subject: 7 Sales Management Training Drills ill Get Back To You. [print this page] Prospects lose interest in your pitch for many reasons. So before they do, use it to meet more and higher level people to generate shared interest.
Prepare Yourself
1.Your attitude has to always be, Get to the leaders. A prospects interest doesnt mean much if you havent talked to the leader. Subordinates can be helpful, but dont expect them to sell your offering to their bosses. It requires effort and risk for a questionable reward for them.
2.Whenever you approach an opportunity or prospect, ask (in your own words), Who else will be involved and who do those people report to? You cant depend on your contact to generate interest in all the other people who will have a say in the purchase. If your contact is interested, get him or her to introduce you to the other people.
3.Always think and always say in your own words, It's important that I know who the leaders are and I get to them. Its important that you do. Believe it and think it. If you do, youll ask those contacts to introduce you because you want to make the sale. You can not be reluctant to ask. Whats the worse that can happen? If they say, No, ask, How come?
4.Believe that you can and believe that you will get to the leaders. Then it will happen and youll have the opportunity to interview the ultimate decision makers. You know you can get to the top. Consider when you were losing a sale and you got to the leader person to plead your case. Well, get there early and youll become the winner, and no one will be able to change that.
Takn It to the Streets
5.When the prospect shows signs of interest, ask immediately, Who else would also have to be interested? You want him to divulge info while hes still anxious for more of your presentation, and before he shuts you out with, Ill get back to you. If he refuses to tell, ask him what his concerns are. Obviously hes not sold yet and wants to keep you back until he is. His answer to the concerns question will tell you what else youve got to do to win him over.
6.When the prospect wants the pricing or a presentation, always say to yourself or your associates, This decision will be made at a higher level and if I give all the information to this subordinate, Ill never get a chance to make a case to the real decision makers.
7.Now practice with a real person. Practice is what makes people great. What will you say when s/he shows interest? What will youll say to that contact to side step giving the price? Before I quote or present, Id like to talk with these people to understand their expectations to make sure Ive got everything included. For a presentation say, Before I present, Id like to talk with these people so I can be sure to cover what theyre interested in. And after either say, Will you arrange that?
Practice these before every sales call so that youre conditioned and ready to respond when they come up.
