There's an often-quoted, always mis-attributed aphorism that goes, "If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got." It points to the fact that if you want to get different results, you have to change your activities. If you want to different outputs, you need different inputs. Sounds simple, right? But if it's simply a matter of different inputs, then why do many of us consistently fail to change our sales results? It's because at the beginning of each new year, each new quarter, and each new sales contest, salespeople sit down and promise themselves (and their sales managers) that it's … [Read more...]
Can You Dial for Dollars When There Are No Dials?
I saw a meme that pointed out that the "dial" button on a cell phone has no bearing on actually dialing the phone. If you haven't seen a rotary phone in use (and most people under 30 probably haven't), you've actually never seen a phone get "dialed". Yet we still use the terminology because as phones evolved, the term just morphed to cover pushing buttons with numbers, and then eventually just scrolling to someone's name. Our lives are full of unexamined pieces that are there because of inertia. For example: I remember one of the first handouts I got at a sales meeting when I first started selling Cutco Cutlery over 20 years ago. … [Read more...]
Why You Need to Follow Sales Scripts if You Want to Build Trust
Over the years I've heard thousands of sales professionals say, "I don't like using sales scripts. It sounds so robotic and stiff and it just doesn't work." Actually, let me restate that: Over the years, I've heard thousands of unsuccessful sales professionals say that. Successful sales professionals understand that having a script - a set process that they follow when interacting with customers - is key to success. There's a reason why following scripts can help: Used correctly, they help build trust. Prospects Respond to Confidence You've probably heard the advice, "It's not just what you say but how you say it." That connects … [Read more...]