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Archives for November 2013

Make Your List and Check It Twice

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As your humble blogger, I (Doug) would like to make a suggestion for a great Christmas or holiday gift-giving season present for your salespeople, customer service reps, or technicians/installers.

For ten years, while I facilitated weekly classes as a sales trainer and coach, many of the participants attending my workshops repeatedly encouraged me to compile my thoughts and write a book. After hearing this mantra regularly for several years, I decided to go for it, and listed, “writing a book” on my bucket list.

After retiring from corporate life, in early 2011, I decided to tackle the book project first. I invested 15 months into the writing and editing process, and in August 2012 completed a bucket list check-off with the publication of my book, “Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word: Earning an above-average living while maintaining your integrity”. My objective is to help salespeople join the ranks of the 20 percent who seem to always close 80 percent of the sales, by sharing my sales and sales management experience over the past 40 years.

Sell Is NOT a Four Letter WordThis 274-page book, seasoned with homespun humor and replete with bite-size selling ideas and coaching nuggets, is divided into eight chapters consisting of 116 short 2-3 page “segments”, each readable in less than 10 minutes. Every segment begins with a brief narrative in the form of a yarn, story, or tale; each one introducing the short but specific sales training nuggets. This layout works well for busy salespeople and customer service reps that can’t break away from their busy schedules for long training sessions. Structured this way, the book can be picked up and put down during hectic days, without sacrificing the continuity of the content.

As readers navigate this book, they’ll follow this yellow brick road:

1. Enthusing – Attaining and maintaining the upbeat outlook and point of view required to survive the rough terrain of the selling profession.

2. Essentializing – Applying the basic principles you need to be familiar with and apply, to ensure you stand out on the selling landscape.

3. Engaging – Sorting out suspects and prospects to determine who to approach, and then developing an agenda to initiate a sales conversation.

4. Exploring – Uncovering, through probing and questioning, the pain, needs, and desires of prospects and buyers.

5. Elaborating – Providing information about your product or service as the antidote to the pain you discovered during the exploring process.

6. Encountering – Determining and resolving buyer concerns that naturally surface during sales conversations.

7. Executing – Reaching agreement on logical next steps in order to close sales and gain new customers.

8. Expanding – Ongoing collateral activities to help you grow your business and ensure long term sales success.

Here are a few comments about the book from folks who have bought and read it:

“This book will help me with my team in the sales room. It is very practical and easy to read and comprehend.” Chris, South Carolina

 “I have enjoyed reading the book, and our sales force has had a very positive reaction to the book. The “real life” stories introducing each segment make it easy for anyone to relate to. I would highly recommend the book to anyone that wants to sharpen their sales skills.” Terry Woods, Franchise Owner Sikeston, MO.

“I purchased your book for all five of our sales inspectors and want to thank you for agreeing to conduct the 30 minute weekly training session using your book as lesson plans. The guys like the fact that it’s an easy read with each “segment” taking no longer than 5 minutes to complete.” Keith Gaudreault, Franchise Owner; Mobile, AL.

“I just finished Doug’s book and can tell you this is right up our alley in what we do. I am going to get a copy for each one of my sales reps as it is a common sense approach to sales put in simple steps, and humorous too.” Phil Holsapple, Winter Haven, FL.

“I am enjoying every chapter, and believe anyone who reads it will really benefit. I will be placing an order for 15 of your books and presenting them as prizes during sales contests.” Shaun Gilman – Area Sales Manager, Tennessee

“Awesome book and a great read! I really like the stories that help back up the points.” Donnie Spence, Location manager, Memphis

“Doug Robinson exudes a rare blend of wisdom, insight, and energy. His sales training nuggets are concise, clear, and compelling.” J.M., California

“I’ve been in sales for over 20 years and have attended many seminars and read a lot of books on the subject. Your book not only provides great sales techniques but the stories that accompany them give them true meaning in a humorous way.” Gary Busby, call center sales, Georgia

“This is an intriguing and refreshing look into sales. Every now and then I would stop reading and apply one of the nuggets I just learned. If you want something that will equip you to have a successful career in sales, this is a must read“. Ricardo Vielmas, Valdosta, Georgia

Great gift for salesmanI can’t think of a better Christmas/holiday gift for your folks working in selling-related positions than this book. It would also be a perfect sales meeting give-away, service anniversary token of appreciation, or as a prize for a short-term contest or sales blitz. It is inexpensive for you to give and will definitely bring about improved performance for them. Order early at my website, www.robinsontrainingsolutions.com and I will ship it FREE, regardless of how many copies you order.

Here’s an early Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all the best for the entire holiday season!

 

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Why Salespeople Sell

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Courtesy of Integrity Systems – www.integritysolutions.com

One of the most meaningful workshops I’ve ever attended was the week I spent at Integrity Selling. I’d like to share a small part of that week with you here, especially those of you who have a sales management responsibility.

Many sales managers believe that salespeople will sell well if they have high product knowledge or have the latest customer relationship management systems. Still others believe they only have to teach their people sales skills and that if their people know these skills, they’ll be successful.

Which of these are the real reasons why people sell? Actually, neither one is. While product knowledge, customer relationship management systems and knowing sales strategies are necessary, none address the real reason why your salespeople sell well. After all, don’t most of your people have access to the same technology, product knowledge, and training? The real reasons why people sell well are much deeper and more profound.

SALESPEOPLE’S UNCONSCIOUS BELIEFS AND VALUES

Selling success is largely the result of deep, unconscious beliefs rather than conscious knowledge.

Every salesperson has internal beliefs about:

1. What selling is?

2. What are their abilities?

3. What’s possible for them to achieve?

Whatever these developed beliefs are; they control salespeople’s actions, feelings, behavior and abilities. Simply put, they’ll perform consistently with the internal self-pictures formed through their previous life experiences. Usually, their performance will not change until these inner beliefs change. This is why most motivation attempts fail, and incentives are only short lived.

CHANGE PEOPLE’S INTERNAL BELIEFS AND YOU CHANGE THEIR SALES

Here’s the truth of the matter: Change people’s internal beliefs and you’ll change their sales. Selling is an emotional issue, not an intellectual one. After having 1½ million people from 65 nations attend our development courses, we believe that there are five dimensions that must come into congruence for salespeople to successfully sell. Take a moment and study the following model. It shows these five dimensions that must be in congruence.

whysalespeoplesell1Image © 2003 Integrity Systems

Let me describe each of these dimensions.

1. View of Selling is our unconscious belief about what selling is. Is it a process of convincing, persuading, or getting people to do what we want them to, or is it a process of identifying and filling people’s needs and creating value for them? I believe it’s the latter. I also believe each view creates certain external effects, triggering certain emotions within salespeople.

2. View of Abilities is our inner beliefs about who we are, what’s possible for us to achieve, and what level of success we deserve to enjoy. When salespeople have a view of selling that is convincing people to buy from them, whether it’s right for the customer or not, many don’t believe they have the ability to do this. But, when most salespeople learn that selling is identifying and filling customer’s needs, they internally feel good about doing this.

3. Values are the inner rules by which we run our lives. They define the boundaries of our behavior. They define who we are at the deepest levels. People’s view of selling and view of their abilities then interacts with their values. If these views conflict with their internal values, it shackles them. If their view of selling and view of their abilities are consistent with their values, it energizes them. They have confidence and greater performance power.

Many salespeople are taught selling strategies that are in conflict with their values. This can cause them to emotionally shut down, and never consciously know why. Manipulation, taking advantage of customers, and telling half-truths are all self-defeating.

4. Commitment to Activities is a person’s true commitment to the necessary activities that must be done to be successful in selling. When salespeople have conflicts between the first three parts of this model, they’ll almost always have a weak commitment to the necessary activities. But, when these first three dimensions are in congruence, people want to do the activities that will bring them success. So, they demonstrate more confidence, persistence, determination, and stronger work ethic.

5. Belief in Product is an internal conviction that when people buy what you’re selling, they’ll enjoy more value than if they’d kept the money they paid you. Salespeople who have a deep passion or conviction that the value of their product or service exceeds the cost to customers have high energy and staying power. Their inner convictions tend to impress customers, causing them to trust and respect the salespeople, and drop any resistance.

 

POINTS ABOUT THE SALES CONGRUENCE MODEL

Please review the following points as you think of the Sales Congruence Model:

1. Conflicts or low levels of sales result whenever gaps occur between the dimensions.

2. Conflicts cause stress and emotional blocks that unconsciously inhibit sales success.

3. The wider the gaps between the dimensions, the more internal stress salespeople experience

4. As conflicts are reduced, sales power, personal confidence, and effectiveness increase.

whysalespeoplesell2Bringing these dimensions into congruence is a behavioral issue, not an intellectual learning process. It doesn’t happen because salespeople know about it; it comes from experience.

© 2003 Integrity Systems®

 

What Do You Do?

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Doug Robinson – Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

whatdoyoudo1As you make the daily rounds in your profession I’m sure you are used to hearing this question regularly.

You really ought to think about how you should respond, knowing that you will only have a very narrow time window to highlight your business. To prepare for these encounters you need to develop a one sentence answer that is atypical of the way most folks in your business would respond. This way you are more likely to capture the attention of the inquirer.

If you asked somebody in my line of work, a typical reply would be, “I do training.”

That response is not unique or different. One really ought to say something that emphasizes their competitive edge and incorporate it into this one-sentence advertisement.

To help you formulate your own version, consider this template:

“I help (name a group of people) do (some amazing thing) without (the negative drawback they normally experience).”

As a sales trainer I might respond like this: “I help salespeople communicate with their prospects more effectively, which helps them avoid the negative stigma most salespeople get branded with.”

Once you’ve got it, not only should you respond with it, but it would also be smart to teach it to your customers who are willing to refer and introduce you to others. Simply tell them, “When I talk about my business I say this…” and then share it with them.

whatdoyoudo2Just make sure to keep it simple and pithy, unlike the guy who was asked what time it was, and responded by telling the fellow how to build a watch.

Just for grins and giggles, here’s another tip with business cards to piggy back on top of the job description response. I call it the 3-card technique, meaning that you always give each inquirer 3 cards, not just one.

Tell them to keep one and give the other two to different friends, and make them promise not to throw them away. Cards are inexpensive, so let it rain business cards around your marketplace. Eventually you will get called from a recipient. They are cheap advertising.

Take a look at some additional communication tips from my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word by going here.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Having Trouble Coaching “Sherlock the Sales Rep”?

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Doug Robinson – Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Today, from the perspective of a sales trainer and author I would like to offer some comments to help you better manage Sherlock, your omnipresent sales guy. Certainly you are thankful for this senior, albeit anal, member on your sales team. You know who I’m talking about; it’s Holmes, the laser-focused, analytical rep who’s always working puzzles, researching everything, and seems to always know where all the bodies are buried at your company. You know who I’m talking about; the one you secretly dubbed “Wiki”.

coachingsalesreps1Visitors to your sales room know he’s the one when they hear the sucking sound coming from his cubicle, as he absorbs all the information in the selling universe. He stores this treasure in a secret underground lair he accesses at will, or when one of his colleagues (your other sales reps) needs to be rescued from a selling box canyon. By default this makes him the perfect go-to advice-giver in your shop, especially considering he views the majority of situations differently than most any other mortal.

It’s weird, like he almost looks at the world through a window nobody else has access to. He has the ability to meticulously reassemble Humpty Dumpty, to the point that if you watched him work you would be reminded of Lt. Columbo, the ‘70’s TV homicide detective.

An added bonus with a guy like this is that he can find and uncover customer problems as well as solve them. Sounds like a seller you might ask Santa for, right? Not so fast. The bad news is that managing a guy with this temperament and personality is a lot like herding cats.

Here are some suggestions to keep Columbo on the bus and coach him to achieve his potential:

  • Realize boredom may set in quicker on Holmes-type salespeople – Alter his territory occasionally, encourage him to sell using different techniques, and change up training opportunities to keep him sharp and on the “cutting edge.”
  • Let your P.I. show off his expertise in front of others – Consider assigning him a portion of your sales meeting or let him contribute to the blog your company just started. His chest will swell with pride when he’s in position to wow’s his peers.
  • Include the gumshoe in regular brainstorming – He will make some helpful & unique contributions, and the creative thinking will keep him pumped.
  • Remind Sherlock to keep an open mind – Although his personality will naturally cause him to organize, arrange, practice, and prepare for every appointment, you still need to remind him that, assuming makes an “ass” of “u” and “me.”
  • Insure your detective doesn’t overwhelm buyers with his “buffet” – Rather than confusing buyers with countless options, myriad choices and endless possibilities, help him boil it down to a manageable “gold, silver, or bronze” decision.
  • Discourage your sleuth from calling it a day after simply introducing a masterful initiative – Confirm that he instinctively follows up, understanding that closing means agreeing to a logical next step and not just signing the sales agreement.
  • Remind the bloodhound to decelerate – Since his mind processes ideas so quickly, he needs to slow down and recap by asking questions to ensure the client stays with him.coachingsalesreps2

After looking over these ideas, be careful not to characterize this guy as a one-trick pony. He is a unique mixture of talent that needs to be coached with all these strengths and weaknesses kept in mind.

If your sales team isn’t consistently exceeding your sales budgets, Robinson Training Solutions might be the missing piece to your company™. Doug’s hourly rate costs far less than missing your sales budget…again.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Why Do So Many Sales Managers Fail?

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Doug Robinson – Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

whymanagersfail1Sales management is a very difficult job. I’ve always said it reminds me of “herding cats”. I’ve managed small groups of a few reps and I’ve managed multi-state teams numbering over 100. Regardless, the principles and the potholes are really the same, just magnified when the numbers are larger.

People regularly ask me why so many sales managers fail at their jobs. I’m sure, like any other profession, there are many reasons, but in this short post I will focus on the four that I think are most serious and must be avoided.

They do a poor job hiring

All too often, sales managers make one or more of the following common hiring mistakes:

They hire based on their gut feeling, but unfortunately sales managers aren’t psychic.

They hire a retread from a competitor who doesn’t match the unique sales culture, but because the manager is lazy he/she thinks that training and ramp up time can be shortened because the rep already “knows the business.”

They rush to fill a position without following the age-old advice of hiring slow and firing fast. Rather than working in the field themselves temporarily to bring in some revenue, or assign portions of the open territory to the other reps; these managers instead settle for the first person that comes along that remotely resembles a salesperson.

They fail to establish expectations for their salespeople

Salespeople need to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Often the sales managers are the ones that must set these parameters or they don’t get set at all. Employees need direction in things like behavior, dress code, punctuality, procedures, etc.

They fail to provide feedback

Once expectations are established, feedback must be given, and this feedback has got to be based on the expectations that are in place. People like to know where they stand and will function much better when they get constructive criticism on a regular basis.

They don’t hold salespeople accountable

When there is no accountability, there is anarchy and ultimately failure for both the salespeople and the sales manager. Accountability can be done on the back end by measuring end results or they can be held accountable for the process along the way. If you only measure the end result, all you know is that they missed their sales budget, you don’t necessarily know where or why they went off track.

But if you held the folks accountable for all the steps in the selling process, you would know at what point they went awry and can coach for improvement on that step the next time around. This should also reduce surprises at the end of the tunnel when budgets are made or missed.

Sales Managers who eliminate these four failure reasons will begin to find a rhythm in their business, so as not to continually run around with their hair on fire at Mach 2.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Never Assume

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Doug Robinson, Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

His request approved, the RNN photographer called the local airport to charter a flight. He was told a Cessna 172 would be waiting, and on arrival at the airfield, he spotted one warming up.

Carrying his leather bag, he jumped in, slammed the door and blurted, “Let’s go.” The pilot dutifully taxied and took off. Once airborne, the photographer instructed the pilot to fly low over the valley so he could get some pictures of the fires on the hillsides. The surprised pilot asked why.

“I thought you knew I’m an RNN photographer and I need some close up shots.”

The pilot got real quiet and then fearfully stammered, “So, what you’re telling me is…you’re NOT my flight instructor?”

neverassume1Everybody in sales-related occupations should beware of the danger of assuming, so today I’d like to share some thoughts on that subject from my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word .

Assuming is a very foolish thing for people to do, especially salespeople. The old saying is, when you assume you make an “ass” of “u” and “me,” and it’s true! Here, are several things you should never assume as a professional salesperson.

The customer can’t afford it – A long time ago my job was inspecting houses for termite activity for a national company whose name you would know. One day I was doing annual customer checkups in a poor inner-city neighborhood. A lady next door spoke up and asked me to check her house for termites, although she wasn’t a customer of my company.

Although I had a full schedule and it was over 100 degrees that day, I agreed and did discover termites infesting the subfloor in her crawlspace. I told what I found and she asked how much it would cost to treat the house and stop the infestation. Assuming she couldn’t afford it anyway, I threw her an off-the-cuff price.

She asked me to wait on the porch and then returned with the cash in her hand. I sure learned a valuable lesson that hot August day…not to assume or pre-judge anybody.

The customer won’t buy it – In the ‘70’s I was a sales manager at a food brokerage company. We hired Jack, a college student, to call on very small stores, providing good will and issuing credits for damaged merchandise.

Our company didn’t try to sell display-quantities to stores this small, but Jack wanted to try, as he would be there anyway. I told him to go for it, not expecting any results. He shocked everybody with some very respectable orders, and was offered a full-time job with that firm upon graduating college. After watching Jack I was reminded once again not to assume that customers wouldn’t buy.

The customer doesn’t get it – In the following decade, as a self-employed mutual fund sales rep, I got a call from a man who wanted to talk about rolling his company retirement into a particular fund I represented.

Seeing the neighborhood where he lived in total disrepair, the closer I got to his house the more depressed I became. I couldn’t imagine him understanding how investments like these worked.

After talking with him for just a few minutes, I discovered he had an MBA degree and probably knew more about these funds than I did. As I sheepishly completed the paperwork it dawned on me I wasn’t the center of the universe. That day I stopped assuming the customer doesn’t get it.

neverassume2The customer won’t buy more than one – I was head sales trainer for new employees for a large company for 10 years, and have always believed that no sale is too small. One of my favorite classroom quotes was, “Don’t turn down nothin’ but your collar.”

After one of my workshops, I received a call from an attending sales reps who shared a story about calling on a guy who did business with him, and then bought the same service for 22 other properties he owned in that town. This rep was so excited, he just kept saying, “I never dreamed he would buy more than one.” I learned from him to stop assuming how many the customer would buy.

Regardless whether you think they can’t afford it, or won’t buy it, or can’t understand it, or aren’t capable of buying more than one … Never Assume.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

The First 30 Seconds of a Sales Call

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Doug Robinson, Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

first30seconds1A conversation contains interaction from two or more people, and so should a sales call. Those who tried it as a monologue should also add that they “used to be in sales.” Everyone knows that the most critical time in any conversation occurs when first impressions are formed. I recently read a research report that shows that a first impression is formed in the first 19-34 seconds of a meeting.

Despite the importance of first impressions, much of traditional sales training focuses on the end game; closing. Many believe that a strong close will lead to a sale, however, experience shows that the opening is far more important in determining the outcome than the closing. By creating a positive initial perception, your prospects will pay more attention to you and, as a result, trust you more.

Obviously, creating a positive primary perception in the mind of a buyer is critical to making a sale. There are six common ways that salespeople in general begin a presentation. Here’s a quick flyover:

1. Unsolicited Small Talk

“How about those Braves?”

2. Tie Down Questions

“If I could prove our service would reduce the Mosquitoes, you’d be interested, wouldn’t you?’

3. Feature Claims

“I want to see you to show you how my alarm system can eliminate your fear.”

4. Quality Claims

“Today I’d like to make the case why my company is known as the world’s best.”

5. Product, Service, or Company References

“We service three other homes on your street, so I would like to show you why they like us.”

6. Statement of Purpose

“My purpose for meeting today is to ask you a few questions to see if you have anything in common with your neighbors who are experiencing higher than normal electric bills.”

Of the six mentioned above most sales experts agree the statement of purpose is the most effective. It is a succinct phrase that gives your prospect a reason for getting together.

If you really want to master this concept, you can follow up the initial statement with something along the lines of, “Following our conversation, if we determine that I cannot help you, I’ll leave and won’t bother you any more, fair enough?” A statement like this encourages conversation, and opens the door to dialogue, which is the most important part of any sales relationship.

People eagerly buy what they need from salespeople who understand what they want. Needs are rational and based in fact, wants are emotional and based in feelings. Studies show that people don’t buy what they need, but they do buy what they need and want.

“Needs” are rational, above the surface, product-specific desires based on fact, whereas “wants” are below the surface, emotional, perception-based desires which aren’t always voiced.

If you don’t understand the “wants” mindset of your prospect, you can’t possibly understand their hidden psychological agenda. For example, when you’re selling to a self-employed individual you need to understand that they like to be independent and call their own shots.  On the other hand, an accountant is a different breed entirely; one who’s normally seeking a low risk solution to everything.

Here’s the takeaway: People buy more of what they need from people who understand what they really want and who sell to them in the way in which they want to be sold.

Studies have shown that if you make an equal number of sales attempts on “wants and needs” versus just “customer needs”, you will sell three times as often, your average sale will be 11% higher in dollars, and your sales efforts will require far less time.

Make sure you understand that your statement of purpose is only the beginning, Once this is established, it’s important to show your prospect that you understand what they want. The best way to accomplish that is with a connecting statement, designed to show your prospect that you understand what they want from the relationship you’re building with them.

Here’s an example:

“We’ve learned that when we help people get what they really want, everyone is happier, so that’s the way I’d like to work with you. Does that sound reasonable?”

first30seconds2Of course the opening of a sales presentation is only the beginning, but that’s a topic for another day.

Here’s a homework assignment. Considering what was just discussed, formulate both a statement of purpose and a connecting statement template. These can and should be customized for each sales call, but should serve as the basis for the first 30 seconds of your sales appointments. It’s a great way to say more with less!

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

The 99 Club

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Anonymous

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.

One day the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King. Why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy?

The King asked the servant, “Why are you so happy?”

The man replied, “Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don’t need too much; just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies.”

The king, not satisfied with the reply consulted his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King’s woes and the servant’s story, the advisor shared the following story.

“Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of the 99 CLUB.”

“99 CLUB, inquired the King?”

99club1The advisor replied, “Your Majesty, to truly know what the 99 CLUB is, place 99 gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant’s doorstep.”

The king did so and when the servant opened the bag he was overjoyed to see so many gold coins. He started to count and finally satisfied himself that there were 99 gold coins in the bag. But this also puzzled him. What could’ve happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins. So he looked everywhere for that final elusive gold coin but just couldn’t find it. Finally, exhausted he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection. From that day on the servant’s life changed. He overworked himself which made him horribly grumpy and irritable. He stopped singing and started castigating his family for not helping him make that elusive 100th gold coin. Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled, but the advisor was not.

99club2“Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined the 99 CLUB. The 99 CLUB is a name for those who think that only by getting that “one more” can they be truly happy. Such people are in such a constant state of yearning that they fail to enjoy what they already have.”

The moral of the story is: Plan for the future and by all means strive for more. But don’t neglect the present and enjoy what you already have.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Transforming Customer Complaints Into New Sales

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Doug Robinson, Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Having been married for well over 30 years, I live by the mantra that “I don’t want to be right, I want to be happy.” And I know that when my honey isn’t happy, nobody is happy!

In sales, being right and wrong doesn’t really matter; it’s the perception of the customer that matters. Keeping the customer satisfied and happy is what matters.

customercomplaints1Every week of your career in sales you will be confronted with customer complaints. Some will be assigned to you by management to go and resolve, and others you will simply stumble on in the course of a normal workday.

The point is that every time you are presented with a customer complaint is a chance to solidify a relationship, and believe it or not, when handled correctly, newly satisfied ex-complaining customers are eager to buy something else from you.

Remember that everybody on the planet is walking around with an invisible flashing sign on their chest that says, “Make Me Feel Special”, so I want to give you some steps to follow to do just that when resolving complaints, beginning with taking responsibility. That is huge because we all get passed around and told “that’s not my job” when we complain to our vendors and service companies in our personal lives.

Start today by adopting the old (President) Harry Truman slogan; “The buck stops here”.

Use these steps when dealing with unhappy or dissatisfied customers and you will not only put a smile on the customer’s face, but will probably prevent the problem from recurring. The by-product is that in the process you will more than likely see your sales increase, so be careful not to skip or short cut these suggestions at the risk of losing customers.

  1. Tell them you understand how they feel.
  2. Empathize by citing a similar situation in your life and that it makes you mad too.
  3. Listen to their whole story and don’t interrupt. Following their explanation ask questions to better understand the problem and what it will take to satisfy them.
  4. Agree with them if at all possible and never argue or get angry.
  5. Take notes and verbally confirm that everything has been covered and they have said all they want or need to say.
  6. Be an ambassador for your company and tell them you will personally handle it.
  7. Don’t blame others or look for a scapegoat. Admit that you (or the company) were wrong and take responsibility for correcting it.
  8. Don’t pass the buck. “It’s not my job”, “Someone else handles that” or “I thought he said” are responses that are never acceptable to customers.
  9. Respond immediately because people want and expect it to be fixed immediately.
  10. Find some common ground other than the problem and try to establish some rapport.
  11. Use humor if possible because making people laugh puts them more at ease.
  12. Figure out, communicate, and agree upon a solution. Give customers choices if possible. Confirm it, tell them what you plan to do, and DO IT.
  13. Make a follow-up call after the situation is resolved to insure their satisfaction.
  14. Attempt to secure a referral letter by asking the customer to jot down a few sentences about how you resolved the situation. Many times new prospects not only want to hear about how you are going to perform their service, but can they be confident that you will stand by them if things go south. A letter like this is a gift that gives on giving.
  15. Ask yourself what can I do to prevent this situation from happening again? What have I learned and do I need to make any changes in my sales approach?

If the problem is left unresolved, the customer will surely find your competition, so remember that the customer’s perception is your reality.

You will be amazed at the unexpected sales when you begin to approach customer “heartburn” this way:

customercomplaints2You will find that after resolving their concern you will become “their new best friend”, and will be able to discuss and sell them additional services. Don’t forget that people buy from those they like and trust and we all like and trust those who are advocates for us when things don’t go right.

You will see first hand that after being the point man in straightening out a problem for a frustrated customer, referrals with introductions to close friends that seemed impossible to obtain before, magically appear for the asking.

Additionally by obtaining a customer service referral letter other skeptical prospects in the future will give you the benefit of the doubt and you will close a higher percentage of those proposals too.

Determine today that you will stop avoiding and deflecting customer complaints, realizing that the extra few minutes and effort that it will take to resolve problems will come back to you ten fold in new sales and referrals. And finally, you will feel better about yourself because you are now part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Great Salespeople Aren’t Born … They’re Good Storytellers

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Doug Robinson, Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

When your employees sell your products and services, do they jump into a presentation of nuts and bolts to explain how it works, or do they tell success stories?

greatsalespeople1Do you remember how Steve Jobs, as CEO of Apple, personally launched every new product from center stage? He wasn’t just a speaker; he was a showman who spent days, and sometimes weeks planning every word and gesture in order to leave his audience spellbound. He had the ability to get people to visualize using his products, and we all do in every increasing numbers each year. It’s simple; the best story tellers make the best salespeople.

Learning to tell short success stories will memorably reinforce your position and boost your sales quicker than anything else you might include. You can share success stories in response to questions, disclose them in place of testimonials, or simply impart them as a freestanding sidebar conversation. When you tell stories this way, more often than not your customers will align with what you are selling.

Stories work for several reasons. They’re more memorable than names and statistics; and listeners enjoy the drama: a problem followed by a solution, a mystery solved with a twist, or a creative workaround to a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.  Also, your listener can find him or herself in the story.  Good stories resonate with prospects.

Look at your sales history and pick out an accomplishment, then tell the story behind that success. Sure, it reveals that you helped another client increase sales xx%.  But telling how you did it, with before vs. after descriptions of how it went down; that’s what will really captivate your prospect.

As an example, consider my training and consulting business. Most folks in my line of work would try to sell their services like this:

“I’d like to put my 40 years experience with sales and customer service people to work for your company, in order to help solve the productivity issues that have been keeping you up at night.”  

That’s OK, but by telling an actual success story from another client, you will take your game up a notch and improve your chances of securing this customer. It might sound like this:

“Last fall I was contacted by the owner of a service industry franchise. He was really struggling with productivity problems among his salespeople, pretty much like you. I suggested a once-a-week 30 minute coaching session with his team, using a Google+ video call, along with segments of my book as weekly lesson plans. Not long afterward, three of his fellow franchise owners from different states also joined the group. Six months later three of the four franchises have skyrocketed into the top ten in sales among the sixty franchises that company has nationwide! By using this venue, a lot of synergy was generated because the reps were able to interact through audio and video and a perfect storm was created. That success stirred so much interest that I was contacted by the president of the franchise owners association, who invited me to come speak at their annual meeting next month. That’s going to be exciting! I believe we can re-create that kind of electricity among your teams.”   

greatsalespeople2As you can see from this example, stories can demonstrate your professionalism, creativity, customer service passion, problem-solving abilities and other strengths.  Not only do success stories demonstrate your ability to solve problems, they also show your ability and desire to go the extra mile to truly meet buyers’ needs and desires.

So take a trip down memory lane and scroll back through your past sales victories and start telling those stories, where appropriate, to convince folks they should become your customers. I can assure you they will respond more positively to your storytelling than to all the yada yada that most salespeople dump on their buyers, and you will enjoy your job more, too.

 

 

 

If you would like to hear some of my stories and learn some strategies that will improve the sales results of your team, preview my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, right here.greatsalespeople3

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Goals Without Plans Are Just Dreams

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Doug Robinson – Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Whether it’s the beginning of the week, the month, or the year, goal setting should always take center stage with salespeople. In order to be a helper, today I’m sharing some ideas that appear in my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word.

Back in the Dark Ages beginning in 1980, I lived on straight commission for over twelve years in self-employed sales. No corporate advertising support, no salary, no benefits and no sales manager, although my wife impersonated one regularly.

Year after year I continually strived to set and hit goals, employing what I called a reward and punish system. It wasn’t always easy, but it was simple and straightforward, and it worked like this. As each Friday night arrived, if I achieved my weekly sales goal, I would reward myself by taking the weekend off. Conversely, if I failed to reach my sales goal I would punish myself by working Saturday in hopes of closing the gap. This simple system functioned like cruise control for my sales performance.

A basic definition for goal setting is making commitments about what you will accomplish. Before anyone can achieve sales goals, they first must be created and established. Additionally, goals must be written, which makes it less likely that you kid yourself into believing you are on track, because unwritten goals are merely wishes. Surveys continually document that only 3% of salespeople set goals and…wait for it, only a paltry 1% actually write them down! Is it any wonder why so many sales reps fail?

goalswithoutplans1There are various formats for accomplishing this; the most common system being the SMART method, where goals must be: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

With goals in writing as a given, I recommend going one step further; by placing written goals visibly in areas where they will be seen repeatedly, such as on the bathroom mirror or near the radio in the car. Seeing goals repetitively serves as a reminder and will eventually burn them into your brain. Finally, goals should be written in the present tense. I am… instead of I want to… will signal your subconscious mind to accomplish your objectives quicker.

Now, back to the SMART acronym where we put some meat on those five bones:

Goals must be Specific – What should be accomplished, remembering preciseness is essential. For example:

If I am to generate enough sales to earn $5,000 per month, I will follow my sales manager’s lead concerning planning, prospecting, proposing and closing.

Goals must be Measurable – If it can’t be measured, it shouldn’t be included. It’s like playing basketball with backboards that have no rims. Regardless how hard you play, you never know whose winning. In sales, a goal without a deadline is nothing but a dream. For example:

I will contact a minimum of 12 ‘suspects’ daily in order to schedule appointments with at least 4 of them.

Goals must be Attainable – If goals are too lofty, they will be impossible to achieve and frustration will set in quickly. Don’t commit to supersized goals early in your career when you are green and growing. Realize there is a ramp-up period on the road to success, so pace yourself to ensure you’ll be able to get there without having a nervous breakdown. For example:

I’m determined to make at least one sale per week, regardless of dollar amount, during my first month in the field following my rookie sales school.

Goals must be Relevant – Goals that are important to you are worth expending the necessary effort to achieve, so make sure the prize is worth the endeavor. For example:

I will stay on the phone today calling cancelled customers until I schedule four face-to-face appointments.

Goals must be Time-Bound – You must be able to achieve your goals during the time allotted, but they should also make you stretch. Some need to be accomplished daily, while others fit a weekly or monthly frequency. For example:

I won’t quit this afternoon until I’ve canvassed enough businesses to secure 5 future appointments.

Don’t forget, goals are like features, requiring benefits to create the motivation for completion, especially when times are tough and roadblocks are blocking your progress.

goalswithoutplans2Putting it all together, here is an example of a written goal that contains all five components of the SMART methodology:

I will make 4 sales proposals each day, 5 days a week. I will accomplish this by contacting cancelled customers and canvassing around recent customer installations. This will result in selling 3-4 new customers per week or about $7,500 in sales revenue. By the end of the month, I will have sold at least $30,000, earning $5,000 in commissions.

Never forget, a goal without a plan is just a dream.

Doug

©2013 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC