January 9th, 2024

Uncertain if your customer is motivated by pain or pleasure in making this purchase? 

The answer is right on their resume. 

One of my favorite questions to ask prospects on discovery calls is, “Why have you chosen to work here?” 

Seems like a pretty innocent question, but what winds up happening is that the prospect now has to literally defend the choices they’ve made that wound up with the career that they have. If they are proud of the choices they’ve made, you’ll hear it in their voice and that will indicate they’re a pleasure buyer. 

But if they’re embarrassed by the choices they’ve made, you’ll hear that as well. And then you’re most likely doing a pain sale. 

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January 9th, 2024

Looking for ways to research a customer? 

You’ll likely make more progress if you stop thinking like a salesperson – and start thinking like a buyer. 

One of the quickest ways to learn more about an organization is to have them sell to you, which is exactly what I do on highly strategic accounts. Before I start networking and navigating and doing my research online, I like to do an inbound lead request where I’m presenting myself as someone with curiosities about their company, so that a sales rep will contact me. 

By having that sales call meeting, I probably will learn more in 15 minutes about this organization than I would over several hours of research online. Beyond that, it is much easier to ask a product expert all your burning questions than it would be to go digging through their website or social media profiles. A subject-matter-expert will also be able to provide insights into upcoming developments for their employer that may not be reflected online – such as regional expansions, new product releases or future priorities.

Researching a customer is an important part of the sales process, so using every tool and opportunity at your disposal just makes sense.

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Want quicker response time for your quotes? 

Change your months to Mondays. 

I don’t why we do this, but in sales, we tend to default the expiration dates of our quotes to 30 days. All that really does is it asks our prospect not to look at this quote until the 29th day, and I don’t think I want to do that if I want a fast and furious pipeline.

Make sure all of your quotes expire the following Monday that you sent them. It forces a quicker response for your prospect and more anxiety on their end than on our end.

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Would you like to get your customer far more engaged even earlier in the sales cycle? 

Promises. Promises. 

You know, the most powerful type of buying signal is when a customer delivers on a promise – they actually do what they said they were going to do. 

So why don’t we make it easy for them? Instead of giving a customer a laundry list of things to do for us and action items, how about give it to them one at a time? Do what I do. 

Ask for simple, actionable closes early so they work the muscle of delivering on those promises, so it becomes a habit instead of an exception. 

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Struggling to get your email returned? 

Why not sign off with more grace? 

We don’t think a lot about our signature lines in our email, but it all counts when it comes to open rates and response rates. And long signature lines that advertise where we went to school or our graduation date, or our LinkedIn profile only reduces our social value and reduces the likelihood of a return. 

Keep your email signature simple. Leave it to your name, your company’s name, and one phone number. Then maybe you can spend the rest of that email on a topic more interesting to them.

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Want to know how to gain leverage in any negotiation?

You just got to give a little more. 

We think so much in negotiation about what we want that we sometimes don’t think about what we’re able to give. But the things that we give our prospect, based on the reaction of the prospect when they get it, generally reveals leverage. It lets us know what’s important to them, it lets us know what they value, and it lets us know what they might do more for if we’re able to offer it to them in the future. 

Take some time and outline all the different things that you could possibly give to a prospect during a sales opportunity and have ’em at the ready so that when deals start to stall, you can offer things to keep people engaged.

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Are you feeling like your sales demos are getting a bit stale? Ever wonder how many demos you actually need to keep things fresh and exciting – for both you and your buyer?

Here’s the scoop: one demo just isn’t enough.

Showing the same demo over and over can be draining for you as a Closer, even if your customers have never seen the sales demo before. With repetition, our own excitement and enthusiasm can start to fade, and that’s the last thing we want. To keep the energy up, I like to have multiple sales demos ready to go.

So, how many sales demos should you have on hand?

Ideally, you need a mix. Start with a simple, broad demo that shows off the main features and benefits of your product and/or service. As your prospects show more interest and start bringing others into the conversation, you can introduce additional demos that are more detailed and interactive. This approach not only keeps things interesting, but also rewards your prospects for their engagement.

Having multiple sales demos can really boost your sales game. It allows you to tailor your presentation to different audience segments and stages of the sales cycle. Plus, it helps you stay enthusiastic and deliver a more dynamic and personalized experience. It’s not just about the number of demos; it’s about making sure they’re relevant and engaging.

So, to sum it up, how many sales demos you really need depends on your sales strategy and the complexity of your product. But having a few different ones on hand can make a big difference in how you connect with your prospects. Keep them varied, relevant, and interactive to maximize their impact.

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Happy Selling!™

Are you tired of getting the runaround from customers and prospects? Maybe it’s time to get more honest with yourself – so you can start understanding customer signals better.

Happy Ears

It’s easy to hear what we want to hear in sales, especially when rejection often feels like the end of an opportunity. But it’s crucial that you listen to your customers for what they’re actually saying. Be honest with yourself about what you hear! This is where understanding customer signals becomes so important as an effective Closer.

Stay Curious

The next time a customer says something like, “Shouldn’t be a problem,” “All set,” or “I don’t see why not,” don’t just take it at face value. Double down on the question to make sure you’re getting a definitive answer. This prevents any miscommunication that could derail your sales process, and ensures that you remain clear-eyed and understand customer signals.

For example, when a prospect says “I don’t see why not,” ask follow-up questions like, “What might prevent you from moving forward?” or “What steps do we need to take to ensure everyone is on-board?” This approach allows you to dig deeper, and can help uncover roadblocks or issues you may not have anticipated. It also shows that you’re genuinely interested in understanding your customer, listening to their concerns and providing the best solution.

Reps vs. Closers

Listening carefully and asking clarifying questions is a sales skill that sets apart beginner reps from true Closers. Being inquisitive prevents misunderstandings and helps build trust with your prospects. Remain curious, listen, and truly understand customer signals. You’ll be able to respond more effectively and massively improve your chances of closing the deal.

Remember, Closer – don’t let “happy ears” mislead you about where your prospect is in their buying journey or how serious they are about making a change!

For more Hacks, check out our YouTube page.

Happy Selling!™

Want to keep your customer at the negotiation table a little longer? The key lies in how you leverage commitment in a deal.

One of the most critical elements of negotiation is what’s known as commitment. This principle states that the longer someone is engaged in a process, the more likely they are to want to see that process completed. Using this principle can be a powerful tool in your negotiation tool belt!

So, how do you effectively leverage commitment in a deal? Keep the customer engaged and you can built their commitment for a longer period. It’s important to not only close for significant elements at the end of the deal but also secure smaller commitments early on.

For instance, don’t just wait to ask for the big things at the end. Start by asking for cell phone numbers, organizational charts, and success criteria early in the deal. By getting these smaller commitments, you’ build a foundation of engagement that will keep the customer involved throughout the negotiation process.

Why is this important? Leveraging these smaller commitments helps create a sense of investment. The more steps a customer takes, the more likely they are to continue taking steps toward the final agreement. This can be especially useful in complex deals where prolonged negotiations are common.

Here’s how you can put this into practice. Start with simple requests that require minimal effort from the customer but provide valuable information for you. For example, ask for a cell phone number to keep communication lines open. Request an organizational chart to understand the decision-making hierarchy better. These small asks help build rapport and trust, which are essential components of leveraging commitment in a deal.

As you progress, gradually increase the level of commitment you seek. By the time you reach the significant asks, such as final agreement terms, the customer is already deeply invested in the process. This strategic approach not only keeps the customer at the negotiation table but also increases the likelihood of a successful outcome.

Leveraging commitment in a deal involves securing smaller commitments early and progressively building toward larger ones. Keep your customer engaged throughout the process, and you enhance your chances of closing the deal successfully.

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Still struggling to get your emails returned?

Well – be reasonable.

I know you want a meeting. I know you want a referral, but the goal when you send an email to a stranger is actually just a response or positive engagement. 

So be reasonable in what you’re asking for, and asking a stranger for a meeting is often unreasonable. Try asking for information about their company or maybe the PowerPoint deck of a slide presentation that they gave at a conference. 

Look for a response more than action and find that reasonable request actually get answered. 

For more Hacks, check out our YouTube page.