WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 10

IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PROSPECT TOO GOOD?

The danger in “relationship selling” is that sometimes YOU do too good a job. If you have some deals stalling at the moment look out for this - you build such a good relationship with the prospect or client that they don't “have the heart” to tell you they are not going ahead. The sale just seems to drag on, with them putting up seemingly good reasons to stall, and you ending up in "continuation" mode. If you are feeling this is the case then politely tell them (don't ask them) that YOU are withdrawing your proposal as the time does not seem right for them to make a decision. A real prospect will say “hold on not so fast” and give you the real situation. A real prospect but where the timing genuinely is wrong will say “phew! would you, thanks I appreciate that” BUT they DO come back to you. The people you don't ask at all but you end up pestering – they are the ones where that good relationship eventually falters, even if they were going to buy they often don't. Never be afraid to offer to walk away!

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 9

ARE YOU QUALIFYING THE PROSPECT OR SPINNING YOUR WHEELS?

When sales are slow the temptation is to try and sell to everyone. Sometimes we forget about "prospect qualification" and we end up wasting time. The prospect has to have a Need for what you are selling, they have to have the desire to do something about the need and a desire to do something about the need with you. The prospect must have the Money and the willingness to spend it. Finally you must be dealing with someone who has the Authority to say yes.

Who's the MAN? The person with the Money Authority and the Need of course! Or as one my lady colleagues says “actually its the WOMAN – Who Own the MAN!”

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 8

ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR AVAILABLE SELLING TIME?

There is never enough time in a day and once the day has gone, its gone! Don't forget “Prime Time” – the time when prospects, clients and customers are most likely to be available and receptive. This will vary from industry to industry, market to market, job to job.

If you have a "sell / do" role - lawyers, CPAs, consultants, sales engineers - put time aside that is only for selling. Just because its the beginning of the month, don't fool yourself, watch out for the time bandits that steal your business development and sales time. You should NEVER be doing anything except pro-active sales activity in Prime Time.

WIINING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK NO. 7

CLOSING THE SALE

Don't forget to ask for the order! Do I hear you laughing? You would be surprised how many people make the sales presentation and don't ask for the order. Prospects don't "close" themselves. Whatever you are selling – products, professional services, consultancy - you have to ask for the order. Don't leave it to chance, plan your close in advance. How are you going to ask for the order, what will your close be, have you got the answers to objections ready? We all plan opening the sale, we rarely plan how we are going to ask for the business.

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 6

ARE YOU NEGOTIATING TOO EARLY AND EATING INTO YOUR MARGINS?

The negotiation starts and the selling stops when the customer's need for the product or service is equal to the seller's need to sell it. In other words, figuratively or literally, the customer is saying "I am buying, from you, subject to terms". Frequently, however, the sales person offers discounts or incentives before the customer is really ready to buy. This tells the customer you will drop the price and may even leave the customer thinking you are over priced. Make sure before you start negotiating that you have asked your prospect "are you ready to buy?" - you may have more selling to do. Don't offer any incentive too early, you may end up having to offer even more later to close the deal.

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 5

ARE YOU REALLY SELLING VALUE OR JUST BOMBARDING YOUR CUSTOMER WITH MEANINGLESS FEATURES?

The dictionary defines value as “......the worth of something, compared to something else.....”. This is a great definition when you are selling, just because we think what we sell delivers benefits, it doesn't mean the customer does. What is of value to one customer is not necessarily of value to another. Your USP, the benefits you [possibly] deliver, your differentiaters, are all meaningless if they are not "of value" to your prospects, clients and customers. Ask questions about what the customer values, pitch only the capabilities of your product, service, profession that delivers value to that customer. If what you have on offer is not of benefit, don't present it!

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 4

ARE YOUR SALES VISITS CONVERSATIONS OR INTERROGATIONS?

How many sales visits do you make where YOU do all the talking? Especially on a first appointment, ask open questions - how, what, why, where, when, who - and then listen. Open questions make the customer talk, get descriptive answers and let you uncover their needs easily. Closed questions - will you, would you, do you, did you and have you - typically get "yes" or "no" answers and the sales visit quickly degenerates into an interrogation. The rapport breaks down, you make your pitch too early and before you really understand the customer's needs, you lose the order and the customer misses out on the benefits you could have delivered.