Three mistakes, three buckets, and how to conquer them when calling on customers
By Sandler Systems, Inc.
The lure of “easy money” that comes from commission selling, i.e. “eating what you kill,” entices many people to try sales. But selling isn’t easy, is it? More so than ever, both novice and experienced salespeople encounter obstacles in selling, especially in the difficult but vital area of prospecting.
Sandler has developed a “Success Triangle” concept with three areas of focus or “buckets” to help salespeople see where they could improve their prospecting skills.
The buckets that add up to success are behavior, attitude and technique. Let’s take a look at what’s in each bucket and how they’re related.
BUCKET No. 1: Behavior
Behavior is often considered the most important bucket, the leading indicator of prospecting success. Maybe, but this bucket has some common leaks!
Behavior leak No. 1: Not maintaining a consistent schedule mindset. Time blocking is a time-management concept that allows you to accomplish your daily and weekly tasks, and make progress on your goals. Successful salespeople don’t allow distractions to interrupt prospecting time.
Behavior leak No. 2: Not having a goal for meaningful conversations. When you talk with a prospect, you should have a goal in mind, and make meaningful progress in every conversation. These conversations should take place with decision makers, and your goal should be for them to make a purchase decision with clear next steps. Every call should have an agenda and an outcome.
Behavior leak No. 3: Losing sight of the importance of first time appointments. By placing importance on booking first-time appointments with new prospects, you’re helping your business more than if you were focusing on existing customers; new business brings new referrals and new opportunities to your pipeline.
BUCKET No. 2: Attitude
Attitude is the belief system that determines how you act, which ultimately affects your results. Just like with behavior, it’s easy to have a clouded view of your attitude and actions if you’re not focused on the process. Here are the three most common “leaks” in the Attitude bucket of prospecting activities.
Attitude leak No. 1: Having a scarcity mindset. Prospecting is about numbers, persistence and consistency. Focus on what an ideal prospect looks like in your business. The more you prospect, the more you discover what the ideal is, which streamlines your activities, increases your chances of success, and improves your prospecting attitude!
Attitude leak No. 2: Thinking you’re not worthy of their time. Selling has a lot to do with a positive mindset. To be of value to your clients or prospects, you must know your own worth. The goods or services you provide have been beneficial to clients in the past – take that to heart and it adds value to those you engage with. Remember, you have equal business stature with your buyer!
Attitude leak No. 3: A shape-shifting ego. Don’t try to show your audience how smart you are by dominating the conversation. Ask questions and discover their pain points before you save the day. Alternatively, some people don’t want to prospect because of the “stigma” of being a salesperson. We’ve all been there, and it’s part of the process. Power through and don’t let your own “head trash” get in the way of vital prospecting.
Bucket No. 3: Technique
Technique is what you say and how you say it, and the actions and words you use to increase sales. Leaks in your bucket of Technique can have just as many negative effects as the other buckets, though they’re governed by different rules.
Technique leak No. 1: Not knowing your talk tracks. Salespeople should have a few things down pat; you should be able to jump to the correct talk track at a moment’s notice, regardless of the scenario. You should have pre-determined language and an “info flow” to overcome objections and lead the prospect to a purchase decision.
Technique leak No. 2: Not controlling every sales call. Productive sales conversations that start well tend to end well and need participation from both sides. As soon as you engage with a prospect, cover the purpose of the meeting and the expected duration of your time together. Lay the groundwork, the topics you wish to cover and the expected outcome. This will allow you to get through everything you want to cover and lets your target know what to expect and why.
Technique leak No. 3: Failing to uncover compelling reasons to do business. The quickest way to solve your clients’ needs (and make a sale) is to uncover their pain points and provide solutions. If you don’t help them discover what their pain points are, and see if your solutions are a fit, there’s no sale. You need to ask good questions to determine what ails them; don’t prescribe a solution before you understand the symptoms.
So there’s your new “Bucket Challenge!” By filling your buckets of the Sandler Success Triangle® and maintaining the necessary habits surrounding your Behaviors, Attitudes, and Techniques, you can avoid the leaks that the average salesperson experiences, and you’ll be on your way to redefining how you add prospects to your funnel.
Sandler Training: With over 250 local training centers around the globe, Sandler is the worldwide leader for sales, management, and customer service training. We help individuals and teams from Fortune 500 companies to independent producers dramatically improve sales, while reducing operational and leadership friction.
© 2021 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sidebar:
Interested in building better habits both professionally and personally? To schedule a complimentary 30-minute advisory session on Behavior, Attitude, Technique, or other sales or sales management challenge, send your request and contact information to SalesTips@repertoiremag.com with “Free Consultation” in the subject line.