance of putting what you learn into practice and the importance of utilizing a coach. A good coach will hold you accountable for implementing what you’ve learned and be there to reinforce the right way.

The end result?

• You learn it,
• practice it,
• see results,
• and want to learn more.

It’s the circle of success and it’s how the best of the best get to the top. It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress.

Finding a Good Coach

So Where do you find a coach?

Coaches are everywhere (if you look hard enough). Your coach could be:

• A more experienced sales person
• Your manager or supervisor
• Someone from the training department
• Someone your company hires to provide coaching / training services.

No matter where you find your coach select one who:

• has experience and has done what you want to do;
• Has experience coaching people and helping them succeed;
• Is someone you like and trust

Someone who meets these standards will be a great coach for you!

Today’s One Two Punch Practice Makes Progress Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

If you liked this episode please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!

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Foolish Things Salespeople Do

I thought in honor of April fools day it would be fun to do an episode about some of the amazingly foolish things salespeople do. Now, if you’ve done any of these don’t feel bad (most likely we’ve all done at least some of these before) and hopefully…you’re not doing them anymore…I mean if you were that would be pretty foolish!

On today’s show discover:

• …can cause your customer to say no;
• …shake your confidence and
• … are avoided by top sales pros (who probably made these mistakes at one time or another too).

1 Providing Irrelevant Information

You’ve studied your product knowledge and you’re eager to share what you know but raining down information that’s relevant to the product and irrelevant to your customer does more harm than good.

Why is it foolish?

Well, when you provide too much information you could:

• Introduce an objection
• Seem like you’re not listening
• Look desperate (like you’re overselling and not confident)
• And cause your customer to lose interest and excitement.

In sales, “less is more” so hold back all that great information and just bring out what’s relevant to your customer at the right time.

2 Trash Talking the Compeition

Sure you’re proud of your product, you feel it’s the best and when your customer brings up another brand you’re tempted to tell them all the bad things about it.

But that’s a foolish thing to do…why?

Well when you trash talk the competition…

• …you go negative (and people like positive better!)
• …you’re indirectly projecting these negative feelings on your customer. (after all they brought it up and now you’re letting them know what a huge mistake it is, how could they be so naive? )
• … you run the risk of putting your customer on the defensive and If you’re customer starts defending the other product it will reinforce in their mind why it’s the better option. (they’re selling themselves)

In sales, always stay positive, when faced with a discussion about the competition focus on the things that make your product unique and special without trash talking. Here’s how it might sound…

Cust: “I’m thinking about checking out what Acme has…have you heard of them?

SalesPro: “Yes, I have and they make good quality anvils. One thing that makes our anvils different is the heat seeking technology that ensures you get your road runner every time.”

3 Not Asking for the Sale

You’ve poured your heart and soul into one of the best benefit presentations ever. You can tell the customer wants to buy so you present the offer and then….for some reason you stop.

Oh No! You forgot to close!

After working so hard it’s foolish not to ask for the sale.

When you forget to close…

• You give the customer a chance to talk themselves out of it;
• You give them an out…now they don’t have to make a decision;
• You provide the perfect opportunity for them to tell you they “need to think about it”

Sales is about helping the customer make a good buying decision and that means asking a closing question. Give your customer the opportunity to make the right decision and ask for the sale every time.

4 Taking it Personally

You’re enthusiastic about your product and you know it’s a great value so when a customer says “no” or feels it’s too expensive it’s hard not to take it personally. But if you do take it personally it may cause you to do some foolish things:

When you take customer rejection personally

• It can put you on the defensive and cause you to over sell
• When you oversell you look like you have no confidence in the product
• Taking it personally could even cause you to start doubting yourself and lead to a sales slump

Instead, recognize that if you are REALLY good at sales 6 out of 10 people will say no. They aren’t saying no to you they’re saying no to the product. So rather than get defensive and start over selling take a deep breath and ask thoughtful questions.

If a customer feels the price is too high you might say something like “I see, why do you feel that way?” Or “What are you comparing it to?” Questions can help you gather the information you need to overcome the objection, maintain control and preserve your rapport.

5 Arguing

If the customer doesn’t agree with an important point, arguing is only going to set that opinion in concrete. Instead, ask the customer why they have that opinion and then listen. You just might learn something.

6 Talking Too Much and Not Listening Enough

Abraham Lincoln said “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” Which fits nicely with the 6th foolish thing salespeople do talk too much and not listen enough.

When you monopolize the conversation

• Your customer is not engaged
• They lose interest
• And they can become confused

We have two ears and one mouth for a reason because we should listen twice as much as we speak. When you engage your customer in the sales process they maintain their excitement and are more eager to buy.

7 Judging a Book By It’s Cover

It’s foolish to prejudge customers. In fact, I remember an episode of the Cosby show where the father (who was a doctor) was teaching his son how to buy a new car. He told him to wear a sweatshirt, holey jeans and old ratty sneakers because the salesperson would assume he didn’t have any money and he’d get a better deal. (sounds like a foolish salesperson to me)

You never know who’s going to buy and the best approach is to assume every person is a potential customer. Don’t let race, creed, gender, ethnicity, or appearance stand in the way of making a sale.

Today’s One-Two Punch Play it Cool and Don’t Be a Fool Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

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The Roast Beef Story

A mother was showing her daughter how to make pot roast. “First, we need to cut off both ends.”

The little girl looked at her mother and said “Why?”

To which her mother replied, “well that’s the way we’ve always done it but come to think of it I don’t know why either. Let’s call your grandmother and ask her.”

The girl dialed the phone. “Hi Grandma, why do we cut the ends of the pot roast ?”

Her grandmother thought and then said “Well, we’ve always done it that way, it’s how my mother taught me and how I taught your mother. Actually, I really don’t know why. Why don’t you call your great-grandmother and ask her.”

The little girl hung up and dialed her great grandmother. “Hello great granny, why do we cut the ends off the pot roast?” The great grandmother thought and replied “Well, back when I taught your grandmother how to cook the oven was too small and it wouldn’t fit otherwise.”

The point of the story? Just because you’ve always done it that way, doesn’t mean it’s the right way to do it.

On today’s show discover:

• …why “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” isn’t always a good reason;
• … why it’s important for your success to try new things and get a little uncomfortable;
• … and how to get out of your comfort zone to realize greater success

Three Zones Comfort Zone

Well, it’s that place where you feel in-control, it’s safe and you’re operating with very little stress or anxiety. For example if you were sitting on the couch and talking with your oldest, best friend you’d probably be in your comfort zone.

Uncomfortable Zone

Now, take away the couch and replace it with a conference room. You’re not sitting on the couch anymore you’re standing at the front. Poof, your friend is gone and instead you’re looking at 10 people all sitting around the table, facing you and waiting to hear what you have to say. For some, this might be “Outside the comfort Zone” you have a little anxiety, this isn’t something you’re used to doing but you’ll get through it.

Danger Zone

Now take away the room and replace it with a huge theater. You’re no longer standing at the front, you’re on stage and the 10 people you were talking to turn into a crowd of 10,000 people all waiting to hear you speak. For most of us this would be the danger zone! In a situation like this you might be terrified, very nervous, you’re sweating, you’re heart is racing and you’re having serious doubts about whether you can do this or not.Now going from your comfort zone to your danger zone is probably too much of a leap for most of us. However, stepping outside your comfort zone is absolutely something you have, can and should be doing on a regular basis.

The Benefits of Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone

All your goals and ambitions are waiting for you just outside your comfort zone. But you already know that because over the course of your life you’ve stepped outside of the zone before and some important things have happened when you did like:

• Your first day of school,
• your first kiss,
• your first job,
• going to college,
• moving out on your own and more.

Anytime you’ve made progress and grown as a person you did it by first stepping outside your comfort zone.

How Your Comfort Zone Relates to Your Sales Career

Much of what you do now may seem pretty routine but at one time just talking to a customer might have been uncomfortable for you, or asking for the sale made you nervous but now you do these things and they seem very natural.

Think about your comfort zone as a circle and inside the circle are all the things you do that are comfortable, and routine. Now, just outside the circle is that place were those things that are a bit uncomfortable for you are located. They’re not too far away, just outside the circle.

When you start doing those things (like talking to customers) it’s uncomfortable at first but you stick with it and before you know it talking to customers is pretty easy. What happened? You and your circle grew and now that spot just outside the circle is inside your comfort zone.

How do You Grow Your Comfort Zone?

First you need to be open to trying new things and not dismissing them just because they’re uncomfortable. (that’s how things feel when you’re outside the zone). Expose yourself to new ideas and new ways of thinking and get good at making a connection between the sales techniques you read about and how they relate to your job.

Next, take a look at what you’re doing now. Are there opportunities to do things differently? Try a new approach, change your presentation, or how you handle a certain objection. Remember to experiment and try things even if they feel uncomfortable at first, you’re likely to find something that significantly impacts your performance.

Another thing about comfort zones….the longer you stay in them the harder it is to break free. I’ve seen it before, a coach gives someone who is struggling to overcome an objection a new approach to try. They say… that doesn’t seem like something I’d say, I’m just going to stick with my way. (Of course it doesn’t sound like something you’d say, you’re not saying it now!)

If you truly want to make more sales, make more money and be successful in whatever you do you’ll need to take a step outside your comfort zone.

Marcus Taylor founder of Venture Habour says…

“If you want something you don’t already have, you need to do something you haven’t already done.” – Marcus Taylor

Today’s one two punch Get Uncomfortable and have More Success Bonus

Use this FREE tool to assess your comfort zone and get recommendations for expanding and growing!

Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

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You’re Better at Sales than You Think

Sometimes when people are new to sales you’ll hear them say things like “I’m not a salesperson” or ‘I’m not good at sales”. It’s probably the same thing skydiving instructors hear when they run into people who’ve never jumped out of a plane before.

But if you’ve never done it before, how do you know you’re no good at it? Maybe, just maybe, you’re better at it than you think you are.

On today’s show discover:

• …that you have more sales experience than you think you have;
• …and three ways you may actually be better at sales than people who’ve been doing it for awhile.

I’m Not a Salesperson

Why do people like to say “I’m not a salesperson?” I think it’s because of what they imagine a salesperson to be. If your internal definition of a salesperson is a pushy, shady, tricky, fast talking, flim-flam artists that coerces people into buy things they don’t want…then I totally get where you’re coming from. I wouldn’t want to be that either.

But is that really what a salesperson is? Is that what sales is about? No, sales is about solving problems. It’s about building relationships and helping people change their lives for the better. It’s a noble profession you can be proud of.

Guide Good People to Good Products

Think of a good salesperson as a guide. You get to know your customer, understand what they need and what they want. Then you guide them to the right product, help them solve their problem and be happy.

Unfortunately, almost everyone has had a bad experience with a salesperson but chances are you’ve had good experiences to. It feels great when you go to a store to buy something you want and you find that nice salesperson who is helpful, answers your questions and takes away some of the anxiety of making the wrong choice.

You Have Sales Experience

Believe it or not you’ve been practicing sales for a long time. If you’ve ever recommended a good restaurant, shared a TV show, suggested a movie you knew someone would love you’ve practiced sales.

“Yeah, but those are people I know…” true but the process is still the same.

Let’s say your friend Bruce is looking for a good Mexican restaurant. (that’s his need). You’ve had some great experiences at a little place called Mexicali Rose (that’s your product knowledge) so you tell Bruce about it and why you think he’ll like it. (those are the benefits). He asks a couple of questions, you answer them and then say. What do you think, want to give it a try? (and that’s your close).

If you stop and think about it you’re “selling” all the time. You option close your kids when they want candy and you say “ you can either have an apple or an orange”. When you call a friend who’s in the market for a new set of running shoes to tell her about an amazing sale you just found on sneakers, you’re selling. Doesn’t it feel good when you can help a friend find what she wants and needs?

(not only do you do those things all the time, you’re probably really good at it!)

Three Ways You May Be Better at Sales Than You Think

But how could you possibly have an edge over salespeople that have more experience than you? Well, here are three ways you may just have the upper hand.

1 – You have a warm and non-threatening approach. Because you’re approaching sales from a helpful point of view you come across as caring and non-threatening, which is something people like. When you stay focused on helping it comes across and it gives you an edge over someone who’s only thinking about a commission check.

2 – You’re more sensitive. You’ve already said you don’t want to be pushy and aggressive. You don’t want to make someone feel uncomfortable and you’re sensitive to the feelings of others. You notice when you’re customer is uncomfortable and you’re able to navigate around those feelings in a respectful way.

3- You make strong connections. Who doesn’t like someone who is genuinely trying to help? Because of your “non-salesy” approach you make strong connections and build great rapport with customers. It’s a critical component of sales because people buy from people they like and trust.

Conclusion

Forget trying to “sell” something and instead focus your attention on helping someone. Discover your customer’s problems and show them how your product helps solve it. Remember you’re a guide and your job is to bring good people and good products together.

Today’s One-Two Punch Be a Helpful Guide – Be Great at Sales Bonus

“4 Simple Ways to Overcome I Can’t Sell”

Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

If you liked this episode please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!

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Lucky in Sales

Have you ever met one of those people who just seems to be lucky. No matter what, they always seem to land on their feet. When no one else is making sales they “luck” into a customer that wants to buy. But if luck is so random....how can it be so consistent for some?

On today's show you'll discover...

• ... if luck is a factor when it comes to sales success;
• ... why some salespeople seem to be luckier than others;
• ... and how you can provoke luck to increase your sales performance.

Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options

Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes Luck by Definition

If you google the word luck, you’ll find quite a few different definitions but one of my favorites is from the author Max Gunther who defines luck as "events that influence one's life and are seemingly beyond one's control" It’s an interesting definition, especially when you key in on the word “seemingly”. To me, it suggests that while luck may appear to be beyond your control you may have more influence over it than you think.

The Up System

When I worked in retail sales we used to use an UP system. Basically if there are four salespeople on the team one person is up, one is on deck, then third, and fourth. If you’re up, the next customer who comes in is yours.It's a pretty fair system but if you study the results over time you notice patterns.

Shawn seems pretty lucky....most of the people who come in when he’s up purchase. Fran, on the other hand, is pretty unlucky most of the customers she talks to aren’t ready to buy. Is it just that Shawn is lucky or is it possible to influence luck?

Provoke Luck

Joël Le Bon, a marketing professor at the University of Houston College of Business conducted research to determine whether or not it was possible to provoke luck in sales. What he found was pretty interesting....

In a Harvard Business Review article. he wrote

"Success derives not from effort alone but from a combination of effort and luck. An understanding of luck’s synergistic role in success can improve performance and increase salespeople’s confidence in the face of uncertainty and failure."

Part of his research consisted of interviewing veteran salespeople and he found that many of them had experienced luck and talked about provoking luck. Le Bon found several instances where salespeople recalled unexpected events that came about because of strategic behavior which allowed them to maximize opportunities.

Here’s a great example from the article.

There was a salesperson (we’ll call him Joe) who had a large account (we’ll say Dell Computers) but he lost it. Later, he got lucky, and won the account back. (or so it might seem)

What really happened was Joe went above and beyond for a customer (we’ll call him Frank), who just happened to be a customer of Dell Computers. Frank was so impressed with Joe he put in a good word for him with Dell and as a result Joe got the account back.

So it was lucky that Frank was a customer of Dell Computer but without strategic behavior on Joe’s part he never would have got the Dell account back.

Beginner's Luck

Here’s another example of luck in sales....maybe you’ve heard of it, it’s called beginner's luck.

It happens quite frequently a brand new person, who is new to sales, out-sells veterans within their first few weeks. When it happens people like to call it Beginner’s Luck....but is it luck? and If it is, why does it happen so consistently with new people?

Could it be that something else is happening? After working with and observing lot’s of new and veteran salespeople over the years I’ve come to identify something that I think influences beginners luck.

When someone is new they really don’t know much about the product. So they have to rely on getting the customer to talk. They have to ask questions and keep the customer involved in the conversation. Customers are engaged in the process and they buy.

Overtime new salespeople learn more about the product, as they do they want to share more of what they know with their customers. What happens? They do more talking, their customers are less involved, and some may even “tune out”. Sales begin to drop off too.

As more time passes and our salesperson gains more experience they begin to understand the power of keeping a customer engaged in the process. They start talking less, asking more questions and involving their customers. Once again sales start to go up.

Summary

It seems like there are indeed events, that happen which are outside of your control, but when you’re doing the right things consistently you put yourself in a position to take advantage of those situations and in that way you’re provoking luck!

Another great definition of luck.... luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Today's one-two Punch Always do the right thing and be lucky in sales Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

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Start Your Day Off Right

We’ve all been there, some days you’re just not into it and it’s hard to get motivated. But what separates top sales professionals for everyone else is there ability to rise to the challenge everyday, stay focused and make it happen.

On today’s show discover:

• …8 tips for starting your day off right;
• … and how to get motivated for a great sales day, even when you don’t feel like it.

Tip 1 – Take Care of Your Basic Needs

No doubt you’ve heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It says that until your basic needs are met you can’t move on to bigger and better things. Think about the last time you were REALLYhungry, at a certain point getting something to eat became your primary focus, even to the point where nothing else mattered!

If you’re hungry, feel rushed, feel tired or drained it’s going to impact your sales ability. Sales is about transferring your enthusiasm to your customer and if you’re focused on other things you won’t be giving your customer your best.

This tip starts even before your day does. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat well and take care of other things so that you can give your total focus, energy and enthusiasm to your customers.

Tip 2 – Dress for Success

The way you dress can impact the way you feel and that can impact your actions. When you look good, you feel good. You’ll make a better first impression, you’ll have more energy and more confidence. (by the way it even works when you sell on the phone!)

Tip 3 – Get to Work on Time

Not only are your co-workers and customers counting on you to be there, when you get to work on time (or even a little early) it allows you to more peacefully roll into your day. It’s good for your mindset and helps you start the day with a feeling of accomplishment.

When you get to work at the last second you need to rush around frantically which can provide a not so favorable impression and can throw off the rest of your day.

Tip 4 – Take Five

At the beginning of the day it’s important to take a few minutes to settle in, take a deep breath or two, relax and prepare to get started. It’s remarkable how taking a few minutes to relax and settle in can set a positive tone for your entire day.

A great habit to get into during this time is to reflect back on a recent success. Think about a great interaction you’ve had. What were the questions you asked? How did you approach your customer? What did you say and how did you say it? It not only reinforces the good things you’re doing but it helps put you in a positive frame of mind which will support future success.

Tip 5 Get organized

Alexandra Levit, the author of Blind Spots: “The 10 Business Myths You Can’t Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success” says that clearing off your desk and creating a neat and organized work-space is another excellent way to set a positive tone for the rest of your day.

#6 Make Time to Learn

Top professionals are always learning, for them it never stops (that’s why they are so good). Not too long ago, this meant setting time aside to read a sales book or attend a seminar, but now with the popularity of smartphones consuming content has never been easier! Why not use your morning commute to listen to audio books, or sales and marketing podcasts like this one? Perhaps you could even check out a short youtube video during a break (by the way kosalescoach.net/youtube has a number of short two minute videos that won’t even consume your whole break)!

#7 Find a Reason to Smile

Start your day off with a smile. Check out a funny video, or share a joke with a friend. Smiling can change your mood, make you feel more positive and let’s customers know you’re approachable. People can even hear your smile over the phone so get in the habit of finding something to smile about everyday!

Here are some funny sales quotes that might keep you smiling.

#8 Visualize Your Day

Have you ever seen an Olympic skier preparing for a run? Often, you’ll see them standing at the top of the hill with their eyes closed, moving their hands down an imaginary course. They’re visualizing the run they’re about to have. Visualization is that powerful! Try it for yourself visualize your day, how’s it going to go, what will it feel like, see yourself celebrating a big sale!

So even when you don’t feel like it, follow these 8 tips to set yourself up for a successful and rewarding sales day:

1. Take care of your basic needs
2. Dress for Success
3. Get to Work on Time
4. Take Five
5. Get organized
6. Make Time to Learn
7. Find a Reason to Smile
8. Visualize Your Day

Today’s one two punch Prepare Ahead and Set Yourself Up for Success

Be More Aware and Be More Persuasive

Ever wonder how an FBI negotiator can start a conversation that ends with a desperate, armed criminal giving up peacefully? That’s got to be one of the most challenging sales jobs ever!

On today’s show discover:

• … how you can use FBI negotiation strategies to make better connections with your customers;
• … ways to communicate that help guide your customer to make the best decision
• … and how to be more persuasive on the sales floor.

I recently read an interesting article about an ex-FBI agent, Mark Goulston, who is taking his experiences as a negoiator and applying proven techniques he’s learned to business….they also translate really well to sales! I wanted to share them with you today…so let’s get right into it.

Tip #1 Get them to talk.

So the first thing you need to do as an FBI negoiator is to get them to talk. (sound familiar?….it should because that’s critically important in sales too!)

When your customer is talking they’re involved and more apt to self-discover their need for your product or service. When you’re doing all the talking….customers can tune-out or worse feel like they’re just being told what to do. (and most people don’t like being told what to do.)

Tip # 2, Actively listen and pay attention to the adjectives and adverbs your customer uses.

In the article, Mark explains that when customer’s use adjectives or adverbs it indicates something their emotionally invested in. It’s important to them.

For example:

• If someone says “I have a job” – the job may not be that important to them
• on the other hand if someone said “I have a fantastic job” – it means more and indicates something you may want to “key in on” during your conversation.

A good follow up would be… “Tell me more about this fantastic job you have.”

So during your customer interactions pay close attention to the way your customer’s communicating and pick up on how they say what they say….

Here some examples:

• one customer may say “I have pain and I get a terrible night’s sleep”
• while another one says “I have excruciating pain and I’m not sleeping at night”

Both have similar issues but one considers the excruciating pain to be the biggest problem while the other considers the terrible night’s sleep to be their main concern.

When you discover what’s really important and go back to it, it can cause your customer to open up to you at a deeper level. “The more they open up to you, the more invested they’ll be in hearing what you have to say.” Good for persuading a bank robber to do the right thing and good for persuading your customer to make the right choice.

Tip #3 Vary the types of questions you use.

Clearly we know how important open ended , tie-downs and even closed ended questions are in sales. But one type of question you may not be using regularly but should is a “fill in the blank” style question. Mark suggests sprinkling these into your conversation as you vary the types of questions you ask. The reason?

“When you ask someone a question, you trigger an unconscious flashback to a time where they may’ve been put on the spot by a teacher, parent, or coach, and you create a syntactical ‘you versus me’ disconnect,” by occasionally utilizing a “fill in the blank” style approach you’re inviting your customer into the sentence with you and encouraging a more collaborative feeling.

“So, when you’re able to resolve this back pain, it will have the biggest impact on…. ”

Tip #4 is to work to trigger positive flashbacks rather than negative ones.

Everything you say and do can subconsciously remind your customer of situations in their past. Positive ones or not so positive ones. If your customer associates you, your question, or your request with something good, they’re more likely to comply.

Imagine the difference between a salesperson who subconsciously reminds customers about all the products they’ve tried that didn’t work vs. one who says things that remind customers of the success they’ve had.

Here’s a great example: “If it doesn’t work…just send it back” saying something like this will most likely trigger negative flashbacks. Instead saying something like “we’re so confident you’re going to love your results we give you a 30 day guarantee”… can trigger more positive past experiences.

Tip #5 Be a plusser not a topper….

In sales, you want your customer to feel smart and important. A plusser actively listens to what their customer is saying and adds to it. A topper is someone who responds in such a way that they steer the conversation back to themselves or to top what the other person is saying.

A topper makes the customer feel less important where a plusser makes the customer feel more important. Here’s an example:

If a customer says “I’m really interested in losing about 30 pounds”

a topper might say “I did this program and lost 15 pounds which for me was good I didn’t need to lose that much”

a plusser might say “great, you’re interested in losing about 30 pounds, that’s a fantastic goal and something that is very realistic. You made a great decision to call in today.”

Conclusion

You may never have to convince a bank robber to give himself up but using these techniques to be more aware of your communication and persuasive in sales can have a positive impact on your career….and that’s something you can bank on.

Remember:

• Get them to talk.
• Pay attention to the adjectives and adverbs they use
• Vary the types of questions you use
• Trigger positive flashbacks
• Be a plusser not a topper

Today’s one two punch Be More Aware and Be More Persuasive Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

If you liked this episode please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!

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The sales process; it’s really just a map. You have a beginning point (you’re here) and an ending point (where you want to be). Sure the process is the same but the people you go through the process with are different every time. Some like to take you off track, others like to run ahead and if you’re not careful it’s pretty easy to get lost.

Fortunately, you have a tool in your toolbox, a sort of GPS unit, that can tell you where you are. It’s called the Trial Close and it’s not only great for figuring out where you are but it’s the very best gauge you have for knowing when to close.

On today’s show discover:

• …what a trial close is and how you’ll benefit from using it;
• …how to respond to the answers you get and keep your sale on track;
• …and how to incorporate the trial close into your interactions to close more sales

Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options

Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes What a Trial Close Is

Now a trial close is really just an open ended question you ask your customer to gauge where they are in the buying process.

Here are some examples:

• How do you feel about what we’ve talked about so far?
• How does what we’ve talked about sound to you?
• What do you think about the solution I’ve shared with you?
• Based on what you’ve heard so far, what questions do you have?

You’ll find customers will respond in one of three ways to trail closes.

Green Light Response

Some will give you the Green Light. Their response will be strong and positive and you’ll knownow is the right time to close.

You: What do you think about the solution I’ve shared with you?

Customer: “I think it sounds fantastic, it’s perfect for me.”

You: “Great, let’s get you started….”

Yellow Light Response

Then others will give you the Yellow Light. Their response is still positive but a bit more wishy-washy. The best plan here is to continue with the process.

You: How does what we’ve talked about sound to you?

Customer: It sounds pretty good.

You: Great!, now you were saying that sleep has been an issue for you lately, tell me more about that.

Red Light Response

Then there are those who seem to give you the RED light. Their response isn’t positive. The best plan here is to acknowledge the customer’s response, maintain rapport and to try find the obstacle blocking their way.

You: How do you feel about what we’ve talked about so far?

Customer: I don’t think this is going to work for me

You: I understand, what in particular is a concern for you?

Whether your customer responds to your trial close with a Green, Yellow or Red Light you’ll know where you are in the process and you’ll know how to proceed.

What a Trial Close Isn’t

Since we’ve talked about what a trial close is, we should also review what it isn’t. Asking for the sale isn’t a trial close….it’s a REAL close and yes it is possible to find out if the customer is ready to purchase by closing but if they aren’t; you might damage rapport. A trial close is a much less aggressive way to test the waters.

Close ended questions aren’t good for trial closes either. Think about it this way can you imagine how lame it would be if your GPS only responded with a Yes or No rather than telling you where you were? Good trial closes are always open ended.

How to Incorporate Trail Closes

So how can you incorporate trial closes in your customer interactions?

• First, save your trial close until you feel the customer is ready to purchase and then test your hypothesis.
• Second, print out a list of open ended trial closes and keep them posted in your cubicle or somewhere where you can refer to them.
• Third Practice. Pick a trial close that seems comfortable to you and use it. With practice, they’ll become second nature for you.

Remember: The trial close can tell you where you are in the process and when the time is right to close. It’s one of the most powerful yet overlooked tools in a salesperson’s toolbox.

Today’s one two punch Use the Trial Close to Write More Orders Trial Closes Cubicle Post

Download this sheet of example Trial Closes you can hang right in your cubicle!

Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

If you liked this episode please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!

• Click here to subscribe in iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS
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• Email: [email protected]

Use our SpeakPipe Page! to send a FREE voice-mail right from your computer, tablet or phone!

Surprising as it may seem, a high percentage of sales every year are lost by salespeople who don’t know when to close. In fact, knowing when to close may be as, if not more, important than knowing how to close.

On today's show discover:

• ... the biggest mistakes salespeople make when it comes to buying signals;
• ... how to increase your awareness;
• ... and how to react when you get a buying signal from your customer.

Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options

Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes

If you’ve ever watched an infomercial on TV and NOT called...you understand buying signals. Why didn’t you call? Well, you probably weren’t interested in buying. So flip that around and you see that one of the very first buying signals you get from your customer is that they called or came in to your store.

Now, while you’re interacting with your customer she’ll start to consider buying from you. She won’t come right out and tell you, in fact, a lot of times it’s subconscious but she’ll start giving you buying signals (usually in the form of statements or questions). Your ability to recognize and respond appropriately to these buying signals can give you a huge advantage and help you know when to close.

So how do you spot these buying signals? Well, first consider that any time your customer is asking you a question it means there is some interest. Otherwise, there would be no reason to ask the question.

Here are some examples:“Ok, so who would I call if I needed some help while I’m using your product?”

“How long does delivery take?”

Another strong buying signal is when a customer asks to repeat something you just said or wants more details about it. This indicates you’ve touched on something that’s really important to them, something you may want to emphasize in your benefits presentation.If your customer is making positive statements and saying things like:

• “Really? I had no idea it could do that too” or
• “That sounds like it would work really well for me”

She’s giving you some pretty strong signals.

Mistakes Salespeople Make when it comes to Buying signals Missing them all together

If you’re not listening closely and really focusing on the meaning behind what your customer’s saying you can miss them. Get in the habit of thinking about buying signals right at the beginning of your shift. Raising your awareness reduces the chance you’ll miss one.

Misinterpreting the buying signal as an Objection

Believe it or not even objections are buying signals. They’re really just the customer saying "I’m interested except for this one thing..." and in those cases it’s appropriate to follow your rebuttal process.

However, sometimes salespeople mistake a buying signal for an objection and in that case using a rebuttal process can really “derail your sale.”For example if a salesperson mistook this buying signal:

“so who would I call if I needed some help while I’m using your product?”

For an objection that might say something like this:

“I understand what you’re saying, but we’re so confident you’re going to love the product we back it with our 30 day money back guarantee, if you needed to take advantage of that you would just call the customer service department”

Moving too quickly to the close

As you know, there is an ART to this sales thing and a buying signal (even a really strong one) doesn’t necessarily mean you should jump right into the close. The vast majority of customers don’t like to feel pressured so you may need to ease into the close in most cases. Now if the timing feels right to you go for a trial close to gauge the customer's level of interest.

A good trial close is something open ended like “How does everything sound to you so far?” An open ended question like this should give you a good idea whether the time is right to close or if your customer needs a little more information first.

Not Moving to the Close Fast Enough

Yes, I know this seems to contradict what I just said but there is a fine line. When you get an extremely strong buying signal like “Do you guys take American Express?” in most cases, depending on when this is asked in the process, you’ll want to say something like “yes we do and I can take down your number whenever you’re ready.”

Some salespeople miss really obvious buying signals like this, then answer the question and keep selling. Many times talking themselves right out of a sale.

How to Get Better With Buying Signals

First, at the start of your shift remind yourself to be on the look-out for them. Just being more aware will put you well ahead of the curve

Second, recognize that every customer who has either called on the phone or come into your store has already provided you with your first buying signal. If they weren’t interested they wouldn’t call.

Third, actively listen for the meaning behind what your customer is saying and ask yourself if it’s a statement or question someone who was interested in purchasing would say.

Finally, respond appropriately and know when to close using trial closes and other clues you pick up from your customer.

Conclusion

The most successful salespeople know how and when to close. They are very tuned-in to their customers and they are always on the look-out for subtle buying signals. Learning to recognize and react appropriately to the signals your customer is providing will help you close more sales too!

Today’s one two punch React to Buying Signals to Close More Sales Ways to subscribe to The K.O. Sales Coach

If you liked this episode please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review and subscribe!

• Click here to subscribe in iTunes
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