Scale To New Heights With These 7.5 Effective Techniques
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010
by Desmond Chua
1. Most people are afraid to be wrong . You studied your product well, rehearse it with your mentor yet weeks after weeks, you fail to close the deal. You got frustrated, impatient and begin to feel the heat. Ever thought it may not be your fault? Sometimes, some of us tend to be too hard on ourselves. It is good to take a step back to see a bigger picture. When you were in school, did you not check with your classmates before choosing the faculty to enrol? Does your straight As and your liking in Accounts not clear evidence to choose Finance? As parents, did you spend more time talking to the school principal, check MOE website or get your answers from your colleagues, friends, relatives to decide for your kids which school to go to ? Why?
The commitment is long, over 15 years for most plans and in today instant gratifying society, the future is becoming more uncertain. What if I make the wrong decision? Buying the wrong brand of rice is OK but not likely a plan. The longer the tenure, the longer they take to decide if it is a right decision.
2. Sell Want not needs
As obvious as the sun will rise from the east, many sales people still commit this cardinal sin of selling.
You need transportation to go to work yet you want to own a BMW.
You need a laptop bag to carry your work stuff yet you want a PRADA brand tag on your carrier.
You need a roof over your head but you want to tell others you stay in District 9,10 & 11.
Similarly, you could argue till you face turns blue about protecting their earning capacity and while your customers keep nodding their head in agreement, they may still not bite the bullet and buy eventually. Customers are intelligent and fully aware of their needs but this is not what they want!
If they have someone closed to them who had been recently hospitalised and paying a hefty sum and if you hit at the right time, they will want to buy it from you now. (not buying = paying $ like my friend). They would have bought from another salesperson who comes along the way, you happen to be there for them. Right place, right time! (your colleagues called it LUCK)
If their colleagues make 20% gain from their CPF investment in a certain fund, they expect/want you to do the same for them as well.
I'm not advocating it is not important to sell them the protection needs but give them what they want and they will give you what you want later. First you buy the laptop, then later you get the nice cover. A few weeks later, you pay for the latest software. 1 year later, you upgrade the RAM speed.
3. Find customers who already had a plan
Which is easier? Selling to a customer who does not own a mobile phone or one who has? The word "switching" terrifies many salespersons as they are overly concerned about the regulations and compliance. Relax!
People are motivated to do things for 2 reasons; avoid pain or gain pleasure according to Anthony Robbins. Unlike a mobile phone, a plan once bought slowly but surely gathers dust (with the envelope still intact) in the drawers.
Pain of what ? Pain of not having enough money for the children education. Pain of not knowing if they can afford the increasing medical costs in hospitals. Or the pleasure of maintaining their lifestyle when they are no longer working at 65.
Look at the media, TV, forum, Facebook pages, Twitters, advertisement, billboards, lunch-time gossips the pain and/or pleasure is in the air. You need to smell it faster than the next salesperson to grab the opportunity. (Commercial awareness is crucial)
4. Sales-focused is more important than strategic planning
Are you spending endless days and night crafting your strategies? Do you feel canvassing, door knocking or even cold-calling is not your cup of tea? Or you think there must be a easier and more effective way out? Of course there are!
The million dollar question is not the strategy, at least not immediately! Without sales, your confidence drops and unconscious to many, it shows on you. You drooped your shoulders, face frowning (barely fake a confident smile when you see your colleagues), self-talking , avoiding meetings, being critical about others, etc. It is a spiralling effect and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy that you are not cut out for this industry! What a shame!
Every drop makes an ocean. Focus on the sales, focus on opening cases, asking questions, handling objections, closing, never mind if it is a $200 or $2000 deal.
Surviving is Success in this industry. It gets better with time as you become more proficient with the products, the selling game and referrals start pouring in.
5. Work-life balance
Ever been in a situation where you could not crack a problem despite spending hours on it? Just when you were doing some menial work, the idea strikes and you got the a-ha feeling. Have a cut-off time in your work and balance it with your social, physical, spiritual needs as well. Sales is not a 24 hours physical activity. Meeting more people is great but not at the expense of skipping your meals, losing weight and sleep over it. Don't believe when others tell you to max it out like the energiser battery when you are young and work 20 hours a day, 7 days a week. That's B**S**!!!!
6. Be a Resource to your customers
If the same customer you had been hounding to buy your $200/mth plan has not have his salary increase over the last few years, how is he going to get the plan for you? He is aware of its importance but the affordability remains an issue.
Many may tell you to manage his expenses and apportion it appropriately. Honestly, how many tighten their belt to save on going to Macdonald each week and a movie to set aside money to buy insurance? Don't believe ? Ask the people who drives and when they lost their job and no longer need a car, do they sell it away..................Most likely not.
Why add more pain to your customers' life? Be a resource to them. If your customer is thinking of a career switch, be proactive to help him get some information about that industry. Perhaps, a course brochure or hook him up with someone whom he can gets some advice from.
Too much work and not being paid for it? Not worth your time to do it?
Think again! It is the small things that make a difference your personalised service that sets you apart from the thousands of agents out there.
Givers gain. Help them unconditionally and people will reciprocate, maybe not immediately but they will.
7. Follow UP
Many sales person claims they are horrendous in paperwork (me too) and lack a proper tool to track their progress. It can be a simple excel spreadsheet (I do) to getting a Sales management software. It does not matter electronic or paper recording. Recording your entries allow you to trace the foot steps and plan your move accordingly. There are so many reasons why someone may not want to meet up with you now to talk about their plan. Respect them, give them some space and get their permission to review in 2-3 months time.
Aiya, why didn't you call me earlier? I just bought this saving plan from AAA company? Sounds familiar?
Fact finding about your customers is an acquired skill. With practice, everyone can do it well. Be interested rather than interesting. Spend more time listening to your customers , be it complaints or their problems about relationship, work,etc. These are disguised opportunities.
If you call at the time when your customer is in the middle of shifting to a condo, what does that mean? Or he is out of job and stressed about the source of income to his commitment?
7.5 Give away what you know
The more you share with others about what you deem to know, the more you retain that knowledge.
To know and not to do is not knowing as the saying goes. Practise a technique you read in a book with your colleagues. Attend the product training this week? Quickly call your existing clients and share with them. Do not be afraid of inviting more questions. Answers to the questions are in the questions itself.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)It was very refreshing to read the opening of your article - i.e. it may not be my fault! Thanks, your article was interesting to read.
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