Helping Prospects Measure a Problem’s Impact When prospects are satisfied, they are not receptive to change because they have no need to change. It is only when they are unsatisfied or even in crisis mode that they are willing to consider other options. That’s why it’s the sales professional’s job to move the satisfied prospect […]
Most buyers want to trust salespeople but also need to verify our product’s merit. Basically, they want us to tell the truth, but they are too intelligent to simply take our word at face value without further investigation. Unfortunately, most buyers also want to avoid conflict. That means that if we do not proactively validate […]
Getting sellers to change the way they sell requires a change in their behavior. But changing seller behavior, even human behavior in general, is not an easy thing to do. This challenge is best depicted in Kelly & Connors’ Emotional Cycle of Change (ECOC). Let’s explore it to see how it applies to the sales […]
The structure of your business proposal gives you, the seller, full control. First, we need to have all of the raw ingredients to craft a compelling message. These include a Point B, Diagnosis of Pain and Gain, Customized Benefits, and a Brainstorm of the Best Value Proposal. We also need to focus the presentation in […]
As you would expect, buyers are most receptive to change when they are in crisis mode. When customers are satisfied, they are not receptive to change because there is no need to make a change. When they’re in crisis mode, however, the opposite is true: urgency has developed, and changes must be made. From this […]
The sales profession has been called the second oldest profession known to man, often confused with the first. However, retail shoppers would rather “just wander around” than have to talk with a sales clerk, and sales organizations go out of their way to change the title of their salespeople because of its negative connotation. Salespeople […]
Sellers achieve a high close ratio with a buyer that is already in the market to buy. But this is not because the seller is a great closer; it’s because the buyer has already made up his or her mind to buy when s/he gets to this stage: the buying zone. Buyers have already navigated […]
People decide by comparing. Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is your solution’s actual value because it is something that your competitors cannot do. The most important aspect of differentiation is when you have customized your solution to meet your client’s specific needs. Even though you probably did not change your product or service, you do […]
When challenged by his manager on why his numbers were so poor, a sales representative repeated the old cliché, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” The manager said, “Your job is not to make them drink! Your job is to make them thirsty!” The question we ask in […]
Every good story (which is what a sales proposal should be) is a persuasive story. It’s constructed with a beginning, a middle, and an end—but the most valuable part of the story is its beginning. That’s because our opening either captures the audience’s attention or it loses them. And if we don’t engage our prospects […]