However, this isn’t the case. The word “sales” was originally derived from the Scandinavian phrase “to serve”; a good sales person does exactly that. A salesperson that is truly good at their job doesn’t need to be conniving or manipulative – they simply need to understand the features of what they’re selling, ask questions to determine how these features translate into benefits for any particular client, and make these benefits known. Hard-selling isn’t necessary; once the benefits are explained, all that is left to do is ask the client to take that next step.

Personally, I find that when the sales process runs smoothly, it’s merely a matter of going through the motions – and before you know it, they’re signing that dotted line!

What is sales scripting?

Sales scripting is basically the process of transcribing your sales call – from questions and jokes, through to stories and how you close the sale.

Sales scripting is a very useful tool, as it ensures that the sales process is the same each and every time. Once you determine what works well for your business, a sales script allows you to roll out a “recipe for success” to all of your sales staff.

A carefully planned sales script has the ability to make the world of difference to a business, and I can’t recommend it enough. It also goes a long way to helping people overcome what I identified in a recent post as the seven self-destructive sales mindsets.

How do you create a great sales script?

So how do you even go about setting up a sales script? It may sound like a mammoth task, but when you break it down into steps it’s relatively simple.

Here’s how it works:

1. Gain an understanding of how sales actually works.

Whether you’re selling a revolutionary product or an everyday service, the sales process doesn’t actually vary that much. Many businesses believe that their situation is different to others; however this perception is generally the result of an inconsistent sales process.

In actual fact, 90% of all sales interactions are the same. With this being the case, it makes it quite easy to script your sales process – you just need to understand how your average sale works!

2. A scripted sale doesn’t equate to being fake.

In fact when carefully planned, a scripted sale can have quite the opposite effect.

A lot of sales people fear that a planned sales script will leave them sounding insincere and even deceitful – however, this isn’t the case. Think about a story you frequently tell your friends and family – perhaps of a special time in your life or how something horrible once happened to you. Surely the more you tell this story the better you get at telling it, and the more engaging it becomes to the listener.

Are you being insincere and deceitful? NO, you’re just sharing the truth in a more engaging way. The same principle applies to sales; once you find the right story (i.e. one that resonates with your clients), it makes sense to continue using the same narrative.

A great story doesn’t make a salesperson any less genuine. Rather, a great story will increase your confidence and in the process improve client engagement levels –  motivating them to buy.

3. Break it down into steps.

If creating an entire sales script seems daunting, break it down into steps or “chapters.”

After the enquiry/cold phone call for an appointment, it’s possible to break the sales process down into fourteen critical stages or steps. Of these fourteen steps, the seven critical points to remember are:

• Establishing trust and building rapport
• The introduction and creation of an agenda
• Probing questions
• A presentation
• Stories that demonstrate success
• A trial close
• Closing of the sale

4. Record and review your sales.

The best way to start creating your business sales script is to record three or four sales appointments (with permission from prospective clients) and then listen to the recordings.

Some sales meetings run more smoothly than others – it should be fairly easy to determine which were the most successful. Transcribe the best meeting and use this as a basis for your sales script. You may also find that some meetings had successful components; select the parts that worked well, and add these to your sales script where applicable.

5. Create a list of pros and cons.

No matter what you’re selling, customers are going to perceive both benefit and potential problems from your product or service. These are what I like to call “elephants in the room”; they may be uncomfortable to talk about, but you can bet your bottom dollar prospective clients will want to discuss them. You may think it’s best to avoid them and hope the client doesn’t bring them up, however, I can guarantee that this isn’t in your best interest. Avoiding these elephants may not lead to the client asking about them, but it is likely to lead to the dreaded response: “let me think about it.” It is best to get them out there and in front of them.

Create a list of both the tangible and intangible benefits of what you’re selling, as well as a list of any potential elephants you may need to address. These elephants or objections may be concerns such as service issues or past product defects.

The best way to address these elephants is to create stories of why these were past issues, but are certainly not a problem anymore. Alternatively, stories of a person “just like them” that had the same concern are effective. These stories should explain how shortly after using the product or service, the person had a specific success – and what they were concerned about never eventuated.

In my post “Story Telling: The Key to Sales Success” I describe in detail how stories can help you overcome elephants in the room and build credibility. However, for now I will just say pick your best one for each elephant, have them recorded and transcribed, and then work out how to fit them into your script.

6. Set up a presentation folder.

A presentation folder makes sales progression much easier for sales people. Your folder should include:

• Client-probing questions
• Brochures
• Quotation sheets
• Testimonials from past clients (and these should back up your sales stories)
• Required paperwork to close the sale
• After-the-sale leave behinds

7. Seek professional advice – there’s always room for improvement!

There is always room to improve each component of your sales script. YouTube is a useful resource and a great place to commence research.

When I was just starting out, YouTube took me from a shy introverted kid that took 93 doors to make my first sale, to the top performing sales person in the nation in just a matter of weeks. Start like I did, by focusing on one component of your sales script at a time. For each new chapter of the script, take a look at what the “sales experts” recommend to gain the knowledge and then go out to test and increase your skill.

Once you have researched and improved each component of your sales script, it may be worth consulting a master sales coach – they’ll be able to offer further insight and improvements.

Sales success is only a script away!

A carefully crafted sales script allows you to take control of the sales process – and this means far less is left to chance.

While it may take a couple of months to perfect, a great sales script has the ability to transform your sales process from unpredictable and disjointed to smooth and successful.

Getting prospective clients to sign that dotted line isn’t about being manipulative or pushy; it’s about telling a great story and letting your clients come to their own conclusions. Great sales people (with great sales scripts) find that getting a “yes” comes naturally – and they also find the journey enjoyable!

Before you go to work, leave me a comment below and let me know what kind of concerns (if any) you have about sales scripting and I will direct you to the right advice. As a bonus, let me know what you’re going to do now that you’ve read this post.

Finally, if you think your friends/network would find this useful, please share it with them – I’d really appreciate it.

Publishers note – Originally published at https://matthewpollard.com on August 11, 2015.

The post Sales Scripting: Get A ‘Yes’ In 7 Easy Steps appeared first on Head Of Sales.

As a relatively new transplant to America, I’ve enjoyed learning more about U.S. history, and some of this country’s truly impressive heroes. I’m particularly taken with Benjamin Franklin, who in addition to being a founding father, has a host of other mind-boggling accomplishments. He was not only a successful businessman by the age of 23, but a scientist, inventor, author, activist, and diplomat. It seems that nearly everything he touched turned to gold, from his invention of the bifocals to his theories on electricity to his founding of the University of Pennsylvania, and much more. Certainly, he is an example of someone with a stellar IQ, who could find success anytime, anywhere.

When we look at the world’s highest achievers, like Ben Franklin, it’s easy to automatically assume they’re smarter than the rest of us. This can leave you to wonder, With my “average” IQ, how can I compete and succeed?

The good news is, there’s another form of intelligence with a far greater impact on your success in sales, business, and life in general. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to reach your goals and achieve your dreams. Sure, that can help, but what you really need is emotional intelligence.

And here’s the best part: While you’re more or less stuck with your IQ, studies going back to 1995 suggest that emotional intelligence not only naturally improves with age, but with focused effort and diligence, it can also be learned at any stage of life – providing huge benefits both personally and professionally.

Get ready to see the world’s top sales and business people through a new lens! While they may also be smart, they’re more likely to simply have incredibly high levels of emotional intelligence – a trait that you too could soon share.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

Emotional intelligence, or EI – a term popularized by Daniel Goleman and used for the better part of three decades – is best defined as the ability to understand and respond to your emotional state and that of others.

Human beings are emotional creatures; we can’t help it. However, once you can understand what’s happening internally, it becomes possible to control these emotions. At the same time, an emotionally intelligent person can also ascertain what someone else is feeling – and thereby act accordingly, influence others, and be a catalyst for change.

ARE EI AND EQ THE SAME THING?

When I say or write “EI,” I am often corrected by people who believe I’ve made a typo or have misspoken. In truth, not only are EI and EQ not the same thing, but the difference is of profound importance.

I think the distinction is best explained by Justin Bariso in INC, who notes that EQ concerns theory, while EI concerns practice.  True EI is not just knowing the theory, but internalizing and applying it.

For instance, many people “know” that if the rear of your car starts to slide, you should not use your brakes, but instead steer in the same direction as the skid. But that doesn’t mean that when that horrible moment comes, we’ll actually do it. After all, adrenaline spikes, fear sets in, and we can easily freeze, slam on the brakes, or steer erratically to try and regain control. Having true EI is about more than just knowing the right thing to do; it’s about putting it into practice when it counts.

THE FOUR CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF EI

EI can be broken down into four distinct factors: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. Later in this article I will show you how you can start the process of improving each one of these skills and applying it to specific business and sales activities – but first, let’s outline these four elements in greater detail and show why they have such a profound impact on your success.

Self-awareness. In my late teens, I was the founder and CEO of a multimillion-dollar telecommunications business, and I had just won a prestigious business award in my city. Yet I still remember going home, looking out the window of my high-rise luxury apartment, and being hit with the realization that I was miserable. It finally dawned on me that I’d done everything for the wrong reasons (money and stuff to impress others) and because of that, I was now running a very successful company I didn’t love, selling something I couldn’t care less about.

Without that realization, regardless of my IQ, perhaps I would have started to shirk my responsibilities as a salesperson and business leader; perhaps I would have been overcome by a deep depression, leading to subconscious self-destructive behaviors. Instead, I changed course, and was responsible for four more  multimillion-dollar business success stories before the age of 30. I now spend my life focused on my true calling – helping the small business service provider develop a Rapid Growth strategy so they can earn great money in a business that they LOVE!

I’m often shocked by the reactionary or knee-jerk ways that people evaluate situations and make critical life-changing decisions, which is why I see self-awareness as the most important element of EI. To be considered truly self-aware, you must learn to recognize your feelings, motivations, biases, and any other key driving forces that may be clouding your judgment or interfering with your decision making.

Self-regulation. The ability to understand your emotions and the drivers behind them, and to then control your behavior, is probably the most powerful tool in your sales, business or life success toolbox. Yet for most people, they have to wait until they do an MBA or some other leadership qualification to even hear about it.

Most people who follow me know about my journey: I went from an introverted and acne-riddled teenager doing back-office data entry, to being thrust into commission-only sales. Though I was terrified, I set about learning the system of a sale, and became the #1 salesperson in the southern hemisphere in just six weeks. But a story I don’t tell often is what happened next.

See, not only was the company I worked for commission-only, they also had a policy of paying all commissions four weeks in arrears. That means, even if you do sell from day one, you’re not seeing a dollar for close to six weeks. Well, the day came when I finally got the opportunity to get my first paycheck. I wasn’t expecting much, but when I opened it up, I was pretty surprised to see $0. Turns out, one of the managers didn’t batch my sales from week one because my ID number was still getting generated.

The next paycheck eventually came, but unfortunately there was an issue with my contract; I still didn’t receive a single dollar. Finally, a week later, I received my first real check. The whole experience was incredibly frustrating, but one thing that stayed consistent over the weeks was that my sales kept going up.

So how did I stay focused, keep my head in the game, continually improve, and not seem desperate to my customers, while at the same time dealing with the financial walls closing in all around me?

I didn’t know it then, but I was practicing self-regulation. I knew that I was running out of money, and I knew that I was really frustrated with the operations staff of the company. But I also knew what I wanted in the bigger picture, and that focusing on the negative was not going to help my paycheck down the road. So I put it from my mind and got back to the business of making sales.

This is a skillset I’ve carried through my entire life, and a critical success factor not only in sales, but in business and leadership overall.

For example, I’ve seen incredibly smart leaders wrongly snapping at staff members due to stress, or making poor decisions quickly because of a self-imposed sense of urgency. These are failures in an individual’s ability to self-regulate, and every time this happens, it costs them customers and money – and many times, something far greater, like the respect of a colleague or a chance at a promotion.

Empathy. Empathy is an awareness of other people’s emotions; it’s being able to understand why people feel the way they do. You may immediately recognize the importance of empathy in leadership, relationships, and life in general, but many people are surprised to learn that it’s also a key component of an effective sales process.

In the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a huge variety of businesses and salespeople, from billion-dollar technology companies and global non-profit organizations to the solo service provider. But no matter who I’m working with, no one seems to initially understand the importance of emotion in the sales process.

When I ask them to tell me about someone they’ve sold to previously, the story always goes the same way: I spoke to customer X who was having problem Y. We implemented solution Z and they got a great result. Sometimes they’ll share an ROI metric to wow me.

Then I ask the below questions:

• What was the customer’s name? Not the company, but the customer’s actual name?
• Do you think this person was scared of making the wrong decision?
• Do you think they felt out of their depth or overwhelmed with all the information they had to consume from you and others, just to have the best chance of making a good decision?
• Do you think they were worried about what it could mean to their career, business, and family if the implementation failed?
• Do you think they might have been excited about what it could mean for their career, business, and family if the implementation succeeded?
• Why was none of this in your story?

Salespeople who lack empathy fixate on what they’re trying to achieve, and often forget that they are selling to a real person with real emotions. This leads to a sale where they only ask self-serving questions (often only the questions they’ve been told to ask) before using the answers to TELL the prospect why their product or service will help.

More often than not, even for the smartest salespeople, this leads to a customer not feeling a connection with the person selling. This is when you hear the dreaded “I’ll think about it.”

Increased empathy drives the salesperson to ask more genuine questions aimed at truly understanding the prospect and seeing the problem from their point of view – both in a business sense as well as with an awareness of how the problem (and being in charge of fixing it) is affecting the prospect personally. Empathy leads the prospect to feel a greater connection to the salesperson, and a greater level of trust that the salesperson not only understands the problem, but is the most qualified provider to fix it. In short, all other factors being equal, empathetic salespeople make better salespeople.

Social skills. While empathy plays a big factor in developing strong rapport with customers and co-workers, social skills go far beyond the ability to empathize, to include skills like active listening, persuasiveness, and verbal and nonverbal communication.

I’ve seen people with incredibly high IQs alienate rooms of people with only a few poorly-thought-out sentences, and others of moderate intelligence work rooms to gain buy-in on an idea, obtain a promotion, or close a sale.

One of the things I’ve noticed when it comes to social skills is that naturally extroverted individuals don’t recognize they have deficits in these areas – and unless the deficit is highlighted, they’re unlikely to seek assistance in combatting it. Introverts, on the other hand, have real strengths in some of these areas; however, they believe they have a natural personality deficit (their lack of so-called “gift of gab”), which prevents them from truly harnessing and developing these skills.  I have found that with dedicated effort, both groups can obtain proficiency in all of these areas, as long as they treat each of them like any other skillset.

IS EI REALLY A LEARNABLE SKILL?

Though some newer studies show that IQ can be developed in childhood by as much as 25 points, once you’re an adult, your IQ is essentially set. Conversely, with individualized coaching, training, and feedback, EI can indeed be learned and improved at any age.

Ultimately, increasing your EI is a choice. One of the most popular ideas of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is “cause and effect,” which basically means that when confronted with a problem or hardship, you can make the decision that it’s out of your control, and be affected by it, or you can choose to be at cause, be responsible for it, and then look for strategies to overcome it.

In short, being at cause empowers you to look for ways to rectify the problem instead of being at its mercy. It puts you in the driver’s seat.

Too many people, when confronted with deficits in EI skills, tell me that it’s not their fault, that they’re simply not empathetic or they’re an introvert with low social skills, as though it’s something they can’t change. If this is you, please know, you are choosing to be “at effect” of a problem – and this mindset makes it impossible to improve your EI. You must choose to be at cause if you want to achieve your goals.

HOW DOES LOW EI LET YOU DOWN?

Many years ago, I worked with an incredibly smart individual from IBM. While socially awkward, she was a technology genius.

During our first discussion, she mentioned she was annoyed that she hadn’t been promoted in almost a decade. Then, in the very next sentence, she complained that the sales team sometimes dragged her into sales meetings and that she hated it, so she always ended up snapping at someone… often the customer!

Her excuse was “I’m just not a people person.” I helped her understand that was a cop out, or to use the NLP terminology, “she was choosing to be at the effect side of the equation.” I explained to her that it was likely that the sales team was bringing her into meetings because they needed her help, and that it was a great way to showcase her value to IBM, but that her snapping at the customer only proved that she was not a good candidate for promotion. I further explained that at any time, she could choose to be at cause and work to fix the problem.

Less than six months later, she had improved so much that she’d secured that promotion, with a six-figure increase in pay.

When you’re not in control of your emotions and possess poor social skills, regardless of how smart you are, you lose out in a professional sense – my client at IBM certainly did, until she consciously worked to solve the problem.

If you’re not self-aware and cannot self regulate, you’re probably prone to outbursts, especially when put under stress or in situations you find uncomfortable. Understandably, this is exacerbated when it comes to selling to a hostile prospect, speaking to a disgruntled employee, or pitching your idea to a closed-minded boss.

STUDIES SHOW THAT EI IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IQ

In researching EI, two studies in particular caught my eye. The first looked at proprietary data for more than 500 well-known corporations. Researchers focused on three key areas: IQ (cognitive ability or intelligence), technical skills (the skills required to do a job) and EI. They found that across all companies and positions (including sales), EI was twice as important as IQ and technical skills combined.

The researchers also found that 85% of the difference between top positions and lesser positions was down to EI. That is, when it comes to even the top levels of management within companies, EI is by far the most important requirement for success.

The second study looked at Pepsi’s corporations and departments worldwide, and evaluated the EI of their most senior employees. Researchers found that if a senior manager demonstrated six or more EI competencies, their division would outperform budget by up to 20%. Conversely, senior managers with four or fewer EI competencies would come in approximately 20% below budget. Despite comparable IQ levels and technical skills, the senior managers with better EI had demonstrably greater success.

HOW DO YOU IMPROVE YOUR EI?

So now we understand why EI is so important to our real-world success in any pursuit, and that EI skills can be developed through training, coaching and feedback. Let’s dig in to where you should begin.

Of course, there are thousands of EI coaches out there, any of whom would be happy to work with you. But before you do that, I’d suggest you first start by finding yourself a buddy, preferably someone you identify as having high EI and someone you respect. Let them know that you’ve been reading this article (and any other research/self-analysis you’ve checked out) and tell them your goal to drastically improve your EI competencies.

Ask if they’d be willing to be your sounding board and mentor as you undergo the process of learning and internalizing the strategies I provide below. Perhaps suggest a weekly lunch or coffee.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF

Self-awareness. One of the most critical elements to obtaining self-awareness is to first discover (or rediscover) what you truly want – and more importantly, why you want it. After all, if you don’t know what you want, and why, how can you begin to achieve it?

Some people traded in their dreams for the practical so long ago, they don’t even remember what those dreams are anymore. Others, like my past self, never took the time to really think about what they truly want; they just inherited their goals based on what their parents, friends and colleagues at work said was evidence of success, like a Ferrari in the driveway and a million-dollar business.

This often leads to a struggle to muster that fire in the belly to go out and make it happen, even though they say their goals are important. Or, as in my case, they achieve the goal, only to find themselves miserable with the outcome. Either way, if your driving “why” is inherited and not honestly

This is why I believe the first and most critical step to self-awareness is understanding your passions, your drivers… your “whys.”

(If you’d like to learn more about this concept and start putting it into action, check out my podcast episode, Forget About Goals – “Why” is the Key to Success.)

Next, you need to learn to better understand your own emotions as a salesperson, business owner, or manager. Consider these questions:

• How are you feeling going into the sales call, staff meeting, staff evaluation, presentation?
• What are your emotions? Are you nervous? Feeling rushed or edgy? Why?
• Where are you mentally? Is there something that’s clouding your mind, like a recent confrontation or failure?
• How confident are you with your plan, sales system, strategy, and the materials you’ve had to learn or are taking with you?

going into a sales meeting, you’re able to separate your emotions from the sales process. Instead of getting flustered or reacting on an emotional level, you can simply follow your established process.

Don’t have a clear sales process yet? Keep reading for resources provided near the end of this article.

Self-regulation. Once you’ve gained self-awareness of exactly what your drivers are and where you are mentally, it becomes possible to implement tools to handle your emotions, especially the negative ones. For example, if you’re nervous before a sales call, deep breathing or reciting positive affirmations might help. If you’re feeling edgy, a drink from the water fountain or some basic stretching exercises might be enough to break the cycle. Or you may simply want to remind yourself that you’re now working towards your true goals. Different tactics work for different people.

I know when I’ve just had a confrontation, I need to take a two-minute break before a sales call, or wait at least an hour before talking to a staff member about a mistake they’ve made or a stressful situation they might need help with.

If I’m going on stage to deliver a keynote, whether to 20 or 20,000 people, at 8am or 3pm, my self-regulation process is the same: Go over my slides the night before and get eight hours of sleep. Make sure I eat a good meal. Reserve two hours of prep time before my presentation. Arrive 15 minutes early. Fifteen minutes before start time, walk away from everyone and center myself, then practice my opening lines. Remind myself that my job is to help them see business growth from a different perspective… THAT’S IT. Because I’m an introvert, this routine reduces my anxiety and stops me from self-defeating behavior, such as worrying what people might think.

Empathy. In any business situation, always remember that it’s not about you or what you think you said. It’s about them and how they feel about what you said.

Remember, empathy is not about logic; it’s about feeling. No matter how much you consider and choose the right words, you can’t control how the hearer perceives them.

My good friend Daniele Lima advises salespeople to consider the four magic questions to ensure you’re being empathetic:

• What did I just say?
• How did they react to what I said?
• Is that what I wanted and would have predicted?
• If not, how am I going to change that?

I would also add:

• What did they say?
• What must they be feeling to have responded that way?
• What else could be happening around this discussion/decision, that may be affecting them? Is there big promotion riding on them getting this right? Might they be going through a personal problem?

Empathy allows you to notice and understand a client’s feelings. For instance, in the act of selling, rather than ignoring a prospect’s concerns, Daniele suggests that being empathetic means you can respond to detectable discomfort and ask the client to explain their reservations. Or you can try my personal favorite: To help them overcome their emotional barrier, tell them a story of someone else who had the same concern, and the amazing outcome they received in working with you. This allows you to allay those concerns – thus moving one step closer to landing a sale.

Social skills. If you’re an extrovert, the area in which you’re most likely to have a social skills deficit is active listening. If this sounds like you, a great start to correcting this is found in my podcast episode, “Why Active Listening is the Key to Business Success.” In this episode, I discuss why you need to actively listen, and more importantly, how to do it effectively.

For the introverts out there, your skills gaps will largely lie in what you would call “gift of gab” abilities, leading to difficulties in each of the areas listed below – and a belief that you can’t do anything about it. But let’s nip that misconception in the bud right now – you do not need the “gift of gab.” EVERY SKILL BELOW IS 100% LEARNABLE AND MASTERABLE. Even better, once you see that these skills actually rely on systems rather than innate conversation skills, you’ll learn to embrace those systems and leverage your introverted abilities within them. In short, you’ll soon be able to beat the extroverts at these activities hands down.

Networking

The first step to networking is knowing exactly what to say. Start with the below two episodes of my Better Business Coach:

Part 1 – How to Network Effectively and Get More Clients

Part 2 – How to Network Effectively and Get More Clients

Once you know what to say, you then need to know how to get into the right rooms and make the whole process work for you. Check out this helpful information from an interview I did with good friend and fellow introvert Judy Robinett:

Part 1 – How to Make Networking Work for You

Part 2 – How to Make Networking Work for You

Pitching an idea

What if you have a business idea you need to pitch to a group of investors or your boss? In a recent interview with Fox, I break down a simple step-by-step process:

How to Pitch to Investors

Speaking from stage

When it comes to learning the strategies to successfully speaking from stage (especially as an introvert), there is no better resource than my good friend Jay Papasan, co-author of international bestseller The ONE Thing.

How would you feel if you were asked to speak in front of 20,000 people as your first presentation? Jay shares his initial terror, along with his journey to becoming comfortable owning the stage:

Public Speaking Strategies for Introverts

Sales

While many people (especially introverts) find it hard to believe, the truth is that sales mastery is a learnable skill, just like any other so called “gift of gab” ability.

SALES SYSTEMIZATION DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN PHONEY!

I’m a big believer in sales systemization. What I mean by this is to make sales results a reflection of your system, rather than yourself. That is, if a sale doesn’t go well, it’s because the sales process didn’t work, not because they said “No” to you personally. And with regard to EI, sales systemization works wonders. It allows you to get out of your own head, stop trying to work out what to say and when, and be more present with the customer, so you can truly empathize with what they are going through and what they need. It also helps you emotionally regulate when they raise an objection or reject the pitch entirely, because again, this is not a reflection on you as a person.

The main issue people have with using a sales system is they’re concerned with sounding fake, rehearsed, and robotic. However, there’s a big difference between being systemized and being phoney. Sales systemization gives you an efficient process to work through. It’s not about being artificial; it’s about finding a way to improve and work towards success.

But if you’re still worried that sales scripting will come across as sounding inauthentic, I get it. I was initially terrified of using a script for the same reason. But then I thought about how we all love our favourite TV and movie characters. They’re using a script too, and they sound totally natural and authentic.

If all those actors can follow a script and produce a character loved by millions, then you can do the same when it comes to sales. I’ve done it and made millions, and now it’s your turn!

A LIFE SKILL

Emotional intelligence is a skill that’s incredibly beneficial when it comes to sales and business – but its use goes far beyond closing a deal or getting a promotion. EI can help you in virtually any professional or personal activity.

Emotional intelligence can be learned – and it really is the key to success!

Be at cause, and start developing your EI today.

Note from Publisher – originally published at https://matthewpollard.com on December 5, 2018.

The post IQ Vs EQ (Emotional Intelligence): Which Is More Important? appeared first on Head Of Sales.

Despite this being the case, the ability to sell is often overlooked. Many business owners will tell you that they didn’t go into business to become a salesperson; however their business’ success ultimately rides on their ability to promote their product or service.

Why do those who are new to sales struggle to succeed?

There are seven self-destructive mindsets that new salespeople fall into, and these “traps” are often the reasons why they struggle to find success.

The seven self-destructive mindsets of someone new to sales are:

1. The belief that you need to have “the gift of the gab.”

Many people believe that in order to become a successful salesperson, you need to have “the gift of the gab.” Not only that, they also believe that this “gift” is a talent that someone is born with, rather than a skill that can be acquired.

This belief simply isn’t true. While some people are naturally more extroverted and find the sales process easier to begin with, the so-called “gift of the gab” is certainly a skill that can be acquired via hard work and dedication. Over time, the salesperson who puts in the hard yards will find their results are better and more consistent than those “natural salespeople” who are born extroverts, yet fail to develop and further their skills.

An introvert can become a sales gun!

Those who consider themselves to be introverted often avoid potentially higher paying sales roles, as they believe that their personality type simply isn’t cut out to sell. This isn’t the case. Even more concerning is the introverted business owner that shies away from marketing their own business, stifled by false belief and lying to themselves that sales isn’t necessary. I often hear people like this saying, “With a good product the customers will come;” their business’ demise is inevitable.

While an introvert may find the sales environment challenging to begin with, there is no reason why they cannot become a successful salesperson. The extrovert’s “natural ability” may provide them with an initial advantage, but an introvert can learn.

The secret? Sales scripting. By mastering a sales script, it becomes possible for introverts to succeed – in fact, hard working introverts can often out-perform extroverts who take their “gift of the gab” for granted.

Many who are new to sales are concerned that a sales script may sound fake or forced. When poorly executed, they certainly can – but when you master a script and make it your own, the process becomes completely natural. In some ways it’s similar to a great actor: When they nail a particular role, their character becomes believable.

The bottom line? You don’t need to have the “gift of the gab” to succeed as a salesperson!

2. The excuse that sales skills weren’t taught in school.

Sales skills are often not taught in educational institutions – however, just because they are not part of the curriculum doesn’t mean they’re not important.

Sales is often touched on in degrees that focus on business and marketing, however, it’s never a core focus. Why? The majority of courses are designed to give students the skills necessary to gain employment in their chosen field and in the process contribute to society. Sales skills – despite their importance – are not necessary to fulfill this requirement, and therefore are commonly excluded.

A common belief is that you leave your choice of educational institution knowing everything that you need to know in terms of your chosen field. While in many ways this is true, unfortunately, knowing what you need to know in a chosen field and knowing what you need to be successful are not mutually exclusive terms. Those who are successful never stop learning, and if you’re seeking success outside of what a boss can provide then learning the art of selling and self-promotion is essential.

3. The realization that sales can be uncomfortable to begin with.

When you do anything for the first time – whether it’s public speaking or riding a horse – you’re probably going to be uncomfortable. It’s called moving beyond your comfort zone, and it’s usually an essential part of the journey towards success.

When it comes to sales, there’s no exception.

Those who are new to sales often find that the learning process can be uncomfortable – especially for those who aren’t blessed with that natural “gift of the gab.” The discomfort experienced leads some to question whether it’s all worth it – do they even have the potential to become a successful salesperson?

The fact is that for those who persist and work hard, the uncomfortable period will pass. Where things seem to go off the rails is when this discomfort is combined with the belief that you have to have the “gift of the gab.” The discomfort of the situation combined with the disbelief that the skill is learnable leads to a profound “no” when considering the question of whether it’s all worth it. So if you get one thing out of this article, make it that sales is a learnable skill like any other. Embrace the learning phase and push beyond your comfort zone.

Remember, a horse’s trot is always bouncy at first; however once you learn to rise to it, it becomes effortless!

4. The overwhelming fear of rejection.

Humans are programmed to avoid pain – it’s in our genetic makeup. Rejection falls under the “pain umbrella;” it is essentially a form of emotional pain.

For those who are new to sales in particular, the fear of rejection is very real. It can be difficult to separate yourself emotionally from the sales process, and when a prospective client says “no” to a product or service, it essentially feels as though they are saying “no” to you.

So how do you disconnect from the sales process emotionally and remove that fear of rejection?

The answer is the implementation of a sales system. With a system in place, you have a process to run through when meeting with prospective clients – and this process takes the emphasis away from you personally. If the prospective client says “no,” they’re not rejecting you – rather, they are rejecting the sales system (or a part of it) that you have used.

This not only makes it easier to disconnect and remove that element of fear, but also makes it easier to improve, as you can identify which part of the sales system let you down.

5. The debilitating fear of what other people think.

Humans are hard-wired to care about what others think. This is exemplified across many facets of our everyday lives, from caring about our physical appearance through to our hearts beating faster at the very thought of public speaking.

We care what others think for many reasons. We want to keep our “superiors” happy and avoid “getting in trouble.” We want to impress others and be accepted by our peers. At the end of the day, humans are programmed to live as part of a “herd;” we’re not solitary beings, and our behavior reflects this.

So how does this affect those who are new to sales? As a salesperson, you are constantly conversing with others – that is, prospective clients. Naturally, you care what these prospective clients think of you, and there are a number of questions that are bound to play in your mind:

Does the prospective client think I’m being dishonest?

Do I sound fake?

Am I coming across as a “try hard”?

Do I sound like an amateur?

These sorts of questions are common, and they all come back to the same point: we care about what others think. This mindset is outdated; a relic of thousands of years of living within a small tribe. In today’s modern society, this way of thinking simply isn’t productive. As a salesperson, it’s important that you’re able to move beyond this mindset.

Ultimately, if prospective clients aren’t given the opportunity to think poorly of you, then they probably haven’t been given the opportunity to think of you – or your products/services – at all. Success rides on putting yourself out there, and with the right preparation success can be achieved.

6. The belief that sales and self-promotion are immoral.

There’s no doubt about it: There are some dodgy salespeople out there. In fact, when the term “salesperson” is mentioned, it often conjures up the mental image of a greasy used car salesman – probably trying to sell some unsuspecting person a certified “lemon.”

Many people who are new to sales struggle with this concept; they constantly question whether their actions are in fact moral. Let’s face it, most people balk at the idea of achieving success via the expense of others – and the vast majority would avoid becoming that slimy used car salesman at all costs.

However, sales success doesn’t have to come at the expense of others – and the vast majority of salespeople do not fit the profile of a used car salesman. As someone who is new to sales, it’s important to understand that sales success doesn’t automatically equate to immoral actions.

The fact of the matter is that society wouldn’t function without salespeople. Products may be produced and services offered, but without someone to promote and sell them no one would be able to benefit from them.

As a salesperson, your job is to serve – not deceive. In fact, rather than referring to yourself as a salesperson, consider yourself a consultant or advisor. Ultimately, this is a more accurate job description as to sell and sell well you need to ask questions and provide a solution/benefit that the customer desires.

7. The anxiety of taking that first step.

“Approach anxiety” is a very real thing. It’s the first day of a new job, approaching a love interest for their phone number, or talking to your housemate about their appalling track record when it comes to washing dishes.

Whenever you have to do something for the first time, anxiety often sets in. In prehistoric times, this reaction was designed to save us from physical harm, however, in modern society it is merely an obstacle that holds us back from achieving our goals.

For those who are new to selling, those first few sales are sure to evoke a physiological response – sweaty palms, a racing heart beat, and a dry mouth. Overcoming this anxiety is achievable. The first time is always the hardest, and everything becomes easier as you learn the process and gain confidence.

When it comes to sales, it’s important to remember that you need to take those first steps in order to succeed – there’s no way around it.

So is it possible to overcome these self-destructive mindsets?

For those who are new to sales, these seven self-destructive mindsets are all too common. However, the good news is that it’s possible to overcome them.

How?

It’s a matter of learning the sales process. Many people fail to realize that the ability to sell is a learnable skill – one that can be honed through hard work and dedication. Having that desirable “gift of the gab” can certainly help, but it is by no means the determining factor. Anyone can become a successful salesperson if they put their mind to it.

So what exactly is the sales process?

The sales process is a series of steps that are designed to lead prospective clients from that initial introduction through to signing on the dotted line. It is essentially a script that allows for more consistent, successful sales interactions. A carefully constructed sales script provides those who are new to sales with the tools necessary to overcome any of these potentially self-destructive mindsets.

Free yourself and find success.

Whether you’re struggling to overcome that initial “approach anxiety,” or simply believe that your introverted personality isn’t “cut out for sales,” I can help.

I wasn’t born with “the gift of the gab” – my success was achieved through hard work, dedication and sound advice.

Don’t let a self-destructive mindset hold you back. Whether you’re a natural salesperson who needs to hone their skills, or someone who finds the entire concept daunting.

I wasn’t given the key to success; I learned how to craft that key, and you can too!

Publishers note – originally published at https://matthewpollard.com on August 22, 2015.

The post Seven Self-Destructive Mindsets In Sales appeared first on Head Of Sales.

This conclusion, while seemingly obvious, in actuality couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sure price can be a factor, but remember each business owner has unique qualities and therefore price is just one factor on which they can compete.

So why do most businesses only have price to compete on?

1. They’ve failed to identify their unique selling proposition (USP).

As a business, it’s crucial that you identify your USP – however, this is one element in business that is most frequently overlooked.

A strong USP makes it far easier to market your business and essentially reduces the impact the price has on client acquisition. Clients won’t mind paying a little bit more if they believe they’re purchasing a unique product or service that actually offers more.

So how do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?

First, you need to determine what it is you offer that other businesses don’t – and why this is the case. A useful way to identify this is by working out which clients you achieve the best results for, and how they are different to your other clients.

Then you need to craft a unified message that stands out from the crowd. Your message should focus on explaining the actual benefit of what your business has to offer, rather than merely stating your functional skill.

For instance, I could call myself a sales and marketing strategist, which is my functional skill, however, I would then be trying to compete in a crowded market against all the other sales and marketing specialists. It also doesn’t truly encapsulate the benefits of what I do. I do so much more than sales and marketing strategy. I help organizations obtain Rapid Growth – a benefit many sales and marketing strategists do not – so I call myself “The Rapid Growth Guy.” You need to think deeper about what you provide; what makes you unique and different.

A while back I worked with a language school that struggled to obtain $50-$80 per hour for private language tuition. It was a very competitive market and many new entrants where willing to cut their prices to the bone to obtain market penetration. The owner’s primary concern was focusing on how to compete with these new entrants; I on the other hand focused on how to avoid the battle all together. Within the first hour of my analysis I recognised that there was one market they catered to where they provided a whole lot of additional unique services that offered the client immense value. For these unique clients they not only educated them on language, but also helped them learn about obtaining guanxi (the Chinese way of building relationships) and the differences in Chinese ecommerce, as well as assisting them with accent reduction. The answer was clear: instead of focusing on private language tuition for $50-$80 per hour, they needed to concentrate on helping executives and their families during the process of being relocated to China, teaching them the skills required to aid their success. This very simple change to the USP stepped an organization from $50-$80 per hour, to an organization that charged $30,000 per client acquisition for the promise of providing their employers with a more successful “total China experience.”

Many businesses fail to separate themselves from the pack, and in the process they become a “me too” business. If you’re doing the same thing as everyone else and cannot identify your USP, then you only have price to compete on. This is not the path for you!

2. They haven’t identified their target market and their marketing strategy is evidence of this.

It’s important that you identify which customer group you offer the most value to – and it’s this target market that you need to reach via your marketing efforts.

Many businesses fail to achieve this. Instead, they attempt to “try to speak to everyone.” Due to the nonspecific nature of the message, these businesses end up “speaking to no one” instead.

Rather than engaging in a blanket approach to marketing, you need to identify which target market will most appreciate your USP and where you can find them.

So how do you do this?

·         Determine which clients you get the best results for – what are their characteristics?

·         Identify the best ways to connect with those particular clients.

·         Tailor packages to suit your “ideal” customer – these packages should focus on your USP.

One of my recent clients was working in the saturated market of auto-responders. As most saturated markets are, this market was highly educated and highly price sensitive. Within just a few hours of working with his USP, it was decided that his true value wasn’t offering auto-responders to a pre-educated market, but instead offering client re-engagement to niches where “auto-responders” was a foreign word.

This resulted in a more informative sales process, as he had to now specify the benefits of his service. However, when it came to price, he could name it. This turned a product sold in a pre-established market for $1,200 into an $11,000 monthly recurring product overnight – and he subsequently acquired three new clients in just two weeks.

Now I know what you’re thinking: is he ripping these people off? In truth NO, because without his additional education, which costs him more to provide, they would have never discovered auto-responder technology and failed to obtain what has now become a substantial return on investment.

3. They don’t know how to sell.

Sales systemization is essential – however, many businesses simply don’t understand how to sell their products or services.

Your business could have a fantastic offering, but if your sales process isn’t refined then it becomes harder than necessary to turn customer interest into actual sales. Many businesses wrongly believe that their products or services will sell themselves, and therefore fail to take the time to implement a proper sales process.

Training is important; sales staff need to understand that sales is a system, and they need to learn how to use these systems to best sell your product or service. Your staff need to know:

·         What to say when a customer calls.

·         How to generate greater interest from email enquiries.

·         How to discuss what your business does at networking events, thereby engaging listeners and evoking questions.

·         How to gain client interest in your USP.

·         How to turn interest into sales.

Each one of the above processes should be systemized and eventually scripted. It’s important that your sales staff follows a tried and tested process that you know has the ability to deliver the best results. Oh, and if you don’t have sales staff, then as the owner of the business it is even more vital for you.

The disconnection in your sales process can be anything from talking about price before introducing enough value, to choosing the wrong method of communication.

I had a client a few years ago that provided writing services to businesses. When a client sent through an email enquiry, he would respond with a question, and after a few emails he’d send through a price. He found that either before or as soon as the price was mentioned, the client would disappear, never to email again. He decided it must be people that couldn’t afford him, and therefore talking to people like this was a waste of his time. To detour these time wasters he put his price on his website. Soon after the enquiries stopped coming and he decided that he was correct; people just didn’t have the money to pay. Only there was one problem: with no enquiries he would soon go broke. After working with him for a very short time, two things became clear:

1.       He was trying to communicate with people that were trying to outsource writing via email – the exact thing that they probably hated and were trying to avoid.

2.       That the price on the website wasn’t a deterrent to people that didn’t have money, it was a deterrent to all enquirers. Truth is, he was expensive and if he couldn’t explain why before price was mentioned, no one would pay it.

Turning his business around was easy. All we did was remove the price from his website, switched the focus of any return email to an enquirer from responding with answers/price to obtaining a phone conversation, and introduced a step-by-step sales call process. His very next sales call resulted in him landing a $40,000 project in just 40 minutes, and just seven weeks later he had closed deals totaling $80,000.

Many businesses fail to implement sales systemization. Without it, price becomes the only factor they can compete on.

Price shouldn’t be the only thing you’re competing on!

It shouldn’t be, but it is for many. While it does work for some select businesses, it simply isn’t sustainable for many.

If you rely too much on price in order to remain competitive, it’s time to change the way you view your business, your marketing strategy and your sales process.

Price is no longer the only factor you have to compete on!

Publisher notes – originally published at https://matthewpollard.com on August 4, 2015.

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