Close More Commercial Sales
We have the very best commercial product and promotion on the market, bar none. So let’s get right to the question, how do I close more sales? Or better yet, how do I find more business owners that will buy? People don’t like to be sold………but they love to buy!
If they like you, and they believe you, and they trust you, and they have confidence in you, then they just MAY BUY FROM YOU! Why do people buy? Is a thousand times more important than “How do I sell?”
It never ceases to amaze me that companies will spend thousands of hours and dollars teaching people how to sell, and not one minute or ten dollars on “Why they buy, when why they buy is all that matters.
You may think you know why they buy, but you probably don’t do anything about it. Proof? Let me share with you the early warning signals that prove you may not have a clue as to why they buy.
1. You get price objections.
2. You have to send bids or proposals.
3. They claim to be satisfied with their present satellite TV provider.
4. No one will return your call.
5. You are complaining about the current slow economy.
If these sound familiar to you, you may be in the “big club”.
The following is a collection of elements as to why customers buy. There are in no particular order, but they are valid reason, which were given to me straight from our customers.
1. I like my sales rep. “PLEASE Note” Liking is the single most powerful element in a sales relationship. I heard a quote the other day from someone claiming to be a sales expert. It started out saying, “Your customer does not have to like you, but he does have to trust you.” What an idiot. Can you imagine the CEO a company, when making a buying decision, saying, “I trusted that guy, but I sure didn’t like him”. Like leads to trust. Trust leads to buying, Buying leads to relationships. That’s not the life cycle, that’s the life cycle of sales.
2. I understand what I am buying.
3. I perceive a difference in the person and the company that I am buying from.
4. I perceive a value in the product that I am purchasing.
5. I believe my sales rep.
6. I have confidence in my sales rep.
7. I trust my sales rep.
8. I am comfortable with my sales rep.
9. I feel that there is a fit in my business for Dish Network product and service.
10. The price seems fair, but does not have to necessarily be the lowest.
11. I perceive that this product or service will increase my profit.
12. I perceive that my salesperson is trying to help me grow my business in order to earn his.
13. My salesperson is a valuable resource to me.
Now there are 13 reasons to get your thought process going. If you discover yours, selling “will be a snap”.
In the beginning, the cold call, how do I make it?
There are two types, on the phone, and in person.
On the phone, you have to get by a gatekeeper or voice mail. You do this by saying, “Hi’ my name is Steve, and I’d like to speak to Mr. Jones. It’s a business matter of a personal nature.”
When you get to Mr. Jones, you give your first name, and you ask an engaging question, like, “What is the value of providing TV entertainment for your customers? (The secret of the cold call is “engaging”, not “make the sale”. THE OBJECT OF THE COLD CALL IS TO SET AN APPOINTMENT.
After the prospect answers your question (or you answer it for them), you would say, “I have several other important, little known, profitable facts about providing TV for businesses. I’d like to meet with your for a few minutes to talk about how you can take advantage of them.” Would 9 AM on Wednesday, or 3PM on Thursday be best for you?
How about Person to Person Cold Calling
It’s getting harder to make an actual cold call, in person, with all the security issues. If you’re calling on a big company, you’re not going to get in (unless you scam your way in, don’t care for that). Calling on a small company, you can be truthful-or you can be ELUSIVE. Truthful would be, I’d like to speak to the person in charge of customer entertainment. More elusive might be, I have an important question about customer morale based on your customer’s PERCIEVED waiting time, and I’d like to speak to the person in charge of morale.
The key here is that I’ve asked for someone in charge of absolutely nothing. The more you ask for someone, that no one can define, the better chance you have of speaking to a boss, or a decision maker, because the gatekeeper, having no idea what to say, but having direct access to the boss, will buzz him or her.
LET ME REPEAT THAT THE SECRET TO COLD CALLING IS ENGAGEMENT. If you’re fortunate enough to get to that decision maker, you better have a damn good question to ask. Make a list of ten questions you think are most powerful. Let them being with phrases like,
“What’s been your experience? Like ”What’s been you experience when customers have to wait past their scheduled appointment to see you?”
Or, “In your opinion, which would keep your customer’s attention better, reading a magazine or watching TV?”
Get them engaged!
Now explain the value:
Dish Network will help you keep your best customers with:
Variety of entertainment packages
Superior picture quality
Cutting Edge technology
Best experience that will keep your customers happy because
The Customers perceived waiting time is greatly reduced!
Our current promotion includes free equipment connecting up to 4 TV’s and
FREE installation. Packages normal cost $1 to $2 per day,
Our current promotion offers service as low as $19.99 per month during the first 12 months.
Now is the time for the closing questions:
What type of programming do you think your customer would enjoy?
Would a morning or afternoon installation be best?
This has been a quick overview of the process from a cold call, whether phone or walk in, to the close of a sale.
How do you get the names and numbers of businesses to contact?
Google Maps
Chamber of Commerce Member Directory
Let’s Add
Events- While showing your product to residential customers, have
a strong salesperson visit all other vendors, dropping off a commercial brochure along with a business card. After the event, using the event directory, contact each vendor and get them to like you, trust you, buy from you, enjoy that business relationship with you.
What do you do AFTER THE SALE?
Make it a point to meet not only the owner, manager, asst. MGR, clerks, sales staff, ect.
ASK THEM , “HOW DO YOU GET YOUR TV SIGNAL AT HOME? Record their answers along with their name and phone number. Let them know that you will be calling to set an appointment to show their family how great and in-expensive Dish Network would be at home.
ALWAYS, CROSS SELL. WHEN IN A RESIDENCE, ASK THE SIMPLE QUESTION- WHAT KIND OF WORK DO YOU
DO? YOU WILL BE SHOCKED WHEN YOU HEAR, I OWN, I OR I MANAGE.
Author: Steve Cantrell, Director of Sales (South Region) for All-Systems Satellite Distributors
