Category: sales qualifying questions

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Don’t Be Afraid to Sell an Interview with Andy Rudin

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andy rudinOur  guest in this episode is Andy Rudin, a  Managing Principal of Contrary Domino Inc.  Andy is a long time sales professional who helps B2B companies identify, assess, and manage a broad spectrum of revenue risks.

Today he explains why it’s important to embrace sales and don’t be afraid to sell!

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Selling is Not a Bad Thing!

Andy states a number of times in the episode  to stop selling the wrong way. But don’t stop selling. No commercial enterprise has been successful long term without being really good at persuading prospects to buy.

He feels sellers hear to often to  not be pushy, to listen and be helpful. But he believes at some time you need to sell. No sales professional gets an award for being the most helpful. The ones that win, have the most sales.

Drawing upon his background as a  technology sales strategist, marketer, account executive, and product manager we discuss:

  • The need to  embrace selling  but selling perfected.
  • Selling is not a bad thing, Don’t sell in a bad way.
  • Selling is used with the same taint as stealing. It’s not!
  • What you want and what you get during a sale is two different things: Shoulds don’t count, perception is the reality

When it comes to new sales we chuckled  how “experience is something you get after you need it”.   Unfortunately this is so true.

BANT Qualification Process

We defined the BANT qualification process:

  • B  Budget
  • A Authority
  • N Need
  • T Timing

These are items sellers need to quickly find answers. This data let’s you  know if the lead is indeed a prospect of interest. Before entering a sales call, qualify prospects to see if indeed they are worth the trouble. If not, you should move along to the next opportunity.

 

Resources for Revenue Risk Management

In this episode Andy offered a free revenue risk management  self audit. This can be used to see if  you’ll make your revenue targets:

Learn More

Have you had a chance to review the 20 Selling Secrets For Success?   Click the link and find advice that will help your sales, today!

 

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SB026- How Sellers Connect with Questions, an Interview with Deb Calvert

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Deb CalvertIn this episode we talk about how sellers can create connections with buyers through questions.  Deb Calvert, is the host of the Connect Online Radio podcast  for selling professionals. She is also the  2014 Top Sales & Marketing Influencer and author of the DISCOVER Questions™ book series.  As President of People First Productivity Solutions, she  helps organizations  boost productivity through people development. This work includes leadership training, strategic executive planning, team effectiveness work, and performance management program design.

We question, questioning! Deb has a process called DISCOVER,  great questions sellers can ask to connect with prospective buyers.

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In This Episode

Deb believes there are eight purposes people can frame questions. She calls them DISCOVER.  They are:

  1. Data – Just want the facts question
  2. Issue – Concern or complaint you invite sharing question  “Tell me more about that…”
  3. Solution – Collaboration question,“Tell me about how others in your industry address  this problem.” instigates brainstorming and allows the sellers to get feedback on what the buyer perceives as great solutions, ideas you can feed back to the buyer.
  4. Consequence – Fear questions “What happens if you don’t meet your goals?”
  5. Outcome – Hopes questions “Where do see your business in one year?”
  6. Value – Understand buyers hierarchy  of needs  “What’s most urgent for you?”   
  7. Example – Compare contrast questions  “How does this compare with other possibilities?”
  8. Rationale – Decision making questions “Walk me through your process, how will you come to your decision?”

Be purposeful in your conversation she coaches. We can always get better at asking questions.  Not just messy fishing questions, but purposeful questions that advance the sale. The world has changed and buyers expect more from sellers. Because they  have so much information, they don’t want to be sold the old way.

Deb teaches that questions engage people.  They provide an opportunity to be heard. This requires skill in listening and to stay in the moment.

Items of Interest

Below are the links mentioned in the in the podcast. Don’t miss it!

Got a Question?

If so ask me!  Go here to  leave an audio message.   Or click here to type a message. 

Read my posts on LinkedIn here www.LinkedIn.com/in/patrickhelmers 

I’ll review your cold calling script! Leave a question and I’ll respond!  Also I really appreciate your support and sharing what we do with friends and colleagues.   If you would like to share the love  on Twitter, click here.

We can teach you to find your voice in sales! Start here.

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SB019 | Skyrocket your Retail Sales, an Interview with Nicole Reyhle

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Nicole Reyhle-4In this episode we talk about  sales in the context of Retail and surprisingly,  it’s not that different than sales in other industries. We even talk about hiring and working trade-shows.

Nicole Leinbach Reyhle is the Founder & Publisher of Retail Minded, an international publication, website and destination for independent retailers privately owned small businesses. Additionally, Reyhle is the Co-Founder of the Independent Retailer Conference, and has been a sales professional for Adidas, Sears, Franco Sarto Footwear, and Nordstroms among others. Nicole serves as a spokesperson and adviser for Small Business Saturday, a nationally recognized day occurring the Saturday after the American Thanksgiving holiday that supports small businesses.

 

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In This Sales Episode

In this podcast we talk about:

  • Consumers often have more insight in retail products than in the past
  • Often times consumers have more data on products than sellers
  • Effective sales associates deliver a superb sales experience
  • The power of a Store story: what gave birth to the store
  • You can’t rely on your own taste to understand what to sell , you must rely on the real boss, your customer
  • When hiring sellers, look beyond your immediate circle. Look for people who compliment your weaknesses.
  • Do two to three interviews before hiring any one associate
  • Great sales candidates are great listeners. They can read between the lines.
  • Great candidates are nice yet assertive
  • When attending trade-shows its important to  understand your market
  • For shy folks, bring a wingman to ease conversation
  • Brick and mortar businesses should leverage social media . The selling never ends.

Items of Interest

In this podcast we mentioned the following resources:

Nicole has kindly offered to give all Sales Babblers a free 1 year digital subscription to Retail Minded.  Go to retailminded.com/subscriptions/

and enter the code SALESBABBLE in all CAPS

Breakthrough in Retail

Consider your presence in social media. Are you leveraging it in your brick and mortar business? Even if  you have a virtual business or if you’re a service provider you can still ask the question, are you utilizing the power of LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for prospecting and finding clients? If not, you need to start today.
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Housekeeping

If you recall two weeks ago we kicked off a contest for Jill Konrath’s book “Agile Selling“.  Today I’d like to announce the winner Odile Faludi from Bond Junction,  Australia .  Congratulations Odile!

Don’t forget to LIKE us on Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com/SalesBabble and join us.

Been wondering what Sales Babble is all about?  Start here.

We can teach you a selling style that fits your personality and works!

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Pleasantly Persistent Sales With Thomas Ellis #15

Thomas Ellis Portrait

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Thomas Ellis PortraitPleasantly Persistent Sales with Thomas Ellis

In this episode we  interview  Thomas Ellis,  a  business sales trainer and coach. Thomas shares his views on “pleasantly persistent sales” .   He believes tenacity and persistence are a must to close  sales, while at  the time sellers must be both patient and pleasant.

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In This Episode Pleasantly Persistent Sales

… we talk about pleasantly persistent sales:

  • To focus on creating conversations, and not selling when networking
  • Tactics for starting a conversation when networking
  • How follow-up is the secret sauce
  • Pleasantly Persistent Sales – what it is and how to use it.
  • Meetings are called “chats” or “conversations”
  • How it’s critical to uncover the truly important problems during the conversation
  • Propose solutions you are certain address their most important needs
  • Tell stories of past successes to build credibility
  • Becoming  a Rolodex for your clients

In the interview Thomas said …..

“If you master the basics of sales, you will be wildly successful. “

Items of Interest

….. we  mentioned  the following pleasantly persistent sales resources:

Breakthrough

Next time you’re at a networking event strike up a conversation with a stranger by commenting on the venue and then ask them why they’re attending. Challenge yourself to see how long you can keep the conversation going WITHOUT talking about yourself.   Over time they may self identify as a prospective customer.  Fi that happens you should say ” we should continue this conversation later”, exchange business cards and follow up in three days.  That’s prospecting!

Click here to subscribe to SalesBabble.com

Enter The Contest

Win a copy Thomas’s book “How to Close More Sales Today,Tomorrow, and Forever “

Enter your name and mailing address(any where in the world, I’ll pick up the postage)  below by July 7th  2014 to  place your name in a raffle  to be  announced on Tuesday July 8th. This is a great book and that discusses the fundamental of sales.

Click here  to enter the contest!

If you recall two weeks ago we kicked off a  contest for Bob Rickert’s book Profit Heroes.  and today I’d like to announce that  Ginger Booth of Connecticut is the winner.  Congratulations!

Been wondering what Sales Babble is all about?  Start here.

We can teach you a selling style that fits your personality and works!

 

 

 

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SB014 | Creative Thinking When Selling an Interview with Tony Vengrove

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Tony VengroveCreative Thinking When Selling an Interview with Tony VengroveCreative Thinking in Sales

In this episode we  interview Tony Vengrove to explore the question: how does creativity impact sales?

Tony is the founder  of Miles Finch Innovation a marketing company that removes  barriers that interfere with corporate innovation and creative thinking. He is an idea champion and believes every problem has a solution    With  over 20 years experience  Tony has  worked in world-class New York City ad agencies and Fortune 500 marketing, innovation and R&D organizations.

Tony and I  talk about  creative thinking and ways a sales professional can build  an emotional connection.

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In This Selling Episode…..

Tony  mentions the Idea Climate Equation:

  • Idea Climate Equation =creativity ** belief/ logic** doubt

 

  • Visualize the  tension in an organization between logic and creativity
  • The more doubt the less ideas
  • The more creativity the more ideas , and if you believe you’re on the right track for even more ideas!

Items of Interest

These are the two links mentioned in this episode:

Creative Breakthrough

Consider the things you can do to lower doubt and increase possibility. Answer this question:

Have you been thinking out of the box to grow more clients, are have you been doing the same old same old?  

If you answer same old same old, create  a list of 10 innovative ways to engage your clients and get into their heads.

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What do you think?

Would you like to win a copy of Profit Heroes by Bob Rickert?   If so click here by June 23rd 2014,

www.salesbabble.com/contest

and I’ll place your name in a raffle  to be  announced on Tuesday June 24th.  This is a great book.  Read it!

Did you enjoy this episode?  If you’re on this page I’m assuming yes!   Please make sure I get as many people introduced to this great content as I can.  So I  would really appreciate  it if you  could help  me with a review on iTunes. It takes just a few minutes  and it  would really mean a lot to Sales Babble.

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