"Sales 101"

For all you "non-salespeople" out there (who would, one day, like...to be a "salesperson")....I divide the "Sales Interview" into compartments;

1) Intro or "Interest"....introduce yourself (Depending on the program, I usually say something like, "Hi! I've got a NEW Idea for (increasing your business) (bringing you more business)...etc....if you have a "quick-minute" I can show you what it is (and I start moving into his office or ask him for his Fax # to fax more details to him, like a photo)

2) Presentation of program....giving all the "REASONS WHY" your program will "benefit" him.

2a) This is an "Interim" compartment. You want the prospect to agree that he understands what you are doing and that the "Price" of your program is the ONLY REASON WHY he will NOT buy...RIGHT NOW. You want to "Smoke Out" any excuse that will cause him to postpone buying. I use the following words to "Seal Off THIS Compartment";
"Mr Prospect....OTHER THAN PRICE....IS THERE ANY REASON WHY YOU WOULD NOT GO AHEAD WITH THIS....RIGHT NOW?"
By getting him to agree to this....he CANNOT come back with;
"OK! I've got to run this by my partner."
or
"Looks good to me BUT....all our "x" is handled by "X""
or....ANYTHING other than "price"....why he is not buying....RIGHT NOW!

3) Presenting your "Price"....I usually try to give my prospects a "choice of 2" ways to go (I call this my "WHICH PITCH") I'd rather give them a choice of "something" and "something"...rather than, "something and nothing".
Or...I include a "One-Time Set-Up Fee"....which I drop IF....he buys right now.

4) The "Close" (This is where I usually "assume" the sale and start writing up the order)

the following is more detail on the "INTRO" compartment.....

the "initial contact" of a prospect is to;

1) Introduce yourself
and
2) Get your prospect to AGREE to give you some TIME to present him with more info....either now or later, if he's busy.

Now....if you are making an "In-Person" call....you give your prospect JUST ENOUGH INFO for him to agree to have you give your presentation. You do NOT want to "spill your beans in the lobby".....give your entire spiel at the "Intro" compartment.

Or....if you are contacting him by Phone....just enough info to get him to agree to;
a) let you send a Fax
b) set up an appointment to see him in person.

Now...because it is impossible for prospects to "see" a Full Color product when phoning....I usually have to phone many MORE prospects than when I go in "In-Person".

For ex: I might have to phone 20 prospects to get 7 to agree to see more info, either in-person or by my sending them a Fax.

HOWEVER....with those that I have "Pre-Qualified"....by "feeding them just enough info" I am usually able to CLOSE a higher percentage.

So...this is the "BASICS" of "my" sales calls...this is not the place to go into more detail....just the "basics" which have worked for "me" for many years.

Maybe some of you can gain something from this and help in YOUR sales.

Don Alm...."SalesMan"