Tricks of the Trade???

Ever look up the verb, "to sell" in the dictionary?  Words like "to Hoax", "to Cheat" and "violation of conscience and duty" jump off the page at you.  Why is selling defined this way?  It's because of salespeople being perceived as dishonest and deceitful.  Today, there are scams everywhere so buyers are particularly skeptical of sales "pitches."  The very term "pitch" is adversarial as baseball pitchers try to outmaneuver batters.  Sales trainers often are guilty of teaching "tricks of the trade" and "silver bullets."  Then there are the "tie down" techniques, the "closed probes," and the nasty, "both barrels" questions.  If one follows these selling ploys, one is reinforcing the negative dictionary definitions.  Today, success in sales depends on credibility and empathy skills.  These skills are essential, yet missing from most sales training lessons.  Learn the skills to build customer trust.   Call GRa today.  910.617.1817 

Potent Product Training yields Sales Growth

Is your product training sales potent?   Technical products are designed for precision, accuracy and reliability.  Often product training includes the specifications along with the unique features of the new or improved systems.  Typically, the training is done by a product manager that's  been working on the development project for a wide stretch of time, and has "fallen in love" with the hardware.  Sales team members learn the engineering attributes of the product, but do they really learn how to sell it?  Effective product training includes sales training that helps to show how the equipment will solve customer problems. The training points out the potential customer concerns and perceived competitive advantages, as well as the "features and benefits."  To optimize your next product training session, call GRa today.  910.617.1817

Extend Your Sales Team

Who's on your sales team?  The answer --- everyone in your organization.  Support staff members in particular have a strong influence on current and future customers.  They are the people that your sales team relies on for customer satisfaction.  Their ability to answer questions, make suggestions and make buyers feel comfortable has a strong effect on sales.  How many of these people have had sales training?  Imagine how sales would grow if your support staff members performed some fundamental selling skills.  They might ask key questions to uncover hidden buying motives.  Perhaps they could make suggestions to add value to existing products.  Learn how to get incremental sales through your support staff and other employees in your organization.  Call GRa today.  910.617.1817

It's Friday --- Time to Sell

It's Friday.  Do you know where your competitors are?   For some, Friday is the day when people look forward to the weekend.  Many salespeople see Friday as the day to slow down.  Some even believe that customers don't want to see salespeople on Friday because it's the day to finish up work for the week.  Indeed there's no time to waste before heading out for the weekend!  That's one of those time myths that create opportunities for savvy sales professionals.  In fact, vendredi means Friday in French.  Vendre is the French word for "to sell" so literally vendredi means the "day to sell."  If your competitor excludes Fridays from his or her selling time, you have one more day to create and close business.   Call GRa today to find out how to make Fridays a great day for making sales. 910.617.1817

Transition from Sales to Management

Are you ready to manage?   Top sales professionals are the most likely candidates to step into sales management roles.  It seems to make sense that one's success in sales can be modeled across an entire sales organization.  The fact is that selling skills and management skills differ widely.  Top salespersons tends to make tactical decisions while managers need to think more strategically within their organizational  framework.  Salespeople rely on technical knowledge and interpersonal skills.  Management skills include hiring, coaching, training and monitoring.  The management "cloning" system rarely works.  What worked well for the new manager may not be right for a member of his or her sales team.  Call GRa today to sharpen your sales management skills.   910.617.1817

We Need More Time???

Do your buyers put off decisions?  It's human nature to procrastinate when there is no perceived urgency.  Most customers are afraid that a wrong decision will be a reflection on their judgment or expertise.  Hence, it's easier to delay the decision or not make one at all.  If the decision doesn't have an immediate impact, likely it will be delayed.  However, procrastination can be costly.  Often the lack of urgency is because the buyer doesn't realize the downside risks of not acting quickly.   Sales professionals can create a sense of urgency by asking a series of questions that will maximize the risks of not taking immediate action.  Call GRa today if you're interested in faster, more committed buying decisions.  910.617.1817

Bullish Sales Training for Today's Economy

Tight training budget?  In tough economic times, sales training budgets often are the first to be trimmed.  The burden is on sales managers to stay the course, yet without the time or funding to provide up-to-date training to the members of their sales teams.  The result is a sales organization that relies on the techniques and skills of the past.  With changing times comes changing customer values, expectations and attitudes.  The sales training of yesterday is being  replaced by adding fresh selling skill sets and shorter, more cost-effective sessions.  Find out how your organization will benefit from an efficiently productive approach to sales training.  Call GRa today for a customized agenda for your sales training requirements.   910.617.1817

"What's New???"

Is your team trade show ready?  Spring is the beginning of trade show season for the bioscience industry.  These events are great opportunities to introduce new products and to exhibit a strong corporate image.  Unfortunately many opportunities are lost because of lack- luster booth appearance or ineffective booth conduct.  Without training, many exhibitors are ill equipped to seek out serious buyers.  It's often tempting to talk about "what's new" rather than ask about visitors' specific interests.   Your new automated system may be quite an engineering marvel, but not many booth visitors are interested in a long-winded technical "data dump."  Take full advantage of upcoming trade shows,  GRa can help your team to identify real buyers, ask the key qualifying questions and perform sales winning follow-up.  Call GRa today for your free Exhibitor's Sales Guide.  910.617.1817

Bad Training = Bad Selling

Why do salespeople fail?  Of course there are many reasons, but bad training is often the cause of sales failure.  There are few universities that offer degrees in selling, so one's sales training usually is by trial and error, or by attending a sales training class.  Trial and error is time consuming and often frustrating.  Generic sales training typically is a few classroom lessons with little or no practical application or follow-up.  The days of clever techniques and "selling systems" are virtually over.  Buyers expectations have changed.  They want to deal with salespeople that treat them as individuals; not units of production.   Effective sales training challenges people to think for themselves, being empathic to their customers' personal preferences, priorities and motives. To learn more about effective sales training for your sales team, call GRa today.  910.617.1817

Listen Carefully

How many people are trained to listen?  Listening is a skill that is crucial for successful selling.  Often the words that we hear are not necessarily the facts nor the true feelings of our customers.  Much of the time salespeople listen for buying signals, yet miss the true obstacles that can kill the sale.  For example, your customer may tell you that he or she wants a quotation. That may be a stall or even an excuse not to buy.  Learning to use certain verbal and non-verbal responsive listening skills will help you to determine exactly what your buyer is thinking and feeling.  Doing so will uncover countless concerns and unstated obstacles to the sale.  Call Gra today to learn more about Effective Listening Skills.   910.617.1817  

Discounts = Reduced Profits

Why do buyers ask for discounts?  The answer may seem obvious, but money may not be the only issue.  In some cases the buyer always asks for a discount hoping to get it.  This is not a reason to offer a discount.  The question is --- Does the buyer really want your product or service?  Another reason for asking for a discount is because your competitor is priced lower than you.  Again; does your buyer really want your product over the competitor's and why?  If he or she is truly convinced that your product is better suited, what is being sacrificed by paying the lower price?  it may be costly in the long run.   Before offering a discount, sales professionals can ask some crucial questions.  Call GRa today to avoid the profit-cutting discount traps.  910.617.1817

Objection or Question?

Do the members of your sales team anticipate their customers' concerns?   Buyers have concerns that must be answered before they make decisions.  Some sales training courses call these concerns objections, but they are not necessarily reasons not to buy.  Often these concerns are simply questions that buyers have on their minds about your company, your pricing or perhaps, your ability to help them.  Veteran sales professionals prepare a list of these questions before their sales calls.  They also prepare the answers.  For example, one question might be - - - "What sets you apart from your competition?"  The answer might be - - - "We manufacture specialized, application specific systems rather than a general product line."  There are countless common customer questions that can be answered in your favor if you anticipate them.  Call GRa today to learn more about common customer concerns.  910.617.1817

"Show me the Money"

Is your sales team prepared to present financial justification as well as technical advantages?  In today's tight economy buyers want to know how your product or service will help them save or make money.  Regardless of price, if a product or service represents profit or financial gain, the savvy buyer will understand the value in terms of return on investment or cost per unit time.  Although technology salespeople are rarely trained to present compelling financial reasons to buy, they can learn the tactical approach to financial justification.  Call GRa today to learn more about financial justification selling skills.   910.617.1817

No Time for Selling???

When is the best time to meet with your customers? 
Between 8 and 9, they're reading their e-mail.
Between 9 and 11, they're in meetings.
Between 11 and 12, they're on the phone.
Between 12 and 1, they're at lunch.
Between 1 and 3, more meetings.
Between 3 and 4, they're busy with daily tasks.
Between 4 and 5 they're too tired.
Actually the best time is anytime that your buyers agree to meet with you.  Top sales performers know that they are welcome anytime to help solve problems.  Buyers make the time to meet with people that express enthusiastic willingness to listen and understand their priorities, preferences and buying motives.  Buyers are not interested in your product or service until you show genuine interest in them. 

Closing or Opening

 Are the members of your sales team closing or opening new opportunities?  All sales training courses teach a variety of closing techniques.  They are designed to get the buyer to say "yes" to the sale.  The question beyond the buying agreement is "what else?"  The answer to that important question will open doors to product enhancements and upgrades.  Additionally it may result in an invitation to a follow-up with other buyers.  Sales actions beget sales, so the "close" need not be a final event.   At key accounts there are big opportunities to follow-up with seminars, demos and other "opening" events that might lead to further sales.   Take advantage of the proven methods to extend business far beyond the closed sale.  Call GRA today to discuss how your sales team can grow business incrementally after the sale is "closed."  910.617.1817

Objection or Concern?

Many sales training courses teach that objections are true signs of interest.  In reality, objections are often true reasons not to buy.  For example, if a buyer says that he is not interested in the latest widget, it might mean that he has no use for it or he can't afford it..  Those are  real reasons not to buy it.  However if the buyer says that he can't see how the widget will help him, it may mean that he is concerned that it may not be worth the money.  Top sales professionals have learned how to know the difference between true objections and  concerns.  They utilize skills that quickly get to the root of the roadblock.  They don't waste time trying to sell something that isn't useful or affordable..  They do help the buyer understand how a product or service will be a smart investment.   To learn the skills of uncovering and handling buyers' concerns call GRA today.  910.617.1817

It's JUST a word

Do the members of your sales team know the words and phrases that minimize their message?  That is, words, tone of voice and facial expressions are our tools of communication.  What we say is interpreted by buyers according to their respective understanding of what is said and done.  For example, compare - "I just want to show you how we can probably help you with your application" with;  "It's important that I go over the key areas where we can help you with solutions to your specific application."  The words "just," and "probably" are"  minimizers.  It is generally interpreted that what follows is not very important.  Other common minimizers are "by the way," "incidentally," "basically" and and the giant sales killer, "whatever."  On the other hand the boldly typed words are maximizers, largely interpreted as meaningful and potent.
With training these minimizers and many others can be reduced dramatically from sales professinals' vocabulary.  The results will be surprisingly positive.  Call GRA today to learn more about common words and expressions that can make the difference between Sale or No Sale.  910.617.1817

People make decisions logically. They buy emotionally.

Are the members of your sales team addressing their buyers' personal motives?  Most sales presentations focus on a product or service.  Reasons to purchase are commonly based on logic and performance factors.  However, buyers are people with personal concerns, priorities and preferences.  For example, some buyers like to gain or maintain control over decisions, while others prefer a group consensus.  One customer may be cautious and deliberate while another is more spontaneous; willing to take risks.  The point is that salespeople need to learn to identify their buyers' respective personal motives before jumping into a product presentation.  One can learn to identify buyers' personal motives through observation of behavior.  Once mastering the skills of versatility, one can create a targeted presentation packed with the key words and phrases that trigger the "buying feeling."  Call GRA today to learn more about the personal motives for buying.   910.617.1817

Sales "Time Crimes"

Do your sales team members commit any of these time crimes?

1.  Visiting buyers with whom they're most comfortable.
2.  Lack of time-saving planning.
3.  Doing most of what they enjoy most.
4.  Excessive time on presentations.
5.  Premature presentations.
6.  Spending too much time with non-buyers
7.  "Howdy" calls.
8.  Lack of initiative.
9.  "Wishin' and a' hopin."
10. Lack of sponaneity (being unprepared).
11. Off-target presentation.
12.  Territory mismanagement

These are some of the most common sales "time crimes."   Help your sales team avoid these self-inflicted time violations.  Call GRA today.  910.617.1817

GRa Today: Selling Your Science

GRa Today: Selling Your Science: Does your sales team sell to scientists? What are the obstacles encountered when trying to discover their motives for buying, or presenting...

Selling Your Science

Does your sales team sell to scientists?  What are the obstacles encountered when trying to discover their motives for buying, or presenting product solutions?  Scientists tend to be skeptical.  They require proof that your product will help them solve their own immediate problems.  They can get most product information on-line, so an in-depth product description will usually fall flat.  Today, scientists trust salespeople that understand their problems and present information that will help them directly with their specific application. The old "Feature / Benefit" technique no longer is very convincing to technical buyers.  Are all of the members of your sales team equipped with the most compelling information that help scientists and engineers to make solid decisions?  Call GRA today to learn about the selling skills that motivate technical buyers to agree to purchase your product or service.  910.617.1817. 

Selling Outside Your Culture Zone

Does your sales team lose sales because of cultural barriers?  Many American and Canadian sales professionals find it awkward to sell to buyers that were raised in unfamiliar cultures.  In today's diverse business world, managers are often assigned to locations outside their native land.  They have different expectations and values that may not conform to the familiar local business model.  Countless sales are lost because the salesperson is unaware of these cultural differences.  Sales training programs in North America stress techniques that may apply locally, but are quite distant and even distasteful to Asian or Latino buyers.  Common slang and non-verbal expressions are often misunderstood and deemed unfavorable by some foreign-born customers.  Humor can be risky business if one is unfamiliar with one's buyers' national and ethnic values.  Many a sales has been lost early-on because of the salesperson's lack of knowledge and sensitivity to religious beliefs and customs.  Most of the common cultural mistakes can be avoided if one is aware of the Culture Zone of one's customers.  Call GRA today to discuss how your sales team can overcome cultural obstacles and boost its sales volume.  910.617.1817