Turn More Prospects Into Clients by Rein Aantjes - HTML preview

Twits index according to the MCM P CMC diagram.

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          Making a selection

• ⁽⁰¹⁾ A new year starts with a new budget. The perfect moment for looking up old prospects that bailed out before.
• ⁽⁰²⁾ In 4 weeks time you’ll visit more prospects, who also have more time for you, by keeping regional holiday periods in mind.
• ⁽⁰³⁾ You can still visit prospects with a big ego if you’re a dominant salesperson, as long as your ego isn’t bigger than theirs.

          Collecting information

• ⁽⁰⁴⁾ On your way to a sales talk? Look at your prospect’s vision of the future rather than at what he’s busy doing now.
• ⁽⁰⁵⁾ You can come across dangerous competitors anywhere. Especially where you’re looking for new prospects.
• ⁽⁰⁶⁾ There’s no reason at all to be nervous or insecure if you’re prepared for talks with prospects or clients.
• ⁽⁰⁷⁾ The more you know about your prospect’s trade, the more likely he’ll buy from you. Professional knowledge creates bonds.

          Making an appointment

• ⁽⁰⁸⁾ When a prospect says he’s not interested, that’s most probably due to the fact you weren’t able to interest him.
• ⁽⁰⁹⁾ Only when you offer something extra will a prospect be interested in you. What you actually deliver is less important.
• ⁽¹⁰⁾ Errors in name or address in the letters you send will tell your clients and prospects what you think of them.
• ⁽¹¹⁾ Maybe data suppliers and telecom providers are warmed by cold calling, callers and prospects certainly aren’t anymore.
• ⁽¹²⁾ Your chances of success are 5 times higher with prospects that speak to you directly than those who’ll phone you back later.
• ⁽¹³⁾ A preprogrammed sales talk lacks respect and won’t stand a chance as all your prospects and contacts are different and unique.
• ⁽¹⁴⁾ You won’t sell anything when your prospect has no time. So meet at the right moment and create a relaxed atmosphere.
• ⁽¹⁵⁾ Don’t talk about your product when arranging a meeting with your prospect, but show him the profit you’re going to make him.
• ⁽¹⁶⁾ As your clients and prospects are limited in time and they don’t need to be flexible, they determine your time schedule.
• ⁽¹⁷⁾ If your prospect knew exactly what he wanted, he wouldn’t have needed you to advise him and would have ordered via the website.
• ⁽¹⁸⁾ Regularly use your prospect’s name and the name of his firm in your sales talk. That way he’ll know you’re talking about him. 

          Preparing conversation

• ⁽¹⁹⁾ Knowledge lies at the basis of your success. Knowledge of your clients, prospects and their sector, AND of your firm, yourself.
• ⁽²⁰⁾ Acquaint yourself with your prospect group’s purchase criteria. It’ll come in handy if your first meeting turns out to be brief.
• ⁽²¹⁾ When typifying prospects and clients or categorizing them with colours, make sure you’re a good chameleon yourself.
• ⁽²²⁾ Late for a meeting with a prospect, makes a glum prospect, a prospect late for a meeting with you means a cheerful prospect.
• ⁽²³⁾ 1/2 an hour of witty googling before a talk with a prospect will give you more useful info than 3 1hour talks.
• ⁽²⁴⁾ Smoke an hour before a sales talk and you stand 50% chance your prospect thinks you smell and 100% chance you actually do.
• ⁽²⁵⁾ When selling products or services you need to be able to show your prospect in figures how he’s to benefit.
• ⁽²⁶⁾ Prospects who ask your advice have their preferences. That’s why knowledge of their line of business and preparation are vital.
• ⁽²⁷⁾ Prospects only go to a new supplier as long as there are no risks involved. So first make sure you can guarantee there are no risks.
• ⁽²⁸⁾ Surprise important clients’ contacts in a positive manner. Make sure your organisation knows their names.

          Conversation

• ⁽²⁹⁾ Ask clients and prospects if you may take notes on the conversation. That makes what they say important and more reliable.
• ⁽³⁰⁾ Consultative selling is what you’re into when prospects have even more valid purchase motives after a conversation.
• ⁽³¹⁾ Ask your prospect why he hasn’t bought from you before at the start of the conversation and use the answer as a topic!
• ⁽³²⁾ Clients and prospects expect you to sell them something when you come calling. So don’t disappoint them!
• ⁽³³⁾ Your prospects’ body language says something about their attitude. So keep an eye on this throughout the conversation.
• ⁽³⁴⁾ Asking your prospect about his opinion will make a client out of him sooner than asking what he thinks of your opinion.
• ⁽³⁵⁾ Answers a client may give you are not always the answers to your questions. Luckily you’ve got check questions.
• ⁽³⁶⁾ Open questions in between like: "What do you think...?" prevent a prospect from saying later on he had already lost you halfway.
• ⁽³⁷⁾ Only make price concessions in a face to face negotiation when your prospect immediately decides to do business with you.
• ⁽³⁸⁾ It’s an advantage when prospects like you, but without your empathy it will never amount to anything.
• ⁽³⁹⁾ Stop trying to interest your prospects once they’re prepared to purchase. Otherwise you may blow the deal yet.
• ⁽⁴⁰⁾ Let your prospect do the slandering of your competitor i.e. his current supplier. The fact he wants to talk to you says enough!
• ⁽⁴¹⁾ Only use your laptop to show clients or prospects things you can only show with a laptop and when they are sitting next to you.
• ⁽⁴²⁾ Your prospects seldom read documentation left behind or sent in advance. It’s better to read with them during the conversation.
• ⁽⁴³⁾ Tell prospects who your back-up is and what will happen should something happen to you. This creates trust in your organisation.
• ⁽⁴⁴⁾ Clients and prospects trust you if they share their private life with you. But, make sure you leave yours at home!
• ⁽⁴⁵⁾ Thank clients and prospects who criticize you and your products or services. They’re actually helping you.
• ⁽⁴⁶⁾ When a prospect misses an important moment in your presentation, go back to that point for him and for yourself.
• ⁽⁴⁷⁾ Don’t go into defence mode when your prospect comes at you with useless arguments, instead ask him why he thinks that way.
• ⁽⁴⁸⁾ Simply ask your prospect what would make him or her decide to switch to your services.
• ⁽⁴⁹⁾ With a procurement officer you discuss the best terms, whereas with a prospect you look for the best solution first.
• ⁽⁵⁰⁾ Avoid mentioning all those objections that everyone mentions to you, if your prospect doesn’t mention these himself.
• ⁽⁵¹⁾ When a prospect appears to be uninterested, it doesn’t go to say he isn’t interested. He may just be pretending.
• ⁽⁵²⁾ The kindest prospects are the most difficult decision makers. So confirm what you’ve agreed on and repeat this again and again.

          Making a proposal

• ⁽⁵³⁾ You can count on lots of extra needs and demands from a prospect who does everything to be liked.
• ⁽⁵⁴⁾ When you know the prospect’s budget before making a proposal, you’ll end up discussing less about prices. So ask about it!
• ⁽⁵⁵⁾ Your prospect’s critical remarks on your offer are easily foiled by emphasizing your unique strong points.
• ⁽⁵⁶⁾ Your prospect is not only looking for a solution, but also for an expert salesperson to find that solution.
• ⁽⁵⁷⁾ Prospects love it when you recognise their objections first. The trick is turning those into arguments to purchase.
• ⁽⁵⁸⁾ Not unless you don’t succeed in quantifying their return on investment will prospects think you’re too expensive.
• ⁽⁵⁹⁾ Client and future geared salesmen put down in writing all agreements with clients and prospects. You never know...
• ⁽⁶⁰⁾ You get to plan most of your tasks yourself. Except sales tasks. Your prospects plan those for you.
• ⁽⁶¹⁾ A salesperson sells when his prospects are awake. He does his preparation and completion when his prospects are asleep.
• ⁽⁶²⁾ Email your prospect a report within 24 hours of your conversation and grab the opportunity to add relevant information.

          Closing a deal

• ⁽⁶³⁾ Exceptionally good salespeople do not only make fine conversation with prospects, they also land the most orders!
• ⁽⁶⁴⁾ Mentioning your well filled pipeline only helps when you occupy yourself with the conversion of prospects to clients.
• ⁽⁶⁵⁾ He who plans ahead and sets dates together with his prospect, will prevent purchase decision postponement.
• ⁽⁶⁶⁾ If your prospect wants extras, ask for something in return. For a good deal is always a balance between supply and demand. 
• ⁽⁶⁷⁾ He who uses information from earlier talks with his prospect, makes his proposal made to measure and himself more successful.
• ⁽⁶⁸⁾ When your prospect doesn’t have the answers due to not being able to confer, it means you’re sitting at the wrong table.
• ⁽⁶⁹⁾ When a prospect bails out because it’s too expensive, he really means the advantages of buying haven’t gotten through to him.
• ⁽⁷⁰⁾ Prospects who say no to your propositions actually mean to say you haven’t found their purchase motives yet.
• ⁽⁷¹⁾ Contrary to what you may believe, according to your prospects, only 15% of your offers are declined due to price.
• ⁽⁷²⁾ Phoning your prospects after delivery and finding out your sales arguments were right, means you’ve won another loyal client.
• ⁽⁷³⁾ Having a meal with the prospect that bailed out, could turn out to be a very useful ‘self-investment’.