Influencing the Sale

The Magic Statement for Getting Decision Maker Attention

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Recently, while moving offices, I found this amazing Attention Grabber statement. (Actually found the banner – more later, keep reading) It fits the new “models of selling” coming out from several directions. Yet, the truth is – it is really just plain old common sense.

To often we get caught in learning “Ninja” tactics and special “hypnotic” methods to get the attention of our prospects and customers. And, then they figure out it is just more stuff about us or our product – not about them.

In Sales 101 we learned about the customer’s favorite radio station – WIIFM. Yet, we have a tendency to change the channel too often whereby the “Me” is really “You” and not the customer. The station the customer is looking for is the one that is ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMER AND THEIR NEED.

So, here is the statement that is guaranteed to capture the attention of any human being who is looking for a real solution to their issue…

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How Discover the Information You Need

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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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10 Reasons – Why People Buy

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While looking through some old notes during the holidays, I found this handy list of 10 reasons or basic needs used by people to buy. And, I thought you may find the list interesting and helpful when selling to the individuals within an organization.

Here are the top ten reasons – Why People Buy…

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Fifteen Ways to Touch Your Potential Customers

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Earlier this week I wrote about using a campaign as a method of touching your potential customers. And, it has come to my attention you wanted more information about exactly what you can use to effectively “touch” your potential customer as well as your current customers (good idea to also regularly touch your existing customers.).

So I thought I would provide a list of ways you can regularly touch your potential customers. This creates the top of mind awareness you want in your business relationships. So here they are…

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Four Major Mistakes when Dealing with Gatekeepers

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Recently a sales team I was working with raised the question of how to deal with the Gatekeepers of the world. In previous training sessions they had been taught some of the old traditional techniques and tactics designed to overcome or by pass the gatekeepers.

The more we discussed the situation, the more I realized there are probably a number of b2b sales people making major mistakes in dealing with so called Gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are people who you need to nurture a relationship with if you want to be successful in your b2b sales efforts.

So, what are the four major mistakes made by old school b2b sales people? Here are they are, so simply avoid using these tactics if you want to win your b2b sales accounts.

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Critical Variables Impacting the Buying Decision

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Through the years of selling to major accounts and assisting my clients in selling to major accounts or as we like to say today – business to business selling (B2B sales) – I have found five major or critical variables that impact the decision to buy or not. So today’s B2B Sales Tip is about How the Buying Decision is impacted.

The buying decision is a focal point for b2b sales people; we want to know who will make the buying decision so we can move forward in the sales process. Yet, these five critical variables continue to play havoc on our knowledge of how the buying decision will be made.

So, here are the Five Critical Variables to the Buying Decision…

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Explain What Success Looks Like to the Prospect

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One of the most overlooked sales tips is for the sales person to explain what success looks like to the prospect. This is a very simple task. Yet, it commonly overlooked by most sales people while actually being one of the most successful sales techniques you can use. So how does this work? Again, it … Read more…