| Are you having trouble getting people to buy | | | | 3. Pain. Find a prospect's "hurt" and probe how |
| what you are selling? Read this book. Let's say | | | | much pain they are in. Show how your business |
| you already know that to be successful | | | | can eliminate the pain. |
| marketing your business you need to identify | | | | 4. Budget. Identify their budget, or offer a lower |
| your audience's problems and show why you | | | | end "entry" solution. |
| have the best solutions. Isn't that good enough? | | | | 5. Decision. What is your prospect's |
| David Sandler (who created the Sandler Sales | | | | decision-making process? When will they be |
| Institute) offers great insights for improving your | | | | moving forward? How do you get paid? Who will |
| sales presentations. His book begins with his five | | | | be involved the the decision-making process? |
| rules of sales success: | | | | 6. Fulfillment. Review your prospect's contract, |
| | | | pain, budget, and decisions. Ensure that your |
| 1. Qualify your prospects | | | | solution solves the prospect's pain. |
| 2. Extract your prospect's "pain" | | | | 7. Post-Sell. To avoid buyer's remorse, thank |
| 3. Verify that the prospect has money | | | | them for the order, bring up a agreed upon |
| 4. Be sure the prospect is a decision maker | | | | compromise, and give them a chance to back out |
| 5. Match your service or product to the | | | | now. |
| prospect's "pain" | | | | Additionally, he introduces a number of techniques |
| Rules #1, #2, and #5 are identical to the rules of | | | | to control the selling conversation, including: |
| effective marketing: identifying your market and | | | | - Reversing ("That's an interesting question. Why |
| their challenges (rule #5 might involve a creative | | | | do you ask?") |
| packaging of your products or services for the | | | | - Controlling the Interview ("Can we just back up |
| prospect's needs). Rule #3, while obvious, shouldn't | | | | for a moment?") |
| be skipped. Rule #4 ensures that you're not | | | | - Stroke-Repeat-Reverse ("I appreciate the fact |
| wasting your time talking to the wrong people in | | | | you're telling me I'm close, but let me ask you a |
| an organization. | | | | question") |
| The book continues with a description of the | | | | - Negative Reverse ("Could you tell me more |
| "Sandler Submarine", a series of selling steps: | | | | specifically just how you see my product solving |
| | | | your problem?") |
| 1. Bonding & Rapport. Make the prospect fell | | | | Thanks to Bob Annick (707. 343.1722 Business |
| more okay than you feel. | | | | Growth & Development Corporation) for |
| 2. Up-front Contracts. Create an agreement to | | | | recommending this month's book. |
| see if you have anything to discuss. | | | | |