I was thinking the other day why I had not written here for a few days, and realized that I was BUSY. It dawned on me at the same time, that is the same excuse that most sales people use to get out of everything that they don't want to do. Let me explain.
I have been traveling, taking care of administrative stuff, thinking, and even taking some time off, all behind the mask of "busy". So it has been easy for me to NOT write here, which is exactly what I don't want to happen. I have found these to be the same excuses that sales people use to get out of the most basic of responsibilities.
In other words, I have use other things as a way to get out of what I need to do. What about you? Have you used reasons of BUSY to not prospect, make that follow up call, do the research needed, go on that last appointment, not finish the proposal on time? All of these things are far more important than being busy. In fact, they are the REAL busy in busy.
Give me your comments.
Good Selling,
Steve
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Weather great
Today the weather is great, and it is a day that many people start thinking that summer will be the worse time to sell. I do not believe it that, but not for the reason that you might think.
Usually, the theory goes, is that people are either away or they are so bored that you can sell to them. In other words, if they are in the office they will see you, and buy. Therefore summer is good. The bad summer is from those people who think that no one is at work or will not buy anything now.
Here is my thinking; business has to go on. People have to work, they have to buy, use, and buy again the products that they just used. The cycle continues all the time. YES, I agree that July 4th is not a day to sell, although I could debate that too, but short of that keep on selling through the hot summer months.
Now, I had a discussion with a client of mine the other night. He said that he thought that his reps would not be right if they tried to predict this year's selling. His sale cycle is 6 month, and I said, based on that, the year is over. No he said, it isn't, you never know what will happen. I asked what would happen. He said, the big deal could still come in earlier than expected. I said, how many times does that happen. He said Never! I said, then why do you think it will happen now, he said, because it will some day.
Who is right.
Well, we both are. The year is over, but there is always a chance that some big deal will happen that no one knows about. The question is do you want to try to live off of that deal? NOT!
Make sure you watch your sales cycle and understand how to predict closing business, or you will fool your self.
Anyway, it is time to go, have a good day and
Good Selling,
Steve
Usually, the theory goes, is that people are either away or they are so bored that you can sell to them. In other words, if they are in the office they will see you, and buy. Therefore summer is good. The bad summer is from those people who think that no one is at work or will not buy anything now.
Here is my thinking; business has to go on. People have to work, they have to buy, use, and buy again the products that they just used. The cycle continues all the time. YES, I agree that July 4th is not a day to sell, although I could debate that too, but short of that keep on selling through the hot summer months.
Now, I had a discussion with a client of mine the other night. He said that he thought that his reps would not be right if they tried to predict this year's selling. His sale cycle is 6 month, and I said, based on that, the year is over. No he said, it isn't, you never know what will happen. I asked what would happen. He said, the big deal could still come in earlier than expected. I said, how many times does that happen. He said Never! I said, then why do you think it will happen now, he said, because it will some day.
Who is right.
Well, we both are. The year is over, but there is always a chance that some big deal will happen that no one knows about. The question is do you want to try to live off of that deal? NOT!
Make sure you watch your sales cycle and understand how to predict closing business, or you will fool your self.
Anyway, it is time to go, have a good day and
Good Selling,
Steve
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Obsession
I was with a sales rep yesterday who was so upset he could hardly speak. When I asked him what the problem was he said that he had lost a deal he had been working on for the last six months, and could not get over it.
I understand that we all want to make the big sales, even the little ones, but the one thing that I DO NOT want you to do is become so obsessed over it that you cannot see your way through the forest.
Everyone has their hot buttons, the little, or big, things that gets them crazy. And, to be frank, I have met my fair share of nut cases in the world. (No, you are NOT one of them!). We have to learn to control those obsessions or they will take over the day, like it was doing to this sales rep. Focus on making sales every day, and let the ones that are not going to happen, happen that way. Do the best you can, and move on to better and even bigger thing!
Good Selling,
Steve
I understand that we all want to make the big sales, even the little ones, but the one thing that I DO NOT want you to do is become so obsessed over it that you cannot see your way through the forest.
Everyone has their hot buttons, the little, or big, things that gets them crazy. And, to be frank, I have met my fair share of nut cases in the world. (No, you are NOT one of them!). We have to learn to control those obsessions or they will take over the day, like it was doing to this sales rep. Focus on making sales every day, and let the ones that are not going to happen, happen that way. Do the best you can, and move on to better and even bigger thing!
Good Selling,
Steve
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The HEAT!
Weather can make or break a salesperson's day. How many times are we out in the heat going to or from a meeting, or getting wet walking down the street, or being just plain cold?
We cannot avoid the weather. Now don't get me wrong, I do not want to compare our job to the people who work outside for a living; they have it bad.
But this heat wave reminded me of a story that changed my career.
It was a cold, rainy, windy day in New York and I was out canvassing the street for sales appointments. Those are lots of fun in any weather!
It was so bad outside tat I decided to go to a movie, thinking that would be a place that I would be dry.
I found the theatre, and walked in. There much to my surprise were 1million other sales people! They were doing the same thing, getting out of the cold. I stood there for a moment, and then walked out!
My reasoning was simple, I did not want to be like "THEM". I am not putting anyone down, its just that I realised that if I stayed at the movie I would be like every other sales person. It would never get me to the top, but put me squarely in the middle or bottom.
I never regretted that I did walk out, but I never did see the movie!
Good Selling,
Steve
We cannot avoid the weather. Now don't get me wrong, I do not want to compare our job to the people who work outside for a living; they have it bad.
But this heat wave reminded me of a story that changed my career.
It was a cold, rainy, windy day in New York and I was out canvassing the street for sales appointments. Those are lots of fun in any weather!
It was so bad outside tat I decided to go to a movie, thinking that would be a place that I would be dry.
I found the theatre, and walked in. There much to my surprise were 1million other sales people! They were doing the same thing, getting out of the cold. I stood there for a moment, and then walked out!
My reasoning was simple, I did not want to be like "THEM". I am not putting anyone down, its just that I realised that if I stayed at the movie I would be like every other sales person. It would never get me to the top, but put me squarely in the middle or bottom.
I never regretted that I did walk out, but I never did see the movie!
Good Selling,
Steve
Saturday, June 7, 2008
TIME AGAIN
I am working on the new book "The Organized Salesperson" and have finished the 3rd chapter.
Whenever I start these projects it brings me back to my roots, when I had to master the skills that I teach now. So, let me give you some thoughts about time:
You waste about 60% of you day
You need to have a plan for your personal success
You should know your ratios: how many appointments to how many sales, etc.
You need to track your time every hour of every day
You need to keep some form of benchmark so you know how far you have traveled
Give these some thoughts, and if you have anything else to add, write.
Good Selling,
Steve
Whenever I start these projects it brings me back to my roots, when I had to master the skills that I teach now. So, let me give you some thoughts about time:
You waste about 60% of you day
You need to have a plan for your personal success
You should know your ratios: how many appointments to how many sales, etc.
You need to track your time every hour of every day
You need to keep some form of benchmark so you know how far you have traveled
Give these some thoughts, and if you have anything else to add, write.
Good Selling,
Steve
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Need to make calls every day?
I know that the last thing that you want to do is call every day. I was with a person the other day, who said that she was now required to make cold calls, and frankly it wasn't her thing. Here are some tips:
Call every day, and try to do it the same time so it becomes a habit
Count how many people you have to speak to in order to get the meeting. You will know by those ratios how many calls you need to make, and will learn to count "no's"
Develop a script that will work for you. Listen to it, and then get a list of the common responses that you get and turn those around, so you are ready for anything that can be thrown at you.
Learn to take NO for an answer. Too many sales people stay on the phone...forever...to get the appointment. Let is go after a few minutes. You can always call back at another time, they will not remember you anyway.
When you got out of school and got this job, you were gung- ho about making it. This is as good as it gets, make it work for you.
Good Selling,
Steve
Call every day, and try to do it the same time so it becomes a habit
Count how many people you have to speak to in order to get the meeting. You will know by those ratios how many calls you need to make, and will learn to count "no's"
Develop a script that will work for you. Listen to it, and then get a list of the common responses that you get and turn those around, so you are ready for anything that can be thrown at you.
Learn to take NO for an answer. Too many sales people stay on the phone...forever...to get the appointment. Let is go after a few minutes. You can always call back at another time, they will not remember you anyway.
When you got out of school and got this job, you were gung- ho about making it. This is as good as it gets, make it work for you.
Good Selling,
Steve
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