Wednesday, January 2, 2008
There are two major obstacles in telemarketing selling . The first obstacle is the customer's fear of making a mistake. The second major obstacle in telemarketing system selling is the salesperson's fear of rejection. Until a salesperson develops confidence, a high self-concept and sufficient resilience to bounce back from inevitable rejection, he cannot sell successfully.
All outstanding salespersons have reached the point where they no longer fear rejection. Sales are usually based on friendship. People will not buy from you until they are genuinely convinced that you are their friend and are acting in their best interest. It is allways a matter of trust!
The most important thing we have to understand in the world of telemarketing system selling is that nothing happens until the sale takes place. The most successful organizations in the world have superb selling organizations. They rise or fall on the quality of their sales effort. We can be proud to be salespeople because it is upon our efforts that the whole economy floats. There is no limit to where we can go in this profession if we are properly trained and skilled in selling.
In selling, and telemarketing selling the 80-20 rule, prevails. According to the 80-20 rule, 80 percent of sales are made by 20 percent of the salespeople. Once you get into the top 20 percent, you don't have to worry about money or employment again. Your job is to get into the top 20 percent and then into the top 4 percent. In the top 4 percent, you become one of the highest paid
people in the world.
There is a direct relationship between your level of self-esteem and how well you get along with different people. The best salespeople have a natural ability to make friends easily with perspective customers. A key element in selling is enthusiasm. A sale is a transfer of your enthusiasm about the product or service into the mind and heart of the other person.
The reason so many people fail in sales is that they do not stay with it long enough to get those first few winning experiences that raise their self-esteem and self-concept and set them off on a successful career in telemarketing selling. That's why it's so important that from the very beginning you say to yourself that nothing is going to stop you until you are successful.
Selling is an inner game. That is, what is going on inside the mind of the salesperson makes all the difference in his success. We know there is a direct relationship between a salesperson's self-concept and his sales performance and effectiveness. We feel uncomfortable if we don't act in accordance with our self-concept. We will never earn much more or much less than our self-concept level of income. Our job is to raise this self-concept level of income.
You Get What You Measure - Are You Getting What You Want?
In professional sales we measure our success against some fairly common benchmarks – quota, commissions and sales ranking. Only the best sales managers and consistent top performers take performance measurement a step further. Beyond talent and hard work, they know a disciplined process of measuring and evaluating their sales activities is the key to delivering an outstanding sales performance. Here's a quick reality check.
What is your current proposal to sale ratio?
No answer? While most sales professionals agree that they should have the answers to this basic question, they don't. Why are sales professionals so resistant to monitoring the performance indicators that create a road map for success?
Unfortunately we can trace one reason back to sales management and the dreaded daily, weekly or monthly activity reports. Sales activity tracking has a bad rep. When management places more importance on making 100 dials rather than what those dials produce, the sales professional faces an ethical dilemma. Should they present fact or fiction?
Regardless of whether your manager requires it, the reason to track your activity is the relationship between measurement and results. Plain and simple, what you measure will dictate what you get. Why? When you measure, you're keenly focused on strategic activities, honing specific skills and streamlining processes that will produce the end results you want. Imagine for a moment what achieving your sales goals will mean to you. Is your goal to buy a new house? What would it be like to win that all expense paid trip to Hawaii? A personal sales activity and measurement plan is a tool to convert this vision into a reality.
Resistance to measuring our personal sales activity can also be attributed to a general discomfort with accountability; not to a manager but to ourselves. When we actively measure our results, we are forced to ask ourselves some tough questions.
Are my actions matching my intentions? The truth is…sometimes they don't, especially if you're working towards a long term goal. Acknowledge the lapse and use the plan to get back on track. Temporary setbacks are also a great time to reaffirm your vision. Look for ways to keep the dream alive. For example, if your goal is to win special sales recognition, draft your acceptance speech and keep it close by as a reminder of what you want and why you're measuring.
Another tough accountability question may be- what if I don't like what I see? Sales activity tracking is one of the primary tools you'll use to improve and feel great about your progress. Diligent tracking will help you identify exactly where your sales process may be breaking down and isolating the problem is the first step in fixing it. Without measurement, too many sales people fall victim to the popular definition of insanity – doing the same thing while expecting different results. As you notice your close ratio or contact rate improving you'll also notice aspects that are working well that you won't want to tinker with. Bottom line, tracking will help ensure you keep doing what works and fix what's not.
If you want more control over your earnings, are tired of up and down sales performance or just want to play a bigger game, try measuring your activities with these quick tips.
Put your sales plan down on paper. A written intention is powerful. What will you get personally and professionally by enacting this plan?
Establish an income goal and work backwards answering the following questions:
How many sales do I need to make?
How many proposals do I need to generate these sales?
How many appointments do I need each week?
How many contacts do I need to yield these appointments?
Don't let not having the answers keep you from getting started. If you're not sure, start with some educated guesses and test them against your results.
Create a tracking system that works for you. Even a simple excel spreadsheet can do the trick.
Spend as much time celebrating your progress as you do identifying areas for improvement. Savoring the progress will give you the extra motivation you need to consistently work your plan.
Need help? Visit www.ddlawrence.com to find a certified sales coach who will help you clarify your vision, design an effective strategy and take the actions you need to realize your goals.
Diana Habich, CPCC is the founder and president of DD Lawrence Inc. providing sales and career development coaching to clients representing a wide range of industries. She possesses a strong business and sales background acquired during her 18 years in corporate America as an award winning sales executive in leading publishing firms. Diana is also the author of Sales By Design: Perspective, Proficiency and Process.
Calling all Inventors: Six ways to make money on your big idea
Learn how to turn your dream into a true money-making invention. Use these six tips to build a foundation for success in today's competitive mass retail market.
1. Protect yourself. The first step to success is making the investment to protect yourself. It can cost anywhere from $500 or even $10,000 to patent your idea, but it's worth it. This is an area you don't want to skimp on, even if it means you have less to spend elsewhere. Without a strong patent, you're more vulnerable to dishonest marketers and get-rich quick schemes and less attractive to the reputable marketers. Ensure the patent is in your name only; don't assign your patent to any other entities.
2. Do your market research. Market research doesn't have to cost big bucks. In fact, it can be as simple as mailing or e-mailing a quick survey to your friends and family. Ask questions that will help you determine whether there is a need for your product, if it's appealing and if it solves a problem. Ask for honest answers and evaluations. You may find you need to change a few things about your product, but this initial step can save you valuable time and money later on.
3. Develop a real prototype. Marketers are looking for real products, not just ideas. Take the time to purchase your own materials and design a prototype by hand, or investigate other options. Enlist the services of an industrial design company to build a good prototype. Or try your local college or university. Many have industrial design departments that provide this service. However, avoid the urge to mass produce your product at this stage in the process. You want to get some sales experience and develop a marketing strategy before investing the money in mass production.
4. Get some sales experience. Most marketers want to see a little sales success before agreeing to represent a new product. It can be as simple as visiting your local hardware store and pitching your new product to the owner. This is a great way to get some feedback. Retailers know what sells and why, so they can lend valuable insight. Plus, if you are able to find a few stores that are willing to sell your product, and you can demonstrate a sales history, it's more likely a marketer will agree to represent your product.
5. Create a video demo. To entice a marketer to choose your product, it's important to include a demo that shows your product in action. This doesn't have to be anything more than a home video, but a video is the best approach. Drawings just don't do a good job of demonstrating how a new product works. Real people using the real product is always best. Be sure to record close-up views of the product, along with several action shots. Talk about the product, what problem it solves and highlight any bells and whistles that make it unique.
6. Find a reputable backer. Once you've patented your idea, conducted market research, developed a prototype, created a video demo and have some sales experience, it's time to find a marketer to help you sell and promote your product in the mass retail market. It's important to spend time researching companies. Generally, it's best to avoid all-in-one shops. The more work you do yourself, the better. Look for a marketing company that is credible and that has established relationships with mass retailers. Experience is of the essence here. Beware of those who seem dishonest or appear to take advantage of inventors and/or manufacturers by charging high fees. If possible, ask to talk to other inventors or manufacturers the company represents.
To take your invention to the next level, visit http://www.GardenWeasel.com
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