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The Power of Handwritten Notes
Posted by: In: Sales Coaching, Sales Executives, Sales Managers, Sales Training, Salespeople, Uncategorized 14 Sep 2017 0 comments Tags: , , , , ,
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In school, we used to pass handwritten notes.  Even today, it makes you stand out from the rest

I’m a big advocate of using handwritten notes in your selling process for 2 main reasons

#1 Reason: They work

#2 Reason: They are a kind gesture which makes me feel good!

 

Why do they work?

In today’s world of digital communication, we are bombarded with literally hundreds of messages from others on a weekly basis.  People just don’t get nearly as much stuff by snail mail any longer and the stuff we DO get it usually junk mail (sounds a lot like our email in box too doesn’t it?).  Receiving something in the mail from a real live person is rare.  Handwritten notes such as a thank you card is even more rare.

A handwritten note helps you stand out.  Let me ask you this.  The last time you received a hand written card, what did you do with it right after reading it?  I bet you didn’t toss it in the trash.  I bet you put it on your desk, your fridge, or even showed it to other people.  What did you do with the last email “thank you” you got?  See the difference?

 

Why do they make me feel good?

Taking the time to hand write and drop something in the mail connotes a deeper level of thanks and appreciation.  As the famous Canadian futurist Marshal McLuhan famously quipped, “The medium is the message.”  Giving thanks to a customer for their time, or for anything in fact, is a big win-win.  It makes the receiver feel good but it helps me by building my gratitude.  And a recent study published in the Harvard Business Journal confirms what you probably know intuitively – that having gratitude increases happiness and increased happiness leads to higher productivity and sales.  What a fantastic ROI on your time!

 

There is one rule with sending handwritten notes including “thank you” cards.  They need to be 100% sincere.  If you ever try to pass around insincere thanks, it’s the same as passing around counterfeit money.  You will eventually be found out and your credibility will be in the toilet from that moment forward.

I’d recommend that you order some simple customized cards from any of the online print shops and start each day with a heartfelt thank you.  It’ll make someone else’s day and yours too!

 

5 Tips for Phone Prospecting
Posted by: In: Sales Coaching, Sales Executives, Sales Managers, Sales Training, Salespeople, Training, Uncategorized 13 Aug 2014 0 comments Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

prospecting

Do these and buyers will give you more time, more often.

By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Sales

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!

2) Be friendly and conversational, yet professional

It’s a delicate balance to strike, but if you can speak to someone as if they are already an acquaintance, you will get them to listen to you and open up more as well.  Too casual, such as, “We’re amazing at that kind of stuff man.” and you’ll be dismissed as unprofessional.  On the other hand, “We have a superior track record of excellence within that category” will likely come across as too stiff.

In more advanced selling, you will want to learn how to read the personality of the prospect and adjust accordingly but for now, friendly yet professional will do in most cases.

3) Use softeners

Try to frame your questions with “softeners” that allow you to probe without sounding like you’re interrogating them.  Use language such as “Would you happen to know . . . Could you share with me . . . Do you know about how many . . . How important would you say blah, blah is?”  Be curious not interrogative.

4) Find at least two issues 

Try to probe and uncover at least two problems/challenges/issues that your solution might be able to help them with before suggesting a meeting.  If you can’t get two, run with only one but at least try for two.

5) Keep practicing!

Your prospects won’t give you honest feedback that will help you get better but your friends will!

You and your team can learn to prospect better and in less time with Northbound’s “Power Prospecting” and “Connecting to Mr. Big Cheese” workshops.  For more information or to arrange a complimentary workshop for your team, contact Michael at [email protected] or 416.456.1440.

Five Strategies to Deal with Gatekeepers
Posted by: In: Sales Coaching, Sales Training, Salespeople, Training 10 Jul 2014 0 comments Tags: , , , , ,
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Who gets through and who doesn’t?  Only the gatekeeper for the decision maker decides!

 

When attempting to contact your important decision maker, at Northbound a person we like to call Mr. Big Cheese, it can be very frustrating to have a gatekeeper “get in the way”. Naturally, the larger the organization, the more likely that Mr. Big Cheese will have someone whose job it is to decide who gets thru and who doesn’t. But don’t despair.

 

Coming up against a gatekeeper doesn’t mean you have to retreat. With a few simple strategies, you will be able to safely negotiate your way through to your valuable prospective customer. Here are things to keep in mind:
1—Respect the gatekeeper’s role . . . Whether it’s a receptionist, an executive assistant or another subordinate, it’s important to realize that gatekeepers are being paid to filter people out and protect the time of Mr. Big Cheese. Not all people of course—just the ones who they feel wouldn’t be of great value to their boss. Contrary to popular opinion, they don’t hate all salespeople — just most of them. And for good reason. Most do a poor job of patiently explaining how Mr. Big Cheese would benefit from speaking with them.  Use empathy when speaking to them such as, “I understand that part of your role is to figure out what’s relevant or not for Mr. Big Cheese.”  Understanding that they are simply doing their job will go a long way to connecting with them and reduce defensiveness.
2—Sell them first . . . When you approach a gatekeeper, it will take more time because of the additional effort to sell them first. If you can convey the potential value that your product or service might bring to Mr. Big Cheese he or she is much more likely to let you pass through. A few months ago, I was faced with a very good gatekeeper named Arlene. When I asked for the President, she politely but firmly explained to me, “I’m sorry but I can’t put you through until I know what it’s regarding”. I noted to her that I respected that she was trying to ensure that the President’s time isn’t wasted. I then engaged in a conversation with her similar to what I would with a Mr. Big Cheese. I treated her with respect and carefully explained why it would make sense for Mr. Big Cheese to speak with me briefly. After a few moments, she came back with, “Michael, based on what you’ve told me, I’ll put you through.” I complimented her on the way she handled things and ever since, she recognizes my voice and is warm and friendly.
Remember though that you are only selling the gatekeeper on the benefits for Mr. Big Cheese to speak with you. You are NOT selling your product or service. Yes, the gatekeeper decides who gets through but they are not the economic buyer.
3—Don’t bulldoze them . . . Gatekeepers have the power and authority to shut you out. Trying to muscle your way through them will almost surely backfire. If you irritate them, it’s human nature for them to want to help you less.
4—Call before 9 A.M. and after 5 P.M. . . . I’m not a huge fan of calling prospects on their cell or well outside of business hours—prospects need their personal time too—but calling between 8 & 9 A.M. and between 5 & 6 P.M. will often allow you to dial direct to Mr. Big Cheese’s desk and speak to them while things are less frantic.
5—Be assertive . . . Salespeople sometimes invite gatekeepers to question the purpose of the call by sounding well, like salespeople! One of the concepts we teach in Northbound’s “Connecting to Mr. Big Cheese” workshop is that you are one business professional contacting another on Equal Business Footing. Ask for your “Mr. Big Cheese” as you would if you were calling a colleague—firmly and assertively. Often reception won’t even question your authority to speak with your prospect.
When all else fails—If you’ve tried the above and the gatekeeper is stubbornly shutting your efforts down, you could try this very bold verbiage: “Would you knowingly stand between Mr. Big Cheese and (the major benefit of your product/service)?” Yes, it’s bold, but you’ve got nothing to lose at this point and it has opened the door in some situations.

In summary, if you treat gatekeepers with the respect and patience they deserve, you will be rewarded (most of the time!) with an opportunity to connect to Mr. Big Cheese.

If you or your sales team would like to learn how to master this technique and learn dozens of other proven strategies to improve your prospecting results, check out our “Connecting to Mr. Big Cheese” workshop.  For pricing or more details, contact Michael Caron at [email protected] or 416.456.1440.

Use Pete the Parrot to Help You in Sales Calls
Posted by: In: Sales Coaching, Sales Executives, Sales Managers, Sales Training, Salespeople 23 Jun 2014 0 comments Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Pete the Parrot

Is using an imaginary exotic bird to help you close more sales as ridiculous as it sounds?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Read on to find out.

The number one problem area for sales teams in terms of technical selling skills is doing the “feature push.”  A feature push is the nasty and deep rooted habit of simply telling our customer about some of the wonderful “features” of your product, service, company or even of yourself.  Some examples that I hear all the time are:

“Our company is the biggest in the industry.”

“We have unique technology called (Insert something here that nobody’s heard of) that’s very unique.”

“We have 12 locations.”

There’s nothing wrong with features.  They often represent real competitive advantages.  The problem comes when salespeople leave it up to the customer to figure out how these features can help them.  The consultative approach to selling, which is generally accepted to be the most effective selling methodology, says that customers only make purchases in order to solve a problem.

Going back to sales training 101, we probably learned about features and benefits.  In it’s simplest form the difference is:

Feature = How something works

Benefit = How it can help

For example, an executive at Black and Decker was famously quoted as saying, “At Black and Decker, we don’t make 1/2″ drills.  We make 1/2″ holes!”

In the middle of a sales call, it can be hard to remember to follow up a mention of a feature with the accompanying benefit(s) and that’s why I recommend that you use Pete to help.  Let me tell you about him.  (This story might not be 100% true but it’ll help you remember about Pete!)  Pete is a parrot who I bought years ago at a pet shop for only $100, a deal compared to other parrots.  When I asked the pet shop owner why Pete was so cheap, he explained that he can’t say anything anyone wants.

Curious, I asked him what he does say.  He explained that he used to belong to a salesperson who used to spout off about nothing but features when in front of a customer and that because Pete couldn’t stand it any longer, he finally started squawking, “So What?” after the salesperson’s feature pushes.  This forced the salesperson to keep explaining until it was clear to the customer how the feature could help him solve a problem, challenge or issue.  “PERFECT.  I’LL TAKE HIM!” I said.

While you can’t borrow the real (cough . . . eh um) Pete for your sales calls, you can borrow the imaginary Pete anytime you’d like. In fact, I would recommend that he quietly sits on your shoulder on your next sales call.  It’s like having a sales trainer with you without the cost.  Any time a feature comes out of your mouth without a related benefit, Pete will squawk out “So What?” reminding you to keep going into the specific benefits to the customer.

One piece of advice.  Don’t talk back to Pete in the middle of a sales call.  It’ll kill your closing ratio!

If you’d like to learn how to use Pete and other techniques in improving your sales team’s performance, I invite your call or email.  416.456.1440 or [email protected]

Have fun with Pete!

Michael