Sixty Second Sales Tip #5

In this clip, from the sales training video Make My Life Easier, Warren emphasizes the key demographic change in the last thirty years: women in the workplace. Also, be sure to check out Ladies Who Launch, a fantastic resource dedicated to women entrepreneurs, you can also check out their blog here.

Video Missing.

The Illusion of Selling

One of the worst objections a salesperson can hear is: “Could you send me some information?” It’s not that you can’t turn that objection around; it’s just that you know the prospect has no intention of ever looking at it. Besides, even if they do look at it do you really think they’re going to fully understand it? And, if they have questions, do you think they’re going to run right to the phone and call you for the answers?

Let’s face it. All information gets shipped to the same address: 1 Garbage Can Drive!

But now, here’s the real issue; many salespeople love to send out information because when you send information you never have to actually hear the word, “No,” while appearing to be doing something. It’s called the illusion of selling. It’s the ability to do sales-like activities where you don’t actually have to ask someone to buy, thereby avoiding rejection.

There are many examples of this:

• Salespeople who visit the same clients all the time. I say “visit,” because that’s what they do. They don’t actually do any selling. They “Hang out.” It’s a great way of covering your ass, because you can fill out a report that shows you were seeing clients, thereby keeping your manager off your back.
• Email. What a great non-threatening way of keeping in touch with people without ever having to speak with them and risk the chance they might turn you down for business. I love email, but not as the be-all and end-all, but more as an add-on to actual client contact; such as phone calls and face to face visits.
• Paperwork. Salespeople love to complain about how much paperwork they have. The standard complaint is: “I’d love to sell more, but I have so much paperwork to do, I don’t have time to make the calls.” However, if you read between the lines the actual comment should be: “If I sit around doing paperwork, I’ll look busy without having to go out and get rejected.” Of course, the best way to eliminate paperwork is to stop selling. Soon there’ll be no paperwork, simply because there’ll be no customers.

The problem with the mediocre to poor salesperson is they will do anything to not have to sell. Here’s a great real-life example sent to me as a blog comment by Brad Trnavsky, a sales and management blogger:

“I had an outside rep that worked for me for about two months. He ignored every piece of advice I gave him and just walked around downtown passing out info packets and collecting business cards. Guess what; in two months he passed out hundreds of info packets and did not make one sale. It’s probably why he only lasted 2 months.

The bummer of it all is, the guy had skill, and could quote every sales book ever written. He was just too afraid to ASK for a sale.”

As you can see, participating in the illusion of selling can only take you so far; 2 months for the salesperson in the example above. This always amazes me because if these same salespeople put as much effort into selling as they do into the illusion of selling, they’d do a lot more business and make a lot more money.

There’s a huge difference between people who are “busy” vs. people who are actually getting things done. It’s great to be a hard worker, but it’s even better to be a smart worker. Even better yet, find someone who can combine both.

Franchise Interviews Radio Show

Warren was the featured guest on Franchise Interviews, a radio show dedicated to educating and motivating aspiring entrepreneurs on franchising. Franchise Interviews is hosted by Marty McDermott, a Business Professor at Kaplan University and Gibbs College, and Don Johnson, President of Diamond Financial Services of New Jersey.

You can download or stream the episode by clicking this link (MP3 links are at the bottom of the episode page).

Achieving Your Goals: What’s Stopping You?

Far too often, we hear people recite an entire litany of excuses for why they’re not achieving all the things they claim they want to accomplish in their lives.

“I really hate this job. I’d love to quit, but the money is good. I can’t afford to quit, and besides what else could I do?”

“I’ve wanted to start my own business for years, but the timing isn’t right.”

“I would really love to stay home with my kids, but (there’s that word again) we can’t afford to live on one income.”

All of these seem like valid excuses, until you start digging beneath the surface; you then uncover the real reason behind most of the inaction in people’s lives.

I recently received a series of emails from one of my readers. His name is Michael. Through our “email conversation,” I was able to uncover the real reason behind his inaction. As you read this, I’m sure many of you will either see yourself or someone you know in this exchange.

Dear Warren,

I just wanted to send a thank you note, as I not only enjoyed your book, but it has assisted me in identifying my objectives and taking action. I have read many sales books and this is the only one that has prompted me to do something about achieving my objectives.

Thanks for everything and I am looking to buy some more books for my team as I know they will not only enjoy it but use it.

I did want to ask you something. I am at a crossroads, as I have a good position but I am also looking to go on my own and start a company focused on selling and integrating RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) products and I was wondering: in 1986 what made you decide that it was the moment to open up your business?

Just looking for some good old fashion advice…

Thank you for helping me get back on track.

Michael

My response:

Michael,

There were a number of factors that led me to start my own business in 1986.

1) I had spent a little over two and a half years working in the sales training industry. I had listened, learned and attended numerous seminars and training programs and felt confident that I could not only get up on stage and deliver, but that I also knew, at this point, how to put together an effective program. Besides, I already knew how to do the most important thing: SELL and bring in new business.

2) It was time and it just felt right. I had no fear and had been pretty vigilant about saving money over the years so that I wasn’t going in having to borrow immediately.

3) In a little over two years I had tripled the business of the company I was working for. At this point I had asked the boss to make me a partner. When he stalled and gave me the run around, I thought "To hell with him," and I left to start my own business. This incident moved my timetable up a little bit, but not much. In fact, I’m glad he never made me a partner. It wouldn’t have lasted. I had been putting together a plan to start my own business almost a year before that.

4) Total support at home. My wife was 1000% behind it. No questions asked, no doubt, no negativity whatsoever. Without that support, it’s hard to do. With it, it’s easy.

It seems you have the experience and you’re looking to go into business in an industry where you already know what you’re doing and have a track record. Is it just the fear that’s stopping you or are there other factors?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Warren

Here is Michael’s final response, which finally gets us to the real reason most people don’t do all the things they would really love to do.

Warren,

Thank you for your response, it helped. I was reading and re-reading your response and I kept coming back to the same thing; fear is what’s holding me back.

Michael

There you have it! Fear. The single, biggest reason we don’t do all the things we really want to do in our lives and careers. And the funny thing is: I don’t really believe most of us fear that we can’t do it. I just think it’s a fear of the unknown. Even though you might hate your job, it’s a “Better the devil I know, than the devil I don’t know”-attitude that’s holding you back, not the fear of failure.

But if you’re waiting to acquire the confidence to tackle the unknown, you’re going to have a very long wait. Confidence is only a by-product of action. So get out there and give it a shot. Believe me, the “failure of not trying,” is far more devastating and long lasting than the “failure of trying.”

Always Keep Your Clients Informed

Have you ever had this happen to you? You see a client; someone you’ve been doing business with for quite a few years. On this occasion they tell you about a product or service they just purchased from your competition and you say, “You know, we also offer that,” and their reply is: “I wish we would have known, we certainly would have bought it from you.”

How stupid do you feel at right about this point? Too many salespeople have the mistaken idea that it’s the client’s or prospect’s responsibility to know our product line, or, at least, assume what products or services we offer. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The only way you can be sure a client knows exactly what you offer is if you tell them: and remind them, over and over again. Even if they have no need for many of the products and services you currently offer, it doesn’t mean they never will. And believe me; when the time comes that they need one of those products or services, you’ll be glad you delivered those constant reminders.

Remember it is never the client’s responsibility to stay informed. It is your responsibility as an expert, advisor and resource AND single point of contact to KEEP them informed.

Many salespeople would rather have an uninformed and naïve customer because they’re the type that will “Buy anything you put in front of them.” The only problem is if you have such an easy time selling to them, so will your competition.

What you really want are informed, educated customers who will not buy from every flim-flam man that comes down the pike. The best way to make sure your clients are informed and educated is for you to do the informing and educating.

Do you know why so many salespeople are afraid to constantly inform the clients about the other products and services they carry? They’re afraid they’re being too pushy.

But if we go along with the theory that clients want to deal with salespeople who are experts, advisors and resources, who will also act as the client’s “Single Point of Contact” within the company, then aren’t we doing the client a favor by constantly keeping them up to date on all we have to offer.

Doing the “Hard” in Business & in Life

In business, and in life, I believe the willingness to do “the hard” is what truly separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Most people are only willing to do the easy, or, in most cases, what’s known as the minimum.

In business, most companies would rather cut their price than deliver extraordinary quality, service, convenience and value. Most companies would rather tell you “There’s nothing we can do about it,” or, “I’m sorry, that’s company policy,” than actually go out of their way to solve a client’s problems.

Even more incredible are the companies that judge the effectiveness of their customer service departments by how many calls they handle and not by how many customer complaints they turn around.

But the amazing thing about “doing the hard,” is that most of the time it’s not that hard. Differentiating yourself from the competition very often is quite easy, simply because there’s not a lot of competition. For example:

Showing up might seem like the easiest thing to do, but the reason that “Eighty percent of success is showing up,” is that most people don’t. The average salesperson’s lack of production can easily be traced back to the fact that they don’t see enough people.

Returning phone calls promptly takes no special talent, but have you ever wondered why so many clients seem overly appreciative when you call them back? Maybe it’s because hardly anyone does. I recently left a message for a salesperson saying I wanted to purchase a piece of equipment I had spoken to him about. He never called me back. Unfortunately, his was the only company that carries that equipment, so I couldn’t go elsewhere, but I did the next best thing: I called, spoke to a different salesperson, and gave him the business.

Follow up: getting back to people when you’re supposed to or when you promised. Whenever I arrive in a city to deliver a speech the first thing I do when arriving at the hotel is to call my client and let her know “I’m here, I’m fine and what room I’m in, in case anyone needs to speak to me.” This gives the client one less thing to worry about. What amazes me is the reaction of many of my clients when they receive my call: They are so overly grateful it gives me the impression that what I’ve done, while not being the least bit difficult, is obviously not done very often.

Admit it, you’re not the least bit surprised anymore when you receive bad service or someone fails to call you back, but I’ll bet very often you’re shocked beyond belief when just the opposite happens.

Doing the hard is what separates you from your competition and makes you great. But fortunately, for those of you willing to do it, thanks to a lack of competition, doing the hard is not as hard as it’s cracked up to be.