http://www.bnet.com/5799-13076-0.html?type=18 Blog Recent Discussion Activity http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91936 My, oh my, I haven?t seen as many buzz words in a one place in a long time. <br>While I generally agree with them, great caution is advised with the ?neuro? approach unless one is trained in the recognition of how the buyer is ?wired?. There is no single wiring schematic for a ?buyer?.<br>That ?neuro? study is complex and requires persistent practice to maintain one?s skill level. It is an education that most sales professionals lack. I have completed that study at a university and it is not something that likely can be done within a limited time sales training session.<br>While building rapport is important, people most often buy from people they like, having rapport alone won?t get the job done.<br>Most important business decisions are made on the basis of a financial analysis.<br>So my opinion is that, all other things being done well, it is the favorable Return on Investment analysis (using the buyer?s numbers) that will swing the deal.<br> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:17:20 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91936 2009-11-21T21:17:20Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91921 Sorry forgot to post the URL, here it is:<br><br><a href="http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/HomebuyingGuide/weston-stop-acting-rich-start-getting-rich.aspx" target="_blank">http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/HomebuyingGuide/weston-stop-acting-rich-start-getting-rich.aspx</a><br> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:13:13 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91921 2009-11-21T19:13:13Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91920 I just thought about copying this url so everybody can read it and get insights as to why some of the hidden insights of:<br>- MattB242<br>- j01150126<br><br>might just hints as to all these arguments of "up" and "down"<br><br>Geoffrey, as I said before- you need to get around more, travel more, read more practical comments not philosophical research based on "samples" that do not reflect the reality we are living right now or just plain out of context, time and life. Having said that, nonetheless a great topic for discussion and I am sure it is making lots of people think on how they are living or lived their own lives and how they should change outlooks to really succeed in life, not only in Sales. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:11:55 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91920 2009-11-21T19:11:55Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=211#1591_91890 Re Note 23:<br>Frank... uh, I mean "John". I see it. I'm just ignoring you. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:56:32 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=211#1591_91890 2009-11-21T11:56:32Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=211#1591_91837 Geoffrey James is a douche and a hack who makes no money <br>and takes out the anger for his failure on successful people. <br>Quite obvious, really. <br> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:53:19 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=211#1591_91837 2009-11-21T05:53:19Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91773 After reading just these few responses, I've come to realize that I'm not all-that sophisticated. I don't know from "consultative" sales presentations. That sounds like "consulting" to me. My road-dog brothers and I are all about closing the sale. I guess it might be nice to "consultativate" an insurance company to buy a tractor because it would look good on their front lawn...and show that their business has traction : \ I'd much rather sell a tractor to a farmer. Then, after his crops are in full bloom, go sell him another one. Of course, since I live and work in NYC, the chances are pretty slim that I'll be selling tractors to anyone. <br><br>With all of that said, there are HUGE differences among QUESTIONS, OBJECTIONS and REJECTIONS:<br><br>Questions are the lifeblood of successful sales presentations: When they ask questions, they're interested. Be prepared.<br><br>Objections are a whole 'nother dynamic and can be disguised in a myriad of ways. What is the prospect objecting to? Function? Form? Need? Value? I like Seth Godin's "All Marketers Are Liars' parallel stories in these cases. At least it gives you a chance to change the dynamic and, perhaps, place the objection in the Category of The Absurd. But then, sometimes, even the best-of-the-best salespersons cannot overcome every objection. It's the old three-sides-to-every-story. Sometimes it just remains in the endless abyss. <br><br>Then there is REJECTION: Uggggh. Cue the JAWS theme music. If they don't like YOU....be it a personality/chemistry conflict, a trust issue, or (no matter what you do) you can't build rapport....you are probably (like the speared shark).... dead in the water. <br><br>In that case, cue up Bobby Darins' Mack The Knife and say.... "Hey, bartender!" I'm late for Happy Hour.<br><br>Enjoy: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac</a> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:17:51 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91773 2009-11-20T23:17:51Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91771 am proud to be muslims and our religion ask us to work hard and in the field of sales let inform you that our prophet mohamed was merchant, so no shame if you work as sales man in islam Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:07:06 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91771 2009-11-20T20:07:06Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91761 Thanks for the interesting posts. I completely agree that the people you surround yourself with affect your energy levels and performance (not only in sales but in any field).<br><br>However, I completely disagree with some of the approaches you recommend (steps 2 & 3):<br><br>a) Surely if you consider a people to be "friends" you are willing to invest some time and effort into creating positive energy within the group? Not everything in life is about personal gain (and I'm an Atheist if anyone is wondering, so religion has nothing to do with my opinion - I just like to believe in human decency).<br><br>b) "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.? (Winston Churchill). If you have a positive outlook on your career and your life in general then you should believe in your ability to bring about positive change. If you are not positive yourself then are you bringing the people around you up? And in that case, why should you expect your family and friends to "bring you up" if you are not doing the same for them?<br><br>c) Sometimes people get down or depressed (which can last for years). Depressed people certainly don't create a positive or "success-orientated" environment. It's exhausting and incredibly difficult to be around them but if you really care about your friends/family (or even care a little bit and posess a shred of common decency) you will stick with them and help them through the rough patches rather than rushing off to help yourself.<br><br>I'm a hard worker and very ambitious but I also care about my family and friends. The thought of casting family/friends off or distancing myself from them just because they are not helping me to obtain success seems extremely callous and very self absorbed. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:46:32 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5372#16607_91761 2009-11-20T18:46:32Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91756 While I love the question you pose, I disagree that prospects <br>have objections because they aren't convinced of your <br>offering's value, esp. financially.<br><br>While I agree on a conscious, logical level that is a piece of <br>the equation, I don't see it being THE driving factor.<br><br>I train and coach sales professionals/execs about "buying <br>psychology," all rooted in neuro-based disciplines - such as <br>neuroscience, neuromarketing and neurolinguistic <br>programming. Ie., understanding how your prospect's brain <br>is "wired" and how that drives their buying <br>decisions/behaviors ... and then framing your offer in a way <br>that speaks to their "model of the world" and how they <br>decide.<br><br>Going back to the biggest reason for sales objections -- lack <br>of rapport in my book. I don't mean rapport in terms of <br>sharing niceties. I mean rapport at the unconscious level <br>where you've won your prospect's trust because you know <br>how to connect to their deepest drives and motivations.<br><br>Of course, if there is not a true need by the prospect, you <br>walk away from the conversation. But if there is a need, <br>the #1 reason why prospects have sales objections is <br>because they don't trust you. either you never took time to <br>develop deep unconscious rapport or you lost in the <br>conversation. <br><br>There is a saying in what I do ... "anything is possible in the <br>presence of rapport. Nothing is possible without it." When <br>you have that deep rapport, you can pace and lead the <br>conversation in the direction you want and the prospect sells <br>themselves.<br><br>I can send anyone a link to a replay of my webinar if <br>interested: "The Unfair Sales Edge: Getting to 'Yes' ... <br>Without Selling."<br><br>Thanks for a great column and question!<br><br>Denise Corcoran<br>denise@empoweredbusiness.com<br><br> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:24:43 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91756 2009-11-20T18:24:43Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91755 Re Note 35:<br>If offered, don't drink the kool-aid. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:18:13 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91755 2009-11-20T18:18:13Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5212#18881_91748 This example smacks of old school sales techniques....there is NO ROOM in today's competitive business environment for anything but a consultative approach to a sale. First of all you need to determine if the person you are meeting with is in fact the decision-maker! Once that has been established, you need to ask a number of probing questions and then LISTEN to the responses. If there are concerns, you need to address each one individually and then confirm that you have understood and answered to their satisfaction. The salesperson in the above scenario didn't ask any probing questions and bullied the prospect into agreeing with his/her agenda. It would seem to me that if I asked a prospect if what I had proposed "worked for them" and they replied "I guess so", I would immediately return to square one and make sure I had complete "buy in" before I moved forward with closing the sale. On occasion, it may be impossible to resolve a concern and if that's the case, you have to know when to let it go and move on to the next prospect! <br><br>The above scenario and subsequent comments provide a great illustration of the difference between a mediocre salesperson and a true sales PROFESSIONAL! Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11:34 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5212#18881_91748 2009-11-20T18:11:34Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91750 I don't think Apple minds if they irritate people who aren't going to buy from them. If these ads are targeting people who love them and offer to give them something for free in exchange for information I don't see anything wrong with this. Plus, the people who love apple and I am one of them will talk up the product that they got for free which is probably what Apple is shooting for in the first place. It's pushing the envelope and it's non traditional and that's why they are so good. Rocking the boat is what helps the rest of the world learn. Go Apple!!! Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:31:55 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91750 2009-11-20T17:31:55Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91733 This is the consultative style I'm more at home with. It makes the salesman think more carefully about what lies behind an objection. Sometimes it seems quite genuine, but your conclusion Geoffrey:<br>"I'm not convinced, or the real decision maker is not convinced, of the value of buying." reflects the true position.<br>It is still possible make a sale<br>The options seem to be:<br>Find another contact who will value your offer<br>Ask the buyer what would make your offer more compelling<br>Come up with something more compelling<br>Move on to another prospect<br>Interested to see ideas because this is a common scenario.<br> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:53:44 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91733 2009-11-20T16:53:44Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91720 Re Note 33:<br>The entire concept is that you can't click away from them but must answer a question, so your first two paragraphs are meaningless.<br><br>As for Apple, there's no doubt they're successful. However, that doesn't mean they're not capable of making a misstep. Dont' confuse their brand image with the reality. <br><br>Cutthroat corporate cultures eventually exhibit their cutthroat behavior to the public, and usually to their detriment.<br><br>Microsoft and Google come to mind. Both were originally seen as "little guys going against the evil corporate empire". (ie. Microsoft vs. IBM, Google vs. Microsoft). <br><br>Apple has benefited from appearing as the "underdog" alternative for years. But don't confuse that market positioning with the corporate culture, which has the potential to get nasty to the public, since it's pretty nasty internally. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:29:20 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91720 2009-11-20T15:29:20Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=208#1565_91684 Can anyone outline a good sales process for selling financial products ie life assurance etc Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:23:58 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=208#1565_91684 2009-11-20T15:23:58Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91707 Note 8, 30 and 31<br>Once again, it is not necessarily as simple as it sounds, at least until we get a better view of what is unfolding as a part of the "Nazi-spam". For all you know the questions (? or ads or whatever else) that appear may subsidize a part of the subscription, not just the hardware. Additionally, the ads may just come on a part of the screen, so that the user will click on them to finish up with them, but he may not necessarily have to interrupt everything else that he was doing. <br><br>I have a strong doubt you are thinking of the full center page ads that block your view of almost the whole computer page unless you click on them. Those types, for example, continue to come on Monster job sites. <b>Funnily enough, when Monster sites do those ads for trade schools and such, the actual applications to the schools go up much higher than you and I would like to believe</b>. So, once again, I suggest a little patience for before jumping headlong into the argument. <br><br>And by the way, note 23, if apple has a really bad customer service, and bad PR machine, but are still gaining market share by leaps and bounds, that status, my friend is what most companies dream to be able to afford. The truth remains that Apple has tons of articles written on it as an example of market success, and I have yet to come across one that really decries them. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:52 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6495#18765_91707 2009-11-20T15:00:52Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6550#18833_91690 Re Note 11:<br>Actually, the response "They Sell!" is a perfect opening. <br><br>C: They sell!<br>R: Exactly! That's why I'm not surprised you made a face when you mentioned your CRM system. They don't usually help people to sell, and they can get in the way.<br>C: That's for sure!<br>R: Is there something unique about your selling process that makes you different from your competitors? (asking the same question in more detail)<br>C: Well, we have better extended discounts that we use tactically...<br><br>etc. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:49:19 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6550#18833_91690 2009-11-20T13:49:19Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6550#18833_91680 After reading the main post and the following comments, I still think the best option given is to ask what the VP does not like about the current CRM system. Geoffrey assumes he/she will get a very short answer for asking which system is being used or what the complaints are, but will get an elaborate answer if the question is ?What do your sales people do on a day-to-day basis?? . Come on, most likely, the VP will look at you like you are an idiot since you are a salesperson!!! You will probably get a curt answer like "They SELL!".<br><br>I think you'd like to find out right away if it is your CRM system that is being used. This question might be too easy of a target for a bad conversation. You will get more input about asking for complaints. I might not know much about how a jet flys, but I can sure tell you what I don't like about the plane, the airline, the service, the airports, etc.<br><br>Perhaps the best first question is to ask what industry the VP is in, what company he works for, or something similar to give you an idea of where to take the conversation. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:04:03 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6550#18833_91680 2009-11-20T13:04:03Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5212#18881_91659 I can't believe I'm reading some of the comments.<br><br>Putting it in simple terms Tom Hopkins (one of the best selling sales gurus around - making a shed load of money - perhaps he may occasionally have a valid point) is imply suggesting the following.<br><br>Step 1 - answer the customer's objection<br>Step 2 - wait for the customer to state the objection is answered.<br>Step 3 - Ask the customer to confirm it again<br>Step 4 - When the customer states the objection is answered for a second time - move on. The objection is answered.<br><br>If you are speaking with someone who is afraid to say no to you, there is almost no way that they are a decision maker or a key influencer. Many of my customers have no problem at all in saying no to me - they have backbone.<br><br>Stop wasting your time with the wimps and get in front of the decision makers - you will save yourself a lot of time, and a lot of heartbreak, when the deal you forcast miraculously doesn't come in<br> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:59:59 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5212#18881_91659 2009-11-20T12:59:59Z http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91644 Geoffrey,<br><br>I think this is one of those questions like "How long is a piece of string?" That will never be answered! There is far too much involved in the sales process that it is impossible to pin point one or two reasons for objections.<br><br>My top tip is to do as much planning and preparation as possible to mitigate any reasons why someone might say no before they even think of it i.e.<br><br>"John, i guess at this stage you might be thinking that we appear to be more expensive than your current supplier. You would be right to think that initially because our initial purchase price is slightly more. Because our failure rate is only 0.2% as compared to the industry average 0f 6% - which has been verified by this independent report , the total cost of ownership over the 3 years is actually 40% less. Does that make sense?"<br><br> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:35:40 GMT http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=6589#18878_91644 2009-11-20T10:35:40Z