Novation Selling works to build over-achieving sales professionals in order to increase top-line revenue.
To learn more about how we can help you, please view our blog entries below, visit www.NovationSelling.com, or call us at 910.795.0664. Thanks and we appreciate you taking the time to check us out!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Weekly Reinforcement Training


HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR:
"YOUR PRICE IS TOO HIGH?"

Join us this week for the Weekly Reinforcement Training that will discuss buyer comments like "your price is too high" or "I need to get some other quotes" and how to still get the business even when things like this come up!

We will be at the Landfall Executive Suites (1213 Culbreth Drive, Wilmington, NC) on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 at 8:00am. Please let us know if you will be able to attend by sending an RSVP to justin@novationselling.com

Everyone is welcome to attend and please invite a guest to attend with you this week! See you Thursday morning!
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Thursday, May 6, 2010

Prospecting for Today's Economy - New Approaches and Techniques - ITA Conference 2010

Ron Silver, Founder & CEO of Novation Selling recently conducted a workshop at the annual Information Technology Alliance conference in Atlanta. Below is a brief recap of the topic he presented on. Pictures to follow soon!

Facts
  • You cannot rely on your current book of business
  • Most prospects have cut back
  • Your competition (as you read this) is hitting hard on your existing customers and prospects
Questions
  • Where are you vulnerable and how will you address your vulnerabilities?
  • In uncertain times, decisions are often pushed up a level or two. Do you have the contacts at those levels?
  • Are your customers and prospects becoming more demanding?
  • Do they still see you as a critical resource?
The #1 reason why companies do not have consistent sales right now is because they are not prospecting effectively on a consistent basis. Keeping the pipeline full of prospects that are real buyers (not tire kickers and time wasters) is the fuel that keeps your company running. Too many companies are running our of fuel.

If you have been putting off regularly scheduled prospecting because it has been unsuccessful in the past, then this session by ITA member Novation Selling will teach you secrets of prospecting to fill the pipeline. You will learn to:
  • Keep your sales people focused
  • Avoid time-wasting activities that lead nowhere
  • Identify who and when to prospect
  • Ge more leads into the pipeline immediately
  • Implement effective ways to prospect
  • Gain market share rapidly in a new niche
  • Develop your customized 30 second "Power Introduction"©
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Monday, May 3, 2010

TMSC - 11/17


If you're wondering why you keep wasting time with "bad" prospects, a couple of good early questions will help you cut your losses quickly.

-Ron

Another Lousy Appointment

Problem: It was a gloomy day and had just started to rain when Rick left his second lousy appointment of the day. "Man", he thought to himself, "it's pouring down rain, my car is at the other end of the parking lot, and this appointment that I drove 40 miles to see was a total waste of time. My grandmother is a better prospect than this guy." He put his head down and dejectedly trudged through the rain towards his car. On his way back to the office he reflected on the appointments he had been on recently. The majority of them had been similar to these two, a waste of time for the most part...nobody seemed interested in buying. He was starting to feel like they were all bad prospects. The gloomy day mirrored his mood perfectly. But he needed to do something quickly since his sales were starting to suffer.


Diagnosis: There are no bad prospects; just ineffective salespeople. Unfortunately, salespeople seem to be willing to meet with virtually anybody who expresses a passing interest in what they are selling. Hope springs eternal, as they say, and salespeople "hope" that if they can just get face to face with someone, anyone, something good might happen. However, more often than not, something not so good happens. Let's face it, most salespeople really don't want any bad news, so they don't ask the difficult questions, the ones that might disqualify a prospect. Questions like the ones we're suggesting below.


Novation Selling Solution: If you want more productive appointments, change your attitude and plant your feet. Be adamant that you simply don't have the time to meet with anyone who can't pass a quick qualification test. Anyone who can't answer affirmatively to the following three questions may not be worthy of your time:

  1. Is the problem compelling enough for you to take a serious look at a solution, assuming one were available?
  2. Are adequate resources available to implement a solution, assuming you found one that you knew would work?
  3. Who else should be at the meeting that needs to be part of the final decision process, besides yourself?

If the answers to the first two questions are affirmative, you probably have a good prospect. If you get a wishy-washy answer, chances are your prospect is not very close to buying anything from you or anyone else. (Let your competitor go on this call.) The third question is designed to make sure you have the right people at the meeting. How much better would you feel if you had this information before you went out to the appointment?

Your time is simply too valuable to waste with people who aren't serious or who don't have the resources to buy. And you can't afford to spend time with people who don't have the authority to buy.

Good Selling!

Ron Silver


For more information, check out our website at http://www.NovaSalesTraining.com/ or call us at 910.795.0664

See how others achieved More Sales through Ron's workshops.

Refer a friend to Novation Sales Training's Monday Morning Sales Coach.

If you want to establish an effective sales process that will help you outsell your competition and dominate your market...we can help.

If you'd like your salespeople to close more business...on your terms...we can show them how.

If you're looking for ways to sell relationships instead of products and services...this is what we teach.

If you're looking for a fresh approach to training your salespeople...Please call us.

© Copyright Sales Coach 2009

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TMSC - 11/10


Are you trying too hard to get an appointment? Some prospects aren't worth the time they demand, therefore utilize your time better by devoting more time to "good prospects".

-Ron

Early Warning Signs


Problem: "What am I doing here?" Robert said to himself. He was twenty minutes into the initial meeting with this prospect, and he was clearly fighting an uphill battle. All his attempts to develop rapport were met with apathetic, almost frigid responses. His questions, simple and innocuous though they were, received little more than one or two word responses. "What's going on here?" he wondered. This guy won't even crack a smile and yet he gave me the appointment. Is he just having a bad day, or do I have a hygiene problem? He just couldn't figure it out, yet he kept at it, trying to pump some life into this dying appointment. He wanted to quit, but his ego wouldn't let him; he felt he should be able to breathe some life into this situation.

We've all been there. We work hard to get an appointment and are determined to take the sales process all the way through to the end, to make that "all-important" presentation.


Diagnosis: Some prospects just aren't worth the effort. Let's face it, there are "good" prospects...and "bad" prospects. In fact, a bad prospect is not a prospect at all. Any prospect that is antagonistic, vague and even non-communicative is a bad prospect. But salespeople, despite the obvious danger signals, are almost completely reluctant to disengage. This old adage comes to mind...if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably IS a duck. Well, if it exhibits all the initial danger signs of a bad prospect, it probably is a bad prospect.


Novation Selling Solution: The good ones deserve our time and effort. The rest should be dumped like a bad habit. Every prospect must pass the first qualifying hurdle, or you must disengage quickly. There are definite warning signs, and fortunately, they show up early in the process and are easily recognizable, if you know what you're looking for. If you can't answer positively to these four quick qualifying questions, your continued efforts with the prospect will probably be futile. Here they are...

-Is the prospect friendly?

-Will the prospect answer your questions?

-Does the prospect know what he wants?

-Does he want "it" in a relatively short time frame?

If you're getting a bunch of negative answers to the above, your prospect may simply be looking to pick your brain, and it's probably time to say "Adios" and move on. Here's a nice way to do it.

"I don't think we'll be able to help you. Generally the folks we work with (pick one or two [are willing to speak frankly with us about what they're looking for...have a good understanding of what they need...have a relatively immediate need, etc]). That doesn't seem to be the case here, for whatever reason. Would you like me to make a suggestion as to a company that might be better suited to your needs?"

If that honest and polite remark won't motivate your prospect to open up, it's best to move on...quickly.

Good Selling!
Ron Silver


For more information, check out our website at http://www.NovationSelling.com/ or call us at 910.795.0664.

See how others achieved More Sales through Ron's workshops.

Sign up or Refer a friend to the Novation Selling Tuesday Morning Sales Coach.

Follow us on Twitter.

Become a fan of Novation Selling on Facebook.

© Copyright Sales Coach 2009
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TMSC - 10/20


Are you having a difficult time closing? This problem can be because you aren't doing a sufficient job qualifying your prospect. Determining your prospect's pain is very important when it comes to qualifying them. Figure this out early and it will save you time and increase your closes!

-Ron

Assign Your Prospect Some Homework

Problem: Mitch's company sold data storage solutions. A five-year veteran of selling, he called the other day for some coaching. He said that he had just completed a one-hour meeting with one of his top prospects, a large retailer who was a key prospect for his company. He explained that he had experienced difficulty getting the prospect into a discussion of pain and, when he finally did, he felt time pressure to hurry through the qualifying process. As a result, Mitch thought that he had done a poor job in the pain step. He said that this seemed typical of his meetings and that due to poor qualifying on his part, he was not closing some of the accounts that he thought he should.

Diagnosis: Unfortunately, Mitch lacked an effective way to quickly begin the pain qualification process. Without an effective tactic for getting quickly into the pain step, Mitch spent too much time building rapport and discussing inconsequential issues that only wasted both parties' time. While there were a number of tactics to find pain that Mitch had learned, none seemed to be working well for him.

Novation Selling Solution: Doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity, so try a new tactic. We told Mitch to add a new wrinkle to his initial meeting agreement. We suggested that he give his prospect some homework before the appointment. Mitch began saying the following to his prospects, "Mr. Prospect. In order to make our meeting as productive as possible, would you make a list of the two or three most challenging issues you are having with respect to data storage? Then we can really focus our discussion on your issues and try to develop a solution. Does that make sense?" Interestingly enough, it did make sense to most of his prospects. When Mitch arrived at the appointment, he simply reminded the prospect about the list and asked what the issues were. From there, the pain conversation was easy to conduct. His got to the pain step quicker and was able to qualify in greater depth. He started closing more business because he understood the issues and was able to recommend better solutions. It worked for Mitch and it will work for you. Try giving your prospect some homework before your next call.

Call me about the October Boot Camp coming up! It is a very special Boot Camp.


Good Selling!
Ron Silver


For more information, check out our website at http://www.NovationSelling.com/ or call us at 910.795.0664.

See how others achieved More Sales through Ron's workshops.

Sign up or Refer a friend to the Novation Selling Tuesday Morning Sales Coach.

Follow us on Twitter.

Become a fan of Novation Selling on Facebook.

© Copyright Sales Coach 2009
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TMSC - 10/13


Do you hate making cold calls? If you don't sound like every other sales person and are unique, it will lead to more sales and BIGGER profits!

-Ron

Death of a Salesman


Problem: Most salespeople hate cold calls and they aren't very good at making them. And as a result, cold calling activity never seems to improve. We all get cold calls on a regular basis and most result in failure. See if you can relate to any of the following.

Diagnosis: The first 10 to 15 seconds are critical in a prospecting call and will set the stage for success. Most prospecting calls shriek "SALESPERSON CALLING" and trigger the prospect to turn on their automatic defense system. All of us have heard one too many sales pitches and tricky one liners. Here are some examples of how salespeople unconsciously shout "I'M A SALESMAN" in the first few seconds of a call. In parentheses is what the prospect is probably thinking.

  • "Do you have a few minutes to talk?' (Oh sure, I was just here in my office wasting a little time)
  • "I'm calling to tell you about our new_________" (Big deal, I don't need it, don't want it, and I don't care.)
  • "If I could show you a way ____" (This guy must have just attended one of those weekend training seminars.)
  • "We're giving away a free _______ with every new customer." (Sure...what are the strings?)
  • "We are announcing a new.... (and in to the pitch)." (Can I just get a word in edgewise to tell you I'm not interested?)

Novation Selling Solution: Don't act like a stereotypical salesperson! Break the pattern. Your task, once the prospect answers the phone, is to create a respectful, low key, and non-threatening environment. Have the courage to ask if you called them at a bad time. Ask them for a quick minute to tell them why you called and promise to be brief and right to the point. Tell them you may not have anything they'd be interested in and that it's okay for them to tell you if they have no interest. Don't act too enthusiastic.

The purpose of your call is to determine if there may be a reason to do business together. There may not be. In order to find that out, you have to get them to talk to you. This approach will help you do that.

Call me about the October Boot Camp coming up! It is a very special Boot Camp.


Good Selling!
Ron Silver


For more information, check out our website at http://www.NovationSelling.com/ or call us at 910.795.0664.

See how others achieved More Sales through Ron's workshops.

Sign up or Refer a friend to the Novation Selling Tuesday Morning Sales Coach.

Follow us on Twitter.

Become a fan of Novation Selling on Facebook.

© Copyright Sales Coach 2009
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TMSC - 10/6


Do you feel like you're at the prospect's mercy when it comes to control of the sales process? Set the rules for what you can ask question, and the sales process will become much easier.

- Ron

Twistin' in the Wind

Problem: 95% of salespeople are at the prospect's mercy. That's right, the prospect is in control because he's got his rules, and he gets you to play by them. He's like the all-powerful conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, and you're playing the tune HIS way. And it's costing you money, not to mention how it's messin' with your head.

Diagnosis: The vast majority of sales opportunities are orchestrated by the prospect, keeping him in control from start to finish. He's calling all the shots, and most of you are simply going along for the ride as if nothing's wrong. And he's doing it, not because he's a bad guy, but simply to protect himself just in case you're one of those stereotypical sales types that everybody hates.

Just to make sure you know the prospect's rules, here they are (in the prospect's own words).

  • I'll dangle the carrot in front of you so you think there's a possibility of really big deal.
  • I may not be totally honest with you about my situation.
  • I'll pick your brain and get as much information as I can.
  • I'll decide if I want to move forward with you and under what circumstances.
  • I'll shop your proposal around to see if I can get a better deal somewhere else. (And I won't even say, "Thanks for your help.")
  • If I don't want to talk to you, I won't return your calls.
  • I'll keep you twistin' in the wind for as long as possible if it suits my purposes.
  • I won't place any value on your time.
  • And I certainly won't feel any obligation to treat you as an equal.

The conventional seller's wisdom says this is just the way things are, not much I can do about it. I'll get my fair share of the business. But that's a loser's mentality. If you want to be on the top of the heap, if you want to get more than your "fair share," you'd better stop playing by the prospect's rules. You'd better take charge and set the rules yourself.

Novation Selling Solution: At the beginning of any sales opportunity, you have a chance to suggest the "rules" to the prospect. Tell him that you're there to see if he has a problem that you can help him with. Get permission for you to ask questions about his situation so you can really understand the problem, how it happened, how it's impacting the company (and him personally), and to find out if it's important enough to seriously consider investing in a solution. Tell him that you'll need to discuss budgets and how he/they make decisions to bring in someone like yourself to help with problems like this. And tell him you're not there to make a sales pitch because it's inappropriate this early in the dialogue. Finally, tell him that if either one of you determines that there's not a fit, you'll close the file and move on.

Most prospects will agree to these "rules." After all, they are in his best interest. So the choice is up to you. You can play by the prospect's rules or yours. Yours are in the best interest of both parties.


Good Selling!
Ron Silver


For more information, check out our website at http://www.NovationSelling.com/ or call us at 910.795.0664.

See how others achieved More Sales through Ron's workshops.

Sign up or Refer a friend to the Novation Selling Tuesday Morning Sales Coach.

Follow us on Twitter.

Become a fan of Novation Selling on Facebook.

© Copyright Sales Coach 2009
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