I have to say that most salespeople blow the initial call.

Separate yourself from 90% of other salespeople by doing some homework – use the internet, your local business journal, your business contacts, specific industry knowledge – anything that will make it clear that you’re not just a peddler – you’re a serious business person who is worthy of your prospect’s time, attention, trust, and respect.

What are the top 3 issues their industry is challenged with? What are the top 3 issues their specific company is facing? How do they get customers? How do they make money? Once you know this type of information, it’s easy to position your product/service as a specific solution.

And unless you know this, your sale could easily blow up in your face.

Word of caution – don’t under any circumstances go in and say “So tell me about your company.” If I am the buyer (bring your ear close to the page) IT’S NOT MY JOB TO EDUCATE YOU ON WHAT YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW!!!! [Can you tell we’ve spent some time on the other side of the desk?] 

Sorry for yelling, but that is the level of frustration your prospects feel right now.

In the information age, you can find out anything.

You can ask them about their department, but you should certainly know about their company and industry!

And one of the most powerful and credible phrases you can use (if it’s used honestly) is saying, “in preparation for this meeting, I learned that you/your company...(fill in the blank)”

In short, know their playing field – their competitors, issues, challenges, successes, and key leaders.

An example of smart chemistry

I recently went to meet with a new prospective CPA. I arrived at his office, he shook hands with me, and then I had a seat.

He started asking me questions and then he reached in his desk and pulled out my book, The Ten Foundations of Motivation. He sat it on his desk. I looked at it and asked “Where did you get THAT?” He said, “I ordered it – I wanted to know more about you and I went to your website. I understand pretty well what you do.” WOW – preparation!!!!!!! (He is, by the way, my new CPA!)
Here is a formula:

P + H + R = I ++++

Preparation plus Homework plus Research equals a very strong first Impression!

The chemistry of real relationships

Let’s talk about real relationships – not 'building rapport' or any other hokey nonsense that they talk about in a lot of other sales training programs. But real person-to-person relationships. The ones that take time and effort to develop. The ones that are based on trust and professionalism above “getting to the sales part.”

Sometimes in a professional situation, the irony is that the very best way to show respect and professionalism is to CUT to the chase!! Don't discuss the fishing photo, golf trophy, or other cliché sales chatter.

YOUR time is valuable and so is theirs. [You can learn about personal interests DURING the course of the conversation.] Here is another thought – the last 100 salespeople in their office asked them the same lame questions!

I spent many years in corporate America. I have a great interest in and appreciation of lighthouses. My office was filled with lighthouse stuff, including coasters and models and pictures of lighthouses. Many, many times salespeople would cone in, look around and say “Do you like lighthouses?” I started meeting with people in the conference room instead. It was a lame question!

So your job is to be different! You want the person you are meeting with to say, “Boy, this person is different…”

Interview, don’t sell

One of the best ways to develop relationships with people is with genuine and intelligent curiosity.

Why do you think interview and talk shows are so popular? People love exchanging information. They love talking about themselves. They love getting into what makes people tick.

And the hosts of these shows, like Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air, or Charlie Rose, of The Charlie Rose Show, have a genuine, deep, and broad curiosity about people in many different lines of work (politics, science, entertainment, business, government, medicine, sports, law, the arts, etc.)

One of the ways I know an initial conversation with a future client is going well is when I hear them say, “That’s a very good question...” or even better “You know, nobody has ever asked me that question before.”

Become YOU-centered. If you can get people talking about their thoughts and hopes and dreams, then they will see you differently. The biggest obstacle to effective selling, for some salespeople, can be boiled down to one phrase: “Me-me-me.”

Next time, try going into the meeting with the mindset “You-you-you” and see what happens.

The chemistry of clarity

Clarity indicates expertise.

I have met many salespeople who can’t clearly even describe what they do. Once they have explained what they do you just look at them and think “huh???”

I I once had lunch with a guy for one hour and at the end of the hour I still didn’t know what he did!!!! I didn’t have the heart to tell him!

The more clear and concise you can be, the more you'll gain the halo effect of expertise, quality, reliability, effectiveness, value, etc.

How concise can you make your pitch? How can you make it not seem like a pitch? How soon can you stop talking and start listening?

Cut the fat and try to say 50% LESS.

Or even better, follow the 80/20 rule – they talk 80% of the time and you talk 20% of the time.

One way to do this is to talk about you and your company only after you have already learned all about the person you’re speaking with.

On a sales call, many sales people will jump right into “weeelllll…. Let me tell you about our company’s services and products blah blah blah…” STOP!!!!!

If you find out about them first, then you can present exactly (and only) the information about your company that directly ties into what they have told you.

Edit out all the “yamma yamma” stuff.

Remember that if this is a FIRST call (and you will be back to make a presentation of your proposal or product), you can tell them additional information then as the conversations get more detailed and specific.

A lot of salespeople have a hard time with longer sales cycles (you know, longer than a single phone call!) because they complain, “I have nothing to tell them. I told them everything and they said they’ll think it over. I don’t want to be pushy.” So it’s really quite important to save some information for later in the sales cycle! And it’s fairly easy to do so if you take our advice and spend the early part of the sales cycle SHUTTING UP and listening to what your future customers are telling you they really want and need!

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