Sales Process – Key Steps

Advice from Masters: Quote & Tips on the Sales Process

Prospecting

Increase the number of people you speak to: I refused to leave the city without knowing I did everything possible to meet every business owner there. I didn’t have money to invest in advertising, so I spent all my energy on phone calls, traditional mail, e-mail, cold calls, return calls, visits, and more calls. Even the most amazing product on earth might require 100 calls just to get the 10 meetings. The only way to increase appointments is to increase the number of people to whom you speak—and then amplify the reasons why they should make time for you

Grant Cardone – Author – The 10x rule / Sell or Be Sold

Spend 80% of your time prospecting until you have so many people to see that you do not have time to call anyone else.

Brian Tracy – Sales Coach, Author – The Psychology of Selling / Eat that Frog / Focal Point

The Pitch

Key Points that your Elevator Pitch should address

1. Problem: Start with a statement or question about the problem you solve and share eye-opening statistics. Answer the why.
2. Value Statement: Share a very clear, concise statement of value. Be action-oriented and outcome focused. Avoid using jargon. Share benefits.
3. How We Do It: Highlight unique differentiators and explain what you do.
4. Proof Points: Provide clear reference examples and list recognizable achievements. Share industry validation and awards.
5. Customer Stories: Share customer examples and successes. Tell emotional and personalized customer stories. Make it real and tangible.
6. Engaging Question: Close the pitch with an open-ended question creating a space to have a conversation.

Handling Objections

Converting No to Yes: Every “no” brings you one step closer to “yes.” Though we may have heard that adage before and agreed with it, it’s still hard not to take the “no’s” personally. Too many people who are new to sales find themselves stopping when they hear an objection.It’s almost as if it’s a real, physical stumbling block.

Tom Hopkins – Sales Coach, Author – How to Master the Art of Selling

People around you, constantly under the pull of their emotions, change their ideas by the day or by the hour, depending on their mood. You must never assume that what people say or do in a particular moment is a statement of their permanent desires.

George Leonard – Author – Mastery

Follow Up

Fear of rejection causes many entrepreneurs to fail to follow up.I often interpret a no as meaning “not right now.” When you follow up with people, especially during a sales call or a negotiation, do it with complete confidence.

Sometimes several calls to an individual are needed to get a desired result. However, it’s worth it. An automotive company took about fifty inquiries over the course of a year before I finally made it a client, and now it’s one of my biggest.

Entrepreneurs don’t miss opportunities; they seize them. The surest way to do this is to follow up with everybody, especially people who can help your business excel.

Kevin Johnson – Entrepreneur, Author – The Entrepreneur Mind

Closing

Always make a proposal: If a client comes to you or you get a chance to get in front of a client and talk about your product but never present a proposal, I assure you that you will not get the business 100 percent of the time. Society has successfully taught most of us to play it safe rather than to go all in with every customer and every opportunity.

Grant Cardone – Author – The 10x rule / Sell or Be Sold

If they show some agitation, such as finger drumming or head nodding, combined with a smile or a grin, it’s time to close.

In fact, most sales happen after the fifth closing attempt.

Tom Hopkins – Sales Coach, Author – How to Master the Art of Selling

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