The JF Guest Author Spot
Mark Hunter
The vast majority of salespeople do not enjoy cold-calling. Yet, at the same time, it is an activity that most need to do on a regular basis. The biggest reason sales professionals are not more successful in this necessary endeavor is the defense that they have other things to do. However, nothing will overcome this excuse faster than being held accountable for making a set number of cold calls each day, each week, or each month.
As much as people would like to believe there is a secret formula for being successful at cold-calling, the only valid one is being disciplined enough to do it. When people avoid cold-calling, they are generally telling themselves that either they don't know enough about what they're selling or they don't believe the outcome will be successful. For this simple reason, it is necessary to be confident in yourself and what you are selling.
The following may be beneficial as you begin to practice this critical discipline.
1. Have a dedicated time each day to prospect.
2. Know the reason for calling before you call: customer benefits, not product features.
3. Leave short voice mail messages.
4. Assume your voice mail messages will never be returned.
5. Always call one level higher in an organization than you believe is necessary.
6. Be confident and competent.
7. Phone calls placed before 8:30 AM are the most likely to be answered by the person you're trying to reach.
8. Respect the gate-keeper by treating them in the same manner you would treat the prospect.
9. Prospecting calls on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons will have the worst results.
10. Prospecting on "semi-holidays" and inclement weather days will get a higher response.
11. Make it your goal to earn the right, privilege, and honor to talk to the person again.
12. Believe in what you're selling and the benefits that the prospect will receive from your products/services.
13. Believe in yourself and your professionalism.
14. Anytime is a good time to make a call; don't wait for the "perfect" time.
By practicing and persevering, both your skills and confidence will improve. Furthermore, making yourself accountable will help you turn your excuses into successful sales.
"The Sales Hunter," helps individuals and companies identify better prospects, close more sales, and profitably build more long-term customer relationships. As a keynote speaker, he is best known for his ability to motivate and move an organization through his high-energy presentations. Every week, people around the world benefit from the wisdom, motivation, and inspiration of "The Sales Hunter." His insightful videos and podcasts are popular downloads on YouTube and iTunes, and he has been quoted in numerous magazines and newspapers.
His free, weekly Sales Hunting Tip email is received by thousands of salespeople across the globe.
Additionally, many of his articles on Sales have been reprinted in some of the industry's leading magazines and business websites. To find out more about Mark's selling philosophy, you can visit his blog at www.TheSalesHunter.com/blog. In addition, his numerous articles on Sales can be found on the website (www.TheSalesHunter.com) in the "Resources" section.
Mark is also a member of the Top Sales Experts team, and you can read more about him here
Today's News: Over at Salesopedia today, Clayton Shold is interviewing Tibor Shanto:
"Tibor Shanto suggests you move away from being "seller centered" and use techniques to engage the buyer in a more meaningful way. He advocates a quantitative approach that ultimately helps create a sense of urgency. Tibor wants you to think about what the impact is for the client, and then extend that to what the impact of the solution is, both tied to specific measures and potential outcomes which will help qualified the opportunity." Simply click on the banner below to listen in, as usual.
Tomorrow: "Closing Is Easy If....." Here is a snippet for you
"Next to objections, closing is one of the most talked-about sales training topics among sales people and sales managers. Everyone wants to know how to close and how to speed up the buying process."
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