Tuesday’s Sales Truth {9.25.07}

The Tuesday's Sales Truths are taken from Bill Brooks' Book Entitled: Universal Sales Truths
[ratings]

No Comments

by Brooks Group Filed under: Professional Selling No Comments

What Does Your Buyer Want From Your Price?

This is the want where many salespeople have the greatest angst…the price want. For too many salespeople, having to present price or even anticipating having to present price is the most daunting of all the salespersons’ activities. It doesn’t have to be this way.

All buyers have a price want and that does not necessarily mean lowest price. To the franchisee, for example, it means a sensible price. A prudent price is “proof” that the franchisee’s need for respectability is satisfied. Like most buyers, the price want to the franchisee is a function of value in terms of the four wants discussed previously. Prices are just numbers that can only be meaningful when considered in terms of the value to the buyer…price is actually a component of the value equation.

The price want is one that’s sensible to the buyer (franchisee in this case) that makes sense for what it includes. It’s neither high nor low, but simply prudent. So, focus on building value rather than simply quoting a price, and fearing rejection of it.

Without corresponding value to your prospect, any price by itself invites rejection. And well it should – the primary reason we salespeople exist is to build value – not to hide behind a price.

Submitted by:

[ratings]

No Comments

by Richard Dickerson Filed under: Professional Selling No Comments

Are your voicemails greetings spreading lies about you?

I’m not sure of the exact percentage, but it sure seems like most of the time I call a salesperson, customer service representative, or prospect I get a recording and directed into voicemail. That wouldn’t be so bad if the voice on that message wasn’t lying to me more than half the time. What do I mean?

How often has the voicemail greeting you’ve heard say something like the following message? “Your call is important to me. Please leave your name and number and I’ll call you right back.”

What a load of garbage. The salesperson or customer service representative doesn’t call you back. Instead, if you need their service bad enough, you call back several times and when you finally get someone they act like they never got the message or tell you “I was just going to call you.” Yeah, right!

More and more, it appears companies, salespeople, and prospects are screening their calls by sending people into voicemail. I’m not going to debate whether that’s right or wrong; however, if your message says you’re going to call the person back right away and you don’t, you are a liar, plain and simple.

How about you? Does your voicemail greeting promise a call back? Perhaps you don’t feel you owe someone a call if you think they’re only calling you to sell you something you might not need. If that’s the case, remove the part of the message that says “I will call you back.” Instead, try a message that says something like “You’ve reached the desk of ______. I’m not able to take your call right now. At the tone, you may leave a message.” Now, at least you’re not promising to call someone back.

One of the ways I differentiate myself in the marketplace is by returning calls as soon as I can. You’d be amazed at the responses I hear. Clients and prospects have frequently stopped to tell me how much they appreciated my sense of urgency on their behalf and the fact I lived up to my word to call back.

Think about your voicemail greeting. Is it building up your credibility or positioning you as a liar?

Submitted by:
[ratings]

1 Comment

by Kevin Reinert Filed under: Professional Selling 1 Comment