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The Prerequisites For 2X Growth

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On this episode of The 2X Podcast, Bill addresses a very common mistake that most salespeople make when they decide to try and drastically improve their results, they JUMP.

They jump to making more calls, working more hours and desperately making more connections on LinkedIn. Those are all great things, but if you don’t do the prerequisites first, you’ll never get to where you want to be.

Bill gives you 6 prerequisites you can start on today, before you begin your journey to 2X!

Also mentioned in this podcast:

 

The Importance Of Your Sales Funnel

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In this episode of The 2X Podcast, Bill channels his inner marketing voice and shares what every sales pro needs to know about building a SALES FUNNEL.

Every service/product you represent NEEDS a funnel. And Bill talks about how to start building your’s today.

He also shares some ideas on The Customer Journey.

Also mentioned in this podcast:

 

Deals That Won’t Move Through the Sales Funnel

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Every sales professional we know is always in prospecting mode, which is why we devote a fair amount of time in this week’s episode in sales prospecting, sales development, and moving people through the pipeline.

In this episode’s Rant, Bill Caskey addresses the initial call and how sometimes the failure in the overall sales cycle begins on call number one. He offers tips on how to improve your language on the first call.

Bryan Neale busts the myth of “Enthusiasm is Contagious”. He tells you what really happens when a sales person exhibits too much enthusiasm.

Finally Bill and Bryan address moving deals through the pipeline in a way that is practical and virtually for any sales cycle.

 

Do You Understand Your Sales Funnel?

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The proverbial sales funnel seems to be the ‘defacto’ way to measure results. No, it’s not always ‘revenue in’…it’s “what’s in your pipeline?” (Do you wake up in the of a nightmare hearing your sales leader shouting that question to you?)

Not sure how we got to this point, but this short video blows up a little of our preoccupation with “funnel” because it highlights an important part–not all people in your sales funnel are equal. Nor should they be treated that way.

Do You Really Understand Your Sales Funnel?

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Bill addresses the sales funnel and some misconceptions people have of it. He also gives some advice on what to do with people who can’t decide.

You Might Be Calling on Someone Who Hates Their Job. What Should Your Sales Strategy Be?

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This fits in the category of “things-you-should-be-aware-of-that-are-under-the-radar-screen.”

Our friends at Walker Information just released their 2007 Walker Loyalty report. Surprisingly, employee loyalty leveled off in the last year to 34% of employees being TRULY LOYAL.

Every sales company on the planet should read this report in it’s entirety. Why?

According to the Walker Report, there’s a 1 in 2 chance (59%) you’re calling on someone right now who isn’t particularly ecstatic about their job. (Walker calls that TRAPPED or NEGATIVE about their job). So how much of a champion do you think they’re going to be for your cause if their heart isn’t in theirs? Not much.

Most of the study has to do with what employers should do in light of this data.

But, you should read this report with an eye toward your prospect and how you call on them. We’ve been preaching (sometimes it feels that way) for decades on how you should talk to ALL STAKEHOLDERS of the problems you’re trying to solve — not just the decision maker.

By doing so, you eliminate the risk of putting all your eggs in one basket (one person).

According to the data, If you look at your sales pipeline right now (sales funnel) you can safely conclude that half of your contacts are in that area of Not Truly Loyal employees. Sales Managers – talk about that at your next sales meeting. See if there are some sales strategies you can execute to address that issue.  Ignore this one at your own peril.

Dear John – Saying Goodbye to Prospects in the Sales Process

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I don’t know how you feel about Karma, but I believe that in order for things to come into your life you need to make room for them.  The same goes for your Sales funnel.

If you have stagnant, energy-draining deals in your funnel, you must move them forward or move them out. It’s kind of like you have a mental bank account.  Stagnant deals are like the buddy who’s always borrowing a buck and promises to repay you. But you never see the money, and trust me, you’ll never see these deals.

If you continue to let the stagnant deals take up space in your mental bank account, it makes it tough for your mind to be “right” about the real deals that are in the funnel and out in the world waiting for you.

What to do?

How to get your sales process back on track?  I like to write  “Dear John” or “Goodbye notes” to these prospects.  It’s not that they’re bad people – it’s just bad timing, or maybe they don’t know how to say “no.”  Let them off the hook.  It could sound something like this……..

Dear (insert your prospect name here): Read more

Building Your Sales Funnel

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Perhaps it’s an overused sales term–sales funnel–but since everyone knows what it means, it makes some sense to work on it today.

As a trainer for B2B  sales teams, I must tell you that “lead generation” is a hot topic right now. When I speak to large groups, I always ask the question: “What’s the biggest issue you have right now in your sales process?”

Without fail, it’s “I don’t have enough business in my sales funnel.”

It’s All In The Attitude
As you know, I’m an unashamed believer that most of our sales problems have their root in “how we think,” Lead generation is no exception. I could spend hundreds of words telling you to get more referrals (see Advanced Selling Podcast, Getting Referrals) or I could give you a cold call script that works like a charm…but it won’t work until you get the right attitude.

So today, let’s get to work on the attitude of building the sales funnel today. There are two.

1. Attitude of Abundance. Seldom do we run across an industry where there is NOT an abundance of prospects in the Universe. What usually exists is simply a scarcity in the actual sales funnel. So let’s assume that you have an abundance of prospects. The attitude for building it is “my sales funnel is a scarce place–a resource–and no one gets in my funnel without passing the test.” What is that test? Simple. The prospect passes the test by having three things: a) pain for what I do–a real problem that he wants to fix; b) an understanding of the money it costs him NOT to fix the problem; and c) the money to actually spend to fix it. Get that sales attitude and watch your demeanor change in the prospecting process.

2.  I am Always Monitoring My Funnel.  Just as I’m discerning about who gets in, I’m also discernng about who stays in. Think about it. Every prospect you are pursuing takes a certain amount of my time and attention. There is not an unlimited amount of either–they are scarce resources. And your sales funnel is like an inventory system that needs control.

So when a prospect fails to continue to act/look like a prospect, I will gently, nicely, elegantly, move on. But I will ALWAYS tell them that. I don’t just stop calling them. I call and say, “Mr. Jones, I’m calling today because I’m getting the feeling that you have decided not to fix the problem we talked about. That’s OK. I just need to tell you I’m moving on if that is your conclusion.”

See how nice that is. Don’t get mean now!

Get these attitudes embedded in that big brain of yours, and watch prospecting become a piece of cake. Comments welcome.