Power Sales Guru With Will Harris podcast

Overview of the benefits of the Power Sales Guru podcast.

How to get information that guarantees you close a cold call.

Anyone with the desire to grow and willingness to prepare must also accept the responsibility to take action. It is an established fact that the largest and most powerful train in the world can be held in place by a one-inch block of wood.

Placed in front of a huge train, a little 1 inch block of wood will hold it completely motionless. However, that same train, when in full speed motion, can crash through a steel-reinforced concrete wall. That shows the power of……..ACTION! ACTION!

Taking action when others over look an opportunity is the biggest differentiator in sales. You know it and I know it. Every day we face a great opportunity but it can go unmissed as we take no ACTION. ON this podcast we are going to discuss the one resource that’s THE most critical source of information before you reach out to prospect.

This source is there every time but is not dressed up like a present under the Christmas tree…yet it is still a gift. WE are going to discuss what this gift is and how to unwrap it and claim your success.

What if you were able to know all your prospect’s business needs?

What if you knew their personality before you contacted them?

What if you could access EVEN what your prospect’s boss wishes?

All of this is available to you with ease…and 95% of other sales people don’t even consider this resource.

The key to GETTING critical information that guarantees you close a cold call is…..

The Receptionist Gatekeeper

In a previous podcast, we talked about from the mid-level gatekeeper, right…the person that has the power to say NO but not the power to say yes.   Well now we come full circle we’re talking about the frontline receptionist gatekeeper. The sales tactics I discuss on this podcast is ideal for cold calling into a company.

Let me set the context…..You may have an idea of who to speak with at a midsize company (not too big, not to small…like goldie locks…just right). Maybe you researched them prior to your call. AND Now the phone is ringing

And the first thing you hear is: “Thank you for calling Harris Technologies, how can I direct your call?”

Remember it’s a cold call…so the normal your response would be: “Hi, I would like to speak to the person in charge of purchasing?”

The receptionist will respond: “That will be Jane, please hold and I will transfer you.” She could even transfer you without supplying the decision maker’s name or department.

And that concludes your interaction with the gatekeeper.

Let me share a personal story about my mother. My mother was that gatekeeper at a mid-size company for 15 years. After school, I would ride my bike to my mother’s job. I would stay there doing my homework for two hours until she got off of work.

Once she was off work we would throw my bike in the back of her blue Chevette and we would go home. My mother’s workspace was situated in the middle of the lobby at a traditional desk. I would go around the corner so she could see me doing my homework as she greeted visitors to the company.

I could see the large volume of calls my mother took at the front desk. I also observed people from the back come up and have conversations with my mother. Gatekeepers in this role do not get paid based on the volume of calls they receive or the number of people they talk to. Nor are they paid based on the efficiency in which they transfer a call.

During one ride home after work, I asked my mother if her job was boring. She replied that she had begun playing mental games to keep her mind sharp. It also helped her become more efficient at the skills needed to transfer calls.

My mother was extremely good at her job. As with most jobs, there were pros and cons. The cons were that my mother was the undeclared emotional garbage dump for anyone having a bad day. Employees would come up and scream at my mother when their day was not going correctly.

Sales people who were frustrated that their appointment was late for a meeting would make angry demands of my mother. Many times I wanted to get up and tell them you better stop yelling at my mother. I never did, though, because she told me that would get her fired and we needed her to keep that job. So I continued to sit around the corner and do my homework the best I could without letting anyone distract me.

My mother was the eyes and ears of that company.

She saw everything. It was amazing how few professionals treated my mother with respect. The sales people were especially rude. My pretty sure they didn’t think they were being rude.

Here is an example of how they would speak to my mom.

“Hi, my name is Ron and I’m looking for the person who deals with purchasing equipment. Could you get me in touch with them please?”

Now you may say, that doesn’t sound that bad. You said they were rude. No it is bad…it just sounds normal. And normal becomes accepted. Normal becomes natural. But we know that different is the new great.

Let me say it again and this time have a new kind of ear:

“Hi, my name is Ron and I’m looking for the person who deals with purchasing equipment. Could you get me in touch with them please?”

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But here’s what really is being said:

“Hi, it’s me. I need to speak to someone important. I know it’s not you. So, can you move out of my way and let me get to them please?”

The problem with this approach is that it totally overlooks the treasure you have in front of you.

There’s story about King George of England. He was traveling through a distant village in Holland. He stopped and asked to buy two eggs. The charge was for two hundred florins.

“Eggs must be scare around this place,” said the King.

The innkeeper smiled and said, “Pardon me, sire. Eggs are plenty enough; it is kings that are scare.”

And the king smiled and paid.

When you reach a receptionist type gatekeeper then you may have a scare king or queen in your presence. They could have answers to questions you wish you knew. Things that can save you time and increase your chance of success. Don’t pass by a king or queen and say nothing.

And yes….I said if you reach a receptionist. It is natural for us to hear people say “How to reach the decision maker”…. “When you reach the decision maker…” Because that is a cherished event, right? But so is reaching the gatekeeper.

My Mother knew who was in trouble and about to get fired. She knew also who was romantically involved with whom in the company. And when they were fighting and letting their work slide. You won’t here this on someone’s voicemail: Thank you for your call but I am fighting with my love interest in Accounting. For this reason I will not return your important call…so please keep trying and don’t take my unreturned call personally. I really need what you are saying but my heart is breaking right now.” Noooo you won’t hear that on a voicemail.   But you can from a gatekeeper.

And of course my mom knew what competition was sneaking in the back door to coerce decision makers away from established vendors.

It is all about the approach with the gatekeeper. They have the information you need and have the ability to put you in touch with the people you want to talk to. The gatekeeper answers phone calls all day and deals with any number of interruptions. If you come across as just another nuisance, it is doubtful you will reach the person you want to speak with.

There are three levels of questions to ask the gatekeeper. Level one questions should be the easiest.

Level two questions should become more complex in nature. Level three should be the most difficult, but the most important.

If you are wondering what type of questions to ask the Gatekeeper then don’t worry. I have created a Free Power Tool to help you create your own level 1, 2, and 3 questions. Or you can get my book Power Prospecting and have the questions I created for each level. Both are available at www.Powersales.guru 

Out of the four communication styles we discussed, the receptionist gatekeeper is most likely to be a Supporter.

You do not want to have a Thinker style answering the phone. That would be a nightmare for any company. Could you imagine that….Hello why are you calling? Are you sure you should be calling here? Maybe we aren’t the best company to call? What was your process on verifying that we deserve your business? I think you should consider all your options before committing to call us? Are you sure?

Now…companies want the most welcoming person be the first interaction with the outside world. It is most likely that you will have an isolated Supporter who is just willing and ready to bond with you.

When coming up with the questions you would ask the gatekeeper, consider what you wish you knew before you got on the phone with the decision maker?

UTILIZING THE GATEKEEPER

This is the closest thing I can give you that is similar to having a script in Power Prospecting. I will list out a possible dialogue between you and a gatekeeper.

Remember, different is the new great.

You want a process that will give you more than you have gotten in the past, which will get you more of what you expect in the future.

So I’m going to walk through a script where you just called into a prospect and you are cold calling in. The phone rings and the receptionist gatekeeper picks up and says “Thank you for calling. How may I direct your call?”

What you do next is not normal. What you do next is intended to break the pattern and stand out as different. Everything in this script is suttle but there for a reason.

The next thing you say is:

What is your name?

____, I need your help. (Pause)

Who is in charge of ____? (Ask initial question)

Then you will ask a

Level 1 Questions:

Level 2 Questions:

Level 3 Questions:

So that I don’t bother you in the future, what is their extension?

Before you transfer me, what is ____? (Ask follow-up questions)

Now let’s put it together to take a look at the flow:

• “Thanks for calling Harris technology, how can I direct your call?” “
• “Excuse me, what is your name?” (Sweetest sound in the English language is someone’s name)
• “My name is Suzanne.”
• “Suzanne I need your help.” (Pause until she agrees to help)
• “Ok, I’ll try”
• Initial Question…

Everything I mentioned has a reason for being there. I will explain why…because if you know the why’s then the how’s are easy. If you know why I am using this technique then you can adjust when you speak to your gatekeepers.

The first thing I asked was:

What is your name?

The sweetest sounding name in the English language to anyone…is there name. Also, if you happen to have a tough gatekeeper then when the call ends, call back in a week and say: Is this Sue? You will be surprised at the difference in the gatekeeper’s mood when you already know their name. first impression is lasting.

Also, my mother was sitting up front isolated from everyone. It is possible your gatekeeper is too and you represent a lifeline to the world in between checking Facebook or texting. But you never know until you engage.

Next I said

Suzzane, I need your help. (Pause)

I paused and didn’t just say: I need your help. Can you tell me who is in charge of ….. I pause because I want her to respond. I want to break up what she is used to doing. Have you ever been to a state fair and rode a horse. That horse rides the same path every day and all day. It is used to that path and will rarely veer off it.

The gatekeeper is used to a set process of moving people and you don’t want to be caught up in the same negative way they treat other sales people. Different is the new great…keep that in mind and follow the process. Every training class I give this is one section that every one always comes back and tells me works wonders. It helps you stand out and be different. And trust me these wonderful people will love to engage back with you.

They are Supporters and the key word that makes a Supporter spring to action is HELP. Suzzane, I need your help. Let that word help resonate in their ears. Let it ring through and sound the alarms that this person is different and they are great.

Then after she responds I will continue with my first question.

Who is in charge of ____? (Ask initial question)          

Remember, you can make up your own first question and in my book I list out a page worth. And based on the interaction you then ask a

Level 1 Questions:

Level 2 Questions:

Level 3 Questions:

The Free Power Tool guides you to guides you to develop a stronger initial bond with the decision maker. Foster a relationship with the gatekeeper, as much as possible. And identify the questions you want to ask.

We went over the two types of gatekeepers. WE covered the midlevel manager (account influencer) in a previous episode and in this one we covered the receptionist (company greeter). We looked at how to set yourself apart from others who call the receptionist gatekeeper. Taking the time to get to know the situation and the gatekeeper, as well as being prepared to ask questions of them, will help get you to a YES. It will help you find information before a cold call guaranteed to get you a sale.

My mother’s story had a happy ending. A few years later, the president gave her a chance to manage a startup department. That year my mother’s department was the only one that turned a profit. The following year she was promoted to Vice President. When the company owner sold the firm the following year, my mother’s division was the only one not part of the buyout. Everyone who had mistreated her over the years was lined up outside her office begging for a job, in fear of losing their job once new management took over.

I’m not saying every gatekeeper will be as knowledgeable about the business or the company as my mother. I’m saying you never know until you ask. Imagine that every time you reach the gatekeeper, you just reached a king or queen.

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Power Sales Guru podcast. I am your host Will Harris wishing you Happy Selling and remember different is the new great.

Episode 008 What to say in your Opening Statement

Hello, I’m Will Harris. Welcome to the Power Sales Guru podcast.

I love the story of the high school basketball coach who was

There was a long silence. Finally one player was bold enough to

I love that story. In this podcast we are going to discuss the

Allow me to paint a picture for you. You made a call to

When you are transferred to the Decision

He answers the call and says: “Hello. This is

The clock begins….

You have ten seconds to generate interest before you

What do you do when the pressure is on?

What do you say to gain progress?

The desires of our heart often require unquenchable

I’m a big fan of the great psychologist William James.

At that point we have tapped a new level of energy…There

Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book was rejected by 23

After having been rejected by both Hewlett-Packard and

And Formula 409…got its name because 4 hundred and 8

So how do you know when enough is enough?

When we achieve what we set out to do, that is when it

Are you willing to do enough?

To cold call, or to prospect within an account you need 4 parts

The four major parts to a powerful opening statement

The opening statement creates a bridge from “I don’t

Different is the new great. The goal is to stand out

Now let’s take a look at the first thing to say in your opening

Some sales people whisper the name of their company as if they

“Hello. My name is Will Harris. I’m with Willpower

The Greeting quickly says: Hi, Me, & Us. A great opening

I have been asked whether to use first name only in your

If you have some super cool name like Alexander Fraiser III.

You can phrase the greeting whichever way fits your style. Just

That was the first part to say in your opening statement.

The second thing to say in your opening statement is your

A salesperson traveled out of state for a big meeting with a

When the waiter came to his table, the salesperson blurted

“Well, thank you, “responded the waiter, “your compliment is

Have you ever received a phone call and it took a minute to

Like the waiter, they totally miss out on your point. But when

The attention statement allows time for your prospect to process

But, the main goal is to grab the prospect’s attention. Before

The key to a great attention statement is that you must mention

So, I have a Free Power Tools for you called Grabbing Attention.

The various types of attention statements:

These four areas make you stand out when you say your Opening

The next part of the opening statement is the most important

Different is the new great because people do not just go through

Different does not mean crazy. Different arises when people look

The interest statement is the most important part of the opening

You know ….Several bankers were debating the question: who was

Finally, one banker turned to a man in the lobby listening, but

“Well,” the man replied with a big smile. “Whoever created

The man’s reply has double meaning. Interest attributed to a

Many business-to-business sales people launch into talking about

I had a coaching call with a client who sells barcode scanning

She had a hard time grasping this concept. She did not want to

Smith Corolla was the largest manufacturer of typewriters in the

Now, many years later, we are hard pressed to find a Smith

She did not sell barcode scanners. She was in the business of

Creatively paring a customer’s need to your product is the

There is a difference in saying I specialize in helping my

What is the root business cause that you champion….because that

Now we will look at the last part of what to say during your

At this point in your opening statement it is time for you to

Consider it the launch pad for closing your sale. This is a huge

The four parts we discussed today around the Opening Statement

But in order to have a next step…you have to take the first step

Charles Goodyear was obsessed with the idea of making rubber

But he’s not the only one with a great story of

In his first three years in the automobile industry, Henry Ford

Inventor Chester Carlson cold called for years before he could

Don’t give up before you win. Develop an opening statement that

I hope I kept your attention during this episode. I do this

How to close a sale in first 10 seconds of a Cold Call - Winning Sales Message

For this podcast, we are going to look at the most important part of your opening statement…the interest statement.

 You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. When you are prospecting to a client there are no second takes. If you stammer the initial call, you cannot hang up and call right back to try again.

 Regardless of the business or organization, everyone has the same problems all over the world. In order for you to achieve differentiation with your prospecting efforts, you need to mention one or more of these six needs in your WIIFM Statement. Take a look at an example for each:

Operations WIIFM – You operate better with me

Operations represent the biggest challenge for any business. This area has a dual focus on cost control and inventory management. Even for service companies, inventory is present in the form of human labor. Your WIIFM should focus on how you can have a direct impact on overseeing key areas of their inventory, or the way in which they conduct their business.

 For your clients, differentiation of companies in your industry becomes tougher every day. Look for operational superiority in your offer if you cannot easily show product superiority. In the absence of product differentiation, focus your WIIFM on process differentiation. Most businesses interact with companies based on what works for the company and not their customer. Highlight this difference and you will stand out.

Operations: These ideas will gain you more control over your expenses.

Marketing WIIFM – You have more customers with me

Marketing focuses on generating revenue. Every company is in the business of making money. A strong WIIFM focuses on how your company can help them make more money. In some cases, you may be positioned to use Power Prospecting to contact organizations and not businesses. This includes non-profit organizations, like a city council or other government agencies. Not for Profit organizations have a reason for existing and that reason is the source for developing a strong WIIFM. Show how you can help them find new customers or reach their objectives quicker.

Marketing: I specialize in helping my customers find customers.

Financial WIIFM – You make money with me.

Financial needs involve a business’ ability to collect billed revenue. Getting business is good, but collecting money on business is great! All decision makers have a concern around ensuring that billing and collecting is a smooth process. It may require a creative WIIFM to connect your offering to this regard. However, that connection will immediately resonate with the decision maker during your prospecting call.

Productivity – You gain more resources with me

Productivity is the area where businesses look to accomplish more by using fewer resources. Using fewer resources could refer to things like money or time. Every business leader seeks ways to prevent over spending. Nothing frustrates a vested business professional more than spending too much time on administrative activities and not enough time on revenue generation.

Productivity: I will show you ways to spend more time on revenue-generating activities and less time on administrative activities.

Information – You stay ahead with me

Information empowers any business to make the right decisions to keep themselves in business. Company owners and leaders want to ensure that they are up to speed on the latest trends within their industry or market. No one wants to be behind the times. In addition, no one wants to be too far ahead which could result in not having any customers. For business leaders, having complete and correct information about the business environment makes for a compelling WIIFM.

Information: My company prides itself on supplying you with the most valuable resource in the market right now…information on the industry’s best practices.

Planning – You make the right decisions with me

Planning for the future, based on the past, is the cornerstone of business longevity. The fast pace of business finds management’s role changing each day. As business situations become more complex, most managers lack time to manage. Instead, they spend the majority of their time putting out fires. So much time is spent putting out fires that they lack time to build a better fire department. It is importation to mention your ability to help with strategic thinking and planning. This will showcase you as a Trusted Advisor.

Planning: You will be able to become more proactive than reactive through our strategic planning process.

Let me give you an example to explain my point of planning. There are beautiful Japanese fish named Koi. They can be found in little ponds and water gardens at the nicest hotels based on their decorative appearance. If Koi are kept in a fish bowl, it will only grow a few inches in length. When the Koi is placed in a large pond it can grow longer than twelve inches. Amazingly, if the Koi is allowed to live in a lake it will grow up to three feet in length!

The size of the Koi is always in direct proportion to the size of its environment; the bigger the scope of their living environment, the bigger the potential for growth.

The same applies for the WIIFM you discuss during Power Prospecting. Most sales calls focus on product, product and product. Rarely do sales people expand their scope to include one of the six business needs. These critical needs are perceived as being too large an environment to discuss concerning their product offering. If you expand the scope of your WIIFM, you will find your success with Power Prospecting will expand in direct proportion.

These are all examples of WIIFM messages condensed to an interest statement. It is broad enough not to turn anyone off and specific enough not to isolate anyone based on the specific products or services you are selling. Think about it. Be creative with paring your offerings to their need.

Depending on your product, you may have never considered telling the potential customers you can help them in this area. Great! That means your competition may not have thought that way either.

During the World’s Fair in St Louis, Missouri, a waffle vendor applied creativity to turn business disaster into business legend.

The vendor ran out of paper plates. The lack of supplies prevented him from selling hot waffles. Seeing an opportunity, an ice cream seller suggested the waffle vendor switch products. The ice cream vendor suggested to the waffle vendor that he should buy ice cream from him and sell that product instead.

Out of desperation, the waffle vendor began selling ice cream in small cups. But he did not know what to do with the remaining waffle mix. The waffle vendor’s wife helped him make one thousand waffles and use an iron to flatten them. They rolled the flattened waffle and left a pointy end at the bottom. Next, he began marketing the very first waffle cone. Today, those cones are just as popular as ice cream.

Power Sales Guru, Will Harris discusses concepts from his best selling book "Power Prospecting".  In this episode he states: "What you do does not define who you are.  But what you think does define who you are. And, many times it defines your amount  of charisma."

What is charisma?  You may not be able to define it.  But you know it when you see it. At the heart of charisma are two things that make or break you. 

This podcast will tell you both things and help you increase your charisma to win more sales!

This is the 5th Power Sales Guru Podcast by Will Harris. In this podcast, Will helps you convert the gatekeeper into an advocate. This episode helps you sell easier by selling from within.

Have you ever spoken to someone who acted like they were the boss…only to find out later that they had no signing power?

Maybe you reached out to someone who said I’m not the boss but tell me what you want and I will tell them.

What can you do?

Do you go around them and risk isolation? Do you do nothing and hope your message reaches the right person?

Hope is not a strategy. And different is the new great.

We need a strategy that will make you stand out and come UP in the face of an environment that can be hostile and discouraging.

This podcast helps you get the strategy that will continue to make your life easier!

The Power Sales Guru, Will Harris, teaches you how to Speed Read people to know what they want every time.  You will learn how to connect with people in a shorter time frame.  The four different types of prospects are discussed and how to adjust your style and stay your authentic self at the same time. 

Time Management Six Time Management Tips That Save You Time - Part II

Time Management is the topic of the Power Sales Guru podcast with Will Harris entitled: Time Management Tips That Save You Time. This is a two part podcast episode that identifies techniques to help the busy sales professional manage their time.

Six Time Management tips that save you time

Time Management is the topic of the podcast done by Will Harris entitled: Time Management for Sales Professionals. This is a two part podcast episode that identifies techniques to help the busy sales professional manage their time.

The Psychology of Selling – Mastering your mind to sell everyday

The mindset of selling is the topic of the podcast done by Will Harris entitled: Psychology of Selling. This video is a trailer for the Psychology of Selling podcast.

You may observe the mindset of some sales people who dial for dollars like the best of them. They never put the phone down without dialing back to back. Or they may say the most outlandish things no matter how crazy it sounds.

But when you look at yourself you may see something totally different. You may think the only way you can be successful is to double your efforts in these areas. Not necessarily. This is what we are going to discuss today. How to create maintain and drive forward with a winner’s mindset. We are going to discuss the psychology of selling.