Your Words Are Important
1. Eliminate the grunts: Um and Ah and Uh!
Be comfortable with the silence and resume speaking when the thought is there. People who use "um" to illustrate their thought process may appear less sure and less knowledgeable.
2. Sorta, kinda, shoulda - what?
These words make you sound unsure of your ideas. Casual language sounds unprofessional and sends the wrong message.
3. Avoid absolutes.
When you use absolutes, you are asking to be proved wrong. Substitute often for always and rarely for never. Use absolutes sparingly.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Add Simple Marketing Prior to Your Prospecting Calls and Watch Your Results Soar
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Would you like a simple, inexpensive way to increase the number of meetings booked from your prospecting call efforts by 50% or more? I know—that’s like asking if you’d like to pay less in taxes. Of course!
The secret is to get a “marketing letter” into your prospect’s hands prior to your first phone call. While this sounds incredibly simple, it’s rarely done and will raise your prospecting success dramatically. There are several reasons why this works far better than making your first point of contact a phone call by itself:
It gives you a better opportunity to create your C.B.R. (Compelling Business Reason). You must build a case for your prospect to give you a few minutes of their precious and limited time. A carefully written letter will lay the groundwork of reasons for your prospect to engage in a conversation with you when you connect by voice. Your letter should include the 3 major benefits you may be able to bring to their organization, a quantifiable testimonial of results from other customers and a request to have a brief conversation. When your prospect has time to consider what the benefits of the conversation might be in advance, your chances of engaging them when you call will jump.
Would you like a simple, inexpensive way to increase the number of meetings booked from your prospecting call efforts by 50% or more? I know—that’s like asking if you’d like to pay less in taxes. Of course!
The secret is to get a “marketing letter” into your prospect’s hands prior to your first phone call. While this sounds incredibly simple, it’s rarely done and will raise your prospecting success dramatically. There are several reasons why this works far better than making your first point of contact a phone call by itself:
It gives you a better opportunity to create your C.B.R. (Compelling Business Reason). You must build a case for your prospect to give you a few minutes of their precious and limited time. A carefully written letter will lay the groundwork of reasons for your prospect to engage in a conversation with you when you connect by voice. Your letter should include the 3 major benefits you may be able to bring to their organization, a quantifiable testimonial of results from other customers and a request to have a brief conversation. When your prospect has time to consider what the benefits of the conversation might be in advance, your chances of engaging them when you call will jump.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Handling Discount Requests to Protect Margins and Keep Customers
Many prospects believe in the adage, "if you don't ask, you don't get!" If you are prepared for a discount request, you will be able to negotiate a deal without giving away the farm.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Despite your best attempts to sell value and remain firm on your price, some clients will press
ahead with their request for a discount. After a solid attempt from you to reassure them that your price is fair, if your prospect is still pushing for a discount, you have a choice. Walk away from the business because you want to maintain your price or slowly start to give concessions in an attempt to win (or save) the business.
If you want to give concessions, following a simple system will ensure a profitable negotiation.
Your First Step
The first step, always, is to find something else to give up that doesn't reduce your price. Free shipping. Extra manuals or training. A client profile on your Web site. What you choose will be specific to your business, your markets and your client base. The key is to have the list of things you're willing to offer prepared in advance, so you can draw on it during the negotiation.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Despite your best attempts to sell value and remain firm on your price, some clients will press
ahead with their request for a discount. After a solid attempt from you to reassure them that your price is fair, if your prospect is still pushing for a discount, you have a choice. Walk away from the business because you want to maintain your price or slowly start to give concessions in an attempt to win (or save) the business.
If you want to give concessions, following a simple system will ensure a profitable negotiation.
Your First Step
The first step, always, is to find something else to give up that doesn't reduce your price. Free shipping. Extra manuals or training. A client profile on your Web site. What you choose will be specific to your business, your markets and your client base. The key is to have the list of things you're willing to offer prepared in advance, so you can draw on it during the negotiation.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Time Management: Seven Steps for Busy Salespeople
We all face the same dilemma: Too much to do and not enough time to do it. Time management concerns how we resolve that dilemma. Time, not activities, is the limiting factor. We must make tough choices about what to do and what not to do. Time management is really self-management. Although time is not adaptable, people are. Managing time means adapting ourselves to its passage in some satisfying manner. It means managing ourselves. If time seems to be out of control, it means that we are out of control. To bring ourselves back under control, we must learn new, more appropriate habits. Since time is our most important personal investment in our business, ask yourself this question – “What can I do to better use my time?” Review the following seven tips and check off at least three items you can use to make better use of your time.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
6 Strategies to Negotiating Successful Sales
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Contrary to what some think, negotiating isn’t something that only takes place at the end of the selling process. We are actually negotiating and laying the groundwork for further negotiations throughout the sale. When the customer has agreed that your solution fits with their needs but there is not agreement on variables such as delivery, terms and, of course price, good negotiating skills will bring the sale to successful completion. Here are 6 essentials.
1. Plan - Never go into a negotiation without a plan. Do your homework. What do you know about the individual you are negotiating with? What is their personality style? How can you adjust your style to be more effective with them? What information do you want to disclose or keep confidential? What is the time frame for this negotiation? Go through some of the other points below and write this information down.
Contrary to what some think, negotiating isn’t something that only takes place at the end of the selling process. We are actually negotiating and laying the groundwork for further negotiations throughout the sale. When the customer has agreed that your solution fits with their needs but there is not agreement on variables such as delivery, terms and, of course price, good negotiating skills will bring the sale to successful completion. Here are 6 essentials.
1. Plan - Never go into a negotiation without a plan. Do your homework. What do you know about the individual you are negotiating with? What is their personality style? How can you adjust your style to be more effective with them? What information do you want to disclose or keep confidential? What is the time frame for this negotiation? Go through some of the other points below and write this information down.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Seven Elements of an Effective Team
Successful team members don't do the same thing at the same time. They do the right thing at the right time. And while team members work together toward a common goal, individuals still must play their separate parts in the process. As organizations rely more on teams to innovate, problem solve, produce, and compete at the speed of change, understanding and capitalizing on individual approaches to group processes is the bottom line on creating high-performance teams. The famous British explorer David Livingstone once said “I will go anywhere provided it be forward.” To be successful in today’s competitive economy, businesses need to go forward further and faster than ever before. It is vitally important for your business to go forward allowing you to become trailblazers and leaders. It is about collaborative innovation and teamwork!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How to Leave Voicemail Messages That Resonate with Prospects
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Voicemail is the norm when making chase calls to prospects. There is an inverse relationship between the size of a company and the ability to connect in person. That is, the bigger the company, the lower the chance of your prospect picking up the phone. The number of contact attempts divided by the number of connections with your prospect is called “contact ratio”. Sales reps that I’ve worked with report contact ratios on the high end of 30% and a mere 2% on the low. With voicemail confronting us so often, how can we increase our chances of being called back? Here are 6 common mistakes to stay away from:
Voicemail is the norm when making chase calls to prospects. There is an inverse relationship between the size of a company and the ability to connect in person. That is, the bigger the company, the lower the chance of your prospect picking up the phone. The number of contact attempts divided by the number of connections with your prospect is called “contact ratio”. Sales reps that I’ve worked with report contact ratios on the high end of 30% and a mere 2% on the low. With voicemail confronting us so often, how can we increase our chances of being called back? Here are 6 common mistakes to stay away from:
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Want to Stop Procrastinating? . . . Read This
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Congratulations for reading this and not putting it off! Procrastination has been appropriately called the “silent killer of careers” yet few people have ever had formal training on how to overcome this immensely costly habit. While managing this problem is a constant challenge to me, I have learned some strategies over the years that have worked very well:
Congratulations for reading this and not putting it off! Procrastination has been appropriately called the “silent killer of careers” yet few people have ever had formal training on how to overcome this immensely costly habit. While managing this problem is a constant challenge to me, I have learned some strategies over the years that have worked very well:
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Questions Are The Answer
Stop telling and start selling. Ask questions and then listen carefully.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
In our business, we are often asked, “What is the biggest mistake salespeople make?” Of course, we tend to term them “opportunity areas” rather than “mistakes” but whatever you want to call them, the most common is the area of questioning. The second area that goes hand-in-hand with number one would be the seeming inability of typical sales professionals to quit talking and listen after they’ve asked great questions!
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
In our business, we are often asked, “What is the biggest mistake salespeople make?” Of course, we tend to term them “opportunity areas” rather than “mistakes” but whatever you want to call them, the most common is the area of questioning. The second area that goes hand-in-hand with number one would be the seeming inability of typical sales professionals to quit talking and listen after they’ve asked great questions!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Seven Steps to Win-Win Negotiations
We define a win/win negotiation, as an agreement that is equally beneficial to everyone. All parties come out of a negotiation with a workable agreement that benefits everyone involved. If your current negotiation strategies are not working for you, change your strategy. Think win/win and let the other person know about it right away. Be up front and explain your strategy. Talk about the benefits to both of you from this approach. This type of negotiation will produce a satisfactory agreement for both sides, and in a style that will leave both parties satisfied. Win/Win Negotiation involves these seven steps:
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Are You Growing Your Sales or Spinning Your Wheels?
Growing a book of customers means more than doing your route.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
You’ve worked hard over the years and now have a sizable client base that you’re responsible for. When you get to this stage, your time will be spent less on attracting new customers and much more on going “deeper and wider” with your existing accounts. Here’s how to make the most of your efforts.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
You’ve worked hard over the years and now have a sizable client base that you’re responsible for. When you get to this stage, your time will be spent less on attracting new customers and much more on going “deeper and wider” with your existing accounts. Here’s how to make the most of your efforts.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Seven Tips for Sales Coaching Success
Sales managers are usually promoted into their positions because they were good individual performers. They were consistent performers in their work and they showed an interest in advancing their careers by earning their promotion into management. They were offered their sales manager position because senior management felt they were competent. But have they been trained on how to “coach and counsel” their people to be as successful as they were? Here are a seven tips for coaching success:
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The New Role of Inside Sales Professionals
Simple order taking doesn’t cut it anymore
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Your customer’s expectations from your customer service department is greater than ever. It’s no longer adequate to simply “be there” when a customer is ready to order. These days, customers expect you to know their business and anticipate their needs. And with instant access to your competitor’s offerings, your prior relationship with your customer is constantly being put to the test.
To add to the mix, your inside sales team plays a more important role as the cost of getting face-to-face with customers from outside sales teams spirals in cost.
When planning how you’re going to confront this challenge, the first thing to do is ask, “What do we actually expect our inside sales team to do that they aren’t currently?” Although companies sometimes label the department as “inside sales”, often times, they aren’t expected to drive sales. Rather they really serve a customer service function, facilitating sales where the demand has already been created. There’s nothing wrong with having exceptional customer service people — without them customers would leave quickly — but it’s important to clarify their precise role.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Your customer’s expectations from your customer service department is greater than ever. It’s no longer adequate to simply “be there” when a customer is ready to order. These days, customers expect you to know their business and anticipate their needs. And with instant access to your competitor’s offerings, your prior relationship with your customer is constantly being put to the test.
To add to the mix, your inside sales team plays a more important role as the cost of getting face-to-face with customers from outside sales teams spirals in cost.
When planning how you’re going to confront this challenge, the first thing to do is ask, “What do we actually expect our inside sales team to do that they aren’t currently?” Although companies sometimes label the department as “inside sales”, often times, they aren’t expected to drive sales. Rather they really serve a customer service function, facilitating sales where the demand has already been created. There’s nothing wrong with having exceptional customer service people — without them customers would leave quickly — but it’s important to clarify their precise role.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Six Tips for Coaching Salespeople to be Productive Again
Everyone who has been selling for a while knows sales can be a roller coaster. The peaks and valleys of sales are a fact of life. One of the most challenging tasks is coaching a veteran salesperson that has reached a plateau and is struggling. Or worse, has reached a performance level where they are satisfied or they have earned the right to not do the things they used to do when they were building their business.
Each situation will be different but one common sales coaching theme is clear. The sales manager needs to find out what will motivate the stalled individual to determine the type of coaching required. What works in one situation may not work in another.
Sales coaching will vary depending on the development levels of the individual. Some sales managers prefer working with senior salespeople because it is more interesting and rewarding for the manager. Others prefer to work with less experienced salespeople. The real world is that you must coach all levels. Each situation is different and the manager must adjust his or her sales coaching techniques to be effective.
Each situation will be different but one common sales coaching theme is clear. The sales manager needs to find out what will motivate the stalled individual to determine the type of coaching required. What works in one situation may not work in another.
Sales coaching will vary depending on the development levels of the individual. Some sales managers prefer working with senior salespeople because it is more interesting and rewarding for the manager. Others prefer to work with less experienced salespeople. The real world is that you must coach all levels. Each situation is different and the manager must adjust his or her sales coaching techniques to be effective.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
5 Things to Remember When You’re Talking to a Prospect on the Phone
Do these and buyers will give you more time, more often.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
1) Ask questions but ask for permission first
It’s great to ask questions on a prospecting call to understand what issues, challenges or goals a customer might have but don't forget to frame why you’re asking them. Otherwise, it can catch your prospect off guard and they will be less apt to want to answer questions until they know "what's in it for them" to do so. Use language such as, “I don’t know if there’s a fit between our companies for sure but would it be OK for me to ask you two quick questions to help see?” In the thousands of calls I’ve personally used this strategy of asking permission with, I’ve only been turned down once!
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
1) Ask questions but ask for permission first
It’s great to ask questions on a prospecting call to understand what issues, challenges or goals a customer might have but don't forget to frame why you’re asking them. Otherwise, it can catch your prospect off guard and they will be less apt to want to answer questions until they know "what's in it for them" to do so. Use language such as, “I don’t know if there’s a fit between our companies for sure but would it be OK for me to ask you two quick questions to help see?” In the thousands of calls I’ve personally used this strategy of asking permission with, I’ve only been turned down once!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
How Are You Doing on Your New Yearʼs Resolutions?
Turn your “resolutions” into a goal management system and finally make them reality!
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
We’re now in the third month of the new year and I wonder how many of us have gotten a start on our new year’s resolutions. I also wonder how many of us have even taken the time to write or verbalize them. Call them resolutions or call them goals, the sad fact is that only 1 in 20 of us have written goals and worse, only 1 in 5 of those people regularly reach them. That’s an 80% failure rate! Looking at this statistic, it becomes easier to understand why even people who make the effort to set goals or resolutions often give up on the idea. Who wants to fail 80% of the time? It feels rotten. And experts tell us that we will go out of our way to avoid pain much more so than to gain pleasure. This avoidance of pain can stop us in our tracks. The good news amidst all this doom and gloom is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
We’re now in the third month of the new year and I wonder how many of us have gotten a start on our new year’s resolutions. I also wonder how many of us have even taken the time to write or verbalize them. Call them resolutions or call them goals, the sad fact is that only 1 in 20 of us have written goals and worse, only 1 in 5 of those people regularly reach them. That’s an 80% failure rate! Looking at this statistic, it becomes easier to understand why even people who make the effort to set goals or resolutions often give up on the idea. Who wants to fail 80% of the time? It feels rotten. And experts tell us that we will go out of our way to avoid pain much more so than to gain pleasure. This avoidance of pain can stop us in our tracks. The good news amidst all this doom and gloom is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Friday, February 11, 2011
3 Keys to Prospecting Success
Simple ways to get more prospecting results with less stress
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Prospecting is universally the least liked aspect of a sales professional’s existence. Frustratingly, it also represents the greatest potential for income growth for most of us (including me). Here are 3 key areas for prospecting, or better put, business development success:
Have a script — When you’ve only got a few moments to give someone a reason to have a conversation with you, you’d better be able to convey what your message is in a clear, concise and complete manner. Just “winging it” almost always results in a rambling, powerless message that misses the “Compelling Business Reason”.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Prospecting is universally the least liked aspect of a sales professional’s existence. Frustratingly, it also represents the greatest potential for income growth for most of us (including me). Here are 3 key areas for prospecting, or better put, business development success:
Have a script — When you’ve only got a few moments to give someone a reason to have a conversation with you, you’d better be able to convey what your message is in a clear, concise and complete manner. Just “winging it” almost always results in a rambling, powerless message that misses the “Compelling Business Reason”.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
How to Manage Interruptions
Do you really know the cost?
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Interruptions are one of the biggest time suckers for most. Did you know that if you are focussing in the middle of a task that it takes 6 minutes to get back to the same level of focus as before the interruption? If you get interrupted just 5 times in an hour, you’re only working at 50% productivity!
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Interruptions are one of the biggest time suckers for most. Did you know that if you are focussing in the middle of a task that it takes 6 minutes to get back to the same level of focus as before the interruption? If you get interrupted just 5 times in an hour, you’re only working at 50% productivity!
Here’s how to help stop your interruptions from sucking your precious time.
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