Platform Sales

High Achiever Sales Professional Tool Kit: 5 Tools To Advance Your Sales Income
To become a high achieving sales professional, you must first become an expert communicator. Ask any sales person if they would like to make $250,000 a year and they universally say “yes.� But then look at the tool kit they use to pursue clients, and more than likely you will find that the sales tools are dull.

After 19 years of working with sales organizations in general, and high achieving sales professionals specifically, I’ve found that there are many tools that are prerequisite to advancing your income. These five that I will cover here are words and phrases that will create an environment with your prospect where they are telling you the truth. And since your most precious commodity is time, you can’t afford to waste it with people who lie to you.

1. “What would you like to accomplish today?�

I get called on by many sales organizations (some of them household names) and rarely, if ever, does a sales person start a meeting with, “What would you like to accomplish today, Bill.� This one question will save you hundreds of hours a year from working on things that don’t matter. It’s a way for the prospect to begin to share their problem with you. Just because the tool sounds simple, doesn’t mean it’s used.

2. “Is there any financial impact to this problem?�

I’m assuming that you’re not giving away your solution for free. And that in fact, there is a price the customer pays to buy and a price the customer pays not to buy. I want to understand the difference. By asking this question, you will start to learn what the financial consequences are for “not buying.� Then when you talk about your fee, the prospect will be comparing your fee to the cost of the problem. Sales amateurs will very rarely help the prospect make that connection. High achieving sales professionals deal with money more elegantly and eloquently. And this question will help you put money on the table without it just being about “your price.�

3. “Let’s do this.�

Get advances if you can’t close. “Lets do this� is a proven technique that allows you to talk about the next steps in the process while you move your prospect forward toward a final decision. Let’s suppose you’re an hour into the sales call and the prospect has shared with you some of the problems he has, but he’s still unsure of your product or service’s value. You want to go back to your office and study them prior to giving a proposal. In this case, you would say, “Let’s do this. I’m going to go back and put some thought into this and then let’s set a time we can come back in a week and take it a little further.� The better process manager you are, the better sales person you are.

4. “Here’s how we (I) typically work.�

Use this on the very first call where you’re laying out your process for getting them a solution. The high achiever needs to be thought of as an expert, not just in sales, but in the industry domain that you play in. Experts have processes and procedures. If you don’t have a sales process, get one immediately.

5. “I have a sense that…�

The elite sales executive pays close attention to their feelings. The “gut instinct� is a powerful internal communication device for you. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. If something does sound right, you’ve got to call it.

“I have a sense that…� are words in your sales professional toolbox that you can use to begin this conversation. I encourage my clients to use this if they are thirty minutes into the first call and the prospect hasn’t shared any problems or pains that he wants to fix. You might say, “In the first thirty minutes of our discussion today I haven’t heard anything that’s really a compelling reason for you to change from your current source. I kind of get this sense that if things just continued on it wouldn’t be all that bad.�

Give the prospect an opportunity react. It’s a way for the prospect to come back to you and either say yes, you’re right and it’s over (which is OK because as I said earlier, time is your most precious commodity, so move on) or he will convince you that he does have a problem worth exploring. And then, you will have control.



During his 19+ years of experience as a leader, experimenter and coach for hundreds of B2B sales teams, Bill Caskey has discovered that most sales organizations perform poorly in expressing their value to their prospects and customers resulting in severe underachievement by their sales force, long selling cycles, constant battles with clients and prospects and pressure on margins. To evolve into a higher achiever, increase your income you must first become a pioneer who dares to be different. To learn how, check out Bill Caskey’s High Achiever Resource Website: <a href="http://www.theelitesellerblog.com">http://www.theelitesellerblog.com</a>

Ways To Improve Your Selling
It has long been known that until something is sold, nothing else happens. The selling profession is therefore one of the most challenging and most profitable career paths one can choose. And for those with an innate ability to sell, it can be gratifying and profitable from day one. Others, who may want the income and freedom that comes from sales but who are not as naturally gifted, will benefit from a few specific tips on their way to improving sales.

First, acknowledge what type of sales you're best at. Door to door business to consumer, telemarketing, corporate business to business, and online are all different ways of selling. And while most salespeople must focus intensely on prospecting and business development, many in the corporate business to business sales world are responsible for closing million dollar deals in partnership with others at their company who generate the lead. Once you've narrowed down the type of sales you're best at, which may take years as you progress through your sales career, there are some additional resources that could help you.

Sales coaching is a new form of improving your sales. You partner weekly with a veteran salesperson outside of your company who works with you on specific techniques, motivations, scripts, behavioral training, or attacks the call reluctance or lack of confidence you may feel in your role. The sales coach is your advocate, someone who has experience working with many types of salespeople and can assist you with a perspective that only an unbiased third party can provide.

Another resource is lead generation. Specifically, find, hire, or create a method of generating more leads. Sales ultimately is a numbers game - the more leads you have in your pipeline, the greater your chances of closing more deals. If you can pay someone to generate more leads or create a direct marketing method of generating interest, much of your hard work will be done for you. This would free you up to focus on closing deals and generating income.

The final resource to consider is one not many people think of, but can be tremendously valuable. This idea was first proposed by Ben Franklin and popularized by BLANK in Think and Grow Rich. Create a mastermind of salespeople. This requires some work up front but could pay great dividends, especially if you don't compete directly and mutually respect each other. A group like this could have various forms - you could be local to each other and meet weekly, or connect online or by phone on a regular basis, you could all be part of the same industry but sell in non-competitive territories, or you could hire a coach among you to assist each of you in getting the most out of this process. It's been proven time and again that a mastermind group of similarly driven and focused salespeople could be one of the most beneficial things you do.

Regardless, if you're committed to sales success, you must continually improve yourself using either motivational techniques, lead generation and prospecting resources, or outside support from coaches or mastermind teams.

Dave Lloyd can be reached at publisheremail@gmail.com and has written an online guide to improving your selling at <a href="http://www.sellingshortcuts.com" title="http://www.sellingshortcuts.com" target="_blank">http://www.sellingshortcuts.com</a>

Have You Seen This ???
I stumbled upon a very interesting website recently. I've been spending some
time going through it and personally,I feel it's a very useful site... I even
learnt a couple of new things! Just thought it might be useful for you too.

There's also some cool movie-style animation on the website for you to watch.

You don’t want to miss this.

Check it out, it's at http://www.preenroller.com/pramod

Cheers:
Pramod kumar shah
http://www.preenroller.com/pramod

I am associated with a company called SkyQuetCom. You can visit our website: http://www.skyquestcom.com/pramod

Powerful, Persuasive & Motivating Language
I did a teleconference a few weeks ago with people who were new
in sales and new to prospecting. The focus of the call was to
help participants get beyond fear and understand their
prospecting process.

One of the participants on the call told me that she had been
given the telephone prospecting script that her team leader uses
to set appointments. The team leader was a highly successful
sales professional who had been in the business for many years
and made quite a lot of money. The participant, who had been in
the business for approximately a week, told me that she was going
to work with the script and "make it her own."

"No!" I cried out. "Don't do that! Don't make it your own!"

My reasoning? This participant was a beginner. She knew nothing
about sales or prospecting. She had a script that was crafted by
someone who was highly successful on the telephone. This
particular participant did not know enough to make it her own.
More than likely, in making the script her own she would
eliminate all of the powerful, persuasive and motivating language
used by the sales super star who had given her the script.

When you are on the telephone with a prospect you have about 10
seconds to grab and hold your prospect's attention. If you do not
do that within that first 10 seconds, your call is more than
likely over. If you get through that first 10 seconds, that buys
you another 10 seconds. If you get through that 10 seconds it
buys you yet another... and so on... 10 seconds is not a lot of time.
To get through those 10-second increments, you want to use the
most powerful and persuasive words that you have at your
disposal.

If you are a beginner it is entirely possible, indeed even
likely, that you may not be comfortable with certain powerful
words or phrases. They may be very unlike your usual way of
speaking. Even if you've been in sales for a while you might be
set in your ways, accustomed to certain words and a certain
delivery, and changing that might feel uncomfortable.

I've met many people who say they do not want to work with
scripts because then they "cannot be themselves." Remembering
that your prospecting call happens in 10-second increments you
want to be the very best self that you can be, every time. That
requires preparation.

One of the things that I've always loved about being in sales is
that it is crystal clear. You always know exactly where you are.
You are either scheduling appointments, or you're not. You are
either closing, or you're not.

If you are new to sales and a successful professional gives you
their script--don't change a word. That script will be your gold
mine. If you've been in sales for a while and want to try out a
new script, test it first. Your old script becomes your baseline.
For example, make 30 prospecting calls using your usual script
and keep track of the number of appointments that you schedule.
Then make 30 more prospecting calls using your new script exactly
as written. Keep track of the number of appointments that you
schedule. At the end of those 60 calls you will know which script
works better. That becomes your new baseline.

© 2006 Wendy Weiss

Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling," is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. Her recently released program, Cold Calling College, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://www.wendyweiss.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Giving the Customers What They Want
To give customers what they want, you first need to know who they are. There is going to require some research on your part to find out who they are and then what do they need. In doing so, you can develop your own personal niche, in a specific market. There are certain tips that can be used in developing your own niche. Of course some form of research will be necessary as well. In order for you to develop your own niche in the market, it is vital that you take time out to do an “ideal customer profileâ€� to suit you and your business. So what is an ideal customer for me and my business I hear you ask? Good question and there are several answers to this. We are going to cover the two most important. From experience, I did all of my own prospecting, I did not use Mail shots, Advertising, or Telesales. I actually phoned the potential customer myself and said, “My name is Leslie Johnston, we haven’t met yet that’s the reason I’m phoning you. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to see if we like and trust each other, and then decide which areas now or in the future we can make some money off of each other. Is morning or afternoon the best time for you and me to share ten minutes togetherâ€�……….. My Question to the secretary or to who ever answered the phone was:-“could tell me who is the person responsible for the profitability of the company please?â€� and that got me to speak to the right person This approach got me a 38% success rate from all phone calls in getting to talk to the person that I wanted to speak to, and a whopping 84% success rate to getting the appointment with the people I did talk to. That to me was exactly what I wanted the appointment for, I was not lying anywhere in that script. The prospect knew precisely why I was coming, and they welcomed the honesty of the approach. If I was going to have a close working relationship with them, then I wanted to know if I could trust them or not. Do you really want to work with someone that you don’t like? This was exactly what the customer wanted to know about me as well, they had just never voiced it before. Have you ever met a business person that didn’t want to talk about the possibility of making money? I then picked on average 1 in 10 of the people that I talked to take on as a client of mine. Yes, you read that correctly, I Only Took 10% on Average of the People I Talked to as Clients of Mine. “Whyâ€�, I hear you ask? I only wanted top quality customers because the time spent on a small profit sale is the same as a large profit one so why waste time on the small sales? The second most important thing to look for in your ideal customer profile is:- Do they want your product or service? Do they have the authority to buy? Do they have the money to pay for it? Now let’s look at the first one â€"a customer who wants your product or service. When I worked in Financial Services I discovered very quickly that virtually everyone Needed Life Insurance, but very few people Wanted Life Insurance. We humans will find the money for whatever it is that we want, irrespective as to whether or not we need it. Our homes are full of stuff that we didn’t need, but things that we wanted. The simple way to find out what it is that they want is to ask them. It is very important that you find your ideal customer first, and then find a product or service for them. That is exactly the way that I did it, and then tailored a service to suit my customer in my chosen market place Have They Got the Authority to Buy? A question that I found worked the best was, “Who is responsible for the profitability of the company?â€� When I was doing my survey of companies and asking them what it was that they wanted in an ideal world. Two answers always came up. (1) To make more profit (2) To pay less tax. So I learned how to make companies more profitable and how to exploit the legal loopholes in order to pay less tax. One of the ways to make companies more profit is to show them how to sell more. So I started sales training. -Get the idea â€"Give them what they want. It really is that simple. There is at least one niche to exploit in every market and there are usually several So start looking for yours now dare to be different and you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams For more help on this, go now to www.thehandsontrainingsystem.com. and get my 5 part training program Yours in Success Leslie Johnston

Leslie Johnston has been in sales and Management since 1969 and during that time has worked in the Tire Industry until 1981 and then in the financial services until 2000. He is a very entertaining and dynamic speaker and as a sales trainer he is truly awesome and highly motivational. Since the mid Seventies he has conducted hundreds of seminars and training courses during that time. He has now retired from selling but keeps extremely active speaking and teaching others how to sell. All of the sales training that he received in his early days he reckoned that some thing was missing and it was all what he calls “Product Bashing� and then spent the next 5 years studying and experimenting on how to “Problem Solve “ and his sales figures went through the roof. Follow what he teaches you to do and just watch your income GROW!

Setting Your Goals In Sales Training
It doesn’t matter if you are in an auto sales training, TV and radio sales, estate sales or time share sales in my conversations with sales management over the years, I’ve found that top producers all have one thing in common: they’ve taken the time to sit down and create goals for themselves and committed to sales training. Even if during the sales seminar they were skeptical when they started the process of goal setting and planning, every one of them has become a true believer. What Is A True Believer? A “True Believerâ€� isn’t someone who just works sales leads. They are someone who has been amazed by the incredible power of goal setting and the power of their own mind to be sold on the sales job. Every one of them has accomplished far more than they ever believed possible even if they are in mobile home sales or business sales they are the ones that move up to the top. It didn’t stop with sales goals or material successes. This belief runs deep in all areas of their life. They’re convinced of the power of the mind and want share that with the world. They just seem to live in a world that favors them. There life has become an extension of their sales attitude. Are You Happy With Your Current Training? I defined happiness in training as, The progressive assimilation of worth while skills that will help me to reach my professional goals. As a sales trainer, I have been working progressively, step-by-step toward making permanent lasting impact on every sales professionals life. This purpose alone can generate a continuous feeling of success and achievement within me, but if it doesn’t translate in your personal sales training it is all for not. The sales game has always been the more people you sell, the more successful you will be. As a sales professional, you have more control of this than almost every other profession. Geoff Thomas a sales associate is found of telling his sales staff, “Your raise is effective just as soon as you are.â€� I know you can create an environment of happiness for your customer through fabricated rapport skills but a genuine joy for sales will close more deals than you can imagine. Without your skills of salesmanship, there would be nothing for company to do. When you walk out of the office in the evening, it is natural for you to feel like a winner. This goal is well entrenched in the sales experts I know. It also gives you the psychological momentum to overcome obstacles and plough through adversity as you reach your sales goals and assist others. Sales training more than anything else should have you recharged as you go back out into the world. If the sales seminar doesn’t motivate you to work every sales lead more efficiently than why bother. Does Your Training Connect With Your Values? Every great trainer has a personal strategic planning process. It usually begins when you determine what you believe in and what you stand for â€" your values. If your values and the trainers match this is the glue that holds the core concepts of the sales training in place. These values shape our personality and our character as a sales professional. Your virtues and qualities are the sum total of all your thoughts, actions and beliefs since the moment you were born. Your values, virtues and inner beliefs are the axle around which the wheel of your life turns. All sales improvement begin when you clarify your true values and commit yourself to live consistently with them. It’s been said, “You must stand for something, or you will fall for anything!â€� Great sales trainers know the value of the sales process and believe every prospect they meet can find value in their product or services. When Attending A Training How Specific Should Your Goals Be? To achieve success in training you will find trainees are successful because they’re very clear and committed to their values and specific outcomes from the training. Unsuccessful trainees are fuzzy or unsure they perhaps were forced to the training without a buy in from the sales manager. When a training is a complete failure, you’ll find that the trainer didn’t clearly outline the real values of the training at all. These trainers stand for nothing and hope their audiences fall for everything. While training the sales staff at Positive Changes, our sales staff had access to a wealth of resources designed to help them succeed in their goals. For instance, use the Sales Mastery series to stimulate your other-than-conscious and keep you on track with specific, clear and organized sales goals. They trained each franchise location to set goals for the day, week and the month. Using these mind trips within themselves helped them to enroll others into its use.

Dr. Patrick Porter is an entrepreneur, award-winning author, and motivational speaker. His electrifying keynote speeches and seminars deliver the real life, nuts ‘n bolts concepts he used to take his business venture to astounding heights. http://www.patrickkporter.com

Stop Selling and Start Creating a Buying Enviorment
So you want to be successful in Selling, the best way to do so, is to stop selling and start creating a buying environment. Selling can be compared to eating an enjoyable meal. You begin your meal with a starter or appetizer course, followed by a nice salad, then the main course of your choice and finishing with a dessert. If the meal was not served to you in this order, you are most likely not going to eat at the restaurant again, or you may not even pay for it. Therefore, I believe that Creating a Buying Environment should be treated the same way, don’t you? Yet it is amazing how many sales people pressure the point of using their “Recitationâ€�, and will not stop until they have finished it. In order to create the environment there is a proper order to follow just as if we were being served a meal: 1. Preamble- How you preamble will depend on which market that you are working in, but generally speaking, you would get them to let you know what their interests are and then you simply listen. This information can be used later on to recall the things that are important to them. Also remember that body language is also important, include a friendly smile in an open and relaxed manner. Just remember you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. 2. Fact-finding â€" These facts will depend on the product or service you are selling, and what precisely you are looking for. In the beginning it may help you to have a pre-printed questionnaire to assist you. This will also help you to stay on track. Also always explain to your customer what you are doing, before you do it. 3. “Feelingâ€� find- This part is very vital because all the benefits in the solution must now be focused on how the customer feels about the facts, and not on the facts directly. 4. Identify the problem - Ask questions geared to identifying problems that the customers didn’t know they had. Write these down on a notepad where your customer can see it. As you are writing down these problems, get the customer to confirm again exactly what the problem is. This is also more power that has been given to you because, everything that you are writing down is what the customer has said, and not what you say or think. 5. Agreeing the problem- This is where the customer agrees that there is a problem, or problems that need to be sorted. When I say agree I really mean AGREE and not just nod politely and agree with you. 6. Presenting the solution- Get your mind to focus on creating a buying environment, and out of selling mode. By this part of the conversation you already know a list of your customers’ problems and you also know the list of your products features or services. Now you will ask more questions, in relation to your product or service features. You are now pointing out the features, and what it does to cure their problem, in doing so you are making it into a Personal Benefit to Them. 7. Agreeing the Solution â€" This is the same as agreeing the problems, the customer is agreeing to the solution one step at a time. You do not wait until the end to close, you are closing at every section of the presentation, after your customer has gained an understanding, and has agreed on the solution. 8. Financial Commitment â€" Simply, summarize all the benefits again and get the customer to tell them to you. Then ask them a question like “What difference do you think that this will make to you financially? Shut Up and allow them to actually tell you. If the product or services is at a cost of $100,000 and the customer told you that the minimum savings and additional profit would be $1,000,000 in the next three years. You could present this to them in 2 different ways: One way would be your investment is only 10% of the money you would make. The second way would be to show them that they will be getting a 900% return on investment (ROI) over a 3 year period. Then you would ask, “Are there any other technical questions that you are not clear on before we move to the paperwork?â€� 9. Paperwork â€" During this process, explain to your client, what is going to happen next. This is also an excellent time to ask for introductions. When you are asking for these introductions follow by saying, “I will look forward to meeting them with you next month, and I will let you pick the restaurant next time for the lunch. Don’t forget to give me at least a week’s notice first, as my diary is always fullâ€� Several points here but the main ones are that you have defined the number, you have assumed that they will do it, you have told them that you are treating them to lunch in a venue of their choice. 10. After Sales Service- This is probably the most neglected part of the sales process and I do not understand why. I agree that it is now up to your company if you representing one rather than having to do it yourself. Good customers are like gold dust so look after them and you will find at least 80% of your sales/business will come either directly from them or indirectly from them via introductions and referrals. Ensure after the completion or installation of your product or services to call with your “Thank Youâ€�, and check that everything is fine. All of this takes time and practice, so please be patient and remember that you are only trying to improve by 1% at any given time. If you follow this 10 Point Sales Sequence that I have given to you, you will achieve success beyond your wildest dreams! I appreciate that there is a lot to take in here and that is why I would spend up to a week with hands on training in my workshops do role play over and over again until this is second nature. Once you learn to perfect this you will be amazed at the increase in you sales figures in both size of sale and the number of sales. Click on to www.thehandsontrainingsystem.com now to get my 5 part training course for FREE Yours in Success Leslie Johnston

Leslie Johnston has been in sales and Management since 1969 and during that time has worked in the Tire Industry until 1981 and then in the financial services until 2000. He is a very entertaining and dynamic speaker and as a sales trainer he is truly awesome and highly motivational. Since the mid Seventies he has conducted hundreds of seminars and training courses during that time. He has now retired from selling but keeps extremely active speaking and teaching others how to sell. All of the sales training that he received in his early days he reckoned that some thing was missing and it was all what he calls “Product Bashing� and then spent the next 5 years studying and experimenting on how to “Problem Solve “ and his sales figures went through the roof. Follow what he teaches you to do and just watch your income GROW!

Rod Stinson's Free Teleseminar Is Showing Thousands How To Make $500 A Day
Less than three short months ago, a new 1Step System was born with a very real potential for generating a great deal of income in a short time. Co -founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have brought this opportunity to people all over the world. Many are joining now because the company is still in its infancy, which from a marketing standpoint is surely the best time to get on board.

What makes this business opportunity so attractive is that it is so easy. It is appropriately called the 1 Step System. It stands to reason, the more an individual puts in to their business, the more he or she will get out of it, however, your early efforts in the beginning stages can easily provide at least some income while you lay back and observe.

Everyone knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch, however, I haven't seen another business opportunity where start-up costs can so easily be recouped in such a short time and profit starts rolling in. From those who have no experience, to the most seasoned marketer, its a great opportunity to see a steady cash flow in a relatively short time. It's also a great way to earn extra income at home. Those with years of Internet marketing experience are calling it a brilliant concept designed for building wealth for anyone who is savvy enough to see its earning potential.

Our experience has revealed that to many entrepreneurs out to earn extra money from home, have fallen victim to deceptive and greedy get rich quick scams that guarantee your success. This business sets itself far apart from those, and what is so refreshing about the 1 Step System is there is no selling, no phone calls, no explaining, no answering questions and no closing. Most of the work is done for you. It's a fact, co-founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have taken the 'Net by storm. It's nice knowing that with this business, anyone, regardless of their experience or background, has the same chance for financial independence.

For more information visit:
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PJ Riley has given away many a FREE E-BOOK detailing the simplicity of making your way to the top of the search engines. See http://www.ride-to-the-top.com He has been reporting on new business opportunities for many years. He's not afraid to speak what's on his mind. He will be the first to tell you if it's a golden opportunity, but has had numerous occasion to report a scam in the making.

14 Steps to Successful Cold-Calling
The vast majority of salespeople do not enjoy cold-calling. Yet, at the same time, it is an activity that most need to do on a regular basis. The biggest reason sales professionals are not more successful in this necessary endeavor is the defense that they have other things to do. However, nothing will overcome this excuse faster than being held accountable for making a set number of cold calls each day, each week, or each month.

As much as people would like to believe there is a secret formula for being successful at cold-calling, the only valid one is being disciplined enough to do it. When people avoid cold-calling, they are generally telling themselves that either they don't know enough about what they're selling or they don't believe the outcome will be successful. For this simple reason, it is necessary to be confident in yourself and what you are selling.

The following may be beneficial as you begin to practice this critical discipline.

1. Have a dedicated time each day to prospect.
2. Know the reason for calling before you call: customer benefits, not product features.
3. Leave short voice mail messages.
4. Assume your voice mail messages will never be returned.
5. Always call one level higher in an organization than you believe is necessary.
6. Be confident and competent.
7. Phone calls placed before 8:30 AM are the most likely to be answered by the person you're trying to reach.
8. Respect the gate-keeper by treating them in the same manner you would treat the prospect.
9. Prospecting calls on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons will have the worst results.
10. Prospecting on "semi-holidays" and inclement weather days will get a higher response.
11. Make it your goal to earn the right, privilege, and honor to talk to the person again.
12. Believe in what you're selling and the benefits that the prospect will receive from your products/services.
13. Believe in yourself and your professionalism.
14. Anytime is a good time to make a call; don't wait for the "perfect" time.

By practicing and persevering, both your skills and confidence will improve. Furthermore, making yourself accountable will help you turn your excuses into successful sales.


Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information or to receive a free weekly sales tip via email, contact "The Sales Hunter" at <a href="http://www.TheSalesHunter.com">http://www.TheSalesHunter.com</a>.

What do you want it to do?
"What do you want it to do?" That's all he asked: My wife and I stopped into a car dealership last night to look at cars. We were met by Robert who asked politely if he could help us. After we convinced him that we had no idea what we were looking for and just wanted to wander the lot, he told us to take our time and left us alone. Mistakenly, I thought I had shaken him. On the way back to our car, Robert appeared again. He asked if we had found anything we liked and again I said that we were just looking and still had no idea whether we wanted an SUV, a minivan or a 4 door. I thought that level of vagueness, which was the actual truth, would end the conversation. Not so. Robert started in. "I understand your confusion. There is so much to choose from. But just think of it this way:what do you want it to do?" Then he shut up. Instantly, my wife said it had to carry stuff from the hardware store and be drivable by someone under five feet tall. I insisted that it held 5-6 people and have plenty of luggage room. Within two minutes Robert had gathered every requirement that we had discussed together as we considered a new car. His next comment was irresistible. He asked, "May I show you a car that fits that description and will absolutely astound you?" How do you say no to someone who has just offered to give you exactly what you wanted and needed? You don't, and that's the point. I have to admit that I don't find many shining examples of great salesmanship at car dealerships, but Robert was an exception. What he understood was the essence of consultative selling. Be of service, determine the need, and offer informed solutions. At virtually every other dealership we visited, we were either ignored or greeted by a sales person who was quick to launch into the strengths of their brand without a clue what we were looking for. They could have been replaced with a tape machine that just played over and over. Most companies spend weeks teaching their new sales people the details of their product or service. They want to create experts who can go out into the world and serve their clients. While that's all well and good, most spend a small fraction of that time teaching their new recruits how to sell those same products or services. In my experience, there is little correlation between product expertise and sales results. Don't get me wrong, I think product knowledge is critical to success. I just don't see that the ones who know it best are the ones who sell the most. In fact, I often find top sales performers who are adept at leveraging off the knowledge of others because they know they lack some of the depth required to consummate the deal. The best sales people are the ones that have the desire and the ability to determine what the client wants and needs, and the skill to match them with a set of possible solutions. That's consultative selling. You might also be interested in a new article entitled, "How to Leave a Voice Mail That Gets Results". You can get a free copy by sending an email to article16@waterhousegroup.com. Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group (www.waterhousegroup.com), a sales training company that helps companies increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com. Re-Print Permission This article may be reprinted in it's entirety if the following conditions are met: The complete tag with the author's name and contact information is included immediately after the article. A copy of the printed article is mailed to the author at 1467 Walnut Creek Drive, Orange Park, FL 32003 within 30 days of publication. The article is presented in a positive light as part of an appropriate business related publication.

Steve Waterhouse, CSP Founder and President Steve Waterhouse's career as a record setting sales professional and sales manager make him uniquely qualified to help companies dramatically improve sales and increase profits.