How Discover the Information You Need

Since I am a total proponent for the Questioning Model in Sales, how do you use this model to learn the Information you need to successfully make the B2B sales?

Obviously, you use questions during your discovery process as you want the prospect or customer doing most of the talking. Their answering questions allows you to learn about what is going on within their organization.

Note: even the very best b2b sales superstar is NOT an insider for the prospect or customer company. While it is important to have a coach or champion who wants you to win the account, not all the time will you have this person in place. And, sometimes (this has definitely happened to me) your inside champion leaves or is promoted away from your target area.

Now what do you do?

You plan your questions carefully to uncover the answers to several important pieces of information.

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Are You Really Listening?

Been doing some observation work with several b2b sales people and have noticed one thing. Most of the sales people need to ramp up their ability to really listen to their customers.

Again the signs are there for us to learn. Our customers and clients actually want us to listen and comprehend and understand what they want and need. It is our job to deliver these results by listening aggressively.

The truth is most b2b sales people are trained or have behavioral styles which are very adept at presenting and talking. Sometimes they can even ask questions after being trained on the Questioning Model of B2B Selling.

However, the question remains – are they really listening to what is being said by the customer?

Often listening is the one skill sales people take for granted. Their expectations are limited to believing they are naturally good at listening. Therefore, there is very little time and effort applied to learning exactly how to actively listen.

How about some b2b sales tips regarding the reasons to learn the skill of listening?

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Neuroscience and the b2b sales process

When I began to learn about how the brain works due to the research being used in the neuroscience studies, I began to see the light. Which light is that? The light at the other end of the tunnel indicating a train is coming and I need to pay attention.

Now must b2b sales people are still following the same old sales “tracks” laid down in the last century. They continue to hang in there using these old methods since they did work for the b2b sales people in years past. And, in some industries the old tracks still work with some old school or commodity based buyers.

Yet, the more progressive companies – both sellers and buyers of progressive companies – no longer tolerate the practices of the old b2b sales tracks. They want something new and better for the real world of today.

Okay, what is different you are thinking? A good thought or question.

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Do You Really Know How People Decide to Buy?

How about a provocative question to start the week? Yet, it is a great question to ask of sales people.

Do You Really Know How People Decide to Buy?

I know you will answer with many of the same answers I have used during the years of b2b selling. Here are many of the typical responses to this question…

  • It was the logical thing to do
  • It was based upon the hot button
  • It solved their problem
  • It had real value add
  • It was the low cost solution
  • It was the safe choice

Okay, once again, focus upon the real question – How Decisions are Made – rather than what you sold them.

Now if you are like most people (and I was included in this group until a few years ago), assumptions were made based upon our experience in selling, what sales trainers had told us and other externally driven answers. However, precious little thought time was devoted to learning how the decisions are made.

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Ever Hear This? – “Let me Think about Your Offer”

This week I am going to address several questions I get from you – the readers of these sales tips.

This first question is about what you will do when a potential customer says to you – “Let Me Think about Your Offer.”

There are several ways to respond to this statement, unfortunately, most are rooted in the traditional sales model where a sales person is in some form of combat with the buyer. Things like…

  • You have agreed to everything we have discussed, what is it you feel you need to think about at this moment?
  • This offer has a limited time period, are you sure you want to risk missing the deadline for ordering?
  • Is their someone else you need to talk with to move forward on this?
  • If so, can I meet with them also in case their have some questions about this offer?

That is just a short list of possible responses using the traditional model of selling.

The real reason for any delaying tactics on the part of a qualified buyer are based upon three things. These are the three – with the third reason being the most likely reason.

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B2B Sales Presentations – When to Do It?

I’ve been getting a number of requests for information lately for how to do B2B Sales Presentations. Therefore, I will be adding some new information regarding b2b sales presentations over the next few weeks.

First, let me start by talking about When to do b2b sales presentations. There seems to be some confusion regarding the use of b2b sales presentations.

The best time to do a b2b sales presentation is never. Okay, you can quit screaming at the computer screen about how stupid that sounds.

Well, the truth is most of the average b2b sales people attempt to create a sale using the sales presentation as the tool for their success. Is it any surprise that this old school sales tactic has an extremely low success ratio?

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