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Episode #434: Remapping the Sales Process

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In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale take on the topic of process: but not in the usual sense. REMAPPING the sales process is the new idea.

What do you do when the process doesn’t go perfectly? (Because it never does.)

How do we tactically implement a process that is VALUABLE to the prospect even if they don’t buy from you?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan give you tactical sales tools to answer these and other challenges when the way we want to sell (PROCESS) doesn’t go as planned….

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men …….(email us if you know the rest of the quote [email protected])

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Episode #379: Preparing for the Big Meeting

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootDoes your heart skip a beat when you get called into The Big Meeting?

In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale dive into strategies to help you prepare when a client or prospect asks you to come in for a “we need to see you right away” discussion.

Are you in your head about what you assume the issue is?

Do you know how to set the context at the start of the meeting so you can maintain control of the conversation?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan give you a checklist of best practices for managing stressful emergency meetings. Whether it’s good news because you’re in the final stage of winning a proposal, or it’s not-so-good news and there is an issue they’re calling about, you will be able to handle the conversation like a pro.

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Episode #378: Preparing Like a Pro

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootAre you looking for an edge in your sales game? In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale teach you a framework for preparation to knock your sales calls out of the park.

Do you focus on the process or the outcome?

Are you using the same verbiage with every audience or are you tweaking your message to match the situation?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan help you master the fundamentals that lead to your success. Tune in to hear how beat sheets and Bill’s 10 minute P.I. Strategy will help you up your game right away. (The P.I. Strategy is so good even Bryan is stealing it).

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Episode #377: Building Your Sales Six-Pack

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootWho doesn’t want six-pack abs? In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale become your trainers in the gym as you develop your sales muscles.

Do you know how to tear down the resistance?

Are you constantly looking for new ways to build and nurture your platform? (Hint: If you’re not, you should be.)

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan will share the core components to building your “sales six-pack.” You’ll know exactly what to focus on to strengthen your sales muscles— and the good news is you can start right away.

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Episode #376: Building Your Life Muscles

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootAre you looking for a little pick-me-up as you dive into Q2?  In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale give you a little extra shot of motivation as they talk about the “life muscles” you should be working to build.

Are you a lifelong learner?

Are you aware of the vibe you give off when you enter a meeting, conversation or new relationship?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan focus on you, the person… not just you, the salesperson.  They give you a framework and six core muscles you can begin building right away.

Are you ready to hit the gym?

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Episode #375: Balance in the Sales Process

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootHow do you know when to be assertive and when to sit back? In today’s Mailbag Monday: Thursday edition, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale answer a question from Jason about finding the right balance in a deal.

Are you violating the principles of abundance and detachment if you are assertive with your prospects?

How do you monitor your own self awareness each step of the way to keep yourself in check?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan will help you ask the right questions to better understand your buying groups. Only then will you be able to know when to push forward or pull back, giving you the best chance to build a true relationship with your prospect.

Also mentioned in this podcast:

Sales Methodology? Sales Process? Sales Philosophy!

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Lots have been written, some tediously so, about Sales Process and Sales Methodology.  It will make your eyes glaze over. So in this article, I want to clarify what each of these is (in my opinion) and also share a third, more important area of growth for sales driven companies: Sales Philosophy.

Just for clarity, here are my definitions:

Sales Process

It’s the sequence of events that characterize how a customer makes his/her way through from Awareness to Comprehension to Conviction to Action. It is usually discussed in a step-by-step way.

An example: 1) Entry Point, which is how a sales person begins the discussion with a prospect. 2) Needs Assessment, where the sales person asks a series of questions about the customer’s state or circumstance. 3) Education, where the sales person educates the customer as to how similar companies are solving their problem. 4) Alternatives, where the sales person brings a set of alternatives on how he/she might solve the presenting problem. 5) The decision, where the customer makes a decision on moving forward.

Obviously, these will vary a lot depending on your structure, culture, and goals.

Sales Methodology

This is more of an over-arching template, usually branded like Rackham’s SpinSelling, Konrath’s SNAP Selling or Miller-Heiman’s Conceptual Selling. It’s typically the “skill set” portion of selling. How to ask questions, how to position your product in the eyes of the customer, how to frame the value. “How To” is the meme of methodology.

Sales Philosophy

A totally missed and misunderstood element. This deals with the mentality of the seller. How one thinks about one’s self, one’s value, one’s expertise, one’s process, one’s customers, one’s follow up, one’s role in the sales process…etc,

My belief, after 26 years of training teams and coaching people is that a sound philosophy trumps process and methodology every time.

Why? Read more

Selling Yourself

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On this week’s audio blog, I’m going to challenge to do something different. I want you to spend some time selling yourself to yourself. Do you believe in your personal value? Do you believe in the product you are selling? If you don’t, it will come across to your prospects.
 

Ability VS. Capability

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Ability and Capability are typical used synonymously but they do have one big difference. Capability is the future, is a person capable of doing more than what they are doing now? We need to spend more time on Capability and what we are Capable of doing.