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Episode #443: Customer Misperceptions

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Have you ever had a customer that just doesn’t see the value in what you do because they have a misconception of the entire product or category?

This happened to one of our listeners, Mark from UK. He battles this exact thing in his world and needs some advice.

Is your product considered nice to have or need to have?

And is there really such a thing as a need to have?

In this episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale give their best advice to Mark and his customer misperceptions.

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Episode #442: My Prospect Won’t Buy

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What to do when you can save the prospect money and they still don’t buy? When the prospect won’t return your calls?

In this episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale answer a question from a listener on how to better compete against their giant competitors.

They also discuss how to move people to action when you can save them money but they still won’t purchase.

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Episode #441: Trash Talking Your Competitor

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You don’t really think we are going to teach you new words for trash talking your competitor, do you? Of course not.

On this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale discuss how to compete.

They give you their thoughts on ways you can ratchet up your competitive skills so that maybe, just maybe, your competitor will be trash talking you.

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Episode #440: Getting Somebody To Do Something They Don’t Want To Do

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The sales world is full of convincers and persuaders, but what happens when you run up against someone who just absolutely will not move?

In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale deal with two situations where this is the case.

The first is someone in procurement who doesn’t want to take the necessary paperwork to their manager. The other is a manufacturer who sells through reps and is unable to move the rep to represent their product in a different way.

Listen closely as Bill and Bryan give you five ideas on how to rethink your strategy.

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Why Aren’t You Using Your HUGE Market Advantage?

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This is the fourth in a series of seven articles outlining the need for NEW RULES in your selling efforts. In today’s article, we’ll look at the “Dynamic of Process.”

Sales Process: No one term has commanded the attention of so many, yet been implemented by so few.

Every CEO I know talks about ‘sales process,’ but few implement any true strategy. When I go into their companies and ask about their process, my question is answered with dead silence.

Why the silence? Few companies will admit to having a good, psychologically sound sales process. And those sales teams that do have a decent one rarely use it.

Why is that?

Read more

Reclaim The Power Prospects Have Over You

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This is the second in a series of seven articles outlining the need for NEW RULES in your selling efforts. In today’s article, we’ll look at the “Dynamic of Power.”

Who has the power in the sales process? Think about it. Who has it?

If you’re a traditionalist, you’ll say, “The prospect does, because they have the money.” We used to call it ‘The Power of the Pen’ (as in a ‘pen’ that signs the order.)

But not so today. In article one, I told you about the Dynamic of Pursuit.

Here, I want to talk about the Dynamic of Power.

The bottom line: You have the power. Not your prospect.

Now, it may not readily seem like that because you have goals and budgets you need to achieve. You’re constantly thinking, “What do I need to do, or say, to close this business?”

The New Power Shift

Sorry to be repetitive, but you have the power because you have the solution. Now, it may be that they don’t need your solution urgently. Fair enough. If that’s the case, then you must move on. Do not spend unnecessary time with a prospect who has no pain – or no reason for change.

But, let’s suppose you’re in front of someone who truly does have a problem. Read more

Are You Confused About The Dynamic of Pursuit?

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This is the first in a series of seven articles outlining the need for NEW RULES in your selling efforts. In today’s article, we’ll look at the “Dynamic of Pursuit.”

I trained a sales team two months ago. It was our kickoff meeting in advance of a long term ongoing training program (which is currently in place).

In my kick-off meetings, I begin by focusing on changing the dynamic between YOU and the BUYER. I start with is the simple question,  “Who is selling whom?”

After I had made my points, a 50-something man stood up and challenged me. “There is no way, in this economy,” he said, “that my customer will EVER sell me. I must always be in selling and closing mode or I won’t get deals. You’re nuts to think that it could be any other way.”

OK. So noted. I later found out this gentleman was struggling. His results were poor. In his manager’s words, “time has passed him by.”

I Needed To Address His Concern

When training teams, I’ve learned that I can’t focus on 1-2 people who disagree. Every minute I spend with a disagree-er, is a moment I can’t spend expanding the thinking of the agree-ers. I must pick my battles and this wasn’t a fight worth fighting in front of the group.

After the program, I called the challenger over to have a word with him. He had calmed a little, so I asked him. “Have you ever had a prospect call you because he had been referred to you, hearing how great you are. Then, he asked a few questions and purchased?” Read more

Episode #424: Owning Your Content Platform

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootHave you thought about what’s possible when you own your own platform?

In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale focus on helping you own the platform from which you tell your story.

Are you producing your own content?

Or are you holding yourself back from putting something out in a blog or on LinkedIn because you’re afraid of failure or looking stupid?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan help you understand what you can do to own the platform you’re using and how to make it worth your efforts. If you’ve ever wanted to be in a position where people call you instead of you calling them, you won’t want to miss this episode.

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Episode #423: Old School Sales Language

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advancedsellinpodcastgraphicbootBudget. Prospect. Rapport. Value-add. Pain points.

Tired of the same words that may be contributing to old school thinking in the sales process?

In today’s episode, veteran sales trainers Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale dive into how the labels and words we use in sales may be negatively impacting the outcomes we achieve.

Are you still asking your prospects about their pain points?

Do people tell you your product/service doesn’t fit into their budget?

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill and Bryan give you new alternatives to the same, tired language. They will help you modernize what you say and give you strategies to avoid using words that are overused and misunderstood. Learn how to update your sales language starting right now.

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