Prevential » selling

How to Improve Your Consulting Business by 327%

Derek — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:18:23 +0000

Do you know why H&R Block became so successful? They took an arcane service like Taxes and turned it into a product. They packaged the services into different products with increasing price and created accounting software to streamline the process. In short, H&R Block productized their service.

You should “productize” too.

Many people hesitate buying services on the internet because they don’t know what they’ll get. They’re dealing with something new and they have no way to assess its value. Marketers overcome this by productizing their service. They take the necessary steps to turn their intangible service into a tangible product.

Yet, there are thousands of bloggers selling their services the wrong way. They charge hourly, fail to specify benefits, and keep their service or consultation as arcane as possible.

But, do bloggers keep their service arcane to hide what they do?

No, not always. There are several great bloggers offering great services. They write great blogs and offer great value. Unfortunately, they are limiting their success because they are not selling their service the right way. They are leaving good, profitable clients on the table and losing them to people with lower pricing, and lower quality.

Now lets help you grab those extra clients.

Service Product Packages

Don’t offer “blog coaching.” Instead, offer specific “blog coaching” product packages. For example, “Crafting Killer Headlines,” “Working Social Media,” or “Increasing Blog Traffic in 30 Days.” Not only will this keep people more interested, they will know exactly what they’re paying for and exactly what they’ll get.

(Bonus: Many large corporations demand product packages so know they know they’re paying for).

Create Tangible Products

Don’t expect clients to take notes throughout your consulting session. Instead, give them key takeaways. For example, send them a PDF of “Next Action items,” or “Things to Remember,” or a “consultation summary.” While you run the risk of people sharing it without your permission, you will create several happy customers who will be willing to use your consulting services again.

Offer Free Samples

The internet shareware industry used this to the max. They offered 30-day free trials so people became accustomed to using their software and then asked them to buy it. This increased sales substantially.

So, once you create your service product packages, create a bare-minimum free product package to get people interested. Please note, a regularly updated blog can be considered a free sample and so is a free e-book.

Don’t Charge Hourly

Personally, I hate hourly charges. I always think, “are they padding their hours” – even with reputable companies. This means I go into a sales call on the defensive and the salesman needs to break through my defenses before I’m willing to buy. It is just plain uncomfortable and is a huge waste of time.

You are the expert. You are selling the consulting services. Once you productize your service, you will know how long each project will take since you will be using the same process. This allows you to charge per project instead of per hour.

Offer Testimonials and User Feedback

One of the reasons eBay became the largest online auction website is because they used user-feedback to determine the credibility and trust of buyers and sellers. When you’re packaging your service, you can do the same exact thing.

You should create a forum where you encourage your clients to write honest reviews of your service. Additionally, encourage them to write what they didn’t like about your service. Remember, the world of selling is changing since everything is transparent, so you might as well be the person offering the transparency. This will show you have nothing to hide and immediately build trust with potential clients.

Offer Specific Promises

If you’re not willing to “productize” your service, you need to offer specific promises because people need to know what to expect. For example, while SEO masters can’t guarantee #1 rankings, they can guarantee some number of links or exposure.

The Open Challenge

Are any of you making a living off of services like consulting or coaching? I dare you to justify the way you are currently running your consulting or service business if it doesn’t conform to these best-practices.

Who Else Wants To Sell Like Gary Vaynerchuk?

Derek — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:51:59 +0000

This article is the 5th article in the Sales Training 101 article series.

Photo Courtesy of Brian Solis

I know I do. So, let me explain.

First, have you heard of Gary Vaynerchuk (@Garyvee) yet? He’s the brash, animated guy behind Wine Library TV, a video blog that sells wine, and GaryVaynerchuk.com, a video blog that helps entrepreneurs become successful.

But why does he matter to you?

Gary Vaynerchuk is an expert salesman. He makes a ton of money selling wine on the internet and now selling his ideas and advice on new media. He’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time, and tons of other media outlets (check his About Page).

But how can he help you sell?

I came across Gary Vaynerchuk over at Technosailor, and I was hooked on his videos. I watched every video on his entrepreneur video blog and then went to Wine Library TV, and watched a ton of videos about wine.

Did I mention I hate wine? I absolutely hate the taste of wine, and Gary had me so curious that I went out and had a glass of wine with dinner. I still hated it, but I had it because of Gary.

Just like you, I was left wondering how he managed to convince me to have wine, so I watched his videos again and now, without further ado, here are five ways you can sell like Vaynerchuk:

Embrace Yourself

In a world where nothing is private, you need to embrace yourself. Everything you do is on display somewhere, so you might as well show your true colors to keep the message clear and consistent.

As a new or experienced salesman, your clients and prospects will find out your true intentions. So, you might as well show them. If you’re trying to help, great. Help them. Unfortunately, if you’re selling for the wrong reasons, you better find the right reasons or else you won’t be successful.

Here is Gary stressing the importance of embracing yourself (source):

Go and Get It

It seems simple right? Yet, so many people stand around waiting for success to be handed to them on a silver platter. It just doesn’t make sense.

Successful sales people put themselves in the line of fire (the most crowded places) with a bullet proof vest (a plan) and emerge victorious on all occasions. You can’t sit around waiting for clients to find you, you need to find them and show them why you’re the salesman for the job.

Check out Gary proving this point to the max (source):

Work The Room

Fifty years ago corporations controlled what consumers read and saw about their products. Their job was to present the products to the masses so they would buy them.

Not anymore.

With the internet taking the power away from the gatekeepers (newspapers, television, and radio), everyone has a voice and the corporation who fosters that conversation will be successful.

Not only does this affect corporations, it affects salesmen.

Fifty years ago, when someone wanted to buy a new car, they want to their local dealership because they did not have a choice. They dealt with the people and bought the cars.

Not anymore.

Today, people have the choice of buying local or across the world. If you wanted to buy a car, you could buy it in Texas and have it shipped. If you wanted to buy a computer, you could skip Best Buy and order it on the internet.

The times have changed.

Salesmen are no longer speaking at a set local audience. They need to communicate with their local audience to ensure they don’t go elsewhere. So, work the room, Gary style.

Gary Vaynerchuk Working the Room (source):

Word of Mouth

We all know the importance of word of mouth. If you make people feel great, they will talk about you and your business to their friends.

Master car salesman Joe Girard would regularly take out the car service staff to lunch. As a result, Girard’s clients would get preferential treatment and would rarely wait on line to have their car serviced.

Guess what happened? All of the car buyers talked about it and everyone wanted to deal with Joe Girard.

Now, people today are much more popular than they were twenty years ago. They have hundreds or thousands of friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter. They have hundreds or thousands of loyal readers on their blogs and forums. One huge supporter can be the difference between success and failure.

So, salesmen, not only do you need to keep the client happy with their purchase, you need to get your client talking about you. You need to make sure you take those extra steps and devote more time and resources to making your clients feel great.

Here is Gary on Word of Mouth and Brand Equity(source):

Better Than Zero

When people start a business, they talk about their dreams and where they can end up if they’re successful. They relish in their small victories by posting money on the wall, and celebrating every win.

When people become successful, they forget about their small victories. They forget about their first sale, first account, and their grand-opening. They become focused on their biggest clients and they forget the rest.

Salesmen should never forget their small clients. Sure, they may not be as valuable, but they were there when you first started. They were there keeping you afloat while you built your business.

Here is Gary talking about his theory “Better Than Zero” (source):

Sell Like Vaynerchuk

Are you ready to start selling like Gary Vaynerchuk? Leave a comment.

Do You Make These Mistakes When You Sell?

Derek — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:17:22 +0000

This article is the 4th article in the Sales Training 101 article series.

The majority of new salesmen are being told by their managers what they should be doing and how they should be doing it. Even though this is a great way to develop new sales professionals, it doesn’t help eliminate bad selling habits.

So, let’s take a look a look at those bad habits.

Being Impersonal

People like to feel amazing. They love when someone just sits down and honestly cares about what they have to say. After all, who wouldn’t? It is one of the reasons why people buy.

Unfortunately, there are so many salesmen today who just don’t get it. Each day they treat every new person like a faceless prospect and they somehow have the nerve to ask, “What am I doing wrong?”

With Sales 2.0 gaining traction, being impersonal is one of the biggest mistakes of any new or experienced salesman. People will not buy from salesman who treat them like an ATM.

Remember, the more you treat people like people, the more successful you will be at sales.

Failing to Qualify

Have you ever spent your valuable time pitching a product to someone who was unable to buy? They may not have been the decision maker, or they may not have a need for your product. Whatever the reason, this is a huge mistake and a large waste of time.

Before you start your pitch, you should qualify each prospect. Here are some questions you should ask yourself during a sales call:

“Do they have the power to make the decision to buy?”
“Do they have a need for what I’m selling?”
“Do they have the budget for this sale?”
“Would they buy today or buy later?”

Remember, the best sales pitch can’t give someone the power to buy or the money to buy it.

Taking Rejection Personally

One thing all successful and unsuccessful salesmen share is the fact that they all get rejected. They spend hours preparing the sales pitch, qualifying the prospect, and building an excellent connection, but it does not matter since some clients will still say “No thank you.”

Remember, one rejection is just one rejection. Don’t let it get you down.

Asking Too Many Questions

Just imagine walking through airport security and having to answer one million questions about your luggage. You’re completely innocent, but you still get frustrated. After all, you have a plane to catch.

Sales calls are no different.

Many salesmen try to keep control of a sales call by asking tons of questions. Unfortunately, clients have meetings to catch and they don’t have time to answer each question. Additionally, who likes to be interrogated?

Remember, good salesmen keep the sales call a two-way conversation.

Being a Beggar

Do you remember when you went shopping for your first used car? You most likely went to a used car lot and failed to find anything you liked. Unfortunately, the pushy salesman would continue to say things like “what can I do to get you into this car today?” even though you said “not interested” repeatedly.

You encountered a beggar.

Many salesmen don’t understand the difference between persistence and begging. The latter usually makes them sound desperate and unprofessional.

Remember, if someone is clearly “not interested,” they don’t qualify as a potential customer.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Can you think of any additional selling mistakes that should be included on the list? Leave a comment.

How to Sell on The Phone (6 Tips + 1 Bonus)

Derek — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:24:32 +0000

This article is the 3rd article in the Sales Training 101 article series.

Photo courtesy of Tyler Durden1

If you have ever used the phone, you have most likely experienced a new phenomenon. People say things like “Can you hear me?,” “Did you get that?,” or “You’re breaking up!”

Do you know why?

Technology is not perfect. It adds millions of potential customers by solving the “25,000 miles around the world” problem, but it isn’t as clear as person-to-person communication.

The lack of clarity makes it much harder for salesmen to connect with customers, but there is a solution. Using these six tips, you will improve your ability to sell over the phone.

1. Ditch The Bluetooth/ Cellular Phone

Do you know what you guarantee when you use a cellphone or a headset?

A lost sale.

As mentioned above, technology isn’t perfect, so you need to make sure you do everything within your power to limit potential interruptions. Prospects don’t have time for static, dropped calls, or “I can’t hear you.”

Tip: Expert salesmen know how difficult it is to communicate on the phone, so they limit interruptions by: 1) buying and using a lan-line, and 2) avoiding speakerphone.

2. Be Specific and Clear

Just imagine being voted as the best salesman in the United States of America. Just imagine how much money you could make selling things to people.

Well, unless you speak Chinese, you’re going to have no luck in China. People just won’t understand you.

Selling on the phone presents similar problems:

People speak fast
People don’t enunciate
People speak quietly
People mumble

You may as well be speaking a foreign language.

Tip: Expert salesmen know they need to be clear on the phone because they don’t want to risk losing their prospect.

3. Learn to Listen

How many times have you spoke with a telemarketer who wouldn’t let you say anything?

Hundreds, I’m sure.

When you call someone, you aren’t standing on a stage with a microphone and yelling at them. You’re having a conversation.

Tip: Expert salesmen foster conversation by keeping quiet and listening.

4. “Uhms” Don’t Sell

Tip: Don’t say “Uhm.” They’re annoying and show that you’re unprepared.

5. Slow Down

Did you know that pedestrians are walking approximately 10% faster today than they did 10 years ago? Our culture is becoming more urgent and patience is no longer a virtue.

Do you know what else is speeding up?

How fast some people talk on the phone. These people talk so fast that you can’t understand one single word they say.

Tip: Expert salesmen speak slowly. You need to make sure they hear what you are saying so there is no misunderstanding.

6. Concrete Facts and Benefits Only

People are busy. We’re so busy that we’re walking and talking faster than ever before. We don’t have time to talk about our golf game, or how we’re doing.

When you try to sell on the phone, you need to keep the conversation on track. You need to focus on the sale.

Tip: Expert salesmen present concrete facts and benefits only. They don’t try to monopolize a person’s time unnecessarily.

The Bottom Line

There are enough obstacles when trying to complete a sale over the phone. You need to make sure that you are not responsible for preventing your success.

Bonus: You Sound Like That

Have you ever listened to a recording of yourself?

Almost all people say, “Wow, I sound like that?”

Yes. Yes, you do.

Bonus Tip: Expert salesmen practice their “phone voice” regularly. Buy a recorder, and practice it.

Six Sure-Fire Steps to Sell Anything to Anyone

Derek — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:36:23 +0000

This article is the 2nd article in the Sales Training 101 article series.

Are you struggling to drive new sales in your business?

You have a great internet consulting business and you regularly prospect people with your services. You did all the research, write a fantastic blog, and are an expert in your field, but none of this seems to matter.

You just can’t get people to buy.

Well, I’m here to tell you that there are no “secrets” to selling, but there is a sure-fire method.

The world’s best salesman Joe Girard once said, “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.”

Selling is no different. Follow each one of these steps and you will be a sales rockstar.

Step 1: Dress The Part

Would you fork over your hard-earned money to someone wearing a sweat suit? Would you actually take out your wallet, pull out your credit card, and hand it to some guy who looks like he might run off and steal your wallet?

Absolutely not.

Now, just imagine stumbling across a website selling something you really wanted for a great price. Would you buy from the website if it looked like some kid threw it together in five minutes?

Absolutely not.

People judge people and businesses on first impressions. So, make sure you show up looking like the person the client wants to see.

Step 2: Make the Connection

Do you realize the power has been taken away from businesses? Instead of businesses deciding where people buy, people are telling businesses where they want to buy.

With the internet making the world a much smaller place, we do not have to put up with being treated poorly by our local snake of a car salesman.

We now have unlimited options.

But how can a salesman be successful in today’s sales environment?

You need to make connections.

Expert salesmen know people no longer buy products or ideas from businesses. We buy into the people selling the products or ideas. So, make sure you make an initial connection with each prospect.

(Do you need a way to easily connect with a prospect? Understanding “Why We Buy Anything,” would be a great start).

Step 3: The Discovery

If you watched a movie about law or lawyers, you know a “Discovery” is the process by which each lawyer is entitled to the facts in the opposing lawyers case. The lawyers then use these facts in trial.

A salesman needs to conduct a discovery as well. They need to find the “facts” and “needs” of each prospect so they can determine the best product for their needs.

This process is much easier than it sounds. Once you properly made the connection, all you need to do is ask questions like:

“What brings you here today?”
“How can I help you?”

Expert salesmen know the prospect will be forthcoming. After all, they did show up to buy something.

Step 4: Develop the Connection

Your prospect is now interested in your product or your business. You know what they’re looking for and you made the initial connection. Your next step is to develop this connection so you can convert your prospect into a client.

Here are a couple of ways you can do this:

Storytelling – Do you remember learning about the origins of storytelling? People used stories to convey the right way to live your life, so you can be safe and successful.

Expert salesmen use stories to develop connections with prospects. For example, Leo Babauta, author of Zenhabits, used this tactic, inadvertently, when he wrote about all of his recent failures. He connected with his readers by showing them he was just like them.

Love Your Job - Do you know how Steve Jobs woos the audience with every one of his presentations? His excitement is contagious. He absolutely loves to be on stage, and the audience loves it as well.

Expert salesmen love what they do and what they sell. While the money is a motivator, many salesman are happy to help their clients because they know it will lead to additional sales.

Step 5: Handle Objections Carefully

Despite building a strong connection, some people will object to the sale. You could be childhood friends and it still wouldn’t be enough because some people just can’t commit.

Luckily, there is a way to convince skeptical people to commit to your vision or product.

Expert salesmen know the worst way to handle opposition is through brute force, so they handle all objections positively. You do this by supporting and/or agreeing with their objection.

It is your job to flip the situation, and you can do this by asking the prospect “the reason” behind their reservation. Once you get them to commit to a reason, you simply ask, “how can we handle this?”

This is when you shut up and listen because everything the client says is an opportunity to turn the client into a believer or paying customer.

Step 6: Close The Deal

When you hear something along the lines of “how many do you have left,” “what colors are available,” or “what other features do I get if I buy?” It is your job to stop selling and close the sale.

These questions are known as buying signals, and nothing is worse than trying to sell to someone who is ready to buy.

Unfortunately, not all prospects offer clear buying signals like I mentioned above.

I promise all is not lost. You can still help your prospect realize he wants to close the sale. You just need to give him a few pushes in the right direction.

Here are a couple ways how you can help your prospect realize they want to buy:

Be Direct - If you feel like you developed a great connection and handled all of the objections, you should directly ask, “Are we ready to take this to the next step?”

Assume Agreement - You can say something along the lines of “Would you like this in black or white” or “I’m glad to have you on board, let me grab the final papers.” You just want to say something that sounds like you are assuming the prospect is going ahead with the sale.

Expert salesmen use these two tactics regularly and it works. Just remember, people don’t like to part with their hard-earned money, but as long as you focus on the benefits, you should be doing great.

Bonus Tip: Ask For Referrals

Expert salesmen are both experts at selling and having an endless supply of prospects. For every one sale you get, you should ask for at least 2 referrals, but 4 referrals would be better. Not only does this help keep your supply of prospects up, warm sources convert better than cold sources.

What Do You Think?

Do you have any tried and true processes that help you increase sales? How about you share them in the comments?