Description - Sales Process
Description
There are 3 ways to structure a sales call or presentation:
1.Wing-It. No prep and play it by ear seeing what happens… This is a high-risk ploy that can easily backfire losing a sale.
2. Script. Reps tend to like this because it alleviates the need to think. Clients want to be treated as human beings and resent some dimwit robot rep with a one-way monologue.
3. Outline. Ensures key points are hit while allowing a natural conversational dialogue two-way talk and listen style. Prospects don’t even realize they are being pitched in a structured way. Most outlines can be memorized so an easy flow is created.
The sales process ideally results in a close. Not a coercive high-pressure tactic but instead a well considered decision whether to proceed and buy. Reps must know what they are selling and have important reasons to do a presentation respecting both parties time. Presentations should be extensively rehearsed to be clear, time efficient and persuasive.
Transcription
Let’s talk about the basic sales process. Okay, so somehow you get an appointment with someone or you’re a really good cold caller in person. But generally, you got an appointment, either a lead generator or you, you generated a lead or the company provided a lead or referral, whatever it is, you have an appointment.
So what does that mean? I doubt very much you were able to sell a one hour appointment. People are busy. They’re not going to spend an hour with some rep until they really know that it’s worth their time. So right up front, you have to understand you have a three minute appointment. You have three minutes to introduce the product and to find out if there’s an interest.
Okay. So for example, well, sir, I was able to do the basic introduction of our product. Uh, I’m not sure if this is something your company could benefit by. I know my product, you know, your company, do you think it’s possible? This would be something you’d be interested in. And they’re going to go nowhere, yes.
Now what do they say? Do you think this is something you want to buy? No. Do you think this is something you may be interested in? It’s a very low bar to say yes. You want to make it as easy as possible to say yes. So as promised, that was three minutes. If you’d like, sir, I can continue. If they’re interested, they’re going to want you to continue.
If you go on a date and after three minutes, you simply say, you know, I’m really happy to meet with you. You know, I find your profile very interesting. Do you think this is something that, you know, you may want to pursue? And she’s going to say no or yes, you might as well find out now before you buy her dinner.
Okay, um, so anyway, so you go on and now you have permission, carte blanche, to do a thorough presentation. Along the way, you should say this, okay, that’s the mechanics of the device. Do you think it’s possible this may be in the best interest of your company possible that gives you all the all the benefit of doubt Okay.
Now, let’s say you do a complete presentation. It’s a financial product. It’s a mechanical fact, whatever it is. Okay You can say this say look. I really appreciate you all your interest in our product and I know from experience after talking to many companies, um, that if there’s a certain circumstance, this would benefit them.
Okay. What I won’t do is I cannot take an order unless I’m convinced this product will be in your best interest at your company and a good decision. In fact, when I get back, I have to write up my report. And I have to prove it to my boss why this prospect will benefit because he doesn’t want a customer in our, you know, roster who’s not going to be happy if this is not the best long term interest of our company.
So what do you think I should tell him as far as being in the best interest here? Now you’re going to get the prospect to tell you, yes, I think it’s a really great product and I can see that this might be our solution, you know, a little bit more, a little bit more details. Maybe we’ll set another appointment with the VP or the engineer.
I’m going to write that down and I’d be happy to schedule a follow up appointment so, so we can both be sure that this is going to be a true win win for both of us, okay? What you’re not going to do is asinine slogan, always be closing. Oh, you should buy it, you should buy it, we’re 50 percent off, you buy it for tomorrow, I’ll get you the color you want.
You know, you’re an idiot, don’t go into sales if that’s how you are, you’re just polluting the water for everybody else. Okay, always be closing means you’re a crook. You don’t want to do business honorably You want to push your will on someone else so you can get paid. Okay, that is not sales Okay, sales is a let’s face it the guy comes on then you have to get payments.
You have to do installations and training customer service You’re getting married. All right. Basically, that customer, you do not want to have it be rocky from the start. Okay. Now you also want reorders, referrals, and testimonials. Reorder, they buy again. Referrals, they refer you to someone else specifically.
And a testimonial is a statement of how much they liked the company and this and that. You put that on your website, all of which are great. If you want to truly expand your sales and ramp everything up, pressuring people to buy, even if they buy because somehow you were able to talk them into it. You are going to get negative response.
You’re going to get negative press and testimonials. They’re going to slam you on the net. Okay. If I had a salesman who did that. I would fire the salesman. I would go see if I could understand the situation with the client, why they’re not happy. I would make it right if possible, or I’d give them their damn money back.
I’d rather give them their money back than have to live with that negative, uh, press. Okay? So the process is, uh, prospecting, three minute presentation, permission to continue, any follow up that’s necessary, payment orders, uh, referrals, reorders, and testimonials. That’s the true process. It’s one of the success in sales.