A Five Step Sales Process: For Success:FULL Sales

By Kevin J. Barrett

It is interesting!, that if there is anything that you want to get, or if there is anything you need in this life, then it will probably involve someone else’s help in getting it. This is true no matter who we are and what we do, It is particularly important if you are in “Sales”. No matter what you do, the ability to develop and maintain rapport with a large range of people with varying backgrounds will allow you to get what you want most of the time. Having rapport with someone will allow you to do most anything. In the sales process probably the most important skill to develop is the skill of “establishing rapport”.

The basis of rapport is that when people are like each other, they tend to like each other. We tend to associate and relate to people better when they are, similar to us. When people are not like each other, they tend to not like each other. A successful Sales professional needs, to he able to expand the range of people they will be able to relate to. It is important to remember that the “Sales Process”, is really the process of “communications”.

Each person is 100% responsible for their own communication, and the true meaning of communications is the response you get from that communication. Your response equals your meaning and all meaning iscontext (process or structure) dependent. This means that the words we use require context for meaning. (Alfred Korzyhski, General Semantics, 1933). If you are not getting the response you want, It is up to you to find a way of communicating what you want in a manner that will obtain the response you want. This means increase rapport. It is not the fault of the other person. This is one of the hardest concepts for people to accept. It is so much easier to blame the other person for not understanding.

When it comes to communications and establishing rapport it is important to remember that 93% of the meaning (response) in the communication process takes place on an unconscious level. Only 7% is based on objective words or at a conscious level, while 38% is based on the tone of voice and 55% is based on physiology, which is by an large unconscious.(Robert Birdwistle, University of Pennsylvania,Kinesthetics and Communications. 1970).

Have you heard the saying; “Buyers are Liars”? I don’t believe Buyers are liars. I believe it is up to the Sales Professional to polish their communication skills and “sensory acuity” to obtain the responses they want, and to assist their clients in “Buying and owning” what they want. Helping them achieve what they want. People do not like to be sold, but they love “Buying and Owning”. It is the “Sales Professional’s” responsibility to assist people in “Buying and Owning”.

What often happens in life is that we associate with people who are most like us. If people are not like us we move away from them. This can limit our life experiences. In sales, this can limit the number of prospects in which we can relate effectively with and in turn limit those where we can have successful sales outcomes. I believe that successful living is really Success: Full Living, and successful sales is reallySuccess: Full Sale.

One of our goals in life is to be able to achieve and have what we want. To do this it requires that we have the help and support of others. To gain the help and support of others we need to be able to establish rapport with them so that they want to willingly help us. The greater range of people we are able to relate with improves the scope in which we will be able to have Success: Full Living or as we say in sales,Success: Full Sales.

The following is a five step sales process that can quadruple your Success: Full Sales. It outlines a proactive approach that will enhance your ability to dynamically adjust and control the sales and communication process so that it is exactly matched to the client. Everyone is different and once we can determine the various strategies people use we can assist them in achieving what they want in their life. The following is based on an N.L.P. communications model. To learn more about these strategies and models contact Kevin Barrett at www.kjbarrett.com

1. Establish Rapport: Remember, people who are like each other tend to like each other. Match and Mirror the other person, their:

• Physiology

• Tone of voice

• Representational system

• Breathing

• Key words

2. Ask Questions: The questions you ask are directly related to the business of the person who you are interviewing. Talk their language. Ask questions in the language of their business.

• “For what purpose.....”

• Discover client’s internal representations (fear or pleasure, moving toward this or away from things, etc), desired states.

• Meta Model

• Discover their internal strategies and anchor their needed to those states

• Discover Meta Programs and Values.

3. Find a Need: Establish need - establish value. No need? Stop here. Find another client. There are plenty of clients to work with that have needs.

• Anchor it - Anchor it (Need)

• Conditional close

• Tag questions.

4. Link the their Need or their Value to your Product or Service:

• Conditional close (“Is it fair enough....)

• “What would happen if…

• “Compared to.. . .“ (Contrast Frame)

• Because “ I agree with you because….)

• Agreement Frame

• Fire Anchors that supports them

• Use strategies and language patterns

5. Close:Ask for the order. Chain anchors to:
Handle Objections

• If no: (go to #3)

• If yes: Future pace. Fire! The reassurance anchors. Get referrals

Resistance to your message almost always indicates lack of support. If that happens at any point, build more rapport. Remember there is no such thing as uncooperative buyers or clients, only inflexible sales people. In 1930 Norbert Weiner, in his book Cybernetics, came up with the Law of Requisite Variety, which means that the system/person with the most flexibility of behaviour will control the process or system. The Sales Professional with the most flexibility of behaviour will have the most Success: Full Sales.

This is a very effective outline in achieving Success:Full Sales

The Truth About Testimonials.

Who is the easiest person in the world to sell to? That's an easy question to answer, yet one most business owners, unfortunately never ask themselves.

You see...the easiest person to sell to is one you've sold to before. It's someone who already trusts you, someone who's already had a "Wow" experience with your company. Tony Alessandra called this creating "Moments of Magic" for your customers. Usually, it's someone who is willing to give you a testimonial...if you ask for it. But, you have to ask for it!

Tony also said, "The very best time to ask for a testimony or a referral is when the sale is made."

Here are 4 quickfire ways to build your store of testimonials like crazy:

• Use industry endorsements and/or respected experts


• Put together user groups


• Create a feedback form on your website


• Ask directly, and then help your clients write the testimonial

One of my favorite ways to get testimonials is a trick I learned from my friend, Clate Mask at Infusionsoft. When a customer tells you something great about your product or service, ask this golden question, "Can I quote you on that?" Then write up their quote, email it to them for their approval, and voila! You've got a great testimonial!

Why are testimonials so powerful? Because, what someone else says about you is much more believable than what you say about yourself. If you're talking about your own business, you're bound to say how good it is. Everyone expects it, and no one really believes it. But if someone else raves about your business...then it's a whole different ball game.

So, if you don't have testimonials...you need them fast!

The Instant Gratification of an Autoresponder

As you are very much aware, consumers today are eager to receive fast, efficient service. Whether it is the fault of the Internet, a characteristic of the rising generation, or some other reason, swift responses to customers and prospects has become an absolute must for small business owners.

An autoresponder is the perfect solution for small business owners who have more to do than simply respond to inquiries all day. The benefits of an autoresponder are clear.

1. They give your customers and prospects a swift response. Just because you don't have time to answer an email right away doesn't mean you won't get to it later. Give your customer the immediate response they are looking for without having to stop what you're doing.

2. They inform your customers and prospects of your absence. Feel like taking a vacation? An autoresponder is the perfect way to redirect your contacts to someone who can meet their needs, or lets them know when you'll be back. Customers will excuse absences. They are less likely to accept no response at all.

3. They can answer some of your prospects and customers questions for you. What are the most common questions your contacts ask you about your products or services? Often times, an autoresponder can take care of the mundane task of repeatedly answering the same questions.

4. They let customers and prospects know when a payment has been received. Do you sell online? Whenever your contacts make an online payment, your autoresponder can let them know that their credit card was successfully processed. (Which of course eases any concerns.)

With an autoresponder, YOU decide when to get back to your customers and prospects...but you get to respond on their timetable.

Use the Magic Word!

When it comes to marketing, "free" is one of the most powerful, most overused, and most wrongly used words in the English language. You see, when most people want to use this word in their marketing, they'll write it in big, bold letters, slap it in the headline, and wait for it to work its magic.

Make no mistake... "free" is an extremely powerful word, but if you don't know how to wield it with precision and skill, you're in for a nasty surprise! It's a little bit like the difference between a scalpel and a machete. Both are extremely sharp and powerful tools... but you must have the right skills to use them safely and effectively.

One of the best places to use the word "free' in your marketing... is when you use it to offer your customers and prospects a free report.

So, what is a free report? A free report is exactly what it says: a free source of useful information you give your prospects. You see, you are an expert in your industry, and there are things you know that your contacts can certainly benefit from. Offering a free report is an excellent way to:

• Build your relationship with your customers and prospects
  
• Give your customers and prospects value
  
• Bring in leads (when you offer your free report as a download)
  
• Keep your name in front of your prospects
  
• Educate your prospects about your services

There is NO doubt about it: the value you get from giving a paper-and-ink report returns a value far out of proportion to its cost!

The advantage of giving away information is this: because you are the expert and because you've done your contacts a favor (by giving them something of value), they are going to feel comfortable with you and indebted to you. And, that will drive more sales!

Measure Your Marketing: What You Can Track

Several months ago, you were sent an email about the difference between marketing and advertising. Hopefully you took that message to heart. After all,one of the greatest benefits of marketing is the ability to measure your efforts. And, for a business owner, this is a valuable ability.

You see, when you measure your marketing efforts… and then take the time to make the appropriate changes, you are going to see the results in the increased number of sales.

A few months ago I attended a seminar, where Jay Conrad Levinson (Father of Guerrilla Marketing) spoke, I was actually able to get some quality one-on-one time with him. One of the things that he stressed during his presentation, was“So many businesses STOP marketing when they do not see immediate results.”… “It takes a little bit of time to determine if the advertizing and marketing you are doing is working!!!!”

You will never know what is working with out MEASURING!!!!!

Early in my career I worked briefly learning from Dr. Deming, (Father of Total Quality Management and the primary reason of the Re-Birth of Japan in the early 50’s) He used this phrase and it has has stuck with me for many years…“If you can’t measure it, you can’t change it., If you don’t measure it, you will never change. Know what to measure and use it to change for the better.”

In fact, this last point is one of the primary reasons, people and businesses keep doing the same thing over and over again. They can’t measure the results they are getting back… Interesting.

So how can you measure your marketing efforts? Well, good tracking and measuring is going to take a combination of Internet know-how and automated, marketing systems. But, between the two, you can easily track and measure:

• Lead sources
• Email open rates
• Email opt-in rates
• Email links
• User interactions
• Promotion responses
• And, of course your resulting sales!

When you are able to SEE what is working, your marketing will become more specific, targeted, and successful. Even with a stellar marketing campaign, there is always room for improvement. Measuring your results gives you the chance to keep getting better, and bring in more and more sales.

Remember Dr. W. Edwards Deming words, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t change it., If you don’t measure it, you will never change. Know what to measure and use it to change for the better.”

Also remember Jay Conrad Levinson’s words, and I will paraphrase here, “Do what you are doing long enough to get good numbers to MEASURE….”

When uncertainty rules… marketing campaigns are nothing more than a shot in the dark! With the ability to measure, track, and tweak, you can become a marketing powerhouse and start adding more money to your bank account!