Last week we had a fairly large crowd in our Conference Center for the IMPACT Selling Open Seminar – 43 salespeople – all from different industries, different areas of the country and three from the Ukraine. But after spending time with this group of salespeople and countless others over the last 13 years, I’ve noticed 3 mistakes that seem almost universal in selling…

1. Too little research and groundwork to really understand the prospect’s business BEFORE meeting with them
2. Too few probing questions to get the prospect verbalizing their needs and wants
3. And the perennial sales mistake of too much talking and too little listening

All of these problems are symptoms of a larger disease that plagues salespeople and eats away at their ability to succeed – Not focusing on the customer. If you can’t take the time to understand their business, uncover their needs and wants and listen to their concerns, why should your customers and prospects trust you or believe that you have anything valuable to offer?

So here’s my advice: Try taking just 5 more minutes…

• Spend 5 more minutes on research and investigation before meeting your prospect
• Spend 5 more minutes preparing questions that will uncover information you need to make the sale
• Spend 5 more minutes asking questions and listening to your prospect before you jump in speak again

Yes, I know that salespeople often think, “I’m not paid to sit in front of my computer and do research…I’m not paid to hang around listening to prospects yak all day…I’ve got to get in there and sell something and move on to the next one.” That’s why I’m suggesting you take just 5 more minutes in these three key areas – that’s 15 minutes more per sale – invested entirely in focusing on your customer. You’ll be amazed at how well those 15 minutes pay off.

Next Monday, I’ll give you some specific suggestions on how to use those extra 5 minutes to increase your chances of making the sale.

Submitted by: Richard Dickerson

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Remember:

• People buy for their reasons…not yours! You need to learn why they’ll buy.
• You need to ask questions to determine why they’ll buy.
• In a more complex sale – multiple motivations/reasons/choices to buy abound.
• Ask yourself, “What needs do I fill?” Then develop questions to get them telling you what they need.
• Ask yourself, “What benefits do they seek – then ask questions relative to the benefits your product/service delivers.”
• Conduct a best question audit and use those questions.
• Master the art of follow-up questions (ex. “Why do you say that?” or “Could you tell me more.”
• Answers will tell you exactly what and how to preset your product or service.

Is it that simple? Yes, it is. Just figure it out!

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Asking the right questions - everyone knows that’s where the heart of successful selling is. So Bill Brooks has some questions for you:

One more question: Have you subscribed to the Evolution yet?

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On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your listening skills? I’m willing to bet you rated yourself too high. Don’t believe me? Ask someone who knows you really well like a spouse, co-worker, close friend or relative and see how they score you.

The truth is that all too often on a sales appointment, we, as salespeople, are so worried about what we’re going to say next that we’re not listening to what the prospect or customer is talking about. Heaven forbid we ask a question and a period of silence follows. Somebody is always supposed to be talking, right? Wrong!

While “dead air” might be a disaster if you’re a radio talk show host; it’s not necessarily a bad thing on a sales interview — a little silence could make the sale. The next time you ask a question and your prospect rubs his or her chin and remains silent, don’t say a word. That’s right, sit quietly, lean forward toward the prospect, keep eye contact and have your pen in hand ready to take notes. Your prospect will answer you when they’re ready, and what’s more, they’ll appreciate your patience and respect.

Resist the temptation to speak up and answer for the prospect – you might give the wrong answer. And your answer doesn’t matter anyway; it’s what the prospects say that counts. How many times have we complained about salespeople who don’t listen? Here’s your chance to show you’re different from other salespeople.

Go ahead; listen your way to a sale.

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For more than 45 years, sports fans have listened to the baritone voice of sportscaster Pat Summerall on both television and radio. His name is synonymous with some of America’s greatest sporting events, including the Super Bowl and The Masters Golf Tournament.

Younger viewers probably don’t remember that Pat Summerall was a former professional football player himself. His 10-year career ended in 1961, following four seasons as a place-kicker and tight end for the New York Giants.

When Pat hung up his cleats, he entered the world of broadcasting as sports reporter on a New York radio station. Anxious to master his new trade and not be lumped in with the new wave of “ex-jocks” entering TV and radio, Summerall sought the sage advice of one of TV and radio’s master interviewers, Art Linkletter.

At the time, Linkletter was the host of the long-running House Party program that featured interviews with children. Linkletter advised Summerall that they key to interviewing wasn’t what the interviewer said; it was how well the interviewer listened. “It doesn’t have anything to do with what you’re thinking, you have to listen to them to understand what they have going in their minds.
That same advice plays to a sales audience just as well. Successful salespeople don’t focus on themselves and what they want to say. Instead, they listen carefully to their prospects and clients to find out what issues are going on in their minds. As Linkletter so appropriately stated, “If you don’t listen closely, you’ll be in trouble.”

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