Selling From Your Heart...a Sales Approach for Franchise Professionals

Written by Flo Schell, EdM, Certified Sales Coach, Founder Franchise Coaching Systems


WE know thatrepparttar profession of franchise sales is an honorable one...and that many franchise sales professionals are great at what they do...but let's face it...for many peoplerepparttar 139071 word "selling" is a mighty nasty word...andrepparttar 139072 idea of dealing with a "salesperson" is akin to having a root canal!

Even you and I have experienced obnoxious salespeople who have turned us off...made us cringe...and even stopped us from pursuing a purchase that we really wanted.

So how can we expect our prospects to trust us if we ourselves have had a poor experience or two?

Well, if you're anything likerepparttar 139073 franchise sales professionals that I know...you're always up for a challenge!

And what could be more challenging thanrepparttar 139074 current climate that we find ourselves in? This isrepparttar 139075 era ofrepparttar 139076 uninvited dinnertime Tele-Marketer andrepparttar 139077 "Do Not Call" Registry...an era characterized by educated prospects who want to "invite" sales professionals into their lives...not be bombarded by them!

And what does that create for us...the franchise sales professionals ofrepparttar 139078 world? It creates a wonderful opportunity to prove that franchise salespeople are professional, and relationship-oriented and different fromrepparttar 139079 rest! And when we handle our jobs in this way, it creates an opportunity for us to meet and surpass our quarterly sales goals atrepparttar 139080 same time.

Are you in?

I thought so!

So, here we go...

Step 1-KNOW YOURSELF AND YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

What makes you unique and what makes you tick? Why would prospects want to partner with you? Is it your knowledge? Or, is it your style? Is itrepparttar 139081 years of experience that you have in your business? Perhaps it's your openness and your ability to keep conversations going for a long, long time.

Similarly, what is it about your franchised product or service that is unique? What can you tell someone about your concept that will make them curious and want to know more? What is it that your company offers that no other company can match?

Step 2-GET CLEAR ON WHO YOU WANT TO ATTRACT

Who are your "Ideal Prospects"? Have you profiled those individuals? What qualities do they have? What skillsets? What traits? Create an "Ideal Prospects" checklist. List all ofrepparttar 139082 qualities that you are looking for and keep it in full sight. Be open torepparttar 139083 idea that you can ADD or SUBTRACT from this list as your business profile changes. Imagine what it would be like to be in a business partnership with these types of people.

Step 3-LOOK FOR YOUR "IDEAL PROSPECTS" EVERYWHERE

This is like a treasure hunt. Sure, your prospects are coming to you primarily viarepparttar 139084 internet...but where else can you find them? What newspapers and magazines do they read? What radio stations do they listen to? What TV shows do they watch? What types of advertisements can you create for those media? Where might you meet your prospects in person? Do they hang out in Starbucks or atrepparttar 139085 local gym? Go ahead...seek them out!

Step 4-CREATE AN IMAGE FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO SEE

How can you portray yourself and your concept to your ideal prospects? What can you send them that will make them curious about your business? Should you include a picture of your flagship store or a photo of your smiling face? Can you pose a question in your copy that will make them say...Hmmm? Should your business card be strictly professional or warm and casual? If you were them, what would make YOU reach out?

Don't Be Like Needle Nose Ned

Written by Kevin M. Stirtz


Inrepparttar 20 years since I was in college I have read a lot of books and articles on how to sell and I've attended a lot of sales classes and seminars. I've even taught a few classes and I've written a few articles about it. In this time I have seen a lot of different theories on how to sell.

One theory of how to sell has never worked for me. I call itrepparttar 138375 "Needle Nose Ned" school of selling. It's named forrepparttar 138376 pesky insurance salesman named Ned fromrepparttar 138377 movie "Groundhog Day". If you've seenrepparttar 138378 movie, you no doubt remember Ned. No matter what your situation is Ned will try to sell you insurance. And if you already have insurance, he'll try to sell you more.

In Ned's view ofrepparttar 138379 world, everyone needs what he's selling, whether they really need it or not.

It seems there are fewer of these salespeople around these days (thank goodness) but they do still exist. They are only concerned with selling you what they have available. Somewhere, sometime, someone told themrepparttar 138380 way to sell is to ask everyone they see if they want to buy what they have. They don't worry if that person would never, ever have a need for what they're selling. They just ask, ask, ask. as ifrepparttar 138381 act of asking will somehow make people want what they are selling.

I know inrepparttar 138382 past I have said you need to ask forrepparttar 138383 order. And you do. But,repparttar 138384 "Neds" ofrepparttar 138385 world take it too far because they ask everyone regardless of their interest or need.

The key in selling anything is to spend your time with people who have an interest in what you can do for them. Notice I didn't say need. A need that is ignored might as well not even exist. For someone to buy from you they first must be interested in what you have to offer.

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