Do you often hear this from prospects: "send me some literature?" How many of those turn to actual sales? Find out how to avoid the wasted of time and money that results from brochure brush-off.
- Ron
The Brochure Brush-Off
Salespeople have tons of literature from the marketing department to mail to prospects that request information. The problem is that 90% of the literature that is sent out becomes just "litter." The bigger problem is that the salesperson is under the "illusion" that the prospect is really interested and will give them an appointment. The reality is that the literature went straight to the trash due to the "Send me a Brochure Brush-Off."
Diagnosis: Most salespeople think anything other than a "no" keeps them in the game. They mistakenly look at a "no" as a failure on their part. Many salespeople actually believe their prospects need to see literature prior to an appointment.
The Novation Selling Solution: Track your sales history. How many sales were made when the first step in the process was to send a brochure? If your experience is similar to people we have talked to, the number is painfully low. The only people who benefit from the sending of literature as the first step in the selling process are your printer, the postal service, and your competitor, as it will probably end up with them or in the trash.
You should not send literature unless you understand what the prospect wants to know and exactly what is going to happen after the prospect has the information. The only way to know for sure is to ask questions until you hear the answers you need. If you have been able to keep the prospect speaking long enough to find these things out, you should be able to get an appointment to see them. If you absolutely must send information, send only the information that relates to the prospect's problems they are trying to solve. Then agree on a date and time to call them to find out whether it makes sense to meet or to close the file.
Unless you have a good understanding of your prospects' problems and a firm commitment from the prospect to do something once they have the literature, don't waste your time or your company's money.
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.
Refer a friend to Novation Sales Training's Tuesday Morning Sales Coach.
Follow us on Twitter.
- 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
No comments:
Post a Comment