How can you uncover hidden need all the time?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

How can you uncover hidden need all the time?

November 12th 2012

By Gregory Ferrett

Welcome to Monday

A recent study showed that 75% to 80% of customers purchased only what they initially set out to buy. What if there was a really simple way to uncover a customers hidden additional need? and you could use this to help you customer uncover their need themselves?

Jewellery Store

My watch kept stopping. I assumed the battery needed replacing so I walked into one of the best-known jewellers in Australia to get a battery fitted. I handed my watch over to the sales assistant and asked them to replace the battery.

 

“I am sorry,” the assistant said “but we do not sell this brand, so we can’t put in a new battery.”

I was stunned! I reminded the assistant that this was where I had purchased batteries before.

“Well, this watch is waterproof, and we can not guarantee it will still be waterproof after we open it”

This assistant was really annoying and definitely trying to avoid making a sale. I needed a battery so I persisted with one more attempt.

“I know you can not guarantee the waterproofing, you said that when you replaced the battery here last time.”

“I am sorry, but we probably do not have the battery in stock …”

I was angry. I stormed out and went to the jewellers a few shops down and handed over my watch.

“No problems, let me have a look,” the assistant said.

After a few moments, the jeweller came out with a battery tester and showed me the battery was fine. We discussed what the problems might have been with the watch that stopped it working from time to time. He asked a few questions and ...

Guess who purchased a brand new watch! (They had uncovered my hidden need)

This sales assistant had;

 

• Established rapport
• Differentiated themselves from their competitor, and
• Helped me discover I needed a new watch.

But what had they done differently?

They had listened and established rapport by taking an interest, engaging my emotional buying style, asked questions and listened. In just a few minutes they had me agreeing I needed a new watch and were on the way to closing the opportunity.

The first jeweller was only interested in selling something in their catalogue. The second jeweller took the time to test the battery (no cost), and then asked some simple questions (also no cost). I felt like they cared for me and I trusted them. They helped me discover I needed a new watch, so when I had a look at a couple of options, and listened to their recommendation, I acted on it.

Chip Bell said "Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom." Effective questioning helps your customer uncover their own need. By helping your customer uncover their own need you also create a powerful emotional reaction and driver for action.

Industrial Example

Say you sell industrial heating elements and call to find out if a manufacturing company is interested in using your product. Rather than asking when they plan to buy more (you just know you will have the lowest price!) ask something like “How often do you change the heating elements in your gas turbine?”

This simple question tells you if there is a problem with the life expectancy of current heating elements. You know one key feature of your product is its long life and by planning this question in advance you will also have the follow-up questions ready to help your customer discover they need your product. With this small piece of information you can ask for an appointment to show them how you helped another company reduce the number plant shutdowns by using your heating elements.

Of course, by the time this meeting is done your prospect has 'discovered' they have an unrecognised need for long life heating elements and the lowest price is no longer an issue!

Today’s question & action

Take your product or service and ask yourself "what problems could my product solve?"

Be creative and outrageous. Don't stop until you have a full page of ideas. Do this with a colleague or ask someone to help if you get stuck.

Distill this down to a list of five key problems.

For each problem create a question designed to help your prospect discover hidden problems.

Try these question with everyone you visit this week. You will be surprised how many new opportunities you prospects will reveal to you even they did not know existed.
Have a great week.

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

 

Are you making room for success?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Are you making room for success?

November 5th 2012

By Gregory Ferrett

Welcome to Monday

It is 2AM and I can't sleep. My mind is racing with ideas! Why is it the best ideas come in the middle of the night? 

Every night I spend time writing my ‘six pack’ so I can get stuck into my day the moment I wake up. I start about 7 and before I know it 5PM rolls around. Where has the day gone? The vital tasks that will drive my success and maintain my health are still not done ... yet I feel productive. 

Here is an important lesson. When we allow our lives to be crowed with 'things to do' time flies. When we let things go, like in the middle of the night, important things come to the surface. Things which will drive our success.

Success comes when you decide what it is you can let go and create the space to do what is important – the learning, the relationships, health breaks and sales calls.

At 2AM there is nothing else happening to crowd your mind.

Think about your life. What could you choose to let go of today? What could you add to your day to make success that step closer?

• Make an appointment with yourself for a short stop at a book store or walk around the lake
• Have lunch with a friend that makes you laugh so much your serotonin levels rise 
• Write that chapter in your book or your Blog
• Sort out that cluttered office ... and cluttered mind

You see, Success needs space  and you are the only one who can control your cluttered day.

Today’s question & action

What are you willing to let go of today? 

• Select one thing you can let go and delete it from your life
• Select one thing to help you move towards your goals and make it happen first each day

Observe what happens as you introduce these changes and add or delete things to help move you to towards success.

Have a great week.

 

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

Is High Energy Enough in Business and Sales?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Is High Energy Enough in Business and Sales?

October 29th 2012

By Gregory Ferrett

 

Welcome to Monday

 

I was breaking up some concrete over the weekend. I was enthusiastic and very positive about the job for ten minutes or so and stopped for a moment. I looked at the whole job and realised how much work it really was.

 

Car runs into tree in the middle of the dessert

A discussion I had with a concrete worker came to mind. He had said “To make the job easier just focus on the point you want to hit and allow the weight of the hammer do the work.” In that moment I re-evaluated the job. I saw what needed to be done, set some goals and started to systematically follow a pattern. This time, instead of attacking with enthusiasm I allowed the weight of the hammer to do the job and focussed on hitting the right point. The job was completed with a lot less energy, less time and my back thanked me for it.

There was a picture in the ‘The Age’ newspaper a few years ago of a crash in the middle of the Nullarbor dessert. The police were quoted as saying “We don’t understand how this happened. The driver has smashed head on into the only tree for over 40 kilometres.”  They were observing the same rule I used in breaking up the concrete, the rule of focus.

What you focus on is what you get

the rule of focus

 

As a business and sales coach I regularly get called to crash scenes. A sales person is faltering or a business failing where it has been smooth sailing for a long time. I am rarely surprised, however, as these crashes occur invariably for one reason. The rule of focus has been violated and the business owner or sales person has allowed their mind to wander from their customers goals to their own.

A lot of research has been done on what makes a person successful. What has been discovered is a successful person absolutely believes they have the ability to succeed. They will not entertain, think about, or talk about the possibilities that they'll fail. They do not even consider the possibility of failure.

This ‘feeling good and positive about you’ will help. To make a sale, however, it does not matter how good you feel or how positive you are. What matters is how good your customer feels and how positive they feel.

Why does your customer buy?

Your customer will only make a buying decision when their emotional needs are met and they can ‘see’ the product or service you offer working in their world and delivering value to them. When they are totally convinced you have the ability to deliver what they ‘see’ then they buy.

Focus on your client

Successful business people and salespeople are the ones who take the time to understand their customers, know their goals and ‘hit’ their client’s goals time and time again. They help their clients:

• ‘See’ how things could be
• Become enthusiastic about getting the results
• Believe they can deliver the result for them.

Moving from being good to being great

One of the things that make great salespeople stand out from the crowd is that they are not considered salespeople at all. They are regarded by their clients as consultants or a similar title. The moment a person is tagged by their customer with the label ‘salesperson’ it means they focused on something other than their client. When you are with your clients you are there to help them achieve their goals. Talk to them about:

• their bonus plan,
• their holiday,
• their promotion.

These are the things that engage them emotionally and drive sales. So, is high energy important is business and sales? Yes, but not as important as focus. High energy will give you a result. High energy with focus will give you an extraordinary result. 

Today’s question & action points

 Here are two things you can do to help you focus:

• Call up your top customers and ask them “What is it about my company that made you initially select us, or continue to deal with us?” The answers will tell you a lot about their perception of you and help you understand why others may buy from you.
• Before you pick up the telephone to your next client or prospect ask yourself “How will this person be better off as a result of using my product or service?”

When talking with your clients put your commission plan away. Hide the holiday brochure and forget about the promotion this sale may bring. There is time for that at the end of the day.

Have a great week.

 

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

Can You or Can't You? The evidence is in and the choice is up to you.

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Can You or Can't You? The evidence is in and the choice is up to you.

October 22nd 2012

By Gregory Ferrett

 

Welcome to Monday

 

 

Usain Bolt was the talk of the London Olympics and with his world record and number of gold medals he is a deserved sporting hero.

Usain Bolt (right) and Yohan Blake on Podium London 2012

While I appreciated his win, I observed something which I found very interesting. Yohan Blake, the silver medallist also of Jamaica, ran a world record time as well.

This is not unusual. In the 1992 Olympics Kieren Perkins, of Australia, smashed the world record for the 1500m freestyle swimming event. Glen Housman, also of Australia, won silver and would have the world record if Kieren Perkins was not in the event.

I find it interesting almost every time a country produces a superstar in a particular sport one or more champions in the same sport or event appear from the same country.

This outcome is easily observed in almost every field of human endeavour. When there is an outstanding singer in a musical production average performers will step up and become great. In business, when there is one person producing outstanding results those around them tend to perform better as well.

Is there a limit?

When I coach business and sales people I rarely ask ‘can they’ as most people I work with know how to sell and build a business in the same way most of us know how to run and swim. The question is not about the ability it is about their motivation. The question I ask is ‘will they?’

These are the things I listen for;

• I can’t bring myself to ask for the order
• I can’t see us doing the job in the timeframe
• My sales target is too high – it’s impossible
• The economy is bad
• There is not enough opportunity

As a child we are taught not to see limits. We try new things every day to the joy of our parents and relatives. There is nothing we can not achieve. But for some reason this period of belief comes to an early end and we are taught about limits.

Imagine what could happen if you freed yourself of all the imaginary limits you impose on yourself by using the word ‘can’t’. This is what happens in countries where a superstar emerges. The word ‘can’t’ is replaced with evidence it can be done. In business people working with high achievers see evidence high achievement is possible. Once you are freed of the imaginary limits nothing is impossible.

Replace Can't

The word can’t is an interesting word as it is made up of the words ‘can’ and ‘not’, so it actually means you are capable of ‘not doing’ whatever you think you can’t do. When someone says ‘I can’t’ what they are saying is ‘I choose not to.’

Here are some alternatives to can’t;

• “What would happen if I were to ask for the order?”
• “What would we need to do to get this done in time?”
• “What could I do to make this sales target work for me?” Or “What sales target could I achieve?”
• “What could I do to help people take advantage of a poor economy?”

Henry Ford is quoted as saying “Whether you think you can or can’t – you are right.”

Today’s question & action

This week I want you to do two things;

1. when you are faced with a challenging situation, or you are just feeling down, consider the words you are using. Try inserting words like “Just suppose” and “what could I do” or “What would happen if”.
2. look for a champion you can relate to. Someone who is already achieving, roughly, what you want to achieve. They do not have to be a global superstar, just someone you can aspire to be like and learn more about them.

You may be surprised how quickly your outlook  and results change.

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

Can Taking the Road Less Travelled Make a Difference?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Can Taking the Road Less Travelled Make a Difference?

October 15th 2012
By Gregory Ferrett

Welcome to Monday

“I took the road less travelled and that has made all the difference” Robert Frost


In his poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ Robert Frost spends most of the day contemplating a fork in the road trying to decide which one to take. He observes most people take the well worn path, the sure way. This is the same in business and sales. We look to see what works and use this idea ourselves. Can taking the road less travelled, however, help establish a business or make better sales?

The Road Less Travelled

I was picking my parents up at the airport last week. On the way out we joined a very long line to pay for our parking. I was interested in this as there were two machines where you could pay for parking, but for some reason there was no one lined up at the other machine.

The second machine looked to be working so, being a bit of a maverick, and seeing there would be a long delay waiting in line, I decided I would try it. As I was about to move over, however, the person in front of me said “I wouldn’t try it, mate. It wasn’t working this morning as well.”

I saw the line stretching out the door behind me and I relented not wanting to loose my position in line.

I waited a few more minutes as a few people looked with longing at the other ticket machine with not a sole in line - but no one dared make a move.

I could see the video display on the machine seemed to be working normally, but my mind kept saying to me ‘there must be something wrong if there is over a hundred people lined up here and no one there’.

This was ridiculous. I plucked up my courage and all my parents’ luggage and walked over to the machine and paid for our parking. You guessed it; within a few seconds there was a mad rush to get to the front of the line for this machine now it was obviously working.

The world is full of naysayers and people who line up with the crowd.

When you are building a business or selling it is your courage to be a bit different, to set yourself apart that creates the value for you and your clients.

I had just started working for an Australian systems integrator and observed one of their long term clients, a subsidiary of a global resources organization, had spent nothing with them for sometime. During one of our sales meetings I asked if I could have this account. When the laughter in the room died down and I was asked if I was sure I wanted this account with no potential I said “Sure, a company that size always has a requirement for our type of services. You just need to help them discover it.”

My first visit to this account confirmed what my colleagues had said. They had signed a global deal to implement a new  enterprise wide system at head office and their Australian subsidiary was to be an early adopter. After meeting a few of the local players and understanding the business better I discovered the Australian operation was the only part of the global organization running well and they were concerned this very expensive project was going to drive them to the wall.

Here I had an Australian manager, being paid based on profitability of the local subsidiary, being told to accept an expense that would take money from his bonus - perhaps even all of it. Together we put a plan that would allow him to meet the global objectives of the company as well as keep his local costs reasonable. Instead of spending tens on millions with an overseas company he invested hundreds of thousands with a local company.

 

At the end of the year this company no one wanted as an account, who I was laughed at for asking to take it on, was again in the top five client list in terms of revenue and number one in terms of profit.

 

Can taking the road less travelled make a difference? It sure can. And it can be very profitable as well as there are fewer competitors and clearer measures of success.

Today’s question & action

The next time there is a decision to be made ask yourself, "What can I do differently to make what I do stand out?"

 

• Make it a habit of always look for one more alternative.
• Pose a contrarian view to help see other potential ways of doing things.

Being different does not always mean you will be better off. Taking the road less travelled, however, can make all the difference.

 

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

Are You In Business or Show Business?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Are you in Business or Show Business?

October 8th 2012
By Gregory Ferrett

Welcome to Monday

 

 

Early in my sales career I sold the Pitney Bowes range of mail handling equipment. I was planning a major demonstration for one of my prospects and had all the equipment setup. Darien, my sales manager, asked me to demonstrate to him what I planned to present to the prospect.

Darien taught me two vital lessons for people in sales or business that day.

Lesson 1- Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary

Folding invoices and stuffing them in envelopes has to be one of the most boring jobs imaginable. Darien, however, taught me how to load paper, envelopes and brochures with great flair. When he started the equipment folding, inserting, sorting, and franking the mail it was as if he were on the stage.

The first lesson he taught me was the importance of taking this boring activity and make it exciting. He taught me to have fun feeding the paper into the equiopment and use creative ways of describing what was happening “Here is the form the Robinson family will use to purchase that new frying pan from your store” I would say as the machine sucked up the next sheet, folded it and stuffed it in the next envelope.

Lesson 2 - Actors get paid to perform. Sales people get paid for results

With the smoothness of two actors we put on a show for my prospect. The key difference to acting is we were performing not for applause but to influence and motivate someone to take action, to purchase the equipment we were showing off.

The second lesson Darien taught me was I was paid to sell and not for my acting ability. Acting was only to make the solution we were offering look easy and exciting; it was the rest of the sales process that won the business.

Who you focus on changes the outcome

Sales Demonstration of a Robot

Research tells us people spend almost all of their time thinking about themselves, their problems, and their own business. No matter how exciting the performance or smoothly a presentation to a prospect goes, the moment you leave their office their world crowds in again as the telephone rings or the next sales person calls. 

It does not matter what level in an organisation you call on, from the CEO down, every person you speak to is a human being. They have emotional drivers just like every other person on this planet. They think about themselves first and almost all of the time.

It is how you control your own feeling of self importance and focus on the emotional green and red buttons of your customers and people you want to have influence with that will determine your ability to be successful in your endeavours.

It would be great if you were paid on your ability to present. What you are paid for, however, is your ability to help others see the way the world could be if they used your products or services and close the sale.

Yes, you are in show business. Showing the way life could be and helping people see themselves in the scenario you act out. It is your show business that drives your business. 

Today’s question & action

The greatest actors are the ones who get inside their characters and become that person. The next time you get ready to present ask these three questions.

 

• What are my prospects emotional green and red buttons?
• How can I present the potential new way of doing things in an exciting way which will allow my prospect see themself using my solution? 
• When I present my product or service am I addressing my clients needs or stroking my own ego?

Have a great week!

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here