SALES TECHNIQUES IN PRACTICAL APPLICATION

    In this chapter, we will begin to look at some of the basic proven sales techniques used by sales professionals the world over. It is important to emphasize that like sales principles described in the previous chapter, these techniques have proven themselves to work time and time again.

THE PRESENTATION

   PHASE ONE: THE WARM-UP

    Selling or persuading individuals to your way of thinking brings with it certain responsibilities on your part. The first will be to put your prospective customer at ease. When people are at ease, they make more, and better, decisions. No one wants to be in a situation where they feel pressured into anything. It will be your job to set aside any nervousness on your part and con­centrate on making them feel more comfortable.

    People will generally feel comfortable when you build a rapport with them. A rapport is establishing a common ground. Something you both can relate to. The more unique the similarity the better. Bringing out the similarities between you and your prospects will help to build trust. You have a family. He has a family. You have a job. He has a job.

     You both have similar values and both need products and services. You just happen to be a better expert on that particular product or service you represent. A typical warm-up phase might go something like this. You are offering your services as a Web Site Consultant to a local car dealership. You enter and immediately find out who is the owner or manager. Anyone who can make a decision. The consultant identifies the owner and asks for an introduction from one of the staff.

CONSULTANT: Hi, my name is Mike Barns. I'm with ABC Company. We are a __________________ firm. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk. (Let's use "Web Consulting" as your firm/job to illustrate this example.)

OWNER: Just a few. What can I do for you?
CONSULTANT: Is there somewhere we could go that's a little more quiet?
OWNER: I guess we could go into my office.
The office is nicely furnished, a few golf trophies line a shelf. A few photographs are nicely framed on his desk of his family, a wife and three kids. The wall is filled with photographs of deep sea expeditions. Below is a typical warm-up phase in practical application.
OWNER: So, what are you here to sell me?
CONSULTANT: Is that a marlin?
OWNER: Sure is. One hundred and ten pounds.
CONSULTANT: Was that a record?
OWNER: Not on that trip. But it was close. Do you fish?
CONSULTANT: Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.
OWNER: Freshwater or deep sea.
CONSULTANT: Deep sea.
OWNER: Have you fished off the coast of Santa Barbara?
CONSULTANT: No, I haven't fished at all lately. Can't seem to find the time. Not with a wife and four kids.
OWNER: I know what you mean?
CONSULTANT: I play tennis and golf, though. Less of a time commitment.
OWNER: Have you played Green Lakes?
CONSULTANT: Yes I have. Their greens fees have gone up a lot lately, though.
OWNER: I know. Personally, I like the public courses better.
CONSULTANT: I agree.
OWNER: Would you like some coffee?

     This warm-up phase could go on for an hour. Typically, it should be about one third of your total presentation time. Let's examine some key elements in the warm-up. First, the consultant made certain not to pitch his presentation to just anyone. He was determined to make the presentation to the individual who had the power to make the decision to buy. Once that was established, he made a simple introduction and was able to gain entrance to an environment with no distractions, the office. Making presentations in noisy distracting environments are often difficult and counter productive.

    Once inside the office, the consultant was observant of the surroundings. Particularly, photographs. In the warm-up phase, you are gathering information on the prospective client that you will either use now or later in the presentation.

     Although the owner initially wanted to cut right to the chase, the consultant redirected the conversation to a common interest, deep sea fishing. They explored golf together, and a little about family since they are both family men. At first, the owner had little time to talk. A few minutes later, he's offering coffee. In the warm-up phase, you want to talk about anything but business. The longer the warm-up phase, the more likely you are going to close a sale. This is where trust is gained between you and the prospective customer. It's important to always remember, people only buy from people they trust. In consultative sales, you are not just building a business you are building long-term relationships.

     PHASE TWO: ESTABLISH THE CUSTOMER'S NEEDS

     After a brief introduction of what your firm does, you begin a check list of features the customer has now.

CONSULTANT: How do you do your advertising right now?
OWNER: Newspaper.
CONSULTANT: What kind of budget do you have for that?
OWNER: About three thousand a month.
CONSULTANT: Do you use any other media sources?
OWNER: No, not really.
CONSULTANT: Have you looked into other providers?
OWNER: Yes, a little bit. Only by phone.
CONSULTANT: What is it that you like about print ads that attracted you all these years.
OWNER: Well T.V. and radio were just too expensive.
CONSULTANT: What would you like to change or alter in your present means of advertising?
OWNER: I'd like to do more of it.
CONSULTANT: Why don't you?
OWNER: Too expensive and business is slow right now. Print ads are reliable.
CONSULTANT: If I could show you a way to reach more people without paying more money, and, in fact possibly for less money, would you be interested?
OWNER: Of course!
CONSULTANT: (explains the features and advantages of Web sites) In this phase, we have established four things:

WHAT DOES HE HAVE NOW?
This is important because it gives you a good idea of what he is willing to spend and what kind of company he has.

WHAT IS IT THAT HE ENJOYS ABOUT WHAT HE HAS NOW?
You ask this question because it helps you to learn how receptive he is to change.

WHAT WOULD HE ALTER ABOUT WHAT HE HAS RIGHT NOW?
Change is always difficult. Usually an individual is receptive to change if you can show him more satisfaction, more benefit, more comfort. That urge to improve one's present condition is why you ask this question.

WHO WILL ULTIMATELY BE MAKING THE DECISION ON THE SALE?
Although we attempted to get to the individual empowered to make that decision, sometimes a partner or a spouse will become involved in the decision-making process. Never assume anything about your customers.

     PHASE THREE: QUALIFYING

     Does the prospective customer really need the product or service that I am offering and is it within their power to get it? That's what qualifying is. It would serve no useful purpose for you to go into a complete sales presenta­tion to a company that is going out of business next week, would it? Or to spend three hours with a business that can't even afford to small newspaper ad? Proper qualifying of the prospective customer may save you countless hours of frustration.

     Let's get back to our car dealership scenario. The owner has expressed inter­est in your proposal. In certain respects, you have already qualified him. He already has an advertising budget in place, but would like to increase his advertising without paying more for it. He has a need and ability.

    PHASE FOUR: OFFERING SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS BY ESTABLISHING     VALUE

    In reality, we are selling solutions to people's problems. Then demonstrating the value of our solutions which will be our product or service. Occasionally, these problems may not be easily identified. Either the prospective customer is unaware of them, or just plain ignoring them. In either case, it will be our responsibility to find those problems and offer viable solutions through our products and services. This will establish value for the customer.

     In our dealership scenario, we have identified a problem. The owner would like to increase advertising without spending more money. The consultant (YOU) offers a solution.

CONSULTANT: By creating your own Web Site, with proper linking, you will be able to reach far more people, and probably for less money than you are spending now. In addition, we can offer..

     Here, we have built value for our services with the prospective customer. The problems that existed needed a little coaxing to get them out, but eventually we identified them. Sometimes a prospective customer will not be as open with their problems or how we can be of value to them.

    Here is one such story. It is a story of a young man who wanted a job at Macy's department store. He presented himself to the personnel director who was cordial, but was told that no jobs were going to be available. Persistent, the young man refused to take no for an answer. He spent the next couple of hours browsing through the store making a list of problems with recommen­dations for improvement. He phoned the personnel director who had turned him down before. After presenting his proposal, he was immediately asked to return and finally got his job at Macy's.

     PHASE FIVE: DEALING WITH OBJECTIONS

     Many times all the logic and common sense in the world will dictate a cer­tain sale. That's when objections set in. Objections will take on many forms. Below, you will find a system to deal with them.

FIRST: HEAR THEM OUT
Too often salespeople leap on an objection before a customer has a chance to get it all out. We make the mistake of thinking that we cut off the objection quickly or we won't make the sale. A prospect needs to have his objection heard.

SECOND: FEED THE OBJECTION BACK
This is one of the best techniques for getting them to answer their own objection. Sales pros have told stories of how a husband and wife argued back and forth as they watched the wife close the deal.

THIRD: QUESTION THE OBJECTION
Ask them to elaborate on their objection. If you really get them detailed on their objection, they will feel a strong need to remove it themselves. Even if that does not work, while the prospect expounds on the objection you have more time to consider another course.

FOURTH: ANSWER THE OBJECTION
Here is where sound logic and common sense takes over. If you have properly qualified them, you know they have a need and an ability to solve it. Try taking the objection apart and work at overcoming it piece by piece.

FIFTH: CONFIRM THE ANSWER
Never reply to the objection and leave it hanging. They may not have understood you. Once you feel you have properly dealt with the objection, ask tie down questions.

     TIE DOWNS

     That clarifies this point, don't you agree? That's the answer you're looking for, isn't it? With that question out of the way, we can go ahead don't you think? Don't you agree with me that we have covered the question you raised, and given you a way to handle it? Now let's go back to the dealership. The consultant has just delivered a great pitch offering a solution with implied value. Since the owner is still reluctant, the Consultant resorts to a typical trial close.

OWNER: I don't know. It all sounds good, almost too good.
CONSULTANT: What seems to be your concern?
OWNER: Well, I feel comfortable with print ads. They're reliable. I don't know.
CONSULTANT: You wanted to increase your advertising, right?
OWNER: Of course.
CONSULTANT: Reach more people, right?
OWNER: Yes.
CONSULTANT: A web site will do that for you, won't it?
OWNER: Yes, that's what you said.
CONSULTANT: And it won't cost you more money, right?
OWNER: No, I guess not.
CONSULTANT: So you really have a good value here don't you?'
OWNER: Sounds like it.
CONSULTANT: Now that's settled entirely, isn't it? (tie down question)

     PHASE SIX: CLOSING

     There are perhaps hundreds of different closing techniques available to the sales professional. That is where you pick up the expansion of your product knowledge. In this section, we will examine what closing is and how to do it. It never ceases to amaze me, how many salesmen there are that don't even know what a close is.

Often, I will hear one of my students attempt a close by saying:

"Well, what do you think?"

Then if this doesn't work, he goes to

"Well, what do you say, can I put you down for one?" That's not closing.

     PRINCIPLES OF CLOSING

     The secret to successful closing starts with attitude! Remember the Power of Belief principles from your training manual? When you are closing a sale, act as if you already have it. A done deal! Your attitude will mean the difference between losing and closing a sale. When it comes time to ask for the sale, expect the prospect to start writing the check.

IT IS YOUR OBLIGATION TO ALWAYS ASK FOR THE SALE

     Many years ago, a Detroit newspaper carried a story about a rather large insurance policy taken out by Henry Ford. A close friend of Mr. Ford, who was in the insurance business was quite upset and asked Mr. Ford why he did not buy the policy from him. Mr. Ford's answer is a lesson to everybody who sells anything. He said, "You didn't ask me."

ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND,
THAT WE WILL MISS 100% OF THE SALES WE DON'T ASK FOR

There are three principles that will affect your attitude when closing sales. They are:
1. Always have the prospect's best interest in mind.
2. Always believe in the product you are selling.
3. Always believe that the people are better off after the sale is made.

     To be an effective closer, you must believe that you are offering a solution to their problem. If you lower your head and sheepishly, almost apologetically, ask for the sale, you are doomed to failure. If the prospect says to you, "Are you trying to sell me something here?" Don't lower your head almost apolo­getically and say, "Oh no, no. Of course I'm not."

     Of course, you are! You're not a professional visitor! You're the right person with the right product at the right time. This is a win-win situation for both of you. That's the right closing attitude!

    CLOSING TECHNIQUES

    There are any number of different closing techniques available to the sales professional. To list them all would be beyond the scope of this book. However, we will attempt to review a few of the most popular. Once you have the proper attitude everything else falls into place.

1. Understand their needs and wants. Remember, people buy on emotion. Qualify them and understand their motives.

2. Learn to recognize buying signals. If they ask more questions, it is usually because they are considering accepting your offer and just need more information. A smile will also be an important buying signal. People want to say yes. They know that if they say no the relationship with you is over.

3. You decide for them that it is in their best interest to buy your product or service.

4. You have asked all the right questions and have led them to the close. Now start writing the order. You will be amazed at how often it will be this easy. If they don't stop you, they've bought.

5. Ask for the check. Don't do it sheepishly with your head lowered. Do it authoritatively with confidence. Look the prospect straight in the eyes and say:
"Now I need you to write me a check for..."

It's that simple. It's also equally important that once the sale has been made, you do not change your demeanor or manner in any way.

6. This is the cool down phase. When the prospect writes the check and sets it in front of you, don't pick it up! Have a cool drink, relax a few minutes with him. Then, and only then, when you are ready to leave, pick up the check. Let the prospect know that this is not the end of your relationship. This is the beginning. Once you have taken the prospect through steps one through five and an objection arises, use one of these closing techniques then go to step six for the cool down.

     CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY CLOSE

     This is the must act now mentality. If they don't act now they will lose something. You decide what that something is. Perhaps the cost will go up soon. This offer is for a limited time only. We only offer so many franchises. The time to act is now, or you'll be left behind. Remember the principles from the training manual? One principle all successful men have in common is that they have a do it now mentality.

     EMPATHY CLOSE CLOSE
     Some people call this the feel, felt, found close. This technique is excellent for prospects with very specific objections. Here's how it works.

     The prospect tells you his objection. You respond:
I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way, but I found that once I made the decision (whatever the objection) I was relieved.

    You will find that this approach works well with almost any objection you will come across.

     TRIAL OR CLOSE

     In a traditional trial close, you almost ignore the objection. Instead, you focus on what problems existed with the prospect before, and what the specific solutions are now. You phrase it in such a way that you are acting like you already have it. Then to the right, you list how your product or service solves it. It is equally important to get the prospect to say it.

If you say it, it's opinion. If the prospect says it, it's a fact.

AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE AS FOLLOWS:

In a typical trial close, you want the prospect to say it.

A scenario might be as follows:
CONSULTANT: You wanted a web site, right?
PROSPECT: Yes, I did.
CONSULTANT: I offered you a way to build one, right?
PROSPECT: Yes, you did.
CONSULTANT: I offered to do it within your budget didn't I?
PROSPECT: Yes, you did.
CONSULTANT: You wanted a method to get more traffic to your site, didn't you?
PROSPECT: Yes.
CONSULTANT: And I showed you how I'm going to do that, didn't I?
PROSPECT: Yes, you did.
CONSULTANT: You wanted a way to monitor how successful we are at that, right?
PROSPECT: That's right. (go to tie down to close)
CONSULTANT: Aren't you happy to know that I'm taking care of all of this?
PROSPECT: Yes, I'm very glad.
CONSULTANT: Great, now I need you to write me a check.

     TIE DOWN PHRASES

That clarifies this point, don't you agree?
That's the answer you're looking for, isn't it?
With that question out of the way, we can go forward, don't you think?
Don't you agree with me that we have covered the question you raised, and given you a way to handle it?
Now that's settled entirely, isn't it?
That solves your problem with _______________, doesn't it?

     TRIAL CLOSE PHRASES

Does it make sense to..
Don't you agree...
Isn't it about time that..
Doesn't it give you confidence to know...
Don't you feel that...
Can you see the advantage of. ..
Isn't it true that...
Wouldn't it be reassuring to ...
Aren't you really excited about...
Won't it be gratifying when...
Wouldn't you be happy to find...
Aren't you happy to know...
Can you see the benefit of. ..
Isn't it worth considering...
This is something you want, isn't it...
Did you like the fact that...

     RULES TO REMEMBER WHEN CLOSING

• Remember that people want to say YES.
• Don't give them a reason to say N0.
• We lose 100% of the sales we don't ask for.
• When you ask a closing question, be QUIET. The one who speaks first, loses.
• When you ask for the check, look the prospect straight in the eyes and be bold. When you lower your head and ask sheepishly, you risk losing the sale.

     RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT BEFORE QUITTING:

46% of salespeople asked once for the sale.
24% of salespeople asked twice.
14% of salespeople asked a third time.
12% of salespeople asked a fourth time.
That means that 96% of all salespeople quit after four closing attempts. The same research shows that 60% of all sales are made after the fifth attempt.
This means that 4% of the salespeople are making 60% of the sales!
Remember! In order to get the sale, you must ask for it!

     WORDS

Words that create problems and words that get you out

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