Part 2 of: Barista training just won’t cut it…Last time we visited why the 'top-notch' salesperson is actually disappearing before our eyes. Reasons? It is simple. No one wants to 'hone their craft' like they did in the old days and the "cool" building doesn't "sell" anything...anymore.
What if a barista didn't have a cool building? Would you still pay 4 bucks for a cup of coffee? What do you mean Tracy? Look at "all" the crafts in the world today that have been watered-down to a fraction of what they were in the peak of U.S. economy. Oh, and that reminds me!
Rule one—don’t blame the economy. Companies still have to buy goods and services no matter what the economy is doing. They may buy differently, they may buy less, but they still have to buy. If you can’t convince prospects that what you’re offering is a solid investment with meaningful return, then maybe the problem lies closer to home. Let’s look at this a different way. The major objection most reps face during slow times is, “I have no money.” How is that possible? If your customer has no money then they’re out of business. What they are really saying to you is, “Your ideas stink.”
What can you do to close more business in a slowing economy? Start by answering these three questions that will put you back on the path to success. I can’t guarantee that they will work for you, but I can guarantee that they work.
How much energy are you wasting on insignificant activities?
You’ve probably been told that business will improve if you just make more appointments, increase the number of demos, and give more presentations and ramp up your number of cold calls. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing incorrect with increasing these selling activities; especially if you sell low-value products to one-time customers. Experience tells me that chasing everything that looks like an opportunity keeps you busy but makes you very ineffective. You’ll be working hard, but you won’t be working smart. Eventually you’ll burn out your prospects and yourself – toast for two!
Start today by re-qualifying every prospect and work on cleaning out your funnel. Focus on your best selling opportunities and put your energy there. You’ll create more success by investing the right resources into ten solid opportunities than you will by chasing twenty five half baked leads.
Are you making every conversation count?
Clients and prospects should be impressed with your preparation for every sales call. When you demonstrate that you’ve done your homework it becomes easier to have an open and honest dialogue with you. When the economy slows down, people get nervous. They don’t want to waste time meeting with sales reps unless they see some potential value. (Hint: A barista waits for an order ...)
The “smile-n-dial” mentality of simply pounding on more doors with the same pitch may produce extra appointments. But it also creates the fear that you’re going to sell them something that they don’t need. Open your next client conversation with this simple phrase, “In preparing for this meeting I took some time to…” Then simply highlight the two or three critical things that you did to prepare and watch what happens to the atmosphere of the call. You will blow away the last rep that opened their meeting by announcing that they were just “checking in” to see if anything new was going on. (Hint: A barista checks to see if you want whipped cream...)
The goal is to stop “educating” your customers. They don’t care unless they are engaged. Talking about your company, your products and your reputation will not engage customers. Talk about them, ask about them, provide ideas for them and communicate in terms of them.
Who are you talking about—you or them? Knowledge is a key ingredient to sales success, especially in a slowing economy. The more you demonstrate knowledge, the more prospects will take time to listen. And the best way to establish expertise is not by pitching features; it’s by asking questions. Questions that can differentiate the value you bring to every call.
(Hint: A barista concentrates on memorizing your order...)
.....more to come.....
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