Sell at the top -- enjoy greater success!

Written by Frank Williams


As a former CEO of a good size industrial company, I always found it strange that I didn't have more salespeople call me directly. Did they know I always answered my own phone? Did they not intuitively understand that, at some point, I would be involved in any major buying decision? Did they not grasp that getting to know me and understand my thinking would be a smart move in closing any sales with my firm? And, to me, starting atrepparttar top seems to berepparttar 127147 best place to begin any sales cycle, yet my phone rarely had salesman attached torepparttar 127148 other end and many studies on sales techniques confirm this.

Would you be surprised to find out that more than seventy-five percent of high-level decision makers are involved early-on in any major buying process? A more shocking statistic yields that less than five percent of all salespeople talk torepparttar 127149 high-level decision maker. Why is this?

Global Marketing, Inc. held discussions with many salespeople about this inhibitor to greater sales achievement. Lack of business knowledge, low confidence or no experience connecting with high-level decision makers isrepparttar 127150 most common feedback as to why these sales people don't start atrepparttar 127151 top. Global Marketing suggests that if you have these individuals in your organization - route them out fast or train them how to approach and close on high-level decision makers, or your competitor will!

Selling atrepparttar 127152 highest level in any account makes good selling sense. Calling on these top-level people means talking to someone who hasrepparttar 127153 ability to say "yes" or "no" to your idea. Going straight torepparttar 127154 top means shorter sales cycle, better treatment, and will create additional pull for your idea. Those that sell atrepparttar 127155 top usually find there is less competition because (as earlier stated) most salespeople are too intimidated to call onrepparttar 127156 top decision maker. And when wasrepparttar 127157 last time you heard a top decision maker suggest that they don't haverepparttar 127158 budget for an idea they like.

Failure to call at a high level within a targeted business come with a variety of salespeople rationalizations. Many individuals we spoke to said they were afraid to go overrepparttar 127159 head of their lower-level contact in fear of offending them. Others stated they feel intimidated byrepparttar 127160 top level decision makers.

Understanding the sales process to close more sales

Written by Andre Plessis


Understanding The Sales Process To Close More Sales

You may not have put much thought into it but if you are a business owner and sell products and/or services to consumers or/and businesses then you are a sales person. Have you spent enough time understandingrepparttar sales process and what it takes to close more sales for your business? If you haven’t this October Newsletter will help you understandrepparttar 127146 sales process, how your prospects think and how you can close more sales.

There are two things in your business you need to master and those are marketing and selling skills.

Most marketers don’t give a lot of thought torepparttar 127147 buying processes of their clients. That’s very unfortunate. Paying attention torepparttar 127148 buying process can have a dramatic effect on your revenue. It is extremely important to understand that although people inquire about your products/services, it doesn’t mean they arerepparttar 127149 ideal prospect. There are many reasons why people may not buy your stuff which has nothing to do with you.

Each and every one of us goes through some sort of buying process when we make a purchase decision. At timesrepparttar 127150 process is long as when making a big purchase. At other moments it happens almost without thought when buying an inexpensive item. Sometimes we may be seeking information on a products or service but that doesn’t mean we are ready to buy right away. May be we need to be convinced that we are makingrepparttar 127151 right decision.

It is very important that early inrepparttar 127152 sales process you differentiaterepparttar 127153 prospect that is onrepparttar 127154 market to buy andrepparttar 127155 one WHO DOESN’T KNOW WHAT HE WANTS. Don’t spend much time onrepparttar 127156 second one; you will be wasting your time and energy.

Generally speaking,repparttar 127157 buying process consists of four steps.

Do they really need it?

During this step, shoppers realize they WANT or MAY need something. They realize that they have a problem or a desire, and they choose to find a solution. If this need is strong enough chances are that they will make a quick decision and buy from you or your competition. Ifrepparttar 127158 need is not really there, they will just shop around and won’t be making a quick decision. That decision could be made in a few months or may be never. It is extremely important that you identifyrepparttar 127159 real prospect torepparttar 127160 undecided shopper. It can be very frustrating to deal with those undecided people. You should focus your energy onrepparttar 127161 real buyers. I consider this stage interviewrepparttar 127162 most critical part of any sales process. The interview isrepparttar 127163 stage where you try to get to know your customer's needs, concerns, issues, objections, and real desires. It's fromrepparttar 127164 interview that you have enough information to determine how to present your products and services.

Information Search

Oncerepparttar 127165 choice has been made to fill a need or want,repparttar 127166 prospects begin to search for information in order to makerepparttar 127167 best buying decision that is in his/her best interest. Make sure you give all information necessary to help them make a buying decision. You should offer some way forrepparttar 127168 prospect to remember you, such as brochures and catalogs, a way to bookmark your site, newsletter etc.) Free samples, test drives, free report and other means of “trial” work extremely well to guiderepparttar 127169 prospect throughrepparttar 127170 information search stage and ontorepparttar 127171 evaluation and purchase stages. In this particular state ofrepparttar 127172 buying process make sure to educaterepparttar 127173 process as much as and make sure you differentiate your company fromrepparttar 127174 competition. In that particular stage you will need to do two things. Educate your prospect and create an interest.

When educating your prospect on your products/services, be sure to present reasons for them to buy. Remember...solve a need, problem, or improve a current situation. The Key: Give them reasons to buy. Your recommendation showsrepparttar 127175 customer your personal efforts and interest in helping him. He will be able to compare your products and services torepparttar 127176 competition, and seerepparttar 127177 difference (if there is any). This should bring out his final objections, giving yourepparttar 127178 opportunity to answer all his questions.

Your recommendation should be designed to relate value to your customer. Here is where your product or service begins showing logical and practical solutions torepparttar 127179 customer’s problems, needs, and goals. This is where you lay out your plan of action and explain howrepparttar 127180 process will work for your prospect. This step will also uncover and give yourepparttar 127181 opportunity to handle objections.

Find out about their objections

Oftenrepparttar 127182 trial close will lead to objections. You might say, "So which program do you feel most comfortable with?" (That's a soft form ofrepparttar 127183 trial close.) Your customer will probably respond with objections (e.g., price, features, delivery, no time, or no need). During this step, don't' try to counterrepparttar 127184 objections. Continuerepparttar 127185 interview and learn all you can about their objections and challenges. You need to help them make a decision and they need to be reassured they are makingrepparttar 127186 right decision. Try to learn whetherrepparttar 127187 objections are honest or made up becauserepparttar 127188 prospect doesn't want to hurt your feelings, or genuinely isn't interested in buying at this time.

Handle objections

Your options are to rebuttal an objection, change your offer, or provide other incentives. But make sure you dorepparttar 127189 homework and actually follow up withrepparttar 127190 prospect. Occasionally, you will find an objection is legitimate and you really can't meetrepparttar 127191 prospect's needs. Be honest, wish him luck then walk away. Don’t waste your time with undecided people who do not know what they want.

Evaluation

After your prospects have collected allrepparttar 127192 information they feel is necessary and you have answered all their objections, they begin to evaluate their options and narrow their choices until they finally pickrepparttar 127193 one thing that they are comfortable with, and that they can afford. This isrepparttar 127194 time to follow-up with your prospects. Is there additional information they need in order to choose your company? Did they have any issues withrepparttar 127195 free sample that can be corrected? Your presence duringrepparttar 127196 evaluation stage is important, so do your best to retain customer contact information in order to offer any additional informationrepparttar 127197 buyer might need.

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