Category: how to prospect

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How to Power Prospect with LinkedIn Groups with Liam Austin #135

Liam Austin LinkedIn ExpertHow to Power Prospect with LinkedIn Groups with Liam Austin

Our guest today is Liam Austin from the LinkedIn Success Summit and owner of the Small Business Network LinkedIn group. His group is focused on connecting and networking entrepreneurs in small business. With over 400 million members LinkedIn is the number one social media site for business professionals. In this episode we talk about how you can engage in LinkedIn groups and ways to power prospect and generate new leads.

Why Join a LinkedIn Group

You can join up to 50 LinkedIn groups to power prospect. There are many  benefits being partof a group. Liam recommends that you:

  • When you join give value and earn credibility
  • Look for  potential partners, colleagues and even prospective clients
  • When you do join, don’t SPAM
  • Seek people asking questions and looking for help, and then give them help
  • Build relationships by creating a real conversation
  • Once you get to know a prospect,  it’s much easier to reach out and connect

LinkedIn Profile Intel

When first scouting out a prospect, do the following:

  • Look at their profile
  • Look at their engagement
  • Comment on their recent activity
  • See if they fit your market niche
  • Only focus on qualified prospects
  • Use the  advanced search tool. It’s great for finding those similar to your current best clients
  • After commenting,  reach out and connect

Connect Request

Once you have a prospective client on your radar:

  • Click on their profile
  • Author a personalized message
  • Mention previous conversations you’ve had
  • Explain the benefit you might be able to add
  • Once you get a response, ask to meet in person or on the phone

How To Connect with Liam Austin

You can find Liam across social media.

Sales Babble LinkedIn Group

This is the group I spoke about in this episode. Join us!

Social Selling

Here are some past episodes providing terrific social selling advice!

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How to Sell Big Clients and Win Tremendous Deals with Melinda Chen #114

Melinda Chen Sales Trainer

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Melinda Chen Sales TrainerHow to Sell Big Clients and Win Tremendous Deals with Melinda Chen

In this episode we meet Melinda Chen, the founder of  Women Making Big Sales. We talk about how to sell big clients and win tremendous deals.  Melinda Chen is a sales executive and trainer with 15 years of experience and 8-figures of sales track record.

She specializes helping entrepreneurs sell to “hard-to-access” decision makers,i.e. how to sell big clients.

Why You Should Sell To Big Clients

Everyone should look to earn big clients. Why?  They are more loyal given they are more stable. Small clients can go out of business. The revenue to cost ratio is better. For the same amount of work, you can earn greater sales. It’s easier to grow business with large clients. 

Big Client Sales Process

Melinda recommends that you

  1. Find a quick win by targeting the right big client. Focus on a small pool of prospective clients. Find a urgent value proposition.
  2. Establish a contact by looking for connecting person i.e., trusted advisers who are outside of the organization e.g. focus on Incubators, Journalists, Marketing Directors.   Then get referrals and an introduction.   Look for a super connector. Build a connection map.
  3. Close the sale.

2-5 Formula

Melinda believes prospecting can be a process with a formula. First start with two soft contacts from other people. This will take the cold out of the cold call. Then have 5 hard contacts. Make sure that each contact must add value.  Use the urgent value proposition to frame the value. 

How To Find Melinda Chen

Website: WomenMakingBigSales.com

Facebook: facebook.com/womenmakingbigsales/

Download her  5 Objections to Overcome When Securing Big Clients

Networking Tips

Here are some previous episodes that will aid you on how to sell big clients and win tremendous deals. Good luck!

 

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How To Be An Awesome Sales Professional with Thomas Ellis #102

Thomas Ellis Portrait

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Thomas Ellis PortraitHow To Be An Awesome Sales Professional with Thomas Ellis

Thomas Ellis, the pleasantly persistent sales coach, returns to Sales Babble to chat about his new book, “How To Be An Awesome Sales Professional in the 21st Century”.  Thomas is a sales management veteran with over 25 years’ experience in coaching, consulting, developing sales personnel and sales managers.  He has worked in  telecom, office products, hospitality, non-profits and a sales adviser for the Bowie Business Incubator in Bowie,  Maryland.

You can find Thomas’s previous episode on www.salesbabble.com/15

How To Be An Awesome Sales Professional

Effective sales people need to master the basics and close more sales.  Prospect by looking for people that match the profile of your ideal client:

  • Use LinkedIn to create content and become known. This will attract prospects.
  • Find the “triggers” to engage a prospect. e.g. see what they say and do that matches your ideal client
  • When you see the trigger, reach out and see how you can help
  • “How can I help you to achieve you goals…..” is the attitude to have when communicating with your prospects.

How To Overcome the Fear of Sales

Many people fear sales. Here are three tips to overcome sales reluctance.

  • Sales Professionals must passionate and curious
  • Ask prospects probing questions about goals and challenges
  • Always remember, it’s never about you, it’s about your prospect.  How can I help you?

What is the Sales Process?

There are only four steps to the sales process:

  1. Getting to know the customers, build rapport
  2. Qualifying the prospect, understand their needs, how they buy
  3. Gathering information and bringing back a solution/recommendation
  4. Closing the sale

Know where the customer is in the sales process. Then you can advance the sale to the next stage.

  • Have a top of mind strategy, keep them aware of you.
  • Follow up is the secret sauce of success
  • Pleasantly persistent 3 day rule – send an email to remind you.

To find Thomas Ellis

Thomas is a prolific writer on LinkedIn. Don’ miss his articles:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaseellis

On the web you can find Thomas here:

Free Resource Guide

As mentioned in the podcast, Thomas is offering a free sales resource guide.  You can Download the Ultimate Sales Resource Guide here.

Overcoming Sales Fears

Let’s continue the conversation. You can learn more about overcoming sales reluctance in previous Sales Babble episodes.  Here is just a few that you will find of value. Enjoy!

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Sales For Start-ups with Mano Behera

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Mano BeheraSales For Start-ups with Mano Behera

In this episode we talk about the many ways the skills of selling can help startups. In this 100th episode we meet Mano Behera, marketing entrepreneur and owner of the Digital Restaurant. Mano shows how he used sales techniques before marketing to understand his ideal client. This entire  episode is focused on sales for start-ups. 

Start-up Business Market Research

  1. Don’t assume, validate
  2. Use sales to validate your assumptions.  
  3. Ask the target market segment:
    1. What are you problems?
    2. What services should I provide that you would value?
    3. Listen and get the answer.

Really listen  well to what they’re saying then create services and products to address their needs.

No Marketing Until Sales

Mano sells marketing services to restaurants. Naturally  he tried marketing before selling his services, but it didn’t work.  Once he started using selling and qualifying questions to understand the restaurants, everything fell into place.

What his study found:  They tried marketing but it didn’t work. They did an unfocused shotgun approach. What they needed was all inclusive marketing plan. That’s what Mano’s Digital Restaurant provides. 

Cold Call  Sales Technique 

This is Mano’s script when he drops by a restaurant in the middle of the day

  • “My name is Mano I have a  background  in restaurants. I worked at McDonald’s for many years  but right now I’m an entrepreneur and I would love to hear what your challenges are.  Based on my experience I should be able to create a solution to boost the number of guests in your restaurant
  • This pitch was  enough for a restaurant owner to say great I’ll give you 15 minutes .  At that meeting  he asks about their marketing challenges and general state of the business. 

Need to show value in 30-90 days

Small restaurants with limited budgets need to see additional traffic, more conversions, more orders quickly. Once you make the sale, it’s time to deliver.

How To Find Mano Behera

Mano Behera | LinkedIn

The Digital Restaurant
Effective Restaurant Marketing For Consistent Profits!
Discover the effective way for restaurants and pizzerias to fine-tune their marketing mix for consistent profits.

Mano Behera (@mbehera) on Twitter

SWC is Self Paced Sales Course

You too can learn sales today!

  • Be yourself, add value , make sales

This course teaches you …

You will get:

  • Video, Audio, Checklists, Handouts and Worksheets that hold your hand
  • Work at your own pace, focus on what’s most important to you
  • Lifetime subscription to all material
  • Private Facebook group

You can enroll in the course here and immediately start Selling With Confidence today.

 

 

 

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How to Assume Rapport when Prospecting with Ken Dunn #90

Ken Dunn Sales Prospecting

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Ken Dunn Sales ProspectingHow to Assume Rapport when Prospecting with Ken Dunn #90

In this episode we meet Ken Dunn author of the book Being the Change and The Most Important Minute.  Founder and CEO Next Century Publishing and formerly a Homicide Investigator  and expert at knowing how to assume  rapport  when prospecting with a perpetrator.  As a detective he found that when he learns the “why” and show the  crime as a “solution” it was the best way to catch bad guys.

Prospecting requires same skill set.   This episode the 4 pillars of prospecting  – step  by step and how to “assume rapport” when prospecting.

4 Pillars of Prospecting

  1. Product Knowledge – expert on your product or service
  2. Locating and Connecting – find where prospects gather, meet them.
  3. Building Relationships – and rapport
  4. Coalescence – the desire to be together

Assume Rapport When Prospecting

Ken gave us this advice.  Walk up to a stranger and  take note of something in the environment.  Ask them about the environment without a salutation, then start a conversation naturally. Soon you will be qualifying them to see if they would make a great client.

Links to Ken Dunn

Skype- kendunn911

Email– ken@readerslegacy.com

Contact number– 801.455.1528

Emergency number– 702.912.2405

Facebook– facebook.com/kendunnauthor

Twitter– twitter.com/ken_dunn

Linkedin – linkedin.com/in/kendunn

Ken Dunn Biography

Ken Dunn is the founder and CEO of Next Century Publishing, and bestselling author of Being the Change, and The Most Important Minute. An incredible hunger to learn and teach others has lead Ken successfully through 5 different professional careers in the past 25 years. With a proven track record of earning tens of millions of dollars in sales, and previously selling over 200,000 copies of his books internationally, Ken is a leader and example of true success for the modern world.

 

Selling With Confidence

Learn how to improve your sales skills with these Sales Babble resources.     You too can grow your confidence in sales today!

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How To Generate Sales Leads Using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

Social-networks_aHow To Generate Sales Leads Using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

Next Wednesday, November 11th, from 7:30-9:00 AM I’ll be giving a presentation on lead generation using social media. It’s titled:

“Accelerating the Basics of Social Media for Sales Professionals

How to Connect and Go from Cold to Warm in Our Prospecting Activities.”

I’ll provide a step-by-step process to quickly find qualified leads and never cold call again.

It will be held at Aurora University Orchard Center, 2245 Sequoia Drive, Aurora, IL 60506. RSVP for the FREE presentation email or contact Shawn Green at sgreen@aurora.edu or 630-844-5527.

Come hear me babble!   I’d love to see you.

In the meanwhile if  you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.  I’m here to help.

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Stop Selling Start Leading with Deb Calvert #84

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Deb CalvertStop Selling Start Leading with Deb Calvert #84

In this episode  we welcome back Deb Calvert, best selling author, keynote speaker and founder of People First Productivity Solutions. Deb has recently been working in both the sales and leadership domains. Through that work she’s  noticed an increasing need for cross-over between the two.  She’s also observed when  sales professionals take a leadership position when working with prospects,  they are far more successful.   Deb and I chat about how sales professionals need to Stop Selling & Start Leading.

Key Ideas

  • Stop selling
  • Use questions that cause the buyer to pause and consider
  • Be curious
  • Look for organic moments to ask thoughtful and probing questions
  • Don’t assume you know what they want
  • Ask if anything has changed since you last spoke
  • Demand generation of interest
  • Differentiate through leadership – start leading

Dialogic Conversation

Dialogue that creates a euphoric response.   Buyers appreciate a positive  experience when purchasing.  Most dread being “sold to”. It’s the sellers responsibility to elicit a euphoric response.

Deb Calvert Links

Episode 26

Listen to the past episode  How Sellers Connect With Questions 

Deb Calvert Bio

Deb Calvert, bestselling author and Top 50 Sales & Marketing Influencer, founded People First Productivity Solutions
to build organizational strength by putting people first. Previously,Deb was a Senior Sales Training Director for a Fortune 500.  
Deb has delighted audiences in a wide variety of industries as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. She writes the award-winning CONNECT2Sell and CONNECT2Lead blogs. Now she’s leading the movement to Stop Selling & Start Leading.   

Books

Now a workshop based on the bestseller! Complete with customized participant workbooks. Call for information 408-779-PFP
Giveaway:
Like the PFPS Facebook page where you’ll get Deb‘s weekly CONNECT2Sell and CONNECT2Lead Blog posts + other content to help you continually build your selling skills. Post a message to letDeb know you heard her on this show & she’ll send you an excerpt from DISCOVER Questions® Get You Connected for Professional Sellers

Sales Training, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting

Selling With Confidence  is  the online self-paced sales course that teaches you  how to ….

  • Be Yourself
  • Add Value
  • Make Sales

Go here and see  how you can start  selling with confidence today

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7 Habits of Highly Successful LinkedIn Users with Dennis Brown

Dennis Brown on LinkedIn

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Dennis Brown on LinkedIn7 Habits of Highly Successful LinkedIn Users with Dennis Brown

In this episode we meet the author of The  7 Habits of Highly Successful LinkedIn Users, Dennis Brown. Dennis shares his system for generating leads and helping sellers attain their business goals.

Dennis honed his LinkedIn skills at a logistics freight management company he started in 2003. Once he found a 6 figure client using LinkedIn,  he was sold that this was a great way to find new clients.

LinkedIn is best suited for B2B (business to business) lead generation.

The LinkedIn System

  1. Connect to all your customers on LinkedIn
  2. Connect with all your friends and colleagues on LinkedIn
  3. Look at people connected to friends and clients in your target market
  4. Ask them to introduce you to other connections

Network with LinkedIn Referral Sources

  • Use the advanced search of LinkedIn to find common people or groups
  • If in the same group send an InMail introducing yourself
  • Possible script to create a common bond e.g. the group, common friends, common geography, background, alumni, or skills.  Tell them it makes sense for us to connect
  • Do not give them a pitch!
  • Finish the message with “I thought it would be interesting to connect”
  • 50-80% of the people will accept your connection request
  • Any follow up is no longer a cold call

Advice….

Don’t treat your profile like it’s a resume. Update your profile to reflect your business before connecting with others.

Dennis Brown on LinkedIn and Website

This is his website  www.LinkedAcademy.com

LInkedIn   https://www.linkedin.com/in/askdennisbrown

Free eBook…. text Dennis 63975 with the word “ebook”.

20 Secrets For Sales Success 

Instantly Download “The 20 Secrets For Sales Success” and stop your fear of sales in it’s tracks.  Learn how you can skyrocket your confidence today.

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Small Business Sales Techniques an interview with Kent Zaretzke #75

Kent Zaretske

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Kent ZaretskeSmall Business Sales Techniques

Today we travel to the  shores of Lake Winnebago in Neenah Wisconsin to  meet Kent  Zaretzke who owns a Mr. Sandless floor refinishing business.  Kent  is  a classic small  business owner who uses sales to grow revenue. In this episode Kent shares  how he first  connects with prospective clients at networking meetings, how he follows up,  and closes new business. For Kent the trick is to build trust and never ever be pushy!

Kent tells us all his selling secrets. No matter what you sell, you will find value in these small business sales techniques.

Networking Event Advice

  • So what do you do?  “We refinish wood floors, but we do it in a unique way”. 
  • Kent is not pushy, he only wants qualified prospects
  • If they are qualified he will say “Here is my card, you can call me. Would you mind if I call you in a couple days if I haven’t heard from you?”
  • Kent believes in building trust.  Never pushy or salesy.
  • If they don’t answer he will call twice. He will leave a voice message.   “Hey Joe this Kent from Mr. Sandless we’re Floor Refinishing , and I talked to Susy at the networking event. She gave me your number and mentioned you were looking to have your floors refinished, I just wanted to give you a quick call, I hope she told you this!  If not I’d like to talk a little bit about your floors and see what I can do for you, explain a little bit about our process, because it’s a unique process and I think it might be a good fit for you.  If you could just give me a call back my number is 920-558-9663.”
  • Typically a purchase is around $1K.   He understands it’s big decision for many families. He is patient.
  • He offers to give a free estimate. On the estimate sheet he shows the problem issues. He is very clear what non-sanding will do and what it won’t do.
  • To close the deal  he asks the prospect when they are thinking of making a decision…. if it’s soon, he will ask if they can put it on the calendar right now.

Links to  Learn More  About Kent

Do you live in Wisconsin? Have some wood floors that need TLC?  If so connect with Kent and ask for an estimate:

Selling With Confidence

But before we get started I want you to know  this episode is brought to you by Selling With Confidence, the online self-paced sales course that teaches you how be yourself, add value and make sales. Start selling with confidence today.

Sales Babble Mini Course

Also mentioned in this episode the Pitch Your Business Mini Course.  Learn how to give a sales pitch in ONLY 10 minutes. Stop the fear of sales in it’s tracks!

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Prospecting for New Sales Leads with Steve Kloyda #73

Sales Consultant Steve Kloyda

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Sales Consultant Steve KloydaProspecting For New Sales Leads

Today’s guest is Steve Kloyda the prospecting expert when it comes to prospecting for new leads. In this episode we will cover:

  • Prospecting Sales
  • Prospecting Tips
  • Prospecting Strategies
  • Prospecting Ideas

Cold Calling in 1980

When Steve started in sales his first lessons included:

  • How to connect with the senior VP, President, or business owner.
  • How to educate them.
  • How to ask for the business.

Back in the day cold calling was …..

  • No voicemail, either gatekeepers or no answer.
  • His first script was “Hi I’m Steve Kloyda do you have a moment to talk ?”
  • “The purpose of my call is to let you know about XYZ stock how many shares do you want to buy?”
  • Steve was taught to make 100 dials everyday, paint a picture in the mind of the listener what you’re trying to communicate.

From this he learned the fundamentals of successful sales prospecting.

“Cold Calling is Not Dead”

How To Prospecting From Scratch

If you’re starting from scratch, it’s hard and takes energy but it can be done. Steve recommends:

  • Make a list of every company in your area.
  • Find the executive team and connect on LinkedIn.
  • Call them but makes sure every call and voicemail adds value.
  • Find qualified candidates  to get an appointment

Voice Mails Must Add Value

You have only one opportunity to make a great first impression. This is Steve’s script with urgency and a compelling reason

“Hi this is Steve Kloyda with the Prospecting Expert my phone number is NUMBER, 

The purpose of my voice mail today is that we have created an XYZ that provides a BENEFIT

Pat If you want to learn more about our unique XYZ give me a call at your earliest convenience my phone number is NUMBER or if you prefer to email me at EMAIL. 

And Pat I want to thank you for the time to listen to this voicemail and I look forward to speaking to you soon.”

 

Gordon Gecko on the original “Wall Street” is a Steve’s favorite example working with the GateKeeper Natalie.

“What’s on your mind, why should I even listen to you”

Steve Kloyda Bio

For more than 30 years, Steve Kloyda has been creating unique selling

experiences that transform the lives of salespeople, prospects and customers.

In addition to facilitating thousands of workshops across the country, he has

personally:

• Made more than 250,000 telephone sales and prospecting calls.

• Listened to and analyzed more than 25,000 sales calls.

• Facilitated more than 6,000 one-on-one coaching sessions.

Steve’s mission is creating ideas that Inspire, Encourage and Empower

salespeople to get in the door and drive more sales!

Find Steve here

Win a copy of ScreenFlow

This is a $99 value for screencasting and editing software from Telestream.

To win go to www.salesbabble.com/contest and enter your name. I will pick a winner on August 24th, 2015

Sales Training, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting

Become confident in sales and grow your business. Check out the Selling With ConfidenceSales System for both new and experienced sellers. This is an opportunity for you to

  • Be Yourself
  • Add Value
  • Make Sales

Don’t be shy. You too can start Selling With Confidence today!