Articles by Fran Goldstein CPC CSP

Back to School…Back to Sales!

This article is dedicated to Robert.  Robert, you have inspired me in more ways than I can say!

Can you imagine sales without the seasons?  What would your bottom line look like without the cycles sales follow, often like the weather?  Sounds funny, but it’s so true.  I can’t tell you how often I hear my clients tell me they don’t make cold calls because…it’s summer and everyone is on vacation.  Now they will tell me they don’t make cold calls because it’s fall and everyone is just ramping up.  Sound too familiar?! 

Think about the upside of selling today.  The summer is over.  Vacations and distractions are behind us.  Your clients are rested and recharged, ready to do business.  You are rested and recharged, ready to do business.  Your kids are back to school- I walk by students waiting for their buses every morning when I walk Ebby (my beagle.) They are standing there lined up with their friends with eager smiles on their faces at the anticipation of the structure of their day ahead. Lesson for all of us. Approach back to sales like kids approach back to school.  With great energy, focus and a positive attitude!

This is the perfect time to capture people’s attention and demonstrate the value of what you sell.  Why so much resistance?  You know why.  You don’t know what to say.  You are afraid of rejection.  You are concerned you will sound like an order taker vs. a consultant.  The following six steps will help you create the energy, positive outlook and discipline to pick up the phone and make those calls, starting today:

1.  Listen.  Listen to yourself.  How do you evaluate your own communication style?  Would you buy from you, based solely on how you present what it is you sell?  Yes? No?  Maybe?  Take five minutes and re-record your own voicemail message.  Play it back.  What does your communication style say about you and your confidence level?  Now take five minutes and record your “cold call” script. You don’t have one?  That’s a problem.  More on that coming up.  If you don’t know what you are going to say you will wing it and sound like you are winging (or worse, faking) it.

2.  Research.  What are you reading, hearing or seeing on social media about your industry or niche?  Do you know the latest trends, forecasts & statistics?  Get as much intelligence as you can before you pick up the phone or send an email.  Be prepared to discuss something about your client or prospect’s business.  It makes for better conversation and sends the message that you aren’t all about you and making your numbers.  You will also feel better about the call.  You won’t hang up feeling like an order taker having been either beaten up or rejected by your listener.

3.  Identify Your Top Ten Clients.  Right now, figure out who your top ten clients are and follow them weekly.  Pay attention and analyze the statistics around which your top ten are.  How long is each in your top ten list?  What is the average length a client of yours stays in the top ten?  What is the average amount of sales from your top ten?  What is the average amount of sales compared to your overall sales each week?  How often are you communicating to your top ten?  Being on top of this information will help you retain business so you can build your business base and increase your ROI.

4.  Re-access Your Value Proposition.  What is your value proposition and how is it distinguished from your elevator pitch?  Take twenty minutes and write your Value Proposition down.  Read it and re-read it.  Does it resonate with you?  Are you passionate about communicating it to your client prospects?  How long is it?  What words are consultative and which ones sound like an order taker?  Remember your Value Proposition is all about the results of what you sell versus the process.  You sound like a commodity when you pitch the process instead of the results.  And that doesn’t build business relationships.

5.  Script Your Sales Presentation.  Without skipping a beat, create a script and practice it.  You don’t need to use it when making your calls but you want to have it as the base of your call.  Your individual communication style needs to come across on your presentation but you want the script to quality control your message.  Is it clear?  Does it communicate your Value Proposition?  Does it have consultative language in it?  How long does it take to say?  How do you sound and what are your word fills? Scripts lead to practice and practice leads to perfection.  That is fact.

6.  Measure Your Energy.  If you are tired, you will sound tired.  If you are grumpy you will sound grumpy, or insecure or unsure and so on.  You can increase your sales and your sales performance simply by getting more energy into your body.  Take a break and take a walk, or just sit back and think a minute.  Deep breaths help.  Getting in shape mentally and physically will provide you with renewed energy.  Invest in a training webinar or hire a mentor to keep you sales fit.  The more energy you bring to the table the more positive your attitude will be and the more productive your calls will be.  It’s absolutely all connected.

Follow your kids lead.  Approach Back to School Season with the same energy and positive attitude they are.  Make it a Frantastic Back to Sales Quarter for yourself and your clients!  It will be contagious and your clients will have you to thank for it.

For additional information about Fran’s Sales Training, Mentoring or Presentations contact Fran at fgoldstein@goldstaff.com.  For your complimentary Quarterly Sales Journal, send Fran a presentation about your biggest sales challenge.  You will receive Fran’s Quarterly Sales Journal and a complimentary one to one mentoring hour with Fran to brainstorm your sales challenge.

This article is dedicated to Christine.  Once her mentor, she has now become mine! 

Economic conditions continue to be challenging. You still hear it on the news daily. And when sales are down, so is confidence and morale. What are you doing to put a support system in place while you are going through a rough year?  One of the first people on your support list should be your mentor. Who is your mentor? Why a mentor?
 
Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to work with who could lead you through these times and help you prepare for the rebound? Mentors do that.  Mentors are people who have experience in the areas you are experiencing.  Mentors are people who have life and business lessons to share. Mentors are sounding boards.  They can be your eyes and ears.  They can be coaches, consultants, managers and thought leaders. They are your guide.
 
Finding the right mentor to work with is key to the success of the relationship. Like all relationships, the chemistry has to be right.  So does the energy level, core value system and business style.

The following 30 questions are provided to help you identify the right mentor for you.  Invest the time to interview your mentor prospect.  It is critical.

1. How long have you been mentoring?
 
2. What motivated you to become a mentor?
 
3. What experience have you had mentoring through a recession?

4. What’s the shortest & longest term you have mentored someone?
 
5. What’s the biggest impact you have on your mentees?
 
6. Explain your fee structure.

7. Describe the terms of your confidentiality agreement.
 
8. How do you measure the value of mentoring?
 
9. What niche would you say describes your client base?
 
10. What mentees do you choose not to mentor?
 
11. What type of preparation do you require?

12. How do you know when it’s time to terminate the mentoring relationship?
 
13. Describe the most successful mentoring relationship you have experienced.
 
14. Describe the least successful mentoring relationship you have experienced.
 
15. What do you expect from your clients?

 
16. Give an example of something a client could do that would exceed your expectations.

17. How do you stay motivated?

18. How do you mentor people who are experiencing burnout?

19. Who has been your best mentor? Why?

20. Who has been your worst mentor? Why?

21. What do you think makes a good mentor?

22. How do you recognize or reward outstanding achievement by mentees?

23. What’s your availability?

24. What are your professional affiliations?

25. What tangible results can I expect?

26. Do you work virtual or live?

27. How often do you meet with your mentees?

28. What behaviors would indicate the mentoring relationship is off course?

29. Do you provide mentoring to groups or teams of people?

30. How will I know I am on track with my role as mentee?

As you interview mentor prospects, be clear about your own expectations.  Process your previous experiences with mentors.  What was most valuable about those experiences?  What was it about the relationship that made it so successful or unsuccessful? The more clarity you have the greater your perspective and the closer you can align with a new mentor out of the gate.

As a mentee, take responsibility for your part.  How committed are you to the process?  How willing are you to do the prep and/or homework when required?  How well do you take feedback?  Do you really want to work on yourself?  Why?  Lastly, be open and honest.  Mentors provide a different way of looking at your issues and opportunities.  Their perspective may or may not fit your style or business and life plans.  It’s up to both the mentor and the mentee to keep the communication on task and in alignment with the agreed goals and objectives.

I can honestly say there has always been a correlation between my business success and growth with the relationship and work of my mentor.  Interesting?  See for yourself.  Beat the Recession Blues- Find a mentor today!

This article is dedicated to my nephew Chris.  Thank you for choosing to be a part of the greatest profession on earth! I am so proud of you.

Recently, a client of mine asked me what to say to her prospects when she calls them.  A commonly asked question from sales people in training.  But what struck me about this particular question was what she is currently saying when she greets a client on the phone, which is, “Hello my name is … and I specialize in …”  Why do so many people say that when calling a client?  Doesn’t it make sense that a sales person calls only the folks he or she is able to sell something to, be it a service or product?  How would you feel if you went to your Doctor and they greeted you by announcing their area of specialization?  What about your lawyer?  I don’t know about you, but I would question their level of confidence, and overall competency to help me.

I’ve also found a trend in sales which is seasonal. For some reason the launching of the summer season, when the weather warms up and it stays lighter so much longer, people tend to feel burned out.  Especially right now in this economic climate.  It has been a long winter.  Enough rejection!  Enough reduced sales!  Enough, enough, enough!!!  It’s like the perfect storm.  The result is an opening greeting that is passionless and delivered robot like.  Imagine what your ROI this summer is looking like right now. Never mind your commission check.

My recommendation is to take a vacation from selling this summer.  Well, sort of.  Summer is a great time to step back and renew your skill set and passion for what you sell or market.  There is more time in your day, more energy around you, and with so many people taking vacations, the perfect time to get some fresh training.  The other perfect storm; picture yourself with a renewed skill set and preparing for The Rebound at the same time.  What a winning combination!

The following 5 steps will give you a vacation from selling and position you to increase your ROI immediately:

1. Dig Deeper for Client Leads  Stop relying on the same sources your competition relies on to find leads.  For example, if your competition is relying on Google Strand Search to source client’s leads, find another source.  Or create unique criteria to weed out the ordinary generic leads and uncover more niched leads for yourself.  What about in your own back yard?  Take a look a mile in both directions from your office or from your top ten clients right now.  How many prospects are just sitting there waiting to meet you?  (Notice the emphasis on face to face selling.)

2. Learn a New Greeting.  What or whom do you represent?  That’s what your clients want to know.  What is it that you do that delivers value to what your client’s need?  That’s what they want to know.  Right away.  Before they decide to blow you off or delete your voicemail.  (Refer to last weeks article “Stop Hanging Up When You Get Voicemail” @ www.FranSpeaks.com.)  Who you are is much more than someone who specializes in something.  Think about that.  Communicate that right out of the gate.  The area you specialize in will be obvious if the value you are communicating is spot on.

3. Start reading about your industry.  The more you know about your industry and your clients industries the more consultative you will be perceived no matter what you say.  For example, I am amazed how many people are using social networking but how few really know anything about the leading companies of social networking.  Do you know who the CEO’s of Facebook, Twitter and Linked In are?  Why not?  Don’t you think there is a possibility your clients don’t know?  So if you become the type of consultant who can educate their clients on these trends and their impact, what would that do to your client relationships?  Your confidence?  Be prepared to talk about something other than what you specialize in.  It will open doors for you.

4. Get credentialed.  In every way you can in your profession.  Credentials lead to credibility and credibility leads to success.  Study your trade, niche or specialization.  Who are your favorite trainers?  When was the last time you invested in one of their webinars or teleseminars?  Research the upcoming conferences in your field.  The fall season is rich with conferences and seminars.  Register now and get psyched.  Take inventory of what skills you need to sharpen and identify the saw to sharpen them.  Commit.  If you are already credentialed, why aren’t you leveraging that in your opening greeting?

5. Hire a mentor & Find a mentee.  The perfect match.  There are so many generational differences today.  Veterans like me are looking for someone to ease their pain of learning how to use social networking for business development.  Recent grads are desperate for training around the intangibles.  How to develop the ability to just pick up the phone and carry on a conversation with a prospect that produces business activity over and over again without getting burned out.  It is a win win.  You are 50% of the Mentor Mentee relationship, why aren’t you taking advantage of that?

The list actually goes on and on.  Summer vacation.  Summer camp, ah, the good old days.  Why not take yourself back there this summer?  Stop making mediocre rote calls and start investing in your sales self.  You’ll make it a summer practice.  Happy Vacation!

This article is dedicated to Neil. Thank you for your suggestion at NCASP last month.

You know what I am referring to!  The number of people who hang up when they reach a prospect’s voicemail would astound you.  The clients I train tell me they don’t see the value of leaving a voicemail message and often hang up feeling relieved and frustrated.  Relieved they didn’t have to make that cold call, but frustrated that they didn’t reach a live person.

Yesterday I had my first webinar training on Twitter.  I recently decided I can no longer have my head in the sand about social networking.  I must step up and get with it!  My friend Mark Berger did a fabulous job presenting the pro’s and con’s of Twitter and I can’t wait to tweet! But then I thought about the voicemail issue and how comfortable people have become with communication that has everything to do with not making personal contact.  What a scary realization, especially to someone who is so passionate about the art of selling.

This current economic condition has really brought out people’s fears about cold calling and sales presentations in general.  When business comes in as it does in a healthy market, we don’t have to rely on cold calling and voicemails.  We focus on how to manage more business than we can handle.  But now, you have to be more proactive in obtaining sales.  You have to actually pick up the phone!   Voicemail is a powerful tool.  Avoiding it will result in missed opportunities and wasted time.  Mastering voicemail will enable you to leverage your expertise in a way you never imagined.  Think about how it would feel to leave voicemail messages and have prospects call you back because of the positive impact of your voicemail?  How would that increase your ROI?

The following 5 steps will help you leverage voicemail for triggering sales:

1.  Know your Value Proposition.  As long as you deliver value in your message, you will have a much better chance of capturing your prospects attention.  Confidence in delivering your Value Proposition will set you apart from your competition.  Script and practice your Value Proposition until you can say it without a script and sound consultative. Remember that your Value Proposition addresses the RESULTS of what you do versus the PROCESS of what you do.  Big difference.

2.  Remember, you can’t get rejected with voicemail!  Be motivated by the fact that no one will cut you off, shut you off, or worse, hang up on you.  Voicemail is your one opportunity to audition without any interruption.  Take advantage of that and really get in the moment.  If you can communicate with total focus and clarity, that will come across in a way that will command your prospects attention and generate a return call.

3.  Be succinct.  The same urge you get to hit the “delete” button when you’re listening to a message that is too long, your clients will get.  Take note of the length of your voicemail messages and keep them under 30 seconds.  Time yourself.  It’s much easier to ramble for 2 minutes than to communicate a succinct message in 30 seconds. Once you become aware of the specific content and value a 30 second message entails, you will appreciate the additional minute and a half back in your day. It will become habit. 

4.  Leave your name & phone number twice, once at the beginning of the message and again at the end of the message. People may not be interested in your number until they hear what you have to say and then it may be too late to go back & replay your message.  Leaving your name and number twice is a courtesy to your prospect and also an indication of your level of customer service and attention to detail.  If your name is difficult to spell or pronounce, spell it out on the message, especially if you are leaving your email address. 

5.  Include a call to action, which is something to initiate activity from your prospect. It can be to learn more about a candidate, product or a service you represent.  It can be to register for an upcoming boot camp, seminar or webinar you are hosting, or to follow you on Twitter!  There are tons of ways you can engage your prospect to return your call.  Get creative.  Demonstrate that you are the expert in what you sell.   Leave a tip or fact you just read about their business that they don’t know about.  Distinguish yourself.

6.  Customize your own voicemail message so when they call you back they will hear something that sounds like a consultant and not a commodity.  Your voicemail message is a clear representation of you and your business style.  Take a few seconds each day to customize your message with something that you are doing in your business that will create curiosity.  Curiosity leads to call backs.  Call backs lead to business.  Isn’t that the direction you want to be going in?

Voicemail is a powerful tool.  Don’t waste your time by hanging up.  It is lost ROI and lost energy.  Embrace the potential of voicemail and learn to communicate your value through it.  You will increase your sales, and position yourself for greatness in the Rebound ahead.

This week I was training a sales team on what to say when making cold calls.  Always a daunting task.  People learning how to make cold calls usually are grasping for scripts of what to say but then can’t quite recite the scripts because they don’t sound natural.  One of my trainees said he actually finds himself freezing up when he gets a prospect on the phone.  The rest of the team said that resonated for them too.  Why is that?  Is there a connection with the term Cold Calling?  Do cold calls really make people cold, to the point where they actually freeze up?!  A wild analogy I know, but I can’t help making the connection.

The challenge I find with cold calling and using scripts is that scripts don’t address the intention or purpose of the call.  Are you calling to introduce yourself?  And then what?  To recruit?  To pitch a product or service? To determine the appropriateness of the prospect as a buyer?  To Pre-close? You need to be clear about what it is you are trying to achieve in your cold call.  Once you have real clarity about the intention, you will know what to say and be able to navigate the conversation the way you want it to go. 

The following steps will help you gain clarity on the intention of your cold calls.

Before you know it, your mindset will shift from a frozen order taker state-of - mind to a confident and consultative state of mind.

1.   Create a list of why you are making the calls in the first place.  Make the list as long as you can without any judgment.  It’s ok to acknowledge you need to make a living and the calls are a part of that.  But take it a step further – Are you pre-closing or closing?  Looking for referrals?  A testimonial for yourself?  A face to face meeting?  Knowing what you are after is the key to leading confident consultative conversations. 

2.   Listen to yourself.  What are you currently saying?  What are the words or phrases you are using in your cold calls now?  As you pay more attention to your own communication style you can identify key phrases or words you use, and elevate them to a more consultative level just by applying more consultative language. For example, if you hear yourself frequently saying “I am just calling to touch base…”  you can replace that with “ the purpose of my call is to follow up with you about your …”  Stating there is a purpose to your call communicates that there is actually value in your call. The word JUST in the first example always diminishes the value of your call before you even get started.

3.   Count the times you say I versus the word YOU in your calls.  If you are saying “I am calling to see who you know that may be interested in what I am selling…” the message to your buyer is clearly that your call is all about you, not your prospect.  Turnoff, big time.  The more you use the word YOU and position the call as all about your prospect, the more respect and attention you will have.  Increased buying potential, far less rejection. 

4.   Develop a list of open ended questions to refer to.  Become adept at asking open ended questions to replace commodity statements such as “How are you today?“, or, “How is my timing?”  No one wants to hear that from someone they don’t know. It is not genuine in any way.  Asking open ended questions leads the conversation away from you and generates a deeper level of dialogue.  You want to gather relevant information from your prospect and for them to do most of the talking so you can actively listen.  It’s impossible to talk and listen at the same time!

5.   Focus on Quality vs Quantity.  Even though you have quotas to meet, if you slow down and focus on the value and quality of each call versus racing to get your cold calls over with, you will increase ROI and stay on top of your game.  Take the time to interact, engage and actively listen to your prospect.  It takes several contacts to develop relationships.  You can’t go from hello to why aren’t you buying from me in one call!  I observe so many sales people burning out from the stress and rejection they face making ineffective cold calls just to meet their quotas. 

6.   Get Smart!  With all the Social Networking resources available to you today, always learn something about your prospect before you pick up the phone.  It doesn’t have to be detailed information about their experience but some intelligent fact you can leverage to either bond with them, or show your prospect you have done some due diligence.  You will set yourself apart from your competition, sound more intelligent and have greater confidence in your calls overall. 

Understanding the intention or core purpose of your cold calls is critical to your success or rejection.  It will transform your cold calls into warm calls and actually motivate you to pick up the phone and start prospecting.  Wouldn’t that be nice for a change???

You know how special Mother’s Day is.  It’s the one day of the year we step back to recognize and officially appreciate our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and so on.  The celebrations are as varied as family dynamics are.

But one thing is certain.  Mother’s day is a magical day.  Most people who know me well, know my story.  They know I lost my mother when I was just fourteen. And I was blessed with Ebby, a family friend who became a mother figure and took care of me from the time I was born, through the passing of my mother and then as an adult.  So I can honestly say I was blessed with two mothers, and consequently two mentors.

Both my mom and Ebby taught me to think about my future, life and career with passion.  My mom worked full time in an era when most of her peers didn’t. She also went to school nights to get her Master’s Degree and spent tireless hours studying with a highlighter in her hand.  Lots of memories.  And I vividly remember one day sitting on the beach with mom when I announced I wanted to live near the ocean when I grew up! Her immediate response was to always remember that I could do anything I put my mind to, there were no limitations. I believe that message influenced my decision to become an entrepreneur.

Ebby took me to her church on Sundays, where I was nurtured by her friends and pastor.  We had a grand time singing hymns and celebrating life. After services we enjoyed a feast which included home cooked collard greens, fried chicken and cornbread.  Lots of memories.

Those memories happened decades ago. But they impact my life and career today in so many significant and wonderful ways.  And they make great stories!  People are always surprised to hear about my journey.  I’m not sure why, maybe because it is a-typical.  But, when you step back and look at who you have become, ask yourself how much of it has been shaped by your mom and the mentors you have had?

Mother’s Day is still special to me. It reminds me of who I am and how I got here.

My passion for sales is totally connected to my mom and Ebby.  Their energy, vitality, passion and the human approach they practiced in their relationships taught me how to become successful in my recruiting and sales career.  Some say I am an expert now.  I say I am just lucky.

So whatever Mother’s Day means to you, however you celebrate or acknowledge it, enjoy!   This week’s Selling with Spirit message is a very big heartfelt Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is a mother and mentor in some way to someone.  It is the most special gift of all.

The four core values I learned from my mom are:

1.  Have positive energy and let it show!  Mom was always so upbeat and her energy seemed boundless.  As I watched her interact with friends and colleagues, it often appeared contagious.  People loved to be around my mom. She was a fun person, most of the time!

2.  Be passionate about what you do.  Even when opposing a point of conversation or describing her day, mom was passionate about it.  She loved life and was deeply committed to her beliefs.  Mom was driven by her passions in life.

3.  Be Real.  Mom’s style was very down to earth.  And she could see through a façade in a heartbeat. Her genuine approach and honest style made her approachable and likeable by many people. She was fair and straightforward.

4.  Do whatever you do, do well.  Enough said.  Mom didn’t believe in taking on anything half way.  I guess in today’s world that would be called something like “setting the bar high.”  Yes, her expectations were tall and it was not always easy reaching that bar. 

Take a moment to think about what values you have inherited from your mom, and how they have impacted your career. Take a BIG moment on Sunday to thank her for them.

Thanks Mom!  Thanks Ebby! And a Very Happy Mother’s Day Weekend to everyone.  And a special thank you to YOU, my readers, for your continued support and feedback.

You know the feeling in your stomach when your client says “We can’t pay that,” or “I need you to reduce your fee by half,” or even “The deal is off.  Your fee is too high!”  In this market you hear a lot of “We just can’t pay your fee with what we are hearing out there.  This market is really scary.”

How we react to negotiating language determines the outcome of the negotiation. Usually there is a visceral reaction that we aren’t aware of and don’t want to pay attention to because it is so awkward and uncomfortable.  Maybe your hands begin to sweat, maybe your mind starts racing with superlatives! You want to shout back at your client, but squash the impulse in order to maintain your professionalism.

Let’s get creative and teach ourselves some techniques to support positive negotiating with the outcomes you want and need.  A client I am mentoring had a big account of his cancel their order after confirming it with the fee agreement.  Their client said they felt a fiduciary responsibility to their bottom line and couldn’t pay the agreed upon fee.  My client felt furious. He thought he was owed that fee.  He approached the client and began negotiations. The client offered to pay him a little less than 10% for his efforts.  The expenses incurred to prepare the sale were more than that.  Their negotiation was gridlocked.

What my client did was get creative.  We stepped back and put the whole deal into perspective.  I asked him a few key questions, for example, what was there to be gained by struggling with his client?  What was his short and long term objective regarding the relationship with his client? What else could the client provide him that would be of greater value right now in this particular market?  It was that last question that really resonated.  His immediate answer was new client referrals.  New client referrals are what my client really values right now.  He went back to his client and asked for 3 CEO’s he could contact on behalf of his client’s recommendation, for their prospective business. The client was pleased with the service he had received, and was happy to provide the referrals as an alternative to the 10% fee.  The order was still cancelled yet both parties felt satisfied and maintained respect for each other as a result of the outcome of the negotiation.

Here are 4 ways to keep your negotiations creative:

1. Keep your emotional responses in check.  By reacting emotionally you lose perspective and go into a place in your head that’s full of reaction.  This stops the creative process and can really undo your negotiations.

2. Be prepared to ask for what you need.  Referrals and guarantees of exclusivity hold a lot of value, especially in this market.  Maybe your client can help you get an article or book published?  Maybe they can interview you for your expertise to post on their blog or website?  Maybe they can sponsor an event or new initiative you’re planning. 

3. Ask lots of questions.  The better you know your client including their needs, interests and hot buttons, the more creative you can be when negotiating.  It’s hard to know where to go when you don’t know your client very well. 

4. Keep an open optimistic mindset.  Have the confidence to be creative.  Ask what you need with authority and communicate with clarity.  If you sound weak and desperate, you won’t be taken seriously.  Script what you need and role play or practice a few times until you sound natural and sure of yourself. 

You will be surprised how impressed your clients will be when you manage your negotiations with some creativity and energy.  They are conditioned, as you are, to negotiations being “win loose” or “victory defeat.”  Remember in this market, everyone is pretty much in the same boat.  Make it a win win and your future in sales is secure forever.

“I’d rather wrestle with the pain of growth than the pain of going in the other direction,” a former mentor often said to me as I worked through some tough times in my business.  That statement alone has become my mantra and still sits on a sticky note on my desk today.

In my consulting with CEO’s of Recruiting and Sales Organizations, what has struck me is how the mindset of many people has settled into a place of resignation and compromise.  Clients are actually selling their products and services under the recession umbrella. They weave recession language into their sales presentations, for example, reduced fees, extended guarantees, and stimulus packages.  Just about anything to close a deal.  The passion and confidence in the value of the deal has been diminished by the frustration of market conditions.  Have you thought about how conditioned you have become to selling in this kind of market?

Think about focusing on something positive, for example, REBOUND?!  It is on its way.  It is.  By shifting your mindset to preparing for the Rebound you are still working through the recession, but with a focus on the positive side, the upside, the turnaround.  Your productivity and ROI will increase just by thinking differently about how you conduct business going forward.

Lessons learned.  There are plenty of them.  If you continue doing business as you do now, you will find yourself in a very reactive mode and another set of challenges as the market rebounds.  I submit to you now to start shifting your attention and business planning to the preparation of healthier times.  Position yourself ahead of the curve by taking these six simple (some are not so simple…) steps:

1. Fiscal Re-orientation- Understand what has happened to the financial side of your business, and your life. Exactly where are you with debt?  What is your current income to revenue ratio and what should it be? What is your relationship with your bank or banks, and what is the status of your LOC? Map out what expenses you are going to keep conservative and which you are going to invest in again.  What will it take specifically to get you back on solid financial ground?  What do you wish you had done six months or a year ago that you can implement going forward?  Picture how much your stress level would be reduced by planning your financial operations to meet the varied levels of market return.

2. Plan for Training- Take stock in what skills you have learned to survive and produce this past year. Maybe it has been effective cold calling or negotiating techniques?  Maybe it has been implementing a new diet or exercise program? Or taking time to read or meditate? Document the new or improved skill set and make sure to train new colleagues and staff on them.  If you are a sales Leader or CEO and plan to hire new sales or account reps, ask yourself who is going to train the new hires?  If you aren’t, can’t, or won’t make a plan and create a budget to bring an expert trainer in. Lack of training will really hurt your bottom line and increase the likelihood of turnover and burnout.

3. Access Your Current Role- Are you still passionate about your primary responsibilities?  As leaders, you may have taken on other roles to pick up the slack of a reduced team and operations.  Where are you most effective?  What keeps you balanced and motivated?  If you are just going through the motions and not happy, that mediocre tone and energy will be contagious throughout your business.  Take stock in what your options and priorities are.  Include your business and your personal life.  If your core values are being met, you will experience greater ROI and so will everyone around you.

4. Evaluate the Value of Your Systems- Do you have systems in place to support a larger base of business?  What about a larger payroll? Increased expenses and operations?  How efficient does your business run as a result of the systems you have in place today.  Maybe it is time to invest in updated software to maintain a quality database.  Maybe it is time to hire someone who can focus on bringing your systems up to speed. Maybe it is time to review and define your systems and project how they will support your business into the next few years of the market rebound.

5. Nurture Client Relationships- Revisit your client relationships and their history.  Which ones have generated the most revenue and positive energy this year?  How will you build on that when the market returns and your plate of business is once again overflowing?  What are some innovative ways you can build client relationships today that will position them as recession proof?  For example, how about paying more attention to their industry and being mindful of trends and news in the business world? 

6. Let Go of Grudges- You know what I mean!  The business you lost.  The clients who couldn’t give you the volume of business they once did.  The people you hold responsible for your reduced income this year.  Everyone likes to blame someone else for their misfortune, it is human nature.  I see it all the time in my training.  Sales people hanging up the phone and blaming the person on the other end for not buying from them!  Another great quote by Craig Sommers, ND. CN., “Holding onto grudges is like drinking a glass of poison and expecting the other person to die.” A little intense maybe, but it does make the point.

Take time each day to think about the positive economic market that is on the way.  Incorporate one step each day into your business practice and watch your mindset shift toward optimism and productivity.  You will be ahead of your competition, prepared for stellar success and positioned to drive your ROI forward.

Last night my husband & I met for dinner at a local joint- a Caribbean place I had been introduced to recently with a menu and venue that is as cool as the Caribbean itself.  Lots of curry on the menu and lots of bright orange, yellow and sea green on the walls that hang some very beautiful original art work in complimentary colors.
 
As we sat down, there was a murmur amongst the tables (only about 12 in total) of the news that they were closing this Saturday.  We were shocked, and anxious to get the real scoop.  Yes, as it turns out, they are closing Saturday ….  UNLESS….  Unless there is a significant “something” that happens as a result of a letter the owner sent out today asking for additional support and help to stay open.
 
We were amazed.  The line of supporters was out the door. The support came in every shape and size… babies, parents, couples (like us) and single people. This was a crowd that wanted to buy!  These were clients that wanted their favorite restaurant to continue to provide the wonderful venue and meals for them. These were buyers that were ready to be sold to. 
 
There was just one cook on duty and one server, Kate.  All of 21 years old, Kate ran with a sweat on her brow trying to accommodate the walk ins, take outs and settled in customers.  I looked at my husband with tears in my eyes and told him I felt like I was in a movie clip about a survivor sales person who was about to shut down but then their fans saved the day!
 
What happened was sad and disappointing.  I took Kate aside and suggested she call the owner and tell her the great news- that the line was out the door and if she could just make an appearance to help out this could be the night she saves her restaurant and lifelong business.  Kate agreed with me, saying she had already had a couple of conversations with the owner updating her about the overflow of support pouring in the door.  But, no owner.  She never showed.
 
The crowd got frustrated with the short service. Some people walked out.  We stayed to watch the activity and give Kate support. A few minutes later, Kate told us the owner opted not to come in and help her out.  Her chance to save her business and she opted out.  Done. Done deal. What’s the message in this?
 
The message is this.  We all have the chance to become Sales Whisperers.  We have the ability to turn sales around, in spite of the market.  We know how to frustrate our clients and we know how to motivate them to buy from us.  It’s a choice.  We can throw the towel in and resist the support we have asked for or we can rise to the challenge and service our clients in a way that makes them think we are the best thing since sliced bread!  Seriously.
 
You know your current clients and the prospects you want to do business with, don’t you?  Do you treat them like you are the Sales Whisperer or do you treat them like the market is down and it doesn’t really matter what you do- you just let (or worse, give) the business away?  Jeffrey Gittomer’s quote  “everyone likes to buy but no one wants to be sold to”  rings true in this market.  You either become the Sales Whisperer and intuit what your client’s need, preparing to manage their needs (consultatively) or you just let it all go. 
 
The following four steps will help you Become The Sales Whisperer to your clients:

1. Pay attention- To what your clients are really asking for.  Observe their behavior and understand what it means.  What are they really looking for from you?  Most of the time clients don’t initially communicate what need or expect from you. The Sales Whisperer can interpret behavior, tone of voice and body language. When a client says there are eager to hire your candidate or buy your product but they say it with a lack of energy and are rolling their eyes, you can bet there is more to their story…

2. Rally- Don’t fizzle out when you have a sales opportunity because you are tired, frustrated or just beat up.  You never know when the windfall will present itself.  Much of it has to do with you and the energy you give out.  Treat every opportunity as if it has the potential to increase your ROI significantly.  Always be present.  Pay attention and rally no matter how you are feeling or how tough your day has been!  The Sales Whisperer can turn a hesitant buyer into an eager confident buyer.  It’s all about the energy you deliver and how you manage the energy your client does or doesn’t deliver.

3. Be Prepared- If the owner of that restaurant had been prepared for the outpouring of sales her “we are closing letter” generated, she would have been there last night to save her business.  The support and sales were there, but she wasn’t. The Sales Whisperer is prepared to respond to their client when they are ready to buy.  By developing relationships and keeping that pipeline of prospects rich, we are pre-closing people daily that we are going to do business with them at some point. Be prepared and know when the timing to capitalize on all your hard work cultivating business presents itself.  Every intention you put out there has potential to turn into sales.

4. Stay with it/them- Go the distance.  Capture the attention, support or interest and go with it through the close.  As sales people, we have trained our clients to expect that we can deliver at least what we promise.  Show your passion, expertise and commitment to results.  It is the secret to building any sales business.  It is fact.  The Sales Whisperer isn’t intimidated by tough or demanding clients.  The Sales Whisperer is successful because of your patience and consistency in all aspects of what you do, whether in a negotiation, closing or trouble shooting.  The Sales Whisperer is confident there is no client or prospect too skeptical, challenging or resistant to understanding the value of their sale.

How well do you close business? How would you describe your closing technique? How much could you increase your ROI if your closing ratio were to increase by 5 or 10%? Can you factor that? 

Ok, so the market is tough. You’re getting beaten up, worn out and lowering your performance standards. You are working hard (hard or smart?) on your accounts compromising your fees, taking on any new business and grateful just to be busy. Right? Please rethink that answer.

Most sales people fall into one of two categories - Order Taker or Consultant. Order Takers generally react to business opportunities while consultants approach them proactively in every aspect.  Consultants are excellent listeners. They can intuit what their client is really asking for and they partner with them by making recommendations and forming strategic alliances.  Order Takers are like worker bees, always engaged in activity and producing far less business than they have potential to. Why? Closing. Order Takers don’t embrace the concept of closing business. Which one are you?

Closing business starts with communication. Communication is the key to closing business and solidifying future business. Here are six simple steps to take to develop your closing skills.

1. Prepare to overcome objections. Objections are a buying sign. Expect them.  Order Takers fear objections, consultants embrace them. Make a list of the ten most common objections you face daily. Then create ten logical responses to them and write scripts to support those responses. Practice articulating them so when you are in dialogue with your client you can state your response to their objection with confidence and clarity.

2. Pre-close with each conversation. A pre-close is like a “heads up.” It is the delivery of the projected outcome throughout the sales process. Statements like “If I can ..then you will..” are pre-close statements to remind your buyer of the bottom line, or outcome. You pre-close every day in your personal life without realizing it when you tell yourself “If I get to the gym for one hour I can watch American Idol tonight!” You get the point.

3. Listen. Actively listen to each communication in the sales process with your client. Whether live, email or via phone, pay attention for any changes in attitude, timeframe or specs. Those changes are signs of a change in the outcome of your business deal. Order Takers deny the changes and ignore their signs; Consultants proactively address them to keep their deal on course.

4. Protect your product or service. If it is a candidate or product you are representing, stay very engaged with them to make sure you are aware of any changes in their status, availability or interest level. By denying shifts in what you committed to deliver you will compromise your ability to close on time.

5. Document details. There is no excuse with technology as sophisticated as it is today not to document your conversations with your client. You will have no recourse to clarify any miscommunication, like your fee, if you don’t have it well documented. Keep track of dates, times and details especially when it comes to financial obligations, guarantees and payment terms.

6. Reflect. Take time to think about your business. What did you do well that helped you close your last 3 deals? What could you have done differently?  Invest in a Sales Journal and journal your sales cycles. You will be able to identify your patterns and learn when you typically compromise your closings. Is it when you are feeling desperate? Is it when you are intimidated by your client? You can actually train yourself and track the increased ROI as you gain insight into your sales closings.

By tracking these six steps you will develop more consistent and more frequent closings. “Work smarter not harder” is not just a cliché, it is a fact. Moving from Order Taker to Closer is not about what is happening AROUND YOU, it’s about what is happening INSIDE YOU! You can choose to become an excellent closer.