Category: Sales & Marketing

Article Contributed By Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter”

You’ve had what you think is a great sales call. You feel you’ve done everything correct, and you are certain the customer will soon say “yes” to your offer.

Just as quickly as you think the customer will buy, they say something along the lines of, “I like what you’re offering, but your price is way too much.” Without missing a beat, you begin to shudder at the thought of losing the sale.

Let’s look at why your customer doesn’t like your price.

It comes down to one reason. The one and only reason your customer doesn’t like your price is because they have failed to see enough value in what you are offering to warrant paying the price.

Don’t believe for a moment it’s because a competitor might be offering a lower price.  Certainly don’t allow yourself to believe the customer would be better off waiting for a better deal.  Finally, don’t even entertain the thought that your price might really be too high.

The correct answer is the customer simply has not seen enough value in what you’re offering.

The easiest way to correct this problem is to get the customer’s input.  Don’t wait to do this after they’ve rejected your offer, but rather do it at the beginning.  At the start of the sales call is when the customer’s input is the most valuable.  The reason I say this is because the first half of the sales call is when the customer is going to be the most forthcoming with information.

It’s not unusual during a sales call for the customer to begin sensing the salesperson may try to ask for the order.  If the customer begins to believe this and they are the least bit hesitant, they may very well start throwing out false information.  The customer may start talking about objections that are really irrelevant to their real need. They will do this purely to disarm the salesperson.

This is the reason why it is so important to engage the customer early in the sales call and to get them to begin sharing with you their wants and needs.  The earlier they share with you this type of information, the better job you can do later in the call in following up on this information. You can then drill down deeper to get even more specific information.  Your objective is to get the customer to really see that the issues they’re facing are significant – and the only solution available is the one you are offering.

Some of you might think this is manipulative selling or arm-twisting, but it’s not that at all. If you, the salesperson, are merely asking questions and getting the customer to do the majority of the talking, then how could it be called arm-twisting?

Your objective as the salesperson is to get the customer to share with you at least three reasons they need what you’re offering.  One of the three should be time sensitive.   The customer’s time-sensitive need will allow you to close the sale now.  It’s the other two that will allow the customer to see why they need to buy.

I use three benefits as the minimum, but the more the customer shares with you, the higher the probability you will be able to close the sale.  I use the number three because more often than not, if you try to close before the customer has shared three of their wants or needs, you won’t be as successful.  Of course, this excludes the overwhelming benefit or need they share with you that is so big and time-sensitive that it invites an immediate close.

When the customer shares with you a time-sensitive need, this is a perfect opportunity to first validate the time need.  You validate it by asking them a question to get them to share more about why time is an issue.  By getting the customer to explain this further, you will discover that the customer usually becomes even more conscientious about why they need to buy from you right now.

When you feel as if a customer doesn’t like your price, you simply need to remember they only fail to see the value of what you are offering.  As long as you remember it is your job to help them see the value, you will increase your odds of success dramatically. I’m not going to say you’ll be 100% successful with this approach, but I know the more you use it, the less often you will hear the “price” excuse when a customer doesn’t buy.

About the Author

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Facebook.com/TheSalesHunter, www.Twitter.com/TheSalesHunter and www.LinkedIn.com/in/MarkHunter.

Article Contributed by Lisa Cherney

A solid marketing foundation is key to a solid business. Even the big boys like Pepsi and Coke realize this! If they get comfortable and let their marketing efforts relax, then sales will suffer, and they’ll have to work twice as hard to get back their share of the market. You, as an entrepreneur and master of your own domain, have to be cognizant of where you spend your time and dollars. Just like a house, you need a strong foundation that you can build on that will stand the test of time. From this foundation, you’ll be able to add on and up as your business grows. So here are the first 2 key elements to a solid marketing foundation, the Juicy way.

Your ideal client is the foundation of your house.

I, like most entrepreneurs, didn’t know when I started my business that just having a “niche” was not accurate or precise enough to create the success that I was after. Let’s face it: your business is you, so you have to love all your clients. You are no longer employed by someone else, in a job where you have to do what your boss tells you and work with people that you don’t necessarily like. You’re the boss now, so you’ve got to love what you do and the people you work with. Picture your clients as the frame that your house is built around. The large bottom part is your target market – the concrete foundation that holds the house together. The walls are your niche that you most want to appeal to, but the roof is where it’s at. They are your ideal clients. So you have to figure out what those folks at the top want to hear from you. It’s not always about money for them, it’s about growth. Do you have what they want? Here’s a question to ask yourself: “Which clients are my favorites and why?” You’ll be making a huge mistake if you only focus on what you do. Focus on the values of your ideal clients, because it will tell you about your own values – and you’ll be speaking the words that they want to hear. It’s the foundation of your house, so make sure it’s solid!

Always highlight your irresistible Juicy benefits.

These are the shutters, the crown molding, the landscaping of your house. It’s curb appeal! It is your unique way of describing how you can change someone’s life. In the end, your credentials don’t matter as much as how their life is going to change once they give your their money. This is where you tell them the benefits of working with you. NOT how many years of experience you have, or the huge mega-companies you’ve worked with, or all the workshops, workbooks and CD’s that they’ll get with your program. These are features, not benefits. Spend the time, dig deep, and have a juicy benefit statement ready to go for every form of service that you provide. This is your opportunity for getting clarity so that your marketing can stand out. These statements help you to know your value so you can charge more. Find the words to say why you’re different than everyone else out there.

The best part about owning your own business is that you get to design your own “house”! Later, I’ll give you two more juicy secrets to build your business on solid marketing ground.

About the Author
Lisa Cherney, a.k.a. the Juicy Marketing Expert, founded Conscious Marketing 12 years ago to help small business owners find their authentic marketing voice, attract their ideal clients and increase their sales. Following her own Stand Out & Be Juicy program, which centers on owning your unique self and laser-focus marketing, Lisa has tripled her income while working part-time. Prior to Conscious Marketing, Lisa worked with many Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T, Lipton, Nissan, Blue Cross and Equal. She is a highly sought after speaker and often shares the stage with experts such as Jack Assaraf (The Secret), Jack Canfield and Jill Lublin. Learn more about Lisa at www.consciousmarketing.com or call 887-771-0156.

Article Contributed by Mark Hunter

So you now own an iPad or other type of tablet and you’re wondering if you should use it on a sales call.

Here are 6 quick rules to consider:

1. Don’t use it just because you have one.

Who really cares?  Just because you own the newest electronic gadget doesn’t mean the customer you’re seeing doesn’t own one too – or worse yet, despises people who do own them.  It only makes sense to use one on a sales call if you have a purpose for using it.

2. Do use it if it simplifies your sales call.

Using an iPad can be a great way to easily access rate information and other critical pieces of information quickly if the need arises.  Certainly having an iPad also allows you to walk into a sales call carrying a lot less “stuff.”

3. Don’t use it to “wow” the customer.

Again, who cares?  “Wowing” the customer is not why you are there. You’re there to help the customer. Plus, more often than not, the person who is out to “wow” the customer with a new toy is many times the same person who doesn’t have clue as to how the toy works.

4. Do use it if you want to show your customer information without leaving them a hard copy.

Having your rate/pricing information on the iPad is a great way to be able to show the client information without having to leave them a hard copy.  In my opinion, this is the best reason to use an iPad. We’ve all had experiences where hard copy information left with a potential client winds up being used as leverage with another sales representative to get a better quote.

5. Don’t use it if the tablet is loaded with a lot of your personal stuff.

There is nothing worse than having your client take control of your iPad and suddenly gaining access to various personal files (including potentially embarrassing information).  If you’re going to use an iPad on sales calls, then use it just for that. Don’t try to use it for both clients and personal work.  Invest the money and buy two. All it takes is one quick swipe of a finger on an iPad and your client can suddenly be looking at your personal tax statements or your latest fantasy league picks.

6. Do remember to have it charged before visiting a client.

Yes, the battery life on an iPad is very good – so good, in fact, that you can easily forget to check the battery level. We can become so used to not looking at the battery life on the unit that we forget to notice how low it is until we walk into the most important sales meeting of the quarter. By then it’s a little too late to charge it, and you certainly don’t want to be scoping the room for an outlet. Awkward.

With the above 6 tips in mind, you are equipped to make a wise decision regarding the use of an iPad in your next meeting.  Just remember that you aren’t going to impress anyone with any gadget – unless you have a valid reason for having it there in the first place.

About the Author:

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability.  For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Facebook.com/TheSalesHunter, www.Twitter.com/TheSalesHunter and www.LinkedIn.com/in/MarkHunter.

Article Contributed by Mark Hunter

We all have at least one – a customer with whom we just don’t like working.  Before you get too excited thinking I’m going to say it’s okay to fire any customer – regardless of the reason – guess again.

What I am talking about are customers we don’t like because after we do everything we do for them, we simply are not making any money from them.  Not making any money off of a customer goes beyond your commission or bonus. It’s the bottom-line profit your company is not making because of the customer. No salesperson is going to intentionally go out and find unprofitable customers, but too often we do end up with a few of these.

We wind up with unprofitable customers not because of the price we’re charging them, but because of the intensity of their demands and requests.  You know what I’m talking about.  It’s the customer who seems to always want one more thing. No matter how good of service you think you’re providing them, they keep asking for something more.

The problem we get into is the more we serve the customer, the more they expect from us.  Each time we help them, they come away thinking of something else they want from us.  These ongoing demands on your time (and the time of other people in your company) are what quickly erode profit – turning a once profitable customer into one that is completely not profitable.

What is even more disturbing is that often this dynamic happens so slowly that we don’t even realize how unprofitable they have become.   This “slow drain” means that it usually gets way out of control before anyone realizes how bad the situation is.

To be able to determine which customers need to be “fired,” you must become more discerning of customers who place too many demands on you and/or other people in your company.  It is absolutely essential you get control, because if a customer becomes high maintenance, there is a great likelihood they will remain high maintenance.

As the salesperson servicing the account, you are often the one in the best position to realize how high maintenance the customer has become.  More than likely, most of the customer’s requests are flowing through you. You then dole these requests out to the respective departments, but collectively all the departments do not see the big picture of everything the customer is demanding.

Once you spot a trend with a customer making multiple service requests, you must begin detailing the cost involved.  A detailed account of what has transpired will help when you and management need to decide how to deal with the customer.

Once you have identified an unprofitable customer, you and your company must decide what is going to be done about the customer.

Too many times, companies roll over and play dead and allow the customer to continue to be high-maintenance.  In the end, the only thing that happens is profit is lost and sales motivation is depleted. You and other people in the company become disenchanted with the amount of support devoted to a customer who never seems to be happy.

If, on the other hand, smarter heads prevail, then you and management will realize something needs to be done to rectify the situation.

There are two options:

1. Confront the customer. Your objective is to decrease their requests.
2. Increase their prices. This will offset the additional costs you incur serving the customer.

Personally, I prefer option #2.  The reason is simple. Increasing their price either restores your bottom-line profit or they reject your price increase and leave. Essentially what this option does is allow you to make the profit you need – or it releases you from a customer who is draining your profit.   Either way, you and your company are winners.

This is a much better option than the first choice of confronting the customer. I’ve found that confronting the customer tends to create a level of tension that winds up as long-term friction. Ultimately, no one is happy.

If you raise your prices for those difficult customers, you will gain the profit you need or the customer will walk away. The beautiful part of using this approach to “fire” your customer is that they leave without you ever having to tell them you are firing them.

Profit is good.  Don’t sacrifice it in the name of “good customer service.” Wisdom tells you that the best service is that which satisfies your customer and allows you to make a profit.  Your time is best spent on profitable activities. For more information on implementing a price increase, consider this article section of my website.

About the Author:

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability.  For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Facebook.com/TheSalesHunter, www.Twitter.com/TheSalesHunter and www.LinkedIn.com/in/MarkHunter. Reprinting of this article is welcomed as long as the following is included:   Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” www.TheSalesHunter.com, © 2011