August 12, 2010 10:10 amPublished by Michael Boyette10 Comments
If you’re a buyer, and a sales rep is all too willing to meet your every demand, you’re skeptical, right? Why, because you know that it’s unlikely all of your expectations will be met. More often than not, when buyers and sellers aren’t on the same page, someone is going to be disappointed, and the business relationship is likely to come to an ugly end. Read on to find out what you can do to keep a finger on the pulse of a customer’s expectations.
August 9, 2010 11:05 amPublished by Michael BoyetteLeave your thoughts
Being caught in a tough sales negotiation isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes stalemates present opportunities to learn a lot about your buyers. The information you uncover during the “dance” can give you what you need to confidently hold your ground when buyers try to push you too far. Read on to learn three powerful strategies that will help you stay in control and close the deal on terms that work for you and your customer.
August 6, 2010 11:30 amPublished by Michael Boyette2 Comments
Trying to get price-obsessed buyers to consider value isn’t easy. But allowing them to focus exclusively on cost means that you’re missing out on a mountain of opportunity. Great sales reps know that the best way to get them to see the light is to discuss value in terms that price-focused buyers can relate to. Read on to find out how they do it.
July 30, 2010 11:30 amPublished by Michael BoyetteLeave your thoughts
It’s frustrating to put countless days, weeks, even months of work into a sale only to get to the close and have your prospect tell you they need to confer with their team. “But I thought you were the final decision-maker,” you say to quietly to yourself. How do you avoid situations like this? How do you make sure you’re really talking to the decision maker before you even make your pitch? Read on to learn seven steps to help you find out if your “final decision maker” really has the last say.
July 26, 2010 10:59 amPublished by Michael BoyetteLeave your thoughts
Ask people what they could really use to make their jobs easier and they’ll tell you, “I could use a few more hours in every day.” Time is an increasingly valuable commodity. That’s why it’s essential that every sales call you make is worth the investment. Calls that customers view as a waste of time can end up costing you credibility, and eventually a relationship. Read on and learn what you can do to make every call worthwhile.
July 23, 2010 1:08 pmPublished by Michael Boyette4 Comments
Tire-kickers who masquerade as buyers can drive you crazy. They eat up your valuable time and think nothing of stringing you along for months on end. The payoff for all of your efforts: Nothing. But there is a way to separate the real prospects from the time wasters. Read on to find out what you can do to eliminate prospects who have no real interest in buying.
July 19, 2010 1:55 pmPublished by Michael BoyetteLeave your thoughts
It’s tempting to dive right in and make your pitch when a prospect agrees to talk to you. But more often than not, it’s wiser to let customers do the talking. Letting them take the spotlight can reveal valuable information you can use to help them as the sale progresses. Read on to learn five things you can say to encourage customers to keep talking so you can find out what’s most important to them.
July 16, 2010 2:40 pmPublished by Michael Boyette6 Comments
It’s tempting to get your price in line with buyer expectations by lower your price even before you present it to your customer. But negotiating with yourself accomplishes nothing, and only leads to additional concessions once the buyer gets involved. Read on to find out what to do when negotiations begin and how to avoid starting out in the hole.
July 14, 2010 11:30 amPublished by Michael Boyette4 Comments
It’s true that family loyalty is tough to beat. A competitor might have a long list of advantages over you, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. One sales rep tells his story of how he was able to take advantage of his competitor’s complacency and make the biggest sale of his career.
July 12, 2010 11:00 amPublished by Michael BoyetteLeave your thoughts
Even those who sell rocks don’t buy the argument that their product is a commodity. So why should you? Accepting the claim that the only thing separating you and a competitor is price is deadly to a sale. Read on to find out how you always differentiate your product from the rest when faced with claims that you’re selling a commodity.
