A Simpler Way to Beat the Competition

/1 Comment/in /by

Link: A Simpler Way to Beat the Competition.

STRATEGY is hard, and most business books that have tried to explain it haven’t made it easier. I like the idea that the traditional strategy is dead.

I prefer these three books, all of which I’ve purchased.

Sure We’re Sane, Or Are We?

/in /by

I’ve always heard the definition of insanity is: Doing the same thing and expecting different results. But I happened on another definition the other day that I think it applies to the business world. That definition is: Trying to manage things we can’t control.

When you think about it there’s a whole lot more things we can’t control than can. Yet we make a valiant effort to create certain outcomes–when certain outcomes are going to happen no matter how bad we want them.

Take the average sales process.

We work, and we work, and we work trying to create an optimum process that ushers people from the suspect stage to the prospect stage to the client stage. Granted there is quite a bit of “influence” we can have on that process. But control it? No way.

So in my training I tell people that creating some influence and input into the process is quite sane. Trying to control it is total insanity.  By determining what is “in” and “out” of our control we can create a clearer pattern of thinking that allows us to do the next right thing in an attempt to influence the outcome of the sale–yet stop short of driving ourselves crazy when we are dealing with complex, irrational (and sometimes insane) buyers.

Raise The Yellow Flag!

/1 Comment/in /by

It’s your responsibility as the seller to raise the yellow flags. What are yellow flags? They are those objections that customers usually raise–but in our method, it’s up to us to raise.

If you are going to control the sales process–which you should–then you have to be the one raising objections. The person with the power in the sales process is the one with the objections. That’s why we teach salespeople never, ever try to overcome the prospect’s objection.

Instead, think of all the things that could get in the way of the sale and make that your Yellow Flag List. Not talking to the right person? Yellow Flag it. Never bought from you before? Yellow Flag it. They haven’t convinced you they really have a problem worth solving? Yellow Flag it.

Stop using the old selling system of Persuade, Convince and Defend. Instead, be more discernng about who you work with. Make them come to you!

THE PATHETIC RESUME

/1 Comment/in /by

Have you ever seen a bad resume? I haven’t. And it’s time I did. Let me tell you why.

Every resume reader is skeptical of what he reads. Here’s what I think when I read a glowing resume: If this guy were that good, then why is he looking for a job? Or, “if he’s that good, why did his last company let him leave (or let him go)?”

You know my rule: everyone lies. Consequently, here is my dream cover letter that accompanies the resume:

“Thanks for reading this. As you may have seen from my resume, I’ve bounced around a lot in the last five years. I’m not proud of it but it’s a fact. Quite frankly, I haven’t found a company that I want to devote the rest of my life to. Maybe yours is that company. Maybe not.

“I believe that I bring enormous value to an organization. I have listed all of my accomplishments on the resume. However, that means nothing if it isn’t what you’re looking for in an associate. So that brings me to my request. Please read the resume and call me to talk about whether you think I can be of value to your company.  I think we’ll be able to tell pretty quickly.

“If you’re looking for wild promises and embellished accomplishments, you won’t find it from me. I will tell you the truth about what I’m looking for and you can do the same. Regards, Truth Teller.”

Let me know when you get that cover letter. And give that person a shot.

When Will They Learn Not To Close?

/1 Comment/in /by

What is there about health clubs that turns nice, normal people into hammering sales people. I visited a local (new) health club this weekend. I’d had it with rain, cold and snow and their interference with my health. Rachel was my “tour guide” (a.k.a. pressure sales person).

I know that she wanted to care about my well-being–that she was interested in me as a person–yet when a prospect walked in the door (me), all of that care went out the window, in favor of the health club sales training she had received. She wouldn’t tell me the price until she gave me the tour. (And she wouldn’t give me the tour until I filled out the paper work with 5 other sales people looking over my shoulder.)

She had to tell me all about the features of the equipment. She never let me ask any questions, for fear that I would take back control. After 10 minutes, she put the close on me: “Mr. Caskey, if you sign up today, I can knock $100 off the upfront fee” (she never told me what that fee was.)

As I looked around and saw one person working out — which told me their sales process wasn’t working too well (it was a Saturday morning at 9:00–prime time for a health club), I had a question: Why do they treat people that way? Do they really think they’re calling on bozos? Do they not think we know what they’re trying to do? She lost me and a lifetime value, perhaps in the thousands of my dollars.

If they paid me to come in for a day and work with them…I would have told them a) find out why the person walked in the door, b) offer me a drink, a coffee or something so I feel part of the family, c) tell me the price upfront so that I can spend the tour justifying the price, (rather than spend the tour wondering how she’s going to close me) and d) give me a weekend pass (or even a week- remember there was no one there so the week pass costs them nothing). With the pass, I can get to know the staff, get comfortable with the radios and tvs and equipment.

If I owned the club, I would even throw in a free hour of personal training (invest small money to make big money). Why is this so tough? It’s not. They make it that way. Everyone lost. I lost because I still don’t have a place to work out. And they lost because they didn’t get my money (and a new member, who can refer them to hundreds of others). They just don’t understand the economics. Have you had similar experiences?

What Do You Need To Be Good At?

/in /by

What do you really need to be good at to earn more income in selling? After many hundreds of hours of reflecting, I’ve come up with “7 Core Competencies of the High Performing Sales Team.”  I’ve even attached it to this post.

How to Use It                                                                                                 If you’re a sales manager, there is a page near the front that you can use to assess your people. If you’re a sales executive, read through the detailed descriptions of each of the areas and assess yourself–honestly.

Download CoreCompetencies.pdf (12 ppg)

The Presentation Step

/1 Comment/in /by

When you make a presentation, after you’ve qualified the prospect, you have to give him insight into your thinking. Especially important when you are presenting an enterprise solution (big ticket sale).

Your customer is buying “how you think.” So what better way to express how you think than to demonstrate several things? a) How you approach the solution to the problem he said he has, b) how you will execute the proposal you’re giving him, down to the detail of step-by-step how you will implement,  c) what happens when the unexpected occurs (we keep hoping it won’t, but it always does) and d) how you will measure whether the problem is solved or not.

Many other notions in the presentation step? Of course. But remember my saying: “people don’t have time to connect the dots for you.” You have to do it. And you do it in the presentation step.

Welcome to Caskey!

/in /by

Sales & Leadership

/in /by