August 2012 Sales Tip

Greetings Sales Pros!

We've got five months left to hit plan - no pressure!!  We do appreciate receiving your comments about our new look and will continue to bring you leading edge sales knowledge, skills and tools to help you.

The foundation for success in any business today is to consistently create positive customer experiences that capture the initial sale and leverage customer lifecycle revenue.  Here are some basic strategies that will also help to leverage potential customer circle of influence revenue: 

 

* Gain customer attention, build interest and engage at each touch point

*  Align processes and profiles (people) at each touch point

* Establish customer friendly systems, processes and people at each touch point

* Meet expectations and deliver value at each touch point

* Capture and leverage accurate information (data) at each touch point

* Maximize results and revenue potential at each touch point

Remember, there are only three basic types of customers or clients.

1. Enthusiastic:  Engaged, advocate their positive experience

2. Satisfied:  Engaged, but searching for a better experience

3. Unsatisfied:  Gone, will often retaliate for their negative experience 

Next Generation Selling requires a change in most salespeople's critical thinking.  As you establish primary and minimum sales call objectives, you must consider these from the buyer's perspective and not the seller's.  Most of us have it backwards and establish our objectives from the seller's viewpoint.  You must engage the customer into their thought process with interest at this touch point.  Otherwise, you're no different than the other vendors who "throw up" on your customers or prospects.  It is sickening!  Don't you get the same e-mails and direct mails that I do?  They all start off how they are the greatest, finest, can't live without us and on and on and on.  It makes me sick.  I delete and throw away within seconds and don't waste my time any further.  How do you build interest from the buyer's perspective?  They have expectations and objectives as well.  Next Generation Sales Professionals are able to identify the customer's challenges and break down into problems, needs and opportunities.  These sales consultants assess and determine the customer's feasibility, all while aligning their sales process with the buyer's process.

Next, the seller gets the buyer involved in the design process to create desire for the seller's offerings.  Often, through formal proposal presentations, customers perceive the value and make the commitment.  If not, The Sales Professional continues to make recommendations and test solutions, handling any sales resistance with conviction strategies.  Lastly, The Sales Professional goes for approval by asking the customer to agree to action and continues to follow-up and develop customers for life.  That's how you sell with the buyer's perspective in mind.  This is what's needed for Next Generation Selling.  Remember, engage your customers from a buyer's perspective strategy and not from the seller's.  You'll be pleased with the results as you watch your revenue, margins and market share soar!

Good Luck and Good Selling,

Bob Butler, TSP

and the Butler Learning Systems T.E.A.M.

Together Each Achieves More